Indigenous Races Research Articles

Mestizaje for Blaxican Theology

precis: In this essay, I explore the emergence of mestizaje (mixedness) as a Latin American racial ideology that emerged in the early twentieth century. I begin by exploring the work of Mexican theorist José Vasconcelos and especially his work La Raza Cósmica , which emerged at the end of the Mexican Revolution that foresaw the emergence of a "cosmic race" that would render obsolete African and Indigenous races. From there, I explore Vasconcelos's influence on Mexican-American theologies and especially the doctrine of Christology in the work of Virgilio Elizondo. Finally, I explore the problems and possibilities of mestizaje for people whose Blackness plays an integral part of their mixedness—namely, "Blaxicans."

Cumulative Incidence Functions for Competing Risks Survival Data from Subjects with COVID-19

Competing risks survival analysis is used to answer questions about the time to occurrence of events with the extension of multiple causes of failure. Studies that investigate how clinical features and risk factors of COVID-19 are associated with the survival of patients in the presence of competing risks (CRs) are limited. The main objective of this paper is, under a CRs setting, to estimate the Cumulative Incidence Function (CIF) of COVID-19 death, the CIF of other-causes death, and the probability of being cured in subjects with COVID-19, who have been under observation from the date of symptoms to the date of death or exit from the study because they are cured. In particular, we compared the non-parametric estimator of the CIF based on the naive technique of Kaplan–Meier (K–M) with the Aalen–Johansen estimator based on the cause-specific approach. Moreover, we compared two of the most popular regression approaches for CRs data: the cause-specific hazard (CSH) and the sub-distribution hazard (SDH) approaches. A clear overestimation of the CIF function over time was observed under the K–M estimation technique. Moreover, exposure to asthma, diabetes, obesity, older age, male sex, black and indigenous races, absence of flu vaccine, admission to the ICU, and the presence of other risk factors, such as immunosuppression and chronic kidney, neurological, liver, and lung diseases, significantly increased the probability of COVID-19 death. The highest hazard ratio of 2.03 was observed for subjects with an age greater than 70 years compared with subjects aged 50–60 years. The SDH approach showed slightly higher survival probabilities compared with the CSH approach. An important foundation for producing precise individualized predictions was provided by the competing risks regression models discussed in this paper. This foundation allowed us, in general, to more realistically model complex data, such as the COVID-19 data, and can be used, for instance, by many modern statistical learning and personalized medicine techniques to obtain more accurate conclusions.

Prevalence of Human Cytomegalovirus Disease and its Related Factors in Renal and Bone Marrow Transplant Recipients in a Tertiary Hospital, Malaysia

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) infection may cause substantial morbidity and mortality after renal and bone marrow transplantation [1]. There are 3 major consequences of HCMV infection: HCMV disease with a wide range of clinical illnesses; superinfection with opportunistic pathogens; and injury to the transplanted organ [2]. Other than serological method to diagnose HCMV infection, viral load quantitation by real time polymerase chain reaction has been widely appreciated to diagnose and monitor the progress of viral infections. The aims of this study were to determine the incidence of HCMV infection in renal and bone marrow transplant recipients and to investigate its associations with HCMV disease, gender, and races.
 This retrospective cohort analysis involved 1520 blood samples from transplant recipients (renal, n = 164 and bone marrow, n = 182) from January 2020 to December 2021 collected from Virology Unit, Hospital Kuala Lumpur (NMRR ethical approval: NMRR-20-993-53201(IIR). The samples were analysed with quantitative polymerase chain reaction for HCMV DNA and the demographic, clinical and paraclinical aspects were evaluated. HCMV infection was present if the patient had positive HCMV viraemia and HCMV disease was diagnosed if HCMV infection was followed by clinical signs and symptoms. Statistical comparisons of patient demographics were performed with Chi-square tests for the categorical variables.
 The overall incidence of HCMV infection in the study group was 65% (225/346) where renal and bone marrow transplants account for 78.2% (176/225) and 21.7% (49/225) respectively. The incidence of HCMV infection in renal transplantation differed significantly by sex (p<0.05) where it was higher in males (71.8%) than in females (28.2%) but there was not statistically significant by sex in bone marrow transplantation in which males and females account for 61.2% and 38.7% respectively. The incidence of HCMV differed significantly (p<0.05) by races in both transplantation types as follows: 58% in Malay, 36% in Chinese, 5% in Indian and 1% in other indigenous races in renal transplantation while 59% in Malay, 29% in Chinese, 10% in Indian and 2% in other indigenous races in bone marrow transplantation. The incidence of HCMV disease differed significantly (p<0.05) by type of transplantation where it is higher in renal transplantation (30.9%) than in bone marrow transplantation (20.2%). The most seen symptoms were fever, generalised lethargy, and headache. Viral load of HCMV has been shown to be a major determinant factor in the severity and the manifestation of the HCMV infection[3].
 It is significantly higher in patients who develop HCMV disease[3]. Various risk factors have been described for the progress of symptomatic HCMV infection in organ transplant recipient[3]. The incidence of HCMV infection was higher in renal transplant as compared to bone marrow transplant among Malaysian. This study has shown that HCMV viral load has a significant association with age, gender and HCMV disease. Various syndromes can be caused by HCMV ranging from a mild fever to severe end-organ diseases. Treatment with anti-HCMV therapy results in decline in HCMV load, usually to undetectable.

Indicadores epidemiológicos da hanseníase em Sergipe: Um olhar direcionado para os Determinantes Sociais da Saúde

O este estudo visa analisar a tendência-temporal da hanseníase em Sergipe e sua correlação com os determinantes sociais da saúde. Trata-se de um estudo epidemiológico, do tipo ecológico de série temporal, com abordagens descritivas. No estudo serão utilizados os dados do Sistema Nacional de Agravos de Notificação (SINAN) do Ministério da Saúde, relativos ao período de 2007 a 2017.Foram selecionados trêsindicadores epidemiológicos: os coeficientes de casos novos de hanseníase na população geral, em menores de 15 anos e o os casos novos com grau II de incapacidade física, esses foram sujeitos a regressão polinomial. As variáveis independentes foram distribuídas em trêscategorias: Categoria socioeconômica; demográfica e de assistência à saúde, tais variáveis foram correlacionadas estatisticamente através da análise de correlação de Spearman (Significância de 5%). Para variáveis qualitativas procedeu-se com a categorização dos dados e obtenção das respectivas frequências e percentuais. Em relação à análise descritiva da hanseníase ocorreu um maior predomínio dos homens (51%), indivíduos com ensino médio incompleto (52,63%­), morando na zona urbana (74,36%), pertencentes a raça indígena, negra e parda (78%). Em relação as características clínicas (50%) dos indivíduos eram multibacilares. Observou-se uma tendência decrescente para os coeficientes de casos novos de hanseníase na população geral (APC -5,54 e p<0,000) e em menores de 15 anos (APC -5,57 e p< 0,004). Em relação aos indicadores socioeconômicos, a razão de renda, a renda per capita, o esgotamento sanitário e o índice de Gini apresentaram uma correlação positiva com os três indicadores de monitoramento da hanseníase.

AUTOCHTHONOUS BREEDS OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS AND CONSERVATION MEASURES

Recently, highly productive breeds of various species of domestic animals have been used in livestock production, which has resulted in the destruction of indigenous breeds of domestic animals around the world, even in our area. This is the first reason why indigenous races and strains have been endangered. Another reason is that domestic, indigenous breeds were crossed with specialized breeds, which were imported, and in that way their genetic diversity was negatively affected. Resistance is lost, adaptation to the conditions in which they were created, the ability to survive in nature. Indigenous breeds of different species of domestic animals, which are recognized in the Republic of Srpska (BiH) are gatačko cattle and buša (cattle), Vlašić pramenka, Podveleška pramenka, Kupres pramenka (sheep), domestic Balkan horned goat (goats), Bosnian mountain horse (horses), mangulica (pigs) and pogrmuša hen or živičarka hen (poultry). By acceding to international conventions, BiH /Republic of Srpska has committed itself to establishing a system of measures that will enable the conservation of biological diversity and the protection of indigenous and endangered breeds of domestic animals. The choice of a strategy for the conservation of diversity, the establishment of an adequate conservation scheme, and the implementation of a conservation strategy are some of the key elements of any process for the conservation of genetic diversity. Preservation of autochthonous and protected breeds of domestic animals is possible through preservation in the original environment (in situ) and preservation outside the original environment (ex situ). There is a possibility of combining these models of conservation of animal genetic resources.

Common Ancestry & Genetic Diversity of Few Indigenous Chilli Land Races of North East India

Since chilies contain high quantities of bioactive potential compounds, they are expected to possess large number of pharmacological values like antioxi-dants, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiulcer, diuretics activi-ties and is being employed for the treatment of different ailments in the indigenous system of medicine. The current study aimed at comparative evaluation of antioxidant properties, phytochemicals and RAPD assay from extracts of 6 different types of chilli found in the states of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh of North East India. The plant extracts were screened for phyto-chemicals, antioxidant analysis and RAPD profile. Phytochemical analysis shows abundant presence of alkaloids, phenols, flavonoids, saponins etc. The antioxidants activities of all the aqueous extracts were evaluated using the DPPH method. The antioxidant activity (% oxidation inhibition) ranged from as high as 86.56% in Bhut Jolokia (Capsicum assamicum) extracts to as low as 18.77% in Badami Jolokia (Capsicum annum) extract. Chilli samples studied possess potential health benefits by inhibiting many oxidation reactions caused by free radicals. Genetic diversity in 6 chilli genotypes was analyzed by RAPD markers of the fourteen random primers among which 11 were polymorphic. The phylogenetic tree showed common ancestry and the divergence among the chilli species. Based on the current study findings, it may be concluded the RAPD technology can be a useful tool in explaining the genetic diversity among chilli genotypes.

Multiple sclerosis and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders in Malaysia: A comparison in different ethnic groups

We performed a retrospective observational analytical study looking at the frequencies and characteristics of multiple sclerosis(MS) and neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders(NMOSD) in consecutive patients with idiopathic inflammatory demyelinating disease (IIDDs) attending three centers (2009-2017).Of 523 patients with IIDDs, there were 173 patients with NMOSD and 230 patients with MS. The percentage of NMOSD: IIDDs was 33%. The percentage of NMOSD:Total MS and NMOSD cohort was 43%. Of 141 seropositive NMOSD patients, 134(95%) were from the three main ethnic groups. The percentage of seropositive NMOSD to IIDDs and to combined MS and NMOSD was 26.9% and 35% respectively. Ratios of MS to NMOSD were nearly equal at 1.3 to 1.0, reinforcing the high ratio of NMOSD to MS in Asia.Nearly half of the Chinese cohort were seropositive ie; 71/141 (50%) with the remainder being Malays; 56/141 (39.7%) and Indians; 7/141 (5%). Amongst the other indigenous groups seropositivity was seen in 2 each of Iban, Bajau, Kadazan descent as well as one of Bidayuh origin. Comparatively, seropositivity in NMOSD is commoner amongst the Chinese compared to the Malays (p ≤ 0.005) and Indians, p ≤ 0.05 with ratios as high as 10:1.In the MS group of 230 subjects, 123(53.5%) were Malays (ratio of MS:NMOSD of 2:1), 41(17.8%) were Chinese, (ratio of MS:NMOSD of 0.5:1.0) and 54 (23.5%)were Indians (ratios of MS:NMOSD of 5:1 amongst the Indians). The remainder from East Malaysia were made up of 2 each of Kadazans, Ibans and Bajaus including 3 each of Bidayuh and Eurasian descent.Comparatively, in the NMOSD and MS cohorts a female preponderance was noted more so amongst Chinese NMOSD patients, with rare familial occurrence in both but more in Malay MS/NMOSD patients. This study also highlighted some of the inter-ethnic differences in presentation of MS and NMOSD amongst the 3 main ethnic races in Malaysia and confirms indigenous races having MS/NMOSD which needs further research. It also reviewed current literature on similar inter-ethnic differences world wide. To conclude, MS and NMOSD are the commonest demyelinating diseases seen in Malaysia with interesting inter-ethnic differences and similarities.

Relationship between Ergosterol Concentrations in Wine Yeast and Sugar Fermentation at Different Temperatures

The growth of naturally occurring micro-organisms in musts from grapes collected at three degrees ofripeness (unripe, half· ripe and ripe) in the Montilla-Moriles (Southern Spain) region during 1985and1986 was studied. The musts were inoculated with four physiological races of Saccharomyces cerevisiae isolated in the region. Although the inoculated races of S. cerevisiae prevailed throughout the fermentations, there was also a significant growth of indigenous races of S. cerevisiae and a less marked growth of other micro-organisms such as bacteria, filamentous fungi and yeasts other than S. cerevisiae.

New races, new diseases: the possibility of colonization through racial mixing in History of Brazil (1810-1819) by Robert Southey.

The possibility that the climate altered the temperament of people who were not native to a given region was a widely held belief even before the discovery of the Americas. Changes in air, temperature, and diet were believed to contribute decisively to whether races degenerated or flourished. In the New World, the black, European, and indigenous races mixed, reconfiguring European diseases. I explore how historian Robert Southey viewed this mixture of races in a positive light, especially the mixture of indigenous and Portuguese blood, resulting in the mameluco. The mamelucos from São Paulo are presented in Southey's History of Brazil as inheriting the Portuguese enterprising spirit with the tireless nature of the indigenous people.

Response of soybean varieties to maturity and biomass production under various planting dates

Planting date plays a significant role in soybean maturity and biomass yield. To study the maturity and biomass production potential under different environmental conditions, three indigenous land races (Kulat brown, Kulat white, Mothi) and two improved varieties (NARC-II, Swat-84) of soybean were planted at monthly from April to July during 2004 and 2005 growing season, at New Developmental Farm, The University of Agricultural Peshawar, Pakistan. Data was recorded for full maturity, plant height and biomass production. April planted crop took maximum days (187) to maturity, which decreased gradually with delay in planting. May planted crop gave maximum plant height (91.4 cm) and biomass yield (12598 kg ha -1 ) which decreased in later planting. Kulat white took maximum days (170) to maturity and attained maximum plant height (107 cm). However maximum biomass 12606 kg ha -1 yield was given by Mothi. Landraces took 41 days more than improved varieties to mature. In land races the plant height was almost double and the biomass yield was 31 percent higher than the improved varieties. Land races could prove higher yielders if the extra biomass production is directed towards seed

Gene effects and genetic analysis of indigenous land races and improved cultivars for yield and yield components in rice (Oryza sativaL.)

Rice is one of the crucial staple food crops and its unique grains assist to hold two third of world population. Generation mean analysis is commonly used in studies of inheritance of quantitative traits. Experimental material consisted of ten parents which included six high yielding varieties used as female parents and four traditional landraces used as male parents, F1, F2 and F3generation of six crosses viz., IR 72 x Veeradangan, ADT 39 x Kavuni, ADT 45 x Kavuni, ADT 43 x Navara, ASD 16 x Navara and TPS 4 x Kathanellu. Seven biometrical characters indicated that additive and dominance x dominance gene actions were predominant with duplicate type of gene action for five biometrical characters viz., plant height, number of productive tillers per plant, panicle length, number of filled grains per panicle and single plant yield. The epiststic effects, additive x additive [i] and dominance x dominance [h] were highly significant in most cases. The signs of (h) and (l) were opposite in all studied traits for most crosses. Non-allelic gene interaction was operating in the control of genetic variation in most studied traits. Also, the inheritance of all studied traits was controlled by additive and non-additive genetic effects, but dominance gene effects play the major role in controlling the genetic variation of the most studied traits. Present study indicated that early generation selection is effective and should be practiced for future breeding program.

Presentation of retinoblastoma patients in Malaysia.

Retinoblastoma is a rare type of cancer that usually develops in early childhood. If left untreated it can cause blindness and even death. The aim of this study is to determine sociodemographic and clinical features of retinoblastoma patients and also to determine the treatment pattern and outcome in Malaysia. Data for this study were retrieved from the Retinoblastoma Registry of the National Eye Database (NED) in Malaysia. Hospital Kuala Lumpur, Hospital Umum Kuching, Sarawak and Hospital Queen Elizabeth, Kota Kinabalu were the major source data providers for this study. Data collected in the registry cover demography, clinical presentation, modes of treatment, outcomes and complications. The study group consisted of 119 patients (162 eyes) diagnosed with retinoblastoma between 2004 and 2012. There were 68 male (57.1%) and 51 (42.9%) female. The median age at presentation was 22 months. A majority of patients were Malays (54.6%), followed by Chinese (18, 5%), Indians (8.4%), and indigenous races (15.9%). Seventy six (63.8%) patients had unilateral involvement whereas 43 patients had bilateral disease (36.1%). It was found that most children presented with leukocoria (110 patients), followed by strabismus (19), and protopsis (12). Among the 76 with unilateral involvement (76 eyes), enucleation was performed for a majority (79%). More than half of these patients had extraocular extension. Of the 40 who received chemotherapy, 95% were given drugs systemically. Furthermore, in 43 patients with bilateral involvement (86 eyes), 35 (41%) eyes were enucleated and 17 (49%) showed extraocular extension. Seventy-two percent of these patients received systemic chemotherapy. The patients were followed up 1 year after diagnosis, whereby 66 were found to be alive and 4 dead. Sixteen patients defaulted treatment and were lost to follow-up, whereas follow-up data were not available in 33 patients. Patients with retinoblastoma in this middle-income Asian setting are presenting at late stages. As a result, a high proportion of patients warrant aggressive management such as enucleation. We also showed that a high number of patients default follow-up. Therefore, reduction in refusal or delay to initial treatment, and follow-up should be emphasized in order to improve the survival rates of retinoblastoma in this part of the world.

‘I do not envy you’: Mixed marriages and immigration debates in the 1920s and 1930s Rangoon, Burma

This article uses the mixed marriage debate in 1920s and 1930s Rangoon as a lens to understand how the figure of the Indian immigrant was created in the official discourse and popular imagination in Burma.As the discussion on mixed marriages unfolded amongst lawmakers and in the Burmese public sphere in the early twentieth century, it perpetuated the stereotype of the avaricious Burmese woman and the Indian was portrayed as a single male temporary worker who was in Burma for employment and left the woman once he returned back home. The problem of abandoned women as a result of inter-racial marriages was, in reality, a larger problem of Indian immigration into Burma. In 1940, with the Indo-Burmese immigration agreement, marriage or cohabitation between Indian male immigrant and women belonging to the indigenous races of Burma was made a condition for cancellation of a permit or visa granted to a migrant Indian male.

Mestizaje and the Creation of Mexican National Literature: Ángel María Garibay Kintana's Nahuatl Project

From the beginning of the twentieth century, numerous Mexican intellectuals attempted to construct a national identity through mestizaje, a mixture of indigenous and European races and cultures. In both historical research and artistic production, they focused on Prehispanic indigenous traditions as an essential part of Mexican national history. In this mestizo nationalism, however, Mexican intellectuals did not pay much attention to the original Prehispanic indigenous forms, and in many cases they recycled post-conquest indigenous traditions that had already been transformed. Thus, the indigenous traditions which appear in the discourses of mestizaje are reworked yet again by Westernized intellectuals in the name of Mexican nationalism. Ángel María Garibay's study of Nahuatl literature is perhaps the best example of this phenomenon. This article examines how Garibay constructs a Prehispanic Nahuatl literary tradition based on the colonial chronicles of the sixteenth-century Catholic missionaries and informed by the European concept of literature.

Molecular mapping of a new source of Fusarium wilt resistance in tetraploid cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.)

Fusarium wilt (FW) disease is an economically important disease of cotton worldwide and a major cause of crop losses in Australia and many other cotton-producing countries. Symptoms include wilting, vascular browning and death. Australian races of the causal agent Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. vasinfectum (Fov) are genetically distinct from those in other countries and are thought to have evolved from indigenous races. New sources of resistance for breeding are rare, as cotton cultivars with significant FW resistance against Fov isolates from other cotton-producing regions are usually susceptible to Australian Fov races. MCU-5, an Upland Indian cotton cultivar, has been identified as having improved resistance to Australian Fov and is being used to breed new commercial cultivars with higher resistance to FW. To investigate the genetic basis of the FW resistance in MCU-5, QTL analysis was performed on 244 F3 and 244 F4 families derived from an intraspecific cross between MCU-5 and Siokra 1-4, a cultivar highly sensitive to Australian Fov races. Resistance, as measured by leaf symptoms, vascular browning and survival, showed low to moderate heritability between generations. MCU-5 resistance to FW was found to be complex with three quantitative trait loci (QTL) identified in the F3, and eight in the F4, that explained between 9 and 41% of the phenotypic variation. The QTL were located on four linkage groups including chromosomes A6 (Chr 6), D4 (Chr 22) and D6 (Chr 25), with two QTL located in similar regions to previously identified FW resistance from the Sea Island cultivar Pima 3-79. The QTL identified in this study represent the first targets for marker-assisted selection of FW resistance in Australia.

Molecular phylogenetic analysis reveals at least five genetic races ofBemisia tabaci in China

Phylogenetic analysis using ITS1 and CO1 nucleotide sequences has revealed six major races ofBemisia tabaci in the world, including three major indigenous races in the Asia-Pacific region,viz., B. tabaci (Asia),B. tabaci (Bali) andB. tabaci (Australia), but the status of a large collection of genotypes in this region remains unresolved. The ITS1 sequences of representative whitefly samples collected from around China were determined in this study. These sequences and other homologous sequences retrieved from GenBank were then used to conduct a phylogenetic analysis. The results demonstrated that the whiteflies collected in China were split genetically into four groups, where at least five genetic races were revealed,i.e., B biotype (SDLe, XJEp, XJAt, HNNt, BJIb, GDEp, XJGh, GDHrs, XJSm and SHEp), Bali group (ZJGh), M biotype (Hainan1), G biotype (GXCm) and Asian H/K group (FJIb, GDCv), although the Asian H/K group with low bootstrap score remains unresolved. Of all genetic races, the B biotype is the most extensively distributed. In the dendogram, the J biotype, L biotype and Q biotype cluster together and form a sister clade to the B biotype. The data indicate that extensive migration ofB. tabaci has taken place in Asian countries. The populations ZJGh, FJIb, GDCv, GXCm and Hainanl collected in China might have originated there, but the possibility that they were introduced from elsewhere cannot be excluded at this point. Using PyR from Israel as a reference Q biotype, the random amplified polymorphic DNA banding patterns of SDLe, XJEp, XJAt and HNNt were shown to be consistent with that of the Q biotype, which indicated that the four local whitefly populations identified as the B biotype based on ITS1 sequences were closely related to the Q biotype.

Genetic structure of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci in the Asia–Pacific region revealed using microsatellite markers

Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a haplo-diploid species of sap-feeding insect belonging to the group of insects commonly known as whiteflies. From earlier analyses of mitochondrial and ribosomal markers it has been concluded that in the Asia-Pacific region there were three major indigenous races as well as a large collection of genotypes with no clear association with any race. This new study uses 15 microsatellite loci and demonstrates that the indigenous Asia-Pacific genotypes can be split into six genetic populations with little or no gene flow between them. These bare only superficial similarity to the mitochondrial and ribosomal defined races. Moreover, four of the six can be further split into two subpopulations that again show little evidence gene flow between them. While the patterns reflect a strong geographical structure, physical barriers alone cannot explain all the observed structure. Differential host-plant utilization explained some of the substructure, but could not explain the overall structure. The roles of mating interference and Wolbachia in developing the genetic structure are considered. The lack of gene flow between genetic populations and some subpopulations further suggests that the barriers were either sufficiently impermeable to immigration or that reproductive isolation and competitive interactions were sufficiently strong to prevent gene flow. If the latter is the case, it suggests that there may be as many as 10 morphologically indistinguishable species indigenous to the Asia-Pacific region.

Hemoglobin E prevalence in malaria-endemic villages in Myanmar.

The population of Myanmar comprises 8 major indigenous races (Bamar, Kayin, Kachin, Shan, Rakhine, Mon, Chin, and Kayah). The Bamar reside in the 7 central divisions of the country, and the others reside in the 7 peripheral states that border neighboring countries, including China, Laos, and Thailand in the east and India and Bangladesh in the west. Both malaria and HbE are endemic in Myanmar, although the actual prevalence of the latter in the different indigenous races is not yet known. Hemoglobin electrophoresis was performed in 4 malaria-endemic villages, each having a different predominating indigenous race. The overall prevalence of HbE was 11.4% (52/456 villagers), ranging from 2-6% in the Kayin-predominant villages to 13.1-24.4% in the Bamar-predominant villages. Although the overall HbE prevalence in the villages studied was not significantly different from that of the general Myanmar population, this study strongly documented the influence of racial differences on the prevalence of HbE in Myanmar. To prevent and control severe thalassemia syndromes in Myanmar, extensive prevalence studies of the country?s indigenous races are suggested.

The racial cohort phenomenon: seroepidemiology of Helicobacter pylori infection in a multiracial South-East Asian country.

Malaysia is a multiracial country where three major Asian races live together: Malay, Chinese and Indian. In addition, there are a number of native or indigenous races, particularly in East Malaysia. Differences in prevalence of gastric diseases between races have been noted, particularly with respect to peptic ulcer disease and gastric cancer. The aim of this study is to determine the prevalence rates and risk factors for Helicobacter pylori infection among various races in Malaysia. A large-scale prospective seroepidemiological study in West and East Malaysia using the HEL-p II commercial enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (AMRAD, Melbourne, Australia) to detect H. pylori antibodies. Populations surveyed in West Malaysia were a rural community from Kuala Pilah, and blood donors from Kuala Lumpur and Kota Baru. Subjects studied in East Malaysia were volunteer blood donors from Kota Kinabalu, and blood donors and healthy volunteers from Sibu. Statistical analyses using multiple logistic regression analysis were carried out to identify independent risk factors for H. pylori infection A total of 2,381 subjects were evaluated. H. pylori prevalence varied from different areas of study and ranged from a low of 26.4% in blood donors from Kota Baru to a high of 55.0% in Kota Kinabalu. The most striking differences, however, were noted in the prevalence rates among different racial groups. Prevalence rates among the Malays ranged from 11.9 to 29.2%, while the Chinese ranged from 26.7 to 57.5%, and those of Indians in two studies were 49.4 and 52.3%. In every location, Malays had a significantly lower prevalence compared with the other races. The highest prevalence rates were recorded among the indigenous races in Kota Kinabalu, East Malaysia. There was no difference between males and females in the studies. An increasing trend with age was noted in the majority of studies; however, no increase in prevalence rates was noted among the Malays. The pattern of infection in a multiracial population in Malaysia points to a 'racial cohort' phenomenon. The infection appears to be confined to a racial group, with the Malays having consistently low prevalence rates. This observation may provide clues to the mode of transmission of infection.

Isoenzymatic variation in the germplasm of Brazilian races of maize (Zea mays L.)

There are more than 200 races of maize (Zea mays L.) divided into three groups (ancient commercial races, the recent commercial races, and indigenous races). Although the indigenous races have no commercial value, they have many important characteristics which can be incorporated into maize breeding programs. Most Brazilian indigenous germplasm race stocks were collected at least 40 years ago, and nothing is known of the genetic variability present in this germplasm. The genetic variability was assayed in 15 populations from four indigenous races of maize (Caingang, Entrelaçado, Lenha and Moroti) and five indigenous cultivars, using five isoenzymatic systems encoded by 14 loci. The analysis revealed a low level of variability among the samples studied. Overall, the mean number of alleles/polymorphic locus was three, 64.3% of the loci analyzed being polymorphic and the estimated heterozygosity was 0.352. The mean number of alleles/polymorphic locus per population was 1.6. A mean of 47.5% of the loci were polymorphic. The mean expected heterozygosity was 0.195, the mean genetic identity was 0.821 and the proportion of total genetic diversity partitioned among populations (Gst) was 0.156. A founder effect could explain the low variability detected.