Uterine Tumor Resembling Ovarian Sex Cord Stromal Tumor (UTROSCT) is a rare uterine mesenchymal neoplasm, which resembles ovarian sex cord tumors of the ovary. Although, in general, UTROSCT exhibits benign behavior with a favorable prognosis, this neoplasm is nonetheless classified as being of an uncertain ma-lignant potential, given its low rate of recurrence and the fact that it rarely pro-duces metastases (lymph nodes, epiploic appendix, omentum, small bowel, subcutaneous, lungs). Its histogenesis too is uncertain. Typically, UTROSCT oc-curs in peri-menopausal or menopausal women but can sometimes be observed in young women. Usually, this neoplasm can be found in the uterine corpus as a nodular intramural lesion, less frequently submucosal, subserosal or poly-poid/intracavitary. UTROSCT can cause abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, enlarged uterus, mass sensation, but sometimes it is found purely by chance. This neo-plasm can be considered polyphenotypic on morphological, immunohistochem-ical, and genetic analyses. Generally, on microscopic examination, UTROSCT shows a predominant pattern of the cords, nests, and trabeculae typical of sex cord tumors of the ovary while, immunohistochemically, it is characterized by a co-expression of epithelial, smooth muscle, and sex cord markers. The aim of this review is to report clinical and pathological data and genetic alterations to estab-lish its impact on the prognosis and management of patients affected by this rare entity.

Lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) is an essential legume crop providing healthy and nutritious food for people in low- to middle-income countries, worldwide. Lentil roots support symbiotic interactions with soil rhizobia species fostering nitrogen fixation; however, assemblage and diversity of the complete microbial rhizosphere community and the effect of seed genotype and origin remains largely unexplored. In this study we examined with metagenomic analysis, the effects of seed origin on the rhizosphere’s communities in samples of the famous Greek lentil landrace Eglouvis derived from different local farmers and farming systems including a Gene Bank sample, in comparison to a commercial variety. The landrace exhibited higher rhizosphere microbiome diversity compared to the commercial variety for all indexes. A core microbiome comprised of 158 taxa was present in all samples, while higher number of unique bacterial taxa was recorded in the landrace samples compared to the commercial cultivar. Noteworthy, landrace samples originated from organic farming had more than double unique taxa compared to conventional counterparts. The study revealed higher diversity of N2 fixers and archaea, Crenarchaeota and Thaumarchaeota, in landrace samples and particularly in those derived from organic farming, underpinning the distinct recruiting efficiency of beneficial soil microbes by the landrace.

Regeneration is usually regarded as a unique plant or some animal species process. In reality, regeneration is a ubiquitous process in all multicellular organisms. It ranges from response to wounding by healing the wounded tissue to whole body neoforming (remaking of the new body). In a larger context, regeneration is one facet of two reproduction schemes that dominate the evolution of life. Multicellular organisms can propagate their genes asexually or sexually. Here I present the view that the ability to regenerate tissue or whole-body regeneration is also determined by the sexual state of the multicellular organisms (from simple animals like hydra and planaria to plants and complex animals). The above idea is manifested here by showing evidence that many organisms, organs, or tissues show inhibited or diminished regeneration capacity when in reproductive status compared to the same organism organs or tissues in nonreproductive conditions or by exposure to sex hormones.

The dengue virus (DENV) is an arbovirus belonging to the Flaviviridae family; the species comprises four antigenically distinct serotypes (DENV–1, DENV–2, DENV–3, and DENV–4), which are further subdivided into genotypes. The virus is transmitted to humans through mosquito bites, primarily from the Aedes spp. genus. Dengue is endemic in various parts of the world, including tropical and subtropical regions of Asia, Latin America, Africa, and Oceania. In Brazil, the state of Tocantins, located in north-central Brazil, has experienced a significant number of arboviral disease cases, particularly dengue. This study aimed to monitor DENV circulation within the state by conducting full genome sequencing of viral genomes recovered from 61 patients between June 2021 and July 2022. During this period, both DENV-1 and DENV-2 serotypes were identified. Our findings confirm the circulation of DENV serotypes 1 and 2 in Tocantins, affecting males and females equally, with younger age groups (4 to 43 years old) being the most susceptible. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that the circulating viruses belong to DENV–1 genotype V American and DENV–2 genotype III Southeast Asian/American. The Bayesian analysis of DENV-1 Genotype V sequenced here is closely related to genomes previously sequenced in the state of São Paulo. Regarding DENV-2 genotype III genomes, these are clustered in a distinct, well-supported subclade, along with previously reported isolates from the states of Goiás and São Paulo. In both cases, our results suggest that multiple introductions of these genotypes occurred in the Tocantins state. This observation highlights the significant impact of major population centers in Brazil on virus dispersion, including other Latin-American countries and the USA. In the SNP analysis, DENV-1 displayed 122 distinct missense mutations, while DENV-2 had 44, with significant mutations predominantly occurring in the envelope and NS5 proteins. The analyses performed here reveal the concomitant circulation of distinct DENV-1 and -2 genotypes in some Brazilian states, underscoring the dynamic evolution of the DENV and the ongoing significance of surveillance efforts in supporting public health policies.

A comparative efficacy of apathogenic genotype I (V4) and lentogenic genotype II (LaSota) strains of live Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vaccines was done following vaccination with pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) H9N2 avian influenza vaccine and challenge with velogenic NDV genotype VII.1.1 (vNDV-VII.1.1). Eight groups (Gs) of day-old chicks were used (n=25). Groups 1-4 received a single dose of PAMP-H9N2 subcutaneously, while Gs (1, 5) and (2, 6) received eye drops of V4 and LaSota respectively as twice doses. All Gs except 4 and 8 were intramuscularly challenged with vNDV-VII.1.1 at 28th days of age. No signs were detected in Gs 1, 5, 4, and 8. The mortality rates were 0% in Gs 1, 4, 5, and 8; 40% in G2; 46.66% in G6; and 100% in Gs 3 and 7. Lesions were recorded as minimal in Gs 1 and 5, but mild to moderate in Gs 2 and 6. The lowest significant viral shedding was detected in Gs 1, 2, and 5. In conclusion, two successive vaccinations of broilers with a live V4 NDV vaccine provided a higher protection against vNDV-VII.1.1 challenge than LaSota. Besides, PAMP-H9N2 with live NDV vaccines induced more protection than live vaccine alone.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) causes both acute and chronic disease of the liver that can lead to liver cirrhosis, cancer and liver failure. HCV is characterized by high genetic diversity and substantial variations in prevalence of specific HCV genotypes in different countries of the world. Many effective regimens of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), including pan-genotypic, can successfully treat HCV infection. However, genotype-specific treatments for HCV are being actively employed in the national plans for elimination of HCV infection around the world. Evaluation of HCV genotype prevalence in a country is mandatory for successful implementation of the national plans for elimination of HCV infection and allocation of financial resources to DAAs most effecting for specific HCV genotypes prevalent in a country. Here, we analyzed HCV genotypes, subgenotypes and recombinants in 10,107 serum samples from patients with chronic HCV infection from all Federal districts of Russia collected in 2015-2017. This is the first, largest evaluation of HCV genotypes performed on samples from all territories of Russia, from its Central Federal district to the Far East. Moreover, we have updated retrospective epidemiological analysis of chronic and acute HCV infection in Russia in 2001-2021. We demonstrate that the incidence of acute HCV infection in Russia reduced from 16.7 cases per 100,000 population in 2001 to 0.6 cases per 100,000 population in 2021. The number of cases of chronic HCV infection decreased from 29.5 to 16.4 per 100,000 population during this period. HCV genotype analysis indicated that HCV genotype 1 dominates in Russia (53.6%). Genotypes 3 and 2 were detected in 35.4% and 7.8% of patients respectively. These proportions are virtually identical in all regions of Russia except for Far East, where HCV genotype 2 amounts only to 1%. HCV genotypes 1 and 2 are more widespread in women, while HCV genotype 3 in men. The highest frequency of identification of genotype 3 was found in the age group of 31-40 years old (44.9%, respectively), and genotype 1 was more prevalent in a group of over 70 years old (72.2%). The proportion of HCV genotype 2 is predominant among HCV-infected persons older than 40 years. Discriminating HCV genotype 2 and recombinant RF1_2k/1b, which are frequently misclassified, is important for successful antiviral treatment of such patients. For the first time, we demonstrate the countrywide prevalence of HCV RF1_2k/1b in different regions of Russia. HCV RF1_2k/1b amounts to 3.2% in the structure of HCV genotypes, reaching 30% among samples classified as genotype 2 by some commercial genotyping tests. The highest proportion of HCV RF1_2k/1b was detected in the north-west (60%), southern (41.6%) and central (31.6%) federal district. Its frequency in Far Eastern and North Caucasus Districts was ~ 14.3%. HCV RF1_2k/1b was not detected in the Volga, Ural and Siberian districts. To conclude, this is the first and most complete evaluation of HCV epidemiology and genotype/subgenotype distribution in Russia.

In this study, an analysis was conducted on 16 durum wheat genotypes cultivated under seven different crop management systems. The purpose was to investigate the influence of Genotype (G), Environment (E), and Genotype by Environment interactions (GxE) on the content of total free phenolic compounds (TPC) and the antioxidant capacity (AC) of durum wheat in Mediterranean environments and identify their adaptability in climatic change. Additionally, possible correlations between TPC and AC with protein content (PC), and vitreous-kernel percentage (VKP) of the samples were examined. The results indicated significant impacts from E, G, and GxE on both TPC and AC. Among the E, the mean values for TPC, ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP values were recorded at 48.8 mg TE/100 g dw, 121.3 mg TE/100 g dw, 23.0 mg TE/100 g dw, and 88.4 mg TE/100 g dw, respectively. Environments subjected to splitting topdressing N fertilization consistently showed low values, while the late sowing ones possessed high values. The Organic environment maintained a stable position in the middle across all measurements. The predominant influence was attributed to GxE, as indicated by the order GxE >E>G for ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP while for TPC was E>GxE>G. A comprehensive exploration of GxE interaction holds the potential to improve the total free phenolics content and antioxidant capacity of durum wheat within wheat farming systems. Achieving this enhancement involves the meticulous selection of cultivars that not only display high values but also exhibit stability across diverse conditions. Noteworthy genotypes for TPC include G5, G7 and G10, for ABTS include G3, G5 and G7, and for protein include G1, G9, and G16. G7 and G5 had high presence of frequency with G7 being the closest genotype to the ideal for both TPC and ABTS. These results suggest that the cultivation period as well as the nitrogen fertilization and its application method have a significant impact on the various antioxidant properties of durum wheat. This study holds significant importance as it represents the first comprehensive exploration of the impact of various E on the TPC and AC in durum wheat, with a special emphasis on the crop management. Notably, the significance of several statistical tools is also highlighted, such as the GGE biplot, Pi, and KR, in identifying superior genotypes, with the GGE biplot being highly valuable since it offers a visual representation of the study's outcomes.

Geckos demonstrate a remarkable variability in sex determination systems, but our limited knowledge prohibits accurate conclusions on the evolution of sex determination in this group. Eyelid geckos (Eublepharidae) are of particular interest, as they encompass species with both environmental and genotypic sex determination. We identified for the first time the X-specific gene content in the Yucatán banded gecko, Coleonyx elegans, possessing X1X1X2X2/X1X2Y multiple sex chromosomes by comparative genome coverage analysis between sexes. The X-specific gene content of Coleonyx elegans was revealed to be partially homologous to genomic regions linked to the chicken autosomes 1, 6 and 11. A qPCR-based test was applied to validate a subset of X-specific genes by comparing the difference in gene copy numbers between sexes, and to explore the homology of sex chromosomes across 11 eublepharid, two phyllodactylid and one sphaerodactylid species. Homologous sex chromosomes are shared between Coleonyx elegans and Coleonyx mitratus, two species diverged approximately 34 million years ago, but not with other tested species. As far as we know, the X-specific gene content of Coleonyx elegans / Coleonyx mitratus was never involved in the sex chromosomes of other gecko lineages, indicating that the sex chromosomes in this clade of eublepharid geckos evolved independently.

The predatory mirids Macrolophus pygmaeus Ramber and Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Heteroptera: Miridae) are used for the biological control of Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lep.: Gelechiidae) and other pests in tomato greenhouses. The functional response of 1 (young) and 10 (old) days old adult females and males of M. pygmaeus and N. tenuis on eggs of T. absoluta, was determined on tomato at two temperatures (20° and 25°C) and LD 16:8 and found to be Type II. M. pygmaeus females exhibited higher predation efficiency, than males at both tested temperatures. Young M. pygmaeus females had a higher efficiency than old ones, whereas males had a low efficiency irrespective of age. The predation efficiency of N. tenuis was high (but lower than M. pygmaeus) in both young females and males, although old females had a higher efficiency than the respective males. Our results show that the two predatory species have different functional response characteristics to their prey depending mainly on sex and age which may affect their role as biological control agents.

Environmental genetics-related modern methods are shown as important indicators of various cyanotoxins syntheses, and their knowledge and use are critically analyzed. Microcystins and other cyanotoxins loads and syntheses are related to different drivers, like various chemical elements and compounds (especially nutrients, such as nitrogen and phosphorus, and their ratio), then to the light, conductivity, temperature, and other climatical and hydrological factors, to which spatial and geographical features (such as the surface of the water bodies) have to be added. The biotic relationships include different specific and supraspecific, uni- and bilateral links between the cyanobacteria, and subsequently their synthesized toxins, and protozoans (or protoctists), chromists, macrophytes, different systematical and ecological groups of zooplankton, and others. The importance of, but also the gaps in, the knowledge and the scarcity of studies involving ectocrines mediated interactions between different groups of algae and plants are highlighted. The paper ends with an interesting classification of lakes' trophicity, illustrated with conceptual diagrams, based on possible scenarios of cyanobacteria behavior.

Sex differences are essential factors in disease etiology and manifestation in many diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and neurodegeneration (1). The biological influence of sex differences (including genomic, epigenetic, hormonal, immunological, and metabolic differences between males and females) and the lack of biomedical studies considering sex differences in their study design has led to several policies. For example, the National Institute of Health’s (NIH) sex as a biological variable (SABV) and Sex and Gender Equity in Research (SAGER)) policies to motivate researchers to consider sex differences (2). However, drug repurposing, a promising alternative to traditional drug discovery by identifying novel uses for FDA-approved drugs, lacks sex-aware methods that can improve the identification of drugs that have sex-specific responses (1,3–5). Sex-aware drug repurposing methods either select drug candidates that are more efficacious in one sex or deprioritize drug candidates based on if they are predicted to cause a sex-bias adverse event (SBAE), unintended therapeutic effects that are more likely to occur in one sex. Computational drug repurposing methods are encouraging approaches to develop for sex-aware drug repurposing because they can prioritize sex-specific drug candidates or SBAEs at lower cost and time than traditional drug discovery. Sex-aware methods currently exist for clinical, genomic, and transcriptomic information (3,6,7). They have not expanded to other data types, such as DNA variation, which has been beneficial in other drug repurposing methods that do not consider sex (8). Additionally, some sex-aware methods suffer from poorer performance because a disproportionate number of male and female samples are available to train computational methods (3). However, there is development potential for several different categories (i.e., data mining, ligand binding predictions, molecular associations, and networks). Low-dimensional representations of molecular association and network approaches are also especially promising candidates for future sex-aware drug repurposing methodologies because they reduce the multiple hypothesis testing burden and capture sex-specific variation better than the other methods (9,10). Here we review how sex influences drug response, the current state of drug repurposing including with respect to sex-bias drug response, and how model organism study design choices influence drug repurposing validation.

The current plant two-sex model makes the assumption that there are only two sexual reproductive states: male and female. However, the application of this model to the plant alternation of generations requires the subtle redefinition of several common terms related to sexual reproduction, which also seems to obscure aspects of one or the other plant generation: For instance, the homosporous sporophytic plant is treated as being “asexual,” and the gametophytes of angiosperms treated like mere gametes. In contrast, the proposal is made that the sporophytes of homosporous plants are indeed sexual reproductive organisms, as are the gametophytes of heterosporous plants. This view requires the expansion of the number of sexual reproductive states we accept for plants, therefore a three-sex model for homosporous plants and a four-sex model for heterosporous plants are described and then contrasted with the current two-sex model. These new models allow the use of sexual reproductive terms in a manner largely similar to that seen in animals, and may better accommodate the plant alternation of generations life cycle than does the current plant two-sex model. These new three-sex and four-sex models may also help stimulate new lines of research, and examples of how they might alter our view of the flower, and may lead to new perspectives in terms of sexual determination, are presented. Thus it is suggested that plants have more than merely two sexual reproductive states, and that recognition of this may promote our study and understanding of plants.

In this review, we provide an overview of the current knowledge on the different sexual systems and sex determining mechanisms in bivalves, with a focus on the various epigenetic and genetic factors that may be involved. The final section of the review provides recent discoveries on sex-specific mitochondrial genes in bivalves possessing the unconventional system of doubly uniparental inheritance of mitochondria (which is found in several members of the orders Mytiloida, Unionoida, Veneroida and Nuculanoida). The genes involved in this developmental pathway could represent the first sex determination system in animals in which mitochondrially-encoded genes are directly involved.

INTRODUCTION There have been several advances in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection which have resulted in major reductions in the morbidity and mortality from liver-associated disease. These are not widely available in the Caribbean, due in part, to lack of knowledge of the epidemiology of infections with HCV. As efforts are made to eliminate HCV from the region, these and other existing barriers such as lack of an established database on HCV must be addressed. This review seeks to identify gaps in the knowledge of HCV in the Caribbean with respect to seroprevalence, genotype distribution and general epidemiologic characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS The literature for the period January 1, 2005, to October 2022, was reviewed to gather country specific data on HCV across the Caribbean. References were identified through indexed journals accessed through established databases. The usage pattern of HCV drugs was determined from data obtained from Pharmacists and Infectious Diseases Specialists across the region. RESULTS The prevalence of HCV in the Caribbean was 1.5%; the region should therefore be considered an area of moderate prevalence. Notably, data from specific countries were limited. The prevalence of HCV among intravenous drug users (21.9-58.8%); persons living with HIV/AIDS (0.8 to 58.5%); prisoners (32.8-64%) and men who have sex with men (MSM) (0.8-6.9%) was generally higher than in the general population (0.8-2.3%). Genotype 1 (83% was most prevalent followed by genotypes 2 (7.2%) and 3(2.1%), respectively. Drugs currently being used for treatment of HCV infections across the Caribbean include Epclusa (Sofosbuvir/velpatasvir), and Harvoni (Ledipasvir/sofosbuvir). Some of these drugs, are only available in the private sector and are sourced externally whenever needed. CONCLUSION There is a paucity of current data on the seroprevalence of HCV in the Caribbean and well-designed prospective studies are indicated to drive the implementation of treatment and control programs for HCV in the region. Barriers which need to be first overcome include unavailability and high cost of drugs used to treat HCV infections, injecting drug use and limited access to medical care and laboratory testing.

Japanese encephalitis (JE) is a vaccine preventable disease caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), which is primarily prevalent in Asia. JEV is a Flavivirus, classified into a single serotype with five genetically distinct genotypes (I, II, III, IV, and V). JEV genotype III (GIII) had been the most dominant strain and caused numerous out breaks in the JEV endemic countries until 1990. However, recent data shows the emergence of genotype I (GI) as a dominant genotype and it is gradually displacing GIII. The exact mechanism of this genotype displacement is still unclear. The virus can replicate in mosquito vectors and vertebrate hosts to maintain its zoonotic life cycle; pigs and aquatic wading birds act as an amplifying/reservoir hosts, and humans and equines are the dead end hosts. The important role of pigs as an amplifying host for JEV is well known. However, the influence of other domestic animals especially birds that live in high abundance and close proximity to human is not well studied. Here, we strive to briefly highlight the role of birds in JEV zoonotic transmission, discovery of birds as a natural reservoirs and amplifying host for JEV, species of birds susceptible to JEV infection, and the proposed effect of JEV on poultry industry in future perspective which have been neglected for a long times. We also discussed the recent in vitro and in vivo studies which show that the newly emerged GI viruses replicated more efficiently in bird-derived cells and ducklings/chicks than GIII, and an important role of birds in the JEV genotype shift from GIII to GI.

Phenotype variation is produced through a complex of interactions between genotype and environment. Phenotype, genotype, and environment are addresses the relationship between architecture and identity. The term genotype biology and phenotype have been adopted into architecture in the late twentieth century. Genotypes are abstract relational models that govern the arrangement of space, and the principle of organizing space and phenotypes is the real realization of genotypes in the physical environment. The genotype is a reflection that is not only about the spatial organization but also the nature of social and cultural patterns. Then this study purpose to an understanding of the connectedness variant phenotype from a genotype and environment. The repetition pattern being stable structure in variation phenotype uses as a database to finding an identity in architecture. The method used in this research was Levi Strauss's structuralism and multi-layer of a biological system. This research samples traditional Malay houses in West Borneo, Indonesia. These houses have a unique site and existing environment. The houses can be found mainly along the river. The results found from the phenotype, genotype, and environment have value and meaning as a traditional Malay house rule in West Borneo which was always handed down from generation to generation.

Drought stress imposes substantial constraints on the growth and production of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), a globally important cereal crop that is essential for food security. To mitigate these adverse effects, researchers are intensifying their efforts to comprehend how different genotypes respond to drought stress, aiding in the development of sustainable breeding and management strategies. This review summarized past and recent research on genotype-dependent responses of wheat to drought stress, encompassing morphological, physiological, biochemical, molecular, genetic, and epigenetic reactions in plants. Screening of drought-affected features at early developmental stages can provide valuable insights into the adult growth stages that are closely linked to plant productivity. The review underscores the importance of identifying key traits associated with drought resistance, and the potential of leveraging wheat diversity to select cultivars with desirable agronomic characteristics. It also highlights recent advancements in investigating Bulgarian wheat genotypes with varying levels of drought tolerance, specifically in detecting essential features contributing to drought tolerance. Cultivating drought-resistant wheat genotypes and understanding stress stability determinants could markedly contribute to enhancing wheat production and ensuring stable yields under changing climate conditions.

Anxiety disorders manifest in women more than in men by almost twofold. This narrative review aims to summarize the sex-related biological factors, which underpin anxiety, focusing on the interactions of sex and tryptophan/serotonin with anxiety.A literature search was conducted using Google Scholar, PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, and EMBASE databases from inception until December 31, 2017. This review shows that sex may interact with many serotonin functions thereby modulating anxiety, including 5-HT1A and 5-HT2C receptors, 5-HT transporter and central 5-HT concentrations and metabolism. Sex-steroids modulate the expression of serotonin transporter genes, creating a difference in serotonin availability. Sex and estrous cycle phases lead to varying anxiety responses to tryptophan depletion. Testosterone, progesterone and estrogen are important factors in mediating sex differences in serotonin responses to anxiety-generating behavioral tests. At prenatal levels, there are sex-related differences in the reciprocal relationships between serotonin and the HPA-axis, which modulate anxiety-like behaviors. Activated immune-inflammatory pathways induce indoleamine-2,3-dioxynease (IDO) and the tryptophan catabolite (TRYCAT) pathway thereby increasing tryptophan degradation and increasing the production of TRYCATs including kynurenine and quinolinic acid, which may create an overall anxiogenic effect. The effects of immune activation on IDO are significantly more pronounced in women than men and therefore females may show increased levels of anxiogenic TRYCAT following immune challenge. Aberrations in the IDO-activated TRYCAT pathway are found in pregnant females and parturients and are associated with increased anxiety levels in the postnatal period. The results of this review underscore the necessity of studying the associations between serotonin and anxiety in both sexes taking into account the effects of immune activation on IDO and production of anxiogenic TRYCATs. Future anxiety research should focus on the interactions between serotonin/tryptophan and sex, sex hormones, the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, the HPA axis and the immune system through production of anxiogenic TRYCATs.

Crosstalk between the BMP and TGF-β signaling pathways regulates many complex developmental processes from the earliest stages of embryogenesis throughout adult life. In many situations, the two signaling pathways act reciprocally. For example, TGF-β signaling is generally pro-fibrotic whereas BMP signaling is anti-fibrotic and pro-calcific. Sex-specific differences occur in many diseases including cardiovascular pathologies. Differing ratios of fibrosis and calcification in stenotic valves suggests that BMP/TGF-β signaling may vary in men and women. In this review, we focus on the current understanding of the interplay between sex and BMP/TGF-β signaling and pose several unanswered questions.

The Genotype-Phenotype Working Group was established in November 2021 as part of the AgBioData Consortium (https://www.agbiodata.org) with the goal of identifying current challenges in annotating and integrating large-scale genotype and phenotype data. Over the course of the year, the members of this working group identified different types of data sets, explored experimental platforms and methods for data generation, and examined how these data are annotated including the metadata requirements. We conducted a thorough review of publicly funded repositories for raw and processed data for each data type. We also examined several secondary databases and knowledgebases that enable the integration of heterogeneous data types in the context of the Genome Browser, Pathway Networks and tissue-specific gene expression. The review revealed a need for additional infrastructural support, standards, and tools to connect Genotype to Phenotype data and enhance data interoperability for knowledge synthesis and to foster translational research.

The Duffy protein, a transmembrane molecule, functions as a receptor for various chemokines and facilitates attachment between the reticulocyte and the Plasmodium Duffy antigen-binding protein. Duffy expression correlates with the Duffy receptor gene for the chemokine, located on chromosome 1, and exhibits geographical variability worldwide. Traditionally, researchers have described the Duffy negative genotype as a protective factor against phenotypic malaria expression. However, recent studies suggest this microorganism's evolution potentially diminishes this protective effect. Nevertheless, there is currently insufficient global data to demonstrate this phenomenon. This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between the Duffy genotype/phenotype and the prevalence of Plasmodium vivax infection. The protocol for the systematic review was registered in PROSPERO as CRD42022353427 and involved reviewing published studies from 2012 to 2022. Medline, Web of Science, Scopus, and Scielo databases were consulted. Assessments of study quality were conducted using the STROBE and GRADE tools. A total of 34 studies were included, with Africa accounting for most recorded studies. The results varied significantly regarding the relationship between the Duffy genotype/phenotype and Plasmodium vivax invasion. Some studies predominantly featured the negative Duffy genotype yet reported no malaria cases. Other studies identified minor percentages of infections. Conversely, certain studies observed a higher prevalence (99%) of Duffy-negative individuals infected with Plasmodium vivax. In conclusion, no evidence of a gender-specific distribution of malaria between Duffy-negative men and women was found. However, evidence supports that the homozygous Duffy genotype positive for the A allele (FY*A/*A) is associated with a higher incidence of Plasmodium infection. Furthermore, the negative Duffy genotype does not confer protection against this disease.

This study aimed to characterize the genetic subtypes of HCV-GT4 and identify the presence of natural occurring resistance-associated substitutions (RASs) in Saudi Arabia patients. A total of 17 GT4 patients was analyzed. Sequence analysis of NS3, NS5A and NS5B regions was performed by direct sequencing. In addition, phylogenetic analysis was used to determine genetic subtypes, RAS and polymorphisms. Nine patients were infected by a GT4a, one with GT4o, 3 with GT4d. The remaining four patients were infected with a recombinant virus (GT4a+GT4o in three patients, GT4c+GT4d in a patient). Natural RASs were found in six patients (35%), including three infected by GT4a, two by GT4a+GT4o and one patient infected by GT4c+GT4d. In particular, NS3-RAS V170I was demonstrated in three patients, while NS5A-RASs (L28M, L30R, L28M+M31L) were detected in the remaining three patients. All patients were treated with sofosbuvir plus daclatasvir; three patients were lost to follow-up whereas 14 patients completed the treatment. A sustained virological response (SVR) was obtained in all but one patient carrying NS3-RAS V170I who later relapsed. GT4a is the most common subtype in this small cohort of Saudi Arabia patients infected with hepatitis C infection. Natural RASs were observed in about a third of patients, but only one of them showed a treatment failure.

Vascular pathogens are the causal agents of main diseases threatening the health and growth of olive crops worldwide. The use of endophytic microorganisms represents a challenging and promising strategy for management of vascular diseases in olive. Although current research has been focused on analyzing the structure and diversity of the endophytic microbial communities inhabiting the olive xylem, the characterization of this ecological niche has been overlooked and to date remain unexplored, despite that the characterization of the xylem sap composition is essential to unravel the nutritional requirements of xylem-limited microorganisms. In this study, branches from plantlets and adult olive trees of cultivars ‘Picual’ and ‘Arbequina' were selected to characterize the chemical composition of olive xylem sap extracted using a Scholander pressure chamber. Metabolome and ionome analyses of xylem sap were performed by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy-based and by inductively coupled plasma with optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES), respectively. Olive xylem sap metabolites included a higher relative percentage of sugars (54.35%), followed by alcohols (28.85%), amino acids (8.01%), organic acids (7.68%) and osmolytes (1.12%). Within each of these groups, the main metabolites in the olive xylem sap were mannitol, ethanol, glutamine, acetate and trigonelline, whereas K and Cl- were the main element and inorganic anion, respectively. Metabolomic profile varied when comparing olive plant age and genotype. The levels of glucose, fructose, sucrose and mannitol, choline, B and PO43 were significantly higher in adult trees than in plantlets for both olive genotypes, whereas NO3- and Rb content showed the opposite behavior. On the other hand, levels of aspartate, phenylalanine and Na were significantly higher in ‘Picual’ than in ‘Arbequina’ whereas Fe showed the opposite behavior but only for adult trees. Non-supervised hierarchical clustering analysis separated xylem sap composition firstly according to the plant age and then by the olive cultivar. Supervised PLS-DA analysis revealed that B, ethanol, Fe, Fructose, glucose, mannitol, sucrose and Sr were the most significative compounds discriminating adult trees from plantlets, whereas asparagine, aspartate, glutamate and phenylalanine or aspartate, arginine, ethanol and Sr were the most contributory compounds in the discrimination of both olive genotypes for adult trees or plantlets, respectively. Knowledge of the chemical composition of xylem sap will lead to a better understanding of the complex nutritional requirements of olive xylem-inhabiting microorganisms, including its vascular pathogens, and would allow the design of artificial growing media to improve culturing the olive microbiome.

Exploiting the relationship between the nutritional properties of seeds and the genetic background, constitutes an essential analysis which contributes to broadening our knowledge regarding the control of the nutritional quality of seeds or any other edible plant structure. This constitutes an important aspect when aiming at improving the nutritional characteristics properties of crops, including those of Chenopodium quinoa Willd (quinoa) which is intended to be one of the main nutrient sources ensuring food security worldwide. Changes in the nutritional properties of quinoa seeds due to the influence exerted by the environment, the genotype, or their interaction, have been already described in previous works, but there is an important limitation in the analyses carried out, including the outcomes that can be translated into agronomical practices by which quality can be improved selecting the most adequate genotype. In the present study, several seed nutritional-related parameters from fifteen quinoa cultivars grown in a particular environmental context were analyzed aiming at targeting compounds that can be determinants of seed quality. Important agronomical and nutritional differences were found among cultivars such as distinct mineral or protein contents and seed viability. More importantly, our analyses revealed key correlations between seed quality-related traits in some cultivars, including those that relate yield and antioxidants or the germination rate. These results highlight the importance of considering the genotypic variation in quinoa when selecting improved quinoa varieties with the best nutritional characteristics for new cultivation environments.

Some genetic diseases (“digenic traits”) are due to the interaction between two DNA variants, which presumably reflects biochemical interactions. For example, certain forms of Retinitis Pigmentosa, a type of blindness, occur in the presence of two mutant variants, one each in the ROM1 and RDS genes, while occurrence of only one such variant results in a normal phenotype. Detecting variant pairs underlying digenic traits by standard genetic methods is difficult and is downright impossible when individual variants alone have minimal effects. Frequent Pattern Mining (FPM) methods are known to detect patterns of items. We make use of FPM approaches to find pairs of genotypes (from different variants) that can discriminate between cases and controls. Our method is based on genotype patterns of length two, and permutation testing allows assigning p-values to genotype patterns, where the null hypothesis refers to equal pattern frequencies in cases and controls. We compare different interaction search approaches and their properties on the basis of published datasets. Our implementation of FPM to case-control studies is freely available.

The notion that there is a one to one mapping from genotype to phenotype was overturned a long time ago. Along with genotype and environment, ‘non-genetic changes’ orchestrated by altered RNA and protein molecules also guide the development of phenotype. The idea that there is a route through which changes in phenotype can lead to changes in genotype impinges on several phenomena of molecular, developmental, evolutionary and applied interest. Phenotypic changes that do not alter the underlying DNA sequence have been studied across model systems (eg: DNA and histone modifications, RNA editing, prion formation) and are known to play an important role in short term adaptation. However, because of their transient nature and unstable inheritance, the role of such changes in long term evolution has remained controversial. I classify and review three ways in which non-genetic changes can influence genotype and impact cellular fitness across generations, with an emphasis on the enticing idea that they may act as stepping stones for genetic adaptation. I focus on work from microbial systems and attempt to highlight recent experiments and models that bear on this idea. Overall, I review evidence which suggests that non-genetic changes can impact phenotype via their influence on the genotype, and thus play a role in evolutionary change.

Clinical metagenomics (CMg), referred to as the application of next-generation sequencing (NGS) to clinical samples, is a promising tool for the diagnosis of hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP). Indeed, CMg allows identifying pathogens and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), thereby providing the information required for the optimization of the antibiotic regimen. Hence, provided that CMg would be faster than conventional culture, the probabilistic regimen used in HAP could be tailored faster, which should lead to an expected decrease of mortality and morbidity. While the inference of the antibiotic susceptibility testing from metagenomic or even genomic data is challenging, a limited number of antibiotics are used in the probabilistic regimen of HAP (namely beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, fluoroquinolones, glycopeptides and oxazolidinones). Accordingly in the perspective of applying CMg to the early diagnostic of HAP, we aimed at reviewing the performances of whole genomic sequencing (WGS) of the main HAP-causing bacteria (Enterobacteriaceae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Staphylococcus aureus) for the prediction of susceptibility to the antibiotic families advocated in the probabilistic regimen of HAP.

Cannabidiol (CBD) is a non-intoxicating compound extracted from Cannabis sativa, showing antidepressant-like effects in different rodent models. However, inconsistent results have been described depending on the species and the strain used to assess depressive-like behaviour. Moreover, only a few studies have investigated the effect of CBD in female rodents. Therefore, we aimed to i) investigate the effects of CBD in two different strains of mice (Swiss and C57BL/6) and in a rat model of depression based on selective breeding (Flinders Sensitive and Resistant Lines, FSL and FRL) subjected to tests predictive of antidepressant-like effects; and ii) investigate the influence of sex in the effects of CBD in both mice and rats. CBD induced an antidepressant-like effect in male Swiss but not in female Swiss or C57BL/6 mice in the tail suspension test (TST). In male FSL rats, CBD produced an antidepressant-like effect one-hour post-injection. However, in female FSL, CBD induced a bimodal effect, increasing the immobility time at one hour and decreasing it at two hours. Ketamine produced an antidepressant-like effect in male and female FSL rats at different doses. In conclusion, strain, sex, and administration time affect CBD's behavioural response to rodents exposed to tests predictive of antidepressant effects.

The prevalence and incidence of cardiac pro-arrhythmic disorders are often influenced by sex due to specific effects on the QT interval. Androgens shorten QT, which may be protective against acquired long QT syndromes and their related arrhythmias in men such as torsade de pointes (TdP). On the other hand, androgens can potentiate Brugada and early repolarization syndromes, which are most prevalent in men. In this case series, we highlight four male patients with aborted SCD in the setting of abnormal testosterone status; two patients with TdP in a setting of testosterone deprivation (of which one drug-induced) and 2 patients with ventricular fibrillation associated with exogenous androgenic booster (Tribulus terrestris) intake. From this case series, we review the current available literature of the effects of androgen as a double-edged sword on the QTc interval and emphasize the importance of QTc monitoring in this subset of patients.

Many dioecious plants have sex chromosomes that are cytologically heteromorphic, but about half of species lack cytological differences between males and females and are thus homomorphic. Very little is known about the size and content of the non-recombining sex-determining region (SDR) in these species. Here, we assess the size and content of the SDR of the diploid dioecious herb Mercurialis annua, which has homomorphic sex chromosomes and shows signatures of mild Y-chromosome degeneration. We used RNAseq to identify new Y-linked markers for M. annua. Twelve of 24 transcripts with male-specific and male-biased expression could only be PCR-amplified from males and are thus Y-linked. We found a further six Y-linked sequences that were present in males but not females using genome capture data from multiple populations. We used the Y-linked sequences to identify and sequence 17 sex-linked bacterial artificial chromosomes (BACs), which form 11 groups of non-overlapping sequence, covering a total sequence length of about 1.5 Mb. Content analysis of this region suggests it is enriched for repeats, has a low gene density and contains few candidate sex-determining genes. The BACs map to a subset of the sex-linked region of the genetic map, which is estimated to be at least 14.5 Mb. This is substantially larger than estimates for other dioecious plants with homomorphic sex chromosomes, especially given the small genome size of M. annua. Our data provide a rare, high-resolution view of the homomorphic Y chromosome of a dioecious plant.

Despite a considerable body of published research on Hepatitis B in Bangladesh, researchers continue to lament the lack of reliable information about Hepatitis B epidemiology. The present review aims to provide a comprehensive survey of the literature with particular focus on a number of epidemiological questions, as well as a commentary on the trends of Hepatitis B research as it has taken place in Bangladesh. The key themes to emerge from this review are: first, beyond noting a declining trend, it is difficult to provide conclusive estimates about Hepatitis B prevalence in the general population of Bangladesh. The majority of the studies, even the ones conducted on apparently healthy populations, fail to be adequately representative for the reasons explored in the article. Secondly, Hepatitis B in Bangladesh is sharply stratified across sociodemographic lines, which speaks to the role of awareness and risk exposure in Hepatitis B prevalence. Third, more research on occult infection rates is required to estimate the extent of risk posed by the current blood donation screening program, which relies exclusively on Hepatitis B surface antigen as a biomarker. The same considerations apply for the comparative importance of vertical vs. horizontal transmission, and prevalence among particular risk groups like healthcare workers with high occupational exposure. Finally, while recent studies do allow us, albeit with some ambiguity, to draw conclusions about distribution of Hepatitis B genotypes in Bangladesh, there needs to be an added emphasis on molecular epidemiology. It is hoped that the present review, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, will serve as an up-to-date summary of the course Hepatitis B epidemiology research in Bangladesh has taken thus far, as well as crucial gaps to address going forward.

Background: We evaluate the genetic and phenotypic features of a cohort of 12 Italian patients affected by Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) associated with RP1 sequence variants.; Methods: Retrospective, single center study (Careggi Hospital, Florence), including a cohort of twelve Italian patients (Five male and seven female) affected by RP carrying pathogenic variants of the RP1 gene. A complete ophthalmic assessment and pedigree analysis was conducted with focus on the onset of disease symptoms, the patient’s age at the first diagnosis, the follow up duration and the possible presence of comorbidities; Results: The mean age at onset of symptoms was 31,0 ± 24,1 years old, with a mean follow-up period of 9,1± 2,4 years. The main symptoms at presentation were hemeralopia and visual field constriction. Fundus evaluation revealed a classic type of RP. Fundus autofluorescence (FAF), Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), Electroretinogram (ERG), and visual field confirmed in most of the cases the typical features of classic retinitis pigmentosa.; (4) Conclusions: This single-center cohort of Italian patients provided information on the clinical and genetic features of RP1-associated RP. By comprehensively clarifying the genetic variations and their associated clinical manifestations, we can better tailor therapeutic interventions aimed at targeting specific genetic abnormalities. This ultimately promises to improve the prognosis and quality of life for individuals with RP-associated RP1.

Relatively little research attention has been paid to sex issues in late life suicidal behaviour. The aim was to compare clinical characteristics of women and men aged 70+ who were hospitalized after a suicide attempt. We hypothesized higher depression and anxiety scores in women, and we expected to find that men would more often attribute the attempt to health problems and compromised autonomy. Participants (56 women and 47 men, mean age 80) were interviewed by a psychologist. In addition to psychiatric and somatic health assessments, participants responded to an open-ended question concerning attributions of the attempt. There were no sex differences in depression and anxiety, but women were more likely to report that they found their situation hopeless (67.9% vs. 43.8%, p = 0.02). At least one serious physical disability was noted in 60.7% of the women and 53.2% of the men (p = 0.55). Proportions attributing their attempt to somatic illness did not differ (women, 14.5% vs. men 17.4%, p = 0.79), and similar proportions attributed the attempt to reduced autonomy (women, 21.8% vs. men, 26.1 %, p = 0.64). The unexpected lack of sex differences might be influenced by cultural context in which sex norms play a part.

The TREX1 exonuclease degrades DNA to prevent aberrant nucleic acid sensing through the cGAS-STING pathway, and dominant Aicardi-Goutières Syndrome type 1 (AGS1) represents one of numerous TREX1-related autoimmune diseases. Monoallelic TREX1 mutations were identified in patients showing early-onset cerebrovascular disease, ascribable to small vessel disease, and CADASIL-like neuroimaging. We report the clinical-neuroradiological features of two patients with AGS-like (Patient A) and CADASIL-like (Patient B) phenotypes carrying the heterozygous p.A136V and p.R174G TREX1 variants, respectively. Genetic findings, obtained by a customized panel including 183 genes associated with monogenic stroke, were combined with interferon signature testing and biochemical assays to determine the mutations’ effects in vitro. Comprehensive studies revealed no pathological impact on TREX1 enzymatic function for the p.A136V variant. The p.R174G variant modestly altered exonuclease activity consistently with perturbation of substrate interaction rather than catalysis, which represents the first robust enzymological data for a TREX1 variant identified in a CADASIL-like patient. In conclusion, functional analysis allowed us to interpret the impact of TREX1 variants on patients’ phenotypes. Whilst Patient A’s manifestations are not related to p.A136V variant, Patient B’s phenotype is likely related to the p.R174G variant. Further functional investigations of TREX1 variants found in CADASIL-like patients are warranted to establish a causal link and interrogate the molecular disease mechanism.

Dengue virus serotype 2 (DENV-2) is responsible for dengue epidemics on a global scale and is recognized for being associated with severe cases of the disease. This study conducted the phylogenetic investigation of DENV-2 in the Northern region of Brazil. DENV-2 isolates from 2017 to 2021, originating from Northern Brazilian states, were selected. Only one lineage (I) of the Asian-American genotype and one lineage (5) of the cosmopolitan genotype were observed. All sequences of the Asian-American genotype used in this study were segregated into a paraphyletic subgroup aligned with sequences from an American clade. These results indicate a probable geographic link starting from Puerto Rico. Additionally, sequences from Acre were identified and grouped into a monophyletic clade of the cosmopolitan genotype. These results indicate the cocirculation of two DENV-2 distinct lineages: Lineage 1, Asian-American genotype (probable origin from Puerto Rico); Lineage 5, cosmopolitan genotype (probable origin from Peru). Our results provide important data regarding the study of DENV genotypes and lineages distribution, as well as opening up possibilities for probable introduction and dissemination routes.

(1) Background: Several chronic respiratory diseases could be a risk factor for acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection: among them, Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare (about 1:10.000) inherited ciliopathy (MIM 242650) characterized by recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections due to a dysfunctioning of the respiratory cilia; We aimed to investigate if some polymorphisms of the TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor correlate with an increased prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severity of symptoms in a cohort of PCD subjects; (2) Methods: Patients answered several questions about possible SARS-CoV-2 infection, experienced symptoms and vaccinations; in case of infection, they also filled out a SNOT-22 and ARTIQ questionnaires; (3) Results: Forty PCD adult patients (mean age 36.6 ± 16.7 years, 23 females) participated to the study, out of which 30 % had tested positive for COVID-19 during the last four years; most of them reported a mildly symptomatic disease. We found no differences in age or sex, but a statistic significant difference (p=0.03) was observed in body mass index (BMI), that was higher in the COVID-acquired group (23.2 ± 3.3 vs 20.1 ± 4.1 kg/m2). Genotyping for TAS2R38 polymorphisms showed a prevalence of 28.6% PAV/PAV, 48.6% PAV/AVI and 22.8% AVI/AVI individuals in our cohort. In contrast to our hypothesis, we did not observe a protective role of PAV allele towards SARS-CoV-2 infection; (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that subjects with PCD may not be at increased risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 and the TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor genotype type does not affect SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Monitoring water supply requires, among other quality indicators, the identification of the cyanobacte-ria community taking into account their potential impact in terms of water quality. In this work, cya-nobacteria strains were isolated from Cheffia reservoir and identified based on morphological features, 16S rRNA gene, phylogenetic analysis, and toxin production by PCR screening of the genes involved in the biosynthesis of cyanotoxins (mcyA, mcyE, sxtA, sxtG, sxtI, cyrJ, and anaC). Thirteen strains repre-senting six different genera: Aphanothece, Microcystis, Geitlerinema, Lyngbya, Microcoleus, and Pseudanabaena were obtained. The results demonstrated the importance of morphological features in determining the genus or the species when incongruence between the morphological and phylogenetic analysis occurs and only the utility of the 16S rRNA gene on determining higher taxonomic levels. The phylogenetic analysis confirmed the polyphyly of cyanobacteria for the Microcystis and Oscillatoriales genera. Unexpectedly, Aphanothece sp. CR 11 had the genetic potential to produce microcystins. Our study gives new insight instead of picocyanobacteria toxic genotype in this ecosystem. Thus, conven-tional water treatment methods in this ecosystem have to be adapted.

The new CFTR modulator combination, elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor (Trikafta) was approved by the FDA in October 2019 for treatment of Cystic Fibrosis in patients 12 years of age or older who have at least one F508del mutation in one allele and a minimal-function or another F508del mutation in the other allele. However, there is a group of patients, in addition to those with rare mutations, in which despite the presence of a F508del in one allele, it was not possible to identify any mutation in the other allele. Today these patients are excluded from treatment with Trikafta. In Italy CF patients carrying F508del/unknown represent about 3% (156 patients) of the overall Italian CF patients. In this paper we show that the Trikafta treatment of nasal epithelial cells, derived from F508del/Unknown patients, results in a significant rescue of CFTR activity. Based on our findings, we think that the F508del/Unknown patients considered in this study could obtain clinical benefits from Trikafta treatment, and we strongly suggest their eligibility for this type of treatment.This study, adding further evidence in the literature, once again confirms the validity of functional studies on nasal cells in the cystic fibrosis theratyping and personalized medicine.

Radiosensitivity, the susceptibility of cells to ionizing radiation, plays a critical role in understanding the effects of radiation therapy and exposure on tissue health and regeneration. Identifying characteristics that predict how a patient may respond to radiotherapy enables clinicians to maximize the therapeutic window. Limited clinical data suggested a difference in male and female radiotherapy outcomes. Radiotherapy for gastrointestinal malignancy is still a challenge due to intestinal sensitivity to radiation toxicity. In this manuscript we demonstrated sex specific differences in intestinal epithelial radiosensitivity. In mice model of abdominal irradiation, we observed significant increase in oxidative stress and injury in male compared to female. Lgr5+ve intestinal stem cells from male mice showed higher sensitivity to radiation induced toxicity. However, sex specific differences in intestinal radiosensitivity are not dependent on sex hormone as we demonstrated similar sex specific radiosensitivity differences in pediatric mice. In ex-vivo study we found that human patient derived intestinal organoid (PID) derived from male showed higher sensitivity to irradiation compared to female as evident from loss of budding crypt, organoid size, and membrane integrity. Transcriptomic analysis of human Lgr5+ intestinal stem cells suggested radiation induced upregulation of mitochondrial oxidative metabolism in male compared to female possible mechanism for radiosensitivity differences.

Saturated lights appear brighter than white lights of the same luminance. This phenomenon is known as the Helmholtz-Kohlrausch (H-K) effect and can be estimated by modeling achromatic luminance and saturation to total brightness. These models have been shown to differ between women and men and are more variable in women. The variation in brightness models among women may be due to hormonal changes across the menstrual cycle. To test this, total brightness and achromatic luminance were measured across blue, green, yellow-green, yellow, and red hues. These data were measured along with salivary hormone levels for nine cycling women at points representing the menstrual, peri-ovulation, and luteal phases. These data were also collected for seven oral contraceptive (OC) users. There were no main effects of OC use nor menstrual cycle phase on B/L ratios, but ratios were higher for the red stimulus in cycling women than OC users. Red B/L ratios were also higher for cycling women than OC users during the luteal phase. Estrogen, progesterone, and their interaction predicted 18% of the variation in brightness for cycling women. These models could not be fit for OC users, and estrogen only accounted for 5% of brightness variance with progesterone terms omitted. These findings and potential mechanisms are discussed in the context of previous results.

Individual response to drugs is highly variable and largely influenced by genetic variants and gene-expression profiles. Also, it has been shown that response to drugs is strongly sex-dependent, both in terms of efficacy and toxicity. To expand current knowledge on sex differences in the expression of genes relevant for drug response, we generated a catalogue of differentially expressed human transcripts encoded by 289 genes in 41 human tissues from 838 adult individuals of the Genotype-Tissue Expression project (GTEx, v8 release) and focused our analysis on relevant transcripts implicated in drug response. We have detected significant sex-differentiated expression of 99 transcripts encoded by 59 genes in the tissues most relevant for human pharmacology (Liver, Lung, Kidney, Small intestine terminal ileum, Skin not sun-exposed, and Whole Blood). Among them, as expected, we observed significant differences in the expression of transcripts encoded by the cytochromes in the liver, CYP2B6, CYP3A7, CYP3A5, and CYP1A1. Our systematic investigation on differences between male and female in the expression of drug response related genes, reinforce the need to overcome the sex bias of clinical trials.

Genetic testing has expanded out of the research laboratory into medical practice and the direct-to-consumer market, and rapid analysis of the resulting genotype data can now have significant impact. We present a method for summarizing personal genotypes as ‘genotype fingerprints’ that meet these needs. Genotype fingerprints can be derived from any single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based assay, and remain comparable as chip designs evolve to higher marker densities. We demonstrate that they support distinguishing types of relationships among closely related individuals and closely related individuals from individuals from the same background population, as well as high-throughput identification of identical genotypes, individuals in known background populations, and de novo separation of subpopulations within a large cohort through extremely rapid comparisons. While fingerprints do not preserve anonymity, they provide a useful degree of privacy by summarizing a genotype in a way that prevents reconstruction of individual marker states. Genotype fingerprints are therefore well-suited as a format for public aggregation of genetic information to support ancestry and relatedness determination without revealing personal health risk status.

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to identify the age and sex-related associations between marital status with PA and TV time. We used data from Vigitel, an annual telephone survey started in 2006 in Brazil. We applied a complex sample logistic regression model to estimate the odds for PA and TV time comparing marital statuses according to age and sex subgroups, independent of obesity, hypertension, diabetes, self-assessed poor health, and smoking. Our sample included 561,837 individuals with a TV time > 3 h/day (prevalence = 25.2%) and PA > 150 min/week (prevalence = 35%). Compared to single individuals, married men and women were less likely to watch TV more than 3 h/day in participants > 30 years old. When compared to single, married participants were less likely to do more than 150 min of PA/week at younger age groups. Married women older than 40 years were more likely to do more than 150 min of PA/week than the single ones, while there were no differences among married men by age group. In conclusion, married individuals are less likely to spend more than 3 hours a day watching TV than single individuals. Single men and women were more likely to do more than 150 min of PA/week at younger age groups and married women older than 40 years were more likely to do 150 min of PA/week than single women.

Egyptian mongoose (Herpestes ichneumon) is a medium-size carnivore that in Europe is restricted to Iberia. The bio-ecology of this species remains to be elucidated in several dimensions, including gut microbiota that is nowadays recognized as a fundamental component of mammals. In this work, we investigated the gut microbiota of this herpestid by single-molecule real-time sequencing of twenty paired male (n=10) and female (n=10) intestinal samples. This culture-independent approach enabled microbial profiling based on 16S rDNA and investigation of taxonomical and functional features. The core gut microbiome of the adult subpopulation was dominated by Firmicutes, Fusobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria. Eight genera were uniquely found in adults and five in non-adults. When comparing gut bacterial communities across sex, four genera were exclusive of females and six uniquely found in males. Despite these compositional distinctions, alpha- and beta-diversity analyses showed no statistically significant differences across sex or between adult and non-adult specimens. However, males presented a significantly higher abundance of amino acid and citrate cycle metabolic pathways, compared to the significant overrepresentation in females of galactose’ metabolic pathways. Adults showed a significantly higher abundance of cationic antimicrobial peptide resistance pathways, while non-adults bared a significant overrepresentation of two-component systems associated with antibiotic synthesis, flagellin production and chemotaxis control. This study adds new insights into mongoose bio-ecology palette, highlighting taxonomical and functional microbiome dissimilarities across sex and age classes, possibly related to primary production resources and life-history traits that impact on behavior, diet and gut ecosystem.

Many studies have addressed sex differences in patients with psoriatic arthritis, although these are aimed more at describing the phenotype than at investigating the causes underlying the differences. Cross-sectional study of 203 patients. The clinical and demographic variables included age, years of education, time since onset, smoking, type of treatment, clinical presentation, number of entheses affected, dactylitis, fatigue, and cutaneous involvement. Disease activity,functioning and disease was measured. The comorbid conditions evaluated included obesity (and leptin as an associated parameter), anxiety and depression, and sleep quality. Mean age was 54.6, and 46.8% of patients were women. Women less frequently presented axial involvement and more frequently presented enthesitis. They also presented greater disease activity, greater disease impact, and poorer functioning, as well as greater fatigue. As for comorbid conditions, women presented a higher leptin/BMI ratio, higher levels of anxiety and depression, and poorer sleep quality. By sex, pain affecting women was associated with the leptin/BMI ratio and sleep quality. The leptin/BMI ratio was not associated with any component of disease activity in men. Sex was associated with several clinical manifestations, disease activity, functioning, and disease impact. Leptin was associated with intensity of pain in women.

Poplar (Populus) is a genus of woody plants of value for the pulp industry, green energy, urban landscaping, soil phytoremediation and as an ornamental plant. Due to the increasing economic importance of poplar, there is a need to ensure its stable growth by increasing its resistance to pathogens, as one of the main problems in poplar cultivation is its susceptibility to numerous diseases. Currently, breeding poplars with reduced susceptibility to infections is receiving increasing attention. Genetic engineering can produce organisms with improved traits faster than traditional methods, and with the development of CRISPR/Cas-based genome editing systems, scientists have a new highly efficient tool at their disposal to create valuable genotypes. In this review, we summarize recent research data on poplar diseases, the biology of their pathogens, and how these plants resist pathogens. In the final section, we discuss genetic engineering, genome editing, and microbiome strategies that we believe are suitable for obtaining new improved poplar lines.

Colon cancer (CRC) is a prevalent malignancy that exhibits distinct differences in incidence, prognosis, and treatment responses between males and females. These disparities have long been attributed to hormonal differences, particularly the influence of estrogen signaling. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying sex differences in colon cancer and the protective role of membrane and nuclear estrogen signaling in CRC development, progression, and therapeutic interventions. We discuss the epidemiological and molecular evidence supporting sex differences in colon cancer, followed by an exploration of the impact of estrogen in CRC through various genomic and non-genomic signaling pathways involving membrane and nuclear estrogen receptors. Furthermore, we examine the interplay between estrogen receptors and other signaling pathways, in particular the Wnt/-catenin proliferative pathway and hypoxia in shaping biological sex differences and estrogen protective actions in colon cancer. Lastly, we highlight the potential therapeutic implications of targeting estrogen signaling in the management of colon cancer and propose future research directions to address the current gaps in our understanding of this complex phenomenon.

Transgender (TG) describes individuals whose gender identity differs from the social norms. Some TG people undergo gender-affirming hormone therapy (HT) and may be considered as a sub-group of population susceptible to environmental contaminants for their targets and modes of action. Aim of the work is to set appropriate HT doses and identify specific biomarkers to implement TG animal models. Four adult rats/group/sex are subcutaneously exposed to 3 doses of HT (plus control) selected starting from available data. Demasculinizing-feminizing model (dMF): β-estradiol plus cyproterone acetate: 0.09+0.33, 0.09+0.93 and 0.18+0.33 mg, 5 times/week. Defeminizing-masculinizing model (dFM): testosterone 0.45, 0.95 and 2.05 mg, 2 times/week. Clitoral gain and sperm count, histophatological analysis of reproductive organs and liver, hormone serum levels and gene expression of sex-dimorphic CYP450 are evaluated. In dMF model, the selected doses, leading to T serum levels at the range of the corresponding cisgender, induced strong general toxicity and cannot be used in long-term studies. In dFM model, 0.45 mg of testosterone represents the correct dose. In addition, the endpoints selected are considered suitable and reliable to implement the animal model. The sex-specific CYP expression is a suita-ble biomarker to set proper (de)masculinizing/(de)feminizing HT and to implement TG animal models.

IHepatitis C virus (HCV) has a high genetic diversity, with seven genotypes with 86 subtypes. This genetic variability confers persistence in the infection and escape of the immune system with evolution to cirrhosis and cancer. Environmental factors can contribute to different disease progression, being essential to assess the viral genotype in the infection and discuss the environmental particularities of Eastern Amazon, and the frequencies of Liver fibrosis between different HCV genotypes in patients living in a region of the Brazilian Eastern Brazilian Amazon. Consists in an observational cross-sectional study. Sociodemographic and clinical data of 76 individuals diagnosed with Hepatitis C between 2019 and 2020 in public health services were selected. Data collected was tabulated in Microsoft Excel 2010TM spreadsheets and analysed in GraphPad Prism 5.0TM. Liver fibrosis was associated with genetic subtypes. Subtype 1b was predominant (42.1%), followed by 1a (13%) and 3a (1.3%). 69.7% of participants had chronic hepatitis, with mild fibrosis (F1/F2) being the most prevalent (38.1%). Severe fibrosis was detected in 75% of individuals infected with the subtype 1b, that is associated with more severe disease. We suggest further studies, to assess other communities in the region, as well as the monitoring of these patients with Liver Elastography to determine the disease evolution and its better management.

The additional sex combs-like (ASXL) family, a mammalian homolog of the additional sex combs (Asx) of Drosophila, has been implicated in transcriptional regulation via chromatin modifications. Abnormal expression of ASXL family genes leads to myelodysplastic syndromes and various types of leukemia. De novo mutation of these genes also causes developmental disorders. Genes in this family and neighbor genes are evolutionary conserved in humans and mice. This review provides a comprehensive summary of epigenetic regulations associated with ASXL family genes. Their expression is commonly regulated by DNA methylation at CpG islands preceding transcription starting sites. Their proteins primarily engage in histone tail modifications through interactions with chromatin regulators (PRC2, trithorax complex, PR-DUB, SRC1, HP1α, and BET proteins), and with transcription factors, including nuclear hormone receptors (RAR, PPAR, ER, and LXR). Recently, non-coding RNAs have been identified following mutations in the ASXL1 or ASXL3 gene, along with circular ASXLs and microRNAs that regulate ASXL1 expression. The diverse epigenetic regulations linked to ASXL family genes collectively contribute to tumor suppression and developmental processes. Our understanding of ASXL-regulated epigenetics may provide insights into the development of therapeutic epigenetic drugs.

There is increasing evidence that many molecular processes exhibit differences with age 1 and sex. Such differences produces also differences in the insurgence and progression of many 2 complex diseases. For instances, demographic data on insurgence of comorbidities of mellitus 3 diabetes, on lethality of COVID-19, and on some cancers, shows differences between sex and age 4 groups. Therefore, the growing interest on such area requires the management of related data as 5 well as the development of algorithms and tool for the analysis. The availability of omics data 6 annotated with metadata related to age and sex is mandatory for building pipeline of the analysis. 7 The number of databases containing data related to age and sex is hencefort growing. We here show 8 some databases and tools storing such data. Finally, future research direction are highlighte

The practice of physical activity is an effective non-pharmacological strategy for preventing and treating chronic diseases. A large body of evidence has contributed to establishing a positive correlation between a physically active lifestyle and health benefits, including enhanced vaccination responses, lower numbers of senescent T-cells, increased T-cell proliferative capacity, lower levels of inflammatory cytokines, and improved neutrophil and macrophage function. While females are generally thought to exert more robust immune responses than males in response to a variety of challenges, and both male and female sex hormones have been suggested as mediators of immune function, research on this topic has not always been designed with a sex-specific lens. The goal of this review is to summarize the available experimental and clinical evidence linking exercise and immune function in male and female subjects, with an emphasis on sex differences and sex-specific mechanisms. Overall, the available evidence indicates that moderate exercise and physical activity improves immune function in both sexes, whereas prolonged and high-intensity exercise temporarily impairs immune responses at a higher degree in females. A role of male and female sex hormones in these sex-specific effects is also discussed.

This brief essay explores both the social and biological dimensions of human sexuality in light of the possibility of a substantial commerce in sexually-enabled robots, and concludes with some potentially strategic considerations for those who find themselves involved with their design, production, and/or marketing.

Often yam varieties grown in different agro-ecologies show differential responses across production environments, a term known as genotype-by-environment interaction. Genotype-by-environment interaction makes selecting the best genotypes under varied production environments more complex. This study tested twenty yam genotypes evaluated in six test environments to assess genotype, environment, and the interaction between genotypes and environmental effect for tuber yield, yam mosaic virus, and dry matter content. The experiments were conducted in two seasons across three locations in Uganda using a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results showed a significant effect (p ≤ 0.001) for genotype (G), environment (E), and genotype by environment interaction for all the traits. Serere 2021 and Namulonge 2021 were identified as the most discriminating and representative environments for testing the yam mosaic virus, respectively. Serere 2021 was recognized as the most discriminating environment, whereas Arua 2021 was identified as the closest to an ideal environment for assessing yam tuber yields. The tested genotypes also exhibited high resistance to yam mosaic virus disease, high tuber yields, and high dry matter content. Genotypes UGY16020, UGY16034, UGY16042, and UGY16080 demonstrated great resistance to yam mosaic virus disease, high yielding, and considerable dry matter content and are thus potential parents for yam improvement. Further evaluation of the four genotypes should be done under farmers' production systems for selection, improvement, and release as new yam varieties for Uganda

Studies report variable effects of sex hormones on serious diseases. Severe disease and mortality rates in COVID-19 show marked gender differences that may be related to sex hormones. Sex hormones regulate the expression of the viral receptors ACE2 and TMPRSS2, which affect the extent of viral infection and consequently cause variable outcomes. In addition, sex hormones have complex regulatory mechanisms that affect the immune response to viruses. These hormones also affect metabolism through obesity, and severe disease can result from complications such as thrombosis. This review presents the latest research on the regulatory functions of hormones in viral receptors, immune responses, complications as well as their role in COVID-19 progression. It also discusses the therapeutical possibilities of these hormones by reviewing the recent findings of clinical and assay studies.

Background: Limited research has explored sex-specific differences in death predictors of HF pa-tients with ischemic (iCMP) and nonischemic (niCMP) cardiomyopathy. This study assessed sex differences in niCMP and iCMP prognosis. Methods: We studied 7,487 patients with HF between February 2017 and September 2020. Clini-cal features and echocardiographic findings were collected. We used Kaplan-Meier, Cox propor-tional hazards models, and score chi-square of Cox regression to determine death predictors in women and men. Results: mean age was 64.3±14.2 years, with 4,417 (59%) males. Women with iCMP and niCMP exhibited significantly higher mean age, higher mean left ventricular ejection fraction, and smaller left ventricular diastolic diameter than men. Over 2.26 years of follow-up, 325 (14.7%) women and 420 (15.7%) men, and 211 women (24.5%) and 519 men (29.8%) died in niCMP (p=NS) and iCMP (p=0.004), respectively. Cumulative incidence of death was higher in men with iCMP (log-rank p<0.0001) but similar in niCMP. Cox regression showed chronic kidney disease, dia-betes, stroke, atrial fibrillation, age, and myocardial infarction, as main predictors of death for iCMP in women and men. Conclusion: Women exhibited a better prognosis than men in iCMP, but similar for niCMP. Nevertheless, sex was not an independent predictor of death for both CMP.

Plant reproduction is a very important process on Earth from the perspective of biodiversity, biomass gain and crop productivity. It is therefore important to understand sex determination process and many researchers are investigating the molecular basis of this phenomenon. However, information on the influence of transcription factors (TFs) on this process is limited, although cucumber is a model plant in this regard. In the present study, based on RNA-seq data for differential gene expression (DEG) analyses, we aimed to investigate the regulatory TFs that may influence the metabolomic processes in the shoot apex containing the forming flower buds. Therefore, a robust TF database was established for the B10v3 cucumber genome. Sex-specific interactome network maps were generated, indicating the regulatory TFs by their effects on DEGs and further on processes leading to the formation of different sex flowers. The network analysis identified major families of regulatory TFs. The most abundant families were: MYB, AP2/ERF, NAC and bZIP, and those with the greatest impact on developmental processes were identified, namely the AP/ERF family, followed by DOF, MYB, MADS and others. Thus, the central nodes and key regulators in the networks were identified with respect to male, female and hermaphrodite. Here, we proposed the first model of the regulatory network of TFs that influences the metabolism of sex development in cucumber. These findings may help to understand the molecular genetics and functional mechanisms underlying sex determination processes.

The impact of sex in the development of long-term toxicities affecting the quality of life of cancer survivors has not been investigated experimentally. To address this issue, a series of neurologic and cardiologic endpoints were used to investigate sex-based differences triggered by paclitaxel treatment and radiotherapy exposure. Male and female WT mice were treated with Paclitaxel (150 and 300 mg/kg) administered weekly over 6 weeks or exposed to 19 Gy cardiac irradiation. Cohorts were analyzed for behavioral and neurobiologic endpoints to assess systemic toxicity of paclitaxel or cardiovascular endpoints to assess radiotherapy toxicity. Interestingly, female WT mice exhibited enhanced tolerance compared to male WT mice regardless of the treatment regimen. To provide insight into the possible sex-specific protective mechanisms, rhoB deficient animals and elderly mice (22 months) were used with a focus on the possible contribution of sex hormones including estrogen. RhoB deficiency and advanced age had no impact on neurocognitive impairment induced by Paclitaxel but reversed the cardioprotection was observed in females after radiotherapy. Conversely, rhoB deficiency protected males from radiation toxicity. In sum, rhoB was identified as a molecular determinant driving estrogen dependent cardioprotection in female mice, whereas neuroprotection was not sex-hormone dependent. To our knowledge, this study revealed for the first time sex- and organ-specific responses to paclitaxel and radiotherapy.

The unusual occurrence and developmental diversity of asexual eukaryotes still remain a puzzle. Despite asexual organisms have a theorized two-fold reproductive advantage over sexuals, asexual lineages are rare among multicellular eukaryotes. Justification of such disparity relies on the consequences of a lack of meiosis, which restricts genotype diversity and adaptation to novel conditions while accelerating the genetic degeneration that drives asexual lineages to an early demise. However, evidence indicates asexuals use different strategies to limit negative consequences of ameiosis, and age estimates show some asexual vertebrates and plants are much older than expected. If rapid extinction is not a factor influencing asexuals lifespan, then why asexuals are not more frequent? Here we review traditional ideas and new data and provide a novel unified evolutionary frame to understand the intriguing nature, developmental diversity and maintenance of asexual lineages. As a rule, de novo formation of a functioning asexual genome requires a unique assemblage combining particular sets of genes or gene states to disrupt cellular mechanisms of meiosis and gametogenesis, and affect discrete components of sexuality to produce clonal or hemiclonal offspring. We highlight two usually overlooked but essential conditions to understand the molecular nature of clonal organisms, i.e. a non-recombinant genomic assemblage retaining modifiers of the sexual program, and a complementation between altered reproductive components. These subtle conditions are the basis for physiologically viable and genetically balanced transitions between generations. Genomic and developmental evidence from asexual animals and plants indicates the lack of complementation of molecular changes in the sexual reproductive program is likely the main cause of asexuals' rarity, and can provide an explanatory frame for the developmental diversity and lability of developmental patterns in some asexuals as well as for the discordant time to extinction estimations.

The dioecious property of sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) prevents sex recognition via traditional observation at the juvenile stage, thus impeding breeding and economic cropping; RAPD and SCAR markers were used to identify the sexes. A total of 45 random decamer primers were used to screen genomic DNA pools of staminate and pistillate genotypes for genetic polymorphisms. One female sex-linked marker was identified. D15 (5′-CATCCGTGCT-3′) amplified a particular band of 885 bp, which showed polymorphism among staminate and pistillate genotype plants. The SCAR marker Hrcx-15 was obtained by sequencing the fragment. The alleles of 140 pistillate genotypes were examined but not of the 140 staminate genotypes discerned via taxonomy. Staminate and pistillate genotypes of sea buckthorn plants can be distinguished, using Hrcx-15 as a genetic marker for sex identification and for expediting cultivation for commercial applications.

The angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) is a peptidase that is involved in the synthesis of Angiotensin II, the bioactive component of the renin-angiotensin system. A growing body of literature argues for a beneficial impact of ACE inhibitors (ACEi) on age-associated metabolic disorders, mediated by cellular changes in reactive oxygen species (ROS) that improve mitochondrial function. Yet, our understanding of the relationship between ACEi therapy and metabolic parameters is limited. Here, we used three genetically diverse strains of Drosophila melanogaster to show that Lisinopril treatment reduces thoracic ROS levels and mitochondrial respiration in young flies, and increases mitochondrial content in middle-aged flies. Using untargeted metabolomics analysis, we also showed that Lisinopril perturbs the thoracic metabolic network structure by affecting metabolic pathways involved in glycogen degradation, glycolysis, and mevalonate metabolism. The Lisinopril-induced effects on mitochondrial and metabolic parameters, however, are genotype-specific and likely reflect the drug’s impact on nutrient-dependent fitness traits. Accordingly, we found that Lisinopril negatively affects survival under nutrient starvation, an effect that can be blunted by genotype and age in a manner that partially mirrors the drug-induced changes in mitochondrial respiration. In conclusion, our results provide novel and important insights into the role of ACEi in cellular metabolism.

Understanding the genotype x environment (GE) interaction for traget trait is valuable for growers, agronomists, breeders and the seed industry. The objective of this study was to see and explore the genotype x environment interaction for grain yield of wheat to better guide genotype selection and breeding. The genotype main effect and GE interaction effect (GGE) biplots resolved the following three genotypes: 85 (ETW17-377), 82 (ETW17-374) and 13 (ETW17-281) for being the best yielding and stable. The Kulumsa site planted on 4^th of July 2017 (environment 7=E7) and the DebreZeit site on 20^th of July 2017 (E3) were the most effective environments in distinguishing the test genotypes and are thus suitable environments for future evaluation and selection with specific adaptation. Melkasa site planted on 4^th July (E9) was a representative environment where genotypes can be evaluated for wide adpaptation. The genetic covariate biplot indicated that thousand kernel weight (TKW) and plant height (PH) had significant positive associations with grain yield implying the possible concurrent indirect selection of both traits for exploiting GE interaction for grain yield of wheat.

Poplar is a globalized commercial tree species that supports humanity's economy, energy, and ecology. To evaluate the twelve hybrid Populus euramericana genotypes developed in China, a total of six locations were selected for the test, comprising four climatic types and three soil kinds. The objective of this study is to characterize the early stages of Populus euramericana growth and test locations; to identify good genotypes for stable and high yield that may be encouraged; and to offer practical experience and technical assistance for further breeding of Populus euramericana. Main research methods include the statistical description of tree heights and diameter at breast heights[DBH], the establishment of a mixed effect model to analyze the genotype and environmental interaction effect [G×E], the use of best linear unbiased prediction[BLUP] values as GGE biplots to achieve visual screening, and the calculation of genetic parameters. Results show that the genotype effect [G], the environmental effect [E], and the G×E is significant; the BLUP value has a strong correspondence with the observed value; the goodness of fit of all biplots can explain more than 85% of the variation; broad-sense heritability of tree height and DBH is 0.13 and 0.3, type-B correlation is 0.36 and 0.65; G5, G7, G4 and G9 are excellent genotypes with high yield and stability; using these four genotypes tree height and DBH can get 3.35% and 0.81% genetic gains.The study concludes as follows: Rank-change interaction and scale-effect interaction were distinctly occurred. The G, E, and G×E all had a significant effect on the growth of poplar trees during their early stage. G4, G5, G7, and G9 genotypes have favorable development characteristics. N146 is a great source of paternal genetics.

The importance of various markers such as sclerostin, Dickkopf-1 (DKK-1), Irisin, receptor activator of NF-kB ligand (RANKL), and Vitamin D have been well studied in bone metabolism. Additionally, inflammatory cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and Interleukine-6 (IL-6) have been identified to hinder muscle protein synthesis, leading to the loss of muscle and strength. However, a research gap exists in the understanding their role in muscle function and physical activity. Therefore, this study aims to explore the serum levels of sclerostin, DKK-1, irisin, IL-6, RANKL, Vitamin D, and TNF-α and assess their relationships with upper and lower body strength in young adults. In this study, 38 college-aged students 18-23 years participated and completed the protocols. The participants’ lower and upper body strength were assessed by the vertical jump test (Just Jump, Probotic, AL) with a Tendo FitroDyne (Tendo Sports Machines, Trencin, Slovak Republic) and handgrip (HG) dynamometry (Takei Scientific Instruments, Yashiroda, Japan), respectively. Fasting morning blood samples were analyzed for serum levels of the biomarkers by ELISA. The results indicate significant sex differences in sclerostin, DKK-1, irisin, and vitamin D levels (p<0.05). Furthermore, a positive association was observed between sclerostin, DKK-1, and vitamin D, with lower body muscle performance variables (p<0.05). Conversely, a significant negative correlation was observed between TNF-α and upper-body muscle performance variables (p<0.05). The results suggest that these markers may have a distinct effect on muscle performance, underscoring the need for further investigation to elucidate the concept of muscle-bone crosstalk.

Several studies have demonstrated estrogen’s cardioprotective abilities in decreasing the fibrotic response of cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). However, the majority of these studies are not sex-specific, and those at the cellular level utilize tissue culture plastic, a substrate that has a stiffness much higher than physiological conditions. Understanding the intrinsic differences between male and female CFs under more physiologically “healthy” conditions will help to elucidate the divergences in their complex signaling networks. We aimed to do this by conducting sex-disaggregated analysis of changes in cellular morphology and relative concentrations of profibrotic signaling proteins in CFs cultured on 8kPa stiffness plates with and without 17-β estradiol (E2). Cyclic immunofluorescent analysis indicated that there is a negligible change in cellular morphology due to sex and E2 treatment and that the differences between male and female CFs are occurring at a biochemical rather than structural level. Several proteins corresponding to profibrotic activity had various sex-specific responses with and without E2 treatment. Single-cell correlation analysis exhibited varied protein-protein interaction across experimental conditions. These findings demonstrate the need for further research into the dimorphisms of male and female CFs to develop better tailored, sex-informed prevention and treatment interventions of cardiac fibrosis.

The prevalence of obesity and eating disorders varies by sex, but the extent to which sex influences eating behaviors, especially in childhood, has received less attention. The purpose of this paper is to review the literature on sex differences in eating behavior in children and present new findings supporting the role of sex in child appetitive traits and neural responses to food cues. In children, the literature shows sex differences in basic taste response, food acceptance, eating self-regulation, and appetitive traits. New analyses demonstrate that sex interacts with child weight status to differentially influence appetitive traits and neural responses to food cues. Further, neuroimaging results suggest that obesity in female children is positively related to brain reactivity to higher-energy-dense food cues in regions involved with learning, memory, and object recognition, while the opposite was found in males. In addition to differences in how the brain processes information about food, other factors that may contribute to sex differences include parental feeding practices, societal emphasis on dieting, and peer influences. Future studies are needed to confirm these findings, as they may have implications for the development of effective intervention programs to improve dietary behaviors and prevent obesity.

Comparing to males, females require much more morphine to produce comparable levels of analgesia, suggesting a difference in the endogenous hyperalgesia and analgesia modulation between sexes. Aside from hormones, emerging evidence suggests sex-differential intrinsic neural regulation of pain generation and maintenance. According to the International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) and American College of Gastroenterology (ACG), up to 25 % of the population having visceral pain at any one time, and in the United States 10-15 percent of adults suffering from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Here we analyzed literatures on clinical reports of sex differences in visceral pain focusing on IBS, other form of bowel dysfunction and comorbidities, and summarized animal models that provided means to investigate the underlying molecular mechanisms in sexual dimorphism of visceral pain. Neurons and nonneuronal cells (glia and immune cells) in the peripheral and central nervous systems all contribute to sex-dependent nociception and nociplasticity in the painful signal processing. Emotion is another factor in pain perception and appears to have sexual dimorphism.

HIV incidence remains alarmingly high among female sex workers (FSWs) in low- and middle-income countries, with Uganda being no exception. The elevated risk of HIV transmission among this vulnerable population can be attributed to a complex interplay of factors, including engaging in sexual activities with multiple partners, inconsistent condom usage, substance use, and structural barriers, such as legal criminalization and pervasive stigmatization by healthcare providers. To combat this epidemic, various HIV prevention interventions have been devised, targeting these multi-faceted challenges. This study involved conducting focus groups among FSWs and healthcare providers in Uganda, with the overarching objective of informing the development of a tailored HIV prevention intervention aimed squarely at FSWs. Through these discussions, valuable insights were gained into FSWs’ perceptions of their HIV risk, their attitudes regarding HIV prevention strategies, and their recommendations regarding the content and delivery of future interventions.

The aim of this study was to assess the differences in motor coordination (MC) of primary school students based on sex, age, and physical activity participation (PAP), as well as investigation the binary and triple interactions of these variables on MC. In addition, ıt is aim to determine the validation and reliability of the KTK3+ test for Turkish schoolchildren aged 6-9. The sample consisted of 848 students from public primary schools, aged between 6-9 years, including 412 boys and 436 girls. Anthropometric characteristics such as height and body weight were meas-ured, and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. The Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK3+) test battery was utilized to evaluate the levels of MC of the students. One-way multi-variate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine the binary and triple interactions of sex, age and PAP variables on the MC parameters of the participants. The study revealed that boys had higher scores than girls on eye-hand coordination (EHC) (p < 0.05). No significant dif-ference was found balancing backwards (BB), jumping sideways (JS) and moving sideways (MS) (p > 0.05). When the subtests of the KTK3+ were compared by age levels, a significant difference was determined between the groups in all subtests (p < 0.05). With respect to PAP, students who PAP had a significant advantage in all subtests of the KTK3+ (p < 0.05). It was determined that none of the interaction terms between sex, age, and PAP created a significant difference in any KTK (p= 0.294; 0.680; 0.471; 0.970, p > 0.05, respectively). The results that the boys aged 6-9 per-formed better than girls in EHC, but girls Furthermore, an increase in age level and PAP result-ed in higher scores in all subtests. This study presents evidence supporting sex differences in the motor skills of children within this age range and highlights the potential impact of age and physical activity on motor development.

Background: Cord blood represents a link between intrauterine and early extrauterine development. Cord blood cells map an important time frame in human immune imprinting processes. It is unknown whether sex of the newborn affects the lymphocyte subpopulations in cord blood. Methods: 9 B and 21 T cell subpopulations were characterized by flow cytometry in human cord blood from 16 male and 21 female newborns, respectively. Results: Except for marginal zone B cells and transitional B cells, B cell count in all subsets was higher in cord blood of male newborns than in female newborns. Frequency of naive thymus negative Th cells was significantly higher in male cord blood whereas the remaining T cell subpopulations showed a higher count in cord blood of female newborns. Conclusion: Our study is the first revealing sex differences in B and T cell subpopulations of human cord blood. These results indicate that sex might have a higher impact for the developing immune system urging the need to expand research in this area.

Aging is a complex biological process, with gradual and progressive decline in structure and function in many organ systems. Our objective is to determine if structural changes produced by aging, vary with sex, in a stressful situation such as dehydration. The expression of Slc12a3 mRNA in renal cortex, α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibronectin, was evaluated in male and female rats aged 3 and 18 months submitted or not to water deprivation (WD) for 48 hours. When comparing ages, 18-month-old males showed lower expression of Slc12a3 mRNA than 3-month-old males, and control and WD 18-moth-old male and female rats exhibited higher expression of α-SMA than respective 3-month-old rats. Fibronectin was higher in both control and WD 18-month-old males than respective 3-month-old males. In females, only control 18-month-old rats showed higher fibronectin than control 3-month-old rats. When we compared sex, control and WD 3-month-old female rats had lower expression of Slc12a3 mRNA than re-spective males. WD 18-month-old male rats presented higher expression of fibronectin and α-SMA than WD 18-month-old female rats. When we compared hydric condition, WD 18-month-old males displayed lower relative expression of Slc12a3 mRNA and higher α-SMA expression than control 18-month-old males. Aging, sex, and dehydration lead to alteration in kidney structure.

There is increased concern that the quality, generalizability, and reproducibility of biomedical research can be influenced by the sex of animals used. We studied the differences between male and female mice in response to invasive pulmonary mucormycosis including susceptibility to infection, host immune reaction, and responses to antifungal therapy. We used diabetic ketoacidotic (DKA) or neutropenic mice infected with either Rhizopus delemar or Mucor circinelloides. The only difference detected was that when DKA mice were infected with M. circinelloides, female mice were more resistant to infection than male mice (median survival time of 5 vs. 2 days for female and male mice, respectively). However, a 100% lethality was detected among infected animals of both sexes. Treatment with either liposomal amphotericin B (L-AMB) or posaconazole (POSA) protected mice from infection and eliminated the difference seen between infected but untreated female and male mice. Treatment with L-AMB consistently outperformed POSA in prolonging survival and reducing tissue fungal burden of DKA and neutropenic mice infected with R. delemar or M. circinelloides, in both mouse sexes. Although little difference was detected in cytokine levels among both sexes, mucormycosis infection in the DKA mouse model induced more inflammatory cytokines/chemokines involved in neutrophil (CXCL1) and macrophage (CXCL2) recruitment vs. uninfected mice. As expected, this inflammatory response was reduced in the neutropenic mouse model. Our studies show that there are few differences between female and male DKA or neutropenic mice infected with mucormycosis with no effect on the outcome of treatment or host immune response.

Exercise induced bronchoconstriction (EIB) is a common complication of athletes and individuals who exercise regularly. It is estimated that about 90% of patients with underlying asthma experience EIB. Sex differences in the prevalence of asthma have been widely reported, with higher rates in boys vs. girls before puberty, and higher rates in women than men after puberty. Because atopy has been reported to occur at higher rates in athletes than in non-athletes, in this study we investigated sex differences in EIB and atopy in athletes. A systematic literature review identified 60 studies evaluating EIB and/or atopy in post-pubertal adult athletes (n=7501). Collectively, these studies reported: 1) a 23% prevalence of EIB in athletes; 2) a higher prevalence of atopy in male athletes vs. females; 3) a higher prevalence of atopy in athletes with EIB; and 4) a significantly higher rate of atopic EIB in male vs. female athletes. Our analysis indicates that the physiological changes that occur during exercise may differentially affect male and female athletes, and suggest an interaction between male sex, exercise, and atopic status in the course of EIB. Understanding these sex differences is important to provide personalized management plans to athletes with underlying asthma and/or atopy.

Methods for high-quality DNA extraction and knowledge of sex expression and flowering time are essential for applying genomic-assisted breeding and improve the success with hybridization in Guinea yam. A dioecious or monoecious pattern of flowering and sometimes non-flowering is a common phenomenon within and between the Dioscorea species. The flowering in yam plants raised from botanical seeds often takes an extended period, mostly till the first clonal generation after propagation from the tubers. The prolonged process of testing required to identify plant sex and flowering intensity in yam breeding often poses a challenge to realize reduced breeding cycle and apply genomic selection. This study assessed sample preservation methods for DNA quality during extraction and potential of DNA marker to diagnose plant sex at the early seedling stage in white Guinea yam. The predicted sex at the seedling stage was further validated with the visual score for the sex phenotype at the flowering stage. DNA extracted from leaf samples preserved in liquid nitrogen, silica gel, dry ice, and oven drying methods was similar in quality with a high molecular weight than samples stored in ethanol solution. Yam plant sex diagnosis with the DNA marker (sp16) identified a higher proportion of ZW genotypes (female or monoecious phenotypes) than the ZZ genotypes (male phenotype) in the studied materials with 74% prediction accuracy. The results from this study provided valuable insights on suitable sample preservation methods for quality DNA extraction and the potential of DNA marker sp16 to predict sex in white Guinea yam.

Background: Cervical cancer prevention in regions with limited access to screening and HPV vaccination necessitates innovative approaches. This study explored the potential of a test-and-treat strategy using mRNA HPV tests to impact cervical cancer prevention in a high-prevalence HIV population. Methods: A cervical screening study was conducted at three South African hospitals involving 710 under-screened, non-pregnant women (25 to 65 years) without known cervical diseases. Cytology, HPV testing, colposcopy, and biopsies were performed concurrently. Histopathologists determined final histological diagnoses based on biopsy and LLETZ histology. mRNA-HPV-genotyping for 3 (16, 18, 45) to 8 (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45, 52, 58) high-risk types was performed on leftover liquid-based cytology material. The preventive potential of the test-and-treat approach was estimated based on published data, reporting the causative HPV types in cervical cancer tissue from South African women. Treatment was provided as needed. Results: HPV positivity rate more than doubled from 3-type (15.2%; 95% CI: 12.6-17.8) to 8-type mRNA (31.5%; 95% CI: 28.8-34.9) combinations, significantly higher among HIV-positive women. CIN3+ prevalence among HIV-positive women (26.4%) was double that of HIV-negative women (12.9%) (p&lt;0.01). The 6-type combination showed the best balance of sensitivity, specificity and treatment group size, and effectiveness to prevent cervical cancer. A 4-type combination (16, 18, 35, 45) could potentially prevent 77.6% (95% CI: 71.2-84.0) of cervical cancer burden by treating 20% and detecting 41.1% of CIN3 cases in the study group. Similarly, a 6-type combination (16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 45), treating 25% and including 62% of CIN3 cases, might prevent 85% of cervical cancer cases (95% CI: 79.6-90.6) among HIV-positive and negative women. Conclusion: Employing mRNA HPV tests within a test-and-treat approach holds huge promise for targeted cervical cancer prevention in under-screened populations. Testing for mRNA of the 6 highest-risk HPV types in this population and treating them all is projected to effectively prevent progression from CIN3 to invasive cervical cancer while reducing overtreatment in resource-constrained settings.

Parvovirus B19 infection is associated with a wide range of clinical manifestations, from asymp-tomatic to severe neurological disorders. Its major clinical symptoms, fever and rash, are com-mon to multiple viruses, and laboratory tests to detect B19 are frequently not available. Thus, the impact of B19 on public health remains unclear. We report the case of a 38-day old girl ad-mitted to São Paulo Clinical Hospital, Brazil, with an initial diagnosis of bacterial meningitis, seizures, and acute hydrocephalus. Antibiotic therapy was maintained for one week after admis-sion and discontinued after negative laboratory results were obtained. Nine days after symp-toms onset, a cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) sample revealed persistent pleocytosis. The complete B19 complete genome was subsequently identified in her CSF by a metagenomic next-generation sequencing approach. This report highlights the possible involvement of B19 in the occurrence of acute neurological manifestations, and emphasizes that its possible involve-ment might be better revealed by the use of metagenomic technology to detect viral agents in clinical situations of unknown or uncertain etiology.

The extracellular matrix (ECM) is earning an increasingly relevant role in many disease states and the process of aging. Analyzing these disease states is possible with GWAS and PheWAS methodology, and through our analysis, we aimed to explore the relationships between polymorphisms in the compendium of ECM genes (i.e., matrisome genes) in various disease states. A significant contribution on the part of the ECM polymorphisms is evident in many varying types of diseases, particularly those in the core matrisome genes. Our results confirm previous links to connective tissue disorders, but also unearth new and underexplored relationships with neurological, psychiatric, and age-related disease states. Upon analysis of drug indications for gene-disease relationships, we identified numerous targets that may be repurposed for age-related pathology. The identification of ECM polymorphisms and their contribution to disease plays an integral role in future therapeutic developments, drug repurposing, precision medicine, and personalized care.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is a multifunctional protein that is involved in proliferation, inflammation and apoptosis mechanism of hepatocytes. HCV core protein genetic variability has been implicated in various outcomes of HCV pathology and treatment. In the present study, we aimed to analyze the role of HCV core protein in tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-induced death under the viewpoint of HCV genetic variability. Immortalized hepatocytes (IHH), and not the Huh7.5 hepatoma cell line, stably expressing HCV subtype 4a and HCV subtype 4f core proteins showed that only HCV 4a core protein could increase sensitivity to TNFα-induced death. Development of two transgenic mice expressing the two different core proteins under the liver-specific promoter of transthyretin (TTR) allowed for the in vivo assessment of the role of core in TNFα-induced death. Using the TNFα-dependent model of lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine (LPS/Dgal) we were able to recapitulate the in vitro results in IHH cells in vivo. Transgenic mice expressing HCV 4a core protein were more susceptible to the LPS/Dgal model while mice expressing HCV 4f core protein had the same susceptibility as their littermate controls. Transcriptome analysis in liver biopsies from these transgenic mice gave insights into HCV core molecular pathogenesis, while linking HCV core protein genetic variability to differential pathology in vivo.

Background Recent studies indicate that donor innate immune responses participate in initiating and accelerating innate responses and allorecognition in the recipient. These immune responses negatively affect recipient outcomes and predispose recipients to allograft coronary artery vasculopathy (CAV). We hypothesized that donor cause of death (COD) associated with higher levels of innate immune response would predispose recipients to more adverse outcomes post-transplant, including CAV. Methods We performed a single-institution retrospective analysis comparing donor characteristics and COD to recipient adverse cardiovascular outcomes. We analyzed the medical records of local adult donors (age 18-64) in a database of donors where adequate data was available. We linked donor characteristics and COD to recipient adverse cardiac outcomes after transplant, including cardiovascular (CV) death and incidence of significant antibody-mediated rejection (pAMR) after transplant (>2 episodes of pAMR within 90 days post-transplant). The data were analyzed using logistic regression, log-rank test of differences, and Tukey Contrast. Results Donor advanced age, female sex, and CODs of motor vehicle accident and intracranial hemorrhage were significantly associated with a higher incidence of recipient CV death and early pAMR compared to other donor characteristics and CODs. Conclusions In this single institution study, we found that recipients with hearts from donors over 40 years, donors who were female, or donors who died with a COD of motor vehicle accidents or intracranial hemorrhage had a higher frequency of CV related deaths and early pAMR. Donor monitoring and potential treatment of innate immune activation may decrease subsequent recipient innate responses and allorecognition stimulated by donor derived inflammatory signaling which lead to adverse outcomes.

Introduction: Sex with animals is a male practice with a social acceptance in many areas of the Colombian Atlantic coast; however, this behavior has been little studied. The aim of this study was to characterize the practice of sex with animals in a group of men living in Cordoba department, Colombia. Methods: descriptive quantitative study was made. Forty-seven adults were interviewed. The information was collected through a survey which asked about sociodemographic aspects, characteristics and beliefs around the behavior. Results: Total participants knew about the practice, 68,1% stated to have had it and they said it happened between the ages of 7 and 30 years old, for an average time of seven years gap; 65,6% had it in presence of friends and relatives. 87,6% said the practice feels really good at the first time; 35,6% stated it was a beneficial practice and 37,5% said they would like their sons to experience it. Conclusion: Having sex with animals is a social accepted behavior and it is thought to be positive since it helps the correct psychosexual development and it prevents other behaviors, not culturally accepted, such as drug use or homosexuality.

Ticks are one of the most dominant forced ectoparasites of vertebrates, belonging to the arthropods, which transmit pathogens such as bacteria, viruses, and parasites to humans and animals in Iran and worldwide. Given that, sex ratio factors can affect the epidemiology of vector-borne diseases, this study aimed to identify and determine the ticks' sex ratio and host type (camels, sheep, cattle, dogs, chickens, and pigeons) in different areas of Tehran province. This descriptive cross-sectional study took samples from different animal body parts in four seasons from 20 villages in 2019, in which 685 hard ticks and 121 soft ticks were caught from 1623 studied livestock and poultry. Regarding sex segregation among all caught ticks, 42.01% were male, and 57.99% were female. It is noteworthy that in both mountain and plain environments, R. sanguineus species of hard ticks had the most elevated sex ratio. Most ticks were collected from sheep hosts with 60.04% and the lowest from cattle hosts with 0.62% in tick infestation.

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is most dramatically manifested in the rare and severely debilitating disease, fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva (FOP), in which heterotopic bone progressively accumulates in skeletal muscles and associated soft tissues. The great majority of FOP cases are caused by a single amino acid substitution in the type 1 bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) receptor ACVR1, a mutation that imparts responsiveness to activin A. Although it is well-established that biological sex is a critical variable in a range of physiological and disease processes, the impact of sex on HO in animal models of FOP has not been explored. We show that female FOP mice exhibit both significantly greater and more variable HO responses after muscle injury. Additionally, the incidence of spontaneous HO was significantly greater in female mice. This sex dimorphism is not dependent on gonadally-derived sex hormones, and reciprocal cell transplantations indicate that apparent differences in osteogenic activity are intrinsic to the sex of the transplanted cells. By circumventing the absolute requirement for activin A using an agonist of mutant ACVR1, we show that the female-specific response to muscle injury or BMP2 implantation is dependent on activin A. These data identify sex as a critical variable in basic and preclinical studies of FOP.

This study examined infants' neural responses to emotional prosody in natural speech. A multi-feature oddball paradigm was used with 34 3~11 month-old infants. Results showed distinct early (100-200 ms) and late (300-500 ms) mismatch responses to different emotional prosodies. Older infants had more negative early responses with happy and angry prosodies evoking stronger responses compared to sad prosody while younger infants showed a clearer distinction between angry and sad prosodies. In the late time window, angry prosody elicited more negative responses than sad prosody with younger infants showing more distinct responses between these two prosodies. Males exhibited stronger early mismatch responses than females. These findings call for further research on the implications for socio-emotional and language development.

Studies on the prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorders show a gender disproportion. In the last years, there has been an increasing interest in the search for an explanation. There are two main lines of research; the first one looks for sex-related biological reasons that justifies the low prevalence of ASD in women (some protective factor related to hormones or immune system among others), and the second line of studies is related to the possible biases introduced in the diagnostic tools or procedures. In this article, a review of the latter line of research is made. Theoretical analysis following two objectives: a) Analysis of possible biases in diagnostic tools and b) Other non-biological explanations for gender differences in the prevalence of ASD. The literature analyzed provides contradictory results although it evidences the possible bias both in the construction of the diagnostic tools and in the assessment and determination of their standards. It is necessary to develop specific or complementary tools and diagnostic procedures differentiated by gender in order to control for this bias.

Genomics involving tens of thousands of genes is a complex system determining phenotype. An interesting and vital issue is that how to integrate highly sparse genetic genomics data with a mass of minor effects into prediction model for improving prediction power. We find that deep learning method can work well to extract features by transforming highly sparse dichotomous data to lower dimensional continuous data in a non-linear way. This idea may provide benefits in risk prediction based on genome-wide data associated e.g. integrating most of the information in the genotype data. Hence, we developed a multi-stage strategy to extract information from highly sparse binary genotype data and applied it for risk prediction. Specifically, we first reduced the number of biomarkers via a univariable regression model to a moderate size. Then a trainable auto-encoder was used to extract compact representations from the reduced data. Next, we performed a LASSO problem process over a grid of tuning parameter values to select the optimal combination of extracted features. Finally, we applied such feature combination to two prognostic models, and evaluated predictive effect of the models. The results of simulation studies and real data applying indicated that these highly compressed transformation features could better improve predictive performance and did not easily lead to over-fitting.

This study investigated the presence of human Norovirus (HuNoV) by genotype in 1,486 groundwater samples, collected from 843 groundwater wells suspected of contamination during 2007-2016, in Republic of Korea. We identified and genotyped 186 HuNoV sequences in 178 HuNoV-positive samples using the RIVM-NoroNet norovirus genotyping tool (NGT) and phylogenetic tree analysis based on RIVM-NoroNet reference sequences. HuNoV GII was more prevalent than GI. The major genotypes detected were HuNoV GII.4 (43.0%), GII.22 (15.6%), GI.5 (10.2%) and GI.1 (8.6%); 14 genotypes accounted for < 5.0%. Increasing HuNoV GII.17 has displayed a worldwide trend, including in Europe and Asia since 2010, and it was the dominant HuNoV genotype during 2013-2014 in Korea. However, HuNoV GII.4 was the major genotype detected in groundwater in Korea in 2015-2016, and it is becoming increasingly prevalent similar to HuNoV GII.17.

Estrogens play a protective role during early life stages. However, endogenous 17β-estradiol (E2) can accelerate atherosclerosis progression in low-grade inflammatory conditions like established atherosclerosis. Our single-center cohort study assessed sex-specific associations of gonadal hormones with oxidative stress, inflammation, and myocardial injury markers in 111 patients (37% women) diagnosed with acute myocardial infarction (MI) between July 2011 and December 2013. Blood samples were collected within 48 hours of symptom onset, and we measured sex steroids (E2, total testosterone [T]), oxidized low-density lipoproteins, high-sensitive C-reactive protein (CRP), white blood cell counts (WBC), and cardiac enzymes (creatine kinase [CK], the CK Muscle-Brain fraction [CK-MB], and high-sensitive troponin T [hsTnT]). The SYNTAX score gauged coronary disease severity from coronary angiography results. In men with acute MI, peak cardiac enzyme levels were predicted by post-percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) E2 plasma levels (OR 1.011, p=0.047 - CK; OR 1.018, p=0.013 - CK- MB; OR 1.019, p=0.005 - TnT), peak WBC count (OR 1.487, p=0.015 - CK ; OR 1,709, p=0,005 - CK- MB; OR 1.391, p=0.012 - TnT), and peak CRP plasma levels (OR 1.040, p=0.033 - CK; OR 1.024, p=0.029 - CK-MB; OR 1.063, p=0.006 - TnT). T levels and E2/T ratio were associated with post-PCI CRP in these men (OR 0.980, p = 0.024 - T, OR 1.010, p = 0.076 - CRP). For women, peak WBC was a marker of highest testosterone (OR 1.348, p = 0.062), and only WBC was a significant indicator of myocardial injury extent (OR 1.426, p=0.039 - CK; OR 1.384, p=0.036 - CK-MB; OR 1.299, p=0.048 - TnT). During acute MI, elevated endogenous estradiol levels correlate with myocardial necrosis severity in men, while in women, increased leukocyte levels indicate acute myocardial damage. Elevated plasma T is associated with increased WBC in women. In men, post-PCI plasma CRP specifically indicates endogenous T levels and E2/T ratio during the acute phase.

This study aimed to characterize the risk of falling in low, moderate and high risk participants from two different geographical locations using a portable force-plate. A sample of 390 older adults from South and North America were matched for age, sex, height and weight. All participants performed a standardized balance assessment using a force plate. Participants were classified in low, moderate and high risk of falling. No differences were observed between South and North American men, nor comparing North American men and women. South American women showed the significantly shorter center of pressure path length compared to other groups. The majority of the sample was categorized as having low risk of falling (male: 65.69 % and female: 61.87 %), with no differences between men and women. Also, no differences were found between North vs. South Americans, nor for falls risk levels when male and female groups were compared separately. In conclusion, South American women had better balance compatible with the status of the 50-59 years’ normative age-range. The prevalence of low falls risk was ~ 61-65 % and the prevalence of moderate to high risk was ~ 16-19 %. The frequency of fall risk did not differ significantly between North and South Americans, nor between males and females.

A catastrophic loss of microbial biodiversity on the skin has led to alarming increase in the prevalence of allergies and long-term damage to the skin, which could also have damaging knock on effects to overall health. This study uses 50 human participants, to obtain an average (benchmark) value for the biodiversity of ‘healthy’ western skin, which is crucial in updating our 2017 skin health measuring mechanism to use standardised methodology. Previous work with a larger sample size was unsatisfactory for use as a benchmark due to its use of different and outdated diversity indices. We also investigated the effect of age and sex, two known skin microbiome affecting factors. Although no statistical significance is seen for age- and sex- related changes in diversity, there appear to be changes related to age which elaborates on previous work which used larger, more general age ranges. Our study indicates adults age 28-37 have highest diversity, and age 48-57 the lowest. Crucially, because of this study we are now able to update the skin health measuring mechanism from our 2017 work. This will aid diagnostic assessment of susceptibility to cutaneous conditions or diseases, and treatment. Testing any human subject will be rapidly improved by obtaining future benchmark diversity values for any age, sex, body site and area of residence, to which they can be compared. This improvement means we can also more accurately investigate the ultimate question: What factors in the western world are a main cause of the skin allergy epidemic? This could lead to future restriction of certain synthetic chemicals or products found to be particularly harmful to the skin.

Liver cancer is the fourth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. In Mexico, there is a high burden of liver cancer mortality in rural states, which affects both women and men equally. Thus, we aimed to describe the demographic and clinical characteristics of hepatocellular cancer (HCC) by sex in Mexico. Demographic and clinical information were extracted retrospectively from the medical records of patients with HCC initially treated (2015-2022) at participating institutions of a national survey across the country. The male-to-female ratio was calculated at the national and regional levels and the results were stratified by sex. Among 697 HCC patients, the age at diagnosis was 65.4±11.9y and 20% were diagnosed at ≥75y. The male-to-female ratio was 1.4:1, ranging from 1:1 in the northwestern and southwestern regions to 2.1:1 in the western region. The proportion of cirrhosis was similar between sexes; however, the etiologies for cirrhosis differed: cryptogenic cirrhosis was higher in women and alcohol consumption was higher in men. Men had a higher proportion of advanced HCC, poor/undifferentiated tumors, and ≥4 nodules than women. HCC in the Mexican population affects men and women at a 1.4:1 male-to-female ratio. This unique proportion by sex could be explained by the differences in the prevalence of risk factors across our heterogeneous country.

Maternal obesity is increasingly prevalent and is associated with elevated morbidity and mortality rates in both mothers and children. As the interface between the mother and fetus, the placenta has mediates the impact of the maternal environment on fetal development. Most of the literature data on the effects of maternal obesity on placental functions do not exclude potential confounding factors like metabolic diseases (e.g. gestational diabetes). Moreover, it is now clear that the placental response to maternal environment depends on the fetal sex. In this context, we reviewed how maternal obesity (in the absence of gestational diabetes) affects the human placenta in terms of (i) endocrine function, (ii) morphological characteristics, (iii) nutrient exchanges and metabolism, (iv) inflammatory/immune status, (v) oxidative stress, and (vi) transcriptome, with a focus on fetal sex specificities. A better understanding of sex-specific placental responses to maternal obesity is crucial for improving pregnancy outcomes and the health of mothers and children.

Current commercial, pre-commercial, and experimental in ovo techniques for the sex determination of fertilised eggs employ either minimally invasive biomolecular assays (extracting fluid via a small laser-drilled window in the eggshell, for detection of genetic or hormonal biomarkers), analysis of volatile compounds emitted from the eggshell, visible imaging, and reflectance or transmission spectroscopic analysis exploiting molecular optical fluorescence, polarisation, and scattering phenomena, including various combinations of these modalities. , to date no endeavour employing the NIR and FTIR based spectroscopic techniques has resulted in a commercially sustainable solution to the egg sexing problem. Besides achieving only subpar performance in overall accuracy, specificity, and sensitivity, the least invasive of the current state-of-the-art optical methods still requires, creating a transmission window (fenestration) of 12–15 mm diameter through to the mammillae layer of the shell, proximal to the external shell membrane, which can affect the incubation or post-hatch development viability of up to 10% of incubated eggs. Multimodal solution combining Raman spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging has strong prospects to overcome the hard barriers existing before the perfection of a non-invasive in-line process for high reliability and rapid throughput for sex determination of eggs within 3 days of incubation. The method for sexing of chicken embryos needs to take a multipronged approach in collecting and analyzing spectral data that points to biomarkers using the machine learning approaches to look for nanomolar to picomolar concentrations of these in the fluid.

Increasing evidence of sexual dimorphism in pathophysiology of metabolic complications caused by sex steroids is under investigation. The gut microbiota represents a complex microbial ecosystem involved in energy metabolism, immune response, nutrition acquisition, and health of host organisms. Gender-specific differences in composition are present between females and males. The purpose of this study was to use cross-sex fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) for the detection of sex-dependent metabolic, hormonal, and gut microbiota changes in female and male recipients. Healthy non-obese female and male Wistar rats were divided into donor, same-sex, and cross-sex recipient groups. After a 30-day period of FMT administration, biochemical markers (glucose and lipid metabolism) and sex hormones were measured and gut microbiota was analyzed. Cross-sex male recipients displayed significantly lower testosterone concentration compared to males that received same-sex FMT. Sex-dependent changes caused by cross-sex FMT were detected, while several bacterial taxa correlated with plasma testosterone levels. This study represents the first to study the effect of cross-sex changes in the gut microbiome concerning metabolic and hormonal changes/status in adult non-obese Wistar rats. Herein, we present the cross-sex FMT as a potential tool to modify sex-specific pathologies.

Background - Technological developments induced lifestyle changes and increase population physical inactivity. This change in lifestyle can affect the male-female morphological and physical fitness differences. The aim of this study is to determine and to compare the effect of sex differences in percentage of body fat on speed and endurance running performance. Methods - 72 male and 64 female students aged 20 to 23 years participated in this study. After assessing their morphological characteristics, running performances during 30 m and 400 m, and maximum aerobic velocity (MAV) and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) during a 20 m shuttle running test have been estimated for each subject. Male students were re-tested after being overweighed down with a weight equivalent to the mean differences in body fat recorded between the two sexes in the form of a loaded worn vest. Results – Male presented a percentage of fat mass (17.2 ±2%) significantly (p <0.001) lower than that of women subject (25.0 ±2.5%). Running performances during 30 m and 400 m, MAV and VO2max were significantly (p<0.001) better in males. During the weighted condition, male performances during 30 m and 400 m, MAV and VO2max were attenuated by 6.89%, 14.16%, 6.48% and 10.07%, respectively but remain significantly better than those of female students. Conclusion - The persistence of sex differences after overweighting male students indicates that body fat could be responsible for ≈ 50 to 70% of the observed differences between sexes performances during short and long sprints, and 20 m shuttle running test.

Calcium/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein kinase kinase 2 (CaMKK2) regulates bone remodeling through its effects on osteoblasts and osteoclasts. However, its role in osteocytes, the most abundant bone cell type, and the master regulator of bone remodeling, remains unknown. Here we report that the conditional deletion of CaMKK2 from osteocytes using Dentine matrix protein 1 (Dmp1)-8kb-Cre mice led to enhanced bone mass only in female mice owing to a suppression of osteoclasts. Conditioned media isolated from female CaMKK2-deficient osteocytes inhibited osteoclast formation and function in in vitro assays, indicating a role for osteocyte-secreted factors. Proteomics analysis revealed significantly higher levels of extracellular calpastatin, a specific inhibitor of calcium-dependent cysteine proteases calpains, in female CaMKK2 null osteocyte conditioned media, compared to media from female control osteocytes. Further, exogenously added non-cell permeable recombinant calpastatin domain I elicited a marked, dose-dependent inhibition of female wild-type osteoclasts and depletion of calpastatin from female CaMKK2-deficient osteocyte conditioned media reversed the inhibition of matrix resorption by osteoclasts. Our findings reveal a novel role for extracellular calpastatin in regulating female osteoclast function and unravel a novel CaMKK2-mediated paracrine mechanism of osteoclast regulation by female osteocytes.

The coffee leaf miner Leucoptera coffeella (Guérin-Mèneville & Perrottet), is a key pest in coffee producing countries. During their development, the larvae feed on the palisade parenchyma of the leaves forming mines. As a result, the photosynthetic area of the plant decreases, affecting coffee production. Despite the severity of the damage caused by coffee leaf miner (CLM), morphological aspects of the larval development and the adult genitalia remain unknown. It is important to identify more susceptible targets to an efficient and narrow control by natural or synthetic approaches, relies on determining the larval instars. Equally important is the sexing of the adult, in experiments aiming efficient ways to control CLM, as the study of pheromone-based control methods. This work presents the first morphological description of the four larval instars and the adult genitalia of L. coffeella. In each larval instar, we measured the Mean ± SD (mm) of the cephalic capsules (1^st 0,14±0,03; 2^nd 0,25±0,04; 3^rd 0,32±0,03; 4^th 0,42±0,03) and observed the following morphological details: primary setae, prolegs, crochets and ecdysial line of the cephalic capsule. In the adults, we observed the sexual structures present in both genitalia: male - bulbus ejaculatorius, valva, anellus, gnathos and aedeagus and female - ovipositor, sclerite and corpus bursae. The dissection of the adult specimens confirmed that the external morphology corresponds to the correct sex attribution in CLM adults. These results may support innovative and improved control strategies for CLM Integrated Pest Management (IPM).

The Internet use has become an integral part of daily life, adolescents are especially at a higher risk to develop problematic Internet use (PIU). Although one of the most well-known comorbid conditions of PIU is sleep disturbance, little is known about the sex disparity in this association. This school-based survey in students of grades 7-9 was conducted to estimate the prevalence of PIU and sleep disturbance among Chinese adolescents, to test the association between PIU and sleep disturbance, and to investigate the role of the child’s sex in this association. A two-stage stratified cluster sampling method was used to recruit participants, and a two-level logistic regression models were fitted. The mean Internet addiction test scores was 37.2 (SD: 13.2), and 15.5% (736) met the criteria for PIU. After adjusting for control variables, problematic Internet users were at a higher risk of sleep disturbance (adjusted odds ratio=2.41, 95% CI=2.07-3.19). Sex-stratified analyses also demonstrated that association was greater in girls than boys. In this respect, paying more attention to the sleep patterns of adolescents who report excessive Internet use is recommended, and this early identification may be of practical importance for schools, parents, and adolescents themselves.

The first exposure to influenza is thought to impact subsequent immune responses later in life. The consequences of this can be seen during influenza epidemics and pandemics with differences in morbidity and mortality for different birth cohorts. There is a need for better understanding of how vaccine responses are affected by early exposures to influenza viruses. In this analysis of hemagglutination inhibition (HI) antibody responses in two cohorts of military personnel we noticed differences related to age, sex, prior vaccination, deployment and birth year. These data suggest that HI antibody production, in response to influenza vaccination, is affected by these factors. The magnitude of this antibody response is associated with, among other factors, the influenza strain that circulated following birth.

Background: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of sexualized drug use (SDU) in gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men living with HIV (HIV+GBMSM) in Madrid during 2019/2020 and compare it with data from 2016/2017. Methods: We analysed the frequency of SDU in a sample of HIV+GBMSM attending HIV clinics, who participated in an anonymous online survey regarding sexual behaviour and recreational drug use. The association between SDU, sexual risk behaviours, and STIs was evaluated. The methodology employed in the present study(U-SEX-2) in 2019/2020 was consistent with that of a previous study(U-SEX-1) in 2016/2017. Results: The study included 424 HIV+GBMSM, with a mean age of 40(10.43) years. Overall, 94% (396) reported being sexually active. Additionally, 33% (140) had been diagnosed with an STI within the previous year. Moreover, 54% (229) had used drugs in the last year, 25% (107) engaged in SDU, and 15% (17) reported engagement in slamsex. After adjusting for confounding factors, SDU was associated with STIs, fisting, unprotected anal intercourse, and having &gt; 24 sexual partners in the last year. According to the DUDIT test scores, 76% (81) probably had problematic drug use (≥6 points), and 5% (8) probable drug dependence (≥25 points). When comparing the U-SEX-1(2016/2017) data with the U-SEX-2(2019/2020) data, no significant differences were found in the proportion of participants practicing SDU or slamsex. Conclusion: The prevalence of SDU among HIV+GBMSM has remained high in recent years and without significant changes. We observed a clear association between SDU, high-risk sexual behaviors, STIs, and the risk of drug related problems.

Globally, rotavirus group A (RVA) remains a major cause of severe childhood diarrhea, despite the use of vaccines in &gt; 100 countries. RVA sequencing for local outbreaks facilitates investigation into strain composition, origins, spread, and vaccine failure. In 2018, we collected 248 stool samples from children aged &lt;13 years admitted with diarrheal illness to Kilifi County Hospital, coastal Kenya. Antigen screening detected RVA in 55 samples (22.2%). Of these, VP7 (G) and VP4 (P) segments were successfully sequenced in 48 (87.3%) and phylogenetic analysis based on the VP7 sequences identified seven genetic clusters with six different GP combinations; G3P[8], G1P[8], G2P[4], G2P[8], G9P[8] and G12P[8]. The G3P[8] strains predominated the season (n=37, 67.2%) and comprised three G3 genetic clusters that fell within Lineage I and IX (the latter also known as equine-like G3 lineage). Both two G3 lineages have been recently detected in several countries. Our study is the first to document African children infection with G3 lineage IX. These data highlight the global nature of RVA transmission and the importance of increasing global rotavirus vaccine coverage.