The traditional herbal medicine, Hochu-ekki-to, has been shown to have preventive effects on viral infection and stress. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical effects of Hochu-ekki-to on two stress-related rat models of polycystic ovarian syndrome. Female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into control and treatment groups, the latter of which were subjected to stress induced by exposure to a...

The salmon louse is a marine ectoparasitic copepod on salmonid fishes. Its lifecycle consists of eight developmental stages, each separated by a molt. In crustaceans and insects, molting and reproduction is controlled by circulating steroid hormones such as 20-hydroxyecdysone. Steroid hormones are synthesized from cholesterol through catalytic reactions involving a 7,8-dehydrogenase Neverland a...

An overview of relationships between psychophysical measures of olfactory function and reproductive neuroendocrine processes is presented. Human studies are emphasized, and the influences of gender, menstrual cycle phase, pregnancy, and injected gonadal hormones upon olfactory perception are discussed in detail. Key Words-Pregnancy, olfactory threshold, odor preferences, hormones, estrous cycle...

During the Islamic lunar month of Ramadan millions of Muslims abstain from drinking and eating from dawn to sunset. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of intermittent Islamic fasting on reproductive function, hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid axis and the peripheral metabolism of thyroid hormones in men. We measured serum levels of FSH. LH, testosterone, prolactin, FSH, T4...

Elasmobranch fishes (sharks, skates, and rays) are particularly susceptible to anthropogenic threats, making a thorough understanding of their life history characteristics essential for proper management. Historically, elasmobranch reproductive data have been collected by lethal sampling, an approach that is problematic for threatened and endangered species. However, recent studies have demonst...