Agricultural innovations at a Late Iron Age oppidum: archaeobotanical evidence for flax, food and fodder from Calleva Atrebatum, UK

The development of oppida in the late first millennium BC across north-western Europe represents a major change in settlement form and social organisation. The construction of extensive earthwork systems, the presence of nucleated settlement areas, long-distance trade links and the development of hierarchical societies have been evidenced. These imply that changes in the style and organisation of agriculture would have been required to support these proto-urban population centres. Hypotheses of the subsistence bases of these settlements, ranging from a reliance on surplus arable production from local rural settlements, to an emphasis on pastoral activities, are here reviewed and grounded against a wider understanding of the expansion of agriculture in the Late Iron Age. These agricultural models have not been previously evaluated. This paper presents archaeobotanical data from six well fills from large-scale excavations at Late Iron Age and Early Roman Silchester, a Late Iron Age territorial oppidum and subsequent Roman civitas capital located in central-southern Britain. This is the first large-scale study of waterlogged plant macrofossils from within a settlement area of an oppidum. Waterlogged plant macrofossils were studied from a series of wells within the settlement. An assessment of taphonomy, considering stratigraphic and contextual information, is reported, followed by an analysis of the diverse assemblages of the plant remains through univariate analysis. Key results evidence animal stabling, flax cultivation, hay meadow management and the use of heathland resources. The staple crops cultivated and consumed at Late Iron Age and Early Roman Silchester are consistent with those cultivated in the wider region, whilst a range of imported fruits and flavourings were also present. The adoption of new oil crops and new grassland management shows that agricultural innovations were associated with foddering for animals rather than providing food for the proto-urban population. The evidence from Silchester is compared with other archaeobotanical datasets from oppida in Europe in order to identify key trends in agricultural change.

Ozone formation potentials of volatile organic compounds and ozone sensitivity to their emission in the megacity of Sao Paulo, Brazil

In the present study, a three-dimensional Eulerian photochemical model was employed to estimate the impact that organic compounds have on tropospheric ozone formation in the Metropolitan Area of Sao Paulo (MASP). In the year 2000, base case simulations were conducted in two periods: August 22-24 and March 13-15. Based on the pollutant concentrations calculated by the model, the correlation coefficient relative to observations for ozone ranged from 0.91 to 0.93 in both periods. In the simulations employed to evaluate the ozone potential of individual VOCs, as well as the sensitivity of ozone to the VOC/NO(x) emission ratio, the variation in anthropogenic emissions was estimated at 15% (according to tests performed previously variations of 15% were stable). Although there were significant differences between the two periods, ozone concentrations were found to be much more sensitive to VOCs than to NO(x) in both periods and throughout the study domain. In addition, considering their individual rates of emission from vehicles, the species/classes that were most important for ozone formation were as follows: aromatics with a kOH>2x 10(4) ppm(-1) min(-1); olefins with a kOH 7 x 10(4) ppm(-1) min(-1); olefins with a kOH 7 x 10(4) ppm(-1) min(-1); ethene; and formaldehyde, which are the principal species related to the production, transport, storage and combustion of fossil fuels.

Screening for endophytic nitrogen-fixing bacteria in Brazilian sugar cane varieties used in organic farming and description of Stenotrophomonas pavanii sp. nov.

A Gram-negative, rod-shaped, non-spore-forming and nitrogen-fixing bacterium, designated ICB 89(T), was isolated from stems of a Brazilian sugar cane variety widely used in organic farming. 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain ICB 89(T) belonged to the genus Stenotrophomonas and was most closely related to Stenotrophomonas maltophilia LMG 958(T), Stenotrophomonas rhizophila LMG 22075(T), Stenotrophomonas nitritireducens L2(T), [Pseudomonas] geniculata ATCC 19374(T), [Pseudomonas] hibiscicola ATCC 19867(T) and [Pseudomonas] beteli ATCC 19861(T). DNA-DNA hybridization together with chemotaxonomic data and biochemical characteristics allowed the differentiation of strain ICB 89(T) from its nearest phylogenetic neighbours. Therefore, strain ICB 89(T) represents a novel species, for which the name Stenotrophomonas pavanii sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is ICB 89(T) (=CBMAI 564(T) =LMG 25348(T)).

Biotransformations on organic selenides and tellurides: synthetic applications

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Pendimethalin determination in natural water, baby food and river sediment samples using electroanalytical methods

This work describes the electroanalytical determination of pendimethalin herbicide levels in natural waters, river sediment and baby food samples, based on the electro-reduction of herbicide on the hanging mercury drop electrode using square wave voltammetry (SWV). A number of experimental and voltammetric conditions were evaluated and the best responses were achieved in Britton-Robinson buffer solutions at pH 8.0, using a frequency of 500 s(-1). a scan increment of 10 mV and a square wave amplitude of 50 mV. Under these conditions, the pendimethalin is reduced in an irreversible process, with two reduction peaks at -0.60 V and -0.71 V. using a Ag/AgCl reference system. Analytical curves were constructed and the detection limit values were calculated to be 7.79 mu g L(-1) and 4.88 mu g L(-1), for peak 1 and peak 2, respectively. The precision and accuracy were determinate as a function of experimental repeatability and reproducibility, which showed standard relative deviation values that were lower than 2% for both voltammetric peaks. The applicability of the proposed methodology was evaluated in natural water, river sediments and baby food samples. The calculated recovery efficiencies demonstrate that the proposed methodology is suitable for determining any contamination by pendimethalin in these samples. Additionally, adsorption isotherms were used to evaluate information about the behavior of pendimethalin in river sediment samples. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Eating Behaviors and Exercise Patterns on the Processing of Food and Exercise Related Stimuli

The effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for eating disorders has established a link between cognitive processes and unhealthy eating behaviors. However, the relationship between individual differences in unhealthy eating behaviors that are not related to clinical eating disorders, such as overeating and restrained eating, and the processing of food related verbal stimuli remains undetermined. Furthermore, the cognitive processes that promote unhealthy and healthy exercise patterns remain virtually unexplored by previous research. The present study compared individual differences in attitudes and behaviors around eating and exercise to responses to food and exercise-related words using a Lexical Decision Task (LDT). Participants were recruited from Colby (n = 61) and the greater Waterville community (n = 16). The results indicate the following trends in the data: Individuals who scored high in “thin ideal” responded faster to food-related words than individuals with low “thin Ideal” scores did. Regarding the exercise-related data, individuals who engage in more “low intensity exercise” responded faster to exercise-related words than individuals who engage in less “low intensity exercise” did. These findings suggest that cognitive schemata about food and exercise might mediate individual’s eating and exercise patterns.

Organic Farms and Agricultural Chemicals in Maine

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Organic acids and/or compound with defined microorganisms to control Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis experimental infection in chickens

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

Nickel adsorption by soils in relation to pH, organic matter, and iron oxides

There is little information on nickel adsorption by Brazilian soils. The objective of this experiment was to determine the effect of pH, organic matter, and iron oxides on nickel adsorption by three soils: a clayey Anionic Rhodic Acrudox, a sandy clay loam Anionic Xanthic Acrudox, and a clayey Rhodic Hapludalf. Soil samples were collected from the 0-0.2 in layer and treated to eliminate organic matter and iron oxides. The nickel adsorption was evaluated in the original samples and in those treated to remove organic matter and to remove both, organic matter and iron oxides, using 2 g soil + 20 mL of 0.01 mol L-1 CaCl2 solution containing 5 mg L-1 Ni, pH varying from 3.5 to 7.5. The nickel adsorption decreased with the elimination of organic matter. For the samples without organic matter and iron oxides, adsorption decreased only in the Anionic Rhodic Acrudox. The pH was the main factor involved in nickel adsorption variation, and for soil samples without organic matter and iron oxides, the maximum adsorption occurred at higher pH values.

Impact of atmosphere, organic acids, and calcium on quality of fresh-cut 'Kensington' mango

Fresh-cut slices from ripe 'Kensington' mango (Mangifera indica L.) were prepared aseptically and stored under various treatments at 3 degrees C. Treatments included reduced oxygen (2.5%), enhanced carbon dioxide (5-40%), organic acid application, calcium chloride application, and combinations of the above. Symptoms limiting shelf-life were characterised by tissue darkening, development of a 'glassy' appearance, surface desiccation, and loss of firmness. Reduced oxygen (2.5%) was effective at controlling tissue darkening and the development of a 'glassy' appearance, while calcium application (3%) was partly effective at controlling darkening. Calcium chloride however significantly slowed (but did not stop) loss of tissue firmness. Carbon dioxide (5-40%) and citric acid had little positive effect on shelf-life, with both treatments appearing to promote tissue softening. A combination of low oxygen and calcium allowed 'Kensington' slices to be held for at least 15 days at 3 degrees C. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.

Magnetic field effects on the conductivity of organic bipolar and unipolar devices at room temperature

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

The Growing Impact of Niobium in Organic Synthesis and Catalysis

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

Occurrence of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus in various food products commercialized in Botucatu, SP, Brazil and detection of toxins from food and isolated strains

The aim of this work was to assess the microbiological quality of commercialized desserts, sandwiches and finger food in Botucatu, SP, for human consumption. A total of 172 food samples were analyzed for fecal coliforms and coagulase-positive Staphylococcus and 69 (40.1%) were in disagreement with the standards established by Decree No. 12 (Brazilian Food Sanitation Standard, 2001). Coagulase-positive Staplylococcus was isolated from 26 (15.1%) samples. Toxins were not isolated directly from foods but 27 (54%) coagulase-positive Staphylococcus strains were enterotoxigenic, and toxin type C was the most frequently detected. These results suggest that these products may act as an important vehicle of transmission for well-established pathogens. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Th1/Th2 cytokines' expression and production by propolis-treated mice

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)