The reference strain SC5314 contains a rare, dominant allele of the transcription factor Rob1 that modulates filamentation, biofilm formation, and oral commensalism.

is a commensal fungus that colonizes the human oral cavity and gastrointestinal tract but also causes mucosal as well as invasive disease. The expression of virulence traits in clinical isolates is heterogeneous and the genetic basis of this heterogeneity is of high interest. The reference strain SC5314 is highly invasive and expresses robust filamentation and biofilm formation relative to many other clinical isolates.

The reference strain SC5314 contains a rare, dominant allele of the transcription factor Rob1 that modulates biofilm formation and oral commensalism.

Unlabelled: is a diploid human fungal pathogen that displays significant genomic and phenotypic heterogeneity over a range of virulence traits and in the context of a variety of environmental niches. Here, we show that the effects of Rob1 on biofilm and filamentation virulence traits is dependent on both the specific environmental condition and the clinical strain of . The reference strain SC5314 is a heterozygote with two alleles that differ by a single nucleotide polymorphism at position 946 resulting in a serine or proline containing isoform.

Age-related presence of spermatogonia in patients with Klinefelter syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Klinefelter syndrome (KS) has been defined by sex chromosome aneuploidies (classically 47, XXY) in the male patient. The peripubertal timeframe in KS patients has been associated with the initiation of progressive testicular fibrosis, loss of spermatogonial stem cells (SSC), hypogonadism and impaired fertility. Less than half of KS patients are positive for spermatozoa in the ejaculate or testis via semen analysis or testicular sperm extraction, respectively.

The humanin analogue (HNG) prevents temozolomide-induced male germ cell apoptosis and other adverse effects in severe combined immuno-deficiency (SCID) mice bearing human medulloblastoma.

Subfertility is a major concern of long-term cancer survivors at the reproductive age. We have previously demonstrated that a potent humanin analogue, HNG, protected chemotherapy-induced apoptosis in germ cells but not cancer cells in a metastatic melanoma allograft model. In this study, we utilized severe combined immuno-deficiency (SCID) mice bearing human medulloblastoma to study the effect of HNG in Temozolomide (TMZ) induced male germ cell apoptosis and white blood cell (WBC) suppression.

Accurate measurement of androgen after androgen esters: problems created by ex vivo esterase effects and LC-MS/MS interference.

Background: Ex vivo androgen prodrug conversion by blood esterases after oral androgen ester administration may result in an overestimation of the measured blood androgens.

Objective: We investigated whether blood collection tubes with esterase inhibitors decreased the conversion of testosterone undecanoate (TU) and dimethandrolone undecanoate (DMAU) to their active metabolites, testosterone (T), and dimethandrolone (DMA), providing a more accurate assessment of circulating T/DMA levels.

Methods: Blood was collected in tubes with/without esterase inhibitors from: (i) four healthy and four hypogonadal men receiving no androgens and spiked ex vivo with TU/DMAU; (ii) four men taking oral TU (Andriol ); and (iii) eight hypogonadal men dosed with oral 316 mg TU and 15 healthy men with 200 mg DMAU.

Humanin analog enhances the protective effect of dexrazoxane against doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity.

The chemotherapeutic effect of doxorubicin (Dox) is limited by cumulative dose-dependent cardiotoxicity in cancer survivors. Dexrazoxane (DRZ) is approved to prevent Dox-induced cardiotoxicity. Humanin and its synthetic analog HNG have a cytoprotective effect on the heart.

Preferential development of neuropeptide Y/GABA circuit in hypothalamic arcuate nucleus in postnatal rats.

The hypothalamus, which plays a critical role in regulation of energy homeostasis, is formed during the perinatal period and thus vulnerable to fetal/newborn environmental conditions. We investigated synaptogenesis and neurotransmission of neurons in arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus (ARH) during the postnatal period using immunohistochemical and electrophysiological methods. Our results show that the density of neuropeptide Y (NPY) fibers increases abruptly after the second postnatal week.

The Spatial Distribution of Absolute Skeletal Muscle Deoxygenation During Ramp-Incremental Exercise Is Not Influenced by Hypoxia.

Time-resolved near-infrared spectroscopy (TRS-NIRS) allows absolute quantitation of deoxygenated haemoglobin and myoglobin concentration ([HHb]) in skeletal muscle. We recently showed that the spatial distribution of peak [HHb] within the quadriceps during moderate-intensity cycling is reduced with progressive hypoxia and this is associated with impaired aerobic energy provision. We therefore aimed to determine whether reduced spatial distribution of skeletal muscle [HHb] was associated with impaired aerobic energy transfer during exhaustive ramp-incremental exercise in hypoxia.

Environmental exposure to di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate is associated with low interest in sexual activity in premenopausal women.

Phthalates, a ubiquitous class of environmental chemicals, may interfere with typical reproductive hormone production both in utero and in adulthood. Although they are best known as anti-androgens, increasingly, evidence suggests that phthalates, particularly di-2-ethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), may also suppress estrogen production. Given that both androgens and estrogens are essential for sexual function, particularly sexual interest, it is plausible that adult exposure to phthalates alters sexual function.

The cytoprotective peptide humanin is induced and neutralizes Bax after pro-apoptotic stress in the rat testis.

We have previously demonstrated that the mitochondria-derived cytoprotective peptide humanin (HN), when administered intratesticularly to rats, rescues germ cells from apoptosis secondary to testicular stress of hormonal deprivation induced by gonadotropin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-A). To decipher the cellular mechanisms of HN action in the amelioration of GnRH-A-induced germ cell apoptosis, adult male rats received the following treatments for 5 days: (i) daily intratesticular (IT) injections with saline (control); (ii) a single subcutaneous injection of GnRH-A on Day 1 and daily IT injection of saline; (iii) daily IT injection of synthetic HN; and (iv) GnRH-A injection on Day 1 and daily IT injection of HN (GnRH-A+HN). HN alone had no effect on germ cell apoptosis.

Opposing roles of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 and humanin in the regulation of testicular germ cell apoptosis.

Modulating germ cell death and survival have significant therapeutic potential for male infertility and contraception. We have shown previously that IGF binding protein 3 (IGFBP3) gene expression is up-regulated in human testis when germ cell apoptosis is induced by intratesticular hormonal deprivation created by testosterone administration. Humanin (HN) is a binding partner of IGFBP3, and both are expressed in rat testes.