From the heart of the world

From the Heart of the World—The Elder Brothers’ Warning. Director: Alan Ereira; camera: Bill Broomfield; editor: Horacio Queiro; sound: John Wills. 1990, color, 87minutes VHS‐NTSC, VHS‐PAL. English narration and subtitles. Distributed by BBC Enterprises, 80 Wood Lane, London W12 OTT; or Mystic Fire Video, 225 Lafayette Street, Suite 1206, New York 10012; sale only, £12 or $29.95 + $4.00 postage. Ereira, Alan, The Heart of the World. London: Jonathan Cape, 1990, bibliography, index, 288 pp., £15.99.     

BOOK REVIEW

Xingú: Body and soul Body and Soul (O Corpo e os Espímtos). Directed by Mari Corréa; camera, Dado Aguiar; sound, Myaú Kayabi. 1996; 54 mins., color. Portuguese narration; English subtitles. Distributor: Les Films du village, 24–26 rue des Prairies, 75020, Paris, France.

Emancipation Efforts of African Women: Two Activist Films I Have a Problem, Madam. Directed by Maarten Schmidt and Thomas Doebele. 1995, 59 minutes, VHS, color. Distributed by First Run/Icarus Films, 153 Waverly Place, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10014. Tel: (212) 727–1711. Video rental $75, video sale $390.

These Girls are Missing: The Gender Gap in African Schools. Directed by Shari Robertson and Michael Camerini. 1996, 60 minutes, VHS, color. Distributed by Filmmakers Library, 124 East 40th Street, New York, NY 10016. Tel: (212) 808–4980. Fax: (212) 808–4983. Video rental $75, video sale $295.

Bury Me Twice Bury Me Twice—Tiwah: A Ngaju Dayak Death Ritual. Directed by Hanno Kampfmeyer and Sri Kuhnt Saptodewo; produced by Beate Engelbrecht for Institut für den Wissenschaftlichen Film, 1993; 120 mins., color; subtitles in German or English; narration in English. Distributed by IWF, Nonnenstieg 72, D‐37075 Göttingen, Germany; sale prices: 16 mm., DM 4960.80; VHS‐NTSC or VHS‐PAL, US $360.00.     

Film reviews

Frozen tombs of Siberia

The Mystery of the Frozen Tombs of Siberia. Directed by Françoise Lévie; camera, Sacha Wiernik; sound, Sarah Moon Howe; editing, Michèle Maquet; produced by Sofidoc Production. 1994,26 minutes, color and black & white, English narration.

Imbalu, a ritual of manhood

Imbalu: Ritual of Manhood of the Bagisu of Uganda. A film by Richard Hawkins and Suzette Heald; director: Richard Hawkins; camera: David and Judith MacDougall; editor: Suzette Heald and Richard Hawkins; sound: Jack Reed. 1988, 95 minutes, colour, PAL video, Lugisu and English. Rental [UK only]: £9.00 (VHS‐PAL); sale: £40/ US$72 (VHS‐PAL), £80/US$110 (VHS‐NTSC) [plus VAT and postage]. Distributor: Royal Anthropological Institute, 50 Fitzroy Street, London, W1P 5HS, U.K.

The earth is our mother

The Earth is Our Mother and The Journey Back (The Earth is Our Mother, Parts I and II). Directed by Peter Elsass; produced by Casablanca Film Group and the Danish National Film Board; camera: Morten Bruus; editing: Niels Pagh Anderson; sound: Morten Bottzau; research: Guillermo Padilla. Distributed by TV2/Danmark Sales, Sortedam Dossering 55A, DK‐2100 København Ø, Denmark (Tel: +45 35 37 22 00; fax: + 45 35 37 22 27). 1987,55 minutes, color. Narration and subtitles in English.     

Film review

The great New Zealand movie Forgotten Silver. Directed by Peter Jackson and Costa Botes; produced by Sue Rogers. Featuring Sam Neill, Leonard Maltin, etc. Made by Wingnut Films, Wellington, 1995; 52 mins. Available in NTSC and PAL VHS. World sales: New Zealand Film Commission, P.O. Box 11546, Wellington, New Zealand. Tel: +64–4‐382–7680; fax: +64–4‐384–9719. North American distributor: First Run Features, 153 Waverly Place, New York, NY 10014; Tel: (212) 243–0600; fax: (212) 989–7649. Rental/sale, US $250.     

VHS domains of ESCRT‐0 cooperate in high‐avidity binding to polyubiquitinated cargo

VHS (Vps27, Hrs, and STAM) domains occur in ESCRT‐0 subunits Hrs and STAM, GGA adapters, and other trafficking proteins. The structure of the STAM VHS domain–ubiquitin complex was solved at 2.6 Å resolution, revealing that determinants for ubiquitin recognition are conserved in nearly all VHS domains. VHS domains from all classes of VHS‐domain containing proteins in yeast and humans, including both subunits of ESCRT‐0, bound ubiquitin in vitro. ESCRTs have been implicated in the sorting of Lys63‐linked polyubiquitinated cargo. Intact human ESCRT‐0 binds Lys63‐linked tetraubiquitin 50‐fold more tightly than monoubiquitin, though only 2‐fold more tightly than Lys48‐linked tetraubiquitin. The gain in affinity is attributed to the cooperation of flexibly connected VHS and UIM motifs of ESCRT‐0 in avid binding to the polyubiquitin chain. Mutational analysis of all the five ubiquitin‐binding sites in yeast ESCRT‐0 shows that cooperation between them is required for the sorting of the Lys63‐linked polyubiquitinated cargo Cps1 to the vacuole.     

In the Shadow of Hollywood Orientalism: Authentic East Indian Dancing

Jerome Mintz Retrospective: 1968–1986 The Shoemaker. 1978, black‐and‐white, 34 minutes. Pepe's Family. 1978, black‐and‐white, 41 minutes. Perico the Bowlmaker. 1978, black‐and‐white, 45 minutes. The Shepherd's Family. 1978, black‐and‐white, 22 minutes. All produced, directed, and edited by Jerome Mintz; Camera and Sound: Jerome Mintz; Narration: Russ Salmon and Charles Vitaliano. All in Spanish with English voice‐over. 16mm and ½″ VHS video. Distributor: Documentary Educational Resources, 101 Morse Street, Watertown, MA 02172, USA, (617–926–9519).

Carnaval de Pueblo. 1987, color, 58 minutes. Produced, directed, and edited by Jerome Mintz; Camera: Jerome Mintz; Assistant Camera and Sound: Ron Hess; Assistant Editors: Michael Frisino, Carla Mintz, Maria Sendra, and Susan Schwibs; Subtitles: Elaina Frabaschi. 16 mm and ½” VHS video. Distributor: Documentary Educational Resources, 101 Morse Street, Watertown, MA 02172, USA, (617–926–9519).

Romeria: Day of the Virgin. 1986, color, 54 minutes. Produced, directed, and edited by Jerome Mintz; Camera: Jerome Mintz; Sound: Aaron Mintz; Assistant editors: Carla Mintz and Michael Frisino. 16 mm and ½″ VHS video.

An Interview with Jerome Mintz Jerome Mintz is a professor of anthropology at Indiana University, the department from which he received his Ph.D. in 1961. His main areas of interest include ethnographic film, myth and folklore, peasant society, folk religion, revitalization movements, anarchism, and Hasidism. He has conducted extensive field work in Spain as well as with Hasidic Jews in New York. While in the field in Spain, Mintz produced a large body of 16mm film footage and taped interviews between 1968 and 1971. These materials were eventually edited to produce four black‐and‐white films focusing on individuals, their families, and social networks. More recently Mintz has produced two films, Romeria: Day of The Virgin, and Carnaval de Pueblo, which have received widespread attention over the past two years. These films are all discussed in the accompanying review.

My Town—Mio Paese Produced and directed by Katherine Gulla; Camera: In Italy, Peter Sturken, in Massachusetts, Brian Dowley and Frank Lane; Sound: In Italy, Vladimir Lozinski, in Massachusetts, Francis X. Coakley, Nancy Cohen, Margo Garrison, and Dan Jones; Editor: Dan McCabe. Original languages English and Italian, English narration, English subtitles. 1986, color, 26 minutes, ½”, ¾” video. Price: Sale: $330; Rental: $35. Distributor: University of California Extension Media Center, 2176 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA, (415–642–0460).

Ave Maria: The Story of the Fisherman's Feast Produced and directed by Beth Harrington; Camera: Nancy Moloney, Kathy Campbell, Dave Zeland, and Nick Wakefield, 1986, color, 24 minutes, ½″, ¾” video. Price: Sale: $320; Rental: $33. Distributor: University of California Extension Media Center, 2176 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704, USA, (415–642–0460).

Sophia and Her People: Eventful Lives Produced by Peter Loizos with the Cyprus Broadcasting Corporation; Directed and edited by Peter Loizos; Camera: Andros Theodora. Original language Cypriot Greek with English subtitles. 1985, color and black‐and‐white, 34 minutes, ½”, ¾” NTSC, PAL video. Distributor: Peter Loizos, Department of Anthropology, London School of Economics, Houghton Street, London WC2A 2AE, U.K.

Warriors and Maidens: Gender Relations in a Cretan Mountain Village A film by Barry Machin. 1988, color, 51 minutes, ½″ NTSC and PAL video. Sale Price: $310. Original language Greek with English narration and subtitles. Photocopy of monograph is available for $100. Distributor: Meriwa Films, 43 Meriwa Street, Perth 6009, West Australia.

Bride Market of Imilchil Produced and directed by Christian Pierce and Steffen Pierce. Camera: Christian Pierce and Steffen Pierce; Sound: Daniel Hartnett; Editors: Tom Barber, Tom Shaker, Steven Rausch; Production Coordinator: Rebecca Willis; Translator: Mohammed Rdad. 1988, color, 58 minutes, ½” and ¾” video. Distributor: Pierce Productions, 56 Ridgemont Street, Allston, MA 02134, USA, (617–254–0821).

The Kayapó “The Kayapó” (Granada Television's Disappearing World Series). Produced and directed by Michael Beckham. Executive Producer: Rod Caird; Camera: Mike Blakeley; Sound: David Woods; Editor: Paul Griffiths‐Davies; Anthropologist: Terence Turner; Research: Peter Connors; Film Dubbing: John Whitworth; Graphic Design: Valerie Pye. 1987, color, 52 minutes, 35mm. Distributor: Granada Television of England, 36 Golden Square, London W1R 4AH, UK and 1221 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 3468, New York, NY 10020, USA. “The Golden Curse of the Kayapó.” National Geographic Explorer Series. 1988. “Without Borders”. Segment on the Kayapó Indians of Brazil. Turner Broadcasting Systems. 1988. “Os Kayapós Descobrem as Barragens”. Produced and directed by Centro Ecumenico de Documentação (CEDI) and the Kayapó of Gorotire. Camera: Paiakan Kayapó. 1988, color, 120 minutes, ½″ video. Portuguese and Kayapó. Distributor: CEDI, São Paulo, S.P., Brazil.

Consider Anything, Only Don't Cry Produced, directed, and edited by Helen De Michiel; Sound: Vernon E. Norwood. 1987, 22:05 minutes, color, ½” video. Distributor: Intermedia Arts, 425 Ontario Street, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55414, USA, (612–627–4444).

A Song of Air Written, directed, and edited by Merilee Bennett; Production assistance: Australian Film Commission. 1987, 28 minutes, color, black‐and‐white, ½″ NTSC video, narration in English. Distributor: Australian Film Commission, 9229 W. Sunset Boulevard, #6515, Beverly Hills, CA, USA, (213–275–7074).

Marriage, migration and money: Mira Nair's cinema of displacement

So Far from India Produced and Directed by Mira Nair. Camera: Mitch Epstein. Sound: Alexander Griswold. Editor: Ann Schaetzel. 16mm, ½″ video. English subtitles. Distributed by Filmmaker's Library, 124 E. 40th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA, (212–808–4980). Film Price: Sale $750; Rental $75. Video Price: Sale $400.

India Cabaret Produced and Directed by Mira Nair. Camera: Mitch Epstein. Sound: Alexander Griswold. Editing: Barry Alexander Brown. 1985.16mm, ½” video, color, 60 minutes. English subtitles. Distributed by Filmmaker's Library, 124 E. 40th Street, New York, NY 10016, USA, (212–808–4980). Film Price: Sale $850; rental $85. Video Price: Sale $500.

Salaam Bombay! Produced and Directed by Mira Nair. Camera: S. Sissel. Editing: Barry Alexander Brown. Story: Mira Nair and Soom Taraporevala. Screenplay: Soom Taraporevala. 1988, 16mm, 35mm, color, 90 minutes. Distributed by Cinecom, Inc., New York.     

Determination of vertebral heart score in three species of Spider monkey (Ateles fusciceps,A. hybridus and A. paniscus)

Background

The vertebral heart score (VHS) is a method of evaluation of cardiac size well documented in domestic mammals and in other primate species, and the aim of this study was to determine the VHS in three species of Spider monkey.

Methods

In this retrospective study, right lateral radiographs of thirty clinically well animals were reviewed and VHS determined. The species included were Ateles fusciceps (n=17), Ateles hybridus (n=8) and Ateles paniscus (n=5).

Results

The VHS was found to vary between species and was 9.73±0.81 for A. fusciceps, 10.53±0.37 for A. hybridus and 10.45±0.27 for A. paniscus.

Conclusions

The observed values appear consistent with values determined for other primate species. There was statistically significant variation noted between species, and so VHS should be considered species‐specific in this genus. The values determined may be of benefit in objectively evaluating cardiac size in the species investigated.     

Caring for smiles--a new educational resource for oral health training in care homes

doi: 10.1111/j.1741‐2358.2011.00457.x
Caring for smiles – a new educational resource for oral health training in care homes     

At the other end of the camera

A funeral in Burkina Faso Les Mémoires de Binduté Da [The Memories of Binduté Da]. Directed by Michèle Fieloux and Jacques Lombard; camera: Joseph Guerin; sound: Jacques Lombard; editing: Andrée Davanture. 1990, 52 minutes, color. French narration with English subtitles. Distributed by ORSTOM Audiovisuel, 72 Route d'Aulnay, 93143 Bondy, Cédex, France (prices on request).

Prince charming Prince Charming. Produced by ORSTOM Audiovisuel; Michèle Fieloux and Jacques Lombard, directors; Jacques Lombard, camera; Bernard Oses, sound. 1991, 42 minutes, color, Betacam SP (also available in VHS MultiStandard), Malagasy with English subtitles (French and Malagasy versions also available). Distributor: ORSTOM Audiovisuel; 72 Route dAulnay, 93143 Bondy, Cédex, France.     

Structure and evolution of ENTH and VHS/ENTH‐like domains in tepsin

Tepsin is currently the only accessory trafficking protein identified in adaptor‐related protein 4 (AP4)‐coated vesicles originating at the trans‐Golgi network (TGN). The molecular basis for interactions between AP4 subunits and motifs in the tepsin C‐terminus have been characterized, but the biological role of tepsin remains unknown. We determined X‐ray crystal structures of the tepsin epsin N‐terminal homology (ENTH) and VHS/ENTH‐like domains. Our data reveal unexpected structural features that suggest key functional differences between these and similar domains in other trafficking proteins. The tepsin ENTH domain lacks helix0, helix8 and a lipid binding pocket found in epsin1/2/3. These results explain why tepsin requires AP4 for its membrane recruitment and further suggest ENTH domains cannot be defined solely as lipid binding modules. The VHS domain lacks helix8 and thus contains fewer helices than other VHS domains. Structural data explain biochemical and biophysical evidence that tepsin VHS does not mediate known VHS functions, including recognition of dileucine‐based cargo motifs or ubiquitin. Structural comparisons indicate the domains are very similar to each other, and phylogenetic analysis reveals their evolutionary pattern within the domain superfamily. Phylogenetics and comparative genomics further show tepsin within a monophyletic clade that diverged away from epsins early in evolutionary history (~1500 million years ago). Together, these data provide the first detailed molecular view of tepsin and suggest tepsin structure and function diverged away from other epsins. More broadly, these data highlight the challenges inherent in classifying and understanding protein function based only on sequence and structure.      

Reviews

The Family Album. A film by Alan Berliner. 16mm, 55min, b/w. Distributed by Filmmakers Library, Inc.

Beyond Words—Images from America's Concentration Camps. By Deborah Gesensway and Mindy Roseman. 1987, 176 pages, illustrated. Ithaca: Cornell University Press. Price: cloth $24.95.

The Lau (Granada Television “Disappearing World” Series). A film by Leslie Woodhead, producer‐director; Jon Woods, camera; Ray French, sound; Kimball Horton, editor; David Wasson, researcher; and Pierre Maranda, anthropological consultant. 1987, video, color, 52 minutes. Dialogues: Lau. Subtitles: English. Narration: English. Distributed by Granada TV International, Suite 3468, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020, tele. 212–242–2363. Price: on application.

Men's Lives: The Surfmen and Baymen of the South Fork. By Peter Matthiessen. 1986, New York: Random House. Price: hardcover $29.95; softcover $7.95 (Vintage Press); limited edition $200 (University of Washington Press, Seattle).

In Her Own Time. A film by Lynne Littman with Barbara Myerhoff. 1986, 16mm, color, 60 minutes. Distributed by Direct Cinema, Ltd., P.O. Box 69589, Los Angeles, CA 90060, tele. 213–652–8000. Price: 16mm—purchase $895, rental $100; video—purchase $350, rental $50 (prices quoted are for educational institutions only).

The Miracle of Intervale Avenue. A film by Irving Rappaport, producer; Ken Howard, director; and Jack Kugelmaas, associate producer. 1983, 16mm, color, 65 minutes. Catalog #430. Distributed by Ergo Media, Inc., P.O. Box 2037, Teaneck, NJ 07666, tele. 201–692–0404.

Some Babies Die. A film by Martyn Landon Down. Australia, 16mm, color, 54 minutes. Distributed by The University of California Extension Media Center, 2176 Shattuck Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94704, tele. 415–642–1340. Price: 16mm—purchase $850, rental $60; video—purchase $450, rental $60.

El Sebou’: The Egyptian Birth Ritual. A film by Fadwa El Guindi; produced by El Nil Research Project; co‐sponsored by the Office of Folklife, Smithsonian Institution. 1986, 16mm, color, 27 minutes. Distributed by El Nil Research Project, 1157 Beverwil Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90035, tele. 213–553–5645. Price: 16mm—purchase $570, rental $70; video—purchase $370. Screenings: Society for Visual Anthropology (1987 Award for Excellence); 1987 Margaret Mead Film Festival; Royal Anthropological Institute (1988 Commendation).

The Making of El Sebou‘

Classified People. Yolande Zauberman, director; produced by OBSESSION/INA/CNC/ FR3‐TOULOUSE; Dewald Aukema, camera; Tony Bensusan, sound; Jean‐François Naudon, editor. 1987, 16mm, color, 53 minutes. Distributed by TELEMONDIS, 15, rue Mesnil, 75016, Paris, tele. 47–27–03–84, telex: 649 078 TELMOND. In U.S., distributed by Filmmaker's Library, 124 E. 40th Street, New York, NY 10016, tele. 212–355–6545. Price: 16mm—rental only $150; video (½″ or ¾″)—purchase $75, rental $75. Screenings: Festival of Women's Films at Créteil (Prix de Jury); Festival of Young Directors at Belfort (Prix de Publique); Bilan du Film Ethnographique 1988 (Prix Nanook/Grand Prix); 1988 Cinéma du Réel; 1987 Margaret Mead Film Festival; U.S. Public Television.

To Cross the Border: An interview with Filmmaker Yolande Zauberman, Paris, May 1988.     

Medical Diagnosis,Management and Treatment of Lesch Nyhan Disease

The aim of this presentation is to inform about Lesch Nyhan Disease from the point of view of the affected boys and their families living with the condition from day to day and also to show the importance of research in treating and managing the disease (In Caring for Children with Lesch Nyhan Disease—A Guide for Parents and Professionals; McCarthy, G.T., Ed.; PUMPA and Chailey Heritage Clinical Services: East Sussex, UK, 2002).     

Minimum specifications for transmissible transgenic biocontrol agents for brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) population eradication

Abstract

I consider how two fundamental aspects of parasitology and population genetics—macro‐parasite aggregation among hosts and the Hardy‐Weinberg principle—govern the theoretical impact of transgenic forms of a possum‐specific nematode Parastrongyloides trichosuri, that cause female infertility, on brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) populations. Assuming chromosomal inheritance of transgenes, the conditions under which transgenic P. trichosuri would be an efficacious tool for eradication are predicted to be severely limited, given the level of aggregation with which this parasite occurs naturally in its host. These limits indicate that a transgenic form of P. trichosuri, containing a chromosomally‐inherited female infertility transgene, would need to cause near total infertility in all host females infected with a single such parasite, for eradication to be realistically possible. Relatively greater effort is predicted necessary to achieve thresholds for eradication when transgenic nematodes are introduced to hosts already infected by the parasite compared with populations free of the parasite. Under such circumstances, the predicted effort required is reduced if transgenes are dominant as opposed to recessive, and introduced in homozygous as opposed to heterozygous form.     

A Semiotic Analysis of The Great Dance -- A Hunter's Story in Relation to Media Representation of the San

The Great Dance -- A Hunter's Story . Produced by Earthrise Productions, 2000. Craig Foster and Damon Foster, directors. VHS/PAL or NTSC, color, 75 mins. English and Italian versions available. Distributor: Off the Fence, Nieuwe Herengracht 31, 1011 RM Amsterdam, Netherands Sale and rental details at http://www.senseafrica.com/greatdance/sales/sales.html     

Buchbesprechung

Abstract

H. H. Sambraus (Herausg.) : Nutztierethologie. Das Verhalten landwirtschaftlicher Nulztiere — Eine angewandte Verhaltenskunde für Die praxis. Verlag Paul Parey Berlin und Hamburg 1978 315 s., 89 Abb., 9 Tab., Format 24,4 × 16,5 cm, Preis 78, —DM Reviewed by A. Hennig.     

Isostructural unbranched alkyl‐chains as tools for stabilizing β‐turn structure

To investigate the structural role played by isostructural unbranched alkyl‐chains on the conformational ensemble and stability of β‐turn structures, the conformational properties of a designed model peptide: Plm‐Pro‐Gly‐Pda ( 1 , Plm: H₃C—(CH₂)₁₄—CONH—; Pda: —CONH— (CH₂)₁₄—CH₃) have been examined and compared with the parent peptide: Boc‐Pro‐Gly‐NHMe ( 2 , Boc: tert‐butoxycarbonyl; NHMe: N‐methylamide). The characteristic ¹³C NMR chemical‐shifts of the Pro C^β and C^γ resonances ascertained the incidence of an all‐trans peptide‐bond in low polarity deuterochloroform solution. Using FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy, we establish that apolar alkyl‐chains flanking a β‐turn promoting Pro‐Gly sequence impart definite incremental stability to the well‐defined hydrogen‐bonded structure. The assessment of ¹H NMR derived thermodynamic parameters of the hydrogen‐bonded amide‐NHs via variable temperature indicate that much weaker hydrophobic interactions do contribute to the stability of folded reverse turn structures. The far‐UV CD spectral patterns of 1 and 2 in 2,2,2‐trifluoroethanol are consistent with Pro‐Gly specific type II β‐turn structure, concomitantly substantiate that the flanking alkyl‐chains induce substantial bias in enhanced β‐turn populations. In view of structural as well as functional importance of the Pro‐Gly mediated secondary structures, besides biochemical and biological significance of proteins lipidation via myristoylation or palmytoilation, we highlight potential convenience of the unbranched Plm and Pda moieities not only as main‐chain N‐ and C‐terminal protecting groups but also to mimic and stabilize specific isolated secondary and supersecondary structural components frequently observed in proteins and polypeptides. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers 99: 419–426, 2013.     

Allelopathic vs. autotoxic potential of a grassland weed—evidence from a seed germination experiment

ABSTRACT

Background: Mechanisms affecting invasiveness of non-indigenous species have received much attention. Few studies have investigated invasions by native plants. Invasive native species such as common ragwort (Jacobaea vulgaris) may become noxious weeds. They challenge farming and nature conservation by outcompeting fodder plants or rare herbs. One mechanism that can result in outcompeting plants is by allelopathy.

Aim: We evaluated the potential of J. vulgaris to suppress germination in common and rare grassland species by allelopathy.

Methods: In a germination chamber experiment, we exposed 22 species and J. vulgaris itself to ragwort leachate. We controlled for osmotic effects by germination tests in mannitol solution and water. We assessed germination percentage—time —synchrony and radicle length.

Results: Leachate reduced germination percentage, germination time, synchrony and radicle length. These effects were similar for J. vulgaris, indicating autotoxicity. Rare species germinated less than common species but were not more sensitive to the phytotoxic effects of J. vulgaris. Restraining effects of the leachate were similar to the mere osmotic effect.

Conclusion: Our results question allelopathy as the main driving mechanism behind J. vulgaris gaining dominance. However, the impact of J. vulgaris might depend on the composition of the invaded plant community due to species-specific effects.     

Identification of a novel ubiquitin binding site of STAM1 VHS domain by NMR spectroscopy

Interaction between the signal-transducing adapter molecule 1 (STAM1) Vps27/Hrs/Stam (VHS) domain and ubiquitin was investigated by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. NMR evidence showed that the structure of STAM1 VHS domain resembles that of other VHS domains, especially the homologous domain of STAM2. We found that the VHS domain binds to ubiquitin via its hydrophobic patch consisting of N-terminus of helix 2 and C-terminus of helix 4 in which Trp26 on helix 2 plays a pivotal role in the binding. The binding between VHS and ubiquitin seems to be very similar to that between ubiquitin associated domain (UBA) and ubiquitin, however, the direction of α-helices involved in the ubiquitin binding is opposite. Here, we propose a novel ubiquitin binding site and the manner of ubiquitin recognition of the STAM1 VHS domain.

Structured summary

MINT-6804185:STAM1 (uniprotkb:Q92783) binds (MI:0407) to ubiquitin (uniprotkb:P62988) by nuclear magnetic resonance (MI:0077)     

High‐density Lipoprotein Apolipoprotein A‐I Kinetics in Obesity

Objective: Low plasma concentrations of high‐density lipoprotein (HDL)‐cholesterol and apolipoprotein A‐I (apoA‐I) are independent predictors of coronary artery disease and are often associated with obesity and the metabolic syndrome. However, the underlying kinetic determinants of HDL metabolism are not well understood. Research Methods and Procedures: We pooled data from 13 stable isotope studies to investigate the kinetic determinants of apoA‐I concentrations in lean and overweight—obese individuals. We also examined the associations of HDL kinetics with age, sex, BMI, fasting plasma glucose, fasting insulin, Homeostasis Model Assessment score, and concentrations of apoA‐I, triglycerides, HDL‐cholesterol and low‐density lipoprotein‐cholesterol. Results: Compared with lean individuals, overweight—obese individuals had significantly higher HDL apoA‐I fractional catabolic rate (0.21 ± 0.01 vs. 0.33 ± 0.01 pools/d; p < 0.001) and production rate (PR; 11.3 ± 4.4 vs. 15.8 ± 2.77 mg/kg per day; p = 0.001). In the lean group, HDL apoA‐I PR was significantly associated with apoA‐I concentration (r = 0.455, p = 0.004), whereas in the overweight—obese group, both HDL apoA‐I fractional catabolic rate (r = ?0.396, p = 0.050) and HDL apoA‐I PR (r = 0.399, p = 0.048) were significantly associated with apoA‐I concentration. After adjustment for fasting insulin or Homeostasis Model Assessment score, HDL apoA‐I PR was an independent predictor of apoA‐I concentration. Discussion: In overweight—obese subjects, hypercatabolism of apoA‐I is paralleled by an increased production of apoA‐I, with HDL apoA‐I PR being the stronger determinant of apoA‐I concentration. This could have therapeutic implications for the management of dyslipidemia in individuals with low plasma HDL‐cholesterol.