Paternal Inheritance of Mitochondrial DNA May Lead to Dioecy in Conifers.

In angiosperms cytoplasmic DNA is typically passed on maternally through ovules. Genes in the mtDNA may cause male sterility. When male-sterile (female) cytotypes produce more seeds than cosexuals, they pass on more copies of their mtDNA and will co-occur with cosexuals with a neutral cytotype.

Assessing the Effects of One-Time Praziquantel Treatment on Urogenital Lesions Detected by Ultrasound in Schistosoma haematobium-Infected Individuals in Chad.

The objective was to determine the impact of a single dose of praziquantel on urogenital lesions caused by Schistosoma haematobium. Ultrasound (US) was performed on three age groups of subjects with a positive test for hematuria, with the first examination performed in November 2017 and a follow-up visit 7 months later. None of the subjects had previously received treatment.

A conceptual model for automating spatial network analysis.

Spatial network analysis is a collection of methods for measuring accessibility potentials as well as for analyzing flows over transport networks. Though it has been part of the practice of geographic information systems for a long time, designing network analytical workflows still requires a considerable amount of expertise. In principle, artificial intelligence methods for workflow synthesis could be used to automate this task.

Impact of a Mobile Health System on the Suppression of Schistosoma haematobium in Chad.

This study determined the contribution of a mobile health (M-health) system to the treatment of Schistosoma haematobium in a region of Chad where S. haematobium is endemic. M-health involves the use of a mobile phone for health care.

Is there a need for endoscopic evaluation in symptomatic boys with an unsuspicious urethra on VCUG? A consideration of secondary radiologic signs of posterior urethral valves.

Introduction: A significant proportion of PUV becomes symptomatic after the perinatal period. Voiding cystourethrography (VCUG) often fails to identify PUVs. This study evaluates the relationship between the radiological appearance of the posterior urethra, potential secondary radiological signs and endoscopically documented PUV in boys with febrile UTIs, VUR, refractory symptoms of bladder overactivity or suggestive sonography findings.

The Engagement of the Pelvic Floor Muscles to the Urethra, Does Variation in Point of Action Exist?

Lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) occurs frequently in girls and may display a spinning top urethra (STU) on voiding cysto-urethrogram (VCUG) in case of dysfunctional voiding. A STU presents as a narrowing of the urethra caused by a lack of relaxation of the pelvic floor musculature during micturition and may vary in length between the proximal and the distal urethra. Although a STU has been recognized since 1960 as a pathological entity on VCUG, no reports exist on the different levels of engagement of the pelvic floor muscles to the urethra as expressed by the varying length of the phenomenon.

Pelvic floor rehabilitation in children with functional LUTD: does it improve outcome?

Introduction: If children do not experience satisfactory relief of lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) complaints after standard urotherapy is provided, other treatment options need to be explored. To date, little is known about the clinical value of pelvic floor rehabilitation in the treatment of functional voiding disorders.

Objective: Therefore, we compared pelvic floor rehabilitation by biofeedback with anal balloon expulsion (BABE) to intensive urotherapy in the treatment of children with inadequate pelvic floor control and functional LUTD.

Coping styles in patients with hypospadias.

Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate the coping styles used by patients with hypospadias. Long-term hypospadias studies generally show satisfying outcomes, but some report a lower quality of life (QoL) or poorer psychosocial adjustment, particularly in patients with proximal hypospadias. A lower QoL or psychosocial adjustment was found to be associated with passive coping styles in other pediatric patient populations.

Prevalence of Schistosoma Haematobium Measured by a Mobile Health System in an Unexplored Endemic Region in the Subprefecture of Torrock, Chad.

Background: Schistosoma haematobium is a parasitic digenetic trematode responsible for schistosomiasis (also known as bilharzia). The disease is caused by penetration of the skin by the parasite, spread by intermediate host molluscs in stagnant waters, and can be treated by administration of praziquantel. Schistosomiasis is considered to be an important but neglected tropical disease.

Daytime urinary incontinence in children and adolescents.

Daytime urinary incontinence is common in the paediatric population and affects approximately 7-10% of children (aged 5-13 years). Several subtypes of daytime incontinence, which are classified according to their relation to the storage and voiding phases of bladder function, exist. Risk factors for these subtypes of incontinence can be genetic, demographic, environmental, behavioural, or physical.

Orchidopexy for bilateral undescended testes: A multicentre study on its effects on fertility and comparison of two fixation techniques.

To evaluate fertility potential after orchidopexy for bilateral undescended testis and compare two surgical fixation techniques for effect on fertility. Men older than 22 years who had either tunica albuginea orchidopexy (TAO) or "no-touch" technique (NTO) in childhood for bilateral undescended testis (BUDT) were selected. Participants filled out a questionnaire followed by physical examination, had testicular ultrasound, blood sample and semen analysis.

Proximal hypospadias treated with a transverse preputial island tube: long-term functional, sexual, and cosmetic outcomes.

Objective: To study long-term urinary and sexual function, and cosmetic outcomes in adult patients who underwent single-stage transverse preputial island tube (TPIT) for proximal hypospadias repair in childhood. Long-term data on outcomes of patients with proximal hypospadias with severe coexisting curvature and insufficient urethral plate are scarce, but are necessary to decide which repair technique is most beneficial.

Patients, Subjects And Methods: Patients with proximal hypospadias operated with TPIT (TPIT Group) were compared to patients with distal hypospadias repair (Distal Group) and to a control group of male medical students (Control Group).

Open and Laparoscopic Colposuspension in Girls with Refractory Urinary Incontinence.

Introduction: Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are very common in children. Standard treatments consist of urotherapy, antibiotic prophylaxis, anti-muscarinics, physical therapy, and the treatment of coexisting constipation. A small group of girls also present with stress incontinence or with stress-induced urge incontinence.

Techniques Used to Create Continent Catheterizable Channels: A Comparison of Long-term Results in Children.

Objective: To compare long-term results of 3 different techniques used to create continent catheterizable channels (CCCs) in children in a single institution.

Patients And Methods: Data were retrospectively collected from 112 children who had a CCC (appendicovesicostomy [APV], tubularized bladder flap [TBF] or Monti) created between December 1995 and December 2013. Primary outcome was revision-free survival.

The Long-term Effect of Superficial Bladder Neck Incision on Ejaculation and Incontinence in Boys with Primary and Secondary Bladder Neck Obstruction.

Objective: Superficial bladder neck incision (SBNI) is controversial at young age, with retrograde ejaculation after puberty as main concern. The aim of the study is to investigate the long-term effect of SBNI on ejaculation and incontinence in boys with primary and secondary bladder neck obstruction (BNO).

Materials And Methods: In boys with infravesical obstruction, SBNI was performed in case of a persistent BNO after earlier desobstruction or in case of primary severely obstructive bladder neck.

How to quantify plant tolerance to loss of biomass?

In some plant species the whole shoot is occasionally removed, as a result of specialist herbivory, grazing, mowing, or other causes. The plant can adapt to defoliation by allocating more to tolerance and less to growth and defense. Plant tolerance to defoliation (TOL1) is typically measured as the ratio between the average dry weight of a group of damaged plants and a control group of undamaged plants, both measured some time after recovery.

Psychological and Physical Environmental Factors in the Development of Incontinence in Adults and Children: A Comprehensive Review.

The aim of this review was to identify etiological environmental factors related to incontinence in children and adults. A variety of etiological environmental factors for the development of incontinence were identified. In children, these encompass stressful life events and trauma, family dysfunction, parental psychopathology, school-related stressors, toilet or "potty" training, fluid consumption habits, housing conditions, and the availability of toilets.

Long-term effect of conservative treatment versus low threshold endoscopic desobstruction on urine incontinence and urgency in boys with persistent overactive bladder symptoms: A cohort study.

Aims: To assess the long-term effects of two treatment strategies (low threshold endoscopic desobstruction vs. conservative treatment) on urinary incontinence (UI) and urgency-frequency in boys.

Methods: Boys with persistent overactive bladder symptoms treated in two tertiary referral centers between 2006 and 2009 were included.

Short-term Complications After Pyeloplasty in Children With Lower Urinary Tract Anomalies.

Objective: To investigate whether children with lower urinary tract (LUT) anomalies are at greater risk for postoperative complications after laparoscopic pyeloplasty stented with a double-J catheter (JJC).

Materials And Methods: Prospectively collected data of laparoscopic pyeloplasty (LP) performed between 2006 and 2015 were analyzed. Inclusion criteria are (1) toilet-trained child and (2) unilateral dismembered pyeloplasty stented with a JJC done by the same surgeon.

Tetraploid/Diploid Mosaicism in Cultured Genital Skin Fibroblasts: Is It Causally Related to Penoscrotal Hypospadias?

Tetraploid/diploid mosaicism is a rare chromosomal abnormality that is infrequently reported in patients with severe developmental delay, growth retardation, and short life span. Here, we present a 6-year-old patient with severe penoscrotal hypospadias and a coloboma of the left eye but with normal growth, normal psychomotor development, and without dysmorphisms. We considered a local, mosaic sex chromosomal aneuploidy as a possible cause of his genital anomaly and performed karyotyping in cultured fibroblasts from the genital skin, obtained during surgical correction.

Assessing Teratogenicity from the Clustering of Abnormal Phenotypes in Individual Zebrafish Larvae.

In previous publications, we described the population incidence of abnormalities in zebrafish larvae exposed to toxicants. Here, we examine the phenomenon of clustering or co-occurrence of abnormalities in individual larva. Our aim is to see how this clustering can be used to assess the specificity and severity of teratogenic effect.