bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE ISOTOPIC COMPOSITION OF TIN IN SOME ANCIENT METALS AND THE RECYCLING PROBLEM IN METAL PROVENANCING
Authors: GALE N. H.
Published: September 2007

A recent suggestion that some ancient metallurgical processes might give rise to large changes (> 0.5%) in the isotopic composition of tin gave hope that it might be possible to identify ancient bronze samples which had undergone recycling and mixing processes. This paper describes a method for the analysis of the isotopic composition of tin by thermal ionization mass spectrometry and applies it to analyse a number of ancient bronzes and tin metal objects from the Bronze Age Mediterranean. No observable isotopic fractionation of tin was found above $0.1% in the ratio122Sn/116. Consequently, either recycling of bronze in the Late Bronze Age Mediterranean was not so common as supposed, or the isotopic composition of tin is not fractionated by anthropogenic metallurgical processes to the extent predicted by the Bradford group.
LEAD ISOTOPE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE CYPRUS COPPER ORE DEPOSITS APPLIED TO PROVENANCE STUDIES OF COPPER OXHIDE INGOTS
Authors: STOS‐GALE Z. A. , MALIOTIS G. , GALE N. H. , ANNETTS N.
Published: September 2007

Nearly 200 new lead isotope analyses of sulphidic and oxidized ores from 26 copper mines on Cyprus show that the mines from different geological regions group in five distinctive isotopic groups, each with a substructure, related to the geological history of the ore formation. Comparison of lead isotope compositions of Bronze Age artefacts with these data can in many cases reveal the actual mines from which the copper for particular artefacts was obtained. The particular case of the provenance of the copper for 78 Late Bronze Age copper ‘oxhide ingots’found in Cyprus, Crete, Greece, Sardinia, Turkey and Bulgaria is discussed. The data show that all oxhide ingots so far analysed, dating to the fourteenth century BC and later, were made of copper consistent isotopically with only one mining region in the geographical north of Cyprus, and especially the Apliki mine. The study provides further evidence which supports the validity of the conventional approach to the use of lead isotope analysis for provenancing metals; this evidence is antithetical to recent suggestions of a model for the production of copper oxhide ingots which involved widespread mixing of copper from a number of ore sources throughout the Mediterranean.
DIRECT GAMMA‐RAY SPECTROMETRIC DATING OF FOSSIL BONES: PRELIMINARY RESULTS
Authors: BERZERO A. , CARAMELLA‐CRESPI V. , CAVAGNA P.
Published: September 2007

A non‐destructive gamma‐ray spectrometry was used for direct dating of fossil animal and human bones taken from an alluvial Quaternary site in northern Italy. The ages were obtained using the U‐Pa method: the chronological results are in agreement with palaeofaunal indicators and taphonomic data. The ages of two samples showed concordance with the U‐Th method; in a third case good agreement was also found with the radiocarbon date, thus lending credence to our modified gamma spectrometric method.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS OF AMINO ACID RACEMIZATION*
Authors: JOHNSON B. J. , MILLER G. H.
Published: September 2007

Amino acid racemization (AAR) in fossil biominerals has been used over the last 30 years to develop reliable chronologies and thermal histories in archaeological settings from all over the world. It is a biochemical reaction which progresses with time and temperature, and has the potential to be used in any material capable of sequestering amino acids (e.g., avian eggshell, molluscs, teeth, and bones). AAR is not a numerical dating method, per se; however, it can be used for a variety of chronological and palaeotemperature applications. Provided there is some independent age control, AAR can be used to extend or to improve upon the chronology, or to reconstruct the temperature history at a site. The use of AAR as a dating/palaeothermometry tool has been somewhat underutilized by the archaeological community, presumably due to a series of errors made on studies of human bone shortly after the technique was first discovered. Since these early studies, continued exploration of AAR has demonstrated the growing power of the technique for chronological and palaeothermometry research in certain sample types, as well as some novel applications pertinent to archaeologists and anthropologists. For example, relevant information on human behaviour, including burial practices, the use of fire, and the degree of mixing at a site, can be determined using AAR. This paper presents the basic principles behind AAR and a review of the technique as it has been applied to the archaeological record. AAR in some of the biominerals commonly associated with archaeological sites is reviewed, and guidelines for sample collection presented. Finally, a brief description of some of the chromatography techniques used for amino acid analysis is given.
SOIL PHOSPHATE ANALYSIS: A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR MEASUREMENT IN THE FIELD USING A TEST STRIP*
Authors: PERSSON K. B.
Published: September 2007

A new method for soil phosphate analysis has been developed for field measurement which will increase the applicability of phosphate mapping in archaeological prospection.
STEATITE SOURCE CHARACTERIZATION IN EASTERN NORTH AMERICA: NEW RESULTS USING INSTRUMENTAL NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS*
Authors: TRUNCER J. , GLASCOCK M. D. , NEFF H.
Published: September 2007

Doubts have recently been cast on the ability to characterize steatite sources using rare earth elements (REEs). By increasing the number of samples and elements examined using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and multivariate statistics, this study shows that, with unhomogenized samples, transition metals, not REEs, make the greatest contribution in characterizing steatite sources in the Middle Atlantic region of eastern North America. Preliminary results suggest that INAA has the potential to assign provenance to steatite artefacts, at least at a regional level.
ON THE USE OF COLOUR COORDINATES TO EVALUATE FIRING TEMPERATURES OF ANCIENT POTTERY*
Authors: MIRTI P.
Published: September 2007

Colour measurement was investigated as a means to evaluate equivalent firing temperatures of ancient pottery. Colour coordinates were determined on samples of six clays previously fired, and then refired, in the temperature range 600–1100°C. Under the adopted conditions, significant variations of colour hue and saturation were normally observed on refired samples only after the original firing temperature had been exceeded; less reliable information was provided by luminosity. Original firing temperatures of clay samples were correctly recognized in most cases by projecting the points representing samples’ colour on to the a*b* plane of the ClEL*a*b* colour space.
CHARACTERIZATION OF TAKATORI STONEWARE FROM CHIKUZEN PROVINCE, JAPAN*
Authors: DOHERTY C. J. , MASKE A. L.
Published: September 2007

This study reports the findings of an examination of stonewares from the Takatori kilns of seventeenth‐ to nineteenth‐century Chikuzen Province, Kyushu, Japan. Scanning electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy were used to determine the mineralogy and chemical compositions of the ceramic bodies. The results of this broad characterization are used to comment on the relationships between these wares and the raw materials used. Despite close similarities in some cases, it is possible to distinguish the wares of many of these kilns from each other and from outwardly similar wares from contemporary kilns in adjacent provinces.
DAMAGE ASSESSMENT AND PRESERVATION OF AN EGYPTIAN SILVER VASE (300–200 BC)*
Authors: WANHILL R. J. H. , STEIJAART J. P. H. M. , LEENHEER R. , KOENS J. F. W.
Published: September 2007

An Egyptian metal vase from the Ptolemaic period was investigated metallurgically and fractographically. The metal is nearly pure silver. Despite its high purity (in archaeological terms) it is severely embrittled and cracked, mainly along grain boundaries. Factors contributing to this damage are work‐hardening and residual microstructural deformation (slip and twinning), corrosion along slip lines and twin boundaries, corrosion in bauds that are the remains of coring, large equiaxed grains, externally applied forces and internal residual stresses. The metal is now friable. This must be taken into account during any further restoration of the vase: a procedure is suggested.
LEAD GLAZES IN ANTIQUITY—METHODS OF PRODUCTION AND REASONS FOR USE*
Authors: TITE M. S. , FREESTONE I. , MASON R. , MOLERA J. , VENDRELL‐SAZ M. , WOOD N.
Published: September 2007

Transparent high lead and tin‐opacified lead‐alkali glazes have been extensively used throughout Europe and the Near East from their first appearance in the Roman era and the tenth‐ to eleventh‐century Islamic world, respectively, up until the present day. Using, to a large extent, information which is widely scattered through a diverse range of literature, the methods employed in the production of these two glaze types are first outlined and their merits are then compared with those of alkali glazes in terms of ease of preparation of the glaze mixture, ease of application of the glaze, ease of firing, cost of production, glaze‐body fit and visual appearance. The principal advantages of transparent high lead glazes as compared to alkali glazes are shown to be ease of preparation and application of the glaze suspension, low susceptibility to glaze ‘crazing’ and ‘crawling’ and high, optical brilliance. Factors that influence the choice of tin‐opacified lead‐alkali glazes include ease of production of tin oxide by melting tin and lead metals together; a reduced risk of reduction of lead oxide to lead metal and consequent blackening of the glaze; and, again, low susceptibility to ‘crazing’ and ‘crawling’. Limits of current knowledge regarding these two glaze types and requirements for future research are outlined.
CAMPANIAN POTTERY FROM ANCIENT BRUTTIUM (SOUTHERN ITALY): SCIENTIFIC ANALYSIS OF LOCAL AND IMPORTED PRODUCTS*
Authors: MIRTI P. , ACETO M. , ANCONA M. C. PREACCO
Published: September 2007

One hundred and fifty‐seven sherds of Campanian pottery were analysed by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy (ICP‐OES) and flame emission spectroscopy (FES). The sherds were found in the course of archaeological excavations carried out at the sites of Sibari, Cosenza, Crotone, Locri, Reggio and Oppido Mamertina in southern Italy (ancient Bruttium, today Calabria). Analyses were carried out on dissolved samples, determining 15 elements per sample (Al, Fe, Ca, Mg, Ti, Mn, Sr, Ba, Cr, Cu, Y, La and Sc by ICP‐OES, and Na and K by FES). Analytical data were subject to multivariate statistical treatment by hierarchical cluster analysis and principal components analysis. Results indicated different compositional groups, allowing one to separate suspected imports from Campania, Etruria and Sicily from each other and from likely local products. The latter could be further classified into different groups, comprising imitations of foreign forms as well as original local products.
ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND CHEMICAL RESEARCH ON SEDIMENTS AND CERAMICS AT POLIDEPORTIVO (SPAIN): AN INTEGRATED APPROACH*
Authors: SÁNCHEZ A. , CAÑABATE M. L. , LIZCANO R.
Published: September 2007

This paper proposes a preliminary approach to the integration of archaeological evidence and various chemical analyses (phosphorus and lipid) on sediments and ceramics. Phosphorus and organic matter analyses are, thus, used for the study of sediments, and lipid analyses for pottery from structure 19 of the Late Neolithic—Early Copper site known as ‘Polideportivo’, Martos, southern Spain. The results of both types of analysis point to a predominantly domestic function for this structure.
RIETVELD X‐RAY DIFFRACTION AND X‐RAY FLUORESCENCE ANALYSIS OF AUSTRALIAN ABORIGINAL OCHRES*
Authors: JERCHER M. , PRING A. , JONES P G. , RAVEN M. D.
Published: September 2007

Rietveld phase analysis of X‐ray powder diffraction patterns and chemical analysis by X‐ray fluorescence spectroscopy have been used to characterize a series of red and yellow ochre samples from Aboriginal ochre deposits in South and Western Australia. The ochres were found to have diverse mineralogy, being mixtures of up to seven minerals, and also to have complex trace element signatures. The mineralogical characteristics and geochemistry of the ochres can be used to identify the source quarries. Using this combination of analytieal techniques it may be possible to trace the source of ochres in burial sites and on objects back to the original quarries.
DETERMINING POTTERY PROVENANCE: APPLICATION OF A NEW HIGH‐PRECISION X‐RAY FLUORESCENCE METHOD AND COMPARISON WITH INSTRUMENTAL NEUTRON ACTIVATION ANALYSIS*
Authors: ADAN‐BAYEWITZ D. , ASARO F. , GIAUQUE R. D.
Published: September 2007

A recently developed high‐precision X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) method, applied for the first time to the study of archaeological pottery, determines the abundances of 13 trace and four major elements from one X‐ray spectrum acquired over a 1000 second counting interval. For replicate archaeological samples, the short‐term and long‐term measurement precisions were close to 1% for the ten elements measured with highest precision. These are comparable to the best results achieved on replicates of clay and pottery standards, and obsidian, using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). High‐precision XRF analysis, however, does not require a nuclear facility, and is markedly preferable to INAA in terms of the ease of both sample preparation and analytical procedure. Consequently, element abundance data can usually be provided by a single analyst within a few hours after the start of sample preparation. The accuracy of the method, determined by comparison with data of other workers on eight standard reference materials, averaged 2.4% for the ten best‐agreeing elements. The effectiveness of the method for determining pottery provenance is demonstrated for a difficult problem, in which high‐precision XRF analysis successfully distinguished the products of two nearby pottery manufacturers in Roman Galilee (Shikhin and Nahif) that had not been clearly differentiated by INAA. The greater effectiveness of high‐precision XRF than INAA in this provenance study is a result of the different array of elements measured, and the higher precision obtained for certain elements, by XRF. These results suggest that high precision XRF has potential broad applicability for pottery provenance studies.
A COMPARATIVE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF THE EARLIEST KILN SITES OF KORYǑ CELADON*
Authors: KOHCHOO C.K. , KIM S. , KANG H. T. , DO J. Y. , LEE Y. E. , KIM G.H.
Published: September 2007

Four of the Koryǒ dynasty's earliest kiln sites are studied for the macroscopic, compositional, and microstructural characteristics of their celadon products. Recent excavation of Sǒri and surface investigation of Kangjin sites provided new materials for closer examination of the origin and early developments of celadon technology in traditional Korea. Two other sites, Wǒnhǔngni and Osari, with archaeological characteristics in common with the oldest layer of Sǒri, are also examined. Principal component analysis of body composition shows thai Sǒri and Kangjin had better control in their choice of raw materials whereas Wǒnhǔngnt and Osari had much wider scatter, showing the more experimental nature of their operation. The early Kangjin grouped out separately primarily because of their higher Al2O3 content, while X‐ray diffraction patterns indicate they might have been fired at a higher temperature than other groups. The Korean method of two‐step firing, first at a lower temperature to bake imglazed bodies and then at a higher temperature after glazing, is evident from the earliest operations in Kangjin.
FINGERPRINTING ANCIENT EGYPTIAN QUARRIES: PRELIMINARY RESULTS USING LASER ABLATION MICROPROBE‐INDUCTIVELY COUPLED PLASMA‐MASS SPECTROMETRY*
Authors: MALLORY‐GREENOUGH L. M. , GREENOUGH J. D. , DOBOSI G. , OWEN J. V
Published: September 2007

Microchemical analysis of minerals present in pottery and stone artefacts may help determine their provenance. Electron microprobe major element analyses of augite suggest that minor elements (Ti02,MnO, Aa2O) are important in fingerprinting basalts. This points to the potential usefulness of trace elements. Augite present in six basalt samples (representing all known/suspected Pharaonic basalt quarries in northern and middle Egypt) and basaltic temper fragments in two New Kingdom pottery sherds was analysed for 28 trace elements (Sr, Ba, Th, U, Zr, Hf, Nb, Ta, Y, La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb, Lu. Sc, V, Cr, Ni, Ga) by laser ablation microprobe‐inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LAM‐ICP‐MS, laserprobe). Cluster and discriminant analysis indicate that (1) laserprobe trace element data are more effective at fingerprinting basalts than conventional electron‐microprobe data and (2) basaltic temper in the two sherds does not match any of the quarries. Microbeam techniques providing trace element data may represent the future for mineral‐based provenance studies.
A QUANTITATIVE FABRIC ANALYSIS APPROACH TO THE DISCRIMINATION OF WHITE MARBLES*
Authors: SCHMID J. , AMBÜHL M. , DECROUEZ D. , MÜLLER S. , RAMSEYER K.
Published: September 2007

Quantitative fabric analysis was applied in order to discriminate better among white marbles from various quarries of archaeological interest. This method provides an effective complementary tool to a characterization based upon petrography, cathodoluminescence microscopy and stable isotopes. Very good discrimination of marbles is achieved with the help of simple variables such as major axis and the shape‐specific PARlS‐factor. Using quantitative fabric analysis, marbles with similar cathodomicrofacies, as, for example, the Naxian quarries of Apiranthos, Koronos, Flerio and Kinidaros and the quarry of St. Beat (French Pyrenees), can be distinguished from each other. Marbles collected within one quarry may display dissimilar cathodomicrofacies. The common origin of such specimens can be determined with the aid of quantitative fabric analysis, as shown for the quarries of Kinidaros as well as St. Béat.
DUNG BY PREFERENCE: THE CHOICE OF FUEL AS AN EXAMPLE OF HOW ANDEAN POTTERY PRODUCTION IS EMBEDDED WITHIN WIDER TECHNICAL, SOCIAL, AND ECONOMIC PRACTICES*
Authors: SILLAR B.
Published: September 2007

A discussion of how Andean potters acquire and use their fuels is used to demonstrate the ‘embedded’nature of ceramic technology. The most common choice of fuel in the highlands of Peru and Bolivia is animal dung (mainly cow, sheep, and llama). This technological choice is related to wider social and economic practices (particularly in relation to animal husbandry) which has further repercussions that affect other technologies (such as agriculture practices). Such a succession of interrelated activities is not unique to pottery; it is fundamental to all technologies and should be considered within archaeological analysis.
A STUDY OF ANCIENT CHINESE PORCELAIN WARES OF THE SONG‐YUAN DYNASTIES FROM CIZHOU AND DING KILNS WITH ENERGY DISPERSIVE X‐RAY FLUORESCENCE*
Authors: LEUNG P. L. , STOKES M. J. , TIEMEI CHEN , DASHU QIN
Published: September 2007

Multi‐variable statistical analysis based on energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence measurements on both porcelain body and glaze is employed to give clear and consistent classification of porcelain sherds from northern China of different styles from the Song‐Yuan dynasties (Ding and Cizhou styles), and also from the Sui‐Tang dynasties (Xing style). However, the observed separation is less clear for Cizhou style sherds produced at neighbouring kiln sites. Imitation Ding porcelain samples produced by ancient Cizhou potters are also analysed.
LEAD ISOTOPIC ANALYSIS OF EIGHTEENTH‐DYNASTY EGYPTIAN EYEPAINTS AND LEAD ANTIMONATE COLOURANTS*
Authors: SHORTLAND A. J. , NICHOLSON P. T. , JACKSON C. M.
Published: September 2007

New lead isotopic analyses are presented for lead antimonate coloured glass and faience from Amarna in Middle Egypt and dated to around 1350 BC. When compared to existing data, these suggest that Gebel Zeit on the Red Sea coast of Egypt may be the source for some of the lead antimonate colourants used in Egypt and possibly for the galena kohls of Eighteenth‐Dynasty date as well.
AMALGAM TINNING OF CHINESE BRONZE ANTIQUITIES*
Authors: ANHEUSER K.
Published: September 2007

This paper investigates the question whether or not amalgam tinning was used for the plating of bronze objects in pre‐Han and Han dynasty China. The relevant literary sources are reviewed and amalgam tinning is characterized experimentally with regard to its micro‐structure and residual mercury content using metallography and electron microprobe analysis. Examination of a tinning sample from a Warring States dagger previously assumed to be amalgam tinned demonstrates that this was probably not the case, but that a trace of mercury found in the plating is likely to be the result of contamination.
LEAD ISOTOPIC EVIDENCE FOR A MIXED PROVENANCE FOR ROMAN WATER PIPES FROM POMPEII*
Authors: BONI M. , MAIO G. DI , FREI R. , VILLA I. M.
Published: September 2007

Lead isotope analysis has been applied to the investigation of some Roman objects found in the town of Pompeii, consisting mostly of fistulae from the Augustan water supply system. The results of the analyses have produced ratios between 18.10 and 18.66 for 206Pb/204Pb, between 15.63 and 15.72 for 207Pb/204Pb and between 38.21 and 38.98 for 208Pb/204Pb. These data point to a fairly complex origin for the lead artefacts, probably involving several successive meltings and recyclings of a rather heterogeneous lead supply. The spread of lead isotope ratios can only be reconciled with a multiplicity of end‐members, at least three, but very probably more. There is one certain Sardinian ore, other indistinguishable Hercynian ores of Sardinia and/or Spain, and several different Alpine Mesozoic‐Tertiary mineralizations of the Mediterranean basin (Spain, Greece, Tuscany).
CORRESPONDENCE AND DISCRIMINANT ANALYSES OF SAND AND SAND TEMPER COMPOSITIONS, TONTO BASIN, ARIZONA*
Authors: HEIDKE J. M. , MIKSA E. J.
Published: September 2007

Geologists use petrographic modal analysis to relate fluvial sand composition to source rock composition, thus establishing provenance. Archaeologists seeking to establish provenance of sand temper in pottery can use similar petrographic methods, but their finer scale of investigation requires more precise statistical tools than those employed by geologists. A quantitative method for performing that task is presented. It utilizes correspondence analysis and discriminant analysis of logratio transformed point‐count data to define petrofacies, or sand temper resource procurement zones. The procedure is illustrated with sand and sand‐tempered sherd samples collected from the Tonto Basin, central Arizona; temporal trends in utilitarian ceramic production c. AD 100–1350 are reviewed.
BYZANTINE OPAQUE RED GLASS TESSERAE FROM BEIT SHEAN, ISRAEL*
Authors: SHUGAR A. N.
Published: September 2007

This paper presents the results of analysis of Byzantine opaque red glass tesserae derived from three separate locations in the ancient city of Beit Shean, Israel. Investigation proceeded using reflective light microscopy, energy dispersive X‐ray fluorescence and energy dispersive scanning electron microscopy. The glass matrix of the tesserae was found to be heterogeneous, with many inclusions. Similarities and differences between tesserae from the two mosaics are examined and discussed. Implications for locale of manufacture and production techniques are considered. Comparisons between the three locations led to conclusions about the use of the tunnel as a storage site and the implications of this for future research on mosaics.
Community based measures for managing mild cognitive impairment: The Osaki–Tajiri Project
Authors: MEGURO Kenichi
Published: September 2007

A cross‐sectional study of aged patients with mild cognitive impairment in a local community was undertaken to investigate the clinical features of the condition, in addition to a longitudinal study to research its progression to cognitive deficit. Impairment of the basic functions of attention and executive function was confirmed, as opposed to impairment in the cognitive domain itself. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings showed a pattern close to that of healthy persons in their 80s, rather than that of patients with cognitive deficit. The results of the longitudinal study showed more progression to cognitive deficit when the clinical dementia rating was 0.5 in domains other than memory. No effects of lifestyle, internal diseases or psychosocial intervention were confirmed. In progression to Alzheimer's disease, generally low cognitive function and general atrophy were involved, whereas frontal lobe function, atrophy of the frontal and temporal lobes, white matter changes and cerebral infarction were related to progression to vascular dementia. Excessive dependence on primary prevention should be avoided for aged patients with mild cognitive impairment; rather, secondary prevention, using clinical dementia rating, psychological testing and MRI are desirable.
Cognitive rehabilitation and cognitive training for mild dementia
Authors: MIMURA Masaru , KOMATSU Shin‐ichi
Published: September 2007

Cognitive deficits caused by dementing illnesses are chronic and progressive problems, which should be tackled both by biological and non‐biological approaches. Among the various techniques of non‐biological approaches (cognitive rehabilitation), centered is cognitive training intervention for individuals with dementia. Cognitive training is further divided into two different types of setting: group and individualized. Among group training techniques, the reality orientation training and day care/day services are known to have evidence‐based efficacy. Individually tailored cognitive training aims to directly and explicitly improve cognitive functioning of people with dementia specifically in the early stages. Increasing evidence demonstrates the efficacy of various individualized training programs for dementia, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). Specifically, three techniques, known as spaced retrieval, dual cognitive support and procedural memory training, have shown promise in their ability to enhance learning in people with dementia. In addition, recent studies have suggested that a combination of pharmacotherapy and cognitive training may benefit individuals with AD. Cognitive training appears to be particularly effective for people with mild memory impairment who are on cholinergic treatment. It is now widely accepted that the theoretical framework of ‘errorless learning’ is also a guiding principle in the realm of cognitive training for people with dementia. Although the effect of factors, namely effort (effortfulvseffortless) and stimulus features (perceptualvsconceptual), has not been fully determined, error elimination during learning sessions is essential for favorable outcomes.
Alzheimer pathology during the past 100 years
Authors: YAMAGUCHI Haruyasu
Published: September 2007

In the present review, I look back upon the 100‐year history of Alzheimer pathology. The significance of senile plaque formation was shown in the early 1900s, but was argued further in the 1990s after the identification of β‐amyloid protein. Neuropathological studies on a large number of brains from both non‐demented and demented subjects demonstrated the process of transformation from normal aging to Alzheimer‐type dementia, which includes both the presenile and senile form. Recently, lifestyle issues, such as food, exercise and environment, have been shown to influence Alzheimer pathology (plaque and tangles) in the brains of experimental animals. Such studies are expected to contribute to the eventual development of a curative treatment for Alzheimer‐type dementia.
Photoprotection and xanthophyll‐cycle activity in three marine diatoms1
Authors: Dimier Céline , Corato Federico , Tramontano Ferdinando , Brunet Christophe
Published: September 2007

Light is one of the most important factors affecting marine phytoplankton growth, and its variability in time and space strongly influences algal performance and success. The hypothesis tested in this work is that the activity of the xanthophyll cycle and the development of nonphotochemical quenching could be considered a functional trait of algal diversity. If this hypothesis is true, a relationship must exist between fast‐activated pigment variations linked to photoprotective behavior and the ecology of the species. This assumption was tested on three diatoms: Skeletonema marinoi Sarno et Zingone, Thalassiosira rotula Meunier, and Chaetoceros socialis Lauder. These three diatoms occupy different ecological niches. Strains of these diatoms were subjected to five changes in irradiance. Xanthophyll‐cycle activity, quantum yield of fluorescence, and electron transport rate were the main parameters determined. There were marked interspecific differences in xanthophyll‐cycle activity, and these differences were dependent on the light history of the cells. Chaetoceros socialis responded efficiently to changing irradiance, which might relate to its dominance during the spring bloom in some coastal areas. In contrast, T. rotula responded with a slower photoprotection activation, which seems to reflect its more offshore ecological distribution. The photoresponse of S. marinoi (a late‐winter coastal species blooming in the Adriatic Sea) was light‐history dependent, becoming photoinhibited under high light when acclimated to low light, but capable of reaching a high photoprotection level when acclimated to moderate light. Our hypothesis on the photoprotection capacity as a functional trait in microalgae seems to be validated given the results of this study.
Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy: There is Bad, Good, and Very Good News!
Authors: Kanner Andres M.
Published: September 2007

Surgical Treatment of Drug-Resistant Nocturnal Frontal Lobe Epilepsy. Nobili L, Francione S, Mai R, Cardinale F, Castana L, Tassi L, Sartori I, Didato G, Citterio A, Colombo N, Galli C, Lo Russo G, Cossu M. Brain 2007;130(Pt 2):561–573. Of the cases with nocturnal frontal lobe epilepsy (NFLE) 30% are refractory to antiepileptic medication, with several patients suffering from the effects of both ongoing seizures and disrupted sleep. From a consecutive series of 522 patients operated on for drug-resistant focal epilepsy, 21 cases (4%), whose frontal lobe seizures occurred almost exclusively (>90%) during sleep, were selected. All patients underwent a comprehensive pre-surgical evaluation, which included history, interictal EEG, scalp video-EEG monitoring, high-resolution MRI and, when indicated, invasive recording by stereo-EEG (SEEG). There were 11 males and 10 females, whose mean age at seizure onset was 6.2 years, mean age at surgery was 24.7 years and seizure frequency ranged from <20/month to >300/month. Nine patients reported excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). Prevalent ictal clinical signs were represented by asymmetric posturing (6 cases), hyperkinetic automatisms (10 cases), combined tonic posturing and hyperkinetic automatisms (4 cases) and mimetic automatisms (1 case). All patients reported some kind of subjective manifestations. Interictal and ictal EEG provided lateralizing or localizing information in most patients. MRI was unrevealing in 10 cases and it showed a focal anatomical abnormality in one frontal lobe in 11 cases. Eighteen patients underwent a SEEG evaluation to better define the epileptogenic zone (EZ). All patients received a microsurgical resection in one frontal lobe, tailored according to pre-surgical evaluations. Two patients were operated on twice owing to poor results after the first resection. Histology demonstrated a Taylor-type focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) in 16 patients and an architectural FCD in 4. In one case no histological change was found. After a post-operative follow-up of at least 12 months (mean 42.5 months) all the 16 patients with a Taylor's FCD were in Engel's Class Ia and the other 5 patients were in Engel's Classes II or III. After 6 months post-surgery EDS had disappeared in the 9 patients who presented this complaint pre-operatively. It is concluded that patients with drug-resistant, disabling sleep-related seizures of frontal lobe origin should be considered for resective surgery, which may provide excellent results both on seizures and on epilepsy-related sleep disturbances. An accurate pre-surgical evaluation, which often requires invasive EEG recording, is mandatory to define the EZ. Further investigation is needed to explain the possible causal relationships between FCD, particularly Taylor-type, and sleep-related seizures, as observed in this cohort of NFLE patients.
When Basic Research Doesn't Translate to the Bedside—Lessons from the Magnesium Brain Trauma Study
Authors: Miller John W. , D'Ambrosio Raimondo
Published: September 2007

Magnesium Sulfate for Neuroprotection After Traumatic Brain Injury: A Randomised Controlled Trial. Temkin NR, Anderson GD, Winn HR, Ellenbogen RG, Britz GW, Schuster J, Lucas T, Newell DW, Mansfield PN, Machamer JE, Barber J, Dikmen SS. Lancet Neurol 2007;6(1):29–38. BACKGROUND: Traumatic brain injuries represent an important and costly health problem. Supplemental magnesium positively affects many of the processes involved in secondary injury after traumatic brain injury and consistently improves outcome in animal models. We aimed to test whether treatment with magnesium favourably affects outcome in head-injured patients. METHODS: In a double-blind trial, 499 patients aged 14 years or older admitted to a level 1 regional trauma centre between August, 1998, and October, 2004, with moderate or severe traumatic brain injury were randomly assigned one of two doses of magnesium or placebo within 8 h of injury and continuing for 5 days. Magnesium doses were targeted to achieve serum magnesium ranges of 1 0–1·85 mmol/L or 1·25–2·5 mmol/L. The primary outcome was a composite of mortality, seizures, functional measures, and neuropsychological tests assessed up to 6 months after injury. Analyses were done according to the intention-to-treat principle. This trial is registered with Clinicaltrials.gov, number NCT00004730. FINDINGS: Magnesium showed no significant positive effect on the composite primary outcome measure at the higher dose (mean = 55 average percentile ranking on magnesium vs. 52 on placebo, 95% CI for difference – 7 to 14; p = 0·70). Those randomly assigned magnesium at the lower dose did significantly worse than those assigned placebo (48 vs. 54, 95% CI −10·5 to −2; p = 0007). Furthermore, there was higher mortality with the higher magnesium dose than with placebo. Other major medical complications were similar between groups, except for a slight excess of pulmonary oedema and respiratory failure in the lower magnesium target group. No subgroups were identified in which magnesium had a significantly positive effect. INTERPRETATION: Continuous infusions of magnesium for 5 days given to patients within 8 h of moderate or severe traumatic brain injury were not neuroprotective and might even have a negative effect in the treatment of significant head injury.
Reading Rate in L1 Mandarin Chinese and L2 English Across Five Reading Tasks
Authors: FRASER CAROL A.
Published: September 2007

This study compared first and second language (L1/L2) reading rate and task performance on five tasks (scanning, skimming, normal reading, learning, memorizing) in two groups of Mandarin speakers (Canada group, China group). A repeated measures ANOVA design was used with one between‐subject factor (Group), two within‐subject factors (Language, Task), and L2 proficiency as a covariate. The results indicated substantial L1/L2 rate gaps for all tasks, but, for the most part, this gap was not the same across tasks. Comparing L1 and L2 task performance, the results indicated some decrease in L2 scores on three tasks (scanning, skimming, memorizing). Regarding group differences, the China group had faster reading rates on two L2 tasks (scanning, skimming) and on all L1 tasks; the Canada group scored higher on the memorizing task, a written recall. L2 proficiency was not a predictor of L2 reading rate but was a predictor of L2 performance on two tasks (learning, memorizing).
Portfolio Choice over the Life‐Cycle when the Stock and Labor Markets Are Cointegrated
Authors: BENZONI LUCA , COLLIN‐DUFRESNE PIERRE , GOLDSTEIN ROBERT S.
Published: September 2007

We study portfolio choice when labor income and dividends are cointegrated. Economically plausible calibrations suggest young investors should take substantial short positions in the stock market. Because of cointegration the young agent's human capital effectively becomes “stock‐like.” However, for older agents with shorter times‐to‐retirement, cointegration does not have sufficient time to act, and thus their human capital becomes more “bond‐like.” Together, these effects create hump‐shaped life‐cycle portfolio holdings, consistent with empirical observation. These results hold even when asset return predictability is accounted for.
Multimarket Trading and Liquidity: Theory and Evidence
Authors: BARUCH SHMUEL , ANDREW KAROLYI G. , LEMMON MICHAEL L.
Published: September 2007

We develop a new model of multimarket trading to explain the differences in the foreign share of trading volume of internationally cross‐listed stocks. The model predicts that the trading volume of a cross‐listed stock is proportionally higher on the exchange in which the cross‐listed asset returns have greater correlation with returns of other assets traded on that market. We find robust empirical support for this prediction using stock return and volume data on 251 non‐U.S. stocks cross‐listed on major U.S. exchanges.
Episodic Liquidity Crises: Cooperative and Predatory Trading
Authors: CARLIN BRUCE IAN , LOBO MIGUEL SOUSA , VISWANATHAN S.
Published: September 2007

We describe how episodic illiquidity arises from a breakdown in cooperation between market participants. We first solve a one‐period trading game in continuous‐time, using an asset pricing equation that accounts for the price impact of trading. Then, in a multi‐period framework, we describe an equilibrium in which traders cooperate most of the time through repeated interaction, providing apparent liquidity to one another. Cooperation breaks down when the stakes are high, leading to predatory trading and episodic illiquidity. Equilibrium strategies that involve cooperation across markets lead to less frequent episodic illiquidity, but cause contagion when cooperation breaks down.
Liquidity Coinsurance, Moral Hazard, and Financial Contagion
Authors: BRUSCO SANDRO , CASTIGLIONESI FABIO
Published: September 2007

We study the propagation of financial crises among regions in which banks are protected by limited liability and may take excessive risk. The regions are affected by negatively correlated liquidity shocks, so liquidity coinsurance is Pareto improving. The moral hazard problem can be solved if banks are sufficiently capitalized. Under autarky a limited amount of capital is sufficient to prevent risk‐taking, but when financial markets are open capital becomes insufficient. Thus, bankruptcy occurs with positive probability and the crisis spreads to other regions via financial linkages. Opening financial markets is nevertheless Pareto improving; consumers benefit from liquidity coinsurance, although they pay the cost of excessive risk‐taking.
Liquidity or Credit Risk? The Determinants of Very Short‐Term Corporate Yield Spreads
Authors: COVITZ DAN , DOWNING CHRIS
Published: September 2007

Employing a comprehensive database on transactions of commercial paper issued by domestic U.S. nonfinancial corporations, we study the determinants of very short‐term corporate yield spreads. We find that liquidity plays a role in the determination of spreads but, somewhat surprisingly, credit quality is the more important determinant of spreads, even at horizons of less than 1 month. These results are robust across a variety of proxies for liquidity and credit risk, and have important implications for the literature on the modeling of corporate bond prices.
Liquidity Premia and Transaction Costs
Authors: JANG BONG‐GYU , KEUN KOO HYENG , LIU HONG , LOEWENSTEIN MARK
Published: September 2007

Standard literature concludes that transaction costs only have a second‐order effect on liquidity premia. We show that this conclusion depends crucially on the assumption of a constant investment opportunity set. In a regime‐switching model in which the investment opportunity set varies over time, we explicitly characterize the optimal consumption and investment strategy. In contrast to the standard literature, we find that transaction costs can have a first‐order effect on liquidity premia. However, with reasonably calibrated parameters, the presence of transaction costs still cannot fully explain the equity premium puzzle.
Lid margin split in the surgical correction of epiblepharon
Authors: Hwang Sang Won , Khwarg Sang In , Kim Jong Hyun , Kim Nam Ju , Choung Ho‐kyung
Published: September 2007

Purpose:  To describe the technique of splitting the lid margin combined with the excision of redundant skin and muscle during the surgical correction of epiblepharon and to report its clinical outcome.

Methods:  A combined procedure that included splitting the lid margin to repair lower eyelid epiblepharon was performed on 31 eyes of 19 consecutive patients. Lid margin splitting was performed along the grey line on the medial third or half of the lower eyelid by making a 1 mm‐deep incision. Having made a transverse subciliary skin incision and a dissection between the tarsus and the orbicularis oculi muscle, the subcutaneous tissue of the superior edge of the incision was secured to the tarsus with interrupted sutures to evert the cilia. An excision of the redundant skin and orbicularis tissue was made and the skin was closed. The patients were followed for direct inspection of the wound, the split lid margin, the direction of the lashes and the status of the cornea.

Results:  The mean postoperative follow‐up period was 29.4 weeks. Symptoms disappeared in all patients. In 30 eyelids of 19 patients the cilia did not touch the cornea, even in the down‐gaze. In one eyelid the cilium touched the medial conjunctiva, but not the cornea. The cosmetic outcome of the lower lid was satisfactory in all cases and the wounds of the split lid margin healed without scarring. To date, there have been no complications such as wound dehiscence, ectropion or eyelid retraction.

Conclusions:  The lamellar splitting of the lid margin is a beneficial addition to the repair of prominent lower lid epiblepharon, especially on the medial aspect of the eyelid. This simple technique ensures easier eversion of the cilia in epiblepharon repair, without disturbing the posterior lamella or causing unfavourable results.
Screening for cystoid macular oedema in children with uveitis using the retinal thickness analyser
Authors: Maca Saskia M. , Garhofer Gerhard , Kiss Christopher , Barisani‐Asenbauer Talin
Published: September 2007

Purpose:  This study aimed to investigate the retinal thickness analyser (RTA) as a means to identify the presence of cystoid macular oedema (CMO) in children with uveitis, whether the course of CMO can be monitored using this method, and whether there is a trend towards a correlation between macular oedema and visual acuity (VA) in children.

Methods:  This prospective, cross‐sectional study with observer‐blinded analysis included 25 eyes. Standardized testing for best corrected distance VA (d‐VA), near (reading) VA (n‐VA) and slit‐lamp examination were conducted. Using the RTA, a 3 × 3‐mm scan of the macula was obtained, which was then used to discern CMO and calculate mean foveal thickness (MFT).

Results:  Macular scanning was possible in all children. Cystoid macular oedema was discerned in 10 eyes (40%) and ruled out in 15. In CMO eyes, d‐VA was 0.5 Snellen and n‐VA was 2 Jaeger; neither result differed significantly from those in eyes without CMO. Mean foveal thickness correlated with n‐VA (r = 0.511, p = 0.015), but not with d‐VA (r = 0.271, p = 0.191). After 3 months of tailored therapy, CMO was still detectable in six eyes. Changes in d‐VA in the CMO and non‐CMO groups were 3 ± 2.1 and 0.8 ± 1.8 Snellen, respectively; changes in n‐VA were 1 ± 1.4 and 0.1 ± 0.3 Jaeger, respectively. Changes in MFT were − 244.8 ± 137.4 µm and − 0.8 ± 18.1 µm, respectively. A statistically significant correlation was found between the changes in MFT and n‐VA (r = 0.629), but not with that in d‐VA (r = 0.292).

Conclusions:  We used the RTA to establish the presence or absence of CMO according to measurements of the macular region. Our findings show that CMO is a common complication in children with uveitis and can be present even in cases with good d‐VA. Mean foveal thickness as measured with the RTA correlates indirectly with n‐VA.
Oral health‐related quality of life in patients with dental anxiety
Authors: Mehrstedt Mats , John Mike T. , Tönnies Sven , Micheelis Wolfgang
Published: September 2007

Objectives:  To investigate the frequency of impaired oral health‐related quality of life (OHRQoL) in patients with dental anxiety.

Methods:  OHRQoL was measured with the German version of the 14‐item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP) developed by Slade and Spencer (1994) in 173 adult patients with dental anxiety [Dental Anxiety Scale (DAS) score 15 or above and Dental Fear Survey (DFS) score 60 or above]. The OHIP summary scores were characterized with an empirical cumulative distribution function and compared with the level of impaired OHRQoL in the general population (n = 2026, age: 16–79 years). In addition, OHIP item prevalences (responses ‘fairly often’/’very often’) were compared between patients and population subjects. The correlation between DAS, DFS and OHIP scores was calculated using the Pearson correlation coefficient.

Results:  A median value of 1 and a 90th percentile value of 13 were observed for general population subjects. In contrast, patients with phobic dental anxiety had a median OHIP‐14 of 21 and the 90th percentile of 40. All problems mentioned in the OHIP‐14 were more prevalent in patients than in population subjects. The most frequently occurring items in patients were ‘self‐conscious’, ‘life in general was less satisfying’, and ‘feeling tense’ with prevalences of 50% or greater. In contrast, these items had prevalences of only 1–3% in the general population. A low to moderate relationship between OHRQoL and both dental anxiety measures (DAS and DFS) was observed (r = 0.25/0.26, P < 0.01).

Conclusions:  Patients with dental anxiety/fear suffer considerably from impaired OHRQoL and the degree of this impairment is related to the extent of dental anxiety/fear.