bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Innovation in a complex environment
Authors: Pellissier René
Published: November 2012

Background: As our world becomes more global and competitive yet less predictable, the focus seems to be increasingly on looking to innovation activities to remain competitive. Although there is little doubt that a nation’s competitiveness is embedded in its innovativeness, the complex environment should not be ignored. Complexity is not accounted for in balance sheets or reported in reports; it becomes entrenched in every activity in the organisation. Innovation takes many forms and comes in different shapes.Objectives: The study objectives were, firstly, to establish the determinants for complexity and how these can be addressed from a design point of view in order to ensure innovation success and, secondly, to determine how this changes innovation forms and applications.Method: Two approaches were offered to deal with a complex environment – one allowing for complexity for organisational innovation and the other introducing reductionism to minimise complexity. These approaches were examined in a qualitative study involving case studies, open-ended interviews and content analysis between seven developing economy (South African) organisations and seven developed economy (US) organisations.Results: This study presented a proposed framework for (organisational) innovation in a complex environment versus a framework that minimises complexity. The comparative organisational analysis demonstrated the importance of initiating organisational innovation to address internal and external complexity, with the focus being on the leadership actions, their selected operating models and resultant organisational innovations designs, rather than on technological innovations.Conclusion: This study cautioned the preference for technological innovation within organisations and suggested alternative innovation forms (such as organisational and management innovation) be used to remain competitive in a complex environment.
A preliminary study about the value of a combined quantitative-qualitative approach to career counselling for a student in the natural sciences: A longitudinal study.
Authors: Maree Jacobus G.
Published: November 2012

This article describes the value of a combined quantitative-qualitative approach to career counselling for a student in the natural sciences. The participant, a 18-year old young man, was selected to participate in group assessment and career counselling based on his academic achievements, his expressed interest and desire to study in the natural sciences and on being from a disadvantaged community. The intervention comprised both an assessment and a feedback phase. Data was gathered using the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, the Differential Aptitude Tests and the Rothwell-Miller Interest Blank, as well as qualitative techniques (including a collage,the Career Interest Profile, the life line, early anecdotes, as well as the life story techniques). After the intervention, the participant demonstrated an increased career adaptability and took a more active part in developing his career and life story. Five years later, his achievements exceeded all expectations. A combined quantitative-qualitative approach to career counselling for students in the natural sciences may have the potential to meet their career counselling needs. More research with large groups of students is needed.
Spatial orientation and cognitive load as factors influencing learning amongst blind learners in the Life Sciences
Authors: Maguvhe Mbulaheni O. , Gumede Msongelwa J. , Fraser William J. , Schoeman Henoch
Published: November 2012

Little research is done in South Africa on factors influencing cognitive load during teaching and learning. It challenges our social accountability towards learners with special education needs as the principles of equity and equality are not always achieved in this field of specialisation. This article reports on a secondary analysis conducted on the results of two recent investigations by Maguvhe (2005) and Gumede (2010) that focused on the teaching of Life Sciences to blind and visually impaired learners. The purpose of the secondary analysis was to determine from the original results how the principles of cognitive load, modality and spatial orientation are accounted for when Life Sciences is taught to blind and visually impaired learners. The secondary analysis confirmed that blind learners very seldom participate in investigations, experiments and activities, and when they do, such interactions remain basic, elementary and confirmatory. Because teaching occurs mainly by means of narratives, the possibilities remain high that cognitive load might decrease the auditory functions in the absence of other visual and tactile stimuli. Tactile stimulation depends heavily on factors such as specialised resources, well-trained teachers, Braille trainers, readers and writers, and a sound understanding of a holistic methodology that can optimise the tactile senses of blind and visually impaired learners.
Evaluation of the genetic diversity and population structure of five indigenous and one introduced Chinese goose breeds using microsatellite markers
Authors: Li Jinjun , Yuan Qingyuan , Shen Junda , Tao Zhengrong , Li Guoqing , Tian Yong , Wang Deqian , Chen Li , Lu Lizhi
Published: November 2012

Li, J., Yuan, Q., Shen, J., Tao, Z., Li, G., Tian, Y., Wang, D., Chen, L. and Lu, L. 2012. Evaluation of the genetic diversity and population structure of five indigenous and one introduced Chinese goose breeds using microsatellite markers. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 417–423. The aim of this study was to determine the genetic diversity and evolutionary relationships among five indigenous Chinese goose breeds and one introduced goose breed using 29 microsatellite markers. A total of 334 distinct alleles were observed across the six breeds, and 45 of the 334 alleles (13.5%) were unique to only one breed. The indigenous geese showed higher diversity in terms of the observed number of alleles per locus (4.48–5.90) and observed heterozygosity (0.46–0.53) compared with the introduced breed (3.97 and 0.29, respectively). The pairwise genetic differentiation (FST) between the six goose breeds ranged from 0.04 between Panshi Grey goose (PS) and Yongkang Grey goose to 0.47 between PS and Landes goose; similarly, Nei's genetic distance varied between 0.25 and 0.75. However, the FSTbetween the indigenous Chinese goose breeds was very small. In addition, genetic distance estimate, phylogenic, and cluster analyses of the genetic relationships and population structure revealed that some indigenous goose breeds had hybridized more frequently, resulting in a loss of genetic distinctiveness.
Evaluating the egg production of broiler breeder hens in response to dietary nutrient intake from 31 to 60 weeks of age through neural network models
Authors: Faridi A. , Golian A. , France J.
Published: November 2012

Faridi, A., Golian, A. and France, J. 2012. Evaluating the egg production of broiler breeder hens in response to dietary nutrient intake from 31 to 60 weeks of age through neural network models. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 473–481. The aim of this study was to evaluate the response of broiler breeder hens in terms of egg production to dietary nutrient intake. Using neural network (NN) models and breaking down the collected data from 98 commercial broiler breeder houses into 3-wk intervals, 10 NN-based models were developed from 31 to 60 wk of age. The data lines were divided into two random subsets of training (n=64) and testing (n=34) sets. The variables of interest for developing the models were metabolizable energy (ME; kcal bird−1 d−1), and crude protein (CP), total sulphur amino acids (TSAA), lysine (Lys), calcium (Ca) and available phosphorus (AP), all in g bird−1 d−1. The random optimization algorithm was applied to the constructed models to find the optimal level of the input variables which maximized egg production during the different intervals. The high R 2 values in all the developed models for both the training and testing sets indicate the accuracy of NN-based models in estimating egg production. The optimization results revealed that breeder hens consuming 485, 473, 471, 466, 460, 452, 448, 442, 437 and 445 kcal of ME bird−1 d−1 showed the highest egg production during the 10 consecutive 3-wk intervals from 31 to 60 wk of age, respectively. Moreover, the optimal performance of hens required the following average intakes from 31 to 60 wk of age (g bird−1 d−1): CP: 23.7; TSAA: 1.05; Lys: 1.07; Ca: 4.91; and AP: 0.58. The results show that energy (kcal bird−1 d−1) and other nutrient requirements (g bird−1 d−1) of broiler breeder hens from 31 to 60 wk of age do not change in consort together with age; therefore using different diets with different dietary nutrient levels during the production cycle may help the nutritionists better meet the requirements of broiler breeder hens. Based on the present study, it appears that company guideline recommendations may underestimate the nutrient requirements of hens during these weeks when egg production is declining gradually.
Characterization and functional significance of polymorphisms in porcine Toll-like receptor (TLR) 5 gene
Authors: Li Hai-tao , Wang Liang , Liu Di , Yang Xiu-qin
Published: November 2012

Li, H.-t., Wang, L., Liu, D. and Yang, X.-q. 2012. Characterization and functional significance of polymorphisms in porcine Toll-like receptor (TLR) 5 gene. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 409–415. Toll-like receptor (TLR) 5 plays an important role in host defenses by recognizing bacterial flagellin and signaling to initiate immune responses. Polymorphisms in the TLR5 gene have a profound influence on receptor function and host susceptibility/resistance to infectious disease, as suggested by studies in humans and other species. In the present study, we characterized polymorphisms and determined their functional significance in the porcine TLR5 gene. Four novel non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), c.176C>T (p.R59M), c.902C>T (p.S301F), c.959T>A (p.F320Y), and c.1796C>T (p.T599M) (reference sequence: GenBank No. AB208697), were first identified by sequencing the complete coding sequences (CDS) of the TLR5 gene in the Min pig, an indigenous Chinese pig breed known for its high general resistance to disease. SNP c.1796C>T (p.T599M) is located in one of the six predicted N-glycosylation sites in the extracellular domain of the TLR5 protein. By measuring protein activation, as represented by nuclear factor κB activity, in transiently transfected PK-15 cells with TLR5 expression vectors carrying site-directed mutations, we demonstrated that the previously discovered SNP c.1205C>T, leading to the amino acid substitution of proline by leucine, attenuated the responses of the receptor to flagellin (P<0.01). Further functional investigation on SNP c.1205C>T is necessary to determine its possible role in disease susceptibility in pigs and may facilitate pig breeding aimed at improving disease resistance.
Comparative phosphoproteomics analysis of the effects of L-methionine on dairy cow mammary epithelial cells
Authors: Lu Limin , Gao Xuejun , Li Qingzhang , Huang Jianguo , Liu Rong , Li Huiming
Published: November 2012

Lu, L., Gao, X., Li, Q., Huang, J., Liu, R. and Li, H. 2012. Comparative phosphoproteomics analysis of the effects of L-methionine on dairy cow mammary epithelial cells. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 92: 433–442. L-methionine is an essential amino acid that plays fundamental roles in protein synthesis. Many nuclear phosphorylated proteins such as Stat5 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5) and mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) regulate milk protein synthesis. But a comprehensive understanding of transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of milk protein synthesis is lacking. In the current study, two-dimensional gel electrophoresis (2-DE)/MS-based proteomics analysis was used to identify phosphoproteins responsible for milk protein synthesis in dairy cow mammary epithelial cells (DCMECs). The effects of L-methionine on DCMECs were analyzed by CASY (Counter Analyser System) technique, reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography. The results showed that rate of cell proliferation and expression of β-casein were increased in DCMECs treated with 0.6 mM L-methionine for 24 h. Five proteins for which expression was significantly increased in DCMECs were selected, and their expression changes were verified by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blot analysis. The five up-regulated expressed phosphoproteins included Staphylococcal nuclease domain-containing protein 1(SND1), Septin-6, Glycyl-tRNA synthetase (GARS), Twinfilin-1 and eukaryotic elongation factor1-beta (eEF1B). This study revealed that availability of L-methionine influences the levels of nuclear phosphorylated proteins of DCMECs which opens a new avenue for the study of the molecular mechanism linking to milk protein synthesis.
Short Communication: Forage mixture responses to water stress in semi-arid prairie grassland: a pot experiment
Authors: Wang Z. , Schellenberg M. P. , Biligetu B. , Zhao M. L. , Han G. D.
Published: November 2012

Wang, Z., Schellenberg, M. P., Biligetu, B., Zhao, M. L. and Han, G. D. 2012. Short Communication: Forage mixture responses to water stress in semi-arid prairie grassland: a pot experiment. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1259–1261. As a negative result of changing climate, drought has become a worldwide concern, particularly in arid and semiarid regions. Under drier conditions, seeding multiple forage species may produce higher biomass than single species. A randomized complete block design experiment was carried out in a growth chamber over a 4-mo period to examine the effect of watering regimes (100, 85 and 70% of field capacity of semiarid grassland) on above- and below-ground biomass of various combinations of five forage species. Alfalfa monoculture and mixtures containing alfalfa produced significantly higher above- and below-ground biomass (P<0.05) than the other species or species combinations when grown at field capacity. They were also among the highest biomass producers under restricted water supply, although differences were not always statistically different. Winterfat showed a good tolerance to water deficit and its below-ground biomass production was not significantly affected by water restriction. The findings suggest that a mixture of native plant species with alfalfa would be important for forage seedling production in the semi-arid prairie grassland under water-limiting conditions.
Cloning and characterization of the mitochondrial genes Cox II and atpA from ramie (Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaud.) and their possible role in cytoplasmic male sterility
Authors: Huang Hai-Quan , Liu Jiu-Dong , Duan Ji-Qiang , Liang Xue-Ni , Liu Fei-Hu
Published: November 2012

Huang, H.-Q., Liu, J.-D., Duan, J.-Q., Liang, X.-N. and Liu, F.-H. 2012. Cloning and characterization of the mitochondrial genes Cox II and atpA from ramie ( Boehmeria nivea (L.)Gaud.) and their possible role in cytoplasmic male sterility. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1295–1304. In plants, cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) is known to be associated with structural changes and the presence of new chimeric genes in mtDNA. In this study, fragments of the Cox II and atpA genes, cloned from mtDNA of three lines (CMS line, its maintainer and restorer lines) of ramie [Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaud.], showed homology of 95% for Cox II and 97% for atpA compared with the reference dicotyledons in GenBank. The whole sequences of these two genes were obtained using the DNA walking strategy. Cox II showed no difference among the three lines in sequences of DNA and deduced amino acids. However, atpA from the CMS line obviously differed from that of fertile lines in DNA sequence, amino acid sequence and secondary structure of the predicted protein. Unusually low expression was revealed via RT-PCR for atpA in the CMS line at the budding and late-bloom stages. In conclusion, the variation in DNA sequence and the encoded product, and/or the abnormal expression of atpA in the CMS line, may cause male sterility in ramie.
The Biology of Canadian Weeds. 27.Avena fatuaL. (updated)
Authors: Beckie Hugh J. , Francis Ardath , Hall Linda M.
Published: November 2012

Beckie, H. J., Francis, A. and Hall, L. M. 2012. The Biology of Canadian Weeds. 27. Avena fatua L. (Updated). Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1329–1357. An updated review of biological information is provided for Avena fatua. A widespread species originating in Eurasia, A. fatua is one of the 10 worst annual weeds of temperate agricultural regions of the world. Key weediness traits of this highly selfing species include fecundity, seed shatter, and a large and persistent seed bank with variable degrees of primary seed dormancy. The species occurs in all Canadian provinces and most states in the USA. In Canada, it is most troublesome as a weed in the prairies, where it has spread throughout crop areas in all climatic zones. Depending upon plant density and relative time of emergence, A. fatua competition may reduce annual crop yields by as much as 70%. First cohort emergence of A. fatua coincides with planting and emergence of spring-seeded crops, although additional cohorts can emerge throughout the growing season. Avena fatua is more abundant in zero-than intensive-tillage systems; the former regime promotes earlier and greater emergence because of a shallower and less persistent seed bank. Despite the introduction of highly efficacious herbicides in the 1970s and 1980s, abundance of the species has not declined across the Canadian prairies or elsewhere. The continual evolution of herbicide-resistant A. fatua populations, seed spread via farm machinery, and limited herbicide modes of action for its control threaten sustained annual field crop production in many temperate agricultural areas. Further adoption and integration of multiple non-herbicidal weed management practices, such as enhanced crop seeding rate, competitive crops and cultivars, and precision fertilizer placement, should help mitigate A. fatua interference. The species has some beneficial uses as an alternative feed and food constituent or industrial feedstock, as well as potential in cultivated oat (Avena sativa L.) improvement.
Nitrogen management of fallow crops in Canadian prairie soils
Authors: Karamanos R. E. , Selles F. , James D. C. , Stevenson F. C.
Published: November 2012

Karamanos, R. E., Selles, F., James, D. C. and Stevenson, F. C. 2012. Nitrogen management of fallow crops in Canadian prairie soils. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1389–1401. The ability of fallow to supply nitrogen (N) to crops has been questioned, particularly for crops with greater N requirements. A study was conducted to determine canola (Brassica napus L.) and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) responses to a range of N fertilizer rates (0–75 kg N ha−1 for canola and 0–50 kg N ha−1 for wheat) at 17 fallow sites across Saskatchewan and Alberta, Canada, from 2003 to 2005. Yield and N uptake responses to progressively greater N fertilizer rates were curvilinear for both crops. Maximum yield occurred with 76 kg N ha−1 for canola yield (2190 kg ha−1) and 47 kg N ha−1 for wheat (2910 kg ha−1). Maximum N uptake occurred at about 90 kg N ha−1 for both crops. Wheat grain yield and N uptake responses were mostly associated with normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) at anthesis or flag leaf, whereas canola yields and N uptake were most associated with NDVI at five-leaf or bolting, or Cardy Nitrate meter at bolting. The preceding relationships were most apparent at the highest N fertilizer rates. Canola and wheat water use were not affected by N fertilizer rate, but water use efficiency increased linearly for both crops as N fertilizer rate was increased.
A retrospective look at short-season soybean cultivar development in Ontario
Authors: Cober Elroy R. , Voldeng Harvey D.
Published: November 2012

Cober, E. R. and Voldeng, H. D. 2012. A retrospective look at short-season soybean cultivar development in Ontario. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1239–1243. Canadian soybean production has increased from about 63 000 ha in 1951 to 1.2 million ha in 2006 with expansion from southern Ontario to shorter season areas. From 1971 to 2000, soybean production in Ontario increased sixfold. Using annual reports from 1971 to 2000 of short-season trials in Ontario, we found that the number of reported cultivars remained between three and five until 1984 when the number of cultivars started to increase at the rate of about 2.5 yr−1. The amount of time that cultivars remained in the reports has declined from 12 to 4 yr on average over the 30-yr period. Long-lived cultivars, however, were developed throughout the period including: Hardome, Merit, Evans, Maple Arrow, Bicentennial, Maple Glen, KG 41, OAC Eclipse, 9071, OAC Bayfield, PS 36, and S03-W4. Over the 30-yr period of cultivar testing, short-season seed yield increased about 600 kg ha−1, while mean time to maturity decreased about 10 d. During the same time, mean Ontario commercial seed yields increased about 750 kg ha−1. Over the 30-yr period, the number of short-season cultivars in annual reports increased 36-fold, while provincial yield increased only 1.4-fold. If the number of cultivars in annual reports is an indication of breeding effort, large research investments may be necessary to increase future yield improvement.
Honey bee stocking numbers and wild blueberry production in Nova Scotia
Authors: Eaton Leonard J. , Nams Vilis O.
Published: November 2012

Eaton, L. J. and Nams, V. O. 2012. Honey bee stocking numbers and wild blueberry production in Nova Scotia. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1305–1310. Wild blueberries (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) require cross pollination by insects. Introduction of managed species such as honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and alfalfa leafcutting bees (Megachile rotundata Fabr.) is costly. We assessed the effects of stocking rates of honey bee hives and the interacting effects of the numbers of honey bees and other bees on yield of blueberries in commercial fields. Blueberry fields were sampled from 101 fields in years 1991 to 2010 in Nova Scotia. We recorded field size, numbers of beehives, yield, densities of bees, numbers of buds, blossoms and set fruit. Yields increased linearly with numbers of beehives, up to∼4 hives/hectare, but at higher stocking rates there was too much variation to adequately determine the effects. Yields also increased linearly with numbers of honey bees, but there was an interaction with other bees that decreased the effects of honey bees, such that at maximum densities of other bees, there was no effect of honey bees on yield. These results suggest that other bees and honey bees compete for pollination. If producers have limited numbers of beehives, we suggest that more should be placed in areas where densities of other bees are lower, up to approximately 4 hives/hectare.
Short Communication: Haskap (Lonicera caerulea): A new berry crop with high antioxidant capacity
Authors: Rupasinghe H. P. Vasantha , Yu Li Juan , Bhullar Khushwant S. , Bors Bob
Published: November 2012

Rupasinghe, H. P. V., Yu, L. J., Bhullar, K. S. and Bors, B. 2012. Short Communication: Haskap (Lonicera caerulea): A new berry crop with high antioxidant capacity. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1311–1317. This study evaluated the antioxidant capacity and total phenolic content as well as total flavonoid content of three haskap (Lonicera caerulea) cultivars, Borealis, Indigo Gem and Tundra, grown in Saskatchewan in comparison with six other commercial fruits using ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay, oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay, the 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) free radical scavenging assay, the aluminum chloride colorimetric method and the Folin-Ciocalteu method, respectively. The results indicate that haskap berries, especially cv. Borealis possessed the highest antioxidant capacities and total phenolic contents, specifically total flavonoid among tested fruits, and could be used as a promising fruit source of natural antioxidants. The nutritional values of the fruits were also assessed using proximate analysis. Strawberry possessed the highest amount of most minerals and nutrients, whereas the nutritional values for the three haskap cultivars were average.
The Biology of Canadian Weeds. 151.Erodium cicutarium(L.) L'Hér. ex Aiton
Authors: Francis Ardath , Darbyshire Stephen J. , Légère Anne , Simard Marie-Josée
Published: November 2012

Francis, A., Darbyshire, S. J., Légère, A. and Simard, M.-J. 2012. The Biology of Canadian Weeds. 151. Erodium cicutarium (L.) L'Hér. ex Aiton. Can. J. Plant Sci. 92: 1359–1380. Stork's bill, Erodium cicutarium, is an annual weed of the geranium family (Geraniaceae), native to Mediterranean Europe, North Africa and western Asia. It has spread widely to temperate regions of both hemispheres, in particular to semi-arid ranges and prairies where it is frequently a dominant weed. In western Canada, it has increased in importance as a weed of cereal, canola, legume, sugarbeet and potato crops, particularly with the adoption of conservation tillage, and is both a field weed and seed contaminant of forage crops. The species had been sporadically collected in Québec since 1874 from cultivated fields (oats, potatoes, corn), but it recently appeared in experimental plots grown in corn, soybean, and red clover in eastern Québec, suggesting its potential as a serious weed. Outside of Canada, it is found in a range of crops, and has been host to viral, fungal and insect pathogens that can cause damage to crops and pastures. The plant's early germination, rapid growth and prolific seed production give it a competitive advantage in crops. In spring crops, the weed may be past the stage for optimal control by the time that the crop has reached the stage when herbicides are normally applied. Control may consequently require an extensive and often costly integrated weed management system. In semi-arid grazing areas it probably displaced some native vegetation, but has also become an important forage plant and a source of food for native wildlife. Its antioxidant and other chemical properties have drawn attention to potential medicinal and other beneficial uses.
Hyperbolicity for Deligne-Mumford analytic stacks and Brody’s theorem
Authors: Borghesi Simone , Tomassini Giuseppe
Published: November 2012

We give the overview on a program leading to the proof of the Brody Theorem for Deligne-Mumford analytic stacks, starting from the definitions of Kobayashi and Brody hyperbolicity for these objects. Complete proofs will appear in [2].
Generalized N-property and Sard theorem for Sobolev maps
Authors: Alberti Giovanni
Published: November 2012

I report on some recent extensions of the Lusin N-property and the Sard theorem for Sobolev maps, which have been obtained in a joint work with M. Csörnyei, E. D’Aniello, and B. Kirchheim. Our research was originally motivated by questions related to the uniqueness of weak solutions for the continuity equation associated to a vector field with Sobolev regularity.
A Nontrivial Solution to a Stochastic Matrix Equation
Authors: Ding J. , Rhee N. H.
Published: November 2012

If A is a nonsingular matrix such that its inverse is a stochastic matrix, the classic Brouwer fixed point theorem implies that the matrix equation AXA = XAX has a nontrivial solution. An explicit expression of this nontrivial solution is found via the mean ergodic theorem, and fixed point iteration is considered to find a nontrivial solution.
Linearized Alternating Direction Method of Multipliers for Constrained Linear Least-Squares Problem
Authors: Chan Raymond H. , Tao Min , Yuan Xiaoming
Published: November 2012

The alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) is applied to a constrained linear least-squares problem, where the objective function is a sum of two least-squares terms and there are box constraints. The original problem is decomposed into two easier least-squares subproblems at each iteration, and to speed up the inner iteration we linearize the relevant subproblem whenever it has no known closed-form solution. We prove the convergence of the resulting algorithm, and apply it to solve some image deblurring problems. Its efficiency is demonstrated, in comparison with Newton-type methods.
The earliest appearance of domesticated plant species and their origins on the western fringes of the Eurasian Steppe
Authors: Motuzaite-Matuzeviciute Giedre
Published: November 2012

This paper presents the results of the first archaeobotanical investigation of NeolithicChalcolitich-period sites in eastern Ukraine and southwest Russia. The goal of this research is to understand the timeline of the earliest appearance and possible geographical origins of domesticated plants species in the region of study. The research conducted consists of the retrieval and study of macrobotanical remains and the analysis of plant impressions in pottery. Three possible corridors of influence upon agriculture in eastern Ukraine are postulated in this paper, originating from the Balkans, the Caucasus, and the Eurasian steppe.
Interpretative trajectories toward understanding personhoods in prehistory
Authors: Budja Mihael
Published: November 2012

This paper present the genesis of discussions of individual and dividual aspects of person(hood). It discuses actual interpretations of different modes of personhood: individuality and indivisibility, dividuality, partibility and fractality, and permeability in archaeology and anthropology. It focuses on the heterogeneity of past identities in European Mesolithic, Neolithic and Bronze Age contexts.
Group identities in the Central Balkan Late Neolithic
Authors: Crnobrnja Adam N.
Published: November 2012

The final period of Neolithic Vinča culture, which occupied wide areas in the Balkans, is characterised by large settlements, which were built, judging by the most recent investigations, according to premeditated plan. What was their purpose? Were they autonomous or part of some wider communities? How large was the territory within which people of that time defined themselves as ‘we’ and where did communities of ‘others’ begin? The objective of this work is to indicate the possibilities for studying the complexity of group identities in the Late Vinča societies. We take as a starting point the micro-region of Drenski Vis in north-western Serbia, where five Late Vinča settlements have been discovered.
Social complexity and inequality in the Late Neolithic of the Central Balkans: reviewing the evidence
Authors: Porčić Marko
Published: November 2012

The aim of this paper is to review and critically evaluate relevant archaeological evidence regarding recent claims about the social complexity of Late Neolithic societies in the Central Balkans. Theory suggests that the relevant evidence should be related to population size, economic intensification, ranking, and craft specialisation. It is concluded that, although there are indications that inequalities existed and also demographic potential for organisational complexity, there is no unambiguous evidence that institutionalised inequality in the form of complex polities such as chiefdoms or states ever developed.
The white beauty – Starčevo culture jewellery
Authors: Vitezović Selena
Published: November 2012

The Neolithic is an interesting phase for observing the changes which affected the material culture and the ideology of the prehistoric groups in Europe. The production of personal ornaments improved and new types appeared. A new kind of adornment object was often linked to a new costume expressing a particular social identity, and therefore to new social messages. This paper focuses on the personal ornaments of the Early and Middle Neolithic groups of northern Italy dated between 5600 and 4300 calBC taking into consideration their geographical distribution, the raw materials employed, the exchange networks, the interrelation between different groups and the funerary practices. The analysis of the changes in raw materials, colours and shapes of adornment objects can also give an insight into Neolithic social identities.
Emerging craft production and local identity: a case of the Late Jomon Period
Authors: Kawashima Takamune
Published: November 2012

"After the Late Jōmon period, several changes have been identified, such as a reduction in the number of settlements, new types of settlement, an increase in the number of ritual objects, and emerging local craft production. Of these changes, the appearance of new types of settlement implies a change in the settlement system, which leads to a more sedentary system. This can be connected with the emergence of local crafts and social identity. In the Kantō Plain of the Late Jōmon clay earrings, shell bracelets, stone rods, and salt were produced. In this paper, I focus on salt production in the Late Jōmon, and examine the meaning of emerging craft production in this period.
Stone Age hunter-gatherer ceramics of North-Eastern Europe: new insights into the dispersal of an essential innovation
Authors: Piezonka Henny
Published: November 2012

This paper explores the emergence and dispersal of the earliest pottery among the hunter-gatherer groups east and north of the Baltic Sea in the 6th and 5th millennium calBC. By combining existing knowledge with the results of detailed statistical analyses of 17 selected early ceramic complexes with altogether 535 vessel units from Finland, Estonia, Lithuania and Russia, chronological, typological and spatial trajectories in the history of early ceramics are reconstructed. On the basis of this information, a scenario for the spread of the pottery technology into the study area is put forward, illuminating the situation not only for the actual research area, but for a wider region from the Baltic to the Urals mountains and from the Barents Sea to the Black and Caspian Seas. As a result, it is suggested that three separate lines of tradition in early pottery development played a role in the genesis of early ceramic groups east and north of the Baltic Sea.
Cattle to settle – bull to rule: on bovine iconography among Late Neolithic Vinča culture communities
Authors: Spasić Miloš
Published: November 2012

Bovine iconography is one of the most important components for understanding social identities among Neolithic Vinča culture communities. It is believed that both wild and domesticated cattle were introduced into Vinča culture symbolic practice as one of the most powerful and profound metaphors of human perception of the world. I argue that the use of bovine iconography was socially structured, as was the maintenance of animals, and that the vast corpus of bovine iconography should be considered in terms of actual human-animal relationships.
Pots and lipids: molecular and isotope evidence of the food processing at Maharski prekop
Authors: Ogrinc Nives , Gams Petrišič Marinka , Žigon Dušan , Žibrat Gašparič Andreja , Budja Mihael
Published: November 2012

The pottery assemblage from the Maharski prekop site was analysed to obtain insights into vessel use and husbandry practices. Total lipid extracts of pottery samples were subjected to gas chromatography (GC), gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS), gas chromatography–combustion–isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC–C–IRMS) and soft ionisation electrospray mass spectrometric techniques ESI Q–TOF MS and ESI Q–TOF MS/MS. The charred organic deposits on vessels were AMS 14C dated. The results show that some vessels were used for cooking ruminant meat, while in other traces of mixed non–ruminant and ruminant meat or plants and animal meat cooking were identified. Some vessels were used for milk processing.
14C calendar chronologies and cultural sequences in 5th millennium BC in Slovenia and neighbouring regions
Authors: Sraka Marko
Published: November 2012

In the paper, Bayesian analysis of 14C dates implemented in the OxCal program is used to develop calendric time-scale chronologies of individual sites and archaeological cultures of the 5th millennium calBC in Slovenia and Croatia. Case studies are presented in which 14C dates are analysed and reinterpreted with the aid of contextual archaeological data. At the site level, stratigraphic sequences are used in models to constrain and then precisely date activities within them. At the regional level, the results of the chronological modelling of archaeological cultures are used to present them on a calendric time-scale and within a broader spatial framework of Central and Southeastern Europe. Special emphasis is placed upon critical comparison of modelled calendar and cultural sequences. On the basis of this comparison, some inconsistencies and contradictions in the relative chronological schemes of periods and archaeological cultures are presented.
Another facet of man – Red deer relationship in prehistory: Antler exploitation at the Eneolithic settlement at Hârșova-tell (Constanţa County, Romania)
Authors: Măgărit Monica , Nicolae Popovici Dragomir
Published: November 2012

The significant quantity of antlers identified in the Gumelniţa A2 level in different stages of processing, from finished objects to consumed debitage waste, motivated us to try to reconstruct the management of the modalities of this raw material, of the processing techniques used and activities developed with the help of antler tools. In other words, the series of antler-made tools presents an important evidence of the activity of the Hârsova-tell community. The mentioned series reunites all the conditions for achieving such a study: the numerical importance of the remains, the good conservation stage – which allows for the identification of technological and functional traces – the variety of types of pieces etc.
Gentes groups in the structure of Neolithic cultures of the Central Russian Plain
Authors: Tsetlin Yuri B.
Published: November 2012

The possible identification of gentes groups in the Neolithic population of the central Russian plain is presented in this paper. For this purpose, a systematic analysis of pottery decoration traditions was performed. We suggest that all studied archaeological cultures had the same social structure, which included two gentes groups, but the gens also had a core and a periphery.
Models and scenarios of the Neolithic in Central Europe
Authors: Pavlů Ivan
Published: November 2012

The Neolithic in Central Europe can no longer be characterised as comprising a compact population of a single society in which organisations and subsistence strategies were homogeneous. Despite the apparent uniformity of the pottery, the period was characterised by a mosaic of small communities that differed in both economic and social organisation for almost two millennia. These genetically diverse communities inhabited geographical spaces of varying size, from regions to micro-regions to single settlements. The polymorphous modes of exploiting natural resources ensured successful long-term survival, even when the results of the emerging farming economy were uncertain and unreliable in some groups.
Periphery or land of cultural dynamics: rethinking prehistoric South China
Authors: Lu Tracey L.-D.
Published: November 2012

South China has been viewed as a periphery in the archaeology of China. However, excavations and the application of multi-disciplinary approaches since the late 1990s facilitate a better understanding of the environment and resources, cultural chronology and diversity, and the dynamics between South China and adjacent areas, including the occurrence of pottery, the expansion of farming and the co-existence of different subsistence strategies. Prehistoric South China is a landmass where the cultures of the Yangzi River Valley interacted with local cultures, it also facilitates the cultural dynamics between the Yangzi River Valley and Southeast Asia.
Preindustrial to present day changes in tropospheric hydroxyl radical and methane lifetime from the Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Model Intercomparison Project (ACCMIP)
Authors: Naik V. , Voulgarakis A. , Fiore A. M. , Horowitz L. W. , Lamarque J.-F. , Lin M. , Prather M. J. , Young P. J. , Bergmann D. , Cameron-Smith P. J. , Cionni I. , Collins W. J. , Dalsøren S. B. , Doherty R. , Eyring V. , Faluvegi G. , Folberth G. A. , Josse B. , Lee Y. H. , MacKenzie I. A. , Nagashima T. , van Noije T. P. C. , Plummer D. A. , Righi M. , Rumbold S. T. , Skeie R. , Shindell D. T. , Stevenson D. S. , Strode S. , Sudo K. , Szopa S. , Zeng G.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. We have analysed results from 17 global models, participating in the Atmospheric Chemistry and Climate Model Intercomparison Project (ACCMIP), to explore trends in hydroxyl radical concentration (OH) and methane (CH4) lifetime since preindustrial times (1850) and gain a better understanding of their key drivers. For the present day (2000), the models tend to simulate higher OH abundances in the Northern Hemisphere versus Southern Hemisphere. Evaluation of simulated carbon monoxide concentrations, the primary sink for OH, against observations suggests low biases in the Northern Hemisphere that may contribute to the high north-south OH asymmetry in the models. A comparison of modelled and observed methyl chloroform lifetime suggests that the present day global multi-model mean OH concentration is slightly overestimated. Despite large regional changes, the modelled global mean OH concentration is roughly constant over the past 150 yr, due to concurrent increases in OH sources (humidity, tropospheric ozone, and NOx emissions), together with decreases in stratospheric ozone and increase in tropospheric temperature, compensated by increases in OH sinks (methane abundance, carbon monoxide and non-methane volatile organic carbon (NMVOC) emissions). The large intermodel diversity in the sign and magnitude of OH and methane lifetime changes over this period reflects differences in the relative importance of chemical and physical drivers of OH within each model. For the 1980 to 2000 period, we find that climate warming and a slight increase in mean OH leads to a 4.3 ± 1.9% decrease in the methane lifetime. Analysing sensitivity simulations performed by 10 models, we find that preindustrial to present day climate change decreased the methane lifetime by about 4 months, representing a negative feedback on the climate system. Further, using a subset of the models, we find that global mean OH increased by 46.4 ± 12.2% in response to preindustrial to present day anthropogenic NOx emission increases, and decreased by 17.3 ± 2.3%, 7.6 ± 1.5%, and 3.1 ± 3.0% due to methane burden, and anthropogenic CO, and NMVOC emissions increases, respectively.
Reconstructing skeletal fiber arrangement and growth mode in the coral Porites lutea (Cnidaria, Scleractinia): a confocal Raman microscopy study
Authors: Wall M. , Nehrke G.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. Confocal Raman microscopy (CRM) mapping was used to investigate the microstructural arrangement and organic matrix distribution within the skeleton of the coral Porites lutea. Relative changes in the crystallographic orientation of crystals within the fibrous fan-system could be mapped, without the need to prepare thin sections, as required if this information is obtained by polarized light microscopy. Simultaneously, incremental growth lines can be visualized without the necessity of etching and hence alteration of sample surface. Using these methods two types of growth lines could be identified: one corresponds to the well-known incremental growth layers, whereas the second type of growth lines resemble denticle finger-like structures (most likely traces of former spines or skeletal surfaces). We hypothesize that these lines represent the outer skeletal surface before another growth cycle of elongation, infilling and thickening of skeletal areas continues. We show that CRM mapping with high spatial resolution can significantly improve our understanding of the micro-structural arrangement and growth patterns in coral skeletons.
The influence of dynamic vegetation on the present-day simulation and future projections of the South Asian summer monsoon in the HadGEM2 family
Authors: Martin G. M. , Levine R. C.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. Various studies have shown the importance of Earth System feedbacks in the climate system and the necessity of including these in models used for making climate change projections. The HadGEM2 family of Met Office Unified Model configurations combines model components which facilitate the representation of many different processes within the climate system, including atmosphere, ocean and sea ice, and Earth System components including the terrestrial and oceanic carbon cycle and tropospheric chemistry. We examine the climatology of the Asian summer monsoon in present-day simulations and in idealised climate change experiments. Members of the HadGEM2 family are used, with a common physical framework (one of which includes tropospheric chemistry and an interactive terrestrial and oceanic carbon cycle), to investigate whether such components affect the way in which the monsoon changes. We focus particularly on the role of interactive vegetation in the simulations from these model configurations. Using an atmosphere-only HadGEM2 configuration, we investigate how the changes in land cover which result from the interaction between the dynamic vegetation and the model systematic rainfall biases affect the Asian summer monsoon, both in the present-day and in future climate projections. We demonstrate that the response of the dynamic vegetation to biases in regional climate, such as lack of rainfall over tropical dust-producing regions, can affect both the present-day simulation and the response to climate change forcing scenarios.
Describing Earth system simulations with the Metafor CIM
Authors: Lawrence B. N. , Balaji V. , Bentley P. , Callaghan S. , DeLuca C. , Denvil S. , Devine G. , Elkington M. , Ford R. W. , Guilyardi E. , Lautenschlager M. , Morgan M. , Moine M.-P. , Murphy S. , Pascoe C. , Ramthun H. , Slavin P. , Steenman-Clark L. , Toussaint F. , Treshansky A. , Valcke S.
Published: November 2012

Abstract. The Metafor project has developed a common information model (CIM) using the ISO19100 series formalism to describe numerical experiments carried out by the Earth system modelling community, the models they use, and the simulations that result. Here we describe the mechanism by which the CIM was developed, and its key properties. We introduce the conceptual and application versions and the controlled vocabularies developed in the context of supporting the fifth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP5). We describe how the CIM has been used in experiments to describe model coupling properties and describe the near term expected evolution of the CIM.
Densification Behaviour in the Fabrication of Al-Fe Metal Matrix Composite Using Powder Metallurgy Route
Authors: Tiwari Siddhartha , Rajput Priyanka , Srivastava Sanjay
Published: November 2012

Densification behaviour of the powder particles in two- and/or multicomponent system is unpredictable. The present work deals with the densification behaviour of Al-Fe powder particles during compaction and sintering in order to fabricate the Al-Fe metal matrix composites by powder metallurgy route. Green compacts of Al-6.23 wt.% Fe powder particles were fabricated under varying compaction pressures, and these fabricated green compacts were sintered over a series of temperatures (430°C–590°C). The sintered products have been characterised with the help of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope attached with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS). It has been found that the green density of the compacts increases with increase in compaction pressure. The rate of change in green density is found to be lower at higher compaction pressures. Sintered density increases with increasing sintering temperature up to 550°C whereas a drop in sintered density is perceived at 590°C. This decrease in sintered density is considered to occur due to swelling which has been explained on the basis of the Kirkendall effect. The XRD and EDS analyses of sintered products indicated the presence of Al and Fe particles with the trace amount of intermetallics.