The reproductive lifespan encompasses important transitions in women's health, including midlife and menopause, yet whole-person strengths, challenges, and unmet needs across this continuum remain poorly characterized. This study examined multidimensional self-reported health profiles across three age-based groups representing different stages of adult life. Retrospective comparative study using de-identified consumer-generated health data from the MyStrengths+MyHealth digital assessment, a validated whole-person tool grounded in the Omaha System. Data were collected from community-based settings in a Midwestern metropolitan area (2019-2023). Women were categorized by age as a proxy for reproductive stage: reproductive-aged (25-44, n = 253), midlife (45-64, n = 329), and later adulthood (65+, n = 124). Group differences in Strengths, Challenges, and Needs across four whole-person health domains were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Self-reported domain-level Strengths rating, Challenge counts, and Need counts across 37 health concepts. Later adulthood and midlife women reported significantly higher Strengths than reproductive-aged women (p < 0.001). Reproductive-aged women reported the greatest burden of Challenges (M = 44.9, SD = 32.0) and Needs (M = 33.6, SD = 22.7) distributed across the widest range of health concepts (all p < 0.001). Exercise was the most prevalent Challenge across all groups. Midlife women generated the highest total volume of Needs at the population level. Whole-person consumer-generated health data suggest that substantial challenges and unmet needs emerge well before midlife, underscoring the potential value of upstream, strengths-based, and personalized interventions to promote resilience and healthy aging across the reproductive lifespan. Additional longitudinal and population-based studies are needed to confirm these findings and evaluate their implications for clinical practice.
Dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP) is a widely detected environmental endocrine-disrupting chemical found in various consumer products. Maternal exposure to DCHP may adversely affect offspring health. However, its effects on early embryonic development and female offspring, and the underlying mechanisms affecting offspring reproductive function remain unclear. In this study, using an in vitro mouse embryo culture system and a maternal gestational exposure model, we found that DCHP exposure induced DNA damage, disrupted spindle morphology and chromosome alignment during the first cleavage of early mouse embryos, accompanied by reduced blastocyst formation. Transcriptomic analysis of ovarian tissues from high-dose DCHP-exposed offspring revealed enrichment of pathways related to mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. Functional validation showed that DCHP exposure was associated with oxidative stress and mitochondrial dysfunction, characterized by increased reactive oxygen species levels and reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, along with increased autophagy and apoptosis. Rescue assays using Mito-TEMPO and Mdivi-1 alleviated DCHP-induced mitochondrial damage and restored blastocyst developmental competence, suggesting that mitochondrial dysfunction and subsequent mitophagy activation act as key upstream events in DCHP-induced embryonic damage. Moreover, gestational exposure to the highest dose of DCHP significantly increased ovarian apoptosis and reduced oocyte maturation in female offspring. Collectively, these findings suggest that gestational high-dose DCHP exposure is linked to reduced reproductive potential and ovarian dysfunction in female offspring through oxidative stress-mediated mitophagy, providing new insights into female reproductive dysfunction associated with environmental phthalates.
Active cigarette smoking is a prevalent, modifiable risk factor hypothesised to impair success in assisted reproductive technology (ART). Prior meta‑analyses have combined never‑smokers and former smokers in control groups, potentially diluting effect estimates. To determine the effect of active cigarette smoking on live birth and other ART outcomes using a strict comparison between active smokers and never‑smokers. We conducted a systematic review and meta‑analysis (PROSPERO: CRD420251128852) per PRISMA 2020. Databases were searched for observational studies comparing ART outcomes (using autologous oocytes) in active smokers versus never‑smokers. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed risk of bias (Newcastle‑Ottawa Scale). Random‑effects models (REML‑HKSJ) pooled risk ratios (RRs) for dichotomous outcomes and mean differences (MD) for oocytes retrieved. Sensitivity analyses included restriction to strict never‑smoker controls. Certainty of evidence was assessed using GRADE. From 2,585 records, 26 studies (16,359 participants) were included. Active smoking was associated with a significant 15% reduction in live birth (13 studies; RR 0.85, 95% CI: 0.79-0.92, I² = 72.4%) and 18% reduction in clinical pregnancy (21 studies; RR 0.82, 95% CI: 0.77-0.88, I² = 66.7%), but both were attenuated to non‑significance when restricted to strict never‑smoker controls (RR 0.88 for both). Miscarriage was not significantly associated with smoking (7 studies; RR 1.15, 95% CI: 0.89-1.48, I² = 78.1%). A small reduction in oocytes retrieved was observed (18 studies; MD -1.06, 95% CI: -2.01 to -0.12, I² = 98.9%). Certainty of evidence was moderate for live birth and clinical pregnancy, and low for miscarriage and oocytes retrieved. While pooled estimates suggest active smoking is associated with reduced live birth and clinical pregnancy rates in ART, these associations are not robust when a methodologically pure never‑smoker comparator is applied, and miscarriage was non‑significant. The moderate certainty for live birth and clinical pregnancy indicates a more robust evidence base than previously appreciated, though the precise risk remains uncertain. High‑quality prospective studies with biochemical verification and dose‑response data are urgently needed.
While theory has long explained how selection can favor dispersal, we know much less about the capacity for dispersal to evolve in natural populations. One challenge is to identify how heritable genetic variation in multiple dispersal traits aligns with directions of selection on these traits. Therefore, we used an experimental pedigree in the solitary ascidian Molgula occidentalis and constructed Bayesian quantitative genetic models to estimate evolvability of dispersal traits. We compared the evolvability of dispersal traits by: 1) assessing the average evolvability of the G-matrix, 2) considering specific directions of selection hypothesized from biomechanical and life history reasoning, and 3) estimating the predicted response to selection from the observed additive genetic covariance between dispersal traits and fitness components. There was greater additive genetic variation in tail length than in trunk length, as there was for maternal effect and dominance variance. As a result, selection for longer tails (faster swimming) was associated with a higher evolvability compared to selection for shorter tails and longer trunks (energetic efficiency) or shorter tails and trunks (fecundity). The predicted response to selection at hatching and settlement, based on observed additive genetic covariances, was similar for trunk and tail length. Overall, evolutionary change in dispersal distances would occur more rapidly under selection on swimming ability than on energetic economy and fecundity. Furthermore, multiple lineages within Molgulidae have repeatedly diverged along the larval morphology axis in which we measured the highest evolvability. Our results demonstrate the utility of combining estimates of evolvability with hypothesized and observed selection gradients.
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Over the past few decades, a marked decline in human semen quality has been observed, with evidence suggesting that dietary factors may account for 50-60% of this decline. The present randomized clinical trial aimed to evaluate the effects of a fertility diet (FD) on sperm parameters in infertile men. In this randomized clinical trial study, 70 infertile men were randomly assigned to two groups: the intervention group, which followed the FD plan, and the control group, which kept a healthy diet (HD) for 12 weeks. Anthropometric measurements, semen analysis, DNA fragmentation index (DFI), malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and sex hormone profiles were assessed before and after the intervention. Dietary intake was monitored throughout the study. Compared to the HD group, the FD group showed significant improvements in total sperm count (P=0.016), sperm concentration (P=0.003), total motility (P=0.024), progressive motility (P=0.048), and normal morphology (P=0.023). Participants in the FD group showed an increase in the intake of total fat, monounsaturated fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, omega-3 fatty acids and fiber during the intervention (P<0.05). Additionally, the FD group consumed higher amounts of key fertility-related micronutrients including magnesium, calcium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, selenium, vitamin C, and lycopene. Notably, a significant reduction in DFI (P=0.010) and MDA (P<0.001) was also observed in the FD group compared to the HD group. No significant differences were found in sex hormone levels or anthropometric parameters between the groups. These findings suggest the potential of a FD to improve sperm parameters and reduce DFI and oxidative stress. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and longer durations are needed to confirm these effects (registration number: IRCT20230514058181N1).
Diet strongly influences nutritional status, contributing to the coexistence of undernutrition and excess weight in many low- and middle-income countries. In Côte d'Ivoire, however, dietary patterns and their relationship to nutritional status are not well characterized, limiting evidence-based interventions addressing the dual burden of malnutrition. This study aims to 1) identify dietary patterns among urban Ivorian schoolchildren and adult females of reproductive age, 2) assess diet quality by pattern, and 3) characterize the sociodemographic factors and nutritional status of individuals within each pattern. We conducted a cross-sectional dietary survey in 4 cities (Bouaké, Daloa, Abengourou, and Yopougon). Dietary data were collected through one 24-h recall from 443 children (6-12 y) and 441 adult females (15-49 y); a second recall was administered to 12% of participants. Dietary patterns were derived using latent class analysis. Associations with nutritional status, sociodemographic indicators, diet quality, diet diversity, and nutrient adequacy (Probability of Adequacy) were examined using the 3-step bias-adjusted approach. Four dietary patterns were identified for each group. Two were found in both children and adult females ("Fish, oil, and vegetables" and "Dairy and sweet"), whereas children had "Poultry and fruit" and "Refined, red meat, and vegetable" patterns, and adult females had "Poultry, red meat, and fruit" and "Low energy intake" patterns. The fish and dairy patterns, more common in Bouaké and Daloa, were associated with lower education levels (and with occupation, housing, and dependent children among adult females only), yet showed higher diet quality, characterized by greater dietary diversity and nutrient adequacy. In contrast, the poultry (children) and low-intake (adult females) patterns showed poorer dietary diversity and nutrient adequacy. Dietary patterns among urban Ivorian children and adult females were largely comparable. Promoting familiar, fish- and vegetable-based diets may enhance nutrient adequacy. The early stage of nutrition transition suggests a window of opportunity for preventive policy action.This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT06175130.
The suppression of recombination between sex chromosomes is a widespread feature of genetic sex determination systems. Competing explanations for this evolution fall into two broad categories: recombination arrest driven by the capture of sexually antagonistic variation vs. arrest driven without sex-specific selection. Using population genetic models, we compare the substitution rates of full recombination suppressors (such as inversions) driven by sexually antagonistic selection to those expected under neutrality. We consider both XY and ZW systems, mating ecologies ranging from random mating to polygyny with high male reproductive variance, suppressors arising on heterogametic (Y or W) vs. homogametic (X or Z) chromosomes, and the effects of deleterious alleles segregating at other loci on the chromosome. We find that even very weak sexual antagonism is sufficient to expedite the substitution of suppressors by orders of magnitude relative to neutrality. This acceleration is robust to the presence of deleterious variation, although high variance in male reproductive success can diminish substitution rates of Y-linked suppressors in XY systems. By contrast, in ZW systems, elevated male reproductive variance tends to favor faster recombination arrest via W-linked suppressors, leading to higher overall rates of suppression than in comparable XY systems. Despite stronger selection on Y/W-linked suppressors, we find that recombination arrest driven by sexual antagonism is often expected to arise from homogametic (X/Z-linked) suppressors, because their mutational input is higher and they can experience weaker drift. Together, these results yield testable predictions for the genomic distribution of sex-chromosome inversions across taxa differing in mating system and sex-determination system.
Menopause marks the natural end of reproductive phase of women caused by decline in levels of estrogen, progesterone and other reproductive hormones. Asparagus racemosus (Shatavari) is a medicinal herb particularly known to be effective in alleviating women's reproductive health. Shatavarin IV, a steroidal saponin and a primary bioactive component in this herb, acts as a phytoestrogen by modulating the ER-alpha/ER-beta signalling, the TrkB-BDNF axis, and the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Gonadal (HPG) and Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axes. In this study, the efficacy of SheVari4® on alleviating the menopause-specific endocrine dysfunction and subsequent impaired quality of life (QOL) was assessed through a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled parallel arm trial conducted on 60 pre-, peri-, and post-menopausal women. Sixty women (age 50.0 ± 7.4 years) randomized in two equal groups were administered with 100 mg SheVari4® or placebo capsules once daily for 8 weeks. Assessment of Menopause-Specific Quality of Life (MENQOL) along with domain scores across vasomotor, psychosocial, physical, and sexual function constituted primary endpoint analysis; changes in serum estradiol E2, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH), progesterone, cortisol, Anti Mullerian Hormone (AMH), Sex Hormone-Binding Globulin (SHBG) and free testosterone were assessed as secondary endpoint analysis. Safety of the formulation was evaluated in terms of body mass index, blood biochemistry and liver function test. SheVari4 induced a 42.8% reduction in MENQOL versus placebo. Significant improvements in functioning (vs. placebo) were observed, respectively, across vasomotor (53.1% vs. 14.5%), psychosocial (53.6% vs. 9.9%), physical (39.2% vs. 6.5%) and sexual (29.4% vs. 10.7%) domains. The formulation also increased E2 (+36.44% vs. -2.08%) and progesterone (+0.30% vs. -2.88%) coupled with marked reduction in levels of FSH (-38.18% vs. +12.97%) and cortisol (-26.87% vs. +17.16%). Concomitantly, AMH, SHBG, and free testosterone were also favorably modulated. Blood biochemistry, liver function tests, and vital signs confirmed the broad-spectrum safety of SheVari4®. SheVari4® significantly improved menopause-specific QOL and endocrine parameters in peri- and post-menopausal women, with a well-established safety profile.
Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is associated with metabolic and reproductive abnormalities. Response variability due to exercise may reflect underlying biological heterogeneity in PCOS phenotypes. We explored changes in non-invasive PCOS biomarkers following a 16-week Interval Nordic Walking (INW) to identify phenotype-related response differences. A total of 7500 women's data were obtained from the Yazd Reproductive Sciences and Amir al Mómenin Hospital (2019-2024). PCOS was diagnosed according to the Rotterdam criteria. XGBoost feature selection was implemented to choose 17 key predictors. Multiple ML classifiers were evaluated, and model interpretability was achieved using SHAP values. 80 women with different PCOS phenotypes completed a 16-week INW intervention. PCA was applied to reduce the features to 75% variance. Then clustering algorithms (K-means, GMM, Hierarchical, Spectral, DBSCAN) were evaluated using Silhouette scores, Calinski-Harabasz indices, and bootstrap resampling (Jaccard index). XGBoost and SHAP analysis confirmed AMH, FSH, and Anti-TPO as the most influential predictors of PCOS, while metabolic indices like HbA1c, BMI, and lipid profiles exhibited moderate but clinically relevant effects. The spectral model provided better separation among evaluated algorithms; however, overall cluster separation remained modest. It suggested two exploratory data-driven response patterns, termed high-response (more frequently observed phenotypes one and two), which demonstrated greater observed reductions in testosterone and DHEA-s along with improvements in HDL and total cholesterol following the intervention. Low-response (more frequently observed phenotypes three and four) showed relatively minimal response to INW. Based on mean Jaccard index = 0.45, cluster stability was moderate. Our study suggests the heterogeneous phenotypic response pattern of PCOS following a 16-week INW intervention and supports further investigation of nonpharmacological strategies for PCOS.
Neuromedin B (NMB), a neuropeptide, is increasingly recognized as a potential regulator of female reproductive processes. However, its role in porcine ovarian function and follicular development remains unclear. Given the indispensable roles of ovarian granulosa cells (GCs) in follicular growth, endocrine homeostasis, and oocyte maturation, this study investigated the expression pattern of NMB in porcine ovaries and explored the effects of NMB knockdown on GC function and the underlying mechanisms. The results indicated that NMB was expressed in porcine follicles at all development stages (<3 mm, 3-5 mm, >5 mm), with its expression level increasing with follicle diameter; furthermore, NMB was primarily expressed in GCs. Functional assays further revealed that NMB knockdown reduced cell viability and suppressed the expression of Cyclin B1 and PCNA; induced cell apoptosis by upregulating Bax and Caspase-3 expression while downregulating Bcl-2 expression; impaired E2 and P4 synthesis by reducing STAR, CYP11A1, HSD3B1, and CYP19A1 expression. Mechanistically, NMB knockdown compromised mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and disrupted PKA/CREB signaling, as reflected by decreased expression levels of total and phosphorylated PKA and CREB proteins. Importantly, the functional impairments induced by NMB knockdown were alleviated by exogenous NMB supplementation. Collectively, these findings suggest that NMB may serve as an important regulator of cell viability, apoptosis and steroidogenesis through mitochondrial Ca2+ uptake and the PKA/CREB axis in GCs, thereby providing new mechanistic insights into follicular development and potential targets for improving porcine reproductive efficiency.
Alcohol sclerotherapy has been shown to reduce endometrioma recurrence and improve ovarian response, including the number of retrieved oocytes and antral follicle count (AFC), compared with surgical cystectomy. This randomized clinical trial aimed to assess the effect of ethanol sclerotherapy on assisted reproductive outcomes in women with a history of primary and recurrent endometriomas. This single-blind randomized clinical trial included 80 infertile women aged 20-40 years with either primary or recurrent endometriomas. All participants underwent transvaginal ultrasound to evaluate endometrioma size, AFC, and serum hormone levels (anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)) in the follicular phase. Patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (n=40), receiving ethanol sclerotherapy, or the control group (n=40), receiving Dipherelin treatment. The sclerotherapy procedure involved cyst aspiration followed by ethanol instillation, with standard post-procedure care. Ovulation induction was performed, and subsequent reproductive outcomes, including pregnancy rates, were assessed in the same cycle. The mean age of participants was 32.4 ± 4.75 years, and the mean endometrioma size was 41.45 ± 15.9 mm. Baseline characteristics and complications rates did not differ significantly between groups. Endometrioma recurrence was observed in 20% of patients in the intervention group within six months. Embryo quality was not significantly higher in the intervention group (P>0.05). Chemical pregnancy rates were 40% in the intervention group versus 20% in the control group (P=0.025), and clinical pregnancy rates were 32.5 versus 15% (P=0.040). Conception and implantation rates, however, did not differ significantly between groups. Ethanol sclerotherapy significantly improved clinical and chemical pregnancy rates compared to the control, suggesting that it may be a viable alternative to surgical cystectomy in selected patients, particularly those undergoing in vitro fertilization (registration number: IRCT20191206045629N1).
Despite notable advances in assisted reproductive technologies (ART), pregnancy rates remain suboptimal, and improving endometrial receptivity continues to be a clinical challenge. Emerging evidence suggests that granulocyte colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) and human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) may enhance endometrial implantation. This study aimed to evaluate the combined therapeutic effect of G-CSF and HCG on reproductive outcomes in women with prior unsuccessful intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycles. In this randomized clinical trial conducted at Reyhana Infertility Treatment Center (Qom University of Medical Sciences), 150 infertile women aged 20-40 years with ≥2 previous ICSI failures using good-quality embryos were enrolled. After applying exclusion criteria, 120 participants were randomized into either a treatment group (n=60, receiving 300 μg subcutaneous G-CSF and 2,500 IU intramuscular HCG 1 hour before frozen-thawed embryo transfer (FET)), or a control group (n=60, receiving no intervention). Hormonal profiles, ovarian stimulation outcomes, implantation rates (IRs), and the primary outcome (clinical pregnancy rate) as well as secondary outcomes (chemical pregnancy rate, implantation rate, and endometrial thickness) were compared between the groups. Baseline demographic and hormonal characteristics, including age (P=0.652), BMI (P=0.574), follicle- stimulating hormone (FSH, P=0.051), luteinizing hormone (LH, P=0.421), anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH, P=0.229), prolactin (PRL, P=0.154), and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH, P=0.861), were comparable between the groups. Similarly, ICSI cycle parameters, including the number of previous ICSI cycles (P=0.099), retrieved oocytes (P=0.528), metaphase II oocytes (P=0.323), embryos transferred (P=0.648), embryo quality (P=0.572), and endometrial thickness on the transfer day (P=0.440), did not differ significantly. The treatment group demonstrated significantly higher chemical and clinical pregnancy rates compared with the control group: 53.3% vs. 30.0% (P=0.041) and 48.3% vs. 28.3% (P=0.050), respectively. Adjunctive administration of G-CSF and HCG significantly improves pregnancy outcomes in women with recurrent ICSI failure, suggesting a promising therapeutic approach for this challenging patient population (Registration number: IRCT20220921056008N2).
Obesity affects a growing proportion of reproductive-age women, yet the postpartum period remains underrecognized as an opportunity for improving long-term maternal health. Pregnancy induces metabolic, inflammatory, and behavioral changes that, combined with pre-pregnancy obesity, may predispose women to persistent postpartum weight retention, incomplete metabolic recovery, and elevated lifetime risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. This narrative review synthesizes current evidence on the biological, behavioral, and structural determinants of postpartum health among women with obesity, with an emphasis on modifiable intervention targets. Recent findings suggest that postpartum metabolic recovery is often incomplete or delayed in women with obesity, characterized by persistent insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, and inflammation. Postpartum weight retention is a major driver of long-term cardiometabolic risk and is influenced by lactation, sleep disruption, mental health, diet and physical activity, and caregiving demands. Lactation confers meaningful metabolic benefits, yet women with obesity face disproportionate barriers to breastfeeding. Lifestyle interventions demonstrate modest though clinically important benefits, but engagement, reach, and sustainability are limited by health system gaps, competing postpartum priorities, and social determinants of health. Emerging work highlights the promise of digital tools, supportive health policies, and individualized risk-stratification approaches, while the rapid expansion of pharmacologic treatment of obesity raises new, important questions. The postpartum period represents an important yet underutilized opportunity to support the lifelong health of women with obesity. Optimizing postpartum care through precision-informed strategies and supportive policies may improve maternal cardiometabolic health, reduce long-term disease risk, and interrupt intergenerational transmission of obesity.
Species of the genus Caulerpa rank among the most successful marine invaders in the Mediterranean Sea, yet they differ markedly in their distribution, persistence and ecological impacts. These contrasting invasion trajectories have generated inconsistent interpretations regarding the mechanisms underlying invasion success and have limited the development of a unified ecological framework. The review also identifies major knowledge gaps, particularly regarding reproductive biology, long-term monitoring and climate-driven range expansion and highlights habitat protection, early detection and rapid response as key priorities for improving the management of Mediterranean Caulerpa invasions. This systematic review synthesizes evidence from 84 peer-reviewed studies to evaluate the distribution, ecological impacts, environmental tolerances and invasion dynamics of the principal invasive Caulerpa taxa in the Mediterranean, including Caulerpa cylindracea, Caulerpa taxifolia, Caulerpa taxifolia var. distichophylla and the recently established Caulerpa mexicana. By integrating findings across physiological, ecological and field-based studies, the review identifies common patterns while explaining the distinct invasion trajectories observed among species. The synthesis indicates that long-term invasion success is more closely associated with the breadth of phenotypic plasticity and the capacity to maintain a high ecological performance under changing environmental conditions than with maximum growth rates alone. Based on the available evidence, two complementary conceptual frameworks are proposed. The Plasticity Breadth Hypothesis explains how differences in the breadth and limits of phenotypic plasticity shape invasion success, whereas the passenger-to-driver transition model describes how habitat degradation and positive ecological feedbacks can transform invasive Caulerpa from opportunistic colonizers into drivers of ecosystem change.
Tick-borne diseases impose significant constraints on livestock, caused by various pathogens that affect health and reduce reproductive performance. The study aimed to determine the occurrence rates of hemopathogens, coinfection, and genetic diversity in native goats from four regions in Sulaymaniyah Province, Iraq. Blood samples were randomly collected from 250 apparently clinically healthy goats. Conventional PCR was conducted targeting the 18S rRNA and MSP-4 genes to detect Theileria spp. and Anaplasma ovis, respectively, and to analyze genetic diversity. The overall infection rate of hemopathogens in goats was 67.6%, with a higher rate of Theileria spp. (49.2%) compared to A. ovis (38.8%). Coexistence of both pathogens was also observed in 20.4% of the examined goats. The presence of T. ovis was verified by BLAST analysis of 18S rRNA sequence isolates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that recent isolates PV575344.1 and PV575345.1 were grouped along with T. ovis isolates from Iraq, Iran, Türkiye, and India. Sequence analysis of the Anaplasma ovis msp4 gene revealed that the study isolates PV222122.1 and PV222123.1 were highly similar to previous isolates in GenBank and clustered with them in the constructed phylogenetic tree. The current findings revealed the presence of vector-borne hemopathogens and the cocirculation of T. ovis and A. ovis with a higher infection rate in asymptomatic goats, indicating their endemicity. Attention to animal health is essential to reduce financial losses, and further study on tick vector inspection and the zoonotic potential of Anaplasma spp. is essential.
Chronic stress is a major risk factor for anxiety disorders and is often accompanied by disruptions in female reproductive cyclicity, but the stress-responsive neural populations that shape these comorbid behavioral and physiological outcomes remain poorly defined. The bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) is a major node for sustained anxiety and stress integration, yet the contribution of genetically defined BNST neurons to restraint stress is not fully resolved in females. Here, we identify proenkephalin-expressing neurons in the anterior dorsal BNST (adBNSTPENK) as a restraint-responsive population that constrains anxiety-like behaviors and modulates cytology-based estrous cycle organization. Acute chemogenetic inhibition of adBNSTPENK neurons produced anxiety-like behaviors in females, whereas activation attenuated acute restraint stress (ARS)-induced anxiety-like behaviors. Female mice subjected to chronic restraint stress (CRS) exhibited both anxiety-like avoidance and disrupted estrous-cycle organization, which can be mitigated by sustained activation of adBNSTPENK neurons. These findings suggest that adBNSTPENK neurons form a stress-recruited limbic circuit node that buffers stress-induced anxiety-like behaviors and is associated with improved vaginal cytology-based estrous-cycle organization under chronic stress.
Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic environmental pollutant known to cause severe damage to the male reproductive system. This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of bee bread (BB), a natural product with anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties, against Cd-induced testicular toxicity in male Wistar rats. A total number of 32 rats were divided into four groups, including control, BB (0.50 g kg-1), Cd (5.00 mg kg-1), and Cd + BB (5.00 mg kg-1 and 0.50 g kg-1, respectively) groups. Administrations via oral gavage were performed for 4 weeks. Semen analysis revealed significant reductions in sperm motility and density along with increases in abnormal and dead sperm ratios in the Cd and Cd + BB groups compared to controls. Histopathological examination showed severe degeneration and desquamation of germ cells, tubular atrophy, and a decrease in spermatozoa in the Cd-treated groups. Polymerase chain reaction analysis indicated up-regulation of apoptotic markers (caspase-3, -8, and -9) and oxidative stress enzymes (catalase and superoxide dismutase) in the Cd group, signifying disrupted testicular function. The BB administration partially mitigated Cd-induced damage as evidenced by less severe histopathological changes and moderated gene expression alterations. However, the protective effects of BB were not sufficient to completely counteract the toxic impact of Cd. The present study concluded that while BB had potential in reducing Cd-induced testicular toxicity, its protective efficacy was limited, warranting further research to explore its therapeutic potential in combination with other protective agents.
Endometriosis affects a substantial proportion of women of reproductive age and is a common, often under-recognised contributor to subfertility. Its effects on fertility are multifactorial, and both the disease and its treatment, particularly ovarian surgery, can reduce ovarian reserve. Clinicians are frequently required to balance pain control, restoration of anatomy, assisted reproduction, and the protection of future fertility, often with imperfect evidence. The objective of this review was to synthesise current evidence and guideline recommendations on the interventions and care pathways that most effectively maximise the chance of pregnancy while minimising avoidable loss of ovarian reserve for women who are trying to conceive and those wishing to preserve future fertility. We searched PubMed/MEDLINE (Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online), the Cochrane Library and, where accessible, Embase and Scopus, from January 2010 to June 2026, supplemented by landmark earlier trials and by guidelines from the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE), and American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Clinical guidelines, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, randomised controlled trials and large prospective cohort studies addressing endometriosis, ovarian reserve, endometrioma surgery, assisted reproduction and fertility preservation were prioritised. This was a structured narrative review and not a systematic review; no formal risk-of-bias scoring or quantitative meta-analysis was undertaken. Age, ovarian reserve, and duration of infertility are the dominant prognostic factors and should drive timing. Excisional surgery for minimal-to-mild disease produces a modest absolute increase in spontaneous conception, whereas ovarian endometrioma cystectomy consistently lowers anti-Müllerian hormone and is the principal iatrogenic threat to ovarian reserve. Assisted reproduction outcomes in women with endometrioma are broadly comparable to those without, and surgery before in vitro fertilisation does not reliably improve live birth; routine cystectomy before treatment is therefore not supported. Medical hormonal therapy controls pain and reduces recurrence, but suppresses ovulation and is not a fertility treatment during attempts to conceive. Oocyte and embryo cryopreservation are reasonable options before bilateral or repeat ovarian surgery and for women delaying conception, but success is age-dependent and not guaranteed. Emerging or investigational approaches-oral gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonists, reserve-sparing ethanol sclerotherapy of endometrioma, the Endometriosis Fertility Index as a counselling tool, intraovarian platelet-rich plasma and artificial-intelligence-assisted imaging-are reviewed with appropriate caution. Fertility should be discussed early, at suspicion, not only at confirmation. An individualised pathway that protects ovarian reserve, avoids unnecessary or repeated ovarian surgery, integrates assisted reproduction without delay in higher-risk women, and offers timely fertility preservation is most likely to maximise reproductive outcomes. Access inequities make pragmatic, resource-sensitive pathways a global priority.
Environmental exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) rises concerns about male reproductive health. Despite a wide body of experimental evidence supporting the biological role of PFAS exposure in male reproductive effects, available epidemiological studies are variably consistent about this association. Four databases were searched up to July 13, 2025 (PROSPERO: CRD420251267798). The systematic review follows Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Studies were included that assessed the association of PFAS on sperm outcomes. The primary effect measure was the Pearson correlation coefficient (r). Outcomes included sperm concentration, semen volume, total sperm count, motility, morphology, pH, and sperm DNA fragmentation, Fourteen studies including 7465 participants were included in this review. The results of meta-analyses indicate heterogeneous patterns of association, with PFAS mixtures showing limited associations with conventional semen parameters but demonstrating consistent inverse relationships with progressive motility (correlation scale [r] = -0.058, 95% confidence interval [CI]: -0.100 to -0.015) and sperm deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) integrity (r = 0.141, 95% CI: 0.087-0.195). Individual congeners exhibited distinct association profiles, suggesting potential congener-specific effects on male reproductive function. The consistent association between increased DNA fragmentation across PFAS metrics suggest a possible role in unexplained male infertility and prompts further investigation.