Researcher: Genes
similar in lesbians
NATIONAL
CHICAGO (AP) — Genes appear to play
an important role In determining whether
women are lesbians, said a researcher who
found similar results among gay men.
The study examined 71 sets of identi
cal female twins. 37 sets of fraternal twins
and 35 sets of adoptive sisters to determine if genes play a role
in homosexuality.
"I would say tnat this is very strong evidence in favor of the
argument that heredity plays a role in determining sexual ori
entation." lead researcher). Michael Bailey said Thursday.
But. "Genetics or heredity can't be the whole story."
The researchers theo
rized that identical twins
with matched genetic
make-up would jjave a
higher rate of shared
homosexuality than frater
nal twins, whose genes are
similar but not identical.
In turn, the rate of lesbian
ism would be greater for
fratornal twins than for
adoptive sisters, who are
genetically unrelated, they
predicted.
Forty-eight percent of
the identical twins who
said they were homosexual or bisexual had twins who also
were lesbians, as did 16 percent of the fraternal twins and 6
percent of the adoptive sisters, according to the study, appear
ing in the March issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.
The results were not unanticipated, but they raise several
important Questions, said Roger Gorski. an expert in biological
theories of homosexuality.
“People could argue that, while 48 percent of the identical
twins were both homosexual, what about the 32 percent who
weren't?” said Gorski, who is doing research at the National
Institutes of Health in Washington.
“I think we're dealing with something very complex, per
haps the interaction between hormones, the environment and
genetic components,” Gorski said Thursday.
Bailey, a psychologist at Northwestern University in
Evanston, studied 56 identical male twins, 54' fraternal twins
and 57 adoptive brothers in 1991.
He found 52 percent of gay men had identical twins who
were homosexual, compared to 22 percent of fraternal twins.
‘I would say that
this Is very strong
evidence In fsvorof
the argument that
heredity plays a
role In determining
sexual orientation
— J. Michael Bailey,
researcher in genetics
T
Race gap grows in infant mortality
ATLANTA (AP) — The U S mfaiit mortality
rat« dropped to a record low. but black babies died
at more than twice the rate of white*, and the gap
is growing, federal health officials reported Thurs
day,
For every 1.000 births in 1900. 9.2 babies died
before age I, down from 9.8 in 1989. the Outers for
Disease Control and Prevention said. It credited
most of the drop to a new way of treating the under
developed lungs that kill thousands of premature
and underweight babies.
"That kind of technology is exciting and, yes, it
saves lives," said Rae Grad, executive director of
the National Commission to Prevent Infant Mor
tality. "But wouldn't it be better to give mothers
better prenatal rare so their babies are born vs ith
big lungs instead of tiny lungs?"
The rate in 1990, the most recent year for whit h
data are available, propelled the United States up
two notches — to 20th place — in UNICEF's rank
ing of infant mortality in 23 developed countries
Japan has the world's (vest rate, 5 per 1.000. the Unit
ed States ranked below Italy and ahead of Greece
From 1980 to 1989. the U.S. infant mortality rate
dropped about 3 percent annually. But the 1990
rate dropped ft percent, primarily because the new
lung treatment eliminated almost one-fourth of
infant deaths from respiratory distress syndrome
Premature and underweight babies — those Itorn
weighing less than five pounds — oftwn have lungs
that aren't completely developed Doctors once just
gave them oxygen Now, they manufacture a < hem
u ill often missing from tin* lining of the babies'
lungs, allowing them to breathe, said Dr Marian
MacDorman of the CtXl.
Despite this ti'i hnologv. 3B.351 babies died in
1980, down from 39.055 in 19H9. The District of
Columbia had hv far the deadliest rate, 20.7, fol
lowed by Georgia with 12 4 and Mississippi with
12 1 Vermont had the lowest rate. 5 4
The mortality rate for black infants was 1H, com
pared with 7.0 for whites, and the disparity is grow -
ing. the C.l K . said.
The risk, of dying was 2,3 times greater for black
infants than whites in 1909. but had ‘ ropt up to 2 4
times by 1990 The rate of black infant deaths
decreased 3 percent lietween 19H9 and 1990, and
the rate for whites der reased II percent.
Cow birth weight was the leading killer of black
babies, and birth defer ts i laimed more wlute liabies
Socio-economic factors proliablv are to blame for
the high death rate among friar ks, Mm Dorman satd
Nearly Itiree times as many hluck as white infants
went born to families li\ ing irtdow the poverty line
in 1990, and more him k women are likely to he
uninsured, she said
That means they don't have access to technolo
gy like the sy nthetic lung chemical, Grad said
Waco economy profits from ‘prophet’
WACO. Timas (AP) — Good
luck findings vacant hotel room
or a rental car in this city.
Fast food sales are sizzling.
Camping gear is going fast
At Waco Communications Inc:.,
manager Pam Katrycz has rented
about 100 pagers to federal agents
and journalists covering the
standoff bet ween federal author
ities and members of the heavi
ly-armed Branch Davidian reli
gious seel.
“We're almost out of stock.
People are still coming in,"
Katrycz said.
Whether it's a $25 taxi trip to
the sect's Mount Carmel com
pound 10 miles east of here or a
$10.20 pepperoni pizza, money
has lioen flowing into Waco siiu-e
the siege Imgan Feh. 28
Hundreds of law enforcement
officials, reporters and photogra
phers have flocked to the city of
103.000 since then, waiting for
the cult memlierH to surrender to
federal agents.
Gordon Rost void, s<« rotary of
the Waco Hotel Motel Associa
tion. credits the standoff with fill
ing the city's 2.700 hotel rooms
to about ‘10 percent occupancy
Kostvold has hired temporary
workers to answer phones and
wash laundry at the Hilton hotel
he manages. "Fa* machine use
has been phenomenal," he said.
Other signs of economic life
show at the thriving media vil
luge 111 •> roadblock two milt’*
from (bit branch Davidian’s coin
pound, wbtirtt scaffolding, tents
and portable toilets abound.
Some reports have estimated
that the army of agents and jour
nalists are spending $1 million a
week. But local officials say they
can't put a price tag on the spend
ing.
Some business owners even
downplay the boom, noting that
the slaying uf four agents and
wounding of lfi others in the ini
tial gun battle isn't the kind of
publicity any city would want.
”It's certainly having an eco
nomic. impact." said Chamber of
Commerce President Jack Slew
art.
Stop
the Meals Ifcx!
The City of Eugene i proposed meal* lax u
simply unfair:
If 20-02 pa»*es, miii'II pay u (ax mi meal*
purchased from deli's, sandwich shop*,
rafrlrrias, fooil booths, pushcart*, lav
store*. Thai will really take a bite out
of your food budget!
The meal* lax singles out one group of
retailer* and levied a tax again*! their
eu*torner* to pay for program* that bene
fit everyone in the eominunity. Program*
that benefit everyone *hould lie paid for
by everyone.
• IftHtfUSt!
ern*. eonee**ion stand*, and groeery
* in mi (roM-maai
top the meats taxi
wj ll cosls more
^liaii \oii l(link.
t
VOTE NO ON 20 0?
CASH FOR BOOKS
monday-friday 9-5:00 Saturday 9-2:00
two locations
QUALITY USED TEXTBOOKS
UNIVERSITY OF OREGON,
LANE COMMUNITY COLLEGE
LINFIELD COLLEGE
LAYAWAY NEXT TERMS BOOKS
no money down
bring your author, title, and edition
find your books - pay by April 3
Smith Family Bookstore
textbook and general bookstore
(across from Sacred Heart Hospital - near the U of O campus)
768 East 13th Avenue 345-1651
general books
(across from the post office near the Hilton/Hult Center) i
525 Willamette Street 343-4717 |
textbooks may be sold at either store
monday-firiday 9-5:00 Saturday 9-2:00