Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychic repercussions of sexual assault among female students in Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from December 2022 ...Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychic repercussions of sexual assault among female students in Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from December 2022 to July 2023 among all students at the University of Parakou. The sampling technique was stratified non-proportional at two levels. The dependent variable was self-reported sexual assault. The psychopathological repercussions linked to sexual assault and explored in these students were: post-traumatic stress disorder assessed with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-5 (PCL-5) scale;and current depression screened with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale. Results: A total of 376 female students from the University of Parakou meeting the inclusion criteria were surveyed. The average age of the subjects surveyed was 20.56 ± 2.46 years, with extremes of 16 and 32 years. A predominance of subjects under 25 was observed. The prevalence of sexual assault among female students at the University of Parakou was 10.63%. The types of aggression suffered were mostly rape (18 people;45%) and sexual touching (16 people;40%), and the aggressors were mainly friends/boyfriends (13;32.5%), family members (12;30.0%) and people from the house/neighborhood (9;22.5%). Psychological repercussions included depression in 72.5% (29) of cases, with mild depression in 30% (12), moderate depression in 37.5% (15) and severe depression in 5% (2). Anxiety disorders were present in 27.50% (11) of victims. The risk factors associated with sexual assault in these students were gravidity (p = 0.014;OR = 15.32), unhappy life events (p = 0.01;OR = 17.24), and age of first sexual intercourse (p = 0.016;OR = 4.608). Conclusion: One in ten female students in Parakou has been sexually assaulted. Once again, preventive action through effective sex education is a means of fighting the problem that should be prioritized for every girl and boy from an early age. Psychological support by specialists should be offered to any victim discovered without delay. Communication on the subject should be multiplied in all family and academic educational environments, from the lowest to the highest levels.展开更多
Introduction: In many societies, sexuality is still a taboo subject. In the Central African Republic, this topic is rarely discussed outside the context of gynecological consultations and infertility, whereas the sexu...Introduction: In many societies, sexuality is still a taboo subject. In the Central African Republic, this topic is rarely discussed outside the context of gynecological consultations and infertility, whereas the sexual life of couples is often disrupted by the arrival of a child, particularly by the ordeal of childbirth. The aim of the study is to analyze the sexual experience of Central African women after childbirth in order to contribute to improving the health of the population, in particular that of mother and child, and to facilitate harmony within the couple. Methodology: Descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study covering the period from July 1 to August 30, 2023, at the maternity ward of the Center University Hospitalier Communautaire. The study concerned only women who had given birth between the second week and the sixth month postpartum. The sampling was exhaustive. Results: A total of 303 women agreed to take part in our study, aged between 15 and 44, more than half of whom had completed secondary school. The eagerness of the women to take part in the study shows that they are ready to express themselves about their sexuality despite certain biases linked to the method of patient selection. Resumption of sexual relations was initiated by the partners within six weeks in the vast majority of cases. Conclusion: Resumption of sexual intercourse was delayed, often at the partner’s initiative. Further studies are needed to understand the cultural, religious and psychological dimensions of postpartum sexuality in the Central African context.展开更多
Objective: Sexual violence affects women of all ages but, more commonly, children and adolescents. This study aimed to identify the extent to which services are being provided at the hospitals responsible for the emer...Objective: Sexual violence affects women of all ages but, more commonly, children and adolescents. This study aimed to identify the extent to which services are being provided at the hospitals responsible for the emergency care of children and adolescents who have suffered sexual violence and to determine whether there is any difference in the provision of such services as a function of the victim’s age. Method: This cross-sectional study investigated differences in the care received by female children and adolescents who are victims of sexual violence in a capital city, comparing the treatment given to girls under 15 with that given to adolescents of 15 to 19 years of age. The data were extracted from the State Department of Health database between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2016. Results: Children under 15 were much less likely to receive prophylaxis against HIV, sexually transmitted infections and hepatitis B, with the number of adolescent girls treated adequately corresponding to between twice and almost three times the number of children treated prophylactically. Only 10% of girls under 15 received emergency contraception. Conclusion: The lack of standard care established by the Ministry of Health highlights the need for urgent debates both locally and probably throughout the country, as the situation may be similar in other regions of the country.展开更多
We studied sexual dimorphism in body size and shape and female reproductive characteristics in the Hainan Water Skink(Tropidophorus hainanus)from Hainan,South China.In our sample the largest female and male were 61.1 ...We studied sexual dimorphism in body size and shape and female reproductive characteristics in the Hainan Water Skink(Tropidophorus hainanus)from Hainan,South China.In our sample the largest female and male were 61.1 and 55.2 mm snout-vent length(SVL),respectively.The mean SVL was larger in adult females(52.0 mm)than in adult males(48.3 mm).Juveniles were sexually dimorphic in head length but not in other examined morphological variables.Adult males were longer in head length and shorter in abdomen length and fore-limb length than adult females of the same SVL.Ontogenetic shifts in sexual dimorphism in body shape were evident,as revealed by the fact that morphological differences between the sexes were more pronounced in adults than in juveniles.Females produced a single litter of 3–6 offspring per season from early August to early September.Litter size,litter mass and offspring(neonate)mass were positively related to female SVL.Neonate mass was independent of relative fecundity.From the above findings we draw three main conclusions.First,females are the larger sex in T.hainanus,and sexual dimorphism in body shape is more pronounced in adults than in juveniles.Second,larger female T.hainanus produce more and larger offspring and thus heavier litters than smaller ones.Third,the offspring size-number trade-off does is not evident in T.hainanus.展开更多
Objective:To conduct changes in sexual activity during pregnancy and its related factors in pregnant women.Methods:The present descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 on pregnant women who referred to ...Objective:To conduct changes in sexual activity during pregnancy and its related factors in pregnant women.Methods:The present descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 on pregnant women who referred to the women's clinic of Afzalipour Hospital in the southeast of Iran.Participants were included in the study through convenient sampling.The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of two parts of personal social information of the couple and questions to measure the level of sexual activity and the attitude of the subjects during pregnancy compared to before pregnancy.Results:201 Pregnant women were included.The average age of pregnant women was(27.3±6.1)years and their average gestational age was(24.7±11.8)years.More than 62%of women had decreased sexual activity.There was a significant relationship between the amount of changes in sexual activity and delivery time(P=0.013),abortion history(P=0.001)and premature birth history(P=0.002).Most pregnant women believed that sex during pregnancy caused damage to the fetus(67.7%).A decrease in the intensity of sexual desire was reported in 63%of pregnant women.More than 60%of the subjects did not consult with doctors and midwives with regards to sexual issues(63.5%).The most common reason for not consulting was not feeling the need(32%).Most women experienced back pain during(42.8%)and after(39.8%)intercourse.Conclusions:Changes in sex life during pregnancy are often caused by the lack of sexual knowledge and the increase in misconceptions among couples,which can affect the quality of relationships.The role of education is essential.Therefore,it is suggested that by including sexual counseling along with pregnancy care,wrong beliefs and information among women will be corrected.展开更多
Introduction: Adolescence is a period of transition to adulthood, including for HIV-infected adolescents (HIA), when sexual problems emerge. Few studies have been carried out on the sexuality of HIA. This study aimed ...Introduction: Adolescence is a period of transition to adulthood, including for HIV-infected adolescents (HIA), when sexual problems emerge. Few studies have been carried out on the sexuality of HIA. This study aimed to assess the sexual behavior of HIV-infected adolescents in Cameroon. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three hospitals in the cities of Yaoundé and Douala, from November 2019 to June 2020. All HIA aged 13 to 19 years followed in the study who knew their HIV status were included in the study after obtaining their assent and their parent’s consent. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected, as well as sexual practices and the determinants of their sexual activity. A multivariate analysis was performed to explore the relationship between the different variables studied and the sexual activity of these adolescents. Results: Of 204 HIA enrolled in the study, 64 (31.7%) were sexually active, the mean age at first sexual intercourse was 15.6 ± 2.8 years and the sex ratio was 0.94. Of the adolescents in the study, 75.7% of girls and 61.2% of boys had regular sexual activity, while 21.3% of girls and 35.4% of boys had multiple sexual relationships in the six months preceding the study. Nearly 16 (25.0%) of the sexually active HIA had more than 2 sexual encounters per month, 6 (9.3%) of these encounters had been paid for and 9 (27.2%) of the girls had already had at least one pregnancy. More than 7 out of 10 HIA (79.6%) had used a condom the last time they had sex. Age less than 18 years [OR = 11.1 (95% CI: 3.1 - 39.4), p = 0.001], lack of remuneration [OR = 9.8 (95% CI: 2.0 - 47.4), p = 0.001] and self-care were significantly associated with sexual activity in HIA, while school attendance was a protective factor. Self-funded HIAs were 21 times more likely to be sexually active [OR = 21.6 (95% CI: 2.3 - 179), p = 0.004]. Conclusion: More than a third of HIV-infected adolescents were sexually active and risky sexual practices were not negligible.展开更多
Sex development anomalies represent a group of congenital pathologies in which chromosomal, gonadal and anatomical sex differentiation is atypical. The aim of our study was to use molecular biology techniques to eluci...Sex development anomalies represent a group of congenital pathologies in which chromosomal, gonadal and anatomical sex differentiation is atypical. The aim of our study was to use molecular biology techniques to elucidate sex in cases of anomalies of sexual differentiation in Burkina Faso. This cross-sectional study took place from March 2023 to June 2023. Oral and blood samples were collected respectively using sterile swabs and stored on Swab Kits and NUCLEIcardTM (https://www.copangroup.com/product-ranges/nucleic-card/) were used to determine gonosome profiles. Extraction was carried out using the DNA Swap solution Kit and the DNA IQ System Kit, and a PowerPlex? 21 kit (Promega) for amplification. The Applied Biosystems 9700 thermal cycler was used for PCR followed by 36 cm capillary electrophoresis in the Applied Biosystems 3130 prism sequencer. Sequence files were analyzed using GeneMapper IDX v. 3.2 software. Seven (07) patients were registered during the study period. There were 4 cases of XX DSD or 46, XX DSD and 3 cases of XY DSD or 46, XY DSD. The median age of our patients was 16 years. Civilian sex was male in 4 cases and female in 3. The most frequent reason for consultation was micropenis in 3 cases, followed by primary amenorrhea and sex ambiguity. There were 03 cases of discrepancy between genetic sex and civil sex. The accessibility of molecular diagnosis is little known to clinicians. XX DSDs or 46, XX DSDs were the most frequent (4/7) in our study. The problem facing this situation is early diagnosis to help prevent complications in Burkina Faso.展开更多
The mu oil tree(Vernicia montana Lour.) is a dioecious species, but the genetic mechanisms underlying its phenotypic sexual dimorphism are unclear. In this study, we determined two pivotal phases of sex differentiatio...The mu oil tree(Vernicia montana Lour.) is a dioecious species, but the genetic mechanisms underlying its phenotypic sexual dimorphism are unclear. In this study, we determined two pivotal phases of sex differentiation of mu oil tree via morphological and histological analyses of unisexual flowers:(Ⅰ) differentiation of male or female primordia to produce staminate flowers(SFs) or transient hermaphrodite flowers(HFs),and(Ⅱ) complete abortion of stamens in transient HFs to generate pistillate flowers(PFs). A total of 1621 sex-biased genes were identified by comparative transcriptome analysis which exhibited elevated rates of protein evolution than unbiased genes. The female-biased genes were enriched in the production of defense compounds while male-biased genes were focused on the production of viable pollens. Transcriptomebased analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes(DEGs) between PFs and SFs in phase Ⅰ involved in abscisic acid(ABA), auxin(AUX), cytokinin(CK), ethylene(ET), and gibberellin(GA) biosynthesis and signaling showed higher expression levels in males than in females in general, whereas the DEGs involved in jasmonic acid(JA) and salicylic acid(SA) pathways displayed opposite expression patterns. Moreover,differentially expressed endogenous ABA, AUX, GAs, JA, and SA exhibited consistent biased expression patterns with the DEGs by UPLC-MSbased analysis. Exogenous application of an anti-ethylene plant growth regulator could promote the development of stamens in PFs and generated HFs. Comparative transcriptomic and hormonal analyses of PFs and SFs in phase Ⅱ indicated an increase in ET concentration when abortion of stamens in PFs occurred. This study suggested that phytohormones play key roles in sex dimorphism and ET may determine the development of stamens in PFs of mu oil tree, which provides an insight into plant sex differentiation mechanisms.展开更多
Objective:To evaluate and compare the effect of semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy on post-procedural sexual function with three different operating room settings.Methods:In this prospective randomized study,consecutive sexu...Objective:To evaluate and compare the effect of semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy on post-procedural sexual function with three different operating room settings.Methods:In this prospective randomized study,consecutive sexually active patients with normal pre-operative sexual function undergoing uncomplicated semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy for distal ureteric stones were randomized into three groups,with three different operating room settings.Procedure-related anxiety and sexual function were assessed pre-operatively using Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale and Brief Sexual Function Inventory(in males)and Female Sexual Function Index-6(in females),respectively.All the participants were stented following the procedure,and the stent was removed after 3 weeks.Post-procedural sexual function and general discomfort were assessed and compared between three groups at 1 week,3 weeks,and 12 weeks.The effect of surgery-related anxiety,preoperative sexual function,age,and general discomfort(including stent-related discomfort)on post-procedural sexual function were analyzed using multiple regression analysis.A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Totally,327 eligible patients were randomized into three groups.The group of patients who underwent the procedural with a screen separating the operating area from the patient vision,while the patient could watch the endoscopy through a separate monitor,had better post-procedural sexual function compared to those who had total vision of the operating area as well as to those whose eyes were blocked.This difference was statistically significant.This post-procedural reduction in sexual function could not be attributed to in situ stent alone.Conclusions:Our study showed that semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy can have significant negative effect on sexual function,which can be reduced with proper preoperative counseling and an ideal operating room settings.展开更多
At the legislative level in China,there has been insufficient theoretical preparation to explicitly include“sexual autonomy”within the scope of general personality rights.In handling the increasing number of dispute...At the legislative level in China,there has been insufficient theoretical preparation to explicitly include“sexual autonomy”within the scope of general personality rights.In handling the increasing number of disputes related to violations of“sexual autonomy,”judicial biases have emerged during the trial process when courts determine the attribute of the right to“sexual autonomy.”This situation necessitates a clear legal analysis of the concept and attributes of“sexual autonomy”to establish its essential attribute as a personality right,and,from the perspective of legal doctrine,enable the justification of the right to“sexual autonomy”as either a general personality right or other personality interests,thereby providing theoretical support for courts to“adjudicate according to law.”By delineating and categorizing instances of violations of“sexual autonomy,”the constitutive elements and fundamental characteristics of such violations can be clarified.By examining the legal norms governing civil litigation and civil litigation associated with criminal cases concerning violations of“sexual autonomy,”the responsibility determination,remedies,and existing regulatory loopholes regarding violations of“sexual autonomy,”especially in cases involving both criminal and civil matters,can be defined.Based on this foundation,the legal basis,determination mechanism,and compensation standards for claiming compensation for mental damages resulting from violations of“sexual autonomy”can be elucidated.展开更多
To promote behavioral change among adolescents in Zambia, the National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council, in collaboration with UNICEF, developed the Zambia U-Report platform. This platform provides young people with improved a...To promote behavioral change among adolescents in Zambia, the National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council, in collaboration with UNICEF, developed the Zambia U-Report platform. This platform provides young people with improved access to information on various Sexual Reproductive Health topics through Short Messaging Service (SMS) messages. Over the years, the platform has accumulated millions of incoming and outgoing messages, which need to be categorized into key thematic areas for better tracking of sexual reproductive health knowledge gaps among young people. The current manual categorization process of these text messages is inefficient and time-consuming and this study aims to automate the process for improved analysis using text-mining techniques. Firstly, the study investigates the current text message categorization process and identifies a list of categories adopted by counselors over time which are then used to build and train a categorization model. Secondly, the study presents a proof of concept tool that automates the categorization of U-report messages into key thematic areas using the developed categorization model. Finally, it compares the performance and effectiveness of the developed proof of concept tool against the manual system. The study used a dataset comprising 206,625 text messages. The current process would take roughly 2.82 years to categorise this dataset whereas the trained SVM model would require only 6.4 minutes while achieving an accuracy of 70.4% demonstrating that the automated method is significantly faster, more scalable, and consistent when compared to the current manual categorization. These advantages make the SVM model a more efficient and effective tool for categorizing large unstructured text datasets. These results and the proof-of-concept tool developed demonstrate the potential for enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of message categorization on the Zambia U-report platform and other similar text messages-based platforms.展开更多
Objective: to identify the socio-demographic profile of the alleged victims of sexual assault, to define the characteristics of the aggressors, to describe the types of clinical lesions, and to analyze the link betwee...Objective: to identify the socio-demographic profile of the alleged victims of sexual assault, to define the characteristics of the aggressors, to describe the types of clinical lesions, and to analyze the link between these different parameters.?During the study period, 5620 clients were admitted to gynecological emergencies, including 150 for sexual assault (2.6%). The alleged victims of aggression were 14 years old on average [range: 2?-?49 years]. Among these clients, there were 147 (98%) women and 3 (2%) men [sex ratio: 0.02]. They had a primary education level of 38%, secondary to 42.7%, and single in 87.2% of cases. Clients came from home (69.3%) or police station (24.7%). The perpetrator was male, with an average age of 25.5 years [range: 16 to 35 years]. Regarding the relationship with the victim, the neighborhood accounted for 83%. The perpetrator was alone in 76.7% of cases, two (14%) or more (16.7%), up to 18.?The aggressor’s home was the place of aggression (39.3%). The threats were made using knives (49.3%) and firearms (8.5%). The perpetrator used either his sex (79.9%), his fingers (34.2%) or an object (2.7%). The route of entry was vaginal (94.6%), anal (21.7%) and oral (10%). The abuser used the condom in 74.7% of cases.?Customers had viewed within 24 hours (40.7%). The general state and hemodynamics at admission was normal for all clients. Physical injuries were injuries (23%) and scrapes (34.5%). External genitalia included perineal tears (28%), vaginal tears (8.6%), hymenal tears (7.3%), and old deflowering (72.7%). The hymen was intact in 20%.?The bi-varied analysis found a correlation with a statistically significant difference in the age range of the alleged victims with the number of aggressors, the time of aggression, the path and type of penetration, and the weapon used for the threat.展开更多
A law has been passed in Germany (paragraph 174c StGB), which prohibits therapists from having sexual contact with their patients. This provides the background for a follow-up survey to the previous study completed by...A law has been passed in Germany (paragraph 174c StGB), which prohibits therapists from having sexual contact with their patients. This provides the background for a follow-up survey to the previous study completed by Becker- Fischer and Fischer in 1995. The results of this survey are discussed here on the basis of the current status of research concerning preva- lence and risk factors of sexual assaults in therapeutic relationships. The focus of the re- search lies in determining the specific condi- tions of sexual assaults in psychotherapy and psychiatry, risk variables of the therapists and patients, the effects it has on the patients as well as the legal consequences it results in. To en- sure the comparability of the data, an online version of the Questionnaire about Sexual Con- tacts in Psychotherapy and Psychiatry (SKPP;Becker-Fischer, Fischer & Jerouschek) was cre- ated and a survey of N = 77 affected patients was conducted. The majority of the participants in the study reported a serious decline in their overall well being following the incident. How- ever only very few undertook legal steps - only in three cases did it come to a legal procedure. The assumption that sexual contacts in psy- chotherapy result in extremely damaging con- sequences to patients, was affirmed. Despite the changed legal situation, therapists in Ger- many are still not held legally responsible more often than they were 10 years ago. Based on these results a more intensive education of the patients concerning their legal rights is recom- mended.展开更多
Introduction: Sexual assault is an act of a sexual nature perpetrated on another person without their consent. Goal: To describe the epidemio-clinical aspects and the medical management of sexual assault in the Segou ...Introduction: Sexual assault is an act of a sexual nature perpetrated on another person without their consent. Goal: To describe the epidemio-clinical aspects and the medical management of sexual assault in the Segou region. Methodology: This was a retro-prospective descriptive study from September 2010 to September 2018 on the alleged female victims of sexual assault registered in the Gynecology and Obstetrics departments of the hospital and the sanitary quarters of Ségou. Results: We recorded 107 cases of sexual assault out of 47,729 gynecological consultations, representing a hospital prevalence of 0.22%. The victims were between 10 and 15 years old in 48.59% of the cases. Students were the most represented with 53.27% (57/107) of cases. Genito-genital contact was recorded in 90.65% (97/107) of cases. Vulvo-perineal lesions were present in 44.86% (48/107) of survivors. Hymenial deflowering was the most frequent traumatic genital lesion accounting for 43.70% (21/48) of old cases and 27.00% (13/48) of recent cases. Sexual assault was committed by a single individual in 60.75% (65/107) of cases and by a friend of the victim in 21.5% (23/107) of cases. The survivors had consulted within 24 hours of the sexual assault in 53.27% (57/107) of the cases, the treatment was medical in 68.22% (73/107) and medical-surgical in 4.7% (5/107), post-exposure prophylaxis to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was performed in only 26.16% (28/107) of survivors. Conclusion: Sexual assault remains a concern although its frequency is low. This scourge mainly affects children and adolescents, and the lesions are mainly genitals.展开更多
Background: The authors report cases of sexual assault reported to the obstetrics and gynecology department of the Bamako’s 5th municipality medical center during a prospective study of eight months from 1st January ...Background: The authors report cases of sexual assault reported to the obstetrics and gynecology department of the Bamako’s 5th municipality medical center during a prospective study of eight months from 1st January to 31st August 31st, 2012. Results: Twenty-one cases of assault were reported out of a total of 13,482 consultations, representing a frequency of 0%, 15%. Most victims were represented by students and accounted 43% of the study population. In 76% of cases the victims knew their assailant. The type of sexual contact was genito-genital vaginal penetration in 67% of cases and the condom was used in only one case. The average time before consultation was 3 days. The preventive ARV treatment was administered in 24% of cases and emergency contraception in 43% of cases. Conclusion: Sexual assault is common in Bamako. The reality is probably underestimated because many cases are not reported. The victims are mostly children and adolescents. The risk of transmission of STIs and HIV is very high during the sexual assault. Education and awareness of the population are essential for early consultation. Training of health workers to care for victims of sexual assault is needed.展开更多
Sexual dimorphism between males and females is a common pattern observed in the natural world and has become one of the main focuses of evolutionary biology.Amphibian head size and shape are important factors that may...Sexual dimorphism between males and females is a common pattern observed in the natural world and has become one of the main focuses of evolutionary biology.Amphibian head size and shape are important factors that may influence food acquisition,but knowledge about the sexual differences between amphibian head size and shape is relatively scant.Here,intersexual differences in the head size and shape of Rana kukunoris,which is a high-elevation frog from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,were investigated.Significant differences were found in the head shape but not the head size between sexes.A significant correlation was also observed between prey size and head size.However,these correlations disappeared when individual body size was controlled,suggesting that body size but not food size was the main factor resulting in intersexual differences in head size/shape.The results suggested that food competition between sexes did not result in sexual dimorphism of head shape among these frogs.展开更多
Edible mushroom sexual spores have been gaining more interest due to their bioactive components and functions.Spore discharge(SD)is an important factor affecting the quality of edible mushrooms.In this review,the bioa...Edible mushroom sexual spores have been gaining more interest due to their bioactive components and functions.Spore discharge(SD)is an important factor affecting the quality of edible mushrooms.In this review,the bioactive nutrients of sexual spores of edible mushrooms were summarized,the SD mechanism was described,and the relationship between postharvest SD and the quality of edible mushrooms was analyzed.Spores contain various bioactive nutrients that are benefi cial to the human body.Mature mushrooms can actively discharge spores in a process affected by light,relative humidity,and temperature.During storage,the physiological metabolism of spore-bearing gill tissue is vigorous,promoting the release of postharvest spores and changing the nutritional value of fruiting bodies.The flavor of the fruiting bodies also varied signifi cantly during SD.Edible mushroom sexual spores have the potential to become new raw materials for functional food and medical resources.Research on the effect of the mechanism of SD on the quality of edible mushrooms and the development of SD regulation technology may be a new trend in the quality control of edible mushrooms,which will promote the development of the edible mushroom industry.展开更多
We collected 75 adult Tonkin forest skinks(Sphenomorphus tonkinensis) from Hainan, South China and incubated eggs at four constant temperatures ranging from 22 ℃ to 28 ℃ to study sexual dimorphism, female reproducti...We collected 75 adult Tonkin forest skinks(Sphenomorphus tonkinensis) from Hainan, South China and incubated eggs at four constant temperatures ranging from 22 ℃ to 28 ℃ to study sexual dimorphism, female reproductive characteristics and embryonic thermosensitivity. The largest male was 53.4 mm snout-vent length(SVL), and the largest female was 54.3 mm SVL. The mean SVL was slightly greater in adult females(49.9 mm) than in adult males(48.8 mm), but the difference was not significant.Head length, head width, fore-limb length and hindlimb length were longer in adult males and abdomen length was longer in adult females after accounting for SVL. Accordingly, we conclude that S. tonkinensis is basically a sexually size-monomorphic species with sexual dimorphism in head size, abdomen(trunk)length and limb size. Females laid up to two clutches of 1–4 eggs each per egg-laying season from February to May. Egg mass, clutch size and clutch mass were independent of female SVL. Embryonic stages at laying varied from Dufaure and Hubert’s stage 30 to 31. With female SVL held constant, the negative correlation between egg mass and clutch size was not significant, suggesting that the offspring(egg) sizenumber trade-off between is not evident or eggs are well optimized for size in S. tonkinensis. None of the eggs at 28 ℃ hatched;hatching success was lower at 22 ℃ than at 24 ℃ or 26 ℃. The mean incubation length was 52.9 d at 22 ℃, 40.4 d at 24 ℃ and 33.6 d at 26 ℃. Hatchlings from eggs incubated at 22 ℃,24 ℃ and 26 ℃ did not differ morphologically at hatching, suggesting that temperatures within this range do not differentially affect hatchling morphology in S. tonkinensis.展开更多
The fundamental importance of sex lies in the need for reproduction and species continuity. For humans, sexual expression is an important source of physical pleasure and emotional intimacy. Healthy sexual expression i...The fundamental importance of sex lies in the need for reproduction and species continuity. For humans, sexual expression is an important source of physical pleasure and emotional intimacy. Healthy sexual expression is closely related to well-being, health and overall quality of life in both men and women. Sexual activity is also considered an important determinant of quality of life. At present, questions about sex are still largely ignored in routine consultations in almost all medical specialties. The factors affecting sexual activity are complex and can be divided into the influence of bio-psycho-sociological factors. Biological influences include anthropometric parameters, sexual function, lifestyle, neuroendocrine system, and diseases;psychological influences include psychological status, mental illness, and sexual attitudes;sociological influences include factors such as marriage, occupation, and economic status. With the epidemic and outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), people’s way of life and work has changed, which also has a great impact on sexual activities. This article will provide a systematic review of factors related to male sexual activity.展开更多
文摘Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate the psychic repercussions of sexual assault among female students in Parakou in 2023. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study conducted from December 2022 to July 2023 among all students at the University of Parakou. The sampling technique was stratified non-proportional at two levels. The dependent variable was self-reported sexual assault. The psychopathological repercussions linked to sexual assault and explored in these students were: post-traumatic stress disorder assessed with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist-5 (PCL-5) scale;and current depression screened with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) scale. Results: A total of 376 female students from the University of Parakou meeting the inclusion criteria were surveyed. The average age of the subjects surveyed was 20.56 ± 2.46 years, with extremes of 16 and 32 years. A predominance of subjects under 25 was observed. The prevalence of sexual assault among female students at the University of Parakou was 10.63%. The types of aggression suffered were mostly rape (18 people;45%) and sexual touching (16 people;40%), and the aggressors were mainly friends/boyfriends (13;32.5%), family members (12;30.0%) and people from the house/neighborhood (9;22.5%). Psychological repercussions included depression in 72.5% (29) of cases, with mild depression in 30% (12), moderate depression in 37.5% (15) and severe depression in 5% (2). Anxiety disorders were present in 27.50% (11) of victims. The risk factors associated with sexual assault in these students were gravidity (p = 0.014;OR = 15.32), unhappy life events (p = 0.01;OR = 17.24), and age of first sexual intercourse (p = 0.016;OR = 4.608). Conclusion: One in ten female students in Parakou has been sexually assaulted. Once again, preventive action through effective sex education is a means of fighting the problem that should be prioritized for every girl and boy from an early age. Psychological support by specialists should be offered to any victim discovered without delay. Communication on the subject should be multiplied in all family and academic educational environments, from the lowest to the highest levels.
文摘Introduction: In many societies, sexuality is still a taboo subject. In the Central African Republic, this topic is rarely discussed outside the context of gynecological consultations and infertility, whereas the sexual life of couples is often disrupted by the arrival of a child, particularly by the ordeal of childbirth. The aim of the study is to analyze the sexual experience of Central African women after childbirth in order to contribute to improving the health of the population, in particular that of mother and child, and to facilitate harmony within the couple. Methodology: Descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study covering the period from July 1 to August 30, 2023, at the maternity ward of the Center University Hospitalier Communautaire. The study concerned only women who had given birth between the second week and the sixth month postpartum. The sampling was exhaustive. Results: A total of 303 women agreed to take part in our study, aged between 15 and 44, more than half of whom had completed secondary school. The eagerness of the women to take part in the study shows that they are ready to express themselves about their sexuality despite certain biases linked to the method of patient selection. Resumption of sexual relations was initiated by the partners within six weeks in the vast majority of cases. Conclusion: Resumption of sexual intercourse was delayed, often at the partner’s initiative. Further studies are needed to understand the cultural, religious and psychological dimensions of postpartum sexuality in the Central African context.
文摘Objective: Sexual violence affects women of all ages but, more commonly, children and adolescents. This study aimed to identify the extent to which services are being provided at the hospitals responsible for the emergency care of children and adolescents who have suffered sexual violence and to determine whether there is any difference in the provision of such services as a function of the victim’s age. Method: This cross-sectional study investigated differences in the care received by female children and adolescents who are victims of sexual violence in a capital city, comparing the treatment given to girls under 15 with that given to adolescents of 15 to 19 years of age. The data were extracted from the State Department of Health database between 01/01/2012 and 31/12/2016. Results: Children under 15 were much less likely to receive prophylaxis against HIV, sexually transmitted infections and hepatitis B, with the number of adolescent girls treated adequately corresponding to between twice and almost three times the number of children treated prophylactically. Only 10% of girls under 15 received emergency contraception. Conclusion: The lack of standard care established by the Ministry of Health highlights the need for urgent debates both locally and probably throughout the country, as the situation may be similar in other regions of the country.
基金supported by grants from the Special Foundation for Basic Work of the Science and Technology Ministry of China (2022FY100500-2)National Natural Science Foundation of China (31470471)+2 种基金Hainan Key Program of Science and Technology (ZDXM20110008)Hainan Specially Supporting Discipline of ZoologyWenzhou Ecological Park Research Project。
文摘We studied sexual dimorphism in body size and shape and female reproductive characteristics in the Hainan Water Skink(Tropidophorus hainanus)from Hainan,South China.In our sample the largest female and male were 61.1 and 55.2 mm snout-vent length(SVL),respectively.The mean SVL was larger in adult females(52.0 mm)than in adult males(48.3 mm).Juveniles were sexually dimorphic in head length but not in other examined morphological variables.Adult males were longer in head length and shorter in abdomen length and fore-limb length than adult females of the same SVL.Ontogenetic shifts in sexual dimorphism in body shape were evident,as revealed by the fact that morphological differences between the sexes were more pronounced in adults than in juveniles.Females produced a single litter of 3–6 offspring per season from early August to early September.Litter size,litter mass and offspring(neonate)mass were positively related to female SVL.Neonate mass was independent of relative fecundity.From the above findings we draw three main conclusions.First,females are the larger sex in T.hainanus,and sexual dimorphism in body shape is more pronounced in adults than in juveniles.Second,larger female T.hainanus produce more and larger offspring and thus heavier litters than smaller ones.Third,the offspring size-number trade-off does is not evident in T.hainanus.
文摘Objective:To conduct changes in sexual activity during pregnancy and its related factors in pregnant women.Methods:The present descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in 2017 on pregnant women who referred to the women's clinic of Afzalipour Hospital in the southeast of Iran.Participants were included in the study through convenient sampling.The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire consisting of two parts of personal social information of the couple and questions to measure the level of sexual activity and the attitude of the subjects during pregnancy compared to before pregnancy.Results:201 Pregnant women were included.The average age of pregnant women was(27.3±6.1)years and their average gestational age was(24.7±11.8)years.More than 62%of women had decreased sexual activity.There was a significant relationship between the amount of changes in sexual activity and delivery time(P=0.013),abortion history(P=0.001)and premature birth history(P=0.002).Most pregnant women believed that sex during pregnancy caused damage to the fetus(67.7%).A decrease in the intensity of sexual desire was reported in 63%of pregnant women.More than 60%of the subjects did not consult with doctors and midwives with regards to sexual issues(63.5%).The most common reason for not consulting was not feeling the need(32%).Most women experienced back pain during(42.8%)and after(39.8%)intercourse.Conclusions:Changes in sex life during pregnancy are often caused by the lack of sexual knowledge and the increase in misconceptions among couples,which can affect the quality of relationships.The role of education is essential.Therefore,it is suggested that by including sexual counseling along with pregnancy care,wrong beliefs and information among women will be corrected.
文摘Introduction: Adolescence is a period of transition to adulthood, including for HIV-infected adolescents (HIA), when sexual problems emerge. Few studies have been carried out on the sexuality of HIA. This study aimed to assess the sexual behavior of HIV-infected adolescents in Cameroon. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted in three hospitals in the cities of Yaoundé and Douala, from November 2019 to June 2020. All HIA aged 13 to 19 years followed in the study who knew their HIV status were included in the study after obtaining their assent and their parent’s consent. Socio-demographic and clinical characteristics were collected, as well as sexual practices and the determinants of their sexual activity. A multivariate analysis was performed to explore the relationship between the different variables studied and the sexual activity of these adolescents. Results: Of 204 HIA enrolled in the study, 64 (31.7%) were sexually active, the mean age at first sexual intercourse was 15.6 ± 2.8 years and the sex ratio was 0.94. Of the adolescents in the study, 75.7% of girls and 61.2% of boys had regular sexual activity, while 21.3% of girls and 35.4% of boys had multiple sexual relationships in the six months preceding the study. Nearly 16 (25.0%) of the sexually active HIA had more than 2 sexual encounters per month, 6 (9.3%) of these encounters had been paid for and 9 (27.2%) of the girls had already had at least one pregnancy. More than 7 out of 10 HIA (79.6%) had used a condom the last time they had sex. Age less than 18 years [OR = 11.1 (95% CI: 3.1 - 39.4), p = 0.001], lack of remuneration [OR = 9.8 (95% CI: 2.0 - 47.4), p = 0.001] and self-care were significantly associated with sexual activity in HIA, while school attendance was a protective factor. Self-funded HIAs were 21 times more likely to be sexually active [OR = 21.6 (95% CI: 2.3 - 179), p = 0.004]. Conclusion: More than a third of HIV-infected adolescents were sexually active and risky sexual practices were not negligible.
文摘Sex development anomalies represent a group of congenital pathologies in which chromosomal, gonadal and anatomical sex differentiation is atypical. The aim of our study was to use molecular biology techniques to elucidate sex in cases of anomalies of sexual differentiation in Burkina Faso. This cross-sectional study took place from March 2023 to June 2023. Oral and blood samples were collected respectively using sterile swabs and stored on Swab Kits and NUCLEIcardTM (https://www.copangroup.com/product-ranges/nucleic-card/) were used to determine gonosome profiles. Extraction was carried out using the DNA Swap solution Kit and the DNA IQ System Kit, and a PowerPlex? 21 kit (Promega) for amplification. The Applied Biosystems 9700 thermal cycler was used for PCR followed by 36 cm capillary electrophoresis in the Applied Biosystems 3130 prism sequencer. Sequence files were analyzed using GeneMapper IDX v. 3.2 software. Seven (07) patients were registered during the study period. There were 4 cases of XX DSD or 46, XX DSD and 3 cases of XY DSD or 46, XY DSD. The median age of our patients was 16 years. Civilian sex was male in 4 cases and female in 3. The most frequent reason for consultation was micropenis in 3 cases, followed by primary amenorrhea and sex ambiguity. There were 03 cases of discrepancy between genetic sex and civil sex. The accessibility of molecular diagnosis is little known to clinicians. XX DSDs or 46, XX DSDs were the most frequent (4/7) in our study. The problem facing this situation is early diagnosis to help prevent complications in Burkina Faso.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.32171843)the Postgraduate Scientific Research Innovation Project of Hunan Province (Grant No.CX20200696)the Scientific Innovation Fund for Graduate of Central South University of Forestry and Technology (Grant No.CX20201003)。
文摘The mu oil tree(Vernicia montana Lour.) is a dioecious species, but the genetic mechanisms underlying its phenotypic sexual dimorphism are unclear. In this study, we determined two pivotal phases of sex differentiation of mu oil tree via morphological and histological analyses of unisexual flowers:(Ⅰ) differentiation of male or female primordia to produce staminate flowers(SFs) or transient hermaphrodite flowers(HFs),and(Ⅱ) complete abortion of stamens in transient HFs to generate pistillate flowers(PFs). A total of 1621 sex-biased genes were identified by comparative transcriptome analysis which exhibited elevated rates of protein evolution than unbiased genes. The female-biased genes were enriched in the production of defense compounds while male-biased genes were focused on the production of viable pollens. Transcriptomebased analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes(DEGs) between PFs and SFs in phase Ⅰ involved in abscisic acid(ABA), auxin(AUX), cytokinin(CK), ethylene(ET), and gibberellin(GA) biosynthesis and signaling showed higher expression levels in males than in females in general, whereas the DEGs involved in jasmonic acid(JA) and salicylic acid(SA) pathways displayed opposite expression patterns. Moreover,differentially expressed endogenous ABA, AUX, GAs, JA, and SA exhibited consistent biased expression patterns with the DEGs by UPLC-MSbased analysis. Exogenous application of an anti-ethylene plant growth regulator could promote the development of stamens in PFs and generated HFs. Comparative transcriptomic and hormonal analyses of PFs and SFs in phase Ⅱ indicated an increase in ET concentration when abortion of stamens in PFs occurred. This study suggested that phytohormones play key roles in sex dimorphism and ET may determine the development of stamens in PFs of mu oil tree, which provides an insight into plant sex differentiation mechanisms.
文摘Objective:To evaluate and compare the effect of semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy on post-procedural sexual function with three different operating room settings.Methods:In this prospective randomized study,consecutive sexually active patients with normal pre-operative sexual function undergoing uncomplicated semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy for distal ureteric stones were randomized into three groups,with three different operating room settings.Procedure-related anxiety and sexual function were assessed pre-operatively using Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale and Brief Sexual Function Inventory(in males)and Female Sexual Function Index-6(in females),respectively.All the participants were stented following the procedure,and the stent was removed after 3 weeks.Post-procedural sexual function and general discomfort were assessed and compared between three groups at 1 week,3 weeks,and 12 weeks.The effect of surgery-related anxiety,preoperative sexual function,age,and general discomfort(including stent-related discomfort)on post-procedural sexual function were analyzed using multiple regression analysis.A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.Results:Totally,327 eligible patients were randomized into three groups.The group of patients who underwent the procedural with a screen separating the operating area from the patient vision,while the patient could watch the endoscopy through a separate monitor,had better post-procedural sexual function compared to those who had total vision of the operating area as well as to those whose eyes were blocked.This difference was statistically significant.This post-procedural reduction in sexual function could not be attributed to in situ stent alone.Conclusions:Our study showed that semi-rigid ureterorenoscopy can have significant negative effect on sexual function,which can be reduced with proper preoperative counseling and an ideal operating room settings.
文摘At the legislative level in China,there has been insufficient theoretical preparation to explicitly include“sexual autonomy”within the scope of general personality rights.In handling the increasing number of disputes related to violations of“sexual autonomy,”judicial biases have emerged during the trial process when courts determine the attribute of the right to“sexual autonomy.”This situation necessitates a clear legal analysis of the concept and attributes of“sexual autonomy”to establish its essential attribute as a personality right,and,from the perspective of legal doctrine,enable the justification of the right to“sexual autonomy”as either a general personality right or other personality interests,thereby providing theoretical support for courts to“adjudicate according to law.”By delineating and categorizing instances of violations of“sexual autonomy,”the constitutive elements and fundamental characteristics of such violations can be clarified.By examining the legal norms governing civil litigation and civil litigation associated with criminal cases concerning violations of“sexual autonomy,”the responsibility determination,remedies,and existing regulatory loopholes regarding violations of“sexual autonomy,”especially in cases involving both criminal and civil matters,can be defined.Based on this foundation,the legal basis,determination mechanism,and compensation standards for claiming compensation for mental damages resulting from violations of“sexual autonomy”can be elucidated.
文摘To promote behavioral change among adolescents in Zambia, the National HIV/AIDS/STI/TB Council, in collaboration with UNICEF, developed the Zambia U-Report platform. This platform provides young people with improved access to information on various Sexual Reproductive Health topics through Short Messaging Service (SMS) messages. Over the years, the platform has accumulated millions of incoming and outgoing messages, which need to be categorized into key thematic areas for better tracking of sexual reproductive health knowledge gaps among young people. The current manual categorization process of these text messages is inefficient and time-consuming and this study aims to automate the process for improved analysis using text-mining techniques. Firstly, the study investigates the current text message categorization process and identifies a list of categories adopted by counselors over time which are then used to build and train a categorization model. Secondly, the study presents a proof of concept tool that automates the categorization of U-report messages into key thematic areas using the developed categorization model. Finally, it compares the performance and effectiveness of the developed proof of concept tool against the manual system. The study used a dataset comprising 206,625 text messages. The current process would take roughly 2.82 years to categorise this dataset whereas the trained SVM model would require only 6.4 minutes while achieving an accuracy of 70.4% demonstrating that the automated method is significantly faster, more scalable, and consistent when compared to the current manual categorization. These advantages make the SVM model a more efficient and effective tool for categorizing large unstructured text datasets. These results and the proof-of-concept tool developed demonstrate the potential for enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of message categorization on the Zambia U-report platform and other similar text messages-based platforms.
文摘Objective: to identify the socio-demographic profile of the alleged victims of sexual assault, to define the characteristics of the aggressors, to describe the types of clinical lesions, and to analyze the link between these different parameters.?During the study period, 5620 clients were admitted to gynecological emergencies, including 150 for sexual assault (2.6%). The alleged victims of aggression were 14 years old on average [range: 2?-?49 years]. Among these clients, there were 147 (98%) women and 3 (2%) men [sex ratio: 0.02]. They had a primary education level of 38%, secondary to 42.7%, and single in 87.2% of cases. Clients came from home (69.3%) or police station (24.7%). The perpetrator was male, with an average age of 25.5 years [range: 16 to 35 years]. Regarding the relationship with the victim, the neighborhood accounted for 83%. The perpetrator was alone in 76.7% of cases, two (14%) or more (16.7%), up to 18.?The aggressor’s home was the place of aggression (39.3%). The threats were made using knives (49.3%) and firearms (8.5%). The perpetrator used either his sex (79.9%), his fingers (34.2%) or an object (2.7%). The route of entry was vaginal (94.6%), anal (21.7%) and oral (10%). The abuser used the condom in 74.7% of cases.?Customers had viewed within 24 hours (40.7%). The general state and hemodynamics at admission was normal for all clients. Physical injuries were injuries (23%) and scrapes (34.5%). External genitalia included perineal tears (28%), vaginal tears (8.6%), hymenal tears (7.3%), and old deflowering (72.7%). The hymen was intact in 20%.?The bi-varied analysis found a correlation with a statistically significant difference in the age range of the alleged victims with the number of aggressors, the time of aggression, the path and type of penetration, and the weapon used for the threat.
文摘A law has been passed in Germany (paragraph 174c StGB), which prohibits therapists from having sexual contact with their patients. This provides the background for a follow-up survey to the previous study completed by Becker- Fischer and Fischer in 1995. The results of this survey are discussed here on the basis of the current status of research concerning preva- lence and risk factors of sexual assaults in therapeutic relationships. The focus of the re- search lies in determining the specific condi- tions of sexual assaults in psychotherapy and psychiatry, risk variables of the therapists and patients, the effects it has on the patients as well as the legal consequences it results in. To en- sure the comparability of the data, an online version of the Questionnaire about Sexual Con- tacts in Psychotherapy and Psychiatry (SKPP;Becker-Fischer, Fischer & Jerouschek) was cre- ated and a survey of N = 77 affected patients was conducted. The majority of the participants in the study reported a serious decline in their overall well being following the incident. How- ever only very few undertook legal steps - only in three cases did it come to a legal procedure. The assumption that sexual contacts in psy- chotherapy result in extremely damaging con- sequences to patients, was affirmed. Despite the changed legal situation, therapists in Ger- many are still not held legally responsible more often than they were 10 years ago. Based on these results a more intensive education of the patients concerning their legal rights is recom- mended.
文摘Introduction: Sexual assault is an act of a sexual nature perpetrated on another person without their consent. Goal: To describe the epidemio-clinical aspects and the medical management of sexual assault in the Segou region. Methodology: This was a retro-prospective descriptive study from September 2010 to September 2018 on the alleged female victims of sexual assault registered in the Gynecology and Obstetrics departments of the hospital and the sanitary quarters of Ségou. Results: We recorded 107 cases of sexual assault out of 47,729 gynecological consultations, representing a hospital prevalence of 0.22%. The victims were between 10 and 15 years old in 48.59% of the cases. Students were the most represented with 53.27% (57/107) of cases. Genito-genital contact was recorded in 90.65% (97/107) of cases. Vulvo-perineal lesions were present in 44.86% (48/107) of survivors. Hymenial deflowering was the most frequent traumatic genital lesion accounting for 43.70% (21/48) of old cases and 27.00% (13/48) of recent cases. Sexual assault was committed by a single individual in 60.75% (65/107) of cases and by a friend of the victim in 21.5% (23/107) of cases. The survivors had consulted within 24 hours of the sexual assault in 53.27% (57/107) of the cases, the treatment was medical in 68.22% (73/107) and medical-surgical in 4.7% (5/107), post-exposure prophylaxis to the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) was performed in only 26.16% (28/107) of survivors. Conclusion: Sexual assault remains a concern although its frequency is low. This scourge mainly affects children and adolescents, and the lesions are mainly genitals.
文摘Background: The authors report cases of sexual assault reported to the obstetrics and gynecology department of the Bamako’s 5th municipality medical center during a prospective study of eight months from 1st January to 31st August 31st, 2012. Results: Twenty-one cases of assault were reported out of a total of 13,482 consultations, representing a frequency of 0%, 15%. Most victims were represented by students and accounted 43% of the study population. In 76% of cases the victims knew their assailant. The type of sexual contact was genito-genital vaginal penetration in 67% of cases and the condom was used in only one case. The average time before consultation was 3 days. The preventive ARV treatment was administered in 24% of cases and emergency contraception in 43% of cases. Conclusion: Sexual assault is common in Bamako. The reality is probably underestimated because many cases are not reported. The victims are mostly children and adolescents. The risk of transmission of STIs and HIV is very high during the sexual assault. Education and awareness of the population are essential for early consultation. Training of health workers to care for victims of sexual assault is needed.
基金support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grant no.32270457)The authors confirmed that this study based on the The Animal Ethics Committee at Anhui University permitted this experiments(IACUC(AHU)-2022-007).
文摘Sexual dimorphism between males and females is a common pattern observed in the natural world and has become one of the main focuses of evolutionary biology.Amphibian head size and shape are important factors that may influence food acquisition,but knowledge about the sexual differences between amphibian head size and shape is relatively scant.Here,intersexual differences in the head size and shape of Rana kukunoris,which is a high-elevation frog from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,were investigated.Significant differences were found in the head shape but not the head size between sexes.A significant correlation was also observed between prey size and head size.However,these correlations disappeared when individual body size was controlled,suggesting that body size but not food size was the main factor resulting in intersexual differences in head size/shape.The results suggested that food competition between sexes did not result in sexual dimorphism of head shape among these frogs.
基金supported by Liaoning Provincial Department of Educational Annual(2019)Scientific Research Fund Project(LSNZD201903)Shenyang Bureau of Science and Technology Annual(2021)Scientific Research Fund Project(21110319)Shenyang Agricultural University,high-end talent introduction fund project(SYAU20160003).
文摘Edible mushroom sexual spores have been gaining more interest due to their bioactive components and functions.Spore discharge(SD)is an important factor affecting the quality of edible mushrooms.In this review,the bioactive nutrients of sexual spores of edible mushrooms were summarized,the SD mechanism was described,and the relationship between postharvest SD and the quality of edible mushrooms was analyzed.Spores contain various bioactive nutrients that are benefi cial to the human body.Mature mushrooms can actively discharge spores in a process affected by light,relative humidity,and temperature.During storage,the physiological metabolism of spore-bearing gill tissue is vigorous,promoting the release of postharvest spores and changing the nutritional value of fruiting bodies.The flavor of the fruiting bodies also varied signifi cantly during SD.Edible mushroom sexual spores have the potential to become new raw materials for functional food and medical resources.Research on the effect of the mechanism of SD on the quality of edible mushrooms and the development of SD regulation technology may be a new trend in the quality control of edible mushrooms,which will promote the development of the edible mushroom industry.
基金This work was supported by grants from the Special Foundation for Basic Work of the Science and Technology Ministry of China(2022FY100500-2)Hainan Key Program of Science and Technology(ZDXM20110008)Hainan Specially Supporting Discipline of Zoology。
文摘We collected 75 adult Tonkin forest skinks(Sphenomorphus tonkinensis) from Hainan, South China and incubated eggs at four constant temperatures ranging from 22 ℃ to 28 ℃ to study sexual dimorphism, female reproductive characteristics and embryonic thermosensitivity. The largest male was 53.4 mm snout-vent length(SVL), and the largest female was 54.3 mm SVL. The mean SVL was slightly greater in adult females(49.9 mm) than in adult males(48.8 mm), but the difference was not significant.Head length, head width, fore-limb length and hindlimb length were longer in adult males and abdomen length was longer in adult females after accounting for SVL. Accordingly, we conclude that S. tonkinensis is basically a sexually size-monomorphic species with sexual dimorphism in head size, abdomen(trunk)length and limb size. Females laid up to two clutches of 1–4 eggs each per egg-laying season from February to May. Egg mass, clutch size and clutch mass were independent of female SVL. Embryonic stages at laying varied from Dufaure and Hubert’s stage 30 to 31. With female SVL held constant, the negative correlation between egg mass and clutch size was not significant, suggesting that the offspring(egg) sizenumber trade-off between is not evident or eggs are well optimized for size in S. tonkinensis. None of the eggs at 28 ℃ hatched;hatching success was lower at 22 ℃ than at 24 ℃ or 26 ℃. The mean incubation length was 52.9 d at 22 ℃, 40.4 d at 24 ℃ and 33.6 d at 26 ℃. Hatchlings from eggs incubated at 22 ℃,24 ℃ and 26 ℃ did not differ morphologically at hatching, suggesting that temperatures within this range do not differentially affect hatchling morphology in S. tonkinensis.
文摘The fundamental importance of sex lies in the need for reproduction and species continuity. For humans, sexual expression is an important source of physical pleasure and emotional intimacy. Healthy sexual expression is closely related to well-being, health and overall quality of life in both men and women. Sexual activity is also considered an important determinant of quality of life. At present, questions about sex are still largely ignored in routine consultations in almost all medical specialties. The factors affecting sexual activity are complex and can be divided into the influence of bio-psycho-sociological factors. Biological influences include anthropometric parameters, sexual function, lifestyle, neuroendocrine system, and diseases;psychological influences include psychological status, mental illness, and sexual attitudes;sociological influences include factors such as marriage, occupation, and economic status. With the epidemic and outbreak of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), people’s way of life and work has changed, which also has a great impact on sexual activities. This article will provide a systematic review of factors related to male sexual activity.