Digital Identities of Young People from the South of Spain: An Online Sexual Differentiation

Through a mixed methodological approach, we want to know how adolescents aged between 14 and 16 years from the south of Spain express and identify themselves on social networks, with respect to their sex. As such differences can determine gender inequality, we will analyse differences between females and males regarding the expression of identity on social networks. Analysis of obtained results demonstrates that many relevant attributes still emerge such as the socio-cultural representation of gender as sex in social networks. Differences emerged between the identity expressions of females and males which can generate inequalities favouring females and males. This implies a series of repercussions and, ultimately, defines the so-called digital gender divide. Taking into account these results we could intervene in the population of children to carry out prevention activities focused on social networks.

Evolutionary history of sexual differentiation mechanism in insects

Gain of alternative splicing gives rise to functional diversity in proteins and underlies the complexity and diversity of biological aspects. However, it is still not fully understood how alternatively spliced genes develop the functional novelty. To this end, we infer the evolutionary history of the doublesex gene, the key transcriptional factor in the sexual differentiation of arthropods. doublesex is controlled by sex-specific splicing and promotes both male and female differentiation in some holometabolan insects. In contrast, doublesex promotes only male differentiation in some hemimetabolan insects. Here, we investigate ancestral states of doublesex using Thermobia domestica belonging to Zygentoma, the sister group of winged insects. We find that doublesex of T. domestica expresses sex-specific isoforms but is only necessary for male differentiation of sexual morphology. This result ensures the hypothesis that doublesex was initially only used to promote male differentiation during insect evolution. However, T. domestica doublesex has a short female-specific region and upregulates the expression of vitellogenin homologs in females, suggesting that doublesex may have already controlled some aspects of feminization in the common ancestor of winged insects. Reconstruction of the ancestral sequence and prediction of the protein structure show that the female-specific isoform of doublesex has a long C-terminal disordered region in holometabolan insects, but not in non-holometabolan species. We propose that doublesex acquired a female-specific isoform and then underwent a change in the protein motif structure, which became essential for female differentiation in sexual dimorphisms.

Hemoglobin Variants Influence Plasmodium Falciparum Sexual Differentiation

It has long been recognized that individuals who express variations of the hemoglobin-A (HbA) protein experience less severe malaria disease. As malaria remains to be one of the most significant infectious diseases in history, this human adaptation has led to the persistence of HbA variants (HbVARs) in the population. The intricate lifecycle of the parasite which causes the most cases of clinical malaria, Plasmodium falciparum, relies on both asexual and sexual reproductive cycles, with host to vector transmission reliant on sexual stage gametocyte formation. Multiple epidemiological studies have shown that HbVARs may influence gametocyte production during P. falciparum infection, with greater gametocyte numbers reported in individuals with hemoglobin variant containing erythrocytes (Hb VAR-Ery) when compared to hemoglobin A containing erythrocytes (Hb A-Ery). Here we provide experimental support for these studies by showing significantly higher sexual differentiation rates among parasites grown in Hb S containing erythrocytes (Hb S-Ery) obtained from sickle cell patients than those differentiated in Hb A-Ery (p=0.038). Because the digestion of hemoglobin is such an integral part of the intraerythrocytic cycle, we then sought to determine whether there was a difference between the hydrolysis efficiencies of HbA and other hemoglobin variants (HbVAR). By using a prominent recombinant P. falciparum hemoglobinase we found the hydrolysis efficiency of HbA to be significantly (p=0.0058) more efficient after 24 hours compared to a HbVAR sample containing mixed amounts of HbA, HbF, and HbS. To further determine whether there is a link between hemoglobin digestion efficiency and sexual differentiation, we therapeutically inhibited the hemoglobin digestion and hemozoin formation process in a culture of P. falciparum using sub-optimal doses of chloroquine diphosphate. We found a significant difference (p<0.001) among gametocyte conversion rates between treated and non-treated cultures, as well as a moderate negative correlation between hemozoin formation and gametocyte conversion rate (Pearson r=0.72, p=0.008). Gene expression analysis also revealed patterns of expression that were consistent with increased gametocytogenesis. We conclude that hemoglobin type plays a significant role in the process of sexual conversion in P. falciparum. Though further studies should be completed in order to confirm these results, these findings may suggest hemoglobin digestion efficiency as a causative factor for sexual differentiation. As individuals with hemoglobinopathies make up approximately 7% of the global population, and malaria infection rates have been shown to differ depending on these genetic dynamics, these findings may support the creation of targeted initiatives to reduce transmission specifically in areas where there is a high percentage of hemoglobinopathy carriage. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.

Paediatric endocrinology

This chapter covers paediatric endocrinology. It starts with normal growth, then goes on to short stature, and constitutional delay of growth and puberty. Primary and secondary growth hormone deficiency are then explained, and treatment is outlined alongside GH resistance. It goes on to hypothyroidism, coeliac disease, skeletal dysplasias, and Turner syndrome. Small gestational age, and tall stature and rapid growth are all covered, alongside normal puberty, precocious puberty, and delayed or absent puberty. Normal sexual differentiation and disorders of sexual development and the assessment of ambiguous genitalia are included.

A comparative study of sex determination using femoral parameters

Introduction and Aim: Extensive examination of the femoral anthropometry has been commonly accepted to disclose sexual differentiation. The current study was carried out to evaluate various measurements of the pathologically fit femora of the unknown sex to differentiate the sex of the femora. Materials and Methods: Each femur was meticulously assessed and analyzed for six specific parameters such as maximal length, proximal breadth, and head circumference, mid-shaft circumference, vertical diameter, and neck-shaft angle of the femur bone. All the measurements were statistically analyzed and tabulated. Results:The results were highly significant to all the parameters thereby concluding that an individual’s sex can be determined by examining the femora. Conclusion:The results leave a huge scope for validation over a larger sample size focussing on an extensive human race.

Koro Presenting in the Prodromal Phase of Schizophrenia in a Patient With Klinefelter Syndrome

Klinefelter syndrome (KS), a disorder of abnormal sexual differentiation, is characterized by the presence of an excess X chromosome in males (47, XXY). KS is associated with various neuropsychiatric manifestations such as anxiety, depression, schizotypy, and frank psychosis. Psychosocial factors including stigma and poor coping or psychobiological comorbidities due to neuroendocrine mechanisms have been posited to explain these symptoms. We report the case of a young male with an anxious temperament who presented with the culture-bound neurosis of Koro, which evolved into schizophrenia. The patient also had gender dysphoria and significant social anxiety. The report highlights the implications of anxious traits leading to developing culture-bound neurosis in the prodromal phase of schizophrenia in a patient with KS and its influence on treatment strategies. Integrated psychopharmacological, psychological, and psychosocial interventions are required to promote recovery in patients with KS.

Channel nuclear pore protein 54 directs sexual differentiation and neuronal wiring of female reproductive behaviors in Drosophila

Background Female reproductive behaviors and physiology change profoundly after mating. The control of pregnancy-associated changes in physiology and behaviors are largely hard-wired into the brain to guarantee reproductive success, yet the gene expression programs that direct neuronal differentiation and circuit wiring at the end of the sex determination pathway in response to mating are largely unknown. In Drosophila, the post-mating response induced by male-derived sex-peptide in females is a well-established model to elucidate how complex innate behaviors are hard-wired into the brain. Here, we use a genetic approach to further characterize the molecular and cellular architecture of the sex-peptide response in Drosophila females. Results Screening for mutations that affect the sensitivity to sex-peptide, we identified the channel nuclear pore protein Nup54 gene as an essential component for mediating the sex-peptide response, with viable mutant alleles leading to the inability of laying eggs and reducing receptivity upon sex-peptide exposure. Nup54 directs correct wiring of eight adult brain neurons that express pickpocket and are required for egg-laying, while additional channel Nups also mediate sexual differentiation. Consistent with links of Nups to speciation, the Nup54 promoter is a hot spot for rapid evolution and promoter variants alter nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling. Conclusions These results implicate nuclear pore functionality to neuronal wiring underlying the sex-peptide response and sexual differentiation as a response to sexual conflict arising from male-derived sex-peptide to direct the female post-mating response.

A Review on the Reproductive Dysfunction in Farmed Finfish

Globally, fish production in the wild is decreasing, and different aquaculture systems are presently being used for broodstock development in the captivity. Seasonally, broodstock raised in captivity exhibit different form of reproductive dysfunction at the level of the brain-pituitary-gonad (BPG) axis. Primarily, vitellogenic completion and final oocyte maturation are inhibited in females, and males fail to spermiate spontaneously in the captivity. Reproductive dysfunctions are also observed during sexual differentiation, pubertal onset and sex conversion periods in teleosts. To overcome these problems, different hormonal preparations, primarily gonadotropin-releasing hormones (GnRH) are used. In recent years, kisspeptins have been shown to be potent in inducing gonadal growth and maturation in teleost fish. Understanding the form of reproductive dysfunction is important in formulating suitable hormonal preparations for inducing gametogenesis. The paper reviews the problem of reproductive dysfunction and their possible reason for formulating different hormonal preparations.