The Aegean in the Early 7th Millennium BC: Maritime Networks and Colonization.

The process of Near Eastern neolithization and its westward expansion from the core zone in the Levant and upper Mesopotamia has been broadly discussed in recent decades, and many models have been developed to describe the spread of early farming in terms of its timing, structure, geography and sociocultural impact. Until now, based on recent intensive investigations in northwestern and western Anatolia, the discussion has mainly centred on the importance of Anatolian inland routes for the westward spread of neolithization. This contribution focuses on the potential impact of east Mediterranean and Aegean maritime networks on the spread of the Neolithic lifestyle to the western edge of the Anatolian subcontinent in the earliest phases of sedentism. Employing the longue durée model and the concept of 'social memory', we will discuss the arrival of new groups via established maritime routes. The existence of maritime networks prior to the spread of farming is already indicated by the high mobility of Epipalaeolithic/Mesolithic groups exploring the Aegean and east Mediterranean seas, and reaching, for example, the Cyclades and Cyprus. Successful navigation by these early mobile groups across the open sea is attested by the distribution of Melian obsidian. The potential existence of an additional Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPN) obsidian network that operated between Cappadocia/Cilicia and Cyprus further hints at the importance of maritime coastal trade. Since both the coastal and the high seas networks were apparently already well established in this early period, we may further assume appropriate knowledge of geographic routes, navigational technology and other aspects of successful seafaring. This Mesolithic/PPN maritime know-how package appears to have been used by later groups, in the early 7th millennium calBC, exploring the centre of the Anatolian Aegean coast, and in time establishing some of the first permanent settlements in that region. In the present paper, we link this background of newcomers to the western edge of Anatolia with new excavation results from Çukuriçi Höyük, which we have analysed in terms of subsistence strategies, materiality, technology and symbolism. Additionally, further detailed studies of nutrition and obsidian procurement shed light on the distinct maritime affinity of the early settlers in our case study, something that, in our view, can hardly be attributed to inland farming societies. We propose a maritime colonization in the 7th millennium via routes from the eastern Mediterranean to the eastern Aegean, based on previously developed sea networks. The pronounced maritime affinity of these farming and herding societies allows us to identify traces of earlier PPN concepts still embedded in the social-cultural memories of the newcomers and incorporated in a new local and regional Neolithic identity.

Severe psychomotor retardation in a boy with a small supernumerary marker chromosome 19p.

We describe the clinical case of a nine-year-old boy with psychomotor retardation and a small supernumerary marker chromosome (sSMC) present in mosaic form. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) using centromere cross-hybridizing probes D1/5/19Z (pZ5.1), the whole chromosome paint probe 19, pool YACs19p (839B1, 872G3, 728C8), and pool YACs19q (767C4, 761C1, 786G6) demonstrated that the sSMC was derived from chromosome 19p. Based on GTG-banding and FISH analyses, the patient's karyotype was interpreted as: 47,XY,+mar.ish der(19) (:p13.3-->p11:)(839B1+, 872G3+,728C8+, D1/5/19Z+) de novo[52]/46,XY[48]. To our knowledge, only two other similar cases have been reported. This case helps to better delineate karyotype-phenotype correlations between sSMC 19p and associated clinical phenomena.

The effect of a compulsory curriculum on ethical attitudes of medical students.

The purpose of the present study was to assess the influence of a compulsory curriculum on first-year medical students. The ethical attitude study was performed at the School of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Croatia. The samples consisted of 171 medical students (68 males and 103 females) interviewed at the beginning of the first year of studies. Some of them, namely 143 (56 males and 87 females) were interviewed again at the end of the same academic year. Data were analysed by applying factor analysis under principal component model and varimax criterion as the rotation model. The results clearly show that the current compulsory curriculum without formal ethical education has a limited influence on first-year medical students. That points to the obvious necessity to implement the medical ethics in the course of medical education.

Partial trisomy 13q22-->qter and monosomy 18q21-->qter as a result of familial translocation.

We report on a patient with a partial trisomy of chromosome 13q22-->qter and partial monosomy of chromosome 18q21-->qter showing distinct malformations. The phenotype of this unbalanced karyotype has not been previously described. The proband had a craniofacial dysmorphism, neck pterygium, closed fists with overlapping fingers, cutaneous appendix of the left fist, equinovarus and postaxial hexadactyly of the feet, atrial septum defect, unilateral cryptorchidism and hypertrophic pyloric stenosis. Using fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) the father's karyotype 46,XY.ish t(13;18)(13pter-->13q22::18q21-->18qter; 18pter-->18q21::13q22-->13qter) and the child's 46,XY.ish der(18)(18pter-->18q21::13q22-->13qter)pat were established. The mother's karyotype was normal. A risk of unbalanced offspring in carriers of a balanced reciprocal translocation depends on the length and genetic constitution of the exchanged segments. Risk figures should come only from empirical data. A phenotypically normal child with a balanced or normal karyotype could be born in the case of alternate segregation. Amniocentesis should therefore be recommended in any further pregnancy.

Maternal serum screening for Down syndrome: a survey of pregnant women's views.

OBJECTIVES: This study was undertaken to assess women's self-reported awareness of Down syndrome before they became pregnant and after they were supposedly informed about screening. We investigated their understanding of the purpose of screening and what a high statistical risk for Down syndrome means, and if there was a high statistical risk whether they would undergo amniocentesis. METHODS: Pregnant women (n=274) ranging from 17 to 43 years of age, with different educational backgrounds, were surveyed by means of a questionnaire which was given to them immediately before blood samples were taken. RESULTS: Women without a college education were significantly less likely then those with a college education to be aware of Down syndrome prior to pregnancy. Many of them reported being unaware of it even after they had been counseled and tested. Women with a lower level of education were also significantly less likely to have a clear understanding of purpose of screening. Fewer than 0.7% of women who were tested said they were not prepared to undergo amniocentesis, and 47.1% said they would consider amniocentesis only after receiving the screening test result. CONCLUSION: Procedures for education women prior to maternal screening must be provided.

Chromosomal anomalies in abnormal human pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the cytogenetic observations on abnormal human pregnancies (anembryonic pregnancy, early fetal loss, and hydatidiform moles), and to detect the most frequent or typical chromosomal aberration for anembryonic pregnancy and early fetal loss. STUDY DESIGN: Abnormal pregnancies were divided into three clinical and morphological groups: (a) anembryonic pregnancy; (b) early fetal loss, and (c) hydatidiform mole. Of the 119 karyotyped tissue samples, 42 (35%) were from anembryonic pregnancies, 64 (54%) from early fetal losses, and 13 (11%) were from hydatidiform moles (6 complete and 7 partial moles). Long-term cultures of chorionic villi and GTG-banding techniques were used for chromosome analysis. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: The overall frequency of chromosome anomalies among the 119 karyotyped spontaneous abortions was found to be 37.8%. Trisomy (double trisomy included) accounted for 35.6% of all aberrations, followed by polyploidy (33.3%), mosaicism (11.1%), structural abnormalities (4.4%), and monosomy X (2.2%). Although the difference was not statistically significant, single trisomy was the predominant chromosome abnormality found in anembryonic pregnancies (64.3 %) while in cases of early fetal loss, trisomy (double trisomy included) (38.9%) and triploidy (27.8%) were quite frequently present. The frequency of triploidy among all chromosomal abnormalities was 28.9%, and 53.8% of them were found in partial hydatidiform mole. The rest of them were almost exclusively found in early fetal losses. Complete hydatidiform moles (androgenetic in origin) were present in 13.3% of all aberrations, of which 83.3% had a 46,XX, and the rest of them had a 46,XY karyotype.

Screening for Down's syndrome and neural tube defect in Croatia. A regional prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficiency of second-trimester maternal serum screening for Down's syndrome and open neural tube defects using alpha-fetoprotein and free beta-human chorionic gonadotropin as serum markers. METHODS: 3, 188 women underwent testing between 14th and 22nd week of pregnancy. Of all tested patients, 25.4% were >/=35 years old. A cut-off risk of >/=1:250 for Down's syndrome and MS-AFP >/=2.0 MoM for open neural tube defect were considered screen-positive. RESULTS: The detection rate for Down's syndrome was 77.8% (7/9) with 8.2% screen-positive rate (7.9% false-positive rate). When evaluated separately, in patients younger than 35 and in those >/=35 years old, the screen-positive rates were 3.1 and 23.3%, respectively. A total of 52 (1.6%) were found screen-positive for open neural tube defect; 2 cases of encephalocela and 1 case of gastroschisis were confirmed prenatally. CONCLUSION: The respectable number of cases with trisomy 21 identified in this study confirms that routine mid-trimester screening for Down's syndrome including MS-AFP, free beta-hCG and maternal age is useful in identifying pregnancies at increased risk.

Trimedoxime and HI-6: kinetic comparison after intravenous administration to mice.

The intravenous pharmacokinetics of the oximes HI-6 (pyridinium-1-(((4-carbamoil-pyridinio)metoxy)methyl)2 -(hydroxyiminomethyl)dichloride monohydrate), (132.54 mu mol/kg) and trimedoxime (1,1'-(1,3'-propanedyl)bis((4-hydroxyimino) methyl)-pyridinium dibromide), (55.98 mu mol/kg) in mice was investigated. The concentrations of oximes in plasma determined by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) corresponded to a two-compartment pharmacokinetic open model. The oximes were rapidly eliminated from mice plasma, with half-times of 57.93 min. for HI-6 and 108.08 min. for trimedoxime. Although the oximes passed from circulation into the tissues at approximately the same rate, their transport back to the central compartment was two-times slower in the case of trimedoxime: t(1/2k21) was 77.9 min. for trimedoxime and 41.7 min. for HI-6. The total body clearance (CI(tot)) of HI-6 was about 25% higher than that of trimedoxime. The central compartment volume of HI-6 distribution (V(1)) was greater, whereas the volume of distribution of the peripheral compartment (V(2)) was lower for about 35% with respect to the corresponding parameters of trimedoxime. The calculated pharmacokinetic parameters for the oxime HI-6 and trimedoxime show that trimedoxime is eliminated more slowly in mice, and penetrates better into the peripheral compartment where it remains longer.

Blood pressure and electrocardiographic changes elicited by the glare pressor test.

The glare and cold pressor tests with blood pressure and ECG recording were administered to 47 young, healthy men. Both stimuli increased mean systolic and diastolic blood pressure significantly. However, cold was more powerful than glare as a diastolic pressor stimulus. Heart rate and corrected QT interval increased significantly during both tests. Professional and nonprofessional drivers who drove at night showed significantly greater diastolic BP responses to the glare pressor test than did non-driver subjects. Ventricular extrasystoles (VES) were recorded exclusively during the glare pressor test in two of six professional drivers with night driving exposure. The heart rate and QT responses reflect the individual's reactivity to sensory stress, regardless of modality or glare exposure. On the other hand, the greater diastolic response and appearance of VES in night driving subgroups during glare suggest a greater sensitivity to the glare pressor test in these subjects.

Age-dependent resistance to the toxic effects of paraquat in relation to superoxide dismutase activity in rat lung.

Young rats are much more resistant to the toxic effects of orally-administered paraquat than are older rats. The possible relation of this phenomenon to the activity of superoxide dismutase in lung is discussed.

Copper-zinc containing and manganese containing superoxide dismutase in the ground squirrel/Citellus citellus/--the effect of hibernation.

The distribution of Copper-Zinc containing and Manganese-containing superoxide dismutase in the liver, kidney, interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT) and brain of the ground squirrel, as well as the effect of hibernation, was studied. Activity of both forms of SOD was highest in the liver and lowest in the brain. Activity of the Mn SOD in relation to total SOD was higher in the liver and kidney of the ground squirrel as compared with results reported for other rodents. The highest activity of Mn SOD in relation to total SOD was found in the IBAT and brain (36% and 49%, respectively). Total SOD activity per mg proteins and per g wet mass in IBAT and brain of hibernating animals was increased: for IBAT, p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.025, respectively; for brain, p less than 0.01 and p less than 0.025, respectively. Protein content in hibernating ground squirrel was not significantly changed. In the hibernating ground squirrel CuZn SOD activity in IBAT and brain was higher as compared with the active animal (p less than 0.025 and p less than 0.005, respectively). In the liver and kidney CuZn SOD was not significantly changed during the hibernation. In the liver and brain of the hibernating animals a lower Mn SOD activity was found (p less than 0.005 and p less than 0.05, respectively).

Distribution of superoxide dismutase in the ground squirrel (Citellus citellus): effect of the hibernation and arousal.

The activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) was studied in the liver, kidney, interscapular brown adipose tissue (IBAT), lung, heart and spleen of the active and hibernating ground squirrel (Citellus citellus). One group was examined immediately after the arousal from the hibernation. A considerable activity of this enzyme was found in homogenates of all tissues studied except the lung. This activity was lower in the liver and lung of the ground squirrel than in the rat (P less than 0.01). In the other tissues studied the enzyme activity was about the same level in both animals. In the ground squirrel hibernation didn't produce the significant change in SOD activity, as compared with the active state, except in the spleen. Tested immediately after the arousal, SOD activity was significantly higher in all tissues studied except in the IBAT, as compared with the hibernating ones (P less than 0.01).

Biosynthesis of mitochondrial protein components in the liver of cold exposed or adapted rats.

Liver mitochondria of rats exposed or adapted to cold were fractionated after labelling in vivo with radioactive amino acid mixture. Specific activity (Cpm/mg proteins) of unfractionated proteins from the whole mitochondria, water soluble proteins and cytochrome c after the animals exposure to 4 degrees C for 3, 6, 12 and 24 hr was higher as compared with the controls adapted to 24 degrees C; specific activity of contractile and structural proteins was not changed. In rats exposed to cold for 7, 14 and 21 days the labelling of all fractions studied was at the level of controls. The liver weight was increased in cold adapted rats (21 days). If expressed per total liver mass, radioactivity of all fractions was higher in cold adapted rats than in controls.