Interpretation of single progesterone measurement in diagnosis of anovulation and defective luteal phase: observations on analysis of the normal range

Single serum progesterone determinations were made in 79 apparently normal women with a regular menstrual cycle. A normal range (40 subjects) was derived from the concentrations in the follicular phase and used to define an "anovular" range for luteal phase values (nine out of 39 subjects). The remaining luteal phase values were used to construct an "ovular" range for the luteal phase and, within this range, to define a group of values (less than the 20th centile) which could be described as a "defective luteal phase." The cut off limits between ovular and anovular and between normal and defective luteal phases were respectively two and four times the follicular phase median. It is proposed that the numerical findings of this study may be used as a rule of thumb for defining normality and abnormality from a single serum progesterone determination.     

Porndemic? A Longitudinal Study of Pornography Use Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic in a Nationally Representative Sample of Americans

Of the many changes in daily life brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, social distancing efforts and governmentally mandated lockdowns were among the most drastic. Coinciding with these changes, popular pornography websites made some previously premium content available for free, spurring dramatic increases in traffic to these websites. This increase in time spent at home and reported increases in traffic to specific pornographic websites led to some speculation that pornography use might generally increase over the course of the pandemic and that problematic use might also increase. To test these speculations and quantify the effects of the pandemic and its associated restrictions on social behaviors on pornography use, we analyzed data from a longitudinal sample of American adults. Baseline, nationally representative data were collected in August 2019 via YouGov (N?=?2518). Subsequent data were collected in February 2020 (n?=?1677), May 2020 (n?=?1533), August 2020 (n?=?1470), and October 2020 (n?=?1269). Results indicated that, in May 2020, immediately following the height of the first wave of pandemic-related lockdowns, more people reported past-month pornography use than at other follow-up time points, but less did so than at baseline. Among those who reported use in May 2020, only 14% reported increases in use since the start of the pandemic, and their use returned to levels similar to all other users by August 2020. In general, pornography use trended downward over the pandemic, for both men and women. Problematic pornography use trended downward for men and remained low and unchanged in women. Collectively, these results suggest that many fears about pornography use during pandemic-related lockdowns were largely not supported by available data.

     

Evidence that the Rate of Wallerian Degeneration is Controlled by a Single Autosomal Dominant Gene

In a substrain of C57BL mice, C57BL/Ola, Wallerian degeneration in the distal segment of the severed sciatic nerve is extremely slow when compared to other mice. Despite this very slow degeneration in the distal segment regeneration of the motor nerves is not impaired. From suitable genetic outcrosses and backcrosses, the authors provide evidence that the rate of Wallerian degeneration in this strain is controlled by a single autosomal gene product. The authors have also shown that the rate of degeneration, in C57BL/Ola mice, is influenced by the environment in which the animals were bred and housed. Wallerian degeneration in the sciatic nerves of mice raised in isolators is slower than in those raised in a conventional animal house. This strain of mouse may prove to be of value in the understanding of nerve degeneration and regeneration.     

Taurolin for the prevention of parenteral nutrition related infection: antimicrobial activity and long-term use

A case is described in which bis (1, 1 dioxoperhydro-1, 2, 4-thiadiazinyl-4-) methane (Taurolin) has saferly been administered on a long term basis to prevent recurrent sepsis in a patient receiving parenteral nutrition. A 26-year-old male with Crohn's disease receiving parenteral nutrition suffered repeated episodes of sepsis and developed an infected intra-atrial thrombus despite repeated courses of antimicrobial chemotherapy and surgical intervention. Continued parenteral nutrition was essential du5e to intestinal failure. Taurolin was administered in the parenteral feed, as a 0.3% solution, to prevent recrudescent and recurrent infection. This concentration was shown, in vitro, to be bactericidal to a variety of pathogenic organisms. No recurrence of sepsis, nor any evidence of side effects was observed throughout the 12 month period of Taurolin administration. After 12 months the taurolin was discontinued and within 2 weeks the patient was re-admitted with recurrent septicaemia. Following re-introduction of Taurolin the infection was controlled and the patient remains well. In our experience the addition of taurolin to the nutritive feeds of a patient at risk of sepsis is a safe and effective method of preventing recurrent sepsis.