Echographic study of the variation in endometry thickness in women 15 to 40 years old in Lokossa district in Benin

The endometrium is a deep, basal, very thin layer lining the uterine cavity that changes during the menstrual cycle. The present work is a contribution to assess the thickness of the endometrium according to the period of the menstrual cycle in women aged 15 to 40 years. This is a descriptive and prospective cross-sectional study involving 166 women aged 15 to 40 years in Lokossa. Ultrasound examination measured the thickness of the endometrium on the longitudinal section through the suprapubic route. Anthropometric parameters were taken by other equipment in each woman. At the end of the study, the minimum, average and maximum values ​​of the thickness of the endometrium obtained are respectively Vm = 3.50 mm, VMoy = 6.73 ± 1.38 mm, MV = 10.00 mm during the pre-ovulatory phase, Vm = 7.30 mm, VMoy = 10.75 ± 2.11 mm, MV = 16.00 mm during the post-ovulatory period. There is a link of association between the thickness of the endometrium and the phases of the cycle (P = 0.0000), but the test is statistically significant between the thickness and the age groups and the Mass Index Body (BMI). This allows us to say that the thickness of the endometrium normally varies with the phases of the menstrual cycle and with age.

Changes Associated with the Peri-Ovulatory Period, Age and Pregnancy in ACTH, Cortisol, Glucose and Insulin Concentrations in Mares

Although there are many hormonal changes associated with reproduction, the effects of ovulation and early pregnancy on adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and insulin concentrations are poorly described. We hypothesise that both ovulation and early pregnancy will alter ACTH and insulin concentrations in healthy mares. Eighteen mares showing no clinical signs suggestive of, or laboratory findings consistent with, pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction PPID and insulin dysregulation (ID) are enrolled. ACTH, cortisol, insulin and glucose concentrations are measured over their peri-ovulatory period, as determined via ultrasounds and progesterone concentrations. The mares are grouped by age and gestation status, and a two-way repeated-measures ANOVA is used to determine the effects of age and early pregnancy, along with the peri-ovulatory period, on analyte concentrations. No significant effect of age, ovulation or early pregnancy is detected on the mares’ cortisol, insulin or glucose concentrations; however, there is a significant effect of early pregnancy and ovulation on ACTH concentrations (p = 0.04 and p = 0.04 respectively). ACTH concentrations change around ovulation and with early pregnancy. Therefore, knowledge of a mare’s reproductive status might be beneficial when interpreting ACTH concentrations.

Ovulation is Inhibited by an Environmentally Relevant Phthalate Mixture in Mouse Antral Follicles in Vitro

Phthalates are solvents and plasticizers found in consumer products including cosmetics, food/beverage containers, housing materials, etc. Phthalates are known endocrine-disrupting chemicals that can directly target the ovary, potentially causing defects in ovulation and fertility. Women are exposed to multiple different phthalates daily, therefore this study investigated the effects of an environmentally relevant phthalate mixture (PHTmix) on ovulation. Ovulation is initiated by the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, which induces prostaglandin (PG) production, progesterone (P4)/progesterone receptor (PGR) signaling, and extra-cellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. We hypothesized that the PHTmix would directly inhibit ovulation by altering the levels of PGs, P4/PGR, and enzymes involved in ECM remodeling. Antral follicles from CD-1 mice were treated with vehicle control alone (dimethylsulfoxide, DMSO), hCG alone (LH analog), and hCG+PHTmix (1-500μg/ml), and samples were collected across the ovulatory period. The PHTmix decreased ovulation rates at all doses tested in a dose dependent manner when compared to hCG. PG levels were decreased by the PHTmix when compared to hCG, which was potentially mediated by altered levels of PG synthesis (Ptgs2) and transport (Slco2a1) genes. The PHTmix altered P4 and Pgr levels when compared to hCG, leading to decreases in downstream PGR-mediated genes (Edn2, Il6, Adamts1). ECM remodeling was potentially dysregulated by altered levels of ovulatory mediators belonging to the matrix metalloproteases and plasminogen activator families. These data suggest that phthalate exposure inhibits ovulation by altering PG levels, P4/PGR action, and ECM remodeling.

Reproductive cycle and sperm storage of female coral snakes, Micrurus corallinus and Micrurus frontalis

We analyzed the hypothesis that the lack of synchronization between the mating and ovulation period of Micrurus frontalis (BRT clade) is indicative of the capacity of females to store sperm. Conversely, since these reproductive events occur in the same season for Micrurus corallinus (BRM clade), sperm storage is not expected. Thus, we analyzed the reproductive cycle of female M. corallinus and M. frontalis, and investigated the occurrence of sperm storage. Our results showed that these two species of coral snakes (clades BRM and BRT) possess different reproductive cycles. Micrurus frontalis exhibits an extensive reproductive period encompassing three seasons (summer, autumn and winter), while M. corallinus directs secondary vitellogenesis and ovulation to the hottest period of the year (spring and summer). We confirm, for the first time, the strategy of sperm storage (SSr) in females of the genus Micrurus. We observed sperm storage receptacles located in the non-glandular uterus in all seasons of the year for M. corallinus and in spring, summer and autumn in M. frontalis. Furthermore, the presence of SSr in females in the non-reproductive (post-ovulatory) period, the verification of myoid cells around the receptacles and secretion of neutral carbohydrates in the lumina of SSrs may indicates a long-term storage. The posterior infundibulum is another possible region of sperm storage by the presence of tubular ciliated gland; however, reproductive studies with other species of the genus are necessary for a better understanding of the reproductive strategies of the BRT and BRM clades.

A prospective study on the role of Hysterolaparoscopy in the evaluation of infertility

Background: Infertility affects about 10-15% of couples of reproductive age groups. The current evidence indicates a 9% prevalence of infertility with 56% of couples seeking medical care. Hysterolaparoscopy provides a comprehensive investigative procedure in which various factors causing female infertility can be assessed at one sitting.Methods: A total 100 infertile women between 20-40 years of age including primary and secondary infertility were evaluated. Patients would be investigated thoroughly for infertility and in preparation for anaesthesia. Tests include follicular study, Ultrasound pelvis. Hysterolaparoscopy was performed in the pre ovulatory period between days 6-10 of the cycle for infertility evaluation.Results: In the present study out of 100 cases for infertility evaluated, primary infertility were 57(57%) and secondary infertility were 43(43%). In our study out of 100 patients, Hysterolaparoscopy showed tuberculosis in 24 (24%) patients, remaining were endometriosis, polycystic ovarian syndrome, congestion, intra-pelvic adhesions, hydro-salpinx.Conclusions: It is concluded that while treating the causes of female infertility combined simultaneous diagnostic laparoscopy and hysteroscopy should be performed in all infertile patients as” seeing is believing” and if any pathologies found to be operable the gynaecologist can perform operative hystero-laparoscopy at that time, hence anticipating the pathologies after pre-operative work up is very important.

Sex and Physiological Cycles Affect the Automatic Perception of Attractive Opposite-Sex Faces: A Visual Mismatch Negativity Study

Facial attractiveness plays important roles in social interaction. Electrophysiological and neuroimaging studies found several brain areas to be differentially responsive to attractive relative to unattractive faces. However, little is known about the time course of the information processing, especially under the unattended condition. Based on a “cross-modal delayed response” paradigm, the present study aimed to explore the automatic mechanism of facial attractiveness processing of females with different physiological cycles and males, respectively, through recording the event-related potentials in response to (un)attractive opposite-sex faces by two experiments. The attractiveness-related visual mismatch negativity (attractiveness vMMN) in posterior scalp distribution was recorded in both the experiments, which indicated that attractive faces could be processed automatically. And high-attractive opposite-sex faces can elicit larger vMMN in males than females in menstrual period in Study 1, but similar as females in ovulatory period in Study 2. Furthermore, by comparison, the latency of attractiveness vMMN in females with the ovulatory period was the longest. These results indicated as follows: (1) Males were more sensitive to attractive female faces, (2) females in ovulatory period were also attracted by the attractive male faces, (3) the long vMMN latency in females during ovulatory period suggested a special reproductive motivation to avoid being tainted by genes, which takes priority over the breeding motivation.