Archaeological Survey and Testing in San Pedro Park (41BX19), San Antonio, Texas

In April 1998, staff from the Center for Archaeological Research (CAR) of The University of Texas at San Antonio completed a pedestrian survey and a series of 44 shovel tests and two backhoe trenches in San Pedro Park, in San Antonio, Texas. The project was required to evaluate the potential for significant historic (including a Spanish Colonial dam and acequia) and prehistoric cultural deposits in areas to be impacted by a plan to renovate the park, including the rebuilding of a swimming pool. The shovel tests showed that the majority of the area to be impacted by renovation was already disturbed. Areas which appear to retain undisturbed cultural deposits were identified. One backhoe trench found that the Spanish Colonial dam was probably destroyed by early twentieth-century renovations

Substrate control in stereoselective lanthionine biosynthesis.

Enzymes are typically highly stereoselective catalysts that enforce a reactive conformation on their native substrates. We report here a rare example in which the substrate controls the stereoselectivity of an enzyme-catalysed Michael-type addition during the biosynthesis of lanthipeptides. These natural products contain thioether crosslinks formed by a cysteine attack on dehydrated Ser and Thr residues. We demonstrate that several lanthionine synthetases catalyse highly selective anti-additions in which the substrate (and not the enzyme) determines whether the addition occurs from the re or si face. A single point mutation in the peptide substrate completely inverted the stereochemical outcome of the enzymatic modification. Quantum mechanical calculations reproduced the experimentally observed selectivity and suggest that conformational restraints imposed by the amino-acid sequence on the transition states determine the face selectivity of the Michael-type cyclization

Early life-history studies of nearshore rockfishes and lingcod off Central California, 1987-92

This study focused on the physical and biological processes that influence the distribution, abundance, growth, and survival of young-of-the-year (YOY) rockfishes and lingcod along the central California coast. The annual somatic and reproductive condition of adult female blue rockfish corresponded to annual upwelling. Resulting larval production may correspond to the reproductive potential of adults; however, ultimate recruitment success of YOY is also effected by oceanographic conditions during their planktonic stage. Within a year, each species of settled YOY was observed concurrently and in relatively similar abundances at all study dive sites along the central coast. Most species of YOY exhibited similar growth patterns among stations and years. We found a high degree of interannual variability in the condition of adults and relative abundances of YOY. We believe a large part of this variability is due to annual oceanographic conditions, specifically upwelling. Marine reserves, which would protect populations of reproductively mature rockfishes and lingcod and insure 1arval production, have been suggested as an alternative to present management strategies for these species. However, a crucial question is whether or not larvae from adult fish in reserves would significantly contribute to replenishing stocks in other areas. This study was undertaken to assist in determining the feasibility of reserves to enhance nearshore rockfish and lingcod populations. (78pp.

High Resolution Spectroscopy and Spectropolarimetry of some late F-/early G-type sun-like stars as targets for Zeeman Doppler imaging

High resolution spectroscopy and spectropolarimetry have been undertaken at the Anglo-Australian Telescope in order to identify suitable targets for magnetic studies of young sun-like stars, for the proxy study of early solar evolution. This study involved the investigation of some variable late F-/early G-type sun-like stars originally identified by the Hipparcos mission. Of the 38 stars observed for this study, HIP 31021, HIP 64732, HIP 73780 were found to be spectroscopic binary stars while HIP 19072, HIP 67651 and HIP 75636 are also likely to be binaries while HIP 33111 could even be a triple system. Magnetic fields were detected on a number of the survey stars: HIP 21632, HIP 43720, HIP 48770, HIP 62517, HIP 71933, HIP 77144, HIP 89829, HIP 90899 and HIP 105388, making these stars good candidates for follow-up Zeeman Doppler imaging studies.Comment: 16 pages, 16 figures, 4 tables Accepted for publication in PAS

Archaeological and Historical Investigations at Rancho de las Cabras, 41WN30, Wilson County, Texas: Fourth Season

During the month of July, 1983, the Center for Archaeological Research conducted a fourth season of excavations at Rancho de las Cabras (41 WN30) near Floresville, Texas. Eleven excavation units were completed in the east part of the compound. Details of the construction of the south wall of Room 3 and the southeast portion of the compound wall were recorded. A trench for a palisade-type fence was located and followed out in the vicinity of the original northeast wall section. The fence was probably constructed for use in small livestock raising during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Additionally, interviews with local informants were conducted to collect information about the history of the ranch

Archaeological and Historical Investigations at Rancho de las Cabras, 41WN30, Wilson County, Texas: Fourth Season

During the month of July, 1983, the Center for Archaeological Research conducted a fourth season of excavations at Rancho de las Cabras (41 WN30) near Floresville, Texas. Eleven excavation units were completed in the east part of the compound. Details of the construction of the south wall of Room 3 and the southeast portion of the compound wall were recorded. A trench for a palisade-type fence was located and followed out in the vicinity of the original northeast wall section. The fence was probably constructed for use in small livestock raising during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Additionally, interviews with local informants were conducted to collect information about the history of the ranch

Archaeological Monitoring of the HEB-GSA Parking Lot: Impacts to the San Pedro Acequia

In October, 1997, the Center for Archaeological Research of The Univeristy of Texas at San Antonio monitored parking lot construction activities at the Federal Center (4IBX622), part of the old United States Arsenal, in downtown San Antonio, Texas. The new parking lot, being constructed by H. E. Butt Grocery Company on land leased from the General Services Adminstration, will impact a section of the San Pedro Acequia which runs beneath an existing parking lot in the same location. The monitoring of these activities documented two sections of the acequia and corrected previous projections of the acequia\u27s route. It is CAR\u27s recommendation that the monitoring and documentation project has mitigated any adverse effects to the acequia.

Lost and Found: (Re)-Placing Say Ka in the La Milpa Suburban Settlement Pattern

The site of Say Ka, less than 4 km from the major center of La Milpa, has generated a large degree of interest among researchers in northwestern Belize in part because of its elusiveness. After being recorded by archaeologists in 1990, Say Ka was lost ; attempts to relocate it failed for nearly a decade (Figure I). It was fortuitously rediscovered in 1999, and three seasons of excavation began in 2004. This paper considers the history of Say Ka, its rediscovery, the results of initial excavations, and the possible implications of this minor center for studying the La Milpa suburban zone

Review of Outcome Information in 46,XX Patients with Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia Assigned/Reared Male: What Does It Say about Gender Assignment?

There is ample historical verification of 46,XX congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) patients being born with essentially male genitaliawhile outcome information is scant. Prior to glucocorticoid therapy, most patients died very young from adrenal insufficiency. Most available reports from laterchildhood, contain little information concerning sexual identity. Reports on older individuals lack adequate information about sexual identity and quality of life. The difficulty in assessing the relative impact of multiple dynamic environmental factors on the development of sexual identity, self- and body esteem and overall adjustment to life is clear. Nevertheless, it remains unclear whether those infants whose masculine genitalia at birth resulted in an initial male assignment would have enjoyed a better adult outcome had they been allowed to remain male rather than the female reassignment that most received. Further, one could ask whether a male sex of rearing should be considered in 46,XX CAH infants with male external genitalia. After reviewing available literature, we conclude that because those extremely virlized 46,XX CAH patients who were reared male with healthy social support demonstrated satisfactory levels of social and sexual function as adults a male sex assignment should be considered in these types of infants when social and cultural environment are supportive