Locked into security,keyed into modernity: The selection of burglaries as source of risk in Greece

Consensus among Greeks claims that the rates of burglaries and thefts have been increasing during the last ten years and that this constitutes a major social problem for which immigrants, and, especially Albanians, are responsible. This article theorizes that the selection of burglaries as source of risk deploys the understanding that the flip side of the increase in property crime is increased affluence and that both are part of modernization. The selection of houses as targets of aggression enables people, especially men, to construe themselves as protectors of houses objectifying the longstanding ideals of household management and as members of a modern society in which security is a matter of individual consumer choice. The portrayal of immigrants as destitute thieves reinforces the construct of the Greek nation state as a successful albeit vulnerable household writ-large.     

Genetic studies in south Balkan populations

Within a study of the genetics of Balkan populations, four DNA-STR systems and 19 classical markers were examined in seven samples: Romanians (two groups), Albanians, Greeks and Aromuns (three groups). The results for the DNA-STR systems have been compared with data from the literature. The results show four clear separated groups: sub-Saharan black populations, North-African, Japanese and European populations. The large Balkan populations, except the Greek sample, are genetically more homogenous than the Aromun populations. A second Neighbor-joining tree based on all 23 analyzed systems, show a particular trend of the Aromun groups, which indicates a particular genetic structure.     

Polymorphism of galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase in the Albanian and Croatian settlements of Molise (Italy)

Four Albanian and three Croatian communities settled in Molise (Italy) have been investigated for galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT) polymorphism. To obtain a detailed identification of each phenotype, electrophoresis and quantitative enzymatic analysis were performed on all samples. In addition to this isoelectric focusing was utilized to confirm and the D and LA variants. The gene frequencies of the different GALT alleles turned out to be: N = 0.912 (Albanians) and N = 0.868 (Croatians); G = 0.004 (Albanians); D = 0.051 (Albanians) and D = 0.081 (Croatians); LA = 0.033 (Albanians) and LA = 0.051 (Croatians). Both variants show frequencies similar to that observed in other Caucasoid populations.     

Incidence of anencephalus and spina bifida in Greece

A cross-sectional national survey of 11,048 births in the whole of Greece in April 1984 identified 7 cases of anencephalus and 9 of spina bifida. There was thus an incidence of 1.45 neural tube defects per 1,000 total births. This is the first geographically defined population study from southern Europe. In comparison with hospital-based data from the 2 countries on its borders, the Greek rates are rather similar to those of Yugoslavia but much lower than reports from Turkey.     

HLA class I polymorphism in the Albanian population

The HLA class I polymorphism was studied in a sample of the Albanian population. Ninety-three unrelated healthy Albanians were typed for HLA-A, -B and -Cw antigens by standard microlyphocytotoxicity test. The antigens with the highest frequencies were: HLA-A2 (34.4%), A3 (14.5%) and A1 (12.4%); B51 (19.3%), B35 (12.4%) and B18 (10.2%); Cw4 (16.2%), Cw7 (16.2%) and Cw6 (10.8%). The HLA haplotypes with high frequency in Albanians included A2-B51 (4.3%), A2-B18 (2.4%), A2-B35 (2.4%), Cw4-B35 (7.6%), and Cw7-B18 (6.5%), which are not significantly different from the other neighboring populations. Low frequency of HLA-A1-B8 haplotype (1.1%) is noted in the Albanian population. The frequency of HLA-B27 antigen (1.1%) is one of the lowest frequencies observed in Caucasians. Such results are important in studies of HLA-A1-B8, HLA-B27 and disease associations. These findings should be also useful in understanding the origin of Albanians, representing a base for future studies about HLA polymorphism in the Albanian population.     

The -117 mutation in Greek HPFH affects the binding of three nuclear factors to the CCAAT region of the gamma-globin gene.

The Greek form of hereditary persistence of fetal hemoglobin (HPFH) is associated with a point mutation immediately upstream of the distal of the two CCAAT elements of the A gamma-globin gene. Three proteins present in nuclear extracts of erythroleukemia cells bind to this CCAAT region and contact the nucleotide mutated in Greek HPFH. The ubiquitous CCAAT-binding factor CP1 interacts preferentially with the proximal CCAAT sequence. An erythroid cell-specific factor, referred to as NF-E, binds with a higher affinity to the distal CCAAT region and interacts only with sequences flanking the CCAAT motif. The third protein is the vertebrate homologue of the sea urchin CCAAT displacement protein and recognizes sequences in both CCAAT elements and their flanking sequences. While the point mutation in Greek HPFH slightly strengthens the binding of CP1 and the CCAAT displacement protein, the same base change strongly reduces the binding of NF-E to the distal CCAAT region, suggesting a possible role of NF-E in the repression of gamma-globin genes in adult erythroid cells.     

Genetic characterization of the historical Albanian ethnic minority of Calabria (southern Italy)

Three historical ethnic minorities are present in Calabria: Albanians, Greeks, and Occitans. The Albanian ethnic minority is the more populous, having settled in Calabria between the 15th and 17th centuries, and these populations are now located in the provinces of Cosenza and Catanzaro. In the present study the Albanian population structure is analyzed based on the allele frequencies of six classic genetic markers: ACP, GC, PGM1, AK, ADA, and 6PGD. The results show a significant heterogeneity between the Albanian population in Calabria and the population in Molise. Therefore the cultural and reproductive isolation of the Albanian ethnic minority of Calabria is related to a great genetic peculiarity. Moreover, the frequencies of some alleles, particularly those of the PGM*1W31 variant, and the analysis of the R matrix still show the actual peculiar genetic structure of the Albanians of Calabria, although the genetic flow is evident in the decrease of endogamy and in the increase in the degree of mixing.     

Mitochondrial DNA polymorphisms in the Albanian population of Calabria (Southern Italy)

RFLPs of mtDNA for HpaI, BamHI, HaeII, MspI, AvaII and HincII were analyzed in 100 individuals from 15 Albanian villages of the Cosenza province (Calabria, Southern Italy). Thirteen mtDNA types were identified, one of which is new and is due to an AvaII morph (AvaII 27^Alb) never described before. Other two types (15-2 and 40-2) previously unfound in Italians were detected in one and two individuals respectively. The intra-group homogeneity (F=.49) resulted to be the highest found among the Italian groups examined so far. It is however very similar to that of a control sample of the Calabria population (F=.46). On the whole no important differences have emerged in the comparison between Albanians and not Albanians from Calabria. These results can indicate either that the markers we examined are not discriminative or that genetic admixture has occurred at least by immigration of Calabrian women into the Albanian group.     

Species' borders: a unifying theme in ecology

Biologists have long been fascinated by species' borders, and with good reason. Understanding the ecological and evolutionary dynamics of species' borders may prove to be the key that unlocks new understanding across a wide range of biological phenomena. After all, geographic range limits are a point of entry into understanding the ecological niche and threshold responses to environmental change. Elucidating patterns of gene flow to, and returning from, peripheral populations can provide important insights into the nature of adaptation, speciation and coevolution. Species' borders form natural laboratories for the study of the spatial structure of species interactions. Comparative studies from the center to the margin of species' ranges allow us to explore species' demographic responses along gradients of increasing environmental stress. Range dynamics further permit investigation into invasion dynamics and represent bellwethers for a changing climate. This set of papers explores ecological and evolutionary dynamics of species' borders from diverse empirical and theoretical perspectives.     

Increased duration of simulated childbirth injuries results in increased time to recovery

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) development is strongly correlated with vaginal childbirth, particularly increased duration of the second stage of labor. However, the mechanisms of pelvic floor injury leading to SUI are largely unknown. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of increased duration of vaginal distension (VD) on voiding cystometry, leak point pressure testing, and histology. Sixty-nine virgin female rats underwent VD with an inflated balloon for either 1 or 4 h, while 33 age-matched rats were sham-VD controls. Conscious cystometry, leak point pressure testing, and histopathology were determined 4 days, 10 days, and 6 wk after VD. The increase in abdominal pressure to leakage (LPP) during leak point pressure testing was significantly decreased in both distension groups 4 days after distension, indicative of short-term decreased urethral resistance. Ten days after VD, LPP was significantly decreased in the 4-h but not the 1-h distension group, indicating that a longer recovery time is needed after longer distension duration. Six weeks after VD, LPP was not significantly different from sham-VD values, indicating a return toward normal urethral resistance. In contrast, 6 wk after VD of either duration, the distended rats had not undergone the same increase in voided volume as the sham-VD group, suggesting that some effects of VD do not resolve within 6 wk. Both VD groups demonstrated histopathological evidence of acute injuries and tissue remodeling. In conclusion, this experiment suggests pressure-induced hypoxia as a possible mechanism of injury in vaginal delivery.     

Determinants of ethnic identification in the USSR: The soviet Jewish case

This article critically examines the generation of discourses on Greek identity following an episode that took place in northern Greece (2000/2003) when an Albanian student was elected flag-carrier in a commemorative parade. Three versions of Greek identity emerged in this context: the first was based on civic understandings of identity, promoting the current Europeanist project of citizenship as belonging. The second version drew upon the notion of “culture” as an all-encompassing concept to promote ideas of Greek cultural “purity” that have roots in Greek ethnogenesis. The third version adopted an understanding of the “nation” in terms of racial affiliation, transforming it thus into a natural category. The argument put forward is that in the context of the 2000/2003 episode (a) Greek self-perceptions are affected by the problematic economic and cultural position of Greece within Europe and (b) Greek discourses of identity are a form of resistance to processes of Europeanization that threaten traditional “imagined communities” embedded in history.     

A comprehensive analysis of the Greek key motifs in protein beta-barrels and beta-sandwiches

The Greek key motifs are the topological signature of many beta-barrels and a majority of beta-sandwich structures. An updated survey of these structures integrates many early observations and newly emerging patterns and provides a better understanding of the unique role of Greek keys in protein structures. A stereotypical Greek key beta-barrel accommodates five or six strands and can have 12 possible topologies. All except one six-stranded topologies have been observed, and only one five-stranded topologies have been seen in actual structures. Of the representative beta-barrel structures analyzed here, half have left-handed Greek keys. This result challenges the empirical claim of the handedness regularity of Greek keys in beta-barrels. One of the five-stranded topologies that has not been observed in beta-barrels comprises two overlapping Greek keys. The two three-dimensional forms of this topology constitute a structural unit that is present in a vast majority of known beta-sandwich structures. Using this unit as the root, we have built a new taxonomy tree for the beta-sandwich folds and deduced a set of rules that appear to constrain how other beta-strands adjoin the unit to form a larger double-layered structure. These rules, though derived from a larger data set, are essentially the same as those drawn from earlier studies, suggesting that they may reflect the true topological constraints in the design of beta-sandwich structures. Finally, a novel variant of the Greek key motif (defined here as the twisted Greek key) has emerged which introduces loop crossings into the folded structures. Proteins 2000;40:409-419.     

Effects of short- and medium-term calorie restriction on muscle mitochondrial proton leak and reactive oxygen species production

Reductions in cellular oxygen consumption (Vo2) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production have been proposed as mechanisms underlying the anti-aging effects of calorie restriction (CR). Mitochondria are a cell's greatest "sink" for oxygen and also its primary source of ROS. The mitochondrial proton leak pathway is responsible for 20-30% of Vo2 in resting cells. We hypothesized that CR leads to decreased proton leak with consequential decreases in Vo2, ROS production, and cellular damage. Here, we report the effects of short-term (2-wk, 2-mo) and medium-term (6-mo) CR (40%) on rat muscle mitochondrial proton leak, ROS production, and whole animal Vo2. Whole body Vo2 decreased with CR at all time points, whereas mass-adjusted Vo2 was normal until the 6-mo time point, when it was 40% lower in CR compared with control rats. At all time points, maximal leak-dependent Vo2 was lower in CR rats compared with controls. Proton leak kinetics indicated that mechanisms of adaptation to CR were different between short- and medium-term treatments, with the former leading to decreases in protonmotive force (Deltap) and state 4 Vo2 and the latter to increases in Deltap and decreases in state 4 Vo2. Results from metabolic control analyses of oxidative phosphorylation are consistent with the idea that short- and medium-term responses are distinct. Mitochondrial H2O2 production was lower in all three CR groups compared with controls. Overall, this study details the rapid effects of short- and medium-term CR on proton leak, ROS production, and metabolic control of oxidative phosphorylation. Results indicate that a reduction in mitochondrial Vo2 and ROS production may be a mechanism for the actions of CR.     

Variation in Greek phrygana vegetation in relation to soil and climate

Abstract. Variation in species composition and community structure in nine Greek phrygana (dwarf-shrub) sites was related to soil and climate variables by using Canonical Correspondence Analysis. The distribution of the Greek phrygana communities appeared to be related to soil rather than to climate. It is postulated that human action has eliminated the original variability related to climate factors in western Greek ecosystems; as a result, phrygana communities in this part of Greece are the result of human impact.     

Ascorbate protects endothelial barrier function during septic insult: Role of protein phosphatase type 2A

Endothelial barrier dysfunction contributes to morbidity in sepsis. We tested the hypothesis that raising the intracellular ascorbate concentration protects the endothelial barrier from septic insult by inhibiting protein phosphatase type 2A. Monolayer cultures of microvascular endothelial cells were incubated with ascorbate, dehydroascorbic acid (DHAA), the NADPH oxidase inhibitors apocynin and diphenyliodonium, or the PP2A inhibitor okadaic acid and then were exposed to septic insult (lipopolysaccharide and interferon-γ). Under standard culture conditions that depleted intracellular ascorbate, septic insult stimulated oxidant production and PP2A activity, dephosphorylated phosphoserine and phosphothreonine residues in the tight junction-associated protein occludin, decreased the abundance of occludin at cell borders, and increased monolayer permeability to albumin. NADPH oxidase inhibitors prevented PP2A activation and monolayer leak, showing that these changes required reactive oxygen species. Okadaic acid, at a concentration that inhibited PP2A activity and monolayer leak, prevented occludin dephosphorylation and redistribution, implicating PP2A in the response of occludin to septic insult. Incubation with ascorbate or DHAA raised intracellular ascorbate concentrations and mitigated the effects of septic insult. In conclusion, ascorbate acts within microvascular endothelial cells to inhibit septic stimulation of oxidant production by NADPH oxidase and thereby prevents PP2A activation, PP2A-dependent dephosphorylation and redistribution of occludin, and disruption of the endothelial barrier.     

Latitudinal variations in the composition and structure of vegetation in the northwestern Tatar Strait

The pattern of the latitudinal distribution of the floristic composition and structure of the submerged vegetation cover in the western Tatar Strait (within Khabarovsk Krai) is studied using the published data and original materials. Irregularities of the floristic composition have been found within limited areas of bays in this region, where they do not form any distinct borders or gradients. In the vegetation cover, vice versa, borders and gradients have been shown to form various combinations. The specific biomasses of most of the dominant species are significantly increasing, whereas the width and depth of the vegetation belt decreases from the south to the north. Their regression lines intersect at the latitude of 50° N (Cape Syurkum). Discrete coenotic variations are manifested most clearly as well at this point, where the dominance of Saccharina japonica, observed south of the cape, changes for S. cichorioides north of it. This allows establishing the phytocoenotic border here. The revealed features correspond to the direction of the temperature gradient, as well as to the variations in topical conditions and the level of hydrodynamic load along the coast.     

Human physiology: kidney

The content of human physiology as an independent part of current physiology is discussed. Substantiated is the point that subjects of human physiology are not only special sections of physiology where functions are inherent only in human (physiology of intellectual activity, speech, labor, sport), but also in peculiarities of functions, specificity of regulation of each of physiological systems. By the example of physiology of kidney and water-salt balance there are shown borders of norm, peculiarities of regulation in human, new chapters of renal physiology which have appeared in connection with achievements of molecular physiology.     

Genetic diversity of 15 STR loci in a population of Montenegro

Genetic diversity and forensic parameters based on 15AmpFlSTR Identifiler short tandem repeat (STR) loci (D8S1179, D21S11, D7S820, CSF1PO, D3S1358, TH01, D13S317, D16S539, D2S1338, D19S433, vWA, TPOX, D18S51, D5S818 and FGA) were evaluated in a sample of 101 unrelated, autochthonous adults from Montenegro. After applying Bonferroni correction, the agreement with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) was confirmed for all loci with the exception of D5S818 (chi2 test) and D21S11 (exact test). The combined power of discrimination (PD) and the combined power of exclusion (PE) for the 15 studied loci were 0.9999999999999999844 and 0.99999382, respectively. According to measures of within-population genetic diversity, D2S1338, D18S51 and FGA may be considered as the most variable and most informative markers for forensic testing and population genetic analyses out of the 15 analysed loci in a population of Montenegro. D5S818 showed to be the least variable and together with TPOX, the least informative. Interpopulation comparisons were carried out and levels of genetic differentiation between population of Montenegro and five South-eastern European populations (Kosovo Albanians, Serbians from Vojvodina province, Macedonians, Bosnians and Croatians) were evaluated. The most differentiated population in relation to Montenegro is a population of Kosovo Albanians as suggested by both AMOVA and coefficients of genetic differentiation (F(ST) and R(ST)).     

Reversible deformation-dependent erythrocyte cation leak. Extreme sensitivity conferred by minimal peroxidation.

To determine the threshold at which red blood cells (RBC) begin to manifest deformation-dependent leakiness to monovalent cations, we examined net passive potassium leak during elliptical deformation. Normal RBC did not begin to leak appreciable amounts of potassium until shear stress reached 204 dyn/cm2, at which point they had attained greater than 96% of their maximal deformation. In striking contrast, RBC that had undergone minimal, physiologically relevant degrees of peroxidative damage induced by t-butylhydroperoxide began to leak potassium at only 59 dyn/cm2 when they had reached only 63% of their maximal deformation. The cation leak identified in this manner is not prelytic, and it is fully reversible. Therefore, these data may be relevant to abnormal cation leaks that develop in sickle red cells that have membranes damaged by auto-oxidative stress and that manifest an exuberant but reversible leakiness to monovalent cation during sickling-induced deformation of the cell membrane.