Distribution Of Women Research Articles

Prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus among 29263 women from the Longgang community of Shenzhen.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and screening have been demonstrated to be effective methods for controlling cervical cancer. To provide evidence for effective targeted interventions, we investigated the HPV prevalence and genotypic distribution in women of different age groups in the Longgang community of Shenzhen, China. A total of 29263 women were enrolled in the Longgang District Central Hospital from January 2018 to October 2020. Cervical specimens were collected at enrolment. We used a polymerase chain reaction diagnostic kit to detect the genotypes of HPV. The prevalence of overall, high-risk, probable high-risk (PHR) and low-risk HPV infection was 8.2% (95% confidence interval [CI] 7.9 to 8.5), 6.9% (95% CI 6.6 to 7.2), 0.9% (95% CI 0.8 to 1.1) and 1.6% (95% CI 1.5 to 1.8), respectively. High-risk HPV genotype infections accounted for 84.4% (95% CI 82.8 to 85.8) of the overall HPV infections. The five most predominant genotypes were HPV-52, HPV-16, HPV-58, HPV-53 and HPV-51. Our study found that the prevalence of HPV infection increased with age and women 55-59y of age presented the highest HPV prevalence. As a PHR subtype, HPV-53 has a higher infection rate in women. HPV-52, HPV-16 and HPV-58 are common infection genotypes.

"Glass Ceilings" in the System of Public Administration in the Russian Federation

The system of public administration in the Russian Federation is predominantly “female” in nature, women dominate as a part of civil servants. But does this fact mean that there are no “glass ceilings” in the public administration system that hinder the advancement of women to senior positions and the realization of their opportunities as managers? Based on the analysis of statistical data, we identified a significant gender asymmetry in the distribution of women and men by main job categories and groups, which indicates the presence of significant gender gaps in the public administration system. "Glass ceilings" appear in the structures of state power and administration at several critical points, which could be called as a kind of boundaries beyond which the representation of women in the system of government drops significantly. "Glass ceilings" are formed both at the local level (in certain job positions) and at the system level (when moving to higher positions in job categories or from civil service positions to public positions), which indicates the institutional nature of the “glass ceilings”.

Abstract 787: Estimating the influence of sex on cancer risk: An analysis in a large US prospective cohort study

Abstract Historically in the United States, cancer incidence has been significantly higher in men than women. This disparity is often attributed to gender-related behavioral risk factors, such as smoking and drinking. The degree to which differences in age-adjusted cancer rates are due to sex (e.g., chromosomes, hormones) is unknown. We estimated the effect of sex on cancer risk by comparing cancer incidence at 21 shared sites between men and women while adjusting for known gender-related risk factors. We analyzed data from 122,826 women and 171,274 men enrolled in the NIH AARP Diet and Health Study (1995-2011), contributing 3.5 million person-years of follow-up. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate male-to-female (M:F) adjusted hazard ratios (aHR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each of the cancers, controlling for relevant baseline cancer-specific demographic (age, race, marital status, education), lifestyle (self-reported health status, family history of cancer, diet, body mass index, physical activity), and behavioral factors (tobacco, alcohol use). We used the Peters-Belson method to partition the observed differences between the sexes in cancer incidence into the proportion of the difference explained by the modifiable environmental and behavioral exposures (explained disparity) and the remaining proportion that cannot be explained by these exposures (unexplained disparity). After adjustment for cancer-specific risk factors, risks remained significantly higher in men for nearly all sites. The highest M:F aHR was for esophageal adenocarcinoma (aHR: 10.59, 95% CI: 7.19, 15.61) followed by gastric cardia (aHR: 4.55, 95% CI: 3.28, 6.31) and larynx (aHR: 3.73, 95% CI: 2.84, 4.89) cancers. In contrast, men had a lower adjusted incidence of thyroid (aHR: 0.57, 95% CI: 0.48, 0.68) and gallbladder (aHR: 0.55, 95% CI: 0.37, 0.82) cancers compared with women. Using the Peters-Belson method we found that, if men had the same exposure distribution as the women (under a counterfactual), the male predominance would remain for 12 cancers (bladder, skin, lung, colon, kidney, rectum, esophageal adenocarcinoma, larynx, gastric cardia, esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, pancreas, and oropharynx). For 4 cancers (liver, gastric non-cardia, oral cavity, and anus), if men had the exposure distribution of women, they would have experienced a higher cancer incidence than what was observed. This elevated risk in men compared with women, after adjustment for risk factors, indicates potential innate sex differences across nearly all shared cancer sites. Funding: Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Division of Cancer Epidemiology and Genetics Citation Format: Sarah S. Jackson, Morgan A. Marks, Hormuzd Katki, Barry I. Graubard, Michael D. Cook, Anil Chaturvedi. Estimating the influence of sex on cancer risk: An analysis in a large US prospective cohort study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 787.

Human Papillomavirus Distribution in Women with Abnormal Pap Smear and/or Cervical Intraepithelial Neoplasia in Vaccination Era. A Single-Center Study in the North Italian Population.

Time trends prevalence of human papillomavirus (HPV) genotypes including negative and untypable infections were analyzed during a 15-year period (2005–2019) among 5807 subjects with abnormal pap-smears and/or cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN). The rates of HPV16 dropped by 13% every 3 years (Prevalence Ratio, PR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.82–0.93) in the CIN1 biopsy, while HPV16 status was unchanged over time in the CIN2+ biopsy. In CIN1 lesions, there was a corresponding increase of HR-HPV types unrelated to nonavalent vaccine. The rates of HPV 18, 31, and 52, decreased by 35% (PR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.54–0.79), 19% (PR = 0.81, 95% CI = 0.73–0.91), and 21% (PR = 0.79, 95% CI = 0.73–0.86) every 3-year interval in CIN2+, respectively. Overall, the prevalence of negative/untypable HPV specimens in the entire database increased from 9.6% (129/1349) in the period 2011–2013 to 17.6% (161/913) and 28.4% (224/790) in the 2014–2016 period and in the 2017–2019 period, respectively (PR = 1.69, 95% CI = 1.52–1.88). HPV 16 prevalence decreased significantly among subjects with low-grade cervical squamous lesions. A significant increase of both HPV types unrelated to nonavalent vaccination and negative/untypable HPV infections was reported. The prevalence of HPV types among subjects with abnormal pap smears in Northern Italy is changing. Many variables including demographic factors and possibly vaccination could be responsible for this modification.

Frequent high-risk HPV co-infections excluding types 16 or 18 in cervical neoplasia in Guadeloupe

BackgroundCervical cancer is the fourth cancer worldwide. The Human Papilloma Virus is responsible for 99% of the cases but the distribution of its genotypes varies among populations. We aimed to identify HPV genotypes distribution in women with grade 2/3 cervical intraepithelial dysplasia or invasive cervical cancer in Guadeloupe, a French Caribbean territory with a population mainly of African descent.MethodsWe used paraffin-embedded tumors for viral DNA extraction from women diagnosed between 2014 and 2016 and identified by the population-based cancer registry. The HPV Genotyping was performed with the InnoLIPA HPV Genotyping Extra kit®.ResultsOverall, 213 samples out of the 321 eligible records were analyzed. The HPV status was positive for 94% of the cases. The five most common oncogenic HPV genotypes were HPV31 (47%), HPV33 (38%), HPV16 (32%), HPV44 (31%) and HPV26 (28%). HPV18 was found in only in 5% of the cases. Among the studied cases, 94% had multiple infections. More than 60% of single infections were HPV16-related, accounting for 35% of HPV16 infections.ConclusionsThese results show a different distribution of oncogenic HPVs in Guadeloupe with “31 > 33 > 16” and a high frequency of multiple infections. Despite a lower coverage, the nine-valent vaccine is nevertheless adequate.

Effects of antiepileptic drugs on hormones

Epilepsy, a common neurological disorder, affects about 50 million people around the world. The prevalence of epilepsy is approximately 6.8 per 1000 in the US [1].Since it is a chronic disease, it often requires lifelong treatment. The severity of epilepsy may vary from well controlled seizure on monotherapy to refractory seizures on polytherapy with many comorbidities and several drug related side effects and interactions [2]. Although there are many alternative treatment options for for epilepsy, such as vagus nerve stimulation (VNS), surgery, and a ketogenic diet, antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) are accepted as the first choice [2].Common adverse effects of AEDs include dizziness, drowsiness, mental slowing, skin rashes, hepatotoxicity, movement and behavioral disorders, and metabolic disturbances, such as weight gain, metabolic acidosis, and nephrolithiasis [3].Although some of AED side effects may be cosmetic changes such as weight gain, hair loss, acne, or masculine hair distribution in women, hormonal effects of antiepileptic drugs can have a significant impact on the life quality of patients. AEDs can affect hormonal balance in different areas, from bone health to fertility, sexual dysfunction,and thyroid abnormalities [4].

Representation of sex, race, and ethnicity in pivotal clinical trials for dermatological drugs.

BackgroundIt is of paramount importance that clinical trials are designed with adequate health equity considerations to prevent disproportionate analyses of specific demographics.ObjectiveIn this study, we investigated the representation of sex, race, and ethnicity in pivotal clinical trials for drugs with dermatological disease indications approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between 1995 and 2019.MethodsThirty-six novel drugs with indications to treat dermatological diseases, approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration between January 1995 and December 2019 were abstracted from Drugs@FDA. The drug approval label, statistical review, official record, and trial publication were reviewed for data on disease indication, approval year, pathway, number of participants, participant demographics (sex, race, and ethnicity), location, and sponsor type.ResultsThe overall female representation was 45.6% (n = 17,492 of 38,320). Adequate female representation was noted for five of six disease indications. Caucasians were predominantly overrepresented (80.4%; n = 28,065 of 34,890); Blacks (9.8%; n = 3242 of 33,240) and Asians (5.5%; n = 1535 of 27,696) were consistently underrepresented. Across sponsor types, there was a significant difference in the distribution of women (χ2 = 6.332; p = .042), as well as Caucasians (χ2 = 12.813; p = .002), Blacks (χ2 = 13.002; p = .002), and Hispanics/Latinos (χ2 = 7.747; p = .021).ConclusionPersistence of disparities disproportionately affect the quality of data behind therapies for certain demographics; as such, enrollment practices must continue to address the issue of underrepresentation. Efforts to facilitate demographic equity among clinical trial participants must be supported to ensure that safety and efficacy conclusions are drawn from representative population samples.

The effect of eight-week elastic walking exercise on the pattern of plantar pressure distribution in women with chronic low back pain during walking

Background: Training of elastic walking is a new method for elasticity in gait and correction of the distribution pattern of plantar pressure in patients with low back pain during gait. This study aimed to investigate the distribution pattern of plantar pressure during gait in women with low back pain following 8 weeks-training of elastic walking. Methods: The present study was quasi-experimental. In this research, 20 women with low back pain were divided into control (n=11) and experimental (n=9) groups. Subjects from the experimental group performed elastic gait training for 3 sessions per week for 8 weeks while the control group didn’t have any exercise program. The plantar pressure variables included the peak of vertical ground reaction forces, the time to peak of ground reaction forces, loading rate, the peak of plantar pressure on the ten foot regions, the peak of ground reaction forces on the ten foot regions, and displacement of the pressure center in two internal-external (copx) and anterior-posterior (copy) lines. The distribution pattern of plantar pressure during gait was recorded by a foot scan system (Sampling rate 300 Hz) in pre-training and post-training. Two-way ANOVA was used to analyze the data. The significance level was set at P < 0.05. Results: In the experimental group, the results of this study demonstrated lower peak vertical reaction force (FzMS component) during post-test compared with pre-test (P = 0.002). Moreover, findings showed that the main effect of group on peak pressure in the mid-foot region was significant (P = 0.011). The results showed no significant difference concerning the main effect of group, the main effect of time and effect, interaction time and group on peak vertical reaction force, displacement of pressure center, vertical loading rate, and walking stance time (P > 0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study showed that training of elastic walking does not have a significant effect on stance time. Also, training of elastic walking in the experimental group reduced the peak vertical ground reaction force (FzMS component) during the post-test compared with the pre-test that can correct the walking pattern and improve the chronic low back pain.

Cervical length varies considering different populations and gestational outcomes: Results from a systematic review and meta-analysis.

The uterine cervical length is an important risk factor for preterm birth. The aim of this study was to assess cervical length distribution in women with singleton pregnancies, measured by transvaginal ultrasound between 16 and 24 weeks, and its association with population characteristics. We searched electronic databases and other sources for studies published from April 1, 1990 to July 21, 2020. Of the 2019 retrieved publications, full-text versions of 137 articles were considered. We included 77 original articles that reported cervical length measurements of 363,431 women. The main aim of this study was to identify the pattern of cervical length in different populations. We collected demographic and clinical data concerning the population, in addition to information regarding the ultrasound examination and cervical length measurement. Regarding study bias, 56 were at low risk of bias and 21 were at medium risk of bias. The meta-analysis included 57 articles with data from 158,346 women. The mean cervical length was 37.96. mm (95% CI [36.68, 39.24]). Cervical length was shorter in women from Africa and Asia, in those from low-income countries, with a lower body weight, and in those who delivered before 37 gestational weeks. We found that the cervical length from pooled studies is longer than that usually discussed in the literature. Regarding limitations, we had difficulty assessing our main variable because there was no consistent pattern in the way authors reported cervical length measurement. Another limitation was the great heterogeneity between studies. The use of a single cutoff value to define a short cervix diagnosis, an important risk factor for preterm birth, may not be correct and cervical length must be considered according to maternal population characteristics. Future studies should identify different specific curves and cutoff values for cervical length in different populations. This meta-analysis was registered in the PROSPERO database under CRD42017070246 at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=70246.

Distribution pattern of left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with decompensated heart failure depends on sex results of a latent class analysis

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Private grant(s) and/or Sponsorship. Main funding source(s): unrestricted grant from Boehringer Ingelheim Background & Aims Since 2016, heart failure (HF) is classified using left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) thresholds of 40% and 50%. However, HF phenotypes may develop across the entire LVEF spectrum depending on individual patient characteristics including the risk and comorbidity profile. Using latent class analysis, we explored the sex-specific distribution of in-hospital LVEF in patients hospitalized for acute heart failure (AHF) at a tertiary care center in Germany. Methods Consecutive patients (≥18 years) hospitalized for AHF were recruited and phenotyped prospectively on a 7/24 basis. Exclusion criteria were high output heart failure, cardiogenic shock, and being listed for high urgency cardiac transplantation. LVEF was determined by transthoracic echocardiography using Simpson´s biplane or monoplane method. First, we estimated the distribution of LVEF in both sexes using histogram and kernel density estimation methods (bandwidth was selected by biased cross-validation). Then, Gaussian Mixture Models were fitted with increasing number of components. To identify the optimal number of subgroups we calculated the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC). The minimum of the BIC criterion suggests the optimal number of subgroups for the final model. This analysis was performed on subsets including only male and only female patients. Results Out of 629 patients (39.8% female) admitted with AHF between 09/2014 and 12/2017, 93% patients received in-hospital echocardiography, and in 79.2% LVEF could be quantitatively assessed. The BIC suggested two subgroups each for male (Fig. A) and female patients (Fig. B). In the male two-subgroup model, mean ± SD LVEF values were 30 ± 9% and 59 ± 8%, thus covering 48% and 52% of the men, respectively (Fig. C). In the female two-subgroup model, respective LVEF values were 36 ± 13% and 65 ± 8%, thus covering 47% and 53% of patients (Fig. D). The "male" model suggested 45% as cut-point, whilst the "female" model suggested 51% as cut-point differentiating between lower and higher LVEF. Conclusions Using non-parametric and parametric statistical approaches, specific subgroups of patients hospitalized with AHF were identified among male and female patients hospitalized for AHF, which each time comprised subgroups with impaired vs. more preserved LVEF. Future analyses in larger AHF cohorts as well as in populations with chronic stable HF are warranted which take also into consideration sex differences in HF aetiology. Figure A) Minimum number of components (BIC) in men. B) Minimum BIC in women. C) LVEF distribution in men (2 components). D) LVEF distribution in women (2 components). The orange line indicates the respective cut-points between low and high LVEF. Abstract Figure.

Human papilloma virus genotype distribution in women with premalignant or malignant lesions of the uterine cervix.

Cervical cancer is caused by persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV). Cytology-based national screening programs have reduced the incidence and mortality of cervical cancer. Different hrHPV subtypes have different carcinogenic potentials. This study evaluated the distribution of different types of hrHPV relative to age in cervical cancer and its precursor lesions. HPV testing was performed between November 2018 and February 2020 using the Abbott RealTime high-risk HPV assay on an Abbott m2000sp instrument. This assay separately detects HPV-16, HPV-18, and a pool of 12 additional hrHPV types (HPV-31, -33, -35, -39, -45, -51, -52, -56, -58, -59, -66, and -68). The study included 652 women with HPV samples and biopsies of the cervix or histology samples obtained during surgery. In all, 30.8% (95% CI, 27.3-34.6%) were HPV-negative. Among HPV-positive women, HPV-16, HPV-18, and "HPV other" types were found in 33.5, 4.4, and 49.4%, respectively. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 3/high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSILs) in women ≤ 34years were positive for HPV-16 in 54.5% of cases and in those ≥ 35years in 45.4% of cases. Among women with cervical cancer, 75.8% were infected with HPV-16 or had coinfection with HPV-16 and "HPV other". HPV-16 is the most common type of hrHPV in HSIL + lesions. It is more common in women diagnosed with CIN 3/HSIL who are aged ≤ 35 and is decreasing with age. Therefore, women age ≥ 35 with persistent infection with this type of hrHPV need careful surveillance, as they are at high risk of progression to cervical cancer.

An Indirect Method to Estimate Total Fertility Rate on the Basis of the Moments of Age Distribution of Women in Reproductive age

Total fertility rate (TFR) is the universally used indicator to measure and monitor fertility transition and population stabilization. Calculation of TFR requires data on births by age of woman. In the absence of these data, several indirect methods have been proposed to estimate TFR but their application is limited to specific period and place. This paper deduces a simple regression method for estimating TFR based on the current age distribution of women in reproductive age. The method can be used to estimate TFR at local level and for different sub-groups of the population.

Estimation of Cohort Fertility Using Parity Progression Ratio

This study attempts to analyze the levels and patterns of cohort fertility in Nepal in 2016 using data on parity progression ratios (PPRs). Simple PPRs, rather than synthetic PPRs or birth history of women, are used in this study from distribution of women by age and children ever born. Data on PPRs are used from 2016 Nepal Demographic and Health Survey to estimate cohort fertility of currently married and all women separately. Fertility is analyzed for different birth cohorts of women, specifically for birth cohorts of age groups 45-49, 20-24, 25-29, and 30-34 years, beside overall span of reproductive ages (15-49) for different purposes. The PPRs data are employed in this study in three different ways such as PPRs itself, proportion of women with at least ‘N’ number of children ever born (CEB), and cohort fertility rates. All three measures are implied to estimate cohort fertility of both currently married and all women separately. Fertility patterns are almost similar in all the three methods and other the measures show that the level of cohort fertility is still a little higher in Nepal, although it is declining gradually over time. The completed cohort fertility is estimated at around 4 in Nepal in 2016. The contribution of this article will be to check fertility level by applying this simple, but less common, method in estimating cohort fertility.

Analyzing the Gender Gap in Poland and Italy, and by Regions

High-income inequality, accompanied by substantial regional differentiation, is still a great challenge for social policymakers in many European countries. One of the important elements of this phenomenon is the inequality between income distributions of men and women. Using data from the European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions, the distributions of income for Italy and Poland were compared, and the gender gap in these countries was assessed. No single metric can capture the full range of experiences, so a set of selected tools were adopted. The Dagum model was fitted to each distribution, summary measures, like the Gini and Zenga inequality indices, were evaluated, and the Zenga curve was employed to detect changes at each income quantile. Afterward, empirical distributions were compared through a relative approach, providing an analytic picture of the gender gap for both countries. The analysis moved beyond the typical focus on average or median earnings differences, towards a focus on how the full distribution of women’s earnings relative to men’s compares. The analysis was performed in the different macroregions of the two countries, with a discussion of the results. The study revealed that income inequality in Poland and Italy varies across gender and regions. In Italy, the highest inequality was observed in the poorest region, i.e. the islands. On the contrary, in Poland, the highest inequality occurred in the richest region, the central one. The relative distribution method was a powerful tool for studying the gender gap.

The nature of the open birth interval distribution

Background: The open birth interval -- the time since the woman’s latest birth -- is closely correlated to the usual fertility measures, but it adds important information from the age of the woman’s youngest child, with its implications for her freedom from domestic roles. Studies of the open interval by age and parity can elucidate the transitions in reproductive behavior that women experience over time. Methods: 249 surveys of married women in 75 countries in the DHS series provide information on the open interval by age and parity, and by the fertility measures of the total fertility rate (TFR), the general fertility rate (GFR), and children ever born (CEB), with time trends. Stata 15 and the “R” software were used, and a two-parameter equation was employed to model the distribution. Results: The distribution of women by the open interval follows a downward curve from birth to 20 years; it varies across countries and over time only by its starting level and the steepness of the curve. Declines in the shortest intervals soon after birth reflect recent fertility declines. Variations are large by both age and parity, but in quite different patterns. Past modeling analyses demonstrate the effects of female and spouse mortality, declining fecundability, contraceptive use, and reduced sexual exposure. Both period and cohort effects can impact the curve. The open interval distribution is modelled in an equation with two parameters and calculated for the latest surveys in the 75 countries. Conclusions: The time since a woman’s birth is easily captured with a single question in successive surveys. Changes in the open interval distribution serve as sensitive indicators of recent fertility changes, and the dynamics of reproductive behavior across women’s life stages are captured in new ways, as gauged by age and parity trends in the distributions.

The nature of the open birth interval distribution.

Background: The open birth interval -- the time since the woman's latest birth -- is closely correlated to the usual fertility measures, but it adds important information from the age of the woman's youngest child, with its implications for her freedom from domestic roles. Studies of the open interval by age and parity can elucidate the transitions in reproductive behavior that women experience over time. Methods: 249 surveys of married women in 75 countries in the DHS series provide information on the open interval by age and parity, and by the fertility measures of the total fertility rate (TFR), the general fertility rate (GFR), and children ever born (CEB), with time trends. Stata 15 and the "R" software were used, and a two-parameter equation was employed to model the distribution. Results: The distribution of women by the open interval follows a downward curve from birth to 20 years; it varies across countries and over time only by its starting level and the steepness of the curve. Declines in the shortest intervals soon after birth reflect recent fertility declines. Variations are large by both age and parity, but in quite different patterns. Past modeling analyses demonstrate the effects of female and spouse mortality, declining fecundability, contraceptive use, and reduced sexual exposure. Both period and cohort effects can impact the curve. The open interval distribution is modelled in an equation with two parameters and calculated for the latest surveys in the 75 countries. Conclusions: The time since a woman's birth is easily captured with a single question in successive surveys. Changes in the open interval distribution serve as sensitive indicators of recent fertility changes, and the dynamics of reproductive behavior across women's life stages are captured in new ways, as gauged by age and parity trends in the distributions.

Etiopathogenetic aspects of somatic dysfunction formation during pregnancy

Introduction. Changes occuring in a woman′s organism during pregnancy are genetically programmed and have a physiological adaptive character. The range of these changes affect all organism systems and is caused by the need to sustain the mother and the fetus; and the changes severity is causedby gestational age, number of fetuses and individual reserve possibilities of the motherorganism. The development of pregnancy is accompanied by a number of regular structural and functional changes in the woman′s organism, which in turn can serve as a background or cause for the formation of somatic dysfunctions, the level of manifestation and severity of which depend on the compensatory capabilities of the female organism.The goal of research was to study the occurrence frequency of somatic dysfunction in pregnant women at different stages of pregnancy and to compare it with anatomical and physiological changes in the woman′s organism.Materials and methods. It was examined 162 healthy pregnant women aged 25 to 45 years, with a gestation period of 7 to 37 weeks. The average age was 33±2,1 year, the proportion of the first-time mothers was 62 %. The distribution of women by trimester of pregnancy was as follows: I trimester — 42 people, II trimester — 60 people, III trimester — 60 people. There were no statistically significant differences in the age of the subjects in these three groups (p>0,05). The study lasted from February 2019 to March 2020. Each patient was examined by an osteopath during the initial treatment.Results. A statistically significant increase in the incidence of somatic dysfunctions (SD) of the thoracic region (p<0,05) and the pelvic region (p<0,001) was found from the first to the third trimester of pregnancy. SD of the lumbar region appeared only in the second trimester, and in the third trimester the occurrence frequency of these SD has not changed. It is these three regions that experience the most pronounced structural and functional changes, which are increasing with the pregnancy development. The most significant changes occur in the pelvic region, both in its structural component (bones, joints, muscles, ligaments) and in the visceral component (growing uterus). In addition, the most significant changes in blood and lymph circulation occur in the pelvic region. According to our observations, somatic dysfunctions of the pelvic region occurred in 7,1 % of the examined patients in the first trimester, in 25 % — in the second trimester, and in 63,3 % — in the third trimester. Among local SD, there is a statistically significant increase in the occurrence frequency of SD of the thoracic diaphragm, the pubic joint and impaired mobility of the uterus (p<0,01) with an increase in the duration of pregnancy, which is natural. As the size of the uterus increases, there is a decrease in the mobility of the thoracic diaphragm, which is most pronounced in the 3rd trimester. The pubic joint undergoes increasing stress and structural and functional restructuring as pregnancy progresses. There was a statistically significant difference (p<0,01) in the representation of dominant somatic dysfunctions depending on the duration of pregnancy, the predominance in the 3rd trimester of pregnancy in most women (63,3 %) of the dominant SD of the pelvic region.Conclusion. The functional changes occurring in the body of a pregnant woman have not only specific characteristics associated with the period of pregnancy, but also serve as a background condition that predisposes to the formation of specific somatic dysfunctions. As pregnancy progresses, the somatic dysfunctions of the pelvic and thoracic regions come to the fore; these SD are most likely associated with changes in the postural balance of a pregnant woman, due to changes in anatomically-topographic relationships due to the growth of the pregnant uterus.

Women as first authors in key pharmacy journals: Analysis by publication type

BackgroundNumerous national and international studies have explored the issue of gender disparity in health science–publication rates. However, few have examined publication type (e.g., reviews and original research) and authorship order, which are 2 key factors in contribution recognition and the work’s visibility and application. ObjectiveThe objective of this work was to determine the changes in the distribution of women as first authors by publication type over time in pharmacy practice journals. MethodsThis was a bibliometric data analysis of pharmacy practice publications from January 2007 through December 2017. We used data from the U.S. Social Security Administration, and the multilingual Genderize application program interface (Genderize.io) to identify the authors’ potential gender. To determine the publication type, we used the Web of Science article list (Clarivate Analytics, Philadelphia, PA). The Cochran-Armitage trend test was used to determine the differences over time. ResultsArticles published from January 2007 through December 2017 in 8 pharmacy practice journals were reviewed (N = 14,658 articles): research articles (63.8%), reviews (17.0%), editorial material (11.1%), and letters (8.1%). There was a statistically significant increase in the number of first-authored articles and reviews by women (45.1% to 55.4% and 39.2% to 56.1%, respectively). There was not a significant increase in the proportion of women as first authors in editorials or letters over the study period. ConclusionDespite increases in research and reviews with women as first authors, there is still a need for increased representation of women in opinion-based publications such as editorials.

Prevalence and Subtype Distribution of High-Risk Human Papillomavirus Among Women Presenting for Cervical Cancer Screening at Karanda Mission Hospital.

PURPOSEHigh-risk human papillomaviruses (hrHPV) are the primary cause of cervical cancer. Human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination is expected to prevent cervical cancers caused by the HPV types included in vaccines and possibly by cross-protection from other types. This study sought to determine the hrHPV type distribution in women at a rural Zimbabwe hospital.METHODSWe implemented a cross-sectional study at the Karanda Mission Hospital. Using the Visual Inspection with Acetic Acid Cervicography technique, clinicians collected cervical swabs from 400 women presenting for screening for cervical cancer. Samples were initially analyzed by Cepheid GeneXpert; candidate hrHPV genotypes were further characterized using the Anyplex II HPV28 Detection Kit.RESULTSTwenty-one percent of the 400 women were positive for a high-risk genotype when using the GeneXpert analyzer; 17% were positive when using the multiplex analysis. Almost two thirds of the hrHPV women had a single DNA type identified, whereas one third had multiple genotypes, ranging from 2 to 5. hrHPV was observed more frequently in HIV-positive than in HIV-negative women (27% v 15%). Of the 113 isolates obtained, 77% were hrHPV genotypes not included in the bivalent or quadrivalent vaccines, and 47% represented DNA types not covered in the nonavalent vaccine. Forty-seven percent of the women with hrHPV harbored a single genotype that was not covered by the nonavalent vaccine.CONCLUSIONA large fraction of hrHPV isolates from women participating in a cervical cancer screening program in northern Zimbabwe are DNA types not covered by the bivalent, quadrivalent, or nonavalent vaccines. These findings suggest the importance of characterizing the hrHPV DNA types isolated from cervical neoplasia in this population and determining whether cross-immunization against these genotypes develops after administration of the vaccines in current use.

Study of RsaI polymorphism of the ERβ gene in Greek women with endometriosis

Estrogens and estrogen receptors (ERs) play an important role in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of gene polymorphism RsaI in the gene of the estrogen receptor ERβ in the Greek female population, and its distribution in women suffering from endometriosis and in a control group. We included 67 consecutive infertile women of Caucasian origin who were operated laparoscopically in our Gynecological Endoscopy Unit for endometriosis, and 96 women participated as control group. Patients were genotyped for RsaI (G/A, rs1256049) polymorphism in ESR2 exon 5, using real-time PCR. The patients’ genotype distribution did not differ from the control group. There were no women homozygous for the polymorphic allele in neither group. The different genotypes of ESR2 could not be associated with the stage of endometriosis. The data of this study point that in Greek population who had proven endometriosis the determination of RsaI polymorphism of ESR2 gene doesn’t offer any information for the progression of endometriosis, regarding the genetic profile of this particular gene.