Oral Contraceptives Induce Time- and Intestinal Segment-Dependent Shifts in the Gut Microbiota.

Oral contraceptives (OCs) containing estrogen and/or progesterone are the second most common form of female contraception in the United States. While endogenously synthesized estrogen is known to provide protective effects against cardiometabolic diseases, exogenous forms such as OCs have been linked to increased susceptibility to cardiometabolic diseases and an elevated risk of myocardial infarction. The gut microbiota is thought to be a critical regulator of cardiometabolic disease risk; however, its interactions with OC use remain understudied.

Ameliorating Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder by Modulating the Gut Microbiota: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) exhibit a high prevalence (55%) of gastrointestinal symptoms (GISs) and gut dysbiosis. Most studies involving children with ASD have focused on behavioral symptoms but not GISs. This systematic review and meta-analysis investigated the effects of gut microbiota-modulating interventions (GMMIs) on GISs and gut microbial composition in children with ASD.

The Genomic Signature of Demographic Decline in a Long-Distance Migrant in a Range-Extreme Population.

Migratory birds are inherently vagile, a strategy that may reduce the impacts of habitat loss and fragmentation on genetic diversity. However, specialist resource requirements and range-edge distribution can counteract these benefits. The European nightjar (Caprimulgus europaeus) is a long-distance migratory bird and resource specialist.

Transvaginal Ultrasound for the Diagnosis of Endometriosis: Current Practices and Barriers in Australian Sonographers.

Introduction/purpose: The 2016 consensus statement from the International Deep Endometriosis Analysis group (IDEA) outlined a transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS) approach specific for the sonographic assessment of endometriosis (eTVUS). However, eTVUS remains a nonroutine sonographic examination, and the reasons for this are not fully understood. This study aimed to explore the current performance of eTVUS among Australian sonographers and the barriers and facilitators encountered when learning and implementing eTVUS into routine practice.

Microbiome affects mice metabolic homeostasis via differential regulation of gene expression in the brain and gut.

The gut microbiome (GMB) regulates digestion, metabolism, immunity, and energy homeostasis. This study investigates how gut microbiota integrate the regulation in the neuroendocrine and enteroendocrine systems, with a focus on G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in the brain-gut axis and sex differences. Germ-free (GF) mice exhibited increased hypothalamic expression of the anorexigenic neuropeptide and decreased expression of the negative regulator of leptin signaling.