Sperm cells of flowering plants are non-motile and thus require transportation to the egg apparatus via the pollen tube to execute double fertilization. During its journey, the pollen tube interacts with various sporo...Sperm cells of flowering plants are non-motile and thus require transportation to the egg apparatus via the pollen tube to execute double fertilization. During its journey, the pollen tube interacts with various sporophytic cell types that support its growth and guide it towards the surface of the ovule. The final steps of tube guidance and sperm delivery are controlled by the cells of the female gametophyte. During fertilization, cell-cell communication events take place to achieve and maximize reproductive success. Additional layers of crosstalk exist, including self-recognition and specialized processes to prevent self-fertilization and consequent inbreeding. In this review, we focus on intercellular communication between the pollen grain/pollen tube including the sperm cells with the various sporophytic maternal tissues and the cells of the female gametophyte. Polymorphic-secreted peptides and small proteins, especially those belonging to various subclasses of small cysteine-rich proteins （CRPs）, reactive oxygen species （ROS）/NO signaling, and the second messenger Ca2＋, play center stage in most of these processes.展开更多
Sexual reproduction in flowering plants requires that two sperm cells are delivered to the embryo sac where double fertilization of an egg cell and of a central cell results in the formation of a diploid embryo and of...Sexual reproduction in flowering plants requires that two sperm cells are delivered to the embryo sac where double fertilization of an egg cell and of a central cell results in the formation of a diploid embryo and of the triploid nutritional endosperm tissue. The immobile male gametes are delivered to the immobile female gametophyte by a single cell, the pollen tube. The pollen tube must be able to germinate on a genetically appropriate stigma and it must be directed through the transmitting tract of the style from where it must target an ovule. Moreover, the pollen tube must enter the ovule at a defined opening, the micropyle, grow toward one of the two synergids and release the two sperm cells upon contact. This complex process requires recognition events with chemically based or physically supported cell-cell communication as well as directional cues for the growing pollen tube. A number of molecules and mechanisms have been implicated in pollen tube guidance which are summarized in this review.展开更多
Objectives:This study aimed to describe patterns of presentation,etiology,risk factors,management,and treatment outcomes of periurethral abscesses using a systematic review framework.Materials and methods:After prospe...Objectives:This study aimed to describe patterns of presentation,etiology,risk factors,management,and treatment outcomes of periurethral abscesses using a systematic review framework.Materials and methods:After prospective registration on the PROSPERO database(CRD42020193063),a systematic review of Web of Science,Embase,PubMed,and Cochrane scientific databases was performed.Articles published between 1900 and 2021 were considered.Extracted data included symptoms,etiology,medical history,investigations,treatment,and outcomes.Collated data were analyzed using univariate methods.Results:Sixty articles met the inclusion criteria reporting on 270 patients(211 male,59 female)with periurethral abscess.The most common clinical features were pain(41.5%),pyuria(41.5%),dysuria(38.5%),urinary frequency(32.3%),fever(25%),and a palpable mass(23%).Predisposing risk factors included the presence of a sexually transmitted infection or urinary tract infection(55.0%),urethral strictures(39.6%),and recent urethral instrumentation(18.7%).Management approaches included open incision and drainage(64.3%),conservative management with antibiotics(29.8%),and minimally invasive techniques(needle aspiration,endoscopic drainage).Time trend analysis of etiology revealed a decreased incidence of infection(sexually transmitted infection/urinary tract infection,human immunodeficiency virus)and higher incidence of diabetes mellitus and periurethral bulking injections in recent years.Conclusions:Periurethral abscesses may display a wide range of clinical features.Presentation,risk factors and underlying etiology vary with sex.The optimal management technique is guided by abscess size.Open incision and drainage combined with antibiotics continues to be the mainstay of management.However,minimally invasive techniques are gaining favor.To the authors'knowledge,this is the first systematic appraisal and management algorithm for periurethral abscess.展开更多
The male and female reproductive tracts are complex microenvironments that have diverse functional demands. The immune system in the reproductive tract has the demanding task of providing a protective environment for ...The male and female reproductive tracts are complex microenvironments that have diverse functional demands. The immune system in the reproductive tract has the demanding task of providing a protective environment for a fetal allograft while simultaneously conferring protection against potential pathogens. As such, it has evolved a unique set of adaptations, primarily under the influence of sex hormones, which make it distinct from other mucosal sites. Here, we discuss the various components of the immune system that are present in both the male and female reproductive tracts, including innate soluble factors and cells and humoral and cell-mediated adaptive immunity under homeostatic conditions. We review the evidence showing unique phenotypic and functional characteristics of immune cells and responses in the male and female reproductive tracts that exhibit compartmentalization from systemic immunity and discuss how these features are influenced by sex hormones. We also examine the interactions among the reproductive tract, sex hormones and immune responses following HIV-1 infection. An improved understanding of the unique characteristics of the male and female reproductive tracts will provide insights into improving clinical treatments of the immunological causes of infertility and the design of prophylactic interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections.展开更多
<strong>Background:</strong> Sexually transmitted diseases are one of the several major public health concerns, the burden of which is borne by low- and middle-income countries like India.<strong> Pu...<strong>Background:</strong> Sexually transmitted diseases are one of the several major public health concerns, the burden of which is borne by low- and middle-income countries like India.<strong> Purpose:</strong> The purpose is to evaluate the relationship between menstrual and sanitary hygiene and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) based on syndromic diagnosis<strong> Methods:</strong> An out-patient department (OPD) based cross sectional survey to determine these associations, if any exist, which would help critically analyze syndromic management. STD was reported by the presence of vaginal/cervical/urethral discharge with or without irritation and itching, lower abdominal pain and ulcer. <strong>Results:</strong> The prevalence of STD was 66.84% with the most commonly reported symptoms being discharged (31.18%), followed by abdominal pain (17.92%) and itching/irritation (12.90%), with ulcer (4.83%) being the least reported symptom. Perimenopausal age ((AOR: 0.420 [CI: 0.189 - 0.915];p = 0.030), higher grades of education ((AOR: 0.228 [CI: 0.119 - 0.424];p < 0.001) for secondary), urban residency (AOR: 0.435 [CI: 0.686 - 2.733];p < 0.001), and contraception use (AOR: 0.531 [CI: 0.308 - 0.887];p = 0.018) were associated with lesser odds of presenting with an STD symptom. Belonging to a minority religious community (AOR: 7.20 [CI: 1.866 - 48.251];p < 0.012) or backward castes (AOR: 3.753 [CI: 1.587 - 10.144];p < 0.001), having similar illness (AOR: 4.205 [CI: 2.795 - 6.439];p < 0.001) or having an invasive gynecological procedure done in the past one year (AOR: 1.953 [CI: 1.184 - 3.295];p = 0.010) and washing the reusable sanitary material only with water (AOR: 4.900 [CI: 2.701 - 9.116];p < 0.001) as compared to washing it with water and soap, had a higher association with presenting with STD symptoms. Stratified analysis also showed that women presenting discharge (AOR: 2.049 [CI: 1.343 - 3.146] for vaginal and cervical;AOR: 1.426 [CI: 0.826 - 2.482] for urethral) were more likely to not have a toilet facilit展开更多
AIM To determine whether recent evidence-based United States polices on male circumcision(MC) apply to comparable Anglophone countries,Australia and New Zealand.METHODS Articles in 2005 through 2015 were retrieved fro...AIM To determine whether recent evidence-based United States polices on male circumcision(MC) apply to comparable Anglophone countries,Australia and New Zealand.METHODS Articles in 2005 through 2015 were retrieved from PubM ed using the keyword "circumcision" together with 36 relevant subtopics.A further PubM ed search was performed for articles published in 2016.Searches of the EMBASE and Cochrane databases did not yield additional citable articles.Articles were assessed for quality and those rated 2+ and above according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Grading System were studied further.The most relevant andrepresentative of the topic were included.Bibliographies were examined to retrieve further key references.Randomized controlled trials,recent high quality systematic reviews or meta-analyses(level 1++ or 1+ evidence) were prioritized for inclusion.A risk-benefit analysis of articles rated for quality was performed.For efficiency and reliability,recent randomized controlled trials,metaanalyses,high quality systematic reviews and large welldesigned studies were used if available.Internet searches were conducted for other relevant information,including policies and Australian data on claims under Medicare for MC.RESULTS Evidence-based policy statements by the American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) support infant and later age male circumcision(MC) as a desirable public health measure.Our systematic review of relevant literature over the past decade yielded 140 journal articles that met our inclusion criteria.Together,these showed that early infant MC confers immediate and lifelong benefits by protecting against urinary tract infections having potential adverse long-term renal effects,phimosis that causes difficult and painful erections and "ballooning" during urination,inflammatory skin conditions,inferior penile hygiene,candidiasis,various sexually transmissible infections in both sexes,genital ulcers,and penile,prostate and cervical cancer.Our risk-benefit 展开更多
文摘Sperm cells of flowering plants are non-motile and thus require transportation to the egg apparatus via the pollen tube to execute double fertilization. During its journey, the pollen tube interacts with various sporophytic cell types that support its growth and guide it towards the surface of the ovule. The final steps of tube guidance and sperm delivery are controlled by the cells of the female gametophyte. During fertilization, cell-cell communication events take place to achieve and maximize reproductive success. Additional layers of crosstalk exist, including self-recognition and specialized processes to prevent self-fertilization and consequent inbreeding. In this review, we focus on intercellular communication between the pollen grain/pollen tube including the sperm cells with the various sporophytic maternal tissues and the cells of the female gametophyte. Polymorphic-secreted peptides and small proteins, especially those belonging to various subclasses of small cysteine-rich proteins （CRPs）, reactive oxygen species （ROS）/NO signaling, and the second messenger Ca2＋, play center stage in most of these processes.
文摘Sexual reproduction in flowering plants requires that two sperm cells are delivered to the embryo sac where double fertilization of an egg cell and of a central cell results in the formation of a diploid embryo and of the triploid nutritional endosperm tissue. The immobile male gametes are delivered to the immobile female gametophyte by a single cell, the pollen tube. The pollen tube must be able to germinate on a genetically appropriate stigma and it must be directed through the transmitting tract of the style from where it must target an ovule. Moreover, the pollen tube must enter the ovule at a defined opening, the micropyle, grow toward one of the two synergids and release the two sperm cells upon contact. This complex process requires recognition events with chemically based or physically supported cell-cell communication as well as directional cues for the growing pollen tube. A number of molecules and mechanisms have been implicated in pollen tube guidance which are summarized in this review.
文摘Objectives:This study aimed to describe patterns of presentation,etiology,risk factors,management,and treatment outcomes of periurethral abscesses using a systematic review framework.Materials and methods:After prospective registration on the PROSPERO database(CRD42020193063),a systematic review of Web of Science,Embase,PubMed,and Cochrane scientific databases was performed.Articles published between 1900 and 2021 were considered.Extracted data included symptoms,etiology,medical history,investigations,treatment,and outcomes.Collated data were analyzed using univariate methods.Results:Sixty articles met the inclusion criteria reporting on 270 patients(211 male,59 female)with periurethral abscess.The most common clinical features were pain(41.5%),pyuria(41.5%),dysuria(38.5%),urinary frequency(32.3%),fever(25%),and a palpable mass(23%).Predisposing risk factors included the presence of a sexually transmitted infection or urinary tract infection(55.0%),urethral strictures(39.6%),and recent urethral instrumentation(18.7%).Management approaches included open incision and drainage(64.3%),conservative management with antibiotics(29.8%),and minimally invasive techniques(needle aspiration,endoscopic drainage).Time trend analysis of etiology revealed a decreased incidence of infection(sexually transmitted infection/urinary tract infection,human immunodeficiency virus)and higher incidence of diabetes mellitus and periurethral bulking injections in recent years.Conclusions:Periurethral abscesses may display a wide range of clinical features.Presentation,risk factors and underlying etiology vary with sex.The optimal management technique is guided by abscess size.Open incision and drainage combined with antibiotics continues to be the mainstay of management.However,minimally invasive techniques are gaining favor.To the authors'knowledge,this is the first systematic appraisal and management algorithm for periurethral abscess.
文摘The male and female reproductive tracts are complex microenvironments that have diverse functional demands. The immune system in the reproductive tract has the demanding task of providing a protective environment for a fetal allograft while simultaneously conferring protection against potential pathogens. As such, it has evolved a unique set of adaptations, primarily under the influence of sex hormones, which make it distinct from other mucosal sites. Here, we discuss the various components of the immune system that are present in both the male and female reproductive tracts, including innate soluble factors and cells and humoral and cell-mediated adaptive immunity under homeostatic conditions. We review the evidence showing unique phenotypic and functional characteristics of immune cells and responses in the male and female reproductive tracts that exhibit compartmentalization from systemic immunity and discuss how these features are influenced by sex hormones. We also examine the interactions among the reproductive tract, sex hormones and immune responses following HIV-1 infection. An improved understanding of the unique characteristics of the male and female reproductive tracts will provide insights into improving clinical treatments of the immunological causes of infertility and the design of prophylactic interventions for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections.
文摘<strong>Background:</strong> Sexually transmitted diseases are one of the several major public health concerns, the burden of which is borne by low- and middle-income countries like India.<strong> Purpose:</strong> The purpose is to evaluate the relationship between menstrual and sanitary hygiene and sexually transmitted diseases (STD) based on syndromic diagnosis<strong> Methods:</strong> An out-patient department (OPD) based cross sectional survey to determine these associations, if any exist, which would help critically analyze syndromic management. STD was reported by the presence of vaginal/cervical/urethral discharge with or without irritation and itching, lower abdominal pain and ulcer. <strong>Results:</strong> The prevalence of STD was 66.84% with the most commonly reported symptoms being discharged (31.18%), followed by abdominal pain (17.92%) and itching/irritation (12.90%), with ulcer (4.83%) being the least reported symptom. Perimenopausal age ((AOR: 0.420 [CI: 0.189 - 0.915];p = 0.030), higher grades of education ((AOR: 0.228 [CI: 0.119 - 0.424];p < 0.001) for secondary), urban residency (AOR: 0.435 [CI: 0.686 - 2.733];p < 0.001), and contraception use (AOR: 0.531 [CI: 0.308 - 0.887];p = 0.018) were associated with lesser odds of presenting with an STD symptom. Belonging to a minority religious community (AOR: 7.20 [CI: 1.866 - 48.251];p < 0.012) or backward castes (AOR: 3.753 [CI: 1.587 - 10.144];p < 0.001), having similar illness (AOR: 4.205 [CI: 2.795 - 6.439];p < 0.001) or having an invasive gynecological procedure done in the past one year (AOR: 1.953 [CI: 1.184 - 3.295];p = 0.010) and washing the reusable sanitary material only with water (AOR: 4.900 [CI: 2.701 - 9.116];p < 0.001) as compared to washing it with water and soap, had a higher association with presenting with STD symptoms. Stratified analysis also showed that women presenting discharge (AOR: 2.049 [CI: 1.343 - 3.146] for vaginal and cervical;AOR: 1.426 [CI: 0.826 - 2.482] for urethral) were more likely to not have a toilet facilit
文摘AIM To determine whether recent evidence-based United States polices on male circumcision(MC) apply to comparable Anglophone countries,Australia and New Zealand.METHODS Articles in 2005 through 2015 were retrieved from PubM ed using the keyword "circumcision" together with 36 relevant subtopics.A further PubM ed search was performed for articles published in 2016.Searches of the EMBASE and Cochrane databases did not yield additional citable articles.Articles were assessed for quality and those rated 2+ and above according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Grading System were studied further.The most relevant andrepresentative of the topic were included.Bibliographies were examined to retrieve further key references.Randomized controlled trials,recent high quality systematic reviews or meta-analyses(level 1++ or 1+ evidence) were prioritized for inclusion.A risk-benefit analysis of articles rated for quality was performed.For efficiency and reliability,recent randomized controlled trials,metaanalyses,high quality systematic reviews and large welldesigned studies were used if available.Internet searches were conducted for other relevant information,including policies and Australian data on claims under Medicare for MC.RESULTS Evidence-based policy statements by the American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) support infant and later age male circumcision(MC) as a desirable public health measure.Our systematic review of relevant literature over the past decade yielded 140 journal articles that met our inclusion criteria.Together,these showed that early infant MC confers immediate and lifelong benefits by protecting against urinary tract infections having potential adverse long-term renal effects,phimosis that causes difficult and painful erections and "ballooning" during urination,inflammatory skin conditions,inferior penile hygiene,candidiasis,various sexually transmissible infections in both sexes,genital ulcers,and penile,prostate and cervical cancer.Our risk-benefit
