What Directions for Race/Ethnic Relations? Kaleidoscope of Options

American Minorities and Economic Opportunity. H. Roy Kaplan .
Uncertain Americans: Readings in Ethnic History. 2nd ed. Leonard Dinnerstein and rederic Cople Jaher , eds.
Ethnicity in the Americas. Frances Henry , ed. World Anthropology Series. Sol Tax, gen. ed.
Ethnic Families in America: Patterns and Variations. Charles H. Mindel and Robert W. Habenstein , eds.
Issues in Race and Ethnic Relations: Theory, Research and Action. Jack Rothman , ed.
The Minority Report: An Introduction to Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Relations. Anthony G. Dworkin and Rosalind J. Dworkin .
American Ethnic Revival: Group Pluralism Entering America's Third Century. Jack F. Kinton , ed.     

Echinoid synergizes with the Notch signaling pathway in Drosophila mesothorax bristle patterning

echinoid (ed) encodes an immunoglobulin domain-containing cell adhesion molecule that negatively regulates the Egfr signaling pathway during Drosophila photoreceptor development. We show a novel function of Ed, i.e. the restriction of the number of notum bristles that arise from a proneural cluster. Thus, loss-of-function conditions for ed give rise to the development of extra macrochaetae near the extant ones and increase the density of microchaetae. Analysis of ed mosaics indicates that extra sensory organ precursors (SOPs) arise from proneural clusters of achaete-scute expression in a cell-autonomous way. ed embryos also exhibit a neurogenic phenotype. These phenotypes suggest a functional relation between ed and the Notch (N) pathway. Indeed, loss-of-function of ed reduces the expression of the N pathway effector E(spl)m8 in proneural clusters. Moreover, combinations of moderate loss-of-function conditions for ed and for different components of the N pathway show clear synergistic interactions manifested as strong neurogenic bristle phenotypes. We conclude that Ed is not essential for, but it facilitates, N signaling. It is known that the N and Egfr pathways act antagonistically in bristle development. Consistently, we find that Ed also antagonizes the bristle-promoting activity of the Egfr pathway, either by the enhancement of N signalling or, similar to the eye, by a more direct action on the Egfr pathway.     

Diffusione pollinica e caratteristiche immunologiche e broncoreattive di soggetti atopici in Pietra Ligure (Savona)

Riassunto Sono state rilevate durante un monitoraggio aerobiologico effettuato a Pietra Ligure (Savona) nel corso del 1987 le concentrazioni polliniche di 50 taxa ed è stata valutata l'influenza relativa dei fattori meteorologici. Le osservazioni palinologiche sono state rapportate alle concentrazioni sieriche delle IgE specifiche, alla reattività bronchiale specifica ed aspecifica valutate in 101 pazienti allergici (rinitici ed asmatici), sensibilizzati a Graminaceae ed Urticaceae (Parietaria) al fine di riconoscere correlazioni tra le caratteristiche aerobiologiche di questi allergeni edi meccanismi patogenetici che sostengono la reattività bronchiale.      

The Dictionary of Anthropology.; Companion Encyclopedia of Anthropology: Humanity, Culture, and Social Life.; A Dictionary of Cultural and Critical Theory.

The Dictionary of Anthropology. Thomas Barfield. ed. Maiden, MA: Blackwell, 1997. 626 pp.
Companion Encyclopedia of Anthropology: Humanity, Culture, and Social Life. Tim Ingold. ed. New York: Routledge, 1997. 1128 pp.
. Dictionary of Cultural and Critical Theory. Michael Payne. ed. Maiden, MA: Blackwell, 1996. 644 pp.     

耐盐辣椒分子育种

利用自花授粉后形成的花粉管通道将海岸耐盐植物红树总 Ｄ Ｎ Ａ 导入辣椒,其后代的耐盐性明显增强,在海滩上试种,用海水直接浇灌,约５５％ 的转化株能开花、结果,而对照株全部死亡。进行蛋白质 Ｓ Ｄ Ｓ Ｐ Ａ Ｇ Ｅ电泳和 Ｒ Ａ Ｐ Ｄ 分析,分别发现一条１７５ Ｋ Ｄ蛋白质和一条１１ Ｋｂ Ｄ Ｎ Ａ 的特异性谱带,表明通过花粉管通道导入外源 Ｄ Ｎ Ａ 是可行的,其后代植株耐盐能力提高与基因组变异有关。     

Normal stages of cardiac organogenesis in the mouse: I. Development of the external shape of the heart

Normal development of the mouse embryonic heart was studied at the organ level using microdissection and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Altogether 225 embryos, sampled at 8-hour intervals between 11ed (ed = embryonic day; day of vaginal plug = 1ed) and 15ed were collected. Their hearts were fixed by high flow-low pressure perfusion, microdissected, and observed in SEM. Standardized frontal, right profile, and left profile SEM micrographs were obtained and analyzed. The main purpose of this study was to create a series of normal stages of mouse cardiac development as a reference for ongoing studies in experimental cardiac teratology (e.g., in fetal mouse trisomies). Comparisons with chick, human, and dog embryonic hearts, prepared using the same technique, show that the mouse embryonic heart is characterized by a relatively deep interventricular sulcus. The absence of a conoventricular sulcus in the mouse results in poor definition of the boundary between the conus and the right ventricle. The external separation of the aorta and the pulmonary artery is evident from 13ed onward. The respective positions of the great arteries (aorta dextroposterior, pulmonary artery sinistroanterior) does not change until the end of cardiac organogenesis (15ed in the mouse).     

Expression and glycosylation studies of human FGF receptor 4

Fibroblast growth factor receptor subtype 4 (FGFR4) has been shown to have special activation properties and just one splicing form, unlike the other FGFRs. FGFR4 overexpression is correlated with breast cancer and therefore FGFR4 is a target for drug design. Our aim is to overexpress high amounts of homogeneous FGFR4 extracellular domain (FGFR4(ed)) for structural studies. We show that baculovirus-insect cell-expressed FGFR4(ed) is glycosylated on three (N88, N234, and N266) of the six possible N-glycosylation sites but is not O-glycosylated. The deglycosylated triple mutant was expressed and had binding properties similar to those of glycosylated FGFR4(ed), but was still heterogeneous. Large amounts of FGFR4(ed) have been produced into inclusion bodies in Escherichia coli and refolded at least partly correctly but the refolded E. coli-produced FGFR4(ed) still aggregates.     

Production and characterization of the extracellular domain of recombinant human fibroblast growth factor receptor 4

Among the members of the fibroblast growth factor receptor family the FGFR4 has demonstrated strong dependence on heparin-like material for its activation by fibroblast growth factors. We have produced and characterized a recombinant human FGFR4 extracellular domain (FGFR4ed), in order to study its biochemical properties in isolated conditions. The FGFR4ed was expressed in an insect cell system and purified from the culture medium by Ni(2+)-affinity and gel filtration chromatography. Pure FGFR4ed was tested for FGF- and heparin-binding by covalent crosslinking experiments and by biosensor analysis. In solution, FGFR4ed formed complexes with acidic FGF (FGF-1) and basic FGF (FGF-2), both in the presence and absence of heparin. Immobilized FGFR4 also bound FGF-8 besides FGF-1 and FGF-2. Furthermore, heparin alone induced receptor oligomerization on the surface of the receptor coupled chip. Thus, the recombinant FGFR4ed revealed properties described for the cellular form of this receptor and can be used for interaction studies.     

Review

Book reviewed in this article:
Scripta Botanica Belgica volume 1, 199 pages, ed. E. Robberecht. 1992. - Anderson, L., A Provisional Checklist of Neotropical Rubiaceae
Ibid. vol. 2, 153 pages, ed. E. Robberecht. 1992. -Ghanzafar, S. A., An annotated catalogue of the vascular plants of Oman and their vernacular names
Ibid. vol. 3, 376 pages, ed. C. Puff. 1991. - The genus Paederia L. (Rubiaceae-Paedeneae): a multidisciplinary study     

Book Reviews

Ulanowsky, Carole (ed.) The Family in the Age of Biotechnology
Arnold, Robert M.; Youngner, Stuart J.; Schapiro Renie and Spicer, Carol Mason (eds) Procuring Organs for Transplant: The Debate over Non-Heart-Beating Cadaver Protocols
Little, Miles Humane Medicine
Grubb, Andrew and Mehlman, Maxwell J. (eds) Justice and Health Care: Comparative Perspectives
Nordenfelt, Lennart (ed.) Concepts and Measurements of Quality of Life in Health Care
Lamb, David (ed.) Therapy Abatment, Autonomy and Futility
White, Becky Cox Competence to Consent     

Book Reviews

Book reviewed in this article:
General/Theoretical Anthropology: Folk Groups and Folklore Genres: An Introduction. Elliott Oring , ed.
Folk Groups and Folklore Genres: A Reader. Elliott Oring , ed.     

Cross-Cultural Approaches to Adoption; Cultures of Transnational Adoption

Cross-Cultural Approaches to Adoption. Fiona Bowie, ed. New York: Routledge, 2005. 279 pp.
Cultures of Transnational Adoption. Toby Alice Volkman, ed. Durham, NC: Duke University Press, 2005. 232 pp.     

BOOK REVIEW…

Book reviewed in this article:
Sleigh, Michael A., ed. 1974. Cilia and Flagella.
Galuzo, I. G., ed. 1974. Zhiznennyi Tsikl Toksoplazm ( Razvitie, Biologiya, Tsirkulyatsiya v Prirode )     

Book Reviews

Books reviewed
Diana Fritz Cates and Paul Lauritzen (ed.), Medicine and the Ethics of Care
Mark G. Kuczewski and Ronald Polansky, (ed.) Bioethics: Ancient Themes in Contemporary Issues
M.L. Tina Stevens, Bioethics in America: Origins and Cultural Politics     

Book Review Essays

Archaeology and Burials: Bodies of Evidence: Reconstructing History through Skeletal Analysis. Anne L. Grauer, ed.
Archaeology and Burials: Regional Approaches to Mortuary Analysis. Lane Anderson Beck, ed. New York: Plenum Press, 1995. 280 pp.     

Global Conservation Significance of Ecuador's Yasuní National Park

Background

The threats facing Ecuador''s Yasuní National Park are emblematic of those confronting the greater western Amazon, one of the world''s last high-biodiversity wilderness areas. Notably, the country''s second largest untapped oil reserves—called “ITT”—lie beneath an intact, remote section of the park. The conservation significance of Yasuní may weigh heavily in upcoming state-level and international decisions, including whether to develop the oil or invest in alternatives.

Methodology/Principal Findings

We conducted the first comprehensive synthesis of biodiversity data for Yasuní. Mapping amphibian, bird, mammal, and plant distributions, we found eastern Ecuador and northern Peru to be the only regions in South America where species richness centers for all four taxonomic groups overlap. This quadruple richness center has only one viable strict protected area (IUCN levels I–IV): Yasuní. The park covers just 14% of the quadruple richness center''s area, whereas active or proposed oil concessions cover 79%. Using field inventory data, we compared Yasuní''s local (alpha) and landscape (gamma) diversity to other sites, in the western Amazon and globally. These analyses further suggest that Yasuní is among the most biodiverse places on Earth, with apparent world richness records for amphibians, reptiles, bats, and trees. Yasuní also protects a considerable number of threatened species and regional endemics.

Conclusions/Significance

Yasuní has outstanding global conservation significance due to its extraordinary biodiversity and potential to sustain this biodiversity in the long term because of its 1) large size and wilderness character, 2) intact large-vertebrate assemblage, 3) IUCN level-II protection status in a region lacking other strict protected areas, and 4) likelihood of maintaining wet, rainforest conditions while anticipated climate change-induced drought intensifies in the eastern Amazon. However, further oil development in Yasuní jeopardizes its conservation values. These findings form the scientific basis for policy recommendations, including stopping any new oil activities and road construction in Yasuní and creating areas off-limits to large-scale development in adjacent northern Peru.     

Human Nature: A Critical Reader; The Biological Basis of Human Behavior

Human Nature:. Critical Reader. Laura Betzig. ed. New York: Oxford University Press, 1997.489 pp.
The Biological Basis of Human Behavior. Robert W. Sussman. ed. Needham Heights, MA: Simon and Schuster, 1997.451 pp.     

Stones through the Window

Civilizing Globalization: A Survival Guide. Richard Sandbrook, ed. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2003. 279 pp.
Globalization, the State, and Violence. Jonathan Friedman, ed. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 2003. 389 pp.     

The Georgia and South Carolina Coastal Expeditions of Clarence Bloomfield Moore; The East Florida Expeditions of Clarence Bloomfield Moore

The Georgia and South Carolina Coastal Expeditions of Clarence Bloomfield Moore. Lewis Larson. ed. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1998.312pp.
The East Florida Expeditions of Clarence Bloomfield Moore. Jeffrey M. Mitchem. ed. Tuscaloosa: University of Alabama Press, 1999.376pp.