bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Teaching Commitment to Accuracy in Research: Comment on Cronan-Hillix (1988)
Authors: McDonald Catherine S. , Peterson Keith A.
Published: January 2006

Cronan-Hillix (1988) argued that students are unconcerned about accuracy in research. To foster commitment to accuracy, she proposed that students be given failing grades for results sections containing even one error and that their corrected papers be resubmitted for a reduced grade. Her assumptions regarding the nature of the problem are unfounded. Extrinsic contingencies, especially negative ones, impede the learning process and impair student motivation. Rather than being punished, students should be required to document the rationale for their analyses so that the cause of errors may be identified and conceptual misunderstandings addressed in a positive manner. With this strategy, the learning process will not be overshadowed by the anxiety-producing effects of failure.
Teaching Students the Importance of Accuracy in Research: A Reply to McDonald and Peterson
Authors: Cronan-Hillix Terry
Published: January 2006

McDonald and Peterson (this issue) criticize my suggestion that introductory experimental psychology students be taught the importance of accuracy by giving them an A or F for the results sections of laboratory reports. However, the empirical basis for their objections has little relevance, and classroom observations demonstrate the beneficial results of appropriate use of reinforcement and punishment principles.
Some Rules for Effective and Ineffective Teaching: Generating Lists as an Educational Exercise
Authors: Strube Michael J.
Published: January 2006

Two contrasting sets of 10 rules that describe important considerations for effective and ineffective teaching are outlined in this article. The rules serve as convenient summaries of the many factors that teachers must consider when they assume the educator role. The rules also underscore the assumptions that often silently guide effective teaching. The process of generating such lists may be a useful educational exercise.
Implementing a Computer-Assisted Cooperative Learning Model for Introductory Psychology
Authors: Brothen Thomas
Published: January 2006

This article describes the process involved in creating a computer-assisted course in introductory psychology. Brief overviews of facilities and hardware acquisition, software development, and research and development issues provide a skeletal guide for instructors thinking about computer-assisted instruction for their own classes. A guiding educational model was central to successful implementation of this project.
Observer Biases in the Classroom
Authors: Kite Mary E.
Published: January 2006

This article outlines three activities that demonstrate common perceptual errors described in the social psychological literature: the actor-observer effect, the false consensus bias, and priming effects. These activities produce consistent results and demonstrate how cognitive shortcuts can result in inaccurate judgments. These simple demonstrations can also stimulate discussion of the bases of such miscalculations and their impact on everyday thinking.
Using Psychologists' Letters to Teach about Introspection
Authors: Goodwin C. James
Published: January 2006

In the history and systems course, psychologists' letters can be used to facilitate an understanding of the introspective way of thinking and of the historical era in which introspection flourished. Excerpts from two letters illustrate how the “introspective attitude” characterized the everyday cognition of experimentalists.
Annotated Bibliography on the Teaching of Psychology: 1990
Authors: Wise Paula Sachs , Fulkerson Frank E.
Published: January 2006

This bibliography is a continuation of those published by Berry and Daniel (1984, 1985), Daniel (1981a, 1981b), Fulkerson and Wise (1987, 1990), Fulkerson, Wise, and Ancelet (1988), Johnson and Daniel (1974), Morgan and Daniel (1983), Mosley and Daniel (1982), and Wise and Fulkerson (1986, 1989). Search methods, criteria for inclusion, and other considerations were similar to those used previously. We have also continued the cumulative numbering practice of previous bibliographies. We have included a number of pre-1990 citations not listed in previous bibliographies because we continue to terminate our search in June. A noteworthy observation about this year's bibliography concerns the increase in the number of articles reporting research on college teaching in general and on the education of women, minorities, and nontraditional students in particular.
A Method for Teaching about Verbal and Nonverbal Communication
Authors: Costanzo Mark , Archer Dane
Published: January 2006

A method for teaching about verbal and nonverbal communication is described. The Interpersonal Perception Task (IPT) consists of a videotape of 30 brief scenes. Viewers answer interpretive questions by decoding the verbal and nonverbal cues in the scenes. Information is presented in all communication channels; several categories of interaction are represented; and for each scene, there is an objective criterion of accurate judgment. Instructional techniques using the IPT highlight the subtlety and complexity of communication cues, teach about specific cues to accuracy, demonstrate the relative importance of communication channels, and help students understand the process of interpretation.
Heterogeneity of Childhood Asthma Among Hispanic Children: Puerto Rican Children Bear a Disproportionate Burden
Authors: Lara Marielena , Akinbami Lara , Flores Glenn , Morgenstern Hal
Published: January 2006

OBJECTIVES. To estimate differences in asthma prevalence among Hispanic subgroups and non-Hispanic children living in the United States and to explore the association between these differences and risk factors.

METHODS. Weighted logistic regression analyses of merged 1997 to 2001 National Health Interview Survey data were used to estimate the prevalence of asthma diagnosis and asthma attacks in a sample of 46511 children (age: 2–17 years) living in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

RESULTS. Puerto Rican children had the highest prevalence of lifetime asthma (26%) and recent asthma attacks (12%), compared with non-Hispanic black children (16% and 7%, respectively), non-Hispanic white children (13% and 6%, respectively), and Mexican children (10% and 4%, respectively). Adjustment for asthma risk factors did not change these comparisons appreciably. Compared with non-Hispanic white children, the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for a lifetime asthma diagnosis were 2.33 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.90–2.84) for Puerto Rican children, 1.16 (95% CI: 1.04–1.29) for non-Hispanic black children, and 0.90 (95% CI: 0.79–1.03) for Mexican children. Birthplace influenced the association between ethnicity and lifetime asthma diagnosis differently for Puerto Rican and Mexican children. Compared with United States-born non-Hispanic white children with United States-born parents, the adjusted ORs were 1.95 (95% CI: 1.48–2.57) for Puerto Rican children in families with the child and parent(s) born in the 50 states/District of Columbia and 2.50 (95% CI: 1.51–4.13) for island-born Puerto Rican children with island-born parents. The corresponding adjusted ORs for Mexican children were 1.05 (95% CI: 0.90–1.22) for families born in the 50 states/District of Columbia and 0.43 (95% CI: 0.29–0.64) for those born in Mexico. The results were similar for recent asthma attacks.

CONCLUSIONS. The appreciably higher asthma morbidity rates experienced by Puerto Rican children cannot be explained by sociodemographic and other risk factors measured in the National Health Interview Survey. The heterogeneity of asthma among Hispanic subgroups should be considered in developing effective public health prevention and intervention strategies.
Hemodynamics of the Cerebral Arteries of Infants With Periventricular Leukomalacia
Authors: Fukuda Sumio , Kato Takenori , Kakita Hiroki , Yamada Yasumasa , Hussein Mohamed Hamed , Kato Ineko , Suzuki Satoshi , Togari Hajime
Published: January 2006

OBJECTIVE. This study investigated the developmental changes in blood flow in each cerebral artery among infants with and without periventricular leukomalacia (PVL), to elucidate the time of onset of PVL.

METHODS. Eight of 67 low birth weight infants were diagnosed through ultrasonography as having PVL with cyst formation. The mean cerebral blood flow velocities (CBFVs) in the anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral arteries (MCAs), posterior cerebral arteries (PCAs), internal carotid arteries (ICAs), and basilar artery were measured with Doppler ultrasonography at postnatal days 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 10, 14, 21, 28, 42, 56, and 70. Four of 8 infants with cyst formation and 1 of 59 infants without cyst formation developed cerebral palsy.

RESULTS. The mean CBFVs of infants with PVL were significantly lower in the anterior cerebral artery (days 14–70), the right MCA (days 14–70), the left MCA (days 14–70), the right PCA (days 7–70), the left PCA (days 5–70), the right ICA (days 7–70), the left ICA (days 7–70), and the basilar artery (days 14 and 28–70). The CBFVs in all arteries were also lower among those with PVL than among intact infants on day 0. The CBFVs increased postnatally in the PCAs of infants with intact brains, whereas they remained unchanged after day 14 or 21 among infants with PVL. There was a significant difference in the prevalence of cerebral palsy between the 2 groups.

CONCLUSIONS. We suggest that the total cerebral blood supply is decreased in cases of cystic PVL and that this reduction occurs just after birth, in a defined sequence, in the cerebral arteries. We conclude that the insult resulting in PVL might occur close to the time of birth.
Paper Versus Computer: Feasibility of an Electronic Medical Record in General Pediatrics
Authors: Roukema Jolt , Los Renske K. , Bleeker Sacha E. , van Ginneken Astrid M. , van der Lei Johan , Moll Henriette A.
Published: January 2006

BACKGROUND. Implementation of electronic medical record systems promises significant advances in patient care, because such systems enhance readability, availability, and data quality. Structured data entry (SDE) applications can prompt for completeness, provide greater accuracy and better ordering for searching and retrieval, and permit validity checks for data quality monitoring, research, and especially decision support. A generic SDE application (OpenSDE) to support documentation of patient history and physical examination findings was developed and tailored for the domain of general pediatrics.

OBJECTIVE. To evaluate OpenSDE for its completeness, uniformity of reporting, and usability in general pediatrics.

METHODS. Four (trainee) pediatricians documented data for 8 first-visit patients in the traditional, paper-based, medical record and immediately thereafter in OpenSDE (electronic record). The 32 paper records obtained served as the common data source for data entry in OpenSDE by the other 3 physicians (transcribed record). Data entered by 2 experienced users, with all patient information present in the paper record, served as the control record. Data entry times were recorded, and a questionnaire was used to assess users' experiences with OpenSDE.

RESULTS. Clinicians documented 44% of all available patient information identically in the paper and electronic records. Twenty-five percent of all patient information was documented only in the paper record, and 31% was present only in the electronic record. Differences were found in patient history and physical examination documentation in the electronic record; more information was missing for patient history (38%) than for physical examination (15%). Furthermore, physical examination contained more additional information (39%) than did patient history (21%). The interobserver agreement of documentation of patient information from the same data source was fair to moderate, with κ values of 0.39 for patient history and 0.40 for physical examination. Data entry times in OpenSDE decreased from 25 minutes to <15 minutes, indicating a learning effect. The questionnaire revealed a positive attitude toward the use of OpenSDE in daily practice.

CONCLUSION. OpenSDE seems to be a promising application for the support of physician data entry in general pediatrics.
Disease Versus Disease: How One Disease May Ameliorate Another
Authors: Stiehm E. Richard
Published: January 2006

Systemic disease, either genetic or acquired, may prevent or decrease the severity of another disease. These observations have led to important therapeutic advances. The best-known examples are Edward Jenner's use in 1798 of cowpox to prevent smallpox and J.B. Haldane's 1942 observation that erythrocyte disorders such as thalassemia and sickle cell disease modify the severity of malaria. Patients with and carriers of cystic fibrosis may have genetic resistance to tuberculosis and/or secretory diarrhea. The beneficial effects of undernutrition have led to therapeutic diets for seizures, celiac disease, type 2 diabetes, and inflammatory bowel disease. Finasteride for prostatic hypertrophy was developed after the observation that patients with male pseudohermaphrodism resulting from 5-α-reductase mutations do not develop prostatic hypertrophy. Rh immunoglobulin for Rh hemolytic disease prevention followed the observation that ABO incompatibility prevented Rh sensitization. The natural immunosuppression of measles may cause remission of nephrosis, and that of leprosy prevents psoriasis. Patients with one form of agammaglobulinemia (X-linked) never get Epstein-Barr virus infection, and patients with another form (common variable) are seemingly cured by HIV infection. HIV/AIDS is prevented or modified by co-receptor mutations (notably the CCRΔ32 chemokine mutation), HIV-2, or GB virus C infection. Additional exploration of these genetic, infectious, and metabolic influences on disease severity may provide new therapeutic approaches to HIV and other diseases.
Lead Toxicity in a 14-Year-Old Female With Retained Bullet Fragments
Authors: Coon Troy , Miller Michael , Shirazi Farshad , Sullivan John
Published: January 2006

In the past 3 decades, lead levels in North American children have been declining. Despite the decline in lead exposure, lead toxicity remains a significant childhood environmental health hazard. The usual route of lead exposure is through ingestion, but lead toxicity secondary to retained bullet fragments has been well documented in the adult literature. The diagnosis of lead toxicity is often difficult and delayed secondary to vague and transient symptoms. Recognizing high-risk characteristics of bullet fragments can improve clinician awareness to the possibility of lead toxicity. The primary management of patients with continued lead exposure is to remove the source of exposure. However, in the case of retained bullet fragments, initiation of chelation therapy before surgical removal may be essential in preventing systemic toxicity. We present the case of a 14-year-old female with lead toxicity who presented with an 18-month course of chronic abdominal pain, vomiting, and anorexia 2 years after sustaining a gunshot wound to the right leg. The patient was treated with oral succimer and operative removal of bullet fragments.
Racial and Gender Differences in the Viability of Extremely Low Birth Weight Infants: A Population-Based Study
Authors: Morse Steven B. , Wu Samuel S. , Ma Changxing , Ariet Mario , Resnick Michael , Roth Jeffrey
Published: January 2006

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study is to provide a race- and gender-specific model for predicting 1-year survival rates for extremely low birth weight (ELBW) infants by using population-based data.

METHODS. Birth and death certificates were analyzed for all children (N = 5076) with birth weights between 300 g and 1000 g who were born in Florida between 1996 and 2000. Semiparametric, multivariate, logistic regression analysis was used to model 1-year survival probabilities as a function of birth weight, gestational age, mother's race, and infant's gender. Estimated survival rates among different race/gender groups were compared by using odds ratios (ORs).

RESULTS. One-year survival rates for 5076 ELBW infants born between 1996 and 2000 did not change during the 5-year period (60–62%). The survival rate at ≤500 g was ≤14% (n = 716). Survival rates at 501 to 600 g and 601 to 700 g were 36% and 62%, respectively. The survival rate reached >85% for infants of >800 g. Modeling indicated a survival advantage for female infants, compared with male infants (OR: 1.7; 95% confidence interval: 1.5–1.9), and for black infants, compared with white infants (OR: 1.3; 95% confidence interval: 1.1–1.5). Black female infants had 2.1 greater odds of survival than did white male infants.

CONCLUSIONS. This population-based study highlights the significant race and gender differences in 1-year survival rates for ELBW infants, as well as the interactions of these 2 factors. These findings can assist obstetricians and neonatologists not only in the care of ELBW infants but also in frank discussions with families.
Modification of a Passive Gear to Sample Paddlefish Eggs in Sandbed Spawning Reaches of the Lower Yellowstone River
Authors: Firehammer Jon A. , Scarnecchia Dennis L. , Fain Steven R.
Published: January 2006

A passive sampling technique was developed to collect eggs and confirm potential spawning sites for paddlefish Polyodon spathula in sandbed reaches of the lower Yellowstone River, Montana and North Dakota. In 2000, egg collectors modeled after the mats used in sturgeon research proved difficult to retrieve from the riverbed and did not collect eggs. In 2001 and 2002, tubular egg collectors designed to remain suspended off the bottom were successfully retrieved 97% of the time and collected 130 acipenseriform eggs along suspected spawning sites (99% of differentiable eggs were genetically confirmed as paddlefish). In both years, eggs were typically collected in mid-June after peak periods of Yellowstone River discharge and at river temperatures of 15–22°C. During collection periods in 2001 and 2002, 20% and 45% of retrieved tubes, respectively, had at least one egg, and 84% of all eggs were found on tubes retrieved from the channel thalweg. Although eggs were spatially distributed in a clumped manner at sample sites, the mean number of eggs per tube was low (<4), suggesting either collector inefficiency, the inability to deploy collectors in close proximity to concentrations of spawning paddlefish, or the widespread distribution of spawning effort over the lower Yellowstone River.
Mating Pheromone Reception and Induced Behavior in Ovulating Female Sea Lampreys
Authors: Johnson Nicholas S. , Luehring Mark A. , Siefkes Michael J. , Li Weiming
Published: January 2006

This study was conducted to determine how ovulating female sea lampreys Petromyzon marinus respond to water conditioned with spermiating males (spermiating male washings) and how trap efficiency can be improved through their use. The capture rate of ovulating female sea lampreys was observed in traps baited with continuous or pulsed spermiating male washings. The behavior of ovulating females around baited traps was quantified. Within 2 h, traps baited with continuous spermiating male washings captured 52% of ovulating females (n = 27) and traps baited with pulsed washings captured 28% (n = 25) of ovulating females. Unbaited traps did not capture ovulating females. The behavior of females near traps baited with pulsed spermiating male washings was characterized by significantly more downstream and side-stream movements than that of females near traps with continuous washings. We occluded the olfactory organ of ovulating females and tested whether they were attracted to spermiating male washings in a two-choice maze and whether they could locate spermiating males in a spawning stream. Ovulating females with occluded olfactory organs were unable to locate spermiating males in a spawning stream. Furthermore, anosmic females were not attracted to spermiating male washings in a two-choice maze. We conclude that traps baited with spermiating male washings are able to capture females and that females may use the structure of the pheromone plume to locate the exact source of pheromones. It is likely that olfaction is the only means for ovulating females to detect a pheromone that is released by spermiating males.
Maxillary Sinusitis and Periapical Abscess Following Periodontal Therapy: A Case Report Using Three‐Dimensional Evaluation
Authors: Huang Chih‐Hao , Brunsvold Michael A.
Published: January 2006

Background: Maxillary sinusitis may develop from the extension of periodontal disease. In this case, reconstructed three‐dimensional images from multidetector spiral computed tomographs were helpful in evaluating periodontal bony defects and their relationship with the maxillary sinus.

Methods: A 42‐year‐old woman in good general health presented with a chronic deep periodontal pocket on the palatal and interproximal aspects of tooth #14. Probing depths of the tooth ranged from 2 to 9 mm, and it exhibited a Class 1 mobility. Radiographs revealed a close relationship between the root apex and the maxillary sinus. The patient's periodontal diagnosis was localized severe chronic periodontitis. Treatment of the tooth consisted of cause‐related therapy, surgical exploration, and bone grafting. A very deep circumferential bony defect at the palatal root of tooth #14 was noted during surgery. After the operation, the wound healed without incidence, but 10 days later, a maxillary sinusitis and periapical abscess developed. To control the infection, an evaluation of sinus and alveolus using computed tomographs was performed, systemic antibiotics were prescribed, and endodontic treatment was initiated.

Results: Two weeks after surgical treatment, the infection was relieved with the help of antibiotics and endodontic treatment. Bilateral bony communications between the maxillary sinus and periodontal bony defect of maxillary first molars were shown on three‐dimensional computed tomographs. The digitally reconstructed images added valuable information for evaluating the periodontal defects.

Conclusion: Three‐dimensional images from spiral computed tomographs (CT) aided in evaluating and treating the close relationship between maxillary sinus disease and adjacent periodontal defects.
Unilateral Severe Chronic Periodontitis Associated With Ipsilateral Surgical Resection of Cranial Nerves V, VI, and VII
Authors: Zavarella Matthew M. , Leblebicioglu Binnaz , Claman Lewis J. , Tatakis Dimitris N.
Published: January 2006

Background:The central and peripheral nervous systems participate in several local physiological and pathological processes. There is experimental evidence that the inflammatory, local immune, and wound healing responses of a tissue can be modulated by its innervation. The aim of this clinical report is to present a case of unilateral severe periodontitis associated with ipsilateral surgical resection of the fifth, sixth, and seventh cranial nerves and to discuss the possible contribution of the nervous system to periodontal pathogenesis.

Methods:A 39‐year‐old female patient with a history of a cerebrovascular accident caused by a right pontine arteriovenous malformation and destruction of the right fifth, sixth, and seventh cranial nerves was diagnosed with severe chronic periodontitis affecting only the right maxillary and mandibular quadrants. The patient's oral hygiene was similar for right and left sides of the mouth. Percentages of tooth surfaces carrying dental plaque were 41% and 36% for right and left sides, respectively. Non‐surgical and surgical periodontal therapy was performed, and the patient was placed on a regular periodontal maintenance schedule.

Results:Healing following initial periodontal therapy and osseous periodontal surgery occurred without complications. Follow‐up clinical findings at 1 year revealed stable periodontal health.

Conclusions:This case report suggests that periodontal innervation may contribute to the regulation of local processes involved in periodontitis pathogenesis. It also suggests that periodontal therapy can be performed successfully at sites and in patients affected by paralysis.
Effect of a Hydroxyapatite Tricalcium Phosphate Alloplast on Osseous Repair in the Rat Calvarium
Authors: Fleckenstein Kurt B. , Cuenin Michael F. , Peacock Mark E. , Billman Michael A. , Swiec Gary D. , Buxton Thomas B. , Singh Baldev B. , McPherson James C.
Published: January 2006

Background: Bony defects caused by periodontitis are often treated by regenerative therapy using autografts and/or allografts. Alloplasts, such as hydroxyapatite or ceramics, are also used as osteoconductive materials that serve as a scaffold for new bony ingrowth. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of hydroxyapatite tricalcium phosphate (HA‐TCP) on osseous repair in the rat calvarium.

Methods: Forty‐four adult male Harlan Sprague‐Dawley rats were assigned to one of four treatment groups: HA‐TCP macroporous disk, HA‐TCP microporous disk, HA‐TCP granules, and demineralized freeze‐dried bone (DFDB). The materials were placed into 8‐mm calvarial critical‐size defects (CSD). Calvariae were harvested at 10 weeks post‐surgery and evaluated histomorphometrically.

Results: The DFDB group had significantly (P <0.05) more new bone formation (47%) than any other group. The HA‐TCP macroporous disk group had significantly (P <0.05) more new bone formation (19.7%) than the HA‐TCP microporous disk (8.5%) or HA‐TCP granule (6.9%) groups.

Conclusions: The HA‐TCP macroporous disk may elicit significant new bone formation due to its rigid space‐maintaining scaffold and pore size for vascular ingrowth. It is well tolerated by host tissues and may be a suitable carrier for growth factors.
Increased Expression of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Cyclosporin A‐Induced Gingival Overgrowth in Rats
Authors: Cetinkaya Burcu Ozkan , Acikgoz Gokhan , Ayas Bulent , Aliyev Eldar , Sakallioglu Elif Eser
Published: January 2006

Background: Gingival overgrowth is a side effect associated with cyclosporin A (CsA) therapy. The lesion is characterized by increased epithelial thickness, enlargement of connective tissue, and increased vascularization. The aim of this experimental study was to examine the role of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the pathogenesis of CsA‐induced gingival overgrowth.

Methods: Twenty male Wistar rats were divided into two groups of 10 animals each. For the development of gingival overgrowth, one group received CsA therapy subcutaneously in a daily dose of 10 mg/kg for 60 days, and the other group was used as a control. At the end of the experimental period, rats were subsequently decapitated, and the mandibles with the surrounding gingiva and soft tissue were removed. Half of each sample was used for histomorphometric analysis, and the other half was used for biochemical analysis. Histomorphometric analysis included the measurements of the number and diameter of blood vessel profiles under a microscope, and biochemical analysis included the assessment of VEGF concentration by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA).

Results: The histomorphometric findings showed that the number of blood vessel profiles increased in the CsA group compared to the control group (P <0.001), although the increase in the diameter of blood vessel profiles was not significant (P >0.05). The biochemical findings showed that in vivo VEGF expression was higher in the CsA group compared to the control group (P <0.001).

Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that increased VEGF expression may be associated with the pathogenesis of CsA‐induced gingival overgrowth.
Secular trends in age at menarche among Caboclo populations from Pará, Amazonia, Brazil: 1930–1980
Authors: Silva H.P. , Padez C.
Published: December 2005

The present study is part of a large research project on growth, development, nutrition, and health of Caboclo populations from the Brazilian Amazon. The aim of this paper is to analyze the age of menarche in adolescents (N = 164) and adult women (219) in the studied populations. Caboclo are admixed rural, peasant groups that live along the Amazon river and its tributaries, and there are few previous studies about them. Probit analysis of the status quo data yielded a median age at menarche of 12.29 ± 1.76 years. The retrospective method was applied to recall data of the 77 post‐menarcheal adolescents, yielding an average of 13.06 ± 1.27 years. Number of children in the family did not show any statistical influence on age at menarche in any age group. In adult women, age at menarche decreased from 14.50 in those born in 1930 to 12.88 for those born in 1980 (F = 4.371, P = 0.001). The downward trend found was, on average, 0.237 year per decade in the study period. The median age at menarche in the adolescents (12.29 years) is one of the lowest values found for Central and South American populations. In the ecological context, a low age at menarche could be an adaptive advantage because it provides a greater chance for reproduction at a young age in an environment where, until recently, life expectancy was low. As has been reported for other developing countries, the change found in age at menarche in the women born from the 1930s to the 1980s is likely to be related to changes in health and nutritional factors that occurred in Brazil because this country experienced significant improvement in living standards related to education, vaccination, and health conditions, which, although not equally, reached all regions after the 1960s. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:83–92, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Y‐chromosome diversity is inversely associated with language affiliation in paired Austronesian‐ and Papuan‐speaking communities from Solomon Islands
Authors: Cox Murray P. , Mirazón Lahr Marta
Published: December 2005

The Solomon Islands lie in the center of Island Melanesia, bordered to the north by the Bismarck Archipelago and to the south by Vanuatu. The nation's half‐million inhabitants speak around 70 languages from two unrelated language groups: Austronesian, a language family widespread in the Pacific and closely related to languages spoken in Island Southeast Asia, and “East Papuan”, generally defined as non‐Austronesian and distantly related to the extremely diverse Papuan languages of New Guinea. Despite the archipelago's presumed role as a staging post for the settlement of Remote Oceania, genetic research on Solomon Island populations is sparse. We collected paired samples from two regions that have populations speaking Austronesian and Papuan languages, respectively. Here we present Y‐chromosome data from these samples, the first from Solomon Islands. We detected five Y‐chromosome lineages: M‐M106, O‐M175, K‐M9*, K‐M230, and the extremely rare clade, K1‐M177. Y‐chromosome lineages from Solomon Islands fall within the range of other Island Melanesian populations but display markedly lower haplogroup diversity. From a broad Indo‐Pacific perspective, Y‐chromosome lineages show partial association with the distribution of language groups: O‐M175 is associated spatially with Austronesian‐speaking areas, whereas M‐M106 broadly correlates with the distribution of Papuan languages. However, no relationship between Y‐chromosome lineages and language affiliation was observed on a small scale within Solomon Islands. This pattern may result from a sampling strategy that targeted small communities, where individual Y‐chromosome lineages can be fixed or swept to extinction by genetic drift or favored paternal exogamy. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:35–50, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Plasma amino acids in Greenlanders and Danes. influence of seasons, residence, ethnicity, and diet
Authors: Pedersen Erling B. , Jørgensen Marit E. , Pedersen Michael B. , Siggaard Charlotte , Sørensen Tina B. , Mulvad Gert , Hansen Jens C. , Torstensen Anne M. , Aagaard Ole , Skjoldborg Henning
Published: December 2005

Basal metabolic rate is elevated among circumpolar populations. It has been our hypotheses that this is reflected in the levels of plasma amino acids, that amino acid concentration in plasma differs between Greenlanders and Danes, and that this difference is related to residence, ethnicity, diet, and season. The purpose of the study was to measure plasma amino acids in Greenlanders and Danes and to analyze the influence of residence, ethnicity, diet, and season. Amino acids in plasma were measured in four groups of healthy subjects both during summer and winter: Group 1, Danes living in Denmark consuming European food; Group 2, Greenlanders living in Denmark consuming European food; Group 3, Greenlanders living in Greenland consuming European food; and Group 4, Greenlanders living in Greenland consuming mainly traditional Greenlandic food. Amino acids were determined by pre‐column derivatization with o‐phthaldialdehyde and reverse‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography with gradient elution and fluorescence detection. Most plasma amino acids were lower during summer than winter in Greenlanders living in Greenland. Comparison of the four groups showed that residence in Greenland was the most important influencing factor for the concentration of plasma amino acids, whereas ethnicity and diet had only a very modest or no effect. These findings could not be attributed to changes in thyroid function. However, the level of physical activity was significantly higher in Groups 3 and 4 than in Groups 1 and 2. Because exercise reduces the amino acid pool in plasma, it is possibly that the higher physical activity among Greenlanders living in Greenland explains the reduction in plasma amino acids during summer. It is concluded that plasma amino acids were lower during summer than winter in Greenlanders living in Greenland compared with Greenlanders in Denmark and Danes. This difference might be due to the higher level of physical activity among Greenlanders in Greenland during the summer period. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:99–111, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A revertant of the major founder Native American haplogroup C common in populations from northern South America
Authors: Torres Maria M. , Bravi Claudio M. , Bortolini Maria‐Cátira , Duque Constanza , Callegari‐Jacques Sidia , Ortiz Daniel , Bedoya Gabriel , Groot de Restrepo Helena , Ruiz‐Linares Andrés
Published: December 2005

We examined the mtDNA RFLP diversity of 17 Native American populations from Colombia. Five of the populations studied were found to have variable frequencies of a mtDNA type lacking the characteristic changes of haplogroups A‐D. Sequencing of mtDNA HVS‐I and II showed that this “null” RFLP type carries all the substitutions characteristic of Native American founder lineage C. A back mutation has therefore recreated the +13,259 HincII/−13,262 AluI restriction sites that tipify RFLP haplogroup C. This revertant C lineage is further characterized by three changes in HVS‐II sequence: C/T transitions at positions 115 and 152, and the deletion of an A residue at position 116. This lineage is observed at high frequency mostly in populations from Greenberg's Equatorial–Tucano linguistic family. Genetic structure analyses are consistent with the reversion mutation occurring at an early stage during the tribalization process. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:59–65, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
High ponderal index at birth predicts high estradiol levels in adult women
Authors: Jasienska Grazyna , Ziomkiewicz Anna , Lipson Susan F. , Thune Inger , Ellison Peter T.
Published: December 2005

Inter‐individual variation in levels of sex hormones results from differences in genetic, developmental, and environmental factors. We tested a hypothesis that programming of the fetal neuroendocrine axis may predispose some women to produce higher levels of steroid hormones during their menstrual cycles as adults. One hundred forty‐five regularly menstruating 24‐ to 36‐ year‐old women collected daily saliva samples for one menstrual cycle. Data on women's birth weights and birth lengths were obtained from medical records. A positive relationship was observed between ponderal index at birth (an indicator of nutritional status, calculated as birth weight/(birth length)3) and levels of estradiol (E2) in menstrual cycles, after controlling for potential confounding factors. Mean E2 was 16.4 pmol/l in the low ponderal index tertile, 17.3 pmol/l in the moderate ponderal index tertile, and 19.6 pmol/l in the high ponderal index tertile (the high ponderal index group had significantly higher E2 than both low and moderate ponderal index groups, P = 0.0001). This study shows a positive association between ponderal index recorded for women at birth and levels of E2 measured during their menstrual cycles as adults. This suggests that conditions during fetal life influence adult production of reproductive hormones and may contribute to inter‐individual variation in reproductive function. In addition, because large size at birth is one of the factors linked with an increased risk of breast cancer, our findings provide a physiological link for the observed positive relationship between indicators of energetic conditions during fetal growth and breast cancer in women. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:133–140, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Biocultural Approaches in Human Biology
Authors: Dufour Darna L.
Published: December 2005

Biocultural approaches recognize the pervasiveness and dynamism of interactions between biological and cultural phenomena, and they explicitly strive to integrate biological, sociocultural, environmental, and other kinds of data. They have been part of human biology at least since 1958, when Frank Livingstone so elegantly explained the linkages among population growth, subsistence strategy, and the distribution of the sickle cell gene in West Africa. These approaches developed further with the advent of human adaptability studies in the 1960s as part of the Human Biological Program and have become increasingly focused on understanding the impacts of everyday life on human biological variation. Biocultural approaches generate explanations that are intuitively appealing to many because they offer a kind of holistic view. They can, however, be very challenging approaches to implement, perhaps in part because we are more experienced in measuring the biological than the cultural. Some of the challenges include (1) defining precisely what we mean by constructs like socioeconomic status, poverty, rural, and urban; (2) operationalizing key variables so that they can be measured in ways that are ethnographically valid as well as replicable; (3) defining and measuring multiple causal pathways. In this paper, I briefly review the history of biocultural approaches and then illustrate some of the challenges that these approaches present with examples from my own research on nutrition and energetics as well as that of other practitioners. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:1–9, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Blood pressure, seasonal body fat, heart rate, and ecological differences in Caboclo populations of the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Silva H.P. , James G.D. , Crews D.E.
Published: December 2005

This study compares blood pressure (BP) and related cardiovascular risk factors among three Caboclo communities from the Brazilian Amazon. Its purpose is to investigate possible risk differentials related to variable ecological settings and Western influences. Caxiuanã is characterized as a more “traditional” group, while Aracampina and Santana are viewed as more “transitional” in lifestyle. A total of 348 subjects from the three communities were evaluated in the wet or the dry season or in both. Measurements across the communities were compared by season and sex. Results suggest little seasonal variation in average BP, BP change, body fat, or body fat change among men. Conversely, there is substantial seasonal and intercommunity variation among women. Additional analyses reveal (1) an inconsistent association between age and BP across the communities; (2) that BMI is not associated with BP transitional communities in either season but is associated with both systolic and diastolic pressure in the most traditional community; and (3) little to no sex effect on BP. These results suggest increased Western influence affects body composition particularly of women. However, increased BMI and fat among transitional Caboclo women does not directly translate into higher BP; rather, their BP appears to be more affected by seasonal stresses. Finally, conditions during the wet season diminish age‐related variation in BP, suggesting that during the wet season these Caboclo may be less active. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:10–22, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Study of GM immunoglobulin allotypic system in Berbers and Arabs from Morocco
Authors: Coudray C. , Guitard E. , Kandil M. , Harich N. , Melhaoui M. , Baali A. , Sevin A. , Moral P. , Dugoujon J.M.
Published: December 2005

The GM immunoglobulin allotype polymorphism was investigated in four Moroccan populations: three Berber groups from Khenifra (Middle Atlas), Amizmiz (High Atlas), and Bouhria (Beni Snassen) and one Arabic‐speaking sample from the Doukkala area (Abda, Chaouia, Doukkali, and Tadla districts in south‐central Morocco). In order to characterize the genetic relationships between the populations, our results were compared with those obtained for other North African groups (from Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, and Niger) and for Middle‐East Africans, sub‐Saharans, and Southwest Europeans. Based on GM haplotype frequencies, Factorial Correspondence Analyses, FST significance testing, and hierarchical analyses of variance were performed. Our results reveal that Moroccan populations have heterogeneous GM profiles with high frequencies of GM haplotypes in Europeans (from 76% for Doukkala to 88% for Bouhria) and relatively high frequencies of GM haplotypes in sub‐Saharans (from 11% for Bouhria to 23% for Amizmiz). The genetic diversity observed among Moroccans is not significantly correlated with either geographic or linguistic differentiation. In spite of their cultural and historical differentiation, we did not discover any significant genetic differences between Berbers and Arabic‐speakers from Morocco. However, when large geographical areas are considered, our population samples are integrated in the North African GM variation, significantly distant from sub‐Saharan groups but with a close relationship with Southwest European populations. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:23–34, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Longitudinal follow‐up of fitness during childhood: interaction with physical activity
Authors: Baquet G. , Twisk J.W.R. , Kemper H.C.G. , Van Praagh E. , Berthoin S.
Published: December 2005

Health‐related fitness values during childhood (from age 11 to 16 years) were analyzed in relation to changes in physical activity level. One hundred fifty‐eight children were monitored over a 4‐year period. Twice a year, they performed six physical fitness tests: standing broad jump, 10 × 5‐meter shuttle run, sit‐and‐reach, handgrip, number of sit‐ups in 30 s, and 20‐m shuttle run. Height was measured four times per year to assess age at peak height velocity. Physical activity was assessed with a self‐administered questionnaire at baseline and at the end of the follow‐up. The physical activity level was defined by the frequency and the time spent in moderate‐to‐vigorous physical activities. Two groups were constituted: regularly active and sedentary. A multiple linear multilevel regression analysis was used to analyze the longitudinal relationships between changes in physical activity and physical fitness levels. Corrections were made for both time‐dependent (time) and time‐independent (sex) variables. Except for flexibility, boys' fitness performances increased more than that for the girls. Positive and significant (P < 0.05) regression coefficients were found with the regularly active for standing broad jump, 20‐m shuttle run, number of sit‐ups, 10 × 5‐m shuttle run in both sexes, and for the girls' sit‐and‐reach performance. Increasing or decreasing physical activity level was not associated with changes in fitness performances over time, except for flexibility for the girls and the 20‐m shuttle run for the boys. From childhood to adolescence, increasing physical activity is not sufficient to be more fit. The children who are stayed the most active were the fittest, particularly the girls. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:51–58, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
African gene flow to north Brazil as revealed by HBB*S gene haplotype analysis
Authors: Lemos Cardoso Greice , Farias Guerreiro* João
Published: December 2005

Haplotypes linked to the HBB*S gene were analyzed in a sample of 260 chromosomes of Brazilian sickle cell anemia patients from the population of Belém, state of Pará, to evaluate if the present‐day haplotype frequencies correlate as well as expected with historical information on the geographic origin of African slaves sent directly to Northern Brazil. The HBB*S gene haplotype distribution (66% Bantu, 21.8% Benin, 10.9% Senegal, and 1.3% Cameroon) is in agreement with those observed for other Brazilian populations regarding the highest proportion of the Bantu type, followed by the Benin type, but it differs significantly concerning the Senegal type as this haplotype is rare or absent in samples from other Brazilian regions already studied. In addition, our results are in accordance with historical records that establish that about 90% of the slaves sent to Northern Brazil were from Angola, Congo, and Mozambique, where the Bantu haplotype predominates, in contrast to 10% of slaves from Senegambia, Guine‐Bissau, and Cape Verde, where the Senegal haplotype is the most common. On the other hand, the observed frequency of the Benin haplotype in Belém was much higher than that expected by historical data. This fact corroborates the suggestion that the high prevalence of the Benin type in Belém is due to domestic slave trade and later internal migrations, mainly from the Northeast, since there are no historical records of direct slave trade from Central West Africa to North Brazil. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:93–98, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Age‐related changes in testosterone and SHBG among Turkana males
Authors: Campbell Benjamin , Leslie Paul , Campbell Kenneth
Published: December 2005

To determine age‐related changes in biologically available testosterone (T) among men in a subsistence society and their relationship to energetic status, T, sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) and anthropometric measures were compared among nomadic and settled Turkana pastoralists of northern Kenya. Hormonal measures were available for 104 nomadic men and 72 settled men, estimated ages 20–90 years. Comparison of the two subpopulations revealed significantly higher blood T (32.7 ± 15.1 vs. 23.4 ± 15.2nM) and SHBG (53.8 ± 19.5 vs. 39.7 ± 20.nM) but not free testosterone index (FTI) (65.6 ± 39.3 vs.66.3 ± 45.9) among the nomads. Total blood T did not exhibit a significant linear decline with age in either subgroup, while SHBG values showed a significant linear increase among the nomads. When controlled for energetic status, FTI showed a significant decrease with age among the nomads, but not the settled males. Total blood T was negatively associated with waist circumference among the nomads, but not the settled males. FTI showed a marginally significant negative association with waist circumference, suprailiac skinfold, and % body fat among the nomads but no associations with body composition among the settled group. These results add additional evidence that T is related to energetic status under conditions of negative energy balance and suggest that cross‐population variation in the slope of age‐related declines in free serum T and salivary T may be related to energetic status through the effects of SHBG. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:71–82, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.