The challenge of understanding the Asian‐American experience

Roger Daniels, ASIAN AMERICA: CHINESE AND JAPANESE IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE 1850, Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1988, 344 pp., $24.95 (hardback).

Harriet Duleep, THE ECONOMIC STATUS OF AMERICANS OF ASIAN DESCENT: AN EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATION, Washington DC: US Commission on Civil Rights Clearinghouse Publication 95, October 1988.

James A. Freeman, HEARTS OF SORROW: VIETNAMESE‐AMERICAN LIVES, Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press, 1989, 427 pp., $29.50 (hard cover)     

Collateral relatives of American Indians among the Bronze Age populations of Siberia?

Nonmetric and metric traits were studied in cranial series representing prehistoric and modern populations of America and Siberia. Frequencies of the infraorbital pattern type II (longitudinal infraorbital suture overlaid by the zygomatic bone) are universally lower in Amerindians than in Siberians. The os japonicum posterior trace, too, is much less frequent in America than in Siberia. The only two Siberian groups with an almost Amerindian combination are late third to early second millennium bc populations from Okunev and Sopka, southern Siberia. The multivariate analysis of five nonmetric facial traits and ten facial measurements in 15 cranial series reveals two independent tendencies. One of them shows a contrast between prehistoric Siberian Caucasoids and modern Siberian Mongoloids; the second one sets Amerindians apart from others. Prehistoric people who lived west of Lake Baikal and modern Uralic speakers are intermediate between Siberian Caucasoids and Siberian Mongoloids; Eskimos, Aleuts, and Chukchi are intermediate between Siberian Mongoloids and Amerindians; and Okunev and Sopka are intermediate between Siberian Caucasoids and Amerindians. Our results suggest that people of Okunev and Sopka are collateral relatives of Amerindians with some Caucasoid admixture. Am J Phys Anthropol 108:193–204, 1999. © 1999 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Mustela or Vison? Evidence for the taxonomic status of the American mink and a distinct biogeographic radiation of American weasels

The American mink’s relationship to the weasels in Mustela has been uncertain. Karyological, morphological, and phylogenetic comparisons to Eurasian Mustela support placing the mink outside the genus as Neovison vison. However, genetic comparisons that incorporate other endemic American Mustela suggest the interpretation of N. vison’s position to Mustela has been handicapped by biased geographic sampling. Here, we analyzed mitochondrial cytochrome-b from all weasels endemic to the Americas, including two poorly known South American species (M. felipei, M. africana), weasels native to North America (M. vison, M. frenata, M. nigripes), Mustela migrant to North America (M. erminea, M. nivalis), palearctic Mustela, and other American members of Mustelidae. Bayesian and likelihood inference methods were used to construct a phylogeny of Mustela, and relaxed Bayesian phylogenetic techniques estimated ages of divergence within the genus using priors calibrated by fossil ages. Our analyses show that the American mink and the smaller Mustela endemic to the Americas represent a distinct phylogenetic heritage apart from their Eurasian cousins, and biogeographic barriers like the Bering and Panamanian land bridges have influenced the evolutionary history of Mustela in the Americas.     

Consensus Statement by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology on the Comprehensive Type 2 Diabetes Management Algorithm – 2018 Executive Summary

Abbreviations: A1C = hemoglobin A1C; AACE = American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists; ACCORD = Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes; ACCORD BP = Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Blood Pressure; ACEI = angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ADVANCE = Action in Diabetes and Vascular Disease: Preterax and Diamicron MR Controlled Evaluation; AGI = alpha-glucosidase inhibitor; apo B = apolipoprotein B; ASCVD = atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; BAS = bile acid sequestrant; BCR-QR = bromocriptine quick release; BMI = body mass index; BP = blood pressure; CCB = calcium channel blocker; CHD = coronary heart disease; CKD = chronic kidney disease; CVD = cardiovascular disease; DASH = Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension; DPP4 = dipeptidyl peptidase 4; eGFR = estimated glomerular filtration rate; ER = extended release; FDA = Food and Drug Administration; GLP1 = glucagon-like peptide 1; HDL-C = high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; IMPROVE-IT = Improved Reduction of Outcomes: Vytorin Efficacy International Trial; LDL-C = low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-P = low-density lipoprotein particle; Look AHEAD = Look Action for Health in Diabetes; NPH = neutral protamine Hagedorn; OSA = obstructive sleep apnea; RCT = randomized controlled trial; SU = sulfonylurea; SGLT2 = sodium glucose cotransporter-2; SMBG = self-monitoring of blood glucose; T2D = type 2 diabetes; TZD = thiazolidinedione; VADT = Veterans Affairs Diabetes Trial     

Consensus Statement by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology on the Comprehensive Type 2 Diabetes Management Algorithm – 2020 Executive Summary

Abbreviations: A1C = hemoglobin A1C; AACE = American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists; ABCD = adiposity-based chronic disease; ACCORD = Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes; ACCORD BP = Action to Control Cardiovascular Risk in Diabetes Blood Pressure; ACE = American College of Endocrinology; ACEI = angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; AGI = alpha-glucosidase inhibitor; apo B = apolipoprotein B; ARB = angiotensin II receptor blocker; ASCVD = atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease; BAS = bile acid sequestrant; BMI = body mass index; BP = blood pressure; CCB = calcium channel blocker; CGM = continuous glucose monitoring; CHD = coronary heart disease; CKD = chronic kidney disease; DKA = diabetic ketoacidosis; DPP4 = dipeptidyl peptidase 4; eGFR = estimated glomerular filtration rate; EPA = eicosapentaenoic acid; ER = extended release; FDA = Food and Drug Administration; GLP1 = glucagon-like peptide 1; HDL-C = high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol; HeFH = heterozygous familial hypercholesterolemia; LDL-C = low-density-lipoprotein cholesterol; LDL-P = low-density-lipoprotein particle; Look AHEAD = Look Action for Health in Diabetes; NPH = neutral protamine Hagedorn; OSA = obstructive sleep apnea; PCSK9 = proprotein convertase subtilisin-kexin type 9 serine protease; RCT = randomized controlled trial; SU = sulfonylurea; SGLT2 = sodium-glucose cotransporter 2; SMBG = self-monitoring of blood glucose; T2D = type 2 diabetes; TZD = thiazolidinedione     

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis — 2016--Executive Summary

Abbreviations:AACE = American Association of Clinical EndocrinologistsAFF = atypical femur fractureASBMR = American Society for Bone and Mineral ResearchBEL = best evidence levelBMD = bone mineral densityBTM = bone turnover markerCBC = complete blood countCI = confidence intervalDXA = dual-energy X-ray absorptiometryEL = evidence levelFDA = U.S. Food and Drug AdministrationFLEX = Fracture Intervention Trial (FIT) Long-term ExtensionFRAX® = Fracture Risk Assessment ToolGFR = glomerular filtration rateGI = gastrointestinalHORIZON = Health Outcomes and Reduced Incidence with Zoledronic Acid Once YearlyIOF = International Osteoporosis FoundationISCD = International Society for Clinical DensitometryIU = international unitsIV = intravenousLSC = least significant changeNBHA = National Bone Health AllianceNOF = National Osteoporosis Foundation25(OH)D = 25-hydroxy vitamin DONJ = osteonecrosis of the jawPINP = serum carboxy-terminal propeptide of type I collagenPTH = parathyroid hormoneR = recommendationRANK = receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-BRANKL = receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligandRCT = randomized controlled trialRR = relative riskS-CTX = serum C-terminal telopeptideSQ = subcutaneousVFA = vertebral fracture assessmentWHO = World Health Organization     

Presence of American cutaneous Leishmaniasis vectors surrounding the city of Medellín,Colombia

The presence of Lutzomyia (Helcocyrtomyia) hartmanni, as a vector of Leishmania colombiensis and L. columbiana (Verrucarum group), recently incriminated in the transmission of leishmaniasis, and L. pia (Verrucarum group) are reported for the first time in a periurban area of Medellín city. There is thus a risk of leishmaniasis transmission in this town.     

Three levels of integrating ecology with the conservation of South American temperate forests: the initiative of the Institute of Ecological Research Chiloé, Chile

The diversity of native species assemblages and that of indigenous cultures that once characterized the temperate forests of southern Chile have experienced a process of homogenization ever since the Spanish conquest. Today this process continues to erode both biotic and cultural diversity. With the goal of linking ecological research with actions to conserve the biological and cultural richness of this region, we established the Institute of Ecological Research Chiloé. The Institute's philosophy and activities involve three approaches: (1) participation of professional ecologists in environmental education and decision making, through collaboration with the community at local, regional, and global scales. (2) programs of ecological education, which include planting indigenous trees in urban areas and creating a local botanical garden with representative Chilean forest species. (3) critical analyses of the narrow economic and utilitarian environmental ethics that currently prevail in Chile, and often in other Latin American nations, and examination of traditional or novel alternative ethics and perspectives that address multiple interrelations between biological and cultural dimensions.     

Spectacles of South Asia at the American circus, 1890–1940

This article examines how racial and gendered images of South Asia were played out in performance at the American circus around 1900. These representations reinforced the Anglo‐American construct of a racial hierarchy in which South Asians were depicted to be static, and unable to keep pace with the Anglo‐American “race”. American circus spectacles featuring Indian subjects glorified British imperialism and helped to popularize the common colonialist stereotype that a minority of English officials were needed to rule millions of Indians. The American circus, as the most popular form of American public entertainment in an era before movies and television, helped to form a constellation of racial and sexual stereotypes concerning South Asia which continue to this day.     

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists/American College of Endocrinology Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Diagnosis and Treatment of Postmenopausal Osteoporosis— 2020 Update Executive Summary

Objective: The development of these guidelines is sponsored by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) Board of Directors and American College of Endocrinology (ACE) Board of Trustees and adheres with published AACE protocols for the standardized production of clinical practice guidelines (CPGs).Methods: Recommendations are based on diligent reviews of the clinical evidence with transparent incorporation of subjective factors, according to established AACE/ACE guidelines for guidelines protocols.Results: The Executive Summary of this 2020 updated guideline contains 52 recommendations: 21 Grade A (40%), 24 Grade B (46%), 7 Grade C (14%), and no Grade D (0%). These detailed, evidence-based recommendations allow for nuance-based clinical decision-making that addresses multiple aspects of real-world care of patients. The evidence base presented in the subsequent Appendix provides relevant supporting information for the Executive Summary recommendations. This update contains 368 citations: 123 (33.5%) evidence level (EL) 1 (highest), 132 (36%) EL 2 (intermediate), 20 (5.5%) EL 3 (weak), and 93 (25%) EL 4 (lowest). New or updated topics in this CPG include: clarification of the diagnosis of osteoporosis, stratification of the patient according to high-risk and very-high-risk features, a new dual-action therapy option, and transitions from therapeutic options.Conclusion: This guideline is a practical tool for endocrinologists, physicians in general, regulatory bodies, health-related organizations, and interested laypersons regarding the diagnosis, evaluation, and treatment of post-menopausal osteoporosis.     

Tracing the politics of changing postwar research practices: the export of ‘American’ radioisotopes to European biologists

This paper examines the US Atomic Energy Commission’s radioisotope distribution program, established in 1946, which employed the uranium piles built for the wartime bomb project to produce specific radioisotopes for use in scientific investigation and medical therapy. As soon as the program was announced, requests from researchers began pouring into the Commission’s office. During the first year of the program alone over 1000 radioisotope shipments were sent out. The numerous requests that came from scientists outside the United States, however, sparked a political debate about whether the Commission should or even could export radioisotopes. This controversy manifested the tension between the aims of the Marshall Plan and growing US national security concerns after World War II. Proponents of international circulation of radioisotopes emphasized the political and scientific value of collaborating with European scientists, especially biomedical researchers. In the end, radioisotopes were shipped from the Commission’s Oak Ridge facility to many laboratories in England and continental Europe, where they were used in biochemical research on animals, plants, and microbes. However, the issue of radioisotope export continued to draw political fire in the United States, even after the establishment of national atomic energy facilities elsewhere.     

American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and American College of Endocrinology Disease State Clinical Review: Management of Acromegaly Patients: What is the Role of Pre-Operative Medical Therapy?

Objective: Acromegaly is a complex disease characterized by growth hormone (GH) excess originating in most cases from a pituitary tumor. The goals of treatment include removing the tumor or reducing tumor burden, normalizing GH secretion and insulin-like growth factor 1 levels, and preserving normal pituitary function if possible. Surgery by an experienced neurosurgeon is still considered first-line therapy, especially in cases with small tumors. In the last few decades, significant progress in the development of selective pharmacologic agents has greatly facilitated the management of active acromegaly, with agents such as somatostatin-receptor ligands (SRLs), GH-receptor antagonists, and dopamine agonists. In addition to adjuvant treatment, pre-operative medical therapy and primary therapy in de novo patients are increasingly employed.Methods: A United States National Library of Medicine PubMed search (through July 2014) was conducted for the following terms: acromegaly, pre-operative medical therapy, somatostatin-receptor ligands, and somatostatin analogs. Articles not in English and those not in peer-reviewed journals were excluded. In reviewing pertinent articles, focus was placed on biochemical and other postoperative outcomes of medical therapy.Results: An analysis of the full effect of pre-operative use of SRLs on surgical outcomes (remission rates and peri-operative complications) is limited by heterogeneity of methodology, low overall surgical cure rates, and different study designs. The assumption that SRL use prior to surgery reduces peri-operative surgical risk has yet to be proven. A variable degree of tumor shrinkage with preoperative SRLs is observed. Likewise, SRL treatment 3 months before surgery may improve surgical remission rates in the short term; however, positive results do not persist in the long term.Conclusion: We consider that medical therapy before surgery could play a role in carefully selected patients, but treatment should be individualized. Primary medical therapy with a SRL may be considered in patients with macroadenomas without local mass effects on the optic chiasm, as SRLs have been shown to reduce tumor size and control GH hypersecretion. However, the data are insufficient to support general use of a SRL prior to surgery in order to improve post-surgery biochemical outcomes. Theoretically, patients with severe cardiac and respiratory complications due to acromegaly could potentially benefit from pre-operative SRLs in order to reduce peri-operative morbidity. Further investigation and investment in large randomized long-term clinical trials are needed to define the precise role and duration of pre-surgical medical treatment in acromegaly patients.Abbreviations: GH = growth hormone IGF-1 = insulin-like growth factor 1 MRI = magnetic resonance imaging SRL = somatostatin-receptor ligand     

Imminent extinction of the guanay cormorant on the Atlantic South American coast: a conservation concern?

Guanay cormorants Phalacrocorax bougainvilli aredistributed mostly on the Pacific coast of Peru and northern Chile. A smallpopulation of around 50 pairs was described on the Patagonian Atlantic coast inthe late 1960s. Further records have revealed a progressive decrease of thispopulation. During 1999 we looked for guanay cormorants at those Atlanticcolonies where the species was recorded in the past. Only four individuals weredetected in one colony (Punta Lobería), and all of them were mated withking cormorants P. albiventer. In addition, we recordedhybrids between guanay and king cormorants mated with pure king and imperialcormorants P. atriceps. Causes of the population declineare unknown. Since guanay cormorants inhabiting the Atlantic coast could be agenetically differentiated population, we emphasize the need for molecularstudies. If genetic polymorphism is detected, the capture of remnant individualsin order to constitute a genetic stock should be considered.     

The North American «Hipparion Datum and implications for the Neogene of the Old World

A large sample of skulls and associated dentitions of Cormohipparion sphenodus (Cope, 1889). new combination, is described from Miocene deposits of Nebraska, Colorado, New Mexico, and California. This species is morphologically more advanced than the most primitive species of the genus, C. goorisiMacFadden & Skinner, 1981, and more primitive than a third and more advanced species of this genus. C. occidentale (Leidy, 1856). In several characters such as configuration of the preobrital fossa, size, hypsodonty, shape of protocone, and complexity of enamel plication, C. sphenodus is morphologically similar, and potentially related to, some Old World Vallesian «Hipparion. In addition, based on radiometric calibration of stratigraphic sequences in Nebraska and California, C. sphenodus spans an interval of time from about 13.6 to 11 Ma. Inasmuch as the Old World «Hipparion Datum is calibrated at about 12 Ma, we conclude that C. sphenodus exhibits the morphological and chronological prerequisites to have been directly ancestral to some of these Old World forms.The hipparion horses apparently were a polyphyletic assemblage of several genera, and their biogeographic and biochronologic history is more complex than classically thought. Several dispersal events involving these horses may have occurred between the New and Old Worlds during the late Miocene.