Female Samples Research Articles

A new species of Coprocarpais Hrúzová & Fenďa (Parasitiformes, Mesostigmata, Parasitidae) from China, with a key to world species of the genus

A new species, Coprocarpais maximus Yao & Jin sp. nov., is described based on deutonymph and female samples from Hainan provinces, China. An identification key to the known species of Coprocarpais is provided.

Collaborative Working and Critical Thinking: Adoption of Generative Artificial Intelligence Tools in Higher Education

This study explores the impact of generative artificial intelligence tools on critical thinking and collaboration among university students, highlighting the importance of investigating these technologies due to their increasing integration into higher education and their potential to transform traditional pedagogical practices. A predominantly female sample was surveyed to assess their familiarity with and experience and perceptions of these tools. A total of 87% of the respondents had prior knowledge of generative AI tools, with 38% using them occasionally. Among the most popular tools are Canva 2024 (33%), Chat PDF (26%), and YOU.COM (24%). Additionally, 64% of the respondents believe that these tools significantly improve their critical thinking ability. Despite their high familiarity with and occasional use of these tools, the need for continuous training and technical support was identified. While generative AI tools show promising potential for enhancing collaboration and critical thinking in higher education, previous research has limitations, such as the lack of longitudinal data and the inadequacy in addressing ethical considerations and potential biases. More comprehensive research is needed to understand their long-term impact better and maximize their potential benefits.

SPECTRUM OF THE PERIODONTAL POCKET MICROFLORA IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC PERIODONTITIS OF MODERATE SEVERITY

AIMS:. to evaluate the dental status and quantitative composition of the microflora of the periodontal pocket in patients with periodontitis, taking into account gender differences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The object of the study: 39 patients aged 40-60 years with chronic generalized periodontitis of moderate severity. Research design: observational, cohort, multicenter, prospective. The study scheme: examination of patients using basic and additional dental methods in order to make a diagnosis; patients diagnosed with chronic generalized periodontitis of moderate severity included in the study were divided into two groups: men and women. The following were carried out: assessment of the hygienic condition of the mouth (OHI-S index), the degree of gingival inflammation (PMA index), quantitative assessment of the microflora of periodontal pockets (DENTOSCREEN®, NPF Litech LLC, Russia). The results were statistically processed and their gender differences were analyze. Statistical processing of the research results was carried out using the Microsoft Office Excel 2016 program with the Data Analysis add-ons and AtteStat 12.0.5. RESULTS:. The quantitative composition of the microflora of the periodontal pocket in patients with moderate periodontitis had statistically significant gender differences in relation to an increase in the number of microorganisms Fusobacterium nucleatum and Prevotella intermedia and the frequency of occurrence of Porphyromonas gingivalis in the male sample compared with the female (φ*emf=1.736, p0.05). The index assessment of dental status confirmed the hypothesis of significant differences between the male and female samples in terms of plaque index (OHI-S) and the PMA index characterizing the degree of gingival inflammation. CONCLUSIONS:. The results of the study indicate the importance of oral hygiene in the prevention of chronic periodontitis, and can be used to optimize algorithms for complex treatment of patients with periodontal diseases. In particular, an increase in the frequency of dispensary examinations and professional oral hygiene in combination with training and control of individual oral hygiene in men compared with women.

High temperature exposure causes sexual dimorphism in immune responses against largemouth bass ranavirus (LMBV) in Micropterus salmoides

Largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) is an important freshwater fish species in aquaculture. Largemouth bass ranavirus (LMBV) infection at high temperature results in a considerably higher mortality rate in females than that in males. This study compared the spleen transcriptomes and analyzed the impact of sexual dimorphism on immunity and metabolism of largemouth bass infected with LMBV at high temperatures to gain a comprehensive understanding of the sex-based differences in immunity and metabolism of this species. (1) Compared with the ambient temperature group (W20), the high temperature group (W30) exhibited multiple significant differences in metabolic and immune terms, with several immunity-related pathways, including phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase-protein kinase B (PI3K-Akt) signaling pathway. Most identified pathways were associated with the estrogen signaling pathway, which also differed significantly. (2) Differences in glycolipid metabolism, immunity, and the endocrine and complex adaptive systems were distinctly different between male groups (W20M vs. W30M), whereas the female groups (W20F vs. W30F) were not significantly different. The male groups had a significantly higher number of enriched immunity-related KEGG pathways and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and pathways related to the estrogen signaling pathway. (3) When comparing male and female samples infected with LMBV at the same temperature, no significant difference was observed between the ambient temperature groups (W20F vs. W20M). The high-temperature groups (W30F vs. W30M) had 18 immunity-related pathways among the top 25 enriched KEGG pathways, and gene expression correlation analysis of the DEGs showed positive correlations. This study demonstrates that the combined effects of high temperature and LMBV affect multiple metabolic and immune pathways in largemouth bass, thereby modulating immune responses by regulating the estrogen signaling pathway and influencing the expression of estrogen and its receptors. Under high-temperature conditions, male fish may have stronger estrogen signaling pathway-associated immune responses, which regulate immune pathways, including antigen processing and presentation, complement system, and phagocytosis. Consequently, males may have higher disease resistance than that of females. Our result contribute to mono-sex breeding and antiviral drug therapies available in largemouth bass, thereby markedly improving breeding efficiency.

Validity and agreement between dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance in the estimation of fat mass in young adults.

Assessment of fat mass has historically employed various methods like Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA), and bioelectrical impedance (BIA), and anthropometry with its set of formulas. However, doubts persist regarding their validity and interchangeability to evaluate fat mass. This research aimed to determine the validity of anthropometry, and BIA in estimating fat mass Vs DXA, considering the influence of sex and hydration status. A descriptive, cross-sectional study included 265 young adults (161 males and 104 females), assessed through DXA, BIA in a standing position, and anthropometry. A fat mass estimation formula with DXA, a fat mass estimation formula with BIA and 10 fat mass estimation formulas with anthropometry were calculated. Significant differences were found across DXA, BIA and anthropometry in both kilograms and percentages for the overall sample (p<0.001), and when the covariable sex was included (p<0.001), with no significant effect of hydration status (p=0.332-0.527). Bonferroni-adjusted analyses revealed significant differences from DXA with anthropometry and BIA in most cases for the overall sample (p<0.001), as well as when stratified by sex (p<0.001-0.016). Lin's coefficient indicated poor agreement between most of the formulas and methods both in percentage and kilograms of fat mass (CCC=0.135-0.892). In the Bland-Altman analysis, using the DXA fat mass values as a reference, lack of agreement was found in the general sample (p<0.001-0.007), except for Carter's formula in kilograms (p=0.136) and percentage (p=0.929) and Forsyth for percentage (p=0.365). When separating the sample by sex, lack of agreement was found in males for all methods when compared with both percentage and kilograms calculated by DXA (p<0.001). In the female sample, all methods and formulas showed lack of agreement (p<0.001-0.020), except for Evans's in percentage (p=0.058). The formulas for fat mass assessment with anthropometry and BIA may not be valid with respect to the values reported with DXA, with the exception of Carter's anthropometry formula for general sample and Evans's anthropometry formula for female sample. BIA could also be an alternative if what is needed is to assess fat mass in women as a group.

Perception of coach leadership style as a predictor of team cohesion in elite women’s touch rugby

Coach leadership style can hold a bearing on the development of a cohesive and integrated team, which can influence performance goals. Cohesion, as explored in Chelladurai’s Multidimensional Model of Leadership (MML), is defined as the ability for a team to remain united in the pursuit of shared goals (Burke et al., 2014, In Beauchamp &amp; Eyes (Eds.) Group Dynamics in Exercise and Sport Psychology (pp. 213). Taylor &amp; Francis). To date, numerous studies have explored the impact of coach leadership styles on team cohesion, typically inferring detrimental effects of autocratic leadership styles. However, there is limited research conducted with an elite female sample, particularly in amateur international competition settings. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to assess the relationship between perceived leadership behaviour and team cohesion within the Scotland women’s team at the European Touch Rugby Championships in 2022. Accordingly, it was hypothesised that: H1 Leadership behaviours of training and instruction, social support, positive feedback and democratic leadership would be positive predictors of task cohesion, and H2 Autocratic leadership behaviour would be negative predictors of both social and task cohesion. After securing institutional ethical approval (Ref: 33249-A-Nov/2023-47988-1) and permission from the board of Scottish Touch Association, members of the Scotland Women’s team competing at the European Championships in 2022 were contacted to take part in the study (N= 15). Participants completed the Leadership Scale for Sports (LSS) that assessed coach leadership behaviours and the Group Environment Questionnaire (GEQ) that assessed cohesion. Data were checked for univariate outliers and the Mahalanobis test revealed no multivariate outliers. Skewness and kurtosis established normality and multiple regression analyses was used to predict cohesion from the five LSS subscales. Overall, no significant results were found for ATGT (F5, 9 = 0.56, P &gt; 0.05), ATGS (F5, 9 = 1.27, P &gt; 0.05), GIT (F5, 9 = 0.66, P &gt; 0.05), and GIS (F5, 9 = 0.70, P &gt; 0.05). In conclusion, athlete perceived leadership did not predict team cohesion, but the direction of relationships between factors partially aligns with previous research and indicates that research with a larger sample of female elite athletes is warranted under non-retrospective conditions. Further research with female samples has the potential to provide insights into the intricate relationship between leadership and cohesion, which could improve performance for elite female teams.

Diversity and functional annotation of bacteria community associated with the epithelial surface of Hippocampus kuda (yellow seahorse) and its surrounding environment

Abstract. Maguate NJIFS, Tabugo SRM. 2024. Diversity and functional annotation of bacteria community associated with the epithelial surface of Hippocampus kuda (yellow seahorse) and its surrounding environment. Biodiversitas 25: 2230-2240. Hippocampus kuda, commonly known as the yellow seahorse, hosts various microorganisms crucial for its well-being and interactions within its ecosystem. This research aimed to analyze and understand the bacterial community associated with H. kuda by employing V3-V4 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing on the Illumina MiSeq platform. Four distinct libraries were constructed, representing the epithelial surfaces of both male and female seahorses and samples from water and soil/sediment habitats. Following rigorous quality control and processing, 187,972 Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) were identified. The predominant ASVs were attributed to genera such as Vibrio, Roseobacter, Photobacterium, Ruegeria, Candidatus, Pseudoalteromonas, Synechococcus, Flavobacterium, and Altererythrobacter, along with some unidentified genera belonging to the Proteobacteria phylum. As indicated by the Shannon index, alpha diversity analysis demonstrated the highest bacterial diversity on the epithelial surface of male seahorses (MS), with a value of 3.2363. Moreover, the functional annotation of bacterial community was conducted using the PICRUSt algorithm within the Parallel-Meta Suite (PMS) software. This analysis uncovered various functional categories, such as metabolism, genetic information processing, and cellular processing. Overall, the findings underscore the role of the microbiome on the skin and surrounding environment in influencing the growth and health of H. kuda seahorses. Notably, this study represents the first documentation of the bacterial community inhabiting the epithelial surface of H. kuda, shedding light on its significance in the ecology of these marine organisms.

Language diversity across home and work contexts differentially impacts age- and menopause-related declines in cognitive control in healthy females.

Menopause is associated with declines in cognitive control. However, there is individual variability in the slope of this decline. Recent work suggests that indices of cognitive control are mediated by communicative demands of the language environment. However, little is known about how the impact of bilingual experience generalizes across the lifespan, particularly in females who exhibit steeper cognitive decline due to increasing age and menopausal transition. Thus, we investigated whether diversity of language use in distinct communicative contexts modulated the effects of aging and menopause on cognitive control in an adult lifespan sample of healthy females. We performed robust linear regressions on a sample of 120 females (age range 20-65 years) to characterize age- (n = 120) and menopause-related (n = 59) declines in cognitive control (as assessed by the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test) and to determine whether they are modulated by different facets of bilingual language experience, including the diversity of language use (i.e., language entropy) in home and workplace environments. Workplace but not home language diversity modulated age- and menopause-related declines in cognitive control, suggesting that females may compensate for decline by virtue of adapting to the externally imposed demands of the language environment. These findings have implications for identifying which aspects of bilingual experience may contribute to cognitive reserve in healthy aging. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Empathy is associated with interpersonal emotion regulation goals in everyday life.

Responding to the emotions of the people around us is a phenomenon traversing human lives; however, research has only recently started exploring the predictors of interpersonal emotion regulation (IER). In two ecological momentary assessment studies conducted in 2021 and 2022, we tested whether facets of empathy (i.e., mentalizing, experience sharing, empathic concern, and personal distress) are associated with other-focused IER goals and their attainment in everyday life (Ns = 125 and 204). Study 1 examined associations between mentalizing, experience sharing, and global hedonic and counter-hedonic IER goals (i.e., making others feel better or worse) in a relatively young and predominantly female student sample in Germany. Study 2 expanded these findings to empathic concern, personal distress, and specific types of hedonic and counter-hedonic IER goals (i.e., increasing, decreasing, and/or maintaining others' positive and/or negative emotions) in a more diverse U.S. community sample. Participants primarily endorsed hedonic IER goals, which were associated with higher mentalizing and experience sharing in both studies and higher empathic concern and lower personal distress in Study 2. Counter-hedonic IER goals were positively associated with experience sharing and personal distress in Study 2. Conversely, empathic concern and mentalizing were negatively related to counter-hedonic IER goals. We also found differential associations for state and trait empathy with IER goals. All empathy facets except personal distress were positively associated with goal attainment in Study 2. These findings address a major gap in our knowledge about everyday IER and offer a novel perspective on empathy in social emotion regulation processes. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Treatment modifications and mortality among female patients with subsequent breast cancer: A report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study (CCSS).

10026 Background: Childhood cancer survivors are at high risk for developing subsequent breast cancer with higher mortality than females in the general population with primary breast cancer. Whether therapeutic tradeoffs in treating primary versus subsequent breast cancer alter survival is unknown. Methods: Breast cancer treatment data were abstracted from medical records for female survivors from the CCSS and a multi-institutional sample of females with primary breast cancer matched one-to-one by demographics, diagnosis age/year, and breast cancer characteristics. Survivors’ excess mortality risk was evaluated as hazard ratios (HRs), adjusting for receipt of historically-appropriate guideline-concordant treatment established for primary breast cancer. Results: Subsequent breast cancers were diagnosed between 1981-2016 among 431 survivors, with a median diagnosis age of 40 years (IQR: 35-44). Most subsequent breast cancers were invasive (77%), with hormone receptor profiles similar to the general population (78% ER-positive; 26% HER2-positive). Guideline-concordant breast cancer treatment did not differ between survivors and controls (N = 688; 94% versus 93%), but treatment selection differed, reflecting survivors’ complex clinical history and guidelines’ multiple treatment options. Anthracyclines were used in 47% of survivors (controls 66%), mastectomy in 81% of survivors (controls 60%), and radiotherapy in 18% of survivors (controls 61%). In the subgroup treated with surgery and chemotherapy (survivors 31%, controls 26%), survivors did not have greater likelihood of dose reductions or omissions, treatment delays, or hospitalization for fever and neutropenia, but they were more likely to experience hematological toxicities (21% vs. 9%, p = 0.033) and other organ system-specific toxicities (36% vs. 11%, p &lt; 0.001). Over one-third (38%) of survivors died during follow-up (median follow-up 9 years, IQR 6-14) after breast cancer. Strikingly higher all-cause mortality was observed among survivors than controls (HR = 3.5, 95% CI 2.2-5.6), especially after in situ disease (HR = 9.9, 95% CI 2.2-44.2). Among survivors with invasive disease, breast cancer accounted for most deaths (51%), followed by other subsequent malignancies (15%) and cardiovascular diseases (15%). Other health conditions accounted for 67% of deaths following in situ disease. Conclusions: Childhood cancer survivors with subsequent breast cancer generally receive guideline-concordant breast cancer treatment. While the treatments survivors receive differ from females with primary breast cancer, they do not experience higher rates of on-therapy treatment modifications. Despite this, they face excess mortality, primarily driven by other health conditions. Managing comorbidities is critical to enhancing long-term survival for this high-risk population.

Изучение краниологических серий из некрополей русских городов XI–XVIII вв. методом геометрической морфометрии

Anthropological features of the Russian city population in the 11th – 18th centuries were studied using classical methods of craniometry as well as cranio- and osteoscopy. However, the method of geometric morphometry, which has been actively used since the 1990s and is a recent morphometric tool, has not yet been applied to Russian urban craniological series. We obtained and analyzed by the GM method three-dimensional copies of 225 skulls from thirteen series of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period from the excavations of the Institute of Archaeology of the Russian Academy of Sciences. Despite the small number of studied samples from Tver and Torzhok, we were able to trace their features and originality relative to other comparable groups and among themselves. Based on historical information, these variations can be explained by political factors. The differences between the political systems of Ancient Rus’ and Russia in the Early Modern period also explain the greater morphological homogeneity of the urban population in the 15th – 18th centuries compared to the 11th –13th centuries. The study of variability in the late urban series and comparison of diachronic samples from Yaroslavl and Pereslavl-Zalessky showed morphological similarity between the inhabitants of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern period, which may indicate the constancy of administrative, trade, and economic ties, as well as the significant contribution of the local rural population to the formation of the anthropological appearance of the townspeople. The revealed greater variability in the female samples compared to the male ones may indicate significant irregularities in the facial skeleton shape of women, which cannot be disclosed using classical craniology data. In general, the obtained results not only confirm many of the conclusions of previous craniological studies of the urban population from Eastern Europe but also make it possible to obtain new data on the degree of homogeneity of the townspeople’s anthropological appearance in the Middle Ages and Early Modern periods.

연구기관 재직자의 심리적 임파워먼트 연구: 성별의 다양성을 중심으로

by exploring the latent psychological empowerment profiles of research institution employees and examining the differences between groups according to gender. The quality of psychological empowerment vary among employees depending not only on individual factors but also on relational and institutional factors. Since psychological empowerment is directly linked to the personal growth and career development of employees, it is essential to examine the factors that influence it. We conducted a latent profile analysis to examine how psychological empowerment profiles differ. First, we identified five profiles based on the extent of research control and overall psychological empowerment in male samples, while four profiles were identified in female samples. Second, the quality of the social network, perceived career development support, and knowledge sharing significantly influenced the probability of belonging to each profile, particularly when the perceptions of these predictor variables are high, this suggests a higher likelihood of belonging to a group with high psychological empowerment. Finally, the group with high psychological empowerment, regardless of gender, was perceived as having higher organizational commitment, career satisfaction, and technical orientation. Based on these results, we discuss the implications for enhancing the psychological empowerment of employees at research institutions and aligning their individual career development with the organization's objectives.

Histomorphological Development Study of Cecum in Local Awassi Sheep Fetuses (Ovis Aris): Prenatal Periods

This study was conducted at Al-Qasim Green University/College of Veterinary Medicine, Anatomy and Histology Branch. The experiment was designed to study the cecum of Awassi sheep fetuses: prenatal periods. Samples (30 male and female samples) were collected from healthy females uterine and divided according to age groups into four groups by crown rump length formula (CRL) for the prenatal stage. In the first age group (50-55), the cecum was in the process of development, as it was not distinguished visually. In the second age group (70-75 days), it was a small protrusion located between the ileum and the beginning of the ascending colon. With advancing age, the third group, which includes two ages in the third trimester of pregnancy, we found that the cecum was completely formed in (100-105) days and at (130-140) days of gestation. Also, upon histological study, we found that the wall of the cecum consists of four layers, as in the rest of the parts of the digestive system, and is lined with an epithelial layer surrounded by a layer of connective tissue. It is supportive of the epithelial tissue. We also found tunica submucosa constantly devolving with age, as it is mesenchymal cells in the first stage of intrauterine life and begin to transform into connective tissue with the presence of fibers and collagen (tunica submucosa) as a result of these cells transforming into spindle cells to form the inner muscle layer, as well as tunica muscularis externa. The latter is surrounded by loose connective tissue that contains a few collagen and elastic fibers surrounded by mesothelial cells (tunica serosa) that contain blood vessels to support development in the inner layers.

Psychometric properties of the DSM-5 Panic Disorder Dimensional Scale in an Australian community sample

ABSTRACT Objective The Panic Disorder Dimensional Scale (PD-D) was developed to provide a dimensional rating of panic disorder (PD) symptom severity alongside the traditional categorical Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) diagnosis. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PD-D in an Australian community sample. Method Two-hundred and eighty-eight participants (72.9% female) aged 18–76 years (M = 28.28; SD = 12.08) completed the study. Results Confirmatory factor analysis indicated that PD-D demonstrates a unidimensional factor (comparative fit index [CFI] = 0.95; Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 0.94; standardised root mean square residual [SRMR] = 0.04). The scale also demonstrated excellent internal consistency [α = .96 (95% CI: .95–.97); ω = 0.96 (95% CI: .95–.97)], and evidence of convergent and divergent validity. A good test–retest reliability was evident for the total PD-D score (ICC = .76, p < .001). Conclusions The PD-D appears to be a reliable and valid measure which can be used to support diagnosis of PD in Australia. Limitations are discussed, including the use of a predominantly female sample and lack of clinician-informed data regarding current diagnoses.

Systematic review of healthcare interventions for reducing gender-based violence impact on the mental health of women with disabilities.

Women with disabilities are more exposed to violence. The health sector has a key role in all three levels of prevention of violence against women. The objective of this paper was to review the interventions for preventing gender-based violence and reducing its impact on the mental health of women with any form of disability. Relevant studies were identified through conducting searches in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, PsyInfo, Social Services Abstracts, and PILOTS. Two reviewers analyzed and selected studies. A qualitative synthesis was made. 3149 references were obtained, among which eight articles describing nine interventions from the USA and the UK. Most were intended for women with mental/intellectual disability and assessed intimate partner or sexual violence. Only one study showed high methodological quality. They were found to be particularly effective as regards improvement of the skills acquired by participants, but the results as regards improved mental health are not consistent. Our review shows very little evidence of effective interventions. Further studies are required with higher internal validity and female sample groups with diverse disabilities. Gender-based violence is a highly prevalent problem for women with disabilities, and in addition to being a public health challenge is a violation of human rights. Health care systems and policymakers should take a key role in all three levels of prevention of violence against women with disabilities. Interventions with longer follow-up times are required. It is also important for interventions to be designed in consultation with people with disabilities.

Human-Centered Design and Manufacturing of a Pressure-Profile-Based Pad for Better Car Seat Comfort

A car seat’s function is to support, protect, and make passengers and drivers feel comfortable during a trip. A more uniform pressure distribution and a larger contact area usually provide less discomfort. Consequently, the seat pan’s material and geometry play an essential role in the design process. A shaped pad was opportunely designed and realized, starting from the pressure distributions between the buttocks and the seat pan; pressure data were acquired during an initial experiment involving 41 people, representing a wide range of percentiles. The shaped pad was compared with a standard one by building a special seat with an interchangeable internal pad and testing the standard and the new seat; the second experiment involved 52 people that tested both seats. The tests were conducted to assess comfort (33 subjects were asked to be seated for 1 min each) and discomfort (19 subjects were asked to be seated for 15 min each); during the tests, pressure distribution and contact area data were gathered. The results showed that, for both tests, about 80% of the participants, among which 100% of the female sample, preferred the shaped seat pan pad. Even if the material was exactly the same, the shaped pad seemed to be softer, more comfortable, and more suited to the body’s shape than the standard one. The design methodology was demonstrated to be very useful for granting a more uniform pressure distribution and a wider contact area, i.e., higher comfort and less discomfort.

Gendered differences in the prevalence and associated factors of dementia in Ghana: a cross-sectional survey

BackgroundDementia as a global phenomenon has received significant attention in research due to the adverse effects it has on the daily functioning of its victims. Despite studies conducted in relation to the prevalence and associated factors of dementia in Ghana, not much attention has been paid to the influence of gender. The study, therefore, focused on estimating gender differences in the prevalence and associated factors of dementia in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.MethodsThis study adopted a cross-sectional design with surveys to recruit 800 participants who were 45 years or older. The data was obtained using the standardized Rowland Universal Dementia Assessment Scale (RUDAS) together with information on the various associated factors. A series of logistic models comprising of the total sample model, male sample model, and female sample model were estimated to analyse the data. All data analyses were completed in Stata version 14.ResultsThe overall prevalence of dementia was 23.38% [95% CI:20.44, 26.31]. More females 24.56% [95% CI:20.81, 28.31] compared to males 21.31% [95% CI:16.57, 26.04] were at risk of dementia. Younger age, attaining formal education, and belonging to richer households were negatively associated with the risk of dementia. In the total sample model, younger age and attaining formal education were negatively associated with dementia risk. In the male-female stratified models, education and household wealth index were negatively associated with dementia risk in the male sample while age and education were negatively related to dementia risk in the female sample.ConclusionThe study concludes that there are gendered differences in the prevalence and factors associated with the risk of dementia in Ghana. As such, interventions and programmes to identify dementia cases must be gender sensitive. Specifically, when addressing dementia risk in males, interventions should be directed towards those with lower wealth status. Likewise, when developing programmes to mitigate dementia risk in women, particular attention should be given to women in the oldest age category.

BECN1 mRNA expression in breast cancer tissue; significant correlation to tumor grade

Breast cancer (BC) is a heterogenous disease with multiple pathways implicated in its development, progression, and drug resistance. Autophagy, a cellular process responsible for self-digestion of damaged organelles, had been recognized as eminent player in cancer progression and chemotherapeutic resistance. The haploinsufficiency of Beclin 1 (BECN1), autophagy protein, is believed to contribute to cancer pathogenesis and progression. In our study, we investigated the expression of BECN1 in a BC female Egyptian patient cohort, as well as its prognostic role through evaluating its association with disease free survival (DFS) after 2 years follow up and association of tumor clinicopathological features. Twenty frozen female BC tissue samples and 17 adjacent normal tissue were included and examined for the expression levels of BECN1. Although the tumor tissues showed lower expression 0.73 (0–8.95) than their corresponding normal tissues 1.02 (0.04–19.59), it was not statistically significant, p: 0.463. BECN1 expression was not associated with stage, nodal metastasis or tumor size, p:0.435, 0.541, 0.296, respectively. However, statistically significant negative correlation was found between grade and BECN1 mRNA expression in the studied cases, p:0.028. BECN1 expression had no statistically significant association with DFS, P = 0.944. However, we observed that triple negative (TNBC) cases had significantly lower DFS rate than luminal BC patients, p: 0.022, with mean DFS 19.0 months, while luminal BC patients had mean DFS of 23.41 months. Our study highlights the potential role of BECN1 in BC pathogenesis, showing that BECN1 expression correlates with poorer differentiation of BC, indicating its probable link with disease aggressiveness. DFS two years follow up showed that TNBC subtype remains associated with less favorable prognosis.

Transcriptomic sex differences in postmortem brain samples from patients with psychiatric disorders.

Many psychiatric disorders exhibit sex differences, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. We analyzed transcriptomics data from 2160 postmortem adult prefrontal cortex brain samples from the PsychENCODE consortium in a sex-stratified study design. We compared transcriptomics data of postmortem brain samples from patients with schizophrenia (SCZ), bipolar disorder (BD), and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) with transcriptomics data of postmortem control brains from individuals without a known history of psychiatric disease. We found that brain samples from females with SCZ, BD, and ASD showed a higher burden of transcriptomic dysfunction than did brain samples from males with these disorders. This observation was supported by the larger number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and a greater magnitude of gene expression changes observed in female versus male brain specimens. In addition, female patient brain samples showed greater overall connectivity dysfunction, defined by a higher proportion of gene coexpression modules with connectivity changes and higher connectivity burden, indicating a greater degree of gene coexpression variability. We identified several gene coexpression modules enriched in sex-biased DEGs and identified genes from a genome-wide association study that were involved in immune and synaptic functions across different brain cell types. We found a number of genes as hubs within these modules, including those encoding SCN2A, FGF14, and C3. Our results suggest that in the context of psychiatric diseases, males and females exhibit different degrees of transcriptomic dysfunction and implicate immune and synaptic-related pathways in these sex differences.

Evidence of the Existence of Site-Specific Female Contact Pheromones Involved in the Sexual Interaction Behavior of the Pacific Whiteleg Shrimp Penaeus vannamei.

Although the presence of female contact sex pheromones in P. vannamei has been hypothesized, to date its existence has not been proven. To gather more evidence of their existence, cuticular liposoluble extracts were obtained from the following samples of adult females to be used as the experimental treatments: (1) ventral exoskeleton of immature female (VI), (2) dorsolateral exoskeleton of immature female (DI), (3) ventral exoskeleton of mature female (VM), and (4) dorsolateral exoskeleton of mature female (DM). Polyvinyl chloride tubes (artificial females; AF) were coated with each extract and the behavior displayed by sexually mature males in contact with the AF was recorded and classified as follows: 0 = no response; 1 = contact; 2 = pushing; and 3 = prolonged contact (≥10 s). To test the hypothesis that the extracts collected from the ventral portion of the abdomen exoskeleton have a higher effect on the behavior of males than the extracts collected from the dorsolateral portion of the abdomen exoskeleton, the experiment was divided into two bioassays: Bioassay I (VI vs. DI) and Bioassay II (VM vs. DM). In each bioassay, all experimental treatments were significantly different (p > 0.05) from the CTL group (AF coated with hexane). Notably, the pushing behavior was significantly higher (p < 0.05) in the VI treatment compared to the CTL and DI treatment. These results provide evidence of the existence of contact female sex pheromones with sexual recognition function located primarily in the ventral portion of the abdomen exoskeleton of P. vannamei.