Does oestrogen allow women to store fat more efficiently? A biological advantage for fertility and gestation

Several transcription factors (TFs) oscillate, periodically relocating between the cytoplasm and the nucleus. NF-κB, which plays key roles in inflammation and cancer, displays oscillations whose biological advantage remains unclear. Recent work indicated that NF-κB displays sustained oscillations that can be entrained, that is, reach a persistent synchronized state through small periodic perturbations. We show here that for our GFP-p65 knock-in cells NF-κB behaves as a damped oscillator able to synchronize to a variety of periodic external perturbations with no memory. We imposed synchronous dynamics to prove that transcription of NF-κB-controlled genes also oscillates, but mature transcript levels follow three distinct patterns. Two sets of transcripts accumulate fast or slowly, respectively. Another set, comprising chemokine and chemokine receptor mRNAs, oscillates and resets at each new stimulus, with no memory of the past. We propose that TF oscillatory dynamics is a means of segmenting time to provide renewing opportunity windows for decision.

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rethinking brain asymmetries in humans

Behavioral and Brain Sciences ◽

10.1017/s0140525x05320103 ◽

2005 ◽

Vol 28 (4) ◽

pp. 598-599

Author(s):

bianca dräger ◽

caterina breitenstein ◽

stefan knecht

Keyword(s):

Bimodal Distribution ◽

Language Lateralization ◽

Evolutionarily Conserved ◽

Organizational Principle ◽

Directional Asymmetries ◽

The Right ◽

The Brain ◽

Biological Advantage

similar to directional asymmetries in animals, language lateralization in humans follows a bimodal distribution. a majority of individuals are lateralized to the left and a minority of individuals are lateralized to the right side of the brain. however, a biological advantage for either lateralization is lacking. the scenario outlined by vallortigara & rogers (v&r) suggests that language lateralization in humans is not specific to language or human speciation but simply follows an evolutionarily conserved organizational principle of the brain.

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Localization of receptors causing hypoxic bradycardia in trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Canadian Journal of Zoology ◽

10.1139/z78-181 ◽

1978 ◽

Vol 56 (6) ◽

pp. 1260-1265 ◽

Cited By ~ 53

Author(s):

Frank M. Smith ◽

David R. Jones

Keyword(s):

Oxygen Tension ◽

Buccal Cavity ◽

Cranial Nerves ◽

Gill Arch ◽

Cardiac Response ◽

Salmo Gairdneri ◽

Acclimation Temperature ◽

Tongue Depressor ◽

Hypoxic Water ◽

Biological Advantage

Receptors causing the cardiac response to environmental hypoxia have been located in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri). Intact, unrestrained trout, acclimated to7or 16 °C. showed a marked increase in ventilation and bradycardia when exposed to hypoxia at their acclimation temperature, In experiments designed to locate the site of receptors causing hypoxic bradycardia, the buccal cavity of a fish was divided into two chambers by a tongue depressor, allowing oxygen tension of water flowing over each set of gills lo be varied independently. Irrigating one set of gills with hypoxic water [Formula: see text] while flowing hyperoxic water [Formula: see text] over the other caused heart rate to fall from 42.2 ± 0.6 (± SEM) to 26.4 ± 0.5 (± SEM) beats/min after 1 min of hypoxic water flow. Dorsal aortic [Formula: see text] was always above that recorded when both sets of gills were flushed with normoxic water [Formula: see text]. Bilateral ligation of the efferent pseudobranch artery and the pseudobranch nerve (cranial nerve IX) had no effect on the cardiac response to irrigation of one set of gills by hypoxic water. Physical removal of, or section of the nerve supply (cranial nerves IX and X) to, the first gill arch eliminated hypoxic bradycardia. The biological advantage of hypoxic bradycardia is discussed and it is suggested that gill arch receptors may function to monitor and maintain oxygen tension of blood leaving the gills.

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Editorial: The biological advantage of single-session radiosurgery

Journal of Neurosurgery ◽

10.3171/2013.4.jns13723 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 119 (5) ◽

pp. 1129-1130 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

Douglas Kondziolka

Keyword(s):

Single Session ◽

Biological Advantage

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SEX COMPOSITION OF TWINS AND ASSOCIATIONS WITH MORBIDITY, MORTALITY AND MATERNAL TREATMENT-SEEKING OUTCOMES IN RESOURCE-POOR SETTINGS

Journal of Biosocial Science ◽

10.1017/s002193201700030x ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 50 (4) ◽

pp. 491-504

Author(s):

Rob Stephenson ◽

Mondie Blalock Tharp ◽

John Mark Wiginton ◽

Nicholas Metheny

Keyword(s):

Gender Bias ◽

Gender Inequality ◽

Son Preference ◽

Treatment Seeking ◽

Demographic And Health Surveys ◽

First Year ◽

Sex Composition ◽

Logistic Regression Models ◽

Resource Poor ◽

Biological Advantage

SummarySocietal gender inequality and a preference for male children has been shown to be detrimental to girls’ health. This is despite females’ innate biological advantage early in life. The negative effects of gender inequity on female health are most pronounced in resource-poor countries, where cultural norms supporting a preference for male children are strongest. However, most of what is known about gender inequality and child health comes from studies of singleton births. There is little evidence for how, or if, the disadvantages associated with gender bias and son preference extend to multiple births, a population inherently at risk for a number of health challenges. This analysis examines whether gender bias in health outcomes exists for twins. Data on live twin births from 38 Demographic and Health Surveys were compiled (n=11,528 individuals) and twins were categorized as girl/girl, girl/boy, boy/girl or girl/girl. Gender inequality was measured via the Gender Inequality Index. Multilevel logistic regression models examined associations between twin sex composition, gender inequality and eight outcomes of infant and child morbidity, mortality and mother’s treatment-seeking behaviours. Twin pairs containing girls had significantly lower odds of first-year mortality. Higher country-level gender inequality was associated with higher odds of reporting diarrhoea and fever/cough, as well as an increased odds of post-neonatal mortality. Results suggest that the biological advantage for females may be stronger than son preference and gender inequality in the first year of life. Understanding these relationships has the potential to inform efforts to curb the influence of gender preference on the health of female children in resource-poor settings.

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The Status of Container Planting in Western Canada

The Forestry Chronicle ◽

10.5558/tfc46466-6 ◽

1970 ◽

Vol 46 (6) ◽

pp. 466-469 ◽

Cited By ~ 4

Author(s):

J. M. Kinghorn

Keyword(s):

Forest Management ◽

Field Trials ◽

Tree Seedlings ◽

Western Canada ◽

Planting Methods ◽

Nursery Stock ◽

The Status ◽

Bare Root ◽

Forest Renewal ◽

Biological Advantage

Canada's western provinces must develop new reforestation techniques if forest management is to be intensified, and if forest renewal is to keep pace with the accelerated rate of harvesting. The challenge can be met if labor productivity is significantly increased through mechanization of planting. Container planting methods can improve manual planting performance and provide the basis for ultimate mechanization.Container planting methods as developed in Canada may be defined as reforestation systems whereby tree seedlings are grown, transported and planted in small containers. Several types, sizes and shapes of containers are being investigated but, for reasons of economy in bulk and weight, all are characterized by a tiny soil capacity usually not exceeding three cubic inches. The small size and uniform shape of container-grown seedlings permits manual planting rates two to three times faster than those possible by mattock planting conventional bare-root nursery stock. The principal biological advantage of container methods is the capability of protecting the seedling and delivering it to the planting site with all of its roots intact and viable.Large-scale container field trials are underway in all four provinces, but few conclusive results are yet available. Deficiencies in containers or techniques that have come to light are being overcome. As biologically acceptable methods emerge, efforts should be channelled toward developing equipment for automating and mechanizing both the nursery and planting phases.

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