https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Index ${session.getAttribute("locale")} 5 https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:16822 2+ release from sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum Ca²⁺-ATPase (SERCA) -dependent intracellular Ca²⁺ stores; and 3) c-Kit and/or vimentin immunoreactive ICs have a role in pacemaking. Methodology/Principal Findings: Vaginal and cervical contractions were measured in vitro, as was the distribution of c-Kit and vimentin positive interstitial cells (ICs). Cervical smooth muscle was spontaneously active in estrus and metestrus but quiescent during proestrus and diestrus. Vaginal smooth muscle was normally quiescent but exhibited phasic contractions in the presence of oxytocin or the K⁺ channel blocker tetraethylammonium (TEA) chloride. Spontaneous contractions in the cervix and TEA-induced phasic contractions in the vagina persisted in the presence of cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), a blocker of the SERCA that refills intracellular SR Ca²⁺ stores, but were inhibited in low Ca²⁺ solution or in the presence of nifedipine, an inhibitor of L-type Ca²⁺channels. ICs were found in small numbers in the mouse cervix but not in the vagina. Conclusions/Significance: Cervical smooth muscle strips taken from mice in estrus, metestrus or late pregnancy were generally spontaneously active. Vaginal smooth muscle strips were normally quiescent but could be induced to exhibit phasic contractions independent on phase of the estrus cycle or late pregnancy. Spontaneous cervical or TEA-induced vaginal phasic contractions were not mediated by ICs or intracellular Ca²⁺ stores. Given that vaginal smooth muscle is normally quiescent then it is likely that increases in hormones such as oxytocin, as might occur through sexual stimulation, enhance the effectiveness of such pacemaking until phasic contractile activity emerges.]]> Wed 11 Apr 2018 13:40:08 AEST ]]> https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:18783 Wed 11 Apr 2018 12:33:36 AEST ]]> https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:50141 Wed 05 Jul 2023 13:01:27 AEST ]]> https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:40856 Tue 19 Jul 2022 13:35:20 AEST ]]> https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:37555 TGFBR2 encoding TGFB receptor 2. Conversely, TGFB1 suppressed IFNG receptor 1 and 2 genes IFNGR1 and IFNGR2. These data identify IFNG as a potent inhibitor of the TGFB-mediated seminal fluid interaction with relevant reproductive tract epithelia in mice and human. These findings raise the prospect that IFNG in the male partner's seminal fluid impairs immune adaptation for pregnancy following coitus in women.]]> Thu 18 Feb 2021 09:50:20 AEDT ]]> https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:29381 Thu 13 Jan 2022 10:28:27 AEDT ]]> https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:20297 cc for OAR and D₁₀₀, D₉₈ and D₉₀ for HR-CTV) were also considered. For patients with small HR-CTV sizes, introduction of MR-based volumetric brachytherapy produced a change in dose delivered to Point A and OAR. Point A doses fell by 4.8 Gy (p = 0.0002) and ICRU and D2cc doses for OAR also reduced (p < 0.01). Mean Point A doses for MR-based brachytherapy treatment plans were closer to those of HR-CTV D₁₀₀ for volumes less than 20 cm³ and HR-CTV D₉₈ for volumes between 20 and 35 cm³, with a significant difference (p < 0.0001) between Point A and HR-CTV D₉₀ doses in these ranges. In order to maintain brachytherapy dose consistency across varying HR-CTV sizes there must be a relationship between the volume of the HR-CTV and the prescription dose. Rather than adopting a ‘one size fits all’ approach during the transition to volume-based prescriptions, this audit has shown that separating prescription volumes into HR-CTV size categories of less than 20 cm³, between 20 and 35 cm³, and more than 35 cm³ the HR-CTV can provide dose uniformity across all volumes and can be directly linked to traditional Point A prescriptions.]]> Sat 24 Mar 2018 07:55:14 AEDT ]]> https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:29082 4) maintains uterine quiescence during the majority of pregnancy, whereas diminished progesterone receptor (PR) expression and/or activity (ie, functional P₄ withdrawal) promotes parturition. To investigate the regulation of PR expression in cervical stroma, fibroblasts from premenopausal hysterectomy specimens were prepared. Greater than 99% of the cultures were vimentin positive (mesenchymal cell marker) with only occasional cytokeratin-8 positivity (epithelial cell marker) and no evidence of CD31-positive (endothelial cell marker) cells. Cells were immunolabeled with antibodies directed against PRs (PR-A and PR-B), estrogen receptor a (ER-α), and glucocorticoid receptor-α/ß (GR-α/ß). All cells were uniformly immunopositive for ER-α and GR-α/ß but did not express PRs. Incubation of cells with 10^-8 mol/L 17ß-estradiol induced a time-dependent increase in PR-A and PR-B messenger RNAs (mRNAs) by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reactions and proteins by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence. Incubation of cervical fibroblasts with PR ligands (medroxyprogesterone acetate or Org-2058) downregulated PR-A and PR-B levels. Coincubation of cells with PR ligands plus RU-486, a PR antagonist, partially abrogated agonist-induced receptor downregulation. Dexamethasone, a pure glucocorticoid, had no inhibitory effect on PR expression. These results indicate that progestins and estrogens regulate PR expression in cervical fibroblasts. We postulate that hormonal regulation of PR expression in the cervical stroma may contribute to functional P₄ withdrawal in preparation for parturition.]]> Sat 24 Mar 2018 07:39:58 AEDT ]]> https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:4766 Sat 24 Mar 2018 07:20:43 AEDT ]]> https://ogma.newcastle.edu.au/vital/access/ /manager/Repository/uon:34518 2cc and D_0.1cc) for bladder and rectum were compared with dose summation without DIR. Reproducibility of DIR results was assessed for different methods of implementation based on adding contour biases added to the DIR algorithm. Vol_D2cc and Vol_D0.1cc structures were created from the overlap of the D_2cc and D_0.1cc isodose and the bladder or rectum, respectively. The overlap of Vol_D2cc and Vol_D0.1cc structures was calculated using the Dice similarity coefficient. Results: DIR accumulated D_2cc and D_0.1cc decreased by an average of 2.9% and 4.2% for bladder and 5.08% and 2.8% for rectum compared with no DIR. DIR was most reproducible when the bladder or rectum contour was masked. The average Dice similarity coefficient was 0.78 and 0.61 for the bladder D_2cc and D_0.1cc as well as 0.83 and 0.62 for rectal D_2cc and D_0.1cc, respectively. Conclusions: Dose decreases were observed for accumulated DVH parameters using DIR. Adding contour-based biases to the algorithm increases the reproducibility of D_2cc and D_0.1cc accumulation. The anatomic position of Vol_D2cc was more stable than Vol_D0.1cc.]]> Fri 22 Mar 2019 13:04:07 AEDT ]]>