Book Review of Archaeological Theory and the Politics of Cultural Heritage by Laurajane Smith

The passage of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) in 1991 significantly changed the way archaeology would be done in the United States. This act was presaged by growing complaints and resentment directed at the scientific community by Native Americans over the treatment of their ancestral remains. Many of the underlying issues came to a head with the discovery and subsequent court battles over the 9,200-year-old individual commonly known as Kennewick Man. This had a galvanizing effect on the discipline, not only perpetuating the sometimes adversarial relationship between archaeologists and Native Americans, but also creating a rift between those archaeologists who understood Native American concerns and those who saw their ancestral skeletal remains representing the legacy of humankind and thus belonging to everyone. Similar scenarios have emerged in Australia.

Tests of the Dynamic Field Theory and the Spatial Precision Hypothesis: Capturing a Qualitative Developmental Transition in Spatial Working Memory

This study tested a dynamic field theory (DFT) of spatial working memory and an associated spatial precision hypothesis (SPH). Between 3 and 6 years of age, there is a qualitative shift in how children use reference axes to remember locations: 3-year-olds’ spatial recall responses are biased toward reference axes after short memory delays, whereas 6-year-olds’ responses are biased away from reference axes. According to the DFT and the SPH, quantitative improvements over development in the precision of excitatory and inhibitory working memory processes lead to this qualitative shift. Simulations of the DFT in Experiment 1 predict that improvements in precision should cause the spatial range of targets attracted toward a reference axis to narrow gradually over development, with repulsion emerging and gradually increasing until responses to most targets show biases away from the axis. Results from Experiment 2 with 3- to 5-year-olds support these predictions. Simulations of the DFT in Experiment 3 quantitatively fit the empirical results and offer insights into the neural processes underlying this developmental change.

ANIMAL POPULATION ECOLOGY AND CONTROL FUNDAMENTALS

Expensive, extensive and apparently lethal control measures have been applied against many species of pest vertebrates and invertebrates for decades. In spite of this, few pests have been annihilated, and in many cases the stated goals have become progressively more modest, so that now we speak of saving foliage or a crop, rather than extermination. It is of interest to examine the reasons why animals are so difficult to exterminate, because this matter, of course, has implications for the type of control policy we pursue in the future. Also, it has implications for the problem of evaluating comparatively various resource management strategies. There are many biological mechanisms which could, in principle, enhance the performance of an animal population after control measures have been applied against it. These are of four main types: genetic, physiological, populationa1, and environmental. We are all familiar with the fact that in applying a control measure, we are, from the pest's point of view, applying intense selection pressure in favor of those individuals that may be preadapted to withstand the type of control being used. The well-known book by Brown (1958) documents, for invertebrates, a tremendous number of such cases. Presumably, vertebrates can show the same responses. Not quite so familiar is the evidence that sub-lethal doses of a lethal chemical may have a physiologically stimulating effect on population performance of the few individuals that happen to survive (Kuenen, 1958). With further research, we may find that this phenomenon occurs throughout the animal kingdom. Still less widely recognized is the fact that pest control elicits a populational homeostatic mechanism, as well as genetic and physiological homeostatic mechanisms. Many ecologists, such as Odum and Allee (1950, Slobodkin (1955), Klomp (1962) and the present author (1961, 1963) have pointed out that the curve for generation survival, or the curve for trend index as a function of last generations density is of great importance in population dynamics.

SIGNIFICANCE AND CONTROL OF FUNGAL DISEASES RELATED TO BIRD ROOSTS

Certain fungi have been found frequently as saprophytes in areas containing large amounts of bird excreta. These fungi have the ability to survive, multiply, and cause disease once they have entered a host. Two of these are Crypto-coccus neoformans and Histoplasma capsulatum. Both may easily become airborne and be disseminated throughout an area by the prevailing winds. C. neo-formans is commonly isolated from the excreta of pigeon habitats, and in turn has been associated with clinical cases of cryptococcosis, while blackbird roosts, harboring H. capsulatum, have been responsible for several outbreaks of histoplasmosis. When either of these fungi have become established in nature, the sites may become foci for infection and epidemics may occur if the sites are disturbed. This has led to investigation of these organisms with respect to: 1) the frequency of isolation of H. capsulatum from the soil beneath blackbird roosts in a histoplasmosis endemic area; 2) the infectivity of undisturbed roosts positive for H. capsulatum; and 3) the effectiveness of chemical decontamination of areas containing C. neoformans or H. capsulatum.

BLACKBIRD DAMAGE AND CONTROL--AN INFORMAL SEMINAR

The object is to hash over a few problems as we see them on this red-winged blackbird situation. I'm Mel Dyer, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario. Around the table are Tom Stockdale, Extension Wildlife Specialist, Ohio Cooperative Extension Service, Columbus; Maurice Giltz, Ohio Agriculture Research and Development Center, Wooster, Ohio; Joe Halusky, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbus, Ohio; Daniel Stiles, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C.; Paul Rodeheffer, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbus, Ohio; Brian Hall, Blackbird Research Project, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario; George Cornwell, Virginia Polytechnic Insti¬tute, Blacksburg, Va.; Dick Warren, Peavey Grain Company, Minneapolis, Minn.; Bob Fringer, N.J. Department of Agriculture, Trenton, N.J.; Charles Stone, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbus, Ohio; Larry Holcomb, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, Ohio; Doug Slack, Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center, Wooster, Ohio; Charles Wagg, N.J. Department of Agriculture, Trenton, N.J.; Dick Smith, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Columbus, Ohio; and Jim Caslick, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Gainesville, Fla. As I see the situation, as a director of a red-winged blackbird research project, we have a problem which has been defined in human terms concerning a natural animal population.

Quantum critical scaling at a Bose-glass/superfluid transition: Theory and experiment for a model quantum magnet

In this paper we investigate the quantum phase transition from magnetic Bose Glass to magnetic Bose-Einstein condensation induced by amagnetic field in NiCl2 center dot 4SC(NH2)(2) (dichloro-tetrakis-thiourea-nickel, or DTN), doped with Br (Br-DTN) or site diluted. Quantum Monte Carlo simulations for the quantum phase transition of the model Hamiltonian for Br-DTN, as well as for site-diluted DTN, are consistent with conventional scaling at the quantum critical point and with a critical exponent z verifying the prediction z = d; moreover the correlation length exponent is found to be nu = 0.75(10), and the order parameter exponent to be beta = 0.95(10). We investigate the low-temperature thermodynamics at the quantum critical field of Br-DTN both numerically and experimentally, and extract the power-law behavior of the magnetization and of the specific heat. Our results for the exponents of the power laws, as well as previous results for the scaling of the critical temperature to magnetic ordering with the applied field, are incompatible with the conventional crossover-scaling Ansatz proposed by Fisher et al. [Phys. Rev. B 40, 546 (1989)]. However they can all be reconciled within a phenomenological Ansatz in the presence of a dangerously irrelevant operator.

Topography of four different endodontic rotary systems, before and after being used for the 12th time

Root canal preparation may damage NiTi instruments resulting in wear and deformation. The aim of this study was to make a comparative evaluation of the surface topography of the cervical third of four different rotary systems, before and after being used twelve times, in 1.440 resin blocks with simulated root canals with standardized 45 degrees curvatures, and analyzed by atomic force microscopy AFM. The blocks were divided into four groups and prepared according to the manufacturers recommendations: Group 1 - K3 (R); Group 2 - Protaper Universal (R); Group 3 - Twisted Files (R) and Group 4 - Biorace (R). After each preparation, the instruments were washed and autoclaved. A total of 240 instruments were selected, being 30 new instruments and 30 after having been used for the 12th time, from each group. These instruments were analyzed by AFM and for quantitative evaluation, the mean RMS (Root mean square) values of the cervical third of the specimens from the four groups were used. The result showed that all the rotary files used for the 12th time suffered wear with change in the topography of the cervical region of the active portion of the file (ANOVA p < 0.01). Classifying the specimens in increasing order, from the least to the greatest wear suffered, Group 3 (2.8993 nm) presented the least wear, followed by Group 4 (12.2520 nm), Group 1 (36.0043 nm) and lastly, Group 2 (59.8750 nm) with the largest amount of cervical surface wear. Microsc. Res. Tech. 75:97-102, 2012. (c) 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Home blood pressure monitoring and control in a group of hypertensive patients

This qualitative study was performed with 71 hypertensive patients, with the objectives to compare outpatient and home blood pressure monitoring (HBPM), to assess blood pressure control, and characterize white-coat hypertension. A nurse performed the outpatient blood pressure measurement. The home blood pressure monitoring was carried out over seven days. White-coat hypertension was quantified as a difference between the outpatient measurement and home blood pressure monitoring in the ranges from 1 to 5, 6 to 10 and > 10 mmHg. The outpatient blood pressure measurement was significantly higher (p<0.05) than the home blood pressure measurement. Pressure control corresponded to 9.9% in the outpatient measurement and 23.9% in the home blood pressure measurement. The white-coat effect > 10 mmHg was 57.7% for systolic and 32.4% for diastolic pressure, in the range from 6 to 10 mmHg. Home blood pressure measurement provided a better assessment of hypertensive patients' control.

Computation of (3)J(HH) coupling constants with a combination of density functional theory and semiempirical calculations. Application to complex molecules

This work evaluates the efficiency of economic levels of theory for the prediction of (3)J(HH) spin-spin coupling constants, to be used when robust electronic structure methods are prohibitive. To that purpose, DFT methods like mPW1PW91. B3LYP and PBEPBE were used to obtain coupling constants for a test set whose coupling constants are well known. Satisfactory results were obtained in most of cases, with the mPW1PW91/6-31G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-31G(d,p) leading the set. In a second step. B3LYP was replaced by the semiempirical methods PM6 and RM1 in the geometry optimizations. Coupling constants calculated with these latter structures were at least as good as the ones obtained by pure DFT methods. This is a promising result, because some of the main objectives of computational chemistry - low computational cost and time, allied to high performance and precision - were attained together. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Multi-planet extrasolar systems - detection and dynamics

20 years after the discovery of the first planets outside our solar system, the current exoplanetary population includes more than 700 confirmed planets around main sequence stars. Approximately 50% belong to multiple-planet systems in very diverse dynamical configurations, from two-planet hierarchical systems to multiple resonances that could only have been attained as the consequence of a smooth large-scale orbital migration. The first part of this paper reviews the main detection techniques employed for the detection and orbital characterization of multiple-planet systems, from the (now) classical radial velocity (RV) method to the use of transit time variations (TTV) for the identification of additional planetary bodies orbiting the same star. In the second part we discuss the dynamical evolution of multi-planet systems due to their mutual gravitational interactions. We analyze possible modes of motion for hierarchical, secular or resonant configurations, and what stability criteria can be defined in each case. In some cases, the dynamics can be well approximated by simple analytical expressions for the Hamiltonian function, while other configurations can only be studied with semi-analytical or numerical tools. In particular, we show how mean-motion resonances can generate complex structures in the phase space where different libration islands and circulation domains are separated by chaotic layers. In all cases we use real exoplanetary systems as working examples.

Comparative study of bone repair in mandibular body osteotomy between metallic and absorbable 2.0 mm internal fixation systems. Histological and histometric analysis in dogs: a pilot study

The objective of this study was to compare the bone repair along a mandibular body osteotomy stabilized with 2.0 mm absorbable and metallic systems. 12 male, adult mongrel dogs were divided into two groups (metallic and absorbable) and subjected to unilateral osteotomy between the mandibular third and fourth premolars, which was stabilized by applying two 4-hole plates. At 2 and 18 weeks, three dogs from each group were killed and the osteotomy sites were removed and divided equally into three parts: the upper part was labelled the tension third (TT), the lower part the compression third (CT), and the part between the TT and CT the intermediary third (IT). Regardless of the treatment system, union between the fragments was observed at 18 weeks and the CT showed more advanced stages of bone repair than the TT. Histometric analysis did not reveal any significant differences among the 3 parts or systems in the distance between bone fragments at 2 weeks. Although at 18 weeks the proportions of newly formed bone did not differ among TT, IT and CT, significantly enhanced bone formation was observed in all sections for the metallic group. The patterns of repair were distinct between treatments.

Magnetic hyperthermia investigation of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles: Comparison between experiment, linear response theory, and dynamic hysteresis simulations

Considerable effort has been made in recent years to optimize materials properties for magnetic hyperthermia applications. However, due to the complexity of the problem, several aspects pertaining to the combined influence of the different parameters involved still remain unclear. In this paper, we discuss in detail the role of the magnetic anisotropy on the specific absorption rate of cobalt-ferrite nanoparticles with diameters ranging from 3 to 14 nm. The structural characterization was carried out using x-ray diffraction and Rietveld analysis and all relevant magnetic parameters were extracted from vibrating sample magnetometry. Hyperthermia investigations were performed at 500 kHz with a sinusoidal magnetic field amplitude of up to 68 Oe. The specific absorption rate was investigated as a function of the coercive field, saturation magnetization, particle size, and magnetic anisotropy. The experimental results were also compared with theoretical predictions from the linear response theory and dynamic hysteresis simulations, where exceptional agreement was found in both cases. Our results show that the specific absorption rate has a narrow and pronounced maxima for intermediate anisotropy values. This not only highlights the importance of this parameter but also shows that in order to obtain optimum efficiency in hyperthermia applications, it is necessary to carefully tailor the materials properties during the synthesis process. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4729271]

Optimization and control of a continuous polymerization reactor

This work studies the optimization and control of a styrene polymerization reactor. The proposed strategy deals with the case where, because of market conditions and equipment deterioration, the optimal operating point of the continuous reactor is modified significantly along the operation time and the control system has to search for this optimum point, besides keeping the reactor system stable at any possible point. The approach considered here consists of three layers: the Real Time Optimization (RTO), the Model Predictive Control (MPC) and a Target Calculation (TC) that coordinates the communication between the two other layers and guarantees the stability of the whole structure. The proposed algorithm is simulated with the phenomenological model of a styrene polymerization reactor, which has been widely used as a benchmark for process control. The complete optimization structure for the styrene process including disturbances rejection is developed. The simulation results show the robustness of the proposed strategy and the capability to deal with disturbances while the economic objective is optimized.

Survey of Bancroftian filariasis infection in humans and Culex mosquitoes in the western Brazilian Amazon region: implications for transmission and control

Introduction: The aim of this work was to identify possible lymphatic filariasis foci in the western Brazilian Amazonian that could be established from the reports of Rachou in the 1950s. The study was conducted in three cities of the western Brazilian Amazon region - Porto Velho and Guajará-Mirim (State of Rondônia) and Humaitá (State of Amazonas). Methods: For human infection evaluation thick blood smear stained with Giemsa was used to analyze samples collected from 10pm to 1am. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to examine mosquito vectors for the presence of Wuchereria bancrofti DNA. Humans were randomly sampled from night schools students and from inhabitants in neighborhoods lacking sanitation. Mosquitoes were collected from residences only. Results: A total 2,709 night students enrolled in the Program for Education of Young Adults (EJA), and 935 people registered in the residences near the schools were examined, being 641 from Porto Velho, 214 from Guajará-Mirim and 80 from Humaitá. No individual examined was positive for the presence of microfilariae in the blood stream. A total of 7,860 female Culex quinquefasciatus specimens examined were negative by PCR. Conclusions: This survey including human and mosquito examinations indicates that the western Amazon region of Brazil is not a focus of Bancroftian filariasis infection or transmission. Therefore, there is no need to be included in the Brazilian lymphatic filariasis control program.