Sex Specificity Research Articles

Serum cortisol-to-cortisone ratio and 11-deoxycortisol are associated with hypertension and blood pressure in Chinese rural population: a cross sectional study.

The present study aimed to investigate the associations of cortisol-to-cortisone ratio (F/E) and 11-deoxycortisol (S) in hypertension and blood pressure among Chinese rural population. A total of 6233 participants from the Henan Rural Cohort Study were included. Serum cortisol (F), cortisone (E), and S were assessed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Generalized linear model (GLM) and logistic regression model were performed to assess the associations of F, E, F/E, and S with blood pressure and hypertension. Moreover, the sex specificity of the associations was assessed. Serum F, F/E, and S were positively associated with systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and pulse pressure (PP), while E was negatively associated with SBP and PP. There were no statistically significant associations of F and E with the prevalence of hypertension, while F/E and S were positively associated with hypertension [odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs)] of F/E and S were 1.28 (1.13, 1.44) and 1.10 (1.04, 1.17), respectively. Also, the combination of high F/E and S was significantly associated with hypertension. The blood pressure indicators and the prevalence of hypertension increased with an incremental in the serum concentration of F, F/E, and S (all Ptrend < 0.05). In addition, the positive association between F/E and SBP was stronger in women than that in men, and F/E was strongly positively associated with hypertension only in women (all Pinteraction < 0.05). Serum F/E and S were positively associated with hypertension and blood pressure. Additionally, their combination has a synergistic effect on hypertension. Moreover, the associations of F and F/E with hypertension and blood pressure were in a sex-specific manner.

Sex-specificities in anxiety and depressive symptoms across the lifespan and their links with multimodal neuroimaging

BackgroundAnxiety and depressive symptoms are associated with impaired well-being, higher risk of developing psychoaffective disorders and are risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). To further understand their relevance and the mechanisms underlying their link with AD, our aims were to assess how anxiety and depressive symptoms changed with age and related to AD neuroimaging biomarkers across the adult lifespan, while also exploring sex specificities. Methods210 cognitively normal participants aged 19-86 years (101 men, 109 women) completed assessments of anxiety and depressive symptoms with the STAI-A and MADRS respectively, and neuroimaging measurements including structural MRI, FDG-PET and amyloid-PET. 167 of those were followed-up over 1.5–3 years. Multiple regressions were performed to assess the links between anxiety or depressive symptoms versus age, global cognition or each imaging modality, both cross-sectionally and longitudinally; and general linear models we used to test the interactive effect of sex on these associations. ResultsDepressive symptoms decreased with age, while anxiety symptoms increased only among women. Higher anxiety symptoms were associated with lower grey matter (GM) volume and glucose metabolism, with an interaction of sex, this relationship being significant only in women. Longitudinally, only low baseline GM volume predicted an increase in anxiety symptoms with time. LimitationsOnly 43% of participants reported depressive symptoms. Despite additional analyses, the low variability in the measure might have prevented us from detecting subtle changes. ConclusionsThis study emphasizes the need to consider anxiety symptoms in assessments for dementia risk, particularly in women.

Adrenal steroids reference ranges in infancy determined by LC-MS/MS

Interpretation of the results of steroid hormone measurements is challenging at early infancy. The liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method provides a powerful tool for diagnosing steroidogenesis disorders. We aimed to develop normative data for a 14-steroid panel and four adrenal enzyme activity indices, determined by LC-MS/MS from 3 days to 6 months of age. Age- and sex-specific plasma steroid concentrations were calculated in 324 healthy full-term neonates and infants (151 females). Percentile curves were devised. Steroid ratios were evaluated as biomarkers of adrenal enzyme activities. The steroid profiles of four patients with adrenal enzyme deficiencies were included to test the diagnostic efficiency. Nine steroids showed age, but none showed sex specificity. The concentrations of progestins and androgens were higher at 7-14 days than at 3-7 days. After the first month, adrenal androgen concentrations decreased significantly. Adrenal enzyme activities changed towards increasing cortisol over the first 6 months. There were several-fold differences in diagnostic steroids and related adrenal enzyme activity indices between the patients and the healthy group. The majority of adrenal steroids show age-related variations in the neonatal period and early infancy. Our data will enable accurate interpretation of steroid measurements for etiologic diagnosis of disorders of steroidogenesis. LC-MS/MS method is capable of quantitating numerous analytes simultaneously, which provides an integrated picture of adrenal steroidogenesis in a small amount of sample. The development of LC-MS/MS-based normative data of steroid hormones in healthy infants is crucial to differentiate physiologic alterations from steroidogenic defects during the first 3-6 months of infancy. Previous studies had limitations due to the small numbers of samples available by sex and by age groups. Our detailed normative data and percentile curves will enable accurate interpretation of steroid measurements for etiologic diagnosis of disorders of steroidogenesis without the need for further invasive testing.

Myocardial Infarction in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus - the Sex-Specific Risk Profile.

Accelerated atherosclerosis is widely present in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. The aim of this review was to analyze the relationship between systemic lupus erythematosus and cardiovascular diseases, with the emphasis on acute myocardial infarction. We conducted a literature review through PubMed and Cochrane, using keywords: SLE, atherosclerosis, atherothrombosis, coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, prognosis, sex specifics. Various molecular mechanisms triggered by infection/inflammation are responsible for endothelial dysfunction and the development of atherosclerosis at an earlier age. A contributing factor is the cumulative effect of traditional cardiovascular risk factors interaction with disease-related characteristics. Myocardial infarction rates are 2- to 10-fold higher compared to the general population. Young women have the highest relative risk, however, men carry at least 3-fold higher risk than women. Coronary involvement varies from normal coronary artery with thrombosis, coronary microartery vasculitis, coronary arteritis, and coronary atherosclerosis. Typical clinical presentation is observed in men and older women, while atypical is more frequent in young women. Treatment is guided by the underlying mechanism, engaging invasive procedures alone, or accompanied with immunosuppressive and/or anti-inflammatory therapy. There are significant gender differences in pathophysiology and clinical presentation. However, they receive the same therapeutic treatments. Systemic lupus erythematosus is a major contributor to atherosclerotic and non-atherosclerotic mechanisms involved in the development of myocardial infarction, which should be taken into account during therapeutic treatment. Although systemic lupus erythematosus per se is a "female" disease, males are at increased cardiovascular risk and worse outcomes.

The Assessment of the Validity and Reliability of the Three-Dimensional Contribution Scale in Adults and the Analysis of the Scale with Different Variables

This study has two aims: to examine the psychometric properties of the Three-Dimensional Contribution Scale in adults and to reveal how the contribution supports authenticity. To attain the first aim, a total of 198 individuals (105 females, 93 males) were included in the study. The result of the confirmatory factor analysis indicated that the scale maintained its three-factor structure. The internal consistency coefficient of the scale was determined to be.88. Regarding the criterion-related validity, a significant positive relationship was determined between the Three-Dimensional Contribution Scale and the Brief Resilience Scale. As a result, it can be said that the present scale is a valid and reliable measurement tool that can be used to determine contribution levels in adults. To accomplish the second aim of the study, a total of 383 individuals (184 females, 197 males, and two individuals with no sex specification) were enrolled in the study. The examination of the findings of the simple linear regression analysis of authenticity and the subscales of authenticity indicated that contribution supported the authentic living subscale of the authenticity positively. However, it was also found that contribution supported the self-alienation subscale of the authenticity negatively and that there was no significant relationship between the acceptance of external influences subscale and the total score of authenticity. In conclusion, it can be said that as the level of contribution increases, the authenticity of individuals will increase, as well.

Sex differences in professional padel players: analysis across four seasons

ABSTRACT Despite the growth of research on padel, available literature is mainly focused on male samples of modest size. This study characterised the differences in performance between men’s and women’s top-class padel players competing in the World Padel Tour (WPT) across four entire seasons (2016–19). Game performance indications from 1070 sets (532 matches) were collected from the official WPT website records. Men and women’s performance were compared by means of the set result and the season. Men padel players performed a smaller number of actions, winners and errors per game than women, except winning smashes and smashes, by order of effect size (ES) magnitude: winning smashes (ES = 1.27), smashes (ES = 1.26), unforced errors (ES = 0.59), winners (ES = 0.55), breakpoints won (ES = 0.42), breakpoints (ES = 0.41) and winning volleys (ES = 0.24). Additionally, sex differences in unforced errors, winners, breakpoints, and breakpoints won become bigger as the time goes, with men showing an increasing greater performance. These findings confirm the existence of sex differences in professional padel performance and a worrying trend to becoming bigger. The sex specificities should be considered to both optimise training and competition plans and mitigated these sex disparities in padel players.

The Gene Expression Profile of the Song Control Nucleus HVC Shows Sex Specificity, Hormone Responsiveness, and Species Specificity Among Songbirds.

Singing occurs in songbirds of both sexes, but some species show typical degrees of sex-specific performance. We studied the transcriptional sex differences in the HVC, a brain nucleus critical for song pattern generation, of the forest weaver (Ploceus bicolor), the blue-capped cordon-bleu (Uraeginthus cyanocephalus), and the canary (Serinus canaria), which are species that show low, medium, and high levels of sex-specific singing, respectively. We observed persistent sex differences in gene expression levels regardless of the species-specific sexual singing phenotypes. We further studied the HVC transcriptomes of defined phenotypes of canary, known for its testosterone-sensitive seasonal singing. By studying both sexes of canaries during both breeding and non-breeding seasons, non-breeding canaries treated with testosterone, and spontaneously singing females, we found that the circulating androgen levels and sex were the predominant variables associated with the variations in the HVC transcriptomes. The comparison of natural singing with testosterone-induced singing in canaries of the same sex revealed considerable differences in the HVC transcriptomes. Strong transcriptional changes in the HVC were detected during the transition from non-singing to singing in canaries of both sexes. Although the sex-specific genes of singing females shared little resemblance with those of males, our analysis showed potential functional convergences. Thus, male and female songbirds achieve comparable singing behaviours with sex-specific transcriptomes.

Testicular germ cell tumors arise in the absence of sex-specific differentiation.

In response to signals from the embryonic testis, the germ cell intrinsic factor NANOS2 coordinates a transcriptional program necessary for the differentiation of pluripotent-like primordial germ cells toward a unipotent spermatogonial stem cell fate. Emerging evidence indicates that genetic risk factors contribute to testicular germ cell tumor initiation by disrupting sex-specific differentiation. Here, using the 129.MOLF-Chr19 mouse model of testicular teratomas and a NANOS2 reporter allele, we report that the developmental phenotypes required for tumorigenesis, including failure to enter mitotic arrest, retention of pluripotency and delayed sex-specific differentiation, were exclusive to a subpopulation of germ cells failing to express NANOS2. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that embryonic day 15.5 NANOS2-deficient germ cells and embryonal carcinoma cells developed a transcriptional profile enriched for MYC signaling, NODAL signaling and primed pluripotency. Moreover, lineage-tracing experiments demonstrated that embryonal carcinoma cells arose exclusively from germ cells failing to express NANOS2. Our results indicate that NANOS2 is the nexus through which several genetic risk factors influence tumor susceptibility. We propose that, in the absence of sex specification, signals native to the developing testis drive germ cell transformation.

Integrative study of diet-induced mouse models of NAFLD identifies PPARα as a sexually dimorphic drug target

ObjectiveWe evaluated the influence of sex on the pathophysiology of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We investigated diet-induced phenotypic responses to define sex-specific regulation between healthy liver and NAFLD to...

Depression and obesity among females, are sex specificities considered?

This study aimed to systematically review the relationship of obesity-depression in the female sex. We carried out a systematic search (PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase) to quantify the articles(controlled trials and randomized controlled trials)regarding obesity and depression on a female population or a mixed sample. Successively, we established whether the sex specificities were studied by the authors and if they reported on collecting data regarding factors that may contribute to the evolution of obesity and depression and that could be responsible for the greater susceptibility of females to those conditions. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, we found a total of 20 articles with a female sample and 54 articles with a mixed sample. More than half of all articles (51.35%, n = 38) evaluated the relationship between depression and obesity, but only 20 (27.03%) evaluated this relationship among females; still, 80% of those (n = 16) presented supporting results. However, few articles considered confounding factors related to female hormones (12.16%, n = 9) and none of the articles focused on factors responsible for the binomial obesity-depression in the female sex. The resulting articles also supported that depression (and related impairments) influencing obesity (and related impairments) is a two-way road. This systematic review supports the concurrency of obesity-depression in females but also shows how sex specificities are ultimately under-investigated. Female sex specificity is not being actively considered when studying the binomial obesity-depression, even within a female sample. Future studies should focus on trying to understand how the female sex and normal hormonal variations influence these conditions.

Sex-specific versus standard posterior cruciate-substituting total knee prosthesis

Background The introduction of sex-specific (SS) knee prosthesis designs was an approach to offer more sizing options and is based on the anatomic sex differences. These SS components were though to provide better fitting to female femora and consequently improve the clinical outcome. Materials and methods In the period between February 2011 and March 2013, a prospective superiority randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted to compare the clinical outcome of SS versus the standard posterior stabilized (PS) knee prosthesis in women. The primary outcome measure was the postoperative range of knee flexion, and the secondary outcome measure was the knee function as reflected on the performance of daily activities. The OXFORD Knee Score, Knee Society Score, and Knee Society Score for function were recorded preoperatively and then at 3, 12 months, and annually thereafter. Female patients with degenerative or inflammatory arthritis who were 50 years or older and their knee deformities were totally articular were included. A total of 64 patients with 80 knees were enrolled in this trial, and 40 knees were allocated to each group. Knees in the SS group had total knee arthroplasty using SS knee prosthesis, with SS femoral component (the experimental group), whereas knees in the PS group had standard PS knee design with standard femoral component (the control group). Equal randomization (1 : 1 ratio) was undertaken according to a computer-generated randomization table. Results The mean preoperative knee flexion range of motion (ROM) was 110 and 108° in the SS and PS groups, respectively. At the latest follow-up, the mean postoperative knee flexion ROM was 115 and 113° the SS and PS groups, respectively. The mean improvement in the knee flexion ROM in both groups was 5° (range: 0–25), with no statistically significant difference between the two groups. All knees except one had full extension. No statistically significant difference was observed between the two groups when the OXFORD Knee Score, the Knee Society Score, and the Knee Society Score for function were compared. Conclusion No clinical advantage was observed in the ROM or function between knees that received SS knee prosthesis when compared with those who received PS knee implants. The SS total knee arthroplasty though designed to provide better fitting to the female distal femur does not provide any clinical advantage over the standard PS knee prosthesis. A logic question is whether a separate implant is required for women or modifications to the knee prostheses geometry and more sizes are required to accommodate all patients? Level of evidence Level II.

Sex specificities of medical and social parameters in patients with coronary artery disease with different severity of depression

Aim. To determine the sex specificities of medical and social parameters in patients hospitalized due to coronary artery disease (CAD), class II, III, IV angina, aged 35-60 years and assess the significance of their relationship with different levels of depression.Material and methods. The study involved 312 patients aged 35-60 with documented CAD, class II, III, IV angina. Two comparison groups were identified: group I — 138 patients (men, 81; women, 57) with CAD and without depression (mean age, 47,8±4,6 years); group II — 174 patients (men, 60; women, 105) with CAD and depression (mean age, 48,3±5,3 years). Medical and social data, the severity of depression and distress tolerance, psychological status and quality of life was assessed. Statistical analysis was carried out, which are presented as the mean and standard error of the mean (M±m). The odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated. Differences were considered significant at p&lt;0,05.Results. The prevalence of depression among patients with CAD was 55,77%, while women were 1,5 times more likely to suffer it than men. Depression was significantly associated with hyperglycemia, hypercholesterolemia, and class III-IV angina, regardless of sex. Class III and IV angina prevailed in women, while class II angina — in men (OR, 2,16; 95% CI, 1,37-3,41, p&lt;0,001)). Women were more prone to degree II-III disability (group II, 26,67%; group I 8,77%; p=0,008), compared with men (group II, 27,54%; group I, 11,11%; p=0,012). Sedentary lifestyle was also associated to a greater extent with the female sex than with the male (OR, 2,89, 95% CI, 1,46-5,70, p=0,003; OR, 2,31, 95% CI, 1,19-4,48; p=0,014, respectively). Both men and women showed a significant association of depression with atherosclerosis (p&lt;0,001), however, sex differences did not reach significance. Indicators such as lack of job and higher education, as well as smoking and arrhythmias were characteristic of both sexes, but had a greater impact on the mental condition of men (p=0,002, p&lt;0,001, p=0,0014 and p=0,01, respectively). For men, the relationship of depression with diabetes (8,7 vs 0%; p=0,008), obesity (42,03 vs 19,75%; p=0,004), subordinate status (82,61 vs 64,2%; p=0,016) and unmarried status (60,87 vs 40,74%; p=0,02).Conclusion. There are significant differences in factors contributing to depression in different sex groups. The association of depression with CAD has an adverse effect on the physical and psychological health of both males and females. At the same time, women are more prone to mental disorders than men. It is necessary to further study the sex characteristics of medical and social parameters in order to personalize treatment methods.

Sex differences in postprandial blood glucose and body surface temperature are contingent on flight in the fruit bat, Cynopterus sphinx.

ABSTRACTThe postprandial blood glucose level is very high for the body size in frugivorous bats. Like other homeotherms, bats release heat during digestion of dietary macronutrients. Despite males and females of the same species exhibiting different foraging behaviour, empirical support for sex differences in blood glucose and body surface temperature in fruit bats is poor. Moreover, while flight affects postprandial metabolism, whether such effects are different in each sex of fruit bats is unclear. Here, we studied these questions in the fruit bat, Cynopterus sphinx. We first assessed whether there are sex differences in the postprandial level of blood glucose and body surface temperature over time in rested bats. We then assessed whether flight affects outcomes of sex differences in both traits. We found that the estimated marginal means of both traits were generally higher in females than males, in rested bats. Notably, the sex difference in both traits was only significant at specific sampling time of the assay. Further, the trait means significantly differed between the sexes only in the rested, but not active, bats, meaning that signals of sex difference in metabolic traits eroded when bats were active. Taken together, our findings suggest that in C. sphinx, the sex specificity in the expression of metabolic traits is significantly dependent on physical activity.

Exercise Training Promotes Sex-Specific Adaptations in Mouse Inguinal White Adipose Tissue.

Recent studies demonstrate that adaptations to white adipose tissue (WAT) are important components of the beneficial effects of exercise training on metabolic health. Exercise training favorably alters the phenotype of subcutaneous inguinal WAT (iWAT) in male mice, including decreasing fat mass, improving mitochondrial function, inducing beiging, and stimulating the secretion of adipokines. In this study, we find that despite performing more voluntary wheel running compared with males, these adaptations do not occur in the iWAT of female mice. Consistent with sex-specific adaptations, we report that mRNA expression of androgen receptor coactivators is upregulated in iWAT from trained male mice and that testosterone treatment of primary adipocytes derived from the iWAT of male, but not female mice, phenocopies exercise-induced metabolic adaptations. Sex specificity also occurs in the secretome profile, as we identify cysteine-rich secretory protein 1 (Crisp1) as a novel adipokine that is only secreted from male iWAT in response to exercise. Crisp1 expression is upregulated by testosterone and functions to increase glucose and fatty acid uptake. Our finding that adaptations to iWAT with exercise training are dramatically greater in male mice has potential clinical implications for understanding the different metabolic response to exercise training in males and females and demonstrates the importance of investigating both sexes in studies of adipose tissue biology.

Association of RERG Expression with Female Survival Advantage in Malignant Pleural Mesothelioma.

Simple SummarySex differences in tumor incidence and mortality have been documented for many different cancer types. In malignant pleural mesothelioma, a deadly disease, many studies have shown that women not only develop this cancer less frequently than men, but those who do are likely to live longer after surgery. These differences have been postulated to reflect circulating estrogen levels and tumor expression of estrogen receptors that may influence tumor progression. We identified high expression of the RAS like estrogen regulated growth inhibitor gene (RERG), to correlate with longer survival after surgery among women. Survival in men was not associated with RERG expression. Additionally, we found no association between survival and tumor expression of estrogen receptor genes. Additional studies are needed to elucidate any role RERG may play in mesothelioma, and whether estrogen may be involved.Sex differences in incidence, prognosis, and treatment response have been described for many cancers. In malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM), a lethal disease associated with asbestos exposure, men outnumber women 4 to 1, but women consistently live longer than men following surgery-based therapy. This study investigated whether tumor expression of genes associated with estrogen signaling could potentially explain observed survival differences. Two microarray datasets of MPM tumors were analyzed to discover estrogen-related genes associated with survival. A validation cohort of MPM tumors was selected to balance the numbers of men and women and control for competing prognostic influences. The RAS like estrogen regulated growth inhibitor (RERG) gene was identified as the most differentially-expressed estrogen-related gene in these tumors and predicted prognosis in discovery datasets. In the sex-matched validation cohort, low RERG expression was significantly associated with increased risk of death among women. No association between RERG expression and survival was found among men, and no relationship between estrogen receptor protein or gene expression and survival was found for either sex. Additional investigations are needed to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying this association and its sex specificity.

Sonographic evaluation of hindfoot pain

ABSTRAC. Background : Hindfoot is frequently injured either duo to trauma, overuse or inflammatory processes. Different diagnoses unfortunately tend to have overlapping clinical signs and symptoms. So, clinicians tend to rely on imaging. Ultrasonography (US) has many benefits for evaluating hindfoot pain. Aim of the study: To review the prevalence of etiologies in patients with hindfoot pain by musculoskeletal ultrasound. Patient and methods: This study included one hundred (100) patients complaining of unilateral or bilateral hindfoot pain ranging in age from 16 to 65 years with no sex specification, excluding patients with chronic rheumatological inflammatory diseases, diabetes mellitus, major ankle trauma, previous foot surgery and any foot or lower limp deformity. All patients were subjected to careful history taking, clinical examination, laboratory investigations and X ray imaging for ankle and foot, giving provisional diagnosis; followed by real-time high resolution ultrasonography for the affected hind foot. Results: By high-resolution ultrasonography for the affected hindfoot of our patients, 181 different lesions were detected, tendon lesions were the commonest lesions detected, with 63 lesions (35%) followed by 59 lesions (32%) for joint & synovial lesions, 31(17%) for planter fascia lesions, 12(7%) for ligament lesions, 9(5%) for Bursal lesions and 7(4%) for subcutaneous lesions. Of these all lesions, 29 lesions (16%) were not clinically suspected. Conclusion: Ultrasonography is an ideal method for testing patients with hindfoot pain and are highly capable of identifying a wide variety of pathologies, some of which may not be clinically identified.

Sex-Specific Functional Connectivity in the Reward Network Related to Distinct Gender Roles.

Gender roles are anti-dichotomous and malleable social constructs that should theoretically be constructed independently from biological sex. However, it is unclear whether and how the factor of sex is related to neural mechanisms involved in social constructions of gender roles. Thus, the present study aimed to investigate sex specificity in gender role constructions and the corresponding underlying neural mechanisms. We measured gender role orientation using the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, used a voxel-based global brain connectivity method based on resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging to characterize the within-network connectivity in the brain reward network, and analyzed how the integration of the reward network is related to gender role scores between sex groups. An omnibus analysis of voxel-wise global brain connectivity values within a two-level linear mixed model revealed that in female participants, femininity scores were positively associated with integration in the posterior orbitofrontal cortex and subcallosal cortex, whereas masculinity scores were positively associated with integration in the frontal pole. By contrast, in male participants, masculinity was negatively correlated with integration in the nucleus accumbens and subcallosal cortex. For the first time, the present study revealed the sex-specific neural mechanisms underlying distinct gender roles, which elucidates the process of gender construction from the perspective of the interaction between reward sensitivity and social reinforcement.

Influence of cortisol awakening response on telomere length: Trends for males and females.

Although telomere attrition is associated with the process of normal ageing, shorter telomere length (TL) has been associated with acute and chronic stressors. A neurobiological factor hypothesised to be responsible for this accelerated attrition is the dysregulation of the cortisol stress response, which can induce DNA damage affecting DNA telomeric caps. Marked sex differences are reported in both the cortisol stress response and telomere dynamics, yet no explicit investigation of sex specificity on the relationship between cortisol and TL exists. This study used mathematical equation modelling to describe the relationship between diurnal cortisol levels and telomere length within the context of sex, in a healthy population. Cortisol awakening responses (CAR) were measured via ELISA methodology in fifty-one healthy participants (28 males, 23 females). qPCRs determined TL from genomic DNA extracted from saliva. To assess the effect of free cortisol on relative TL ratio, a semi-log regression plot of the two variables trended for sex were fitted using spline curves. Results demonstrated significant differences between males and females in the relationship defining CAR and TL association (p=0.03). These results suggest the relationship is not linear and can be represented as a complex arcsin function, and that the patterns are opposite in males and females. Males demonstrate a positive correlation, with higher levels of CAR being associated with longer telomere sequences. Females demonstrated a negative correlation. Future studies must carefully take into consideration moderating factors such as sex, and sex hormones across the lifespan when investigating telomere length.

Association of Asthma and Rhinitis with Epigenetics of Coronavirus Related Genes.

Introduction:Susceptibility factors for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) include sex and medical conditions such as asthma and rhinitis. DNA methylation (DNAm) is associated with asthma, rhinitis, and several viruses. We examined associations of asthma/rhinitis with DNAm at CpGs located on coronavirus related genes, and if these associations were sex-specific.Methods:In total, n = 242 subjects aged 26 years from the Isle of Wight Birth Cohort were included in the study. Linear regressions were used to examine sex specific and non-specific associations of DNAm at CpGs on coronavirus related genes with asthma/rhinitis status. Associations of DNAm with gene expression in blood were assessed for functional relevance of identified CpGs.Results:Statistically significant interaction effects of asthma or rhinitis with sex were identified at 40 CpGs for asthma and 27 CpGs for rhinitis. At 21 CpGs, DNAm was associated with asthma, and at 45 CpGs with rhinitis, regardless of sex. Assessment of functional relevance of the identified CpGs indicated a potential of epigenetic regulatory functionality on gene activity at 14 CpGs for asthma and 17 CpGs for rhinitis, and of those 6 CpGs for asthma and 7 CpGs for rhinitis were likely to be sex-specific.Conclusion:Subjects with asthma/rhinitis may have altered susceptibility to COVID-19 due to changes in their DNAm associated with these conditions. Sex specificity on association of asthma/rhinitis with DNAm at certain CpGs, and on the association of DNAm at asthma/rhinitis-linked CpGs with gene expression have the potential to explain the reported sex-specificity in COVID-19 morbidity and mortality.

Adipose Tissue and Endocrine-Disrupting Chemicals: Does Sex Matter?

Obesity and metabolic-related diseases, among which diabetes, are prominent public health challenges of the 21st century. It is now well acknowledged that pollutants are a part of the equation, especially endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that interfere with the hormonal aspect. The aim of the review is to focus on adipose tissue, a central regulator of energy balance and metabolic homeostasis, and to highlight the significant differences in the endocrine and metabolic aspects of adipose tissue between males and females which likely underlie the differences of the response to exposure to EDCs between the sexes. Moreover, the study also presents an overview of several mechanisms of action by which pollutants could cause adipose tissue dysfunction. Indeed, a better understanding of the mechanism by which environmental chemicals target adipose tissue and cause metabolic disturbances, and how these mechanisms interact and sex specificities are essential for developing mitigating and sex-specific strategies against metabolic diseases of chemical origin. In particular, considering that a scenario without pollutant exposure is not a realistic option in our current societies, attenuating the deleterious effects of exposure to pollutants by acting on the gut-adipose tissue axis may constitute a new direction of research.