Validation of Lower Urinary Tract Symptom Questionnaire in the Transmasculine Population.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Transgender men and transmasculine individuals report a variety of lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS), but little is known about LUTS in this population. One of the obstacles is the lack of validated questionnaires. This study was aimed at validating the International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire-Lower Urinary Tract Symptoms (ICIQ-LUTS), which measures filling, voiding, and incontinence symptoms, in transmasculine individuals.

Forever Pesticides: A Growing Source of PFAS Contamination in the Environment.

Background: Environmental contamination by fluorinated chemicals, in particular chemicals from the per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) class, has raised concerns around the globe because of documented adverse impacts on human health, wildlife, and ecosystem quality. Recent studies have indicated that pesticide products may contain a variety of chemicals that meet the PFAS definition, including the active pesticide ingredients themselves. Given that pesticides are some of the most widely distributed pollutants across the world, the legacy impacts of PFAS addition into pesticide products could be widespread and have wide-ranging implications on agriculture and food and water contamination, as well as the presence of PFAS in rural environments.

Multidisciplinary approach to evaluation of rectovaginal fistulas.

Thorough evaluation of a rectovaginal fistula is essential to optimize surgical repair. The underlying cause should be addressed and treated, which can affect the timing and the approach to repair. It is imperative to be well prepared because the highest chance of successful closure occurs during the initial repair attempt.

Feasibility and user-experience of a virtual environment for social connection and education after stroke: A pilot study.

Objectives: To evaluate the feasibility and usability of stroke survivor participation in an 8-week virtual environment intervention that provides opportunities for social support exchanges, social network interactions, and recovery education.

Materials And Methods: A single-group, pre- and post-test measure design was used. Descriptive statistics were used to examine enrollment and retention rates, proportion of questionnaires completed, and virtual environment process data (e.

Utility of Abbreviated Small Bowel Follow Through Study in the Management of Small Bowel Obstruction.

Introduction: Small bowel obstruction is a common surgical complaint. Most small bowel obstructions are managed successfully nonoperatively. Unanimous guidelines for nonoperative management of small bowel obstruction do not exist.

Health, Pesticide Adjuvants, and Inert Ingredients: California Case Study Illustrates Need for Data Access.

Background: Many pesticide products are mixtures of multiple chemicals. These include active ingredients intended to kill pests, and so-called inert ingredients intended to improve the physical characteristics of the product. In addition, shortly before applying a pesticide product, applicators often mix adjuvants into the sprayer tank.

Does preoperative resting genital hiatus size predict surgical outcomes?

Aim: To determine whether preoperative genital hiatus at rest is predictive of medium-term prolapse recurrence.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective study of women who underwent native tissue prolapse surgery from 2002 to 2017 with pelvic organ prolapse quantification data including resting genital hiatus at one of three time points: preoperatively, 6 weeks, and ≥1 year postoperatively. Demographics and clinical data were abstracted from the chart.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Pelvic Organ Prolapse Using the Michigan Genomics Initiative.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to (1) replicate previously identified genetic variants significantly associated with pelvic organ prolapse and (2) identify new genetic variants associated with pelvic organ prolapse using a genome-wide association study.

Methods: Using our institution's database linking genetic and clinical data, we identified 1,329 women of European ancestry with an International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9)/ICD-10 code for prolapse, 767 of whom also had Current Procedural Terminology (CPT)/ICD-9/ICD-10 procedure codes for prolapse surgery, and 16,383 women of European ancestry older than 40 years without a prolapse diagnosis code as controls. Patients were genotyped using the Illumina HumanCoreExome chip and imputed to the Haplotype Reference Consortium.

Review of Malpractice Litigations Involving Vesicovaginal and Rectovaginal Fistulas Following Elective Hysterectomy for Benign Indications in the United States From 1970 to 2020.

Objective: The aims of this study were to review malpractice litigations involving vesicovaginal and rectovaginal fistulas after elective hysterectomy for benign indications in the United States and identify the most common themes in allegations by the plaintiffs and defenses by the defendants.

Methods: Using the Lexis Nexis legal database, we searched for and reviewed all U.S.

Antibiotic use during repair of obstetrical anal sphincter injury: a quality improvement initiative.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a quality improvement initiative regarding the administration of antibiotics at the time of obstetric anal sphincter injury (OASIS) repair.

Methods: At University of Michigan-a tertiary care center in Ann Arbor, MI, USA, we implemented a quality improvement intervention aimed at administering a single dose of broad-spectrum antibiotics at the time of OASIS repair. Best practice recommendations and reminders were presented to the department.

Stigma Associated With Pelvic Floor Disorders.

Objectives: Although the impact of stigma is known for women with urinary incontinence, it has not been well studied among the full spectrum of pelvic floor disorders. This study quantifies the level of stigma among women presenting for urogynecologic care and tests the hypothesis that stigma related to pelvic floor disorders results in a delay in care seeking for these problems.

Methods: Women presenting for new patient visits (N = 523) in university medical center-based urogynecology clinics completed 2 anonymous questionnaires (Stigma Scale for Chronic Illnesses 8-item version and Pelvic Floor Bother Questionnaire) before their visit.

Indications for surgical intervention in a postpartum pelvic floor specialty clinic.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and type of surgical procedures undergone by postpartum women seen in a specialty postpartum pelvic floor clinic over 11 years.

Methods: This study was a retrospective chart review of patients requiring surgical intervention within a 1-year period after their initial visit to the Michigan Healthy Healing After Delivery (MHHAD) clinic at the University of Michigan from July 2007 through January 2019. Chart review was performed to abstract demographics, obstetric data, indication for postpartum clinic visit, primary and secondary indications for surgery, and procedures performed.

Lobectomy for treatment of differentiated thyroid cancer: can patients avoid postoperative thyroid hormone supplementation and be compliant with the American Thyroid Association guidelines?

Background: The American Thyroid Association recommended thyroid lobectomy as an alternative for low-risk differentiated thyroid cancer. One hypothetical benefit includes avoiding lifelong thyroid hormone supplementation; however, guidelines recommend maintaining the thyroid-stimulating hormone <2 mIU/L postoperatively in low-risk patients. Our hypothesis is that most patients will require hormone supplementation to maintain thyroid-stimulating hormone <2 mIU/L, minimizing this advantage of lobectomy.

Neurodevelopmental and neurological effects of chemicals associated with unconventional oil and natural gas operations and their potential effects on infants and children.

Heavy metals (arsenic and manganese), particulate matter (PM), benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes (BTEX), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) have been linked to significant neurodevelopmental health problems in infants, children and young adults. These substances are widely used in, or become byproducts of unconventional oil and natural gas (UOG) development and operations. Every stage of the UOG lifecycle, from well construction to extraction, operations, transportation and distribution can lead to air and water contamination.

Potential hazards of air pollutant emissions from unconventional oil and natural gas operations on the respiratory health of children and infants.

Research on air pollutant emissions associated with unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development has grown significantly in recent years. Empirical investigations have focused on the identification and measurement of oil and gas air pollutants [e.g.

Air concentrations of volatile compounds near oil and gas production: a community-based exploratory study.

Background: Horizontal drilling, hydraulic fracturing, and other drilling and well stimulation technologies are now used widely in the United States and increasingly in other countries. They enable increases in oil and gas production, but there has been inadequate attention to human health impacts. Air quality near oil and gas operations is an underexplored human health concern for five reasons: (1) prior focus on threats to water quality; (2) an evolving understanding of contributions of certain oil and gas production processes to air quality; (3) limited state air quality monitoring networks; (4) significant variability in air emissions and concentrations; and (5) air quality research that misses impacts important to residents.

Estimating intra- and inter-assay variability in salivary cortisol.

Investigators commonly assess intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation (CVs) to estimate the precision of salivary cortisol enzyme immunoassay (EIA). However, little guidance is available as to which samples to use for CV assessment. The purposes of this methodological study were to compare differences in intra- and inter-assay CVs (a) among controls, standards, and/or unknown samples; and (b) between fresh and previously frozen saliva.

Reduction in the prevalence of lead-containing jewelry in California following litigation and legislation.

Exposure to lead-containing jewelry has been identified as one cause of elevated blood lead levels. Because of the significant health effects of lead exposure, litigation and legislation in California set standards for lead content of children's and adult jewelry. We measured compliance with these standards for jewelry sold at 42 major retailers statewide.

Pesticide risk indicators: unidentified inert ingredients compromise their integrity and utility.

Pesticide Risk Indicators (PRIs) are widely used to evaluate and compare the potential health and environmental risks of pesticide use and to guide pest control policies and practices. They are applied to agricultural, landscape and structural pest management by governmental agencies, private institutions and individuals. PRIs typically assess only the potential risks associated with the active ingredients because, with few exceptions, pesticide manufacturers disclose only the identity of the active ingredients which generally comprise only a minor portion of pesticide products.

Unidentified inert ingredients in pesticides: implications for human and environmental health.

Background: By statute or regulation in the United States and elsewhere, pesticide ingredients are divided into two categories: active and inert (sometimes referred to as other ingredients, adjuvants, or coformulants). Despite their name, inert ingredients may be biologically or chemically active and are labeled inert only because of their function in the formulated product. Most of the tests required to register a pesticide are performed with the active ingredient alone, not the full pesticide formulation.

The finished DNA sequence of human chromosome 12.

Human chromosome 12 contains more than 1,400 coding genes and 487 loci that have been directly implicated in human disease. The q arm of chromosome 12 contains one of the largest blocks of linkage disequilibrium found in the human genome. Here we present the finished sequence of human chromosome 12, which has been finished to high quality and spans approximately 132 megabases, representing approximately 4.

Successful Biological Control of Ragwort, Senecio Jacobaea, by Introduced Insects in Oregon.

The purpose of our study was to estimate the variability in a biological control process on a regional scale, identify its causes, and quantitatively evaluate overall control success. We present evidence of the success of biological control of Senecio jacobaea (ragwort) in western Oregon following introduction of three natural enemies. First, observations from a single site showed that ragwort declined to <1% of its former abundance and has been replaced by a plant community composed predominantly of introduced perennial grasses.

Wind Dispersal Distances in Dimorphic Achenes of Ragwort, Senecio Jacobaea.

A mark-recapture study of wind-dispersed achenes of Senecio jacobaeo conducted in western Oregon showed that the proportion of achenes dispersing a given distance varied significantly with changes in site (inland vs. coastal), surroundings (mown vs. unmown), height of release (0-50, 50-100, 100-150, 150-200 cm), time of release (early vs late in the season), direction of dispersal, and achene type (disk vs.