1,721,025 research outputs found
Is mild endometriosis always a disease?
No full textThe easy access to the pelvis via laparoscopy has led to an appreciable increase in the diagnosis of endometriosis in women with infertility or chronic pelvic pain. This could suggest a rising incidence of the disease but is probably largely related to the recently acquired ability to demonstrate minimal and mild lesions. However, estimates of the distribution of endometriosis in the female population might be unreliable due to lack of control of the variables which influence diagnosis of the disease in the initial stages. Analysis of data from prospective studies on asymptomatic women undergoing tubal sterilization reveals a markedly higher than expected frequency of endometriosis. This raises doubts on the clinical significance of the minimal lesions that are often found. The concept that initial endometriosis should always be treated to avoid worsening of the condition seems to lack a convincing rational basis and is not supported by definitive scientific evidence. Minimal/mild endometriosis could represent a temporary phase in an on-going process that usually results in cytolysis of recently implanted endometrial cells, whereas in a few immunologically 'tolerant' subjects, nodular, cystic and infiltrating lesions develop, with eventual progression to moderate and severe stages
Frequency of multiple pregnancies in various Italian regions : 1955-1983
No full textThe trend in frequency of multiple birth in Italy has been analyzed on the basis of the number of single and multiple births, according to age and regions, published annually by the Central Institute of Statistics. The rates and ratios of twin and triple or more pregnancy were computed for region, children sex and calendar period. Specific and standardized rates by maternal age are presented here too. Between 1955 and 1983 the frequency of multiple births declined from 12.6/1000 to 9.6/1000 deliveries. The downward trend was constant till the late 70's, when multiple pregnancy rates flattened out, being constant till the early 80's. This was largely attributable to decreasing trend in dizygotic multiple pregnancies, the monozygotic rates were generally constant over the considered period. Rates of triple births decreased slightly till the early 70's and increased in relative and absolute terms from late 70's on, thus if in the quinquennium 1955-1959 only 1 out of 99 multiple births was a triplet, this ratio increased to 1 out of 70 in 1980-1983. There was no noticeable variation in the North/South multiple birth frequency ratio, which was constantly about 0.7. Similarly the national trends were generally reproduced in various regions, the regional differences were largely attributable to differences in dizygotic multiple pregnancy rate
Determinants of the frequency of cesarean section in Italy, 1980-1983
No full textThe frequency and determinants of cesarean section rates in Italy were analyzed using data collected routinely by the Italian Central Institute of Statistics on more than 2,400,000 deliveries in 1980-83. The rate of cesarean section in Italy rose from 11.2/100 deliveries in 1980 to 14.5 in 1983. This increase was comparable with other European countries, although the rate of abdominal deliveries was still about 30-40% lower than in the United States and Canada. In the southern (and less rich) areas, the rate of cesarean section was about 40% lower than in the North or Centre of Italy. The rate of cesarean birth rose constantly with maternal age; being in comparison with teen-agers, about three times higher in women aged 45 years or more. Compared with women with primary or intermediate degree, those with university education reported about 40% higher rate of cesarean section, but this differences was markedly reduced after taking into account maternal age and birth weight. In southern areas of the country the frequency of cesarean birth was about 40% higher in public hospital than in private ones (11.5 and 8.1/100 deliveries, respectively), while in northern and central areas the frequency of cesarean birth was higher in private hospital than public ones (18.5 vs 14.7/100 deliveries in the North, and 19.6 vs 14.6/100 deliveries in the Centre). There were relationships between cesarean rates and birth weight or gestational weeks. The lowest values were observed in very low birth weight (less than or equal to 999 gr) as in babies weighing 3000-3999 gr and in deliveries occurred between the 25th and 27th gestational weeks and in term deliveries. About 55% of deliveries with breech presentation were delivered by cesarean section
The epidemiology of endometrial cancer
No full textThe descriptive and analytical epidemiology of endometrial cancer is reviewed. Over the last few decades, age-standardized incidence rates have been rising in several countries. The rise has been even greater in terms of absolute numbers of cases, and hence public health implications, due to the aging of the population. Although endometrial cancer rates were found to be higher in richer countries and urban populations, there is now evidence of some changes in the socioeconomic determinants of the disease in developed countries. In etiological terms, any factor that increases exposure to unopposed estrogens (such as menopausal replacement treatment, obesity, and irregular menstrual cycles) tends to increase the risk of the disease, while factors that decrease exposure to estrogens or increase progesterone levels (such as oral contraceptives or smoking) tend to be protective. Less well defined, or more difficult to explain in biological terms, is the role of other factors, such as births, miscarriages, or diabetes and hypertension, and only suggestive evidence is available on diet from analytical epidemiology. The data reviewed herein are discussed in terms of models of carcinogenesis, as well as attributable risks and public health implications
Timing of ovulation in spontaneous and induced cycles
No full textWe studied 30 spontaneous cycles, 30 cycles induced with clomiphene citrate, and 30 cycles induced with human menopausal gonadotropin-human chorionic gonadotropin to evaluate the pattern of the following parameters and their predictive value in timing ovulation: basal body temperature; cervical mucus; mean follicular diameter; serum LH and 17-beta-estradiol; and urinary LH. Compared with the spontaneous cycles, in the cycles induced with clomiphene citrate the cervical score was significantly lower on the 4 days preceding ovulation, serum LH was higher in the early follicular phase, and serum 17-beta-estradiol was significantly higher in the pharmacologically treated cycles. The highest predictive values in all groups of cycles were obtained by considering the following combinations of parameters: serum 17-beta-estradiol and LH concentrations; mean follicular diameter as shown by ultrasonography and urinary LH as determined by a rapid method
Screening practices and invasive cervical cancer risk in different age strata
No full textRelative and population attributable risks for invasive cervical cancer in different age strata relative to screening practices have been estimated using data from a case-control study conducted since 1981 in the greater Milan area, northern Italy. A total of 548 women under 75 years of age with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of invasive cervical cancer were compared with 515 controls admitted to hospital for a spectrum of nongynecological, hormonal or neoplastic, acute conditions. The percentage of never-screened women increased with age: no Pap smear was reported in 34% of controls aged 44 years or younger and 63% of older women (greater than or equal to 65 years). A similar trend emerged in recency of Pap smear, with 14% of older controls and 52% of the younger group reporting a cervical smear within 3 years before the interview. The number of Pap smears was strongly and inversely related to cervical cancer risk at all ages. Compared with no Pap smear, three or more cervical smears decreased the risk of invasive cervical cancer by about 90%. Compared with women screened the last time 6 years before the interview or never, relative risks were about 60% lower in women reporting their last Pap within 2 years in all age groups. A slightly larger proportion of older cases were attributable to the absence or delay in the screening: population attributable risk estimates were 78% in women up to 55 years of age, and 86% in those 65 years or older. Thus, deficiencies in screening were greater at ages at which the incidence of disease was higher
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Pelvic endometriosis: reproductive and menstrual risk factors at different stages in Lombardy, northern Italy
No full textTo analyse the relationship between reproductive and menstrual factors and different stages of pelvic endometriosis
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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