House Floors and Native Settlement Populations in the Central Plains

Abstract

The quantitative relationships between aboriginal abuse floor and village areas and the associated native populations have long interested archeologists and lrehistorians. With varying success, formulae for lStimating these relationships have been proposed for some groups in certain regions and at different levels of cultural complexity. The present paper undertakes o correlate Central Plains historical, ethnographical, md archeological materials on the Pawnee and Nichita in search of clues to the estimation of prehistoric population patterns in the region. It is suggested that documentary evidence points toward a atio of approximately 5 square meters per person tmong the historic peoples, who inhabited circular one-room structures with lodge populations someimes reported to reach 50 people per house. rcheological evidence indicates that the subrecangular dwellings of the prehistoric Central Plains Tradition were generally smaller, with one-or two-family habitations perhaps more common than he larger multi-family households of the post-White contact period.     

Incorporación de la ecografía y la punción de tiroides a la actividad de endocrinología en una consulta de alta resolución

IntroductionFine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) is considered the reference diagnostic procedure for thyroid nodules.Materials and methodsRoutine performance of thyroid ultrasound and ultrasound-guided FNAB by endocrinologists allows a more efficient approach in the setting of a high-resolution practice, thus reducing costs and the time elapsed until diagnosis.ResultsWe present our initial results of this procedure 2 years after its introduction, with a total of 286 biopsies performed. After a progressive learning curve over time and according to the endocrinologists’ previous experience, 72.72% samples were considered satisfactory for diagnosis. Greater difficulty was observed in obtaining optimal cytological specimens in smaller nodules. In conclusion, we have successfully incorporated thyroid ultrasound and ultrasound-guided FNAB into routine endocrine practice.ConclusionRoutine performance of thyroid ultrasound in endocrine practice will considerably aid the management of nodular thyroid disease.     

a Terrace Habitat and Late Prehistoric Settlement in North-Central Texas: Pollen And Geological Evidence

Abstract

Ecologically oriented studies in archaeology tend to suffer from over-generalized models. Pollen and geological data from the Cobb-Poole site in northcentral Texas illustrate how reconstruction of specific habitats can beof use in building testable ecological models. New evidence is presented that suggests failure to recover prehistoric pollen from alkaline soils in the Southern Plains is thli! result of inappropriate laboratory methods     

Predicting Prehistoric Taro (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum</Emphasis>) Lo’i Distribution in Hawaii

Predicting Prehistoric Taro ( Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum ) Lo’i Distribution in Hawaii. The artificial wetlands created through taro (Colocasia esculenta var. antiquorum) cultivation have played an important but controversial role in discourse on Hawaiian culture, history, and natural resource management. The extent of taro cultivation has risen and fallen dramatically with changes in population, trends, and culture since Hawaii was first settled by humans. However, since peak taro cultivation occurred before most historical records, it is unknown how much artificial wetland was created in prehistoric times. Past estimates of the extent of taro cultivation have been based on prehistoric population estimates, which are in themselves highly contested. Here we present a simple model based on geographic and climate limitations to predict the maximum amount and distribution of land that could have been dedicated to taro production on the main Hawaiian Islands. Using geographic information systems technology, and historical records of taro distribution, we created a map of potential prehistorical taro sites and total land cover. Our model predicts that prehistoric taro could have covered up to 12 times more land than suggested by past estimates. Limitations to this model include the use of current geographic characteristics to predict historical land use patterns and difficulties in creating parameters general enough to capture all sites without overestimating taro cultivation. Despite these limitations, this model does well encompassing known prehistoric and historical taro localities and should serve as a basis for revising estimated taro coverage.     

National Survey of Endocrinologists and Surgeons Regarding Active Surveillance for Low-Risk Papillary Thyroid Cancer

ObjectiveActive surveillance for low-risk papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) was endorsed by the American Thyroid Association guidelines in 2015. The attitudes and beliefs of physicians treating thyroid cancer regarding the active surveillance approach are not known.MethodsA national survey of endocrinologists and surgeons treating thyroid cancer was conducted from August to September 2017 via professional society emails. This mixed-methods analysis reported attitudes toward potential factors impacting decision-making regarding active surveillance, beliefs about barriers and facilitators of its use, and reasons why physicians would pick a given management strategy for themselves if they were diagnosed with a low-risk PTC. Survey items about attitudes and beliefs were derived from the Cabana model of barriers to guideline adherence and theoretical domains framework of behavior change.ResultsAmong 345 respondents, 324 (94%) agreed that active surveillance was appropriate for at least some patients, 81% agreed that active surveillance was at least somewhat underused, and 76% said that they would choose surgery for themselves if diagnosed with a PTC of ≤1 cm. Majority of the respondents believed that the guidelines supporting active surveillance were too vague and that the current supporting evidence was too weak. Malpractice and financial concerns were identified as additional barriers to offering active surveillance. The respondents endorsed improved information resources and evidence as possible facilitators to offering active surveillance.ConclusionAlthough there is general support among physicians who treat low-risk PTC for the active surveillance approach, there is reluctance to offer it because of the lack of robust evidence, guidelines, and protocols.     

Tradition and Diversity among the Prehistoric Hunters and Gatherers of Southern Texas

Abstract

Archaeological and ethnohistorical research has been greatly accelerated in southern Texas in the past five years. A new body of data obtained through extensive surveys, major excavations and intensified archival studies make possible a more detailed view of the area’s 11 ,000-year record of hunting and gathering lifeways. We can begin to replace the model of a widespread, homogenous prehistoric cultural pattern (and the early historic “Coahuiltecan” stereotype) with’ a more realistic perspective which documents regional and temporal variations. While a hunting and gathering subsistence tradition dominated the development of prehistoric lifeways, there is now substantial evidence of intraregional cultural diversity. Such diversity was the result of both spatially-and temporally-localized resources within the area, arid perhaps of shifting spheres of extra-areal cultural influences. New geomorphological, climatic, and chronometric data also permit us to examine certain aspects of both tradition and diversity within a suitable chronological framework.     

Endpiece: Ideas must be comforting

ObjectivesTo explore general practitioners’ perceptions of effective health care and its application in their own practice; to examine how these perceptions relate to assumptions about clinicians’ values and behaviour implicit in the evidence based medicine approach.DesignA qualitative study using semistructured interviews.SettingEight general practices in North Thames region that were part of the Medical Research Council General Practice Research Framework.Participants24 general practitioners, three from each practice.ResultsThree categories of definitions emerged: clinical, patient related, and resource related. Patient factors were the main reason given for not practising effectively; others were lack of time, doctors’ lack of knowledge and skills, lack of resources, and “human failings.” Main sources of information used in situations of clinical uncertainty were general practitioner partners and hospital doctors. Contact with hospital doctors and observation of hospital practice were just as likely as information from medical and scientific literature to bring about changes in clinical practice.ConclusionsThe findings suggest that the central assumptions of the evidence based medicine paradigm may not be shared by many general practitioners, making its application in general practice problematic. The promotion of effective care in general practice requires a broader vision and a more pragmatic approach which takes account of practitioners’ concerns and is compatible with the complex nature of their work.

Key messages

• Evidence based medicine has emerged as a new paradigm to prevent inappropriate variations in clinical practice
• This study explored the extent to which evidence based medicine’s emphasis on clinical effectiveness, self analysis, and information seeking is congruent with the modes of thinking and behaviour of general practitioners
• General practitioners’ definitions of effective health care fell into three categories of clinical, patient related, and resource related; their main reason for not practising effectively was patient factors, and others were lack of time, lack of knowledge and skills, lack of resources, and “human failings”; and their main sources of information in cases of clinical uncertainty were general practitioner partners and hospital doctors
• The central assumptions of the evidence based medicine paradigm may not be shared by many general practitioners, making its application in general practice problematic
• Promotion of effective care in general practice requires a broader vision and a more pragmatic approach that takes account of practitioners’ concerns and is compatible with the complex nature of their work

     

An Isolated Human Burial of Probable Woodland Association from Golden Gate Canyon,Colorado

Abstract

In late 1975 a human burial was discovered under rather fortuitous circumstances during quarrying operations for gravel in Golden Gate Canyon, just north of Golden, Colorado. The skeletal matenal, recognized as being prehistoric by authorities, was subsequently turned over to the University of Colorado at Denver for analysis. The burial is analyzed in terms of its metric, nonmetric and pathological features. The archaeological sequence in the immediate area of the discovery indicates a probable Woodland period age for the burial, although no cultural materials were recovered and all contextual relationships were destroyed prior to examination by archaeologists.     

A Model of Prehistoric Adaptation in Northern Texas

Abstract

This paper focuses upon the nature of prehistoric adaptation to the prairies, cross timbers and rolling plains of northern Texas. Adaptation to both the natural and cultural environment of the region is considered through the presentation of a diachronic model. This model emphasizes the economic, demographic and social aspects of adaptation to northern Texas from the earliest human occupation through the end of the prehistoric period.     

If a picture is worth a thousand words,take a good look at the picture: Survival after liver metastasectomy for colorectal cancer

IntroductionAn analysis of NHS data published in by Morris et al. in 2010 is widely used as evidence in support of liver metastasectomy for colorectal cancer and its wider application. Recent evidence concerning better overall survival for patients with metastatic colorectal cancer challenges the notional assumptions about what survival would be without metastasectomy. Earlier detection of metastases for local treatments has not resulted in a survival benefit.Materials and methodsThe interpretation of its central graphical display is critically reviewed and the common the limitations of the analysis of registry data and resulting immortal time bias are explored.Results and discussionRecent evidence, including the 2017 CLOCC trial report make the original interpretation of the analysis suspect. Randomised trials are essential to detect a treatment effect of specific interventions among variable disease progression, selection bias, and multiple and repeated treatments that are inherent in the management of advanced cancer.     

Maternal exposure to ambient air temperature during pregnancy and early childhood pneumonia

BackgroundPneumonia has been widely recognized as the leading cause of death in children worldwide, but its etiology still remains unclear.ObjectiveWe examined the association between maternal exposure to ambient air temperature during pregnancy and lifetime pneumonia in the offspring.MethodsWe conducted a cohort study of 2598 preschool children aged 3–6 years in Changsha, China. The lifetime prevalence of pneumonia was assessed using questionnaire. We backwards estimated each child's exposure to air temperature during prenatal and postnatal periods. Multiple regression model was used to examine the association between childhood pneumonia and exposure to air temperature in terms of odd ratios (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI).ResultsPrevalence of childhood pneumonia in Changsha was high up to 38.6%. We found that childhood pneumonia was significantly associated with prenatal exposure to air temperature, with adjusted OR (95% CI) = 1.77 (1.23–2.54) for an interquartile range (IQR) increase in temperature, particularly during the second trimester with adjusted OR (95% CI) = 2.26 (1.32–3.89). Boys are more susceptible to the risk of pneumonia due to air temperature than girls. We further observed that maternal exposure to extreme heat days during pregnancy increased the risk of pneumonia in the offspring.ConclusionsMaternal exposure to air temperature during pregnancy, particularly the second trimester, was associated with pneumonia in the children, providing the evidence for fetal origins of pneumonia.     

Ethnobotanical study of medicinal plants used by the Kani tribes of Pechiparai Hills,Western Ghats,India

BackgroundThe present study was conducted among the Kani, a tribe settled in the Pechiparai hills of Kanyakumari Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Ghats, to document and quantify their traditional knowledge on the use of medicinal plants for the treatment of various human ailments.MethodsEthnomedicinal data were collected from the Kani by using semi-structured interviews. Data were analyzed by using use value (UV), informant consensus factor (F_ic), fidelity level (FL) and family use value (FUV).ResultsIn total, 138 species representing 126 genera belonging to 60 families were reported to have medicinal value and were extensively used by the tribe. Leguminosae was the most speciose family, including 14% (19 species) of identified species. Leaf (50%; 69 species) was found to be the part most used to prepare drugs; leaf extract in the form of juice (26%) was the most widely used preparation; and remedies were often administered orally (53%). The highest UV was recorded for Aristolochia indica (0.35) with 18 use reports, whereas the highest F_ic (0.09) was noted for the ailment category ‘fever’. The wide use of Curcuma longa has strong pharmacological evidence – that it is effective in treating various ailments.ConclusionThe present study was the first quantitative survey of the traditional use of medicinal plants by the Kani and will help in the conservation of this invaluable inheritance.     

Investigation of the Swift Bird House (39DW233) in the Oahe Reservoir,South Dakota

Abstract

The Swift Bird House (39DW233) is a prehistoric structure of indeterminate characteristics. The associated artifacts are directed to a Northern Plains horticulture and hunting complex. A tenuous relationship to the Anoka Focus and a possible occupation date of about A. D. 1500 is suggested for the site     

Paeoniflorin: A neuroprotective monoterpenoid glycoside with promising anti-depressive properties

BackgroundDepression, as a prevalent and debilitating psychiatric disease, severely decreases the life quality of individuals and brings heavy burdens to the whole society. Currently, some antidepressants are applied in the treatment of severe depressive symptoms, while there are still some undesirable drawbacks. Paeoniflorin is a monoterpenoid glycoside that was firstly extracted from Paeonia lactiflora Pall, a traditional Chinese herb that is widely used in the Chinese herbal formulas for treating depression.PurposeThis review summarized the previous pre-clinical studies of paeoniflorin in treating depression and further discussed the potential anti-depressive mechanisms for that paeoniflorin to be further explored and utilized in the treatment of depression clinically.MethodsSome electronic databases, e.g., PubMed and China National Knowledge Infrastructure, were searched from inception until April 2021.ResultsThis review summarized the effective anti-depressive properties of paeoniflorin, which is related to its functions in the upregulation of the levels of monoaminergic neurotransmitters, inhibition of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyperfunction, promotion of neuroprotection, promotion of hippocampus neurogenesis, and upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor level, inhibition of inflammatory reaction, downregulation of nitric oxide level, etc.ConclusionThis review focused on the pre-clinical studies of paeoniflorin in depression and summarized the recent development of the anti-depressive mechanisms of paeoniflorin, which approves the role of paeoniflorin plays in anti-depression. However, more high-quality pre-clinical and clinical studies are expected to be conducted in the future.     

Flax in Sweden: the archaeobotanical, archaeological and historical evidence

The earliest recorded evidence of flax being cultivated in Sweden is from the end of the Bronze Age/beginning of the Iron Age. Later, from ca. a.d. 1100 and onwards, flax became an economically important plant in the country, and during the 12th to 16th centuries there was a substantial increase in the Swedish export of linen to other parts of Europe. Alongside its extensive cultivation, a set of cultural traditions and rituals was eventually built up around flax. The objective of this article is to draw an outline of the history of flax cultivation in Sweden and to present the relevant prehistoric and historic source material. A point of discussion will be the different roles that fibre flax and oil flax played over a long period of time and the problem of seed corn import for the development of domestic fibre flax in the country. The study is based on the prehistoric archaeobotanical record, mainly charred seeds from the Swedish Iron Age (ca. 500 b.c.–a.d. 1050), the archaeological record, documentary evidence and folklore.     

Fort Union Porcellanite And Fused Glass: Distinctive Lithic Materials Of Coal Burn Origin On The Northern Plains

Abstract

Among the most common surface indicators of archaeological sites in south central Montana and northern Wyoming are the grey and red porcellanite flakes resulting from tool making activities. Although one of the major lithic materials used by prehistoric inhabitants of the northern plains region, porcellanite’s identity has remained relatively unknown. Amateur and professional archaeologist alike have loosely referred to this material as “metamorphosed siltstone”, “baked shale”, “Powder River chert”, “grey chert”, “fired brick”, “jasper”, etc. Similarly, fused glass is often misrepresented as obsidian. Because of its unique origin, definablearea of occurrence (the western coal region, the European coal fields, and perhaps other coalbearing areas), and its extensive utilization by the prehistoric populations of the region, porcellanite and fused glass deserve additional attention from archaeologists.     

Some Observations On Theputative Fremont ”Presence” In Southern Idaho

Abstract

Detailed attribute-oriented reanalysis of prehistoric coiled basketry from a series of rockshelters in southern Idaho affirms the probable presence of Fremont populations in that area as suggested by a variety of authorities. Additionally, a thorough comparison of the prehistoric Fremont basketry from the study area with ethnographic material indicates that there is absolutely no connection in the technology of basketry production between the Fremont and their Numic speaking successors. This in turn supports the notion that the Numic speakers were a relatively late arrival to southern Idaho and contiguous areas and further indicates that the alleged millennia-long ethnic/ linguistic continuity hypothesized for the study area is spurious.     

Further Characterization of the Antidiuretic Factor From the Glandular Part of the Corpora Cardiaca of the Migratory Locust

Summary

Two antidiuretic hormones are present in the corpora cardiaca of the locust, Locusta migratoria. They are located in the nervous and the glandular parts (NCC and GCC) respectively. A procedure was developed to avoid contamination of GCC by NCC. The peptide nature of the GCC hormone was established and its structural stability was studied.

Additional evidence regarding the role of cyclic AMP as second messenger of the GCC antidiuretic factor was presented.     

Measuring Visceral and Hepatic Fat in Clinical Practice and Clinical Research

ObjectiveTo review how visceral and hepatic fat are measured in clinical practice and clinical research.MethodsWe examine different methods employed to assess visceral and hepatic fat in the literature.ResultsFat in the human body is located in 2 main compartments: subcutaneous and visceral, which also includes liver fat. Visceral and liver fats are associated with the metabolic complications of obesity like hypertension, diabetes, and atherosclerosis. Therefore, there is a need to detect those fats early in life before the development of cardiometabolic syndrome (CMS). Many modalities have been proposed to measure visceral and liver fat. Indirect measurements can be done through waist circumference (WC), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), ultrasound, and bioelectric impedance, whereas direct methods include computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An ideal measurement method should be noninvasive, reliable, suitable for all body sizes, widely available, cost and time effective, show low variability, and have no or limited radiation exposure.ConclusionMeasuring visceral and liver fat is not a straightforward procedure in clinical practice or research; several variables may affect measure accuracy and validity. (Endocr Pract. 2013;19:587-595)