Patterns of mortality and causes of death among Rhode Island Jews, 1979–1981

Abstract

Using information provided by institutions handling Jewish deaths, this study identified 735 deaths among Jewish residents of Rhode Island during 1979–81. Official death records then provided data on the characteristics of the deceased and on cause of death, allowing comparisons of Jewish/non‐ Jewish patterns of mortality and cause of death, as well as analysis of differentials among the Jewish decedents, taking account of birthplace and occupation. The findings indicate that relatively fewer Jewish males die at ages below 65, and more at ages 85 and over than is true of total white males. Jewish females exhibit an age‐at‐death pattern more similar to that of all white women. These sex differences characterize cause of death as well. Differences are more pronounced between Jewish and non‐Jewish males than between the female groups. Most noteworthy, Jewish male deaths from diabetes are significantly higher and deaths from respiratory disease significantly lower than among total white men. Differentials in age of death between Jewish native‐born and foreign‐born are largely a function of their differential age composition, and socioeconomic status showed no clear relation to age at death or cause of death.     

Spatial and environmental correlates of intraspecific morphological variation in three species of passerine birds from the Purus–Madeira interfluvium,Central Amazonia

Biogeographic studies in Amazonia typically describe biodiversity across interfluvia, rarely within them, where geographic variability in morphological traits might be observed. We tested for intraspecific phenotypic variation in three bird species within the Purus–Madeira interfluvium (Central Amazon) and whether phenotypes were correlated with environmental heterogeneity or geographic distance among sites. We compared coloration indexes derived from reflectance spectra and morphometrics of up to five adult individuals of each sex among 11 sites within the interfluvium and contrasted them with proxies for geographic distance and environmental variation (tree basal area and bird community). Environmental heterogeneity was minimally spatially autocorrelated, and there were no obvious geographical barriers to dispersal in the study region. The null hypothesis was that we would see either no phenotypic variation or random variation that was not explained by the tested variables. Half of the cases analyzed showed intraspecific morphological variation. Coloration varied more frequently than morphometrics, and color was better explained by environmental heterogeneity, particularly in males, whereas brightness also varied with geographic distance. Geographic distance explained the only case of variation in morphometrics. Our results indicate that coloration, particularly plumage brightness, is more labile than morphometric traits and that plumage color might be under stronger effects of local adaptation than brightness, which also seems to be under effects of neutral drift and gene flow among populations. Higher frequencies of association between male coloration and the environment suggest a role of non-arbitrary mechanisms of sexual selection on the expression of male phenotypes, whereas arbitrary intersexual selection might explain the randomly distributed variation that is not explained by environmental heterogeneity or geographic distance. We revealed intraspecific phenotypic variation in a spatial extent usually not considered in biogeographic studies in the Amazon and demonstrate that both local adaptation and neutral drift are important to explain intraspecific trait diversification at this geographical scale.     

Relative impacts of environmental variation and evolutionary history on the nestedness and modularity of tree–herbivore networks

Nestedness and modularity are measures of ecological networks whose causative effects are little understood. We analyzed antagonistic plant–herbivore bipartite networks using common gardens in two contrasting environments comprised of aspen trees with differing evolutionary histories of defence against herbivores. These networks were tightly connected owing to a high level of specialization of arthropod herbivores that spend a large proportion of the life cycle on aspen. The gardens were separated by ten degrees of latitude with resultant differences in abiotic conditions. We evaluated network metrics and reported similar connectance between gardens but greater numbers of links per species in the northern common garden. Interaction matrices revealed clear nestedness, indicating subsetting of the bipartite interactions into specialist divisions, in both the environmental and evolutionary aspen groups, although nestedness values were only significant in the northern garden. Variation in plant vulnerability, measured as the frequency of herbivore specialization in the aspen population, was significantly partitioned by environment (common garden) but not by evolutionary origin of the aspens. Significant values of modularity were observed in all network matrices. Trait-matching indicated that growth traits, leaf morphology, and phenolic metabolites affected modular structure in both the garden and evolutionary groups, whereas extra-floral nectaries had little influence. Further examination of module configuration revealed that plant vulnerability explained considerable variance in web structure. The contrasting conditions between the two gardens resulted in bottom-up effects of the environment, which most strongly influenced the overall network architecture, however, the aspen groups with dissimilar evolutionary history also showed contrasting degrees of nestedness and modularity. Our research therefore shows that, while evolution does affect the structure of aspen–herbivore bipartite networks, the role of environmental variations is a dominant constraint.     

Effects of global environmental changes on parasitoid–host food webs and biological control

Global environmental changes threaten biodiversity and the interactions between species, and food-web approaches are being used increasingly to measure their community-wide impacts. Here we review how parasitoid–host food webs affect biological control, and how their structure responds to environmental change. We find that land-use intensification tends to produce webs with low complexity and uneven interaction strengths. Dispersal, spatial arrangement of habitats, the species pool and community differences across habitats have all been found to determine how webs respond to landscape structure, though clear effects of landscape complexity on web structure remain elusive. The invasibility of web structures and response of food webs to invasion have been the subject of theoretical and empirical work respectively, and nutrient enrichment has been widely studied in the food-web literature, potentially driving dynamic instability and altering biomass ratios of different trophic levels. Combined with food-web changes observed under climate change, these responses of food webs could signal changes to biological control, though there have been surprisingly few studies linking food-web structure to pest control, and these have produced mixed results. However, there is strong potential for food-web approaches to add value to biological control research, as parasitoid–host webs have been used to predict indirect effects among hosts that share enemies, to study non-target effects of biological control agents and to quantify the use of alternative prey resources by enemies. Future work is needed to link food-web interactions with evolutionary responses to the environment and predator–prey interactions, while incorporating recent advances in predator biodiversity research. This holistic understanding of agroecosystem responses and functioning, made possible by food-web approaches, may hold the key to better management of biological control in changing environments.     

How much better are females? The occurrence of female advantage,its proximal causes and its variation within and among gynodioecious species

Background

Gynodioecy is a reproductive system of interest for evolutionary biologists, as it poses the question of how females can be maintained while competing with hermaphrodites that possess both male and female functions. One necessary condition for the maintenance of this polymorphism is the occurrence of a female advantage, i.e. a better seed production or quality by females compared with hermaphrodites. Theoretically, its magnitude can be low when sterility mutations are cytoplasmic, while a 2-fold advantage is needed in the case of nuclear sterility. Such a difference is often thought to be due to reduced inbreeding depression in obligatory outcrossed females. Finally, variation in sex ratio and female advantage occur among populations of some gynodioecious species, though the prevalence of such variation is unknown.

Scope

By reviewing and analysing the data published on 48 gynodioecious species, we examined three important issues about female advantage. (1) Are reduced selfing and inbreeding depression likely to be the major cause of female advantage? (2) What is the magnitude of female advantage and does it fit theoretical predictions? (3) Does the occurrence or the magnitude of female advantage vary among populations within species and why?

Conclusions

It was found that a female advantage occurred in 40 species, with a magnitude comprised between 1 and 2 in the majority of cases. In many species, reduced selfing may not be a necessary cause of this advantage. Finally, female advantage varied among populations in some species, but both positive and negative correlations were found with female frequency. The role of reduced selfing in females for the evolution of gynodioecy, as well as the various processes that affect sex ratios and female advantage in populations are discussed.     

“Relevant similarity” and the causes of biological evolution: selection, fitness, and statistically abstractive explanations

Matthen (Philos Sci 76(4):464–487, 2009) argues that explanations of evolutionary change that appeal to natural selection are statistically abstractive explanations, explanations that ignore some possible explanatory partitions that in fact impact the outcome. This recognition highlights a difficulty with making selective analyses fully rigorous. Natural selection is not about the details of what happens to any particular organism, nor, by extension, to the details of what happens in any particular population. Since selective accounts focus on tendencies, those factors that impact the actual outcomes but do not impact the tendencies must be excluded. So, in order to properly exclude the factors irrelevant to selection, the relevant factors must be identified, and physical processes, environments, and populations individuated on the basis of being relevantly similar for the purposes of selective accounts. Natural selection, on this view, becomes in part a measure of the robustness of particular kinds of outcomes given variations over some kinds of inputs.     

Molecular–cytogenetic studies of ribosomal RNA genes and heterochromatin in three European Fraxinus species

Three European representatives of the genus Fraxinus were studied for the first time for their rDNA and heterochromatin patterns. The physical mapping of two rRNA gene families 5S and 18S–5.8S–26S (45S) and the distributional pattern of GC-rich regions in the chromosomes have been established by means of fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and fluorochrome banding with chromomycin A₃. The genome size was assessed by flow cytometry. Heterochromatin and rDNA organization was conserved and almost identical for two species from Fraxinus section (F. angustifolia and F. excelsior). The number and position of rDNA loci in F. ornus (section Ornus) were similar; however, the organization of genes was quite different. In this species the 5S and 45S rRNA genes were colocalized at the level of satellites of two chromosome pairs bearing nucleolar organizing regions (NORs). One 5S locus was also observed under the 45S one of one chromosome pair. In F. angustifolia and F. excelsior, only 45S loci were situated at the level of satellites and secondary constrictions, while 5S was located just under 45S in the distal part of the short arm of one out of two marked pairs. The number and position of GC-rich DNA correspond to those of 45S loci. The genome size (2C value) was of 1.54 and 1.68 pg for F. angustifolia and F. excelsior, respectively. Fraxinus ornus possessed the highest 2C DNA value (1.98 pg). In the light of these cytogenetic features the clear differentiation between two sections (Fraxinus and Ornus) was observed both at the rDNA and genome size levels.     

Floral divergence, pollinator partitioning and the spatiotemporal pattern of plant–pollinator interactions in three sympatric Adenophora species

Floral divergence among congeners may relate to differential utilization of pollinators and contribute to reducing overlap in pollination niches. To investigate whether and how floral differences are associated with differential utilization of pollinators in three sympatric Adenophora species, we analyzed floral traits and evaluated the contribution of different visitors to pollination. We compared visitation rates of different pollinator categories in different years and sites. A suite of floral traits differed among the three Adenophora species, suggesting adaptation to diurnal versus nocturnal pollination and an intermediate condition. However, many visitor species were shared among the three plant species, suggesting that floral traits did not rigorously filter visitors. Effective pollinators were large bees and moths. The importance of large bees as pollinators decreased whereas that of moths increased along the gradient from typically bee-pollinated to moth-pollinated flowers. The intermediate species (A. khasiana) differed substantially from the other two species in pollinator species but not in pollinator categories. The principal pollinator category of each species was constant across years and sites except in the intermediate species where it differed between two sites. Overall, the three sympatric species of Adenophora partition pollinators by floral divergence and the principal pollinators coincide with the predictions based on floral syndromes.     

Comparison of three RE agents—99mTc-phytate, 99mTc-sulfur colloid and 99mTc-Sb2S3 colloid in the rodent species

^99mTc-phytate, ^99mTc-sulfur colloid and ^99mTc-antimony sulfide colloid are recognised as RE agents in clinical nuclear medicine. Since these three agents exist in vitro in different forms of particulate aggregation it was of interest to compare their properties and to evaluate the merits and limitations of each of these agents. A comparison was carried out in rats and rabbits as a prelude to a systematic study in human subjects. Quality tested radiopharmaceuticals were prepared and their pharmacokinetics studied in rats. The blood clearance, tissue distribution and scinti-imaging patterns of the RE system were also compared in rabbits. All the agents have excellent localizing properties in the liver but differ in varying extents in their disposition in other tissues. ^99mTc-sulfur colloid has some predisposition for the lungs while ^99mTc-phytate has a little propensity for the kidney and gut at late time periods. ^99mTc-Sb₂S₃ colloid shows a more pronounced concentration in the bone-marrow, and displays intermediate properties between ^99mTc-phytate and ^99mTc-sulfur colloid, besides being the most stable (in vitro) radiopharmaceutical in this series of RE agents.     

The influence of climate variability on numbers of three waterbird species in Western Port, Victoria, 1973–2002

Seasonal and annual movements of Australian waterbirds are generally more complex than those of their Northern Hemisphere counterparts, and long-term data are needed to understand their relationships with climatic variables. This paper explores a long-term (1973–2002) set of waterbird counts from coastal Victoria and relates them to climatic data at local and continental scales. Three species (Black Swan Cygnus atratus, White-faced Heron Egretta novaehollandiae and Grey Teal Anas gracilis) were chosen for this analysis. Black Swans have large local breeding populations near the study region; White-faced Herons have smaller local breeding populations and Grey Teal breed extensively in ephemeral inland floodplains, such as those in the Murray-Darling Basin. All showed significant relationships with streamflow, regional rainfall and the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) at appropriate scales and time-lags, with streamflow explaining the most variance. Black Swans showed a strong seasonal cycle in abundance and local climate variables had the greatest influence on the counts. Numbers were positively correlated with streamflow in southern Victoria three to six seasons before each count. Broader-scale climatic patterns were more important for the other two species. Numbers of White-faced Herons were positively correlated with streamflow or rainfall over various parts of Australia seven to nine seasons before each count. Numbers of Grey Teal showed weak seasonal cycles, and were negatively correlated with rainfall in Victoria or the Murray-Darling Basin in the seasons before or during each count, and positively with streamflow in the Murray-Darling Basin 15–18 months before each count.     

Seasonal variations in mercury,cadmium, lead and arsenic species in Norwegian blue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) – Assessing the influence of biological and environmental factors

BackgroundBlue mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) can accumulate undesirable substances, including the potentially toxic elements (PTEs) cadmium (Cd), mercury, (Hg), lead (Pb), arsenic (As) and As species. In this study, the levels of PTEs and As species were determined in samples of blue mussels to assess the influence of environmental and biological factors, and evaluate the potential risk associated with blue mussels in terms of food and feed safety.MethodologyBlue mussels were collected monthly from one location in Western Norway from February 2018 to December 2018, and from April 2019 to April 2020. Samples were analyzed for PTEs using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled to ICP-MS. Temperature, salinity and fluorescence (chlorophyll a) were monitored in the seawater column by STD/CTD, to assess the potential influence of these environmental factors on the PTE levels in the mussels.ResultsThe results showed seasonal variations in the PTEs, with somewhat higher concentrations in spring and winter months. Unusually high levels of total As (101.2 mg kg^-1 dw) and inorganic As (53.6 mg kg^-1 dw) were observed for some of the time points. The organic As species arsenobetaine was generally the major As species (17–82% of total As) in the mussels, but also simple methylated As species and arsenosugars were detected. Principal components analysis (PCA) did not show a consistent relationship between the environmental factors and the PTE concentrations, showing contrary results for some elements for the periods studied. The condition index (CI) could explain variations in element concentration with significant correlations for Cd (r = −0.67, p = 0.009) and Pb (r = −0.62, p = 0.02 in 2019/20 and r = −0.52, p = 0.02 in 2018), whereas the correlation between As and CI was not significant (r = 0.12 in 2018, and r = −0.06 in 2019/20). Higher concentrations of iAs and arsenosugars coincided with increased signals of chlorophyll a, suggesting that phytoplankton blooms could be a source of As in the blue mussels.ConclusionTo our knowledge, this is the first study of As species in blue mussels collected over a time period of two years, providing an insight into the natural variations of these chemical forms in mussels. In terms of mussel as food and future feed material, concentrations of Cd, Hg and Pb were below the maximum levels (MLs) established in the EU food and feed legislation. However, levels of As and iAs in mussels at some time points exceeded the MLs for As in the feed legislation, and the margin of exposure (MOE) was low if these mussels were for human consumption, highlighting the importance of determining the chemical forms of As in feed and food.     

Who’s afraid of the big bad wolf? Variation in the stress response among personalities and populations in a large wild herbivore

Oecologia - Faced with rapid environmental changes, individuals may express different magnitude and plasticity in their response to a given stressor. However, little is known about the causes of...     

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas among males of the three largest Asian diasporas in the US, 2004–2013

BackgroundHead and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) have not been fully examined in the Asian diasporas in the US, despite certain Asian countries having the highest incidence of specific HNSCCs.MethodsNational Cancer Database was used to compare 1046 Chinese, 887 South Asian (Indian/Pakistani), and 499 Filipino males to 156,927 Non-Hispanic White (NHW) males diagnosed with HNSCC between 2004−2013. Multinomial logistic regression was used to assess the association of race/ethnicity with two outcomes – site group and late-stage diagnosis. Temporal trends were explored for site groups and subsites.ResultsSouth Asians had a greater proportion of oral cavity cancer [OCC] compared to NHWs (59 % vs. 25 %; OR_adj =7.3 (95 % CI: 5.9–9.0)). In contrast, Chinese (64 % vs. 9%; OR_adj =34.0 (95 % CI: 26.5–43.6)) and Filipinos (47 % vs. 9%; OR_adj =10.0 (95 % CI: 7.8–12.9)) had a greater proportion of non-oropharyngeal cancer compared to NHWs. All three Asian subgroups had a higher likelihood of being diagnosed by age 40 (14 % Chinese, 10 % South Asian and 8% Filipino compared to 3% in NHW; p < 0.001). Chinese males had lower odds of late-stage diagnosis, compared to NHWs. South Asian cases doubled from 2004 to 2013 largely due to an increase in OCC cases (34 cases in 2004 to 86 in 2013).ConclusionAsian diasporas are at a higher likelihood of specific HNSCCs. Risk factors, screening and survival need to be studied further, and policy changes are needed to promote screening and to discourage high-risk habits in these Asian subgroups.     

Day–night specific binding of 2-[125I]Iodomelatonin and melatonin content in gill, small intestine and kidney of three fish species

Some of melatonin’s (Mel) well-established physiological effects are mediated via high-affinity cell-membrane receptors belonging to the superfamily of G-protein-coupled receptors. Specific binding of ligand 2-[¹²⁵I]iodomelatonin, using membrane preparations from osmoregulatory tissues of flounder, rainbow trout and sea bream, together with Mel concentrations in the tissues and plasma were studied. The kidney, gill and small intestine samples were collected during the day and at night. The dissociation constants (K _d) and maximal binding densities (B _max) were calculated for each tissue at 11:00 and 23:00 h. The binding sites with K _d values in the tissues in the picomolar range indicated the high affinity. K _d and B _max values were tissue- and species-dependent. The GTP analogue [Guanosine 5′-O-(3-thiotriphosphate)] treatment significantly reduced the B _max value, indicating that the 2-[¹²⁵I]iodomelatonin-binding sites are probably coupled to a G-protein. No daily variations in K _d and B _max values were observed. These are the first studies of the presence of 2-[¹²⁵I]iodomelatonin-binding sites in the small intestine, kidney tubule and gill of fish. The data strongly suggest new potential targets for Mel action and the influence of Mel on water/ion balance in fish. The intestine seems to be a site of Mel synthesis and/or an active accumulation of the hormone.     

Photosynthetic characterization of three dominant plant species in the saline–alkaline soil of the Yellow River Delta,China

The diurnal variations of photosynthesis of three dominant species, including Glycine soja, Phragmites australis, and Cynanchum chinensis, in the Yellow River Delta in China have been studied under the same natural conditions using a Li-6400 portable photosynthesis system. The results showed that the curves of diurnal variations of net photosynthetic rate (P_N) of the three plants were different. The diurnal variation of P_N on C. chinensis was a midday depression pattern and had two peaks. However, P_N of G. soja and P. australis showed single-peak curves. The transpiration rate (E) of G. soja was significantly higher than that of P. australis and C. chinensis, both showed single-peak curves. In general, the diurnal course of stomatal conductance (g_s) followed the same pattern of P_N. A similar diurnal pattern of intercellular CO₂ concentration (C_i), vapor pressure deficit (VPD), and water use efficiency (WUE) was observed among different species. VPD showed single-peak curves, while WUE was characterized by double-peak curves, which was contrary to C_i. Linear correlations among photosynthetic variables and key environmental factors indicate high positive correlations between P_N and E, P_N and photosynthetic active radiation, P_N and leaf temperature (T_leaf), P_N and VPD, and between P_N and g_s except C. chinensis. Negative correlations among P_N and relative humidity, P_N and C_i were found. The irradiance response curves derived from the leaves were substantially affected by different species. C. chinensis showed highest apparent quantum efficiency, followed by P. australis and G. soja, while apparent dark respiration (R_d), convexity (k), light saturation point, and maximum gross CO₂ assimilation rate (P_max) of G. soja were higher than those of P. australis and C. chinensis. The irradiance response curve of P_N and WUE of different plant species followed the same order: G. soja>C. chinensis>P. australis. They were both higher than most of other species. It was concluded that plant species adapting to the saline–alkaline habitat showed higher photosynthesis. In addition, G. soja is also effective to improve saline–alkaline soil quality.     

Design,synthesis and biological evaluation of estradiol–chlorambucil hybrids as anticancer agents

A series of estradiol–chlorambucil hybrids was synthesized as anticancer drugs for site-directed chemotherapy of breast cancer. The novel compounds were synthesized in good yields through efficient modifications of estrone at position 16α of the steroid nucleus. The newly synthesized compounds were evaluated for their anticancer efficacy in different hormone-dependent and hormone-independent breast cancer cell lines. The novel hybrids showed significant in vitro anticancer activity when compared to chlorambucil. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) reveals the influence of the length of the spacer chain between carrier and drug molecule.