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At least 127 records · Page 7Linked to original sources

Zuttiyeh face: a view from the East.

We analyze the phylogenetic position of the frontofacial fragment from Zuttiyeh, Israel. This specimen is dated to the Middle Pleistocene (the latest estimate is between 250 and 350 kyr) and is associated with the Acheulo-Yabrudian, which makes it the oldest cranium from the region. It has been previously regarded as a Neandertal, and early "anatomically modern Homo sapiens," and a generalized specimen ancestral to both. These different phylogenetic interpretations of its features have a historic basis but in our view also result from a confusion of grade and intraspecies clade as valid sources of variation. We show here that generally the differences that distinguish Zuttiyeh from Neandertals are similarities it shares with the Zhoukoudian remains. These similarities involve a unique combination of features, and suggest the possibility of an ancestral relationship. It is less likely that Middle Pleistocene remains from Europe or sub-Saharan Africa are uniquely or significantly ancestral to Zuttiyeh. An accurate understanding of the relationship between populations of eastern and western Asia is important for resolving the more general questions surrounding the position of the Upper Pleistocene Levant populations in human evolution, including (1) whether there are significantly different contemporary Mousterian populations in the Upper Pleistocene, (2) whether Neandertals are clearly intrusive in the region, and (3) whether there is an early appearance of (what many workers call) "anatomically modern Homo sapiens." The hypothesis of a recent unique African ancestry for all modern humans is disproved by our study, which shows Asia as a significant source area for at least some living populations.

Animals↗

IVS10-6T>G, an ancient ATM germline mutation linked with breast cancer.

Patients with autosomal recessive multisystemic disorder ataxia-telangiectasia are homozygous or compound heterozygous for mutations in the ataxia-telangiectasia mutated (ATM) gene. Heterozygous carriers of an ATM germline mutation have an increased susceptibility for breast cancer. The subject of this study is one particular germline mutation, the ATM exon 11 splice-site mutation IVS10-6T>G, that has been identified as being associated with an increased risk for breast cancer both in the general population and in high-risk breast cancer families. We investigated the natural history of this mutation, i.e., whether it is frequently arising de novo in a population, or whether it can be traced back to a single ancient mutational event. Genotyping of a number of polymorphic markers (two extragenic and two intragenic microsatellite loci, a single nucleotide insertion/deletion polymorphism, and a dinucleotide insertion/deletion polymorphism) was performed in 18 samples from different populations carrying the IVS10-6T>G mutation (17 unrelated breast cancer patients who were heterozygous carriers of this mutation and a single A-T patient who was homozygous for the IVS10-6T>G mutation). The same markers were also genotyped among 39 unrelated healthy individuals without this mutation. Haplotype analyses revealed one common ancestor in all mutation carriers. By means of a maximum likelihood method, we estimated the age of this mutation to be approximately 2,000 generations. We provide evidence that the IVS10-6T>G mutation occurred only once during human evolution, at least 50,000 years ago. Our results predict that this mutation could be widely distributed across Europe and, probably, the Middle East and Western Asia.

Alternative Splicing↗

Molecular dissection of the Y chromosome haplogroup E-M78 (E3b1a): a posteriori evaluation of a microsatellite-network-based approach through six new biallelic markers.

The human Y chromosome haplogroup E-M78 (E3b1a) occurs commonly and is distributed in northern and eastern Africa, western Asia, and all of Europe. Previously, only two rarely observed internal biallelic markers (UEPs) were known within the E-M78 clade. Here we report the identification of six novel UEPs that significantly refine the phylogeny of this haplogroup. Then, we evaluate the correspondence between the newly defined sub-haplogroups and the E-M78 haplotype clusters previously identified by an 11-microsatellite loci-based network encompassing 232 chromosomes (Cruciani et al., 2004). We observed considerable correspondence between the trees generated by the two types of markers, but also noted important discrepancies between microsatellite and UEP findings. Overall, this analysis reveals that the currently visible terminal branches of the Y tree still contain a large amount of information, in terms of undiscovered biallelic markers, and that caution is needed when using the microsatellite alleles as surrogates of unique event polymorphisms.

Africa, Eastern↗

The destination decision of political migrants: an economic approach.

"This paper deals with the destination decision of political migrants who, in spite of having strong cultural, ideological and religious ties to a particular potential destination, choose to emigrate elsewhere. The model presented characterizes the migrants, who have a choice of two possible destinations, by two properties, skill level and financial resources, and identifies those that move to each destination. The paper examines various immigration-encouraging policies and shows that although all of them will increase immigration, in some cases the economic quality of the new immigrants will rise and in some it will fall. This paper includes general evidence on the present immigration to Israel and some suggestions for empirical tests."

Asia↗

Regional and urban population size weights in Saudi Arabia, 1962-1974.

"The aim of this paper is to study the development of population weights for regions and urban centres in Saudi Arabia through the period 1962-1974. In order to achieve this aim some non-parametric statistical rules have been used such as rank-size rule and the four-city index. The results show non-balanced distribution of population on both regional and urban scales. The concentration of people in urban centres is more pronounced than the concentration in regions. This is due to internal and external movement of population towards large-sized urban centres."

Asia↗

Population changes in a growth center region with reference to the Israeli Negev.

"The aim of this paper is to present a scheme of relative population changes in a geographic-termed growth center region, with reference to a real problem of development as implemented in the Israeli Negev arid zone. The growth process described in the scheme leads to dynamic steady-states which indicate stable structure and stable relationships between the components of the regional system--the growth center and its urban and rural hinterlands. It was found that the relative population growth process in the Negev during the last thirty years is similar to the process determined by the scheme.... An additional thrust of this paper is methodological: to introduce and apply the hexagonal diagram to describe and classify processes of relative population growth."

Asia↗

Corpses, lepers, and menstruating women: tradition, transition, and the sociology of knowledge.

A study of 1148 middle-aged women in 5 Israeli subcultures ranging from modern Central European immigrants to traditional Moslem Arab villagers is the point of departure for this essay on tradition, transition, and the sociology of knowledge. The study is shown as having evolved through the competing hypotheses of the investigators, which in turn reflect the biases born of the experiential framework: 2 men and 1 young woman design a study that assumes an overvaluation of fertility and childbearing. When the findings reveal that middle-aged women do not regret the loss of fertility, regardless of tradition or modernity (and thus of childbearing history), the investigators discover their own assumptions to be erroneous. Further, the meaning of modernity is reconsidered as tradition is shown to incorporate a recognition of the strength of women despite formal status subordination; it is proposed that the dilemma of middle age is inevitably cultural transition. Finally, it is suggested that the broader social context of which the investigators were a part legitimates the study of women as "other" and as objects, while denying opportunity to study men in the same framework--a social context in which men shape decisions that grant or deny research funds, and thus shape the evolution of knowledge of gender.

Age Factors↗

Demographic composition of farm households and its effect on time allocation.

"This study demonstrates the effects of the existence of family members of various age groups on the time allocation decisions of farm operators and their spouses, by modelling the couple's joint farm and off-farm labor participation decisions. Specifically, two participation equations of the probit type are estimated for each person (one for farm participation and one for off-farm participation), using data from the 1981 Census of Agriculture in Israel. The resulting four-equation probit model is estimated by quasi maximum likelihood (QML) methods, allowing for village-specific fixed effects."

Age Factors↗

Population density pattern and change in the city of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

"This paper examines and assesses the changes in the population density pattern in the city of Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia where the city has undergone dramatic changes in its physical as well as its social structure. Analysis of data revealed a decline in population density at an exponential rate from the city center with variation between city sectors and zones. The city's rapid horizontal expansion and dispersal of population is the result of factors such as increases in city population and in size and number of single family dwellings, widening of streets, rise in income and residential mobility rates, mass use of automobiles, change in family size, zoning regulations, leapfrogging, and huge governmental city development projects."

Asia↗

Comparative vital statistics along the pastoral nomadism-sedentarism continuum.

"This paper attempts to gather and present as much information as possible on crude birth and death rates and natural increase rates for various pastoral nomadic societies in different African and Middle Eastern countries. The information is arranged by a subdivision into nomads, seminomads, and sedentarized nomads. A summarization of this information suggests a possible pattern by which birth rates rise, death rates fall (but may rise in certain circumstances), and natural increase rates rise along the nomadism-sedentarism continuum. Such a possible pattern has several policy implications for governments assessing the needs of a nomadic society undergoing a process of change in its socio-ecological relationships."

Africa↗

Determinants of the health and survival of the elderly: suggestions from two different experiences--Italy and Israel.

This study compares the health status and survival of the elderly in Israel and Italy. "The data used in this study derive from two sample surveys, one in Israel in 1985 and the other in Italy in the winter 1986/7.... The aim of this study was to identify the determinants of health, the use of the health care system and survival of the elderly...within the limits imposed by the data available by comparing two countries, Italy and Israel, which share similarities with regard to survival and development, but with fairly different demographic structures and cultures." (SUMMARY IN FRE)

Adult↗