bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nutritional Limitation Travels up the Food Chain
Authors: Boersma Maarten , Aberle Nicole , Hantzsche Florian M. , Schoo Katherina L. , Wiltshire Karen H. , Malzahn Arne M.
Published: October 2008

It is a well accepted fact that nutrient limitation of plants affects the growth and survival of herbivores, generally leading to lower performance of herbivores feeding on nutrient stressed plants. The effect of plants' growing conditions on predatory organisms, feeding one trophic level up, has been much less studied, and there is a general consensus that such effects would be small as herbivores often show relatively strong homeostasis with respect to their nutrient content. Here, we challenge this view, and show from several examples that despite the fact that herbivores buffer much of the variance in nutrient stoichiometry of their food, effects of growing conditions of the primary producers can travel up the food chain. We discuss the implications of these findings, and argue that phosphorus limitation of secondary consumers might be more common in marine than in freshwater systems.

Ohne Phosphor kein Gedanke

Jacob Moleschott, 1822–1893 (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Synthesis of Novel Thermo‐ and pH‐Responsive Poly(L‐lysine)‐Based Copolymer and its Micellization in Water
Authors: Zhao Changwen , Zhuang Xiuli , He Chaoliang , Chen Xuesi , Jing Xiabin
Published: October 2008

A series of novel temperature and pH responsive block copolymers composed of poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) and poly(L‐lysine) (PLL) were synthesized. The effect of pH and the length of PLL on the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) of PNIPAM, and the self‐assembly of these PLL‐based copolymers induced by temperature and pH changes were investigated by the cloud point method, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM). These PNIPAM‐b‐PLL copolymers can self‐assemble into micelle‐like aggregates with PNIPAM as the hydrophobic block at acidic pH and high temperatures; and at alkaline pH and low temperatures, they can self‐assemble into particles with PLL as the hydrophobic block. The copolymers may have potential applications in biotechnological and biomedical areas as drug release carriers.

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NMR elucidation of a novel (S)‐pentacyclo‐undecane bis‐(4‐phenyloxazoline) ligand and related derivatives
Authors: Boyle Grant A. , Govender Thavendran , Kruger Hendrik G. , Maguire Glenn E. M. , Naicker Tricia
Published: October 2008

The NMR elucidation of a novel ligand (S)‐pentacyclo‐undecane bis‐(4‐phenyloxazoline) and related pentacyclo‐undecane (PCU) derivatives is reported. Two‐dimensional NMR proved to be a powerful technique in overcoming the difficulties associated with the elucidation of these compounds when only one‐dimensional NMR data is utilized. A chiral substituent was introduced to both ‘arms’ of the PCU skeleton to produce derivatives 1–3. These derivatives display C1 symmetry with all thecage atoms being nonequivalent. Owing to overlapping of peaks in the 1H spectra, identification of these diastereomeric protons was very difficult. The 13C spectra gave rise to clear splitting of the nonequivalent carbons. This is unusual compared to similar PCU derivatives with chiral substituents as splitting of all the diastereomeric cage carbons has not yet been reported. Nuclear Overhauser enhancement spectroscopy (NOESY) correlations of derivatives 1–3 confirm the different conformations of the molecule in which the side ‘arms’ occupy different orientations with respect to cage moiety. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Improvement of bacterial two‐hybrid vectors for detection of fusion proteins and transfer to pBAD‐tandem affinity purification, calmodulin binding peptide, or 6‐histidine tag vectors
Authors: Battesti Aurélia , Bouveret Emmanuelle
Published: October 2008

The original vectors of the bacterial two‐hybrid technique developed by Karimova et al. in 1998 did not enable detection of the recombinant proteins. Here, we propose two methods resolving this problem, either using new plasmids containing the Flag epitope, or using a trick to detect the T18 domain of adenylate cyclase. Furthermore, we describe a set of vectors for TAP, CBP or 6‐histidine tagging that possess the same cloning site as our two‐hybrid vectors.
Alternating current‐assisted on‐plate proteolysis for MALDI‐TOF MS peptide mapping
Authors: Wang Sheng , Wei Bangguo , Yang Pengyuan , Chen Gang
Published: October 2008

In this report, alternating current‐assisted on‐plate proteolysis has been developed for rapid peptide mapping. Protein solutions containing trypsin were allowed to digest directly on the spots of a stainless steel MALDI plate with the assistance of low‐voltage alternating current electricity. Alternating current (AC) was allowed to pass through the protein solutions via the MALDI plate and a platinum disc electrode. The feasibility and performance of the novel proteolysis approach were investigated by the digestion of BSA and cytochrome c (Cyt‐c). It was demonstrated that AC substantially enhanced the efficiency of proteolysis and the digestion time was significantly reduced to 5 min. The digests were identified by MALDI‐TOF MS with sequence coverages of 42% (BSA) and 77% (Cyt‐c) that were comparable to those obtained by using conventional in‐solution tryptic digestion. The present proteolysis strategy is simple and efficient, offering great promise for MALDI‐TOF MS peptide mapping.
Silver‐Loaded Cotton/Polyester Fabric Modified by Dielectric Barrier Discharge Treatment
Authors: Kostić Mirjana , Radić Nina , Obradović Bratislav M. , Dimitrijević Suzana , Kuraica Milorad M. , Škundrić Petar
Published: October 2008

The preparation of antimicrobial silver‐loaded cotton/polyester fabrics has been carried out by DBD surface activation followed by silver sorption from aqueous silver nitrate solution. A series of DBD fabric treatments was performed in order to determine the most suitable experimental conditions for the fabric surface activation. The capillarity, silver ion uptake, and copper number were used to assess the surface changes on the fabrics. An effective process has been developed to obtain antimicrobial silver‐loaded Co/PES fabrics. The antimicrobial activity of the silver‐loaded fabrics against different pathogens was evaluated in vitro. The quantity of bonded silver ions is enough to develop desirable antimicrobial activity in the Co/PES fabrics.

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The observation of strong dynamic electron‐phonon couplings due to a breather state in trans ‐polyacetylene
Authors: Teramoto Takahiro , Wang Zhuan , Kobryanskii Valerii M. , Taneichi Takashi , Kobayashi Takayoshi
Published: October 2008

The dynamics preceding the separation process of a charged soliton pair after photoexcitation in trans ‐polyacetylene was successfully time‐resolved using ultrafast spectroscopy with a few‐optical‐cycle laser. It was directly verified that after photoexcitation, the electron‐hole pair relaxes with a breather mode as theory predicts with an electron‐hole pair lifetime of 33–50 fs, which is in agreement with the electronic dephasing time. By applying the spectrogram analysis to the time trace of the absorbance change, the ultrafast amplitude and frequency modulations of C–C and C=C stretching modes lasting only shorter than 100 fs induced by breather modes can be observed simultaneously for the first time. The frequency shift of C–C and C=C stretching modes caused by the breather mode are observed in good agreement with the SSH Hamiltonian. (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Mindfulness and stress reactivity: a preliminary investigation
Authors: Skinner Timothy C. , Anstey Carla , Baird Sharon , Foreman Meg , Kelly Ashley , Magee Chris
Published: October 2008

A number of measures of mindfulness have been developed to assess one or more facets of mindfulness. However, to date, all of these have been validated by comparing the mindfulness questionnaire with other self‐report measures of theoretically related constructs. Given the problems of demand characteristics and shared method variance, other approaches to validation are warranted. Therefore, we sought to determine whether individuals who describe themselves as more mindful evidence lower levels of stress reactivity. Thirty‐six university students completed the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills and the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test. Results indicated that those individuals who described themselves as more mindful show smaller cardiovascular increases in response to the stress task (heart rate r = −0.38, diastolic blood pressure r = −0.43). This study supports the validity of the Kentucky Inventory of Mindfulness Skills, indicating that people who score more highly on this measure of mindfulness show less marked cardiovascular reactivity to a low‐grade mental stress task. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessing Methods for Blood Cell Cytotoxic Responses to Inorganic Nanoparticles and Nanoparticle Aggregates
Authors: Díaz Belén , Sánchez‐Espinel Christian , Arruebo Manuel , Faro José , de Miguel Encarnación , Magadán Susana , Yagüe Clara , Fernández‐Pacheco Rodrigo , Ibarra M. Ricardo , Santamaría Jesús , González‐Fernández África
Published: October 2008

Inorganic nanoparticles (NPs) show great potential for medicinal therapy. However, biocompatibility studies are essential to determine if they are safe. Here, five different NPs are compared for their cytotoxicity, internalization, aggregation in medium, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, using tumoral and normal human blood cells. Differences depending on the cell type are analyzed, and no direct correlation between ROS production and cell toxicity is found. Results are discussed with the aim of standardizing the procedures for the evaluation of the toxicity.
An energy‐efficient self‐organizing global extremity reporting scheme for sensor networks
Authors: Sakhaee Ehssan , Wakamiya Naoki , Murata Masayuki
Published: October 2008

In this paper we propose an energy‐efficient self‐organizing global extremity reporting scheme for wireless sensor networks. The proposed scheme assists applications of periodic reporting of extreme values (such as maximum or minimum temperature/pressure) across a wireless sensor field, back to the sink. Furthermore, an event‐driven counterpart is supplied for individual sensor nodes to supply their instantaneous sensed values back to the sink, once queried. The targeted sensors initially establish their relative distances to the sink in regards to number of hops, whilst the highest hopcount nodes (HHNs) from the sink identify themselves. The broadcast initiation of the HHNs have the ability to penetrate all nodes within the network towards the sink, and hence obtain the extreme value of the entire network in an efficient manner. This is due to the relative position of these special nodes within the network. Furthermore, the scheme does not require nodes to possess location information of themselves or other nodes, avoiding the need for the global positioning system (GPS) or other location‐aware methods. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed protocol in its target application. In particular, the advantage of HHN‐initiated broadcasting can be seen in both uniformly and randomly distributed topology networks. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Outbreak of subclinical mastitis in a flock of dairy goats associated with atypicalStaphylococcus haemolyticus
Authors: Leitner Gabriel , Sela Shlom , Hammer-Muntz Orly , Zivotofsky Doni , Weisblit Limor , Chaffer Marcelo , Zamir Shmuel
Published: October 2008

Staphylococcus haemolyticusis a pathogen frequently isolated from dairy cows and small ruminants. However, it always appears in only a few animals and not as a major pathogen. Recently, in a dairy goat herd of approximately 250 milking animals, 25·6% (46/180 goats) had milk cultures with atypical highly mucoid colonies accompanied by elevated somatic cell counts. The isolates were identified asStaph. haemolyticus. The present study describes the steps used in an attempt to identify the bacterium and to compare it with other coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) includingStaph. haemolyticus. Species identification performed with the API STAPH-IDENT 32 kit showed >99·4% identity confirmed by 16S rDNA sequencing tests. Microscopically the atypicalStaph. haemolyticusstrains showed unique cuboidal tetrad clusters reminiscent of those of the genusSarcina. The outbreak caused by an atypical CNS underlines the need for accurate biochemical and genetic methods for ultimate identification of CNS to the species level.
Multi-branching three-dimensional flow with substantial changes in vessel shapes
Authors: BOWLES R. I. , OVENDEN N. C. , SMITH F. T.
Published: October 2008

This theoretical investigation of steady fluid flow through a rigid three-dimensional branching geometry is motivated by applications to haemodynamics in the brain especially, while the flow through a tube with a blockage or through a collapsed tube provides another motivation with a biomedical background. Three-dimensional motion without symmetry is addressed through one mother vessel to two or several daughters. A comparatively long axial length scale of the geometry leads to a longitudinal vortex system providing a slender-flow model for the complete mother-and-daughters flow response. Computational studies and subsequent analysis, along with comparisons, are presented. The relative flow rate varies in terms of an effective Reynolds number dependence, allowing a wide range of flow rates to be examined theoretically; also any rigid cross-sectional shape and ratio of cross-sectional area expansion or contraction from the mother vessel to the daughters can be accommodated in principle in both the computations and the analysis. Swirl production with substantial crossflows is found. The analysis shows that close to any carina (the ridge separating daughter vessels) or carinas at a branch junction either forward or reversed motion can be observed locally at the saddle point even though the bulk of the motion is driven forward into the daughters. The local forward or reversed motion is controlled, however, by global properties of the geometry and incident conditions, a feature which applies to any of the flow rates examined.
Resection of pyriform aperture: a useful adjunct in nasal surgery
Authors: Smith W , Lowe D , Leong P
Published: October 2008

Objective:

The aim of this paper is to describe a novel technique of improving the nasal airflow in patients in whom, despite reduction surgery to the inferior turbinates (either alone or with septal surgery), the nasal airways remain compromised because of obstruction occurring anterior to the inferior turbinate, due to a prominent nasal process of the maxilla at the pyriform aperture.

Method:

We describe a novel approach to resection of the nasal process of the maxilla, a technique performed in 40 patients with either: residual obstructive symptoms following septal surgery with or without turbinate surgery; and significant inspiratory alar collapse. The same technique was also used in two patients to improve the intranasal approach to the medial and anterior maxilla during endoscopic medial maxillectomy for recurrent inverted papilloma.

Results:

Patients reported a subjective improvement in their nasal airways, with resolution of inspiratory alar collapse. This technique significantly improved intranasal access in the two patients with inverted papilloma.

Conclusion:

This technique confers significant subjective improvement of nasal airways patency in selected patients, and improves endoscopic surgical access to clear inverted papilloma.
Session 1: Public health nutrition Nutrition and social disadvantage in Ireland
Authors: Kelleher Cecily C. , Lotya Juzer , O'Hara Mary-Clare , Murrin Celine
Published: October 2008

There is now considerable evidence from several data sources, including the National Surveys of Lifestyles, Attitudes and Nutrition, that dietary patterns vary according to social position in the Republic of Ireland and those individuals in situations of social disadvantage experience barriers to consuming a healthy diet according to recommended guidelines. Obesity is a major impending public health problem related in part to social position that requires concerted inter-sectoral policy action. The Life-ways Cross-generation Cohort Study of >1000 Irish families has been followed prospectively since antenatal recruitment in 2001. Published findings to date indicate considerable social variability in food consumption and BMI patterns during pregnancy in the case of the maternal cohort. The present paper reports nutrient intake across the four family cohorts related to a key variable of interest, means-tested General Medical Services eligibility.
Session 5: Nutrition communication The role of trust in health communication and the effect of conflicts of interest among scientists
Authors: McComas Katherine A.
Published: October 2008

One of the key challenges facing efforts to translate nutrition research into public health recommendations is understanding how the public will respond to these efforts, including whether they will trust the information. Among factors that influence trust in health communication is the extent to which the sources of the information are considered accurate, balanced, fair and unbiased. In relation to bias, few issues rise to as high a level of concern as the suspicion of conflicts of interest among scientists. Sometimes, even the perception of conflict of interest is enough to cast doubt on the integrity of the research and credibility of the results. The present paper provides an overview of research on conflicts of interest in science, including ways in which it has touched the field of nutrition. It then offers data on public views about conflicts of interest in science, including the extent to which funding sources influence trustworthiness of the research. The conclusions suggest implications for translational research in nutrition.
Session 3: Joint Nutrition Society and Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute Symposium on ‘Nutrition and autoimmune disease’ PUFA, inflammatory processes and rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Calder Philip C.
Published: October 2008

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease manifested by swollen and painful joints, bone erosion and functional impairment. The joint lesions are characterised by infiltration of T lymphocytes, macrophages and B lymphocytes into the synovium and by synovial inflammation involving eicosanoids, cytokines and matrix metalloproteinases. In relation to inflammatory processes, the main fatty acids of interest are then-6 PUFA arachidonic acid, which is the precursor of inflammatory eicosanoids such as PGE2and leukotriene B4, and then-3 PUFA EPA and DHA, which are found in oily fish and fish oils. Eicosanoids derived from then-6 PUFA arachidonic acid play a role in RA, and the efficacy of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in RA indicates the importance of pro-inflammatory cyclooxygenase pathway products of arachidonic acid in the pathophysiology of the disease. EPA and DHA inhibit arachidonic acid metabolism to inflammatory eicosanoids. EPA also gives rise to eicosanoid mediators that are less inflammatory than those produced from arachidonic acid and both EPA and DHA give rise to resolvins that are anti-inflammatory and inflammation resolving. In addition to modifying the lipid mediator profile,n-3 PUFA exert effects on other aspects of immunity relevant to RA such as antigen presentation, T-cell reactivity and inflammatory cytokine production. Fish oil has been shown to slow the development of arthritis in an animal model and to reduce disease severity. Randomised clinical trials have demonstrated a range of clinical benefits in patients with RA that include reducing pain, duration of morning stiffness and use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Session 2: Personalised nutrition Metabolomic applications in nutritional research
Authors: Brennan Lorraine
Published: October 2008

Metabolomics aims to profile all small molecules that are present in biological samples such as biofluids, tissue extracts and culture media. Combining the data obtained with multivariate data analysis tools allows the exploration of changes induced by a biological treatment or changes resulting from phenotype. Recently, there has been a large increase in interest in using metabolomics in nutritional research and because of the intimate relationship between nutrients and metabolism there exists great potential for the use of metabolomics within nutritional research. However, for metabolomics to reach its full potential within this field it is also important to be realistic about the challenges that are faced. Examples of such challenges include the necessity to have a clear understanding of the causes of variation in human metabolomic profiles, the effects of the gut microflora on the metabolomic profile and the interaction of the gut microflora with the host's metabolism. A further challenge that is particularly relevant for human nutritional research is the difficulty associated with biological interpretation of the data. Notwithstanding these and other challenges, several examples of successful applications to nutritional research exist. The link between the human metabolic phenotype, as characterised by metabolomic profiles, and dietary preferences proposes the potential role of metabolomics in personalised nutrition.
Session 1: Public health nutrition Folic acid food fortification: the Irish experience
Authors: Flynn Mary A. T. , Anderson Wayne A. , Burke Sarah J. , Reilly Alan
Published: October 2008

Adequate intake of folic acid by women during very early pregnancy can markedly reduce risk of the development of neural-tube defects (NTD). The effectiveness of advice to women to take folic acid supplements is limited, mainly because 50% of pregnancies are unplanned. However, mandatory folic acid food fortification programmes in North America have been very successful in reducing NTD rates. In Ireland higher rates of pregnancies are affected by NTD and the option of termination is illegal. Consequently, the much higher burden of disease makes primary prevention of NTD an important public health issue in Ireland. During 2006 a decision was taken in Ireland to initiate mandatory folic acid fortification of most bread to prevent NTD. Priority work was immediately undertaken to establish reliable and comprehensive baseline information on factors that will be affected by fortification. This information included data on: the national prevalence of pregnancies affected by NTD; the current extent of voluntary folic acid fortification of food on the Irish market and how it affects folic acid intakes; blood folate status indicators assessed for various subgroups of the Irish population. In addition, scientific developments that have arisen since 2006 relating to the risks and benefits of folic acid intake are under ongoing review. The present paper summarises the rationale for mandatory folic acid food fortification in Ireland and recent scientific developments relating to risks and benefits of folic acid intake. In this context, preliminary findings of baseline monitoring investigations in Ireland are considered.
Assessment and interpretation of micronutrient status during pregnancy
Authors: Wheeler Simon
Published: October 2008

Accurate assessment of maternal micronutrient status is critical to the prevention of suboptimal micronutrient status and anaemia during pregnancy. Measurement of Fe, folate and vitamin B12status is complicated by adaptive changes to maternal and placental physiology that markedly affect concentrations of circulating micronutrients and their functional biomarkers. Validation of new assessment methods by comparison with gold standards is often prevented by ethical considerations. Antenatal screening in the UK is predominantly concerned with the detection of anaemia, although estimation of maternal Fe stores by serum ferritin at the start of antenatal care may be a more effective preventive strategy. Functional assessment of maternal anaemia is highly problematic, so instead reference data are used for its definition. The effect of mild-to-moderate anaemia on pregnancy outcome is unclear because of the crude nature of its assessment and the influence of confounding factors. Fe-deficient erythropoiesis may be detected by assessment of erythrocyte Zn protoporphyrin and reticulocyte Hb, although such measures may be unavailable in many clinical laboratories. Serum soluble transferrin receptor is highly responsive to tissue Fe deficiency and is less affected by inflammation than most other indicators. Direct inter-assay comparison of serum and erythrocyte folate values is inadvisable since recovery rates differ greatly between methods. Serum total homocysteine is a useful functional biomarker of both folate and vitamin B12status but during pregnancy is influenced by other factors that reduce its sensitivity. Isotope-dilution liquid chromatography–tandem MS and serum holo-transcobalamin provide new opportunities to gain detailed data of folate species and vitamin B12fractions in large samples.
Session 2: Personalised nutrition Epigenomics: a basis for understanding individual differences?
Authors: Mathers John C.
Published: October 2008

Epigenetics encompasses changes to marks on the genome that are copied from one cell generation to the next, which may alter gene expression but which do not involve changes in the primary DNA sequence. These marks include DNA methylation (methylation of cytosines within CpG dinucleotides) and post-translational modifications (acetylation, methylation, phosphorylation and ubiquitination) of the histone tails protruding from nucleosome cores. The sum of genome-wide epigenetic patterns is known as the epigenome. It is hypothesised that altered epigenetic marking is a means through which evidence of environmental exposures (including nutritional status and dietary exposure) is received and recorded by the genome. At least some of these epigenetic marks are remembered through multiple cell generations and their effects may be revealed in altered gene expression and cell function. Altered epigenetic marking allows plasticity of phenotype in a fixed genotype. Despite their identical genotypes, monozygotic twins show increasing epigenetic diversity with age and with divergent lifestyles. Differences in epigenetic markings may explain some inter-individual variation in disease risk and in response to nutritional interventions.
Session 2: Personalised nutrition Transcriptomic signatures that have identified key features of metabolic syndrome
Authors: Morine Melissa J. , O'Brien Cathal , Roche Helen M.
Published: October 2008

The Human Genome Project and rapid advances in high-throughput molecular technologies are providing an unprecedented opportunity to advance the understanding of the common polygenic diet-related diseases, including obesity, the metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes mellitus, CVD and some cancers. In particular, transcriptomic approaches that allow multiple simultaneous gene-expression profiles facilitate the characterisation of metabolic perturbations that underlie diet-related pathologies. The present paper will focus on ‘transcriptomic signatures’ to characterise and understand the molecular mechanisms that accurately reflect ‘metabolic health’.
Blocking: new examples and properties of products
Authors: HERREROS PILAR
Published: October 2008

We say that a pair of points x and y is secure if there exists a finite set of blocking points such that any geodesic between x and y passes through one of the blocking points. The main point of this paper is to exhibit new examples of blocking phenomena in both the manifold and the billiard table settings. In approaching this, we study whether a product of secure configurations (or manifolds) is also secure. We introduce the concept of midpoint security which requires that the geodesic reaches a blocking point exactly at its midpoint. We prove that products of midpoint secure configurations are midpoint secure. On the other hand, we construct a compact C1 surface which contains secure configurations that are not midpoint secure. This surface provides the first example of an insecure product of secure configurations, and generates billiard tables with similar blocking behavior.
The Bilimek Pulque Vessel
Authors: Taube Karl A.
Published: October 2008

The Bilimek Vessel is among the most remarkable pieces of portable Aztec sculpture, and it contains an unusually complex body of imagery concerning starlore and cosmic battle. The Bilimek Vessel and other Aztec sources reveal that the alcoholic beverage pulque was well integrated into Aztec concepts of warfare and mythology. To the Aztec, pulque was identified with the souls of dead warriors and the starry night sky. The many figures appearing on the Bilimek Vessel represent star beings attacking the sun. At least three and probably four of the depicted deities are identical to the sky bearers appearing in the year-bearer pages of theCodex Borgia(see Seler 1963) andCodex Vaticanus B(see Seler 1902–1903). It is noted that much of the iconography and calendrics appearing on the Bilimek Vessel concerns the completion of the 52-year cycle and the New Fire ceremony, an event that symbolized the cosmic battle between the sun and the fearsometzitzimimestar demons of darkness.
Ceramic Chronology and Chronometric Dating
Authors: Love Michael W.
Published: October 2008

Stratigraphic and seriational analysis of the ceramics from La Blanca, Guatemala, resulted in the definition of a highly refined sequence. Within the 300 years of the Conchas phase (c. 900–600 b.c.) it is possible to define, minimally, a four-part subdivision. The four-part subdivision is based on a Stratigraphic analysis of the presence or absence of seven ceramic wares. However, experiments with seriational methods suggest that greater resolution may be obtained through the quantitative analysis of attribute frequencies. The chronological resolution obtained by these relative dating methods is at least equal to the resolution possible with chronometric methods.
The Ballcourt Markers of Tenam Rosario, Chiapas, Mexico
Authors: Fox John Gerard
Published: October 2008

This study is an iconographic analysis of ballcourt markers from the Late/Terminal Classic Maya site of Tenam Rosario, Chiapas, Mexico. The squatting posture of the two figures depicted on these markers, while rare in Lowland Maya art, is compared to Late Postclassic images of the earth deities Tlaltecuhtli and Tlaloc from Central Mexico. Contemporaneous examples of this posture are presented from the Gulf Coast site of El Tajin where squatting figures are associated with the rain god specifically and with the themes of ballgame sacrifice and regeneration in general. Tlaloc imagery in Classic Maya art is related to blood sacrifice as a complex, which includes both ritual warfare and autosacrifice. These forms of sacrifice are discussed as engendered categories in both Classic Maya and Aztec society. The Tenam Rosario markers are found to express themes that are consistent with ballgame symbolism throughout Mesoamerica, while conflating male and female aspects of blood sacrifice as regenerative ritual.
Interregional Interaction and Social Development on the Oaxaca Coast
Authors: Joyce Arthur A.
Published: October 2008

This article provides a synthetic examination of the role of external relations in the social, cultural, and political development of the Oaxaca Coast. The article deals primarily with the lower Río Verde valley and the southern Isthmus since these two regions have been the focus of archaeological research on the Oaxaca Coast; other areas of the coast are discussed when data permit. The data from the coast indicate that interregional relations were dominated by elites in pursuit of exotic materials and ideas that served to symbolize and legitimize their special status in society. Evidence for contact with some of the most powerful political centers of pre-Hispanic Mexico are documented, including Monte Albán, Teotihuacan, Tenochtitlan, and possibly El Tajín and Tula among others. Despite contact with these powerful centers the Oaxaca Coast appears to have been politically autonomous for most of its pre-Hispanic history.
Pacific Coastal Laguna Zope
Authors: Zeitlin Robert N.
Published: October 2008

Recent excavations at Laguna Zope, on the southern Isthmus of Tehuantepec, provide interesting insights into the nature of a regional center in the hinterlands of Monte Albán. The excavation focused on an elite-status area of the site dating to the Terminal Formative period, a time when the Monte Albán polity in the highland Valley of Oaxaca was thought to have embarked on an imperialist campaign to turn former exchange partners into tribute-paying subjects. In contrast to the evidence from some other regions of Oaxaca, there was little to suggest that Laguna Zope was ever subjugated. On the contrary, exchange between Pacific coastal Laguna Zope and Monte Albán seems to have flourished during the Terminal Formative despite the political unrest that apparently interfered with commerce elsewhere in Oaxaca. In maintaining its political independence and resilience as a center for long-distance exchange during this troubled period, Laguna Zope may have capitalized on its relative distance from the Valley of Oaxaca and on a geographic location that afforded it strategic access to other markets.
Shell-Ornament Production in Ejutla
Authors: Feinman Gary M. , Nicholas Linda M.
Published: October 2008

Findings from recent survey and excavation projects in Ejutla, Oaxaca, enable a broader examination of marine shell use and exchange in ancient Mesoamerica. A variety of shell ornaments were manufactured from Pacific Coast species at the Ejutla site during the Terminal Formative/Early Classic periods. Comparisons of the Ejutla mollusc assemblage with shell ornaments found at other highland Oaxaca sites indicate shifts in the nature of shell-ornament manufacture and exchange during the Formative and Early Classic periods. These changes, in conjunction with other findings, signal shifting relationships late in the Formative period among Monte Albán, the Ejutla Valley, and the Pacific Coast. The recognized shifts in highland-lowland Oaxaca relations generally coincide with an expanded importance of Pacific Coast shell at Teotihuacan and in the Lowland Maya region.
The Politics of Classic-Period Ritual Interaction
Authors: Zeitlin Judith Francis
Published: October 2008

The Classic period along the Oaxaca Coast was a time of population growth and increased sociopolitical complexity, as marked by the prominence of hierarchical settlement systems, large regional centers, and the proliferation of monumental artworks. An iconographic examination of standing stone sculpture from six archaeological sites between the Rio Verde and the Río de los Perros indicates that these later Classic societies were concerned with the same religious themes that prevailed at that time throughout the Peripheral Coastal Lowlands: the Underworld death and rebirth of the celestial deities in mythical events reenacted in the ritual ballgame. With no single dominant power dictating cult orthodoxy, independent political leaders interpreted these rituals freely. As permanent public expressions of the polity's stature, the sculptures and the religious message they encoded appear to have both enhanced a leader's prestige in intergroup social competition and helped foster internal social differentiation.
The Pacific Coast of Oaxaca and Guerrero
Authors: Urcid Javier
Published: October 2008

Epigraphic and functional comparisons of carved monuments in highland and coastal Oaxaca are used to address questions concerning (1) the origin and development of writing in southwestern Mesoamerica, (2) macroregional interactions, and (3) past linguistic affiliations of coastal groups. Given the scarcity of known inscriptions, particularly along the littoral of Guerrero and Oaxaca, it is concluded that the writing system in the coast is derived from central (Zapotec) Oaxaca and that the littoral did not play a role in the origins of writing in Mesoamerica. Since most of the inscribed material presently available from the coast dates betweena.d.600 and 900, relatively few traces of interregional contacts can be detected by means of epigraphy. Discernible interactions include contact with post-Teotihuacan sites in the central highlands via Guerrero; central Oaxaca through intermediate regions like Sola de Vega and Miahuatlan; and Tabasco, the latter apparently the result of migrations. The close epigraphic similarities between the coast and central Oaxaca suggest that groups speaking Chatino and other languages of the Zapotecan family had a wider distribution along the littoral in former times.
Tututepec
Authors: Spores Ronald
Published: October 2008

Arounda.d.1000 a political empire centered at Tututepec on Oaxaca's Pacific Coast formed and rose to prominence under the leadership of the great Mixtec lord 8 Deer. The extensive (25,000 km2) and ethnically diverse Tututepec empire was integrated by a system of conquest and alliance, tribute and service, military conscription, trade, a three- to four-level political hierarchy, and a simple administrative network. It was further linked by a system of royal marital alliance and trade to the Mixtec states in the Mixteca Aha and Mixteca Baja in the mountains to the north. The empire, smaller but more tightly integrated than the Chulhua-Mexica empire and smaller but more loosely integrated than the Purepecha (Tarascan) empire, dominated the Oaxaca Coast until the arrival of the Spaniards in the early 1520s.
Chichen Itza and Its Hinterland
Authors: Kepecs Susan , Feinman Gary , Boucher Sylviane
Published: October 2008

For too long, Mayanists working in northern Yucatan have retained a focus on the single site. Although a few recent papers have begun to examine this area in regional terms, the world-systems perspective has yet to be applied. In this paper the world-systems framework is used to examine the post-Teotihuacan core center of Chichen Itza and its hinterland. Various lines of information are combined to achieve the fullest possible picture, including new settlement-pattern data, related ethnohistoric material, and a brief consideration of existing iconographie studies. Comparative examples from contemporary sites in other parts of Mesoamerica are provided to illustrate the systemic interconnections that characterize a “world system.”
The Obsidian Artifacts of Quelepa, El Salvador
Authors: Braswell Geoffrey E. , Andrews V E. Wyllys , Glascock Michael D.
Published: October 2008

Nearly 600 obsidian artifacts dating from about 200b.c.toa.d.950 at Quelepa, El Salvador, are assigned to geological source areas using visual criteria and an abbreviated neutron activation analysis (NAA) technique. This combined methodology affords highly accurate results, is inexpensive, and allows large collections to be sourced. Results of lithic analyses describe the evolution of procurement and production strategies at the site. Despite the location of the site on the far southeastern periphery of Mesoamerica, the lithic analyses indicate that Quelepa participated in a Mesoamerican rather than Central American transference network.
Jewels of Ceren
Authors: Kievit Karen A.
Published: October 2008

The discovery at Joya de Cerén of the remains of a prehistoric village has presented archaeologists with an unprecedented view of pre-Columbian southern Mesoamerican earthen architecture. Twelve of the 17 known structures at the site have been partially or completely excavated to date. They include domestic dwellings, storehouses, and kitchens, as well as public and ritual buildings. These structures shared many architectural characteristics, yet each was unique. This paper draws upon the Cerén literature and personal field experience in order to present, in words and drawings, a comparison of form and function for these remarkably well-preserved structures, and suggests directions for further inquiry at Cerén.
An Overview of Southern Veracruz Archaeology
Authors: Arnold Philip J.
Published: October 2008

Despite an ancient history as rich as any in Mesoamerica, the archaeology of southern Veracruz, Mexico, remains underrepresented in both Spanish and English publications. This paper provides background information on southern Veracruz archaeology. Topical coverage includes the region's natural environment, its pre-Hispanic cultural traditions, and an overview of previous research in the area. In addition, this paper introduces and summarizes the four contributions to this special section. This collection of papers affirms that southern Veracruz archaeology is poised to make a significant contribution to our knowledge of ancient Mesoamerica.
La Isla, Veracruz, 1991
Authors: Grove David C.
Published: October 2008

This article reports on 1991 archaeological investigations at La Isla, a small site near the Olmec center of Laguna de los Cerros, Veracruz. Excavations of Mound D, the mound's possible association with three Olmec monument fragments found in the 1970s, and problems of site stratigraphy are discussed. The article concludes with comments on the western sector of the Olmec area. The overall distribution of major Olmec centers is then considered, and a “zonal complementarity” model associating the location of those centers with distinctive natural resources is introduced.
Llano del Jicaro
Authors: Gillespie Susan D.
Published: October 2008

Llano del Jícaro, Veracruz, is a workshop site where Olmec monuments were carved from exposed boulders of Cerro Cintepec basalt. The site, which lies in the hinterland of the major Olmec center of Laguna de los Cerros, was discovered in 1960 by Alfonso Medellín Zenil, who moved one of its unfinished monuments to the Museum of Anthropology in Jalapa. In 1991 more intensive archaeological investigations at Llano del Jícaro located nine additional boulders, including a tabletop altar, with evidence of carving. Excavations around four of these monoliths uncovered debitage and hammerstones from the manufacturing process. Survey also located the remains of the probable residences of the stonecarvers.
The Economy of Ancient Matacapan
Authors: Santley Robert S.
Published: October 2008

In 1979 I initiated a program of archaeological fieldwork in the Tuxtlas Mountains in southern Veracruz, Mexico. One of the working hypotheses guiding this research was that Matacapan, the principal archaeological site in the area, headed a political economy dominated by persons from the great central Mexican center of Teotihuacan. In this paper I present evidence characterizing the economy that Matacapan dominated during the Classic period. My conclusion is that there was significant variation in system organization through time. Findings from the Tuxtlas indicate that the Early Classic regional system was small scale and organized most likely as a bounded hierarchical economy. In contrast, a dendritic political economy developed in Middle Classic times, in which the production of ceramics and/or their contents for distribution beyond the local region was emphasized. The Late Classic system was smaller scale, with most production destined for local clienteles, but apparently it was more commercialized, resembling an interlocking central-place system in several respects.
The Development of the Classic-Period Mixtequilla in South-Central Veracruz, Mexico
Authors: Stark Barbara L. , Curet L. Antonio
Published: October 2008

We examine ceramic and settlement-pattern changes in the Mixtequilla, Veracruz, during the Preclassic and Classic periods with special attention to the periods corresponding to the rise and decline of Teotihuacan. Data for the study derive from full-coverage survey of 40 square kilometers accompanied by systematic surface collections. Collections are analyzed using a suite of multivariate techniques to study changes in pottery that, in turn, provide a basis for the study of shifts in settlement patterns. Local developments and extralocal relationships are discussed with regard to political and economic spheres. Strong continuity through time is indicated for the region, without major disruptions. Teotihuacan influence is manifest more in stylistic domains than in imported items. Although an episode of indirect administration cannot be ruled out, social emulative relationships are more likely than administrative ones. Alternatives to commercial relations are noted.
Reinterpreting the Great Pyramid of Cholula, Mexico
Authors: McCafferty Geoffrey G.
Published: October 2008

The Great Pyramid of Cholula is both the largest and oldest continuously occupied building in Mesoamerica. Initial occupation of the ceremonial precinct began in the Late Formative period, and the first building stage of the pyramid dates to the Terminal Formative. The Great Pyramid was built in four major construction stages and at least nine minor modifications. Early stages shared stylistic similarities with Teotihuacan, but toward the end of its construction history external contacts shifted to the Gulf Coast, particularly El Tajin, and probably relate to occupation by ethnic Olmeca-Xicallanca. The fourth and final stage was contemporary with extensive construction on the south side at the Patio of the Altars, and dates to the Early Postclassic period. This period ended, however, with the partial abandonment of the pyramid when ethnic Tolteca-Chichimeca constructed a ceremonial center around their “new” Pyramid of Quetzalcoatl. The Great Pyramid continued as an important shrine dedicated to mountain worship and a rain deity until the Spanish Conquest. It remains one of the most important religious sites in Mexico, where the shrine of the Virgin of the Remedies attracts pilgrims to the church atop the pyramid mound during the annual festival. This paper summarizes the archaeological and ethnohistorical information available to reinterpret the construction history and ideological content of the pyramid throughout its long existence.
Circular Architecture and Symbolic Boundaries in the Mixtec Sierra, Oaxaca
Authors: Finsten Laura , Kowalewski Stephen A. , Smith Charlotte A. , Borland Mark D. , Garvin Richard D.
Published: October 2008

Systematic survey of 1,000 km2in a mountainous zone of the Mixteca Alta in Oaxaca, Mexico, has produced detailed architectural data at a large number of pre-Hispanic settlements. One unusual architectural form, circular stone foundations, apparently dates to the Late Postclassic period. Comparisons to similar architectural forms described in the archaeological and ethnographic literature of Mesoamerica and in the Mixtec codices suggest that they may have been sweatbaths. Analysis of their regional distribution and site contexts leads to interesting conclusions about additional contexts for sweatbath ritual. The symbolic link between royal birth, marriage, and sweatbath ritual is clear in the Mixtec codices. An additional use may have been in rituals affirming community identity and marking community boundaries. We suggest a further connection to the use of sweatbaths in Mixtec toponyms and their association with sacred places on the Mixtec landscape, both of which reflected the importance of marriage alliance and female royal inheritance in the territorial strategies of Postclassic Mixtec kingdoms.