The menstrual cycle is influenced by weekly and lunar rhythms.

Objective: To study whether the menstrual cycle has a circaseptan (7 days) rhythm and whether it is associated with the lunar cycle (also defined as the synodic month, it is the cycle of the phases of the Moon as seen from Earth, averaging 29.5 days in length).

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Using Quantitative Hormone Monitoring to Identify the Postpartum Return of Fertility.

: The Marquette Method (MM) has been used for many years to track the postpartum return of fertility using the ClearBlue Fertility Monitor (CBFM). A new quantitative urine hormone monitor (the Mira Analyzer) was compared to the CBFM in one previous study, and using this pilot data, several women have started to use the Mira Analyzer in the postpartum transition to fertility. : This study was a retrospective, observational case series that analyzed hormone data on the Mira Analyzer during the postpartum period.

Establishing a Gold Standard for Quantitative Menstrual Cycle Monitoring.

: The Quantum Menstrual Health Monitoring Study will measure four key reproductive hormones in the urine (follicle-stimulating hormone, FSH; estrone-3-glucuronide, E3G; luteinizing hormone, LH; and pregnanediol glucuronide, PDG) to characterize patterns that predict and confirm ovulation, referenced to serum hormones and the gold standard of the ultrasound day of ovulation in participants with regular cycles. These normal cycles will provide a reference for comparison to irregular cycles in subjects with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) and athletes. : Participants will track their menstrual cycles for 3 months and be provided with an at-home urine hormone monitor (Mira monitor) to predict ovulation.

Survey Analysis of Quantitative and Qualitative Menstrual Cycle Tracking Technologies.

: Digital health and personalized medicine are advancing at an unprecedented pace. Users can document their menstrual cycle data in a variety of ways, including smartphone applications (apps), temperature tracking devices, and at-home urine hormone tests. Understanding the needs and goals of women using menstrual cycle tracking technologies is the first step to making these technologies more evidence based.

Effectiveness of a Postpartum Breastfeeding Protocol for Avoiding Pregnancy.

The uses of cervical mucus and basal body temperature as indicators of return to fertility postpartum have resulted in high unintended pregnancy rates. In 2013, a study found that when women used urine hormone signs in a postpartum/breastfeeding protocol this resulted in fewer pregnancies. To improve the original protocol's effectiveness, three revisions were made: (1) women were to increase the number of days tested with the Clearblue Fertility Monitor, (2) an optional second luteinizing hormone test could be done in the evening, and (3) instructions were given to manage the beginning of the fertile window for the first six cycles postpartum.

The Garden of Forking Paths; An Evaluation of Joseph's 'A Reevaluation of the 1990 "Minnesota Study of Twins Reared Apart" IQ Study'.

Joseph has written what purports to be a refutation of studies of Twins Reared-Apart (TRAs) with a singular focus on the Minnesota Study of Twins Reared-Apart (MISTRA). I show, in detail, that (a) his criticisms of previous TRA studies depend on sources that were discredited prior to MISTRA, as they all failed the test of replicability, (b) the list of biases he uses to invalidate MISTRA do not support his arguments, (c) the accusations of questionable research practices are unsubstantiated, (d) his claim that MISTRA should be evaluated in the context of psychology's replication crisis is refuted. The TRA studies are constructive replications.

A single-centre experience rolling out an antibiotic stewardship intervention prior to and during the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic 2019-2022.

Background: Antibiotics are prescribed to nearly one-half of patients with viral respiratory tract infections (RTI) in outpatient settings. This use is ineffective and may cause undue harm and excess cost from unnecessary antibiotic exposure. We implemented a multifaceted intervention to address inappropriate antibiotic prescribing for viral RTI.

Using Quantitative Hormonal Fertility Monitors to Evaluate the Luteal Phase: Proof of Concept Case Study.

Several new quantitative fertility monitors are now available for at-home use that measure estrogen, luteinizing hormone (LH), and progesterone (PDG) in urine. This case report compares the Mira and Inito quantitative fertility monitors with the well-established qualitative ClearBlue fertility monitor. Three clinical scenarios were evaluated: a normal cycle, a prolonged luteinization cycle, and an anovulatory cycle.

Distinct urinary progesterone metabolite profiles during the luteal phase.

Objectives: During normal menstrual cycles, serum levels of progesterone vary widely between cycles of same woman and between women. This study investigated the profiles of pregnanediol during the luteal phase.

Methods: Data stemmed from a previous multicenter prospective observational study and concerned 107 women (who contributed 326 menstrual cycles).

An incisional hernia containing a gangrenous gallbladder: a case report and review of the literature.

We present a 76-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with 24 hours of sudden onset, severe abdominal pain. Physical exam and laboratory analysis indicated acute cholecystitis, and a CT scan demonstrated a ventral hernia containing an inflamed gallbladder. This patient was managed operatively with an open cholecystectomy.

Experience with two antimicrobial prescribing tools in ambulatory care settings.

We compared experiences with The Multifaceted Intervention to Improve Prescribing for Acute Respiratory Infection for Adult and Children in Emergency Department and Urgent Care Settings versus Choosing Wisely to evaluate inappropriate antimicrobial prescribing in ambulatory care. Both identified the same clinics, diagnoses, and antibiotics for high-yield antibiotic stewardship interventions.

Does altitude increase the risk of traumatic aortic injuries? A retrospective cohort study among six level I trauma centers in the United States.

Background: Traumatic aortic injuries (TAIs) are rare but are associated with a high mortality. Prior studies have shown skiers and pilots, whose injuries occur at high altitudes, are at an increased risk for a TAI. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of altitude on the incidence of TAIs across all causes of injury.

Menstrual Cycle Parameters Are Not Significantly Different After COVID-19 Vaccination.

Some studies have suggested minor changes in the menstrual cycle after COVID-19 vaccination, but more detailed analyses of the menstrual cycle are needed to evaluate more specific changes in the menstrual cycle that are not affected by survey-based recall bias. Using a pretest-post-test quasi-experimental evaluation of menstrual cycle parameters before and after COVID-19 vaccination, we conducted an anonymous online survey of two groups of North American women who prospectively monitor their menstrual cycle parameters daily including bleeding patterns, urinary hormone levels using the ClearBlue Fertility Monitor, or cervical mucus observations. The primary outcome measures were cycle length, length of menses, menstrual volume, estimated day of ovulation (EDO), luteal phase length, and signs of ovulation.

Multisite Effectiveness Study of the Marquette Method of Natural Family Planning Program.

Unlabelled: Women of reproductive age need reliable and effective family planning methods to manage their fertility. Natural family planning (NFP) methods or fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs) have been increasingly used by women due to their health benefits. Nevertheless, effectiveness of these natural methods remains inconsistent, and these methods are difficult for healthcare providers to implement in their clinical practice.

Descriptive analysis of the relationship between progesterone and basal body temperature across the menstrual cycle.

Objective: Describe the relationship between basal body temperature (BBT) and pregnanediol-3 alpha-glucuronide (PDG, the urine metabolite of progesterone) across the menstrual cycle.

Design: Observational study.

Setting: Study carried out from 1996 to 1997 in eight European family planning clinics.

Quantitative versus qualitative estrogen and luteinizing hormone testing for personal fertility monitoring.

Background: A new fertility monitor is now available that provides quantitative measurement of urinary hormones, but clinical use requires validation against an established fertility monitor that provides only qualitative results.

Research Design And Methods: Two fertility monitors were compared using daily first morning urine samples over 3 cycles of use in 21 women users with experience using a fertility monitor with the Marquette Method of Natural Family Planning.

Results: Women were aged 33.

Finding the path of least resistance: Locally adapting the MITIGATE toolkit in emergency departments and urgent care centers.

The MITIGATE toolkit was developed to assist urgent care and emergency departments in the development of antimicrobial stewardship programs. At the University of Washington, we adopted the MITIGATE toolkit in 10 urgent care centers, 9 primary care clinics, and 1 emergency department. We encountered and overcame challenges: a complex data build, choosing feasible outcomes to measure, issues with accurate coding, and maintaining positive stewardship relationships.

Pilot Evaluation of a New Urine Progesterone Test to Confirm Ovulation in Women Using a Fertility Monitor.

Progesterone rises ~24-36 h after ovulation. Past studies using ultrasound-confirmed ovulation have shown that three consecutive tests with a threshold of 5μg/mL of urine progesterone (pregnanediol-3-glucuronide, PDG), taken after the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, confirmed ovulation with 100% specificity. The purpose of this study was to a evaluate a new urine PDG self-test to retrospectively confirm ovulation in women who were monitoring ovulation using a hormonal fertility monitor.

Pilot observational prospective cohort study on the use of a novel home-based urinary pregnanediol 3-glucuronide (PDG) test to confirm ovulation when used as adjunct to fertility awareness methods (FAMs) stage 1.

Rationale: Ovulation confirmation is a fundamental component of the evaluation of infertility.

Purpose: To inform the design of a larger clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of a new home-based pregnanediol glucuronide (PDG) urine test to confirm ovulation when compared with the standard of serum progesterone.

Methods: In this observational prospective cohort study (single group assignment) in an urban setting (stage 1), a convenience sample of 25 women (aged 18-42 years) collected daily first morning urine for luteinisinghormone (LH), PDG and kept a daily record of their cervical mucus for one menstrual cycle.

Have Standard Formulas Correcting Correlations for Range Restriction Been Adequately Tested?: Minor Sampling Distribution Quirks Distort Them.

Most study samples show less variability in key variables than do their source populations due most often to indirect selection into study participation associated with a wide range of personal and circumstantial characteristics. Formulas exist to correct the distortions of population-level correlations created. Formula accuracy has been tested using simulated normally distributed data, but empirical data are rarely available for testing.

Corrigendum: Urinary Luteinizing Hormone Tests: Which Concentration Threshold Best Predicts Ovulation?

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2017.