Trachoma surveillance annual report, 2008. A report by the National Trachoma Surveillance and Reporting Unit.

The National Trachoma Surveillance and Reporting Unit has reported data for trachoma endemic regions and communities in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia for 2006 to 2008. Aboriginal children aged 1-9 years were examined using the World Health Organization grading criteria. Screening in the Northern Territory was conducted by the primary health care staff from the Healthy School Age Kids program, the Australian Government Emergency Intervention and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services.

The immunoconjugate "icon" targets aberrantly expressed endothelial tissue factor causing regression of endometriosis.

Endometriosis is a major cause of chronic pain, infertility, medical and surgical interventions, and health care expenditures. Tissue factor (TF), the primary initiator of coagulation and a modulator of angiogenesis, is not normally expressed by the endothelium; however, prior studies have demonstrated that both blood vessels in solid tumors and choroidal tissue in macular degeneration express endothelial TF. The present study describes the anomalous expression of TF by endothelial cells in endometriotic lesions.

3-Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase expression is regulated by HOXA10 in murine endometrium and human endometrial cells.

3-Phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH, 3-PGDH) is an enzyme necessary for de novo l-serine biosynthesis. HOXA10 expression is required for endometrial receptivity; however, few target genes of HOXA10 regulation are known. Using a microarray we identified Phgdh as a target of HOXA10 regulation in murine endometrium and confirmed this regulatory relationship in human endometrial cells.

Trachoma, cataracts and uncorrected refractive error are still important contributors to visual morbidity in two remote indigenous communities of the Northern Territory, Australia.

Purpose: To assess the contribution of trachoma, cataract and refractive error to visual morbidity among Indigenous adults living in two remote communities of the Northern Territory.

Design, Setting And Participants: Cross-sectional survey of all adults aged 40 and over within a desert and coastal community.

Main Outcome Measures: Visual acuity, clinical signs of trachoma using the simplified WHO grading system and assessment of cataract through a non-dilated pupil.

Aromatase inhibitor for treatment of a recurrent abdominal wall endometrioma in a postmenopausal woman.

Objective: Treat an abdominal wall endometrioma in a post-menopausal patient.

Design: Case report.

Setting: Academic medical center.

A novel mutation of HOXA13 in a family with hand-foot-genital syndrome and the role of polyalanine expansions in the spectrum of Müllerian fusion anomalies.

Objective: To report a novel mutation found in a family with hand-foot-genital syndrome (HFGS). To characterize the genetic basis of true HFGS versus presence of non-HFGS-related uterovaginal septa.

Design: Case-control study.

Sex hormone effects on body fluid and sodium regulation in women with and without exercise-associated hyponatremia.

We hypothesized that exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH) is a function of excess sodium loss combined with high water intake in women at risk for dysnatremias during endurance exercise. We further hypothesized that estradiol and progesterone exposure increases fluid retention and sodium loss during exercise in women at risk for EAH. For 16 days we suppressed estrogens and progesterone with a gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH ant) in seven women with (Hypo) and nine women without (no Hypo) a history of hyponatremia; we added 17beta-estradiol (0.

Strategies to control trachoma.

Trachoma is a significant public health problem that is endemic in 57 countries, affecting 40.6 million people and contributing to 4% of the global burden of blindness. Repeated episodes of infection from Chlamydia trachomatis lead to long-term inflammation, scarring of the tarsal conjunctiva and distortion of the upper eyelid with in-turning of eyelashes that abrade the surface of the globe.

Diminished vaginal HOXA13 expression in women with pelvic organ prolapse.

Objective: Homeobox genes are transcriptional regulators that orchestrate embryonic development. The HOXA13 gene is responsible for the development of the vagina and regulates extracellular matrix constituents. We hypothesized that vaginal expression of HOXA13 may be decreased in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and sought to determine if hypoestrogenism affects its expression.

Thrombin and interleukin-1beta decrease HOX gene expression in human first trimester decidual cells: implications for pregnancy loss.

Bleeding or inflammation in early pregnancy may result in pregnancy loss or defective implantation. Their effect on HOX gene expression in first trimester decidua is unknown. Bleeding results in thrombin generation, although infection or inflammation results in production of cytokines typified by Interleukin-1beta (IL-1beta).

Trachoma surveillance annual report, 2007. A report by the National Trachoma Surveillance and Reporting Unit.

Trachoma screening was conducted in 2007 in trachoma-endemic regions and communities in the Northern Territory, South Australia and Western Australia. Aboriginal children aged 1 to 9 years were examined using the World Health Organization grading criteria. Screening in the Northern Territory was conducted by the primary health staff from the Healthy School Age Kids program, the Australian Government Emergency Intervention and Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services with 60 of the 117 communities screened in 5 regions (1,703 children).

HOXA11 promotes fibroblast proliferation and regulates p53 in uterosacral ligaments.

The uterosacral ligaments (USLs) are key support structures of the uterus and upper vagina. Previously, we have shown that HOXA11 is necessary for the development of the USLs, is deficient in women with pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and regulates expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins. Here we sought to determine if HOXA11 regulates cell proliferation in the USLs in women.

Hypermethylation of homeobox A10 by in utero diethylstilbestrol exposure: an epigenetic mechanism for altered developmental programming.

Diethylstilbestrol (DES) is a nonsteroidal estrogen that induces developmental anomalies of the female reproductive tract. The homeobox gene HOXA10 controls uterine organogenesis, and its expression is altered after in utero DES exposure. We hypothesized that an epigenetic mechanism underlies DES-mediated alterations in HOXA10 expression.

Inflammation in reproductive disorders.

Inflammatory disorders account for a significant percentage of gynecologic disease, particularly in reproductive age women. Inflammation is a basic method by which we respond to infection, irritation, or injury. Inflammation is now recognized as a type of nonspecific immune response, either acute or chronic.

Stem cells and female reproduction.

Several recent findings in stem cell biology have resulted in new opportunities for the treatment of reproductive disease. Endometrial regeneration can be driven by bone marrow derived stem cells. This finding has potential implications for the treatment of uterine disorders.

The role of growth factors and cytokines during implantation: endocrine and paracrine interactions.

Implantation, a critical step for establishing pregnancy, requires molecular and cellular events resulting in uterine growth and differentiation, blastocyst adhesion, invasion, and placental formation. Successful implantation requires a receptive endometrium, a normal and functional embryo at the blastocyst stage, and a synchronized dialogue between maternal and embryonic tissues. In addition to the well-characterized role of sex steroids, the complexity of embryo implantation and placentation is exemplified by the number of cytokines and growth factors with demonstrated roles in these processes.

Designing the ideal selective estrogen receptor modulator--an achievable goal?

Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs), which lack the estrogen steroid moiety yet retain the ability to bind the estrogen receptor (ER), are known to confer mixed ER agonist or antagonist effects depending on the target tissue. The tissue-selective effects of SERMs have led to considerations in the clinical profile of an ideal SERM, which would have ER agonist activity in tissues where mimicking the action of estrogens is desirable, and ER neutral or antagonist activity in tissues estrogens have been shown to adversely stimulate. A number of newer SERMs, including bazedoxifene, lasofoxifene, ospemifene, and arzoxifene, are currently in clinical development for the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis and for other indications.