Early Inhabitants of the Amazonian Tropical Rain Forest: A Study of Humans and Environmental Dynamics

Early Inhabitants of the Amazonian Tropical Rain Forest:. Study of Humans and Environmental Dynamics . Santiago Mora. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2003. 211 pp.     

History, Memory, and Nation in the (Post)Colonies

Represented Communities: Fiji and World Decolonization. John D. Kelly and Martha Kaplan. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2001. 243 pp.
Cultural Memory: Reconfiguring History and Identity in the Postcolonial Pacific. Jeannerte Marie Mageo. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press, 2001. 222 pp.
In Colonial New Guinea: Anthropological Perspectives. Naomi M. McPherson. ed. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2001. 264 pp.     

The Sweet Potato in Oceania: A Reappraisal

The Sweet Potato in Oceania:. Reappraisal . Chris Ballard, Paula Brown, Michael Bourke, and Tracy Harwood, eds. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2005. 227 pp.     

Consequences of Cultivar Diffusion

Consequences of Cultivar Diffusion. Leonard Plotnicov and Richard Scaglion. eds. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh, 1999. 151 pp.     

Indian Public Policy Today

Book reviewed in this article:
Native Americans and Public Policy . Fremont J. Lydenand Lyman H. Legters , eds. Pitt Series in Policy and Institutional Studies. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1992. 331 pp.     

From Hindu Kush to Sri Lanka and the State of the Art

The Hill of Flutes: Life, Love and Poetry in Tribal India. W. G. Archer . Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 1974.
Structural Approaches to South India Studies. Harry M. Buck and Glenn E. Yocum , eds. Chambersburg, Pennsylvania: Wilson Books, 1974.
Faction and Conversion in a Plural Society: Religious Alignments in the Hindu Kush. Robert Leroy Canfield . Anthropological Papers, Museum of Anthropology, University of Michigan No. 50. 1973.
Elite Politics in Rural India: Political Stratification and Alliances in Western Maharashtra. Anthony Carter . Cambridge Studies in Social Anthropology, 9. London: Cambridge University Press, 1974.
The Myth of the Lokamanya: Tilak and Mass Politics in Maharashtra. Richard I. Cashman . Berkeley: University of California Press, 1975.     

Recent Theory in Highland New Guinea

Identity Work: Constructing Pacific Lives. Pamela J. Stewart and Andrew Strathern. eds. Pittsburgh: University of Pittsburgh Press, 2000. 216 pp.
Arrow Talk: Transaction, Transition, and Contradiction in New Guinea Highlands History. Andrew Strathern and Pamela J. Stewart. Kent, OH: Kent State University Press, 2000. 216 pp.
Humors and Substances: Ideas of the Body in New Guinea. Pamela J. Stewart and Andrew Strathern. with contributions by Ien Courtens and Dianne van Oosterhout. Westport, CT: Bergin and Garvey, 2001. 156 pp.     

Urea and thermal mutants of poliovirus

Hallum, J. V. (University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.), and J. S. Youngner. Urea and thermal mutants of poliovirus. J. Bacteriol. 91:2305-2308. 1966.-Thermally selected mutants of poliovirus which differed in sensitivity to heating at 50 C were inactivated with urea. With 3 m urea, urea resistance paralleled thermal resistance. In contrast, when urea-resistant mutants were selected from thermosensitive, urea-sensitive, wild-type poliovirus, the 50 C sensitivity of the selected mutants did not change. These findings indicate a lack of covariance of the urea and the 50 C-inactivation markers of poliovirus.     

Canonical inhibitor-like interactions explain reactivity of alpha1-proteinase inhibitor Pittsburgh and antithrombin with proteinases

The serpin antithrombin is a slow thrombin inhibitor that requires heparin to enhance its reaction rate. In contrast, alpha1-proteinase inhibitor (alpha1PI) Pittsburgh (P1 Met --> Arg natural variant) inhibits thrombin 17 times faster than pentasaccharide heparin-activated antithrombin. We present here x-ray structures of free and S195A trypsin-bound alpha1PI Pittsburgh, which show that the reactive center loop (RCL) possesses a canonical conformation in the free serpin that does not change upon binding to S195A trypsin and that contacts the proteinase only between P2 and P2'. By inference from the structure of heparin cofactor II bound to S195A thrombin, this RCL conformation is also appropriate for binding to thrombin. Reaction rates of trypsin and thrombin with alpha1PI Pittsburgh and antithrombin and their P2 variants show that the low antithrombin-thrombin reaction rate results from the antithrombin RCL sequence at P2 and implies that, in solution, the antithrombin RCL must be in a similar canonical conformation to that found here for alpha1PI Pittsburgh, even in the nonheparin-activated state. This suggests a general, limited, canonical-like interaction between serpins and proteinases in their Michaelis complexes.     

围手术麻醉期患者睡眠质量与心理健康状态的相关性分析

目的:了解围手术麻醉期患者的睡眠质量与心理健康状态的关系。方法:对50例备行手术麻醉患者(试验组)及40名正常人(对照组)行匹兹堡睡眠质量指数问卷(PSQI)评定、抑郁自评量表(SDS)及焦虑自评量(SAS)评定,对上述量表结果进行分析。结果:试验组睡眠紊乱率、焦虑及抑郁发生率分别为:26%、24%及56%,两组PSQI、SAS及SDS评分异常率比较P<0.05,差异有统计学意义。两组患者的PSQI总分、PSQI子项目睡眠效率及睡眠障碍、SDS标准分、SDS 4个子项目精神性情感症状、躯体性障碍、精神运动性障碍、抑郁的心理障碍和SAS标准分比较P<0.05,差异有统计学意义。相关性分析显示睡眠质量评分与心理健康状态评分呈负性相关。结论:围手术麻醉期患者存在焦虑抑郁躯体化情绪心理障碍及睡眠紊乱。围手术麻醉期患者睡眠质量评分与心理健康状态评分有关。     

α-抗肌萎缩相关糖蛋白病研究进展

抗肌萎缩相关糖蛋白病(α-dystroglycanopathy,α-DGP)是由于α-抗肌萎缩相关糖蛋白(α-dystroglycan,α-DG)的O-连接糖基化缺陷导致的一组常染色体隐性遗传病,临床表现为肌营养不良、脑和眼发育畸形,具有明显的临床和遗传异质性。基于临床诊断现多把它们分为7种不同表型,但互相之间有交叉重叠,病情轻重程度不等,严重影响患者的智力运动发育。目前已知α-DGP致病基因有19个,应用常规一代测序逐个筛查候选基因花费高且耗时长,阳性率很低,不能满足临床上基因诊断需求。目前已知多数致病基因的表达产物作为糖基转移酶参与α-DG的糖基化过程,但部分致病基因的功能目前仍未完全明确,α-DGP具体的发病机制仍未完全阐明。本综述主要总结α-DGP在临床特点、致病基因、α-DG糖链结构、发病机制及诊断治疗等方面的研究进展。     

汶川地震救援官兵睡眠质量与睡眠自适应的关系研究*

目的:考察汶川地震救援官兵在连续作业状态下睡眠质量及其与睡眠自适应的关系。方法:采用匹兹堡睡眠质量问卷,在地震爆发后约65天左右,对122名救援官兵进行调查;采用匹兹堡睡眠质量问卷和军人睡眠自适应量表,在地震爆发后约102天,对2000名救援官兵进行调查。结果:地震救援官兵在执行任务中睡眠质量差者占72%,结束任务后睡眠质量差者占30%。两组睡眠质量各分量表得分除"催眠药物"因素外均有显著差异;救援官兵的睡眠自适应水平偏低,平均分为2.74,低于理论中点分3分;睡眠质量与睡眠自适应水平之间的关系较为密切,除了与对睡眠的影响因素相关不显著外(相关系数为-.027),与睡眠自适应总体水平及其5个因子的相关在.16-.533之间(P<0.001);睡眠的积极暗示、睡眠的抗干扰力和睡眠的积极态度等3个因子是影响军人睡眠质量总体水平的主要因素。结论:使官兵形成和睡眠有关的积极、正确的信念与态度能够有效改善人们的睡眠质量。     

Carpal tunnel release in the United States and Sweden: reimbursement patterns, cost for treatment, and return to work

Cost containment plays an increasingly important role in health care, affecting providers and recipients. The present investigation addressed a limited number of factors that relate to the total cost for surgical treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome. The purpose of this study was to compare socioeconomic factors in two different societies and how worker's compensation plays a role in the cost, rehabilitation, and operative practices. To that purpose, the authors studied hospital and insurance records from a total of 123 female patients treated in two tertiary referral centers (University of Pittsburgh, Pa., and University of Umea, Sweden). The 123 patients were referred to three subgroups. Group A comprised patients from the University of Pittsburgh with worker's compensation (n = 34), group B comprised patients from the University of Pittsburgh without worker's compensation (n = 47), and group C comprised patients from the University of Umea (n = 42). The analyzed data showed a tendency toward longer duration of postoperative sick leave for those with worker's compensation than those without worker's compensation for patients from the University of Pittsburgh. However, operating room times and operating times, operative cost, use of postoperative therapy, and duration for sick leave were substantially less for patients treated at the University of Umea. There was no statistically significant difference in time off work between group A and group B. The results may indicate that the effect of compensation on a patient's ability or willingness to recover after treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome may be less important than factors that do not primarily relate to the patient or the surgical procedure.     

Effect of temperature on the induction of interferons by endotoxin and virus

Postic, Bosko (University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.), Catherine DeAngelis, Mary K. Breinig, and Monto Ho. Effect of temperature on the induction of interferons by endotoxin and virus. J. Bacteriol. 91:1277-1281. 1966.-The effect of ambient and body temperature on interferon formation in rabbits injected intravenously with virus differed from that seen after injection of endotoxin. Newcastle disease virus-induced interferon (VII) was elevated by increasing ambient temperature to 35 C, whereas cooling of the rabbit at 4 C resulted in low VII levels. Neither of these conditions affected the titers of endotoxin-induced interferon (EII). However, a significant enhancement of EII levels was found in sera of shorn rabbits, in which the body temperature was lower than in unshorn animals by 1.0 to 1.5 F and the pyrogenic response to endotoxin was less by about 2 F. This enhancement of EII by relatively low body temperatures was also in striking contrast to the reported enhancing effect of high body temperature of the rabbit on the lethal action of endotoxin. It is suggested that the temperature optimum for formation of EII is lower than for formation of VII.     

Fertility after bilateral cryptorchidism. Evaluation by paternity, hormone, and semen data.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of the fertility of a cohort of formerly bilaterally cryptorchid men in comparison with a group of formerly unilaterally cryptorchid men, and a group of control men. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Using a detailed questionnaire concerning paternity and factors related to paternity, a cohort of formerly bilateral cryptorchid men were studied and compared with men who had undergone orchiopexy for unilateral cryptorchidism, and a group of control men. All study subjects had had surgery at the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa., between 1955 and 1975. A subset of the full cohort underwent clinical evaluation that included a physical examination, serum hormonal determination and semen analyses. RESULTS: Paternity rates are significantly lower among the formerly bilaterally cryptorchid men who have attempted to father a child (65.3%) as compared to the formerly unilaterally cryptorchid (89.7%; p < 0.001) and control men (93.2%; p < 0.001). Differences in the ability to father children are also apparent when semen and hormone levels are compared between the three groups. The bilateral group has significantly lower sperm density and inhibin B levels, and higher FSH and LH levels, than the unilateral and control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Men born with bilateral cryptorchidism have severely compromised fertility in adulthood. This reduction in fertility is clearly shown in comparisons of both paternity rates, and in semen and hormone analyses, between the formerly bilateral, formerly unilateral, and control groups.     

Quantitative aspects of inhibition of virus replication by interferon in chick embryo cell cultures

Hallum, J. V. (University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pa.), and J. S. Youngner. Quantitative aspects of inhibition of virus replication by interferon in chick embryo cell cultures. J. Bacteriol. 92:1047-1050. 1966.-The effect of interferon on single cycles of replication of vesicular stomatitis virus and Mahoney poliovirus ribonucleic acid was studied in chick embryo cell cultures. The results showed that the titer of a given interferon preparation was independent of the input multiplicity of the challenge virus. In addition, the increase in virus yield with increasing virus challenge was a function of the number of infected cells, each of which yielded progeny at a level determined by the concentration of interferon to which the cells were exposed. These findings are not compatible with the concept that increases in the size of the virus challenge reverse or overcome protection of cells by interferon.     

Tatlockia micdadei (Pittsburgh pneumonia agent) growth kinetics may explain its infrequent isolation from water and the low prevalence of Pittsburgh pneumonia

Sediment and indigenous microflora taken from water distribution systems has been shown to promote the survival of Legionella pneumophila. The effect of sediment and indigenous microflora on Tatlockia micdadei (Pittsburgh pneumonia agent, PPA) was evaluated by growth curve experiments. Symbiosis between PPA and environmental bacteria was demonstrated by satellitism experiments. Unlike L. pneumophila, the concentration of PPA remained stationary in test tube suspensions containing both microflora and sediment. The difference in the ecology between the two organisms may explain the infrequent environmental recovery of PPA and, ultimately, the epidemiologic differences between Legionnaires disease and Pittsburgh pneumonia.     

Tatlockia micdadei (Pittsburgh pneumonia agent) growth kinetics may explain its infrequent isolation from water and the low prevalence of Pittsburgh pneumonia.

Sediment and indigenous microflora taken from water distribution systems has been shown to promote the survival of Legionella pneumophila. The effect of sediment and indigenous microflora on Tatlockia micdadei (Pittsburgh pneumonia agent, PPA) was evaluated by growth curve experiments. Symbiosis between PPA and environmental bacteria was demonstrated by satellitism experiments. Unlike L. pneumophila, the concentration of PPA remained stationary in test tube suspensions containing both microflora and sediment. The difference in the ecology between the two organisms may explain the infrequent environmental recovery of PPA and, ultimately, the epidemiologic differences between Legionnaires disease and Pittsburgh pneumonia.     

Polysomes are associated with microtubules in fertilized eggs of Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis)

Summary. Transmission electron microscopy of immunogold-labeled Chinese pine egg cells before and after fertilization revealed that polysomes are associated with microtubules (MTs) from fertilization to the 2-nucleate embryo stage. Ribosome aggregates of various size and shape were randomly distributed in the cytoplasm of the eggs before fertilization. Single MTs or clusters were observed to be free of polysomes at this stage. Upon fertilization, all polysomes were attached to MTs, and this association persisted until the formation of the polarized embryo. Thereafter, the polysomes spread into the cytoplasm and no polysome-MT association was observed in the embryo. Some of the polysomes were attached to one end of the MTs, while others appeared to form contacts along their entire length. No polysome-microfilament association was observed at any stage of the development. The polysome-MT association may provide a mechanism for MT-dependent mRNA localization in early embryo development of this plant. Correspondence and reprints: Department of Cell Biology and Physiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, U.S.A.     

Important laboratory animal resources: selection criteria and funding mechanisms for their preservation

Members of the committee were Dorothea Bennett (Chairman), Department of Zoology, University of Texas, Austin (deceased); Linda C. Cork, Division of Comparative Medicine, Department of Pathology, The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland; Thomas J. Gill III, Department of Pathology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Jon W. Gordon, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mt. Sinai School of Medicine, New York, New York; Andrew G. Hendrickx, California Primate Research Center, University of California, Davis, California; Larry E. Mobraaten, The Jackson Laboratory, Bar Harbor, Maine; and John L. VandeBerg, Department of Genetics, Southwest Foundation for Biomedical Research, San Antonio, Texas.