The Nuclear Family versus the Men's House? A re-examination of Mundurucú Sociality

It has been posited that in communities with residential men's houses there is perforce no nuclear family. This position is examined with reference to the published data on the Mundurucú of Central Brazil. Comparative data are also examined from Oceania and elsewhere. The conclusion is that the two institutions do indeed co-exist in the Mundurucú case.     

Abortion Rights along the Irish-English Border and the Liminality of Women’s Experiences

My research in European abortion laws and restrictions focuses on the migration of thousands of Irish women who travel to England each year to access safe and legal abortion services. This article is an investigation of the Irish-English border as a symbol for reproductive freedom and the new value systems in which Irish women participate when they cross its boundary. I provide a brief history of abortion law in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland and emphasize a specific case in which border crossing was severely restricted for a young rape victim desiring an abortion. Additionally, my research examines women’s experiences of liminality as they cross the Irish-English border and the complex, conflicting emotions that they may feel as they travel abroad. In particular, I address a recent pro-choice initiative by a Dutch organization called Women on Waves, which sent a ship converted into a reproductive clinic to Dublin to provide services to Irish women. The ship, which has since sailed to Poland and Portugal to offer further assistance to women in countries with bans on abortion, complicates the notion of crossing concrete national lines as it moves throughout international waters.     

Changes in mood, cognitive performance and appetite in the late luteal and follicular phases of the menstrual cycle in women with and without PMDD (premenstrual dysphoric disorder)

Although it's been reported that women with premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) have increased negative mood, appetite (food cravings and food intake), alcohol intake and cognitive deficits premenstrually, few studies have examined these changes concurrently within the same group of women or compared to women without PMDD. Thus, to date, there is not a clear understanding of the full range of PMDD symptoms. The present study concurrently assessed mood and performance tasks in 29 normally cycling women (14 women who met DSM-IV criteria for PMDD and 15 women without PMDD). Women had a total of ten sessions: two practice sessions, 4 sessions during the follicular phase and 4 sessions during the late luteal phase of the menstrual cycle. Each session, participants completed mood and food-related questionnaires, a motor coordination task, performed various cognitive tasks and ate lunch. There was a significant increase in dysphoric mood during the luteal phase in women with PMDD compared to their follicular phase and compared to Control women. Further, during the luteal phase, women with PMDD showed impaired performance on the Immediate and Delayed Word Recall Task, the Immediate and Delayed Digit Recall Task and the Digit Symbol Substitution Test compared to Control women. Women with PMDD, but not Control women, also showed increased desire for food items high in fat during the luteal phase compared to the follicular phase and correspondingly, women with PMDD consumed more calories during the luteal phase (mostly derived from fat) compared to the follicular phase. In summary, women with PMDD experience dysphoric mood, a greater desire and actual intake of certain foods and show impaired cognitive performance during the luteal phase. An altered serotonergic system in women with PMDD may be the underlying mechanism for the observed symptoms; correspondingly, treatment with specific serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) remains the preferred treatment at this time.     

The fertility of women Poland in the period of trasformation of the political and economics system (the 80’s and 90’s)

Wielkopolska (western Poland) is a region, with good reason, called the main food base of Poland. All indices of agricultural production have always been there (since 19th century) much higher than elsewhere in the country (Ratajczak 1977/1978, Buszko 1984, Gorzelak 1989, Czyzewski et al. 1992; table 1). Such a situation had a beneficial effect on the amount of the income generated by a family of Wielkopolska and, thus, decided on its better financial status. Additionally, rural inhabitants of this region have always been characterised by a more advantageous educational structure in comparison with people of other Polish villages. Generally, it is easy to detect the relationship between the life standard, the level of education and family planning. The aim of this paper is to assess fertility of women from villages of Wielkopolska in the period of transformation of the political and economic system in Poland.     

Biaxial biomechanical properties of the nonpregnant murine cervix and uterus

From a biomechanical perspective, female reproductive health is an understudied area of research. There is an incomplete understanding of the complex function and interaction between the cervix and uterus. This, in part, is due to the limited research into multiaxial biomechanical functions and geometry of these organs. Knowledge of the biomechanical function and interaction between these organs may elucidate etiologies of conditions such as preterm birth. Therefore, the objective of this study was to quantify the multiaxial biomechanical properties of the murine cervix and uterus using a biaxial testing set-up. To accomplish this, an inflation-extension testing protocol (n = 15) was leveraged to quantify biaxial biomechanical properties while preserving native matrix interactions and geometry. Ultrasound imaging and histology (n = 10) were performed to evaluate regional geometry and microstructure, respectively. Histological analysis identified a statistically significant greater collagen content and significantly smaller smooth muscle content in the cervix as compared to the uterus. No statistically significant differences in elastic fibers were identified. Analysis of bilinear fits revealed a significantly stiffer response from the circumferentially orientated ECM fibers compared to axially orientated fibers in both organs. Bilinear fits and a two-fiber family constitutive model showed that the cervix was significantly less distensible than the uterus. We submit that the regional biaxial information reported in this study aids in establishing an appropriate reference configuration for mathematical models of the uterine-cervical complex. Thus, may aid future work to elucidate the biomechanical mechanisms leading to cervical or uterine conditions.     

Resemblance for Body Mass Index in Families of Obese African American and European American Women

Objective: We determined the levels of resemblance in body mass index (BMI) in large samples of families selected through obese African American and European American women. Research Methods and Procedures: We examined correlations among relatives in 1185 European American and African American families ascertained through age-matched obese women (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²). A subset of 801 families were ascertained through extremely obese women (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m²). Results: Parent-offspring and sibling correlations ranged from 0.19 to 0.15, suggesting a moderate level of heritability in both groups. Mean BMI values for female relatives were lower for European Americans than for African Americans even though probands were matched, perhaps because the European American relatives regress to a lower population mean. We found significantly higher family correlations for height in European Americans, suggesting greater environmental variability among African Americans for factors affecting growth and physical development. Discussion: Our results suggest a similar level of heritability of BMI in families of obese African American and European American women. Other genetic studies will be needed to determine the extent to which the same or different genes and environmental conditions contribute to an overall similar heritability in the two racial groups.     

What are the sleep characteristics of elite female athletes? A systematic review with meta-analysis

With the recent growth in female sport, practitioners need to be able to provide specific support to female athletes to ensure their sleep, health and athletic performance are optimised. Examine the patterns, duration and quality of sleep among elite female athletes, and consider the impact of situational challenges and their effects on the sleep of elite female athletes. Data was located through a search of SPORTDiscus, MEDLINE and Scopus from inception up to May 2021. Studies needed to be peer-reviewed research reporting quantitative sleep outcomes for female athletes ≥ 18 years of age and competing at a predefined elite level. A meta-analysis was performed on habitual sleep outcomes (e.g. total sleep time [TST] and sleep efficiency [SE]) measured with actigraphy. A total of 38 studies were included. Meta-analysis showed habitual TST (n = 14) was 7.8 h [7.4, 8.2] (mean [95% CI]), and SE was 86.7% [84.7, 88.6], with high variability among studies (I² = 97.8–98.2%). Subjective sleep complaints are common before a competition, as do post-training sleep disturbances (63% studies report TST decrease), and post-competition sleep disturbances (75% studies report TST decrease). Female athletes achieve satisfactory objective sleep quantity and quality during habitual periods, but experience sleep disturbances pre- and post-situational challenges. There is high variability of objective sleep outcomes, demonstrating the individual nature of habitual female athlete sleep. Overall, future research must focus on optimising the sleep appraisal methods and creating high-quality study designs in a broader number of sports.     

绝经后2型糖尿病患者慢性并发症与骨质疏松症关系临床研究

目的:探讨绝经后T2DM患者慢性并发症与骨密度(BMD)、骨质疏松症(OP)患病率情况的关系.方法:回顾性分析168例绝经后T2DM患者,收集年龄、体重、身高、腰围、臀围、病程及绝经年限等临床资料,应用双能X线骨密度仪测定间腰椎及髋部等各部位BMD值.将全体受试者按照糖尿慢性并发症分组,进一步按照各年龄组平均DM病程分组.结果:①除DN组Ward's区、DR组T-hip部位BMD值显著低于NC组(P＜0.05)外,各组间腰椎及髋部等各部位的BMD值、OP患病率均无显著性差异(P＞0.05).不同病程的患者进行比较,年龄、绝经年限、BMI、HbAlc、各部位BMD值和OP患病率均无统计学差异(P＞0.05).②多元逐步回归分析提示,绝经后T2DM患者BMD值的主要影响因素为年龄、BMI、HbAlc以及绝经年限(P＜0.05),而糖尿病病程、并发症类型均非BMD的独立影响因素.结论:未发现绝经后T2DM患者BMD及OP患病率与糖尿病慢性并发症(DN、DR、DPN)有相关关系.     

Sexual identity differences in biomarkers of tobacco exposure among women in a national sample

BackgroundSexual minority women are consistently at increased risk for tobacco use compared to heterosexual women. Neither biomarkers of nicotine exposure nor biomarkers of tobacco toxicant exposure have been examined by sexual identity.MethodsThis study used interview and biomarker data from women in the biomarker core sample of Wave 1 of the Population Assessment of Tobacco and Health (PATH) study (2013–2014; n = 4930). We examined associations of sexual identity with nicotine exposure (measured with urinary cotinine and TNE-2) and with tobacco-specific nitrosamines (measured with urinary NNAL). Multivariable regression modeling was used to examine these associations among the full biomarker core sample, among past 30-day tobacco users, and among exclusive established cigarette users before and after controlling for tobacco use quantity and intensity.ResultsIn the full biomarker sample of women, prior to adjusting for tobacco use quantity and intensity, bisexual women had significantly higher cotinine, TNE-2, and NNAL levels compared to heterosexual women. Among exclusive established cigarette users, gay/lesbian women had significantly higher NNAL compared to heterosexual women prior to adjusting for tobacco quantity and intensity. No differences by sexual identity were found after adjusting for tobacco use quantity and intensity.ConclusionsThis is the first study to demonstrate differences in biological markers of tobacco exposure by sexual identity among women in the U.S. This has important public health implications as greater exposure to both nicotine and to tobacco-specific nitrosamines are strongly linked to cancer risk.     

西安市雁塔区育龄女性宫颈癌防治知识知晓情况调查及影响因素分析

摘要 目的：调查西安市雁塔区育龄女性宫颈癌防治知识知晓情况,并分析其影响因素。方法：选取2019年3月~2020年7月期间于我院进行健康体检的育龄期女性1500例作为研究对象,采用我院自制的调查问卷对研究对象个人信息、宫颈癌防治知识知晓情况进行调查。分析西安市雁塔区育龄女性宫颈癌防治知识知晓情况的影响因素。结果：共发放调查问卷1500份,收回合格问卷1491份,合格率为99.40%（1491/1500）。西安市雁塔区育龄女性宫颈癌防治知识总体知晓率为34.14%（509/1491）。将知晓5项及其以上宫颈癌防治知识的受试者509例纳为知晓组,知晓5项以下的982例作为知晓不足组。单因素分析结果显示：两组在文化程度、年龄、宫颈癌家族病史、家庭月收入、居住地、职业、既往生殖病史、接受过宫颈癌知识宣教、5年内体检史方面对比差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）。多因素Logistic回归分析发现：家庭月收入<5000元、文化程度为初中及以下、接受过宫颈癌知识宣教、既往生殖病史、5年内体检史均是西安市雁塔区育龄女性宫颈癌防治知识知晓情况的影响因素（P＜0.05）。结论：西安市雁塔区育龄女性具有较低的宫颈癌防治知识总体知晓率,且既往生殖病史、家庭人均月收入、文化程度等均为其宫颈癌防治知识知晓情况影响因素,当地相关部门可结合相关影响因素开展针对性的健康教育,以提高当地育龄女性对宫颈癌防治知识的认知。