Diagnostic criteria for diabetes revisited: making use of combined criteria

Background  

Existing cut-offs for fasting plasma glucose (FPG) and post-load glucose (2hPG) criteria are not equivalent in the diagnosis of diabetes and glucose intolerance. Adjusting cut-offs of single measurements have not helped so we undertook this project to see if they could be complementary.     

Out of Africa and back again: nested cladistic analysis of human Y chromosome variation

We surveyed nine diallelic polymorphic sites on the Y chromosomes of 1,544 individuals from Africa, Asia, Europe, Oceania, and the New World. Phylogenetic analyses of these nine sites resulted in a tree for 10 distinct Y haplotypes with a coalescence time of approximately 150,000 years. The 10 haplotypes were unevenly distributed among human populations: 5 were restricted to a particular continent, 2 were shared between Africa and Europe, 1 was present only in the Old World, and 2 were found in all geographic regions surveyed. The ancestral haplotype was limited to African populations. Random permutation procedures revealed statistically significant patterns of geographical structuring of this paternal genetic variation. The results of a nested cladistic analysis indicated that these geographical associations arose through a combination of processes, including restricted, recurrent gene flow (isolation by distance) and range expansions. We inferred that one of the oldest events in the nested cladistic analysis was a range expansion out of Africa which resulted in the complete replacement of Y chromosomes throughout the Old World, a finding consistent with many versions of the Out of Africa Replacement Model. A second and more recent range expansion brought Asian Y chromosomes back to Africa without replacing the indigenous African male gene pool. Thus, the previously observed high levels of Y chromosomal genetic diversity in Africa may be due in part to bidirectional population movements. Finally, a comparison of our results with those from nested cladistic analyses of human mtDNA and beta-globin data revealed different patterns of inferences for males and females concerning the relative roles of population history (range expansions) and population structure (recurrent gene flow), thereby adding a new sex-specific component to models of human evolution.      

Taxonomic position of the lysine producer Brevibacterium flavum

Brevibacterium flavum 22 and 22L producing lysine and glutamic acid should be reclassified as Corynebacterium glutamicum on the basis of their chemotaxonomic characteristics: the IV type of the cell wall, corynomycolic acids C32--C34, 57.8% of GC in DNA.     

Age and growth of threaded sculpin <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gymnocanthus pistilliger</Emphasis> (Cottidae) in the southern Primorye (Sea of Japan)

The features are discussed of the growth of threaded sculpin Gymnocanthus pistilliger in the southern part of its range, in the Sea of Japan. Several methods were tested to determine the age of this species. The improved approach is suggested for determinating the age of threaded sculpin by annual increments on sagitta using thin cross-sections, characteristics of optical density in different zones of otolith growth, and their positions relative to otolith center. It was demonstrated that the growth rate of threaded sculpin in the waters of southern Primorye was significantly higher than in the northern part of its range: the males reached a length of about 20 cm and the females about 22 cm at the age 5+. The maximum length of individuals, 26 cm in the males and 31 cm in the females, significantly exceed those known from literature. The longevity of threaded sculpin calculated for maximum size is 12–13 yr for the waters of Primorye.     

Bioremediation Potential of Biochar-Immobilized Cells of Azospirillum brasilense

Microbiology - A biopreparation consisting of the cells of Azospirillum brasilense strain SR80 immobilized on wood biochar was characterized. Sorption of oil by biochar and its colonization by...     

Seasonal Distribution and Size Composition of the Black Edged Sculpin Gymnocanthus herzensteini (Cottidae) off the Mainland Coast of Russian Waters in the Sea of Japan

Journal of Ichthyology - Off the mainland coast of the Russian waters of the Sea of Japan, the Black Edged sculpin Gymnocanthus herzensteini occurs at depths from 10 to 424 m at temperatures from...     

Effects of general,specific and combined warm-up on explosive muscular performance

The purpose of this study was to compare the acute effects of general, specific and combined warm-up (WU) on explosive performance. Healthy male (n = 10) subjects participated in six WU protocols in a crossover randomized study design. Protocols were: passive rest (PR; 15 min of passive rest), running (Run; 5 min of running at 70% of maximum heart rate), stretching (STR; 5 min of static stretching exercise), jumping [Jump; 5 min of jumping exercises – 3x8 countermovement jumps (CMJ) and 3x8 drop jumps from 60 cm (DJ60)], and combined (COM; protocols Run+STR+Jump combined). Immediately before and after each WU, subjects were assessed for explosive concentric-only (i.e. squat jump – SJ), slow stretch-shortening cycle (i.e. CMJ), fast stretch-shortening cycle (i.e. DJ60) and contact time (CT) muscle performance. PR significantly reduced SJ performance (p =0.007). Run increased SJ (p =0.0001) and CMJ (p =0.002). STR increased CMJ (p =0.048). Specific WU (i.e. Jump) increased SJ (p =0.001), CMJ (p =0.028) and DJ60 (p =0.006) performance. COM increased CMJ performance (p =0.006). Jump was superior in SJ performance vs. PR (p =0.001). Jump reduced (p =0.03) CT in DJ60. In conclusion, general, specific and combined WU increase slow stretch-shortening cycle (SSC) muscle performance, but only specific WU increases fast SSC muscle performance. Therefore, to increase fast SSC performance, specific fast SSC muscle actions must be included during the WU.     

Water loss from Jackass Penguin Spheniscus demersus eggs during natural incubation

The water budget of incubating Jackass Penguin eggs was studied on Marcus Island, South Africa, and complementary measurements were made in the laboratory. The mean ambient temperature was 16-5 "C and the mean humidity was 12-4 Torr (89% relative humidity). The temperature of incubated live and water-filled eggs ranged between 14^oCand 37 ^oC. The mean calculated egg temperature was 34-9' C. The mean brood patch temperature was 37-1 ^oC, slightly lower than the cloacal temperature (37.8 ^oC). The mean brood patch area was about 38 cm². The rate of water loss was 411 mg day^-1. The total diffusive water loss during 37 days of incubation was, as predicted, 15-2% of the initial 100-3 g egg mass. The total pore number was 6245 per egg and the shell thickness was 577 fira. It is suggested that the eggshell parameters, incubation length and nesting behaviour are compensated in such a way that an egg-to-nest water vapour pressure difference lower than commonly found is sufficient to bring about the normal total water loss.     

Seasonal Distribution of Antlered Sculpin, <Emphasis Type="Italic">Enophrys diceraus</Emphasis> (Cottidae) in Peter the Great Bay,Sea of Japan

The antlered sculpin Enophrys diceraus in Peter the Great Bay is found to inhabit from shallow waters to depths deeper than 600 m. The range of depth where this species occurs is the narrowest, from 12 to 250 m deep, in summer. The greatest depths of inhabitation are characteristic, in all seasons, only of adult fish of this species. In the cold period of the year, the young probably avoid the upper part of the shelf where the temperatures have cooled down to negative numbers. Spawning in the antlered sculpin begins in the second half of November. Females dominate the population of this species inhabiting Peter the Great Bay. Males reach 38 cm long and more; females can be up to 31 cm long. The greatest density of antlered sculpin in the summer period on the preferred substrates is observed in the western part of the bay, primarily on sandy ground.