Experiencing the Abject Female Body and Writing the Female Self:Body Narrative of In the Heart of the Country

In the Heart of the Country,the second novel by J.M.Coetzee,has been traditionally read as a disembodied writing that focuses on the problem of writing per se instead of the reality.This paper contends that the work is actually a body narrative that explores the visceral pain suffered by Magda whose infertile body impedes her being a qualified subject.As the heroine in a postcolonial novel,Magda is not just a body that is restricted and constructed by the politics of the body,but also a thinking and writing body that consciously questions and resists the gendered bodily norms under whose yardstick her subjecthood is barred.Written in the metafictional manner,Magda’s narrative of the body is not just a record of her corporeal experience,but also a self-conscious negotiation with,and challenge of,the bodily norms under whose yardstick her body has been debased or,in terms of Judith Butler,abjected.Taking her female bodily experience as the starting point,Magda writes a feminine text that values passion,fluidity and non-linearity to disrupt the patriarchal discourse underpinned with logical reasoning.The feminine body narrative endeavors to achieve a new way of communication through which a reciprocal cross race/gender relationship might be established.

Relationship Between Serum Leptin Concentration and Lipids & Body Mass Index in Patients With Chronic Congestive Heart Failure

Objectives To investigate the relationship of serum leptin concentration with the lipids and body mass index （BMI） in patients with chronic congestive heart failure（CHF）. Methods The serum concentration of leptin in 39 patients with CHF （14 in cardiac function class Ⅱ , 21 in class Ⅲ, 4 in classⅣ , NYHA） and in 46 patients with cardiac function class Ⅰ （NYHA） were assessed by radioimmunoassay. Results The serum concentration of leptin were 9.018±4.519 μg/l in CHF group （cardiac function class Ⅱ 11.492±5.649 μg/l, class Ⅲ 7.763±3.321 μg/l, class Ⅳ 6.100±2.657 μg/l）; 11.674± 6.911 μg/l in class Ⅰ group. The serum concentrations of leptin were significantly lower in CHF group, as compared with class Ⅰ group （P〈 0.05）. Moreover, the decrease of serum leptin concentration was significantly correlated with the decreased serum concentrations of total cholesterol, triglyceride, body mass index and left ventricular ejection fraction in CHF group, respectively （P 〈 0.05）. Conclusions The significance of the decrease in serum leptin in CHF patients needs further study.

Association of Congenital Heart Defects (CHD) with Factors Related to Maternal Health and Pregnancy in Newborns in Puerto Rico

Background:Given the pervasive issues of obesity and diabetes both in Puerto Rico and the broader United States,there is a compelling need to investigate the intricate interplay among body mass index(BMI),pregesta-tional,and gestational maternal diabetes,and their potential impact on the occurrence of congenital heart defects(CHD)during neonatal development.Methods:Using the comprehensive System of Vigilance and Surveillance of Congenital Defects in Puerto Rico,we conducted a focused analysis on neonates diagnosed with CHD between 2016 and 2020.Our assessment encompassed a range of variables,including maternal age,gestational age,BMI,pregestational diabetes,gestational diabetes,hypertension,history of abortion,and presence of preeclampsia.Results:A cohort of 673 patients was included in our study.The average maternal age was 26 years,within a range of 22 to 32 years.The mean gestational age measured 39 weeks,with a median span of 38 to 39 weeks.Of the 673 patients,274(41%)mothers gave birth to neonates diagnosed with CHD.Within this group,22 cases were linked to pre-gestational diabetes,while 202 were not;20 instances were associated with gestational diabetes,compared to 200 without;and 148 cases exhibited an overweight or obese BMI,whereas 126 displayed a normal BMI.Conclusion:We identified a statistically significant correlation between pre-gestational diabetes mellitus and the occurrence of CHD.However,our analysis did not show a statistically significant association between maternal BMI and the likelihood of CHD.These results may aid in developing effective strategies to prevent and manage CHD in neonates.

A Study into Blood Flow, Heart Rate Variability, and Body Surface Temperature While Listening to Music

In this study we examined the relaxing effects of listening to music on a total of 12 women aged from their 20s to their 40s by measuring their blood flow, heart rate variability, and their body surface temperature. As a result, We found that there was a tendency for the volume of blood flow to the fingertips to significantly increase when listening to classical music, but there was a variety of changes in blood flow between each age group for healing music and J-Pop music. When measuring heart rate it was found that the LF/HF value, which is an index for the autonomic nervous system which shows tension and stress, fell significantly when listening to each type of music. Lastly, there was a trend for body surface temperature to rise when listening to classical or healing music, a rise which was particularly significant when listening to healing music. This study shows that a relaxing effect can be expected for all indices when listening to classical music. However, for healing music and J-Pop, personal musical preferences seemed to have an effect and the results were varied.

STUDY AND APPLICATION ABOUT COMPUTED SYSTEM FOR EXTERNAL CARDIAC MASSAGE, MONITOR OF HEART AND BODY TEMPERATURE

Objective:To make and study computed system for external cardiac massage,monitor of heart and body temperature and observe its clinical effect.Method:The system was made and applied.Result:The effect of system was obvious.Conclusion: The system was an effective clinical equipment in treatment of patient with cardiac arrest.

Effect of Body Mass Index on All-cause Mortality and Incidence of Cardiovascular Diseases─Report for Meta-Analysis of Prospective Studies on Optimal Cut-off Points of Body Mass Index in Chinese Adults

Objective To verify the optimal cut-off points for overweight and obesity in Chinese adults based on the relationship of baseline body mass index (BMI) to all-cause mortality, and incidence of cardiovascular diseases from pooled data of Chinese cohorts. Methods The prospective study data of existing cohort studies in China were collected, and the age-adjusted all-cause mortality stratified by BMI were estimated. The similar analysis was repeated after excluding deaths within the first three years of follow-up and after excluding smokers. The incidence of age-adjusted coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke stratified by BMI were also analyzed. Multiple Cox regression coefficients of BMI for the incidence of CHD and stroke after controlling other risk factors were pooled utilizing the methods of weighting by inverse of variance to reveal whether BMI had independent effect and its strength on the incidence of CHD and stroke. Results The data of 4 cohorts including 76 227 persons, with 745 346 person-years of follow-up were collected and analyzed. The age-adjusted all-cause mortality stratified by BMI showed a U-shaped curve, even after excluding deaths within the first three years of follow-up and excluding smokers. Age-adjusted all-cause mortality increased when BMI was lower than 18.5 and higher than 28. The incidence of CHD and stroke, especially ishemic stroke increased with increasing BMI, this was consistent with parallel increasing of risk factors. Cox regression analysis showed that BMI was an independent risk factor for both CHD and stroke. Each amount of 2 kg/m2 increase in baseline BMI might cause 15.4%, 6.1% and 18.8 % increase in relative risk of CHD, total stroke and ischemic stroke. Reduction of BMI to under 24 might prevent the incidence of CHD by 11% and that of stroke by 15 % for men, and 22 % of both diseases for women. Conclusion BMI ≤18.5, 24-27.9 and ≥28 (kg/m2) is the appropriate cut-off points for underweight, overweight and obesity in Chinese adults.

An investigation using high-precision CCD laser displacement sensor to measure body surface motion induced by heartbeat

The aim of this study was to measure the motion of the body surface induced by heartbeat by using a high-precision laser sensor in order to provide a reference for other research on medical remote sensing techniques that are unconstrained and non-contact. Body surface motions at some points on the chest and on the dorsal region were measured for eight men with a laser displacement sensor. For comparison, an electrocardiograph was also used to monitor the heartbeat. As a result, we confirmed cyclic motion of about 0.1 mm in amplitude everywhere on the body surface, not only from the front of the body but also from the back and the neck. In contrast, which part on the body was most suitable for measurement had to be taken into account because a difference in motion amplitudes was observed in different parts on the body. The amplitude of the motions also depended on the conditions of the body surface as well as underneath the skin. These results show the possibility of acquiring information about heartbeats from anywhere on the body by using an unconscious sensing technique, and the potential for the technique to monitor the condition of the body and personal physical characteristics.

Studies of anthropometric indicators and their relationship with metabolic variables

The purpose of this work is to identify in the anthropometrical indicators used here in this study the percentage of body fat, the body mass index (BMI) and the waist-hip ratio (WHR), which present a correlation with the metabolic variables of heart rate, blood pressure (systolic and diastolic) and double product. A population of 69 subjects averaging 41.7 ± 6.6 years old had their data registered by applying the Bruce Protocol modified to calculate metabolic variables;to obtain the percentage of fat, the formula of Petroski was used. The data collected received statistical treatment by the “Statistical 5.0” program with correlation being made by the calculation of the simple coefficient of Pearson “r” by means of a statistical significance test (p < 0.05). In the results, heart rate appeared to be correlated essentially with the intensity of force, associating itself with the percentage of fat and the BMI. Blood pressure presented a good correlation with the BMI, principally in the female group. In the male group, the anthropometrical indicator that had major associations with blood pressure was the WHR, showing an association between the pattern of male body fat distribution (android) and blood pressure. The double-product had a major correlation with the BMI;however, this variable really reflects the work of the myocardium since the BMI is the only indicator used here that includes lean mass in its values. The time spent on the treadmill was correlated in a negative way only with the percentage of fat;in other words, the greater the percentage, the lesser time spent on the treadmill.

Evaluation of global cardiac systolic performance and diastolic filling in central hypovolumia by lower body negative pressure with Doppler echocardiography

Objective ：To overall evaluate the change of global cardiac systolic performance and diastolic filling in hypovoleamia by LBNP, Methods：10 healthy male subjects were placed in a standard LBNP chamber. Baseline haemodynamic and echocardiographic measurements were made after a period of least 10 min resting supine within the chamber. Pressure was then decreased to -10,-20 and -30 mmHg, with each pressure maintained for 15 rain. The indices of four transvalvular and SVC flow were measured using Doppler echocardiography. Results ：The results showed that S wave, Re wave ,and VTI of SVC progressively decreased with increasing LBNP. At -30 mmHg stage, S wave decreased by 35.4 % （change of 0.21±0.03 m/s, P 〈 0.001）. This reduction in pre-load Was associated with a progressive decrease in SV（by 21.5 ± 4.5 ml at -30 mmHg,P 〈 0.001 ）, decrease in CO（by 1.2 ± 0.2 L min^-1 at -30 mmHg LBNP,P 〈 0.001 ）. The diastolic filling of mitral and tricuspid flow also reduced significantly. At -30 mmHg stage, the E wave of MVF and TVF decreased 31% and 32% respectively （change of 0.23 ± 0.05 m/s,P 〈 0.001 and 0.18 ± 0.01 m/s,P 〈 0.001）. VTI of MVF and TVF decreased 27% and 27.7% respectively（change of 5.55 ± 1.41cm,P 〈 0.01 and 4.25 ± 0.44 cm,P 〈 0.01）. A wave of both sides did not change significantly. Conclusion：Doppler indices changes in different LBNP stage can roughly reflect the degree of hypovoleamia caused by blood volume redistribution. The indices of Doppler echocardiography are more sensitive than traditional physiological indexes in evaluating cardiovascular responses of LBNP. Echocardiography techniques overall can evaluate the global cardiac function including systolic performance and diastolic filling.

Body-temperature circadian rhythm in 67 patients after heart valve replacement surgery secondary to valvular heart disease

Purpose:Patient body temperature was monitored after cardiac valve replacement,in order to explore the characteristics of body-temperature circadian rhythm and the factors influencing that rhythm.Methods:A cohort of 67 patients who received cardiac valve replacement in a Fuzhou,Fujian province,China,general hospital underwent temperature measurements and analysis(by cosine curve)of their body-temperature circadian rhythm.A biological rhythm model was established through principal component analysis and evaluation of biological rhythm features.Multiple circadian parameters were included through linear regression analysis.Results:Patients’temperature after cardiac valve replacement exhibited circadian characteristics(p<0.05),among which the scores of temperature mesor,amplitude,and acrophase were respectively(37.61
0.08),(0.10
0.09),and33(e355,e119).Body-temperature rhythms were influenced by both gender and cardiopulmonary bypass time(p<0.05).Conclusion:Although some patients’circadian characteristics disappeared after cardiac valve replacement,circadian rhythms remained intact for most patients.Measures that were found to mitigate body-temperature circadian rhythm disruption included building a natural rhythm of light/darkness and decreasing cardiopulmonary bypass time.

英汉人体词“heart”和“心”认知对比研究

一词多义是语言中非常重要和非常普遍的现象,由于语言的基础是词汇,而词汇的核心是词义,因此词义由一词一义演化为一词多义反映了认知主体认知和思维的发展。而人体词作为人类认知世界的起点,是人类认知世界的"元概念","心"和"heart"作为非常重要的人体器官,均被英汉民族当做了思维器官,同时,隐喻和转喻一直以来均被当做修辞手段进行研究,本文试图从认知的角度对其进行研究,二者被认为是一词多义演化的认知机制,因此对比"心"和"heart"词义演化过程不仅能揭示词义演化的路径,而且对英汉民族的认知思维也有进一步的了解。

Blood pressure and stature in Helicobacter pylori positive and negative persons

To evaluate vital signs and body indices in Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) positive and negative persons. A total of 22 centres entered the study. They were spread over the whole country, corresponding well to the geographical distribution of the Czech population. A total of 1818 subjects (aged 5-98 years) took part in the study, randomly selected out of 38147 subjects. H. pylori infection was investigated by means of a 13C-urea breath test. Data on height, weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate were collected at the clinics of general practitioners. The overall prevalence of H. pylori infection was 30.4% (402/1321) in adults (≥ 18 year-old) and 5.2% (26/497) in children and adolescents (≤ 17 year-old). Once adjusted for age and gender, only a difference in body mass index remained statistically significant with H. pylori positive adults showing an increase of 0.6 kg/m2 in body mass index. Once adjusted for age and gender, we found a difference in height between H. pylori positive and H. pylori negative children and adolescents. On further adjustment for place of residence, this difference became statistically significant, with H. pylori positive children and adolescents being on average 3.5 cm shorter. H. pylori positive adults were significantly older compared to H. pylori negative subjects. Once adjusted for age and gender, H. pylori infection had no impact on body weight, body mass index and vital signs either in adults or children and adolescents. Chronic H. pylori infection appeared to be associated with short stature in children. H. pylori infection did not influence blood pressure, body weight and body mass index either in adults or children and adolescents.

Fluid balance concepts in medicine:Principles and practice

The regulation of body fluid balance is a key concern in health and disease and comprises three concepts. The first concept pertains to the relationship between total body water(TBW) and total effective solute and is expressed in terms of the tonicity of the body fluids. Disturbances in tonicity are the main factor responsible for changes in cell volume, which can critically affect brain cell function and survival. Solutes distributed almost exclusively in the extracellular compartment(mainly sodium salts) and in the intracellular compartment(mainly potassium salts) contribute to tonicity, while solutes distributed in TBW have no effect on tonicity. The second body fluid balance concept relates to the regulation and measurement of abnormalities of sodium salt balance and extracellular volume. Estimation of extracellular volume is more complex and error prone than measurement of TBW. A key function of extracellular volume, which is defined as the effective arterial blood volume(EABV), is to ensure adequate perfusion of cells and organs. Other factors, including cardiac output, total and regional capacity of both arteries and veins, Starling forces in the capillaries, and gravity also affect the EABV. Collectively, these factors interact closely with extracellular volume and some of them undergo substantial changes in certain acute and chronic severe illnesses. Their changes result not only in extracellular volume expansion, but in the need for a larger extracellular volume compared with that of healthy individuals. Assessing extracellular volume in severe illness is challenging because the estimates of this volume by commonly used methods are prone to large errors in many illnesses. In addition, the optimal extracellular volume may vary from illness to illness, is only partially based on volume measurements by traditional methods, and has not been determined for each illness. Further research is needed to determine optimal extracellular volume levels in several illnesses. For these reasons, extracellular volume in severe illness merits a separate third concept of body fluid balance.

Prognostic factors in heart failure patients with cardiac cachexia

Objective To clarify whether cardiac cachexia(CC)alters the prognostic impact of other general risk factors in patients with heart failure(HF).Methods This was an observational study.CC was defined as the combination of a body mass index of<20 kg/m^2 and at least one of the following biochemical abnormalities:C-reactive protein>5 mg/L;hemoglobin<12 g/dL;and/or albumin<3.2 g/d L.We divided 1608 hospitalized HF patients into a CC group(n=176,10.9%)and a non-CC group(n=1432,89.1%).The primary endpoints were cardiac event and all-cause death.Results The presence of CC showed significant interactions with other risk factors including cancer,estimated glomerular filtration rate(eGFR),and sodium in predicting these endpoints.Multiple Cox proportional analysis revealed that use of a blockers[hazard ratio(HR)=1.900,95%confidence interval(CI):1.045–3.455,P=0.035]and eGFR(HR=0.989,95%CI:0.980–0.998,P=0.018)were independent predictors of cardiac event in the CC group,while age(HR=1.020,95%CI:1.002–1.039,P=0.029)and hemoglobin(HR=0.844,95%CI:0.734–0.970,P=0.017)were independent predictors of all-cause death.The survival classification and regression tree analysis showed the optimal cut-off points for cardiac event(eGFR:59.9 m L/min per 1.73 m^2)and all-cause death(age,83 years old;hemoglobin,10.1 g/dL)in the CC group.Conclusions In predicting prognosis,CC showed interactions with several risk factors.Renal function,age,and hemoglobin were pivotal markers in HF patients with CC.

Coronary artery disease in Iranian young adults, similarities and differences

Objective: Due to devastating consequences of coronary artery disease (CAD) in young population, this study was designed to evaluate the prevalence of preventable risk factors and severity of atherosclerosis for Iranian young adults (≤45 years) diagnosed with premature CAD. Method: A cross sectional, descriptive study comprised 1093 consecutive patients (≤45 years), with a diagnosis of CAD, who underwent percutaneous intervention (PCI) or coronary bypass graft (CABG) from 2010 to 2012. Data on demographic features, cardiovascular risk factors, and angiographic findings were studied. Result: There were 1093 young patients (234 females, 859 males) with proven CAD;the mean age of 39 ± 3 years and the mean BMI were 28 ± 4.7 kg/m2. According to the treatment plan, patients were classified into two groups: PCI and CABG groups (n = 898,195 respectively). Obesity was the most prevalent risk factor (73.6%). In the risk factor assessment, it was noticed: 27% with diabetes mellitus, 37% with hypertension, 38% with family history, 39% with hyperlipidimia, and 54% smokers. Angiographic study revealed that 10 (1%) had left main coronary disease, 747 (68%) patients had single vessel disease, 181 (17%) had two-vessel disease and that 155 (14%) had three-vessel disease. The most common anatomical involvement was the anterior wall territory. Conclusion: Young CAD patients from Iran have different risk profile. Although atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries is less prominent in young patients, more often it is accompanied by decreased left ventricular function. There is a need for prevention plan to control obesity by targeting young adults in the population.

Predicting Risk Factors of Heart Disease among Jordanian Patients

Aims and Objectives: This study focused on the predictive effects of physical inactivity, body shape, and tobacco use on heart disease patients. Background: Heart disease is a condition that can be prevented with healthy lifestyle choices such as physical exercise, proper nutrition, and avoiding tobacco use. Design: The current study used a correlational cross-sectional survey design. Methods: Primary healthcare centers were selected randomly from the all practices in the middle region in Jordan. Patients were included if they had a working diagnosis of heart disease which was documented in their case notes, aged 18 years and older, visited out-patient department within the community hospitals or whom attended primary healthcare centers. Results: Factors associated with heart disease, as identified in the univariate regression analysis, were tobacco use, body shape, and employment status. Furthermore, Odds Ratio for patients with heart disease and tobacco was calculated and found that patients who smoked tobacco are more likely to have heart disease compared to non-smokers. Conclusion: The study findings suggest that the behavioural modification should be given top priority to prevent heart disease form occurring. On the other hand, regular physical activity may be useful to prevent the development of heart disease.

Physiological and Biochemical Indexes of Tibetan Sheep at Different Months of Age

To study the changes in physiological and biochemical indexes of Tibetan sheep from the plateau area at different months of age,we measured the physiological and biochemical indexes of Tibetan sheep reared in Hongyuan County of Sichuan Province according to their growth stages. The results showed that the respiration,body temperature and heart rate of Tibetan sheep at 3- 24 months of age were( 24. 60 ± 6. 33)-( 50. 30 ± 21. 18) times / min,( 39. 14 ± 0. 28) ℃-( 39. 64 ± 0. 17) ℃ and( 91. 00 ± 13. 27)-( 112. 00 ± 8. 69) times/min,respectively. The blood physiological indexes of Tibetan sheep including white blood cell count( WBC),hematocrit( HCT) and red blood cell distribution width coefficient of variation( RDW- CV) at 3,6,15 and 18 months of age were relatively lower than those at 9,12,21 and 24 months of age. The blood physiological indexes including red blood cell count( RBC),mean corpuscular capacity( MCV),mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration( MCHC) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin( MCH) at 3,6,15 and 18 months of age were relatively higher than those at 9,12,21 and 24 months of age,while hemoglobin( HGB) and platelet count( PLT) did not vary with months of age. For blood biochemical indexes,alanine aminotransferase( ALT),albumin( ALB),globulin( GLO) and total cholesterol( CHOL) reached the maximum values at 21 months of age; alkaline phosphatase( ALKP),lactate dehydrogenase( LDH),blood glucose( GLU) and pseudocholinesterase( PCHE) reached the maximum values at 3 months of age;and total calcium( CA),total protein( TP),aspartate aminotransferase( AST) reached the maximum values at 9,18 and 24 months of age,respectively.

Effect of Summer Supplementary Feeding on Cattle Performance in Low Rainfall Grassland Savanna, South Darfur, Sudan

In a tropical ranch of animal production, which was divided by fire lines into 20 equal grazing paddocks of one mile square each, a grazing experiment was conducted as controlled rotational grazing with forty-five (45) cross-bred Sudanese improved Baggara cattle which were divided into four feeding systems (groups). A drop in condition scores of the farm cattle stock herd was treated during dry summer by supplementary feeding with four types of supplements to investigate the changes in average body weight changes, heart girth and condition scores, through dry summer, wet summer and winter seasons. The results showed that, animals of group three (G3) which supplemented with groundnut cake performed better in all body parameters under study when compared with group one (G1) and group two (G2) being supplemented with groundnut haulm, Stover respectively and group four (G4) which was kept under natural grazing as control group (Natural grazing alone) which reveals the worse body measurement traits performance under study. The effect of seasonal changes showed a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the seasons in average body weight in groundnut cake supplements both in dry and wet summer obtained better average body weight (162.53 Kg and 174.56 Kg respectively) than in groundnut haulm (in dry and wet summer -143.60 Kg and 163.50 Kg respectively), Stover supplements and natural grazing (controlled) groups. The results also showed that, the heart girth and condition score were significantly different (P < 0.05) between the treatments in wet summer and winter. While showing no significant difference between the treatments in dry summer, group supplemented with groundnut cake during the dry summer reported better performance in condition scores than other groups.

Traditional Japanese Style Bathing May Contribute to Good Health and Longevity

The objective of this study was to determine how traditional Japanese style bathing could promote good health. Using healthy volunteers, we assessed body temperature (core and cutaneous), red blood cells, white blood cells (WBCs), venous blood gas parameters (PO2, SO2, PCO2, TCO2, HCO3, and pH), weight loss (which may indicate sweat volume), and the time until sweating before and after bathing. We simultaneously conducted a double-blind clinical trial using a bath additive group and a control group to investigate the effect of a bath additive on the same parameters. We found that bathing increased the core and cutaneous body temperature, as well as PO2, SO2, and blood pH. All of the subjects also showed increases in heart rate and weight loss (sweat volume). After bathing, the number and ratio of granulocytes increased while the number and ratio of lymphocytes decreased. These results tended to be emphasized in the bath additive group;however, significant between-group differences were not detected. Our results indicated that bathing improved blood circulation and had a modulatory effect on the autonomic nervous system. This suggested that traditional Japanese style bathing might contribute to good health and longevity;however, additional larger-scale studies were needed to confirm or refute this conclusion.