Plant Remains From Phillips Spring,A Multi Component Site In The Western Ozark Highland Of Missouri

Abstract

Phillips Spring (23Hi216) is a multicomponent archaeological site associated with an active artesian spring on a terrace of the Pomme de Terre river in western Missouri. Preservation of both carbonized and uncarbonized plant remains is excellent and remains of plants representing 32 taxa, including 24 potential food plant, occur atthe site as well as eight taxa of wood charcoal. In addition, there are remains of squash (Cucurbita pepo) and bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) dating 4260 B.P., 40008.), 1999 B.P., and squash dating 2293 B.P. When combined with data from a Woodland storage pit at nearby Boney Spring (squash dated at 1920 B.P.) and Blackwell Cave (bottle gourd at 730 B.P.), it appears that these cultigens were being grown in the western Missouri Ozarks for much of the last 4000 years. Phillips Spring is a multicomponent (Late Archaic and Middle Woodland) site situatedon a terrace of the Pomme de Terre River in Hickory County, Missouri. Discovered in 1973, the site was subsequently excavated during four field seasons: 1974, 1976, 1977 and 1978. The 1974 excavations defined four cultural horizons including three Late Archaic and a Woodland component (Chomko 1976) and produced numerous well preservedplant remains. The presence of squash (Cucurbita pepo) in the earliest component, later associated with a date of3927 B. P., prompted additional testing of the site in 1976 and full scale excavation in 1977 and 1978 (Kay 1978, Robinson 1978). Results of the 1974 excavations have been previously discussed (Chomko 1978, Chomko and Crawford 1978) and the present paper discusses the plant remains from the 1976 and more extensive 1977 excavations. While the 1978 material, presently awaiting analysis, will undoubtedly increase both our knowledge of activity patterns at the site and our sample size of specific types of features and biotic remains, it will probably not add substantially to the extensive list of plant taxa which have been recovered from the spring.     

Contagious equine metritis--outbreak of the disease in Kentucky and laboratory methods for diagnosing the disease.

Contagious Equine Metritis (CEM) was initially reported during the 1977 breeding season in England (Crowhurst, 1977) and Ireland (Timoney, Ward & Kelly, 1977. The disease has also been diagnosed in France and Australia (Huges, Bryden & MacDonald, 1978). The first occurrence of CEM in the United States followed the importation or 2 stallions from France late in 1977 which resulted in an outbreak early in the 1978 breeding season (Swerczek, 1978). Mares usually develop clinical signs of CEM 8--10 days after being covered by an infected stallion, when a copious, greyish discharge is seen. Other mares may not show any outward signs of disease, but may have a shortened dioestrous period. Many mares recover spontaneously from the disease, but a small proportion become carriers of the CEM organism. The stallion does not show any clinical signs of disease, but remains a carrier. In this paper we recommend various laboratory procedures for the diagnosis of CEM in mares and stallions.     

An assessment of the geological evidence for previous Acanthaster outbreaks

Much debate has surrounded the notion that outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns starfish (Acanthaster planci) have occurred in the geological past and hence are natural phenomena. As this debate has recently been renewed, we have reassessed statistically data presented by Frankel (1977, 1978) as evidence for the occurrence of past outbreaks. This was done using Frankel's data as well as those from extensive starfish surveys conducted prior to the commencement of his research. Our analysis of these data indicates that the occurrence of A. planci remains in recent sediments is independent of whether or not the reef from which the sample was collected had experienced a recent outbreak. Based on this premise, it is not possible to infer from Frankel's data the occurrence of past outbreaks from similar material in much older sediments. Thus while the data presented by Frankel (1977, 1978) may show that A. planci has existed within the Great Barrier Reef for at least several thousand years it does not demonstrate that outbreaks of this starfish have occurred in the geological past.     

The timing and duration of moult in adult Starlings Sturnus vulgaris in east-central England

The timing and duration of primary moult were estimated for wild adult Starlings Sturnus vulgaris near Monks Wood in 1977-78, and for captive birds in 1999. The model of Underhill and Zucchini (1988) was modified to allow for a non-linear increase in the moult score, based on scores of captive birds. For wild birds, estimates of moult duration in 1977 and 1978 were 100 days and 98 days, with mean and standard deviation in start dates of 6 June and 7.3 days in 1977, and 2 June and 9.7 days in 1978. For captive birds, moult duration was 85 days, with mean and standard deviation of 31 May and 4.1 days. Differences between these estimates and those reported for other wild and captive Starling populations are discussed.     

Antibodies to Corynebacterium Pseudotuberculosis in Adult Goats from a Naturally Infected Herd

Serum samples taken in 3 successive years (1977, 1978 and 1979) from adult dairy goats (Norwegian breed) originating from 1 herd were examined for antibodies to Gorynebacterium pseudotuberculosis. Both bacterial agglutination test (BAT) and hemolysis inhibition test (HIT) were used. The proportion of seropositive goats increased 10–12 % during the investigation period. In 1979 all animals were seropositive to BAT and about 95 % had antihemolysins in their sera. Twenty-two of the 23 one-year old goats recruited to the herd in 1978 were seropositive. The average age-specific titres increased up to the age of 3 years, and subsequently decreased for goats aged 4–7 years. Caseous lymphadenitis is thus regarded as a chronic infection. The effect of age on the titre values was significant at the 5 % level in 1977 and 1978 when HIT was used and in 1978 when BAT was used. During the investigation period the same 36 and 40 goats were examined every year by BAT and HIT, respectively. Intermediate to high correlations between titre values for the same goats from year to year were found. Both BAT and HIT are suitable for sero-epidemiological investigations concerning infection with G. pseudotuberculosis in goats.     

Evidence for the Colonization of Lactic Acid Bacteria in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Suckling Mink

Lactic acid bacteria are considered indigenous members of the gastrointestinal microflora in a number of animal species (Savage 1977a). Some intestinal strains of lactobacilli and streptococci are aWe to adhere to stratified squamous epithelium of some animals (Tannock et al. 1987), in the non-secreting part of the stomach of piglets (Barrow et al. 1980, Fuller et al. 1978) and rodents (Tannock et al. 1982), and in the crop of poultry (Fuller 1978). The presence of lactic acid bacteria in the digestive tract is believed to be of beneficial value to the host animal (Fuller 1989). The production of organic acids in the stomach or the crop helps maintaining a low pH which may be important for inhibiting the colonization of potentially pathogenic bacteria, particularly in the newborn animal (Barrow et al 1980, Fuller 1977, Fuller 1978). The adhesion of lactobacilli to squamous epithelium is host specific: strains capable of adhering to the epithelium of piglets are usually not able to adhere in rodents or poultry and vice versa (Fuller 1978, Lin & Savage 1984, Tannock et al 1982). Adhesion of lactic acid bacterial strains to other epithelia than stratified squamous epithelium has been reported. Thus, the attachment of lactobacilli to cells from the secreting epithelium of the murine stomach (Kotarski & Savage 1979), to intestinal cells of humans (Goldin & Gorbach 1987), and to columnar epithelial cells of piglets and calves (Mäyrä-Mäkinen et al 1983) has been demonstrated using in vitro methods. In another study the in vivo attachment of Enterococcus faecium to duodenal epithelium of gnotobi-otic chickens was demonstrated (Fuller et al 1981). Recent research indicated that in adult mink lactic acid bacteria are not indigenous members of the intestinal flora, and they do not attach to epithelium in any part of the gastrointestinal tract (Federsen & Jørgensen 1992). The present paper presents evidence that Gram positive cocci may colonize the gut of suckling mink kits and attach to the gut mucosa.     

Long-term microtine dynamics in north Fennoscandian tundra: the vole cycle and the lemming chaos

Densities of microtine rodents in two habitat complexes in the tundra of Finnmarks-vidda, Norwegian Lapland, were studied during 1977-89 by means of snap trapping (Small Quadrat Method) Predator populations were studied by mapping breeding raptors and by snow-tracking small mustelids During 1977-85, snow-trackmg was conducted only during peak and decline years, whereas during 1986-89, snow-tracking was conducted every winter (November-December) and live-trapping (in August) was used as an additional method
Lowland vole populations had regular density fluctuations with peaks in 1978-79. 1982-84 and 1987-88 Highland vole populations fluctuated less regularly and at lower over-all densities Highland lemming populations had two outbreaks, in 1978 and 1988, ending in abrupt winter crashes In the lowland, outbreak levels were reached only in 1978 All microtine declines in relatively productive lowland habitats were accompanied by intense activity of small mustelids. whereas avian predators were common only in 1983 Lowland declines also showed clear between-habitat asynchrony they started in areas with an exceptional abundance of productive habitats and then spread to more barren areas These lowland data are consistent with the hypothesis of a mustelid-microtine limit cycle, although also several other hypotheses remain unrefuted The highland lemming data suggest a simple exploiter-victim interaction between lemmings and the vegetation     

One big, and many small reasons that direct selection on offspring number is still open for discussion

In a recent paper, I proposed that natural selection should act to increase offspring number when diversification bet hedging is favoured. The simple underlying reasoning is that a target diversification strategy is more reliably generated with increasing sample size. The intention of opening a discussion has been realized; recent criticisms of the idea argue that selection does not act to increase offspring number when population size is large or infinite. Here I agree that criticisms have merit; indeed they are largely confined to the caveats discussed in my original paper. The critique, however, implies a verdict of outright rejection of the idea of selection on offspring number, which would be erroneous. Contrary to the assertions of the criticism, then, the importance of selection acting directly on offspring number remains an open question.     

The colonisation of experimental ponds by Chironomidae (Diptera)

The colonisation and succession of chironomids in a newly‐dug gravel pit habitat was investigated using replicate experimental ponds sampled during the summers of 1977 and 1978. In 1977 larvaeand emerging adults were collected, whilst in 1978 only adults were sampled. Benthic sampling showed the larval communities to be predominated by Chironomus spp. whilst trapping of adults showed that this group accounted for only 4% of the emergence. This difference is attributed to the selective retention of the larger Chironomus larvae by the sieve used to screen benthos samples. The pioneer chironomid communities in the ponds are compared using similarity and diversity indices on adult emergence data. These showed that the pond communities were remarkably uniform in 1977, the first year of their existence, due to the predominance of Tanytarsus gracilentus. In 1978 the communities were much more variable. The community structure changed within the two years, with equitability increasing rapidly to that characteristic of a much more mature habitat. These successional changes are attributed to a reduction in uniformity of the habitat resulting from the growth of aquatic macrophytes.     

Life cycle, production, microdistribution and diet of the damselfly Euphaea decorata (Odonata: Euphaeidae) in a Hong Kong forest stream

Euphaea decorata in Tai Po Kau Forest Stream (Hong Kong) was univoltine. Most recruitment took place in summer, and larval growth proceeded throughout the year. Life-cycles recorded in 1977–78 and 1978–79 were similar. Annual production estimates, using the removal-summation, instantaneous growth and size-frequency methods, were more similar for the 1978–79 generation (ranging from 158.7–174.7; mean 1671 mg dry wt m^-2) than for the 1977–78 generation (93.9-173-6; mean 131.7 mg dry wt m^-2). Mean biomass was similar for both generations (ranging from 33.5–33.9 mg dry wt m^-2), and mean P/B ratios were 3.9 1977–78) and 5.0 (1978–79). These are the first estimates of annual production by an Oriental stream insect.
Larvae were most abundant at microsites in the middle of the stream. Multiple regression analysis indicated that substratum characteristics were a major determinant of microdistribution. Euphaea decorata apparently favoured poorly-sorted sediments with highly peaked grain size-frequency distributions, containing few fine particles.
The carnivorous larvae showed ontogenetic changes in diet. Small individuals consumed mainly chironomid (Diptera) larvae; the diet expanded to include (successively) larvae of Ephemeroptera and Trichoptera as E. decorata grew. Seasonal changes in diet were also apparent, although larval diets during spring and summer were similar. There was also considerable overlap between autumn and winter diets. Ontogenetic influences upon prey consumed were not sufficient to account for the observed seasonal differences.     

Exploration of apical sodium transport mechanisms in an epithelial model by network thermodynamic simulation of the effect of mucosal sodium depletion: I. Comparison of three different apical sodium permeability expressions

A model based on that of Koefoed-Johnsen & Ussing (1958) and elaborated by Hviid Larsen (1978) and Lew et al. (1979), is designed using network thermodynamic theory and used to simulate experiments performed on epithelia. Three different expressions for the apical sodium permeability are tested for their ability to reproduce the saturation of the short-circuit current with increasing mucosal sodium concentration. Using the parameters from the previous models, the sodium entry step is shown to be the rate limiting step. If the apical sodium permeability is constant, there is no saturation of the short-circuit current with increasing mucosal sodium. The saturation of the short-circuit current is simulated with versions of the model which include a variable apical sodium permeability. The phenomenological expressions used for the variable permeabilities are those proposed by Fuchs et al. (1977) and Civan & Bookman (1982). They describe the so-called feedback effect of the mucosal and intracellular sodium concentrations.     

Temporal variations in the diet of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) and rainbow trout (S. gairdneri R.) in Rutland Water

The diet of brown trout (Salmo trutta L.) and rainbow trout (S. gairdneri Richardson) in Rutland Water were compared during the first two fishing seasons (April–October 1977 and 1978).Fortnightly samples of approximately forty stomachs were obtained from boat and bank, rod-and-line caught trout giving a total of 1046 stomachs over the two seasons.During 1977 seasonal changes in the diet were divided into two phases; the first being a period of abundant drowned terrestrial food until June. This was followed by a period of more stable water level from July onwards when chironomid larvae and pupae were consistently the most important food items and the diversity of food also increased.In 1978 the proportion of chironomid pupae and larvae declined and they were replaced in the diet by Gammarus and Asellus.     

Sensitivity in horseradish peroxidase neurohistochemistry: a comparative and quantitative study of nine methods.

Nine currently available methods for HRP neurohistochemistry have been compared with each other on matching tissue sections from four rats and four rhesus monkeys. The nine methods investigated in this report are the diaminobenzidine (DAB) procedures of LaVail JH and LaVail MM (J Comp Neurol 157:303, 1974), of Adams JC (Neuroscience 2:141, 1977) and of Streit P and Reubi JC (Brain Res 126:530, 1977); the benzidine dihydrochloride (BDHC) procedures of Mesulam M-M (J Histochem Cytochem 24:1273, 1976) and of De Olmos J and Heimer L (Neurosci Lett 6:107, 1977); the o-dianisidine (O-D) procedure of De Olmos J (Exp Brain Res 29:541, 1977); the p-phenylenediamine dihydrochloride and pyrocatechol (PPD-PC) procedure of Hanker JS et al., (Histochem J 9:789, 1977) and the tetramethyl benzidine (TMB) procedures of Mesulam M-M (J Histochem Cytochem 26:106, 1978) and of De Olmos J et al. (J Comp Neurol 181:213, 1978). Quantitative comparisons were based on counts of retrogradely labeled perikarya. The extent of anterograde transport and the size of the injection site were also compared at a more qualitative level. The results indicate that one TMB procedure (Mesulam M-M, J Histochem Cytochem 26:106, 1978) is distinctly superior to each of the other eight procedures in the number of labeled perikarya that it can demonstrate. Furthermore, these differences are statistically significant at better than the 0.05 level of confidence. Differences in sensitivity are most evident when the perikarya contain small quantities of transported HRP. The same TMB method also demonstrates more anterograde transport and a larger injection site than all the other procedures. If less sensitive procedures are employed, afferent or efferent connections that are clearly demonstrated by this TMB procedure are either underestimated or completely overlooked. It is suggested that sensitivity in HRP neurohistochemistry is determined by multiple factors which include the method of fixation, post-fixation storage, the choice of chromogen, the incubation parameters, the type of HRP enzyme that is administered, and the postreaction treatment.     

Probability Model for Crop Yield Forecasting

Markov chain approach has been adopted to forecast sugarcane yield. Two years data (1977–78 and 1978–79) on biometrical characters and yield collected by IASRI, New Delhi under the pilot study on pre-harvest forecasting of sugarcane yield in Meerut district (U.P.) were utilised for the study. Yield forecasts at 7–8 months after planting (about 2–3 months before harvest) were very close to the observed ones, per cent deviations from observed being 4% in 1978–79 and 2% in 1977–78. This study thus reveals that Markov Chain method can be successfully used in crop yield forecasting.     

Reanalysis of Models and an Improved Model of Biomass Size Spectra

Our reanalysis aimed at understanding the regularity in empirical biomass size spectra (BSS) suggests that the construction of BSS depends of the size interval and size scales used and different definitions of BSS in literature are therefore very different. Existing empirical models of BSS can be fitted perfectly to the observed data, but the biological basis of the fitted parameters is not explained and comparison and interpretation of the findings is therefore difficult. Parameters of mechanistic models of BSS have a biological background and are interpretable. Discrete mechanistic models based on Lindeman's trophic chain theory assume a constant ratio of size (or body mass) in two adjacent trophic levels. However, this biomass ratio is not comparable with that in two adjacent (logarithmic) size intervals in the measured biomass size spectra. The continuous model by Thiebaux and Dickie (1992) is based on the discrete model by Boudreau et al. (1991). We show how the validity of the transformation of a discrete form into a continous form depends on the size ranges of prey and predator population. The model by Platt and Denman (1977) does not represent a continuous formulation due to the use of normalized biomass defined in logarithmic size intervals. We suggest to eliminate the use of trophic levels and normalized biomass. On the basis of the reanalysis we formulate and improved continuous model based on the model by Silvert and Platt (1978). The model is based on Eulerian strategy which appears more adequate for the problem than the previously used Lagrangian strategy. The model appears to be able to demonstrate the regularity in observed BSS.     

Transcription and processing of intervening sequences in yeast tRNA genes.

Genes for yeast tRNATyr and tRNAPhe have been sequenced (Goodman, Olson and Hall, 1977; Valenzuela et al., 1978) which contain additional nucleotides (intervening sequences) within the middle of the gene that are not present in the mature tRNA. We have isolated precursors to rRNATyr and tRNAPhe from a yeast temperature-sensitive mutant (at the rna1 locus) which accumulates only certain precursor tRNAs at the nonpermissive temperature. The tRNATyr and tRNAPhe precursors were analyzed by oligonucleotide mapping; they each contain the intervening sequence and fully matured 5' and 3' termini. Furthermore, these precursors were used as substrates to search for an enzymatic activity which can remove the intervening sequences and religate the ends. We have shown that wild-type yeast contains such an activity, and that this activity specifically removes the intervening sequences to produce mature-sized RNAs.     

Variant forms of matrix protein in Escherichia coli B/r bearing N plasmids.

Plasmids of the N incompatibility group have been found to decrease or virtually eliminate the synthesis of the 36,500 dalton outer membrane matrix protein of their Escherichia coli B/r hosts (Iyer, R. (1977) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 470, 258--272 and Iyer, R., Darby, V. and Holland, I.B. (1978) FEBS Lett. 85, 127--132) or modify its composition. Although the 34,000 dalton tol G protein is slightly increased in some strains, it is identical in composition to the homologous protein from the plasmidless host. In three of five N+ strains the synthesis of the modified matrix proteins depends on the temperature of cultivation of the strains in which they occur. The alterations to the matrix proteins are non-identical and do not affect the expression of several plasmid-coded functions including those of sensitivity to the N plasmid-specific filamentous bacteriophage IKe (Khatoon, H. and Iyer, R. (1971) Can. J. Microbiol. 17, 669--675), or their interbacterial transfer via conjugation to appropriate recipient strains. Thus, although the significance of the variant matrix proteins in N+ strains with respect to plasmid-mediated functions remains unclear, N plasmids nevertheless provide a convenient system which might be used to elucidate the events that precede the insertion of this protein into the outer membrane of E. coli B/r hosts.     

Diesj?hrige Wiesenpieper(Anthus pratensis) als Helfer am Nest

Summary On 23.7. 1977a colour-ringed first-year Meadow Pipit was observed feeding nestlings of a third brood of more than two-year-old parent Meadow Pipits for at least three times. The first-year Meadow Pipit had hatched about 1.5. 1977 in a nest about 3100m off the place where it helped feeding.On 27. and 28.6. 1978 another first-year Meadow Pipit was observed feeding nestlings of a brood some four times. This first-year Meadow Pipit had hatched about 8.5. 1978 nearly 3400m off the place where it helped feeding. The only adult parent that was seen feeding the brood was a colour-ringed adult male. On 14.6. 1978 a copulation was observed between the adult male and the first-year Meadow Pipit — obviously a female.Evidently there were no close relationships between the first-year Meadow Pipits and the parents of the broods they helped.     

Optimal Immunization and Isolation Policies for the GREENWOOD Chain-Binomial Epidemic Model

Optimal control for the GREENWOOD chain-binomial epidemic model is examined when control action is effected by immunization of susceptibles, isolation of infectives, or a combination of immunization and isolation in a way which minimizes the social cost of the epidemic and the cost of control over a given planning horizon. Optimal policies can be easily found for the deterministic version of the model. For the stochastic version, optimal policies are of much more complicated form and are only described in the situation when the probability of a given susceptible being infected is either small or large. This paper continues and corrects the work of DAYANANDA and HOGARTH (1977, 1978).     

Biological and water quality effects of artificial mixing of Arbuckle Lake,Oklahoma, during 1977

This paper describes the effects of total lake mixing with 16 axial flow (Garton) pumps on the water quality, algal biomass and community metabolism of Arbuckle Lake, Oklahoma.Pumping began on July 1, 1977, and subsequently lowered the thermocline throughout the lake. The concentration of dissolved oxygen rose in formerly anoxic strata. Water quality in the former hypolimnion improved. Concentration of ammonia and BOD₅ decreased, and concentrations of manganese remained unchanged in 1977 compared to the control year (1976). But, concentrations of sulfide in the hypolimnion were higher in 1977 than in 1976. Algal biomass as chlorophyll a was about the same in 1977 as in 1978. The depth of the Secchi disc was also the same. An algal bloom did not occur. Pumping decreased the ratio gross production: community respiration as measured by a free water method, suggesting that lakes which are artificially mixed will have lower net primary productivities than lakes which are not artificially mixed.