METHODS: Uteri from ovariectomized, female Sprague-Dawley rats receiving seven days estradiol, progesterone or genistein (25, 50 and 100mg/kg/day) were harvested and levels of AQP-1, 2, 5 and 7 proteins and mRNAs were determined by Western blotting and Real-time PCR (qPCR) respectively. Distribution of these proteins in uterus was observed by immunohistochemistry.
RESULTS: Genistein caused a dose-dependent increase in uterine AQP-1, 2, 5 and 7 protein and mRNA expression, however at the levels lower than following estradiol or progesterone stimulations. Effects of genistein were antagonized by estradiol receptor blocker, ICI 182780. Estradiol caused the highest AQP-2 protein and mRNA expression while progesterone caused the highest AQP-1, 5 and 7 protein and mRNA expression in uterus. AQP-1, 2, 5 and 7 protein were found to be distributed in the myometrium as well as in uterine luminal and glandular epithelia and endometrial blood vessels. In conclusion, the observed effects of estradiol, progesterone and genistein on uterine AQP-1, 2, 5 and 7 expression could help to explain the differences in the amount of fluid accumulated in the uterus under these different conditions.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Intact pregnant rats were administered 1 mg/kg/day testosterone alone or in combination with flutamide, finasteride or anastrozole, subcutaneously on day-1 of pregnancy till day 3. The rats were sacrificed at day 4 of pregnancy, which was considered as the uterine receptivity period for determining the expression and distribution of connexin 26 and connexion 43 by immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, respectively.
RESULTS: Treatment with 1 mg/kg/day testosterone increased connexin 26 and decreased connexin 43 mRNA expression and protein distribution in the uterus of early pregnancy rats.
CONCLUSION: Changes in the uterine connexin 26 and connexin 43 expression by testosterone could disrupt embryo implantation, resulting in early pregnancy loss.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eighty pregnant SD female rats were used in this study for three treatment groups and a control group, each consisting of 20 pregnant female rats. Three doses of 850mg/kg/day (Low-dose), 1700mg/kg/day (Mid-dose) and 3400mg/kg/day (High-dose) were selected for the study, whereas 10mL/kg distilled water was served as the control. Examinations were conducted on pregnant rats and fetuses respects to mortality, body weight, body weights gains, food consumption and clinical observations. The pregnant females were gross necropsied on G20, followed by maternal and fetus examination, to evaluate the teratogenicity, reproductive and developmental performance of L. rhinocerotis mycelium.
RESULTS: Results showed that no L. rhinocerotis mycelium-related animal death and abnormal clinical sign were noted. No statistical differences were noted in maternal mean body weight and maternal mean body weight gains. Some animals in the high-dose group appeared audible respiration due to dosing accident, it resulted in lower food consumption but not relevant to L. rhinocerotis mycelium treatment. In maternal gross necropsy, no L. rhinocerotis mycelium-related gross lesion was noted. In maternal examination, parameters of gravid uterus weight, implantation number, corpora lutea number, litter size, live or dead fetal number, male or female fetus number, resorption number, fetal sex ratio (M/F), pre-implantation loss and post-implantation loss were all within the normal reference ranges and showed no significant difference when compared to the control group. In fetus examination, including external, visceral and skeletal evaluations, there were no significant changes between any of the L. rhinocerotis mycelium treated groups and the control group.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on the study results, the no-observable-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) for pregnant female rats under the conditions of this study was 3400mg/kg/day.
METHODS: This was a retrospective study involving archived data sets of women seen between November 2013 and May 2014. All underwent a clinical interview, POPQ examination, and 4D translabial ultrasound (TLUS). The main outcome measure was organ descent on clinical examination and TLUS. Offline analysis for organ descent was undertaken blinded against all other data.
RESULTS: A total of 224 women were assessed. Mean age was 57 (23-84) years. Median parity was 3 (0-7). Ninety-three percent (n=208) were vaginally parous. Fifty-eight percent (n=129) complained of symptoms of prolapse: 49% (n=110) of a vaginal lump, 27% (n=61) of a dragging sensation. Clinically, mean point B anterior (Ba) was -0.86 (-3 to +7.5) cm, mean cervical station (C) was -4.1 (-9 to +8) cm, mean point B posterior (Bp) was -1.1 (-3 to +5) cm. On imaging, mean bladder, uterine, and rectal descent were -8.3 (-68.0 to 34) mm, +18.6 (-56.4 to 46.3) mm, and -5.3 (-39.8 to 36) mm respectively. On univariate analysis, both symptoms were strongly associated with objective prolapse clinically and on TLUS, with "vaginal lump" consistently the stronger predictor.
CONCLUSIONS: The symptom of a "vaginal lump or bulge" was consistently a stronger predictor of objective POP than "dragging sensation." This finding was insensitive to adjustments for potential confounders. However, a "dragging sensation" is clearly a symptom of prolapse.