Agricultural resources in the Bronze Age city of Tel Lachish

Vegetation History and Archaeobotany - In this paper, we present the results of the plant macrofossil analyses from the site of Tel Lachish, Israel with focus on the botanical assemblage of the...     

Effects of Community-Based Natural Resource Management on Household Welfare in Namibia

Biodiversity conservation, as an environmental goal, is increasingly recognized to be connected to the socioeconomic well-being of local communities. The development of a widespread community-based natural resource management (CBNRM) program in Namibia makes it an ideal location to analyze the connection between conservation and socioeconomic well-being of local communities. Namibia’s CBNRM program involves the formation of communal conservancies within rural communities and previous studies have found it to be successful on both ecological and economic fronts. In order to broaden the understanding of the program’s impact to include social factors, we have conducted a comparative analysis to determine the effects of this program on household welfare outcomes. Data from two rounds of the Namibia Demographic and Health Surveys (2000 and 2006/07) and quasi-experimental statistical methods were used to evaluate changes in various health, education and wealth outcomes of those living in conservancies, relative to non-conservancy comparison groups. Regression results indicate mixed effects of the conservancy program at the household level. The program had positive effects on some health outcome variables, including bednet ownership, which was twice as likely to increase over time in conservancy compared to non-conservancy households. Program impacts were negative for education outcomes, with the proportion of school attendance of conservancy children being 45% less likely to increase over time than non-conservancy children. Wealth outcome results were inconclusive. Our findings highlight the importance of analyzing community conservation programs at a variety of scales when evaluating overall impact, as community-level benefits may not necessarily extend down to the household level (and vice versa).     

A cleistanthane diterpene lactone from Vellozia compacta

8,11,13-cleistanthatrien-7-one-19,20 beta-olide and six other previously described diterpenes were isolated by silica gel chromatography of the ethyl alcohol extract of Vellozia compacta. The structure of the cleistanthane lactone was deduced on the basis of spectral data analysis.     

Masculinization in a hermaphroditic female of the mosquitofishHeterandria formosa

A masculinized female ofHeterandria formosa is described for the first time. In size it ranges with 28 mm total length between adult males (17–20mm) and adult females (35–40mm). A masculinized anal fin of about 5 mm length is clearly evident. Rays I and II are reduced as in normal males. Rays III to V are elongated and show features of a developing gonopodium. The remaining rays VI to VIII show the expected shape of a “normal fin.” The genus-specific hook which normally originates in the anterior ramus of ray IV and the proximal serrae which derive from the posterior ramus of ray IV are absent in the masculinized analis. The gravid spots of pregnant normal females are absent. The causes for the formation of a masculinized anal fin in a female ofH. formosa are still unknown. In the masculinized female a hermaphroditic gonad is found in which female and male sections are readily distinguishable. The female regions are dominant. The oocytes of the hermaphroditic gonad are in the stage of vitellogenesis showing a thin zona radiata. The male regions with spermatozoa and Sertoli cells are distributed throughout the ovarian tissue. This mode of hermaphroditism, in which both mature oocytes and mature spermatozoa simultaneously occur in the gonad, is unique among fishes.     

The skull in normal and pugheaded females of the mosquitofish Heterandria formosa Agassiz, 1853 (teleostei, poeciliidae)

Normal and pugheaded skulls in Heterandria formosa were studied by a modified Spalteholz-method, scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray projection microscopy. Pugheadedness was examined for the first time in this fish species. X-ray projection microscopy quickly produces useful results of fish morphology. The modified Spalteholz-method, however, has a higher resolution and single bones and bone sutures can be demonstrated. In pugheaded skulls of Heterandria formosa the neurocranium and upper jaw are shortened, whereas the lower jaw usually remains unaltered. The pugheadedness in H. formosa involves not only a shortening of the vomer, parasphenoid, and maxillaries, but also by displacement and/or curve of the nasals, frontals, vomer, and palatines. For these reasons, the forehead is upraised and steep in pugheads. The origin of pugheadedness is discussed.     

Investigation of S<Subscript>N</Subscript>2 [<Superscript>11</Superscript>C]cyanation for base-sensitive substrates: an improved radiosynthesis of <Emphasis Type="SmallCaps">l</Emphasis>-[5-<Superscript>11</Superscript>C]-glutamine

Carbon-11 (β⁺ emitter, t _1/2 = 20.4 min) radiolabeled l-glutamine is a potentially useful molecular imaging agent that can be utilized with positron emission tomography for both human oncological diagnosis and plant imaging research. Based upon a previously reported [¹¹C]cyanide end-capping labeling method, a systematic investigation of nucleophilic cyanation reactions and acidic hydrolysis reaction parameters, including base, metal ion source, phase transfer catalyst, solvent, reaction temperature and reaction time, was conducted. The result was a milder, more reliable, two-step method which provides l-[5-¹¹C]-glutamine with a radiochemical yield of 63.8 ± 8.7 % (range from 51 to 74 %, n = 10) with >90 % radiochemical purity and >90 % enantiomeric purity. The total synthesis time was 40–50 min from the end of bombardment. In addition, an Fmoc derivatization method was developed to measure the specific activity of this radiotracer.