王府井东方广场遗址石制品研究

王府井东方广场遗址出土石制品共计1098件,主要来自下文化层。除石锤、石砧和人工石块外,其他石制品的原料几乎全部为黑色燧石。石制品普遍较小,主要为小型和微型。石核数量很少,但石片占石制品总数的一半还多。碎屑在探方中的几个区域密集分布。石器加工精致,刃缘大部分都比较平齐且其上的修疤排列均匀、整齐,尤其表现在端刮器上。原料、类型与技术特点表明,东方广场遗址石制品组合属于中国旧石器时代晚期的以石片为主要特征的文化系列。这一文化系列与周口店北京猿人遗址、周口店第15地点、许家窑遗址等有较多的相似性,推测东方广场石制品组合是由中国旧石器时代早期和中期石器工业演变而来。     

Cannibalism in prehistoric Europe

The key argument for the identification of prehistoric cannibalism is provided by analysis of close similarities in the treatment of human and animal remains. Such analysis requires precise data on depositional context, meticulous excavation records, detailed bone modification studies, a relatively large sample of human and animal postcranial bones, and data on local mortuary practices. With the exception of Fontbrégoua Cave, these necessary conditions are lacking at all Stone Age European sites where it has been hypothesized that cannibalism occurred. The alternative hypothesis of secondary burial practices has been proposed informally for some sites and, in a more formal and detailed way, for Krapina and Fontbrégoua. However, this hypothesis does not have a higher probability, is not justified by current data, and uses ethnographic analogies to prop up interpretations of materials for which contextual data are missing or have been neglected. At Fontbrégoua, cannibalism remains the simplest and most plausible explanation of the evidence; at Krapina and other sites the available evidence is insufficient to prove either secondary burial or cannibalism.     

Diagnostic utility of HFE variants in Spanish patients: Association with HLA alleles and role in susceptibility to acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the Human Hemochromatosis (HFE) gene, C282Y and H63D, are the major variants associated to altered iron status and it is well known that these mutations are in linkage disequilibrium with certain Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA)-A alleles. In addition, the C282Y SNP has been previously suggested to confer susceptibility to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We have aimed to assess the diagnosis utility of these polymorphisms in a population of Spanish subjects with suspicion of hereditary iron overload and to evaluate the effect of their associations with HLA-A alleles on the susceptibility to ALL. Both the 63DD [OR = 4.31 (1.7–11.2)] and 282YY (p for trend = 0.02) genotypes were more frequently found among subjects with suspicion of iron overload than among controls. 282YY carriers displayed significantly higher transferrin saturation index (TSI) values (p < 0.001) as well as serum iron (p = 0.01) and ferritin (p = 0.01) levels. In addition, transferrin levels were lower in these subjects (p = 0.01). Likewise, patients who were carriers of the compound heterozygous diplotype (282CY/63HD) showed significantly higher TSI and serum iron and ferritin concentrations. The H63D SNP did not significantly affect the analytical parameters measured. All 282YY carriers and 69.2% of compound heterozygotes showed an altered biochemical index. The frequencies of the HFE SNPs in ALL pediatric patients were lower than those found in controls, whereas the HLA-A*24 allele was significantly overrepresented in the patients group [OR = 3.76 (1.9–7.3)]. No HFE-HLA-A associations were found to modulate the ALL risk. These results suggest that it may be useful to test for both HFE H63D and C282Y polymorphisms in patients with iron overload, as opposed to just genotyping for the C282Y SNP, which is customary in some healthcare centers. These HFE variants and their associations with HLA-A alleles were not observed to be relevant for the susceptibility to ALL in our population.     

A mannose-specific lectin from Vicia villosa seeds

A lectin specific to mannose has been purified from Vicia villosa seed by (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation, GalNAc-Sepharose and Man-Sepharose affinity chromatography. It was defined as VVL_M, which showed a single band on an acidic-PAGE stained with Coosmassie brilliant blue. The molecular weight of VVL_M was 50 kDa as determined by gel filtration on Biogel P-100 column. The VVL_M molecule consists of 2 distinct subunits with apparent molecular weight of 30 kDa and 22kDa determined by SDS-PAGE. VVL_M has at least four isolectins with similar haemagglutinating activity. Its extinction coefficient is calculated as A_1cm¹ = 16.4 at 280 nm. Sugars could not be detected phenol-sulfuric acid method. The circular dichroism analysis at far UV indicated that VVL_M was a β-sheet-rich protein, and gave no α-helix, 69% β-sheet, 14% β-turn by Provencher and Glockner method. The lectin was inhibited by α-methyl-d-mannose at 12.5 mM and glucose or GlcNAc at 50 mM. The carbohydrate binding specificity of VVL_M was investigated by using affinity chromatography on a VVL_M-Sepharose column. Among various Asn-linked oligosaccharides, core structure Manα1→3(Manα1→6)Manβ1→4GlcNAcβ1→4GlcNAc_OT were found to have high affinity for VVL_M-Sepharose. The antisera of VVL_M did not produce precipitin line with VVL_G in agar double diffusion plate indicating so serological relationship between VVL_M and VVL_G. However VVL_M showed similar immunodeterminants of some other lectins of mannose specificity such as Con A, PSL, LCA and VFL.     

Localization and characterization of T-cell subpopulations and natural killer cells (HNK 1+ cells) in the human tonsilla palatina

Summary In the present study attention was focussed on several lymphoid subpopulations and specific stationary cells of the human tonsilla palatina. They were labeled at the light- and electron-microscopic levels by means of monoclonal antibodies to cell surface antigens. Cells resembling interdigitating cells (IDC-like cells) within the crypt epithelium and the interdigitating cells in the parafollicular T-cell region express the HLA-DR antigen. This fact suggests a relationship between these two populations of cells. Both cell types were frequently found in close contact to T-helper cells labeled with Anti-Leu 3a. This fact is discussed as a confirmation of earlier suggestions that the tonsillar crypt epithelium serves as T-cell region. Cytotoxic/ suppressor-T cells (OKT 8 ⁺) and Leu 7-positive cells do not appear to contact interdigitating cells. Anti-Leu 7 is a monoclonal antibody, that defines a differentiation antigen shown to be selectively expressed on human natural killer cells (NK-cells). With the use of the immuno-electron-microscopic labeling method it was possible to analyze the ultrastructure of this lymphoid subpopulation. Two morphologically distinguishable subtypes of Leu 7-positive cells populate different microenvironments: The Leu 7-positive large-granular lymphocyte was predominantly found in the crypt epithelium, while numerous Leu 7-positive cells located in the germinal centers had the appearance of small lymphocytes. This finding is discussed in favour of distinct phenotypes representing different stages in a differentiation pathway of the maturing NK-cell: Small Leu 7-positive lymphocytes in the germinal centers are supposed to be functionally inactive precursors, and only the Leu 7-positive large granulated lymphocytes in the crypt epithelium may represent differentiated active NK-cells. This interpretation is in agreement with the observation that the tonsilla palatina, in spite of containing numerous Leu 7-positive cells, shows only low NK-activity against tumor cells.Glossary of Abbreviations used in this Paper DAB diamino-benzidine - DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide - HLA human leucocyte antigen - HLA-DR human leucocyte antigen, D-region related - Ia-antigen immune-associated antigen of the MHC - IDC interdigitating cell - IDC-like cell cell that resembles an interdigitating cell - LGL large granular lymphocyte - MHC major histocompatibility gene complex - NK-cell natural killer cell - PBS phosphate-buffered saline     

Immunohistochemical characterization of the thymic microenvironment

Summary The epithelial framework of the human thymus has been studied in parallel by immunohistochemical methods at the light- and electron-microscopic levels. Different monoclonal antibodies were used, reacting with components of the major histocompatibility complex, keratins, thymic hormones and other as yet antigenically undefined substances, which show specific immunoreactivities with human thymus epithelial cells.The electron-microscopic immunocytochemical observations clearly confirm microtopographical differences of epithelial cells not only between the thymic cortex and medulla, but also within the cortex itself. At least four subtypes of epithelial cells could be distinguished: 1) the cortical surface epithelium; 2) the main cortical epithelial cells and thymic nurse cells; 3) the medullary epithelial cells; and 4) the epithelial cells of Hassall's corpuscles.The various epithelial cell types of the thymus display several common features like tonofilaments, desmosomes and some surface antigens as demonstrated by anti-KiM3. In other respects, however, they differ from each other. The cortical subtype of thymic epithelial cells including the thymic nurse cells shows a distinct pattern of surface antigens reacting positively with antibodies against HLA-DR (anti-HLA-DR) and anti-21A62E. Electron-microscopic immunocytochemistry with these antibodies clearly reveals a surface labeling and a narrow contact to cortical thymocytes particularly in the peripheral cortical regions. An alternative staining pattern is realized by antibodies to some antigens associated with other subtypes of thymic epithelial cells. Medullary epithelial cells as well as the cortical surface epithelium react likewise positively with antibodies to special surface antigens (anti-Ep-1), to special epitopes of cytokeratin (anti-IV/82), and to thymic hormones (anti-FTS). The functional significance of distinct microenvironments within the thymus provided by different epithelial cells is discussed in view of the maturation of T-precursor cells.Glossary of Abbreviations Anti-X anti-X antibody - APUD-cells amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation (gastro-intestinal endocrine cells) - DAB diamino-benzidine - DMSO dimethyl sulfoxide - FTS facteur thymique sérique - HLA-A, B, C human leucocyte antigen, A, B, C-region related - HLA-DR human leucocyte antigen, D-region related - IDC interdigitating cell - MHC major histocompatibility gene complex - PBS phosphate-buffered saline - TNC thymic nurse cell This investigation was supported by grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, and its Sonderforschungsbereich 111Fellow of the Alexander von Humbold-Stiftung, Institute of Pathology, University of Würzburg, Federal Republic of GermanyThe authors appreciate the contribution of human thymus tissue from Professor Alexander Bernhard, Abteilung kardiovasculäre Chirurgie der Universität Kiel; the gift of monoclonal antibodies from Dr. M.J.D. Anderson, Dr. M. Dardenne and Dr. H.J. Radzun; and the excellent technical assistence of Mrs. O.M. Bracker, Mrs. H. Hansen, Mrs. R. Köpke, Mrs. M. v. Kolszynski, Mrs. J. Quitzau, Mrs. H. Siebke, and Mrs. H. Waluk     

What is going on at the Molí del Salt site? A zooarchaeological approach to the last hunter-gatherers from South Catalonia

Abstract

Small game seems to have increased during the Upper Palaeolithic to the detriment of large game on the Iberian Peninsula. The economical and socio-cultural factors associated with this ecological shift represent a widely discussed topic. The present work attempts to elucidate the subsistence strategies occurring through the Late Pleistocene in Iberia using the example of the Molí del Salt (Tarragona, Spain), an archaeological site located in the NE of the Iberian Peninsula. The taphonomical analysis of faunal remains shows a high incidence of human activity on different taxonomical groups, although the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) stands out. This taxon presents cut-marks related to various processing activities (e.g. skinning and defleshing) and intentional bone breakage to access marrow. The abundance of specimens with human-induced damage enables us to make inferences regarding the procurement strategies and the occupational patterns at the site, where long and stable occupations seem to have occurred.     

The inheritance of shovel shape in maxillary central incisors

The aim of this study is to investigate the inheritance of the shovel shape of maxillary permanent central incisors. The material collected on Hailuoto Island, off the western coast of Finland, consists of 319 dental casts. The genealogical data are from the parish register. The genetic method is based on the incidence of the trait in the sibships as compared to that in the whole population sample. The results suggest that the trait is hereditary, and transmitted by a single intermediate autosomal gene, although more complex models of inheritance are also acceptable.