Name in the Kohau Rongorongo script (Easter Island)

Many interpretations of the undeciphered Kohau Rongorongo script of Easter Island have been proposed, but nowadays only the suggestion about a genealogy on the Small Santiago Tablet offered by Yuri Knorosov and Nikolai Butinov in 1956 seems to be trusted. The paper seeks answers on two controversial questions related to this suggestion: What is the function of sign 076? And why the a possessive marker is absent there? Three Kohau Rongorongo texts represent name lists, supposedly, of either defeated and sacrificed enemies or newborns. Structural analysis of the tablets shows that some signs, which frequently appear in a certain position in the names, may be titles. Many names are complemented with possible titles, others are not. The genealogy consists of six names marked by the same title, which follow a passage free of names. Probably, this passage is inserted into the name list and refers to the most prominent person mentioned. The proposed suggestions indicate that Kohau Rongorongo texts served as an important media of sociopolitical integration.Si plusieurs interprétations de l’écriture encore indéchiffrée de l’île de Pâques (Kohau Rongorongo) ont été proposées, aujourd’hui seule la suggestion faite par Yuri Knorosov et Nikolai Butinov, que la tablette Small Santiago contient une généalogie, semble acceptée. L’article tente de répondre à deux questions controversées liées à cette suggestion : quelle est la fonction du signe 076 ? Et pourquoi le marqueur de la possession a est-il absent ? Trois textesen kohau rongorongo sont des listes de noms, que l’on suppose être des noms soit d’ennemis vaincus ou sacrifiés soit de nouveau-nés. L’analyse structurale des tablettes révèle que certains signes, qui apparaissent souvent à une place déterminée dans les noms, pourraient être des titres. De nombreux noms sont assortis de titres potentiels, d’autres ne le sont pas. La généalogie est composée de six noms marqués par le même titre et se réfère à la personne la plus éminente. Les suggestions proposées indiquent que les textes en kohau rongorongo servaient à l’intégration sociopolitique

Cytochrome bd oxidase from Escherichia coli displays high catalase activity: An additional defense against oxidative stress

AbstractCytochrome bd oxygen reductase from Escherichia coli has three hemes, b558, b595 and d. We found that the enzyme, as-prepared or in turnover with O2, rapidly decomposes H2O2 with formation of approximately half a mole of O2 per mole of H2O2. Such catalase activity vanishes upon cytochrome bd reduction, does not compete with the oxygen-reductase activity, is insensitive to NO, CO, antimycin-A and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), but is inhibited by cyanide (Ki ∼2.5μM) and azide. The activity, possibly associated with heme-b595, was also observed in catalase-deficient E. coli cells following cytochrome bd over-expression suggesting a protective role against oxidative stress in vivo

An overlooked image on the Hoa-haka-nana‘ia stone statue from Easter Island in the British Museum

The Hoa-haka-nanaʻia stone statue in the British Museum in London is one of the most well-known specimens of pre-contact Rapa Nui art. An important object of the tangata manu (birdman) cult, it was originally situated at the ceremonial village of ‘Orongo. It is famous for the designs of two birdmen, a manutara (sooty tern), ‘ao (ceremonial paddles), and komari (vulva) symbols carved on its back and painted with bright colors. This paper is dedicated to the documentation and analysis of a hitherto unrecognized image carved on statue’s front torso. The image is described, tentatively drawn, and analyzed for the first time, and is defined as an “atypical” birdman, which grasps an egg in its extended hand without fingers, is crowned with feathers, and has a long hooked beak holding one more egg. Several komari symbols and other unclear designs may surround this figure. The image is badly obliterated. Its “pecking and abrading” method of carving differs from the method of carving used for the dorsal designs. Tentatively defined stylistic traits of the birdman carved on the statue’s front are different from the two birdmen of the late phase on its back and permit us to potentially date the frontal image to earlier times. The finding opens the question of multiple re-use of this unique statue and its exceptional role in the birdman cult

A seemingly on-going sound change in Takuu language of Papua New Guinea: historical and theoretical implications

Davletshin Albert. A seemingly on-going sound change in Takuu language of Papua New Guinea: historical and theoretical implications [Электронный ресурс] / Albert Davletshin// Вопросы языкового родства. - 2014. - № 12. - С. 1-19. - (Вестник РГГУ : научный журнал. Серия "Филологические науки. Языкознание" ; № 16). - ил

A seemingly on-going sound change in Takuu language of Papua New Guinea: historical and theoretical implications

Davletshin Albert. A seemingly on-going sound change in Takuu language of Papua New Guinea: historical and theoretical implications [Электронный ресурс] / Albert Davletshin// Вопросы языкового родства. - 2014. - № 12. - С. 1-19. - (Вестник РГГУ : научный журнал. Серия "Филологические науки. Языкознание" ; № 16). - ил

Cytochrome bd oxidase from Escherichia coli displays high catalase activity: An additional defense against oxidative stress

Cytochrome bd oxygen reductase from Escherichia coli has three hemes, b(558), b(595) and d. We found that the enzyme, as-prepared or in turnover with O-2, rapidly decomposes H2O2 with formation of approximately half a mole of O-2 per mole of H2O2. Such catalase activity vanishes upon cytochrome bd reduction, does not compete with the oxygen-reductase activity, is insensitive to NO, CO, antimycin-A and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), but is inhibited by cyanide (K-i similar to 2.5 mu M) and azide. The activity, possibly associated with heme-b(595), was also observed in catalase-deficient E. coli cells following cytochrome bd over-expression suggesting a protective role against oxidative stress in vivo. (C) 2013 Federation of European Biochemical Societies. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Cytochrome bd oxygen reductase from Escherichia coli has three hemes, b558, b595 and d. We found that the enzyme, as-prepared or in turnover with O2, rapidly decomposes H2O2 with formation of approximately half a mole of O2 per mole of H2O2. Such catalase activity vanishes upon cytochrome bd reduction, does not compete with the oxygen-reductase activity, is insensitive to NO, CO, antimycin-A and N-ethylmaleimide (NEM), but is inhibited by cyanide (Ki ~2.5μM) and azide. The activity, possibly associated with heme-b595, was also observed in catalase-deficient E. coli cells following cytochrome bd over-expression suggesting a protective role against oxidative stress in viv