Browsing by Subject "Ovulation"
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Item Effects of Genetics, Unilateral Ovariectomy, Follicle Cautery and Exogenous Gonadotropin on Folliculogenesis in Swine(Texas Tech University, 1983-05) Brazier, Stephen GlennNot Available.Item Expression of connexin 43 mRNA in porcine and equine ovaries(Texas Tech University, 1997-12) Melton, Crystal Sheree M.A major form of cell-cell communication is mediated by gap junctions, aggregations of intercellular channels responsible for the exchange of cytosolic materials (<1 kD) between adjacent cells. These channels are composed of connexins, a steadily growing family of highly related proteins. Several studies have suggested that connexin channels between granulosa cells and oocytes maintain meiotic arrest in growing follicles and mediate release of this arrest after the gonadotropin surge. Most major livestock species such as cattle, sheep, and pigs have been examined for the presence of gap junctions; however, extensive studies of ovarian gap junctions have been conducted mainly in the rodent, fish, and Xenopus species. Previously, a cDNA clone was isolated from ovaries of cyclic gilts and sequence analysis demonstrated that the fragment had 94.2% amino acid identity with mouse connexin 43. In order to determine the spatio-temporal pattern of expression for connexin 43 mRNA in porcine and equine ovaries, a 412 base fragment of the cDNA was used to synthesize probes for Northern and in situ hybridization studies.Item She's Not One of Us: Group Membership Moderates the Effect of Fertility Cues on Attractiveness Ratings(2014-04-23) Tidwell, Natasha DavisPrevious research has explored several ways in which human fertility influences attraction in both men and women. One of the frequently replicated effects found in this literature is that men tend to rate vocal samples taken from women during highly fertile stages of their ovulatory cycle as more attractive than vocal samples taken during less fertile times. However, ovulation is a relatively ancient adaptation that females from many species, including humans, have maintained for several million years. Researchers have largely ignored more recent adaptations, such as symbolic ingroup preferences, that could potentially moderate these effects. The present work uses a phylogenetic lens to examine the influence of ingroup and outgroup cues on men?s attraction to the voices of fertile and nonfertile women. In Study 1, fertility and target ethnicity interacted to predict attraction, such that men found highly fertile target voices more attractive than nonfertile target voices; however, this effect reversed for female targets who exhibited foreign-accented speech. Study 2 replicated this finding and also demonstrated that a similar effect occurs in response to a subtle manipulation of the female targets? school membership (same-school versus rival school). Study 3 shows that these results generalize to an older, more diverse sample but suggests that the effect does not persist under certain subtle manipulations (i.e., a minimal group paradigm). Together, these results provide support for a phylogenetic approach to understanding human adaptation by demonstrating that humans? relatively recently evolved preferences for ingroup partners can refocus older reproductive drives. Future research should continue to pursue a potential mechanistic explanation for this effect.Item The Role of Testosterone and Estradiol in Women?s Preferences and Mating Strategies across the Menstrual Cycle: A Hormonal Perspective(2012-02-14) Chen, Jennie Ying-ChenThis dissertation project investigated fluctuations in estradiol and testosterone across the human menstrual cycle. During the part of the cycle when women are most fertile, women show stronger preferences for men with more masculine faces, and these preference changes may be related to changes in hormone levels during ovulation. The present study investigated preferences changes among women for higher testosterone men over the menstrual cycle as estradiol and testosterone in those women fluctuated. 32 women participated in this 5-week long study tracking their estradiol and testosterone levels and preferences for masculine men. Women with higher levels of estradiol preferred men who had higher levels of testosterone than women who had lower levels of estradiol. During ovulation, women were more like to find high testosterone men more attractive than other parts of the menstrual cycle. In addition to ratings of men, several other psychological tests were administered and examined for changes as a function of state and trait levels of hormones.