The Impact of Maternal Body Mass Index and Gestational Age on the Detection of Uterine Contractions by Tocodynamometry: A Retrospective Study
Conclusion:
Our study provides evidence that the effectiveness of tocodynamometry diminishes with increasing maternal BMI. Efficacy of tocodynamometry is also decreased at earlier GA, most pronounced below 25 weeks. To evaluate women with PTL symptoms in the mid-trimester or symptomatic obese women at any GA, a modality other than tocodynamometry could be valuable to more accurately assess uterine activity. (Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Aina-Mumuney, A., Hwang, K., Sunwoo, N., Burd, I., Blakemore, K. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Swine Granulosa Cells Show Typical Endothelial Cell Characteristics
Granulosa cells, which belong to the somatic compartment of the ovarian follicle, are actively involved as endocrine cells in follicle growth. Recently, it has been proposed that these cells are not terminally differentiated and possess multipotency. Therefore, we cultured swine granulosa cells in specific endothelial cell culture medium (EBM-2), and phenotypic and functional characteristics of endothelial cells were assessed. The collected data suggest that these endocrine cells can also behave as endothelial cells, therefore potentially contributing to follicular angiogenesis, a crucial process in follicle growth and sel...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Basini, G., Falasconi, I., Bussolati, S., Grolli, S., Di Lecce, R., Grasselli, F. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Cathepsin Protease Inhibition Reduces Endometriosis Lesion Establishment
Endometriosis is a gynecologic disease characterized by the ectopic presence of endometrial tissue on organs within the peritoneal cavity, causing debilitating abdominal pain and infertility. Current treatments alleviate moderate pain symptoms associated with the disorder but exhibit limited ability to prevent new or recurring lesion establishment and growth. Retrograde menstruation has been implicated for introducing endometrial tissue into the peritoneal cavity, but molecular mechanisms underlying attachment and invasion are not fully understood. We hypothesize that cysteine cathepsins, a group of powerful extracellular ...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Porter, K. M., Wieser, F. A., Wilder, C. L., Sidell, N., Platt, M. O. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Prepregnancy Body Mass Index and Gestational Weight Gain Have No Negative Impact on Maternal or Neonatal Iron Status
Conclusion:
These results suggest that adiposity-related inflammation does not override the iron-mediated signals that regulate hepcidin production during pregnancy, and in this adolescent cohort, there is no strong evidence for a detrimental effect of maternal obesity and excessive weight gain on iron status in the offspring at birth. (Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Cao, C., Pressman, E. K., Cooper, E. M., Guillet, R., Westerman, M., OBrien, K. O. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
The Creation of a Model for Ex Vivo Development of Postoperative Adhesions
Conclusions:
This is a model system for the creation of actual adhesive bands utilizing an ex vivo culture of peritoneal strips. (Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Saed, G. M., Fletcher, N. M., Diamond, M. P. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Expression Levels of the Oxidative Stress Response Gene ALDH3A2 in Granulosa-Lutein Cells Are Related to Female Age and Infertility Diagnosis
The objective of this study was to investigate the expression of ALDH3A2 in human granulosa-lutein (GL) cells of women undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) and its relationship with age, infertility diagnosis, and IVF outcome variables. Relative expression levels of ALDH3A2 were determined by quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction. To investigate the effect of age on ALDH3A2 expression, 72 women between 18 and 44 years of age with no ovarian factor (NOF) were analyzed. To evaluate the effect of infertility diagnosis on ALDH3A2 expression, the following groups were analyzed: 22 oocyte donors (...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Gonzalez-Fernandez, R., Hernandez, J., Martin-Vasallo, P., Puopolo, M., Palumbo, A., Avila, J. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Density of Stromal Cells and Macrophages Associated With Collagen Remodeling in the Human Cervix in Preterm and Term Birth
Remodeling of the cervix occurs in advance of labor both at term and at preterm birth. Morphological characteristics associated with remodeling in rodents were assessed in cervix biopsies from women at term (39 weeks’ gestation) and preterm (<33 weeks’ gestation). Collagen I and III messenger RNA and hydroxyproline concentrations declined in cervix biopsies from women in labor at term and preterm compared to that in the cervix from nonlaboring women. Extracellular collagen was more degraded in sections of cervix from women at term, based on optical density of picrosirius red stain, versus that in biopsies fr...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Dubicke, A., Ekman-Ordeberg, G., Mazurek, P., Miller, L., Yellon, S. M. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Capacitation-Associated Glycocomponents of Mammalian Sperm
Mammalian fertilization is a series of events that are mostly carbohydrate mediated. The male gamete glycocomponents are extensively synthesized and modified during sperm development and sperm transport in the reproductive tracts. Freshly ejaculated mammalian sperm are required to undergo capacitation, which takes place in the female reproductive system, in order to become fully fertilizable. Several lines of evidence reveal changes in glycosylated sperm constituents during capacitation. Although the contributions of these molecular changes to capacitation are not completely understood, the presence, rearrangement, and/or ...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Liu, M. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research
Potential Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Sjögren Syndrome With Human Chorionic Gonadotropin
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Sjögren syndrome (SS) ameliorate during pregnancy, through dampening (immunotolerance) of the maternal immune system which protects the fetus from rejection. A large number of studies have shown that human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) contributes to this tolerance. Studies on animal models have reaffirmed that hCG treatment mimics the benefits of pregnancy. Based on the scientific evidence, randomized clinical trials comparing hCG with current therapies and/or placebo are recommended for RA, SS, and for other autoimmune diseases such as, type 1 diabetes and ...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Rao, C. V. Tags: Reviews Source Type: research
In the Spotlight
(Source: Reproductive Sciences)
Source: Reproductive Sciences - April 12, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Maduro, M. R. Tags: In the Spotlight Source Type: research
Lactational Exposure to Di (2-ethylhexyl) Phthalate Impairs the Ovarian and Uterine Function of Adult Offspring Rat
In this study, lactating dams were exposed via oral gavage to corn oil (vehicle) and DEHP (1, 10, and 100 mg/kg body weight) from postnatal day 1 to 21, and the effects were evaluated in the ovary and uterus of F1 progeny. DEHP exposure significantly decreased the body weight and organ weight in a dose-dependent manner. Serum levels of estradiol, testosterone, and progesterone were decreased but anogenital distance was unaffected. The mRNA expressions of luteinizing hormone receptor, follicle-stimulating hormone receptor, androgen receptor, estrogen receptor (ERα and ERβ), progesterone receptor, peroxisome proli...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - March 18, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Somasundaram, D. B., Selvanesan, B. C., Ramachandran, I., Bhaskaran, R. S. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Matrix Metalloproteinase 1 Causes Vasoconstriction and Enhances Vessel Reactivity to Angiotensin II via Protease-Activated Receptor 1
Matrix metalloproteinase 1 (MMP-1) is an activator of protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR-1), which is known to mediate the release of endothelin 1 (ET-1) in endothelial cells and activate the RhoA kinase (ROCK) pathway. Recently, we reported increased serum and vascular MMP-1 in women with preeclampsia and hypothesized that the action of MMP-1 on PAR-1 might have vasoconstrictive effects. Resistance-sized omental arteries obtained from normal pregnant women were mounted on a myograph system and perfused with MMP-1 in a dose range of 0.025 to 25 ng/mL or with angiotensin II (Ang II) in a dose range of 0.001 to 10 µmol...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - March 18, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Nugent, W. H., Mishra, N., Strauss, J. F., Walsh, S. W. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Hypoxia Promotes Invasion of Endometrial Stromal Cells via Hypoxia-Inducible Factor 1{alpha} Upregulation-Mediated {beta}-Catenin Activation in Endometriosis
Endometriosis is a common benign gynecological disease defined as the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity. The aim of this study was to identify the molecular mechanism underlying hypoxia-induced increases in invasive ability of human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs). Herein, we show that the expression levels of hypoxia-inducible factor lα (HIF-1α) and β-catenin were greater in ectopic endometriotic tissue compared with eutopic tissue from controls. Exposure of eutopic endometrial stromal cells under hypoxic conditions or treated with desferrioxamine (DFO, chemical hypoxia) resulted...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - March 18, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Xiong, W., Zhang, L., Xiong, Y., Liu, H., Liu, Y. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
Identification of Immunoreactive Luteinizing Hormone Receptors in the Adrenal Cortex of the Female Rhesus Macaque
Female laboratory macaques were studied under a variety of treatment protocols to determine if immunoreactive luteinizing hormone/gonadal chorionic gonadotropin (LH/CG) receptors were present in the adrenal cortex. All adrenal tissues revealed an absence of immunoreactivity in the in the medulla while staining was present in all three outer zones of the cortex. Increased staining was observed in the zonae reticularis with least staining in the zonae glomerulosa. Moderate and variable staining was found in the zonae fasciculata. These results demonstrate that LH/CG receptors in the adrenal cortex may be more common in highe...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - March 18, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Lasley, B., Conley, A., Morrison, J., Rao, C. V. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
The Potential Role of GnRH Agonists and Antagonists in Inducing Thyroid Physiopathological Changes During IVF
We conducted an observational cohort study to evaluate whether drugs used for hypothalamic inhibition may impact thyroid function of infertile women scheduled for fresh nondonor in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment. We considered eligible for inclusion in the study only women with normal thyroid function (serum thyroid-stimulating hormone [TSH] range: 0.2-4.0 mIU/L, serum thyroxin values: 9-22 pmol/L) and negative personal history for previous thyroid disorders. According to which protocols were implemented to gain hypothalamic inhibition, patients were assigned to group A (70 women treated by ...
Source: Reproductive Sciences - March 18, 2016 Category: Reproduction Medicine Authors: Gizzo, S., Noventa, M., Quaranta, M., Vitagliano, A., Esposito, F., Andrisani, A., Venturella, R., Alviggi, C., Plebani, M., Gangemi, M., Nardelli, G. B., DAntona, D. Tags: Original Articles Source Type: research
