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J Turk Ger Gynecol Assoc 2020 Jun 5. Epub 2020 Jun 5.

Department of Gynecologic Oncology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands.

Vulvar cancer is rarely seen. Vulva corresponds to the external female genitalia and it is in association with the perineum with the intersection of urinary, sexual and anal systems. The deep anatomy of the perineum in the urogenital and anogenital triangle should be well-known by the gynecological oncologists. Read More

J Biophotonics 2020 Jun 4:e202000050. Epub 2020 Jun 4.

School of Science, Jimei University, Xiamen, Fujian, China.

Ovarian cancer is currently one of the most common cancers of the female reproductive organs, and its mortality rate is the highest among all types of gynecologic cancers. Rapid and accurate classification of ovarian cancer plays an important role in the determination of treatment plans and prognoses. Nevertheless, the most commonly used classification method is based on histopathological specimen examination, which is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Read More

Biosci Trends 2020 Jun 3. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University, Shanghai, China.

Pelvic organ prolapse (POP) occurs when the pelvic organs (bladder, bowel or uterus) herniate into the vagina, causing incontinence, voiding, and bowel and sexual dysfunction, negatively impacting upon a woman's quality of life. Intermediate intermolecular cross-links and advanced glycation cross-links increase in prolapsed tissue. Stem cells are able to participate in tissue repair due to their ability to differentiate into multiple lineages, and thus into various types of connective tissue cells, so they therefore hold great promise for treating pelvic floor dysfunction. Read More

J Vector Ecol 2020 Jun;45(1):57-68

Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Campus Araraquara, São Paulo, Brasil.

The Triatoma brasiliensis complex is composed of six species (Triatoma bahiensis, T. juazerensis, T. lenti, T. Read More

Evolution 2020 Jun 3. Epub 2020 Jun 3.

Centre for Evolutionary Biology, School of Biological Sciences (M092), The University of Western Australia, Crawley, 6009, Australia.

Male genitalia are among the most phenotypically diverse morphological traits, and sexual selection is widely accepted as being responsible for their evolutionary divergence. Studies of house mice suggest that the shape of the baculum (penis bone) affects male reproductive fitness and experimentally imposed postmating sexual selection has been shown to drive divergence in baculum shape across generations. Much less is known of the morphology of female genitalia and its coevolution with male genitalia. Read More

Plant Direct 2020 May 21;4(5):e00225. Epub 2020 May 21.

3642 Augusta National Drive S. Salem 97302 OR USA.

Sweetgums (), members of the family Altingiaceae (Altingiales), have inflorescences and floral organs that are distinctive in structure compared with other angiosperms in which the roles of floral homeotic genes have been studied. To begin to understand the role of AGAMOUS (AG)-a floral homeotic gene that has a major role in stamen and carpel development-in development of the monosexual flowers of sweetgum, we used RNAi to reduce the expression of two members of the subfamily. Because suppression should induce floral sterility, RNAi might also provide a tool to mitigate the risks of invasiveness-and to reduce the production of its nuisance fruits or allergenic pollen-when sweetgum is used as an exotic shade or forest tree. Read More

J Forensic Sci 2020 Jun 1. Epub 2020 Jun 1.

Center of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Ghirnatah, Dammam, 32245, Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia.

Examination of the female external genitalia to assess for sexual abuse is performed in living individuals, and the interpretation of the findings is based on evidence-based studies. However, in the deceased, no such studies are available, and postmortem changes could present as suspicious findings that can be mistaken for trauma. Patches of discoloration in the hymen were reported previously in one case as hypostasis (i. Read More

Asia Pac J Oncol Nurs 2020 Apr-Jun;7(2):161-166. Epub 2020 Jan 14.

Department of Nursing, State University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.

Objective: The main objective of the study is to assess the efficacy of the Permission, Limited information, Specific Suggestion, and sexual therapy (PLISSIT) model directly with breast cancer survivor (BCS) on sexual function and quality of life (QOL) domains.

Methods: A pilot control trial was conducted comparing the PLISSIT model intervention to usual care. The intervention was delivered by two health professionals (nurse and professional sexual therapist) consisted of five sessions on counseling, genitalia anatomy, human sexual response, and sexual function. Read More

Urol Case Rep 2020 Sep 15;32:101253. Epub 2020 May 15.

Division of Urology, Niigata University Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Niigata, Japan.

A 4-month-old girl presented us with genital ambiguity. The patient had a persistent urogenital sinus, posterior labial fusion with clitoromegaly. MRI reveals ovary-like mass in left inguinal region and right abdominal cavity. Read More

Ann Vasc Surg 2020 May 28. Epub 2020 May 28.

Division of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, Staten Island University Hospital Northwell Health, Staten Island, NY, USA; Zucker School of Medicine, Hofstra/Northwell, Garden City, NY, USA. Electronic address:

Background: Gender-reassignment surgeries are technically-challenging and associated with detrimental vascular complications.

Case: A 49 year-old female status-post phalloplasty presented with peripheral vascular complication resulting in disabling claudication. Initial anastomotic attempt was rendered non-viable to sustain the constructed phallus resulting in superficial femoral artery stenosis. Read More

Br J Dermatol 2020 May 29. Epub 2020 May 29.

Centre of Evidence Based Dermatology, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, UK.

Lichen Sclerosus (LS) is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis predominantly affecting the genitals. It can affect men, women and children. LS affecting female genitalia typically presents with itchy patches that impact on physical and psychosocial-sexual functioning . Read More

Physiol Res 2020 May 29. Epub 2020 May 29.

Department of Endocrinology, Institute of Zoology and Biomedical Research, Jagiellonian University in Krakow, Krakow, Poland.

Vitamin D3 is well-known as a major regulator of calcium and phosphorus homeostasis. A growing body of evidence highlights its crucial role in the regulation of reproductive processes in females. The role of vitamin D3 in the female reproductive tract has been extensively investigated because its receptor is abundant in reproductive organs, including ovary. Read More

Am J Bot 2020 May 28. Epub 2020 May 28.

Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Catalão, Catalão, Goiás, Brazil.

Premise: Distylous species possess two floral morphs with reciprocal positioning of stigmas and anthers that is hypothesized to promote disassortative pollination. Theoretical models predict equal morph frequencies, but many populations depart from the expected 1:1 ratio, a pattern that often correlates with asymmetric mating between morphs and/or presence of a weak incompatibility system. Variation in reciprocity can also affect the likelihood of disassortative pollination and, hence, reproductive fitness. Read More

Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi 2019 Oct;32(2):195-197

Shandong Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Shandong First Medical University & Shandong Acadenmy of Medical Sciences, Jining 272033, China.

Objective: To observe the morphological changes in the testes and ovaries of adult 12th-generation bred for 12 winters in Weishan Lake areas.

Methods: The offspring of the adult snails bred in the Weishan Lake that were originated from the Yangzhou section of the Yangtze River was defined as the experiment group, while uninfected, adult snails captured from the marshland of the Yangzhou section of the Yangtze River served as the control group. Snails were dissected and intact testicular and ovarian specimens were sampled, routinely fixed, dehydrated, embedded, polymerized in an oven and sliced on an ultramicrotome. Read More

Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi 2020 Apr;32(2):123-131

State Key Laboratory of Genetic Engineering, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory for Biodiversity Science and Ecological Engineering,Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Contemporary Anthropology, School of Life Science, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.

Objective: To characterize the epidermal growth factor receptor () gene in ( gene) and investigate the role of the gene in regulating the growth, reproductive system, maturation and fecundity of .

Methods: Rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) was performed to obtain the full length of the gene, and the gene expression was quantified in different developmental stages of using a quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) assay. The tissue localization of the gene was detected in 22-day parasite using whole-mount hybridization (WISH). Read More

Int J Impot Res 2020 May 26. Epub 2020 May 26.

Professor of Medical Anthropology, Faculty of Health and Society, Centre for Sexology and Sexuality Studies, Malmö University, SE-205 06, Malmö, Sweden.

In recent years, the dominant Western discourse on "female genital mutilation" (FGM) has increasingly been challenged by scholars. Numerous researchers contest both the terminology used and the empirical claims made in what has come to be called "the standard tale" of FGM (also termed "female genital cutting" [FGC]). The World Health Organization (WHO), a major player in setting the global agenda on this issue, maintains that all medically unnecessary cutting of the external female genitalia, no matter how slight, should be banned as torture and a violation of the human right to bodily integrity. Read More

Biol Lett 2020 May 27;16(5):20200124. Epub 2020 May 27.

Evolution and Ecology Research Centre, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

The spectacular diversity of insect male genitalia, and their relative insensitivity to the environment, have long puzzled evolutionary biologists and taxonomists. We asked whether the unusual evolvability of male genitalia could be associated with low morphological integration of genitalic traits, by comparison with male somatic traits and female traits. We also asked whether this pattern was robust to variation in resource availability during development, which affects adult condition. Read More

JAMA 2020 05;323(20):2096-2097

Clinical Genetics Branch, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, Maryland.

JAMA 2020 05;323(20):2096

Research Triangle Institute, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina.

JAMA 2020 05;323(20):2095-2096

Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts.

Elife 2020 May 26;9. Epub 2020 May 26.

Université Côte d'Azur, CNRS, Inserm, iBV, Nice, France.

In mammals, testicular differentiation is initiated by transcription factors SRY and SOX9 in XY gonads, and ovarian differentiation involves R-spondin1 (RSPO1) mediated activation of WNT/β-catenin signaling in XX gonads. Accordingly, the absence of in XX humans and mice leads to testicular differentiation and female-to-male sex reversal in a manner that does not require or in mice. Here we show that an alternate testis-differentiating factor exists and that this factor is . Read More

Adv Clin Exp Med 2020 May;29(5):581-585

Institute of Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Rzeszów, Poland.

Background: Endometrial cancer is the most common malignant neoplasm of the female reproductive organs. A dysfunctional endometrial renin-angiotensin system (RAS) might contribute to the growth and spread of endometrial cancer. The RAS-related gene polymorphisms, including the polymorphism of insertion/deletion (I/D) in the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) gene, influence RAS activity. Read More

Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open 2020 Apr 23;8(4):e2781. Epub 2020 Apr 23.

Department of Plastic Surgery, RealSelf, Seattle, Wash.

Background: Online reviews have become increasingly important drivers of healthcare decisions. Data published by the Pew Research Center from 2016 suggest that 84% of adult Americans use online rating sites to search for information about health issues. The authors sought to analyze physician reviews collected from a large online consumer rating site to better understand characteristics that are associated with positive and negative review behavior. Read More

Cytokine 2020 May 18;133:155105. Epub 2020 May 18.

Department of Reproductive Sciences, School of Basic Medicine, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China; Joint International Research Laboratory of Reproduction & Development, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing 400016, People's Republic of China. Electronic address:

Activins and inhibins - comprising activin A, B, AB, C and E, and inhibin A and B isoforms - belong to the transforming growth factor beta (TGFβ) superfamily. They regulate several biological processes, including cellular proliferation, differentiation and invasiveness, to enhance the formation and functioning of many human tissues and organs. In this review, we have discussed the role of activin and inhibin signaling in the physiological and female-specific pathological events that occur in the female reproductive system. Read More

Front Physiol 2020 5;11:417. Epub 2020 May 5.

State Key Laboratory for Biology of Plant Diseases and Insect Pests, Institute of Plant Protection, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, China.

Increase in atmospheric CO directly affects the insect physiology and behavior, and indirectly affects the herbivorous insects by affecting their hosts. The increase in atmospheric CO is accompanied by an increase in temperature and heat waves. LeSage is a natural enemy of (common ragweed). Read More

J Cosmet Dermatol 2020 May 13. Epub 2020 May 13.

Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.

Background: Vitiligo is a pigmentary disorder associated with considerable psychological imbalance. Partial response to therapy and long duration for repigmentation are common. Meanwhile, camouflage may help through concealing vitiligo lesions and improving patient confidence and self-esteem. Read More

Ecotoxicol Environ Saf 2020 Aug 8;199:110675. Epub 2020 May 8.

Department of Biomedical Laboratory Science and Management and Clinical Nutrition and Dietetics Division, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, 721102, West Bengal, India. Electronic address:

An oral painless dietary therapy is also indispensable in the management of arsenic toxicity despite of its conventional painful therapeutic management. The present study focused on the management of arsenic mediated female reproductive dysfunctions by dietary therapy of N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). Here, sodium arsenite was given at the dose of 10 mg/kg body weight orally for the first 8 day. Read More

Cell Rep 2020 May;31(6):107631

School of Biomedical Sciences and Pharmacy, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, New Lambton Heights, NSW 2305, Australia. Electronic address:

The mesenchymal to epithelial transition (MET) is thought to be involved in the maintenance, repair, and carcinogenesis of the fallopian tube (oviduct) and uterine epithelium. However, conclusive evidence for the conversion of mesenchymal cells to epithelial cells in these organs is lacking. Using embryonal cell lineage tracing with reporters driven by mesenchymal cell marker genes of the female reproductive tract (AMHR2, CSPG4, and PDGFRβ), we show that these reporters are also expressed by some oviductal and uterine epithelial cells at birth. Read More

N Engl J Med 2020 05;382(20):1906-1915

From the Departments of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences (C.R.C., S.N., A.H.) and Laboratory Medicine (L.G., S. Miller), University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, the Department of Family Medicine, University of California, San Diego, San Diego (S. Morris), and Osel, Mountain View (T.P.) - all in California; Emmes, Rockville, MD (M.R.W., J.P.); the Department of Medicine, Ruth M. Rothstein CORE Center and Stroger Hospital of Cook County Health, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago (A.L.F.); and the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University, St. Louis (H.R.).

Background: Bacterial vaginosis affects 15 to 50% of women of reproductive age, and recurrence is common after treatment with an antibiotic agent. The high incidence of recurrence suggests the need for new treatments to prevent recurrent bacterial vaginosis.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, phase 2b trial to evaluate the ability of CTV-05 (Lactin-V) to prevent the recurrence of bacterial vaginosis. Read More

Mol Genet Genomic Med 2020 May 13:e1265. Epub 2020 May 13.

Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Jefferson Health New jersey, Cherry Hill, New Jersey, USA.

Background: 15q24 microdeletion is a relatively new syndrome caused by nonallelic homologous recombination (NAHR) between low-copy repeats (LCRs) in the 15q24 chromosome region. This syndrome is characterized by a spectrum of clinical symptoms including global developmental delay, intellectual disability, facial dysmorphisms, and congenital malformations of the extremities, eye, gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary system, and genitalia.

Method: Molecular cytogenetic analysis was performed using whole genome single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) microarray analysis. Read More

Reprod Fertil Dev 2020 May;32(8):763-773

Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Prédio Anexo, Floresta, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil; and Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Bioquímica, Instituto de Ciências, Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Rua Ramiro Barcelos, 2600-Prédio Anexo, Floresta, Porto Alegre, RS, 90035-003, Brazil; and Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas: Fisiologia, Instituto de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, R. Sarmento Leite, n° 500, Farroupilha, Porto Alegre, RS, 90050-170, Brazil; and Corresponding author. Email:

According to the developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD) hypothesis, changes in the maternal environment are known to reprogram the metabolic response of offspring. Known for its redox modulation, caloric restriction extends the lifespan of some species, which contributes to diminished cellular damage. Little is known about the effects of gestational caloric restriction, in terms of antioxidant parameters and molecular mechanisms of action, on the reproductive organs of offspring. Read More

J Gastrointest Cancer 2020 May 9. Epub 2020 May 9.

Department of Pathology, Diyarbakir Education and Research Hospital, 21400, Diyarbakir, Turkey.

Purpose: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is rare autosomal recessive disease. CAH due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency accounts for 95% of cases. We aimed to share the first case of coexistence of simple virilizing-type congenital adrenal hyperplasia [I172N mutation in the CYP21A], triple translocation [t(9;11;12)], and ovarian granulose cell tumor. Read More

J Morphol 2020 Jun 8;281(6):620-635. Epub 2020 May 8.

Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas Físicas y Naturales, Departamento de Diversidad Biológica y Ecología, Córdoba, Argentina.

Mating plugs have been proposed as a mechanism that has evolved to avoid sperm competition. Their structure and composition vary across taxa and are related to the effectiveness of its function. This effectiveness could be related to different evolutionary interests of the sexes. Read More

Zookeys 2020 22;929:53-77. Epub 2020 Apr 22.

Department of Agriculture, Environment and Food Sciences, University of Molise, Via Francesco De Sanctis Campobasso, Italy.

The genus Herbulot, 1966 is revised. Two new genera are described: Hausmann & Tujuba, (type species: Ectropis ? subaurata Warren, 1899), and Hausmann & Tujuba, (type species: Hausmann & Tujuba, ). Ten new species and two new subspecies are described: Hausmann & Tujuba, , from western Africa, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from Kenya, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from Zambia, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from Tanzania, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from Kenya, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from Kenya, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from Zambia, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from South Africa, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from Zambia, Tanzania, Ethiopia, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from Ethiopia, Hausmann & Tujuba, , from Zambia and Malawi, and Hausmann & Tujuba, from Ethiopia. Read More

J Pediatr Adolesc Gynecol 2020 May 3. Epub 2020 May 3.

Department of Community Health, UKM Medical Center, The National University of Malaysia (UKM), Malaysia.

Objective: To explore the impact of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH) on body image in Malaysian females with CAH and to understand the perspectives of these young women and their parents towards Feminizing Genitoplasty (FG) DESIGN: Multi-center cross-sectional study SETTING: Two tertiary medical centers in Malaysia.

Participants: 59 patients with CAH, raised female, above 10 years old; and their parents.

Methods: The CAH respondents completed the validated and translated Body Image Disturbance Questionnaires (BIDQ). Read More

J Int Bioethique Ethique Sci 2019 Nov;Vol. 30(3):159-177

Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have increased the life expectancy of cancer patients but may cause premature ovarian failure and irreversible loss of fertility. In the context of childhood cancers, it is now acknowledged that possible negative effects of treatment on future reproductive autonomy are a major concern. While a few options are open to patients post-puberty, the only option currently open to prepubescent girls is cryopreservation of ovarian tissue and subsequent transplantation. Read More

Front Plant Sci 2020 15;11:397. Epub 2020 Apr 15.

State Key Laboratory of Crop Biology, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Agricultural University, Tai'an, China.

Ovules are female reproductive organs of angiosperms, containing sporophytic integuments and gametophytic embryo sacs. After fertilization, embryo sacs develop into embryos and endosperm whereas integuments into seed coat. Ovule development is regulated by transcription factors (TF) whose expression is often controlled by microRNAs. Read More

Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2020 15;11:211. Epub 2020 Apr 15.

Centro de Investigaciones Endocrinológicas "Dr. César Bergadá" (CEDIE), CONICET-FEI-División de Endocrinología, Hospital de Niños Ricardo Gutiérrez, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Disorders of Sex Development (DSD) are congenital anomalies in which there is a discordance between chromosomal, genetic, gonadal, and/or internal/external genital sex. In XY individuals, the process of fetal sex differentiation can be disrupted at the stage of gonadal differentiation, resulting in gonadal dysgenesis, a form of early fetal-onset primary hypogonadism characterized by insufficient androgen and anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) production, which leads to the development of ambiguous or female genitalia. The process of sex differentiation can also be disrupted at the stage of genital differentiation, due to isolated defects in androgen or AMH secretion, but not both. Read More

Elife 2020 Apr 29;9. Epub 2020 Apr 29.

Embryotools, Parc Cientific de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.

The developmental potential of early embryos is mainly dictated by the quality of the oocyte. Here, we explore the utility of the maternal spindle transfer (MST) technique as a reproductive approach to enhance oocyte developmental competence. Our proof-of-concept experiments show that replacement of the entire cytoplasm of oocytes from a sensitive mouse strain overcomes massive embryo developmental arrest characteristic of non-manipulated oocytes. Read More

Sheng Wu Gong Cheng Xue Bao 2020 Apr;36(4):632-642

Key Laboratory of Animal Biotechnology, Ministry of Agriculture, College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest Agriculture and Forestry University, Yangling 712100, Shaanxi, China.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) refer to bilayer membrane transport vesicles secreted by cells. EVs can take macromolecules from cells and transfer them to receptor cells. Among these macromolecular substances, the most studied are microRNAs (miRNAs). Read More

Biomed Rep 2020 Jun 27;12(6):333-338. Epub 2020 Mar 27.

Third Department of Surgery, Attiko University Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens 12462, Greece.

Defects in the Canal of Nuck are rare abnormalities of the female genitalia, which are typically detected and repaired in young age. In the present report, a case of a Nuck cyst in a 40-year old female patient is described. Additionally, the current literature concerning cases of women with hydrocele of Nuck canal was systematically reviewed. Read More