Evaluating shoot-tip regrowth of 25 Rubus L. species and hybrids after 15 to 20 years of cryopreserved storage.

Rubus L. species are pan-global in their distribution and used as food throughout the world. Their fruits, collectively called brambles, come in a variety of colors from black, through various shades of red and yellow to white.

Race/Ethnicity and Incidence of Pelvic Organ Prolapse in Midlife Women: The Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) affects a considerable proportion of women. Limited information exists regarding the incidence of POP as women transition through menopause. Using data from the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN), this diverse community-based longitudinal cohort study assessed the incidence of symptomatic POP and risk by race/ethnicity.

Relationship Between Childhood Sexual Abuse, Obesity, and Vulvodynia in Adulthood.

Objective: The aim of the study is to assess the relationship between childhood sexual abuse, obesity, and vulvodynia among adult women participating in a population-based longitudinal vulvodynia study.

Materials And Methods: Surveys assessed health status, diagnoses, risk factors, and screening test outcomes for women with vulvodynia. Associations between childhood sexual abuse (CSA) and obesity, CSA and vulvodynia, and obesity and vulvodynia were investigated.

Impact of a single-session psychosocial counseling intervention for women with vulvodynia.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of a single session of psychosocial counseling on patients with vulvodynia.

Methods: Patients diagnosed with vulvodynia at a vulvovaginal specialty clinic were randomly assigned to receive either a one-on-one 30- to 45-min psychosocial counseling session with a psychosexual counselor plus written educational materials (intervention group) or written materials alone (control group). They completed a survey before and 6 weeks after randomization that included demographic information and validated measures of sexual function and illness perception.

Patterns of Sexual Activity and the Development of Sexual Pain Across the Menopausal Transition.

Objective: To examine whether patterns of sexual intercourse frequency and demographic, menopausal status, genitourinary, health, and psychosocial factors are associated with developing sexual pain across the menopausal transition.

Methods: These were longitudinal analyses of questionnaire data from the multicenter, multiracial and ethnic prospective cohort SWAN (Study of Women's Health Across the Nation) (1995-2008). We used multivariable discrete-time proportional hazards models to examine whether incident sexual pain was associated with preceding long-term (up to 10 visits) or short-term (two and three visits) sexual intercourse frequency patterns or other factors (eg, menopause status, genitourinary symptoms, lifestyle factors, and mental health).

Looking for a way forward for the cryopreservation of orchid diversity.

The family Orchidaceae, with over 25,000 species, includes five subfamilies and nearly 700 genera. Loss of plants in the wild has resulted from clearing of forests and excessive collection for various purposes. Moreover, the requirement of symbiotic association during seed germination under natural conditions adds a certain level of difficulty in retaining the orchid resources in the wild.

The vaginal microbiota, high-risk human papillomavirus infection, and cervical cytology: results from a population-based study.

Background: The relationship between the vaginal microbiota, high-risk human papillomavirus infection, and abnormal cervical cytology has not been well characterized. Our objective was to characterize the vaginal microbiota in a stratified random sample of women from a population-based study in Appalachia.

Methods: We analyzed a random sample of 308 women in the Community Access, Resources and Education: Project 3 study across 16 clinics in Ohio and West Virginia.

Partnering With Patients to Bridge Gaps in Consent for Acute Care Research.

Clinical trials for acute conditions such as myocardial infarction and stroke pose challenges related to informed consent due to time limitations, stress, and severe illness. Consent processes should be sensitive to the context in which trials are conducted and to needs of patients and surrogate decision-makers. This manuscript describes a collaborative effort between ethicists, researchers, patients, and surrogates to develop patient-driven, patient-centered approaches to consent for clinical trials in acute myocardial infarction and stroke.

Vulvodynia.

Vulvodynia is a condition that occurs in 8-10% of women of all ages and is characterized by pain at the vulva that is present during sexual and/or non-sexual situations. Diagnosis is established through careful medical history and pelvic examination, including the cotton-swab test. The onset and maintenance of vulvodynia involves a complex interplay of peripheral and central pain mechanisms, pelvic floor muscle and autonomic dysfunction, anxiety, depression and childhood maltreatment as well as cognitive-affective, behavioural and interpersonal factors.

Cryopreservation of shoot tips of recalcitrant and tropical species: Advances and strategies.

There is a pressing need for practical and successful conservation efforts to establish long-term germplasm collections of recalcitrant and tropical species, given the challenge and threat that these plants are facing. Cryopreservation is the only way of conserving some of these species, especially those with temperature or desiccation sensitive (recalcitrant) seeds. This review covers reports on cryopreservation studies of shoot tips (apical and axillary) of tropical and subtropical plants.

Environmental Exposure History and Vulvodynia Risk: A Population-Based Study.

Background: Risk factors for vulvodynia continue to be elusive. We evaluated the association between past environmental exposures and the presence of vulvodynia.

Materials And Methods: The history of 28 lifetime environmental exposures was queried in the longitudinal population-based Woman-to-Woman Health Study on the 24-month follow-up survey.

Factors associated with developing vaginal dryness symptoms in women transitioning through menopause: a longitudinal study.

Objective: To evaluate factors associated with incident self-reported vaginal dryness and the consequences of this symptom across the menopausal transition in a multiracial/ethnic cohort of community-dwelling women.

Methods: We analyzed questionnaire and biomarker data from baseline and 13 approximately annual visits over 17 years (1996-2013) from 2,435 participants in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation, a prospective cohort study. We used discrete-time Cox proportional-hazards regression to identify predictors of incident vaginal dryness and to evaluate vaginal dryness as a predictor of pain during intercourse and changes in sexual intercourse frequency.

Nerve Growth Factor and Selected Cytokines in Women With and Without Vulvodynia.

Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the association between cytokines/neurokines after in vitro stimulation with Candida antigen or lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in blood samples among women with and without vulvodynia.

Materials And Methods: Women with vulvodynia and asymptomatic controls at three offices at the University of Michigan were examined clinically and completed a comprehensive survey in this cross-sectional study. Cytokine/neurokine levels were determined on blood samples using established ELISA protocols.

Factors associated with socio-demographic characteristics and antenatal care and iron supplement use in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Senegal.

Antenatal care (ANC) offers remarkable opportunities to reach a large number of women with effective nutrition and health interventions, including iron (Fe) supplementation. However, all women do not equally seek nor benefit from ANC. We aimed to identify characteristics associated with ANC and Fe use among women in hard-to-reach areas in Afar, Ethiopia; Sedhiou and Kolda, Senegal; and Kakamega, Kenya.

It is not just menopause: symptom clustering in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation.

Background: Patterns of symptom clustering in midlife women may suggest common underlying mechanisms or may identify women at risk of adverse health outcomes or, conversely, likely to experience healthy aging. This paper assesses symptom clustering in the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) longitudinally by stage of reproductive aging and estimates the probability of women experiencing specific symptom clusters. We also evaluate factors that influence the likelihood of specific symptom clusters and assess whether symptom clustering is associated with women's self-reported health status.

Chronic vulvar pain in a cohort of post-menopausal women: Atrophy or Vulvodynia?

Background: Although postmenopausal vulvar pain is frequently attributed to vaginal atrophy, such symptoms may be due to vulvodynia, a chronic vulvar pain condition. Given the limited research on vulvodynia in postmenopausal women, the objective of this study was to provide preliminary population-based data on the associations of vaginal symptoms, serum hormone levels and hormone use with chronic vulvar pain in a multiethnic sample of post-menopausal women.

Methods: We used data from 371 participants at the Michigan site of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) who participated in the 13th follow-up visit.

Does Degree of Vulvar Sensitivity Predict Vulvodynia Characteristics and Prognosis?

Unlabelled: Although women with vulvodynia typically have increased vulvar sensitivity, data on characteristics associated with the degree of vulvar sensitivity are lacking. We measured vulvar sensitivity using cotton swab test and vulvodolorimeter among a subset of 335 women, aged younger than 70 years, in the longitudinal Woman to Woman Health Study. Comparing the vulvodynia screening results from their online/paper survey to that at the time of the examination, 42 women had ongoing vulvodynia, 66 had a recent remission, 22 control participants had a recent onset of vulvodynia, and 205 control participants remained asymptomatic.

Using Maintenance of Certification as a Tool to Improve the Delivery of Confidential Care for Adolescent Patients.

Study Objective: Providing adolescents with confidential health care results in better social and health outcomes. We sought to assess if a medical board Maintenance of Certification Part IV project could improve the delivery of confidential care to minor adolescent patients seen in outpatient primary care practices.

Design: Participating physicians reviewed 3 months of charts for patients ages 12-17 years seen for well visits during a baseline time period, and after 2 Plan, Do, Study, Act intervention cycles to assess if they had met confidentiality standards.

Multimodal Vulvar and Peripheral Sensitivity Among Women With Vulvodynia: A Case-Control Study.

Objective: To assess differences in vulvar and peripheral sensitivity between women with and without vulvodynia.

Methods: Women with vulvodynia (n = 41) and age-matched controls (n = 43) seen in the outpatient setting were evaluated via surveys, clinical examination, and multimodal sensory testing (pressure, heat, cold, vibration, and electrical stimulation). The relationships between sensitivity to various sensory modalities and case/control status, as well as by vulvodynia subgroups, were assessed using logistic regression.

Vestibular Mast Cell Density in Vulvodynia: A Case-Controlled Study.

Objectives: To identify whether mast cell densities in vulvar biopsies from the vestibule are associated with vulvodynia.

Methods: We enrolled 100 women aged 19 to 59 years with confirmed vulvodynia cases, 100 racially matched controls, and 100 black control women. All had vulvar biopsies performed at the 7 o'clock position of the vestibule, which were then immunostained to detect c-KIT protein.

CRYOTHERAPY AS A METHOD FOR REDUCING THE VIRUS INFECTION OF APPLES (Malus sp.).

Background: There is an urgent need in Kazakhstan for virus-free nursery stock to reinvigorate the industry and preserve historic cultivars. An in vitro collection of apples could be used for virus testing and elimination and to provide virus-free elite stock plants to nurseries.

Methods: Malus sieversii Ledeb.

Remission, Relapse, and Persistence of Vulvodynia: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study.

Background: Vulvodynia has been considered to be a chronic disorder. We sought to estimate the probability of and risk factors for remission, relapse, and persistence among women screening positive for vulvodynia.

Methods: Survey-based assessment in a longitudinal population-based study of women (the Woman to Woman Health Study) who screened positive for vulvodynia and completed at least four follow-up surveys.