Two oxytocin analogs, N-(p-fluorobenzyl) glycine and N-(3-hydroxypropyl) glycine, induce uterine contractions ex vivo in ways that differ from that of oxytocin.

Contraction of the uterus is critical for parturient processes. Insufficient uterine tone, resulting in atony, can potentiate postpartum hemorrhage; thus, it is a major risk factor and is the main cause of maternity-related deaths worldwide. Oxytocin (OT) is recommended for use in combination with other uterotonics for cases of refractory uterine atony.

Infant Stimulation Induced a Rapid Increase in Maternal Salivary Oxytocin.

Oxytocin (OT) is a neuropeptide involved in human social behaviors and reproduction. Non-invasive OT levels in saliva have recently roused interest as it does not require a specialized medical setting. Here, we observed one woman's basal serum and saliva OT from pregnancy to 1 year postpartum to track OT concentration changes over this period.

Oxytocin Dynamics in the Body and Brain Regulated by the Receptor for Advanced Glycation End-Products, CD38, CD157, and Nicotinamide Riboside.

Investigating the neurocircuit and synaptic sites of action of oxytocin (OT) in the brain is critical to the role of OT in social memory and behavior. To the same degree, it is important to understand how OT is transported to the brain from the peripheral circulation. To date, of these, many studies provide evidence that CD38, CD157, and receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) regulators of OT concentrations in the brain and blood.

An improved sample extraction method reveals that plasma receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) modulates circulating free oxytocin in mice.

The receptor for advanced glycation end-products (RAGE) binds oxytocin (OT) and transports it from the blood to the brain. As RAGE's OT-binding capacity was lost in RAGE knockout (KO) mice, we predicted that circulating concentrations of unbound (free) OT should be elevated compared to wild-type (WT) mice. However, this hypothesis has not yet been investigated.

A huggable device can reduce the stress of calling an unfamiliar person on the phone for individuals with ASD.

Individuals with autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are often not comfortable during mobile-phone conversations with unfamiliar people. "Hugvie" is a pillow with a human-like shape that has been designed to provide users with the tactile sensation of hugging another person during phone conversations to promote feelings of comfort and trust in the speaker toward their conversation partners. Our primary aim was to examine whether physical contact by hugging a Hugvie could reduce the stress of speaking with an unfamiliar person on the phone in individuals with ASD.