Olive Pink and the Encounter with the Academy

Olive Pink studied anthropology at the University of Sydney under Professor A.P. Elkin. Although she did fieldwork among the Northern Aranda and Wailbri of Central Australia, she became disenchanted with anthropology and lived a reclusive life in Alice Springs. In this paper I present a brief outline of her life, particularly during the 1930's I point to the problems she encountered and suggested that she needs to be relocated within her discipline.     

Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata) social development: Sex differences in Juvenile behavior

We have quantitatively documented the development of sex differences in the behavior of juvenile Japanese macaques (1 to 2 years of age). Mothers treated their offspring differently by sex, i.e., mothers of males broke contact with them more frequently than did mothers of females. Juvenile males played more, and mounted other macaques more frequently; juvenile females groomed their mothers more and were also punished by other group members more frequently than were males. Males showed a pattern of decreasing interactions with their mothers, but females increased the frequency of their maternal interactions. These patterns appear to presage the life histories of the sexes. However, comparisons with other species of nonhuman primates indicate that although sex differences in behavior are common, the variability among species severely limits cross-specific generalizations.     

Social behavior of infant and mother Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata): Effects of kinship,partner sex,and infant sex

The behavioral interactions of 22 infant and mother Japanese macaques with other group members were studied. Focal-animal observations were made from the time of each infant’s birth until 1 year of age. Infants and mothers both displayed exceedingly strong preferences for associating with matrilineal kin and, specifically, for female kin. The degree of genetic relatedness was positively correlated with levels of spatial proximity, contact, grooming, aggression, and play. Overall frequencies of interactions with nonkin were very low, and partner sex was not an important factor in interactions with nonkin. There were no significant differences between male and female infants in interactions with kin versus nonkin. There was only one significant difference between male and female infants in interactions with males versus females: female infants showed stronger preferences for initiating proximity with females over males than did male infants. Because mothers provide the focal point for infant interactions during the first year of life, we compared the behavior of infants and mothers. Mothers were the recipients of more social interactions than were infants, mothers engaged in more grooming than did infants, and infants engaged in more social play than did mothers. These findings are only partially consistent with kin-selection theory, and the inadequacies of studying matrilineal kin discrimination to test kin selection are reviewed. The near-absence of infant sex differences in associations with social partners suggests that although maternal kin other than the mother are important to infant socialization, they probably do not contribute to the development of behavioral sex differences until after the first year of life.     

Development of partner preferences in Japanese Macaques (Macaca fuscata): Effects of gender and kinship during the second year of life

Quantitative data are presented on the effects of subject sex, partner sex,and kinship on the social interactions of 18 juveniles of the Oregon troop of Japanese macaques (Macaca fuscata).Data on these subjects as infants were also used to detail maturational changes in partner sex preferences. Nine males and nine females, whose multiparous mothers represented a cross section of dominance ranks, were observed using a focal-animal technique. Juveniles of both sexes engaged in more proximity, contact, grooming, mounting, aggression, and social play with kin than with nonkin partners. They initiated less contact with females and more contact with males during their second year. They initiated more grooming and aggression during their second year than their first year, with females displaying a strong preference for grooming females and males specifically aggressing males more during the second year. Aggression was higher between same-sexed partners than between opposite-sexed partners. Males engaged in more social interactions with males during the second year than the first year of life. Males played more than females during both years. Males played more with males during the second year than the first year, and males played with males more than did females during the second year. We conclude that sex differences in behavioral frequencies become evident during the first year of life, and sex differences in partner preferences emerge during the second year of life.     

Immunoelectron microscopic localization of alpha-actinin and actin in embryonic hamster heart cells

Myofibrillogenesis in developing cardiac cells of the Syrian hamster from early embryonic stages through newborn was studied by electron microscopy, immunofluorescence microscopy and immunoelectron microscopy. alpha-Actinin and actin were localized at light and electron microscopic levels in embryonic heart cells which had been fixed in a periodate-lysine-paraformaldehyde or a glutaraldehyde-formaldehyde mixture, and embedded in Lowicryl K4M. Indirect staining methods were used for immunofluorescence staining of thick sections and immunoferritin staining of thin sections. The earliest evidence of myofibrillogenesis in embryonic myocardial cells was the presence of many randomly arranged thin (6 nm) filaments and a few scattered thick filaments (15 nm) near the plasma membrane. alpha-Actinin was detected in a semi-continuous, diffuse layer in some portions of the cell just beneath the plasma membrane in association with the filamentous collections. Later in development, alpha-actinin coalesced into Z-plaques at the membrane as the filaments arranged into parallel arrays. Actin was localized in the thin filaments as expected. In later stages of development, alpha-actinin was observed at the Z-lines and intercalated discs of the mature myofibrils while actin was localized at both the I-band and Z-line. Our results suggest that myofibrillogenesis is initiated at the plasma membrane and that Z-plaques are precursors of myofibrillar Z-bands and may serve as organizing centers for myofibrillogenesis in developing cardiomyocytes.     

Kinetic studies on the chymotrypsin Aα-catalyzed hydrolysis of a series of N-acetyl-l-phenylalanyl peptides

A series of N-acetyl-l-phenylalanyl peptides of general formula Ac-Phe-(Gly)_n-NH₂ (n = 0–2) has been synthesized to study the effect of leaving group chain length on the efficiency of chymotrypsin A_α amidase and peptidase activities. The effect upon catalysis of hydrophobic side chains on the leaving group was investigated using similar substrates with one of the glycine residues selectively substituted by an alanine residue as in AcPheAlaNH₂, AcPheAlaGlyNH₂, and AcPheGlyAlaNH₂. Values of k_cat and K_m have been obtained from kinetic measurements at pH 8.00 and 25 °C. The results are shown to be consistent with binding schemes postulated from published model building studies. The catalytic reactions were studied over a range of temperature (15–35 °C) and in each case the Arrhenius law was obeyed. It was thus possible to obtain meaningful values for the thermodynamic functions of activation for the acylation step of the catalytic reaction. The results are shown to confirm the findings of postulated binding schemes but indicate that conclusions drawn from kinetic measurements at a single temperature may sometimes be misleading.     

Incidence of antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli in milk produced in the west of Scotland

Antibiotic-resistant Esch. coli were found in 10.6% of milk samples collected from 998 farms in the west of Scotland. The incidence of both Esch. coli and antibiotic-resistant Esch. coli in milk was higher when the cattle were housed day and night than when they were outdoors. Of the 1125 Esch. coli isolates tested 22.2% were antibiotic resistant and of these 42.4% were resistant to more than one antibiotic. Escherichia coli carrying up to six resistance determinants were isolated. The possible implications to animal and human health are discussed.     

Peroxide oxidation of primary alcohols to aldehydes by chloroperoxidase catalysis

Chloroperoxidase catalyzes the peroxidation of primary alcohols, specifically those that are allylic, propargylic, or benzylic. Aldehydes are the products. The reaction dislays appreciable activity throughout the entire pH range investigated, namely pH 3.0–7.0. This enzyme is the only haloperoxidase of four tested capable of carrying out the reaction. These results further establish chloroperoxidase as a unique haloperoxidase.     

Detection and enumeration of virulent Yersinia enterocolitica in food by DNA colony hybridization.

A portion of a 44-megadalton plasmid found in Yersinia enterocolitica 8081 was used as a genetic probe to differentiate virulent and nonvirulent strains of the species. A DNA colony hybridization technique was employed. Three BamHI restriction endonuclease fragments labeled with 32P by nick translation were hybridized to lysed colonies of pure cultures, mixtures of virulent and nonvirulent cells, and portions of a food sample artificially contaminated with virulent Y. enterocolitica. The results of the colony hybridization test for virulence were the same as those obtained by the autoagglutination and suckling mouse tests. DNA colony hybridization detects pathogenic Y. enterocolitica in foods without the need for enrichment or pure cultures.     

Purification and characteristics of an endogenous alpha-amylase inhibitor from barley kernels

An inhibitor of malted barley (Hordeum vulgare cv Conquest) α-amylase II was purified 125-fold from a crude extract of barley kernels by (NH₄)₂SO₄ fractionation, ion exchange chromatography on DEAE-Sephacel, and gel filtration on Bio-Gel P 60. The inhibitor was a protein with an approximate molecular weight of 20,000 daltons and an isoelectric point of 7.3. The protein was homogeneous, as assessed by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Amino acid analysis indicated the presence of about 9 half-cystine residues per mole. The neutral isoelectric point of the inhibitor suggested that some of the apparently acidic residues (glutamic and aspartic) existed in the amide form. The first twenty N-terminal amino acids were sequenced. Some homology appeared to exist between the α-amylase II inhibitor and trypsin inhibitor from barley. Complex formation between α-amylase II and the inhibitor was detected by the appearance of a new molecular weight species after gel filtration on Bio-Gel P 100. Enzyme and inhibitor had to be preincubated for 5 min, prior to assaying for enzyme activity before maximum inhibition was attained. Inhibition increased at higher pH values. At pH 5.5, an approximately 1100 molar excess of inhibitor over α-amylase II produced 40% inhibition, whereas, at pH 8.0, a 1:1 molar ratio of inhibitor to enzyme produced the same degree of inhibition.