Variation among North Amerindians: analysis of Boas's anthropometric data.

In the late nineteenth century Franz Boas was responsible for assembling anthropometric data from North Amerindians. Approximately 15,000 subjects were measured, but the data have never been systematically analyzed. Here we describe our efforts to develop a computerized database from Boas's data and present the first systematic analysis of these data. In addition to a general analysis of North Amerindian anthropometric variation, we also present a more detailed analysis of anthropometric variation among tribes located in the American Northwest. In the general analysis we find that anthropometric variation is strongly patterned along geographic lines. We examine geographic and language patterning by grouping tribes by culture area and language phylum. Both have high explanatory power, culture area being the higher. The Northwest analysis shows that both language and geographic location are important in explaining anthropometric variation.     

Geranylgeranyltransferase I inhibitors target RalB to inhibit anchorage-dependent growth and induce apoptosis and RalA to inhibit anchorage-independent growth

Geranylgeranyltransferase I inhibitors (GGTIs) are presently undergoing advanced preclinical studies and have been shown to disrupt oncogenic and tumor survival pathways, to inhibit anchorage-dependent and -independent growth, and to induce apoptosis. However, the geranylgeranylated proteins that are targeted by GGTIs to induce these effects are not known. Here we provide evidence that the Ras-like small GTPases RalA and RalB are exclusively geranylgeranylated and that inhibition of their geranylgeranylation mediates, at least in part, the effects of GGTIs on anchorage-dependent and -independent growth and tumor apoptosis. To this end, we have created the corresponding carboxyl-terminal mutants that are exclusively farnesylated and verified that they retain the subcellular localization and signaling activities of the wild-type geranylgeranylated proteins and that Ral GTPases do not undergo alternative prenylation in response to GGTI treatment. By expressing farnesylated, GGTI-resistant RalA and RalB in Cos7 cells and human pancreatic MiaPaCa2 cancer cells followed by GGTI-2417 treatment, we demonstrated that farnesylated RalB, but not RalA, confers resistance to the proapoptotic and anti-anchorage-dependent growth effects of GGTI-2417. Conversely, farnesylated RalA but not RalB expression renders MiaPaCa2 cells less sensitive to inhibition of anchorage-independent growth. Furthermore, farnesylated RalB, but not RalA, inhibits the ability of GGTI-2417 to suppress survivin and induce p27^Kip1 protein levels. We conclude that RalA and RalB are important, functionally distinct targets for GGTI-mediated tumor apoptosis and growth inhibition.     

Higher temperature reduces the effects of litter quality on decomposition by aquatic fungi

1. We investigated the effects of riparian plant diversity (species number and identity) and temperature on microbially mediated leaf decomposition by assessing fungal biodiversity, fungal reproduction and leaf mass loss. 2. Leaves of five riparian plant species were first immersed in a stream to allow microbial colonisation and were then exposed, alone or in all possible combinations, at 16 or 24 °C in laboratory microcosms. 3. Fungal biodiversity was reduced by temperature but was not affected by litter diversity. Temperature altered fungal community composition with species of warmer climate, such as Lunulospora curvula, becoming dominant. 4. Fungal reproduction was affected by litter diversity, but not by temperature. Fungal reproduction in leaf mixtures did not differ or was lower than that expected from the weighted sum of fungal sporulation on individual leaf species. At the higher temperature, the negative effect of litter diversity on fungal reproduction decreased with the number of leaf species. 5. Leaf mass loss was affected by the identity of leaf mixtures (i.e. litter quality), but not by leaf species number. This was mainly explained by the negative correlation between leaf decomposition and initial lignin concentration of leaves. 6. At 24 °C, the negative effects of lignin on microbially mediated leaf decomposition diminished, suggesting that higher temperatures may weaken the effects of litter quality on plant litter decomposition in streams. 7. The reduction in the negative effects of lignin at the higher temperature resulted in an increased microbially mediated litter decomposition, which may favour invertebrate‐mediated litter decomposition leading to a depletion of litter stocks in streams.     

内源性NO在LPS和TNFα诱导离体兔肺动脉反应性变化中 …

目的：探讨脂多糖（Ｌｉｐｏｐｏｌｙｓａｃｃｈａｒｉｄｅ,ＬＰＳ）和肿瘤坏死因子α（ｔｕｍｏｒ ｎｅｃｒｏｓｉｓ ｆａｃｔｏｒ ａｌｐｈａ,ＴＮＦα）所致离体肺动脉反应性张力变化与肺动脉源性一氧化氮（ｎｉｔｒｉｃ ｏｘｉｅ,ＮＯ）的关系。方法：离体兔肺动脉环用ＬＰＳ＋ＴＮＦα、ＬＰＳ或深剂孵育２ｈ和６ｈ,检测肺动脉对乙酰胆碱（ＡＣｈ）、硝普钠（ＳＮＰ）和苯肾上腺素（ＰＥ）的累积剂量反应,以及一氧化氮     

经支气管镜气管插管与常规气管插管救治呼吸衰竭对比分析

目的：回顾性分析呼吸机辅助呼吸救治危重呼吸衰竭患者气管插管方式对于救治成功率的影响。方法：我科收治的各种呼吸衰竭患者94例,回顾分析插管方式对于救治成功率、引发心跳骤停及其对心肺复苏效果的影响。结果：经纤维支气管镜经口气管插管（35例）与经直接喉镜经口（59例）引发心跳骤停有明显统计学差异（X^2=11．5,v=1,t〈0．001）。经直接喉镜经口气管插管在术前用药与否对引发心跳骤停并无统计学意义,但是对于引发心跳骤停后心肺复苏成功率确有明显统计学意义。结论：经纤维支气管镜气管插管具有较高的安全性,在经直接喉镜气管插管是选择镇静药或浅麻醉药物应慎重,尽力避免心跳骤停和心肺复苏失败。     

Genetic relationships of European populations reflect their ethnohistorical affinities

From 420 records of ethnic locations and movements since 2000 B. C., we computed vectors describing the proportions which peoples of the various European language families contributed to the gene pools within 85 land-based 5 × 5-degree quadrats in Europe. Using these language family vectors, we computed ethnohistorical affinities as arc distances between all pairs of the 85 quadrats. These affinities are significantly correlated with genetic distances based on 26 genetic systems, even when geographic distances, a common causative factor, are held constant. Thus, the ethnohistorical distances explain a significant amount of the genetic variation observed in modern populations. Randomizations of the records by chronology result in loss of significance for the observed partial correlation between genetics and ethnohistory, when geography is held constant. However, a randomization of records by location only results in reduced significance. Thus, while the historical sequence of the movements does not seem to matter in Europe, their geographic locations do. We discuss the implications of these findings. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Auscultatory indirect measurement of blood pressure in dogs

An indirect method of measuring blood pressure (cuff plus stethoscope) was evaluated in 70 dogs weighing 15 to 30 kg (17.5 +/- 8.8 kg; mean +/- standard deviation). A cuff 12 cm wide was used. The measurements were most audible with the cuff on the upper foreleg of the dog and with the stethoscope placed in the medial epicondylar region just distal to the cuff. The cuff was inflated to greater than systolic pressure and allowed to deflate slowly. In 70 lightly sedated dogs, systolic blood pressures averaged 145 +/- 25 mmHg (mean +/- standard deviation) and diastolic blood pressures averaged 84 +/- 14 mmHg. Indirect measurements were compared to direct measurements (femoral arterial catheter). Systolic pressures obtained by this direct method averaged 138 +/- 29 mmHg (mean +/- standard deviation) and diastolic pressures averaged 84 +/- 17 mmHg. The correlation coefficient for systolic pressure was 0.96 and for diastolic pressure 0.97.