Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Uteru'

My three-years work focused on the enzyme 11B-HSD1 and its implications and roles in human reproduction and skin homeostasis. The enzyme is involved in the local regulation of glucocorticoids availability, being responsible of the cortisone activation to cortisol. My project was composed of three major parts. In the first section, I analyzed the role of the enzyme in the human first trimester decidua. My experiments included a global evaluation of the enzyme susceptibility to respond to hormonal and cytokine stimuli, driving the first part of pregnancy. Our findings reported that 11B-HSD1 expression and activity are stimulated by a combined treatment of estradiol and medroxyprogesterone (used as analogue of progesterone). In parallel experiments, we demonstrated that also interleukin 1, alone and in combination with interferon-, has the ability to increase expression and activity of the enzyme. In the same work, that resulted in a paper published on Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology, we reported that elevated expression levels of 11B-HSD1 in decidua correlated with development of preeclampsia, suggesting a possible implication of the enzyme also in a pathological onset. In the second section, I investigated the role of 11B-HSD1 in the second part of gestation, using a dual-model approach involving murine and human uterus. We demonstrated the close correlation between pregnancy progression and 11B-HSD1 expression levels. In particular, after an early stable state, we observed a progressive increase of the mRNA and protein expression of the enzyme from mid-pregnancy to the last day of murine pregnancy, followed by an expression drop at the onset of labour. Our experiments with human cells reported also that 11B-HSD1 is involved in myometrium contraction, suggesting that enzyme has an essential role also in the mechanism of labour. In the last part of my thesis, I explored the skin pathology of psoriasis and one of its possible medical treatments, narrow-band UVB irradiation. In our preliminary experiments, we studied the expression levels of 11B-HSD1 before and after this medical approach on psoriatic patients, comparing results with control subjects. Our findings showed that controls and patients before the treatments have similar 11B-HSD1 expression levels. After the treatment period, mRNA and protein expression of the enzyme significantly rose up, suggesting a possible involvement of the 11-HSD1 in the molecular mechanism of the symptoms improvement. Globally, we reported a new vision of 11B-HSD1, with involvement in physiology and pathology of gestation and skin, never observed in previous reports, highlighting new perspectives in roles and ‘specific weight’ of the enzyme in organs and tissues different from the classic targets of 11B-HSD1.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--West Virginia University, 2001.
Title from document title page. Document formatted into pages; contains xiv, 150 p. : ill. (some col.). Vita. Includes abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 104-120).

Thesis (MTech (Radiography))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2012
Introduction: Brachytherapy plays an essential role in the management of patients with cervical cancer. The high cervical cancer burden in Africa presents challenges with regard to provision and sustainability of these services. This study analysed treatment outcomes of two brachytherapy modalities, high dose rate (HDR) and low dose rate (LDR) intracavitary treatment for patients with cervical cancer, and evaluated the problems and challenges of the provision of these services within the African context. Methodology: The study was conducted using a case study approach with mixed methods at two sites in Africa, one in South Africa (Centre I) and the other in Kenya (Centre II). The study explored factors and issues affecting definitive radiotherapy of the patient with cervical cancer at the two sites with a focus on the brachytherapy treatment. The case study provided an opportunity to collect in-depth data consisting of quantitative and qualitative components that generated numeric and textual data. Treatment outcomes of one site treating with HDR and the other LDR intracavitary brachytherapy were retrospectively analysed for a maximum sample size of 193 (91%) patients in the HDR group and 49 (100%) patients in the LDR group. All patients were treated with external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) using parallel opposed beams (POP) for the patients that received LDR brachytherapy, and four field box technique or POP for those that received HDR brachytherapy. The linear quadratic formula was used to calculate the equivalent dose in 2 Gy fractions (EQD2) between the two groups.

Thesis (MTech (Radiography))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2011.
The focus of this study is on the presentation patterns of invasive cancer of the cervix (CaCx) in Zimbabwe. The study was undertaken at a large referral cancer treatment centre in Harare the capital city of Zimbabwe. The main study question addressed was: Are there any changes in the presentation patterns of invasive CaCx in Zimbabwe? This was subdivided into three sub questions: 1) What are the presentation patterns of invasive CaCx among the Zimbabwean women presenting to the major referral centre in terms of histology, stage of the disease, ages of patients, Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) status and socioeconomic status? 2) What is the trend in the presentation patterns of invasive CaCx in terms of the study variables during the period of study? 3) Are there any correlations that exist among the study variables? This study was conducted because of the sharp contrast that exists in invasive CaCx presentation patterns and incidence between the developed and developing countries. The incidence is now very low in developed countries while it is continuing to rise in developing countries resulting in death among women at a time when they are supposed to be more effective in their families and the nation at large. A retrospective documentary study of patients' files using an observation check list was done from 1998 to 2010. A systematic sample of four years was selected with 1998 as the base year (1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010). To strengthen the sample all the available patients' files for the selected years were considered. On average the majority of the patients (91.75%) presented with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), 5.5% presented with adenocarcinoma and 2.75% with other types of histology. It was found that (89%) of women presented with late stage disease (stage liB and above). The ages of patients at presentation were between 40 to 60 years. Very few patients had recorded HIV status in 1998 and 2002 but a significant increase in proportion of patients with known HIV status was noted in 2006 (48%) and 2010 (73%). The average percentage for HIV positive patients for 2006 and 2010 was 57% and the average percentage for HIV negative patients was 43%. The majority (58.25%) of the patients were of low socioeconomic status. No significant change in trend was noted for variables except for HIV status where there was a downward trend in the percentage of HIV positive patients and an upward trend in the percentage of HIV negative patients. When correlation analysis was done among the variables no significant association was noted among the variables except that a low degree of association was recorded for the ages of patients and HIV status. The association indicated that young invasive CaCx patients are associated with HIV infection at presentation. The recommendations are that the government should mobilize resources towards prevention and control of invasive cancer of the cervix and awareness campaigns on early presentation should increase. Furthermore the cancer registry should expand its services to cover all health institutions nationwide. It is also recommended that further studies should be done on the presentation patterns of invasive CaCx and of HIV status. Longitudinal studies are recommended in order to monitor changes in presentation patterns.

Syftet med denna studie är att undersöka och kartlägga några lärares tankar kring utomhusundervisning i matematik. Det är också intressant att undersöka vilka faktorer som påverkar lärarna i deras val av undervisningsmiljö. På den begränsade tid som studien hade till sitt förfogande passade det att göra fokusintervjuer. För att öka tillförlitligheten för studien gjordes även en enkätundersökning. Utifrån insamlade data, kartlades lärarnas tankar och erfarenheter kring utomhusundervisning i matematik. I resultaten kan man ana att det finns ett samband mellan hur mycket läraren väljer att använda sig av uterummet i sin matematikundervisning och följande faktorer; tillgång till skog, personaltäthet, tid, väderlek, ålder på eleverna, lärarens inställning till att vara ute, vilket moment inom matematiken som behandlas och utbildning.

Examensarbete handlar om öppningsbara tak till uterum. Flera alternativ har undersökts, en av dessa har vidareutvecklats. Resultatet är en otestad lösning på den problemställning som presenterades av Målerås Mekaniska AB.

INTRODUCTION: Preterm birth (PTB) remains a major contributor to perinatal morbidity and mortality being the second leading cause of death in children under 5 years of age. The rate of spontaneous preterm birth (sPTB) still accounts for approximately 5%-12% in USA and in most developing countries. Cervical length (CL) <25 mm measured with transvaginal ultrasound at mid-gestation is a known risk factor for sPTB. However, its value for screening a whole pregnant population consisting mainly of women without risk factors for sPTB remains controversial because of the low sensitivity of short CL in low-risk women. MAIN OBJECTIVE: To improve the identification of women at increased risk of sPTB in low and high sPTB risk asymptomatic pregnancies during mid-gestation with two innovative transvaginal ultrasound techniques, the Cervical Consistency Index (CCI) and the Quantitative Cervical Texture Analysis (CTx). The CCI is an ultrasound measurement that aims to estimate cervical softness by measuring maximal tissue compressibility with a vaginal ultrasound probe. The CTx, extracts information from the speckle pattern of the ultrasound image and identifies the patterns associated with SPTB. METHODS: Articles 1 and 2 are prospective cohort studies that compare the predictive capacity of the ICC with that of the CL. Article 3 is a cross-sectional study that analyzes the cervical texture along a term gestation. Article 4 is a case-control study, in which a CTx-score is obtained, which is compared with the CL. RESULTS: STUDY 1. Mid-trimester sonographic cervical consistency index to predict spontaneous preterm birth in a low-risk population: The cervix was significantly shorter (median CL 39.8 mm vs. 36.2 mm, p=0.004) and the CCI was significantly lower (median 73.0% vs. 58.1%, p<0.001) in the sPTB group. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for CCI with regard to predicting sPTB <37+0 weeks was 0.84 (95% CI 0.75-0.93) and that for CL 0.68 (95% CI 0.56-0.81), P = 0.03. STUDY 2. Mid-trimester sonographic cervical consistency index to predict spontaneous preterm birth in a high-risk population: The CCI (%) was significantly inferior in women who had a preterm delivery compared to the term group. CCI adjusted OR, 0.91 (95% CI, 0.83-0.99; P=0.03). The AUC of the CCI to predict sPTB <37+0 weeks was 0.73 (95% CI, 0.61-0.85) while that of CL was 0.51 (95% CI, 0.35-0.67), P=0.03. STUDY 3. Quantitative Analysis of the Cervical Texture by Ultrasound and Correlation with Gestational Age: The correlation between the gestational age at which the images were obtained and the estimated gestational age by quantitative analysis of the cervical texture was R=0.88. Ce STUDY 4. Quantitative analysis of the cervical texture by ultrasound in the mid-pregnancy is associated with spontaneous preterm birth: The median CTx-based score obtained was significantly lower in cases compared to controls. The CTx-based crude OR 0.31 (95% CI 0.17-0.56; P<0.001) vs. adjusted OR 0.37 (95% CI 0.19-0.64; P=0.001). The AUC for the CTx-based score to identify women delivering < 37+0 weeks was higher (0.77; 95% CI 0.66-0.87) than for CL (0.60; 95% CI 0.47-0.72), P=0.02. DISCUSSION: The CCI and CTx have the potential to improve the identification of women at increased risk of sPTB compared to CL. The large number of scenarios in which these tools could be applied have demonstrated their potential impact on the current management of a large number of pregnancies. Cervical assessment is required in a wide range of clinical situations and the main reason why it is not yet universally implemented is the limited performance of the current cervical assessment techniques. Therefore, it is a healthcare priority to develop sPTB predictive tools with sufficiently improved performance to be used as screening tools.
INTRODUCCIÓN: El parto prematuro representa la segunda causa de morbimortalidad infantil a nivel mundial. Las estrategias actuales de detección de las mujeres con un riesgo aumentado de parto prematuro espontáneo (SPTB), han demostrado ser insuficientes y el desarrollo de nuevas herramientas predictivas es una prioridad en el campo de la medicina materno-fetal. OBJETIVOS: Mejorar la identificación de las mujeres con riesgo de SPTB en el segundo trimestre, evaluando dos nuevas herramientas ecográficas: el Índice de Consistencia Cervical (CCI) y el análisis cuantitativo de la textura cervical (CTx). MÉTODOS: El CCI, evalúa la máxima compresibilidad del cuello del útero. El CTx, extrae información del patrón de moteado de la imagen ecográfica e identifica los patrones asociados con SPTB. Los artículos 1 y 2, son estudios prospectivos de cohortes que comparan la capacidad predictiva del CCI con la de la CL. El artículo 3 es un estudio transversal que analiza la textura cervical a lo largo de una gestación a término. El artículo 4 es un estudio de casos y controles, en el cual se obtiene un CTx-score, que se compara con la CL. RESULTADOS: Las curvas ROC para la predicción de SPTB <37 y <34 semanas del CCI (0.84 y 0.73), son significativamente mejores que las de la CL (0.68 y 0.51). El CTx-score en los casos de SPTB es significativamente inferior que en los controles. La curva ROC del CTx-score es mejor en comparación con la de la CL (0.77 vs 0.60). CONCLUSIONES: Los artículos 1 y 2, demuestran que el CCI es mejor predictor de SPTB que la CL en poblaciones de bajo y alto riesgo de prematuridad. El artículo 3 demuestra que la CTx puede identificar cambios a lo largo de la gestación normal. El artículo 4 demuestra que el CTx-score obtenido en casos y controles, se relaciona con el SPTB.

The primary objective of this thesis was to establish quantitative measurements of normal fetal brain tissue across gestation using diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI); the secondary aim was to compare diffusion metrics in fetuses with normal brain development to those with isolated ventriculomegaly (VM), congenital heart disease and in infants born preterm. Fetal diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) was optimised, and a motion-corrected diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) technique was utilized to produce apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) values across gestation in normal fetal cohorts. Tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) was utilised to analyse DTI in neonates with isolated VM compared to controls. Diffusion and volumetric MR data in preterm infants were analysed using an objective segmentation approach to characterise ex utero neurodevelopment, and to establish the effects of perinatal clinical factors on brain development. Normative ADC values were established in the fetal brain (n=52) across a large gestational age range. Increased ADC values were found in fetuses (n=24) and neonates (n=22) with isolated VM compared to controls; decreased FA was also demonstrated in neonates with VM. In preterm neonates (n=208), white and deep grey matter exhibited significantly increasing FA, and decreasing ADC, axial and radial diffusivity measures with increasing age at scan. DTI measures in the cortex significantly decreased with increasing age at scan; volume measures increased in all brain regions. Clinical factors including respiratory support and age at birth affected regional DTI and volumetric measures in preterm infants. FA values from a normal fetal cohort using motion-corrected DTI (n=26) were compared to preterm neonates (n=32) and significant differences were found. This thesis produced normal fetal diffusion data comparable to that produced in neonates. Quantifiable MR techniques can be used to explore the relationship between in utero and ex utero brain development and study alterations of normal fetal maturation.

Memoria para optar al Título Profesional de Médico Veterinario
La subfertilidad en la yegua tiene un impacto económico negativo sobre la industria equina ya que afecta la producción de potrillos. Dentro de las numerosas causas que pueden incidir en la eficiencia reproductiva de una yegua, la inflamación y fibrosis uterina constituyen una de las más importantes alteraciones relacionadas con este problema. De esta forma, resulta fundamental un diagnóstico oportuno y preciso de estas patologías, para lo cual es necesaria la realización de un buen examen reproductivo. En el presente estudio se utilizaron 2 técnicas de apoyo clínico disponibles actualmente en ginecología equina, tales son la ecografía y la histopatología, con el fin de asociar los hallazgos encontrados en útero de yeguas Fina Sangre de Carrera (FSC). Los hallazgos ecográficos que caracterizaron la presencia de inflamación uterina fueron presencia de líquido en el lumen uterino, representada por una imagen ecográfica hipoecoica o anecoica, y/o aumento del grosor de la pared uterina, mientras que histopatológicamente, esta alteración se caracterizó por la presencia de PMN, linfocitos u otro tipo de células (plasmocitos, eosinófilos). En cuanto a la fibrosis, el principal hallazgo ecográfico fue la visualización de una imagen altamente ecoica presente en el área endometrial, mientras que histopatológicamente la presencia de fibras colágenas fue indicativa de esta alteración. Al comparar las biopsias de áreas ecográficas normales y alteradas de un mismo útero, con fibrosis o inflamación, no se encontraron diferencias importantes. Los análisis para establecer el grado de asociación que existe entre el examen ecográfico e histopatológico de inflamación y fibrosis uterina arrojaron que para el caso de inflamación no existe asociación entre los dos diagnósticos con respecto a la severidad y las características del foco; mientras que, para la fibrosis se determinó que sí existe asociación entre ambos diagnósticos en lo que respecta a la distribución de la lesión, número de focos fibróticos por campo y número de capas alrededor de las glándulas. 2 Por otro lado, el porcentaje de área de colágeno fue mucho mayor para las muestras del grupo fibrosis (1,60) que las tipificadas para el grupo inflamación (0,12) y el grupo control sano (0,21). Finalmente, según esta experiencia la técnica ecográfica sería de gran utilidad en el diagnóstico presuntivo de fibrosis endometrial, mientras que para inflamación, estadísticamente esta técnica no resultó ser adecuada para su diagnóstico. Sin embargo para definir con mayor precisión la real utilidad de la técnica para detectar la inflamación endometrial, harían falta otros estudios con una mayor cantidad de muestras.

Syftet med studien är att kartlägga och beskriva hur förskolan möjliggör för barnen  att uppleva teknik i uterummet och vilka förutsättningar som finns för att ytterligare stimulera dem för ämnet. Jag ger en beskrivning av denna verksamhet vid fyra förskolor vilka har varierande grad av teknikprofil för att se likheter och skillnader i deras arbets- och förhållningssätt. De metoder som jag använder mig av är dokumentation av förskolegården samt intervjuer med pedagoger och barn. Mina huvudresultat visar att faktorer som påverkar teknikimplementering i förskolan består av utbildning och intresse hos ledning, pedagoger, barn och föräldrar. Förskolorna använder gårdens fysiska förutsättningar för att uppleva tekniken och erbjuder barnen till största delen bygg- och konstruktionsmaterial. Verksamhetens planering bör utgå från barnens intressen där pedagoger och barn i en tillåtande atmosfär tillsammans skapar ett lustfyllt lärande. De slutsatser som jag kan dra av studien är att teknikämnet i förskolan har stora förutsättningar då barnen har ett stort intresse av att undersöka och konstruera. Uterummet utnyttjas i hög utsträckning. Faktorer som påverkar förutsättningarna är en tydlig verksamhetsprofil som är förankrad hos förskolechef och pedagoger.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2009.
Title from electronic title page (viewed Sep. 3, 2009). "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Epidemiology." Discipline: Epidemiology; Department/School: Public Health.

Bei Frauen verursacht der schnelle Abfall des Östradiolspiegels während des Klimakteriums oft unangenehme Beschwerden, wie Depressionen, Hitzewallungen und Schlafstörungen. Darüber hinaus löst der reduzierte Hormonspiegel auch chronische Effekte aus, wie z.B. eine Abnahme der Knochendichte und -masse sowie eine starke Zunahme kardiovaskulärer Risiken. Zur Behandlung von klimakterischen Symptomen wird seit vielen Jahren die Hormonersatztherapie (HRT) verschrieben. In letzter Zeit konnte allerdings in mehreren Studien gezeigt werden, dass die HRT neben den positiven Effekten, wie Linderung bzw. Prävention von klimakterischen Symptomen, auch adverse Effekte induzieren kann. So besteht ein erhöhtes Risiko an Endometrium- oder Mammakarzinomen zu erkranken. Aufgrund dieser Ergebnisse besteht ein wachsendes Interesse an effektiven aber auch sicheren Alternativen zu der klassischen HRT als Behandlungsmaßnahme klimakterischer Symptome. Aus diesem Grund hat die Behandlung mit pflanzlichen Präparaten als Alternative zur HRT in den letzten Jahren zunehmend an Bedeutung gewonnen. Der in dieser Arbeit untersuchte Extrakt ERr 731® ist Bestandteil eines solchen Präparates, welches seit 1993 zur Behandlung von prämenopausalen Frauen mit Ameno- bzw. Oligomenorrhö und klimakterischen Symptomen angewendet wird. Die klinische Wirksamkeit bzw. der grundsätzliche Nachweis der biologischen Aktivität des Extraktes wurde in klinischen Studien untersucht, in denen gezeigt werden konnte, dass dieser eine Reduzierung klimakterischer Symptome bewirkte und dabei keine unerwünschten Nebenwirkungen aufwies. Die klinischen Beobachtungen deuteten auf eine Hormon- bzw. Östrogen-ähnliche Wirkungsweise von ERr 731® hin. Daher wurde im Vorfeld dieser Arbeit zur Untersuchung potentiell östrogener Effekte von ERr 731® und seiner Bestandteile in vitro-Untersuchungen durchgeführt, deren Ergebnisse zeigten, dass der Extrakt und seine Bestandteile Östrogenrezeptor β (ERβ)-selektiv in endometrialen Zellen und nur schwach Östrogenrezeptor α (ERα)-selektiv in Knochenzellen wirkten. Darauf aufbauend war das Ziel dieser Arbeit den pflanzlichen Extrakt ERr 731® hinsichtlich seiner Wirksamkeit und Sicherheit bezüglich Uterus und Knochen zu charakterisieren. Dazu wurden tierexperimentelle in vivo-Experimente durchgeführt, in denen untersucht wurde, ob der subkutan (s.c.) applizierte Extrakt östrogene bzw. potentiell ERα-antagonisierende Wirkung im Uterus ovariektomierter (ovx) Ratten besitzt. Zusätzlich wurde ermittelt, ob eine länger anhaltende orale Behandlung mit dem Extrakt sicher hinsichtlich proliferativer Veränderungen im Uterus ist und der Extrakt knochenprotektive Eigenschaften aufweist. In dieser Arbeit konnte gezeigt werden, dass sowohl der s.c. als auch der oral verabreichte Extrakt weder einen uterotrophen Effekt, noch auf mRNA-Ebene die grundlegenden Mechanismen, welche in der Regulation der Zellproliferation oder Wachstumskontrolle involviert sind, induziert. Die Wirkung des Extraktes wird dabei vermutlich hauptsächlich über die Aktivierung des ERβ vermittelt, der keine Stimulation der Proliferation induziert. Zusätzlich übte der Extrakt so keine östrogenen Effekte auf die untersuchten Östrogen-responsiven Gene aus. Die in dieser Arbeit durchgeführten in vivo-Untersuchungen lieferten Hinweise, dass die in vitro festgestellte ERβ-Selektivität des Extraktes auch in vivo zum Tragen kommt. Als funktionelle Auswirkung dieser ERβ-Aktivierung führte die ERr 731®-Behandlung zu einem ERα-antagonistischen Wirkprofil auf die uterinen Funktionen in Gegenwart einer niedrigen Östradioldosis. Somit konnte in dieser Arbeit die in den klinischen Studien erwähnte Anwendungssicherheit des Extraktes bezüglich des Uterus bestätigt werden. Für den Extrakt konnte allerdings, trotz der in vitro beobachteten schwachen Aktivierung des ERα in den U2OS-Karzinomazellen, in vivo keine knochenprotektive Wirkung nach 90-tägiger oraler Behandlung gezeigt werden. Die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit und der klinischen Studien deuten darauf hin, dass der Extrakt als ein selektiver Östrogenrezeptor-Modulator (SERM) bezeichnet werden kann. Zur genaueren Beurteilung des SERM-Charakters des Extraktes sind allerdings noch weiterführende Untersuchungen hinsichtlich seiner Wirkung im Gefäßsystem, im Zentralen Nervensystem und in der Brustdrüse notwendig. Zur Untersuchung der molekularen Mechanismen, durch die der Extrakt seine Effekte ausübt, muss eine geeignete Zelllinie gefunden werden. In dieser sollten dann Untersuchungen mit einem ERβ-selektiven Agonisten als Positivkontrolle und kombinierte Behandlung mit einem ERβ-selektiven Antagonisten, der ERβ-vermittelte Effekte inhibiert, durchgeführt werden, um eine eindeutige Aussagen bezüglich der möglichen ERβ-selektiven Wirkung des Extraktes treffen zu können.

During early pregnancy in ruminants, progesterone (P4) from the corpus luteum (CL) and interferon tau (IFNT) from the conceptus act on the endometrium to regulate genes including interferon stimulated genes (ISGs) that are hypothesized to be important for uterine receptivity and conceptus growth. Previous custom ovine cDNA array analyses identified candidate genes that were regulated by pregnancy, P4 and/or IFNT in the ovine uterus. The first study validated pregnancy, P4 and/or IFNT regulated genes identified by previous custom ovine cDNA microarray analyses. ACTA2, COL3A1, POSTN, SPARC, S100A2, STAT5A and TAGLN were examined. POSTN was upregulated by P4 and S100A2 was downregulated by IFNT. Moreover, functional studies showed that POSTN stimulated attachment of ovine trophectoderm cells. However, neither COL3A1, SPARC, ACTA2 nor TAGLN was regulated by pregnancy, P4 or IFNT in the ovine endometrium. Collectively, these results confirmed that POSTN and S100A2 are P4 and IFNT regulated, respectively, and likely involved in uterine receptivity to conceptus implantation during early pregnancy. The second study determined expression of ISGs in the CL of pregnant ewes. MX1, MX2, ISG15, OAS1, and RSAD2 mRNAs were increased on Day 14 of pregnancy and maintained to Day 18, indicating that IFNT induced expression of ISGs in the CL. These results confirmed that locally produced IFNT has paracrine effects and also endocrine effects on reproductive organs other than the uterine endometrium and maternal immune system.

The carcinoembryonic antigen-related adhesion molecules (CEACAM) play a significant role in numerous physiological processes, such as cell-cell and cell-ECMadhesion, angiogenesis, proliferation, etc. The objective is characterization of the CEACAM1 expression pattern in normal tissues of rat uterus.

RESUMO Os trabalhos de investigação, conducentes à elaboração do presente estudo morfofuncional, subordinado ao tema da "VASCULARIZAÇÃO ARTERIAL DO ÚTERO",fundamenta-se em conceitos da anatomia descritiva clássica, complementados por técnicas de estudo mais modernas, permitindo-nos observações originais. O principal objectivo é de definir um padrão descritivo da vascularização uterina e de estabelecer uma correlação anatomo-fisiológica e anatomo-clínica na descrição da angiomorfologia uterina, actualizando as descrições clássicas da artéria com dados de observação originais, segundo as técnicas de estudo angiomorfológicas correntemente empregues no Departamento de Anatomia da Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Universidade Nova de Lisboa. Correlacionam-se as observações com os mais recentes dados publicados, no âmbito da imuno-histoquímica e da moderna bioquímica endocrinológica, uma vez que os conceitos modernos de fisiologia uterina e ginecológica praticamente dominam a vasta literatura científica mundial. Como objectivos particulares, ou linhas orientadoras da tese, escolhemos: - A definição de parâmetros descritivos do padrão genérico da vascularização uterina, actualizando a nomenclatura descritiva de acordo com a moderna Nomina Anatomica mundialmente debatida, desde o XIV Congresso Internacional da Federação Internacional das Associações de Anatomistas, sob a presidência do Prof. Doutor J.A. Esperança Pina (1994) e publicada em 1999-2001. - A comparação do caso humano com o do animal de experiência, por observação meticulosa do maior número de casos possíveis, realizando um estudo comparativo que nos permita extrapolar dados de experimentação animal para o caso humano; - O estabelecimento de uma correlação anatomo-fisiológica, por análise do comportamento da vascularização uterina, ao longo da vida, desde o nascimento até à menopausa, e perante as influências hormonais a que se encontra exposta. A tese constrói-se em torno de três núcleos fundamentais: 1. Um capítulo introdutório, de contextualização teórica, por enquadramento histórico dos estudos dos órgãos genitais femininos e da evolução das técnicas de diagnóstico e terapêutica do útero, focando as primeiras referências à técnica da histerotomia (Cesariana) (com a lenda persa do nascimento do herói Rostam, ou do nascimento do deus Asclepius), as primeiras representações da vascularização uterina (por LEONARDO e iii VESÁLIO), ou as primeiras descrições anatómicas do útero, da autoria de Portugueses (RODRIGO DE CASTRO, 1516 e AMATO LUSITANO, 1551). Prossegue a contextualização teórica com breve referência à recente evolução das técnicas de diagnóstico e terapêutica dos fibromiomas uterinos, mencionando de modo particular a evolução das técnicas de embolização arterial uterina, por nos parecer corresponder a um campo de aplicação imediata dos estudos da vascularização do útero. Termina este capítulo com breve referência aos trabalhos do Prof. Doutor J. MARTINS PISCO que tem actualmente, no nosso País uma das mais extensas listas de trabalhos efectuados com sucesso a nível mundial, no campo da embolização arterial de fibromiomas uterinos. 2. O segundo núcleo fundamental, intitulado "Angiomorfologia uterina" corresponde a extensa revisão bibliográfica dos estudos descritivos da vascularização uterina, desde logo ilustrando a resenha teórica com algumas imagens fotográficas de úteros humanos, seleccionadas da nossa colecção. A descrição da vascularização uterina, fundamentada em 1500 citações bibliográficas, organiza-se, de acordo com o paralelismo entre a estratificação histológica e angiológica do órgão, e a hierarquia funcional, regulada pelas cíclicas variações hormonais. Descreve-se a camada serosa e correspondente vascularização; a camada muscular e vascularização do miométrio; e, por fim, a camada mucosa e os vasos endometriais. Verifica-se, perante os dados colhidos da literatura mundial, o interesse do aprofundamento dos estudos morfológicos da microvascularização endometrial e da adaptação das descrições aos resultados dos modernos estudos funcionais obtidos por técnicas da imuno-histoquímica. 3. Fundamentados nos dados colhidos das revisões bibliográficas, elaborámos um projecto de investigação original, visando o estabelecimento da relação morfo-funcional resultante do aprofundamento dos estudos descritivos da angiomorfologia e da microvascularização do útero. O capítulo de trabalho experimental organiza-se em três principais passos: – No capítulo de Materiais e métodos, procede-se à escolha, por um lado do animal de experiência mais adequado para os estudos da vascularização uterina (por estudo comparativo ao longo da escala animal) e, por outro lado, à escolha de três das técnicas disponíveis no Laboratório de Anatomia Experimental e aplicáveis à investigação angiomorfológica do útero; iv - No capítulo de Resultados, procedemos à exposição das nossas observações de 25 úteros humanos e de 154 úteros de animais de experiência, segundo as três técnicas seleccionadas (dissecção, Injecção-corrosão-fluorescência, Injecção-diafanização e injecção-corrosão paraobservação de moldes vasculares em microscopia electrónica de varrimento), organizando aselecção da vasta iconografia coleccionada em três novos subcapítulos: o útero humano, oútero do animal de experiência e um estudo comparativo, essencial para validar osresultados do trabalho experimental. - O capítulo de trabalho experimental, inteiramente efectuado por estudos na artéria uterina do rato Wistar, abrange primeiramente a tentativa de definição macroscópica de territórios de vascularização, seguido das observações microscópicas conducentes à definição dos parâmetros angiomorfológicos característicos de cada uma das etapas da grande variabilidade a que se sujeita a vascularização uterina, ao longo da vida, incluindo a infância, a gravidez, a paridade e o envelhecimento, e consoante as fases do ciclo hormonal ovárico. Aperfeiçoámos essa tarefa com a elaboração de três experiências distintas, para análise dos efeitos microvasculares uterinos da administração exógena de preparados comerciais hormonais, por observação em microscopia electrónica de varrimento. De acordo com as leituras da literatura clássica sobre a metodologia do trabalho científico, completamos os trabalhos por um capítulo de síntese e critica dos resultados, sequencialmente organizado consoante cada um dos passos experimentais atrás referidos. SUMMARY The aim of the present thesis is the description of the uterine arterial network, complementing the classical concepts of descriptive Anatomy with modern techniques of anatomical research, thus achieving original final results and observations. One of the main objectives of the research is to establish physiological and clinical correlations in the description of the uterine angiomorphology, with the techniques currently available for angiomorphological research in the Department of Anatomy of Faculty of Medical Sciences of the New University of Lisbon. As guidelines to our research, we established the following specific objectives: - defining the descriptive parameters of the standard pattern of the uterine vasculature, according to the modern Nomina Anatomica, as underlined in the latest Federative Congresses of the International Federation of the Associations of Anatomists, one of which took place in Lisbon, in 1994, under the presidency of Professor J.A. Esperança Pina, the supervisor of the present works; - comparing the human uterus with the uterus of the experimental animal, to extrapolate the experimental observations in animals to the particular case of the human uterus; - establishing a correlation between the physiology and the anatomical observations of the uterine vasculature throughout life, from childhood to menopause and in relation to the hormonal influences to which the uterus is exposed. The thesis is built around three main chapters: 1) The introduction chapter defines the historical framework of the studies of the female genital anatomy and the historical evolution of the clinical management of common uterine diseases, focusing on the first historical references to the Caesarean section (such as the Persian legend of the birth of the hero ROSTAM, or that of the birth of ASCLEPIUS, the Greek god of Medicine); the first depictions of the uterine vasculature (by LEONARDO and VESALIUS) or the first anatomical descriptions of the uterus, by Portuguese authors (RODRIGO DE CASTRO, 1517, or AMATUS LUSITANUS, 1551). The theoretical context proceeds, with reference to the recent evolution of the clinical and surgical management of uterine fibroids, and a particular mention to the modern techniques of Uterine Fibroid Embolisation, which corresponds to one of the fields of interest of the anatomic studies of uterine arterial vascularization. 2) The second chapter, devoted to the anatomical description of the Uterine Angiomorphology, is based on an extensive review of the available Medical literature,illustrated by a selection of our own research observations of the human uterine vasculature. The description is organized in view of the parallelism between histological and angiological stratification and the functional hierarchy, under the control of the cyclic hormonal variations. Each layer of the uterine wall is depicted with photographs of the human uterus and descriptions of its specific vascular network: the serosa, the muscular Myometrium, and the mucosa, or endometrium. This classical description, based on extensive quotations of the international scientific literature, enhances our interest for the research of a more detailed knowledge of the endometrial microvascular network, accordingly to the modern physiologic results obtained through immunohistochemical studies. 3) The results of our experimental research, aiming to establish the intimate relationship between the anatomical and functional studies of uterine vasculature, are organized in three main steps: - The chapter of Materials and Methods debates the choice of the experimental animal, based on a short review of the comparative anatomy of the uterus, and uterine physiology, throughout the animal scale. The selection of three fundamental techniques of anatomic research is made from the current variety available in the Laboratory of Experimental Anatomy of the Lisbon School of Medical Sciences. - The Results of our personal research and observations of 25 human and 154 animal uteri,after dissection, and the techniques of arterial injection for the preparation of fluorescent corrosion casts, of vascular injection and clearing, and of arterial injection and preparation of corrosion casts for Scanning Electron Microscopy are rganized in terms of human or animal macroscopic anatomy and microvascular network, followed by a summary of the comparative anatomy of human and rat uteri, which is essential to validate the resultant experimental observations of the rat endometrial microvasculature. - The experimental research is entirely devoted to the uterine artery of the Wistar rat. The first step consists of the attempt to define macroscopic territories of vascularization, followed by microscopic observations for the definition of the angiomorphological pattern that is characteristic of each stage of the extreme variations to which the uterus is subject throughout life, from childhood to sexual maturity, throughout the hormonal cycle, in pregnancy, according to parity, and through ageing. We complete these observations with the experimental exposure of the Wistar rat uterus to pharmacologic preparations of hormones, currently available in clinical practice, and observations of the vascular uterine changes in Scanning Electron Microscopy. The outcome results of our anatomical observations are followed by a critical synthesis of the results.