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Human Vagina (human + vagina)

Distribution by Scientific Domains
Medical Sciences80%

Selected Abstracts

ORIGINAL RESEARCH,BASIC SCIENCE: A Prospective Study Examining the Anatomic Distribution of Nerve Density in the Human Vagina

THE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2006
Rachel Pauls MD
ABSTRACT Introduction., Women possess sufficient vaginal innervation such that tactile stimulation of the vagina can lead to orgasm. However, there are few anatomic studies that have characterized the distribution of nerves throughout the human vagina. Aim., The aim of this prospective study was to better characterize the anatomic distribution of nerves in the adult human vagina. A secondary aim was to assess whether vaginal innervation correlates with the subject's demographic information and sexual function. Methods., Full-thickness biopsies of anterior and posterior vagina (proximal and distal), cuff, and cervix were taken during surgery in a standardized manner. Specimens were prepared with hematoxylin and eosin, and S100 protein immunoperoxidase. The total number of nerves in each specimen was quantified. Enrolled patients completed a validated sexual function questionnaire (Female Sexual Function Index, FSFI) preoperatively. Main Outcome Measures., A description of vaginal innervation by location and an assessment of vaginal innervation in association with the subject's demographic information and sexual function. Results., Twenty-one patients completed this study, yielding 110 biopsy specimens. Vaginal innervation was somewhat regular, with no site consistently demonstrating the highest nerve density. Nerves were located throughout the vagina, including apex and cervix. No significant differences were noted in vaginal innervation based on various demographic factors, including age, vaginal maturation index, stage of prolapse, number of vaginal deliveries, or previous hysterectomy. There were no correlations between vaginal nerve quantity and FSFI domain and overall scores. Fifty-seven percent of the subjects had female sexual dysfunction; when compared to those without dysfunction, there were no significant differences in total or site-specific nerves. Conclusions., In a prospective study, vaginal nerves were located regularly throughout the anterior and posterior vagina, proximally and distally, including apex and cervix. There was no vaginal location with increased nerve density. Vaginal innervation was not associated with demographic information or sexual function. Pauls R, Mutema G, Segal J, Silva WA, Kleeman S, Dryfhout V, and Karram M. A prospective study examining the anatomic distribution of nerve density in the human vagina. J Sex Med 2006;3:979,987. [source]

Preliminary characterization of vaginal microbiota in healthy Chinese women using cultivation-independent methods

JOURNAL OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNAECOLOGY RESEARCH (ELECTRONIC), Issue 3 2009
Yi Shi
Abstract Aim:, The normal microbiota plays an important role in maintaining the vaginal health of women. The aim of this study was to characterize the numerically dominant populations of vaginal microbial communities in Chinese women. Methods:, Genomic DNA was isolated from samples of vaginal swabs of five healthy women, 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid libraries were constructed and the sequences of 300 clones from each library were determined and subjected to phylogenetic analyses. The phylotypes were classified based on sequence similarity to known organisms. Results:, All vaginal microbial communities were dominated by the Lactobacillus species, and they constituted from 96.4% to 100% of the clones sequenced. Sequences homologous to L. crispatus and L. iners were most common, which were highly homologous with those of Caucasian women in the USA. Conclusions:, The numerically dominant microbial populations in healthy Chinese women's vaginas were L. crispatus and L. iners. The limited number of Lactobacillus phylotypes found in the human vagina suggested that host factors have a role in the selection of specific organisms, which have specific characteristics that allow them to successfully colonize the vagina. [source]

ORIGINAL RESEARCH,BASIC SCIENCE: A Prospective Study Examining the Anatomic Distribution of Nerve Density in the Human Vagina

THE JOURNAL OF SEXUAL MEDICINE, Issue 6 2006
Rachel Pauls MD
ABSTRACT Introduction., Women possess sufficient vaginal innervation such that tactile stimulation of the vagina can lead to orgasm. However, there are few anatomic studies that have characterized the distribution of nerves throughout the human vagina. Aim., The aim of this prospective study was to better characterize the anatomic distribution of nerves in the adult human vagina. A secondary aim was to assess whether vaginal innervation correlates with the subject's demographic information and sexual function. Methods., Full-thickness biopsies of anterior and posterior vagina (proximal and distal), cuff, and cervix were taken during surgery in a standardized manner. Specimens were prepared with hematoxylin and eosin, and S100 protein immunoperoxidase. The total number of nerves in each specimen was quantified. Enrolled patients completed a validated sexual function questionnaire (Female Sexual Function Index, FSFI) preoperatively. Main Outcome Measures., A description of vaginal innervation by location and an assessment of vaginal innervation in association with the subject's demographic information and sexual function. Results., Twenty-one patients completed this study, yielding 110 biopsy specimens. Vaginal innervation was somewhat regular, with no site consistently demonstrating the highest nerve density. Nerves were located throughout the vagina, including apex and cervix. No significant differences were noted in vaginal innervation based on various demographic factors, including age, vaginal maturation index, stage of prolapse, number of vaginal deliveries, or previous hysterectomy. There were no correlations between vaginal nerve quantity and FSFI domain and overall scores. Fifty-seven percent of the subjects had female sexual dysfunction; when compared to those without dysfunction, there were no significant differences in total or site-specific nerves. Conclusions., In a prospective study, vaginal nerves were located regularly throughout the anterior and posterior vagina, proximally and distally, including apex and cervix. There was no vaginal location with increased nerve density. Vaginal innervation was not associated with demographic information or sexual function. Pauls R, Mutema G, Segal J, Silva WA, Kleeman S, Dryfhout V, and Karram M. A prospective study examining the anatomic distribution of nerve density in the human vagina. J Sex Med 2006;3:979,987. [source]

Activity of HIV entry and fusion inhibitors expressed by the human vaginal colonizing probiotic Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14

CELLULAR MICROBIOLOGY, Issue 1 2007
Janice J. Liu
Summary Novel therapeutic approaches are needed to combat the rapid increase in HIV sexual transmission in women. The probiotic organism Lactobacillus reuteri RC-14 which safely colonizes the human vagina and prevents microbial infections, has been genetically modified to produce anti-HIV proteins which were capable of blocking the three main steps of HIV entry into human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. The HIV entry or fusion inhibitors were fused to the native expression and secretion signals of BspA, Mlp or Sep in L. reuteri RC-14 and the expression cassettes were stably inserted into the chromosome. L. reuteri RC-14 expressed the HIV inhibitors in cell wall-associated and secreted forms. L. reuteri RC-14 expressing CD4D1D2-antibody-like fusion proteins were able to bind single or dual tropic coreceptor-using HIV-1 primary isolates. This is the first study to show that a well-documented and proven human vaginal probiotic strain can express potent functional viral inhibitors, which may potentially lower the sexual transmission of HIV. [source]