No compelling evidence that preferences for facial masculinity track changes in women’s hormonal status

Although widely cited as strong evidence that sexual selection has shaped human facial-attractiveness judgments, findings suggesting that women’s preferences for masculine characteristics in men’s faces are related to women’s hormonal status are equivocal and controversial. Consequently, we conducted the largest-ever longitudinal study of the hormonal correlates of women’s preferences for facial masculinity (N = 584). Analyses showed no compelling evidence that preferences for facial masculinity were related to changes in women’s salivary steroid hormone levels. Furthermore, both within-subjects and between-subjects comparisons showed no evidence that oral contraceptive use decreased masculinity preferences. However, women generally preferred masculinized over feminized versions of men’s faces, particularly when assessing men’s attractiveness for short-term, rather than long-term, relationships. Our results do not support the hypothesized link between women’s preferences for facial masculinity and their hormonal status

Development of a Unifying Target and Consensus Indicators for Global Surgical Systems Strengthening: Proposed by the Global Alliance for Surgery, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anaesthesia Care (The G4 Alliance)

After decades on the margins of primary health care, surgical and anaesthesia care is gaining increasing priority within the global development arena. The 2015 publications of the Disease Control Priorities third edition on Essential Surgery and the Lancet Commission on Global Surgery created a compelling evidenced-based argument for the fundamental role of surgery and anaesthesia within cost-effective health systems strengthening global strategy. The launch of the Global Alliance for Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anaesthesia Care in 2015 has further coordinated efforts to build priority for surgical care and anaesthesia. These combined efforts culminated in the approval of a World Health Assembly resolution recognizing the role of surgical care and anaesthesia as part of universal health coverage. Momentum gained from these milestones highlights the need to identify consensus goals, targets and indicators to guide policy implementation and track progress at the national level. Through an open consultative process that incorporated input from stakeholders from around the globe, a global target calling for safe surgical and anaesthesia care for 80% of the world by 2030 was proposed. In order to achieve this target, we also propose 15 consensus indicators that build on existing surgical systems metrics and expand the ability to prioritize surgical systems strengthening around the world

INFLUENCE OF MATING TYPE AND OVIPOSITION PERIOD ON MANDIBULAR PHEROMONE LEVELS IN APIS MELLIFERA L. HONEYBEE QUEENS

Mandibular glands of Naturally Mated (NM) and Instrumentally Inseminated (II) Apis mellifera L. queens were extracted after 1 and 2-weeks of oviposition and bioassayed against worker honeybees. NM extracts evoked higher response than II extracts with no effect for week or interaction between week and mating type. Mandibular glands analysis of NM and II honeybee queens revealed presence of all QMP components except HVA. Significantly higher amount of the QMP major component 9-keto-(E)-2-decenoic acid (9-ODA) was recorded in NM queens than in II queens whereas oviposition period did not present significant changes in QMP levels at 1 and 2 weeks of oviposition. Significant differences were observed in proportions of 9-ODA and ±9-HAD of NM queens after one week of oviposition

Viral factors in influenza pandemic risk assessment

The threat of an influenza A virus pandemic stems from continual virus spillovers from reservoir species, a tiny fraction of which spark sustained transmission in humans. To date, no pandemic emergence of a new influenza strain has been preceded by detection of a closely related precursor in an animal or human. Nonetheless, influenza surveillance efforts are expanding, prompting a need for tools to assess the pandemic risk posed by a detected virus. The goal would be to use genetic sequence and/or biological assays of viral traits to identify those non-human influenza viruses with the greatest risk of evolving into pandemic threats, and/or to understand drivers of such evolution, to prioritize pandemic prevention or response measures. We describe such efforts, identify progress and ongoing challenges, and discuss three specific traits of influenza viruses (hemagglutinin receptor binding specificity, hemagglutinin pH of activation, and polymerase complex efficiency) that contribute to pandemic risk

A scientific note on using large mixed sperm samples in instrumental insemination of honeybee queens

No abstract available.The Brandenburg State Agency for Rural Development, Agriculture and Land Consolidation to the HOSIMET (Homogenous sperm mixing technology in Europe-wide Varroa Tolerance Breeding) breeding program (State association of Buckfast beekeepers Berlin-Brandenburg e.V.).http://link.springer.com/journal/135922018-09-30hj2018Zoology and Entomolog