Search

A esquistossomose mansoni, endemia encontrada em diferentes áreas do território brasileiro, constitui um grave problema de saúde pública no Brasil e no mundo. Formas ectópicas da doença podem acometer o sistema reprodutor feminino, constituindo um tipo raro de infecção pelo S. mansoni. Paciente com 26 anos queixava-se de corrimento vaginal, dispareunia e dor à palpação do hipogástrio. No exame ginecológico foi observado pólipo endocervical, que foi biopsiado. O exame histológico evidenciou vários granulomas envolvendo ovos degenerados e viáveis de Schistosoma mansoni. Tratada com praziquantel, retornou assintomática após quatro semanas do tratamento. Corrimento vaginal e dispareunia podem ser causas secundárias de cervicite por Schistosoma mansoni. Pesquisa de ovos em esfregaço vaginal de rotina ou exame histológico devem fazer parte da avaliação ginecológica de pacientes de área endêmica, com o objetivo de rastrear forma ectópica da esquistossomose do trato genital feminino.

This study evaluates the potentiality of an herbal plant Tephrosia purpurea (Linn.) Pers. in the treatment of Letrozole induced polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) using female Albino wistar rats. Seed powder of T. purpurea at concentration of 200 mg/kg body weight with milk as a carrier vehicle 3ml/kg body weight, given for at least 3 consecutive estrous cycles. Vaginal smear, FSH, LH, Testosterone, and Estrogen were analyzed to determine the fluctuations in sex steroid level in PCOS induced rats. The plasma testosterone and estrogen levelwere found to be significantly increased in rats with PCOS whereas Follicle stimulating hormone and Leutinizing hormone did not show any changes. When compared with control the PCOS induced rats showed characteristic ovary with high incidence of ovarian cyst. All the parameters assessed were significantly improved after the treatment with T. purpurea and achieved level close to 80% normalcy. Effect of T. purpurea significantly reduced histopathological changes in ovary and endocrinological and biochemical changes induced by hyperandrogenism. Further to check ovulation and fertility female rats were mated and pregnancy was confirmed. Thus potential of T. purpurea in the treatment of PCOS using an animal model suggested being a good alternative therapy in the treatment of PCOS.

Vaginal exfoliative cytology is commonly used in biomedical and toxicological research to classify the stages of the rodent estrous cycle. However, mouse vaginal exfoliative cytology is commonly used as a stand-alone tool and has not been evaluated in reference to vaginal histology and serum sex hormone levels. In this study, the direct and Giemsa-stained methods of vaginal exfoliative cytology were compared in reference to vaginal fold histology and serum sex hormone levels. Both methods predicted the estrous stages similarly with mean discordance rates of 55%, 77%, 46%, and 31%, for diestrus, proestrus, estrus, and metestrus, respectively. From these results, we conclude that vaginal exfoliative cytology may be used as a general guide to determine the desired estrous stage end point and that a definitive confirmation of the estrous stage should be obtained from evaluation of vaginal fold histology. Confirmation of the stage of the estrous cycle by vaginal fold histology will decrease the variability otherwise introduced by misclassification of estrous cycle stages with vaginal exfoliative cytology.

Oestrogen-induced uterine fluid sodium (Na+) and bicarbonate ( HCO 3 - ) secretion may involve SLC4A4. We hypothesized that uterine SLC4A4 expression changes under different sex-steroid influence, therefore may account for the fluctuation in uterine fluid Na+ and HCO 3 - content throughout the oestrous cycle. The aim of this study is to investigate the differential effects of sex-steroids and oestrous cycle phases on uterine SLC4A4 expression. Methods: Adult female WKY rats were ovariectomised and treated with different doses of 17β-oestradiol (E2) (0.2, 2, 20 and 50 μg/ml/day) or progesterone (P4) (4 mg/ml/day) for three consecutive days and 3 days treatment with 0.2 μg/ml/day E2 followed by another 3 days with P4 to mimic the hormonal changes in early pregnancy. Oestrous cycle phases in intact, non-ovariectomised rats were determined by vaginal smear. The animals were then sacrificed and uteri were removed for protein and mRNA expression analyses by Western blotting and Real Time PCR, respectively. SLC4A4 distribution was observed by immunohistochemistry. Results: Treatment with increasing E2 doses resulted in a dose-dependent increase in SLC4A4 protein expression. High SLC4A4 protein and mRNA expression can be seen at estrus. SLC4A4 is distributed mainly at the apical as well as basolateral membranes of the luminal and glandular epithelia following E2 treatment and at Es. Meanwhile, SLC4A4 expression was reduced following P4 treatment and was low at diestrus. Conclusion: High SLC4A4 expression under estrogen dominance may contribute to the increase in uterine fluid Na+ and HCO 3 - content, while its low expression under P4 dominance may result in vice versa.

BACKGROUND Isthmic-vaginal cytology is a follow-up method in patients who have undergone radical vaginal trachelectomy (RVT) for early cervical cancer. However, to the authors' knowledge, little is known regarding its ability to monitor patients and diagnose disease recurrence. Herein, the authors report their experience with cytology after RVT compared with cytology in patients after cone biopsy and women undergoing screening. METHODS A database of 563 specimens from 303 patients was analyzed retrospectively (RVT in 361 specimens, conization in 102 specimens, and screening in 100 specimens). The following criteria were applied: Bethesda system, the presence of endocervical and metaplasia cells, regeneration criteria, vaginal flora, and morphological signs of human papillomavirus. The analysis was performed by 2 cytopathologists. Differences between the groups and correlation between the cytopathologists were analyzed. RESULTS Smears without endocervical and metaplasia cells were significantly less frequent among the patients who underwent RVT. There was no difference in regeneration signs, vaginal flora, and morphologic signs of human papillomavirus between the groups. After RVT, 26/23 smears (cytopathologist 1/cytopathologist 2) smears were diagnosed as abnormal. Biopsies revealed 7 cases of dysplasia and 1 case of disease recurrence. After conization, 1 patient was diagnosed with a low-grade lesion on cytology; follow-up cytology was normal. In the screening, 10/13 smears were diagnosed with lesions on cytology; biopsy revealed dysplasia in 2 cases. The correlation between both cytopathologists was high. CONCLUSIONS After RVT, histological verification of cytology is frequently needed. The reasons might include alterations of anatomy, regeneration, and inflammation process after RVT. Cytopathologists should become familiar with the spectrum of changes in post-RVT cytology and communication between cytopathologists and clinicians should be improved. This might reduce false-positive results. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2014;122:349–358. © 2014 American Cancer Society.

Background: Gonorrhoea is a disease caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae that is transmitted through sexual contact. There are several examinations performed on gonorrhoea infection, one of them is Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). The objective is to determine the diagnostic test of urine samples, vaginal smear and combination of urine and vaginal smear in identifying Neisseria gonorrhoeae using the PCR method.Methods: This study is a diagnostic test with a cross-sectional design involving 58 female sex workers (FSW). All FSWs are carried out of history and physical examination. Urine sampling, vaginal smear, combination of urine and vaginal smear, and endocervical smear were obtained for identifying Neisseria gonorrhoeae using PCR method, then a diagnostic test analysis of each sample was performed.Results: The diagnostic test of PCR for Neisseria gonorrhoeae from urine samples was found sensitivity 44.4%, specificity 20.0%, positive predictive value (PPV) 83.3%, negative predictive value (NPV) 3.8% and accuracy 42.0%. From vaginal smear, we obtained sensitivity 34.0%, specificity 66.7%, PPV 88.2%, NPV 12.1% and accuracy 38.0%. And from combination of urine and vaginal smear, we obtained sensitivity 51.1%, specificity 20.0%, PPV 85.2%, NPV 4.3% and accuracy 48.0%.Conclusions: From these results the researchers suggested that urine, vaginal and combination of urine and vaginal smear could not be used as an alternative to examine the sensitivity and specificity of Neisseria gonorrhoeae, so the endocervical sample remained the reference sample for examination of nucleic acid amplification tests for Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

Ethnopharmacological relevance Desertliving Cistanche herb was first recorded in “Shen Nong’Herbal Classic” and listed as the top grade herbal medicine in it. Phenylethanoid glycosides are indicative components for identification and content determination of Desertliving Cistanche herb in Chinese pharmacopoeia, which is also one of the main active components. In this research, we explored the mechanism of phenylethanoid glycosides of Desertliving Cistanche herb to the perimenopausal model rats. Aim The purpose of this study is to research the effects of phenylethanoid glycosides of Desertliving Cistanche herb (PGC) on the neuroendocrine-immune function of perimenopausal syndrome by perimenopausal model rats. Materials and methods Wistar female rats were selected. The left ovaries for all rats except in the blank control group(BC) were removed, and the right ovaries were removed in 80%. The vaginal smear showed irregular estrous cycle changes for the perimenopausal model rats. And the perimenopausal model rats were gavaged Gengnian'an, Phenylethanoid Glycosides of Desertliving Cistanche herb high, medium, low suspension which is 450mg/(kg day), 133.33mg/(kg day), 66.67mg/(kg day), 33.33mg/(kg day); the group of BC and model group (MC)were given distilled water in the same volume as the drugs group for 30 consecutive days. Horizontal-vertical exercise scores were measured at 29 days of dosing. After the last administration, the blood was taken from the abdominal aorta, and levels of E2, LH, FSH, GnRH, BGP in serum, and the levels β-EP in plasma were measured respective. Organ indexes of thymus, spleen, and uterus were calculated. The content of estrogen receptor (ER) in the hypothalamic, pituitary and uterus tissues and the content of androgen receptor (AR) in the hypothalamic homogenate were measured. The pathological changes of the thymus, spleen, uterus, ovary were observed by HE staining. Results Compared with MC, PGC increase the activity, the organ index (thymus, spleen, uterus), E2, T, BGP level in serum, β-EP level in plasma, AR level in hypothalamus, ER level in hypothalamus, pituitary, uterus in perimenopausal model rats. And it also reduced FSH, LH, GnRH level in serum, and improved uterine and ovarian lesions in perimenopausal model rats. Conclusion Each dose of PCG could counteract the disorder of sex hormone in perimenopausal model rats, correct the imbalance of ER and AR level, enhance and restore the effect of uterus and the nerve cells of hypothalamic, and improve immune function.

Background We previously reported that skipping breakfast is associated with menstrual disorders of female college students during postadolescent maturation. Objective In this study, we investigated the effects of meal timing during circadian cycle on the ovarian function using young female rats. Methods Considering that rats are nocturnally active, 8-wk-old female Wistar rats were classified into 3 groups: fed during the daytime only (nonactive phase), night-time only (active phase), or control group I (without time or calorie restriction, free access to a standard caloric diet, 20.0% protein, 62.9% carbohydrate, and 7.0% fat, 3.95 kcal/g) for 4 wk. The changes in body weight and frequency of ovulation in each group were evaluated by a weight scale and a vaginal smear, respectively. At the end of the period of dietary restriction, ovaries were removed, and the numbers of growing follicles (mean diameter >250 µm) and corpora lutea (>600 µm) were examined using hematoxylin-eosin-stained tissue sections. In addition, 8-wk-old female rats were fed only during the night-time for 4 wk under a 20%-reduced food supply of the control group II (without any restriction). Results In the daytime-fed group, the frequency and number of ovulations were significantly decreased compared with those in the control group I (P

The awakening in the role of medicinal plants in health care delivery in developing countries has led to increasing need for research in traditional medicine, with a prospect of incorporating it into modern medicine. In the present study, the effect of aqueous stem bark extract of Ficus sycomorus was evaluated on sex hormones (estradiol and progesterone) and sexual behaviour (lordosis quotient) in female Wistar rats. Adult female rats having regular estrous cycle confirmed by daily cytology of the vaginal smear analysis were used. Rats were divided into 3 groups (n=10). Group I served as a control, while group II, and III received 40 mg/kg and 80 mg/kg of the extracts, respectively for a period of 14 days. The results revealed significant increase (p

Menstrual cycle is controlled by luteinizing hormone (LH) and follicle-stimulating hormone of anterior pituitary and regulated by gonadotropin-releasing hormone of hypothalamus. Any disturbance to this regulatory mechanism alters the pulsatile release of these hormones, especially LH; leads to polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). Changes in vaginal cytology are used to interpret the changes in hormonal levels and modifications in estrous cycle. The aim of this study is to compare the pattern of vaginal cytology and body mass among PCOS rats which are treated with metformin and Cynodon dactylon. Twenty-four Wistar rats were selected and divided into four groups: control, induced, treatment, and referral. PCOS was induced in all groups except controls by giving letrozole through oral gavage for 21 days. After inducing PCOS, the referral and treatment group were treated for PCOS with metformin and C. dactylon respectively for next 21 days. Vaginal smear of all the groups were taken every day from day one and screened for estrous cycle. The body mass of the animals was measured on days 1, 21, and 42. Animals were sacrificed after 24 hours of the last dose and the reproductive organs were dissected out and weighed. Results of the study show the estrous cycle begins to revert after 1-week administration of C. dactylon; while the changes were slower in referral group. There was a rapid decrease in the body mass as well as reproductive organs among the treatment and referral group compared to that of induced and control. Finding of this study suggests that C. dactylon treats PCOS better than metformin.

Screening healthy people has face value and great public and political appeal. It looks so simple, and yet screening is fraught with difficulties. These start already with the terminology, and common slogans like, ‘Catch the disease early, before it has produced any symptoms!’ are misleading on two counts. First, disease means lack of ease, which is not what we understand by being healthy; but people who work with screening tend to forget that they deal with healthy people. For example, women being invited to mammography screening are often called patients in scientific articles. The second error is the assumption that the disease is caught early. That is rarely the case, and breast cancer is again a good example. If we assume that the growth rate for a particular cancer is constant, then the women have harboured the cancer for 21 years on average before it is large enough to be detected by mammography screening. Finding precursors to cancer is of course an entirely different matter. Screening with flexible sigmoidoscopy identifies polyps and vaginal smear finds carcinoma in situ. A third problem with screening is that it always causes harm. Sometimes it also leads to benefits, and sometimes the benefits are sufficiently large to outweigh the harms. The main focus in screening trials should therefore be to quantify the harms, but this has rarely been the case, if ever. Screening trials focus on disease-specific mortality, which may seem natural, but it is the wrong outcome. Screening leads to overdiagnosis, and interventions that are beneficial for real patients can be lethal for healthy overdiagnosed people. Radiotherapy of overdiagnosed women may kill at least as many as those who are spared dying from breast cancer by attending breast screening. Total mortality should therefore be the primary outcome in screening trials of mortality, and Saquib et al. report a systematic review in this issue of the journal that aimed at clarifying whether screening lowers total mortality for diseases that carry a high disease-specific mortality. They focused on cancer, cardiovascular diseases, type 2 diabetes and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. They did not find any screening trials for hypertension or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Disease-specific mortality was reduced with ultrasound for abdominal aortic aneurysm in men, mammography for breast cancer and faecal occult blood test and flexible sigmoidoscopy for colorectal cancer, but the risk ratio point estimates for allcause mortality were all very close to 1.00 (range 0.98–1.03). Screening proponents often say that disease-specific mortality is the right outcome, arguing that in order to show an effect on total mortality, trials would become unrealistically large. I believe this argument is invalid, for both scientific and ethical reasons. We do randomized trials in order to avoid bias, and our primary outcome should therefore not be a biased one. Drug interventions are usually more common in a screened group, and they tend to increase mortality for a variety of non-disease related reasons. From an ethical perspective, it is problematic to screen the whole population in a certain age group without knowing whether this makes people live longer, while knowing almost certainly that it makes people less happy. It took 50 years after the first randomized trial of mammography started before we knew what the psychological consequences are of the many false-positive findings. A specially designed questionnaire was developed using focus

BACKGROUND There is a paucity of data on the effect of vaginal lubricants on specimen adequacy in the era of liquid-based Papanicolaou (Pap) tests. Current manufacturer recommendations advise against the use of lubricants, especially those that contain carbomers or carbopol polymers. There is, however, no conclusive evidence to support this recommendation. Moreover, the data that does exist is conflicting. METHODS Retrospective review was performed of all liquid-based Pap tests collected between January 2010 and March 2012 by the Gynecologic Oncology division at a single hospital. Specimen adequacy was compared for vaginal and cervical specimens that were collected with and without a lubricant. Results were also compared for specimens collected with lubricants that did or did not contain carbomers. RESULTS There was no significant difference in specimen adequacy for cervical or vaginal Pap test specimens collected with a water-soluble lubricant not containing carbomers, compared to those collected without a lubricant. There was, however, a significantly higher rate of insufficient specimens when a water-soluble lubricant containing carbomers was used. This difference was most pronounced for vaginal Pap tests (26.9% versus 1.2%, OR = 30.3, 95% CI = 16.6-55.1, P

The Desert hamster, Phodopus roborovskii, is one of the lesser-known laboratory animal models and therefore knowledge of its reproductive system and physiology is limited. This study investigated the time course of vaginal and behavioural oestrus cycles by means of vaginal smear cytology, serum luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, wheel-running activity patterns, and pairing tests. The oestrus cycle lasts between four and six days and follows a pattern rather similar to that described for other rodent species. An important finding of this study is the existence of a fifth cycle stage between pre-oestrus and oestrus, the so-called early oestrus. Early oestrus differs from pre-oestrus by a complete lack of leucocytes in the vaginal cytology and a dramatic increase of serum LH levels just before activity onset. The early oestrus stage lasts 4–6 h, but was not observed in every female. When present it affects the length of the whole oestrus cycle. With early oestrus the pre-oestrus stage lasts only 14–18 h and the total length of the oestrus cycle length is four days. Without early oestrus, the pre-oestrus is prolonged to 18–36 h and the oestrus cycle length varies between four and six days. Desert hamsters showed only subtle oestrus-correlated changes in wheel-running activity, i.e. they failed to show the characteristic scalloping of activity onset, but showed prolonged activity during early oestrus. Pairing tests revealed characteristic changes in the relative frequencies of socio-positive, neutral, aggressive and sexual behaviour during the course of the oestrus cycle, with an elevated level of sexual behaviour during oestrus.

Background The population control is major problem as it affects the socio-economic growth of the country. So in order to control population, family planning has been promoted through several methods of synthetic contraception, but synthetic drugs have more side effects hence there is need to search safe natural contraceptive drug from medicinal plants. The Portulaca oleracea L is traditional medicinal plants used for various pharmacological activities. Methods The present study was to know the effect of ethanol extract of P. oleracea L (Portulacea) on ovulation, estrous cycle, and uterine weight and biochemical changes in adult rats. Female rats weighing 100 g were divided into three experimental groups. Group I was administered with 0.2 ml of 1% Tween 80, served as negative control. Group II received 0.2 ml of 250 mg/kg of body weight of ethanol extract (low dose) and group III received 500 mg/kg of body weight of ethanol extract (high dose). All the above treatment was given for 15 days daily morning between 10 and 11 am to cover 3 cycles and vaginal smear was taken daily from all the group to monitor estrous cycle and ovulation. Results The uterine muscle weight was recorded; ovulation was inhibited resulting in reduced number of ova in oviduct of the high dose treated rats (2.5 + 0.2) and moderate (5.7 + 1.1) in low dose when compared with control group (8.1 + 3.2). There is an increase (761.66 + 1.5275) of uterine weight of high dose treated rats compared to control group (222.66 + 2.5166). The ethanol extract at high dose (500 mg/kg of b. w) was found to possess estrogenic activity when tested in immature ovariectomized female albino rats. Conclusion These findings proved the pharmacological basis for the traditional use of this plant for contraceptive purpose in India.

Objective To determine the effect of hydroalcoholic extract of Ocimum basilicum Linn. leaves on ovulation, implantation and maintenance of pregnancy in adult female cyclic Wistar rats. Methods Ocimum basilicum leaves extract (364 mg/kg and 624 mg/kg) was screened for its antiovulatory, antiimplantation and abortifacient activities. Vaginal smear of each rat was monitored daily during the 15-day treatment of the first experiment. Estimation of cholesterol in ovarian tissue and its histology was carried out to confirm its antiovulatory activity. In the second and third experiments, animals received treatment from 1st to 7th and 8th to 16th day of pregnancy, respectively. The number of implantations and litter size were determined through laparotomy on 10th and 20th day of pregnancy, respectively in two tests. The treated groups were compared with pain control. Results A significant increase in duration of estrus cycle and diestrus phase was observed (P Conclusions Hydroalcoholic extract of Ocimum basilicum interferes normal ovulation by disrupting the estrus cycle and prolonging diestrus phase thus, has a potential of being developed into a female contraceptive.

The Mukkuddu Maathrai is a mixture of Kasturi, Saffron and Korosanai. Ayurvedic doctors in Jaffna peninsula have been prescribing this mixture to patients for their good health. The prolactin (PRL) can be used as a marker in hypothalamo-pituitary axis. The objective of the present study was to determine the effect of Mukkuddu Maathrai treatment on serum prolactin level of female rats at estrus stage. Female rats were maintained under uniform conditions. Stages of oestrus cycle were determined by using vaginal smear cytology. Initial blood sample was collected by tail bleeding at the estrus stage and were treated with oral feeding. Tests and controls were fed with 5% w/v of the Mukkuddu Maathrai mixture solution and distilled water alone respectively. Treatments were done continuously as once per day until one oestrus cycle complete. At the next estrus stage, second blood sampling was performed. Serum PRL levels were measured by enzyme immunoassay and the results were compared by using paired‘t’ test at 95% confident limits. All experiments were conducted with their duplicates. During the treatment, prolactin secretion increased significantly in female rats at estrus stage. Mukkuddu Maathrai treatment triggers hypothalamo-pituitary axis of female rats and thus influences on serum prolactin level.

Large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC) of the uterine cervix is very rare and aggressive. The prognosis is very poor despite multimodal treatment. We report a virgin woman with FIGO stage 4b LCNEC of uterine cervix coexisting with squamous cell carcinoma. An early thirties virgin woman presented with 2-month history of abdominal pain. A chest X-ray showed multiple lung metastatic tumors. A vaginal smear showed malignant cells, and a biopsy specimen had features of LCNEC. The tumor showed trabecular patterns. Tumor cells possessed a moderate amount of cytoplasm, prominent nucleoli, and large nuclei. The tumor cells are stained positive for synaptophysin, chromogranin A, and neuron specific enolase (NSE). The invasive tumor cells in connection with cervical squamous epithelium were focally positive for 34bE12. We made a diagnosis of composite LCNEC and nonkeratinizing squamous cell carcinoma. High-risk HPV test was negative with hybridized captured method 2.

Background Several strategies have been used to reach non-attending women in organized cervical-cancer-screening programs, with varying success. Self-sampling (SS) for HPV is effective for increasing coverage in screening programs, but requires expensive commercial sampling kits. Objective We aimed to evaluate if vaginal SS, without commercial preservatives was adequate for HPV testing. Study design Women with abnormal cervical smears as determined from the organized screening program were invited to a colposcopy clinic. The 121 women were asked to insert a cotton swab into the vagina and rotate it, put the cotton swab into a sterile cryotube, break the upper part of the stick and put the cap on. Thereafter, the gynaecologist collected a liquid based cytology (LBC) sample. The presence of HPV-types in SS and LBC samples was analysed with PCR and luminex-based typing. Results High-risk-HPV (hr-HPV) DNA was found in 65 of the tested 108 SS (60%; 95% CI 0.50–0.69), whereas LBC found hr-HPV in 64/108 samples (59%; 95% CI 0.49–0.69). The agreement between sampling with SS and LBC was good, kappa value 0.67 (95% CI; 0.53–0.81). The sensitivity for SS with hr-HPV to find HSIL was 81% (95% CI; 67–95%), specificity 49% (95% CI; 37–60%) and the sensitivity for LBC with hr-HPV to find HSIL was 90% (95% CI 80–100%), specificity53% (95% CI; 42–65%). Conclusions This new vaginal self-sampling method detects hr-HPV-infections with similar sensitivity as a cervical smear taken by a gynaecologist. This self-sampling method is cost-effective and well tolerated, and the kit is suitable for regular mail transport.

Less invasive methods for donor cell collection will facilitate reproduction of wild animals using somatic-cell nuclear transfer. Stages of the estrous cycle in mice have long been studies using somatic cells that can be collected from vaginal walls using cotton tipped swabs in a relatively non-invasive manner. In this study, we examined the feasibility of these cells as sources of nuclei for somatic-cell cloning using nuclear transfer. Estrous cycles generally comprise proestrus, estrus, metestrus, and diestrus stages. In the present experiments, more than 60% of cells were nucleated in vaginal smears from all but the estrus stage. However, after somatic-cell nuclear transfer of cells from proestrus, metestrus, and diestrus stages, 66%, 50%, and 72% of cloned embryos developed to the morula/blastocyst, and cloned female mouse birth rates after embryo transfer were 1.5%, 0.3%, and 1%, respectively. These results show that noninvasively collected vaginal smears contain somatic cells that can be used to clone female mice.

Hypersecretion of luteinizing hormone (LH) is a common endocrinological finding of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). This derangement might have a close relationship with hypothalamic kisspeptin expression that is thought to be a key regulator of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). We evaluated the relationship between the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis (HPG axis) and kisspeptin using a rat model of PCOS induced by letrozole. Letrozole pellets (0.4 mg/day) and control pellets were placed subcutaneously onto the backs of 3-week-old female Wistar rats. Body weight, vaginal opening and vaginal smear were checked daily. Blood and tissues of ovary, uterus and brain were collected at 12-weeks of age. An hypothalamic block was cut into anterior and posterior blocks, which included the anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) and the arcuate nucleus (ARC), respectively, in order to estimate hypothalamic kisspeptin expression in each area. The letrozole group showed a similar phenotype to human PCOS such as heavier body weight, heavier ovary, persistent anovulatory state, multiple enlarged follicles with no corpus luteum and higher LH and testosterone (T) levels compared to the control group. Kisspeptin mRNA expression in the posterior hypothalamic block including ARC was higher in the letrozole group than in the control group although its expression in the anterior hypothalamic block was similar between groups. These results suggest that enhanced KNDy neuron activity in ARC contributes to hypersecretion of LH in PCOS and might be a therapeutic target to rescue ovulatory disorder of PCOS in the future.

BackgroundTemporomandibular disorders (TMDs) have the highest prevalence in women of reproductive age. The role of estrogen in TMDs and especially in TMDs related pain is not fully elucidated. Voltage-gated sodium channel 1.7 (Nav1.7) plays a prominent role in pain perception and Nav1.7 in trigeminal ganglion (TG) is involved in the hyperalgesia of inflamed Temporomandibular joint (TMJ). Whether estrogen could upregulate trigeminal ganglionic Nav1.7 expression to enhance hyperalgesia of inflamed TMJ remains to be explored.MethodsEstrous cycle and plasma levels of 17β-estradiol in female rats were evaluated with vaginal smear and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay, respectively. Female rats were ovariectomized and treated with 17β-estradiol at 0 μg, 20 μg and 80 μg, respectively, for 10 days. TMJ inflammation was induced using complete Freund's adjuvant. Head withdrawal thresholds and food intake were measured to evaluate the TMJ nociceptive responses. The expression of Nav1.7 in TG was examined using real-time PCR and western blot. The activity of Nav1.7 promoter was examined using luciferase reporter assay. The locations of estrogen receptors (ERα and ERβ), the G protein coupled estrogen receptor (GPR30), and Nav1.7 in TG were examined using immunohistofluorescence.ResultsUpregulation of Nav1.7 in TG and decrease in head withdrawal threshold were observed with the highest plasma 17β-estradiol in the proestrus of female rats. Ovariectomized rats treated with 80 μg 17β-estradiol showed upregulation of Nav1.7 in TG and decrease in head withdrawal threshold as compared with that of the control or ovariectomized rats treated with 0 μg or 20 μg. Moreover, 17β-estradiol dose-dependently potentiated TMJ inflammation-induced upregulation of Nav1.7 in TG and also enhanced TMJ inflammation-induced decrease of head withdrawal threshold in ovariectomized rats. In addition, the estrogen receptor antagonist, ICI 182,780, partially blocked the 17β-estradiol effect on Nav1.7 expression and head withdrawal threshold in ovariectomized rats. ERα and ERβ, but not GPR30, were mostly co-localized with Nav1.7 in neurons in TG. In the nerve growth factor-induced and ERα-transfected PC12 cells, 17β-estradiol dose-dependently enhanced Nav1.7 promoter activity, whereas mutations of the estrogen response element at -1269/-1282 and -1214/-1227 in the promoter completely abolished its effect on the promoter activity.ConclusionEstradiol could upregulate trigeminal ganglionic Nav1.7 expression to contribute to hyperalgesia of inflamed TMJ.

Female mice undergo a 3- to 5-d, hormonally controlled estrous cycle. The estrous cycle is divided into different stages, including diestrus, proestrus, estrus, and metestrus. These stages can easily be determined by examining washes or cell smears of the vagina. Determining the stage of the estrous cycle may be important for setting up matings, identifying receptive females for artificial insemination, and analyzing phenotypes of the female reproductive tract.

The changes in knee laxity and relaxin receptor expression at different phases of rodent estrous cycle are not known. Here, changes in the parameter were investigated in rats at different phases of the estrous cycle. Estrous cycle phases of intact female rats were determined by cytological examination of the vaginal smear. Following phase identification, blood was collected for serum hormone analyses. Knee passive range of motion (ROM) was determined by using a digital miniature goniometer. The animals were then sacrificed and patellar tendon, collateral ligaments and hamstring muscles were harvested for relaxin/insulin-like family peptide receptor 1 and 2 (RXFP1/RXFP2) analyses. Knee passive ROM was the highest at proestrus followed by diestrus and the lowest at estrus. Estrogen level was the highest at proestrus while progesterone and relaxin levels were the highest at diestrus. A strong correlation was observed between relaxin and progesterone levels. At proestrus, expression of RXFP1 and RXFP2 proteins and mRNAs were the highest at proestrus followed by diestrus and estrus. The finding shows that higher level of progesterone and relaxin in diestrus might be responsible for higher laxity of knee joint in rats.

It is believed that excess androgen exposure of the fetus, via altered gene expression, causes hyperandrogenism a key feature of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The aim of this study was to evaluate expression of Cytochrome P450-17 (CYP17), GATA-binding protein (GAGT6) and Steroidogenic acute regulatory protein (StAR), genes of adult female rats prenatally exposed to androgen excess, closely reflect endocrine and ovarian disturbances of PCOS in women, by comparing them during different phases of estrus cycle with those of non-treated rats. Both the adult prenatally testosterone exposed and control rats (n=23, each) were divided into four groups based on their observed vaginal smear (proestrus, estrus, metestrus and diestrus) and the relative expression of CYP17, GATA6 and StAR genes was measured in ovarian theca cells using Cyber-green Real-Time PCR. Serum sex steroid hormones and gonadotropins levels were measured using the ELISA method; a comparison of these two groups showed that there was an overall increase in the studied genes (CYP17; 2.39 fold change, 95% CI: 1.23-3.55; P

Objective To investigate if topical oxytocin can reverse vaginal atrophy, as assessed by cytological and histological examination of the vaginal mucosal epithelium, in postmenopausal women after 12 weeks of treatment as compared to placebo. Study design Sixty-eight postmenopausal women diagnosed with vaginal atrophy were randomized for this multicenter, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial. Thirty-three women received 600 IU vagitocin, an oxytocin containing gel, and 35 women received a placebo gel intravaginally. The dose was 600 IU daily for the first two weeks and thereafter 600 IU twice a week for 10 weeks. All participant women underwent four visits and a subgroup of 20 women had a further fifth visit. Vaginal smears for cytological evaluation were collected at all visits. Vaginal biopsies were taken in 20 women before and after 12 weeks of treatment for histological analysis. In these women a vaginal smear was also collected after 14 weeks. Results The increase in the percentage of superficial cells between 0 and 2 weeks was significantly greater after treatment with vagitocin in comparison with placebo (p = 0.04). The difference in the maturation value between 0 and 12 weeks was significantly higher in the vagitocin than in the placebo group (p = 0.01). The reduction in the scores of atrophy was according to the histological investigation significantly greater in the vagitocin group than in the placebo group at 12 weeks (p Conclusion Daily intravaginal treatment with vagitocin 600 IU improves expressions of vaginal atrophy as recorded by cytological investigation of vaginal smears and histological analysis of vaginal biopsies. Treatment twice weekly seems to be less effective regarding the increase in superficial cells.

This chapter explores medical efforts to detect cervical cancer in its earliest, ‘pre-cancerous’ or ‘non-invasive’ stage by the application of three methods: the Schiller test, the colposcope and the Pap test. Moscucci explores the reception of these methods in Britain, arguing that British doubts about the value of periodical examinations and screening of apparently ‘well’ people served to delay the introduction of screening programmes for cervical cancer. Lack of enthusiasm for screening in Britain can also explain why the ‘wet film’ technique, a cytological method of intra-operative diagnosis introduced by pathologist Leonard Dudgeon in the late 1920s, failed to develop into a screening method, despite showing great promise as a means of detecting early cervical and lung cancer.

Objective.This study aims to evaluate the effect of daily dietary nutritional supplement on somatic, psychological, and urogenital symptoms in postmenopausal women.Material and Methods.In this study 28 healthy, symptomatic, peri- and postmenopausal women of 47–67 years of age were allocated to use the nutritional supplement JuicePLUS+®. Primary research parameters: Menopause Rating Scale (MRS) was used to assess menopausal symptoms at baseline and after 8 and 16 weeks of treatment. Secondary parameters: proliferation behaviour of vaginal smear was scored at baseline and after treatment.Results.Treatment with the supplement resulted in a reduction of somatic, psychological, and urogenital symptoms. The overall MRS score showed an average improvement of 44.01%. Most benefits were observed for the psychological symptoms irritability (60.55%) and physical and mental exhaustion (49.08%); modest effects were observed for hot flashes (44.86%) and sleeping problems (35.56%). There was a minor improvement in sexual problems; 6 women reported an increased libido. No statistically significant effect was found in vaginal dryness and proliferation behaviour of vaginal mucosa. No adverse effects were observed.Conclusion.Dietary nutritional supplement may constitute an effective alternative therapy to conventional alternative medicine for somatic, psychological, and sexual symptoms.

The rat is one of the most ubiquitous experimental animals used in the investigation of reproductive physiology. This specie shows sexually dimorphic behaviors, which are those that differ due to gender and may also vary depending on the physiologic state of the animals involved (Kustritz 2005). Like in humans, the reproductive cycle of the female rat acts in tandem with the cycle of sexual hormones.

Objective:To study effect of total flavonoids of Epimedium on climacteric depression model. Methods: In addition to the blank group, other rats climacteric models, total removal of the left ovary, the right ovary removed 80%. After the injection of penicillin to prevent infection, continuous injection 3 days, operation started by only for vaginal smear of rats after 5 d, one times a day, a continuous smear 5 days, smear showing estrous response of the animal discard without, selection of animal 60 castrated completely random divided into 6 groups for the experiment. After two weeks of administration, the normal group was not given any stimulus, to make the model of group of single cage monoculture, everyday to given different stimulation. Result: The total flavonoids of Epimedium large, middle, small dose can significantly improve the depressive rats 24h sucrose intake, horizontal and vertical integral of motion, levels of 5-HT and DA in brain homogenate, thymus index, the uterus index, the level of serum E2,The decrease of levels of serum LH, FSH, the elevation of serum IL-2, to improve the content of BGP in serum. Conclusion: The total flavonoids of Epimedium each dose of each index of perimenopausal depression model rats have avery good improvement.