Economic theories of the family and discrimination in a social context: Entitlements of Kondh tribal females in India

Economic theories of the family and gender discrimination within the family are examined in the context of Kondh dominated tribal villages in rural western Orissa, India, drawing on results from a survey of 106 wives. The survey involved direct interviews using a structured questionnaire. This article examines the relevance of economic unitary and bargaining theories of the family in this social context, drawing on background literature. Using the survey results, socioeconomic influences on the status of wives within their families are analyzed and the entitlements of female and male children are compared and analyzed. Because of cultural embedding, it is suggested that the relevance of economic theories of the family depend significantly on cultural context. In many cases, it seems that poverty has a negative influence on the social empowerment of females but it is not the only influence nor always a sufficient condition for discrimination against females.

Shared and differential traits in the accessory olfactory bulb of caviomorph rodents with particular reference to the semiaquatic capybara

The vomeronasal system is crucial for social and sexual communication in mammals. Two populations of vomeronasal sensory neurons, each expressing G alpha i2 or G alpha o proteins, send projections to glomeruli of the rostral or caudal accessory olfactory bulb, rAOB and cAOB, respectively. In rodents, the G alpha i2- and G alpha o-expressing vomeronasal pathways have shown differential responses to small/volatile vs. large/non-volatile semiochemicals, respectively. Moreover, early gene expression suggests predominant activation of rAOB and cAOB neurons in sexual vs. aggressive contexts, respectively. We recently described the AOB of Octodon degus, a semiarid-inhabiting diurnal caviomorph. Their AOB has a cell indentation between subdomains and the rAOB is twice the size of the cAOB. Moreover, their AOB receives innervation from the lateral aspect, contrasting with the medial innervation of all other mammals examined to date. Aiming to relate AOB anatomy with lifestyle, we performed a morphometric study on the AOB of the capybara, a semiaquatic caviomorph whose lifestyle differs remarkably from that of O. degus. Capybaras mate in water and scent-mark their surroundings with oily deposits, mostly for male-male communication. We found that, similar to O. degus, the AOB of capybaras shows a lateral innervation of the vomeronasal nerve, a cell indentation between subdomains and heterogeneous subdomains, but in contrast to O. degus the caudal portion is larger than the rostral one. We also observed that four other caviomorph species present a lateral AOB innervation and a cell indentation between AOB subdomains, suggesting that those traits could represent apomorphies of the group. We propose that although some AOB traits may be phylogenetically conserved in caviomorphs, ecological specializations may play an important role in shaping the AOB.

Detection of Horizontal Root Fracture with Small-volume Cone-Beam Computed Tomography in the Presence and Absence of Intracanal Metallic Post

Introduction: The aim of the present study was to test the accuracy of small-volume cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanning in the detection of horizontal root fractures and to assess the influence of a metallic post. Methods: Forty teeth were divided into four groups based on the presence of metallic posts and horizontal root fracture. The teeth were examined by small-volume CBCT scanning at 0.2-mm voxel resolution. Three observers analyzed the samples for the presence of a horizontal root fracture. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Results: High values for accuracy (73%-88%) were obtained in the groups without a metallic post, and statistically significant differences were found when the group with a metallic post has been observed (55%-70%). Intraobserver agreement also showed statistically significant differences in the groups with a metallic post. Conclusions: Small-volume CBCT scanning showed high accuracy in detecting horizontal root fracture without a metallic post. However, the presence of a metallic post significantly reduced the specificity and sensitivity of this examination. (J Endod 2011;37:1456-1459)

Family size, economics and child gender preference: A case study in the Nyeri district of Kenya

Kenyan women have more children, especially in rural areas, than in most developing nations. This is widely believed to be an impediment to Kenya’s economic development. Thus, factors influencing family size in the Kenyan context are important for its future. A brief review of economic theories of fertility leads to the conclusion that both economics and social/cultural factors must be considered simultaneously when examining factors that determine the number of children in a family. The need to do this is borne out in Kenya’s situation by utilising responses from a random sample of rural households in the Nyeri district of Kenya. Economic and social/cultural factors intertwine to influence family sizes in this district. After providing a summary of the main statistical results from the survey, we use multiple regression analysis to explore the influences of a woman’s age, level of education, whether she has outside employment, whether the family keeps livestock, whether she expresses a preference for more boys than girls, whether the family uses only family labour (including child labour) and the size of the farm, which is used as a proxy for family income. It was found that preference for male children has an important positive influence on family size in this district. Women were found to have greater preference for male children than their male counterparts possibly because of their fear of being disinherited if they do not produce an heir for their husbands. Preference for sons was also found in allocation of human capital resources at the household level in that the female respondents were found to have lower levels of education than their male counterparts. Various long-term policies are outlined that may help to reduce the number of offspring of women in Kenya.

A new candidate locus for bilateral perisylvian polymicrogyria mapped on chromosome Xq27

Polymicrogyria (PMG) is characterized by an excessive number of small and prominent brain gyri, separated by shallow sulci. Bilateral perisylvian polymicrogyria (BPP) is the most common form of PMG. Clinical signs include pseudobulbar paresis, mental retardation, and epilepsy. Familial forms of BPP have been described and a candidate locus was previously mapped to chromosome Xq28, distal do marker DXS8103. The objective of this study was to perform linkage analysis in one family segregating BPP. A total of 15 individuals, including 8 affected patients with BPP were evaluated. Family members were examined by a neurologist and subjected to magnetic resonance imaging scans. Individuals were genotyped for 18 microsatellite markers, flanking a 42.3 cM interval on ch Xq27-q28. Two-point and multipoint linkage analysis was performed using the LINKAGE package and haplotype reconstruction was performed by GENEHUNTER software. Our results showed a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations in affected individuals with BPP, ranging from normal to mild neurological abnormalities. Two-point linkage analysis yield a Zmax=2.06 at theta=0.00 for markers DXS1205 and DXS1227. Multipoint lod-scores indicate a candidate interval of 13 cM between markers DSXS1205 and DXS8043, on ch Xq27.2-Xq27.3. These results point to a new locus for BPP in a more centromeric location than previously reported. (C) 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Characterization of language and reading skills in familial polymicrogyria

Polymicrogyria (PMG) is a malformation of cortical development characterized by an excessive number of small gyri and abnormal cortical lamination, giving the cortical surface an irregular and gross appearance. The severity of clinical manifestations correlates with the extent of cortical involvement. The objective of the present study was to describe three families with linguistic features of developmental language disorder and reading impairment, and to establish a neuroanatomic correlation through neuroimaging. Subjects have been submitted to a comprehensive protocol including psychological assessment, language evaluation, neurological examination, and neuroimaging investigation. In our families, children usually had the diagnosis of developmental language disorder while adults had the diagnosis of reading impairment. MRI showed perisylvian polymicrogyria in several subjects of each family. Our data support the idea that there is a co-occurrence of developmental language disorder and reading impairment and both conditions may be associated with polymicrogyria. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Saethre-Chotzen Syndrome, Pro136His TWIST Mutation, Hearing Loss, and External and Middle Ear Structural Anomalies: Report on a Brazilian Family

Objective: To describe the clinical, speech, hearing, and imaging findings in three members of a Brazilian family with Saethre-Chotzen syndrome (SCS) who presented some unusual characteristics within the spectrum of the syndrome. Design: Clinical evaluation was performed by a multidisciplinary team. Direct sequencing of the polymerase chain reaction amplified coding region of the TWIST1 gene, routine and electrophysiological hearing evaluation, speech evaluation, and imaging studies through computed tomography (CT) scan and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed. Results: TWIST1 gene analysis revealed a Pro136His mutation in all patients. Hearing evaluation showed peripherial and mixed hearing loss in two of the patients, one of them with severe unilateral microtia. Computed tomography scan showed structural middle ear anomalies, and MRI showed distortion of the skull contour as well as some of the brain structures. Conclusions: We report a previously undescribed TWIST1 gene mutation in patients with SCS. There is evidence that indicates hearing loss (conductive and mixed) can be related both with middle ear (microtia, high jugular bulb, and enlarged vestibules) as well as with brain stem anomalies. Here we discuss the relationship between the gene mutation and the clinical, imaging, speech, and hearing findings.