Correction: Global Patterns in Human Mitochondrial DNA and Y-Chromosome Variation Caused by Spatial Instability of the Local Cultural Processes

Because of the widespread phenomenon of patrilocality, it is hypothesized that Y-chromosome variants tend to be more localized geographically than those of mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA). Empirical evidence confirmatory to this hypothesis was subsequently provided among certain patrilocal and matrilocal groups of Thailand, which conforms to the isolation by distance mode of gene diffusion. However, we expect intuitively that the patterns of genetic variability may not be consistent with the above hypothesis among populations with different social norms governing the institution of marriage, particularly among those that adhere to strict endogamy rules. We test the universality of this hypothesis by analyzing Y-chromosome and mtDNA data in three different sets of Indian populations that follow endogamy rules to varying degrees. Our analysis of the Indian patrilocal and the matrilocal groups is not confirmatory to the sex- specific variation observed among the tribes of Thailand. Our results indicate spatial instability of the impact of different cultural processes on the genetic variability, resulting in the lack of universality of the hypothesized pattern of greater Y-chromosome variation when compared to that of mtDNA among the patrilocal populations

Blood group and serum protein polymorphisms in Turpu Kapu population of Vizianagaram District, Andhra Pradesh

Data on two blood group and three serum protein polymorphisms of the Turpu Kapu, an endogamous population of Vizianagaram District, Andhra Pradesh (AP) is presented. The gene frequencies for the blood group systems ABO and Rh are within the ranges of distribution reported earlier among the caste populations of Andhra Pradesh. The study population shows highest frequency of Hp1 allele and the lowest frequency of Hp2 allele compared to the other populations of AP. The Cp system is monomorphic, all individuals being the BB type. The GC system exhibits polymorphism with the gene frequencies of GC1 and GC2 alleles showing the highest and lowest frequencies, respectively, as compared to the caste populations reported earlier. The χ2 test suggest that this population is in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium

A CLINICOPATHOLOGICAL ANALYTIC STUDY OF OVARIAN TUMOURS OVER A TWO-YEAR PERIOD IN A TEACHING HOSPITAL

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the clinical, demographic and pathological aspects of ovarian tumours diagnosed and operated upon over a two-year period. Methods: A total of sixty women diagnosed with ovarian tumours who underwent an operative procedure formed our study group. All clinical and demographic data were obtained from medical records and the histopathology reports of the tissues removed at surgery were retrieved from the pathology department records. Results: 36.7% of the women belonged to the age group of 41-50 y and lower abdominal pain was the commonest symptom in 61.7% of the women. 93.10% of the ovarian tumours were found to be benign, 1.7% to be borderline and 5.17% were malignant. Benign surface epithelial tumours constituted 74.13% of the total and, of these the incidence of serous cystadenoma was 44.8% and mucinous cytadenoma 22.41%. Germ cell tumours constituted 13.8% of all the tumours, with mature cystic teratomas being the most prevalent at 12.06%. Serous cystadenocarcinoma accounted for 5.17% of the tumours and borderline serous tumours accounted for 1.72%. Conclusion: Women presenting with symptoms of an ovarian tumour should undergo a detailed clinical evaluation, investigations, early interventions and histopathology should be an integral component to improve outcomes

Microsatellite Diversity in Andhra Pradesh, India: Genetic Stratification Versus Social Stratification

DNA samples of 948 individuals belonging to 27 populations from southern Andhra Pradesh were analyzed for nine AmpFlSTR Profiler Plus loci. The nature and extent of genomic diversity within and between these populations have been examined with reference to socioeconomic and geographic affiliations. The results suggest that the average heterozygosity is uniformly high in these populations ( 0.80) and that the patterns of allele distributions are similar across the populations. The value of the coefficient of gene differentiation and the AMOVA and structure analysis results suggest that these populations are highly homogeneous. The neighbor-joining tree constructed using either DA or FST distances suggests no intelligible pattern of population clusters based on ethnohistoric or geographic affiliations. All these observations suggest either a common recent origin of these populations or extensive gene flow across the populations that erased the original genetic differences. Given strict endogamy, the latter explanation can hold only if there has been unauthorized or unrecognized gene flow transecting the social boundaries. Nevertheless, the regression plot of average heterozygosity versus distance from the centroid (Rii), based on Harpending and Ward’s (1982) model, and the genetic distances computed between different hierarchical groups within Andhra Pradesh tend to support this conjecture. Overall, the results suggest lack of a significant degree of genetic stratification that is consistent with social stratification in Andhra Pradesh. Furthermore, the neighbor-joining tree based on comparative data from other Indian and continental populations brings out a single and compact cluster of all the Andhra populations that is clearly separated from the rest

Microsatellite diversity in Andhra Pradesh, India: genetic stratification versus social stratification

Pradesh were analyzed for nine AmpFlSTR Profiler Plus loci. The nature and extent of genomic diversity within and between these populations have been examined with reference to socioeconomic and geographic affiliations. The results suggest that the average heterozygosity is uniformly high in these populations ( 0.80) and that the patterns of allele distributions are similar across the populations. The value of the coefficient of gene differentiation and the AMOVA and structure analysis results suggest that these populations are highly homogeneous. The neighbor-joining tree constructed using either DA or FST distances suggests no intelligible pattern of population clusters based on ethnohistoric or geographic affiliations. All these observations suggest either a common recent origin of these populations or extensive gene flow across the populations that erased the original genetic differences. Given strict endogamy, the latter explanation can hold only if there has been unauthorized or unrecognized gene flow transecting the social boundaries. Nevertheless, the regression plot of average heterozygosity versus distance from the centroid (Rii), based on Harpending and Ward's (1982) model, and the genetic distances computed between different hierarchical groups within Andhra Pradesh tend to support this conjecture. Overall, the results suggest lack of a significant degree of genetic stratification that is consistent with social stratification in Andhra Pradesh. Furthermore, the neighbor-joining tree based on comparative data from other Indian and continental populations brings out a single and compact cluster of all the Andhra populations that is clearly separated from the rest

Schematic Representation of Indian Population Structure Characterized by Movement of Spouses Only within but Not among the Endogamous Groups

<p>Each circle represents a population and its size represents the hierarchy. While the populations until the breeding isolates are all endogamous, the exogamous units refer to clans/lineages within a breeding isolate/population.</p

Haplotype Diversity in mtDNA (Green) and Y-STR (Pink) and Their Mean (Shaded Bar) in Five Dravidian and Five Austro-Asiatic Patrilocal and Five Austro-Asiatic Matrilocal Populations

<p>From left to right, the Dravidian patrilocal groups (mtDNA sample size and Y-STR sample size) are Akhutota (32, 21), Kapu (22,16), Panta (37, 21), Pokanati (59, 25), and Vanne (32, 23); the Austro-Asiatic matrilocal groups are Maram (72, 58), Khynriam (95, 82), Pnar (69, 40), Bhoi (34, 30), and WarKhasi (31, 23); the Austro-Asiatic patrilocal groups are Asur (30, 28), Bhumij (40, 39), Kharia (21, 13), Munda (23, 23), and Santhal (39, 38).</p