Rapid change in height and body proportions of Maya American children

Maya families from Guatemala migrated to the United States in record numbers from the late 1970s to the early 1990s. Births to Maya immigrant women have created a sizable number of Maya American children. The height and sitting height of 5 to 12 years children (n = 431) were measured in 1999 and 2000. Leg length was estimated and the sitting height ratio was calculated. These data were compared with a sample of Maya children living in Guatemala measured in 1998 (n = 1,347). Maya American children are currently 11.54 cm taller and 6.83 cm longer‐legged, on average, than Maya children living in Guatemala. Consequently, the Maya Americans have a significantly lower average sitting height ratio (i.e., relatively longer legs in proportion to length of the head and trunk) than do the Maya in Guatemala. These results add support to the hypothesis that both the height and body proportions of human populations are sensitive indicators of the quality of the environment for growth. Am. J. Hum. Biol. 14:753–761, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Sphincter injury after anal dilatation demonstrated by anal endosonography.

Anal dilatation is still used in the treatment of anal fissure and haemorrhoids. Using anorectal physiology and anal endosonography we have studied 12 men presenting with faecal incontinence following anal dilatation. Resting anal pressures were low, pudendal nerve latencies were normal; 11 men had a disrupted internal anal sphincter and in ten this was extensively fragmented. Three also had defects of the external anal sphincter. These findings demonstrate for the first time the nature of the structural injury which may be caused by anal dilatation.     

A simplified method of counting microorganisms in studying human autoflora

Formulae for the calculation of the count of microorganisms isolated from natural bacterial biocenoses of a child's body have been derived. The authors suggest a variant of simplified drip method for the computation of microorganism colonies in solid media. The described method helps cut down the nutrient media consumption at least 3-fold and is time-saving.     

Effects of emotion on perceptual asymmetry: interactions with personality

Perceptual asymmetry on a series of four specially constructed dichotic word tests was found to change as a function of the emotional quality of the words in the tests (P = 0.05). This was most pronounced in the case of positively valued words which produced an increase in asymmetry consistent with facilitated left-hemisphere function (P less than 0.004). Changes in asymmetry with emotion differed as a function of personality characteristics of the subjects, with repressors and high anxious subjects showing an increase with emotion while true low anxious subjects showed a decrease (P less than 0.02). Personality groups also differed in asymmetry on an emotionally neutral test (P less than 0.04) and in changes in asymmetry over time independent of emotion (P less than 0.001). These data suggest that emotion mediated activation of the left hemisphere may facilitate information processing within that hemisphere. Moreover, they indicate that dichotic listening tests may provide a non-invasive and inexpensive method for assessing emotion mediated changes in brain state that are clinically relevant.     

1 alpha(OH)D3 (ETALPHA) treatment and receptor studies in 16 patients with chronic and myeloproliferative disorders

10 patients with CLL and 2 with CML were treated with gradually increasing doses of 1 alpha(OH)D3, up to 4 micrograms daily during 6 wk. 3 patients with preleukemia and 1 with myelofibrosis were treated with 2 micrograms daily of 1 alpha(OH)D3 for a prolonged period up to 17 wk. The treatment with 1 alpha (OH)D3 did not result in changes of disease parameters in any of the patients under study. Receptor studies for 1,25(OH)2D3 were performed in 8 CLL patients and revealed only 1 patient with increased specific receptor binding capacity. The maximum tolerable dose of 1 alpha(OH)D3 varied individually, but was in the range of 2-4 micrograms daily.