A geometric morphometric study of regional differences in the ontogeny of the modern human facial skeleton

This study examines interpopulation variations in the facial skeleton of 10 modern human populations and places these in an ontogenetic perspective. It aims to establish the extent to which the distinctive features of adult representatives of these populations are present in the early post natal period and to what extent population differences in ontogenetic scaling and allometric trajectories contribute to distinct facial forms. The analyses utilize configurations of facial landmarks and are carried out using geometric morphometric methods. The results of this study show that modern human populations can be distinguished based on facial shape alone, irrespective of age or sex, indicating the early presence of differences. Additionally, some populations have statistically distinct facial ontogenetic trajectories that lead to the development of further differences later in ontogeny. We conclude that population-specific facial morphologies develop principally through distinctions in facial shape probably already present at birth and further accentuated and modified to variable degrees during growth. These findings raise interesting questions regarding the plasticity of facial growth patterns in modern humans. Further, they have important implications in relation to the study of growth in the face of fossil hominins and in relation to the possibility of developing effective discriminant functions for the identification of population affinities of immature facial skeletal material. Such tools would be of value in archaeological, forensic and anthropological applications. The findings of this study underline the need to examine more deeply, and in more detail, the ontogenetic basis of other causes of craniometric variation, such as sexual dimorphism and hominin species differentiation.     

Identification of a frequent variant in ALG6, the cause of Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation-Ic

Congenital Disorder of Glycosylation (CDG) type Ic is caused by mutations in ALG6. This gene encodes an alpha1,3 glucosyltransferase used for synthesis of the lipid linked oligosaccharide (LLO) precursor of the protein N-glycosylation pathway. CDG-Ic patients have moderate to severe psychomotor retardation, seizures, hypotonia, strabismus, and feeding difficulties. We previously identified a typical patient with a heterozygous point mutation, c.391T>C (p.Tyr131His) in ALG6. Using complementation analysis of ALG6-deficient yeast, we show that this alteration is as severe as the most common disease-causing mutation, c998C>T (p. Ala333Val), which occurs in over half of all known CDG-Ic patients. The frequency of c.391T>C (p.Tyr131His) in the US population, is 0.0214, suggesting that homozygotes would occur at a rate of& tilde;1:2,200. We identified one patient with typical CDG-Ic symptoms and a homozygous p.Tyr131His alteration in ALG6. However, in contrast to most CDG patients, her LLO and plasma transferrin glycosylation appeared normal. Thus, it is unclear whether c.391T>C causes CDG-Ic or contributes to the symptoms. Genotyping additional patients with CDG-like symptoms will be required to resolve this issue.     

Reliable high risk HPV DNA testing by polymerase chain reaction: an intermethod and intramethod comparison

BACKGROUND: The development of a reproducible, sensitive, and standardised human papillomavirus (HPV) polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test is required to implement HPV testing in cervical cancer screening programmes and for triaging women with mild to moderate dysplasia. AIMS: To determine the intermethod agreement between different GP5+/6+ and MY09/11 PCR based protocols for the detection and typing of high risk (HR) HPV DNA in cervical smears and to assess the intramethod reproducibility of the GP5+/6+ PCR enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for HR-HPV detection. METHODS: For the intermethod comparison, crude aliquots of 20 well characterised cervical smears comprising five HPV negative samples, and six and nine samples containing single and multiple HPV infections, respectively, were coded and sent from reference laboratory (A) to three other laboratories. One of these (laboratory B) used the GP5+/6+ PCR-EIA and was provided with standard protocols. Another laboratory (C) used GP5+/6+ PCR combined with sequence analysis and type specific PCR, whereas two laboratories (D and E) used MY09/11 PCR followed by restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis for the detection and typing of HR-HPV. The intramethod agreement of GP5+/6+ PCR-EIA was analysed in a subsequent study with four other laboratories (F to I) on crude aliquots of 50 well characterised cervical smears, consisting of 32 HR-HPV positive and 18 HPV negative samples. Standardised protocols, primers, and probes were also provided by the reference laboratory for HR-HPV detection. RESULTS: In the intermethod comparison, pairwise agreement of the different laboratories with reference laboratory A for the detection of HR-HPV varied between 75% and 100% (kappa values: 0.5 to 1). Typing data revealed a broader range in pairwise agreement rates between 32% and 100%. The highest agreement was found between laboratories A and B using standardised protocols and validated reagents. In the intramethod evaluation, pairwise comparison of the laboratories F to I with reference laboratory A revealed excellent agreement rates from 92% to 100% (kappa values: 0.88 to 1.0) with an overall sensitivity of 97.5% (195/200) and specificity of 99.5% (199/200). CONCLUSIONS: The detection of HR-HPV as a group is highly reproducible with GP5+/6+ PCR-EIA provided that standardised protocols and validated reagents are used.     

Pharmacology in vivo of the phenylindan derivative,lu 19-005, a new potent inhibitor of dopamine,noradrenaline and 5-hydroxytryptamine uptake in rat brain

Summary Behavioural effects on dopaminergic transmission of a phenylindane derivative, Lu 19-005 [(±)-trans-3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-N-methyl-l-indanamine, HCl], with potent inhibitory effect on dopamine (DA), noradrenaline (NA) and serotonin (5-HT) uptake in rats and the effect on DA, NA and 5-HT activity in mice have been studied and compared with those of other known DA, NA and 5-HT uptake inhibitors with different selectivity ratios.Lu 19-005 induced stereotyped behaviour after parenteral and oral administration with a duration of action of more than 24 h. The stereotyped licking and biting induced by Lu 19-005 was antagonized by reserpine and cis(Z)-flupentixol, but not affected by prazosin, p-chlorophenylalanine and -methyl-p-tyrosine pretreatments. Metergoline slightly facilitated the onset of stereotypy. Lower doses of Lu 19-005 induced ipsilateral circling in unilaterally 6-hydroxy-DA-lesioned rats. Finally, Lu 19-005 antagonized the catalepsy induced by perphenazine. In mice, Lu 19-005 potentiated the apomorphine-induced gnawing, reversed tetrabenazine-induced ptosis and potentiated the behavioural effects of 5-HTP within a similar dose range.The effects of Lu 19-005 were compared with those of other reference compounds. Nomifensine had qualitatively similar effects in rats although of much shorter duration. In mice, nomifensine selectively reversed tetrabenazine-induced ptosis. Weaker effects in all test models were found with bupropion, LR 5182 and GBR 13.069, compounds with inhibitory effect on DA and NA uptake. The DA-, NA-and 5-HT-uptake inhibitor diclofensine, however, had no effect in rats except in the 6-hydroxy-DA-circling test and had low potency in mice. The specific 5-HT-and NA-uptake inhibitors citalopram and talsupram, respectively, were ineffective in all rat models. They selectively potentiated 5-HTP or reversed tetrabenazine0induced ptosis in mice, respectively, as expected according to their in vitro profile. These results indicate that effect on DA mechanisms are responsible for the behavioural activity of the test compounds in the rat models and that the circling model is the most sensitive. Since DA may be involved in some depressive states Lu 19-005 could be an attaactive new antidepressant as it combines the pharmacological profile of established antidepressants (effect on NA and/or 5-HT uptake) with equipotent activity on DA uptake.     

Self-reported health and associated factors among the immigrant populations in Norway

Aim

The immigrant population continues to increase in Norway, and Somali immigrants and their descendants are presently the largest non-Western group. We have limited knowledge about the health status in this population. The aim of this study was to assess self-perceived health status among Somalis in Norway.

Method

We used data from a study assessing risk factors for lifestyle diseases among Somali immigrants in Oslo, which was conducted between December 2015 and October 2016, among men and women aged 20–73 who were living in the Sagene borough in Oslo.

Results

The study population included 221 participants (112 females and 110 males). Overall, 78% of the participants (70% of females and 86% males) rated their health status as good or very good. Women had poorer self-reported health (p?=?0.003) than men. Being unemployed and having diabetes, stress, and sleeping problems were associated with poor self-reported health, but time lived in Norway, education level, Norwegian language proficiency, and high BMI were not significantly associated. Around 2/3 of the participants reported being physically inactive, while around half reported walking or moving more than 30 min per day. Self-reported chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension were 5% and 9% respectively.

Conclusion

This study has shown the different patterns of self-reported health status among Somali immigrants in Norway, as associated with gender, age, psychosocial conditions, and employment status. Further research is needed to explain why Somali women in Norway have poorer self-reported health than men. The findings from this study should provide direction to healthcare providers for improving health among immigrants, for example through implementing a community-driven and culturally appropriate lifestyle intervention program.

     

Engagement with arts and culture activities in the Danish general population: Longitudinal associations with new onset or persistent depression and mental wellbeing

Objectives

International literature suggests that arts and culture activities may benefit mental health, however, such survey studies conducted in the Danish population are scarce. Further, studies have investigated the associated risk for incident depression, but not for persistent depression. The objective of the current prospective study was to assess associations of engagement in arts and culture activities with incident/persistent depression and also mental wellbeing among Danish adults in the general population.

Design

Observational prospective study.

Methods

Data stem from a Danish nationally representative panel study of 5000 adults (aged 15+ years) conducted in 2019 and 2020, which was linked to Danish register data. An exposure variable was constructed for frequency of attending concerts, theatres, museums, and cinemas. Validated scales were used to assess the presence of depression (PHQ-8) and levels of mental wellbeing (SWEMWBS). Binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to assess the risk of incident depression (among participants free of depression at baseline), as well as the risk of persistent depression (among participants with depression at baseline), while multinomial logistic regression was used to assess odds for moderate and high mental wellbeing (low as base outcome) while adjusting for baseline values.

Result

In terms of incident depression, quarterly engagement in arts and culture activities (compared to never) was associated with an OR of .43 (95%CI .23–.80), while 8 times or more was associated with an OR of .53 (.29–.97). In terms of persistent depression, quarterly engagement was associated with an OR of .30 (.10–.90), while 8 times per year or more was associated with an OR of .26 (.07–.92). Similar to the patterns for incident/persistent depression, associations with moderate mental wellbeing showed higher odds for quarterly engagement and 8 times per year or more. Quarterly engagement was also associated with higher odds for high mental wellbeing but did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusions

The results support the involvement of the cultural and creative sectors in health strategies. Mental health promotion initiatives as well as arts and culture sectors may encourage the general public to engage in arts and culture activities with frequencies of at least once per quarter.