Search Results (12,285)

The aim of this study is twofold: (a) to identify the prevalence of sexual harassment and sex-based harassment among teaching and research staff (TRS) at a public university; and (b) to examine the predictive capacity of sociodemographic variables and prior harassment experiences on the frequency of different forms of sexual victimization (SEQ): gender harassment, unwanted sexual attention, and sexual coercion. A total of 425 TRS members participated (48.9% women, 50.6% men, 0.5% not identified; mean age = 45.88, SD = 22.2), all affiliated with a public university in northwestern Spain. Findings showed that female TRS explicitly self-identified as victims of sexual harassment and gender-based harassment within the university. Overall mean scores on the three SEQ subscales were low, yet women reported significantly higher levels of gender harassment and unwanted sexual attention. Female TRS also showed higher levels of technology-facilitated sexual harassment compared with their male counterparts. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that prior sexual victimization and technology-facilitated harassment were the strongest predictors across all SEQ dimensions. Unwanted sexual attention and TFSV predicted sexual coercion, whereas higher professional rank was associated with a reduced risk within this university. In conclusion, this public university requires well-disseminated and trusted protocols that explicitly address digital forms of sexual violence, alongside sustained preventive programs aimed at reducing revictimization. Full article

Objectives: Females are often underrepresented in preclinical fear research due to concerns over estrous cycle related variability. This study examined whether there were differences between female and male C57BL/6J mice in terms of fear extinction and safety learning, aiming to verify the inclusion of both sexes in fear regulation research. Methods: Mice underwent a 5-day fear conditioning and extinction protocol, with recent (Day 6) and remote (Day 13) retrieval tests. A separate cohort received unpaired tone-shock safety conditioning over two days, followed by recent and remote retrieval. Freezing percentage and locomotor distance, among other measures, were quantified to compare behavioral responses between sexes. Results: During fear acquisition and extinction, females and males showed comparable conditioned fear and progressive extinction, with no sex differences in freezing percentage, bout counts, or locomotor distance. Freezing remained low during both recent and remote retrieval in both sexes. In the safety-conditioning task, the safety cue reduced freezing relative to contextual baseline, contextual freezing declined from recent to remote retrieval, and no sex differences were observed across measures. Conclusions: Female and male C57BL/6J mice exhibit equivalent performance in auditory fear conditioning, extinction, retrieval, and safety learning under matched conditions. These findings support equitable inclusion of both sexes in preclinical fear-regulation studies, enhancing translational relevance without added behavioral variability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Fabry disease (FD) is a lysosomal storage disorder characterized by progressive renal and cardiac involvement and an increased burden of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events. While cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) has significantly advanced structural assessment, circulating biomarkers reflecting disease-related cardiac manifestations remain incompletely understood. We therefore investigated adiponectin and leptin, two adipokines involved in inflammatory, metabolic, and fibrotic pathways, in relation to cardiac involvement and analyzed long-term lipid trajectories in FD. Methods: This longitudinal observational study included 49 patients with FD with 149 study visits. Circulating adiponectin, leptin, NT-proBNP, and conventional lipid parameters were assessed longitudinally and stratified by FD-specific therapy status and sex. Multivariable linear regression was performed to evaluate independent associations with log-transformed NT-proBNP values. Results: Adiponectin was positively associated with NT-proBNP, reflecting cardiac involvement, independent of age, sex, BMI, and eGFR (p < 0.001). Higher adiponectin levels were observed in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy or low T1 and those with fibrosis, detected by CMR (p = 0.009 and p < 0.001, respectively). This association was mainly seen in patients receiving FD-specific therapy, raising the question of whether this reflects underlying organ involvement or treatment effects. Leptin demonstrated weaker, inverse associations. Adiponectin, leptin, Triglycerides, total cholesterol, and HDL- and LDL-cholesterol levels remained stable over long-term follow-up, irrespective of FD-specific therapy or sex. Conclusions: In FD, adiponectin appears to be associated with cardiac involvement, and conventional lipid parameters remained unchanged over time. These findings suggest that alterations in adipokines, rather than progressive dyslipidemia, may reflect disease-related cardiac manifestations. Full article

Sex differences remain largely underexplored in metabolic disorders, particularly in the context of genetic predisposition to type 2 diabetes, the impact of aging, and environmental factors such as exposure to high-caloric diets. Previous studies using serotonin transporter (SERT)-knockout (SERT-KO) mice, which recapitulate metabolic conditions related to the lowered function of this transporter in humans, revealed an aggravated negative response of these mutants to housing on a high-fat/sugar ‘Western diet’ (WD). However, the role of sex in SERT-KO mice has not yet been studied. Available human and animal data suggest the differential regulation of insulin receptor-mediated signaling in males and females, which can be altered with aging. This study aimed to compare fat accumulation, blood biochemical changes, glucose tolerance, and insulin receptor (IR)-related signaling in the liver and various brain structures of 12-month-old male and female SERT-KO mice fed WD for 21 days. Relative to the dietary-unchallenged group and their wild-type (WT) littermates, WD-fed mutants of both sexes displayed markedly increased fat accumulation and impaired glucose and insulin tolerance. Body mass increase was more prominent in females than in males. The two sexes revealed a similar suppression of the gene expression of isoforms A and B of IR but distinct expression of IR-related factors. IR-related genes such as Cd36, Enpp, Ptpn1, Cyp4a14, Acsl1, and Pten showed differential expression between male and female SERT-KO mice fed WD. Several differences in gene expression were also found between the WT groups of the two sexes. Overall, the manifestations of hepatic steatosis, insulin resistance, and glucose tolerance were similar between the age groups of animals, whereas the gene expression of IR-related regulation differed between the groups. We conclude that aging and genetic absence of the serotonin transporter likely override sex differences in the end effects of WD challenge, while molecular mechanisms of adaptation of IR-mediated signaling are distinct between male and female SERT-KO mice fed WD. Full article

Background: Fish skin mucus contains proteins involved in diverse biological pathways, representing a valuable non-invasive diagnostic of fish health. Methods: Skin mucus from three male and three female barramundi was analysed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) following protein extraction and S-Trap digestion. Results and Discussion: A total of 1801 protein groups were matched to the L. calcarifer reference proteome and functionally annotated using Gene Ontology (GO) terms via UniProt ID mapping, with representation across Biological Process, Cellular Component, and Molecular Function categories. Functional classification using eggNOG-mapper further associated leading protein group sequences with Clusters of Orthologous Groups (COGs) and Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways. GO-based screening prioritised 352 putatively immune-relevant protein groups and 24 protein groups associated with sex- and reproduction-related processes, highlighting the functional complexity of the skin mucus proteome. Comparative analysis revealed sex-associated patterns in protein group detection and relative abundance, with differential abundance analysis identifying 244 protein groups exhibiting statistically significant differences between male and female samples. Conclusions: This study provides the first comprehensive discovery-based characterisation of the barramundi skin mucus proteome and establishes a baseline reference dataset for this aquaculture-relevant species. The findings support the utility of skin mucus proteomics for exploring immune and sex-associated molecular patterns and provide a baseline dataset for future validation studies investigating non-invasive health and reproductive monitoring. Full article

Idesia polycarpa Maxim. is an important woody oilseed species and is dioecious; however, systematic evidence for sex-specific differences in leaf physico-chemical traits and their spectral responses remains limited. In this study, mature female and male trees were investigated. Leaves were sampled throughout the growing season (May–October), and FTIR-ATR spectra were acquired to derive peak height and peak area metrics for diagnostic bands. In parallel, leaf antioxidant enzyme activities (SOD, CAT, POD, and APX), biomass-related traits, leaf nutrient concentrations, and rhizosphere soil nutrient indices were measured. Differences between sexes, seasonal dynamics, and spectrum–trait coupling were evaluated using repeated-measures analysis and correlation analyses. The results showed that the positions of major absorption bands were largely consistent between sexes, indicating broadly similar chemical composition, whereas the male plants lacked an obvious band near 1671 cm⁻¹ in May. Several spectral peak parameters were significantly correlated with leaf pH, leaf dry matter content, total phosphorus, and APX activity. Female and male plants exhibited month-dependent differences in enzyme activities, dry matter content, and leaf N and K, and leaf–soil nutrient linkages were also detected, suggesting sex-specific resource allocation patterns. Overall, FTIR-ATR peak metrics provide a rapid means to characterize seasonal variation in leaf physico-chemical properties of I. polycarpa and offer supporting evidence for studies of sexual dimorphism. Full article

Background: Rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) for bloodstream infections (BSIs) reduce time to pathogen identification, yet evidence on their real-world economic and clinical value remains inconsistent. This study aimed to compare clinical outcomes, antibiotic utilization, and hospital costs associated with different rapid microbiological identification methods versus standard culture. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in a tertiary university hospital including 115 hospitalized patients with suspected or confirmed BSIs. Multiplex PCR (mPCR), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and MALDI-TOF MS were compared with conventional culture. Outcomes included mortality, length of stay, antibiotic-days, and direct and indirect hospital costs. Nonparametric and exploratory adjusted analyses were performed. Results: No significant differences were observed across diagnostic groups for age, sex, mortality, or length of stay. Patients tested with mPCR showed higher empirical and total antibiotic-days and increased antibiotic-related costs (p < 0.05). Median direct and indirect hospital costs were numerically lower with FISH and mPCR but did not reach statistical significance. Adjusted analyses confirmed that diagnostic modality was not independently associated with mortality or costs. Conclusions: Rapid diagnostics accelerate identification but demonstrate heterogeneous downstream clinical and economic effects. Their value appears to depend more on local implementation and antimicrobial stewardship integration than on diagnostic speed alone. Full article

Background/Objectives: Minimally invasive cardiac surgery via right thoracotomy commonly uses femoral arterial cannulation for cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), which requires an additional groin incision and may be associated with access-related complications. Central aortic cannulation through the same thoracotomy allows antegrade perfusion without an extra incision. This study compared central aortic and femoral arterial cannulation strategies in minimally invasive cardiac surgery via right thoracotomy. Methods: This retrospective, single-center study included 139 consecutive patients undergoing minimally invasive right thoracotomy cardiac surgery with CPB between February 2021 and June 2023. Patients were grouped according to arterial cannulation strategy: central aortic cannulation (n = 93) and femoral arterial cannulation (n = 46). Demographic characteristics, operative variables, transfusion requirements, biochemical parameters, and early postoperative clinical outcomes were compared between the groups. Results: Baseline demographic characteristics differed between groups (age, height, body surface area, and sex distribution), and these differences should be considered potential confounders when interpreting outcome comparisons. Central cannulation was more frequently used in women (74.2% vs. 45.7%, p = 0.001). Patients in the femoral group were older (median 61.0 vs. 54.0 years, p = 0.004), taller (1.65 ± 0.10 vs. 1.59 ± 0.09 m, p < 0.001), and had a slightly higher body surface area (p = 0.043). Cross-clamp and CPB durations were longer in the femoral group (cross-clamp: 90.0 vs. 70.5 min, p = 0.015; CPB: 137.0 vs. 114.0 min, p = 0.003). Lymphatic leakage occurred in three patients in the femoral group (6.5% vs. 0%, p = 0.009). No significant differences were observed between groups for mortality, intensive care unit stay, or neurological events. Conclusions: Central aortic cannulation via right thoracotomy is a feasible alternative to femoral arterial cannulation, enabling antegrade perfusion without a groin incision, reducing operative time, and potentially decreasing access-related complications such as lymphatic leakage, while yielding comparable early clinical outcomes. These findings should be interpreted cautiously given the retrospective design and baseline differences between groups. Full article

Background/Objectives: Translating brain volumetric biomarkers to individual-level Alzheimer’s disease (AD) diagnosis remains challenging due to difficulty interpreting raw volumes without longitudinal monitoring or matched controls. We tested a classification model using population-referenced volumetric percentiles to distinguish AD from cognitively normal (CN) subjects and evaluated its generalization across independent cohorts. Methods: Brain volumes from 95 regions were extracted using an automated segmentation pipeline and converted to age and sex adjusted percentiles using a reference population (N = 1833). A logistic regression classifier was trained on ADNI subjects (N = 873; AD = 183, CN = 690) split into training (60%), validation (20%), and test (20%) sets. The model was evaluated on two independent validation datasets: the held-out ADNI validation set and an external Korean cohort (N = 72; AD = 36, CN = 36) acquired with different scanner protocols and demographic characteristics. Results: The model achieved excellent discrimination across all evaluation sets: ADNI validation (AUC = 0.963, accuracy = 90.3%), ADNI test (AUC = 0.960, accuracy = 89.7%), and Korean external validation (AUC = 0.981, accuracy = 87.5%). The minimal validation gap (0.018) demonstrated robust generalization. Positive coefficients for ventricular regions reflected AD-associated atrophy patterns, while negative coefficients for medial temporal structures indicated their contribution within multivariate patterns distinguishing AD from normal aging. Conclusions: Population-referenced brain volumetric percentiles enable accurate AD classification with robust generalization across populations and scanner protocols. By contextualizing individual brain structure relative to normative populations while accounting for age and sex, this approach demonstrates potential for clinical translation as an accessible neuroimaging-based diagnostic tool. Full article

Background/Objectives: Stroke is a leading cause of mortality and disability in Saudi Arabia; however, national estimates of stroke-related rehabilitation needs remain limited. This study quantified temporal trends in stroke incidence, prevalence, premature mortality, and disability from 1990 to 2021. It also examined disparities in stroke-related disability by subtype, sex, and age in 2021 and projected rehabilitation demand to 2030 to inform health system planning under Vision 2030. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 estimates for Saudi Arabia. Age-standardized rates for incidence, prevalence, years of life lost (YLLs), and years lived with disability (YLDs) were extracted for overall stroke and three subtypes: ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), and subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Temporal trends were evaluated using log-linear regression to estimate the average annual percentage change (AAPC). YLDs were mapped to severity levels and four rehabilitation modalities, physiotherapy (PT), occupational therapy (OT), speech–language therapy (SLT), and multidisciplinary comprehensive rehabilitation (MCR), using utilization probabilities informed by the literature. Projections to 2030 incorporated national population forecasts and included 95% prediction intervals and sensitivity analyses. Results: From 1990 to 2021, age-standardized stroke incidence declined from 166.3 to 130.7 per 100,000 (−21.4%; AAPC, −0.86%, p = 0.004), prevalence from 982.4 to 965.2 per 100,000 (−1.8%; AAPC, −0.10%, p = 0.056), and YLL rates from 3209.0 to 1893.4 per 100,000 (−41.0%; AAPC, −1.76%, p < 0.001). In contrast, YLD rates declined modestly from 133.5 to 129.9 per 100,000 (−2.7%; AAPC, −0.13%; p = 0.032). Despite these reductions in age-standardized rates, absolute stroke-related YLDs more than tripled, increasing from approximately 10,900 (95% UI: 8100–13,900) in 1990 to 36,245 (95% UI: 26,600–46,100) in 2021, largely driven by population growth and aging. In 2021, ischemic stroke accounted for 71.1% of total YLDs, followed by ICH (20.3%) and SAH (8.5%). Among adults aged 15–49 years, females had higher hemorrhagic YLD rates than males, with particularly pronounced differences for SAH (female-to-male ratio, 1.5–1.7). By 2030, the projected YLD-equivalent workload, a standardized proxy measure of relative service demand rather than a direct headcount of required therapists, is expected to increase to 29,758 for PT, 21,809 for OT, 14,879 for SLT, and 15,083 for MCR. Sensitivity analyses showed that rehabilitation demand estimates were sensitive to assumptions regarding severity distribution, with a hemorrhagic-weighted scenario increasing projected MCR demand by 6.8%. Conclusions: The increasing absolute burden of stroke-related disability in Saudi Arabia, despite declining age-standardized rates and substantial reductions in premature mortality, highlights the necessity to expand rehabilitation capacity. Scaling community-based, outpatient, and telerehabilitation services in alignment with the Health Sector Transformation Program and integrating disability-informed planning into Vision 2030 should be prioritized. Full article

Research using latent profile analysis (LPA) has yielded inconsistent results regarding the number of personality profiles among athletes, the specific configuration of the Big Five traits, and their interpretation. This study seeks to explore personality types by excluding additional variables from the LPA model, aiming to assess how well personality profiles are universal (independent of gender and cultural context) and can predict academic achievement in student athletes. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire among 424 student athletes from two universities in Poland and Ukraine. The average age of participants was 20 years old (M = 20.01; SD = 2.48), 62% were male, 53% lived in Poland, and 58% studied Sports Sciences vs. 42% Physical Education. The Mini-International Personality Item Pool (Mini-IPIP) was used to assess the Big Five personality traits, and grade point average (GPA) was used to measure students’ academic achievements in the last semester. The LPA identified four personality profiles: (1) Restrained Neurotic (Profile 1, 32%), Open Extravert (Profile 2, 42%), Competitive Neurotic (Profile 3, 17%), and Cooperative Perfectionist (Profile 4, 8%). Profiles 1, 3, and 4 showed similarly low levels of emotional stability, extraversion, and intellect but differed significantly in agreeableness and conscientiousness. Gender and country differences across athletes representing specific profiles were also noted. Profile 2 showed the strongest link with academic achievement. Hierarchical multiple linear regression showed that LPA profiles explained only 2% of GPA variance, compared to Big Five personality traits (9%) and demographic variables, such as sex, country, and study major (8%), which were also included in the following steps in the regression model, explaining only 9% and 8%, respectively. Most student athletes (52%) with personality profiles 1 (Restrained Neurotic), 3 (Competitive Neurotic), and 4 (Cooperative Perfectionist) may require psychological training to better cope with negative emotions and stress arising in competitive and academic settings. Profile 2 (Open Extravert) seems to be the most adaptive and potentially successful personality type. Personality types are, at least to some extent, related to gender and country of residence. More cross-cultural research is required to further verify the types of athletic personalities. Full article

Background/Objectives: Chronic diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), influence patients’ sexuality. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the sexual functioning (SF) of patients with IBD. Methods: We perform a prospective survey study on male and female individuals with IBD using an anonymous questionnaire including 60 inquiries concerning patients’ intimate relationships and SF. The following statistical tests were used: chi-square test of independence, Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, and Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney U tests. A significance level of p = 0.05 was assumed as statistically significant. Results: There were 110 respondents with IBD (41% with Crohn’s disease and 57% with ulcerative colitis): 52 women (47%) and 58 men (53%), with a mean age of between 31 and 40 (45%). In 34% of respondents, the assessment of satisfaction with sex after diagnosis decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (p = 0.007). Statistically significant correlations were found between IBD clinical activity and the impact of the disease on sexual desire (p < 0.001), the need for sex after diagnosis (p < 0.001), satisfaction with sex after diagnosis (p = 0.003), the average frequency of intercourse (p = 0.004), the average duration of intercourse after diagnosis (p = 0.001), feeling guilty in the sexual sphere due to the disease (p = 0.006), assessment of one’s attractiveness since diagnosis (p = 0.032), and change in the partner’s erotic perception after diagnosis (p < 0.001). The more aggressive the course of the disease, the more negative the impact on patients’ sexuality. Conclusions: The diagnosis of IBD has a negative impact on patients’ SF—disease flare leads to a decrease in sexual needs, worse experiences and negative body image. Full article

Background and Objectives: The objectives of this study were to compare the clinical, laboratory, and etiological characteristics, as well as outcomes, of hospitalized and outpatient children with benign acute childhood myositis (BACM) and to identify factors associated with hospitalization. Materials and Methods: This retrospective single-center study included children diagnosed with BACM over a 10-year period. Demographic data, clinical features, laboratory parameters, etiological agents, treatments, hospitalization status, and recurrence were analyzed. Hospitalized and outpatient patients were compared to determine factors associated with hospital admission. Results: A total of 93 patients were included. Hospitalized patients had significantly higher creatine kinase (CK) levels and a higher frequency of inability to walk compared with outpatients. No significant differences were observed between the groups regarding age, sex, gastrointestinal symptoms, serum creatinine levels, or inflammatory markers. Influenza A (INFA)-associated BACM was characterized by lower CK levels and shorter fever duration, whereas viral panel negative (VPN) cases had longer symptom duration and were more frequently hospitalized. Notably, sandfly fever virus was identified in two hospitalized patients, representing an uncommon but clinically relevant etiological agent in our cohort. Rhabdomyolysis occurred in three patients, all of whom were hospitalized and recovered without sequelae. The recurrence rate was 11.8%, with no significant association between recurrence and demographic or clinical variables. Conclusions: Although BACM is typically self-limiting, elevated CK levels and inability to walk may help identify patients who require hospitalization. Etiological differences influenced disease severity, and the detection of sandfly fever-associated BACM highlights the importance of considering regional viral agents in the differential diagnosis. Full article

Recent anatomical and morphometric studies indicate that the sella turcica is a structurally informative region and a distinctive anatomical formation that can exhibit shape variation among individuals. The aim of this study was to evaluate, in three dimensions, the extent to which sella turcica morphology differs among three sheep breeds (Akkaraman, Morkaraman, Zom) and between sexes. A total of 102 specimens were examined. All skulls were CT-scanned specifically for this study; the sella turcica region was reconstructed as a three-dimensional model, and 12 anatomical landmarks were manually digitized for each specimen. The findings showed that sella turcica size differed among breeds, with the Zom group exhibiting the largest sella turcica size. In contrast, no clear size difference was observed between females and males. Shape assessment also revealed differences among breeds, largely driven by the separation of Zom from Akkaraman and Morkaraman, whereas no distinct sex-related shape pattern was detected. Importantly, the breed-related shape differences persisted after accounting for size effects. Overall, these results suggest that the sella turcica carries a breed-associated morphological signal in sheep, while showing no pronounced sexual differentiation in the present sample. Full article

Endurance performance is influenced by age- and sex-specific physiological determinants, while emerging evidence indicates an increasing prevalence of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (REDs) among both young and master endurance runners. Despite its clinical relevance, limited data exist on how long-term endurance training modulates REDs risk, skeletal muscle characteristics, and physiological ageing in comparison with inactive individuals. Methods: This cross-sectional study protocol will examine 112 participants stratified by sex, age (20–35 vs. 65–80 years), and training status (endurance runners vs. inactive controls). Cardiorespiratory fitness (VO₂max) is defined as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include body composition, musculoskeletal function, biochemical and hormonal markers, and REDs-related screening variables. Assessments will comprise cardiorespiratory testing, DXA-based bone and body composition analysis, isometric knee dynamometry, mobility testing, validated REDs screening tools (LEAF-Q, LEAM-Q, and IOC REDs CAT2), seven-day dietary and training monitoring, venous blood sampling, and skeletal muscle biopsies from the vastus lateralis. Results: This study is designed to generate an integrated overview of physiological, nutritional, metabolic, and muscle-cell characteristics across sex-, age-, and training-specific subgroups. Conclusions: This protocol provides comprehensive insight into how ageing and sex influence endurance physiology and REDs susceptibility and whether long-term endurance training preserves functional capacity across the lifespan. The findings aim to support evidence-based screening, prevention, and targeted interventions for REDs in endurance athletes. Full article