bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Facial nerve injury during temporal artery biopsy
Authors: Gunawardene AR , Chant H
Published: April 2014

Temporal artery biopsy is considered the gold standard investigation of giant cell arteritis and is recommended in suspected cases despite a sensitivity of 81–91%. This review highlights the potential risk of facial nerve injury during temporal artery biopsy and introduces recent advances in the emerging role of imaging modalities. When these non-invasive techniques are used in conjunction with American College of Rheumatology scoring, which includes clinical features and biochemical test results, temporal artery biopsy may be avoided in selected cases.
Microwave liver ablation and dark urine
Authors: Ausania F , Iglesias R Carracedo , Rivas M Casal
Published: April 2014

Microwave assisted liver resection is a useful technique, especially when haemostasis could be difficult to achieve with conventional methods. However, prolonged administration of microwaves can be responsible for intraoperative haemoglobinuria. We describe the first case of acute haemolysis secondary to microwave assisted liver resection.
Thyroid surgery as a 23-hour stay procedure
Authors: Perera AH , Patel SD , Law NW
Published: April 2014

Introduction

The main barriers to short stay thyroidectomy are haemorrhage, bilateral recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy causing respiratory compromise and hypocalcaemia. This study assessed the safety and effectiveness of thyroidectomy as a 23-hour stay procedure.

Methods

All patients undergoing total or completion thyroidectomy were prescribed calcium and vitamin D3 supplements following surgery. Retrospective analysis identified patients admitted for longer than 23 hours and any readmissions.

Results

A total of 164 patients were admitted for 23-hour stay thyroid surgery over a 25-month period between 2008 and 2010. Four patients (2%) required admission for longer than 23 hours. No patients required emergency intervention for postoperative haemorrhage or airway compromise. Biochemical hypocalcaemia (despite calcium supplements) was detected in one patient when measured at the outpatient clinic two weeks following surgery. Twelve patients (7.3%) attended the accident and emergency department following discharge; four required admission for intravenous antibiotics for wound infection and one for biochemical hypocalcaemia.

Conclusions

This single centre UK experience demonstrates that thyroidectomy can be carried out both safely and effectively as a 23-hour stay procedure. Prophylactic prescription of calcium and vitamin D3 reduces hypocalcaemia, and thereby also prolonged admission and readmission due to hypocalcaemia. Supplements are an acceptable, cost effective method of reducing hypocalcaemia and shortening postoperative length of stay.
Thymic teratoma masquerading as a thyroid lump
Authors: Cho WS , Sahota R , Tanweer F , Conboy P
Published: April 2014

Teratomas are germ cell tumours commonly found in the sacrococcygeal region, ovary, testicle or, infrequently, the mediastinum. In very rare circumstances, these tumours are found in the neck. This case represents a thymic teratoma presenting as what appeared to be an intrathyroid lesion. This has not been described previously and demonstrates an unusual presentation of a neck lump necessitating two operations and a multidisciplinary approach for management. We would also like to highlight that while patients undergo imaging to guide surgery, the surgeon must always be prepared for the unexpected and recognise situations where the operation should be converted to an exploratory procedure instead of full resection. Often, combined surgical care is the best option for difficult congenital cases.
The yield of colorectal cancer among fast track patients with normocytic and microcytic anaemia
Authors: Panagiotopoulou IG , Fitzrol D , Parker RA , Kuzhively J , Luscombe N , Wells AD , Menon M , Bajwa FM , Watson MA
Published: April 2014

Introduction

We receive fast track referrals on the basis of iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) for patients with normocytic anaemia or for patients with no iron studies. This study examined the yield of colorectal cancer (CRC) among fast track patients to ascertain whether awaiting confirmation of IDA is necessary prior to performing bowel investigations.

Methods

A review was undertaken of 321 and 930 consecutive fast track referrals from Centre A and Centre B respectively. Contingency tables were analysed using Fisher’s exact test. Logistic regression analyses were performed to investigate significant predictors of CRC.

Results

Overall, 229 patients were included from Centre A and 689 from Centre B. The odds ratio for microcytic anaemia versus normocytic anaemia in the outcome of CRC was 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.5–3.9) for Centre A and 1.6 (95% CI: 0.8–3.3) for Centre B. In a logistic regression analysis (Centre B only), no significant difference in CRC rates was seen between microcytic and normocytic anaemia (adjusted odds ratio: 1.9, 95% CI: 0.9–3.9). There was no statistically significant difference in the yield of CRC between microcytic and normocytic anaemia (p=0.515, Fisher’s exact test) in patients with anaemia only and no colorectal symptoms. Finally, CRC cases were seen in both microcytic and normocytic groups with or without low ferritin.

Conclusions

There is no significant difference in the yield of CRC between fast track patients with microcytic and normocytic anaemia. This study provides insufficient evidence to support awaiting confirmation of IDA in fast track patients with normocytic anaemia prior to requesting bowel investigations.
Prompt laparoscopic cholecystectomy would reduce morbidity and save hospital resources
Authors: Rossi BWP , Bassett E , Martin M , Andrews S , Wajed S
Published: April 2014

Introduction

Limited resources and organisational problems often result in significant waiting times for patients presenting with an indication for cholecystectomy. This study investigated the potential false economy of such practice.

Methods

Retrospective analysis of all patients on a waiting list for cholecystectomy between July 2007 and October 2010 was performed. The hospital computer document management system and patients’ notes were used to collect data.

Results

A total of 1,021 patients were included in the study; 701 were listed from clinic and 320 were listed following an emergency admission. The median time on a waiting list before surgery was 96 days (range: 5–381 days). Eighty-seven patients (8.5%) had an emergency admission with a gallstone related problem while on a waiting list. This resulted in 488 cumulative inpatient days. There was a significant correlation between increased time spent on the waiting list and increased chance of an emergency admission (p=0.01). Patients added to the waiting list from emergency admissions were more likely to be admitted with complications than those listed from clinic (15.3% vs 5.4%, p<0.01). There was no association between age (p=0.53) or sex (p=0.23) and likelihood of emergency admission while on a waiting list.

Conclusions

Prompt elective surgery and same-admission emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy can reduce waiting list patient morbidity and is likely to save resources in the long term.
A comparative study of the iron status of patients with oesophageal adenocarcinoma to determine suitability for a clinical trial of iron chelation therapy
Authors: Ford SJ , Bedford MR , Pang W , Wood A , Iqbal T , Tselepis C , Tucker O
Published: April 2014

Introduction

The incidence of oesophageal adenocarcinoma (OAC) is rising dramatically and overall survival remains extremely poor. Iron has been shown to potentiate tumourigenesis in OAC, and iron chelation therapy demonstrates promise in vivo as an adjunct to neoadjuvant and palliative chemotherapy. OAC, however, has traditionally been associated with iron deficiency anaemia. The aim of this study was therefore to formally quantify the iron status of OAC patients in order to guide the design of future clinical trials involving iron chelation therapy.

Methods

Demographic and cancer specific data were collected prospectively from all patients presenting with OAC and gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC). Patients had haemoglobin, serum iron, serum ferritin and serum transferrin receptor (sTfR) levels measured to assess systemic iron status. In addition, the sTfR/log ferritin (sTfR-F) index was calculated.

Results

Average haemoglobin, serum iron, serum ferritin, sTfR and sTfR-F index values for all patients presenting with OAC were within normal sex specific reference ranges. No statistical difference in iron status was observed between OAC patients presenting with resectable and advanced OAC. Patients with OAC are relatively iron replete compared with those presenting with GAC. Iron parameters were not significantly altered by standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

Conclusions

Patients presenting with resectable or advanced OAC could be considered as candidates for a clinical trial of iron chelation therapy as an addition to standard neoadjuvant or palliative treatments.
The rising rate of admissions for tonsillitis and neck space abscesses in England, 1991–2011
Authors: Lau AS , Upile NS , Wilkie MD , Leong SC , Swift AC
Published: April 2014

Introduction

Sore throats and tonsillitis represent a considerable health burden as well as a significant source of expenditure for the National Health Service (NHS). As part of the recent NHS savings drive, the introduction of ‘procedures of low clinical effectiveness’ (PoLCE) lists has reinforced a large reduction in the number of tonsillectomies performed. We carried out a cross-sectional study of trends in emergency sore throat admissions in the context of the number of tonsillectomies performed.

Methods

Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data were extracted. Office for National Statistics data were also used.

Results

Between 1991 and 2011, the overall tonsillectomy rate fell by 44%. In the same time, the admission rate for tonsillitis rose by 310% (Pearson’s r=–0.67, p=0.01). The peritonsillar abscess admission rate rose by 31% (r=–0.79, p<0.01). Between 1996 and 2011, the overall tonsillectomy rate fell by 41% and the retro and parapharyngeal abscess admission rate rose by 39% (r=–0.55, p=0.026). There was a 14% overall increase in tonsillectomy and sore throat associated bed days. This was despite the large fall in tonsillectomy numbers and the reduction in length of hospital stay.

Conclusions

Efforts to reduce the tonsillectomy rate are correlated with a significant rise in emergency admissions. The rise in the retro and parapharyngeal abscess rate is perhaps most alarming given the very high mortality of these conditions. Bed day data suggest that no net saving has been made despite the new measures.
Media gatekeepers and the rise of networked readers: Revisiting the contra-crack controversy
Authors: Tripp Stephanie
Published: April 2014

The San Jose Mercury News was at the cutting edge of new media journalism when it published its controversial series investigating ties between the CIA, the Nicaraguan Contras, and the flow of crack cocaine into poor Los Angeles neighbourhoods. The attack on the series by the print media elite and its failure to suppress the story’s spread through traditional modes of gatekeeping marked an important moment for journalism. This article examines the controversy within the context of our transition from a print-based to a digital culture and explores the emerging role of networked readers in knowledge production and legitimation.
Whose event? Official versus journalistic framing of the fifth Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC V)
Authors: Wekesa Bob
Published: April 2014

The article contributes to the fledgling literature in the China–Africa communications field by approaching the topic from the perspective of an event – the fifth conference of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC V). It proposes that by analysing FOCAC V specifically, and the FOCAC phenomenon generally, new and interesting insights might be gained into the interests of the various players – namely, Chinese officials, African officials and the African media. It also contributes new perspectives in leveraging the framing of a communication theory as a means of drilling down to the motivations, tensions, confluences and divergences inherent in the China–Africa relations – a transnational engagement that continues to draw animated discussions and debate in and out of academia.
Performing patriotic citizenship: Zimbabwean diaspora and their online newspaper reading practices
Authors: Chari Tendai
Published: April 2014

Zimbabweans in the diaspora engage in various forms of material and psycho-social remitting in order to maintain links with the homeland. Although geographically disconnected from their motherland, collective and idealized memories of the homeland linger long after leaving the country. This article focuses on the psycho-social dimension of the diaspora through an examination of the online news consumption practices of the Zimbabwean diaspora. The objective is to contribute on theoretical debates about the way in which the diaspora imagine their citizenship in the digital age. Data were elicited through an open-ended questionnaire e-mailed to Zimbabweans in the diaspora selected using the snowball sampling method. In addition, in-depth interviews with five of the respondents based in South Africa were also held to complement the survey data. The article argues that Zimbabwean diaspora use online newspapers to assert their membership to the Zimbabwean political community. This active information-seeking disposition of the diaspora is an affirmation of their loyalty to the homeland regardless of the social, economic and political reality in the homeland. The symbolic assertion of transnational loyalty by the Zimbabwean diaspora to the homeland could be viewed as a performance of patriotic citizenship through seeking of collective identification around the nation state.
The Libido-Maker’s Apprentice: Working the Window’s Proscenium
Authors: Matthews Alison
Published: April 2014

This article proposes that by focusing on the professional complications of working in one-to-one encounters outside of the nominally aesthetic realm, performance-makers and researchers might discover ways of either mimicking or rupturing the form’s potential as theatre. My position as performer-participant in this enquiry echoes the original logic of Dorothy Smith’s writing on standpoint epistemology, and responds to its critiques by articulating the visceral affect of the triangulated relations found in these (legalized) encounters and by engaging with them through their own terms of payment. The article begins by contextualizing itself in the legacy of institutional critique, especially the work of Andrea Fraser. It moves on to consider three case studies: one account of practice-as-research or ‘apprenticeship’ and two performance analyses. Each of these case studies considers the work of sex workers in Amsterdam’s Red Light District as performance, and seeks to uncover the spectatorial and economic relations within each encounter, most specifically through René Girard’s theory of ‘triangular desire’. The article moves on to consider how the spectatorial and economic relations within these three different sex work ‘performances’ might expand our understanding of the one-to-one performer’s working knowledge, as well as further a discussion on the subversive and ethically illuminating potential of incorporating transaction into performance. It finishes by considering the radical and metaphysical potential of using money within one-to-one practices.
Slots, Slaps, Sluts and Other Cheap Thrills: Promiscuity, Desire and Labour in one-to-one Performance
Authors: Kartsaki Eirini , Zerihan Rachel
Published: April 2014

In this article we explore ethical concerns, the function of promiscuity and the fuel of desire in one-to-one performance work. Looking at examples by ORLAN, Jess Dobkin and Owen G. Parry, we work to map out tentative yet tenacious versions of our experiences of this form. Employing Levinasian ethics to consider the encounter from the perspective of an audience member, Zerihan examines erotics and ethics in relation to the economies of one-to-one performance. Kartsaki’s focus is on ‘The Promiscuous Spectator’, through which she considers the insatiability of desire in performance. Reflecting on examples of performance work, Kartsaki highlights the relationship between desire, repetition and the potential efficacy in the ongoing hunt for fulfilment. Together, the authors’ contributions reflect a short critical study, offering two distinct, yet overlapping perspectives on one-to-one performance.
Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science
Authors: Anderson E. N.
Published: April 2014

Review of Naming Nature: The Clash Between Instinct and Science. Carol Kaesuk Yoon. 2009. W.W. Norton, New York. Pp. 344, index, bibliography, illustrations. $27.95 (cloth). ISBN 9780393‐061970.
Spirits of the Air: Birds and American Indians in the South
Authors: Anderson E. N.
Published: April 2014

Review of Spirits of the Air: Birds and American Indians in the South. Shepard Krech III. 2009. University of Georgia Press, Athens. Pp. 245, copiously illustrated. $44.95 (hardbound). ISBN-13 978-0-8203-2815-7.
Jamaican Food: History, Biology, Culture
Authors: Rashford John
Published: April 2014

Review of Jamaican Food: History, Biology, Culture. B. W. Higman. 2008. University of West Indies Press, Jamaica. Pp. 580. $70.00 (cloth). ISBN (cloth) 9789766402051.
Peruvian Children's Folk Taxonomy of Marine Animals
Authors: Pizarro-Neyra José
Published: April 2014

Free listing was used to obtain names of marine animals from 234 Peruvian children with families involved in fishing activities. They live in the fishing towns of Vila-vila, Morro Sama and Ilo, located in Southern Peru. Fishes, birds and the category “other marine animal” were used for the classification of marine fauna by children. The group of 6-8 year-olds shows a mean frequency of 19.7 names per child, while the group of 9-11 year-olds shows a mean frequency of 25.7 names per child. Folk species of fish is the most frequently recorded category with a predominance of coastal species and with a mean frequency of 7.56 and 11.51 names per child for the groups of 6-8 year-olds and 9-11 year-olds, respectively. In contrast, bird names are less frequently recorded in the lists. Some bird and mollusc names have lexical under-differentiation at a generic level and apparently have lower cultural significance than fish. Children’s classification in different levels of organization is evidence of a folk biology. The folk taxonomy of marine animals could be influenced by the lesser cognitive development of younger children and the ecological salience of some species. Some species with coastal habitat exhibit a high dominance index of folk names. Cultural transmission of knowledge about birds could be failing due to the recent occupancy of the study sites by migratory people and the sexual division of work in the children’s families.
Feeding the People, Feeding the Spirit: Revitalizing Northwest Coastal Indian Food
Authors: Anderson E. N.
Published: April 2014

Review of Feeding the People, Feeding the Spirit:  Revitalizing Northwest Coastal Indian Food. Elise Krohn and Valerie Segrest. 2010. Northwest Indian College, Bellingham, WA.  Pp. x + 158, copiously illustrated, tables, bibliography.
Ethnobotany of the Kiluhikturmiut Inuinnait of Kugluktuk, Nunavut, Canada
Authors: Davis Jonathan Duffy , Banack Sandra Anne
Published: April 2014

The disparity in floral diversity between tropical and arctic regions is reflected in a paucity of ethnobotanical research among arctic cultures.  The Kiluhikturmiut Inuinnait are an Inuit subpopulation who inhabit the Kitikmeot Region of the Territory of Nunavut in Canada’s Arctic.  We conducted an ethnobotanical survey in the Inuinnait hamlet of Kugluktuk to document the traditional uses of plants as food, materials, and medicine.  Data were gathered through unstructured interviews, participant observation, purposive sampling, and voucher-specimen collection of all plants used.  Uses were documented for 23 plant species/types contained in 14 families.  Nine species/types were eaten, six species/types were used as materials, and 12 species were used for medicine.  Villagers shared common knowledge of plants used for food and materials; however, knowledge of medicinal plants was restricted to a single healer.  We argue that specialized knowledge such as the use of medicinal plants is important to document especially when the number individuals using this knowledge is dwindling.
Use Value of Food Plants in the Xi'iuy Indigenous Community of Las Guapas, Rayon, San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Authors: Carbajal-Esquivel Haydeé , Martínez Javier Fortanelli , García-Pérez José , Reyes-Agüero Juan A. , Yáñez-Espinosa Laura , Bonta Mark
Published: April 2014

Native communities’ erosion of ethnobotanical knowledge of food plants is a global concern. This investigation focuses on a Xi’iuy community in the Sierra Madre Oriental, San Luís Potosí, México. A total of 21 randomly-selected families participated (22% of the total population). The 56 people who were interviewed—an average of 2.7 per family-- were separated into four groups (fathers, mothers, single sons, single daughters). To investigate the use value of each plant, a collection of 54 food specimens was shown to the informants. Knowledge of each food species’ uses was compared between genders and age groups. The results included figures that were lower than expected, as well as less knowledge among women than men, particularly among underage daughters. The difference in use value between men and women in this community is explicable by cultural factors: i.e., women’s participation in agriculture and plant collecting is minimal. This, along with men’s seasonal migration for work (men are usually wage laborers half the year in the sugarcane harvest, and the other half they cultivate their own land), plus increasing availability of commercial food in grocery stores, contributes to the steady loss of ethnobotanical knowledge.
When Is a Fish Not a Fish? Questions Raised by a Nage Life-Form Category
Authors: Forth Gregory
Published: April 2014

Speakers of a Central-Malayo-Polynesian language, the Nage inhabit the central region of the eastern Indonesian island of Flores. Their folk taxonomy of animals (ana wa) contains three named life-form taxa, one of which is ika, fish. A review of component folk-generic taxa, however, reveals that Nage do not classify five kinds of freshwater fish as ‘fish’ (ika), even though they further apply ika to various marine fish (including sharks and rays) as well as to marine mammals. The article considers this peculiarity of Nage folk zoological taxonomy, and how it might affect an understanding of ika as denoting a ‘fish’ life-form taxon. The main conclusion is that the five excluded categories—distinguished largely on morphological and behavioural grounds, and  conveniently designated as the ‘tebhu cluster’, after one of their members—are contrasted primarily with freshwater species which Nage do classify as ‘fish’ (ika). Specified by name as ika lowo (‘river fish’), these are further contrasted with another named folk-intermediate taxon of ‘marine fish’ (ika mesi). From this, it is argued that, as a life-form category, ika should be understood as implicitly including the five members of the ‘tebhu cluster’ as a third, albeit covert, folk-intermediate taxon.
Ethnobotany of Tl'azt'en Nation: Plant Use and Gathering Site Characteristics
Authors: Shaw Leona R. , Young Jane P.
Published: April 2014

Aboriginal people have intimate and venerable relationships with the environment, and plants were and still are important for food, medicine, and cultural purposes.  The present research is a collaborative project between Tl'azt'en Nation (located in northcentral British Columbia, just north of Fort St. James) and the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC).  The objectives of the study were to collect Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK) to gain an understanding of the criteria for gathering individual plants for food or medicine use, and to understand why traditional plant gathering sites may fall out of use.  Multiple methods were used to gather information from knowledgeable Tl'azt'enne community members including focus groups, interviews, and field trips.  Community members possess deep understandings of plants and their gathering sites.  People’s concerns include the loss of TEK and changing landscapes due to the effects of disturbances on their lands.  The knowledge gathered and documented throughout the study can be used to promote the preservation of the culture and language of Tl'azt'en Nation
The Slaw and the Slow Cooked: Culture and Barbecue in the Mid-South
Authors: Holtzman Jon D.
Published: April 2014

Review of The Slaw and the Slow Cooked: Culture and Barbecue in the Mid-South. James R. Veteto and Edward M. Maclin, eds. 2011 Vanderbilt University Press, Nashville. Pp. 216 $22.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-0826518019.
Biocultural Diversity Conservation: A Global Sourcebook
Authors: Martinez-Reyes Jose
Published: April 2014

Review of Biocultural Diversity Conservation: A Global Sourcebook. Luisa Maffi and Ellen Woodley. 2010. Earthscan, London. Pp. 304. $57.95 (paperback). ISBN 978-1-84407-921-6.
Aridland Springs in North America: Ecology and Conservation
Authors: Smith Kate
Published: April 2014

Review of Aridland Springs in North America: Ecology and Conservation. Lawrence E. Stevens and Vicky J. Meretsky, editors. 2008. The University of Arizona Press and the Arizona‐SonoraDesert Museum, Tucson.Pp. 406, 4 black‐and‐white photos, 28 illustrations, 38 tables, 8 maps, bibliography.$75.00 (cloth). ISBN 978‐0‐8165‐2645‐1.
The Effects of Food Processing on the Archaeological Visibility of Maize: An Experimental Study of Carbonization of Lime-treated Maize Kernels
Authors: Dezendorf Caroline
Published: April 2014

This paper explores the effects of maize processing on the carbonization and preservation of maize kernels in the archaeological record. The shift to processing maize with lime (known as hominy production in the Eastern Woodlands and nixtamalization in Mesoamerica) in ancient times had the effect of making maize more nutritious through increasing the availability of calcium, niacin, dietary fiber, and essential amino acids.  Less understood is how this process of cooking maize in a lime solution affects the archaeological preservation of maize; if there is a clear difference in the archaeological signature of maize remains that are and are not processed this way, then this process may be identifiable in the archaeological record. To this end, an experiment was constructed analyzing the variation in size between dried and alkali processed maize kernels before and after carbonization. Results indicate that alkali processed maize kernels are less likely to fragment during carbonization.
Sustainable Lifeways: Cultural Persistence in an Ever-Changing Environment
Authors: Ramsey Monica
Published: April 2014

Book review of Sustainable Lifeways: Cultural Persistence in an Ever-Changing Environment. Naomi F. Miller, Katherine M. Moore, Kathleen Ryan, editors. 2011. University of Pennsylvania Press, Philadelphia. Pp. 352, 73 illustrations. $65.00 (cloth). ISBN 9787934536193.
Nature's Chemicals
Authors: Chen Diana
Published: April 2014

Review of Nature's Chemicals. Richard Firn. 2009. Oxford University Press, New York. Pp. 264. $44.95 (paper). ISBN 9780199603022.
Essay on the Geography of Plants
Authors: Smith Ian C.
Published: April 2014

Review of Essay on the Geography of Plants. Alexander von Humboldt and Aimé Bonpland. Edited and with an Introduction by Stephen T. Jackson. Translated by Sylvie Romanowski. 2009. University of Chicago Press, Chicago. Pp. 296, 1 color plate, 9 halftones, 7 tables, 1 poster. $45.00 (cloth). ISBN 9780226360669.
The Paleobiolinguistics of Domesticated Chili Pepper (Capsicum spp.)
Authors: Brown Cecil H. , Clement Charles R. , Epps Patience , Luedeling Eike , Wichmann Søren
Published: April 2014

Paleobiolinguistics employs the comparative method of historical linguistics to reconstruct the biodiversity known to human groups of the remote, unrecorded past. Comparison of words for biological species from languages of the same language family facilitates reconstruction of the biological vocabulary of the family’s ancient proto-language. This study uses paleobiolinguistics to establish where and when chili peppers (Capsicum spp.) developed significance for different prehistoric Native American groups. This entails mapping in both time and geographic space proto-languages for which words for chili pepper reconstruct. Maps show the broad distribution of Capsicum through Mesoamerica and South America mirroring its likely independent domestication in these regions. Proto-language dates indicate that human interest in chili pepper had developed in most of Latin America at least a millennium before a village-farming way of life became widespread.
Kinship in Action: Self and Group
Authors: Pazhoohi Farid
Published: April 2014

Review of Kinship in Action: Self and Group. Andrew Strathern and Pamela Stewart. 2011. Prentice Hall Publishing, Upper Saddle River, N.J. Pp. 224. US $39.60 (paper). ISBN 100131844849.
Essentials of Tibetan Traditional Medicine
Authors: Glover Denise
Published: April 2014

Review of Essentials of Tibetan Traditional Medicine, Thinley Gyatso and Chris Hakim. 2010. North Atlantic Books, Berkeley. Pp. 416. $24.95 (paperback). ISBN 978‐1556438677.
Endenese Fisheries: Exploratory Findings on Environmental Perceptions, Fish Effort, and Overfishing in Eastern Indonesia
Authors: Ramenzoni Victoria C.
Published: April 2014

Fishing fleets in South East Asia have recently experienced unprecedented expansion. Consequently, catches and regional diversity have dramatically decreased throughout the Indian Ocean. Regional governments and conservation organizations blame the local fishermen and their use of damaging fishing practices for the present state of resources. However, many of these institutions endorse a narrow perspective on bioeconomic governance and human action (rational action choice) that compromises the understanding of resource use and exploitation among small-scale fisheries. Over the last few decades, there is a growing recognized tradition that points to the importance of ecological systems of knowledge, uncertainty representation, and traditional skills, in conceptualizing processes of environmental decision-making and the likelihood of introducing successful sustainability practices. In line with this perspective, this article presents preliminary findings regarding resource use decision-making processes among Endenese fishing villages in central Flores Island, Indonesia. Grounded on 22 months of ethnographic, experimental and ecological research (semistructured interviews, participant observation, visual surveys, probability and uncertainty assessments), and exploring local cognitive representations of marine processes, climate, ichthyology and the role of luck, this article discusses the current economic representations of small-scale fishers as avid maximizers. It concludes by emphasizing the need to further explore the role of mental models and beliefs regarding uncertainty in motivating fishing effort to design adequate conservation and governance programs.
Toponymic Data Helps to Reveal the Occurrence of Previously Unknown Populations of Wild Zamia pumila L. on Volcanic Substrates in South Central Puerto Rico
Authors: Pagán-Jiménez Jaime R. , Lazcano-Lara Julio C.
Published: April 2014

This is the first report of the occurrence of wild Zamia pumila L. Zamiaceae populations on various volcanic substrates in the piedmont area of south central Puerto Rico. Data acquisition and its field confirmation were possible after the identification of toponymic names in old and current maps, and historic documents of the island in which one of the indigenous names for the genus (marunguey [marungüey] or marungueyes) has been used for naming some localities. These preliminary data have deep implications for paleo- and neoethnobotanical research, and for population ecology of the species in Puerto Rico, because they expand the traditionally accepted range for the species on the island. Zamia has been described as one of the main food plants among pre- and post-Columbian inhabitants in two islands of the Greater Antilles, Hispaniola and Puerto Rico, where the most sophisticated pre-Columbian society of the Antilles, the Taínos, emerged. Our findings suggest that Zamia might have been more available to humans, as a food source, than previously thought.
Living in a Dangerous Climate: Climate Change and Human Evolution
Authors: Law Matt
Published: April 2014

Review of Living in a Dangerous Climate: Climate Change and Human Evolution. Renee Hetherington. 2012. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. Pp. 256. ISBN 978‐1107694736.
An Interview with Roy Ellen
Authors: Benessaiah Nejm
Published: April 2014

I decided to undertake this interview with Professor Ellen, simply because I thought such a distinguished career deserved to be marked as he was retiring. Roy was happy to make time for our interviews, in the form of loosely structured conversation which, like the Arabian Nights, Roy pointed out, could have gone on forever, but I decided to draw the line at three sessions. Perhaps it could, and will go on to form part of a more in-depth biography, as I continued to discover other aspects and adventures of Roy’s interesting life in the course of other contexts, much as one does in the field. Much is known about what ethnobiologists and anthropologists say about another people’s lives; less is known about their own, apart from rare reflections, diaries and memoires. I found Roy’s reflections a source of comfort as I embarked on my own PhD fieldwork, reassuring me as I fumbled around, making my own unique but comparable mistakes among the insights I gleaned. The following is an edited version of the original interview. I hope it will be as enjoyable to the reader as it was to me working on it.
Biology Myth-Killers
Authors: Lampert Evan
Published: April 2014

“Biology Myth-Killers” is an activity designed to identify and correct common misconceptions for high school and college introductory biology courses. Students identify common myths, which double as biology misconceptions, and use appropriate sources to share the “truth” about the myths. This learner-centered activity is a fun and engaging way to correct misconceptions and prepare students to overcome other important misconceptions.
In Search of a Better Bean
Authors: Spaccarotella Kim , James Roxie
Published: April 2014

Measuring plant stem growth over time is a simple activity commonly used to introduce concepts in growth and development in plant biology (Reid & Pu, 2007). This Quick Fix updates the activity and incorporates a real-world application: students consider possible effects of soil substrate and sunlight conditions on plant growth without needing access to costly supplies. Although written for undergraduates, the activity could be adapted for secondary students.
Pioneering Mars
Authors: Cwikla Julie , Milroy Scott , Reider David , Skelton Tara
Published: April 2014

Pioneering Mars: Turning the Red Planet Green with the Earth’s Smallest Settlers (http://pioneeringmars.org) provides a partnership model for STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) learning that brings university scientists together with high school students to investigate whether cyanobacteria from Antarctica could survive on Mars. Funded by NASA, and aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards, this work engages high school students in every aspect of the scientific method, culminating with students designing and implementing experiments in a university lab – experiments that will be replicated on board the International Space Station. Beyond the potential scientific breakthroughs it may produce, Pioneering Mars provides a STEM education model for project-based learning using university and school partnerships. Our team consists of a university marine science professor, a STEM education researcher, four high school science teachers, and 85 high-achieving students. The model can easily transfer to leaders and learners across the United States who will be able to replicate and extend this effort in their own educational settings.
Are They Bloody Guilty? Blood Doping with Simulated Samples
Authors: Stuart Parker E. , Lees Kelsey D. , Milanick Mark A.
Published: April 2014

In this practice-based lab, students are provided with four Olympic athlete profiles and simulated blood and urine samples to test for illegal substances and blood-doping practices. Throughout the course of the lab, students design and conduct a testing procedure and use their results to determine which athletes won their medals fairly. All of the materials, which simulate the blood, urine, and testing compounds, are available at the grocery store. This real-world problem engages students to think about blood doping, hormones associated with red-blood-cell production, and detection techniques employed by the World Anti-Doping Agency. The Olympics, as well as the news coverage of Lance Armstrong’s admission to blood doping in 2013, makes this lab more relevant to students’ lives, which is supported by our students’ reactions to the lab.
THERAPY OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Treatment of osteogenesis imperfecta in adults
Authors: Lindahl Katarina , Langdahl Bente , Ljunggren Östen , Kindmark Andreas
Published: April 2014

Background

Osteogenesis imperfecta (OI) is a heterogeneous rare connective tissue disorder commonly caused by mutations in the collagen type I genes. Pharmacological treatment has been most extensively studied in children, and there are only few studies comprising adult OI patients.

Objectives

i) To review the literature on the current medical management of OI in children and adults, and thereby identify unmet medical needs and ii) to present an overview of possible future treatment options.

Results

Individualization and optimization of OI treatment in adults remain a challenge, because available treatments do not target the underlying collagen defect, and available literature gives weak support for treatment decisions for adult patients.

Conclusions

Bisphosphonates are still the most widely used pharmacological treatment for adult OI, but the current evidence supporting this is sparse and investigations on indications for choice and duration of treatment are needed.
MECHANISMS IN ENDOCRINOLOGY: Bile acid sequestrants in type 2 diabetes: potential effects on GLP1 secretion
Authors: Sonne David P , Hansen Morten , Knop Filip K
Published: April 2014

Bile acid sequestrants have been used for decades for the treatment of hypercholesterolaemia. Sequestering of bile acids in the intestinal lumen interrupts enterohepatic recirculation of bile acids, which initiate feedback mechanisms on the conversion of cholesterol into bile acids in the liver, thereby lowering cholesterol concentrations in the circulation. In the early 1990s, it was observed that bile acid sequestrants improved glycaemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes. Subsequently, several studies confirmed the finding and recently – despite elusive mechanisms of action – bile acid sequestrants have been approved in the USA for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Nowadays, bile acids are no longer labelled as simple detergents necessary for lipid digestion and absorption, but are increasingly recognised as metabolic regulators. They are potent hormones, work as signalling molecules on nuclear receptors and G protein-coupled receptors and trigger a myriad of signalling pathways in many target organs. The most described and well-known receptors activated by bile acids are the farnesoid X receptor (nuclear receptor) and the G protein-coupled cell membrane receptor TGR5. Besides controlling bile acid metabolism, these receptors are implicated in lipid, glucose and energy metabolism. Interestingly, activation of TGR5 on enteroendocrine L cells has been suggested to affect secretion of incretin hormones, particularly glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1 (GCG)). This review discusses the role of bile acid sequestrants in the treatment of type 2 diabetes, the possible mechanism of action and the role of bile acid-induced secretion of GLP1 via activation of TGR5.
Autophagic activation in vitrified–warmed mouse oocytes
Authors: Bang Soyoung , Shin Hyejin , Song Haengseok , Suh Chang Suk , Lim Hyunjung Jade
Published: April 2014

Vitrification involves the use of cryoprotectants (CPAs) and liquid nitrogen (LN2), which may cause osmotic damage and cryoinjury to oocytes. Autophagy is widely recognized as a survival or response mechanism elicited by various environmental and cellular stressors. However, the induction of autophagy in vitrified–warmed oocytes has not been examined. In this work, we investigated whether the vitrification–warming process induces autophagy in mouse oocytes. Metaphase II (MII) oocytes that were vitrified and stored in LN2for at least 2 weeks were used in the study. In RT-PCR analyses, we observed that severalAtggenes such asAtg5,Atg7,Atg12,LC3a(Map1lc3a),LC3b(Map1lc3b), andBeclin1were expressed in MII mouse oocytes. Slight reduction in mRNA levels ofAtg7andAtg12in vitrified–warmed oocytes was noted, and expression of these genes was not significantly influenced. Confocal live imaging analysis using oocytes from GFP-LC3 transgenic mice revealed that vitrified–warmed oocytes had a significantly higher number of GFP-LC3 puncta in comparison to fresh oocytes. The expression of BECLIN1 protein was also increased in vitrified–warmed oocytes. Treatment with 3-methyladenine, an inhibitor of autophagy, did not significantly affect the rates of oocyte survival, IVF, and embryonic development after warming and IVF. The results suggest that the observed autophagic activation in vitrified–warmed oocytes is a natural adaptive response to cold stress. Collectively, we show for the first time that vitrified–warmed mouse oocytes exhibit autophagic activation during warming and that this response is not induced by CPA-containing solutions. The induction of autophagy by cold temperature is first reported herein.
Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde and Genetic Damage in the Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Plywood Workers
Authors: Lin Dafeng , Guo Yaojing , Yi Jihu , Kuang Dan , Li Xiaohai , Deng Huaxin , Huang Kun , Guan Lei , He Yunfeng , Zhang Xiao , Hu Die , Zhang Zhihu , Zheng Hongyan , Zhang Xiaomin , Mchale Cliona M. , Zhang Luoping , Wu Tangchun
Published: April 2014

Occupational Exposure to Formaldehyde and Genetic Damage in the Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes of Plywood Workers: Dafeng LIN, et al. Institute of Occupational Medicine and the Ministry of Education Key Lab of Environment and Health, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, China—

Objectives

We sought to clarify the association of occupational formaldehyde exposure with DNA strand breaks, chromosome damage and DNA‐protein crosslinks (DPCs) in the peripheral blood (PB) lymphocytes of plywood workers.

Methods

We determined Olive tail moment (OTM) values, micronucleus (MN) frequencies and DPC rates of the PB lymphocytes in 178 workers divided into control and lower and higher exposure groups according to their current formaldehyde exposure levels and examined the association of each end point with formaldehyde exposure levels and with the number of work years. We also examined each end point in an additional 62 workers before and after an 8‐hour formaldehyde exposure for validating the association.

Results

OTM values increased significantly in the two exposure groups compared with those in the control group (p<0.05 for both) and were associated with increasing formaldehyde exposure levels =0.002), while MN frequencies increased with (ptrend increasing numbers of work years (p<0.001). The trend dynamic study showed that OTM values and DPC rates increased after an 8‐hour formaldehyde exposure compared with those before the exposure (p<0.001, p=0.019, respectively), that, in a dose‐dependent manner, OTM values were associated with formaldehyde exposure levels during work hours (p=0.005) and that MN frequencies before and after the 8‐hour work exposure were associated with numbers of work years (p=0.029, p<0.001, respectively).

Conclusions

We found a dose‐response relationship between the current formaldehyde exposure levels and DNA strand breaks and between duration of exposure and chromosome damage in the PB lymphocytes of plywood workers.
Relationship between the physiological properties and yield of winter wheat varieties on chernozem soil
Authors: Szabó É.
Published: April 2014

The relationship between the yield, chlorophyll content and leaf area index of five winter wheat genotypes was investigated in two different growing seasons on chernozem soil. The results suggest that the genotype and the nutrient supply had a considerable influence on both the yield and the physiological traits, while the growing season modified the parameters in a significant manner. The results proved that the chlorophyll content and leaf area index had a direct influence on the yield; varieties developing larger leaf area and leaf chlorophyll content had higher yields even in different seasons, but the yield was significantly influenced by the decline in the chlorophyll content after flowering. It could be concluded that studying the chlorophyll content and leaf area values simultaneously during the more important phenological phases (especially from flowering to the early period of grain-filling) makes it possible to predict the yield from the trends.
Correlation analysis of HMW sub-units and baking quality-related traits in Indian wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars
Authors: Kandasamy Gajalakshmi
Published: April 2014

High molecular weight (HMW) glutenin subunits and baking quality-related traits were studied in 50 Indian wheat landraces. Scoring of germplasm based on electrophoresis patterns using the Payne method showed that the quality scores varied from 4 to 8. Based on this scoring, 13 cultivars were ranked as superior. Cluster analysis based on electrophoresis patterns and Jaccard similarity criteria divided the cultivars into five groups, with 13 cultivars in the first cluster. There was no similarity between the grouping pattern based on HMW glutenin sub-units and quality-related traits. In the present study, the quality of the flour of six wheat varieties was weak, so these varieties were only suitable for biscuit making. The flour of 31 wheat varieties showed medium strength. The remaining 13 wheat varieties had strong flour. Considering the great variation observed for quality-related traits and HMW glutenin sub-units, it can be concluded that these cultivars are potential sources of desirable quality traits for use in bread wheat breeding programmes to improve bread-making quality.