Can ethnic differences in men's preferences for women's body shapes contribute to ethnic differences in female adiposity?

In the United States, obesity is more common among black and Hispanic than white women. One putative cause of this difference is different cultural norms for attractiveness. Two studies assessed ethnic differences in men's perceptions of the attractiveness of females of varying sizes.

Dual CD45RA, CD45RO positive T-lymphocytes within rheumatoid arthritic joints.

This report documents the presence of an expanded population of dual CD45RA, CD45RO positive T cells (up to 91% of T cells) in the rheumatoid joint. Cells from peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) were analysed by dual immunofluorescence labelling. Synovium from a separate patient population was analysed by single and dual immunoenzyme staining of serial sections.

The acidic activation domains of the GCN4 and GAL4 proteins are not alpha helical but form beta sheets.

The most common class of activation domains, the so-called acidic activators, has been proposed either to adopt an amphipathic alpha-helical structure or to exist as unstructured "acid blobs." However, genetic analysis of an acidic activation domain in the yeast GAL4 protein has suggested that the structure of the activation region is a beta sheet. To distinguish between these models, we conducted a biophysical analysis of peptides corresponding to the yeast GAL4 and GCN4 acidic activation domains.

Stable genetic transformation of a beneficial arthropod, Metaseiulus occidentalis (Acari: Phytoseiidae), by a microinjection technique.

A microinjection technique has resulted in stable transformation of the western predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis. Early preblastoderm eggs within gravid females were microinjected. The needle was inserted through the cuticle of gravid females into the egg, or the tissue immediately surrounding the egg.

Spectroscopic studies of the DNA binding site of the GAL4 "zinc finger" protein.

The yeast GAL4 protein, a transcriptional activator of genes involved in galactose metabolism, binds as a dimer to several closely related seventeen base pair upstream activation sequences (UASGs) that are nearly symmetric about a central dT-dA base pair. A previous study of a GAL4-UASG complex (Carey, M., Kakidani, H.

Coupled and uncoupled limb oscillations during paw-shake response.

Intersegmental limb dynamics and muscle activities were analyzed for consecutive cycles of paw-shake responses from chronic-spinalized cats to investigate how hindlimb trajectories organize into a pattern with regular oscillations, a steady-state response, or alternatively, into a pattern with irregular oscillations, a nonsteady-state response. In the spinalized preparation, steady-state and nonsteady-state responses have an equal likelihood of emerging from the initial cycles of a paw-shake response, suggesting that regular coupling of joint oscillations is not planned by pattern-generating networks within lumbosacral segments. To examine the characteristics of coupled and uncoupled limb oscillations during paw-shake responses, we assessed patterns of muscle activity and hindlimb kinematics of six adult chronic-spinalized cats.

An interactive graphics-based model of the lower extremity to study orthopaedic surgical procedures.

We have developed a model of the human lower extremity to study how surgical changes in musculoskeletal geometry and musculotendon parameters affect muscle force and its moment about the joints. The lines of action of 43 musculotendon actuators were defined based on their anatomical relationships to three-dimensional bone surface representations. A model for each actuator was formulated to compute its isometric force-length relation.

A musculoskeletal model of the human lower extremity: the effect of muscle, tendon, and moment arm on the moment-angle relationship of musculotendon actuators at the hip, knee, and ankle.

We have developed a musculoskeletal model of the human lower extremity for computer simulation studies of musculotendon function and muscle coordination during movement. This model incorporates the salient features of muscle and tendon, specifies the musculoskeletal geometry and musculotendon parameters of 18 musculotendon actuators, and defines the active isometric moment of these actuators about the hip, knee, and ankle joints in the sagittal plane. We found that tendon slack length, optimal muscle-fiber length, and moment arm are different for each actuator, thus each actuator develops peak isometric moment at a different joint angle.

The role of intersegmental dynamics during rapid limb oscillations.

The interactive dynamic effects of muscular, inertial and gravitational moments on rapid, multi-segmented limb oscillations were studied. Using three-segment, rigid-body equations of motion, hip, knee and ankle intersegmental dynamics were calculated for the steady-state cycles of the paw-shake response in adult spinal cats. Hindlimb trajectories were filmed to obtain segmental kinematics, and myopotentials of flexors and extensors at each of the three joints were recorded synchronously with the ciné film.

Contrasting roles of inertial and muscle moments at knee and ankle during paw-shake response.

Intralimb kinetics of the paw-shake response (PSR) were studied in four spinal, adult cats. Using rigid body equations of motion to determine the dynamic interactions between limb segments, knee and ankle joint kinetics were calculated for the steady-state cycles as defined in the preceding paper. Hindlimb motion was filmed (200 frames/s) to obtain knee and ankle kinematics.

Intralimb coordination of the paw-shake response: a novel mixed synergy.

Intralimb coordination of the paw-shake response (PSR) was studied in five normal and eleven spinal adult cats. Representative extensor and flexor muscles that function at the hip, knee, and ankle joints were recorded, and in six spinal cats the kinematics of these joints were determined from high-speed cinefilm. The PSR was characterized uniquely by mixed (flexor-extensor) synergies.

Ground reaction forces and center of pressure patterns in the gait of children with amputation: preliminary report.

Ground reaction forces and center of pressure (CP) were studied during gait in children with unilateral lower extremity amputations. Five children, three with knee disarticulations and two with above-knee amputations, walked at slow, normal, and fast speeds, while wearing a conventional SACH prosthetic foot and again, while wearing an experimental CAPP prosthetic foot. Fore-aft (F-A) and vertical force (VF) components and CP patterns were examined for a total of 90 trials.

Modulation of limb dynamics in the swing phase of locomotion.

A method was presented for quantifying cat (Felis catus) hind limb dynamics during swing phase of locomotion using a two-link rigid body model of leg and paw, which highlighted the dynamic interactions between segments. Comprehensive determination was made of cat segment parameters necessary for dynamic analysis, and regression equations were formulated to predict the inertial parameters of any comparable cat. Modulations in muscle and non-muscle components of knee and ankle joint moments were examined at two treadmill speeds using three gaits: (a) pace-like walk and trot-like walk, at 1.

Stride kinematics and knee joint kinetics of child amputee gait.

As a few quantitative data exist characterizing the gait of child lower extremity amputee (CLEA), this study provides such data by examining selected kinematic and kinetic variables during locomotion. Five unilateral CLEA were analyzed in an experimental design which comprised 3 different speeds of walking, 2 types of prosthetic feet (SACH-foot and an experimental CAPP-foot), and normal versus prosthetic limbs for a total of 104 trials. Cinematographic data and footprint information where used to quantify walking speed and uniplanar lower extremity angles.

Heterochromatinization, chromatin elimination and haploidization in the parahaploid mite Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt) (Acarina: Phytoseiidae).

Embryogenic mitoses, mitoses in females and spermatogenesis are described in the predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt). At 22 degrees C, egg development lasts approximately 4 days. Six chromosomes are seen in mitotic metaphases and anaphases of 0--24 h eggs.

Rapid response to selection for a nondiapausing gypsy moth.

By genetic selection a gypsy moth strain was obtained within eight generations that could be reared continuously in the insectary without its normal "obligatory" diapause. This strain should be useful for making physiological and genetical comparisons with normal diapausing gypsy moths. It could also be used in a genetic control program.

The GP - doctor or middle-man? A study of his paper work.

The convention of using medical certificates to assess benefit claims has grown over the years to a complex situation. The certificate serves as written testimony of the patient's state of health (be it illness, fitness or a need which is based on those grounds). While the practitioner is presumed to be serving only his patient, this study suggests that he is required to act as arbitrator in many situations that are unnecessarily defined as medical.