Source Of Research Material Research Articles

Choctaw Beer: Tonic or Devil's Brew?

Originally a drink of the Choctaw Indians, Choctaw beer was a concoction composed of hops, barley, tobacco, fishberries, and a small amount of alcohol. When thousands of coal miners found work in the Choctaw Nation in the 1880s, they quickly adopted “choc” as their favorite libation. Miners argued that Choctaw beer was a tonic necessary to maintain their health. Despite the Federal government's repeated attempts in the 1890s to suppress the manufacturing and distribution of “choc,” Choctaw beer remained readily available long after the Choctaw Nation no longer existed. To this day Choctaw beer remains an important component of the cultural history of Oklahoma. Federal government documents of the era only offer brief references to Choctaw beer. These documents only discuss law enforcement issues related to Choctaw beer, ignoring the rich and colorful culture that developed around Choctaw beer. Local newspapers published in the Choctaw Nation provide the best source material for research on Choctaw beer. This article is largely based on material drawnfrom those newspapers.

Differentiation of Human Embryonic Stem Cells After Transplantation in Immune‐Deficient Mice

Our current knowledge of how human tissues grow and develop is limited. We need to increase our understanding of tissue formation if we are to fully realize the potential of stem cells as a source of material for research into health and disease and possible therapeutic applications. Transplanted pluripotent human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) provide a potential system to model and investigate cell differentiation in humans. hESCs transplanted into immune-deficient mice form complex teratomas consisting of a range of differentiated somatic tissues, some of which appear highly organized and resemble structures normally identified in the embryo and adult. Analysis of such tumors may provide a unique opportunity to study organogenesis and lead to novel approaches in bioengineering and the growth of functioning structures composed of a range of alternative cell types. However, little has been done to characterize the developmental potential of hESCs after transplantation. This concise review presents evidence for the ability of hESCs to differentiate in vivo and highlights some of the prominent questions that need to be addressed if transplantation is to be used as a research tool to study hESC differentiation.

Eicosanoids mediate insect cellular immune reactions to bacterial infections.

The occurrence of eicosanoids in invertebrate tissues has been recognized for nearly thirty years, beginning with the discovery of certain prostaglandins (PGs) in some species of octacorals1. This discovery attracted more commercial than zoological attention because the large amounts of PGs in the corals represented a natural source of material for research and other pharmaceutical interests2. The initial finding prompted efforts to locate other natural sources of PGs and other eicosanoids, and it is now commonly thought that eicosanoids occur in the tissues of virtually every animal taken under appropriate scrutiny. This idea carries considerable significance, because it suggests eicosanoids were recruited into biological signaling systems before evolution of the Metazoa. I suppose eicosanoids occur in most, if not all, animals, and eicosanoids exert important biological actions in animals. Some eicosanoid actions are limited to a few species. For example, PGs release egg-laying behavior in some, but not all, cricket species3. Similarly, F-series PGs serve as sex pheromone in some, by no means all, fish species4. On the other hand, other eicosanoid actions may be fundamental to animal systems. Eicosanoids seem to be involved in ion transport physiology in every vertebrate and invertebrate suitably studied5. Regulating ion transport physiology may be a fundamental eicosanoid action. In a similar vein, we will suggest in this chapter that mediating cellular defense reactions may also be a fundamental eicosanoid action.

Plant Collection and Herbarium Techniques

No Abstract Available.doi:10.3126/on.v2i1.327Our Nature (2004) 2:53-57