Female Hormonal Cycle Research Articles

Tip-Enhanced Sub-Femtomolar Steroid Immunosensing via Micropyramidal Flexible Conducting Polymer Electrodes for At-Home Monitoring of Salivary Sex Hormones.

Noninvasive testing and continuous monitoring of ultralow-concentration hormones in biofluids have attracted increasing interest for health management and personalized medicine, in which saliva could fulfill the demand. Steroid sex hormones such as progesterone (P4) and β-estradiol (E2) are crucial for female wellness and reproduction; however, their concentrations in saliva can vary down to sub-pM and constantly fluctuate over several orders of magnitude. This remains a major obstacle toward user-friendly and reliable monitoring at home with low-cost flexible biosensors. Herein we introduce a 3D micropyramidal electrode architecture to address such challenges and achieve an ultrasensitive flexible electrochemical immunosensor with sub-fM-level detection capability of salivary sex hormones within a few minutes. This is enabled by micropyramidal electrode arrays consisting of a poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(4-styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) thin film as the coating layer and electrochemically decorated gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) to improve the antibody immobilization. The enhanced mass transport around the 3D tips provided by the micropyramidal architecture is discovered to improve the detection limit by 3 orders of magnitude, pushing it to as low as ∼100 aM for P4 and ∼20 aM for E2, along with a wide linear range up to μM. Accordingly, these hormones down to sub-fM in >1000-fold-diluted saliva samples can be accurately measured by the printed soft immunosensors, thus allowing at-home testing through simple saliva dilution to minimize the interfering substances instead of centrifugation. Finally, monitoring of the female ovarian hormone cycle of both P4 and E2 is successfully demonstrated based on the centrifuge-free saliva testing during a period of 4 weeks. This ultrasensitive and soft 3D microarchitected electrode design is believed to provide a universal platform for a diverse variety of applications spanning from accurate clinical diagnostics and counselling and in vivo detection of bioactive species to environmental and food quality tracing.

"I hardly have a problem […] I have my period quite rarely too": Female football players' and their coaches' perceptions of barriers to communication on menstrual cycle.

Symptoms related to the menstrual cycle (MC) affect the performance level and health of female athletes in various ways. Previous research has reported MC symptoms such as pain, mood disturbance, reduced coordination and competition distraction as well as diminished performance levels and an increased injury risk among female elite athletes. Despite this, the coach-athlete communication related to the female hormonal cycle is limited. The aim of the present study was to explore the perceptions of MC communication in a group of junior elite football players and their male coaches in a case study of one youth football team in a specific club in Norway. The study used a qualitative approach with semi-structured interviews. In total, 8 female junior elite players (aged 16-20) from a Norwegian football team and 2 of their male coaches participated in the study. The data analysis revealed two main communication barriers: 1. interpersonal barriers (e.g., false assumptions about the coach/athletes and social discomfort) and 2. knowledge barriers (e.g., unaware/perceptions of insufficient knowledge levels). As the players seemed to be unaware of their insufficient MC knowledge (e.g., failed to see a connection between the MC and their health and performance level), the coaches perceived their knowledge as insufficient and coped mainly by outsourcing MC communication to female staff and apps. Hence, the MC communication was hindered by both the athletes and the coaches (e.g., mutual avoidance). In line with previous research, this study supports that there is a need for developing effective strategies to overcome the interpersonal barriers and knowledge gaps.

HRness in Breast and Ovarian Cancers.

Ovarian and breast cancers are currently defined by the main pathways involved in the tumorigenesis. The majority are carcinomas, originating from epithelial cells that are in constant division and subjected to cyclical variations of the estrogen stimulus during the female hormonal cycle, therefore being vulnerable to DNA damage. A portion of breast and ovarian carcinomas arises in the context of DNA repair defects, in which genetic instability is the backdrop for cancer initiation and progression. For these tumors, DNA repair deficiency is now increasingly recognized as a target for therapeutics. In hereditary breast/ovarian cancers (HBOC), tumors with BRCA1/2 mutations present an impairment of DNA repair by homologous recombination (HR). For many years, BRCA1/2 mutations were only screened on germline DNA, but now they are also searched at the tumor level to personalize treatment. The reason of the inactivation of this pathway remains uncertain for most cases, even in the presence of a HR-deficient signature. Evidence indicates that identifying the mechanism of HR inactivation should improve both genetic counseling and therapeutic response, since they can be useful as new biomarkers of response.

Sleep Changes Across the Female Hormonal Cycle Affecting Memory: Implications for Resilient Adaptation to Traumatic Experiences.

We review findings and propose a model explaining why women's adaptation to traumatic stress might be different than men's, including the role of cycling hormones and sleep differences in the development of post-traumatic stress and other stress-related disorders. Women are diagnosed with stress-related mental health disorders at a higher frequency than men. Most mental health disorders involve sleep disturbances, which may contribute to these disorders. The mechanisms by which sleep contributes to the development of mental health disorders in women have not been addressed in basic research. Sleep features such as spindle density and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep theta power are important for the role of sleep in emotion and cognition. The effect of hormonal cycles on these and other critical sleep features is only beginning to be understood. We explore what sleep factors could confer resilience to mental health disorders and how they might be altered by hormonal cycles in women. We target a specific system at the nexus of arousal control, stress response, and memory consolidation processes that has not been explored at all in women or across the hormonal cycle in animal studies: the locus coeruleus noradrenergic (LC-NE) system.

Immature O-glycans recognized by the macrophage glycoreceptor CLEC10A (MGL) are induced by 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen, oxidative stress and DNA-damage in breast cancer cells

BackgroundLigands of the C-type lectin CLEC10A such as Tn and sialyl-Tn representing early intermediates of O-glycosylation are hallmarks of many human malignancies. A variety of regulatory mechanisms underlying their expression are being discussed.MethodsCLEC10A ligands were detected in various tissues and cells using the recombinant glycan-binding domain of CLEC10A. In normal breast and endometrium, presence of ligands was correlated to the female cycle. Estrogen- and stress dependent induction of CLEC10A ligands was analyzed in MCF7 and T47D cells exposed to 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen (Tam), zeocin and hydrogen peroxide. The expression and localization of CLEC10A ligands was analyzed by Western blot and immunofluorescence. In breast cancer patients CLEC10A ligand expression and survival was correlated by Kaplan-Meyer analysis.ResultWe observed binding of CLEC10A in normal endometrial and breast tissues during the late phase of the female hormonal cycle suggesting a suppressive effect of female sex hormones on CLEC10A ligand expression. Accordingly, CLEC10A ligands were induced in MCF7- and T47D breast cancer cells after Tam treatment and accumulated on the cell surface and in the endosomal/lysosomal compartment. Phagocytosis experiments indicate that macrophages preferentially internalize CLEC10A ligands coated beads and Tam treated MCF7 cells. CLEC10A ligands were also expressed after the addition of zeocin and hydrogen-peroxide. Each substance induced the production of ROS indicating reactive oxygen species as a unifying mechanism of CLEC10A ligand induction. Mechanistically, increased expression of GalNAc-transferase 6 (GalNT6) and translocation of GalNT2 and GalNT6 from cis- towards trans-Golgi compartment was observed, while protein levels of COSMC and T-synthase remained unaffected. In breast cancer patients, positivity for CLEC10A staining in tumor tissues was associated with improved outcome and survival.ConclusionCLEC10A ligands are inducible by hormone depletion, 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen and agents inducing DNA damage and oxidative stress. Our results indicate that CLEC10A acts as a receptor for damaged and dead cells and may play an important role in the uptake of cell debris by macrophages and dendritic cells.Graphical

Estrous cycle-induced sex differences in medium spiny neuron excitatory synaptic transmission and intrinsic excitability in adult rat nucleus accumbens core.

Naturally occurring hormone cycles in adult female humans and rodents create a dynamic neuroendocrine environment. These cycles include the menstrual cycle in humans and its counterpart in rodents, the estrous cycle. These hormone fluctuations induce sex differences in the phenotypes of many behaviors, including those related to motivation, and associated disorders such as depression and addiction. This suggests that the neural substrate instrumental for these behaviors, including the nucleus accumbens core (AcbC), likewise differs between estrous cycle phases. It is unknown whether the electrophysiological properties of AcbC output neurons, medium spiny neurons (MSNs), change between estrous cycle phases. This is a critical knowledge gap given that MSN electrophysiological properties are instrumental for determining AcbC output to efferent targets. Here we test whether the intrinsic electrophysiological properties of adult rat AcbC MSNs differ across female estrous cycle phases and from males. We recorded MSNs with whole cell patch-clamp technique in two experiments, the first using gonad-intact adult males and females in differing phases of the estrous cycle and the second using gonadectomized males and females in which the estrous cycle was eliminated. MSN intrinsic electrophysiological and excitatory synaptic input properties robustly changed between female estrous cycle phases and males. Sex differences in MSN electrophysiology disappeared when the estrous cycle was eliminated. These novel findings indicate that AcbC MSN electrophysiological properties change across the estrous cycle, providing a new framework for understanding how biological sex and hormone cyclicity regulate motivated behaviors and other AcbC functions and disorders. NEW & NOTEWORTHY This research is the first demonstration that medium spiny neuron electrophysiological properties change across adult female hormone cycle phases in any striatal region. This influence of estrous cycle engenders sex differences in electrophysiological properties that are eliminated by gonadectomy. Broadly, these findings indicate that adult female hormone cycles are an important factor for neurophysiology.

The Role of the Hydrogen Sulfide Pathway in Male and Female Urogenital System in Health and Disease.

The endogenous hydrogen sulfide (H2S) pathway produces an array of biological effects that vary depending on the bodily region. In addition, the H2S pathway's relevance often changes depending on a healthy or disease state. There is abundant evidence pointing to a key role for this pathway in male and female genito-urinary diseases, suggesting it as a possible target for new therapeutic approaches. Recent Advances: The tissue-specific localization of the H2S enzymes in the genito-urinary tract has allowed for a better understanding of its role in the body's pathophysiology. Indeed, in humans, cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE) plays a major role in corpus cavernosum whereas cystathionine-β-synthase (CBS) plays a role in bladder functioning. The prostate epithelium expresses CBS and CSE, but stromal CSE only. In the uterus, up- or downregulation of CBS and CSE varies strongly depending on the female's hormonal cycle or pregnancy. There is still the need to better define the male and female's sexual hormonal roles in regulating the H2S pathway, particularly in human pathological conditions. The lack of a correlation between human and animal data should be carefully considered when planning preclinical studies. The unmet need for selective enzymatic inhibitors and the different methodologies for H2S measurements still represent a critical issue in this research field. It is feasible that the L-cysteine/H2S pathway can represent an alternative therapeutic target in genito-urinary tract disorders. The research should focus on erectile dysfunction and preeclampsia, characterized by vascular defect, as well as on bladder disorders where the urothelium is compromised. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 27, 654-668.

Segunda y tercera generación de anticonceptivos orales e infarto de miocardio: revisión sistemática y metaanálisis

IntroductionContraceptives are drugs taken to prevent pregnancy and maintain control of the female hormonal cycle. Second-generation contraceptives include levonorgestrel, while third-generation contraceptives are made with desogestrel or gestodene. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis is to determine the risk of myocardial infarction when using second- or third-generation oral contraceptives. Materials and methodsA systematic review of observational studies in Medline and Cochrane from 1 January 1996 to 1 June 2015. The meta-analysis was performed using a random effects model. The outcomes are the risk of myocardial infarction due to the use of second- or third-generation oral contraceptives. ResultsThe four observational studies met certain inclusion and quality control criteria. The results of the meta-analysis using the random effects model were 1.0995 for second-generation and 0.8298 for third-generation contraceptives, but these results were not significant. The result of the comparison between third- and second-generation products was also not significant, with a value of 0.7361. ConclusionsWe were unable to draw conclusions from the meta-analysis because the results were not significant. We are therefore unable to indicate the whether the risk of myocardial infarction increases with the use of second- or third-generation oral contraceptives.

Host response to Neisseria gonorrhoeae infection in female wild type mice is dictated by the dominant sex hormone

Abstract BACKGROUND Gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted disease (STD) caused by Neisseria gonorrhoeae (GC), causes major sequelae in women. Epidemiology suggests a link between symptomatic gonorrhea and the normal female hormone cycle. The aim of this study was to evaluate the murine gonorrhea-model immune responses to infection during progesterone dominate diestrus, and estrogen dominate estrus. METHODS Hormone cycle stage was determined by cytology of vaginal washes. Mice were infected with 107 bacteria in PBS directly placed into a uterine horn. Serum, upper and lower genitourinary (UGU, LGU respectively) tract tissues were collected at 6 or 18 h post infection. Cytokines levels in these tissues were measured by multiplex immuno assay. Gene transcription in UGU and LGU samples was measured by microarray. RESULTS Infection during estrus induced a moderate cytokine response at the site of infection. Cytokine levels were much greater when infection occurred during diestrus. Microarray analysis of infected diestrus tissues showed significant enrichment of those pathways associated with host immune response when infection occurred in diestrus. CONCLUSIONS GC infection during diestrus was shown to be highly inflammatory. Immune pathways were strongly upregulated as determined by Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of microarray data. The most differentially expressed pathways were associated with pattern-recognition-receptor activation and cytokine response. GSEA analysis of estrus tissue showed very limited enrichment of any immune processes. These data together lead us to conclude that the inflammatory response to GC infection in mice is strongly dependent on the dominant sex hormone at the time of infection.

Sex Differences in Renal Proximal Tubular Cell Homeostasis.

Studies in human patients and animals have revealed sex-specific differences in susceptibility to renal diseases. Because actions of female sex hormones on normal renal tissue might protect against damage, we searched for potential influences of the female hormone cycle on basic renal functions by studying excretion of urinary marker proteins in healthy human probands. We collected second morning spot urine samples of unmedicated naturally ovulating women, postmenopausal women, and men daily and determined urinary excretion of the renal tubular enzymes fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and glutathione-S-transferase-α Additionally, we quantified urinary excretion of blood plasma proteins α1-microglobulin, albumin, and IgG. Naturally cycling women showed prominent peaks in the temporal pattern of urinary fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase and glutathione-S-transferase-α release exclusively within 7 days after ovulation or onset of menses. In contrast, postmenopausal women and men showed consistently low levels of urinary fructose-1,6-bisphosphatase excretion over comparable periods. We did not detect changes in urinary α1-microglobulin, albumin, or IgG excretion. Results of this study indicate that proximal tubular tissue architecture, representing a nonreproductive organ-derived epithelium, undergoes periodical adaptations phased by the female reproductive hormone cycle. The temporally delimited higher rate of enzymuria in ovulating women might be a sign of recurring increases of tubular cell turnover that potentially provide enhanced repair capacity and thus, higher resistance to renal damage.

Glutamate-system defects behind psychiatric manifestations in a familial hemiplegic migraine type 2 disease-mutation mouse model.

Migraine is a complex brain disorder, and understanding the complexity of this prevalent disease could improve quality of life for millions of people. Familial Hemiplegic Migraine type 2 (FHM2) is a subtype of migraine with aura and co-morbidities like epilepsy/seizures, cognitive impairments and psychiatric manifestations, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). FHM2 disease-mutations locate to the ATP1A2 gene encoding the astrocyte-located α2-isoform of the sodium-potassium pump (α2Na+/K+-ATPase). We show that knock-in mice heterozygous for the FHM2-associated G301R-mutation (α2+/G301R) phenocopy several FHM2-relevant disease traits e.g., by mimicking mood depression and OCD. In vitro studies showed impaired glutamate uptake in hippocampal mixed astrocyte-neuron cultures from α2G301R/G301R E17 embryonic mice, and moreover, induction of cortical spreading depression (CSD) resulted in reduced recovery in α2+/G301R male mice. Moreover, NMDA-type glutamate receptor antagonists or progestin-only treatment reverted specific α2+/G301R behavioral phenotypes. Our findings demonstrate that studies of an in vivo relevant FHM2 disease knock-in mouse model provide a link between the female sex hormone cycle and the glutamate system and a link to co-morbid psychiatric manifestations of FHM2.

Cutaneous endometriosis: dermoscopic findings related to phases of the female hormonal cycle

Cutaneous endometriosis: dermoscopic findings related to phases of the female hormonal cycle

The role of stress in heart failure – ground for sex specific pathophysiology

In the last hundred years modern society went through numerous changes in life style, dietary habits, work load, physical activity and other environmental factors. As a species we are not well adapted to new de- mands. Higher levels of stress hormones provoke various effects, especially gradual change in the sensitivity of adrenergic, glucocorticoid and insulin receptors. All these changes are mutually associated and they gradually lead to metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, heart failure and other types of pathology depending on genetic makeup and environmental factors. The aim of this paper is to summarize current knowledge concerning the impact of stress on cardiac function. Whereas stress response is sex specific we would emphasize a potential difference in pathophysiology of ischemic heart failure in men and women. Modern medicine has misinterpreted autonomous nervous system functions for years and this was reflected in heart failure (HF) and arterial hypertension therapy. Stress before the onset of menopause has a lesser effect on cardiac function compared to stress after menopause. Postmenopausal women have a significantly higher risk of heart disease, which is related to the diminished protection of the female hormonal cycle, but low doses of estrogen have not proven protective in postmenopausal women. Potential new targets of sex- specific cardiac therapy would come from better understanding of the molecular mechanisms exerted by nuclear receptors for steroid hormones, transcription factors involved in heart remodeling, cross-talk in adrenergic signaling pathways and their down-stream molecules.

Sex Differences in Stress Response Circuitry Activation Dependent on Female Hormonal Cycle

Understanding sex differences in stress regulation has important implications for understanding basic physiological differences in the male and female brain and their impact on vulnerability to sex differences in chronic medical disorders associated with stress response circuitry. In this functional magnetic resonance imaging study, we demonstrated that significant sex differences in brain activity in stress response circuitry were dependent on women's menstrual cycle phase. Twelve healthy Caucasian premenopausal women were compared to a group of healthy men from the same population, based on age, ethnicity, education, and right handedness. Subjects were scanned using negative valence/high arousal versus neutral visual stimuli that we demonstrated activated stress response circuitry [amygdala, hypothalamus, hippocampus, brainstem, orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and anterior cingulate gyrus (ACG)]. Women were scanned twice based on normal variation in menstrual cycle hormones [i.e., early follicular (EF) compared with late follicular-midcycle (LF/MC) menstrual phases]. Using SPM8b, there were few significant differences in blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) signal changes in men compared to EF women, except ventromedial nucleus (VMN), lateral hypothalamic area (LHA), left amygdala, and ACG. In contrast, men exhibited significantly greater BOLD signal changes compared to LF/MC women on bilateral ACG and OFC, mPFC, LHA, VMN, hippocampus, and periaqueductal gray, with largest effect sizes in mPFC and OFC. Findings suggest that sex differences in stress response circuitry are hormonally regulated via the impact of subcortical brain activity on the cortical control of arousal, and demonstrate that females have been endowed with a natural hormonal capacity to regulate the stress response that differs from males.

The Effects of Female Reproductive Hormones in Generalized Social Anxiety Disorder

Although generalized social anxiety disorder (gSAD) is more prevalent in women, the role of female reproductive hormones in gSAD has never been investigated. Therefore, our aim was to make a first inventory of the influence of female reproductive hormones on gSAD symptoms. Female patients with gSAD who had previously participated in our research projects in the University Medical Center Utrecht and the Leiden University Medical Center were recruited. A self-report survey with questions on the influence of menarche, the periods of the menstrual cycle, oral contraceptive use, pregnancy, lactation, postpartum period, and menopause on gSAD symptoms was returned by 46% of 140 women suffering form gSAD. Non-parametric statistical tests were used to analyze the data. A subgroup of patients reported an influence of female hormonal cycle on gSAD symptoms. In this subgroup, statistical differences were found for the menstrual cycle and pregnancy. In the premenstrual period, patients reported more severe gSAD symptoms. During pregnancy symptoms decreased, but postpartum symptom severity returned to the same levels as before pregnancy. A subgroup of women with gSAD seemed vulnerable for the influences of gonadal hormones. Prospective research in women with gSAD, in which the gonadal hormones are assessed, is warranted.

Ovarian hormones modulate ‘compulsive’ lever-pressing in female rats

Life events related to the female hormonal cycle may trigger the onset of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD) or exacerbate symptoms in women already suffering from it. These observations suggest a possible role for ovarian hormones in the course of this disorder. Yet, the mechanisms that may subserve the modulatory effect of ovarian hormones are currently unknown. The aim of the present study was therefore to test the role of ovarian hormones in the signal attenuation rat model of OCD. Experiment 1 compared the behavior of pre-pubertal and adult male and female rats in the model, and found no age and sex differences in compulsive responding. Experiment 2 found that compulsive responding fluctuates along the estrous cycle, being highest during late diestrous and lowest during estrous. Acute administration of estradiol to pre-pubertal female rats was found to attenuate compulsive behavior (Experiment 3), and withdrawal from chronic administration of estradiol was shown to increase this behavior (Experiment 4). These findings extend the use of the signal attenuation model of OCD to female rats, and by demonstrating that the model is sensitive to the levels of ovarian hormones, provide the basis for using the model to study the role of ovarian hormones in OCD. In addition, the present findings support the hypothesis that the increased risk of onset and exacerbation of OCD in women post-partum may be a result of the decrease in the level of estradiol, which was elevated during pregnancy.

Study of otoacoustic emissions during the female hormonal cycle

SummaryThe hormonal changes that occur in a short time span promote modifications all over the woman's body, with physical and emotional manifestations which are frequently observed.Aimto evaluate the activity of the external ciliated cells in women during their menstrual cycle, observing the effect of hormonal changes caused by the cycle in their 3 phases.Methodsthis is a longitudinal prospective study where 21 women between 20 and 35 years old who did not take any contraceptive medicine were assessed. Transient otoacoustic emissions were evaluated by distortion product during the 3 phases of the menstrual cycle (luteal, follicular and ovulatory phases). The SPSS 13.0 software was used to analyze the data.Resultsthe phases of menstrual cycle do not alter the amplitude and reproducibility values of the transient otoacoustic emissions. We noticed a difference between the ears in the frequency of 1.5 KHz in the amplitude of emissions by distortion product, and the right ear showed the highest values.ConclusionThere are no significant differences in transient otoacoustic emissions and distortion products in the phases of the menstrual cycle.

Copper and Liver Function Indicators Vary Depending on the Female Hormonal Cycle and Serum Hormone Binding Globulin (SHBG) Concentration in Healthy Women

Previous studies showed that responses to chronic administration of copper were significantly associated with gender, raising the need to better characterize the relation between the effects observed and stradiols. The objective of this study was to measure copper and liver function indicators and the sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) serum concentrations in healthy adults exposed to copper, grouped by sex and phase of the female hormonal cycle. Healthy females on day 7 (follicular phase, Group 1, n = 39), on day 21 (secretory phase, Group 2, n = 34) and males (comparison group, Group 3, n = 34) received 8 mg Cu/day (as copper sulfate), orally, for 6 months. On days 0, 30, 60, 120, and 180, the serum concentration of copper, ceruloplasmin, liver aminotransferases, and SHBG were measured. Analysis of results included analysis of variance (ANOVA; repeated measures) and the post hoc Bonferroni correction. Participants remained healthy throughout the study period, including aminotransferases below the cut off in all measures. GGT, AST, and ALT activities were significantly different by group and by time (ANOVA repeated measures P < 0.05). Six-month curves of serum copper and ceruloplasmin concentrations were different by group, by time and interaction group x time (all P < 0.001). SHBG curves were different by group and time (P < 0.01), and interaction group x time (P < 0.009). Serum copper, ceruloplasmin, and liver aminotranferases are influenced by estrogens/progesterone, something that should be considered when these indicators are used as outcomes of effects. Time of sampling was also significantly associated with the indicators and deserves further study.

Perceived Effects of the Menstrual Cycle on Young Female Singers in the Western Classical Tradition

This study investigated the perceived effects of the female hormonal cycle on young female classical singers. All the singers, including male controls, were tertiary singing students from the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, Australia, who were selected for entry into vocal study programs by competitive audition. Female participants completed a questionnaire and daily diary in the first and third months of the study. Male controls completed the diary for the first month only. The questionnaire and diary focused on singers' physical symptoms, their mood states, and vocal production. Analysis of the diaries indicated that although 81% of female singers reported regular menstrual cycles and 43% reported using an oral contraceptive, neither of these factors was related to the voice quality variables as measured on the first day of the cycle. Singers who were not taking a contraceptive pill rated their voice quality lower and their mood higher than those on the pill. There was no relationship between temperature recording in the females and day of cycle. Perceived voice quality for female singers was lower on days 1-3 compared to the remainder of the cycle and there was a trend for ratings to improve through days 1-7. The voice parameters for male singers tended to be slightly flatter over the cycle days than for females. Although voice quality in females indicated a tendency to be lower on average during days 24-4 of the cycle, voice quality for males tended to be more alike during the two phases, days 24-4 and days 5-23. Overall, reduced voice quality was associated with more negative mood experiences. The six most severely affected females completed voice recordings of specific vocal tasks on the first day of the cycle and again in midcycle. These recordings were randomly presented to both the participants and expert vocal pedagogues to ascertain whether significant differences in vocal quality were perceptually identifiable. Singers, but not pedagogues, were able to accurately identify the timing of the recordings. Although the singer recognized that greater effort is required to produce the sound during menstruation, discernible differences were not detected by expert listeners.

Influence of endogenous and synthetic female sex hormones on human blood cells in vitro studied with comet assay

The comet assay has been conducted with numerous cell lines to assess in vitro genotoxicity. In order to use the comet assay as part of an in vitro test for evaluating genotoxicity, however, there are cell-specific factors that need to be better understood. In this present study we have evaluated some factors that may impact upon the DNA damage detected in whole blood (WB) cells and lymphocytes (ILs). Experiments were conducted comparing responses of both cells, and investigating the effects of the female hormonal cycle, and oral contraceptive (OC) use on DNA damage detection in the in vitro comet assay, at three sampling time. No significant differences were detected in the basal levels of DNA damage detected in ILs and WB cells from women OC users and non-users and from men. Basal DNA damage in ILs was unaffected by gender and stage of the menstrual cycle or the stage of the treatment schedule. Our results also indicated that the H 2O 2 induces DNA damage in human lymphocytes independently of gender, low-dose OC use and hormonal fluctuation. However, data showed that in 3rd sampling of menstrual cycle, lymphocytes were more resistant to H 2O 2-induced DNA damage than those from OC users and men.