GenderBiology.net

Research Deepens Understanding of Most Common Gastrointestinal Disorder in U.S., Linking It to Bacterial Overgrowth, Food Poisoning

SOURCE: Newswise

DATE:  May 10, 2011

EXCERPT: "Cedars-Sinai researchers have reported two advances in the understanding of Irritable Bowel Syndrome, the most common gastrointestinal disorder in the United States, affecting an estimated 30 million people."   more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Presented at the Digestive Disease Week meeting, 18-22 May 2011, Chicago

Men's and Women's Immune Systems Respond Differently to PTSD

SOURCE: Science Daily

DATE:  April 27, 2011

EXCERPT:  "Men and women had starkly different immune system responses to chronic post-traumatic stress disorder, with men showing no response and women showing a strong response, in two studies by researchers at the San Francisco VA Medical Center and the University of California, San Francisco."  more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Neylan TC, Sun B, Rempel H, Ross J, Lenoci M, O'Donovan A, Pulliam L. Suppressed monocyte gene expression profile in men versus women with PTSD. Brain Behav Immun. 2011 Mar;25(3):524-31.

*Note: if you do not have access to this journal, contact your local librarian for assistance in accessing this article through library resources.

Research On The Balance Of Bacteria In Women's Bodies Holds Key To Improving Women's Health

SOURCE:  Medical News Today

DATE:  October 18, 2010

EXCERPT: "A team of Canadian researchers are examining the delicate balance of bacteria and viruses in women's bodies in order to optimize women's health through their lives.  ...  [Vaginal Microbiome Project]"   more

Genetics Home Reference: X-linked lymphoproliferative disease

SOURCE:  Genetics Home Reference

DATE:  August 23, 2010

EXCERPT: "X-linked lymphoproliferative disease (XLP) is a disorder of the immune system and blood-forming cells that is found almost exclusively in males. More than half of individuals with this disorder experience an exaggerated immune response to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). EBV is a very common virus that eventually infects most humans. In ome people it causes infectious mononucleosis (commonly
known as "mono"). Normally, after initial infection, EBV remains in certain immune system cells (lymphocytes) called B cells. However, the virus is generally inactive (latent) because it is controlled by other lymphocytes called T cells that specifically target EBV-infected B cells.

People with XLP may respond to EBV infection by producing abnormally large numbers of T cells, B cells, and other lymphocytes called macrophages."   more

Faculty Tackles Immune System Differences Between the Sexes

SOURCE:  Newswise

DATE:  June 9, 2010

EXCERPT: "In the book Sex Hormones and Immunity to Infection, Sabra Klein, PhD, assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health’s W. Harry Feinstone Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, explores the differences in the immune systems of men and women and how these differences can impact disease. Klein and co-editor, Craig Roberts, PhD, offer a fresh perspective for the treatment and management of infectious diseases through analyses of published research. In addition, they highlight areas where sex differences research is lacking and recommend areas for additional research."   more

RELATED LINK:

Klein, Sabra L & Craig Roberts [eds]. Sex Hormones and Immunity to Infections. Heidelberg ; New York : Springer, ©2010 319 p.  ISBN: 9783642021541.    Publisher info    WorldCat.org

 

Man Flu: Why Men Are The Weaker Sex Where Disease Is Concerned

SOURCE:  Medical News Today

DATE: March 25, 2010

EXCERPT:  "Two UK researchers who developed a mathematical model to investigate why men appear to be the weaker sex where disease is concerned suggest there may be good reasons behind the "man flu" of popular imagination: it could be the result of evolution where ability to pursue adventure and be competitive has given them greater survival advantage than building immunity to disease."   more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Restif O, Amos W. The evolution of sex-specific immune defences. Proc Biol Sci. 2010 Mar 24.

*Note: if you do not have access to this journal, contact your local librarian for assistance in accessing this article through library resources.

Sex Hormones and Immunity to Infection, a reference resource, released

SOURCE:  Society of Women's Health Research

DATE:  December 16, 2009

EXCERPT:  "At a time when an infectious disease makes international headlines, sending Americans to wait in line for hours for a standard dose of H1N1 vaccine, the Organization for the Study of Sex Differences (OSSD), the scientific partner of the Society for Women’s Health Research announces the release of Sex Hormones and Immunity to Infection, a reference resource for researchers, clinicians, teachers, and PhD students in endocrinology and immunology."   more 

RELATED INFORMATION:

Klein, Sabra L & Craig Roberts [eds]. Sex Hormones and Immunity to Infections. London: Springer Verlag, 2009. 319 p.  ISBN: 978-3-642-02154-1.     Publisher info.       WorldCat.org  .

Toward Explaining Why Hepatitis B Hits Men Harder Than Women

SOURCE:  Medical News Today

DATE: November 20, 2009

EXCERPT:  "Scientists in China are reporting discovery of unusual liver proteins, found only in males, that may help explain the long-standing mystery of why the hepatitis B virus (HBV) sexually discriminates -- hitting men harder than women."    more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Yang F, Yin Y, Wang F, Zhang L, Wang Y, Sun S. An Altered Pattern of Liver Apolipoprotein A-I Isoforms Is Implicated in Male Chronic Hepatitis B Progression. J Proteome Res. 2009 Oct 8.

Survival Lower in HCV-Infected Women after Liver Transplant (with audio)

SOURCE:  MedPage Today

DATE:  November 2, 2009

EXCERPT: "Women undergoing liver transplant as a result of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection show poorer long-term survival rates and more frequent failure of the donor liver, compared with male recipients, ... "   more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Presented by Jennifer Lai, MD at American Association for the Study of Liver Disease 2009 annual meeting.

Autoimmune Disorder Linked to Stroke, Heart Attack in Women (09/28/2009, HealthDay)

SOURCE:  MedlinePlus.gov (HealthDay News)

DATE:  September 28, 2009

EXCERPT: "Women under 50 with a certain form of the autoimmune condition called antiphospholipid syndrome are at greatly increased risk for heart attack and stroke, and that risk is even higher when these women smoke or take birth control pills,  ..."    more

RELATED PUBMED LINK:

Kirchoff-Torres K, Levine SR. Antiphospholipid antibodies: pinning risk on a moving target. Lancet Neurol. 2009 Sep 25.