bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Potential efficacy of enzyme replacement and substrate reduction therapy in three siblings with Gaucher disease type III
Authors: Cox‐Brinkman J. , van Breemen M. J. , van Maldegem B. T. , Bour L. , Donker W. E. , Hollak C. E. M. , Wijburg F. A. , Aerts J. M. F. G.
Published: October 2008

We report three siblings with Gaucher disease type III, born between 1992 and 2004. During this period, new developments resulted in different potential therapies, changing clinical practice. The two eldest siblings received enzyme replacement therapy (ERT) from the age of 24 and 5 months respectively, later followed by an increase in dosage. ERT was combined with substrate reduction therapy (SRT) from the ages of 12 and 8 years, respectively. In the youngest sibling the combination of high‐dose ERT and SRT was given from the age of 5 months. The two eldest siblings showed significant neurological impairment from the age of 1.5 years, starting with a convergent strabismus and partial oculomotor apraxia, followed by cognitive decline and an abnormal EEG and BAER. In contrast, the neurological development in the youngest sibling is almost completely normal. At the age of 3 years, cognitive development, EEG and BAER are all normal. Disturbed saccadic eye movements, which were already present at the start of therapy, remained stable. In addition to the clinical efficacy, we report on the biochemical response to therapy. Based on our results, the combination of high‐dose ERT and SRT should be considered as a possible therapeutic approach for GD III, especially if started at a young age. Further follow‐up studies are necessary to explore the long‐term therapeutic effects.
Garrod's Croonian Lectures (1908) and the charter ‘Inborn Errors of Metabolism’: Albinism, alkaptonuria, cystinuria, and pentosuria at age 100 in 2008
Authors: Scriver Charles R.
Published: October 2008

Garrod presented his concept of ‘the inborn error of metabolism’ in the 1908 Croonian Lectures to the Royal College of Physicians (London); he used albinism, alkaptonuria, cystinuria and pentosuria to illustrate. His lectures are perceived today as landmarks in the history of biochemistry, genetics and medicine. Garrod gave evidence for the dynamic nature of metabolism by showing involvement of normal metabolites in normal pathways made variant by Mendelian inheritance. His concepts and evidence were salient primarily among biochemists, controversial among geneticists because biometricians were dominant over Mendelists, and least salient among physicians who were not attracted to rare hereditary ‘traits’. In 2008, at the centennial of Garrod's Croonian Lectures, each charter inborn error of metabolism has acquired its own genomic locus, a cloned gene, a repertoire of annotated phenotype‐modifying alleles, a gene product with known structure and function, and altered function in the Mendelian variant.
Gold Nanoparticles and Microwave Irradiation Inhibit Beta-Amyloid Amyloidogenesis
Authors: Araya Eyleen , Olmedo Ivonne , Bastus Neus G , Guerrero Simón , Puntes Víctor F , Giralt Ernest , Kogan Marcelo J
Published: October 2008

Peptide-Gold nanoparticles selectively attached to β-amyloid protein (Aβ) amyloidogenic aggregates were irradiated with microwave. This treatment produces dramatic effects on the Aβ aggregates, inhibiting both the amyloidogenesis and the restoration of the amyloidogenic potential. This novel approach offers a new strategy to inhibit, locally and remotely, the amyloidogenic process, which could have application in Alzheimer’s disease therapy. We have studied the irradiation effect on the amyloidogenic process in the presence of conjugates peptide-nanoparticle by transmission electronic microscopy observations and by Thioflavine T assays to quantify the amount of fibrils in suspension. The amyloidogenic aggregates rather than the amyloid fibrils seem to be better targets for the treatment of the disease. Our results could contribute to the development of a new therapeutic strategy to inhibit the amyloidogenic process in Alzheimer’s disease.
RICH–POOR GAP IN UTILIZATION OF REPRODUCTIVE AND CHILD HEALTH SERVICES IN INDIA, 1992–2005
Authors: MOHANTY S. K. , PATHAK P. K.
Published: October 2008

This paper examines the trends in utilization of five indicators of reproductive and child health services, namely, childhood immunization, medical assistance at delivery, antenatal care, contraceptive use and unmet need for contraception, by wealth index of the household in India and two disparate states, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. The data from three rounds of the National Family and Health Survey conducted during 1992–2005 are analysed. The wealth index is computed using principal component derived weights from a set of consumer durables, land size, housing quality and water and sanitation facilities of the household, and classified into quintiles for all three rounds. Bivariate analyses, rich–poor ratio and concentration index are used to understand the trends in utilization of, and inequality in, reproductive and child health services. The results indicate huge disparities in utilization of these services, largely to the disadvantage of the poor. Utilization of basic childhood immunization among the poorest and the poor stagnated in India, as well as in both states, during 1998–2005 compared with 1992–1998. The use of maternal care services such as medical assistance at delivery and antenatal care remained at a low level among the poor over this period. However, contraceptive use increased relatively faster among the poor, even with higher unmet need. Of all these services, the inequality in medical assistance at delivery is consistently large, while that of contraceptive use is small. The state-level differences in service coverage by wealth quintiles over time are large.
Effects of low-protein diet onSchistosoma mansonimorphology visualized by morphometry and confocal laser scanning microscopy
Authors: Barros L.A. , Neves R.H. , de Moura E.G. , Machado-Silva J.R.
Published: October 2008

Previous studies have shown that protein deficiencies can hamper both the course of experimental schistosomiasis and normal development of adult worms. To further investigate this relationship, we compared adult male and femaleSchistosoma mansonifrom malnourished and well-fed mice through morphometric and confocal laser scanning microscopy analysis. Swiss mice were fed protein-deficient diets (8%) and infected subcutaneously with approximately 80S.mansonicercariae (BH strain, Brazil). Control mice were fed a standard rodent diet (23% protein). The nutritional status was evaluated by body weight gain and albumin values. Mice were sacrificed 63 days post-infection. Recovered worms were stained with hydrochloric carmine and preserved as whole-mounts for bright-field examination and confocal microscopy. The body weight gain and serum albumin concentrations were significantly lower (P<  0.05) in malnourished mice than in controls. In general, all morphometric values of specimens grown in malnourished mice were lower than those of control mice. Schistosome worms grown in malnourished mice had statistically significant differences (P<  0.05) in the reproductive system and tegument than those grown in mice fed standard diets. In female worms, vitelline glands showed few remaining follicles and ovaries lacked mature oocytes. In male parasites, tubercles were fewer in number on the dorsal surface and testicular lobes presented fewer differentiated germinal cells. In summary, we describe novel data supporting the view that low-protein diets may influence the development of adult worms.
In vitro effects of artesunate on the survival of worm pairs and egg production of Schistosoma mansoni
Authors: Mitsui Y. , Miura M. , Aoki Y.
Published: October 2008

The effect of artesunate (ART) on the survival time of adult worm pairs of Schistosoma mansoni and on their egg output during in vitro culture was assessed. ART significantly decreased the survival time of both paired male and female worms at concentrations of 5, 10, 20 and 40 mg l− 1 during in vitro cultivation. An inhibitory effect of ART on the daily egg output of paired female worms during in vitro cultivation was also observed.
Effect of diathermy on pain and healing in tonsillectomy, compared with other methods of haemostasis: a randomised study
Authors: Hahn C H , Rungby J A , Overgaard T , Møller H , Schultz P , Tos M
Published: October 2008

Objective:

To compare three methods of haemostasis used for ‘cold steel’ tonsillectomy, in terms of pain scores and morbidity.

Method and material:

Prospective, randomised, single-blinded, controlled clinical study. Three haemostasis methods were compared: compression of the tonsillar fossae with gauze packs; bipolar diathermy; and local anaesthesia then pack compression. The outcome measures were pain scores (derived from a visual analogue scale), peri-operative bleeding, and post-operative episodes of blood-stained saliva, consultation rate, tonsillar bed healing and days before return to regular diet. One hundred and five patients were included.

Results:

Peri-operative bleeding was significantly reduced in the local anaesthesia group compared with the other two groups. Delayed post-operative tonsillar bed healing was noted in the diathermy group. No other significant differences were found between the three haemostasis groups, for any other outcome measures. The presence of blood-stained saliva was associated with higher pain scores.

Conclusion:

Diathermy and compression were associated with similar post-tonsillectomy morbidity.
Effect of passive smoking on ciliary regeneration of nasal mucosa after functional endoscopic sinus surgery in children
Authors: Atef A , Zeid I Abo , Qotb M , Rab E Gad El
Published: October 2008

Hypothesis and background:

Passive smoking in the paediatric age group is associated with an increased frequency of a number of childhood respiratory disorders. However, its effect on ciliary regeneration after functional endoscopic sinus surgery for chronic sinusitis has not previously been reported.

Material and methods:

We conducted a prospective, nonrandomised cohort study on 38 paediatric patients with chronic sinusitis. We compared two patient groups – passive smokers and those not subjected to passive smoking – as regards ciliary regeneration after functional endoscopic sinus surgery, using objective methodology.

Results and conclusion:

We found passive smoking to have a negative impact on sinus cilia regeneration following functional endoscopic sinus surgery.
Cortical mastoidectomy in quiescent, tubotympanic, chronic otitis media: is it routinely necessary?
Authors: Bhat K V , Naseeruddin K , Nagalotimath U S , Kumar P R , Hegde J S
Published: October 2008

Objective:

This study aimed to compare outcomes for mastoidotympanoplasty and for tympanoplasty alone in cases of quiescent, tubotympanic, chronic, suppurative otitis media.

Study design:

Single-blinded, randomised, controlled study within a tertiary referral hospital.

Methods:

Sixty-eight cases were randomly allocated into two groups. In group one, 35 ears underwent type one tympanoplasty along with cortical mastoidectomy. In group two, 33 ears underwent type one tympanoplasty alone. Outcome measures were as follows: perforation closure and graft uptake, hearing improvement, disease eradication, and post-operative complications.

Results:

There were no statistically significant differences in hearing improvement, tympanic perforation closure, graft uptake or disease eradication, comparing the two groups at three and six months post-operatively.

Conclusion:

Mastoidotympanoplasty was not found to be superior to tympanoplasty alone over a short term follow-up period. Hence, it may not be necessary to undertake routine mastoid exploration at this stage of disease.
Oesophageal function in tracheoesophageal fistula speakers after laryngectomy
Authors: Allan W , Burgess L , Hurren A , Marsh R , Samuel P R , Small P K
Published: October 2008

Objectives:

Patients who have undergone tracheoesophageal puncture for surgical voice restoration often use unnaturally high oesophageal air pressures during speech. This study examined the effect of high oesophageal air pressure on oesophageal body motility, lower oesophageal sphincter function and dyspeptic symptoms.

Design:

Cross-sectional study using several investigative tests of oesophageal function.

Materials and methods:

Sixteen patients who used tracheoesophageal fistula speech underwent several investigations, including: oesophageal manometry, videofluoroscopy, barium swallow, and tracheal pressure measurements during speech. The patients were also asked to complete a dyspepsia questionnaire.

Results:

We demonstrated that more than 50 per cent of these patients had subjective or objective disordered oesophageal function. Videofluoroscopy and manometry identified oesophageal dysmotility in the same patients.

Conclusion:

Oesophageal function appears to be altered by tracheoesophageal fistula speech. However, our study showed that there is no contraindication to proceeding with tracheoesophageal fistula voicing even in patients with a history of oesophageal dysfunction.
Session 4: Challenges facing the food industry in innovating for health Impact on CVD risk of modifying milk fat to decrease intake of SFA and increase intake of cis-MUFA
Authors: Givens D. I.
Published: October 2008

Despite the acknowledged benefits of reducing SFA intake few countries within the EU meet recognised targets. Milk and dairy products represent the single largest source of dietary SFA in most countries, yet epidemiological evidence indicates that milk has cardioprotective properties such that simply reducing consumption of dairy foods to meet SFA targets may not be a sound public health approach. The present paper explores the options for replacing some of the SFA in milk fat with cis-MUFA through alteration of the diet of the dairy cow, and the evidence that such changes can improve the indicators for CHD and CVD in general for the consumer. In addition, the outcome of such changes on risk factors for CHD and CVD at the population level is examined in the light of a modelling exercise involving data for eleven EU member states. Given the current and projected costs of health care, the results indicate that urgent consideration should be given to such a strategy.
Neighborhood poverty and suicidal thoughts and attempts in late adolescence
Authors: Dupéré V. , Leventhal T. , Lacourse É.
Published: October 2008

Background

Suicide tends to concentrate in disadvantaged neighborhoods, and neighborhood disadvantage is associated with many important risk factors for youth suicide. However, no study has directly investigated the link between neighborhood poverty and youth suicidal behaviors, while controlling for pre-existing vulnerabilities. The objective of this study was to determine whether living in a poor neighborhood is associated with suicidal thoughts and attempts in late adolescence over and above background vulnerabilities, and whether this association can be explained by late-adolescence psychosocial risks: depression, social support, negative life events (NLEs), delinquent activities, substance abuse and exposure to suicide. The potential moderating role of neighborhood poverty was also examined.

Method

A subset of 2776 participants was selected from the Canadian National Longitudinal Survey of Children and Youth (NLSCY). Late-adolescence suicidal behaviors and risk factors were self-reported. The 2001 Canadian Census was used to characterize neighborhoods during early and middle adolescence. Late-childhood family and individual controls were assessed through parent-report.

Results

At the bivariate level, the odds of reporting suicidal thoughts were about twice as high in poor than non-poor neighborhoods, and the odds of attempting suicide were about four times higher. After controlling for background vulnerabilities, neighborhood poverty remained significantly associated with both suicidal thoughts and attempts. However, these associations were not explained by late-adolescence psychosocial risks. Rather, youth living in poor neighborhoods may be at greater risk through the amplification of other risk factors in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

Conclusions

Potential explanations for the increased vulnerability of youth living in poor neighborhoods are discussed.
Reflection, theory and practice
Authors: Swanwick Keith
Published: October 2008

A brief review of the state of music education in the UK at the time of the creation of the British Journal of Music Education (BJME) leads to a consideration of the range and focus of topics since the initiation of the Journal. In particular, the initial requirement of careful and critical enquiry is amplified, drawing out the inevitability of theorising, an activity which is considered to be essential for reflective practice. The relationship of theory and data is examined, in particular differentiating between the sciences and the arts. A ‘case study’ of theorising is presented and examined in some detail and possible strands of future development are identified.
The origins and influence of the BJME. A documented discussion between John Paynter and William Salaman
Authors: Paynter John , Salaman William
Published: October 2008

During the 1980s, the International Journal of Music Education (IJME) ran a series of articles under the general heading ‘Personalities in World Music Education’. Each article was written by an author who was well acquainted with the distinguished personality upon whom the editors, Jack Dobbs and Anthony Kemp, wished to focus. I was privileged to be asked to interview John Paynter whose influence upon musical education in the UK and in many other countries was profound. Among his many positions he was co-editor of the British Journal of Music Education (BJME) at that time. The article about him was published in the IJME number 12 (pp. 28–32) in 1988.
Adult male southern elephant seals from King George Island utilize the Weddell Sea
Authors: Tosh C.A. , Bornemann H. , Ramdohr S. , Schröder M. , Martin T. , Carlini A. , Plötz J. , Bester M.N.
Published: October 2008

Adult male southern elephant seals instrumented in 2000 on King George Island (n = 13), travelled both to the north (n = 2) and to the east (n = 6) of the Antarctic Peninsula. Five males remained within 500 km of the island focusing movements in the Bransfield Strait and around the Antarctic Peninsula. Sea surface temperatures encountered by these animals showed little variation. While animal trajectories appeared unaffected by sea ice cover, areas of shallow depths were frequented. Three males moved as far as 75°S to the east of the Peninsula with maximum distances of more than 1500 km from King George Island. They travelled into the Weddell Sea along the western continental shelf break until they reached the region of the Filchner Trough outflow. Here the sea floor consists of canyons and ridges that support intensive mixing between the warm saline waters of the Weddell Gyre, the very cold outflow waters and ice shelf water at the Antarctic Slope Front. The need for re-instrumentation of adult males from King George Island is highlighted to investigate whether males continue to travel to similar areas and to obtain higher resolution data.
The Study of Activities in Classic Households: Two Case Studies from Coba and Teotihuacan
Authors: Manzanilla Linda , Barba Luis
Published: October 2008

Mesoamerican household sites were often deserted gradually, leaving very little de facto refuse for analysis. Starting with archaeological and paleobiological distribution patterns, this study adds a new dimension to the spatial study of two Classic households by plotting chemical concentrations in probable activity areas.
Maize Storage among the Puuc Maya: The Development of an Archaeological Method
Authors: Smyth Michael P.
Published: October 2008

Mesoamerican archaeologists have long realized that agricultural food storage helped support large prehispanic centers, especially in places where food production was seasonally constrained by culture and environment. Yet, past storage has rarely been identified or interpreted accurately at Mesoamerican sites – a dilemma that challenges archaeologists to improve research methods. To meet this challenge, recent ethnoarchaeological research into household maize storage behavior among traditional Puuc Maya farmers has revealed that storage is closely interrelated with daily food processing activities. This information has fostered the development of a storage model (based on houselot spatial organization, activity scheduling, and refuse disposal), providing a framework to interpret the material remains of storage-related behavior affected by diverse maize storage techniques. Excavations within modern Puuc houselots have begun to document feature, refuse, chemical, and botanical patterns that indicate storage places. Together, these storage patterns and their spatial associations in Puuc houselots contribute significant information towards building an archaeological storage method.
Household Archaeology at Cerén, El Salvador
Authors: Sheets Payson D. , Beaubien Harriet F. , Beaudry Marilyn , Gerstle Andrea , McKee Brian , Miller C. Dan , Spetzler Hartmut , Tucker David B.
Published: October 2008

In the summer of 1989, major discoveries were made at the site of Joya de Cerén, El Salvador, where sudden depositions of volcanic ash ina.d. 600 resulted in unusually favorable conditions of preservation. The theoretical framework for the research is household archaeology, the study of prehistoric household groups. Household archaeology, as applied to Cerén can take advantage of the extraordinary preservation to study households in terms of their key activities of (a)production, including food, implements, vessels, and structures; (b) “pooling,” including storage, distribution, maintenance, and curation activities; (c)transmissionof knowledge and material goods including access to resources; (d)reproductionin both the biological and sociocultural senses; and (e)co-residence/membershipin the functioning residential group. One of the major finds was a possible codex or Precolumbian manuscript.
A Logograph in Maya Writing for the Verb “To Record”
Authors: Fahsen Federico
Published: October 2008

Hieroglyphic signs T757/788 have several functions in Maya texts, from strictly phonetic to grammatical. The author of this article suggests that a variant of this sign is the logograph for the verb or expression “to record,” which is different from the expression “to write.”
The Search for History in Mixtec Codices
Authors: Jansen Maarten
Published: October 2008

This article begins with a historical review of the study of ancient Mixtec civilization and how codices became alienated from the Oaxaca region and culture. Current interpretations of codices' geographic reality, their religious dimension, and the problems of chronology are discussed. Accurate interpretation of the Mixtec codices is shown to be very much dependent on the collaboration of modern Mixtecs, as the inheritors of the ancient culture.
Performance and the Structure of the Mixtec Codices
Authors: Monaghan John
Published: October 2008

This article begins with the assumption that the Mixtec codices were scripts to be performed. It reasons that as “scripts,” they contained clues to guide the performers in their public reading or chanting. It suggests that this reading would have corresponded to Mixtec canons of verbal artistry, and argues that the size and combination of figures in the codices reflect certain elements in the poetics of contemporary Mixtec speech.
Poetics and Metaphor in Mixtec Writing
Authors: King Mark B.
Published: October 2008

The structure and meaning of Mixtec codical symbolism is examined, based on data drawn from language, ethnography, and ethnohistory. The article is divided into three parts: (a) a discussion of Mixtec ideology and myth, with respect to codex symbolism; (b) a description of Mixtec poetics and symbolic correlates; and (c) an interpretive commentary of a brief mythological passage from the Vienna codex as a practical illustration of the first two parts of the article.
A Reexamination of the Compositional Affiliations of Formative Period Whiteware from Highland Guatemala
Authors: Neff Hector , Bishop Ronald L. , Arnold Dean E.
Published: October 2008

An earlier study (Rice 1977, 1978a) purportedly found compositional similarity between raw materials used by modern potters in the northern Valley of Guatemala and Formative period whiteware ceramics from sites in the valley, particularly the major highland center of Kaminaljuyu. The compositional similarity suggested that Formative whiteware was manufactured in the northern valley, and this inference in turn underpinned a model of the development of ceramic craft specialization. Methodological weaknesses in the earlier study cast some doubt on its conclusions. More recent compositional analyses of Formative whiteware indicate that, while whiteware probably was made within the zone from which Kaminaljuyu drew its ceramics, it almost certainly was not made within the northern Valley of Guatemala. The present study highlights some important technical and methodological advances in compositional studies made over the past decade.
New Findings on the Origins of Thin Orange Ceramics
Authors: Rattray Evelyn Childs
Published: October 2008

New data are presented from a settlement pattern survey of the Tepexi de Rodríguez region of southern Puebla, Mexico, and from excavations of two ceramic Workshops where Thin Orange ceramics, “Teotihuacan's most important trade ware,” were manufactured. Results of the settlement pattern survey reveal that the Tepexi de Rodríguez region, where the trade ware was made, had a flourishing civilization during the Classic period (a.d.300–750) which enjoyed continuous, intensive contact with Teotihuacan, yet the region was apparently not under the domination of the Teotihuacan state. Data are presented on the techniques of ceramic manufacture, the contexts of pottery production, and the social and economic organization of the potters who made Thin Orange ceramics.
The INAH Salvage Archaeology Excavations at Azcapotzalco, Mexico: An Analysis of the Lithic Assemblage
Authors: Chávez Raul García , Glascock Michael D. , Elam J. Michael , lceland Harry B.
Published: October 2008

Analysis of a collection of lithic artifacts from recent INAH salvage excavations in Azcapotzalco, Mexico, contributes to our understanding of lithic procurement and manufacturing processes, other economic activities, intersite relations, and the decline of Classic civilization in the Basin of Mexico. The results of NAA conducted at the Missouri University Research Reactor on a small sample of obsidian artifacts from the site support the conclusions of visual analysis and growing evidence from other central Mexican sites that at the end of the Classic Period obsidian exchange networks utilizing the Pachuca, Hidalgo, sources were largely replaced by a widespread dependence on the considerably more distant obsidian source of Ucareo, Michoacan. It appears likely that Ucareo obsidian was imported primarily in the form of large polyhedral cores used to produce prismatic blades. Obsidian from the Otumba, State of Mexico, source was also identified by NAA in biface and blade form.
Who Was Who in Ninth-Century Chichen Itza
Authors: Ringle William M.
Published: October 2008

Hieroglyphic inscriptions from Chichen Itza are examined for possible light they might shed on its ethnic and political makeup during the Terminal Classic period (a.d.800–1000). It is suggested that many of the name glyphs include patronyms known to be important at contact. This continuity of elite occupation is reinforced by decipherment of a title common to many of them ásholpop, a title also known from early colonial Spanish and Maya documents. Finally, a reading of the event of the lintel asyulis suggested. The implications of these readings suggest the genesis of at least some Late Postclassic organizational features in the Terminal Classic. Also arguing against a severe rupture of elite life at the end of the Terminal Classic is the persistence of patronyms in northern Yucatan. Colonial sources make frequent mention of migrations and invasions as the source of the distinctive art and architecture, yet if the arguments herein are correct, there was instead a remarkable stability of ruling families in northern Yucatan. Finally, the dedication of several monuments by different individuals, each having different patronyms and marked by epithets such as “holy,” suggests considerable autonomy of these lesser officials consistent with a segmentary state form of organization.
Recollections of a Carnegie Archaeologist
Authors: Shook Edwin , Houston Stephen D.
Published: October 2008

I came in the back door, in 1993. It was the bottom of the Depression, and I happened to be in Washington, D.C., studying engineering in a technical school. One evening a man walked into our course, “Stresses and Strains in Structural Steel,” and asked for the drafting class. My professor told him it was down the hall, so our visitor backed out and apologized–he'd been looking for a draftsperson. In the of 1933 any job opening looked good, so I followed him and insisted that I had the appropriate qualifications. I didn't, of course, but you'd be willing to try anything in those years.
Classic Maya Dance
Authors: Grube Nikolai
Published: October 2008

A long-known verbal glyph in Classic Maya inscriptions is reinterpreted as a glyph for dancing (ahk'ot), apparently an important ritual of the ancient Maya. The glyph is found with scenes showing one or several dancers. Glyphs after the verb can be shown to describe the objects and instruments employed in dances. This article analyzes several examples of Maya dances and the ritual and social context in which they occur. These include the dance with a staff with cloth tied down its length, a dance with a “God K” scepter, a dance with a staff with birds attached to it, a dance with a staff with a “God K” figure seated on top of it, a snake dance, dances in warrior outfit, and dances at royal visits. A variety of dances is represented on polychrome ceramics. Many polychrome ceramics can be shown to depict dancing companion spirits, while others show dances associated with historical events. A comparison with colonial and modern Maya dances shows that they share the same emphasis on dance objects, but that the underlying religious and political messages have changed almost completely.
The Ancient Maya Ballcourt at Pacbitun, Belize
Authors: Healy Paul F.
Published: October 2008

Excavations of a ceremonial ballcourt, undertaken at the Lowland Maya center of Pacbitun in western Belize, have provided details about ancient construction techniques and major diachronic structural changes to this special class of Precolumbian architecture. Some of the identified building alterations may have necessitated changes in the manner of playing the sacred Maya game at Pacbitun. A brief description of the excavations and construction history is provided. Analysis of artifactual remains from the ballcourt indicate it was built during the Late Preclassic period (100b.c.-a.d.300), but substantially altered in form during the Late Classic period (a.d.550–900). The importance of the ballgame in the southern Lowlands is noted, and the particular significance of the Pacbitun court is discussed.
The Canek Manuscript in Ethnohistorical Perspective
Authors: Jones Grant D.
Published: October 2008

The Canek Manuscript describes a visit by Fray András de Avendaño y Loyola, two Franciscan companions, and ten Maya sacristans from the town of Tipu to the towns of Chacan on the western shore of Lake Peten Itza and Noh Peten (Tah Itza or Tayasal) on the island that today is Flores, Peten, Guatemala. This visit probably occurred in January or February, 1695, two years before the Spanish conquest of Noh Peten. The four-folio manuscript is a fragment of a larger document, the remainder of which is lost. The Franciscan author, a lay brother, was probably Fray Alonso de Vargas. This contribution places the manuscript in its ethnohistorical context, describes it content, and discusses its significance.
The Language of the Canek Manuscript
Authors: Hanks William F.
Published: October 2008

The Canek manuscript is written in a distinctive linguistic style, probably a local variant of Spanish influenced by Yucatec Maya and archaic forms of Spanish. It also reflects a curiously ambivalent perspective on the Itza king Canek, at once aligning him with the pagan Indians and suggesting an affinity with Saint Francis. Like many other colonial texts, the four extant folia of this manuscript show a blending of verbal genres. This paper presents a discourse analysis of the manuscript, demonstrating that it is organized according to a systematic rhetorical structure based on syntactic foregrounding, poetic parallelism and thematic development. Placed in the context of other colonial documents, this one displays the cultural and linguistic ambivalence of its author.
Intensive Ceramic Production and Classic-Period Political Economy in the Sierra de los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico
Authors: Arnold Philip J. , Pool Christopher A. , Kneebone Ronald R. , Santley Robert S.
Published: October 2008

Matacapan, a Classic-period center in the Sierra de los Tuxtlas, Veracruz, Mexico, is known for its strong stylistic affinities with Teotihuacan. The Comoapan complex is a ceramic-production area situated along the southern edge of Matacapan. Data from Comoapan indicate that pottery manufacture was large scale and intensive, with final products distributed outside of Matacapan and possibly beyond the Tuxtlas. These data suggest that models of Tuxtlas political economy emphasizing long-term Teotihuacan administration should be reconsidered. More reasonable is a perspective that views the Tuxtlas as a source of high-quality prestige goods whose distribution is administered by local elite.
Comments on Andrew Sluyter: Long-Distance Staple Transport in Western Mesoamerica: Insights Through Quantitative Modeling
Authors: Cowgill George L.
Published: October 2008

Sluyter (1993) makes some useful points, but his criticism of Drennan's arguments is unsound. Sluyter is incorrect in thinking that there is no limit to the distance from which human bearers could carry food staples at a net energy profit. Drennan did not take into account that feeding bearers meals supplied at way stations is more efficient than requiring them to carry all their food with them, and he is unrealistic in thinking that a center will rarely procure food from a distance too great to allow more than half of what is procured to reach the center. At least during shortages, food may be procured at a much smaller net energy profit. Nevertheless, Drennan is correct in arguing that there is a limit beyond which (other things being equal) no further increase in procurement radius can increase the food potentially available to the center.
Preceramic Projectile-Point Typology in Belize
Authors: Kelly Thomas C.
Published: October 2008

Sufficient numbers of preceramic projectile points have now been found in Belize to define two morphologically distinct projectile-point types, Lowe and Sawmill. A provisional type —Allspice—is proposed but lacks both the necessary numbers and adequate context for acceptance as a diagnostic type. A single Clovis point is so far the only diagnostic of the Paleoindian period. This study also suggests that the projectile-point typology, the foundation for much of the Belize Archaic Archaeological Reconnaissance chronology, is so badly flawed that the resulting chronology has little merit. Recent discoveries of major preceramic sites with associated radiocarbon dates and their possible association with early raised-field agriculture indicate that studies of preceramic Belize are entering an exciting new era. This typology should provide a useful tool for future studies and is the beginning of a meaningful chronology.
Chemical Characteristics of Obsidian from Archaeological Sites in Western Mexico and the Tequila Source Area: Implications for Regional and Pan-Regional Interaction Within the Northern Mesoamerican Periphery
Authors: Trombold Charles D. , Luhr James F. , Hasenaka Toshiaki , Glascock Michael D.
Published: October 2008

A total of 51 obsidian samples from archaeological sites in western Mexico (La Quemada, Totoate, Las Ventanas, Laguna San Marcos) and from the Tequila source area were analyzed chemically by direct-current plasma atomic emission spectrometry (DCP) and instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) in an effort to identify the sources of the archaeological obsidian by step-wise discriminant analysis of the data. Surprisingly, only 3 of the 39 archaeological samples (2 from Laguna San Marcos and 1 from Las Ventanas) could be correlated with a Volcán Tequila source (Teuchitlan). Four other groups of archaeological obsidian were recognized. The largest, Group Y, was found to be derived from the La Lobera source located near the Jalisco–Zacatecas border. This source accounted for 12% of La Quemada obsidian and a higher proportion for Las Ventanas and Totoate. Source locations for the remaining three groups could not be determined from the existing chemical data base. These results could indicate that a minimum of interaction took place between La Quemada and the Teuchitlan cultural tradition. It shows that one focus of La Quemada's trade endeavors was in the Río Bolaños/Tlaltenango valleys. This study also indicates that organized obsidian trade between the Mexican core and its outer periphery was probably not a factor between a.d. 400 and 800.
Obsidian-Hydration Dating: Its Past, Present, and Future Application in Mesoamerica
Authors: Freter AnnCorinne
Published: October 2008

The reconstruction of time is a central concern all archaeologists must address in their research; few, however, are fully aware of the potential of all the dating methods at their disposal. For this reason, this paper summarizes the developmental history and current level of field application of obsidian-hydration dating. It (1) reviews how this dating technique was first discovered and applied, (2) details our current knowledge of the process of hydration and which variables affect its rate, (3) discusses the relative advantages and limitations of the three primary approaches employed to construct hydration chronologies, and (4) presents a protocol for its future application in Mesoamerica. The synthesis of this body of hydration-dating research may help archaeologists more constructively decide how and when to apply this unique and versatile dating technique to their specific research questions by providing the information and guidelines necessary for recovering pertinent field data.
The Size of the Aztec City of Yautepec
Authors: Smith Michael E. , Heath-Smith Cynthia , Kohler Ronald , Odess Joan , Spanogle Sharon , Sullivan Timothy
Published: October 2008

In 1992 we conducted an intensive archaeological surface survey in and around the modern town of Yautepec, Morelos, Mexico. Our goals were to determine the size and extent of the Aztec-period city of Yautepec, and to gather data on its spatial organization. This article describes the methods used and the results obtained toward achieving the first goal. Aztec Yautepec covered approximately 209 ha; this area is partly covered by the modern town and partly by open fields. Late Postclassic settlement was clustered around a structure that today is the largest known Aztec palace in central Mexico. We generate ethnohistoric and archaeological population estimates for Yautepec and discuss the city in relation to other Aztec urban settlements in Morelos and the Basin of Mexico.
Postclassic Changes in Veracruz, Mexico
Authors: Curet L. Antonio , Stark Barbara L. , Vásquez Z. Sergio
Published: October 2008

With systematic surface collections from the Mixtequilla region of Veracruz, Mexico, multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis distinguish two Postclassic complexes and permit examination of their associated settlement patterns. Comparison of pottery types to other assemblages provides cross dating and allows judgments about stylistic affinities. The earlier of the two complexes, assigned to the Middle Postclassic, ca.a.d.1200–1350, exhibits characteristics of the “Mixteca-Puebla horizon.” The second complex dates to the Late Postclassic,a.d.1350–1521, when the region was affected by imperial expansion of the Aztec Triple Alliance. Both complexes, but particularly the one from the Middle Postclassic, show marked changes in settlement pattern, material culture, and trade patterns. Changes in trade, stylistic emulation, or major population movement are insufficient to account for the evidence. Instead, political realignment, likely coupled with other factors, is a more promising interpretation.
Lords of the Hills
Authors: Dunning Nicholas P. , Kowalski Jeff Karl
Published: October 2008

A regional investigation of the ancient Maya settlement patterns of the Puuc suggests that this region was occupied by increasing numbers of people seeking to maximize control over prime agricultural soils during the Late Classic period. During the Late Classic the eastern Puuc region was controlled by numerous autonomous major centers that carried on the Classic Maya tradition of divine kingship. During the late ninth centurya.d., the city of Uxmal briefly emerged as the politically dominant center of the region and was involved in an important relationship with the city of Chichen Itza. Bya.d.950, however, Uxmal and the other major centers of the Puuc had ceased all important elite activities.
Ancient Maya Agricultural Terracing in the Upper Belize River Area
Authors: Fedick Scott L.
Published: October 2008

Recent archaeological surveys in the upper Belize River area have documented high overall settlement densities, albeit with an uneven distribution. Analyses have defined clear relationships between the distribution of land resources of varying agricultural capability and the density of ancient residential sites. However, these investigations did not provide direct physical evidence for cultivation techniques, particularly for the intensive methods that were probably employed in areas of prime land resources and high settlement density. The discovery in 1991 of terracing in direct association with a residential site prompted further investigations into the distribution of terrace systems throughout the area. The development of a computerized Geographic Information System (GIS) facilitated the prediction of terrace distributions on the basis of slope, soil type, and the parent material from which soils form. Initial field testing of the terrace-distribution model in 1992 resulted in the identification of 13 terrace systems, all situated on low slopes in soils developed on consolidated limestone. A variety of terrace systems were identified, including small, intricate patterns of “box terraces,” contour terraces, and cross-channel terraces. Locational data on these systems were used to modify the terrace-distribution model in anticipation of further field investigations. The results allow new insights into the structure of ancient Maya land use and settlement in the area, while illustrating a method that can be used to quantify landscape characteristics, thereby facilitating comparisons between local areas within a regional context.
Ancient Maya Tree Cropping
Authors: McKillop Heather
Published: October 2008

The predominance of tree crops among abundant, well-preserved plant food remains from coastal sites in southern Belize suggests that these island Maya had a specialized subsistence focus. Limited arable land on offshore islands, together with a maritime economy, may have been important factors in the use of tree crops. The Wild Cane Cay Maya utilized a variety of native palm fruits –Orbignya cohune, Acrocomia mexicana, andBactris major, as well as other wild tree fruits, in addition to corn. These coastal data support the view that specialized adaptation to diverse environments was a feature of ancient Maya subsistence.
The 2:2:1 Tribute Distribution in the Triple Alliance
Authors: Nielsen Hjørdis
Published: October 2008

Tribute sources have played a significant role in reconstructions of the Triple Alliance's history and geography at the time just before the Spanish Conquest. The Tenochcan tradition has been the main source for these reconstructions. The critical historical analysis of the internal relationship of an alternative tradition, that of Tetzcoco, sheds new light on the Tenochcan tradition and on the tribute distributional ratio of 2:2:1, i.e., of the Triple Alliance tribute to Tenochtitlan, to Tetzcoco, and to Tlacopan. I conclude that this distribution only applied to a minor geographical area in the Triple Alliance conquests. This ratio shows only that Tetzcoco and Tenochtitlan had a major participation in the conquest of part of the northeastern area of central Mexico.
Developmental Implications of Earlier Dates for Early Aztec in the Basin of Mexico
Authors: Parsons Jeffrey R. , Brumfiel Elizabeth , Hodge Mary
Published: October 2008

Archaeologists working in the Basin of Mexico have long accepted a chronology in which sequential ceramic phases (Metepec, Coyotlatelco, Mazapan, Aztec I, and Aztec II) define the period between the last stages of Classic Teotihuacan and the immediate antecedents of Late Postclassic Tenochtitlan. The absolute chronology of these phases has remained tentative, and there have been hints of possible temporal overlap between some of them. A series of 37 new radiocarbon dates from three deep, stratified sites in the Basin of Mexico suggest (1) that the traditional sequence of phases is essentially valid; (2) that both Coyotlatelco and Aztec I may have begun significantly earlier than traditionally believed; (3) that there may have been partial chronological overlap between Late Coyotlatelco and Early Aztec I in some parts of the basin; (4) that there was probably little significant temporal overlap between Aztec I and Aztec II; and (5) that the ethnohistorically recognized sociopolitical complexity of the long era in question is amply reflected in a regional ceramic sequence that still requires considerable refinement in both time and space.
Dating Results From Excavations in Quarry Tunnels Behind the Pyramid of the Sun at Teotihuacan
Authors: Manzanilla Linda , López Claudia , Freter AnnCorinne
Published: October 2008

In this article we summarize the results of an ongoing project designed to study the tunnels and caves of Teotihuacan, emphasizing those findings derived from the excavation of four extraction tunnels located immediately to the east of the Pyramid of the Sun. In particular, we present radiocarbon and obsidian-hydration dates from the Cueva de las Varillas, where 13 Mazapan-phase burials were found and which has substantial evidence for a post-Teotihuacan occupation. In addition, the Cueva del Pirul has produced evidence of another 14 human burials, which were predominantly children, as well as complete dog skeletons, in a context clearly related to underworld symbolism. After the fall of Teotihuacan, these underground cavities excavated intotezontlecontinued to provide space for the practitioners of Tlaloc and fertility cult activities. In Aztec times, they were living spaces, and given the lack of space on the surface, this was a function that they served well into the twentieth century.