Gay Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Gay, including details on homosexuality, genetics, safe sex, health.

Genotoxic effects of the fungicide thiophanate-methyl on Podarcis sicula assessed by micronucleus test, comet assay and chromosome analysis.

Capriglione T, De Iorio S, Gay F, Capaldo A, Vaccaro MC, Morescalchi MA, Laforgia V

Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Sciences, University of Naples "Federico II", Via Mezzocannone 8, 80134, Naples, Italy, teresa.capriglione@unina.it.

The increasing use of pesticides in modern agriculture has raised the need to evaluate their potential threat to animal and human health. In the present study, the genotoxic effects of environmentally relevant exposure to the fungicide thiophanate-methyl (TM) were assessed in the lizard Podarcis sicula (Reptilia, Lacertidae) using micronucleus test, chromosome aberration analysis and single-cell gel electrophoresis (comet) assay. The number of micronuclei increased significantly with exposure time in lizard specimens exposed to 1.5% TM for 30-40 days. In situ hybridization with the specific HindIII centromeric satellite was positive in 18.7% of the micronuclei observed, suggesting an aneugenic effect of TM during mitosis. DNA damage, evaluated by the comet assay, documented a significant gain in comet length in relation to exposure time that was paralleled by a reduction in head size. Finally, cytogenetic analysis showed a significant increase in chromosome aberrations in exposed animals compared with controls. Our data suggest that long-term TM exposure induces a genomic damage that is positively correlated to exposure time. If such genotoxic effects arise so clearly in an ectothermal vertebrate, such as P. sicula, prolonged exposure TM must be considered as a cytogenetic hazard.

Published 6 May 2011 in Ecotoxicology, 20(4): 885-91.
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Articles on Gay published 3 May 2011:

Are stomatal responses the key to understanding the cost of fungal disease resistance in plants?   J Sci Food Agric.

Preventing disease in cereal crops is important for maintaining productivity and as the availability and efficacy of chemical control becomes reduced the emphasis on breeding for disease resistance increases. However, there is evidence that disease resistance may be physiologically costly to the plant and we ask if understanding stomatal responses to fungal attack is the key to minimising reductions in growth associated with disease resistance. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry. [Abstract] [Full-text]

Case Report: Pseudotendon Formation after a Type III Flexor Digitorum Profundus Avulsion.   Clin Orthop Relat Res.

BACKGROUND: Avulsion of the flexor digitorum profundus tendon is a common injury to the hand that virtually always requires surgical repair for restoration of normal finger function. CASE DESCRIPTION: We report a case of a Type III flexor digitorum profundus tendon avulsion in which the patient refused surgery yet attained nearly full active ROM and an excellent functional result via the formation of a pseudotendon, as observed on MRI obtained 2.5 years after the initial injury. LITERATURE ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Social Network Characteristics and HIV Vulnerability Among Transgender Persons in San Salvador: Identifying Opportunities for HIV Prevention Strategies.   AIDS Behav.

The purpose of this study is to improve understanding of HIV vulnerability and opportunities for HIV prevention within the social networks of male-to-female transgender persons in San Salvador, El Salvador. We compare HIV prevalence and behavioral data from a sample of gay-identified men who have sex with men (MSM) (n = 279), heterosexual or bisexual identified MSM (n = 229) and transgender persons (n = 67) recruited using Respondent Driven Sampling. Transgender persons consistently ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Machismo and Mexican American men: An empirical understanding using a gay sample.   J Couns Psychol.

Machismo continues to be a defining aspect of Mexican American men that informs a wide array of psychological and behavioral dimensions. Although strides have been made in this area of research, understanding of the role of this construct in the lives of gay men remains incomplete. Our purpose in this study was to gain a deeper understanding of machismo using a sample of Mexican American gay men. This study examined for the first time whether a 2-factor model of machismo previously validated ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Disclosure of membership in the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community by individuals with communication impairments: a preliminary web-based survey.   Am J Speech Lang Pathol, 20(2): 86-94.

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Articles on Gay published 2 May 2011:

Homophobic and Sexist yet Uncontested: Examining Football Fan Postings on Internet Message Boards.   J Homosex, 58(5): 680-99.

Although a homophobic and sexist archetype of heterosexual masculinity has been thought to permeate competitive teamsport, matters have been rapidly changing. This is evident in research on openly gay athletes, attitudes among heterosexual athletes, and recent studies on decreasing homophobia among sport media content. In this research, however, we examine how some men still adhere to a homophobic and sexist masculine deposition when discussing sport on the Internet. A textual analysis was used ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Mapping the terrain of homosexually-themed language.   J Homosex, 58(5): 664-79.

In this article, I present a new model for understanding homosexually-themed language. By detailing how old conceptualizations of homophobic language no longer maintain heuristic utility in explaining the social dynamics of many sport and educational settings, I situate other conceptualizations of homosexually-themed language depending on the cultural context. I argue that whether language is considered homophobic, or whether it is better conceptualized as fag discourse, gay discourse or ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

Men at Sport: Gay Men's Experiences in the Sport Workplace.   J Homosex, 58(5): 626-46.

Research on sexual identity and sport has revealed a shifting narrative about the experiences of gay men. While some suggest the atmosphere is hostile, others posit that homophobia and sexual prejudice are playing less of a role in gay men's experiences. This research focuses on the experiences of 10 gay men working in professional, collegiate, and club sport, as part of a larger dataset of 37 male and female employees. Five of the men were overtly and publicly out at work, while five were ... [Abstract] [Full-text]

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