Metallic elements, whose chemistries have been viewed traditionally as inorganic, play central roles in catalysis by metallo-enzymes and in energy transduction in vivo. Zinc ion is among the most abundant occurring in enzymes, especially in those promoting substitution reactions, and its role is illustrated with the example of carboxypeptidase A and its biomimics. Oxidation reduction chemistry is controlled in many organisms by heme proteins in which iron is the key element. Cytochromes P450 are discussed to illustrate the roles of the heme proteins. Essential elements of coordination chemistry, and of iron and heme protein chemistry are presented to provide a basis for understanding.
The intimate relationship between rational drug design and mechanistic enzymology is illustrated using a range of examples taken from the current literature.
Nanometer-size metal particles attached to catalyst supports make up the most important class of
industrial catalysts, and are vital to our fuel, textile, chemical, and environmental protection
industries. How these interesting materials are produced and learning how they work is a
fascinating topic, and is well-suited for classroom instruction. One approach is to prepare the
nanometer particles by adding one atom at a time at low temperatures, using metal vaporization
techniques. These and other recent experiments have shed light on detailed functions of the
particles. Especially by studying bi-metallic systems, electronic and ensemble (geometric) effects
have been clarified. In addition, strong-support-metal-interactions (SMSI) may be explained by
geometric "decoration" effects. Thus, morphology is extremely important. Recent experiments
on platinum-tin particles will be briefly reviewed. Studies in this area are leading the way in the
new field of nanotechnology.
Recent developments in organic chemistry and biochemistry are shown as examples with which
the classroom teacher can illustrate the main priniciple of catalysis, that catalysts stabilize
transition states. Included are host-guest chemistry and molecular recognition leading to self-replication; biomimetic chemistry leading to artificial enzymes; abzymes or catalytic antibodies;
agents that lead to the self-destruction of DNA; and ribozymes, or catalytic ribonucleic acids.
The population of Sceloporus undulatus occupying the vast sand dune area of part of the ancient
Cabeza de Vaca Basin of north-central Chihuahua, Mexico, belongs to the terrestrial consobrinus
exerge, and is distinguished readily from its geographically closest described relative, S. u.
consobrinus, by its late-developing, discrete semeions, not black-bordered, in males; the usual
absence of scattered, black pigmentation ventrally in both sexes; usually a brightly striped dorsal
pattern; much reduced or no paravertebral dark spots, usually replaced by a line; a marked
seasonal variation in intensity of dorsal pigmentation in both sexes; dorsals usually (88%) 35-39;
gular semeions usually (79%) separated medially. It is named S. u. speari in honor of Norman E.
Spear, Distinguished Professor of Psychology at the State University of New York at
Binghamton.
Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster) were studied in ungrazed tallgrass prairie on the Konza
Prairie Research Natural Area near Manhattan, Kansas in 1984-1987. Prairie voles on our
topographically diverse site demonstrated a nonrandom association with topography as upland
prairie was preferred over lowland and slope prairie. Preference for upland was highly consistent
among male and female residents and nonresidents, however, absolute strengths of the preference
for upland did differ among years and among sex-residency classes. For example, female
residents were associated more strongly with upland prairie than were male residents, whereas
male residents were more likely to be captured in lowland prairie than were female residents.
Patterns of use of the three topographic positions also were more variable between years and
between males and females for nonresidents than residents. The latter difference was consistent
with nonresidents, in part, being dispersing voles that were moving through less than optimal
habitat in their search for permanent home sites..
Specimens of southwestern cupgrass (Eriochloa acuminata (C. Presl)
Kunth var. acuminata) were
collected in Ellis County, Kansas, in 1992 and 1993. Hundreds of plants were observed growing
in cultivated and disturbed sites covering at least 20 acres of floodplain soils on the Kansas State
University Agricultural Research Center-Hays. Occurrence of this species on land associated with
agricultural production suggests that initial introduction probably resulted from human transport
of agricultural products. The adaptability of southwestern cupgrass to disturbed environments,
plus reports of its weediness in other states, indicate that the species has potential as a pest in
Kansas.
Cosolvent systems containing the polar acetonitrile (AN) paired with a nonpolar or slightly polar
aromatic component represent an adjustable but relatively broad interval for bulk dielectric
constant (2 to 36 at 25°C). Trends in the Kirkwood, Block-Walker, Onsager, Brady-Carr, and
Marcus continuum functions for solvent mixtures were examined for the specific case of
acetonitrile:toluene and these were compared to results for the isodielectric pair,
ethyl-benzene:toluene. The influence assigned to polarizability by the aromatic species is
significant and was quantified for twelve monosubstituted and disubstituted benzenes in binary
mixtures having acetonitrile as the cosolvent in common.
Paul A. Shipman1, David R. Edds and Lenn E. Shipman,
Division of Biological Sciences, Box 4050, Emporia State University
Emporia, Kansas 66801
1Present Address: Department of Zoology, Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078
During the spring and summer of 1991 we investigated the distribution of the alligator snapping
turtle (Macroclemys temminckii) in Kansas by surveying 12 historical sites and 72 other possible
sites of occurrence in southeastern Kansas rivers and streams. Although we captured 1002 turtles
of eight different species, no alligator snapping turtles were noted by us. However, a single adult
female alligator snapping turtle was collected by anglers in May 1991. Documented records and
reports of the alligator snapping turtle in Kansas are compiled and natural history information
pertaining to this species in Kansas is reviewed.
Paul N. Turner, Department of Biology, Chemistry and Environmental Science
Christopher Newport University, Newport News, Virginia 23606-2998
Donald A. Distler, Department of Biological Sciences
Wichita State University, Wichita, Kansas 67260-0026
Rotifers present in North American lotic interstitial habitats, rarely have been documented in the
literature. This type of habitat in the Ninnescah River was examined for rotifers in June, July,
September, and November 1993 and January 1994. A 9-cm deep core was taken from the
submerged bed of the river and immediately divided into three equal 3 cm subsamples. The
resultant aliquots were examined and all rotifers were identified and enumerated. Twenty-four
species, comprising 10 genera, were identified. Many rotifers of the Order Bdelloidea were
unidentifiable, but three of these were distinguishable to the genera Dissotrocha and Rotaria
and one to a probable new variant of Dissotrocha aculeata. The species occuring in greatest numbers
were Encentrum velox, Lecane luna, L. papuana, L. inermis, and Lepadella patella,
respectively.
Michael G. Noll and Curtis J. Sorenson, Geography Department, University of Kansas
Lawrence, Kansas 66045
Charles W. Rice, Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University
Manhattan, Kansas 66506
Microbial properties of Kenoma silt loam soil in Coffey County, Kansas, were investigated for a
native tallgrass prairie, a field currently under cultivation, and a previously cultivated field that
was reseeded to native grasses in 1986 as part of the Conservation Reserve Program (CRP). Soil
samples were taken from the surface 10 cm and analyzed for soil respiration, microbial biomass
carbon (C) and nitrogen (N), N availability, and dehydrogenase activity. In comparison to soils in
native prairie, measures of microbial quality in soils under cultivation decreased as follows:
microbial biomass C and N by 67%, nitrogen availability by 37%, dehydrogenase activity by 68%,
and respiratory rate by 69%. When CRP land was compared with soils in cultivation, no
significant differences could be detected in terms of microbial biomass N, N availability, and
dehydrogenase activity. The CRP land showed lower values of microbial biomass C, but a
significantly higher respiratory rate. These results led to three important conclusions: First, the
results strongly confirm that cultivation has a profound impact on native prairie soils. Second, the
levels of soil microbial quality parameters in the reseeded prairie were not similar to those in the
native prairie after a period of 6 years. Third, a higher respiratory rate in the reseeded pairie
indicates a response of the soil microbial community to the reestablishment of permanent prairie
vegetation. The latter point also was supported by a greater proportion of active pools of C and
N in the reseeded prairie.
Orland W. Kolling, Natural Science Division, Southwestern College
Winfield, Kansas 67156
For aromatic polar and apolar solvents, the solvent dipolarities (Pi*)
from linear solvation free
energy relationships (LSFE) can be correlated to their respective molecular dipole moments. The
added secondary polarizability effects observed for these solvents usually have been rationalized in
terms of the Onsager function in index of refraction. However, the interpretation of such
secondary effects can be clarified by using a semiquantitative molecular orbital treatment of
molecular polarizability-hyperpolarizabilities for the simple alkylbenzenes and halobenzenes.
Hank Guarisco, Kansas Biological Survey, 2041 Constant Ave.,
Lawrence, Kansas 66047-2906
Henry S. Fitch, Fitch Natural History Reservation, 2060 E. 1600 Rd.,
Lawrence, Kansas 66044
A current checklist of the spiders of the Kansas Ecological Reserves of the University of Kansas is
presented. It includes 249 species, which is approximately half of the known spider fauna of the
state. Recent taxonomic changes and synonymies are provided.
Wolfgang Scherer and Daniel F. Merriam, Intevep, SA, P.O. Box 76343, Caracas, Venezuela
and Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas 66047
The Nodaway coal, a thin but regionally persistant coal bed of Late Pennsylvanian age, was
studied to determine the lateral variability of the organic facies, diagenesis of coal composition,
and effect of hydrothermal and groundwater flushing on certain metallic ions. Representative
samples were taken along the outcrop belt and analyzed by organic petrography and geochemical
methods. The Nodaway is a vitrinite-dominated trimacerite, highly volatile, subbituminous (based
on vitrinite reflectance) coal that has a fairly uniform petrographic composition along outcrop
except across the Bourbon Arch and in the northern part of the Cherokee Basin where it changes
laterally into a carbonaceous shale of silt. All coal samples show a statistically significant
background in concentrations of Zn and Pb and local anomalies of about two orders of magnitude
occur in two localities in southeastern Kansas.
R. Jones, Physics Department, Emporia State University,
Emporia, Kansas 66801
An artificial neural network program has been employed to model the performance of a plasma
confinement device. Plasma density, temperature, and confinement are predicted as functions of
the control parameters: magnetic field strength, neutral gas pressure, and input electrical power.
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