Menstrual cycle phase does not predict political conservatism

Recent authors have reported a relationship between women's fertility status, as indexed by menstrual cycle phase, and conservatism in moral, social and political values. We conducted a survey to test for the existence of a relationship between menstrual cycle day and conservatism. 2213 women reporting regular menstrual cycles provided data about their political views. Of these women, 2208 provided information about their cycle date, 1260 provided additional evidence of reliability in self-reported cycle date, and of these, 750 also indicated an absence of hormonal disruptors such as recent hormonal contraception use, breastfeeding or pregnancy. Cycle day was used to estimate day-specific fertility rate (probability of conception); political conservatism was measured via direct self-report and via responses to the "Moral Foundations” questionnaire. We also recorded relationship status, which has been reported to interact with menstrual cycle phase in determining political preferences. We found no evidence of a relationship between estimated cyclical fertility changes and conservatism, and no evidence of an interaction between relationship status and cyclical fertility in determining political attitudes. Our findings were robust to multiple inclusion/exclusion criteria and to different methods of estimating fertility and measuring conservatism. In summary, the relationship between cycle-linked reproductive parameters and conservatism may be weaker or less reliable than previously thought

Synthesis of a nonpeptide carbon-11 labeled substance P antagonist for PET studies

CP 96,345 is a nonpeptide high affinity antagonist of the substance P (NK1) receptor. The radiosynthesis of [11C]CP 96,345 suitable for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) applications is described. [11C]CP 96,345 was prepared by O-methylation of a desmethyl precursor via in situ generation of its phenolate salt. The in vivo tissue distribution of [11C]CP 96,345 in guinea pigs (n = 2) at 5 and 30 min was determined. Uptake was low in brain ([approximate] 0.04% dose/g) and highest ([approximate] 1-2% dose/g) in the spleen and lungs. The present findings indicate that the use of [11C]CP 96,345 in PET might be more applicable to the study of substance P receptors in peripheral tissues involved with inflammatory disease and arthritis.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/30822/1/0000482.pd

NMDA receptor channels: Labeling of MK-801 with iodine-125 and fluorine-18

Methods for labeling the glutamate channel blocking agent MK-801 with iodine-125 (125I) and fluorine-18 (18F) are described. Radioiodine was incorporated in the 1- or 3-positions of the aromatic ring of (+/-)MK-801 by solid-state halogen exchange techniques. Attachment of the [18F]fluoromethyl group to the bridgehead methyl position was achieved by reaction of [18F]fluoride with the triflamide alcohol 8 or the novel cyclic sulfamate 9 recently reported by Merck chemists. Radiochemical yields of (+/-)13-[18F]- fluoromethyl-MK-801 were >72%, EOB; radiochemical purity >99%. In competitive binding studies using rat brain homogenates, (+/-)3-bromo-MK-801 showed greater affinity than (+/-)MK-801 for the glutamate-linked channel. The experimental log P (2.1 +/- 0.1) of MK-801 is optimal for transit of the blood-brain barrier. These preliminary findings support further testing of 3-[123I]iodo-MK-801 and (+/-)13-[18F]fluoromethyl-MK-801 as possible agents for in vivo mapping of the glutamate receptor complex.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/27605/1/0000649.pd

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

Mutations in PIEZO2 Cause Gordon Syndrome, Marden-Walker Syndrome, and Distal Arthrogryposis Type 5

Gordon syndrome (GS), or distal arthrogryposis type 3, is a rare, autosomal-dominant disorder characterized by cleft palate and congenital contractures of the hands and feet. Exome sequencing of five GS-affected families identified mutations in piezo-type mechanosensitive ion channel component 2 (PIEZO2) in each family. Sanger sequencing revealed PIEZO2 mutations in five of seven additional families studied (for a total of 10/12 [83%] individuals), and nine families had an identical c.8057G>A (p.Arg2686His) mutation. The phenotype of GS overlaps with distal arthrogryposis type 5 (DA5) and Marden-Walker syndrome (MWS). Using molecular inversion probes for targeted sequencing to screen PIEZO2, we found mutations in 24/29 (82%) DA5-affected families and one of two MWS-affected families. The presence of cleft palate was significantly associated with c.8057G>A (Fisher’s exact test, adjusted p value < 0.0001). Collectively, although GS, DA5, and MWS have traditionally been considered separate disorders, our findings indicate that they are etiologically related and perhaps represent variable expressivity of the same condition