U.S. Immigrants and the Global Narrative

Changing Identities: Vietnamese Americans, 1975-1995. James M. Freeman. New Immigrant Series. Boston; Allyn and Bacon, 1995. 132 pp.
From the Workers' State to the Golden State: Jews from the Former Soviet Union in California. Steven J. Gold. New Immigrant Series. Boston; Allyn and Bacon, 1995. 122 pp.
From the Ganges to the Hudson: Indian Immigrants in New York City. Johanna Lessinger. New Immigrant Series. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1995. 159 pp.
Salvadorans in Suburbia: Symbiosis and Conflict. Sarah J. Mahler. New Immigrant Series. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1995.127pp.
Visa for. Dream: Dominicans in the United States. Patricia R. Pessar. New Immigrant Series. Boston: Allyn and Bacon, 1995. 98 pp.     

Distance geometry analysis of the N.M.R. evidence on the solution conformation of bleomycin

Conformational constraints derived from n.m.r. experiments, X-ray data and the known stereochemistry have been used to investigate by the distance geometry method the range of allowed solution conformations for Cu(II):P-3A (a biosynthetic precursor of bleomycin), Fe(II):bleomycin:carbon monoxide, and Zn(II):bleomycin. The experimental data have been found to be self-consistent and lead to the following observations. 1) Designation of the ligands and the dihedral angles available from vicinal coupling constants are not sufficient to define uniquely the geometry around the metal. 2) When only five bleomycin ligands are invoked (e.g. Cu(II):P-3A or Fe(II):bleomycin:carbon monoxide) there is considerable freedom in the allowed coordination scheme around the metal, but some regions of the molecule have well determined conformation. 3) Introduction of a sixth bleomycin ligand, as in Zn(II):bleomycin, considerably constrains the conformational freedom of the groups coordinated to the zinc. The utility of the distance geometry approach for analysis of data and design of experiments is discussed.     

Imaging the Arctic.

Imaging the Arctic. J. C. H. King and Henrietta Lidchi. eds. London: British Museum Press, 1998. (Also Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1998; Vancouver: University of British Columbia Press, 1998.) 256 pages.     

Population genetic studies in the Balkans. I. Serum proteins

Within a study of the genetics of Southeastern European populations seven serum protein polymorphisms (AMY2, BF, C3, CP, GC, HPA, TF) were examined in three samples of Aromuns (Albania: the village of Andon Poci, province Gjirocaster, Republic of Macedonia: Stip region, Romania: the village Kogalniceanu, province Dobruja) and four reference samples (Albanians: Tirana, Romanians: Constanta and Ploiesti as well as Greeks (Northeastern Greece)). The Aromun samples from Albania and Romania form one separate cluster and the reference samples together with the Aromuns from Macedonia (Stip region) form a second one.     

Rhizobium meliloti mutants that overproduce the R. meliloti acidic calcofluor-binding exopolysaccharide.

The acidic Calcofluor-binding exopolysaccharide of Rhizobium meliloti Rm1021 plays one or more critical roles in nodule invasion and possibly in nodule development. Two loci, exoR and exoS, that affect the regulation of synthesis of this exopolysaccharide were identified by screening for derivatives of strain Rm1021 that formed mucoid colonies that fluoresced extremely brightly under UV light when grown on medium containing Calcofluor. The exopolysaccharide produced in large quantities by the exoR95::Tn5 and exoS96::Tn5 strains was indistinguishable from that produced by the parental strain Rm1021, and its synthesis required the function of at least the exoA, exoB, and exoF genes. Both the exoR and exoS loci were located on the chromosome, and the exo96::Tn5 mutation was 84% linked to the trp-33 mutation by phi M12 transduction. Synthesis of the Calcofluor-binding exopolysaccharide by strain Rm1021 was greatly stimulated by starvation for ammonia. In contrast, the exoR95::Tn5 mutant produced high levels of exopolysaccharide regardless of the presence or absence of ammonia in the medium. The exoS96::Tn5 mutant produced elevated amounts of exopolysaccharide in the presence of ammonia, but higher amounts were observed after starvation for ammonia. The presence of either mutation increased the level of expression of exoF::TnphoA and exoP::TnphoA fusions (TnphoA is Tn5 IS50L::phoA). Analyses of results obtained when alfalfa seedlings were inoculated with the exoR95::Tn5 strain indicated that the mutant strain could not invade nodules. However, pseudorevertants that retained the original exoR95::Tn5 mutation but acquired unlinked suppressors so that they produced an approximately normal amount of exopolysaccharide were able to invade nodules and fix nitrogens. The exoS95::Tn5 strain formed Fix+ nodules, although some minor variability was observed.     

Branchiobdellida (Oligochaeta) from the farthest South-East of the U.S.S.R.

Eight species of the genera Branchiobdella and Cirrodrilus are reported from the Soviet Far East. Six of them from the Komarovka Stream in the Ussuriiski State Nature Reserve: Branchiobdella cheni (Liu, 1964), B. domina sp.n., Cirrodrilus chosen (Yamaguchi, 1934), C. suzukii (Yamaguchi, 1934), C. pugnax sp.n., and C. fimbriatus sp.n. Branchiobdellidans are abundant in this stream, occurring on the crayfishes Cambaroides dauricus wladiwostokensis as well as in benthic samples. Two from the northern Amur River basin near Khabarovsk: Branchiobdella minuta Pierantoni, 1912, and Cirrodrilus quadritentacularis (Liu, 1984), living on the crayfishes Cambaroides dauricus dauricus and C. schrencki . The genus Cirrodrilus demonstrates several trends of parallel variation on the Asian continent and the Japanese Islands; the more apomorphic genus Branchiobdella seems to be absent in Japan.     

Carved from the Heart.

Carved from the Heart. 1997. 30 minutes, color. VHS. film by Ellen Frankenstein and Louise Brady. For more information, contact New Day Films, 22D Hollywood Avenue, Hohokus, NJ 07423. 201/652-6590 or 888/367-9154. Fax 201/652-/973. Email: orders@newday.com, website: http://www.newday.com     

Pulmonary fine needle aspiration biopsy. Assessing the negative diagnosis.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the significance of the "negative for malignancy" category when applied to pulmonary transthoracic fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). STUDY DESIGN: Transthoracic lung FNABs diagnosed as "negative for malignancy" were identified from the files of Barnes-Jewish Hospital's South and North Campus over a period of five and nine years, respectively. Histologic correlation and clinical follow-up were obtained. RESULTS: Of the 1,181 lung FNABs performed during the study period, 108 cases (9%) had a negative cytologic diagnosis. Histologic correlation was available in 46 cases (43%), of which 23 cases had benign histologic findings, and 19 cases were malignant. Thirty-five of the 62 cases without histologic correlation had clinical follow-up consistent with a benign process. CONCLUSION: Based on the histologic correlation and clinical data available, the negative predictive value was 77%. Inadequate sampling was responsible for all false negative cytologic diagnoses in this series.     

Succinapion telnovi n. gen. et n. sp. of the tribe Kalcapiini (Coleoptera: Brentidae: Apioninae) in Baltic amber

A new genus and species, Succinapion telnovi n. gen. et n. sp. (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea: Brentidae: Apioninae: Kalcapiini) is described and illustrated from Upper Eocene Baltic amber. The new genus is similar to the genus Melanapion Wagner, 1930 but differs from it in having femora ventrally with spine at distal 1/3, simple claws, a longer rostrum, elytra weakly widened towards apex, longer antennae and slightly narrower elytral striae.http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:2A95C49D-5589-4ACA-8A87-0DDF635BA25E     

Biochemical heterogenity of the left ventricular myocardium: transmural and base-apex gradients on H.E.P. contents of the well oxygenated perfused dog heart.

An investigation into the contents (mumol/g w.w.) of the creatine phosphate (CP) and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) of various myocardial regions was performed on the empty beating isolated blood perfused dog heart. Across the myocardial wall, CP concentration was higher in the outer portion (9.03 +/- 0.18) than in the inner portion (8.59 +/- 0.20) (P less than 0.05). In addition to this transmural gradient, a longitudinal gradient was found: tissue contents of both CP and ATP decrease significantly from the base (CP: 9.70 +/- 0.28, ATP: 5.84 +/- 0.20) to the apex (CP: 8.69 +/- 0.27, ATP: 5.57 +/- 0.17) (P less than 0.01 and P less than 0.05 respectively). The gradients of metabolites in the well oxygenated empty beating heart suggest that a permanent metabolic adaptation to less adequate regional O2 reserves is physiologically operating in the subendocardial layer and the apex region of the left ventricle.     

Respiratory rhythmicity in the cat.

Brain stem respiratory neuron activity in the cat was studied in relation to efferent outflow (phrenic discharge) under the influence of several forcing inputs: 1) CO2 tension: hypocapnia produces disappearance of firing in some neurons, and conversion of respiratory-modulated to continuous (tonic) firing in others. 2) Lung inflation: during the Bruer-Hering reflex, some neurons have "classical" responses and others have "paradoxical" responses (i.e., opposite in direction to peripheral discharge). 3) Electrical stimulation: stimulus trains to the pneumotaxic center region (rostral lateral pons) produce phase-switching, whose threshold is: a) sharp (indicating action of positive-feedback mechanisms), and b) dependent on timing of stimulus delivery (indicating continuous excitability changes during each respiratory phase). Auto- and crosscorrelation analysis revealed the existence of short-term interactions between: a) medullary inspiratory (I) neurons and phrenic motoneurons; b) pairs of medullary I neurons; c) medullary I neurons and expiratory (E) neurons. A model of the respiratory oscillator is presented, in which the processes of conversion of tonic to phasic activity and switching of the respiratory phases are explained by recurrent excitatory and inhibitory loops.     

Characterization of the transition state of Lysozyme unfolding. I. Effect of protein-solvent interactions on the transition state

The influence of proline cis-trans isomerization on the kinetics of lysozyme unfolding was examined carefully according to the theory of Hagerman and Baldwin [(1976) Biochemistry 15, 1462–1473]. As a result, the kinetics of lysozyme unfolding was found to follow the two-state transition model well. The temperature dependencies of k_uf and k_f over a wide temperature range showed that ΔC = 0 and ΔC = ?6.7 kJ K^?1 mol^?1 in solutions of different concentrations of GuHCl. The data observed in solutions containing other denaturants also supported the conclusion that ΔC is nearly equal to zero. The activation enthalpies of unfolding (ΔH) were observed at various concentrations of several kinds of denaturants. They were independent of species and concentrations of denaturants ΔH = 200 kJ mol^?1). These facts indicate that the aspect of interaction between protein and different kinds of solvent molecules varies only slightly during the unfolding to the transition state, that is, the transition state is at compact as the native one. Therefore, it is also suggested that ΔH of 200 kJ mol^?1 is primarily required for the disruption of long-range interactions among different structural domains through a subtle conformational change. We compared the effects of several kinds of denaturants on the unfolding rate. The addition of PrOH more remarkably increases the unfolding rate than do other hydrophilic denaturants. This is probably because PrOH molecules can penetrate into the hydrophobic core of lysozyme, but hydrophilic reagents cannot because of the compactness of the transition state.     

The glycolipids from the non-capsulated strain of Pneumococcus I-192R, A.T.C.C. 12213.

1. The total lipid was extracted from the non-capsulated strain of Pneumococcus I-192R, A.T.C.C. 12213, with chloroform-methanol mixtures. Two glycolipids were isolated by chromatography on silicic acid and DEAE-cellulose (acetate form). 2. The major glycolipid was obtained pure in a yield of 640mg./34g. dry wt. of cells and represents about 34% of the total lipid. It contained galactose, glucose, glycerol and fatty acid ester residues in the proportions 1:1:1:2, and yielded on saponification a crystalline non-reducing glycoside. 3. The structure of the glycoside was shown to be O-alpha-d-galactopyranosyl-(1-->2)-O-alpha-d-glucopyranosyl-(1-->1)-d-glycerol. The fatty acids obtained on saponification were identified by gas-liquid partition chromatography of their methyl esters. 4. The minor glycolipid was obtained as a 1:1 (w/w) mixture with the major component, but after saponification the two glycosides were separated by paper chromatography. Evidence was obtained for the structure of the glycoside derived from the minor glycolipid as 1-O-alpha-d-glucosylglycerol. 5. A general method is described for determining the stereochemistry of the glycerol moiety in 1-linked glycerol glycosides.     

Dynamic light scattering from collagen solutions. II. Photon correlation study of the depolarized light.

The depolarized forward-scattered light from solutions of rat tail collagen has been studied by photon correlation spectroscopy. The measured autocorrelation function is seen to decay on two widely different time scales. The decay time for the fast component is consistent with the rotational diffusion of rodlike collagen monomers. The slowly decaying autocorrelation component is attributed to large nonspecific aggregates of collagen. A substantial fraction of the collagen is in this aggregated form. Extrapolation of the faster decay times to zero concentration yields a value of θ = 1082 ± 30 sec^?1 for the rotational diffusion coefficient of the collagen monomer.     

First account on kinorhynchs from Portugal,with the description of two new species: Echinoderes lusitanicus sp. nov. and E. reicherti sp. nov.

The first exploration of the kinorhynch meiofauna in Portuguese marine waters has revealed the existence of two undescribed species of the cyclorhagid genus Echinoderes. In the present contribution we describe Echinoderes lusitanicus sp. nov. and Echinoderes reicherti sp. nov., both collected from subtidal regions of the coast of Algarve in the southernmost region of Portugal. Echinoderes lusitanicus sp. nov. is recognized by the presence of tubes on segment 2 in subdorsal and ventrolateral positions, on segment 5 in lateroventral positions, on segment 8 in lateral accessory positions, and on segment 10 in laterodorsal positions. Spines are present in middorsal position on segments 4 to 8, and in lateroventral positions on segments 8 and 9. The females have minute lateral terminal accessory spines. The second species, E. reicherti sp. nov., is characterized by tubes on segment 2 in subdorsal and ventrolateral positions, on segment 5 in lateroventral positions, and segment 8 in sublateral positions. In addition, the species possesses acicular spines in the middorsal position on segment 4, and in lateroventral positions on segments 6 to 9. Morphological aspects such as tube/spine pattern of the trunk or sexually dimorphic traits are discussed and compared with other Echinoderes species showing close resemblance.

http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:79C25EEE-9064-46F8-95E2-EE493DC82185     

The E. coli cell cycle and the plasmid R1 replication cycle in the absence of the DnaA protein.

In E. coli strain EC::71CW chromosome replication is under the control of the R1 miniplasmid pOU71. A dnaA850::Tn10 derivative of EC::71CW was viable, which confirmed that R1 can replicate in the absence of the DnaA protein. The frequency of initiation of replication was, however, lowered and cell division was severely disturbed due to underreplication of the chromosome. Both replication and cell division could be restored to normal by increasing the production of RepA, the rate-limiting protein for initiation of replication from the integrated R1 origin. Therefore, the RepA protein seems to compensate for the absence of DnaA in the initiation of replication and assembly of replisomes. The role of the DnaA protein in the initiation of DNA replication, and as an overall regulator of the chromosome replication and cell division cycles of E. coli, is discussed in view of these results.     

On the application of polyelectrolyte limiting laws to the helix-coil transition of DNA. IV. Depedence of helix stability on the concentration of divalent metal ions.

The molecular theory of the previous paper in this series is extended to determine the effect of divalent metal ions on helix stability relative to coil at fixed ionic strength and nucleotide phosphate concentration. Specification of the state of condensed counterions, as well as their concentration, is essential for the solution of this problem, and it is assumed that they translate freely within a thin cylindrical shell close to the polynucleotide. As a function of divalent counterion concentration m the relative stability of the helix is highly nonlinear. Although the overall trend is that the helix stability increases with addition of divalent metal ion, there is a narrow concentration range for which it decreases slightly. The behavior of the relative stability as a function of m is determined by the translational degrees of freedom of the counterions, both univalent and divalent, both condensed and uncondensed. Detailed comparison of the theory with data is not given here, but it is pointed out that the calculated values of the relative stability are consistent with the order of magnitude of the observed effect Mg²⁺ on the melting temperature.