Endogenous neuropeptide Y (NPY) and corticotrophin-releasing factor (CRF) modulate the responses of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) to stress and are associated with the development of stress resilience and vulnerability, respectively. We characterized persistent effects of repeated NPY and CRF treatment on the structure and function of BLA principal neurons in a novel organotypic slice culture (OTC) model of male rat BLA, and examined the contributions of specific NPY receptor subtypes to these neural and behavioral effects. In BLA principal neurons within the OTCs, repeated NPY treatment caused persistent attenuation of excitatory input and induced dendritic hypotrophy via Y₅ receptor activation; conversely, CRF increased excitatory input and induced hypertrophy of BLA principal neurons. Repeated treatment of OTCs with NPY followed by an identical treatment with CRF, or vice versa, inhibited or reversed all structural changes in OTCs. These structural responses to NPY or CRF required calcineurin or CaMKII, respectively. Finally, repeated intra-BLA injections of NPY or a Y₅ receptor agonist increased social interaction, a validated behavior for anxiety, and recapitulated structural changes in BLA neurons seen in OTCs, while a Y₅ receptor antagonist prevented NPY's effects both on behavior and on structure. These results implicate the Y₅ receptor in the long-term, anxiolytic-like effects of NPY in the BLA, consistent with an intrinsic role in stress buffering, and highlight a remarkable mechanism by which BLA neurons may adapt to different levels of stress. Moreover, BLA OTCs offer a robust model to study mechanisms associated with resilience and vulnerability to stress in BLA.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Within the basolateral amygdala (BLA), neuropeptide Y (NPY) is associated with buffering the neural stress response induced by corticotropin releasing factor, and promoting stress resilience. We used a novel organotypic slice culture model of BLA, complemented with in vivo studies, to examine the cellular mechanisms associated with the actions of NPY. In organotypic slice cultures, repeated NPY treatment reduces the complexity of the dendritic extent of anxiogenic BLA principal neurons, making them less excitable. NPY, via activation of Y5 receptors, additionally inhibits and reverses the increases in dendritic extent and excitability induced by the stress hormone, corticotropin releasing factor. This NPY-mediated neuroplasticity indicates that resilience or vulnerability to stress may thus involve neuropeptide-mediated dendritic remodeling in BLA principal neurons.

A sweeping new study of 101 mammal species found that females live, on average, 18.6 percent longer than their male counterparts

A new study ties the ousting of women directors, actors, producers and screenwriters to the rise of entertainment studios

A newly identified trio of chemicals may help the primates find a mate

Here are five takeaways on the teaching profession from the newly released 2017-18 National Teacher and Principal Survey.

Jill Gascoine, actress and novelist

A federal appeals court has struck down an Indiana school district's policy requiring short hair for boys on the basketball team, ruling that the lack of a similar policy for girls'-team basketball players results in illegal sex discrimination.

Over the last two decades, STEM teachers have become increasingly more likely to be female and well-qualified.

Very low birth weight (VLBW) male neonates appear to have increased mortality. VLBW female neonates appear to have better long-term outcomes.

VLBW male neonates have increased mortality and poorer neurological outcome. This gender difference appears to disappear at weeks' gestation. (Read the full article)

Clinic-based weight control treatments for youth have largely been designed for preadolescent children and their families by using family-based care, a strategy that may be less appealing to adolescents as they become increasingly motivated by peer acceptance rather than parental influence.

To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the efficacy of a primary care–based, multicomponent lifestyle intervention specifically tailored for overweight adolescent females and demonstrating a sustained effect (at 12 months) extending beyond the active 5-month intervention. (Read the full article)

Male circumcision reduces risk of HIV acquisition in men by 60% and is associated with other health benefits. Compared with adult circumcision, infant male circumcision is safer, less expensive, and represents a cost-saving intervention for HIV prevention in many settings.

IMC is little known in East Africa and is not routinely practiced. This is the first study to assess acceptability and uptake of IMC in East Africa among parents who were actually offered the procedure. (Read the full article)

High doses of radiation have been linked to cancer induction in irradiated populations such as atomic bomb survivors. Medical imaging directs significant radiation doses to human tissues. Epidemiological studies have demonstrated that children are more sensitive to radiation than adults.

The link between cancer induction from moderate radiation doses such as diagnostic imaging is controversial. This study uses Food and Drug Administration–accepted formulas to calculate theoretical risk of breast cancer induction in female pediatric trauma patients receiving diagnostic imaging of the thoracic spine. (Read the full article)

Despite downward trends, the US teen birth rate remains among the highest of developed nations. Childhood maltreatment may place teens at higher risk, but inferences are weak given a lack of prospective study and control for alternative explanations.

Results from the first controlled, prospective study of nulliparous teenagers confirm that victims of maltreatment are more than twice as likely as their nonmaltreated peers to experience a teen childbirth after controlling for demographic confounds and other known risk factors. (Read the full article)

The systemic nonselective β-blocker propranolol hydrochloride is increasingly used as first-line management for infantile hemangiomas. Superficial nonulcerating lesions do not require systemic medications. Case series have suggested the efficacy of timolol; however, its safety has been questioned.

This randomized controlled trial indicates that timolol maleate 0.5% gel is a well-tolerated, safe, and effective treatment of superficial infantile hemangiomas. (Read the full article)

Obesity is a growing concern for Mexican-American adolescents, with both behavioral and cultural variables that are related to the increasing trend.

These results highlight a patient-centered view of the emotional and physical burden of obesity in female Mexican-American adolescents, the families’ personal struggles with weight-related conditions, and the challenge of balancing family needs with those specific to the adolescent. (Read the full article)

Adult males are known to have a greater overall likelihood of death than female adults. Among children, excess male mortality is known for specific conditions but not as a general phenomenon.

Males are more likely to die during childhood and adolescence than their female peers from not only injuries but also from a wide variety of medical conditions, suggesting the existence of either a female robustness factor or a male vulnerability factor. (Read the full article)

There are misconceptions regarding childhood phimosis. Textbooks still teach that male children should have retractable foreskin by age 3. Young children are referred for evaluation for phimosis, which is a commonly used diagnosis for postneonatal circumcision.

We found a high prevalence of physiologic phimosis in kindergarten children, up to 44% at age 6. We also reviewed the incidence of other congenital abnormalities in this coastal Chinese city. The management and complications of these conditions were analyzed. (Read the full article)

Neonatal circumcision in the United States has been estimated to be performed in ~58% of all neonates, and varies by US geographic region.

This study estimates neonatal and postneonatal circumcision rates among commercially insured males aged 0 to 18 years that were performed in both inpatient and outpatient settings. This study also estimates indications and payments for the procedure. (Read the full article)

HPV is the most common sexually transmitted infection in the United States. More than 50% of sexually active men and women will acquire HPV infection in their lifetime. In 2011, HPV was recommended for routine use among male adolescents.

(Read the full article)

Men were also more likely to request a transfer to a school with a male principal.

A new brief from the Brookings Institution poses the question: Is overrepresentation of women in the teaching force negatively affecting boys' achievement?

Gepotidacin, a triazaacenaphthylene bacterial type II topoisomerase inhibitor, is in development for treatment of uncomplicated urinary tract infection (uUTI). This Phase 2a study in female participants with uUTI evaluated the pharmacokinetics (primary objective), safety, and exploratory efficacy of gepotidacin. Eligible participants (N = 22) were confined to the clinic at baseline, received oral gepotidacin 1,500 mg twice daily for 5 days (on-therapy; Days 1 to 5), and returned to the clinic for test-of-cure (Days 10 to 13) and follow-up (Day 28±3). Pharmacokinetic, safety, clinical, and microbiological assessments were performed. Maximum plasma concentrations were observed approximately 1.5 to 2 hours postdose. Steady state was attained by Day 3. Urinary exposure over the dosing interval increased from 3,742 μg.h/ml (Day 1) to 5,973 μg.h/ml (Day 4), with trough concentrations of 322 to 352 μg/ml from Day 3 onward. Gepotidacin had an acceptable safety-risk profile with no treatment-limiting adverse events and no clinically relevant safety trends. Clinical success was achieved in 19 (86%) and 18 (82%) of 22 participants at test-of-cure and follow-up, respectively. Eight participants had a qualifying baseline uropathogen (growth; ≥10⁵ CFU/ml). A therapeutic (combined clinical and microbiological [no growth; <10³ CFU/ml]) successful response was achieved in 6 (75%) and 5 (63%) of 8 participants at test-of-cure and follow-up, respectively. Plasma area under the free-drug concentration-time curve over 24 hours at steady state divided by the MIC (fAUC_0-24/MIC) and urine AUC_0-24/MIC ranged from 6.99 to 90.5 and 1,292 to 121,698, respectively. Further evaluation of gepotidacin in uUTI is warranted. (NCT03568942)

UEFA's 'Women's football across the national associations 2017' report shows how the female game has evolved over the past five years, and offers a snapshot of the sport in each of UEFA's 55 member associations.

Here are five takeaways on the teaching profession from the newly released 2017-18 National Teacher and Principal Survey.

Although the main body of Section 2(q) expressly states that a respondent is an “adult male person”, the proviso widens the scope of proceedings by stating that an aggrieved wife or female living in a relationship in the nature of marriage can file a complaint against a relative of her husband/male partner. This rescinds the argument that the legislative intent was to exclude females. The Appeal was allowed with a direction to the Trial Courts to consider R2 and R3 as respondents in the proceedings.

An analysis of Covid-19 death cases by the health ministry also shows that 30% of the dead were in the 40-60 years age group, and just 7% were under 40 years.

The W Series has launched an all-female online racing championship aimed at diversifying "what has previously been seen as a predominantly male-dominated activity."

After nine years pursuing her claim against her employer, Michelle Alabaster walked away with an award of just £204.53.  However, the impact of the decisions of the ECJ, and now the Court of Appeal in the maternity pay case of Ala...

Turkish business magazines Capital and Ekonomist have selected the “50 Powerful Female CEOs” of Turkey. Here is the full list announced at a ceremony in Istanbul on Sept. 5, 2018:

The all-female W Series is launching an esports league for female drivers, with actual racing still suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.With its second season ...

[Nation] Zipporah Kioko is the new Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) spokesperson, becoming the first woman officer to hold the position.

She takes over the Public Affairs Department at a time when the military is slowly embracing openness.

Bhumi Pednekar believes female representation in cinema is extremely important to her

Genetically modified diamondback moths designed to replace pesticides by wiping out female moths have been released in New York state

As the world gets warmer, animals whose sex is determined by temperature are finding cool ways to control their own fate. But can they adapt in time?

Bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia, form alliances and coordinate the timing of their clicking noises to attract females and deter other males

Male ring-tailed lemurs rub their wrists to release a sweet, fruity smell that may be the first evidence of sex pheromones identified in primates

As the world gets warmer, animals whose sex is determined by temperature are finding cool ways to control their own fate. But can they adapt in time?

Title: New Clues Shed Light on Sperm Function, Male Fertility
Category: Health News
Created: 4/28/2010 8:10:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/28/2010 12:00:00 AM

Title: Typical Male Behavior Comes From Estrogen, Too
Category: Health News
Created: 4/28/2010 12:10:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 4/29/2010 12:00:00 AM

Title: FDA Moves Female Incontinence Device to 'High Risk' Status
Category: Health News
Created: 4/29/2014 2:36:00 PM
Last Editorial Review: 4/30/2014 12:00:00 AM

Title: Female Pelvis Widens, Then Shrinks Over a Lifetime, Study Finds
Category: Health News
Created: 4/25/2016 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/26/2016 12:00:00 AM

Title: Snoring Not Just a Male Problem
Category: Health News
Created: 4/29/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 4/29/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: Male-Hormone Gene May Help Cause Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
Category: Health News
Created: 5/1/2019 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 5/2/2019 12:00:00 AM

Striking differences in how men and women are affected by COVID-19 might be explained by deleterious effects of androgens in males, say Italian researchers.

These are the coronavirus stories you need to know about today.

Title: Gynecomastia (Enlarged Male Breasts)
Category: Diseases and Conditions
Created: 10/7/2009 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 11/14/2019 12:00:00 AM

Title: Male Fertility Supplements Fail to Deliver
Category: Health News
Created: 1/7/2020 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 1/8/2020 12:00:00 AM

Title: Many With Dog Allergies Might Only Be Allergic to Male Dogs
Category: Health News
Created: 1/7/2020 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 1/8/2020 12:00:00 AM

Many clinical studies and epidemiological investigations have clearly demonstrated that women are twice as likely to develop cholesterol gallstones as men, and oral contraceptives and other estrogen therapies dramatically increase that risk. Further, animal studies have revealed that estrogen promotes cholesterol gallstone formation through the estrogen receptor (ER) α, but not ERβ, pathway. More importantly, some genetic and pathophysiological studies have found that G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) 1 is a new gallstone gene, Lith18, on chromosome 5 in mice and produces additional lithogenic actions, working independently of ERα, to markedly increase cholelithogenesis in female mice. Based on computational modeling of GPER, a novel series of GPER-selective antagonists were designed, synthesized, and subsequently assessed for their therapeutic effects via calcium mobilization, cAMP, and ERα and ERβ fluorescence polarization binding assays. From this series of compounds, one new compound, 2-cyclohexyl-4-isopropyl-N-(4-methoxybenzyl)aniline (CIMBA), exhibits superior antagonism and selectivity exclusively for GPER. Furthermore, CIMBA reduces the formation of 17β-estradiol-induced gallstones in a dose-dependent manner in ovariectomized mice fed a lithogenic diet for 8 weeks. At 32 μg/day/kg CIMBA, no gallstones are found, even in ovariectomized ERα (^–/–) mice treated with 6 μg/day 17β-estradiol and fed the lithogenic diet for 8 weeks. In conclusion, CIMBA treatment protects against the formation of estrogen-induced cholesterol gallstones by inhibiting the GPER signaling pathway in female mice. CIMBA may thus be a new agent for effectively treating cholesterol gallstone disease in women.­