Anti- inflammatory effect of boric acid on cytokines in ovariectomy-induced rats

The increase in the rate of inflammation in the post-menopause period also leads to a significant increase in the use of anti-inflammatory agents. This study aimed to investigate the effect of BA supplementation on pro-and anti-inflammatory cytokines in ovariectomy (OVX) induced rats. A total of 48 nonpregnant female Wistar albino rats (80-100 g) were used in the experiment. Forty-eight rats were divided into six equal groups (n=8): Control, OVX, OVX+5 mg/kg BA (OVX+BA5), OVX+10 mg/kg BA (OVX+BA10), 5 mg/kg BA (BA5), 10 mg/kg BA (BA10). Serum TNF-α cytokine levels of rats in the OVX group were higher than in control rats (P<0.05). TNF-α levels were significantly reduced in the OVX-induced rats with 5 mg/kg BA and 10 mg/kg BA supplementation (P<0.05). While serum IL-1α and IL-6 levels were not different between OVX and control rats, serum IL-3 levels were low (P<0.05) and not affected by 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg BA supplementation. Serum IL-11 levels increased significantly in the OVX rats with 5 mg/kg and 10 mg/kg BA supplementation (P<0.05). As far as we know, certain doses (5 and 10 mg/kg) of BA are the first study on the prevention of increased inflammation in rats induced by OVX. Results suggest that the supplementation of BA regulates the inflammatory changes associated with OVX and thus has beneficial for menopause management.

The Role of Estrogens and Vitamin D in Cardiomyocyte Protection: A Female Perspective

Women experience a dramatical raise in cardiovascular events after menopause. The decline in estrogens is pointed to as the major responsible trigger for the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Indeed, the menopausal transition associates with heart macro-remodeling, which results from a fine-tuned cell micro-remodeling. The remodeling of cardiomyocytes is a biomolecular response to several physiologic and pathologic stimuli, allowing healthy adaptation in normal conditions or maladaptation in an unfavorable environment, ending in organ architecture disarray. Estrogens largely impinge on cardiomyocyte remodeling, but they cannot fully explain the sex-dimorphism of CVD risk. Albeit cell remodeling and adaptation are under multifactorial regulation, vitamin D emerges to exert significant protective effects, controlling some intracellular paths, often shared with estrogen signaling. In post-menopause, the unfavorable association of hypoestrogenism-D hypovitaminosis may converge towards maladaptive remodeling and contribute to increased CVD risk. The aim of this review is to overview the role of estrogens and vitamin D in female cardiac health, speculating on their potential synergistic effect in cardiomyocyte remodeling, an issue that is not yet fully explored. Further learning the crosstalk between these two steroids in the biomolecular orchestration of cardiac cell fate during adaptation may help the translational approach to future cardioprotective strategies for women health.

Sex Differences in Large Artery Stiffness: Implications for Cerebrovascular Dysfunction and Alzheimer’s Disease

Two in every three Alzheimer’s disease diagnoses are females, calling attention to the need to understand sexual dimorphisms with aging and neurodegenerative disease progression. Dysfunction and damage to the vasculature with aging are strongly linked to Alzheimer’s disease. With aging there is an increase in stiffness of the large elastic arteries, and this stiffening is associated with cerebrovascular dysfunction and cognitive impairment. However, it is unclear how the deleterious effects of arterial stiffness may differ between females and males. While environmental, chromosomal, and sex hormone factors influence aging, there is evidence that the deficiency of estrogen post-menopause in females is a contributor to vascular aging and Alzheimer’s disease progression. The purpose of this mini review is to describe the recent developments in our understanding of sex differences in large artery stiffness, cerebrovascular dysfunction, and cognitive impairment, and their intricate relations. Furthermore, we will focus on the impact of the loss of estrogen post-menopause as a potential driving factor for these outcomes. Overall, a better understanding of how sex differences influence aging physiology is crucial to the prevention and treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

Long-term observation on postoperative recurrence and complications of transvaginal mesh surgery for pelvic organ prolapse

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the risk factors for subjective recurrence and complications of patients who underwent transvaginal synthetic mesh surgery. Design：This retrospective cohort study included patients who received transvaginal mesh (TVM) surgery between January 2005 and June 2019. Methods: The information of patients was collected, including basic characteristics, subjective recurrence, and mesh-related complications. The clinical characteristics of patients with and without subjective recurrence were compared. The sexual activities of patients before and after the operation were recorded. SPSS 20.0 was used for the statistical analysis. Results: A total of 257 patients were included. Among them, 62 (24.1%) patients were lost to follow-up. The median follow-up time was 80 months (12 months, 170 months). Finally, 195 patients were followed up, 11 (5.6%) patients had a subjective recurrence of pelvic organ prolapse, and 26 (13.3%) patients had mesh-related complications (11 patients with de novo pain and 15 patients with mesh exposure). We found significant differences in age (68.9±5.1 vs. 63.4±5.8 years old), years of post-menopause (17.5±6.3 vs. 13.3±6.9 years), previous hysterectomy (27.3% vs. 6.0%), and concomitant hysterectomy (45.5% vs. 81.0%) between patients with and without subjective recurrence (P<0.05). The mesh exposure proportion of patients with total vaginal mesh (47.6%) was significantly higher than that with anterior vaginal mesh (2.9%) (P<0.05). Furthermore, 6.7% of sexually active patients reported do novo dyspareunia. Limitation: The investigators could only record the subjective recurrence of patients, thus there is a lack of objective recurrence data. Conclusion: Age, years of post-menopause and previous hysterectomy are risk factors for subjective recurrence of transvaginal mesh surgery; however，concomitant hysterectomy is a protective factor. Mesh exposure is the most common complication, especially for total vaginal mesh repair surgery.

Circulating Leptin, Insulin and Thyroid Profile Levels in Different Age Groups of Women Population of Manipur, India

Background: Age is linked to a number of hormonal disorders. This study was designed to look for changes in leptin, insulin, and thyroid profile concentrations in women of various ages. Materials and Methods: This study was carried out in the Department of Physiology, Regional Insititute of Medical Sciences, Imphal. Female subjects (350 participants) between the ages of 20 and 65 were recruited. Subjects were grouped as pre-menopause (< 40 age), menopause (≥ 40 to < 50 age) and post-menopause (≥ 50 age). Blood samples were separated serum and estimated levels of leptin, insulin and thyroid profile levels. Statistical calculation was done using SPSS software version 26, at P < 0.05 as significant. Results: Body mass index (BMI) had significant changes in different age groups (P < 0.05), but the levels were not in the higher range of BMI. Serum levels of leptin, insulin, T4 (thyroxine) and TSH (thyroid stimulating hormone) were found no significant differences among the different age groups. Conclusion: Study demonstrates that age has no effect on the levels of leptin, insulin, T4, and TSH in this Manipuri women's group.

Menopause Induced Depression, Anxiety, Quality of Life, Lack of Sleep in Women: An Overview

Background: Menopause occurs between the ages of 40 and 50, and marks the end of a woman's menstrual cycle. A period of time during which a woman does not have a monthly cycle for more than 12 months is known as post-menopause. Women may suffer challenges in their daily lives during this period, such as depression, anxiety, and sleep loss, all of which can have a negative impact on their quality of life. A decrease in hormone production, such as estrogen and progesterone, can cause menopause. To treat psychological difficulties in menopausal women, drugs such as vortioxetine and paroxetine, as well as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and anti-depressants, were advised. Objective: To evaluate the effects in women how menopause inducing depression, anxiety, quality of life and lack of sleep. Methodology: The recent studies related to the aim of the review were undertaken through a literature search to evaluate the effects in women how menopause inducing depression, anxiety, quality of life and lack of sleep. Conclusion: Menopause, post-menopause, and peri-menopause are age-related causes in women who are going through the menstrual cycle. There is no need for medication during this time, but in severe cases, medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRI) and antidepressants should be administered and also for vaginal dryness and irritation Ospemifene is suggested. Many more clinical researches on the benefits of menopausal compilations will be needed in the future. Keywords: Menopause, post- menopause, depression, estrogen, progesterone

Concluding Discussion to Part I

In this concluding discussion, evidence is brought together from the different categories of dress objects considered to examine further how people were assisted by objects in achieving social goals, and how these objects contributed to daily experience. Initially, the artefacts are examined from a life course perspective, in order to further illuminate the important roles and functions of dress objects at particular life course stages, a theme already evident in previous chapters. Particular types of dress objects associated with the life course stages of infancy and childhood, puberty up to menopause, and post-menopause, and their roles in life course rituals and identity construction are discussed. For infants and children, socialization and protection are important functions, while for adults, identities relating to fertility and married status are key. It is suggested that older women wore less jewellery than younger ones, and that gifting of jewellery within families was important in relation to life course stages and rituals. The various functions of dress objects in cementing and facilitating wider family and community relationships are also discussed.

Justice for the Menopause: A Research Agenda

Menopause is defined by its relationship to menstruation––it is the cessation of menstruation. Medical texts identify menopause as part of the cycle of “decay” associated with female reproductive functions; early menopause is often a dreaded result of various medical treatments and a sign of disfunction. It turns out that only three types of animals experience menopause: killer whales, short-finned pilot whales, and humans, while other animals can reproduce until death. Although the precise relationship between evolutionary theory and the physical development of human menopause is still uncertain, scientists and anthropologists suggest that the “grandmother hypothesis” provides a partial explanation: older women, who can no longer produce their own children, ensure their genetic legacy by playing a critical role in helping to feed, raise, and nurture their grandchildren. The average woman will spend almost as many years “post-menopause” as they will menstruating, and they may spend four years (or more) experiencing perimenopausal symptoms, the transition time between “normal” menstruation and menopause. But legal issues relating to perimenopause, menopause, and post-menopause are just beginning to surface, prompted by the movement towards menstrual justice, feminist jurisprudence, and developments in the law of aging. This Essay is an initial effort to catalogue various legal approaches to menopause and to set out areas for further analysis. It briefly explores cultural images of menopause and post-menopausal women, including the ubiquitous hot flashes; analyzes potential legal claims for menopausal justice; and suggests the interrelationship between such approaches and social attitudes towards menopause. It suggests that “normalizing” menopause––acknowledging its realities––is one means for removing the associated stigma and “disabilities” and might result in reinterpreting existing laws and guiding future legal reforms.