Can Lactobacillus spp. Be a Factor Reducing the Risk of Miscarriage?

Pregnancy loss is a common obstetric problem. Significant causes of miscarriage include genetic and epigenetic disorders of the embryo, immunological and endocrine factors, uterine malformations, improper embryo selection, and lifestyle. Perhaps a hitherto underappreciated cause of miscarriage may be an abnormal microbiota composition of the female reproductive system. Lactobacillus spp. is the most common bacteria within the reproductive tract. However, the protective role of Lactobacilli in the vagina has been well described in the literature, while it is still unknown what function Lactobacilli may have in the uterus. Moreover, new research shows that Lactobacillus spp. can have a role in miscarriage. However, both molecular and immunological mechanisms of host-Lactobacillus spp. interactions are not fully understood. Understanding these relationships will help address the importance and extent of the protective role of Lactobacillus spp. in miscarriage.     

Orgasm in female primates

The major genital responses of arousal in women are vasocongestion, resulting in tumescence of the vaginal walls, and vaginal lubrication, facilitating penile intromission and thrusting. During orgasm, several involuntary muscular reactions occur, the most adaptive being in the outer third of the vagina and the uterus. Uterine suction of the ejaculate seems to occur when the reproductive apparatus is functioning at full efficiency. Coitus may result in reflex ovulation. Indices of female nonhuman primate orgasm thus far proposed include rhythmic vaginal and anal contractions, hyperventilation, involuntary muscle tension, arm and leg spasms, grimacing, and uterine contractions. Orgasm in our species may exist as a result of phylogenetic inertia, not as a novel response selected during protohominid or hominid evolution. A theory for the evolutionary nature of orgasm in women states that the orgasmic vaginal contractions stimulate ejaculation. Reasons for the common asynchrony of this adaptive pattern are the usually lowered ejaculatory threshold because of non-species-typical orgasmic frequency in the male, and the frequently delayed female orgasm because of psychological inhibition and/or inadequate control and development of the pubococcygeus.     

Evidence for "unseen" transposase--DNA contacts

In this study, evidence of novel, important interactions between a hyperactive Tn5 transposon recognition end sequence and hyperactive Tn5 transposase (Tnp) are presented. A hyperactive Tn5 end sequence, the mosaic end (ME), was isolated previously. The ME and a wild-type end sequence, the outside end (OE), differ at only three positions, yet transposition on the ME is tenfold higher than on the OE in vivo. Also, transposition on the ME is much more efficient than transposition on the OE in vitro. Here, we show that the decreased activity observed for the OE is caused by a defect in paired ends complex (PEC) formation resulting from the orientation of the A-T base-pair at position 4 of this end. Efficient PEC formation requires an interaction between the C5-methyl group (C5-Me) on the non-transferred strand thymine base at position 4 (T4) and Tnp. PEC formation on nicked substrates is much less affected by the orientation of the A-T base-pair at position 4, indicating that the C5-Me group is important only for steps preceding nicking. A recently determined co-crystal structure of Tn5 Tnp with the ME is discussed and a model explaining possible roles for the base-pair at position 4 is explored.     

Tissue selectivity of ospemifene: Pharmacologic profile and clinical implications

The multifactorial consequences of menopausal estrogen deficiency affect numerous tissues throughout the body. Supplemental hormonal therapies carry the burden of a risk/benefit ratio that must be highly individualized. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) are estrogen receptor (ER) agonist/antagonists designed to induce benefits comparable with estrogen while minimizing adverse effects. Here, we review the estrogen agonist/antagonist profile of ospemifene, a novel triphenylethylene derivative recently approved to treat dyspareunia, a symptom of vulvar and vaginal atrophy (VVA) due to menopause, both preclinically and clinically. Ospemifene binds ERα and ERβ with approximately equal affinities. In preclinical models, ospemifene increased vaginal and uterine epithelial thickness and mucification to the same extent as estrogen. Ospemifene did not induce endometrial hyperplasia in animal models; there also was no stimulatory effect on endometrial cells. In rat and human mammary cells in vitro, ospemifene evokes a dose-dependent inhibition on estrogen-induced cell responses and cell proliferation, supporting an antiestrogenic effect in breast. In contrast, ospemifene has an estrogenic effect on bone, as seen by improved bone mineral density, strength, mass, and histomorphometry in preclinical models, consistent with improvements in markers of bone resorption and formation in postmenopausal women. Based on the preclinical evidence, ospemifene has beneficial estrogen-like effects on the vaginal epithelium, preliminary evidence to support a neutral endometrial profile, antiproliferative effects in breast, and estrogenic effects in bone. Taken together, especially regarding estrogen-like effects on the vaginal epithelium, ospemifene presents a profile of tissue-specific effects that appear novel among available SERMs and well-suited for the treatment of VVA.     

Evolutionary biology of the primates. Review of primate origins and evolution: A phylogenetic reconstruction,by R.D. Martin. Princeton,Princeton University Press, 1990. xiv + 804 pp, 263 figs., 24 tabs., $125.00, hardcover

Videolaparoscopy was used to visualize the reproductive tract contractility of the squirrel monkey, Saimiri sciureus. This technique gives information on the nature, direction of propagation, duration, and frequency of contractions. At the times of ovulation, and embryo entry to the uterus, contractile activity was observed in both the uterus and oviduct, with the latter being more frequent. The dominant direction of propagation was towards the utero-tubal junction, and simultaneous contractions were frequently observed in both uterus and oviduct. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

乳酸菌阴道胶囊对妊娠中晚期外阴阴道假丝酵母菌病患者不良妊娠结局的预防作用

目的 探讨乳酸菌阴道胶囊对妊娠中晚期外阴阴道假丝酵母菌病（VVC）患者不良妊娠结局的预防作用。方法 将136例妊娠中晚期VVC患者随机分为联合组和对照组各68例。联合组患者予以乳酸菌阴道胶囊（0.25 g/晚）及制霉菌素（50万IU/晚）联合阴道上药治疗（两药使用间隔4～6 h）;对照组患者予以单纯的制霉菌素阴道上药治疗,剂量及用法同联合组,两组均连用10 d。观察并记录两组治疗后的临床效果,并比较两组不良妊娠结局。结果 治疗结束后1个月,在临床总有效率方面联合组患者明显优于对照组（92.65% vs 80.88%）（χ2=4.10,P0.05）。结论 乳酸菌阴道胶囊辅助治疗妊娠中晚期VVC的疗效较确切,能明显改善其临床症状及特征,对早产、胎膜早破和产褥病等不良妊娠结局具有良好的预防作用。