There is now considerable evidence that endometriosis is likely to be a complex multifactorial trait, such as diabetes or asthma, in which a number of susceptibility loci interact with each other, and the environment, to produce the disease phenotype. This thesis presents studies on the genetic and environmental basis of endometriosis in both a non-human primate model and in women. The study of the autopsy records of 399 female rhesus monkeys identified 81 (20%) with spontaneous endometriosis. Age, exposure to ≥ 3 oestradiol implants (relative risk 9.7, P < 0.001) or ≥ 1 hysterotomy (relative risk 5.8, P = 0.006) were significant risk factors as determined by conditional logistic regression. Living descendants of the affected animals had MRI scans which suggested that 8/113 (7%) had at least one endometriotic lesion >1 cm in diameter. Segregation analysis was conducted on the resulting 12 pedigrees, which contained 64 half sib-pairs, 2 full sibpairs and 11 mother-daughter pairs. Human, affected sib-pairs and families were recruited for the OXEGENE study to conduct sib-pair analysis using microsatellite markers at 10cM resolution across the entire genome. MRI studies of the first-degree relatives of women with rAFS stage III-IV disease estimated that the relative risk (λ_R) may be as high as 14 (95% Cl 4.8 - 30.3). Candidate gene studies, comparing the frequency of the GALT N314D polymorphism, the CYP1A1 MspI polymorphism and the GSTM1 and T1 null mutations in two case groups, with either sporadic disease or a family history of endometriosis, and two control groups, did not show evidence of association. Linkage analysis using three microsatellite markers and 50 affected sib-pairs in the region to which GSTM1 maps (1p13) did not show evidence of linkage to this region. However, there was an apparent relationship between the presence of both the GSTM1 null mutation and the CYP1A1 MspI polymorphism and an increased risk of endometriosis. The initial findings of a sib-pair analysis, using 29 microsatellite markers across chromosome one in 128 affected sib-pairs, did not reveal evidence of linkage. These findings provide some insight into the aetiology of endometriosis in women.

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Hawaii at Manoa, 2005. / Includes bibliographical references. / vii, 23 leaves, bound ill. 29 cm

Senior Honors Thesis (Nursing)--Ohio State University, 2004. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains 26 p. Includes bibliographical references (p. 23-24). Available online via Ohio State University's Knowledge Bank.

Thesis (M.S.)--Rutgers University, 2008. / "Graduate Program in Nutritional Sciences." Includes bibliographical references (p. 56-59).

The entire thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file; a non-technical public abstract appears in the public.pdf file. Title from PDF of title page (University of Missouri--Columbia, viewed on October 7, 2009) Thesis advisor: Dr. Kathy L. Sharpe-Timms. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph.D) - University of Queensland, 2006. / Includes bibliography.

M.Tech. / The study was aimed at determining the efficacy of the homoeopathic simillimum in the treatment of endometriosis. Endometriosis may be defined as the presence of endometrial tissue outside the uterine cavity and is often associated with severe pain and infertility. The homoeopathic simillimum is the single remedy prescribed that most closely matches the symptoms presented by the participant. Symptoms from the physical, mental and emotional plane are taken into account when prescribing the simillimum remedy. The ten participants taking part in the study were evaluated at monthly intervals over a period of four months. The participants were assessed on different levels including mental, physical and emotional and the homoeopathic remedies were individually prescribed for each participant. Participants were required to record all symptoms experienced on a daily basis and report back at the monthly evaluation. The results of the daily evaluation and the observations, made by the researcher at each monthly visit, enabled the researcher to determine the efficacy of the homoeopathic treatment. The results of the daily evaluations were statistically analysed using the Analysis of Variance technique and the Chi-squared statistic to test for associations. The study showed a statistically significant improvement in the amount of bleeding, constipation, depression, diarrhoea, nausea and pelvic pain experienced by the participants and a not statistically significant improvement was shown for well-being, vomiting, dysmenorrhoea and dyspareunia. The women taking part in the study felt there was an improvement in the majority of symptoms associated with endometriosis. Therefore, the homoeopathic simillimum has proved benefit

The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy of the combination of Nigersan® 4X, Citrokehl® 10X/30X/200X and Recarcin® 4X in the treatment of symptoms experienced with endometriosis. Endometriosis is a gynaecological disorder, where functioning endometrial tissue is present outside the uterine cavity. Symptoms are often associated with severe pain and/or infertility. The aetiology is unknown and there is no cure for endometriosis. This was a double blind study in which a placebo group was compared to an experimental group. Twenty five females with pre-diagnosed endometriosis were analysed over a twelve week period. The participants were randomly divided into two groups, one receiving Nigersan® 4X, Citrokehl® 10X/30X/200X and Recarcin® 4X and the other placebo. This was a subjective study with reference to the participant’s perception of their condition before, during and at the end of the study. Participants were asked to record the following on a daily basis: menstruation, pelvic pain, backache, nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea. The participants were then also asked to rate the following on a monthly basis: energy levels, general wellbeing, dysmenorrhea, pelvic pain, menstrual clotting, menstrual flow, menstrual colour and dyspareunia. All forms and questionairres were then collected at four week intervals and analysed for comparison. The data was statistically analysed using the Analysis of Variance technique and Chi-squared statistics. Results revealed a significant decrease in the average number of days of backache and pelvic pain within the placebo group while the experimental group indicated a significant improvement in energy levels and general wellbeing. Therefore it is concluded that Nigersan® 4X, Citrokehl® 10X/30X/200X and Recarcin® 4X did not significantly alleviate symptoms associated with endometriosis. / Dr. N. Wolf Dr. S. Sarawan

No description available.

Endometriosis is an estrogen-dependent disease that is characterized by the growth of endometrial tissue outside of the uterine cavity. The most common endometriotic lesions are ovarian endometrioma, peritoneal lesions, and deeply-infiltrating endometriosis. Ten percent of women in reproductive age are affected, a gross underestimate due to the delay in diagnosis and non-specific symptoms. The etiology of endometriosis is not well understood, making diagnosis difficult, and treatments suboptimal. Currently, laparoscopic surgery is the gold standard for diagnosis, however this method is invasive, costly, and physicians are often reluctant to send their patients to surgery without certainty of disease. It is therefore a research priority to identify a minimally-invasive biomarker for endometriosis. Over the years, the search for a biomarker has shifted from a single circulating biomarker, to a panel of circulating biomarkers, and finally to the advent of newer technologies. The studies of proteomics, genomics, phenomics, and metabolomics have shown some promise thus far. MicroRNAs, a discovery of genomics, are short, non-coding RNA strands that regulate mRNA expression by silencing or degrading the transcript. The dysregulation of miRNAs have been shown to contribute to the pathology of many gynecological conditions, and have shown to be dysregulated in endometriosis. To date however, results have been underwhelming due to differences in methodologies and failure to consider endometriosis as a heterogeneous disease. Three miRNAs were studied based on their prevalence in the literature (miR-9, -21, and -424), and three others (miR-10a, -10b, and -204) were measured based on their association with BDNF. In the current study, miR-204 expression was significantly lower (p=0.0016) in the eutopic endometrium of women with endometriosis compared to controls. Relative expression of miR-21, miR-424, and miR-10b differed significantly (p<0.05) across lesion types in women with exclusively endometriomas, peritoneal or deep-infiltrating lesions. Corresponding BDNF expression in the lesion types were inversely correlated to miRNA expression suggesting these miRNA regulate BDNF and are implicated in endometriosis pathology. Due to the findings that miRNAs are differentially expressed between endometriotic lesions, this study also suggests that, different lesion types are biochemically distinct. / Thesis / Master of Health Sciences (MSc)