BACKGROUND Flowering synchrony and floral sex ratio have the potential to influence the mating opportunities and reproductive success through female function. Here, we examine the variances in synchronous display of female and male function, ratio of male to female flowers per day and subsequently reproductive output in small populations of two monoecious plants, Sagittaria trifolia and Sagitta...

Human female reproductive aging consists of multiple processes and interacts with other physiological systems in unique ways. Here we discuss eight recent longitudinal, epidemiologic studies of female reproductive aging that include endocrine data to highlight their contributions to our understanding of these various aging processes and their interactions. Specifically, we review data on ovaria...

The p38 mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) are members of discrete signal transduction pathways that have significant regulatory roles in a variety of biological processes, depending on the cell, tissue and organ type. p38 MAPKs are involved in inflammation, cell growth and differentiation and cell cycle. In the female reproductive system, p38 MAPKs are known to regulate various aspects ...

In dioecious plants, reproductive efforts of male and female plants can be differentially affected by herbivory due to sex-specific allocation and re-modulation of resources. Here, we investigate the effects of foliar herbivory by the polyphagous species Spodoptera littoralis (Boisduval) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) on male and female reproductive traits of Silene latifolia (Poir.) (Caryophyllaceae...

Estrogen is associated with female sexual behaviors, particularly receptive behaviors during the reproductive cycle. Less is known about the relationship between estrogen and female preference behaviors that may precede receptivity and copulation. Separating the mechanisms underlying preference from receptivity is often confounded by the tightly coupled cycle- or estrogen-dependent expression o...

Sexually selected traits are predicted to show condition dependence by capturing the genetic quality of its bearer. In separate-sexed organisms, this will ultimately translate into condition dependence of reproductive success of the sex that experiences sexual selection, which is typically the male. Such condition dependence of reproductive success is predicted to be higher in males than female...