bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Belief and experience of memory recovery
Authors: Naka Makiko , Maki Yoichi
Published: June 2006

A number of large‐scale surveys have shown that many adults, particularly university students, believe that traumatic memories can be repressed and then recovered at a later point in time. How do ordinary people like students, most of whom may not have experiences of repression or recovery of traumatic events, come to believe in such phenomenon? Such belief may be associated with daily experiences of forgetting and remembering. We asked 111 undergraduates to rate how likely they would think a person (in daily life) would remember what she/he had completely forgotten, and to write down such experiences, if they had any. Also we asked them to rate 39 statements on memory including repression and recovery of memory, and traumatic memory. Overall, 71% of participants thought that it was likely that one would remember what she/he had completely forgotten; 70% of participants reported that they actually had such experiences. Although most of the episodes that students reported reflected normal forgetting and remembering in daily life, the number of episodes as well as the belief and experience of such forgetting and remembering were correlated with their belief measures on repression and recovery of traumatic memories. Belief and experience of daily memory phenomenon may have something to do with creation and/or maintenance of belief in repressed/recovered memory. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Discussion affects memory for true and false childhood events
Authors: French Lauren , Sutherland Rachel , Garry Maryanne
Published: June 2006

Although people often reminisce about their past experiences, little research has assessed how discussion might influence people's autobiographical memories. There were two major aims to this study: first, to assess how adults' memories for genuine childhood experiences might be affected by discussion, and second, to extend research on false memories by exploring how memories for false events might be affected by discussion. Siblings attempted to recall four childhood events—three true and one false—three times independently, and then discussed their memories with each other. Results showed that subjects incorporated elements from each other's reports into their own; 24% also reported details about the false event by the end of the individual phase, although false reports dropped dramatically after the discussion phase. Our research shows discussion can influence both true and false autobiographical memories. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unscrambling words increases brand name recognition and preference
Authors: Kronlund Antonia , Bernstein Daniel M.
Published: June 2006

Unscrambling an anagram prior to making a recognition judgement about that target word or an unrelated word increases one's claims of having seen the target word before (the revelation effect). We examined whether a revelation effect would occur with brand name recognition and preference. When participants had to solve an anagram prior to seeing a target brand, they were more likely to claim to have seen the brand before (Experiment 1), to have known the brand in high school (Experiment 2), and to give higher preference ratings for the brand (Experiments 1 and 2). These results demonstrate that the revelation effect can be applied to brand names and preference judgements. We discuss our findings in terms of discrepancy‐attribution, whereby surprising fluency is misattributed to both past experience and preference. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ranking indirect connections in literature‐based discovery: The role of medical subject headings
Authors: Swanson Don R. , Smalheiser Neil R. , Torvik Vetle I.
Published: June 2006

Arrowsmith, a computer‐assisted process for literature‐based discovery, takes as input two disjoint sets of records (A, C) from the Medline database. It produces a list of title words and phrases, B, that are common to A and C, and displays the title context in which each B‐term occurs within A and within C. Subject experts then can try to find A–B and B–C title‐pairs that together may suggest novel and plausible indirect A–C relationships (via B‐terms) that are of particular interest in the absence of any known direct A–C relationship. The list of B‐terms typically is so large that it is difficult to find the relatively few that contribute to scientifically interesting connections. The purpose of the present article is to propose and test several techniques for improving the quality of the B‐list. These techniques exploit the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) that are assigned to each input record. A MesH‐based concept of literature cohesiveness is defined and plays a key role. The proposed techniques are tested on a published example of indirect connections between migraine and magnesium deficiency. The tests demonstrate how the earlier results can be replicated with a more efficient and more systematic computer‐aided process.
Proteomic methods applied to the analysis of immobilized biocatalysts
Authors: Petry Inga , Ganesan Ashok , Pitt Andrew , Moore Barry D. , Halling Peter J.
Published: June 2006

Methods adapted from proteomics can directly characterize proteins present in immobilized biocatalysts. Complete hydrolysis followed by HPLC analysis of Tyr and Phe estimates total protein bound, and is preferable to conventional difference methods, as tested with subtilisin Carlsberg on silica. This new method shows that various treatments give quantitative desorption of proteins immobilized by adsorption. Intact desorbed proteins may be analyzed by electrospray mass spectrometry. The Candida antarctica lipase B from Novozyme 435 was shown to be heavily glycosylated, while the lipase from Lipozyme RM IM was a mixture of four N‐terminally truncated forms. Peptides from selective cleavage were analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry, leading to automatic identification of proteins present. A second major protein present in Lipozyme RM IM was thus found to be alpha‐amylase from Aspergillus oryzae. These methods should be valuable complements to activity measurements in understanding immobilized enzyme activity and stability. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Empowerment to participate: a case study of participation by indian sex workers in HIV prevention
Authors: Cornish Flora
Published: June 2006

The popularity of ‘participation’ and ‘empowerment’ in international development discourse is not matched by sophisticated conceptualisation of these terms. Critics have argued that their vagueness allows ‘participation’ and ‘empowerment’ to be used indiscriminately to describe interventions which vary from tokenism to genuine devolving of power to the community. This paper suggests that conceptualising empowerment and participation simply in terms of a scale of ‘more or less’ participation or ‘more or less’ empowerment does not capture the qualitatively different forms of empowerment that are necessary for different activities. Instead, the paper conceptualises participation in terms of concrete domains of action in which people may be empowered to take part. An ethnographic case study of a participatory HIV prevention project run by sex workers in Kolkata illustrates the argument. Four domains of activity in which sex workers may participate are distinguished: (1) participating in accessing project services; (2) participating in providing project services; (3) participating in shaping project workers' activity; (4) participating in defining project goals. To be empowered to participate in each domain depends upon a different set of resources. Asking the question ‘empowerment to do what?’ of health promotion projects is proposed as a way of facilitating appropriate project design. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Triad Based on an Iridium(III) Bisterpyridine Complex Leading to a Charge‐Separated State with a 120‐μs Lifetime at Room Temperature
Authors: Flamigni Lucia , Baranoff Etienne , Collin Jean‐Paul , Sauvage Jean‐Pierre
Published: June 2006

A triad D‐Ir‐A, where Ir is an IrIII bisterpyridine complex connected through an amidophenyl spacer to D, a triphenylamine electron donor, and to A, a naphthalene bisimide electron acceptor, has been synthesized and electrochemically investigated. The photoinduced processes in the triad, which is more than 4‐nm long, have been characterized by steady‐state and time‐resolved optical spectroscopy by comparison with the model dyads D‐Ir, Ir‐A, and the reference monomers D, Ir, and A. A sequential electron transfer occurs upon excitation of the D and Ir units, leading to the charge‐separated state D+‐Ir−‐A in 100 % yield and subsequently to D+‐Ir‐A− in about 10 % yield. The final charge‐separated state has a lifetime at room temperature of 120 μs in air‐free acetonitrile and of 100 μs in air‐equilibrated solvent. Excitation of the A units does not yield intramolecular reactivity, but the resulting triplet‐excited state localized on the acceptor, D‐Ir‐3A, displays intermolecular reactivity.
Host–Guest Chemistry of Copper(II)–Histidine Complexes Encaged in Zeolite Y
Authors: Mesu J. Gerbrand , Visser Tom , Beale Andrew M. , Soulimani Fouad , Weckhuysen Bert M.
Published: June 2006

Structural analysis has been carried out on copper(II)–histidine (Cu2+/His) complexes after immobilization in the pore system of the zeolites NaY and de‐aluminated NaY (DAY). The aim of this study was to determine the geometrical structure of Cu2+/His complexes after encaging, to obtain insight into both the effect of the zeolite matrix on the molecular structure and redox properties of the immobilized complexes. In addition to N2 physisorption and X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) analyses, a combination of UV/Vis/NIR, ESR, X‐ray absorption (EXAFS and XANES), IR, and Raman spectroscopy was used to obtain complementary information on both the first coordination shell of the copper ion and the orientation of the coordinating His ligands. It was demonstrated that two complexes (A and B) are formed, of which the absolute and relative abundance depends on the Cu2+/His concentration in the ion‐exchange solution and on the Si/Al ratio of the zeolite material. In complex A, one His ligand coordinates in a tridentate facial‐like manner through Nam, Nim, and Oc, a fourth position being occupied by an oxygen atom from a zeolite Brønsted site. In complex B, two His ligands coordinate as bidentate ligands; one histamine‐like (Nam, Nim) and the other one glycine‐like (Nam, Oc). In particular the geometrical structure of complex A differs from the preferred structure of Cu2+/His complexes in aqueous solutions; this fact implies that the zeolite host material actively participates in the coordination and orientation of the guest molecules. The tendency for complex A to undergo reduction in inert atmosphere to Cu1+ (as revealed by dynamic XANES studies) suggests activation of complex A by the interaction with the zeolite material. EXAFS analysis confirms the formation of a distorted four coordinate geometry of complex A, suggesting that the combination of zeolite and one His ligand force the Cu2+ complex into an activated, entactic state.
Lipopolysaccharides from Serratia marcescens Possess One or Two 4‐Amino‐4‐deoxy‐L‐arabinopyranose 1‐Phosphate Residues in the Lipid A and D‐glycero‐D‐talo‐Oct‐2‐ulopyranosonic Acid in the Inner Core Region
Authors: Vinogradov Evgeny , Lindner Buko , Seltmann Guntram , Radziejewska‐Lebrecht Joanna , Holst Otto
Published: June 2006

The carbohydrate backbones of the core‐lipid A region were characterized from the lipopolysaccharides (LPSs) of Serratia marcescens strains 111R (a rough mutant strain of serotype O29) and IFO 3735 (a smooth strain not serologically characterized but possessing the O‐chain structure of serotype O19). The LPSs were degraded either by mild hydrazinolysis (de‐O‐acylation) and hot 4 M KOH (de‐N‐acylation), or by hydrolysis in 2 % aqueous acetic acid, or by deamination. Oligosaccharide phosphates were isolated by high‐performance anion‐exchange chromatography. Through the use of compositional analysis, electrospray ionization Fourier transform mass spectrometry, and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy applying various one‐ and two‐dimensional experiments, we identified the structures of the carbohydrate backbones that contained D‐glycero‐D‐talo‐oct‐2‐ulopyranosonic acid and 4‐amino‐4‐deoxy‐L‐arabinose 1‐phosphate residues. We also identified some truncated structures for both strains. All sugars were D‐configured pyranoses and α‐linked, except where stated otherwise.
A Hyaluronidase Supercatalyst for the Enzymatic Polymerization to Synthesize Glycosaminoglycans
Authors: Kobayashi Shiro , Ohmae Masashi , Ochiai Hirofumi , Fujikawa Shun‐ichi
Published: June 2006

Hyaluronidase (HAase) catalyzes multiple enzymatic polymerizations with controlling regio‐ and stereoselectivity perfectly. This behavior, that is, the single enzyme being effective for multireactions and retaining the enzyme catalytic specificity, is not usual, and hence, HAase is a supercatalyst. Various sugar oxazoline monomers prepared based on the concept “transition‐state analogue substrate” were successfully polymerized and copolymerized with HAase catalysis, yielding natural and unnatural glycosaminoglycans.
Molecular Structures and NMR Studies of Lithium and Germanium(II) Complexes of a New Chelating Amido–Imino Ligand Obtained by Addition of nBuLi to 1,2‐Bis(arylimino)acenaphthene
Authors: Fedushkin Igor L. , Hummert Markus , Schumann Herbert
Published: June 2006

The reaction of 1,2‐bis[(2,6‐diisopropylphenyl)imino]acenaphthene (dpp‐bian, 1) with 1 equiv. of nBuLi in diethyl ether or with 2 equiv. of nBuLi in hexane produces [{dpp‐bian(nBu)}Li(Et2O)] (3) and [{dpp‐bian(nBu)Li}nBuLi]2 (4), respectively. Complexes 3 and 4 are formed by the transfer of an nBu anion to one of the imine carbon atoms of the dpp‐bian ligand. Treatment of 3 and 4 with H2O affords the C‐alkylated N‐protonated amino‐imino compound dpp‐bian(H)(nBu) (5). The reaction of 3 with GeCl2(dioxane) affords the three‐coordinate germylene complex [{dpp‐bian(nBu)}GeCl] (6). The molecular structures of 3–6 were determined by single‐crystal X‐ray structure analysis. The lack of symmetry in the alkylated bian system in 3–6 causes the non‐equivalence of all protons except those of the CH3 groups of the iPr substituents. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Scaling Methods of Sediment Bioremediation Processes and Applications
Authors: Adriaens P. , Li M.‐Y. , Michalak A. M.
Published: June 2006

Bioremediation has been argued to be one of the most cost‐effective remediation technologies available to reduce soil, sediment, or groundwater contamination, particularly because this approach may allow for the implementation of in‐place strategies. Recent trends have advocated the application of innovative sediment stabilization strategies through placement of (reactive) capping material to allow long‐term biodegradation of contaminants in these complex biogeochemical environments. The potential long‐term risk reduction associated with this approach requires a demonstration of causal relationships between sediment or contaminant stability on the one hand, and microbial reactivity on the other. The spatial analysis needed to fully understand and quantify these correlations requires sensitive probabilistic techniques. Geostatistics has been used for the characterization of multi‐scale spatial patterns for the last few decades, and the analysis of microbial attributes has shown significant spatial structures on microbial abundance and activity. However, there is a dearth of information on the applicability of geostatistics to quantitatively describe the interaction between the microorganisms and their environment. Using the Passaic River (NJ) dioxin data as a model dataset, multiple scaling models were applied to scale and interpolate sampled dioxin data and derive dechlorination signatures in sediments. Unlike conventional geostatistic tools that are based on the point‐to‐point spatial structures, the new multi‐scale model (M‐Scale) introduces a new framework for spatial analysis in which regional values at different scales are anchored by the correlations to each other. Spatial dioxin distributions and microbial dechlorination signatures were used as benchmarks for comparison of M‐Scale to ordinary kriging. The results from cross‐validation and jackknifing approaches applied to these datasets were analyzed and compared using Quantile‐Quantile (Q–Q) plots and reproduction coefficients. These plots indicated that the M‐Scale better preserves the local features of hotspots during data interpolation to a basin‐wide scale. Current efforts focus on mapping microbial abundance and respiratory competence in the Anacostia River, based on measurements at three different scales. The outcomes of this work will be used to develop an uncertainty‐based spatial decision tool for site remediation in this watershed using various capping strategies.
Dispersing Pollutant‐Degrading Bacteria in Contaminated Soil without Touching it
Authors: Harms H. , Wick L. Y.
Published: June 2006

Engineered bioremediation of soil‐bound contaminants relies on the presence of contaminant‐degrading microorganisms, optimal physical and chemical conditions for their catabolic activity and the bioavailability of the contaminants, which is often achieved by homogenization of the contaminated matrix. Mechanical treatment of soil for the stimulation of bioremediation is energy inefficient, since it moves the entire soil matrix just to facilitate the encountering of minor masses of microbes and pollutants. Moreover, it is not feasible for the remediation of entire (mega‐)sites. In this review, methods and mechanisms are presented that are capable of dispersing catabolically active bacteria in soil and sediment without the need of ex‐situ treatment. A less energy‐consuming and hence environmentally sounder biotechnology is proposed that makes use of the effects of electrical current, bacterial chemotaxis and bioturbation through the activities of soil animals, plant roots and fungal mycelia, all leading to increased pollutant bioavailability.
Assessment of Microbial In Situ Activity in Contaminated Aquifers
Authors: Kästner M. , Fischer A. , Nijenhuis I. , Geyer R. , Stelzer N. , Bombach P. , Tebbe C. C. , Richnow H. H.
Published: June 2006

Microbial ecologists and environmental engineers share the interest in identifying the key microorganisms responsible for compound turnover in the environment and in estimating the respective transformation rates. For the successful application of Natural Attenuation processes, a reliable assessment of the in situ turnover of a contaminant in an aquifer is essential. Here, we review and present new details of two recently developed approaches concerning the assessment of in situ biodegradation: (i) determination of biodegradation caused by microbial metabolism in a contamination plume by stable isotope fractionation analysis (SIFA) and (ii) determination of the actual degradation under the respective environmental conditions in the aquifer by using in situ microcosms (BACTRAPS®) amended with 13C‐labeled substrates as tracer compounds. Based on stable isotope fractionation analysis, the degradation occurring under anoxic biogeochemical conditions at a respective site can be calculated for the entire plume. This has been shown for benzene and toluene at the Zeitz site and partly for chlorobenzene at the Bitterfeld site. By use of the in situ microcosm approach with 13C‐labeled compounds, the microbial in situ degradation under strictly anaerobic conditions could be proven for benzene and toluene in Zeitz and for chlorobenzene in Bitterfeld. The transformation of 13C‐carbon of the labeled substrate into microbial fatty acids confirmed the assimilation of the pollutant resulting in the formation of biomass. In addition, metabolites such as benzylsuccinic acid were found in the toluene‐amended microcosms indicating anaerobic degradation of toluene. This result corresponds to the geochemical conditions found at the field site and therefore, the microcosm approach with 13C‐labeled compounds can be used to assign the predominant in situ degradation pathways in a contaminated aquifer. Since fatty acids profiles alone are often too unspecific for a community analysis at species level, the composition of the microbial communities was analyzed by genetic profiling and sequencing of partial 16S rRNA genes PCR‐amplified from total DNA extracted directly from the microcosms. Sequences retrieved from the microcosms indicated a dominance of not yet cultivated bacteria. Several sequences were phylogenetically closely related to sequences of bacteria known to be iron and sulfate reducers, typically found at sites polluted with BTEX and/or mineral oil. The results show that the current methods for monitoring microbial in situ activity at present stage are valuable tools for improving environmental control of compound turnover and will speed up engineering approaches.
Biomass Digestion in Agriculture: A Successful Pathway for the Energy Production and Waste Treatment in Germany
Authors: Weiland P.
Published: June 2006

Microbial conversion of energy crops and organic wastes to biogas has become one of the most attractive technologies for energy production, resource recovery, and waste treatment. It creates a wide breadth of positive environmental impacts because it reduces emissions of greenhouse gases, improves the management of manure and organic wastes, and replaces mineral fertilizer. Biogas is used today mainly for electricity and heat production, but it can also be applied as a vehicle fuel or for the production of hydrogen which is necessary for fuel cells. Biogas production in the agricultural sector is a very fast growing market in many European countries. This paper presents the current situation in Germany which has the highest number of agricultural biogas plants in Europe.
Trace Metals in Anaerobic Granular Sludge Reactors: Bioavailability and Dosing Strategies
Authors: Zandvoort M. H. , van Hullebusch E. D. , Fermoso F. G. , Lens P. N. L.
Published: June 2006

The trace metal dynamics in anaerobic granular sludge bed reactors and their influence on reactor performance is reviewed in this paper. An insight into the metal dynamics is required from a practical point of view in order to be able to early recognize limitations for essential trace elements, viz., to know when dosing of these elements is required in full‐scale anaerobic bioreactor applications. Further such knowledge is indispensable for a rational dosage of these metals, e.g., to ensure maximum substrate conversion rates and to prevent disturbances in reactor performance using a minimum amount of metals. Therefore, the retention, accumulation and release of trace metals in anaerobic granular sludge and the factors affecting these processes need to be known.
Characterization of a Novel Glucoamylase from the Thermoacidophilic Archaeon Picrophilus torridus Heterologously Expressed in E. coli
Authors: Schepers B. , Thiemann V. , Antranikian G.
Published: June 2006

There is an interest in the production of heat‐ and acid‐stable enzymes due to their potential application in various industrial fields, particularly in the food, brewery, and textile industries. Microorganisms living in extreme habitats are a good source for such enzymes as they enable to perform biotransformation reactions under non‐conventional conditions. After the complete genome analysis of the thermoacidophilic archaeon Picrophilus torridus (optimal growth at pH 0.7 and 60 °C) a number of genes were identified that encode for amylolytic enzymes, proteases, and esterases. A gene encoding an intracellular glucoamylase from P. torridus was cloned and successfully expressed in E. coli. The recombinant enzyme was purified to homogeneity with a yield of 37 % by heat treatment, anion exchange, and gel filtration chromatography. As revealed by non‐denaturating PAGE, the active enzyme forms a homotetramer (73 kDa/subunit). The recombinant glucoamylase shows activity between 30 °C and 65 °C and a pH of between 4.5 and 6.5. Interestingly, the enzyme shows unique substrate specificity compared to already known glucoamylases. In addition to the hydrolysis of branched and linear α‐glucans, the purified enzyme preferentially attacks maltotriose. The Vmax for maltotriose (10 U/mg) is even higher than the Vmax for starch (8 U/mg). The high maltotriose preference of this archaeal enzyme is unique among all glucoamylases described so far.
Myostatin short interfering hairpin RNA gene transfer increases skeletal muscle mass
Authors: Magee Thomas R. , Artaza Jorge N. , Ferrini Monica G. , Vernet Dolores , Zuniga Freddi I. , Cantini Liliana , Reisz‐Porszasz Suzanne , Rajfer Jacob , Gonzalez‐Cadavid Nestor F.
Published: June 2006

Background

Myostatin negatively regulates skeletal muscle growth. Myostatin knockout mice exhibit muscle hypertrophy and decreased interstitial fibrosis. We investigated whether a plasmid expressing a short hairpin interfering RNA (shRNA) against myostatin and transduced using electroporation would increase local skeletal muscle mass.

Methods

Short interfering RNAs (siRNAs) targeting myostatin were co‐transfected with a myostatin‐expressing plasmid into HEK293 cells and identified for myostatin silencing by Western blot. Corresponding shRNAs were cloned into plasmid shRNA expression vectors. Myostatin or a randomer negative control shRNA plasmid was injected and electroporated into the tibialis anterior or its contralateral muscle, respectively, of nine rats that were sacrificed after 2 weeks. Six other rats received a β‐galactosidase reporter plasmid and were sacrificed at 1, 2, and 4 weeks. Uptake of plasmid was examined by β‐galactosidase expression, whereas myostatin expression was determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blotting. Muscle fiber size was determined by histochemistry. Satellite cell proliferation was determined by PAX7 immunohistochemistry. Myosin heavy chain type II (MHCII) expression was determined by Western blot.

Results

β‐Galactosidase reporter plasmid was expressed at 1 and 2 weeks but diminished by 4 weeks in tibialis anterior skeletal muscle. Myostatin shRNA reduced myostatin mRNA and protein expression by 27 and 48%, respectively. Tibialis anterior weight, fiber size, and MHCII increased by 10, 34, and 38%, respectively. Satellite cell number was increased by over 2‐fold.

Conclusions

This is the first demonstration that myostatin shRNA gene transfer is a potential strategy to increase muscle mass. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Riparian landscapes and human habitat preferences during the Hoxnian (MIS 11) Interglacial
Authors: Ashton Nick , Lewis Simon G. , Parfitt Simon , White Mark
Published: June 2006

The archaeological, environmental and geological data from Hoxnian Interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 11) sites from Britain are examined to elucidate the type of habitats that humans preferred during this temperate episode. The conclusion is that humans avoided lacustrine situations, but did make use of the full range of resources that fluvial environments provide. This model is strengthened by the examination of other non‐archaeological Hoxnian sites. The problem of archaeological visibility in lacustrine sediment sequences is also discussed and methods of identifying other evidence of human presence are suggested that may offset the deficiencies in the lithic record. These include presence of cut‐marked bone, micro‐debitage and possibly charcoal in fine‐grained sediments deposited in distal settings. The reasons for human selection of fluvial situations are discussed. It is concluded that these environments provide a greater diversity of animal, plant and lithic resources, but also are major route‐ways through the landscape. Patterns of human site use are identified, which seem to be triggered by local changes in hydrology and drainage, themselves possibly caused by regional changes in climate. Finally, Lower Palaeolithic sites on the interfluves are discussed. Although they lack environmental or dating evidence, it is tentatively suggested that they were used during cooler episodes, when more open conditions prevailed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Clactonian elephant butchery site at Southfleet Road, Ebbsfleet, UK
Authors: Wenban‐Smith F. F. , Allen P. , Bates M. R. , Parfitt S. A. , Preece R. C. , Stewart J. R. , Turner C. , Whittaker J. E.
Published: June 2006

Archaeological excavations at Southfleet Road, Ebbsfleet, Kent, have revealed a complex sequence of fossiliferous Middle Pleistocene sediments containing lithic artefacts. An incomplete skeleton of straight‐tusked elephant Palaeoloxodon antiquus was found in lacustrine sediments in close association with a cluster of mint condition cores, flakes and notched flake‐tools, some with evidence of use‐damage. These finds appear to reflect in situ tool production and butchery of the elephant carcass. A far larger concentration of similar artefacts, again in mint condition, occurred nearby in the same horizon. These finds were overlain by a fluvial gravel containing abundant handaxes, some also in mint condition. A range of fossils, including pollen, molluscs and small vertebrates, indicates temperate conditions with local woodland coeval with the elephant butchery. The sediments appear to have formed during the early part of an interglacial, almost certainly MIS 11. As well as providing rare undisturbed evidence of human behaviour, the site supports the existence of a distinctive non‐handaxe Clactonian core/flake‐tool industry in southeast England at this period. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Early Middle Palaeolithic in Britain: archaeology, settlement history and human behaviour
Authors: White Mark , Scott Beccy , Ashton Nick
Published: June 2006

A number of archaeological sites dated to MIS 8 and MIS 7 and containing Early Middle Palaeolithic Levalloisian assemblages can now be identified within the British Palaeolithic record. These provide a mixture of high‐ and low‐resolution signatures, which together permit the reconstruction of aspects of early Neanderthal behaviour, settlement history and technological organisation within the British Isles. Much is certainly missing, but it is now possible to begin the task of disentangling the previously conflated Middle Palaeolithic, separating those sites belonging to the Middle Pleistocene from those dating to the last climatic cycle. This paper presents the first attempt to synthesise the data from the Early Middle Palaeolithic and presents some of our preliminary and tentatively held interpretations of what it might mean. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The taphonomy of a Middle Devensian (MIS 3) vertebrate assemblage from Lynford, Norfolk, UK, and its implications for Middle Palaeolithic subsistence strategies
Authors: Schreve Danielle C.
Published: June 2006

The association of a rich lithic assemblage with a Middle Devensian mammalian assemblage at Lynford was initially thought indicative of a mammoth butchery locality, a rare occurrence for a European Middle Palaeolithic open site. However, taphonomic analyses suggest that the specimens have very different depositional histories and were incorporated into a palaeochannel in several stages. Most specimens are extremely fragmentary, probably the result of extensive trampling, and signs of weathering and root‐damage provide further indications of exposure before burial. Carnivore damage is minimal but establishing the degree of interaction between the mammal fauna and alternative predators, such as Neanderthals, is problematic. Direct evidence of butchery is not present and the best indication of any form of mammoth exploitation lies in more circumstantial evidence such as the virtual absence of long bones from the main channel deposit and the mammoth age profiles. Instances of pathologies are also unusually common in the mammoths, implying that their greater vulnerability may have led to an accelerated demise either naturally or at the hands of a predator. The best evidence for direct faunal exploitation at the site is from green bone fractures and broken teeth that suggest marrow extraction in horse, reindeer and woolly rhinoceros. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The Palaeolithic occupation of Europe as revealed by evidence from the rivers: data from IGCP 449
Authors: Bridgland David R. , Antoine Pierre , Limondin‐Lozouet Nicole , Santisteban Juan I. , Westaway Rob , White Mark J.
Published: June 2006

IGCP 449 (2000–2004), seeking to correlate fluvial records globally, has compiled a dataset of archaeological records from Pleistocene fluvial sequences. Many terrace sequences can now be reliably dated and correlated with marine oxygen isotope stages (MIS), allowing potentially useful patterns in artefact distribution to be recognised. This review, based on evidence from northwest European and German sequences (Thames, Somme, Ilm, Neckar and Wipper), makes wider comparisons with rivers further east, particularly the Vltava, and with southern Europe, especially Iberia. The northwest and southern areas have early assemblages dominated by handaxes, in contrast with flake‐core industries in Germany and further east. Fluvial sequences can provide frameworks for correlation, based on markers within the Palaeolithic record. In northwest Europe the first appearance of artefacts in terrace staircases, the earliest such marker, dates from the mid–late Cromerian Complex. Flake‐core industries may have significantly preceded handaxe industries in southern Europe. An important technological innovation—Levallois technique—occurs at the Lower‐Middle Palaeolithic boundary, correlated with MIS 9–8. Humans deserted northern Europe during MIS 6, apparently returning to central Germany and northern France (Somme valley) by MIS 5e but not reaching southern England until the appearance of Mousterian culture during MIS 4–3. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The human colonisation of Europe: where are we?
Authors: Roebroeks Wil
Published: June 2006

This paper focuses on the earlier parts of the human colonisation of Europe and its wider setting and addresses the two basic tasks of archaeologists working in this field: (1) to identify the spatio‐temporal patterns of human presence and absence, i.e.getting the pattern‘right’; (2) toexplainthese patterns. Archaeologists have invested mostly in the first task, while the second one takes us to the field of biogeography. Study of biogeographical limits of hominins necessitates integration of many aspects of a species, e.g. diet, life history and social organisation, and the way environmental factors shape these. Palaeoanthropologists need to combine these with establishing data on the chronology of hominin presence, on palaeoenvironment and climatic oscillations, on emergence and disappearance of land bridges, and so on. They further have to acknowledge the fact that only very small parts of the former ranges of the species have been sampled ‘adequately’. The paper explores some of the key issues at stake in dealing with the human colonisation of Europe. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Metabolic response to two hydrocooling temperatures in sweet cherries cv Lapins and cv Sunburst
Authors: Alique Rafael , Martínez Miguel A , Alonso Jesús
Published: June 2006

Physiological and metabolic characterisation and analysis of response to two hydrocooling temperatures in cv Sunburst (early season) and cv Lapins (mid‐season) cherries during post‐harvest life has been studied. Samples were hydrocooled with water at 1 °C to reach 6 °C inside the fruit (HC‐6C) and 2 °C (HC‐2C) inside the fruit. After harvesting, Sunburst samples presented higher respiration rates and lower malic acid and sorbitol contents than Lapins. Glucose and fructose contents were similar in the two varieties. Sunburst control exhibited a higher respiration rate than Lapins and a higher rate of conversion from sorbitol to fructose. The change of glucose and malic acid consumption over 4 days at 20 °C was similar for the two varieties. Hydrocooling reduced respiration and the consumption of respiratory substrates. The residual effect of hydrocooling was especially significant in cherries of both varieties that had been pre‐cooled to 2 °C. Hydrocooling delayed loss of skin and pulp firmness, and reduced loss of titratable acid and soluble solid contents over 4 days at 20 °C in both varieties. Hydrocooling to 2 °C checked loss of quality with respect to controls for both varieties after 4 days at 20 °C. Lapins showed better conservation properties than Sunburst under all the experimental storage conditions. Hydrocooling reduced total losses in both varieties, especially in cherries pre‐cooled to 2 °C. Hydrocooling also had several residual effects: reduction of the respiration rate and consumption of respiratory substrates, and slowing of loss of quality, particularly for Lapins. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Biological response of broiler chickens fed peas (Pisum sativum L.) expressing the bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) α‐amylase inhibitor transgene
Authors: Li Xiuhua , Higgins Thomas JV , Bryden Wayne L
Published: June 2006

The nutritive value of transgenic peas expressing an α‐amylase inhibitor (α‐Ai1) was evaluated with broiler chickens. The effects of feeding transgenic peas on the development of visceral organs associated with digestion and nutrient absorption were also examined. The chemical composition of the conventional and the transgenic peas used in this study were similar. In the two feeding trials, that were conducted normal and transgenic peas were incorporated into a maize–soybean diet at concentrations up to 500 g kg−1. The diets were balanced to contain similar levels of apparent metabolisable energy (AME) and amino acids. In the first trial, the birds were fed the diets from 3 to 17 days post‐hatching and with levels of transgenic peas at 250 g kg−1 or greater there was a significant reduction in body weight but an increase in feed intake resulting in deceased feed conversion efficiency. In the second trial, in which the birds were fed diets containing 300 g kg−1 transgenic peas until 40 days of age, growth performance was significantly reduced. It was also demonstrated that the ileal starch digestibility coefficient (0.80 vs 0.42) was significantly reduced in the birds fed transgenic peas. Determination of AME and ileal digestibility of amino acids in 5‐week‐old broilers demonstrated a significant reduction in AME (12.12 vs 5.08 MJ kg−1 DM) in the birds fed the transgenic peas. The AME value recorded for transgenic peas reflected the lower starch digestibility of this line. Ileal digestion of protein and amino acids was unaffected by treatment. Expression of α‐Ai1 in peas did not appear to affect bird health or the utilisation of dietary protein. However, the significant reduction in ileal digestion of starch in transgenic peas does reduce the utility of this feedstuff in monogastric diets where efficient energy utilisation is required. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Thermotropic liquid crystal behavior on PBLG‐PDMS‐PBLG triblock copolymers
Authors: Ibarboure E. , Rodríguez‐Hernández J. , Papon E.
Published: June 2006

In this contribution, the preparation of rod‐coil‐rod triblock copolymers based on polydimethylsiloxane and polypeptide [poly(γ‐benzyl‐L‐glutamate)] is reported. Firstly, self‐assembly in rod‐like structures was demonstrated via polarized optical microscopy and small‐angle light scattering. Further structuration details were obtained using X‐ray scattering and AFM imaging to establish the formation of a double‐hexagonal structure and to accurately define the morphological dimensions of the rodlike structures. The thermal behavior of these structures was investigated using dynamic mechanical analysis and differential scanning calorimetry. We conclude by addressing an unexpected reversible thermal transition within the 130–150 °C temperature range and the ensuing associated organizational modifications. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4668–4679, 2006
Effects of pigments on the volume‐phase‐transition properties of N‐isopropylacrylamide gels as light‐modulation materials
Authors: Tsutsui Hiroaki , Akashi Ryojiro
Published: June 2006

The effects of pigments contained in N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) gels on their volume‐change properties were investigated. All the NIPAM gel particles, containing various kinds and concentrations of pigments, showed a volume phase transition at 34 °C. No pigment affected the volume‐phase‐transition temperature of the NIPAM gels. As the concentration of the pigment in the NIPAM gels was increased, the amount of the volume change of the NIPAM gels was reduced. The water absorptivity of the NIPAM gels in the swollen state decreased as the pigment concentration increased, whereas the water absorptivity in the shrunken state was almost constant. Reducing the initial monomer concentration of the polymerization of the NIPAM gel increased the water absorptivity in the swollen state. With an increase in the water absorptivity, the volume changes of the NIPAM gels containing pigments were increased. Prototype light modulators in which the NIPAM gel particles containing pigment were dispersed between glass plates were fabricated. The light modulator using the gel particles with improved diameter change (d/d0 = 2.3, where d and d0 are the equilibrium diameter and the diameter of the fully shrunken state at 50 °C, respectively) exhibited a larger transmittance change from 8 to 79% than that using the gel particles before the improvement (d/d0 = 1.7; from 38 to 79%) according to temperature changes. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4644–4655, 2006
Surface modification of multiwalled carbon nanotubes via nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization
Authors: Zhao Xiao‐Dong , Fan Xing‐He , Chen Xiao‐Fang , Chai Chun‐Peng , Zhou Qi‐Feng
Published: June 2006

The nitroxide‐mediated radical polymerization of styrene was carried out on the surfaces of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) initiated by an MWNT‐supported initiator multiwalled carbon nanotube–2″,2″,6″,6″‐tetramethylpiperidinyloxy (MWNT–Tempo). The content of polystyrene grafted from the surface was controlled by changes in the polymerization conditions, such as the reaction times or the ratios of monomers to initiators. The obtained polystyrene‐grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT–PSs) were further used to initiate the polymerization of 4‐vinylpyridine to get polystyrene‐b‐poly(4‐vinylpyridine)‐grafted multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNT–PS‐b‐P4VPs). In contrast to unmodified MWNTs, MWNT–PSs had relatively good dispersibility in various organic solvents, such as tetrahydrofuran, CHCL3, and o‐dichlorobenzene. The structures and properties of MWNT–PSs and MWNT–PS‐b‐P4VPs were characterized and studied with several methods, including thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared, ultraviolet–visible, and transmission electron microscopy. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4656–4667, 2006
Growth and survival of two north Australian relictual tree species, Allosyncarpia ternata (Myrtaceae) and Callitris intratropica (Cupressaceae)
Authors: Prior L. D. , Bowman D. M. J. S. , Brook B. W.
Published: June 2006

Allosyncarpia ternata (an angiosperm) and Callitris intratropica (a gymnosperm) are two fire‐sensitive tree species of the Australian monsoonal tropics. Studies using historical aerial photography have revealed recent expansion of A. ternata rainforests. There has simultaneously been a widespread collapse of C. intratropica populations in northern Australian savannas, presumably because of cessation of traditional Aboriginal landscape burning. To explain the demography behind these contrasting trends, stand structure, survival, and growth of the two species were recorded over a 16‐year period at the boundary of a rainforest patch and also in adjacent savanna, in Kakadu National Park. Ages of the largest trees of each species, estimated by using a Bayesian analysis of tree‐diameter increments, were approximately 433 years for A. ternata and 235 years for C. intratropica on the rainforest boundary, and 417 years for C. intratropica in the adjacent savanna. Densities of juveniles (seedlings and re‐sprouts <0.5 m high) were 325–6,000 times higher for A. ternata than for C. intratropica. Life‐table calculations indicated there was sufficient recruitment of A. ternata, but not C. intratropica, to overcome observed mortality rates and maintain a stable population. This is almost certainly because A. ternata re‐sprouts prolifically after fire whereas C. intratropica is an obligate seeder. These results highlight the critical need for careful fire management to maintain populations of a characteristic Australian gymnosperm over much of its range.
Home‐Based Life Saving Skills in Ethiopia: An Update on the Second Phase of Field Testing
Authors: Sibley Lynn , Buffington Sandra Tebben , Tedessa Lelisse , McNatt Kathryn
Published: June 2006

Home‐Based Life Saving Skills (HBLSS) was integrated over 3 years into a district‐level child survival project coordinated through the Ministry of Health and Save the Children Foundation/US in Liben Woreda, Guji Zone, Oromia Region, southern Ethiopia. During late 2004, the second phase of the program was reviewed for performance, home‐based management, learning transfer, and program coverage. The immediate posttraining performance score for HBLSS guides for “First Actions” was 87% (a 78% increase over the pretraining baseline) and 79% at 1 year (a 9% decrease from the immediate posttraining score). The home‐based management score of women attended by HBLSS guides for “First Actions” was 89%, compared to 32% for women assisted by other unskilled attendants. HBLSS guides teach women and families in the community as they were taught, by using pictorial Take Action Cards, role‐play and demonstration, and a variety of venues. Estimates of HBLSS coverage suggest that HBLSS guides attended 24% to 26% of births, and 54% of women giving birth were exposed to HBLSS training. The HBLSS field tests demonstrate a promising program that increases access to basic care for poor, underserved, rural populations who carry the greatest burden of maternal and neonatal mortality.
Clinical Implications From an Exploratory Study of Postural Management of Breech Presentation
Authors: Founds Sandra A.
Published: June 2006

The results from an exploratory study of the effectiveness of maternal knee‐chest posture for producing cephalic version of breech presentation are shown. Methods are briefly described and clinical implications are presented. Among 25 women, fewer who performed the maternal knee‐chest postural intervention experienced fetal cephalic version than women in the control group who did nothing to influence breech presentation. Despite limitations of the underpowered findings, trends in the data may indicate that parity and gestational age were potentially relevant covariates of version. Postural management is not an evidence‐based practice. This exploratory study indicates that maternal knee‐chest posture may work opposite to the expected direction, but the small sample size precludes generalizations about efficacy of knee‐chest postural management. At least one adequately powered trial that controls for parity and gestational age is needed to determine whether knee‐chest postural management results in no effect, a small, or small to moderate clinically significant effect.