Some Pragmatic Aspects of Navaho Peyotism

Abstract

The Peyote religion has often been characterized as promoting passivity, resignation, and escape into a subjective world of visions as a substitute for the dissatisfying social and economic conditions resulting from white domination. Data gathered on the Navaho reservation are presented which indicate that it is more appropriate to view Peyotism as an active attempt to transform these conditions, an interpretation which more adequately matches the Malinowskian model of magico-religiousphenomena.     

Peyotism and Mescausm1

Abstract

The identity, origin, use and relationship of Peyote or Peyote buttons and mescal, mescal buttons, mescalbeans or mescaline continue to be confused. This paper examines the history of the confusion and uses ethnohistorical data to clarify the situation. Although Peyote, Lophophora williamsii and mescalbean, Sophora secundiflora, share the same general growth area, mostly in Mexico, the Spanish and Mexican reports on Peyote use are ancient and numerous, while nothing has been written about the use of mescalbeans south of the border. The use of the term mescalbean to refer to the red seed of Sophora secundiflora did not appear in print until 1914. A recent study shows that the greatest use of mescalbeans has been as beads. The paper concludes that theorists have inflated the importance of the relationship between mescalbeans and Peyote.     

Evaluation of Spanish Arundo scale Rhizaspidiotus donacis (Hemiptera; Diaspididae) survival and fecundity on three new world genotypes of Arundo donax (Poaceae; Arundinoideae)

A pre-release evaluation of survival and fecundity of the arundo scale, Rhizaspidiotus donacis, was conducted on three invasive genotypes of the riparian weed, Arundo donax. The three A. donax genotypes were collected from Laredo, Austin and Balmorhea, TX, which represented the majority of the genotypic diversity found in Texas watersheds. Although R. donacis developed on all three genotypes of the plant, the Austin A. donax genotype, followed by the Laredo genotype, were the most suitable in terms of the size of first-generation immature and adult scale populations that developed after crawler release. Both the Laredo and Austin genotypes of A. donax are likely to be of Spanish origin and are close genetic matches with scale's original host plant genotype in Alicante, Spain. In comparison, survival was lowest on the phylogenetically distant genotype of A. donax from Balmorhea, TX. Although the population size of settled, immature second-generation scales varied in a manner similar to that of the first generation, the fecundity of isolated first-generation females was not significantly different across the three plant genotypes, suggesting that R. donacis is not a genotype specialist in terms of nutrient assimilation for reproduction. Rather, differences in genotype suitability affect rates of success of crawler settling. These results indicate that selection of scale genotype from the native range may have a moderate influence on the success of R. donacis and ultimately the biological control programme.     

Serologic Characteristics of Glucokinases from Entamoeba histolytica and Related Species1

SYNOPSIS. An enzyme inhibition technic was employed for quantitative comparison of the serologic properties of glucokinases from 4 groups of amebas which are structurally indistinguishable species: Entamoeba histolytica, E. moshkovskii, E. invadens and E. terrapinae. Antiglucokinase was prepared by immunizing rabbits with crude extracts of DKB and Laredo strains of E. histolytica. The combination of amebal glucokinase and homologous antibody was a pseudoirreversible reaction. The inhibition was proportional to the amount of antibody until at least 60% of the enzyme was inhibited, and the inhibition was 96–92% in the region of antibody excess. The nature of the inhibition was uncompetitive with respect to substrate. The presence of substrate had no effect upon the inhibition. Anti-DKB glucokinase inhibited equally glucokinases from DKB, JH, K9, 200, NRS, BH, JI, F22, and N strains. Anti-Laredo glucokinase equally inhibited glucokinases from Laredo, Huff, JA, AG, and 403 strains; 2.5–2.9 times as much antiserum was required to produce the same degree of inhibition between antisera and strains of heterologous group as with homologous antigen. Anti-DKB and anti-Laredo glucokinases cross-reacted with the enzyme from E. moshkovskii, but not with enzymes from reptilian amebas. A new glucokinase-anti-glucokinase dissociation test was developed which provides a method for qualitative differentiation of antiglucokinase against DKB strain from anti-glucokinase against Laredo strain.     

Species-specific and cross-reactive antigens of Entamoeba

Specific and cross-reactive antigens were defined in four species of Entamoeba: invadens, moshkovskii, Laredo and histolytica strains HM1, HM3, HM38 and HK9. Among these species extensive common reactivities were observed by immunoblot. Eight E. histolytica antigenic markers were revealed after blocking common specificities with antigens of other Entamoeba species. A monoclonal antibody (mAb) defined two protein markers of E. histolytica, M, 29 and 25 kDa. The four strains of E. histolytica, which varied in virulence as determined by the development of liver abscesses in hamsters, showed the same antigenic patterns with the mAb and with polyclonal antibodies.     

Entamoeba Clone‐Recognition Experiments: Morphometrics,Aggregative Behavior,and Cell‐Signaling Characterization

Studies on clone‐ and kin‐discrimination in protists have proliferated during the past decade. We report clone‐recognition experiments in seven Entamoeba lineages (E. invadens IP‐1, E. invadens VK‐1:NS, E. terrapinae, E. moshkovskii Laredo, E. moshkovskii Snake, E. histolytica HM‐1:IMSS and E. dispar). First, we characterized morphometrically each clone (length, width, and cell‐surface area) and documented how they differed statistically from one another (as per single‐variable or canonical‐discriminant analyses). Second, we demonstrated that amebas themselves could discriminate self (clone) from different (themselves vs. other clones). In mix‐cell‐line cultures between closely‐related (E. invadens IP‐1 vs. E. invadens VK‐1:NS) or distant‐phylogenetic clones (E. terrapinae vs. E. moshkovskii Laredo), amebas consistently aggregated with same‐clone members. Third, we identified six putative cell‐signals secreted by the amebas (RasGap/Ankyrin, coronin‐WD40, actin, protein kinases, heat shock 70, and ubiquitin) and which known functions in Entamoeba spp. included: cell proliferation, cell adhesion, cell movement, and stress‐induced encystation. To our knowledge, this is the first multi‐clone characterization of Entamoeba spp. morphometrics, aggregative behavior, and cell‐signaling secretion in the context of clone‐recognition. Protists allow us to study cell–cell recognition from ecological and evolutionary perspectives. Modern protistan lineages can be central to studies about the origins and evolution of multicellularity.     

The Yuwipi Cult of the Oglala and Sicangu Teton Sioux

Abstract

The Yuwipi Cult of the Teton Sioux falls into the category of the Plains darkened room or darkened tent ceremonies involving monsters, usually diminutive. This type of ceremony with the tieing and subsequent freeing of the shaman by his personal spirits is old on the Plains but is also a circumpolar complex. A Woodland past, with some elements surviving from the even earlier southeastern home, is evident in various practices and artifacts connected with the cult.

The author takes issue with a previous statement that Yuwipi is like the Peyote cult marginal to the Teton religion. Rather, Yuwipi embodies all the basic elements of Teton cultism while peyotism lacks many of these.

A specific Yuwipi meeting is described in detail the preliminary arrangments with the shaman, sweat bath procedures, food preparation for the ceremony, preparation of the meeting room, as well as the altar and sacred area, scarification of volunteers, and finally the lightsout sessions of the Yuwipi ceremony.

It is concluded that, despite rrany stories of trickery common throughout the Sioux country, Yuwipi devotees continue to believe in the power of the Yuwipi men.     

Japanese monkey group translocation: Effects on seasonal breeding

A 150-member troop of Japanese monkeys (Macaca fuscata)was translocated from its temperate native habitat, near Kyoto, Japan, to a 42-ha enclosure near Laredo, Texas, in February 1972. The seasonal timing and distribution of 430 births recorded over the period 1954–1971 were compared to those of 186 births recorded in Texas from 1973 to 1979. Despite striking climatological and environmental differences between the pre- and the postranslocation sites, the timing of the birth season remaines unchanged, although the distribution of births was altered. These findings, considered in light of other published data on the seasonality of mating in macaques, suggest that a phenomenon akin to social drift may account for much of the intertroop variation that occurs.     

Heterogeneity of the ribosomal DNA episome in strains and species of Entamoeba

Ribosomal DNA sequences in several species of the genus Entamoeba are highly repeated and display restriction fragment-length polymorphism (RFLP), which has been used to identify species and differentiate strains. However, the continuous variability of the non-transcribed repeat sequences in the ribosomal episome hinders an accurate typification. Looking for more reliable markers, we used DNA probes containing conserved sequences in the ribosomal episome — coding regions for the 16S and 5.8S rRNAs and transcribed spacers flanking the rDNA sequences, and the coding region for the 3 end of the 26S rRNA — to analyse hybridization patterns from five cloned pathogenic strains of Entamoeba histoiytica, two strains of the also pathogenic Entamoeba invadens and the non-pathogenic Laredo strain of Entamoeba moshkovskii. Our results provide reliable bases for the differentation of clones, strains and species of Entamoeba and the reconstruction of E. histolytica episomes. Differences in the number and length of rDNA-containing DNA fragments, previously observed by other investigators and confirmed by us, can be better defined by the present analysis.     

Spatial and temporal variability of the benthic assemblages associated to the holdfasts of the kelp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Macrocystis pyrifera</Emphasis> in the Straits of Magellan,Chile

Macrocystis pyrifera (L.) C. Agardh is a characteristic macroalga in the Magellan region covering almost 30% of the shallow coastal waters. The focus of this study was to analyse the spatial and seasonal patterns in macrofauna communities associated to the holdfasts of Macrocystis pyrifera at two study sites in the Straits of Magellan, South Chile. In total, 114 species from 10 major taxa were isolated from the holdfasts. MDS clearly separated the holdfast fauna collected in different seasons, with autumn and winter collections being richer in terms of species richness and abundance as compared to the spring and summer situation. MDS also clearly separated the holdfast associated faunas of the two study sites, Bahía Laredo and Fuerte Bulnes. The community structure and species composition of the associated macro-invertebrates and vertebrates appeared rather heterogeneous, probably due to the extremely heterogeneous environmental conditions along the entire coastline of the Subantarctic Magellan region.     

Some spacing relations among the central males of a transplanted troop of Japanese macaques (Arashiyama west)

In February, 1972, a troop of 150 Japanese macaques was tranplanted from Kyoto, Japan, to Laredo, Texas, USA, after 20 years of study in Japan. As part of the general adaptation of the troop to its new environment, spacing behavior was observed in the central adult males [by independent rank, (1)Dai, (2)W, (3)Bus 62, and (4)Kojiwa 59]. Spot checks of locations, vertical space use, mobility patterns, and paths to and from a box of apples suggested that the major influences on spacing were rank, personality and history, social interactions, and several environmental factors (availability of vertical space, water, and shade, extreme heat, daily provisioning, etc).Dai exceeded the other males in use of vertical space, rate and distance of travel, and proximity to the apple box.W confined his high use of vertical space use primarily to one structure. His distance and rate of travel were low, and he maintained the greatest distance from the apple box.Bus 62 ranked second in use of vertical space, distance and rate of travel, and proximity to the apple box.Kojiwa 59 frequently changed sites in his use of vertical space. His distance and rate of travel were low, and he maintained long distances from the apple box.     

Studies on a Morphologically Distinct Colchicine-Resistant Variant of Entamoeba sp.*

Colchicine has a temperature-dependent cytotoxic effect on Entamoeba sp. (Laredo isolate) that is most apparent when the drug is applied during the initiation of cultures at a concentration of 7.5 mM or higher. Continued transfer of cultures in medium containing progressively increasing concentrations of colchicine has resulted in a variant that grows prolifically in the presence of colchicine (7.5 mM) with a generation time comparable to that of the parent stock. Comparison of a number of parameters of the 2 variants revealed that colchicine resistance was accompanied by a change in cell shape, a reduced membrane permeability, which could partially be overcome by the addition of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), and a reduced tolerance to osmotic stress. However, the parent strain and resistant variant were equally susceptible to cycloheximide and puromycin suggesting that the acquired colchicine resistance may not be explained on the basis of an entirely unspecific generalized reduced ability for drug uptake. Colchicine resistance and altered structure were found to be stable over a long period of time. The possible interdependence of these 2 parameters and their relation to cell motility in Entamoeba sp. are discussed.     

Trophic structure of shallow-water benthic communities in the sub-Antarctic Strait of Magellan

Trophic structure is among the most fundamental characteristics of an ecosystem since it is a useful way to determine the main energy flow at the ecosystem level. In the Magellan Strait, the local spatial heterogeneity at the shallow-waters ecosystems may have a great variety of potential food sources; however, knowledge about their biological communities and their structure is still unclear. We examined the trophic structure of shallow-water-mixed bottom communities at two sites in the sub-Antarctic Magellan Strait based on carbon (δ ¹³C) and nitrogen (δ ¹⁵N) stable isotope ratios. The benthic communities were composed of 46 species from 20 major taxa at Bahía Laredo (BL) and 55 species from 18 major taxa at Punta Santa Ana (PSA). Benthic macroalgae and organic matter associated with sediment are the major primary food sources at both sites. Although both sites are quite similar in their food sources and in their vertical trophic structure (≥three trophic levels), the food web structure varied distinctly. Functionally, predators and grazers dominated both communities, but top predators were shorebirds, carnivore anemones and predatory nemerteans at BL, and sea stars, shorebirds, crabs and fishes at PSA. The distinct differences in the trophic structure at BL and PSA highlight the important variability of δ ¹⁵N at the base of the benthic food web, the role of local environmental conditions and community dynamics in structuring shallow-water communities.

     

Serological Comparison of Selected Parasitic and Free-Living Amoebae in vitro,Using Diffusion-Precipitation and Fluorescent-Antibody Technics*

SYNOPSIS. The present study has been directed to a serological comparison of three closely similar species of Entamoeba: E. histolytica, E. invadens and E. moshkovskii, and two free-living soil amoebae: Hartmannella rhysodes and Mayorella palestinensis. Except for E. histolytica and E. moshkovskii, the other amoebae used here were grown axenically; this is the first report of the use of antigenic extracts from axenic cultures of parasitic amoebae. The method described here provides a potent antigen that elicits a good antibody titer and is generally applicable to both parasitic and free-living amoebae. Amoebae pooled from well-grown cultures were thoroughly washed, sonicated and mixed with Freund's Adjuvant; this antigenic preparation was injected into rabbits. Two subcutaneous injections were given at three-week intervals, and 2-3 weeks thereafter blood was withdrawn to obtain antiserum. Agar-gel diffusion, cellulose acetate paper and fluorescent antibody technics were used to test the antigen-antibody (Ag-Ab) reactions. Results of the Ag-Ab reactions can be summarized as follows: 1) The homologous Ag-Ab reaction was obtained in all cases tested. 2) There was no serological reaction between the parasitic and free-living amoebae tested. 3) There was a definite serological reaction between H. rhysodes and M. palestinensis. 4) Multiple antigens were found in E. invadens (PZ strain) and E. histolytica (DKB strain) when they were tested against anti-PZ serum and anti-DKB serum, respectively, and no reaction was found when the other test antigens were exposed to these two antisera in gel-diffusion tests. 5) With the fluorescent antibody technic, E. histolytica (Laredo strain), E. moshkovskii (DSR strain) and E. histolytica (DKB strain) showed some degree of serological reaction in descending order when they were stained with conjugated anti-E. invadens serum.     

Entamoeba histolytica: Collagenolytic Activity and Virulence1

Several axenic strains of pathogenic and nonpathogenic Entamoeba histolytica were tested for their capacity to digest native radioactive type I collagen gels and to produce liver abscesses when injected into the liver of newborn hamsters. The results demonstrate that the pathogenic strains of amebas (HM1:IMSS, HM3:IMSS, HM38:IMSS, and HK9) have a collagenolytic activity that closely correlates with their in vivo capacity to produce liver lesions. The nonpathogenic isolate (Laredo) did not show collagenolytic activity and failed to produce lesions in the liver of newborn hamsters. The results also demonstrate that type I collagen obtained from rodents and cats is degraded less by amebic collagenase than is bovine collagen, which is similar to human collagen. These findings suggest that species susceptibility to invasive infection may depend, among other factors, on the characteristics of the extracellular components of host tissues.     

Comparison of Soybean Tissue Extracted with Different Solvents

The enantioselective hydrolysis of (R,S)-3-acetoxymethyl-7,8-difluoro-2,3-dihydro-4H-[1,4]benzoxazine (I) with enzymes was investigated. Optically active I and its hydrolyzate, 7,8-difluoro-2,3-dihydro-3-hydroxymethyl-4H-[1,4]benzoxazine (II), are the intermediates for preparing optically active ofloxacins, whose racemate is known to be an excellent antibacterial agent. Lipoprotein lipase from Pseudomonas fluorescens (LPL Amano 3) was found to predominantly hydrolyze (S)-I, giving (R)-I in 54% e.e. and (R)-II in 44% e.e. On the other hand, lipase from Candida cylindracea was found to predominantly hydrolyze (R)-I, giving (S)-I in 24% e.e. and (S)-II in 20% e.e. Since, the optical purities of I and II thus obtained were not particularly high, these optically active I and II were converted into 3-acetoxymethyl-7,8-difluoro-2,3-dihydro-4-(3,5-dinitrobenzoyl)-4H-[1,4]benzoxazine (IV). After recrystallizing IV from ethyl acetate-hexane, (S)- and (R)-II were obtained with high enantiomeric excess by removing the crystallized racemic IV and subsequently hydrolyzing the resulting optically active IV with alkali. The reduction of II afforded 7,8-difluoro-2,3-dihydro-3-methyl-4H-[1,4]benzoxazine (III), for which the optical purity was estimated to be >96%e.e. by HPLC analysis. (R)- and (S)-ofloxacin were prepared from (R)- and (S)-III with retention of their configuration.     

Nomenclatural changes in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Lithospermum</Emphasis> (Boraginaceae) and related taxa following a reassessment of phylogenetic relationships

Lithospermum (Boraginaceae) comprises approximately 40 species in both the Old and New Worlds, with a center of diversity in the southwestern United States and Mexico. Using ten cpDNA regions, a phylogeny of Lithospermum and related taxa was reconstructed. Lithospermum (including New World and Old World species) and related New World members of Lithospermeae form a monophyletic group, with Macromeria, Onosmodium, Nomosa, Lasiarrhenum, and Psilolaemus nested among species of Lithospermum. New World Lithospermeae also is a monophyletic group, with Eurasian species of Lithospermum sister to this group. Because Lithospermum is not monophyletic without the inclusion of the other New World genera, species from these genera are transferred to Lithospermum, and appropriate nomenclatural changes are made. New combinations are Lithospermum album, Lithospermum barbigerum, Lithospermum dodrantale, Lithospermum exsertum, Lithospermum helleri, Lithospemum leonotis, Lithospermum notatum, Lithospermum oaxacanum, Lithospermum pinetorum, Lithospermum rosei, Lithospermum trinverium, and Lithospermum unicum; new names are Lithospermum chiapense, Lithospermum johnstonii, Lithospermum macromeria, Lithospermum onosmodium, Lithospermum rzedowskii, and Lithospermum turneri.     

基本药物制度实施与乡镇卫生院补偿机制转变

目的 了解乡镇卫生院各项收支及药品补偿状况,探讨基本药物制度实施后,取消药品加成对乡镇卫生院的影响。方法 收集华东三省49家乡镇卫生院财务及药品收支数据,对定量资料进行统计分析。结果 乡镇卫生院主要的补偿渠道依然是药品收入,乡镇卫生院收入增长主要归因于增加药品收入。在财政补助收入大幅增加的情况下,乡镇卫生院对药品收入的依赖程度有所降低。结论 基本药物制度的实施对乡镇卫生院的平稳运行有影响,可采取加强财政补助、建立综合补偿机制、遏制药品价格虚高等措施保证乡镇卫生院在改革中的平稳运行。     

Preparation of Optically Active 2-Aminobutanoic Acid via Optical Resolution by Replacing Crystallization

An attempt was made to use a simple procedure to obtain (R)- and (S)-2-aminobutanoic acids [(R)- and (S)-1] which are non-proteinogenic α-amino acids and are useful as chiral reagents in asymmetric syntheses. Compound (RS)-1 p-toluenesulfonate [(RS)-2], which is known to exist as a conglomerate, was optically resolved by replacing crystallization with (R)- and (S)-methionine p-toluenesulfonate [(R)- and (S)-3] as optically active co-solutes. When (S)-3 was employed as the co-solute, (R)-2 was preferentially crystallized from a supersaturated solution of (RS)-2 in 1-propanol, as was (S)-2 in the presence of (R)-3. (R)- and (S)-2 recrystallized from 1-propanol were treated with triethylamine in methanol to give (R)- and (S)-1 in optically pure forms.