New AMS 14C dates track the arrival and spread of broomcorn millet cultivation and agricultural change in prehistoric Europe.

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 BC. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts formed by 6000 BC, but recent radiocarbon dating of a dozen 'early' grains cast doubt on these claims. Archaeobotanical evidence reveals that millet was common in Europe from the 2nd millennium BC, when major societal and economic transformations took place in the Bronze Age. We conducted an extensive programme of AMS-dating of charred broomcorn millet grains from 75 prehistoric sites in Europe. Our Bayesian model reveals that millet cultivation began in Europe at the earliest during the sixteenth century BC, and spread rapidly during the fifteenth/fourteenth centuries BC. Broomcorn millet succeeds in exceptionally wide range of growing conditions and completes its lifecycle in less than three summer months. Offering an additional harvest and thus surplus food/fodder, it likely was a transformative innovation in European prehistoric agriculture previously based mainly on (winter) cropping of wheat and barley. We provide a new, high-resolution chronological framework for this key agricultural development that likely contributed to far-reaching changes in lifestyle in late 2nd millennium BC Europe.

Photosensitive atopic dermatitis exacerbated by UVB exposure.

Photosensitive atopic dermatitis (AD) is a rare disease entity that many physicians are not familiar with, thus it often is misdiagnosed. It can be life altering, as patients often strictly avoid the sun and may only leave the house at night. Effective treatments are available, and therefore diagnosis is key to improve quality of life for these patients. We describe a case of photosensitive AD exacerbated by UVB exposure. The diagnosis was made with phototesting, and the patient was able to begin treatment with narrowband UVB (NB-UVB) hardening while on immunosuppression. The literature on photosensitive AD is limited, and this entity typically is not found in the main dermatology textbooks. Our case emphasizes the diagnostic problems and complexity of photosensitive AD. Histopathologic findings are nonspecific. A thorough history and physical examination can provide the necessary clues for further workup. Phototesting should be performed to confirm the diagnosis and evaluate the degree of sensitivity to UV light and the specific wavelength eliciting the cutaneous response. Photoprovocation and photopatch testing also can be useful to confirm the diagnosis.

Fecal shedding of, antimicrobial resistance in, and serologic response to Salmonella Typhimurium in dairy calves.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the duration of fecal shedding of and serologic response to Salmonella spp after natural infection in dairy calves and characterize Salmonella organisms recovered from these herds. DESIGN: Longitudinal study. ANIMALS: Calves from 2 dairy herds (A and B) in the northeast United States that were identified at the beginning of a Salmonella outbreak. PROCEDURES: Fecal samples were collected twice per week (herd A) or once per week (herd B); blood samples were collected for serologic testing once per week in both herds. Bacteriologic culture of fecal samples was performed, and Salmonella isolates were characterized by serotype, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) pattern, and antimicrobial resistance profile. RESULTS: All Salmonella isolates from herd A were serovar Typhimurium var Copenhagen, had the same PFGE pattern, and were resistant to at least 9 antimicrobials. All isolates from herd B were Salmonella Typhimurium, represented 2 PFGE patterns, and were susceptible to all antimicrobials evaluated. The estimated duration of fecal shedding was 14 days in herd A and 9 days in herd B. Few calves were seropositive for antibody against Salmonella lipopolysaccharide within the first week after birth (0 of 20 in herd A and 13 of 79 in herd B) or seroconverted (6 in herd A and 4 in herd B). Fecal shedding was more common in calves that seroconverted, but overall, there was not a strong association between seropositivity and fecal shedding of Salmonella organisms. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Although the herds differed in serologic response and Salmonella subtype, the duration of fecal shedding among calves was similar between herds.

Global gist extraction in children and adults.

The DRM paradigm was used to examine the role of global gist extraction in producing false memories in children and adults. First-graders, third-graders, and adults watched a videotape of a woman reading seven DRM lists, and then took a recognition memory test. Blocked (vs random) presentation and instructions to attend to the theme of lists were manipulated to enhance gist processing. In the first experiment, blocked presentation increased false recognition relative to random presentation in adults but not in first-graders or third-graders. In the second experiment, instructions to attend to list themes increased false recognition in third-graders and not in adults or first-graders. The results suggest a developmental pattern in which children become more adept at global gist extraction as they get older. These results are consistent with fuzzy trace theory's prediction of better gist processing as children grow older.

Adjunctive granulocyte colony-stimulating factor therapy for diabetic foot infections.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the role of granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) as adjunctive therapy for the treatment of diabetic foot infections in non-neutropenic patients. DATA SOURCES: Clinical literature was accessed through MEDLINE (1965-April 2004). Key search terms included G-CSF, infection, and diabetes. In addition, relevant references from primary and secondary article bibliographies were extracted. DATA SYNTHESIS: Three clinical trials evaluating G-CSF for diabetic foot infections were identified. These data demonstrated positive effects of G-CSF on improvement of foot infections and risk of amputations. CONCLUSIONS: Controlled trials are necessary to validate the role of adjunctive G-CSF at reducing amputations in patients with diabetic foot infections.