Dental identification and aspects of medico-legal investigations of the Finnish victims of the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake on 26 December 2004

Tsunami waves of the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake on 26 December 2004 claimed approximately 230 000 lives and started the biggest identification operation in Interpol's history. The aim of this study was to resolve methods of the identification and results received. The viewpoint is mainly that of forensic odontology, but also includes other means of identification and results of the medico-legal examination performed in Finland. Of the 5395 victims in Thailand, approximately 2 400 were foreigners from 36 nations including 177 Finnish nationals. Additionally, a Finnish woman perished in Sri Lanka and a severely injured man after the evacuation in a hospital. The final numbers of missing persons and dead bodies registered in the Information Management Centre in Phuket,Thailand, were 3 574 ante-mortem (AM) and 3 681 post-mortem (PM) files. The number of identifications by December 2006 was 3 271 or 89% of the victims registered. Of Finnish victims, 172 have been identified in Thailand and 163 repatriated to Finland. One adult and four children are still missing. For AM data, a list of Finnish missing persons including 178 names was published on 30 December 2004. By February 2005 all useful dental AM data were available. Five persons on the list living in Finland lacked records. Based on the AM database, for the children under age 18 years (n=60) dental identification could be established for 12 (20%). The estimated number for adults (n=112) was 96 (86%). The final identification rate, based on PM examinations in Finland, was 14 (25%) for children (n= 56) and 98 (90%) for adults (n= 109). The number of Finnish victims identified by dental methods, 112 (68%), was high compared to all examined in Thailand (43%). DNA was applied for 26 Finnish children and for 6 adults, fingerprints for 24 and 7, respectively. In 12 cases two methods were applied. Every victim (n=165) underwent in Finland a medico-legal investigation including an autopsy with sampling specimens for DNA, the toxicological and histological investigation. Digital radiographs and computed tomography were taken of the whole body to verify autopsy findings and bring out changes caused by trauma, autolysis, and sampling for DNA in Thailand. Data for identification purposes were also noted. Submersion was the cause of death for 101 of 109 adults (92.7%), and trauma for 8 (7.3%). Injuries were 33 times contributing factors for submersion and 3 times for trauma-based death. Submersion was the cause of death for 51 (92.7%) children and trauma for 4 (7.3%). Injuries were in 3 cases contributing factors in submersion and once in trauma-based death. The success of the dental identification of Finnish victims is mainly based on careful registration of dental records, and on an education program from 1999 in forensic odontology.

苦苣苔科比较胚胎学和花粉形态学研究及其系统学意义

本文对苦苣苔科的3族8属10种植物进行了比较胚胎学研究，得出该科植物的基本胚胎学特征是： 花药具4个小孢子囊，当花药达到成熟期时，每—侧的两个小孢子囊由于隔壁的消失而连通。药壁由1层表皮，1层药室内壁，12层中层和1层绒毡层组成。花药壁的发育属双子叶类型，表皮细胞宿存，药室内壁在小孢子母细胞分裂成四分体后即开始纤维状加厚，到花药发育至成熟时期，药室内壁径向延长并由内切向壁向外和向上发生带状的加厚，但在同侧的两个小孢子囊的连接处并不发生纤维状加厚，以利于花药的开裂。中层细胞在小孢子母细胞分裂前即受到挤压，到发育后期被挤扁，．在成熟花药壁上只残留—些痕迹。有些种类中层细胞不退化，与药室内壁一样纤维状加厚。绒毡层初时为单核，在小孢子母细胞终变期分裂成双核，而当单核小孢子形成后，绒毡层细胞的两核可融合成单核，随后便解体。绒毡层为分泌型，在四分体分离成小孢子以后向药室内分泌乌氏体。在小孢子母细胞分裂前，细胞周围有大量的胼胝质出现。胞质纷裂为同时型。具四面体型的四分体。散粉时花粉具二细胞。 胚珠倒生，单珠被，薄珠心，珠被内无维管组织。珠心表皮下的—层细胞发育成为孢原细胞并直接起大孢子母细胞的功能，其胞质分裂伴随着减数分裂形成—直列式四分体。四分体珠孔端三个大孢子受挤压退化，合点端的功能大孢子进—步发育，经三次分裂形成蓼型胚囊。成熟胚囊的珠孔端部分圆形，合点端细长，如容量瓶状。胚囊内具—个由两个助细胞和—个卵细胞组成的卵器、两个极核和三个反足细胞。助细胞在花粉管通过珠孔进入胚囊后退化。极核在受精前不久融合，反足细胞形成后不久便退化。珠孔端的珠心细胞在功能大孢子发育后被挤压退化，也有的种类突出珠孔形成珠心喙，而合点端部分珠被最内的—层细胞则进—步发育，细胞质变浓，核体积增大，围绕胚囊的合点端细长部形成珠被绒毡层，此结构由胚囊形成到种子成熟—直存在，其中有丰富的内含物。 珠孔受精。胚乳发育为细胞型，种子成熟时几乎完全被胚吸收。合点端发育出具2核单胞的侵入性吸器，直达表皮。珠孔端吸器具2细胞。两种吸器的形态因种属不同而有很大差异。胚胎发生属柳叶菜型。 比较和分析表明，苦苣苔科的胚胎学特征与玄参科（Scrophujariaccae)、列当科（Orobanchaceae）和爵床科(Acanthaceae)较为相似，反映出这几个科在系统关系上比较接近。苦苣苔科族级分类群之间的胚胎学特征有一定的差异，但族内各属种的胚胎学特征差异较小，发育类型尤其是早期的形成过程非常相似。本文研究涉及的分类群在花药壁层的结构、反足细胞退化和极核融合韵时期、胚形成与胚乳发育的相对时间、吸器的有无及其形态等方面有所不同。 本文同时对苦苣苔科3族23属72种花粉，其中包括长蒴苣苔族(Trib. Didymocarpeae)16属56种、芒毛苣苔族(Trib. Trichosporeae)4属12种及尖舌苣苔族( Trib. Klugieae)3属4种，进行了扫描电镜观察。对族下各属种的形态特征作了详细的描述，每种花粉从极面观、赤道面观及局部放大三个侧面照相记录。以族为基本类群,对其中的各属的花粉形态结合系统学特征进行了讨论。 由此研究得出苦苣苔科植物花粉的基本特征是：所有研究属种的花粉均具三拟孔沟，拟孔极不明显。形状为近扁球形、圆球形、近长球形和长球形，极面观圆形、近圆形、近三角形和三裂圆形，赤道面观为圆形、近圆形、椭圆形和长圆形，不同材料各有差异，但在属内水平上基本—致。各属植物在花粉沟的形态和表面纹饰上有一定的区别。 在长蒴苣苔族中，本文对雇柱苣苔属(Chirita Buch．-Ham．ex D．Don)花粉进行了着重研究。结果表明：唇柱苣苔属在组内各种的花粉形态具有明显的相似性，但在组之间则有较大的差异。对本族其它各属的研究结果则充分表明各属花粉的形态特征有明显差别，可以从花粉形状、大小、沟的构造、沟膜的特点及表面纹饰等方面加以区分 在芒毛苣苔族中，紫花苣苔(Loxostigma griffithii)花粉沟膜表面残留着网状的覆盖层( tectum)，这种覆盖层可能代表—种较原始的性状。．在芒毛苣苔属’( Aeschynanthu8)中，花冠的檐部通常呈现不明显二唇形的显苞芒毛苣苔组(Sect．Haplotrichum)和大花芒毛苣苔组(Sect. Diplotrichum)的花粉粒较小，而花冠的檐部明显二属形的黄杨叶芒毛苣苔组(Sect. hlicrotrichium)、小齿芒毛苣苔组(Sect. Xanthanthos)以及全尊芒毛苣苔组(Sect．Aeschynanthus)的花粉粒较大。因此，花冠檐部的结构与花粉粒的大小表现出—定的相关性．在尖舌苣苔族中，异叶苣苔属( Whytokia)和尖舌苣苔属(Rhynchoglossum)的花粉沟较短，后者和十字苣苔属( Stauranthera)的沟膜表面具有密集或稀疏的颗粒状突起。河口异叶苣苔( Whytokia hekouensis)花粉沟的分化不明显，其沟膜上残留着网状的覆盖层可能代表着—种较原始的性状。具聚伞花序的盾座苣苔属( Epithema)和圆果苣苔属( Gyrogyne)，其花粉沟界极区及其沟间区呈皱波状(apocolpia and mesocolpia rugulate)，代表另一种演化方向。根据本文研究结果，并参考国内外有关报道，分别提出了芒毛苣苔族和尖舌苣苔族的以花粉特征为依据的分属检索表。

A note on the calorific values of a freshwater teleost, Labeo gonius (Hamilton)

Forty specimens of Labeo gonius (Ham) were analysed for protein, carbohydrate and fat values. The calorific value was calculated by multiplying the value of protein and carbohydrate with the energy factor 4.1 and for fat by 9.3. The average calorific values of fish for protein, carbohydrate and fat were 72.16, 9.55 and 11.90 cal/100 g respectively suggesting that the fishes are highly nutritious.

Seasonal fluctuation in the distribution of eggs and larvae of flat fishes (Pleuronectiformes - Pisces) in the Cochin backwater

Attempts have been made to correlate the abundance of eggs and larvae of flat fishes belonging to families Cynoglossidae and Soleidae with the hydrographical parameters of the environment, particularly the salinity. The eggs and larvae were found to occur in the Cochin backwater during the pre-monsoon period but not during the south west monsoon period. During the south west monsoon period larvae belonging to very early stages were found at the marine end (Fairway Buoy). The continued or prolonged existence of very low salinity appears to restrict the distribution of flat fish larvae. In the post-monsoon period also the eggs and larvae were not found in regions of very low salinity. Larvae of Cynoglossus puncticeps (Richardson), C. brevis Gunther, C. cynoglossus (Ham. Buch), C. lida (Bleeker) and Solea heinii Steindachner were obtained in the collection taken from the estuary. From the data it is seen that each species has specific spawning period.

Humoral and protective response of Indian major carps to immersion vaccination with Aeromonas hydrophila

Fry of the Indian major carps, Catta catla (Ham.), Labeo rohita (Ham.) and Cirrhinus mrigala (Ham.) were immunized at 4 and 8 weeks post hatching (wph) by direct immersion in a suspension (10 super(8) cells ml super(-1))of heat inactivated Aeromonas hydrophila. Following the same procedure, booster dose was administered 20 days after the first immersion. Antibodies as well as protective response produced in both the groups after the first and the booster immersion were different and significant (P<0.05). No significant difference was found between the species in the two age groups. The specimens immunized 8 wph showed higher antibody titres and protection than the 4 wph group. C. catla had higher relative percent survival followed by L. rohita and C. mrigala.

Eradication of uneconomical fishes with simple gill nets at Hirakud reservoir

Experiments with simple gill nets of mesh bar 25, 30, 35, 40 and 45 mm were carried out to determine the suitable mesh size for the eradication of the uneconomical fishes of Hirakud reservoir. Results show that net with 25 mm bar is more suitable particularly for Gudusia chapra (Ham), Rohtee cotio (Day) and Eutropichthys vacha (Ham).

Length-weight relationship in Nandus nandus (Hamilton) (Perciformes-Teleostei)

Length-weight relationship of the freshwater fish of Pamba River, Nandus nandus (Ham) has been worked out. The results showed that the slope values and elevations were not significant and hence a combined regression equation has been calculated for both the sexes (Log W=2.4130 Log L -0.3306). The’t’ test analyses were conducted and found that the growth departs significantly from the isometric growth. Thus the formula W=aL super(n) has to be applied in calculating the length-weight relationship of this species.

兔受精卵显微注射外源基因后体外培养的卵裂发育

从超数排卵的14只母兔获得438枚受精卵, 卵龄16-22h。显微操作在带微分干涉和相差的Nikon倒置显微镜下进行。注射针的尖端外径0.5#mu#m, 离尖端40和80#mu#m处的外径分别为4.2和6.5#mu#m。注射用外源基因是绵羊生长激素基因与MT-1启动基因藕连的线状DNA溶液(1ng/#mu#l)。140枚注射的受精卵和未注射的145枚受精卵(对照), 在Ham^sF-10培养液(补充生长因子)中培养(38℃, 5％的CO_(2))。结果培养48h后, 注射组卵裂发育率分别是: 未卵裂7.9％(11/140)、卵裂至2-4细胞期11.0％(16/140)、卵裂至8-16细胞期80.7％(113/140)。对照组相应的卵裂率分别是4.1％(6/145)、12.4％(18/145)和83.4％(121/145)。两组卵裂发育率相近。

Effect of compatibilization on the properties of HIPS/PA1010 blends

Blends consisting of high-impact polystyrene (HIPS) as the matrix and polyamide 1010 (PA1010) as the dispersed phase were prepared by mixing. The grafting copolymers of HIPS and maleic anhydride (MA), the compatibilizer precursors of the blends, were synthesized. The contents of the IMA in the grafting copolymers are 4.7 wt % and 1.6 wt %, and were assigned as HAM and LMA, respectively. Different blend morphologies were observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM); the domain size of the PA1010 dispersed phase in the HIPS matrix of compatibilized blends decreased comparing with that of uncompatibilized blends. For the blend with 25 wt % HIPS-g-MA component, the T-c of PA1010 shifts towards lower temperature, from 178 to 83 degrees C. It is found that HIPS-g-MA used as the third component has profound effect on the mechanical properties of the resulting blends. This behavior has been attributed to the chemical reaction taking place in situ during the mixing between the two components of PA1010 and HIPS-g-MA. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Perspectives for quantum state engineering via high nonlinearity in a double-EIT regime

We analyse the possibilities for quantum state engineering offered by a model for Kerr-type nonlinearity enhanced by electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), which was recently proposed by Petrosyan and Kurizki [2002, Phys. Rev. A, 65, 33833]. We go beyond the semiclassical treatment and derive a quantum version of the model with both a full Hamiltonian approach and an analysis in terms of dressed states. The preparation of an entangled coherent state via a cross-phase modulation effect is demonstrated. We briefly show that the violation of locality for such an entangled coherent state is robust against low detection efficiency. Finally, we investigate the possibility of a bi-chromatic photon blockade realized via the interaction of a low density beam of atoms with a bi-modal electromagnetic cavity which is externally driven. We show the effectiveness of the blockade effect even when more than a single atom is inside the cavity. The possibility to control two different cavity modes allows some insights into the generation of an entangled state of cavity modes.

Generation of entangled coherent states via cross-phase-modulation in a double electromagnetically induced transparency regime

The generation of an entangled coherent state is one of the most important ingredients of quantum information processing using coherent states. Recently, numerous schemes to achieve this task have been proposed. In order to generate travelling-wave entangled coherent states, cross-phase-modulation, optimized by optical Kerr effect enhancement in a dense medium in an electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) regime, seems to be very promising. In this scenario, we propose a fully quantized model of a double-EIT scheme recently proposed [D. Petrosyan and G. Kurizki, Phys. Rev. A 65, 33 833 (2002)]: the quantization step is performed adopting a fully Hamiltonian approach. This allows us to write effective equations of motion for two interacting quantum fields of light that show how the dynamics of one field depends on the photon-number operator of the other. The preparation of a Schrodinger cat state, which is a superposition of two distinct coherent states, is briefly exposed. This is based on nonlinear interaction via double EIT of two light fields (initially prepared in coherent states) and on a detection step performed using a 50:50 beam splitter and two photodetectors. In order to show the entanglement of an entangled coherent state, we suggest to measure the joint quadrature variance of the field. We show that the entangled coherent states satisfy the sufficient condition for entanglement based on quadrature variance measurement. We also show how robust our scheme is against a low detection efficiency of homodyne detectors.

Adrenomedullin Gene Delivery is Cardio-protective in a Model of Chronic Nitric Oxide Deficiency Combining Pressure Overload, Oxidative Stress and Cardiomyocyte Hypertrophy

BACKGROUND/AIMS:
Chronic inhibition of nitric oxide (NO) synthesis is associated with hypertension, myocardial ischemia, oxidative stress and hypertrophy; expression of the vasodilator peptide, adrenomedullin (AM) and its receptors is augmented in cardiomyocytes, indicating that the myocardial AM system may be activated in response to pressure loading and ischemic insult to serve a counter-regulatory, cardio-protective role. The study examined the hypothesis that oxidative stress and hypertrophic remodeling in NO-deficient cardiomyocytes are attenuated by adenoviral vector-mediated delivery of the human adrenomedullin (hAM) gene in vivo.

METHODS:
The NO synthesis inhibitor, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME, 15mg . kg(-1) . day(-1)) was given to rats for 4 weeks following systemic administration via the tail vein of a single injection of either adenovirus harbouring hAM cDNA under the control of the cytomegalovirus promoter-enhancer (Ad.CMV-hAM-4F2), or for comparison, adenovirus alone (Ad.Null) or saline. Cardiomyocytes were subsequently isolated for assessment of the influence of each intervention on parameters of oxidative stress and hypertrophic remodelling.

RESULTS: Cardiomyocyte expression of the transgene persisted for > or =4 weeks following systemic administration of adenoviral vector. In L-NAME treated rats, relative to Ad.Null or saline administration, Ad.CMV-hAM-4F2 (i) reduced augmented cardiomyocyte membrane protein oxidation and mRNA expression of pro-oxidant (p22phox) and anti-oxidant (SOD-3, GPx) genes; (ii) attenuated increased cardiomyocyte width and mRNA expression of hypertrophic (sk-alpha-actin) and cardio-endocrine (ANP) genes; (iii) did not attenuate hypertension.

CONCLUSIONS: Adenoviral vector mediated delivery of hAM resulted in attenuation of myocardial oxidative stress and hypertrophic remodelling in the absence of blood pressure reduction in this model of chronic NO-deficiency. These findings are consistent with a direct cardio-protective action in the myocardium of locally-derived hAM which is not dependant on NO generation.