Developmental exposure to 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) interferes with masculinization and defeminization of male sexual behaviors and gonadotropin release patterns. We previously demonstrated that the mRNA encoding the arylhydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a protein that mediates TCDD effects, is found in brain regions that control reproductive functions, most notably in the preoptic a...

BACKGROUND The Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Safety Indicators (PSIs) provide information on hospital risk-adjusted rates for potentially preventable adverse events. Although designed to work with routine administrative data, it is unknown whether the PSIs can accurately distinguish between complications and pre-existing conditions. The objective of this study is to ...

BACKGROUND IVF outcomes in Chinese women are inferior to those of Caucasian patients. Reflecting prematurely diminished ovarian function, women with elevated age-specific baseline (b-) FSH levels are designated to suffer from premature ovarian aging (POA). We investigated if the prevalence of POA differs between these two ethnic populations. METHODS We compared patient characteristics and fir...

The integration of interneuron subtypes into specific microcircuits is essential for proper cortical function. Understanding to what extent interneuron diversity is regulated and maintained during development might help to reveal the principles that govern their role as synchronizing elements as well as causes for dysfunction. Particular interneuron subtypes are generated in a temporally regula...

Using the Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) technique, the gonadotropin releasing-hormone (GnRH) mRNA and GnRH receptor (GnRH-R) mRNA were analyzed in the preoptic area (POA), anterior (AH) and ventromedial (VM) hypothalamus, stalk/median eminence (SME) and anterior pituitary gland (AP) of anestrous ewes subjected to short or prolonged footshock stimulation. No GnRH gene ...

SiO2/SiC interface was investigated with high spatial resolution by super-higher-order scanning nonlinear dielectric microscopy (SHO-SNDM). Comparison of non-oxidized and thermally oxidized 4H-SiC wafer revealed that only 5 minutes oxidation makes the interface quality spatially inhomogeneous. SiC wafers with and without post oxidation annealing (POA) in NO ambient were also compared, which sho...

Sexual dysfunction and cognitive deficits are markers of the aging process. Mammalian sirtuins (SIRT), encoded by sirt 1-7 genes, are known as aging molecules which are sensitive to serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine, 5-HT). Whether the 5-HT system regulates SIRT in the preoptic area (POA), which could affect reproduction and cognition has not been examined. Therefore, this study was designed to ex...

Determination of oxidant stress in plasma of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and primary osteoarthritis (POA) patients is important in understanding the pathogenesis of these diseases. In this study, we examined the relationship between oxidant stress and inflammation by measuring protein carbonyl content, thiol levels and plasma protein fractions as the oxidation markers and erythrocyte sedimentatio...

BACKGROUND Muscarinic receptors (mAChRs) of the preoptic and anterior hypothalamus areas (POA-AHA) regulate ovulation in an asymmetric manner during the estrous cycle. The aims of the present study were to analyze the effects of a temporal blockade of mAChRs on either side of the POA-AHA performed in diestrus-2 rats on ovulation, the levels of estradiol, follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) and l...