scholarly journals Perinatal androgens organize sex differences in mast cells and attenuate anaphylaxis severity into adulthood

2020 ◽  
Vol 117 (38) ◽  
pp. 23751-23761 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Mackey ◽  
Kyan M. Thelen ◽  
Vedrana Bali ◽  
Mahsa Fardisi ◽  
Madalyn Trowbridge ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Sex Bias ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Associated Diseases ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Host Sex ◽  
Increase Risk ◽  
High Level

Mast cell (MC)-associated diseases, including allergy/anaphylaxis and neuroinflammatory pain disorders, exhibit a sex bias, with females at increase risk. While much attention has been directed toward adult sex hormones as drivers of sex differences, that female sex bias in MC-associated diseases is evident in prepubertal children, suggesting early-life origins of sex differences which have yet to be explored. Utilizing rodent models of MC-mediated anaphylaxis, our data here reveal that, 1) compared with females, males exhibit significantly reduced severity of MC-mediated anaphylactic responses that emerge prior to puberty and persist into adulthood, 2) reduced severity of MC-mediated anaphylaxis in males is linked with the naturally high level of perinatal androgens and can be recapitulated in females by perinatal exposure to testosterone proprionate, 3) perinatal androgen exposure guides bone marrow MC progenitors toward a masculinized tissue MC phenotype characterized by decreased concentration of prestored MC granule mediators (e.g., histamine, serotonin, and proteases) and reduced mediator release upon degranulation, and 4) engraftment of MC-deficient KitW-sh/W-shmice with adult male, female, or perinatally androgenized female MCs results in MC-mediated anaphylaxis response that reflects the MC sex and not host sex. Together, these data present evidence that sex differences in MC phenotype and resulting disease severity are established in early life by perinatal androgens. Thus, factors affecting levels of perinatal androgens could have a significant impact on MC development and MC-associated disease risk across the life span.

scholarly journals Sex differences in Variability of Brain Structure Across the Lifespan

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalie J Forde ◽  
Jerrold Jeyachandra ◽  
Michael Joseph ◽  
Grace R Jacobs ◽  
Erin Dickie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Late Life ◽  
Brain Regions ◽  
Variance Ratio ◽  
Regional Variability ◽  
Protective Mechanisms ◽  
Structural Covariance ◽  
Subcortical Volumes

AbstractSeveral brain disorders exhibit sex differences in onset, presentation, and prevalence. Increased understanding of the neurobiology of sex-based differences across the lifespan can provide insight into potential disease risk and protective mechanisms. We focused on sex-related differences in variability, which may be indicative of both disease vulnerability and resilience. In n=3,069 participants, from 8-95 years of age, we first analyzed the variance ratio in females vs. males of cortical surface area and global and subcortical volumes for discrete brain regions, and found widespread greater variability in males. In contrast, variance in cortical thickness was similar for males and females. Multivariate analysis that accounts for structural covariance supported variance ratio findings. Findings were present from early life and stable with age. We then examined variability among brain regions by sex. We found significant age-by-sex interactions across neuroimaging metrics, whereby in very early life males had reduced among-region variability compared to females, while in very late life this was reversed. Overall, our findings of greater regional variability but less among-region variability in males in early life may aid our understanding of sex-based risk for neurodevelopmental disorders. In contrast, our findings in late life may provide a potential sex-based risk mechanism for dementia.

scholarly journals Modulation of the Hypothalamic Nutrient Sensing Pathways by Sex and Early-Life Stress

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Silvie R. Ruigrok ◽  
Nina Stöberl ◽  
Kit-Yi Yam ◽  
Chiara de Lucia ◽  
Paul J. Lucassen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Sex Difference ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Disease Risk ◽  
Energy State ◽  
Early Life Stress ◽  
Nutrient Sensing ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Expression Of Genes

There are sex differences in metabolic disease risk, and early-life stress (ES) increases the risk to develop such diseases, potentially in a sex-specific manner. It remains to be understood, however, how sex and ES affect such metabolic vulnerability. The hypothalamus regulates food intake and energy expenditure by sensing the organism’s energy state via metabolic hormones (leptin, insulin, ghrelin) and nutrients (glucose, fatty acids). Here, we investigated if and how sex and ES alter hypothalamic nutrient sensing short and long-term. ES was induced in mice by limiting the bedding and nesting material from postnatal day (P)2-P9, and the expression of genes critical for hypothalamic nutrient sensing were studied in male and female offspring, both at P9 and in adulthood (P180). At P9, we observed a sex difference in both Ppargc1a and Lepr expression, while the latter was also increased in ES-exposed animals relative to controls. In adulthood, we found sex differences in Acacb, Agrp, and Npy expression, whereas ES did not affect the expression of genes involved in hypothalamic nutrient sensing. Thus, we observe a pervasive sex difference in nutrient sensing pathways and a targeted modulation of this pathway by ES early in life. Future research is needed to address if the modulation of these pathways by sex and ES is involved in the differential vulnerability to metabolic diseases.

Subjective factors affecting gun shooting accuracy among employees of internal affairs agencies in process of learning

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 (4) ◽  
pp. 198-206
Author(s):  
Anton Rozhkov ◽  
Anton Popov ◽  
Vitaliy Balahonskiy
Keyword(s):  
Subjective Experience ◽  
Statistical Significance ◽  
Self Regulation ◽  
Sensorimotor Coordination ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Intelligent Behavior ◽  
Experience Of Stress ◽  
Firing Line ◽  
High Level ◽  
In Fire

The article is devoted to the study of subjective factors affecting shooting accuracy of law enforcement officers. The empirical study identified some subjective factors reducing gun shooting accuracy and effectiveness among law enforcers. These characteristics include sensorimotor coordination and subjective experience of stress during the shooting process. Scientific analysis made it possible to determine statistical significance of the influence of these factors on the accuracy of shooting. To increase the effectiveness of shooting among officers with a low index of sensorimotor coordination, the authors suggest using exercises aimed at cultivating sensorimotor coordination in fire training classes. While working with employees being under a high level of subjectively experienced stress, more attention should be paid to training techniques to overcome stress and form intelligent behavior in extreme situations. The authors also draw readers’ attention to factors increasing the effectiveness of shooting: officers’ ability to determine the subjective level of stress, their knowledge of emotional self-regulation techniques, knowledge of the sequence of their actions in the firing line.

scholarly journals Strategies for a Circular Economy in the Construction and Demolition Sector: Identifying the Factors Affecting the Recommendation of Recycled Concrete

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4113
Author(s):  
Valeria Superti ◽  
Cynthia Houmani ◽  
Ralph Hansmann ◽  
Ivo Baur ◽  
Claudia R. Binder
Keyword(s):  
Circular Economy ◽  
A Priori ◽  
Recycled Concrete ◽  
Recycled Aggregates ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Structural Applications ◽  
Adoption Of Innovation ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Behavioural Factors ◽  
High Level

With increasing urbanisation, new approaches such as the Circular Economy (CE) are needed to reduce resource consumption. In Switzerland, Construction & Demolition (C&D) waste accounts for the largest portion of waste (84%). Beyond limiting the depletion of primary resources, implementing recycling strategies for C&D waste (such as using recycled aggregates to produce recycled concrete (RC)), can also decrease the amount of landfilled C&D waste. The use of RC still faces adoption barriers. In this research, we examined the factors driving the adoption of recycled products for a CE in the C&D sector by focusing on RC for structural applications. We developed a behavioural framework to understand the determinants of architects’ decisions to recommend RC. We collected and analysed survey data from 727 respondents. The analyses focused on architects’ a priori beliefs about RC, behavioural factors affecting their recommendations of RC, and project-specific contextual factors that might play a role in the recommendation of RC. Our results show that the factors that mainly facilitate the recommendation of RC by architects are: a senior position, a high level of RC knowledge and of the Minergie label, beliefs about the reduced environmental impact of RC, as well as favourable prescriptive social norms expressed by clients and other architects. We emphasise the importance of a holistic theoretical framework in approaching decision-making processes related to the adoption of innovation, and the importance of the agency of each involved actor for a transition towards a circular construction sector.

scholarly journals Investigating the reliability and sex differences of digit lengths, ratios, and hand measures in infants

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Luisa Ernsten ◽  
Lisa M. Körner ◽  
Martin Heil ◽  
Gareth Richards ◽  
Nora K. Schaal
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Measurement Techniques ◽  
Directional Asymmetry ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Sexually Dimorphic ◽  
Digit Ratios ◽  
Androgen Exposure ◽  
Prenatal Androgen Exposure ◽  
Test Retest Reliability ◽  
Prenatal Androgen

AbstractHands and digits tend to be sexually dimorphic and may reflect prenatal androgen exposure. In the past years, the literature introduced several hand and digit measures, but there is a lack of studies in prepubertal cohorts. The available literature reports more heterogeneous findings in prepubertal compared to postpubertal cohorts. The comparability of the available studies is further limited by the study design and different measurement techniques. The present study compared the reliability and sex differences of available hand and digit measures, namely digit lengths of 2D, 3D, 4D, 5D, digit ratios 2D:4D, 2D:5D, 3D:4D, 3D:5D, 4D:5D, relative digit lengths rel2, rel3, rel4, rel5, directional asymmetry of right and left 2D:4D (Dr-l), hand width, length, and index of 399 male and 364 female 6-month-old German infants within one study using only indirect and computer-assisted measurements. The inter-examiner reliability was excellent while the test-retest reliability of hand scans was only moderate to high. Boys exhibited longer digits as well as wider and longer hands than girls, but smaller digit ratios, with ratios comprising the fifth digit revealing the largest effect sizes. Other hand and digit ratios revealed sex differences to some extent. The findings promote the assumption of sexual dimorphic hand and digit measures. However, by comparing the results of the available literature, there remains an uncertainty regarding the underlying hypothesis. Specifically in prepubertal cohorts, i.e. before the influence of fluctuating hormones, significant effects should be expected. It seems like other factors than the influence of prenatal androgens contribute to the sexual dimorphism in hand and digit lengths.

P.207 Sex differences in cocaine consumption vulnerability induced by early-life stress in mice

2021 ◽  
Vol 44 ◽  
pp. S20-S21
Author(s):  
A. Castro-Zavala ◽  
A. Martín-Sánchez ◽  
L. Montalvo-Martínez ◽  
A. Camacho-Morales ◽  
O. Valverde
Keyword(s):  
Sex Differences ◽  
Life Stress ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Early Life Stress

scholarly journals Study on Tourism Flow Network Patterns on May Day Holiday

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 947
Author(s):  
Shanshan Wu ◽  
Lucang Wang ◽  
Haiyang Liu
Keyword(s):  
Transportation Network ◽  
Edge Structure ◽  
Flow Network ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Spatial Distribution Characteristics ◽  
Transportation Modes ◽  
May Day ◽  
High Level ◽  
Network Patterns ◽  
Main Factor

The development of tourism is based on tourism flow and studying a tourism flow network can help to elucidate its mechanism of operation. Transportation network is the path to realize the spatial displacement of tourism flow. This study used “Tencent migration” big data to explore the spatial distribution characteristics and rules of tourism flow in China, providing suggestions for the development of tourism. The results demonstrate that the 361 cities studied can be divided into three types: destination-oriented, tourist-origin-oriented, and destination-oriented and tourist-origin-oriented. There are significant differences in the quantity of flow, the area of concentration, and the factors affecting the flow in the three types of cities. The larger the flow of tourism between cities, the higher the network level, and the wider the network range. The high-level nodes are closely related, while the peripheral nodes are more widely distributed, with weak attractiveness and inconvenient traffic, forming a “core-edge” structure. Different network patterns are established for different modes of transportation. The degree of response of different types of transportation to distance is the main factor influencing the network patterns of diverse paths. These findings have practical implications for the choice of appropriate travel destinations and transportation modes for tourists.

scholarly journals Understanding employee turnover in humanitarian organizations

2016 ◽  
Vol 48 (4) ◽  
pp. 208-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rameshwar Dubey ◽  
Angappa Gunasekaran ◽  
Nezih Altay ◽  
Stephen J Childe ◽  
Thanos Papadopoulos
Keyword(s):  
Employee Turnover ◽  
Factor Loading ◽  
Personal Factors ◽  
Related Factors ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Work Related ◽  
Humanitarian Organizations ◽  
Using Data ◽  
High Level

Purpose – At a time when the number and seriousness of disasters seems to be increasing, humanitarian organizations find that besides their challenging work they are faced with problems caused by a high level of turnover of staff. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Based on the 24 variables leading to employee turnover identified by Cotton and Tuttle (1986) the authors analyse the work-related, external and personal factors affecting employee turnover in humanitarian organizations, using a survey of members of the Indian National Institute of Disaster Management. Findings – Results indicated that the three factors are present. Of the external factors, only employment perception had a factor loading over 0.7; of the work-related factors, all were significant; of the personal factors, biographical information, marital status, number of dependants, aptitude and ability and intelligence had the highest loadings. It was also shown that behavioural intentions and net expectation were not significant. Originality/value – Only a few studies reported on employee turnover and its reasons are not well understood in the context of humanitarian organizations. To address this need, the aim of this paper is to explore the personal reasons impacting employee turnover in humanitarian organizations. In the study the authors have adopted 24 variables used in Cotton and Tuttle (1986) and classified into constructs to explain turnover, and further tested the model using data gathered from humanitarian organizations.

scholarly journals Somaclonal variation on in vitro callus culture potato cultivars

2004 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 300-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Patricia N. Bordallo ◽  
Derly H. Silva ◽  
José Maria ◽  
Cosme D. Cruz ◽  
Elizabeth P. Fontes
Keyword(s):  
Somaclonal Variation ◽  
Culture Media ◽  
Callus Formation ◽  
Potato Cultivars ◽  
Synthetic Seed ◽  
Arbitrary Sequence ◽  
Stem Explants ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
High Level

Synthetic seeds can be an alternative for those species in which botanical seeds are not viable. One of the major problems of in vitro plant cultivation is the high level of somaclonal variation. The most common factors affecting somaclonal variation are genotype, explant source, in vitro period and cultivation conditions in which the culture is established. In this work, calli were induced using leaf and stem explants of the commercial potato cultivars Achat, Baraka, Baronesa, Bintje, and Contenda in MS culture media supplemented with 1.65 mM of picloram and 11.5 mM of 2,4-D. Seventy and 90 days after induction, DNA samples of 40 calli were compared concerning the effects of the two explant (leaf and stem) and two growth regulator sources on five potatoes cultivars. A total of 20 arbitrary sequence primers were evaluated. The RAPD pattern generated by these primers suggested a high percentage of polymorphic fragments among the five genotypes, indicating a high level of genetic variation among cultivars. Cultivar Baronesa showed the highest number of polymorphic fragments for all treatments. The cultivar Contenda showed the smallest somaclonal variation, for most of the treatments, except for the treatment which consisted of stem explants, picloram (1.65 mM) application, and a 70-day period of callus formation. 'Contenda' is, therefore, the most suitable cultivar for synthetic seed production.

INHERITANCE OF RESISTANCE TO NET BLOTCH IN BARLEY. I. FACTORS AFFECTING THE PENETRANCE AND EXPRESSIVITY OF GENE(S) CONDITIONING HOST RESISTANCE

1969 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 587-591 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. N. Khan
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Net Blotch ◽  
Host Reaction ◽  
Susceptible Parent ◽  
Breeding Programs ◽  
Genetic Studies ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Drechslera Teres ◽  
Resistant Varieties ◽  
High Level

Variability in the host-reaction of barley to infection by Drechslera teres was examined in the parents and progeny of selected crosses under different environmental conditions of testing.The Ethiopian variety C.I. 5791 exhibits a consistently high level of resistance under a range of environmental conditions, which is in contrast to the Manchurian variety C.I. 2330. The sensitivity of the genes for resistance possessed by these varieties to environmental modifications is considered to depend upon their respective genetic backgrounds. Furthermore, variability of host reaction in the progeny of these resistant varieties was shown to be influenced by the genetic background of the susceptible parent used.The implications of these findings in the conduct and interpretation of genetic studies and in backcross breeding programs is discussed.

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