Herbicidal Derivatives of Aminomethylenebisphosphonic Acid. Part III. Structure—Activity Relationship

Derivatives of aminomethylenebisphosphonic acids constitute a class of promising herbicides. More than 40 N-substituted aminomethylenephosphonic acids were synthesized and evaluated for their herbicidal activity on common cress (Lepidium sativum L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). Some of the tested compounds were found to exhibit strong herbicidal properties being equal in activity with the popular herbicide glyphosate as well as parent N-pyridylaminomethylenephosphonic acids. N-Substituted iminodi(methylenephosphonic) acids, which may be considered as close analog of glyphosate, were inactive toward test plants. Received October 25, 1996; accepted May 9, 1997     

ArchaeobotanyofmoundstructuresinCampodelPucará,Catamarca, Argentina (1750–1450 b.p.): ceremonial use or rubbish dumps?

The archaeobotanical macroremains discussed in this study were recovered from six mound structures at Campo del Pucará (Andalgalá, Catamarca, northwest Argentina), a site inhabited between ca. 1750 and 1450 b.p. (a.d. 200–500). The most important identified taxon was Zea mays var. minima (maize), Acacia sp., Prosopis sp., P. nigra or P. alba, P. torquata (Leguminosae of the Mimosoideae subfamily), Phaseolus sp., P. vulgaris var. vulgaris, P. v. var. aborigineus, undetermined P. vulgaris (beans) and Cucurbita maxima (winter squash). The plant remains represent the leftovers of food, fuel and building materials. Plants were grown and gathered in the near surroundings. The material identified most probably represents waste, however it could not be unambiguously attributed either to household or ceremonial activities.     

A New Amino Acid Antibiotic KT–151, Produced by Streptomyces luteogriseus,Strain No. KT–151

From the results of taxonomic studies, Streptomyces sp. strain No. KT–151 isolated from a soil sample collected in Kumamoto City, was identified as a strain belonging to Streptomyces luteogriseus Schmitz, Deak, Crook and Hooper 1964. A new antibiotic, produced by this strain, was isolated as a leaflet crystal by ion-exchange chromatography and found to be an amino acid with the molecular formula, C₅H₁₂N₂O₂, and named antibiotic KT–151 (refered to as KT–151 hereinafter). The antibiotic showed antimicrobial activity against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria in a chemically defined medium but it was antagonized by several amino acids such as valine, leucine, isoleucine and threonine.     

Modelling of predator–prey trophic interactions. Part I: two trophic levels

A class of lumped parameter models to describe the local dynamics in a controlled environment of a two-trophic chain is considered. The class is characterized by a trophic function (functional response of predator to the abundance of prey) depending on the ratio of prey biomass x and a linear function of predator biomass y: f(qx/[(1-)k+y]), where q is the efficiency of the predation process, k is a reference biomass, and (01) specifies the predation model. The trophic function is defined only by some properties determining its shape. A stability analysis of the models has been performed by taking the parameters q and as bifurcation parameters: the regions in the (,q) plane of existence and stability of nonnegative equilibrium states and limit cycles are determined. This analysis shows that the behaviour of the models is qualitatively similar for 0<1 (in particular the null state is always a saddle point), while the value =1 gives rise to some kind of structural instability of the system (in particular the null state becomes an attractor for sufficiently high predation efficiency).     

Modelling of predator–prey trophic interactions. Part II: Three trophic levels

A general class of lumped parameter models describing the local dynamics of a tri-trophic chain in a controlled environment is analyzed in detail. The trophic functions characterizing the interactions are defined only by some properties and allow us to treat both prey-dependent and ratio-dependent models in a unified manner. Conditions for existence and stability of extinction and coexistence equilibrium states are determined. Some peculiar aspects of the dynamics of the system depending on the bioecological parameters are presented, with particular attention to bistability situations, limit cycles and chaotic behaviours.     

Purification,Crystallization and Some Enzymatic Properties of Acid Protease of Cladosporium sp. No. 45–2

An acid protease of Cladosporium sp. No. 45–2 was purified and crystallized by precipitation with ammonium sulfate, fractional precipitation with acetone, and pH adjustment. About 600 mg of third crystallized preparation was obtained from one liter of culture broth. The purified enzyme was chromatographically homogeneous and confirmed to be monodispersive by physicochemical criteria such as uhracentrifugal and electrophoretical analysis. The enzyme was most active at pH values between 2.5 and 2.7 toward both casein and hemoglobin and was stable at pH values from 2.5 to 7.0 on twenty hour incubation at 30°C.

Millimolar concentration of sodium lauryl sulfate markedly inhibited the enzyme, wheares diisopropyl phosphorofluoridate, sulfhydryl reagents, ethylenediaminetetra acetic acid, and divalent metal ion relatively little affected the activity. The enzyme was most resistant toward S-PI among the acid proteases tested.     

Benzothiophene inhibitors of MK2. Part 1: Structure–activity relationships,assessments of selectivity and cellular potency

Identification of potent benzothiophene inhibitors of mitogen activated protein kinase-activated protein kinase 2 (MK2), structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies, selectivity assessments against CDK2, cellular potency and mechanism of action are presented. Crystallographic data provide a rationale for the observed MK2 potency as well as selectivity over CDK2 for this class of inhibitors.     

10-year survey of 485 sterilisations. Part I--Sterilisation or hysterectomy?

A survey was made of all sterilisations performed in an obstetric and gynaecological unit in Dunfermline in 1965-74 to determine the outcome and complications. Altogether 547 women were sterilised by the modified Pomeroy method, and 485 (88.7%) were interviewed and examined. No sterilisation was followed by serious complications, and the incidence of even minor complications was low (4.12%). There were no subsequent pregnancies. Altogether 57 women had to be referred for gynaecological operations in the years after sterilisation but only 18 of these had to have hysterectomies. At interview 59 women were found to have gynaecological symptoms (menstrual disorders in 46), and examination showed that 83 women had a gynaecological condition, which was in most cases unsuspected by the patient. Most of these conditions were minor but three women had carcinoma-in-situ of the cervix. Although 46 women suffered menstrual disorders after sterilisation 104 had done so at some time before the operation. These results therefore offer little support for the wider use of hysterectomy as a form of sterilisation.     

Properties of Crystalline ω-Amino Acid : Pyruvate Aminotransferase of Pseudomonas sp. F–126

ω-Amino acid: pyruvate aminotransferase, purified to homogeneity and crystallized from a Pseudomonas sp. F–126, has a molecular weight of 172,000 or 167,000±3000 as determined by the gel-filtration or sedimentation equilibrium method, respectively. The enzyme catalyzes the transamination between various ω-amino acids or amines and pyruvate which is the exclusive amino acceptor. α-Amino acids except l-α-alanine are inert as amino donor. The Michaelis constants are 3.3 mm for β-alanine, 19 mm for 2-aminoethane sulfonate and 3.3 mm for pyruvate. The enzyme has a maximum activity in the pH range of 8.5~10.5. The enzyme is stable at pH 8.0~10.0 and at up to 65°C at pH 8.0. Carbonyl reagents strongly inhibit the enzyme activity. Pyridoxal 5′-phosphate and pyridoxamine 5′-phosphate reactivate the enzyme inactivated by carbonyl reagents. The inhibition constants were determined to be 0.73 mm for d-penicillamine and 0.58 mm for d-cycloserine. Thiol reagents, chelating agents and l-α-amino acids showed no effect on the enzyme activity.     

Spirit possession in South Asia,dissociation or hysteria? Part 2: Case histories

Psychoanalytic theory appears flawed in the way it has been traditionally applied in anthropological studies of spirit possession in South Asia. It is suggested that pathological spirit possession in South Asia has a similar etiology to multiple personality disorder in North America, which is caused by spontaneous trance reactions to extreme situations in the environment, particularly child abuse. Reanalyses of previously published case histories of spirit possession illnesses in South Asia are presented from the perspective of dissociation theory, highlighting possible etiology not considered relevant in earlier psychoanalytic theories.