myth

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Semen analysis is a basic component of male evaluation. Reproductive centers typically instruct men to provide a semen specimen based on recommendations from WHO Standard for semen examination. Evidence that these recommendations optimize sperm reproductive capacity is lacking. Existing data to optimize sperm quality with shorter abstinence were reviewed. RECENT FINDINGS: Several recent studies have reviewed the effects of shorter ejaculatory abstinence of semen quality and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes...

BACKGROUND: Undernutrition is a crucial cause of morbidity and mortality among children in low- or middle-income countries (LMICs). A better understanding of maternal general healthy nutrition knowledge, as well as misbeliefs, is highly essential, especially in such settings. In the current era of infodemics, it is very strenuous for mothers to select not only the right source for maternal nutrition information but the correct information as well. AIM: To assess maternal healthy nutritional knowledge and nutrition-related misbeliefs and misinformation in an LMIC, and to determine the sources of such information and their assessment methods...

As one of the most famous fermented drinks in the world, beer is an especially relatable topic for microbiology courses. Here, we describe a short and easily adaptable module based on the antibacterial properties of hops used in brewing. By the 15th century, beer recipes included hops (the flower of the Humulus lupulus plant) as a bittering agent and antimicrobial. By the 19th century, the highly hopped Indian Pale Ale (IPA) became popular, and a modern myth has emerged that IPAs were invented to survive long ocean voyages such as from Britain to India...

Cancer is a leading cause of mortality globally and is projected to be the primary cause of death in Brazil by 2030. Yet, for high school students, information and understanding about cancer are primarily offered through standard biology lessons. This study aimed to assess the feasibility of a brief educational intervention related to cancer among high school students in a Brazilian private school. Participants attended a 1-h online session regarding different aspects of cancer. A self-reported questionnaire about the main topics addressed in the session was filled out before [pre] and after [post] the educational intervention and the results were compared by McNemar's chi-square test...

"One Pill Can Kill" is a meme originating in the 1990s. This construct lists pharmaceuticals that have the alleged potential for fatality after the ingestion of a single pill by a toddler. However, its foundation is fundamentally flawed because it contravenes a basic principle of pediatric pharmacology, allometric scaling. Other than opioids, there are no literature examples of one pill killing a toddler. The negative outcome of the one pill can kill construct is inappropriate management manifested by over-referral of young children by poison centers to emergency departments for care, overly prolonged emergency department observation and needless hospital admissions...

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Lack of consistent data and guidance have led to variations between clinicians in the management of pregnancy in women with multiple sclerosis (MS). Pregnant and/or lactating women are often excluded from clinical trials conducted in MS, and thus, the labeling for most disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) excludes use during pregnancy. This has led to heterogeneity in interpretation and labeling regarding the safety of DMTs during pregnancy and lactation and the required preconception washout periods...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

OBJECTIVES: This is a narrative review that aims to highlight key advancements which led to the current state of lower extremity bypass surgery. It focuses on key contributors during the last century who have driven the standardization of surgical treatment of peripheral arterial occlusive disease. METHODS: A narrative review was conducted utilizing available resources in the scientific and historical literature to track landmark achievements in the development of modern lower extremity bypass surgery for occlusive disease, focusing primarily on the last century of advancement...

This study evaluates the performance of two major artificial intelligence-based tools (ChatGPT-4 and Google Bard) in debunking sleep-related myths. More in detail, the present research assessed 20 sleep misconceptions using a 5-point Likert scale for falseness and public health significance, comparing responses of artificial intelligence tools with expert opinions. The results indicated that Google Bard correctly identified 19 out of 20 statements as false (95.0% accuracy), not differing from ChatGPT-4 (85...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

BACKGROUND:  A few studies have explored the life experiences of people who stutter. Research has shown that stuttering affects a significant number of people in the population. OBJECTIVES:  The study was designed to explore the experiences of people who stutter and the perception of stuttering in South Africa. METHOD:  Four people who identified as South Africans who stutter participated in this study. The primary investigator conducted semi-structured interviews with each of the participants...

The contemporary preoccupation with lesbian's potential obsolescence relies on implicit assumptions about the (ir)relevance of lesbian feminism to younger generations. In this article, we use the metaphor of "generation loss" to conceptualize the Gordian knot of affective and ideological ties that lie beneath this preoccupation. Contrary to the narrative of generation loss, we show how young people have begun to take up and share lesbian feminist concepts on social media platforms like TikTok. They do so in the name of resituating lesbian as a political project rather than an exclusionary demographic category...

Objective: Using a psychosociocultural framework, the study explored the relationship between Indian American undergraduates' internalized attitudes of the model minority myth (MMM) and their attitudes toward seeking mental health services. Participants: A total of 205 undergraduates (108 females, 96 males, 1 non-binary) who were primarily upper division students (77 lower division [first years/sophomores] and 128 upper division [juniors/seniors]) from across the U.S. participated in this study. Method: Students completed an online study of five standardized scales...

Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) include conventional medical treatments. Patients worldwide use CAM at alarming rates; thus, reports of CAM-related DILI have been on the rise. The clinical presentations include asymptomatic liver test abnormalities, acute hepatitis with or without jaundice, acute cholestatic liver disease (bland or with hepatitis), acute liver failure, severe hepatitis with features of portal hypertension, and acute decompensation of known or unknown cirrhosis that can lead to acute-on-chronic liver failure...

INTRODUCTION: Compulsive cyberporn use (CCU) has previously been reported among people who use cyberporn. However, most of the previous studies included convenience samples of students or samples of the general adult population. Research examining the factors that predict or are associated with CCU are still scarce.In this study, we aimed to (a) assess compulsive cyberporn consumption in a broad sample of people who had used cyberporn and (b) determine, among a diverse range of predictor variables, which are most important in CCU scores, as assessed with the eight-item Compulsive Internet Use Scale adapted for cyberporn...

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to compare the criminal, sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, paraphilic behaviors, sexual attitudes, gender perceptions, and rape-related beliefs of people assessed for criminal liability for rape against adults and children. METHOD: The study compared 40 people investigated for criminal liability for rape against an adult (RAA) with 40 individuals investigated for criminal liability for crime of rape against a child (RAC), and 43 age, sex and education matched individuals without any sexual crime history using the Structured Clinical Interview form for DSM-5 disorders, Hendrick Brief Sexual Attitude Scale, Gender Perception Scale, Illinois Rape Myth Acceptance Scale, and Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11...

BACKGROUND: Research to improve healthcare experiences for women with vaginismus tends to be produced from the perspective of healthcare professionals or health-based researchers. There is lacking research on women's experiences and recommendations to improve help-seeking for vaginismus from their perspective. To address this research gap, this qualitative study aimed to identify the issues that women face when help-seeking for vaginismus and their recommendations to address it. This sought to support the wellbeing of patients to advocate for their healthcare needs which is often overlooked...

Leprosy continues to be stigmatized, causing harm to fundamental rights, pain and hopelessness in those who have suffered from it and their families. From its relationship with public and mental health, effective strategies must be implemented to reduce stigma and unlearn myths and wrong perceptions, support families, and improve quality of life through early care and detection. This article shows that those affected by leprosy are capable, functional people with much to contribute to society anywhere in the world...

COVID-19 vaccination rates have been low among adults in Kenya (36.7% as of late March 2023) with vaccine hesitancy posing a threat to the COVID-19 vaccination program. This study sought to examine facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 vaccinations in Kenya. We conducted a qualitative cross-sectional study in two purposively selected counties in Kenya. We collected data through 8 focus group discussions with 80 community members and 8 in-depth interviews with health care managers and providers. The data was analyzed using a framework approach focusing on determinants of vaccine hesitancy and their influence on psychological constructs...

Aging is the result of several complex and multifactorial processes, where several agents contribute to an increased intrinsic vulnerability and susceptibility to age-related diseases. The hallmarks of aging are a set of biological mechanisms that are finely regulated and strictly interconnected, initiating or contributing to biological changes and anticipating several age-related diseases. The complex network of cellular and intercellular connections between the hallmarks might represent a possible target for the research of agents with pleiotropic effects...