Die hochgeschätzten Weisen und die verborgenen Generationskonflikte : wie Griechen und Römer sich dem Alter stellten ; [Rezension]

Rezension zu: Hartwin Brandt : Wird auch silbern mein Haar. Eine Geschichte des Alters in der Antike. Beck's Archäologische Bibliothek (hrsg. Hans von Steuben), Verlag C.H. Beck, München 2002, ISBN 3-406-49593-1, 302 Seiten., 29,90 Euro

Analysis of the African coelacanth genome sheds light on tetrapod evolution

It was a zoological sensation when a living specimen of the coelacanth was first discovered in 1938, as this lineage of lobe-finned fish was thought to have gone extinct 70 million years ago. The modern coelacanth looks remarkably similar to many of its ancient relatives, and its evolutionary proximity to our own fish ancestors provides a glimpse of the fish that first walked on land. Here we report the genome sequence of the African coelacanth, Latimeria chalumnae. Through a phylogenomic analysis, we conclude that the lungfish, and not the coelacanth, is the closest living relative of tetrapods. Coelacanth protein-coding genes are significantly more slowly evolving than those of tetrapods, unlike other genomic features . Analyses of changes in genes and regulatory elements during the vertebrate adaptation to land highlight genes involved in immunity, nitrogen excretion and the development of fins, tail, ear, eye, brain, and olfaction. Functional assays of enhancers involved in the fin-to-limb transition and in the emergence of extra-embryonic tissues demonstrate the importance of the coelacanth genome as a blueprint for understanding tetrapod evolution

A High-Resolution Map of Human Evolutionary Constraint Using 29 Mammals

The comparison of related genomes has emerged as a powerful lens for genome interpretation. Here we report the sequencing and comparative analysis of 29 eutherian genomes. We confirm that at least 5.5% of the human genome has undergone purifying selection, and locate constrained elements covering ~4.2% of the genome. We use evolutionary signatures and comparisons with experimental data sets to suggest candidate functions for ~60% of constrained bases. These elements reveal a small number of new coding exons, candidate stop codon readthrough events and over 10,000 regions of overlapping synonymous constraint within protein-coding exons. We find 220 candidate RNA structural families, and nearly a million elements overlapping potential promoter, enhancer and insulator regions. We report specific amino acid residues that have undergone positive selection, 280,000 non-coding elements exapted from mobile elements and more than 1,000 primate- and human-accelerated elements. Overlap with disease-associated variants indicates that our findings will be relevant for studies of human biology, health and disease.National Human Genome Research Institute (U.S.)National Institute of General Medical Sciences (U.S.) (Grant number GM82901)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Postdoctural Fellowship (Award 0905968)National Science Foundation (U.S.). Career (0644282)National Institutes of Health (U.S.) (R01-HG004037)Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.Austrian Science Fund. Erwin Schrodinger Fellowshi

Significant benefits of AIP testing and clinical screening in familial isolated and young-onset pituitary tumors

Context Germline mutations in the aryl hydrocarbon receptor-interacting protein (AIP) gene are responsible for a subset of familial isolated pituitary adenoma (FIPA) cases and sporadic pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs). Objective To compare prospectively diagnosed AIP mutation-positive (AIPmut) PitNET patients with clinically presenting patients and to compare the clinical characteristics of AIPmut and AIPneg PitNET patients. Design 12-year prospective, observational study. Participants & Setting We studied probands and family members of FIPA kindreds and sporadic patients with disease onset ≤18 years or macroadenomas with onset ≤30 years (n = 1477). This was a collaborative study conducted at referral centers for pituitary diseases. Interventions & Outcome AIP testing and clinical screening for pituitary disease. Comparison of characteristics of prospectively diagnosed (n = 22) vs clinically presenting AIPmut PitNET patients (n = 145), and AIPmut (n = 167) vs AIPneg PitNET patients (n = 1310). Results Prospectively diagnosed AIPmut PitNET patients had smaller lesions with less suprasellar extension or cavernous sinus invasion and required fewer treatments with fewer operations and no radiotherapy compared with clinically presenting cases; there were fewer cases with active disease and hypopituitarism at last follow-up. When comparing AIPmut and AIPneg cases, AIPmut patients were more often males, younger, more often had GH excess, pituitary apoplexy, suprasellar extension, and more patients required multimodal therapy, including radiotherapy. AIPmut patients (n = 136) with GH excess were taller than AIPneg counterparts (n = 650). Conclusions Prospectively diagnosed AIPmut patients show better outcomes than clinically presenting cases, demonstrating the benefits of genetic and clinical screening. AIP-related pituitary disease has a wide spectrum ranging from aggressively growing lesions to stable or indolent disease course

Augusta Treverorum/Trier und die antiken Münzfunde : Aufgaben und Perspektiven. Ein Zwischenbericht

Zusammenfassung. — Im Rahmen des Forschungsprojekts Fundmunzen der Antike (FdA) der Akademie der Wissenschaften und der Literatur zu Mainz sind die Fundmunzen der Stadt Trier (Augusta Treverorum /Treviri) von besonderer Bedeutung, die der Bedeutung der Stadt selbst im Rômischen Reich entspricht. Die Bearbeitung ist im Gange; ein erster Band FMRD / Trier ist bereits 1970 erschienen. Die archaeologisch-historische Dokumentation ist meist gut bis sehr gut; man wird eine Reihe von historischen Fragen mit Hilfe der Munzfunde beantworten kônnen, die die Topographie und die Baugeschichte der Stadt ebenso betreffen wie die Phaeno- mene der spâtantiken Kaiserresidenz. Von grossem Interesse ist uberdies warm der geregelte Munzumlauf in Treveri angefangen und wann und wie er aufgehôrt hat, um nur die wichtigsten Probléme der aktuellen Forschung zu nennen.Radnóti-Alföldi Maria. Augusta Treverorum/Trier und die antiken Münzfunde : Aufgaben und Perspektiven. Ein Zwischenbericht. In: Revue numismatique, 6e série - Tome 159, année 2003 pp. 15-25

Molds and Casting of "Fake" Coins under the Empire

В статье разбираются отдельные случаи изготовления фальшивых монет в Римской империи и меры властей по искоренению подобной практики