Yeast sexes: mating types do not determine the sexes in Metschnikowia species

Although filamentous Ascomycetes may produce structures that are interpreted as male and female gametangia, ascomycetous yeasts are generally not considered to possess male and female sexes. In haplontic yeasts of the genus Metschnikowia, the sexual cycle begins with the fusion of two morphologically identical cells of complementary mating types. Soon after conjugation, a protuberance emerges from one of the conjugants, eventually maturing into an ascus. The originating cell can be regarded as an ascus mother cell, hence as female. We tested the hypothesis that the sexes, female or male, are determined by the mating types. There were good reasons to hypothesize further that mating type α cells are male. In a conceptually simple experiment, we observed the early stages of the mating reaction of mating types differentially labeled with fluorescent concanavalin A conjugates. Three large-spored Metschnikowia species, M. amazonensis, M. continentalis, and M. matae, were examined. In all three, the sexes were found to be independent of mating type, cautioning that the two terms should not be used interchangeably.

Comparative Quality Traits, Flavor Compounds, and Metabolite Profile of Korean Native Black Goat Meat

Although goat meat has several health benefits than other red meats but comsumers reluctant it due to its unpleasant flavor. This study aimed to investigate the odorant of goat meat as well as compare the quality traits of meat regarding sex status. The loin meats [non-castrated male (NCM), castrated male (CM), and female (FM)] were collected and stored at 4°C in a laboratory refrigerator and analyzed on the 1^st, 5^th, and 8^th consecutive days. The moisture content was the lowest and the protein content was highest in FM (p<0.05). Fat and ash content in NCM and FM were similar while lowest in CM. The CIE L* was significantly higher in NCM, but there were no significant differences of CIE a* and CIE b* within groups at initial day. The color intensity increased on the 5^th storage day and decreased again after the 8^th storage day, except in NCM. NCM displayed the highest thiobarbituric acid reactive substances value (p<0.05), whereas CM displayed a higher pH value than other groups throughout the storage period. Indole levels were the highest in NCM (0.031 mg/kg); however, skatole levels were not significant differences across all treatments (p>0.05). No significant difference was observed in the fatty acid composition between NCM and CM (p>0.05), whereas a significant difference was observed in FM (p<0.05). Most of the water-soluble metabolites showed significant differences between sexes. Overall, sex status effects on quality properties of meat and castration can improve the overall sensory acceptance by reducing goaty flavor of Korean native black goat meat.

A comparison between young males and females with anorexia nervosa in a clinical setting

BACKGROUND

Knowledge of eating disorders in young and adolescent males is sparse.

AIM

To investigate clinical presentations in males and females with anorexia nervosa (AN).

METHODS

Using a retrospective case-control design, data were collected from case records for 41 males diagnosed with AN. Data for a comparison group of 41 females with AN were collected, matched to the males by age and date at admission. The collected data covered demographic, medical, psychiatric, and treatment information.

RESULTS

No differences were found between the sexes in the percentage of expected weight (%EBW) at admission or discharge, or in psychiatric comorbidity. Treatment duration was equal for both sexes, but males received fewer treatment sessions than did females.

CONCLUSION

These results indicate that the clinical presentations of young males and females with AN were very similar in terms of clinical characteristics.Impact StatementWhat is already known about this subject? Research on AN in male children and adolescents is sparse. Previous studies comparing male and female patients with EDs have found both differences and similarities between sexes.What does this study add? This study found few differences in terms of clinical presentation of AN between the sexes.

S-Palmitoylation of Synaptic Proteins as a Novel Mechanism Underlying Sex-Dependent Differences in Neuronal Plasticity

Although sex differences in the brain are prevalent, the knowledge about mechanisms underlying sex-related effects on normal and pathological brain functioning is rather poor. It is known that female and male brains differ in size and connectivity. Moreover, those differences are related to neuronal morphology, synaptic plasticity, and molecular signaling pathways. Among different processes assuring proper synapse functions are posttranslational modifications, and among them, S-palmitoylation (S-PALM) emerges as a crucial mechanism regulating synaptic integrity. Protein S-PALM is governed by a family of palmitoyl acyltransferases, also known as DHHC proteins. Here we focused on the sex-related functional importance of DHHC7 acyltransferase because of its S-PALM action over different synaptic proteins as well as sex steroid receptors. Using the mass spectrometry-based PANIMoni method, we identified sex-dependent differences in the S-PALM of synaptic proteins potentially involved in the regulation of membrane excitability and synaptic transmission as well as in the signaling of proteins involved in the structural plasticity of dendritic spines. To determine a mechanistic source for obtained sex-dependent changes in protein S-PALM, we analyzed synaptoneurosomes isolated from DHHC7-/- (DHHC7KO) female and male mice. Our data showed sex-dependent action of DHHC7 acyltransferase. Furthermore, we revealed that different S-PALM proteins control the same biological processes in male and female synapses.

Malignancy following heart transplantation: differences in incidence and prognosis between sexes - a multicenter cohort study

Male patients are at increased risk for developing malignancy postheart transplantation (HT); however, real incidence and prognosis in both genders remain unknown. The aim of this study was to assess differences in incidence and mortality related to malignancy between genders in a large cohort of HT patients. Incidence and mortality rates were calculated for all tumors, skin cancers (SCs), lymphoma, and nonskin solid cancers (NSSCs) as well as survival since first diagnosis of neoplasia. 5865 patients (81.6% male) were included. Total incidence rates for all tumors, SCs, and NSSCs were lower in females [all tumors: 25.7 vs. 44.8 per 1000 person-years; rate ratio (RR) 0.68, (0.60-0.78), P < 0.001]. Mortality rates were also lower in females for all tumors [94.0 (77.3-114.3) vs. 129.6 (120.9-138.9) per 1000 person-years; RR 0.76, (0.62-0.94), P = 0.01] and for NSSCs [125.0 (95.2-164.0) vs 234.7 (214.0-257.5) per 1000 person-years; RR 0.60 (0.44-0.80), P = 0.001], albeit not for SCs or lymphoma. Female sex was associated with a better survival after diagnosis of malignancy [log-rank p test = 0.0037; HR 0.74 (0.60-0.91), P = 0.004]. In conclusion, incidence of malignancies post-HT is higher in males than in females, especially for SCs and NSSCs. Prognosis after cancer diagnosis is also worse in males.

The Legacy of Parker, Baker and Smith 1972: Gamete Competition, the Evolution of Anisogamy, and Model Robustness

The evolution of anisogamy or gamete size dimorphism is a fundamental transition in evolutionary history, and it is the origin of the female and male sexes. Although mathematical models attempting to explain this transition have been published as early as 1932, the 1972 model of Parker, Baker, and Smith is considered to be the first explanation for the evolution of anisogamy that is consistent with modern evolutionary theory. The central idea of the model is ingenious in its simplicity: selection simultaneously favours large gametes for zygote provisioning, and small gametes for numerical competition, and under certain conditions the outcome is anisogamy. In this article, I derive novel analytical solutions to a 2002 game theoretical update of the 1972 anisogamy model, and use these solutions to examine its robustness to variation in its central assumptions. Combining new results with those from earlier papers, I find that the model is quite robust to variation in its central components. This kind of robustness is crucially important in a model for an early evolutionary transition where we may only have an approximate understanding of constraints that the different parts of the model must obey.

Broader adaptive range of sympathetic burst size in response to blood pressure change in older women with greater arterial stiffness

KEY POINTS

In this study, we focused on muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) burst size and occurrence separately as subcomponents of the sympathetic baroreflex in older adults, and we found that the distribution (variation) of burst size against burst occurrence was greater in women than men. Older women had greater carotid artery stiffness compared with older men, while blood pressure (BP) distribution (variation) was comparable between sexes. Sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity assessed with burst incidence was less sensitive as the carotid artery became stiffer in older men and women, while that assessed with burst area was more sensitive as the carotid artery became stiffer in older women but not in older men. These results help us understand the mechanisms underlying the compensation for the impaired response of MSNA burst occurrence in older women with greater carotid artery stiffness to regulate BP similar to that in older men.

ABSTRACT

There are sex differences in arterial stiffness and neural control of blood pressure (BP) among older adults. We examined whether the sympathetic response to BP is greater in older women than men in burst size but not burst occurrence. Burst occurrence and size were assessed with burst interval and area of muscle sympathetic nerve activity, respectively, and the distributions of these indices were evaluated by range during supine rest in 61 healthy older subjects (30 men (69 ± 6 years) and 31 women (68 ± 6 years); means ± SD). Also, we analysed sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) with burst occurrence and area simultaneously. Carotid β-stiffness was measured with B-mode ultrasonic image and carotid BP. The range of burst interval was smaller in older women than men (P = 0.002), while there was no difference in the range of burst area. Carotid β-stiffness was greater in older women than men (6.7 ± 2.7 vs. 5.1 ± 2.7, P = 0.027). Sympathetic BRS assessed with burst incidence was lower in older women than men (-2.3 ± 1.4 vs. -3.3 ± 1.4 bursts·100 beats^-1  mmHg^-1 , P = 0.007), while this sex difference was observed when assessed with burst area after adjusting for carotid β-stiffness (-116.1 ± 135.0 vs. -185.9 ± 148.2 a.u. burst^-1  mmHg^-1 , P = 0.040), but not before. Sympathetic BRS assessed with burst area was negatively (more sensitive) correlated with carotid β-stiffness in older women (r = -0.53, P = 0.002) but not men. These data suggest that the response of burst size within each burst is augmented for the baroreflex BP control despite the impaired response of burst occurrence in older women with greater carotid stiffness.

Sex-Specific Differences in Hospital Transfers of Nursing Home Residents: Results from the HOspitalizations and eMERgency Department Visits of Nursing Home Residents (HOMERN) Project

Nursing home (NH) residents are often transferred to hospital (emergency department (ED) visits or hospital admissions) and this occurs more frequently in males. However, respective reasons are rather unclear. We conducted a multicenter prospective study in 14 northwest German NHs with 802 residents in which NH staff recorded anonymized data between March 2018 and July 2019 for each hospital transfer. Measures were analyzed using descriptive statistics and compared between sexes via univariate logistic regression analyses using mixed models with random effects. Eighty-eight planned transfers (53.5% hospital admissions, 46.5% ED visits) occurred as well as 535 unplanned transfers (63.1% hospital admissions, 36.9% ED visits). The two most common causes for unplanned transfers were deteriorations of health status (35.1%) and falls/accidents/injuries (33.5%). Male transferred residents were younger, more often married; their advance directives were more commonly not considered correctly and the NH staff identified more males nearing the end of life than females (52.9% vs. 38.2%). Only 9.2% of transfers were rated avoidable. For advance directive availability and NH staff’s perceptions on transfer conditions, we found marked inter-facility differences. There might be sociocultural factors influencing hospital transfer decisions of male and female nursing home residents and facility characteristics that may affect transfer policy.

Validation of the Mexican Spanish Version of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience in a Sample of Medical and Psychology Students

The Scale of Positive and Negative Experience (SPANE) aims to measure affect with high transcultural validity. The bifactor model is the best theoretical option to represent affective balance, although it is not typically used in validation studies. The objectives of this research were to test a bifactor model vis-à-vis the traditional model composed of two correlated factors, to prove its invariance across sexes, and to provide evidence of concurrent validity. A nonprobability sample composed of 600 Mexican students of psychology and medicine was recruit. One-group and multigroup confirmatory factor analyses were carried out. The SPANE and the scales selected to assess depression, perceived stress, and satisfaction with life were applied. The bifactor model showed better goodness-of-fit indices than the two correlated factors model: Δχ²(11) = 121.436, p < . 001, Δχ²/Δdf = 11.04 > 5, ΔGFI = .034, ΔNFI = .025, ΔNNFI = .022, and ΔCFI = .023 >.01. The internal consistency for the general factor as well as for the factor of positive affect was excellent, whereas it was good for the factor of negative affect. The measurement model was valid across sexes. The general factor of affective balance had a very high correlation with depression, high with perceived stress, and medium with satisfaction with life. It is concluded that SPANE is reliable and shows evidence of validity among Mexican student of psychology and medicine, and the bifactor model is adequate to represent affective balance.

Core Stability and Athletic Performance in Male and Female Lacrosse Players

This study determined the relationship of core stability with power production, agility, and dynamic stability of collegiate lacrosse players and whether core stability is more evident in these performance variables in either males or females. Twenty male and female collegiate lacrosse players (20.3 ± 1.0 years, 173.2 ± 11.8 cm, 72.6 ± 13.0 kg) performed the pro-agility shuttle, the countermovement jump (CMJ), the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT), and prone, right lateral, and left lateral planks on two sessions-familiarization and testing. Independent T-tests were used to compare sexes. SPSS 24.0 was used; significance was accepted at p < 0.05. Pearson correlations were used to compare the relationship of core stability to the performance variables in participants. There was a significant relationship found between the prone plank and pro-agility shuttle in all participants (r = -0.50). No significant relationships were found between core stability and performance variables. A significant difference was found in the pro-agility shuttle (p = 0.001) and the CMJ (p = 0.001) but not in core stability or dynamic stability. Agility, power production, and dynamic stability were not related to core stability in neither male or female lacrosse players. There were no significant differences in core stability and dynamic stability between males and females. A significant difference was found in dynamic stability in the SEBT right leg and left leg composite scores between sexes. From these results, it is suggested that core stability may not directly influence the performance variables in collegiate male and female lacrosse players.

Evolution of asymmetric gamete signaling and suppressed recombination at the mating type locus

The two partners required for sexual reproduction are rarely the same. This pattern extends to species which lack sexual dimorphism yet possess self-incompatible gametes determined at mating-type regions of suppressed recombination, likely precursors of sex chromosomes. Here we investigate the role of cellular signaling in the evolution of mating-types. We develop a model of ligand-receptor dynamics, and identify factors that determine the capacity of cells to send and receive signals. The model specifies conditions favoring the evolution of gametes producing ligand and receptor asymmetrically and shows how these are affected by recombination. When the recombination rate evolves, the conditions favoring asymmetric signaling also favor tight linkage of ligand and receptor loci in distinct linkage groups. These results suggest that selection for asymmetric gamete signaling could be the first step in the evolution of non-recombinant mating-type loci, paving the road for the evolution of anisogamy and sexes.

Sexual reproduction, from birds to bees, relies on distinct classes of sex cells, known as gametes, fusing together. Most single cell organisms, rather than producing eggs and sperm, have similar sized gametes that fall into distinct ‘mating types’. However, only sex cells belonging to different mating types can fuse together and sexually reproduce.

At first glance, it seems illogical that cells from the same mating type cannot reproduce with each other, as this restricts eligible partners within a population and makes finding a mate more difficult. Yet the typical pattern amongst single cell organisms is still two distinct classes of sex cells, just as in birds and bees. How did the obsession with mating between two different types become favored during evolution?

One possibility is that cells with different mating types can recognize and communicate with each other more easily. Cells communicate by releasing proteins known as ligands, which bind to specific receptors found on the cell’s surface. Using mathematical modelling, Hadjivasiliou and Pomiankowski showed that natural selection typically favors ‘asymmetric’ signaling, whereby cells evolve to either produce receptor A with ligand B, or have the reverse pattern and produce receptor B with ligand A. These asymmetric mutants are favored because they avoid producing ligands that clog or activate the receptors on their own surface. As a result, different types of cells are better at recognizing each other and mating more quickly.

When cells sexually reproduce they exchange genetic material with each other to produce offspring with a combination of genes that differ to their own. However, if the genes coding for ligand and receptor pairs were constantly being ‘swapped’, this could lead to new combinations, and a loss of asymmetric signaling. Hadjivasiliou and Pomiankowski showed that for asymmetric signaling to evolve, natural selection favors the genes encoding these non-compatible ligand and receptor pairs to be closely linked within the genome. This ensures that the mis-matching ligand and receptor are inherited together, preventing cells from producing pairs which can bind to themselves.

This study provides an original way to address an evolutionary question which has long puzzled biologists. These findings raise further questions about how gametes evolved to become the sperm and egg, and how factors such as signaling between cells can determine the sex of more complex organisms, such as ourselves.

Sex differences in the incidence and clearance of anal human papillomavirus infection among heterosexual men and women in Liuzhou, China: An observational cohort study

Anal cancer is primarily caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection in both men and women. However, little is known about the sex differences in the natural history of anal HPV infection in a heterosexual population. From May 2014 to March 2016, perianal/anal canal (PA) swab samples were collected semiannually from 2,302 heterosexual men and 2,371 heterosexual women aged 18-55 years old in Liuzhou, China. The specimens were genotyped for HPV DNA by polymerase chain reaction. The incidence rate ratio (IRR) and clearance rate ratio (CRR) were used to analyze the sex differences of incidence and clearance by Poisson regression, respectively. The incidences of PA oncogenic HPV in men and women were 3.4 per 1,000 person-months and 8.6 per 1,000 person-months, respectively, with an IRR of 0.39 (95% confidence interval (CI), 0.29-0.54 for men versus women) (p < 0.0001). The CRR of PA oncogenic HPV infection for men versus women was 1.54 (95% CI, 1.17-2.03) (p = 0.0022). At 12 months, 44% (20/45) of HPV 16/18 infections among women remained positive, whereas no (0/7) infections persisted among men (p = 0.0350). Both the higher incidence and slower clearance of anal carcinogenic HPV infection among women may lead to a higher burden of anal cancer among women than among men in a heterosexual population.

The Binge Eating Scale: Structural Equation Competitive Models, Invariance Measurement Between Sexes, and Relationships With Food Addiction, Impulsivity, Binge Drinking, and Body Mass Index

Introduction: The Binge Eating Scale (BES) is a widely used self-report questionnaire to identify compulsive eaters. However, research on the dimensions and psychometric properties of the BES is limited.

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the properties of the Spanish version of the BES.

Methods: Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFAs) were carried out to verify the BES factor structure in a sample of Spanish college students (N = 428, 75.7% women; age range = 18–30). An invariance measurement routine was carried out across sexes, the latent means were compared, and estimates of reliability and convergent and discriminant validity were presented.

Results: A one-factor model fit the data best and was also equivalent between sexes. The scalar invariance model showed statistically significant differences across sexes, with a higher prevalence in women. Regarding reliability, the results were excellent. Finally, high statistically significant correlations were obtained with other measures of binge eating (BE), food addiction, impulsivity, binge drinking, and body mass index (BMI).

Conclusion: The Spanish 16-item BES is a valid and reliable scale to evaluate BE in the youth population.

Physiological Responses in Humans Acutely Exposed to High Altitude (3480 m): Minute Ventilation and Oxygenation Are Predictive for the Development of Acute Mountain Sickness

The importance of arterial oxygen saturation for the prediction of acute mountain sickness (AMS) is still a matter of debate. Reasons for discrepancies may result from varying laboratory or field conditions and their interactions. Thus, we analyzed data from our prior high-altitude studies, including participants of a broad range of age of both sexes (20 males and 20 females, aged between 20 and 67 years) under strictly standardized conditions of pre-exposure and acute exposure to real high altitude (3480 m). A set of resting cardiovascular, respiratory, hematological, and metabolic variables were recorded at high altitude (Testa Grigia, Plateau Rosa, 3480 m; Swiss-Italian boarder) after performing pretests at low altitude (Innsbruck, 600 m, Austria). Our analyses indicate that (1) smaller changes in resting minute ventilation (VE) and a larger decrease of peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO₂) during the first 3 hours of acute exposure to high altitude were independent predictors for subsequent development of AMS (90% correct prediction), (2) there are no differences of responses between sexes, and (3) there is no association of responses with age. Considering the independent effects of both responses (VE and SpO₂) may be of clinical/practical relevance. Moreover, the presented data derived from a broad age range of both sexes might be of interest for comparative purposes.

The evolution of sexes: A specific test of the disruptive selection theory

The disruptive selection theory of the evolution of anisogamy posits that the evolution of a larger body or greater organismal complexity selects for a larger zygote, which in turn selects for larger gametes. This may provide the opportunity for one mating type to produce more numerous, small gametes, forcing the other mating type to produce fewer, large gametes. Predictions common to this and related theories have been partially upheld. Here, a prediction specific to the disruptive selection theory is derived from a previously published game-theoretic model that represents the most complete description of the theory. The prediction, that the ratio of macrogamete to microgamete size should be above three for anisogamous species, is supported for the volvocine algae. A fully population genetic implementation of the model, involving mutation, genetic drift, and selection, is used to verify the game-theoretic approach and accurately simulates the evolution of gamete sizes in anisogamous species. This model was extended to include a locus for gamete motility and shows that oogamy should evolve whenever there is costly motility. The classic twofold cost of sex may be derived from the fitness functions of these models, showing that this cost is ultimately due to genetic conflict.

Gamete signalling underlies the evolution of mating types and their number

The gametes of unicellular eukaryotes are morphologically identical, but are nonetheless divided into distinct mating types. The number of mating types varies enormously and can reach several thousand, yet most species have only two. Why do morphologically identical gametes need to be differentiated into self-incompatible mating types, and why is two the most common number of mating types? In this work, we explore a neglected hypothesis that there is a need for asymmetric signalling interactions between mating partners. Our review shows that isogamous gametes always interact asymmetrically throughout sex and argue that this asymmetry is favoured because it enhances the efficiency of the mating process. We further develop a simple mathematical model that allows us to study the evolution of the number of mating types based on the strength of signalling interactions between gametes. Novel mating types have an advantage as they are compatible with all others and rarely meet their own type. But if existing mating types coevolve to have strong mutual interactions, this restricts the spread of novel types. Similarly, coevolution is likely to drive out less attractive mating types. These countervailing forces specify the number of mating types that are evolutionarily stable.

This article is part of the themed issue ‘Weird sex: the underappreciated diversity of sexual reproduction’.

Chronic Organic Solvent Exposure Changes Visual Tracking in Men and Women

Organic solvents can change CNS sensory and motor function. Eye-movement analyses can be important tools when investigating the neurotoxic changes that result from chronic organic solvent exposure. The current research measured the eye-movement patterns of men and women with and without histories of chronic organic solvent exposure. A total of 44 volunteers between 18 and 41 years old participated in this study; 22 were men (11 exposed and 11 controls), and 22 were women (11 exposed and 11 controls). Eye movement was evaluated using a 250-Hz High-Speed Video Eye Tracker Toolbox (Cambridge Research Systems) via an image of a maze. Specific body indices of exposed and non-exposed men and women were measured with an Inbody 720 to determine whether the differences in eye-movement patterns were associated with body composition. The data were analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 20.0.0. The results indicated that exposed adults showed significantly more fixations (t = 3.82; p = 0.001; r = 0.51) and longer fixations (t = 4.27; p = 0.001, r = 0.54) than their non-exposed counterparts. Comparisons within men (e.g., exposed and non-exposed) showed significant differences in the number of fixations (t = 2.21; p = 0.04; r = 0.20) and duration of fixations (t = 3.29; p = 0.001; r = 0.35). The same was true for exposed vs. non-exposed women, who showed significant differences in the number of fixations (t = 3.10; p = 0.001; r = 0.32) and fixation durations (t = 2.76; p = 0.01; r = 0.28). However, the results did not show significant differences between exposed women and men in the number and duration of fixations. No correlations were found between eye-movement pattern and body composition measures (p > 0.05). These results suggest that chronic organic solvent exposure affects eye movements, regardless of sex and body composition, and that eye tracking contributes to the investigation of the visual information processing disorders acquired by workers exposed to organic solvents.

The prevalence and concordance of human papillomavirus infection in different anogenital sites among men and women in Liuzhou, China: A population-based study

Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is the pathogenesis of anogenital cancers and genital warts in both men and women, whereas there is a scarcity of large studies focused on HPV prevalence in different anogenital sites of both sexes in the same population. From May to July 2014, 2,309 men and 2,378 women aged 18-55 were enrolled from communities in Liuzhou, China. Penis/glans penis/coronary sulcus (PGC) and perianal/anal canal (PA) specimens of men, and vaginal (VA), vulvar (VU) and PA specimens of women, were collected and genotyped for HPV. The prevalence of any HPV tested in PGC and PA samples from men and VA, VU and PA samples from women was 10.8%, 3.8%, 14.2%, 13.3% and 8.4%, respectively. The concordance of VA and VU was highest (kappa = 0.74), followed by VU and PA (0.44), VA and PA (0.38) and PGC and PA (0.14). Besides sex behavior, ever having used a towel supplied by a hotel was a risk factor for both external genital and PA HPV infection. Our data indicated that women were more of a major reservoir for oncogenic HPV infection of both genital sites and PA sites than was men. In both sexes, the genital sites were more likely than PA sites to harbor HPV infection. The concordance rates of HPV infection between genital sites and PA infection were poor.

Dopamine D3 receptor knockout mice exhibit abnormal nociception in a sex-different manner

Pain is a complex and subjective experience. Previous studies have shown that mice lacking the dopamine D3 receptor (D3RKO) exhibit hypoalgesia, indicating a role of the D3 receptor in modulation of nociception. Given that there are sex differences in pain perception, there may be differences in responses to nociceptive stimuli between male and female D3RKO mice. In the current study, we examined the role of the D3 receptor in modulating nociception in male and female D3RKO mice. Acute thermal pain was modeled by hot-plate test. This test was performed at different temperatures including 52°C, 55°C, and 58°C. The von Frey hair test was applied to evaluate mechanical pain. And persistent pain produced by peripheral tissue injury and inflammation was modeled by formalin test. In the hot-plate test, compared with wild-type (WT) mice, D3RKO mice generally exhibited longer latencies at each of the three temperatures. Specially, male D3RKO mice showed hypoalgesia compared with male WT mice when the temperature was 55°C, while for the female mice, there was a statistical difference between genotypes when the test condition was 52°C. In the von Frey hair test, both male and female D3RKO mice exhibited hypoalgesia. In the formalin test, the male D3RKO mice displayed a similar nociceptive behavior as their sex-matched WT littermates, whereas significantly depressed late-phase formalin-induced nociceptive behaviors were observed in the female mutants. These findings indicated that the D3 receptor affects nociceptive behaviors in a sex-specific manner and that its absence induces more analgesic behavior in the female knockout mice. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Prospective clinical observational study evaluating gender-associated differences of preoperative pain intensity

Previous studies reported conflicting results concerning different pain perceptions of men and women. Recent research found higher pain levels in men after major surgery, contrasted by women after minor procedures. This trial investigates differences in self-reported preoperative pain intensity between genders before surgery.Patients were enrolled in 2011 and 2012 presenting for preoperative evaluation at the anesthesiological assessment clinic at Charité University hospital. Out of 5102 patients completing a computer-assisted self-assessment, 3042 surgical patients with any preoperative pain were included into this prospective observational clinical study. Preoperative pain intensity (0-100 VAS, visual analog scale) was evaluated integrating psychological cofactors into analysis.Women reported higher preoperative pain intensity than men with median VAS scores of 30 (25th-75th percentiles: 10-52) versus 21 (10-46) (P < 0.001). Adjusted multiple regression analysis showed that female gender remained statistically significantly associated with higher pain intensity (P < 0.001). Gender differences were consistent across several subgroups especially with varying patterns in elderly. Women scheduled for minor and moderate surgical procedures showed largest differences in overall pain compared to men.This large clinical study observed significantly higher preoperative pain intensity in female surgical patients. This gender difference was larger in the elderly potentially contradicting the current hypothesis of a primary sex-hormone derived effect. The observed variability in specific patient subgroups may help to explain heterogeneous findings of previous studies.

Cell-cell signalling in sexual chemotaxis: a basis for gametic differentiation, mating types and sexes

While sex requires two parents, there is no obvious need for them to be differentiated into distinct mating types or sexes. Yet this is the predominate state of nature. Here, we argue that mating types could play a decisive role because they prevent the apparent inevitability of self-stimulation during sexual signalling. We rigorously assess this hypothesis by developing a model for signaller-detector dynamics based on chemical diffusion, chemotaxis and cell movement. Our model examines the conditions under which chemotaxis improves partner finding. Varying parameter values within ranges typical of protists and their environments, we show that simultaneous secretion and detection of a single chemoattractant can cause a multifold movement impediment and severely hinder mate finding. Mutually exclusive roles result in faster pair formation, even when cells conferring the same roles cannot pair up. This arrangement also allows the separate mating types to optimize their signalling or detecting roles, which is effectively impossible for cells that are both secretors and detectors. Our findings suggest that asymmetric roles in sexual chemotaxis (and possibly other forms of sexual signalling) are crucial, even without morphological differences, and may underlie the evolution of gametic differentiation among both mating types and sexes.

Impact of Patient Sex on Clinical Outcomes: Data From an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Registry, 2008-2013

Background:

The Combined Quality Care Anterior Cruciate Ligament registry provides data for clinical research regarding primary anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) surgery.

Purpose:

To explore the data with regard to the clinical outcomes between sexes after ACL reconstruction in a Dutch population.

Study Design:

Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3.

Methods:

Data involving patients diagnosed with an ACL tear and eligible for surgery were recorded. Isokinetic muscle strength, functional muscle performance, and anterior-posterior translation of the knee joint were documented preoperatively and at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months postoperatively. Patients completed the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), Lysholm, and Tegner rating scales during each examination using a web-based questionnaire.

Results:

Approximately 90% of ACL injuries occurred during sport activities. The mean (SD) age at surgery was 28 (11) years for both men and women, and the majority of patients were treated with hamstring tendon autografts (94%). Four percent received bone–patellar tendon–bone autografts, and 2% of the patients received other grafts. Preoperatively, the KOOS, Lysholm, and Tegner scores were significantly higher in males. Twelve months postoperatively, both sexes showed comparable isokinetic strength (P = .336), knee laxity (P = .680), and hop test for distance (P = .122) when comparing the injured with the uninjured side. Self-reported knee function was comparable between sexes as assessed by the KOOS (P = .202), Lysholm (P = .872), and Tegner (P = .767) questionnaires during the 12-month follow-up.

Conclusion:

One year after ACL surgery, all patients had improved greatly, showing only minor differences between sexes. The male group showed slightly better results when evaluating self-reported knee questionnaires. Comparable outcomes and knee function between sexes can therefore be presumed with patients who are treated with hamstring tendon autografts in a Dutch population.

Clinical Relevance:

These results can be used during the clinical evaluation of patients who are eligible for ACL reconstruction.

Dynamics of mitochondrial inheritance in the evolution of binary mating types and two sexes

The uniparental inheritance (UPI) of mitochondria is thought to explain the evolution of two mating types or even true sexes with anisogametes. However, the exact role of UPI is not clearly understood. Here, we develop a new model, which considers the spread of UPI mutants within a biparental inheritance (BPI) population. Our model explicitly considers mitochondrial mutation and selection in parallel with the spread of UPI mutants and self-incompatible mating types. In line with earlier work, we find that UPI improves fitness under mitochondrial mutation accumulation, selfish conflict and mitonuclear coadaptation. However, we find that as UPI increases in the population its relative fitness advantage diminishes in a frequency-dependent manner. The fitness benefits of UPI ‘leak’ into the biparentally reproducing part of the population through successive matings, limiting the spread of UPI. Critically, while this process favours some degree of UPI, it neither leads to the establishment of linked mating types nor the collapse of multiple mating types to two. Only when two mating types exist beforehand can associated UPI mutants spread to fixation under the pressure of high mitochondrial mutation rate, large mitochondrial population size and selfish mutants. Variation in these parameters could account for the range of UPI actually observed in nature, from strict UPI in some Chlamydomonas species to BPI in yeast. We conclude that UPI of mitochondria alone is unlikely to have driven the evolution of two mating types in unicellular eukaryotes.

Exploration of sex differences in Rhes effects in dopamine mediated behaviors

Studies have shown that Ras homolog enriched in striatum (Rhes) proteins are highly expressed in areas of the central nervous system that have high dopaminergic innervation. In this study, we used Rhes mutant mice (Wild type, Rhes KO, Rhes Heterozygous) of both sexes to explore differences in the effects of Rhes protein levels in basal levels of activity, anxiety, and stereotypy, in relation to sex. Adult male and female mice were evaluated in an open field test for measuring basal levels of activity and anxiety for 5 consecutive days, and they were tested in the apomorphine-induced stereotypy paradigm. Rhes protein levels affected basal levels of activity but it was not found to be related to sex differences. Moreover, a decrease in Rhes protein levels was linked to a nonsignificant anxiolytic effect, mainly in female mice. Finally, a decrease in Rhes protein levels does not affect dopamine D(1) and D(2) receptor (D(1)/D(2)) synergism in female or male mice. Together, these results suggest that Rhes protein levels affect locomotion activity, and have an influence in anxiety depending on sex; Rhes protein levels do not affect D(1)/D(2) synergism in both sexes.