Female Samples Research Articles

Habitual Sleep and Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity in Humans

Short habitual sleep duration and inadequate sleep effciency are associated with poor cardiovascular health. Although a potential mediator of this relationship is augmented sympathetic activity, only one study to date has assessed the relationship between objectively measured habitual sleep duration and direct muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in humans. Moreover, the proportion of resting MSNA that can be independently explained by habitual sleep while controlling for other key variables remains unknown. The purpose of the present study was to assess the independent relationship between total sleep time (TST), sleep effciency (SE), and MSNA in a large population of young males and females. We hypothesized that short TST and low SE would be associated with elevated MSNA and blood pressure. A minimum 7 days of at-home, objective actigraphy sleep monitoring was collected in 66 healthy young adults (35 males, 31 females; 24±1 years; 26±1 kg/m2). In each participant, the average of three seated brachial blood pressures was recorded and used to determine resting mean arterial blood pressure (MAP). All participants underwent an autonomic function test that simultaneously assessed heart rate (HR, electrocardiogram), beat-to-beat blood pressure (finger plethysmography) and MSNA (microneurography) during 10 minutes of quiet rest. Resting MAP (83±1 mmHg), HR (64±1 beats/min) and MSNA (19±1 bursts/min) were normally distributed. Habitual TST was significantly correlated with MSNA (r=-0.265, p=0.032), but was not associated with resting MAP (r=-0.153, p=0.219) or HR (r=-0.205, p=0.098). SE was not associated with any of the outcome variables (all p>0.25). Multiple regression was used to test the independent relationship between TST, MAP, HR, and MSNA while accounting for effects of age, sex, and body mass index (BMI). The regression model significantly predicted MAP (R2=0.253, p=0.001) and MSNA (R2=.211, p=0.005), but not HR (R2=.047, p=0.560). TST did not independently explain any additional variance in MAP (ΔR2=0.004, p=0.562) beyond that ascribed to the effects of age, sex, and BMI. In contrast, TST independently explained an additional 5% of the variance in MSNA (ΔR2=0.053, p=0.048). In a large sample of healthy young males and females, our results indicate that habitual TST explains only a minor proportion of the observed variance in resting MSNA between participants. NIH (AA-024892). This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Sex Is Not a Transcriptomic Binary: Towards a Broad Physiologic Omics Insight Into Sex Chromosome Genes

Background: As social definitions of sex and gender expand, there is a greater demand for understanding the clinical challenges of intersex individuals, transgender individuals, and those with hormonal and transcriptomic profiles that do not align with traditional binary standards. Larger population studies are elucidating comorbidities associated with Klinefelter’s Syndrome, Turner’s Syndrome, 47XXX, 47XYY, and other sex chromosome syndromes even though the sex chromosomes are underpowered in traditional GWAS. Though research has focused on how estrogen and testosterone supplementation can influence comorbidity risk, we identify a need for greater understanding of isoform and tissue-specific expression and functions of X and Y genes to understand their potential interactions with hormones and inform physiological outcomes. Methods: Analysis of RNA-Sequencing data quantified in transcripts per million (TPM) from GTex (extracted June 2022, n = 17,382), NCBI SRA Blood PAXgene tube analysis (extracted June 2021, n = 12,559), and NCBI SRA “skin” RNA sequencing (extracted June 2021, n = 8,274). Results: We display an expression panel of 572 isoforms of 73 sex-biased genes across 54 male (n = 11,588) and female (n=5,798) tissue samples and highlight isoform-specific expression differences within the brain, arteries, heart, skeletal muscle, and gastrointestinal tract. Six X/Y gene pairs show broad ratios over tissues highlighting the role of X-chromosome dosage and X-chromosome inactivation escape differences in various tissues. Several genome-wide eQTLs across multiple tissues have sex differences and are found within X/Y chromosome transcription factor binding sites such as ZFX/ZFY. Stratifying blood and skin RNA-Sequencing data by XIST/KDM5D ratios to determine transcriptomic “sex”, we conduct an exploratory analysis of bioprojects with five or more outliers of X:Y chromosome expression ratios (Males: PRJNA683803 (HIV), PRJNA768419 (Sepsis), PRJNA492829 (Vaccine trial), PRJNA496323 (Psoriasis and atopic dermatitis), PRJNA699562 (COVID-19). Females: PRJNA683803 (HIV), PRJNA794277 (Sepsis), PRJNA492965 (Vaccine trial), PRJNA526259 (Myalgic encephalomyelitis)).Conclusion: Transcriptomics enables broader insights to sex chromosomes and their contributions to physiology outside of the binary male/female knowledge. This work was supported by the NIH NIAID and OD grant R01AI171984. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Comparison of Novel Proteomic Expression Profiles for Radiation Exposure in Male and Female C57BL6 Mice.

There is a need for point-of-care diagnostics for future mass casualty events involving radiation exposure. The development of radiation exposure and dose prediction algorithms for biodosimetry is needed for screening of large populations during these scenarios, and exploration of the potential effects which sex, age, genetic heterogeneity, and physiological comorbidities may have on the utility of biodosimetry diagnostics is needed. In the current study, proteomic profiling was used to examine sex-specific differences in age-matched C57BL6 mice on the blood proteome after radiation exposure, and the usefulness of development and application of biodosimetry algorithms using both male and female samples. Male and female mice between 9-11 weeks of age received a dose of total-body irradiation (TBI) of either 2, 4 or 8 Gy and plasma was collected at days 1, 3 and 7 postirradiation. Plasma was then screened using the SomaScan v4.1 assay for ∼7,000 protein analytes. A subset panel of protein biomarkers demonstrated significant (FDR < 0.05 and |logFC| > 0.2) changes in expression after radiation exposure. All proteins were used for feature selection to build predictive models of radiation exposure using different sample and sex-specific cohorts. Both binary (prediction of any radiation exposure) and multidose (prediction of specific radiation dose) model series were developed using either female and male samples combined or only female or only male samples. The binary series (models 1, 2 and 3) and multidose series (models 4, 5 and 6) included female/male combined, female only and male only respectively. Detectable values were obtained for all ∼7,000 proteins included in the SomaScan assay for all samples. Each model algorithm built using a unique sample cohort was validated with a training set of samples and tested with a separate new sample series. Overall predictive accuracies in the binary model series was ∼100% at the model training level, and when tested with fresh samples, 97.9% for model 1 (female and male) and 100% for model 2 (female only) and model 3 (male only). When sex-specific models 2 and 3 were tested with the opposite sex, the overall predictive accuracy rate dropped to 62.5% for model 2 and remained 100% for model 3. The overall predictive accuracy rate in the multidose model series was 100% for all models at the model training level and, when tested with fresh samples, 83.3%, 75% and 83.3% for Multidose models 4-6, respectively. When sex-specific model 5 (female only) and model 6 (male only) were tested with the opposite sex, the overall predictive accuracy rate dropped to 52.1% and 68.8%, respectively. These models represent novel predictive panels of radiation-responsive proteomic biomarkers and illustrate the utility and necessity of considering sex-specific differences in development of radiation biodosimetry prediction algorithms. As sex-specific differences were observed in this study, and as use of point-of-care radiation diagnostics in future mass casualty settings will necessarily include persons of both sexes, consideration of sex-specific variation is essential to ensure these diagnostic tools have practical utility in the field.

IL24 Expression in Synovial Myofibroblasts: Implications for Female Osteoarthritis Pain through Propensity Score Matching Analysis.

(1) Introduction: Despite documented clinical and pain discrepancies between male and female osteoarthritis (OA) patients, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Synovial myofibroblasts, implicated in synovial fibrosis and OA-related pain, offer a potential explanation for these sex differences. Additionally, interleukin-24 (IL24), known for its role in autoimmune disorders and potential myofibroblast production, adds complexity to understanding sex-specific variations in OA. We investigate its role in OA and its contribution to observed sex differences. (2) Methods: To assess gender-specific variations, we analyzed myofibroblast marker expression and IL24 levels in synovial tissue samples from propensity-matched male and female OA patients (each n = 34). Gene expression was quantified using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). The association between IL24 expression levels and pain severity, measured by a visual analog scale (VAS), was examined to understand the link between IL24 and OA pain. Synovial fibroblast subsets, including CD45-CD31-CD39- (fibroblast) and CD45-CD31-CD39+ (myofibroblast), were magnetically isolated from female patients (n = 5), and IL24 expression was compared between these subsets. (3) Results: Females exhibited significantly higher expression of myofibroblast markers (MYH11, ET1, ENTPD2) and IL24 compared to males. IL24 expression positively correlated with pain severity in females, while no correlation was observed in males. Further exploration revealed that the myofibroblast fraction highly expressed IL24 compared to the fibroblast fraction in both male and female samples. There was no difference in the myofibroblast fraction between males and females. (4) Conclusions: Our study highlights the gender-specific role of myofibroblasts and IL24 in OA pathogenesis. Elevated IL24 levels in females, correlating with pain severity, suggest its involvement in OA pain experiences. The potential therapeutic implications of IL24, demonstrated in autoimmune disorders, open avenues for targeted interventions. Notwithstanding the limitations of the study, our findings contribute to understanding OA's multifaceted nature and advocate for future research exploring mechanistic underpinnings and clinical applications of IL24 in synovial myofibroblasts. Additionally, future research directions should focus on elucidating the precise mechanisms by which IL24 contributes to OA pathology and exploring its potential as a therapeutic target for personalized medicine approaches.

Dental Age Estimation in Northern Chinese Han Children and Adolescents Using Demirjian's Method Combined with Machine Learning Algorithms.

To investigate the application value of combining the Demirjian's method with machine learning algorithms for dental age estimation in northern Chinese Han children and adolescents. Oral panoramic images of 10 256 Han individuals aged 5 to 24 years in northern China were collected. The development of eight permanent teeth in the left mandibular was classified into different stages using the Demirjian's method. Various machine learning algorithms, including support vector regression (SVR), gradient boosting regression (GBR), linear regression (LR), random forest regression (RFR), and decision tree regression (DTR) were employed. Age estimation models were constructed based on total, female, and male samples respectively using these algorithms. The fitting performance of different machine learning algorithms in these three groups was evaluated. SVR demonstrated superior estimation efficiency among all machine learning models in both total and female samples, while GBR showed the best performance in male samples. The mean absolute error (MAE) of the optimal age estimation model was 1.246 3, 1.281 8 and 1.153 8 years in the total, female and male samples, respectively. The optimal age estimation model exhibited varying levels of accuracy across different age ranges, which provided relatively accurate age estimations in individuals under 18 years old. The machine learning model developed in this study exhibits good age estimation efficiency in northern Chinese Han children and adolescents. However, its performance is not ideal when applied to adult population. To improve the accuracy in age estimation, the other variables can be considered.

Is trauma research neglecting neurodiverse populations? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence ACEs in adults with autistic traits

PurposeThe prevalence of exposure to adversity is elevated in autistic populations, compared to neurotypical peers. Despite this, the frequency and nature of early adverse experiences are not well understood in autistic adults, with several underlying methodological limitations in the available literature. The purpose of this study is to systematically synthesise and analyse the prevalence of childhood adversity in this marginalised population, in accordance with the adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) framework.Design/methodology/approachPeer-reviewed empirical research articles were systematically searched for from electronic databases and screened against established inclusion criteria. Pooled prevalence rates for individual ACE types were calculated.FindingsFour papers were included (N = 732), all of which used a predominantly or exclusively female sample. Only sexual abuse was reported in all papers, with a pooled prevalence rate of 38%. Physical abuse and emotional abuse were less frequently explored, with two papers reporting on these ACEs, though obtained comparable and higher pooled prevalence rates (39% and 49%, respectively). Pooled prevalence rates could be calculated for neither neglect nor “household” ACEs because of insufficient data. The limited state of the evidence, in conjunction with high levels of heterogeneity and poor sample representativeness found, positions the ACEs of autistic adults as a critical research priority.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to systematically synthesise the prevalence of early childhood adversities, as conceptualised in accordance with the ACEs framework, in adults with autistic traits.

In situ fabrication of covalent organic frameworks on solid-phase microextraction probes coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry for enrichment and determination of androgens in biosamples.

Solid-phase microextraction (SPME) coupled with electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) was developed for rapid and sensitive determination of endogenous androgens. The SPME probe is coated with covalent organic frameworks (COFs) synthesized by reacting 1,3,5-tri(4-aminophenyl)benzene (TPB) with 2,5-dioctyloxybenzaldehyde (C8PDA). This COFs-SPME probe offers several advantages, including enhanced extraction efficiency and stability. The analytical method exhibited wide linearity (0.1-100.0µg L-1), low limits of detection (0.03-0.07µg L-1), high enrichment factors (37-154), and satisfactory relative standard deviations (RSDs) for both within one probe (4.0-14.8%) and between different probes (3.4-12.7%). These remarkable performance characteristics highlight the reliability and precision of the COFs-SPME-ESI-MS method. The developed method was successfully applied to detect five kinds of endogenous androgens in female serum samples, indicating that the developed analytical method has great potential for application in preliminary clinical diagnosis.

Indications of younger age at menarche in Greek adolescents but with no relation to body mass index.

This study aimed to present recent trends in the pubertal timing of a Greek female sample. Data were collected retrospectively from medical records of healthy females aged 6-18 years who attended a tertiary Adolescent Friendly Health Center over a 5-year period (2016-2020) and included gestational age, birth anthropometrics, and age of thelarche and/or pubarche and/or menarche, along with corresponding anthropometric, hormonal, and biochemical measurements. Data from 298 girls' medical records were included in the analysis. Median age at menarche, thelarche, and pubarche was 12, 9, and 9 years, respectively. The mean interval between pubertal onset and menarche was 1.99 years. The mean body mass index (BMI) at menarche and thelarche was 20.99kg/m2 and 18.90kg/m2, respectively. The mean weight at menarche was 49.6kg, whereas the mean height difference between thelarche and menarche was 19.17cm. Among participants, 6.3% had premature menarche, while 24.0% had premature thelarche. Birth weight was moderately correlated with BMI at thelarche/pubarche (rs=0.334, p = 0.005). Birth weight and BMI at thelarche/pubarche were not predictive of premature menarche or premature thelarche. Median (interquartile range, IQR) levels at menarche vs. thelarche were significantly higher for insulin-like growth factor-1 [358.00 (140.50) vs. 176.00 (55.00) ng/ml], follicle stimulation hormone [5.65 (3.14) vs. 3.10 (4.23) mIU/ml], testosterone [25.50 (31.00) vs. 13.00 (21.00) ng/dl], dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate [117.00 (112.50) vs. 46.40 (51.90) µg/dl], and insulin [17.40 (15.05) vs. 8.47 (4.97) µIU/ml]. The timing of pubertal stages in the Greek female sample studied followed the recent international downward trends. Younger age at menarche was not related to BMI.

Sex dimorphic response to osteocyte miR21 deletion in murine calvaria bone as determined by RNAseq analysis.

Low levels of microRNA (miR) 21 may explain the higher osteocyte apoptosis with Cx43-deficient and aged female mice. However, miR21 exerts a sex-divergent role in osteocytes, regulating bone mass and architecture through non-cell autonomous effects on osteoblasts and osteoclasts, via sex-specific regulation of osteocyte cytokine production. miR21 deficiency improves bone strength in females, and, to a higher extent, in male miR21-deficient mice. To understand the molecular basis for the effects of miR21 deletion, mRNA was isolated from miR21fl/fl (controls) or miR21-deficient (by deletion in cells expressing Cre recombinase under the control of the 8kb fragment of the DMP1 promoter: miR21ΔOt mice). miR21 was 50% lower in miR21ΔOt whole calvaria bone compared to control mice of the corresponding sex. RNAseq was performed in 4 samples/sex and genotype. There were 152 genes with <.05 P-value and >1 absolute log2 fold change in the male data analysis, and expression of most genes was higher in the miR21fl/fl group. Two of the genes, Actn3 and Myh4, had a false discovery rate < 0.1. Gene enrichment analysis of significant genes on both KEGG pathways and gene ontology (GO) gene sets shows that the significant genes were enriched in muscle contraction. Some muscle-related genes like Actn3 were included in multiple significant pathways. For females, only 65 genes had P-value <.05 and >1 absolute log2 fold change. Yet, no significant KEGG or GO pathways, including ≥5 significant genes, were seen, and no overlap of significant genes was found between male and female samples. Therefore, deletion of miR21 has a stronger effect on male transcriptome in calvaria, compared to females. Further, no enrichment of any pathway was detected in female samples. Thus, either there are no differences between 2 groups in female or the effect size is small, and a larger sample size is needed to uncover miR21-dependent differences.

Identification of skewed X chromosome inactivation using exome and transcriptome sequencing in patients with suspected rare genetic disease.

X-chromosome inactivation (XCI) is an epigenetic process that occurs during early development in mammalian females by randomly silencing one of two copies of the X chromosome in each cell. The preferential inactivation of either the maternal or paternal copy of the X chromosome in a majority of cells results in a skewed or non-random pattern of X inactivation and is observed in over 25% of adult females. Identifying skewed X inactivation is of clinical significance in patients with suspected rare genetic diseases due to the possibility of biased expression of disease-causing genes present on the active X chromosome. The current clinical test for the detection of skewed XCI relies on the methylation status of the methylation-sensitive restriction enzyme (Hpall) binding site present in proximity of short tandem polymorphic repeats on the androgen receptor (AR) gene. This approach using one locus results in uninformative or inconclusive data for 10-20% of tests. Further, recent studies have shown inconsistency between methylation of the AR locus and the state of inactivation of the X chromosome. Herein, we develop a method for estimating X inactivation status, using exome and transcriptome sequencing data derived from blood in 227 female samples. We built a reference model for evaluation of XCI in 135 females from the GTEx consortium. We tested and validated the model on 11 female individuals with different types of undiagnosed rare genetic disorders who were clinically tested for X-skew using the AR gene assay and compared results to our outlier-based analysis technique. In comparison to the AR clinical test for identification of X inactivation, our method was concordant with the AR method in 9 samples, discordant in 1, and provided a measure of X inactivation in 1 sample with uninformative clinical results. We applied this method on an additional 81 females presenting to the clinic with phenotypes consistent with different hereditary disorders without a known genetic diagnosis. This study presents the use of transcriptome and exome sequencing data to provide an accurate and complete estimation of X-inactivation and skew status in a cohort of female patients with different types of suspected rare genetic disease.

Microbiome and lipidomic analysis reveal the interplay between skin bacteria and lipids in a cohort study.

Human skin acts as a protective barrier between the body and the external environment. Skin microbiome and intercellular lipids in the stratum corneum (SC) are essential for maintaining skin barrier function. However, the interplay between skin bacteria and the lipids is not fully understood. In this study, we characterized the skin microbiome and SC lipid profiles from the forearm and face in a cohort of 57 healthy participants. 16S rRNA gene sequencing showed the skin microbial composition is significantly different between body locations and genders. Female forearm samples have the highest microbial diversity. The relative abundance of Staphylococcus hominis, Micrococcus luteus, Corynebacterium tuberculostearicum, Finegoldia magna, and Moraxellaceae sp. are significantly higher in the forearm than the face. The predictive functional analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing by Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt2) and ANCOM-BC showed different bacterial metabolic pathway profiles between body locations or genders, and identified 271 differential pathways, including arginine and polyamine biosynthesis, chorismate biosynthesis pathways, which are more abundant in the female forearm, and sulfur oxidation pathway, which is more abundant in the male face. The SC lipid profiles differ between the body locations as well. Total free fatty acids (FFA), cholesterol sulfate and sphingosine are more abundant in the face. Dihydro-/6-hydroxy/phyto-ceramides are more abundant in the forearm. The correlation analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequencing and lipids revealed novel interplay between the bacteria and skin lipids. Shannon entropy and S. hominis negatively correlated with FFA, cholesterol sulfate and sphingosine; while positively correlated with dihydro-/6-hydroxy/phyto-ceramides. The correlation of predictive pathway profiles and lipids identified pathways involved in amino acids metabolism, carbohydrates degradation, aromatic compounds metabolism and fatty acid degradation metabolism are positively correlated with dihydro-/6-hydroxy/phyto-ceramides and negatively correlated with FFA, cholesterol sulfate and sphingosine. This study provides insights on the potential correlation between skin microbiome and lipids.

Orthorexia Nervosa and Healthy Orthorexia in a Physically Active North American Population.

The Teruel Orthorexia Scale (TOS) defines two related but distinct constructs: Orthorexia Nervosa (OrNe), a pathological fixation on a healthy diet, and Healthy Orthorexia (HeOr), an interest in a healthy diet independent of psychopathology. Here, we (a) assessed both types of Orthorexia in a large North American sample using the TOS and (b) explored if engaging in regular physical activity was associated with a greater risk of Orthorexia. A cohort of physically active adults (n = 927; 41% men) completed the TOS, as well as the Rapid Assessment of Physical Activity (RAPA), to broadly assess aerobic physical activity level and participation in strength and/or flexibility training. As expected, scores for HeOr and OrNe differed between participants, with lower scores for Orthorexia Nervosa in our physically active non-clinical sample. Higher HeOr scores were associated with lower BMI, and this was true for both men and women. We also found that measures of Orthorexia were associated with self-reported physical activity: active adults reporting more aerobic physical activity had higher HeOr scores, with the most active men having the highest scores. Notably, adults who reported regular strength training had higher scores for both HeOr and OrNe, with men who strength trained showing higher OrNe scores than women. Here, those who participate in regular strength training are more likely to exhibit orthorexic behaviors, and this effect was more pronounced for men than women. Prior work has validated the TOS in young, primarily female samples of non-English speakers outside the United States: present data from an age-diverse, physically active, gender balanced sample support the use of TOS for measurement of Orthorexia Nervosa and Healthy Orthorexia in English speakers and suggest that more work is needed to assess potential gender differences in these constructs.

Why don't women engage in muscle strength exercise? An integrative review.

Women are 'at-risk' population for failing to meet muscle strengthening guidelines. Health benefits specific to this exercise mode include maintenance of muscle mass, which is associated with reduced risk of chronic disease and falls. Of significance is the progressive decline in muscle strength exercise participation in women aged 35-54 in Australia. This period is critical for maintaining muscle strength as it establishes foundations for older women's engagement. This integrative review examined available evidence regarding factors influencing muscle strength exercise participation, specifically in women aged 35-54. Seven databases were searched. Study inclusion criteria were: (1) peer reviewed, (2) English language, (3) sample populations of healthy female adults or general adult sample population differentiating females from males, (4) mean age between 35 and 54 years, (5) focused on muscle strength exercise and measured as the primary outcome factors of participation in muscle strength exercise. Five of 1895 studies met inclusion criteria. Five key factors were associated with participation in muscle strength exercise of women aged 35-54 years: perceived time constraints; knowledge and education; modality and intensity; social support and behavioural strategies. Focused education on strength exercise and guidelines, plus initiatives and strategies that suit the needs of this cohort, are necessary to achieve health and wellbeing benefits. Responsive approaches by health professionals to these women's circumstances can potentially address current low participation levels. SO WHAT?: Creating conditions where health professionals respect a woman's exercise preferences can positively impact these women's musculoskeletal health into older age.

Menopausal symptoms and the awareness of menopausal-related information in low-income mid-aged women from Guayaquil, Ecuador

Objective To assess menopausal symptoms and determine awareness of menopausal related information in mid-aged women. Methods This was a cross-sectional study in which 140 women aged 40 to 60 years from Guayaquil, Ecuador were surveyed with the short 10-item Cervantes Scale (CS-10) and a questionnaire containing personal data and questions assessing awareness of menopause related information. Results The mean age of the sample was 48.0 ± 5.6 years. More than half of surveyed women had low education and non-urban residency, none were on menopausal hormone therapy, 33.6% had hypertension, 35% were postmenopausal, 78.6% had an increased body mass index (overweight/obese) and 92.9% had abdominal obesity (waist > 88 cm). The average CS-10 score was 15.3 ± 9.0 with a median of 14.0. The three most frequent menopausal symptoms were muscle-joint pain (75.0%), changes in skin texture (74.3%) and vaginal dryness (71.4%). Regarding awareness of information related to the menopause, it was found that 98.6% of women had no idea about what the menopause is and the average age of its onset. Interestingly, although 61.4% knew that during the menopause there is weight gain, 57.9% were sedentary. Married, postmenopausal, older and less educated women presented higher mean total CS-10 scores. Contrarily, those with less awareness of menopause related information present lower scores. Conclusion In this low-income mid-aged female sample there was a high rate of non-awareness regarding information related to the menopause, including an unhealthy cardiometabolic profile. There is a need for educational programs aimed to increase awareness in this high-risk population in relation to the surveyed aspects in order to improve their health status and prevent chronic conditions.

Investigation of Epstein-Barr virus, Cytomegalovirus, Human herpesvirus 6, and Polyoma viruses (JC virus, BK virus) among Gastric cancer patients: A cross sectional study.

Gastric cancer is a significant global issue with a high death rate. This malignancy could be associated with several viral agents such as EBV, CMV, HHV-6, JCV, and BKV. Evaluation of EBV, CMV, HHV-6,and JCV, BKV frequency among gastric cancer patients. In this cross-sectional study, a total number of 60 gastric cancer specimens (32 male, 28 female) were retrieved from the pathology lab. Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tissue was used for molecular testing. DNA was extracted from samples, according to protocol, and used for PCR reaction. Polymerase chain reactions were used to assess CMV, EBV, HHV-6, JCV, and BKV frequency. The mean age of the participants was 61 years and 53.3% (32) of the participants were Male. A total number of 5 samples (8.34%) were infected with viral agents. Four male gastric samples were infected with EBV (6.67%) and only one female sample contained the BKV genome (1.67%). Totally 8.34% of the samples were infected with EBV and BKV. The CMV, HHV-6, and JCV genome was not detected in the samples. In conclusion, the presence of two viral agents including EBV and BKV among male and female samples respectively, and the genome of other viruses were not detected.

Changes in Parental Reflective Functioning before and after a postpartum depression group therapy

IntroductionParental Reflective Functioning (PRF) refers to parents’ ability to view their children’s and their own behavior by considering internal mental states, such as thoughts, desires, and intentions. Depression has been described as compromising reflective functioning in female samples, whereas other studies have not detected differences in RF between depressed and non-depressed mothers.ObjectivesWe aim to study whether a group intervention focused on postpartum depression, which we have already observed to cause significant changes in the mother-child bond and the severity of depressive, also improves parental reflective functioning.MethodsTo that end, we analyzed pre-post data from two different groups (N=12), composed of mothers who had been clinically diagnosed with postpartum depression. They received the 6-week Mothers &amp; Babies Program© and completed the Parental Bonding Questionnaire (PBQ), the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) and the Parental Reflective Functioning Questionnaire (PRFQ) before and after group therapy. Pre-post data from the PRFQ were analyzed using the repeated measures t-test. The correlation between changes in the three questionnaires was also analyzed using Pearson’s correlation test.ResultsSignificant changes were observed in the Pre-Mentalization Modes (pre=2.37±.457, post=2.03±.520, t=2.0206, p=0.027) and Certainty About Mental States (pre=2.87±1.141, post=3.68±.908, t=-2.814, p=0.010) subscales of the PRFQ, with no significant changes in the Interest and Curiosity subscale (t=-.516, p=0.309). A significant correlation was also observed between pre-post change in EPDS scores and pre-post change in the Certainty About Mental States subscale of the PRFQ (r=-.640, p&lt;.05), while no significant correlations were observed with the rest of the PRFQ subscales, nor with the PBQ.ConclusionsA brief cognitive-behavioral group therapy developed specifically to treat postpartum depression improves pre-post scores on the Pre-Mentalization (lower post- than pre- score) and Certainty About Mental States (higher post- than pre- score) subscales of the PRFQ. Although a control group is needed to determine the actual effect of the intervention, as time could also play a role in the observed changes, this is an encouraging result. Moreover, the improvement obtained in Certainty About Mental States is inversely correlated with the pre-post changes observed in the EPDS, meaning that the greater the improvement in depression, the greater the improvement in the aforementioned subscale of the PRFQ. A larger sample is needed to assess a hypothetical mediating effect of depression in the observed change.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Auditing the Representation of Female Athletes in Sports Medicine Research: Fifth-Metatarsal Fractures.

Female representation within athletics has increased as a result of Title IX, rising popularity, demand for equal compensation, and greater participation in multiple sports. Despite this, gender disparities in sports medicine research are apparent. This project serves to review the literature available on fifth-metatarsal fractures and assess the representation of female athletes in current literature. We used a standardized protocol to audit the representation of female athletes in sports science and sports medicine research for fifth-metatarsal fractures. Primary factors included population, athletic caliber, menstrual status, research theme, sample of males and females, journal impact factor, and Altmetric score. Thirty articles met the inclusion criteria. A total of 472 fifth-metatarsal fractures were identified, with 373 of 472 fractures (79%) occurring in males and 99 of 472 (21%) in females. The majority of studies (18/30, 60%) were mixed cohort, followed by 10 male only (33.33%), 1 female only (3.33%), and 1 male vs female (3.33%). Out of 831 total patients in the 18 mixed-cohort studies, 605 of 831 patients (72.8%) were male and 226 of 831 patients (27%) were female. All 18 mixed-sex cohorts investigated health outcomes. Male-only studies evaluated health outcomes and performance metrics. No studies investigated female performance. The one female-only study investigated health outcomes and was the only study to account for menstrual status. There was a single metatarsal fracture in this study population. Females are underrepresented in research regarding sports science and sports medicine research for fifth-metatarsal fractures. Research focused on female-only fifth-metatarsal fracture studies exploring the potential impact of female sex-specific factors such as menstrual status in study design are needed.

A general exposome factor explains individual differences in functional brain network topography and cognition in youth

Childhood environments are critical in shaping cognitive neurodevelopment. With the increasing availability of large-scale neuroimaging datasets with deep phenotyping of childhood environments, we can now build upon prior studies that have considered relationships between one or a handful of environmental and neuroimaging features at a time. Here, we characterize the combined effects of hundreds of inter-connected and co-occurring features of a child’s environment (“exposome”) and investigate associations with each child’s unique, multidimensional pattern of functional brain network organization (“functional topography”) and cognition. We apply data-driven computational models to measure the exposome and define personalized functional brain networks in pre-registered analyses. Across matched discovery (n=5139, 48.5% female) and replication (n=5137, 47.1% female) samples from the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study, the exposome was associated with current (ages 9–10) and future (ages 11–12) cognition. Changes in the exposome were also associated with changes in cognition after accounting for baseline scores. Cross-validated ridge regressions revealed that the exposome is reflected in functional topography and can predict performance across cognitive domains. Importantly, a single measure capturing a child’s exposome could more accurately and parsimoniously predict cognition than a wealth of personalized neuroimaging data, highlighting the importance of children’s complex, multidimensional environments in cognitive neurodevelopment.

Elderly's Homesickness: Development of Elderly Homesickness Questionnaire.

Homesickness is a result of migration, and is related to adjustment difficulties and health problems, as well as clinical disorders. The aim of this study was to measure and explore the homesickness of Chinese elderly. A total of 355 non-local Chinese elderly in Shenzhen were recruited to measure demographic information and homesickness. and tested for reliability and validity. Patterns and influences of homesickness among Chinese elderly were explored through latent profile analysis and One-way ANOVA on the basis of EHQ. A three-factor structure was verified in the 19-item elderly homesickness questionnaire (EHQ), namely "positive contact", "refusal to separate" and "homesickness behavior". The EHQ reports high validity and reliability. Chinese elderly had a high degree of homesickness, and homesickness among Chinese elderly varied significantly across variables such as age, occupation, and education level. Four homesickness patterns were found in Chinese elderly, named low homesick group, moderate homesick group, middle-high homesick group, and high homesick group. Coming from rural/urban areas and living with grandchildren are factors that affect classification. The present study reveals the high validity and reliability of the EHQ among Chinese elderly. The Chinese elderly reported high levels of homesickness, which varied significantly across levels of demographic factors. Four patterns of homesickness were found among the Chinese elderly, coming from rural/urban areas and living with grandchildren are the factors that affect classification. There may be a masking of the male contribution to the main effect due to the larger female sample.

Development and initial validation of the Multifaceted Instrument for Body Image Disturbance (MI-BoD).

Specific facets of body image disturbance have an important role in eating disorder (ED) onset and maintenance yet have been assessed with single items and/or questionnaires predominantly developed in female samples to capture desire for a thinner body. The aim of this multipart study was to develop the multifaceted instrument for body image disturbance (MI-BoD) that will assess body image disturbance across gender and body size. In Study 1, interviews were conducted with 31 ED lived experience experts (45% females) to develop an initial item pool which was then rated for relevance and clarity by 59 international field experts, shortened and refined by the research team, and then rerated by 20 field experts and 91 ED lived experience experts. Of the 477 items developed from interviews, 46 were retained for the initial validation study. In Study 2, the MI-BoD was administered to undergraduate students (N = 937; 84% females), community adolescents (N = 208; 58% females), and individuals with self-reported ED diagnosis (N = 410; 77% females) to assess its preliminary psychometric properties. Exploratory factor analysis revealed six underlying factors, namely, Dissatisfaction, Overvaluation, Preoccupation, Fear of Weight Gain, Body Checking, and Body Exposure. No differential item functioning was detected for most MI-BoD items across gender, weight status, and ED status (symptomatic vs. asymptomatic). Overall, the MI-BoD showed good internal consistency, convergent and divergent validity, concurrent validity, and test-retest reliability. In conclusion, the MI-BoD is a promising tool for assessment of important facets of body image disturbance across gender, body size, and ED symptomatology. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).