Estimation of stature and sex from scapular measurements by three-dimensional volume-rendering technique using in Chinese

In order to develop population – specific discriminant function equations and stature prediction equations for predicting sex and stature from measurements of the scapula in a contemporary Chinese, 414 individual 3D CT images were collected from participants undergoing routine examination. Sex differences for the variables were tested by Student’s t-test. Fisher’s method has been followed for discriminant analysis. Regression analysis was applied to match the six linear parameters against stature. The stepwise analysis of all measurements yielded a sex classification accuracy rate of 86.7% and a sex bias of 3.1%. All the classification accuracy rates of the univariate discriminant function analyses are of more than 80%. For stature estimation, the accuracy of stature prediction ranged from 5.252 to 7.210 cm for male, from 4.630 to 6.484 cm for female, respectively. This paper provides indications that the scapula is an important bone for sex diagnosis and it could be effectively used as alternatives in forensic cases. Furthermore, the equations presented for stature estimation in this study should be used as alternatives in forensic cases when long bones were unavailable for stature estimation.     

Asymmetries of the central sulcus in young adults: Effects of gender,age and sulcal pattern

In this study, we clarified the gender and age-related asymmetries of the central sulcus (CS) in early adulthood using a parametric ribbon method. The CS was reconstructed and parameterized automatically from 3D MR images of 112 healthy right-handed subjects. The 3D anatomic morphology of the CS was presented using 5 sulcal parameters, including sulcal depth position-based profile (DPP), average depth (AD), average width (AW), top length (TL) and bottom length (BL). Asymmetry differences in DPPs were found in the medial and lateral part of the CS. In addition, significant gender differences were observed in the medial and middle parts of the right CS DPPs but scattered in the left side. We found leftward asymmetries of TL in males, but rightward asymmetries of AW in females. Males had a greater AW than females in the right hemisphere. Moreover, the females had bilateral longer TL and a longer left BL than did males. We also found significant age-related reductions in bilateral TL and increases in bilateral AW, with males presenting more obvious age-related change than females. There were sexual differences of the CS patterns, in which Type b was the most dominant sulcal pattern in males, whereas Type a was dominant in females. Three-way ANOVA revealed sexual and asymmetry changes of TL and BL among different CS patterns. Our findings indicate that the lateralization performances of the CS manifest as sexually and regionally different. In addition, it is suggested that males may undergo a faster progress of aging compared to females.     

Region-specific control of microglia by adenosine A2A receptors: uncoupling anxiety and associated cognitive deficits in female rats

Epidemiologic studies have provided compelling evidence that prenatal stress, through excessive maternal glucocorticoids exposure, is associated with psychiatric disorders later in life. We have recently reported that anxiety associated with prenatal exposure to dexamethasone (DEX, a synthetic glucocorticoid) correlates with a gender-specific remodeling of microglia in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), a core brain region in anxiety-related disorders. Gender differences in microglia morphology, the higher prevalence of anxiety in women and the negative impact of anxiety in cognition, led us to specifically evaluate cognitive behavior and associated circuits (namely mPFC-dorsal hippocampus, dHIP), as well as microglia morphology in female rats prenatally exposed to dexamethasone (in utero DEX, iuDEX). We report that iuDEX impaired recognition memory and deteriorated neuronal synchronization between mPFC and dHIP. These functional deficits are paralleled by microglia hyper-ramification in the dHIP and decreased ramification in the mPFC, showing a heterogeneous remodeling of microglia morphology, both postnatally and at adulthood in different brain regions, that differently affect mood and cognition. The chronic blockade of adenosine A_2A receptors (A_2AR), which are core regulators of microglia morphology and physiology, ameliorated the cognitive deficits, but not the anxiety-like behavior. Notably, A_2AR blockade rectified both microglia morphology in the dHIP and the lack of mPFC-dHIP synchronization, further heralding their role in cognitive function.     

Sex-Specific Regulation of Fear Memory by Targeted Epigenetic Editing of Cdk5

Background

Sex differences in the expression and prevalence of trauma- and stress-related disorders have led to a growing interest in the sex-specific molecular and epigenetic mechanisms underlying these diseases. Cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5) is known to underlie both fear memory and stress behavior in male mice. Given our recent finding that targeted histone acetylation of Cdk5 regulates stress responsivity in male mice, we hypothesized that such a mechanism may be functionally relevant in female mice as well.

Sex differences in the dendritic arbor of hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus neurons

The hypothalamic ventromedial nucleus (VMH) displays sexual dichotomies in its overall size, neurochemistry, and neuronal morphology. These differences may underlie the sex differences observed in functions mediated by the VMH, such as reproductive behaviors and energy balance. A previous Golgi impregnation analysis of VMH dendrites reported sex differences in total dendrite length in the ventrolateral region of the VMH. The present study tested the hypothesis that this sex difference is localized to a specific dendrite type. VMH neurons were visualized with Golgi impregnation. Overall, male rats displayed significantly longer dendrites than females for VMH neurons. This sex difference was apparent in both the dorsomedial and the ventrolateral subdivisions of the VMH. When dendrites were classified based on dendrite type, namely long primary, short primary and secondary dendrites, the increased length for males was observed for all dendrite types. Furthermore, when long primary dendrites were categorized according to whether they extended in the dorsomedial, ventrolateral, ventromedial or dorsolateral direction, the sex difference in length occurred for all directions. These results indicate that the previously identified dendrite categories for VMH neurons are integral to VMH circuitry for both males and females. Given that the sex difference in dendrite length applied to all dendrite types, the elongated male VMH dendrites may provide additional sites to process input from both local interneurons and extranuclear afferents.     

Development of galanin-like immunoreactivity in the brain of the brown trout (Salmo trutta fario), with some observations on sexual dimorphism

The development of galanin-like immunoreactive (GAL-ir) cells and fibers was investigated in the brain of brown trout embryos, alevins, juveniles, and adults (some spontaneously releasing their gametes). The earliest GAL-ir neurons appeared in the preoptic region and the primordial hypothalamic lobe of 12-mm embryos. After hatching, new GAL-ir neurons appeared in the lateral, anterior, and posterior tuberal nuclei, and in late alevins, GAL-ir neurons appeared in the area postrema. In juveniles, further GAL-ir populations appeared in the nucleus subglomerulosus and magnocellular preoptic nucleus. The GAL-ir neuronal groups present in juveniles were also observed in sexually mature adults, although the area postrema of males lacked immunoreactive neurons. Moreover, spawning males exhibited GAL-ir somata in the olfactory bulb and habenula, which were never observed in adult females or in developing stages. In adults, numerous GAL-ir fibers were observed in the ventral telencephalon, preoptic area, hypothalamus, neurohypophysis, mesencephalic tegmentum, ventral rhombencephalon, and area postrema. Moderate to low GAL-ir innervation was seen in the olfactory bulbs, dorsomedial telencephalon, epithalamus, medial thalamus, optic tectum, cerebellum, and rhombencephalic alar plate. There were large differences among regions in the GAL-ir innervation establishment time. In embryos, GAL-ir fibers appeared in the preoptic area and hypothalamus, indicating early expression of galanin in hypophysiotrophic centers. The presence of galanin immunoreactivity in the olfactory, reproductive, visual, and sensory-motor centers of the brain suggest that galanin is involved in many other brain functions. Furthermore, the distribution of GAL-ir elements observed throughout trout development indicates that galaninergic system maturation continues until sexual maturity.     

N-Acetyltransferase, hydroxyindole-O-methyltransferase and melatonin in the optic lobes of the giant tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon

Abstract: The activities of the enzymes N-acetyltransferase (NAT) and hydroxyin-dole-O-methyltransferase (HIOMT) and the hormone melatonin were studied in the optic lobe of the subadult giant tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon . Compared with the level in other species, a relatively high level of NAT activity that was temperature- and pH-dependent were observed. The NAT enzyme had a relatively high maximum velocity (Vmax, 100 pmol/hr/μg protein) and low Michaelis constant (Km, 22 μM), when tryptamine is used as substrate. In contrast to the high level of NAT activity, HIOMT activity and melatonin levels were low in the optic lobe of the giant tiger shrimp. Sex differences in the levels of NAT activity and melatonin, which are observed in a freshwater species Macrobrachium rosenber-gii , were not noticeable in the saltwater species P. monodon , at least not when they were in their subadult stage.     

Vasopressin cells in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of the rat: sex differences and the influence of androgens

A sex difference in the number of vasopressin-immunoreactive cells was found in the bed nucleus of the stria terminalis of the rat. The number of cells found in males exceeded the female corresponding value. A sharp decrease in the number of vasopressin-immunoreactive cells was noted 21 weeks after the castration of adult male rats. This decline could be reversed completely by a 5-week testosterone substitution therapy.     

Sexual dimorphism in the numbers of neurons in the pelvic ganglia of adult rats

The major pelvic ganglion in the adult rat differs in neuron number in the two sexes. The female pelvic ganglion has 5892 +/- 797 (mean +/- S.D.) neurons while the male contains 14,654 +/- 936. This sexual dimorphism in neuronal numbers in the autonomic nervous system is of interest because it suggests that endogenous hormone levels during development may have an influence on numbers of neurons in the adult pelvic ganglion.