Archaeological Inference in Societal Modeling: Social Organization of the Bad River Phase

Abstract

The Bad River Phase refers to the archaeological content of a group of 18th century Arikara villages in central South Dakota. The homogenous content and structure of the material culture reflects a homogenous and tightly structured society. By applying functional relationships, the social organization is deemed matricentered and cohesive, with reinforcing mechanisms between female technologies and structural levels of organization. Ethnohistoric accounts are used to reflect the organization of Bad River peoples, as well as the post-Bad River shift to a more loosely structured society. The shift is considered an ongoing adaptive mechanism that permits identification of a discrete group.     

长江三峡上游水域细菌群落结构与功能预测

[目的]揭示三峡附近支流和长江干流细菌群落组成,共现网络特征和对网络有重要作用的中心节点微生物,进一步研究三峡上游水域细菌群落的代谢功能.[方法]本研究于长江北岸四条一级支流和附近干流(香溪河、大宁河、朱衣河、梅溪河、长江干流)采集水样,基于16SrRNA基因Pacbio测序技术和生物信息学方法分析细菌群落结构,Tax...     

Fish Collections Taken from a Small Agricultural Water Withdrawal Site on the Groot River,Gamtoos River System,South Africa

Summary

Periodic water releases from Beervlei Dam on the Groot River of the Gamtoos River System were planned to flush the riverine pools of brack water and replace the pools with better quality water which was used to flood irrigate lucerne lands. Fish collections were made in a small irrigation canal situated on the banks of the Groot River. Three fish species were collected. Results indicated that up to a total of 131 smallscale redfin minnows, Pseudobarbus asper, are removed from the system every five minutes at this one small water withdrawal site. Larger minnow specimens and carp, Cyprinus carpio, were entrained during high river flows. When the river flow was reduced there were higher catches of young of the year fish. The fish are carried with the pumped water, which is flood irrigated onto lucerne fields, resulting in stranding and eventual mortality. It is recommended that the use of suitable screens, such as wedge-wire screens, could reduce the number of fish removed from the system during these irrigation periods.     

Interpopulation Relationships of Four Post-Contact Coalescent Sites From South Dakota:

Abstract

Craniometric comparisons were used to determine tribal affiliation of three Le Beau Phase sites and one Bad River Phase site from South Dakota: Four Bear (39DW2), Oahe Village (39HU2), Swan Creek (39WW7), and Stony Point Village (39ST235). Oahe Village and Swan Creek classified as Arikara in all analyses. Four Bear and Stony Point Village probably also represent Arikara populations although the evidence is less conclusive. Some individuals were assigned to the Mandan in each site. While alternative explanations are possible, those cases may indicate that some Mandan were living in these villages. If Mandan burials are present at Four Bear and Swan Creek, they are not associated with the presence of secondary burials as suggested by Hurt (1957). Arikara populations of the Post-Contact period show considerable variation through time and space.     

The Archaeology Of The Breeden Site

Abstract

The Breeden Site cultural sequence reenforcesthe general culture history already established for the Bad-Cheyenne Region and the more inclusive Middle Missouri Tradition. House remains and the bulk of the ceramic materials from the site indicate habitation of the area by peoples of the Initial Middle Missouri Variant and the PostContact Coalescent Variant.Component A at the Breeden Site and the Monroe and Anderson components at the Dodd Site exhibit a complex of diagnosticcultural traits significant enough to define a new phase - the Anderson Phase. A temporal span of approximately A.D. 950to 1250 is suggested for the phase. Component B of the Breeden Site, an early manifestation of the Post-Contract Coalescent Variant, is closely associated with components of the Felicia Phase and the putative Talking Crow Phase. Breeden Component B probably represents an upriver movement of Coalescent peoples from the Big Bend area, eventually being assimilated into the Arikara populations of the Bad River Phase within the Bad-Cheyenne Region.     

中国隔距兰属(兰科)一新记录(英文)

隔距兰属(Cleisostoma Bl.)是兰科植物中较大的一个属,约有100种,广泛分布于热带、亚热带地区。中国约有16种,其中4种为特有。该文报道了该属一中国新记录——二齿叶隔距兰[Cleisostoma aspersum(Rchb.f.)Garay],并提供描述和照片,目前该种仅见于云南。与近缘种类相比,本种具有以下鉴别特征:叶齿状二裂;唇瓣中裂片肥厚,前缘钝;蕊喙圆锥状,先端歪斜;药帽喙状等。在花部形态上,该种与Cleisostoma discolor Lindl.相似,然而后者的唇瓣中裂片明显较薄,匙状方形,并且具有啮齿状边缘,易于区别。     

Evaluating the Effects of Separate and Concomitant Use of MK-2206 and Salinomycin on Prostate Cancer Cell Line

Background:Prostate cancer is known as one of the most prevalent health disorders in the male population globally. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effects of separate and concomitant use of MK-2206 and salinomycin on prostate cancer cell line.Methods:The antitumor potential of separate and concomitant use of MK-2206 and salinomycin was evaluated in a panel of prostate cancer cell line (PC-3). To get insights into the underlying mechanism of action, different assays including the rate of apoptosis, cell viability, and gene expression were performed in treated prostate cancer cells.Results:A significant reduction was detected in the viability percentage of prostate cancer cells (p< 0.001) and the rate of Akt expression (p< 0.001) in all salinomycin, MK-2206, and salinomycin+MK-2206 groups compared to the negative control group. Furthermore, in comparison with the negative control group, there was a notable increase in both the rate of Bad expression (p< 0.001) and prostate cancer cells apoptosis after salinomycin, MK-2206, and salinomycin+MK-2206 treatments. Moreover, the concomitant use of salinomycin+MK-2206 revealed synergistic improvements regarding the viability of prostate cancer cells and the rate of the Akt and Bad expressions compared to the separate administration of salinomycin and MK-2206 (all p< 0.05)Conclusion:The findings of the present study may contribute to improving the efficacy of the therapies regarding the management of prostate cancer and providing a beneficial strategy in clinical trials.Key Words: Apoptosis, Gene Expression, MK 2206, Prostatic Neoplasms, Salinomycin     

Transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells promotes the recovery of neurological functions in rats with traumatic brain injury associated with downregulation of Bad

Background aimsThe neuroprotective effects of olfactory ensheathing cells (OECs) after transplantation have largely been known in the injured nervous system. However, the underlying mechanisms still must be further elucidated. We explored the effects of OEC transplantation on the recovery of neurophysiologic function and the related anti-apoptosis mechanism in acute traumatic brain injury.MethodsThe OECs from neonatal Sprague-Dawley rats were isolated, identified and labeled and then were immediately transplanted into the regions surrounding the injured brain site that is resulted from free-weight drop injury.ResultsNerve growth factor and it's recepor, p75 was expressed in cultured OECs. Transplanted OECs survived, migrated around the injury site and significantly improved the neurological severe scores compared with the control group (P < 0.05). OEC transplantation significantly increased the number of GAP-43–immunopositive fibers and synaptophysin-positive vesicles (P < 0.05) but significantly decreased the number of apoptotic cells (P < 0.05). On the molecular level, the expression of Bad in the OEC transplantation group was significantly downregulated (P < 0.05).ConclusionsOEC transplantation could effectively improve neurological deficits in TBI rats; the underlying mechanism may be related with their effects on neuroprotection and regeneration induction, which is associated with the downregulation of the apoptotic molecule Bad.     

The McClure and Weiss models of Fe–O2 bonding for oxyhemes, and the HbO2 + NO reaction

For the Fe–O₂(S = 0) linkages of oxyhemes, valence bond (VB) structures are re-presented for the McClure [Fe^II(S = 1) + O₂(S = 1)], Pauling–Coryell [Fe^II(S = 0) + O₂*(S = 0)], and Weiss [Fe^III(S = ½) + O₂ ^?(S = ½)] models of bonding. The VB structures for the McClure and Weiss models are of the increased-valence type, with more electrons participating in bonding than occur in their component Lewis structures. The Fe–O bond number and O–O bond order for the McClure structure are correlated with measured Fe–O and O–O bond lengths for oxymyoglobin. Back-bonding from O ₂ ^? to Fe^III of the Weiss structure gives a restricted form of the McClure structure. The McClure and Weiss increased-valence structures are used to provide VB formulations of mechanisms for the oxyhemoglobin + NO reaction. The products of these two formulations are Hb⁺ and NO₃ ^? (where Hb is hemoglobin) and Hb⁺ and OONO^?, respectively. Because Hb⁺ and NO₃ ^? are the observed products, they provide an experimental procedure for distinguishing the McClure and Weiss models. It is also shown that the same type of agreement between McClure-type theory and experiment occurs for oxycoboglobin + NO, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases, and related hydrogen atom transfer reactions. In the appendices, the results of density functional theory and multireference molecular orbital calculations for oxyhemes are related to one formulation of the increased-valence wavefunction for the McClure model, and theory is presented for the calculation of approximate weights for the Lewis structures that are components of the McClure increased-valence structure.     

Effects of Reduced Summer Precipitation on Productivity and Forage Quality of Floodplain Meadows at the Elbe and the Rhine River

BackgroundFloodplain meadows along rivers are semi-natural habitats and depend on regular land use. When used non-intensively, they offer suitable habitats for many plant species including rare ones. Floodplains are hydrologically dynamic ecosystems with both periods of flooding and of dry conditions. In German floodplains, dry periods may increase due to reduced summer precipitation as projected by climate change scenarios. Against this background, the question arises, how the forage quantity and quality of these meadows might change in future.MethodsWe report results of two field trials that investigated effects of experimentally reduced summer precipitation on hay quantity and quality of floodplain meadows at the Rhine River (2011-2012) and at two Elbe tributaries (2009-2011). We measured annual yield, the amount of hay biomass, and contents of crude protein, crude fibre, energy, fructan, nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.ResultsThe annual yield decreased under precipitation reduction at the Rhine River. This was due to reduced productivity in the second cut hay at the Rhine River in which, interestingly, the contents of nitrogen and crude protein increased. The first cut at the Rhine River was unaffected by the treatments. At the Elbe tributaries, the annual yield and the hay quantity and quality of both cuts were only marginally affected by the treatments.ConclusionWe conclude that the yield of floodplain meadows may become less reliable in future since the annual yield decreased under precipitation reduction at the Rhine River. However, the first and agriculturally more important cut was almost unaffected by the precipitation reduction, which is probably due to sufficient soil moisture from winter/spring. As long as future water levels of the rivers will not decrease during spring, at least the use of the hay from the first cut of floodplain meadows appears reliable under climate change.     

Alcohol Selectivity in a Synthetic Thermophilic n-Butanol Pathway Is Driven by Biocatalytic and Thermostability Characteristics of Constituent Enzymes

n-Butanol is generated as a natural product of metabolism by several microorganisms, but almost all grow at mesophilic temperatures. A synthetic pathway for n-butanol production from acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA) that functioned at 70°C was assembled in vitro from enzymes recruited from thermophilic bacteria to inform efforts for engineering butanol production into thermophilic hosts. Recombinant versions of eight thermophilic enzymes (β-ketothiolase [Thl], 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydrogenase [Hbd], and 3-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydratase [Crt] from Caldanaerobacter subterraneus subsp. tengcongensis; trans-2-enoyl-CoA reductase [Ter] from Spirochaeta thermophila; bifunctional acetaldehyde dehydrogenase/alcohol dehydrogenase [AdhE] from Clostridium thermocellum; and AdhE, aldehyde dehydrogenase [Bad], and butanol dehydrogenase [Bdh] from Thermoanaerobacter sp. strain X514) were utilized to examine three possible pathways for n-butanol. These pathways differed in the two steps required to convert butyryl-CoA to n-butanol: Thl-Hbd-Crt-Ter-AdhE (C. thermocellum), Thl-Hbd-Crt-Ter-AdhE (Thermoanaerobacter X514), and Thl-Hbd-Crt-Ter-Bad-Bdh. n-Butanol was produced at 70°C, but with different amounts of ethanol as a coproduct, because of the broad substrate specificities of AdhE, Bad, and Bdh. A reaction kinetics model, validated via comparison to in vitro experiments, was used to determine relative enzyme ratios needed to maximize n-butanol production. By using large relative amounts of Thl and Hbd and small amounts of Bad and Bdh, >70% conversion to n-butanol was observed in vitro, but with a 60% decrease in the predicted pathway flux. With more-selective hypothetical versions of Bad and Bdh, >70% conversion to n-butanol is predicted, with a 19% increase in pathway flux. Thus, more-selective thermophilic versions of Bad, Bdh, and AdhE are needed to fully exploit biocatalytic n-butanol production at elevated temperatures.     

Assessment of the LOVO device for final harvest of novel cell therapies: a Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies multi-center study

Background aimsThe final harvest or wash of a cell therapy product is an important step in manufacturing, as viable cell recovery is critical to the overall success of a cell therapy. Most harvest/wash approaches in the clinical lab involve centrifugation, which can lead to loss of cells and decreased viability of the final product. Here the authors report on a multi-center assessment of the LOVO Cell Processing System (Fresenius Kabi, Bad Homburg, Germany), a cell processing device that uses a spinning filtration membrane instead of centrifugation.MethodsFour National Institutes of Health Production Assistance for Cellular Therapies cell processing facilities (CPFs) assessed the LOVO Cell Processing System for final harvest and/or wash of the following three different cell products: activated T cells (ATCs), tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs). Each site compared their current in-house, routinely used method of final cell harvest and/or wash with that of the LOVO device.ResultsFinal harvest and/or wash of ATCs, TILs and MSCs using the LOVO system resulted in satisfactory cell viability and recovery with some substantial improvement over the in-house methods of CPFs. Processing time was variable among cell types/facilities.ConclusionsThe LOVO Cell Processing System provides an alternative to centrifuge-based technologies. The system employs a spinning membrane filter, exposing cells to minimal g-forces compared with centrifugation, and is automated and closed. This small multi-center study demonstrated the ability of the LOVO device to yield satisfactory cell viability and recovery of T cells and MSCs.     

Effects of dihydroxy gymnemic triacetate (DGT) on expression of apoptosis associated proteins in human prostate cancer cell lines (PC3)

Abstract

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancies among men. The present study is aimed at the investigation of dihydroxy gymnemic triacetate (DGT) from Gymnema sylvestre on mitochondrial apoptotic pathway and cell cycle arrest. Treatment of DGT resulted in a dose-dependent inhibition of growth of PC-3 cells. The cell cycle arrest was observed at the G2/M phase and accumulation of apoptotic cells was observed in DGT-treated prostate cancer cell lines. The occurrence of apoptosis in these cells was observed by DNA fragmentation. These events were associated with increased levels of pro-apoptotic proteins Bax, Bad and reduced levels of the antiapoptotic proteins Bcl-2, Bcl-xL and Mcl-1. DGT also induces the activation of caspase-9 and caspase-3. The above results, clearly, suggest that DGT induces apoptosis by the intrinsic pathways which could be very useful for the treatment of prostate cancer.     

On the validity of the genera Sinocalamus McClure and Lingnania McClure

When F. A. McClure published the new genus Sinocalamus McClure in 1940, the 4 species he listed are S. latiflorus (Munro) McClure, S. beecheyanus (Munro) McClure, S. oldhami (Munro) McClure and S. affinis (Rendle) McClure. After careful examination, the authors of this paper considered that the type species of McClure’s genus S. latiflorus (Munro) McClure should belong to the genus Dendrocalamus Nees, and the other species are of Bambusa Schreber. Owing to Sinocalamus McClure is not a taxon representative of its type species, but a mixture, it must be rejected as a synonym of Dendrocalamus Nees. In consequence then, the authors make adjustment to the taxonomic category of the 14 species and 1 variety which have ever been in Sinocalamus McClure. As for the characters of Lingnania McClure, except that some differences exist in the vegetative parts, the structure of the spikelets is in the main the same as that of Bambusa Schreber. Consequently, with regard to the systematic relationship, the authors consider it may be more resonable that the rank of Lingnania McClure should be altered to Bambusa Schreber subg. Lingnania (MeClure) Chia et H. L. Fung; all the species of Lingnania McClure, except that L. tsiangii McClure should be transferred to Dendrocalamus Nees, should be assignable to Bambusa Schreber subg. Lingnania (McClure) Chia et H. L. Fung.     

A NOTE ON THE REINTRODUCTION OF BARBUS TREURENSIS GROENEWALD 1958 (PISCES: CYPRINIDAE) INTO TIIE TREUR RIVER,MPUMALANGA, SOUTH AFRICA.

Summary

The Treur River Barb (Barbus treurensis) was reintroduced into the Treur River after being extinct in this river for about twenty years. During March 1995, 504 individuals were released at a carefully selected site. Recent surveys have shown that, within only five years, Barbus treurensis has successfully repopulated about seven kilometres of the Treur River.     

CHLOROPHYLL-a CONCENTRATION IN THE LOWER KAFUE RIVER AND CHONGWE RIVER BASINS

SUMMARY

The concentration of chlorophyll a was measured in the warm monomictic impoundment, Itezhi-tezhi Lake ([xbar] = 2,00 mg m^?3); in the small, slightly polluted Chongwe Dam ([xbar] = 11,0 mg m^?3); and in the temporary Mungasiya River ([xbar] = 53,4 mg m^?3). The average standing crop of the periphyton of green filamentous algae in the Chongwe River reached 28,3 mg m^?2. The highest concentrations of chlorophyll ([xbar] = 69,6 mg m^?2) were found in the Cyanophyta community of the extreme biotope of Longola Hot Springs.     

Blue Blanket Island (39WW9) an Historic Contact Site in the Oahe Reservoir Near Mobridge,South Dakota

Abstract

The Blue Blanket Island site (39WW9), a small, fortified, proto-historic Indian village on an island in the Missouri River, in Walworth County, South Dakota, was partially excavated by a River Basin Surveys crew in August 1961. One centrally located earthlodge, sections of the fortification, storage pits, and middens were excavated. Artifacts were scanty but architectural details were informative. The lodge was 18 sided with a short entry wayto the south (river side) and leaner posts of split cedar. The palisade was of split posts and the ditch was wide and shallow. The site appears to have been an Arikara village of short duration, probably occupied during the 1780’s and 1790’s. The abandoned remains of this village were noted by Lewis and Clark in 1804.     

中国竹亚科思劳竹属一新种——万石山思劳竹

描述了竹亚科思劳竹属一新种——万石山思劳竹（Schizostachyum wanshishanensis S.H.Chen,K.F.Huang et H.Z.Guo）。该种与思劳竹（S.pseudolima McClure）近缘,但本种箨片较平直,且短,长不及箨鞘之1/2,叶表无毛,叶背具柔毛,易于区别;本种也与沙罗单竹（S.funghomii McClure）近缘,但本种秆梢端细长下垂,叶鞘具有白色短刺毛,易于区别。     

Eterofillia E Relativa Morfologia in Centaurea Horrida Bad

Summary

The Author points out as the Centaurea horrida Bad., an endemic thorny plant of Sardinia, presents a manifested eterophillia and tries to explain why, among the different Authors, only Moris has evidenced the characteristic; he refers some personal morphological observations on the species and concludes with a new summarized diagnosis of it.     

Audrey’s Overhang: A Pictographic Maze in Central Montana

Abstract

Audrey’s Overhang, a small pictograph site in Montana’s Smith River Drainage, is part of a highly abstract rock art style localized in the Rocky Mountain foothills of central Montana. An abstract anthropomorph at Audrey’s Overhang is similar to those at several nearby sites. Site characteristics suggest that the pictographs of this rock art style were painted as part of a vision guest ceremony. Because the rock art of much of the surrounding area is poorly known the external relationships of this central Montana rock art style remain to be demonstrated.