The mouths of earth: The dialectical allegories of the Kwakiutl Indians

Summary The profane condition, baxus, is generated as the antithesis of the primordial myth-state by the great transformations. Differentiation of the mutually predatory kinds of creatures, and the increase of their number, unfolds within a temporal frame created by introducing into the world, the concrete opposites of primordial of darkness, wind and water omnipresent in the myth-state. A predominantly coordinate hierarchy among the mythic protokinds turns into obligatory antagonisms among the profane kinds (of baxus). Special individuals, successors of animal and human Ancestors, are set apart to carry the diminished aura of mythic quasi-oneness through time by means of supernatural communions. Within the human social order, this is the religious origin of caste: the presumed limitation on the communions of men and spirits diminishes the communions of men; special privilege, in economy as in ceremony, is thus conferred upon the spiritually blessed.The antagonism and power asymmetry in baxus impels it always toward the dissolution of its diversity, i.e., toward tsetseqa, manifest as winter. The resurrection of baxus, and summer, out of tsetseqa, on the other hand, is miraculous and ultimately ineffable. Kwakiutls presume that something is contributed to this end by the ritual taming of the Baxbakualanuxsiwae. But in the end, it seems, they cede the mystery of regeneration to him alone: Nobody can imitate your dance... great magician...Vernon Kobrinsky is Associate Professor in the Department of Anthropology, The University of Calgary, Canada.     

Annulate lamellae in hindgut epithelial cells ofIsopoda

Summary Hindgut epithelial cells of the aquatic isopod,Asellus communis, and the terrestrial isopod,Armadillidium vulgare, possess annulate lamellae. The organelle is present in non-dividing cells of intermolt adult organisms. The lamellae exhibit dense pore areas traversed by diaphragms, and the lamellae are associated with elements of endoplasmic reticulum.This research was supported in part by a grant to E. R. Witkus from the Irene Heinz and John La Porte Given Foundation.     

Photophosphorylation and related properties of reaggregated vesicles from spinach Photosystem I particles

The small Photosystem I particles prepared from spinach chloroplasts by the action of Triton X-100 (TSF 1 particles) reaggregate into membrane structures when they are incubated with soybean phospholipids and cholate and then subjected to a slow dialysis. The membranes so formed are vesicular in nature and show the capability of catalyzing phenazine methosulfate-mediated cyclic photophosphorylalation at rates which are usually about 20% of those observed with chloroplasts, but higher rates have been obtained. When coupling factor is removed from the chloroplasts by treatment with EDTA, a requirement for coupling factor can be shown for the subsequent ATP formation. The uncouplers carbonylcyanide 3-chlorophenyl-hydrazone, valinomycin, Triton X-100 and NH⁺₄ are effective with the reformed vesicles, which do not show the typical light-induced pH gradient observed with chloroplasts. Incubation of the TSF 1 particles with phospholipids alone allows for the formation of membrane vesicles, but such vesicles are only slightly active in ATP formation. In most properties investigated, the reformed membrane vesicles resemble the original chloroplast membrane so far as phenazine methosulfate-mediated cyclic photophosphorylation is concerned, which indicates a high degree of selectivity in the reaggregation process. The major difference between chloroplasts and the reformed vesicles is the failure of the latter to show a light-induced pH gradient.     

Electrostatics of the FeS clusters in respiratory complex I

Respiratory complex I couples the transfer of electrons from NADH to ubiquinone and the translocation of protons across the mitochondrial membrane. A detailed understanding of the midpoint reduction potentials (E_m) of each redox center and the factors which influence those potentials are critical in the elucidation of the mechanism of electron transfer in this enzyme. We present accurate electrostatic interaction energies for the iron-sulfur (FeS) clusters of complex I to facilitate the development of models and the interpretation of experiments in connection to electron transfer (ET) in this enzyme. To calculate redox titration curves for the FeS clusters it is necessary to include interactions between clusters, which in turn can be used to refine E_m values and validate spectroscopic assignments of each cluster. Calculated titration curves for clusters N4, N5, and N6a are discussed. Furthermore, we present some initial findings on the electrostatics of the redox centers of complex I under the influence of externally applied membrane potentials. A means of determining the location of the FeS cofactors within the holo-complex based on electrostatic arguments is proposed. A simple electrostatic model of the protein/membrane system is examined to illustrate the viability of our hypothesis.     

Scanning electron microscopy of the air bladder in the spotted gar,Lepisosteus occulatus

The surface of the gar respiratory epithelium was examined by scanning electron microscopy. Nonciliated and ciliated cells constitute the epithelium. Puffs appear to be an unusual feature of the ciliated cells as well as nonciliated cells. There appears to be a transition from nonciliated to puff ciliated cells through a puff stage. The role of the cell types as related to oxygen available in the air bladder is discussed.     

A Call for More Nuanced Dialogues About Trophy Hunting

Reported effects of trophy harvest often are controversial. The subject is nuanced and many studies lack details necessary to place their results in context. Consequently, many studies are misunderstood or their conclusions misapplied. We propose that all dialogues about trophy hunting include a definition of how they use the term trophy, details of variables measured and why they were selected, and explanations of temporal and spatial scales employed. Only with these details can potential effects of trophy hunting be understood in context and used for management and policy decisions. © 2021 The Wildlife Society.     

RNA localization in Xenopus oocytes uses a core group of trans-acting factors irrespective of destination

The 3′ untranslated region of mRNA encoding PHAX, a phosphoprotein required for nuclear export of U-type snRNAs, contains cis-acting sequence motifs E2 and VM1 that are required for localization of RNAs to the vegetal hemisphere of Xenopus oocytes. However, we have found that PHAX mRNA is transported to the opposite, animal, hemisphere. A set of proteins that cross-link to the localization elements of vegetally localized RNAs are also cross-linked to PHAX and An1 mRNAs, demonstrating that the composition of RNP complexes that form on these localization elements is highly conserved irrespective of the final destination of the RNA. The ability of RNAs to bind this core group of proteins is correlated with localization activity. Staufen1, which binds to Vg1 and VegT mRNAs, is not associated with RNAs localized to the animal hemisphere and may determine, at least in part, the direction of RNA movement in Xenopus oocytes.