Examining Rules in Friends with Benefits Relationships

Establishing communicative and behavioral boundaries in romantic relationships provides partners with a greater sense of relational stability and certainty. For romantic relationships, these boundaries, such as sexual exclusivity, are relatively straightforward. For casual sex relationships, however, the relational rules are less stable and certain. This exploratory study examined rules in friends with benefits relationships (FWBRs) for 109 college students in the USA. Responses to open-ended questions were collected through an online questionnaire, and data were qualitatively analyzed through an inductive thematic analysis. The data were structured into communication rules, sexual rules, and relational definition rules. Results provide overlap and extension of previous work investigating rules in FWBRs. Notably, participants reported sexual exclusivity as an important rule. Additionally, potentially competing discourses in FWBR rules were best understood through the lens of relational dialectics. Findings reflect a tension in terms of relational work, as partners struggle with maintaining their sexual and friendship relationship while not falling into the “territory” of romantic relationships.

     

Prevalence,Awareness, and Management of CKD and Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Publicly Funded Health Care

Background and objectives

It is uncertain how many patients with CKD and cardiovascular risk factors in publicly funded universal health care systems are aware of their disease and how to achieve their treatment targets.

Design, setting, participants, & measurements

The CARTaGENE study evaluated BP, lipid, and diabetes profiles as well as corresponding treatments in 20,004 random individuals between 40 and 69 years of age. Participants had free access to health care and were recruited from four regions within the province of Quebec, Canada in 2009 and 2010.

Results

CKD (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration equation; <60 ml/min per 1.73 m²) was present in 4.0% of the respondents, and hypertension, diabetes, and hypercholesterolemia were reported by 25%, 7.4%, and 28% of participants, respectively. Self-awareness was low: 8% for CKD, 73% for diabetes, and 45% for hypercholesterolemia. Overall, 31% of patients with hypertension did not meet BP goals, and many received fewer antihypertensive drugs than appropriately controlled individuals; 41% of patients with diabetes failed to meet treatment targets. Among those patients with a moderate or high Framingham risk score, 53% of patients had LDL levels above the recommended levels, and many patients were not receiving a statin. Physician checkups were not associated with greater awareness but did increase the achievement of targets.

Conclusion

In this population with access to publicly funded health care, CKD and cardiovascular risk factors are common, and self-awareness of these conditions is low. Recommended targets were frequently not achieved, and treatments were less intensive in those patients who failed to reach goals. New strategies to enhance public awareness and reach guideline targets should be developed.     

Adrenal metastasis of a phyllodes tumor of the breast: Case report and review of the literature

INTRODUCTIONA phyllodes tumor is a neoplasm of mixed mesenchymal and epithelial origin affecting the breast. It may pursue a benign or malignant evolution with distant metastases in the latter case. Sites most commonly affected by metastases are the lungs and bones. Simple mastectomy is the mainstay of treatment. This article presents the first described case of metastasis to the adrenal gland after sarcomatous transformation of a phyllodes tumor. A review of the literature is presented afterwards.PRESENTATION OF CASEA 57-year old female patient presented with a voluminous breast mass which was completely resected. Unfortunately she presented with malignant recurrence in the breast which was also resected. A later recurrence within the lung presented and was completely resected but showed aspects of sarcomatous changes. Finally a recurrence was pathologically documented within the adrenal gland. Unfortunately, disease later progressed and the patient refused further treatment at that point.DISCUSSIONWhile malignant transformation of breast phyllodes tumors and metastasis is relatively common, the prognosis for initially benign lesion that are completely excised is usually good. This case represents the first documented metastasis to the adrenal gland of a breast phyllodes tumor.CONCLUSIONWe presented the first case of adrenal metastasis of a phyllodes tumor after sarcomatous degeneration. This is an unusual presentation of a relatively uncommon but well-recognized disease of variable malignant potential.     

Parkin-Knockout Mice did not Display Increased Vulnerability to Intranasal Administration of 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)

The loss of nigral dopaminergic neurons in Parkinson’s disease (PD) is believed to result from interactions between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Although loss-of-function mutations in the parkin gene cause early-onset familial PD, the hybrid 129Sv-C57BL/6 parkin-deficient mice did not display spontaneous degeneration of the nigrostriatal pathway or enhanced vulnerability to neurotoxicity induced by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) or intraperitoneal 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) intoxication. We aimed to re-evaluate the role of parkin in a pure C57BL/6 background after an acute intranasal (i.n.) MPTP administration, a new route of toxin delivery to the brain that mimics environmental exposure to neurotoxins. We found that the deficiency of parkin gene modifies the d-amphetamine-induced locomotion in saline-treated animals. Intranasal MPTP induced Parkinsonism in parkin^+/+ mice, through depletion of striatal dopamine, decreased number of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, and decreased d-amphetamine-induced hyperlocomotion. Additionally, the deletion of the parkin gene in a pure C57BL/6 background did not lead to increased vulnerability to i.n. MPTP-induced neurotoxicity. Moreover, the i.n. MPTP induced nigral astrogliosis predominantly in the pars reticulata in wild type and parkin^?/? mice. Taken together, these results showed that the absence of parkin did not modify the vulnerability of nigrostriatal dopaminergic pathway after i.n. MPTP intoxication, suggesting that independently of mouse strain, the endogenous parkin is not required for protection of this system. These findings also suggest that the development of familial parkin-linked PD is not associated with exposure to environmental factors that specifically affects the dopaminergic system.     

Six Weeks of Voluntary Exercise don’t Protect C57BL/6 Mice Against Neurotoxicity of MPTP and MPP+

Exercise improves the central nervous system (CNS) functions and is widely recommended for neurological patients with, e.g., Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, exercise-induced neuroprotection is an open discussion. Here, the intranasal administration of the neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP, 65 mg/kg) caused death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta and depletion of dopamine in the striatum of C57BL/6 mice. 1-Methyl-4-phenylpyridinium, the active metabolite of MPTP, also inhibited complex-I activity of mitochondria isolated from the CNS of mice. However, 6 weeks of exercise on voluntary running wheels did not protect against nigrostriatal neurodegeneration or mitochondrial inhibition, suggesting that benefits of exercise for PD may not be associated with neuroprotection. The literature presents other candidates, such as neurotrophins or increased antioxidant defenses.     

Le programme « Choisir de maigrir ? » : un nouveau paradigme pour intervenir sans nuire

The new weight paradigm, from which the “Choisir de maigrir ?” (choose to slim?) program has been drawn, focuses on health and well-being rather than weight loss at all costs. Two studies have suggested significant and sustainable improvements in various psychological, behavioural, and anthropometrical variables among “Choisir de maigrir ?” participants. This program appears to be a relevant alternative for healthy weight-management in women with weight-related problems. In addition, its values and principles, which mirror those from the public health domain, could inspire an entire strategic plan to curb the obesity epidemic.     

Diet can prevent diabetes in the BB rat

When compared with laboratory chow, a defined, semipurified diet prevented diabetes, reduced the frequency of insulitis, increased thymus weight and total white blood cell count, and doubled thymus T-helper/T-suppressor cell ratios in diabetes-prone BB rats. These data show that the diabetic syndrome in BB rats may be prevented or delayed by changes in diet, which may occur through alteration of pathogenic defects in the immune system.     

Ultimate journey of the terminally ill: Ways and pathways of hope

ObjectiveTo better understand the role of hope among terminally ill cancer patients.DesignQualitative analysis.SettingA tertiary specialized cancer centre in Canada.ParticipantsCancer patients in palliative care with an estimated remaining life expectancy of 12 months or less (N = 12) and their loved ones (N = 12) and treating physicians (N = 12).MethodsEach patient underwent up to 3 interviews and identified a loved one who participated in 1 interview. Treating physicians were also interviewed. All interviews were fully transcribed and analyzed by at least 2 investigators. Interviews were collected until saturation occurred.ConclusionApproaches aimed at sustaining hope need to reflect that patients’ reactions might fluctuate between despair and a form of acceptance that leads to a certain serenity. Clinicians need to maintain some degree of hope while remaining as realistic as possible. The findings also raise questions about how hope influences patients’ perceptions and acceptance of their treatments.