Female Intrasexual Competition and Its Link to Menopausal Stage, Sex Hormone Levels, and Personality Characteristics

Background: Female intrasexual competition (ISC) represents a unique form of social interaction. It describes behaviors primarily applied to enhance a woman's ability to outcompete other women. Previous research suggests that female ISC is influenced by personality characteristics and sex hormones. Although these factors most likely interact to predict female ISC, no previous study has investigated those factors in parallel in order to link theories from social psychology and biology. Women at the end of the reproductive lifespan represent the ideal study population, as they allow for a controlled hormonal environment. Materials and Methods: Healthy pre- (N = 53) and postmenopausal (N = 56) women were classified according to the Stages of Reproductive Aging Workshop (STRAW+10) criteria. In the follicular phase (for premenopausal women) or on a random day (for postmenopausal women), questionnaires were administered to assess the general tendency to compete intrasexually and the tendency to compete on appearance, attention/interpersonal success, and competence. Additionally, personality characteristics (neuroticism, extraversion, openness, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and self-esteem) were assessed. On the same day, each subject provided an 8 a.m. saliva sample for estradiol, testosterone, progesterone, and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate. T-tests tested for between-group differences and separate multiple linear regression models tested for an effect of continuous hormone levels and personality characteristics on ISC. Further models were run, testing for an interaction with menopausal stage. Results: No group differences in ISC were evident (all p > 0.05). In premenopausal women, estradiol levels positively predicted the competition for attention (β = 2.103, p = 0.022). In postmenopausal women, self-esteem predicted the tendency to compete overall (β = -0.208, p < 0.001), on appearance (β = -0.061, p = 0.01), on competence (β = -0.087, p < 0.001), and on attention/interpersonal success (β = -0.060, p = 0.01). Discussion: These results, though cross-sectional, suggest that women continue to compete intrasexually in postmenopause, giving rise to new questions about the function of female ISC. If confirmed, the findings will indicate that hormones guide competitiveness in fertile women, whereas self-esteem accounts for individual differences in competitiveness post-reproduction. Particularly the function of postmenopausal ISC warrants further investigation

Psychobiological Factors of Sexual Functioning in Aging Women – Findings From the Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study

Background: A variety of biological and psychosocial factors are associated with women’s sexual health in midlife and older age. Evidence suggests a decline in sexual functioning in the context of aging and the menopausal transition, including changes in sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, pain, and/or contentment. However, not all women in midlife and older age experience such a decline, and it remains unclear how the endocrine environment and psychosocial aspects contribute to the maintenance of healthy sexual functioning. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine psychobiological predictors of sexual functioning in healthy middle-aged and elderly females.Methods: A total of 93 healthy, sexually active women aged 40–73 years completed a battery of validated psychosocial questionnaires, including measures of sexual functioning (Female Sexual Function Index) and of protective psychological traits and interpersonal variables. The steroid hormones estrogen, testosterone, progesterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate were determined in saliva samples, while follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone and sex hormone-binding globulin were determined in dried blood spots. The findings were statistically adjusted for multiple testing.Results: Age and postmenopausal status were negatively associated with overall sexual functioning, arousal, and lubrication. Regression analyses revealed that relationship satisfaction, emotional support, self-esteem, optimism, and life satisfaction each significantly predicted overall sexual functioning or specific aspects of sexual functioning, including arousal, contentment, orgasm, and pain (all p &lt; 0.029). For desire and lubrication, no associations were found with the tested psychosocial factors. In terms of steroid hormones, testosterone was positively linked to orgasm (p = 0.012). In this sample, 79.6% reported to have healthy sexual functioning according to the questionnaires’ cutoff. Younger age (OR = 0.911, 95% CI 0.854–0.970, p = 0.004) and a higher level of emotional support (OR = 1.376, 95% CI 1.033–1.833, p = 0.029) were associated with the presence of healthy sexual functioning.Discussion: Although aging and menopause negatively affected aspects of sexual functioning, the accompanying endocrine correlates were not predictive for sexual functioning in this healthy sample of middle-aged and older females. Instead, our findings suggest that sexual functioning is highly dependent on psychosocial aspects related to well-being. Accordingly, personality traits such as optimism, and interpersonal aspects such as emotional support and relationship satisfaction were identified as important predictors of sexual functioning

MHD dissipative flow and heat transfer of casson fluids due to metachronal wave propulsion of beating cilia with thermal and velocity slip effects under an oblique magnetic field

A theoretical investigation of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) flow and heat transfer of electrically-conducting viscoplastic fluids through a channel is conducted. The robust Casson model is implemented to simulate viscoplastic behavior of fluids. The external magnetic field is oblique to the fluid flow direction. Viscous dissipation effects are included. The flow is controlled by the metachronal wave propagation generated by cilia beating on the inner walls of the channel. The mathematical formulation is based on deformation in longitudinal and transverse velocity components induced by the ciliary beating phenomenon with cilia assumed to follow elliptic trajectories. The model also features velocity and thermal slip boundary conditions. Closed-form solutions to the non-dimensional boundary value problem are obtained under physiological limitations of low Reynolds number and large wavelength. The influence of key hydrodynamic and thermo-physical parameters i.e. Hartmann (magnetic) number, Casson (viscoplastic) fluid parameter, thermal slip parameter and velocity slip parameter on flow characteristics are investigated. A comparative study is also made with Newtonian fluids (corresponding to massive values of plastic viscosity). Stream lines are plotted to visualize trapping phenomenon. The computations reveal that velocity increases with increasing the magnitude of Hartmann number near the channel walls whereas in the core flow region (centre of the channel) significant deceleration is observed. Temperature is elevated with greater Casson parameter, Hartmann number, velocity slip, eccentricity parameter, thermal slip and also Brinkmann (dissipation) number. Furthermore greater Casson parameter is found to elevate the quantity and size of the trapped bolus. In the pumping region, the pressure rise is reduced with greater Hartmann number, velocity slip, and wave number whereas it is enhanced with greater cilia length

Psychobiological indicators of the subjectively experienced health status-findings from the Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study

Background: Healthy aging is particularly important in women, as their life-span is generally longer than men’s, leaving women at higher risk for age-related diseases. Understanding determinants of women’s healthy aging is therefore a major public health interest. Clinical utility of previous research is limited, through its focus on either single psychosocial or biological predictors. The present study investigated psychobiological predictors of women’s healthy aging, for the first time including positive psychological traits and biomarkers of healthy aging. Methods: Totally, 121 generally healthy women aged 40 to 75 were investigated cross-sectionally. Healthy aging was operationalized via self-rated health (SRH). To gain a nuanced view of the particularities at the upper end of the illness-wellness continuum, women with excellent SRH and those with good SRH were analyzed as distinct groups. Socioeconomic and sociodemographic variables, health behavior, resilience, optimism, and self-worth as well as menopausal symptoms, and levels of steroid hormones and gonadotropins were considered as predictors of SRH. Binary logistic regression analyses using the forward conditional method were performed with the two health status groups as dependent variable. Results: Women with a lower body mass index (BMI; OR = .59, 95% CI = .33–1.03), higher intensive physical activity (OR = 2.27, 95% CI = 1.06–4.86), and higher resilience (OR = 2.37, 95% CI = 1.34–4.18) were more likely to rate their health as excellent compared to good. No clinically significant differences could be found regarding endocrine levels. Conclusion: Psychobiological indicators (lower BMI, intensive physical activity, higher resilience) discriminated SRH at the top level of the health spectrum. In healthy women, the predictive value of endocrine markers seems to be secondary. Interventions targeting these indicators could promote women’s healthy aging

Sleep and Methylation of Estrogen Receptor Genes, ESR1 and GPER, in Healthy Middle-Aged and Older Women: Findings from the Women 40+ Healthy Aging Study

Purpose: Sleep problems in middle-aged and older women are very common and have been associated with menopause-related changes in estrogen levels. However, not all women experience sleep problems as they enter perimenopause, and epigenetic mechanisms might contribute to the differences in sleep quality within this population. In this study, we hypothesized that increased methylation of two estrogen receptor (ER) genes (ESR1 and GPER) would be associated with increased sleep problems in healthy pre-, peri-, and postmenopausal women, either directly or indirectly through the experience of vasomotor symptoms (VMS). Materials and Methods: In 130 healthy women aged 40-73 years, we assessed DNA methylation from dried blood spots (DBS). Women rated their sleep quality using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and VMS using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS). Results: Higher percentage methylation of ESR1 was associated with increased sleep problems, mediated by VMS, even after controlling for age, menopausal status, body mass index, estradiol levels, depressive symptoms, and caffeine consumption. There was no significant association between GPER methylation and either sleep problems or VMS. Conclusion: The study findings support an association between increased ESR1 methylation and sleep problems through increased VMS among healthy women aged 40-73 years

Biomathematical modelling of physiological fluids using a Casson fluid with emphasis to peristalsis

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/1121016

Mathematical study of peristaltic transport of physiological fluids / Anacleto Valentino Mernone.

Includes bibliographical references.l v. : ill. ; 30 cm.This mathematical study carries out a mathematical investigation of both Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids.Thesis (Ph.D.)--University of Adelaide, Dept. of Applied Mathematics, 200

Is stress related to the presence and persistence of oncogenic human papillomavirus infection in young women?

BACKGROUND: Persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) is the most important risk factor for the development of cervical cancer, but factors contributing to HR-HPV persistence are incompletely understood. The objective of this study was to test for associations of chronic stress and two aspects of diurnal cortisol secretion (i.e., the cortisol awakening response [CAR] and total cortisol output over the day [AUCgday]) with HR-HPV status at baseline and 12 months later (follow-up). METHODS: We evaluated 188 women (25 ± 3 years) at baseline. Follow-up investigation was restricted to HR-HPV infected women at baseline. Of the initial 48 HR-HPV positive participants, 42 completed the follow-up (16 HR-HPV positive and 26 HR-HPV negative). At baseline and follow-up, we determined HR-HPV status in cervical smears, assessed chronic stress, and repeatedly measured salivary cortisol over the day. At baseline, we analyzed salivary cortisol only in a subgroup of 90 participants (45 HR-HPV negative and 45 HR-HPV positive). RESULTS: At baseline, higher chronic stress (excessive demands at work: p = .022, chronic worrying: p = .032), and a higher CAR (p = .014) were related to baseline HR-HPV positivity. At follow-up, there was a statistical trend for a positive association between the CAR and HR-HPV positivity (p = .062). Neither the CAR nor the AUCgday mediated the associations between chronic stress and HR-HPV status. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that both chronic stress and diurnal cortisol are related to the presence of HR-HPV infection and may thus play a role in HPV-associated cervical carcinogenesis