A cohort study of thyroid cancer and other thyroid diseases after the Chornobyl accident: objectives, design and methods

The thyroid gland in children is one of the organs that is most sensitive to external exposure to X and gamma rays. However, data on the risk of thyroid cancer in children after exposure to radioactive iodines are sparse. The Chornobyl accident in Ukraine in 1986 led to the exposure of large populations to radioactive iodines, particularly (131)I. This paper describes an ongoing cohort study being conducted in Belarus and Ukraine that includes 25,161 subjects under the age of 18 years in 1986 who are being screened for thyroid diseases every 2 years. Individual thyroid doses are being estimated for all study subjects based on measurement of the radioactivity of the thyroid gland made in 1986 together with a radioecological model and interview data. Approximately 100 histologically confirmed thyroid cancers were detected as a consequence of the first round of screening. The data will enable fitting appropriate dose-response models, which are important in both radiation epidemiology and public health for prediction of risks from exposure to radioactive iodines from medical sources and any future nuclear accidents. Plans are to continue to follow-up the cohort for at least three screening cycles, which will lead to more precise estimates of risk.     

Paterimitra pyramidalis from South Australia: scleritome,shell structure and evolution of a lower Cambrian stem group brachiopod

The tommotiid Paterimitra pyramidalis Laurie, 1986, is redescribed based on well‐preserved material from the lower Cambrian Wilkawillina, Wirrapowie and Ajax limestones of the Flinders Ranges, South Australia. The material shows that the scleritome of Paterimitra pyramidalis includes three sclerite morphotypes (S1, S2 and L). Detailed shell microstructure studies show striking similarities with both the paterinid brachiopod Askepasma toddense and the tommotiid Eccentrotheca helenia, which strengthens the suggested evolutionary link between tommotiids and brachiopods. Based on the partly articulated specimens and similarities in shell microstructure and sclerite morphology with Eccentrotheca, Paterimitra pyramidalis is reconstructed as a tube‐dwelling, epifaunal, sessile, filter‐feeder with an organic pedicle‐like attachment structure. The proposed reconstruction of the scleritome comprises a basal unit composed of one S1 and one S2 sclerite, as well as an unresolved number of L sclerites lining a coniform tubular structure.     

Forest change estimates for the northern Petén region of Guatemala — 1986–1990

Landsat-thematic mapper images recorded April 1986 and 1990 were obtained for northern Guatemala. The study area corresponds to a major portion of Guatemala's Maya Biosphere reserve but also includes land outside the western and southern boundary of the reserve. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) was computed at each date and image differencing (subtraction) was performed. The resulting image was thresholded into three categories: regrowth, no change, and forest clearing. A 10×10 km grid system was superimposed on the image to categorize the percentage of each 100 km² cell that changed between 1986 and 1990. Forest clearing patterns were apparent along the border areas (Mexico and Guatemala) and all along the southern portion of the study area where human populations were moving toward the Maya Biosphere borders, along existing roads. Forest clearing was negligible or absent in the roadless areas.     

The mosquito fauna (Diptera: Culicidae) of the environs of the Sayan-Shushenskoe hydroelectric power station

Among females and larvae of mosquitoes collected in 1969, 1981-1984 in the area of the Sayan-Shushenskoe hydroelectric power station (140 km up the Yenisei River from the Abakan city) 5 genera and 30 species were recorded. Based on recent collections and reference data (Gornostaeva e. a., 1969; Gornostaeva, Danilov, 1986) the fauna of the region in question includes 31 species of mosquitoes (Anopheles--1, Culiseta--2, Coquillettidia--1, Aedes--22, Culex--5).     

30 years brings changes to the arthropod community of Kibale National Park,Uganda

World-wide declines in arthropod abundance and diversity are a major concern, particularly given their importance in ecosystem functioning. Yet, data documenting long-term trends are rare from the tropics, particularly the Afrotropics. Here we evaluate changes in the arthropod communities in Kibale National Park, Uganda across almost four decades. Systematic sweep-net sampling was conducted in two forested sections of the park that had been logged and in one old-growth forest area over 12 consecutive months in 1983/1984 and 2020/2021. This data was augmented with intermittent samples taken in 1986 and 1995. Arthropod abundance declined in all areas, but only significantly so in the moderately logged forestry compartment (41%). Permutational multivariate analysis of variance indicated that community compositions of arthropods differed between the censuses. Understanding the drivers of changes in the arthropod communities is difficult as the system is complex and dynamic. We document an increase in temperature, but no change in rainfall, increases in 11 mammal species, including a marked increase in elephant numbers, and changes in forest structure. We also report on changes in the landscape outside of the park, which includes the human population increasing by a factor of four and agricultural intensification that now includes the use of pesticides. We document that many components of the ecosystem we studied changed simultaneously, which signals that for effective conservation planning, more long-term multi-disciplinary efforts are needed.     

Latent period in induction of radiogenic solid tumors in the cohort of emergency workers

The paper presents estimates for the latent period of the induction of radiogenic solid cancers among Chernobyl emergency workers (males) living in six central regions of Russia. The analysis is based on medical and dosimetry data gathered by the National Radiation and Epidemiological Registry over the time period from 1986 to 2005. The cohort includes 59,770 persons who stayed in the exposure zone (30-km zone around the Chernobyl nuclear power plant) in 1986–1987. There were 2,718 cases of solid tumors identified during the follow-up time in this cohort. The mean radiation dose in the cohort is 0.13 Gy. The radiation risk and latent period were estimated using the method of maximum likelihood. The excess relative risk per unit dose was found to be 0.96 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.3–1.7) and the minimum latent period for induction of solid tumors is 4.0 years (95% CI: 3.3–4.9).     

The structure of tyrosine aminotransferase. Evidence for domains involved in catalysis and enzyme turnover

The primary structure of tyrosine aminotransferase, as deduced from the nucleotide sequence of complementary DNA, was confirmed by fast atom bombardment mass spectrometry of tryptic peptides derived from the purified protein. Limited digestion of the native enzyme with trypsin released an acetylated, amino-terminal peptide; the new amino terminus in the modified enzyme was Val65. Endogenous proteases generated a chromatographically separable form of tyrosine aminotransferase that began at Lys35. Neither trypsin nor the other proteases altered the catalytic activity of tyrosine aminotransferase. Reduction of the holoenzyme with sodium borohydride yielded a major tryptic peptide containing phosphopyridoxamine bound to lysine 280, which probably functions in transamination. The carboxyl terminus of tyrosine aminotransferase contains features that typify proteins with short half-lives; it includes two negatively charged, hydrophilic segments that are enriched for glutamyl residues and are similar to a PEST region in ornithine decarboxylase (Rogers, S., Wells, R., and Rechsteiner, M. (1986) Science 234, 364-368). Tyrosine aminotransferase belongs to a superfamily of enzymes which includes aspartate aminotransferase and can be aligned so that many invariant, functional residues coincide. Like the isoenzymes of aspartate aminotransferase, tyrosine aminotransferase may contain two domains, with a central, catalytic core, and a small domain made up of both amino- and carboxyl-terminal components. We speculate that the exposed small domain may confer the unusually rapid degradative rate that characterizes this enzyme.     

On a Model Mechanism for the Spatial Patterning of Teeth Primordia in the Alligator

We propose a model mechanism for the initiation and spatial positioning of teeth primordia in the alligator,Alligator mississippiensis. Detailed embryological studies by Westergaard & Ferguson (1986, 1987, 1990) show that jaw growth plays a crucial role in the developmental patterning of the tooth initiation process. Based on biological data we develop a reaction-diffusion mechanism, which crucially includes domain growth. The model can reproduce the spatial pattern development of the first seven teeth primordia in the lower half jaw ofA. mississippiensis. The results for the precise spatio-temporal sequence compare well with detailed developmental experiments.     

Modelling the spatial patterning of teeth primordia in the alligator

We propose a model mechanism for the initiation and spatial positioning of teeth primordia in the alligator, Alligator mississippiensis. Detailed embryological studies by Westergaard and Ferguson (1986, 1987, 1990) have shown that jaw growth plays a crucial role in the developmental patterning of the tooth initiation process. Based on biological data we develop a dynamic patterning mechanism, which crucially includes domain growth. The mechanism can reproduce the spatial pattern development of the first seven teeth primordia in each half jaw of A. mississippiensis. The results for the precise spatio-temporal sequence compare well with experiment. Simulation of the model also predicts that certain transplantations can alter the spatial sequence of teeth primordia initiation.     

Changes of the Galactolipid Composition during Illumination of Isolated Oat Etioplasts

Isolated oat etioplasts were illuminated for 60 minutes. Withinthis time protochlorophyllide was transformed to chlorophyllideby 40%, protochlorophyllide-oxidoreductase was decomposed by30% and the molar ratio of monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG)/digalactosyldiacylglycerol(DGDG) decreased from 1.367 to 1.101. Dark incubation afterillumination restored the high MGDG/DGDG-ratio. In spite ofall these changes the size and structure of the prolamellarbody(PLB), as seen in the electron microscope, is not affected.Therefore, it seems to be doubtfull, that the existence or thestructure of the PLB depends on one of these criteria. (Received September 1, 1986; Accepted November 13, 1986)     

Electrostatic interactions in gramicidin channels

A model based on the solution of the electrostatic potential for a geometry of three dielectric regions associated with a gramicidin A channel (GA) is presented. The model includes a cylindrical dielectric layer to represent the peptide backbone and dipole rings to account for dipolar side chains. Image potential and dipolar contributions for different orientations and positions along the channel are analyzed. The conductance of GA and two analogues obtained by substituting the amino acid at position 1 are studied. The numerical simulation reproduces experimental results (Barrett et al. 1986, Biophys J 49, 673–686) and supports the idea that electrostatic dipole-ion interactions are of primary importance in gramicidin channel function. Correspondence to: G. Martinez     

Characterization of the lipopolysaccharide O antigens of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotypes 9 and 11: antigenic relationships among serotypes 9, 11, and 1.

The antigenic lipopolysaccharide O polysaccharides of capsular serotypes 9 and 11 were examined by chemical, immunological, and nuclear magnetic resonance methods. Immunodiffusion tests carried out on these O antigens indicated that both contained common epitopes which were also shared by Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae serotype 1. Chemical analysis and high-field nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy showed that the O antigens of serotypes 9 and 11 were high-molecular-weight polymers consisting of a backbone of repeating trisaccharide units composed of alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl and alpha-D-glucopyranosyl residues (2:1). One of the alpha-L-rhamnose units forms a branch point and is stoichiometrically substituted with terminal 2-acetamido-2-deoxy-beta-D-glucose residues in the serotype 11 O polysaccharide, but only to the extent of 25% in the serotype 9 O polysaccharide. Thus, the serotype 9 O polysaccharide contains two different repeating units: a tetrasaccharide unit with the same structure as that of the serotype 11 O polysaccharide and a trisaccharide unit: [formula: see text] where R = beta-D-GlcpNAc for serotype 1 and 11 O polysaccharides, and R = H (75%) and R = beta-D-GlcpNAc (25%) for serotype 9. The structure of the previously determined serotype 1 O polysaccharide (E. Altman, J.-R. Brisson, and M. B. Perry, Biochem. Cell. Biol. 64:17-25, 1986) is identical to that of the serotype 11 O polysaccharide. We propose a more complete serotyping scheme for A. pleuropneumoniae which includes designation of both the capsular (K) and O antigens.     

Quasi-periodic primary structructures of core proteins of human T-lymphotropic leukemia retroviruses

Summary Fourier analysis, previously introduced by Liquori et al. (1983, 1986), has been applied to the primary structures of two core proteins of human T-lymphotropic leukemia retroviruses HTLV-1 and HTLV-II. The resulting autocorrelation functions display striking patterns that can be interpreted in terms of an approximately fourfold quasi-periodicity of the primary structures.Self-alignments of the amino acid sequences containing a few gaps are consistent with the above finding and suggest that the tertiary structure of these two homologous core proteins contains alpha-helical and delta-helical segments, the latter being characteristic of the threefold helix present in collagen structure.Presented at the FEBS Symposium on Genome Organization and Evolution, held in Crete, Greece, September 1–5, 1986     

Year-to-year changes in the age structure of a caddisfly population following loss and recovery of a springbrook habitat

A severe drought in 1977 resulted in cessation of normally permanent flow m a northern California (USA) springbrook, and no individuals of the numerically dominant macroinvertebrate, the caddisfly Gumaga nigricula (McL), survived Prior to habitat loss (1976) this population was multiple cohort, two years after habitat recovery (1979) a single-cohort population was present The shift m age structure back to pre-drought conditions occurred gradually median head capsule width in 1976 (pre-drought) 0 39 mm, 1981 (post-drought) 0 95 mm, 1982 0 99 mm, 1983 0 59 mm, 1984 0 63 mm, 1985 0 63 mm, 1986 0 45 mm Age structure from 1981-1985 was significantly different (p < 0.001) from that occurring before habitat loss in 1976, age structure m 1986 was not significantly different from that in 1976 The ten-year time for return to the original population age structure could be influenced by the isolation of the springbrook from other colonization sources, gradual increases in population density, and differential growth reflecting food availability     

A self-organizing neural network sharing features of the mammalian visual system

This paper describes a neural network model whose structure is designed to closely fit neuroanatomical and-physiological data, and not to be most suitable for rigorous mathematical analysis.It is shown by computer simulation that a process of self-organization that departs from a fixed retinotopic order at peripheral layers and includes hebbian modifications of synaptic connectivity at higher processing levels leads to a system that is capable of mimicking various functions of visual systems:In the initial state the overall structure of the network is preset, individual connections at higher levels are randomly selected and their strength is initialized with random numbers.For this model the outcome of the self-organization process is determined by the stimulation during the developmental phase. Depending on the type of stimuli used the model can either develop towards a featureselective preprocessor stage in a complex vision system or towards a subsystem for associative recall of abstract patterns.This flexibility supports the hypothesis that the principles embodied are rather universal and can account for the development of various nervous system structures.Presented at teh 9th Cybernetics-Congress, Göttingen, March 1986     

山东泰山地区景观结构变化及其分形分析

将泰山风景区划分为 8个区域 11个基本景观类型 ,包括松林、栎林、刺槐林、侧柏林、针阔叶混交林、经济林、灌丛、裸岩、荒地、水体、建筑。在此基础上 ,利用 3S技术和分形理论对各个景观要素进行了分析 ,并讨论了景观特性及其变化的分形性质。结果表明 :(1)分维值的大小反映了景观斑块面积、斑块数量和平均斑块面积等因素的相互作用 ,在一定尺度下分维的大小反映了区域内景观斑块的不规则程度和复杂程度 ,斑块越不规则、越复杂 ,其分维越大 ,反之亦然。在泰山地区 ,自 1986年至 2 0 0 1年 ,刺槐林一直保持着较高的分维值 ,其它景观类型的分维值则差别不大 ,而针阔叶混交林的分维值变化较大 ;(2 )森林景观受多种因子的影响 ,在高海拔区域主要受垂直地带性规律影响为主 ,在旅游区主要受人类活动的影响为主 ,15 a来各个区域分形维数的总体变化趋势相似 ;(3)大部分区域在 2 0 0 1年的景观多样性、破碎度高于 1986年的 ,而景观优势度则略为下降     

Effects of cytochalasin, phalloidin, and pH on the elongation of actin filaments

We used electron microscopy to measure the effects of cytochalasins, phalloidin, and pH on the rates of elongation at the barbed and pointed ends of actin filaments. In the case of the cytochalasins, we compared the effects on ATP- and ADP-actin monomers. Micromolar concentrations of either cytochalasin B (CB) or cytochalasin D (CD) inhibit elongation at both ends of the filament, about 95% at the barbed end and 50% at the pointed end, so that the two ends contribute about equally to the rate of growth. Half-maximal inhibition of elongation at the barbed end is at 0.1 microM CB and 0.02 microM CD for ATP-actin and at 0.1 microM CD for ADP-actin. At the pointed end, CD inhibits elongation by ATP-actin and ADP-actin about equally. At high (2 microM) concentrations, the cytochalasins reduce the association and dissociation rate constants in parallel for both ADP- and ATP-actin, so their effects on the critical concentrations are minimal. These observations confirm and extend those of Bonder and Mooseker [Bonder, E. M., & Mooseker, M. S. (1986) J. Cell Biol. 102, 282-288]. The dependence of the elongation rate on the concentration of both cytochalasin and actin can be explained quantitatively by a mechanism that includes the effects of cytochalasin binding to actin monomers [Godette, D. W., & Frieden, C. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 5974-5980] and a partial cap of the barbed end of the filament by the complex of ADP-actin and cytochalasin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

三峡库区近50年间土地利用/覆被变化

基于1955年1∶50 000地形图、1972年MSS图像、1986和2000年TM图像,定量分析了三峡库区土地利用的动态变化过程,并对其驱动力进行了分析.结果表明：1955—2000年间,研究区土地利用结构发生了明显变化,林地、水域和未利用地面积减少,耕地、草地和建设用地面积增加.在1955—1972、1972—1986和1986—2000年3个时段,该区林地面积持续减少,但减幅逐渐变小;草地和耕地面积分别经历了增 减 增和增 增 减的过程;建设用地面积持续增加;水域和未利用地面积持续减少.政策、经济发展和人口增长等因素是研究区土地利用变化的主要影响因子.     

Cytochemical studies of the vascular endothelium

Cytochemical methods have been used to examine the vascular endothelium. With hemeproteins and immunocytochemistry, investigators have demonstrated the pathways that blood-borne molecules can take to gain access to the extravascular space (Ghitescu et al. 1986; Milici et al. 1987; Schneeberger and Karnovsky 1971; Simionescu et al. 1975). These same cytochemical methods have also provided evidence that morphologically similar endothelia may have different permeability properties (Hart and Pino 1985b, 1986; Pino 1985; Pino and Essner 1980, 1981). Differences in the location and chemical composition of cell surface moieties have been ascertained with enzyme digestion methods, lectins, and cationic ferritin (De Bruyn and Michelson 1978; Pino 1984c, 1986a, b; Simionescu et al. 1981a). The author hopes that he has provided the reader with representative examples of how investigators have used these cytochemical methods for their studies. As new methods are developed and applications are found for existing techniques such as ultracryomicrotomy (Milici et al. 1987) and colloidal gold markers (Pino 1987b), cytochemistry will remain a fundamental tool for the study of the structure and function of the vascular endothelium.     

Exclusive A-ring linkage for singly attached phycocyanobilins and phycoerythrobilins in phycobiliproteins. Absence of singly D-ring-linked bilins

Previous spectroscopic studies on the phycocyanobilin-containing peptide beta-2T from Synechococcus sp. 6301 C-phycocyanin and the phycoerythrobilin-containing peptide beta-2TP from Porphyridium cruentum B-phycoerythrin indicated a different single thioether mode of attachment, postulated to be through the D-ring of the tetrapyrrole, in contrast to the A-ring linkage established for the other singly linked bilins in these proteins (Bishop, J.E., Lagarias, J.C., Nagy, J. O., Schoenleber, R.W., Rapoport, H., Klotz, A.V., and Glazer, A.N. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 6790-6796; Klotz, A.V., Glazer, A.N., Bishop, J.E., Nagy, J.O., and Rapoport, H. (1986) J. Biol. Chem. 261, 6797-6805). The crystal structure of Agmenellum quadruplicatum C-phycocyanin at 2.5-A resolution (Schirmer, T., Bode, W., and Huber, R. (1987) J. Mol. Biol., 196, 677-695) supports an A-ring linkage for all three phycocyanobilins. Consequently we have re-evaluated our proposed structural assignments by further 1H NMR studies. Two-dimensional homonuclear correlated and nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopic data presented here show that all three bilins in Synechococcus 6301 C-phycocyanin are attached solely through the A-ring, complementary to the crystallographic data. The evidence from the NMR data for all bilin peptides examined includes the dipoledipole interactions of the 5-H with the 3-H, 3'-H, and a pyrrole methyl group (7-CH3); the corresponding interactions would not be possible in a D-ring-linked bilin. The 5-H also consistently exhibits allylic J-coupling to the 3-H, supporting A-ring linkage assignment. These data are inconsistent with the alternative D-ring linkage assignment since this would involve J-coupling through five bonds. Examination of the phycoerythrobilin beta-2 position in B-phycoerythrin also reveals an A-ring type of attachment by similar criteria. We conclude that all singly linked bilins are attached through the A-ring.