Developmental stress and female mate choice behaviour in the zebra finch

The potential effects of early environmental conditions on adult female mate choice have been largely neglected in studies of sexual selection. Our study tested whether developmental stress affects the mate choice behaviour of female zebra finches, Taeniopygia guttata, when choosing between potential mates. In an experiment manipulating developmental condition, female zebra finches were raised under nutritional stress or control conditions. In adulthood, female preferences were assessed using extensive four-stimulus mate choice trials. Nutritional stress affected growth rates during the period of stress, with experimentally stressed females lighter than controls. During mate choice trials stressed females were almost three times less active than controls and made fewer sampling visits to the stimulus males, although we found no evidence of a direct effect of developmental experience on which males were preferred. Thus, developmental experience had a clear effect on behavioural patterns in a mate choice context. To test whether this effect is specific to a mate choice context, we also investigated the effect of developmental stress on female activity rates in three social contexts: isolation, contact with a conspecific male (a potential mate) and contact with a conspecific female. Here, female activity did not differ between the experimental treatments in any of the social situations. Overall, our findings suggest that environmental conditions during early development can have long-term context-dependent consequences for adult female mate choice behaviour, mediated by changes in activity rates.

The effectiveness of internet-based treatment for female sexual dysfunction

There has been limited evaluation of the effectiveness of psychological interventions for female sexual dysfunction (FSD). Further, none of these studies have evaluated the effectiveness of these interventions delivered over the internet. The current study evaluated an internet-based psychological treatment program for FSD. In total, 39 women (17 in treatment group, 19 in control group) completed the program. The results demonstrated that women who completed treatment reported improved sexual and relationship functioning in comparison to those who received no treatment. The portfolio draws on four case studies from the author's placement experience to demonstrate the role of negative life events, social support and psychological adjustment.

Skeletal benefits after long-term retirement in former elite female gymnasts

Bone strength benefits after long-term retirement from elite gymnastics in terms of bone geometry and volumetric BMD were studied by comparing retired female gymnasts to moderately active age-matched women. In a cross-sectional study, 30 retired female gymnasts were compared with 30 age-matched moderately active controls. Bone geometric and densitometric parameters were measured by pQCT at the distal epiphyses and shafts of the tibia, femur, radius, and humerus. Muscle cross-sectional areas were assessed from the shaft scans. Independent t-tests were conducted on bone and muscle variables to detect differences between the two groups. The gymnasts had retired for a mean of 6.1 ± 0.4 yr and were engaged in ≤2 h of exercise per week since retirement. At the radial and humeral shafts, cortical cross-sectional area (CSA), total CSA, BMC, and strength strain index (SSIpol) were significantly greater (13–38%, p ≤ 0.01) in the retired gymnasts; likewise, BMC and total CSA were significantly greater at the distal radius (22–25%, p ≤ 0.0001). In the lower limbs, total CSA and BMC at the femur and tibia shaft were greater by 8–11%, and trabecular BMD and BMC were only greater at the tibia (7–8%). Muscle CSA at the forearm and upper arm was greater by 15–17.6% (p ≤ 0.001) but was not different at the upper and lower leg. Past gymnastics training is associated with greater bone mass and bone size in women 6 yr after retirement. Skeletal benefits were site specific, with greater geometric adaptations (greater bone size) in the upper compared with the lower limbs.

Professional response and attitudes toward female-perpetrated child sexual abuse : a study of psychologists, probationary psychologists and child protection workers

Previous studies have suggested that lay people and professionals both tend to deny or minimise female-perpetrated sexual abuse of children. However, such abuse has been shown to have negative impacts on the victims. This study investigated whether professionals who might work with victims or perpetrators of childhood sexual abuse show a bias in processing scenarios and making decisions when confronted such abuse. A sample of 231 psychiatrists, psychologists, probationary psychologists and child protection workers responded to variations in vignettes in which women and men offended against children, and completed a questionnaire assessing attitudes to women's sexually abusive/offending behaviour toward children. All professional groups regarded cases involving female perpetrators of child sexual abuse as serious and deserving of professional attention. However, while there were some differences between groups, female perpetrators were more likely than male perpetrators to be considered leniently, suggesting that minimisation of female-perpetrated sexual abuse of children may persist in the professional arena. As a result, both female perpetrators of sexual abuse and their victims may go untreated, and in the case of perpetrators, their behaviour may go unsanctioned. Training for professionals to enhance their understanding of the seriousness of sexual abuse perpetrated by women is indicated.

Altered fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibre characteristics in female mice with a (S248F) knock-in mutation of the brain neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor

We generated a mouse line with a missense mutation (S248F) in the gene (CHRNA4) encoding the α4 subunit of neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). Mutant mice demonstrate brief nicotine induced dystonia that resembles the clinical events seen in patients with the same mutation. Drug-induced dystonia is more pronounced in female mice, thus our aim was to determine if the S248F mutation changed the properties of fast- and slow-twitch muscle fibres from female mutant mice. Reverse transcriptase-PCR confirmed CHRNA4 gene expression in the brain but not skeletal muscles in normal and mutant mice. Ca²⁺ and Sr²⁺ force activation curves were obtained using skinned muscle fibres prepared from slow-twitch (soleus) and fast-twitch (EDL) muscles. Two significant results were found: (1) the (pCa₅₀ - pSr₅₀) value from EDL fibres was smaller in mutant mice than in wild type (1.01 vs. 1.30), (2) the percentage force produced at pSr 5.5 was larger in mutants than in wild type (5.76 vs. 0.24%). Both results indicate a shift to slow-twitch characteristics in the mutant. This conclusion is supported by the identification of the myosin heavy chain (MHC) isoforms. Mutant EDL fibres expressed MHC I (usually only found in slow-twitch fibres) as well as MHC IIa. Despite the lack of spontaneous dystonic events, our findings suggest that mutant mice may be having subclinical events or the mutation results in a chronic alteration to muscle neural input.

The attractive female body weight and female body dissatisfaction in 26 countries across 10 world regions : results of the international body project 1

This study reports results from the first International Body Project (IBP-I), which surveyed 7,434 individuals in 10 major world regions about body weight ideals and body dissatisfaction. Participants completed the female Contour Drawing Figure Rating Scale (CDFRS) and self-reported their exposure to Western and local media. Results indicated there were significant cross-regional differences in the ideal female figure and body dissatisfaction, but effect sizes were small across highsocioeconomic-status (SES) sites. Within cultures, heavier bodies were preferred in low-SES sites compared to high-SES sites in Malaysia and South Africa (ds = 1.94-2.49) but not in Austria. Participant age, body mass index (BMI), and Western media exposure predicted body weight ideals. BMI and Western media exposure predicted body dissatisfaction among women. Our results show that body dissatisfaction and desire for thinness is commonplace in high-SES settings across world regions, highlighting the need for international attention to this problem.