Brief communication: Twentieth-century replication of an Egyptian mummy: Implications for paleopathology

Replication in a modern human cadaver of ancient Egyptian mummification focused on tools used by ancient Egyptian embalmers, the use of natron (a mixture of sodium carbonate, bicarbonate, and chloride) in the preparation of the mummy, surgical procedures in the removal of the viscera and brain, and histologic examination of the viscera. The first three areas have been reported separately (Brier and Wade [1997] ZAS 124:89–100). In this paper, we demonstrate a degree of histologic preservation comparable to that seen in Egyptian mummies, indicating the effectiveness of ancient mummification and that the histologic appearance of such mummies is little altered by the passage of millennia. Am J Phys Anthropol 107:417–420, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.     

Cryo-EM structure of the ancient eukaryotic ribosome from the human parasite Giardia lamblia

Giardiasis is a disease caused by the protist Giardia lamblia. As no human vaccines have been approved so far against it, and resistance to current drugs is spreading, new strategies for combating giardiasis need to be developed. The G. lamblia ribosome may provide a promising therapeutic target due to its distinct sequence differences from ribosomes of most eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the G. lamblia (WB strain) ribosome determined at 2.75 Å resolution. The ribosomal RNA is the shortest known among eukaryotes, and lacks nearly all the eukaryote-specific ribosomal RNA expansion segments. In contrast, the ribosomal proteins are typically eukaryotic with some species-specific insertions/extensions. Most typical inter-subunit bridges are maintained except for one missing contact site. Unique structural features are located mainly at the ribosome’s periphery. These may be exploited as target sites for the design of new compounds that inhibit selectively the parasite’s ribosomal activity.     

Genetic variation and ecology of stoneroller minnows

Genetic variation at 17 enzymic and other protein loci was examined for natural populations of stoneroller minnows, Campostoma oligolepis and C. anomalum. Species differences in levels of heterozygosity, standardized variance of gene frequencies and interpopulation heterogeneity appear to be a function of degree of demic isolation, rate of migration and potential for stochastic processes to structure genomes.     

The effects of a diet rich in fish oil on human neutrophils: identification of leukotriene B5 as a metabolite

Diets that are enriched with fish oil have been shown to alter arachidonic acid metabolism via the cyclooxygenase pathway. Recently it has been shown that one of the major component fatty acids of fish oil, eicosapentaenoate (EPA), is a substrate for the leukotriene B (LTB) pathway when added exogenously to human neutrophils in vitro. We fed a diet that contained 8-10gm/day of EPA to four human subjects for three weeks and compared the arachidonate metabolism of their neutrophils to the same functions while the subjects were on their usual diet. The fish oil-supplementation increased neutrophil EPA content from undetectable levels to 7.4 +/- 2.4% (p less than 0.01, expressed as % of total fatty acid), and decreased arachidonate from 15.4 +/- 2.3% to 12.8 +/- 2.3% (p less than 0.05). Leukotriene B5 was identified as a metabolite during the fish oil-diet by its chromatographic profile and mass spectrum. During the experimental diet LTB4, decreased from 160 +/- 37 ng/10(7) neutrophils to 120 +/- 12 (p less than 0.05), and LTB5 increased from 0 to 39 +/- 9 ng/10(7) neutrophils (p less than 0.005). The diet had no effect on neutrophil aggregation or adherence to nylon fibers.     

Intrawell Absorption of Antisera in a Template Thin-Film Gel Diffusion Method

This report describes a method for in situ absorption of antisera within the template wells used in thin-film microgel diffusion. The intrawell absorption of antisera offers several advantages over previously reported techniques for detecting the presence of given antigens in biological preparations. The procedure is time saving, antigens are conserved, optimum antigen-antibody ratios are easily determined, and tests of several different absorbing antigens can be made on a single plate.