Ultraviolet radiation (UV-C) on the post harvest control of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides in 'niagara rosada' grapes;Radiacao ultravioleta no controle pos-colheita de Colletotrichum gloeosporides em uva 'niagara rosada'

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cia, Patricia; Sanches, Juliana, E-mail: pcia@iac.sp.gov.b [Instituto Agronomico de Campinas (IAC), Jundiai, SP (Brazil). Centro de Engenharia e Automacao; Benato, Eliane Aparecida; Valentini, Silvia Regina de Toledo; Anjos, Valeria Delgado de Almeida [Instituto de Tecnologia de Alimentos (ITAL), Campinas, SP (Brazil). Grupo de Engenharia e Pos-Colheita; Ponzo, Francine Scolfaro [Instituto Agronomico de Campinas (IAC), SP (Brazil); Terra, Maurilo Monteiro [Instituto Agronomico de Campinas (IAC), SP (Brazil). Centro de Ecofisiologia e Biofisica

2009-07-01

Most of the post harvest losses of 'Niagara Rosada' grapes are caused by rot and detached berries. Recently, many researches on alternative methods, such as physical treatments, have been carried out in order to control rots and extend the shelf life of fruits. The objective of this research was to evaluate the effect of ultraviolet radiation (UV-C) on the control of C. gloeosporioides in 'Niagara Rosada' grapes stored at room condition and under refrigeration. Clusters of 'Niagara Rosada' grapes were inoculated with the pathogen and submitted 2 hours later to different doses of UV-C, 0, 1.05, 2.09, 4.18, and 8.35 kJ m{sup -}2, during the periods of 0, 1, 2, 4, and 8 min, respectively. Then, the clusters were stored under two conditions: 25 +- 1 deg C / 80 +- 5 % RH for 7 days, and at 1 +- 1 deg C / 90 +- 5 % RH for 16 days followed by storage at 25 +- 1 deg C / 80 +- 5 %RH for 5 more days. The grapes were evaluated for rot incidence, stem browning, color of the berries, percentage of detached berries, titratable acidity, total soluble solids, and ratio. It was observed that UV-C radiation was effective in reducing the incidence of C. gloeosporioides on inoculated 'Niagara Rosada' grapes and did not change the physicochemical characteristics of the grapes. (author)

2007 Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) New York Lidar: Niagara County

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The spring 2007 LiDAR Flight Acquisition required the collection of approximately 526 square miles of Niagara County and approximately 30 square miles of the...

Investment recovery program at Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kotcamp, R.T.

1993-01-01

Niagara Mohawk Power Company's pioneering investment recovery program was initiated in 1984, Its mission is to dispose of company assets classified as obsolete, scrap, surplus, or retired capital equipment that results from company operations or work projects. These assets include items such as scrap wire, pipe, line hardware, transformers, power station equipment, crates of dusty telephone modems and computer monitors, pallets of residential gas and electric meters, a box of toilet paper holders, burned-out light bulbs, chunks of electric cable, brass and copper valves, electric bills from 1952, and a dozen tattered office chairs. It was risky for Niagara Mohawk to commit money to a program that created a scrap company inside a utility and is not the core business. No one regrets the decision to create and expand investment recovery. The program has contributed more than $35,000,000 ($8,140,585 nuclear division) of cash receipts with an additional $5,000,000 of cost avoidance since its inception. The program has credited these dollars back to the operating departments, which has reduced operating costs thereby improving the open-quotes bottom line.close quotes

The Kavirondo Escarpment: a previously unrecognized site of high ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Despite only a limited effort there, we report several new atlas square occurrences, presence of the local and poorly known Rock Cisticola Cisticola emini and a significant range extension for the Stone Partridge Ptilopachus petrosus. Our short visits indicate high avian species richness is associated with the escarpment and ...

L'Escarpement de Malte, le mont Alfeo et les monts de Médine: marges anciennes du bassin Ionien (synthèse des données des campagnes a la mer Escarmed Malta Escarpment, Alfeo and Medina Seamounts: Former Margins of the Ionian Basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Groupe Escarmed

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Le Comité d'Etudes Pétrolières Marines (CEPM et le Centre National pour l'Exploitation des Océans (CNEXO ont mené une série d'études sous-marines des escarpements ioniens pour en définir l'origine, l'âge et l'évolution. Les résultats présentés ici concernent l'escarpement de Malte, le mont Alfeo et les monts de Médine à l'ouest et au sud-ouest du bassin Ionien profond. Ils comprennent les données bathymétriques sous forme d'une carte à 1/100 000 hors texte, l'analyse morphologique des reliefs, les déterminations stratigraphiques effectuées sur les échantillons récoltés en dragages, carottages ou en plongées, l'analyse structurale à partir de profils de sismique réflexion et des plongées, et l'étude de la subsidence depuis le Trias supérieur à partir des forages réels du plateau maltais et des forages fictifs du rebord de l'escarpement de Malte. Les conclusions font ressortir : - l'existence de séries carbonatées de plate-forme d'âge Jurassique inférieur pour l'escarpement de Malte et le mont Alfeo, et Crétacé inférieur pour les monts de Médine; - un changement paléogéographique majeur : à partir du Jurassique supérieur pour l'escarpement de Malte et à partir de l'Albien pour ceux de Médine; - l'existence de séries condensées à dater de ce changement paléogéographique et d'une érosion constante jusqu'à l'Actuel, érosion dont les processus variés ont de nombreuses conséquences sur la sédimentation de tels reliefs; - quatre phases de subsidence essentielles : Jurassique moyen, limite Crétacé inférieur-Crétacé supérieur, Miocène inférieur et moyen, Plio-Quaternaire. La parenté du mont Alfeo avec l'escarpement de Malte a été bien reconnue, par contre, les monts de Médine ne semblent se rattacher à leur histoire qu'à partir du Crétacé supérieur et ont sans doute une évolution comparable au plateau cyrénien. Ces escarpements, comme les autres escarpements ioniens, doivent leurs

Sedimentological reconstruction of the recent pattern of mercury pollution in the Niagara River

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Breteler, R.J.; Bowen, V.T.; Schneider, D.L.; Henderson, R.

1984-01-01

Since 1952 there have been a number of sharp changes in the rates of delivery, or in the ratios delivered, of several long-lived artificial radionuclides distributed worldwide from atmospheric nuclear tests. Analyses of these nuclides in suitably selected, and collected, aquatic sediment cores indicate several dated horizons that can yield more refined estimates of recent pollution history than are otherwise available. This approach has been applied to several cores in eastern Lake Erie, the Niagara River, and its delta in Lake Ontario, and a selection of the sediments so dated have been analyzed for total mercury. On the basis of the assigned, and verified, data horizons of several sediment cores, the history of mercury pollution in the Niagara River has been reconstructed

Split double factorial with additional treatment and the post-harvest of Niagara grapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pórtya Piscitelli Cavalcanti

2015-09-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACTThis study aims to discuss and explain how to deal with the analysis of experiments conducted in completely randomized design (CRD and subdivided into double factorial with additional treatment in the plot. In addition it was illustrate the discussion by analyzing data from an experiment on post-harvest of Niagara grapes. The sums of squares for each source of variation are presented, while discussing how the additional treatment affects the whole variation. Niagara grapes were treated in the pre-harvest with three preservatives (calcium chloride, calcium nitrate and calcium lactate at 0%, 0.5%, 1% and 2% and stored for 0, 10, 20 and 30 days.All the preservatives evaluated at 0% represented the control (additional treatment.

Intelligent transportation system (ITS) study for the Buffalo and Niagara Falls metropolitan area, Erie and Niagara Counties, New York : objectives, performance criteria & user service plan, working paper #3

Science.gov (United States)

1997-06-18

This paper is the third in a series that together will comprise an Intelligent Transportation System Study (ITS) for the Buffalo/Niagara Falls region. In this document, the problems identified in Working Paper #1 are critically reviewed to develop go...

New technology and organizational innovation: Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation and nuclear power

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stacey, J.E. Jr.

1981-01-01

Questions with regard to organization behavior and decision theory are explored in relation to the decision-making process of a major private electric utility, Niagara Mohawk Power Corp., that chose to innovate with nuclear power. The character of the firm is such, relative to size, service area, organizational structure, and socio-political environment, that its experience is important for the further development of theories of organizational innovation. The research attempts to understand the political, economic, and social constraints that limited the set of solutions available to the utility in its search for a suitable electricity-generating mode from the early 1950's to the early 1960's. Two contrasting models of organizational decision-making behavior are used to interpret case-study findings. The initial model is from the electric-utility literature and consists essentially of an economic or benefit/cost model of organizational decision making. The second model is developed from the organizational theory literature and is more complex in the sense that factors other than economics such as organizational inertia, the corporate structure of the utility, fuel-supply history and fuel diversification, electricity-demand-growth expectations, the financial environment, and the psychological appeal of the new technology had important influences on Niagara Mohawk's decision to build Nine Mile Point One. Findings of the case study tend to support the second model in that economics was a necessary but not sufficient reason for Niagara Mohawk to have innovated with nuclear power plants

77 FR 60901 - Safety Zone; Battle of Queenston Heights Bicentennial, Niagara River, Lewiston, NY

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-05

..., Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Table of Acronyms DHS Department of... Lower Niagara River near the Silo Restaurant, Lewiston, NY. The Captain of the Port Buffalo has...

The Drakensberg Escarpment as the great supplier of water to South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Taylor, SJ

2016-11-01

Full Text Available : Investigations of the Hydrologic Cycle in Alpine Environments: 1-41 The Drakensberg Escarpment as the great supplier of water to South Africa Taylor, SJ Ferguson, JHW Engelbrecht, Francois A Clark, VR Van Rensburg, S Barker, N ABSTRACT...

Denudation and uplift of the Mawson Escarpment (eastern Lambert Graben, Antarctica) as indicated by apatite fission track data and geomorphological observation

Science.gov (United States)

Lisker, F.; Gibson, H.; Wilson, C.J.; Läufer, A.

2007-01-01

Analysis of three vertical profiles from the southern Mawson Escarpment (Lambert Graben) reveals apatite fission track (AFT) ages ranging from 102±20 to 287±23 Ma and mean lengths of 12.2 to 13.0 μm. Quantitative thermal histories derived from these data consistently indicate onset of slow cooling below 110°C began sometime prior to 300 Ma, and a second stage of rapid cooling from paleotemperatures up to ≤100°C to surface temperatures occurred in the Late Cretaceous – Paleocene. The first cooling phase refers to Carboniferous – Jurassic basement denudation up to 5 km associated with the initial rifting of the Lambert Graben. The presence of the ancient East Antarctic Erosion Surface and rapid Late Cretaceous – Paleocene cooling indicate a second denudational episode during which up to 4.5 km of sedimentary cover rocks were removed, and that is likely linked to the Cretaceous Gondwana breakup between Antarctica and India and subsequent passive continental margin formation.

The Potential for Scaling Up a Fog Collection System on the Eastern Escarpment of Eritrea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mussie Fessehaye

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Fog is an untapped natural resource. A number of studies have been undertaken to understand its potential as an alternative or complementary water source. In 2007, a pilot fog-collection project was implemented in 2 villages on the Eastern Escarpment of Eritrea. The government of Eritrea, buoyed by the project’s positive results, has encouraged research into and application of fog-collection technologies to alleviate water-supply problems in this region. In 2014, this study was undertaken to assess the coverage, prevalence, intensity, and seasonality of fog on the Eastern Escarpment of Eritrea and consequently to identify potential beneficiary villages. Three independent methods used in the study—satellite image analyses, personal interviews, and a standard fog collector—produced reasonably similar characterizations of fog coverage and timing. The period with high fog incidence is mainly between November and March, with the highest number of fog days per year (96 on the central Eastern Escarpment and decreasing frequency to the south (78 days and north (73 days. The fog intensity on the central Eastern Escarpment is very high and in most cases reduces visibility to less than 500 m. In this period, a light to moderate breeze blows predominantly from the north and northeast. More than half of the villages in the region currently have a reliable water-supply system. The rest depend on seasonal roof-water harvesting, rock-water harvesting, and truck delivery and, therefore, could potentially benefit from fog collection as a supplementary water source. In particular, fog water could be useful for a small number of beneficiaries, including public services like schools and health facilities, where conventional water-delivery systems are not viable.

Pathways of geomorphic evolution of sandstone escarpments in the Góry Stołowe tableland (SW Poland) - Insights from LiDAR-based high-resolution DEM

Science.gov (United States)

Migoń, Piotr; Kasprzak, Marek

2016-05-01

The tableland of the Stołowe Mountains (SW Poland), with its prominent mesas and sandstone-capped escarpments, belongs to the most spectacular geomorphic landscapes of Central Europe. While the gross morphological features of the area have long been recognized, the evolutionary pathways of densely forested and poorly accessible escarpment slopes remained poorly understood. In this paper we use LiDAR data to shed a new light on landform inventories within the escarpments, their spatial patterns and, using process-from-form reasoning, on the longer-term evolution of the escarpments. Four sites, two on each major escarpment, have been subject to detailed analysis which involved examination of shaded relief, slope, plan and profile curvature and topographic wetness index. In each case, the 1 × 1 m model was used, while for the most complex site at Mt. Szczeliniec Wielki the results were compared with the 5 × 5 m model to check the impact of model resolution on geomorphic interpretation. Despite some loss of information involved in model re-interpolation to the coarser scale, the main features of escarpment morphology could still be recognized. On the other hand, automatic landform classification based on the calculation of Topographic Position Index from the 10 × 10 m model and performed for the entire tableland failed to reveal differences between various sections of the escarpments, detectable on finer models. The analysis of spatial patterns of minor landforms within the escarpments, identified on LiDAR-derived models shows that no single pathway of escarpment evolution exists. Both the upper slopes (in sandstone caprock) and the mid-slopes (in weaker rocks) show signs of instability and these are not necessarily coupled. Large-scale caprock failures do occur but seem rare and localized. Sandstone free faces are rather subject to continuous slow retreat by detachment of individual joint-bound blocks. Another zone of instability occurs well below the caprock and

Glaciations, gradients, and geography: multiple drivers of diversification of bush frogs in the Western Ghats Escarpment

Science.gov (United States)

Menezes, Riya C.; Jayarajan, Aditi; Shanker, Kartik

2016-01-01

The historical processes underlying high diversity in tropical biodiversity hotspots like the Western Ghats of Peninsular India remain poorly understood. We sampled bush frogs on 13 massifs across the Western Ghats Escarpment and examined the relative influence of Quaternary glaciations, ecological gradients and geological processes on the spatial patterns of lineage and clade diversification. The results reveal a large in situ radiation (more than 60 lineages), exhibiting geographical structure and clade-level endemism, with two deeply divergent sister clades, North and South, highlighting the biogeographic significance of an ancient valley, the Palghat Gap. A majority of the bush frog sister lineages were isolated on adjacent massifs, and signatures of range stasis provide support for the dominance of geological processes in allopatric speciation. In situ diversification events within the montane zones (more than 1800 m) of the two highest massifs suggest a role for climate-mediated forest-grassland persistence. Independent transitions along elevational gradients among sub-clades during the Miocene point to diversification along the elevational gradient. The study highlights the evolutionary significance of massifs in the Western Ghats with the high elevations acting as centres of lineage diversification and the low- and mid-elevations of the southern regions, with deeply divergent lineages, serving as museums. PMID:27534957

Niagara pumping generation station inundation mapping and consequence analysis with ArcGIS and Mike 21

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grover, Patrick; Khayer, Yasmin; Naumov, Aleksey [4DM Inc., Toronto, (Canada); Zhang, Yibing [Ontario Power Generation, Toronto, (Canada)

2010-07-01

Inundation mapping is a key factor of Ontario Power Generation's dam safety program. It is the basis for determining the hazard potential classification of the dam by modelling the consequences of a hypothetical dam failure. This paper presented the project for updating the inundation mapping and consequence analysis study at the Niagara Pump generating station (PGS) reservoir. A complete hydrotechnical assessment of the Niagara PGS reservoir was conducted. The modelling of various breach scenarios was carried out using the 2-D hydrodynamic software MIKE 21 in order to provide the hydraulic data necessary for producing the inundation maps. Updated EPRP maps were produced and a consequence analysis was performed which confirmed the existing hazard classification. The ArcGIS system was used as the underlying framework for all major components of the project. It was found that the use of GIS technologies improve the efficiency of both modelling and analysis.

Variações na anatomia foliar de videira Niagara em diferentes sistemas de condução

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rachel Benetti Queiroz-Voltan

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Alterações na anatomia de folhas são causadas por diversos fatores ambientais, principalmente a disponibilidade de radiação, podendo causar mudanças na capacidade fotossintética e afetando a produção final. Este trabalho objetivou identificar alterações na estrutura anatômica de folhas de videiras 'Niagara Rosada' e 'Niagara Branca' em três diferentes sistemas de condução: espaldeira (ESP, manjedoura em 'Y' (Y e manjedoura em 'Y' coberto com plástico (YPLA. Os estudos anatômicos foram realizados em folhas, externas em relação ao dossel, retiradas em três diferentes alturas da planta (superior, mediana e inferior. Para a caracterização anatômica, as amostras foram fixadas em FAA, emblocadas em parafina, seccionadas em micrótomo e coradas com safranina e azul de alciã. As lâminas foram analisadas com o auxílio de um microscópio óptico acoplado a uma câmera de captura de imagens. As espessuras da epiderme das faces adaxial e abaxial, dos parênquimas paliçádico e esponjoso, da espessura total da folha e da razão entre parênquimas paliçádico e esponjoso foram estimadas em uma amostra ao acaso de dez segmentos de cada tratamento, totalizando 1800 observações. Realizaram as análises de variância pelo teste F, sendo as médias dos tratamentos comparadas pelo Tukey a 5% de probabilidade. Observaram-se nas cultivares Niagara Branca e Niagara Rosada conduzidas em ESP uma espessura média de limbo maior, porém foram menos produtivas, quando comparados com Y e YPLA; folhas expostas a maiores intensidades luminosas tiveram limbo mais espesso devido ao maior desenvolvimento do parênquima paliçádico, independentemente do sistema de condução.

Uplift, Emergence, and Subsidence of the Gorda Escarpment Basement Ridge Offshore Cape Mendocino, CA

Science.gov (United States)

Hoover, Susan M.; Tréhu, Anne M.

2017-12-01

The Gorda Escarpment is a topographic step that characterizes the south side of the Mendocino Transform Fault east of 126oW and forms the northern edge of the Vizcaino Block. Seismic reflection data suggest that the basement beneath the northern edge of the Vizcaino is composed of east-west trending slivers of oceanic crust that form a 15 km wide band of buried ridges we call the Gorda Escarpment Basement Ridge (GEBR) to distinguish it from the northwest-trending basement structure that characterizes most of the Vizcaino Block. The history of uplift and subsidence of the GEBR is reconstructed by combining the seismic reflection profiles with age and lithological constraints from ODP Site 1022, gravity cores, and grab samples from the northern face of the Escarpment recovered using a remotely operated vehicle. Uplift of the GEBR began prior to 6 Ma, and it was above sea level 3.7-2.5 Ma. GEBR uplift and emergence coincided with sediment deposition on the southern flank of the GEBR that we interpret as indicative of strong upwelling and turbulence in the lee of a shallow ridge and island chain. A bright reflection, interpreted to be a sill, is observed south of the shallowest part of the GEBR. We speculate that this sill may reflect a larger, hidden intrusion at depth and that thermal expansion of the crust combined with tectonic forces to drive enhanced uplift of this segment of the plate boundary. The GEBR has been subsiding since 2.7 Ma, and its shallowest point is now 1,400 m below sea level.

Determination of potential sources of PCBs and PBDEs in sediments of the Niagara River

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samara, Fatin [Department of Chemistry, 611 Natural Science Complex, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260-3000 (United States); Tsai, Christina W. [Department of Civil, Structural and Environmental Engineering, 233 Jarvis Hall, University at Buffalo, State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260-4400 (United States); Aga, Diana S. [Department of Chemistry, 611 Natural Science Complex, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, NY 14260-3000 (United States)]. E-mail: dianaaga@buffalo.edu

2006-02-15

Sediments from Niagara River, an important waterway connecting two of the Great Lakes (Lake Erie to Lake Ontario), were analyzed for 14 congeners of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and 9 congeners of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) using accelerated solvent extraction and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Total concentrations of PCBs ranged from 1.7 to 124.6 ng/g were PCBs 138 and 153 were found in all samples. All sites but one showed PBDE in sediments with total concentrations as high as 148 ng/g, suggesting that PBDE is becoming an important class of POP. A land-use and coverage map was used to trace potential localized sources of PCB and PBDE contamination. Results indicate that the highest levels of PCBs and PBDEs were found in sediments collected from areas closest to the discharge locations of municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP) and local industries. This is the first study that suggests the importance of WWTP discharges as a potential source of PBDE contamination in the Great Lakes. - Wastewater treatment plant discharges are a main source of PCBs and PBDEs to Niagara River sediments.

77 FR 62510 - Niagara Wind Power, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market-Based Rate Filing Includes...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-15

... Wind Power, LLC's application for market-based rate authority, with an accompanying rate schedule... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission [Docket No. ER13-17-000] Niagara Wind Power, LLC; Supplemental Notice That Initial Market- Based Rate Filing Includes Request for Blanket...

Balanço de energia em vinhedo de 'Niagara Rosada' Energy balance on 'Niagara Rosada' vineyard

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José Ricardo Macedo Pezzopane

2003-01-01

Full Text Available O método do balanço de energia foi utilizado para caracterizar a variação horária do saldo de radiação e dos fluxos de calor latente, sensível e no solo, em vinhedo cultivado com a cultivar NiagaraRosada', conduzida no sistema de espaldeira, em Jundiaí (SP. Além disso, foram determinadas as relações entre o saldo de radiação (SR no vinhedo e a radiação solar global (RG e a partição da energia disponível ao sistema nos fluxos de calor latente (LE, sensível (H e no solo (G. Em um dia característico de período seco, o LE representou 44% do SR e o H, 48%. Em um dia chuvoso, o LE representou 86% do SR e o H, 21%. Em um dia ensolarado, após um período de chuvas, LE e H foram, respectivamente, 68% e 29% do SR. O G foi, em média, 5,7% e 1,3% do SR para as ruas mantidas capinadas e com forro, respectivamente.The energy balance method was used to characterize the hourly variation of the net radiation, latent and sensible fluxes and soil heat flux on a mature vineyard grown at Jundiaí, São Paulo, Brazil. The grapevines, cv. Niagara Rosada, in the vineyard were wrapped to trellis wires, creating compact hedgerows 2 m apart, 1.7 m height and 0.4 wide, with the foliage 1m above the soil surface. Also, the net and incoming radiation relationships and the partioning of the available energy to the system into latent and heat flux, and soil heat flux were determined for the vineyard. During a sunny day (dry period the latent heat flux was 44% of the net radiation and the sensible heat flux, 48%. However during a rainy day, the latent heat flux was 86% of the net radiation and the sensible heat flux, 21%. During a sunny day, after the occurrence of rain, the latent and sensible heat fluxes were, respectively, 68% and 29% of the net radiation. The soil heat flux was 5.7 an 1.3% of the net radiation, for bare soil and mulched rows, respectively.

Radiological Survey Results for the Niagara Mohawk Right-of-Way, Tonawanda, New York (TNY004)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McKenzie, S.P.; Uziel, M.S.

1998-01-01

At the request of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), a team from Oak Ridge National Laboratory conducted a radiological survey of a small portion of the Niagara Mohawk Power Corporation right-of-way in Tonawanda, New York. The purpose of the survey was to determine if radioactive residuals had migrated from or been redistributed onto the Niagara Mohawk right-of-way from the former Linde property to the west. The Linde Air Products Division of Union Carbide Corporation, Tonawanda New York, had used radioactive materials at that location for work performed under government contract from 1942 through 1948. The survey was performed in May 1996 in response to Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) requirements. These requirements dictate that the radiological status of certain vicinity properties shall be assessed and documented according to prescribed procedures prior to certification of the property for release for unrestricted use. Such release can only be granted if the property is found to be within current applicable authorized limits. The survey included a gamma scan of accessible areas and the collection and radionuclide analysis of soil samples from the portion of right-of-way located east of the former Linde plant site and north of the railway spur entrance gate. Results of the survey indicate that radioactive material probably originating from the Linde plant is located on the Niagara Mohawk right-of-way in the area surveyed. Surface gamma exposure rates were elevated above typical background levels. Four scattered surface soil samples exceeded DOE guideline values for 238 U, and 8 of 13 surface soil samples exceeded DOE guideline values for 226 Ra. The radionuclide distribution in these samples was similar to that found in materials resulting from former processing activities at the Linde site. It is recommended that the property be designated for remedial action by DOE

Dynamics of turbidity plumes in Lake Ontario. [Welland Canal and Niagara, Genesee, and Oswego Rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Pluhowski, E. J. (Principal Investigator)

1975-01-01

The author has identified the following significant results. Large turbidity features along the 275 km south shore of Lake Ontario were analyzed using LANDSAT-1 images. The Niagara River plume, ranging from 30 to 500 sq km in area is, by far, the largest turbidity feature in the lake. Based on image tonal comparisons, turbidity in the Welland Canal is usually higher than that in any other water course discharging into the lake during the shipping season. Less turbid water enters the lake from the Port Dalhousie diversion channel and the Genesee River. Relatively clear water resulting from the deposition of suspended matter in numerous upstream lakes is discharged by the Niagara and Oswego Rivers. Plume analysis corroborates the presence of a prevailing eastward flowing longshore current along the entire south shore. Plumes resulting from beach erosion were detected in the images. Extensive areas of the south shore are subject to erosion but the most severely affected beaches are situated between Fifty Mile Point, Ontario and Thirty Mile Point, New York along the Rochester embayment, and between Sodus Bay and Nine Mile Point.

Nuclear at Niagara. 32nd Annual Canadian Nuclear Society conference and 35th CNS/CNA student conference

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2011-01-01

The 32nd Annual Canadian Nuclear Society Conference and 35th CNS/CNA Student Conference was held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada on June 5-8, 2011. The theme of the conference, 'Nuclear at Niagara', brought together scientists, engineers, technologists, senior management, government officials, and students interested in all aspects of nuclear science and technology and its applications, including nuclear power generation, fuel production, uranium mining and refining, management of radioactive wastes and used fuel. Other topics include medical and industrial uses of radionuclides, occupational and environmental radiation protection, the science and technology of nuclear fusion, and associated activities in research and development. and applications of energy from the atom. The central objective of this conference was to exchange views on how nuclear science and technology can best serve the needs of humanity, now and in the future. Over 400 delegates from across Canada and other nuclear countries were in attendance.

Laser scanning of a recirculation zone on the Bolund escarpment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mann, Jakob; Angelou, Nikolas; Sjöholm, Mikael

2012-01-01

Rapid variations in the height of the recirculation zone are measured with a scanning wind lidar over a small escarpment on the Bolund Peninsula. The lidar is essentially a continuous-wave laser Doppler anemometer with the capability of rapidly changing the focus distance and the beam direction....... The instrument measures the line-ofsight velocity 390 times per second and scans ten wind profiles from the ground up to seven meters per second. The results will be used to test computational fluid dynamics models for flow over terrain, and has relevance for wind energy. The development of multiple lidar...

I support renewable energy but : significant planning issues for wind turbines

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pausner, J [County of Grey, ON (Canada)

2004-07-01

This PowerPoint presentation examined the wind power project of Blue Highlands, located in Eastern Grey County, Ontario. The project, for which no approval has yet been obtained, involves 67 turbines (120-130 MW). The staff of the Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) has made the following recommendations concerning wind energy development projects: (1) the Niagara Escarpment Plan should not be the focus of large-scale industrial type wind power development, (2) wind power developments should be allowed only in certain portions of the Plan area, (3) permission may be granted for household or farm generators throughout the Plan, on a case-by-case basis, (4) the NEC should review proposals adjacent to Plan boundaries which may have a visual impact, and (5) conduct further reviews after major parks are constructed elsewhere. The author identified important planning issues such as environmental impacts, visual impacts, and noise. Policy implementation through zoning is dependent on defining terms and establishing requirements for setbacks, signage, accessory structures and facilities, height maximums, decommissioning provisions, and site planning. The author discussed data collection and dissemination, as well as mapping. The presentation concluded with proposals for policy development, where the author argued that everyone should play their part. Areas with high potential should be examined and development constrained in order to ensure the protection of existing incompatible uses. The public must be involved in locally based projects. Wind theft issue must be addressed. figs.

Nuclear at Niagara. 32nd Annual Canadian Nuclear Society conference and 35th CNS/CNA student conference

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2011-07-01

The 32nd Annual Canadian Nuclear Society Conference and 35th CNS/CNA Student Conference was held in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada on June 5-8, 2011. The theme of the conference, 'Nuclear at Niagara', brought together scientists, engineers, technologists, senior management, government officials, and students interested in all aspects of nuclear science and technology and its applications, including nuclear power generation, fuel production, uranium mining and refining, management of radioactive wastes and used fuel. Other topics include medical and industrial uses of radionuclides, occupational and environmental radiation protection, the science and technology of nuclear fusion, and associated activities in research and development. and applications of energy from the atom. The central objective of this conference was to exchange views on how nuclear science and technology can best serve the needs of humanity, now and in the future. Over 400 delegates from across Canada and other nuclear countries were in attendance.

Assessment of impact of mass movements on the upper Tayyah valley's bridge along Shear escarpment highway, Asir region (Saudi Arabia) using remote sensing data and field investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Youssef, A. M.; Al-Kathery, M.; Pradhan, B.

2015-01-01

Escarpment highways, roads and mountainous areas in Saudi Arabia are facing landslide hazards that are frequently occurring from time to time causing considerable damage to these areas. Shear escarpment highway is located in the north of the Abha city. It is the most important escarpment highway in the area, where all the light and heavy trucks and vehicle used it as the only corridor that connects the coastal areas in the western part of the Saudi Arabia with the Asir and Najran Regions. More than 10 000 heavy trucks and vehicles use this highway every day. In the upper portion of Tayyah valley of Shear escarpment highway, there are several landslide and erosion potential zones that affect the bridges between tunnel 7 and 8 along the Shear escarpment Highway. In this study, different types of landslides and erosion problems were considered to access their impacts on the upper Tayyah valley's bridge along Shear escarpment highway using remote sensing data and field investigation. These landslides and erosion problems have a negative impact on this section of the highway. Results indicate that the areas above the highway and bridge level between bridge 7 and 8 have different landslides including planar, circular, rockfall failures and debris flows. In addition, running water through the gullies cause different erosional (scour) features between and surrounding the bridge piles and culverts. A detailed landslides and erosion features map was created based on intensive field investigation (geological, geomorphological, and structural analysis), and interpretation of Landsat image 15 m and high resolution satellite image (QuickBird 0.61 m), shuttle radar topography mission (SRTM 90 m), geological and topographic maps. The landslides and erosion problems could exhibit serious problems that affect the stability of the bridge. Different mitigation and remediation strategies have been suggested to these critical sites to minimize and/or avoid these problems in the future.

Comprehensive characterization and hazard assessment of the DOE-Niagara Falls storage site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anderson, T.L.; Dettorre, J.F.; Jackson, D.R.; Ausmus, B.S.

1981-06-01

A comprehensive radioecological and nonradiological characterization and hazards assessment was conducted on DOE-Niagara Falls Storage Site. Pitchblende residues and other low-level nuclear waste have been stored on the site since 1944. The most highly radioactive residues were stored in four abandoned buildings, while other wastes were deposited in pits or piled on surface soils on the Site. Several ditches were constructed on the Site to facilitate drainage or excess precipitation. Results of the study will permit the US DOE to form an appropriate remedial action plan for the Site

Niagara Falls Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Lewiston, New York. [Niagara Falls Storage Site

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring at NFSS began in 1981. The site is owned by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and is assigned to the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). FUSRAP is a program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation's atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The environmental monitoring program at NFSS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uranium and radium-226 concentrations in surface water, sediments, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters including seven metals are routinely measured in groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment.

Photosynthetic capacity of 'Niagara Rosada' grapes grown under transparent plastic covering

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruna Corrêa da Silva de Deus

2016-06-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: New techniques in tropical regions such as use of transparent plastic covering (TPC, have been employed in grapes to avoid the wetting leaves and fruits, which can reduce the occurrence of fungal diseases, reduce the use of sprays, and reduce damage caused by hail and high winds. TPC may significantly affect the photosynthetic rates of grapevines cultivated in tropical regions, and thus have strong effects on plant productivity and improve fruit quality. However, in the North of Rio de Janeiro region there are lacks of studies related to TPC effects on photosynthetic capacity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the photosynthetic capacity in 'Niagara Rosada' vines grown under TPC and without transparent plastic covering (WTPC. The experiment was conducted between April and June 2013, on Tabuinha farm, located in the 3rd district of São Fidélis, Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. A completely randomized block design was used with two treatments (TPC and WTPC and twelve replications. Evaluations consisted of climatological variables, gas exchange and maximum quantum efficiency of open photosystem II centers-quantum yield (Fv/Fm It was possible to observe that under TPC maximum temperature increase of 2.3°C, relative humidity reduced 1.5%, vapor pressure deficit increase 0.4kPa, and light intensity reduced 47.7%. These changes did not cause photochemical damage to the leaves. The TPC promoted higher net photosynthetic rate at 800h, which was associated with higher stomatal conductance. Thus, the TPC used in the northern region of Rio de Janeiro State did not impair the photosynthetic capacity of 'Niagara Rosada' vines.

Accessibility and use of primary healthcare for immigrants living in the Niagara Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Lum, Irene D; Swartz, Rebecca H; Kwan, Matthew Y W

2016-05-01

Although the challenges of accessing and using primary healthcare for new immigrants to Canada have been fairly well documented, the focus has primarily been on large cities with significant immigrant populations. The experiences of immigrants living in smaller, less diverse urban centres remain largely unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the lived experiences of immigrants living in a small urban centre with regards to the primary healthcare system. A total of 13 immigrants living in the Greater Niagara Region participated in semi-structured interviews. All interviews were recorded, transcribed, and then coded and analyzed for emergent themes using NVivo. Five factors were found to impact primary care access and use: lack of social contacts, lack of universal healthcare coverage during their initial arrival, language as a barrier, treatment preferences, and geographic distance to primary care. Overall findings suggest that immigrants moving to smaller areas such as the Niagara Region face similar barriers to primary care as those moving into large cities. Some barriers, however, appear to be specific to the context of smaller urban centres, further exacerbated by living in a small city due to a smaller immigrant population, fewer services for immigrants, and less diversity in practicing physicians. More research is required to understand the contextual factors inhibiting primary care access and use among immigrants moving to smaller urban centres, and determine effective strategies to overcome these barriers. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Exhumation History of the North Queensland Segment of Australia's Elevated Passive Margin Escarpment as Revealed by (U-Th)/He Analysis of Apatite and Zircon

Science.gov (United States)

Abbott, L. D.; Glass, J.; Flowers, R. M.; Metcalf, J. R.

2016-12-01

Australia's east coast constitutes an elevated passive continental margin that developed in response to Cretaceous-Paleogene rifting during opening of the Tasman and Coral seas. Typical of elevated passive margins around the world, Australia's east coast consists of a high plateau bounded by an abrupt escarpment, known as the Great Escarpment. We employed the apatite (AHe) and zircon (ZHe) (U-Th)/He low temperature thermochronometers to explore the exhumation history of the North Queensland segment of the Great Escarpment. Our 1500m vertical transect was conducted up the southeast flank of Mount Bartle Frere, which exposes the Bartle Frere pluton of the ca. 280 Ma Bellenden Ker Batholith. A previous apatite fission track (AFT) study determined that an outcrop of the Bartle Frere pluton at Josephine Falls, which constitutes the base of our transect, cooled through 110 °C at 142.3 ±9.9Ma. Our preliminary ZHe analysis of the same outcrop reveals that it passed through 180 °C at ca. 155 Ma. These data point to an episode of relatively rapid exhumation during the latest Jurassic to earliest Cretaceous, which brought the Bartle Frere pluton from approximately 6 km burial depth to 3.5 km depth (assuming a 30 °C/km geothermal gradient). Samples throughout our entire transect yield AHe dates that range between 72Ma and 182Ma, with no apparent elevation-date relationship. These data suggest that the pluton cooled below 65 °C during the Cretaceous, indicating unroofing to less than 2 km depth by that time. The data scatter makes it difficult to resolve the details of this Cretaceous cooling episode. However, the fact that we obtain Cretaceous AHe dates across the entire 1500 m height of the transect suggests that the Great Escarpment in North Queensland has existed at approximately its current location and height since at least the Late Cretaceous. The Cretaceous age for this segment of the Great Escarpment is similar to the age determined by other AHe workers for the

A fast atom bombardment study of the lead isotope ratios in early nineteenth century Niagara Peninsula pottery glazes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miller, J.M.; Jones, T.R.B.; Kenney, Tina; Rupp, D.W.

1986-01-01

The application of fast atom bombardment (FAB) mass spectrometry to the determination of lead isotope ratios in nineteenth century pottery glazes from the Niagara Peninsula has been investigated with the aim of determining the source of the lead used in the glazes. Methods of sampling have been compared, including direct analysis of glass chips, analysis of powdered glaze scrapings, analysis of acid extracts of the former, and simple acid leaching of the surface of a piece of pottery. The latter method gave the best results. The FAB data, as obtained on an older mass spectrometer, can distinguish lead from igneous vs. sedimentary deposits, but is not adequate to determine specific mining locations. Although newer FAB instrumentation can narrow this range, the overlap of data from the Niagara Peninsula and England precludes a simple answer to the archeological question as to English vs. Canadian origin of the lead used in the Jordan pottery glazes. However, the data do suggest that the potter used a local source for the lead

Faunes du Jurassique supérieur dans les séries pélagiques de l'escarpement de Malte (Mer Ionienne. Implications paléogéographiques Upper Jurassic Fauna in the Pelagic Series of the Malta Escarpment (Lonian Sea. Paleogeographic Implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Enay R.

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Au cours d'une campagne de plongée sur les escarpements qui bordent le bassin Ionien profond, des roches sédimentaires d'âge jurassique supérieur ont pu être récoltées dans l'escarpement de Malte, associées à des coulées de pillow-lavas. Les faunes d'Ammonites, typiquement mésogéennes, indiquent des âges oxfordien et tithonique. Elles peuvent correspondre à un milieu de dépôt profond. Les foraminifères recueillis dans les niveaux équivalents, riches en radiolaires, sclérites d'holothuries, fragments d'aptychus et rares Ostracodes, indiquent un âge oxfordien au sens large et un milieu de dépôt relativement profond. Cette série, relativement condensée et profonde, est comparable aux séries du même âge connues en Sicile. Elle s'oppose aux séries de calcaires de plate-forme néritiques du Trias-Lias inférieur qui constituent la base de la coupe. II y a donc eu un changement radical de milieu de sédimentation entre le Lias et le Callovo-Oxfordien, accompagné d'une distension révélée par un magmatisme important. During a diving campaing along the escarpments bordering the deep lonian Basin, Upper Jurassic sedimentary rocks were gathered from the Malta escarpment, associated with pillow-lava. Typically Mesogean ammonite fauna indicate Oxfordian and Tithonian ages. They correspond to a relatively deep deposition environment. The Foraminifers gathered in the equivalent levels, which proved to be rich in radiolarians, holothuroid sclerites, aptychus fragments and sparse ostracodes, indicate an Oxfordian age and a relatively deep deposition environnent. This relatively condensed and deep series can be compared with series of the same age known in Sicily. It is opposed to the Lower Triassic-Lias neritic platform limestone series making up the bottom of the section. A radical change in sedimentation thus occured between the Lias and the Callovo-Oxfordain, accompanied by a distension revealed by extensive magmatism.

Approaches to the Cataract: Butor's Niagara

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elinor S. Miller

1977-09-01

Full Text Available Michel Butor's 6 810 000 litres d'eau par seconde bears certain similarities to each of his earlier stereophonic works, but is much more than a reworking of established techniques. Generally thought to be difficult, as indicated by the title, which arouses interest without revealing the subject matter, the work has a complex and masterful structure. Against a background of gradually accelerated time, emphasized by appropriate sound effects, an Announcer leads a tour of Niagara Falls. Alphabetically identified characters play out predictable roles as newlyweds, second honeymooners, and the lonely ones. A Reader recites throughout Chateaubriand's classic description of the Falls, constantly recombining the original words in canon form. The initially forbidding typography with three typefaces and three margins creates the possibility of multiple readings. Each part is preceded by directions enabling the reader to alter the text, increasing the volume for some characters, drowning out others. Thus, theoretically, one could read any one of ten texts: "mobile readings," revealing each a different work. This mobility, with the typography, creates an "intellectual chord," not possible otherwise except in music. The subtly colored polyphonic mobile brilliantly serves to express Butor's view of the human condition, reflected in his stereophonic vision of the Falls.

Cold-water coral mounds on the Pen Duick Escarpment, Gulf of Cadiz: The MiCROSYSTEMS project approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Rooij, D.; Blamart, D.; De Mol, L.; Mienis, F.; Pirlet, H.; Wehrmann, L. M.; Barbieri, R.; Maignien, L.; Templer, S. P.; de Haas, H.; Hebbeln, D.; Frank, N.; Larmagnat, S.; Stadnitskaia, A.; Stivaletta, N.; van Weering, T.; Zhang, Y.; Hamoumi, N.; Cnudde, V.; Duyck, P.; Henriet, J.-P.; The MiCROSYSTEMS MD 169 Shipboard Party

2011-01-01

Here we present a case study of three cold-water coral mounds in a juvenile growth stage on top of the Pen Duick Escarpment in the Gulf of Cadiz; Alpha, Beta and Gamma mounds. Although cold-water corals are a common feature on the adjacent cliffs, mud volcanoes and open slope, no actual living

Niagara Falls Storage Site environmental report for calendar year 1989, Lewiston, New York

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1990-05-01

The environmental monitoring program, which began in 1981, was continued during 1989 at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS), a United States Department of Energy (DOE) surplus facility located in Niagara County, New York, that is currently used for interim storage of radioactive residues, contaminated soils, and rubble. The monitoring program is being conducted by Bechtel National, Inc. The monitoring program at NFSS measures radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation levels; and uranium and radium concentrations in surface water, groundwater, and sediment. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are measured in groundwater. To verify that the site is in compliance with the DOE radiation protection standard and to assess its potential effect on public health, the radiation dose was calculated for a hypothetical maximally exposed individual. Based on the conservative scenario described in this report, this hypothetical individual receives an annual external exposure equivalent to approximately 2 percent of the DOE radiation protection standard of 100 mrem/yr. This exposure is less than a person receives during a one-way flight from New York to Los Angeles (because of the greater amounts of cosmic radiation at higher altitudes). The cumulative dose to the population within an 80-km (50-mi) radius of NFSS that results from radioactive materials present at the site is indistinguishable from the dose that the same population receives from naturally occurring radioactive sources. Results of the 1989 monitoring show that NFSS is in compliance with applicable DOE radiation protection standards. 18 refs., 26 figs., 18 tabs

PRODUCTION COSTS AND PROFITABILITY OF ‘NIAGARA ROSADA’ TABLE GRAPE GROWN IN DIFFERENT REGIONS OF SÃO PAULO STATE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FERNANDO PEREZ CAPPELLO

2017-10-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Niagara Rosada is the main cultivar of table grapes produced in São Paulo state. Its production is concentrated mainly in the regions of Campinas, Itapetininga and Jales, where it is grown under different production systems. The aim of this study was to analyze the economic viability of cv. Niagara Rosada at main regions producers of São Paulo State. Therefore, case studies were made with grape growers for each region to assess the production cost and calculate profitability. In the Campinas region, for two cycles per year, the main crop and the second crop were evaluated, and the Total Cost (TC obtained was US$ 0.81/Kg, with US$ 0.23/Kg of Total Net Revenue (TNR. Considering only the main crop, the decrease of grape production increased the production cost and reduced profitability, the TC reached was US$ 0.93/Kg and TNR US$ 0.08/Kg. In the Itapetininga region, for two cycles per year, in main crop the TC was US$ 0.68/Kg and the TNR was US$ 0.32/Kg. Meanwhile, in the second crop, the lower productivity increased TC to US$ 1.05/Kg, but the higher price caused a TNR of US$ 0.38/Kg. In the Jales region, only one cycle per year, TC was increased to US$ 1.21/Kg, however, the high selling prices in the off-season in São Paulo State resulted in TNR of US$ 0.43/Kg. According to the results, the production of cv. Niagara Rosada in different regions of São Paulo State is profitable and has a positive return for family agriculture. Nevertheless, each region has its own characteristics in terms of production and commercialization of table grapes.

Leading Change: A Case Study of Leadership Practices from the Development of the Niagara County Community College Culinary Institute

Science.gov (United States)

Caton, Jazmin; Mistriner, Mark

2016-01-01

The purpose of this case study was to evaluate the lessons learned from the development of a project that set out to revitalize an economically depressed area with an innovative approach to workforce development through partnerships. The focus was to utilize the development of the Niagara County Community College Culinary Institute as an example…

The vegetation ecology of the Eastern Transvaal Escarpment in the Sabie area. 2. Floristic classification

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. B. Deall

1989-10-01

Full Text Available The indigenous vegetation of the Eastern Transvaal Escarpment in the Sabie area is classified with the aid of the PHYTOTAB program package. Four ecological-formation classes (efc based on floristics. physiognomy and climate correspond to four data subsets. Plant communities in each efc are defined by means of 46 differential species-groups distributed amongst forest, thicket, woodland, shrubland and grassland structural types. Environmental correlation is facilitated by means of 21 habitat types.

Slope instabilities along the Western Andean Escarpment and the main canyons in Northern Chile

Science.gov (United States)

Crosta, G.; Hermanns, R. L.; Valbuzzi, E.; Dehls, J.; Yugsi Molina, F. X.; Sepulveda, S.

2012-04-01

The western slope of the Andes of northern Chile - southern Perù is generally subdivided from the west to the east into the morphological units of: the Coastal Cordillera, Central Depression, the Western Escarpment-Precordillera and the Western Andean Cordillera. The western escarpment and Precordillera are formed by the Azapa coarse-grained clastic formation (sandstones, conglomerates, mudstones) and the Oxaya (rhyodacitic ignimbrites) and Diablo volcanoclastic formations (Oligocene and Miocene). Important uplift has been suggested between the deposition of the Oxaya and Diablo formations. The entire area has been characterized by a long-term hyperaridity (Atacama desert), initially established between 20 and 15 Ma, and this caused a strong difference between the long term continuous uplift and low denudation rates. This long sector of the central western escarpment and Precordillera is incised by deep canyons and subparallel drainage network in the upper part. The drainage network developed in two main phases: a lower-middle Miocene phase with formation of a parallel poorly structured drainage network cutting into the Oxaya formation, and presently well preserved; the canyons have been incised in the initial topography starting around 9 Ma and up to about 3.8 Ma with subsequent refilling episodes. Valley incision (ave. rate of 0.2 mm yr-1) has been controlled by topographic uplift and less arid climate (after 7 Ma). As a consequence of these geologic and climatic settings the evolution of this area has been characterized by canyon incision and extremely large slope instabilities. These slope instabilities occur in the "interfluvial" sectors of the western escarpment and Precordillera and along the canyon flanks. Landslides affecting the preserved paleosurfaces, interested by the parallel drainage network in the Oxaya formation, involve volumes of various cubic kilometres (Lluta collapse, Latagualla Landslide) and can control the drainage network. These mega

Factors Impacting Student Service Utilization at Ontario Colleges: Key Performance Indicators as a Measure of Success: A Niagara College View

Science.gov (United States)

Veres, David

2015-01-01

Student success in Ontario College is significantly influenced by the utilization of student services. At Niagara College there has been a significant investment in student services as a strategy to support student success. Utilizing existing KPI data, this quantitative research project is aimed at measuring factors that influence both the use of…

Stability analysis of waterfall cliff face at Niagara Falls: An implication to erosional mechanism of waterfall

OpenAIRE

Hayakawa, Yuichi S.; Matsukura, Yukinori

2010-01-01

Although recession of waterfalls or knickpoints in bedrock rivers is a common geomorphological process, detailed mechanics of waterfall recession has only been examined in a few cases. Caprock recession model at Niagara Falls, in which gravitational collapse of caprock induced by undercutting notch plays a significant role, has been one of the well-known models describing the waterfall erosion, but the validity of the model has hardly been examined in a quantitative context. Here we assess th...

The potential for scaling up a fog collection system on the eastern escarpment of Eritrea

OpenAIRE

Fessehaye, Mussie; Abdul-Wahab, Sabah A.; Savage, Michael J.; Kohler, Thomas; Tesfay, Selamawit

2015-01-01

Fog is an untapped natural resource. A number of studies have been undertaken to understand its potential as an alternative or complementary water source. In 2007, a pilot fog-collection project was implemented in 2 villages on the Eastern Escarpment of Eritrea. The government of Eritrea, buoyed by the project’s positive results, has encouraged research into and application of fog-collection technologies to alleviate water-supply problems in this region. In 2014, this study was undertaken to ...

Towards an adaptation action plan : climate change and health in the Toronto-Niagara region : summary for policy makers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiotti, Q.; Morton, I.; Maarouf, A.

2002-10-01

The current science regarding climate change and its potential health effects was assessed in an effort to provide information to decision-makers dealing with health infrastructure in the Toronto-Niagara region. This report also presents an assessment of how the health care system can adapt to handle the increased demand for services resulting from the projected negative human health effects of climate change. The first part of the report presents some background information on climate change and health issues and demonstrates how the current health care infrastructure cannot deal effectively with the full range of health effects that may occur in heavily populated areas such as the Toronto-Niagara region. The second part of the report summarizes the scientific knowledge about the expected impacts of climate change and associated health effects, such as heat stress, extreme weather events, poor air quality, vector-borne diseases, food and water-borne diseases, and increased exposure to ultra-violet radiation. It was noted that children and the elderly are most vulnerable. The final part of the report outlines an adaptation action plan to improve the health care infrastructure through public education and communication, surveillance and monitoring, ecosystem intervention, infrastructure development, technical engineering, and medical intervention. 100 refs., 1 fig

Results of radiological measurements taken in the Niagara Falls, New York, area (NF002)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Williams, J.K.; Berven, B.A.

1986-11-01

The results of a radiological survey of 100 elevated gamma radiation anomalies in the Niagara Falls, New York, area are presented. These radiation anomalies were identified by a mobile gamma scanning survey during the period October 3-16, 1984, and were recommended for an onsite survey to determine if the elevated levels of radiation may be related to the transportation of radioactive waste material to the Lake Ontario Ordnance Works for storage. In this survey, radiological measurements included outdoor gamma exposure rates at 1 m above the surface; outdoor gamma exposure rates at the surface, range of gamma exposure rates during scan; and uranium, radium, and thorium concentrations in biased surface soil samples. The results show 38 anomalies (35 located along Pletcher Road and 3 associated with other unreleated locations) were found to exceed Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP) remedial action guidelines and were recommended for formal characterization surveys. (Since the time of this survey, remedial actions have been conducted on the 38 anomalies identified as exceeding FUSRAP guidelines, and the radioactive material above guidelines has been removed.) The remaining 62 anomalies are associated with asphalt driveways and parking lots, which used a phosphate slag material (previously identified as cyclowollastonite, synthetic CaSiO 3 ). This rocky-slag waste material was used for bedding under asphalt surfaces and in general gravel applications. Most of the contaminated soil and rock samples collected at the latter anomalies had approximately equal concentrations of 226 Ra and 238 U and, therefore, are not related to materials connected with the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS), including material that was transported to the NFSS. 13 refs., 7 figs., 14 tabs

Two new species of Indigofera L. (Leguminosae) from the Sneeuberg Centre of Floristic Endemism, Great Escarpment (Eastern and Western Cape, South Africa).

Science.gov (United States)

Clark, V Ralph; Schrire, Brian D; Barker, Nigel P

2015-01-01

Two new species of Indigofera L. (Leguminosae) are described from the Sneeuberg Centre of Floristic Endemism on the southern Great Escarpment, Eastern and Western Cape Provinces, South Africa. Both species are localised high-altitude endemics. Indigoferamagnifica Schrire & V.R. Clark is confined to the summit plateau of the Toorberg-Koudeveldberg-Meelberg west of Graaff-Reinet, and complements other western Sneeuberg endemics such as Ericapasserinoides (Bolus) E.G.H. Oliv. and Faurearecondita Rourke & V.R. Clark. Indigoferaasantasanensis Schrire & V.R. Clark is confined to a small area east of Graaff-Reinet, and complements several other eastern Sneeuberg endemics such as Euryopsexsudans B. Nord & V.R. Clark and Euryopsproteoides B. Nord. & V.R. Clark. Based on morphology, both new species belong to the Cape Clade of Indigofera, supporting a biogeographical link between the Cape Floristic Region and the Sneeuberg, as well as with the rest of the eastern Great Escarpment.

Source characterization and tsunami modeling of submarine landslides along the Yucatán Shelf/Campeche Escarpment, southern Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Chaytor, Jason D.; Geist, Eric L.; Paull, Charles K.; Caress, David W; Gwiazda, Roberto; Urrutia Fucugauchi, Jaime; Rebolledo Vieyra, Mario

2016-01-01

Submarine landslides occurring along the margins of the Gulf of Mexico (GOM) represent a low-likelihood, but potentially damaging source of tsunamis. New multibeam bathymetry coverage reveals that mass wasting is pervasive along the Yucatán Shelf edge with several large composite landslides possibly removing as much as 70 km3 of the Cenozoic sedimentary section in a single event. Using GIS-based analysis, the dimensions of six landslides from the central and northern sections of the Yucatán Shelf/Campeche Escarpment were determined and used as input for preliminary tsunami generation and propagation models. Tsunami modeling is performed to compare the propagation characteristics and distribution of maximum amplitudes throughout the GOM among the different landslide scenarios. Various factors such as landslide geometry, location along the Yucatán Shelf/Campeche Escarpment, and refraction during propagation result in significant variations in the affected part of the Mexican and US Gulf Coasts. In all cases, however, tsunami amplitudes are greatest along the northern Yucatán Peninsula.

Spatial variability of leaf wetness duration in a 'Niagara Rosada' vineyard Variabilidade espacial da duração do período de molhamento em vinhedo de 'Niagara Rosada'

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Lulu

2008-03-01

Full Text Available Despite considerable efforts to develop accurate electronic sensors to measure leaf wetness duration (LWD, little attention has been given to studies about how is LWD variability in different positions of the crop canopy. In order to evaluate the influence of 'Niagara Rosada' (Vitis labrusca grapevine structure on the spatial variability of LWD, the objective of this study was to determine the canopy position of the ‘Niagara RosadaÂ’ table grape with longer LWD and its correlation with measured standard LWD over turfgrass. LWD was measured in four different canopy positions of the vineyard (sensors deployed at 45º with the horizontal: at the top of the plants, with sensors facing southwest and northeast (Top-SW and Top-NE, and at the grape bunches height, with sensors facing southwest and northeast (Bottom-SW and Bottom-NE. No significant difference was observed between the top (1.6 m and the bottom (1.0 m of the canopy and also between the southwest and northeast face of the plants. The relationship between standard LWD over turfgrass and crop LWD in different positions of the grape canopy showed a define correlation, with R² ranging from 0.86 to 0.89 for all period, from 0.72 to 0.77 for days without rain, and from 0.89 to 0.91 for days with rain.Apesar dos esforços consideráveis para se desenvolverem sensores eletrônicos acurados para medir a duração do período de molhamento (DPM, pouca atenção tem sido dada às pesquisas sobre a variabilidade da DPM no interior do dossel das culturas. A fim de avaliar a influência da estrutura da cobertura vegetal da videira 'Niagara Rosada' (Vitis labrusca na variabilidade espacial da DPM, o objetivo do presente estudo foi determinar a posição da videira com a maior DPM e sua relação com a DPM medida em condição-padrão (no gramado. Para tanto, a DPM foi medida em quatro diferentes posições da planta, com os sensores inclinados em 45º em relação à horizontal: topo da planta

Ancient mitogenomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ho, Simon Y. W.; Gilbert, Tom

2010-01-01

the technical challenges that face researchers in the field. We catalogue the diverse sequencing methods and source materials used to obtain ancient mitogenomic sequences, summarise the associated genetic and phylogenetic studies that have been conducted, and evaluate the future prospects of the field.......The mitochondrial genome has been the traditional focus of most research into ancient DNA, owing to its high copy number and population-level variability. Despite this long-standing interest in mitochondrial DNA, it was only in 2001 that the first complete ancient mitogenomic sequences were...... obtained. As a result of various methodological developments, including the introduction of high-throughput sequencing techniques, the total number of ancient mitogenome sequences has increased rapidly over the past few years. In this review, we present a brief history of ancient mitogenomics and describe...

Ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willerslev, Eske; Cooper, Alan

2004-01-01

ancient DNA, palaeontology, palaeoecology, archaeology, population genetics, DNA damage and repair......ancient DNA, palaeontology, palaeoecology, archaeology, population genetics, DNA damage and repair...

Did the ancient Egyptians migrate to ancient Nigeria?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jock M. Agai

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Literatures concerning the history of West African peoples published from 1900 to 1970 debate�the possible migrations of the Egyptians into West Africa. Writers like Samuel Johnson and�Lucas Olumide believe that the ancient Egyptians penetrated through ancient Nigeria but Leo�Frobenius and Geoffrey Parrinder frowned at this opinion. Using the works of these early�20th century writers of West African history together with a Yoruba legend which teaches�about the origin of their earliest ancestor(s, this researcher investigates the theories that the�ancient Egyptians had contact with the ancient Nigerians and particularly with the Yorubas.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: There is an existing ideology�amongst the Yorubas and other writers of Yoruba history that the original ancestors of�the Yorubas originated in ancient Egypt hence there was migration between Egypt and�Yorubaland. This researcher contends that even if there was migration between Egypt and�Nigeria, such migration did not take place during the predynastic and dynastic period as�speculated by some scholars. The subject is open for further research.

Hydroarchaeology: Measuring the Ancient Human Impact on the Palenque Watershed

Science.gov (United States)

French, K. D.; Duffy, C. J.

2010-03-01

Palenque, one of the best known Classic Maya centers, has what is arguably the most unique and intricate system of water management known anywhere in the Maya Lowlands. Years of archaeological research, including intensive mapping between 1997 and 2000, reveal that this major center, situated on a narrow escarpment at the base of a high mountain range in northern Chiapas, Mexico, began as a modest settlement about AD 100. Then, during the seventh and eighth centuries, Palenque experienced explosive growth, mushrooming into a dense community with an estimated population of 6000 and approximately 1500 structures — residences, palaces, and temples¬ - under a series of powerful rulers. This process of "urban" growth led to obvious changes in landcover. In order to better understand the effects that landcover and climate change have on the availability of water for an ancient city a new approach is required. In this paper we explore a hydroarchaeological approach that utilizes simulated daily paleoclimate data, watershed modeling, and traditional archaeology to view the response of ancient human impact within the watershed surrounding Palenque. There is great potential for watershed-climate modeling in developing plausible scenarios of water use and supply, and the effect of extreme conditions (flood and drought), all of which cannot be fully represented by atmosphere-based climate and weather projections. The first objective of the paper is to test the hypothesis that drought was a major cause for Palenque’s collapse. Did the Maya abandon Palenque in search of water? Secondly, we evaluate the hydraulic design of the water management features at Palenque against extreme meteorological events. How successful was the hydraulic engineering of the Maya in coping with droughts and floods? The archaeological implications for this non-invasive "virtual" method are many, including detecting periods of stress within a community, estimating population by developing caps

CONTROLE QUÍMICO E CULTURAL DAS PLANTAS DANINHAS NA VIDEIRA 'NIAGARA ROSADA'

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

PAULO EDISON MARTINS

1997-01-01

Full Text Available Estudou-se o controle das plantas daninhas e a seletividade dos herbicidas diclobenil, diuron e simazine à cultura da videira `Niagara Rosada', procurando-se separar os efeitos da cobertura morta sobre os fatores de produção e o teor de sólidos solúveis do suco da uva. O delineamento experimental utilizado foi de blocos ao acaso com quatro repetições. Verificou-se que os herbicidas diuron (2,0 kg/ha, simazine (2,4 kg/ha e diclobenil (3,04; 4,05 e 5,06 kg/ha foram seletivos à cultura da videira e eficientes no controle das plantas daninhas capim-colchão (Digitaria horizontalis Willd., caruru (Amaranthus hibridus L., guanxuma (Sida spp. e picão-preto (Bidens pilosa L.. A cobertura vegetal de capim-gordura (Melinis minutiflora L. foi eficiente no controle das plantas daninhas.

Ancient Resistome.

Science.gov (United States)

Olaitan, Abiola Olumuyiwa; Rolain, Jean-Marc

2016-08-01

Antibiotic resistance is an ancient biological mechanism in bacteria, although its proliferation in our contemporary world has been amplified through antimicrobial therapy. Recent studies conducted on ancient environmental and human samples have uncovered numerous antibiotic-resistant bacteria and resistance genes. The resistance genes that have been reported from the analysis of ancient bacterial DNA include genes coding for several classes of antibiotics, such as glycopeptides, β-lactams, tetracyclines, and macrolides. The investigation of the resistome of ancient bacteria is a recent and emerging field of research, and technological advancements such as next-generation sequencing will further contribute to its growth. It is hoped that the knowledge gained from this research will help us to better understand the evolution of antibiotic resistance genes and will also be used in drug design as a proactive measure against antibiotic resistance.

Exploring Ancient Skies A Survey of Ancient and Cultural Astronomy

CERN Document Server

Kelley, David H

2011-01-01

Exploring Ancient Skies brings together the methods of archaeology and the insights of modern astronomy to explore the science of astronomy as it was practiced in various cultures prior to the invention of the telescope. The book reviews an enormous and growing body of literature on the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, the Far East, and the New World (particularly Mesoamerica), putting the ancient astronomical materials into their archaeological and cultural contexts. The authors begin with an overview of the field and proceed to essential aspects of naked-eye astronomy, followed by an examination of specific cultures. The book concludes by taking into account the purposes of ancient astronomy: astrology, navigation, calendar regulation, and (not least) the understanding of our place and role in the universe. Skies are recreated to display critical events as they would have appeared to ancient observers—events such as the supernova of 1054 A.D., the "lion horoscope," and the Star of Bethlehem. Explori...

Niagara Falls Storage Site, Annual site environmental report, Lewiston, New York, Calendar year 1986: Surplus Facilities Management Program (SFMP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1987-06-01

During 1986, the environmental monitoring program was continued at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS), a US Department of Energy (DOE) surplus facility located in Niagara County, New York, presently used for the interim storage of radioactive residues and contaminated soils and rubble. The monitoring program is being conducted by Bechtel National, Inc. The monitoring program at the NFSS measures radon gas concentrations in air; external gamma radiation levels; and uranium and radium concentrations in surface water, groundwater, and sediment. To verify that the site is in compliance with the DOE radiation protection standard and to assess its potential effect on public health, the radiation dose was calculated for the maximally exposed individual. Based on the conservative scenario described in the report, this individual would receive an annual external exposure approximately equivalent to 6% of the DOE radiation protection standard of 100 mrem/yr. By comparison, the incremental dose received from living in a brick house versus a wooden house is 10 mrem/yr above background. The cumulative dose to the population within an 80-km (50-mi) radius of the NFSS that would result from radioactive materials present at the site would be indistinguishable from the dose that the same population would receive from naturally occurring radioactive sources. Results of the 1986 monitoring show that the NFSS is in compliance with the DOE radiation protection standard. 14 refs., 11 figs., 14 tabs

Niagara Falls Storage Site, Annual site environmental report, Lewiston, New York, Calendar year 1986: Surplus Facilities Management Program (SFMP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1987-06-01

During 1986, the environmental monitoring program was continued at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS), a US Department of Energy (DOE) surplus facility located in Niagara County, New York, presently used for the interim storage of radioactive residues and contaminated soils and rubble. The monitoring program is being conducted by Bechtel National, Inc. The monitoring program at the NFSS measures radon gas concentrations in air; external gamma radiation levels; and uranium and radium concentrations in surface water, groundwater, and sediment. To verify that the site is in compliance with the DOE radiation protection standard and to assess its potential effect on public health, the radiation dose was calculated for the maximally exposed individual. Based on the conservative scenario described in the report, this individual would receive an annual external exposure approximately equivalent to 6% of the DOE radiation protection standard of 100 mrem/yr. By comparison, the incremental dose received from living in a brick house versus a wooden house is 10 mrem/yr above background. The cumulative dose to the population within an 80-km (50-mi) radius of the NFSS that would result from radioactive materials present at the site would be indistinguishable from the dose that the same population would receive from naturally occurring radioactive sources. Results of the 1986 monitoring show that the NFSS is in compliance with the DOE radiation protection standard. 14 refs., 11 figs., 14 tabs.

Estimating leaf wetness duration over turfgrass, and in a 'Niagara Rosada' vineyard, in a subtropical environment Estimativa da duração do período de molhamento sobre o gramado e em vinhedo de 'Niagara Rosada' em condição subtropical

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorge Lulu

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Leaf wetness duration (LWD is a key parameter in agrometeorology because it is related to plant disease occurrence. As LWD is seldomly measured in a standard weather station it must be estimated to run warning systems for schedule chemical disease control. The objective of the present study was to estimate LWD over turfgrass considering different models with data from a standard weather station, and to evaluate the correlation between estimated LWD over turfgrass and LWD measured in a 'Niagara Rosada' vineyard, cultivated in a hedgerow training system, in Jundiaí, São Paulo State, Brazil. The wetness sensors inside the vineyard were located at the top of the plants, deployed at an inclination angle of 45º and oriented southwest, with three replications. The methods used to estimate LWD were: number of hours with relative humidity above 90% (NHRH > 90%, dew point depression (DPD, classification and regression tree (CART and Penman-Monteith (PM. The CART model had the best performance to estimate LWD over turfgrass, with a good precision (R² = 0.82 and a high accuracy (d = 0.94, resulting in a good confidence index (c = 0.85. The results from this model also presented a good correlation with measured LWD inside the vineyard, with a good precision (R² = 0.87 and a high accuracy (d = 0.96, resulting in a high confidence index (c = 0.93, showing that LWD in a 'Niagara Rosada' vineyard can be estimated with data from a standard weather station.A duração do período de molhamento (DPM é uma variável agrometeorológica chave para a ocorrência de doenças de plantas. Como a DPM é raramente medida nas estações meteorológicas, ela deve ser estimada quando se pretende empregar sistemas de alerta de controle químico. Desse modo, o objetivo do presente estudo foi avaliar a estimativa da DPM sobre gramado por diferentes modelos a partir de dados meteorológicos obtidos em uma estação meteorológica padrão e verificar as relações entre a DPM

Ancient genomes

OpenAIRE

Hoelzel, A Rus

2005-01-01

Ever since its invention, the polymerase chain reaction has been the method of choice for work with ancient DNA. In an application of modern genomic methods to material from the Pleistocene, a recent study has instead undertaken to clone and sequence a portion of the ancient genome of the cave bear.

Estimativa de área foliar da videira 'Niagara Rosada' conduzida em sistema de latada, região norte fluminense

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Miquéias Permanhani

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Com o objetivo de estabelecer um modelo matemático para estimar de forma precisa a área foliar da videira 'Niagara Rosada' na região de Cardoso Moreira-RJ, realizou-se este trabalho em vinhedo particular do sítio pioneiro, implantado no ano de 2002, em sistema de latada. Foram coletadas aleatoriamente, no ciclo de produção iniciado em 2011, 70 folhas de diversos tamanhos, completamente expandidas e sem danos aparentes para determinar a relação entre a área foliar (AF e a área do círculo (AC, considerando seu diâmetro igual à largura da folha. Por meio da análise de regressão, obteve-se a equação linear (AFes = 0,82*AC + 16,12 que, juntamente com mais outras duas, foram utilizadas para comparar a área foliar estimada com a área foliar medida em 30 folhas do ciclo de produção posterior (Março de 2012. Constatou-se que as equações apresentadas permitem estimar de forma precisa a área foliar da videira 'Niagara Rosada/IAC 572' conduzida em sistema de latada, na região de Cardoso Moreira-RJ, com apenas uma dimensão foliar: a largura da folha, sendo que o modelo de regressão obtido (AFes = 0,82*AC + 16,12 foi o que menos subestimou a área da folha comparada (coeficiente angular = 0,99, seguido pelo modelo indicado por Pedro Jr. et al. (1986.

Apps for Ancient Civilizations

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Stephanie

2011-01-01

This project incorporates technology and a historical emphasis on science drawn from ancient civilizations to promote a greater understanding of conceptual science. In the Apps for Ancient Civilizations project, students investigate an ancient culture to discover how people might have used science and math smartphone apps to make their lives…

Effectiveness of interim remedial actions at the Niagara Falls Storage Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Devgun, J.S.; Beskid, N.J.; Seay, W.M.; McNamee, E.

1990-01-01

There are 190,000 m 3 of contaminated soils, wastes, and residues stored at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS). The residues have a volume of 18,000 m 3 and contain about 1,930 Ci of 226 Ra, which accounts for most of the radioactivity. Since 1980, actions have been taken to minimize potential radiological risks and prevent radionuclide migration. Interim actions included capping vents, sealing pipes, relocating the perimeter fence (to limit radon risk), transferring and consolidating wastes, upgrading storage buildings, constructing a clay cutoff wall (to limit potential ground-water transport of contaminants), treating and releasing contaminated water, using a synthetic liner, and using an interim clay cap. An interim waste containment facility was completed in 1986. Environmental monitoring showed a decrease in radon concentrations and in external gamma radiation from 1982 to 1986; levels have been stable since 1986. Uranium and radium concentrations in surface water have decreased; very low concentrations have been detected in stream sediments, and concentrations in ground water have remained stable. Recent monitoring showed that NFSS is in compliance with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE's) radiation protection standards

A study on provenance relation between Jiaotanxia ancient Guan porcelain and Qingliangsi ancient Ru porcelain by NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Rongwu; Feng Songlin; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin

2004-01-01

11 samples of ancient Chinese Ru porcelain from Qingliangsi kiln, 23 samples of ancient Chinese Guan porcelain from Jiaotanxia kiln and 4 samples of modern archaized Guan porcelain were obtained to determine the contents of elements in each of them by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The NAA data were further analyzed using fuzzy cluster analysis to obtain the fuzzy cluster trend diagrams for the bodies' samples and the glazes samples respectively. The analysis shows that the raw material origins of the Jiaotanxia ancient Chinese Guan porcelain bodies samples are very concentrated; those of the Qingliangsi ancient Chinese Ru porcelain bodies samples are a little dispersed; those of ancient Chinese Guan porcelain glazes samples are relatively concentrated; those of ancient Chinese Ru porcelain glazes samples are dispersed; and the origins of the raw material of ancient Chinese Guan porcelain glazes samples are obviously different from those of ancient Chinese Ru porcelain glazes samples. The bodies samples and glazes samples of Jiaotanxia ancient Chinese Guan porcelain and those of Qingliangsi ancient Chinese Ru porcelain have some difference but can be compared with each other. (authors)

The grand leap of the whale up the Niagara Falls: converting philosophical conclusions into policy prescriptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Holm, Søren

2015-04-01

This article analyzes a neat conjuring trick employed in bioethics, that is, the immediate conversion of a philosophical conclusion into a policy prescription, and compares it to the "grand leap of the whale up the Niagara Falls" mentioned by Benjamin Franklin. It is shown that there is no simple and easy way to achieve the conversion, by considering arguments falling under four headings: (1) reasonable disagreement about values and theories, (2) general jurisprudential arguments, (3) the differences between policymaking and philosophy, and (4) the messy world of implementation. The particular issue used to illustrate the difficulties in moving from philosophical conclusion to policy description is infanticide of healthy infants, but the analysis is general, and the conclusion that the immediate move to policy is illegitimate is quite general.

Niagara Falls Storage Site environmental surveillance report for calendar year 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-06-01

This report summarizes the results of environmental surveillance activities conducted at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) during calendar year 1993. It includes an overview of site operations, the basis for radiological and nonradiological monitoring, a summary of the results, and the estimated dose to the offsite population. Environmental surveillance activities were conducted in accordance with the site environmental monitoring plan, which describes the rationale and design criteria for the surveillance program, the frequency of sampling and analysis, specific sampling and analysis procedures, and quality assurance requirements. NFSS is in compliance with National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants (NESHAPs) Subpart H of the Clean Air Act as well as the requirements of the National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) under the Clean Water Act. Located in northwestern New York, the site covers 191 acres. From 1944 to the present, the primary use of NFSS has been storage of radioactive residues that were by-products of uranium production. Most onsite areas of residual radioactivity above regulatory guidelines were remediated during the early 1980s. Additional isolated areas of onsite contamination were remediated in 1989, and the materials were consolidated into the waste containment structure in 1991. Remediation of the site has now been completed

Ancient Greek with Thrasymachus: A Web Site for Learning Ancient Greek.

Science.gov (United States)

Barker, Alison

2001-01-01

Discusses a project that was begun as an attempt by two teachers of Ancient Greek to provide supplementary materials to accompany "Thrasymachus," a first-year textbook for learning ancient Greek. Provides a brief history and description of the project, the format of each chapter, a chronology for completion of materials for each chapter in the…

Ancient genomics

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Der Sarkissian, Clio; Allentoft, Morten Erik; Avila Arcos, Maria del Carmen

2015-01-01

throughput of next generation sequencing platforms and the ability to target short and degraded DNA molecules. Many ancient specimens previously unsuitable for DNA analyses because of extensive degradation can now successfully be used as source materials. Additionally, the analytical power obtained...... by increasing the number of sequence reads to billions effectively means that contamination issues that have haunted aDNA research for decades, particularly in human studies, can now be efficiently and confidently quantified. At present, whole genomes have been sequenced from ancient anatomically modern humans...

Tamil merchant in ancient Mesopotamia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malliya Gounder Palanichamy

Full Text Available Recent analyses of ancient Mesopotamian mitochondrial genomes have suggested a genetic link between the Indian subcontinent and Mesopotamian civilization. There is no consensus on the origin of the ancient Mesopotamians. They may be descendants of migrants, who founded regional Mesopotamian groups like that of Terqa or they may be merchants who were involved in trans Mesopotamia trade. To identify the Indian source population showing linkage to the ancient Mesopotamians, we screened a total of 15,751 mitochondrial DNAs (11,432 from the literature and 4,319 from this study representing all major populations of India. Our results although suggest that south India (Tamil Nadu and northeast India served as the source of the ancient Mesopotamian mtDNA gene pool, mtDNA of these ancient Mesopotamians probably contributed by Tamil merchants who were involved in the Indo-Roman trade.

Investigation on potential landslide sources along the Hyblaean-Malta escarpment for the 1693 tsunami in Eastern Sicily (Southern Italy)

Science.gov (United States)

Zaniboni, Filippo; Pagnoni, Gianluca; Armigliato, Alberto; Tinti, Stefano

2015-04-01

The study of the source of 1693 tsunami in eastern Sicily (South Italy) is still debated in the scientific community. Macroseismic analyses provide inland location for the epicenter of the earthquake, while historical reports describing 1-2 m waves hitting the coast suggest the existence of at least an offshore extension of the fault. Furthermore, an anomalous water elevation was described in Augusta (between Siracusa and Catania), that was interpreted as the manifestation of a local submarine landslide. The presence of the steep Hyblaean-Malta escarpment, that runs parallel to the eastern coast of Sicily at a short distance from the shoreline and is cut by several canyons and scars, corroborates the hypothesis of a landslide occurrence, though no clear evidence has been found yet. This research, realized in the frame of the project ASTARTE (Assessment, Strategy And Risk Reduction for Tsunamis in Europe - FP7-ENV2013 6.4-3, Grant 603839), aims at assessing the effect of landslide-generated tsunamis on the coastal stretch around Augusta considering different scenarios of collapsing masses along the Hyblaean-Malta escarpment. The slide dynamics is computed by means of the numerical code UBO-BLOCK1 (developed by the University of Bologna Tsunami Research Team), and the corresponding tsunami is simulated via the code UBO-TSUFD. The sliding bodies are placed in different positions in order to assess which of them could produce significant effects on the town of Augusta, providing then clues on the possible source area for the hypothesized slide related to the 1693 tsunami. The sensitivity analysis shows the spatial dependence of the coastal tsunami height on the source volume, position, distance from the coast, and on other parameters.

Emprego da poda verde para a obtenção de duas safras por ciclo vegetativo em 'Niagara Branca' Green pruning to obtain two harvests by vegetative cicle on Niagara grapevine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulo Vitor Dutra de Souza

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Avaliou-se o efeito de épocas de poda verde em dois anos consecutivos visando obter a segunda safra de uva em um mesmo ciclo vegetativo na cv. Niágara Branca (Vitis labrusca L., cultivada no sistema em espaldeira. O experimento foi realizado na Estação Experimental Agronômica da UFRGS, em Eldorado do Sul (RS, nas safras de 2003/2004 e 2004/2005. Os tratamentos constaram de três épocas de poda verde, realizadas imediatamente após a quarta folha acima do último cacho, e dois anos consecutivos de avaliação. Todas as plantas foram submetidas à superação de dormência mediante aplicação de cianamida hidrogenada a 2%. Analisou-se a duração dos estádios fenológicos, o período de maturação, a produção por planta, a massa fresca do cacho, o teor de sólidos solúveis totais e a acidez total titulável. Observou-se que a época de realização da poda verde não afetou a quantidade, nem a qualidade da uva produzida na primeira colheita, apenas atrasando-a em uma semana. A poda verde realizada no início de novembro possibilitou a segunda colheita de uva, realizada entre março e abril, sendo uma alternativa de ampliação do período de oferta do produto no mercado.The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of green prunings on two consecutive years to obtain a second harvest of 'Niagara Branca' (Vitis labrusca grapevine in the same season. The experiment was carried out at Estação Experimental Agronômica of Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, located at Eldorado do Sul, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil in 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 growth seasons. The grapevines were conducted by cordon training. The treatments involved three dates of green pruning, performed at fourth leaf situated above the last grape, and two seasons. All the plants were sprayed with hidrogenate cianamide (2% to overcome dormency. Fenology, plant production, weight of grapes, °Brix and titratable acid were evaluated. The green pruning time

Balancing Acts Between Ancient and Modern Cities: The Ancient Greek Cities Project of C. A. Doxiadis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mantha Zarmakoupi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the inception and development of the Ancient Greek Cities (AGC research project (1963–77 of Constantinos A. Doxiadis and addresses the novelty of its methodological approach to the study of classical urbanism. With the AGC project, Doxiadis launched a comprehensive study of the ancient Greek built environment to provide an overview of the factors involved in its shaping. The project produced 24 published volumes — the first two laying out the historical and methodological parameters of the ensuing 22 monographs with case studies — as well as 12 unpublished manuscripts, and through international conferences initiated a wider dialogue on ancient cities beyond the classical Greek world. It was the first interdisciplinary study that attempted to tackle the environmental factors, together with the social and economic ones, underpinning the creation, development and operation of ancient Greek cities. Doxiadis’s innovative approach to the analysis of the ancient city was indebted to his practice as an architect and town planner and was informed by his theory of Ekistics. His purpose was to identify the urban planning principles of ancient Greek settlements in order to employ them in his projects. This paper examines the concept and methodology of the AGC project as well as the ways in which Doxiadis used the study of ancient cities in relation to his contemporary urban/architectural agendas, and explains this important moment in the historiography of ancient Greek urbanism.

Niagara Falls Storage Site annual environmental report for calendar year 1991, Lewiston, New York

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-09-01

This document describes the environmental monitoring program at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and surrounding area, implementation of the program, and monitoring results for 1991. Environmental monitoring at NFSS began in 1981. The site is owned by the US Department of Energy (DOE) and is assigned to the DOE Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). FUSRAP is a program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation's atomic energy program or from commercial operations causing conditions that Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. The environmental monitoring program at NFSS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uranium and radium-226 concentrations in surface water, sediments, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters including seven metals are routinely measured in groundwater. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other requirements in DOE orders. Environmental standards are established to protect public health and the environment

A guide to ancient protein studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hendy, Jessica; Welker, Frido; Demarchi, Beatrice

2018-01-01

Palaeoproteomics is an emerging neologism used to describe the application of mass spectrometry-based approaches to the study of ancient proteomes. As with palaeogenomics (the study of ancient DNA), it intersects evolutionary biology, archaeology and anthropology, with applications ranging from....... Additionally, in contrast to the ancient DNA community, no consolidated guidelines have been proposed by which researchers, reviewers and editors can evaluate palaeoproteomics data, in part due to the novelty of the field. Here we present a series of precautions and standards for ancient protein research...

Aiding the Interpretation of Ancient Documents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roued-Cunliffe, Henriette

How can Decision Support System (DSS) software aid the interpretation process involved in the reading of ancient documents? This paper discusses the development of a DSS prototype for the reading of ancient texts. In this context the term ‘ancient documents’ is used to describe mainly Greek...... tool it is important first to comprehend the interpretation process involved in reading ancient documents. This is not a linear process but rather a recursive process where the scholar moves between different levels of reading, such as ‘understanding the meaning of a character’ or ‘understanding...

Medicine in Ancient Assur

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arbøll, Troels Pank

This dissertation is a microhistorical study of a single individual named Kiṣir-Aššur who practiced medicine in the ancient city of Assur (modern northern Iraq) in the 7th century BCE. The study provides the first detailed analysis of one healer’s education and practice in ancient Mesopotamia...

The eye and its diseases in Ancient Egypt

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, S. Ry

1997-01-01

Ophthalmology, History of ophthalmology, eyes in the Ancient Egypt, eye disease in Ancient Egypt, porotic hyperostosis, mummification......Ophthalmology, History of ophthalmology, eyes in the Ancient Egypt, eye disease in Ancient Egypt, porotic hyperostosis, mummification...

Ancient Chinese Precedents in China

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Geddis, Robert

1999-01-01

... classics from ancient china. The assumption is that since China's political and military leaders state openly that their strategy is based on traditional Chinese strategic concepts, a study of ancient classics on strategy...

Dwarfs in ancient Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozma, Chahira

2006-02-15

Ancient Egypt was one of the most advanced and productive civilizations in antiquity, spanning 3000 years before the "Christian" era. Ancient Egyptians built colossal temples and magnificent tombs to honor their gods and religious leaders. Their hieroglyphic language, system of organization, and recording of events give contemporary researchers insights into their daily activities. Based on the record left by their art, the ancient Egyptians documented the presence of dwarfs in almost every facet of life. Due to the hot dry climate and natural and artificial mummification, Egypt is a major source of information on achondroplasia in the old world. The remains of dwarfs are abundant and include complete and partial skeletons. Dwarfs were employed as personal attendants, animal tenders, jewelers, and entertainers. Several high-ranking dwarfs especially from the Old Kingdom (2700-2190 BCE) achieved important status and had lavish burial places close to the pyramids. Their costly tombs in the royal cemeteries and the inscriptions on their statutes indicate their high-ranking position in Egyptian society and their close relation to the king. Some of them were Seneb, Pereniankh, Khnumhotpe, and Djeder. There were at least two dwarf gods, Ptah and Bes. The god Ptah was associated with regeneration and rejuvenation. The god Bes was a protector of sexuality, childbirth, women, and children. He was a favored deity particularly during the Greco-Roman period. His temple was recently excavated in the Baharia oasis in the middle of Egypt. The burial sites and artistic sources provide glimpses of the positions of dwarfs in daily life in ancient Egypt. Dwarfs were accepted in ancient Egypt; their recorded daily activities suggest assimilation into daily life, and their disorder was not shown as a physical handicap. Wisdom writings and moral teachings in ancient Egypt commanded respect for dwarfs and other individuals with disabilities. Copyright (c) 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Ancient Biomolecules and Evolutionary Inference

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cappellini, Enrico; Prohaska, Ana; Racimo, Fernando

2018-01-01

Over the last decade, studies of ancient biomolecules-particularly ancient DNA, proteins, and lipids-have revolutionized our understanding of evolutionary history. Though initially fraught with many challenges, the field now stands on firm foundations. Researchers now successfully retrieve nucleo...

Results of the radiological survey at the Niagara-Mohawk property, Railroad Avenue, Colonie, New York (AL218)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marley, J.L.; Carrier, R.F.

1987-12-01

A number of properties in the Albany/Colonie area have been identified as being potentially contaminated with uranium originating from the former National Lead Company's uranium forming plant in Colonie, New York. The Niagara-Mohawk property on Railroad Avenue in Colonie, New York, was the subject of a radiological investigation initiated June 11, 1987. This commercial property is an irregularly shaped lot partially occupied by an electric power substation and associated transmission lines. Portions of the property that were swampy and heavily vegetated were inaccessible to the survey team. There are no buildings on the property. A diagram showing the approximate boundaries and the 15-m grid network established for measurements on the property is shown. The lot included in the radiological survey was /approximately/45 m wide by 246 m deep. Two views of the property are shown. 13 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs

Formerly utilized MED/AEC sites, Remedial Action Program: radiological survey of the Hooker Chemical Company, Niagara Falls, New York. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-01-01

Results of a radiological survey of a portion of the Hooker Chemical Company, Niagara Falls, New York, are presented. The survey was conducted over 5.5-acres in which uranium-bearing materials were handled in the early 1940's. The survey included direct measurements of alpha, beta-gamma, and external gamma radiation throughout the site, measurement of transferable alpha and beta contamination levels in the buildings, determination of uranium and radium concentrations in the soild on the site, measurement of radon and radon daughter concentrations in the buildings, and determination of radionuclide concentrations in surface water samples. The results of the survey indicate that radiation levels throughout the site are within pertinent guidelines for unrestricted release of the property

Efeito do porta-enxerto e da época de poda na duração das fases fenológicas e no acúmulo de graus-dia pela videira 'Niagara Rosada'

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marco Antonio Tecchio

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Avaliaram-se a influência dos porta-enxertos 'IAC 766', 'IAC 572', 'IAC 313', 'IAC 571-6' e 'Ripária do Traviú' e da época de poda na duração dos estádios fenológicos e no acúmulo de graus-dia pela videira 'Niagara Rosada'. O experimento foi realizado em Louveira-SP. Os tratamentos consistiram na combinação de cinco porta-enxertos e três épocas de poda, sendo utilizado o delineamento experimental em blocos inteiramente casualizados, com parcelas subdivididas e cinco repetições, sendo as parcelas representadas pelos porta-enxertos,e as subparcelas, pelas épocas de poda. Após a poda da videira, foram realizadas avaliações dos estádios fenológicos, utilizando-se do critério de Eichhon e Lorenz (1984. Nas três épocas de poda, baseado nos estádios fenológicos, calculou-se a duração dos períodos: poda ao início da brotação; poda ao pleno florescimento; poda ao início da frutificação; poda ao início da maturação dos cachos, e poda à colheita. Tomando-se por base a duração do ciclo da videira e as temperaturas médias diárias, calculou-se o acúmulo de graus-dia. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e teste Tukey, a 5% de significância. Obteve-se, na poda de verão, redução na duração dos estádios fenológicos da videira 'Niagara Rosada' enxertada sobre o porta-enxerto 'Ripária do Traviú. A maior duração do ciclo e do acúmulo de graus-dia da cultivar Niagara Rosada foi obtida com os porta-enxertos 'IAC 572' e 'IAC 313' nas podas de inverno.

Ancient and Current Chaos Theories

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Güngör Gündüz

2006-07-01

Full Text Available Chaos theories developed in the last three decades have made very important contributions to our understanding of dynamical systems and natural phenomena. The meaning of chaos in the current theories and in the past is somewhat different from each other. In this work, the properties of dynamical systems and the evolution of chaotic systems were discussed in terms of the views of ancient philosophers. The meaning of chaos in Anaximenes’ philosophy and its role in the Ancient natural philosophy has been discussed in relation to other natural philosophers such as of Anaximander, Parmenides, Heraclitus, Empedocles, Leucippus (i.e. atomists and Aristotle. In addition, the fundamental concepts of statistical mechanics and the current chaos theories were discussed in relation to the views in Ancient natural philosophy. The roots of the scientific concepts such as randomness, autocatalysis, nonlinear growth, information, pattern, etc. in the Ancient natural philosophy were investigated.

Radiocarbon dating of ancient Japanese documents

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oda, H.

2001-01-01

History is a reconstruction of past human activity, evidence of which is remained in the form of documents or relics. For the reconstruction of historic period, the radiocarbon dating of ancient documents provides important information. Although radiocarbon age is converted into calendar age with the calibration curve, the calibrated radiocarbon age is still different from the historical age when the document was written. The difference is known as 'old wood effect' for wooden cultural property. The discrepancy becomes more serious problem for recent sample which requires more accurate age determination. Using Tandetron accelerator mass spectrometer at Nagoya University, we have measured radiocarbon ages of Japanese ancient documents, sutras and printed books written dates of which are clarified from the paleographic standpoint. The purpose is to clarify the relation between calibrated radiocarbon age and historical age of ancient Japanese document by AMS radiocarbon dating. This paper reports 23 radiocarbon ages of ancient Japanese documents, sutras and printed books. The calibrated radiocarbon ages are in good agreement with the corresponding historical ages. It was shown by radiocarbon dating of the ancient documents that Japanese paper has little gap by 'old wood effect'; accordingly, ancient Japanese paper is a suitable sample for radiocarbon dating of recent historic period. (author)

Authenticity in ancient DNA studies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilbert, M Thomas P; Willerslev, Eske

2006-01-01

Ancient DNA studies represent a powerful tool that can be used to obtain genetic insights into the past. However, despite the publication of large numbers of apparently successful ancient DNA studies, a number of problems exist with the field that are often ignored. Therefore, questions exist as ...

The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy

CERN Document Server

Evans, James

1998-01-01

The History and Practice of Ancient Astronomy combines new scholarship with hands-on science to bring readers into direct contact with the work of ancient astronomers. While tracing ideas from ancient Babylon to sixteenth-century Europe, the book places its greatest emphasis on the Greek period, when astronomers developed the geometric and philosophical ideas that have determined the subsequent character of Western astronomy. The author approaches this history through the concrete details of ancient astronomical practice. Carefully organized and generously illustrated, the book can teach reade

An investigation into the ancient abortion laws: comparing ancient Persia with ancient Greece and Rome.

Science.gov (United States)

Yarmohammadi, Hassan; Zargaran, Arman; Vatanpour, Azadeh; Abedini, Ehsan; Adhami, Siamak

2013-01-01

Since the dawn of medicine, medical rights and ethics have always been one of mankind's concerns. In any civilisation, attention paid to medical laws and ethics depends on the progress of human values and the advancement of medical science. The history of various civilisations teaches that each had its own views on medical ethics, but most had something in common. Ancient civilisations such as Greece, Rome, or Assyria did not consider the foetus to be alive and therefore to have human rights. In contrast, ancient Persians valued the foetus as a living person equal to others. Accordingly, they brought laws against abortion, even in cases of sexual abuse. Furthermore, abortion was considered to be a murder and punishments were meted out to the mother, father, and the person performing it.

The Ancient Greece's roots of Olimpism

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bubka Sergej Nazarovich

2011-10-01

Full Text Available The paper focused on the phenomena of sport in Ancient Greece along with history, traditions, religion, education, culture and art. Economic and political conditions are analysed which promote or hamper development of Olympic Games in Ancient Greece. Exceptional stability of Ancient Olympic games during more than eleven centuries are noted as well as their influence on the life of Greek polices of those days. Hellenistic period needs of individual consideration.

Urology and the scientific method in ancient Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Gordetsky, Jennifer; O'Brien, Jeanne

2009-03-01

To examine the practice of urology in ancient Egypt using various sources, including the Edwin Smith and Ebers Papyri. The sources of knowledge of ancient Egyptian medicine include medical papyri, paleopathology, art, and hieroglyphic carvings. A brief overview of the medical system in ancient Egypt was completed, in addition to an examination of the training and specialization of the physician in the ancient world. Urologic diseases treated in ancient Egypt and some of the first documented urologic surgeries are presented. Finally, we studied the role of the physician-priest and the intertwined use of religion and magic in ancient Egyptian medicine. The same medical conditions urologists treat in the office today were methodically documented thousands of years ago. Medical papyri show evidence that the ancient Egyptians practiced medicine using a scientific method based on the clinical observation of disease. This has been exemplified by the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus, a collection of surgical cases that gives a diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis for each ailment, and the discovery of medical specialization in ancient Egypt, giving us perhaps the world's first urologists. Intertwined with the scientific method was also the rich mysticism and religion of ancient Egypt, which were integral components of the healing process. We present an overview of the practice of urology in ancient Egypt, in terms of both pharmacologic and surgical intervention, as well as with a look into the religion of medicine practiced at that time.

Climate change, energy and sustainability: lessons from the Toronto-Niagara region

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chiotti, Q.

2001-01-01

(electricity and natural gas), and the demand for energy. Climate factors considered include changes in the mean, but more importantly variability in temperatures and changes in extreme weather events. This part of the discussion draws upon extensive research in the Toronto-Niagara Region, which has been supported through the Federal Interdepartmental Panel on Energy Research and Development (PERD). Emphasis is placed on identifying what aspects of current climate have had the greatest impact on the energy sector, and the adaptation options that will be necessary to reduce future vulnerability in face of inevitable climate variability and change. In section three, the emphasis shifts towards actions to reduce GHG plus related emissions, within the context of environmental and health benefits. The co-benefits of reducing GHG plus related emissions includes the implications for ecosystems and biodiversity, environmental health (managed (forestry) and unmanaged (agriculture) systems), social welfare and human health. This discussion is based on research conducted on co-benefits as part of the multi-stakeholder process to develop a national strategy on climate change. The paper concludes by providing a preliminary assessment of the various mitigation options currently being proposed to help reach emission targets set out in the Kyoto Protocol, as they apply to the Toronto-Niagara Region. The assessment, which will be undertaken in greater depth as part of Phases III through V of the PERD supported project, considers the vulnerability of an altered energy system to climate change impacts, and the potential co-benefits for environment and health This includes changes brought about by fossil fuel switching, the inter-provincial transmission of electricity, alternative technologies, and energy efficiency, amongst other mitigation actions. (author)

Paléobiocoenoses profondes à Scléractiniaires sur l'escarpement de Malte-Syracuse (mer Méditerranée : leur structure, leur âge et leur signification Deep-Sea Scleractinian Paleobiocoenoses from the Malta-Siracusa Escarpment (Mediterranean Sea: Their Structure, Age and Significance

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Taviani M.

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Des assemblages Pléistocène supérieur de Scléractiniaires ahermatypiques ont été prélevés sur l'escarpement de Malte-Syracuse à une profondeur d'eau en général supérieure à 2000 m, au cours de la campagne Escarmed 1 sur le N/O Jean Charcot. Les espèces les plus communes sont le corail Desmophyllum cristagalli et le bivalve Delectopecten vitreus, souvent encore en position de vie. La disparition des biocoenoses Desmophyllum-Delectopecten est probablement liée à une hausse de température provoquant une réduction du brassage vertical sur le fond et des conditions de quasi famine ; cependant une influence directe de la température sur la physiologie de tels organismes ne peut être écartée. Les calcaires coralliens reflètent une histoire sédimentologique complexe dont les principales étapes sont : la précipitation de carbonate par les organismes vivants, l'induration de la matrice vaseuse et le dépôt des oxydes Fe-Mn. Late Pleistocene scleractinian assemblages have been dredged along the Malta-Siracusa escarpment at a water depth generally > 2,000 m during the Escarmed 1 cruise of the R/V Jean Charcot. The most common species are the coral Desmophyllum cristagalli and the bivalve Delec-topecten vitreus often still in life position. The disappearance of the Desmophyllum-Delectopecten biocoenosis is probably related to an increase of temperature that lead to a reduced vertical mixing and conditions of quasi-starvation at the bottom: however, a more direct influx of the temperature on the physiology of such organisme can not be ruled out. The coral-bearing limestones reflect a complex sedimentological history whose main steps are: precipitation of carbonate by the living organisms, induration of the ooze matrix and deposition of Fe-Mn oxides.

Science and Library in the Ancient Age

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Hasan Sacit Keseroğlu

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Science assumes its contemporary identity as a result of the stages of magic, religion and reason. The religious stage starts with the invention of writing and this stage leaves its place to reason with Thales in Ancient Greece. Knowledge eludes from religious beliefs. Ways to reach accurate, reliable and realistic knowledge are sought, along with the answer for what knowledge is. Therefore, beginning of the science is taken into consideration together with science and philosophy. The purpose of this study is to approach knowledge and science of the ancient age in Mesopotamia, Egypt and Ancient Greece in general terms and to determine the relationship between the knowledge produced in those places and libraries established. The hypothesis has been determined as “Egypt and Mesopotamia at the starting point of the history of science and science, and libraries in Ancient Greece have developed parallelly to each other.” The scope of the study has been limited to Mesopotamia, Egypt and Ancient Greece; and Ancient Greece has been explained, with descriptive method, in the frame of the topics of Ionia, Athens, Hellenistic Period and Rome. Many archives and libraries have been established in the ancient age. The difference between an archive and a library has been mentioned first, and then, various libraries have been introduced such as Nineveh in Mesopotamia, Alexandria in Ancient Greece and many others in Egypt. It has been clearly distinguished that there had been a very tight relationship between knowledge production and library, especially with the Library of Alexandria.

Paleo-Environmental Reconstruction Using Ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Mikkel Winther

The aim of this thesis has been to investigate and expand the methodology and applicability for using ancient DNA deposited in lake sediments to detect and determine its genetic sources for paleo-environmental reconstruction. The aim was furthermore to put this tool into an applicable context...... solving other scientifically interesting questions. Still in its childhood, ancient environmental DNA research has a large potential for still developing, improving and discovering its possibilities and limitations in different environments and for identifying various organisms, both in terms...... research on ancient and modern environmental DNA (Paper 1), secondly by setting up a comparative study (Paper 2) to investigate how an ancient plant DNA (mini)-barcode can reflect other traditional methods (e.g. pollen and macrofossils) for reconstructing floristic history. In prolongation of the results...

AN INTERESTING CASE OF ANCIENT SCHWANNOMA

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Binu

2015-01-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION : Schwannoma is a common benign tumour of nerve sheath. Degenerating type of schwannoma is called ancient schwannoma. Ancient schwannomas of scalp are rare and are often misdiagnosed as sebaceous cyst or dermoid cyst. CASE REPORT : We present a thirty two year old male presented with scalp swel ling of eight years duration. X - ray showed no intracranial extension. He underwent excision of the tumour and histopathology was reported as ancient schwannoma. DISCUSSION : Histopathologically , ancient schwannomas charecterised by cellular Antoni type A ar eas and less cellular Antoni type - B areas. 9 th , 7 th , 11 th , 5 th and 4 th cranial nerves are often affected and may be associated with multiple neuro fibramatosis (Von - Recklinghausen’s disease. Impact : Case is presented for its rarity and possible pre - operative misdiagnosis

On Ancient Babylonian Algebra and Geometry

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

ber system prevalent during the ancient Mesopotamian civilization. In this article, we study the ... civilization provides a better insight into the thought processes of the ancient Babylonian mathematicians. In this context, consider the following ...

Ancient Biomolecules and Evolutionary Inference.

Science.gov (United States)

Cappellini, Enrico; Prohaska, Ana; Racimo, Fernando; Welker, Frido; Pedersen, Mikkel Winther; Allentoft, Morten E; de Barros Damgaard, Peter; Gutenbrunner, Petra; Dunne, Julie; Hammann, Simon; Roffet-Salque, Mélanie; Ilardo, Melissa; Moreno-Mayar, J Víctor; Wang, Yucheng; Sikora, Martin; Vinner, Lasse; Cox, Jürgen; Evershed, Richard P; Willerslev, Eske

2018-04-25

Over the last decade, studies of ancient biomolecules-particularly ancient DNA, proteins, and lipids-have revolutionized our understanding of evolutionary history. Though initially fraught with many challenges, the field now stands on firm foundations. Researchers now successfully retrieve nucleotide and amino acid sequences, as well as lipid signatures, from progressively older samples, originating from geographic areas and depositional environments that, until recently, were regarded as hostile to long-term preservation of biomolecules. Sampling frequencies and the spatial and temporal scope of studies have also increased markedly, and with them the size and quality of the data sets generated. This progress has been made possible by continuous technical innovations in analytical methods, enhanced criteria for the selection of ancient samples, integrated experimental methods, and advanced computational approaches. Here, we discuss the history and current state of ancient biomolecule research, its applications to evolutionary inference, and future directions for this young and exciting field. Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Biochemistry Volume 87 is June 20, 2018. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Trepanation in Ancient China.

Science.gov (United States)

Hobert, Leah; Binello, Emanuela

2017-05-01

Trepanation, the process of making a burr hole in the skull to access the brain, is an ancient form of a primitive craniotomy. There is widespread evidence of contributions made to this practice by ancient civilizations in Europe, Africa, and South America, where archaeologists have unearthed thousands of trepanned skulls dating back to the Neolithic period. Little is known about trepanation in China, and it is commonly believed that the Chinese used only traditional Chinese medicine and nonsurgical methods for treating brain injuries. However, a thorough analysis of the available archeological and literary evidence reveals that trepanation was widely practiced throughout China thousands of years ago. A significant number of trepanned Chinese skulls have been unearthed showing signs of healing and suggesting that patients survived after surgery. Trepanation was likely performed for therapeutic and spiritual reasons. Medical and historical works from Chinese literature contain descriptions of primitive neurosurgical procedures, including stories of surgeons, such as the legendary Hua Tuo, and surgical techniques used for the treatment of brain pathologies. The lack of translation of Chinese reports into the English language and the lack of publications on this topic in the English language may have contributed to the misconception that ancient China was devoid of trepanation. This article summarizes the available evidence attesting to the performance of successful primitive cranial surgery in ancient China. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Mechanisms in ancient Chinese books with illustrations

CERN Document Server

Hsiao, Kuo-Hung

2014-01-01

This book presents a unique approach for studying mechanisms and machines with drawings that were depicted unclearly in ancient Chinese books. The historical, cultural and technical backgrounds of the mechanisms are explained, and various mechanisms described and illustrated in ancient books are introduced. By utilizing the idea for the conceptual design of modern mechanisms, all feasible designs of ancient mechanisms with uncertain members and joints that meet the technical standards of the subjects’ time periods are synthesized systematically. Ancient Chinese crossbows (the original crossbow and repeating crossbows), textile mechanisms (silk-reeling mechanism, spinning mechanisms, and looms), and many other artisan's tool mechanisms are used as illustrated examples.  Such an approach provides a logical method for the reconstruction designs of ancient mechanisms with uncertain structures. It also provides an innovative direction for researchers to further identify the original structures of mechanisms...

Endocrinology in ancient Sparta.

Science.gov (United States)

Tsoulogiannis, Ioannis N; Spandidos, Demetrios A

2007-01-01

This article attempts to analyze the crucial link between the plant Agnus castus and human health, particularly hormonal status, with special reference to the needs of the society of ancient Sparta. The ancient Spartans used Agnus both as a cure for infertility and as a remedy to treat battle wounds. These special properties were recognized by the sanctuary of Asclepios Agnita, which was located in Sparta, as well as by medical practitioners in Sparta during the classical, Hellenistic and Roman ages.

Application of neutron activation analysis in study of ancient ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Guoxia; Zhao Weijuan; Gao Zhengyao; Xie Jianzhong; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin; Han Song

2000-01-01

Trace-elements in ancient ceramics and imitative ancient ceramics were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The NAA data are then analyzed by fuzzy cluster method and the trend cluster diagram is obtained. The raw material sources of ancient ceramics and imitative ancient ceramics are determined. The path for improving quality of imitative ancient ceramics is found

Comparative scaffolding and gap filling of ancient bacterial genomes applied to two ancient Yersinia pestis genomes

Science.gov (United States)

Doerr, Daniel; Chauve, Cedric

2017-01-01

Yersinia pestis is the causative agent of the bubonic plague, a disease responsible for several dramatic historical pandemics. Progress in ancient DNA (aDNA) sequencing rendered possible the sequencing of whole genomes of important human pathogens, including the ancient Y. pestis strains responsible for outbreaks of the bubonic plague in London in the 14th century and in Marseille in the 18th century, among others. However, aDNA sequencing data are still characterized by short reads and non-uniform coverage, so assembling ancient pathogen genomes remains challenging and often prevents a detailed study of genome rearrangements. It has recently been shown that comparative scaffolding approaches can improve the assembly of ancient Y. pestis genomes at a chromosome level. In the present work, we address the last step of genome assembly, the gap-filling stage. We describe an optimization-based method AGapEs (ancestral gap estimation) to fill in inter-contig gaps using a combination of a template obtained from related extant genomes and aDNA reads. We show how this approach can be used to refine comparative scaffolding by selecting contig adjacencies supported by a mix of unassembled aDNA reads and comparative signal. We applied our method to two Y. pestis data sets from the London and Marseilles outbreaks, for which we obtained highly improved genome assemblies for both genomes, comprised of, respectively, five and six scaffolds with 95 % of the assemblies supported by ancient reads. We analysed the genome evolution between both ancient genomes in terms of genome rearrangements, and observed a high level of synteny conservation between these strains. PMID:29114402

Reguladores vegetais influenciando número e tamanho de células das bagas da uva 'Niagara Rosada' Plant regulators influencing number and size of berry cells of 'Niagara Rosada' grapes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cássia Regina Yuriko Ide Vieira

2008-03-01

Full Text Available O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar o efeito do ácido giberélico, thidiazuron e quinmerac na anatomia das bagas de uvas cultivar 'Niagara Rosada', provenientes de vinhedo localizado em Dourados - MS. Realizaram-se três experimentos. No primeiro ensaio, utilizaram-se soluções aquosas de ácido giberélico (AG3 0; 15; 30; 45; 60; 75 e 90 mg.l-1, aplicadas no florescimento e repetidas aos 14 dias após (E1E2 e, no outro tratamento, o mesmo composto e doses aplicados uma única vez aos 14 dias após o florescimento (E2; no segundo experimento, thidiazuron (TDZ 0; 5; 10; 15; 20; 25 e 30 mg.l-1, aplicados quatro dias antes da antese e repetidos aos seis dias após o florescimento (E1E2; e no outro tratamento, o mesmo composto e doses aplicados uma única vez aos seis dias após o florescimento (E2; e, no terceiro, quinmerac 0; 10; 20; 30; 40; 50 e 60 mg.l-1, aplicados no florescimento e repetidos aos 14 dias após (E1E2, e, no outro tratamento, o mesmo composto e doses aplicados uma única vez, 14 dias após o florescimento (E2. As variáveis avaliadas foram: número e dimensões das células das bagas. Pelos resultados obtidos, verificou-se que duas aplicações de ácido giberélico, thidiazuron e quinmerac promoveram a divisão celular, enquanto a expansão celular foi observada com uma única aplicação de thidiazuron e quinmerac.The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the effect of the gibberellic acid, thidiazuron and quinmerac on grape berries anatomy of grapevine 'Niagara Rosada', in a vineyard located in Dourados - MS. Three trials were carried out. In the first trial, it was used gibberellic acid (AG3 0, 15, 30, 45, 60, 75 and 90 mg.l-1, applied in the bloom and repeated 14 days later (E1E2 and in the other treatment, the same compound and doses applied only once, 14 days after the bloom (E2; in the second experiment, thidiazuron (TDZ 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 mg.l-1, applied four days before antesis and repeated six days

Geologically ancient DNA: fact or artefact?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hebsgaard, Martin Bay; Phillips, Matthew J.; Willerslev, Eske

2005-01-01

Studies continue to report ancient DNA sequences and viable microbial cells that are many millions of years old. In this paper we evaluate some of the most extravagant claims of geologically ancient DNA. We conclude that although exciting, the reports suffer from inadequate experimental setup and...

The conscious of Nightmares in ancient China

OpenAIRE

西林, 眞紀子

2006-01-01

The analaysis concerns Nightmares in ancient China. People in ancient China were very afraid of Nightmares. Nightmares are described in the『春秋左氏傳』etc. The exocis Nightmares is described in the『周禮』. The ceremony "難" of exocis Nightmares in the『禮記』. In the characters Meng (夢) had the conscious of Nightmares in ancient China. The analaysis is about the characters 'Meng', about the characters of the relationship 'Meng'

Unriddling of ancient-medieval culture by PIXE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uda, M.

1997-01-01

Some examples are given for unriddling of ancient-medieval culture by PIXE. Effectiveness of PIXE to analyze art and archaeological objects is also explained. Objects employed here are 1) red, yellow, blue and white pigments painted on sun-dried bricks excavated in Egypt, 2) ancient glass beads used in the Near East, 3) South American mummy hair, 4) ancient slag excavated from Kansai-district, Japan 5) ink used by Galileo Galilei and 6) Renaissance style enameled gold jewelry. (author)

Influência da cobertura vegetal do solo na qualidade dos frutos de videira 'Niagara Rosada' Influence of soil cover with grass and leguminous plants on fruit characteristics of table grape variety Niagara Rosada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elaine Bahia Wutke

2005-12-01

Full Text Available Devido ao aumento no custo de produção com a utilização de cobertura morta com capim nas ruas da videira 'Niagara Rosada' e à dificuldade para sua aquisição, objetivou-se a possibilidade de substituí-la por plantas de cobertura intercalares. Em experimentos realizados em Indaiatuba e Jundiaí-SP, de 1999-2000 a 2003-2004, instalaram-se seis tratamentos nas entrelinhas, em blocos ao acaso e quatro repetições, constando de área no limpo; vegetação espontânea roçada; cobertura com capim seco de Brachiaria decumbens; cobertura verde de aveia preta (Avena strigosa; cobertura verde de chícharo (Lathyrus sativus; cobertura verde de tremoço (Lupinus albus, de março a outubro, seguidas de cobertura verde de mucuna anã (Mucuna deeringiana de outubro a março. Determinaram-se massa, comprimento e largura do cacho, engaço e bagas, número total de bagas por cacho e diâmetro do pedicelo de bagas, comparando-se os valores médios pelo teste de Duncan ao nível de 5%. Na média dos anos, os resultados com a cobertura verde foram similares ou mais favoráveis que os da cobertura com braquiária seca, podendo-se substituí-la por coberturas vegetais intercalares com gramínea e leguminosas, o ano todo, sem interferência negativa na qualidade comercial dos frutos.Grape vineyard in Southern Brazil utilize a large amount of mulch during autumn-winter season demanding extra efforts and costs, being its acquisition very difficult nowadays. In order to evaluate the possibility of replacing the tradicionally mulch by green cover species in the inter-row strip, two experiments were carried out in Indaiatuba and Jundiaí, SP, Brazil, from 1999/00 to 2003/04, with the table variety Niagara Rosada. The experimental design was a randomized block with four replications and six treatments: 1 no weeded area; 2 cut spontaneous local vegetation; 3 mulch of Brachiaria decumbens; 4 green cover of Avena strigosa from March to October followed by green cover of

Reconstructing ancient genomes and epigenomes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orlando, Ludovic Antoine Alexandre; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.; Willerslev, Eske

2015-01-01

DNA studies have now progressed to whole-genome sequencing for an increasing number of ancient individuals and extinct species, as well as to epigenomic characterization. Such advances have enabled the sequencing of specimens of up to 1 million years old, which, owing to their extensive DNA damage...... and contamination, were previously not amenable to genetic analyses. In this Review, we discuss these varied technical challenges and solutions for sequencing ancient genomes and epigenomes....

[Ancient Greek in modern language of medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Marković, Vera

2007-01-01

In order to standardize language of medicine, it is essential to have a good command of ancient Greek and Latin. We cannot deny a huge impact of ancient Greek medicine on medical terminology. Compounds of Greek origin related to terms for organs, illnesses, inflammations, surgical procedures etc. have been listed as examples. They contain Greek prefixes and suffixes transcribed into Latin and they have been analysed. It may be concluded that the modern language of medicine basically represents the ancient Greek language transcribed into Latin.

Deep sequencing of RNA from ancient maize kernels

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fordyce, Sarah Louise; Avila Arcos, Maria del Carmen; Rasmussen, Morten

2013-01-01

The characterization of biomolecules from ancient samples can shed otherwise unobtainable insights into the past. Despite the fundamental role of transcriptomal change in evolution, the potential of ancient RNA remains unexploited - perhaps due to dogma associated with the fragility of RNA. We hy...... maize kernels. The results suggest that ancient seed transcriptomics may offer a powerful new tool with which to study plant domestication....

The provenance investigation on ancient chinese Ru porcelains by NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Wang Jie; Chen Songhua

1997-01-01

The 28 samples of glazes and bodies of ancient Chinese Ru porcelains are analyzed by neutron activation. The 36 element contents in each sample are determined. The neutron activation analysis (NAA) data are analyzed by fuzzy cluster. The trend cluster diagram is obtained. The result shows that the ancient Chinese Ru porcelains were most probably from the same raw material source though they were from different time, fired in different kilns and in different colors. The near provenance relation between ancient Jun porcelain and ancient Ru porcelain is preliminarily analyzed. The two modern Ru porcelains approximate to ancient Ru porcelains, one becomes estranged from ancient Ru porcelains. Jingdezhen porcelain is unconcerned with Ru porcelains

Ancient Egyptian Medicine: A Systematic Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Samuel Adu-Gyamfi

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Our present day knowledge in the area of medicine in Ancient Egypt has been severally sourced from medical papyri several of which have been deduced and analyzed by different scholars. For educational purposes it is always imperative to consult different literature or sources in the teaching of ancient Egypt and medicine in particular. To avoid subjectivity the author has found the need to re-engage the efforts made by several scholars in adducing evidences from medical papyri. In the quest to re-engage the efforts of earlier writers and commentaries on the medical papyri, we are afforded the opportunity to be informed about the need to ask further questions to enable us to construct or reconstruct both past and modern views on ancient Egyptian medical knowledge. It is this vocation the author sought to pursue in the interim, through a preliminary review, to highlight, comment and reinvigorate in the reader or researcher the need for a continuous engagement of some pertinent documentary sources on Ancient Egyptian medical knowledge for educational and research purposes. The study is based on qualitative review of published literature. The selection of those articles as sources was based on the focus of the review, in order to purposively select and comment on articles that were published based either on information from a medical papyrus or focused on medical specialization among the ancient Egyptians as well as ancient Egyptian knowledge on diseases and medicine. It was found that the Egyptians developed relatively sophisticated medical practices covering significant medical fields such as herbal medicine, gynecology and obstetrics, anatomy and physiology, mummification and even the preliminary form of surgery. These practices, perhaps, were developed as remedies for the prevailing diseases and the accidents that might have occurred during the construction of their giant pyramids. It must be stated that they were not without flaws. Also, the

Ancient Greek in modern language of medicine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Marković Vera

2007-01-01

Full Text Available In order to standardize language of medicine, it is essential to have a good command of ancient Greek and Latin. We cannot deny a huge impact of ancient Greek medicine on medical terminology. Compounds of Greek origin related to terms for organs, illnesses, inflammations, surgical procedures etc. have been listed as examples. They contain Greek prefixes and suffixes transcribed into Latin and they have been analyzed. It may be concluded that the modern language of medicine basically represents the ancient Greek language transcribed into Latin.

Suicide in ancient Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Laios, K; Tsoukalas, G; Kontaxaki, M-I; Karamanou, M; Androutsos, G

2014-01-01

The theme of suicide appears several times in ancient Greek literature. However, each such reference acquires special significance depending on the field from which it originates. Most of the information found in mythology, but the suicide in a mythological tale, although in terms of motivation and mental situation of heroes may be in imitation of similar incidents of real life, in fact is linked with the principles of the ancient Greek religion. In ancient drama and mainly in tragedies suicide conduces to the tragic hypostasis of the heroes and to the evolution of the plot and also is a tool in order to be presented the ideas of poets for the relations of the gods, the relation among gods and men and the relation among the men. In ancient Greek philosophy there were the deniers of suicide, who were more concerned about the impact of suicide on society and also these who accepted it, recognizing the right of the individual to put an end to his life, in order to avoid personal misfortunes. Real suicides will be found mostly from historical sources, but most of them concern leading figures of the ancient world. Closer to the problem of suicide in the everyday life of antiquity are ancient Greek medicines, who studied the phenomenon more general without references to specific incidents. Doctors did not approve in principal the suicide and dealt with it as insane behavior in the development of the mental diseases, of melancholia and mania. They considered that the discrepancy of humors in the organ of logic in the human body will cause malfunction, which will lead to the absurdity and consequently to suicide, either due to excessive concentration of black bile in melancholia or due to yellow bile in mania. They believed that greater risk to commit suicide had women, young people and the elderly. As therapy they used the drugs of their time with the intention to induce calm and repression in the ill person, therefore they mainly used mandragora. In general, we would say

The Niagara Falls Storage Site Remedial Action Project. Status update and summary of special features

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, L.F.; Coxon, G.D.

1986-01-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and its Project Management Contractor, Bechtel National, Inc., are conducting remedial action at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) near Lewiston, New York to stabilize low-level radioactive wastes stored at the site and to decontaminate over two dozen contaminated vicinity properties. Over the past 4 years a 10-acre interim waste containment facility has been developed at the site to hold the approximately 250,000 yd/sup 3/ of contaminated soil and rubble from the cleanup operations. Several existing buildings were demolished or modified for burial inside the containment area. In addition, residues inside a 165-ft-high concrete tower were transferred to one of the buildings inside the containment area using hydraulic mining techniques. The residues were dewatered and covered with clay to minimize radom emanation; the tower was demolished and the rubble disposed of in the containment area. Environmental monitoring will continue throughout the interim storage period. In addition, the surface and subsurface condition of the containment structure will be monitored to ensure that undesirable trends are detected in time for corrective action to be taken. The DOE Record of Decision on the long-term disposition of the NFSS is expected to be made by the end of April, 1986

Exploring Ancient Skies An Encyclopedic Survey of Archaeoastronomy

CERN Document Server

Kelley, David H

2005-01-01

Exploring Ancient Skies brings together the methods of archaeology and the insights of modern astronomy to explore the science of astronomy as it was practiced in various cultures prior to the invention of the telescope. The book reviews an enormous and growing body of literature on the cultures of the ancient Mediterranean, the Far East, and the New World (particularly Mesoamerica), putting the ancient astronomical materials into their archaeological and cultural contexts. The authors begin with an overview of the field and proceed to essential aspects of naked-eye astronomy, followed by an examination of specific cultures. The book concludes by taking into account the purposes of ancient astronomy: astrology, navigation, calendar regulation, and (not least) the understanding of our place and role in the universe. Skies are recreated to display critical events as they would have appeared to ancient observers - events such as the supernova of 1054, the 'lion horoscope' or the 'Star of Bethlehem.' Exploring An...

Twins in Ancient Greece: a synopsis.

Science.gov (United States)

Malamitsi-Puchner, Ariadne

2016-01-01

This brief outline associates twins with several aspects of life in Ancient Greece. In Greek mythology twins caused ambivalent reactions and were believed to have ambivalent feelings for each other. Very often, they were viewed as the representatives of the dualistic nature of the universe. Heteropaternal superfecundation, which dominates in ancient myths, explains on one hand, the god-like qualities and, on the other hand, the mortal nature of many twins. An assumption is presented that legends referring to twins might reflect the territorial expansions of Ancient Greeks in Northern Mediterranean, around the Black Sea, in Asia Minor, as well as North East Africa. In conclusion, in Greek antiquity, twins have been used as transitional figures between myth and reality.

The Ancient Kemetic Roots of Library and Information Science.

Science.gov (United States)

Zulu, Itibari M.

This paper argues that the ancient people of Kemet (Egypt), "the black land," built and operated the first major libraries and institutions of higher education in the world. Topics of discussion include the Ancient Egyptians as an African people; a chronology of Ancient Kemet; literature in Kemet; a history of Egyptian Librarianship; the…

Ancient and modern women in the "Woman's World".

Science.gov (United States)

Hurst, Isobel

2009-01-01

Under the editorship of Oscar Wilde, the "Woman's World" exemplified the popular dissemination of Hellenism through periodical culture. Addressing topics such as marriage, politics, and education in relation to the lives of women in the ancient world, the magazine offered an unfamiliar version of the reception of ancient Greece and Rome in late-Victorian aestheticism, one that was accessible to a wide readership because it was often based on images rather than texts. The classical scholar Jane Ellen Harrison addressed herself to this audience of women readers, discussing the similarities between modern collegiate life and the "woman's world" that enabled Sappho to flourish in ancient Greece. The "Woman's World" thus questions gender stereotypes by juxtaposing ancient and modern women, implicitly endorsing varied models of womanhood.

Defining Astrology in Ancient and Classical History

Science.gov (United States)

Campion, Nicholas

2015-05-01

Astrology in the ancient and classical worlds can be partly defined by its role, and partly by the way in which scholars spoke about it. The problem is complicated by the fact that the word is Greek - it has no Babylonian or Egyptian cognates - and even in Greece it was interchangeable with its cousin, 'astronomy'. Yet if we are to understand the role of the sky, stars and planets in culture, debates about the nature of ancient astrology, by both classical and modern scholars, must be taken into account. This talk will consider modern scholars' typologies of ancient astrology, together with ancient debates from Cicero in the 1st century BC, to Plotinus (204/5-270 AD) and Isidore of Seville (c. 560 - 4 April 636). It will consider the implications for our understanding of astronomy's role in culture, and conclude that in the classical period astrology may be best understood through its diversity and allegiance to competing philosophies, and that its functions were therefore similarly varied.

The fingerprint element analysis on provenance of ancient chinese Jun porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Chen Songhua; Wang Jie; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin; Han Song

1997-01-01

Forty-three samples of ancient Jun porcelains and so on were chosen. Neutron activation analysis (NAA) was used to measure the 36 trace elements in every sample. Seven elements were chosen as the 'fingerprint elements'. The provenance of the glazes and bodies of ancient Chinese Jun porcelain were investigated by the fingerprint element analysis method. The result shows that although the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain samples have been leapt over six hundred years, and glaze colors are utterly different and are from many different kilns, there are long term, stable and same mainly raw material source. The near provenance relation between ancient Jun porcelain and ancient Ru porcelain is preliminarily analyzed. A few modern Jun porcelains approximate from ancient Jun porcelains, the majority become estranged from ancient Jun porcelain

Microanalysis study on ancient Wiangkalong Pottery

Science.gov (United States)

Won-in, K.; Tancharakorn, S.; Dararutana, P.

2017-09-01

Wiangkalong is one of major ceramic production cities in northern of Thailand, once colonized by the ancient Lanna Kingdom (1290 A.D.). Ancient Wiangkalong potteries were produced with shapes and designs as similar as those of the Chinese Yuan and Ming Dynasties. Due to the complex nature of materials and objects, extremely sensitive, spatially resolved, multi-elemental and versatile analytical instruments using non-destructive and non-sampling methods to analyze theirs composition are need. In this work, micro-beam X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy based on synchrotron radiation was firstly used to characterize the elemental composition of the ancient Wiangkalong pottery. The results showed the variations in elemental composition of the body matrix, the glaze and the underglaze painting, such as K, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn and Fe.

Efeito do ethephon sobre a brotação e vigor dos ramos da videira 'Niagara Rosada' (Vitis labrusca L. Effect of ethephon on sprout and vigor of branch of 'Niagara Rosada' (Vitis labrusca L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antonio Augusto Fracaro

2004-12-01

Full Text Available A produção da videira 'Niagara Rosada' em regiões tropicais e subtropicais do Brasil tem sido freqüentemente prejudicada, principalmente devido à dificuldade de emissão e desenvolvimento das brotações após a poda de produção, realizada nos meses de ocorrência de temperaturas mais baixas, o que tem causado redução nas produções e desestímulo aos viticultores. Para solucionar esse problema, foram conduzidos três experimentos, em pomares comerciais localizados na região Noroeste do Estado de São Paulo, com o objetivo de estudar o efeito do Ethephon, aplicado antes da poda de produção, na emissão e desenvolvimento das novas brotações e na duração do período da poda até a floração. Foram testadas quatro doses de ethephon (0 mg.L-1; 720 mg.L-1; 1.440 mg.L-1; 2.160 mg.L-1 aplicadas via foliar antes da poda de produção, nos meses de junho e julho de 2002. Observou-se que a aplicação de Ethephon proporcionou maior número de gemas brotadas, maior comprimento e diâmetro do ramo e não alterou o período da poda à floração. Especialmente quando da ocorrência de condições climáticas desfavoráveis e quando as plantas apresentaram satisfatório grau de enfolhamento, a aplicação de ethephon, na dose de 2.160 mg.L-1, foi a mais efetiva.The production of ' Niagara Rosada ' in tropical and subtropical regions of Brazil has been frequentmently reduced, mainly due to difficulty of emission and development of sprout after the yield prune carried out in the months of occurrence of lower temperatures, what caused reduction in yields and discourage of farmers. Three experiments was carried out to solve this problem, in commercial areas located in northwest region of São Paulo State, with the objective to verify the effect of Ethephon, applied before the yield prune, in emission and development of sprout and in duration of the period of pruning until the flowering. Four levels of Ethephon (0 mg.L-1; 720 mg.L-1; 1,440 mg.L-1

Legacy of the Ancient World: An Educational Guide. Understanding Ancient Culture through Art at the Tampa Museum of Art.

Science.gov (United States)

Whitelaw, R. Lynn

Among the many contributions made by Ancient Greeks and Romans to contemporary life, are those which influence art, architecture, literature, philosophy, mathematics and science, theater, athletics, religion, and the founding of democracy. The Tampa Museum of Art's classical collection offers a unique opportunity to learn about Ancient Greeks and…

The impact of reforestation on discharge and sediment fluxes in drylands: long-term evidences from the Western Rift Valley Escarpment (Northern Ethiopia)

Science.gov (United States)

Asfaha, Tesfaalem; Frankl, Amaury; Zenebe, Amanuel; Haile, Mitiku; Nyssen, Jan

2014-05-01

Deforestation and land degradation have been common problems in the Northern Ethiopian highlands, including for the Western Rift Valley Escarpment. In particular, the rapid deforestation of the steep catchments (average slope gradient of 44% ± 10%) in the second half of 20th century, together with rainfall variability and over-cultivation, resulted in the development of dense gully and scar networks. Subsequently, huge amounts sediment were taken to the densely populated graben bottoms. In response, extensive reforestation interventions were carried out as of the 1980s, resulting in improvements of vegetation cover in many catchments. This study analyses the spatio-temporal changes in vegetation cover and rainfall variability and their impact on discharge and sediment transport in escarpment catchments. Degree of rehabilitation was examined in 20 adjacent catchments by correlating the density of scar networks incised down to the bed rock with Normalize Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and slope gradient. Based on these results, 11 contrasting catchments were selected for detailed investigation. To study the current spatio-temporal variability in rainfall and its relation with daily peak discharge, 7 rain gauges were installed at different locations and altitudes. Trendlines of decadal rainfall variability since 1996 will be established based on the analysis of NOAA's rainfall estimates, and long-term rainfall variability will be explored by correlating the field data to long-term rainfall measurements in nearby synoptic stations. The changes in land use and cover will be detected from aerial photos of the 1935, 1965 and 1986. Peak discharges were monitored using 11 crest stage gauges. Fixed boulders were painted in stream reaches to quantify the transport of bedload. This was done by photographing the stream reaches and by measuring the displacement of painted boulders after flood events. In a multiple regression analysis, scar density was negatively related

GENERATION OF GEOMETRIC ORNAMENTS IN ANCIENT MOSAIC ART

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SASS Ludmila

2015-06-01

Full Text Available The paper examines geometrical ornaments from ancient mosaic.We studied the geometric generation by using Computer Aided Graphics for three examples of ancient mosaic: a mosaic of Ancient Corinth, a mosaic of the sacred geometry Flower of Life (exposed in the National Museum of Israel and a mosaic of fortress Masada - Israel. The technique of drawing ancient mosaic is recomposed using computer aided graphics. A program has been developed that can help draw a petal-type arc (semicircle of the mosaic that is the Byzantine church of Masada. Based on these mosaics, other variants of aesthetic images in monochrome or black and white and polychrome were drawn, all of which can be materialized in decorative art to embellish various surfaces: walls, floors, pools, fountains, etc.

A giant oil seep at a salt-induced escarpment of the São Paulo Plateau, Espírito Santo Basin, off Brazil: Host rock characteristics and geochemistry

Science.gov (United States)

Freire, Antonio Fernando Menezes; Iemini, Juliana Andrade; Viana, Adriano Roessler; Magnavita, Luciano Portugal; Dehler, Nolan Maia; Kowsmann, Renato Oscar; Miller, Dennis James; Bezerra, Sabrina Helena Diniz Gilaberte; Zerfass, Geise de Santana dos Anjos; Shimabukuro, Seirin; Nóbrega, Marcos, II

2017-12-01

An international research cruise named Iatá-Piuna took place on the São Paulo Plateau on May 2013 in the Campos and Espírito Santo basins, off Brazil. The cruise was carried ou on board the research vessel (R/V) Yokosuka that hosts the human operated vehicle (HOV) SHINKAI 6500. It aimed at finding chemosynthetic communities, composed of organisms capable of generating their own vital energy by metabolizing organic and inorganic compounds related to seeps. Identification of these organisms could provide information for understanding the origin of life, since they may resemble primitive organisms that existed in the initial stages of life on Earth. During Leg 2 (May 10-24, 2013), however, dives on the northern part of the São Paulo Plateau at the Espírito Santo Basin led to the discovery of a giant oil seep. The seep, ca. 3 nautical miles (ca. 5.6 km) in length is located along an outcrop of Eocene rocks on a salt-induced escarpment of the plateau and at a water depth of ca. 2700 m. The 200 m relief of the seafloor suggests that the seep takes place along an active fault system driven by salt diapirism. The oil was analyzed and identified as a severely biodegraded marine oil, generated by carbonate rocks within a minibasin located to the east of the escarpment. This represents valuable exploratory information because it proves that an active petroleum system is present in the context of minibasins associated with salt diapirism in the area.

Genetic diversity among ancient Nordic populations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Melchior, Linea Cecilie; Lynnerup, Niels; Siegismund, Hans Redlef

2010-01-01

, the success rate varied substantially between sites; the highest rates were obtained with untouched, freshly excavated material, whereas heavy handling, archeological preservation and storage for many years influenced the ability to obtain authentic endogenic DNA. While the nucleotide diversity at two...... the ancient Danes (average 13%) than among extant Danes and Scandinavians ( approximately 2.5%) as well as among other ancient population samples reported. Haplogroup I could therefore have been an ancient Southern Scandinavian type "diluted" by later immigration events. Interestingly, the two Neolithic...... samples (4,200 YBP, Bell Beaker culture) that were typed were haplogroup U4 and U5a, respectively, and the single Bronze Age sample (3,300-3,500 YBP) was haplogroup U4. These two haplogroups have been associated with the Mesolithic populations of Central and Northern Europe. Therefore, at least...

Damage and repair of ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mitchell, David; Willerslev, Eske; Hansen, Anders

2005-01-01

degradation, these studies are limited to species that lived within the past 10(4)-10(5) years (Late Pleistocene), although DNA sequences from 10(6) years have been reported. Ancient DNA (aDNA) has been used to study phylogenetic relationships of protists, fungi, algae, plants, and higher eukaryotes...... such as extinct horses, cave bears, the marsupial wolf, the moa, and Neanderthal. In the past few years, this technology has been extended to the study of infectious disease in ancient Egyptian and South American mummies, the dietary habits of ancient animals, and agricultural practices and population dynamics......, and extensive degradation. In the course of this review, we will discuss the current aDNA literature describing the importance of aDNA studies as they relate to important biological questions and the difficulties associated with extracting useful information from highly degraded and damaged substrates derived...

Testing of Alignment Parameters for Ancient Samples: Evaluating and Optimizing Mapping Parameters for Ancient Samples Using the TAPAS Tool

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Ulrike H. Taron

2018-03-01

Full Text Available High-throughput sequence data retrieved from ancient or other degraded samples has led to unprecedented insights into the evolutionary history of many species, but the analysis of such sequences also poses specific computational challenges. The most commonly used approach involves mapping sequence reads to a reference genome. However, this process becomes increasingly challenging with an elevated genetic distance between target and reference or with the presence of contaminant sequences with high sequence similarity to the target species. The evaluation and testing of mapping efficiency and stringency are thus paramount for the reliable identification and analysis of ancient sequences. In this paper, we present ‘TAPAS’, (Testing of Alignment Parameters for Ancient Samples, a computational tool that enables the systematic testing of mapping tools for ancient data by simulating sequence data reflecting the properties of an ancient dataset and performing test runs using the mapping software and parameter settings of interest. We showcase TAPAS by using it to assess and improve mapping strategy for a degraded sample from a banded linsang (Prionodon linsang, for which no closely related reference is currently available. This enables a 1.8-fold increase of the number of mapped reads without sacrificing mapping specificity. The increase of mapped reads effectively reduces the need for additional sequencing, thus making more economical use of time, resources, and sample material.

Moessbauer studies on ancient Jizhon plain Temmoku porcelains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Zhengfang; Zheng Yufang; Lin Yongqiang

1994-01-01

Three kinds of ancient Jizhou plain Temmoku wares and their several ware-making raw materials were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Moessbauer spectroscopy. The firing technique of ancient Jizhou Temmoku porcelains is discussed. (orig.)

Tracking down human contamination in ancient human teeth

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sampietro, María Lourdes; Gilbert, M Thomas P; Lao, Oscar

2006-01-01

DNA sequences can be used to support data authenticity is misleading in scenarios where the presence of old contaminant sequences is possible. We argue therefore that the typing of those involved in the manipulation of the ancient human specimens is critical in order to ensure that generated results......DNA contamination arising from the manipulation of ancient calcified tissue samples is a poorly understood, yet fundamental, problem that affects the reliability of ancient DNA (aDNA) studies. We have typed the mitochondrial DNA hypervariable region I of the only 6 people involved in the excavation...

Detecting Ancient Tuberculosis

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Angela M. Gernaey

1998-12-01

Full Text Available Some diseases have played a more significant role in human development than others. Here we describe the results of a trial to diagnose ancient tuberculosis using chemical methods. Palaeo-epidemiological studies of the disease are compromised, but it has become apparent that tuberculosis (TB is a 'population-density dependent' disease. From modern studies, it is also apparent that the prevalence of TB can be used as an indicator of the level of poverty within the studied population. Mid-shaft rib samples from articulated individuals recovered from the former Newcastle Infirmary Burial Ground (1753-1845 AD were examined for mycolic acids that are species-specific for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The 24% of ribs positive for mycolic acids correlated with the documented 27% tuberculosis prevalence. Mycolic acid biomarkers have the potential to provide an accurate trace of the palaeo-epidemiology of tuberculosis in ancient populations, thereby providing an indication of the overall level of poverty - a useful adjunct for archaeology.

Fingerprint elements scatter analysis on ancient chinese Ru porcelains samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Wang Jie; Chen Xiande

1997-01-01

Altogether 28 samples, mainly including glazes and bodies of ancient Chinese Ru porcelain, were analyzed by NAA technique and the contents of 36 elements were compared. The scatter analysis for nine fingerprint-elements indicates that almost all ancient Chinese Ru porcelain samples had nearly identical and long-term stable source of raw materials although they were fired in different kilns, at varying time and with distinct colors, and moreover, the source of raw materials for modern Ru porcelain seems to approach that for ancient one. The close provenance relation between ancient Jun porcelain and ancient Ru porcelain is also preliminarily verified. The glaze material of Jingdezhen white porcelain is totally different from all other samples. It shows that the former came from a separate source

Deciphering Equine Evolution and Spatial Ancestry with Ancient Data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jónsson, Hákon

High-throughput sequencing has opened ancient DNA research to genomics, revolutionizing the amount of genetic information retrievable from archaeological and paleontological remains. Paleogenomics is still in infancy and requires substantial improvements in computational methods tailored to the s......High-throughput sequencing has opened ancient DNA research to genomics, revolutionizing the amount of genetic information retrievable from archaeological and paleontological remains. Paleogenomics is still in infancy and requires substantial improvements in computational methods tailored...... in the analysis of environmental bacterial sequences, which generally dominate ancient DNA extracts, and in the first pipeline completely devoted to the computational analysis of raw ancient DNA sequences. We then develop a spatially explicit method for determining which extant populations show the greatest...... genetic anity to ancient individuals, which often represents the key question in human paleogenomic projects. We applied the computational infrastructure developed to complete the genomic characterization of extant members of the genus Equus, which is composed of horses, asses and zebras. We sequenced...

Dreams in ancient Greek Medicine.

Science.gov (United States)

Laios, K; Moschos, M M; Koukaki, E; Vasilopoulos, E; Karamanou, M; Kontaxaki, M-I; Androutsos, G

2016-01-01

Dreams preoccupied the Greek and Roman world in antiquity, therefore they had a prominent role in social, philosophical, religious, historical and political life of those times. They were considered as omens and prophetic signs of future events in private and public life, and that was particularly accentuated when elements of actions which took place in the plot of dreams were associated directly or indirectly with real events. This is why it was important to use them in divination, and helped the growth of superstition and folklore believes. Medicine as a science and an anthropocentric art, could not ignore the importance of dreams, having in mind their popularity in antiquity. In ancient Greek medicine dreams can be divided into two basic categories. In the first one -which is related to religious medicine-dreams experienced by religionists are classified, when resorted to great religious sanctuaries such as those of Asclepius (Asclepieia) and Amphiaraos (Amfiaraeia). These dreams were the essential element for healing in this form of religious medicine, because after pilgrims underwent purifications they went to sleep in a special dwelling of the sanctuaries called "enkoimeterion" (Greek: the place to sleep) so that the healing god would come to their dreams either to cure them or to suggest treatment. In ancient Greek literature there are many reports of these experiences, but if there may be phenomena of self-suggestion, or they could be characterized as propaganda messages from the priesthood of each sanctuary for advertising purposes. The other category concerns the references about dreams found in ancient Greek medical literature, where one can find the attempts of ancient Greek physicians to interpret these dreams in a rational way as sings either of a corporal disease or of psychological distress. This second category will be the object of our study. Despite the different ways followed by each ancient Greek physician in order to explain dreams, their

Honey and Beekeeping among the Okiek of Mariashoni, Mau Forest Escarpment, Nakuru District, Kenya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ilaria Micheli

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Gli Okiek (Nilotico meridionale - Kalenjin sono un gruppo di cacciatori-raccoglitori stanziati negli altipiani del Mau Forest Escarpment in Kenya. Fin dall’antichità le loro attività principali sono state la caccia e la raccolta, in special modo quella del miele. Dopo aver rappresentato per secoli il bene di scambio più prezioso con le vicine popolazioni di agricoltori e pastori Nandi e Maasai di cui gli Okiek erano definiti Dorobo, ovvero servitori, il miele rimane a tutt’oggi l’elemento nutrizionale più ricco della loro dieta. Nel lontano 1955 Huntingford scriveva che il miele per gli Okiek rappresentava qualcosa di sacro, esattamente come il latte di vacca per i Nandi ed altri gruppi pastorali nilotici. Tracce di questo valore sacro si ritrovano ancora oggi nella cultura materiale degli Okiek legata alla raccolta e al consumo (domestico e rituale del miele. In questo articolo, basato su dati raccolti durante una ricerca sul campo nella regione di Mariashoni tra gennaio e febbraio 2013, cercherò di dare conto dei saperi tecnici, linguistici e culturali legati alle attività dell’apicoltura tra gli Okiek. In breve tratterò della conoscenza delle api e dei loro cicli vitali, del valore del miele nelle attività quotidiane, delle tecniche di costruzione delle arnie tradizionali e delle tecniche di raccolta e conservazione del miele. L’articolo è accompagnato da un lessico culturale e da una serie di tavole illustrative.

Ancient DNA and Forensics Mutual Benefits a Practical Sampling and Laboratory Guide Through a Virtual Ancient DNA Study

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Jan Cemper-Kiesslich

2014-09-01

In this review the authors give a general overview on the field of ancient DNA analysis focussing of the potentials and limits, fields of application, requirements for samples, laboratory setup, reaction design and equipment as well as a brief outlook on current developments, future perspectives and potential cross links with associated scientific disciplines. Key words: Human DNA, Ancient DNA, Forensic DNA typing, Molecular archaeology, Application.

CHANT (CHinese ANcient Texts): a comprehensive database of all ancient Chinese texts up to 600 AD

OpenAIRE

Ho, Che Wah

2006-01-01

The CHinese ANcient Texts (CHANT) database is a long-term project which began in 1988 to build up a comprehensive database of all ancient Chinese texts up to the sixth century AD. The project is near completion and the entire database, which includes both traditional and excavated materials, will be released on the CHANT Web site (www.chant.org) in mid-2002. With more than a decade of experience in establishing an electronic Chinese literary database, we have gained much insight useful to the...

Ancient DNA analysis of dental calculus.

Science.gov (United States)

Weyrich, Laura S; Dobney, Keith; Cooper, Alan

2015-02-01

Dental calculus (calcified tartar or plaque) is today widespread on modern human teeth around the world. A combination of soft starchy foods, changing acidity of the oral environment, genetic pre-disposition, and the absence of dental hygiene all lead to the build-up of microorganisms and food debris on the tooth crown, which eventually calcifies through a complex process of mineralisation. Millions of oral microbes are trapped and preserved within this mineralised matrix, including pathogens associated with the oral cavity and airways, masticated food debris, and other types of extraneous particles that enter the mouth. As a result, archaeologists and anthropologists are increasingly using ancient human dental calculus to explore broad aspects of past human diet and health. Most recently, high-throughput DNA sequencing of ancient dental calculus has provided valuable insights into the evolution of the oral microbiome and shed new light on the impacts of some of the major biocultural transitions on human health throughout history and prehistory. Here, we provide a brief historical overview of archaeological dental calculus research, and discuss the current approaches to ancient DNA sampling and sequencing. Novel applications of ancient DNA from dental calculus are discussed, highlighting the considerable scope of this new research field for evolutionary biology and modern medicine. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Truth Obviousness in Ancient Greek Philosophy

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Halyna I. Budz

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The article examines the features of the axiomatic approach to the truth understanding in ancient Greek philosophy. Truth in the works by ancient philosophers has axiomatic essence, basing on divine origin of truth. As the truth has a divine origin, it is in reality. The reality, created by Gods is the solemn reality. Therefore, understanding of reality by man is the display of divine reality, which is true and clever. In of the context of ancient Greek philosophy, to know truth is to know something, existing in reality, in other words, something, truly existing, eternal reality. Consequently, to know truth is it to know the substantial reality base. That’s why the justification of the reality origin is the axiomatic doctrine of truth at the same time, because only fundamental principle “truly” exists and is the truth itself. The idea of fundamental principle in ancient Greek philosophy is the axiom, universal principle, which is the base of reality as a substance from ontological perspective and is realized as the truth from gnosiological perspective. Fundamental principle, as Greeks understand it, coincides with the truth, in other words, reality and thinking are identical. The idea of reality source is the universal criterion of world perception at the same time, in other words, it is the truth, which is perceived axiomatically.

Comportamento produtivo da videira 'Niagara Rosada' em diferentes sistemas de condução, com e sem cobertura plástica, durante as safras de inverno e de verão

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José Luiz Hernandes

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Na região de Jundiaí (SP, os produtores de uva de mesa utilizam principalmente a cultivar Niagara Rosada. Atualmente, para aumentar a renda, o viticultor usa algumas alternativas tecnológicas que têm sido preconizadas, como o cultivo em manjedoura na forma de Y, em substituição ao sistema de condução em espaldeira; a poda extemporânea que permite duas safras por ano (de verão e de inverno e o uso de cobertura plástica para a proteção dos cachos contra intempéries e doenças. Portanto, foi desenvolvido um experimento visando a caracterizar a influência do sistema de condução, do uso de cobertura plástica e da poda extemporânea na produção e no tamanho dos cachos de 'Niagara Rosada'. Os resultados obtidos durante as safras de verão (2008 e 2009 e de inverno (2009 e 2010 permitiram verificar que, no sistema de condução em Y, foram obtidas maiores produções e tamanho de cacho em relação ao espaldeira. O uso de cobertura plástica no sistema em Y propiciou aumento de produção devido ao incremento em número e massa dos cachos. Também foi verificado que tanto a produção quanto a massa do cacho foram superiores na safra de verão em comparação à de inverno.

Colour Perception in Ancient World

Science.gov (United States)

Nesterov, D. I.; Fedorova, M. Yu

2017-11-01

How did the human thought form the surrounding color information into the persistent semantic images of a mythological, pseudoscientific and religious nature? The concepts associated with colour perception are suggested. The existence of colour environment does not depend on the human consciousness. The colour culture formation is directly related to the level of the human consciousness development and the possibility to influence the worldview and culture. The colour perception of a person goes through the stages similar to the development of colour vision in a child. Like any development, the colour consciousness has undergone stages of growth and decline, evolution and stagnation. The way of life and difficult conditions for existence made their own adjustments to the development of the human perception of the surrounding world. Wars have been both a powerful engine of progress in all spheres of life and a great destructive force demolishing the already created and preserved heritage. The surrounding world has always been interesting for humans, evoked images and fantasies in the consciousness of ancient people. Unusual and inexplicable natural phenomena spawned numerous legends and myths which was reflected in the ancient art and architecture and, accordingly, in a certain manifestation of colour in the human society. The colour perception of the ancient man, his pragmatic, utilitarian attitude to colour is considered as well as the influence of dependence on external conditions of existence and their reflection in the colour culture of antiquity. “Natural Science” conducts research in the field of the colour nature and their authorial interpretation of the Hellenic period. Several authorial concepts of the ancient world have been considered.

Dacic Ancient Astronomical Research in Sarmizegetuza

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Emanuel George Oprea

2015-11-01

Full Text Available The actual Romanian territory belongs to Carpatho-Danubian Space and to Ancient Europe. The Ancient European Society was a vast cultural entity based on a theocratic, matriarchal society, peaceful and art creating.Temples of Sarmizegetusa have given rise to several theories over time, proven by historians with the most diverse arguments. The largest complex of temples and sanctuaries was founded in Sarmizegetusa Regia, the Dacian’s main fortress and ancient capital of Dacia in the time of King Decebalus. The mysterious form of settlements has led researchers to the conclusion that the locations were astronomical observation shrines. Among the places of Dacian worship in Orastie Mountains the most impressive is the Great Circular Sanctuary, used to perform some celestial observations, and also as original solar calendar. This paper had the purpose to re-discover the Dacian Civilization and Dacian cosmogony based on the accumulated knowledge upon our country’s past.

Did the ancient egyptians discover Algol?

Science.gov (United States)

Jetsu, L.; Porceddu, S.; Porceddu, S.; Lyytinen, J.; Kajatkari, P.; Markkanen, T.; Toivari-Viitala, J.

2013-02-01

Fabritius discovered the first variable star, Mira, in 1596. Holwarda determined the 11 months period of Mira in 1638. Montanari discovered the next variable star, Algol, in 1669. Its period, 2.867 days, was determined by Goodricke (178). Algol was associated with demon-like creatures, "Gorgon" in ancient Greek and "ghoul" in ancient Arab mythology. This indicates that its variability was discovered much before 1669 (Wilk 1996), but this mythological evidence is ambiguous (Davis 1975). For thousands of years, the Ancient Egyptian Scribes (AES) observed stars for timekeeping in a region, where there are nearly 300 clear nights a year. We discovered a significant periodicity of 2.850 days in their calendar for lucky and unlucky days dated to 1224 BC, "the Cairo Calendar". Several astrophysical and astronomical tests supported our conclusion that this was the period of Algol three millennia ago. The "ghoulish habits" of Algol could explain this 0.017 days period increase (Battersby 2012).

Atmosfera modificada e refrigeração para conservação pós-colheita de uva 'Niagara Rosada' Modified atmosphere and cold storage for postharvest conservation of 'Niagara Rosada' table grape

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Patrícia Cia

2010-10-01

Full Text Available O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os efeitos da atmosfera modificada na conservação pós-colheita da uva 'Niagara Rosada' armazenada sob refrigeração, em dois experimentos. No primeiro experimento avaliou-se o acondicionamento de cachos nas seguintes embalagens: papelão ondulado (testemunha; tereftalato de polietileno (PET; cloreto de polivinila (PVC 17 μm; polietileno linear de baixa densidade (PELBD 25 μm; e PELBD 50 μm. Em outro experimento, avaliaram-se os sistemas de acondicionamento: sacolas de plástico abertas (testemunha; polietileno de baixa densidade (PEBD 25 μm; PEBD 25 μm, com injeção de mistura gasosa (21% O2/5% CO2; PEBD 25 μm (21% O2/10% CO2; PEBD 25 μm (21% O2/20% CO2. Os cachos foram armazenados a 1±1°C e 90±5% de umidade relativa (UR por 28 dias, seguido de armazenamento em condições do ambiente (25±2°C e 80±5% UR. Os cachos foram avaliados quanto à perda de massa de matéria fresca, firmeza, cor das bagas, esbagoamento, sólidos solúveis totais (SST, acidez titulável (AT, relação SST/AT e incidência de podridões. O filme PELBD 50 μm, a partir do 14º dia a 1°C, seguido por mais três dias a 25°C, causou a fermentação dos cachos. As embalagens PELBD 25 μm, com ou sem injeção de mistura gasosa, e PVC 17 μm reduzem a perda de massa de matéria fresca dos cachos, mas não reduzem o esbagoamento e a incidência de podridões.The objective of this work was to evaluate the effect of the modified atmosphere, on the storage life of 'Niagara Rosada' Table grape kept under refrigeration in two experiments. In the first one, grape clusters stored in different package materials were evaluated: corrugated cardboard boxes, polyethylene tereftalate (PET; 17-μm polyvinyl chloride (PVC; 25-μm low density linear polyethylene film (PELDB; and 50-μm PELDB. On a second assay, different packaging systems were evaluated: opened plastic bags; 25-μm low density polyethylene film (PEBD; 25-μm PEBD, with

Linen in Ancient Egypt

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dr.Rehab Mahmoud Ahmed Elsharnouby

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Egypt was famous through the Ancient Near East for both weaving linen cloth and the produced quantities. Cloth was sent as expensive gifts from one king to another and given to a laborer as wages in return for his work. Cloth was regarded as an essential element in everyday life as it could be used for everything: clothing, bedding, trappings for animals, or sails of a ship. It was in fact one of the most widely used item throughout Ancient Egypt. Although other textile fibers were used in Pharaonic Egypt, namely, sheep's wool, goat hair and a form of coir, the majority of textiles were made from the plant Linum usitatissimum, flax. Cloth made from this fiber is defined as linen. The research starts with a brief definition of the flax, and then reviews the scenes representing the sowing and the harvesting of its seeds. It also focuses on the way of removing the seeds heads, the preparing of the flax for spinning: retting, beating and scutching. After that, it deals with transforming flax into orderly lengths, and rolling it into balls or coils. The researcher as well studies the Ancient Egyptian spinning techniques: grasped spindle, support spindle and drop spinning; the different types of weaving: tabby weaves, basket weaves, tapestry weaves and warps-patterned weave and the types of looms that were in use in Egypt, namely, the horizontal and vertical looms.

Ancient Wisdom, Applied Knowledge for a Sustainable Future

Science.gov (United States)

Peterson, K.; Philippe, R. Elde; Dardar, T. M. Elde

2017-12-01

Ancient wisdom informs traditional knowledges that guide Indigenous communities on how to interact with the world. These knowledges and the ancient wisdom have been the life-giving forces that have prevented the complete genocide of Indigenous peoples, and is also the wisdom that is rejuvenating ancient ways that will take the world into a future that embraces the seventh generation philosophy.. Western scientists and agency representatives are learning from the work and wisdom of Native Americans. This presentation will share the ways in which the representatives of two Tribes along the coast of Louisiana have been helping to educate and apply their work with Western scientists.

Radiocarbon ages of Sorori ancient rice of Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Kyeong Ja, E-mail: kjkim@kigam.re.kr [Korea Institute of Geoscience and Mineral Resources, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Yung-Jo; Woo, Jong-Yoon [Institute of Korean Prehistory, Cheongju (Korea, Republic of); Jull, A.J. Timothy [NSF Arizona AMS Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721 (United States)

2013-01-15

Samples of Sorori ancient rice were excavated in 1998 from the Sorori Paleolithic site located at Sorori, Oksan-myeon, Cheong-won County in Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. We have made new radiocarbon measurements for Sorori samples in 2009 at the NSF Arizona AMS Laboratory. Both ancient rice samples and surrounded peat from the Sorori site were dated. The AMS results confirmed that the ages of the rice and peat soil were 12,520 {+-} 150 and 12,552 {+-} 90 BP, respectively. These radiocarbon ages are consistent with the previously published data of quasi rice measured at Seoul National University and confirm that the Sorori rice is the oldest ancient rice currently reported.

An Ancient Inca Tax and Metallurgy in Peru

Science.gov (United States)

Journal of Chemical Education, 2007

2007-01-01

The discovery of ancient Inca tax rulers and other metallurgical objects in Peru show that the ancient civilizations of the country smelted metals. The analysis shows that the smelters in Peru switched from the production of copper to silver after a tax was imposed on them by the Inca rulers.

Neutron activation analysis of some ancient and modern Chinese Jun Porcelain samples

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Wang Jie; Chen Songhua; Huang Zhongxiang; Han Song; Jia Xiuqin

1997-01-01

Up to 43 glaze and body samples of ancient and modern Chinese Jun Porcelain and other porcelain are chosen and contents of 36 elements for each sample are determined by NAA. The NAA data are then analysed by the fuzzy cluster method. The result shows that although the ancient Jun Porcelain samples span leaped 600 years and are from different kilns and their glaze colors are utterly different, they have a long-term, stable and mainly the same supply of raw material. The relation between ancient Jun Porcelain and ancient Ru Porcelain is also preliminarily analysed. It is found that only few modern Jun Porcelain samples are similar to ancient Jun Porcelain but the majority of them are different from ancient ones

Reconstructing an Ancient Wonder.

Science.gov (United States)

Imhof, Christopher J.

2001-01-01

Describes a Montessori class project involving the building of a model of the ancient Briton monument, Stonehenge. Illustrates how the flexibility of the Montessori elementary curriculum encourages children to make their own toys and learn from the process. (JPB)

Mitogenomic analyses from ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Paijmans, Johanna L. A.; Gilbert, Tom; Hofreiter, Michael

2013-01-01

The analysis of ancient DNA is playing an increasingly important role in conservation genetic, phylogenetic and population genetic analyses, as it allows incorporating extinct species into DNA sequence trees and adds time depth to population genetics studies. For many years, these types of DNA...... analyses (whether using modern or ancient DNA) were largely restricted to the analysis of short fragments of the mitochondrial genome. However, due to many technological advances during the past decade, a growing number of studies have explored the power of complete mitochondrial genome sequences...... yielded major progress with regard to both the phylogenetic positions of extinct species, as well as resolving population genetics questions in both extinct and extant species....

Ancient Egypt in our Cultural Heritage?

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Vera Vasiljević

2016-02-01

Full Text Available Inspiration derived from ancient Egypt is usually expressed through the Egyptian motifs in arts and popular culture of the 19th and 20th centuries, as well as through the non-scientific interpretations of the culture, very much based upon the Renaissance ones. The number and variety of material and non-material traces of this fascination are most expressed in the countries where, along with the early support for the institutional development of Egyptology, there existed economically potent educated middle classes (Western and Central Europe, USA, but may also be traced elsewhere. The public fascination by ancient Egypt has not ceased by the times of foundation of Egyptology, marked by the decipherment of the hieroglyphic script in 1822. Until the end of the 20th century Egyptologists have rarely dealt with the prelude to their discipline, limiting their interest to the critical approach to ancient sources and to noting the attempts to interpret the hieroglyphic script and the function of pyramids. However, the rising importance of the reception studies in other disciplines raised the interest of Egyptologists for the "fascination of Egypt", thus changing the status of various modes of expressing "Egyptomania" – they have thus become a part of the cultural heritage, registered, documented, preserved and studied. The research of this kind is only beginning in Serbia. The line of inquiry enhances the knowledge of the scope, manifestations and roles of the interest in Egypt, not limited by the national or political borders. On the other hand, the existence of the cultural heritage similar to the wider European view of ancient Egypt – short remarks by Jerotej Račanin, Kandor by Atanasije Stojković, the usage of architectural motifs derived from Egypt, the emergence of small private collections, to mention several early examples – all show that the research into the reception of ancient Egypt may contribute to the knowledge about the history

Design report for the interim waste containment facility at the Niagara Falls Storage Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1986-05-01

Low-level radioactive residues from pitchblende processing and thorium- and radium-contaminated sand, soil, and building rubble are presently stored at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) in Lewiston, New York. These residues and wastes derive from past NFSS operations and from similar operations at other sites in the United States conducted during the 1940s by the Manhattan Engineer District (MED) and subsequently by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). The US Department of Energy (DOE), successor to MED/AEC, is conducting remedial action at the NFSS under two programs: on-site work under the Surplus Facilities Managemnt Program and off-site cleanup of vicinity properties under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program. On-site remedial action consists of consolidating the residues and wastes within a designated waste containment area and constructing a waste containment facility to prevent contaminant migration. The service life of the system is 25 to 50 years. Near-term remedial action construction activities will not jeopardize or preclude implementation of any other remedial action alternative at a later date. Should DOE decide to extend the service life of the system, the waste containment area would be upgraded to provide a minimum service life of 200 years. This report describes the design for the containment system. Pertinent information on site geology and hydrology and on regional seismicity and meteorology is also provided. Engineering calculations and validated computer modeling studies based on site-specific and conservative parameters confirm the adequacy of the design for its intended purposes of waste containment and environmental protection

Niagara Falls storage site annual environmental report for calendar year 1990, Lewiston, New York

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1991-08-01

Environmental monitoring of the US DOE Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and surrounding area began in 1981. NFSS is part of a DOE program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation's atomic energy program or from commercial, operations causing conditions the Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. Environmental monitoring systems at NFSS include sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uranium and radium-226 concentrations in surface water sediments, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are routinely measured in groundwater. During 1990, the average ambient air radon concentration (including background) at NFSS ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 pCi/L (0.01 to 0.03 Bq/L); the maximum at any location for any quarter was 1.6 pCi/L (0.06 Bq/L). The average on-site external gamma radiation exposure level was 69 mR/yr; the average at the property line was 68 mR/yr (including background). The average background radiation level in the area was 66 mR/yr. Average annual concentrations of radium-226 and total uranium in surface water ranged from 0.4E-9 to 0.9E-9 μCi/m1 (0.02 to 0.03 Bq/L) and from 5E-9 to 9E-9 μCi/m1 (0.2 to 0.3 Bq/L), respectively. Routine analyses of groundwater samples from NFSS included the indicator parameters total organic carbon, total organic halides, pH, and specific conductivity

Niagara Falls storage site annual environmental report for calendar year 1990, Lewiston, New York

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1991-08-01

Environmental monitoring of the US DOE Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and surrounding area began in 1981. NFSS is part of a DOE program to decontaminate or otherwise control sites where residual radioactive materials remain from the early years of the nation's atomic energy program or from commercial, operations causing conditions the Congress has authorized DOE to remedy. Environmental monitoring systems at NFSS include sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uranium and radium-226 concentrations in surface water sediments, and groundwater. Additionally, several nonradiological parameters are routinely measured in groundwater. During 1990, the average ambient air radon concentration (including background) at NFSS ranged from 0.3 to 0.7 pCi/L (0.01 to 0.03 Bq/L); the maximum at any location for any quarter was 1.6 pCi/L (0.06 Bq/L). The average on-site external gamma radiation exposure level was 69 mR/yr; the average at the property line was 68 mR/yr (including background). The average background radiation level in the area was 66 mR/yr. Average annual concentrations of radium-226 and total uranium in surface water ranged from 0.4E-9 to 0.9E-9 {mu}Ci/m1 (0.02 to 0.03 Bq/L) and from 5E-9 to 9E-9 {mu}Ci/m1 (0.2 to 0.3 Bq/L), respectively. Routine analyses of groundwater samples from NFSS included the indicator parameters total organic carbon, total organic halides, pH, and specific conductivity.

The rights of patients as consumers: An ancient view.

Science.gov (United States)

Barapatre, Nishant Bhimraj; Joglekar, Vishnu Prabhakar

2016-01-01

As far as the rights of consumers are concerned, the International Organization of Consumer's Union (IOCU) in 1983 has specified about the eight rights of a consumer. The Consumer Protection Act (CPA), 1986 then prescribed six "Rights of Consumers," which are protected under the act. However, these rights can be observed in the ancient Indian texts such as Brihat-trayee , Narad Smruti , and Kautilya Arthashastra ., in the form of rights given to patients. For the purpose of present study, the implemented methodology includes - (1) study of the consumer rights described by IOCU and CPA, (2) detailed review of literature for observance of replication of these consumer rights in the ancient Indian texts and (3) a comparative study of the present consumer rights with the rights of patients observed in ancient Indian texts. This study shows that the substance of consumer rights is not a recent evolution, but the foundation of these rights has been laid well beforehand in the ancient times, which were provided to the patients by medical profession as well as by the rulers. The current scenario of protection of consumer rights is the replication of this ancient practice only.

Ancient Human Parasites in Ethnic Chinese Populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Hui-Yuan; Mitchell, Piers D

2016-10-01

Whilst archaeological evidence for many aspects of life in ancient China is well studied, there has been much less interest in ancient infectious diseases, such as intestinal parasites in past Chinese populations. Here, we bring together evidence from mummies, ancient latrines, and pelvic soil from burials, dating from the Neolithic Period to the Qing Dynasty, in order to better understand the health of the past inhabitants of China and the diseases endemic in the region. Seven species of intestinal parasite have been identified, namely roundworm, whipworm, Chinese liver fluke, oriental schistosome, pinworm, Taenia sp. tapeworm, and the intestinal fluke Fasciolopsis buski . It was found that in the past, roundworm, whipworm, and Chinese liver fluke appear to have been much more common than the other species. While roundworm and whipworm remained common into the late 20th century, Chinese liver fluke seems to have undergone a marked decline in its prevalence over time. The iconic transport route known as the Silk Road has been shown to have acted as a vector for the transmission of ancient diseases, highlighted by the discovery of Chinese liver fluke in a 2,000 year-old relay station in northwest China, 1,500 km outside its endemic range.

Non-destructive sampling of ancient insect DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Philip Francis; Elias, Scott; Gilbert, Tom

2009-01-01

BACKGROUND: A major challenge for ancient DNA (aDNA) studies on insect remains is that sampling procedures involve at least partial destruction of the specimens. A recent extraction protocol reveals the possibility of obtaining DNA from past insect remains without causing visual morphological...... of 77-204 base pairs (-bp) in size using species-specific and general insect primers. CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE: The applied non-destructive DNA extraction method shows promising potential on insect museum specimens of historical age as far back as AD 1820, but less so on the ancient permafrost......-preserved insect fossil remains tested, where DNA was obtained from samples up to ca. 26,000 years old. The non-frozen sediment DNA approach appears to have great potential for recording the former presence of insect taxa not normally preserved as macrofossils and opens new frontiers in research on ancient...

Applied investigation of Moessbauer effect for the famous ancient chinese porcelains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Zhengyao; Chen Songhua; Shen Zuocheng

1996-10-01

The famous Ru porcelain, Jun porcelain and Guan porcelain of Song Dynasty and Yuan Dynasty are analyzed. The Moessbauer parameters of the ancient porcelains and the imitative ancient porcelains are compared. The firing techniques, coloring mechanism and microstructures of the ancient Chinese porcelains have been discussed. (7 figs., 4 tabs.)

Ancient Chinese literature reveals pathways of eggplant domestication.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Jin-Xiu; Gao, Tian-Gang; Knapp, Sandra

2008-12-01

Changes in key traits occurring during the processes of plant domestication have long been subjects of debate. Only in the case of genetic analysis or with extensive plant remains can specific sets of changes be documented. Historical details of the plant domestication processes are rare and other evidence of morphological change can be difficult to obtain, especially for those vegetables that lack a substantial body of archaeological data. Botanical records chronicled in the ancient literature of established ancient civilizations, such as that of China, are invaluable resources for the study and understanding of the process of plant domestication. Here, the considerable body of ancient Chinese literature is used to explore the domestication process that has occurred with the eggplant (Solanum melongena), an important vegetable in Old World. Information about eggplant domestication in the ancient Chinese literature was retrieved using a variety of methods. The information obtained was then sorted by taxon, examined and taxonomic identifications verified. It was found that the earliest record of the eggplant documented in ancient Chinese literature was in a work from 59 bc. As far as is known, this is the earliest reliable and accurately dated record of eggplant in cultivation. The analysis reveals that the process of domestication of the eggplant in China involved three principal aspects of fruit quality: size, shape and taste. These traits were actively and gradually selected; fruit size changed from small to large, taste changed from not palatable to what was termed at the time sweetish, and that over time, a wider variety of fruit shapes was cultivated. The results indicate that, in addition to data gleaned from archaeology and genetics, evidence as to changes in key traits occurring during the process of plant domestication and selective forces responsible for these changes can be traced through the ancient literature in some civilizations.

Notions of "Rhetoric as Epistemic" in Ancient Greece.

Science.gov (United States)

Benoit, William L.

The notion that rhetoric (and to a lesser extent, argument) is epistemic is an increasingly popular one today, although it can be traced to ancient Greece. The notion holds that rhetoric, or the art of persuasion, creates and shapes knowledge. Two ancient authors--Aristophanes and Plato--provide evidence that others had notions of rhetoric as…

Surgical history of ancient China: Part 2.

Science.gov (United States)

Fu, Louis

2010-03-01

In this second part of ancient Chinese surgical history, the practice of bone setting in China began around 3000 years ago. Throughout this period, significant progress was made, some highlights of which are cited. These methods, comparable with Western orthopaedic technique, are still being practised today. In conclusion, the possible reasons for the lack of advancement in operative surgery are discussed, within context of the cultural, social and religious background of ancient China.

Social Norms in the Ancient Athenian Courts

OpenAIRE

Lanni, Adriaan M.

2013-01-01

Ancient Athens was a remarkably peaceful and well-ordered society by both ancient and contemporary standards. Scholars typically attribute Athens’ success to internalized norms and purely informal enforcement mechanisms. This article argues that the formal Athenian court system played a vital role in maintaining order by enforcing informal norms. This peculiar approach to norm enforcement compensated for apparent weaknesses in the state system of coercion. It mitigated the effects of under-e...

Musical ensembles in Ancient Mesapotamia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krispijn, T.J.H.; Dumbrill, R.; Finkel, I.

2010-01-01

Identification of musical instruments from ancient Mesopotamia by comparing musical ensembles attested in Sumerian and Akkadian texts with depicted ensembles. Lexicographical contributions to the Sumerian and Akkadian lexicon.

history repeats itself : saddam and the ancient mesopotamian royal

African Journals Online (AJOL)

harkhu

ancient Mesopotamia (present day Iraq)2, from the fourth millennium3 until its incorporation into the ..... aspects of Mesopotamian culture that could not be separated from the other. Saddam, on the ..... site of ancient Babylon. Large parts of the ...

Health benefits of ancient grains. Comparison among bread made with ancient, heritage and modern grain flours in human cultured cells.

Science.gov (United States)

Valli, Veronica; Taccari, Annalisa; Di Nunzio, Mattia; Danesi, Francesca; Bordoni, Alessandra

2018-05-01

Nowadays the higher nutritional value of whole grains compared to refined grains is recognized. In the last decade, there has been a renewed interest in the ancient wheat varieties for producing high-value food products with enhanced health benefits. This study compared two ancient grains, two heritage grains, and four modern grains grown in the same agronomic conditions considering not only their chemical characteristics, but also their biological effects. Whole grain flours were obtained and used to make bread. Bread was in vitro digested, the digesta were supplemented to HepG2 cells, and the biological effects of supplementation were evaluated. In addition, cells previously supplemented with the different digested bread types were then exposed to inflammatory agents to evidence possible protective effects of the pre-treatments. Despite the impossibility to discriminate bread made with different grains based on their chemical composition, results herein reported evidence that their supplementation to cultured cells exerts different effects, confirming the potential health benefits of ancient grains. This research represents an advancement for the evaluation of the apparent positive effects of ancient grains and the formulation of cereal-based products with added nutritional value. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dating ancient Chinese celadon porcelain by neutron activation analysis and bayesian classification

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Guoxi; Feng Songlin; Feng Xiangqian; Zhu Jihao; Yan Lingtong; Li Li

2009-01-01

Dating ancient Chinese porcelain is one of the most important and difficult problems in porcelain archaeological field. Eighteen elements in bodies of ancient celadon porcelains fired in Southern Song to Yuan period (AD 1127-1368) and Ming dynasty (AD 1368-1644), including La, Sm, U, Ce, etc., were determined by neutron activation analysis (NAA). After the outliers of experimental data were excluded and multivariate normal distribution was tested, and Bayesian classification was used for dating of 165 ancient celadon porcelain samples. The results show that 98.2% of total ancient celadon porcelain samples are classified correctly. It means that NAA and Bayesian classification are very useful for dating ancient porcelain. (authors)

Second-harmonic generation imaging of collagen in ancient bone.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, B; McIntosh, D; Fildes, T; Smith, L; Hargrave, F; Islam, M; Thompson, T; Layfield, R; Scott, D; Shaw, B; Burrell, C L; Gonzalez, S; Taylor, S

2017-12-01

Second-harmonic generation imaging (SHG) captures triple helical collagen molecules near tissue surfaces. Biomedical research routinely utilizes various imaging software packages to quantify SHG signals for collagen content and distribution estimates in modern tissue samples including bone. For the first time using SHG, samples of modern, medieval, and ice age bones were imaged to test the applicability of SHG to ancient bone from a variety of ages, settings, and taxa. Four independent techniques including Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, radiocarbon dating protocols, and mass spectrometry-based protein sequencing, confirm the presence of protein, consistent with the hypothesis that SHG imaging detects ancient bone collagen. These results suggest that future studies have the potential to use SHG imaging to provide new insights into the composition of ancient bone, to characterize ancient bone disorders, to investigate collagen preservation within and between various taxa, and to monitor collagen decay regimes in different depositional environments.

Ancient ports of Kalinga

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Tripati, S.

which plied between Kalinga and south east Asian countries. Nanda Raja, is said to have attacked Kalinga with the intention of getting access to the sea for the landlocked Kingdom of Magadha (Bihar). The ancient texa Artha Sastra (3rd-4th century B...

Ancient Greek in modern language of medicine

OpenAIRE

Marković Vera

2007-01-01

In order to standardize language of medicine, it is essential to have a good command of ancient Greek and Latin. We cannot deny a huge impact of ancient Greek medicine on medical terminology. Compounds of Greek origin related to terms for organs, illnesses, inflammations, surgical procedures etc. have been listed as examples. They contain Greek prefixes and suffixes transcribed into Latin and they have been analyzed. It may be concluded that the modern language of medicine basically represent...

From ancient Greek Logos to European rationality

OpenAIRE

APOSTOLOPOULOU GEORGIA

2016-01-01

Because of history, culture, and politics, European identity has its archetypical elements in ancient Greek culture. Ancient Greek philosophy brought Logos to fore and defined it as the crucial problem and the postulate of the human. We translate the Greek term Logos in English as reason or rationality. These terms, however, do not cover the semantic field of Logos since this includes, among other things, order of being, ground, language, argument etc. The juxtaposition of Logos (reason) to m...

Niagara falls storage site: Annual site environmental report, Lewiston, New York, Calendar Year 1988: Surplus Facilities Management Program (SFMP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1989-04-01

The monitoring program at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) measures radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation levels; and uranium and radium concentrations in surface water, groundwater, and sediment. To verify that the site is in compliance with the DOE radiation protection standard and to assess its potential effect on public health, the radiation dose was calculated for a hypothetical maximally exposed individual. Based on the conservative scenario described in this report, this hypothetical individual receives an annual external exposure approximately equivalent to 6 percent of the DOE radiation protection standard of 100 mrem/yr. This exposure is less than a person receives during two round-trip flights from New York to Los Angeles (because of the greater amounts of cosmic radiation at higher altitudes). The cumulative dose to the population within an 80-km (50-mi) radius of the NFSS that results from radioactive materials present at the site is indistinguishable from the dose that the same population receives from naturally occurring radioactive sources. Results of the 1988 monitoring show that the NFSS is in compliance with applicable DOE radiation protection standards. 17 refs., 31 figs., 20 tabs

Ancient analogues concerning stability and durability of cementitious wasteform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiang, W.; Roy, D.M.

1994-01-01

The history of cementitious materials goes back to ancient times. The Greeks and Romans used calcined limestone and later developed pozzolanic cement by grinding together lime and volcanic ash called open-quotes pozzolanclose quotes which was first found near Port Pozzuoli, Italy. The ancient Chinese used lime-pozzolanic mixes to build the Great Wall. The ancient Egyptians used calcined impure gypsum to build the Great Pyramid of Cheops. The extraordinary stability and durability of these materials has impressed us, when so much dramatically damaged infrastructure restored by using modern portland cement now requires rebuilding. Stability and durability of cementitious materials have attracted intensive research interest and contractors' concerns, as does immobilization of radioactive and hazardous industrial waste in cementitious materials. Nuclear waste pollution of the environment and an acceptable solution for waste management and disposal constitute among the most important public concerns. The analogy of ancient cementitious materials to modern Portland cement could give us some clues to study their stability and durability. This present study examines selected results of studies of ancient building materials from France, Italy, China, and Egypt, combined with knowledge obtained from the behavior of modern portland cement to evaluate the potential for stability and durability of such materials in nuclear waste forms

Setting the stage - building and working in an ancient DNA laboratory.

Science.gov (United States)

Knapp, Michael; Clarke, Andrew C; Horsburgh, K Ann; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth A

2012-01-20

With the introduction of next generation high throughput sequencing in 2005 and the resulting revolution in genetics, ancient DNA research has rapidly developed from an interesting but marginal field within evolutionary biology into one that can contribute significantly to our understanding of evolution in general and the development of our own species in particular. While the amount of sequence data available from ancient human, other animal and plant remains has increased dramatically over the past five years, some key limitations of ancient DNA research remain. Most notably, reduction of contamination and the authentication of results are of utmost importance. A number of studies have addressed different aspects of sampling, DNA extraction and DNA manipulation in order to establish protocols that most efficiently generate reproducible and authentic results. As increasing numbers of researchers from different backgrounds become interested in using ancient DNA technology to address key questions, the need for practical guidelines on how to construct and use an ancient DNA facility arises. The aim of this article is therefore to provide practical tips for building a state-of-the-art ancient DNA facility. It is intended to help researchers new to the field of ancient DNA research generally, and those considering the application of next generation sequencing, in their planning process. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

The provenance study of Chinese ancient architectonical colored glaze by INAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng Lin; Feng Songlin; Li Rongwu; Lue Zhirong; Li Guoxia

2008-01-01

The colored glazes are very popular and famous in Chinese ancient architectures. In order to exactly locate the provenance of ancient architectonical colored glazes, 196 pieces of ancient colored glaze bodies and porcelain bodies fired in Xiyue Temple and Lidipo kiln are analyzed by INAA. The results of factor analysis and some archaeological questions are reported and discussed in this paper

The provenance study of Chinese ancient architectonical colored glaze by INAA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cheng Lin [Key Laboratory of Beam Technology and Material Modification of Ministry of Education, College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing Radiation Center, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875 (China); Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China)], E-mail: chenglin@bnu.edu.cn; Feng Songlin [Institute of High Energy Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049 (China); Li Rongwu [Department of Physics, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100049 (China); Lue Zhirong [Shan' xi Provincial Institute of Cultural Relics and Archaeology, Xi' an 710054 (China); Li Guoxia [Institute of Physical Engineering, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052 (China)

2008-12-15

The colored glazes are very popular and famous in Chinese ancient architectures. In order to exactly locate the provenance of ancient architectonical colored glazes, 196 pieces of ancient colored glaze bodies and porcelain bodies fired in Xiyue Temple and Lidipo kiln are analyzed by INAA. The results of factor analysis and some archaeological questions are reported and discussed in this paper.

Resurrecting ancient animal genomes: the extinct moa and more.

Science.gov (United States)

Huynen, Leon; Millar, Craig D; Lambert, David M

2012-08-01

Recently two developments have had a major impact on the field of ancient DNA (aDNA). First, new advances in DNA sequencing, in combination with improved capture/enrichment methods, have resulted in the recovery of orders of magnitude more DNA sequence data from ancient animals. Second, there has been an increase in the range of tissue types employed in aDNA. Hair in particular has proven to be very successful as a source of DNA because of its low levels of contamination and high level of ancient endogenous DNA. These developments have resulted in significant advances in our understanding of recently extinct animals: namely their evolutionary relationships, physiology, and even behaviour. Hair has been used to recover the first complete ancient nuclear genome, that of the extinct woolly mammoth, which then facilitated the expression and functional analysis of haemoglobins. Finally, we speculate on the consequences of these developments for the possibility of recreating extinct animals. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

PIXE study on ancient pottery from Chinese Shanghai area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, H.S.; Zhang, Z.Q.; Song, J.; Gao, M.H.; Zhu, D.; Lin, J.W.; Feng, S.L.

2006-01-01

Shanghai is the largest city in China, and it also has a very long history. Archaeologists have found that six thousand yeas ago, there were ancient people living at Songze, Qingpu County, Shanghai. This paper reports the study of ancient potteries unearthed from the Guangfulin site located at Songjiang, Shanghai. The potteries unearthed from Guangfulin site belonged to two different culture types: the Liangzhu culture type (local culture) and a new culture, which might be derived from elsewhere. PIXE has been used to measure the chemical compositions of samples and factor analysis was used. Experimental results show that the compositions of the pottery from the two phases are different from each other. It means that the raw materials used to make the ancient pottery originate from different places. This results support the idea suggested by archaeologists that a group of ancient people migrated to the Shanghai area from some other place 4000 years ago

X-ray analysis of pigments on ancient Egyptian monuments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Uda, M.; Sassa, S.; Yoshioka, T.

1999-01-01

Ancient pigments were analyzed using PIXE and XRD methods in the laboratory, which were painted on ancient Egyptian monuments. On the other hand, those on monuments remaining with entire shape were investigated using the hand-held type of an XRF spectrometer and an X-ray diffractometer in the field. For the laboratory experiment, several wall fragments of the Malqata palace in ancient Egypt (18th Dynasty, ca. 1390 B.C.) were investigated. In the field experiment, the block of Ramesses II (19th Dynasty, ca. 1270 B.C.), the Wooden Coffin of Neb-sny (18th Dynasty, ca. 1400 B.C.), the Funerary Stele of Amenemhat (11th Dynasty, ca. 2000 B.C.), and the painted walls of the Tomb of Userhat (18th Dynasty, ca. 1400 B.C.) were investigated. From white and blue colored parts, huntite and Egyptian blue were found, respectively, which are a very rare mineral and an artificial pigment prepared only in ancient Egypt, respectively. (author)

X-ray analysis of pigments on ancient Egyptian monuments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Uda, M.; Sassa, S.; Yoshioka, T. [Waseda Univ., Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Tokyo (JP)] [and others

1999-07-01

Ancient pigments were analyzed using PIXE and XRD methods in the laboratory, which were painted on ancient Egyptian monuments. On the other hand, those on monuments remaining with entire shape were investigated using the hand-held type of an XRF spectrometer and an X-ray diffractometer in the field. For the laboratory experiment, several wall fragments of the Malqata palace in ancient Egypt (18th Dynasty, ca. 1390 B.C.) were investigated. In the field experiment, the block of Ramesses II (19th Dynasty, ca. 1270 B.C.), the Wooden Coffin of Neb-sny (18th Dynasty, ca. 1400 B.C.), the Funerary Stele of Amenemhat (11th Dynasty, ca. 2000 B.C.), and the painted walls of the Tomb of Userhat (18th Dynasty, ca. 1400 B.C.) were investigated. From white and blue colored parts, huntite and Egyptian blue were found, respectively, which are a very rare mineral and an artificial pigment prepared only in ancient Egypt, respectively. (author)

Second-harmonic generation imaging of collagen in ancient bone

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. Thomas

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Second-harmonic generation imaging (SHG captures triple helical collagen molecules near tissue surfaces. Biomedical research routinely utilizes various imaging software packages to quantify SHG signals for collagen content and distribution estimates in modern tissue samples including bone. For the first time using SHG, samples of modern, medieval, and ice age bones were imaged to test the applicability of SHG to ancient bone from a variety of ages, settings, and taxa. Four independent techniques including Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, radiocarbon dating protocols, and mass spectrometry-based protein sequencing, confirm the presence of protein, consistent with the hypothesis that SHG imaging detects ancient bone collagen. These results suggest that future studies have the potential to use SHG imaging to provide new insights into the composition of ancient bone, to characterize ancient bone disorders, to investigate collagen preservation within and between various taxa, and to monitor collagen decay regimes in different depositional environments.

Assessing the fidelity of ancient DNA sequences amplified from nuclear genes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Binladen, Jonas; Wiuf, Carsten Henrik; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.

2006-01-01

To date, the field of ancient DNA has relied almost exclusively on mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences. However, a number of recent studies have reported the successful recovery of ancient nuclear DNA (nuDNA) sequences, thereby allowing the characterization of genetic loci directly involved...... in phenotypic traits of extinct taxa. It is well documented that postmortem damage in ancient mtDNA can lead to the generation of artifactual sequences. However, as yet no one has thoroughly investigated the damage spectrum in ancient nuDNA. By comparing clone sequences from 23 fossil specimens, recovered from...... adenine), respectively. Type 2 transitions are by far the most dominant and increase relative to those of type 1 with damage load. The results suggest that the deamination of cytosine (and 5-methyl cytosine) to uracil (and thymine) is the main cause of miscoding lesions in both ancient mtDNA and nu...

Creative Ventures: Ancient Civilizations.

Science.gov (United States)

Stark, Rebecca

The open-ended activities in this book are designed to extend the imagination and creativity of students and encourage students to examine their feelings and values about historic eras. Civilizations addressed include ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Mayan, Stonehenge, and Mesopotamia. The activities focus upon the cognitive and affective pupil…

Penile representations in ancient Greek art.

Science.gov (United States)

Rempelakos, L; Tsiamis, C; Poulakou-Rebelakou, E

2013-12-01

The presentation of the cult of phallus in ancient Greece and the artistic appearance of the phenomenon on vase figures and statues, as indicative of the significant role of the male genitalia in all fertility ceremonies. The examination of a great number of penile representations from the ancient Greek pottery and sculpture and the review of the ancient theater plays (satiric dramas and comedies ). Phallus in artistic representation is connected either with gods of fertility, such as the goat-footed and horned Pan or the ugly dwarf Priapus or the semi-animal nailed figures Satyrs, devotees of the god Dionysus accompanying him in all ritual orgiastic celebrations. Phallus also symbolizes good luck, health and sexuality: people bear or wear artificial phalli exactly like the actors as part of their costume or carry huge penises during the festive ritual processions. On the contrary, the Olympic gods or the ordinary mortals are not imaged ithyphallic; the ideal type of male beauty epitomized in classical sculpture, normally depicts genitals of average or less than average size. It is noteworthy that many of these images belong to athletes during or immediately after hard exercise with the penis shrunk. The normal size genitalia may have been simply a convention to distinguish normal people from the gods of sexuality and fertility, protectors of the reproductive process of Nature. The representation of the over-sized and erected genitalia on vase figures or statues of ancient Greek art is related to fertility gods such as Priapus, Pan and Satyrs and there is strong evidence that imagination and legend were replacing the scientific achievements in the field of erectile function for many centuries.

Medicine and psychiatry in Western culture: Ancient Greek myths and modern prejudices

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Clementi Nicoletta

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Abstract The origins of Western culture extensively relate to Ancient Greek culture. While many ancient cultures have contributed to our current knowledge about medicine and the origins of psychiatry, the Ancient Greeks were among the best observers of feelings and moods patients expressed towards medicine and toward what today is referred to as 'psychopathology'. Myths and religious references were used to explain what was otherwise impossible to understand or be easily communicated. Most ancient myths focus on ambiguous feelings patients may have had towards drugs, especially psychotropic ones. Interestingly, such prejudices are common even today. Recalling ancient findings and descriptions made using myths could represent a valuable knowledge base for modern physicians, especially for psychiatrists and their patients, with the aim of better understanding each other and therefore achieving a better clinical outcome. This paper explores many human aspects and feelings towards doctors and their cures, referring to ancient myths and focusing on the perception of mental illness.

Ancient Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Swamy, Ashwin Balegar

This thesis involves development of an interactive GIS (Geographic Information System) based application, which gives information about the ancient history of Egypt. The astonishing architecture, the strange burial rituals and their civilization were some of the intriguing questions that motivated me towards developing this application. The application is a historical timeline starting from 3100 BC, leading up to 664 BC, focusing on the evolution of the Egyptian dynasties. The tool holds information regarding some of the famous monuments which were constructed during that era and also about the civilizations that co-existed. It also provides details about the religions followed by their kings. It also includes the languages spoken during those periods. The tool is developed using JAVA, a programing language and MOJO (Map Objects Java Objects) a product of ESRI (Environmental Science Research Institute) to create map objects, to provide geographic information. JAVA Swing is used for designing the user interface. HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language) pages are created to provide the user with more information related to the historic period. CSS (Cascade Style Sheets) and JAVA Scripts are used with HTML5 to achieve creative display of content. The tool is kept simple and easy for the user to interact with. The tool also includes pictures and videos for the user to get a feel of the historic period. The application is built to motivate people to know more about one of the prominent and ancient civilization of the Mediterranean world.

Originating relation studies on ancient porcelains of chines Ru and Jun by NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Weijuan; Xie Jianzhong; Gao Zhengyao; Li Guoxia; Li Rongwu; Zhang Bin

2002-01-01

50 samples of glazes and bodies of the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain, Jun porcelain and imitative ancient ceramics were analyzed by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The contents of 36 elements in each sample were measured. The NAA data were statistically treated by fuzzy cluster method and the trend cluster diagram was obtained. Their classes and raw material sources were determined. The results show that although these samples spanned hundreds of years, came from different kilns and had different glazes colors, the bodies of the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain belong to the same kind, the glazes of the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain is similar to the glazes of the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain. The originating places of the body raw material were concentrated, and that of the glaze raw materials were scattered, the source of the glaze raw material covered that the body raw material. The ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain have basically the same raw material sources and the sources of raw material are stable in long time. It is found that most modern Jun porcelain samples are similar to the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain. Two modern Ru porcelain samples are similar to the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain, but another one drifts apart from the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain. Jingdezhen porcelain has no relation to Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain

Molecular analysis of ancient caries

Science.gov (United States)

Simón, Marc; Montiel, Rafael; Smerling, Andrea; Solórzano, Eduvigis; Díaz, Nancy; Álvarez-Sandoval, Brenda A.; Jiménez-Marín, Andrea R.; Malgosa, Assumpció

2014-01-01

An 84 base pair sequence of the Streptococcus mutans virulence factor, known as dextranase, has been obtained from 10 individuals from the Bronze Age to the Modern Era in Europe and from before and after the colonization in America. Modern samples show four polymorphic sites that have not been found in the ancient samples studied so far. The nucleotide and haplotype diversity of this region have increased over time, which could be reflecting the footprint of a population expansion. While this segment has apparently evolved according to neutral evolution, we have been able to detect one site that is under positive selection pressure both in present and past populations. This study is a first step to study the evolution of this microorganism, analysed using direct evidence obtained from ancient remains. PMID:25056622

The TL dating of ancient porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Leung, P.L.; Stokes, M.J.; Wang Weida; Xia Junding; Zhou Zhixin

1997-01-01

The age determination of ancient porcelain using the pre-dose technique in TL dating was reported. The variation of beta dose with depth below the surface of the porcelain slice, the thermal activation characteristic (TAC) for 110 degree C peak, the measurement of paleodose and the estimation of annual dose were studied. The results show that this technique is suitable for authenticity testing of ancient porcelain, but both accuracy and precision for porcelain dating are worse than those for pottery, because porcelain differs from pottery on composition, structure and firing temperature. Besides, some complicated factors in the pre-dose technique would be the possible cause of the greater errors

TREATMENT OF FRACTURES IN ANCIENT EGYPT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Z. K. Bashurov

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The most complete information about the medicine in Ancient Egypt two papyrus provided: a large medical papyrus of G. Ebers and papyrus about the surgery of E. Smith. Smith’s papyrus is of particular interest as it contains the information on the status of surgery in Ancient Egypt. Papyrus consists of descriptions of the clinical cases. To the present time, 48 cases have survived; it is arranged in order of location - from the head down to the feet. Orthopedic deformities were reflected in the figures on the walls of the pyramids and temples as well as the description of the mummies and archaeological finds.

Issue of Separation of Powers in Ancient Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Javad Javid

2012-03-01

Full Text Available Cotemporary public law in Iran cannot ignore the elements of its identity in the past. Although analysis of public law issue in ancient Iran, the most researchers to be considered so it is not easy to speak about separation of powers, the part of the body of public law in the Iran primary governments but this article constants on hypothesis which with think and assimilation in history of ancient Iran which can laying the groundwork of strengthening people rights and limitation of authority's governors with emphasis on three periods of governorship on ancient Iran .for example Hakhamaneshian, Ashkanian and Sasanian. This article intent to clear haw can in these periods, the primary figure and foundation of separation of powers and functions division in body of previous governments of Iran to be observed.

Application of nuclear analysis techniques in ancient chinese porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Songlin; Xu Qing; Feng Xiangqian; Lei Yong; Cheng Lin; Wang Yanqing

2005-01-01

Ancient ceramic was fired with porcelain clay. It contains various provenance information and age characteristic. It is the scientific foundation of studying Chinese porcelain to analyze and research the ancient ceramic with modern analysis methods. According to the property of nuclear analysis technique, its function and application are discussed. (authors)

History through Art and Architecture: Ancient Greek Architecture [and] Ancient Greek Sculpture. Teacher's Manual.

Science.gov (United States)

Campbell, Ann

This document consists of two teaching manuals designed to accompany a commercially-available "multicultural, interdisciplinary video program," consisting of four still videotape programs (72 minutes, 226 frames), one teaching poster, and these two manuals. "Teacher's Manual: Ancient Greek Architecture" covers: "Ancient…

Ancient Egypt: Personal Perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Wolinski, Arelene

This teacher resource book provides information on ancient Egypt via short essays, photographs, maps, charts, and drawings. Egyptian social and religious life, including writing, art, architecture, and even the practice of mummification, is conveniently summarized for the teacher or other practitioner in a series of one to three page articles with…

Ancient literature in the teaching of the Ljubljana jesuits

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nada Grošelj

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Members of the Jesuit Order came to Ljubljana in 1597, founding a »gymnasium« and later expanding it with a semi-university. In contrast to certain other orders, they fostered the classics, as is evidenced by their teaching, scholarly research, and literary composition. The scholarly work of the Jesuits active in present-day Slovenia was mostly concentrated on ancient philosophy, as is shown in the second section of this paper. Their teaching, on the other hand, included both classroom lessons and more creative activities, such as the writing and staging of school plays. The Jesuit school system with its six gymnasium classes is described in the first section of the paper, and the school curriculum (based almost exclusively on the teaching of Latin literature and methods in the third. The fourth section presents the documents relating to the final gymnasium examinations in ancient literature which took place in Ljubljana, with a survey of the contents of the questions. The fifth section outlines the characteristics of Jesuit school drama. The plays performed in Ljubljana are lost, but, judging by the preserved titles and synopses, ancient themes appear to have been relatively rare. Nevertheless, the paper succeeds in isolating seventeen works (discussed in the sixth section which must have either utilised plots from ancient literature or drawn inspiration from ancient stock characters and rhetoric.

Sin, Punishment And Forgiveness In Ancient Greek Religion: A ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This paper looks in particular at the special sin of hubris in ancient Greek religious thought. It examines what constitutes hubris and some cases in which hubris has been committed and punished. It demonstrates with examples that hubris is an unforgivable sin in ancient Greek religion and examines the reasons for this ...

Translation: an example from ancient Chinese to modern Chinese

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liu, X; Hoede, C.

2002-01-01

In this paper, we gave an idea of translation by means of knowledge graph theory from ancient Chinese to modern Chinese, by using an example story. Actually, we give the details of the method of translation from ancient Chinese to modern Chinese step by step as carried out by hand. From the example,

Niagara Falls Storage Site environmental report for calendar year 1992, 1397 Pletcher Road, Lewiston, New York

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-05-01

This report describes the environmental surveillance program at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and provides the results for 1992. From 1944 to the present, the primary use of NFSS has been storage of radioactive residues produced as a by-product of uranium production. All onsite areas of residual radioactivity above guidelines have been remediated. Materials generated during remediation are stored onsite in the 4-ha (10-acre) waste containment structure (WCS). The WCS is a clay-lined, clay-capped, and grass-covered storage pile. The environmental surveillance program at NFSS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uranium and radium-226 concentrations in surface water, sediments, and groundwater. Several chemical parameters, including seven metals, are also routinely measured in groundwater. This surveillance program assists in fulfilling the DOE policy of measuring and monitoring effluents from DOE activities and calculating hypothetical doses. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other DOE requirements. Results of environmental monitoring during 1992 indicate that levels of the parameters measured were in compliance with all but one requirement: Concentrations of iron and manganese in groundwater were above NYSDEC groundwater quality standards. However, these elements occur naturally in the soils and groundwater associated with this region. In 1992 there were no environmental occurrences or reportable quantity releases

Determination of ancient ceramics reference material by neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Huhou; Sun Jingxin; Wang Yuqi; Lu Liangcai

1986-01-01

Contents of trace elements in the reference material of ancient ceramics (KPS-1) were determined by means of activation analysis, using thermal neutron irradiation produced in nuclear reactor. KPS-1 favoured the analysis of ancient ceramics because it had not only many kinds of element but also appropriate contents of composition. The values presented here are reliable within the experimental precision, and have shown that the reference material had a good homogeneity. So KPS-1 can be used as a suitable reference material for the ancient ceramics analysis

Equilibrium and Disequilibrium of River Basins: Effects on Stream Captures in Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira, Brazil

Science.gov (United States)

DA Silva, L. M.

2015-12-01

Landscapes are mainly driven by river processes that control the dynamic reorganization of networks. Discovering and identifying whether river basins are in geometric equilibrium or disequilibrium requires an analysis of water divides, channels that shift laterally or expand upstream and river captures. Issues specifically discussed include the variation of drainage area change and erosion rates of the basins. In southeastern Brazil there are two main escarpments with extensive geomorphic surfaces: Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira Mountains. These landscapes are constituted of Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic rocks, presenting steep escarpments with low-elevation coastal plains and higher elevation interior plateaus. To identify whether river basins and river profiles are in equilibrium or disequilibrium in Serra do Mar and Serra da Mantiqueira Mountains, we used the proxy (χ), evaluating the effect of drainage area change and erosion rates. We selected basins that drain both sides of these two main escarpments (oceanic and continental sides) and have denudation rates derived from pre-existing cosmogenic isotopes data (Rio de Janeiro, Paraná and Minas Gerais). Despite being an ancient and tectonically stable landscape, part of the coastal plain of Serra do Mar Mountain in Rio de Janeiro and Paraná is in geometric disequilibrium, with water divides moving in the direction of higher χ values. To achieve equilibrium, some basins located in the continental side are retracting and disappearing, losing area to the coastal basins. On the contrary, there are some adjacent sub-basins that are close to equilibrium, without strong contrasts in χ values. The same pattern was observed in Serra da Mantiqueira (Minas Gerais state), with stream captures and river network reorganization in its main rivers. The initial results suggest a strong contrast between erosion rates in the continental and the oceanic portions of the escarpments.

A new look at old bread: ancient Egyptian baking

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Delwen Samuel

1999-11-01

Full Text Available Despite abundant archaeological, pictorial and textual evidence of ancient Egyptian life and death, we have little detailed information about the staple diet of most of the population. Now experimental work by a postdoctoral Wellcome Research Fellow in Bioarchaeology at the Institute is revealing how the ancient Egyptians made their daily bread.

Intraosseous neurilemmoma of the mandible: Report of a rare ancient type

OpenAIRE

Gholamreza Jahanshahi; Abbas Haghighat; Faezeh Azmoodeh

2011-01-01

The neurilemmoma is a benign neoplasm of Schwann cell origin. One of the histopathologic subtypes of this tumor is ancient schwannoma which is characterized by degenerative alterations including cystic change, calcification, hemorrhage, and hyalinization. Intraosseous schwannomas especially ancient ones are rare tumors. Here we present a case of intraosseous ancient schwannoma in the lower jaw of an 11-year-old girl which caused a non-tender expansion. Radiographic examination showed a well-c...

Ancient DNA from marine mammals

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Foote, Andrew David; Hofreiter, Michael; Morin, Philip A.

2012-01-01

such as bone, tooth, baleen, skin, fur, whiskers and scrimshaw using ancient DNA (aDNA) approaches provide an oppor- tunity for investigating such changes over evolutionary and ecological timescales. Here, we review the application of aDNA techniques to the study of marine mammals. Most of the studies have...... focused on detecting changes in genetic diversity following periods of exploitation and environmental change. To date, these studies have shown that even small sample sizes can provide useful information on historical genetic diversity. Ancient DNA has also been used in investigations of changes...... in distribution and range of marine mammal species; we review these studies and discuss the limitations of such ‘presence only’ studies. Combining aDNA data with stable isotopes can provide further insights into changes in ecology and we review past studies and suggest future potential applications. We also...

Vegetation history along the eastern, desert escarpment of the Sierra San Pedro Mártir, Baja California, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Holmgren, Camille A.; Betancourt, Julio L.; Rylander, Kate A.

2011-01-01

Plant macrofossils from 38 packrat middens spanning the last ~ 33,000 cal yr BP record vegetation between ~ 650 and 900 m elevation along the eastern escarpment of the Sierra San Pedro Mártir, northern Baja California. The middens span most of the Holocene, with a gap between ~ 4600 and 1800 cal yr BP, but coverage in the Pleistocene is uneven with a larger hiatus between 23,100 and 14,400 cal yr BP. The midden flora is relatively stable from the Pleistocene to Holocene. Exceptions include Pinus californiarum, Juniperus californica and other chaparral elements that were most abundant > 23,100 cal yr BP and declined after 14,400 cal yr BP. Despite being near the chaparral/woodland-desertscrub ecotone during glacial times, the midden assemblages reflect none of the climatic reversals evident in the glacial or marine record, and this is corroborated by a nearby semi-continuous pollen stratigraphy from lake sediments. Regular appearance of C4 grasses and summer-flowering annuals since 13,600 cal yr BP indicates occurrence of summer rainfall equivalent to modern (JAS average of ~ 80–90 mm). This casts doubt on the claim, based on temperature proxies from marine sediments in the Guaymas Basin, that monsoonal development in the northern Gulf and Arizona was delayed until after 6200 cal yr BP.

Mineralization of the ancient hydrogeological conditions in the northeast of Ordos basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gao Junyi

2012-01-01

Ordos basin, North East, to the Eocene as a turning point, in the generation of the ancient hydrogeological conditions have distinct changes experienced at least two ancient evolution of hydrogeological conditions, that is closed in the early flow into basin Late open drain basin. Closed in the early period of the inner flow basin, since the purpose of layer deposition, the direction of the ancient hydrodynamic interlayer oxidation is consistent with the direction of oxidation. Hydrogeological conditions of the ancient point of view, in the Ordos basin, North East looking for interlayer oxidation zone type uranium has a guiding role. (author)

Anticancer activity of botanical compounds in ancient fermented beverages (review).

Science.gov (United States)

McGovern, P E; Christofidou-Solomidou, M; Wang, W; Dukes, F; Davidson, T; El-Deiry, W S

2010-07-01

Humans around the globe probably discovered natural remedies against disease and cancer by trial and error over the millennia. Biomolecular archaeological analyses of ancient organics, especially plants dissolved or decocted as fermented beverages, have begun to reveal the preliterate histories of traditional pharmacopeias, which often date back thousands of years earlier than ancient textual, ethnohistorical, and ethnological evidence. In this new approach to drug discovery, two case studies from ancient Egypt and China illustrate how ancient medicines can be reconstructed from chemical and archaeological data and their active compounds delimited for testing their anticancer and other medicinal effects. Specifically, isoscopoletin from Artemisia argyi, artemisinin from Artemisia annua, and the latter's more easily assimilated semi-synthetic derivative, artesunate, showed the greatest activity in vitro against lung and colon cancers. In vivo tests of these compounds previously unscreened against lung and pancreatic cancers are planned for the future.

Next Generation Sequencing of Ancient DNA: Requirements, Strategies and Perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Knapp

2010-07-01

Full Text Available The invention of next-generation-sequencing has revolutionized almost all fields of genetics, but few have profited from it as much as the field of ancient DNA research. From its beginnings as an interesting but rather marginal discipline, ancient DNA research is now on its way into the centre of evolutionary biology. In less than a year from its invention next-generation-sequencing had increased the amount of DNA sequence data available from extinct organisms by several orders of magnitude. Ancient DNA  research is now not only adding a temporal aspect to evolutionary studies and allowing for the observation of evolution in real time, it also provides important data to help understand the origins of our own species. Here we review progress that has been made in next-generation-sequencing of ancient DNA over the past five years and evaluate sequencing strategies and future directions.

Cosmologies of the ancient Mediterranean world

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John T. Fitzgerald

2013-07-01

Full Text Available Cosmology is concerned with the order of the universe and seeks to provide an account, not only of that order, but also of the mind or reason behind it. In antiquity, the cosmos was usually understood religiously, such that the cosmologies of the ancient Mediterranean world were either religious in nature or constituted a reaction to a religiously conceived understanding of the structures of the universe. The oldest form in which ancient cosmologies occur is myth, which, owing to its elasticity as a form, enabled them to be appropriated, adapted and used by different groups. In addition, different cosmologies co-existed within the same ancient culture, each having an authoritative status. This article provides an introductory overview of these cosmological myths and argues that a comparative approach is the most fruitful way to study them. Emphasis is given to certain prominent cosmological topics, including theogony (the genesis of the divine or the relationship of the divine to the cosmos, cosmogony (the genesis of the cosmos, and anthropogony (the origin of humans within the cosmos. Although these myths vary greatly in terms of content and how they envision the origin of the cosmos, many of them depict death as part of the structure of the universe.

The importance of studying inherited hematological disorders in ancient Anatolian populations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yeşim Doğan Alakoç

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Before analysis of DNA from ancient remains was possible, anthropologists studied evolution and migration patterns using data obtained from population genetic studies on modern populations combined with data obtained from morphological evaluations of ancient remains. Currently, DNA analysis of ancient populations is making a valuable contribution to these efforts. Researchers that perform ancient DNA analysis prefer to study polymorphisms on the Y chromosome or mitochondrial DNA because the results are easier to statistically evaluate. To evaluate polymorphisms on diploid genomes, which are more informative, only mutations that have been extensively examined in modern populations should be chosen. The most extensively evaluated mutations are those related to prevalent inherited disorders. As such, beta-thalassemia, sickle cell anemia, FVL mutation of globin and the factor V genes are good candidates for DNA studies in ancient populations. These mutations are common in Anatolia, host to many civilizations since the Paleolithic period. This history makes Anatolia a good place for conducting research that could enhance our understanding of human evolution and migration patterns.

Printing Ancient Terracotta Warriors

Science.gov (United States)

Gadecki, Victoria L.

2010-01-01

Standing in awe in Xian, China, at the Terra Cotta warrior archaeological site, the author thought of sharing this experience and excitement with her sixth-grade students. She decided to let her students carve patterns of the ancient soldiers to understand their place in Chinese history. They would make block prints and print multiple soldiers on…

Inferring the palaeoenvironment of ancient bacteria on the basis of resurrected proteins

Science.gov (United States)

Gaucher, Eric A.; Thomson, J. Michael; Burgan, Michelle F.; Benner, Steven A.

2003-01-01

Features of the physical environment surrounding an ancestral organism can be inferred by reconstructing sequences of ancient proteins made by those organisms, resurrecting these proteins in the laboratory, and measuring their properties. Here, we resurrect candidate sequences for elongation factors of the Tu family (EF-Tu) found at ancient nodes in the bacterial evolutionary tree, and measure their activities as a function of temperature. The ancient EF-Tu proteins have temperature optima of 55-65 degrees C. This value seems to be robust with respect to uncertainties in the ancestral reconstruction. This suggests that the ancient bacteria that hosted these particular genes were thermophiles, and neither hyperthermophiles nor mesophiles. This conclusion can be compared and contrasted with inferences drawn from an analysis of the lengths of branches in trees joining proteins from contemporary bacteria, the distribution of thermophily in derived bacterial lineages, the inferred G + C content of ancient ribosomal RNA, and the geological record combined with assumptions concerning molecular clocks. The study illustrates the use of experimental palaeobiochemistry and assumptions about deep phylogenetic relationships between bacteria to explore the character of ancient life.

Risco climático de ocorrência de doenças fúngicas na videira 'Niagara Rosada' na região do Polo Turístico do Circuito das Frutas do estado de São Paulo

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ludmila Bardin

2010-12-01

Full Text Available O Polo Turístico do Circuito das Frutas do Estado de São Paulo congrega municípios produtores de uva comum de mesa, principalmente a cultivar "Niagara Rosada"�. Observa-se que no processo produtivo ocorre severa influência de doenças fúngicas foliares e seu controle chega a 30% do custo de produção. Nesse contexto, o objetivo foi determinar o risco climático (RC de ocorrência das doenças fúngicas na 'Niagara Rosada' por meio da análise de séries históricas de dados pluviométricos diários para estimativa do número de pulverizações necessárias (NPchuva. O RC, assim como o NPchuva, foram calculados em cada época de poda, e para os diferentes municípios da região. A regionalização das áreas em função da necessidade de pulverização para controle de doenças fúngicas determinada pela ocorrência de chuvas, foi feita por meio de sistemas de informações geográficas (SIG utilizando os valores médios de RC estimados, por equações de regressão linear, obtidas em função da altitude. Nas podas efetuadas em setembro, o RC foi mais elevado que nas de julho, sendo os valores mais elevados superiores a 70% e os menores, inferiores a 20% respectivamente.

Application of Ancient DNA Methods to the Study of the Transatlantic Slave Trade

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sandoval Velasco, Marcela

As one of a limited number of biomolecules recording evolutionary events, DNA provides an unparalleled means of investigating genetic processes. Over three decades, ancient DNA research has matured in many ways, growing alongside technological and methodological advancements. However, due to DNA...... means of investigating genetic processes. Over three decades, ancient DNA research has matured in many ways, growing alongside technological and methodological advancements. However, due to DNA preservation, degradation and contamination, ancient DNA research presents significant limitations...... preservation, degradation and contamination, ancient DNA research presents significant limitations and challenges. Until recently, it was thought that DNA did not survive more than few hundred thousand years, and that it was impossible to retrieve whole genome data from ancient samples preserved under...

The building stones of ancient Egypt a gift of its geology

Science.gov (United States)

Klemm, Dietrich D.; Klemm, Rosemarie

2001-08-01

Building stones and clay-rich Nile mud were ancient Egypt's main raw construction materials. While the mud was easily accessible along the Nile river valley, the immense quantities of the different stone materials used for construction of the famous pyramids, precious temples and tombs needed a systematic quarrying organization, well arranged transport logistics over extreme distances and a high standard of stone masonry. The petrography, occurrence, and main applications of the 11 most popular stone types used in ancient Egypt are described in this contribution. Rough estimates of the scale of this mining activity, based on the volume of many different ancient quarry sites, all over Egypt, reveal that the monuments known today represent only a small fraction of the amount of building stones mined during the long, ancient Egyptian history.

Views of Ancient Egypt. Teacher's Guide. School Arts: Looking/Learning.

Science.gov (United States)

Downs, Linda; Brenner, Carla

This teaching guide discusses ancient Egyptian culture, the lithographs made by Napoleon's scientists in 1798-99 to study and record every aspect of Egypt, the world's subsequent fascination with Egypt, ancient Egyptian architecture, Egyptian writing, and archeologists' illustrations of Egypt. The guide suggests activities for elementary school,…

Vascular plants promote ancient peatland carbon loss with climate warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Tom N; Garnett, Mark H; Ward, Susan E; Oakley, Simon; Bardgett, Richard D; Ostle, Nicholas J

2016-05-01

Northern peatlands have accumulated one third of the Earth's soil carbon stock since the last Ice Age. Rapid warming across northern biomes threatens to accelerate rates of peatland ecosystem respiration. Despite compensatory increases in net primary production, greater ecosystem respiration could signal the release of ancient, century- to millennia-old carbon from the peatland organic matter stock. Warming has already been shown to promote ancient peatland carbon release, but, despite the key role of vegetation in carbon dynamics, little is known about how plants influence the source of peatland ecosystem respiration. Here, we address this issue using in situ (14)C measurements of ecosystem respiration on an established peatland warming and vegetation manipulation experiment. Results show that warming of approximately 1 °C promotes respiration of ancient peatland carbon (up to 2100 years old) when dwarf-shrubs or graminoids are present, an effect not observed when only bryophytes are present. We demonstrate that warming likely promotes ancient peatland carbon release via its control over organic inputs from vascular plants. Our findings suggest that dwarf-shrubs and graminoids prime microbial decomposition of previously 'locked-up' organic matter from potentially deep in the peat profile, facilitating liberation of ancient carbon as CO2. Furthermore, such plant-induced peat respiration could contribute up to 40% of ecosystem CO2 emissions. If consistent across other subarctic and arctic ecosystems, this represents a considerable fraction of ecosystem respiration that is currently not acknowledged by global carbon cycle models. Ultimately, greater contribution of ancient carbon to ecosystem respiration may signal the loss of a previously stable peatland carbon pool, creating potential feedbacks to future climate change. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Pathogens and host immunity in the ancient human oral cavity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Warinner, Christina; Rodrigues, João F Matias; Vyas, Rounak

2014-01-01

Calcified dental plaque (dental calculus) preserves for millennia and entraps biomolecules from all domains of life and viruses. We report the first, to our knowledge, high-resolution taxonomic and protein functional characterization of the ancient oral microbiome and demonstrate that the oral...... cavity has long served as a reservoir for bacteria implicated in both local and systemic disease. We characterize (i) the ancient oral microbiome in a diseased state, (ii) 40 opportunistic pathogens, (iii) ancient human-associated putative antibiotic resistance genes, (iv) a genome reconstruction...... calculus permits the simultaneous investigation of pathogen activity, host immunity and diet, thereby extending direct investigation of common diseases into the human evolutionary past....

Quantification and presence of human ancient DNA in burial place ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Quantification and presence of human ancient DNA in burial place remains of Turkey using real time polymerase chain reaction. ... A published real-time PCR assay, which allows for the combined analysis of nuclear or ancient DNA and mitochondrial DNA, was modified. This approach can be used for recovering DNA from ...

An Evaluation of the Historical Importance of Fertility and Its Reflection in Ancient Mythology.

Science.gov (United States)

Behjati-Ardakani, Zohreh; Akhondi, Mohammad Mehdi; Mahmoodzadeh, Homa; Hosseini, Seyed Hasan

2016-01-01

Myths are reflective of human concerns and needs during ancient times. By reviewing them, it turns out that many human problems today, have a historical background. Among the main themes of ancient mythologies, fertility and reproduction have various representations in ancient civilizations. The purpose of this paper was to review myths and common symbols of fertility and reproduction in ancient civilizations and evaluate the reasons of their continuous importance in different cultures. The data in this review study was obtained by scrutinizing the related literature. The gathered data indicated the multiplicity and variety of fertility symbols in ancient myths. Most ancient fertility symbols were inspired by the nature and some of them like earth and water were common in mythology of different civilizations. Therefore, the symbols consolidate the concept of conformity between human reproductive concerns and the nature's necessities.

Ancient tombs in China and shallow land disposal of low-intermediate level radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang, Y.; Gu, C.

1987-01-01

The paper summerises the experiences of ancient tombs in China on tomb siting, configuration of tombs, backfilling materials, civil engineering techniques, sealing (or airlight) techniques, drainage system, antiseptic techniques and so on based upon site investigation. Comparison between ancient tombs in China and shallow land disposal of radioactive wastes has been made. The authors point out that the brilliant achievements of ancient tombs in China in keeping ancient corpses and funeral objects is a historical evidence for safety of shallow land disposal of radioactive wastes, and that the main experiences of ancient tombs can be used for reference to shallow land disposal of radioactive wastes

Genetic Drift. The ancient Egyptian dwarfs of the Walters Art Museum.

Science.gov (United States)

Kozma, Chahira

2010-10-01

The ancient Egyptians left an impressive artistic legacy documenting many aspects of their society including the existence of dwarfs as highly valued members. In previous publications in the Journal, I discussed dwarfs and skeletal dysplasia in ancient Egypt. In this study, I examined the ancient Egyptian representations of dwarfs of the Walters Art Museum in Baltimore, Maryland. One of the highlights of the collection is a group of five ivory figurines from Predynastic Times (pre 3500-3100 BCE) depicting a couple, a man with a child, and two females. Representations from other periods include ordinary as well as dwarf deities. The dwarf gods, Bes and Ptah, are frequently depicted holding or biting snakes or standing on crocodiles symbolizing their ability to ward off dangers. A couple of statuettes from the Greco-Roman Period that, in contrast to earlier Egyptian Periods, depict harsh physical anomalies, twisted bodies, and facial pain. The artistic impression can be interpreted as either tragic or humorous. The grotesque depiction of dwarfs during the Greco-Roman Period in ancient Egypt is believed to be due to a greater infusion of Hellenistic influence. This study provides a microcosm of the legacy of dwarfs in ancient Egypt and supports the premise that dwarfs were accepted and integrated in the ancient Egyptian society, and with a few exceptions, their disorder was not depicted as a physical handicap. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Research of Ancient Architectures in Jin-Fen Area Based on GIS&BIM Technology

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Jing; Zheng, Qiuhong; Gao, Huiying; Sun, Hai

2017-05-01

The number of well-preserved ancient buildings located in Shanxi Province, enjoying the absolute maximum proportion of ancient architectures in China, is about 18418, among which, 9053 buildings have the structural style of wood frame. The value of the application of BIM (Building Information Modeling) and GIS (Geographic Information System) is gradually probed and testified in the corresponding fields of ancient architecture’s spatial distribution information management, routine maintenance and special conservation & restoration, the evaluation and simulation of related disasters, such as earthquake. The research objects are ancient architectures in JIN-FEN area, which were first investigated by Sicheng LIANG and recorded in his work of “Chinese ancient architectures survey report”. The research objects, i.e. the ancient architectures in Jin-Fen area include those in Sicheng LIANG’s investigation, and further adjustments were made through authors’ on-site investigation and literature searching & collection. During this research process, the spatial distributing Geodatabase of research objects is established utilizing GIS. The BIM components library for ancient buildings is formed combining on-site investigation data and precedent classic works, such as “Yingzao Fashi”, a treatise on architectural methods in Song Dynasty, “Yongle Encyclopedia” and “Gongcheng Zuofa Zeli”, case collections of engineering practice, by the Ministry of Construction of Qing Dynasty. A building of Guangsheng temple in Hongtong county is selected as an example to elaborate the BIM model construction process based on the BIM components library for ancient buildings. Based on the foregoing work results of spatial distribution data, attribute data of features, 3D graphic information and parametric building information model, the information management system for ancient architectures in Jin-Fen Area, utilizing GIS&BIM technology, could be constructed to support the

Ancient woodland boundaries in Europe

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Szabó, Péter

2010-01-01

Roč. 36, č. 2 (2010), s. 205-214 ISSN 0305-7488 R&D Projects: GA AV ČR IAA600050812 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z60050516 Keywords : ancient woodland * historical ecology * landscape archaeology Subject RIV: EF - Botanics Impact factor: 0.983, year: 2010

Application of NAA in the sort discrimination of the ancient porcelains

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia Xiuqin; Huang Zhongxiang; Han Song

2002-01-01

The neutron activation analysis is applied for analyzing the rare earth elements (REE) and trace elements in the ancient porcelains of Yao Zhou and Ru. The results show that there are differences or even significant differences between glazes and roughcasts of these two ancient porcelains in the gross amounts of REE, normalized diagrams of REE and characteristics of trace element contents, which reflecting the composition differences in glazes and roughcasts of the two kinds of porcelains. Thus, the contents of REE and trace elements can be taken for discriminating the ancient porcelains

Engineering evaluation of alternatives for the disposition of Niagara Falls Storage Site, its residues and wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-01-01

The final disposition scenarios selected by DOE for assessment in this document are consistent with those stated in the Notice of Intent to prepare an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) (DOE, 1983d) and the modifications to the alternatives resulting from the public scoping process. The scenarios are: take no action beyond interim remedial measures other than maintenance and surveillance of the NFSS; retain and manage the NFSS as a long-term waste management facility for the wastes and residues on the site; decontaminate, certify, and release the NFSS for other use, with long-term management of the wastes and residues at other DOE sites; and partially decontaminate the NFSS by removal and transport off site of only the more radioactive residues, and upgrade containment of the remaining wastes and residues on site. The objective of this document is to present to DOE the conceptual engineering, occupational radiation exposure, construction schedule, maintenance and surveillance requirements, and cost information relevant to design and implementation of each of the four scenarios. The specific alternatives within each scenario used as the basis for discussion in this document were evaluated on the bases of engineering considerations, technical feasibility, and regulatory requirements. Selected alternatives determined to be acceptable for each of the four final disposition scenarios for the NFSS were approved by DOE to be assessed and costed in this document. These alternatives are also the subject of the EIS for the NFSS currently being prepared by Argonne National Laboratory (ANL). 40 figures, 38 tables

Viabilidade econômica do cultivo de videira Niágara Rosada = Economic feasibility of grapevine Niagara Rosada production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meyriele Pires de Camargo

2017-04-01

Full Text Available O estado de São Paulo é o terceiro maior produtor de uvas do Brasil e o maior produtor nacional de uvas de mesa, sendo a variedade Niágara Rosada (Vitis labrusca a mais plantada no estado. O objetivo do trabalho foi verificar a viabilidade econômica do cultivo de Niágara Rosada. O projeto foi dimensionado para uma área de três hectares implantada no município de Piracicaba, SP. As plantas foram conduzidas no sistema em espaldeira em uma densidade de 5000 plantas ha-1. O fluxo de caixa foi dimensionado para um período de 13 anos. Estimaram-se os custos para implantação e manutenção do vinhedo, financiamento bancário, pagamento do Fundo de Apoio ao Trabalhador Rural [Funrural] e o custo de oportunidade da terra. A taxa mínima de atratividade [TMA] foi fixada em 11,45% e os indicadores econômicos calculados foram Valor Presente Líquido [VPL], Taxa Interna de Retorno [TIR], payback simples, payback descontado e relação benefício-custo. Obtiveram-se valores positivos de VPL (R$ 398.951,36 e relação custo-benefício (1,81. A TIR foi estimada em 27,34%, superior à TMA. Os valores de payback simples e descontado foram de cinco anos e de seis anos, respectivamente, indicando que o tempo de retorno do capital inicial investido foi inferior ao período do projeto. Os indicadores econômicos estimados constataram a viabilidade financeira do empreendimento em análise. = São Paulo State is the third largest grapevine producer in Brazil and the largest national producer of table grapes. Niagara Rosada (Vitis labrusca is the most planted cultivar in the State. This study aimed to verify the economic feasibility of Niagara Rosada production. The project was designed for an area of tree hectares to be implemented in Piracicaba, SP. Plants were conducted in vertical trellis system with 5000 plants ha-1. The cash flow was dimensioned for a period of 13 years. Costs with implantation and maintenance of the vineyard, bank financing, payment

Ancient Terrestrial Carbon: Lost and Found

Science.gov (United States)

Freeman, K. H.

2017-12-01

Carbon fluxes in terrestrial environments dominate the global carbon cycle. The fluxes of terrestrial carbon are strongly tied to regional climate due to the influences of temperature, water, and nutrient dynamics on plant productivity. However, climate also influences the destruction of terrestrial organic matter, through weathering, erosion, and biomass loss via fire and oxidative microbial processes. Organic geochemical methods enable us to interrogate past terrestrial carbon dynamics and learn how continental processes might accelerate, or mitigate carbon transfer to the atmosphere, and the associated greenhouse warming. Terrestrial soil systems represent the weathering rind of the continents, and are inherently non-depositional and erosive. The production, transport, and depositional processes affecting organics in continental settings each impart their own biases on the amount and characteristics of preserved carbon. Typically, the best archives for biomarker records are sediments in ancient lakes or subaqueous fans, which represents a preservation bias that tends to favor wetter environments. Paleosols, or ancient soils, formed under depositional conditions that, for one reason or another, truncated soil ablation, erosion, or other loss processes. In modern soils, widely ranging organic carbon abundances are almost always substantially greater than the trace amounts of carbon left behind in ancient soils. Even so, measureable amounts of organic biomarkers persist in paleosols. We have been investigating processes that preserve soil organic carbon on geologic timescales, and how these mechanisms may be sensitive to past climate change. Climate-linked changes in temperature, moisture, pH, and weathering processes can impact carbon preservation via organo-mineral sorption, soil biogeochemistry, and stability based on the physical and chemical properties of organic compounds. These will be discussed and illustrated with examples from our studies of Cenozoic

Peopling the past: New perspectives on the ancient Maya

OpenAIRE

Robin, Cynthia

2001-01-01

The new direction in Maya archaeology is toward achieving a greater understanding of people and their roles and their relations in the past. To answer emerging humanistic questions about ancient people's lives Mayanists are increasingly making use of new and existing scientific methods from archaeology and other disciplines. Maya archaeology is bridging the divide between the humanities and sciences to answer questions about ancient people previously considered bey...

Homosexuality according to ancient Greek physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Laios, K; Moschos, M M; Koukaki, E; Kontaxaki, M-I; Androutsos, G

2017-01-01

Homosexuality and pedophilia in ancient Greece greatly concerned many researchers who were mainly interested in highlighting the social aspect of this phenomenon in ancient Greek society. An important source on the subject was the paintings of a man and his lover in attic black and red figured pottery, up to the end of the 5th century BC. Another main source was the information that derived from the texts of ancient Greek literature, especially poetry. Homosexuality was not only referring to relationships between males, but it was also manifested in lesbian love. It is believed that in the Homeric world homosexuality was not favored. In Greek society of the archaic period, the restriction of women at home, the satisfaction of sexual needs with courtesans, the marriage for the purpose of maintaining and managing the property, put women aside, marginalizing them in terms of social life, impeding the cultivation of emotional relationships between sexes. At the same time, in the society of those times, the aristocratic ideal, the constant communication of men during military training and the war, the male nudity in sports and the promotion of beauty and bravery in athletic contests, as well as the gatherings and the entertainment of men at the symposia, created a suitable substrate in which male homosexuality could develop. In this context, pedophile relationships were developed mainly during the archaic period, as recorded on vase paintings, where a mature man developed a special relationship with a teenager of the same social class. The mature man had the role of mentor for the juvenile, he would look after him and cover his living expenses and education cost. In this relationship, exhibiting predominantly the social dimension of an initiation process and introduction to adult life, the erotic homosexual intercourse could find a place to flourish. The above-mentioned relationship could not last forever, given that this would later transform into an emotional

The study of human Y chromosome variation through ancient DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Kivisild, Toomas

2017-05-01

High throughput sequencing methods have completely transformed the study of human Y chromosome variation by offering a genome-scale view on genetic variation retrieved from ancient human remains in context of a growing number of high coverage whole Y chromosome sequence data from living populations from across the world. The ancient Y chromosome sequences are providing us the first exciting glimpses into the past variation of male-specific compartment of the genome and the opportunity to evaluate models based on previously made inferences from patterns of genetic variation in living populations. Analyses of the ancient Y chromosome sequences are challenging not only because of issues generally related to ancient DNA work, such as DNA damage-induced mutations and low content of endogenous DNA in most human remains, but also because of specific properties of the Y chromosome, such as its highly repetitive nature and high homology with the X chromosome. Shotgun sequencing of uniquely mapping regions of the Y chromosomes to sufficiently high coverage is still challenging and costly in poorly preserved samples. To increase the coverage of specific target SNPs capture-based methods have been developed and used in recent years to generate Y chromosome sequence data from hundreds of prehistoric skeletal remains. Besides the prospects of testing directly as how much genetic change in a given time period has accompanied changes in material culture the sequencing of ancient Y chromosomes allows us also to better understand the rate at which mutations accumulate and get fixed over time. This review considers genome-scale evidence on ancient Y chromosome diversity that has recently started to accumulate in geographic areas favourable to DNA preservation. More specifically the review focuses on examples of regional continuity and change of the Y chromosome haplogroups in North Eurasia and in the New World.

Performance monitoring report for the Niagara Falls Storage Site Waste Containment Structure, Lewiston, New York: Calendar year 1987 and January--June of 1988

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blanke, J.A.; Johnson, R.T.; Stanley, W.F.

1989-01-01

A performance monitoring program has been developed for the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) Waste Containment Structure (WCS). The WCS contains soils contaminated with residual radioactive materials, rubble, and radioactive residues removed from various areas of the NFSS and vicinity properties during remedial action conducted by the Department of Energy (DOE) from 1982 through 1986. The NFSS is a part of the DOE Surplus Facilities Management Program (SFMP). The purpose of the performance monitoring program is to verify that the WCS main engineering elements are functioning to minimize infiltration of rainfall; prevent pollution of groundwater; preclude formation of leachate; and prevent radon emanation. This report presents the findings of performance monitoring conducted at the WCS during calendar year 1987, and January through June of 1988. the data received during the initial performance monitoring period in 1986 (Ref. 3) established a baseline for interpretation contained in this report. The period covered by this report has been expanded to include 6 months in 1988 because the impact of the winter is most evident in the spring growing season. 5 refs., 12 figs., 8 tabs

On the Development and Evolution of Astronomy in ancient Egypt

Science.gov (United States)

Maravelias, S. E.

In the present paper the development and evolution of astronomy in = Ancient Egypt are briefly examined. Emphasis is given to the = applications of astronomy on: (i) the orientation of temples and = pyramids, and the subsequent determination of the year; (ii) the = reorientation of temples --after the lapse of several centuries-- (due = to the fact that the priesthood was empirically aware of the precession = of equinoxes, and the subsequent use of this very fact in order to = estimate the archaeological age of temples, tombs and pyramids; (iii) = the heliacal rising of Sirius, which was used by ancient = priests-astronomers in order to fix the New Year's Day and determine the = seasons of the civil year, although the discre pancy of the Sothic cycle = in their calendrical system was not seriously taken into account. = Finally the conclusion put forward is that astronomy in Ancient Egypt = never reached the grounds of pure science (as in Ancient Greece), at = least before the Ptolemaic era, but always remained under the influence = of traditionalism and mythology pertaining more to the sphere of = religion and dogma.

Medicine and psychiatry in Western culture: among Ancient Greek myths and modern prejudices.

Science.gov (United States)

Fornaro, Michele; Clementi, Nicoletta; Fornaro, Pantaleo

2009-01-01

While many ancient cultures contributed to our current knowledge about medicine and psychiatry origins, Ancient Greeks were among the best observers of feelings and moods patients could express toward medicine and toward what today referred as "psychopathology". Myths and religious references were used to explain what elsewhere impossible to understand or easily communicated. Most of ancient myths focus on ambiguous feelings patients could have towards drugs, especially psychotropic ones. Interestingly, such prejudices are common yet today. Recalling ancient findings and descriptions made using myths, should represent a valuable knowledge for modern physicians, especially for psychiatrists, and their patients, with the aim of better understanding each other and therefore achieving a better clinical outcome. The paper explores many human aspects and feelings toward doctors and their cures, referring to ancient myths, focusing on the perception of mental illness.

ARCHAEOLOGICAL AND GEOLOGICAL CONCEPTS ON THE TOPIC OF ANCIENT MINING

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prentiss de JESUS

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Geological and archaeological research on ancient mining and metallurgy are actually targeting the same goals: understanding the nature and value of a mining operation. Geologists are intent on locating and qualifying ores and minerals for future use, whereas archaeologists strive to link ores to relevant historic and prehistoric metal artifacts and activities. This article discusses research into ancient Anatolian metallurgy by underscoring the overlap between geological and archeological practices. The work of archaeologists and geologists can be mutually beneficial through a close collaboration on the collection and analysis of field data. Their accumulated and combined knowledge would accelerate the progress towards placing ancient mining activities in a chronological and meaningful context.

Cathair Crobh Dearg: From Ancient Beliefs to the Rounds 2017

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Frédéric Armao

2017-10-01

Full Text Available This paper will study the case of the stone enclosure of Cathair Crobh Dearg, Co. Kerry (also referred to as the City and Dá Chích Anann (or the Paps of Anu, the twin mountains that can be seen from the enclosure. The site is mentioned in ancient mythological texts as well as more modern accounts in connection with the Irish festival of Bealtaine, in early May. The author relied on archaeological evidence, an analysis of ancient documents, a number of manuscripts from the Irish National Folklore Collection, as well as personal visits to the site in order to try and understand the nature, and possibly origin, of both contemporary rituals and ancient beliefs.

High-resolution analysis of cytosine methylation in ancient DNA.

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Bastien Llamas

Full Text Available Epigenetic changes to gene expression can result in heritable phenotypic characteristics that are not encoded in the DNA itself, but rather by biochemical modifications to the DNA or associated chromatin proteins. Interposed between genes and environment, these epigenetic modifications can be influenced by environmental factors to affect phenotype for multiple generations. This raises the possibility that epigenetic states provide a substrate for natural selection, with the potential to participate in the rapid adaptation of species to changes in environment. Any direct test of this hypothesis would require the ability to measure epigenetic states over evolutionary timescales. Here we describe the first single-base resolution of cytosine methylation patterns in an ancient mammalian genome, by bisulphite allelic sequencing of loci from late Pleistocene Bison priscus remains. Retrotransposons and the differentially methylated regions of imprinted loci displayed methylation patterns identical to those derived from fresh bovine tissue, indicating that methylation patterns are preserved in the ancient DNA. Our findings establish the biochemical stability of methylated cytosines over extensive time frames, and provide the first direct evidence that cytosine methylation patterns are retained in DNA from ancient specimens. The ability to resolve cytosine methylation in ancient DNA provides a powerful means to study the role of epigenetics in evolution.

On the acoustics of ancient Greek and Roman theaters.

Science.gov (United States)

Farnetani, Andrea; Prodi, Nicola; Pompoli, Roberto

2008-09-01

The interplay of architecture and acoustics is remarkable in ancient Greek and Roman theaters. Frequently they are nowadays lively performance spaces and the knowledge of the sound field inside them is still an issue of relevant importance. Even if the transition from Greek to Roman theaters can be described with a great architectural detail, a comprehensive and objective approach to the two types of spaces from the acoustical point of view is available at present only as a computer model study [P. Chourmouziadou and J. Kang, "Acoustic evolution of ancient Greek and Roman theaters," Appl. Acoust. 69, re (2007)]. This work addresses the same topic from the experimental point of view, and its aim is to provide a basis to the acoustical evolution from Greek to Roman theater design. First, by means of in situ and scale model measurements, the most important features of the sound field in ancient theaters are clarified and discussed. Then it has been possible to match quantitatively the role of some remarkable architectural design variables with acoustics, and it is seen how this criterion can be used effectively to define different groups of ancient theaters. Finally some more specific wave phenomena are addressed and discussed.

Application of PIXE to study ancient Iranian silver coins

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Oliaiy, P.; Shokouhi, F.; Lamehi-Rachti, M.; Rahighi, J. [Van de Graaff Laboratory, AEOI, Tehran (Iran); Andami, P.; Dilmaghani, J.; Etezadi, M. [Tamashagah-e-Pool, General Office of Museums, MDFIR, Tehran (Iran)

1999-07-01

Ancient Iranian silver coins minted in various parts of the ancient Iran from Transoxiana to Mesopotamia over a time span of 460 years (247BC-208AD) during Parthians dynasty were analysed by PIXE with a 2.2 MeV proton beam. Forty seven silver coins owned by Tamashagah-e-Pool (museum of money) in Tehran were examined in this study. The possible correlation between the composition of coins and the minting time or the minting location of coins has been the prime objective of the present study. Elemental analysis of ancient coins could also reveal the direct relation with the political and economical situation and also with the metallurgy of the minting time. Results on the contents of principal component elements (Fe, Ni, Cu, As, Br, Ag, Sn, Sb, Ba, Au and Pb) are presented and discussed. (author)

Tradition and Creativity. Toward a Study of Intericonicity in Ancient Egyptian Art

OpenAIRE

Laboury, Dimitri

2017-01-01

Although a key-concept in Art historical discourse and reasoning, creativity has almost always been avoided as an issue in the discussion of Ancient Egyptian Art, as if the notion was simply irrelevant in such a context. This surprising phenomenon has clearly deep roots in the history of the western vision of Ancient Egyptian Art (and civilization). Nonetheless, the investigation of some (actually quite rare) cases of true copies in Ancient Egyptian Art reveals that creativity operated within...

Peopling the past: new perspectives on the ancient Maya.

Science.gov (United States)

Robin, C

2001-01-02

The new direction in Maya archaeology is toward achieving a greater understanding of people and their roles and their relations in the past. To answer emerging humanistic questions about ancient people's lives Mayanists are increasingly making use of new and existing scientific methods from archaeology and other disciplines. Maya archaeology is bridging the divide between the humanities and sciences to answer questions about ancient people previously considered beyond the realm of archaeological knowledge.

Perseus Project: Interactive Teaching and Research Tools for Ancient Greek Civilization.

Science.gov (United States)

Crane, Gregory; Harward, V. Judson

1987-01-01

Describes the Perseus Project, an educational program utilizing computer technology to study ancient Greek civilization. Including approximately 10 percent of all ancient literature and visual information on architecture, sculpture, ceramics, topography, and archaeology, the project spans a range of disciplines. States that Perseus fuels student…

Ancient tombs in China and shallow ground burial of solid low-intermediate level radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Huang Yawen; Gu Cunli

1987-01-01

Having reviewed the experiences with ancient tombs in China, particularly the experiences with tomb siting, configuration of tombs, backfilling materials, civil engineering techniques, sealing techniques, drainage system, antiseptic techniques, a comparison between the ancient tombs and the shallow ground burial of solid radioactive wastes is made. The authors believe that the brilliant achievements of ancient tombs in China in keeping ancient corpses and funeral objects are a historical evidence for safety of shallow ground burial of radioactive wastes, and that the main experiences with the ancient tombs may be useful to shallow ground burial of solid radioactive wastes

Trace elements measurement by PIXE in the appraisal of the ancient potteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Z.Q.; Cheng, H.S.; Xia, H.N.; Jiang, J.C.; Gao, M.H.; Yang, F.J.

2002-01-01

Fifty pieces of pottery samples were collected from two domains with different types of ancient Sino-civilization. The concentrations of trace elements Cr, Ni, Cu, Zn, Pb, Rb, Sr, Y and Zr were measured by proton-induced X-ray emission technique. Multivariate statistical processing of the results allows us to locate the provenance of the ancient potteries. The experimental results also show that the relative trace element contents Ni-Rb-Zr are useful for distinguishing these two types of Chinese ancient potteries

Microclima em vinhedos de 'Niagara rosada' em diferentes sistemas de condução durante safras de inverno e de verão Microclimate in 'Niagara Rosada' vineyards under different trellis systems during the winter and the summer crops

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mário José Pedro Júnior

2013-03-01

Full Text Available Na região vitícola de Jundiaí, o tradicional sistema de condução das plantas em espaldeira vem sendo paulatinamente substituído pela manjedoura na forma de Y. Alguns produtores têm lançado mão do uso de cobertura plástica para conferir maior proteção aos cachos de uva. Como esses diferentes sistemas de condução provocam alterações no microclima dos vinhedos, foram feitas medições de radiação solar global, umidade relativa, temperaturas máxima e mínima do ar no ambiente externo e na altura dos cachos de vinhedos de 'Niagara Rosada' conduzidos em espaldeira a céu aberto e em Y, com e sem cobertura de plástico, durante o período das safras de inverno e de verão. Verificou-se, que durante a safra de verão, as diferenças entre os valores diários de radiação solar, temperatura máxima do ar e umidade relativa foram mais elevadas em relação às da safra de inverno na comparação entre os sistemas de condução e o ambiente externo. Os vinhedos conduzidos em espaldeira apresentaram menores valores de radiação solar e umidade relativa do ar, na altura dos cachos. As temperaturas máximas e mínimas do ar foram semelhantes em todos os sistemas de condução e durante as diferentes safras. O uso de cobertura plástica no sistema de condução em Y não influiu na umidade relativa do ar e na temperatura mínima, porém propiciou aumento nos valores de temperatura máxima do ar.At the grapevine growing region of Jundiaí (State of São Paulo - Brazil the trellis system with single unilateral cordon and vertical upward branches is the most used by the growers. Nowadays it is been gradually replaced by the Y shaped trellis system. Still, some producers have been using plastic overhead cover for protection of the grape clusters. The different trellis systems cause modifications in the microclimate of the vineyard, so measurements of daily values of solar radiation, relative humidity, maximum and minimum air temperatures were

Sex and Gender Related Health Status Differences in Ancient and Contemporary Skeletal Populations

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Velissaria Vanna

2007-11-01

Full Text Available Human skeletal and dental remains are an invaluable source of information for interpreting the way of life of past people and also provide the only direct evidence of non-living populations’ health status. This research paper discusses the sex-related health differences observed in two skeletal populations from Greece, an ancient and a modern, by employing multiple health indicators, and aims at determining the biological and possible social factors that contribute to this variation. Particular emphasis is given to the importance of hypotheses-driven, population-based studies of human remains as the most effective means of reconstructing life in the past. The results showed that fracture ('ancient': females 0.08%, males 0.12%; 'modern': females 0.38%, males 0.19% and osteoarthritis ('ancient': females 0.7%, males: 3.0%; 'modern': females 4.4%, males 3.2% frequencies were higher for male individuals than females in the ancient population, which can be explained by greater engagement in strenuous and risky activity. Dental caries ('ancient': females 1.2%, males 1.8%; 'modern': females 23.6%, males 17.4% and ante-mortem tooth loss ('ancient': females 12.3%, males 7.7%; 'modern': females 69.5%, males 49.5% rates were higher for females than males (with the exception of the almost equal caries rates for the ancient population, most likely due to hormonal fluctuations, saliva content and flow, because female teeth erupt earlier and also perhaps as a result of differences in dietary habits. Periodontitis levels were more elevated in males ('ancient': females 9.6%, males 30.1%; 'modern': females 29.1%, males 38.3%, possibly due to poor oral hygiene practices and excessive masticatory loading. Dental enamel defects rates showed that in the ancient population, males had more chances of surviving childhood stress than females (females 19.5%, males 20.0%, whereas, in the modern population, the exact opposite was the case (females 6.1%, males 22.7%.

Intraosseous neurilemmoma of the mandible: report of a rare ancient type.

Science.gov (United States)

Jahanshahi, Gholamreza; Haghighat, Abbas; Azmoodeh, Faezeh

2011-01-01

The neurilemmoma is a benign neoplasm of Schwann cell origin. One of the histopathologic subtypes of this tumor is ancient schwannoma which is characterized by degenerative alterations including cystic change, calcification, hemorrhage, and hyalinization.Intraosseous schwannomas especially ancient ones are rare tumors. Here we present a case of intraosseous ancient schwannoma in the lower jaw of an 11-year-old girl which caused a non-tender expansion. Radiographic examination showed a well-circumscribed, unilocular radiolucent lesion with thin sclerotic borders in the mandibular body and the ramus. Histopathologic examination of the incisional biopsy showed areas of typical Antoni A with verocay bodies and Antoni B that was strongly suggestive of a schwannoma. Complete excision of the lesion was done under general anesthesia. The histopathologic examination confirmed the primary diagnosis and also degenerative changes such as hyalinization and calcification. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of ancient schwannoma was made. No recurrence was observed in the follow-up examination after 3 months.

Feature recognition and detection for ancient architecture based on machine vision

Science.gov (United States)

Zou, Zheng; Wang, Niannian; Zhao, Peng; Zhao, Xuefeng

2018-03-01

Ancient architecture has a very high historical and artistic value. The ancient buildings have a wide variety of textures and decorative paintings, which contain a lot of historical meaning. Therefore, the research and statistics work of these different compositional and decorative features play an important role in the subsequent research. However, until recently, the statistics of those components are mainly by artificial method, which consumes a lot of labor and time, inefficiently. At present, as the strong support of big data and GPU accelerated training, machine vision with deep learning as the core has been rapidly developed and widely used in many fields. This paper proposes an idea to recognize and detect the textures, decorations and other features of ancient building based on machine vision. First, classify a large number of surface textures images of ancient building components manually as a set of samples. Then, using the convolution neural network to train the samples in order to get a classification detector. Finally verify its precision.

Attitudes to Ancient Greek in Three Schools: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Frances

2018-01-01

This study comes in response to recent changes in UK policy, whereby Ancient Greek and Latin have been included alongside modern languages as part of the curriculum at Key Stage 2. It aims to understand how Ancient Greek is surviving and thriving in three different types of schools. After a short overview of the history of Greek teaching in the…

Preliminary Study of Ancient Town Protection and Rural Tourism Development of Caoshi Town in Hengdong County, Hunan Province

OpenAIRE

Liu, Tian-zhao; Yang, Zai-tian; Liu Pei-lin

2012-01-01

The typical style and features of mountains and waters in Caoshi Ancient Town, have hitherto been well preserved. Caoshi Ancient Town boasts superior base of the natural eco-environment and deep-rooted background of regional culture, where mountains, waters, shoals, towns and other landscape elements are merged harmoniously, the transportation and geographical conditions have been fundamentally changed. Ancient towns, old temples, ancient forests, ancient wells and ancient piers are unique in...

Problem-oriented approach to Ancient philosophy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Berstov, Igor

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Igor Berestov and Marina Wolf of the Institute of philosophy and law, Novosibirsk, discuss various methodological difficulties typical of studies in the history of Ancient Greek philosophy and try to develop their own problem-oriented approach.

The value of ancient architecture for educational program of masters of architectural space design

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Prishchepa Aleksandr

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The existence of archaeological sites of ancient Greek colony-towns and medieval fortresses gives a real insight into the interaction of all spheres of human activity in ancient times. Ancient Greek Emporium is a vivid example of the architecture, art, archaeology and urban planning synthesis. Archaeological excavations provide an opportunity to study the artefacts of the ancient world belonging to several fields, such as sculpture, decorative arts, fashion design and household. Studying history of archaeology right on the place of excavation of an ancient city masters can imagine the scale of buildings, streets layout and location of business, administrative and residential buildings. It allows students to form professional way of thinking in a short period in order to gather the material and work on the master thesis.

NIMI TANTRA (Opthalmology of Ancient India).

Science.gov (United States)

Ramachandran, C K

1984-04-01

The art of opthalmology was well developed in ancient India and was known as Nimi Tantra. In this paper the author presents the main features of Nimi Tantra an authoritative treatises written by Nimi, a prominent opthalmologist of his time.

NIMI TANTRA (Opthalmology of Ancient India)

OpenAIRE

Ramachandran, C.K.

1984-01-01

The art of opthalmology was well developed in ancient India and was known as Nimi Tantra. In this paper the author presents the main features of Nimi Tantra an authoritative treatises written by Nimi, a prominent opthalmologist of his time.

Research of Ancient Architectures in Jin-Fen Area Based on GIS and BIM Technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jia, Jing; Zheng, Qiuhong; Gao, Huiying; Sun, Hai

2017-01-01

The number of well-preserved ancient buildings located in Shanxi Province, enjoying the absolute maximum proportion of ancient architectures in China, is about 18418, among which, 9053 buildings have the structural style of wood frame. The value of the application of BIM (Building Information Modeling) and GIS (Geographic Information System) is gradually probed and testified in the corresponding fields of ancient architecture’s spatial distribution information management, routine maintenance and special conservation and restoration, the evaluation and simulation of related disasters, such as earthquake. The research objects are ancient architectures in JIN-FEN area, which were first investigated by Sicheng LIANG and recorded in his work of “Chinese ancient architectures survey report”. The research objects, i.e. the ancient architectures in Jin-Fen area include those in Sicheng LIANG’s investigation, and further adjustments were made through authors’ on-site investigation and literature searching and collection. During this research process, the spatial distributing Geodatabase of research objects is established utilizing GIS. The BIM components library for ancient buildings is formed combining on-site investigation data and precedent classic works, such as “Yingzao Fashi”, a treatise on architectural methods in Song Dynasty, “Yongle Encyclopedia” and “Gongcheng Zuofa Zeli”, case collections of engineering practice, by the Ministry of Construction of Qing Dynasty. A building of Guangsheng temple in Hongtong county is selected as an example to elaborate the BIM model construction process based on the BIM components library for ancient buildings. Based on the foregoing work results of spatial distribution data, attribute data of features, 3D graphic information and parametric building information model, the information management system for ancient architectures in Jin-Fen Area, utilizing GIS and BIM technology, could be constructed to support

The Phenomenon of Pathological Dissociation in the Ancient Chinese Medicine Literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Fung, Hong Wang

2018-01-01

Dissociative symptoms and disorders have been reported in many different cultures. If pathological dissociation is naturally occurring and related to adverse experiences, such phenomena should have been witnessed and portrayed before the modern age. To investigate whether this is the case, the author made use of the rich ancient Chinese medicine literature and looked for descriptions of pathological dissociation in medical documents written by ancient Chinese medical practitioners. In this paper, the author presents six cases selected from the ancient Chinese medicine literature. The phenomenon of pathological dissociation is observed in these cases. This is the first report of case descriptions of pathological dissociation documented in Chinese cultures before 1900.

Fog Collection Pilot Project (FCPP) in the Eastern Escarpments of Eritrea

Science.gov (United States)

Gherezghiher, T.

2010-07-01

Eritrea is water scarce country that relies heavily on underground water reserve and more than 80% of the rural population does not have access to safe and clean drinking water. In the rural areas, shallow hand dug wells are the primary sources of water and in most cases their discharge rate is deteriorating due to the recurrent drought. Particularly, in the targeted project areas underground water reserve is hard to find due to the steep topography. However, in these parts of Eritrea one will find a sector of mountains, about 700 km long, where the wind transports moist air from the Red Sea forming fog on the highlands. The area of the FCPP is the region of Maakel, near the villages Nefasit and Arborobu. The overall objective of his FCPP was to provide supplementary water supply system from large fog collectors (LFCs) in order to increase access to safe and clean drinking water in the targeted Schools and surrounding villages. Communities and students were organized to participate in the implementation of the project. Forty LFCs were established in all the targeted areas in previously evaluated potential locations. The project was implemented by Vision Eritrea, a National NGO in partnership with the country's' Water Resource Department; Fog Quest a Canadian NGO and Water Foundation, a German NGO, who also funded the project. The FCPP focused on introducing a new innovative water harvesting technology which is a crucial element for the survival of the people in the mountainous escarpment of the country; and with prospect of locally owned solutions for a sustainable management of and access to natural resource. Preliminary evaluation of the project showed that there was a good production of fog water, with an average of 6-8 litters/m2/day on the low intensity of fog and from 12 -18 litters on the high fog intensity. A functional water committee was established and trained on water management and maintenance of the LFC. They also developed water bylaw by which the

Modelling human agency in ancient irrigation

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ertsen, M.W.

2011-01-01

Human activity is key in understanding ancient irrigation systems. Results of short term actions build up over time, affecting civilizations on larger temporal and spatial scales. Irrigation systems, with their many entities, social and physical, their many interactions within a changing environment

Statistical guidelines for detecting past population shifts using ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mourier, Tobias; Ho, Simon Y. W.; Gilbert, Tom

2012-01-01

Populations carry a genetic signal of their demographic past, providing an opportunity for investigating the processes that shaped their evolution. Our ability to infer population histories can be enhanced by including ancient DNA data. Using serial-coalescent simulations and a range of both...... quantitative and temporal sampling schemes, we test the power of ancient mitochondrial sequences and nuclear single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to detect past population bottlenecks. Within our simulated framework, mitochondrial sequences have only limited power to detect subtle bottlenecks and/or fast...... results provide useful guidelines for scaling sampling schemes and for optimizing our ability to infer past population dynamics. In addition, our results suggest that many ancient DNA studies may face power issues in detecting moderate demographic collapses and/or highly dynamic demographic shifts when...

A decision support system for the reading of ancient documents

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Roued-Cunliffe, Henriette

2011-01-01

The research presented in this thesis is based in the Humanities discipline of Ancient History and begins by attempting to understand the interpretation process involved in reading ancient documents and how this process can be aided by computer systems such as Decision Support Systems (DSS...... this process in the five areas: remembering complex reasoning, searching huge datasets, international collaboration, publishing editions, and image enhancement. This research contains a large practical element involving the development of a DSS prototype. The prototype is used to illustrate how a DSS......, by remembering complex reasoning, can aid the process of interpretation that is reading ancient documents. It is based on the idea that the interpretation process goes through a network of interpretation. The network of interpretation illustrates a recursive process where scholars move between reading levels...

Lipids of aquatic sediments, recent and ancient

Science.gov (United States)

Eglinton, G.; Hajibrahim, S. K.; Maxwell, J. R.; Quirke, J. M. E.; Shaw, G. J.; Volkman, J. K.; Wardroper, A. M. K.

1979-01-01

Computerized gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) is now an essential tool in the analysis of the complex mixtures of lipids (geolipids) encountered in aquatic sediments, both 'recent' (less than 1 million years old) and ancient. The application of MS, and particularly GC-MS, has been instrumental in the rapid development of organic geochemistry and environmental organic chemistry in recent years. The techniques used have resulted in the identification of numerous compounds of a variety of types in sediments. Most attention has been concentrated on molecules of limited size, mainly below 500 molecular mass, and of limited functionality, for examples, hydrocarbons, fatty acids and alcohols. Examples from recent studies (at Bristol) of contemporary, 'recent' and ancient sediments are presented and discussed.

AMS radiocarbon dating of ancient Japanese sutras

CERN Document Server

Oda, H; Nakamura, T; Fujita, K

2000-01-01

Radiocarbon ages of ancient Japanese sutras whose historical ages were known paleographically were measured by means of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Calibrated radiocarbon ages of five samples were consistent with the corresponding historical ages; the 'old wood effect' is negligible for ancient Japanese sutras. Japanese paper has been made from fresh branches grown within a few years and the interval from trimming off the branches to writing sutra on the paper is within one year. The good agreement between the calibrated radiocarbon ages and the historical ages is supported by such characteristics of Japanese paper. It is indicated in this study that Japanese sutra is a suitable sample for radiocarbon dating in the historic period because of little gap by 'old wood effect'.

AMS radiocarbon dating of ancient Japanese sutras

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Oda, Hirotaka; Yoshizawa, Yasukazu; Nakamura, Toshio; Fujita, Keiko

2000-01-01

Radiocarbon ages of ancient Japanese sutras whose historical ages were known paleographically were measured by means of accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). Calibrated radiocarbon ages of five samples were consistent with the corresponding historical ages; the 'old wood effect' is negligible for ancient Japanese sutras. Japanese paper has been made from fresh branches grown within a few years and the interval from trimming off the branches to writing sutra on the paper is within one year. The good agreement between the calibrated radiocarbon ages and the historical ages is supported by such characteristics of Japanese paper. It is indicated in this study that Japanese sutra is a suitable sample for radiocarbon dating in the historic period because of little gap by 'old wood effect'

Comparing particle-size distributions in modern and ancient sand-bed rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Hajek, E. A.; Lynds, R. M.; Huzurbazar, S. V.

2011-12-01

Particle-size distributions yield valuable insight into processes controlling sediment supply, transport, and deposition in sedimentary systems. This is especially true in ancient deposits, where effects of changing boundary conditions and autogenic processes may be detected from deposited sediment. In order to improve interpretations in ancient deposits and constrain uncertainty associated with new methods for paleomorphodynamic reconstructions in ancient fluvial systems, we compare particle-size distributions in three active sand-bed rivers in central Nebraska (USA) to grain-size distributions from ancient sandy fluvial deposits. Within the modern rivers studied, particle-size distributions of active-layer, suspended-load, and slackwater deposits show consistent relationships despite some morphological and sediment-supply differences between the rivers. In particular, there is substantial and consistent overlap between bed-material and suspended-load distributions, and the coarsest material found in slackwater deposits is comparable to the coarse fraction of suspended-sediment samples. Proxy bed-load and slackwater-deposit samples from the Kayenta Formation (Lower Jurassic, Utah/Colorado, USA) show overlap similar to that seen in the modern rivers, suggesting that these deposits may be sampled for paleomorphodynamic reconstructions, including paleoslope estimation. We also compare grain-size distributions of channel, floodplain, and proximal-overbank deposits in the Willwood (Paleocene/Eocene, Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA), Wasatch (Paleocene/Eocene, Piceance Creek Basin, Colorado, USA), and Ferris (Cretaceous/Paleocene, Hanna Basin, Wyoming, USA) formations. Grain-size characteristics in these deposits reflect how suspended- and bed-load sediment is distributed across the floodplain during channel avulsion events. In order to constrain uncertainty inherent in such estimates, we evaluate uncertainty associated with sample collection, preparation, analytical

[On the issue of healers of the Ancient China].

Science.gov (United States)

Lazarenko, V G

2010-01-01

The article is devoted to the first physicians of the Ancient China--I-Ing (XVII-XVI centuries BC) and I-Ho (VI-V centuries BC). On the basis of the investigation of the ancient sources the significant input of the mentioned physicians into the development of the traditional Chinese medicine, dietetics and diet therapy included is testified. In addition, their scientific approach to the issues of diagnostics and treatment on the basis of applying the natural philosophy principles of Yin-Yan and Y-Sin is demonstrated.

The potential for biologically catalyzed anaerobic methane oxidation on ancient Mars.

Science.gov (United States)

Marlow, Jeffrey J; Larowe, Douglas E; Ehlmann, Bethany L; Amend, Jan P; Orphan, Victoria J

2014-04-01

This study examines the potential for the biologically mediated anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) coupled to sulfate reduction on ancient Mars. Seven distinct fluids representative of putative martian groundwater were used to calculate Gibbs energy values in the presence of dissolved methane under a range of atmospheric CO2 partial pressures. In all scenarios, AOM is exergonic, ranging from -31 to -135 kJ/mol CH4. A reaction transport model was constructed to examine how environmentally relevant parameters such as advection velocity, reactant concentrations, and biomass production rate affect the spatial and temporal dependences of AOM reaction rates. Two geologically supported models for ancient martian AOM are presented: a sulfate-rich groundwater with methane produced from serpentinization by-products, and acid-sulfate fluids with methane from basalt alteration. The simulations presented in this study indicate that AOM could have been a feasible metabolism on ancient Mars, and fossil or isotopic evidence of this metabolic pathway may persist beneath the surface and in surface exposures of eroded ancient terrains.

Earthquake Archaeology: a case study from Ancient Cnidus

Science.gov (United States)

Stewart, I. S.; Altunel, E.; Piccardi, L.

2003-04-01

Ancient earthquakes can leave their mark in the mythical practices and literary accounts of ancient peoples, the stratigraphy of their site histories, and the structural integrity of their constructions. The ancient Greek/Roman city of Cnidus in southwestern Turkey records all three. A spectacular exposed fault plane cliff bordering the northern edge of the city appears to have been an important revered site, bearing votive niches carved into the near-vertical slip plane and associated with a Sanctuary of Demeter that implies a connection to the underworld. Stratigraphic evidence for earthquake faulting can be found in the form of a destruction horizon of contorted soil, relics and human remains exposed in the original excavations of the Sanctuary of Demeter by Sir Charles Newton (1857-58) and in a destruction horizon of burnt soil and bone uncovered by the ongoing excavation of a colonnaded street. Structural damage to constructions is widespread across the site, with warped and offset walls in the Sanctuary of Demeter, collapsed buildings in several places, and a parallel arrangement of fallen columns in the colonnaded street. The most remarkable structural evidence for fault activity, however, is the rupture of the ancient city's famous Round Temple of Aphrodite, whose podium reveals a history of damage and which is unambiguously displaced across a bedrock fault. While these phenomena are equivocal when viewed in isolation, collectively they imply at least two damaging earthquakes at the site, one (possibly both) of which ruptured along the fault on which the city is found. The Cnidus case study highlights how reliable identification of archaeoseismic damage relies on compiling an assemblage of indicators rather than the discovery of a diagnostic "smoking gun".

The impact of the Cyanamid Canada Co. discharges to benthic invertebrates in the Welland River in Niagara falls, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Dickman, M; Rygiel, G

1993-06-01

: In 1986, the International Joint Commission (IJC) recommended that the Niagara River watershed should be declared an Area of Concern (AOC). This IJC recommendation was ratified by the 4 signatories of the Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. In order to delist an AOC, it is necessary to locate any areas of impairment within the watershed and carry out remediation projects that permit uses that were previously impaired. To this end we attempted to determine whether or not the sediments at 7 study sites near the Cyanamid Canada (Chemical) Co. were contaminated at levels that would result in the impairment of the natural biota which inhabit the watershed.The Cyanamid Canada (Chemical) Co. discharges ammonia wastes, cyanide, arsenic and a variety of heavy metals into treatment systems which ultimately discharge to the Welland River, the major Canadian tributary to the Niagara River. This portion of the Welland River near the factory was designated a Provincially significant (Class one) wetlands by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. In 1986, the mean discharge to a creek from Cyanamid Canada Co. was 27,342 m(3) per day (MOE, 1987). Similar discharge volumes occurred in 1989. In 1991, the total discharge was 25,000 m(3) per day (MOE, 1991).The majority of the benthic invertebrates collected from the study area were pollution tolerant taxa (e.g., sludge worms constituted 68% of all the organisms collected). The lowest chironomid densities were observed at stations 1, 2, and 4, which were the only stations situated close to Cyanamid's discharge pipes. The absence, of clams and mayflies which burrow to greater depths than do chironomids and sludge worms, probably reflects the inability of the deeper dwelling burrowers to tolerate the contaminants which we recorded at these 3 stations. The absence of all crustaceans from these same 3 stations (stations 1, 2 and 4) when coupled with their low biotic diversity and the elevated heavy metal concentrations in the

Geomorphic reconstructions in the environs of ancient troy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kraft, J C; Kayan, I; Erol, O

1980-08-15

Sea level rise, deltaic progradation, and floodplain aggradation have changed the landscape in the vicinity of ancient Troy during the past 10,000 years. With the waning of the last major world glaciation and resultant sea level rise and fluctuation, a marine embayment protruded nearly 10 kilometers south of the site of Troy at Hisarlik in the Troad of northwest Turkey. As the sea approached its present level approximately 6000 years ago, fluvial and marine deposition caused a northerly migration of the delta and floodplain of the Scamander and Simois Rivers past the site of Troy toward the present-day coast about 6 kilometers north of the site. In view of these major changes in morphology, interpretations of ancient geographies related to historical or historical-mythological settings must be changed. A number of paleogeographic maps have been reconstructed with the use of subsurface data that records the continuing landscape change since the first occupancy of the site at Troy 5000 years ago. These show that ancient Troy was located on an embayment of the sea. If the Trojan War occurred, then the axis of the battlefield and associated events must be relocated to the south and west of Troy.

Remote Sensing for Characterisation and Kinematic Analysis of Large Slope Failures: Debre Sina Landslide, Main Ethiopian Rift Escarpment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jan Kropáček

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Frequently occurring landslides in Ethiopia endanger rapidly expanding settlements and infrastructure. We investigated a large landslide on the western escarpment of the Main Ethiopian Rift close to Debre Sina. To understand the extent and amplitude of the movements, we derived vectors of horizontal displacements by feature matching of very high resolution satellite images (VHR. The major movements occurred in two phases, after the rainy seasons in 2005 and 2006 reaching magnitudes of 48 ± 10.1 m and 114 ± 7.2 m, respectively. The results for the first phase were supported by amplitude tracking using two Envisat/ASAR scenes from the 31 July 2004 and the 29 October 2005. Surface changes in vertical direction were analyzed by subtraction of a pre-event digital elevation model (DEM from aerial photographs and post-event DEM from ALOS/PRISM triplet data. Furthermore, we derived elevation changes using satellite laser altimetry measurement acquired by the ICESat satellite. These analyses allowed us to delineate the main landslide, which covers an area of 6.5 km2, shallow landslides surrounding the main landslide body that increased the area to 8.5 km2, and the stable area in the lower part of the slope. We assume that the main triggering factor for such a large landslide was precipitation cumulated over several months and we suspect that the slope failure will progress towards the foot of the slope.

PLEIADES IN ANCIENT MESOPOTAMIA

OpenAIRE

Verderame, L.

2016-01-01

In this paper I will analyse the different features of the Pleiades in the astronomical, astrological, and calendrical interpretation as well as their mythical and cultural background in ancient Mesopotamia. According to cuneiform sources, the Pleiades are among the most important stars. They are simply known in Sumerian as ―the Stars‖ (MUL.MUL), while their Akkadian name, ―the Bristle‖ (zappu), links them to the imagery and the cultural context of the ―Bull of Heaven‖ constellation (Taurus),...

Modern tree species composition reflects ancient Maya "forest gardens" in northwest Belize.

Science.gov (United States)

Ross, Nanci J

2011-01-01

Ecology and ethnobotany were integrated to assess the impact of ancient Maya tree-dominated home gardens (i.e., "forest gardens"), which contained a diversity of tree species used for daily household needs, on the modern tree species composition of a Mesoamerican forest. Researchers have argued that the ubiquity of these ancient gardens throughout Mesoamerica led to the dominance of species useful to Maya in the contemporary forest, but this pattern may be localized depending on ancient land use. The tested hypothesis was that species composition would be significantly different between areas of dense ancient residential structures (high density) and areas of little or no ancient settlement (low density). Sixty-three 400-m2 plots (31 high density and 32 low density) were censused around the El Pilar Archaeological Reserve in northwestern Belize. Species composition was significantly different, with higher abundances of commonly utilized "forest garden" species still persisting in high-density forest areas despite centuries of abandonment. Subsequent edaphic analyses only explained 5% of the species composition differences. This research provides data on the long-term impacts of Maya forests gardens for use in development of future conservation models. For Mesoamerican conservation programs to work, we must understand the complex ecological and social interactions within an ecosystem that developed in intimate association with humans.

The Teotihuacan Anomaly: The Historical Trajectory of Urban Design in Ancient Central Mexico

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Smith Michael E.

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The ancient Mexican city of Teotihuacan had the most aberrant design of any city in ancient Mesoamerica. I examine similarities and differences between the design of Teotihuacan and other Mesoamerican cities. During the Preclassic period, a set of common Mesoamerican planning principles emerged. The designers of Teotihuacan rejected most of these principles in favor of a new and radical set of planning concepts. After the fall of Teotihuacan, subsequent urban planners ignored the Teotihuacan principles and returned to ancient Mesoamerican planning ideas. Elements of the Teotihuacan plan did not resurface until the Mexica of Tenochtitlan revived them for a specific goal. The historical sequence of central Mexican city layouts highlights the anomalous character of Teotihuacan’s principles of urban design within the canons of ancient Mesoamerican urbanism.

Ancient Israelite and African proverbs as advice, reproach, warning, encouragement and explanation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David T. Adamo

2015-11-01

Full Text Available With few exceptions, the majority of biblical scholars (Euroamericans and Africans concentrate on comparing ancient Israelite proverbs with the so-called ancient Near Eastern proverbs. Despite the importance of proverbs in Sub-Saharan Africa it is doubly unfortunate that the majority of African biblical scholars did not think it wise to compare proverbs from ancient Israel with Sub-Saharan African proverbs. It is also a double tragedy that young people in Sub-Saharan Africa are ignorant of proverbs because they have refused to learn them because they think them archaic. Proverbs in both ancient Israel and in Africa are similar in function and classification. Thus, they serve as advice, reproach, warning, encouragement and further explanation of some facts. They have great value and importance, such as giving a sense of identity, community, culture, respect for authority and elders, sacredness of everything under the sun and a sense of hospitality and others.

Paleo-oncology: the role of ancient remains in the study of cancer.

Science.gov (United States)

Halperin, Edward C

2004-01-01

Paleo-oncology is the study of carcinomas and sarcomas in ancient human populations and their hominid precursors. These populations are informative concerning the possible influences on cancer of morphologic and functional evolution, diet, lifestyle, and other environmental factors. The prevalence of cancer in ancient populations might have differed from that in modern humans, because of substantial differences in tobacco and alcohol use, diet, life expectancy, and the availability of treatment. The available physical data concerning cancer in antiquity includes evidence of its existence in animal fossils and ancient humans and their precursors. The difficulties of paleo-oncologic research include a limited soft tissue record. In evaluating cancer in ancient remains, one must also deal with the problem of pseudopathology: whether an observed tissue change is all antemortem pathologic lesion or a postmortem artifact. Future archeological discoveries and the application of improved diagnostic techniques may enable paleo-oncology to make further contributions to our understanding of cancer.

Mycorrhizal symbiosis: ancient signalling mechanisms co-opted

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geurts, R.; Vleeshouwers, V.G.A.A.

2012-01-01

Mycorrhizal root endosymbiosis is an ancient property of land plants. Two parallel studies now provide novel insight into the mechanism driving this interaction and how it is used by other filamentous microbes like pathogenic oomycetes.

Application of INAA in analysis of Chinese ancient greenish white porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin Cheng; Songlin Feng; Rongwu Li

2009-01-01

This paper reports the applications of INAA in analysis of Chinese ancient porcelain fired from early Northern Song dynasty (AD 1004-1127) to Late Yuan dynasty (AD 1320-1368) in Hutian Kiln. Minor and trace elements of 168 pieces of ancient porcelain bodies were determined by INAA. The results of factor analysis and some archaeological questions are also discussed in this paper. (author)

Unlocking the Mysteries of Ancient Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Riechers, Maggie

1995-01-01

Describes the work of Egyptologist William Murnane who is recording the ritual scenes and inscriptions of a great columned hall from the days of the pharaohs. The 134 columns, covered with divine imagery and hieroglyphic inscriptions represent an unpublished religious text. Briefly discusses ancient Egyptian culture. Includes several photographs…

Intraosseous neurilemmoma of the mandible: Report of a rare ancient type

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gholamreza Jahanshahi

2011-01-01

Intraosseous schwannomas especially ancient ones are rare tumors. Here we present a case of intraosseous ancient schwannoma in the lower jaw of an 11-year-old girl which caused a non-tender expansion. Radiographic examination showed a well-circumscribed, unilocular radiolucent lesion with thin sclerotic borders in the mandibular body and the ramus. Histopathologic examination of the incisional biopsy showed areas of typical Antoni A with verocay bodies and Antoni B that was strongly suggestive of a schwannoma. Complete excision of the lesion was done under general anesthesia. The histopathologic examination confirmed the primary diagnosis and also degenerative changes such as hyalinization and calcification. Based on these findings, the diagnosis of ancient schwannoma was made. No recurrence was observed in the follow-up examination after 3 months.

The Service Status and Development Strategy of the Mobile Application Service of Ancient Books Database

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yang Siluo

2017-12-01

Full Text Available [Purpose/significance] The mobile application of ancient books database is a change of the ancient books database from the online version to the mobile one. At present, the mobile application of ancient books database is in the initial stage of development, so it is necessary to investigate the current situation and provide suggestions for the development of it. [Method/process] This paper selected two kinds of ancient books databases, namely WeChat platform and the mobile phone client, and analyzed the operation mode and the main function. [Result/conclusion] We come to conclusion that the ancient database mobile application has some defects, such as resources in a small scale, single content and data form, and the function of single platform construction is not perfect, users pay inadequate attention to such issues. Then, we put forward some corresponding suggestions and point out that in order to construct ancient books database mobile applications, it is necessary to improve the platform construction, enrich the data form and quantity, optimize the function, emphasize the communication and interaction with the user.

Study on the provenance of ancient porcelain excavated in Maojiawan ruin by WDXRF analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xie Guoxi

2007-01-01

In order to determine the provenance of two different kinds of ancient celadons which were excavated in Maojiawan ruin located in Beijing of China and named FLQ (imitated celadon) and WLNQ which is celadon outside and blue-white inside, ten components of each sample's body and glaze were measured by the wave length dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) analysis. Multivariates statistical analysis was used to analyze and compare the experiment data with those of LQY (ancient celadon) made in Zhejiang and ancient Jingdezhen porcelain (JDZ) made in Jingdezhen. The results show that the two different kinds of ancient celadons have the same provenance as JDZ, that is, they were produced in Jingdezhen. (authors)

Sun-Earth Day 2005: Ancient Observatories: Timeless Knowledge

Science.gov (United States)

Thieman, J. R.; Cline, T.; Lewis, E.; Hawkins, I.; Odenwald, S.; Mayo, L.

2005-05-01

The NASA Sun-Earth Connection Education Forum (SECEF) annually promotes an event called Sun-Earth Day. For Sun-Earth Day 2005 SECEF has selected a theme called "Ancient Observatories: Timeless Knowledge. This year's Sun-Earth Day theme is your ticket to a fascinating journey through time as we explore centuries of sun watching by a great variety of cultures. From ancient solar motion tracking to modern solar activity monitoring the Sun has always occupied an important spot in mankind's quest to understand the Universe. Sun-Earth Day events usually are centered on the spring equinox around March 21, but this year there has already been a webcast from the San Francisco Exploratorium and the Native American ruins at Chaco Canyon, New Mexico on the day of winter solstice 2004. There will be another webcast on March 20 live from Chichen Itza, Mexico highlighting the solar alignment that makes a serpent appear on one of the ancient pyramids. The website http://sunearthday.nasa.gov has been developed to provide the necessary resources and opportunities for participation by scientists and educators in giving school or general public programs about Sun-Earth Day. The goal is to involve as much of the student population and the public in this event as possible and to help them understand the importance of the Sun for ancient and modern peoples. Through engaging activities available on the website, classrooms and museums can create their own event or participate in one of the opportunities we make available. Scientists, educators, amateur astronomers, and museums are invited to register on the website to receive a free packet of materials about Sun-Earth Day for use in making presentations or programs about the event. Past and future Sun-Earth Days will be discussed as well.

Enlightenment from ancient Chinese urban and rural stormwater management practices.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Che; Qiao, Mengxi; Wang, Sisi

2013-01-01

Hundreds of years ago, the ancient Chinese implemented several outstanding projects to cope with the changing climate and violent floods. Some of these projects are still in use today. These projects evolved from the experience and knowledge accumulated through the long coexistence of people with nature. The concepts behind these ancient stormwater management practices, such as low-impact development and sustainable drainage systems, are similar to the technology applied in modern stormwater management. This paper presents the cases of the Hani Terrace in Yunnan and the Fushou drainage system of Ganzhou in Jiangxi. The ancient Chinese knowledge behind these cases is seen in the design concepts and the features of these projects. These features help us to understand better their applications in the contemporary environment. In today's more complex environment, integrating traditional and advanced philosophy with modern technologies is extremely useful in building urban and rural stormwater management systems in China.

Ancient sea reptile found at Syncrude formally described

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Anon.

2008-05-15

This article provided details of an ancient reptile that once swam in ancient seas near the present location of Alberta's oil sands region. The plesiosaur has now been named after a curator at the Royal Tyrrell Museum who was also a renowned paleontologist. The nearly complete remains of one of the oldest plesiosaur fossils were recovered at a Syncrude Canada mine near Fort McMurray in 1994. Paleontologists from the University of Calgary have recently published a paper on the prehistoric aquatic predator in a German research journal. A plaster cast of the plesiosaur found at the Syncrude site is now on display at the Oil Sands Discovery Centre in Fort McMurray. 1 fig.

Unusually large quiescent ancient schwannoma of hypoglossal nerve

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sangeeta P Wanjari

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Ancient schwannoma is considered as a variant of schwannoma, comprising about 10% of all schwanommas. Schwannoma is a benign neoplasm derived from the nerve sheath of peripheral motor, sensory and sympathetic nerves and from the cranial nerve pairs. It usually presents as a solitary soft-tissue lesion which is slow growing, encapsulated and is often associated with nerve attached peripherally. Diagnosis is often confirmed with the microscopic examination. The long standing schwannoma attributes to degenerative changes and is termed "ancient" schwannoma. Present case is of a 68-year-old female patient who reported with an asymptomatic large swelling below mandible on the left side since last 23 years. The lesion was surgically excised under general anesthesia.

Insights into Modern Human Prehistory Using Ancient Genomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Melinda A; Fu, Qiaomei

2018-03-01

The genetic relationship of past modern humans to today's populations and each other was largely unknown until recently, when advances in ancient DNA sequencing allowed for unprecedented analysis of the genomes of these early people. These ancient genomes reveal new insights into human prehistory not always observed studying present-day populations, including greater details on the genetic diversity, population structure, and gene flow that characterized past human populations, particularly in early Eurasia, as well as increased insight on the relationship between archaic and modern humans. Here, we review genetic studies on ∼45000- to 7500-year-old individuals associated with mainly preagricultural cultures found in Eurasia, the Americas, and Africa. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

History, etymology, and fallacy: attitudes toward male masturbation in the ancient Western world.

Science.gov (United States)

Elia, J P

1987-01-01

This article examines the attitudes toward male masturbation in the ancient western world. More specifically, this work deals with ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome. By comparing each epoch and geographic region, intolerance of autoerotic activity can be seen. Although there is a pattern of intolerance, the act of masturbation is always viewed provisionally. In addition, by examining these three periods of history not only can attitudes be scrutinized, but also it can be seen quite clearly that there was no golden age of sexuality: The attitude of accepted and encouraged unlimited and varied sexual practices does not exist in the ancient western world. As in many other cultures in various stages of history, procreative sexuality is the dominating theme. Thus, current attitudes of sex are derived from, and still survive due to the influence of, ancient western civilization.

Ancient hepatitis B viruses from the Bronze Age to the Medieval period

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mühlemann, Barbara; Jones, Terry C.; Damgaard, Peter de Barros

2018-01-01

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of human hepatitis. There is considerable uncertainty about the timescale of its evolution and its association with humans. Here we present 12 full or partial ancient HBV genomes that are between approximately 0.8 and 4.5 thousand years old. The ancient se...

Chocolate das bagas e clorose foliar: anomalia da videira causada por deficiência de boro Internal browning ("chocolate" and leaf chlorosis of the 'pink Niagara' grafe, a boron deficiency anomaly

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hugo Kuniyuki

1985-01-01

Full Text Available A anomalia do cultivar de videira Niagara Rosada, caracterizada por sintomas de clorose nas folhas, chocolate das bagas e cachos malformados, não é de natureza virótica, de acordo com resultados de testes de transmissão e de perpetuação. Essa anomalia, presente em áreas definidas de alguns vinhedos de Indaiatuba e Jundiaí (SP, está associada à deficiência nutricional de boro. O teor médio de boro em amostras de plantas afetadas de 'Niagara Rosada' (18 ppm no limbo e 7 ppm nos frutos foi menor do que nas de plantas normais (24 ppm no limbo e 10 ppm nos frutos das mesmas plantaçoes; um material coletado de um vinhedo bastante afetado mostrou 13 e 1 ppm respectivamente no limbo e nos frutos de plantas deficientes contra 20 e 6 ppm nos de plantas sem sintomas. Amostras de três vinhedos vizinhos sem essa anomalia apresentaram um teor médio de 35 ppm no limbo. As do porta-enxerto 'Traviú' com clorose e sem clorose mostraram 16 ppm e 43 ppm de boro respectivamente. A aplicação de bórax, nas doses de 5, 10 e 20g por planta, 1ogo após a poda de inverno, ou pulverização de ácido bórico nas concentraçoes de 0,3% e 0,6% sobre a folhagem, durante o início do florescimento e durante a fase de uva chumbinho, permitiram controlar a anomalia nas condições de campo. Foi notada resposta favorável por um ciclo vegetativo, pelo menos, indicando controle por efeito residual de uma aplicação.The 'pink Niagara' grape (V. labrusca L. x V. vinifera L. anomaly characterized by leaf chlorosis and "chocolate" (internal browning of the young fruit, at first thought to be a virus disease, has been found to be a result of boron deficiency. The anomaly was first recorded in 1974. It occurs in patches in vineyards of Indaiatuba and Jundiaí, two grape-growing counties of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. Affected plants show yellowing between the primary and secondary veins of the upper leaves and malformed clusters, with normal-sized berries and

Cardiovascular benefits from ancient grain bread consumption: findings from a double-blinded randomized crossover intervention trial.

Science.gov (United States)

Sereni, Alice; Cesari, Francesca; Gori, Anna Maria; Maggini, Niccolò; Marcucci, Rossella; Casini, Alessandro; Sofi, Francesco

2017-02-01

Ancient grain varieties have been shown to have some beneficial effects on health. Forty-five clinically healthy subjects were included in a randomized, double-blinded crossover trial aimed at evaluating the effect of a replacement diet with bread derived from ancient grain varieties versus modern grain variety on cardiovascular risk profile. After 8 weeks of intervention, consumption of bread obtained by the ancient varieties showed a significant amelioration of various cardiovascular parameters. Indeed, the ancient varieties were shown to result in a significant reduction of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol and blood glucose, whereas no significant differences during the phase with the modern variety were reported. Moreover, a significant increase in circulating endothelial progenitor cells were reported after the consumption of products made from the ancient "Verna" variety. The present results suggest that a dietary consumption of bread obtained from ancient grain varieties was effective in reducing cardiovascular risk factors.

Resource Economics and Institutions in Ancient Athens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaiser, Brooks

Institutional development in ancient Athens ranged from banking and legally recorded and sustained private ownership of a variety of goods and services that enabled domestic and international trade to liturgical mechanisms for procurement of public goods. These institutions in turn provided...... agreements with Macedonia (IG I2 105). However, no regular channels of trade or transactions are identified before this Macedonian agreement (407/6). We know that some constructed ships were forcefully appropriated to one degree or another through hegemonic tribute or battle (through which they might also......, the “most silent and least recorded of the major ancient industries” (Meiggs). Aristotle highlighted both the threat of illegal forest use and the need for public intervention to curtail it by identifying forest wardens as one of the key items needing state provision for democratic governance (Aristot. Pol...

Moessbauer study of ancient iron smelting slag in Japan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakanishi, A.

2008-01-01

For an investigation of the ancient iron manufacturing technique, a reproducing experiment was carried out by archaeologists, where ancient type of iron smelting furnace was built and iron sand with high titanium contents was used as the raw material. During the operation of furnace, a large amount of slag flowed away from the furnace. In order to investigate the possibility for the estimation about the operative condition of furnace and the raw material, 57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy was applied for characterizing these slags and it was found that these slags mainly consisted of ferropseudobrookite (FeTi 2 O 5 ).

The fingerprint elements analysis on the provenance relation between ancient chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Weijuan; Xie Jianzhong; Li Guoxia; Gao Zhengyao; Li Rongwu; Zhang Bin; Feng Songlin; Huang Zhongxiang; Jia Xiuqin; Han Song

2002-01-01

The 46 samples of glazes and bodies of the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain, Jun Porcelain and imitative porcelain were analyzed by neutron activation analysis (NAA). The contents of 36 elements for each sample were measured, the eight elements were chosen as the fingerprint elements to complete scatter analysis. The result showed that the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain had almost identical and stable sources of raw materials. The close provenance relation between ancient Chinese Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain was preliminarily verified. It is found that most modern Jun porcelain samples were similar to the ancient Chinese Jun porcelain, three modern Ru porcelain samples were similar to the ancient Chinese Ru porcelain. Jingdezhen porcelain has no relation to Ru porcelain and Jun porcelain

On Ancient Babylonian Algebra and Geometry

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 8; Issue 8. On Ancient Babylonian Algebra and Geometry. Rahul Roy. General Article Volume 8 Issue 8 August 2003 pp 27-42. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link: https://www.ias.ac.in/article/fulltext/reso/008/08/0027-0042. Keywords.

Eternal Egypt: Masterworks of Ancient Art from the British Museum. Learning from Exhibitions.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Mark M.

2001-01-01

Introduces the exhibition "Eternal Egypt: Masterworks of Ancient Art from the British Museum" that explores the four major periods of Egyptian history. Provides background information on ancient Egypt and describes the art that was present in each of the four kingdoms. (CMK)

The history of parkinsonism: descriptions in ancient Indian medical literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Ovallath, Sujith; Deepa, P

2013-05-01

The clinical syndrome of parkinsonism was identified in ancient India even before the period of Christ and was treated methodically. The earliest reference to bradykinesia dates to 600 bc. Evidences prove that as early as 300 bc, Charaka proposed a coherent picture of parkinsonism by describing tremor, rigidity, bradykinesia, and gait disturbances as its components. The scenario was further developed by Madhava, Vagbhata, and Dalhana all through history. The 15th-century classic "Bhasava rajyam" introduced the term kampavata, which may be regarded as an ayurvedic analogue of parkinsonism. The pathogenesis of kampavata centered on the concept of imbalance in the vata factor, which controls psychomotor activities. The essential element in therapy was the administration of powdered seed of Mucuna pruriens, or atmagupta, which as per reports, contains 4%-6% of levodopa. In addition to proving the existence and identification of parkinsonism in ancient India, the study points to the significance of ancient Indian Sanskrit works in medical history. Copyright © 2013 Movement Disorder Society.

Pathogens and host immunity in the ancient human oral cavity

Science.gov (United States)

Warinner, Christina; Matias Rodrigues, João F.; Vyas, Rounak; Trachsel, Christian; Shved, Natallia; Grossmann, Jonas; Radini, Anita; Hancock, Y.; Tito, Raul Y.; Fiddyment, Sarah; Speller, Camilla; Hendy, Jessica; Charlton, Sophy; Luder, Hans Ulrich; Salazar-García, Domingo C.; Eppler, Elisabeth; Seiler, Roger; Hansen, Lars; Samaniego Castruita, José Alfredo; Barkow-Oesterreicher, Simon; Teoh, Kai Yik; Kelstrup, Christian; Olsen, Jesper V.; Nanni, Paolo; Kawai, Toshihisa; Willerslev, Eske; von Mering, Christian; Lewis, Cecil M.; Collins, Matthew J.; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.; Rühli, Frank; Cappellini, Enrico

2014-01-01

Calcified dental plaque (dental calculus) preserves for millennia and entraps biomolecules from all domains of life and viruses. We report the first high-resolution taxonomic and protein functional characterization of the ancient oral microbiome and demonstrate that the oral cavity has long served as a reservoir for bacteria implicated in both local and systemic disease. We characterize: (i) the ancient oral microbiome in a diseased state, (ii) 40 opportunistic pathogens, (iii) the first evidence of ancient human-associated putative antibiotic resistance genes, (iv) a genome reconstruction of the periodontal pathogen Tannerella forsythia, (v) 239 bacterial and 43 human proteins, allowing confirmation of a long-term association between host immune factors, “red-complex” pathogens, and periodontal disease, and (vi) DNA sequences matching dietary sources. Directly datable and nearly ubiquitous, dental calculus permits the simultaneous investigation of pathogen activity, host immunity, and diet, thereby extending the direct investigation of common diseases into the human evolutionary past. PMID:24562188

Multidisciplinary studies on ancient sandstone quarries of Western Sardinia (Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Grillo, Silvana Maria; Del Vais, Carla; Naitza, Stefano

2013-04-01

The ancient coastal quarries of Mediterranean are increasingly considered geosites of multidisciplinary relevance. They are sites of historical-archaeological interest that show ancient techniques of stone extraction; they are significant for cultural heritage conservation and restoration, as sources of the stones used in ancient buildings and monuments; they are sites of geological relevance, as often retain important stratigraphic sections; they are also useful markers of secular changes in the sea level. A multisciplinary study is in progress on the ancient quarries of the Sinis region (western Sardinia island), integrating archaeological, geological, minero-petrographical data. In Sardinia, coastal quarries have been established from Punic and Roman times. Many of them exploited Quaternary sediments along the southern and western coasts of the island. They consist of middle-late Pleistocene marine conglomerates and carbonate sandstones, and of coastal (aeolian) carbonate sandstones. Sandstone blocks of different sizes have been widely used in ancient cities for buildings, defensive works, harbours, etc. Three main areas of stone extraction (San Giovanni di Sinis, Punta Maimoni, Is Arutas) have been so far recognized in the Sinis. GIS-supported mapping and documentation of the sites includes their geology and stratigraphy, the extension and layout of the quarries, and an evaluation of volumes of extracted rocks. Documented archaeological evidences include ancient extraction fronts, spoil heaps, working areas, working traces in the old fronts, transport routes of blocks, and traces of loading facilities. The study is aimed at reconstructing the relationships of the quarries with the urban areas of Sinis, as the ancient Punic-Roman city of Tharros. Consequently, a minero-petrographical characterization (optical microscopy, XRD) is performed on sandstones sampled in each quarry, and in historical buildings in Tharros and other centres of the region (Cabras

Architecture Of Uzbekistan Of The Ancient Period Style Features And Composition Laws

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurmukhamedova Shoira Zahidovna

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Specific features of the development of architecture in Uzbekistan in ancient period are considered in the paper. The author emphasizes the role of building materials and structures studies the composition of ancient settlements in Khorezm and Bactria reveals a high level of military architecture and planning principles of residential and castle structures.

Ancient DNA from nomads in 2500-year-old archeological sites of Pengyang, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Yong-Bin; Li, Hong-Jie; Cai, Da-Wei; Li, Chun-Xiang; Zhang, Quan-Chao; Zhu, Hong; Zhou, Hui

2010-04-01

Six human remains (dating approximately 2500 years ago) were excavated from Pengyang, China, an area occupied by both ancient nomadic and farming people. The funerary objects found with these remains suggested they were nomads. To further confirm their ancestry, we analyzed both the maternal lineages and paternal lineages of the ancient DNA. From the mitochondrial DNA, six haplotypes were identified as three haplogroups: C, D4 and M10. The haplotype-sharing populations and phylogenetic analyses revealed that these individuals were closely associated with the ancient Xiongnu and modern northern Asians. Single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis of Y chromosomes from four male samples that were typed as haplogroup Q indicated that these people had originated in Siberia. These results show that these ancient people from Pengyang present a close genetic affinity to nomadic people, indicating that northern nomads had reached the Central Plain area of China nearly 2500 years ago.

Geomorphic evidence for ancient seas in west Deuteronilus Mensae, Mars-2: From very high resolution Viking Orbiter images

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Timothy J.; Schneeberger, Dale M.; Pieri, David C.; Saunders, R. Stephen

1987-01-01

Very high resolution Viking Orbiter images of the Martian surface, though rare, make it possible to examine specific areas at image scales approaching those of high altitude terrestrial aerial photographs. Twenty three clear images lie within west Deuteronilus Mensae. The northernmost images which constitute an almost unbroken mosaic of the west wall of a long fingerlike canyon are examined. Morphological details on the plateau surface within zone B, not detectable at low resolution, make it possible to divide the zone into two distinct subzones separated by an east-west escarpment. The morphology of the canyon floor is described in detail.

Knife - Holders in Ancient Egyptian Tombs (Religious and Artistic Study

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dr.Rasha Omran

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Studying ancient Egyptian tombs have long been an important source of information regarding many aspects of Egyptian religion. Walls of New Kingdom tombs are often decorated with plenty of painted religious scenes. While they were primarily private structures containing images selected by the person who expected to be housed there for eternity, the funerary monuments also reflect religious beliefs. While numerous researches focused on many of the religious scenes depicted on the walls of ancient Egyptian tombs, no one focused on the knife - holders' scenes. Hence, the current study focused on knife - holders scenes depicted on the walls of both royal and private tombs dating back to the New Kingdom at Thebes. The current study was undertaken to shed light on the meaning and the function of knife in Ancient Egypt. To study the role of the knife-holders in Ancient Egypt. To spot light on the actions and behaviors and locations of the knife-holders in Ancient Egyptian civilization. To spot light on the representations of the knife-holders on the walls of the ancient Egyptians tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens as well as the private tombs at western Thebes. To focus on the shapes and positions of the Knife-holders in Ancient Egypt. To explain the difference between Knife - Holders and Demons. To achieve the objectives of the study, the required data were collected from periodicals, references presenting Knife Holders scenes. Preserving the scenes of knife - holders on the walls of the royal tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Valley of the Queens dating back to the New Kingdom as well as the private tombs at western Thebes that contributed to the interpretation of all the data gathered from literature. The preliminary results indicated that the term (Knife-Holders is an expression which indicates to tomb-guardians, demons or minor divinities. These minor deities were subordinate to the major gods and goddesses. They

An ancient relation between units of length and volume based on a sphere.

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Elena Zapassky

Full Text Available The modern metric system defines units of volume based on the cube. We propose that the ancient Egyptian system of measuring capacity employed a similar concept, but used the sphere instead. When considered in ancient Egyptian units, the volume of a sphere, whose circumference is one royal cubit, equals half a hekat. Using the measurements of large sets of ancient containers as a database, the article demonstrates that this formula was characteristic of Egyptian and Egyptian-related pottery vessels but not of the ceramics of Mesopotamia, which had a different system of measuring length and volume units.

Intrinsic challenges in ancient microbiome reconstruction using 16S rRNA gene amplification.

Science.gov (United States)

Ziesemer, Kirsten A; Mann, Allison E; Sankaranarayanan, Krithivasan; Schroeder, Hannes; Ozga, Andrew T; Brandt, Bernd W; Zaura, Egija; Waters-Rist, Andrea; Hoogland, Menno; Salazar-García, Domingo C; Aldenderfer, Mark; Speller, Camilla; Hendy, Jessica; Weston, Darlene A; MacDonald, Sandy J; Thomas, Gavin H; Collins, Matthew J; Lewis, Cecil M; Hofman, Corinne; Warinner, Christina

2015-11-13

To date, characterization of ancient oral (dental calculus) and gut (coprolite) microbiota has been primarily accomplished through a metataxonomic approach involving targeted amplification of one or more variable regions in the 16S rRNA gene. Specifically, the V3 region (E. coli 341-534) of this gene has been suggested as an excellent candidate for ancient DNA amplification and microbial community reconstruction. However, in practice this metataxonomic approach often produces highly skewed taxonomic frequency data. In this study, we use non-targeted (shotgun metagenomics) sequencing methods to better understand skewed microbial profiles observed in four ancient dental calculus specimens previously analyzed by amplicon sequencing. Through comparisons of microbial taxonomic counts from paired amplicon (V3 U341F/534R) and shotgun sequencing datasets, we demonstrate that extensive length polymorphisms in the V3 region are a consistent and major cause of differential amplification leading to taxonomic bias in ancient microbiome reconstructions based on amplicon sequencing. We conclude that systematic amplification bias confounds attempts to accurately reconstruct microbiome taxonomic profiles from 16S rRNA V3 amplicon data generated using universal primers. Because in silico analysis indicates that alternative 16S rRNA hypervariable regions will present similar challenges, we advocate for the use of a shotgun metagenomics approach in ancient microbiome reconstructions.

Climate and Ancient Societies

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Climate, and human responses to it, have a strongly interconnected relationship. This when climate change occurs, the result of either natural or human causes, societies should react and adapt to these. But do they? If so, what is the nature of that change, and are the responses positive...... or negative for the long-term survival of social groups? In this volume, scholars from diverse disciplines including archaeology, geology and climate sciences explore scientific and material evidence for climate changes in the past, their causes, their effects on ancient societies and how those societies...

Mathematics in ancient Greece

CERN Document Server

Dantzig, Tobias

2006-01-01

More than a history of mathematics, this lively book traces mathematical ideas and processes to their sources, stressing the methods used by the masters of the ancient world. Author Tobias Dantzig portrays the human story behind mathematics, showing how flashes of insight in the minds of certain gifted individuals helped mathematics take enormous forward strides. Dantzig demonstrates how the Greeks organized their precursors' melange of geometric maxims into an elegantly abstract deductive system. He also explains the ways in which some of the famous mathematical brainteasers of antiquity led

Illuminating the evolution of equids and rodents with next-generation sequencing of ancient specimens

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mouatt, Julia Thidamarth Vilstrup

enrichment methods and the massive throughput and latest advances within DNA sequencing, the field of ancient DNA has flourished in later years. Those advances have even enabled the sequencing of complete genomes from the past, moving the field into genomic sciences. In this thesis we have used these latest......The sequencing of ancient DNA provides perspectives on the genetic history of past populations and extinct species. However, ancient DNA research presents specific limitations mostly due to DNA survival, damage and contamination. Yet with stringent laboratory procedures, the sensitivity of target...... developments within ancient DNA research, including target enrichment capture and Next-Generation Sequencing, to address a range of evolutionary questions related to two major mammalian groups, equids and rodents. In particular we have resolved phylogenetic relationships within equids using complete mitochond...

Oscillatory ripples, evaluation of ancient wave climates and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Oscillatory ripples, evaluation of ancient wave climates and epierogeny in the Anambra ... conditions, epierogenic patterns and paleogeographic history of the basins. ... shallow and marked by low to moderate hydrodynamic energy conditions.

Ancient Chinese Fangzhongshu (Sexual Skills and Methods Therapy for Premature Ejaculation

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Yong Zhu

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Premature ejaculation (PE is a common male sexual dysfunction that can have significant effects on a couple’s relationship. Behavioral therapy and psychotherapy are both safe and effective methods of treating PE. Ancient Chinese fangzhongshu (sexual skills and methods, which reflects a summary of expert experiences in sexology, contains many therapies for sexual dysfunction that are similar to those used in behavioral therapy or psychotherapy. A brief introduction dealing with the latest definitions of PE and treatment strategies drawn from behavioral therapy and psychotherapy is provided. Typical therapies for PE from ancient Chinese fangzhongshu are listed and briefly analyzed in order to define their domain of applicability and instructions for use. Ancient Chinese fangzhongshu contains many effective and safe therapies for PE. It should be incorporated into modern medical practice after critical analysis, and its scientific aspects should be promoted as a way of improving reproductive health, both to benefit individuals affected by PE and to promote traditional Chinese culture. Based on an analysis of the condition of the individual patient, one or multiple therapies guided by fangzhongshu can be expected to have an effect on the patient. Ancient Chinese fangzhongshu is of great value and should to be popularized and applied as a remedy for PE.

Ancient schwannoma at the olfactory groove mimicking meningioma: A case report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heo, Young Jin; Jeong, Hae Woong [Dept. of Radiology, Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan (Korea, Republic of)

2015-12-15

Schwannomas are benign slow-growing nerve sheath tumors, which can develop in any peripheral or central nerve that contains Schwann cells. Schwannomas located near the olfactory groove are extremely rare and radiological diagnosis can be difficult. Moreover, ancient schwannoma is an uncommon variant, and radiologic findings are rarely reported. Herein, we reported a surgically confirmed case of ancient schwannoma at the olfactory groove in a 44-year-old woman presenting with headache and visual disturbance. Brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a solid and cystic extra-axial mass located in the subfrontal area mimicking an olfactory groove meningioma. Histopathologic diagnosis of ancient schwannoma was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining for S100, CD56, vimentin, and other markers. Furthermore, we described the clinical manifestations, MRI characteristics, and histopathologic findings of the case, and presented a review of related literature.

SOCIOLOGIC EXAMINATION OF HELLENISTIC ART IN THE LIGHT OF ANCIENT ERA

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Z. Aslıhan OZTURK

2016-10-01

Full Text Available In this study, the emergence of Hellenistic Art, historical and social background that constitutive it, important features that put it forward and important artworks in the light of Ancient Era Society and Art general framework will be examined. Hellenistic Art as an Ancient Era Art was existed blending Greek culture and art which are dominant elements of the empire and cultures of conquered lands, progressed as a mixed culture. On the wide geography that Alexander the Great conquered, in time differences showed up in the direction of the beliefs, social structure and sense of art of this region and powerful and effective artworks were revealed taking form of this differences with a common understanding. In this reseach, Hellenistic Art that showed a common understanding belongs to almost whole known World in Ancient Era and its sociologic Fundamentals will be analyzed.

Teff, buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth: Ancient whole grain gluten-free egg-free pasta

Science.gov (United States)

This report demonstrates innovative ancient whole grains, gluten-free, egg-free pasta (no chemicals added) made using a kitchen counter-top appliance. Whole grain, fusilli pasta was prepared with teff, buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth flours. These ancient grains are called “Super Foods” due to thei...

Ancient DNA and the rewriting of human history: be sparing with Occam's razor.

Science.gov (United States)

Haber, Marc; Mezzavilla, Massimo; Xue, Yali; Tyler-Smith, Chris

2016-01-11

Ancient DNA research is revealing a human history far more complex than that inferred from parsimonious models based on modern DNA. Here, we review some of the key events in the peopling of the world in the light of the findings of work on ancient DNA.

Sources and Resources for Teaching about Ancient Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Spiridakis, John N.; Mantzanas, Theophilos

1977-01-01

This article identifies print, non-print, and human sources and resources useful to elementary and secondary teachers of ancient Greek history. A rationale for teaching Greek history is also included. (Author/RM)

Sundanese ancient manuscripts search engine using probability approach

Science.gov (United States)

Suryani, Mira; Hadi, Setiawan; Paulus, Erick; Nurma Yulita, Intan; Supriatna, Asep K.

2017-10-01

Today, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has become a regular thing for every aspect of live include cultural and heritage aspect. Sundanese ancient manuscripts as Sundanese heritage are in damage condition and also the information that containing on it. So in order to preserve the information in Sundanese ancient manuscripts and make them easier to search, a search engine has been developed. The search engine must has good computing ability. In order to get the best computation in developed search engine, three types of probabilistic approaches: Bayesian Networks Model, Divergence from Randomness with PL2 distribution, and DFR-PL2F as derivative form DFR-PL2 have been compared in this study. The three probabilistic approaches supported by index of documents and three different weighting methods: term occurrence, term frequency, and TF-IDF. The experiment involved 12 Sundanese ancient manuscripts. From 12 manuscripts there are 474 distinct terms. The developed search engine tested by 50 random queries for three types of query. The experiment results showed that for the single query and multiple query, the best searching performance given by the combination of PL2F approach and TF-IDF weighting method. The performance has been evaluated using average time responds with value about 0.08 second and Mean Average Precision (MAP) about 0.33.

Uxoricide in pregnancy: ancient Greek domestic violence in evolutionary perspective.

Science.gov (United States)

Deacy, Susan; McHardy, Fiona

2013-10-24

Previous studies of ancient Greek examples of uxoricide in pregnancy have concluded that the theme is used to suggest tyrannical abuse of power and that the violence is a product of the patriarchal nature of ancient society. This article uses evolutionary analyses of violence during pregnancy to argue that the themes of sexual jealousy and uncertainty over paternity are as crucial as the theme of power to an understanding of these examples and that the examples can be seen as typical instances of spousal abuse as it occurs in all types of society.

Comparing ancient DNA preservation in petrous bone and tooth cementum

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Henrik B.; Damgaard, Peter de Barros; Margaryan, Ashot

2017-01-01

Large-scale genomic analyses of ancient human populations have become feasible partly due to refined sampling methods. The inner part of petrous bones and the cementum layer in teeth roots are currently recognized as the best substrates for such research. We present a comparative analysis of DNA...... to thymine deamination damage and lower proportions of mitochondrial/nuclear DNA in petrous bone compared to tooth cementum. Lastly, we show that petrous bones from ancient cremated individuals contain no measurable levels of authentic human DNA. Based on these findings we discuss the pros and cons...

Science Academies' Refresher Course on Modern and Ancient ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Orissa coast will help to understand the process - product relationship while the ancient Baripada marine beds ... Interested applicants must submit their application ONLINE by clicking on the following link ... Address for communication: Prof.

Amplified Erosion above Waterfalls and Oversteepened Bedrock Reaches

Science.gov (United States)

Haviv, I.; Enzel, Y.; Whipple, K. X.; Zilberman, E.; Stone, J.; Matmon, A.; Fifield, K. L.

2005-12-01

Although waterfalls are abundant along steep bedrock channels, none of the conventional erosion laws can predict incision at the lip of a waterfall where flow is non-uniform and bed slope can be vertical. Considering the expected increase in flow velocity and shear stress at the lip of a vertical waterfall we determine erosion amplification at a waterfall lip as: Elip/Enormal= (1+0.4/Fr2)3n, where Fr is the Froude number and n ranges between 0.5-1.7. This amplification expression suggests that erosion at the lip could be as much as 2-5 times higher than normally expected in a setting with identical hydraulic geometry. It also demonstrates that a freefall is expected to amplify upstream incision rates even when the flow approaching the waterfall is highly supercritical. Utilizing this erosion amplification expression in numerical simulations in conjunction with a standard detachment-limited incision model we demonstrate its impact on reach-scale morphology above waterfalls. These simulations indicate that amplified erosion at the lip of a waterfall can trigger the formation of an oversteepened reach whose length is longer than the flow acceleration zone, provided incision velocity (Vi) at the edge of the flow acceleration zone is higher than the retreat velocity of the waterfall face. Such an oversteepened reach is expected to be more pronounced when Vi increases with increasing slope. The simulations also suggest that oversteepening can eventually lead to quasi steady-state gradients upstream from a waterfall provided Vi decreases with increasing slope. Flow acceleration above waterfalls can thus account, at least partially, for oversteepened bedrock reaches that are prevalent above waterfalls. Such reaches have been reported for the escarpments of southeast Australia, western Dead Sea, and at Niagara Falls. Using the cosmogenic isotope 36Cl we demonstrate that Vi upstream of a waterfall at the Dead Sea western escarpment is high enough for freefall

Pb and Sr isotopic compositions of ancient pottery: a method to discriminate production sites

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang Xun; Chen Jiangfeng; Ma Lin; He Jianfeng; Wang Changsui; Qiu Ping

2004-01-01

The discriminating of production sites of ancient pottery samples using multi-isotopic systematics was described. Previous work has proven that Pb isotopic ratios can be used for discriminating the production sites of ancient pottery under certain conditions. The present work suggests that although Nd isotopic ratios are not sensitive to the production sites of ancient pottery, Sr isotopic ratios are important for the purpose. Pb isotopic ratios are indistinguishable for the pottery excavated from the Jiahu relict, Wuyang, Henan Province and for famous Qin Terra-cotta Figures. But, the 87 Sr/ 86 Sr ratios for the former (about 0.715) are significantly lower than that of the latter (0.717-0.718). The authors concluded that a combined use of Pb and Sr isotopes would be a more powerful method for discriminating the production site of ancient pottery. (authors)

75 FR 57825 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Ancient Chinese Bronzes...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-09-22

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 7181] Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: ``Ancient Chinese Bronzes From the Shouyang Studio: The Katherine and George Fan Collection... ``Ancient Chinese Bronzes from the Shouyang Studio: The Katherine and George Fan Collection,'' imported from...

Reconstructing ancient river dynamics from the stratigraphic record: can lessons from the past inform our future?

Science.gov (United States)

Hajek, E. A.; Chamberlin, E.; Baisden, T.

2014-12-01

The richness of the deep-time record and its potential for revealing important characteristics of ancient fluvial landscapes has been demonstrated time and again, including compelling examples of rivers altering their behavior in response to changes in vegetation patterns or abrupt shifts in water and sediment discharge. At present, reconstructions of ancient river and floodplain dynamics are commonly qualitative, and when quantitative metrics are used, it is often for comparison among ancient deposits. Without being able to reconstruct, more comprehensively, important aspects of ancient river and floodplains dynamics, this information has only anecdotal relevance for evaluating and managing present-day landscapes. While methods for reconstructing hydrodynamic and morphodynamic aspects of ancient rivers and floodplains are useful, uncertainties associated with these snapshots complicate the ability to translate observations from geologic to engineering scales, thereby limiting the utility of insight from Earth's past in decision-making and development of sustainable landscape-management practices for modern fluvial landscapes. Here, we explore the degree to which paleomorphodynamic reconstructions from ancient channel and floodplain deposits can be used to make specific, quantitative inferences about ancient river dynamics. We compare a suite of paleoenvironmental measurements from a variety of ancient fluvial deposits (including reconstructions of paleoflow depth, paleoslope, paleo-channel mobility, the caliber of paleo-sediment load, and paleo-floodplain heterogeneity) in an effort to evaluate sampling and empirical uncertainties associated with these methods and identify promising avenues for developing more detailed landscape reconstructions. This work is aimed at helping to develop strategies for extracting practicable information from the stratigraphic record that is relevant for sustainably managing and predicting changes in today's environments.

Insights into Ancient Human Populations and their Environment through Stable Isotope Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Macko, S. A.

2011-12-01

Fundamental to the understanding of human history is the ability to make interpretations based on artifacts and other remains which are used to gather information about an ancient population. Sequestered in the organic matrices of these remains can be information concerning incidence of disease, population interactions, genetic defects and diet. Stable isotopes have long been used to interpret diet and trophic interactions in modern ecosystems. We suggest that the isotope compositions of a commonly overlooked material, human hair, is an ideal tool to be used in gleaning information, especially on human diets, about ancient civilizations. Hair can be well-preserved and is amenable to routine measurements of 13C, 15N and 34S isotope analyses and distinguishing sources of nutrition. We have isotopically characterized hair from both modern and ancient individuals. There is a wide diversity in isotope values owing, at least partially, to the levels of seafood, corn-fed animals and other grains in diet. Using these isotope tracers, new information regarding historical figures (George Washington, 1799 AD) to perhaps the most ancient of mummies, the Chinchorro of Chile (more than 7000 BP) as well as the Moche of Peru (1500 BP) and the best preserved mummy, the Neolithic Ice Man of the Oetztaler Alps (5200 BP), have been deciphered. It appears that the often-overlooked hair in archaeological sites represents a significant approach for understanding ancient human communities and their environments, as well as new perspectives on our use of our own modern nutritional sources.

Migration of vascular plant species to a recent wood adjoining ancient woodland

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Zbigniew Dzwonko

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Woodland communities can be restored by natural succession in sites adjoining ancient woodlands which can act as seed sources for trees, shrubs and woodland herbs. The influence of dominant tree species and the distance from an adjacent ancient oak-hornbeam woodland upon the floristic composition of species in a recent pine wood planted on dry rendzina soil were studied. It was found that, in spite of a 52-year long succession, the border between woods was sharp and the composition of species in the recent wood were significantly different than in the adjacent ancient woodland. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA showed that the distance to the ancient woodland had a significant influence on species distributions in the recent wood. The numbers of species from the Querco-Fagetea class, vegetatively reproducing species and myrmecochores decreased with this distance, whereas the numbers of anemochores increased. The migration rate of many woodland species, calculated on occurrence of the farthest individuals was very slow, varying from 0.0 m year-1 to 0.38 m year-1. The restoration of the field layer vegetation in the studied pine wood was much slower than in recent deciduous woods on rich and moist soils where the migration rate of some species exceeded 1.50 m year-1. Recent woods adjacent to ancient woodlands can be more effectively colonised by woodland species only when they are dominated by broad-leaved trees with quickly decomposing litter, and the spatial continuity of these woods persists for a long period.

[The image of the ancient Indian pharmacists in the Chinese Buddhist scriptures].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, D W; Gao, Y X

2016-09-28

In the Chinese Buddhist Scriptures, there are many stories or topics about the ancient Indian pharmacist, however, they are not the Medicine Buddha as people knows, but real doctors. In the Chinese Buddhist Scriptures, the doctors gave the medical service to the monks and the laymen. Some of them are respected as the "miracle doctor" or the "king of doctor" , influencing the medicine of ancient East Asian.

Limited contribution of ancient methane to surface waters of the U.S. Beaufort Sea shelf

Science.gov (United States)

Sparrow, Katy J.; Kessler, John D.; Southon, John R.; Garcia-Tigreros, Fenix; Schreiner, Kathryn M.; Ruppel, Carolyn D.; Miller, John B.; Lehman, Scott J.; Xu, Xiaomei

2018-01-01

In response to warming climate, methane can be released to Arctic Ocean sediment and waters from thawing subsea permafrost and decomposing methane hydrates. However, it is unknown whether methane derived from this sediment storehouse of frozen ancient carbon reaches the atmosphere. We quantified the fraction of methane derived from ancient sources in shelf waters of the U.S. Beaufort Sea, a region that has both permafrost and methane hydrates and is experiencing significant warming. Although the radiocarbon-methane analyses indicate that ancient carbon is being mobilized and emitted as methane into shelf bottom waters, surprisingly, we find that methane in surface waters is principally derived from modern-aged carbon. We report that at and beyond approximately the 30-m isobath, ancient sources that dominate in deep waters contribute, at most, 10 ± 3% of the surface water methane. These results suggest that even if there is a heightened liberation of ancient carbon–sourced methane as climate change proceeds, oceanic oxidation and dispersion processes can strongly limit its emission to the atmosphere.

Urology in ancient India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sakti Das

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The practice of medical and surgical measures in the management of urological ailments prevailed in ancient India from the Vedic era around 3000 BC. Subsequently in the Samhita period, the two stalwarts - Charaka in medicine and Susruta in surgery elevated the art of medicine in India to unprecedented heights. Their elaboration of the etiopathological hypothesis and the medical and surgical treatments of various urological disorders of unparalleled ingenuity still remain valid to some extent in our contemporary understanding. The new generation of accomplished Indian urologists should humbly venerate the legacy of the illustrious pioneers in urology of our motherland.

Experimental Evolution of Escherichia coli Harboring an Ancient Translation Protein.

Science.gov (United States)

Kacar, Betül; Ge, Xueliang; Sanyal, Suparna; Gaucher, Eric A

2017-03-01

The ability to design synthetic genes and engineer biological systems at the genome scale opens new means by which to characterize phenotypic states and the responses of biological systems to perturbations. One emerging method involves inserting artificial genes into bacterial genomes and examining how the genome and its new genes adapt to each other. Here we report the development and implementation of a modified approach to this method, in which phylogenetically inferred genes are inserted into a microbial genome, and laboratory evolution is then used to examine the adaptive potential of the resulting hybrid genome. Specifically, we engineered an approximately 700-million-year-old inferred ancestral variant of tufB, an essential gene encoding elongation factor Tu, and inserted it in a modern Escherichia coli genome in place of the native tufB gene. While the ancient homolog was not lethal to the cell, it did cause a twofold decrease in organismal fitness, mainly due to reduced protein dosage. We subsequently evolved replicate hybrid bacterial populations for 2000 generations in the laboratory and examined the adaptive response via fitness assays, whole genome sequencing, proteomics, and biochemical assays. Hybrid lineages exhibit a general adaptive strategy in which the fitness cost of the ancient gene was ameliorated in part by upregulation of protein production. Our results suggest that an ancient-modern recombinant method may pave the way for the synthesis of organisms that exhibit ancient phenotypes, and that laboratory evolution of these organisms may prove useful in elucidating insights into historical adaptive processes.

The Roots of Science in Ancient China.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Arthur

1982-01-01

A 45-year-old research project (culminating in the multivolume "Science and Civilization in China") is examining major scientific innovations in ancient China and attempting to explain why, although the Chinese gained a technological edge in the past, they did not make the forward leap into modern science. (JN)

An ancient greek pain remedy for athletes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bartels, Else M.; Swaddling, Judith; Harrison, Adrian Paul

2006-01-01

and swellings, which was reserved for use by the winners of Olympic events, the so-called "Fuscum Olympionico inscriptum"-(ointment) entitled "dark Olympic victor's". In a time when the Olympic games have recently returned to their homeland, we examine the potential efficacy of this ancient remedy in terms...

Classification of ancient mammal individuals using dental pulp MALDI-TOF MS peptide profiling.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Thi-Nguyen-Ny Tran

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The classification of ancient animal corpses at the species level remains a challenging task for forensic scientists and anthropologists. Severe damage and mixed, tiny pieces originating from several skeletons may render morphological classification virtually impossible. Standard approaches are based on sequencing mitochondrial and nuclear targets. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We present a method that can accurately classify mammalian species using dental pulp and mass spectrometry peptide profiling. Our work was organized into three successive steps. First, after extracting proteins from the dental pulp collected from 37 modern individuals representing 13 mammalian species, trypsin-digested peptides were used for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis. The resulting peptide profiles accurately classified every individual at the species level in agreement with parallel cytochrome b gene sequencing gold standard. Second, using a 279-modern spectrum database, we blindly classified 33 of 37 teeth collected in 37 modern individuals (89.1%. Third, we classified 10 of 18 teeth (56% collected in 15 ancient individuals representing five mammal species including human, from five burial sites dating back 8,500 years. Further comparison with an upgraded database comprising ancient specimen profiles yielded 100% classification in ancient teeth. Peptide sequencing yield 4 and 16 different non-keratin proteins including collagen (alpha-1 type I and alpha-2 type I in human ancient and modern dental pulp, respectively. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Mass spectrometry peptide profiling of the dental pulp is a new approach that can be added to the arsenal of species classification tools for forensics and anthropology as a complementary method to DNA sequencing. The dental pulp is a new source for collagen and other proteins for the species classification of modern and ancient mammal individuals.

Classification of Ancient Mammal Individuals Using Dental Pulp MALDI-TOF MS Peptide Profiling

Science.gov (United States)

Tran, Thi-Nguyen-Ny; Aboudharam, Gérard; Gardeisen, Armelle; Davoust, Bernard; Bocquet-Appel, Jean-Pierre; Flaudrops, Christophe; Belghazi, Maya; Raoult, Didier; Drancourt, Michel

2011-01-01

Background The classification of ancient animal corpses at the species level remains a challenging task for forensic scientists and anthropologists. Severe damage and mixed, tiny pieces originating from several skeletons may render morphological classification virtually impossible. Standard approaches are based on sequencing mitochondrial and nuclear targets. Methodology/Principal Findings We present a method that can accurately classify mammalian species using dental pulp and mass spectrometry peptide profiling. Our work was organized into three successive steps. First, after extracting proteins from the dental pulp collected from 37 modern individuals representing 13 mammalian species, trypsin-digested peptides were used for matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry analysis. The resulting peptide profiles accurately classified every individual at the species level in agreement with parallel cytochrome b gene sequencing gold standard. Second, using a 279–modern spectrum database, we blindly classified 33 of 37 teeth collected in 37 modern individuals (89.1%). Third, we classified 10 of 18 teeth (56%) collected in 15 ancient individuals representing five mammal species including human, from five burial sites dating back 8,500 years. Further comparison with an upgraded database comprising ancient specimen profiles yielded 100% classification in ancient teeth. Peptide sequencing yield 4 and 16 different non-keratin proteins including collagen (alpha-1 type I and alpha-2 type I) in human ancient and modern dental pulp, respectively. Conclusions/Significance Mass spectrometry peptide profiling of the dental pulp is a new approach that can be added to the arsenal of species classification tools for forensics and anthropology as a complementary method to DNA sequencing. The dental pulp is a new source for collagen and other proteins for the species classification of modern and ancient mammal individuals. PMID:21364886

Topography and the road network in the territory of ancient Naissus

OpenAIRE

Ljubomirović Irena V.

2016-01-01

Archaeological research revealed that ancient Naissus was located on the right bank of the Nišava, on the territory partially covered by the Niš Fortress. The ancient town developed on a wide and flat terrain, which offered good conditions for settlement, but also for raising fortifications. According to modern scholars, the urban settlement on the right bank of the Nišava was preceded by a small native village (vicus), which was important for the erection of the town fortifications. Numerous...

Occurence of thrips on Niagara table grape and its control with the insecticides thiacloprid and methiocarb associated with Metarhizium anisopliae Ocorrência de tripes em uva Niagara e seu controle com os inseticidas thiacloprid e methiocarb associados com Metarhizium anisopliae

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ROGÉRIO BIAGGIONI LOPES

2002-04-01

Full Text Available Thrips are reported as important pests on table grapes in United States and several countries of Europe. Damage caused by thrips, particulary Frankliniella occidentalis, was observed on niagara table grape crop in Limeira-SP, Brazil. During the blooming period, high thrips densities were observed feeding on pollen and small berries. The symptoms left were more visible after the development of the berries and were characterized by dark scars and suberized surface on berries, sometimes causing the berry to crack, and the seed to prolapse. The effect of insecticides thiacloprid or methiocarb, associated or not with the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae were evaluated during the blooming period. For evaluation of thrips damage on fruits, the treatments were applied three additional times, 7, 14 and 21 days after the first application. The treatments were: a M. anisopliae (strain 1037 1x10(7 conidia/mL; b thiacloprid 20mL/100L; c-d methiocarb 100 and 150mL/100L; e methiocarb 100mL/100L + M. anisopliae 1x10(7 conidia/mL. Only methiocarb, associated or not with the fungus, was effective in reducing thrips infestation, and no phytotoxic damage was observed. The efficiency of methiocarb 150mL/100L and the insecticide associated with the fungus for the control of the thrips population was 84.2 and 95.5%, respectively. In both cases, there was a reduction of approximately 70% in the number of berries with scars symptoms. For control of thrips on table grapes, chemical insecticides associated or not with M. anisopliae should be applied during the blooming period of the crop.Os tripes são mencionados como importantes pragas da cultura da uva de mesa em diversos países da Europa e Estados Unidos. Em área de cultivo da uva Niagara localizada na região de Limeira-SP verificou-se a ocorrência de danos provocados por Frankliniella occidentalis. Essa praga foi observada, principalmente, durante a fase de florescimento, alimentando-se de pólen e

Addressing the Future in Ancient and Modern Times.

Science.gov (United States)

Roshwald, Mordecai

1982-01-01

Explores the similarities between ancient prophecy and modern futures prediction. The article suggests that the perceived degree of certainty in predictions of the future affects the patterns of emotional and rational responses in those receiving them. (AM)

Ancient Genomics and the Peopling of the Southwest Pacific

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Skoglund, Pontus; Posth, Cosimo; Sirak, Kendra; Spriggs, Matthew; Valentin, Frederique; Bedford, Stuart; Clark, Geoffrey; Reepmeyer, Christian; Petchey, Fiona; Fernandes, Daniel; Fu, Qiaomei; Harney, Eadaoin; Lipson, Mark; Mallick, Swapan; Novak, Mario; Rohland, Nadin; Stewardson, Kristin; Abdullah, Syafiq; Cox, Murray P.; Friedlaender, Françoise R.; Friedlaender, Jonathan S.; Kivisild, Toomas; Koki, George; Kusuma, Pradiptajati; Merriwether, D. Andrew; Ricaut, Francois-X.; Wee, Joseph T. S.; Patterson, Nick; Krause, Johannes; Pinhasi, Ron; Reich, David

2017-01-01

The appearance of people associated with the Lapita culture in the South Pacific ~3,000 years ago1 marked the beginning of the last major human dispersal to unpopulated lands. However, the relationship of these pioneers to the long established Papuans of the New Guinea region is unclear. We report genome-wide ancient DNA data from four individuals from Vanuatu (~3100-2700 years before present) and Tonga (~2700-2300 years before present), and co-analyze them with 778 present-day East Asians and Oceanians. Today, indigenous peoples of the South Pacific harbor a mixture of ancestry from Papuans and a population of East Asian origin that does not exist in unmixed form today, but is a match to the ancient individuals. Most analyses have interpreted the minimum of twenty-five percent Papuan ancestry in the region today as evidence that the first humans to reach Remote Oceania, including Polynesia, were derived from population mixtures near New Guinea, prior to the further expansion into Remote Oceania2–5. However, our finding that the ancient individuals had little to no Papuan ancestry implies later human population movements that spread Papuan ancestry through the South Pacific after the islands’ first peopling. PMID:27698418

Ancient medical texts, modern reading problems

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Maria Carlota Rosa

2006-12-01

Full Text Available The word tradition has a very specific meaning in linguistics: the passing down of a text, which may have been completed or corrected by different copyists at different times, when the concept of authorship was not the same as it is today. When reading an ancient text the word tradition must be in the reader's mind. To discuss one of the problems an ancient text poses to its modern readers, this work deals with one of the first printed medical texts in Portuguese, the Regimento proueytoso contra ha pestenença, and draws a parallel between it and two related texts, A moche profitable treatise against the pestilence, and the Recopilaçam das cousas que conuem guardar se no modo de preseruar à Cidade de Lixboa E os sãos, & curar os que esteuerem enfermos de Peste. The problems which arise out of the textual structure of those books show how difficult is to establish a tradition of another type, the medical tradition. The linguistic study of the innumerable medieval plague treatises may throw light on the continuities and on the disruptions of the so-called hippocratic-galenical medical tradition.

Ancient Climatic Architectural Design Approach

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Nasibeh Faghih

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Ancient climatic architecture had found out a series of appropriate responses for the best compatibility with the critical climate condition for instance, designing ‘earth sheltered houses’ and ‘courtyard houses’. They could provide human climatic comfort without excessive usage of fossil fuel resources. Owing to the normal thermal conditions in the ground depth, earth sheltered houses can be slightly affected by thermal fluctuations due to being within the earth. In depth further than 6.1 meters, temperature alternation is minute during the year, equaling to average annual temperature of outside. More to the point, courtyard buildings as another traditional design approach, have prepared controlled climatic space based on creating the maximum shade in the summer and maximum solar heat absorption in the winter. The courtyard houses served the multiple functions of lighting to the rooms, acting as a heat absorber in the summer and a radiator in the winter, as well as providing an open space inside for community activities. It must be noted that they divided into summer and winter zones located in south and north of the central courtyard where residents were replaced into them according to changing the seasons. Therefore, Ancient climatic buildings provided better human thermal comfort in comparison with the use contemporary buildings of recent years, except with the air conditioning

An investigation into the ancient Egyptian cultural influences on the Yorubas of Nigeria

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Jock M. Agai

2013-07-01

Full Text Available There are many cultural practices that connect ancient Egyptians to the Yorubas and the new interpretation of the Oduduwa legend suggests that the Yorubas have originated or are influenced mainly by the Egyptians. The attestation of Egypt as the main influencer of the Yoruba culture made Egypt significant in the study of the history of the Yoruba people. Some writers are beginning to think that the ancient Egyptians were responsible for introducing and spreading many cultures amongst the Yorubas. As more Yorubas are tracing their origins and the origins of their culture to ancient Egypt, this research investigates whether the Egyptians were the originators and the main spreaders of the afterlife culture in Yorubaland.

The provenance study of Chinese ancient color glaze from Shanxi by INAA and factor analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cheng, L.; Ding, X.L.; Feng, S.L.; Feng, X.Q.; Lu, Z.R.

2005-01-01

This paper reports the results of the provenance study of Chinese ancient color glaze in Shanxi. The minor and trace elements of body of color glaze in different dynasty from Xiyue temper kiln and that of Lidipo kiln in Ming Dynasty determined by INAA, some of ancient porcelain from Lidipo kiln were measured, also. The factor analysis showed that provenances of the ancient color glazes from Xiyue Temple that were produced during Song Dynasty to the early Qing Dynasty were in the place of the Xiyue kiln, and body material of ancient color have little been changed, on the other hand, that of Later Qing Dynasty were-produced from Lidipo kiln. Different color glazes were measured by SRXRF and it proved the colored elements were Fe and Cu.

Ancient Egyptian mummy genomes suggest an increase of Sub-Saharan African ancestry in post-Roman periods

Science.gov (United States)

Schuenemann, Verena J.; Peltzer, Alexander; Welte, Beatrix; van Pelt, W. Paul; Molak, Martyna; Wang, Chuan-Chao; Furtwängler, Anja; Urban, Christian; Reiter, Ella; Nieselt, Kay; Teßmann, Barbara; Francken, Michael; Harvati, Katerina; Haak, Wolfgang; Schiffels, Stephan; Krause, Johannes

2017-01-01

Egypt, located on the isthmus of Africa, is an ideal region to study historical population dynamics due to its geographic location and documented interactions with ancient civilizations in Africa, Asia and Europe. Particularly, in the first millennium BCE Egypt endured foreign domination leading to growing numbers of foreigners living within its borders possibly contributing genetically to the local population. Here we present 90 mitochondrial genomes as well as genome-wide data sets from three individuals obtained from Egyptian mummies. The samples recovered from Middle Egypt span around 1,300 years of ancient Egyptian history from the New Kingdom to the Roman Period. Our analyses reveal that ancient Egyptians shared more ancestry with Near Easterners than present-day Egyptians, who received additional sub-Saharan admixture in more recent times. This analysis establishes ancient Egyptian mummies as a genetic source to study ancient human history and offers the perspective of deciphering Egypt's past at a genome-wide level. PMID:28556824

Japan: The Modernization of an Ancient Culture. Series on Public Issues No. 3.

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Wolken, Lawrence C.

This booklet, one of a series of booklets intended to apply economic principles to major social and political issues of the day, traces the modernization of the ancient culture of Japan. Four major areas are covered: (1) "An Ancient Culture" covers the period from the first settling of Japan through the Heian period, the medieval ages,…

The Challenges of Qualitatively Coding Ancient Texts

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Slingerland, Edward; Chudek, Maciej

2012-01-01

We respond to several important and valid concerns about our study ("The Prevalence of Folk Dualism in Early China," "Cognitive Science" 35: 997-1007) by Klein and Klein, defending our interpretation of our data. We also argue that, despite the undeniable challenges involved in qualitatively coding texts from ancient cultures,…

ANCIENT BREAD STAMPS FROM JORDAN

OpenAIRE

Kakish, Randa

2014-01-01

Marking bread was an old practice performed in different parts of the old world. It was done for religious, magical, economic and identification purposes. Bread stamps differ from other groups of stamps. Accordingly, the aim of this article is to identify such stamps, displayed or stored, in a number of Jordanian Archaeological Museums. A col-lection of twelve ancient bread stamps were identified and studied. Two of the stamps were of unknown provenance while the others came from al-Shuneh, D...

Ancient whole grain Gluten-free egg-free Teff, Buckwheat, Quinoa and Amaranth pasta (abstract)

Science.gov (United States)

This report demonstrates innovative ancient whole grain, gluten-free, egg-free pasta (no chemicals added) made using a kitchen counter-top appliance. Whole grain, fusilli pasta was prepared with teff, buckwheat, quinoa and amaranth flours. These ancient grains are called “Super Foods” due to thei...

Evidence of ancient DNA reveals the first European lineage in Iron Age Central China.

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Xie, C Z; Li, C X; Cui, Y Q; Zhang, Q C; Fu, Y Q; Zhu, H; Zhou, H

2007-07-07

Various studies on ancient DNA have attempted to reconstruct population movement in Asia, with much interest focused on determining the arrival of European lineages in ancient East Asia. Here, we discuss our analysis of the mitochondrial DNA of human remains excavated from the Yu Hong tomb in Taiyuan, China, dated 1400 years ago. The burial style of this tomb is characteristic of Central Asia at that time. Our analysis shows that Yu Hong belonged to the haplogroup U5, one of the oldest western Eurasian-specific haplogroups, while his wife can be classified as haplogroup G, the type prevalent in East Asia. Our findings show that this man with European lineage arrived in Taiyuan approximately 1400 years ago, and most probably married a local woman. Haplogroup U5 was the first west Eurasian-specific lineage to be found in the central part of ancient China, and Taiyuan may be the easternmost location of the discovered remains of European lineage in ancient China.

Ciliates from ancient permafrost: Assessment of cold resistance of the resting cysts.

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Shatilovich, Anastasia; Stoupin, Daniel; Rivkina, Elizaveta

2015-06-01

There is evidence that resting cysts of soil ciliates and numerous taxa of other protists can survive in permafrost for thousands of years at subzero temperatures; however, our knowledge about mechanisms of long term cryobiosis remains incomplete. In order to better understand the means by which ancient cysts survive, we investigated resistance to cyclical supercooling stress of resting cysts of the soil ciliate Colpoda steinii (Colpodida, Ciliophora). Three clonal strains were used for comparison, isolated from Siberian tundra soil, ancient Holocene (5-7,000 y) and late Pleistocene (32-35,000 y) permafrost sediments. To determine the viability of the ancient and contemporary ciliate cysts we improved and validated a cultivation-independent method of vital fluorescent staining with a combination of two nucleic acid binding dyes, acridine orange and propidium iodide. The viability of Colpoda steinii cysts during low-temperature experiments was measured using both the proposed vital fluorescent staining method and standard germination test. Our results indicate that the dual-fluorescence technique is a more accurate, rapid, and efficient method for estimating cyst viability. We found that cysts of ancient ciliates display lower tolerance to the impact of cyclical cold compared to cysts of contemporary ciliates from Siberian permafrost affected soils. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Ancient schwannoma of thoracic spine in a schizophrenic patient with somatic delusion

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Ya-Ting Wen

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Ancient schwannoma is a rare variant of schwannoma characterized by histopathologic degenerative changes, which are thought to be the result of long-term tumor growth and aging. However, ancient schwannoma in the spinal canal is particularly rare. We report a case of thoracic spine intradural extramedullary ancient schwannoma in a schizophrenic patient, who kept saying that “something in his back was giving him electric shock” for a long time. Unfortunately, this complaint was misinterpreted as somatic delusion symptoms. A spinal cord tumor was taken into consideration only after paraparesis developed. We have highlighted this case to remind every clinician to remain alert about the possibility of organic disease while treating patients with psychotic disorder history. Thorough neurological examination is required to avoid misdiagnosis. Spinal canal schwannoma can be totally removed successfully with good functional outcome and prognosis.

The Presence of Ancient Greece in Modern Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Anton, John P.

1977-01-01

The author relates the ways in which a present day visitor to Greece will be reminded of ancient Greek history. The legendary hospitality, Greek statues, the landscape, Greek dances, gestures, and customs are some of the topics discussed. (Author/RM)

Theory-of-mind reasoning in Ancient China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Emde Boas, P.

2014-01-01

Ancient Chinese literature on strategic theory goes back to ideas proposed almost 3000 years ago, but which were first written down during the late Spring and Autumn period and the Warring States period (around 500 BC). The most famous work is the Art of War from Sun Tzu. While Sun Tzu extensively

Analysis of ancient pigments by Raman microscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zuo Jian; Xu Cunyi

1999-01-01

Raman microscopy can be applied for the spatial resolution, and non-destructive in situ analysis of inorganic pigments in pottery, manuscripts and paintings. Compared with other techniques, it is the best single technique for this purpose. An overview is presented of the applications of Raman microscopy in the analysis of ancient pigments

Cosmic rays and ancient planetary magnetic fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wesson, P.S.

1977-01-01

The possibility is discussed of using the latitude-dependent cutoff in the intensity and flux of cosmic ray particles reaching the surface of a planet to investigate ancient magnetic fields in the Moon, Mars and the Earth. In the last case, the method could provide a validity test for conventional palaeomagnetism. (Auth.)

HIGHER SPIRITUAL AND SELF-REGULATIVE CAPACITIES IN ANCIENT KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM - BUDDHISM (APPROACH OF HISTORY OF PSYCHOLOGY

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G V Ozhiganova

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The necessity of research on higher spiritual and self-regulative capacities in the context of ancient oriental system of knowledge is expressed. The historical and psychological methods of studying ancient knowledge are described. The methods of the history of psychology, proposed by the author, are used: such as the method of revealing scientific knowledge reserves, aimed at restoring and practical mastering the psychological heritage of ancient times, as well as the experimental method, involving the verification of psychological facts, phenomena and laws described in ancient texts, with the help of modern scientific research methods (observation, experiment, statistical data. Meditative practices and philosophical concepts of Buddhism are considered from the standpoint of modern psychology. The ancient Buddhist meditative practices “Contemplation of the mind”, linked to the concept of “mindfulness” is described. It is concluded that the concept of the mind is the key in the Buddhist system of knowledge. The understanding of the mind in the ancient Buddhist doctrine is compared with a modern interpretation of the concept of “mind” in psychological science, as well as its content is revealed due to psychological terms “higher self-regulative capacities” and “moral-value aspect of spiritual capacities”. It is revealed that in the Buddhist system of knowledge there can be seen close links between higher self-regulative capacities and moral-value aspect of spiritual capacities. The results of empirical studies of the ancient meditative practices and their positive impact on self-regulation of the modern people are submitted.

Ancient and medieval Iberia seen through glass: An archaeometric perspective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Juan Ares, J. de; Nadine Schibille, N.

2017-01-01

The study of ancient and medieval glasses has identified distinct compositional groups as a result of the chemical characteristics of the raw materials used for its production. Archaeometric analysis can determine the provenance of the glass, and has demonstrated a large-scale production and commercialisation of raw glass throughout the Mediterranean during the ancient and medieval periods. Secondary workshops on the Iberian Peninsula imported raw glass from the Near East for the better part of the first millennium CE, following a similar pattern observed elsewhere in the Mediterranean region. However, there are some indications that point to a local production of glass and that deserve further investigation. In the ninth century, natron glass was replaced in al-Ándalus by plant ash and lead-rich glass that may represent a local production. Little is known about the production or use of glass in the Christian parts of the peninsula during this period. The increasing volume of analytical data on Spanish glass demonstrates the potential of an archaeometric approach to shed light not only on the production and trade of glass on the Iberian Peninsula but also on the ancient and medieval economy more generally. [es

Ancient Indian Leaps into Mathematics

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Yadav, B S

2011-01-01

This book presents contributions of mathematicians covering topics from ancient India, placing them in the broader context of the history of mathematics. Although the translations of some Sanskrit mathematical texts are available in the literature, Indian contributions are rarely presented in major Western historical works. Yet some of the well-known and universally-accepted discoveries from India, including the concept of zero and the decimal representation of numbers, have made lasting contributions to the foundation of modern mathematics. Through a systematic approach, this book examines th

Reconstruction of the ancient Greeks’ psychological portrait in the Classic period

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Kuteinikov A. N.

2017-12-01

Full Text Available the article discusses the dependence of the psychological structure of the living on conditions of people in the appropriate age; considers the dominance of specific character traits and values of the ancient Greeks of the classical period; describes the worldview and mentality of the Greeks in the specified period. The concept of collective responsibility. Paris as a collective image of the ancient Greeks. Respect for labour. The cult of beauty of the naked body. Gradual disclaimer out the offerings. Tolerance of homosexuality. The humane attitude to slaves. Intelligent competitiveness.

Combining bleach and mild predigestion improves ancient DNA recovery from bones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boessenkool, Sanne; Hanghøj, Kristian Ebbesen; Nistelberger, Heidi M.

2017-01-01

library characteristics, such as DNA damage profiles or the composition of microbial communities, are little affected by the pre-extraction protocols. Application of the combined protocol presented in this study will facilitate the genetic analysis of an increasing number of ancient remains...... aimed to improve ancient DNA recovery before library amplification have recently been developed. Here, we test the effects of combining two of such protocols, a bleach wash and a predigestion step, on 12 bone samples of Atlantic cod and domestic horse aged 750-1350 cal. years before present. Using high...

Antické inšpirácie pre hermeneutiku smrti (Ancient Inspirations for Hermeneutics of Death

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Anton Vydra

2006-03-01

Full Text Available The author in this paper investigates ancient understanding of death. There are three interesting problems in ancient thinking. First one, that Greek word sema means a sign but a tombstone, too. It is related to problem of a human memory (a Greek anamnesis. Second one that death is primarily darkening for ancient people. Thanatos – god of death – appears only as a fragment of goddess Night, his mother. Third one, that a fire (or light is import for life of human being. But a fire has symbolical function and it is related to an eternity. There is a light nearby intelligence in ancient world. Desire of philosophers to immortality refers to desire to an eternal intellectual thinking.

Ancient Pyramids Help Students Learn Math Concepts

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Courtney D.; Stump, Amanda M.; Lazaros, Edward J.

2010-01-01

This article presents an activity that allows students to use mathematics and critical-thinking skills to emulate processes used by the ancient Egyptians to prepare the site for the Pyramids of Giza. To accomplish this, they use three different methods. First, they create a square using only simple technological tools that were available to the…

Nuclear analytical methods on ancient Thai rice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Won-in, K.; Thongleurm, C.; Dararutana, P.

2013-01-01

For more than half of humanity, rice is life. Rice is a grain which has shaped the history, culture, diet and economy of billions of people in Asia. In Thailand, it is the essence of life. Archaeological evidence revealed that rice had been planted in northeastern area of Thailand more than 5,500 years ago which is earlier than in China and India. The ancient rice grains were found in various archaeological sites in Thailand such as Nakhon Nayok, Suphan Buri and Prachin Buri Provinces. In this work, the ancient black rice from Nakhon Nayok Province was elementally analyzed using scanning electron microscope coupled with energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy, proton induced X-ray emission spectroscopy and micro-beam energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy. Infrared (IR) spectroscopy was also used to study the chemical composition and bio-molecular structure. The grains were oblique in shape with a rough surface. Three major elements (Si, Ca and Al) and other trace elements were detected. The IR spectra provided some information about the presence of molecular bonds. (author)

Letter to the editor: Genetics and the archaeology of ancient Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Brody, Aaron J; King, Roy J

2013-12-01

This letter is a call for DNA testing on ancient skeletal materials from the southern Levant to begin a database of genetic information of the inhabitants of this crossroads region. In this region, during the Iron I period traditionally dated to circa 1200-1000 BCE, archaeologists and biblical historians view the earliest presence of a group that called itself Israel. They lived in villages in the varied hill countries of the region, contemporary with urban settlements in the coastal plains, inland valleys, and central hill country attributed to varied indigenous groups collectively called Canaanite. The remnants of Egyptian imperial presence in the region lasted until around 1150 BCE, postdating the arrival of an immigrant group from the Aegean called the Philistines circa 1175 BCE. The period that follows in the southern Levant is marked by the development of territorial states throughout the region, circa 1000-800 BCE. These patrimonial kingdoms, including the United Kingdom of Israel and the divided kingdoms of northern Israel and Judah, coalesced varied peoples under central leadership and newly founded administrative and religious bureaucracies. Ancient DNA testing will give us a further refined understanding of the individuals who peopled the region of the southern Levant throughout its varied archaeological and historic periods and provide scientific data that will support, refute, or nuance our sociohistoric reconstruction of ancient group identities. These social identities may or may not map onto genetic data, but without sampling of ancient DNA we may never know. A database of ancient DNA will also allow for comparisons with modern DNA samples collected throughout the greater region and the Mediterranean littoral, giving a more robust understanding of the long historical trajectories of regional human genetics and the genetics of varied ancestral groups of today's Jewish populations and other cultural groups in the modern Middle East and Mediterranean

Element analysis on Japanese ancient glass by PIXE method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koizumi, Y.; Kobayashi, K.

2001-01-01

The authors analyzed ancient glasses using PIXE (particle induced X-ray emission) method associated with the accelerator used for the trace analysis of environments and organisms. They examined whether the material properties of the glasses made by ancient technology have correlation with those of each era or each region both in and out of Japan. The alkali lime glasses excavated from Japanese ancient ruins are classified as soda lime glasses and potash lime glasses, and intermediate glasses containing both are also detected. As for the glasses between the late Yayoi period and the early Tumulus period in eastern Japan, glass beads were mostly classified as potash lime glasses. In the mid and late Tumulus periods, soda lime glasses and the glasses with an intermediate composition increased in addition to potash lime glasses. In the analysis of the glass beads excavated from the ruins of the late Yayoi period to the early Tumult period in Tsushima, potash lime glasses and soda lime glasses coexisted in the same period. Most of the coloring components of deep-blue system mostly found in eastern Japan were manganese and iron, and the coloring components such as blue, green, sky blue, etc. were copper. Yellow was the color expressed with lead or lead - iron. The coloring materials were common regardless of the classification of glasses based on main components. (A.O.)

Ancient technology of jetties and anchorage system along the Saurastra coast, India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Gaur, A; Sundaresh

indicate the existence of several ports, jetties, and anchoring points along the west coast of India from the protohistoric period (Ray 2003). The discovery of many stone structures and anchors at Dwarka suggests that it was a busy port during... stream_size 32184 stream_content_type text/plain stream_name Ancient_Technology_Jetties_Gaur_2016_199a.pdf.txt stream_source_info Ancient_Technology_Jetties_Gaur_2016_199a.pdf.txt Content-Encoding UTF-8 Content-Type text...

Research on fine management and visualization of ancient architectures based on integration of 2D and 3D GIS technology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jun, Yan; Shaohua, Wang; Jiayuan, Li; Qingwu, Hu

2014-01-01

Aimed at ancient architectures which own the characteristics of huge data quantity, fine-grained and high-precise, a 3D fine management and visualization method for ancient architectures based on the integration of 2D and 3D GIS is proposed. Firstly, after analysing various data types and characters of digital ancient architectures, main problems and key technologies existing in the 2D and 3D data management are discussed. Secondly, data storage and indexing model of digital ancient architecture based on 2D and 3D GIS integration were designed and the integrative storage and management of 2D and 3D data were achieved. Then, through the study of data retrieval method based on the space-time indexing and hierarchical object model of ancient architecture, 2D and 3D interaction of fine-grained ancient architectures 3D models was achieved. Finally, take the fine database of Liangyi Temple belonging to Wudang Mountain as an example, fine management and visualization prototype of 2D and 3D integrative digital ancient buildings of Liangyi Temple was built and achieved. The integrated management and visual analysis of 10GB fine-grained model of the ancient architecture was realized and a new implementation method for the store, browse, reconstruction, and architectural art research of ancient architecture model was provided

Ligation bias in illumina next-generation DNA libraries: implications for sequencing ancient genomes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andaine Seguin-Orlando

Full Text Available Ancient DNA extracts consist of a mixture of endogenous molecules and contaminant DNA templates, often originating from environmental microbes. These two populations of templates exhibit different chemical characteristics, with the former showing depurination and cytosine deamination by-products, resulting from post-mortem DNA damage. Such chemical modifications can interfere with the molecular tools used for building second-generation DNA libraries, and limit our ability to fully characterize the true complexity of ancient DNA extracts. In this study, we first use fresh DNA extracts to demonstrate that library preparation based on adapter ligation at AT-overhangs are biased against DNA templates starting with thymine residues, contrarily to blunt-end adapter ligation. We observe the same bias on fresh DNA extracts sheared on Bioruptor, Covaris and nebulizers. This contradicts previous reports suggesting that this bias could originate from the methods used for shearing DNA. This also suggests that AT-overhang adapter ligation efficiency is affected in a sequence-dependent manner and results in an uneven representation of different genomic contexts. We then show how this bias could affect the base composition of ancient DNA libraries prepared following AT-overhang ligation, mainly by limiting the ability to ligate DNA templates starting with thymines and therefore deaminated cytosines. This results in particular nucleotide misincorporation damage patterns, deviating from the signature generally expected for authenticating ancient sequence data. Consequently, we show that models adequate for estimating post-mortem DNA damage levels must be robust to the molecular tools used for building ancient DNA libraries.

Foreign Guests in Ancient Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zora Žbontar

2013-12-01

Full Text Available Xenía was a special relationship between a foreign guest and his host in Ancient Greece. The ritual of hosting a foreigner included an exchange of objects, feasting, and the establishment of friendship between people from different social backgrounds. This relationship implied trust, loyalty, friendship, and mutual aid between the people involved. Goods and services were also exchanged without any form of payment. There were no formal laws governing xenía – it was based entirely on a moral appeal. Mutual appreciation between the host and the guest was established during the ritual, but the host did retain a certain level of superiority over the guest. Xenía was one of the most important institutions in Ancient Greece. It had a lot of features and obligations similar to kinship and marriage. In literary sources the word xénos varies in meaning from “enemy stranger”, “friendly stranger”, “foreigner”, “guest”, “host” to “ritual friend”, and it is often hard to tell which usage is appropriate in a given passage. The paper describes the emphasis on hospitality towards foreigners. It presents an example of a depiction indicating xenía is presented, as well as several objects which were traded during the ritual. The paper also addresses the importance of hospitality in Greek drama in general, especially with examples of violations of the hospitality code.

Multiple maternal origins of native modern and ancient horse populations in China.

Science.gov (United States)

Lei, C Z; Su, R; Bower, M A; Edwards, C J; Wang, X B; Weining, S; Liu, L; Xie, W M; Li, F; Liu, R Y; Zhang, Y S; Zhang, C M; Chen, H

2009-12-01

To obtain more knowledge of the origin and genetic diversity of domestic horses in China, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) D-loop sequence diversity from nine horse breeds in China in conjunction with ancient DNA data and evidence from archaeological and historical records. A 247-bp mitochondrial D-loop sequence from 182 modern samples revealed a total of 70 haplotypes with a high level of genetic diversity. Seven major mtDNA haplogroups (A-G) and 16 clusters were identified for the 182 Chinese modern horses. In the present study, nine 247-bp mitochondrial D-loop sequences of ancient remains of Bronze Age horse from the Chifeng region of Inner Mongolia in China (c. 4000-2000a bp) were used to explore the origin and diversity of Chinese modern horses and the phylogenetic relationship between ancient and modern horses. The nine ancient horses carried seven haplotypes with rich genetic diversity, which were clustered together with modern individuals among haplogroups A, E and F. Modern domestic horse and ancient horse data support the multiple origins of domestic horses in China. This study supports the argument that multiple successful events of horse domestication, including separate introductions of wild mares into the domestic herds, may have occurred in antiquity, and that China cannot be excluded from these events. Indeed, the association of Far Eastern mtDNA types to haplogroup F was highly significant using Fisher's exact test of independence (P = 0.00002), lending support for Chinese domestication of this haplogroup. High diversity and all seven mtDNA haplogroups (A-G) with 16 clusters also suggest that further work is necessary to shed more light on horse domestication in China.

ORIGINAL ARTICLES Ethics and surgical training in ancient India ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2008-03-01

Mar 1, 2008 ... Ancient India's contributions to ethics and surgical training ... business of health care becomes increasingly venal. Doctors are better informed .... 'Friendship, sympathy towards the sick, interest in cases .... Textbook of Surgery.

Study of provenance properties on ancient porcelain of Yue Kiln at Si-long-kou with NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Feng Songlin; Fan Dongyu; Feng Xiangqian; Cheng Lin; Lei Yong; Xu Qing; Quan Huishan; Shen Yueming; Zhou Zhexi; Zhang Wenjiang

2005-01-01

Chinese ancient porcelain history has lasted about three thousands years from Shang Dynasty (1100∼1600 BC). A large amount of ancient porcelain sherds with accuracy provenance and ages were excavated from a lot of kiln sites in China. Archaeologists and ceramic experts have recognized and researched it with excavated stratum, utensil shape, body quality, glaze color and painting pattern. However, the appearance characteristic of some ancient porcelain manufactured in different kilns is similar. Therefore, it is still difficult to identify the provenance and ages of the samples excavated from some sites using traditional methods. Up, to now, many problems of Chinese ancient porcelain are confused for archaeologist and collecting experts. The elemental composition of ancient porcelain shows certain information of provenance and age. Especially, the sorts and contents of the elements in porcelain didn't change, so it is very useful to determine the provenance of ancient porcelain with elemental composition characteristics. Provenance characteristic is the important scientific information to identify ancient porcelain wares excavated from sites and graves. The porcelain samples of Si-Long-Kou Yue kiln in Zhejiang Province of china have been analyzed with NAA in this paper. The provenance characteristic was compared with it of Hong-Zhou kiln of Jiang-Xi Province and Yao-Zhou kiln of Shan-Xi Province. The experimental data were studied with statistic methods. The results show that the chemical compositions of porcelain body samples for three kilns were different. The difference was been able identified. The porcelain body materials of both Si-Long-Kou Yue kiln and Hong-Zhou kiln of Jiang-Xi were similar. The samples of Yao-Zhou kiln in north of China existed obvious difference.

The ancient materials speak volumes for the future

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

2010-01-01

Study the ancient materials inform us not only for the processes used at the time but also for their possible behaviour in the future. The archaeo-materials and alteration anticipation laboratory (LAPA, CEA Saclay) is engaged each day in studying these materials. (O.M.)

Tech Talk for Social Studies Teachers: Ancient Egypt.

Science.gov (United States)

Pahl, Ronald H.

1998-01-01

Presents an annotated bibliography of 10 Web sites concerning ancient Egypt that have materials appropriate for social studies classes. Includes virtual tours of Egypt and specific temples, explorations of the pyramids, archaeological and geographic information, and information on the Egyptian "Book of the Dead." (MJP)

Ancient and Medieval Earth in Armenia

Science.gov (United States)

Farmanyan, S. V.

2015-07-01

Humankind has always sought to recognize the nature of various sky related phenomena and tried to give them explanations. The purpose of this study is to identify ancient Armenians' pantheistic and cosmological perceptions, world view, notions and beliefs related to the Earth. The paper focuses on the structure of the Earth and many other phenomena of nature that have always been on a major influence on ancient Armenians thinking. In this paper we have compared the term Earth in 31 languages. By discussing and comparing Universe structure in various regional traditions, myths, folk songs and phraseological units we very often came across to "Seven Heavens" (Seven heavens is a part of religious cosmology found in many major religions such as Islam, Judaism, Hinduism and Christianity (namely Catholicism) and "Seven Earths". Armenians in their turn divided Earth and Heavens into seven layers. And in science too, both the Earth and the Heavens have 7 layers. The Seven Heavens refer to the layers of our atmosphere. The Seven Earths refer to the layers of the Earth (from core to crust), as well as seven continents. We conclude that the perception of celestial objects varies from culture to culture and preastronomy had a significant impact on humankind, particularly on cultural diversities.

Resurrecting ancestral genes in bacteria to interpret ancient biosignatures

Science.gov (United States)

Kacar, Betul; Guy, Lionel; Smith, Eric; Baross, John

2017-11-01

Two datasets, the geologic record and the genetic content of extant organisms, provide complementary insights into the history of how key molecular components have shaped or driven global environmental and macroevolutionary trends. Changes in global physico-chemical modes over time are thought to be a consistent feature of this relationship between Earth and life, as life is thought to have been optimizing protein functions for the entirety of its approximately 3.8 billion years of history on the Earth. Organismal survival depends on how well critical genetic and metabolic components can adapt to their environments, reflecting an ability to optimize efficiently to changing conditions. The geologic record provides an array of biologically independent indicators of macroscale atmospheric and oceanic composition, but provides little in the way of the exact behaviour of the molecular components that influenced the compositions of these reservoirs. By reconstructing sequences of proteins that might have been present in ancient organisms, we can downselect to a subset of possible sequences that may have been optimized to these ancient environmental conditions. How can one use modern life to reconstruct ancestral behaviours? Configurations of ancient sequences can be inferred from the diversity of extant sequences, and then resurrected in the laboratory to ascertain their biochemical attributes. One way to augment sequence-based, single-gene methods to obtain a richer and more reliable picture of the deep past, is to resurrect inferred ancestral protein sequences in living organisms, where their phenotypes can be exposed in a complex molecular-systems context, and then to link consequences of those phenotypes to biosignatures that were preserved in the independent historical repository of the geological record. As a first step beyond single-molecule reconstruction to the study of functional molecular systems, we present here the ancestral sequence reconstruction of the

Project work Is the Legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome really the Cradle of European Civilization?

OpenAIRE

Hvastija, Darka; Kos, Jasna

2012-01-01

In this paper the project for 15-year-old students with the title Ancient Greece and Rome and the sub-title Is the Legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome really the Cradle of European Civilization? is introduced. It shows how to connect mathematics with art, history, physics, geography and philosophy by studying ancient Greek scientists and their achievements. Collaborative teaching is introduced. The major aim of the project was to show mathematics as a part of human civilization and to follow...

[A review of the principle mythical gods in ancient greek medicine].

Science.gov (United States)

Lips Castro, Walter; Urenda Arias, Catalina

2014-12-01

Like their prehistoric ancestors, the people of early civilizations lived related to the supernatural. Facing life-threatening situations, such as illness and death, people of ancient civilizations resorted to divination, prophecy, or the oracle. Regarding the curative activities of the ancient Greek civilization, there was a period in which these processes were exclusively linked to a supernatural perspective of the origin of disease. This stage of development of Greek healing practices corresponds to what might be called pre-Hippocratic Greek medicine. In ancient Greek civilization, myths exerted a strong influence on the concepts of disease and the healing processes. Although the first divine figure of Greek mythology related to medicine was Paeon, healing cults related to Apollo and Asclepius had a higher importance in tradition and Greek mythology. The Apollonian divine healing consisted in the ability to eliminate chaos and keep away evil, while in the Asclepian perspective, the role of healer was linked to specific procedures. Personal and medical skills allowed Asclepius to surpass his father and achieve his final consecration as a god of medicine.

Pros and cons of methylation-based enrichment methods for ancient DNA

Science.gov (United States)

Seguin-Orlando, Andaine; Gamba, Cristina; Sarkissian, Clio Der; Ermini, Luca; Louvel, Guillaume; Boulygina, Eugenia; Sokolov, Alexey; Nedoluzhko, Artem; Lorenzen, Eline D.; Lopez, Patricio; McDonald, H. Gregory; Scott, Eric; Tikhonov, Alexei; Stafford,, Thomas W.; Alfarhan, Ahmed H.; Alquraishi, Saleh A.; Al-Rasheid, Khaled A. S.; Shapiro, Beth; Willerslev, Eske; Prokhortchouk, Egor; Orlando, Ludovic

2015-01-01

The recent discovery that DNA methylation survives in fossil material provides an opportunity for novel molecular approaches in palaeogenomics. Here, we apply to ancient DNA extracts the probe-independent Methylated Binding Domains (MBD)-based enrichment method, which targets DNA molecules containing methylated CpGs. Using remains of a Palaeo-Eskimo Saqqaq individual, woolly mammoths, polar bears and two equine species, we confirm that DNA methylation survives in a variety of tissues, environmental contexts and over a large temporal range (4,000 to over 45,000 years before present). MBD enrichment, however, appears principally biased towards the recovery of CpG-rich and long DNA templates and is limited by the fast post-mortem cytosine deamination rates of methylated epialleles. This method, thus, appears only appropriate for the analysis of ancient methylomes from very well preserved samples, where both DNA fragmentation and deamination have been limited. This work represents an essential step toward the characterization of ancient methylation signatures, which will help understanding the role of epigenetic changes in past environmental and cultural transitions. PMID:26134828

Magnetic Prospecting On Ancient Towns In Turkey and Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Smekalova, T.; Smekalov, S.

Magnetic prospecting on ancient towns in Turkey and Greece. Tatyana Smekalova, Sergey Smekalov. Saint-Petersburg In 2001 archaeophysical group of Saint-Petersburg State University participated in archaeological investigation of ancient town Pisidian Antioch in Turkey (near mod- ern town Yalvach) and ancient town Kalydon in Greece (not far from modern town Mesolongy). Both sites have a big size (more than kilometer in perimeter) and com- plicated hilly relief (especially Kalydon). The mine idea of the magnetic survey on the sites was to try the method of magnetic prospecting in conditions of the sites, to estimate the possibilities and limitations of the method and to reveal ancient structures on several different parts of the site. Magnetic survey on the Pisidian Antioch carried out in four areas of the site showed that much could be recovered by this non-invasive technique. Most significantly, sur- vey of the area previously thought to contain a palestra shows instead the plan of a Christian basilica. Other areas included houses, streets, important elements in the water system and industrial establishments. The work was supported by Columbia University, USA On the Ancient Kalydon, the whole area of the site was investigated by method of Sfree searchT that is walking with magnetometers and measuring without a grid. Five ´ different areas have been chosen for detail investigation with regular grid. The most interesting result is in one of the the areas, where it seems to be an SindustrialT quar- & cedil;ter of the site. There are several workshops, revealed on this place. The work was supported by Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek, Denmark. During the work on both sites we used GPS equipment to put the survey areas on the maps. Simultaneously with magnetic survey archaeological teams made a usual topographical survey of the sites (team of Calgary University in Turkey, Canada and team of Greece topographers, working together with Danish archaeologist in Greece). Thanks to that

Application and comparison of large-scale solution-based DNA capture-enrichment methods on ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Avila Arcos, Maria del Carmen; Cappellini, Enrico; Romero-Navarro, J. Alberto

2011-01-01

The development of second-generation sequencing technologies has greatly benefitted the field of ancient DNA (aDNA). Its application can be further exploited by the use of targeted capture-enrichment methods to overcome restrictions posed by low endogenous and contaminating DNA in ancient samples...

Absolute determination of copper and silver in ancient coins using 14 MeV neutrons

Science.gov (United States)

Chalouhi, Ch.; Hourani, E.; Loos, R.; Melki, S.

1982-09-01

A method for absolute determination of copper and silver in ancient coins is described. Activation analysis by 14 MeV neutrons is performed. In the experimental procedure emphasis is placed on corrections for neutrons and gamma attenuation. In the analytical procedure, a multi linear-regression calculation is used to separate different contributions to the 511 keV gamma peak. The precision in the absolute determination of Cu and Ag is better than 2% in recent coins of definite shapes, whereas it is a somewhat lower in ancient coins of irregular shapes. The method was applied to ancient coins provided by the Museum of the American University of Beirut. Overall consistency and suitability of the method were obtained.

Absolute determination of copper and silver in ancient coins using 14 MeV neutrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chalouhi, C.; Hourani, E.; Loos, R.; Melki, S.

1982-01-01

A method for absolute determination of copper and silver in ancient coins is described. Activation analysis by 14 MeV neutrons is performed. In the experimental procedure emphasis is placed on corrections for neutrons and gamma attenuation. In the analytical procedure, a multi linear-regression calculation is used to separate different contributions to the 511 keV gamma peak. The precision in the absolute determination of Cu and Ag is better than 2% in recent coins of definite shapes, whereas it is a somewhat lower in ancient coins of irregular shapes. The method was applied to ancient coins provided by the Museum of the American University of Beirut. Overall consistency and suitability of the method were obtained. (orig.)

Absolute determination of copper and silver in ancient coins using 14 MeV neutrons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chalouhi, C.; Hourani, E.; Loos, R.; Melki, S. (Faculty of Science, Beirut (Lebanon))

1982-09-15

A method for absolute determination of copper and silver in ancient coins is described. Activation analysis by 14 MeV neutrons is performed. In the experimental procedure emphasis is placed on corrections for neutrons and gamma attenuation. In the analytical procedure, a multi linear-regression calculation is used to separate different contributions to the 511 keV gamma peak. The precision in the absolute determination of Cu and Ag is better than 2% in recent coins of definite shapes, whereas it is a somewhat lower in ancient coins of irregular shapes. The method was applied to ancient coins provided by the Museum of the American University of Beirut. Overall consistency and suitability of the method were obtained.

Nutritional characteristics of ancient Tuscan varieties of Triticum aestivum L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lisetta Ghiselli

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L. is an important cereal in human consumption. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in ancient wheat varieties. The latter represent an important source of germplasm, characterised by a broader genetic base and, therefore, a potential source of biodiversity. The objective of the study was to ascertain the optimal balance between the presence of secondary metabolites having beneficial effects on health and technological features that ensure successful baking quality. The experimental trial was performed in 2011-2012 on three organic farms located in three different areas within the province of Siena (Tuscany. In each location, an overall evaluation of the commercial, rheological and functional properties of five ancient Tuscan bread wheat varieties (Andriolo, Frassineto, Gentil rosso, Inallettabile 96, Verna as compared with a commercial modern variety (Palesio was carried out. The ancient varieties were compared both singularly (pure and in combination (mixtures of two varieties in equal proportion, respectively. Biometric and productive parameters were detected for each plot (32 plots in each farm. Macro- and trace elements, polyphenols, flavonoids and antioxidant activity (antiradical power, ARP were similarly determined on representative whole grain samples. Rheological analysis was carried out on flour samples. The multivariate statistical analysis using principal components analysis was performed on all variables analysed. The results showed a significant environment effect on the different parameters measured and did not reveal significant improvements in the variables measured when varieties were cultivated in mixtures. However, the study did reveal various interesting trends that are warranting of further investigation. The most interesting effect from a nutritional and functional point of view is the relationship between ARP, rheological properties, protein content and gluten content. These

The relationship between ancient trees health and soil properties

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Yomi

2011-12-07

Dec 7, 2011 ... Key words: Ancient trees health, soil properties, Beijing. INTRODUCTION ... growth. Soil chemical properties play an invaluable role ..... situation on soil nutrients and fertilization in eucalyptus plantations in. GuangXi. Soil and ...

Archaeological and taxonomic significance of ancient wood samples ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ancient wood samples from an archaeological excavation, Test Pit II, in Ahanve, near Badagry were analysed to ascertain their identity. Anatomical study of the wood samples revealed oval-circular xylem pores, diffuse apotracheal axial parenchyma, procumbent and homogeneous ray and non-septate fibres, all consistent ...

Study on distinguishing of Chinese ancient porcelains by neutron activation and fuzzy cluster analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang An

1992-01-01

By means of the method of neutron activation, the contents of trace elements in some samples of Chinese ancient porcelains from different places of production were determined. The data were analysed by fuzzy cluster analysis. On the basis of the above mentioned works, a method with regard to the distinguishing and determining of Chinese ancient porcelain was suggested

Water and sustainable land use at the ancient tropical city of Tikal, Guatemala

OpenAIRE

Scarborough, Vernon L.; Dunning, Nicholas P.; Tankersley, Kenneth B.; Carr, Christopher; Weaver, Eric; Grazioso, Liwy; Lane, Brian; Jones, John G.; Buttles, Palma; Valdez, Fred; Lentz, David L.

2012-01-01

The access to water and the engineered landscapes accommodating its collection and allocation are pivotal issues for assessing sustainability. Recent mapping, sediment coring, and formal excavation at Tikal, Guatemala, have markedly expanded our understanding of ancient Maya water and land use. Among the landscape and engineering feats identified are the largest ancient dam identified in the Maya area of Central America; the posited manner by which reservoir waters were released; construction...

The breast: from Ancient Greek myths to Hippocrates and Galen.

Science.gov (United States)

Iavazzo, C R; Trompoukis, C; Siempos, I I; Falagas, M E

2009-01-01

This is a historical article about Ancient Greek literature from mythological times until the first centuries AD with regard to the female breast. We endeavoured to collect several elegant narratives on the topic as well as to explore the knowledge of Ancient Greek doctors on the role, physiology and pathology of breast and the treatment of its diseases. We identified such descriptions in myths regarding Amazons, Hercules, Zeus, Hera and Amaltheia. Furthermore, descriptions on the topic were also found in the work of Hippocrates, Aristoteles, Soranos, Alexander of Aphrodisias, Celsus, Archigenis, Leonides, Galen and Oribasius. We may conclude that some of today's medical knowledge or practice regarding the breast was also known in the historical period.

Panic and Culture: Hysterike Pnix in the Ancient Greek World.

Science.gov (United States)

Mattern, Susan P

2015-10-01

Starting perhaps in the second century BCE, and with Hippocratic precedent, ancient medical writers described a condition they called hysterike pnix or "uterine suffocation." This paper argues that uterine suffocation was, in modern terms, a functional somatic syndrome characterized by chronic anxiety and panic attacks. Transcultural psychiatrists have identified and described a number of similar panic-type syndromes in modern populations, and a plausible theory of how they work has been advanced. These insights, applied to the ancient disease of hysterike pnix, demystify the condition and illuminate the experience of the women who suffered from it. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Historical overview of spinal deformities in ancient Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Vasiliadis, Elias S; Grivas, Theodoros B; Kaspiris, Angelos

2009-01-01

Little is known about the history of spinal deformities in ancient Greece. The present study summarizes what we know today for diagnosis and management of spinal deformities in ancient Greece, mainly from the medical treatises of Hippocrates and Galen. Hippocrates, through accurate observation and logical reasoning was led to accurate conclusions firstly for the structure of the spine and secondly for its diseases. He introduced the terms kyphosis and scoliosis and wrote in depth about diagnosis and treatment of kyphosis and less about scoliosis. The innovation of the board, the application of axial traction and even the principle of trans-abdominal correction for correction of spinal deformities have their origin in Hippocrates. Galen, who lived nearly five centuries later impressively described scoliosis, lordosis and kyphosis, provided aetiologic implications and used the same principles with Hippocrates for their management, while his studies influenced medical practice on spinal deformities for more than 1500 years. PMID:19243609

Historical overview of spinal deformities in ancient Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kaspiris Angelos

2009-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract Little is known about the history of spinal deformities in ancient Greece. The present study summarizes what we know today for diagnosis and management of spinal deformities in ancient Greece, mainly from the medical treatises of Hippocrates and Galen. Hippocrates, through accurate observation and logical reasoning was led to accurate conclusions firstly for the structure of the spine and secondly for its diseases. He introduced the terms kyphosis and scoliosis and wrote in depth about diagnosis and treatment of kyphosis and less about scoliosis. The innovation of the board, the application of axial traction and even the principle of trans-abdominal correction for correction of spinal deformities have their origin in Hippocrates. Galen, who lived nearly five centuries later impressively described scoliosis, lordosis and kyphosis, provided aetiologic implications and used the same principles with Hippocrates for their management, while his studies influenced medical practice on spinal deformities for more than 1500 years.

Finding hidden chemistry in ancient egyptian artifacts: Pigment degradation taught in a chemical engineering course

OpenAIRE

Giménez Izquierdo, Francisco Javier

2015-01-01

The main objective of this work was to show the application of the study of ancient technology and science on teaching (and learning) chemistry in Chemical Engineering Undergraduate studies. Degradation patterns of pigments used in Ancient Egypt were incorporated in the syllabus of the course entitled

A preliminary research on characteristics of rare-earth elements in ancient pottery of neolithic age in Su Wan area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Shuyu; Lin Shuqin; Peng Zicheng; Liu Fangxin; Zhang Jingguo

1995-01-01

The content of rare-earth elements in the three ancient ruins of pottery of the Neolithic age along Yangtze River is analyzed by means of Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectrometry and X-ray fluorescence Spectrometry. It is shown that the distribution of rare-earth elements varies with the sites where the ancient pottery samples were unearthed. Therefore the analysis of the content of the rate-earth elements may help explore the ancient pottery production sites and the route of the ancient culture exchange

Count like an egyptian a hands-on introduction to ancient mathematics

CERN Document Server

Reimer, David

2014-01-01

The mathematics of ancient Egypt was fundamentally different from our math today. Contrary to what people might think, it wasn't a primitive forerunner of modern mathematics. In fact, it can't be understood using our current computational methods. Count Like an Egyptian provides a fun, hands-on introduction to the intuitive and often-surprising art of ancient Egyptian math. David Reimer guides you step-by-step through addition, subtraction, multiplication, and more. He even shows you how fractions and decimals may have been calculated-they technically didn't exist in the land of the pharaohs.

Elemental analysis of ancient Chinese bronze artifacts with external-beam PIXE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lin, E.K.; Yu, Y.C.; Wang, C.W.; Shen, C.T.; Huang, Y.M.; Wu, S.C.; Hsieh, C.H.

1992-01-01

External-beam PIXE has been applied for the determination of the elemental composition of ancient Chinese bronze artifacts. Characteristic x-ray spectra from the samples bombarded with protons of 3 MeV have been measured with a HPGe detector. At each sample three spots were irradiated per run. Results of measurements on three fragments of bronze drinking vessels and helmet of Chinese ancient Chou and Shang dynasties (17th-8th century B.C.) are presented. To check the analytical method, we have also made measurements on the elemental composition of some modern coins. The results are discussed. (author)

Elemental analysis of ancient Chinese bronze artifacts with external-beam PIXE

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lin, E.K.; Yu, Y.C.; Wang, C.W.; Shen, C.T.; Huang, Y.M.; Wu, S.C.; Hsieh, C.H. [Academia Sinica, Taipei, TW (China). Inst. of Physics

1992-12-31

External-beam PIXE has been applied for the determination of the elemental composition of ancient Chinese bronze artifacts. Characteristic x-ray spectra from the samples bombarded with protons of 3 MeV have been measured with a HPGe detector. At each sample three spots were irradiated per run. Results of measurements on three fragments of bronze drinking vessels and helmet of Chinese ancient Chou and Shang dynasties (17th-8th century B.C.) are presented. To check the analytical method, we have also made measurements on the elemental composition of some modern coins. The results are discussed. (author).

Computational analyses of ancient pathogen DNA from herbarium samples: challenges and prospects.

Science.gov (United States)

Yoshida, Kentaro; Sasaki, Eriko; Kamoun, Sophien

2015-01-01

The application of DNA sequencing technology to the study of ancient DNA has enabled the reconstruction of past epidemics from genomes of historically important plant-associated microbes. Recently, the genome sequences of the potato late blight pathogen Phytophthora infestans were analyzed from 19th century herbarium specimens. These herbarium samples originated from infected potatoes collected during and after the Irish potato famine. Herbaria have therefore great potential to help elucidate past epidemics of crops, date the emergence of pathogens, and inform about past pathogen population dynamics. DNA preservation in herbarium samples was unexpectedly good, raising the possibility of a whole new research area in plant and microbial genomics. However, the recovered DNA can be extremely fragmented resulting in specific challenges in reconstructing genome sequences. Here we review some of the challenges in computational analyses of ancient DNA from herbarium samples. We also applied the recently developed linkage method to haplotype reconstruction of diploid or polyploid genomes from fragmented ancient DNA.

76 FR 16766 - ECOsponsible, Inc.; Notice of Preliminary Permit Application Accepted for Filing and Soliciting...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-25

... feasibility of the Niagara River Community Hydro Project 2 (Niagara 2 Project or project) to be located on the... electricity to an onshore collection substation and point of interconnection switchyard; (3) an operations and...

The Cost of Living in Ancient Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Roberto Morales Harley

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The paper focuses on the most relevant economic aspects of Ancient Greece, more specifically, 5th century BC Athens. It explores the Greek notion of economy, the monetary system, the financial administration and the labor market, in order to contextualize the cost of living. The examples on this matter take into account the products’ costs and the people’s wages.

The impact of environment change on culture evolution in east Ancient Silk Road.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, G.; Liu, F.; Li, G.; Zhang, D. D.; Lee, H. F.; Chen, F.

2017-12-01

Ancient Silk Road played an important role in culture communication between west and east parts of the Eurasia during Bronze Age and historical period. Tens of archaic civilizations rise and fall in east parts of the Ancient Silk Road, climate change is attributed as one of the most important driving forces, while the process and mechanism for the impact of environmental change on culture evolution in the area has not been well-understood. Here we report new paleoclimate data based on multi-proxy analysis from two well-dated aeolian deposit sequences in the Hexi Corridor and Qaidam basin, where locate at the throat position of the Ancient Silk Road. Comparing with high-resolution tree rings from Qilian Mountain nearby, and archaeological evidence and historical documents, we proposed that two desertification events occurred in west Hexi Corridor between 3400-3100 BP and post 1450 AD, which induced two cultural discontinuity in that area. Climate was dry between 3400-2900 BP and wet between 2900-2000 BP in lowlands of east Qaidam basin, mismatching with the development of Nuomuhong Bronze culture in the area during 3400-2450 BP. We propose culture evolution in east Ancient Silk Road was mainly influenced by precipitation change of highlands in mountain areas,which was further influenced by large-scale vapor transport.

Education in Ancient and the Present Egypt: From 4000 B.C. to A.D. 1983.

Science.gov (United States)

Elwan, Nour Eldin

The discovery and deciphering of the Rosetta stone led to a rediscovery of Egypt's contribution to world culture and civilization. This document outlines the growth of knowledge and education in ancient Egypt and emphasizes the disciplines of science, medicine, art, philosophy, agriculture, and engineering. Ancient Egypt's decline and the…

Finding Hidden Chemistry in Ancient Egyptian Artifacts: Pigment Degradation Taught in a Chemical Engineering Course

Science.gov (United States)

Gime´nez, Javier

2015-01-01

The main objective of this work was to show the application of the study of ancient technology and science on teaching (and learning) chemistry in Chemical Engineering Undergraduate studies. Degradation patterns of pigments used in Ancient Egypt were incorporated in the syllabus of the course entitled "Technological and Scientific…

Mental health and sexual activity according to ancient Greek physicians.

Science.gov (United States)

Laios, K; Tsoucalas, G; Kontaxaki, Μ-Ι; Karamanou, Μ; Sgantzos, Μ; Androutsos, G

2015-01-01

The ancient Greek physicians have not failed in their studies to indicate the beneficial role of sexual activity in human health. They acknowledged that sex helps to maintain mental balance. Very interesting is their observation that sex may help mental patients to recover. Nevertheless they stressed emphatically that sex is beneficial only when there is a measure in it, so they believed that sexual abstinence or excessive sexual activity affect negatively the mental and physical health of man. Ancient Greek physicians reached this conclusion by empirical observation. They tried to justify the mental imbalance, as the potential physical problems, which probably will be listed today in the psychosomatic manifestations, of people with long-term sexual abstinence or hyperactivity, based on the theory of humors which was the main methodological tool of ancient Greek medicine. Their fundamental idea was that the four humors of the body (blood, phlegm, yellow and black bile) should be in balance. Therefore they believed that the loss and the exchange of bodily fluids during sex help body's humors to maintain their equilibrium which in turn will form the basis for the physical and mental health. Although in ancient medical texts the irrationality presented by people in the aforementioned conditions was not attributed in any of the major mental illnesses recognized in antiquity, as mania, melancholy and phrenitis, our belief is that their behavior is more suited to the characteristics of melancholy, while according to modern medicine it should be classified in the depressive disorders. We have come to this conclusion, because common characteristics of people who either did not have sexual life or was overactive, was sadness, lack of interest and hope, as well as paranoid thinking that can reach up to suicide. Regarding the psychosomatic problems, which could occur in these people, they were determined by the ancient Greek physicians in the following; continuous headaches

Evidences for the view of the importance of Hepu seaport in ancient China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guan Yongjing; Xiong Zhaoming; Ruan Xiangdong; Wang Huijuan; Terrasi, Filippo

2013-01-01

Two ancient tombs considered belonging to the Han Dynasty (206 BC to AD 220), were excavated in Hepu, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, China. According to the style of cultural relics, some excavated artifacts did not come from the region. If the age of the tombs can be confirmed as belonging to the Han Dynasty, the exotic artifacts present significant evidence to suggest that that Hepu is one of the oldest seaports on China’s ancient maritime trading route. Two wood samples were sent for 14 C dating at CIRCE, Italy. The results of these measurements are presented and the related chronology is discussed. Considering the previous results from a pottery workshop and an excavated sea wharf, the interpretation of Hepu as one of the oldest seaports in ancient China and the important role it played is presented.

Ancient Chinese medicine and mechanistic evidence of acupuncture physiology.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Edward S; Li, Pei-Wen; Nilius, Bernd; Li, Geng

2011-11-01

Acupuncture has been widely used in China for three millennia as an art of healing. Yet, its physiology is not yet understood. The current interest in acupuncture started in 1971. Soon afterward, extensive research led to the concept of neural signaling with possible involvement of opioid peptides, glutamate, adenosine and identifying responsive parts in the central nervous system. In the last decade scientists began investigating the subject with anatomical and molecular imaging. It was found that mechanical movements of the needle, ignored in the past, appear to be central to the method and intracellular calcium ions may play a pivotal role. In this review, we trace the technique of clinical treatment from the first written record about 2,200 years ago to the modern time. The ancient texts have been used to introduce the concepts of yin, yang, qi, de qi, and meridians, the traditional foundation of acupuncture. We explore the sequence of the physiological process, from the turning of the needle, the mechanical wave activation of calcium ion channel to beta-endorphin secretion. By using modern terminology to re-interpret the ancient texts, we have found that the 2nd century B.C.: physiologists were meticulous investigators and their explanation fits well with the mechanistic model derived from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and confocal microscopy. In conclusion, the ancient model appears to have withstood the test of time surprisingly well confirming the popular axiom that the old wine is better than the new.

Endogenous change: on cooperation and water in ancient history

Science.gov (United States)

Pande, S.; Ertsen, M.

2013-04-01

We propose and test the theory of endogenous change based on historical reconstructions of two ancient civilizations, Indus and Hohokam, in two water scarce basins, the Indus basin in the Indian subcontinent and the Lower Colorado basin in Southwestern United States. The endogenous institutional change sees changes in institutions as a sequence of equilibria brought about by changes in "quasi-parameters" such as rainfall, population density, soil and land use induced water resource availability. In the historical reconstructions of ancient civilizations, institutions are proximated by the scale of cooperation be it in the form of the extent of trade, sophisticated irrigation network, a centrally planned state or a loosely held state with a common cultural identity. The "quasi-parameters" either change naturally or are changed by humans and the changes affect the stability of cooperative structures over time. However, human influenced changes in the quasi-parameters itself are conditioned on the scale of existing cooperative structures. We thus provide insights into the quantitative dimensions of water access by ancient populations and its co-evolution with the socioeconomic and sociopolitical organization of the human past. We however do not suggest that water manipulation was the single most significant factor in stimulating social development and complexity - clearly this has been shown as highly reductionist, even misleading. The paper cautiously contributes to proximate prediction of hydrological change by attempting to understand the complexity of coupled human-hydrological systems.

Keeping cool in the desert: a study of ancient underground villages in Tunisia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Cole, R.S.

1981-07-01

A preliminary report on a one-month study of passive solar structures in Tunisia describe ancient underground Roman homes in Bulla Reggia and similar inhabited Berber homes in Matmata. The research group gathered data on the passive-solar gain, compass orientations, and room measurements of the homes and on natural-lighting techniques, ventilation systems, earth-sheltered construction methods, cooling concepts, and domestic water-collecting systems used for these ancient dwellings. 1 figure.

Study of provenance character on ancient porcelain of Yue Kiln at Silongkou with NAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jihao Zhu; Songlin Feng; Dongyu Fan; Xiangqian Feng; Qing Xu; Yueming Shen; Zhenxi Zhuo; Wenjiang Zhang

2007-01-01

Chemical composition is an important information of studying the provenance character of ancient pottery and porcelain. The ancient celadon samples produced in Later Tang (850-907 A.D.) to Former Southern Song (1127-1279 A.D.) have been analyzed with NAA. Its provenance characteristic was compared with that of Hongzhou Kiln of Jiangxi Province and Yaozhou Kiln of Shanxi Province in this paper. The experimental data were studied with statistic methods. The results indicated that the chemical compositions of ancient porcelain body samples made in three kilns were different. The difference is able to be identified. The porcelain body materials of both Silongkou Yue Kiln and Hongzhou Kiln were similar. The samples of Yaozhou kiln in north of China existed obvious difference. (author)

Teaching Art with Art: Images of Ancient Monuments.

Science.gov (United States)

Hubbard, Guy

1999-01-01

Addresses how 18th and 19th century artists made pictures of ancient ruins throughout Europe and the Middle East to sell. Expounds that watercolors, landscapes, and lithographs enabled artists to easily record the sights during their travels. Provides summaries of four artists (John Constable, David Roberts, Frederick Catherwood, and Giovanni…

The Image of Daniel: An Ancient Graphic Organizer

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Loretta F.

2008-01-01

Teachers who use graphic organizers find that students' memory of important material is strengthened. Graphic organizers also lend themselves to the presentation of material in an interdisciplinary fashion. An example of a successful graphic organizer from religion and ancient history is the image of Nebuchadnezzar's dream that was interpreted by…

Determining modulus of elasticity of ancient structural timber

Science.gov (United States)

Houjiang Zhang; Lei Zhu; Yanliang Sun; Xiping Wang; Haicheng Yan

2011-01-01

During maintenance of ancient timber architectures, it is important to determine mechanical properties of the wood component materials non-destructively and effectively, so that degraded members may be replaced or repaired to avoid structural failure. Experimental materials are four larch (Larix principis-rupprechtii Mayr.) components, which were taken down from the...

New Interpretations of the History of Ancient Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Avraamides, Achilles

1977-01-01

The author critically examines the most significant interpretations and reinterpretations of ancient Greek history of interest to secondary teachers. Discussed are the history of Mycenaeans, Athenians, and Persians, military history, Alexander, and the role of the centuries 800 B.C.-500 B.C. in preparing for classical times. (Author/RM)

Doctors in ancient Greek and Roman rhetorical education.

Science.gov (United States)

Gibson, Craig A

2013-10-01

This article collects and examines all references to doctors in rhetorical exercises used in ancient Greek and Roman schools in the Roman Empire. While doctors are sometimes portrayed positively as philanthropic, expert practitioners of their divinely sanctioned art, they are more often depicted as facing charges for poisoning their patients.

A review of corruption based on the social and economic evolution of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome

OpenAIRE

Ciprian ROTARU; Dumitru-Alexandru BOD; Raluca GEORGESCU

2016-01-01

This paper is part of a broader research done on the evolution of corruption and represents the highlights of the phenomenon from the social, economic and religious perspective. During our research we tried to analyse the evolution from pre-corruption times, the Indian view dating 2300 B.C., continuing with the Chinese dynasty Quin (221- 207 BC), the Sumerians and Semites, and also to the Persian Kingdom, and emphasising the corruption in Ancient Greece and rounding up with Anc...

Combined geophysical investigation for the detection of ancient metallurgical installations near Keratea City, Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Apostolopoulos, George V.

2014-05-01

Archaeological excavation in an area of Lavrio (mining area from ancient times) has revealed ancient metallurgical installations which offer valuable information on this activity at those times. Within this context, a combined geophysical investigation was carried out in a place near Keratea City to find out whether there are additional installations apart from those that have already been revealed in the immediate area. More importantly, the objective was to locate the ancient tanks which provided water to the installations. Archaeological and geological information have helped in the design of the survey. EMI method measuring apparent conductivity was used to cover the whole area of investigation. Conductivity maps in various investigation depths have positioned the tanks and stacked first derivative maps in two directions (the two directions of the revealed walls) show covered walls. The EMI survey has indicated the position of three (3) ERT profiles made with the dipole-dipole array, which presented the ancient tanks with great detail in depth. GPR profiles for the detection of walls were noisy with the coarse material surface layer but the interrelation with ERT and EMI results confirmed the detected features.

Using Ancient DNA to Understand Evolutionary and Ecological Processes

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Orlando, Ludovic Antoine Alexandre; Cooper, Alan

2014-01-01

Ancient DNA provides a unique means to record genetic change through time and directly observe evolutionary and ecological processes. Although mostly based on mitochondrial DNA, the increasing availability of genomic sequences is leading to unprecedented levels of resolution. Temporal studies of ...

Early history of European domestic cattle as revealed by ancient DNA.

Science.gov (United States)

Bollongino, R; Edwards, C J; Alt, K W; Burger, J; Bradley, D G

2006-03-22

We present an extensive ancient DNA analysis of mainly Neolithic cattle bones sampled from archaeological sites along the route of Neolithic expansion, from Turkey to North-Central Europe and Britain. We place this first reasonable population sample of Neolithic cattle mitochondrial DNA sequence diversity in context to illustrate the continuity of haplotype variation patterns from the first European domestic cattle to the present. Interestingly, the dominant Central European pattern, a starburst phylogeny around the modal sequence, T3, has a Neolithic origin, and the reduced diversity within this cluster in the ancient samples accords with their shorter history of post-domestic accumulation of mutation.

Specific expression patterns and cell distribution of ancient and modern PAG in bovine placenta during pregnancy.

Science.gov (United States)

Touzard, Eve; Reinaud, Pierrette; Dubois, Olivier; Guyader-Joly, Catherine; Humblot, Patrice; Ponsart, Claire; Charpigny, Gilles

2013-10-01

Pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAGs) constitute a multigenic family of aspartic proteinases expressed in the trophoblast of the ruminant placenta. In Bos taurus, this family comprises 21 members segregated into ancient and modern phylogenetic groups. Ancient PAGs have been reported to be synthesized throughout the trophoblastic cell layer whereas modern PAGs are produced by binucleate cells of cotyledons. The aim of this study was to investigate modern and ancient PAGs during gestation in cotyledonary and intercotyledonary tissues. To obtain convincing and innovative results despite the high sequence identity shared between PAGs, we designed specific tools such as amplification primers and antibodies. Using real-time RT-PCR, we described the transcript expression of 16 bovine PAGs. Overall, PAGs are characterized by an increase in their expression during gestation. However, we demonstrated a segregation of modern PAGs in cotyledons and of ancient PAGs in the intercotyledonary chorion, except for the ancient PAG2 expressed in cotyledons. By raising specific antibodies against the modern PAG1 and ancient PAG11 and PAG2, we established the expression kinetics of the proteins using western blotting. Immunohistochemistry showed that PAGs were produced by specific cellular populations: PAG1 by binucleate cells in the whole trophoblastic layer, PAG11 was localized in binucleate cells of the intercotyledonary trophoblast and the chorionic plate of the cotyledon, while PAG2 was produced in mononucleate cells of the internal villi of the cotyledon. These results revealed a highly specific regulation of PAG expression and cell localization as a function of their phylogenetic status, suggesting distinct biological functions within placental tissues.

Mapping The Ancient Maya Landscape From Space

Science.gov (United States)

Sever, Tom; Arnold, James E. (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

The Peten region of northern Guatemala is one of the last places on earth where major archeological sites remain to be discovered. It was in this region that the Maya civilization began, flourished, and abruptly disappeared. Remote sensing technology is helping to locate and map ancient Maya sites that are threatened today by accelerating deforestation and looting. Thematic Mapper and IKONOS satellite and airborne Star3-I radar data, combined with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, are successfully detecting ancient Maya features such as cities, roadways, canals, and water reservoirs. Satellite imagery is also being used to map the bajos, which are seasonally flooded swamps that cover over 40% of the land surface. The use of bajos for farming has been a source of debate within the professional community for many years. But the recent detection and verification of cultural features within the bajo system by our research team are providing conclusive evidence that the ancient Maya had adapted well to wetland environments from the earliest times and utilized them until the time of the Maya collapse. The use of the bajos for farming is also an important resource for the future of the current inhabitants who are experiencing rapid population growth. Remote sensing imagery is also demonstrating that in the Preclassic period (600 BC- AD 250), the Maya had already achieved a high organizational level as evidenced by the construction of massive temples and an elaborate inter-connecting roadway system. Although they experienced several setbacks such as droughts and hurricanes, the Maya nevertheless managed the delicate forest ecosystem successfully for several centuries. However, around AD 800, something happened to the Maya to cause their rapid decline and eventual disappearance from the region. The evidence indicates that at this time there was increased climatic dryness, extensive deforestation, overpopulation, and widespread warfare. This raises a question that

Ancient whole grain gluten-free egg-free Pasta

Science.gov (United States)

The USDA food guide recommends that at least ½ of all the grains eaten should be whole grains. The FDA allows food Health Claim labels for food containing 51% whole gains and 11 g of dietary fiber per serving. This is the only report demonstrating innovative ancient whole grain, gluten-free, egg-fre...

Characterization of Ancient Tripitaka

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Y. X. Gong

2015-08-01

Full Text Available Tripitaka is the world’s most comprehensive version of Buddhist sutra. There are limited numbers of Tripitaka currently preserved, most of them present various patterns of degradation. As little is known about the materials and crafts used in Tripitaka, it appeared necessary to identify them, and to further define adapted conservation treatment. In this work, a study concerning the paper source and dyestuff of the Tripitaka from approximate 16th century was carried out using fiber analysis and thin-layer chromatography (TLC. The results proved that the papers were mainly made from hemp or bark of mulberry tree, and indigo was used for colorizing the paper. At the end, we provide with suggestions for protecting and restoring the ancient Tripitaka.

Ancient Greek new music

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Martin Žužek

2000-12-01

Full Text Available In this article I use a contextual approach to questions about the revolutionary »new music« in ancient Greece. This view is different from the nowadays most common formalistk view. Rather than analyze textual sources stylistically, I will try to present the available lata in the context of the structure and events of the Athenian society at a tirne when a wave of »new« poetics appeared. In the following discussion it is argued that the »new music« and the phenomena of the destruction of mousiké connected with it are not an esthetical novum, but more a consequence of the change of the discursive practice, where a musical poetry became less important and needless.

Knowledge, attitude, willingness and readiness of primary health care providers to provide oral health services to children in Niagara, Ontario: a cross-sectional survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Singhal, Sonica; Figueiredo, Rafael; Dupuis, Sandy; Skellet, Rachel; Wincott, Tara; Dyer, Carolyn; Feller, Andrea; Quiñonez, Carlos

2017-01-01

Most children are exposed to medical, but not dental, care at an early age, making primary health care providers an important player in the reduction of tooth decay. The goal of this research was to understand the feasibility of using primary health care providers in promoting oral health by assessing their knowledge, attitude, willingness and readiness in this regard. Using the Dillman method, a mail-in cross-sectional survey was conducted among all family physicians and pediatricians in the Niagara region of Ontario who have primary contact with children. A descriptive analysis was performed. Close to 70% (181/265) of providers responded. More than 90% know that untreated tooth decay could affect the general health of a child. More than 80% examine the oral cavity for more than 50% of their child patients. However, more than 50% are not aware that white spots or lines on the tooth surface are the first signs of tooth decay. Lack of clinical time was the top reason for not performing oral disease prevention measures. Overall, survey responses show a positive attitude and willingness to engage in the oral health of children. To capitalize on this, there is a need to identify mechanisms of providing preventive oral health care services by primary health care providers; including improving their knowledge of oral health and addressing other potential barriers.

An Application of the Cosmologic Concepts and Astronomical Symbols in the Ancient Medical Science and Astrology Systems

Science.gov (United States)

Pikichyan, H. V.

2015-07-01

Employing the cosmologic concepts and astronomical symbols, the features of the ancient subjective approach of the achievement or perception of the knowledge and its systematic delivery ways are presented. In particular, the ancient systems of the natural medical science and the art of astrology are discussed, whereas the relations of the five cosmological elements, three dynamical agents, nine luminaries and twelve zodiac signs are applied. It is pointed out some misunderstandings encountered in the contemporary interpretation on the evaluation of ancient systems of the knowledge.

Report on the performance monitoring system for the interim waste containment at the Niagara Falls Storage Site, Lewiston, New York

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1985-10-01

The Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) is an interim storage site for low-level radioactive waste, established by the US Department of Energy (DOE) at Lewiston, New York. The waste containment structure for encapsulating low-level radioactive waste at the NFSS has been designed to minimize infiltration of rainfall, prevent pollution of groundwater, preclude formation of leachate, and prevent radon emanation. Accurately determining the performance of the main engineered elements of the containment structure will be important in establishing confidence in the ability of the structure to retain the wastes. For this purpose, a waste containment performance monitoring system has been developed to verify that these elements are functioning as intended. The key objective of the performance monitoring system is the early detection of trends that could be indicative of weaknesses developing in the containment structure so that corrective action can be taken before the integrity of the structure is compromised. Consequently, subsurface as well as surface monitoring techniques will be used. After evaluating several types of subsurface instrumentation, it was determined that vibrating wire pressure transducers, in combination with surface monitoring techniques, would satisfactorily monitor the parameters of concern, such as water accumulation inside the containment facility, waste settlement, and shrinkage of the clay cover. Surface monitoring will consist of topographic surveys based on predetermined gridlines, walkover surveys, and aerial photography to detect vegetative stress or other changes not evident at ground level. This report details the objectives of the performance monitoring system, identifies the elements of the containment design whose performance will be monitored, describes the monitoring system recommended, and outlines the costs associated with the monitoring system. 5 refs., 4 figs., 3 tabs

Analysis of some ancient glass samples unearthed in Sichuan area by PIXE

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li Fei; Li Qinghui; Gan Fuxi

2007-01-01

Proton induced X-ray emission (PIXE) technique is an effective method for the chemical composition analysis of ancient glass samples without destruction. Chemical composition of the ancient glass samples dated from the Warring States Period (770-476 B.C.) to the Six Dynasties Period (220-589 A.D.), which were unearthed in Sichuan area, was quantitatively determined by the PIXE technique. The results show that the glass Bi (disc) and the glass eye beads of the Warring States Period all belong to the PbO-BaO-SiO 2 system. According to the composition and shape, we infer that these glass Bi and eye beads were made in China. Whereas, the chemical compositions of the glass ear pendants and beads of the Six Dynasties Period are varied, including K 2 O-CaO-SiO 2 , K 2 O-SiO 2 and other glass systems, Based on the obtained results and those from literatures, some questions related to the technical propagation of the ancient Chinese glass are discussed. (authors)

A code of ethics for evidence-based research with ancient human remains.

Science.gov (United States)

Kreissl Lonfat, Bettina M; Kaufmann, Ina Maria; Rühli, Frank

2015-06-01

As clinical research constantly advances and the concept of evolution becomes a strong and influential part of basic medical research, the absence of a discourse that deals with the use of ancient human remains in evidence-based research is becoming unbearable. While topics such as exhibition and excavation of human remains are established ethical fields of discourse, when faced with instrumentalization of ancient human remains for research (i.e., ancient DNA extractions for disease marker analyses) the answers from traditional ethics or even more practical fields of bio-ethics or more specific biomedical ethics are rare to non-existent. The Centre for Evolutionary Medicine at the University of Zurich solved their needs for discursive action through the writing of a self-given code of ethics which was written in dialogue with the researchers at the Institute and was published online in Sept. 2011: http://evolutionäremedizin.ch/coe/. The philosophico-ethical basis for this a code of conduct and ethics and the methods are published in this article. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ancient administrative handwritten documents: X-ray analysis and imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Albertin, F.; Astolfo, A.; Stampanoni, M.; Peccenini, Eva; Hwu, Y.; Kaplan, F.; Margaritondo, G.

2015-01-01

The heavy-element content of ink in ancient administrative documents makes it possible to detect the characters with different synchrotron imaging techniques, based on attenuation or refraction. This is the first step in the direction of non-interactive virtual X-ray reading. Handwritten characters in administrative antique documents from three centuries have been detected using different synchrotron X-ray imaging techniques. Heavy elements in ancient inks, present even for everyday administrative manuscripts as shown by X-ray fluorescence spectra, produce attenuation contrast. In most cases the image quality is good enough for tomography reconstruction in view of future applications to virtual page-by-page ‘reading’. When attenuation is too low, differential phase contrast imaging can reveal the characters from refractive index effects. The results are potentially important for new information harvesting strategies, for example from the huge Archivio di Stato collection, objective of the Venice Time Machine project

Acupuncture in ancient China: how important was it really?

Science.gov (United States)

Lehmann, Hanjo

2013-01-01

Although acupuncture theory is a fundamental part of the Huangdi Neijing, the clinical application of the needle therapy in ancient China was always a limited one. From early times there have been warnings that acupuncture might do harm. In books like Zhang Zhongjing's Shanghanlun it plays only a marginal role. Among the 400 emperors in Chinese history, acupuncture was hardly ever applied. After Xu Dachun called acupuncture a "lost tradition" in 1757, the abolition of acupuncture and moxibustion from the Imperial Medical Academy in 1822 was a radical, but consequent act. When traditional Chinese medicine was revived after 1954, the "New Acupuncture" was completely different from what it had been in ancient China. The conclusion, however, is a positive one: The best time acupuncture ever had was not the Song dynasty or Yuan dynasty, but is now - and the future of acupuncture does not lie in old scripts, but in ourselves.

Pathogenic microbial ancient DNA: a problem or an opportunity?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Willerslev, Eske; Cooper, Alan

2006-01-01

cloning. Yet these studies have used mobile insertion elements (e.g. IS 6110 in tuberculosis) or conserved loci (e.g. 16S) to detect the presence of pathogens, and very similar or identical sequences have been reported from environmental bacteria (Gilbert et al. 2004). For example, Rollo & Marota (1999......We agree with Donoghue & Spigelman (2005) that, although pathogen studies hold great potential, any discussion requires a critical assessment of the results to date. However, we did note, as did Pääbo et al. (2004), that the field of ancient pathogen DNA still lacks a series of well......-controlled and rigorous studies that address technical issues and reliability criteria. This is unfortunate, as the rapid evolutionary rate of many pathogens offers a unique means to establish the authenticity of ancient pathogen sequences-since they should clearly be ancestral to modern genetic diversity (e.g. Reid et...

Ancient administrative handwritten documents: X-ray analysis and imaging

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Albertin, F., E-mail: fauzia.albertin@epfl.ch [Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland); Astolfo, A. [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland); Stampanoni, M. [Paul Scherrer Institut (PSI), Villigen (Switzerland); ETHZ, Zürich (Switzerland); Peccenini, Eva [University of Ferrara (Italy); Technopole of Ferrara (Italy); Hwu, Y. [Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Kaplan, F. [Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) (Switzerland); Margaritondo, G. [Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne (Switzerland)

2015-01-30

The heavy-element content of ink in ancient administrative documents makes it possible to detect the characters with different synchrotron imaging techniques, based on attenuation or refraction. This is the first step in the direction of non-interactive virtual X-ray reading. Handwritten characters in administrative antique documents from three centuries have been detected using different synchrotron X-ray imaging techniques. Heavy elements in ancient inks, present even for everyday administrative manuscripts as shown by X-ray fluorescence spectra, produce attenuation contrast. In most cases the image quality is good enough for tomography reconstruction in view of future applications to virtual page-by-page ‘reading’. When attenuation is too low, differential phase contrast imaging can reveal the characters from refractive index effects. The results are potentially important for new information harvesting strategies, for example from the huge Archivio di Stato collection, objective of the Venice Time Machine project.

On the national characteristics of Chinese ancient architecture

Science.gov (United States)

Yan, Jun; Shan, Xiaoxian

2018-03-01

architecture is a complex composed of technology and art. It is a concrete reflection of everything in the local society at that time. The architecture is basically consistent with the social content and historical development. This paper analyzes the formation, characteristics and style of ancient Chinese architecture and expounds its national spirit and characteristics.

Alexandria revived: new realizations of an ancient city

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Beverley Butler

1998-11-01

Full Text Available The city of Alexandria exerts a powerfl hold on the Western imagination, as part of, but distinct from, the rest of Egypt. The recent undersea discovery of part of the Pharos (lighthouse and Cleopatra's palace, and the resurrection on land of the ancient Mouseion-Library, are transforming perceptions of Alexandria's cultural heritage.

The number and its symbolism in ancient Greece

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Doc. dr Milena Bogdanović

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The symbols are of particular importance. They are the heart of the creative life; rather they are its core. They reveal the secrets of the unconscious mind open to the unknown and the infinite. While talking or gestures while express, we use the symbols, noting it or not. All spiritual science, all art and all art techniques encounter on their way symbols. History confirms that the symbols of each object can be obtained symbolic value, whether natural (rocks, trees, animals, planets, fire, lightning, etc... or abstract (geometrical shape, number, pace, ideas, etc.... The use of numbers as symbols is as old as language itself, but one that precedes writing, which symbolize numbers (that is, where the reality behind the external characters. The sheer numbers and their symbolism in ancient Greece and is closely associated with the philosophy and mathematics (namely arithmetic. They summarize their view of the world and everything around them. This paper draws attention to the symbolism of the numbers that were in ancient Greece.

Phylotyping and functional analysis of two ancient human microbiomes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Raúl Y Tito

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The Human Microbiome Project (HMP is one of the U.S. National Institutes of Health Roadmap for Medical Research. Primary interests of the HMP include the distinctiveness of different gut microbiomes, the factors influencing microbiome diversity, and the functional redundancies of the members of human microbiotas. In this present work, we contribute to these interests by characterizing two extinct human microbiotas. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We examine two paleofecal samples originating from cave deposits in Durango Mexico and dating to approximately 1300 years ago. Contamination control is a serious issue in ancient DNA research; we use a novel approach to control contamination. After we determined that each sample originated from a different human, we generated 45 thousand shotgun DNA sequencing reads. The phylotyping and functional analysis of these reads reveals a signature consistent with the modern gut ecology. Interestingly, inter-individual variability for phenotypes but not functional pathways was observed. The two ancient samples have more similar functional profiles to each other than to a recently published profile for modern humans. This similarity could not be explained by a chance sampling of the databases. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: We conduct a phylotyping and functional analysis of ancient human microbiomes, while providing novel methods to control for DNA contamination and novel hypotheses about past microbiome biogeography. We postulate that natural selection has more of an influence on microbiome functional profiles than it does on the species represented in the microbial ecology. We propose that human microbiomes were more geographically structured during pre-Columbian times than today.

Geomorphic evidence for ancient seas on Mars

Science.gov (United States)

Parker, Timothy J.; Schneeberger, Dale M.; Pieri, David C.; Saunders, R. Stephen

1987-01-01

Geomorphic evidence is presented for ancient seas on Mars. Several features, similar to terrestrial lacustrine and coastal features, were identified along the northern plains periphery from Viking images. The nature of these features argues for formation in a predominantly liquid, shallow body of standing water. Such a shallow sea would require either relatively rapid development of shoreline morphologies or a warmer than present climate at the time of outflow channel formation.

Worlds full of signs. Ancient Greek divination in context

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Beerden, Kim

2013-01-01

This dissertation compares divination in ancient Greece to divinatory practices in Republican Rome and Neo-Assyrian Mesopotamia. Divination is the human production and interpretation of signs which were thought to have come from the supernatural – the signs could be concerned with past, present or

Earthquake-triggered landslides along the Hyblean-Malta Escarpment (off Augusta, eastern Sicily, Italy) - assessment of the related tsunamigenic potential

Science.gov (United States)

Ausilia Paparo, Maria; Armigliato, Alberto; Pagnoni, Gianluca; Zaniboni, Filippo; Tinti, Stefano

2017-02-01

Eastern Sicily is affected by earthquakes and tsunamis of local and remote origin, which is known through numerous historical chronicles. Recent studies have put emphasis on the role of submarine landslides as the direct cause of the main local tsunamis, envisaging that earthquakes (in 1693 and 1908) did produce a tsunami, but also that they triggered mass failures that were able to generate an even larger tsunami. The debate is still open, and though no general consensus has been found among scientists so far, this research had the merit to attract attention on possible generation of tsunamis by landslides off Sicily. In this paper we investigate the tsunami potential of mass failures along one sector of the Hyblean-Malta Escarpment (HME). facing Augusta. The HME is the main offshore geological structure of the region running almost parallel to the coast, off eastern Sicily. Here, bottom morphology and slope steepness favour soil failures. In our work we study slope stability under seismic load along a number of HME transects by using the Minimun Lithostatic Deviation (MLD) method, which is based on the limit-equilibrium theory. The main goal is to identify sectors of the HME that could be unstable under the effect of realistic earthquakes. We estimate the possible landslide volume and use it as input for numerical codes to simulate the landslide motion and the consequent tsunami. This is an important step for the assessment of the tsunami hazard in eastern Sicily and for local tsunami mitigation policies. It is also important in view of tsunami warning system since it can help to identify the minimum earthquake magnitude capable of triggering destructive tsunamis induced by landslides, and therefore to set up appropriate knowledge-based criteria to launch alert to the population.

Water and sustainable land use at the ancient tropical city of Tikal, Guatemala.

Science.gov (United States)

Scarborough, Vernon L; Dunning, Nicholas P; Tankersley, Kenneth B; Carr, Christopher; Weaver, Eric; Grazioso, Liwy; Lane, Brian; Jones, John G; Buttles, Palma; Valdez, Fred; Lentz, David L

2012-07-31

The access to water and the engineered landscapes accommodating its collection and allocation are pivotal issues for assessing sustainability. Recent mapping, sediment coring, and formal excavation at Tikal, Guatemala, have markedly expanded our understanding of ancient Maya water and land use. Among the landscape and engineering feats identified are the largest ancient dam identified in the Maya area of Central America; the posited manner by which reservoir waters were released; construction of a cofferdam for dredging the largest reservoir at Tikal; the presence of ancient springs linked to the initial colonization of Tikal; the use of sand filtration to cleanse water entering reservoirs; a switching station that facilitated seasonal filling and release; and the deepest rock-cut canal segment in the Maya Lowlands. These engineering achievements were integrated into a system that sustained the urban complex through deep time, and they have implications for sustainable construction and use of water management systems in tropical forest settings worldwide.

Neutron activation analysis of bulk samples from Chinese ancient porcelain to provenance research

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jian Zhu; Wentao Hao; Jianming Zhen; Tongxiu Zhen; Glascock, M.D.

2013-01-01

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) is an important technique to determine the provenance of ancient ceramics. The most common technique used for preparing ancient samples for NAA is to grind them into a powder and then encapsulate them before neutron irradiation. Unfortunately, ceramic materials are typically very hard making it a challenge to grind them into a powder. In this study we utilize bulk porcelain samples cut from ancient shards. The bulk samples are irradiated by neutrons alongside samples that have been conventionally ground into a powder. The NAA for both the bulk samples and powders are compared and shown to provide equivalent information regarding their chemical composition. Also, the multivariate statistical have been employed to the analysis data for check the consistency. The findings suggest that NAA results are less dependent on the state of the porcelain sample, and thus bulk samples cut from shards may be used to effectively determine their provenance. (author)

Dating implications from solar bleaching of thermoluminescence of ancient marble

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liritzis, I.; Galloway, R.B.

1999-01-01

Measurements of Thermoluminescence (TL) from Greek marble quarried at Paros, Naxos, Pendeli, Hymitos, Thassos, which have been known since ancient time are presented. The results concern i) the solar bleaching of TL, ii) the solar transmission through marble thicknesses up to 16 mm, and iii) the implications for potential dating of ancient carbed marble monuments/objects. The bleaching rate for marbles is very fast during the first hour of exposure. The solar penetration is at least 35 mm for long exposures. Beyond the 2 mm marble slab for exposure times 90-120 hours of sunshine, the residual bleached TL level is not reached. The bleached TL reaches a plateau which serves as the 'zero time' upon which the archaeological TL dose subsequently builds up and gives the age of a marble monument. (author)

Paleoceanographic changes on the Farallon Escarpment off central California during the last 16,000 years

Science.gov (United States)

McGann, M.

2011-01-01

New benthic and planktic foraminiferal assemblage census data and Benthic Foraminiferal Oxygen Index (BFOI) values, previously published marine climate proxy data (stable isotopes and Ca/Cd), and unpublished results of total carbon, organic carbon, and calcium carbonate analyses of sediments recovered off central California on the Farallon Escarpment (1605m water depth; 37??13.4???N, 123??14.6???W; core F-8-90-G21) document paleoceanographic changes during the latest Quaternary which reflect the intensity and source of North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) and surface productivity. Accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dates of both benthic and planktic species provide an excellent age-depth model for the last 16,000 years, covering the latest glacial, B??lling-Aller??d, Younger Dryas, and early, middle, and late Holocene intervals. A Q-mode cluster analysis separated the benthic fauna into three clusters, one Pleistocene and two Holocene, whereas the planktic fauna was divided only into Pleistocene and Holocene clusters. Stable oxygen isotope values show an increase in water temperature of ~1??C from the late glacial to late Holocene and a change in faunal composition of the planktic assemblage implies surface waters warmed as well. A general trend of decreasing dissolved oxygen concentration from the Pleistocene (high oxic; 3.0-6.0+ ml/l O2) to the Holocene (low oxic; 1.5-3.0ml/l O2) suggested by the BFOI and Cd/Ca data reflect decreased ventilation as the source of the NPIW shifted from the Sea of Okhotsk to the tropical east Pacific at ~11,000 cal BP. The middle Holocene cooling reported in other central and northern California margin studies is not apparent in F-8-90-G21, which compares more favorably with studies from southern California and British Columbia. Total carbon and organic carbon values are highest in the B??lling-Aller??d, early Holocene, and late Holocene. Similarly, calcium carbonate values are high in the B??lling-Aller??d and peak in the

The Evolution of Al2O3 Content in Ancient Chinese Glasses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Cheng-yu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Based on the evidence from museums, collectors, the dug out of the grave, the evolution of Al2O3 content in Chinese glasses from Western Zhou to Qing dynasty was documented in this paper in detail. It was found that Al2O3 contents in ancient Chinese glasses were relatively higher than those of outside of China in the world. This is the character of the ancient Chinese glasses which is caused by not only the high Al contents in the raw materials but also by the Chinese people’s preference of the milky glasses similar to jade

Analysis of ancient and medieval glasses by INAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuleff, I.; Djingova, R.; Penev, I.

1984-01-01

A scheme for instrumental neutron activation analysis of ancient and medieval glasses is proposed. The combination of three irradiations (short time, pile and epithermal) enables the determination of 34 elements. The accuracy of the method is evaluated by analyzing two glass standard reference materials. Results from the analysis of three glasses from different times are presented. (author)

Communication and Culture in Ancient India and China.

Science.gov (United States)

Oliver, Robert T.

The rhetorical theories and practices of ancient India and China provide the themes of this book. An examination of the relationship between culture and rhetoric, East and West, opens the book. The rhetorical milieu of India, its philosophy, social system, and uses of speech, leads to a probing of the caste system and speech of the Brahmins.…

Lead poisoning in ancient Rome | Retief | Acta Theologica

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Lead was known to the ancients from at least the 4th millennium BC, but its use increased markedly during Roman times, to the extent that it became a health hazard. Mines and foundry furnaces caused air pollution; lead was extensively used in plumbing; domestic utensils were made of lead and pewter, and lead salts ...

Niagara Falls Storage Site environmental report for calendar year 1992, 1397 Pletcher Road, Lewiston, New York. Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1993-05-01

This report describes the environmental surveillance program at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) and provides the results for 1992. From 1944 to the present, the primary use of NFSS has been storage of radioactive residues produced as a by-product of uranium production. All onsite areas of residual radioactivity above guidelines have been remediated. Materials generated during remediation are stored onsite in the 4-ha (10-acre) waste containment structure (WCS). The WCS is a clay-lined, clay-capped, and grass-covered storage pile. The environmental surveillance program at NFSS includes sampling networks for radon concentrations in air; external gamma radiation exposure; and total uranium and radium-226 concentrations in surface water, sediments, and groundwater. Several chemical parameters, including seven metals, are also routinely measured in groundwater. This surveillance program assists in fulfilling the DOE policy of measuring and monitoring effluents from DOE activities and calculating hypothetical doses. Monitoring results are compared with applicable Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) standards, DOE derived concentration guides (DCGs), dose limits, and other DOE requirements. Results of environmental monitoring during 1992 indicate that levels of the parameters measured were in compliance with all but one requirement: Concentrations of iron and manganese in groundwater were above NYSDEC groundwater quality standards. However, these elements occur naturally in the soils and groundwater associated with this region. In 1992 there were no environmental occurrences or reportable quantity releases.

ROCK TYPOLOGY IN CHOOSING SPRINGS. ANCIENT METHODS FOR DETERMINING WATER QUALITY IN THE PARMA REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Valentino Straser

2011-12-01

Full Text Available This study was a scientific validation of some ancient methods used for purifying water and selecting springs based on the nature of the soil and rocks. A historical and scientific analysis of the territory was made, with the aim of trying to identify ancient methods which might be retrieved and used again in a modern way for a comprehensive interpretation of the environment we live in. The investigation was led near Parma in the north of Italy, in mountainous and hilly areas which rise from rocky outcrops consisting of fragments of the ancient oceanic crust composed of argillaceous complexes, ultrabasic rocks from the ophiolite succession as well as flyschoid sedimentary rocks containing arenaceous, carboniferous and marly elements.

The Healing Hand: The Role of Women in Ancient Medicine

African Journals Online (AJOL)

admitted to medical schools, women in ancient Greece and Rome were apparently ..... of which not a single fragment has survived (reference taken from Drabkin ..... tinued in the profession even after they had attained their freedom.56.

Towards an Ancient Chinese-Inspired Theory of Music Education

Science.gov (United States)

Tan, Leonard

2016-01-01

In this philosophical paper, I propose a theory of music education inspired by ancient Chinese philosophy. In particular, I draw on five classical Chinese philosophical texts: the Analects (lunyu [Chinese characters omitted]), the Mencius (Mengzi [Chinese characters omitted]), the Zhuangzi ([Chinese characters omitted]), the Xunzi ([Chinese…

Hands-On Mathematics: Two Cases from Ancient Chinese Mathematics

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Wang, Youjun

2009-01-01

In modern mathematical teaching, it has become increasingly emphasized that mathematical knowledge should be taught by problem-solving, hands-on activities, and interactive learning experiences. Comparing the ideas of modern mathematical education with the development of ancient Chinese mathematics, we find that the history of mathematics in…

Speech Pathology in Ancient India--A Review of Sanskrit Literature.

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Savithri, S. R.

1987-01-01

The paper is a review of ancient Sanskrit literature for information on the origin and development of speech and language, speech production, normality of speech and language, and disorders of speech and language and their treatment. (DB)

New paleoradiological investigations of ancient human remains from North West Lombardy archaeological excavations

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Licata, Marta; Borgo, Melania; Armocida, Giuseppe; Nicosia, Luca; Ferioli, Elena [University of Insubria (Varese), Department of Biotechnology and Life Sciences, Varese (Italy)

2016-03-15

Since its birth in 1895, radiology has been used to study ancient mummies. The purpose of this article is to present paleoradiological investigations conducted on several medieval human remains in Varese province. Anthropological (generic identification) and paleopathological analyses were carried out with the support of diagnostic imaging (X-ray and CT scans). Human remains were discovered during excavations of medieval archaeological sites in northwest Lombardy. Classical physical anthropological methods were used for the macroscopic identification of the human remains. X-ray and CT scans were performed on the same scanner (16-layer Hitachi Eclos 16 X-ray equipment). Radiological analysis permitted investigating (1) the sex, (2) age of death, (3) type of trauma, (4) therapeutic interventions and (5) osteomas in ancient human remains. In particular, X-ray and CT examinations showed dimorphic facial traits on the mummified skull, and the same radiological approaches allowed determining the age at death from a mummified lower limb. CT analyses allow investigating different types of traumatic lesions in skulls and postcranial skeleton portions and reconstructing the gait and functional outcomes of a fractured femur. Moreover, one case of possible Gardner's syndrome (GS) was postulated from observing multiple osteomas in an ancient skull. Among the medical tests available to the clinician, radiology is the most appropriate first-line procedure for a diagnostic approach to ancient human remains because it can be performed without causing any significant damage to the specimen. (orig.)

New paleoradiological investigations of ancient human remains from North West Lombardy archaeological excavations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Licata, Marta; Borgo, Melania; Armocida, Giuseppe; Nicosia, Luca; Ferioli, Elena

2016-01-01

Since its birth in 1895, radiology has been used to study ancient mummies. The purpose of this article is to present paleoradiological investigations conducted on several medieval human remains in Varese province. Anthropological (generic identification) and paleopathological analyses were carried out with the support of diagnostic imaging (X-ray and CT scans). Human remains were discovered during excavations of medieval archaeological sites in northwest Lombardy. Classical physical anthropological methods were used for the macroscopic identification of the human remains. X-ray and CT scans were performed on the same scanner (16-layer Hitachi Eclos 16 X-ray equipment). Radiological analysis permitted investigating (1) the sex, (2) age of death, (3) type of trauma, (4) therapeutic interventions and (5) osteomas in ancient human remains. In particular, X-ray and CT examinations showed dimorphic facial traits on the mummified skull, and the same radiological approaches allowed determining the age at death from a mummified lower limb. CT analyses allow investigating different types of traumatic lesions in skulls and postcranial skeleton portions and reconstructing the gait and functional outcomes of a fractured femur. Moreover, one case of possible Gardner's syndrome (GS) was postulated from observing multiple osteomas in an ancient skull. Among the medical tests available to the clinician, radiology is the most appropriate first-line procedure for a diagnostic approach to ancient human remains because it can be performed without causing any significant damage to the specimen. (orig.)

Natural analogue study on backfill materials from ancient Chinese constructions for LILW disposal. Appendix 5: China (b)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cunli, G.; Zhiwen, F.; Xiuzhen, L.; Yawen, H.; Anxi, C.; Jinsheng, Z.

2001-01-01

Full text: The objective of this work was to contribute to the demonstration of the long term safety of low-and-intermediate level radioactive waste (LILW) disposal using information from a natural analogue study on ancient Chinese constructions. The work firstly compared LILW near surface disposal facilities with Chinese ancient tombs in respects of siting, engineering structures, design and construction procedures and indicates that they are both based upon multi-barrier principle. After extensive literature and field survey, three materials were collected from two Chinese ancient tombs and one ancient architectures for further laboratory study. The three materials were studied in laboratories from the point of view of radioactive waste disposal in near surface facilities to obtain information concerning their basic physical and chemical properties, engineering properties and radionuclide adsorption abilities. The results show that the two materials from the ancient tombs have low permeability and strong adsorption for 60 Co and 134 Cs. The saturated permeabilities of the two ancient materials are in the order of 10 -1 0 m/s and the distribution coefficients for the two radionuclides are all in the order of 10 1 m 3 /kg. The conclusion was that the then current LILW disposal option in near-surface would be effective for a long term period of time, and clay materials, as backfill materials for LILW near-surface disposal facilities would very effective in preventing water intrusion and retarding radionuclide release even over a long term of period. Overall the LILW disposal option was considered to be safe in long term. (author)

[Ancient Egyptian Odontology].

Science.gov (United States)

Berghult, B

1999-01-01

In ancient Egypt during the reign of Pharaoh Djoser, circa 2650 BC, the Step Pyramid was constructed by Imhotep. He was later worshiped as the God of Medicine. One of his contemporaries was the powerful writer Hesy who is reproduced on a panel showing a rebus of a swallow, a tusk and an arrow. He is therefore looked upon as being the first depicted odontologist. The art of writing begun in Egypt in about 3100 BC and the medical texts we know from different papyri were copied with hieratic signs around 1900-1100 BC. One of the most famous is the Papyrus Ebers. It was purchased by professor Ebers on a research travel to Luxor in 1873. Two years later a beautiful facsimile in color was published and the best translation came in 1958 in German. The text includes 870 remedies and some of them are related to teeth and oral troubles like pain in the mouth, gingivitis, periodontitis and cavities in the teeth. The most common oral pain was probably pulpitis caused by extreme attrition due to the high consumption of bread contaminated with soil and/or quern minerals. Another text is the Papyrus Edwin Smith with four surgical cases of dental interest. The "toothworms" that were presumed to bring about decayed teeth have not been identified in the medical texts. It was not until 1889 W.D. Miller presented a scientific explanation that cavities were caused by bacteria. In spite of extensive research only a few evidence of prosthetic and invasive treatments have been found and these dental artifacts have probably been made post mortem. Some of the 150 identified doctors were associated with treatments of disorders of the mouth. The stele of Seneb from Sa'is during the 26th dynasty of Psamtik, 664-525 BC, shows a young man who probably was a dental healer well known to Pharaoh and his court. Clement of Alexandria mentions circa 200 AD that the written knowledge of the old Egyptians was gathered in 42 collections of papyri. Number 37-42 contained the medical writings. The

Ancient pathogen DNA in human teeth and petrous bones

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Margaryan, Ashot; Hansen, Henrik B.; Rasmussen, Simon

2018-01-01

Recent ancient DNA (aDNA) studies of human pathogens have provided invaluable insights into their evolutionary history and prevalence in space and time. Most of these studies were based on DNA extracted from teeth or postcranial bones. In contrast, no pathogen DNA has been reported from the petro...

Mycobacterium leprae genomes from a British medieval leprosy hospital: towards understanding an ancient epidemic.

Science.gov (United States)

Mendum, Tom A; Schuenemann, Verena J; Roffey, Simon; Taylor, G Michael; Wu, Huihai; Singh, Pushpendra; Tucker, Katie; Hinds, Jason; Cole, Stewart T; Kierzek, Andrzej M; Nieselt, Kay; Krause, Johannes; Stewart, Graham R

2014-04-08

Leprosy has afflicted humankind throughout history leaving evidence in both early texts and the archaeological record. In Britain, leprosy was widespread throughout the Middle Ages until its gradual and unexplained decline between the 14th and 16th centuries. The nature of this ancient endemic leprosy and its relationship to modern strains is only partly understood. Modern leprosy strains are currently divided into 5 phylogenetic groups, types 0 to 4, each with strong geographical links. Until recently, European strains, both ancient and modern, were thought to be exclusively type 3 strains. However, evidence for type 2 strains, a group normally associated with Central Asia and the Middle East, has recently been found in archaeological samples in Scandinavia and from two skeletons from the medieval leprosy hospital (or leprosarium) of St Mary Magdalen, near Winchester, England. Here we report the genotypic analysis and whole genome sequencing of two further ancient M. leprae genomes extracted from the remains of two individuals, Sk14 and Sk27, that were excavated from 10th-12th century burials at the leprosarium of St Mary Magdalen. DNA was extracted from the surfaces of bones showing osteological signs of leprosy. Known M. leprae polymorphisms were PCR amplified and Sanger sequenced, while draft genomes were generated by enriching for M. leprae DNA, and Illumina sequencing. SNP-typing and phylogenetic analysis of the draft genomes placed both of these ancient strains in the conserved type 2 group, with very few novel SNPs compared to other ancient or modern strains. The genomes of the two newly sequenced M. leprae strains group firmly with other type 2F strains. Moreover, the M. leprae strain most closely related to one of the strains, Sk14, in the worldwide phylogeny is a contemporaneous ancient St Magdalen skeleton, vividly illustrating the epidemic and clonal nature of leprosy at this site. The prevalence of these type 2 strains indicates that type 2F strains

The rise and fall of communal responsibility in ancient law

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Parisi, F.; Dari-Mattiacci, G.; Miller, G.P.

2010-01-01

In ancient societies, rules of communal responsibility permitted the imposition of retaliatory sanctions on a wrongdoer's clan. These rules followed the collective ownership structure of early communities. Over time, notions of personal responsibility emerged, terminating the transfer of

Genome-wide nucleosome map and cytosine methylation levels of an ancient human genome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Jakob Skou; Valen, Eivind; Velazquez, Amhed Missael Vargas

2014-01-01

Epigenetic information is available from contemporary organisms, but is difficult to track back in evolutionary time. Here, we show that genome-wide epigenetic information can be gathered directly from next-generation sequence reads of DNA isolated from ancient remains. Using the genome sequence...... data generated from hair shafts of a 4000-yr-old Paleo-Eskimo belonging to the Saqqaq culture, we generate the first ancient nucleosome map coupled with a genome-wide survey of cytosine methylation levels. The validity of both nucleosome map and methylation levels were confirmed by the recovery...

[Spectral analysis of green pigments of painting and colored drawing in northern Chinese ancient architectures].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Li-Qin; Yan, Jing; Fan, Xiao-Lei; Ma, Tao

2010-02-01

It is important to identify pigments of painting and colored drawing in ancient architectures in order to restore and conserve them. The components of green pigments were detected with X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF) and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX). Twenty-seven samples were collected from painting and colored drawing in northern Chinese ancient architectures in Beijing, Shanxi province and Gansu province. The experiment results showed that emerald green [CuCH3COO]2 x Cu(AsO2)2], a complex of copper aceto-arsenite pigment, had been used as the colored component in fifteen samples, whereas organic materials synthesized in the rest. However, in all samples there were no malachite and atacamite, green pigments commonly used in ancient time a long time ago. These two pigments have been found in Qin Shihuang's Terracotta Army and the wall paintings at Mogao Grettoes, Dunhuang, and some other famous wall paintings and color pottery figurines. However, emerald green was used many years later. It was reported that emerald green was synthesized by Germany in 1814 and had been widely used in China as watercolor on pith paper works and on scroll paintings since the 1850s. Because painting and colored drawing in ancient architectures stands outside, under sunlight and rain, it must be repaired and repainted in less than fifty years. Therefore, it is not surprising that emerald green was used in them. In recent years, artificial organic materials are increasingly used in painting and colored drawing in ancient architectures. From experiments it was also showed that in the same recolored painting and colored drawing, organic materials are usually in the later layers, but emerald green is in the earlier layers. This work supplies a lot of data for the purpose of selecting restoration materials and identifying painting and colored drawing in ancient architectures with a new method.

Daily life of the ancient Maya recorded on murals at Calakmul, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Carrasco Vargas, Ramón; López, Verónica A. Vázquez; Martin, Simon

2009-01-01

Research into ancient societies frequently faces a major challenge in accessing the lives of those who made up the majority of their populations, since the available evidence so often concerns only the ruling elite. Our excavations at the ancient Maya site of Calakmul, Mexico, have uncovered a “painted pyramid:” a structure decorated with murals depicting scenes of its inhabitants giving, receiving, and consuming diverse foods, as well as displaying and transporting other goods. Many are accompanied by hieroglyphic captions that describe the participants, and include spellings of key subsistence items. Collectively, they offer insights into the social mechanisms by which goods were circulated within major Maya centers. PMID:19901331

VLSI implementation of RSA encryption system using ancient Indian Vedic mathematics

Science.gov (United States)

Thapliyal, Himanshu; Srinivas, M. B.

2005-06-01

This paper proposes the hardware implementation of RSA encryption/decryption algorithm using the algorithms of Ancient Indian Vedic Mathematics that have been modified to improve performance. The recently proposed hierarchical overlay multiplier architecture is used in the RSA circuitry for multiplication operation. The most significant aspect of the paper is the development of a division architecture based on Straight Division algorithm of Ancient Indian Vedic Mathematics and embedding it in RSA encryption/decryption circuitry for improved efficiency. The coding is done in Verilog HDL and the FPGA synthesis is done using Xilinx Spartan library. The results show that RSA circuitry implemented using Vedic division and multiplication is efficient in terms of area/speed compared to its implementation using conventional multiplication and division architectures.

Experimental conditions improving in-solution target enrichment for ancient DNA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Cruz-Dávalos, Diana I.; Llamas, Bastien; Gaunitz, Charleen

2017-01-01

High-throughput sequencing has dramatically fostered ancient DNA research in recent years. Shotgun sequencing, however, does not necessarily appear as the best-suited approach due to the extensive contamination of samples with exogenous environmental microbial DNA. DNA capture-enrichment methods ...

Assessment of alternatives for long-term management of uranium ore residues and contaminated soils located at DOE's Niagara Falls Storage Site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Merry-Libby, P.

1985-01-01

About 11,000 m 3 of uranium ore residues and 180,000 m 3 of slightly contaminated soils (wastes) are consolidated within a diked containment area at the Niagara Falls Storage Site located about 30 km north of Buffalo, New York. The residues account for less than 6% of the total volume of contaminated materials but almost 99% of the radioactivity. The average radium-226 concentration in the residues is 67,000 pCi/g. The US Department of Energy is considering several alternatives for long-term management of the wastes and residues, including: improvement of the containment at NFSS, modification of the form of the residues, management of the residues separately from the wastes, management of the wastes and residues at another humid site (Oak Ridge, Tennessee) or an arid site (Hanford, Washington), and dispersal of the wastes in the ocean. Potential radiological risks associated with implementation of any of the alternatives are expected to be smaller than the nonradiological risks of occupational and transportation-related injuries and deaths. Dispersal of the slightly contaminated wastes in the ocean is not expected to result in any significant radiological risk to humans. The residues and wastes will remain hazardous for thousands of years. After controls cease, the radioactive materials will eventually be dispersed in the environment. Loss of the earthen covers over the buried materials is predicted to occur from several hundred to more than two million years, depending primarily on the use of the land surface. Groundwater will eventually be contaminated in all alternatives; however, the groundwater pathway is relatively insignificant with respect to radiological risks to the general population. 2 references, 2 figures, 6 tables

Chemistry Progress and Civilization in Ancient China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

JIANG Yu-Qian; RUAN Shu-Xiang; TANG Shan; SHUAI Zhi-Gang

2011-01-01

@@ During the 6,000 years of Chinese civilization, chemistry has played an essential role.The bronzed chime bells of the Warring States Period (475-221 BC) unearthed in Hubei Province shows not only the excellence in musical instruments in ancient China, but also the technological advances in metallurgy.Chinese alchemy was not originated from the quest to turn common metals to gold, instead, it was for searching medicines for longevity of human beings, mostly practised by Taoists.

Three Thousand Years of Continuity in the Maternal Lineages of Ancient Sheep (Ovis aries) in Estonia

Science.gov (United States)

Rannamäe, Eve; Lõugas, Lembi; Speller, Camilla F.; Valk, Heiki; Maldre, Liina; Wilczyński, Jarosław; Mikhailov, Aleksandr; Saarma, Urmas

2016-01-01

Although sheep (Ovis aries) have been one of the most exploited domestic animals in Estonia since the Late Bronze Age, relatively little is known about their genetic history. Here, we explore temporal changes in Estonian sheep populations and their mitochondrial genetic diversity over the last 3000 years. We target a 558 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial hypervariable region in 115 ancient sheep from 71 sites in Estonia (c. 1200 BC–AD 1900s), 19 ancient samples from Latvia, Russia, Poland and Greece (6800 BC–AD 1700), as well as 44 samples of modern Kihnu native sheep breed. Our analyses revealed: (1) 49 mitochondrial haplotypes, associated with sheep haplogroups A and B; (2) high haplotype diversity in Estonian ancient sheep; (3) continuity in mtDNA haplotypes through time; (4) possible population expansion during the first centuries of the Middle Ages (associated with the establishment of the new power regime related to 13th century crusades); (5) significant difference in genetic diversity between ancient populations and modern native sheep, in agreement with the beginning of large-scale breeding in the 19th century and population decline in local sheep. Overall, our results suggest that in spite of the observed fluctuations in ancient sheep populations, and changes in the natural and historical conditions, the utilisation of local sheep has been constant in the territory of Estonia, displaying matrilineal continuity from the Middle Bronze Age through the Modern Period, and into modern native sheep. PMID:27732668

Analytical study of ancient pottery from the archaeological site of Aiani, northern Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Iordanidis, A.; Garcia-Guinea, J.; Karamitrou-Mentessidi, G.

2009-01-01

The present study is a multi-analytical approach on the characterization of several potsherd samples, dated from prehistoric to hellenistic times, from Aiani, ancient Upper Macedonia, northern Greece. In particular, X-ray Diffraction (XRD), X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) and Environmental Scanning Electron Microscopy, coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray system (ESEM-EDX) were used for the determination of the morphological, chemical and mineralogical characteristics of the potsherds. The preliminary results indicated a rather local provenance of the analyzed ancient pottery samples and a finer texture and thus better ceramic manufacture as getting to hellenistic era. The use of a silicious or calcerous raw material is probably related to the specific utilization of each ceramic vessel in ancient times. The presence of gehlenite or pyroxene minerals in the ceramic matrix indicated higher firing temperatures, while lower temperatures were deduced when finding phylosilicate minerals. The preliminary results of this study do not necessarily imply that all the pottery of this area, belonging to the same chronological type, have similar physicochemical characteristics

[The textual research on the evolution of the toothbrush shape in ancient China].

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, Qiu-Peng

2012-05-01

Archaeological discovery demonstrates that the ancient plant hair brush first appeared in the Tang dynasty. According to the evolution of the shape of the head and handle of the toothbrush in ancient times, we can divide the evolution of the shapes into three major stages of development: (1) the Tang and the Five dynasties; (2) the Liao, Song, Jin, Yuan dynasties; (3) Ming, Qing and the Republic periods. The toothbrush heads and handles had no significant differences during the Tang and the Five dynasties. However, the shapes of them in the Liao, Song, Jin, Yuan dynasties are somewhat different. In the Ming and Qing and the republic of China periods, the shape of toothbrush head and handle had further refinement. Recently, some scholars raised doubts about the "plant hair toothbrush doctrine". They believe that the archaeological bone graft handle brush was used to wipe hair oil or clean water when washing and dressing. However, according to shape and function and ancient literature records, the archaeological bone graft handle brush should be a plant hair toothbrush used to clean and protect teeth.

Do ancient types of wheat have health benefits compared with modern bread wheat?

Science.gov (United States)

Shewry, Peter R

2018-01-01

A number of studies have suggested that ancient wheats have health benefits compared with modern bread wheat. However, the mechanisms are unclear and limited numbers of genotypes have been studied, with a particular focus on Kamut ® (Khorasan wheat). This is important because published analyses have shown wide variation in composition between genotypes, with further effects of growth conditions. The present article therefore critically reviews published comparisons of the health benefits of ancient and modern wheats, in relation to the selection and growth of the lines, including dietary interventions and comparisons of adverse effects (allergy, intolerance, sensitivity). It is concluded that further studies are urgently required, particularly from a wider range of research groups, but also on a wider range of genotypes of ancient and modern wheat species. Furthermore, although most published studies have made efforts to ensure the comparability of material in terms of growth conditions and processing, it is essential that these are standardised in future studies and this should perhaps be a condition of publication.

Determination of concentrations of minor and micro elements in ancient bronze drums artifacts samples by KO-standardization method of neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nguyen Tac Anh; Ho Manh Dung; Diep Dinh Hoa; Cao Dong Vu

2000-01-01

The study aims to get a lot information about manufacturers of ancient bronze artifacts and ancient civilization. By KO-standardization method of neutron activation analysis developed in the Nuclear Research Institute, the concentrations of Au, Ag, As, Zn, Sb, Sn elements in ancient bronze alloy samples of 99 bronze artifacts from many excavated archaeological sites at the provinces in Vietnam were determined with uncertainties about ±10%. These elemental concentrations have been utilized in a statistical analysis procedure in order to determine similarities and correlation between the various samples. Th abnormal high of concentrations of noble metals as Au, Ag in ancient bronze indicates that the ancient metallurgists had been interested in role of these metals on sound quality of bronze artifacts. Especially, the concentrations of As in many samples are very high even at about 10%. This gives an evidence that in ancient time the humankind could use bronze As alloy in order to improve quality when they had produced bronze artifacts. (author)

Long-term management of the existing radioactive wastes and residues at the Niagara Falls Storage Site. Draft Environmental Impact Statement

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1984-08-01

The statement assesses and compares several alternatives for long-term management of the existing radioactive wastes and residues at the Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS), Lewiston, New York. The alternatives include: (1) no action (continued interim storage at NFSS within a diked and capped containment area), (2) long-term management at NFSS (improved containment, with or without modified form of the residues), (3) long-term management at other DOE sites (Hanford, Washington, or Oak Ridge, Tennessee), and (4) offsite management of the residues at Hanford or Oak Ridge and either leaving the wastes at NFSS or removing them for disposal in the ocean. In addition to alternatives analyzed in depth, several options are also considered, including: other modifications of residue form, modification of the basic conceptual designs, other containment design options, transportation routes, and transportation modes. The radiological health effects (primarily increased risk of cancer) associated with long-term management of the wastes and residues are expected to be smaller than the nonradiological risks of occupational and transportation-related injuries and deaths. During the action period, the risk is highest for workers if all wastes and residues are moved to Hanford. The risk is highest for the general public if the residues are moved to Hanford and the wastes are moved to the ocean. Dispersal of the slightly contaminated wastes in the ocean is not expected to result in any significant impacts on the ocean environment or pose any significant radiological risk to humans. For all alternatives, if controls ceased, there would be eventual dispersion of the radioactive materials to the environment. If it is assumed that all controls cease, predicted time for loss of covers over the buried materials ranges from several hundred years to more than two million years, depending on the use of the land surface

Targeted Health Assessment for Wastes Contained at the Niagara Falls Storage Site to Guide Planning for Remedial Action Alternatives - 13428

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busse, John; Keil, Karen; Staten, Jane; Miller, Neil; Barker, Michelle [U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Buffalo District, 1776 Niagara Street, Buffalo, NY (United States); MacDonell, Margaret; Peterson, John; Chang, Young-Soo; Durham, Lisa [Argonne National Laboratory, Environmental Science Division, 9700 S. Cass Ave., Argonne, IL 60439 (United States)

2013-07-01

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) is evaluating potential remedial alternatives at the 191-acre Niagara Falls Storage Site (NFSS) in Lewiston, New York, under the Formerly Utilized Sites Remedial Action Program (FUSRAP). The Manhattan Engineer District (MED) and Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) brought radioactive wastes to the site during the 1940's and 1950's, and the U.S. Department of Energy (US DOE) consolidated these wastes into a 10-acre interim waste containment structure (IWCS) in the southwest portion of the site during the 1980's. The USACE is evaluating remedial alternatives for radioactive waste contained within the IWCS at the NFSS under the Feasibility Study phase of the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act (CERCLA) process. A preliminary evaluation of the IWCS has been conducted to assess potential airborne releases associated with uncovered wastes, particularly during waste excavation, as well as direct exposures to uncovered wastes. Key technical issues for this assessment include: (1) limitations in waste characterization data; (2) representative receptors and exposure routes; (3) estimates of contaminant emissions at an early stage of the evaluation process; (4) consideration of candidate meteorological data and air dispersion modeling approaches; and (5) estimates of health effects from potential exposures to both radionuclides and chemicals that account for recent updates of exposure and toxicity factors. Results of this preliminary health risk assessment indicate if the wastes were uncovered and someone stayed at the IWCS for a number of days to weeks, substantial doses and serious health effects could be incurred. Current controls prevent such exposures, and the controls that would be applied to protect onsite workers during remedial action at the IWCS would also effectively protect the public nearby. This evaluation provides framing context for the upcoming development and detailed

The Change from SOV to SVO in Ancient Greek.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Ann

1994-01-01

Examines the distribution of clause types in ancient Greek during the Homeric (pre-800 B.C.) and Hellenistic (ca. 100 A.D.) periods, as well as an intermediate period (ca. 450 B.C.), delineating the evolution from a subject-object-verb (SOV) to a subject-verb-object (SVO) structure. (49 references) (MDM)

Unwrapping an Ancient Egyptian Mummy Using X-Rays

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Stephen W.

2010-01-01

This article describes a project of unwrapping an ancient Egyptian mummy using x-ray computed tomography (CT). About 600 x-ray CT images were obtained through the mummified body of a female named Tjetmutjengebtiu (or Jeni for short), who was a singer in the great temple of Karnak in Egypt during the 22nd dynasty (c 945-715 BC). The x-ray CT images…

Ancient water supports today's energy needs

Science.gov (United States)

D'Odorico, Paolo; Natyzak, Jennifer L.; Castner, Elizabeth A.; Davis, Kyle F.; Emery, Kyle A.; Gephart, Jessica A.; Leach, Allison M.; Pace, Michael L.; Galloway, James N.

2017-05-01

The water footprint for fossil fuels typically accounts for water utilized in mining and fuel processing, whereas the water footprint of biofuels assesses the agricultural water used by crops through their lifetime. Fossil fuels have an additional water footprint that is not easily accounted for: ancient water that was used by plants millions of years ago, before they were transformed into fossil fuel. How much water is mankind using from the past to sustain current energy needs? We evaluate the link between ancient water virtually embodied in fossil fuels to current global energy demands by determining the water demand required to replace fossil fuels with biomass produced with water from the present. Using equal energy units of wood, bioethanol, and biodiesel to replace coal, natural gas, and crude oil, respectively, the resulting water demand is 7.39 × 1013 m3 y-1, approximately the same as the total annual evaporation from all land masses and transpiration from all terrestrial vegetation. Thus, there are strong hydrologic constraints to a reliance on biofuel energy produced with water from the present because the conversion from fossil fuels to biofuels would have a disproportionate and unsustainable impact on the modern water. By using fossil fuels to meet today's energy needs, we are virtually using water from a geological past. The water cycle is insufficient to sustain the production of the fuel presently consumed by human societies. Thus, non-fuel-based renewable energy sources are needed to decrease mankind's reliance on fossil fuel energy without placing an overwhelming pressure on global freshwater resources.

Uranium in ancient slag from Rajasthan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pradeepkumar, T.B.; Fahmi, Sohail; Sharma, S.K.

2008-01-01

Anomalous radioactivity was recorded in two ancient slag dumps spread on the surface near Bansda (24 deg 35'N lat., 70 deg 09'E long.) and Dhavadiya (24 deg 30'N lat., 70 deg 05'E long.) villages, Udaipur District, Rajasthan. The slag, with a range of high to low radioactivity levels, is the remnant of ancient smelting in the area, probably for copper. Six samples showing low radioactivity in Bansda contain an average of 0.030% U 3 O 8 , while five moderately radioactive samples analysed contain 0.225% U 3 O 8 and four highly radioactive samples analysed contain 1.15% U 3 O 8 . The 15 samples contain on an average 0.627% copper, 719 ppm zinc, 329 ppm cobalt and 133 ppm vanadium. Fifteen samples from Dhavadiya slag assayed on an average contain 0.040% U 3 O 8 , 0.297% Cu, 292 ppm Zn and 250 ppm Co. The extent of crystallization seen in the slag is intriguing because an over-cooled melt generally forms glass. The high rate of crystal formation may be attributed to high amounts of volatiles, particularly CO 2 and SO 4 , released during the breakdown of limestone (added as flux during smelting) and sulphide minerals in the ore. The high order of radioactivity recorded in the slags of Bansda and Dhavadiya points to the presence of ore-grade uranium concentration associated with sulphide mineralization in the vicinity of the basement Banded Gneissic Complex, intrusive granites and the cover sequence of the Bhinder basin. (author)

[Medicine in ancient Mesopotamia - part 2].

Science.gov (United States)

Martins E Silva, J

2010-01-01

The second part embraces exclusively the main characteristics of the medicine in Ancient Mesopotamia, in its main facets: concept of disease, healers and practice. The disease was considered a divine punishment or resultant from a malign influence. Insofar, the medicine began by being preventive, by the use of appropriate amulets or by offerings or sacrifices intending to pacify those malign forces. The treatment of the generality of the diseases privileged the expulsion of those spirits and malign influences from the patient body, purifying it, which was done by the specific intervention of a approximately shipu (clergymanexorcist); not having results, the treatment was continued by the asû (practical healer) that appealed to a group of physical manipulations, limited surgical acts and the administration or application of prescriptions, resultants of the mixture of organic and inorganic substances. In case of failing, the patients (as well as common healthy individuals or rule leaders) could fall back upon a priest diviner (bârû) that, by examination of the organs of an animal especially sacrificed for, would give a final decision about the disease or the future. Besides this more occult facet, nourished in religious faiths and in the magic, the medicine of Ancient Mesopotamia included rational knowledge, certainly as the result of systematic patients observation and semiotic interpretation. From those observations and knowledge referred to the Sumerian period, carefully logged, refined and transmitted to the following generations, it was built a valuable group of texts with the description of symptoms, signs, diagnosis and prognostic of the most common diseases, still identifiable in the present.

Identification of Adhesive Material Substance in Ancient Fortress Located at Aceh Besar using XRF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nurul Fitri

2016-11-01

Preliminary study about adhesive material content in ancient fortress at Aceh Besar has been done. The fortress are Indrapatra, Inong Balee and Kuta Lubok. The sample is analyzed using X-Ray Flourescence (XRF with Fusion Beads method. The result of XRF shows that all of the fortress have the same oxide compound which is CaO, with percentage of (46,16-51,37%, SiO2 around (2,56-6,68%, MgO around (1,01-2,16%, Al2O3 around (0,73-1,18%, and Fe2O3 around (0,53-0,70%. The compounds are constituent of limestone of calcite. The results have been compared with the modern adhesive material (cement. It was found that cement has a different oxide composition with the adhesive material used in ancient fortress. Cement contains SiO2 and SO3 more than ancient adhesive material, the values are 18% and 3%, respectively, in one gram sample.