Loneliness, Grief and the (Un)Caring State

This essay analyzes Claudia Rankine’s Don’t Let Me Be Lonely: An American Lyric (2004) from the perspective of “ugly feelings” (Ngai 2005) such as disavowed mourning (Butler, 2004, xiv) or loneliness in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. Following Butler’s contention of the hindered possibility for community in the recognition of US national vulnerability (2004), I will argue that Rankine’s work underscores the disparities in public recognition of grief and private care for Othered subjects’ pain. In particular, Don’t Let Me Be Lonely displays a series of physical and mental collective ailments in US citizens, such as medicalized depression, as Rankine attempts to bear witness to the institutionalized injustice and erasure of the violence exerted upon America’s precarious bodies, enacting a form of recognition, only if temporary, through the fragmented use of the narrative/lyric ‘I’

The body’s unruly event of illness: (re)orienting the cancer memoir in Anne Boyer’s The Undying

[EN]This paper argues that Anne Boyer’s The Undying (2019) reorients the writing of illness memoirs, in particular the breast cancer memoir. Thinking of the ill body as a “queer orientation,” following Sara Ahmed (2006), I analyze how Boyer reconsiders and attends to different ways of narrating the ill body going beyond genre conventions. I consider how Boyer’s memoir assesses the “crisis of care” (Fraser) in contemporary society as well as the role of the cancer patient in traditional breast cancer memoirs, where suffering is presented as a homogenizing experience devoid of sociopolitical circumstances. I argue that Boyer’s use of (re)orientation of writing in her illness narrative is key for a different understanding of breast cancer that fosters collective action for the redistribution of justice and care

Mapping the Self: Leonora Carrington’s Journey through the Mad Mind in Down Below

[EN]This article examines the Map of Down Below as a central element for understanding Leonora Carrington’s Down Below (1944). Carrington’s Surrealist memoir about madness, first dictated in French and then translated into and published in English, recounts her experience of being interned in a mental asylum during the early Francoist dictatorship in Spain while trying to flee from the Nazis in France. The text has often been read as a Surrealist autobiography contesting André Breton’s Nadja (1928). However, and without disavowing this reading, I argue that the way in which Carrington narrates her experience of madness is a means to gather knowledge about the world and the Self beyond the literary and institutional conventions of the time, namely, autobiography and eugenic psychiatry as part of the authoritarian state. Thus, I explore how Down Below, as life writing, illuminates a form of truth that deviates from the autobiographical tradition of the unitarian Self. Carrington’s found truth sheds light on other possibilities of experiencing—or creating— the Self, while she also challenges both the normative Francoist psychiatry and traditional life writing.[ES]Este artículo examina el Map of Down Below como elemento central para comprender Down Below (1944), las memorias sobre la locura de la autora surrealista Leonora Carrington. El texto, primero dictado en francés y luego traducido al inglés y publicado en este idioma, relata la experiencia de cuando Carrington fue internada en un hospital psiquiátrico en los comienzos del franquismo mientras intentaba huir de los nazis en Francia. A menudo, el texto se ha leído como una autobiografía surrealista que pretende refutar la Nadja de André Breton (1928). Sin embargo, y sin desacreditar esta lectura, en este artículo argumento que Carrington narra su experiencia de la locura vista como medio para descubrir la realidad y el Yo más allá de las convenciones literarias e institucionales de la época, a saber, la autobiografía y la psiquiatría eugenésica como herramienta del estado autoritario. Por lo tanto, explico cómo Down Below, en tanto que autobiografía, muestra una forma de verdad que se desvía de la tradición autobiográfica del Yo unitario. La verdad que Carrington encuentra arroja luz sobre otras posibilidades de experimentar—o de crear—el Yo, a la vez que desafía la psiquiatría franquista normativa y la escritura autobiográfica tradicional

Blowing Up the Nuclear Family: Shirley Jackson’s Queer Girls in Postwar US Culture

This paper intends to analyze the representation of girlhood as a liminal space in three novels by Shirley Jackson: The Bird’s Nest(1954), The Haunting of Hill House(1959) and We Have Always Lived in the Castle(1962). Bearing in mind how nuclear fears and national identity are configured around the ideal of a safe domestic space in US postwar culture, the paper explores cultural anxieties aboutteenage girls who refuse to conform to normative femininity, following Teresa de Lauretis’s conception of women’s coming-of-age as “consenting to femininity” (1984).I will argue that Jackson criticizes the rigid possibilities for women at this time, and I will show how her representations of deviant femininity refuse and subvert the discourse ofthe nuclear familyand, therefore, of the nation.El presente artículo pretende analizar la representación de la adolescencia femenina como un espacio liminal en tres novelas de Shirley Jackson: The Bird’s Nest(1954), The Haunting of Hill House(1959) y We Have Always Lived in the Castle (1962). Teniendo en cuenta cómo los temores nucleares y la identidad nacional se configuran en torno al ideal de un espacio doméstico seguro en la cultura estadounidense de la posguerra, el artículo explora las preocupaciones culturales acerca delas adolescentes que se niegan a ajustarse a la feminidad normativa, siguiendo la concepción de Teresa de Lauretis de la madurez femenina como la “aceptación la feminidad” (1984). Se argumentará que Jackson critica las rígidas posibilidades que existían para las mujeres en ese momento, y se demostrará cómo sus representaciones de una feminidad desviada rechazan y subvierten el discurso de la familia nuclear y, por lo tanto, de la nación

Subversive Wanderings in the City of Love: Constructing the Female Body in Jean Rhys’s Good Morning, Midnight

In this article I analyse the deconstruction of the public/private dichotomy in the city of Paris in Jean Rhys’s Good Morning Midnight (1939). Through the exploration of Sasha’s aimless wandering through Paris in her failed quest for romantic love, this paper aims to explore Rhys’s Paris as a city which is hostile to women who fail to perform conventional standards of femininity. These standards are in turn encouraged and set by the promise of happiness; thus, the mimicry of femininity—whether intentional or not—exposes ongoing power dynamics in gender roles, the construction of the bodies of others through political ideals of happiness and love, and the subversive potential in Rhys’s novel, even if the protagonist is crushed at the end by the private side of the emerging totalitarian regimes on the eve of the Second World War

Escritura académica y creativa en asignaturas de literatura y cultura anglonorteamericana: espacios colaborativos de aprendizaje y encuentro

Memoria ID-020. Ayudas de la Universidad de Salamanca para la innovación docente, curso 2021-2022

Diferencias entre los métodos de determinación de 2.a y 3.a generación de la parathormona sérica sobre la mortalidad en el paciente en hemodiálisis

Parathormone plays a key role in controlling mineral metabolism. PTH is considered a uremic toxin causing cardiovascular damage and cardiovascular mortality in dialysis patients. There are two different assays to measure PTH called 2nd generation or intact PTH (iPTH) and 3rd generation or bioPTH (PTHbio). Objective: To evaluate the differences in mortality of dialysis patients between both assays to measure PTH, as well as the possible prognostic role of the PTHbio/iPTH ratio. Methods: 145 haemodialysis patients were included with 2-year monitoring including baseline laboratory test and annually thereafter. Results: 21 patients died in the first year and 28 in the second. No correlation was found between PTH, PTHbio and PTHbio/iPTH ratio with mortality. Both PTH have a perfect correlation between them and correlate similarly with other molecules of the mineral metabolism. The extreme baseline values of PTH are those of higher mortality. In survival by iPTH intervals (according to guidelines and COSMOS study), a J curve is observed. When iPTH increases, the ratio decreases, possibly when increasing fragments no. 1–84. There is no greater prognostic approximation on mortality with PTHbio than PTHi. There was also no difference in mortality when progression ratio PTHbio/PTHi was analysed. Conclusions: We didn’t find any advantages to using bioPTH vs. PTHi as a marker of mortality. BioPTH limits of normality must be reevaluated because its relationship with iPTH is not consistent. Not knowing these limits affects its prognostic valueLa paratohormona tiene un papel fundamental en el control del metabolismo mineral. Además es considerada como una toxina urémica al originar dan˜ o cardiovascular e influir en la mortalidad cardiovascular del paciente en diálisis. Existen dos métodos de medición denominados de 2.a generación o PTH intacta (PTHi) y de 3.a generación o bioPTH (PTHbio). Objetivo: Evaluar las diferencias en la mortalidad del paciente en diálisis entre ambas formas de medición de PTH, así como el posible papel pronóstico de su cociente. Métodos: Se incluyeron 145 pacientes en hemodiálisis con un seguimiento de 2 an˜ os con determinación analítica basal y posteriormente de forma anual. Resultados: Veintiún pacientes fallecieron el primer an˜ o y 28 el segundo. No se encontró correlación entre PTHi, PTHbio y cociente PTHbio/PTHi con la mortalidad. Ambas PTH tienen una buena correlación entre ellas y correlacionan de manera similar con otras moléculas del metabolismo mineral. Los valores basales de PTH extremos son los de mayor mortalidad. En la supervivencia por tramos de PTHi (según guías y estudio COSMOS) se observa una curva en J. A mayor aumento de PTHi el cociente desciende, posiblemente al aumentar los fragmentos no 1-84. No existe una mayor aproximación pronóstica sobre mortalidad con PTHbio que con PTHi. No se observan diferencias en el valor predictivo del cociente sobre la mortalidad. Tampoco hubo diferencias en mortalidad cuando se analiza la progresión del cociente PTHbio/PTHi. Conclusiones: No encontramos ventajas en la utilización de PTHbio sobre la PTHi como marcador de mortalidad. Se deben reevaluar los límites de la PTHbio pues su relación con la PTHi no es constante. El no conocer esos límites condiciona su utilidad pronósticaOur thanks to Maribel Villarino for the help with the development of the study. L.R.-O. is a Health Professional on Research Training “Rio Hortega r” (CM13/00131), Ministry of Education, Government of Spain. R.V.B. is a professional with postdoctoral contract “Sara Borrell” (CD14/00198) and a project (SAF2014- 60699-JIN) of the Ministry of Economy (MINECO) and FEDER funds. PI14/00386. PI16/01298. FEDER funds ISCIII-RETIC REDinREN/ RD06/0016, RD12/002

Risk and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis

Background and purpose Limited information is available on incidence and outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). This study investigated the risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19-related outcomes in patients with MS, and compared these with the general population. Methods A regional registry was created to collect data on incidence, hospitalization rates, intensive care unit admission, and death in patients with MS and COVID-19. National government outcomes and seroprevalence data were used for comparison. The study was conducted at 14 specialist MS treatment centers in Madrid, Spain, between February and May 2020. Results Two-hundred nineteen patients were included in the registry, 51 of whom were hospitalized with COVID-19. The mean age ± standard deviation was 45.3 ± 12.4 years, and the mean duration of MS was 11.9 ± 8.9 years. The infection incidence rate was lower in patients with MS than the general population (adjusted incidence rate ratio = 0.78, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.70–0.80), but hospitalization rates were higher (relative risk = 5.03, 95% CI = 3.76–6.62). Disease severity was generally low, with only one admission to an intensive care unit and five deaths. Males with MS had higher incidence rates and risk of hospitalization than females. No association was found between the use of any disease-modifying treatment and hospitalization risk. Conclusions Patients with MS do not appear to have greater risks of SARS-CoV-2 infection or severe COVID-19 outcomes compared with the general population. The decision to start or continue disease-modifying treatment should be based on a careful risk–benefit assessment.post-print996 K

Risk factors for unfavorable outcome and impact of early post-transplant infection in solid organ recipients with COVID-19: A prospective multicenter cohort study

The aim was to analyze the characteristics and predictors of unfavorable outcomes in solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) with COVID-19. We conducted a prospective observational cohort study of 210 consecutive SOTRs hospitalized with COVID-19 in 12 Spanish centers from 21 February to 6 May 2020. Data pertaining to demographics, chronic underlying diseases, transplantation features, clinical, therapeutics, and complications were collected. The primary endpoint was a composite of intensive care unit (ICU) admission and/or death. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify the factors associated with these unfavorable outcomes. Males accounted for 148 (70.5%) patients, the median age was 63 years, and 189 (90.0%) patients had pneumonia. Common symptoms were fever, cough, gastrointestinal disturbances, and dyspnea. The most used antiviral or host-targeted therapies included hydroxychloroquine 193/200 (96.5%), lopinavir/ritonavir 91/200 (45.5%), and tocilizumab 49/200 (24.5%). Thirty-seven (17.6%) patients required ICU admission, 12 (5.7%) suffered graft dysfunction, and 45 (21.4%) died. A shorter interval between transplantation and COVID-19 diagnosis had a negative impact on clinical prognosis. Four baseline features were identified as independent predictors of intensive care need or death: advanced age, high respiratory rate, lymphopenia, and elevated level of lactate dehydrogenase. In summary, this study presents comprehensive information on characteristics and complications of COVID-19 in hospitalized SOTRs and provides indicators available upon hospital admission for the identification of SOTRs at risk of critical disease or death, underlining the need for stringent preventative measures in the early post-transplant period

Propuesta de innovación docente para Filología: programa de inclusión del alumnado en la investigación universitaria y la adquisición de experiencias científicas y formativas

El presente proyecto busca satisfacer la creciente voluntad de participación del alumnado en los procesos y ámbitos académicos profesionales, dinamizando su interacción con el cuerpo docente, así como la apertura de horizontes laborales a nivel universitario. Se incentivará el aprendizaje y la producción personal del alumno mediante la adición de vías participativas más allá de las curriculares, y se reforzará el funcionamiento de aquéllas merced al desarrollo de metodologías donde sus actividades investigadoras y creativas encuentren una respuesta y supervisión más inmediata del profesorado. Estas iniciativas pavimentarán las futuras incursiones académicas del alumno que desee realizarlas y supondrán una mejora en los planteamientos teóricos y prácticos del que participan el resto. Es un proyecto que emana de iniciativas ya existentes tanto entre el alumnado como entre el cuadro docente; sus repercusiones, aunque académicas, son eminentemente prácticas, en tanto que revitalizan la utilidad intelectual, personal y académica del grado y conectan los conocimientos de éste con las ramificaciones que un personal docente transversal es capaz de ofrecer. Los apartados del proyecto son los siguientes: 1) Intermedialidad literaria a través de métodos de literatura comparada y contrastiva. 2) Iniciación del alumnado en las publicaciones y cauces de expresión académicos, con hincapié en habilidades de revisión y edición de textos. 3) Fortalecer y formalizar las iniciativas ya existentes de cooperación investigadora entre el alumnado y el personal docente. 4) Motivar el progreso académico de los primeros mediante manifestaciones más evidentes de su esfuerzo y de sus posibilidades de integración en el cuadro investigador. 5) Facilitar las labores docentes gracias a vínculos más auténticos e inmediatos con el alumno. 6) Revitalizar la vida de la facultad a través del incremento en actividades extracurriculares del orden de seminarios, conferencias, comunicaciones y publicaciones. Este conjunto de actividades darían pues, lugar, a un proyecto de gran capacidad formativa