A discursive psychology analysis of emotional support for men with colorectal cancer

Recent research into both masculinity and health, and the provision of social support for people with cancer has focussed upon the variations that may underlie broad assumptions about masculine health behaviour. The research reported here pursues this interest in variation by addressing the discursive properties of talk about emotional support, by men with colorectal cancer - an understudied group in the social support and cancer literature. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight men with colorectal cancer, and the transcripts analysed using an intensive discursive psychology approach. From this analysis two contrasting approaches to this group of men’s framing of emotional support in the context of cancer are described. First, talk about cancer was positioned as incompatible with preferred masculine identities. Second, social contact that affirms personal relationships was given value, subject to constraints arising from discourses concerning appropriate emotional expression. These results are discussed with reference to both the extant research literature on masculinity and health, and their clinical implications, particularly the advice on social support given to older male cancer patients, their families and friends

A replication study confirms the association of TNFSF4 (OX40L) polymorphisms with systemic sclerosis in a large European cohort

<p><b>Objectives</b> The aim of this study was to confirm the influence of TNFSF4 polymorphisms on systemic sclerosis (SSc) susceptibility and phenotypic features.</p> <p><b>Methods</b> A total of 8 European populations of Caucasian ancestry were included, comprising 3014 patients with SSc and 3125 healthy controls. Four genetic variants of TNFSF4 gene promoter (rs1234314, rs844644, rs844648 and rs12039904) were selected as genetic markers.</p> <p><b>Results</b> A pooled analysis revealed the association of rs1234314 and rs12039904 polymorphisms with SSc (OR 1.15, 95% CI 1.02 to 1.31; OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.29, respectively). Significant association of the four tested variants with patients with limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) was revealed (rs1234314 OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.38; rs844644 OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.83 to 0.99; rs844648 OR 1.10, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.20 and rs12039904 OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.09 to 1.33). Association of rs1234314, rs844648 and rs12039904 minor alleles with patients positive for anti-centromere antibodies (ACA) remained significant (OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.10 to 1.37; OR 1.12, 95% CI 1.01 to 1.25; OR 1.22, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.38, respectively). Haplotype analysis confirmed a protective haplotype associated with SSc, lcSSc and ACA positive subgroups (OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.82 to 0.96; OR 0.88, 95% CI 0.80 to 0.96; OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.77 to 0.97, respectively) and revealed a new risk haplotype associated with the same groups of patients (OR 1.14, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.26; OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.08 to 1.35; OR 1.23, 95% CI 1.07 to 1.42, respectively).</p> <p><b>Conclusions</b> The data confirm the influence of TNFSF4 polymorphisms in SSc genetic susceptibility, especially in subsets of patients positive for lcSSc and ACA.</p&gt

Assessing sprinkler irrigation uniformity using a ballistic simulation model

The definitive version is available at: http://ees.elsevier.com/agwatExperiments were performed in the Ebro Valley of Spain to provide the basis for the calibration and validation of a ballistic simulation model of sprinkler irrigation. The experiments included evaluations of isolated sprinklers and solid-sets. Two different sprinklers, two principal nozzle diameters and three operating pressures were considered in the experiments, which also covered the usual range of wind speeds in the study area. Model calibration served the objectives of predicting the Christiansen Coefficient of Uniformity (CU) and the water application pattern. The resulting standard error of CU estimation was 3.09 %. Tables of simulated uniformity were produced for the two sprinklers using different nozzle diameters, sprinkler spacings, operating pressures and wind speeds. These tables can be used for design and management purposes, identifying options leading to adequate irrigation uniformity. A simple simulation software has been produced and disseminated to assist irrigation professionals and farmers in decision making.This research was funded by the CONSI+D of the Government of Aragón (Spain) through grant P028/2000 and by the Plan Nacional de I+D+I of the Government of Spain through grant AGL2004-06675-C03/AGR.Peer reviewe

Association of crossed renal ectopia and aortic aneurism. Case report

OBJECTIVE: Renal malformations are rare entities and rarely have clinical consequences. Crossed renal ectopia has an incidence of 1/2.000 autopsies. The association with aortic aneurysm is even more exceptional. METHODS: We present our case and perform a bibliographic review. RESULTS: To date and in our knowledge , seven cases of crossed renal ectopia associated with aortic aneurysm were described on the literature. This malformation makes the treatment of the aneurysm more complex. The possibility of renal function decrease caused by injuries to the renal arteries during the surgical procedure is always present. Because of this risk of injury of the kidney during surgery preoperative evaluation of the vascularization must include image technologies as the MRI, CT-angiography or conventional arteriography. During the aortic intervention vascular conservation must be performed and it is necessary to minimize the time of renal ischemia. CONCLUSIONS: The association of crossed renal ectopia and aortic aneurysm is a rare event. The surgical intervention of the aorta does not have to necessarily originate a loss of renal function. Anyway the worsening of the renal clearance must be foreseen

Criteria for the diagnosis of corticobasal degeneration

Current criteria for the clinical diagnosis of pathologically confirmed corticobasal degeneration (CBD) no longer reflect the expanding understanding of this disease and its clinicopathologic correlations. An international consortium of behavioral neurology, neuropsychology, and movement disorders specialists developed new criteria based on consensus and a systematic literature review. Clinical diagnoses (early or late) were identified for 267 nonoverlapping pathologically confirmed CBD cases from published reports and brain banks. Combined with consensus, 4 CBD phenotypes emerged: corticobasal syndrome (CBS), frontal behavioral-spatial syndrome (FBS), nonfluent/agrammatic variant of primary progressive aphasia (naPPA), and progressive supranuclear palsy syndrome (PSPS). Clinical features of CBD cases were extracted from descriptions of 209 brain bank and published patients, providing a comprehensive description of CBD and correcting common misconceptions. Clinical CBD phenotypes and features were combined to create 2 sets of criteria: more specific clinical research criteria for probable CBD and broader criteria for possible CBD that are more inclusive but have a higher chance to detect other tau-based pathologies. Probable CBD criteria require insidious onset and gradual progression for at least 1 year, age at onset ≥50 years, no similar family history or known tau mutations, and a clinical phenotype of probable CBS or either FBS or naPPA with at least 1 CBS feature. The possible CBD category uses similar criteria but has no restrictions on age or family history, allows tau mutations, permits less rigorous phenotype fulfillment, and includes a PSPS phenotype. Future validation and refinement of the proposed criteria are needed