Women's body dissatisfaction, social class, and social mobility

Several studies indicate that socially advantaged women are more dissatisfied with their bodies than socially disadvantaged women. These findings have been based on women's current social class, and no attention has been paid to the social class of her family of origin or to intergenerational social mobility. In the present research 912 54-year-old women from a prospective birth cohort study provided self-report data on current body esteem (appearance and weight dimensions). Childhood and adult social class (manual versus non-manual) were defined based on father's occupation and own or partner's occupation, respectively. This information and the highest educational qualifications recorded by age 26 were gathered prospectively. Indicators of current and adolescent body mass index (BMI) were computed from height and weight values collected at ages 15 (or 11) and 53-54 years. Multiple regression was used to examine the relationship between midlife body esteem and childhood social class, adult social class, educational qualifications, and social mobility, unadjusted and adjusted for BMI. Women from the non-manual classes as adults were more dissatisfied with their weight than women from the manual classes as adults, for a given BMI. Adjusting for BMI, downwardly mobile women were more satisfied with their appearance than stable non-manual women. Adjusting for BMI, higher educational qualifications were associated with more dissatisfaction with weight and with appearance, and education appears to be more important than occupationally defined social class in explaining body dissatisfaction. A clearer understanding of the relationship between socio-economic position and body dissatisfaction demands that the following distinctions are made: weight versus appearance satisfaction, education versus occupation, and current social class versus intergenerational social mobility.     

Leukocyte coping capacity: a novel technique for measuring the stress response in vertebrates

Methods used to quantify the stress response in animals are vital tools in many areas of biology. Here we describe a new method of measuring the stress response, which provides rapid results and can be used in the field or laboratory. After a stressful event, we measure the capacity of circulating leukocytes to produce a respiratory burst in vitro in response to challenge by phorbol myristate acetate (PMA). During the respiratory burst leukocytes produce oxygen free radicals, and the level of production can be measured directly as chemiluminescence. When in vitro PMA-stimulated whole blood chemiluminescence is measured directly after a stressful event, we define the response as the leukocyte coping capacity (LCC). In an experiment badgers (Meles meles), which were caught as part of an on-going population study, were either transported to a central site prior to blood sampling or blood was collected at their site of capture. Transported animals had a significantly lower LCC and showed changes in leukocyte composition that were indicative of stress. We conclude that the stress of transport reduced LCC in badgers and that LCC serves as a quantitative measure of stress. Potential applications of this method are discussed.     

A study of whole blood platelet and white cell aggregation using a laser flow aggregometer

Both platelet aggregation and white blood cell aggregation are involved in pathological processes such as thrombosis, atherosclerosis and chronic inflammation. People in older age groups are likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases and may have increased white cell and platelet aggregation which could contribute to this increased risk. This study aimed to compare white cell and platelet aggregation between different age and gender groups. Whole blood white cell aggregation and platelet aggregation were carried out on healthy volunteers using cytometric techniques. It was found that both white cell and platelet aggregation in the elderly group (white cell aggregation median value, 0.08; range, 0.02-0.14; platelet aggregation median value, 0.32; range, 0.1-0.39) were significantly higher (P = 0.017 for white cell aggregation, P = 0.007 for platelet aggregation) than in the younger group (white cell aggregation median value, 0.05; range, 0.01-0.14; platelet aggregation median value, 0.18; range, 0.07-0.36). No significant differences were found between the gender groups.     

Macroesthetics: facial and dentofacial analysis

Successful esthetic and prosthodontic treatment are inseparable. In esthetic treatment, the goal is an enhanced but natural-looking appearance in which all prosthodontic principles have been taken into account. By the same token, prosthodontic treatment is as much about esthetics as mechanical and biologic requirements. Using all disciplines of dentistry to create a functional and pleasing esthetic impression creates the most successful outcomes. This article reviews pertinent literature and discusses esthetic analysis from a macroesthetic perspective; i.e., taking into consideration the interrelationships of the face, lips, gingiva, and teeth.     

Does the 'average size' of women in the neighbourhood influence a woman's likelihood of body dissatisfaction?

We examined whether the 'average body size' of women within a neighbourhood was associated with the number of women reporting body dissatisfaction in that neighbourhood. Data from a random digit dialing telephone survey of 884 Canadian women (mean age 41) indicated that for a given individual body mass index (BMI) women who lived among 'thinner' women (a smaller average neighbourhood body mass index (BMI)) were more likely to feel dissatisfied with their own bodies than women who lived among 'larger' women (a larger average neighbourhood BMI). Our results are consistent with the need to consider places as well as people in explaining various health outcomes.     

Development of Ca2+-channel and BK-channel expression in embryos and larvae of Xenopus laevis

The patterns and density of channels expressed in neurons critically determine their electrical properties. We have examined developmental regulation of Ca2+-channel expression during the maturation of the spinal motor circuits in Xenopus as it develops from an embryo to a larva. In embryonic neurons approximately 60% of the current is carried by N-type channels, 8% by l-type channels and the remainder by an unidentified channel. As the embryo matures, omega-agatoxin-sensitive P/Q channels are gradually expressed and replace the unidentified HVA channel such that at stage 42 approximately 25% of the current is carried by P/Q channels. We have used fluorescent labelling of selective channel toxins to directly observe the distribution of P/Q, N and BK channels. The P/Q channel distribution was most prevalent on the cell surface proximal to the areas of the soma where processes emerge. Both N and BK channels were distributed throughout the soma but still exhibited concentration around the areas adjacent to the emergence of processes from the soma. The patterns of fluorescence labelling during development mirrored the development of the respective ionic currents. Both N and P/Q channels contribute roughly equally to activation of the BK current, suggesting that overlap in the distribution of the N, P/Q and BK channels is important in their functional interdependence. The newly expressed P/Q channels play a role in spike initiation and repetitive firing in larval spinal neurons and contribute to burst generation during swimming in the larva.     

Effects of difluoromethylornithine chemoprevention on audiometry thresholds and otoacoustic emissions

OBJECTIVES: To determine the effects of long-term, low-dose difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) on audiometric thresholds and distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) levels in humans. DESIGN: A prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled phase 2 clinical trial of DFMO in participants with a prior adenomatous colonic polyp. SETTING: Academic tertiary care referral center. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred twenty-three volunteer subjects with colorectal polyps and normal hearing for the frequencies 250 through 2000 Hz. INTERVENTIONS: Subjects were randomized to receive placebo or oral DFMO at daily dosages between 0.075 and 0.4 g/m(2) of body surface area for 12 months. OUTCOME MEASURES: Pure-tone audiometric thresholds for the frequencies 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000, 6000, and 8000 Hz and DPOAE levels were measured at baseline and 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months after starting treatment with DFMO or placebo and 3 months after cessation of treatment if there was a suggestion of possible changes at the 12-month measurement. RESULTS: At these low dosages, there was little evidence for shifts in auditory pure-tone thresholds, and there were no statistically significant shifts in DPOAE levels. For auditory pure-tone thresholds, there was a subtle, approximately 2- to 3-dB hearing level decrease in hearing sensitivity for the 2 higher DFMO dosages, but only at the 2 lowest frequencies, 250 and 500 Hz. CONCLUSIONS: Administration of low-dose DFMO for 12 months did not produce hearing loss, in contrast to prior studies that used higher dosages.     

Breast cancer survival and in vitro tumor response in the extreme drug resistance assay

Purpose. To determine whether in vitro extreme drug resistance (EDR) assay results for patients with breast carcinoma were associated with clinical outcome after chemotherapy. Patients and methods. EDR assays were performed on tumor tissue obtained from 103 newly diagnosed breast cancer cases. EDR scores of 2 for low, 1 for intermediate, or 0 for extreme drug resistance were determined for each agent tested. In vitro EDR scores for 4-hydroxycyclophosphamide (4HC) and doxorubicin were summed for patients treated with AC, or for 4HC and 5-FU for patients treated with CMF. Treatment selection was blinded to assay results. Results. Median time to progression was significantly shorter for patients with extreme or intermediate in vitro resistance (n=55, 48 months), compared to patients with low in vitro resistance, (n=41, 100 months, p=0.022). Patients demonstrating extreme to intermediate drug resistance also showed poorer survival than the low resistance group (49.5 months vs. not reached, median follow-up 48 months, p=0.011). Summed EDR scores, stage, and number of lymph nodes were significantly associated with survival in univariate and multivariate analysis. Compared to EDR scores of 4, summed EDR scores of 0–1 and summed EDR scores of 2–3 were associated with a relative risk of death of 3.09 (95%, CI 1.05–9.06, Cox proportional hazards model, p=0.040) and 2.35 (95%, CI 1.07–5.15, Cox proportional hazards model, p=0.033), respectively. Conclusion. Extreme drug resistance testing identified patients with individual patterns of drug resistance prior to therapy. In this cohort of breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy, summed EDR scores were significantly associated with time to tumor progression and overall survival. EDR results may offer a method for optimizing treatment selection.