The significant role of post-pairing male behavior on the evolution of male preferences and female traits.
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ABSTRACT:
SUBMITTER: Lyu N
PROVIDER: S-EPMC8748628 | biostudies-literature |
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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2016-07-05 | E-ERAD-516 | biostudies-arrayexpress
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Project description:INTRODUCTION:This study aimed to assess the association between current smoking and gender identity among transgender individuals. METHODS:Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey distributed among transgender individuals attending the Houston Pride Festival and those seeking care at a local transgender health clinic. Relevant variables were compared between female-to-male (FTM) and male-to-female (MTF) transgender individuals using ?2, Fisher's exact, and two-sample t-tests, when appropriate. Gender identity was used to predict current smoking status using logistic regression, adjusting for other sociodemographic determinants. RESULTS:The study sample (N=132) comprised 72 MTF (54.5%) and 60 FTM (45.5%) transgender individuals. Mean age of participants was 31.8 years. The sample was racially and ethnically diverse: 45.8% Caucasian, 25.2% Hispanic/Latino, 16.8% African American, and 12.2% other. Current smoking prevalence was 26.7% and 13.9% among FTM and MTF individuals, respectively. Transgender individuals were more likely to self-report current smoking if they were FTM (OR=3.76; 95% CI: 1.17-12.06; p=0.026) or were insured (OR=4.49; 95% CI: 1.53-13.18; p=0.006). CONCLUSIONS:This study reports on important findings by examining intragroup differences in smoking behavior among the transgender population. However, further research is needed for tailoring smoking prevention and cessation interventions for transgender subgroups.
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Project description:The maternal environment has been shown to influence female olfactory preferences through early chemosensory experience. However, little is known about the influence of the maternal environment on chemosignals. In this study, we used two inbred mouse strains, C57BL/6 (C57) and BALB/c (BALB), and explored whether adoption could alter male chemosignals and thus influence female olfactory preferences. In Experiment 1, C57 pups were placed with BALB dams. Adult BALB females then served as the subjects in binary choice tests between paired male urine odours (BALB vs. C57, BALB vs. adopted C57 and C57 vs. adopted C57). In Experiment 2, BALB pups were placed with C57 dams, and C57 females served as the subjects in binary choice tests between paired male urine odours (C57 vs. BALB, C57 vs. adopted BALB, and BALB vs. adopted BALB). In both experiments, we found that females preferred the urine of males from different genetic backgrounds, suggesting that female olfactory preferences may be driven by genetic compatibility. Cross-fostering had subtle effects on female olfactory preferences. Although the females showed no preference between the urine odours of adopted and non-adopted males of the other strain, the BALB females preferred the urine odour of BALB males to that of adopted C57 males, whereas the C57 females showed no preference between the urine odour of C57 and adopted BALB males. Using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and stepwise discriminant analysis, we found that the ratios of volatile chemicals from urine and preputial gland secretions were altered in the fostered male mice; these changes may have resulted in the behavioural changes observed in the females. Overall, the results suggest that female mice prefer urine odours from males with different genetic backgrounds; this preference may be driven by genetic compatibility. The early maternal environment influences the chemosignals of males and thus may influence the olfactory preferences of females. Our study provides additional evidence in support of genotype-dependent maternal influences on phenotypic variability in adulthood.
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