Reproductive and Urinary Physiology Commons^™

The Education Prescription: Exploring The Potential Of Patient Education To Reduce Mental Health Issues In Hormonal Contraceptive Users, Maria Abraham

Nursing | Senior Theses

The many birth control options available impact a woman’s life, as hormonal contraceptives are commonly used but often misunderstood. These contraceptives, which contain progestin only, or estrogen and progestin combined, can come in various forms such as pills, implants, IUDs, injections, the vaginal ring, and skin patches. They offer benefits such as reduced menstrual cramps and ectopic pregnancy risk. However, they may lead to adverse side effects which can include increased blood pressure, nausea, headaches, breakthrough bleeding, and a higher risk of blood clots, with research indicating a potential link between oral contraceptive use and a decline in the user’s …

A Comparative Analysis Of Costs Associated With Assisted Reproductive Technology; Invitro Fertilization Of Singleton, Twin, And Multiple Gestations Compared To Non-Invitro Fertilization Singleton Gestations, Ruth Arthur-Asmah

MUSC Theses and Dissertations

This study examines IVF and non-IVF costs associated with prenatal, delivery, and postpartum care using claims data from Merative MarketScan Commercial and Encounter data from 2018-2020 to understand the costs associated with respective IVF singleton, twin, and multiple gestations, as compared to non-IVF singleton gestations. These patients identified as females at birth, were continuously enrolled in private insurance, and have not experienced termination of pregnancy. The Student T-test was performed on continuous variables, and logistic regression was performed on binary variables with the overall outcome variables being cost, IVF, and non-IVF, controlling for age. The cost data was gamma log …

Effects Of Dietary Phytoestrogens On Spermatogenesis And Male Reproductive Tract In Mice, Trenton A. Dalm

Masters Theses

Increases in infertility over the past 50 years are linked to environmental exposures to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs). One type of EDC is phytoestrogens, commonly found in soy-based diets and foods such as cauliflower, tofu, and broccoli. Phytoestrogens may bind estrogen receptors and have positive or negative effects on receptor signaling. The developing male reproductive tract is potentially susceptible to endocrine disruptors leading to changes in adult reproductive function and possibly infertility. We hypothesized that dietary phytoestrogen exposure would have a dose dependent effect with the high diet yielding the lowest sperm count and worst performance compared to the medium …

Sexual Dimorphism Of Glomerular Capillary Morphology In Rats, Zackarias Coker

Undergraduate Honors Theses

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) progresses faster in males than females; however, the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. Sex differences in glomerular capillary morphology has been hypothesized to contribute, in part, to the increased susceptibility to hypertension-induced renal injury and CKD progression in males, but this has not been investigated. The goal of the present study was to assess glomerular capillary morphology in male vs. female rats with intact kidneys and after uninephrectomy (UNX). We hypothesized that glomerular capillary radii (R_CAP) and length (L_CAP) would be greater in male rats.

Male (n=4) and female (n=4) with intact …

Parental Instincts: The Neurological And Biological Factors Associated With Parenthood, Jared Reeder

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The following project involves a systematic review of the scientific literature on neural and biological changes of mothers and fathers in parenthood. Until very recently, little scientific research was devoted to studying how bearing children affects a man or woman’s long-term biology. Over the last twenty years, studies of neuroplastic changes in new mothers show specific neural mechanisms responsible for altering the behaviors of mothers during and after pregnancy. These changes in neuroplasticity alter behavior in such a way that led to mothers requiring less sleep and being more prone to hearing the cries of their children. In addition to …

Influence Of Maternal Nano-Titanium Dioxide Inhalation Exposure On Cyclooxygenase Metabolites: Maternal Microvascular And Sexually Dimorphic Feto-Placental Outcomes., Julie Anne Griffith

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Nano-titanium dioxide (nano-TiO₂) is an engineered nanomaterial (ENM), which is widely utilized in diverse products like surface coatings, cosmetics, medical devices, and filters. Inhaled nano-TiO₂ has been demonstrated to induce pulmonary inflammation, impair microvascular function, and hinder generational reproductive endpoints. These outcomes indicate why it is important to explore gestation, as it requires timely vascular adaptations to support maternal and fetal health and development. Therefore, the central hypothesis of my dissertation is: maternal nano-TiO₂ inhalation exposure will impact maternal microvascular function and fetoplacental hemodynamics and function in a sexually dimorphic manner.

The first purpose of …

Reducing Placental Oxidative Stress In A Rat Model Preeclampsia Using Vegfr2 Nanoparticles, Sophia Ganios

Williams Honors College, Honors Research Projects

Preeclampsia is a complication of pregnancy, where the placenta lacks sufficient blood flow due to abnormal formation of the vascular endothelial cells. This results in hypertension and increased reactive oxygen species, causing oxidative stress. The VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) helps develop new growth, so by increasing the receptors VEGFR2 by injection of LTP nanoparticles into the uterine wall of RUPP rats, one can see if there would be improvement in the otherwise reduced uterine pressure pregnant rat. This would be confirmed by the 8-isoprostane test, which measures oxidative stress.

Role Of Decorin At The Fetal-Maternal Interface, Chidambra D. Halari

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

The human placenta is an invasive tumor-like structure, this invasion being physiological. A subset of placental trophoblast called extra-villous trophoblast invades the uterine decidua and remodels uterine arteries into low-resistance, high-flow tubes to permit adequate flow of maternal blood to nourish the fetus. A poor extra-villous trophoblast invasion and uterine arterial remodeling can lead to fetal growth restriction and a serious pregnancy-associated maternal disease preeclampsia. Decorin, a leucine-rich proteoglycan produced by uterine decidual cells restrains multiple trophoblast functions: self-renewal and differentiation of trophoblast stem cells, migration, invasion, proliferation and endovascular differentiation. Additionally, decidual overproduction of decorin was associated with preeclampsia, …

No One Should Have To Give Birth Alone: An Analysis Of The Efficacy Of Community-Based Doula Programs Serving Ethnic Minorities In San Francisco, Maria Margaret Nelson

Master's Projects and Capstones

Adverse birth outcomes for both the parent and the child disproportionately affect people of color. Evidence demonstrates that one of the ways to mitigate these negative consequences is through the utilization of a doula, a trained birth companion that is not a medical provider but whose role it is to physically and emotionally support the patient through pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. Community-based doula programs, where the doula is of the same cultural background as the client, are particularly effective in improving birth outcomes in communities of color by providing culturally competent care and helping to navigate a healthcare system that …

Overexpression Of Foxf2 In Prostate Cancer Cells Causes An Increase In Cancer Cell Apoptosis And A Decrease In Proliferation, Vaughn Poon

Honors Projects

FOXF2 is a transcription factor that plays a crucial role in organ development, and recent studies have shown that it suppresses tumor growth and progression in mouse prostate models by attenuating the cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAF) phenotype and transcriptionally downregulating Cxcl5. However, the effects of FOXF2 overexpression in prostate cancer cells have not been extensively studied. Here, we investigate the impact of FOXF2 overexpression in prostate cancer cells and demonstrate that it leads to a significant increase in cell apoptosis and a decrease in proliferation. These findings suggest that FOXF2 may have potential as an immunotherapy drug target for prostate …

Free Fatty Acid Treatment Alters Autophagy During Mouse Preimplantation Embryo Development, Zuleika C. L. Leung

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Obesity-induced hyperlipidemia is one of the main factors for female infertility. Hyperlipidemia, specifically with high levels of palmitic acid (PA) and oleic acid (OA), interferes with preimplantation development. Autophagy is essential in early embryo development but, it is unknown whether hyperlipidemia affects autophagic mechanisms in preimplantation embryos. It was hypothesized that PA will alter autophagy in preimplantation mouse embryos and that the subsequent effects will be reversed by OA. PA impaired blastocyst development by arresting embryos at the 8-cell stage. PA also elevated early embryo autophagy by increasing autophagosome formation, decreasing maturation, and disrupting degradation. Co-treatment with OA showed developmental …

Targeting Epigenetic Mechanisms In Endometriosis, Sarah Elizabeth Brunty

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Endometriosis is a complex and elusive gynecological disease in which the inner lining of the uterus grows in locations outside of the uterus and forms lesions. It is known to affect 1 in 9 women of reproductive age worldwide. Symptoms of endometriosis include severe pain, heavy periods, and infertility. While multiple theories of origin exist, none fully encompass all aspects of the disease, although all theories agree that this is an inflammation-driven disease. Due to this, many researchers are turning towards epigenetics to explain the initiation and progression of endometriosis. However, what is causing these epigenetic changes is still a …

Reproductive Contracts: An Analysis Of Reproductive Treatments, A Critique Of Forms Of Informed Consent, And Prevention Of Circumvention Of Medical Tourism, Minsung Kim

Maurer Theses and Dissertations

The goal of the dissertation is to analyze reproductive medicine, criticize informed consent forms for receiving reproductive treatments, and imply prevention of circumvention of medical tourism. Most of all, the dissertation considers a theoretical approach regarding how we understand reproductive treatments. The dissertation divides reproductive treatments into sustainable and disruptive ones. Reproductive treatments referred to as sustainable ones have legally become pervasive after regulatory evaluations concerning safety, ethical, and legal concerns. However, a few reproductive treatments that are referred to as disruptive ones still have led to disputes regarding whether infertility couples can require and receive them for treatment. The …

The Effects Of Total Body Proton Irradiation On Mouse Myometrium, Lillith Bulawa

Undergraduate Honors Theses

The boundaries of human space exploration continue to expand with new technology and discoveries making it even more important to investigate the effects of space on biological systems. Although humans have explored space in small increments, reproductive studies must be conducted to determine if stable short- or long-term residences for humans can exist in space. This study explored the effects of whole-body proton radiation on uterine smooth muscle known as the myometrium. Two types of mice utilized in this study were C57BL/6 and B6.129S6Cybbtm1Din/J NOX2 knockout mice. C57BL/6 mice are standard laboratory mice that were used to represent the wildtype …

The Effects Of Renal Cold Storage And Transplantation On Immunoproteasome And The Complement System, Savannah Stacks

Honors Theses

Renal transplantation is the preferred method of treatment for end stage kidney disease. The majority of donor kidneys come from deceased donors and have to be stored in cold storage solution (CS) until the recipient is identified. However, prolonged CS is associated with poor long-term outcome. Unfortunately, the mechanisms of CS-related damage are largely unknown. Our laboratory recently reported that the proteasome and renal function were significantly decreased in rat kidney transplants that involved CS combined with transplantation (CS/Tx), as opposed to those that did not undergo CS (auto-transplantation/ATx). The long-term goal is to improve the transplant outcome by identifying …

The Quantified Elf, Umico Niwa

Theses and Dissertations

The Quantified Elf is an ongoing collection of scientific, medical, archaeological articles and excerpts from my personal journal. It is a way by which I explore the various ways Western notions of personhood subsume human life into constructs of sexuality and gender, overlooking the various other modes of unbridled existence: plant, microbial. fungal, animal, celestial bodies. The speculative medical papers propose novel forms of body modification to combat gender dysphoria.

Diabetes Risk Status And Physical Activity In Pregnant Women: U.S. Brfss 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, Bethany Rand

UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations

Objective: We sought to examine differences in aerobic activity (AA) and muscle-strengthening activity (MSA) by diabetes risk status (DRS) among pregnant women in the United States.

Background: Pregnant women without complications are advised to engage in physical activity (PA) to mitigate adverse outcomes. Differences may exist among pregnant women of diverging diabetes status in meeting national PA recommendations.

Methods: The sample (n=9,597) included pregnant women ages 18-44, who participated in 2011, 2013, 2015, and 2017 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Levels of DRS were: no diabetes (ND), high risk for diabetes (HRD) due to self-reported gestational diabetes or …

Eugenics In The 21st Century, Jessica Linn Chin

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Eugenics is the science of enhancing the human population through the management of breeding and hereditary traits. This thesis explores the history of eugenics and shows how eugenic practices continue in the 21^st century with advancements in technology and positive eugenic goals that can result in adverse effects on the human body and society. When Sir Francis Galton coined the term eugenics in 1883, he intended to improve British society with the use of positive eugenics. Galton used positive eugenics to encourage people with good mental and physical qualities to produce more children. He avoided negative eugenics, which involved …

Mutations In The Human Follicle Stimulating Hormone Receptor Caveolin Interaction Motif Cause Increased Basal Activation, Elizabeth Altman

Honors Theses

Over twelve percent of women aged fifteen to forty-five in America suffer from infertility and/or impaired fecundity and over seven million women have used infertility services, such as intrauterine insemination and in vitro fertilization. Some cases of infertility may be due to dysfunctional human follicle stimulating hormone (hFSH) signaling. hFSH plays a role in spermatogenesis in males, as well as follicle maturation and estrogen production in females. Problems with either hFSH or the hFSH receptor (hFSHR) decrease fertility in males and cause complete infertility in females. As part of the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, hFSH is released from the pituitary gland and …

What To Expect When You Are Not Expecting: The Biological, Psychological, And Cultural Setbacks Following Infertility, Lauren Butler

Honor Scholar Theses

No abstract provided.

Generations Of Fertility: A Bioethical And Evolutionary Analysis, Kat Panos

Honor Scholar Theses

Influenced by both societal and biological factors, women play a central role in reproducing offspring for future generations. Because females play such an integral role in reproduction, it is often psychologically difficult for women to cope with infertility that can arise due to a variety of factors: ovarian factor infertility, cervical factor infertility, uterine factor infertility, and peritoneal and tubal infertility factors. As a result, technology has evolved to cater to women's infertility in procedures and treatments regarded as assisted reproductive techniques (ARTS), medical regimens than impose bioethical implications. Examples of ART include therapeutic intrauterine insemination (IUI), in-vitro-fertilization (IVF), pre-implantation …

Can Assisted Reproductive Technologies Help Conserve 300 Million Years Of Evolution? A First Attempt At Developing These Technologies For Male Reptiles, Sean M. Perry

LSU Doctoral Dissertations

Biodiversity loss is the most critical environmental problem threatening ecosystem, animal, and human health today. Increases in extinction rates have been observed over the past 50 years, with reptile losses occurring twelve times faster than traditional extinction rates. This demonstrated biodiversity loss is secondary to climate change, habitat destruction, infectious disease, invasive species, poaching, and unsustainable trade. Approximately 20% of all reptiles are threatened with extinction and population declines are approaching rates similar to the current amphibian extinction crisis. Preventing the extinction of reptiles will require humans to acknowledge these losses and develop plans to preserve these evolutionary sentinel species. …

Mechanistic Study Of Diatrizoic Acid Induced Proximal Tubule Cytotoxicity, Dakota Blake Ward

Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Radiocontrast media (RCM) are necessary for many diagnostic procedures such as arteriography, percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), and computed tomography. Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is the third most common cause of hospital-associated kidney damage accounting for 10-25% of cases worldwide. The mechanisms of contrast-induced renal impairment are not entirely known, but diminished renal hemodynamics, inflammatory responses, and direct cytotoxicity have been hypothesized. The purpose of this study was to investigate the mechanisms of direct cytotoxicity observed in HK-2 cells following treatment with diatrizoic acid (DA) and to determine the source of this damage. Mitochondrial function, endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, oxidative …

Investigation Of Bovine Conceptus Galectins And The Effect Of Bovine Conceptus Secretory Proteins On The Endometrial Epithelial Transcriptome, Heather Lynn Baldwin

Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports

Pregnancy loss in cattle is greatest in the first 30 days of gestation. Near d15 of gestation, bovine conceptuses elongate and express LGALS1, an immunosuppressive glycan-binding protein believed to be essential for implantation. However, other members of the bovine galectin family, including LGALS3, LGALS4, LGALS7, LGALS8, LGALS9 and a galectin-13-like gene (LGALS13L), also may be expressed by the elongating conceptus. Therefore, galectin expression in elongating, d16 bovine conceptuses and intercaruncular endometrium as well as elongating, d14 ovine conceptuses and intercaruncular endometrium was assessed by RT-qPCR. Angus heifer and Texel ewes underwent estrous cycle synchronization and either inseminated or not bred. …

Factors Affecting The Survival And Implantation Of Human Blastocysts Following Vitrification, Hamish Barblett

Theses: Doctorates and Masters

The increased cell numbers, presence of the blastocoel and rapid cell re-organisation have required the development of specific survival criteria post warm to effectively select the most viable blastocyst for transfer. Pre-freeze blastocyst expansion and post warm re-expansion have been shown to contribute significantly to the chances of an implantation and subsequent live birth. The aim of this study was to explore factors that influence the outcome of blastocyst transfers after vitrification and warming, and hopefully improve outcomes by further applying improvements in future cycles. Variables from 8 years of vitrified/warmed blastocysts were retrospectively compiled and analysed to determine the …

The Role Of Non-Neuronal Acetylcholine In Urogenital Chlamydial Infection, Jessica R. Lockhart

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Chlamydia trachomatiscauses a bacterial sexually transmitted infection, Chlamydia, that is often chronic and casues reproductive complications in women. We hypothesized that Chlamydia infection increases local acetylcholine (ACh) production, which regulates the host’s inflammatory response to the infection. Female mice infected with C. muridarumwere sacrificed at days 3, 9, 15, and 21 post-infection, genital tract tissues harvested, and immunohistochemistry performed to enumerate ACh-producing cells. Infection increased the number of ACh-producing cells in cervical tissue at days 3,15, and 21 post-infection (pi), uterine tissue at day 3 and 9 pi, and ovarian tissue day 3, 15, and 21 pi. These …

Adolescent Sexual And Reproductive Health In The Gambia., Sandhya Lohani

Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Adolescence is a crucial period in human development. Knowledge and awareness about when to have children, when to have sex, and use of contraceptives impacts the chances of teenage pregnancy and risk of sexually transmitted diseases. The objective of this study is to determine the prevalence and associated risk factors related to age of sexual debut, teenage pregnancy, and use of contraceptives in the Gambia. This study also compares the data with 2014 survey research conducted in the Gambia. The total study population were 50 adolescents aged 13-21 years from Bafuluto and surrounding communities in the Gambia. Among 50 respondents, …

Investigation Into The Role Of Platelet Derived Growth Factor (Pdgf) In Type I Collagen Glomerulopathy, Isaac C. Springer

MSU Graduate Theses

Progressive accumulation of collagen and extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins within renal glomeruli have implications for or result in renal fibrosis and glomerulosclerosis, with both events culminating in renal failure. To model this accumulation the Col1a2-deficient mouse model was used. The Col1a2-deficientmouse model is characterized by a mutation in the a2(I) chain, preventing incorporation into the type I collagen molecule. As a result, an α1(I) collagen chain incorporates into the collagen triple helix forming homotrimeric type I collagen, as opposed to heterotrimeric type I collagen. This change is due to the secondary wound healing response in response to ECM accumulation, …

A Functional Algorithm For Weight Loss And Obesity Practice: Guide For Clinical Decision-Making For Treating Women, Jennifer A. Tice Williams

Dissertations

ABSTRACT

Background

Overweight and obesity have significant impact and consequences on women leading to reduced quality of life, comorbid conditions and premature mortality. Many healthcare providers lack adequate training and the time to properly treat overweight and obesity. Algorithms have been shown to improve clinical knowledge and save time.

Objectives

To develop an algorithm for weight loss assessment and treatment to aid in the clinical decision-making process while improving the quality of care for overweight and obese clients in an efficient manner that can be replicated.

Methods

After an extensive literature review to identify best-practice guidelines for weight loss a …

Breed Quality Scores For Post-Cervical Artificial Insemination And The Effects On Farrowing Rate And Total Born At A Commercial Swine Facility In The Southern United States, Kathryn R. Prus

Murray State Theses and Dissertations

The objective of this experiment was to determine the possible relationship between a sow’s ease of breeding on the first service and the farrowing rate and total born. This study was conducted in a commercial farrowing unit in the Southern United States utilizing pen gestation with stock of 6,000 head. Five hundred ninety-seven sows were bred between the months of April and May 2017 were selected for this study. All animals were inseminated using a post-cervical artificial insemination catheter unless insertion of the inner catheter was impossible. The semen dose fell within the following parameters: concentration of 1.5 x 10 …