could the uterine junctional zone be used to identify early stage endometriosis in women

Although the correlation between endometriosis, junctional zone (JZ) hyperplasia and adenomyosis is still debated, the correlation among JZ and different etiological and clinical aspects is, today, well recognized. Starting from that, clinicians must consider in their own practice all the potential modifications of the JZ because the described could be correlated with reproductive or obstetrics disorders [1]. The accurate and analytical evaluation, case by case, of the JZ is one of the most crucial points in the flowchart of infertile patients and also endometriotic patients. An accurate evaluation of JZ and its potential modifications can provide important information for patients with endometriosis and/or infertility or chronic pelvic pain. We know that adenomyosis is a common gynecologic disease characterized by the migration of endometrial glands and stroma from the basal layer of endometrium into the myometrium, and could be associated with smooth muscle hyperplasia. The first author that mentioned adenomyosis and its histopathological features was Rokitansky in 1860 describing the invasion of stroma and endometrial glands inside the myometrium with different levels of invasion up to the serosa [2]. A common pathogenesis for adenomyosis and endometriosis has been hypothesized, and it is argued that endometrial stroma being in direct contact with the underlying myometrium allows communication and interaction, thus facilitating endometrial invagination or invasion of a structurally weakened myometrium during periods of regeneration, healing and re-epithelization. Dislocation of basal endometrium may also result in endometriosis through retrograde menstruation [3]. Pelvic endometriosis and uterine adenomyosis are variants of the same disease, which involves the dislocation of basal endometrium and results from a dysfunction and disease primarily at the level of the JZ [4]. Pelvic endometriosis, especially in its severe stages, is also strongly associated with JZ thickening [5–8]. Therefore, the evaluation of JZ and its alterations by non invasive imaging are very important, especially in patients with endometriosis. Adenomyosis is also defined as the chronic disruption of the boundary between the basal layer of the endometrium and the myometrium, known as the JZ, with the hallmark pathologic finding of endometrial glands and stroma within the myometrium [9]. Both parts of the JZ (endometrium and subendometrial myometrium) have a common embryological origin from the paramesonephric ducts and show cyclical changes during the menstrual cycle, whereas the outer myometrium is of nonparamesonephric mesenchymal origin [10]. The etiology of adenomyosis is not known, but there are recent interesting theories that consider adenomyosis as an expression of pathological endomyometrial JZ, trying to explain, in this Could the uterine junctional zone be used to identify early-stage endometriosis in women

DEHP Impairs Zebrafish Reproduction by Affecting Critical Factors in Oogenesis

Public concerns on phthalates distributions in the environment have been increasing since they can cause liver cancer, structural abnormalities and reduce sperm counts in male reproductive system. However, few data are actually available on the effects of Di-(2-ethylhexyl)-phthalate (DEHP) in female reproductive system. The aim of this study was to assess the impacts of DEHP on zebrafish oogenesis and embryo production. Female Danio rerio were exposed to environmentally relevant doses of DEHP and a significant decrease in ovulation and embryo production was observed. The effects of DEHP on several key regulators of oocyte maturation and ovulation including bone morphogenetic protein-15 (BMP15), luteinizing hormone receptor (LHR), membrane progesterone receptors (mPRs) and cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 (ptgs2) were determined by real time PCR. The expressions of BMP15 and mPR proteins were further determined by Western analyses to strengthen molecular findings. Moreover, plasma vitellogenin (vtg) titers were assayed by an ELISA procedure to determine the estrogenic effects of DEHP and its effects on oocyte growth. A significant reduction of fecundity in fish exposed to DEHP was observed. The reduced reproductive capacity was associated with an increase in ovarian BMP15 levels. This rise, in turn, was concomitant with a significant reduction in LHR and mPRβ levels. Finally, ptgs2 expression, the final trigger of ovulation, was also decreased by DEHP. By an in vitro maturation assay, the inhibitory effect of DEHP on germinal vesicle breakdown was further confirmed. In conclusion, DEHP affecting signals involved in oocyte growth (vtg), maturation (BMP15, LHR, mPRs,) and ovulation (ptgs2), deeply impairs ovarian functions with serious consequences on embryo production. Since there is a significant genetic similarity between D.rerio and humans, the harmful effects observed at oocyte level may be relevant for further molecular studies on humans

El rendimiento académico en Fisiología: estrategia de evaluación

En la Universidad, la evaluación sigue ejerciendo una función esencial de selección y clasificación de los estudiantes. Antunes define la evaluación diciendo que consiste en la recolección sistemática de evidencias por medio de las cuales se determinan los cambios que ocurren en los alumnos y cómo ocurrieron, constituyendo un sistema de control de calidad por el que se determina, en cada etapa del proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, la mucha o poca eficacia del proceso y, en caso negativo, que cambios son necesarios para asegurar su efectividad antes de que sea tarde.Facultad de Odontologí

Risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in migrants and ethnic minorities compared with the general population in the European WHO region during the first year of the pandemic. A systematic review

Background: Migrants and ethnic minorities have suffered a disproportionate impact of the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the general population from different perspectives. Our aim was to assess specifically their risk of infection in the 53 countries belonging to the World Health Organization European Region, during the first year of the pandemic. Methods: We conducted a systematic review following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines (PROSPERO CRD42021247326). We searched multiple databases for peer-reviewed literature, published on Medline, Embase, Scisearch, Biosis and Esbiobase in 2020 and preprints from PubMed up to 29/03/2021. We included cross-sectional, case-control, cohort, intervention, case-series, prevalence or ecological studies, reporting the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection among migrants, refugees, and ethnic minorities. Results: Among the 1905 records screened, 25 met our inclusion criteria and were included in the final analysis. We found that migrants and ethnic minorities during the first wave of the pandemic were at increased exposure and risk of infection and were disproportionately represented among COVID-19 cases. However, the impact of COVID-19 on minorities does not seem homogeneous, since some ethnic groups seem to be more at risk than others. Risk factors include high-risk occupations, overcrowded accommodations, geographic distribution, social deprivation, barriers to access to information concerning preventive measures (due to the language barrier or to their marginality), together with biological and genetic susceptibilities. Conclusions: Although mixed methods studies will be required to fully understand the complex interplay between the various biological, social, and cultural factors underlying these findings, the impact of structural determinants of health is evident. Our findings corroborate the need to collect migration and ethnicity-disaggregated data and contribute to advocacy for inclusive policies and programmatic actions tailored to reach migrants and ethnic minorities

Salud y medio ambiente

Erradicación microbasurales y difusión de cultura de entornoFloraciones algales nocivas (FAN): ¿Cómo se vigilan y controlan las intoxicaciones en Chile?Medioambiente y salud en el pregrado: desafío pendienteNiveles de dioxinas y furanos en leche matern

Fermi Large Area Telescope Constraints on the Gamma-ray Opacity of the Universe

The Extragalactic Background Light (EBL) includes photons with wavelengths from ultraviolet to infrared, which are effective at attenuating gamma rays with energy above ~10 GeV during propagation from sources at cosmological distances. This results in a redshift- and energy-dependent attenuation of the gamma-ray flux of extragalactic sources such as blazars and Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs). The Large Area Telescope onboard Fermi detects a sample of gamma-ray blazars with redshift up to z~3, and GRBs with redshift up to z~4.3. Using photons above 10 GeV collected by Fermi over more than one year of observations for these sources, we investigate the effect of gamma-ray flux attenuation by the EBL. We place upper limits on the gamma-ray opacity of the Universe at various energies and redshifts, and compare this with predictions from well-known EBL models. We find that an EBL intensity in the optical-ultraviolet wavelengths as great as predicted by the "baseline" model of Stecker et al. (2006) can be ruled out with high confidence.Comment: 42 pages, 12 figures, accepted version (24 Aug.2010) for publication in ApJ; Contact authors: A. Bouvier, A. Chen, S. Raino, S. Razzaque, A. Reimer, L.C. Reye

A population of gamma-ray emitting globular clusters seen with the Fermi Large Area Telescope

Globular clusters with their large populations of millisecond pulsars (MSPs) are believed to be potential emitters of high-energy gamma-ray emission. Our goal is to constrain the millisecond pulsar populations in globular clusters from analysis of gamma-ray observations. We use 546 days of continuous sky-survey observations obtained with the Large Area Telescope aboard the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope to study the gamma-ray emission towards 13 globular clusters. Steady point-like high-energy gamma-ray emission has been significantly detected towards 8 globular clusters. Five of them (47 Tucanae, Omega Cen, NGC 6388, Terzan 5, and M 28) show hard spectral power indices $(0.7 < \Gamma <1.4)$ and clear evidence for an exponential cut-off in the range 1.0-2.6 GeV, which is the characteristic signature of magnetospheric emission from MSPs. Three of them (M 62, NGC 6440 and NGC 6652) also show hard spectral indices $(1.0 < \Gamma < 1.7)$, however the presence of an exponential cut-off can not be unambiguously established. Three of them (Omega Cen, NGC 6388, NGC 6652) have no known radio or X-ray MSPs yet still exhibit MSP spectral properties. From the observed gamma-ray luminosities, we estimate the total number of MSPs that is expected to be present in these globular clusters. We show that our estimates of the MSP population correlate with the stellar encounter rate and we estimate 2600-4700 MSPs in Galactic globular clusters, commensurate with previous estimates. The observation of high-energy gamma-ray emission from a globular cluster thus provides a reliable independent method to assess their millisecond pulsar populations that can be used to make constraints on the original neutron star X-ray binary population, essential for understanding the importance of binary systems in slowing the inevitable core collapse of globular clusters.Comment: Accepted for publication in A&A. Corresponding authors: J. Kn\"odlseder, N. Webb, B. Pancraz