Melatonin is an indoleamine with crucial antioxidant properties that are used to combat inflammatory and neoplastic processes, as well as control transplants. However, the clinical applications of melatonin have not yet been fully consolidated in the literature and require in-depth analysis. Objectives: This study reviewed the literature on the antioxidant properties of melatonin in rat models. Methods: We followed the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses and used the PubMed, LILACS, and Cochrane databases, Google Scholar, and article references, irrespective of publication time. Results: Ten articles involving 485 rats were selected, and the effects of melatonin on antioxidant markers were investigated. Melatonin increased superoxide dismutase in nine studies, glutathione peroxidase in seven studies, and catalase in five studies. In contrast, melatonin reduced glutathione in three studies and malonaldehyde in seven of eight studies. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that melatonin effectively reduces oxidative stress.

To examine the change in menopausal symptoms and cardiovascular risk factors in response to 4 months of daily 100-mg soy isoflavone in postmenopausal women. In this double-blind, placebo-controlled study, 80 women were randomly assigned to isoflavone (n = 40) and placebo (n = 40) treatment. The menopausal Kupperman index was used to assess change in menopausal symptoms at baseline and after 4 months of treatment. Cardiovascular risk factors were assessed by evaluating plasma lipid levels, body mass index, blood pressure, and glucose levels in the participants. To examine the effects of this regime on endogenous hormone levels, follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and 17 beta-estradiol were measured. Transvaginal sonography was performed to quantify endometrial thickness. The data showed a decrease in menopausal symptoms (P <.01, paired t test, two-tailed, between baseline and isoflavone groups, and P <.01, unpaired t test, between placebo and isoflavone groups). Total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein decreased significantly in the isoflavone group compared with the baseline or placebo group (P <.001, paired t test, two-tailed, between baseline and isoflavone groups, and P <.01, unpaired t test, between placebo and isoflavone groups). The isoflavone treatment appeared to have no effect on blood pressure, plasma glucose, and high-density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels. This study suggests that isoflavone 100-mg regime treatment may be a safe and effective alternative therapy for menopausal symptoms and may offer a benefit to the cardiovascular system.

The nature of the magnetic interactions among core-shell nanoparticles of ${\text{CoFe}}_2{\text{O}}_4–{\text{CoFe}}_2$ having an average particle size of 32 nm were investigated by $\delta m$ plots. It was found that the interactions are mainly demagnetizing in nature for nanoparticles with core diameters larger than 26 nm. For smaller values of core diameters, the exchange-spring phenomenon takes place due to the exchange-coupling at the core-shell interface. The critical thickness of the shell was estimated to be 7.8 nm. The overall results are in excellent agreement with current theoretical models.

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a global health emergency. Major disruption to healthcare services during the current COVID-19 pandemic will last even after its peak. Sexual and reproductive ...

The main consequence of delaying motherhood is compromising a woman's reproductive life with a decline in fertility. A critical step in assisted human reproduction is the evaluation of the quality of oocytes and embryos before embryo transfer, and age is a predominant factor in that capacity. In fact, granulosa cells (GCs) have been proposed as fundamental for the quality of oocytes due to their close biodynamic interrelationship¹ 1 Broi MG, Giorgi VSI, Wang F, Keefe DL, Albertini D, Navarro PA. Influence of follicular fluid and cumulus cells on oocyte quality: clinical implications. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2018;35(5):735-51. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1143-3 https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-018-1143-... ,² 2 Mintziori G, Mousiolis A, Duntas LH, Goulis DG. Evidence for a manifold role of selenium in infertility. Hormones (Athens). 2020;19(1):55-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-019-00140-6 https://doi.org/10.1007/s42000-019-00140... . Also, GCs with theca cells are the main steroidogenic cells of the ovary. The development of follicles in the ovaries begins with the proliferation of GCs, which change their shape from flat to cubic and from a single layer to a multilayer, depending on the follicular phase³ 3 Greenfield A. The molecular genetic basis of fetal granulosa cell development. Curr Opin Endocr Metab Res. 2021;18. –⁵ 5 Dompe C, Kulus M, Stefańska K, Kranc W, Chermuła B, Bryl R, et al. Human granulosa cells-stemness properties, molecular cross-talk and follicular angiogenesis. Cells. 2021;10(6):1396. https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10061396 https://doi.org/10.3390/cells10061396... . The aim of the present document was to perform a narrative review, focusing on the role of GCs in follicle maturation and oocyte quality, as well as in the molecular mechanisms involved in this process.