Sexual and Reproductive Health Outcomes in Females With Cloacal Malformations and Other Anorectal Malformations

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To improve our understanding of reproductive health and sexual function in women with cloacal malformations and other anorectal malformations (ARMs) METHODS: An observational cross-sectional survey was administered to individuals assigned female at birth aged 12 to 55 with ARMs and cloacal malformations cared for at our institution. Data included age of thelarche/menarche and questions on body image, gynecologic anatomy, sexual function, and pregnancy.

RESULTS

Twenty-one patients responded in the ARM group and 30 in the cloacal malformation group. There were no differences in median age of thelarche/menarche in patients with ARMs (11/12.5 years) compared with patients with cloacal malformation (11/12 years). Patients with ARMs were more likely to have native vaginal tissue than those with cloacal malformations (n = 18, 82% vs n = 12, 40%; P = .03). There were no differences between groups regarding concerns about dyspareunia and functionality of their vagina (P > .05). Forty-two percent of patients with cloacal malformations and 30% of patients with ARMs reported having been sexually active. Two patients with cloacal malformations and 2 with ARMs reported having been pregnant. Patients with cloacal malformations reported a lower quality of life score (80.4) compared with those with ARMs (87.0) (difference > 4.5).

CONCLUSIONS

Patients with a cloacal malformation were less likely to have native vaginal tissue and reported a lower quality of life than those with ARMs. Despite this, patients with a cloacal malformation had similar reproductive health and sexual function compared with patients with ARMs. Our results reinforce the need for comprehensive sexual and reproductive health care for all women with ARMs.

Spore Killer Polymorphism in FUSARIUM MONILIFORME

A Spore killer trait, which exhibits genetic and cytological properties analogous to those previously found in Neurospora, exists in natural populations of the fungal plant pathogen Fusarium moniliforme. The genogeography of the polymorphism in F. moniliforme differs from the situation in Neurospora intermedia. It is more akin to the situation in N. sitophila, although more extreme with respect to the prevalence of killer alleles: more than 80% of tested isolates of F. moniliforme carry the killer allele. Nevertheless, sensitive alleles are widely distributed and have been found in California, Italy, Greece and Central America.

Sampling strategies for using female gametophytes to estimate heterozygosity in conifers

Unbiased estimators of genotype and allele frequencies and their respective variances are obtained for loci identified by mendelian segregation in haploid female gametophytes from individual trees. By a minimum sampling variance criterion, the allocation of experimental effort between the number of female gametophytes analysed per tree and the number of trees sampled per population is examined for a fixed total amount of experimental effort. For estimating heterozygosity, the optimum sampling design for many (generally most) cases is three female gametophytes per tree, but may be more than three depending upon the true genotype frequencies in the population. For estimating allele frequencies, the optimum sampling design is one female gametophyte per tree except in cases where a strong negative correlation exists between alleles within genotpyes. Guidelines are discussed for determining a suitable number of female gametophytes to be analysed per tree in order to estimate heterozygosity.

Population genetics of allozyme variation in Neurospora intermedia

Electrophoretically detectable variation in the fungus Neurospora intermedia has been surveyed among isolates from natural populations in Malaya, Papua, Australia and Florida. The principal result is a pattern of genetic variation within and between populations that is qualitatively no different than the well documented patterns for Drosophila and humans. In particular, there is a high level of genetic variation, the majority of which occurs at the level of local populations. Evidence is presented which argues that N. intermedia has a population structure analogous to that of an annual vascular plant with a high level of vegetative reproduction. Sexual reproduction appears to be a regular feature in the biology of the species. Substantial heterokaryon function seems unlikely in natural populations of N. intermedia. Theoretical considerations concerning the mechanisms underlying the observed pattern of variation most likely should be consistent with haploid selection theory. The implications of this constraint upon the theory are discussed in detail, leading to the presentation of a model based upon the concept of environmental heterogenicity. The essence of the model, which is equally applicable to haploid and diploid situations, is a shifting distribution of multiple adaptive niches among local populations such that a given population has a small net selective pressure in favor of one allele or another, depending upon its particular distribution of niches. Gene flow among neighboring populations with differing net selective pressures is postulated as the principal factor underlying intrapopulational allozyme variation.

Gene flow and genetic differentiation

A brief analysis is presented for the effects of gene flow upon genetic differentiation within and between populations generated by mutation and drift. Previous results obtained with the "island" model are developed into a form that lends itself to biological interpretation. Attention is focused upon the effective local population size and the ratio of the genetic identity of two genes in different populations to that of two genes in the same population. The biological significance of this ratio, which is independent of population size, is discussed. Similarities between the results of this model and those of the "stepping-stone" model are noted.