bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
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

AbstractThe 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

AbstractThe 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

AbstractBasal 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

AbstractWe 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

AbstractInter‐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

AbstractBiocultural 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

AbstractThis 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

AbstractThe 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

AbstractHealth‐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

AbstractHaplotypes 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

AbstractTo 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.
Farming and adiposity in Samoan adults
Authors: Keighley Ember D. , McGarvey Stephen T. , Turituri Pasa , Viali Satupaitea 
Published: December 2005

AbstractSamoans are experiencing some of the highest prevalences of obesity and associated health conditions in the world. Sustainable interventions are needed to prevent further increases in obesity. This study describes the cross‐sectional association between farm work and adiposity among 754 adults residing in American Samoa in 2002 and 957 adults residing in Samoa in 2003. Adiposity was measured by body mass index (BMI) and percent body fat (% BF), based on bioelectrical impedance. Regression models adjusted for the effects of age, education, occupation (in women), and material lifestyle (MLS), and the clustering within households due to the family design of the parent study. After controlling for these variables, participation in farm work was associated with a significantly lower BMI and % BF in men of all ages residing in American Samoa, women ≥45 years residing in American Samoa, and women 18–44 years residing in Samoa, and a significantly lower BMI in men 18–44 years residing in Samoa. These results suggest that farm work plays an important role in regulating body size and fatness of adult Samoans and may be ideal for interventions in the Samoan archipelago. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 18:112–122, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.