Inventare musei per ordinare e rappresentare il mondo. La Guardaroba nuova di Palazzo Vecchio e le Sale della cosmografia e delle matematiche agli Uffizi a Firenze

Este artigo traça a história da invenção e construção de dois lugares museológicos (um literário e outro real) na Florença da segunda metade do século XVI, chamando a atenção para o seu significado no contexto do saber da época. O projecto cosmográfico para o Guarda-roupa novo do Palazzo Vecchio e as Salas da Cosmografia e das Matemáticas nos Uffizi oferecem a possibilidade de explorar dois sistemas semióticos que permitem explorar os processos de invenção e criação do museu como lugar – literário, imaginário, arquitectónico, epistemológico – no qual e através do qual se ordena e representa o mundo. O primeiro destes espaços é o projecto cosmográfico idealizado por volta de 1560 por Cosimo I, Giorgio Vasari e Miniato Pitti para o Guarda-roupa novo do Palazzo Vecchio, actualmente conhecido, impropriamente, como “Sala das cartas geográficas”. O projecto nunca foi concluído; porém existiu e continua a existir e a fascinar como “espaço literário” através de uma página visionária na segunda edição das Vite de Giorgio Vasari. O segundo lugar é a Sala da Cosmografia, mandada construir por Ferdinando I em 1589, juntamente com a contígua Sala das Matemáticas o da Arquitectura Militar na Galleria degli Uffizi. No centro do novo projecto expositivo, totalmente concluído, pela primeira vez, foram colocados os instrumentos e livros científicos e, implicitamente, o Homem como observador e demiurgo do mundo.

Sex determination in the Giant fish of Amazon Basin, Arapaima gigas (Osteoglossiformes, Arapaimatidae), using laparoscopy

The Giant of Amazon basin, pirarucu, Arapaima gigas, is the largest scaled freshwater fish in the world. pirarucu cultivation has recently started, driven by the decline in natural populations and high market value. Currently, there are no reliable methods for sexual differentiation in this species other than direct examination of gonads, which requires dissection of specimens. A non-lethal and less invasive method for sexual identification is highly desirable in order to properly group broodstock for mating and offspring production. We utilized laparoscopic examination in anesthetized pirarucu to differentiate between male and female individuals. This method allowed for the observation and differentiation of the reproductive organs within an individual. Our results suggest that laparoscopy is an efficient method for sex differentiation in pirarucu causing minimal stress to the fish.

Impact of health legislation on the sale of anorectics in a city in the Amazon region

OBJECTIVES: The International Narcotics Control Board released its 2005 annual report, highlighting the Brazil population as one of the largest consumers of anorectics. In Brazil, the National Health Surveillance Agency issued the resolution RDC 58/2007 in order to control the prescription and sale of such drugs. In Belém, the biggest city in the Brazilian Amazon region, this resolution came into force in 2008, leading to inspections of drugstores and magistral pharmacies. The aim of this work was to evaluate the consumption of psychotropic anorectic drugs and the impact of RDC 58/2007 on the prescription and dispensing of anorectics in drugstores and magistral pharmacies in Belém. METHODOLOGY: A retrospective quantitative and descriptive study was conducted of records from the Municipal Department of Health Surveillance of Belém, for 2005 to 2008. The differences in findings were regarded significant when p < 0.05. RESULTS: A total of 1,641 balance sheets of drugstores and magistral pharmacies were analyzed. Amfepramone was the most dispensed medication, followed by fenproporex and mazindol. The highest consumption of anorectics occurred in magistral pharmacies. In 2008, there was a significant reduction in dispensing of anorectics, in drugstores as well as in magistral pharmacies. CONCLUSIONS: This study showed that there was a decrease in the dispensing of anorectics after RDC 58/2007 came into force, and that the magistral pharmacies dispensed more of these drugs. This resolution is a remarkable tool in health control, where it is of great benefit to public health and contributes substantially to the rational use of medicines in Brazil.

Gender, sex and sexuality in two open access communication journals published in Portugal: a critical overview of current discursive practices

The links between gender, sex and sexuality and their relevance are theoretically and politically problematic (Richardson, 2007). One of the difficulties in understanding their interconnections is that these terms are often used differently and ambiguously by different authors (and even by the same authors). This article reports the results of an analysis of the articles published in open access communication journals with known impact factor, edited in Portugal and published between 2005 and 2012. The diverse conceptualisations of those three basic concepts and of their (inter)relationships within communication research are identified. The complexity and the intricate (and often implicit) nature of both the meanings of these categories and their relationships underlie and justify our attention and further research. What the findings suggest about the current communication research into gender issues published in the two journals surveyed is that the ‘Gender differences discourse’ (Sunderland, 2004) is the most pervasive discourse (also) in academic practice. Additionally, they show that gender and sex are mainly taken for a fact, not a question that is worth being studied. The editors of these journals, as well as the scholars submitting manuscripts, need to be more aware of the traditional nature of the theoretical and methodological choices that they make regarding gender- and sex-related issues, as well as of the relative lack of attention to sexuality as a research subject.

Reliability of the information about the history of diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. Differences in regard to sex, age, and educational level. The pró-saúde study

OBJECTIVE: To assess the intraobserver reliability of the information about the history of diagnosis and treatment of hypertension. METHODS: A multidimensional health questionnaire, which was filled out by the interviewees, was applied twice with an interval of 2 weeks, in July '99, to 192 employees of the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), stratified by sex, age, and educational level. The intraobserver reliability of the answers provided was estimated by the kappa statistic and by the coefficient of intraclass correlation (CICC). RESULTS: The general kappa (k) statistic was 0.75 (95% CI=0.73-0.77). Reliability was higher among females (k=0.88, 95% CI=0.85-0.91) than among males (k=0.62, 95% CI=0.59-0.65).The reliability was higher among individuals 40 years of age or older (k=0.79; 95% CI=0.73-0.84) than those from 18 to 39 years (k=0.52; 95% CI=0.45-0.57). Finally, the kappa statistic was higher among individuals with a university educational level (k=0.86; 95% CI=0.81-0.91) than among those with high school educational level (k=0.61; 95% CI=0.53-0.70) or those with middle school educational level (k=0.68; 95% CI=0.64-0.72). The coefficient of intraclass correlation estimated by the intraobserver agreement in regard to age at the time of the diagnosis of hypertension was 0.74. A perfect agreement between the 2 answers (k=1.00) was observed for 22 interviewees who reported prior prescription of antihypertensive medication. CONCLUSION: In the population studied, estimates of the reliability of the history of medical diagnosis of hypertension and its treatment ranged from substantial to almost perfect reliability.

Is female sex an independent predictor of in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction?

OBJECTIVE: To assess whether female sex is a factor independently related to in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction. METHODS: Of 600 consecutive patients (435 males and 165 females) with acute myocardial infarction, we studied 13 demographic and clinical variables obtained at the time of hospital admission through uni- and multivariate analysis, and analyzed their relation to in-hospital death. RESULTS: Females were older (p<0.001) and had a higher incidence of hypertension (p<0.001). Males were more frequently smokers (p<0.001). The remaining risk factors had a similar incidence among both sexes. All variables underwent uni- and multivariate analysis. Through univariate analysis, the following variables were found to be associated with in-hospital death: female sex (p<0.001), age >70 years (p<0.001), the presence of previous coronary artery disease (p=0.0004), previous myocardial infarction (p<0.001), infarction in the anterior wall (p=0.007), presence of left ventricular dysfunction (p<0.001), and the absence of thrombolytic therapy (p=0.04). Through the multivariate analysis of logistic regression, the following variables were associated with in-hospital mortality: female sex (p=0.001), age (p=0.008), the presence of previous myocardial infarction (p=0.02), and left ventricular dysfunction (p<0.001). CONCLUSION: After adjusting for all risk variables, female sex proved to be a variable independently related to in-hospital mortality in acute myocardial infarction.

Sex differences in the fetal heart rate variability indices of twins

Aims: To evaluate the differences in linear and complex heart rate dynamics in twin pairs according to fetal sex combination [male-female (MF), male-male (MM), and female-female (FF)]. Methods: Fourteen twin pairs (6 MF, 3 MM, and 5 FF) were monitored between 31 and 36.4 weeks of gestation. Twenty-six fetal heart rate (FHR) recordings of both twins were simultaneously acquired and analyzed with a system for computerized analysis of cardiotocograms. Linear and nonlinear FHR indices were calculated. Results: Overall, MM twins presented higher intrapair average in linear indices than the other pairs, whereas FF twins showed higher sympathetic-vagal balance. MF twins exhibited higher intrapair average in entropy indices and MM twins presented lower entropy values than FF twins considering the (automatically selected) threshold rLu. MM twin pairs showed higher intrapair differences in linear heart rate indices than MF and FF twins, whereas FF twins exhibited lower intrapair differences in entropy indices. Conclusions: The results of this exploratory study suggest that twins have sex-specific differences in linear and nonlinear indices of FHR. MM twins expressed signs of a more active autonomic nervous system and MF twins showed the most active complexity control system. These results suggest that fetal sex combination should be taken into consideration when performing detailed evaluation of the FHR in twins.

Catalogus Plantarum :tum exotiarum tum domesticarum, quae in hortis haud procul a Londino sitis in venditionem propagantur = A Catalogue of trees, shrubs, plants, and flowers, both exotic and domestic, which are propagated for sale, in the gardens near London :divided, accorded to their different degrees of hardiness, into particular books, or parts; in each of which the plants are ranged in an alphabetical order. by a Society of Gardeners

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The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex. By Charles Darwin ...

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Sex-Specific Equations to Estimate Maximum Oxygen Uptake in Cycle Ergometry

AbstractBackground:Aerobic fitness, assessed by measuring VO2max in maximum cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) or by estimating VO2max through the use of equations in exercise testing, is a predictor of mortality. However, the error resulting from this estimate in a given individual can be high, affecting clinical decisions.Objective:To determine the error of estimate of VO2max in cycle ergometry in a population attending clinical exercise testing laboratories, and to propose sex-specific equations to minimize that error.Methods:This study assessed 1715 adults (18 to 91 years, 68% men) undertaking maximum CPX in a lower limbs cycle ergometer (LLCE) with ramp protocol. The percentage error (E%) between measured VO2max and that estimated from the modified ACSM equation (Lang et al. MSSE, 1992) was calculated. Then, estimation equations were developed: 1) for all the population tested (C-GENERAL); and 2) separately by sex (C-MEN and C-WOMEN).Results:Measured VO2max was higher in men than in WOMEN: -29.4 ± 10.5 and 24.2 ± 9.2 mL.(kg.min)-1 (p < 0.01). The equations for estimating VO2max [in mL.(kg.min)-1] were: C-GENERAL = [final workload (W)/body weight (kg)] x 10.483 + 7; C-MEN = [final workload (W)/body weight (kg)] x 10.791 + 7; and C-WOMEN = [final workload (W)/body weight (kg)] x 9.820 + 7. The E% for MEN was: -3.4 ± 13.4% (modified ACSM); 1.2 ± 13.2% (C-GENERAL); and -0.9 ± 13.4% (C-MEN) (p < 0.01). For WOMEN: -14.7 ± 17.4% (modified ACSM); -6.3 ± 16.5% (C-GENERAL); and -1.7 ± 16.2% (C-WOMEN) (p < 0.01).Conclusion:The error of estimate of VO2max by use of sex-specific equations was reduced, but not eliminated, in exercise tests on LLCE.

The descent of man, and selection in relation to sex / by Charles Darwin.

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