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In the teleost fish, physiological and biochemical studies suggest that glucocorticoids regulate both salt balance and metabolic activities. In mammals, however, these functions are divided between glucocorticoids and mineralocorticoids. In mammals, separate receptors for these two classes of steroid hormone have been cloned and sequenced. To begin to understand the regulation in fish of the vital processes ascribed to glucocorticoids, we have cloned, sequenced, expressed, and studied the steroid-binding and transcriptional activation capabilities of the rainbow trout (Onchorhynchus mykiss) glucocorticoid receptor. Northern blot analysis shows a single rainbow trout GR messenger RNA species of 7.5 kilobases expressed in gill, intestine, skeletal muscle, kidney, and liver. The trout GR 2274-nucleotide coding sequence provides for a protein of 758 amino acids, with appropriate similarities to mammalian GR, with one striking exception. As in other members of the steroid/thyroid/retinoid receptor family, the DNA-binding domain contains two putative zinc fingers. These have high homology with those of other GRs. However, between the zinc fingers in the trout GR are found 9 more amino acids than are seen in mammalian GRs, raising questions as to the functional form of the fish, as opposed to the mammalian, GR. It has been proposed that as fish appear to use glucocorticoids for both metabolic and salt control, presumably through a single GR, GR would prove to be the evolutionary precursor to mammalian GR and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR). Computer analysis of the known sequences of GRs and MRs, however, suggests that the fish GR did not give rise to the MR of higher animals, but that both subfamilies of receptor arose from some earlier gene.

South Asia covers more than 30°of latitude with weather observation stations situated from 6°N at Galle, Sri Lanka, to 36°N at Chitral in Pakistan. Moreover, the South Asian station network ranges in altitude from sea level to nearly 4000 m above sea level. This paper uses time series of 11 objectively defined indices of daily temperature extremes at 197 stations in Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka to examine the possible impacts of elevation and latitude on changes in temperature extremes over the period of 1971-2000. Trends in extreme indices are consistent with general warming only at low altitudes and latitudes. Stations at high altitudes and latitudes show both positive and negative trends in extreme temperature indices. As a notable example, the Diurnal Temperature Range (DTR), which has been known to decrease in most parts of the globe, has increasing trends over many high altitude stations in South Asia. Trends in extreme temperature indices at stations in South Asia higher than 2000 m above sea level are mostly in disagreement with those reported over the Tibetan Plateau. Observed trends at low altitude locations in South Asia suggest that these sites can generally expect future changes in temperature extremes that are consistent with broad-scale warming. High-elevation sites appear to be more influenced by local factors and, hence, future changes in temperature extremes may be less predictable for these locations.

Glucocorticoid receptor mRNA is regulated by glucocorticoids. We found no consensus glucocorticoid response element, TATA box, or CAAT box but many GC boxes in -3 kilobases of the 5'-flanking sequence of the human glucocorticoid receptor gene. We identified several transcription start sites, an untranslated exon 1, and the coding content of exon 2.

BACKGROUND: Obesity and its related co-morbidities place a huge burden on the health care system. Patients who know they are obese may better control their weight or seek medical attention. Self-recognition may be affected by race/ethnicity, but little is known about racial/ethnic differences in knowledge of obesity's health risks. OBJECTIVE: To examine awareness of obesity and attendant health risks among US whites, Hispanics and African-Americans. DESIGN: Cross-sectional self-administered survey. PARTICIPANTS: Adult patients at three general medical clinics and one cardiology clinic. MAIN MEASURES: Thirty-one questions regarding demographics, height and weight, and perceptions and attitudes regarding obesity and associated health risks. Multiple logistic regression was used to quantify the association between ethnicity and obesity awareness, controlling for socio-demographic confounders. KEY RESULTS: Of 1,090 patients who were offered the survey, 1,031 completed it (response rate 95%); a final sample size of 970 was obtained after exclusion for implausible BMI, mixed or Asian ethnicity. Mean age was 47 years; 64% were female, 39% were white, 39% Hispanic and 22% African-American; 48% were obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m 2 ). Among obese subjects, whites were more likely to self-report obesity than minorities (adjusted proportions: 95% of whites vs. 84% of African-American and 86% of Hispanics, P= 0.006). Ethnic differences in obesity recognition disappeared when BMI was >35 kg/m 2 . AfricanAmericans were significantly less likely than whites or Hispanics to view obesity as a health problem (77% vs. 90% vs. 88%, p<0.001); African-Americans and Hispanics were less likely than whites to recognize the link between obesity and hypertension, diabetes and heart disease. Of self-identified obese patients, 99% wanted to lose weight, but only 60% received weight loss advice from their health care provider. CONCLUSIONS: African-Americans and Hispanics are significantly less likely to self report obesity and associated health risks. Educational efforts may be necessary, especially for patients with BMIs between 30 and 35.KEY WORD: obesity; ethnic difference; self recognition.

Several articles have examined the status of women in developing countries. But while numerous studies have attempted to estimate the extent of wage discrimination against women in the west, few such studies have been conducted for Third World cOWltries. The only such published study for Pakistan appears to be Ashraf and Ashrafs (1993) examination of the gender earnings differential for Rawalpindi City. Given the very restricted sample (based on just one city in Pakistan) and the relatively dated data (from 1975) used in that study, a need clearly exists for a more comprehensive examination of earnings by gender. This article represents the first intensive look into male-female earnings differentials, not only for Pakistan as a whole, but for each of its four provinces individually as well. Gender earnings differentials have also been calculated for a number of industrial subgroups. Computations have been made for the years 1979 and 1985-86.1 This allows the trend in the gender earnings gap to be tracked over that period. Data from the Household Income and Expenditure Surveys are used in the estimations for both the Oaxaca (1973) model as well as the more recently developed Cotton (1988) and Neumark (1988) models. A new twist is the incorporation of correction for selectivity bias in the sample data which strengthens the methodological underpinnings of the model.

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No study has recently examined how unions affect professors' salaries. In the only studies using micro-level data, both Ashraf (1992) and Barbezat (1989) used data from 1977. I update earlier work by using data from 1988. In conjunction with data from 1969 and 1977, the effect of faculty unions over a twenty-year period is examined. While faculty at unionized colleges earned significantly less than their counterparts at nonunion institutions in 1969, they earned marginally more in 1977 and 1988.