Body image preference in the United States and rural Thailand: an exploratory study.

The authors conducted a field study to examine the female body image preferences of young women and young men in a rural northern province of Thailand and in central California. The Thai participants did not have stronger body image preferences than did the U.S. participants overall. However, the young women preferred a significantly more slender body image than did the young men, F(1, 80) = 14.98, p < .001, and the Respondent Gender x Nationality interaction was also significant, F(1, 80) = 4.42, p = .039. Thai men, as expected, exhibited preferences for figures that were heavier than those preferred by their U.S. counterparts. Thai women, in contrast, exhibited preferences for figures that were thinner than those preferred by their U.S. counterparts or their male countrymen. These results are explained in terms of traditional Thai and U.S. values and in terms of Western cultural influences in modern Thailand.

The RNA polymerase of influenza virus, bound to the 5' end of virion RNA, acts in cis to polyadenylate mRNA.

We previously demonstrated, by limited mutagenesis, that conserved sequence elements within the 5' end of influenza virus virion RNA (vRNA) are required for the polyadenylation of mRNA in vitro. To further characterize the nucleotide residues at the 5' end of vRNA which might be involved in polyadenylation, a complete set of short and long model vRNA-like templates with mutations at nucleotides 1' to 13' (prime notation denotes numbering from the 5' end) of vRNA were synthesized and transcribed in vitro. The products were assayed for mRNA production with both reverse transcription-PCR and [alpha-32P]ATP incorporation assays. Results from these independent assays showed that vRNA templates with point mutations at positions 2', 3', 7' to 9', and 11' to 13' synthesized polyadenylated transcripts inefficiently compared with those with mutations at positions 1', 4' to 6', and 10'. Positions 2', 3', 7' to 9', and 11' are known to be involved in RNA polymerase binding. Furthermore, residues at positions 11' to 13' are known to be involved in base pairing between the 3' and 5' ends of vRNA. These findings demonstrate that the RNA polymerase has to bind to the 5' end of the template vRNA, which must then interact with the 3' end of the same template for polyadenylation to occur. These results support a model in which a cis-acting RNA polymerase is required for the polyadenylation of influenza virus.

Polyadenylation of influenza virus mRNA transcribed in vitro from model virion RNA templates: requirement for 5' conserved sequences.

Here we report the development of two independent assays which demonstrate for the first time that exogenous model RNA templates based on influenza virus virion RNA (vRNA) are transcribed in vitro to produce polyadenylated mRNA. We investigated the activities of mutated templates with known polymerase binding properties to test our model that polyadenylation occurs when a polymerase complex, which is bound to conserved 5' sequences of vRNA, prevents read-through of the U track at which polyadenylation subsequently occurs by reiterative copying. Mutated templates with perturbed polymerase binding sites (i.e., a deletion mutant lacking the first 4 5' residues and a U-->A point mutant at the third residue) initiated transcription in the in vitro assay but failed to produce polyadenylated transcripts, whereas an A-->U point mutant at the fourth residue, which retained polymerase binding properties similar to those of the wild type, produced polyadenylated transcripts. Our results show that nucleotides within the conserved 5' sequence are required for polyadenylation and support the hypothesis that polymerase binding to 5' sequences of the template is required for mRNA synthesis.

Visual memory support: an effective mnemonic device for older adults.

Based on recent on visual support for memory in the elderly, a simple mnemonic was developed. Respondents retained a visually distinctive plastic plate in a prominent place in their homes, and used it as a base for items to be recalled and for reminder notes of future activities. Specific instructions were given for the use of the plate and notes. In two experiments, this system was shown to reduce the frequency of everyday memory.

A different approach to tumour suppression. The Alexandra Kefalides Memorial Lecture.

When tumour cells are fused with normal ones, malignancy is suppressed. It has been shown that this suppression is associated with the imposition on the hybrid cell of the terminal differentiation programme of the normal parent cell. We report here the consequences of imposing the synthesis of keratin 1 and keratin 10, markers of terminal differentiation in the epidermal keratinocyte, on malignant cells of keratinocyte and non-keratinocyte lineage. We find that there is extreme selection in vivo against cells making keratin 1: tumours arising from inocula of such cells are invariably produced by the selective overgrowth of cells in which keratin 1 synthesis has been drastically reduced, usually to trace levels. No such selection operates against keratin 10. It is possible that if substantial synthesis of keratin 1 could be induced in malignant cells in a clinical context, some therapeutic benefit might accrue.