Sex-role reversal of a monogamous pipefish without higher potential reproductive rate in females.

PubMed

Sogabe, Atsushi; Yanagisawa, Yasunobu

2007-12-07

In monogamous animals, males are usually the predominant competitors for mates. However, a strictly monogamous pipefish Corythoichthys haematopterus exceptionally exhibits a reversed sex role. To understand why its sex role is reversed, we measured the adult sex ratio and the potential reproductive rate (PRR), two principal factors influencing the operational sex ratio (OSR), in a natural population of southern Japan. The adult sex ratio was biased towards females throughout the breeding season, but the PRR, which increased with water temperature, did not show sexual difference. We found that an alternative index of the OSR (Sf/Sm: sex ratio of 'time in') calculated from the monthly data was consistently biased towards females. The female-biased OSR associated with sex-role reversal has been reported in some polyandrous or promiscuous pipefish, but factors biasing the OSR differed between these pipefish and C. haematopterus. We concluded that the similar PRR between the sexes in C. haematopterus does not confer reproductive benefit of polygamous mating on either sex, resulting in strict monogamous mating, and its female-biased adult sex ratio promotes female-female competition for a mate, resulting in sex-role reversal.

Exposure to an Environmentally Relevant Phthalate Mixture Causes Transgenerational Effects on Female Reproduction in Mice.

PubMed

Zhou, Changqing; Gao, Liying; Flaws, Jodi A

2017-06-01

Phthalates are used in consumer products and are known endocrine-disrupting chemicals. However, limited information is available on the effects of phthalate mixtures on female reproduction. Previously, we developed a phthalate mixture made of 35% diethyl phthalate, 21% di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, 15% dibutyl phthalate, 15% di-isononyl phthalate, 8% di-isobutyl phthalate, and 5% benzylbutyl phthalate that mimics human exposure. We tested the effects of prenatal exposure to this mixture on reproductive outcomes in first-filial-generation (F1) female mice and found that it impaired reproductive outcomes. However, the impact of this exposure on second-filial-generation (F2) and third-filial-generation (F3) females was unknown. Thus, we hypothesized that prenatal exposure to the phthalate mixture induces multigenerational and transgenerational effects on female reproduction. Pregnant CD-1 dams were orally dosed with vehicle (tocopherol-stripped corn oil) or a phthalate mixture (20 and 200 µg/kg/d, 200 and 500 mg/kg/d) daily from gestational day 10 to birth. Adult F1 females born to these dams were used to generate the F2 generation and adult F2 females born to F1 females were used to generate the F3 generation. F2 and F3 females were subjected to tissue collections and fertility tests. Prenatal phthalate mixture exposure increased uterine weight, anogenital distance, and body weight; induced cystic ovaries; and caused fertility complications in the F2 generation. It also increased uterine weight, decreased anogenital distance, and caused fertility complications in the F3 generation. These data suggest that prenatal exposure to the phthalate mixture induces multigenerational and transgenerational effects on female reproduction. Copyright © 2017 Endocrine Society.

Exposure to an Environmentally Relevant Phthalate Mixture Causes Transgenerational Effects on Female Reproduction in Mice

PubMed Central

Zhou, Changqing; Gao, Liying

2017-01-01

Phthalates are used in consumer products and are known endocrine-disrupting chemicals. However, limited information is available on the effects of phthalate mixtures on female reproduction. Previously, we developed a phthalate mixture made of 35% diethyl phthalate, 21% di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, 15% dibutyl phthalate, 15% di-isononyl phthalate, 8% di-isobutyl phthalate, and 5% benzylbutyl phthalate that mimics human exposure. We tested the effects of prenatal exposure to this mixture on reproductive outcomes in first-filial-generation (F1) female mice and found that it impaired reproductive outcomes. However, the impact of this exposure on second-filial-generation (F2) and third-filial-generation (F3) females was unknown. Thus, we hypothesized that prenatal exposure to the phthalate mixture induces multigenerational and transgenerational effects on female reproduction. Pregnant CD-1 dams were orally dosed with vehicle (tocopherol-stripped corn oil) or a phthalate mixture (20 and 200 µg/kg/d, 200 and 500 mg/kg/d) daily from gestational day 10 to birth. Adult F1 females born to these dams were used to generate the F2 generation and adult F2 females born to F1 females were used to generate the F3 generation. F2 and F3 females were subjected to tissue collections and fertility tests. Prenatal phthalate mixture exposure increased uterine weight, anogenital distance, and body weight; induced cystic ovaries; and caused fertility complications in the F2 generation. It also increased uterine weight, decreased anogenital distance, and caused fertility complications in the F3 generation. These data suggest that prenatal exposure to the phthalate mixture induces multigenerational and transgenerational effects on female reproduction. PMID:28368545

ARSH 3: Reproductive and sexual health knowledge: a comparison among married male and female young adults (15-24 y).

PubMed

Nair, M K C; Thankachi, Yamini; Leena, M L; George, Babu; Russell, Paul Swamidhas Sudhakar

2013-11-01

To examine reproductive and sexual knowledge of young married men and women between (15-24 y) in Kerala and to compare the reproductive health knowledge and sexual health knowledge among young married men and women of 20-24 y. This cross sectional community survey was conducted in three districts in Kerala. The married young adults were stratified into age groups of 15-19 y and 20-24 y. Data was collected using separate pretested structured interview schedule. There were no married males below the age of 20 y and only 24 females below the age of 20 y. More proportion of males had statistically significant knowledge about masturbation (72.3%), night emission in boys as an indicator of adolescence (92.6%), the fact that there is no relation between size of penis and sexual performance (78.8%) and condom prevents pregnancy and HIV/AIDS. Among the married 20-24 y group higher proportion of males had knowledge on safe period (47.9%) and condom use (97.9%) whereas higher proportion of females had knowledge on copper-T. With regard to sexual health higher percentage females talked about satisfactory sexual life (83.5%) and good sexual hygiene practices (81.5%). This study on reproductive sexual health knowledge of married men and women between 15 and 24 y, conducted in three districts of Kerala suggests a gap in knowledge level of reproductive health between married men and women. However, with regard to sexual health the opinion expressed are more open in content but not necessarily healthy, suggesting the need for both premarital and newlywed counseling.

Reproductive development of male goat kids reared with or without permanent contact with adult females until 10 months of age.

PubMed

Lacuesta, L; Orihuela, A; Ungerfeld, R

2015-01-01

Adult male ruminants that were reared in contact with females display greater sexual behavior than those reared in single male groups. The aim of the experiment was to compare the reproductive development of prepubertal male kids reared with or without direct permanent contact with adult females until they were 10 months old. Seventeen Saanen male kids were maintained in two groups until 44 weeks of age: kids reared in permanent direct contact with four adult goats (group FEM, N = 8) and kids that remained isolated from females (group ISO, N = 9). All goats in the FEM group became pregnant approximately when bucks attained 28 weeks of age. Scrotal circumference and testosterone concentration were measured, and semen was obtained by electroejaculation to avoid female contact in the ISO group. Scrotal circumference was greater in FEM kids at 12 and 14 weeks of age (P < 0.0001) and testosterone when they were 20 and 22 weeks old (P < 0.0001). Testosterone concentration was greater in ISO kids from 28 to 44 weeks of age. All semen characteristics increased with age (P < 0.0001). Individual motility was greater in FEM kids than that in ISO kids at 15 and 17 weeks (P < 0.005); mass motility was greater in ISO than that in FEM kids at 32 weeks (P < 0.05); total number of spermatozoa/ejaculate was greater in ISO kids at 30, 32, and 40 weeks and in FEM kids at 43 weeks (P < 0.005); total number of motile spermatozoa was greater in ISO kids at 32 and 40 weeks, whereas at 43 weeks, it was greater in FEM kids (P < 0.005). It was concluded that permanent contact with adult goats had transient and short-time positive effects in male kids' reproductive traits during prepubertal development. However, positive effects stopped after goats used as stimulus became pregnant. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Angiogenesis and microvasculature in the female reproductive organs: physiological and pathological implications.

PubMed

Shimizu, Takashi; Hoshino, Yumi; Miyazaki, Hitoshi; Sato, Eimei

2012-01-01

The female reproductive organs such as ovary, uterus, and placenta are some of the few adult tissues that exhibit regular intervals of rapid growth, and are highly vascularized and have high rates of blood flow. Angiogenesis is a process of vascular growth that is mainly limited to the reproductive system in healthy adult animals. The development of new blood vessels in the ovary and uterus is essential to guarantee the necessary supply of nutrients and hormones. The genetic and molecular mechanisms that control the development of capillary blood vessels in the reproductive organs are beginning to be elucidated. Reproductive organs contain and produce angiogenic factors which may act alone or in concert to regulate the process of vasculature. Vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and fibroblast growth factor (FGFs) are key factors for vascular system in the reproductive organs. Recent numerous studies reported several roles of VEGFs and FGFs on ovarian and uterine functions. In this review, we focus on the involvement of VEGFs and FGFs as angiogenic factors on reproductive organs and vascular therapy for diseases of reproductive organs using anti-angiogenic agents.

Ovulation in Drosophila is controlled by secretory cells of the female reproductive tract

PubMed Central

Sun, Jianjun; Spradling, Allan C

2013-01-01

How oocytes are transferred into an oviduct with a receptive environment remains poorly known. We found that glands of the Drosophila female reproductive tract, spermathecae and/or parovaria, are required for ovulation and to promote sperm storage. Reducing total secretory cell number by interferring with Notch signaling during development blocked ovulation. Knocking down expression after adult eclosion of the nuclear hormone receptor Hr39, a master regulator of gland development, slowed ovulation and blocked sperm storage. However, ovulation (but not sperm storage) continued when only canonical protein secretion was compromised in adult glands. Our results imply that proteins secreted during adulthood by the canonical secretory pathway from female reproductive glands are needed to store sperm, while a non-canonical glandular secretion stimulates ovulation. Our results suggest that the reproductive tract signals to the ovary using glandular secretions, and that this pathway has been conserved during evolution. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00415.001 PMID:23599892

Understanding of Parents and Adults on the Down Syndrome Female Sexual Reproductive Health

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhagan, Madhya

2013-01-01

The purpose of this study is to determine the understanding of reproductive health among parents and female adolescents with Down syndrome. This cross-sectional study involved 22 parents and 22 female adolescents with Down syndrome in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The parents were required to fill up the socio-demographic information in questionnaire…

Graded response to short photoperiod during development and early adulthood in Siberian hamsters and the effects on reproduction as females age

PubMed Central

Place, Ned J.; Cruickshank, Jenifer

2009-01-01

Short day (SD) lengths delay puberty, suppress ovulation, inhibit sexual behavior, and decelerate reproductive aging in female Siberian hamsters (Phodopus sungorus). To date, the modulation of the age-associated decline in reproductive outcomes has only been demonstrated in female hamsters experiencing different day lengths during development. To determine if developmental delay is necessary for photo-inhibition to decelerate reproductive aging, hamsters raised in LD were transferred to SD as young adults and remained there for 6 months. Females that demonstrated the most immediate and sustained photo-inhibition were found to have greater numbers of ovarian primordial follicles at advanced ages (9 and 12 months) than did females held in LD, nonresponders to SD, and females with a marginal SD-response. Similarly, for females raised in SD from conception to 6 months of age, prolonged developmental delay was associated with greater numbers of primordial follicles at later ages as compared to hamsters that became refractory to SD. A robust response to SD in juvenile and adult hamsters is associated with decelerated reproductive aging, which may result in greater reproductive success in older females as compared to age-matched individuals demonstrating a more modest response to SD. PMID:19470367

Reproduction, preweaning survival, and survival of adult sea otters at Kodiak Island, Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Monson, Daniel H.; DeGange, Anthony R.

1995-01-01

Radiotelemetry methods were used to examine the demographic characteristics of sea otters inhabiting the leading edge of an expanding population on Kodiak Island, Alaska. Fifteen male and 30 female sea otters were instrumented and followed from 1986 to 1990. Twenty-one percent of females were sexually mature (had pupped) at age 2, 57% by age 3, 88% by age 4, and 100% by age 5. Fifteen females produced 26 pups, an overall reproduction rate of 94% for mature females. The reproduction rate was 17, 45, 66, and 100% for 2-, 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds, respectively. Eighty-five percent of observed pups survived to weaning (120 days), and the percentage of pups weaned ranged from 34% for pups of 2-year-olds to 100% for pups of 5-year-olds. At least three of four known pup losses occurred within a month of parturition. The mean pup dependency period for weaned pups was 153 days and the mean gestation period was 218 days. No synchrony in pupping activity was observed. Mean annual survival of adults was high. Estimates of survival ranged from 89 to 96% for females and 86 to 91% for males. Human harvest was the primary source of known mortality of adults. Our estimates of reproductive rates and survival of adults are at the high end of those reported for sea otters, but preweaning survival stands out as being particularly high. Abundant food resources and the availability of protected water presumably contributed to the high reproductive success observed in this recently established sea otter population.

Impact of bariatric surgery on female reproduction.

PubMed

Merhi, Zaher O

2009-11-01

To evaluate the current literature on the impact and potential mechanisms of surgical weight loss on female reproduction, with a focus on changes in reproductive hormone profile, fertility status, measures of ovarian reserve, efficacy of oral contraception, sexuality, and pregnancy. Appraisal of articles relevant to surgical weight loss and female reproduction. The altered reproductive hormone profile associated with morbid obesity seems to reverse, either partially or totally, after surgical weight loss. Although bariatric surgery seems to improve fertility status and many of the complications associated with obesity in pregnancy, it may be linked to oral contraceptive failure. Although müllerian-inhibiting substance is a direct measure of ovarian reserve, its level changes with obesity and after surgical weight loss. There is a decrease or no change in the risk of miscarriage after bariatric surgery. An improvement in sexual function may follow dramatic surgical weight reduction; however, the possibility of a detrimental influence afterward can occur. The increasing popularity of bariatric surgery in reproductive-age women calls for greater clinician awareness of its impact on female reproduction.

Reproductive performance of female Alaskan caribou

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, Layne G.; Dale, Bruce W.

1998-01-01

We examined the reproductive performance of female caribou (Rangifer tarandus granti) in relation to age, physical condition, and reproductive experience for 9 consecutive years (1987-95) at Denali National Park, Alaska, during a period of wide variation in winter snowfall. Caribou in Denali differed from other cervid populations where reproductive performance has been investigated, because they occur at low densities (≥0.3/km2) and experience high losses of young to predation. Females first gave birth at 2-6 years old; 56% of these females were 3 years old. Average annual natality rates increased from 27% for 2-year-olds to 100% for 7-year-olds, remained high for 7-13-year-olds (98%), and then declined for females ≥14 years old. Females ≥2 years old that failed to reproduce were primarily sexually immature (76%). Reproductive pauses of sexually mature females occurred predominantly in young (3-6 yr old) and old (≥14 yr old) females. Natality increased with body mass for 10-month-old females weighed 6 months prior to the autumn breeding season (P = 0.007), and for females >1 year old and weighed during autumn (late Sep-early Nov; P = 0.003). Natality for 2-, 3-, 4-, and 6-year-olds declined with increasing late-winter snowfall (Feb-May; P ≤ 0.039) during the winter prior to breeding. In most years, a high percentage of sexually mature females reproduced, and lactation status at the time of breeding did not influence productivity the following year. However, following particularly high snowfall during February-September 1992, productivity was reduced in 1993 for cows successfully rearing calves to autumn the previous year. High losses of calves to predators in 1992 may have increased productivity in 1993. Losses of young-of-the-year to predation prior to the annual breeding season can be an important influence on subsequent productivity for ungulate populations where productivity varies with lactation status of females at the time of breeding.

Thyroid hormones and female reproduction.

PubMed

Silva, Juneo F; Ocarino, Natália M; Serakides, Rogéria

2018-05-14

Thyroid hormones are vital for the proper functioning of the female reproductive system, since they modulate the metabolism and development of ovarian, uterine and placental tissues. Therefore, hypo- and hyperthyroidism may result in subfertility or infertility in both women and animals. Other well-documented sequelae of maternal thyroid dysfunctions include menstrual/estral irregularity, anovulation, abortion, preterm delivery, preeclampsia, intrauterine growth restriction, postpartum thyroiditis, and mental retardation in children. Several studies have been carried out involving prospective and retrospective studies of women with thyroid dysfunction, as well as in vivo and in vitro assays of hypo- and hyperthyroidism using experimental animal models and/or ovarian, uterine and placental cell culture. These studies have sought to elucidate the mechanisms by which thyroid hormones influence reproduction to better understand the physiology of the reproductive system and to provide better therapeutic tools for reproductive dysfunctions that originate from thyroid dysfunctions. Therefore, this review aims to summarize and update the available information related to the role of thyroid hormones in the morphophysiology of the ovary, uterus and placenta in women and animals and the effects of hypo- and hyperthyroidism on the female reproductive system.

Female Reproductive System.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodge, N. J.

This autoinstructional lesson can be used with health education and/or biology classes in a high school curriculum. It deals with the study of human development with emphasis on the female reproductive organs and cycles. The behavioral objectives are given, and the materials and equipment needed to gain these objectives are itemized. Fifteen…

Acute exposure to gas-supersaturated water does not affect reproductive success of female adult chinook salmon late in maturation

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gale, William L.; Maule, A.G.; Postera, A.; Peters, M.H.

2004-01-01

At times, total dissolved gas concentrations in the Columbia and Snake rivers have been elevated due to involuntary spill from high spring runoff and voluntary spill used as a method to pass juvenile salmonids over dams. The goal of this project was to determine if acute exposure to total dissolved gas supersaturation (TDGS) affects the reproductive performance of female chinook salmon late in their maturation. During this study, adult female spring chinook salmon were exposed to mean TDGS levels of 114.1 % to 125.5%. We ended exposures at first mortality, or at the appearance of impending death. Based on this criterion, exposures lasted from 10 to 68 h and were inversely related to TDGS. There was no effect of TDGS on pre-spawning mortality or fecundity when comparing treatment fish to experimental controls or the general hatchery population four to six weeks after exposures. Egg quality, based on egg weight and egg diameter, did not differ between treatment and control fish. Fertilization rate and survival to eyed-stage was high (>94%) for all groups. With the exception of Renibacterium salmoninarum (the causative agent of bacterial kidney disease; BKD), no viral or bacterial fish pathogens were isolated from experimental fish. The prevalence (about 45%) and severity of R. salmoninarum did not differ among the groups or the general hatchery population. We conclude that these acute exposures to moderate levels of gas-supersaturated water-perhaps similar to that experienced by immigrating adult salmon as they approach and pass a hydropower dam on the Columbia River-did not affect reproductive success of female chinook salmon late in their maturation. These results are most applicable to summer and fall chinook salmon, which migrate in the summer/fall and spawn shortly after reaching their natal streams. Published in 2004 by John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.

Boric Acid Is Reproductively Toxic to Adult Xenopus laevis, but Not Endocrine Active.

PubMed

Fort, Douglas J; Fort, Troy D; Mathis, Michael B; Ball, R Wayne

2016-11-01

The potential reproductive and endocrine toxicity of boric acid (BA) in the African clawed frog, Xenopus laevis, was evaluated using a 30-day exposure of adult frogs. Adult female and male frogs established as breeders were exposed to a culture water control and 4 target (nominal) test concentrations [5.0, 7.5, 10.0, and 15 mg boron (B)/L, equivalent to 28.5, 42.8, 57.0, and 85.5 mg BA/L] using flow-through diluter exposure system. The primary endpoints measured were adult survival, growth (weight and snout-vent length [SVL]), necropsy data, reproductive fecundity, and development of progeny (F1) from the exposed frogs. Necropsy endpoints included gonad weight, gonado-somatic index (GSI), ovary profile (oocyte normalcy and stage distribution), sperm count, and dysmorphology. Endocrine endpoints included plasma estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), dihydrotestosteone (DHT), gonadal CYP 19 (aromatase), and gonadal 5α-reductase (5-AR). BA exposure to adult female X. laevis increased the proportion of immature oocytes (< stage II) in the ovaries of females, reduced sperm counts and increased sperm cell dysmorphology frequency in male frogs exposed to 15 mg B/L. No effects on the other general, developmental (F1), or endocrine endpoints were observed. Based on the results of the present study, the no observed adverse effects concentration (NOAEC) for the reproductive endpoints was 10 mg B/L; and 15 mg B/L for reproductive fecundity, F1 embryo larval development, and endocrine function. These results confirmed that although BA is capable of inducing reproductive toxicity at high concentrations, it is not an endocrine disrupting agent. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Experiencing reproductive concerns as a female cancer survivor is associated with depression

PubMed Central

Gorman, Jessica R.; Su, H. Irene; Roberts, Samantha C.; Dominick, Sally A.; Malcarne, Vanessa L.

2014-01-01

Background Young adult female cancer survivors have unmet reproductive concerns and informational needs that are associated with poorer quality of life. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between current reproductive concerns and moderate to severe depression among young survivors. Methods This cross-sectional study includes 200 female cancer survivors between the ages of 18 and 35 years who completed a web-based survey measuring reproductive history, parenthood desires, reproductive concerns after cancer, and quality of life indicators. Results The mean age of participants was 28 years (SD = 4.4) and almost two-thirds were diagnosed within 5 years of completing the survey. Multivariable logistic regression analysis controlling for education, duration of survivorship, and social support revealed an association between experiencing reproductive concerns and moderate to severe depression (OR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.06–1.60 for each 5 unit increase in RCAC score). Of those with moderate to severe depression, 23% had high RCAC scores as compared to 6% of those with minimal to mild depression (p < 0.001). Conclusion A higher level of reproductive concerns was associated with greater odds of experiencing moderate to severe depression. Almost a quarter of survivors in this sample reported moderate to severe depression, and addressing reproductive concerns represents one potential area of intervention to improve the psychosocial health of young survivors. PMID:25377593

Reproductive hacking. A male seminal protein acts through intact reproductive pathways in female Drosophila.

PubMed

Rubinstein, C Dustin; Wolfner, Mariana F

2014-01-01

Seminal proteins are critical for reproductive success in all animals that have been studied. Although seminal proteins have been identified in many taxa, and female reproductive responses to receipt of these proteins have been documented in several, little is understood about the mechanisms by which seminal proteins affect female reproductive physiology. To explore this topic, we investigated how a Drosophila seminal protein, ovulin, increases ovulation rate in mated females. Ovulation is a relatively simple physiological process, with known female regulators: previous studies have shown that ovulation rate is promoted by the neuromodulator octopamine (OA) in D. melanogaster and other insects. We found that ovulin stimulates ovulation by increasing OA signaling in the female. This finding supports a model in which a male seminal protein acts through "hacking" a well-conserved, regulatory system females use to adjust reproductive output, rather than acting downstream of female mechanisms of control or in parallel pathways altogether. We also discuss similarities between 2 forms of intersexual control of behavior through chemical communication: seminal proteins and pheromones.

Anatomy of female puberty: The clinical relevance of developmental changes in the reproductive system.

PubMed

Colvin, Caroline Wingo; Abdullatif, Hussein

2013-01-01

Puberty is the period of biologic transition from childhood to adulthood. The changes that occur at this time are related to the increasing concentrations of sex steroid hormones. In females, most pubertal changes are caused by estrogen stimulation that results from the onset of central puberty. Significant development occurs in the organs of the female reproductive system and results in anatomic changes that characterize reproductive maturity. Adrenal and ovarian androgens also increase during puberty, affecting change that includes the promotion of certain secondary sex characteristics. The ability to recognize normal pubertal anatomy and distinguish between estrogen and androgen effects is important in the ability to diagnose and treat disorders of sex development, precocious puberty, pubertal delay, and menstrual irregularities in children and adolescents. An understanding of this developmental process can also help clinicians identify and treat reproductive pathology in adults and across all female life stages. Copyright © 2012 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Determinants of lifetime reproduction in female brown bears: early body mass, longevity, and hunting regulations.

PubMed

Zedrosser, Andreas; Pelletier, Fanie; Bischof, Richard; Festa-Bianchet, Marco; Swenson, Jon E

2013-01-01

In iteroparous mammals, conditions experienced early in life may have long-lasting effects on lifetime reproductive success. Human-induced mortality is also an important demographic factor in many populations of large mammals and may influence lifetime reproductive success. Here, we explore the effects of early development, population density, and human hunting on survival and lifetime reproductive success in brown bear (Ursus arctos) females, using a 25-year database of individually marked bears in two populations in Sweden. Survival of yearlings to 2 years was not affected by population density or body mass. Yearlings that remained with their mother had higher survival than independent yearlings, partly because regulations prohibit the harvest of bears in family groups. Although mass as a yearling did not affect juvenile survival, it was positively associated with measures of lifetime reproductive success and individual fitness. The majority of adult female brown bear mortality (72%) in our study was due to human causes, mainly hunting, and many females were killed before they reproduced. Therefore, factors allowing females to survive several hunting seasons had a strong positive effect on lifetime reproductive success. We suggest that, in many hunted populations of large mammals, sport harvest is an important influence on both population dynamics and life histories.

Neurokinin B is critical for normal timing of sexual maturation but dispensable for adult reproductive function in female mice.

PubMed

True, Cadence; Nasrin Alam, Sayeda; Cox, Kimberly; Chan, Yee-Ming; Seminara, Stephanie B

2015-04-01

Humans carrying mutations in neurokinin B (NKB) or the NKB receptor fail to undergo puberty due to decreased secretion of GnRH. Despite this pubertal delay, many of these patients go on to achieve activation of their hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis in adulthood, a phenomenon termed reversal, indicating that NKB signaling may play a more critical role for the timing of pubertal development than adult reproductive function. NKB receptor-deficient mice are hypogonadotropic but have no defects in the timing of sexual maturation. The current study has performed the first phenotypic evaluation of mice bearing mutations in Tac2, the gene encoding the NKB ligand, to determine whether they have impaired sexual development similar to their human counterparts. Male Tac2-/- mice showed no difference in the timing of sexual maturation or fertility compared with wild-type littermates and were fertile. In contrast, Tac2-/- females had profound delays in sexual maturation, with time to vaginal opening and first estrus occurring significantly later than controls, and initial abnormalities in estrous cycles. However, cycling recovered in adulthood and Tac2-/- females were fertile, although they produced fewer pups per litter. Thus, female Tac2-/- mice parallel humans harboring NKB pathway mutations, with delayed sexual maturation and activation of the reproductive cascade later in life. Moreover, direct comparison of NKB ligand and receptor-deficient females confirmed that only NKB ligand-deficient animals have delayed sexual maturation, suggesting that in the absence of the NKB receptor, NKB may regulate the timing of sexual maturation through other tachykinin receptors.

Experiencing reproductive concerns as a female cancer survivor is associated with depression.

PubMed

Gorman, Jessica R; Su, H Irene; Roberts, Samantha C; Dominick, Sally A; Malcarne, Vanessa L

2015-03-15

Young adult female cancer survivors have unmet reproductive concerns and informational needs that are associated with poorer quality of life. The purpose of this study was to examine the association between current reproductive concerns and moderate to severe depression among young survivors. This cross-sectional study included 200 female cancer survivors between the ages of 18 and 35 years who completed a Web-based survey measuring reproductive history, parenthood desires, reproductive concerns after cancer, and quality-of-life indicators. The mean age of the participants was 28 years (standard deviation, 4.4 years), and almost two-thirds were diagnosed within 5 years of survey completion. A multivariate logistic regression analysis controlling for education, duration of survivorship, and social support revealed an association between experiencing reproductive concerns and moderate to severe depression (odds ratio for each 5-unit increase in the Reproductive Concerns After Cancer [RCAC] score, 1.30; 95% confidence interval, 1.06-1.60). Among those with moderate to severe depression, 23% had high RCAC scores, whereas 6% of those with minimal to mild depression did (P < .001). A higher level of reproductive concerns was associated with greater odds of experiencing moderate to severe depression. Almost a quarter of survivors in this sample reported moderate to severe depression, and addressing reproductive concerns represents one potential area of intervention for improving the psychosocial health of young survivors. © 2014 American Cancer Society.

Triflumuron Effects on the Physiology and Reproduction of Rhodnius prolixus Adult Females

PubMed Central

Henriques, Bianca Santos; Mello, Cícero Brasileiro; Silva, Lucas Rangel; Codogno, Thaís Franco; Oliveira, Alyne F. R.; Marinho, Lourena Pinheiro; Lima, José Bento Pereira; Feder, Denise; Gonzalez, Marcelo Salabert; Azambuja, Patricia

2016-01-01

We evaluated the efficacy of the growth regulator triflumuron (TFM) in inducing mortality and disrupting both oviposition and egg hatching in Rhodnius prolixus adult females. TFM was administered via feeding, topically or by continuous contact with impregnated surfaces. Feeding resulted in mild biological effects compared with topical and impregnated surfaces. One day after treatment, the highest mortality levels were observed with topical surface and 30 days later both topical and impregnated surfaces induced higher mortalities than feeding. Oral treatment inhibited oviposition even at lower doses, and hatching of eggs deposited by treated females was similarly affected by the three delivery modes. Topical treatment of eggs deposited by nontreated females significantly reduced hatching. However, treatment per contact of eggs oviposited by untreated females did not disrupt eclosion. Additionally, oral treatment increased the number of immature oocytes per female, and topical treatment reduced the mean size of oocytes. TFM also affected carcass chitin content, diuresis, and innate immunity of treated insects. These results suggest that TFM acts as a potent growth inhibitor of R. prolixus adult females and has the potential to be used in integrated vector control programs against hematophagous triatomine species. PMID:27822479

Triflumuron Effects on the Physiology and Reproduction of Rhodnius prolixus Adult Females.

PubMed

Henriques, Bianca Santos; Genta, Fernando Ariel; Mello, Cícero Brasileiro; Silva, Lucas Rangel; Codogno, Thaís Franco; Oliveira, Alyne F R; Marinho, Lourena Pinheiro; Valle, Denise; Lima, José Bento Pereira; Feder, Denise; Gonzalez, Marcelo Salabert; Azambuja, Patricia

2016-01-01

We evaluated the efficacy of the growth regulator triflumuron (TFM) in inducing mortality and disrupting both oviposition and egg hatching in Rhodnius prolixus adult females. TFM was administered via feeding, topically or by continuous contact with impregnated surfaces. Feeding resulted in mild biological effects compared with topical and impregnated surfaces. One day after treatment, the highest mortality levels were observed with topical surface and 30 days later both topical and impregnated surfaces induced higher mortalities than feeding. Oral treatment inhibited oviposition even at lower doses, and hatching of eggs deposited by treated females was similarly affected by the three delivery modes. Topical treatment of eggs deposited by nontreated females significantly reduced hatching. However, treatment per contact of eggs oviposited by untreated females did not disrupt eclosion. Additionally, oral treatment increased the number of immature oocytes per female, and topical treatment reduced the mean size of oocytes. TFM also affected carcass chitin content, diuresis, and innate immunity of treated insects. These results suggest that TFM acts as a potent growth inhibitor of R. prolixus adult females and has the potential to be used in integrated vector control programs against hematophagous triatomine species.

Tributyltin impaired reproductive success in female zebrafish through disrupting oogenesis, reproductive behaviors and serotonin synthesis.

PubMed

Xiao, Wei-Yang; Li, Ying-Wen; Chen, Qi-Liang; Liu, Zhi-Hao

2018-07-01

Tributyltin (TBT), an organotin acting as aromatase (Cyp19a1) inhibitor, has been found to disrupt gametogenesis and reproductive behaviors in several fish species. However, few studies addressing the mechanisms underlying the impaired gametogenesis and reproduction have been reported. In this study, female adults of zebrafish (Danio rerio) were continuously exposed to two nominal concentrations of TBT (100 and 500 ng/L, actual concentrations: 90.8 ± 1.3 ng/L and 470.3 ± 2.7 ng/L, respectively) for 28 days. After exposures, TBT decreased the total egg number, reduced the hatchability and elevated the mortality of the larvae. Decreased gonadosomatic index (GSI) and altered percentages of follicles in different developmental stages (increased early-stage follicles and reduced mid/late-stage follicles) were also observed in the ovary of TBT-treated fish. TBT also lowered the plasma level of 17β-estradiol and suppressed the expressions of cyp19a1a in the ovary. In treated fish, up-regulated expressions of aldhla2, sycp3 and dmc1 were present in the ovary, indicating an enhanced level of meiosis. The mRNA level of vtg1 was dramatically suppressed in the liver of TBT-treated fish, suggesting an insufficient synthesis of Vtg protein, consistent with the decreased percentage of mid/late-stage follicles in the ovaries. Moreover, TBT significantly suppressed the reproductive behaviors of the female fish (duration of both sexes simultaneously in spawning area, the frequency of meeting and the visit in spawning area) and down-regulated the mRNA levels of genes involved in the regulation of reproductive behaviors (cyp19a1b, gnrh-3 and kiss 2) in the brain. In addition, TBT significantly suppressed the expressions of serotonin-related genes, such as tph2 (encoding serotonin synthase), pet1 (marker of serotonin neuron) and kiss 1 (the modulator of serotonin synthesis), suggesting that TBT might disrupt the non-reproductive behaviors of zebrafish. The present

Role of oxidative stress in female reproduction

PubMed Central

Agarwal, Ashok; Gupta, Sajal; Sharma, Rakesh K

2005-01-01

In a healthy body, ROS (reactive oxygen species) and antioxidants remain in balance. When the balance is disrupted towards an overabundance of ROS, oxidative stress (OS) occurs. OS influences the entire reproductive lifespan of a woman and even thereafter (i.e. menopause). OS results from an imbalance between prooxidants (free radical species) and the body's scavenging ability (antioxidants). ROS are a double-edged sword – they serve as key signal molecules in physiological processes but also have a role in pathological processes involving the female reproductive tract. ROS affect multiple physiological processes from oocyte maturation to fertilization, embryo development and pregnancy. It has been suggested that OS modulates the age-related decline in fertility. It plays a role during pregnancy and normal parturition and in initiation of preterm labor. Most ovarian cancers appear in the surface epithelium, and repetitive ovulation has been thought to be a causative factor. Ovulation-induced oxidative base damage and damage to DNA of the ovarian epithelium can be prevented by antioxidants. There is growing literature on the effects of OS in female reproduction with involvement in the pathophsiology of preeclampsia, hydatidiform mole, free radical-induced birth defects and other situations such as abortions. Numerous studies have shown that OS plays a role in the pathoysiology of infertility and assisted fertility. There is some evidence of its role in endometriosis, tubal and peritoneal factor infertility and unexplained infertility. This article reviews the role OS plays in normal cycling ovaries, follicular development and cyclical endometrial changes. It also discusses OS-related female infertility and how it influences the outcomes of assisted reproductive techniques. The review comprehensively explores the literature for evidence of the role of oxidative stress in conditions such as abortions, preeclampsia, hydatidiform mole, fetal embryopathies, preterm

Impact of male condition on his spermatophore and consequences for female reproductive performance in the Glanville fritillary butterfly.

PubMed

Duplouy, Anne; Woestmann, Luisa; Gallego Zamorano, Juan; Saastamoinen, Marjo

2018-04-01

In butterflies, male reproductive success is highly related to the quality and the size of the spermatophore transferred to the female. The spermatophore is a capsule produced by the male during copulation, which in many species contains sperm in addition to a nuptial gift, and which is digested by the female after copulation. The nuptial gift may contribute to egg production and offspring quality, and in some cases also to female body maintenance. The production of the spermatophore, however, represents a cost for the male and, in polyandrous species, ejaculates are sometimes allocated adaptively across matings. Nonetheless, although the ecological factors affecting the reproductive success of female butterflies have been the topic of numerous studies, little information exists on the factors affecting males' contribution to reproduction, and the indirect impacts on female fecundity and fitness. We used the Glanville fritillary butterfly, Melitaea cinxia (Linnaeus, 1758) (Nymphalidae), in order to assess variation in male allocation to matings. In this species, smaller males produce smaller spermatophores, but variation in spermatophore size is not correlated with female reproductive success. We show that spermatophore size increases with male age at first mating, decreases with mating frequency and adult food-deprivation, and is not influenced by developmental food-limitation. The length of copulation period does not influence the spermatophore size nor influences the polyandrous mating behavior in this species. Male contribution to his spermatophore size is clearly influenced by his condition and adult-resource at the time of mating. Despite this variation, spermatophore size does not seem to have a direct impact on female reproductive output or mating behavior. © 2016 The Authors Insect Science published by Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd on behalf of Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Adaptive strategies of overwintering adults: reproductive diapause and mating behavior in a grasshopper, Stenocatantops splendens (Orthoptera: Catantopidae).

PubMed

Zhu, Dao-Hong; Cui, Shuang-Shuang; Fan, Yong-Sheng; Liu, Zhiwei

2013-04-01

To understand the adaptive strategies of the overwintering adults of Stenocatantops splendens, the mechanism of maintenance and termination of the reproductive diapause, the variation in mortality between overwintering females and males, and the mating strategy of the males were investigated. The results indicated that the adult reproductive diapause in natural conditions was mainly regulated by photoperiod in the fall - long photoperiods promoted reproductive development and short photoperiods maintained reproductive diapause, and the sensitivity of the overwintering adults to photoperiod was over before the end of the winter. When transferred from natural conditions to controlled laboratory conditions on dates from September through February, pre-oviposition became increasingly shorter with increasingly deferred transfer dates regardless of photoperiod conditions. The adults treated with low temperature for 30 days in September through November had significantly shorter pre-oviposition, suggesting that low temperatures in winter had an important role in the termination of reproductive diapause. The female had a significantly lower supercooling point than the male, which was related to their lower mortality after winter. In addition, observations of wild populations of the species indicated that mating behavior prior to winter and the duration of pre-mating period were not affected by photoperiod; mating and sperm transfer were mostly completed by November. Compared with females only mating before winter, females mating in the spring had shorter life span, longer pre-oviposition, lower hatching rate and laid fewer egg pods while showing no significant difference with regard to ovipositional interval, per pod number of eggs and nymph dry weight. © 2012 The Authors Insect Science © 2012 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Normal development of the female reproductive system

EPA Science Inventory

The embryonic development of the female reproductive system involves a progression of events that is conserved across vertebrate species. The early gonad progresses from a form that is undifferentiated in both genotypic males and females. Rudimentary male (Wolffian) and female (M...

Fecal steroid hormones reveal reproductive state in female blue whales sampled in the Gulf of California, Mexico.

PubMed

Valenzuela-Molina, Marcia; Atkinson, Shannon; Mashburn, Kendall; Gendron, Diane; Brownell, Robert L

2018-05-15

Steroid hormone assessment using non-invasive sample collection techniques can reveal the reproductive status of aquatic mammals and the physiological mechanisms by which they respond to changes in their environment. A portion of the eastern North Pacific blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) population that seasonally visits the Gulf of California, Mexico has been monitored using photo-identified individuals for over 30 years. The whales use the area in winter-early spring for nursing their calves and feeding and it therefore is well suited for fecal sample collection. Using radioimmunoassays in 25 fecal samples collected between 2009 and 2012 to determine reproductive state and stress, we validated three steroid hormones (progesterone, corticosterone and cortisol) in adult female blue whales. Females that were categorized as pregnant had higher mean fecal progesterone metabolite concentrations (1292.6 ± 415.6 ng·g -1 ) than resting and lactating females (14.0 ± 3.7 ng·g -1 ; 23.0 ± 5.4 ng·g -1 , respectively). Females classified as pregnant also had higher concentrations of corticosterone metabolites (37.5 ± 9.9 ng·g -1 ) than resting and lactating females (17.4 ± 2.0 ng·g -1 ; 16.8 ± 2.8 ng·g -1 , respectively). In contrast, cortisol metabolite concentrations showed high variability between groups and no significant relationship to reproductive state. We successfully determined preliminary baseline parameters of key steroid hormones by reproductive state in adult female blue whales. The presence of pregnant or with luteal activity and known lactating females confirms that the Gulf of California is an important winter-spring area for the reproductive phase of these blue whales. The baseline corticosterone levels we are developing will be useful for assessing the impact of the increasing coastal development and whale-watching activities on the whales in the Gulf of California. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All

Reproductive age modulates the impact of focal ischemia on the forebrain as well as the effects of estrogen treatment in female rats

PubMed Central

Selvamani, Amutha; Sohrabji, Farida

2009-01-01

While human observational studies and animal studies report a neuroprotective role for estrogen therapy in stroke, the multicenter placebo-controlled Women's Health Initiative (WHI) study concluded that hormone therapy increased the risk for stroke in postmenopausal women. The present study therefore tested the hypothesis that estrogen replacement would increase the severity of a stroke-like injury in females when this replacement occurs after a prolonged hypoestrogenic period, such as the menopause or reproductive senescence, but not when given to females that were normally cycling immediately prior to the hormone replacement. Two groups of female rats were used: multiparous females with normal but lengthened estrus cycles (mature adults), and older multiparous females currently in a persistent acyclic state (reproductive senescent). Animals were either used intact, or were bilaterally ovariectomized and immediately replaced with a 17β-estradiol pellet or control pellet. Animals were subject to a forelimb placing test (a test for sensorimotor deficit) and thereafter to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) by stereotaxic injection of the vasoconstrictive peptide endothelin-1, adjacent to the MCA. One week after stroke, behavioral tests were performed again. Cortical and striatal infarct volume, measured from brain slices, was significantly greater in intact reproductive senescent females as compared to intact mature adults. Furthermore, estrogen treatment to ovariectomized mature adult females significantly reduced the cortical infarct volume. Paradoxically, estrogen treatment to ovariectomized reproductive senescent females significantly increased cortical and striatal infarct volumes as compared to control pellet replaced senescent females. Significant post-stroke behavioral deficit was observed in all groups on the side contralateral to the lesion, while senescent females also exhibited deficits on the ipsilateral side, in the cross-midline forelimb

Effects of chronic exposure to triclosan on reproductive and thyroid endpoints in the adult Wistar female rat.

PubMed

Louis, Gwendolyn W; Hallinger, Daniel R; Braxton, M Janay; Kamel, Alaa; Stoker, Tammy E

2017-01-01

Triclosan (TCS), an antibacterial, has been shown to be an endocrine disruptor in the rat. Previously, subchronic TCS treatment to female rats was found to advance puberty and potentiate the effect of ethinyl estradiol (EE) on uterine growth when EE and TCS were co-administered prior to weaning. In the pubertal study, a decrease in serum thyroxine (T 4 ) concentrations with no significant change in serum thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) was also observed. The purpose of the present study was to further characterize the influence of TCS on the reproductive and thyroid axes of the female rat using a chronic exposure regimen. Female Wistar rats were exposed by oral gavage to vehicle control, EE (1 μg/kg), or TCS (2.35, 4.69, 9.375 or 37.5 mg/kg) for 8 months and estrous cyclicity monitored. Although a divergent pattern of reproductive senescence appeared to emerge from 5 to 11 months of age between controls and EE-treated females, no significant difference in cyclicity was noted between TCS-treated and control females. A higher % control females displayed persistent diestrus (PD) by the end of the study, whereas animals administered with positive control (EE) were predominately persistent estrus (PE). Thyroxine concentration was significantly decreased in TCS-administered 9.375 and 37.5 mg/kg groups, with no marked effects on TSH levels, thyroid tissue weight, or histology. Results demonstrate that a long-term exposure to TCS did not significantly alter estrous cyclicity or timing of reproductive senescence in females but suppressed T 4 levels at a lower dose than previously observed.

Distribution of thyroid hormone and thyrotropin receptors in reproductive tissues of adult female rabbits.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Castelán, Julia; Anaya-Hernández, Arely; Méndez-Tepepa, Maribel; Martínez-Gómez, Margarita; Castelán, Francisco; Cuevas-Romero, Estela

2017-02-01

Thyroid dysfunctions are related to anovulation, miscarriages, and infertility in women and laboratory animals. Mechanisms associated with these effects are unknown, although indirect or direct actions of thyroid hormones and thyrotropin could be assumed. The present study aimed to identify the distribution of thyroid hormones (TRs) and thyrotropin (TSHR) receptors in reproductive organs of female rabbits. Ovary of virgin and pregnant rabbits, as well as the oviduct, uterus, and vagina of virgin rabbits were excised, histologically processed, and cut. Slices from these organs were used for immunohistochemical studies for TRα1-2, TRß1, and TSHR. The presence of TRs and TSHR was found in the primordial, primary, secondary, tertiary, and Graafian follicles of virgin rabbits, as well as in the corpora lutea, corpora albicans, and wall of hemorrhagic cysts of pregnant rabbits. Oviductal regions (fimbria-infundibulum, ampulla, isthmus, and utero-tubal junction), uterus (endometrium and myometrium), and vagina (abdominal, pelvic, and perineal portions) of virgin rabbits showed anti-TRs and anti-TSHR immunoreactivity. Additionally, the distal urethra, paravaginal ganglia, levator ani and iliococcygeus muscles, dorsal nerve and body of the clitoris, perigenital skin, and prostate had TRs and TSHR. The wide presence of TRs and TSHR in female reproductive organs suggests varied effects of thyroid hormones and thyrotropin in reproduction.

Reproductive toxicity: Male and female reproductive systems as targets for chemical injury

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mattison, D.R.; Plowchalk, D.R.; Meadows, M.J.

On the basis of current knowledge of reproductive biology and toxicology, it is apparent that chemicals affecting reproduction may elicit their effects at a number of sites in both the male and the female reproductive system. This multiplicity of targets is attributable to the dynamic nature of the reproductive system, in which the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is controlled by precise positive and negative feedback mechanisms among its components. Interference by a xenobiotic at any level in either the male or the female reproductive system may ultimately impair hypothalamic or pituitary function. Normal gonadal processes such as spermatogenesis or oogenesis, ejaculation ormore » ovulation, hormone production by Leydig or granulosa cells, and the structure or function of the accessory reproductive structures (e.g., epididymis, fallopian tube) also appear vulnerable to xenobiotics. The reproductive system is a complex one that requires local and circulating hormones for control. This brief review illustrates a system for characterizing the mechanism of action of reproductive toxicants, as well as for defining the sites available for disruption of reproduction. Unfortunately, at present, data addressing the actual vulnerability of reproduction are sorely lacking. However, when experiments have been conducted and combined with epidemiologic data or clinical observation, it has been possible to demonstrate impairment of reproductive processes by xenobiotics. The role of environmental exposure to xenobiotics in the increase in infertility that has been observed remains to be defined. 87 references.« less

[Influencing factors for reproductive health of female workers in petrochemical industry].

PubMed

Kou, Z X; Wang, S L; Chen, Z L; He, Y H; Yu, W L; Mei, L Y; Zhang, H D

2018-02-20

Objective: To investigate the reproductive health status of female workers in petrochemical industry, and to provide a reference for improving reproductive health status and developing preventive and control measures for female workers in petrochemical industry. Methods: A face-to-face questionnaire survey was performed from January to October, 2016. The Questionnaire on Women's Reproductive Health was used to investigate the reproductive health of female workers in petrochemical industry. The multivariate logistic regression model was used to identify the influencing factors for reproductive health of female workers in petrochemical industry. Results: Among the 7485 female workers, 1 268 (40.9%) had abnormal menstrual period, 1 437 (46.4%) had abnormal menstrual volume, 177 (28.5%) had hyperplasia of mammary glands, and 1 807 (24.6%) had gynecological inflammation. The reproductive system diseases in female workers in petrochemical industry were associated with the factors including age, marital status, education level, unhealthy living habits, abortion, overtime work, work shift, workload, video operation, occupational exposure, positive events, and negative events, and among these factors, negative events (odds ratio[ OR ]= 1.856) , unhealthy living habits ( OR =1.542) , and positive events ( OR =1.516) had greater impact on reproductive system diseases. Conclusion: Many chemical substances in the occupational environment of petrochemical industry can cause damage to the reproductive system, which not only affects the health of the female workers, but also poses potential threats to the health of their offspring. Occupational exposure, unhealthy living habits, overtime work, and work shift have great influence on reproductive system diseases in female workers.

Reproductive effects of Ficus asperifolia (Moraceae) in female rats.

PubMed

Watcho, Pierre; Ngadjui, Esther; Alango, Nkeng-Efouet P; Benoît, Nguelefack T; Kamanyi, Albert

2009-03-01

The reproductive effects of Ficus asperifolia in female rats were investigated in the present study. Sperm-positive adult female rats were orally administered (P.O.) either the aqueous and methanol extracts of Ficus asperifolia (100 and 500mg/kg), distilled water (10ml/kg) or 5%Tween 80 (10ml/kg) for seven days. On day 10 of pregnancy, the implantation sites were recorded. In the fertility study, adult female rats received the same test substances for 21 days and, the fertility index and litter size determined. In the uterotrophic test, normal and ovariectomized immature rats were treated for seven days with the dry extract of Ficus asperifolia (100 and 500mg/kg) in the absence and presence of 17ȃ-estradiol benzoate 1µg/animal/day, s.c. On day 8, the uterine growth index was measured. Results of the study showed a significant increase (p<0.05) in the implantation sites and litter size of animals receiving 100mg/kg of the aqueous extract of Ficus asperifolia. In the estrogenic assay, normal immature rats were sensitive to the treatment with Ficus asperifolia than the ovariectomized ones. Our results give added scientific support to the popular use of Ficus asperifolia in the treatment of some cases of women's sterility/infertility related problems.

Role of leptin in female reproduction.

PubMed

Pérez-Pérez, Antonio; Sánchez-Jiménez, Flora; Maymó, Julieta; Dueñas, José L; Varone, Cecilia; Sánchez-Margalet, Víctor

2015-01-01

Reproductive function is dependent on energy resources. The role of weight, body composition, fat distribution and the effect of diet have been largely investigated in experimental female animals as well as in women. Any alteration in diet and/or weight may induce abnormalities in timing of sexual maturation and fertility. However, the cellular mechanisms involved in the fine coordination of energy balance and reproduction are largely unknown. The brain and hypothalamic structures receive endocrine and/or metabolic signals providing information on the nutritional status and the degree of fat stores. Adipose tissue acts both as a store of energy and as an active endocrine organ, secreting a large number of biologically important molecules termed adipokines. Adipokines have been shown to be involved in regulation of the reproductive functions. The first adipokine described was leptin. Extensive research over the last 10 years has shown that leptin is not only an adipose tissue-derived messenger of the amount of energy stores to the brain, but also a crucial hormone/cytokine for a number of diverse physiological processes, such as inflammation, angiogenesis, hematopoiesis, immune function, and most importantly, reproduction. Leptin plays an integral role in the normal physiology of the reproductive system with complex interactions at all levels of the hypothalamic-pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis. In addition, leptin is also produced by placenta, where it plays an important autocrine function. Observational studies have demonstrated that states of leptin excess, deficiency, or resistance can be associated with abnormal reproductive function. This review focuses on the leptin action in female reproduction.

Female reproductive impacts of dietary methylmercury in yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and zebrafish (Danio rerio)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of environmentally relevant dietary MeHg exposures on adult female yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and zebrafish (Danio rerio)reproduction. Yellow perch were used in the study for their socioeconomic and ecological importance within the Great Lak...

Marijuana, the Endocannabinoid System and the Female Reproductive System

PubMed Central

Brents, Lisa K.

2016-01-01

Marijuana use among women is highly prevalent, but the societal conversation on marijuana rarely focuses on how marijuana affects female reproduction and endocrinology. This article reviews the current scientific literature regarding marijuana use and hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis regulation, ovarian hormone production, the menstrual cycle, and fertility. Evidence suggests that marijuana can reduce female fertility by disrupting hypothalamic release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), leading to reduced estrogen and progesterone production and anovulatory menstrual cycles. Tolerance to these effects has been shown in rhesus monkeys, but the effects of chronic marijuana use on human female reproduction are largely unknown. Marijuana-induced analgesia, drug reinforcement properties, tolerance, and dependence are influenced by ovarian hormones, with estrogen generally increasing and progesterone decreasing sensitivity to marijuana. Carefully controlled regulation of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is required for successful reproduction, and the exogenous cannabinoids in marijuana may disrupt the delicate balance of the ECS in the female reproductive system. PMID:27354844

Marijuana, the Endocannabinoid System and the Female Reproductive System.

PubMed

Brents, Lisa K

2016-06-01

Marijuana use among women is highly prevalent, but the societal conversation on marijuana rarely focuses on how marijuana affects female reproduction and endocrinology. This article reviews the current scientific literature regarding marijuana use and hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis regulation, ovarian hormone production, the menstrual cycle, and fertility. Evidence suggests that marijuana can reduce female fertility by disrupting hypothalamic release of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH), leading to reduced estrogen and progesterone production and anovulatory menstrual cycles. Tolerance to these effects has been shown in rhesus monkeys, but the effects of chronic marijuana use on human female reproduction are largely unknown. Marijuana-induced analgesia, drug reinforcement properties, tolerance, and dependence are influenced by ovarian hormones, with estrogen generally increasing and progesterone decreasing sensitivity to marijuana. Carefully controlled regulation of the Endocannabinoid System (ECS) is required for successful reproduction, and the exogenous cannabinoids in marijuana may disrupt the delicate balance of the ECS in the female reproductive system.

Chapter 22: Female Reproductive Toxicology

EPA Science Inventory

The female reproductive system provides multiple targets for environmental toxicants with the hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian axis. Moreover, the functional impact of a chemical can differ, depending on the species involved and the parameters of exposure. While cross-species compa...

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) increases litter size in normal adult female mice

PubMed Central

Ruiz-Luna, Ana C; Salazar, Stephanie; Aspajo, Norma J; Rubio, Julio; Gasco, Manuel; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2005-01-01

Background Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, grows exclusively in the Peruvian Andes over 4000 m altitude. It has been used traditionally to increase fertility. Previous scientific studies have demonstrated that Maca increases spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm count. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of Maca on several fertility parameters of female mice at reproductive age. Methods Adult female Balb/C mice were divided at random into three main groups: i) Reproductive indexes group, ii) Implantation sites group and iii) Assessment of uterine weight in ovariectomized mice. Animals received an aqueous extract of lyophilized Yellow Maca (1 g/Kg BW) or vehicle orally as treatment. In the fertility indexes study, animals received the treatment before, during and after gestation. The fertility index, gestation index, post-natal viability index, weaning viability index and sex ratio were calculated. Sexual maturation was evaluated in the female pups by the vaginal opening (VO) day. In the implantation study, females were checked for implantation sites at gestation day 7 and the embryos were counted. In ovariectomized mice, the uterine weight was recorded at the end of treatment. Results Implantation sites were similar in mice treated with Maca and in controls. All reproductive indexes were similar in both groups of treatment. The number of pups per dam at birth and at postnatal day 4 was significantly higher in the group treated with Maca. VO day occurred earlier as litter size was smaller. Maca did not affect VO day. In ovariectomized mice, the treatment with Maca increased significantly the uterine weights in comparison to their respective control group. Conclusion Administration of aqueous extract of Yellow Maca to adult female mice increases the litter size. Moreover, this treatment increases the uterine weight in ovariectomized animals. Our study confirms for the first time some of the traditional uses of Maca to enhance female fertility. PMID

Lepidium meyenii (Maca) increases litter size in normal adult female mice.

PubMed

Ruiz-Luna, Ana C; Salazar, Stephanie; Aspajo, Norma J; Rubio, Julio; Gasco, Manuel; Gonzales, Gustavo F

2005-05-03

Lepidium meyenii, known as Maca, grows exclusively in the Peruvian Andes over 4000 m altitude. It has been used traditionally to increase fertility. Previous scientific studies have demonstrated that Maca increases spermatogenesis and epididymal sperm count. The present study was aimed to investigate the effects of Maca on several fertility parameters of female mice at reproductive age. Adult female Balb/C mice were divided at random into three main groups: i) Reproductive indexes group, ii) Implantation sites group and iii) Assessment of uterine weight in ovariectomized mice. Animals received an aqueous extract of lyophilized Yellow Maca (1 g/Kg BW) or vehicle orally as treatment. In the fertility indexes study, animals received the treatment before, during and after gestation. The fertility index, gestation index, post-natal viability index, weaning viability index and sex ratio were calculated. Sexual maturation was evaluated in the female pups by the vaginal opening (VO) day. In the implantation study, females were checked for implantation sites at gestation day 7 and the embryos were counted. In ovariectomized mice, the uterine weight was recorded at the end of treatment. Implantation sites were similar in mice treated with Maca and in controls. All reproductive indexes were similar in both groups of treatment. The number of pups per dam at birth and at postnatal day 4 was significantly higher in the group treated with Maca. VO day occurred earlier as litter size was smaller. Maca did not affect VO day. In ovariectomized mice, the treatment with Maca increased significantly the uterine weights in comparison to their respective control group. Administration of aqueous extract of Yellow Maca to adult female mice increases the litter size. Moreover, this treatment increases the uterine weight in ovariectomized animals. Our study confirms for the first time some of the traditional uses of Maca to enhance female fertility.

Malignant Tumors of the Female Reproductive System

PubMed Central

Labrèche, France

2012-01-01

This review summarizes the epidemiology of cancer of the female reproductive system and associated lifestyle factors. It also assesses the available evidence for occupational factors associated with these cancers. Cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers are relatively common, and cause significant cancer morbidity and mortality worldwide, whereas vulvar, vaginal, fallopian tube cancers, and choriocarcinomas are very rare. As several lifestyle factors are known to play a major role in the etiology of these cancers, very few published studies have investigated possible relationships with occupational factors. Some occupational exposures have been associated with increased risks of these cancers, but apart from the available evidence on the relationships between asbestos fibers and ovarian cancer, and tetrachloroethylene and cervical cancer, the data is rather scarce. Given the multifactorial nature of cancers of the female reproductive system, it is of the utmost importance to conduct occupational studies that will gather detailed data on potential individual confounding factors, in particular reproductive history and other factors that influence the body's hormonal environment, together with information on socio-economic status and lifestyle factors, including physical activity from multiple sources. Studies on the mechanisms of carcinogenesis in the female reproductive organs are also needed in order to elucidate the possible role of chemical exposures in the development of these cancers. PMID:23019529

Melatonin and female reproduction.

PubMed

Tamura, Hiroshi; Takasaki, Akihisa; Taketani, Toshiaki; Tanabe, Manabu; Lee, Lifa; Tamura, Isao; Maekawa, Ryo; Aasada, Hiromi; Yamagata, Yoshiaki; Sugino, Norihiro

2014-01-01

Melatonin (N-acetyl-5-methoxytryptamine) is secreted during the dark hours at night by the pineal gland. After entering the circulation, melatonin acts as an endocrine factor and a chemical messenger of light and darkness. It regulates a variety of important central and peripheral actions related to circadian rhythms and reproduction. It also affects the brain, immune, gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, renal, bone and endocrine functions and acts as an oncostatic and anti-aging molecule. Many of melatonin's actions are mediated through interactions with specific membrane-bound receptors expressed not only in the central nervous system, but also in peripheral tissues. Melatonin also acts through non-receptor-mediated mechanisms, for example serving as a scavenger for reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species. At both physiological and pharmacological concentrations, melatonin attenuates and counteracts oxidative stress and regulates cellular metabolism. Growing scientific evidence of reproductive physiology supports the role of melatonin in human reproduction. This review was conducted to investigate the effects of melatonin on female reproduction and to summarize our findings in this field. © 2013 The Authors. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Research © 2013 Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Is bigger better? The relationship between size and reproduction in female Asian elephants.

PubMed

Crawley, J A H; Mumby, H S; Chapman, S N; Lahdenperä, M; Mar, K U; Htut, W; Thura Soe, A; Aung, H H; Lummaa, V

2017-10-01

The limited availability of resources is predicted to impose trade-offs between growth, reproduction and self-maintenance in animals. However, although some studies have shown that early reproduction suppresses growth, reproduction positively correlates with size in others. We use detailed records from a large population of semi-captive elephants in Myanmar to assess the relationships between size (height and weight), reproduction and survival in female Asian elephants, a species characterized by slow, costly life history. Although female height gain during the growth period overlapped little with reproductive onset in the population, there was large variation in age at first reproduction and only 81% of final weight had been reached by peak age of reproduction at the population level (19 years). Those females beginning reproduction early tended to be taller and lighter later in life, although these trends were not significant. We found that taller females were more likely to have reproduced by a given age, but such effects diminished with age, suggesting there may be a size threshold to reproduction which is especially important in young females. Because size was not linked with female survival during reproductive ages, the diminishing effect of height on reproduction with age is unlikely to be due to biased survival of larger females. We conclude that although reproduction may not always impose significant costs on growth, height may be a limiting factor to reproduction in young female Asian elephants, which could have important implications considering their birth rates are low and peak reproduction is young - 19 years in this population. © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

Age-specific reproduction in female sea otters (Enhydra lutris) from south-central Alaska: Analysis of reproductive tracts

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bodkin, James L.; Mulcahy, Daniel M.; Lensink, Calvin J.

1993-01-01

We estimated age at sexual maturity and age-specific reproductive rates by examining carcasses and reproductive tracts from 177 female sea otters (Enhydra lutris). Carcasses were recovered from south-central Alaska, Primarily from western Prince William Sound, as a result of the T/V Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989. We found 65% of our sample to be sexually mature. Sexual maturity was first attained at age 2. The proportion of sexually mature animals increased from 30% at age 2 to 100% at age 5. Annual reproductive rates increased from 22% at age 2 to 78% at age 5 and remained relatively stable (75-88%) through to age 15. the sex ratio (female:male) of 49 fetal sea otters was 18:37 and differed significantly from parity. Females younger than 8 tended to produce more female fetuses, while older mothers did not. Our estimates of the reproductive characteristics of female sea otters obtained by examination of reproductive tracts were similiar to those reported in the literature based on in situ observations of marked individuals.

Intraspecific variation in body size and the rate of reproduction in female insects - adaptive allometry or biophysical constraint?

PubMed

Berger, David; Olofsson, Martin; Friberg, Magne; Karlsson, Bengt; Wiklund, Christer; Gotthard, Karl

2012-11-01

1. A high rate of reproduction may be costly if ecological factors limit immediate reproductive output as a fast metabolism compromises own future survival. Individuals with more reserves need more time and opportunity to realize their reproductive potential. Theory therefore predicts that the reproductive rate, defined as the investment in early reproduction in proportion to total potential, should decrease with body size within species. 2. However, metabolic constraints on body size- and temperature-dependent biological rates may impede biophysical adaptation. Furthermore, the sequential manner resources that are allocated to somatic vs. reproductive tissue during ontogeny may, when juveniles develop in unpredictable environments, further contribute to non-adaptive variation in adult reproductive rates. 3. With a model on female egg laying in insects, we demonstrate how variation in body reserves is predicted to affect reproductive rate under different ecological scenarios. Small females always have higher reproductive rates but shorter lifespans. However, incorporation of female host selectivity leads to more similar reproductive rates among female size classes, and oviposition behaviour is predicted to co-evolve with reproductive rate, resulting in small females being more selective in their choice and gaining relatively more from it. 4. We fed simulations with data on the butterfly Pararge aegeria to compare model predictions with reproductive rates of wild butterflies. However, simulated reproductive allometry was a poor predictor of that observed. Instead, reproductive rates were better explained as a product of metabolic constraints on rates of egg maturation, and an empirically derived positive allometry between reproductive potential and size. However, fitness is insensitive to moderate deviations in reproductive rate when oviposition behaviour is allowed to co-evolve in the simulations, suggesting that behavioural compensation may mitigate putative

What Cortisol Can Tell us About the Costs of Sociality and Reproduction Among Free-Ranging Rhesus Macaque Females on Cayo Santiago

PubMed Central

Maestripieri, Dario; Georgiev, Alexander V.

2015-01-01

Research with the rhesus macaque population on Cayo Santiago can provide a unique perspective on the costs of sociality and reproduction in primates. Because the Cayo macaques live in unusually large groups and in a predator-free environment, in which their artificial food source lacks seasonal variation in abundance or quality, these monkeys constitute a semi-experimental study of the costs and benefits of group living. Here we review several long- and short-term studies that have focused on female life history and stress physiology. Long-term demographic data have shown that rhesus macaque females of middle- and low-ranking matrilines have lower adult survival probabilities than females of high-ranking matrilines. Costs of reproductive effort are also evident: adult females were more likely to die during the birth than during the mating season and they experienced higher cortisol levels when lactating. Lower-ranking females, in particular, experienced greater relative increase in cortisol production during lactation, in comparison to middle- and high-ranking females. Older high-ranking females had lower plasma cortisol levels than younger ones but cortisol levels were similarly high among young and old middle- and low-ranking females. Higher plasma cortisol levels and/or fecal glucocorticoid concentrations are associated with higher plasma concentrations of some proinflammatory cytokines. High cortisol, in turn, may be associated with chronic inflammation, and perhaps also with immunosuppression. In sum, the studies reviewed here provide multiple lines of evidence that sociality and reproductive effort impose measurable costs on female rhesus macaques. In line with socioecological theory, female dominance rank consistently emerges as an important modulator of variation in female life histories and physiology. The Cayo Santiago macaques are therefore a valuable model for elucidating the mechanisms by which within-group competition and reproduction impact health

Chapter 11.18 - Neuroendocrine Control of Female Reproduction.

EPA Science Inventory

The hypothalamus and pituitary are known to play roles in reproductive function. A growing body of evidence indicates that environmental toxicants can alter female reproductive function by disrupting hypothalamic control of the pituitary and subsequently the endocrine control of ...

Reproductive and resource benefits to large female body size in a mammal with female-biased sexual size dimorphism

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fokidis, H.B., T.S. Risch and T.C. Glenn

Factors underlying the evolution of female-biased sexual size dimorphism in mammals are poorly understood. In an effort to better understand these factors we tested whether larger female southern flying squirrels, Glaucomys volans, gained reproductive advantages (larger litters or more male mates) and direct resource benefits, such as larger home ranges or access to more food (i.e. mast-producing trees). As dimorphism can vary with age in precocial breeding species, we compared females during their first reproduction and during a subsequent breeding attempt. Females were not significantly larger or heavier than males at first reproduction, but became about 7% heavier and 22%more » larger than males at subsequent breeding. Larger females produced larger litters and had home ranges containing a greater proportion of upland hardwood trees. Female body size was not associated with either multiple male mating or home range size, but females with larger home ranges had higher indexes of body condition. Females in precocial breeding flying squirrels initiate reproduction before sexual size dimorphism is evident, and thus, may be allocating resources to both reproduction and growth simultaneously, or delaying growth entirely. Larger females produce more pups and have access to more food resources. Thus, selection for increased female size may partly explain how female-biased sexual size dimorphism is maintained in this species.« less

EFFECTS OF THE INSECT JUVENILE HORMONE AGONIST, METHOPRENE ON FEMALE GROWTH AND REPRODUCTION IN THE GULF SAND FIDDLER CRAB, UCA PANACEA

EPA Science Inventory

Adult Uca panacea were distributed randomly (250 females, 100 males per pond) into six estuarine ponds to determine the effects of field applications of methoprene (AltosidO XR briquets) on female growth and reproduction. Duplicate reference ponds, low-dose ponds, and high-dose p...

Young adult female cancer survivors' unmet information needs and reproductive concerns contribute to decisional conflict regarding posttreatment fertility preservation.

PubMed

Benedict, Catherine; Thom, Bridgette; N Friedman, Danielle; Diotallevi, Debbie; M Pottenger, Elaine; J Raghunathan, Nirupa; Kelvin, Joanne F

2016-07-01

Many young adult female cancer survivors (YAFCS) are at risk of experiencing premature menopause. The current study characterized the posttreatment fertility information needs, reproductive concerns, and decisional conflict regarding future options for posttreatment fertility preservation (FP) among YAFCS. Participants completed a Web-based, anonymous survey between February and March 2015. The survey included investigator-designed questions of perceived information needs, the Reproductive Concerns After Cancer Scale, and the Decisional Conflict Scale. Analyses included Pearson correlation coefficients, independent-sample Student t tests, and multiple regression. There was a total of 346 participants with an average age of 29.9 years (SD = 4.1 years) who were 4.9 years from treatment (SD = 5.4 years [range, 0-27 years]). The main analyses focused on a subgroup of YAFCS with uncertain fertility status who had not previously undergone/attempted FP and either wanted future children or were unsure (179 women). Across fertility information topics, 43% to 62% of participants reported unmet information needs. The greatest reproductive concerns were related to fertility potential and the health of future offspring. The regression model controlled for a priori covariates including current age, age at treatment completion, income, relationship status, nulliparity, and prior fertility evaluation. Greater unmet information needs were found to be related to greater decisional conflict (β = .43; p<.001); greater reproductive concerns were associated at the trend level (β = .14, p = .08; F[8,118] = 6.42, p<.001). YAFCS with limited awareness or knowledge of their risk of experiencing premature menopause and FP options reported higher levels of decisional conflict regarding future FP. Posttreatment survivorship care should include comprehensive reproductive health counseling, including posttreatment FP options and family-building alternatives. Cancer 2016

Reproduction in female South American domestic camelids.

PubMed

Sumar, J B

1999-01-01

Alpacas and llamas are induced ovulators. They show marked reproductive seasonality in the Andean region, but under Northern Hemisphere conditions of feeding and management, they are non-seasonal breeders. Puberty is attained when they reach 50% of adult body weight. When they are not exposed to a male, females show successive waves of follicular maturation and atresia. Growth, maintenance and regression of a follicle each require an average of 4 and 6 days in alpacas and llamas, respectively. After sterile mating, progesterone concentrations in blood were increased from day 5, reached maximum concentrations on day 7-8, and declined rapidly at 9-10 days after mating. A fertile mating results in formation of a corpus luteum that remains functional throughout gestation. The duration of gestation is 340-346 days. Almost all fetuses were found to occupy the left uterine horn, even though ovulation occurs from both ovaries with equal frequency. Several methods of pregnancy diagnosis have been described. Mating is recommended within 15-20 days after parturition to obtain good fertility rates and one offspring per year. The factors that contribute to high rates of embryonic mortality are unknown. Reproductive technologies, such as AI, superovulation, embryo transfer and IVF, have not been used very extensively in these species but can be successfully applied.

Tributyltin impairs the reproductive cycle in female rats.

PubMed

Lang Podratz, Priscila; Delgado Filho, Vicente Sathler; Lopes, Pedro Francisco Iguatemy; Cavati Sena, Gabriela; Matsumoto, Silvia Tamie; Samoto, Vivian Yochiko; Takiya, Christina Maeda; de Castro Miguel, Emilio; Silva, Ian Victor; Graceli, Jones Bernardes

2012-01-01

Triorganotins are environmental contaminants, commonly used in antifouling agents for boats, that bioaccumulate and thus are found in mammals and humans due to ingestion of contaminated seafood diets. The importance of triorganotins as environmental endocrine disruptors and consequent reproductive toxicity in different animal models is well known; however, the adverse effects on reproductive cycle are less well understood. The potential reproductive toxicity of tributyltin (TBT) on regular reproductive cycling of female rats was examined. Wistar female rats (12 wk old, weighing approximately 230 g) were divided into two groups: control (vehicle, ethanol 0.4%) and tributyltin (100 ng/kg/d, 7 d/wk, for 16 d by gavage). Tributyltin significantly decreased the cycle regularity (%), duration of the reproductive cycle, the proestrus and diestrus phases, and number of epithelial cell in proestrus phase. TBT also increased the duration of metestrus and the number of cornified cells in this phase. Ovary weight and serum 17β-estradiol levels decreased markedly, accompanied by a significant increase in progesterone levels. Histological analysis showed apoptotic cells in corpus luteum and granulosa cells layer, with cystic follicles after TBT exposure. Tributyltin also elevated number of atretic follicles and corpoa lutea. The micronucleus (MN) test, using Chinese hamster ovary cells, demonstrated a concentration-dependent mutagenic effect of TBT, and at 2.0 × 10(-2)ng/ml most of the cells were nonviable. The toxic potential of TBT over the reproductive cycle may be attributed to changes found in the ovarian weight, unbalanced levels of sexual female hormones, and number of ovarian follicles and corpora lutea.

Early-life nutritional effects on the female reproductive system.

PubMed

Chan, K A; Tsoulis, M W; Sloboda, D M

2015-02-01

There is now considerable epidemiological and experimental evidence indicating that early-life environmental conditions, including nutrition, affect subsequent development in later life. These conditions induce highly integrated responses in endocrine-related homeostasis, resulting in persistent changes in the developmental trajectory producing an altered adult phenotype. Early-life events trigger processes that prepare the individual for particular circumstances that are anticipated in the postnatal environment. However, where the intrauterine and postnatal environments differ markedly, such modifications to the developmental trajectory may prove maladaptive in later life. Reproductive maturation and function are similarly influenced by early-life events. This should not be surprising, because the primordial follicle pool is established early in life and is thus vulnerable to early-life events. Results of clinical and experimental studies have indicated that early-life adversity is associated with a decline in ovarian follicular reserve, changes in ovulation rates, and altered age at onset of puberty. However, the underlying mechanisms regulating the relationship between the early-life developmental environment and postnatal reproductive development and function are unclear. This review examines the evidence linking early-life nutrition and effects on the female reproductive system, bringing together clinical observations in humans and experimental data from targeted animal models. © 2015 Society for Endocrinology.

Reproductive competition between females in the matrilineal Mosuo of southwestern China

PubMed Central

Ji, Ting; Wu, Jia-Jia; He, Qiao-Qiao; Xu, Jing-Jing; Mace, Ruth; Tao, Yi

2013-01-01

The matrilineal Mosuo of southwestern China live in communal households where brothers and sisters of three generations live together (duolocal residence), and men visit their wives, who reside elsewhere, only at night in ‘visiting’ marriages. Here we show that these communally breeding sisters are in reproductive conflict, in the sense that they share the resources needed to reproduce. We analyse determinants of reproductive success in females and males, and show that co-resident female kin are in competition; the more female kin reside in the household, the more reproductive success is reduced. Male reproductive success, however, is not determined by the kin in his natal household; duolocal males are not in reproductive conflict with their siblings. Competition with female cousins can be worse than that between sisters. We also find that female work on the farm (which is the main communal resource) is not equal. We use a ‘tug-of-war’ model of reproductive skew generated by incomplete control, to model the patterns of effort put into competition between sisters and cousins. The model predicts that more dominant (older) sisters will put less effort into reproductive conflict than will less dominant (younger) sisters; but younger sisters will also have lower reproductive success because they are less efficient at gaining access to the shared resource. Both predictions are consistent with our data. Younger sisters work less in the fields than do older sisters, which may represent a form of conflict or may be because their average relatedness to the household is lower than that of their more fertile older sisters. PMID:24167311

RNA-Binding Proteins in Female Reproductive Pathologies.

PubMed

Khalaj, Kasra; Miller, Jessica E; Fenn, Christian R; Ahn, SooHyun; Luna, Rayana L; Symons, Lindsey; Monsanto, Stephany P; Koti, Madhuri; Tayade, Chandrakant

2017-06-01

RNA-binding proteins are key regulatory molecules involved primarily in post-transcriptional gene regulation of RNAs. Post-transcriptional gene regulation is critical for adequate cellular growth and survival. Recent reports have shown key interactions between these RNA-binding proteins and other regulatory elements, such as miRNAs and long noncoding RNAs, either enhancing or diminishing their response to RNA stabilization. Many RNA-binding proteins have been reported to play a functional role in mediation of cytokines involved in inflammation and immune dysfunction, and some have been classified as global post-transcriptional regulators of inflammation. The ubiquitous expression of RNA-binding proteins in a wide variety of cell types and their unique mechanisms of degradative action provide evidence that they are involved in reproductive tract pathologies. Aberrant inflammation and immune dysfunction are major contributors to the pathogenesis and disease pathophysiology of many reproductive pathologies, including ovarian and endometrial cancers in the female reproductive tract. Herein, we discuss various RNA-binding proteins and their unique contributions to female reproductive pathologies with a focus on those mediated by aberrant inflammation and immune dysfunction. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Investigative Pathology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review of hazards to female reproductive health in veterinary practice.

PubMed

Scheftel, Joni M; Elchos, Brigid L; Rubin, Carol S; Decker, John A

2017-04-15

OBJECTIVE To review publications that address female reproductive health hazards in veterinary practice, summarize best practices to mitigate reproductive risks, and identify current knowledge gaps. DESIGN Systematized review. SAMPLE English-language articles describing chemical, biological, and physical hazards present in the veterinary workplace and associations with adverse reproductive outcomes or recommendations for minimizing risks to female reproductive health. PROCEDURES Searches of the CAB abstracts database were performed in July 2012 and in May 2015 with the following search terms: veterinarians AND occupational hazards and vets.id AND occupational hazards.sh. Searches of the PubMed database were conducted in November 2012 and in May 2015 with the following medical subject heading terms: occupational exposure AND veterinarians; anesthetics, inhalation/adverse effects AND veterinarians; risk factors AND pregnancy AND veterinarians; pregnancy outcome AND veterinarians; and animal technicians AND occupational exposure. Two additional PubMed searches were completed in January 2016 with the terms disinfectants/toxicity AND female AND fertility/drug effects and veterinarians/psychology AND stress, psychological. No date limits were applied to searches. RESULTS 4 sources supporting demographic trends in veterinary medicine and 118 resources reporting potential hazards to female reproductive health were identified. Reported hazards included exposure to anesthetic gases, radiation, antineoplastic drugs, and reproductive hormones; physically demanding work; prolonged standing; and zoonoses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Demographic information suggested that an increasing number of women of reproductive age will be exposed to chemical, biological, and physical hazards in veterinary practice. Information on reproductive health hazards and minimizing risk, with emphasis on developing a safety-focused work culture for all personnel, should be discussed starting

Review of hazards to female reproductive health in veterinary practice

PubMed Central

Scheftel, Joni M.; Elchos, Brigid L.; Rubin, Carol S.; Decker, John A.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE To review publications that address female reproductive health hazards in veterinary practice, summarize best practices to mitigate reproductive risks, and identify current knowledge gaps. DESIGN Systematized review. SAMPLE English-language articles describing chemical, biological, and physical hazards present in the veterinary workplace and associations with adverse reproductive outcomes or recommendations for minimizing risks to female reproductive health. PROCEDURES Searches of the CAB abstracts database were performed in July 2012 and in May 2015 with the following search terms: veterinarians AND occupational hazards and vets.id AND occupational hazards.sh. Searches of the PubMed database were conducted in November 2012 and in May 2015 with the following medical subject heading terms: occupational exposure AND veterinarians; anesthetics, inhalation/adverse effects AND veterinarians; risk factors AND pregnancy AND veterinarians; pregnancy outcome AND veterinarians; and animal technicians AND occupational exposure. Two additional PubMed searches were completed in January 2016 with the terms disinfectants/toxicity AND female AND fertility/drug effects and veterinarians/psychology AND stress, psychological. No date limits were applied to searches. RESULTS 4 sources supporting demographic trends in veterinary medicine and 118 resources reporting potential hazards to female reproductive health were identified. Reported hazards included exposure to anesthetic gases, radiation, antineoplastic drugs, and reproductive hormones; physically demanding work; prolonged standing; and zoonoses. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Demographic information suggested that an increasing number of women of reproductive age will be exposed to chemical, biological, and physical hazards in veterinary practice. Information on reproductive health hazards and minimizing risk, with emphasis on developing a safety-focused work culture for all personnel, should be discussed starting

Female gonadal hormones and reproductive behaviors as key determinants of successful reproductive output of breeding whooping cranes (Grus americana)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Brown, Megan E; Converse, Sarah J.; Chandler, Jane N.; Shafer, Charles; Brown, Janine L; Keefer, Carol L; Songsasen, Nucharin

2016-01-01

Reproductive success of endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana) maintained ex situ is poor. As part of an effort to identify potential causes of poor reproductive success in a captive colony, we used non-invasive endocrine monitoring to assess gonadal and adrenal steroids of bird pairs with various reproductive outcomes and evaluated the relationships of hormones and behaviors to reproductive performance. Overall, reproductively successful (i.e., egg laying) females had significantly higher mean estrogen levels but lower mean progestogen concentrations than did unsuccessful females. Other hormones, including glucocorticoids and androgens, were not significantly different between successful and unsuccessful individuals. Observations of specific behaviors such as unison calling, marching, and the number of copulation attempts, along with overall time spent performing reproductive behaviors, were significantly higher in successful pairs. Our findings indicate that overall reproductive performance of whooping crane pairs is linked to female gonadal hormone excretion and reproductive behaviors, but not to altered adrenal hormone production.

Female gonadal hormones and reproductive behaviors as key determinants of successful reproductive output of breeding whooping cranes (Grus americana).

PubMed

Brown, Megan E; Converse, Sarah J; Chandler, Jane N; Shafer, Charles; Brown, Janine L; Keefer, Carol L; Songsasen, Nucharin

2016-05-01

Reproductive success of endangered whooping cranes (Grus americana) maintained ex situ is poor. As part of an effort to identify potential causes of poor reproductive success in a captive colony, we used non-invasive endocrine monitoring to assess gonadal and adrenal steroids of bird pairs with various reproductive outcomes and evaluated the relationships of hormones and behaviors to reproductive performance. Overall, reproductively successful (i.e., egg laying) females had significantly higher mean estrogen levels but lower mean progestogen concentrations than did unsuccessful females. Other hormones, including glucocorticoids and androgens, were not significantly different between successful and unsuccessful individuals. Observations of specific behaviors such as unison calling, marching, and the number of copulation attempts, along with overall time spent performing reproductive behaviors, were significantly higher in successful pairs. Our findings indicate that overall reproductive performance of whooping crane pairs is linked to female gonadal hormone excretion and reproductive behaviors, but not to altered adrenal hormone production. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Mars is close to venus--female reproductive proteins are expressed in the fat body and reproductive tract of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) drones.

PubMed

Colonello-Frattini, Nínive Aguiar; Guidugli-Lazzarini, Karina Rosa; Simões, Zilá Luz Paulino; Hartfelder, Klaus

2010-11-01

Vitellogenin (Vg) and lipophorin (Lp) are lipoproteins which play important roles in female reproductive physiology of insects. Both are actively taken up by growing oocytes and especially Vg and its receptor are considered as female-specifically expressed. The finding that the fat body of in honey bee (Apis mellifera) drones synthesizes Vg and is present in hemolymph has long been viewed as a curiosity. The recent paradigm change concerning the role played by Vg in honey bee life history, especially social division of labor, has now led us to investigate whether a physiological constellation similar to that seen in female reproduction may also be represented in the male sex. By means of Western blot analysis we could show that both Vg and Lp are present in the reproductive tract of adult drones, including the accessory (mucus) glands, but apparently are not secreted. Furthermore, we analyzed the transcript levels of the genes encoding these proteins (vg and lp), as well as their putative receptors (Amvgr and Amlpr) in fat body and accessory glands. Whereas lp, vg and Amlpr transcript levels decreased with age in both tissues, Amvgr mRNA levels increased with age in fat body. To our knowledge this is the first report that vitellogenin and its receptor are co-expressed in the reproductive system of a male insect. We interpret these findings as a cross-sexual transfer of a social physiological trait, associated with the rewiring of the juvenile hormone/vitellogenin circuitry that occurred in the female sex of honey bees. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gap junction connexins in female reproductive organs: implications for women's reproductive health.

PubMed

Winterhager, Elke; Kidder, Gerald M

2015-01-01

Connexins comprise a family of ~20 proteins that form intercellular membrane channels (gap junction channels) providing a direct route for metabolites and signalling molecules to pass between cells. This review provides a critical analysis of the evidence for essential roles of individual connexins in female reproductive function, highlighting implications for women's reproductive health. No systematic review has been carried out. Published literature from the past 35 years was surveyed for research related to connexin involvement in development and function of the female reproductive system. Because of the demonstrated utility of genetic manipulation for elucidating connexin functions in various organs, much of the cited information comes from research with genetically modified mice. In some cases, a distinction is drawn between connexin functions clearly related to the formation of gap junction channels and those possibly linked to non-channel roles. Based on work with mice, several connexins are known to be required for female reproductive functions. Loss of connexin43 (CX43) causes an oocyte deficiency, and follicles lacking or expressing less CX43 in granulosa cells exhibit reduced growth, impairing fertility. CX43 is also expressed in human cumulus cells and, in the context of IVF, has been correlated with pregnancy outcome, suggesting that this connexin may be a determinant of oocyte and embryo quality in women. Loss of CX37, which exclusively connects oocytes with granulosa cells in the mouse, caused oocytes to cease growing without acquiring meiotic competence. Blocking of CX26 channels in the uterine epithelium disrupted implantation whereas loss or reduction of CX43 expression in the uterine stroma impaired decidualization and vascularization in mouse and human. Several connexins are important in placentation and, in the human, CX43 is a key regulator of the fusogenic pathway from the cytotrophoblast to the syncytiotrophoblast, ensuring placental growth

Stem cells and female reproduction.

PubMed

Du, Hongling; Taylor, Hugh S

2009-02-01

Several recent findings in stem cell biology have resulted in new opportunities for the treatment of reproductive disease. Endometrial regeneration can be driven by bone marrow derived stem cells. This finding has potential implications for the treatment of uterine disorders. It also supports a new theory for the etiology of endometriosis. The ovaries have been shown to contain stem cells that form oocytes in adults and can be cultured in vitro to develop mature oocytes. Stem cells from the fetus have been demonstrated to lead to microchimerism in the mother and implicated in several maternal diseases. Additionally the placenta may be another source of hematopoietic stem cell. Finally endometrial derived stem cells have been demonstrated to differentiate into non-reproductive tissues. While we are just beginning to understand stem cells and many key questions remain, the potential advantages of stem cells in reproductive biology and medicine are apparent.

Sex differences in the effects of juvenile and adult diet on age-dependent reproductive effort.

PubMed

Houslay, T M; Hunt, J; Tinsley, M C; Bussière, L F

2015-05-01

Sexual selection should cause sex differences in patterns of resource allocation. When current and future reproductive effort trade off, variation in resource acquisition might further cause sex differences in age-dependent investment, or in sensitivity to changes in resource availability over time. However, the nature and prevalence of sex differences in age-dependent investment remain unclear. We manipulated resource acquisition at juvenile and adult stages in decorated crickets, Gryllodes sigillatus, and assessed effects on sex-specific allocation to age-dependent reproductive effort (calling in males, fecundity in females) and longevity. We predicted that the resource and time demands of egg production would result in relatively consistent female strategies across treatments, whereas male investment should depend sharply on diet. Contrary to expectations, female age-dependent reproductive effort diverged substantially across treatments, with resource-limited females showing much lower and later investment in reproduction; the highest fecundity was associated with intermediate lifespans. In contrast, long-lived males always signalled more than short-lived males, and male age-dependent reproductive effort did not depend on diet. We found consistently positive covariance between male reproductive effort and lifespan, whereas diet altered this covariance in females, revealing sex differences in the benefits of allocation to longevity. Our results support sex-specific selection on allocation patterns, but also suggest a simpler alternative: males may use social feedback to make allocation decisions and preferentially store resources as energetic reserves in its absence. Increased calling effort with age therefore could be caused by gradual resource accumulation, heightened mortality risk over time, and a lack of feedback from available mates. © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2015 European Society For Evolutionary

Beadex Function in the Motor Neurons Is Essential for Female Reproduction in Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Kairamkonda, Subhash; Nongthomba, Upendra

2014-01-01

Drosophila melanogaster has served as an excellent model system for understanding the neuronal circuits and molecular mechanisms regulating complex behaviors. The Drosophila female reproductive circuits, in particular, are well studied and can be used as a tool to understand the role of novel genes in neuronal function in general and female reproduction in particular. In the present study, the role of Beadex, a transcription co-activator, in Drosophila female reproduction was assessed by generation of mutant and knock down studies. Null allele of Beadex was generated by transposase induced excision of P-element present within an intron of Beadex gene. The mutant showed highly compromised reproductive abilities as evaluated by reduced fecundity and fertility, abnormal oviposition and more importantly, the failure of sperm release from storage organs. However, no defect was found in the overall ovariole development. Tissue specific, targeted knock down of Beadex indicated that its function in neurons is important for efficient female reproduction, since its neuronal knock down led to compromised female reproductive abilities, similar to Beadex null females. Further, different neuronal class specific knock down studies revealed that Beadex function is required in motor neurons for normal fecundity and fertility of females. Thus, the present study attributes a novel and essential role for Beadex in female reproduction through neurons. PMID:25396431

Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors in Female Reproduction and Fertility

PubMed Central

Carta, Gaspare; Artini, Paolo Giovanni

2016-01-01

Reproductive functions may be altered by the exposure to a multitude of endogenous and exogenous agents, drug or environmental pollutants, which are known to affect gene transcription through the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) activation. PPARs act as ligand activated transcription factors and regulate metabolic processes such as lipid and glucose metabolism, energy homeostasis, inflammation, and cell proliferation and differentiation. All PPARs isotypes are expressed along the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and are strictly involved in reproductive functions. Since female fertility and energy metabolism are tightly interconnected, the research on female infertility points towards the exploration of potential PPARs activating/antagonizing compounds, mainly belonging to the class of thiazolidinediones (TZDs) and fibrates, as useful agents for the maintenance of metabolic homeostasis in women with ovarian dysfunctions. In the present review, we discuss the recent evidence about PPARs expression in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis and their involvement in female reproduction. Finally, the therapeutic potential of their manipulation through several drugs is also discussed. PMID:27559343

Elevated glucocorticoid concentrations during gestation predict reduced reproductive success in subordinate female banded mongooses.

PubMed

Sanderson, J L; Nichols, H J; Marshall, H H; Vitikainen, E I K; Thompson, F J; Walker, S L; Cant, M A; Young, A J

2015-10-01

Dominant females in social species have been hypothesized to reduce the reproductive success of their subordinates by inducing elevated circulating glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations. However, this 'stress-related suppression' hypothesis has received little support in cooperatively breeding species, despite evident reproductive skews among females. We tested this hypothesis in the banded mongoose (Mungos mungo), a cooperative mammal in which multiple females conceive and carry to term in each communal breeding attempt. As predicted, lower ranked females had lower reproductive success, even among females that carried to term. While there were no rank-related differences in faecal glucocorticoid (fGC) concentrations prior to gestation or in the first trimester, lower ranked females had significantly higher fGC concentrations than higher ranked females in the second and third trimesters. Finally, females with higher fGC concentrations during the third trimester lost a greater proportion of their gestated young prior to their emergence from the burrow. Together, our results are consistent with a role for rank-related maternal stress in generating reproductive skew among females in this cooperative breeder. While studies of reproductive skew frequently consider the possibility that rank-related stress reduces the conception rates of subordinates, our findings highlight the possibility of detrimental effects on reproductive outcomes even after pregnancies have become established. © 2015 The Authors.

Monitoring blood glucose levels in female mink during the reproductive cycle: 1. Prevention of hyperglycemia during the nursing period

PubMed Central

Hynes, Amber M.J.; Rouvinen-Watt, Kirsti

2007-01-01

Nursing sickness, the largest cause of death in female adult mink, is a metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia. The impacts of body condition, dietary supplements, and reproductive status on the blood glucose concentration in female mink during the reproductive cycle were investigated. Mink dams on 3 farms were assigned to receive either herring oil (HerO) or chromium picolinate (CrPic) or to be in a control group, receiving only the basal diet, for 6 wk at the onset of lactation. Hyperglycemia was observed throughout the reproductive cycle. Significant differences in blood glucose levels were observed between farms, emphasizing the importance of herd genetics and of animal management and feeding practices in glycemic regulation. Female mink exhibiting hyperglycemia early in the reproductive cycle tended to remain hyperglycemic and to have poorer health and fewer kits. Glucose levels > 7 mmol/L can be considered critical in this regard. Supplementing the diet with CrPic reduced the blood glucose concentration. Results from this study suggest that a diet containing high-quality n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, high levels of carbohydrate, and CrPic supplementation may help the nursing mink dam maintain a normal blood glucose concentration during lactation. PMID:17955897

Influence of oil-related environmental pollutants on female reproduction.

PubMed

Sirotkin, Alexander V; Harrath, Abdul Halim

2017-08-01

The petroleum low-weight aromatic hydrocarbons benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, m/p-xylene, and o-xylene, also known as BTEX, are among the most common hazardous sources of environmental contamination. This paper reviews the available data concerning the effects of BTEX on different aspects of female reproduction, including the fecundity, ovaries, central nervous system (CNS), oocytes, embryos, oviducts, cytogenetics of somatic and generative cells, intracellular signaling systems, and hypothalamic, pituitary and peripheral reproductive hormones. Analysis of the available literature demonstrates that BTEX can exert negative effects on various female reproductive sites, including the CNS-pituitary-ovarian axis, their signaling molecules and receptors, ovarian follicles, corpora lutea, oocytes, embryos, oviducts, ovarian cycles, fertility, and the viability of offspring. These effects could be due to the ability of BTEX to destroy chromosomes, to affect cell metabolism, including the accumulation of free radicals, and to affect the release of hormonal regulators of reproductive processes and intracellular protein kinases. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproductive maturation and senescence in the female brown bear

USGS Publications Warehouse

Schwartz, Charles C.; Keating, Kim A.; Reynolds III, Harry V.; Barnes, Victor G.; Sellers, Richard A.; Swenson, J.E.; Miller, Sterling D.; McLellan, B.N.; Keay, Jeffrey A.; McCann, Robert; Gibeau, Michael; Wakkinen, Wayne F.; Mace, Richard D.; Kasworm, Wayne; Smith, Rodger; Herrero, Steven

2003-01-01

Changes in age-specific reproductive rates can have important implications for managing populations, but the number of female brown (grizzly) bears (Ursus arctos) observed in any one study is usually inadequate to quantify such patterns, especially for older females and in hunted areas. We examined patterns of reproductive maturation and senescence in female brown bears by combining data from 20 study areas from Sweden, Alaska, Canada, and the continental United States. We assessed reproductive performance based on 4,726 radiocollared years for free-ranging female brown bears (age 3); 482 of these were for bears 20 years of age. We modeled age-specific probability of litter production using extreme value distributions to describe probabilities for young- and old-age classes, and a power distribution function to describe probabilities for prime-aged animals. We then fit 4 models to pooled observations from our 20 study areas. We used Akaike’s Information Criterion (AIC) to select the best model. Inflection points suggest that major shifts in litter production occur at 4–5 and 28–29 years of age. The estimated model asymptote (0.332, 95% CI ¼ 0.319–0.344) was consistent with the expected reproductive cycle of a cub litter every 3 years (0.333). We discuss assumptions and biases in data collection relative to the shape of the model curve. Our results conform to senescence theory and suggest that female age structure in contemporary brown bear populations is considerably younger than would be expected in the absence of modern man. This implies that selective pressures today differ from those that influenced brown bear evolution.

Endocrine remodelling of the adult intestine sustains reproduction in Drosophila

PubMed Central

Reiff, Tobias; Jacobson, Jake; Cognigni, Paola; Antonello, Zeus; Ballesta, Esther; Tan, Kah Junn; Yew, Joanne Y; Dominguez, Maria; Miguel-Aliaga, Irene

2015-01-01

The production of offspring is energetically costly and relies on incompletely understood mechanisms that generate a positive energy balance. In mothers of many species, changes in key energy-associated internal organs are common yet poorly characterised functionally and mechanistically. In this study, we show that, in adult Drosophila females, the midgut is dramatically remodelled to enhance reproductive output. In contrast to extant models, organ remodelling does not occur in response to increased nutrient intake and/or offspring demands, but rather precedes them. With spatially and temporally directed manipulations, we identify juvenile hormone (JH) as an anticipatory endocrine signal released after mating. Acting through intestinal bHLH-PAS domain proteins Methoprene-tolerant (Met) and Germ cell-expressed (Gce), JH signals directly to intestinal progenitors to yield a larger organ, and adjusts gene expression and sterol regulatory element-binding protein (SREBP) activity in enterocytes to support increased lipid metabolism. Our findings identify a metabolically significant paradigm of adult somatic organ remodelling linking hormonal signals, epithelial plasticity, and reproductive output. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.06930.001 PMID:26216039

Reproduction Symposium: developmental programming of reproductive and metabolic health.

PubMed

Padmanabhan, V; Veiga-Lopez, A

2014-08-01

Inappropriate programming of the reproductive system by developmental exposure to excess steroid hormones is of concern. Sheep are well suited for investigating developmental origin of reproductive and metabolic disorders. The developmental time line of female sheep (approximately 5 mo gestation and approximately 7 mo to puberty) is ideal for conducting sequential studies of the progression of metabolic and/or reproductive disruption from the developmental insult to manifestation of adult consequences. Major benefits of using sheep include knowledge of established critical periods to target adult defects, a rich understanding of reproductive neuroendocrine regulation, availability of noninvasive approaches to monitor follicular dynamics, established surgical approaches to obtain hypophyseal portal blood for measurement of hypothalamic hormones, and the ability to perform studies in natural setting thereby keeping behavioral interactions intact. Of importance is the ability to chronically instrument fetus and mother for determining early endocrine perturbations. Prenatal exposure of the female to excess testosterone (T) leads to an array of adult reproductive disorders that include LH excess, functional hyperandrogenism, neuroendocrine defects, multifollicular ovarian morphology, and corpus luteum dysfunction culminating in early reproductive failure. At the neuroendocrine level, all 3 feedback systems are compromised. At the pituitary level, gonadotrope (LH secretion) sensitivity to GnRH is increased. Multifollicular ovarian morphology stems from persistence of follicles as well as enhanced follicular recruitment. These defects culminate in progressive loss of cyclicity and reduced fecundity. Prenatal T excess also leads to fetal growth retardation, an early marker of adult reproductive and metabolic diseases, insulin resistance, hypertension, and behavioral deficits. Collectively, the reproductive and metabolic deficits of prenatal T-treated sheep provide proof of

Adult nutrition and butterfly fitness: effects of diet quality on reproductive output, egg composition, and egg hatching success

PubMed Central

Geister, Thorin L; Lorenz, Matthias W; Hoffmann, Klaus H; Fischer, Klaus

2008-01-01

Background In the Lepidoptera it was historically believed that adult butterflies rely primarily on larval-derived nutrients for reproduction and somatic maintenance. However, recent studies highlight the complex interactions between storage reserves and adult income, and that the latter may contribute significantly to reproduction. Effects of adult diet were commonly assessed by determining the number and/or size of the eggs produced, whilst its consequences for egg composition and offspring viability were largely neglected (as is generally true for insects). We here specifically focus on these latter issues by using the fruit-feeding tropical butterfly Bicyclus anynana, which is highly dependent on adult-derived carbohydrates for reproduction. Results Adult diet of female B. anynana had pronounced effects on fecundity, egg composition and egg hatching success, with butterflies feeding on the complex nutrition of banana fruit performing best. Adding vitamins and minerals to a sucrose-based diet increased fecundity, but not offspring viability. All other groups (plain sucrose solution, sucrose solution enriched with lipids or yeast) had a substantially lower fecundity and egg hatching success compared to the banana group. Differences were particularly pronounced later in life, presumably indicating the depletion of essential nutrients in sucrose-fed females. Effects of adult diet on egg composition were not straightforward, indicating complex interactions among specific compounds. There was some evidence that total egg energy and water content were related to hatching success, while egg protein, lipid, glycogen and free carbohydrate content did not seem to limit successful development. Conclusion The patterns shown here exemplify the complexity of reproductive resource allocation in B. anynana, and the need to consider egg composition and offspring viability when trying to estimate the effects of adult nutrition on fitness in this butterfly and other insects. PMID

Dynamic digestive physiology of a female reproductive organ in a polyandrous butterfly

PubMed Central

Plakke, Melissa S.; Deutsch, Aaron B.; Meslin, Camille; Clark, Nathan L.; Morehouse, Nathan I.

2015-01-01

ABSTRACT Reproductive traits experience high levels of selection because of their direct ties to fitness, often resulting in rapid adaptive evolution. Much of the work in this area has focused on male reproductive traits. However, a more comprehensive understanding of female reproductive adaptations and their relationship to male characters is crucial to uncover the relative roles of sexual cooperation and conflict in driving co-evolutionary dynamics between the sexes. We focus on the physiology of a complex female reproductive adaptation in butterflies and moths: a stomach-like organ in the female reproductive tract called the bursa copulatrix that digests the male ejaculate (spermatophore). Little is known about how the bursa digests the spermatophore. We characterized bursa proteolytic capacity in relation to female state in the polyandrous butterfly Pieris rapae. We found that the virgin bursa exhibits extremely high levels of proteolytic activity. Furthermore, in virgin females, bursal proteolytic capacity increases with time since eclosion and ambient temperature, but is not sensitive to the pre-mating social environment. Post copulation, bursal proteolytic activity decreases rapidly before rebounding toward the end of a mating cycle, suggesting active female regulation of proteolysis and/or potential quenching of proteolysis by male ejaculate constituents. Using transcriptomic and proteomic approaches, we report identities for nine proteases actively transcribed by bursal tissue and/or expressed in the bursal lumen that may contribute to observed bursal proteolysis. We discuss how these dynamic physiological characteristics may function as female adaptations resulting from sexual conflict over female remating rate in this polyandrous butterfly. PMID:25994634

Reproductive partitioning and the assumptions of reproductive skew models in the cooperatively breeding American crow

PubMed Central

Townsend, Andrea K.; Clark, Anne B.; McGowan, Kevin J.; Lovette, Irby J.

2009-01-01

Understanding the benefits of cooperative breeding for group members of different social and demographic classes requires knowledge of their reproductive partitioning and genetic relatedness. From 2004-2007, we examined parentage as a function of relatedness and social interactions among members of 21 American crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) family groups. Paired female breeders monopolized maternity of all offspring in their broods, whereas paired male breeders sired 82.7% of offspring, within-group auxiliary males sired 6.9% of offspring, and extragroup males sired 10.4% of offspring. Although adult females had fewer opportunities for direct reproduction as auxiliaries than males, they appeared to have earlier opportunities for independent breeding. These different opportunities for direct reproduction probably contributed to the male biased adult auxiliary sex ratio. Patterns of reproductive partitioning and conflict among males were most consistent with a synthetic reproductive skew model, in which auxiliaries struggled with breeders for a limited reproductive share, beyond which breeders could evict them. Counter to a frequent assumption of reproductive skew models, female breeders appeared to influence paternity, although their interests might have agreed with the interests of their paired males. Unusual among cooperative breeders, close inbreeding and incest occurred in this population. Incest avoidance between potential breeders did not significantly affect reproductive skew. PMID:20126287

Polychlorinated biphenyls and reproductive hormones in female polar bears at Svalbard.

PubMed

Haave, Marte; Ropstad, Erik; Derocher, Andrew E; Lie, Elisabeth; Dahl, Ellen; Wiig, Øystein; Skaare, Janneche U; Jenssen, Bjørn Munro

2003-04-01

High concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in polar bears from Svalbard have increased concern for that population's reproductive health. We examined whether there were associations between the plasma concentrations of PCBs and reproductive hormones [progesterone (P4)] and 17 beta-estradiol (E2)] in free-living female polar bears from Svalbard. Concentrations of P4 depended on reproductive status, and concentrations were lowest in females with offspring--females with cubs and females with yearlings. In these females, the P4 concentrations were positively correlated with plasma sigma PCBs (sum of all analyzed polychlorinated biphenyl congeners) concentrations. The sigma PCBs concentrations explained 27% of the variation in the P4 concentrations. There were no correlations between sigma PCBs and E2 and cortisol in any of the groups of polar bears, or between sigma PCBs and P4 in single polar bears. Although the sigma PCBs-P4 relationship in female polar bears with offspring is not evidence per se of a direct cause-effect association, the results indicate that PCBs may affect levels of P4 in polar bear females. There is a clear need to further assess the hormone balance and population health of polar bears at Svalbard.

Mating-Induced Transcriptome Changes in the Reproductive Tract of Female Aedes aegypti

PubMed Central

Degner, Ethan C.; Avila, Frank W.; Villarreal, Susan M.; Pleiss, Jeffrey A.; Wolfner, Mariana F.; Harrington, Laura C.

2016-01-01

The Aedes aegypti mosquito is a significant public health threat, as it is the main vector of dengue and chikungunya viruses. Disease control efforts could be enhanced through reproductive manipulation of these vectors. Previous work has revealed a relationship between male seminal fluid proteins transferred to females during mating and female post-mating physiology and behavior. To better understand this interplay, we used short-read RNA sequencing to identify gene expression changes in the lower reproductive tract of females in response to mating. We characterized mRNA expression in virgin and mated females at 0, 6 and 24 hours post-mating (hpm) and identified 364 differentially abundant transcripts between mating status groups. Surprisingly, 60 transcripts were more abundant at 0hpm compared to virgin females, suggesting transfer from males. Twenty of these encode known Ae. aegypti seminal fluid proteins. Transfer and detection of male accessory gland-derived mRNA in females at 0hpm was confirmed by measurement of eGFP mRNA in females mated to eGFP-expressing males. In addition, 150 transcripts were up-regulated at 6hpm and 24hpm, while 130 transcripts were down-regulated at 6hpm and 24hpm. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that proteases, a protein class broadly known to play important roles in reproduction, were among the most enriched protein classes. RNAs associated with immune system and antimicrobial function were also up-regulated at 24hpm. Collectively, our results suggest that copulation initiates broad transcriptome changes across the mosquito female reproductive tract, “priming” her for important subsequent processes of blood feeding, egg development and immune defense. Our transcriptome analysis provides a vital foundation for future studies of the consequences of mating on female biology and will aid studies seeking to identify specific gene families, molecules and pathways that support key reproductive processes in the female

The effects of oxidative stress on female reproduction: a review

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Oxidative stress (OS), a state characterized by an imbalance between pro-oxidant molecules including reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, and antioxidant defenses, has been identified to play a key role in the pathogenesis of subfertility in both males and females. The adverse effects of OS on sperm quality and functions have been well documented. In females, on the other hand, the impact of OS on oocytes and reproductive functions remains unclear. This imbalance between pro-oxidants and antioxidants can lead to a number of reproductive diseases such as endometriosis, polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), and unexplained infertility. Pregnancy complications such as spontaneous abortion, recurrent pregnancy loss, and preeclampsia, can also develop in response to OS. Studies have shown that extremes of body weight and lifestyle factors such as cigarette smoking, alcohol use, and recreational drug use can promote excess free radical production, which could affect fertility. Exposures to environmental pollutants are of increasing concern, as they too have been found to trigger oxidative states, possibly contributing to female infertility. This article will review the currently available literature on the roles of reactive species and OS in both normal and abnormal reproductive physiological processes. Antioxidant supplementation may be effective in controlling the production of ROS and continues to be explored as a potential strategy to overcome reproductive disorders associated with infertility. However, investigations conducted to date have been through animal or in vitro studies, which have produced largely conflicting results. The impact of OS on assisted reproductive techniques (ART) will be addressed, in addition to the possible benefits of antioxidant supplementation of ART culture media to increase the likelihood for ART success. Future randomized controlled clinical trials on humans are necessary to elucidate the precise mechanisms through which OS affects female

Species Comparison of the Role of p38 MAP Kinase in the Female Reproductive System.

PubMed

Radi, Zaher A; Marusak, Rosemary A; Morris, Dale L

2009-06-01

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are members of discrete signal transduction pathways that have significant regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes, depending on the cell, tissue and organ type. p38 MAPKs are involved in inflammation, cell growth and differentiation and cell cycle. In the female reproductive system, p38 MAPKs are known to regulate various aspects of the reproductive process such as mammalian estrous and menstrual cycles as well as early pregnancy and parturition. p38 MAPKs have also been implicated in alterations and pathologies observed in the female reproductive system. Therefore, pharmacologic modulation of p38 MAPKs, and inter-connected signaling pathways (e.g., estrogen receptor signaling, c-fos, c-jun), may influence reproductive physiology and function. This article provides a critical, comparative review of available data on the roles of p38 MAPKs in the mammalian female reproductive system and in reproductive pathophysiology in humans and preclinical species. We first introduce fundamental differences and similarities of the mammalian female reproductive system that should be considered by toxicologists and toxicologic pathologists when assessing the effects of new pharmacologic agents on the female reproductive system. We then explore in detail the known roles for p38 MAPKs and related molecules in female reproduction. This foundation is then extended to pathological conditions in which p38 MAPKs are thought to play an integral role.

Identifying individual male reproductive consistency in Drosophila melanogaster: The importance of controlling female behaviour.

PubMed

Balaban-Feld, Jesse; Valone, Thomas J

2017-09-01

Work on the repeatability of reproductive behaviour has mainly focused on the consistency of female preferences. We characterised the consistency of individual male Drosophila melanogaster reproductive behaviour in two experiments. In the first experiment, we allowed males to interact with a pair of live females that differed in body size. We then controlled female behaviour in a second experiment by examining the courtship behaviour of individual males interacting with a pair of decapitated females that varied in body size. In both experiments, we examined the consistency of individual male reproductive behaviour across two repeated trials on the same day. Males did not exhibit a courtship preference for the larger female in either experiment, but, in experiment 1, males did exhibit post-copulatory choice by copulating for longer durations with the large female, and males that mated with the same type of female in both trials exhibited repeatable behaviour. In general, we found weak evidence of consistent male courtship behaviour in the presence of behaving females. However, when female behaviour was controlled in experiment 2, we found that male courtship behaviour was highly repeatable. These results indicate that individual male D. melanogaster exhibit consistent reproductive behaviour and demonstrate the importance of controlling female behaviour when attempting to characterise the repeatability of male reproductive behaviour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Changes in gene expression associated with reproductive maturation in wild female baboons.

PubMed

Babbitt, Courtney C; Tung, Jenny; Wray, Gregory A; Alberts, Susan C

2012-01-01

Changes in gene expression during development play an important role in shaping morphological and behavioral differences, including between humans and nonhuman primates. Although many of the most striking developmental changes occur during early development, reproductive maturation represents another critical window in primate life history. However, this process is difficult to study at the molecular level in natural primate populations. Here, we took advantage of ovarian samples made available through an unusual episode of human-wildlife conflict to identify genes that are important in this process. Specifically, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to compare genome-wide gene expression patterns in the ovarian tissue of juvenile and adult female baboons from Amboseli National Park, Kenya. We combined this information with prior evidence of selection occurring on two primate lineages (human and chimpanzee). We found that in cases in which genes were both differentially expressed over the course of ovarian maturation and also linked to lineage-specific selection this selective signature was much more likely to occur in regulatory regions than in coding regions. These results suggest that adaptive change in the development of the primate ovary may be largely driven at the mechanistic level by selection on gene regulation, potentially in relationship to the physiology or timing of female reproductive maturation.

Changes in Gene Expression Associated with Reproductive Maturation in Wild Female Baboons

PubMed Central

Babbitt, Courtney C.; Tung, Jenny; Wray, Gregory A.; Alberts, Susan C.

2012-01-01

Changes in gene expression during development play an important role in shaping morphological and behavioral differences, including between humans and nonhuman primates. Although many of the most striking developmental changes occur during early development, reproductive maturation represents another critical window in primate life history. However, this process is difficult to study at the molecular level in natural primate populations. Here, we took advantage of ovarian samples made available through an unusual episode of human–wildlife conflict to identify genes that are important in this process. Specifically, we used RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) to compare genome-wide gene expression patterns in the ovarian tissue of juvenile and adult female baboons from Amboseli National Park, Kenya. We combined this information with prior evidence of selection occurring on two primate lineages (human and chimpanzee). We found that in cases in which genes were both differentially expressed over the course of ovarian maturation and also linked to lineage-specific selection this selective signature was much more likely to occur in regulatory regions than in coding regions. These results suggest that adaptive change in the development of the primate ovary may be largely driven at the mechanistic level by selection on gene regulation, potentially in relationship to the physiology or timing of female reproductive maturation. PMID:22155733

Validity of self-reported fertility-threatening cancer treatments in female young adult cancer survivors.

PubMed

Roberts, Samantha C; Knight, Amber; Whitcomb, Brian W; Gorman, Jessica R; Dietz, Andrew C; Irene Su, H

2017-08-01

Detailed cancer treatment information is important to fertility and pregnancy care of female young adult cancer survivors. Accuracy of self-report of treatments that impact fertility and pregnancy is unknown. This study assessed agreement between self-report and medical records on receipt of fertility-threatening treatments. A national cohort study of female young adult cancer survivors reported cancer treatments via Web-based questionnaires. Primary cancer treatment records were abstracted. Self-reported exposure to fertility-threatening therapies (alkylating chemotherapy, stem cell transplant, pelvic radiation, hysterectomy, and/or oophorectomy) was compared to medical records. Logistic regression models estimated odds ratios (OR) for characteristics associated with inaccurate self-report of fertility-threatening therapies. The study included 101 survivors (mean age 28.2, SD 6.3). Lymphoma (33%), breast cancer (26%), and gynecologic cancers (10%) were the most common cancers. Accuracy of self-report was 68% for alkylating chemotherapy and 92-97% for radiation, surgery, and transplant. Significant proportions of survivors who were treated with transplant (8/13, 62%), alkylating chemotherapy (18/43, 42%), pelvic radiation (4/13, 31%), or hysterectomy and/or oophorectomy (3/13, 23%) did not report undergoing these therapies. In adjusted analysis, age ≤ 25 at diagnosis (OR 3.4, 95% CI 1.3-8.7) and recurrence (OR 6.0, 95% CI 1.5-24.4) were related to inaccurate self-report. Female young adult cancer survivors have limited recall of fertility-threatening cancer treatment exposures. Reproductive health providers and researchers who need this information may require primary medical records or treatment summaries. Additional patient education regarding treatment-related reproductive risks is needed to facilitate patient engagement in survivorship. Obtaining a cancer treatment summary will help survivors communicate their prior treatment exposures to reproductive

Methylxanthines and reproduction.

PubMed

Minelli, Alba; Bellezza, Ilaria

2011-01-01

Reproduction is the process by which organisms create descendants. In human reproduction, two kinds of sex cells, or gametes, are involved. Sperm, the male gamete, and egg egg , or ovum ovum Vedi egg , the female gamete, must meet in the female reproductive system to create a new individual and both the female and the male reproductive systems are essential to the occurrence of reproduction. Scientific reports dealing with the effects of methylxanthines on reproduction are mostly centred on the use of these compounds as phosphodiesterase inhibitors that, by maintaining high intracellular levels of cyclic AMP (cAMP) cyclic AMP , will affect the gametes differently. High cAMP levels will sustain sperm sperm maturation while they hold the oocytes in mitotic arrest. Caffeine caffeine , being the methylxanthine most widely consumed by every segment of the population, has been the subject of greatest interest among health professionals and researchers. Conflicting results still seem to characterize the association between male/female caffeine caffeine consumption in adult life and semen quality/fertility fertility , although moderate daily caffeine consumption of levels up to 400-450 mg/day (5.7-6.4 mg/kg/day in a 70-kg adult) do not seem to be associated with adverse effects, i.e. general toxicity, effects on bone status and calcium balance, cardiovascular effects, behavioural changes, increased incidence of cancer, or effects on male fertility. A clear stimulation of egg-laying by the coffee leaf pest Leucoptera coffeella was recently reported, providing support for the hypothesis that caffeine, in a dose-dependent way, in insects stimulates egg-laying, thus leading to the death of coffee trees.

Effect of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Intake on the Female Reproductive Organs and Lipid Accumulation in Adult Rats

PubMed Central

Ko, Eun-Ah; Kim, Hye-Ri; Kim, Yong-Bin; Kim, Hee-Su; Lee, Sung-Ho

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is widely used as sweetener, and its overconsumption is become a major health problem. In the present study, we used adult female rats and applied a 28 days HFCS feeding model to monitor the estrous cycle and changes in tissue weights and histology. Adult female rats were divided into three groups. Animals were fed with ad libitum normal chow and (1) 24 hours tap water (Control group), (2) 12 hours HFCS access during dark period and 12 hours tap water (12H group), and (3) 24 hours HFCS only access (24H group). Total exposure period was 28 days. There is no significant change in body weight between control and HFCS-fed animals. Both absolute and relative weights of ovary in 24H animals were significantly heavier than those in control or 12H animals. The absolute and relative weights of the kidney and liver in 24H groups were significantly heavier than those in control or 12H animals. The estrous cycles of the 24H animals were significantly longer. Histological analyses revealed that 24H ovaries were relatively bigger and possessed more corpus lutea than control ovaries. Uterine sections of 12H and 24H animals showed a well-developed stratum vasculare between inner and outer myometrial layers. The number of endometrial glands were decreased in 12H uteri, and recovered in 24H uteri compared to control. Numbers of convoluted tubule in distal region increased in 12H and 24H kidney samples. Liver specimens of 12H and 24H showed the increased number of fat containing vacuoles. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that HFCS treatment for 28 days could induce (1) changes in length of estrous cycle with extended estrous and diestrous stages, (2) altered ovarian and uterine histology, and (3) liver and renal lipid accumulation. These findings reveal the adverse effects of HFCS drinking on the reproductive function and lipid metabolism of female rats. PMID:28785736

Effect of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) Intake on the Female Reproductive Organs and Lipid Accumulation in Adult Rats.

PubMed

Ko, Eun-Ah; Kim, Hye-Ri; Kim, Yong-Bin; Kim, Hee-Su; Lee, Sung-Ho

2017-06-01

High-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) is widely used as sweetener, and its overconsumption is become a major health problem. In the present study, we used adult female rats and applied a 28 days HFCS feeding model to monitor the estrous cycle and changes in tissue weights and histology. Adult female rats were divided into three groups. Animals were fed with ad libitum normal chow and (1) 24 hours tap water (Control group), (2) 12 hours HFCS access during dark period and 12 hours tap water (12H group), and (3) 24 hours HFCS only access (24H group). Total exposure period was 28 days. There is no significant change in body weight between control and HFCS-fed animals. Both absolute and relative weights of ovary in 24H animals were significantly heavier than those in control or 12H animals. The absolute and relative weights of the kidney and liver in 24H groups were significantly heavier than those in control or 12H animals. The estrous cycles of the 24H animals were significantly longer. Histological analyses revealed that 24H ovaries were relatively bigger and possessed more corpus lutea than control ovaries. Uterine sections of 12H and 24H animals showed a well-developed stratum vasculare between inner and outer myometrial layers. The number of endometrial glands were decreased in 12H uteri, and recovered in 24H uteri compared to control. Numbers of convoluted tubule in distal region increased in 12H and 24H kidney samples. Liver specimens of 12H and 24H showed the increased number of fat containing vacuoles. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that HFCS treatment for 28 days could induce (1) changes in length of estrous cycle with extended estrous and diestrous stages, (2) altered ovarian and uterine histology, and (3) liver and renal lipid accumulation. These findings reveal the adverse effects of HFCS drinking on the reproductive function and lipid metabolism of female rats.

Long-term heavy metal pollution varied female reproduction investment in free-living anura, Bufo raddei.

PubMed

Zhang, Wenya; Guo, Rui; Ai, Shiwei; Yang, Ying; Ding, Jian; Zhang, Yingmei

2018-09-15

Environment contamination is known to affect the growth, reproduction, and even mortality of anuran species, and hence modulate their life history traits. Although knowledge of the ability of amphibians to cope with harsh environments has gained ongoing research, the reproductive strategy of free-living amphibians subjected to long-term heavy metal pollution is largely unknown. This study aimed to explore the variation in the life history traits, including age structure, maturation age, reproductive investment, and reproduction trade-off, in female Bufo raddei, a widespread anuran in Baiyin (BY) in northwest of China, subjected to sublethal heavy metal pollution. B. raddei collected from Liujiaxia (LJX), a relatively unpolluted area, were used as control. Skeletochronological analysis revealed variation in the average breeding age of females: more than 70% of females from BY began to breed 1 year before the toads collected from LJX. Females from BY tended to prioritize reproduction over survival and invested more in their first reproductive event. Further, females in BY with a high fluctuating asymmetry index showed a relatively lower reproductive investment. For trade-off in offspring number and size, BY population optimize larger clutch sizes with smaller egg size compared with population in LJX. Changes in female reproductive investment caused by heavy metal pollution might ultimately alter the structural stability of amphibian population. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Prostaglandins and reproduction in female farm animals.

PubMed

Weems, C W; Weems, Y S; Randel, R D

2006-03-01

Prostaglandins impact on ovarian, uterine, placental, and pituitary function to regulate reproduction in female livestock. They play important roles in ovulation, luteal function, maternal recognition of pregnancy, implantation, maintenance of gestation, microbial-induced abortion, parturition, postpartum uterine and ovarian infections, and resumption of postpartum ovarian cyclicity. Prostaglandins have both positive and negative effects on reproduction; they are used to synchronize oestrus, terminate pseudopregnancy in mares, induce parturition, and treat retained placenta, luteinized cysts, pyometra, and chronic endometritis. Improved therapeutic uses for prostaglandins will be developed when we understand better their involvement in implantation, maintenance of luteal function, and establishment and maintenance of pregnancy.

Early growth, dominance acquisition and lifetime reproductive success in male and female cooperative meerkats

PubMed Central

English, Sinead; Huchard, Elise; Nielsen, Johanna F; Clutton-Brock, Tim H

2013-01-01

In polygynous species, variance in reproductive success is higher in males than females. There is consequently stronger selection for competitive traits in males and early growth can have a greater influence on later fitness in males than in females. As yet, little is known about sex differences in the effect of early growth on subsequent breeding success in species where variance in reproductive success is higher in females than males, and competitive traits are under stronger selection in females. Greater variance in reproductive success has been documented in several singular cooperative breeders. Here, we investigated consequences of early growth for later reproductive success in wild meerkats. We found that, despite the absence of dimorphism, females who exhibited faster growth until nutritional independence were more likely to become dominant, whereas early growth did not affect dominance acquisition in males. Among those individuals who attained dominance, there was no further influence of early growth on dominance tenure or lifetime reproductive success in males or females. These findings suggest that early growth effects on competitive abilities and fitness may reflect the intensity of intrasexual competition even in sexually monomorphic species. PMID:24340181

Minireview: Metabolism of female reproduction: regulatory mechanisms and clinical implications.

PubMed

Seli, Emre; Babayev, Elnur; Collins, Stephen C; Nemeth, Gabor; Horvath, Tamas L

2014-06-01

Female fertility is highly dependent on successful regulation of energy metabolism. Central processes in the hypothalamus monitor the metabolic state of the organism and, together with metabolic hormones, drive the peripheral availability of energy for cellular functions. In the ovary, the oocyte and neighboring somatic cells of the follicle work in unison to achieve successful metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids. Metabolic disturbances such as anorexia nervosa, obesity, and diabetes mellitus have clinically important consequences on human reproduction. In this article, we review the metabolic determinants of female reproduction and their role in infertility.

Female reproductive tract of the lesser anteater (Tamandua tetradactyla, myrmecophagidae, Xenarthra). Anatomy and histology.

PubMed

Rossi, L F; Luaces, J P; Marcos, H J Aldana; Cetica, P D; Gachen, G; Jimeno, G Pérez; Merani, M S

2011-11-01

The morphological and histological features of the unusual reproductive tract of the female lesser anteater, Tamandua tetradactyla (Myrmecophagidae, Xenarthra), are described for the first time. The present study aimed to establish the main similarities and differences between this species and other xenarthrans. The populations of this species are declining rapidly for a number of reasons and our study is relevant to diverse programs related to its conservation. Studies were carried out on five female genital tracts of adult specimens. Ovaries were ovoid, presenting a medulla completely surrounded by the cortex, differently from that described in other xenarthans. Like in Dasypus but different from all other armadillos studied, single oocyte follicles were observed and a simple the uterus. The uterovaginal canal connects the uterus with the urogenital sinus. The simple columnar epithelium of the uterovaginal canal ends abruptly at a septum which resembles a hymen, where the transitional epithelium of the urogenital sinus appears. This ancestral feature is shared with that of other armadillos, except Tolypeutes matacus, which has a true vagina. Characteristics of the reproductive tract and sperm morphology of other Xenarthra are comparatively discussed. These observations suggest that important reproductive features are shared between the family Myrmecophagidae and the genus Dasypus, a basal group in the phylogeny of Xenarthra. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Female reproductive impacts of dietary methylmercury in yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and zebrafish (Danio rerio).

PubMed

DeBofsky, Abigail R; Klingler, Rebekah H; Mora-Zamorano, Francisco X; Walz, Marcus; Shepherd, Brian; Larson, Jeremy K; Anderson, David; Yang, Luobin; Goetz, Frederick; Basu, Niladri; Head, Jessica; Tonellato, Peter; Armstrong, Brandon M; Murphy, Cheryl; Carvan, Michael J

2018-03-01

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of environmentally relevant dietary MeHg exposures on adult female yellow perch (Perca flavescens) and female zebrafish (Danio rerio) ovarian development and reproduction. Yellow perch were used in the study for their socioeconomic and ecological importance within the Great Lakes basin, and the use of zebrafish allowed for a detailed analysis of the molecular effects of MeHg following a whole life-cycle exposure. Chronic whole life dietary exposure of F 1 zebrafish to MeHg mimics realistic wildlife exposure scenarios, and the twenty-week adult yellow perch exposure (where whole life-cycle exposures are difficult) captures early seasonal ovarian development. For both species, target dietary accumulation values were achieved prior to analyses. In zebrafish, several genes involved in reproductive processes were shown to be dysregulated by RNA-sequencing and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (QPCR), but no significant phenotypic changes were observed regarding ovarian staging, fecundity, or embryo mortality. Yellow perch were exposed to dietary MeHg for 12, 16, or 20 weeks. In this species, a set of eight genes were assessed by QPCR in the pituitary, liver, and ovary, and no exposure-related changes were observed. The lack of genomic resources in yellow perch hinders the characterization of subtle molecular impacts. The ovarian somatic index, circulating estradiol and testosterone, and ovarian staging were not significantly altered by MeHg exposure in yellow perch. These results suggest that environmentally relevant MeHg exposures do not drastically reduce the reproductively important endpoints in these fish, but to capture realistic exposure scenarios, whole life-cycle yellow perch exposures are needed. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Social stress and reproductive success in the female Syrian hamster: endocrine and behavioral correlates.

PubMed

Chelini, Marie Odile Monier; Palme, Rupert; Otta, Emma

2011-10-24

In many mammal species, reproduction is not shared equally among the members of a social unit. Even though reproductive skew seems unlikely in females of solitary species, this phenomenon could result from environmental factors. Although solitary in the wild, captive Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) are generally housed in groups. We investigated whether social stress produces some degree of reproductive skew in this solitary species and whether female reproductive success varies as a function of social rank. To assess the physiological relationship between social stress and fertility, we monitored reproductive hormones and glucocorticoids of solitary and pair-housed females during pregnancy by means of recently established non-invasive methods for measuring hormone metabolites in the feces. The patterns of fecal progesterone, estrogen and glucocorticoid metabolites were similar to those found in blood and reported in the literature for pregnant hamsters. As expected, dominant females had higher breeding success than subordinate females. However the rate of reproductive failure was also very high among the singly housed females of our control group. The number of pups per litter, the average sex-ratio in each group, and the mean weight of pups did not differ significantly among groups. Glucocorticoid concentrations were unaffected by housing and social rank and the few differences between the endocrine profiles of singly- and pair-housed females are not sufficient to explain the observed difference in breeding success. It is likely that social isolation impairs reproduction in the same manner as subordination. Our findings suggest that social isolation of animals accustomed to group living was equally as disturbing as cohabitation with an unknown conspecific. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Patterns of behavior across reproductive states of free-ranging female black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi).

PubMed

Campbell, Christina J

2004-06-01

Reports on the behavior of spider monkeys (genus Ateles) describe a suite of 5-6 behaviors that are indicative of an estrous female. This study presents hormonal data as an independent measure of reproductive state to determine if these behaviors are associated with any particular reproductive state or stage of the ovarian cycle. Fecal samples collected from 6 free-ranging female black-handed spider monkeys (Ateles geoffroyi) over the course of 11 months were assayed for estrogen (E1C) and progesterone (PdG) metabolites, using an enzyme immunoassay. Behavioral data collected from the same females were analyzed for patterns associated with different reproductive states. A more detailed analysis of behavioral data associated with reproductively cycling periods determined whether each behavior clustered with copulations or a particular phase in the ovarian cycle. Observations of place-sniffing were more frequent for 4 of 5 females when reproductively cycling. Of all copulations observed, 80% occurred when the female participant was reproductively cycling. In addition, the rates of self-clitoral hold and self-clitoral rub behaviors were significantly higher for 2 of 4 and 4 of 5 of females, respectively, when reproductively cycling. No behavior consistently occurred in association with copulations or with any particular phase in the ovarian cycle. Results from this study suggest that the behaviors tested in this paper can provide some information regarding female spider monkey reproductive state (whether or not she is reproductively cycling), but that they are not indicators of estrus in female spider monkeys. Copyright 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Two-generation reproductive toxicity study of tributyltin chloride in female rats.

PubMed

Ogata, R; Omura, M; Shimasaki, Y; Kubo, K; Oshima, Y; Aou, S; Inoue, N

2001-05-25

A two-generation reproductive toxicity study of the effects of tributyltin chloride (TBTCl) was conducted in female rats using dietary concentrations of 5, 25, and 125 ppm TBTCl. Reproductive outcomes of dams (number and body weight of pups and the percentage of live pups) and the growth of female pups (the day of eye opening and body weight gain) were significantly decreased in the 125 ppm TBTCl group. A delay in vaginal opening and impaired estrous cyclicity were also observed in the 125 ppm TBTCl group. However, an increase in anogenital distance was found in all TBTCl groups on postnatal d 1. A dose-effect relationship was observed in TBTCl-induced changes in anogenital distance. These results indicate that the whole-life exposure to TBTCl affects the sexual development and reproductive function of female rats. In addition, the TBTCl-induced increase in anogenital distance seems to suggest it may exert a masculinizing effect on female neonates. However, the concentrations of TBTCl used in this study are not environmentally relevant.

Effects of Environmental Toxicants on the Neuroendocrine Control of Female Reproduction

EPA Science Inventory

The hypothalamus and pituitary are known to play key roles in reproductive function. A growing body of evidence indicates that environmental toxicants can alter female reproductive function by disrupting hypothalamic control of the pituitary and subsequently, the endocrine contro...

Minireview: Metabolism of Female Reproduction: Regulatory Mechanisms and Clinical Implications

PubMed Central

Babayev, Elnur; Collins, Stephen C.; Nemeth, Gabor; Horvath, Tamas L.

2014-01-01

Female fertility is highly dependent on successful regulation of energy metabolism. Central processes in the hypothalamus monitor the metabolic state of the organism and, together with metabolic hormones, drive the peripheral availability of energy for cellular functions. In the ovary, the oocyte and neighboring somatic cells of the follicle work in unison to achieve successful metabolism of carbohydrates, amino acids, and lipids. Metabolic disturbances such as anorexia nervosa, obesity, and diabetes mellitus have clinically important consequences on human reproduction. In this article, we review the metabolic determinants of female reproduction and their role in infertility. PMID:24678733

The microbiota continuum along the female reproductive tract and its relation to uterine-related diseases.

PubMed

Chen, Chen; Song, Xiaolei; Wei, Weixia; Zhong, Huanzi; Dai, Juanjuan; Lan, Zhou; Li, Fei; Yu, Xinlei; Feng, Qiang; Wang, Zirong; Xie, Hailiang; Chen, Xiaomin; Zeng, Chunwei; Wen, Bo; Zeng, Liping; Du, Hui; Tang, Huiru; Xu, Changlu; Xia, Yan; Xia, Huihua; Yang, Huanming; Wang, Jian; Wang, Jun; Madsen, Lise; Brix, Susanne; Kristiansen, Karsten; Xu, Xun; Li, Junhua; Wu, Ruifang; Jia, Huijue

2017-10-17

Reports on bacteria detected in maternal fluids during pregnancy are typically associated with adverse consequences, and whether the female reproductive tract harbours distinct microbial communities beyond the vagina has been a matter of debate. Here we systematically sample the microbiota within the female reproductive tract in 110 women of reproductive age, and examine the nature of colonisation by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and cultivation. We find distinct microbial communities in cervical canal, uterus, fallopian tubes and peritoneal fluid, differing from that of the vagina. The results reflect a microbiota continuum along the female reproductive tract, indicative of a non-sterile environment. We also identify microbial taxa and potential functions that correlate with the menstrual cycle or are over-represented in subjects with adenomyosis or infertility due to endometriosis. The study provides insight into the nature of the vagino-uterine microbiome, and suggests that surveying the vaginal or cervical microbiota might be useful for detection of common diseases in the upper reproductive tract.Whether the female reproductive tract harbours distinct microbiomes beyond the vagina has been a matter of debate. Here, the authors show a subject-specific continuity in microbial communities at six sites along the female reproductive tract, indicative of a non-sterile environment.

Involvement of Met and Kr-h1 in JH-Mediated Reproduction of Female Bactrocera dorsalis (Hendel).

PubMed

Yue, Yong; Yang, Rui-Lin; Wang, Wei-Ping; Zhou, Qi-Hao; Chen, Er-Hu; Yuan, Guo-Rui; Wang, Jin-Jun; Dou, Wei

2018-01-01

Juvenile hormone (JH) prevents metamorphosis during insect larval stages and promotes adult reproductive processes. Krüppel-homolog 1 (Kr-h1), a zinc finger transcription factor assumed to be induced by JH via the JH receptor methoprene-tolerant (Met), mediates the antimetamorphic effect of JH in insects, but its function in JH-mediated reproductive processes has not been fully explored. In this study, Met and Kr-h1 involved in the JH signaling pathway were first cloned and identified from the oriental fruit fly, Bactrocera dorsalis , an important pest infesting fruit and vegetables worldwide. Subsequent spatiotemporal expression analysis revealed that Met and Kr-h1 were both highly expressed in 7-day-old adults and fat body of female adults, respectively. Treatment with a JH analog (methoprene) significantly induced the expression of JH signaling and vitellogenin ( Vg ) genes and accelerated ovary development. RNA interference (RNAi) further revealed that either Met or Kr-h1 depletion at the adult stage of B. dorsalis impeded ovary development, with significantly lower egg production noted as well. In addition, rescue through methoprene application after RNAi stimulated the expression of JH signaling and Vg genes. Although there were still differences in ovary phenotype between rescued insects and the pre-RNAi control, ovary redevelopment with a larger surface area was observed, consistent with the spatiotemporal expression and phenotypes recorded in the original methoprene experiment. Our data reveal the involvement of Met and Kr-h1 in insect vitellogenesis and egg production, thus indicating the crucial role of the JH signaling pathway in insect reproduction.

Identity and transfer of male reproductive gland proteins of the dengue vector mosquito, Aedes aegypti: potential tools for control of female feeding and reproduction

PubMed Central

Sirot, Laura K.; Poulson, Rebecca L.; McKenna, M. Caitlin; Girnary, Hussein; Wolfner, Mariana F.; Harrington, Laura C.

2009-01-01

Male reproductive gland proteins (mRGPs) impact the physiology and/or behavior of mated females in a broad range of organisms. We sought to identify mRGPs of the yellow fever mosquito, Aedes aegypti, the primary vector of dengue and yellow fever viruses. Earlier studies with Ae. aegypti demonstrated that “matrone” (a partially purified male reproductive accessory gland substance) or male accessory gland fluid injected into virgin female Ae. aegypti affect female sexual refractoriness, blood feeding and digestion, flight, ovarian development, and oviposition. Using bioinformatic comparisons to Drosophila melanogaster accessory gland proteins and mass spectrometry of proteins from Ae. aegypti male accessory glands and ejaculatory ducts (AG/ED) and female reproductive tracts, we identified 63 new putative Ae. aegypti mRGPs. Twenty-one of these proteins were found in the reproductive tract of mated females, but not of virgin females, suggesting that they are transferred from males to females during mating. Most of the putative mRGPs fall into the same protein classes as mRGPs in other organisms, although some appear to be evolving rapidly and lack identifiable homologs in Culex pipiens, Anopheles gambiae, and D. melanogaster. Our results identify candidate male-derived molecules that may have an important influence on behavior, survival and reproduction of female mosquitoes. PMID:18207079

Reproductive state and rank influence patterns of meat consumption in wild female chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii).

PubMed

O'Malley, Robert C; Stanton, Margaret A; Gilby, Ian C; Lonsdorf, Elizabeth V; Pusey, Anne; Markham, A Catherine; Murray, Carson M

2016-01-01

An increase in faunivory is a consistent component of human evolutionary models. Animal matter is energy- and nutrient-dense and can provide macronutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are limited or absent in plant foods. For female humans and other omnivorous primates, faunivory may be of particular importance during the costly periods of pregnancy and early lactation. Yet, because animal prey is often monopolizable, access to fauna among group-living primates may be mediated by social factors such as rank. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) across Africa habitually consume insects and/or vertebrates. However, no published studies have examined patterns of female chimpanzee faunivory during pregnancy and early lactation relative to non-reproductive periods, or by females of different rank. In this study, we assessed the influence of reproductive state and dominance rank on the consumption of fauna (meat and insects) by female chimpanzees of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Using observational data collected over 38 years, we tested (a) whether faunivory varied by reproductive state, and (b) if high-ranking females spent more time consuming fauna than lower-ranking females. In single-factor models, pregnant females consumed more meat than lactating and baseline (meaning not pregnant and not in early lactation) females, and high-ranking females consumed more meat than lower-ranking females. A two-factor analysis of a subset of well-sampled females identified an interaction between rank and reproductive state: lower-ranking females consumed more meat during pregnancy than lower-ranking lactating and baseline females did. High-ranking females did not significantly differ in meat consumption between reproductive states. We found no relationships between rank or reproductive state with insectivory. We conclude that, unlike insectivory, meat consumption by female chimpanzees is mediated by both reproductive state and social rank. We outline possible mechanisms for these

Reproductive State and Rank Influence Patterns of Meat Consumption in Wild Female Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthii)

PubMed Central

Stanton, Margaret A.; Gilby, Ian C.; Lonsdorf, Elizabeth V.; Pusey, Anne; Markham, A. Catherine; Murray, Carson M.

2015-01-01

An increase in faunivory is a consistent component of human evolutionary models. Animal matter is energy- and nutrient-dense and can provide macronutrients, minerals, and vitamins that are limited or absent in plant foods. For female humans and other omnivorous primates, faunivory may be of particular importance during the costly periods of pregnancy and early lactation. Yet, because animal prey is often monopolizable, access to fauna among group-living primates may be mediated by social factors such as rank. Wild chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) across Africa habitually consume insects and/or vertebrates. However, no published studies have examined patterns of female chimpanzee faunivory during pregnancy and early lactation relative to non-reproductive periods, or by females of different rank. In this study, we assessed the influence of reproductive state and dominance rank on the consumption of fauna (meat and insects) by female chimpanzees of Gombe National Park, Tanzania. Using observational data collected over 38 years, we tested (a) whether faunivory varied by reproductive state, and (b) if high-ranking females spent more time consuming fauna than lower-ranking females. In single-factor models, pregnant females consumed more meat than lactating and baseline (meaning not pregnant and not in early lactation) females, and high-ranking females consumed more meat than lower-ranking females. A two-factor analysis of a subset of well-sampled females identified an interaction between rank and reproductive state: lower-ranking females consumed more meat during pregnancy than lower-ranking lactating and baseline females did. High-ranking females did not significantly differ in meat consumption between reproductive states. We found no relationships between rank or reproductive state with insectivory. We conclude that, unlike insectivory, meat consumption by female chimpanzees is mediated by both reproductive state and social rank. We outline several possible mechanisms for

Effects of sublethal exposure to boric acid sugar bait on adult survival, host-seeking, bloodfeeding behavior, and reproduction of Stegomyia albopicta.

PubMed

Ali, Arshad; Xue, Rui-De; Barnard, Donald R

2006-09-01

Effects of sublethal exposure to 0.1% boric acid sugar bait on adult survival, host-seeking, bloodfeeding behavior, and reproduction of Stegomyia albopicta were studied in the laboratory. Survival of males as well as females was significantly reduced when exposed to the bait, compared to control adults. The host-seeking and bloodfeeding activities in the baited females decreased, but the mean duration of blood engorgement (probing to voluntary withdrawal of proboscis) was not significantly different between the baited and control females. The landing and biting rates (human forearm) were significantly reduced in the baited females compared to nonbaited controls. Fecundity and fertility (based on number of laid eggs per female and percentage egg hatch, respectively) in the baited females were significantly reduced, and ovarian development was retarded. Sublethal exposure to sugar-based boric acid bait has the potential to reduce adult populations of St. albopicta.

GnRH in the Human Female Reproductive Axis.

PubMed

Limonta, Patrizia; Marelli, Marina Montagnani; Moretti, Roberta; Marzagalli, Monica; Fontana, Fabrizio; Maggi, Roberto

2018-01-01

Gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) is recognized as the central regulator of the functions of the pituitary-gonadal axis. The increasing knowledge on the mechanisms controlling the development and the function of GnRH-producing neurons is leading to a better diagnostic and therapeutic approach for hypogonadotropic hypogonadisms and for alterations of the puberty onset. During female life span, the function of the GnRH pulse generator may be affected by a number of inputs from other neuronal systems, offering alternative strategies for diagnostic and therapeutic interventions. Moreover, the identification of a GnRH/GnRH receptor system in both human ovary and endometrium has widened the spectrum of action of the peptide outside its hypothalamic functions. The pharmacological use of GnRH itself or its synthetic analogs (agonists and antagonists) provides a valid tool to either stimulate or block gonadotropin secretion and to modulate the female fertility in several reproductive disorders and in assisted reproduction technology. The use of GnRH agonists in young female patients undergoing chemotherapy is also considered a promising therapeutic approach to counteract iatrogenic ovarian failure. © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Intrauterine Exposure to Paracetamol and Aniline Impairs Female Reproductive Development by Reducing Follicle Reserves and Fertility.

PubMed

Holm, Jacob Bak; Mazaud-Guittot, Severine; Danneskiold-Samsøe, Niels Banhos; Chalmey, Clementine; Jensen, Benjamin; Nørregård, Mette Marie; Hansen, Cecilie Hurup; Styrishave, Bjarne; Svingen, Terje; Vinggaard, Anne Marie; Koch, Holger Martin; Bowles, Josephine; Koopman, Peter; Jégou, Bernard; Kristiansen, Karsten; Kristensen, David Møbjerg

2016-03-01

Studies report that fetal exposure to paracetamol/acetaminophen by maternal consumption can interfere with male reproductive development. Moreover, recent biomonitoring data report widespread presence of paracetamol in German and Danish populations, suggesting exposure via secondary (nonpharmaceutical) sources, such as metabolic conversion from the ubiquitous industrial compound aniline. In this study, we investigated the extent to which paracetamol and aniline can interfere with female reproductive development. Intrauterine exposure to paracetamol by gavage of pregnant dams resulted in shortening of the anogenital distance in adult offspring, suggesting that fetal hormone signaling had been disturbed. Female offspring of paracetamol-exposed mothers had ovaries with diminished follicle reserve and reduced fertility. Fetal gonads of exposed animals had also reduced gonocyte numbers, suggesting that the reduced follicle count in adults could be due to early disruption of germ cell development. However, ex vivo cultures of ovaries from 12.5 days post coitum fetuses showed no decrease in proliferation or expression following exposure to paracetamol. This suggests that the effect of paracetamol occurs prior to this developmental stage. Accordingly, using embryonic stem cells as a proxy for primordial germ cells we show that paracetamol is an inhibitor of cellular proliferation, but without cytotoxic effects. Collectively, our data show that intrauterine exposure to paracetamol at levels commonly observed in pregnant women, as well as its precursor aniline, may block primordial germ cell proliferation, ultimately leading to reduced follicle reserves and compromised reproductive capacity later in life. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society of Toxicology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

A two-generation reproduction study to assess the effects of cows' milk on reproductive development in male and female rats.

PubMed

Ganmaa, Davaasambuu; Qin, Li-Qiang; Wang, Pei-Yu; Tezuka, Hideo; Teramoto, Shoji; Sato, Akio

2004-10-01

To examine whether the considerable quantities of increased female sex hormone levels found in modern milk as a result of modern dairy farming practices are safe for human consumption. Males and females of the P generation were maintained on a diet containing milk for 10 weeks before mating. Exposure to milk was continued up to the end of weaning of the F2b offspring. Two-generation reproduction study. Male and female Wistar Galas rats. P- and F1-generation rats were mated. Fertility, fecundity, and morphology and function of reproductive organs. Although milk had growth-promoting effects in both parents and offspring, it caused no impairments in fertility, fecundity, or reproductive organ development in either generation. However, a whole litter from a dam of the P generation was born dead, three litters in total had a pup with skeletal abnormalities, and the AGD of F2a female pups was reduced. These events occurred only in the milk-treated rats. It is unknown whether these issues had any relevance to milk or only happened by chance. Further study is required to determine whether milk from pregnant cows is completely free from adverse effects on reproductive health.

Effects crude protein levels on female Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) reproductive performance parameters.

PubMed

de Oliveira, Marinez Moraes; Ribeiro, Tainá; Orlando, Tamira Maria; de Oliveira, Dênio Garcia Silva; Drumond, Mariana Martins; de Freitas, Rilke Tadeu Fonseca; Rosa, Priscila Vieira

2014-11-10

The goal of the present work was to study the reproductive performance of Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) female broodstock fed diets containing different levels of crude protein (CP). Two hundred and forty Nile tilapia (O. niloticus) were used at an average age of 30 months, with 180 females and 60 males. The broodstock were lodged separately in masonry tanks with continuous water flow. The females were stocked in thirty tanks with dimensions of 8 m(3) in a completely randomized design consisting of five treatments and six replications. The treatments consisted of five diets with different levels of CP (32, 34, 36, 38 and 40%) and with digestible energy per gram of protein of 9.5 kg of feed. The crude protein (CP) levels positively influenced (p<0.05) reproductive parameters (female relative and absolute fecundity, egg diameter, fasting larvae survival capacity), the somatic indexes (gonadosomatic (GSI), hepatosomatic (HIS), viscerosomatic (VSI)), total plasma protein, albumin and triglycerides. There were no significant differences (p>0.05) observed with regard to spawning weight and female weight. The reproductive parameters studied in the present research indicate that diets formulated with 38% CP with digestible energy per gram of CP of 9.5 were the best diets for tilapia females during the reproductive period. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

BPA-Induced Deregulation Of Epigenetic Patterns: Effects On Female Zebrafish Reproduction.

PubMed

Santangeli, Stefania; Maradonna, Francesca; Gioacchini, Giorgia; Cobellis, Gilda; Piccinetti, Chiara Carla; Dalla Valle, Luisa; Carnevali, Oliana

2016-02-25

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the commonest Endocrine Disruptor Compounds worldwide. It interferes with vertebrate reproduction, possibly by inducing deregulation of epigenetic mechanisms. To determine its effects on female reproductive physiology and investigate whether changes in the expression levels of genes related to reproduction are caused by histone modifications, BPA concentrations consistent with environmental exposure were administered to zebrafish for three weeks. Effects on oocyte growth and maturation, autophagy and apoptosis processes, histone modifications, and DNA methylation were assessed by Real-Time PCR (qPCR), histology, and chromatin immunoprecipitation combined with qPCR analysis (ChIP-qPCR). The results showed that 5 μg/L BPA down-regulated oocyte maturation-promoting signals, likely through changes in the chromatin structure mediated by histone modifications, and promoted apoptosis in mature follicles. These data indicate that the negative effects of BPA on the female reproductive system may be due to its upstream ability to deregulate epigenetic mechanism.

Telocytes in female reproductive system (human and animal).

PubMed

Aleksandrovych, Veronika; Walocha, Jerzy A; Gil, Krzysztof

2016-06-01

Telocytes (TCs) are a newly discovered type of cell with numerous functions. They have been found in a large variety of organs: heart (endo-, myo-, epi- and pericardium, myocardial sleeves, heart valves); digestive tract and annex glands (oesophagus, stomach, duodenum, jejunum, liver, gallbladder, salivary gland, exocrine pancreas); respiratory system (trachea and lungs); urinary system (kidney, renal pelvis, ureters, bladder, urethra); female reproductive system (uterus, Fallopian tube, placenta, mammary gland); vasculature (blood vessels, thoracic duct); serous membranes (mesentery and pleura); and other organs (skeletal muscle, meninges and choroid plexus, neuromuscular spindles, fascia lata, skin, eye, prostate, bone marrow). Likewise, TCs are widely distributed in vertebrates (fish, reptiles, birds, mammals, including human). This review summarizes particular features of TCs in the female reproductive system, emphasizing their involvement in physiological and pathophysiological processes. © 2016 The Authors. Journal of Cellular and Molecular Medicine published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd and Foundation for Cellular and Molecular Medicine.

Condition-dependent female preference for male genitalia length is based on male reproductive tactics.

PubMed

Hernandez-Jimenez, Armando; Rios-Cardenas, Oscar

2017-12-06

There is extensive morphological variation of male genitalia across animals with internal fertilization, even among closely related species. Most studies attempting to explain this extraordinary diversity have focused on processes that occur post-copula (e.g. sperm competition, cryptic female choice). Only a few studies have focused on the pre-copula process of female preference. In addition, the extent to which this variation could be associated with the use of different reproductive tactics has yet to be explored. Here, we show that female preference for male genitalia length in two livebearing fishes depends on the type of reproductive tactic of the males being evaluated as well as the body condition of the female. In a species where all males coax females to acquire matings (courters), females preferred males with short genitalia. In a species with genetically influenced alternative reproductive tactics (courter males that only court and produce courter sons, sneaker males that use the coercive tactic of sneak chase and produce sneaker sons), female preference depended on an interaction between male tactic and female condition: females in good condition preferred courter males with short genitalia, and sneaker males with long genitalia. Our results suggest that female preference for male traits favourable to their sons may be an important factor contributing to the diversification of male genitalia. Despite the contrasting selection for genitalia length that our female preference tests suggest, we found no significant differences in genitalia length between coaxing (courters) and coercive (sneakers) males. Our study represents a starting point to more clearly understand the role of alternative reproductive tactics and variation in female mate preference in the evolution of male genitalia. © 2017 The Author(s).

Rare male aggression directed toward females in a female-dominated society: Baiting behavior in the spotted hyena

USGS Publications Warehouse

Szykman, Micaela; Engh, Anne L.; Van Horn, Russell C.; Boydston, Erin E.; Scribner, Kim T.; Holekamp, Kay E.

2003-01-01

Spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) are gregarious carnivores. The females are socially dominant to males, and adult males rarely direct aggression toward adult females. This study analyzed all cases in which adult immigrant males behaved aggressively toward adult females in a large population of free-living hyenas in Kenya, observed for 11 years. Our goals were to describe the conditions under which male attacks on females occur, and address possible adaptive functions. Most aggression directed by adult immigrant males against females occurred when coalitions of two or more males attacked a single adult female, who typically responded by defending herself and fighting back. Male aggression against females frequently occurred at sites of ungulate kills, but males never behaved aggressively toward females over food, and all male attacks on females were unprovoked. Although no mounting or other copulatory behaviors ever occurred during or immediately after an attack, the number of male attacks on females peaked around the time of conception. Daily rates at which males attacked females did not vary with female social rank. However, daily attack rates did vary significantly with female reproductive state, and the highest rates of male attack on females were observed during the two stages of the reproductive cycle during which females were most likely to conceive litters. The adaptive significance of male aggression against females in this species remains unknown, but a tight association between male attacks on females and a female's time of conception provides strong evidence of some role for male aggression in hyena sexual behavior. In particular, our data are consistent with hypotheses suggesting that male aggression toward females in this species either serves to inform females about male fitness or represents sexual harassment.

Reproductive Health-Care Utilization of Young Adults Insured as Dependents.

PubMed

Andrasfay, Theresa

2018-05-01

The common practice of sending an explanation of benefits to policyholders may inadvertently disclose sensitive services to the parents of dependents, making confidentiality a potential barrier to reproductive health care. This study compares the reproductive health-care utilization of young adult dependents and young adult policyholders using nationally representative data collected after full implementation of the Affordable Care Act. Data from 2,108 young adults aged 18-25 years in the 2015 National Health Interview Survey were analyzed. Logistic regressions predicted utilization of two preventive services (general doctor visit and flu vaccination) and four reproductive health services (HIV testing, obstetrician/gynecologist visit, hormonal contraceptive use, and Pap testing) from the insurance type of the young adult (dependent, privately insured policyholder, or Medicaid). In unadjusted analyses, young adult dependents had lower utilization of HIV tests than their peers who were privately insured or Medicaid policyholders. Young women dependents had lower utilization of Pap tests than young women on Medicaid. Once controls were included, young adult dependents did not have significantly lower odds of obtaining reproductive health care than privately insured policyholders. Dependent young men still had marginally lower odds of ever having an HIV test (adjusted odds ratio = .65, p = .08) and dependent young women still had marginally lower odds of ever having a Pap test (adjusted odds ratio = .58, p = .06) than comparable Medicaid policyholders. Despite confidentiality concerns, young adults insured as dependents have utilization of several reproductive health services similar to that of comparable young adult policyholders. Copyright © 2017 The Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Endocrinology of human female sexuality, mating, and reproductive behavior.

PubMed

Motta-Mena, Natalie V; Puts, David A

2017-05-01

Hormones orchestrate and coordinate human female sexual development, sexuality, and reproduction in relation to three types of phenotypic changes: life history transitions such as puberty and childbirth, responses to contextual factors such as caloric intake and stress, and cyclical patterns such as the ovulatory cycle. Here, we review the endocrinology underlying women's reproductive phenotypes, including sexual orientation and gender identity, mate preferences, competition for mates, sex drive, and maternal behavior. We highlight distinctive aspects of women's sexuality such as the possession of sexual ornaments, relatively cryptic fertile windows, extended sexual behavior across the ovulatory cycle, and a period of midlife reproductive senescence-and we focus on how hormonal mechanisms were shaped by selection to produce adaptive outcomes. We conclude with suggestions for future research to elucidate how hormonal mechanisms subserve women's reproductive phenotypes. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Estimating reproduction numbers for adults and children from case data

PubMed Central

Glass, K.; Mercer, G. N.; Nishiura, H.; McBryde, E. S.; Becker, N. G.

2011-01-01

We present a method for estimating reproduction numbers for adults and children from daily onset data, using pandemic influenza A(H1N1) data as a case study. We investigate the impact of different underlying transmission assumptions on our estimates, and identify that asymmetric reproduction matrices are often appropriate. Under-reporting of cases can bias estimates of the reproduction numbers if reporting rates are not equal across the two age groups. However, we demonstrate that the estimate of the higher reproduction number is robust to disproportionate data-thinning. Applying the method to 2009 pandemic influenza H1N1 data from Japan, we demonstrate that the reproduction number for children was considerably higher than that of adults, and that our estimates are insensitive to our choice of reproduction matrix. PMID:21345858

Short and long effects of Citrullus colocynthis L. on reproductive system and fertility in female Spague-Dawley rats.

PubMed

Qazan, Walid Sh; Almasad, Motasem M; Daradka, Haytham

2007-08-15

Aim of this study is to investigate the toxic effects of Citrullus colocynthis L. (400 mg/kg/body wight) on the reproductive system after administration to female Sprague-Dawley rats weighting 250-300 g for two time periods 4 and 12 weeks. Twenty adult female rats were divided into two groups and Citrullus colocynthis L. were intraperitoneally injected to experimental animals in dose of 400 mg/kg/body wight. First group containing 10 rats received treatment for 4 weeks and a second group of 10 rats received the same dose of treatment for a period of 12 weeks and compared with twenty non-exposed female rats received vehicle treatment. Female rats were allowed mating with males after 10 days prior to the last administration dose. Animals were autopsied under light anesthesia after mating and several parameters were determined including: number of pregnant rats, body and reproductive organ weight, number of implantation sites, viable fetuses and resorption sites. Assessment of pregnancies in females was measured and the significance of these results was calculated using students t and Chi-square tests. The effect of Citrullus colocynthis L. exposure on fertility was assessed in terms of pregnant rats number, implantation sites, viable fetuses and resorption sites. Exposure to Citrullus colocynthis L. for 4 weeks did not have much effect on fertility. Significant decrease in the relative ovarian weights and embryo weights in rats exposed to Citrullus colocynthis L. were observed. Exposure to Citrullus colocynthis L. for a 12 weeks resulted in a reduction in the percentage of pregnancies and in the number of implantation sites when compared with controls in both treatment periods. Rats receiving 12 weeks treatment showed a decrease in ovarian weights and a decrease in viable fetus's number. These results indicate that long-term exposure of female rats to Citrullus colocynthis L. causes adverse effects on the reproductive system and fertility.

Female reproductive success in a species with an age-inversed hierarchy.

PubMed

DE Vries, Dorien; Koenig, Andreas; Borries, Carola

2016-11-01

In most group-living mammals, reproductive success declines with increasing age and increases with increasing rank. Such effects have mainly been studied in matrilineal and in "age positive" hierarchies, which are stable and in which high ranking females often outperform low ranking ones. These relationships are less well-understood in age-inversed dominance hierarchies, in which a female's rank changes over time. We analyzed demographic data of 2 wild, unprovisioned groups of gray langurs (Semnopithecus schistaceus) near Ramnagar, Nepal covering periods of 5 years each. Female rank was unstable and age-inversed. We measured reproductive success via birth rates (57 births), infant survival (proportion of infants surviving to 2 years) and number of offspring surviving to 2 years of age (successful births) for 3 age and 3 rank classes. We found that old females performed significantly worse than expected (birth rate P = 0.04; successful births P = 0.03). The same was true for low ranking females (P = 0.04, and P < 0.01, respectively). Infant survival was highest for young and middle-aged as well as for high and middle ranking females. Overall, the results for these unstable hierarchies were rather similar to those for stable hierarchies of other mammals, particularly several nonhuman primates. Compared to a provisioned population of a closely related species, the wild and unprovisioned population examined (i) showed stronger age effects, while (ii) female reproductive success was equally affected by rank. Future comparative studies are needed to examine whether captive or provisioned populations deviate predictably from wild populations. © 2016 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Effects of neonatal exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide on female rat reproduction.

PubMed

Ingaramo, Paola I; Varayoud, Jorgelina; Milesi, María M; Schimpf, Marlise Guerrero; Muñoz-de-Toro, Mónica; Luque, Enrique H

2016-11-01

In this study, we investigated whether neonatal exposure to a glyphosate-based herbicide (GBH) alters the reproductive performance and the molecular mechanisms involved in the decidualization process in adult rats. Newborn female rats received vehicle or 2 mg/kg/day of a GBH on postnatal days (PND) 1, 3, 5 and 7. On PND90, the rats were mated to evaluate (i) the reproductive performance on gestational day (GD) 19 and (ii) the ovarian steroid levels, uterine morphology, endometrial cell proliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle regulators, and endocrine pathways that regulate uterine decidualization (steroid receptors/COUP-TFII/Bmp2/Hoxa10) at the implantation sites (IS) on GD9. The GBH-exposed group showed a significant increase in the number of resorption sites on GD19, associated with an altered decidualization response. In fact, on GD9, the GBH-treated rats showed morphological changes at the IS, associated with a decreased expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors, a downregulation of COUP-TFII (Nr2f2) and Bmp2 mRNA and an increased expression of HOXA10 and the proliferation marker Ki67(Mki67) at the IS. We concluded that alterations in endometrial decidualization might be the mechanism of GBH-induced post-implantation embryo loss. © 2016 Society for Reproduction and Fertility.

Macroscopic anatomy of the reproductive tract of the reproductively quiescent female emu (Dromaius novaehollandiae).

PubMed

Reed, Robert B; Cope, Lee A; Blackford, James T

2011-04-01

Three reproductively quiescent female emus (Dromaius novaehollandiae) were embalmed with 10% formalin solution. The reproductive tract was dissected and described. The reproductive tract consists of an ovary and oviduct situated on the left side of the abdominal cavity. The left ovary is dark brown to black in colour with follicles covering the ventral surface. The ovary is located medial to the spleen and closely associated with the ventral surface of the cranial and middle lobes of the left kidney. The oviduct is a relatively straight tube that extends from the level of the cranial extent of the left ilium to the caudal border of the left pubic bone. The oviduct is grossly divided into the infundibulum, magnum, isthmus, uterus and vagina using variations in the mucosal fold pattern. © 2010 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Does genetic introgression improve female reproductive performance? A test on the endangered Florida panther.

PubMed

Hostetler, Jeffrey A; Onorato, David P; Bolker, Benjamin M; Johnson, Warren E; O'Brien, Stephen J; Jansen, Deborah; Oli, Madan K

2012-01-01

Genetic introgression has been suggested as a management tool for mitigating detrimental effects of inbreeding depression, but the role of introgression in species conservation has been controversial, partly because population-level impacts of genetic introgressions are not well understood. Concerns about potential inbreeding depression in the endangered Florida panther (Puma concolor coryi) led to the release of eight female Texas pumas (P. c. stanleyana) into the Florida panther population in 1995. We used long-term reproductive data (1995-2008) collected from 61 female Florida panthers to estimate and model reproduction probability (probability of producing a litter) and litter size, and to investigate the influence of intentional genetic introgression on these parameters. Overall, 6-month probability of reproduction (±1SE) was 0.232 ± 0.021 and average litter size was 2.60 ± 0.09. Although F(1) admixed females had a lower reproduction probability than females with other ancestries, this was most likely because kittens born to F(1) females survive better; consequently, these females are unavailable for breeding until kittens are independent. There was no evidence for the effect of ancestry on litter size or of heterozygosity on probability of reproduction or litter size. In contrast, earlier studies have shown that genetic introgression positively affected Florida panther survival. Our results, along with those of earlier studies, clearly suggest that genetic introgression can have differential effects on components of fitness and highlight the importance of examining multiple demographic parameters when evaluating the effects of management actions.

Peripubertal Vitamin D3 Deficiency Delays Puberty and Disrupts the Estrous Cycle in Adult Female Mice1

PubMed Central

Dicken, Cary L.; Israel, Davelene D.; Davis, Joe B.; Sun, Yan; Shu, Jun; Hardin, John; Neal-Perry, Genevieve

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT The mechanism(s) by which vitamin D3 regulates female reproduction is minimally understood. We tested the hypothesis that peripubertal vitamin D3 deficiency disrupts hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian physiology. To test this hypothesis, we used wild-type mice and Cyp27b1 (the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3) null mice to study the effect of vitamin D3 deficiency on puberty and reproductive physiology. At the time of weaning, mice were randomized to a vitamin D3-replete or -deficient diet supplemented with calcium. We assessed the age of vaginal opening and first estrus (puberty markers), gonadotropin levels, ovarian histology, ovarian responsiveness to exogenous gonadotropins, and estrous cyclicity. Peripubertal vitamin D3 deficiency significantly delayed vaginal opening without affecting the number of GnRH-immunopositive neurons or estradiol-negative feedback on gonadotropin levels during diestrus. Young adult females maintained on a vitamin D3-deficient diet after puberty had arrested follicular development and prolonged estrous cycles characterized by extended periods of diestrus. Ovaries of vitamin D3-deficient Cyp27b1 null mice responded to exogenous gonadotropins and deposited significantly more oocytes into the oviducts than mice maintained on a vitamin D3-replete diet. Estrous cycles were restored when vitamin D3-deficient Cyp27b1 null young adult females were transferred to a vitamin D3-replete diet. This study is the first to demonstrate that peripubertal vitamin D3 sufficiency is important for an appropriately timed pubertal transition and maintenance of normal female reproductive physiology. These data suggest vitamin D3 is a key regulator of neuroendocrine and ovarian physiology. PMID:22572998

Neonatal Exposure to Bisphenol A Alters Reproductive Parameters and Gonadotropin Releasing Hormone Signaling in Female Rats

PubMed Central

Fernández, Marina; Bianchi, Maria; Lux-Lantos, Victoria; Libertun, Carlos

2009-01-01

Background Bisphenol A (BPA) is a component of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins, and polystyrene and is found in many products. Several reports have revealed potent in vivo effects, because BPA acts as an estrogen agonist and/or antagonist and as an androgen and thyroid hormone antagonist. Objectives We analyzed the effects of neonatal exposure to BPA on the reproductive axis of female Sprague-Dawley rats. Methods Female rats were injected subcutaneusly, daily, from postnatal day 1 (PND1) to PND10 with BPA [500 μg/50 μL (high) or 50 μg/50 μL (low)] in castor oil or with castor oil vehicle alone. We studied body weight and age at vaginal opening, estrous cycles, and pituitary hormone release in vivo and in vitro, as well as gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) pulsatility at PND13 and in adults. We also analyzed two GnRH-activated signaling pathways in the adults: inositol-triphosphate (IP3), and extracellular signal-regulated kinase1/2 (ERK1/2). Results Exposure to BPA altered pituitary function in infantile rats, lowering basal and GnRH-induced luteinizing hormone (LH) and increasing GnRH pulsatility. BPA dose-dependently accelerated puberty onset and altered estrous cyclicity, with the high dose causing permanent estrus. In adults treated neonatally with BPA, GnRH-induced LH secretion in vivo was decreased and GnRH pulsatility remained disrupted. In vitro, pituitary cells from animals treated with BPA showed lower basal LH and dose-dependently affected GnRH-induced IP3 formation; the high dose also impaired GnRH-induced LH secretion. Both doses altered ERK1/2 activation. Conclusions Neonatal exposure to BPA altered reproductive parameters and hypothalamic–pituitary function in female rats. To our knowledge, these results demonstrate for the first time that neonatal in vivo BPA permanently affects GnRH pulsatility and pituitary GnRH signaling. PMID:19479018

Endoparasite Infection Has Both Short- and Long-Term Negative Effects on Reproductive Success of Female House Sparrows, as Revealed by Faecal Parasitic Egg Counts

PubMed Central

Holand, Håkon; Jensen, Henrik; Tufto, Jarle; Pärn, Henrik; Sæther, Bernt-Erik; Ringsby, Thor Harald

2015-01-01

Parasites have the potential to severely reduce host reproductive success. However, the effects of endoparasites on reproductive success have not received the same amount of attention as the effects of parasites on host survival. We investigated the relationship between an avian endoparasite (gapeworm, Syngamus trachea) and both current and future reproductive success of female house sparrows (Passer domesticus) in a population on the coast of Helgeland, northern Norway. We found that the proportion of eggs in a nest that failed to develop into fledglings increased as the faecal parasitic egg count of the mothers increased. We also found that juvenile females with high numbers of parasitic eggs in their faeces had lower lifetime reproductive success as adults. However, we did not find a relationship between maternal parasite infection and clutch size or recruitment rate of offspring. To our knowledge this is the first study to find a relationship between reproductive success of an avian host and faecal egg count of an endoparasite. The present study indicates that infection by an endoparasite may be associated with lower individual reproductive success in both the short-term and long-term in a wild population of hosts. PMID:25933371

Aspects of the reproductive ecology of female turtles in New Mexico

USGS Publications Warehouse

Lovich, Jeffrey E.; Agha, Mickey; Painter, Charlie; Cole, Levi; Fitzgerald, Austin; Narum, Kevin; Jennings, Randy

2016-01-01

Data on reproductive ecology of turtles in New Mexico are limited, and some species living there are among the least studied in the United States. We trapped 4 native species of turtles (Apalone spinifera, Chrysemys picta, Pseudemys gorzugi, and Trachemys gaigeae gaigeae) in the Rio Grande and Black River (Pecos River drainage) of New Mexico in June 2012 and 2013 to collect data on female reproductive ecology, including clutch size, egg size, timing of egg production, and percentage of gravid females. During our sampling, we found shelled eggs via X-radiography in only 3 native species: C. picta, P. gorzugi, and T. g. gaigeae. Clutch and egg sizes were within the range of previously reported values, although clutch size for P. gorzugi (10 eggs) is only the second published record for that data-deficient species. Clutch size increased with body size in T. g. gaigeae. We observed few differences between reproductive parameters for turtles in New Mexico and their conspecifics and congeners elsewhere in the United States, other than the observation that female C. picta may mature at smaller body sizes in New Mexico relative to other western populations elsewhere in its vast, primarily eastern North American range.

Progesterone and estradiol profiles in different reproductive stages of captive collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) females assessed by fecal metabolites.

PubMed

Ahuja-Aguirre, Concepción; López-deBuen, Lorena; Rojas-Maya, Susana; Hernández-Cruz, Bertha C

2017-05-01

The study determined the fecal progesterone and estradiol profiles in different reproductive stages of captive collared peccary (Pecari tajacu) females from eastern Mexico. Fifteen adult females were included. At the start of the study the females were either pregnant (early, mid, or late pregnancy), lactating, or non-lactating of unknown pregnancy status. Feces from each female were collected once a week during nine consecutive months to determine concentrations of fecal progesterone and estradiol metabolites using ELISA. Progesterone was similar in early (2048±285ng/g), mid (2254±274ng/g), and late pregnancy (2491±374ng/g), and in early-pregnant and non-lactating females (1154±274ng/g). Progesterone in lactating females (442±255ng/g) was lower than in females at any stage of pregnancy, but was similar to non-lactating females. Overall progesterone in pregnant females (2229±173ng/g) was higher than in lactating and non-lactating females together (772±189ng/g). Estradiol was similar in early (66±8ng/g), mid (83±9ng/g), late pregnant (109±15ng/g), and non-lactating females (64±9ng/g). Estradiol in lactating females (34±8ng/g) was similar to estradiol in early-pregnant and non-lactating females, but was lower than in females in late and mid pregnancy. Overall estradiol in pregnant females (79±6ng/g) was similar to non-lactating females, but higher than in lactating females. The progesterone and estradiol profiles of captive collared peccary females at different reproductive stages were determined by assessing concentrations of fecal hormone metabolites. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reproductive effects of alternative disinfectants.

PubMed Central

Carlton, B D; Barlett, P; Basaran, A; Colling, K; Osis, I; Smith, M K

1986-01-01

Organohalides formed through the reaction of chlorine and organic compounds in natural and waste waters pose potential health hazards. For this reason, alternative water disinfectants that do not form organohalides are being investigated with great interest. Limited data are available on the health effects, in particular reproductive toxicity effects, of these compounds. In our laboratory, we have examined the reproductive effects of chloramine and chlorine administered by gavage in Long-Evans rats. Animals were treated for a total of 66 to 76 days. Males were treated for 56 days and females for 14 days prior to breeding and throughout the 10-day breeding period. Females were treated throughout gestation and lactation. Following breeding, the males were necropsied and evaluated for sperm parameters and reproductive tract histopathology. Adult females and some pups were necropsied at weaning on postnatal day 21. Other pups were treated postweaning until 28 or 40 days of age. These pups were evaluated for the day of vaginal patency and thyroid hormone levels. No differences were observed between control rats and those rats exposed to up to 5 mg/kg/day chlorine or 10 mg/kg/day chloramine when fertility, viability, litter size, day of eye opening, or day of vaginal patency were evaluated. No alterations in sperm count, sperm direct progressive movement (micron/sec), percent motility, or sperm morphology were observed among adult male rats. In addition, male and female reproductive organ weights were comparable to their respective control groups, and no significant histopathologic changes were observed among chlorine- or chloramine-treated male and female rats. PMID:3816727

Low Lactobacilli abundance and polymicrobial diversity in the lower reproductive tract of female rhesus monkeys do not compromise their reproductive success.

PubMed

Amaral, Wellington Z; Lubach, Gabriele R; Kapoor, Amita; Proctor, Alexandra; Phillips, Gregory J; Lyte, Mark; Coe, Christopher L

2017-10-01

The lower reproductive tract of nonhuman primates is colonized with a diverse microbiota, resembling bacterial vaginosis (BV), a gynecological condition associated with negative reproductive outcomes in women. Our 4 aims were to: (i) assess the prevalence of low Lactobacilli and a BV-like profile in female rhesus monkeys; (ii) quantify cytokines in their cervicovaginal fluid (CVF); (iii) examine the composition and structure of their mucosal microbiota with culture-independent sequencing methods; and (iv) evaluate the potential influence on reproductive success. CVF specimens were obtained from 27 female rhesus monkeys for Gram's staining, and to determine acidity (pH), and quantify proinflammatory cytokines. Based on Nugent's classification, 40% had a score of 7 or higher, which would be indicative of BV in women. Nugent scores were significantly correlated with the pH of the CVF. Interleukin-1ß was present at high concentrations, but not further elevated by high Nugent scores. Vaginal swabs were obtained from eight additional females to determine microbial diversity by rRNA gene amplicon sequencing. At the phylum level, the Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was low. The relative abundance of Lactobacilli was also low (between 3% and 17%), and 11 other genera were present at >1%. However, neither the microbial diversity in the community structure, nor high Nugent scores, was associated with reduced fecundity. Female monkeys provide an opportunity to understand how reproductive success can be sustained in the presence of a diverse polymicrobial community in the reproductive tract. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

REPRODUCTIVE NEOPLASMS IN WILD AND LONG-TERM CAPTIVE FEMALE FLORIDA MANATEES (TRICHECHUS MANATUS LATIROSTRIS).

PubMed

Smith, Lauren N; Rotstein, David S; Ball, Ray L; Gerlach, Trevor J; Kinsel, Michael; Rodriguez, Maya; de Wit, Martine

2015-12-01

Few reports of neoplastic diseases in manatees exist in the veterinary literature. This case series presents reproductive neoplasia noted in eight wild and long-term captive female Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) obtained through carcass recovery and animal rehabilitation programs between April 2009 and May 2014. All cases were evaluated histologically, and diagnoses of uterine carcinoma (n = 1), granulosa cell tumor (n = 2), ovarian adnexal tumor (n = 1), and leiomyoma (n = 5) were made. The underlying cause of tumor development and effects on reproductive success is currently unknown, but possible asymmetric reproductive aging and/or a correlation between obesity and reproductive disorder in long-term nonreproductive female manatees are of interest and warrant further investigation.

Impact of heavy metals on the female reproductive system.

PubMed

Rzymski, Piotr; Tomczyk, Katarzyna; Rzymski, Pawel; Poniedziałek, Barbara; Opala, Tomasz; Wilczak, Maciej

2015-01-01

It has been recognized that environmental pollution can affect the quality of health of the human population. Heavy metals are among the group of highly emitted contaminants and their adverse effect of living organisms has been widely studied in recent decades. Lifestyle and quality of the ambient environment are among these factors which can mainly contribute to the heavy metals exposure in humans. A review of literature linking heavy metals and the female reproductive system and description of the possible associations with emission and exposure of heavy metals and impairments of female reproductive system according to current knowledge. The potential health disorders caused by chronic or acute heavy metals toxicity include immunodeficiency, osteoporosis, neurodegeneration and organ failures. Potential linkages of heavy metals concentration found in different human organs and blood with oestrogen-dependent diseases such as breast cancer, endometrial cancer, endometriosis and spontaneous abortions, as well as pre-term deliveries, stillbirths and hypotrophy, have also been reported. Environmental deterioration can lead to the elevated risk of human exposure to heavy metals, and consequently, health implications including disturbances in reproduction. It is therefore important to continue the investigations on metal-induced mechanisms of fertility impairment on the genetic, epigenetic and biochemical level.

Hypothalamic expression of KiSS-1 system and gonadotropin-releasing effects of kisspeptin in different reproductive states of the female Rat.

PubMed

Roa, J; Vigo, E; Castellano, J M; Navarro, V M; Fernández-Fernández, R; Casanueva, F F; Dieguez, C; Aguilar, E; Pinilla, L; Tena-Sempere, M

2006-06-01

Kisspeptins, products of the KiSS-1 gene with ability to bind G protein-coupled receptor 54 (GPR54), have been recently identified as major gatekeepers of reproductive function with ability to potently activate the GnRH/LH axis. Yet, despite the diversity of functional states of the female gonadotropic axis, pharmacological characterization of this effect has been mostly conducted in pubertal animals or adult male rodents, whereas similar studies have not been thoroughly conducted in the adult female. In this work, we evaluated maximal LH and FSH secretory responses to kisspeptin-10, as well as changes in sensitivity and hypothalamic expression of KiSS-1 and GPR54 genes, in different physiological and experimental models in the adult female rat. Kisspeptin-10 (1 nmol, intracerebroventricular) was able to elicit robust LH bursts at all phases of the estrous cycle, with maximal responses at estrus; yet, in diestrus LH, responses to kisspeptin were detected at doses as low as 0.1 pmol. In contrast, high doses of kisspeptin only stimulated FSH secretion at diestrus. Removal of ovarian sex steroids did not blunt the ability of kisspeptin to further elicit stimulated LH and FSH secretion, but restoration of maximal responses required replacement with estradiol and progesterone. Finally, despite suppressed basal levels, LH and FSH secretory responses to kisspeptin were preserved in pregnant and lactating females, although the magnitude of LH bursts and the sensitivity to kisspeptin were much higher in pregnant dams. Interestingly, hypothalamic KiSS-1 gene expression significantly increased during pregnancy, whereas GPR54 mRNA levels remained unaltered. In summary, our current data document for the first time the changes in hypothalamic expression of KiSS-1 system and the gonadotropic effects (maximal responses and sensitivity) of kisspeptin in different functional states of the female reproductive axis. The present data may pose interesting implications in light of the

Webinar Presentation: Effects of Phthalates on the Female Reproductive System

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This presentation, Effects of Phthalates on the Female Reproductive System, was given at the NIEHS/EPA Children's Centers 2015 Webinar Series: Phthalates in the Diet and in our Homes held on June 10, 2015.

Mathematical modeling of the female reproductive system: from oocyte to delivery.

PubMed

Clark, Alys R; Kruger, Jennifer A

2017-01-01

From ovulation to delivery, and through the menstrual cycle, the female reproductive system undergoes many dynamic changes to provide an optimal environment for the embryo to implant, and to develop successfully. It is difficult ethically and practically to observe the system over the timescales involved in growth and development (often hours to days). Even in carefully monitored conditions clinicians and biologists can only see snapshots of the development process. Mathematical models are emerging as a key means to supplement our knowledge of the reproductive process, and to tease apart complexity in the reproductive system. These models have been used successfully to test existing hypotheses regarding the mechanisms of female infertility and pathological fetal development, and also to provide new experimentally testable hypotheses regarding the process of development. This new knowledge has allowed for improvements in assisted reproductive technologies and is moving toward translation to clinical practice via multiscale assessments of the dynamics of ovulation, development in pregnancy, and the timing and mechanics of delivery. WIREs Syst Biol Med 2017, 9:e1353. doi: 10.1002/wsbm.1353 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The GnRH analogue triptorelin confers ovarian radio-protection to adult female rats.

PubMed

Camats, N; García, F; Parrilla, J J; Calaf, J; Martín-Mateo, M; Caldés, M Garcia

2009-10-02

There is a controversy regarding the effects of the analogues of the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) in radiotherapy. This has led us to study the possible radio-protection of the ovarian function of a GnRH agonist analogue (GnRHa), triptorelin, in adult, female rats (Rattus norvegicus sp.). The effects of the X-irradiation on the oocytes of ovarian primordial follicles, with and without GnRHa treatment, were compared, directly in the female rats (F(0)) with reproductive parameters, and in the somatic cells of the resulting foetuses (F(1)) with cytogenetical parameters. In order to do this, the ovaries and uteri from 82 females were extracted for the reproductive analysis and 236 foetuses were obtained for cytogenetical analysis. The cytogenetical study was based on the data from 22,151 metaphases analysed. The cytogenetical parameters analysed to assess the existence of chromosomal instability were the number of aberrant metaphases (2234) and the number (2854) and type of structural chromosomal aberrations, including gaps and breaks. Concerning the reproductive analysis of the ovaries and the uteri, the parameters analysed were the number of corpora lutea, implantations, implantation losses and foetuses. Triptorelin confers radio-protection of the ovaries in front of chromosomal instability, which is different, with respect to the single and fractioned dose. The cytogenetical analysis shows a general decrease in most of the parameters of the triptorelin-treated groups, with respect to their controls, and some of these differences were considered to be statistically significant. The reproductive analysis indicates that there is also radio-protection by the agonist, although minor to the cytogenetical one. Only some of the analysed parameters show a statistically significant decrease in the triptorelin-treated groups.

[Investigation and Analysis on shift work female workers' and the impact on reproductive health].

PubMed

Yu, C Y; Yu, W L; Xu, M; Xing, Z L

2018-02-20

Objective: To investigate the distribution of shift work of female workers in different industries and the relationship between shift work and reproductive health, then provide reference for the female workers' labor protection. Methods: From June to September 2016, cluster sampling questionnaire survey was performed among female workers from 11 industries including electronics, medicine and health, pharmacy. To investigate the general information, shift - work information, reproductive health and childbearing history of these female workers. Results: A total of 63 711 usable questionnaires were collected, resulting in a response rate of 96.94%.A total of 13 546 workers worked in shifts, accounting for 21.26%, the highest proportion was in the medical industry 30.61%, metallurgy 30.81%, petrochemical engineerin 26.78% respectively. Compared with the workers who did not work in shifts, those who worked in shifts had significantly higher rate of abnormal menstruation, rate of reproductive system infection in married workers, the rate of infertility (χ(2)=19.108、10.673、21.510, P <0.05) ; Compared with the workers who did not work in nightshifts, those who worked in nightshifts had significantly higher rate of abnormal menstruation, rate of reproductive system infection among married workers and rate of infertility (χ(2)=140.043、71.901、29.024, P <0.01) . Conclusion: The highest rate of shift work was in the medical industry, metallurgy, petrochemical engineering industry. Workers who worked in shifts have serious reproductive health issues, the occurrence of abnormal menstruation, reproductive system infection and infertility may associated with shift work.

Reproductive intentions and use of reproductive health care among female survivors of childhood cancer.

PubMed

van Dijk, M; van den Berg, M H; Overbeek, A; Lambalk, C B; van den Heuvel-Eibrink, M M; Tissing, W J; Kremer, L C; van der Pal, H J; Loonen, J J; Versluys, B; Bresters, D; Kaspers, G J L; van Leeuwen, F E; van Dulmen-den Broeder, E

2018-06-01

Do female childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) express a decreased desire to have children and do they use reproductive health care more often compared to women without a history of cancer? Overall, no difference was found in the desire to have children between CCSs and controls, whereas CCSs consult a fertility specialist more often, at a younger age, and sooner after their first attempt at conceiving. Female CCSs may face a shorter than anticipated reproductive window as a result of their cancer treatment. Little is known about their desire to have children and use of reproductive health care, especially in relation to their former cancer treatment. This study is part of the DCOG LATER-VEVO study, a nationwide retrospective cohort study on female fertility in Dutch CCSs. In total, 1749 CCSs and 1673 controls were invited for the study. Data collection took place between January 2008 and May 2014. Data on the desire to have children and use of reproductive health care were collected by questionnaire. The control group consisted of sisters from CCSs and females from the general population. In total, 1106 (63%) CCSs and 818 (49%) controls completed the questionnaire. Overall, no difference was found in the desire to have children between CCSs and controls (86% and 89%, respectively). However, survivors of a CNS tumour were less likely to desire children and CCSs without biological children at time of study were more likely to report that their desire to have children was unfulfilled because of medical reasons (9%), compared to controls (1%). In total, 12% of CCSs ever consulted a fertility specialist compared to 10% of controls (OR = 1.7, 95% CI: 1.3-2.4). Mean (SD) age at time of their first visit was 27.7 (4.4) years for CCSs and 29.9 (3.9) years for controls (P < 0.01). In total, 43% of CCSs consulted a fertility specialist within 12 months after they had started trying to achieve a pregnancy, compared to 27% of controls. Risk factors for consulting a fertility

Novel function of LHFPL2 in female and male distal reproductive tract development.

PubMed

Zhao, Fei; Zhou, Jun; Li, Rong; Dudley, Elizabeth A; Ye, Xiaoqin

2016-03-11

Congenital reproductive tract anomalies could impair fertility. Female and male reproductive tracts are developed from Müllerian ducts and Wolffian ducts, respectively, involving initiation, elongation and differentiation. Genetic basis solely for distal reproductive tract development is largely unknown. Lhfpl2 (lipoma HMGIC fusion partner-like 2) encodes a tetra-transmembrane protein with unknown functions. It is expressed in follicle cells of ovary and epithelial cells of reproductive tracts. A spontaneous point mutation of Lhfpl2 (LHFPL2(G102E)) leads to infertility in 100% female mice, which have normal ovarian development, ovulation, uterine development, and uterine response to exogenous estrogen stimulation, but abnormal upper longitudinal vaginal septum and lower vaginal agenesis. Infertility is also observed in ~70% mutant males, which have normal mating behavior and sperm counts, but abnormal distal vas deferens convolution resulting in complete and incomplete blockage of reproductive tract in infertile and fertile males, respectively. On embryonic day 15.5, mutant Müllerian ducts and Wolffian ducts have elongated but their duct tips are enlarged and fail to merge with the urogenital sinus. These findings provide a novel function of LHFPL2 and a novel genetic basis for distal reproductive tract development; they also emphasize the importance of an additional merging phase for proper reproductive tract development.

Reproductive Health Issues for Adults with a Common Genomic Disorder: 22q11.2 Deletion Syndrome

PubMed Central

Chan, Chrystal; Costain, Gregory; Ogura, Lucas; Silversides, Candice K.; Chow, Eva W.C.

2015-01-01

22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11.2DS) is the most common microdeletion syndrome in humans. Survival to reproductive age and beyond is now the norm. Several manifestations of this syndrome, such as congenital cardiac disease and neuropsychiatric disorders, may increase risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes in the general population. However, there are limited data on reproductive health in 22q11.2DS. We performed a retrospective chart review for 158 adults with 22q11.2DS (75 male, 83 female; mean age 34.3 years) and extracted key variables relevant to pregnancy and reproductive health. We present four illustrative cases as brief vignettes. There were 25 adults (21>age 35 years; 21 female) with a history of one or more pregnancies. Outcomes for women with 22q11.2DS, compared with expectations for the general population, showed a significantly elevated prevalence of small for gestational age liveborn offspring (p<0.001), associated mainly with infants with 22q11.2DS. Stillbirths also showed elevated prevalence (p<0.05). Not all observed adverse events appeared to be attributable to transmission of the 22q11.2 deletion. Recurring issues relevant to reproductive health in 22q11.2DS included the potential impact of maternal morbidities, inadequate social support, unsafe sexual practices, and delayed diagnosis of 22q11.2DS and/or lack of genetic counseling. These preliminary results emphasize the importance of early diagnosis and long term follow-up that could help facilitate genetic counseling for men and women with 22q11.2DS. We propose initial recommendations for pre-conception management, educational strategies, pre-natal planning, and preparation for possible high-risk pregnancy and/or delivery. PMID:25579115

Obesity alters the ovarian glucidic homeostasis disrupting the reproductive outcome of female rats.

PubMed

Bazzano, María Victoria; Paz, Dante Agustín; Elia, Evelin Mariel

2017-04-01

Obesity constitutes a health problem of increasing worldwide prevalence related to many reproductive problems such as infertility, ovulation dysfunction, preterm delivery, fetal growth disorders, etc. The mechanisms linking obesity to these pathologies are not fully understood. Cafeteria diet (CAF) is the animal model used for the study of obesity that more closely reflects western diet habits. Previously we described that CAF induces obesity associated to hyperglycemia, reduced ovarian reserve, presence of follicular cysts and ovulatory impairments. The aim of the present study was to contribute in the understanding of the physiological mechanisms altered as consequence of obesity. For that purpose, female Wistar rats were fed ad libitum with a standard diet (control group) or CAF (Obese group). We found that CAF fed-rats developed obesity, glucose intolerance and insulin resistance. Ovaries from obese rats showed decreased glucose uptake and became insulin resistant, showing decreased ovarian expression of glucotransporter type 4 and insulin receptor gene expression respect to controls. These animals showed an increased follicular nitric oxyde synthase expression that may be responsible for the ovulatory disruptions and for inflammation, a common feature in obesity. Obese rats resulted subfertile and their pups were macrosomic. We conclude that obesity alters the systemic and the ovarian glucidic homeostasis impairing the reproductive outcome. Since macrosomia is a risk factor for metabolic and obstetric disorders in adult life, we suggest that obesity is impacting not only on health and reproduction but it is also impacting on health and reproduction of the offspring. Published by Elsevier Inc.

Changes in sex steroid hormone levels reflect the reproductive status of captive female zebra sharks (Stegostoma fasciatum).

PubMed

Nozu, Ryo; Murakumo, Kiyomi; Yano, Nagisa; Furuyama, Rina; Matsumoto, Rui; Yanagisawa, Makio; Sato, Keiichi

2018-03-03

Captive breeding in aquaria is a useful means for ex situ preservation of threatened elasmobranch species. To promote captive breeding, it is important to determine the female reproductive status. However, information regarding reproductive status in female elasmobranchs is limited. Here, we used zebra sharks, Stegostoma fasciatum, as a model for elasmobranch reproduction in captivity. We investigated the relationships among changes in the sex steroid hormone levels, follicle size, and egg-laying period to develop indicators for the female reproductive status. We confirmed that mature female zebra sharks undergo an annual reproductive cycle. Additionally, we showed that the variations in sex steroid hormone levels correlated with reproductive status in mature female zebra sharks. Plasma estradiol-17ß (E2) concentrations increased two months before ovarian follicle development and decreased along with follicle regression. Interestingly, E2 levels were inversely correlated with water temperature (R = -0.901). Moreover, high levels of testosterone (T) correlated well with the laying period. These results strongly suggest that E2 is an indicator for ovarian follicle development, and that T is a useful indicator for both the onset and end of the egg-laying period in captive zebra sharks. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Late injury of cancer therapy on the female reproductive tract

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Grigsby, P.W.; Russell, A.; Bruner, D.

1995-03-30

The purpose of this article is to review the late effects of cancer therapy on the female reproductive tract. The anatomic sites detailed are the vulva, vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, and ovaries. The available pathophysiology is discussed. Clinical syndromes are presented. Tolerance doses of irradiation for late effects are rarely presented in the literature and are reviewed where available. Management strategies for surgical, radiotherapeutic, and chemotherapeutic late effects are discussed. Endpoints for evaluation of therapeutic late effects have been formulated utilizing the symptons, objective, management, and analytic (SOMA) format. Late effects on the female reproductive tract from cancer therapymore » should be recognized and managed appropriately. A grading system for these effects is presented. Endpoints for late effects and tolls for the evaluation need to be further developed. 61 refs., 9 figs., 13 tabs.« less

Understanding the Broader Sexual and Reproductive Health Needs of Female Sex Workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

PubMed

Katz, Karen R; McDowell, Misti; Green, Mackenzie; Jahan, Shamim; Johnson, Laura; Chen, Mario

2015-12-01

Little is known about the sexual and reproductive health care needs of female sex workers in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Survey data were collected from 354 hotel-based and 323 street-based female sex workers using a venue-based stratified cluster sampling approach. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted with 20 female sex workers recruited from drop-in centers. We calculated unmet need for family planning and examined fertility desires, use of condoms and other contraceptive methods, experiences with gender-based violence, sexual and reproductive health service needs, and preferences on where to receive services. The prevalence of unmet need was 25% among hotel-based female sex workers and 36% among street-based female sex workers. Almost all participants reported having used condoms in the past 30 days, and 44% of hotel-based sex workers and 30% of street-based sex workers reported dual method use during that period. Condom use was inconsistent, however, and condom breakage and nonuse for extra money were common. Many women reported experiencing gender-based violence. Sexual and reproductive health services had been obtained by 64% of hotel-based and 89% of street-based sex workers in the past six months; drop-in centers were their preferred site for receiving health services. Female sex workers in Dhaka need family planning and other sexual and reproductive health services and prefer receiving them from drop-in centers.

Reproduction Is Associated with a Tissue-Dependent Reduction of Oxidative Stress in Eusocial Female Damaraland Mole-Rats (Fukomys damarensis)

PubMed Central

Schmidt, Christina M.; Blount, Jonathan D.; Bennett, Nigel C.

2014-01-01

Oxidative stress has been implicated as both a physiological cost of reproduction and a driving force on an animal's lifespan. Since increased reproductive effort is generally linked with a reduction in survival, it has been proposed that oxidative stress may influence this relationship. Support for this hypothesis is inconsistent, but this may, in part, be due to the type of tissues that have been analyzed. In Damaraland mole-rats the sole reproducing female in the colony is also the longest lived. Therefore, if oxidative stress does impact the trade-off between reproduction and survival in general, this species may possess some form of enhanced defense. We assessed this relationship by comparing markers of oxidative damage (malondialdehyde, MDA; protein carbonyls, PC) and antioxidants (total antioxidant capacity, TAC; superoxide dismutase, SOD) in various tissues including plasma, erythrocytes, heart, liver, kidney and skeletal muscle between wild-caught reproductive and non-reproductive female Damaraland mole-rats. Reproductive females exhibited significantly lower levels of PC across all tissues, and lower levels of MDA in heart, kidney and liver relative to non-reproductive females. Levels of TAC and SOD did not differ significantly according to reproductive state. The reduction in oxidative damage in breeding females may be attributable to the unusual social structure of this species, as similar relationships have been observed between reproductive and non-reproductive eusocial insects. PMID:25068591

Survival and reproduction of radio-marked adult spotted owls.

Treesearch

C.C. Foster; E.D. Forsman; E.C. Meslow; G.S. Miller; J.A. Reid; F.F. Wagner; A.B. Carey; J.B. Lint

1992-01-01

We compared survival, reproduction, and body mass of radio-marked and non radio-marked spotted owls (Strix occidentalis) to determine if backpack radios influenced reproduction or survival. In most study areas and years, there were no differences (P > 0.05) in survival of males and females or in survival of radio-marked versus banded owls. There...

Gene expression profiling of adult female tissues in feeding Rhipicephalus microplus cattle ticks.

PubMed

Stutzer, Christian; van Zyl, Willem A; Olivier, Nicholas A; Richards, Sabine; Maritz-Olivier, Christine

2013-06-01

The southern cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus, is an economically important pest, especially for resource-poor countries, both as a highly adaptive invasive species and prominent vector of disease. The increasing prevalence of resistance to chemical acaricides and variable efficacy of current tick vaccine candidates highlight the need for more effective control methods. In the absence of a fully annotated genome, the wealth of available expressed sequence tag sequence data for this species presents a unique opportunity to study the genes that are expressed in tissues involved in blood meal acquisition, digestion and reproduction during feeding. Utilising a custom oligonucleotide microarray designed from available singletons (BmiGI Version 2.1) and expressed sequence tag sequences of R. microplus, the expression profiles in feeding adult female midgut, salivary glands and ovarian tissues were compared. From 13,456 assembled transcripts, 588 genes expressed in all three tissues were identified from fed adult females 20 days post infestation. The greatest complement of genes relate to translation and protein turnover. Additionally, a number of unique transcripts were identified for each tissue that relate well to their respective physiological/biological function/role(s). These transcripts include secreted anti-hemostatics and defense proteins from the salivary glands for acquisition of a blood meal, proteases as well as enzymes and transporters for digestion and nutrient acquisition from ingested blood in the midgut, and finally proteins and associated factors involved in DNA replication and cell-cycle control for oogenesis in the ovaries. Comparative analyses of adult female tissues during feeding enabled the identification of a catalogue of transcripts that may be essential for successful feeding and reproduction in the cattle tick, R. microplus. Future studies will increase our understanding of basic tick biology, allowing the identification of shared proteins

Nutrient intake and balancing among female Colobus angolensis palliatus inhabiting structurally distinct forest areas: Effects of group, season, and reproductive state.

PubMed

Dunham, Noah T; Rodriguez-Saona, Luis E

2018-06-08

Understanding intraspecific behavioral and dietary variation is critical for assessing primate populations' abilities to persist in habitats characterized by increasing anthropogenic disturbances. While it is evident that some species exhibit considerable dietary flexibility (in terms of species-specific plant parts) in relation to habitat disturbance, it is unclear if primates are characterized by similar variation and flexibility regarding nutrient intake. This study examined the effects of group, season, and reproductive state on nutrient intake and balancing in adult female Colobus angolensis palliatus in the Diani Forest, Kenya. During July 2014 to December 2015, estimates of nutrient intake were recorded for eight females from three groups inhabiting structurally and ecologically distinct forest areas differing in tree species composition and density. There were differences in metabolizable energy (ME) and macronutrient intakes among groups, seasons, and reproductive states. Most notably, females inhabiting one of the more disturbed forest areas consumed less ME and macronutrients compared to females in the more intact forest area. Contrary to prediction, females in early lactation consumed significantly less ME and macronutrients compared to non-lactating and late lactation females. Despite differences in macronutrient intake, the relative contribution of macronutrients to ME were generally more conservative among groups, seasons, and reproductive states. Average daily intake ratios of non-protein energy to available protein ranged from approximately 3.5:1-4.3:1 among groups. These results indicate that female C. a. palliatus demonstrate a consistent nutrient balancing strategy despite significant intergroup differences in consumption of species-specific plant parts. Data from additional colobine species inhabiting different forest types are required to assess the extent to which nutrient balancing is constrained by phylogeny or is more flexible to local

Orphaned female elephant social bonds reflect lack of access to mature adults.

PubMed

Goldenberg, Shifra Z; Wittemyer, George

2017-10-31

Compensatory social behavior in nonhuman animals following maternal loss has been documented, but understanding of how orphans allocate bonding to reconstruct their social networks is limited. Successful social integration may be critical to survival and reproduction for highly social species and, therefore, may be tied to population persistence. We examined the social partners involved in affiliative interactions of female orphans and non-orphans in an elephant population in Samburu, northern Kenya that experienced heightened adult mortality driven by drought and intense ivory poaching. We contrasted partners across different competitive contexts to gain insight to the influence of resource availability on social interactions. Though the number of partners did not differ between orphans and non-orphans, their types of social partners did. Orphans interacted with sisters and matriarchs less while feeding than did non-orphans, but otherwise their affiliates were similar. While resting under spatially concentrated shade, orphans had markedly less access to mature adults but affiliated instead with sisters, bulls, and age mates. Orphan propensity to strengthen bonds with non-dominant animals appears to offer routes to social integration following maternal loss, but lack of interaction with adult females suggests orphans may experience decreased resource access and associated fitness costs in this matriarchal society.

Fetal, infant, adolescent and adult phenotypes of polycystic ovary syndrome in prenatally androgenized female rhesus monkeys

PubMed Central

Abbott, David H; Tarantal, Alice F; Dumesic, Daniel A

2010-01-01

Old World monkeys provide naturally-occurring and experimentally-induced phenotypes closely resembling the highly prevalent polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) in women. In particular, experimentally-induced fetal androgen excess in female rhesus monkeys produces a comprehensive adult PCOS-like phenotype that includes both reproductive and metabolic dysfunction found in PCOS women. Such a reliable experimental approach enables the use of the prenatally androgenized (PA) female rhesus monkey model to (1) examine fetal, infant and adolescent antecedents of adult pathophysiology, gaining valuable insight into early phenotypic expression of PCOS, and (2) to understand adult pathophysiology from a mechanistic perspective. Elevated circulating luteinizing hormone (LH) levels are the earliest indication of reproductive dysfunction in late gestation nonhuman primate fetuses and infants exposed to androgen excess during early (late first to second trimester) gestation. Such early gestation-exposed PA infants also are hyperandrogenic, with both LH hypersecretion and hyperandrogenism persisting in early gestation-exposed PA adults. Similarly, subtle metabolic abnormalities appearing in young nonhuman primate infants and adolescents precede the abdominal adiposity, hyperliplidemia, and increased incidence of type 2 diabetes that characterize early gestated-exposed PA adults. These new insights into the developmental origins of PCOS, and progression of the pathophysiology from infancy to adulthood, provide opportunities for clinical intervention to ameliorate the PCOS phenotype thus providing a preventive health care approach to PCOS-related abnormalities. For example, PCOS-like traits in PA monkeys, as in PCOS women, can improve with better insulin-glucose homeostasis, suggesting that lifestyle interventions preventing increased adiposity in adolescent daughters of PCOS mothers also may reduce their risk of acquiring many PCOS-related metabolic abnormalities in adulthood. PMID

Survival of adult Steller sea lions in Alaska: senescence, annual variation and covariation with male reproductive success.

PubMed

Hastings, Kelly K; Jemison, Lauri A; Pendleton, Grey W

2018-01-01

Population dynamics of long-lived vertebrates depend critically on adult survival, yet factors affecting survival and covariation between survival and other vital rates in adults remain poorly examined for many taxonomic groups of long-lived mammals (e.g. actuarial senescence has been examined for only 9 of 34 extant pinniped species using longitudinal data). We used mark-recapture models and data from 2795 Steller sea lion ( Eumetopias jubatus ) pups individually marked at four of five rookeries in southeastern Alaska (SEAK) and resighted for 21 years to examine senescence, annual variability and covariation among life-history traits in this long-lived, sexually dimorphic pinniped. Sexes differed in age of onset (approx. 16-17 and approx. 8-9 years for females and males, respectively), but not rate (-0.047 and -0.046/year of age for females and males) of senescence. Survival of adult males from northern SEAK had greatest annual variability (approx. ±0.30 among years), whereas survival of adult females ranged approximately ±0.10 annually. Positive covariation between male survival and reproductive success was observed. Survival of territorial males was 0.20 higher than that of non-territorial males, resulting in the majority of males alive at oldest ages being territorial.

Survival of adult Steller sea lions in Alaska: senescence, annual variation and covariation with male reproductive success

PubMed Central

Jemison, Lauri A.; Pendleton, Grey W.

2018-01-01

Population dynamics of long-lived vertebrates depend critically on adult survival, yet factors affecting survival and covariation between survival and other vital rates in adults remain poorly examined for many taxonomic groups of long-lived mammals (e.g. actuarial senescence has been examined for only 9 of 34 extant pinniped species using longitudinal data). We used mark–recapture models and data from 2795 Steller sea lion (Eumetopias jubatus) pups individually marked at four of five rookeries in southeastern Alaska (SEAK) and resighted for 21 years to examine senescence, annual variability and covariation among life-history traits in this long-lived, sexually dimorphic pinniped. Sexes differed in age of onset (approx. 16–17 and approx. 8–9 years for females and males, respectively), but not rate (−0.047 and −0.046/year of age for females and males) of senescence. Survival of adult males from northern SEAK had greatest annual variability (approx. ±0.30 among years), whereas survival of adult females ranged approximately ±0.10 annually. Positive covariation between male survival and reproductive success was observed. Survival of territorial males was 0.20 higher than that of non-territorial males, resulting in the majority of males alive at oldest ages being territorial. PMID:29410794

The Effect of Female Quality on Male Ejaculatory Expenditure and Reproductive Success in a Praying Mantid

PubMed Central

Jayaweera, Anuradhi; Barry, Katherine L.

2015-01-01

Strategic ejaculation is a behavioural strategy shown by many animals as a response to sperm competition and/or as a potential mechanism of cryptic male choice. Males invest more mating resources when the risk of sperm competition increases or they invest more in high quality females to maximize their reproductive output. We tested this hypothesis in the false garden mantid Pseudomantis albofimbriata, where females are capable of multiply mating and body condition is an indicator of potential reproductive fitness. We predicted male mantids would ejaculate strategically by allocating more sperm to high quality females. To determine if and how males alter their ejaculate in response to mate quality, we manipulated female food quantity so that females were either in good condition with many eggs (i.e. high quality) or poor condition with few eggs (i.e. low quality). Half of the females from each treatment were used in mating trials in which transferred sperm was counted before fertilisation occurred and the other half of females were used in mating trials where fertilisation occurred and ootheca mass and total eggs in the ootheca were recorded. Opposed to our predictions, the total number of sperm and the proportion of viable sperm transferred did not vary significantly between female treatments. Male reproductive success was entirely dependent on female quality/fecundity, rather than on the number of sperm transferred. These results suggest that female quality is not a major factor influencing postcopulatory male mating strategies in P. albofimbriata, and that sperm number has little effect on male reproductive success in a single mating scenario. PMID:25970459

A potential mate influences reproductive development in female, but not male, pine siskins

PubMed Central

Watts, Heather E.; Edley, Bruce; Hahn, Thomas P.

2016-01-01

The role of photoperiod in avian reproductive timing has been well studied, and we are increasingly recognizing the roles of other environmental cues such as social cues. However, few studies have evaluated the extent to which males and females of the same species respond similarly to the same type of cue. Moreover, previous studies have rarely examined how variation in the quality or nature of a given social cue might modulate its effect. Here, we examine the sensitivity of male and female pine siskins (Spinus pinus) to a potential mate as a stimulatory cue for gonadal recrudescence, and we investigate whether variation in the relationship between a bird and its potential mate modulates the effect of that potential mate. Birds were initially housed without opposite sex birds on a 12L:12D photoperiod with ad libitum food. After gonadal recrudescence had begun males and females were randomly paired with an opposite sex bird or housed alone. An additional group of males was paired with estradiol-implanted females. In males, these social treatments had no effect on testis length, cloacal protuberance length, luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, or testosterone levels. In females, presence of a potential mate had a significant and positive effect on ovary score, defeathering of the brood patch, and LH levels. Among paired birds, the degree of affiliation within a pair corresponded to the extent of reproductive development in females, but not males. Thus, reproductive timing in females appears to be sensitive to both the presence of a potential mate and her relationship with him. PMID:26836771

Effects of Reproductive Health Education on Knowledge and Attitudes Among Female Adolescents in Saudi Arabia.

PubMed

Tork, Hanan Mohamed Mohamed; Al Hosis, Khalid Fahad

2015-09-01

For many girls, the onset of puberty that occurs during adolescence marks a time of heightened vulnerability to early pregnancy, with its attendant complications and heightened risk of maternal mortality. National and international forums have recognized the need to address these problems through reproductive health education. This article assesses the reproductive-health-related knowledge and attitudes of female adolescents aged between 14 and 19 years. In addition, the authors assess the effectiveness of a reproductive health education program in improving the related knowledge of female adolescents. The study was conducted on female students in three secondary schools and in the preparatory year at Qassim University (N = 309). A 59-item structured questionnaire was used to test the knowledge and attitudes of all participants regarding reproductive health before and after the intervention program. Data collection was carried out between September and November 2012. A significant increase for the total sample in knowledge regarding puberty and menstruation was observed (p < .001) postintervention. Differences in overall knowledge regarding pregnancy and antenatal care were statistically significant. Knowledge regarding contraceptive intrauterine devices improved from 27.2% preintervention to 67.6% postintervention. This study clearly showed that the reproductive health education program improves knowledge among adolescent girls regarding reproductive health.

Mathematical modelling of decline in follicle pool during female reproductive ageing.

PubMed

Thilagam, Alagu

2016-03-01

The factors which govern the subtle links between follicle loss and mammalian female reproductive ageing remain unclear despite extensive studies undertaken to understand the critical physiological and biochemical mechanisms that underly the accelerated decline in follicle numbers in women older than 37 years. It is not certain whether there is a sole control by the ovary or whether other factors which affect ageing also intersect with the ovarian effect. There is convincing experimental evidence for an interplay of several processes that seem to influence the follicle loss-female reproductive ageing links, with specific hormones (follicle-stimulating hormone, anti-Müllerian hormone, dehydroepiandrosterone) noted to play important roles in follicular dynamics and ovarian ageing. In this work, we examine the subtle links between the rate of follicular decline with ageing and the role of hormones via a series of non-autonomous equations. Simulation results based on the time evolution of the number of ovarian follicles and biochemical changes in the ovarian environment influenced by hormone levels is compared with empirical data based on follicle loss-reproductive ageing correlation studies. © Crown copyright 2015.

Understanding Female Receiver Psychology in Reproductive Contexts.

PubMed

Lynch, Kathleen S

2017-10-01

Mate choice decision-making requires four components: sensory, cognitive, motivation, and salience. During the breeding season, the neural mechanisms underlying these components act in concert to radically transform the way a female perceives the social cues around her as well as the way in which cognitive and motivational processes influence her decision to respond to courting males. The role of each of these four components in mate choice responses will be discussed here as well as the brain regions involved in regulating each component. These components are not independent, modular systems. Instead, they are dependent on one another. This review will discuss the many ways in which these components interact and affect one another. The interaction of these components, however, ultimately leads back to a few key neuromodulators that thread motivation, sensory, salience, and cognitive components into a set of inter-dependent processes. These neuromodulators are estrogens and catecholamines. This review will highlight the need to understand estrogens in reproductive contexts not just as simply a 'sexual motivation modulator' or catecholamines as 'cognitive regulators' but as neuromodulators that work together to fully transform a non-breeding female into a completely reproductive female displaying: heightened sexual interest in courting males, greater arousal and selective attention toward courtship signals, improved signal detection and discrimination abilities, enhanced contextual signal memory, and increased motivation to respond to signals assigned incentive salience. The aim of this review is to build a foundation in which to understand the brain regions associated with cognitive, sensory, motivational, and signal salience not as independently acting systems but as a set of interacting processes that function together in a context-appropriate manner. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative

Developmental origins of pregnancy loss in the adult female common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus).

PubMed

Rutherford, Julienne N; deMartelly, Victoria A; Layne Colon, Donna G; Ross, Corinna N; Tardif, Suzette D

2014-01-01

The impact of the intrauterine environment on the developmental programming of adult female reproductive success is still poorly understood and potentially underestimated. Litter size variation in a nonhuman primate, the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus), allows us to model the effects of varying intrauterine environments (e.g. nutrient restriction, exposure to male womb-mates) on the risk of losing fetuses in adulthood. Our previous work has characterized the fetuses of triplet pregnancies as experiencing intrauterine nutritional restriction. We used over a decade of demographic data from the Southwest National Primate Research Center common marmoset colony. We evaluated differences between twin and triplet females in the number of pregnancies they produce and the proportion of those pregnancies that ended in fetal loss. We found that triplet females produced the same number of total offspring as twin females, but lost offspring during pregnancy at a significantly higher rate than did twins (38% vs. 13%, p = 0.02). Regardless of their own birth weight or the sex ratio of the litter the experienced as fetuses, triplet females lost more fetuses than did twins. Females with a male littermate experienced a significant increase in the proportion of stillbirths. These striking findings anchor pregnancy loss in the mother's own fetal environment and development, underscoring a "Womb to Womb" view of the lifecourse and the intergenerational consequences of development. This has important translational implications for understanding the large proportion of human stillbirths that are unexplained. Our findings provide strong evidence that a full understanding of mammalian life history and reproductive biology requires a developmental foundation.

Infertility in reproductive-age female cancer survivors.

PubMed

Levine, Jennifer M; Kelvin, Joanne Frankel; Quinn, Gwendolyn P; Gracia, Clarisa R

2015-05-15

Improved survival rates among reproductive-age females diagnosed with cancer have increased the focus on long-term quality of life, including maintenance of the ability to conceive biological children. Cancer-directed therapies such as high-dose alkylating agents and radiation to the pelvis, which deplete ovarian reserve, radiation to the brain, which affects the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, and surgical resection of reproductive structures can decrease the likelihood of having biological children. Standard fertility preservation strategies such as embryo and oocyte cryopreservation before the onset of therapy offer the opportunity to conserve fertility, but they may not be feasible because of the urgency to start cancer therapy, financial limitations, and a lack of access to reproductive endocrinologists. Ovarian tissue freezing is considered experimental, with limited data related to pregnancies, but it minimizes treatment delay. Studies evaluating gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogues have had mixed results, although a recent randomized, prospective study in women with breast cancer demonstrated a protective effect. Fertility preservation programs are increasingly being developed within cancer programs. In this article, we describe risks to infertility and options for preservation, raise psychosocial and ethical issues, and propose elements for establishing an effective fertility preservation program. © 2015 American Cancer Society.

Associations between Bisphenol A Exposure and Reproductive Hormones among Female Workers

PubMed Central

Miao, Maohua; Yuan, Wei; Yang, Fen; Liang, Hong; Zhou, Zhijun; Li, Runsheng; Gao, Ersheng; Li, De-Kun

2015-01-01

The associations between Bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure and reproductive hormone levels among women are unclear. A cross-sectional study was conducted among female workers from BPA-exposed and unexposed factories in China. Women’s blood samples were collected for assay of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), 17β-Estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL), and progesterone (PROG). Their urine samples were collected for BPA measurement. In the exposed group, time weighted average exposure to BPA for an 8-h shift (TWA8), a measure incorporating historic exposure level, was generated based on personal air sampling. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine linear associations between urine BPA concentration and reproductive hormones after controlling for potential confounders. A total of 106 exposed and 250 unexposed female workers were included in this study. A significant positive association between increased urine BPA concentration and higher PRL and PROG levels were observed. Similar associations were observed after the analysis was carried out separately among the exposed and unexposed workers. In addition, a positive association between urine BPA and E2 was observed among exposed workers with borderline significance, while a statistically significant inverse association between urine BPA and FSH was observed among unexposed group. The results suggest that BPA exposure may lead to alterations in female reproductive hormone levels. PMID:26506366

Associations between Bisphenol A Exposure and Reproductive Hormones among Female Workers.

PubMed

Miao, Maohua; Yuan, Wei; Yang, Fen; Liang, Hong; Zhou, Zhijun; Li, Runsheng; Gao, Ersheng; Li, De-Kun

2015-10-22

The associations between Bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure and reproductive hormone levels among women are unclear. A cross-sectional study was conducted among female workers from BPA-exposed and unexposed factories in China. Women's blood samples were collected for assay of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), 17β-Estradiol (E2), prolactin (PRL), and progesterone (PROG). Their urine samples were collected for BPA measurement. In the exposed group, time weighted average exposure to BPA for an 8-h shift (TWA8), a measure incorporating historic exposure level, was generated based on personal air sampling. Multiple linear regression analyses were used to examine linear associations between urine BPA concentration and reproductive hormones after controlling for potential confounders. A total of 106 exposed and 250 unexposed female workers were included in this study. A significant positive association between increased urine BPA concentration and higher PRL and PROG levels were observed. Similar associations were observed after the analysis was carried out separately among the exposed and unexposed workers. In addition, a positive association between urine BPA and E2 was observed among exposed workers with borderline significance, while a statistically significant inverse association between urine BPA and FSH was observed among unexposed group. The results suggest that BPA exposure may lead to alterations in female reproductive hormone levels.

A role for tachykinins in female mouse and rat reproductive function.

PubMed

Pintado, C Oscar; Pinto, Francisco M; Pennefather, Jocelyn N; Hidalgo, Agustin; Baamonde, Ana; Sanchez, Teresa; Candenas, M Luz

2003-09-01

Tachykinins may be involved in reproduction. A reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction assay was used to analyze the expression of tachykinins and tachykinin receptors in different types of reproductive cells from mice. The preprotachykinin (PPT) genes, PPT-A, PPT-B and PPT-C, that encode substance P/neurokinin A, neurokinin B, and hemokinin-1, respectively, and the genes that encode the tachykinin NK1, NK2, and NK3 receptors were all expressed, at different levels, in the uterus of superovulated, unfertilized mice. The mRNA of neprilysin (NEP), the main enzyme involved in tachykinin metabolism, was also expressed in the uterus. Isolated cumulus granulosa cells expressed PPT-A, PPT-B, PPT-C, and NEP and low levels of the tachykinin NK1 and NK2 receptors. Mouse oocytes expressed PPT-A and -B mRNA transcripts. A low expression of the three tachykinin receptors was observed but PPT-C and NEP were undetectable. Two- and 8- to 16-cell mouse embryos expressed only a low-abundance transcript corresponding to the NK1 receptor. However, the mRNAs of PPT-B, PPT-C and NEP appeared in blastocyst-stage embryos. A low-abundance transcript corresponding to the NK2 receptor was the only target gene detected in mice sperm. Female mice or rats treated neonatally with capsaicin showed a reduced fertility. A reduction in litter size was observed in female rats treated in vivo with the tachykinin NK3 receptor antagonist SR 142801. These data show that tachykinins of both neuronal and nonneuronal origin are differentially expressed in various types of reproductive cells and may play a role in female reproductive function.

Developmental Programming: Reproductive Endocrinopathies in the Adult Female Sheep After Prenatal Testosterone Treatment Are Reflected in Altered Ontogeny of GnRH Afferents

PubMed Central

Hershey, John; Mytinger, Andrea; Foster, Douglas L.; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

2011-01-01

The GnRH system represents a useful model of long-term neural plasticity. An unexplored facet of this plasticity relates to the ontogeny of GnRH neural afferents during critical periods when the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis is highly susceptible to perturbation by sex steroids. Sheep treated with testosterone (T) in utero exhibit profound reproductive neuroendocrine dysfunctions during their lifespan. The current study tested the hypothesis that these changes are associated with alterations in the normal ontogeny of GnRH afferents and glial associations. Adult pregnant sheep (n = 50) were treated with vehicle [control (CONT)] or T daily from gestational day (GD)30 to GD90. CONT and T fetuses (n = 4–6/treatment per age group) were removed by cesarean section on GD90 and GD140 and the brains frozen at −80°C. Brains were also collected from CONT and T females at 20–23 wk (prepubertal), 10 months (normal onset of puberty and oligo-anovulation), and 21 months (oligo-anovulation in T females). Tissue was analyzed for GnRH immunoreactivity (ir), total GnRH afferents (Synapsin-I ir), glutamate [vesicular glutamate transporter-2 (VGLUT2)-ir], and γ-aminobutyric acid [GABA, vesicular GABA transporter (VGAT)-ir] afferents and glial associations (glial fibrillary acidic protein-ir) with GnRH neurons using optical sectioning techniques. The results revealed that: 1) GnRH soma size was slightly reduced by T, 2) the total (Synapsin-I) GnRH afferents onto both somas and dendrites increased significantly with age and was reduced by T, 3) numbers of both VGAT and VGLUT inputs increased significantly with age and were also reduced by T, and 4) glial associations with GnRH neurons were reduced (<10%) by T. Together, these findings reveal a previously unknown developmental plasticity in the GnRH system of the sheep. The altered developmental trajectory of GnRH afferents after T reinforces the notion that prenatal programming plays an important role in the normal

Interspecific competition, hybridization, and reproductive isolation in secondary contact: missing perspectives on males and females

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Abstract Research on sexual selection and hybridization has focused on female mate choice and male–male competition. While the evolutionary outcomes of interspecific female preference have been well explored, we are now gaining a better understanding of the processes by which male–male competition between species in secondary contact promotes reproductive isolation versus hybridization. What is relatively unexplored is the interaction between female choice and male competition, as they can oppose one another or align with similar outcomes for reproductive isolation. The role of female–female competition in hybridization is also not well understood, but could operate similarly to male–male competition in polyandrous and other systems where costs to heterospecific mating are low for females. Reproductive competition between either sex of sympatric species can cause the divergence and/or convergence of sexual signals and recognition, which in turn influences the likelihood for interspecific mating. Future work on species interactions in secondary contact should test the relative influences of both mate choice and competition for mates on hybridization outcomes, and should not ignore the possibilities that females can compete over mating resources, and males can exercise mate choice. PMID:29492041

Reproduction in the endangered African wild dog: basic physiology, reproductive suppression and possible benefits of artificial insemination.

PubMed

Van den Berghe, F; Paris, D B B P; Van Soom, A; Rijsselaere, T; Van der Weyde, L; Bertschinger, H J; Paris, M C J

2012-07-01

The African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) is an endangered exotic canid with less than 5500 animals remaining in the wild. Despite numerous strategies to conserve this species, numbers of free-living animals are in decline. It is a highly social species with a complex pack structure: separate male and female dominant hierarchies with, typically, participation of subdominant adults in the rearing of the dominant breeding pairs' pups. Basic reproductive knowledge is largely missing in this species, with only limited information available on the profile of reproductive hormones, based on non-invasive endocrine monitoring. The dominant or alpha male and female are reproductively active and the subdominants are generally reproductively suppressed. However, the occasional production of litters by subdominant females and evidence of multiple paternity within litters suggests that fertility of subordinates is not completely inhibited. In this respect, there are still considerable gaps in our knowledge about the mechanisms governing reproduction and reproductive suppression in African wild dogs, particularly the influence of dominance and pack structure on both male and female fertility. Given concerns over the long-term survival of this species, further research in this area is essential to provide valuable information for their captive breeding and conservation. Reproductive information can also be applied to the development of Assisted Reproductive Techniques for this species; the utility of which in African wild dog conservation is also discussed. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The adaptive value of morphological, behavioural and life-history traits in reproductive female wolves.

PubMed

Stahler, Daniel R; MacNulty, Daniel R; Wayne, Robert K; vonHoldt, Bridgett; Smith, Douglas W

2013-01-01

Reproduction in social organisms is shaped by numerous morphological, behavioural and life-history traits such as body size, cooperative breeding and age of reproduction, respectively. Little is known, however, about the relative influence of these different types of traits on reproduction, particularly in the context of environmental conditions that determine their adaptive value. Here, we use 14 years of data from a long-term study of wolves (Canis lupus) in Yellowstone National Park, USA, to evaluate the relative effects of different traits and ecological factors on the reproductive performance (litter size and survival) of breeding females. At the individual level, litter size and survival improved with body mass and declined with age (c. 4-5 years). Grey-coloured females had more surviving pups than black females, which likely contributed to the maintenance of coat colour polymorphism in this system. The effect of pack size on reproductive performance was nonlinear as litter size peaked at eight wolves and then declined, and litter survival increased rapidly up to three wolves, beyond which it increased more gradually. At the population level, litter size and survival decreased with increasing wolf population size and canine distemper outbreaks. The relative influence of these different-level factors on wolf reproductive success followed individual > group > population. Body mass was the primary determinant of litter size, followed by pack size and population size. Body mass was also the main driver of litter survival, followed by pack size and disease. Reproductive gains because of larger body size and cooperative breeding may mitigate reproductive losses because of negative density dependence and disease. These findings highlight the adaptive value of large body size and sociality in promoting individual fitness in stochastic and competitive environments. © 2012 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2012 British Ecological Society.

Innate and adaptive immune responses in male and female reproductive tracts in homeostasis and following HIV infection

PubMed Central

Nguyen, Philip V; Kafka, Jessica K; Ferreira, Victor H; Roth, Kristy; Kaushic, Charu

2014-01-01

The male and female reproductive tracts are complex microenvironments that have diverse functional demands. The immune system in the reproductive tract has the demanding task of providing a protective environment for a fetal allograft while simultaneously conferring protection against potential pathogens. As such, it has evolved a unique set of adaptations, primarily under the influence of sex hormones, which make it distinct from other mucosal sites. Here, we discuss the various components of the immune system that are present in both the male and female reproductive tracts, including innate soluble factors and cells and humoral and cell-mediated adaptive immunity under homeostatic conditions. We review the evidence showing unique phenotypic and functional characteristics of immune cells and responses in the male and female reproductive tracts that exhibit compartmentalization from systemic immunity and discuss how these features are influenced by sex hormones. We also examine the interactions among the reproductive tract, sex hormones and immune responses following HIV-1 infection. An improved understanding of the unique characteristics of the male and female reproductive tracts will provide insights into improving clinical treatments of the immunological causes of infertility and the design of prophylactic interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections. PMID:24976268

Establishment of assisted reproduction technologies in female and male African wild dogs (Lycaon pictus).

PubMed

Hermes, R; Göritz, F; Maltzan, J; Blottner, S; Proudfoot, J; Fritsch, G; Fassbender, M; Quest, M; Hildebrandt, T B

2001-01-01

Transrectal ultrasonography, electroejaculation and cryopreservation of spermatozoa were applied to the African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) to establish non-invasive protocols for assessing the reproductive health of one of the most endangered African canids. Transrectal ultrasonography was performed on immobilized male (n = 2) and female (n = 5) captive wild dogs. The testes and epididymides of the male dogs were imaged transcutaneously, followed by electrostimulation and cryopreservation of spermatozoa. The sonomorphology of the female and male urogenital tracts was characterized. In females, the vagina, cervix, non-pregnant uterus and ovary were imaged and the reproductive health of each female was evaluated. The sonographic assessment helped to identify one pyometra and extensive abdominal fat deposits in two other individuals in which pyometra had been suspected. Images of the adrenal glands showed differences in size among individuals of the same breeding group. Whether these differences were related to the dominance hierarchy remains to be determined. In males, visualization of the prostate gland, testis and epididymis indicated sexual maturity. Three ejaculatory fractions (1.0, 1.5 and 0.5 ml, with 50, 95 and 95% motility, respectively; 1.125 x 10(8) spermatozoa per ejaculate) were collected from one male. The motility of each of these fractions after thawing was 0, 30 and 40%, respectively. Electrostimulation of the second male, in which a cystic structure in a testis had been identified by sonography, resulted in an aspermic ejaculate (0.5 and 1.0 ml). These technologies provided basic data on reproduction in female and male African wild dogs and were an efficient way to evaluate reproductive health.

Effects on reproduction in female offspring from Sprague-Dawley rats fed 10% snakeweed (Gutierrezia microcephala) throughout pregnancy and concurrent treatment with safflower oil.

PubMed

Staley, E C; Smith, G S; Greenberg, J A

1995-10-01

Previous studies determined that safflower oil administration provided protection against the embryotoxicity seen following ingestion of 10% snakeweed (Gutierrezia microcephala) throughout pregnancy. Sixty-two young primiparous female rats born in those studies were paired with adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. After 4 d they were removed and carried their litters to term. Observations were made of the presence and extent of reproductive effects attributable to the 10% snakeweed exposure and differences in fecundity that were attributable to dosing with safflower oil or normal saline during the snakeweed exposure. Of the 62 rats, 50 carried litters to term and approximated the reproductive efficiency of normal primiparous Sprague-Dawley rats. There was no significant difference between the fecundity of females born to rats fed the 10% snakeweed and dosed with safflower oil, those born of rats fed snakeweed dosed with normal saline, or those fed a snakeweed-free diet and dosed with normal saline. Regardless of the diet or treatment administered, dams carrying their litters to parturition gave birth to healthy, normo-reproductive offspring. While the toxic principles in Gutierrezia species plants may act as estrogenic or anti-estrogenic compounds, they did not impair fertility in the female offspring of dosed rats.

A potential mate influences reproductive development in female, but not male, pine siskins.

PubMed

Watts, Heather E; Edley, Bruce; Hahn, Thomas P

2016-04-01

The role of photoperiod in avian reproductive timing has been well studied, and we are increasingly recognizing the roles of other environmental cues such as social cues. However, few studies have evaluated the extent to which males and females of the same species respond similarly to the same type of cue. Moreover, previous studies have rarely examined how variation in the quality or nature of a given social cue might modulate its effect. Here, we examine the sensitivity of male and female pine siskins (Spinus pinus) to a potential mate as a stimulatory cue for gonadal recrudescence, and we investigate whether variation in the relationship between a bird and its potential mate modulates the effect of that potential mate. Birds were initially housed without opposite sex birds on a 12L:12D photoperiod with ad libitum food. After gonadal recrudescence had begun males and females were randomly paired with an opposite sex bird or housed alone. An additional group of males was paired with estradiol-implanted females. In males, these social treatments had no effect on testis length, cloacal protuberance length, luteinizing hormone (LH) levels, or testosterone levels. In females, presence of a potential mate had a significant and positive effect on ovary score, defeathering of the brood patch, and LH levels. Among paired birds, the degree of affiliation within a pair corresponded to the extent of reproductive development in females, but not males. Thus, reproductive timing in females appears to be sensitive to both the presence of a potential mate and her relationship with him. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproductive alterations in hyperinsulinemic but normoandrogenic MSG obese female rats.

PubMed

Gaspar, Renato Simões; Benevides, Renata Ohana Alves; Fontelles, João Lucas de Lima; Vale, Caroline Castro; França, Lucas Martins; Barros, Paulo de Tarso Silva; Paes, Antonio Marcus de Andrade

2016-05-01

Obesity and metabolic syndrome are the common causes of reproductive and fertility disorders in women. In particular, polycystic ovary syndrome, which is clinically characterized by hyperandrogenism, oligo/anovulation, and polycystic ovarian morphology, has been increasingly associated with metabolic disorders. However, given the broad interplay between metabolic and reproductive functions, this remains a field of intense research. In this study, we investigated the effect of monosodium l-glutamate (MSG)-induced obesity on reproductive biology of female rats. Newborn female rats were subcutaneously injected with MSG (4g/kg/day) or equiosmolar saline (CTR) each 2 days up to postnatal day (pnd) 10. On pnd 60, estrous cycle was evaluated using vaginal smears twice a day for 15 days, which showed MSG rats to be oligocyclic. Thereafter, animals were killed on estrous phase for blood and tissue collection. MSG rats had increased body mass, accumulation of retroperitoneal and visceral fat pads, and visceral adipocyte hypertrophy compared with CTR rats. MSG rats were also dyslipidemic and hyperinsulinemic but were normoglycemic and normoandrogenic. Ovarian morphology analysis showed that MSG rats had a two-fold decrease in oocyte count but a six-fold increase on ovarian follicular cysts, along with a higher number of total primordial and atretic follicles. Moreover, MSG rats had a four-fold increase in anti-Müllerian hormone immunohistochemical staining on antral follicles. Taken together, data presented here characterize MSG obesity as a unique model to study the metabolic pathways underlying reproductive disorders in the absence of overactivated hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis. © 2016 Society for Endocrinology.

Reproduction impairment and endocrine disruption in adult zebrafish (Danio rerio) after waterborne exposure to TBOEP.

PubMed

Xu, Qinglong; Wu, Ding; Dang, Yao; Yu, Liqin; Liu, Chunsheng; Wang, Jianghua

2017-01-01

Tris (2-butoxyethyl) phosphate (TBOEP) is widely used as a substitute of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs). It has been frequently measured at concentrations of micrograms per liter (μg/L) in surface waters and waste water. However, limited information is available about the reproduction toxicology of TBOEP. In this study, adult zebrafish pairs were exposed to TBOEP at concentrations of 0, 5, 50, and 500μg/L for 21days. The effects on reproduction, hormone concentration, transcription of genes along the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis, and gonadal development were investigated. After exposure to TBOEP, plasma concentrations of 17β-estradiol were significantly increased in both sexes of fish, while increase of testosterone was observed only in male fish. Transcription of genes along the HPG axis was significantly influenced by exposure to TBOEP in both male and female fish. Moreover, TBOEP decreases the average number of eggs production, as well as hatching success and survival rates in offspring. Histological examination shows inhibition of oocyte maturation in females and retardation spermiation in males, respectively. The results demonstrate that TBOEP could disturb the sex hormone balance by altering regulatory circuits of the HPG axis, affect gonadal development, eventually leading to disruption of reproductive performance and the development of progeny. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Prior Contest Experience and Contest Outcome on Female Reproductive Decisions and Offspring Fitness.

PubMed

Pilakouta, Natalie; Halford, Cerian; Rácz, Rita; Smiseth, Per T

2016-09-01

Winning or losing a prior contest can influence the outcome of future contests, but it might also alter subsequent reproductive decisions. For example, losers may increase their investment in the current breeding attempt if losing a contest indicates limited prospects for future breeding. Using the burying beetle Nicrophorus vespilloides, we tested whether females adjust their prehatching and posthatching reproductive effort after winning or losing a contest with a same-sex conspecific. Burying beetles breed on carcasses of small vertebrates for which there is fierce intrasexual competition. We found no evidence that winning or losing a contest influenced reproductive investment decisions in this species. Instead, we show that a female's prior contest experience (regardless of its outcome) influenced the amount of posthatching care provided, with downstream consequences for the female's reproductive output; both winners and losers spent more time provisioning food to their offspring and produced larger broods than females with no contest experience. We discuss the wider implications of our findings and present a conceptual model linking contest-mediated adjustments in parental investment to population-level processes. We propose that the frequency of intraspecific contests could both influence and be influenced by population dynamics in species where contest experience influences the size and/or number of offspring produced.

Inbreeding avoidance and female mate choice shape reproductive skew in capuchin monkeys (Cebus capucinus imitator).

PubMed

Wikberg, Eva C; Jack, Katharine M; Fedigan, Linda M; Campos, Fernando A; Yashima, Akiko S; Bergstrom, Mackenzie L; Hiwatashi, Tomohide; Kawamura, Shoji

2017-01-01

Reproductive skew in multimale groups may be determined by the need for alpha males to offer reproductive opportunities as staying incentives to subordinate males (concessions), by the relative fighting ability of the alpha male (tug-of-war) or by how easily females can be monopolized (priority-of-access). These models have rarely been investigated in species with exceptionally long male tenures, such as white-faced capuchins, where female mate choice for novel unrelated males may be important in shaping reproductive skew. We investigated reproductive skew in white-faced capuchins at Sector Santa Rosa, Costa Rica, using 20 years of demographic, behavioural and genetic data. Infant survival and alpha male reproductive success were highest in small multimale groups, which suggests that the presence of subordinate males can be beneficial to the alpha male, in line with the concession model's assumptions. None of the skew models predicted the observed degree of reproductive sharing, and the probability of an alpha male producing offspring was not affected by his relatedness to subordinate males, whether he resided with older subordinate males, whether he was prime aged, the number of males or females in the group or the number of infants conceived within the same month. Instead, the alpha male's probability of producing offspring decreased when he was the sire of the mother, was weak and lacked a well-established position and had a longer tenure. Because our data best supported the inbreeding avoidance hypothesis and female choice for strong novel mates, these hypotheses should be taken into account in future skew models. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Jak2 is Necessary for Neuroendocrine Control of Female Reproduction

PubMed Central

Wu, Sheng; Divall, Sara; Hoffman, Gloria E.; Le, Wei Wei; Wagner, Kay-Uwe; Wolfe, Andrew

2011-01-01

GnRH neurons represent the final common output of signals from the brain that regulates reproductive function. A wide range of environmental factors impact GnRH neuron activity including disease, stress, nutrition, and seasonal cues, as well as gonadal steroid hormones. The CNS response is thought to be mediated, at least in part, through intermediate signaling molecules that affect GnRH neuronal activity. In vitro, GnRH neuronal cell lines respond to a variety of ligands which activate the Jak/STAT intracellular signaling pathway. In order to determine its biological function in reproduction, we used Cre/LoxP technology to generate GnRH neuron specific Jak2 conditional knockout (Jak2 G−/−) mice. GnRH mRNA levels were reduced in Jak2 G−/− mice when compared to controls, while the number of GnRH neurons was equivalent, indicating a reduction in GnRH gene expression. Secretion of GnRH is also reduced as basal serum LH levels were significantly lower in female Jak2 G−/− mice while the pituitary responded normally to exogenous GnRH. Preovulatory LH surge levels were blunted in Jak2 G−/− mice, which was correlated with reduced GnRH neuronal activation as assessed by c-Fos. However the activation of GnRH neurons following release from estrogen negative feedback is retained. Female Jak2 G−/− mice exhibited significantly delayed puberty and first estrus, abnormal estrous cyclicity and impaired fertility. These results demonstrate an essential role for Jak2 signaling in GnRH neurons for normal reproductive development and fertility in female mice. PMID:21209203

Impact of stress on female reproductive health disorders: Possible beneficial effects of shatavari (Asparagus racemosus).

PubMed

Pandey, Ajai K; Gupta, Anumegha; Tiwari, Meenakshi; Prasad, Shilpa; Pandey, Ashutosh N; Yadav, Pramod K; Sharma, Alka; Sahu, Kankshi; Asrafuzzaman, Syed; Vengayil, Doyil T; Shrivastav, Tulsidas G; Chaube, Shail K

2018-07-01

Stress is deeply rooted in the society and women are frequently exposed to psychological, physical and physiological stressors. Psychological stress disturbs reproductive health by inducing generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and thereby oxidative stress (OS). The increased OS may affect physiology of ovary, oocyte quality and cause female reproductive health disorders. To overcome stress-mediated reproductive health disorders in women, shatavari (Asparagus racemosus) is frequently recommended in Ayurvedic system of medicine. Although shatavari is one of the major health tonics and most popular rasayana drugs to treat reproductive ailments of women, underlying mechanism of shatavari action at the level of ovary remains poorly understood. Based on the existing studies, we propose that shatavari may improve female reproductive health complications including hormonal imbalance, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), follicular growth and development, oocyte quality and infertility possibly by reducing OS level and increasing antioxidants level in the body. Further studies are required to elucidate the mechanism of shatavari actions at the level of ovary and oocyte that directly impacts the reproductive health of women. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Demographic responses to warming: reproductive maturity and sex influence vulnerability in an octocoral

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arizmendi-Mejía, Rosana; Ledoux, Jean-Baptiste; Civit, Sergi; Antunes, Agostinho; Thanopoulou, Zoi; Garrabou, Joaquim; Linares, Cristina

2015-12-01

Ocean warming, caused by climate change, is critically impacting marine coastal ecosystems. Benthic organisms, such as anthozoans, are increasingly submitted to high temperatures that cause massive mortalities in tropical and temperate seas. To broaden our understanding of their response to thermal stress, we tested the putative role of reproductive maturity and sex in the susceptibility of the Mediterranean red gorgonian, Paramuricea clavata, to high temperatures. We experimentally compared the response to thermal stress of sexually immature (i.e., juveniles) versus mature individuals (i.e., adults), and of males versus females. Colonies' response was firstly assessed by measuring the percentage of tissue area exhibiting necrosis. Then, the reproductive output (i.e., fertility, size, and number of gonads) of both sexes was characterized. When compared to juveniles, adults showed a significantly higher percentage of necrosis, suggesting that during the reproductive period they are more vulnerable to high temperatures. Males and females showed a similar percentage of tissue damage and a significant decrease in their reproductive output. However, females' reproduction was more impacted, suggesting that females are more susceptible to thermal stress than males. A differential energy investment in reproduction may be the underlying cause of the observed responses. Adults invest a large proportion of their energy budget in reproduction; hence, they have fewer resources available to cope with stress, compared to juveniles. A similar situation seems to apply to females, with respect to males. Considering the current ocean-warming trend, our results imply that the long-term viability of shallow populations of long-lived anthozoans may be jeopardized in the future. This study reveals potential demographic consequences of warming that go beyond its associated increment of mortality rates. Given the important ecological role of many anthozoan species, these results can help

Genetic differentiation for size at first reproduction through male versus female functions in the widespread Mediterranean tree Pinus pinaster.

PubMed

Santos-del-Blanco, L; Climent, J; González-Martínez, S C; Pannell, J R

2012-11-01

The study of local adaptation in plant reproductive traits has received substantial attention in short-lived species, but studies conducted on forest trees are scarce. This lack of research on long-lived species represents an important gap in our knowledge, because inferences about selection on the reproduction and life history of short-lived species cannot necessarily be extrapolated to trees. This study considers whether the size for first reproduction is locally adapted across a broad geographical range of the Mediterranean conifer species Pinus pinaster. In particular, the study investigates whether this monoecious species varies genetically among populations in terms of whether individuals start to reproduce through their male function, their female function or both sexual functions simultaneously. Whether differences among populations could be attributed to local adaptation across a climatic gradient is then considered. Male and female reproduction and growth were measured during early stages of sexual maturity of a P. pinaster common garden comprising 23 populations sampled across the species range. Generalized linear mixed models were used to assess genetic variability of early reproductive life-history traits. Environmental correlations with reproductive life-history traits were tested after controlling for neutral genetic structure provided by 12 nuclear simple sequence repeat markers. Trees tended to reproduce first through their male function, at a size (height) that varied little among source populations. The transition to female reproduction was slower, showed higher levels of variability and was negatively correlated with vegetative growth traits. Several female reproductive traits were correlated with a gradient of growth conditions, even after accounting for neutral genetic structure, with populations from more unfavourable sites tending to commence female reproduction at a lower individual size. The study represents the first report of genetic

Androgen excess fetal programming of female reproduction: a developmental aetiology for polycystic ovary syndrome?

PubMed

Abbott, D H; Barnett, D K; Bruns, C M; Dumesic, D A

2005-01-01

The aetiology of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) remains unknown. This familial syndrome is prevalent among reproductive-aged women and its inheritance indicates a dominant regulatory gene with incomplete penetrance. However, promising candidate genes have proven unreliable as markers for the PCOS phenotype. This lack of genetic linkage may represent both extreme heterogeneity of PCOS and difficulty in establishing a universally accepted PCOS diagnosis. Nevertheless, hyperandrogenism is one of the most consistently expressed PCOS traits. Animal models that mimic fetal androgen excess may thus provide unique insight into the origins of the PCOS syndrome. Many female mammals exposed to androgen excess in utero or during early post-natal life typically show masculinized and defeminized behaviour, ovulatory dysfunction and virilized genitalia, although behavioural and ovulatory dysfunction can coexist without virilized genitalia based upon the timing of androgen excess. One animal model shows particular relevance to PCOS: the prenatally androgenized female rhesus monkey. Females exposed to androgen excess early in gestation exhibit hyperandrogenism, oligomenorrhoea and enlarged, polyfollicular ovaries, in addition to LH hypersecretion, impaired embryo development, insulin resistance accompanying abdominal obesity, impaired insulin response to glucose and hyperlipidaemia. Female monkeys exposed to androgen excess late in gestation mimic these programmed changes, except for LH and insulin secretion defects. In utero androgen excess may thus variably perturb multiple organ system programming and thereby provide a single, fetal origin for a heterogeneous adult syndrome.

Androgen Receptor (AR) Physiological Roles in Male and Female Reproductive Systems: Lessons Learned from AR-Knockout Mice Lacking AR in Selective Cells1

PubMed Central

Chang, Chawnshang; Lee, Soo Ok; Wang, Ruey-Sheng; Yeh, Shuyuan; Chang, Ta-Min

2013-01-01

ABSTRACT Androgens/androgen receptor (AR) signaling is involved primarily in the development of male-specific phenotypes during embryogenesis, spermatogenesis, sexual behavior, and fertility during adult life. However, this signaling has also been shown to play an important role in development of female reproductive organs and their functions, such as ovarian folliculogenesis, embryonic implantation, and uterine and breast development. The establishment of the testicular feminization (Tfm) mouse model exploiting the X-linked Tfm mutation in mice has been a good in vivo tool for studying the human complete androgen insensitivity syndrome, but this mouse may not be the perfect in vivo model. Mouse models with various cell-specific AR knockout (ARKO) might allow us to study AR roles in individual types of cells in these male and female reproductive systems, although discrepancies are found in results between labs, probably due to using various Cre mice and/or knocking out AR in different AR domains. Nevertheless, no doubt exists that the continuous development of these ARKO mouse models and careful studies will provide information useful for understanding AR roles in reproductive systems of humans and may help us to develop more effective and more specific therapeutic approaches for reproductive system-related diseases. PMID:23782840

Poor horse traders: large mammals trade survival for reproduction during the process of feralization

PubMed Central

Grange, Sophie; Duncan, Patrick; Gaillard, Jean-Michel

2009-01-01

We investigated density dependence on the demographic parameters of a population of Camargue horses (Equus caballus), individually monitored and unmanaged for eight years. We also analysed the contributions of individual demographic parameters to changes in the population growth rates. The decrease in resources caused a loss of body condition. Adult male survival was not affected, but the survival of foals and adult females decreased with increasing density. Prime-aged females maintained high reproductive performance at high density, and their survival decreased. The higher survival of adult males compared with females at high density presumably results from higher investment in reproduction by mares. The high fecundity in prime-aged females, even when at high density, may result from artificial selection for high reproductive performance, which is known to have occurred in all the major domestic ungulates. Other studies suggest that feral ungulates including cattle and sheep, as these horses, respond differently from wild ungulates to increases in density, by trading adult survival for reproduction. As a consequence, populations of feral animals should oscillate more strongly than their wild counterparts, since they should be both more invasive (as they breed faster), and more sensitive to harsh environmental conditions (as the population growth rate of long-lived species is consistently more sensitive to a given proportional change in adult survival than to the same change in any other vital rate). If this principle proves to be general, it has important implications for management of populations of feral ungulates. PMID:19324787

Developmental Origins of Pregnancy Loss in the Adult Female Common Marmoset Monkey (Callithrix jacchus)

PubMed Central

Rutherford, Julienne N.; deMartelly, Victoria A.; Layne Colon, Donna G.; Ross, Corinna N.; Tardif, Suzette D.

2014-01-01

Background The impact of the intrauterine environment on the developmental programming of adult female reproductive success is still poorly understood and potentially underestimated. Litter size variation in a nonhuman primate, the common marmoset monkey (Callithrix jacchus), allows us to model the effects of varying intrauterine environments (e.g. nutrient restriction, exposure to male womb-mates) on the risk of losing fetuses in adulthood. Our previous work has characterized the fetuses of triplet pregnancies as experiencing intrauterine nutritional restriction. Methodology/Principal Findings We used over a decade of demographic data from the Southwest National Primate Research Center common marmoset colony. We evaluated differences between twin and triplet females in the number of pregnancies they produce and the proportion of those pregnancies that ended in fetal loss. We found that triplet females produced the same number of total offspring as twin females, but lost offspring during pregnancy at a significantly higher rate than did twins (38% vs. 13%, p = 0.02). Regardless of their own birth weight or the sex ratio of the litter the experienced as fetuses, triplet females lost more fetuses than did twins. Females with a male littermate experienced a significant increase in the proportion of stillbirths. Conclusions/Significance These striking findings anchor pregnancy loss in the mother’s own fetal environment and development, underscoring a "Womb to Womb" view of the lifecourse and the intergenerational consequences of development. This has important translational implications for understanding the large proportion of human stillbirths that are unexplained. Our findings provide strong evidence that a full understanding of mammalian life history and reproductive biology requires a developmental foundation. PMID:24871614

Insulin-like peptides and DNA/tRNA methyltransferases are involved in the nutritional regulation of female reproduction in Nilaparvata lugens (Stål).

PubMed

Lu, Kai; Chen, Xia; Li, Wenru; Li, Yue; Zhang, Zhichao; Zhou, Qiang

2018-01-10

Insulin-like peptides (ILPs) sense and transduce nutritional information and are linked to female reproduction in many insect species. Our previous studies have shown that "Target of rapamycin" (TOR) pathway functions through juvenile hormone (JH) to regulate amino acids-mediated vitellogenesis in the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens, one of the most destructive rice pests in Asia. Recent reports have demonstrated that DNA methyltransferases (Dnmts) are also involved in female reproduction of N. lugens. However, the roles of ILPs and Dnmts in the nutritional regulation of female reproduction have not been fully elucidated. ILPs and Dnmts are highly expressed in the adult females after a supplement of amino acids, indicating nutrition-stimulated expression patterns of these genes. RNA interference-mediated depletion of NlILP2 or NlILP4 dramatically decreased the expression levels of NlDnmt1 and NlDnmt2 (tRNA methyltransferase), and resulted in severely impaired ovary growth as well as the substantial reduction of fecundity. Notably, NlILP2 or NlILP4 knockdown led to reduced mRNA accumulation of S6 kinase (S6K), a downstream target of the nutritional TOR pathway, and decreased vitellogenin content in the fat body. Silencing NlDnmt1 or NlDnmt2 effectively suppressed ovary development and decreased female fecundity. However, NlDnmt1 or NlDnmt2 knockdown did not influence the expression of NlILP2 and NlILP4. We infer that amino acids act on ILPs and Dnmts to regulate vitellogenesis and oocyte maturation in N. lugens. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of Adult Weight, Density, and Age on Reproduction of Tenebrio molitor (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae)

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

The impact of adult weight, age, and density on reproduction of Tenebrio molitor L. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae) was studied. The impact of adult weight on reproduction was determined in two ways: 1) counting the daily progeny of individual adult pairs of known weight and analyzing the data with line...

Protective Effects of Female Reproductive Factors on Lauren Intestinal-Type Gastric Adenocarcinoma.

PubMed

Kim, Su Mi; Min, Byung Hoon; Lee, Jeeyun; An, Ji Yeong; Lee, Jun Ho; Sohn, Tae Sung; Bae, Jae Moon; Kim, Jae J; Kang, Won Ki; Kim, Sung; Choi, Min Gew

2018-01-01

Gastric cancer shows a male predominance that might be explained by protective effects from estrogens in females. Two Lauren classification histological subtypes, intestinal and diffuse, have distinct carcinogeneses. The purpose of this study was to estimate the effects of sex hormone on female gastric cancer according to Lauren classification. We reviewed medical records for and administered questionnaires, surveying reproductive and hormonal factors, to 758 patients who underwent gastrectomy for gastric cancer at Samsung Medical Center from May 2012 to November 2014. Clinicopathological characteristics were compared between females and males. The incidence of intestinal-type gastric cancer was compared between females subgroups, consist of premenopausal women and three groups of postmenopausal women (five-year intervals after menopause), and males. The association between reproductive factors and intestinal-type gastric cancer was analyzed by multivariate models for the female group. In total, 227 females (29.9%) and 531 males (70.9%) were included in the analysis. Undifferentiated adenocarcinoma and diffuse-type histology were more frequent in female patients than male patients. While 221 (41.6%) male patients had intestinal-type gastric cancer, no premenopausal female patient had this type of gastric cancer. The incidence of intestinal-type gastric cancer increased with time after menopause, and was similar to males after 10 years from menopause. Parity was associated with an increased risk of intestinal-type gastric cancer in menopausal women. These findings support that female sex hormones might be protective against intestinal-type gastric cancer. © Copyright: Yonsei University College of Medicine 2018

Heme oxygenase/carbon monoxide in the female reproductive system: an overlooked signalling pathway

PubMed Central

Němeček, David; Dvořáková, Markéta; Sedmíková, Markéta

2017-01-01

For a long time, carbon monoxide (CO) was known for its toxic effect on organisms. But there are still many things left to discover on that molecule. CO is formed directly in the body by the enzymatic activity of heme oxygenase (HO). CO plays an important role in many physiological processes, such as cell protections (against various stress factors), and the regulation of metabolic processes. Recent research proves that CO also operates in the female reproductive system. At the centre of interest is the importance of CO for gestation. During the gestation period, CO is an important element affecting the proper function of the feto-placental unit and generally affects fetal survivability rates. Gestation is one of the most important processes of successful reproduction, although there are more relevant processes that need to be researched. While already proven that CO influences steroidogenesis and the corpus luteum survivability rate, our knowledge concerning the function and importance of CO in the reproductive system is still relatively limited. As an example, our knowledge of CO function in an oocyte, the most important cell for reproduction, is almost non-existent. The aim of this review is to summarize our current knowledge concerning the function of CO in the female reproductive system. PMID:28123837

Fat is sexy for females but not males: the influence of body reserves on reproduction in snakes (Vipera aspis).

PubMed

Aubret, Fabien; Bonnet, Xavier; Shine, Richard; Lourdais, Olivier

2002-09-01

Reproduction is energetically expensive for both sexes, but the magnitude of expenditure and its relationship to reproductive success differ fundamentally between males and females. Males allocate relatively little to gamete production and, thus, can reproduce successfully with only minor energy investment. In contrast, females of many species experience high fecundity-independent costs of reproduction (such as migration to nesting sites), so they need to amass substantial energy reserves before initiating reproductive activity. Thus, we expect that the relationship between energy reserves and the intensity of reproductive behavior involves a threshold effect in females, but a gradual (or no) effect in males. We tested this prediction using captive vipers (Vipera aspis), dividing both males and females into groups of high versus low body condition. Snakes from each group were placed together and observed for reproductive behavior; sex-steroid levels were also measured. As predicted, females in below-average body condition had very low estradiol levels and did not show sexual receptivity, whereas males of all body condition indices had significant testosterone levels and displayed active courtship. Testosterone levels and courtship intensity increased gradually (i.e., no step function) with body condition in males, but high estradiol levels and sexual receptivity were seen only in females with body reserves above a critical threshold. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science (USA)

Reproduction of raccoons (Procyon lotor) in North Dakota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Fritzell, E.K.

1978-01-01

Necropsies and observations of captive and radio-equipped individuals provided reproductive data from a raccoon population in the northern prairies. The mean parturition date of adult females was 8 May and the mean litter size was 4.8. Only two of the 14 yearling females examined prior to 1 July were pregnant; they had estimated parturition dates of 20 May and 22 June. Penes of most yearling males became extrusible in July or August. Testes weights and sperm smears suggest that yearling males in North Dakota are not reproductively active. Reproductive patterns of raccoons near the northern periphery of their range and those at lower latitudes are compared and discussed.

[Effect of normal microflora of female reproductive tract in colonization resistance].

PubMed

Cherkasov, S V

2006-01-01

The role of female reproductive tract microflora in the maintenance of biotope colonization resistance was described. The role of lactobacilli possessing antagonistic properties in the reproductive tract defense was assessed. Classification of bacterial mechanisms of colonization resistance including block of the adhesion, antagonistic action of normal microflora associated with the production of antibacterial substances and suppression of allochthonous bacteria persistence characteristics was presented. Colonization resistance was considered as a physiological phenomenon of microecological homeostasis being a result of symbiotic relations of a host organism and autochthonous microflora.

Effects of chronic dietary exposure to environmentally relevant concentrations to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin on survival, growth, reproduction and biochemical responses of female rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Giesy, John P.; Jones, Paul D.; Kannan, Kurunthachalam; Newsted, John L.; Tillitt, Donald E.; Williams, Lisa L.

2002-01-01

Adult female rainbow trout were exposed to dietary 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) at concentrations of 1.8, 18 and 90 ng TCDD/kg (ww) food for up to 300 day. At the end of the exposure fish were spawned and the reproductive outcomes were assessed. TCDD was accumulated into tissues and eggs in a dose-dependent manner with steady state being achieved after 50–100 day of exposure. Biochemical and hematological parameters were monitored at 50, 100, 150, and 200 day after the beginning of exposure. The survival of adult female trout was reduced in a dose-dependent manner by exposure to TCDD in the diet. Fish fed 1.8 ng TCDD/kg, moist weight of diet, showed significantly reduced survival compared with those fed the control diet. TCDD also affected survival of fry from females fed 1.8 ng TCDD/kg. Observed adverse effects in adult fish were as sensitive as early life-stage endpoints. Liver EROD activity was only moderately increased in all exposure groups after 250+ day of exposure. Low rates of edema and deformities were observed in fry from all treatment groups including controls. This study has demonstrated adverse effects of TCDD to both adults and fry at concentrations comparable to current environmental concentrations. This suggests that direct adult toxicity as well as reproductive endpoints need to be incorporated in the current risk assessment paradigm for these compounds.

Seasonal trends in Ceratitis capitata reproductive potential derived from live-caught females in Greece

PubMed Central

Kouloussis, Nikos A.; Papadopoulos, Nikos T.; Katsoyannos, Byron I.; Müller, Hans-Georg; Wang, Jane-Ling; Su, Yu-Ru; Molleman, Freerk; Carey, James R.

2012-01-01

Reproductive data of individual insects are extremely hard to collect under natural conditions, thus the study of research questions related to oviposition has not advanced. Patterns of oviposition are often inferred only indirectly, through monitoring of host infestation, whereas the influence of age structure and several other factors on oviposition remains unknown. Using a new approach, in this article, we live-trapped wild Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Tephritidae) females on the Greek island of Chios during two field seasons. For their remaining lifetime, these females were placed individually in small cages and their daily oviposition was monitored. Reproduction rates between cohorts from different collection dates were then compared. The results showed that in the different captive cohorts the average remaining lifetime and reproduction were highly variable within and between seasons. Multivariate regression analysis showed that the month of capture had a significant effect on captive life span, average daily reproduction, and patterns of egg laying. The effect of year was significant on reproduction, but not on captive life span. These differences between sampling periods probably reflect differences in the availability of hosts and other factors that vary during the season and affect age structure and reproduction. Using a non-parametric generalized additive model, we found a statistically significant correlation between the captive life span and the average daily reproduction. These findings and the experimental approach have several important implications. PMID:22791908

Evaluation of Female Youth Educational Needs about Reproductive Health in Non-Medical Students in the City of Qom.

PubMed

Bazarganipour, Fatemeh; Foroozanfard, Fatemeh; Taghavi, Seyed Abdolvahab; Hekmatzadeh, Fatemeh; Sarviye, Malihe; Hosseini, Nazafarin

2013-06-01

To evaluate reproductive health education which is essential to the prevention of sexual risk behavior and its associated adverse outcomes of unwanted pregnancy, AIDS and other sexually transmitted disease in adolescents. Little is known about youth educational needs about reproductive health in Iran. The aim of this study is evaluation of female youth educational needs about reproductive health in non-medical universities in the city of Qom, north central of Iran. The study was descriptive-analytical type conducted in nine non-medical universities (400 students). A questionnaire was constructed to meet the purpose of the study based on similar studies of knowledge and attitude in different countries, yet it was modified according to Iranian culture and social norms. The findings showed that a majority of participants have moderate knowledge about all components of reproductive health. Approximately, one - third of the participants reported difficulties to discuss about sexual health with mothers. The most of the participants believed insufficient female youth reproductive health services and low knowledge about reproductive health were the main barriers for female youth reproductive health aims. The participants in this study are representatives of an important subgroup in Iran in order to evaluate female youth reproductive health educational needs. The study identified many misconception and negative attitude that need to be addressed. A health education program through parents, peers, mass media campaign and more comprehensive family planning curriculum in universities are recommended to overcome misconception and spread awareness.

Deletion of the Ttf1 gene in differentiated neurons disrupts female reproduction without impairing basal ganglia function.

PubMed

Mastronardi, Claudio; Smiley, Gregory G; Raber, Jacob; Kusakabe, Takashi; Kawaguchi, Akio; Matagne, Valerie; Dietzel, Anja; Heger, Sabine; Mungenast, Alison E; Cabrera, Ricardo; Kimura, Shioko; Ojeda, Sergio R

2006-12-20

Thyroid transcription factor 1 (TTF1) [also known as Nkx2.1 (related to the NK-2 class of homeobox genes) and T/ebp (thyroid-specific enhancer-binding protein)], a homeodomain gene required for basal forebrain morphogenesis, remains expressed in the hypothalamus after birth, suggesting a role in neuroendocrine function. Here, we show an involvement of TTF1 in the control of mammalian puberty and adult reproductive function. Gene expression profiling of the nonhuman primate hypothalamus revealed that TTF1 expression increases at puberty. Mice in which the Ttf1 gene was ablated from differentiated neurons grew normally and had normal basal ganglia/hypothalamic morphology but exhibited delayed puberty, reduced reproductive capacity, and a short reproductive span. These defects were associated with reduced hypothalamic expression of genes required for sexual development and deregulation of a gene involved in restraining puberty. No extrapyramidal impairments associated with basal ganglia dysfunction were apparent. Thus, although TTF1 appears to fulfill only a morphogenic function in the ventral telencephalon, once this function is satisfied in the hypothalamus, TTF1 remains active as part of the transcriptional machinery controlling female sexual development.

GnRH and GnRH receptors in the pathophysiology of the human female reproductive system.

PubMed

Maggi, Roberto; Cariboni, Anna Maria; Marelli, Marina Montagnani; Moretti, Roberta Manuela; Andrè, Valentina; Marzagalli, Monica; Limonta, Patrizia

2016-04-01

Human reproduction depends on an intact hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal (HPG) axis. Hypothalamic gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) has been recognized, since its identification in 1971, as the central regulator of the production and release of the pituitary gonadotrophins that, in turn, regulate the gonadal functions and the production of sex steroids. The characteristic peculiar development, distribution and episodic activity of GnRH-producing neurons have solicited an interdisciplinary interest on the etiopathogenesis of several reproductive diseases. The more recent identification of a GnRH/GnRH receptor (GnRHR) system in both the human endometrium and ovary has widened the spectrum of action of the peptide and of its analogues beyond its hypothalamic function. An analysis of research and review articles published in international journals until June 2015 has been carried out to comprehensively summarize both the well established and the most recent knowledge on the physiopathology of the GnRH system in the central and peripheral control of female reproductive functions and diseases. This review focuses on the role of GnRH neurons in the control of the reproductive axis. New knowledge is accumulating on the genetic programme that drives GnRH neuron development to ameliorate the diagnosis and treatment of GnRH deficiency and consequent delayed or absent puberty. Moreover, a better understanding of the mechanisms controlling the episodic release of GnRH during the onset of puberty and the ovulatory cycle has enabled the pharmacological use of GnRH itself or its synthetic analogues (agonists and antagonists) to either stimulate or to block the gonadotrophin secretion and modulate the functions of the reproductive axis in several reproductive diseases and in assisted reproduction technology. Several inputs from other neuronal populations, as well as metabolic, somatic and age-related signals, may greatly affect the functions of the GnRH pulse generator during

Higher reproductive success of small males and greater recruitment of large females may explain strong reversed sexual dimorphism (RSD) in the northern goshawk.

PubMed

Pérez-Camacho, L; García-Salgado, G; Rebollo, S; Martínez-Hesterkamp, S; Fernández-Pereira, J M

2015-02-01

Reversed sexual dimorphism (RSD), which occurs when the female of a species is larger than the male, is the rule for most birds of prey but the exception among other bird and mammal species. The selective pressures that favour RSD are an intriguing issue in animal ecology. Despite the large number of hypotheses proposed to explain the evolution of RSD, there is still no consensus about the mechanisms involved and whether they act on one or both sexes, mainly because few intrapopulation studies have been undertaken and few raptor species have been investigated. Using the strongly size-dimorphic northern goshawk (Accipiter gentilis L.) as a model, we studied a population with one of the highest densities of breeding pairs reported in the literature in order to understand selective pressures that may favour RSD. We evaluated life-history processes, including recruitment of adult breeders and reproductive success, and we explored the mechanisms thought to act on each sex, including hunting efficiency, diet, body condition and mate choice. We found that smaller males produced more fledglings than larger ones, but there was no relationship between size and reproductive success for females. The mean body size of female breeders was larger than that of female fledglings, but male fledglings and breeders did not differ in size. Male body size was related to the type but not to the amount of prey captured during the nestling stage. We conclude that RSD may be favoured in this goshawk population because small males tend to enjoy higher reproductive success and large females greater recruitment. Our results do not support the hypotheses that evolutionary reduction in male size is driven by hunting efficiency, at least during the nestling stage, or the hypotheses that it is driven by greater recruitment. Our findings also suggest that increase in female size is driven by recruitment, rather than by reproductive success as previously postulated.

Scientific and regulatory policy committee (SRPC) paper: Assessment of Circulating Hormones in Nonclinical Toxicity Studies. III Female Reproductive Hormones

EPA Science Inventory

Hormonally mediated effects on the female reproductive system may manifest in pathologic changes of endocrine-responsive organs and altered reproductive function. Identification of these effects requires proper assessment, which may include investigative studies of female reprod...

FEMALE AND MALE GENETIC EFFECTS ON OFFSPRING PATERNITY: ADDITIVE GENETIC (CO)VARIANCES IN FEMALE EXTRA-PAIR REPRODUCTION AND MALE PATERNITY SUCCESS IN SONG SPARROWS (MELOSPIZA MELODIA)

PubMed Central

Reid, Jane M; Arcese, Peter; Keller, Lukas F; Losdat, Sylvain

2014-01-01

Ongoing evolution of polyandry, and consequent extra-pair reproduction in socially monogamous systems, is hypothesized to be facilitated by indirect selection stemming from cross-sex genetic covariances with components of male fitness. Specifically, polyandry is hypothesized to create positive genetic covariance with male paternity success due to inevitable assortative reproduction, driving ongoing coevolution. However, it remains unclear whether such covariances could or do emerge within complex polyandrous systems. First, we illustrate that genetic covariances between female extra-pair reproduction and male within-pair paternity success might be constrained in socially monogamous systems where female and male additive genetic effects can have opposing impacts on the paternity of jointly reared offspring. Second, we demonstrate nonzero additive genetic variance in female liability for extra-pair reproduction and male liability for within-pair paternity success, modeled as direct and associative genetic effects on offspring paternity, respectively, in free-living song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). The posterior mean additive genetic covariance between these liabilities was slightly positive, but the credible interval was wide and overlapped zero. Therefore, although substantial total additive genetic variance exists, the hypothesis that ongoing evolution of female extra-pair reproduction is facilitated by genetic covariance with male within-pair paternity success cannot yet be definitively supported or rejected either conceptually or empirically. PMID:24724612

Phenology of brown marmorated stink bug described using female reproductive development

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Identification of insect seasonality is frequently estimated through temperature-based degree-day models. We expand on the use of a temperature-based process defining timing of life stages through the incorporation of female reproductive physiology for the invasive pentatomid species Halyomorpha hal...

Extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 are not required for GnRH neuron development and normal female reproductive axis function in mice.

PubMed

Wierman, Margaret E; Xu, Mei; Pierce, A; Bliesner, B; Bliss, S P; Roberson, M S

2012-01-01

Selective deletion of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) 1 and ERK2 in the pituitary gonadotrope and ovarian granulosa cells disrupts female reproductive axis function. Thus, we asked if ERK1 and ERK2 are critical for GnRH neuron ontogeny or the central control of female reproductive function. GnRH-Cre-recombinase (Cre+) expressing mice were crossed with mice with a global deletion of ERK1 and a floxed ERK2 allele (Erk1-/Erk2fl/fl) to selectively delete ERK2 in GnRH neurons. Cre-recombinase mRNA was selectively expressed in the brain of Cre+ mice. GnRH neuron number and location were determined during embryogenesis and in the adult. GnRH neuron counts at E15 did not differ between experimental and control groups (1,198 ± 65 and 1,160 ± 80 respectively, p = NS). In adults, numbers of GnRH neurons in the GnRHCre+Erk1-/Erk2- mice (741 ± 157) were similar to those in controls (756 ± 7), without alteration in their distribution across the forebrain. ERK1 and 2 deficiency did not alter the timing of vaginal opening, age at first estrus, or estrous cyclicity. Although ERK1 and 2 are components of a dominant signaling pathway in GnRH neuronal cells that modulates survival and control of GnRH gene expression, other signaling pathways compensate for their deletion in vivo to allow GnRH neuron survival and targeting and normal onset of female sexual maturation and reproductive function. In contrast to effects at the pituitary and the ovary, ERK1 and ERK2 are dispensable at the level of the GnRH neuron. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Social and seasonal influences on the reproductive cycle in female mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx).

PubMed

Setchell, Joanna M; Wickings, E Jean

2004-09-01

We present 12 years of perineal swelling data for a semifree-ranging colony of mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx), and evaluate the influence of rank, parity, and seasonality on reproductive parameters. Female sexual swellings showed a seasonal pattern, with August the median month of ovulation. Overlapping periovulatory periods did not decrease the likelihood of conception. Females showed their first genital swelling at age 3.6 years (n = 28; range, 3.2-4.6 years), and higher-ranking females experienced their first swelling earlier than low-ranking females. Median postpartum amenorrhea (PPA) duration was 208 days (n = 92; range, 74-538 days). PPA was longer in primiparous females than in multiparous females, but PPA duration was unrelated to female rank. Median follicular phase duration was 24 days for the first cycle after parturition (n = 84; range, 12-40 days), shortening to 17 days in subsequent cycles (n = 55; range, 6-39 days). The follicular phase was longer in nulliparous females than in parous females, but was unrelated to female rank. Median cycle length (from one sexual swelling breakdown to the next) was 38 days (n = 57; range, 18-108 days). Eighty-seven percent of conceptions occurred within two cycles, and half of the nulliparous females conceived during their first swelling cycle. Lower-ranking females were more likely to require more cycles to conceive than higher-ranking females. The cycling phase was significantly longer in nulliparous females than in parous females, and was also significantly longer in lower-ranking females than in higher-ranking females. We discuss the influence of provisioning on female reproductive parameters, the influence of parity and rank on the different phases of the interbirth interval, and the evolution of long and variable follicular phases in mandrills. Copyright 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

The female reproductive cycle of the neotropical snake Atractus pantostictus (Fernandes and Puorto, 1993) from south-eastern Brazil.

PubMed

de Resende, F C; Nascimento, L B

2015-06-01

Data on reproductive activity of fossorial species are limited because the specimens are difficult to be observed and captured. Here in, we present the reproductive cycle of female Atractus pantostictus, a fossorial neotropical species, and the sexual maturity of males and females in south-eastern Brazil. The female reproductive cycle of A. pantostictus is seasonal, with vitellogenic follicles being found from September to April and eggs in November, February, March and April with the number varying between two and four. Spermatozoa were found in the lumen of the glandular and non-glandular uterus in females collected during the rainy season. Sperm storage tubules were found in the posterior infundibulum of the females, where the storage of sperm occurs for a short time. The storage may occur because mating and ovulation are dissociated. © 2014 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Tissue Mercury Concentrations and Survival of Tree Swallow Embryos, Nestlings and Young Adult Females on a Contaminated Site.

PubMed

Taylor, Capwell E; Cristol, Daniel A

2015-10-01

Tree swallows nesting on mercury-contaminated sites along the South River in Virginia, USA were monitored for reproductive success. The bodies of nestlings found deceased in their nest boxes were collected, along with blood and feather samples from the adult parents and surviving siblings. We also measured hatching and fledging success of the clutches and the annual recapture rate of adults. We found that the body feathers of deceased nestlings contained significantly higher concentrations of mercury (12.89 ± 8.42 μg/g, n = 15) than those of nestlings that survived to fledge (7.41 ± 4.79 μg/g, n = 15). However, mothers of more successful clutches (>75 % hatching) did not differ in mercury concentrations from females with less successful clutches (<50 % hatching). Additionally, adult females breeding for the first time that returned to breed the following year did not differ in blood mercury from females of the same age that bred once but never returned. Our results suggest that mercury had its greatest effect on these songbirds during the nestling stage, whereas for embryos or first-time breeding females, other factors likely played larger roles in mortality.

Impacts of trapping adult roseate terns on their reproductive success

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zingo, James M.; Field, R.; Spendelow, J.A.

1996-01-01

Although Roseate Terns (Sterna dougallii) habituate to many research activities, the trapping and temporary removal of one of both members of a nesting pair may affect their annual and lifetime reproductive success. Protocols for trapping adult Roseate Terns that reduce the chances of nest desertion, neglect of chicks, and injury to adults were developed in the early 1980s, but both shortterm and longterm impacts of research activities on this federally endangered species have not been fully investigated. Therefore, for this study we evaluated the impacts of trapping adult terns on their annual reproductive success. Although retrospective analysis of 18 years (1978-1995) of data from the Falkner Island colony site (McKinney NWR, Guilford, Connecticut) did not reveal correlations between measures of trapping effort and annual reproductive success, recent results of more detailed research suggest that Roseate Terns may be susceptible to trapping impacts when also faced with extreme conditions such as low food availability and/or high predatory pressure. These results indicate the need to consider local conditions when planning trapping activities and projecting the potential annual and possible longterm impacts.

The impact of ecological variability on the reproductive endocrinology of wild female African elephants.

PubMed

Wittemyer, George; Ganswindt, André; Hodges, Keith

2007-03-01

Non-invasive endocrine methods enable investigation of the relationship between ecological variation and ovarian activity and how this impacts on demographic processes. The underlying physiological factors driving high variation in inter-calving intervals among multi-parous African elephants offer an interesting system for such an investigation. This study investigates the relationship between Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI), an ecosystem surrogate measure of primary productivity, and fecal progestin concentrations among wild female elephants. Matched fecal samples and behavioral data on reproductive activity were collected from 37 focal individuals during the two-year study. Linear mixed models were used to explore the relationship between fecal 5alpha-pregnane-3-ol-20-one concentrations and the independent variables of NDVI, calf sex, female age, gestation day, and time since last parturition. Among both non-pregnant and pregnant females, fecal 5alpha-pregnane-3-ol-20-one concentrations were significantly correlated with time-specific NDVI indicating a strong relationship between ecological conditions and endocrine activity regulating reproduction. In addition, the age of a female and time since her last parturition impacted hormone concentrations. These results indicate that the identification of an individual's reproductive status from a single hormone sample is possible, but difficult to achieve in practice since numerous independent factors, particularly season, impact fecal hormone concentrations. Regardless of season, however, fecal 5alpha-pregnane-3-ol-20-one concentrations below 1 microg/g were exclusively collected from non-pregnant females, which could be used as a threshold value to identify non-pregnant individuals. Collectively the information generated contributes to a better understanding of environmental regulation of reproductive endocrinology in wild elephant populations, information salient to the management and manipulation of

Genetic differentiation for size at first reproduction through male versus female functions in the widespread Mediterranean tree Pinus pinaster

PubMed Central

Santos-del-Blanco, L.; Climent, J.; González-Martínez, S. C.; Pannell, J. R.

2012-01-01

Background and Aims The study of local adaptation in plant reproductive traits has received substantial attention in short-lived species, but studies conducted on forest trees are scarce. This lack of research on long-lived species represents an important gap in our knowledge, because inferences about selection on the reproduction and life history of short-lived species cannot necessarily be extrapolated to trees. This study considers whether the size for first reproduction is locally adapted across a broad geographical range of the Mediterranean conifer species Pinus pinaster. In particular, the study investigates whether this monoecious species varies genetically among populations in terms of whether individuals start to reproduce through their male function, their female function or both sexual functions simultaneously. Whether differences among populations could be attributed to local adaptation across a climatic gradient is then considered. Methods Male and female reproduction and growth were measured during early stages of sexual maturity of a P. pinaster common garden comprising 23 populations sampled across the species range. Generalized linear mixed models were used to assess genetic variability of early reproductive life-history traits. Environmental correlations with reproductive life-history traits were tested after controlling for neutral genetic structure provided by 12 nuclear simple sequence repeat markers. Key Results Trees tended to reproduce first through their male function, at a size (height) that varied little among source populations. The transition to female reproduction was slower, showed higher levels of variability and was negatively correlated with vegetative growth traits. Several female reproductive traits were correlated with a gradient of growth conditions, even after accounting for neutral genetic structure, with populations from more unfavourable sites tending to commence female reproduction at a lower individual size. Conclusions

Hypothyroidism after cancer and the ability to meet reproductive goals among a cohort of young adult female cancer survivors.

PubMed

Chin, Helen B; Jacobson, Melanie H; Interrante, Julia D; Mertens, Ann C; Spencer, Jessica B; Howards, Penelope P

2016-01-01

To determine whether developing hypothyroidism after cancer treatment is associated with a decreased probability of women being able to meet their reproductive goals. A population-based cohort study. Not applicable. A total of 1,282 cancer survivors, of whom 904 met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. None. Three outcomes that may indicate reduced fertility, which include failure to achieve desired family size, childlessness, and not achieving pregnancy after at least 6 months of regular unprotected intercourse. We used data from the Furthering Understanding of Cancer Health and Survivorship in Adult (FUCHSIA) Women's Study to examine the association between being diagnosed with hypothyroidism after cancer and meeting reproductive goals. After adjusting for age and other potential confounders, women reporting hypothyroidism after cancer treatment were twice as likely to fail to achieve their desired family size (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 1.91; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.09, 3.33) and be childless (aOR 2.13; 95% CI, 1.25, 3.65). They were also more likely to report having unprotected intercourse for at least 6 months without conceiving (aOR 1.37; 95% CI, 0.66, 2.83). Although cancer treatments themselves are gonadotoxic, it is important to consider other medical conditions such as hypothyroidism that occur after cancer treatment when counseling patients on the risks for impaired fertility or a shortened reproductive window. Copyright © 2016 American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Developmental programming of reproductive and metabolic health1,2

PubMed Central

Padmanabhan, V.; Veiga-Lopez, A.

2014-01-01

The inappropriate programming of the reproductive system by developmental exposure to excess steroid hormones is of concern. Sheep are well suited for investigating developmental origin of reproductive and metabolic disorders. The developmental time line of female sheep (~5 mo gestation and ~7 mo to puberty) is ideal for conducting sequential studies of the progression of metabolic and (or) reproductive disruption from the developmental insult to manifestation of adult consequences. Major benefits of using sheep include knowledge of established critical periods to target adult defects, a rich understanding of reproductive neuroendocrine regulation, availability of non-invasive approaches to monitor follicular dynamics, established surgical approaches to obtain hypophyseal portal blood for measurement of hypothalamic hormones, and the ability to perform studies in natural setting keeping behavioral interactions intact. Of importance is the ability to chronically instrument fetus and mother for determining early endocrine perturbations. Prenatal exposure of the female to excess testosterone (T) leads to an array of adult reproductive disorders that include LH excess, functional hyperandrogenism, neuroendocrine defects, multifollicular ovarian morphology, and corpus luteum dysfunction culminating in early reproductive failure. At the neuroendocrine level all three feedback systems are compromised. At the pituitary level, gonadotrope (LH secretion) sensitivity to GnRH is increased. Multifollicular ovarian morphology stems from persistence of follicles, as well as enhanced follicular recruitment. These defects culminate in progressive loss of cyclicity and reduced fecundity. Prenatal T excess also leads to fetal growth retardation, an early marker of adult reproductive/metabolic diseases, insulin resistance, hypertension and behavioral deficits. Collectively, the reproductive and metabolic deficits of prenatal T-treated sheep provide proof of concept for the

JH III production, titers and degradation in relation to reproduction in male and female Anthonomus grandis.

PubMed

Taub-Montemayor, Tina E; Min, Kyung-Jin; Chen, Zhaorigetu; Bartlett, Terri; Rankin, Mary Ann

2005-04-01

Juvenile hormone (JH) is necessary for the production of vitellogenin (Vg) in the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis. Occurrence of Vg in this species is typically restricted to reproductively competent females, and is not detected in untreated males. However, the JH analog, methoprene stimulates Vg production in intact males and in the isolated abdomens of both male and female boll weevils (where in each case no Vg is detected without treatment), suggesting that males are competent to produce Vg but are normally not stimulated to do so. Preliminary work indicating that male boll weevil corpora allata (CA) produced little or no JH in vitro suggested that failure of males to produce Vg might be due to very low JH levels compared to females. This study re-examines the question of JH in male boll weevils by determining in vitro production of JH III by male CA during the first 10 days after adult emergence, determining hemolymph JH esterase activity during this same time period and hemolymph JH III titers in adults of both sexes. We also re-examine the ability of isolated male abdomens to produce Vg in response to hormonal stimulation, analyzing the effect of a wide range of methoprene and JH III dosages. Results indicate that male A. grandis have circulating JH titers and JH production similar to females. JH esterase activity is slightly but significantly higher in males than females. Vg production by isolated abdomens of both sexes after stimulation with methoprene or JH III was confirmed. Dose response studies indicated that high levels of methoprene were less effective than intermediate doses in stimulating Vg synthesis in both sexes. We conclude that the sexually dimorphic effect of JH on Vg synthesis is not due to differences in JH production or differences in JH titer between the sexes.

The value of eutherian-marsupial comparisons for understanding the function of glucocorticoids in female mammal reproduction.

PubMed

Fanson, Kerry V; Parrott, Marissa L

2015-11-01

This article is part of a Special Issue "SBN 2014". Chronic stress is known to inhibit female reproductive function. Consequently, it is often assumed that glucocorticoid (GC) concentrations should be negatively correlated with reproductive success because of the role they play in stress physiology. In contrast, a growing body of evidence indicates that GCs play an active role in promoting reproductive function. It is precisely because GCs are so integral to the entire process that disruptions to adrenal activity have negative consequences for reproduction. The goal of this paper is to draw attention to the increasing evidence showing that increases in adrenal activity are important for healthy female reproduction. Furthermore, we outline several hypotheses about the functional role(s) that GCs may play in mediating reproduction and argue that comparative studies between eutherian and marsupial mammals, which exhibit some pronounced differences in reproductive physiology, may be particularly useful for testing different hypotheses about the functional role of GCs in reproduction. Much of our current thinking about GCs and reproduction comes from research involving stress-induced levels of GCs and has led to broad assumptions about the effects of GCs on reproduction. Unfortunately, this has left a gaping hole in our knowledge about basal GC levels and how they may influence reproductive function, thereby preventing a broader understanding of adrenal physiology and obscuring potential solutions for reproductive dysfunction. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Spiritual Journey: Black Female Adult Learners in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jones Tinner, LaShanta Y.

2013-01-01

This study explored the experience of Black female adult learners and how spirituality influenced their academic journeys. Research concerning Black female adult learners in higher education is ostensibly partial. These data offered an extended understanding of Black female adult learners' academic experiences, while also investigating common…

Reproductive efficiency of captive Chinese- and Indian-origin rhesus macaque (Macaca mulatta) females

PubMed Central

Kubisch, H. Michael; Falkenstein, Kathrine P.; Deroche, Chelsea B.; Franke, Donald E.

2011-01-01

Reproductive and survival records (n = 2,913) from 313 Chinese-origin and 365 Indian-derived rhesus macaques at the Tulane National Primate Research Center spanning 3 generations were studied. Least-squares analysis of variance procedures were used to compare reproductive and infant survival traits while proportional hazards regression procedures were used to study female age at death, number of infants born per female and time from last birth to death. Chinese females were older at first parturition than Indian-females because they were older when placed with males, but the two subspecies had similar first and lifetime post-partum birth intervals. Females that gave birth to stillborn infants had shorter first post-partum birth intervals than females giving birth to live infants. Post-partum birth intervals decreased in females from 3 to 12 years of age but then increased again with advancing age. Chinese infants had a greater survival rate than Indian infants at 30 d, 6 mo and 1yr of age. Five hundred and forty-three females (80.01 %) had uncensored, or true records for age at death, number of infants born per female, and time from the birth until death whereas 135 females (19.91 %) had censored records for these traits. Low and high uncensored observations for age at death were 3 and 26 years of age for Chinese and 3 and 23 years of age for Indian females. Uncensored number of infants born per female ranged from 1 to 15 for Chinese females and 1 to 18 for Indian females. Each of these traits was significantly influenced by the origin × generation interaction in the proportional hazards regression analyses, indicating that probabilities associated with age at death, number of infants born per female and time from last birth to death for Chinese and Indian females did not rank the same across generations. PMID:22512021

EFFECT OF CONAZOLE FUNGICIDES ON REPRODUCTIVE DEVELOPMENT IN THE FEMALE RAT

EPA Science Inventory

Three triazole fungicides were evaluated for effects on female rat reproductive development. Rats were exposed via feed to propiconazole (P) (100, 500, or 2500 ppm), myclobutanil (M) (100, 500, or 2000 ppm), or triadimefon (T) (100, 500, or 1800 ppm) from gestation day 6 to postn...

Trade-offs between reproduction and health in free-ranging African striped mice.

PubMed

Schoepf, I; Pillay, N; Schradin, C

2017-05-01

Energy is limited and must be allocated among competing life-history traits. Reproduction is considered one of the most energetically demanding life-history stages. Therefore, the amount of energy an individual invests in reproduction might carry fitness costs through reduced energy allocation to other activities such as health maintenance. We investigated whether reproduction impacts health in the seasonally breeding African striped mouse (Rhabdomys pumilio). We measured health in individuals that reproduced (breeders) and individuals that did not reproduce (their adult offspring) and tested whether: (1) breeders' health before reproduction was similar to that of their offspring (representing a baseline); (2) breeders' health deteriorated after reproduction; (3) breeders' health after reproduction was worse than that of their offspring. We collected blood samples from 12 breeding females and 11 breeding males both at the onset and at the end of the breeding season and from 12 adult daughters and 11 adult sons that did not reproduce at the end of the breeding season. Health was assessed using serum biochemistry analysis with VetScan Abaxis. Breeders differed considerably in their health before and after reproduction, particularly in parameters associated with digestion (lower amylase in males), metabolism (lower albumin, alkaline phosphatase, creatinine and glucose), osmoregulation (lower potassium and phosphorous in females) and immunity (higher globulin and altered alanine aminotransferase). Our results suggest that with the onset of breeding striped mice shifted their energy allocation from maintaining health to reproduction, indicating that investment into reproduction carries significant health costs.

Molecular etiopathology of naturally occurring reproductive diseases in female goats

PubMed Central

Beena, V.; Pawaiya, R. V. S.; Gururaj, K.; Singh, D. D.; Mishra, A. K.; Gangwar, N. K.; Gupta, V. K.; Singh, R.; Sharma, A. K.; Karikalan, M.; Kumar, Ashok

2017-01-01

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the molecular etiopathology of occurrence of reproductive diseases in female goats. Reproductive diseases in goats account for major economic losses to goat farmers in terms of valuable loss of offspring and animal productivity. Materials and Methods: A total of 660 female genitalia were examined for pathological conditions (macroscopic and microscopic lesions). The etiopathological study was carried out for the presence of pathogenic organisms such as Brucella, Chlamydia, and Campylobacter in the uterus and ovary. Based on the microscopic lesions, suspected samples were subjected to diagnostic polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for various etiological agents employing 16srRNA genus specific primers for Campylobacter and Chlamydophila and OMP31 gene-based PCR for Brucella melitensis and nested PCR using ITS-1 gene primers for Toxoplasma gondii. For Brucella suspected samples, immunohistochemistry (IHC) was also performed. Results: In studied female genitalia, 108 (16.30%) showed gross abnormalities with overall 23.32% occurrence of pathological conditions (macroscopic and microscopic lesions). Pathological involvement of the uterus was the highest 68 (62.96%), followed by the ovaries 27 (25%) and other organs. Major uterine condition observed was endometritis (5.60%). In uterine infections, 35 (5.30%) samples were found positive for Campylobacter spp., 12 (1.81%) samples for B. melitensis, and 3 (0.45%) samples were positive for Chlamydophila spp. Among the samples positive for B. melitensis by PCR, 3 were found positive by IHC also. Corynebacterium ovis was detected by PCR using specific primers in a case of hydrosalpinx. It was concluded that many pathological lesions in female genitalia of functional significance play a major role in infertility in goats. Conclusion: The present study concluded that many pathological lesions in female genitalia of functional significance play a major role in infertility in goats

An epidemiological study of reproductive health in female civil aviation employees.

PubMed

Yang, Yue; Zhang, Weiyuan; Chan, Ada; Li, Chunling; He, Xiaoyan; Cui, Lei; Lv, Yuren; Liu, Juan; Guo, Xiuhua

2013-06-01

To investigate the correlations between occupational risk factors and reproductive health and to provide targeted healthcare services to female civil aviation employees based on surveys about menstrual and reproductive health status. Subjects were selected from flight attendants working for China Southern Airlines, Air China, and other airlines; employees of China Aviation Oil Limited, China TravelSky, and China Aviation Supplies Holding Company; and airport ground service crews. Data were collected using anonymous questionnaires. A total of 1175 valid questionnaires were recovered. The subjects were categorized into a flight attendant group and a ground service group, which contained 563 and 612 women, respectively. The prevalence of irregular menstruation, including abnormal cycles, severe dysmenorrhea, and hypomenorrhea or menorrhagia, was significantly higher in the flight attendant group (30.55%) than in the ground service group (13.40%); in concordance, the fertility rate was significantly lower in the flight attendant group (36.59%) than in the ground service group (43.95%). The spontaneous abortion rate in the flight attendant group (6.80%) was significantly higher than in the ground service group (2.97%). The rate of life-threatening abortions, preterm births, and low birth weight was significantly lower in the flight attendant group than in the ground service group. The impact of occupational risk factors on the reproductive health of female aviation workers should be evaluated and examined more thoroughly. Additional healthcare services such as routine menstruation healthcare and policies for workers planning to have a pregnancy are beneficial in monitoring reproductive health, reducing harmful exposures during early pregnancy, and preventing incapacitating gynecologic events.

Cross-sectional study on their reproductive health status of 604 female floating residents in Beijing.

PubMed

Wang, Y; An, L; Zhang, X B; Wang, S X

1999-03-01

The rapid increases in the numbers of female labor migrants ("floating residents") in cities such as Beijing have created challenges for China's reproductive health care system. An exploratory study conducted in Beijing in 1996 of 507 floating workers engaged in household management work (average age, 27.4 years) sought to gain information to facilitate the design of reproductive health services for this group. The women had resided in Beijing for an average of 3.7 years, generally with their families. 84% were married, at a mean age of 21.87 years; married women had an average of 1.43 live births, 42% of which had occurred in Beijing. 25% did not receive any prenatal care and 60% did not know whom to consult about maternal-child health care problems. Contraceptive prevalence was 81.1% among floating workers compared with 97% among a comparison group of nonmigrant agricultural and textile workers. Most floating workers were unaware of any contraceptive methods other than the one they were using (generally the IUD or female sterilization). Finally, only 8.4% could cite symptoms of sexually transmitted diseases and 33.9% had not heard of AIDS. Laboratory examinations revealed a 29.3% prevalence of reproductive tract infections among female floating residents. bacterial vaginitis (11.6%) and Mycoplasma infection (6.7%) were most prevalent. These findings confirm that female floating residents remain in Beijing a long time and have a serious unmet need for targeted reproductive health care services.

Corticosterone manipulation reveals differences in hierarchical organization of multidimensional reproductive trade-offs in r-strategist and K-strategist females.

PubMed

Lancaster, L T; Hazard, L C; Clobert, J; Sinervo, B R

2008-03-01

Life history trade-offs are often hierarchical with decisions at one level affecting lower level trade-offs. We investigated trade-off structure in female side-blotched lizards (Uta stansburiana), which exhibit two evolved strategies: yellow-throated females are K-strategists and orange-throated are r-strategists. Corticosterone treatment was predicted to differentially organize these females' reproductive decisions. Corticosterone-treated yellow females suppressed reproduction but survived well, and augmented egg mass without decreasing clutch size. Conversely, corticosterone enhanced mortality and reproductive rates in orange females, and increased egg mass only after lengthy exposure. Corticosterone did not affect post-laying condition, suggesting that corticosterone increased egg mass through enhanced energy acquisition (income breeding). Corticosterone enhanced survival of lightweight females, but decreased survival of heavy females, introducing a foraging vs. predation trade-off. We conclude that rather than being a direct, functional relationship, observed trade-offs between offspring size and number represent evolved differences in hierarchical organization of multidimensional trade-offs, particularly in response to stress.

Impact of endocrine disrupting chemicals on onset and development of female reproductive disorders and hormone-related cancer.

PubMed

Scsukova, Sona; Rollerova, Eva; Bujnakova Mlynarcikova, Alzbeta

2016-12-01

A growing body of evidence suggests that exposure to chemical substances designated as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) due to their ability to disturb endocrine (hormonal) activity in humans and animals, may contribute to problems with fertility, pregnancy, and other aspects of reproduction. The presence of EDCs has already been associated with reproductive malfunction in wildlife species, but it remains difficult to prove causal relationships between the presence of EDCs and specific reproductive problems in vivo, especially in females. On the other hand, the increasing number of experiments with laboratory animals and in vitro research indicate the ability of different EDCs to influence the normal function of female reproductive system, and even their association with cancer development or progression. Research shows that EDCs may pose the greatest risk during prenatal and early postnatal development when organ and neural systems are forming. In this review article, we aim to point out a possible contribution of EDCs to the onset and development of female reproductive disorders and endocrine-related cancers with regard to the period of exposure to EDCs and affected endpoints (organs or processes). Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Urban & Partner Sp. z o.o.

Spatiotemporal variation in reproductive parameters of yellow-bellied marmots.

PubMed

Ozgul, Arpat; Oli, Madan K; Olson, Lucretia E; Blumstein, Daniel T; Armitage, Kenneth B

2007-11-01

Spatiotemporal variation in reproductive rates is a common phenomenon in many wildlife populations, but the population dynamic consequences of spatial and temporal variability in different components of reproduction remain poorly understood. We used 43 years (1962-2004) of data from 17 locations and a capture-mark-recapture (CMR) modeling framework to investigate the spatiotemporal variation in reproductive parameters of yellow-bellied marmots (Marmota flaviventris), and its influence on the realized population growth rate. Specifically, we estimated and modeled breeding probabilities of two-year-old females (earliest age of first reproduction), >2-year-old females that have not reproduced before (subadults), and >2-year-old females that have reproduced before (adults), as well as the litter sizes of two-year old and >2-year-old females. Most reproductive parameters exhibited spatial and/or temporal variation. However, reproductive parameters differed with respect to their relative influence on the realized population growth rate (lambda). Litter size had a stronger influence than did breeding probabilities on both spatial and temporal variations in lambda. Our analysis indicated that lambda was proportionately more sensitive to survival than recruitment. However, the annual fluctuation in litter size, abetted by the breeding probabilities, accounted for most of the temporal variation in lambda.

Reproductive hormones of ICSI-conceived young adult men: the first results.

PubMed

Belva, Florence; Roelants, Mathieu; De Schepper, Jean; Van Steirteghem, André; Tournaye, Herman; Bonduelle, Maryse

2017-02-01

Are reproductive hormone levels (FSH, LH, inhibin B and testosterone) in male offspring conceived by ICSI because of male infertility comparable with those from peers born after spontaneous conception? In this cohort of 54 young men conceived by ICSI because of male-factor infertility, mean and median reproductive hormone levels were found to be comparable with results from spontaneously conceived peers, but ICSI-conceived men were more likely to have low inhibin B (<10th percentile) and high FSH (>90th percentile) levels. Since the worldwide oldest ICSI offspring have recently reached young adulthood, their reproductive health can now be investigated. This typically involves semen analysis and a hormonal profiling including the measurement of FSH, LH, inhibin B and testosterone. Circulating levels of FSH and inhibin B are generally known as markers of the exocrine function of the testis, i.e. spermatogenesis, while LH and testosterone reflect its endocrine function. We have previously observed a normal pubertal development and comparable levels of inhibin B and testosterone among pubertal ICSI boys when compared to spontaneously conceived peers. However, at present, information on the gonadal function of ICSI offspring in adulthood is still lacking. This study, conducted between March 2013 and April 2016 at the UZ Brussel, is part of a larger follow-up project focusing on reproductive and metabolic health of young adults between 18 and 22 years and conceived after ICSI because of male infertility. The ICSI men are part of a longitudinally followed cohort while the spontaneously conceived controls were recruited cross-sectionally. Results of a single fasting blood sample from 54 young adult ICSI men were compared to that of 57 spontaneously conceived peers. Reproductive hormone analysis involved FSH, LH, testosterone and inhibin B measurement. Furthermore, the association between their reproductive hormones and their sperm parameters was examined. Data were

Impact of Triclosan on Female Reproduction through Reducing Thyroid Hormones to Suppress Hypothalamic Kisspeptin Neurons in Mice.

PubMed

Cao, Xin-Yuan; Hua, Xu; Xiong, Jian-Wei; Zhu, Wen-Ting; Zhang, Jun; Chen, Ling

2018-01-01

Triclosan (TCS), a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, is widely used in clinical settings and various personal care products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of TCS on reproductive endocrine and function. Here, we show that the exposure of adult female mice to 10 or 100 mg/kg/day TCS caused prolongation of diestrus, and decreases in antral follicles and corpora lutea within 2 weeks. TCS mice showed decreases in the levels of serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and progesterone, and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone ( GnRH ) mRNA with the lack of LH surge and elevation of prolactin (PRL). TCS mice had lower kisspeptin immunoreactivity and kiss1 mRNA in anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) and arcuate nucleus (ARC). Moreover, the estrogen (E2)-enhanced AVPV-kisspeptin expression was reduced in TCS mice. In addition, the serum thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)) in TCS mice were reduced with increases in levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid releasing hormone (TRH). In TCS mice, the treatment with Levothyroxine (L-T4) corrected the increases in PRL, TSH and TRH; the administration of L-T4 or type-2 dopamine receptors agonist quinpirole inhibiting PRL release could rescue the decline of kisspeptin expression in AVPV and ARC; the treatment with L-T4, quinpirole or the GPR45 agonist kisspeptin-10 recovered the levels of serum LH and FSH and progesterone, and GnRH mRNA. Furthermore, TCS mice treated with L-T4 or quinpirole resumed regular estrous cycling, follicular development and ovulation. Together, these results indicate that exposing adult female mice to TCS (≥10 mg/kg) reduces thyroid hormones causing hyperprolactinemia that then suppresses hypothalamic kisspeptin expression, leading to deficits in reproductive endocrine and function.

Impact of Triclosan on Female Reproduction through Reducing Thyroid Hormones to Suppress Hypothalamic Kisspeptin Neurons in Mice

PubMed Central

Cao, Xin-Yuan; Hua, Xu; Xiong, Jian-Wei; Zhu, Wen-Ting; Zhang, Jun; Chen, Ling

2018-01-01

Triclosan (TCS), a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent, is widely used in clinical settings and various personal care products. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of TCS on reproductive endocrine and function. Here, we show that the exposure of adult female mice to 10 or 100 mg/kg/day TCS caused prolongation of diestrus, and decreases in antral follicles and corpora lutea within 2 weeks. TCS mice showed decreases in the levels of serum luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and progesterone, and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) mRNA with the lack of LH surge and elevation of prolactin (PRL). TCS mice had lower kisspeptin immunoreactivity and kiss1 mRNA in anteroventral periventricular nucleus (AVPV) and arcuate nucleus (ARC). Moreover, the estrogen (E2)-enhanced AVPV-kisspeptin expression was reduced in TCS mice. In addition, the serum thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine (T3) and thyroxine (T4)) in TCS mice were reduced with increases in levels of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid releasing hormone (TRH). In TCS mice, the treatment with Levothyroxine (L-T4) corrected the increases in PRL, TSH and TRH; the administration of L-T4 or type-2 dopamine receptors agonist quinpirole inhibiting PRL release could rescue the decline of kisspeptin expression in AVPV and ARC; the treatment with L-T4, quinpirole or the GPR45 agonist kisspeptin-10 recovered the levels of serum LH and FSH and progesterone, and GnRH mRNA. Furthermore, TCS mice treated with L-T4 or quinpirole resumed regular estrous cycling, follicular development and ovulation. Together, these results indicate that exposing adult female mice to TCS (≥10 mg/kg) reduces thyroid hormones causing hyperprolactinemia that then suppresses hypothalamic kisspeptin expression, leading to deficits in reproductive endocrine and function. PMID:29403355

Expression of the reproductive female-specific vitellogenin gene in endocrinologically induced male and intersex Cherax quadricarinatus crayfish.

PubMed

Shechter, Asaf; Aflalo, Eliahu D; Davis, Claytus; Sagi, Amir

2005-07-01

In oviparous females, the synthesis of the yolk precursor vitellogenin is an important step in ovarian maturation and oocyte development. In decapod Crustacea, including the red-claw crayfish (Cherax quadricarinatus), this reproductive process is regulated by inhibitory neurohormones secreted by the endocrine X-organ-sinus gland (XO-SG) complex. In males, the C. quadricarinatus vitellogenin gene (CqVg), although present, is not expressed under normal conditions. We show here that endocrine manipulation by removal of the XO-SG complex from male animals induced CqVg transcription. The CqVg gene was expressed differentially during the molt cycle in these induced males: no expression was seen in the intermolt stages, but expression was occasionally detected in the premolt stages and always detected in the early postmolt stages. Relative quantitation with a real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction showed that expression of CqVg in induced early postmolt males was an order of magnitude lower than that in reproductive females, a finding that was consistent with RNA in situ hybridization results. The SDS-PAGE of high-density lipoproteins from the hemolymph of endocrinologically induced early postmolt males did not show the typical vitellogenin-related polypeptide profile found in reproductive females. On the other hand, removal of the XO-SG complex from intersex individuals, which are chromosomally female but functionally male and possess an arrested female reproductive system, induced the expression, translation, and release of CqVg products into the hemolymph, as was the case for vitellogenic females. The expression of CqVg in endocrinologically manipulated molting males and intersex animals provides an inducible model for the investigation and understanding of the endocrine regulation of CqVg expression and translation in Crustacea as well as the relationship between the endocrine axes regulating molt and reproduction.

Neuroanatomical Relationship of nNOS to GnRH and Kisspeptin Neurons in Adult Female Sheep and Primates.

PubMed

Bedenbaugh, Michelle; McCosh, Rick; Lopez, Justin; Connors, John; Goodman, Robert L; Hileman, Stan

2018-06-21

Background: Neuronal intermediates that communicate estrogen and progesterone feedback to gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neurons are essential for modulating reproductive cyclicity. Individually, kisspeptin and nitric oxide (NO) influence GnRH secretion. However, it is possible these two neuronal intermediates interact with one another to affect reproductive cyclicity. We investigated the neuroanatomical relationship of one isoform of the enzyme that synthesizes NO, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS), to kisspeptin and GnRH in adult female rhesus monkeys and sheep using dual-label immunofluorescence. Additionally, we evaluated if the phase of the reproductive cycle would affect these relationships. Overall, no effect of stage of cycle was observed for any variable in this study. In the arcuate nucleus (ARC) of sheep, 98.8±3.5% of kisspeptin neurons colocalized with nNOS, and kisspeptin close-contacts were observed onto nNOS neurons. In contrast to ewes, no colocalization was observed between kisspeptin and nNOS in the infundibular arcuate nucleus (INF ARC) of primates, but kisspeptin fibers were apposed to nNOS neurons. In the preoptic area (POA) of ewes, 15.0±4.2% of GnRH neurons colocalized with nNOS. In primates, 38.8±10.1% of GnRH neurons in the mediobasal hypothalamus (MBH) colocalized with nNOS, and GnRH close-contacts were observed onto nNOS neurons in both sheep and primates. Although species differences were observed, this work establishes a neuroanatomical framework between nNOS and kisspeptin and nNOS and GnRH in adult female nonhuman primates and sheep.
. ©2018S. Karger AG, Basel.

Reproductive performance is improved during seasonal anoestrus when female and male Murciano-Granadina goats receive melatonin implants and in Payoya goats when females are thus treated.

PubMed

Zarazaga, L A; Gatica, M C; Celi, I; Guzmán, J L

2012-06-01

This work investigates whether the reproductive performance of Mediterranean goats achieved using melatonin implants at around the spring equinox is affected by the protocol followed, i.e. implanting females only, males only, both sexes or neither sex. In a first experiment, Murciano-Granadina females (n = 419, 510 and 631 for three consecutive years) were divided into four groups: treated with melatonin (FM) and not treated with melatonin (FC), mounted by males treated with melatonin (MM) or not (MC). In a second experiment, performed during 2009, the same protocols were used with 635 Payoya females and the results compared with those obtained for the same year for the Murciano-Granadina breed. Fertility (percentage of goats kidding), litter size (number of kids born per female kidded) and productivity (number of kids per female in each mating group) were calculated. In the first experiment, better reproductive performances were obtained when females (overall fertility: 71.1% vs 57.0% for the FM and FC animals; productivity 1.37 ± 0.04 kids per female vs 1.12 ± 0.03 kids per female for the FM and FC animals; p < 0.01) or males (overall fertility: 65.9% vs 58.4 for the MM and MC animals; productivity 1.28 ± 0.03 kids per female vs 1.13 ± 0.04 kids per female for MM and MC groups, respectively; p < 0.01) were implanted with melatonin. Moreover, the interaction sex × melatonin treatment had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on productivity. In the second experiment, for the Murciano-Granadina breed, the greatest increase in the number of kids born per female was obtained when the females were treated with melatonin, in either the FM/MC or FM/MM protocols (0.54 extra kids and 0.53 extra kids per female, respectively) (p < 0.01). In the Payoya breed, the greatest increase was obtained using the FM/MC protocol (0.19 extra kids per female). Thus, improved reproductive performances are obtained when female Murciano-Granadina and Payoya goats are implanted with

Sex differences in adults' relative visual interest in female and male faces, toys, and play styles.

PubMed

Alexander, Gerianne M; Charles, Nora

2009-06-01

An individual's reproductive potential appears to influence response to attractive faces of the opposite sex. Otherwise, relatively little is known about the characteristics of the adult observer that may influence his or her affective evaluation of male and female faces. An untested hypothesis (based on the proposed role of attractive faces in mate selection) is that most women would show greater interest in male faces whereas most men would show greater interest in female faces. Further, evidence from individuals with preferences for same-sex sexual partners suggests that response to attractive male and female faces may be influenced by gender-linked play preferences. To test these hypotheses, visual attention directed to sex-linked stimuli (faces, toys, play styles) was measured in 39 men and 44 women using eye tracking technology. Consistent with our predictions, men directed greater visual attention to all male-typical stimuli and visual attention to male and female faces was associated with visual attention to gender conforming or nonconforming stimuli in a manner consistent with previous research on sexual orientation. In contrast, women showed a visual preference for female-typical toys, but no visual preference for male faces or female-typical play styles. These findings indicate that sex differences in visual processing extend beyond stimuli associated with adult sexual behavior. We speculate that sex differences in visual processing are a component of the expression of gender phenotypes across the lifespan that may reflect sex differences in the motivational properties of gender-linked stimuli.

Synchronous tumours of the female reproductive tract.

PubMed

Gilks, C Blake; Kommoss, Friedrich

2018-02-01

Many ovarian endometrioid carcinomas present with concurrent endometrial carcinoma, and these organ-confined, low-grade synchronous endometrial and ovarian tumours consistently behave as independent primary tumours, rather than a single advanced-stage carcinoma; they are associated with a very favourable prognosis and there is no need for adjuvant treatment. This phenomenon of synchronous tumours involving two or more sites within the female reproductive tract is well recognised, occurring in 1-2% of cases. Although some tumours can be recognised as metastasis, in many the relationship between the synchronous tumours is uncertain. Recently, application of next generation sequencing to synchronous endometrial and ovarian carcinomas has shed light on the relationship between these tumours, but raised more questions about the biology of this curious phenomenon. Herein, we review synchronous tumours involving more than one site in the female genital tract, discuss the pathogenesis, and offer guidelines for how to handle in routine practice. Copyright © 2017 Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Effects of Selective Deletion of Tyrosine Hydroxylase from Kisspeptin Cells on Puberty and Reproduction in Male and Female Mice.

PubMed

Stephens, Shannon B Z; Rouse, Melvin L; Tolson, Kristen P; Liaw, Reanna B; Parra, Ruby A; Chahal, Navi; Kauffman, Alexander S

2017-01-01

The neuropeptide kisspeptin, encoded by Kiss1 , regulates reproduction by stimulating GnRH secretion. Kiss1- syntheizing neurons reside primarily in the hypothalamic anteroventral periventricular (AVPV/PeN) and arcuate (ARC) nuclei. AVPV/PeN Kiss1 neurons are sexually dimorphic, with females expressing more Kiss1 than males, and participate in estradiol (E 2 )-induced positive feedback control of GnRH secretion. In mice, most AVPV/PeN Kiss1 cells coexpress tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), the rate-limiting enzyme in catecholamine synthesis (in this case, dopamine). Dopamine treatment can inhibit GnRH neurons, but the function of dopamine signaling arising specifically from AVPV/PeN Kiss1 cells is unknown. We generated a novel TH flox mouse and used Cre-Lox technology to selectively ablate TH specifically from Kiss1 cells. We then examined the effects of selective TH knock-out on puberty and reproduction in both sexes. In control mice, 90% of AVPV/PeN Kiss1 neurons coexpressed TH , whereas in mice lacking TH exclusively in Kiss1 cells (termed Kiss THKOs), TH was successfully absent from virtually all Kiss1 cells. Despite this absence of TH , both female and male Kiss THKOs displayed normal body weights, puberty onset, and basal gonadotropin levels in adulthood, although testosterone (T) was significantly elevated in adult male Kiss THKOs. The E 2 -induced LH surge was unaffected in Kiss THKO females, and neuronal activation status of kisspeptin and GnRH cells was also normal. Supporting this, fertility and fecundity were normal in Kiss THKOs of both sexes. Thus, despite high colocalization of TH and Kiss1 in the AVPV/PeN, dopamine produced in these cells is not required for puberty or reproduction, and its function remains unknown.

Effects of sex pheromones and sexual maturation on locomotor activity in female sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Walaszczyk, Erin J.; Johnson, Nicholas S.; Steibel, Juan Pedro; Li, Weiming

2013-01-01

Synchronization of male and female locomotor rhythmicity can play a vital role in ensuring reproductive success. Several physiological and environmental factors alter these locomotor rhythms. As sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, progress through their life cycle, their locomotor activity rhythm changes multiple times. The goal of this study was to elucidate the activity patterns of adult female sea lamprey during the sexual maturation process and discern the interactions of these patterns with exposure to male pheromones. During these stages, preovulated and ovulated adult females are exposed to sex pheromone compounds, which are released by spermiated males and attract ovulated females to the nest for spawning. The locomotor behavior of adult females was monitored in a natural stream with a passive integrated tag responder system as they matured, and they were exposed to a sex pheromone treatment (spermiated male washings) or a control (prespermiated male washings). Results showed that, dependent on the hour of day, male sex pheromone compounds reduce total activity (p < 0.05) and cause increases in activity during several daytime hours in preovulated and ovulated females. These results are one of the first examples of how sex pheromones modulate a locomotor rhythm in a vertebrate, and they suggest that the interaction between maturity stage and sex pheromone exposure contributes to the differential locomotor rhythms found in adult female sea lamprey. This phenomenon may contribute to the reproductive synchrony of mature adults, thus increasing reproductive success in this species.

Characterization of Reproductive Dormancy in Male Drosophila melanogaster

PubMed Central

Kubrak, Olga I.; Kučerová, Lucie; Theopold, Ulrich; Nylin, Sören; Nässel, Dick R.

2016-01-01

Insects are known to respond to seasonal and adverse environmental changes by entering dormancy, also known as diapause. In some insect species, including Drosophila melanogaster, dormancy occurs in the adult organism and postpones reproduction. This adult dormancy has been studied in female flies where it is characterized by arrested development of ovaries, altered nutrient stores, lowered metabolism, increased stress and immune resistance and drastically extended lifespan. Male dormancy, however, has not been investigated in D. melanogaster, and its physiology is poorly known in most insects. Here we show that unmated 3–6 h old male flies placed at low temperature (11°C) and short photoperiod (10 Light:14 Dark) enter a state of dormancy with arrested spermatogenesis and development of testes and male accessory glands. Over 3 weeks of diapause we see a dynamic increase in stored carbohydrates and an initial increase and then a decrease in lipids. We also note an up-regulated expression of genes involved in metabolism, stress responses and innate immunity. Interestingly, we found that male flies that entered reproductive dormancy do not attempt to mate females kept under non-diapause conditions (25°C, 12L:12D), and conversely non-diapausing males do not mate females in dormancy. In summary, our study shows that male D. melanogaster can enter reproductive dormancy. However, our data suggest that dormant male flies deplete stored nutrients faster than females, studied earlier, and that males take longer to recover reproductive capacity after reintroduction to non-diapause conditions. PMID:27932997

Developmental programming: insulin sensitizer treatment improves reproductive function in prenatal testosterone-treated female sheep.

PubMed

Veiga-Lopez, Almudena; Lee, James S; Padmanabhan, Vasantha

2010-08-01

Prenatal testosterone (T) excess causes reproductive and metabolic disruptions including insulin resistance, attributes of women with polycystic ovary syndrome. This study tested the hypothesis that insulin resistance contributes toward severity of reproductive disruptions in prenatally T-treated females. Pregnant sheep were injected im with 100 mg of T-propionate semiweekly from d 30-90 of gestation. Immediately after the first breeding season, a subset of controls and prenatal T-treated (TR) sheep were administered an insulin sensitizer (rosiglitazone; 8 mg/d) orally for 8 months. Untreated control and prenatal T-treated females (T group) were studied in parallel. Biochemical analyses revealed rosiglitazone to be safe for use in sheep. Glucose tolerance tests performed before and after the insulin sensitizer treatment found that insulin sensitizer decreased cumulative insulin, cumulative insulin/glucose ratio, and insulin area under the curve by about 50% and increased the insulin sensitivity index by about 70% in the TR compared with the T group. Twenty percent of TR females showed a reduced number of cycles in the second relative to first breeding season as opposed to 80% of T group females showing such deterioration. Insulin sensitizer treatment also decreased the number of aberrant cycles (>/=18 d) during the second breeding season in the TR group relative to the first as opposed to the T group females showing an increase in the second breeding season relative to the first. These findings provide evidence that insulin sensitizer treatment prevents further deterioration of the reproductive axis in prenatal T-treated sheep, a finding of translational relevance to women with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Neural mechanisms of reproduction in females as a predisposing factor for drug addiction.

PubMed

Hedges, Valerie L; Staffend, Nancy A; Meisel, Robert L

2010-04-01

There is an increasing awareness that adolescent females differ from males in their response to drugs of abuse and consequently in their vulnerability to addiction. One possible component of this vulnerability to drug addiction is the neurobiological impact that reproductive physiology and behaviors have on the mesolimbic dopamine system, a key neural pathway mediating drug addiction. In this review, we examine animal models that address the impact of ovarian cyclicity, sexual affiliation, sexual behavior, and maternal care on the long-term plasticity of the mesolimbic dopamine system. The thesis is that this plasticity in synaptic neurotransmission stemming from an individual's normal life history contributes to the pathological impact of drugs of abuse on the neurobiology of this system. Hormones released during reproductive cycles have only transient effects on these dopamine systems, whereas reproductive behaviors produce a persistent sensitization of dopamine release and post-synaptic neuronal responsiveness. Puberty itself may not represent a neurobiological risk factor for drug abuse, but attendant behavioral experiences may have a negative impact on females engaging in drug use.

Neural Mechanisms of Reproduction in Females as a Predisposing Factor for Drug Addiction

PubMed Central

Hedges, Valerie L.; Staffend, Nancy A.; Meisel, Robert L.

2010-01-01

There is an increasing awareness that adolescent females differ from males in their response to drugs of abuse and consequently in their vulnerability to addiction. One possible component of this vulnerability to drug addiction is the neurobiological impact that reproductive physiology and behaviors have on the mesolimbic dopamine system, a key neural pathway mediating drug addiction. In this review, we examine animal models that address the impact of ovarian cyclicity, sexual affiliation, sexual behavior, and maternal care on the long-term plasticity of the mesolimbic dopamine system. The thesis is that this plasticity in synaptic neurotransmission stemming from an individual’s normal life history contributes to the pathological impact of drugs of abuse on the neurobiology of this system. Hormones released during reproductive cycles have only transient effects on these dopamine systems, whereas reproductive behaviors produce a persistent sensitization of dopamine release and postsynaptic neuronal responsiveness. Puberty itself may not represent a neurobiological risk factor for drug abuse, but attendant behavioral experiences may have a negative impact on females engaging in drug use. PMID:20176045

Female reproductive strategies, paternity and community structure in wild West African chimpanzees.

PubMed

Gagneux; Boesch; Woodruff

1999-01-01

Although the variability and complexity of chimpanzee behaviour frustrates generalization, it is widely believed that social evolution in this species occurs in the context of the recognizable social group or community. We used a combination of field observations and noninvasive genotyping to study the genetic structure of a habituated community of 55 wild chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes verus, in the Taï Forest, Côte d'Ivoire. Pedigree relationships in that community show that female mate choice strategies are more variable than previously supposed and that the observed social groups are not the exclusive reproductive units. Genetic evidence based on nuclear microsatellite markers and behavioural obser-vations reveal that females in the Taï forest actively seek mating partners outside their social unit; noncommunity males accounted for half the paternities over 5 years. This female mating strategy increases male gene flow between communities despite male philopatry, and negates the predicted higher relatedness among community males. Kin selection seems unlikely to explain the frequent cooperation and sharing observed among group males in this population. Similarly, inbreeding avoidance is probably not the sole cause of permanent adolescent female dispersal as a combination of extragroup mating and avoidance of incest with home group males would allow females to avoid inbreeding without the hazards associated with immigration into a new community. Extragroup mating as part of chimpanzee females' reproductive strategy may allow them to choose from a wider variety and number of males, without losing the resources and support provided by their male social group partners. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.

Irregular ovarian activity, body condition and behavioural differences are associated with reproductive success in female eastern black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis michaeli).

PubMed

Edwards, Katie L; Shultz, Susanne; Pilgrim, Mark; Walker, Susan L

2015-04-01

Ex situ populations of endangered species such as the black rhinoceros play an important role in global conservation strategies. However, the European captive population of eastern black rhinoceros is performing sub-optimally, with growth rates and genetic viability limited by low birth rates and high reproductive skew. We investigated several intrinsic differences between parous and nulliparous females that may underlie differences in reproductive success, including ovarian cyclicity, adrenal activity, behaviour and body condition. Faecal samples were collected from 39 females (17 parous, 15 nulliparous and 7 pre-reproductive) at 11 zoological institutions, every other day for between 4months and 6years. Progestagen metabolite concentration indicated that although all non-pregnant females exhibited ovarian activity, irregular cyclicity was common. Longer cycles (>40days) were more common in nulliparous females and periods of acyclicity observed more often in females that had not bred for at least 7years. Even when endocrine data indicated clear ovarian activity, overt behavioural signs of oestrus were not always apparent, particularly among nulliparous females. Faecal glucocorticoids did not differ between parous and nulliparous females, although did differ according to individual temperament. More unpredictable temperaments were associated with higher glucocorticoids, and nulliparous females tended to be rated as more unpredictable. Finally, nulliparous females had higher body condition scores than parous females. This is the first comprehensive survey of the reproductive physiology of this European captive population, and highlights a number of intrinsic differences related to parity, which may underlie differences in reproductive success among captive female black rhinoceros. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Male reproductive strategy explains spatiotemporal segregation in brown bears

PubMed Central

Steyaert, Sam MJG; Kindberg, Jonas; Swenson, Jon E; Zedrosser, Andreas

2013-01-01

1. Spatiotemporal segregation is often explained by the risk for offspring predation or by differences in physiology, predation risk vulnerability or competitive abilities related to size dimorphism. 2. Most large carnivores are size dimorphic and offspring predation is often intraspecific and related to nonparental infanticide (NPI). NPI can be a foraging strategy, a strategy to reduce competition, or a male reproductive strategy. Spatiotemporal segregation is widespread among large carnivores, but its nature remains poorly understood. 3. We evaluated three hypotheses to explain spatiotemporal segregation in the brown bear, a size-dimorphic large carnivore in which NPI is common; the ‘NPI – foraging/competition hypothesis', i.e. NPI as a foraging strategy or a strategy to reduce competition, the ‘NPI – sexual selection hypothesis’, i.e. infanticide as a male reproductive strategy and the ‘body size hypothesis’, i.e. body-size-related differences in physiology, predation risk vulnerability or competitive ability causes spatiotemporal segregation. To test these hypotheses, we quantified spatiotemporal segregation among adult males, lone adult females and females with cubs-of-the-year, based on GPS-relocation data (2006–2010) and resource selection functions in a Scandinavian population. 4. We found that spatiotemporal segregation was strongest between females with cubs-of-the-year and adult males during the mating season. During the mating season, females with cubs-of-the-year selected their resources, in contrast to adult males, in less rugged landscapes in relative close proximity to certain human-related variables, and in more open habitat types. After the mating season, females with cubs-of-the-year markedly shifted their resource selection towards a pattern more similar to that of their conspecifics. No strong spatiotemporal segregation was apparent between females with cubs-of-the-year and conspecifics during the mating and the postmating

Harvesting of males delays female breeding in a socially monogamous mammal; the beaver.

PubMed

Parker, Howard; Rosell, Frank; Mysterud, Atle

2007-02-22

Human exploitation may skew adult sex ratios in vertebrate populations to the extent that males become limiting for normal reproduction. In polygynous ungulates, females delay breeding in heavily harvested populations, but effects are often fairly small. We would expect a stronger effect of male harvesting in species with a monogamous mating system, but no such study has been performed. We analysed the effect of harvesting males on the timing of reproduction in the obligate monogamous beaver (Castor fiber). We found a negative impact of harvesting of adult males on the timing of parturition in female beavers. The proportion of normal breeders sank from over 80%, when no males had been shot in the territories of pregnant females, to under 20%, when three males had been shot. Harvesting of males in monogamous mammals can apparently affect their normal reproductive cycle.

Female and male genetic effects on offspring paternity: additive genetic (co)variances in female extra-pair reproduction and male paternity success in song sparrows (Melospiza melodia).

PubMed

Reid, Jane M; Arcese, Peter; Keller, Lukas F; Losdat, Sylvain

2014-08-01

Ongoing evolution of polyandry, and consequent extra-pair reproduction in socially monogamous systems, is hypothesized to be facilitated by indirect selection stemming from cross-sex genetic covariances with components of male fitness. Specifically, polyandry is hypothesized to create positive genetic covariance with male paternity success due to inevitable assortative reproduction, driving ongoing coevolution. However, it remains unclear whether such covariances could or do emerge within complex polyandrous systems. First, we illustrate that genetic covariances between female extra-pair reproduction and male within-pair paternity success might be constrained in socially monogamous systems where female and male additive genetic effects can have opposing impacts on the paternity of jointly reared offspring. Second, we demonstrate nonzero additive genetic variance in female liability for extra-pair reproduction and male liability for within-pair paternity success, modeled as direct and associative genetic effects on offspring paternity, respectively, in free-living song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). The posterior mean additive genetic covariance between these liabilities was slightly positive, but the credible interval was wide and overlapped zero. Therefore, although substantial total additive genetic variance exists, the hypothesis that ongoing evolution of female extra-pair reproduction is facilitated by genetic covariance with male within-pair paternity success cannot yet be definitively supported or rejected either conceptually or empirically. © 2014 The Author(s). Evolution published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Ultrasonographic and laparoscopic evaluation of the reproductive tract of the captive female African lion (Panthera leo).

PubMed

Kirberger, Robert M; Schulman, Martin L; Hartman, Marthinus J

2011-09-15

The use of transabdominal ultrasonography to assess the oestrous cycle has not been previously described in the African lion (Panthera leo). Twelve sexually mature lionesses and five female cubs had their reproductive organs assessed by transabdominal ultrasound. Ovarian findings were compared to laparoscopic findings while performing laparoscopic ovariectomy or salpingectomy. Vaginal cytology was performed and serum progesterone levels were determined. By combining all data the oestrous cycle stage of each lion was determined. One lion was far pregnant and was not operated on. In adults a uterine body could be seen ultrasonographically in 67% of lions while mural structures could be distinguished in 44% of lions. Five uterine horns could be seen in 3 lions. In 12 adults 10 ovaries were found of which eight had discernable follicles or luteal structures. During laparoscopy 12 active ovaries were seen with luteal structures seen in 11 ovaries and follicles in 2 ovaries. Using laparoscopy as the gold standard, ultrasonography had a sensitivity of 66% and specificity of 83% to detect ovarian reproductive activity. Two uterine cysts and a cluster of periovarian cysts were seen in three different lions. Three lions were pregnant, two were in oestrus, three in a luteal phase (dioestrus), and four were in anoestrus. Transabdominal ultrasound in combination with serum progesterone levels and vaginal cytology can be used to assess ovarian cyclical activity with reasonable accuracy in captive bred lions. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Reproductive biology in Anophelinae mosquitoes (Diptera, Culicidae): Fine structure of the female accessory gland.

PubMed

Laghezza Masci, Valentina; Di Luca, Marco; Gambellini, Gabriella; Taddei, Anna Rita; Belardinelli, Maria Cristina; Guerra, Laura; Mazzini, Massimo; Fausto, Anna Maria

2015-07-01

The morphology and ultrastructure of female accessory reproductive glands of Anopheles maculipennis s.s., Anopheles labranchiae and Anopheles stephensi were investigated by light and electron microscopy. The reproductive system in these species is characterized by two ovaries, two lateral oviducts, a single spermatheca and a single accessory gland. The gland is globular and has a thin duct which empties into the vagina, near the opening of the spermathecal duct. Significant growth of the accessory reproductive gland is observed immediately after blood meal, but not at subsequent digestion steps. At ultrastructural level, the gland consists of functional glandular units belonging to type 3 ectodermal glands. The secretory cells are elongated and goblet shaped, with most of their cytoplasm and large nucleus in the basal part, close to the basement lamella. Finely fibrous electron-transparent material occupies the secretory cavity that is in contact with the end of a short efferent duct (ductule) emerging from the gland duct. The present study is the first detailed description of female accessory gland ultrastructure in Anophelinae and provides insights into the gland's functional role in the reproductive biology of these insects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Female-Specific Glucose Sensitivity of GnRH1 Neurons Leads to Sexually Dimorphic Inhibition of Reproduction in Medaka.

PubMed

Hasebe, Masaharu; Kanda, Shinji; Oka, Yoshitaka

2016-11-01

Close interaction exists between energy-consuming reproduction and nutritional status. However, there are differences in costs and priority for reproduction among species and even between sexes, which leads to diversification of interactions between reproduction and nutritional status. Despite such diversified interactions among species and sexes, most of the analysis of the nutritional status-dependent regulation of reproduction has been limited to an endothermic vertebrate, mammalian species of either sex. Therefore, the mechanisms underlying the diversified interactions remain elusive. In the present study, we demonstrated the effects of malnutritional status on reproduction at both organismal and cellular levels in an ectothermic vertebrate, a teleost medaka of both sexes. First, we analyzed the effects of malnutrition by fasting on gonadosomatic index, number of spawned/fertilized eggs, and courtship behavior. Fasting strongly suppressed reproduction in females but, surprisingly, not in males. Next, we analyzed the effects of fasting on firing activity of hypothalamic GnRH1 neurons, which form the final common pathway for the control of reproduction. An electrophysiological analysis showed that low glucose, which is induced by fasting, directly suppresses the firing activity of GnRH1 neurons specifically in females through intracellular ATP-sensitive potassium channels and AMP-activated protein kinase pathways. Based on the fact that such suppressions occurred only in females, we conclude that nutritional status-dependent, glucose-sensing in GnRH1 neurons may contribute to the most fitted reproductive regulation for each sex.

Understanding the Burden of Adult Female Acne

PubMed Central

Kawata, Ariane K.; Daniels, Selena R.; Yeomans, Karen; Burk, Caroline T.; Callender, Valerie D.

2014-01-01

Objective: Typically regarded as an adolescent condition, acne among adult females is also prevalent. Limited data are available on the clinical characteristics and burden of adult female acne. The study objective was to describe clinical characteristics and psychosocial impact of acne in adult women. Design: Cross-sectional, web-based survey. Setting: Data were collected from a diverse sample of United States females. Participants: Women ages 25 to 45 years with facial acne (≥25 visible lesions). Measurements: Outcomes included sociodemographic and clinical characteristics, perceptions, coping behaviors, psychosocial impact of acne (health-related quality of life using acne-specific Quality of Life questionnaire and psychological status using Patient Health Questionnaire), and work/productivity. Results: A total of 208 women completed the survey (mean age 35±6 years), comprising White/Caucasian (51.4%), Black/African American (24.5%), Hispanic/Latino (11.1%), Asian (7.7%), and Other (5.3%). Facial acne presented most prominently on cheeks, chin, and forehead and was characterized by erythema, postinflammatory hyperpigmentation, and scarring. Average age of adult onset was 25±6 years, and one-third (33.7%) were diagnosed with acne as an adult. The majority (80.3%) had 25 to 49 visible facial lesions. Acne was perceived as troublesome and impacted self-confidence. Makeup was frequently used to conceal acne. Facial acne negatively affected health-related quality of life, was associated with mild/moderate symptoms of depression and/or anxiety, and impacted ability to concentrate on work or school. Conclusion: Results highlight the multifaceted impact of acne and provide evidence that adult female acne is under-recognized and burdensome. PMID:24578779

Estrogen receptor mRNA expression patterns in the liver and ovary of female rainbow trout over a complete reproductive cycle

PubMed Central

Nagler, James J.; Cavileer, Timothy D.; Verducci, Joseph S.; Schultz, Irvin R.; Hook, Sharon E.; Hayton, William L.

2012-01-01

Estrogens are critical hormones involved in reproduction and need to bind to estrogen receptors in target organs for biological activity. Fishes have two distinct estrogen receptor subtypes, alpha (α) and beta (β), with variable combinations of additional isoforms of each subtype dependent on the history of genome duplication within a taxon. The comparative expression patterns of estrogen receptor isoforms during the female reproductive cycle will provide important insights into the unique function and importance of each. The purpose of this study was to measure the mRNAs for the four estrogen receptor isoforms (erα1, erα2, erβ1, erβ2) in the liver and ovary of adult, female rainbow trout over the course of an annual reproductive cycle. The expression of estrogen receptor mRNA isoforms was measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. Several reproductive indices (gonadosomatic index, maximum oocyte diameter, plasma estradiol-17β, plasma vitellogenin, and ovulation) were also quantified for comparison and used in a correlation analysis to examine any inter-relationships. Of the four isoforms, the expression of erα1 was highest in the liver, and had a significant positive correlation with liver erβ1 expression. Liver expression of erα2 mRNA was the lowest, but showed a significant positive correlation with maximum oocyte diameter in the ovary. The pattern of the erβ isoforms in liver was one of initially elevated mRNA expression followed by a gradual decrease as reproductive development proceeded. In the ovary the erβ1 isoform had the highest mRNA expression of all estrogen receptor isoforms, at the beginning of the reproductive cycle, but then decreased afterward. Both ovarian erβ isoforms had a significant positive correlation with one another. In contrast, erα2 mRNA expression showed a high maximum level in the ovary near the end of the cycle along with a significant positive correlation with plasma estradiol-17β levels; the highest gonadosomatic

Cost of reproduction in Callosobruchus maculatus: effects of mating on male longevity and the effect of male mating status on female longevity.

PubMed

Paukku, Satu; Kotiaho, Janne S

2005-11-01

One of the most studied life-history trade-offs is that resulting from the cost of reproduction: a trade-off arises when reproduction diverts limited resources from other life-history traits. We examine the cost of reproduction in male, and the effect of male mating status on female Callosobruchus maculatus seed beetles. Cost of reproduction for male C. maculatus was manifested as reduced longevity. There was also a positive relationship between male body size and male longevity. Females mated to males that had already copulated twice did not live as long as females mated to males that had copulated once or not at all. The third copulation of males also lasted longer than the two previous ones. We conclude that even though the cost of reproduction for males has been studied much less than that in females, there is growing evidence that male reproductive effort is more complex than has traditionally been thought.

Household food insecurity in Mexico is associated with the co-occurrence of overweight and anemia among women of reproductive age, but not female adolescents.

PubMed

Jones, Andrew D; Mundo-Rosas, Verónica; Cantoral, Alejandra; Levy, Teresa Shamah

2017-10-01

We aimed to determine the association between household food insecurity (HFI) and the co-occurrence of overweight and anemia among women of reproductive age in the Mexican population. We analyzed data on 4,039 nonpregnant female adolescents (15-19 years) and 10,760 nonpregnant adult women of reproductive age (20-49 years) from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey of Mexico. The survey uses a two-stage sampling design, stratified by rural and urban regions. The Latin American and Caribbean Food Security Scale was used to assess HFI. We assessed overweight and obesity in women based on World Health Organization classifications for body mass index, and BMI-for-age Z-scores for female adolescents, and defined anemia as an altitude-adjusted hemoglobin (Hb) concentration < 120 g/L based on measurement of capillary Hb concentrations. In multiple logistic regression models adjusting for potential confounding covariates, HFI was not associated with the co-occurrence of anemia and overweight among female adolescents. The adjusted odds of women of reproductive age from mildly and moderately food-insecure households, respectively, experiencing concurrent anemia and overweight were 48% (OR: 1.48; 95% CI: 1.15, 1.91) and 49% (OR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.08, 2.06) higher than among women from food-secure households. Severe HFI was not associated with concurrent overweight and anemia among female adolescents or women. HFI may be a shared mechanism for dual forms of malnutrition within the same individual, simultaneously contributing to overconsumption and dietary inadequacy. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Survival of spectacled eider adult females and ducklings during brood rearing

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flint, Paul L.; Grand, James B.

1997-01-01

We studied survival of adult female and duckling spectacled eiders (Somateria fischeri) during brood rearing on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Alaska from 1993 to 1995. Duckling survival to 30 days of age averaged 34% with a 95% confidence interval from 25 to 47%. Half (49%) of radiomarked adult females had lost all their ducklings by 30 days after hatch. Most (74%) duckling mortality occurred in the first 10 days. Adult female survival during the first 30 days of brood rearing was 93 ± 3% (SE). Females died from lead poisoning, as a result of ingesting lead shot, and predation. Mortality of adult females during brood rearing is probably higher than during other times of the year. Low adult female survival during the breeding season may be contributing to the overall population decline of spectacled eiders.

Do sperm possess a molecular passport? Mechanistic insights into sperm selection in the female reproductive tract.

PubMed

Holt, William V; Fazeli, Alireza

2015-06-01

Most male mammals produce far more spermatozoa on a daily basis than is strictly necessary for reproduction and females have evolved mechanisms that prevent all but a small minority from reaching the vicinity of their oocytes. One potential explanation for the stringent selection is that females have developed these mechanisms as a way of avoiding polyspermy as well as exercising post-copulatory choice over the characteristics of the fertilizing spermatozoon. Relatively little is known about how these processes would operate, but here we use evidence from biochemical, molecular and genetic studies of sperm transport in support of a hypothesis proposing that the female reproductive tract can read and interpret a spermatozoon's 'molecular passport' or genetic signature. Such a signature would permit only a highly selected sperm population to reach and fertilize the oocyte. Moreover, the selection criteria might not only be concerned with successful fertilizing ability, but could also be tailored to suit the genetic qualities of individual females. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Adolescent cannabinoid exposure attenuates adult female sexual motivation but does not alter adulthood CB1R expression or estrous cyclicity

PubMed Central

Chadwick, Benjamin; Saylor, Alicia J.; López, Hassan H.

2013-01-01

Adolescence is a developmental period characterized by neuronal remodeling and the maturation of adult emotionality, reproductive behavior and social behavior. We examined whether chronic cannabinoid exposure in adolescent rats alters female sexual motivation, estrous cyclicity, sucrose preference, and CB1R expression in adulthood. Female rats were administered with the synthetic cannabinoid agonist, CP-55,940 (0.4 mg/kg, intraperitoneal), daily during adolescent development (PND 35–45). In a subset of subjects, socio-sexual motivation was investigated in adulthood (PND 75–86) using a runway apparatus. Estrous cyclicity was tracked in adulthood via vaginal cytology and a single-mount test. A two-bottle sucrose preference test was also conducted to determine whether predicted changes in socio-sexual motivation might be linked to alterations in hedonic processing. CB1R expression was examined in two separate subsets of subjects, one sacrificed following drug treatment (PND 46) and one before behavioral testing (PND 74). Drug treatment significantly decreased adult preference for a male conspecific (sexual motivation), as assessed by both Run Time and Proximity Time, but did not affect estrous cyclicity or sucrose preference. CP-55,940 treatment also induced immediate, but transient, decreases in CB1R expression in the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus and amygdala. Drug treatment did not affect CB1R expression in the nucleus accumbens (core or shell) or globus pallidus at either time point. We suggest that the endocannabinoid system may play a role in the maturation of neuroendocrine axes and adult female reproductive behavior, and that chronic exposure to cannabinoids during adolescence disrupts these neurodevelopmental processes. PMID:21777606

Hormonal, biochemical, and hematological profiles in female camels (Camelus dromedarius) affected with reproductive disorders.

PubMed

Ali, A; Tharwat, M; Al-Sobayil, F A

2010-04-01

The aim of this study was to assess the blood profiles in female camels affected with common reproductive disorders. Estradiol-17beta (E(2)), progesterone (P(4)), thyroxin (T(4)), zinc (Zn), copper (Cu), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), cholesterol, glucose, triglycerides, total protein, albumin, globulin, hematocrite, and total and differential white blood cell counts (WBC) were determined in blood of female camels affected with endometritis (n=15), vaginal adhesions (n=15), and ovarian cysts (n=15). Normal cyclic animals were used as controls (n=15). Diagnosis of reproductive disorders was based on transrectal palpation, ultrasonographic examination, and exploration of the vagina. Increased WBC counts (P=0.03) and a tendency for neutrophelia (P=0.05) were noted in female camels with vaginal adhesions. These animals were also characterized by having higher concentration of serum P(4) (P=0.0001), T(4) (P=0.001) and total protein (P=0.007), in comparison with female camels with endometritis, ovarian cysts, or controls. Animals having ovarian cysts with thin walls and homogenous hypoechogenic contents had greater serum E(2) (P=0.001) and P(4) (P=0.0001) than those having ovarian cysts with thick walls and non-homogenous echogenic contents. Animals with endometritis, vaginal adhesions, and ovarian cysts revealed lower serum Zn concentration than that of control group (P=0.003). Other blood parameters did not differ significantly compared to controls. In conclusion, this is the first report characterizing blood constituents in female camels with various reproductive disorders. These profiles may be valuable in clarifying the etio-pathogenesis of these disorders. Copyright 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Reproductive experience alters prolactin receptor expression in mammary and hepatic tissues in female rats.

PubMed

Bridges, Robert S; Scanlan, Victoria F; Lee, Jong-O; Byrnes, Elizabeth M

2011-08-01

Recent studies have reported that reproductive experience in female rats alters prolactin (PRL) receptor gene expression in the brain as well as neural sensitivity to PRL. Given PRL's actions in nonneural tissues, that is, mammary tissue and liver, it was asked whether reproductive experience may also alter prolactin receptor (Prlr) gene expression in these tissues. Groups of age-matched female rats were generated with varying reproductive histories. Separate groups of primiparous (first lactation) and multiparous (second lactation) had mammary tissue and liver samples collected on Day 3 or 10 of lactation. A fifth group raised one litter to weaning and then resumed estrous cyclicity. This group and a final group of age-matched, virgin controls were killed on diestrus. Tissue was processed by quantitative PCR for expression rates of the long and short forms of Prlr mRNA as well as casein beta mRNA (mammary tissue only). Western blots were performed to quantify receptor protein content. Multiple lactations as well as lactation itself resulted in alterations in Prlr expression. Prlr gene expression in mammary tissue was increased in primiparous mothers compared with that in multiparous dams, whereas in the liver, Prlr expression was reduced during an initial lactation. In contrast, PRLR protein levels declined during lactation in mammary, but not hepatic, tissues. Overall, the results demonstrate that the prolactin receptor system is altered in nonneural tissues as a result of the female's reproductive history. The findings are discussed in the context of milk and bile production and PRL's possible role in breast cancer.

The adverse effects of high fat induced obesity on female reproductive cycle and hormones

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donthireddy, Laxminarasimha Reddy

The prevalence of obesity, an established risk and progression factor for abnormal reproductive cycle and tissue damage in female mice. It leads to earlier puberty, menarche in young females and infertility. There are extensive range of consequences of obesity which includes type-2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease and insulin resistance. Obesity is the interaction between dietary intake, genes, life style and environment. The interplay of hormones estrogen, insulin, and leptin is well known on energy homeostasis and reproduction. The aim of this study is to determine the effect of high fat induced obesity on reproductive cycles and its hormonal abnormalities on mice model. Two week, 3 month and 8 month long normal (WT) and very high fat diet (VHFD) diet course is followed. When mice are fed with very high fat diet, there is a drastic increase in weight within the first week later. There was a significant (p<0.001) increase in leptin levels in 6 month VHFD treated animals. 2 week, 3 month and 6 month time interval pap smear test results showed number of cells, length of estrous cycle and phases of the estrous cycle changes with VHFD mice(n=30) compared to normal diet mice(n=10). These results also indicate that the changes in the reproductive cycles in VHFD treated female mice could be due to the changes in hormones. Histo-pathological analyses of kidney, ovary, liver, pancreas, heart and lungs showed remarkable changes in some tissue on exposure to very high fat. Highly deposited fat packets observed surrounding the hepatocytes and nerve cells.

Repeated Superovulation via PMSG/hCG Administration Induces 2-Cys Peroxiredoxins Expression and Overoxidation in the Reproductive Tracts of Female Mice

PubMed Central

Park, Sun-Ji; Kim, Tae-Shin; Kim, Jin-Man; Chang, Kyu-Tae; Lee, Hyun-Shik; Lee, Dong-Seok

2015-01-01

Superovulation induced by exogenous gonadotropin treatment (PMSG/hCG) increases the number of available oocytes in humans and animals. However, Superovulatory PMSG/hCG treatment is known to affect maternal environment, and these effects may result from PMSG/hCG treatment-induced oxidative stress. 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (2-Cys Prxs) act as antioxidant enzymes that protect cells from oxidative stress induced by various exogenous stimuli. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that repeated PMSG/hCG treatment induces 2-Cys Prx expression and overoxidation in the reproductive tracts of female mice. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting analyses further demonstrated that, after PMSG/hCG treatment, the protein expression levels of 2-Cys Prxs increased most significantly in the ovaries, while that of Prx1 was most affected by PMSG/hCG stimulation in all tissues of the female reproductive tract. Repeated PMSG/hCG treatment eventually leads to 2-Cys Prxs overoxidation in all reproductive organs of female mice, and the abundance of the 2-Cys Prxs-SO2/3 proteins reported here supports the hypothesis that repeated superovulation induces strong oxidative stress and damage to the female reproductive tract. Our data suggest that excessive oxidative stress caused by repeated PMSG/hCG stimulation increases 2-Cys Prxs expression and overoxidation in the female reproductive organs. Intracellular 2-Cys Prx therefore plays an important role in maintaining the reproductive organ environment of female mice upon exogenous gonadotropin treatment. PMID:26486164

Repeated Superovulation via PMSG/hCG Administration Induces 2-Cys Peroxiredoxins Expression and Overoxidation in the Reproductive Tracts of Female Mice.

PubMed

Park, Sun-Ji; Kim, Tae-Shin; Kim, Jin-Man; Chang, Kyu-Tae; Lee, Hyun-Shik; Lee, Dong-Seok

2015-12-01

Superovulation induced by exogenous gonadotropin treatment (PMSG/hCG) increases the number of available oocytes in humans and animals. However, Superovulatory PMSG/hCG treatment is known to affect maternal environment, and these effects may result from PMSG/hCG treatment-induced oxidative stress. 2-Cys peroxiredoxins (2-Cys Prxs) act as antioxidant enzymes that protect cells from oxidative stress induced by various exogenous stimuli. Therefore, the objective of this study was to test the hypothesis that repeated PMSG/hCG treatment induces 2-Cys Prx expression and overoxidation in the reproductive tracts of female mice. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting analyses further demonstrated that, after PMSG/hCG treatment, the protein expression levels of 2-Cys Prxs increased most significantly in the ovaries, while that of Prx1 was most affected by PMSG/hCG stimulation in all tissues of the female reproductive tract. Repeated PMSG/hCG treatment eventually leads to 2-Cys Prxs overoxidation in all reproductive organs of female mice, and the abundance of the 2-Cys Prxs-SO2/3 proteins reported here supports the hypothesis that repeated superovulation induces strong oxidative stress and damage to the female reproductive tract. Our data suggest that excessive oxidative stress caused by repeated PMSG/hCG stimulation increases 2-Cys Prxs expression and overoxidation in the female reproductive organs. Intracellular 2-Cys Prx therefore plays an important role in maintaining the reproductive organ environment of female mice upon exogenous gonadotropin treatment.

Male and female alcohol consumption and live birth after assisted reproductive technology treatment: a nationwide register-based cohort study.

PubMed

Vittrup, Ida; Petersen, Gitte Lindved; Kamper-Jørgensen, Mads; Pinborg, Anja; Schmidt, Lone

2017-08-01

The objective was to assess the potential association between female and male alcohol consumption and probability of achieving a live birth after assisted reproductive treatment. From a nationwide Danish register-based cohort information on alcohol consumption at assisted reproductive treatment initiation was linked to information on births and abortions. From 1 January 2006 to 30 September 2010, 12,981 women and their partners went through 29,834 treatment cycles. Of these, 22.4% and 20.4% led to a live birth for female abstainers and heavy consumers (>7 drinks/week), respectively. Concerning men, 22.6% and 20.2% of cycles resulted in a live birth for abstainers and heavy consumers (>14 drinks/week), respectively. No statistically significant associations between alcohol consumption and live birth were observed. Adjusted odds ratios from trend analyses were 1.00 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.99-1.01) and 0.99 (95% CI 0.97-1.01) for every one-unit increase in female and male weekly alcohol consumption at assisted reproductive treatment initiation, respectively. In conclusion, this study did not show significant associations between male or female alcohol consumption and odds of live birth after assisted reproductive treatment. Copyright © 2017 Reproductive Healthcare Ltd. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fulicin regulates the female reproductive organs of the snail, Achatina fulica.

PubMed

Fujisawa, Y; Masuda, K; Minakata, H

2000-08-01

Fulicin is a D-amino acid-containing neuropeptide that has been thought to control male copulatory behavior in the land snail, Achatina fulica. In the present study, we demonstrated that the vagina and the oviduct of Achatina were densely innervated by fulicin-like immunoreactive neuronal fibers. We confirmed that fulicin was actually present in the vagina by mass spectrometry. Furthermore, fulicin showed a profound excitatory effect on contractions of the vagina and the oviduct. These results suggest that fulicin controls female egg-laying behavior as an excitatory neuropeptide regulating the female reproductive organs of the snail.

Hypoxia Treatment of Callosobruchus maculatus Females and Its Effects on Reproductive Output and Development of Progeny Following Exposure.

PubMed

Yan, Yan; Williams, Scott B; Baributsa, Dieudonne; Murdock, Larry L

2016-06-17

Modified atmospheres present a residue-free alternative to fumigants for controlling postharvest pests of grain during storage. How sub-lethal applications of this method affects the reproductive fitness of target pests, however, is still not fully understood. We examined how low levels of ambient oxygen influence the reproduction of the female cowpea bruchid (Callosobruchus maculatus), a pest of cowpea. We used three low-oxygen atmospheres-2%, 5% and 10% (v/v) oxygen-and observed their effects on: (1) the number of eggs laid by bruchids compared to insects held in normoxic (~20% oxygen) conditions; (2) the total number of eggs laid; and (3) the number of progeny that reached maturity. Low oxygen did not significantly affect the number of eggs laid during 48 or 72 h of exposure, but 2% and 5% oxygen did negatively affected total egg production. Increasing the exposure time from 48 to 72 h further depressed lifetime reproductive output. Maternal and egg exposure to hypoxia reduced the number of progeny that reached adulthood. Lower adult emergence was observed from eggs laid under low oxygen and longer exposure times. These data demonstrate that hermetic conditions depress the egg-laying behavior of cowpea bruchids and the successful development of their progeny.

Hypoxia Treatment of Callosobruchus maculatus Females and Its Effects on Reproductive Output and Development of Progeny Following Exposure

PubMed Central

Yan, Yan; Williams, Scott B.; Baributsa, Dieudonne; Murdock, Larry L.

2016-01-01

Modified atmospheres present a residue-free alternative to fumigants for controlling postharvest pests of grain during storage. How sub-lethal applications of this method affects the reproductive fitness of target pests, however, is still not fully understood. We examined how low levels of ambient oxygen influence the reproduction of the female cowpea bruchid (Callosobruchus maculatus), a pest of cowpea. We used three low-oxygen atmospheres—2%, 5% and 10% (v/v) oxygen—and observed their effects on: (1) the number of eggs laid by bruchids compared to insects held in normoxic (~20% oxygen) conditions; (2) the total number of eggs laid; and (3) the number of progeny that reached maturity. Low oxygen did not significantly affect the number of eggs laid during 48 or 72 h of exposure, but 2% and 5% oxygen did negatively affected total egg production. Increasing the exposure time from 48 to 72 h further depressed lifetime reproductive output. Maternal and egg exposure to hypoxia reduced the number of progeny that reached adulthood. Lower adult emergence was observed from eggs laid under low oxygen and longer exposure times. These data demonstrate that hermetic conditions depress the egg-laying behavior of cowpea bruchids and the successful development of their progeny. PMID:27322332

Reproduction reduces photosynthetic capacity in females of the subdioecious Honckenya peploides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Vilas, Julia; Retuerto, Rubén

2011-03-01

As a consequence of the different reproductive functions performed by the sexes, sexually dimorphic/polymorphic plants may exhibit gender-related variations in the energy and resources allocated to reproduction, and in the physiological processes that underlie these differences. This study investigated whether the sexes of the subdioecious plant Honckenya peploides differ in ecophysiological traits related to photosynthetic capacity and whether possible differences depend on reproductive status and on the plant's position (edge or centre) in the population. We registered in three sites in NW Spain, the sex and density of shoots of two segregated clumps of plants. These clumps represent an extreme case of sex-ratio variation across space, with separated single-sex clumps of plants. In two of these sites we measured photosynthetic efficiencies, chlorophyll content, and specific leaf areas. In females, reproduction reduced photochemical efficiency, chlorophyll content and increased the specific leaf area, which is a key leaf trait related to photosynthetic capacity. In males, no differences due to reproduction were detected. The position within the clump affected the specific leaf area of the shoots, with shoots growing at the edge having the lowest values, regardless of the sex. Finally, the effects of position in photosynthetic efficiency and chlorophyll content where highly variable among clumps. We conclude that the differential effects of reproduction on sexes may entail different costs that could be crucial in the outcome of interactions between them, contributing to their spatial segregation.

Oral administration of leaf extracts of Momordica charantia affect reproductive hormones of adult female Wistar rats

PubMed Central

Adewale, Osonuga Odusoga; Oduyemi, Osonuga Ifabunmi; Ayokunle, Osonuga

2014-01-01

Objective To determine the effect of graded doses of aqueous leaf extracts of Momordica charantia on fertility hormones of female albino rats. Methods Twenty adult, healthy, female Wistar rats were divided into four groups: low dose (LD), moderate dose (MD) and high dose (HD) groups which received 12.5 g, 25.0 g, 50.0 g of the leaf extract respectively and control group that was given with water ad libatum. Result Estrogen levels reduced by 6.40 nmol/L, 10.80 nmol/L and 28.00 nmol/L in the LD, MD and HD groups respectively while plasma progesterone of rats in the LD, MD and HD groups reduced by 24.20 nmol/L, 40.8 nmol/L and 59.20 nmol/L respectively. Conclusion Our study has shown that the antifertility effect of Momordica charantia is achieved in a dose dependent manner. Hence, cautious use of such medication should be advocated especially when managing couples for infertility. PMID:25183143

Y are you not pregnant: identification of Y chromosome segments in female cattle with decreased reproductive efficiency

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Reproductive efficiency is of economic importance in commercial beef cattle production, as failure to achieve pregnancy reduces the number of calves marketed. Identification of genetic markers with predictive merit for reproductive success would facilitate early selection of females and avoid ineff...

Psychological Sequelae in Adult Females Reporting Childhood Ritualistic Abuse.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawrence, Kathy J.; And Others

1995-01-01

Comparison of 19 adult females reporting childhood ritualistic sexual abuse with 27 adult females reporting sexual abuse without ritualism found that women reporting ritualistic abuse scored significantly higher on measures of childhood sexual and physical abuse severity. Neither posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) diagnostic status nor PTSD…

Social bonds in the dispersing sex: partner preferences among adult female chimpanzees.

PubMed

Foerster, Steffen; McLellan, Karen; Schroepfer-Walker, Kara; Murray, Carson M; Krupenye, Christopher; Gilby, Ian C; Pusey, Anne E

2015-07-01

In most primate societies, strong and enduring social bonds form preferentially among kin, who benefit from cooperation through direct and indirect fitness gains. Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes , differ from most species by showing consistent female-biased dispersal and strict male philopatry. In most East African populations, females tend to forage alone in small core areas and were long thought to have weak social bonds of little biological significance. Recent work in some populations is challenging this view. However, challenges remain in quantifying the influence of shared space use on association patterns, and in identifying the drivers of partner preferences and social bonds. Here, we use the largest data set on wild chimpanzee behaviour currently available to assess potential determinants of female association patterns. We quantify pairwise similarities in ranging, dyadic association and grooming for 624 unique dyads over 38 years, including 17 adult female kin dyads. To search for social preferences that could not be explained by spatial overlap alone, we controlled for expected association based on pairwise kernel volume intersections of core areas. We found that association frequencies among females with above-average overlap correlated positively with grooming rates, suggesting that associations reflected social preferences in these dyads. Furthermore, when available, females preferred kin over nonkin partners for association and grooming, and variability was high among nonkin dyads. While variability in association above and below expected values was high, on average, nonkin associated more frequently if they had immature male offspring, while having female offspring had the opposite effect. Dominance rank, an important determinant of reproductive success at Gombe, influenced associations primarily for low-ranking females, who associated preferentially with each other. Our findings support the hypothesis that female chimpanzees form well

Gestational exposure to atrazine has little effect on female reproductive parameters in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats

EPA Science Inventory

Atrazine (ATR), a commonly used herbicide, has been shown to exert reproductive effects in animals; however, most ofthese studies have focused on adult exposure. In contrast, there is limited information available on the reproductive and developmental effects of gestational expos...

Costs and benefits of competitive traits in females: aggression, maternal care and reproductive success.

PubMed

Cain, Kristal E; Ketterson, Ellen D

2013-01-01

Recent research has shown that female expression of competitive traits can be advantageous, providing greater access to limited reproductive resources. In males increased competitive trait expression often comes at a cost, e.g. trading off with parental effort. However, it is currently unclear whether, and to what extent, females also face such tradeoffs, whether the costs associated with that tradeoff overwhelm the potential benefits of resource acquisition, and how environmental factors might alter those relationships. To address this gap, we examine the relationships between aggression, maternal effort, offspring quality and reproductive success in a common songbird, the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis), over two breeding seasons. We found that compared to less aggressive females, more aggressive females spent less time brooding nestlings, but fed nestlings more frequently. In the year with better breeding conditions, more aggressive females produced smaller eggs and lighter hatchlings, but in the year with poorer breeding conditions they produced larger eggs and achieved greater nest success. There was no relationship between aggression and nestling mass after hatch day in either year. These findings suggest that though females appear to tradeoff competitive ability with some forms of maternal care, the costs may be less than previously thought. Further, the observed year effects suggest that costs and benefits vary according to environmental variables, which may help to account for variation in the level of trait expression.

A comparison of reproductive parameters of female Amur tigers (Panthera tigris altaica) in the wild and captivity.

PubMed

Gu, Jiayin; Guo, Yurong; Stott, Philip; Jiang, Guangshun; Ma, Jianzhang

2016-01-01

A healthy population of captive Amur tigers might assist recovery of the wild population in Northeast China if individuals were properly prepared and considered suitable for release in the wild. We analyzed the breeding records of 68 female Amur tigers from 1995 to 2010 in the Hengdaohezi Felid Breeding Center of China and compared the reproductive parameters of this population to wild female Amur tigers. We found that the reproductive parameters of the captive population (the age of first parturition, length of gestation and litter survival rate) were not significantly different from those of wild Amur tigers. Differences in birth date and litter size between wild and captive populations may be caused by management protocols for the captive population or insufficient field data from the wild population. Reproductive parameters of females giving birth after losing a litter were similar to parameters of females that did not lose a litter, except for birth date. These results provide no indication of major problems in using captive females for a breeding program for release of cubs into the wild, but additional information is still needed to assess their suitability. © 2015 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Effects of Thyroid Dysfunction on Reproductive Hormones in Female Rats.

PubMed

Liu, Juan; Guo, Meng; Hu, Xusong; Weng, Xuechun; Tian, Ye; Xu, Kaili; Heng, Dai; Liu, Wenbo; Ding, Yu; Yang, Yanzhou; Zhang, Cheng

2018-05-10

Thyroid hormones (THs) play a critical role in the development of ovarian cells. Although the effects of THs on female reproduction are of great interest, the mechanism remains unclear. We investigated the effects of TH dysregulation on reproductive hormones in rats. Propylthiouracil (PTU) and L-thyroxine were administered to rats to induce hypo- and hyper-thyroidism, respectively, and the reproductive hormone profiles were analyzed by radioimmunoassay. Ovarian histology was evaluated with H&E staining, and gene protein level or mRNA content was analyzed by western blotting or RT-PCR. The serum levels of gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) and follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) in both rat models were significantly decreased on day 21, although there were no significant changes at earlier time points. There were no significant differences in luteinizing hormone (LH) or progesterone levels between the treatment and the control groups. Both PTU and L-thyroxine treatments downregulated estradiol concentrations; however, the serum testosterone level was increased only in hypothyroid rats at day 21. In addition, the expression levels of FSH receptor, cholesterol side-chain cleavage enzyme (P450scc), and steroidogenic acute regulatory protein were decreased in both rat models. Moreover, the onset of puberty was significantly delayed in the hypothyroid group. These results provide evidence that TH dysregulation alters reproductive hormone profiles, and that the initiation of the estrous cycle is postponed in hypothyroidism.

Hypothyroidism after cancer and the ability to meet reproductive goals among a cohort of young adult female cancer survivors

PubMed Central

Chin, Helen B.; Jacobson, Melanie H.; Interrante, Julia D.; Mertens, Ann C.; Spencer, Jessica B.; Howards, Penelope P.

2015-01-01

Objective To determine if developing hypothyroidism after cancer treatment is associated with a decreased probability of women being able to meet their reproductive goals. Design A population-based cohort study. Setting Not applicable. Patients A total of 1,282 cancer survivors participated in the study, of which 904 met the inclusion criteria for the analysis. Intervention(s) None. Main Outcome Measure(s) Three outcomes that may indicate reduced fertility, which include: failure to achieve desired family size, childlessness, and not achieving pregnancy after at least 6 months of regular unprotected intercourse. Results We used data from the Furthering Understanding of Cancer Health and Survivorship in Adult (FUCHSIA) Women’s Study to examine the association between being diagnosed with hypothyroidism after cancer and meeting reproductive goals. After adjusting for age and other potential confounders, women reporting hypothyroidism after cancer treatment were twice as likely to fail to achieve their desired family size (adjusted odds ratio (adjusted odds ratio (aOR)) = 1.91, 95% CI: 1.09, 3.33) and be childless (aOR = 2.13, 95% CI: 1.25, 3.65). They were also more likely to report having unprotected intercourse for at least 6 months without conceiving (aOR = 1.37, 95% CI: 0.66, 2.83). Conclusion Although cancer treatments themselves are gonadotoxic, it is important to consider other medical conditions, such as hypothyroidism, that occur after cancer treatment when counseling patients on the risks for impaired fertility or a shortened reproductive window. PMID:26474733

Methoprene influences reproduction and flight capacity in adults of the rice leaf roller, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis (Guenểe) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).

PubMed

Sun, Bei-Bei; Jiang, Xing-Fu; Zhang, Lei; Stanley, David Warren; Luo, Li-Zhi; Long, Wei

2013-01-01

Juvenile hormone (JH) influences many aspects of insect biology, including oogenesis-flight syndrome tradeoffs between migration and reproduction. Drawing on studies of many migratory insects, we posed the hypothesis that JH influences migratory capacity and oogenesis in the rice leaf roller, Cnaphalocrocis medinalis. We treated adults moths (days 1, 2 and 3 postemergence) with the JH analog (JHA), methoprene, and then recorded the influences of JHA treatments on reproduction. JHA treatment on day 1 postemergence, but not on the other days, shortened the preoviposition period, although JHA did not influence total fecundity, oviposition period, or longevity. We infer day 1 postemergence is the JH-sensitive stage to influence reproduction. Therefore, we treated moths on day 1 postemergence with JHA and recorded flight capacity, flight muscle mass, and triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation. JHA treatments did not influence flight speed, but led to reductions in flight durations and flight distances. At day 3 posttreatment (PT), JHA-treated females flew shorter times and less distance than the controls; JHA-treated males, however, only flew shorter times than the controls. JHA treatments led to reductions in flight muscle mass in females at days 2-3 PT and reductions in TAG content in females at day 3 PT, but, these parameters were not influenced by JHA in males. These findings strongly support our hypothesis, from which we infer that JH is a major driver in C. medinalis oogenesis-flight syndrome tradeoffs. Our data also reveal a JH-sensitive stage in adulthood during which JH influences the oocyte-flight syndrome in C. medinalis. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prenatal Testosterone Exposure Decreases Aldosterone Production but Maintains Normal Plasma Volume and Increases Blood Pressure in Adult Female Rats.

PubMed

More, Amar S; Mishra, Jay S; Hankins, Gary D; Kumar, Sathish

2016-08-01

Plasma testosterone levels are elevated in pregnant women with preeclampsia and polycystic ovaries; their offspring are at increased risk for hypertension during adult life. We tested the hypothesis that prenatal testosterone exposure induces dysregulation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, which is known to play an important role in water and electrolyte balance and blood pressure regulation. Female rats (6 mo old) prenatally exposed to testosterone were examined for adrenal expression of steroidogenic genes, telemetric blood pressure, blood volume and Na(+) and K(+) levels, plasma aldosterone, angiotensin II and vasopressin levels, and vascular responses to angiotensin II and arg(8)-vasopressin. The levels of Cyp11b2 (aldosterone synthase), but not the other adrenal steroidogenic genes, were decreased in testosterone females. Accordingly, plasma aldosterone levels were lower in testosterone females. Plasma volume and serum and urine Na(+) and K(+) levels were not significantly different between control and testosterone females; however, prenatal testosterone exposure significantly increased plasma vasopressin and angiotensin II levels and arterial pressure in adult females. In testosterone females, mesenteric artery contractile responses to angiotensin II were significantly greater, while contractile responses to vasopressin were unaffected. Angiotensin II type-1 receptor expression was increased, while angiotensin II type-2 receptor was decreased in testosterone arteries. These results suggest that prenatal testosterone exposure downregulates adrenal Cyp11b2 expression, leading to decreased plasma aldosterone levels. Elevated angiotensin II and vasopressin levels along with enhanced vascular responsiveness to angiotensin II may serve as an underlying mechanism to maintain plasma volume and Na(+) and K(+) levels and mediate hypertension in adult testosterone females. © 2016 by the Society for the Study of Reproduction, Inc.

Time perception and reproduction in young adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

PubMed

Barkley, R A; Murphy, K R; Bush, T

2001-07-01

Adults with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD; n = 104) were compared with a control group (n = 64) on time estimation and reproduction tasks. Results were unaffected by ADHD subtype or gender. The ADHD group provided larger time estimations than the control group, particularly at long intervals. This became nonsignificant after controlling for IQ. The ADHD group made shorter reproductions than did the control group (15- and 60-s intervals) and greater reproduction errors (12-, 45-, 60-s durations). These differences remained after controlling for IQ and comorbid oppositional defiant disorder, depression, and anxiety. Only the level of anxiety contributed to errors (at 12-s duration) beyond the level of ADHD. Results extended findings on time perception in ADHD children to adults and ruled out comorbidity as the basis of the errors.

Pregnancy or stress decrease complexity of CA3 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus of adult female rats.

PubMed

Pawluski, J L; Valença, A; Santos, A I M; Costa-Nunes, J P; Steinbusch, H W M; Strekalova, T

2012-12-27

Pregnancy is a time of distinct neural, physiological and behavioral plasticity in the female. It is also a time when a growing number of women are vulnerable to stress and experience stress-related diseases, such as depression and anxiety. However, the impact of stress during gestation on the neurobiology of the mother has yet to be determined, particularly with regard to changes in the hippocampus; a brain area that plays an important role in stress-related diseases. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to understand how stress and reproductive state may alter dendritic morphology of CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons in the hippocampus. To do this, adult age-matched pregnant and virgin female Wistar rats were divided into two conditions: (1) control and (2) stress. Females in the stress condition were restrained for 1h/day for the last 2 weeks of gestation and at matched time-points in virgin females. Females were sacrificed the day after the last restraint session and brains were processed for Golgi impregnation. Dendritic length and number of branch points were quantified for apical and basal regions of CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons. Results show that regardless of reproductive state, stressed females had significantly shorter apical dendrites and fewer apical branch points in CA3 pyramidal cells. In addition, pregnant females, regardless of stress exposure, had less complex CA3 pyramidal neurons, as measured by Sholl analysis. No differences between conditions were seen in morphology of CA1 pyramidal neurons. This work shows that both repeated restraint stress and pregnancy affect dendritic morphology by decreasing complexity of CA3, but not CA1, neurons in the hippocampus. Copyright © 2012 IBRO. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Results of a second survey to assess the reproductive status of female Asian and African elephants in North America.

PubMed

Proctor, Christine M; Freeman, Elizabeth W; Brown, Janine L

2010-01-01

Surveys are being conducted to monitor the reproductive health of elephants managed by the TAG/SSP. This study summarizes results of a 2005 survey and compares data to one conducted in 2002. Surveys were returned for 100% and 79.0% of Asian and African elephants, respectively. Of those, 79.3% of Asian and 92.1% of African elephants had weekly progestagen data to assess ovarian cyclicity. For Asian elephants, acyclicity rates were similar between the 2002 and 2005 surveys (13.3% versus 10.9%), whereas irregular cycling increased in 2005 (2.6% versus 7.6%), respectively. For African elephants, the percentages of both acyclicity (22.0% versus 31.2%) and irregular cycling females (5.2% versus 11.8%) increased. In both species, ovarian inactivity was more prevalent in the older age categories (>30 years of age), but for African elephants also occurred in the reproductive aged groups. Reproductive tract pathologies did not account for the majority of acyclicity problems. Several females changed cyclicity status between the two surveys, including from noncycling to cycling, suggesting this is not an irreversible condition. However, seven African females went from cycling to abnormal or no cyclic activity. In summary, the incidence of ovarian acyclicity in Asian elephants is low and stable, but appears to be increasing in African females. These findings reinforce the need for long-term reproductive monitoring programs and continuous reproductive surveys, even for females not being considered for breeding. With more data we hope to determine what factors are related to changes in ovarian status and how to reverse the trend towards acyclicity.

The ecology and evolutionary endocrinology of reproduction in the human female.

PubMed

Vitzthum, Virginia J

2009-01-01

Human reproductive ecology (HRE) is the study of the mechanisms that link variation in reproductive traits with variation in local habitats. Empirical and theoretical contributions from biological anthropology, physiology, and demography have established the foundation necessary for developing a comprehensive understanding, grounded in life history theory (LHT), of temporal, individual, and populational variation in women's reproductive functioning. LHT posits that natural selection leads to the evolution of mechanisms that tend to allocate resources to the competing demands of growth, reproduction, and survival such that fitness is locally maximized. (That is, among alternative allocation patterns exhibited in a population, those having the highest inclusive fitness will become more common over generational time.) Hence, strategic modulation of reproductive effort is potentially adaptive because investment in a new conception may risk one's own survival, future reproductive opportunities, and/or current offspring survival. The hypothalamic-pituitary-ovarian (HPO) axis is the principal neuroendocrine pathway by which the human female modulates reproductive functioning according to the changing conditions in her habitat. Adjustments of reproductive investment in a potential conception are manifested in temporal and individual variation in ovarian cycle length, ovulation, hormone levels, and the probability of conception. Understanding the extent and causes of adaptive and non-adaptive variation in ovarian functioning is fundamental to ascertaining the proximate and remote determinants of human reproductive patterns. In this review I consider what is known and what still needs to be learned of the ecology of women's reproductive biology, beginning with a discussion of the principal explanatory frameworks in HRE and the biometry of ovarian functioning. Turning next to empirical studies, it is evident that marked variation between cycles, women, and populations is the

Emerging Issues in Adult Female Acne

PubMed Central

Baldwin, Hillary E.; Cook-Bolden, Fran E.; Eichenfield, Lawrence F.; Friedlander, Sheila F.; Rodriguez, David A.

2017-01-01

Acne vulgaris (acne) is a common affliction in adolescence and is a growing problem in adult women. Despite an increasing awareness of acne in the adult female population, there is a lack of good prospective studies assessing the severity, distribution, and differential response to treatment in this group. The long-held dogma that acne in adult women develops on the lower one-third of the face has been recently challenged, and here the authors critically review data from available literature. Moreover, while adult female acne has traditionally been defined as disease in women over age 25, it is the authors’ experience that this group is subdivided into women ages 25 to 44 years, separate from perimenopausal patients, ages 45 years and up. While there is no data specifically comparing these two groups, the authors will review the existing data and provide practical recommendations based on our experience in treating these groups of patients. Finally, while there is a lack of data on this subject, it is the group’s opinion that adherence to medication regimens is likely higher in women than men, which influences therapeutic outcomes. PMID:28210380

Infants Prefer Female Body Phenotypes; Infant Girls Prefer They Have an Hourglass Shape

PubMed Central

Alexander, Gerianne M.; Hawkins, Laura B.; Wilcox, Teresa; Hirshkowitz, Amy

2016-01-01

Adolescents and adults show preferences for male and female body shapes consistent with evolutionary theories of reproductive fitness and mate selection. However, when these preferences for females with narrow waists (i.e., 0.7 waist-to-hip ratio) and men with broad shoulders (i.e., mesomorphic body shape) emerge during the lifespan is largely unknown. To address this knowledge gap, eye-movements were tracked in 146 infants (3–18 months of age) during computer presentation of three-dimensional human figures varying in body features thought relevant for reproductive success (e.g., secondary sex characteristics, waist-to-hip ratio). When presented with pairs of figures differing in apparent sex, male and female infants looked significantly longer at the female figure compared to the male figure, a new finding that extends previous research showing preferences for female faces in infancy. When presented with same-sex figures differing in characteristics associated with mate value, male and female infants looked longer at a low mate value male (i.e., an endomorphic body type) compared to a high mate value male (i.e., a mesomorphic body type), a finding that replicates the results of previous research. In addition, the novel use of high and low mate value female figures showed a sex difference in visual attention, such that female infants looked longer at the high mate value female figure compared to the low mate female figure whereas male infants showed the opposite pattern of results. In sum, these findings suggest that infants generally do not possess preferences for adult-defined attractive male body shapes. However, infant girls’ greater attention to a female figure with an adult-preferred waist-to-hip ratio raises the possibility that evolved preferences for 0.7 waist-to-hip ratio influence girls’ later preference for toys representing females with an hourglass shape, perhaps supporting elaboration of adult social behaviors that enhance reproductive success

Intra-sexual selection in cooperative mammals and birds: why are females not bigger and better armed?

PubMed

Young, Andrew J; Bennett, Nigel C

2013-01-01

In cooperatively breeding mammals and birds, intra-sexual reproductive competition among females may often render variance in reproductive success higher among females than males, leading to the prediction that intra-sexual selection in such species may have yielded the differential exaggeration of competitive traits among females. However, evidence to date suggests that female-biased reproductive variance in such species is rarely accompanied by female-biased sexual dimorphisms. We illustrate the problem with data from wild Damaraland mole-rat, Fukomys damarensis, societies: the variance in lifetime reproductive success among females appears to be higher than that among males, yet males grow faster, are much heavier as adults and sport larger skulls and incisors (the weapons used for fighting) for their body lengths than females, suggesting that intra-sexual selection has nevertheless acted more strongly on the competitive traits of males. We then consider potentially general mechanisms that could explain these disparities by tempering the relative intensity of selection for competitive trait exaggeration among females in cooperative breeders. Key among these may be interactions with kin selection that could nevertheless render the variance in inclusive fitness lower among females than males, and fundamental aspects of the reproductive biology of females that may leave reproductive conflict among females more readily resolved without overt physical contests.

Female reproductive factors, menopausal hormone use, and Parkinson’s disease

PubMed Central

Liu, Rui; Baird, Donna; Park, Yikyung; Freedman, Neal D.; Huang, Xuemei; Hollenbeck, Albert; Blair, Aaron; Chen, Honglei

2014-01-01

Objective To examine the associations of reproductive factors and exogenous hormone use with risk of Parkinson’s disease (PD) among postmenopausal women. Methods The study comprised 119,166 postmenopausal women ages 50–71 years in the NIH-AARP Diet and Health Study, who completed a baseline questionnaire in 1995–1996 and a follow-up survey in 2004–2006. A total of 410 self-reported PD diagnoses were identified between 1995 and 2006. Multivariate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were derived from logistic regression models. Results PD risk was not significantly associated with female reproductive factors including age at menarche, age at first live birth, parity, and age at menopause. For example, compared with women with natural menopause at ages 50–54 years, the ORs were 1.18, (95% CI 0.78–1.79) for women with natural menopause at ages <45, 1.19 (0.88–1.61) for ages 45–49, and 1.33 (0.91–1.93) for ages 55 or later. We found that oral contraceptive use for ≥10 years (vs. never use) was associated with lower PD risk (OR=0.59; 0.38–0.92) but shorter use showed no association. Use of menopausal hormone therapy showed inconsistent results. Compared with non-hormone users at baseline, current hormone users of <5 years showed a higher risk of PD (OR=1.52; 1.11–2.08). However, no associations were observed for past hormone users or current users of ≥5 years. Conclusions Overall, this large prospective study provides little support for an association between female reproductive factors and PD risk. Our findings on long-term oral contraceptive use and current hormone therapy warrant further investigations. PMID:24352877

Effects of photoperiod and food restriction on the reproductive physiology of female California mice

PubMed Central

Steinman, Michael Q.; Knight, Jennifer A.; Trainor, Brian C.

2012-01-01

Many temperate-zone animals use changes in photoperiod to time breeding. Shorter term cues, like food availability, are integrated with photoperiod to adjust reproductive timing under unexpected conditions. Many mice of the genus Peromyscus breed in the summer. California mice (Peromyscus californicus), however, can breed year round, but tend to begin breeding in the winter. Glial cells may be involved in transduction of environmental signals that regulate gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) activity. We examined the effects of diet and photoperiod on reproduction in female California mice. Mice placed on either short days (8L:16D) or long days (16L:8D) were food restricted (80% of normal intake) or fed ad libitum. Short day-food restricted mice showed significant regression of the reproductive system. GnRH-immunoreactivity was increased in the tuberal hypothalamus of long day-food restricted mice. This may be associated with the sparing effect long days have when mice are food restricted. The number of GFAP-immunoreactive fibers in proximity to GnRH nerve terminals correlated negatively with uterine size in ad libitum but not food restricted mice, suggesting diet may alter glial regulation of the reproductive axis. There was a trend towards food restriction increasing uterine expression of c-fos mRNA, an estrogen dependent gene. Similar to other seasonally breeding rodents, short days render the reproductive system of female California mice more susceptible to effects of food restriction. This may be vestigial, or it may have evolved to mitigate consequences of unexpectedly poor winter food supplies. PMID:22245263

Reproductive Experience Alters Prolactin Receptor Expression in Mammary and Hepatic Tissues in Female Rats1

PubMed Central

Bridges, Robert S.; Scanlan, Victoria F.; Lee, Jong-O; Byrnes, Elizabeth M.

2011-01-01

Recent studies have reported that reproductive experience in female rats alters prolactin (PRL) receptor gene expression in the brain as well as neural sensitivity to PRL. Given PRL's actions in nonneural tissues, that is, mammary tissue and liver, it was asked whether reproductive experience may also alter prolactin receptor (Prlr) gene expression in these tissues. Groups of age-matched female rats were generated with varying reproductive histories. Separate groups of primiparous (first lactation) and multiparous (second lactation) had mammary tissue and liver samples collected on Day 3 or 10 of lactation. A fifth group raised one litter to weaning and then resumed estrous cyclicity. This group and a final group of age-matched, virgin controls were killed on diestrus. Tissue was processed by quantitative PCR for expression rates of the long and short forms of Prlr mRNA as well as casein beta mRNA (mammary tissue only). Western blots were performed to quantify receptor protein content. Multiple lactations as well as lactation itself resulted in alterations in Prlr expression. Prlr gene expression in mammary tissue was increased in primiparous mothers compared with that in multiparous dams, whereas in the liver, Prlr expression was reduced during an initial lactation. In contrast, PRLR protein levels declined during lactation in mammary, but not hepatic, tissues. Overall, the results demonstrate that the prolactin receptor system is altered in nonneural tissues as a result of the female's reproductive history. The findings are discussed in the context of milk and bile production and PRL's possible role in breast cancer. PMID:21508351

The cost of reproduction: differential resource specialization in female and male California sea otters.

PubMed

Smith, Emma A Elliott; Newsome, Seth D; Estes, James A; Tinker, M Tim

2015-05-01

Intraspecific variation in behavior and diet can have important consequences for population and ecosystem dynamics. Here, we examine how differences in reproductive investment and spatial ecology influence individual diet specialization in male and female southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis). We hypothesize that greater reproductive constraints and smaller home ranges of females lead to more pronounced intraspecific competition and increased specialization. We integrate stable carbon (δ(13)C) and nitrogen (δ(15)N) isotope analysis of sea otter vibrissae with long-term observational studies of five subpopulations in California. We define individual diet specialization as low ratios of within-individual variation (WIC) to total population niche width (TNW). We compare isotopic and observational based metrics of WIC/TNW for males and females to data on population densities, and movement patterns using both general linear and linear mixed-effects models. Consistent with our hypothesis, increasing population density is associated with increased individual diet specialization by females but not by males. Additionally, we find the amount of coastline in a sea otter's home range positively related with individual dietary variability, with increased range span resulting in weaker specialization for both males and females. We attribute our results to sex-based differences in movement, with females needing to specialize in their small ranges to maximize energy gain, and posit that the paradigm of individual prey specialization in sea otters with increased intraspecific competition may be a pattern driven largely by females. Our work highlights a potentially broader role of sex in the mechanistic pressures promoting and maintaining diet specialization.

The cost of reproduction: differential resource specialization in female and male California sea otters

USGS Publications Warehouse

Elliott Smith, Emma A.; Newsome, Seth D.; Estes, James A.; Tinker, M. Tim

2015-01-01

Intraspecific variation in behavior and diet can have important consequences for population and ecosystem dynamics. Here, we examine how differences in reproductive investment and spatial ecology influence individual diet specialization in male and female southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis). We hypothesize that greater reproductive constraints and smaller home ranges of females lead to more pronounced intraspecific competition and increased specialization. We integrate stable carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis of sea otter vibrissae with long-term observational studies of five subpopulations in California. We define individual diet specialization as low ratios of within-individual variation (WIC) to total population niche width (TNW). We compare isotopic and observational based metrics of WIC/TNW for males and females to data on population densities, and movement patterns using both general linear and linear mixed-effects models. Consistent with our hypothesis, increasing population density is associated with increased individual diet specialization by females but not by males. Additionally, we find the amount of coastline in a sea otter’s home range positively related with individual dietary variability, with increased range span resulting in weaker specialization for both males and females. We attribute our results to sex-based differences in movement, with females needing to specialize in their small ranges to maximize energy gain, and posit that the paradigm of individual prey specialization in sea otters with increased intraspecific competition may be a pattern driven largely by females. Our work highlights a potentially broader role of sex in the mechanistic pressures promoting and maintaining diet specialization.

Moral dilemmas in females: children are more utilitarian than adults

PubMed Central

Bucciarelli, Monica

2015-01-01

Influential theories on moral judgments propose that they rely either on emotions or on innate moral principles. In contrast, the mental model theory postulates that moral judgments rely on reasoning, either intuition or deliberation. The theory allows for the possibility that intuitions lead to utilitarian judgments. This paper reports two experiments involving fifth-grade children, adolescents, and adults; the results revealed that children reason intuitively to resolve moral dilemmas in which action and inaction lead to different outcomes. In particular, the results showed female children to be more utilitarian than female adults in resolving classical moral dilemmas: they preferred an action that achieved a good outcome for a greater number of people. Within the mental model theory's framework there is no reason to expect that females and males differ in their ability to reason, but at the moment the results for females cannot be generalized to males who were not properly represented in the adults groups of the two experiments. The result revealing that (female) children are more utilitarian than (female) adults, which is hard to explain via many current theories, was predicted by the mental model theory. PMID:26441722

Female reproductive cycles of wild female felids.

PubMed

Brown, Janine L

2011-04-01

Many felid species are endangered because of destructive human activities. As a result, zoos are being tasked with sustaining genetically healthy populations in case of catastrophic extinctions. Unfortunately, with the exception of a few species, most felids do not reproduce well in captivity. The ability to track reproductive activity via hormones is key to developing successful ex situ breeding programs. Through the development of noninvasive fecal hormone monitoring techniques, a high degree of variability in estrous cycle characteristics has been found to exist across the taxon, including the type of ovulation. For example, although all felids have induced ovulations, the occurrence of spontaneous ovulations varies across species, and even between individuals within a species. Clouded leopards, fishing cats and margays frequently have spontaneous ovulations, whereas these are rarely observed in the cheetah, tigrina and ocelot. There are marked species differences in the impact of season on reproductive function, with some being exquisitely sensitive to photoperiod (e.g., Pallas' cat), some moderately affected (tiger, clouded leopard, snow leopard), and others that are not influenced at all (e.g., ocelot, tigrina, margay, lion, leopard, fishing cat). One of the greatest challenges remaining is overcoming the problems associated with highly variable ovarian responses to ovulation induction therapies used with assisted reproductive procedures, like artificial insemination (AI). Success is relatively high in the cheetah and ocelot, but few pregnancies have resulted after AI in clouded leopard, fishing cat and tiger. Current knowledge of the reproductive physiology of nondomestic felids, including aspects of the anatomy, behavior and ovarian cycles will be presented, and how the rapidly growing endocrine database is aiding ex situ management efforts. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Energy allocation during the maturation of adults in a long-lived insect: implications for dispersal and reproduction.

PubMed

David, G; Giffard, B; van Halder, I; Piou, D; Jactel, H

2015-10-01

Energy allocation strategies have been widely documented in insects and were formalized in the context of the reproduction process by the terms 'capital breeder' and 'income breeder'. We propose here the extension of this framework to dispersal ability, with the concepts of 'capital disperser' and 'income disperser', and explore the trade-off in resource allocation between dispersal and reproduction. We hypothesized that flight capacity was sex-dependent, due to a trade-off in energy allocation between dispersal and egg production in females. We used Monochamus galloprovincialis as model organism, a long-lived beetle which is the European vector of the pine wood nematode. We estimated the flight capacity with a flight mill and used the number of mature eggs as a proxy for the investment in reproduction. We used the ratio between dry weights of the thorax and the abdomen to investigate the trade-off. The probability of flying increased with the adult weight at emergence, but was not dependent on insect age or sex. Flight distance increased with age in individuals but did not differ between sexes. It was also positively associated with energy allocation to thorax reserves, which increased with age. In females, the abdomen weight and the number of eggs also increase with age with no negative effect on flight capacity, indicating a lack of trade-off. This long-lived beetle has a complex strategy of energy allocation, being a 'capital disperser' in terms of flight ability, an 'income disperser' in terms of flight performance and an 'income breeder' in terms of egg production.

Reproductive toxicity of azoxystrobin to adult zebrafish (Danio rerio).

PubMed

Cao, Fangjie; Zhu, Lizhen; Li, Hui; Yu, Song; Wang, Chengju; Qiu, Lihong

2016-12-01

In the past few decades, extensive application of azoxystrobin has led to great concern regarding its adverse effects on aquatic organisms. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the reproductive toxicity of azoxystrobin to zebrafish. After adult zebrafish of both sexes were exposed to 2, 20 and 200 μg/L azoxystrobin for 21 days, egg production, the fertilization rate, the gonadosomatic index (GSI) and hepatosomatic index (HSI), 17β-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T) and vitellogenin (Vtg) concentrations, and histological alterations in the gonads and livers were measured. Meanwhile, expression alterations of genes encoding gonadotropins and gonadotropin receptors (fshb, lhb, fshr and lhr), steroid hormone receptors (era, er2b and ar), steroidogenic enzymes (cyp11a, cyp11b, cyp17, cyp19a, cyp19b, hsd3b and hsd17b) in the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonad (HPG) axis and vitellogenin (vtg1 and vtg2) in the livers were also investigated. The results showed that reduced egg production and fertilization rates were observed at 200 μg/L azoxystrobin. In female zebrafish, reduced E2 and Vtg concentrations, decreased GSI, increased T concentrations, and histological alterations in the ovaries and livers were observed at 200 μg/L azoxystrobin, along with significant down-regulation of lhb, cyp19b, lhr, cyp19a, vtg1 and vtg2, and up-regulation of cyp17, hsd3b and hsd17b. In male zebrafish, increased E2 and Vtg concentrations, reduced T concentration and GSI, and histological alterations in the testes and livers were observed after exposure to 20 and 200 μg/L azoxystrobin, along with significant up-regulations of cyp19b, cyp11a, cyp17, cyp19a, hsd3b and hsd17b, vtg1 and vtg2. Moreover, cyp11a, hsd3b, cyp19a, vtg1 and vtg2 in male zebrafish were significantly up-regulated after treatment with 2 μg/L azoxystrobin. The results of the present study indicate that azoxystrobin led to reproductive toxicity in zebrafish and male zebrafish were more sensitive to

Female reproductive success variation in a Pseudotsuga menziesii seed orchard as revealed by pedigree reconstruction from a bulk seed collection.

PubMed

El-Kassaby, Yousry A; Funda, Tomas; Lai, Ben S K

2010-01-01

The impact of female reproductive success on the mating system, gene flow, and genetic diversity of the filial generation was studied using a random sample of 801 bulk seed from a 49-clone Pseudotsuga menziesii seed orchard. We used microsatellite DNA fingerprinting and pedigree reconstruction to assign each seed's maternal and paternal parents and directly estimated clonal reproductive success, selfing rate, and the proportion of seed sired by outside pollen sources. Unlike most family array mating system and gene flow studies conducted on natural and experimental populations, which used an equal number of seeds per maternal genotype and thus generating unbiased inferences only on male reproductive success, the random sample we used was a representative of the entire seed crop; therefore, provided a unique opportunity to draw unbiased inferences on both female and male reproductive success variation. Selfing rate and the number of seed sired by outside pollen sources were found to be a function of female fertility variation. This variation also substantially and negatively affected female effective population size. Additionally, the results provided convincing evidence that the use of clone size as a proxy to fertility is questionable and requires further consideration.

Confidentiality Concerns and Sexual and Reproductive Health Care Among Adolescents and Young Adults Aged 15-25.

PubMed

Copen, Casey E; Dittus, Patricia J; Leichliter, Jami S

2016-12-01

Data from the National Survey of Family Growth •About 7% of persons aged 15-25 would not seek sexual or reproductive health care because of concerns that their parents might find out about it. •For females aged 15-17 and 18-25, those who had confidentiality concerns were less likely to receive sexual and reproductive health services in the past year compared with those without these concerns. •Less than one-half of teenagers aged 15-17 (38.1%) spent some time alone in the past year during a visit with a doctor or other health care provider without a parent, relative, or guardian in the room. •Teenagers aged 15-17 who spent some time alone during a visit with a health care provider were more likely to have received sexual or reproductive health services in the past year compared with those who had not. Confidentiality concerns can impact adolescent and young adults' access to sexual and reproductive health services (1-4). Young people who are covered by their parents' private health insurance may be deterred from obtaining these services due to concerns that their parents might find out about it (2). Similarly, confidentiality concerns may arise because youth seeking such services may not have time alone during a visit with a health care provider (4). This report describes two measures related to confidentiality concerns and sexual and reproductive health care. All material appearing in this report is in the public domain and may be reproduced or copied without permission; citation as to source, however, is appreciated.

Selenium and mercury have a synergistic negative effect on fish reproduction.

PubMed

Penglase, S; Hamre, K; Ellingsen, S

2014-04-01

Selenium (Se) can reduce the negative impacts of mercury (Hg) toxicity on growth and survival, but little is known about how these two elements interact in reproduction. In the following study we explored the effects of organic Hg and Se on the growth, survival and reproduction of female zebrafish (Danio rerio). Fish were fed one of four diets from 73 until 226 dpf in a 2 × 2 factorial design, using selenomethionine (SeMet) and methylmercury (MeHg) as the Se and Hg sources, respectively. Each diet contained Se at either requirement (0.7 mg Se/kg DM) or elevated levels (10 mg Se/kgDM), and Hg at either low (0.05 mg Hg/kg DM) or elevated (12 mg Hg/kg DM) levels. Between 151 and 206 dpf the female fish were pairwise crossed against untreated male fish and the mating success, fecundity, embryo survival, and subsequent overall reproductive success were measured. Elevated dietary Se reduced Hg levels in both the adult fish and their eggs. Elevated dietary Hg and Se increased egg Se levels to a greater extent than when dietary Se was elevated alone. At elevated maternal intake levels, egg concentrations of Se and Hg reflected the maternal dietary levels and not the body burdens of the adult fish. Elevated dietary Hg reduced the growth and survival of female fish, but these effects were largely prevented with elevated dietary Se. Elevated dietary Se alone did not affect fish growth or survival. Compared to other treatments, elevated dietary Hg alone increased both mating and overall reproductive success with <100 days of exposure, but decreased these parameters with >100 days exposure. Elevated dietary Se decreased fecundity, embryo survival, and overall reproductive success. The combination of elevated Se and Hg had a synergistic negative effect on all aspects of fish reproduction compared to those groups fed elevated levels of either Se or Hg. Overall the data demonstrate that while increased dietary Se may reduce adverse effects of Hg on the growth and survival in

Nickel nanoparticles exposure and reproductive toxicity in healthy adult rats.

PubMed

Kong, Lu; Tang, Meng; Zhang, Ting; Wang, Dayong; Hu, Ke; Lu, Weiqi; Wei, Chao; Liang, Geyu; Pu, Yuepu

2014-11-17

Nickel is associated with reproductive toxicity. However, the reproductive toxicity of nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) is unclear. Our goal was to determine the association between nickel nanoparticle exposure and reproductive toxicity. According to the one-generation reproductive toxicity standard, rats were exposed to nickel nanoparticles by gavage and we selected indicators including sex hormone levels, sperm motility, histopathology, and reproductive outcome etc. Experimental results showed nickel nanoparticles increased follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), and lowered etradiol (E2) serum levels at a dose of 15 and 45 mg/kg in female rats. Ovarian lymphocytosis, vascular dilatation and congestion, inflammatory cell infiltration, and increase in apoptotic cells were found in ovary tissues in exposure groups. For male rats, the weights decreased gradually, the ratio of epididymis weight over body weight increased, the motility of rat sperm changed, and the levels of FSH and testosterone (T) diminished. Pathological results showed the shedding of epithelial cells of raw seminiferous tubule, disordered arrangement of cells in the tube, and the appearance of cell apoptosis and death in the exposure group. At the same time, Ni NPs resulted in a change of the reproductive index and the offspring development of rats. Further research is needed to elucidate exposure to human populations and mechanism of actions.

Nickel Nanoparticles Exposure and Reproductive Toxicity in Healthy Adult Rats

PubMed Central

Kong, Lu; Tang, Meng; Zhang, Ting; Wang, Dayong; Hu, Ke; Lu, Weiqi; Wei, Chao; Liang, Geyu; Pu, Yuepu

2014-01-01

Nickel is associated with reproductive toxicity. However, the reproductive toxicity of nickel nanoparticles (Ni NPs) is unclear. Our goal was to determine the association between nickel nanoparticle exposure and reproductive toxicity. According to the one-generation reproductive toxicity standard, rats were exposed to nickel nanoparticles by gavage and we selected indicators including sex hormone levels, sperm motility, histopathology, and reproductive outcome etc. Experimental results showed nickel nanoparticles increased follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), and lowered etradiol (E2) serum levels at a dose of 15 and 45 mg/kg in female rats. Ovarian lymphocytosis, vascular dilatation and congestion, inflammatory cell infiltration, and increase in apoptotic cells were found in ovary tissues in exposure groups. For male rats, the weights decreased gradually, the ratio of epididymis weight over body weight increased, the motility of rat sperm changed, and the levels of FSH and testosterone (T) diminished. Pathological results showed the shedding of epithelial cells of raw seminiferous tubule, disordered arrangement of cells in the tube, and the appearance of cell apoptosis and death in the exposure group. At the same time, Ni NPs resulted in a change of the reproductive index and the offspring development of rats. Further research is needed to elucidate exposure to human populations and mechanism of actions. PMID:25407529

Characterization of plasma vitellogenin and sex hormone concentrations during the annual reproductive cycle of the endangered razorback sucker

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hinck, Jo Ellen; Papoulias, Diana M.; Annis, Mandy L.; Tillitt, Donald E.; Marr, Carrie; Denslow, Nancy D.; Kroll, Kevin J.; Nachtmann, Jason

2011-01-01

Population declines of the endangered razorback sucker Xyrauchen texanus in the Colorado River basin have been attributed to predation by and competition with nonnative fishes, habitat alteration, and dam construction. The reproductive health and seasonal variation of the reproductive end points of razorback sucker populations are currently unknown. Using nonlethal methods, we characterized the plasma hormonal fluctuations of reproductively mature female and male razorback suckers over a 12-month period in a hatchery by measuring their vitellogenin (VTG) and three sex hormones: 17β-estradiol (E2), testosterone (T), and 11-ketotestosterone (KT). Fish were identified as reproductive or nonreproductive based on their body weight, VTG, and sex hormone profiles. In reproductive females, the E2 concentration increased in the fall and winter, and increases in T and VTG concentrations were generally associated with the spawning period. Mean T concentrations were consistently greater in reproductive females than in nonreproductive females, but this pattern was even more pronounced during the spawning period (spring). Consistently low T concentrations (<3 ng/mL) in adult females during the spawning period may indicate reproductive impairment. In reproductive males, spring increases in KT and T concentrations were associated with spawning; concentrations of E2 (<0.48 ng/mL) and VTG (<0.001 mg/mL) were low in males throughout the study. In addition, the E2 : KT ratio and T were the best metrics by which to distinguish female from male adult razorback suckers throughout the year. These metrics of reproductive health and condition may be particularly important to recovery efforts of razorback suckers given that the few remaining wild populations are located in a river where water quality and quantity issues are well documented. In addition to the size, age, and recruitment information currently considered in the recovery goals of this endangered species, reproductive end points

Presence and distribution of yeasts in the reproductive tract in healthy female horses.

PubMed

Azarvandi, A; Khosravi, A R; Shokri, H; Talebkhan Garoussi, M; Gharahgouzlou, F; Vahedi, G; Sharifzadeh, A

2017-09-01

Yeasts are commensal organisms found in the reproductive and gastrointestinal tracts, and on the skin and other mucosa in mammals. The purpose of this study was to isolate and identify yeast flora in the caudal reproductive tract in healthy female horses. Longitudinal study. A total of 453 samples were collected using double-guarded swabs from the vestibule, clitoral fossa and vagina in 151 horses. All samples were cultured on Sabouraud 4% dextrose agar and incubated at 35°C for 7-10 days. Isolates were identified according to their morphological characteristics and biochemical profiles. Yeast colonies were isolated from 60 (39.7%) of the 151 horses. The isolated yeasts belonged to nine genera, and included Candida spp. (53.2%), Cryptococcus spp. (12.2%), Saccharomyces spp. (10.5%), Geotrichum spp. (8.0%), Rhodotorula spp. (7.1%), Malassezia spp. (3.7%), Trichosporon spp. (2.6%), Kluyveromyces spp. (2.6%) and Sporothrix spp. (0.2%). Candida krusei (43.1%) was the most frequent Candida species isolated. There was a significant difference in prevalence between C. krusei and other Candida species (P<0.05). The vestibule contained more yeast isolates (48.0%) than the vagina (18.3%). The isolation of yeast colonies from multiparous females (76.8%) was significantly higher than from maiden mares (P<0.05). The study was limited by the difficulty of distinguishing between normal flora and potential pathogens. Candida spp., in particular C. krusei, represent important flora resident in the caudal reproductive tract in healthy female horses. This is particularly important in contexts that require the initiation of empirical treatment prior to the completion of culture results. © 2016 EVJ Ltd.

Socioeconomic and Reproductive Health Outcomes of Female Genital Mutilation.

PubMed

Refaei, Mansoureh; Aghababaei, Soodabeh; Pourreza, Abolghasem; Masoumi, Seyedeh Zahra

2016-11-01

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is one of the important aspects of reproductive health. The economic, social and health consequences of FGM threaten the achievement of sustainable development goals. The purpose of this study was to assess the economic, social and reproductive health consequences of FGM from the perspective of individual, family, community and health system. In this study, we reviewed 1536 articles from 1979 to 2015. Fifty-one studies were directly related to our goal. Research papers, review articles, case studies and books on the research topic were used. The results of this review showed that most studies on FGM, have investigated health complications of FGM, and few studies have addressed its socioeconomic aspects. The complications from the FGM can impose a significant economic burden on individuals, society and health system. Social consequences of FGM are more irritating than health consequences, so to tackle this practice; its social aspects should be more emphasized. Significant short and long term consequences of FGM threaten women's reproductive health; Reproductive health is one of the essential prerequisites of sustainable development. Sustainable development will be achieved if women are healthy. This practice can threaten achieving sustainable development. In Iran, FGM is performed in some areas, but there are no official statistics about it and there has yet been no plan to deal with FGM. FGM is a form of social injustice which women suffer. Ending FGM requires a deep and long-term commitment. Knowing its consequences and its effects on individual, families, the health system and community will help supporters to continue fighting this practice. Any money spent on eliminating this harmful practice, compared with the costs of complications, would not be wasteful.  It seems that further studies are needed to assess socioeconomic effects of FGM and the relationship between type of FGM and induced complications. Such studies will help

[An investigation of reproductive health and related influencing factors in female staff in six industries in seven provinces in China].

PubMed

Xu, M; Yu, W L; Xing, Z L; Yao, H Y; Sun, J F; Yu, C Y

2016-12-20

Objective: To investigate the reproductive health status in female staff, and to develop labor protection strategies for female staff. Methods: From May to November, 2015, cluster sampling was performed in the industries of medicine and health, petrochemical engineering, metallurgy, railway, mechanical manufacturing, and electronics in seven provinces (municipalities directly under the Central Government and autonomous regions) . A questionnaire surveywas performed for female staff, and the investigation covered general information, occupational history andexposure to occupational hazards, and reproductive health and childbearing history. Results: A total of 14 614 usable questionnaires were collected, resulting in a response rate of 96.00%. The meanage of all female staff was 36 years. Of all female staff, 80.06% were married and 40.84% were exposed to hazardous factors; 28.14% had abnormal menstruation, and the female staff in theelectronics and railway industries had higher rates of abnormal menstruation (32.28% and 32.11%, respectively) . The overall rate of abnormal gynecological examination results was 18.29%, and the female staff in therailway industry had the highest rate (29.49%) . Of all female staff, 49.01% reported gynecological diseases in the past, among which hyperplasia of mammary glands accounted for 27.11% and inflammation in the reproductive system accounted for 36.31%. The medical staff had higher rates of abnormal menstruation (33.11%) and abnormal gynecological examination results (27.46%) compared with the staff engaged in other occupations. With normal sexual life and no contraceptive measures, the 1-, 2-, and 3-year infertility rates were 24.26%, 11.88%, and 8.88%, respectively. Conclusion: The female staff in the industries of medicine and health, railway, and electronics have serious reproductive health issues. Labor protection should be enhanced and working environment should be improved.

Close pathological correlations between chronic kidney disease and reproductive organ-associated abnormalities in female cotton rats.

PubMed

Ichii, Osamu; Nakamura, Teppei; Irie, Takao; Kouguchi, Hirokazu; Sotozaki, Kozue; Horino, Taro; Sunden, Yuji; Elewa, Yaser Hosny Ali; Kon, Yasuhiro

2018-03-01

Cotton rat ( Sigmodon hispidus) is a useful experimental rodent for the study of human infectious diseases. We previously clarified that cotton rats, particularly females, developed chronic kidney disease characterized by cystic lesions, inflammation, and fibrosis. The present study investigated female-associated factors for chronic kidney disease development in cotton rats. Notably, female cotton rats developed separation of the pelvic symphysis and hypertrophy in the vaginal parts of the cervix with age, which strongly associated with pyometra. The development of pyometra closely associated with the deterioration of renal dysfunction or immunological abnormalities was indicated by blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine or spleen weight and serum albumin/globulin ratio, respectively. These parameters for renal dysfunction and immunological abnormalities were statistically correlated. These phenotypes found in the female reproductive organs were completely inhibited by ovariectomy. Further, the female cotton rats with pyometra tended to show more severe chronic kidney disease phenotypes and immunological abnormalities than those without pyometra; these changes were inhibited in ovariectomized cotton rats. With regard to renal histopathology, cystic lesions, inflammation, and fibrosis were ameliorated by ovariectomy. Notably, the immunostaining intensity of estrogen receptor α and estrogen receptor β were weak in the healthy kidneys, but both estrogen receptors were strongly induced in the renal tubules showing cystic changes. In conclusion, the close correlations among female reproductive organ-associated abnormalities, immunological abnormalities, and renal dysfunction characterize the chronic kidney disease features of female cotton rats. Thus, the cotton rat is a unique rodent model to elucidate the pathological crosstalk between chronic kidney disease and sex-related factors. Impact statement The increasing number of elderly individuals in the overall

A test of bone mobilization relative to reproductive demand: skeletal quality is improved in cannibalistic females with large litters.

PubMed

Hood, Wendy R

2012-01-01

In species with repeated bouts of reproduction, a female's ability to retain sufficient tissue for self-maintenance is essential to her survival and capacity for future reproduction. Loss of bone mineral content results in bone fragility and the possibility of reduced survival, so females should guard against the overuse of their bone mineral during reproduction. Given these constraints, I predicted that bone mobilization would increase with litter size in mice but plateau before maximum litter size was reached. To test this idea, I manipulated the litter sizes of house mice on the day of parturition to 3, 8, 13, and 18 offspring. At weaning, I euthanized the females and calculated whole-body and bone mineral composition. The total mineral content of females' femurs dropped as litter size increased to the average litter size for this strain of mouse (13) but surprisingly, femoral mineral content was higher for females assigned the largest litter sizes (18). Seven of the nine females assigned 18 young cannibalized some of their offspring. For females assigned to these larger litters, femoral ash content was not correlated with number of young consumed, suggesting that mineral recycling had little effect on final bone mineral content. However, nursing effort (accounting for young lost to cannibalism) was correlated with maternal femoral ash at weaning. These finding suggest that the high bone mineral content of females assigned the largest litters was associated with a reduction in endogenous mineral allocated to the litter.

Understanding stable bi-female grouping in gibbons: feeding competition and reproductive success.

PubMed

Fan, Peng-Fei; Bartlett, Thad Q; Fei, Han-Lan; Ma, Chang-Yong; Zhang, Wen

2015-01-01

Species of the order Primates are highly gregarious with most species living in permanent heterosexual social groups. According to theory in socioecology maximum social group size is limited by rates of intra-group feeding competition and associated increases in travel costs. Unlike other hylobatids, which are predominantly pair living, cao vit gibbons (Nomascus nasutus), and two other species of crested gibbon (Nomascus spp.) living in northern seasonal forest, regularly exhibit larger bi-female groups. To better understand the ability of northern gibbons to live in stable bi-female groups, we examined food distribution, feeding competition and reproductive success over a period of six years in a small cao vit gibbon population at Bangliang, Guangxi, China. In general, we found weak evidences for within-group contest or scramble competition in our two study groups, which we attribute to high spatial and temporal heterogeneity in the distribution of their important food species. Nevertheless, the larger of the two groups studied increased feeding time and group spread during lean periods, factors that may limit cao vit gibbon group size to a maximum of two breeding females. Relative to tropical pair-living gibbons, there is no evidence that cao vit gibbons travel farther or spend more time feeding, but they did consume more leaves and buds and less fruit and figs. Despite their highly folivorous diet, the average inter-birth interval is comparable to tropical gibbon populations, and the survival rate of infants and juveniles in our study groups is high. Cao vit gibbons do not suffer obvious costs in terms of feeding competition and reproductive success by living in bi-female groups, but within-group feeding competition may determine the upper the limit of cao vit gibbon group size to a maximum of two breeding females. These findings contribute to a growing body of evidence that bi-female grouping can be a stable grouping pattern of gibbons in certain habitats and

Reproductive Status of Females in the Eusocial Wasp Polistes ferreri Saussure (Hymenoptera: Vespidae).

PubMed

Soares, E R P; Torres, V O; Antonialli-Junior, W F

2014-12-01

In the subfamily Polistinae, caste dimorphism is not pronounced and differences among females are primarily physiological and behavioral. We investigated factors that indicate the reproductive status in females of Polistes ferreri Saussure. We analyzed females from nine colonies and evaluated morphometric parameters, ovarian development, occurrence of insemination, relative age, and cuticular chemical profile. The colony females showed three kinds of ovarian development: type A, filamentous ovarioles; type B, ovarioles containing partially developed oocytes; and type C, long and well-developed ovarioles containing two or more mature oocytes. The stepwise discriminant analysis of the cuticular chemical profile showed that it was possible to distinguish the three groups of females: workers 1, workers 2, and queens. However, the stepwise discriminant analysis of the morphological differences did not show significant differences among these groups. The queens were among the older females in the colony and were always inseminated, while the age of the workers varied according to the stage of colony development.

"Secrets of the female sex": Jane Sharp, the reproductive female body, and early modern midwifery manuals.

PubMed

Hobby, E

2001-01-01

Early modern midwifery manuals in Britain were usually the work of men. These books were a significant source of information about the body to the wider reading public: many sold well, and their prefatory materials include injunctions to readers not to make improper use of them. What is particularly interesting about Jane Sharp's Midwives Book (1671) is that it both provides a compendium of current beliefs concerning reproduction, and indicates the author's ironic perception of the misogyny that underpinned accepted ideas about the female reproductive body. This article gives key examples of Sharp's interventions, and also refers to Thomas Bartholin, Bartholinus Anatomy (1688); Richard Bunworth, The Doctresse (1656); Hugh Chamberlen, The Accomplisht Midwife (1673); The Compleat Midwifes Practice (1656); Helkiah Crooke, Microcosmographia (1615); Nicholas Culpeper, A Directory for Midwives (1651); Jacques Guillemeau, Childbirth (1612); Jean Riolan, A Sure Guide (1657); Daniel Sennert, Practical Physick (1664); William Sermon, The Ladies Companion (1671); and Percival Willughby, Observations in Midwifery (c. 1675).

Reproductive biology of Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar) (Diptera: Psychodidae) under experimental conditions.

PubMed

Cárdenas, E; Ferro, C; Corredor, D; Martínez, O; Munstermann, L E

1999-12-01

Baseline biological growth data of Lutzomyia shannoni (Dyar) were compared under two experimental conditions within insulated styrofoam chests and in standard laboratory incubators. The developmental time from egg to adult was 67 and 52 days, respectively. Based on cohorts of 100 females in each experiment, horizontal life tables were constructed. The following predictive parameters were obtained under each of the two conditions: net rate of reproduction (23.5 and 18.0 females per cohort female), generation time (11.4 and 9.4 weeks), intrinsic rate of population increase (0.27 and 0.30), and finite rate of population increment (1.31 and 1.36). The reproductive value for each class age of the cohort females was calculated. The observed parameters were obtained under each experimental condition: net rate of reproduction (1.9 and 2.5 females per cohort female), generation time (11.7 and 9.6 weeks), intrinsic rate of population increase (0.05 and 0.09), and finite rate of population increment (1.06 and 1.10). Vertical life tables were elaborated and mortality was described for every generation in each cohort. In addition, for two successive generations, additive variance and heritability for fecundity were estimated.

Female reproductive characteristics of three species in the Orconectes subgenus Trisellescens and comparisons to other Orconectes species

Treesearch

S. B. Adams

2008-01-01

In streams of Mississippi and southwest Tennessee, Orconectes females with eggs or hatchlings are not commonly encountered while sampling. I report on fecundity, egg size, and aspects of reproductive timing for small samples of female Orconectes chickasawae, Orconectes etnieri, and Orconectes jonesi carrying eggs or hatchlings and...

Flexibility in the duration of parental care: Female leopards prioritise cub survival over reproductive output.

PubMed

Balme, Guy A; Robinson, Hugh S; Pitman, Ross T; Hunter, Luke T B

2017-09-01

Deciding when to terminate care of offspring is a key consideration for parents. Prolonging care may increase fitness of current offspring, but it can also reduce opportunities for future reproduction. Despite its evolutionary importance, few studies have explored the optimal duration of parental care, particularly among large carnivores. We used a 40-year dataset to assess the trade-offs associated with the length of maternal care in leopards in the Sabi Sand Game Reserve, South Africa. We compared the costs imposed by care on the survival and residual reproductive value of leopard mothers against the benefits derived from maternal care in terms of increased offspring survival, recruitment and reproduction. We also examined the demographic and ecological factors affecting the duration of care in the light of five explanatory hypotheses: litter size, sex allocation, resource limitation, timing of independence and terminal investment. Duration of care exhibited by female leopards varied markedly, from 9 to 35 months. Mothers did not appear to suffer any short- or long-term survival costs from caring for cubs, but extending care reduced the number of litters that mothers could produce during their lifetimes. Interestingly, the duration of care did not appear to affect the post-independence survival or reproductive success of offspring (although it may have indirectly affected offspring survival by influencing dispersal distance). However, results from generalised linear mixed models showed that mothers prolonged care during periods of prey scarcity, supporting the resource limitation hypothesis. Female leopards also cared for sons longer than daughters, in line with the sex-allocation hypothesis. Cub survival is an important determinant of the lifetime reproductive success in leopards. By buffering offspring against environmental perturbation without jeopardising their own survivorship, female leopards apparently "hedge their bets" with current offspring rather than

Silencing of ACO decreases reproduction and energy metabolism in triazophos-treated female brown plant hoppers, Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae).

PubMed

Liu, Zong-Yu; Jiang, Yi-Ping; Li, Lei; You, Lin-Lin; Wu, You; Xu, Bin; Ge, Lin-Quan; Wu, Jin-Cai

2016-03-01

The brown plant hopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens Stål (Hemiptera: Delphacidae), is a major pest affecting rice in Asia, and outbreaks of this pest are closely linked to pesticide-induced stimulation of reproduction. Therefore, the BPH is a classic example of a resurgent pest. However, the effects of different genes on the regulation of pesticide-induced reproductive stimulation in the BPH are unclear. In this study, the regulatory effects of acyl-coenzyme A oxidase (ACO) on the reproduction and biochemistry of the BPH were investigated with gene silencing. The number of eggs laid per female by triazophos (TZP)+dsACO BPH females was significantly lower than those of TZP-treated (without ACO silencing) or TZP+GFP females (negative control), with the number of eggs decreasing by 30.8% (from 529.5 to 366.3) and 32.0% (from 540.5 to 366.3), respectively. The preoviposition period, oviposition period, and longevity of the TZP-treated females were also influenced by dsACO treatment. Additionally, the amounts of crude fat, protein, and some fatty acids (oleic acid, palmitic acid, linoleic acid, stearic acid, and myristoleic acid) in TZP+dsACO females were significantly lower than in TZP-treated females. Thus, ACO is one of the key genes regulating the TZP-induced stimulation of reproduction in BPH females. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Smoking and Illicit Drug Use Associations With Early Versus Delayed Reproduction: Findings in a Young Adult Cohort of Australian Twins*

PubMed Central

Waldron, Mary; Heath, Andrew C.; Lynskey, Michael T.; Nelson, Elliot C.; Bucholz, Kathleen K.; Madden, Pamela A.F.; Martin, Nicholas G.

2009-01-01

Objective: This article examines relationships between reproductive onset and lifetime history of smoking, regular smoking, and nicotine dependence, and cannabis and other illicit drug use. Method: Data were drawn from a young adult cohort of 3,386 female and 2,751 male Australian twins born between 1964 and 1971. Survival analyses were conducted using Cox proportional hazards regression models predicting age at first childbirth from history of substance use or disorder separately by substance class. Other substance use or disorder, including alcohol dependence, as well as sociodemographic characteristics, history of psychopathology, and family and childhood risks, were included as control variables in adjusted models. Results: Regular smoking and nicotine dependence were associated with earlier reproduction, with pronounced effects for women. For women, use of cannabis was associated with early reproduction before age 20, and with delayed reproduction among women who have not reproduced by age 20 or 25. Adjustment for control variables only partially explained these associations. Conclusions: Consistent with research linking adolescent use with sexual risk taking predictive of early childbearing, regular smokers and nicotine-dependent individuals show earlier reproductive onset. In contrast, delays in childbearing associated with use of cannabis are consistent with impairments in reproductive ability and/or opportunities for reproduction. Continued research on risks both upstream and downstream of substance-use initiation and onset of substance-use disorder is needed for causal mechanisms to be fully understood. PMID:19737504

Reproductive strategies in snakes.

PubMed

Shine, Richard

2003-05-22

Snakes of both sexes display remarkable flexibility and diversity in their reproductive tactics. Many features of reproduction in female snakes (such as reproductive mode and frequency, seasonality and multiple mating) allow flexible maternal control. For example, females can manipulate not only the genotypes of their offspring (through mate choice or enhanced sperm competition) but also the phenotypes of their offspring (through allocation 'decisions', behavioural and physiological thermoregulation, and nest-site selection). Reliance on stored energy ('capital') to fuel breeding results in low frequencies of female reproduction and, in extreme cases, semelparity. A sophisticated vomeronasal system not only allows male snakes to locate reproductive females by following scent trails, but also facilitates pheromonally mediated mate choice by males. Male-male rivalry takes diverse forms, including female mimicry and mate guarding; combat bouts impose strong selection for large body size in males of some species. Intraspecific (geographical) variation and phenotypic plasticity in a wide array of reproductive traits (offspring size and number; reproductive frequency; incidence of multiple mating; male tactics such as mate guarding and combat; mate choice criteria) provide exceptional opportunities for future studies.

Correlates and Determinants of Reproductive Behavior among Female University Students in Tehran

PubMed Central

Farahani, Farideh Khalaj Abadi; Cleland, John; Mehryar, Amir Hooshang

2012-01-01

Background This paper aims to examine the reproductive health and behaviors which might expose young people at risks of STIs/HIV and potential correlates of such behaviors among female college students in Tehran. Methods This paper focuses on the study conducted on a sample of 1743 female undergraduate students in four multidisciplinary universities in Tehran during 2005− 2006 using a two-stage stratified cluster sampling. The main focus was to determine the predictors of premarital heterosexual reproductive behavior among female students. Results The mean age of the unmarried students was 21.4 years. Low self-efficacy (OR=7.87, p <0.001), perceived peers’ liberal attitude on virginity (OR= 4.33), perception of parents’ liberal attitude towards relationship with the opposite sex and poor family atmosphere (OR=3.04 and 2.20, p <0.001, respectively) were predictors of ever having any type of sexual experience after controlling for other factors. The only predictors of penetrative sex remained in the logistic model were older age (OR=5.95), low self-efficacy (OR=10.86), poor family atmosphere (OR= 2.96), liberal parental attitude (OR=4.29) and liberal peer norms on virginity (OR= 4.90). Conclusion Interventional programs need to be designed at various levels such as enhancing self-efficacy, informing families of the protective role of a balanced control and monitoring over adolescents’ behavior and choices of peer network against premarital sexual activity. PMID:23926523

On-site comprehensive curriculum to teach reproductive health to female adolescents in Kenya.

PubMed

Gaughran, Margaret; Asgary, Ramin

2014-04-01

Rates of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unplanned pregnancy are high in Kenya, and limited reproductive health education exists in schools. We designed and implemented a 6-week reproductive health curriculum in Laikipia District, Kenya, in 2011, which included didactic sessions, educational games, and open discussions. We applied a mixed quantitative and qualitative methods to evaluate this curriculum including a comprehensive 35-item survey to assess pre- and post-training knowledge, attitudes, and practices of female teenagers regarding STIs/HIV and family planning using paired t-test as well as complementary focus groups (n=42) and individual interviews (n=20). Average age for 42 female teenagers was 16.5 (± 1.31) years. Pre-test questionnaires revealed lack of knowledge about different types of STIs, specifically chlamydia, but adequate knowledge of basic contraception including abstinence and condom use. By the conclusion of the study, we observed improvement in following educational domains: general knowledge of HIV/AIDS (85% ± 7.5% to 94% ± 5.6%) (p<0.001); general knowledge of teen pregnancy and STIs (57% ± 19% to 82% ± 13%) (p<0.001); and overall scores of knowledge, attitude, and self-efficacy (81% ± 6.6% to 90% ± 5%) (p<0.001). Focus group discussions, however, revealed persistent misconceptions and knowledge gaps with themes regarding HIV transmission risk factors, perceived difficulty negotiating condom use, masturbation and its perceived consequences, and issues surrounding female circumcision. Important misconceptions and gaps in reproductive practices were identified and addressed using a mixed methods approach. Despite prior basic knowledge and positive attitudes on STI prevention and family planning, complementary teaching approaches were instrumental in improving overall knowledge of STIs other than HIV as well as family planning. The curriculum was feasible, well received, and achieved its educational goals.

Female Genital Mutilation Is a Violation of Reproductive Rights of Women: Implications for Health Workers.

PubMed

Jungari, Suresh Banayya

2016-02-01

Female genital mutilation (FGM) comprises all procedures that involve partial or total removal of the external female genitalia or other injury to the female genital organs for nonmedical reasons. This coercive practice is still prevalent in many parts of the world, in both developed and developing countries. However, FGM is more prevalent in African countries and some Asian countries. In this study, an attempt has been made to understand the prevalence and practice of FGM worldwide and its adverse effects on women's reproductive health. To fulfill the study objectives, the author collected evidence from various studies conducted by international agencies. Many studies found that FGM has no health benefits; is mostly carried out on girls before they reach the age of 15 years; can cause severe bleeding, infections, psychological illness, and infertility; and, most important, can have serious consequences during childbirth. The practice is mainly governed by the traditions and cultures of the communities without having any scientific or medical benefit. In conclusion, FGM is a practice that violates the human and reproductive rights of women.

Factors affecting the reproductive success of dominant male meerkats.

PubMed

Spong, Göran F; Hodge, Sarah J; Young, Andrew J; Clutton-Brock, Tim H

2008-05-01

Identifying traits that affect the reproductive success of individuals is fundamental for our understanding of evolutionary processes. In cooperative breeders, a dominant male typically restricts mating access to the dominant female for extended periods, resulting in pronounced variation in reproductive success among males. This may result in strong selection for traits that increase the likelihood of dominance acquisition, dominance retention and reproductive rates while dominant. However, despite considerable research on reproductive skew, few studies have explored the factors that influence these three processes among males in cooperative species. Here we use genetic, behavioural and demographic data to investigate the factors affecting reproductive success in dominant male meerkats (Suricata suricatta). Our data show that dominant males sire the majority of all offspring surviving to 1 year. A male's likelihood of becoming dominant is strongly influenced by age, but not by weight. Tenure length and reproductive rate, both important components of dominant male reproductive success, are largely affected by group size and composition, rather than individual traits. Dominant males in large groups have longer tenures, but after this effect is controlled, male tenure length also correlates negatively to the number of adult females in the group. Male reproductive rate also declines as the number of intra- and extra-group competitors increases. As the time spent in the dominant position and reproductive rate while dominant explain > 80% of the total variance in reproductive success, group composition thus has major implications for male reproductive success.

Adult pollen diet essential for egg maturation by a solitary Osmia bee.

PubMed

Cane, James H

2016-12-01

Reproduction is a nutritionally costly activity for many insects, as their eggs are rich in lipids and proteins. That cost seems especially acute for non-social bees, which for their size, lay enormous eggs. All adult female bees visit flowers, most of them to collect pollen and nectar, or sometimes oils, to feed their progeny. For adult bees, the need for pollen feeding has only been detailed for the honey bee, Apis mellifera. To experimentally test for the reproductive value of adult pollen feeding by a non-social bee, Osmia californica (Hymenoptera: Apiformes: Megachilidae), young female bees plus males were released into large glasshouse cages provided with either a male-fertile sunflower cultivar or a pollen-less one. Females regularly visited and drank nectar from flowers of both cultivars. Abundant orange pollen was seen regularly in guts of females confined with the male-fertile sunflowers, indicative of active pollen ingestion. All females' terminal oocytes (next egg to be laid) were small at emergence. Oocytes of females confined with the pollen-less sunflowers remained small, despite frequent nectaring and exposure to other floral stimuli. In contrast, the basal oocytes of female O. californica with access to pollen had swelled to full size within ten days following emergence, enabling them to lay eggs in provided nest tubes. Adult females of this solitary bee required dietary pollen to reproduce; nitrogen stores acquired as larvae were inadequate. Early and regular pollen feeding in part paces the onset and maximum tempo of solitary bees' lifetime reproductive output. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Divergent hypoxia tolerance in adult males and females of the plainfin midshipman (Porichthys notatus).

PubMed

LeMoine, Christophe M R; Bucking, Carol; Craig, Paul M; Walsh, Patrick J

2014-01-01

In the summer, the plainfin midshipman (Poricththys notatus) migrates to reproduce in the nearshore environment, where oxygen levels are influenced by the tidal cycles. Parental males establish nests under rocks in the intertidal zone, where they reside until the eggs they guard are fully developed. In contrast, females and sneaker males leave the nests shortly after spawning. We examined the physiological resistance and metabolic response of parental male and female adult midshipman to hypoxia to test whether they exhibited sex-specific differences reflecting their reproductive strategies. Further, we assessed whether metabolic enzymes and metabolites were differentially enriched in tissues of parental males and females to explain the differences observed in their hypoxia tolerance. While parental males and females exhibited similar depression of their oxygen consumption in response to graded hypoxia, parental males could withstand significantly longer exposures to severe hypoxic stress. At the biochemical level, parental males showed higher hepatic glycogen reserves and higher glycolytic enzyme capacities in gills and skeletal muscles than females. Although some of these enzymatic variations could be explained by differences in body size, we also observed a significant effect of sex on some of these factors. These results suggest that parental male midshipman may benefit from sexual dimorphism at the whole-organismal (larger body size) and biochemical (enzyme activities) levels, conferring on them a higher glycolytic potential to sustain the extensive hypoxia bouts they experience in nature.

No Clear Association between Impaired Short-Term or Working Memory Storage and Time Reproduction Capacity in Adult ADHD Patients.

PubMed

Mette, Christian; Grabemann, Marco; Zimmermann, Marco; Strunz, Laura; Scherbaum, Norbert; Wiltfang, Jens; Kis, Bernhard

2015-01-01

Altered time reproduction is exhibited by patients with adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It remains unclear whether memory capacity influences the ability of adults with ADHD to reproduce time intervals. We conducted a behavioral study on 30 ADHD patients who were medicated with methylphenidate, 29 unmedicated adult ADHD patients and 32 healthy controls (HCs). We assessed time reproduction using six time intervals (1 s, 4 s, 6 s, 10 s, 24 s and 60 s) and assessed memory performance using the Wechsler memory scale. The patients with ADHD exhibited lower memory performance scores than the HCs. No significant differences in the raw scores for any of the time intervals (p > .05), with the exception of the variability at the short time intervals (1 s, 4 s and 6 s) (p < .01), were found between the groups. The overall analyses failed to reveal any significant correlations between time reproduction at any of the time intervals examined in the time reproduction task and working memory performance (p > .05). We detected no findings indicating that working memory might influence time reproduction in adult patients with ADHD. Therefore, further studies concerning time reproduction and memory capacity among adult patients with ADHD must be performed to verify and replicate the present findings.

No Clear Association between Impaired Short-Term or Working Memory Storage and Time Reproduction Capacity in Adult ADHD Patients

PubMed Central

Mette, Christian; Grabemann, Marco; Zimmermann, Marco; Strunz, Laura; Scherbaum, Norbert; Wiltfang, Jens; Kis, Bernhard

2015-01-01

Objective Altered time reproduction is exhibited by patients with adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It remains unclear whether memory capacity influences the ability of adults with ADHD to reproduce time intervals. Method We conducted a behavioral study on 30 ADHD patients who were medicated with methylphenidate, 29 unmedicated adult ADHD patients and 32 healthy controls (HCs). We assessed time reproduction using six time intervals (1 s, 4 s, 6 s, 10 s, 24 s and 60 s) and assessed memory performance using the Wechsler memory scale. Results The patients with ADHD exhibited lower memory performance scores than the HCs. No significant differences in the raw scores for any of the time intervals (p > .05), with the exception of the variability at the short time intervals (1 s, 4 s and 6 s) (p < .01), were found between the groups. The overall analyses failed to reveal any significant correlations between time reproduction at any of the time intervals examined in the time reproduction task and working memory performance (p > .05). Conclusion We detected no findings indicating that working memory might influence time reproduction in adult patients with ADHD. Therefore, further studies concerning time reproduction and memory capacity among adult patients with ADHD must be performed to verify and replicate the present findings. PMID:26221955

Morphology and histology of male and female reproductive systems in the inseminating species Scoloplax distolothrix (Ostariophysi: Siluriformes: Scoloplacidae).

PubMed

Spadella, Maria Angélica; Oliveira, Claudio; Quagio-Grassiotto, Irani

2008-09-01

The morphology and histology of male and female reproductive systems were examined in Scoloplax distolothrix. Internal insemination was documented in this species by the presence of sperm within the ovaries. Mature males and females have elongated genital papillae, exhibiting a tubular shape in males and a plain heart-shape with two median protuberances in females. The testes are two elongated structures that converge ventrally, under the intestine, towards the genital papilla. They are joined at the caudal end, forming an ovoid single chamber for sperm storage. Secretory regions were not observed. In the lumen of the testicular tubules, spermatozoa can be tightly packed along their lengths, but do not constitute a spermatozeugmata. The lumen of the sperm storage chamber and spermatic duct are filled with free spermatozoa without the accompanying secretions. The ovaries are bird-wing shaped, saccular structures that converge ventrally under the intestine, towards the genital papilla. They are joined at the caudal end, forming a tubular chamber possibly destined for oocyte storage. An oviduct with an irregular outline connects the chamber to the tubular region of the genital papilla. No distinct sperm storage structure was found in the ovaries. The unique male and female genital papillae suggest that these structures are associated with the reproductive mode in scoloplacids, representing evidence for insemination. The occurrence of free spermatozoa, without the accompanying secretions and not arranged in a spermatozeugmata can be associated with the presence of a tubular male genital papilla for sperm transfer to the female genital tract. This reinforces the idea that sperm packets are not necessary for all inseminating species. The male reproductive system in scoloplacids is very different from that in auchenipterids, a second catfish family with insemination, which indicates that the occurrence of insemination is not connected to the internal morphology of

Human exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals: effects on the male and female reproductive systems.

PubMed

Sifakis, Stavros; Androutsopoulos, Vasilis P; Tsatsakis, Aristeidis M; Spandidos, Demetrios A

2017-04-01

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) comprise a group of chemical compounds that have been examined extensively due to the potential harmful effects in the health of human populations. During the past decades, particular focus has been given to the harmful effects of EDCs to the reproductive system. The estimation of human exposure to EDCs can be broadly categorized into occupational and environmental exposure, and has been a major challenge due to the structural diversity of the chemicals that are derived by many different sources at doses below the limit of detection used by conventional methodologies. Animal and in vitro studies have supported the conclusion that endocrine disrupting chemicals affect the hormone dependent pathways responsible for male and female gonadal development, either through direct interaction with hormone receptors or via epigenetic and cell-cycle regulatory modes of action. In human populations, the majority of the studies point towards an association between exposure to EDCs and male and/or female reproduction system disorders, such as infertility, endometriosis, breast cancer, testicular cancer, poor sperm quality and/or function. Despite promising discoveries, a causal relationship between the reproductive disorders and exposure to specific toxicants is yet to be established, due to the complexity of the clinical protocols used, the degree of occupational or environmental exposure, the determination of the variables measured and the sample size of the subjects examined. Future studies should focus on a uniform system of examining human populations with regard to the exposure to specific EDCs and the direct effect on the reproductive system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Neonatal handling and reproductive function in female rats.

PubMed

Gomes, C M; Raineki, C; Ramos de Paula, P; Severino, G S; Helena, C V V; Anselmo-Franci, J A; Franci, C R; Sanvitto, G L; Lucion, A B

2005-02-01

Neonatal handling induces anovulatory estrous cycles and decreases sexual receptivity in female rats. The synchronous secretion of hormones from the gonads (estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P)), pituitary (luteinizing (LH) and follicle-stimulating (FSH) hormones) and hypothalamus (LH-releasing hormone (LHRH)) are essential for the reproductive functions in female rats. The present study aimed to describe the plasma levels of E2 and P throughout the estrous cycle and LH, FSH and prolactin (PRL) in the afternoon of the proestrus, and the LHRH content in the medial preoptic area (MPOA), median eminence (ME) and medial septal area (MSA) in the proestrus, in the neonatal handled rats. Wistar pup rats were handled for 1 min during the first 10 days after delivery (neonatal handled group) or left undisturbed (nonhandled group). When they reached adulthood, blood samples were collected through a jugular cannula and the MPOA, ME and MSA were microdissected. Plasma levels of the hormones and the content of LHRH were determined by RIA. The number of oocytes counted in the morning of the estrus day in the handled rats was significantly lower than in the nonhandled ones. Neonatal handling reduces E2 levels only on the proestrus day while P levels decreased in metestrus and estrus. Handled females also showed reduced plasma levels of LH, FSH and PRL in the afternoon of the proestrus. The LHRH content in the MPOA was significantly higher than in the nonhandled group. The reduced secretion of E2, LH, FSH and LHRH on the proestrus day may explain the anovulatory estrous cycle in neonatal handled rats. The reduced secretion of PRL in the proestrus may be related to the decreased sexual receptiveness in handled females. In conclusion, early-life environmental stimulation can induce long-lasting effects on the hypothalamus-pituitary-gonad axis.

Effect of different doses of Malaysian honey on reproductive parameters in adult male rats.

PubMed

Mohamed, M; Sulaiman, S A; Jaafar, H; Sirajudeen, K N S

2012-05-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different doses of Malaysian honey on male reproductive parameters in adult rats. Thirty-two healthy adult male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups (eight rats per group). Group 1 (control group) was given 0.5 ml of distilled water. Groups 2, 3 and 4 were given 0.2, 1.2 and 2.4 g kg(-1) body weight of honey respectively. The rats were treated orally by gavage once daily for 4 weeks. Honey did not significantly alter body and male reproductive organs weights. The rats in Group 3 which received honey at 1.2 g kg(-1) had significantly higher epididymal sperm count than those in Groups 1, 2 and 4. No significant differences were found for the percentage of abnormal sperm, elongated spermatid count, reproductive hormonal levels as well as the histology of the testis among the groups. In conclusion, Malaysian honey at a dose of 1.2 g kg(-1) daily significantly increased epididymal sperm count without affecting spermatid count and reproductive hormones. These findings might suggest that oral administration of honey at this dose for 4 weeks may enhance spermiogenesis in adult rats. © 2011 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Reproductive strategies in snakes.

PubMed Central

Shine, Richard

2003-01-01

Snakes of both sexes display remarkable flexibility and diversity in their reproductive tactics. Many features of reproduction in female snakes (such as reproductive mode and frequency, seasonality and multiple mating) allow flexible maternal control. For example, females can manipulate not only the genotypes of their offspring (through mate choice or enhanced sperm competition) but also the phenotypes of their offspring (through allocation 'decisions', behavioural and physiological thermoregulation, and nest-site selection). Reliance on stored energy ('capital') to fuel breeding results in low frequencies of female reproduction and, in extreme cases, semelparity. A sophisticated vomeronasal system not only allows male snakes to locate reproductive females by following scent trails, but also facilitates pheromonally mediated mate choice by males. Male-male rivalry takes diverse forms, including female mimicry and mate guarding; combat bouts impose strong selection for large body size in males of some species. Intraspecific (geographical) variation and phenotypic plasticity in a wide array of reproductive traits (offspring size and number; reproductive frequency; incidence of multiple mating; male tactics such as mate guarding and combat; mate choice criteria) provide exceptional opportunities for future studies. PMID:12803888

Speciation and reduced hybrid female fertility in house mice.

PubMed

Suzuki, Taichi A; Nachman, Michael W

2015-09-01

In mammals, intrinsic postzygotic isolation has been well studied in males but has been less studied in females, despite the fact that female gametogenesis and pregnancy provide arenas for hybrid sterility or inviability that are absent in males. Here, we asked whether inviability or sterility is observed in female hybrids of Mus musculus domesticus and M. m. musculus, taxa which hybridize in nature and for which male sterility has been well characterized. We looked for parent-of-origin growth phenotypes by measuring adult body weights in F1 hybrids. We evaluated hybrid female fertility by crossing F1 females to a tester male and comparing multiple reproductive parameters between intrasubspecific controls and intersubspecific hybrids. Hybrid females showed no evidence of parent-of-origin overgrowth or undergrowth, providing no evidence for reduced viability. However, hybrid females had smaller litter sizes, reduced embryo survival, fewer ovulations, and fewer small follicles relative to controls. Significant variation in reproductive parameters was seen among different hybrid genotypes, suggesting that hybrid incompatibilities are polymorphic within subspecies. Differences in reproductive phenotypes in reciprocal genotypes were observed and are consistent with cyto-nuclear incompatibilities or incompatibilities involving genomic imprinting. These findings highlight the potential importance of reduced hybrid female fertility in the early stages of speciation. © 2015 The Author(s). Evolution © 2015 The Society for the Study of Evolution.

Magellanic penguin telomeres do not shorten with age with increased reproductive effort, investment, and basal corticosterone.

PubMed

Cerchiara, Jack A; Risques, Rosa Ana; Prunkard, Donna; Smith, Jeffrey R; Kane, Olivia J; Boersma, P Dee

2017-08-01

All species should invest in systems that enhance longevity; however, a fundamental adult life-history trade-off exists between the metabolic resources allocated to maintenance and those allocated to reproduction. Long-lived species will invest more in reproduction than in somatic maintenance as they age. We investigated this trade-off by analyzing correlations among telomere length, reproductive effort and output, and basal corticosterone in Magellanic penguins ( Spheniscus magellanicus ). Telomeres shorten with age in most species studied to date, and may affect adult survival. High basal corticosterone is indicative of stressful conditions. Corticosterone, and stress, has been linked to telomere shortening in other species. Magellanic penguins are a particularly good model organism for this question as they are an unusually long-lived species, exceeding their mass-adjusted predicted lifespan by 26%. Contrary to our hypothesis, we found adults aged 5 years to over 24 years of age had similar telomere lengths. Telomeres of adults did not shorten over a 3-year period, regardless of the age of the individual. Neither telomere length, nor the rate at which the telomeres changed over these 3 years, correlated with breeding frequency or investment. Older females also produced larger volume clutches until approximately 15 years old and larger eggs produced heavier fledglings. Furthermore, reproductive success ( chicks fledged/eggs laid ) is maintained as females aged. Basal corticosterone, however, was not correlated with telomere length in adults and suggests that low basal corticosterone may play a role in the telomere maintenance we observed. Basal corticosterone also declined during the breeding season and was positively correlated with the age of adult penguins. This higher basal corticosterone in older individuals, and consistent reproductive success, supports the prediction that Magellanic penguins invest more in reproduction as they age. Our results

Environmentally driven shift between alternative female morphotypes in the mottled shore crab.

PubMed

Capparelli, Mariana V; Flores, Augusto A V

2011-10-01

Precocious maturity is an important life history trait and might be advantageous if the juvenile habitat is risky. Larvae of the mottled shore crab Pachygrapsus transversus settle to the benthic habitat at a very large size, undergo a brief juvenile development and mature within a few months at a size about a fourth of the asymptotic maximum size for this species. This strategy may rely on the capacity of this species to molt to a juvenile-like morphotype (mI) in which reproduction is suppressed. In the laboratory, winter temperature triggered the puberty molt for a large proportion of juveniles, and still allowed high growth rates if combined with long photoperiod. This would result in a large number of juvenile crabs to join the adult reproductive stock in spring, at the beginning of the breeding season. Adult morphs (mII) grow faster under winter conditions, and therefore might be able to direct resources to reproduction during summer. Yet, females held in captivity without any interaction with conspecifics failed to maintain their reproductive status and often reversed to mI stages. In contrast, when a potential mate was presented, all crabs held their mII status, regardless of whether interaction involved visual, visual + chemical, or visual + chemical + tactile cues. Males discriminate female morphs, and physical interactions, including the inspection of mate receptivity and copulation, took longer when they were interacting with mII females. More than a trade-off between growth and reproduction, sustaining a breeding condition in P. transversus females is apparently a bet for successful mating in the presence of a suitable male conspecific. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Predation risk affects growth and reproduction of an invasive snail and its lethal effect depends on prey size

PubMed Central

Guo, Jing; Martín, Pablo R.; Zhang, Chunxia

2017-01-01

The behavior of invasive species under predation risk has been studied extensively, but their growth and reproductive responses have rarely been investigated. We conducted experiments with juveniles and adults of the invasive freshwater snail Pomacea canaliculata, and we observed changes in growth and reproduction in response to predation risk from a caged predator (Trachemys scripta elegans). P. canaliculata produced eggs earlier in the presence of predators and injured conspecifics compared with the control group (no risk), although the total number of egg masses laid by per female was exceeded by that of the controls after 15 days. Egg hatching success noticeably decreased under predation risk, and the incubation period was significantly prolonged; however, the oviposition height of the snails was not affected. A lethal effect of predation risk was detected in juvenile snails but not in adults. The growth of juvenile P. canaliculata was inhibited under predation risk, probably due to a reduction in food intake. Adult females exhibited a greater reduction in growth under predation risk than males, which likely resulted in part from the high reproductive investment of females in egg laying. These results indicate that P. canaliculata snails under predation risk face a trade-off between predator avoidance and growth and reproduction, where the lethal effect of predation risk is linked to the size of the prey. PMID:29136660

Neonatal isoflavone exposure interferes with the reproductive system of female Wistar rats.

PubMed

Müller, Dennis R; Soukup, Sebastian T; Kurrat, Anne; Liu, Xin; Schmicke, Marion; Xie, Ming-Yong; Kulling, Sabine E; Diel, Patrick

2016-11-16

There is increasing concern about possible adverse effects of soy based infant formulas (SBIF) due to their high amount of isoflavones (ISO). The aim of the present study was to investigate effects of neonatal exposure to ISO on reproductive system of female Wistar rats. Animals were exposed to an ISO depleted diet or a diet enriched with an ISO extract (IRD; 508mg ISO/kg) during embryogenesis and adolescence. Pups of each group were fed daily by pipette with ISO-suspension (ISO+; 32mg ISO/kg bw) or placebo from postnatal day (PND) 1 until PND23 resulting in plasma concentrations similar to levels reported in infants fed SBIF. The visceral fat mass was reduced by long-term IRD. Vaginal epithelial height was increased at PND23 and vaginal opening was precocious in ISO+ groups. Later in life, more often irregular estrus cycles were observed in rats of ISO+ groups. In addition, FSH levels and uterine epithelial heights were increased at PND80 in ISO+ groups. In summary, the results indicate that neonatal ISO intake, resulting in plasma concentrations achievable through SBIF, has an estrogenic effect on prepubertal rats and influences female reproductive tract later in life. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ireland Ltd.

Nonproliferative and Proliferative Lesions of the Rat and Mouse Female Reproductive System

PubMed Central

Dixon, Darlene; Alison, Roger; Bach, Ute; Colman, Karyn; Foley, George L.; Harleman, Johannes H.; Haworth, Richard; Herbert, Ronald; Heuser, Anke; Long, Gerald; Mirsky, Michael; Regan, Karen; Van Esch, Eric; Westwood, F. Russell; Vidal, Justin; Yoshida, Midori

2014-01-01

The INHAND (International Harmonization of Nomenclature and Diagnostic Criteria for Lesions in Rats and Mice) Project (www.toxpath.org/inhand.asp) is a joint initiative of the Societies of Toxicological Pathology from Europe (ESTP), Great Britain (BSTP), Japan (JSTP) and North America (STP) to develop an internationally accepted nomenclature for proliferative and nonproliferative lesions in laboratory animals. The purpose of this publication is to provide a standardized nomenclature for classifying microscopic lesions observed in the female reproductive tract of laboratory rats and mice, with color photomicrographs illustrating examples of some lesions. The standardized nomenclature presented in this document is also available electronically on the internet (http://www.goreni.org/). Sources of material included histopathology databases from government, academia, and industrial laboratories throughout the world. Content includes spontaneous and aging lesions as well as lesions induced by exposure to test materials. There is also a section on normal cyclical changes observed in the ovary, uterus, cervix and vagina to compare normal physiological changes with pathological lesions. A widely accepted and utilized international harmonization of nomenclature for female reproductive tract lesions in laboratory animals will decrease confusion among regulatory and scientific research organizations in different countries and provide a common language to increase and enrich international exchanges of information among toxicologists and pathologists. PMID:25516636

The correlated evolution of three-dimensional reproductive structures between male and female damselflies.

PubMed

McPeek, Mark A; Shen, Li; Farid, Hany

2009-01-01

For many taxa, species are defined by the morphologies of reproductive structures. In many odonates, these structures are the cerci of males (used to hold females during mating) and the thoracic plates of females where the male cerci contact the females' bodies. A previous study showed that the shapes of cerci of Enallagma males (Zygoptera: Coenagrionidae) are best explained by an evolutionary model of punctuated change at the time of speciation, with a homogeneous rate of change across the entire phylogeny of the genus. In the present study, we examine the evolution of shape change in the corresponding female plates. We found that, like male cerci, the shapes of Enallagma female thoracic plates could best be explained by an evolutionary model of punctuated change at the time of speciation, with a homogeneous rate of change across the clade. Moreover, the evolutionary contrasts quantifying the rates of change in male cerci and female thoracic plates were positively related across the history of the clade, demonstrating that these male and female structures evolve in a correlated fashion. This pattern of evolution suggests that these structures are primary signals of species identity during mating.

Pituitary content of luteinizing hormone reveals species differences in the reproductive synchrony between males and females in Australian flying-foxes (genus Pteropus).

PubMed

O'Brien, G M; McFarlane, J R; Kearney, P J

2003-01-01

Flying-foxes (genus suborder, Pteropus Megachiroptera) are long-lived tropical mammals. Their seasonal reproduction appears to be regulated by an endogenous, circannual rhythm modified by multiple environmental cues. Luteinizing hormone (LH) content in pituitary extracts was examined to establish the broad time-frame of pituitary stages in the reproductive seasonality of the flying-foxes. A comparison was made between the grey-headed flying-fox P. poliocephalus, which mates and conceives in autumn, and the little red flying-fox P. scapulatus, which mates and conceives in spring. In P. scapulatus, LH was maximum during the spring mating season at 1494 ng mg(-1) in males and 896 ng mg(-1) in females. In P. poliocephalus males, LH increased to 1082 ng mg(-1) in early summer, 4 months before the mating season; LH concentrations in male P. poliocephalus returned to a low of 222 ng mg(-1) by the time of the autumn mating, by which time the female P. poliocephalus expressed elevated LH concentrations (624 ng mg(-1)). Apparently in P. poliocephalus, the peak LH concentrations in females are delayed by 4 months relative to LH concentrations in males. This is associated with 4 months of energetic courtship on the part of male P. poliocephalus, which is not observed in P. scapulatus, the fertility of which is synchronized between the sexes. The heterologous radioimmunoassay developed using monoclonal antibody 518B7 confirmed classic suppression of LH during pregnancy and lactation in flying-foxes and LH elevation in response to gonadectomy. Juveniles generally had pituitary levels similar to non-breeding levels in adults.

Effects of maternal and lactational exposure to 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzone on development and reproductive organs in male and female rat offspring

PubMed Central

Nakamura, Noriko; Inselman, Amy L.; White, Gene A.; Chang, Ching-Wei; Trbojevich, Raul A.; Sepehr, Estatira; Voris, Kristie L.; Patton, Ralph E.; Bryant, Matthew S.; Harrouk, Wafa; McIntyre, Barry; Foster, Paul M.; Hansen, Deborah K.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzophenone (HMB) is an ultraviolet (UV)-absorbing compound used in many cosmetic products as a UV-protecting agent and in plastics for preventing UV-induced photodecomposition. HMB has been detected in over 95% of randomly collected human urine samples from adults and from premature infants, and it may have estrogenic potential. METHODS To determine the effects of maternal and lactational exposure to HMB on development and reproductive organs of offspring, time-mated female Harlan Sprague-Dawley rats were dosed with 0, 1,000, 3,000, 10,000, 25,000, or 50,000 ppm HMB (7-8 per group) added to chow from gestation day 6 until weaning on postnatal day (PND) 23. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Exposure to HMB was associated with reduced body and organ weights in female and male offspring. No significant differences were observed in the number of implantation sites/litter, mean resorptions/litter, % litters with resorptions, number and weights of live fetuses, or sex ratios between the control and HMB dose groups. Normalized anogenital distance in male pups at PND 23 was decreased in the highest dose group. Spermatocyte development was impaired in testes of male offspring in the highest dose group. In females, follicular development was delayed in the highest dose group. However, by evaluating levels of the compound in rat serum, the doses at which adverse events occurred are much higher than usual human exposure levels. Thus, exposure to less than 10,000 ppm HMB does not appear to be associated with adverse effects on the reproductive system in rats. PMID:25707689

Transcriptome sequencing of newly molted adult female cattle ticks, Rhipicephalus microplus: Raw Illumina reads.

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Illumina paired end oligo-dT sequencing technology was used to sequence the transcriptome from newly molted adult females from the cattle tick, Rhipicephalus microplus. These samples include newly molted unfed whole adult females, newly molted whole adult females feeding for 2 hours on a bovine host...

Adolescent males and young females in tehran: differing perspectives, behaviors and needs for reproductive health and implications for gender sensitive interventions.

PubMed

Farahani, Farideh Khalaj Abadi; Shah, Iqbal; Cleland, John; Mohammadi, Mohammad Reza

2012-04-01

Despite cultural and religious prohibitions against premarital heterosexual relationships and intimacy, some recent evidence suggests some rise in premarital heterosexual interactions and relationships among young people. On the other hand, although HIV in Iran is a concentrated epidemic and mainly reported among high risk groups such as injecting drug users (IDUs), but there are evidences that the mode of transmission is shifting towards sexual contacts. This trend has caused concern among health policy makers in terms of prevention of STDs and HIV/AIDS particularly, among young people. This paper was prepared with the aim of highlighting how gender contributes to variation in reproductive health needs and conduct of young people in Iran. This paper is based on a secondary analysis and compares comparable reproductive beliefs and conducts of women and men based on the data of two surveys conducted in Tehran in 2002 and 2005. A survey among 1385 adolescent males and another survey among 1743 female undergraduate students in four multidisciplinary universities in Tehran. Both surveys used anonymous self-administered questionnaires. To make the two samples comparable, the data of unmarried female university undergraduate students who resided in Tehran were merged with the data of adolescent male students who intended to pursue higher education. Common variables of the two surveys were identified, homogenized, merged and analysed. Reproductive health knowledge among male adolescents was poor compared to that of their female peers. Although premarital friendships were moderately acceptable from view points of both males and females, the majority were against premarital sex, particularly among female participants. There were evidences of gender-based double standards in perceptions of premarital sexuality among both males and females; particularly, it was stronger among males than females. Male adolescents reported earlier and greater experiences of premarital

The sexually dimorphic behaviour of adult Drosophila suzukii: elevated female locomotor activity and loss of siesta is a post-mating response.

PubMed

Ferguson, Calum T J; O'Neill, Tara L; Audsley, Neil; Isaac, R Elwyn

2015-12-01

The polyphagous Drosophila suzukii is a highly invasive species that causes extensive damage to a wide range of berry and stone fruit crops. A better understanding of its biology and especially its behaviour will aid the development of new control strategies. We investigated the locomotor behaviour of D. suzukii in a semi-natural environment resembling a typical summer in northern England and show that adult female D. suzukii are at least 4-fold more active during daylight hours than adult males. This result was reproduced in several laboratory environments and was shown to be a robust feature of mated, but not virgin, female flies. Both males and virgin females kept on a 12 h light:12 h dark (12LD) cycle and constant temperature displayed night-time inactivity (sleep) followed by weak activity in the morning, an afternoon period of quiescence (siesta) and then a prominent evening peak of activity. Both the siesta and the sharp evening peak at lights off were severely reduced in females after mating. Flies of either sex entrained in 12LD displayed a circadian pattern of activity in constant darkness confirming the importance of an endogenous clock in regulating adult activity. This response of females to mating is similar to that elicited in female Drosophila melanogaster by the male sex peptide (SP). We used mass spectrometry to identify a molecular ion (m/z, 5145) corresponding to the poly-hydroxylated SP of D. suzukii and to show that this molecule is transferred to the female reproductive tract during copulation. We propose that the siesta experienced by male and virgin female D. suzukii is an adaptation to avoid unnecessary exposure to the afternoon sun, but that mated females faced with the challenge of obtaining resources for egg production and finding oviposition sites take greater risks, and we suggest that the change in female behaviour is induced by the male SP. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Estradiol Membrane-Initiated Signaling and Female Reproduction.

PubMed

Micevych, Paul E; Wong, Angela May; Mittelman-Smith, Melinda Anne

2015-07-01

The discoveries of rapid, membrane-initiated steroid actions and central nervous system steroidogenesis have changed our understanding of the neuroendocrinology of reproduction. Classical nuclear actions of estradiol and progesterone steroids affecting transcription are essential. However, with the discoveries of membrane-associated steroid receptors, it is becoming clear that estradiol and progesterone have neurotransmitter-like actions activating intracellular events. Ultimately, membrane-initiated actions can influence transcription. Estradiol membrane-initiated signaling (EMS) modulates female sexual receptivity and estrogen feedback regulating the luteinizing hormone (LH) surge. In the arcuate nucleus, EMS activates a lordosis-regulating circuit that extends to the medial preoptic nucleus and subsequently to the ventromedial nucleus (VMH)--the output from the limbic and hypothalamic regions. Here, we discuss how EMS leads to an active inhibition of lordosis behavior. To stimulate ovulation, EMS facilitates astrocyte synthesis of progesterone (neuroP) in the hypothalamus. Regulation of GnRH release driving the LH surge is dependent on estradiol-sensitive kisspeptin (Kiss1) expression in the rostral periventricular nucleus of the third ventricle (RP3V). NeuroP activation of the LH surge depends on Kiss1, but the specifics of signaling have not been well elucidated. RP3V Kiss1 neurons appear to integrate estradiol and progesterone information which feeds back onto GnRH neurons to stimulate the LH surge. In a second population of Kiss1 neurons, estradiol suppresses the surge but maintains tonic LH release, another critical component of the estrous cycle. Together, evidence suggests that regulation of reproduction involves membrane action of steroids, some of which are synthesized in the brain. © 2015 American Physiological Society.

Environmental Factors, Epigenetics, and Developmental Origin of Reproductive Disorders

PubMed Central

Ho, Shuk-Mei; Cheong, Ana; Adgent, Margaret A.; Veevers, Jennifer; Suen, Alisa A.; Tam, Neville N.C.; Leung, Yuet-Kin; Jefferson, Wendy N.; Williams, Carmen J.

2016-01-01

Sex-specific differentiation, development, and function of the reproductive system are largely dependent on steroid hormones. For this reason, developmental exposure to estrogenic and anti-androgenic endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) is associated with reproductive dysfunction in adulthood. Human data in support of “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” (DOHaD) comes from multigenerational studies on offspring of diethylstilbestrol-exposed mothers/grandmothers. Animal data indicate that ovarian reserve, female cycling, adult uterine abnormalities, sperm quality, prostate disease, and mating behavior are susceptible to DOHaD effects induced by EDCs such as bisphenol A, genistein, diethylstilbestrol, p,p′-dichlorodiphenyl-dichloroethylene, phthalates, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. Mechanisms underlying these EDC effects include direct mimicry of sex steroids or morphogens and interference with epigenomic sculpting during cell and tissue differentiation. Exposure to EDCs is associated with abnormal DNA methylation and other epigenetic modifications, as well as altered expression of genes important for development and function of reproductive tissues. Here we review the literature exploring the connections between developmental exposure to EDCs and adult reproductive dysfunction, and the mechanisms underlying these effects. PMID:27421580

Discrimination of the effects on zebrafish reproduction from pollutants in drinking water via female, via male and/or via fecundation water.

PubMed

Martínez-Sales, M; García-Ximénez, F; Espinós, F J

2016-08-01

The lack of preventive policy legislation and the low removal rate of organic pollutants in conventional potabilization treatments lead to some of them being present in drinking water. The problem arises because some of these substances have detrimental effects on human reproduction health, via females, via males or even both. In this work, we established the zebrafish as a bioindicator of these types of substances with the goal of discriminating the effects through three different pathways: male, female or water where the fertilization took place. For this purpose, four parameters were analysed: fertility rate, hatching rate and survival and abnormalities rates. So, for each parameter two groups were formed, according to whether adult males or females were reared in bottled spring water (Z) or tap water (B) and if the in vitro fertilization took place in water Z or B. Results revealed a decline in the fertility and hatching rate in water B, due to a water effect. The most plausible explanation could be the presence of substances which affect the micropyle and chorion. Moreover, a decrease in the fertility rate due to an effect over the female was also observed, but in this case by an alteration of the oocyte quality.

Phenotyping of nNOS neurons in the postnatal and adult female mouse hypothalamus.

PubMed

Chachlaki, Konstantina; Malone, Samuel A; Qualls-Creekmore, Emily; Hrabovszky, Erik; Münzberg, Heike; Giacobini, Paolo; Ango, Fabrice; Prevot, Vincent

2017-10-15

Neurons expressing nitric oxide (NO) synthase (nNOS) and thus capable of synthesizing NO play major roles in many aspects of brain function. While the heterogeneity of nNOS-expressing neurons has been studied in various brain regions, their phenotype in the hypothalamus remains largely unknown. Here we examined the distribution of cells expressing nNOS in the postnatal and adult female mouse hypothalamus using immunohistochemistry. In both adults and neonates, nNOS was largely restricted to regions of the hypothalamus involved in the control of bodily functions, such as energy balance and reproduction. Labeled cells were found in the paraventricular, ventromedial, and dorsomedial nuclei as well as in the lateral area of the hypothalamus. Intriguingly, nNOS was seen only after the second week of life in the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH). The most dense and heavily labeled population of cells was found in the organum vasculosum laminae terminalis (OV) and the median preoptic nucleus (MEPO), where most of the somata of the neuroendocrine neurons releasing GnRH and controlling reproduction are located. A great proportion of nNOS-immunoreactive neurons in the OV/MEPO and ARH were seen to express estrogen receptor (ER) α. Notably, almost all ERα-immunoreactive cells of the OV/MEPO also expressed nNOS. Moreover, the use of EYFP Vglut2 , EYFP Vgat , and GFP Gad67 transgenic mouse lines revealed that, like GnRH neurons, most hypothalamic nNOS neurons have a glutamatergic phenotype, except for nNOS neurons of the ARH, which are GABAergic. Altogether, these observations are consistent with the proposed role of nNOS neurons in physiological processes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Variation in plasma lipids during the reproductive cycle of male and female desert tortoises, Gopherus agassizii.

PubMed

Lance, Valentine A; Place, Allen R; Grumbles, Janice S; Rostal, David C

2002-12-01

Plasma triacylglycerol, phospholipid, cholesterol, cholesterol esters, fatty acids, and total lipids were measured in 30 female and 20 male desert tortoises (Gopherus agassizii) during the annual reproductive cycle in the eastern Mojave desert, Nevada. Blood samples were collected at monthly intervals from April to October. All lipid fractions, with the exception of free fatty acids, were significantly higher in female plasma than in male plasma in all months of the year. In contrast, free fatty acids were higher in male plasma than in female plasma in all months. The seasonal pattern in estradiol secretion mirrored that of triacylglycerol, phospholipid, cholesterol, and total lipid, all of which showed a significant correlation with the hormone. Estradiol and the vitellogenesis-associated lipids were all significantly higher in August, September, October, and April than in June. The seasonal variation in cholesterol ester levels in females did not correlate with any of the reproductive events and did not appear to be involved in yolk precursor formation. Total lipid in males showed a negative correlation with testosterone and spermatogenesis. Individual fatty acids in the June and August samples (at the highest and lowest estradiol levels) were compared in male and female plasma. The percent of C18:3n3, C18:2n6, C18:1n9, C20:5n3, and C22:5 were significantly higher in the June female plasma sample than in the August sample. Docosahexanoic (C22:6n3) acid was barely detectable in female plasma in either month. Copyright 2002 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Prevalence of vaginitis in different age groups among females in Greece.

PubMed

Sianou, Argiri; Galyfos, George; Moragianni, Dimitra; Baka, Stavroula

2017-08-01

Patients with vaginitis were classified into four groups: Group A (prepubertal under-aged females); Group B (pubertal under-aged females); Group C (reproductive age adult females); Group D (postmenopausal adult females). All vaginal specimens underwent microscopy, amine testing, Gram staining and culturing. Overall, 163 patients were included (33, 14, 81 and 35 patients, respectively). The most common infection was bacterial vaginosis (BV), followed by Ureaplasma infection, aerobic vaginitis (AV) and candidiasis. The most common AV-associated organism was Escherichia coli and the most common BV-associated organism was Gardnerella vaginalis. AV was more frequent in Group A, BV in Group C and Ureaplasma infections in Groups C/D. Decreased lactobacilli concentrations were associated with BV in fertile patients (Groups B-C). Although presentation of vaginitis is similar among females of different age in Greece, type and prevalence of pathogens differ. Normal vaginal flora changes are associated with higher risk of vaginitis in specific age groups. Impact Statement The worldwide incidence of reproductive tract infections has been increasing, with specific pathogens being associated with significant risk of morbidity and complications. However, literature data on the distribution of such infections in different age groups is limited. Therefore, the aim of this study was to provide data on the prevalence and causes of vaginitis in adult and non-adult females of all ages. This study has shown that although presentation of vaginitis is similar among females of different age groups and menstrual status in Greece, type and prevalence of responsible pathogens are different among groups. Changes in normal vaginal flora seem to be associated with higher risk of vaginitis in specific age-groups as well. These findings could contribute in adjusting diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for each age group according to the prevailing pathogens. Further research on antibiotic

Annual reproductive synchronization in ovary and pineal gland function of female short-nosed fruit bat, Cynopterus sphinx.

PubMed

Haldar, Chandana; Yadav, Rajesh; Alipreeta

2006-08-01

We studied the annual correlation of ovarian activity and pineal gland in relation with seasonal variation and gestation of a tropical zone short-nosed fruit bat Cynopterus sphinx. Female bats showed bimodal polyestry (February/March and September/October) in their reproductive cycle. Plasma estradiol concentration ran parallel with ovarian activity and had an inverse relation with pineal mass and peripheral melatonin concentration. Due to the delayed embryonic development in the uterus (October-March) of female bats, interestingly, the uterine activity did not show a parallel relation with ovarian activity and estradiol level. Further, compared with normal non-pregnant females, melatonin level was high during gestation and delayed embryonic development phase. This suggests that the reproductive synchrony and annual variation in ovarian activity of this nocturnal flying mammal differ from other common tropical mammals. The delayed embryonic development in bats might be an adaptive strategy for the unfavorable conditions of the seasons and might be regulated by high peripheral estradiol and melatonin concentration.

[Effect of tail-suspension on the reproduction of adult male rats].

PubMed

Zhou, Dang-xia; Qiu, Shu-dong; Wang, Zhi-yong; Zhang, Jie

2006-04-01

To study the effects on the male reproduction in adult male rats and its mechanisms through simulated weightlessness using tail-suspension, in order to do a basic works of exploring the effects on human being's reproduction in outer space. Forty Spraque-Dawley adult male rats were randomly divided into four groups, two experimental groups and two control groups. Rats in the two experimental groups were tail-suspended for 14 d and 28 d respectively, then we examined the weight and morphology of testis, the quality and amount of sperm, also tested the serum hormone by radioimmunoassay and analyzed apoptosis rate of testicular cells by TUNEL in the experimental rats and control rats. After tail-suspension, the weight of testis, the sperm count and sperm motility significantly decreased (P <0.05), while the apoptosis rate of testicular cells and the amount of abnormal sperm markedly increased (P <0.05). The content of testosterone significantly decreased (P <0.05), but the contents of FSH and LH mildly increased (P > 0.05). These changes were not significant between two experimental groups (P > 0.05). In addition, the seminiferous tubules became atrophy with the reduction of the layers of seminiferous epithelium, and sperm amount in lumens of seminiferous tubules decreased in experimental groups. The above were more remarkable in the 28 d experimental group. Simulating weightlessness has a harmful effect on reproduction of adult male rats. These may be caused by inducing apoptosis. The blocking apoptosis of testicular cells may be useful in improving the harmful effect.

Effect of Emamectin Benzoate on Mortality, Proboscis Extension, Gustation and Reproduction of the Corn Earworm, Helicoverpa zea

PubMed Central

López, Juan D.; Latheef, M. A.; Hoffmann, W. C.

2010-01-01

Newly emerged corn earworm adults, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) require a carbohydrate source from plant or other exudates and nectars for dispersal and reproduction. Adults actively seek and forage at feeding sites upon eclosion in the habitat of the larval host plant or during dispersal to, or colonization of, a suitable reproductive habitat. This nocturnal behavior of H. zea has potential for exploitation as a pest management strategy for suppression using an adult feeding approach. This approach entails the use of a feeding attractant and stimulant in combination with a toxicant that when ingested by the adult will either reduce fecundity/fertility at sub-lethal dosages or kill the adult. The intent of this study was to assess reproductive inhibition and toxicity of emamectin benzoate on H. zea when ingested by the adults when mixed in ppm active ingredient (wt:vol) with 2.5 M sucrose as a feeding stimulant. Because the mixture has to be ingested to function, the effect of emamectin benzoate was also evaluated at sub-lethal and lethal concentrations on proboscis extension and gustatory response of H. zea in the laboratory. Feral males captured in sex pheromone-baited traps in the field were used for toxicity evaluations because they were readily available and were more representative of the field populations than laboratory-reared adults. Laboratory-reared female moths were used for reproduction effects because it is very difficult to collect newly emerged feral females from the field. Emamectin benzoate was highly toxic to feral H. zea males with LC50 values (95% CL) being 0.718 (0.532–0.878), 0.525 (0.316–0.751), and 0.182 (0.06–0.294) ppm for 24, 48 and 72 h responses, respectively. Sub-lethal concentrations of emamectin benzoate did not significantly reduce proboscis extension response of feral males and gustatory response of female H. zea. Sublethal concentrations of emamectin benzoate significantly reduced percent larval hatch

Effect of emamectin benzoate on mortality, proboscis extension, gustation and reproduction of the corn earworm, Helicoverpa zea.

PubMed

López, Juan D; Latheef, M A; Hoffmann, W C

2010-01-01

Newly emerged corn earworm adults, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) require a carbohydrate source from plant or other exudates and nectars for dispersal and reproduction. Adults actively seek and forage at feeding sites upon eclosion in the habitat of the larval host plant or during dispersal to, or colonization of, a suitable reproductive habitat. This nocturnal behavior of H. zea has potential for exploitation as a pest management strategy for suppression using an adult feeding approach. This approach entails the use of a feeding attractant and stimulant in combination with a toxicant that when ingested by the adult will either reduce fecundity/fertility at sub-lethal dosages or kill the adult. The intent of this study was to assess reproductive inhibition and toxicity of emamectin benzoate on H. zea when ingested by the adults when mixed in ppm active ingredient (wt:vol) with 2.5 M sucrose as a feeding stimulant. Because the mixture has to be ingested to function, the effect of emamectin benzoate was also evaluated at sub-lethal and lethal concentrations on proboscis extension and gustatory response of H. zea in the laboratory. Feral males captured in sex pheromone-baited traps in the field were used for toxicity evaluations because they were readily available and were more representative of the field populations than laboratory-reared adults. Laboratory-reared female moths were used for reproduction effects because it is very difficult to collect newly emerged feral females from the field. Emamectin benzoate was highly toxic to feral H. zea males with LC(50) values (95% CL) being 0.718 (0.532-0.878), 0.525 (0.316-0.751), and 0.182 (0.06-0.294) ppm for 24, 48 and 72 h responses, respectively. Sub-lethal concentrations of emamectin benzoate did not significantly reduce proboscis extension response of feral males and gustatory response of female H. zea. Sublethal concentrations of emamectin benzoate significantly reduced percent larval hatch of

Ovarian and Uterine Functions in Female Survivors of Childhood Cancers.

PubMed

Oktem, Ozgur; Kim, Samuel S; Selek, Ugur; Schatmann, Glenn; Urman, Bulent

2018-02-01

Adult survivors of childhood cancers are more prone to developing poor reproductive and obstetrical outcomes than their siblings and the general population as a result of previous exposure to chemotherapy and radiation during childhood. Chemotherapy drugs exert cytotoxic effects systemically and therefore can damage the ovaries, leading to infertility, premature ovarian failure, and, to a lesser extent, spontaneous abortions. They have very limited or no deleterious effects on the uterus that can be recognized clinically. By contrast, radiation is detrimental to both the ovaries and the uterus, thereby causing a greater magnitude of adverse effects on the female reproductive function. These include infertility, premature ovarian failure, miscarriage, fetal growth restrictions, perinatal deaths, preterm births, delivery of small-for-gestational-age infants, preeclampsia, and abnormal placentation. Regrettably, the majority of these adverse outcomes arise from radiation-induced uterine injury and are reported at higher incidence in the adult survivors of childhood cancers who were exposed to uterine radiation during childhood in the form of pelvic, spinal, or total-body irradiation. Recent findings of long-term follow-up studies evaluating reproductive performance of female survivors provided some reassurance to female cancer survivors by documenting that pregnancy and live birth rates were not significantly compromised in survivors, including those who had been treated with alkylating agents and had not received pelvic, cranial, and total-body irradiation. We aimed in this narrative review article to provide an update on the impact of chemotherapy and radiation on the ovarian and uterine function in female survivors of childhood cancer. Adult survivors of childhood cancers are more prone to developing a number of poor reproductive and obstetrical outcomes than their siblings and the general population as a result of previous exposure to chemotherapy and radiation

Reproductive and population parameters of spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias in the south-western Atlantic Ocean.

PubMed

Colonello, J H; Cortés, F; Belleggia, M; Massa, A M

2016-05-01

The objective of this study was to estimate reproductive and population parameters of the spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias for the south-western Atlantic Ocean. In total, 2714 specimens (1616 males and 1098 females) were collected from surveys carried out using research vessels. Males ranged from 225 to 861 mm total length (LT ) and females from 235 to 925 mm LT . The size at maturity of females (651 mm) was significantly greater than that of males (565 mm). The maximum proportion of mature individuals (Pmax ) of the gestation ogive was <1, which indicates that a proportion of mature females was not in gestation. This inactivity may be explained by the occurrence of resting periods between cycles or by the asynchrony of the reproductive cycle. The estimated Pmax for the maternity ogive suggested that about one third of mature females were in the maternity stage (i.e. with embryos >156 mm). The temporal and spatial co-occurrence of non-gravid adult females at different stages of ovarian development, as well as gravid females at all embryonic development stages would indicate that the female reproductive cycle in the south-western Atlantic Ocean is asynchronous. The results indicate that S. acanthias is susceptible to fishing pressure on account of its length at maturity, extended reproductive cycles and low fecundity. © 2016 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.