poate Near ban Es,
December 26,
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AATUe, pp Poa 19G2,
HIGH PREVALENCE OF HIGHLEVEL sAMINO-SOBUTYRIC ACID
EXCRETORS IN MICRONESIANS
By Dr. B. S, BLUMBERG
Nationa! Institute of Arthritis and Metabolic Diseases,
National Inseituces of Health, Bethesda 14, Maryland
AND
Dr. S. M. GARTLER*
Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University
of Washington, Seattle 5, Washington
TPFERENTIAL oxerevion of S-amine-mebuitie
wea ds viride wevetae cedired. aad fratiaiy data
indheate that a single major gene pair is responsible
for most OF the varhitiets' ©. High excretors are
homogvaons for oa sintic Tecesarve gene and few
ehopetors erbrer daterogs cons or beomevecous for the
dominant aliele. Striking difierence~ in the prevalence of high excrevors in Various populations have been
demonstrated and it appears that this genetic polvmiorphusi. tua be or considerable vague in anthrapea-
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Weare partictdariy interested qn utilizing this
Wat toes plore thes genetic rolatieusiapes and omigedis
en ovartous Pacifie peoples aud thes report extends our
ObaehValiots on excretion ol & ariinbeswobuttic werd
te the Mieronesians imbhabiangy the Marshall Eslands,
The fact that some of the Micronesians were exposed
to considerable radiation in 1454 is of special interest
here.
Ji ois Known that radiation exposure can
temporarily at least. increase %-amino-tobutyrie acid
exeretion®, and the Marshallese population permits
an examination of possible long-term effects of such
exposure on &-amino-zsobutyric acid excretion.
The following information on the radiation exposure
and present status of the inhabitants of Rongelap
and Utirik was obtained fromm the reports of the
Brookhaven National Laboratory*, and from Dr.
R. A. Conard of Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Micronesian inhabitants of Rongelap and Utirik
atols, Marshall Islands, were accidentally exposed to
fallout in March 1954, following thedetonation of a
high-yield thermonuclear device during experiments
at Bikini Atoll in the Pacifie Proving Grounds.
Apis: Fellow.
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REPOSITORY +
COLLECTION
Marsha slant,
The Medical Research Center
aven National Labora‘or
[558okh
MEM Oeph, Chice[
7
Upton, L. L, New York
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