Menstrual pattern and anthropometric characteristics of women with primary and secondary infertility in comparison with age-matched controls.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of infertility has increased significantly due to lifestyle changes and the presence of diverse environmental stress. Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) are two common anthropometric measures of obesity. Factors such as differences in race, sex, and age influence BMI, and recent studies have reported limitations in the use of BMI to determine obesity. Body fat distribution has a more valid criterion for determining obesity than BMI. Our aim was to compare the menstrual pattern and anthropometric parameters of women with primary and secondary infertility with those of age-matched controls and to assess the correlation between the anthropometric variables and fertility types. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in which the anthropometric measurements and menstrual history over the last 3 months of cases of primary and secondary infertility were compared with the age-matched control group. RESULTS: Women with primary and secondary infertility tend to be overweight or obese. The menstrual pattern of women with infertility was not statistically different as compared to the control groups. There were significant differences in weight, BMI, hip circumference, WC, and neck circumference (NC) of women with primary infertility with those of age-matched controls. A statistically significant difference was noted in NC between the primary and secondary infertility groups. CONCLUSION: The results obtained show that women with infertility tend to be overweight/obese. Due to the limited sample size, the relationship between menstrual pattern and anthropometric characteristics such as waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and frame size (FRS) and infertility could not be established.

Responses of Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes to ozone treatment on non-host tomato: Efficacy of intervention and evidence of induced acclimation.

Because of the continuous rise of foodborne illnesses caused by the consumption of raw fruits and vegetables, effective post-harvest anti-microbial strategies are necessary. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-microbial efficacy of ozone (O3) against two common causes of fresh produce contamination, the Gram-negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 and Gram-positive Listeria monocytogenes, and to relate its effects to potential mechanisms of xenobiosis by transcriptional network modeling. The study on non-host tomato environment correlated the dose × time aspects of xenobiosis by examining the correlation between bacterial survival in terms of log-reduction and defense responses at the level of gene expression. In E. coli, low (1 µg O3/g of fruit) and moderate (2 µg O3/g of fruit) doses caused insignificant reduction in survival, while high dose (3 µg/g of fruit) caused significant reduction in survival in a time-dependent manner. In L. monocytogenes, moderate dose caused significant reduction even with short-duration exposure. Distinct responses to O3 xenobiosis between E. coli and L. monocytogenes are likely related to differences in membrane and cytoplasmic structure and components. Transcriptome profiling by RNA-Seq showed that primary defenses in E. coli were attenuated after exposure to a low dose, while the responses at moderate dose were characterized by massive upregulation of pathogenesis and stress-related genes, which implied the activation of defense responses. More genes were downregulated during the first hour at high dose, with a large number of such genes getting significantly upregulated after 2 hr and 3 hr. This trend suggests that prolonged exposure led to potential adaptation. In contrast, massive downregulation of genes was observed in L. monocytogenes regardless of dose and exposure duration, implying a mechanism of defense distinct from that of E. coli. The nature of bacterial responses revealed by this study should guide the selection of xenobiotic agents for eliminating bacterial contamination on fresh produce without overlooking the potential risks of adaptation.

Xenobiotic Effects of Chlorine Dioxide to Escherichia coli O157:H7 on Non-host Tomato Environment Revealed by Transcriptional Network Modeling: Implications to Adaptation and Selection.

Escherichia coli serotype O157:H7 is one of the major agents of pathogen outbreaks associated with fresh fruits and vegetables. Gaseous chlorine dioxide (ClO2) has been reported to be an effective intervention to eliminate bacterial contamination on fresh produce. Although remarkable positive effects of low doses of ClO2 have been reported, the genetic regulatory machinery coordinating the mechanisms of xenobiotic effects and the potential bacterial adaptation remained unclear. This study examined the temporal transcriptome profiles of E. coli O157:H7 during exposure to different doses of ClO2 in order to elucidate the genetic mechanisms underlying bacterial survival under such harsh conditions. Dosages of 1 µg, 5 µg, and 10 µg ClO2 per gram of tomato fruits cause different effects with dose-by-time dynamics. The first hour of exposure to 1 µg and 5 µg ClO2 caused only partial killing with significant growth reduction starting at the second hour, and without further significant reduction at the third hour. However, 10 µg ClO2 exposure led to massive bacterial cell death at 1 h with further increase in cell death at 2 and 3 h. The first hour exposure to 1 µg ClO2 caused activation of primary defense and survival mechanisms. However, the defense response was attenuated during the second and third hours. Upon treatment with 5 µg ClO2, the transcriptional networks showed massive downregulation of pathogenesis and stress response genes at the first hour of exposure, with decreasing number of differentially expressed genes at the second and third hours. In contrast, more genes were further downregulated with exposure to 10 µg ClO2 at the first hour, with the number of both upregulated and downregulated genes significantly decreasing at the second hour. A total of 810 genes were uniquely upregulated at the third hour at 10 µg ClO2, suggesting that the potency of xenobiotic effects had led to potential adaptation. This study provides important knowledge on the possible selection of target molecules for eliminating bacterial contamination on fresh produce without overlooking potential risks of adaptation.