Drosophila Arc1 is not required for male fertility or sperm competition success.

Activity-regulated cytoskeleton associated protein (Arc1), which is required for synaptic plasticity and metabolism in Drosophila , self-assembles into capsid-like structures that transport mRNAs in extracellular vesicles. In addition to expression in the brain and nervous system, Arc1 is expressed in the male accessory glands, an endothelial tissue that produces male seminal proteins and exosomes that impact male fertility. We thus hypothesized that Arc1 might impact male fertility. We measured the fertility, mating latency, mating duration, and sperm competition performance of Arc1 males relative to controls and found no evidence that Arc1 is required for any of these measures of male fertility.

Evolution of secondary cell number and position in the Drosophila accessory gland.

In animals with internal fertilization, males transfer gametes and seminal fluid during copulation, both of which are required for successful reproduction. In Drosophila and other insects, seminal fluid is produced in the paired accessory gland (AG), the ejaculatory duct, and the ejaculatory bulb. The D. melanogaster AG has emerged as an important model system for this component of male reproductive biology. Seminal fluid proteins produced in the Drosophila AG are required for proper storage and use of sperm by the females, and are also critical for establishing and maintaining a suite of short- and long-term postcopulatory female physiological responses that promote reproductive success. The Drosophila AG is composed of two main cell types. The majority of AG cells, which are referred to as main cells, are responsible for production of many seminal fluid proteins. A minority of cells, about 4%, are referred to as secondary cells. These cells, which are restricted to the distal tip of the D. melanogaster AG, may play an especially important role in the maintenance of the long-term female post-mating response. Many studies of Drosophila AG evolution have suggested that the proteins produced in the gland evolve quickly, as does the transcriptome. Here, we investigate the evolution of secondary cell number and position in the AG in a collection of eight species spanning the entire history of the Drosophila genus. We document a heretofore underappreciated rapid evolutionary rate for both number and position of these specialized AG cells, raising several questions about the developmental, functional, and evolutionary significance of this variation.

The Correlation of Diabetes Mellitus and Urinary Retention From Intravesical OnabotulinumtoxinA Injection for Overactive Bladder.

IMPORTANCE AND OBJECTIVES: The objective was to determine whether patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) treated with intravesical onabotulinumtoxinA (BoNT) injection for overactive bladder (OAB) had increased urinary retention requiring clean intermittent catheterization (CIC), as well as the impact of disease duration and severity. We hypothesize that patients with DM will have higher rates of retention after BoNT injection. STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective cohort analysis of women in the Kaiser Permanente Southern California Health System who underwent BoNT injection for OAB, excluding women with a history of urinary retention or neurogenic bladder. RESULTS: We identified 565 patients, 410 in the control group and 155 in the DM group. No significant difference was found in the rate of CIC (9% in the control group versus 5.8% in the DM group, P = 0.2), voiding dysfunction, and peak postprocedure postvoid residual volume (PVR). Patients with diabetes had a significantly increased rate of postprocedure urinary tract infection (UTI; 27.6% versus 38.1%, P = 0.02). Urinary tract infection was significantly associated with urinary retention (adjusted odds ratio [OR], 2.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-4.99; P = 0.045) and peak PVR ≥200 mL (adjusted OR, 2.42; 95% CI, 1.15-5.06; P = 0.019). Diabetic disease duration and severity were not a predictor of urinary retention, elevated PVR, or voiding dysfunction; however, the presence of ≥1 disease-related complication was a predictor of UTI (adjusted OR, 2.81; 95% CI, 1.34-5.91; P = 0.006). CONCLUSIONS: Diabetic patients had a similar rate of urinary retention requiring CIC after BoNT injection for OAB compared with nondiabetic patients. Diabetic patients had an increased risk of UTI based on disease severity.

The impact of physician-directed and patient-directed education on screening, diagnosis, treatment, and referral patterns for urinary incontinence.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of patient- and physician-directed education in the primary care setting on screening, diagnosis, treatment, and referral patterns to Urogynecology for urinary incontinence (UI). METHODS: This was a prospective, multi-phase, before-and-after study conducted over a 3-year period. New female patients, 40 years and older, seen in the Internal Medicine (IM) clinic of our institution, were included. Phase 1 intervention consisted of UI lectures for IM residents. Phase 2 intervention involved placement of patient-directed posters throughout the IM clinic. Prior to phase 1, charts of new patients were reviewed as the control group to establish a baseline rate of screening, diagnosis, treatment initiation, and referrals. The same data were collected for 4 months after both phase 1 and phase 2. A washout period of 1 year occurred between phase 1 and phase 2. RESULTS: A total of 410 charts were reviewed and included 200 control, 92 phase 1, and 118 phase 2 patients. In the control group, 13% of patients were screened for UI. There was no significant increase in screening after phase 1 (15% vs 13%, p = 0.6); however, there was a significant increase after phase 2 (32.2% vs 13%, p < 0.001). There was no difference in treatment initiation for patients with a positive screen after either phase. CONCLUSION: In our study, providing an informative lecture to an IM referral base did not improve UI screening. Alternatively, directly targeting patients through posters significantly improved screening rates in the primary care setting, demonstrating that simple interventions can improve screening for conditions that are difficult to discuss such as UI.

Antibiotic regimen and route of administration do not alter rates of urinary tract infection after intravesical botulinum toxin injection for overactive bladder.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: Guidelines vary on antibiotic prophylaxis for onabotulinumtoxinA (Botox) treatment for overactive bladder (OAB). Our primary objective was to determine whether any prophylactic regimen is more effective in preventing urinary tract infection (UTI) after Botox. The secondary objective was to identify prophylactic practice patterns among female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS) providers of different training backgrounds as well as general urologists. METHODS: This was a secondary analysis of a retrospective cohort study on urinary retention after Botox injection in women with and without diabetes mellitus and OAB. Women > 18 years old who underwent Botox injection for OAB between January 2013 and September 2018 were included. Exclusion criteria were history of urinary retention and neuromuscular bladder dysfunction. RESULTS: A total of 565 patients were included. Two hundred eighty (49.6%) were treated by OB-GYN FPMRS, 209 (37.0%) by urology FPMRS and 76 (13.5%) by general urologists. The majority (92.9%) received antibiotic prophylaxis: 44.4% received intravenous (IV) only, 8.9% received oral (PO) only, and 39.7% received combination IV and PO prophylaxis. Urology FPMRS used antibiotic prophylaxis less frequently (p = 0.003). Within 3 months, 171 patients developed UTI (30.4%). There was no difference in post-procedural UTI for any antibiotic regimen compared to no prophylaxis. No route of antibiotic administration was superior at preventing UTI. CONCLUSIONS: In this cohort, no route of antibiotic administration was more effective in the prevention of UTI. Antibiotic prophylaxis did not lower the rate of post-procedural UTI compared to no antibiotics.

Readability and quality of Wikipedia articles on pelvic floor disorders.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: This study is aimed at evaluating the readability and quality of Wikipedia articles on pelvic floor disorders (PFD) and comparing their content with International Urogynecological Association patient education leaflets. METHODS: Readability was assessed using six different readability scales, including the Simple Measure of Gobbledygook (SMOG) Index, which is considered superior for scoring healthcare information. Quality was assessed by three female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery fellows using the modified DISCERN instrument. DISCERN is validated to evaluate the quality of written consumer health information; it was subsequently modified by health education researchers to enable the evaluation of Wikipedia articles. RESULTS: We evaluated 30 Wikipedia articles that correlated with 29 International Urogynecological Association leaflets. The mean SMOG score of the Wikipedia articles was 12.0 ± 2.1 (12th-grade reading level) whereas the mean SMOG score of the International Urological Association (IUGA) leaflets was 3.4 ± 0.3 (third-grade reading level, p < 0.001). The mean modified DISCERN score of the Wikipedia articles was 34.43 ± 5.90 (moderate quality); however, the mean modified DISCERN score of the IUGA literature was 45.02 ± 1.36 (good quality, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Wikipedia articles on PFD are neither readable nor reliable: they require a 12th-grade-level education for comprehension and are merely rated moderate in quality. In comparison, IUGA leaflets require a third-grade education for comprehension and are rated good in quality. Urogynecological providers should provide appropriate health education materials to patients, as Wikipedia is both a popular and sometimes inaccurate resource for patients.

Use of pelvic model-based simulation for sacrospinous ligament fixation education in novice learners: a single-blinded randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION AND HYPOTHESIS: We hypothesize that there will be improvement in a novice learners' confidence and skill level with sacrospinous ligament fixation (SSLF) following a pelvic model-based simulation. METHODS: We performed a single-blinded randomized controlled trial with obstetrics and gynecology residents who were novices at SSLF. The residents were randomly assigned to two groups. The control group received a lecture on the SSLF procedure and anatomy, whereas the intervention group received the same lecture in addition to a pelvic model-based simulation session taught by urogynecologists. The residents' knowledge of SSLF anatomy and confidence level with the procedure were measured via assessments administered before and after the educational interventions. Their technical skills were objectively assessed by one of two fellowship-trained urogynecologists who were blinded to their group allocation. RESULTS: A total of 28 residents were recruited with 14 residents in each group and equal distribution of junior and senior trainees. None of the residents had previously performed the SSLF procedure. There was no difference in anatomical knowledge between the two groups. The intervention group showed a greater increase in their average confidence score compared with the control group: 4.0 ± 1.4 (95% CI 3.1-4.8) versus 2.6 ± 1.6 (95% CI 1.7-3.4) respectively, with p = 0.02. The intervention group also showed better objective scores in specific technical skills, such as instrument handling (p < 0.001), instrument movement/motion (p < 0.001), and speed (p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that inclusion of a pelvic model simulation significantly improves confidence and certain technical skills of novice trainees in performing SSLF.

The Anatomical Distribution of the Pudendal Nerve Block Injection: A Cadaveric Study.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the accuracy of commonly used injection locations of the pudendal nerve block by examining the proximity of the injected dye to the pudendal nerve in a cadaveric model. METHODS: Pudendal block injections at 4 sites were placed transvaginally on 5 cadaveric pelvises. These sites were 1 cm proximal to the ischial spine (black dye), at the ischial spine (red dye), 1 cm distal to the ischial spine (blue dye), and 2 cm lateral and 2 cm distal to the ischial spine (green dye). The cadavers were dissected via a posterior approach. RESULTS: We measured the shortest distance from the center of the dye-stained tissue to the pudendal nerve. As expected, the injections at the ischial spine (red) resulted in a distribution of dye closest to the pudendal nerve, averaging 3.0 ± 0.95 mm. Dyes at other sites were close to the nerve: 3.1 ± 1.00 mm (black), 3.6 ± 1.14 mm (blue), and 4.05 ± 1.28 mm (green). CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the injection site, all dyes were close the pudendal nerve, indicating accuracy. We observed wide variation in the dye distribution even though all injections were performed by the same provider, implicating lack of precision. Based on our findings, we propose that the most effective injection location is at the ischial spine because it is the closest to the pudendal nerve; however, all injections were within 4 mm of the pudendal nerve, suggesting that only 1 to 2 injections may be sufficient.

Congenital diaphragmatic eventration with absent left phrenic nerve in the fetal pig.

We encountered a fetal pig with eventration of the diaphragm and pulmonary hypoplasia accompanied by phrenic nerve agenesis. The fetal pig was female measuring 34 cm in crown-rump length and about 1500 g in body weight. The diaphragm was a complete continuous sheet, but comprised a translucent membrane with residual muscular tissue only at the dorsolateral area of the right leaf of the diaphragm. The left leaf protruded extraordinarily toward the thoracic cavity. The left phrenic nerve was completely absent, while there was a slight remnant of the right phrenic nerve that supplied the dorsolateral muscular area of the right leaf. Both lungs were small, and the number of smaller bronchioles arising from the bronchioles was decreased to about half of that of the normal lung. Additionally, the right and left subclavius muscles and nerves could not be identified. These findings imply that the diaphragm, the subclavius muscle and nerves innervating them comprise a developmental module, which would secondarily affect lung development. It is considered that the present case is analogous to the animal model of congenital eventration of the diaphragm in humans.

Assessment of False-negative Ascites Cytology in Epithelial Ovarian Carcinoma: A Study of 313 Patients.

OBJECTIVE: The objective was to determine how often peritoneal cytology is positive for malignancy in women with known ovarian cancer. Knowing this fact would help determine the usefulness of diagnostic paracentesis. METHODS: Records of all women diagnosed with invasive epithelial ovarian cancer from 2004 to 2012 were examined to correlate presence of ascites, cytologic, and pathologic findings. RESULTS: A total of 313 patients were included in analysis. A total of 210 of 313 patients (67.1%) with ascites had cytology positive for malignancy. This left 103 patients with ascites and cancer without malignant cells found in the ascites removed at the time of surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Except in a few cases, paracentesis is not recommended for the diagnosis of ovarian cancer because of the potential spreading of cancer. Furthermore, with only just over two thirds of cases of known cancer and ascites having cytology positive for malignancy, the value of paracentesis for diagnosis of ovarian cancer is minimal.

Mediastinal paraganglioma.

We present a case of mediastinal paraganglioma with radiologic-pathologic correlation. A 48-year-old woman was found incidentally to have a middle mediastinal mass on CT. The mass showed iso-signal intensity compared to that of muscle on T1-weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images. The lesion showed intermediate intensity on diffusion-weighted imaging, and its apparent diffusion coefficient was 1.72 × 10(-3) mm(2)/s. A contrast-enhanced dynamic study revealed a rapid peak and washout enhancement pattern. (18)F-FDG-PET revealed abnormal uptake in the mediastinal tumor with a maximal standardized uptake value of 7.88. (123)I-meta-iodobenzylguanidine scintigraphy also showed abnormal uptake in the tumor. These findings corresponded to the hypervascularity, rich stroma, low nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, and nest-forming proliferation of tumor cells with positive neuroendocrine markers.