Regional and ethnic differences in semen quality and reproductive hormones in Russia: A Siberian population-based cohort study of young men.

BACKGROUND: This is the first large-scale Russian study describing semen quality and reproductive hormone levels among young men. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to compare semen quality and reproductive hormone levels in young men of four cities and three ethnic groups living in the Siberian region of Russia and to find out ethnic or environmental reasons for regional differences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study population consisted of 1291 young men from Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, Ulan-Ude, and Yakutsk, including 1013 men of three most numerous ethnic groups: Slavs, Buryats, and Yakuts. Each participant provided one sperm and blood sample, information about lifestyle and ethnicity. Anthropometric parameters, semen quality and reproductive hormone levels, were evaluated. RESULTS: Significant regional and ethnic differences were detected for semen and reproductive hormone parameters. Median sperm concentrations in Novosibirsk, Kemerovo, Ulan-Ude, and Yakutsk were 54.6, 39.9, 34.7, 33.1 × 106 /ml; total sperm counts-202.5, 138.7, 97.9, 93.4 × 106 ; percentages of morphologically normal spermatozoa-7.8%, 6.5%, 6.3%, 5.0%, respectively. Median sperm concentrations in Slavs, Buryats, and Yakuts were 43.7, 37.0, 30.6 × 106 /ml; total sperm counts-150.0, 102.3 and 74.8 × 106 ; percentages of morphologically normal spermatozoa-6.8%, 6.8%, 4.8%, respectively. DISCUSSION: The young men in Novosibirsk and Kemerovo, populated by Slavs, had a higher semen quality compared to Ulan-Ude and Yakutsk, populated by Buryats and Yakuts, apparently due to the higher testicular function in Slavic compared to Asian ethnicity. Impaired spermatogenesis in young men in Kemerovo compared to Novosibirsk, located in the same climatic zone and having a socio-cultural and ethnic identity, may be due to the influence of a polluted environment. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that ethnic composition and environment may be responsible for regional differences in semen and reproductive hormone parameters.

Paternal origin of Tungusic-speaking populations: Insights from the updated phylogenetic tree of Y-chromosome haplogroup C2a-M86.

OBJECTIVES: Haplogroup C2a-M48 is the predominant paternal lineage of Tungusic-speaking populations, one of the largest population groups in Siberia. Up until now, the origins and dispersal of Tungusic-speaking populations have remained unclear. In this study, the demographic history of Tungusic-speaking populations was explored using the phylogenetic analysis of haplogroup C2a-M86, the major subbranch of C2a-M48. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In total, 18 newly generated Y chromosome sequences from C2a-M48 males and 20 previously available Y-chromosome sequences from this haplogroup were analyzed. A highly revised phylogenetic tree of haplogroup C2a-M86 with age estimates was reconstructed. Frequencies of this lineage in the literature were collected and a comprehensive analysis of this lineage in 13 022 individuals from 245 populations in Eurasia was performed. RESULTS: The distribution map of C2a-M48 indicated the most probable area of origin and diffusion route of this paternal lineage in North Eurasia. Most C2a-M86 samples from Tungusic-speaking populations belonged to the sublineage C2a-F5484, which emerged about 3300 years ago. We identified six unique sublineages corresponding to the Manchu, Evenks, Evens, Oroqen, and Daurpopulations; these sublineages diverged gradually over the past 1900 years. Notably, we observed a clear north-south dichotomous structure for sublineages derived from C2a-F5484, consistent with the internal north-south divergence of Tungusic languages and ethnic groups. CONCLUSIONS: We identified the important founding paternal haplogroup, C2a-F5484, for Tungusic-speaking populations as well as numerous unique subgroups of this haplogroup. We propose that the timeframe for the divergence of C2a-F5484 corresponds with the early differentiation of ancestral Tungusic-speaking populations.

[Traditional nutrition and demography in the Arctic zone of Western Siberia].

High requirements for macro- and micronutrients of the organism of a pregnant woman living in the Far North are associated with the influence of extreme factors of high latitudes, and the needs of the mother and the growing fetus. Only the products of the unique food culture of the Arctic people - the Nenets, make it possible to meet the emerging needs. The aim of the work was to study the impact of traditional nutrition on the reproductive health of Nenets women living in the Arctic zone of Western Siberia. Material and methods. 619 indigenous inhabitants (Nenets) of the Yamal, Nadym and Taz districts of the Yamal-Nenets Autonomous Okrug at the age of 18-65 years were examined. The influence of the type of nutrition (traditional or imported products) on reproductive health indicators (the number of pregnancies, the number of children, the number of spontaneous abortions, frequency of gestosis, threats of termination of pregnancy, operative deliveries) for the period 2013-2018 was studied by analyzing official statistics and by questioning of the female population in own research. Results. The consumption of traditional products (venison, local fishery products, at least 3 times a week) by Nenets women was more often accompanied by a normal physiological course of pregnancy and childbirth (75.2 versus 64.2%, χ2=8.7; p=0.003). It led to a 1.5-fold decrease in the frequency of complications during pregnancy (gestosis, the threat of abortion) (χ2=5.8; p=0.01) and a 20% decrease in the frequency of delivery by cesarean section (χ2=16.6; p<0.001). As a result, a family whose diet was dominated by traditional products had a statistically significantly larger number of children (per child). Conclusion. The preservation of the consumption of reindeer and river fishery products by indigenous women will contribute to the sufficient intake of macro- and micronutrients, that will make it possible to gestate and give birth to a healthier generation of the Nenets society.

The genetic legacy of legendary and historical Siberian chieftains.

Seventeen years of archaeological and anthropological expeditions in North-Eastern Siberia (in the Sakha Republic, Yakutia) have permitted the genetic analysis of 150 ancient (15th-19th century) and 510 modern individuals. Almost all males were successfully analysed (Y-STR) and this allowed us to identify paternal lineages and their geographical expansion through time. This genetic data was confronted with mythological, historical and material evidence to establish the sequence of events that built the modern Yakut genetic diversity. We show that the ancient Yakuts recovered from this large collection of graves are not representative of an ancient population. Uncommonly, we were also able to demonstrate that the funerary preference observed here involved three specific male lineages, especially in the 18th century. Moreover, this dominance was likely caused by the Russian conquest of Siberia which allowed some male clans to rise to new levels of power. Finally, we give indications that some mythical and historical figures might have been the actors of those genetic changes. These results help us reconsider the genetic dynamics of colonization in some regions, question the distinction between fact and myth in national histories and provide a rare insight into a funerary ensemble by revealing the biased process of its composition.

The limitations of kinship determinations using STR data in ill-defined populations.

The likelihood ratio (LR) method is commonly used to determine kinship in civil, criminal, or forensic cases. For the past 15 years, our research group has also applied LR to ancient STR data and obtained kinship results for collections of graves or necropolises. Although we were able to reconstruct large genealogies, some pairs of individuals showed ambiguous results. Second-degree relationships, half-sibling pairs for example, were often inconsistent with detected first-degree relationships, such as parent/child or brother/sister pairs. We therefore set about providing empirical estimations of the error rates for the LR method in living populations with STR allelic diversities comparable to that of the ancient populations we had previously studied. We collected biological samples in the field in North-Eastern Siberia and West Africa and studied more than 800 pairs of STR profiles from individuals with known relationships. Because commercial STR panels were constructed for specific regions (namely Europe and North America), their allelic makeup showed a significant deficit in diversity when compared to European populations, replicating a situation often faced in ancient DNA studies. We assessed the capacity of the LR method to confirm known relationships (effectiveness) and its capacity to detect those relationships (reliability). Concerns over the effectiveness of LR determinations are mostly an issue in forensic studies, while the reliability of the detection of kinship is an issue for the study of necropolises or other large gatherings of unidentified individuals, such as disaster victims or mass graves. We show that the application of LR to both test populations highlights specific issues (both false positives and false negatives) that prevent the confirmation of second-degree kinship or even full siblingship in small populations. Up to 29% of detected full sibling relationships were either overestimated half-sibling relationships or underestimated parent-offspring relationships. The error rate for detected half-sibling relationships was even higher, reaching 41%. Only parent-offspring pairs were reliably detected or confirmed. This implies that, in populations that are small, ill-defined, or for which the STR loci analyzed are inappropriate, an examiner might not be able to distinguish a pair of full siblings from a pair of half-siblings. Furthermore, half-sibling pairs might be overlooked altogether, an issue that is exacerbated by the common confusion, in many languages and cultures, between half-siblings and full siblings. Consequently, in the study of ancient populations, human remains of unknown origins, or poorly surveyed modern populations, we recommend a conservative approach to kinship determined by LR. Next-generation sequencing data should be used when possible, but the costs and technology involved might be prohibitive. Therefore, in potentially contentious situations or cases lacking sufficient external information, uniparental markers should be analyzed: ideally, complete mitochondrial genomes and Y-chromosome haplotypes (STR, SNP, and/or sequencing).

Cultural identity in Siberia and in analytical practice.

This paper discusses the main features of Siberian identity formed throughout the historical development of Siberia under the influence of social, economic, geographical, climatic, and other factors. Siberian cultural identity is closely connected with the mythology and ancient religion of the indigenous peoples of Siberia - shamanism, whose rituals, images, symbols, and motifs are often manifested in the clients' dreams. Following an in-depth study of Siberian history and culture, I formulate a complex of homelessness rooted in a deep collective trauma that left its imprint on people's psyche. Three clinical cases presented in the paper reveal a deep relationship between cultural complexes and collective traumas on the one hand, and individual complexes and traumas, on the other. My psychotherapeutic practice shows that a client's awareness of their history and culture brings them closer to the meaning and source of their suffering, which, in turn, helps them find their own way of individuation, rather than relive the transgenerational trauma of their ancestors.

Cet article étudie les caractéristiques principales de l'identité Sibérienne formée au cours du développement historique de la Sibérie sous l'influence de facteurs sociaux, économiques, géographiques, climatiques et autres. L'identité culturelle Sibérienne est intimement liée à la mythologie et la religion ancienne des peuples indigènes de Sibérie - le shamanisme, dont les rituels, les images, les symboles et les motifs apparaissent souvent dans les rêves des clients. Après une étude approfondie de l'histoire et de la culture sibérienne, j'élabore le complexe « d'être sans domicile ¼ enraciné dans un traumatisme collectif profond qui a laissé sa marque sur la psyché des personnes. Trois cas cliniques sont présentés. Ils révèlent une relation profonde entre les complexes culturels et les traumatismes collectifs d'une part, et les complexes et traumatismes individuels d'autre part. Ma clientèle psychothérapeutique montre qu'un client qui a conscience de son histoire et de sa culture se rapproche plus de la source et du sens de sa souffrance, et que ceci l'aide à trouver son propre chemin d'individuation, plutôt que de revivre le traumatisme transgénérationnel de leurs ancêtres.

El presente trabajo da cuenta de los rasgos principales de la identidad Siberiana formada a través del desarrollo histórico de Siberia bajo la influencia de factores sociales, económicos, geográficos, climáticos y otros. La identidad cultural Siberiana está conectada a la mitología y a la religión antigua de los pueblos originarios de Siberia - el chamanismo, cuyos rituales, imágenes, símbolos y motivos se manifiestan a menudo en los sueños de los clientes. A partir de un estudio profundo sobre la cultura y la historia de Siberia, he formulado un complejo de "sin hogar" enraizado en un profundo trauma colectivo que deja sus marcas en la psique de las personas. Los tres casos clínicos presentados revelan una profunda relación entre complejos culturales y traumas colectivos por un lado, y complejos individuales y traumas, por otro. Mi práctica psicoterapéutica muestra que el conocimiento por parte del cliente de su historia y su cultura, le posibilita un acercamiento al sentido y a la fuente de su sufrimiento, lo cual, a su turno, le permite encontrar su propio modo de individuación, en lugar de revivir el trauma transgeneracional de sus ancestros.

Late Pleistocene exploration and settlement of the Americas by modern humans.

North and South America were the last continents to be explored and settled by modern humans at the end of the Pleistocene. Genetic data, derived from contemporary populations and ancient individuals, show that the first Americans originated from Asia and after several population splits moved south of the continental ice sheets that covered Canada sometime between ~17.5 and ~14.6 thousand years (ka) ago. Archaeological evidence shows that geographically dispersed populations lived successfully, using biface, blade, and osseous technologies, in multiple places in North and South America between ~15.5 and ~14 ka ago. Regional archaeological complexes emerged by at least ~13 ka ago in North America and ~12.9 ka ago in South America. Current genetic and archaeological data do not support an earlier (pre-17.5 ka ago) occupation of the Americas.

The population history of northeastern Siberia since the Pleistocene.

Northeastern Siberia has been inhabited by humans for more than 40,000 years but its deep population history remains poorly understood. Here we investigate the late Pleistocene population history of northeastern Siberia through analyses of 34 newly recovered ancient genomes that date to between 31,000 and 600 years ago. We document complex population dynamics during this period, including at least three major migration events: an initial peopling by a previously unknown Palaeolithic population of 'Ancient North Siberians' who are distantly related to early West Eurasian hunter-gatherers; the arrival of East Asian-related peoples, which gave rise to 'Ancient Palaeo-Siberians' who are closely related to contemporary communities from far-northeastern Siberia (such as the Koryaks), as well as Native Americans; and a Holocene migration of other East Asian-related peoples, who we name 'Neo-Siberians', and from whom many contemporary Siberians are descended. Each of these population expansions largely replaced the earlier inhabitants, and ultimately generated the mosaic genetic make-up of contemporary peoples who inhabit a vast area across northern Eurasia and the Americas.

Palaeo-Eskimo genetic ancestry and the peopling of Chukotka and North America.

Much of the American Arctic was first settled 5,000 years ago, by groups of people known as Palaeo-Eskimos. They were subsequently joined and largely displaced around 1,000 years ago by ancestors of the present-day Inuit and Yup'ik1-3. The genetic relationship between Palaeo-Eskimos and Native American, Inuit, Yup'ik and Aleut populations remains uncertain4-6. Here we present genomic data for 48 ancient individuals from Chukotka, East Siberia, the Aleutian Islands, Alaska, and the Canadian Arctic. We co-analyse these data with data from present-day Alaskan Iñupiat and West Siberian populations and published genomes. Using methods based on rare-allele and haplotype sharing, as well as established techniques4,7-9, we show that Palaeo-Eskimo-related ancestry is ubiquitous among people who speak Na-Dene and Eskimo-Aleut languages. We develop a comprehensive model for the Holocene peopling events of Chukotka and North America, and show that Na-Dene-speaking peoples, people of the Aleutian Islands, and Yup'ik and Inuit across the Arctic region all share ancestry from a single Palaeo-Eskimo-related Siberian source.

Genetic kinship and admixture in Iron Age Scytho-Siberians.

Scythians are known from written sources as horse-riding nomadic peoples who dominated the Eurasian steppe throughout the Iron Age. However, their origins and the exact nature of their social organization remain debated. Three hypotheses prevail regarding their origins that can be summarized as a "western origin", an "eastern origin" and a "multi-regional origin". In this work, we first aimed to address the question of the familial and social organization of some Scythian groups (Scytho-Siberians) by testing genetic kinship and, second, to add new elements on their origins through phylogeographical analyses. Twenty-eight Scythian individuals from 5 archeological sites in the Tuva Republic (Russia) were analyzed using autosomal Short Tandem Repeats (STR), Y-STR and Y-SNP typing as well as whole mitochondrial (mtDNA) genome sequencing. Familial relationships were assessed using the Likelihood Ratio (LR) method. Thirteen of the 28 individuals tested were linked by first-degree relationships. When related, the individuals were buried together, except for one adult woman, buried separately from her mother and young sister. Y-chromosome analysis revealed a burial pattern linked to paternal lineages, with men bearing closely related Y-haplotypes buried on the same sites. Inversely, various mtDNA lineages can be found on each site. Y-chromosomal and mtDNA haplogroups were almost equally distributed between Western and Eastern Eurasian haplogroups. These results suggest that Siberian Scythians were organized in patrilocal and patrilineal societies with burial practices linked to both kinship and paternal lineages. It also appears that the group analyzed shared a greater genetic link with Asian populations than Western Scythians did.

A novel intronic mutation of PDE6B is a major cause of autosomal recessive retinitis pigmentosa among Caucasus Jews.

Purpose: To identify the genetic basis for retinitis pigmentosa (RP) in a cohort of Jewish patients from Caucasia. Methods: Patients underwent a detailed ophthalmic evaluation, including funduscopic examination, visual field testing, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and electrophysiological tests, electroretinography (ERG) and visual evoked potentials (VEP). Genetic analysis was performed with a combination of whole exome sequencing (WES) and Sanger sequencing. Bioinformatic analysis of the WES results was performed via a customized pipeline. Pathogenicity of the identified intronic variant was evaluated in silico using the web tool Human Splicing Finder, and in vitro, using a minigene-based splicing assay. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis was used to demonstrate a founder effect, and the decay of LD over generations around the mutation in Caucasus Jewish chromosomes was modeled to estimate the age of the most recent common ancestor. Results: In eight patients with RP from six unrelated families, all of Caucasus Jewish ancestry, we identified a novel homozygous intronic variant, located at position -9 of PDE6B intron 15. The c.1921-9C>G variant was predicted to generate a novel acceptor splice site, nine bases upstream of the original splice site of intron 15. In vitro splicing assay demonstrated that this novel acceptor splice site is used instead of the wild-type site, leading to an 8-bp insertion into exon 16, which is predicted to cause a frameshift. The presence of a common ancestral haplotype in mutation-bearing chromosomes was compatible with a founder effect. Conclusions: The PDE6B c.1921-9C>G intronic mutation is a founder mutation that accounts for at least 40% (6/15 families) of autosomal recessive RP among Caucasus Jews. This result is highly important for molecular diagnosis, carrier screening, and genetic counseling in this population.

Comparison of Helminth Infection among the Native Populations of the Arctic and Subarctic Areas in Western Siberia Throughout History: Parasitological Researches on Contemporary and the Archaeological Resources.

The aim of this parasitological study is examining contemporary (the late 20th century) specimens of the arctic or subarctic areas in Western Siberia and comparing them with the information acquired from archaeological samples from the same area. In the contemporary specimens, we observed the parasite eggs of 3 different species: Opisthochis felineus, Ascaris lumbricoides, and Enterobius vermicularis. Meanwhile, in archaeoparasitological results of Vesakoyakha, Kikki-Akki, and Nyamboyto I burial grounds, the eggs of Diphyllobothrium and Taenia spp. were found while no nematode (soil-transmitted) eggs were observed in the same samples. In this study, we concluded helminth infection pattern among the arctic and subarctic peoples of Western Siberia throughout history as follows: the raw fish-eating tradition did not undergo radical change in the area at least since the 18th century; and A. lumbricoides or E. vermicularis did not infect the inhabitants of this area before 20th century. With respect to the Western Siberia, we caught glimpse of the parasite infection pattern prevalent therein via investigations on contemporary and archaeoparasitological specimens.

Early human dispersals within the Americas.

Studies of the peopling of the Americas have focused on the timing and number of initial migrations. Less attention has been paid to the subsequent spread of people within the Americas. We sequenced 15 ancient human genomes spanning from Alaska to Patagonia; six are ≥10,000 years old (up to ~18× coverage). All are most closely related to Native Americans, including those from an Ancient Beringian individual and two morphologically distinct "Paleoamericans." We found evidence of rapid dispersal and early diversification that included previously unknown groups as people moved south. This resulted in multiple independent, geographically uneven migrations, including one that provides clues of a Late Pleistocene Australasian genetic signal, as well as a later Mesoamerican-related expansion. These led to complex and dynamic population histories from North to South America.

Reconstructing the genetic history of late Neanderthals.

Although it has previously been shown that Neanderthals contributed DNA to modern humans, not much is known about the genetic diversity of Neanderthals or the relationship between late Neanderthal populations at the time at which their last interactions with early modern humans occurred and before they eventually disappeared. Our ability to retrieve DNA from a larger number of Neanderthal individuals has been limited by poor preservation of endogenous DNA and contamination of Neanderthal skeletal remains by large amounts of microbial and present-day human DNA. Here we use hypochlorite treatment of as little as 9 mg of bone or tooth powder to generate between 1- and 2.7-fold genomic coverage of five Neanderthals who lived around 39,000 to 47,000 years ago (that is, late Neanderthals), thereby doubling the number of Neanderthals for which genome sequences are available. Genetic similarity among late Neanderthals is well predicted by their geographical location, and comparison to the genome of an older Neanderthal from the Caucasus indicates that a population turnover is likely to have occurred, either in the Caucasus or throughout Europe, towards the end of Neanderthal history. We find that the bulk of Neanderthal gene flow into early modern humans originated from one or more source populations that diverged from the Neanderthals that were studied here at least 70,000 years ago, but after they split from a previously sequenced Neanderthal from Siberia around 150,000 years ago. Although four of the Neanderthals studied here post-date the putative arrival of early modern humans into Europe, we do not detect any recent gene flow from early modern humans in their ancestry.

Terminal Pleistocene Alaskan genome reveals first founding population of Native Americans.

Despite broad agreement that the Americas were initially populated via Beringia, the land bridge that connected far northeast Asia with northwestern North America during the Pleistocene epoch, when and how the peopling of the Americas occurred remains unresolved. Analyses of human remains from Late Pleistocene Alaska are important to resolving the timing and dispersal of these populations. The remains of two infants were recovered at Upward Sun River (USR), and have been dated to around 11.5 thousand years ago (ka). Here, by sequencing the USR1 genome to an average coverage of approximately 17 times, we show that USR1 is most closely related to Native Americans, but falls basal to all previously sequenced contemporary and ancient Native Americans. As such, USR1 represents a distinct Ancient Beringian population. Using demographic modelling, we infer that the Ancient Beringian population and ancestors of other Native Americans descended from a single founding population that initially split from East Asians around 36 ± 1.5 ka, with gene flow persisting until around 25 ± 1.1 ka. Gene flow from ancient north Eurasians into all Native Americans took place 25-20 ka, with Ancient Beringians branching off around 22-18.1 ka. Our findings support a long-term genetic structure in ancestral Native Americans, consistent with the Beringian 'standstill model'. We show that the basal northern and southern Native American branches, to which all other Native Americans belong, diverged around 17.5-14.6 ka, and that this probably occurred south of the North American ice sheets. We also show that after 11.5 ka, some of the northern Native American populations received gene flow from a Siberian population most closely related to Koryaks, but not Palaeo-Eskimos, Inuits or Kets, and that Native American gene flow into Inuits was through northern and not southern Native American groups. Our findings further suggest that the far-northern North American presence of northern Native Americans is from a back migration that replaced or absorbed the initial founding population of Ancient Beringians.

Mitogenomic diversity and differentiation of the Buryats.

In this paper we present a results of first comprehensive study of the complete mitogenomes in the Buryats with regard to their belonging to the main regional (eastern and western Buryats); tribal (Khori, Ekhirid, Bulagad, and Khongodor), and ethno-territorial (Aginsk, Alar, Balagansk, Barguzin, Ida, Khorinsk, Kuda, Selenga, Verkholensk, Olkhon, Tunka, and Shenehen Buryats) groups. The analysis of molecular variation performed using regional, tribal, and ethno-territorial divisions of the Buryats showed lack of genetic differentiation at all levels. Nonetheless, the complete mitogenome analysis revealed a very high level of genetic diversity in the Buryats which is the highest among Siberian populations and comparable to that in populations of eastern and western Asia. The AMOVA and MDS analyses results imply to a strong genetic similarity between the Buryats and eastern Asian populations of Chinese and Japanese, suggesting their origin on the basis of common maternal ancestry components. Several new Buryat-specific branches of haplogroup G (G2a2a, G2a1i, G2a5a) display signals of dispersals dating to 2.6-6.6 kya with a possible origin in eastern Asia, thus testifying Bronze Age and Neolithic arrival of ancestral eastern Asian component to the South Siberia region.

[Change in the ratio of blood saturated to unsaturated fatty acids is a universal marker of lipid metabolic disorder in patients with cholelithiasis]. / Izmenenie sootnosheniya nasyshchennykh i nenasyshchennykh zhirnykh kislot v krovi ­ universal'nyi marker narusheniya lipidnogo obmena u bol'nykh kholelitiazom.

AIM: To study the spectrum of serum fatty acids (SSFA) and the composition of blood lipids in cholelithiasis (CL) in various ethnic groups of East Siberia. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A clinical and epidemiological study was conducted, during which ultrasonography and oral cholecystography were used to examine 991 Khakases and 934 Europoids in Khakassia and 652 Evenks and 996 Europoids in Evenkia. Biochemical tests were performed to determine serum lipids in 20% of the random sample. Gas liquid chromatography was applied to investigate ASSFA in 220 patients in Khakassia and 157 people in Evenkia. RESULTS: The manifestations of hyperlipidemia were detected in the Europoids with CL in Evenkia and Khakassia. These changes were less pronounced in the Evenks with CL and absent in the Khakases with CL. In all populations, the blood levels of saturated FAs and ratios of saturated to unsaturated FAs were considerably higher in the patients with CL than in the healthy individuals. CONCLUSION: The higher levels of saturated FAs and the lower proportion of serum unsaturated FAs are a universal marker of lipid metabolic disturbances in patients with CL in genetically different populations.

Characteristics of the anthropometric measures and biological age of girls of Yakut ethnicity depending on tanner's index.

INTRODUCTION: severe climatic conditions of Yakutia influence the human morphofunctional status and it requires a comprehensive biomedical researches. The aim of this study was to examine the characteristics of the anthropometric measures and biological age of Yakut girls aged 16-20 depending on Tanner's index. MATERIALS AND METHODS: the analysis of anthropometric examination of 1276 girls is presented. Anthropometric measurements were performed using the method of V.V. Bunak (1941). The absolute values of the main components of the body were estimated according to Matiegka's formula (1921). The body mass index (BMI) was used. The type of body build was determined by Tanner's index (1968). Biological age was estimated by the coefficient of aging rate (A.G. Gorelkin, B.B. Pinkhasov, 2010). Obtained material was processed by the method of variation statistics with the use of SPSS (version 17.0). We used the methods of parametric and nonparametric statistics. RESULTS: the constitutional characteristics of girls have revealed the predominance of mesomorphic body type. Values of fat and bone body components had no significant difference depending on the body type by Tanner. Significant differences between the parameters of the pelvis and the amount of muscle body component were detected in the girls of gynemorphic and andromorphic body types. CONCLUSIONS: we revealed ethno-territorial differences among girls, which are characterized by the predominance in Yakut girls of the mesomorphic type of constitution by Tanner's index. The study of the indicators of biological age has elucidated constitutional differences.

Reproductive Responses to Economic Uncertainty : Fertility Decline in Post-Soviet Ust'-Avam, Siberia.

In the face of economic and political changes following the end of the Soviet Union, total fertility rates fell significantly across the post-Soviet world. In this study we examine the dramatic fertility transition in one community in which the total fertility rate fell from approximately five children per woman before 1993 to just over one child per woman a decade later. We apply hypotheses derived from evolutionary ecology and demography to the question of fertility transition in the post-Soviet period, focusing on an indigenous community (Ust'-Avam) in the Taimyr Region, northern Russia. We employ a mixed parametric accelerated failure-time model that allows comparison of age at first birth, interbirth interval, and reproductive postponement or cessation prior to and following 1993. We find that short-term reproductive delay alone does not explain the dramatic drop in fertility in Ust'-Avam. Age at first birth remains constant. Interbirth intervals increase moderately. The estimated fraction of women who have ceased or indefinitely postponed reproducing doubles (for parities 2 through 4) or triples (for nulliparous women). We caution against assuming that environmental harshness necessarily leads to earlier and more rapid reproduction. An evolutionary theory of fertility responses to acute environmental shocks remains relatively undeveloped. In such contexts it is possible that selection favors a conservative reproductive strategy while more information is learned about the new environment. When investigating fertility responses to environmental stressors we suggest researchers examine postponement and stopping behavior in addition to changes in age at first birth and interbirth interval.

[THE MARKERS OF BONE TISSUE METABOLISM. THE REFERENCE VALUES FOR THE KHANTY-MANSI AUTONOMOUS OKRUG-YUGRA].

The article defines reference values of particular markers of metabolism of bone tissue common to residents of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra. The enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was applied to analyze blood serum of 86 patients (43 males, 43 females) detecting concentration of C-tailed telopeptide of collagen type I, osteocalcin, calcitonin, parathyroid hormone and 1.25(OH)2 vitamin D. The following reference values were derived. The C-tailed telopeptide (ng/ml): 0.111 (0.071-0.162) for females and 0.146 (0.066-0.255) for males. The osteocalcin (ng/ml): 20.6 (12.9-33.0) for females and 27.6 (12.0-61.9) for males. Calcitonin (pg/ml) - 2.55 (1.90-3.76); parathyroid hormone (pg/ml) - 39 (13-88); 1.25(OH)2 vitamin D (pg/ml) - 10.5 (3.9-46.4). It was also noted that decreasing of average indicators of vitamin D level and increasing of level of parathyroid hormone among residents of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug-Yugra can cause increasing of intensity of accumulation of minerals in bone tissue as compared with residents of middle latitudes.