Men''s preferences for women''s profile waist-to-hip ratio in two societies

Women's waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) varies with age, and a lower WHR is associated with a higher estrogen-to-androgen ratio and possibly higher fecundity, at least in some populations. Consequently, it has been argued that selection has favored a universal male preference for a low female WHR. In previous studies using frontal pictures, men in the United States preferred a low WHR of 0.7, but men among Hadza hunter–gatherers and a few other small-scale societies preferred higher ratios. Unlike the actual WHR of women, measured with a tape around the waist and the hips and buttocks, the WHR in frontal pictures excludes the buttocks. Because frontal WHR gives only a partial picture, we used profile views of women to measure men's preferences for the profile WHR. Hadza men preferred a lower profile WHR (more protruding buttocks) than American men. Since Hadza men preferred higher frontal WHR but lower profile WHR, and since both contribute to the actual WHR, these results imply there is less disparity between American and Hadza preferences for the actual WHR of real women. We suggest men's preferences vary with the geographic variation in the shape of women who have wider hips in some populations and more protruding buttocks in others.     

Prosimian hemoglobins: IV. The structural difference responsible for the hemoglobin phenotype of Lemur catta

The ring-tailed lemur, Lemur catta, shows a two-component hemoglobin phenotype after alkaline electrophoresis. A difference in the amino acid sequence of the isolated α-globins was observed at position 15 (α I-Gly, α II-Lys) and can account for the electrophoretic pattern of two hemoglobin components. Only one other amino acid difference was found in the sequence of the two globin chains: a neutral substitution occurs at position 53 (α I-Gly, α II-Ala). The complete primary structures of the duplicated α-globin chains of Lemur catta are presented.     

Hormonal modulation of guanyl nucleotide binding to rat luteal membranes

Guanyl nucleotides are known to play a dual role in the activation of the adenylate cyclase system of the rat corpus luteum, being required for human choriogonadotropin (hCG) stimulation of the enzyme and modulating hCG binding to some hormone receptors. Current models of adenylate cyclase activation require that guanyl nucleotide binding be enhanced by hormones, and we have examined this binding in rat luteal membrane preparations known to contain guanyl nucleotide-modulated hCG receptors. [3H] Guanylyl-imidodiphosphate (GMPPnP), a nonhydrolyzable analog of guanosine triphosphate (GTP), was used to investigate binding to urea-washed, heavy rat luteal membranes. Binding was found to be linear, with respect to the amount of membranes added, in the range of 2-10 mg wet wt. tissue equivalents, and equilibrium was reached after a 30-min incubation at 30 degrees C. Analysis of equilibrium binding experiments gave a Ka of 1.2.10(7) +/- 0.9.10(7) M-1, with 460 +/- 430 fmol binding sites per mg tissue in the absence of hormone, Kinetic experiments showed an association rate constant of 2.6.10(5) +/- 0.5.10(5) M-1 min-1 and a dissociation rate constant of 1.8.10(-2) +/- 0.9.10(-2) min-1. In the presence of hCG, the Ka was unchanged; however, the number of binding sites increased by 50-120%. Competitive binding assays utilizing other nucleotides revealed that a hierarchy of GMPPnP = GTP greater than guanosine diphosphate (GDP) greater than inosine triphosphate (ITP) in displacing labeled GMPPnP. A similar hierarchy was also found for hCG-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity (GMPPnP = GTP greater than ITP) and for modulation of hCG binding (GMPPnP greater than GTP greater than ITP).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Elevated myocardial calcium and its role in sudden cardiac death.

The contribution of intracellular calcium to ventricular fibrillation (VF) was investigated using chronically instrumented dogs with healed myocardial infarctions. A 2-minute coronary occlusion was initiated during the last minute of exercise. Fourteen animals developed ventricular fibrillation (susceptible) whereas the remaining 12 did not (resistant) during this exercise plus ischemia test. The test was then repeated for the susceptible animals after pretreatment with the intracellular calcium chelator BAPTA-AM (1.0 mg/kg). BAPTA-AM significantly reduced left ventricular dp/dt max and prevented VF in 8 of 12 susceptible animals. Conversely, myocardial cytosolic calcium levels were increased in resistant animals using the calcium channel agonist Bay K 8644 (30 micrograms/kg) or phenylephrine (10 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 3-5 min before occlusion). Bay K 8644 induced VF in all 5 resistant animals tested whereas phenylephrine induced VF in 8 of 12 resistant animals. BAPTA-AM pretreatment attenuated the hemodynamic effects of Bay K 8644 or phenylephrine and prevented VF in five of five Bay K 8644- and four of seven phenylephrine-treated animals. Finally, the endogenous level of calcium/calmodulin (Ca-CaM)-dependent phosphorylation of 170- and 55-kDa substrate proteins was measured (as an index of intracellular free calcium concentration). In the susceptible dog heart, the endogenous level of Ca-CaM-dependent phosphorylation was estimated to be two- to threefold higher than that observed in resistant dog heart. Treatment of resistant dog tissue with the calcium ionophore A23187 increased the level of Ca-CaM-dependent phosphorylation of these two proteins to the level observed in susceptible dog heart. These data suggest that elevated cytosolic calcium facilitates development of malignant arrhythmias and that elevated cytosolic calcium levels may be present in animals particularly susceptible to ventricular fibrillation.     

Mechanisms and innovations: Cardiac stimulation with high voltage discharge from stun guns

The ability of an electrical discharge to stimulate the heart depends on the duration of the pulse, the voltage and the current density that reaches the heart. Stun guns deliver very short electrical pulses with minimal amount of current at high voltages. We discuss external stimulation of the heart by high voltage discharges and review studies that have evaluated the potential of stun guns to stimulate cardiac muscle. Despite theoretical analyses and animal studies which suggest that stun guns cannot and do not affect the heart, 3 independent investigators have shown cardiac stimulation by stun guns. Additional research studies involving people are needed to resolve the conflicting theoretical and experimental findings and to aid in the design of stun guns that are unable to stimulate the heart.Stun guns are used to physically incapacitate a person by discharging controlled electrical energy into the body, thereby preventing effective muscular activity. Although the intention is to provide a safe means of subduing an uncooperative person, some studies have suggested that stun guns can stimulate cardiac muscle in addition to skeletal muscle, thus potentially promoting lethal cardiac arrhythmias. In this article, we review the scientific data about the direct effects of stun gun discharges on the heart during shock delivery. We discuss these issues in terms of electrostimulation and correlate them with theoretical and experimental data in the literature. We discuss the principles of cardiac stimulation from internal and external stimulation and examine the evidence for and against cardiac stimulation by stun gun discharges.     

Specific activation of p85-p110 phosphatidylinositol 3'-kinase stimulates DNA synthesis by ras- and p70 S6 kinase-dependent pathways.

We have developed a polyclonal antibody that activates the heterodimeric p85-p110 phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3'-kinase in vitro and in microinjected cells. Affinity purification revealed that the activating antibody recognized the N-terminal SH2 (NSH2) domain of p85, and the antibody increased the catalytic activity of recombinant p85-p110 dimers threefold in vitro. To study the role of endogenous PI 3'-kinase in intact cells, the activating anti-NSH2 antibody was microinjected into GRC + LR73 cells, a CHO cell derivative selected for tight quiescence during serum withdrawal. Microinjection of anti-NSH2 antibodies increased bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation fivefold in quiescent cells and enhanced the response to serum. These data reflect a specific activation of PI 3'-kinase, as the effect was blocked by coinjection of the appropriate antigen (glutathione S-transferase-NSH2 domains from p85 alpha), coinjection of inhibitory anti-p110 antibodies, or treatment of cells with wortmannin. We used the activating antibodies to study signals downstream from PI 3'-kinase. Although treatment of cells with 50 nM rapamycin only partially decreased anti-NSH2-stimulated BrdU incorporation, coinjection with an anti-p70 S6 kinase antibody effectively blocked anti-NSH2-stimulated DNA synthesis. We also found that coinjection of inhibitory anti-ras antibodies blocked both serum- and anti-NSH2-stimulated BrdU incorporation by approximately 60%, and treatment of cells with a specific inhibitor of MEK abolished antibody-stimulated BrdU incorporation. We conclude that selective activation of physiological levels of PI 3'-kinase is sufficient to stimulate DNA synthesis in quiescent cells. PI 3'-kinase-mediated DNA synthesis requires both p70 S6 kinase and the P21ras/MEK pathway.