Provenance determination of pottery by trace element analysis. Problems, solutions and applications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mommsen, H.

2001-01-01

Provenance determinations of pottery by chemical analysis is reviewed and shown to work well. Since pottery is produced from a well homogenized clay paste according to a certain recipe, sharp elemental patterns are expected for a series of products having the same origin. To obtain such patterns when forming compositional groups of pottery, a consideration of experimental errors, a correction for dilution and a choice of only stable elements is necessary. The patterns thus obtained will have low probability of overlap with groups of different origin. Examples for well defined groups of German stonewares and of Mycenaean wares from the Peloponnese are recorded. (author)

Archaeometric investigation of red-figured pottery fragments from Gioiosa Guardia (Messina, Sicily) by INAA, FT-IR and TOF-ND techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barilaro, D.; Crupi, V.; Interdonato, S.

2008-01-01

The present work is addressed to the study of some precious ancient pottery fragments, coming from the archaeological site of Gioiosa Guardia, in the Tirrenean Coast of Sicily. On the basis of historical and aesthetic considerations, the findings are dated back to 6.-5. Century b.C. and show a surface entirely decorated by red-figured technique, typical of Attic production. Many doubts arise about the real provenance of the artefacts. On one side, they could come directly from Greece, as attested by trading patterns between Greece and Southern Italy, on the other side, they could be produced in Sicily under the Greek artistic influence. In order to obtain a detailed characterization of the samples, a microdistruttive investigation was performed by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA), Fourier transform infrared absorption (FT-IR) and a non-invasive analysis by time-of-flight neutron diffraction (TOF-ND). Starting from the identification of the mineralogical and geochemical composition, a correct classification of the shards can be achieved.

Pre-Columbian estucado pottery from El Salvador: A multi-technique investigation

Science.gov (United States)

Sodo, A.

2016-03-01

Pottery is one of the main productions of the pre-Columbian cultures in the Mesoamerican area. Among the others, the estucado pottery represents a very particular type of ceramic, widespread in Maya territory but still never investigated systematically. The peculiarity of this ceramic lies in the unusual application of the color decoration and in the excellent conservation conditions. Seventeen ceramic fragments from El Salvador have been analysed by Raman spectroscopy, SEM/EDS and XRPD, both as fragments and in cross-sections, in order to investigate the manufacturing technique and to understand the good and unexpected conservation state. In both cases, the presence and the chemical nature of a thin white layer (engobe) between the ceramic bulk and the colored decorations seems to be determinant.

Pre-Columbian estucado pottery from El Salvador: A multi-technique investigation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sodo, A.

2016-01-01

Pottery is one of the main productions of the pre-Columbian cultures in the Mesoamerican area. Among the others, the estucado pottery represents a very particular type of ceramic, widespread in Maya territory but still never investigated systematically. The peculiarity of this ceramic lies in the unusual application of the color decoration and in the excellent conservation conditions. Seventeen ceramic fragments from El Salvador have been analysed by Raman spectroscopy, SEM/EDS and XRPD, both as fragments and in cross-sections, in order to investigate the manufacturing technique and to understand the good and unexpected conservation state. In both cases, the presence and the chemical nature of a thin white layer (engobe) between the ceramic bulk and the colored decorations seems to be determinant.

PIXE analysis of pre-colonial pottery from Sambaqui do Panaquatira

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ikeoka, R.A.; Appoloni, C.R.; Rizzutto, M.A.; Silva, T.F.; Bandeira, A.M.

2013-01-01

Full text: The study of cultural heritage of ancient people through fossils, monuments and engines has fundamental importance in the construction of the memory of any society. Such knowledge can be acquired by researches in archaeological sites and the detailed study of the different kind of objects which can be found in these places. This work deals with objects from the Sambaqui of Panaquatira located in Sao Luis do Maranhao (Brazil). Ancient civilizations that inhabited that territory were characterized as fishing populations - catchers - hunters and ceramists. From a selection of 95 pottery fragments of surface; 5 to 10 cm; 20 to 30 cm; 40 to 50 cm; 65 to 70 cm; 80 to 90 cm; 90 to 100 cm; 130 to 140 cm and 160 to 170 cm stratigraphic levels, a representative set was analyzed using Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) methodology. PIXE measurements were performed with an external beam setup with ~2.4 MeV proton beam in the LAMFI laboratory using three X-ray detectors, two Si-PIN detectors and one HPGe with standard spectrometry electronics; each spectrum was taken for 600s. The spectra analyses were performed with the Quantitative X-Ray Analysis Software (WinQXAS), distributed by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The elements Si, P, S, CI, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe and Zn were identified in the different fragments. It was analysed the kind of applied treatment on the concave and convex sides in relation to the ceramic paste of the fragments. From the determination of the elemental composition of the fragments, it was possible to identify that the elements Ti, Mn, Fe and Zn are present in the fragments with larger amounts at concave and convex sides, compared to the ceramic paste, indicating a different surface treatment that leads to an enrichment of these elements. One fragment from the 20-25cm stratigraphy has a lighter colour region which is characterized by containing the highest concentration of the elements Ti, Ca, Ti, Cr and Mn. (author)

PIXE analysis of pre-colonial pottery from Sambaqui do Panaquatira

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ikeoka, R.A.; Appoloni, C.R., E-mail: renatoikeoka@yahoo.com.br [Universidade Estadual de Londrina (CCE/UEL), PR (Brazil). Departamento de Fisica; Rizzutto, M.A.; Silva, T.F. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (LAMFI/USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Instituto de Fisica. Laboratorio de Analise de Materiais por Feixes Ionicos; Bandeira, A.M. [Universidade de Sao Paulo (USP), Sao Paulo, SP (Brazil). Museu de Arqueologia e Etnologia

2013-07-01

Full text: The study of cultural heritage of ancient people through fossils, monuments and engines has fundamental importance in the construction of the memory of any society. Such knowledge can be acquired by researches in archaeological sites and the detailed study of the different kind of objects which can be found in these places. This work deals with objects from the Sambaqui of Panaquatira located in Sao Luis do Maranhao (Brazil). Ancient civilizations that inhabited that territory were characterized as fishing populations - catchers - hunters and ceramists. From a selection of 95 pottery fragments of surface; 5 to 10 cm; 20 to 30 cm; 40 to 50 cm; 65 to 70 cm; 80 to 90 cm; 90 to 100 cm; 130 to 140 cm and 160 to 170 cm stratigraphic levels, a representative set was analyzed using Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) methodology. PIXE measurements were performed with an external beam setup with ~2.4 MeV proton beam in the LAMFI laboratory using three X-ray detectors, two Si-PIN detectors and one HPGe with standard spectrometry electronics; each spectrum was taken for 600s. The spectra analyses were performed with the Quantitative X-Ray Analysis Software (WinQXAS), distributed by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The elements Si, P, S, CI, K, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe and Zn were identified in the different fragments. It was analysed the kind of applied treatment on the concave and convex sides in relation to the ceramic paste of the fragments. From the determination of the elemental composition of the fragments, it was possible to identify that the elements Ti, Mn, Fe and Zn are present in the fragments with larger amounts at concave and convex sides, compared to the ceramic paste, indicating a different surface treatment that leads to an enrichment of these elements. One fragment from the 20-25cm stratigraphy has a lighter colour region which is characterized by containing the highest concentration of the elements Ti, Ca, Ti, Cr and Mn. (author)

Gamma-ray spectral map of standard pottery. Pt. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yellin, J.

1984-01-01

The gamma-ray spectrum of a neutron activated Standard Pottery is analyzed completely by means of spectral line shape fitting. A detailed spectral map of the standard is presented as it is typically used in pottery analysis. The spectrum obtained by a planar geometry Ge(Li) detector converts the energy range 11 to 409 keV. The map is intended to serve as a guide to the uninitiated user of Standard Pottery as well as a basis of comparison with other standards employed in pottery provenience work. It is shown that the process of calibrating detectors for spectral line interference can be greatly aided by means of a general approach to spectrum analysis and that much usefull information can be obtained by a general approach to pottery spectrum analysis. (orig.)

Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Multivariate Statistics for Pottery Provenance

Science.gov (United States)

Glascock, M. D.; Neff, H.; Vaughn, K. J.

2004-06-01

The application of instrumental neutron activation analysis and multivariate statistics to archaeological studies of ceramics and clays is described. A small pottery data set from the Nasca culture in southern Peru is presented for illustration.

Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Multivariate Statistics for Pottery Provenance

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Glascock, M. D.; Neff, H.; Vaughn, K. J.

2004-01-01

The application of instrumental neutron activation analysis and multivariate statistics to archaeological studies of ceramics and clays is described. A small pottery data set from the Nasca culture in southern Peru is presented for illustration.

Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis and Multivariate Statistics for Pottery Provenance

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Glascock, M. D.; Neff, H. [University of Missouri, Research Reactor Center (United States); Vaughn, K. J. [Pacific Lutheran University, Department of Anthropology (United States)

2004-06-15

The application of instrumental neutron activation analysis and multivariate statistics to archaeological studies of ceramics and clays is described. A small pottery data set from the Nasca culture in southern Peru is presented for illustration.

Wari influence in southern Peru: provenance study of middle horizon pottery from the archaeological site of La Real using k0-INAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedregal, P.S.; Mendoza, P.A.; Ubillus, M.S.; Montoya, E.H.; Jennings, J.

2015-01-01

Fragments of archaeological pottery from a rescue excavation at the site of La Real in Arequipa, Peru, were studied by instrumental neutron activation analysis, k 0 method. Analytical data were processed by multivariate statistical techniques, comparing the chemical composition of the studied samples versus the information available in our database on the chemical composition of archaeological pottery from Conchopata (Ayacucho), Cotahuasi (Arequipa), Huaro (Cusco) and Tiwanaku (Bolivia). The results obtained revealed that most of the samples were likely made locally at La Real, while others correspond to the chemical composition of the different groups considered, showing evidence of the presence of foreign pottery in the site and a small group which were not classified. (author)

Characterization of Byzantine pottery from Oltina (Constanţa County), Romania, using PIXE and Optical Microscopy

Science.gov (United States)

Bugoi, Roxana; Talmaţchi, Cristina; Haitǎ, Constantin; Ceccato, Daniele

2018-02-01

An assemblage of 58 ceramic shards discovered in archaeological excavations at Oltina, Romania, dated to the 10th-11th century CE, was subjected to archaeometric investigations in order to reveal the raw materials and manufacturing techniques employed by the potters from the Lower Danube zone during the Byzantine ruling. The initial grouping of the shards according to stylistic criteria was refined by the subsequent petrographic study. Optical Microscopy (OM) detailed the general mineralogy and the pottery fabric, i.e. the textural characteristics, porosity and microstructure, surface treatments and firing. The PIXE analyses of potteries performed at AN2000 accelerator of LNL, INFN, Italy led to the identification of the chemical composition of the ceramic shards. The Hierarchical Cluster Analysis of the PIXE data evidenced several categories of shards with distinct compositional signatures, the main division being the one separating the ceramic fragments made of kaolinitic clays from the rest of the Oltina potteries.

Study of Syrian archaeological pottery by the combined application of thermoluminescence (TL) dating, X-ray fluorescence analysis and statistical multivariate analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakraji, E.H.

2012-01-01

X-ray fluorescence method and the technique of thermoluminescence (TL) dating have been utilized for the study of archaeological pottery fragment samples, fairly representative of Romanian period between 1 st century B.C. and 4th century A.D, from Judaidet Yabous site, which is located north-west of Damascus city, Syria. Four samples were chosen randomly among the forty six samples for dating using thermoluminescence technique and the results were in good agreement with the date assigned by archaeologists. The samples were irradiated for 1000 s live time twice, first using a Mo X-ray Tube and second using a 109 Cd radioactive source. Fifteen elements (K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, and Pb) were determined. The elemental concentrations have been processed using two multivariate statistical methods. The purpose of the study was to characterize by means of elements contents the pottery paste from Judaidet Yabous archaeological site and providing new data to the Syrian databases for future studies. From an archaeological point of view the results indicated that most of the potteries, were locally produced. (author)

Fragments analysis of Marajoara pubic covers using a portable system of X-ray fluorescence and multivariate statistics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freitas, Renato; Rabello, Angela; Lima, Tania

2011-01-01

Full text: In this work it was characterized the elemental composition of 102 fragments of Marajoara pubic covers, belonging to the National Museum collection, using EDXRF and multivariate statistics analysis. The objective was to identify possible groups of samples that presented similar characteristics. This information will be useful in the development of a systematic classification of these artifacts. Provenance studies of ancient ceramics are based on the assumption that pottery produced from a specific clay will present a similar chemical composition, which will distinguish them from pottery produced from a different clay. In this way, the pottery is assigned to particular production groups, which are then correlated with their respective origins. EDXRF measurements were carried out with a portable system, developed in the Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory, consisting of an X-ray tube Oxford TF3005 with tungsten (W) anode, operating at 25 kV and 100 μA, and a Si-PIN XR-100CR detector from Amptek. In each one of the 102 fragments, six points were analyzed (three in the front part and three in the reverse) with an acquisition time of 600 s and a beam collimation of 2 mm. The spectra were processed and analyzed using the software QXAS-AXIL from IAEA. PCA was applied to the XRF results revealing a clear cluster separation to the samples. (author)

Characterization of pottery from Cerro de Las Ventanas, Zacatecas, Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lopez-del-Rio, H.; Mireles-Garcia, F.; Mendez-Cardona, R.Y.; Nicolas-Caretta, M.; Speakman, R.J.; Glascock, M.D.

2009-01-01

With the aim of classifying prehispanic pottery from Cerro de Las Ventanas site, Juchipila, Zacatecas, Mexico, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to analyze ceramic samples at the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center. Thirty-two chemical elements were measured: Al, As, Ba, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Ti, Th, U, V, Yb, Zn, and Zr. Two multivariate statistical methods, cluster analysis and principal component analysis, were performed on the dataset to examine similarities between samples and to establish compositional groups. The statistical analyses of the dataset suggest that the pottery samples form a unique chemically homogeneous group, with the exception of one pottery sample. The compositional data were compared to an existing Mesoamerican ceramic database. It was found that the newly generated data fit best with data from a previous chemical analysis of pottery from the Malpaso Valley. However, despite the apparent similarity, pottery samples from the site of Cerro de Las Ventanas represent a new and unique chemical fingerprint in the region. (orig.)

Characterization of pottery from Cerro de Las Ventanas, Zacatecas, Mexico

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lopez-del-Rio, H.; Mireles-Garcia, F. [Unidad Academica de Estudios Nucleares, UAZ, Zacatecas (Mexico); Mendez-Cardona, R.Y. [Unidad Academica de Antropologia, UAZ, Zacatecas (Mexico); Nicolas-Caretta, M. [INAH Delegacion Zacatecas (Mexico); Coordinacion de Ciencias Sociales y Humanidades, UASLP, Fracc. Talleres, SLP (Mexico); Speakman, R.J. [Museum Conservation Inst., Smithsonian Institution, Suitland, MD (United States); Glascock, M.D. [Research Reactor Center, Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO (United States)

2009-09-15

With the aim of classifying prehispanic pottery from Cerro de Las Ventanas site, Juchipila, Zacatecas, Mexico, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) was used to analyze ceramic samples at the University of Missouri Research Reactor Center. Thirty-two chemical elements were measured: Al, As, Ba, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mn, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Sr, Ta, Tb, Ti, Th, U, V, Yb, Zn, and Zr. Two multivariate statistical methods, cluster analysis and principal component analysis, were performed on the dataset to examine similarities between samples and to establish compositional groups. The statistical analyses of the dataset suggest that the pottery samples form a unique chemically homogeneous group, with the exception of one pottery sample. The compositional data were compared to an existing Mesoamerican ceramic database. It was found that the newly generated data fit best with data from a previous chemical analysis of pottery from the Malpaso Valley. However, despite the apparent similarity, pottery samples from the site of Cerro de Las Ventanas represent a new and unique chemical fingerprint in the region. (orig.)

Inca and pre-Inca pottery: pottery from Cusichaca, Department of Cuzco, Peru

OpenAIRE

Lunt, S. W.

1987-01-01

Although important studies have been made of the Andean pottery of the Inca Empire and its predecessors, these studies usually have been based on pottery collections which lack good archaeological contexts. The usual interpretative framework for ceramic variation has been the hierarchical social organisation of the Inca Empire described in the Spanish chronicles. In this paper, the pottery differs from the previously studied collections in two ways: first in the classific...

Radiocarbon dating prehistoric pottery from Northern Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philippsen, Bente; Craig, Oliver; Heron, Carl

2012-01-01

, such as when aquatic products have been prepared in the pottery. Soot can derive from old wood that was used for the hearth fire, or from (potentially aquatic) food that boiled over. Plant remains may have been present in the clay for a long time before manufacture of the pottery. Post......-depositional contamination with organic carbon, such as humic acids, may also be problematic. We present these data with radiocarbon datings of contemporaneous terrestrial and aquatic samples to find out the true age of the pottery and estimate the reservoir age. Lipid analysis and bulk carbon and nitrogen stable isotope...

From Suazoid to folk pottery: pottery manufacturing traditions in a changing social and cultural environment on St. Lucia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Corinne L. Hofman

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Overview of pottery manufacturing traditions in St Lucia, placed within the island's cultural history from pre-Columbian times up to present Afro-Caribbean folk pottery. Authors focus on manufacturing processes in different cultural traditions through history, looking at raw materials used, the shaping and finishing, decoration, and firing process. First, they sketch St Lucia's habitation history since the first Amerindian settlers in 200 AD, and evidence of pottery, which climaxed in the later Suazoid period pottery since about 1150 AD, and discuss how later European colonization and arrival of Africans contributed to the decline of Amerindian traditions, replaced by European and West African pottery traditions, although some Amerindian traditions remained. The pottery manufacturing of 3 main cultural traditions are examined, discussing differences, as well as similarities due to cultural blending: Suazoid pottery, later Amerindian Island Carib pottery, with origins in the Guianas region, related to the Kar'ina, and current St Lucian, West African-influenced, "folk pottery". Authors conclude that all 3 traditions mainly use local clay, and include hand-built and low-fired pottery. Shaping techniques include coiling, and in today's pottery also fashioning with smaller lumps. Surfaces are smooth and polished in today's pottery, but more scraped and scratched in Suazoid vessels. Further, they find that decoration is uncommon in today's pottery, while Suazoid ceramics included decorations, and that vessel shapes tend to be simple in all 3 traditions. They also find that women have been the principal potters through time, although pottery was a male activity among the Island Caribs in the mid-17th c.

Application of instrumental neutron activation analysis to study ceramic fragments from Damascus Castle site, Syria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakraji, E.H.

2005-01-01

Thirty-three archaeological ceramic fragment samples from Damascus Castle archaeological site, Damascus city, Syria, were analyzed using instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). 36 elements were determined. These elemental concentrations have been processed using two multivariate statistical methods, cluster and factor analysis in order to determine similarities and correlation between the various samples. Factor analysis confirms that 84.8% of the ceramics samples classified by cluster analysis are correctly classified by cluster analysis. The results provided persuasive evidence that Castle pottery used at least four different clay sources. Moreover, by means of systematic local analysis it will be clear whether these sources are local or not. (author)

Measuring Usewear on Black Gloss Pottery from Rome through 3D Surface Analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Laura M. Banducci

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Still image of 3D model of a representative vessel (Capitoline Museums catalog ID AntCom8626. (Image credit: © Damien Vurpillot/Rachel Opitz. CC BY-NC This project involves the high-resolution 3D laser scanning of a cache of Italian black gloss pottery from the Capitoline Museums in Rome. Our aim is to examine in detail the minute traces of production and use of these vessels and to produce a digital record of their form. We have experimented with several scanning devices in order to determine the optimal methods for capturing abrasions on pottery and are developing digital methods for surface analysis. The purpose of the analysis is to consider how black gloss vessels from ritual contexts (tomb and sanctuary deposits may have been used before they were deposited and to refine our understanding of vessel production methods.

Technological and stylistic evaluation of the Early Bronze Age pottery at Tarsus-Gozlukule, Turkey: Pottery production and its interaction with economic, social, and cultural spheres

Science.gov (United States)

Unlu, Elif

This dissertation presents a technological and stylistic assessment of Early Bronze Age pottery production at Tarsus-Gozlukule, a multi-period mound settlement located in the Cilician Plain in southern Turkey. Pottery production, like all other man-made objects, is firstly a technological act. This dissertation maintains that material style (involving formal, technical, and decorative choices expressed by the artisan) of an artifact should be investigated as a whole as such an integrative study would be the most adequate way of understanding economic circumstances, social representation, and cultural boundaries. To facilitate this integrative investigation, seventy-two samples of Early Bronze Age pottery excavated from Tarsus-Gozlukule in the 1930s and 1940s.were selected for mineralogical, morphological, and chemical analyses. Petrographic and powder X-Ray Diffraction analyses were performed to determine the mineralogical makeup, Environmental Scanning Electron Microscope imagery was used to determine the morphology of these samples, and semi-quantitave Energy Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy analysis was performed on some samples to determine chemical properties of the clays. As a result of these scientific analyses various fabric groups were established. Afterwards formal shape and stylistic analysis was performed where shapes and surface treatments of the samples were analyzed and compared to the known local and non-local examples. Such an integrative approach to pottery production facilitates a better definition of the local pottery production process and enables an assessment of the technological know-how of the local pottery producers, their labor organization and its role within the operating markets, their function within the sociopolitical structure, and how such issues relate to the cultural boundaries within the community. Defining the paradigm of the local pottery production process leads to a broader investigation of issues related to the technological

A note on the differential thermal analysis of Amazonian archeological pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Enriquez, C.R.; Beltrao, M. da C. de M.C.; Danon, J.

1979-02-01

Sherds of archeological pottery of the mouth of the Amazon river are investigated by D.T.A.. These samples have been previously investigated by thermoluminescence (T.L.) and Moessbauer spectroscopy (M.S.). The aim of the study has been to establish possible correlations between the hydration phenomena and the observed charges in the iron oxides of the pottery. (author) [pt

Neutron activation analysis of thin orange pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harbottle, G.; Sayre, E.V.; Abascal, R.

1976-01-01

The evidence thus far obtained supports the idea of ''Thin Orange'' ware, typical of classic Teotihuacan culture, easily identifiable petrographically or chemically, not necessarily made at Teotihuacan itself but widely traded, and ''thin, orange'' pottery, fabricated in many other places, and perhaps at other times as well

Neutron activation analysis of thin orange pottery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Harbottle, G; Sayre, E V; Abascal, R

1976-01-01

The evidence thus far obtained supports the idea of ''Thin Orange'' ware, typical of classic Teotihuacan culture, easily identifiable petrographically or chemically, not necessarily made at Teotihuacan itself but widely traded, and ''thin, orange'' pottery, fabricated in many other places, and perhaps at other times as well.

Characterization of Iraq-luster painted pottery by XRF and XAFS analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Miura, Sanae; Kato, Norihiro; Nakai, Izumi; Shindo, Yoko

2009-01-01

Luster is one of the most interesting Islamic ceramic decorations. Their origins are known to be due to a nanostructured thin layer formed by metallic copper and silver nanocrystals. The chemical composition of the glazes and decorations of Iraq luster potteries stored in IDEMITSU museum of art were studied using XRF quantitative analysis and XRF imaging. Moreover, the local environment of copper and silver dispersed in the glaze were analyzed by means of XAFS analysis. The white glaze of Iraq luster pottery can be classified into alkali-lime glaze and alkali-lead-lime glaze according to their contents of PbO and SnO 2 . The present XRF analysis revealed that the almost all samples belong to alkali-lead-lime glaze. In addition, it is found from XRF imaging that different copper/silver ratios affect the color of decorations. Cu K-edge and Ag K-edge XAFS spectra of these shards were measured to reveal the chemical state of copper and silver. Presence of metallic copper is found in the red luster. In olive green and brown luster, copper is almost present in the Cu (I) state. Also, in dark brown luster, both Cu (I) and Cu (II) states are found, while, silver always exists in the metallic form independent of the color. (author)

Archaeometrical analysis of Neolithic pottery from the Divača region, Slovenia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andreja Žibrat Gašparič

2004-12-01

Full Text Available The results of the mineralogical and chemical analyses of pottery from the Neolithic period from the Divača region are presented. Pottery samples from two rock shelters, i.e. Mala Triglavca and Trhlovca, were included in the analyses, as well as sediment samples from other rock shelters, caves and rivers around this area. The mineralogical and chemical composition of the ceramic is uniform in most of the samples; the differences between the clay pastes of the vessels are in the use of a tempering material, mostly calcite grains. The sediment samples, especially from the cave deposits, point to a local production of the Neolithic pottery on the Karst plateau.

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

Neutron activation analysis of Etruscan pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Whitehead, J.; Silverman, A.; Ouellet, C.G.; Clark, D.D.; Hossain, T.Z.

1992-01-01

Neutron activation analysis (NAA) has been widely used in archaeology for compositional analysis of pottery samples taken from sites of archaeological importance. Elemental profiles can determine the place of manufacture. At Cornell, samples from an Etruscan site near Siena, Italy, are being studied. The goal of this study is to compile a trace element concentration profile for a large number of samples. These profiles will be matched with an existing data bank in an attempt to understand the place of origin for these samples. The 500 kW TRIGA reactor at the Ward Laboratory is used to collect NAA data for these samples. Experiments were done to set a procedure for the neutron activation analysis with respect to sample preparation, selection of irradiation container, definition of activation and counting parameters and data reduction. Currently, we are able to analyze some 27 elements in samples of mass 500 mg with a single irradiation of 4 hours and two sequences of counting. Our sensitivity for many of the trace elements is better than 1 ppm by weight under the conditions chosen. In this talk, details of our procedure, including quality assurance as measured by NIST standard reference materials, will be discussed. In addition, preliminary results from data treatment using cluster analysis will be presented. (author)

Removal of mercury from water using pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Helal, A.A.A.

2006-01-01

In a previous study, the sorption of radiocobalt by powdered pottery materials was investigated. The use of these materials as immobilization matrix for liquid radioactive waste requires the employment of pottery vessels. Therefore, the present study aims to give detailed investigations of the decontamination of radionuclides and toxic elements using pottery containers. These investigations are equally useful to elucidate how far these vessels can be utilized for water purification through decontamination of toxic and heavy metals. The radionuclide or heavy metal removal capability using pottery pots, as low cost sorbents, has been investigated for both radioactive ( 203 Hg) and stable mercury. The results indicated that Hg 2+ is better removed by pottery from neutral to alkaline solutions. The capacity of the used pottery container (100 ml in volume) for complete removal of mercury was found to reach 3 x 10 -4 mol/l, and the time needed was 8 hours. The sorption process was suggested to occur via adsorption and ion exchange. The effect of presence of humic or fulvic acid, as ligands abundant in water, is also investigated. The results imply that, in absence of humic or fulvic acid the sorption follows the expected behaviour, i.e. sorption sites with similar affinity for mercury. In presence of humic or fulvic acid, additional sorption sites are available by the organic molecule when it is associated to the pottery. (orig.)

Potential threats on pottery as local wisdom in Sitiwinangun Cirebon district

Science.gov (United States)

Putri, D. P.

2018-05-01

This study is aimed to find out the type of threats of pottery as a local wisdom of Sitiwinangun Village. The study used qualitative approach which included observation, interviews, direct involvement and literature study as technique to collect the data. The data was analyzed by descriptive exploratory analysis. The finding results showed that the production of Sitiwinangun pottery, in the technique and motifs, were still produced according to the ancestors. Pottery has a closed-relationship to agrarian culture of Sitiwinangun's society. In cultivating season, the soil was used not only used to cultivate rice and palawija (crops planted as second crop in dry season) but it was also used to dig a layer of soil as the raw material of pottery. There were some potential threats on Sitiwinangun Pottery such as a reduction in raw material because of the land-settlement, slow regeneration, and consumers' preferred on household appliance made of plastic. Nevertheless, it never decreases the spirit of Sitiwinangun society to maintain the pottery as their local wisdom. They keep on their principle that the nature gives the value on their life and the value is an ancestral heritage that must be maintained in modern era in order to preserve the environment. Furthermore, the most important is that pottery is not only made as the functional object for human activity but it is made as the local knowledge of Sitiwinagun that very allows to be learnt intact and sustainable.

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of pottery for provenience study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuleff, I.; Djingova, R.; Penev, I.

1986-01-01

A scheme for INAA of pottery is proposed. The combination of 3 irradiations - epithermal and pile (short and long time) - and 6 measurements (2 times after each irradiation) enables the determination of Al, As, Au, Ba, Br, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Mg, Mn, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Si, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, Ti, U, V and Yb. The accuracy and precision of the method is evaluated by analysis of standard reference materials (USGS-BCR-1, USGS-W-1, ZGI-TB). The applicability of the method is demonstrated by analysis of 15 sgraffito ceramics from XV-XVIII cc. from Tsarevets, Veliko Tirnovo (Bulgaria). The results from the clustering of the analytical data are presented and discussed. (author)

Chemical characterization of archaeological ceramics by neutron activation analysis: A study in the production and distribution of middle horizon pottery from Cuzco, Peru

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Montoya, Eduardo; Mendoza, Pablo; Zapata, Julinho

2009-01-01

The k 0 based instrumental neutron activation analysis has been used, as a quantitative characterization tool, to establish the provenience of the Wari pottery found in Middle Horizon archaeological sites at Cuzco, Peru. The results indicate a bidirectional exchange of pottery between Ayacucho and Cuzco along the Middle Horizon Period. Other archaeological inferences from the results of the chemical analysis are discussed. (author).

Application of radioisotope XRF and thermoluminescence (TL) dating in investigation of pottery from Tell AL-Kasra archaeological site, Syria.

Science.gov (United States)

Abboud, R; Issa, H; Abed-Allah, Y D; Bakraji, E H

2015-11-01

Statistical analysis based on chemical composition, using radioisotope X-ray fluorescence, have been applied on 39 ancient pottery fragments coming from the excavation at Tell Al-Kasra archaeological site, Syria. Three groups were defined by applying Cluster and Factor analysis statistical methods. Thermoluminescence (TL) dating was investigated on three sherds taken from the bathroom (hammam) on the site. Multiple aliquot additive dose (MAAD) was used to estimate the paleodose value, and the gamma spectrometry was used to estimate the dose rate. The average age was found to be 715±36 year. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Jomon pottery: cord-imitating decoration

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irina Zhushchikhovskaya

2007-12-01

Full Text Available The paper discusses the decoration of pottery of the Neolithic Jomon culture (Japanese Archipelago, 13600–900 BC. The comb-impressed pattern produced by various kinds of cord or rope stamps is considered as the ‘calling card’ of Jomon pottery from the earliest cultural periods to the latest. Another kind of decoration recognized recently uses the cord not as a patterning tool, but as an essential motif of decorative composition. High relief elements imitate cordage forms and structures – knots, loops, hanging cord, net, etc. This kind of decoration corresponds to the pottery of Mid-dle Jomon period (3500–2500 BC sites located in northern and north-eastern Honshu and southern Hokkaido. It is supposed that the introduction of images of real material object into the field of decorative art was reasoned by the meaning of cord and cordage as cultural signs during the Middle Jomon period. Interesting parallels to some cordage structures reconstructed on Middle Jomon pottery decoration are well known in traditional Japanese culture of VI–XX cc. Analytical interpretation of this resemblance may became the subject of special research.

A Pottery Electric Kiln Using Decompression

Science.gov (United States)

Naoe, Nobuyuki; Yamada, Hirofumi; Nakayama, Tetsuo; Nakayama, Minoru; Minamide, Akiyuki; Takemata, Kazuya

This paper presents a novel type electric kiln which fires the pottery using the decompression. The electric kiln is suitable for the environment and the energy saving as the pottery furnace. This paper described the baking principle and the baking characteristic of the novel type electric kiln.

Harry Potteri looja uus rekord

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2005-01-01

J. K. Rowlingult on ilmumas Harry Potteri lugude kuues köide "Harry Potter ja segavereline prints". Vaata ka: Postimees, 11. juuli, lk. 17, pealkirjaga: "Kuuendat Harry Potterit saab osta laupäevast" ; Postimees, 14. juuli, lk. 17, pealkirjaga ""Harry Potter" tuleb Tallinnas öömüüki" ; SL Õhtuleht, 15. juuli, lk. 12, pealkirjaga "Täna öösel saab osta Potteri uue raamatu"

Study of ancient pottery from Slovakia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lipka, J.; Fusek, G.; Sitek, J.; Hucl, M.; Rausz, J.; Gajdosova, M.

1990-01-01

Ancient pottery samples collected from south-west Slovakia were studied through subjective observation and by Moessbauer spectroscopy. This method is convenient for determining the provenance and the manufacture of pottery. Transformations, induced by firing the clay and characterized by Moessbauer spectroscopy, give valuable information regarding the manufacture as, for instance, the final temperature of firing in it. The relative abundance of Fe 2+ and Fe 3+ determines the atmosphere used to fire a pottery. It has been found that the determination of the firing atmosphere obtained through the subjective observation is in good agreement with that obtained using Moessbauer spectroscopy. An unfired and fired clay was also investigated. (orig.)

Neolithic pottery at Polgar-10 (Hungary: measuring the habitus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John Chapman

2002-12-01

Full Text Available It is self-evidently true that ceramics form the largest component of the artefact assemblages of the Neolithic and Copper Age of Central and Eastern Europe, yet we are still poorly informed about the final stage of the life of most vessels – their ultimate disposal. In this paper, I wish to consider the ways in which pottery can be studied with respect to disposal and deposition. An assessment of ten different kinds of pottery analysis is made, using site single contexts as the main unit of analysis. I propose that these analyses constitute ways of measuring Bourdieu’s term “habitus”. This contextual analysis is based on examples taken from the Neolithic settlement of Polgar-10, in North East Hungary, excavated by the Upper Tisza Project in 1994.

A provenance study of roof tiles and potteries using neutron activation analysis from Katap-Ri, Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kwang, Yong Chung

2005-01-01

In Katap-ri, South Korea, potteries and roof tiles are excavated with the assumed raw materials. Using NAA, the provenance of these cultural remains was examined among the neighboring others, and the correlation the assumed raw materials with potteries and roof tiles was also examined. From the results of statistics it is concluded that this cultural site is distinguished from others by several trace elements, Ba, Cr, Sc, Yb, Eu, and Rb with 93.2 % accuracy. Also it turned out that the assumed raw materials wasn't related to potteries and roof tiles with 96.3 % accuracy

Moessbauer Study of a Celtic Pottery-Making Kiln in Lower Bavaria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gebhard, R.; Guggenbichler, E.; Haeusler, W.; Riederer, J.; Schmotz, K.; Wagner, F. E.; Wagner, U.

2004-01-01

In 1995 a well preserved 3rd century BC Celtic kiln for pottery making was excavated at Schmiedorf in Lower Bavaria. The firing chamber and the flue plate of the kiln were preserved, whereas the dome was not found. We report on a study of material from this kiln by neutron activation analysis, thin-section microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Moessbauer spectroscopy, all performed with the aim to learn more about pottery-making procedures in Celtic times.

Analyses of archaeological pottery samples using X-ray fluorescence technique for provenance study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tamilarasu, S.; Swain, K.K.; Singhal, R.K; Reddy, A.V.R.; Acharya, R.; Velraj, G.

2015-01-01

Archaeological artifacts reveal information on past human activities, artifact preparation technology, art and possible trade. Ceramics are the most stable and abundant material in archaeological context. Pottery is the most abundant tracers in all archaeological excavations. Compared to major elements, elements present at trace concentrations levels are source specific and they maintain same concentration levels in source clay as well as finished products e.g., fired clay potteries. As it is difficult to find out exact source or origin, provenance study is carried out first to establish whether objects under study are from the same or different sources/origin. Various analytical techniques like instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA), Ion beam analysis (IBA) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) have been used for obtaining elemental concentrations in archaeological potteries. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry provides a non-destructive means for elemental characterization of a wide range of archaeological materials. Ten archaeological pottery samples were collected from Kottapuram, Kerala under the supervision of archaeological survey of India. Portable X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry using a handheld Olympus Innov-X Delta XRF device, ACD BARC, has been used for chemical characterization of the pottery samples. The instrument is equipped with the Delta Rhodium (Rh) anode X-Ray tube and uses a Silicon Drift Detector (resolution <200 eV at 5.95 keV Mn Kα X-ray). NIST 2781 SRM was analyzed for quality control purpose. Ten elements namely Fe, Ti, Mn, Co, Cu, Zn, Pb, Zr, Mo and Se were chosen for cluster analysis and their concentration values were utilized for multivariate statistical analysis using WinSTAT 9.0

Analysis of Muscle Contraction on Pottery Manufacturing Process Using Electromyography (EMG)

Science.gov (United States)

Soewardi, Hartomo; Azka Rahmayani, Amalia

2016-01-01

One of the most common problems in pottery manufacturing process is musculoskeletal disorders on workers. This disorder was caused by uncomfortable posture where the workers sit on the floor with one leg was folded and another was twisted for long duration. Back, waist, buttock, and right knee frequently experience the disorders. The objective of this research is to investigate the muscle contraction at such body part of workers in manufacturing process of pottery. Electromyography is used to investigate the muscle contraction based on the median frequency signal. Focus measurements is conducted on four muscles types. They are lower interscapular muscle on the right and left side, dorsal lumbar muscle, and lateral hamstring muscle. Statistical analysis is conducted to test differences of muscle contraction between female and male. The result of this research showed that the muscle which reached the highest contraction is dorsal lumbar muscle with the average of median frequency is 51,84 Hz. Then followed by lower interscapular muscle on the left side with the average of median frequency is 31,30 hz, lower interscapular muscle on the right side average of median frequency is 31,24 Hz, and lateral hamstring muscle average of median frequency is 21,77 Hz. Based on the statistic analysis result, there were no differences between male and female on left and right lower interscapular muscle and dorsal lumbar muscle but there were differences on lateral hamstring muscle with the significance level is 5%. Besides that, there were differences for all combination muscle types with the level of significance is 5%.

CHRONOLOGY AND DYNAMICS OF ANCIENT POTTERY TRADITIONS' DISSEMINATION IN STEPPES OF THE LOWER VOLGA REGION

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vybornov, Aleksandr A.; Vasilyeva, Irina N.; Kulkova, Marianna A.

2018-01-01

The territory of the Lower Volga plays an important role in the study of the Neolithic of Eastern Europe. The leading indicator of this epoch is pottery. Determining the chronology of pottery making is one of the most complex issues. Over the past ten years, a large number of radiocarbon dates (43......) have been obtained on various materials: coal, bones, organic materials in pottery, crusts, humus. They allowed accurate determining of the initial time of appearance of the most ancient crockery in the Lower Volga region - the middle of the 7th millennium BC. The authors determine the chronological...... analysis made it possible to clarify the genesis, the features of the dynamics and the further destiny of pottery in the region. The combination of the latest data allows referring the Neolithic monuments of steppe territory of the Lower Volga to the area of the ancient pottery in Eastern Europe. A...

Naturally Occurring Radionuclides in Pottery, Ceramic and Glasswares Produced in Bangladesh

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chowdhury, M.I.; Reaz, Rafia; Kamal, M.; Alam, M.N.; Mustafa, M.N.

2005-01-01

The concentrations of naturally occurring radionuclides were measured using gamma spectrometry in the finished products of pottery, glass, ceramic and tiles. Ceramic and pottery utensils, tiles, basin and glassware contained naturally occurring radionuclides. Pottery is produced from local clay materials, but ceramic, tiles, basin and glassware's are made from both local and imported raw materials. Radium and thorium radionuclides are concentrated during the making of pottery from the clay materials due to calcination. Radionuclides concentrated more in the highly calcined pottery products than the low calcined products. Glassware products contained very low quantities of radionuclides comparing with the ceramic and pottery products. Study on radioactivity in the pottery, ceramic and glassware products is important in the assessment of possible radiological hazards to human health. The knowledge is essential for the development of standards and guidelines for the use and management of these materials. (author)

Pottery use by early Holocene hunter-gatherers of the Korean peninsula closely linked with the exploitation of marine resources

Science.gov (United States)

Shoda, Shinya; Lucquin, Alexandre; Ahn, Jae-ho; Hwang, Chul-joo; Craig, Oliver E.

2017-08-01

The earliest pottery on the Korean peninsula dates to the early Holocene, notably later than other regions of East Asia, such as Japan, the Russian Far East and Southern China. To shed light on the function of such early Korean pottery and to understand the motivations for its adoption, organic residue analysis was conducted on pottery sherds and adhered surface deposit on the wall of pottery vessels (foodcrusts) excavated from the Sejuk shell midden (7.7-6.8ka calBP) on the southeastern coast and the Jukbyeon-ri site (7.9-6.9ka calBP) on the eastern coast of the Korean peninsula, that represents the earliest pottery assemblages with reliable radiocarbon dates. Through chemical and isotopic residue analysis, we conclude that the use of pottery at these sites was oriented towards marine resources, supported by lipid biomarkers typical of aquatic organisms and stable carbon isotope values that matched authentic marine reference fats. The findings contrast with other archaeological evidence, which shows that a wider range of available food resources were exploited. Therefore, we conclude pottery was used selectively for processing aquatic organisms perhaps including the rendering of aquatic oils for storage. Early pottery use in Korea is broadly similar to other prehistoric temperate hunter-gatherers, such as in Japan, northern Europe and northern America. However, it is also notable that elaborately decorated red burnished pottery excavated from isolated location at the Jukbyeon-ri site had a different usage pattern, which indicates that division of pottery use by vessel form was established even at this early stage.

Characterization of prehistoric pottery from the Tremiti Isles by trace elements determination

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brandone, A.; Fumo, P.; Giacco, M.; Oddone, M.; Riganti, V.; Baldi, M

1993-01-01

The potteries found on the Tremiti Isles (Italy, Adriatic Sea) have been characterized through their trace elements content. The goal of the work was to find out the number of ore deposits that supplied the clay used to manufacture the pottery. Neutron activation analysis has been employed for trace elements content determinations; the results have been statistically evaluated, clusterized and discussed. (author) 13 refs.; 1 fig.; 3 tabs

Study on the pre-qin pottery and proto-porcelain from boluo county, Guangdong province with INAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang Jianping; Chen Tiemei

2003-01-01

Seventy-seven pottery and proto-porcelain sherds collected from Meihuadun, Yingang and Henglingshan sites of Boluo County, Guangdong Province were studied with INAA. These sherds are of Western Zhou to Warring States Period. Concentrations of 27 elements were measured, then principal component analysis and other statistical procedures were applied to the data set in order to classify these sherds. This study shows: (1) Though these 3 archaeological sites are located close to each other within an area of about 1000 km 2 , ancient potters of these sites might use raw materials of different origins for pottery production, as pottery sherds of these 3 sites show different chemical compositions. Such differentiation is also observed for the proto-porcelain samples, indicating that proto-porcelain samples found at Meihuadun and Henglingshan might be of different provenance; (2) In each site during the Western Zhou to Spring-Autumn Period the same raw material was used for both hard pottery and soft pottery manufacturing, while during the Warring States Period no similarity in chemical compositions was observed between hard pottery and soft pottery samples. It is wondered if this phenomenon means an advancement of ceramic technology

First molecular and isotopic evidence of millet processing in prehistoric pottery vessels

Science.gov (United States)

Heron, Carl; Shoda, Shinya; Breu Barcons, Adrià; Czebreszuk, Janusz; Eley, Yvette; Gorton, Marise; Kirleis, Wiebke; Kneisel, Jutta; Lucquin, Alexandre; Müller, Johannes; Nishida, Yastami; Son, Joon-Ho; Craig, Oliver E.

2016-12-01

Analysis of organic residues in pottery vessels has been successful in detecting a range of animal and plant products as indicators of food preparation and consumption in the past. However, the identification of plant remains, especially grain crops in pottery, has proved elusive. Extending the spectrum is highly desirable, not only to strengthen our understanding of the dispersal of crops from centres of domestication but also to determine modes of food processing, artefact function and the culinary significance of the crop. Here, we propose a new approach to identify millet in pottery vessels, a crop that spread throughout much of Eurasia during prehistory following its domestication, most likely in northern China. We report the successful identification of miliacin (olean-18-en-3β-ol methyl ether), a pentacyclic triterpene methyl ether that is enriched in grains of common/broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum), in Bronze Age pottery vessels from the Korean Peninsula and northern Europe. The presence of millet is supported by enriched carbon stable isotope values of bulk charred organic matter sampled from pottery vessel surfaces and extracted n-alkanoic acids, consistent with a C4 plant origin. These data represent the first identification of millet in archaeological ceramic vessels, providing a means to track the introduction, spread and consumption of this important crop.

Direct dating of archaeological pottery by compound-specific 14C analysis of preserved lipids.

Science.gov (United States)

Stott, Andrew W; Berstan, Robert; Evershed, Richard P; Bronk-Ramsey, Christopher; Hedges, Robert E M; Humm, Martin J

2003-10-01

A methodology is described demonstrating the utility of the compound-specific 14C technique as a direct means of dating archaeological pottery. The method uses automated preparative capillary gas chromatography employing wide-bore capillary columns to isolate individual compounds from lipid extracts of archaeological potsherds in high purity (>95%) and amounts (>200 microg) sufficient for radiocarbon dating using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). A protocol was developed and tested on n-alkanes and n-carboxylic acids possessing a broad range of 14C ages. Analytical blanks and controls allowed background 14C measurements to be assessed and potential sources of errors to be detected, i.e., contamination with modern or dead 14C, isotopic fraction effects, etc. A "Russian doll" method was developed to transfer isolated target compounds onto tin powder/capsules prior to combustion and AMS analyses. The major advantage of the compound-specific technique is that 14C dates obtained for individual compounds can be directly linked to the commodities processed in the vessels during their use, e.g., animal fats. The compound-specific 14C dating protocol was validated on a suite of ancient pottery whose predicted ages spanned a 5000-year date range. Initial results indicate that meaningful correlations can be obtained between the predicted date of pottery and that of the preserved lipids. These findings constitute an important step forward to the direct dating of archaeological pottery.

Harry Potteri ABC

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2002-01-01

Tutvustavat näitlejate ja nende rollide juurde J.K. Rowling'u Harry Potteri lugude teises filmis "Harry Potter ja saladuste kamber" ("Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets") : režissöör Chris Columbus. Filmi esilinastumisest New Yorgis

PIXE multivariate statistics and OSL investigation for the classification and dating of archaeological pottery excavated at Tell Al-Rawda site, Syria

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bakraji, E.H., E-mail: cscientificl@aec.org.sy [Archaeometry Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, P. O. Box 6091, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic); Rihawy, M.S. [Archaeometry Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, P. O. Box 6091, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic); Castel, C. [CNRS – Maison de l’Orient et de la Méditerranée, Laboratoire “Archéorient”, CNRS/Université Lumière-Lyon 2 (France); Abboud, R. [Archaeometry Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Atomic Energy Commission of Syria, P. O. Box 6091, Damascus (Syrian Arab Republic)

2015-03-15

Highlights: •PIXE and OSL methods were used to classify and date pottery from Tell Al-Rawda site. •Three groups were classified using PIXE, which suggest different sources of the clay. •OSL was used for dating the site and the date found was consistent with typology. -- Abstract: Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique has been utilised to study 48 Syrian ancient pottery fragments taken from excavations at Tell Al-Rawda site. Eighteen elements (Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Sr, Y, and Pb) were determined. The elements concentrations have been processed using two multivariate statistical methods, to classify the pottery where one main group and other two small groups were defined. In addition, four samples from different places on the site were subjected to optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. The average age obtained using a single aliquot regeneration (SAR) protocol was found to be 4350 ± 240 year.

PIXE multivariate statistics and OSL investigation for the classification and dating of archaeological pottery excavated at Tell Al-Rawda site, Syria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakraji, E.H.; Rihawy, M.S.; Castel, C.; Abboud, R.

2015-01-01

Highlights: •PIXE and OSL methods were used to classify and date pottery from Tell Al-Rawda site. •Three groups were classified using PIXE, which suggest different sources of the clay. •OSL was used for dating the site and the date found was consistent with typology. -- Abstract: Particle Induced X-ray Emission (PIXE) technique has been utilised to study 48 Syrian ancient pottery fragments taken from excavations at Tell Al-Rawda site. Eighteen elements (Mg, Al, Si, P, S, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Ni, Zn, As, Br, Rb, Sr, Y, and Pb) were determined. The elements concentrations have been processed using two multivariate statistical methods, to classify the pottery where one main group and other two small groups were defined. In addition, four samples from different places on the site were subjected to optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating. The average age obtained using a single aliquot regeneration (SAR) protocol was found to be 4350 ± 240 year

Application of radioisotope XRF and thermoluminescence (TL) dating in investigation of pottery from Tell AL-Kasra archaeological site, Syria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abboud, R.; Issa, H.; Abed-Allah, Y.D.; Bakraji, E.H.

2015-01-01

Statistical analysis based on chemical composition, using radioisotope X-ray fluorescence, have been applied on 39 ancient pottery fragments coming from the excavation at Tell Al-Kasra archaeological site, Syria. Three groups were defined by applying Cluster and Factor analysis statistical methods. Thermoluminescence (TL) dating was investigated on three sherds taken from the bathroom (hammam) on the site. Multiple aliquot additive dose (MAAD) was used to estimate the paleodose value, and the gamma spectrometry was used to estimate the dose rate. The average age was found to be 715±36 year. - Highlights: • Providing new additional data of Syrian archaeological ceramics. • This work investigates both elemental content and dating of Syrian ceramics. • Elemental analysis and dating were performed by XRF and TL dating respectively.

Pottery from Peru. A Handbook. Second Edition.

Science.gov (United States)

Rammage, Alix

One of three handbooks dealing with pottery traditions from around the world, this packet draws together information about historical, ethnographic, and pottery traditions of Peru. The first of 13 brief subsections focuses on Peru's land and people. A presentation of a potter's history of Peru is followed by a discussion of the Chavin Cult (800…

Study on provenance of ancient pottery excavated from Huating Ruins, Xinyi County by INAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Anwu; Wang Changsui; Chi Jinqi; Satoshi Koshimizu; Kazai Manabu; Kushihara Koichi

1997-01-01

The ancient pottery excavated from Huating Ruins, Xinyi Country, Jiangsu Province, was measured and studied by INAA. The data were manipulated by multivariate statistic analysis, such as cluster and factor analysis. It has been shown that the specimens can be divided into two groups, which are related to Liangzhu Culture area and Dawenkou Culture area respectively. The result seems to support the viewpoint that the pottery specimens of Liangzhu Culture from Huating Ruins belong to war trophies

Nuclear analytical technique for the study of ancient pottery from a Ghanaian archaeological site

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Forson, A.

2006-01-01

Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) was utilized to determine the elemental concentrations of the archaeological pottery samples from Jenini slave camp in the Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana, employing the 30kW tank-in-pool Miniature Neutron Source Reactor (MNSR) at the Ghana Atomic Energy Commission (GAEC). Jenini was a slave camp of Samory Toure during the indigenous slavery and the Trans-Atlantic slave trade. The samples were obtained during the excavations of the tombs of the slaves who died at the camp. The accuracy of the INAA method was evaluated using IAEA Soil-7 reference material. The precision was calculated as relative standard deviation and was found to be within ±10%. Thirty-two (32) ceramic fragment samples from the archaeological site were analyzed to determine the concentration of 20 elements: Al, As, Ba, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Dy, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Mn, Na, Sc, Sm,Th, U, and V. Two multivariate statistical methods, cluster and factor analyses, were performed on the data set in order to determine similarities and correlations between the various samples. The results of the cluster and factor analyses indicate a considerable overlap in the chemistry of the pottery shards from the three sampling points (i.e. Trench 1, Trench 2 and Pit 1) indicating that the pot shards were made from a single type of clay or clays of similar geochemical signatures. (au)

Radiocarbon dating of Mesolithic pottery from Northern Germany

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Philippsen, Bente

2013-01-01

The earliest pottery in Schleswig-Holstein, Northern Germany, was produced by the Final Mesolithic Ertebølle culture. Radiocarbon dating of food crusts on Ertebølle pottery indicated that ceramics from inland sites were substantially older than those from the coast. Therefore, a freshwater...

Not so coarse, nor always plain - the earliest pottery of Syria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nieuwenhuyse, Olivier P.; Akkermans, Peter M. M. G.; van der Plicht, Johannes

The site of Tell Sabi Abyad in Syria offers a superb stratified sequence passing, from the aceramic (pre-pottery) to pottery-using Neolithic around 7000 BC Surprisingly the first pottery arrives fully developed with mineral tempering, burnishing and stripey decoration in painted slip. The expected,

Analysis of ancient pottery from the palatine hill in Rome

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

De Sena, E.; Landsberger, S.; Wisseman, S.

1995-01-01

A program of compositional analysis using neutron activation has been performed on samples of Roman fine ware from the Palatine East excavations in Rome at the University of Illinois' TRIGA reactor. These experiments are ultimately intended to assist the authors in advancing the understanding of the organization of pottery production and distribution in central Italy during the late Roman imperial period (4th-5th c. AD). The objectives of this paper are to present an archaeological background of two regionally-produced fine wares, to discuss the methods of sampling, irradiation and data analyses, and to demonstrate the preliminary results of our investigation, which included the analyses of Plio-Pleistocene clays from the Janiculum Hill in Rome. (author). 5 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs

Classifying and Visualising Roman Pottery using Computer-scanned Typologies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jacqueline Christmas

2018-05-01

Full Text Available For many archaeological assemblages and type-series, accurate drawings of standardised pottery vessels have been recorded in consistent styles. This provides the opportunity to extract individual pot drawings and derive from them data that can be used for analysis and visualisation. Starting from PDF scans of the original pages of pot drawings, we have automated much of the process for locating, defining the boundaries, extracting and orientating each individual pot drawing. From these processed images, basic features such as width and height, the volume of the interior, the edges, and the shape of the cross-section outline are extracted and are then used to construct more complex features such as a measure of a pot's 'circularity'. Capturing these traits opens up new possibilities for (a classifying vessel form in a way that is sensitive to the physical characteristics of pots relative to other vessels in an assemblage, and (b visualising the results of quantifying assemblages using standard typologies. A frequently encountered problem when trying to compare pottery from different archaeological sites is that the pottery is classified into forms and labels using different standards. With a set of data from early Roman urban centres and related sites that has been labelled both with forms (e.g. 'platter' and 'bowl' and shape identifiers (based on the Camulodunum type-series, we use the extracted features from images to look both at how the pottery forms cluster for a given set of features, and at how the features may be used to compare finds from different sites.

Relevance of pottery on traditional African economy: an ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

This study probes the relevance of potteries in archaeological records in the reconstruction of traditional African economy as shown among the people of North-East Yoruba land of Nigeria. The use of ethnoarchaeological paradigms in the study of potteries, which has been employed in this study, can shed immense lights ...

Pottery from a Chimu Workshop Studied by Moessbauer Spectroscopy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tschauner, H.; Wagner, U.

2003-01-01

Ceramic finds from a pottery workshop in the Lambayeque valley were studied by neutron activation analysis, Moessbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction in an attempt to assess an advanced division of labour on the North Coast of Peru during the Chimu period (AD 1350-1460). The study suggests that the material was predominantly fired in a reducing environment with partial reoxidation at the end of the firing cycles, although firing in an oxidising atmosphere has taken place occasionally. The observed variation of firing conditions is characteristic for the use of pit kilns. The results of the archaeometric studies confirm the stylistic studies and show that pottery was no status symbol and far less important as a carrier of Chimu style than metal artefacts.

New data from Oposisi : implications for Early Papuan pottery phase

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, J.; Summerhayes, G.; Mandui, H.; Leavesley, M.

2011-01-01

An apparent colonisation of the Papuan south coast by pottery-making villagers about 2000 years ago let in the 1970s to the development of a regional sequence of first millenium AD decorated pottery styles now known as Early Papuan pottery (EPP). Important in defining this style horizon is the Yule Island site of Oposisi first excavated by Ron Vanderwal in 1969. As part of an on-going re-appraisal of pottery production along this coast by two of us, we took advantage of an opportunity to re-sample the site in 2007. A paper proposing a much earlier starting date for EPP based on dates for sherds in Torres Strait meant that we could also take advantage of this visit to acquire further dating samples. A coherent set of seven new AMS dates strongly supports the Oposisi sequence beginning at c. 2000 BP. Beyond this our sample produced much more obsidian, imported from Fergusson Island 600 km to the east, than had previously been recorded for the site. This attests to stronger and more continuous eastern links than had been previously supposed. Lastly the paper reviews EPP in the light of recent pottery finds that suggest pre-EPP pottery will occur on the south Papuan coast. (author). 21 refs., 8 figs., 8 tabs.

Analytical investigations of cooking pottery from Tell Beydar (NE-Syria)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Broekmans, T.; Adriaens, A.; Pantos, E.

2004-01-01

Within the framework of a technological and socio-economical study of pottery production in Tell Beydar (NE-Syria) during the third millennium BC, the chemical composition and mineralogy of cooking pottery from that site has been studied using polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray detection (SEM-EDX) and X-ray diffraction by means of synchrotron radiation (SR-XRD). The obtained data were used to make inferences concerning the pottery's technology, such as clay preparation and firing techniques

Plastic raw materials in Neolithic pottery production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander A. Bobrinsky

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The paper is dedicated to the investigation of various natural silts as the most ancient type of raw material used in pottery production. The authors describe the specific features of the composition of plain and mountain silts, and discover the same features in ancient ceramics from different regions in Russia. It can be concluded that silts were the earliest raw material used, a tradition that faded away during the evolution of pottery production.

The Ecological Aspects of Local Pottery in Guilan, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Majid Ziaee

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The modern world is facing pervasive environmental problems and pollution crisis, while in the previous eras, meeting one's need through environment would inflict less harm on one's surroundings. In traditional artifacts, compatibility with the natural environment does exist and in many aspects has been suited with the climate and environmental features of every locality. The main purpose of the study is to identify and introduce the environmental features of pottery of Guilan, Iran. This is achieved by investigating the interaction between the local potters and their environment. The primary data are collected through library resources, field observation and visiting active potteries in Guilan. In this regard, the main research questions of the present study are as follows: What are the features of Guilan local pottery? What features are compatible with environmental standards? To conduct the study, a descriptive-analytical method is employed. The findings show that pottery in Guilan is not a threat to the environment in terms of local knowledge in using raw material, finding resources of renewable energy, community-based manpower, optimum exploitation of time and energy, potteryware designing with various functions, and re-using a product for further purposes. Nonetheless, there exist some issues which are not environmentally friendly like failure to modernize the potteryware to be of use for current needs, high rate of waste over the production process, and using toxic materials in glazing. Therefore, raising environmental awareness of locals, cultural diffusion, informing the users of the benefits of using pottery, and making improvements to the cycle of design, producing, and marketing all play substantial role in preserving local pottery.

Beyond the Levant: first evidence of a pre-pottery Neolithic incursion into the Nefud Desert, Saudi Arabia.

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Rémy Crassard

Full Text Available Pre-Pottery Neolithic assemblages are best known from the fertile areas of the Mediterranean Levant. The archaeological site of Jebel Qattar 101 (JQ-101, at Jubbah in the southern part of the Nefud Desert of northern Saudi Arabia, contains a large collection of stone tools, adjacent to an Early Holocene palaeolake. The stone tool assemblage contains lithic types, including El-Khiam and Helwan projectile points, which are similar to those recorded in Pre-Pottery Neolithic A and Pre-Pottery Neolithic B assemblages in the Fertile Crescent. Jebel Qattar lies ∼500 kilometres outside the previously identified geographic range of Pre-Pottery Neolithic cultures. Technological analysis of the typologically diagnostic Jebel Qattar 101 projectile points indicates a unique strategy to manufacture the final forms, thereby raising the possibility of either direct migration of Levantine groups or the acculturation of mobile communities in Arabia. The discovery of the Early Holocene site of Jebel Qattar suggests that our view of the geographic distribution and character of Pre-Pottery Neolithic cultures may be in need of revision.

Beyond the Levant: First Evidence of a Pre-Pottery Neolithic Incursion into the Nefud Desert, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Crassard, Rémy; Petraglia, Michael D.; Parker, Adrian G.; Parton, Ash; Roberts, Richard G.; Jacobs, Zenobia; Alsharekh, Abdullah; Al-Omari, Abdulaziz; Breeze, Paul; Drake, Nick A.; Groucutt, Huw S.; Jennings, Richard; Régagnon, Emmanuelle; Shipton, Ceri

2013-01-01

Pre-Pottery Neolithic assemblages are best known from the fertile areas of the Mediterranean Levant. The archaeological site of Jebel Qattar 101 (JQ-101), at Jubbah in the southern part of the Nefud Desert of northern Saudi Arabia, contains a large collection of stone tools, adjacent to an Early Holocene palaeolake. The stone tool assemblage contains lithic types, including El-Khiam and Helwan projectile points, which are similar to those recorded in Pre-Pottery Neolithic A and Pre-Pottery Neolithic B assemblages in the Fertile Crescent. Jebel Qattar lies ∼500 kilometres outside the previously identified geographic range of Pre-Pottery Neolithic cultures. Technological analysis of the typologically diagnostic Jebel Qattar 101 projectile points indicates a unique strategy to manufacture the final forms, thereby raising the possibility of either direct migration of Levantine groups or the acculturation of mobile communities in Arabia. The discovery of the Early Holocene site of Jebel Qattar suggests that our view of the geographic distribution and character of Pre-Pottery Neolithic cultures may be in need of revision. PMID:23894294

POTTERY IN CULTURE UKRAINIAN NATIONAL HOUSING OF PRIDNEPROVSKYI REGION

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

YEVSEEVA G. P.

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Formulation of the problem. Housing is a prerequisite for the existence of any rights, so the material culture of each nation it has an important place. In the exterior of ethnic expressed mainly in the way some design elements of housing and street facilities. Most ethnic specificity has interior housing, depending on external conditions: the nature of planning, construction, furniture, decoration items, dishes and more. There is a similarity residential interior throughout the residence Ukrainian. Such similarity is natural, it is in the internal space of the housing specific people represents their understanding feasibility, benefits and beauty. Beauty and the similarity of pottery that used the Ukrainian nation from its inception and up until today, confirms the unity of the aesthetic preferences of the people and the convenience of daily life. Analysis of publications. The study of Ukrainian national dishes, its specific features, artistic design tools dedicated to a number of scientific papers. Information on the national pottery central and southern regions of Ukraine are contained in the writings of scholars of the nineteenth century. and scholars period of independence. Some issues of Ukrainian pottery and its typologies considered in the work of scientists of the Soviet period. The purpose of the article is to analyze the types of pottery that were in use in the Ukrainian national housing of the Prydniprovia. Conclusions. Each peasant house, like today, a hundred years ago, saturating domestic products with dual reality hidden meaning, ancient meanings, is a kind of unique personal world, which is closely intertwined with the general social commonplace, seeing its effects and actively influencing it forms a harmonious world environment, in which modern man lives. It is therefore important to us to know, for example, not the evolution of Ukrainian houses as an insult, but its structure and nature of technology of hut building even a

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

Application of Moessbauer spectroscopy to study archaeological Egyptian pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eissa, N.A.

1988-01-01

Moessbauer spectra have been used as ''fingerprints'' in obtaining information an ancient Egyptian pottery and in fine art. An empirical relation has been found that connects the natural radiation dose with the intensity ratio of the two non-magnetic central peaks. It was suggested that this relation be used for dating ancient pottery. 8 refs, 13 figs, 2 tabs

Uus raamat tõstis Potteri-palaviku haripunkti / Mari Rebane

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Rebane, Mari

2007-01-01

Eestis esilinastus 20. juulil Harry Potteri viies film "Harry Potter ja Fööniksi ordu" ("Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"), režissöör David Yates : Ameerika Ühendriigid-Suurbritannia 2007. Alates 21. juulist saab osta seitsmendat ja ühtlasi viimast J. K. Rowlingu Potteri-sarja raamatut "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows"

Thermoluminescence dating of pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higashimura, Takenobu; Ichikawa, Yoneta.

1978-01-01

This report is divided into two parts. The first half describes on the history of thermoluminescence dating, and the latter half, the principle and measurement examples. It was in late 1955 that the measurement of radiation dose using thermoluminescence began. The method to thermoluminescence dating was developed when it was found that most natural stones emit the thermoluminescence. About Greek earthen wares, the study of which was presented in 1961 by G. Kennedy of University of California, the dating was able to be made within the standard deviation of 10%. Since then, this dating method progressed rapidly, and a number of laboratories are now forwarding the investigation. In the samples of natural materials, intensity of thermoluminescence I is proportional to natural radiation dose D which has been absorbed by the samples, i.e. I = kD, where k is the susceptibility of thermoluminescence of the samples. Since k is different in each sample, D can be determined by irradiating the sample with β or γ ray of known dose D 0 , measuring its luminescence I 0 , and eliminating k through these two equations, because i 0 = kD 0 . Next, if t is assumed to be the time passed since a pottery was made, D is expressed as Rt, where R is the natural radiation dose per year absorbed by the pottery. Thus t is determined if R is known. The report describes on the method of measuring R. As an example, the results of measurement of the potteries excavated at Iwakura remains, Yorikura, Taishaku-kyo, are listed. Results by 14 C dating are also described for reference. (Wakatsuki, Y.)

Identification of Spacial Pattern in Productive House of Pottery Craftsmen

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dyah Kusuma Wardhani

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The research goals were to identify a spacial pattern in craftsmen house and to see its relevance to the social-cultural life of the craftsmen. The existence of domestic and economic activity in craftsmen house creates a spacial pattern with particular characteristics. Data were collected through direct observation, interviews, and visual documentation to record productive house, settlement condition, and sequences of pottery production. The in-depth interview focused on the use of time, space, and house modification in craftsmen house. House in the craftsmen settlement was growing gradually by adjusting to the inhabitant's needs. This research was included in qualitative research that described observation results and then analyzed spacial pattern formed in craftsmen house. Research results show that in this settlement beside the mixed, balanced, and separated type of productive house, there is also pottery collectors house type. The changes in the productive house are related to housing adaptation or house adjustment to accommodate production process. The settlement orientation is along the streets, but the existence of open space in the form of pottery kiln and hay storage become the main orientation for productive spaces inside the craftsmen house. Pottery kiln and hay storage have become open cultural space that characterizes the pottery craftsmen settlement. 

Ancient lipids document continuity in the use of early hunter-gatherer pottery through 9,000 years of Japanese prehistory.

Science.gov (United States)

Lucquin, Alexandre; Gibbs, Kevin; Uchiyama, Junzo; Saul, Hayley; Ajimoto, Mayumi; Eley, Yvette; Radini, Anita; Heron, Carl P; Shoda, Shinya; Nishida, Yastami; Lundy, Jasmine; Jordan, Peter; Isaksson, Sven; Craig, Oliver E

2016-04-12

The earliest pots in the world are from East Asia and date to the Late Pleistocene. However, ceramic vessels were only produced in large numbers during the warmer and more stable climatic conditions of the Holocene. It has long been assumed that the expansion of pottery was linked with increased sedentism and exploitation of new resources that became available with the ameliorated climate, but this hypothesis has never been tested. Through chemical analysis of their contents, we herein investigate the use of pottery across an exceptionally long 9,000-y sequence from the Jōmon site of Torihama in western Japan, intermittently occupied from the Late Pleistocene to the mid-Holocene. Molecular and isotopic analyses of lipids from 143 vessels provides clear evidence that pottery across this sequence was predominantly used for cooking marine and freshwater resources, with evidence for diversification in the range of aquatic products processed during the Holocene. Conversely, there is little indication that ruminant animals or plants were processed in pottery, although it is evident from the faunal and macrobotanical remains that these foods were heavily exploited. Supported by other residue analysis data from Japan, our results show that the link between pottery and fishing was established in the Late Paleolithic and lasted well into the Holocene, despite environmental and socio-economic change. Cooking aquatic products in pottery represents an enduring social aspect of East Asian hunter-gatherers, a tradition based on a dependable technology for exploiting a sustainable resource in an uncertain and changing world.

Annual dose measurements and TL-dating of ancient Egyptian pottery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Abdel-Wahab, M S; El-Fiki, S A; Abdel-Kariem, S; El-Faramawy, N [Ain Shams University, Cairo (Egypt). Faculty of Science; EL-Fiki, M A [National Institute of Standards, Cairo (Egypt); Gomaa, M [Atomic Energy Establishment, Cairo (Egypt). Nuclear Research Center

1996-05-01

In the course of the dating of ancient Egyptian pottery, pottery sherds were collected from three archaeological tombs in Nazlet El Samman region, Giza zone (Egypt). The annual dose from natural background was measured by gamma spectrosocopic technique as well as thermoluminescence (TL) measurements. The results of both methods are in good agreement with a consistency of 99.69%. The extracted quartz exhibited TL dating peaks at about (305 {+-} 5){sup o}C. The TL dating shows an age of 4301 {+-} 100 years for the examined pottery which belongs to the ``Fourth Dynasty`` in the ``OlKingdom`` . The uncertainties in TL dating using the additive method are much lower than that of archaeologists. (author).

Annual dose measurements and TL-dating of ancient Egyptian pottery

Science.gov (United States)

Abdel-Wahab, M. S.; El-Fiki, S. A.; El-Fiki, M. A.; Gomaa, M.; Abdel-Kariem, S.; El-Faramawy, N.

1996-05-01

In the course of the dating of ancient Egyptian pottery, pottery sherds were collected from three archaeological tombs in Nazlet El Samman region, Giza zone (Egypt). The annual dose from natural background was measured by gamma spectroscopic technique as well as thermoluminescence (TL) measurements. The results of both methods are in good agreement with a consistency of 99.69%. The extracted quartz exhibited TL dating peaks at about(305 ± 5|4)°C. The TL dating shows an age of 4301 ± 100 years for the examined pottery which belongs to the "Fourth Dynasty" in the "Old Kingdom". The uncertainties in TL dating using the additive method are much lower than that of archeologists.

Annual dose measurements and TL-dating of ancient Egyptian pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdel-Wahab, M.S.; El-Fiki, S.A.; Abdel-Kariem, S.; El-Faramawy, N.; Gomaa, M.

1996-01-01

In the course of the dating of ancient Egyptian pottery, pottery sherds were collected from three archaeological tombs in Nazlet El Samman region, Giza zone (Egypt). The annual dose from natural background was measured by gamma spectrosocopic technique as well as thermoluminescence (TL) measurements. The results of both methods are in good agreement with a consistency of 99.69%. The extracted quartz exhibited TL dating peaks at about (305 ± 5) o C. The TL dating shows an age of 4301 ± 100 years for the examined pottery which belongs to the ''Fourth Dynasty'' in the ''OlKingdom'' . The uncertainties in TL dating using the additive method are much lower than that of archaeologists. (author)

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

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.

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)

Moessbauer studies on ancient Chinese pottery of Yangshao Culture Period

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yu Zhengfang; Zheng Qi; Zheng Yufang; Zhongshan Univ., Guangzhou

1988-01-01

Eleven pieces of ancient Chinese pottery (4770 B.C. - 2960 B.C.) of Yangshao Culture Period collected from the Xi'an area have been studied by means of Moessbauer spectroscopy. The samples were refired up to 1100 0 C in steps of 100 0 C for 2 h in air. The highest temperature up to which the Moessbauer pattern remains basically unchanged can be identified with the original firing temperature. The result indicates that the firing temperatures for most of the sherds were between 900-1000 0 C. The function of the grit contained in the pottery has been discussed. The crimson and reddish painted materials on the surface of sherds have been studied, respectively. The first appearance of pottery can probably be traced back to an even earlier period. (orig.)

Moessbauer studies on ancient Chinese pottery of Yangshao Culture Period

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zhengfang, Yu; Qi, Zheng; Yufang, Zheng

1988-02-01

Eleven pieces of ancient Chinese pottery (4770 B.C. - 2960 B.C.) of Yangshao Culture Period collected from the Xi'an area have been studied by means of Moessbauer spectroscopy. The samples were refired up to 1100/sup 0/C in steps of 100/sup 0/C for 2 h in air. The highest temperature up to which the Moessbauer pattern remains basically unchanged can be identified with the original firing temperature. The result indicates that the firing temperatures for most of the sherds were between 900-1000/sup 0/C. The function of the grit contained in the pottery has been discussed. The crimson and reddish painted materials on the surface of sherds have been studied, respectively. The first appearance of pottery can probably be traced back to an even earlier period.

Dataset on elemental concentration and group identification of ancient potteries from Tamil Nadu, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Chandrasekaran

2017-02-01

Full Text Available The dataset contains concentration of major and trace elements of ancient potteries from Tamilnadu and grouping different potteries from the statistical techniques of factor and cluster analysis (Figs. 2, 3 and 4. The major and trace elemental concentration data generated using energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence technique (EDXRF and factor and cluster analysis data obtained using STATISTICA (10.0 version software. The concentration of major and trace elements determines the type of clay minerals (Calcareous/Non-Calcareous and either low or high refractory and firing atmosphere adopted by the artisans at the time of manufacture. The statistical tool examined graphically the grouping pattern of the samples in terms of chemical composition and extract information about their provenance. The compilation of this data provides a resource for the wider research community in archeology.

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

Dots close together on a map: Mycenaean pottery in the Jordan valley

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Wijngaarden, G.J.; Steiner, M.L.; van der Steen, E.J.

2008-01-01

Pottery made in the Aegean during the Mycenaean period (ca. 1600-1100 BC) has been found at many sites in the Levant. Since such Mycenaean pottery is classified in detail and easily recognisable, this material is suitable to research long-distance trade and interconnections between the Mycenaean

Distinguishing of artificial irradiation by α dose: a method of discriminating imitations of ancient pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2003-01-01

If a modern pottery is artificially irradiated by γ-rays of 60 Co source, the modern will become ancient when the pottery is dated by the thermoluminescence technique. For distinguishing artificial irradiation a study was made. Meanwhile the 'fine-grain' and 'pre-dose' techniques were used respectively for measurement of the paleodose in a fine-grain sample from the same pottery. If the paleodose measured by the fine-grain technique is greater than that by the pre-dose techniques, we can affirm that the difference between two paleodoses is due to α dose and this paleodose containing α component results from natural radiation, the pottery therefore is ancient. If two paleodoses are equal approximately, i.e. α dose is not included in the paleodose, the paleodose comes from artificial γ irradiation and the pottery is an imitation

Spatio-temporal analysis of oak forests (Quercus humboldtii Bonpl.) change and its relationship with pottery at Aguabuena (Raquira-Boyaca)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moncada Rasmussen, Dora Maria

2010-01-01

This research was conducted at Aguabuena, Raquira-Boyaca, and the main objective was to identify the changes in the settlement patterns and oak - forest cover, due to the development of new technologies and destinies for ceramics production. The study was carried out using aerial photographs from 1985 and 1993 processed in ArcGIS v. 9.0, as well as the application of participatory methods and spatial statistics. The spatio-temporal analysis of the forests allowed the measurement of perimeter and area changes and the number of fragments, where the loss of forest cover was 43.43% for the evaluated years. For analytical purposes related to the ceramics production organization, two different types of workshops can be pointed out: Domestic and Family - Industry. In the Domestic workshops spatial aggregation is due to the forest presence, its relative and different antiquity. The family - indus try- workshops are located along roads, for their relatives and population increment. Each ceramic production system represents different forms of relations with nature; the domestic ones are located in the oaks forests, using high quality fuel in the heating ceramics, while the Industrial-Family looks for the roads with the purpose of centralizing the production and favoring the intermediate relations. These two modes of production reflect the human role in the change and creation of new land scapes from the pottery.

Study of composition and provenance of ancient Mamluk-Ayyubid potteries in Jordan using ICP-MS and synchrotron radiation XRF techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aldrabee, A.; Wriekat, A.; Abusaleem, K.; Radtke, M.

2012-12-01

Multielement analysis of thirty two Ayubid-Mamluk glazed pottery shards were analyzed for determining chemical composition in order to study their provenance. The shards lasted in the present research come from the historical site of Khirbt Far is on the Karat plateau in Jordan. The chemical analysis for sixteen samples was carried out by inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS) and by synchrotron radiation x-rays fluorescence spectrometry (SR-X RF) for all samples. The quantitative analysis for elements Mg, Al, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Mo, Bi, and U has been determined by ICP-MS and the semi-quantitative analysis for the elements Fe, Cu, Zu, Br, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Mo, Pd, Ag, Cd, and Pd has been conducted for all samples by SR-X RF. The data were analyzed by using principal component analysis PCA and hierarchical cluster analysis with Bray-Curtis in order to define grouping of different glazed pottery by obtain information about their similarity and clustering. The results of chemical analysis provided persuasive evidence that the Khirbet faribet Faris pottery shards have at least three different sources of provenance. (Author)

Defining pottery use and animal management at the Neolithic site of Bylany (Czech Republic)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Mátlová, V.; Roffet-Salque, M.; Pavlů, Ivan; Kyselka, J.; Sedlářová, I.; Filip, V.; Evershed, R. P.

2017-01-01

Roč. 14, August (2017), s. 262-274 ISSN 2352-409X Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : LBK pottery * organic residue analysis * gas chromatography * fatty acids * stable carbon isotope analyse * vessel use * porosity Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology OBOR OECD: Archaeology

Investigation of trace elements in Guangxi ancient pottery by INAA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Peng Zicheng; Sun Weidong; Huang Yunlan

1997-01-01

Guangxi Zhuang Nationality Autonomous Region is an original place for manufacture of ancient pottery in China since Zenpiyan site, dated 9240-10370 years ago, was excavated. Contents of trace elements La, Ce, Nd, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, Lu, U, Th, Sc, Ta, Ba, Cs, Rb, Sr and Zr in 44 pottery shards from Guangxi sites, dated from 1450 B.C. to 200 A.D., were determined by INAA and XRF. The provenances of the 44 samples are postulated by the analyses of geochemical parameters

Application of multivariate statistical methods to classify archaeological pottery from Tel-Alramad site, Syria, based on x-ray fluorescence analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bakraji, E. H.

2007-01-01

Radioisotopic x-ray fluorescence (XRF) analysis has been utilized to determine the elemental composition of 55 archaeological pottery samples by the determination of 17 chemical elements. Fifty-four of them came from the Tel-Alramad Site in Katana town, near Damascus city, Syria, and one sample came from Brazil. The XRF results have been processed using two multivariate statistical methods, cluster and factor analysis, in order to determine similarities and correlation between the selected samples based on their elemental composition. The methodology successfully separates the samples where four distinct chemical groups were identified. (author)

Application of XRF and XRD in the study of ceramics and pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meor Yusoff Meor Sulaiman

2004-01-01

Ceramic artefacts are made from clay-based mineral and their elemental and mineral compositions tend to vary from one locality to another. The elemental and mineral composition data's besides able to verify the originality of the artifact also helps in regard to provenance, fabrication technology and also manufacturing technique. X-ray fluorescence XRF is a non-destructive technique to identify and quantify elements ranging from sodium (atomic number = 11 to uranium atomic number = 92). The paper also looks into recent advances of this technique in the study of ceramics and pottery. Microfocus XRF, besides able to do qualitative and quantitative elemental analysis, it also can perform accurate elemental mapping. Another aspect there is important in this study is the capability to do in-situ analysis. With the recent introduction of the peltiered-cooled silicon detector, in-situ analysis had become more easily available. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis on the other hand, helps to identify correctly the different mineral composition present in the ceramic artifact. This could also help in identifying the type of clay that is used in the manufacturing of these ceramic artifacts as well as its origin. Both x-ray techniques complement each other and are very important tool in the archaeological study of ceramic and pottery samples. (Author)

Cuaron : olen Potteri-raamatute ohver / Neeme Korv

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Korv, Neeme, 1974-

2004-01-01

J.K. Rowling'u Harry Potteri lugude kolmas film "Harry Potter ja Azkabani vang" ("Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban") : režissöör Alfonso Cuaron : Ameerika Ühendriigid 2004. Filmi režissöörist

Characterization of colour pigments in pre-Columbian Chilean potteries by PIXE elemental analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dinator, M.I.; Morales, J.R.

1990-01-01

Ancient ceremonial potteries belonging to pre-Columbian cultures in Chile are decorated with three colours, red, white and black. Samples of these colours were analyzed with induced x-ray fluorescence by a 6.6 MeV proton beam. The analyses show clearly distinct patterns for each pigment and also denote differences between the same colour in two cultures. Al, Si, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe and Cu were detected. (author) 7 refs.; 5 figs

Analysis of late mid-Neolithic pottery illuminates the presenceof a Corded Ware Culture on the Baltic Island of Gotland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erik Palmgren

2015-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper, we discuss variations seen in the ornamentation and modes of manufacturing pottery from the end of the mid-Neolithic 4600–4300 BP on the Island of Gotland in the Baltic Sea. The Pitted Ware cultural groups have been discussed as a western influence from the Swedish mainland, but the aDNA on skeletal remains point to eastern influences. We analyse and discuss pottery from the well-investigated Ajvide Pitted Ware site and what these variations mean in term of intra- and inter-island relationships, ethnicity and change, and we suggest the development of what could be described as a hybrid culture.

The power of paradigms : examining the evidential basis for Early to Mid-Holocene pigs and pottery in Melanesia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

O'Connor, S.; Barham, A.; Aplin, K.; Dobney, K.; Fairbairn, A.; Richards, M.

2011-01-01

The origin and timing of the introduction of pigs and pottery into New Guinea are continuous topics. Arguments have centred on whether domestic pigs and pottery technology entered New Guinea following the 'Austronesian expansion' from southeast Asia into Island Melanesia, c 3300 calBP, or in the Early to Mid-Holocene. We review the history of the debate and present new dates on pig bone and pottery contexts from archaeological sites, including Taora and Lachitu, on the north coast of mainland Papua New Guinea (PNG), where earlier data supported claims for early pig and pottery. We argue that theoretical positions about 'Neolithic' origins in PNG influenced the relative willingness to accept early dates prima facie and conclude that current evidence shows neither pig nor pottery arrived before 3000 calBP in mainland PNG. (author). 96 refs., 11 figs., 6 tabs.

An automated procedure for themoluminescence dating of pottery and burnt stones

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mejdahl, V.

1982-01-01

An automated procedure for dating of quartz and feldspar inclusions in pottery has been developed and tested in a comprehensive programme comprising material from a number of well-dated Danish sites. The results indicate that TL dating of pottery can now be carried out on a routine basis with an accuracy of about 5%. Experiments on dating of large grains of alkali feldspars extracted from burnt stones are described. The results are encouraging and show that the method may enable a reduction of some of the uncertainties associated with the conventional inclusion technique. (author)

X-ray fluorescence analyzers for investigating postmediaeval pottery from Southern Moravia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Trojek, Tomas; Hlozek, Matin; Cechak, Tomas; Musilek, Ladislav

2010-01-01

This paper deals with an investigation of ceramic archaeological finds with the use of in-situ X-ray fluorescence analysis. Firstly, three configurations of X-ray fluorescence analyzers constructed and used at the Czech Technical University in Prague are described and compared for use in a non-destructive survey of siliceous materials. Detection limits, depth of analysis, the relation of the analyzed area, the homogeneity of the samples, and variations in the element concentrations are discussed. Secondly, many shards of postmediaeval pottery from Southern Moravia are analyzed with X-ray fluorescence analysis and some of them also with electron microprobe analysis. Selected results are described.

Dust exposure and pneumoconiosis in a South African pottery. 1. Study objectives and dust exposure.

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, D; Cronje, R; du Toit, R S

1992-07-01

Dust exposure and pneumoconiosis were investigated in a South African pottery that manufactured wall tiles and bathroom fittings. This paper describes the objectives of the investigation and presents dust measurement data. x Ray diffraction showed that the clays used by the pottery had a high quartz content (range 58%-23%, mean 38%). Exposure to respirable dust was measured for 43 workers and was highest (6.6 mg/m3) in a bathroom fitting fettler. Quartz concentrations in excess of 0.1 mg/m3 were found in all sections of the manufacturing process from slip production to biscuit firing and sorting. The proportion of quartz in the respirable dust of these sections was 24% to 33%. This is higher than is usually reported in English potteries. Four hundred and six (80%) of the 509 workers employed at the pottery were potentially at risk of occupational lung disease. The finding of large numbers of pottery workers exposed to unacceptable dust concentrations is not surprising as poor dust control was found in all six wall tile and sanitary ware factories surveyed by the National Centre for Occupational Health between 1973 and 1989. Dust related occupational disease can be expected in potters for many years to come.

Dating of ancient Egyptian pottery using the thermoluminescence technique

Science.gov (United States)

El-Fiki, S. A.; Abdel-Wahab, M. S.; El-Faramawy, N.; El-Fiki, M. A.

1994-10-01

In the course of the dating of Egyptian ancient pottery, pottery sherds were collected from three archaeological tombs in the Nazlet El Samman region in the Giza zone (Egypt). The annual dose was measured by the gamma spectroscopic technique as well as thermoluminescence (TL) measurements. The annual dose results obtained using both methods are in quite good agreement with a consistency of 99.69%. The extracted quartz exhibited TL dating peaks at about (305 ± 5)°C and (375 ± 5)°C. The TL dating result is 4301 ± 100 which belongs to the "fourth dynasty" in the Old Kingdom. The obtained ages show that the uncertainties in TL dating using the additive method are much lower than that of archaeologists.

Kolmas Potteri-film avab end maailmale / Neeme Korv

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Korv, Neeme, 1974-

2004-01-01

J.K. Rowling'u Harry Potteri lugude kolmas film "Harry Potter ja Azkabani vang" ("Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban") pidulik maailma-esilinastus toimus 23. mail New-Yorgis. Filmi režissöör on mehhiklane Alfonso Cuaron

Neutron Activation Analysis and Moessbauer Correlations of Archaeological Pottery from Amazon Basin for Classification Studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bellido, A. V. B.; Latini, R. M.; Nicoli, I.; Scorzelli, R. B.; Solorzano, P. M.

2011-01-01

The aim of the present work was to investigate the correlation between data obtained by means of two analytical methods, instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and Moessbauer Spectroscopy of pottery samples combined with multivariate statistical analysis in order to optimize quantitative analysis in the classification studies. Ceramics recently discovered in archaeological earth circular structures sites in Acre state Brazil. 199 samples were analyzed by INAA, allowing simultaneous determination of twenty elements chemical concentrations, and 44 samples by using Moessbauer Spectroscopy, allowing the determination of fourteen hyperfine parameters. For the correlation study, data were treated by two multivariate statistical methods: cluster analysis for the classification and the principal component analysis for the data correlations. INAA data show that some of REE (rare earth elements) were the discriminating variables for this technique. Mossbauer parameters that exhibit the same behavior are being investigated, remarkable improve can be seem for the combined REE and the Mossbauer variables showing a good results considering the limited number of samples. This data matrix is being used for the understanding in the studies of classification and provenance of ceramics prehistory of the Amazonic basin.

Early Pottery Making in Northern Coastal Peru. Part I: Moessbauer Study of Clays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, I.; Haeusler, W.; Hutzelmann, T.; Wagner, U.

2003-01-01

We report on an investigation of several ancient clays which were used for pottery making in northern coastal Peru at a kiln site from the Formative period (ca. 2000-800 BC) in the Poma Canal and at a Middle Sican pottery workshop in use between ca. AD 950 and 1050 at Huaca Sialupe in the lower La Leche valley. Neutron activation analysis, 57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used for the characterisation of the clays. The changes that occur in iron-bearing compounds in the clays depending on the kiln atmosphere and on the maximum firing temperature were studied by Moessbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Laboratory firing series under varying controlled conditions were performed to obtain a basic understanding of the different reactions taking place in the clays during firing. The results can be used as models in the interpretation of the Moessbauer spectra observed in ancient ceramics from the same context.

Analysis of radiocarbon dates of an archaeological site in the Russian Far East: The marine reservoir effect as seen on charred remains on pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kunikita, Dai; Yoshida, Kunio; Miyazaki, Yumiko; Saito, Keita; Endo, Aya; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki; Ito, Shinji; Kobayashi, Tatsuo; Fujimoto, Tsuyoshi; Kuznetsov, A.M.; Krupyanko, A.A.; Tabarev, A.M.

2007-01-01

In order to obtain precise and accurate calibrated radiocarbon chronologies for archaeological sites, it is necessary to determine the provenance of the carbon material being dated. Of particular note is determining the provenance and radiocarbon age of charcoal remains on pottery. In this context, we discuss the decipherment of dates on the Ustinovka-8 site in the Russian Far East. Using δ 13 C, δ 15 N and C:N it is possible to ascribe charcoal provenance to terrestrial and marine origins. Our data show radiocarbon age difference that are clearly associated with carbon origin, and a maximum estimated ΔR of approximately 400 years during the Zaisanovskaya culture, 4400 cal BP. A combination of pottery analysis and 14 C dating at this site determined the Zaisanovskaya cultural period to be 4000-5000 cal BP, the Boismanskaya and the Late Rudninskaya cultural period 5800-6500 cal BP, and the Early Rudninskaya cultural period of 6800-7100 cal BP

"Stabilitas loci" of inhabitants of the Stroked Pottery site in Jaroměř (Eastern Bohemia, Czech Republic)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Burgert, Pavel

2015-01-01

Roč. 53, č. 3 (2015), s. 473-483 ISSN 0323-1119 R&D Projects: GA ČR GA15-16963S Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : Neolithic * Stroke Pottery culture * longhouse * spatial analysis Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology

Analysis of lustred ceramics of the Galleria Regionale di Palazzo Bellomo di Siracusa, Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Politi, Giuseppe; Bouquillon, Anne; Aucouturier, Marc; Gueli, Anna; Troja, Sebastiano Olindo; Vella, Carmela; Pacheco, Claire; Pichon, Laurent; Moignard, Brice; Lemasson, Quentin

2014-01-01

Several fragments of lustred pottery coming from the collection of the Galleria Regionale di Palazzo Bellomo and excavated in Siracusa, were studied through non-invasive ion beam techniques in the Centre de Recherche et de Restauration des Musees de France in Paris. Up to now only aesthetic and stylistic analysis were available for these objects, and their provenances and dating were unknown or uncertain; moreover, the question concerning a possible local production was still debated. Compositions of pottery and glazed parts were thus obtained by Particle Induced X-ray Emission analysis, while the depth distribution of element of the lustre was analyzed by the Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry technique. The obtained results provided important information on possible origin and production period of the objects

Hypervelocity Impact Test Fragment Modeling: Modifications to the Fragment Rotation Analysis and Lightcurve Code

Science.gov (United States)

Gouge, Michael F.

2011-01-01

Hypervelocity impact tests on test satellites are performed by members of the orbital debris scientific community in order to understand and typify the on-orbit collision breakup process. By analysis of these test satellite fragments, the fragment size and mass distributions are derived and incorporated into various orbital debris models. These same fragments are currently being put to new use using emerging technologies. Digital models of these fragments are created using a laser scanner. A group of computer programs referred to as the Fragment Rotation Analysis and Lightcurve code uses these digital representations in a multitude of ways that describe, measure, and model on-orbit fragments and fragment behavior. The Dynamic Rotation subroutine generates all of the possible reflected intensities from a scanned fragment as if it were observed to rotate dynamically while in orbit about the Earth. This calls an additional subroutine that graphically displays the intensities and the resulting frequency of those intensities as a range of solar phase angles in a Probability Density Function plot. This document reports the additions and modifications to the subset of the Fragment Rotation Analysis and Lightcurve concerned with the Dynamic Rotation and Probability Density Function plotting subroutines.

Uus Harry Potteri film noolib rekordeid / Kaarel Kressa

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Kressa, Kaarel, 1983-

2010-01-01

19. novembril 2010 esilinastub Eestis Harry Potteri sarja uue filmi "Harry Potter ja surma vägised" (USA, Suurbritannia, 2010) 1. osa, režissöör David Yates. Filmi juba näinud kriitikute arvamusest. Filmi 2. osa linastub 2011. a. juulis

Echo detected EPR as a tool for detecting radiation-induced defect signals in pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zoleo, Alfonso; Bortolussi, Claudia; Brustolon, Marina

2011-01-01

Archaeological fragments of pottery have been investigated by using CW-EPR and Echo Detected EPR (EDEPR). EDEPR allows to remove the CW-EPR dominant Fe(III) background spectrum, hiding much weaker signals potentially useful for dating purpose. EDEPR spectra attributed to a methyl radical and to feldspar defects have been recorded at room and low temperature for an Iron Age cooking ware (700 B.C.). A study on the dependence of EDEPR intensity over absorbed dose on a series of γ-irradiated brick samples (estimated age of 562 ± 140 B.C.) has confirmed the potential efficacy of the proposed method for spotting defect signals out of the strong iron background. - Highlights: → Fe(III) CW-EPR signals cover CW-EPR-detectable defects in ceramics. → Echo detected EPR gets rid of Fe(III) signals, disclosing defect signals. → Echo detected EPR detects defect signals even at relatively low doses.

Early Pottery Making in Northern Coastal Peru. Part I: Mössbauer Study of Clays

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, I.; Häusler, W.; Hutzelmann, T.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

We report on an investigation of several ancient clays which were used for pottery making in northern coastal Peru at a kiln site from the Formative period (ca. 2000-800 BC) in the Poma Canal and at a Middle Sicán pottery workshop in use between ca. AD 950 and 1050 at Huaca Sialupe in the lower La Leche valley. Neutron activation analysis, 57Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction were used for the characterisation of the clays. The changes that occur in iron-bearing compounds in the clays depending on the kiln atmosphere and on the maximum firing temperature were studied by Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Laboratory firing series under varying controlled conditions were performed to obtain a basic understanding of the different reactions taking place in the clays during firing. The results can be used as models in the interpretation of the Mössbauer spectra observed in ancient ceramics from the same context.

Late Hallstatt pottery from north-eastern Serbia (6th to 4th century BC

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kapuran Aleksandar

2013-01-01

Full Text Available By looking at prehistoric collections and unpublished material from the museums in north-eastern Serbia, as well as by surveying and excavating, new information was gained which fulfills the image of material and spiritual culture of prehistoric communities from the end of the Early Iron Age. Usually, for a closer chronological determination, metal jewellery and weapons were considered. Pottery finds were published only occasionally, usually due to contexts which were not clear enough, or due to chronological insensitivity (unless they were grave goods, but also due to stylistic and typological differences not clearly distinguished between the 'Basarabi' culture and the culture of 'channelled pottery'. This paper aims to define features of pottery production from different sites, more precisely, those found in the territory between the Iron Gates, Ključ and the Timok valley.

Incipient archaeometry in Venezuela. Provenance study of pre-Hispanic pottery figurines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sajo Bohus, L.; Greaves, E.D.; Bermudez, J.; Mackowiak de Antczak, Ma. M.; Antczak, A.; Kasztovszky, Zs.; Poirier, T.; Simonits, A.

2005-01-01

Application of different analytical techniques contributed with new results to the interpretation and the provenance study of Venezuelan figurines dating from the 12th and 15th centuries. Elements in bulk samples, powdered samples of figurines and soil were determined using total reflection X-ray fluorescence (TXRF), instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) and prompt gamma activation analysis (PGAA). Results and ceramics macroscopic observations indicate that average elemental composition of the figurines from the mainland significantly differ from those encountered on the Caribbean islands. The multidisciplinary experience de facto formed a group dedicated to archaeometry and provided data for provenance study of pre-Hispanic pottery figurines. (author)

Mineralogical composition and functionality of clays used for pottery ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Mineralogical composition and functionality of clays used for pottery education by physically challenged learners at the Ikwezi-Lokusa Educational Centre, Eastern Cape, South Africa. ... The clays were mineralogically characterised using Munsell Soil Color Chart, X-ray powder diffractometry (XRPD) and optical microscopy.

Variability in coiling technique in LBK pottery inferred by experiments and pore structure micro-tomography analysis

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Neumannová, Klára; Petřík, J.; Vostrovská, I.; Dvořák, J.; Zikmund, T.; Kaiser, J.

2017-01-01

Roč. 69, č. 2 (2017), s. 172-186 ISSN 0323-1267 R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA14-07062S Grant - others:GA MŠk(CZ) LQ1601; GA ČR(CZ) GA17-11711S Program:LQ; GA Institutional support: RVO:67985912 Keywords : forming techniques * micro-tomography * Neolithic * Linear Pottery culture (LBK) Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology OBOR OECD: Archaeology

Fragman: an R package for fragment analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Covarrubias-Pazaran, Giovanny; Diaz-Garcia, Luis; Schlautman, Brandon; Salazar, Walter; Zalapa, Juan

2016-04-21

Determination of microsatellite lengths or other DNA fragment types is an important initial component of many genetic studies such as mutation detection, linkage and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, genetic diversity, pedigree analysis, and detection of heterozygosity. A handful of commercial and freely available software programs exist for fragment analysis; however, most of them are platform dependent and lack high-throughput applicability. We present the R package Fragman to serve as a freely available and platform independent resource for automatic scoring of DNA fragment lengths diversity panels and biparental populations. The program analyzes DNA fragment lengths generated in Applied Biosystems® (ABI) either manually or automatically by providing panels or bins. The package contains additional tools for converting the allele calls to GenAlEx, JoinMap® and OneMap software formats mainly used for genetic diversity and generating linkage maps in plant and animal populations. Easy plotting functions and multiplexing friendly capabilities are some of the strengths of this R package. Fragment analysis using a unique set of cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon) genotypes based on microsatellite markers is used to highlight the capabilities of Fragman. Fragman is a valuable new tool for genetic analysis. The package produces equivalent results to other popular software for fragment analysis while possessing unique advantages and the possibility of automation for high-throughput experiments by exploiting the power of R.

The suitability of EDXRF for compositional classification of archaeological pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Padilla Alvarez, Roman

2007-01-01

Many investigations have been carried out trying to enlarge the information that can be gathered through the chemical analysis of archaeological findings. Chemical composition data sets, properly interpreted with multivariate analysis techniques, have been used extensively to supplement investigations involving provenance studies or more complex socio-economic aspects of the past communities. Correct inferences from the gathered compositional data are only possible if well documented background information about the studied samples is available, such as a correct interpretation of the archaeological contexts, knowledge about the nature of the used raw materials or procurement sources (geology of the territories), among others. The combined use of Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) and Scanning Electron Microscopy X-ray analysis (SEM-EDX) has been widely applied to the classification of archaeological pottery. However the need to remove at least a minimal part (invasion) of the sample and the time delay required for radioisotope decay and the high costs involved in INAA often restrict its use. Energy Dispersive x-ray Fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) is advantageous to perform a completely non-destructive analysis in a relatively fast way, but several problems have restricted its wider use in the past. The highly matrix-dependent attenuation of x-rays in the analysed sample hampers the use of the standard-less quantification procedures as an alternative when suitable certified reference materials are not at hand, and the relatively limited instrumental sensitivity of the conventional spectrometers has not allowed the determination of some trace elements that are relevant for compositional differentiation and provided a comparatively higher uncertainties. This contribution presents the results of several investigations aimed to achieving classification of archaeological pottery using reliable quantitative EDXRF procedures. The main factors affecting the

Mineralogy and geotechnical characteristics of some pottery clay

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mujib Olamide ADEAGBO

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The physical properties of soils, which are tremendously influenced by the active clay minerals in soil, are of great importance in geotechnical engineering. This paper investigates the clay-sized particles of the Igbara-Odo pottery clay, and compares results obtained with available data on the bulk sample, to determine their correlation and underline the dependence of the geotechnical properties of the bulk clay material on the clay-sized particles. The bulk clay sample consists of 52% sand-size particles, 21% silt and 27% clay. Analysis of the clay-sized particles and the bulk materials shows: specific gravity of 2.07 and 2.66, liquid limit of 91.0% and 33.0%, plastic limit of 27.5% and 14.3%, plasticity index of 63.5% and 18.7% and a linear shrinkage of 7.9% and 5.4%, for both clay-sized particles and bulk clay respectively. The activity value of the clay material (0.64 suggests the presence of Kaolinite and Ilite; and these were confirmed with X-Ray diffraction on the bulk sample and clay-sized particles. X-Ray diffraction patterns shows distinctive peaks which highlight the dominance of Kaolinite (with 8 peaks in the pottery clay sample for both clay-sized particles and bulk material; while traces of other clay minerals like Illite and Halloysite and rock minerals like Mica, Feldspar and Chrysotile were also found. These results suggest that the clay possesses high viability in the manufacturing of ceramics, refractory bricks, paper, fertilizer and paint. The clay material can be used as a subgrade in road construction, since it possesses low swelling characteristics.

PASEDHULURAN AS A SOCIAL CAPITAL FOR LOCAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT: EVIDENCE FROM POTTERY VILLAGE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mila Karmilah

2014-06-01

Full Text Available The increase in both industrialization and tourism in Kasongan village famous with its pottery being the tourism Village since 1988, radically altered the local economy and domestic life. Based on oral history, survey, and documentary sources, this paper examine the impact of economics globalization to the diversity of culture in Kasongan. Globalization has two faces. If it can be managed properly, globalization can certainly give sufficient benefit to the country. The result of study indicated that pasedhuluran kinship systems in pottery production chain as one of social capital in socio-economic development in Kasongan, play an important role. This can be seen in terms of hiring local labor, then the pottery associated with the ordering system, and the use of the showroom to promote their pottery. Based on this note that the negative impact of globalization, especially the pottery in Kasongan indsutry can be minimized by pasedhuluran system. Peningkatan industrialisasi dan pariwisata di Desa Kasongan yang terkenal dengan kerajinan gerabah yang telah berkembang sejak tahun 1972 dan menjadi desa wisata pada tahun 1988, secara radikal telah mengubah ekonomi lokal dan kehidupan masyarakat di desa tersebut. Berdasarkan wawancara terkait sejarah, survei, dan sumber-sumber dokumenter lainnya, maka tulisan ini akan mengkaji dampak globalisasi ekonomi terhadap keragaman budaya masyarakat setempat. Globalisasi memiliki dua sisi. Jika globalisasi dapat dikelola dengan baik, maka globalisasi dapat memberikan manfaat yang cukup baik bagi negara. Namun, jika suatu negara tidak dapat beradaptasi dan menentukan strategi yang perlu diterapkan dalam rangka menghadapi globalisasi, negara akan menjadi korban dari globalisasi. Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa pasedhuluran adalah sistem kekerabatan di rantai produksi kegiatan produksi gerabah. Pasedhuluran sebagai salah satu modal sosial dalam pembangunan sosial-ekonomi di Kasongan, memainkan peranan yang

69 Decline of Traditional Pottery Practice among the Afizere of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Arc. Usman A. Jalam

interest in their traditional pottery heritage and, avail themselves of the cottage or self- employment, and ..... prior to the local market day. .... communicate with people in Hausa instead of their ... serving food and beverages while some were.

Acute high-dose lead exposure from beverage contaminated by traditional Mexican pottery.

Science.gov (United States)

Matte, T D; Proops, D; Palazuelos, E; Graef, J; Hernandez Avila, M

1994-10-15

Screening and follow-up blood lead measurements in a 7-year-old child of a US Embassy official in Mexico City revealed an increase in blood lead concentration from 1.10 to 4.60 mumol/L in less than 4 weeks. The cause was traced to fruit punch contaminated with lead leached from traditional ceramic pottery urns. Consumption of the contaminated punch at a picnic was associated with a 20% increase in blood lead concentrations among embassy staff and dependants who were tested 6 weeks after the exposure. This episode highlights the continued health risk, even from brief exposure, posed by traditional pottery in Mexico.

PIXE and PIGE analysis of pre-colonial pottery from Patanal - MS, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Felicissimo, M.P.; Rodrigues-Filho, U.P.; Peixoto, J.L.; Barbosa, M.S.; Demortier, G.; Pireaux, J.J.

2006-01-01

PIXE and PIGE were applied to investigate the pottery from two archaeological sites located near the Brazil-Bolivia border in Pantanal, an area of natural preservation. The region was inhabited by ancient Amerindian tribes long before the Latin America colonization period and a deep understanding of their environment, cultural attributes and interconnections can only be achieved based on the study of archaeological findings. Multivariate statistical procedures were used to determine similarities and correlations between the analyzed samples and to indicate possible sources of raw material provenience. The results showed that traces of Cr, Cu and Ti and Na/Si and Mg/Si counting ratios were important to distinguish sherds from the archaeological sites MS-CP-71 and MS-CP-61. (author)

Thermoluminescence dating of potteries excavated at Bhagwanpura and Mathura

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nambi, K.S.V.; Sasidharan, R.; Soman, S.D.

1979-01-01

Thermoluminescence (TL) dating attempts were made on sherds of freshly excavated potteries from Bhagwanpura and Mathura sites. TL measurements were generally made from the fine grains of the potsherds; attempts were also made to separate the quartz inclusions from some of the potsherds and evaluate the TL. Dose-rate estimations were made from an analysis of natural radioactivity of the samples; TLD estimation of the environmental gamma dose-rate component was also attempted for the Mathura sites. The TL age estimates ranged between 2000 and 5000 years, B.P. for the Bhagwanpura series and between 1400 and 3000 years, B.P. for the Mathura series. Distinctly different trends were seen in the ages of graywares and redwares from Bhagwanpura: with increasing depth at the site, the grayware ages diminished (upto 1.3 depth beyond which they do not occur) while the redware ages remain the same upto 1.3 m depth and increase regularly beyond. In the case of eight Mathura potsherds for which the archaeologists' expected age values were available, a good to fair (+- 2 to +- 19%) agreement with the TL ages could be seen for four sherds. The estimated accuracies of the TL ages range between +- 9 to +- 19% and such a high value stems from the generous allowance made for all possible values of water content in pottery and soil over the archaeological period; if reasonable values for the actual degree of wetness could be provided, the TL ages can be estimated with accuracies of the order of +- 5%. (auth.)

Hard water and old food. The freshwater reservoir effect in radiocarbon dating of food residues on pottery

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bente Philippsen

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This paper discusses the problem of the freshwater reservoir effect in the radiocarbon dating of different sample materials, in particular food crusts on pottery. Charred food residue can be used to directly date of the use of the pottery. However, this material is highly complex, which can lead to various dating errors.  

Potteri-filmile osteti 5000 eelmüügipiletit / Hindrek Riikoja

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Riikoja, Hindrek

2001-01-01

Joanne Rowling'u lasteraamatu "Harry Potter ja Tarkade kivi" ekraniseeringu esilinastus Eestis on 21. detsembril Coca-Cola Plazas. Eduka piletimüügi eelduseks on kindlasti ka 4 eesti keelde tõlgitud Potteri-raamatu läbimüük - 43 000 eksemplari

Early Pottery Making in Northern Coastal Peru. Part IV: Moessbauer Study of Ceramics from Huaca Sialupe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shimada, I.; Haeusler, W.; Jakob, M.; Montenegro, J.; Riederer, J.; Wagner, U.

2003-01-01

We report on an interdisciplinary study of ceramic material excavated in 1999 and 2001 at a 1000-year old ceramic and metal production site, located at Huaca Sialupe in the La Leche valley on the north coast of Peru and dating to the Middle Sican period (AD 900-1100). Sherds of Sican red- and blackware, numerous moulds, several kilns and other evidence of pottery making were found. The pottery, in particular, is famous for its fine texture and perfect black surface finish. In addition, some clay lumps and sherds of unfired Sican pottery were excavated. Within the same workshop several large inverted ceramic urns used as furnaces were found together with Middle Sican metal working tools and debris. Various physical methods were applied to investigate this material. The ancient firing procedures could be elucidated by comparing the spectra observed for the ancient sherds with model spectra of laboratory and field fired clay samples. This shows that the fine ware made at Huaca Sialupe was intentionally fired under strongly reducing conditions at temperatures up to 900 o C. Reoxidation at the end of the reducing firing took place only occasionally. Less care was taken in firing moulds used for pottery making.

Physicochemical characterisation of pottery from the Vinča culture, Serbia, regarding the firing temperature and decoration techniques

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Perišić Nebojša

2016-01-01

Full Text Available A study of decorated Neolithic pottery samples from excavation site Pločnik, Serbia, was performed using X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR and X-ray fluorescence (XRF spectroscopy. Investigated samples belong to the era of the Vinča culture which existed at the central Balkan region from mid VI until the first half of V millennium BCE. The mineralogical composition of pottery samples and comparison of investigated pottery with thermally treated local clay indicated firing temperature in the range from 600 to 800°C. Two different types of white pigments have been identified in white incrusted decorations: calcium carbonate and Bone White (composed of crushed bones. This is the first evidence of use of bones for decorations in Vinča culture pottery from excavation site Pločnik. In addition to this, it was revealed that the potters used the iron reduction technique for obtaining the black decorations. [Projekat Ministartsva nauke Republike Srbije, br. 177021 I br. 177012

Potteri-raamatut esitletakse teemakohaste üritustega / Mari Rebane, Helen Uldrich

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Rebane, Mari

2005-01-01

26. nov. korraldavad suuremad raamatukauplused Tallinnas, Tartus ja Pärnus Potteri teemalisi üritusi seoses Joanne Kathleen Rowling'i "Harry Potter ja segavereline prints" ilmumisega eesti keeles (tlk. Krista ja Kaisa Kaer). Vt. ka Postimees, 24. nov., lk. 18, SL Õhtuleht, 24. nov., lk. 14

Neutron Activation Analysis of Archaeological Pottery Samples of Large Size, Including Pieces of Low Symmetry Shape: How to Get Accurate Analytical Results in a Practical Way

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bedregal, P.S.; Montoya, E.H.; Mendoza, P.; Ubillús, M.; Baltuano, O.; Hernández, Y.; Gago, J.; Cohen, I.M.

2018-01-01

The feasibility of the instrumental neutron activation analysis of entire pieces of archaeological pottery, using low thermal neutron fluxes, is examined and a new approach for the non-destructive analysis of entire pottery objects by INAA, using the conventional relative method, is described. The proposed method relies in the preparation of a comparison standard, which is a nominally identical replicate of the original object to be studied. INAA of small samples taken from that replicate allows determining its composition for the elements to be analyzed. Then the intact sample and intact standard are irradiated together with the neutrons from a nuclear reactor neutron beam, using a suitable turntable facility and monitored by neutron flux monitors. Finally, after proper decay times, the induced activities in sample, standard and flux monitors, are successively measured, by high-resolution gamma spectroscopy, using a high-efficiency germanium detector. In this way, several complicating effects such geometrical efficiency, neutron self-shielding and gamma ray attenuation are avoided and the need of complicated mathematical corrections is not needed. A potential advantage of the method is that it can be fully validated. Quantitative experiments using 7 - 13 hours of irradiation of pairs of 750 grams replicates, at low neutron fluxes of 3.9 x10 6 n cm -2 s -1 , followed by 100000 to 200000 seconds of counting in front of a 70% relative efficiency HPGe detector, led to recoveries between 90% and 110% for Sc and La. Another experiment, using pairs of replicates of small solid mud anthropomorphic objects, (weighing about 100 grams each), irradiated by 8 hours at a neutron flux of 10 9 n cm -2 s -1 , led to recoveries better than 90% and 110% for As, Ba, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, La, Lu, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, Yb and U, showing that the proposed method is suitable for LSNAA of entire pottery or mud archaeological objects. (author)

Potteri filmi režissöör murdis needuse

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

2007-01-01

Harry Potteri viienda filmi "Harry Potter ja Fööniksi ordu" režissöör David Yates on andnud oma nõusoleku jätkata režissöörina ka järgmise, "Harry Potter ja segavereline prints" filmi juures. Esilinastus 21. nov. 2008

Energy efficiency of an innovative vertical axial rotary kiln for pottery production

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Carlos Andrés Forero Núñez

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Colombia is a remarkablecoal producer and exporter worldwide; several sectors use this resource for electricity and thermal energy production. Among them, the ceramic industry consumed 118,590 tons in 2011. Most of the pottery production companies in this country arelocated in rural areas and use old coal fired kilns with low energy efficiencies, generating environmental effects to the population nearby. Despite of the importance of these industries to the small rural economies, the government agencies have closed them due to the lack of development on cleaner devices. This work aims to analyze the thermal behavior of an innovative vertical axial rotary kiln for pottery production, and the energy efficiency varying operation mode. The kiln operated during seven hours needed three hours for stabilizing sintering temperature at 800°C. The mean temperatures of the loading, drying, sintering and cooling stage were 204°C, 223°C, 809°C and 321°C respectively. The convection and radiation heat losses were 15 % whereas the flue gas heat losses 18 %.During continuous operation, the kiln energy efficiency was about 60 %. This design proven to reach the temperatures required in the firing stage of the pottery production; moreover, a gas fuel was fuelled making the process cleaner and more efficient than coal-fired systems.

Thermoluminescence authentication of T'ang and Han Dynasty pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Price, D.M.

1997-01-01

More than 80 pieces of T'ang Dynasty and 40 Han Dynasty style ceramic wares have been analysed to determine the amount of thermoluminescence (TL) accumulated since the initial firing of the object and the level of the radiation flux which has created the TL. This paper presents a summary of the thermoluminescence analysis results. Approximately 60% of Han ceramics and 45% of the T'ang pottery authenticated have been shown to belong to periods other than that stylistically suggested. Items which have been found not to be of the anticipated antiquity generally fall into distinct age groups. Of the T'ang wares the most commonly copied item is found to be the horse and for the Han pieces, human figures and ewers/pots/vases represent the most frequently reproduced wares

Early Pottery Making in Northern Coastal Peru. Part IV: Mössbauer Study of Ceramics from Huaca Sialupe

Science.gov (United States)

Shimada, I.; Häusler, W.; Jakob, M.; Montenegro, J.; Riederer, J.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

We report on an interdisciplinary study of ceramic material excavated in 1999 and 2001 at a 1000-year old ceramic and metal production site, located at Huaca Sialupe in the La Leche valley on the north coast of Peru and dating to the Middle Sicán period (AD 900-1100). Sherds of Sicán red- and blackware, numerous moulds, several kilns and other evidence of pottery making were found. The pottery, in particular, is famous for its fine texture and perfect black surface finish. In addition, some clay lumps and sherds of unfired Sicán pottery were excavated. Within the same workshop several large inverted ceramic urns used as furnaces were found together with Middle Sicán metal working tools and debris. Various physical methods were applied to investigate this material. The ancient firing procedures could be elucidated by comparing the spectra observed for the ancient sherds with model spectra of laboratory and field fired clay samples. This shows that the fine ware made at Huaca Sialupe was intentionally fired under strongly reducing conditions at temperatures up to 900°C. Reoxidation at the end of the reducing firing took place only occasionally. Less care was taken in firing moulds used for pottery making.

Large scale meta-analysis of fragment-based screening campaigns: privileged fragments and complementary technologies.

Science.gov (United States)

Kutchukian, Peter S; Wassermann, Anne Mai; Lindvall, Mika K; Wright, S Kirk; Ottl, Johannes; Jacob, Jaison; Scheufler, Clemens; Marzinzik, Andreas; Brooijmans, Natasja; Glick, Meir

2015-06-01

A first step in fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) often entails a fragment-based screen (FBS) to identify fragment "hits." However, the integration of conflicting results from orthogonal screens remains a challenge. Here we present a meta-analysis of 35 fragment-based campaigns at Novartis, which employed a generic 1400-fragment library against diverse target families using various biophysical and biochemical techniques. By statistically interrogating the multidimensional FBS data, we sought to investigate three questions: (1) What makes a fragment amenable for FBS? (2) How do hits from different fragment screening technologies and target classes compare with each other? (3) What is the best way to pair FBS assay technologies? In doing so, we identified substructures that were privileged for specific target classes, as well as fragments that were privileged for authentic activity against many targets. We also revealed some of the discrepancies between technologies. Finally, we uncovered a simple rule of thumb in screening strategy: when choosing two technologies for a campaign, pairing a biochemical and biophysical screen tends to yield the greatest coverage of authentic hits. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Moessbauer studies on ancient pottery from a neolithic site in Tung Wan, Hong Kong

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zheng Yufang; Tang Chung

1994-01-01

Twelve ceramic sherds unearthed from different archaeological layers at a neolithic site in Tung Wan, Hong Kong, were studied by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Moessbauer spectroscopy. The results show that the firing techniques used for ancient pottery wares at different layers were very different. For the oldest sherds (4000-3000 B.C.) from layer No. 4, the original firing temperature was low and craftmanship was inferior. For the sherds (1650-250 B.C.) from layer No. 2, the original firing temperature was above 1000 C. In addition, the results indicate that the ancient pottery wares from the ruins might not have been manufactured in the Tung Wan region. (orig.)

Neutron-activation study of figurines, pottery, and workshop materials from the Athenian Agora, Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fillieres, D.; Harbottle, G.; Sayre, E.V.

1983-01-01

Ceramic specimens from the excavations of the Agora of ancient Athens, Greece, including material from factories, i.e., trial firing pieces, pottery and figurine wasters, datable to the Protogeometric, Subgeometric, and Classical Periods, and stylistically related figurines and pottery were analyzed by neutron activation. The factory material from the three distinct chronological periods separated respectively into three significantly different compositional groups, indicating either that separate sources of clay were used during each of these periods or that some other significant changes in the traditions of fabrication had occurred. Many of the figurines and sherds analyzed coincided in composition with one of these three groups and therefore were shown to be consistent with the output of Athenian workshops. Some specimens of Corinthian style formed a separate compositional group as did some other specimens that agreed in composition with a clay from Aegina. Comparison of these results with previous analyses on file in the Brookhaven Data Bank revealed a number of specimens that corresponded both in style and composition to the Agora material. Most significant was a sizable amount of Classical Greek pottery excavated in southern France, in Israel, and in Cyprus that conformed in composition to the Attic Classical Group. 6 figures, 2 tables

Genetic and other diseases in the pottery of Tumaco-La Tolita culture in Colombia-Ecuador.

Science.gov (United States)

Bernal, J E; Briceno, I

2006-09-01

The people of Tumaco-La Tolita culture inhabited the borders of present-day Colombia and Ecuador. Already extinct by the time of the Spaniards arrival, they left a huge collection of pottery artifacts depicting everyday life; among these, disease representations were frequently crafted. In this article, we present the results of the personal examination of the largest collections of Tumaco-La Tolita pottery in Colombia and Ecuador; cases of Down syndrome, achondroplasia, mucopolysaccharidosis I H, mucopolysaccharidosis IV, a tumor of the face and a benign tumor in an old woman were found. We believe these to be among the earliest artistic representations of disease.

Telomere Restriction Fragment (TRF) Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mender, Ilgen; Shay, Jerry W

2015-11-20

While telomerase is expressed in ~90% of primary human tumors, most somatic tissue cells except transiently proliferating stem-like cells do not have detectable telomerase activity (Shay and Wright, 1996; Shay and Wright, 2001). Telomeres progressively shorten with each cell division in normal cells, including proliferating stem-like cells, due to the end replication (lagging strand synthesis) problem and other causes such as oxidative damage, therefore all somatic cells have limited cell proliferation capacity (Hayflick limit) (Hayflick and Moorhead, 1961; Olovnikov, 1973). The progressive telomere shortening eventually leads to growth arrest in normal cells, which is known as replicative senescence (Shay et al. , 1991). Once telomerase is activated in cancer cells, telomere length is stabilized by the addition of TTAGGG repeats to the end of chromosomes, thus enabling the limitless continuation of cell division (Shay and Wright, 1996; Shay and Wright, 2001). Therefore, the link between aging and cancer can be partially explained by telomere biology. There are many rapid and convenient methods to study telomere biology such as Telomere Restriction Fragment (TRF), Telomere Repeat Amplification Protocol (TRAP) (Mender and Shay, 2015b) and Telomere dysfunction Induced Foci (TIF) analysis (Mender and Shay, 2015a). In this protocol paper we describe Telomere Restriction Fragment (TRF) analysis to determine average telomeric length of cells. Telomeric length can be indirectly measured by a technique called Telomere Restriction Fragment analysis (TRF). This technique is a modified Southern blot, which measures the heterogeneous range of telomere lengths in a cell population using the length distribution of the terminal restriction fragments (Harley et al. , 1990; Ouellette et al. , 2000). This method can be used in eukaryotic cells. The description below focuses on the measurement of human cancer cells telomere length. The principle of this method relies on the lack of

Thermoluminescence authenticity assay of Chinese pottery in Hong Kong

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tso, W.M.

1989-01-01

The method used is similar to the dating of sherd samples with some modification to minimize the damage to the delicate pottery but still produce a reasonable accurate result. During the past year, the author has done 31 samples successfully. Most of them claimed to be 1100-4500 years of age. After testing, nineteen samples showed out to be compatible with the claimed age. The general procedures and the encountered problems for the assay are described

Arheological and archaeozoological evidence of milk as a food in the territory of Croatia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tajana Trbojević-Vukičević

2011-12-01

Full Text Available According to the recent data the cattle domestication and use of milk as a food was older then considered before. Cattle domestication started 8,000 years B.C. that was proven from the various bones debris, whereas milk use was confirmed on the bases of fatty acid analyses on the pottery fragments as early as 5,000 years B.C. Early centres of cattle domestication were located at the Eastern Mediterranean area, and in the North Africa from where the cattle were spreading also to today’s Croatian area. In Copper and Bronze Age Europe new pottery forms appear that have been associated with dairying. Chemical analysis of late Eneolithic Baden culture pottery showed that some pottery types were used for production or storage of milk and its products. Based on the faunal data from the Eneolithic Vučedol archaeological site, numbers of bones, teeth and horn fragments were identified, with the significant domination of the female population throughout all cultural layers. It is believed they were most probably used for the reproduction and the milk production. Direct proofs for milk consumption by the local prehistoric population, based on the fatty acid determination from the pottery fragments were not evident. It can only be assumed that lactose tolerance was developed similarly to central and northern European populations. Simultaneously with genetic research, mentioned analyses and results will be valuable contribution for better understanding in development of metabolic and degenerative disease in modern humans, developed under the influence of the changes in dietary habits and environmental factors during the evolutionary interval.

Análise arqueométrica de cerâmica Tupiguarani da região central do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil, usando fluorescência de raios X por dispersão de energia (EDXRF Archaeometric analysis of Tupiguarani pottery from the central region of the Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Irene Akemy Tomiyoshi Bona

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence methodology (EDXRF was used to determine Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, K, Mn, Pb, Rb, S, Si, Sr, Ti, V, Zn in pottery sherds from seven archaeological sites in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil. The potteries' chemical fingerprints from Ijuí River, Ibicuí Mirim River, Vacacaí Mirim River and Jacuí River were identified. Interactions between sites from the Jacuí River, Vacacaí Mirim River and Ibicui Mirim River could have occurred because some samples from these sites are overlapping in a principal component analysis (PCA graphic. The pottery provenance could be the same.

De novo analysis of electron impact mass spectra using fragmentation trees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hufsky, Franziska; Rempt, Martin; Rasche, Florian; Pohnert, Georg; Böcker, Sebastian

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► We present a method for de novo analysis of accurate mass EI mass spectra of small molecules. ► This method identifies the molecular ion and thus the molecular formula where the molecular ion is present in the spectrum. ► Fragmentation trees are constructed by automated signal extraction and evaluation. ► These trees explain relevant fragmentation reactions. ► This method will be very helpful in the automated analysis of unknown metabolites. - Abstract: The automated fragmentation analysis of high resolution EI mass spectra based on a fragmentation tree algorithm is introduced. Fragmentation trees are constructed from EI spectra by automated signal extraction and evaluation. These trees explain relevant fragmentation reactions and assign molecular formulas to fragments. The method enables the identification of the molecular ion and the molecular formula of a metabolite if the molecular ion is present in the spectrum. These identifications are independent of existing library knowledge and, thus, support assignment and structural elucidation of unknown compounds. The method works even if the molecular ion is of very low abundance or hidden under contaminants with higher masses. We apply the algorithm to a selection of 50 derivatized and underivatized metabolites and demonstrate that in 78% of cases the molecular ion can be correctly assigned. The automatically constructed fragmentation trees correspond very well to published mechanisms and allow the assignment of specific relevant fragments and fragmentation pathways even in the most complex EI-spectra in our dataset. This method will be very helpful in the automated analysis of metabolites that are not included in common libraries and it thus has the potential to support the explorative character of metabolomics studies.

Reconstruction of prehistoric pottery use from fatty acid carbon isotope signatures using Bayesian inference

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Fernandes, R.; Eley, Y.; Brabec, Marek; Lucquin, A.; Millard, A.; Craig, O.E.

2018-01-01

Roč. 117, March (2018), s. 31-42 ISSN 0146-6380 Institutional support: RVO:67985807 Keywords : Fatty acids * carbon isotopes * pottery use * Bayesian mixing models * FRUITS Subject RIV: BB - Applied Statistics, Operational Research Impact factor: 3.081, year: 2016

Difference in radiocarbon ages of carbonized material from the inner and outer surfaces of pottery from a wetland archaeological site.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyata, Yoshiki; Minami, Masayo; Onbe, Shin; Sakamoto, Minoru; Matsuzaki, Hiroyuki; Nakamura, Toshio; Imamura, Mineo

2011-01-01

AMS (Accelerator Mass Spectrometry) radiocarbon dates for eight potsherds from a single piece of pottery from a wetland archaeological site indicated that charred material from the inner pottery surfaces (5052 ± 12 BP; N = 5) is about 90 (14)C years older than that from the outer surfaces (4961 ± 22 BP; N = 7). We considered three possible causes of this difference: the old wood effect, reservoir effects, and diagenesis. We concluded that differences in the radiocarbon ages between materials from the inner and outer surfaces of the same pot were caused either by the freshwater reservoir effect or by diagenesis. Moreover, we found that the radiocarbon ages of carbonized material on outer surfaces (soot) of pottery from other wetland archaeological sites were the same as the ages of material on inner surfaces (charred food) of the same pot within error, suggesting absence of freshwater reservoir effect or diagenesis.

EDXRF study of Tupi-guarani archaeological ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Quinones, Fernando R. Espinoza [Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Parana, Toledo, PR (Brazil). Centro de Engenharia e Ciencias Exatas; Appoloni, Carlos R.; Aragao, Pedro H.; Santos, Adenilson O. dos; Silva, Luzeli M.; Barbieri, Paulo F.; Coimbra, Melayne M. [Universidade Estadual de Londrina, PR (Brazil). Dept. de Fisica; Nascimento Filho, Virgilio F. do [Sao Paulo Univ., Piracicaba, SP (Brazil). Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz. Dept. de Fisica e Meteorologia]|[Centro de Energia Nuclear na Agricultura (CENA), Piracicaba, SP (Brazil)

2000-07-01

A set of indian Brazilian pottery fragments belonging to Tupi-Guarani tradition has been studied by an archaeometric non-destructive technique. The pottery fragments were accidentally discovered in the Santa Dalmacia farm, sited near Cambe city at the north of Parana brazilian state. Each one of these fragments came from different ceramic recipients and their physical characteristics are very similar. The EDXRF measurements were performed employing both an X-ray tube and three radioisotope sources (Fe, Cd and Pu). The compositional data of the ceramics paste and pigments is investigated. For detection of the elements within the ceramic paste, the fragments were irradiated at the center of the lateral section. While several superficial areas with remaining plastic decoration were also chosen and irradiated at the convex and concave sides of each fragment. A paste-subtracted compositional data of the remaining pigments was statically extracted from the XRF analysis of each area. A program based on the graphic polygonal representation method was developed and used to correlate the representative intensity data of each fragment. (author)

EDXRF study of Tupi-guarani archaeological ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Quinones, Fernando R. Espinoza

2000-01-01

A set of indian Brazilian pottery fragments belonging to Tupi-Guarani tradition has been studied by an archaeometric non-destructive technique. The pottery fragments were accidentally discovered in the Santa Dalmacia farm, sited near Cambe city at the north of Parana brazilian state. Each one of these fragments came from different ceramic recipients and their physical characteristics are very similar. The EDXRF measurements were performed employing both an X-ray tube and three radioisotope sources (Fe, Cd and Pu). The compositional data of the ceramics paste and pigments is investigated. For detection of the elements within the ceramic paste, the fragments were irradiated at the center of the lateral section. While several superficial areas with remaining plastic decoration were also chosen and irradiated at the convex and concave sides of each fragment. A paste-subtracted compositional data of the remaining pigments was statically extracted from the XRF analysis of each area. A program based on the graphic polygonal representation method was developed and used to correlate the representative intensity data of each fragment. (author)

Studies of Li, B and N in ancient oriental pottery and modern ceramic materials by means of (n,p) and (n,α) spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fink, D.; Riederer, J.

1981-01-01

The content of Li, B, and N is examined in ancient and modern pottery and its glazes by means of (n,p) and (n,α) reactions with thermal neutrons. Most samples exhibit a proportionality between B and Li concentrations with preferred values around 0.01 at.%. One group of pottery shows nearly constant Li abundance around 0.1 at.%, the B content varying from 10 -4 at.% to 10 at.%. An explanation is given, and the individual groups of pottery are described in detail. Results for different archaeological sites of Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Phoenician and Roman provenience are presented. The data scattering of B and Li contents of samples from different places of origin varies considerably, and can be used as a measure of the economical importance of ancient centers. Local urban cultures, such as Ur, exhibit a relative data scattering around 0.2, cities with average trade relations show values around 0.4, and for the famous trade center Palmyra, 0.8 was found. The B/Li ratio of pottery indicates whether the clay used is a fresh water or a marine sediment. The B and Li contents of Euphrates pottery show systematic variations along the river valley. Several samples, found in the Mesopotamian region are highly enriched in nitrogen. This is probably due to salt precipitation in the surrounding soil after the destruction of the irrigation facilities by the Mongols in 1258. (orig.)

The heat is on: thermodynamic analysis in fragment-based drug discovery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Edink, E.S.; Jansen, C.J.W.; Leurs, R.; De Esch, I.J.

2010-01-01

Thermodynamic analysis provides access to the determinants of binding affinity, enthalpy and entropy. In fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), thermodynamic analysis provides a powerful tool to discriminate fragments based on their potential for successful optimization. The thermodynamic data

Petro-mineralogy and geochemistry as tools of provenance analysis on archaeological pottery: Study of Inka Period ceramics from Paria, Bolivia

Science.gov (United States)

Szilágyi, V.; Gyarmati, J.; Tóth, M.; Taubald, H.; Balla, M.; Kasztovszky, Zs.; Szakmány, Gy.

2012-07-01

This paper summarized the results of comprehensive petro-mineralogical and geochemical (archeometrical) investigation of Inka Period ceramics excavated from Inka (A.D. 1438-1535) and Late Intermediate Period (A.D. 1000/1200-1438) sites of the Paria Basin (Dept. Oruro, Bolivia). Applying geological analytical techniques we observed a complex and important archaeological subject of the region and the era, the cultural-economic influence of the conquering Inkas in the provincial region of Paria appearing in the ceramic material. According to our results, continuity and changes of raw material utilization and pottery manufacturing techniques from the Late Intermediate to the Inka Period are characterized by analytical methods. The geological field survey provided efficient basis for the identification of utilized raw material sources. On the one hand, ceramic supply of both eras proved to be based almost entirely on local and near raw material sources. So, imperial handicraft applied local materials but with sophisticated imperial techniques in Paria. On the other hand, Inka Imperial and local-style vessels also show clear differences in their material which suggests that sources and techniques functioned already in the Late Intermediate Period subsisted even after the Inka conquest of the Paria Basin. Based on our geological investigations, pottery supply system of the Paria region proved to be rather complex during the Inka Period.

Undulating Band Style and Fringe Style Matt-Painted Pottery from the Sanctuary on the Timpone della Motta in the Sibaritide Area (CS) Calabria - southern Italy

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Francesco, Anna Maria; Andaloro, Eliana; Jacobsen, Jan K.

This paper presents a comparison of two different classes of Matt-Painted pottery attributed to the 8th century B.C. from the sanctuary on the Timpone della Motta in the Sibaritide (CS), Calabria, southern Italy. Matt-Painted pottery was widely produced in southern Italy during the early Iron Age,

Studies of Li, B and N in ancient oriental pottery and modern ceramic materials by means of (n,p) and (n,. cap alpha. ) spectrometry

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fink, D. (Hahn-Meitner-Institut fuer Kernforschung Berlin G.m.b.H. (Germany, F.R.)); Riederer, J. (Staatliche Museen Preussischer Kulturbesitz, Berlin (Germany, F.R.). Rathgen-Forschungslabor)

1981-12-31

The content of Li, B, and N is examined in ancient and modern pottery and its glazes by means of (n,p) and (n,..cap alpha..) reactions with thermal neutrons. Most samples exhibit a proportionality between B and Li concentrations with preferred values around 0.01 at.%. One group of pottery shows nearly constant Li abundance around 0.1 at.%, the B content varying from 10/sup -4/ at.% to 10 at.%. An explanation is given, and the individual groups of pottery are described in detail. Results for different archaeological sites of Sumerian, Babylonian, Assyrian, Phoenician and Roman provenience are presented. The data scattering of B and Li contents of samples from different places of origin varies considerably, and can be used as a measure of the economical importance of ancient centers. Local urban cultures, such as Ur, exhibit a relative data scattering around 0.2, cities with average trade relations show values around 0.4, and for the famous trade center Palmyra, 0.8 was found. The B/Li ratio of pottery indicates whether the clay used is a fresh water or a marine sediment. The B and Li contents of Euphrates pottery show systematic variations along the river valley. Several samples, found in the Mesopotamian region are highly enriched in nitrogen. This is probably due to salt precipitation in the surrounding soil after the destruction of the irrigation facilities by the Mongols in 1258.

[Detection of UGT1A1*28 Polymorphism Using Fragment Analysis].

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Ying; Su, Jian; Huang, Xiaosui; Lu, Danxia; Xie, Zhi; Yang, Suqing; Guo, Weibang; Lv, Zhiyi; Wu, Hongsui; Zhang, Xuchao

2017-12-20

Uridine-diphosphoglucuronosyl transferase 1A1 (UGT1A1), UGT1A1*28 polymorphism can reduce UGT1A1 enzymatic activity, which may lead to severe toxicities in patients who receive irinotecan. This study tries to build a fragment analysis method to detect UGT1A1*28 polymorphism. A total of 286 blood specimens from the lung cancer patients who were hospitalized in Guangdong General Hospital between April 2014 to May 2015 were detected UGT1A1*28 polymorphism by fragment analysis method. Comparing with Sanger sequencing, precision and accuracy of the fragment analysis method were 100%. Of the 286 patients, 236 (82.5% harbored TA6/6 genotype, 48 (16.8%) TA 6/7 genotype and 2 (0.7%) TA7/7 genotype. Our data suggest hat the fragment analysis method is robust for detecting UGT1A1*28 polymorphism in clinical practice. It's simple, time-saving, and easy-to-carry.

Harry Potteri film tänasest Eesti fännide ees - vanusepiiranguta! / Lauri Birkan

Index Scriptorium Estoniae

Birkan, Lauri

2005-01-01

Järjekorras neljas Potteri ekraniseering "Harry Potter ja tulepeeker" ("Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire") jõudis Eestisse. Režissöör Mike Newell : Suurbritannia-USA 2005. Lisatud lühike sisukokkuvõte "Harryl mure mure otsa" ning filmi kinoedu tutvustav "Edetabelite tipus"

Mass distribution of fission fragments using SSNTDs based image analysis system

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolekar, R.V.; Sharma, D.N.

2006-01-01

Lexan polycarbonate track detector was used to obtain mass distribution of fission fragments from 252 Cf planchette source, Normally, if the fission fragments are incident perpendicular to the lexan surface, the diameter of heavy fragment is greater than that of lighter fragment. In practical problems fission fragments are incident on the detector at all angles. So, in the present experiment, lexan detector was exposed to 252 Cf planchette source in 2π geometry. Fission fragments were incident on the detector with various angles. So the projected fission track length for fission fragment of same energy is different because of different angle of incidence. Image analysis software was used to measure the projected track length. But the problem is that for fission fragment having greater angle of incidence the entire track length is not focused on the surface. So reduced track length is measured. This problem is solved by taking two images, one at the surface and one at the tip of track and then overlapping both the images using image analysis software. The projected track length and the depth of the track were used to get the angle of incidence. Fission track lengths were measured for same angle of incidence. In all 500 track lengths were measured and plot for mass distribution for fission fragment was obtained.(author)

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

Embedded Fragments from U.S. Military Personnel—Chemical Analysis and Potential Health Implications

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

José A. Centeno

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Background: The majority of modern war wounds are characterized by high-energy blast injuries containing a wide range of retained foreign materials of a metallic or composite nature. Health effects of retained fragments range from local or systemic toxicities to foreign body reactions or malignancies, and dependent on the chemical composition and corrosiveness of the fragments in vivo. Information obtained by chemical analysis of excised fragments can be used to guide clinical decisions regarding the need for fragment removal, to develop therapeutic interventions, and to better anticipate future medical problems from retained fragment related injuries. In response to this need, a new U.S Department of Defense (DoD directive has been issued requiring characterization of all removed fragments to provide a database of fragment types occurring in combat injuries. Objectives: The objective of this study is to determine the chemical composition of retained embedded fragments removed from injured military personnel, and to relate results to histological findings in tissue adjacent to fragment material. Methods: We describe an approach for the chemical analysis and characterization of retained fragments and adjacent tissues, and include case examples describing fragments containing depleted uranium (DU, tungsten (W, lead (Pb, and non-metal foreign bodies composed of natural and composite materials. Fragments obtained from four patients with penetrating blast wounds to the limbs were studied employing a wide range of chemical and microscopy techniques. Available adjacent tissues from three of the cases were histologically, microscopically, and chemically examined. The physical and compositional properties of the removed foreign material surfaces were examined with energy dispersive x-ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF, scanning electron microscopy (SEM, laser ablation inductively-coupled plasma mass-spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS, and confocal laser Raman

A new light on the evolution and propagation of prehistoric grain pests: the world's oldest maize weevils found in Jomon Potteries, Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Obata, Hiroki; Manabe, Aya; Nakamura, Naoko; Onishi, Tomokazu; Senba, Yasuko

2011-03-29

Three Sitophilus species (S. granarius L., S. oryzae L., and S. zeamais Mots.) are closely related based on DNA analysis of their endosymbionts. All are seed parasites of cereal crops and important economic pest species in stored grain. The Sitophilus species that currently exist, including these three species, are generally believed to be endemic to Asia's forested areas, suggesting that the first infestations of stored grain must have taken place near the forested mountains of southwestern Asia. Previous archaeological data and historical records suggest that the three species may have been diffused by the spread of Neolithic agriculture, but this hypothesis has only been established for granary weevils in European and southwestern Asian archaeological records. There was little archeological evidence for grain pests in East Asia before the discovery of maize weevil impressions in Jomon pottery in 2004 using the "impression replica" method. Our research on Jomon agriculture based on seed and insect impressions in pottery continued to seek additional evidence. In 2010, we discovered older weevil impressions in Jomon pottery dating to ca. 10 500 BP. These specimens are the oldest harmful insects in the world discovered at archaeological sites. Our results provide evidence of harmful insects living in the villages from the Earliest Jomon, when no cereals were cultivated. This suggests we must reconsider previous scenarios for the evolution and propagation of grain pest weevils, especially in eastern Asia. Although details of their biology or the foods they infested remain unclear, we hope future interdisciplinary collaborations among geneticists, entomologists, and archaeologists will provide the missing details.

A new light on the evolution and propagation of prehistoric grain pests: the world's oldest maize weevils found in Jomon Potteries, Japan.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hiroki Obata

Full Text Available Three Sitophilus species (S. granarius L., S. oryzae L., and S. zeamais Mots. are closely related based on DNA analysis of their endosymbionts. All are seed parasites of cereal crops and important economic pest species in stored grain. The Sitophilus species that currently exist, including these three species, are generally believed to be endemic to Asia's forested areas, suggesting that the first infestations of stored grain must have taken place near the forested mountains of southwestern Asia. Previous archaeological data and historical records suggest that the three species may have been diffused by the spread of Neolithic agriculture, but this hypothesis has only been established for granary weevils in European and southwestern Asian archaeological records. There was little archeological evidence for grain pests in East Asia before the discovery of maize weevil impressions in Jomon pottery in 2004 using the "impression replica" method. Our research on Jomon agriculture based on seed and insect impressions in pottery continued to seek additional evidence. In 2010, we discovered older weevil impressions in Jomon pottery dating to ca. 10 500 BP. These specimens are the oldest harmful insects in the world discovered at archaeological sites. Our results provide evidence of harmful insects living in the villages from the Earliest Jomon, when no cereals were cultivated. This suggests we must reconsider previous scenarios for the evolution and propagation of grain pest weevils, especially in eastern Asia. Although details of their biology or the foods they infested remain unclear, we hope future interdisciplinary collaborations among geneticists, entomologists, and archaeologists will provide the missing details.

Archeointensity determinations on Pre-Columbian potteries from La Ceiba and Santa Marta shelter-caves (Chiapas, Mexico).

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez-Ceja, Maria; Camps, Pierre; Goguitchaichvili, Avto; Poidras, Thierry; Nicol, Patrick

2014-05-01

Quite surprisingly, the abundance of archaeological baked clays found in the tropical area of Mesoamerica contrast with the small amount of archeomagnetic data available today for this area [Fanjat et al, EPSL, 2013; Alva-Valdivia et al, PEPI, 2010, Morales et al., EPS, 2009]. It seems especially difficult to try to establish a regional trend in the intensity variations. While they are few, the data are moreover of uneven quality as attested by a large scatter in experimental values during the Mesoamerican classic and post-classic periods (250-1521 AD) that cannot be explained by real fluctuations in the Earth's magnetic field [Fanjat et al, EPSL, 2013]. The present study is part of a large effort to provide reliable and perfectly dated archeointensity data for the tropical area of Mesoamerica. It focuses on Thellier-Thellier archeointensity measurements obtained from 87 small fragments from potsherds of 12 different potteries. These potteries were excavated from sedimentary sequences within two shelter-caves, La Ceiba and Santa Marta, located on the banks of Grijalva and La Venta rivers, respectively. Both are shelter-caves without constructed structures that were inhabited by humans groups. Samples were located in different stratigraphic levels, culturally well identified and well preserved due to long time sedimentation. Only samples with a homogenous color were pre-selected for the rock magnetic study performed prior to any attempt to estimate the archeointensity. This was done in order to assure, as far as possible, a uniform baking during the manufacture, which is supposed to be made in open sky fire, since no kiln construction has been found. The ceramics ages were achieved in 2 ways: for samples with organic material associated, a 14C dating was done. The rest of the samples were dated according to their typological characteristics, comparing with regional ceramic chronological classification. This includes characteristics such as the finishing surface type

Progressive results from the PIXE program for sourcing prehistoric Papuan pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Allen, J.; Duerden, P.

1982-01-01

A study with the aim of identifying pottery from Motupore Island, Papua New Guinea, in other local and distant sites is described. PIXE, the analytical technique used, is outlined. Elements selected for sourcing studies were: major elements - Si, Al, K, Ca, Ti, Fe; trace elements - Sr, Rb. From the results so far obtained, it is apparent that the approach is providing the legitimate allocation of prehistoric sherds to source materials on the basis of their chemical composition

State of research and research possibilities of early medieval pottery from the Prague production zone

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Boháčová, Ivana

2017-01-01

Roč. 55, č. 1 (2017), s. 17-34 ISSN 0066-5924 R&D Projects: GA MK(CZ) DF13P01OVV014 Keywords : early Middle Ages * archaeology * pottery * Prague * chronology * Ceramic Reference Collection Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology OBOR OECD: Archaeology

Identification of animal fats via compound specific δ13C values of individual fatty acids: assessments of results for reference fats and lipid extracts of archaeological pottery vessels

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard P. Evershed

2002-12-01

Full Text Available The possibility of obtaining molecular information from lipid residues associated with archaeological pottery has dramatically increased the potential for deriving new information on the use of ancient vessels and the commodities processed therein. Motivated by the high proportion of the archaeological potsherds that have been shown to contain animal fats, a new approach invol- ving compound specific stable isotope analysis of remnant fats has been developed to retrieve infor- mation which will allow new insights into animal exploitation, dietary preferences and vessel use amongst prehistoric peoples. The new approach uses the δ13C values of the major saturated fatty acid (C16:0 and C18:0 determined by gas chromatography-combustion-isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GC–C–IRMS to characterise the origins of animal fat recovered from archaeological pottery.

The three-dimensional elemental distribution based on the surface topography by confocal 3D-XRF analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yi, Longtao; Qin, Min; Wang, Kai; Peng, Shiqi; Sun, Tianxi; Liu, Zhiguo [Beijing Normal University, College of Nuclear Science and Technology, Beijing (China); Lin, Xue [Northwest University, School of Cultural Heritage, Xi' an (China)

2016-09-15

Confocal three-dimensional micro-X-ray fluorescence (3D-XRF) is a good surface analysis technology widely used to analyse elements and elemental distributions. However, it has rarely been applied to analyse surface topography and 3D elemental mapping in surface morphology. In this study, a surface adaptive algorithm using the progressive approximation method was designed to obtain surface topography. A series of 3D elemental mapping analyses in surface morphology were performed in laboratories to analyse painted pottery fragments from the Majiayao Culture (3300-2900 BC). To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, sample surface topography and 3D elemental mapping were simultaneously obtained. Besides, component and depth analyses were also performed using synchrotron radiation confocal 3D-XRF and tabletop confocal 3D-XRF, respectively. The depth profiles showed that the sample has a layered structure. The 3D elemental mapping showed that the red pigment, black pigment, and pottery coat contain a large amount of Fe, Mn, and Ca, respectively. From the 3D elemental mapping analyses at different depths, a 3D rendering was obtained, clearly showing the 3D distributions of the red pigment, black pigment, and pottery coat. Compared with conventional 3D scanning, this method is time-efficient for analysing 3D elemental distributions and hence especially suitable for samples with non-flat surfaces. (orig.)

The three-dimensional elemental distribution based on the surface topography by confocal 3D-XRF analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yi, Longtao; Qin, Min; Wang, Kai; Peng, Shiqi; Sun, Tianxi; Liu, Zhiguo; Lin, Xue

2016-01-01

Confocal three-dimensional micro-X-ray fluorescence (3D-XRF) is a good surface analysis technology widely used to analyse elements and elemental distributions. However, it has rarely been applied to analyse surface topography and 3D elemental mapping in surface morphology. In this study, a surface adaptive algorithm using the progressive approximation method was designed to obtain surface topography. A series of 3D elemental mapping analyses in surface morphology were performed in laboratories to analyse painted pottery fragments from the Majiayao Culture (3300-2900 BC). To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, sample surface topography and 3D elemental mapping were simultaneously obtained. Besides, component and depth analyses were also performed using synchrotron radiation confocal 3D-XRF and tabletop confocal 3D-XRF, respectively. The depth profiles showed that the sample has a layered structure. The 3D elemental mapping showed that the red pigment, black pigment, and pottery coat contain a large amount of Fe, Mn, and Ca, respectively. From the 3D elemental mapping analyses at different depths, a 3D rendering was obtained, clearly showing the 3D distributions of the red pigment, black pigment, and pottery coat. Compared with conventional 3D scanning, this method is time-efficient for analysing 3D elemental distributions and hence especially suitable for samples with non-flat surfaces. (orig.)

Architecture, sedentism, and social complexity at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A WF16, Southern Jordan

Science.gov (United States)

Finlayson, Bill; Mithen, Steven J.; Najjar, Mohammad; Smith, Sam; Maričević, Darko; Pankhurst, Nick; Yeomans, Lisa

2011-01-01

Recent excavations at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) WF16 in southern Jordan have revealed remarkable evidence of architectural developments in the early Neolithic. This sheds light on both special purpose structures and “domestic” settlement, allowing fresh insights into the development of increasingly sedentary communities and the social systems they supported. The development of sedentary communities is a central part of the Neolithic process in Southwest Asia. Architecture and ideas of homes and households have been important to the debate, although there has also been considerable discussion on the role of communal buildings and the organization of early sedentarizing communities since the discovery of the tower at Jericho. Recently, the focus has been on either northern Levantine PPNA sites, such as Jerf el Ahmar, or the emergence of ritual buildings in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B of the southern Levant. Much of the debate revolves around a division between what is interpreted as domestic space, contrasted with “special purpose” buildings. Our recent evidence allows a fresh examination of the nature of early Neolithic communities. PMID:21536900

Architecture, sedentism, and social complexity at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A WF16, Southern Jordan.

Science.gov (United States)

Finlayson, Bill; Mithen, Steven J; Najjar, Mohammad; Smith, Sam; Maričević, Darko; Pankhurst, Nick; Yeomans, Lisa

2011-05-17

Recent excavations at Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) WF16 in southern Jordan have revealed remarkable evidence of architectural developments in the early Neolithic. This sheds light on both special purpose structures and "domestic" settlement, allowing fresh insights into the development of increasingly sedentary communities and the social systems they supported. The development of sedentary communities is a central part of the Neolithic process in Southwest Asia. Architecture and ideas of homes and households have been important to the debate, although there has also been considerable discussion on the role of communal buildings and the organization of early sedentarizing communities since the discovery of the tower at Jericho. Recently, the focus has been on either northern Levantine PPNA sites, such as Jerf el Ahmar, or the emergence of ritual buildings in the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B of the southern Levant. Much of the debate revolves around a division between what is interpreted as domestic space, contrasted with "special purpose" buildings. Our recent evidence allows a fresh examination of the nature of early Neolithic communities.

Adsorption behaviors of Pb(Ⅱ)on white pottery clay%白陶土对Pb（Ⅱ）吸附特性

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

史艳婷; 张金利; 杨庆

2016-01-01

Batch experiments were conducted to study the adsorption behaviors of Pb(Ⅱ)on white pottery clay.Several experimental conditions,including dosage of adsorbent,initial solution pH, ionic strength,contact time,temperature and initial concentration of lead,were investigated.The experimental results indicate that the lead removal is strongly dependent on dosage of adsorbent,pH and ionic strength.The temperature has a negligible effect on the adsorption capacity of white pottery clay.The maximum adsorption of Pb(Ⅱ)on white pottery clay is 136.33 mg/g at 20 ℃,with an initial concentration of 200 mg/L,pH0 =5.5 and dosage of adsorbent of 1 g/L.The kinetics' experimental results show that the adsorption of Pb(Ⅱ)on white pottery clay is a fast process and could reach equilibrium within 180 minutes.More than 80% of the maximum adsorption capacity can be reached in 10 minutes.The adsorption process of Pb(Ⅱ)on white pottery clay is well described by the pseudo-second order kinetic model.Langmuir model is found to be applicable to the prediction of isothermal adsorption of Pb (Ⅱ)on white pottery clay.The thermodynamics' experimental results show that the adsorption of Pb(Ⅱ)on white pottery clay is a spontaneous and endothermic process. Raising temperature makes for the adsorption process.The adsorption mechanism mainly involves ion exchange,electrostatic interaction and complexation.%采用间歇试验研究白陶土对 Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附特性,考虑了吸附剂用量、初始溶液 pH、离子强度、反应时间、温度及铅初始浓度等因素的影响.间歇试验结果表明,吸附剂用量、pH、离子强度等因素对铅去除影响显著,温度对白陶土吸附能力影响相对较小.在20℃、pH0=5.5、初始浓度200 mg/L、吸附剂用量1 g/L 下,白陶土对 Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附量可达136.33 mg/g.动力学试验结果表明,白陶土对Pb(Ⅱ)的吸附为快速反应,10 min时的吸附量为最大吸附量的80%,180 min�

Lessons from hot spot analysis for fragment-based drug discovery

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, David R.; Vajda, Sandor

2015-01-01

Analysis of binding energy hot spots at protein surfaces can provide crucial insights into the prospects for successful application of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), and whether a fragment hit can be advanced into a high affinity, druglike ligand. The key factor is the strength of the top ranking hot spot, and how well a given fragment complements it. We show that published data are sufficient to provide a sophisticated and quantitative understanding of how hot spots derive from protein three-dimensional structure, and how their strength, number and spatial arrangement govern the potential for a surface site to bind to fragment-sized and larger ligands. This improved understanding provides important guidance for the effective application of FBDD in drug discovery. PMID:26538314

Recovering Intrinsic Fragmental Vibrations Using the Generalized Subsystem Vibrational Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Tao, Yunwen; Tian, Chuan; Verma, Niraj; Zou, Wenli; Wang, Chao; Cremer, Dieter; Kraka, Elfi

2018-05-08

Normal vibrational modes are generally delocalized over the molecular system, which makes it difficult to assign certain vibrations to specific fragments or functional groups. We introduce a new approach, the Generalized Subsystem Vibrational Analysis (GSVA), to extract the intrinsic fragmental vibrations of any fragment/subsystem from the whole system via the evaluation of the corresponding effective Hessian matrix. The retention of the curvature information with regard to the potential energy surface for the effective Hessian matrix endows our approach with a concrete physical basis and enables the normal vibrational modes of different molecular systems to be legitimately comparable. Furthermore, the intrinsic fragmental vibrations act as a new link between the Konkoli-Cremer local vibrational modes and the normal vibrational modes.

Analysis of fission-fragment mass distribution within the quantum-mechanical fragmentation theory

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Singh, Pardeep; Kaur, Harjeet [Guru Nanak Dev University, Department of Physics, Amritsar (India)

2016-11-15

The fission-fragment mass distribution is analysed for the {sup 208}Pb({sup 18}O, f) reaction within the quantum-mechanical fragmentation theory (QMFT). The reaction potential has been calculated by taking the binding energies, Coulomb potential and proximity potential of all possible decay channels and a stationary Schroedinger equation has been solved numerically to calculate the fission-fragment yield. The overall results for mass distribution are compared with those obtained in experiment. Fine structure dips in yield, corresponding to fragment shell closures at Z = 50 and N=82, which are observed by Bogachev et al., are reproduced successfully in the present calculations. These calculations will help to estimate the formation probabilities of fission fragments and to understand many related phenomena occurring in the fission process. (orig.)

Technology and Organisation of Inka Pottery Production in the Leche Valley. Part I: Study of Clays

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayashida, F.; Haeusler, W.; Wagner, U.

2003-01-01

We report on an interdisciplinary approach to the study of finds of unfired clay lumps and unfired broken vessels from two workshops in the Leche Valley, north coast of Peru. The material is used as a reference in the study of pottery making at both workshops.

Technology and Organisation of Inka Pottery Production in the Leche Valley. Part I: Study of Clays

Science.gov (United States)

Hayashida, F.; Häusler, W.; Wagner, U.

2003-09-01

We report on an interdisciplinary approach to the study of finds of unfired clay lumps and unfired broken vessels from two workshops in the Leche Valley, north coast of Peru. The material is used as a reference in the study of pottery making at both workshops.

An investigation of pottery production technology for the West Slope wares from Dorylaion (Eski ehir/Turkey)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Issi, A.; Kara, A.

2013-02-01

Researches in the field of pottery production technology in ancient times, done in different settlements during the same period, may contribute to know relationships established within the different cultural communities. In ancient times, Anatolia (Asia Minor) was the crossroads of ancient civilizations. There are several ancient settlements and artifacts belonging to Hellenistic culture (330-30 BC). West Slope wares from Dorylaion (Eski ehir/Turkey) excavations are the main Hellenistic culture findings. In this study, different analytical techniques were employed for the characterization of these findings in order to enlighten the pottery production technology. Wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to study the chemical and mineralogical composition of the bodies, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) were also performed for the microstructural and microchemical characterization of body and slip layers of the selected potsherds. The raw materials used, firing temperatures and atmosphere and related microstructural characteristics were discussed. (Author) 22 refs.

An investigation of pottery production technology for the West Slope wares from Dorylaion (Eski ehir/Turkey)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Issi, A.; Kara, A.

2013-01-01

Researches in the field of pottery production technology in ancient times, done in different settlements during the same period, may contribute to know relationships established within the different cultural communities. In ancient times, Anatolia (Asia Minor) was the crossroads of ancient civilizations. There are several ancient settlements and artifacts belonging to Hellenistic culture (330-30 BC). West Slope wares from Dorylaion (Eski ehir/Turkey) excavations are the main Hellenistic culture findings. In this study, different analytical techniques were employed for the characterization of these findings in order to enlighten the pottery production technology. Wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to study the chemical and mineralogical composition of the bodies, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX) were also performed for the microstructural and microchemical characterization of body and slip layers of the selected potsherds. The raw materials used, firing temperatures and atmosphere and related microstructural characteristics were discussed. (Author) 22 refs.

Lessons from Hot Spot Analysis for Fragment-Based Drug Discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hall, David R; Kozakov, Dima; Whitty, Adrian; Vajda, Sandor

2015-11-01

Analysis of binding energy hot spots at protein surfaces can provide crucial insights into the prospects for successful application of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), and whether a fragment hit can be advanced into a high-affinity, drug-like ligand. The key factor is the strength of the top ranking hot spot, and how well a given fragment complements it. We show that published data are sufficient to provide a sophisticated and quantitative understanding of how hot spots derive from a protein 3D structure, and how their strength, number, and spatial arrangement govern the potential for a surface site to bind to fragment-sized and larger ligands. This improved understanding provides important guidance for the effective application of FBDD in drug discovery. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use and Appreciation of Mycenaean Pottery in the Levant, Cyprus and Italy : (ca. 1600-1200 BC)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wijngaarden, van Gert Jan

2002-01-01

Pottery made in the aegean during the Late Bronze Age has been found widely distributed in many parts of the Mediterranean. At some four hundred sites outside Greece, Mycenaean dinner and storage vessels, as well as some figurines have been discovered. As such, this class of archaeological artifacts

Nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopic and isotopic analysis of carbonized residues from subarctic Canadian prehistoric pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sherriff, B.L.; Tisdale, M.A.; Sayer, B.G.; Schwarcz, H.P.; Knyf, M.

1995-01-01

Late prehistoric pottery is found in abundance at archaeological sites around Southern Indian Lake. Black residues, found on the two dominant vessel forms, flat plates and round pots, are presumed to be the remains of prehistoric meals. 13 C cross-polarization magic-angle-spinning nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (CPMAS NMR) and 13 C and 15 N isotopic ratios and C/N ratios are used to reconstruct prehistoric diet and to shed light on possible uses for the plates. Samples of foods were cooked in clay pots, on a wood fire, to simulate the conditions of burning that could have produced the residue. Decomposition of carbohydrates, protein, and fat during cooking is studied with 13 C CPMAS NMR, and the effect of cooking on isotopic and C/N ratios documented. Predominantly fish and fat were cooked in the pots, whereas the residues from plates contain a greater proportion of fat and could have been used as frying pans or possibly as fat-burning lamps placed on the ashes of a wood fire. (Author)

Typing of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis isolates from Newfoundland using fragment analysis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Milka P Podder

Full Text Available Short Sequence Repeat (SSR typing of Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis (Map isolates is one of the most commonly used method for genotyping this pathogen. Currently used techniques have challenges in analyzing mononucleotide repeats >15 bp, which include some of the Map SSRs. Fragment analysis is a relatively simple technique, which can accurately measure the size of DNA fragments and can be used to calculate the repeat length of the target SSR loci. In the present study, fragment analysis was used to analyze 4 Map SSR loci known to provide sufficient discriminatory power to determine the relationship between Map isolates. Eighty-five Map isolates from 18 animals from the island of Newfoundland were successfully genotyped using fragment analysis. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on Map SSR diversity from Newfoundland dairy farms. Previously unreported Map SSR-types or combinations were also identified during the course of the described work. In addition, multiple Map SSR-types were isolated from a single animal in many cases, which is not a common finding.

Research Methodology in Montanistic Tourism with Respect to the Czech Republic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schejbal Ctirad

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Research methodology in montanistic tourism involves the archival research and study of special literature, surface and underground field survey, the analysis of findings of rock fragments, mineral composition, traces of metallurgical processes, fragments of pottery, etc. A separate problem is the study and evaluation of the development of mining and post-mining landscapes, focusing on the entire supply chain of resource industries and their impact on the cultural development of the country.

The «C» campanian and grey seudocampanian pottery in the province of Seville | La cerámica campaniense «C» y seudocampaniense de pasta gris en la provincia de Sevilla

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan José Ventura Martínez

1985-12-01

Full Text Available We want to make a contribution to the study of the Campanian pottery in the Iberian Peninsula. We analyse a lot of this pottery from various sites of the province of Seville, and carry out the study of the C Campanian pottery, and of the grey-paste pottery connected with it, in this area. | El presente estudio pretende ser una contribución al conocimiento de la cerámica campaniense en el ámbito de la Península Ibérica. En base al material reunido, procedente de diversos yacimientos de la provincia de Sevilla, el planteamiento del trabajo ha girado en torno a la documentación efectiva en dicho ámbito provincial tanto de la cerámica campaniense de tipo C como de una serie de cerámicas caracterizadas básicamente por su pasta gris y que en ocasiones, por sus características técnicas, formales o decorativas apuntan a una inspiración más o menos directa en las producciones propiamente campanienses.

A likely late-Roman painted pottery workshop in Tarancuena (Soria | Un probable taller local de cerámica pintada tardorromana en Tarancueña (Soria

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Juan Manuel Abascal Palazón

1986-12-01

Full Text Available The discovery of painted pottery in the Roman site of Tarancueña (Soria stand out because of its thematic and chronological homogeneity, and the meeting in only one site of the types which appear in the peripheric counties. The analysis of the material, combined with the information from the excavations, allows us to suggest the existence of a county factory which produced this type of pottery in the second half of the IVth Century A. D. and the first years of the Vth Century A. D. | Los hallazgos de cerámica pintada del yacimiento romano de Tarancueña (Soria, destacan por su homogeneidad temática y cronológica, así como por reunir en un solo enclave los tipos que aparecen en las regiones periféricas. El análisis del material, combinado con la información de las excavaciones, permite sugerir la existencia de un taller comarcal que produjo este tipo de piezas en la segunda mitad del siglo IV y los primeros años del siglo V. d. C.

EDXRF analysis of Marajoara pubic covers

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Calza, Cristiane; Lopes, Ricardo Tadeu [Universidade Federal, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-graduacao de Engenharia. Lab. de Instrumentacao Nuclear]. E-mail: ccalza@lin.ufrj.br; ricardo@lin.ufrj.br; Anjos, Marcelino Jose dos [Universidade do Estado, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Fisica]. E-mail: marcelin@lin.ufrj.br; Lima, Tania Andrade [Museu Nacional, Rio de Janeiro, RJ (Brazil)]. E-mail: talima@montreal.com.br

2005-07-01

This work evaluated the elemental composition of decorated pottery pubic covers (tangas) from the Marajoara culture of Marajo Island (located at the mouth of the Amazon River, Brazil). The tangas were used by Marajoara girls probably as part of puberty rites and were anatomically adjustable to the body, containing holes on its corners for string attachment. The samples included two tangas and four fragments from the National Museum collection. One fragment (sample 22245) presented a different design pattern that seemed to indicate a different provenance. EDXRF was performed at the Nuclear Instrumentation Laboratory (COPPE/UFRJ), using a Si(Li) detector from ORTEC with resolution of 180 eV at 5.9 keV and a mini x-ray tube with Mo anode. The angle of the incident x-ray beam was 16 deg and the detector was placed at 90 deg to the sample surface. The elements identified in the samples were: S, Cl, K, Ca, Ti, Mn, Fe, Cu, Zn, Ga, Rb, Sr, Y, Zr and Pb. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was used to evaluate the provenance of the samples. (author)

Optical dating of potteries excavated from Pungnabtoseong earthen wall, Seoul

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Myung Jin; Park, Mi Seon [Neosiskorea Co., Daejeon (Korea, Republic of); Lee, Sung Joon; Nah, Hye Rim; Hong, Hyung Woo [National Research Institute of Cultural Heritage, Daejeon (Korea, Republic of)

2012-05-15

Thermoluminescence (TL) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) emitted from natural crystalline mineral, usually quartz, feldspar, and so on, are mainly used to evaluate the paleodose for the age determination of archaeological and geological sample and the equivalent dose for retrospective dosimetry. TL/OSL age can be calculated as the ratio of paleodose to total annual dose rate which is determined from surrounding soil. In this study, we chemically extracted the quartz samples from potteries excavated in Pungnabtoseong earthen wall and observed the TL/OSL characteristics for paleodose determination. With the converted annual dose rate from the concentration of radioactive isotopes in its surrounding soil, optical date was evaluated and finally illustrated for interpreting the construction stage of Pungnabtoseong

[Evidence of facial palsy and facial malformations in pottery from Peruvian Moche and Lambayeque pre-Columbian cultures].

Science.gov (United States)

Carod-Artal, F J; Vázquez Cabrera, C B

2006-01-01

Moche (100-700 AD) and Lambayeque-Sicán (750-1100 AD) are pre-Columbian cultures from Regional States Period, developed in Northern Peru. Information about daily life, religion and medicine has been obtained through the study of Moche ceramics found in lords and priests tombs, pyramids and temples. To analyze archeological evidences of Moche Medicine and neurological diseases through ceramics. Representations of diseases in Moche and Lambayeque iconography and Moche pottery collections exposed in Casinelli museum from Trujillo, and Brüning National Archeological museum from Lambayeque, Peru, were studied. The most representative cases were analyzed and photographed, previous authorization from authorities and curators of the museums. The following pathologies were observed in ceramic collections: peripheral facial palsy, facial malformations such as cleft lip, hemifacial spasm, legs and arm amputations, scoliosis and Siamese patients. Male and females Moche doctors were also observed in the ceramics in ritual ceremonies treating patients. The main pathologies observed in Moche and Lambayeque pottery are facial palsy and cleft lip. These are one of the earliest registries of these pathologies in pre-Columbian cultures in South-America.

Early herding practices revealed through organic residue analysis of pottery from the early Neolithic rock shelter of Mala Triglavca, Slovenia

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Lucija Šoberl

2008-12-01

Full Text Available A collection of pottery from the early Neolithic site of Mala Triglavca was analysed with the aim of obtaining insights into vessel use and early animal domestication and husbandry practices in the Adriatic region. Total lipid extracts were submitted to gas chromatography (GC, GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS and GC-combustion-isotope ratio MS (GC-C-IRMS in order to obtain molecular and stable carbon isotope signatures as the basis for determining the nature and origins of the residues. The extracts were dominated by degraded animal fats. The majority (70% of the total lipid extracts displayed intact triacylglycerol distributions attributable to ruminant adipose and dairy fats, which were subsequently confirmed through C16:0 and C18:0 fatty acid δ13C values.

Validity of archaeomagnetic field recording: an experimental pottery kiln at Coppengrave, Germany

Science.gov (United States)

Schnepp, Elisabeth; Leonhardt, Roman; Korte, Monika; Klett-Drechsel, Johannes

2016-04-01

Palaeomagnetic data obtained from archaeological materials are used for reconstructions of the Earth's magnetic field of the past millennia. While many studies tested the reliability of this recorder for palaeointensity only a few studies did this for direction. The study presents an archaeomagnetic and rock magnetic investigation applied to an experimental pottery kiln, which was operated in 2003 to produce stone ware. This kind of high-quality pottery needs a temperature of at least 1160 °C. Shortly before heating of the kiln direct absolute measurements of the absolute geomagnetic field vector have been carried out close to it. After cooling of the kiln 24 oriented palaeomagnetic samples have been taken. Although Curie temperatures are about 580 °C, that is the typical temperature for magnetite, thermal as well as alternating field demagnetisations reveal also a considerable amount of hematite as magnetic carrier. This mixture of magnetite and hematite is dominated by pseudo-single domain grains. Demagnetisation removed in some cases weak secondary components, but in most cases the specimens carried a single component thermoremanent magnetisation. The mean characteristic remanent magnetisation direction agrees on 95 per cent confidence level with the directly measured field direction. Archaeointensity was obtained from five specimens with the Thellier-Coe method and with the multiple-specimen palaeointensity domain-state corrected method. Six of these specimens also provided a result of the Dekkers-Böhnel method, which overestimated the archaeointensity by about 9 per cent compared to the direct value, while after correction for fraction the value agrees very well. For the multiple-specimen palaeointensity domain-state corrected method only fractions between 25 and 75 per cent have been used and specimens showing alteration have been excluded. Above 450 °C many specimens showed alteration of the magnetic grains. Because median destructive temperatures were

75 FR 71133 - Guidance for Industry: The Safety of Imported Traditional Pottery Intended for Use With Food and...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-22

... Nutrition (HFS-317), Food and Drug Administration, 5100 Paint Branch Pkwy., College Park, MD 20740. Send two... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES Food and Drug Administration [Docket No. FDA-2010-D-0571] Guidance for Industry: The Safety of Imported Traditional Pottery Intended for Use With Food and the Use of...

Community spaces in the minds of traditional craftsmen in a pottery village in Japan

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Kota Maruya

2015-12-01

Full Text Available At present, the planning for the conservation or development of Japanese traditional crafts is based on administrative districts or water catchment areas. However, the conservation of Japanese traditions relies not only on the access to relevant natural resources but also on artisans׳ ability to manufacture crafts in specific environments. The perspectives of artisans on their work environments have a significant influence on traditional crafts. In this study, we aimed to investigate the changes in natural resource use in a village recognized for Koishiwara-yaki-style pottery. We employed a questionnaire and conducted interview surveys to collect data on the perceptions of the artisans working in the said village. The findings were as follows. 1 The area commonly regarded by the artisans as their place for pottery was identified. The identification of areas that are significant to local tradition can serve as a vital contribution to spatial planning. 2 The birth place of the local ceramics tradition in a local water catchment area was regarded as critically important in the preservation of the traditions of the village. 3 Several potters emphasized the value of their work environment to ver administrative support because of the historical connection between the place and their traditions. Highlighting this connection can attract historical and cultural tourism to this area.

Treatment of textile effluent containing indigo blue dye by a UASB reactor coupled with pottery clay adsorption - doi: 10.4025/actascitechnol.v35i1.13091

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Vinicius Conceição

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This study aimed to evaluate the treatment of a synthetic textile wastewater containing the blue indigo dye in a UASB (upflow anaerobic reactor, on a bench scale, followed by pottery clay adsorption. The system monitoring was verified by the following physical and chemical parameters: pH, alkalinity, volatile acids, COD and removal of color. The adsorption tests using pottery clay (construction debris as an alternative adsorbent material were performed on a jar test equipment. The results showed satisfactory effectiveness in removing color and organic matter (COD by the UASB, at the order of 69 and 81.2%, respectively. The color removal using ceramic clay as an alternative adsorbent material was 97% for the concentration of 200 g L-1 of adsorbent, evidencing that the use of pottery clay as adsorbent material had significant and promising results, and may be used as a post-treatment unit for removal of dyes present in textile effluents, and since construction debris currently represents a major environmental problem, its use in wastewater treatment may become an alternative to a proper destination of this waste.  

Neutron activation analysis of medieval and early modern times ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kies, A.; Reitsamer, G.; Bauer, W.

1985-01-01

Provenience studies of medieval and early modern times ceramics from the Eastern Danube area of Austria have been performed by instrumental neutron activation analysis. All sherds examined were selected from pottery which was specially charactrized by pottery marks ('Cross Potent', 'Crossmark within a circle', 'Latin Cross', 'Cross Paty'). With respect to the chemical composition five different pottery groups could be evaluated by cluster analysis. Archaeological results: The'Cross Patent' was used by different potter's workshops whereas the 'Crossmark within a circle' was more likely restricted to one manufacture entre. The distribution of the 'Latin Cross' and The 'Cross Paty' over all five clusters indicated the usage of clay from different deposits. The assignment of the 'Cross Paty' exclusively to the area of Passau could be disproved. (Author)

Analysis of Blade Fragment Risk at a Wind Energy Facility

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Simms, David A [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Larwood, Scott [University of the Pacific

2018-04-06

An analysis was performed to determine the risk posed by wind turbine fragments on roads and buildings at the National Wind Technology Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. The authors used a previously developed model of fragment trajectory and took into account the wind speed/direction distribution at the site and the probability of rotor failure. The risk was assessed by determining the likelihood of impact and related consequences. For both the roads and buildings, the risk varied from low to routine, which was considered acceptable. The analysis was compared with previous recommendations on wind turbine setback distances. The results showed that a setback to property lines of 2 times the overall turbine height would be acceptable. However, the setback to dwellings should probably be increased from 3 to 3.5 times the overall turbine height for an acceptable risk.

Continuity and changes of manufacturing traditions of Bell Beaker and Bronze Age encrusted pottery in the Morava river catchment (Czech Republic)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Všianský, D.; Kolář, Jan; Petřík, J.

2014-01-01

Roč. 49, September 14 (2014), s. 414-422 ISSN 0305-4403 Institutional support: RVO:67985939 Keywords : encrusted pottery * Copper age * X-ray diffraction Subject RIV: AC - Archeology, Anthropology, Ethnology OBOR OECD: Archaeology Impact factor: 2.196, year: 2014

EDXRF study of Tupiguarani archaeological ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appoloni, C.R.; Aragao, P.H.A.; Santos, A.O. dos; Silva, L.M. da; Barbieri, P.F.; Espinoza Quinones, F.R.; Nascimento Filho, V.F. do

2000-01-01

A set of Indian Brazilian pottery fragments belonging to Tupi-Guarani tradition has been studied by EDXRF. The pottery fragments were accidentally discovered in the Santa Dalmacia farm in 1990, sited near Cambe city at the north of Parana Brazilian State. The main objective was to characterize the ceramic paste, as well as the superficial layer of the ceramic fragments, in order to get information about the pigment composition of the plastic decoration. The Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) methodology was employed to obtain the ceramic paste composition, as well as the superficial layer of the ceramic fragments. The measurements were carried out at CENA. The experimental set up consisted of 238 Pu, 55 Fe and 109 Cd radioactive sources, a X-ray tube (at 15 kV, 40 mA, Mo target and Zr filter), a Si(Li) detector (30 mm 2 , with a Be window ) and a multichannel analyzer. For detection of the elements within the ceramic paste, the fragments were irradiated at the center of the lateral section. While several superficial areas with remaining plastic decoration were also chosen and irradiated at the convex and concave sides of each fragment. X-ray spectra were analyzed at UEL using the AXIL program. A program based on the graphic polygonal representation method was developed and used to correlate the representative intensity data of each fragment. A low Ca content, and a systematic presence of relatively high concentrations of Fe can characterize the ceramic pastes. Ti and Zr are also always present at high levels, and Ni, Cu and in some cases Zn at level of traces; Rb, Sr, Ba and Y are also present at low concentration. The black pigment in the pottery plastic decoration is due to the presence of Mn, the red pigment is due to the presence of Fe, while the white pigment is characterized by the presence of Ba. Other qualitative and quantitative results were obtained for each kind of ceramic fragment groups. For the eleven fragments studied, the polygonal

Ceramic compositional analysis in archaeological perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bishop, R.L.; Rands, R.L.; Holley, G.R.

1980-01-01

The primary significance of compositional analysis in archaeology lies on the spatial dimension, in distinguishing products made by locally or regionally-based groups. If compositional analysis is to be carried beyond the descriptive recording of similarities and differences, the resource procurement zone (and its geographical relationship to inferred places of manufacture) is a basic operational concept (Rands and Bishop 1980). A zonal concept is clearly indicated in the case of pottery, which frequently is derived from raw materials, clay and temper, that do not necessarily coincide in their place of procurement. Moreover, depending on geomorphological and geochemical variables, these materials may show considerable homogeneity over a fairly extended area. On the other hand, unless there is strong, selective patterning in the exploitation of resources, great heterogeneity within a restricted region may result in fragmented procurement zones that are difficult to equate with the products of specific manufacturing centers. Under favorable circumstances, however, it appears that methods of compositional analysis are approaching the point at which microzones of limited geographical extent can be recognized and assigned heuristically useful boundaries.

Geochemical studies of Guarani ethnic groups pottery with XRF

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Facetti-Masulli, J.F.; Romero de Gonzalez, V.; Zulma de Diaz; Kump, P.

2010-01-01

Artefacts of pottery belonging to the Guarani ethnic group were investigated by XRF techniques. The Tupi-Guarani, is one of the three main representatives of the Neolithic culture in the Amazonian scope. Such an ethnic group dispersed towards the South; in the Paraguayan area between the Paraguay and the Parana Rivers several Guarani ethnic movements by both rivers and their tributaries are perceived. The lithology and ceramics typology have contributed to support that perception. The archaeological findings help to clarify prehistoric cultural aspects and dispersal areas. In that context, the knowledge of the chemical composition of the found ceramic devices, in particular of the rare earth elements (REE) and other refractory ones provide information on this dispersion and its expansion. Selected trace elements (Rb, Sr, Y, Zr, Nb, Ba, La, Ce, and Nd) were determined in samples from thirteen archaeological sites with XRF using an Am-241 source. Their spidergrams have allowed identifying four different sets of samples according to their areas of provenance. (author)

Trans-Regional technologies and the Lapita problem: characterisation of volcanic glass inclusions by electron microprobe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grave, P.; Nockolds, C.; White, P.

1997-01-01

Full text: Analysis of pre-modern pottery of the Pacific has long attempted to formulate measures independent of style for constructing archaeologically meaningful groups. However, the variable character of fabrics and the longevity of production (Lapita and post-Lapita wares from 3000 years ago to the present) have tended to obscure differences due to changes in production practices and resources through time and differences relating to the exchange of ceramics between islands or regions. In this poster we outline a preliminary study that employs an economical and robust technique to distinguish both within- and between-region groups. This is achieved with electron microprobe analysis of small volcanic glass fragments present in wares tempered with volcanic sands, and interpretation based on Principal Components Analysis. The method builds on the chemical groupings for glass from different volcanic complexes in the Pacific established through high energy ion beam (PIXE-PIGME) analysis. The purpose of this study is to characterise a selection of samples of pottery from the Duke of York's peninsula using electron microprobe analysis of very small glass fragments in the sections that ranged in size from around 0.05 mm to 1 mm.. The study involved the identification and elemental characterisation of individual fragments of glass in a section. Principal Component Analysis was used to identify structure latent in the dataset. The results of the study show that clear characterisation is possible to enable the wider application of the technique to Lapita and post Lapita ceramics produced originating in volcanic areas of the Pacific

Analysis of multi-fragmentation reactions induced by relativistic heavy ions using the statistical multi-fragmentation model

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ogawa, T., E-mail: ogawa.tatsuhiko@jaea.go.jp [Research Group for Radiation Protection, Division of Environment and Radiation Sciences, Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Shirakata-Shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Sato, T.; Hashimoto, S. [Research Group for Radiation Protection, Division of Environment and Radiation Sciences, Nuclear Science and Engineering Directorate, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Shirakata-Shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Niita, K. [Research Organization for Information Science and Technology, Shirakata-shirane, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1188 (Japan)

2013-09-21

The fragmentation cross-sections of relativistic energy nucleus–nucleus collisions were analyzed using the statistical multi-fragmentation model (SMM) incorporated with the Monte-Carlo radiation transport simulation code particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS). Comparison with the literature data showed that PHITS-SMM reproduces fragmentation cross-sections of heavy nuclei at relativistic energies better than the original PHITS by up to two orders of magnitude. It was also found that SMM does not degrade the neutron production cross-sections in heavy ion collisions or the fragmentation cross-sections of light nuclei, for which SMM has not been benchmarked. Therefore, SMM is a robust model that can supplement conventional nucleus–nucleus reaction models, enabling more accurate prediction of fragmentation cross-sections.

Analysis of multi-fragmentation reactions induced by relativistic heavy ions using the statistical multi-fragmentation model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ogawa, T.; Sato, T.; Hashimoto, S.; Niita, K.

2013-01-01

The fragmentation cross-sections of relativistic energy nucleus–nucleus collisions were analyzed using the statistical multi-fragmentation model (SMM) incorporated with the Monte-Carlo radiation transport simulation code particle and heavy ion transport code system (PHITS). Comparison with the literature data showed that PHITS-SMM reproduces fragmentation cross-sections of heavy nuclei at relativistic energies better than the original PHITS by up to two orders of magnitude. It was also found that SMM does not degrade the neutron production cross-sections in heavy ion collisions or the fragmentation cross-sections of light nuclei, for which SMM has not been benchmarked. Therefore, SMM is a robust model that can supplement conventional nucleus–nucleus reaction models, enabling more accurate prediction of fragmentation cross-sections

Childhood Blood Lead Reductions Following Removal of Leaded Ceramic Glazes in Artisanal Pottery Production: A Success Story

OpenAIRE

Donald E. Jones, MS; Mario Covarrubias Pérez; Bret Ericson; Daniel Estrada Sánchez; Sandra Gualtero; Andrea Smith-Jones, MS; Jack Caravanos, DrPH, CIH

2013-01-01

Background. Lead exposure within artisanal ceramics workshop communities in Mexico continues to be a major source of childhood lead poisoning. Artisanal ceramics workshops expose children through direct ingestion, contaminated soil, and food prepared in lead-glazed pottery. Conversion to non-lead glazes alone may not effectively reduce exposure. This paper describes a model comprehensive intervention and environmental remediation of an artisanal ceramics workshop in the state of Hidalgo, Mexi...

Exact Solutions of Fragmentation Equations with General Fragmentation Rates and Separable Particles Distribution Kernels

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S. C. Oukouomi Noutchie

2014-01-01

Full Text Available We make use of Laplace transform techniques and the method of characteristics to solve fragmentation equations explicitly. Our result is a breakthrough in the analysis of pure fragmentation equations as this is the first instance where an exact solution is provided for the fragmentation evolution equation with general fragmentation rates. This paper is the key for resolving most of the open problems in fragmentation theory including “shattering” and the sudden appearance of infinitely many particles in some systems with initial finite particles number.

LA ALFARERÍA DEL TARDÍO PREHISPÁNICO DEL VALLE DEL BOLSÓN (CATAMARCA, ARGENTINA: ¿PRODUCCIÓN LOCAL O ALÓCTONA? / The Late Prehispanic pottery of the Bolsón Valley (Catamarca, Argentine: local or allochthonous production?

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Verónica Puente

2014-11-01

Full Text Available En este trabajo se presentan los resultados obtenidos en los estudios de procedencia de conjuntos cerámicos recuperados en dos asentamientos conglomerados del valle del Bolsón (Belén, Catamarca, Argentina vinculados a ocupaciones del tardío prehispánico (ca. 900-1600 DC. Las muestras estudiadas corresponden principalmente a cerámica pintada en negro sobre rojo reconocida como de estilo Belén, en menor medida ordinaria y excepcionalmente negro sobre crema y ante. Se complementaron análisis petrológicos y análisis por activación neutrónica instrumental realizados a la alfarería y a materias primas adecuadas para la producción alfarera muestreadas en la región. Se concluye que un grupo mayoritario de piezas fueron elaboradas con arcillas y arenas procedentes de la región bajo estudio. Asimismo, se destacan similitudes composicionales entre la vajilla recuperada en ambos asentamientos a pesar de las diferencias logísticas y estratégicas de emplazamiento. Los resultados generados son un importante aporte al tema de la producción alfarera a escala suprarregional dado que evidencian la coexistencia de distintos locus de producción cerámica en el oeste catamarqueño durante el lapso temporal estudiado.   Palabras clave: cerámica, tardío prehispánico, procedencia, análisis de activación neutrónica, petrografía.   Abstract The results obtained in the study of the provenance of ceramic recovered in two conglomerates settlements of the valley of El Bolsón (Belén, Catamarca, Argentina linked to prehispanic late occupations (ca. 900-1600 AD are given. The samples analyzed correspond mainly to Belén style ceramic, in lesser frequency to ordinary, and exceptionally to black over cream and beige. This study combined petrological and neutron instrumental activation analysis made in both kind of samples, archaeological pottery and local raw materials. It is concluded that a majority of archaeological pottery were made with clay and

Report of the Van de Graaff Group: nuclear analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gihwala, D.; Jacobson, L.; Peisach, M.; Pineda, C.A.

1984-01-01

Clays and pottery from the Kavango and Caprivi areas of northern South West Africa were analysed for trace element concentrations. The main purpose of the investigation was to analyse clays from known sources and the pottery produced therefrom, in order to evalute the extent to which the elemental composition of a pot resembles that of the clay from which it was made. PIXE and PIPPS analysis were used. Analysis of clays from the northern regions of South West Africa indicated that the Kalahari: sands contained minor and trace elements of a suprisingly uniform composition

CT Texture Analysis of Ex Vivo Renal Stones Predicts Ease of Fragmentation with Shockwave Lithotripsy.

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Helen W; Devlies, Wout; Ravenscroft, Samuel; Heers, Hendrik; Freidin, Andrew J; Cleveland, Robin O; Ganeshan, Balaji; Turney, Benjamin W

2017-07-01

Understanding the factors affecting success of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) would improve informed decision-making on the most appropriate treatment modality for an individual patient. Although stone size and skin-to-stone distance do correlate with fragmentation efficacy, it has been shown that stone composition and architecture, as reflected by structural heterogeneity on CT, are also important factors. This study aims to determine if CT texture analysis (CTTA), a novel, nondestructive, and objective tool that generates statistical metrics reflecting stone heterogeneity, could have utility in predicting likelihood of SWL success. Seven spontaneously passed, intact renal tract stones, were scanned ex vivo using standard CT KUB and micro-CT. The stones were then fragmented in vitro using a clinical lithotripter, after which, chemical composition analysis was performed. CTTA was used to generate a number of metrics that were correlated to the number of shocks needed to fragment the stone. CTTA metrics reflected stone characteristics and composition, and predicted ease of SWL fragmentation. The strongest correlation with number of shocks required to fragment the stone was mean Hounsfield unit (HU) density (r = 0.806, p = 0.028) and a CTTA metric measuring the entropy of the pixel distribution of the stone image (r = 0.804, p = 0.039). Using multiple linear regression analysis, the best model showed that CTTA metrics of entropy and kurtosis could predict 92% of the outcome of number of shocks needed to fragment the stone. This was superior to using stone volume or density. CTTA metrics entropy and kurtosis have been shown in this experimental ex vivo setting to strongly predict fragmentation by SWL. This warrants further investigation in a larger clinical study for the contribution of CT textural metrics as a measure of stone heterogeneity, along with other known clinical factors, to predict likelihood of SWL success.

A STUDY ON A SPECIFIC TYPE OF POTTERY FROM THE ELAMITE ERA AND TOPONYMY OF ZABSHALI

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Ali Aarab

2016-12-01

Full Text Available So far, there have been no studies conducted extensively on the regions surrounding Elamite. One of the surrounding regions cover the north of present-day provinces Fars and Khuzestan as Elamite centers in the ancient era. The noteworthy point about these regions is their potentially rich metal mines. This has been mentioned in Mesopotamian inscriptions, mainly explaining the link between the Mesopotamian plain and the highlands of Elam. The present-day provinces, Khuzestan and Fars, have small potentials for metal mines. Hence, they only served as surrounding regions supplying the metals. However, little investigation has been done on the archeological data from the Elamite Era. It is crucial to carry out a historical study on these regions along with the archeological data to enlighten the dark spots in the Elamite Era and ultimately provide a toponymy of the Elamite cities. One instance of such archeological data involve various types of local pottery in Khuzestan (as a central city of Elam, which was compared through petrography against the samples recovered in Isfahan and Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari (as two surrounding regions. Finally, this paper intended to discuss more confidently the era in which this type of pottery was built and its origin in order to provide a toponymy of the Zabshali based on historical and archaeological data.

Azimuthal Anisotropies in Nuclear Fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dabrowska, A.; Szarska, M.; Trzupek, A.; Wolter, W.; Wosiek, B.

2002-01-01

The directed and elliptic flow of fragments emitted from the excited projectile nuclei has been observed for 158 AGeV Pb collisions with the lead and plastic targets. For comparison the flow analysis has been performed for 10.6 AGeV Au collisions with the emulsion target. The strong directed flow of heaviest fragments is found. Light fragments exhibit directed flow opposite to that of heavy fragments. The elliptic flow for all multiply charged fragments is positive and increases with the charge of the fragment. The observed flow patterns in the fragmentation of the projectile nucleus are practically independent of the mass of the target nucleus and the collision energy. Emission of fragments in nuclear multifragmentation shows similar, although weaker, flow effects. (author)

Genetic analysis reveals demographic fragmentation of grizzly bears yielding vulnerably small populations.

Science.gov (United States)

Proctor, Michael F; McLellan, Bruce N; Strobeck, Curtis; Barclay, Robert M R

2005-11-22

Ecosystem conservation requires the presence of native carnivores, yet in North America, the distributions of many larger carnivores have contracted. Large carnivores live at low densities and require large areas to thrive at the population level. Therefore, if human-dominated landscapes fragment remaining carnivore populations, small and demographically vulnerable populations may result. Grizzly bear range contraction in the conterminous USA has left four fragmented populations, three of which remain along the Canada-USA border. A tenet of grizzly bear conservation is that the viability of these populations requires demographic linkage (i.e. inter-population movement of both sexes) to Canadian bears. Using individual-based genetic analysis, our results suggest this demographic connection has been severed across their entire range in southern Canada by a highway and associated settlements, limiting female and reducing male movement. Two resulting populations are vulnerably small (bear populations may be more threatened than previously thought and that conservation efforts must expand to include international connectivity management. They also demonstrate the ability of genetic analysis to detect gender-specific demographic population fragmentation in recently disturbed systems, a traditionally intractable yet increasingly important ecological measurement worldwide.

Dating of a representative pottery sample from the basin of Sayula, Jalisco in Mexico using the thermoluminescence method

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mercado U, H. [CINVESTAV, Unidad Monterrey, Nuevo Leon (Mexico); Schaaf, P.; Ramirez, A. [Instituto de Geofisica, UNAM, 04510 Mexico D.F. (Mexico); Gonzalez, P.R. [ININ, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Brunet, J. [CUCSH, Universidad de Guadalajara, Jalisco (Mexico)

2006-07-01

In this work is presented a study of dating of the representative pottery sample from the west of Mexico, in a predominantly saline region. The study is carried out with the thermoluminescence method and the fine grain technique. The archaeological region was begun to study from 1990. This work also presents an historical and geographical context of the region and its relevance in the western culture of Mexico. (Author)

Dating of a representative pottery sample from the basin of Sayula, Jalisco in Mexico using the thermoluminescence method

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mercado U, H.; Schaaf, P.; Ramirez, A.; Gonzalez, P.R.; Brunet, J.

2006-01-01

In this work is presented a study of dating of the representative pottery sample from the west of Mexico, in a predominantly saline region. The study is carried out with the thermoluminescence method and the fine grain technique. The archaeological region was begun to study from 1990. This work also presents an historical and geographical context of the region and its relevance in the western culture of Mexico. (Author)

Pottery shreds as tools in late Neolithic Vinča

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vuković Jasna

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Over the last few years, careful analysis of a large quantity of ceramic material found during excavation at Vinca has identified a significant number of ceramic fragments with clear use-wear traces. Recycled fragments of ceramic vessels are characterized by the presence of damage and deformation caused by abrasive processes i.e. contact of the fragments with hard material. All recorded recycled fragments can generally be divided into two basic groups: fragments representing tools with a working edge, and fragments with traces of abrasion on their outer surface. The largest group comprises fragments whose edges form the working edge of a tool, rounded or flattened through use and so becoming smooth. In contrast to so-called burnishers (the secondarily used, striped handles with traces of the action of water, manifesting in a uniformly rounded break with ceramic tools only one edge of the fragment is rounded and used; the remaining edge indicates a completely normal break. In addition, most fragments also have abrasions directly beneath the working edge, which indicates holding the tool at a certain angle during use. That damage can occur both on the exterior and interior surfaces. It is striking that in a large group of fragments, the rim is used as a working edge. Tools are mostly fragmented, but it appears that their shape was not modified before use. In that sense, two straight polygonal tools can be distinguished (T. I/1a-b, or tools which are rectangular in shape with rounded corners (T. II4a-b, preserved complete. In most cases, these are fragments of bowls, so tools usually have polished or burnished surfaces, but ornamental parts formed by burnished lines or channelling are also noticeable. Fragments of rough fabric were never used as tools, but only those with an admixture of fine sand. Very rarely, actually in two cases, fragments of amphorae were used as tools (T. IV/2,5. Usually the upper parts of vessels were used, although there

Analysis of effect of aluminized canfo on fragmentation and economics of quarry blast

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shoukat, M.R.; Akram, M.

2016-01-01

Reducing the explosive cost for drilling and blasting operations conducted at limestone quarries is a major concern for every mine operator. In Pakistan, to reduce explosive cost, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate with Fuel Oil (CANFO) is commonly used in explosive column charge in place of Ammonium nitrate fuel oil (ANFO). However, fragmentation of the blast has to be compromised over cost reduction. Hence it is desired to enhance the performance of CANFO. In this study, Aluminum (AL) is added into Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) to analyze its effect on fragmentation and economics of blast at a limestone quarry. Experimental shots were held using rectangular drilling pattern (current practice), using CANFO and ALCANFO in separate shots, while all other blast design factors were kept constant. Post blast analysis for all shots was done in terms of fragmentation and cost. The shots using ALCANFO proved to be better fragmentation wise, and also assured a saving of 1.6% in drilling and blasting costs. (author)

Large sample NAA of a pottery replica utilizing thermal neutron flux at AHWR critical facility and X-Z rotary scanning unit

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acharya, R.; Dasari, K.B.; Pujari, P.K.; Swain, K.K.; Shinde, A.D.; Reddy, A.V.R.

2013-01-01

Large sample neutron activation analysis (LSNAA) of a clay pottery replica from Peru was carried out using low neutron flux graphite reflector position of Advanced Heavy Water Reactor (AHWR) critical facility. This work was taken up as a part of inter-comparison exercise under IAEA CRP on LSNAA of archaeological objects. Irradiated large size sample, placed on an X-Z rotary scanning unit, was assayed using a 40% relative efficiency HPGe detector. The k 0 -based internal monostandard NAA (IM-NAA) in conjunction with insitu relative detection efficiency was used to calculate concentration ratios of 12 elements with respect to Na. Analyses of both small and large size samples were carried out to check homogeneity and to arrive at absolute concentrations. (author)

PEASANT AND SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE ON PLANOSOLS AS A SOURCE OF MATERIALS IN THE MAKING OF NON-INDUSTRIAL POTTERY

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Raiana Lira Cabral

2015-02-01

Full Text Available Ethnopedological studies have mainly focused on agricultural land uses and associated practices. Nevertheless, peasant and indigenous populations use soil and land resources for a number of additional purposes, including pottery. In the present study, we describe and analyze folk knowledge related to the use of soils in non-industrial pottery making by peasant potters, in the municipality of Altinho, Pernambuco State, semiarid region at Brazil. Ethnoscientific techniques were used to record local knowledge, with an emphasis on describing the soil materials recognized by the potters, the properties they used to identify those soil materials, and the criteria employed by them to differentiate and relate such materials. The potters recognized three categories of soil materials: “terra” (earth, “barro” (clay and, “piçarro” (soft rock. The multi-layered arrangement of these materials within the soil profiles was similar to the arrangement of the soil horizon described by formal pedologists. “Barro vermelho” (red clay was considered by potters as the principal ceramic resource. The potters followed morphological and utilitarian criteria in distinguishing the different soil materials. Soils from all of these sites were sodium-affected Alfisols and correspond to Typic Albaqualf and Typic Natraqualf in the Soil Taxonomy (Soil Survey Staff, 2010.

Capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis and clone sequencing in detection of dynamic mutations of spinocerebellar ataxia

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Yuan-yuan CHEN

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Objective To estimate the accuracy and stability of capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis and clone sequencing in detecting dynamic mutations of spinocerebellar ataxia (SCA. Methods Capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis and clone sequencing were used in detecting trinucleotide repeated sequence of 14 SCA patients (3 cases of SCA2, 2 cases of SCA7, 7 cases of SCA8 and 2 cases of SCA17. Results Capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis of 3 SCA2 cases showed the expanded cytosine-adenine-guanine (CAG repeats were 31, 30 and 32, and the copy numbers of 3 clone sequencing for 3 colonies in each case were 37/40/40, 37/38/39 and 38/39/40 respectively. Capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis of 2 SCA7 cases showed the expanded CAG repeats were 57 and 34, and the copy numbers of repeats were 69, 74, 75 in 3 colonies of one case, and was 45 in the other case. For the 7 SCA8 cases with the expanded cytosine-thymine-adenine (CTA/cytosine-thymine-guanine (CTG repeats of 99, 111, 104, 92, 89, 104 and 75, the results of clone sequencing were 97, 116, 104, 90, 90, 102 and 76 respectively. For 2 SCA17 cases with the short/expanded CAG repeats of 37/50 and 36/45, the results of clone sequencing were 51/50/52 and 45/44 for 3 and 2 colonies. Conclusions Although the higher mobility of polymerase chain reaction (PCR products containing dynamic mutation in the capillary electrophoresis fragment analysis might cause the deviation for analysis of copy numbers, the deviation was predictable and the results were repeatable. The clone sequencing results showed obvious instability, especially for SCA2 and SCA7 genes, which might owing to their simple CAG repeats. Consequently, clone sequencing is not suited for detection of dynamic mutation, not to mention the quantitative criteria of dynamic mutation sequencing. DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.1672-6731.2018.03.008

Multitemporal analysis of forest fragmentation in Hindu Kush Himalaya-a case study from Khangchendzonga Biosphere Reserve, Sikkim, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Mohit; Areendran, G; Raj, Krishna; Sharma, Ankita; Joshi, P K

2016-10-01

Forests in the mountains are a treasure trove; harbour a large biodiversity; and provide fodder, firewood, timber and non-timber forest products; all of these are essential for human survival in the highest mountains on earth. The present paper attempts a spatiotemporal assessment of forest fragmentation and changes in land use land cover (LULC) pattern using multitemporal satellite data over a time span of around a decade (2000-2009), within the third highest protected area (PA) in the world. The fragmentation analysis using Landscape Fragmentation Tool (LFT) depicts a decrease in large core, edge and patches areas by 5.93, 3.64 and 0.66 %, respectively, while an increase in non-forest and perforated areas by 6.59 and 4.01 %, respectively. The land cover dynamics shows a decrease in open forest, alpine scrub, alpine meadows, snow and hill shadow areas by 2.81, 0.39, 8.18, 3.46 and 0.60 %, respectively, and there is an increase in dense forest and glacier area by 4.79 and 10.65 %, respectively. The change analysis shows a major transformation in areas from open forest to dense forest and from alpine meadows to alpine scrub. In order to quantify changes induced by forest fragmentation and to characterize composition and configuration of LULC mosaics, fragmentation indices were computed using Fragstats at class level, showing the signs of accelerated fragmentation. The outcome of the analysis revealed the effectiveness of geospatial tools coupled with landscape ecology in characterization and quantification of forest fragmentation and land cover changes. The present study provides a baseline database for sustainable conservation planning that will benefit the subsistence livelihoods in the region. Recommendations made based on the present analysis will help to recover forest and halt the pessimistic effects of fragmentation and land cover changes on biodiversity and ecosystem services in the region.

Human Hunting and Nascent Animal Management at Middle Pre-Pottery Neolithic Yiftah'el, Israel.

Science.gov (United States)

Sapir-Hen, Lidar; Dayan, Tamar; Khalaily, Hamoudi; Munro, Natalie D

2016-01-01

The current view for the southern Levant is that wild game hunting was replaced by herd management over the course of the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period, but there is significant debate over the timing, scale and origin of this transition. To date, most relevant studies focus either on wild game exploitation in the periods prior to domestication or on classic markers of domestication of domestic progenitor species over the course of the PPNB. We studied the faunal remains from the 2007-2008 excavations of the Middle PPNB (MPPNB) site of Yiftah'el, Northern Israel. Our analysis included a close examination of the timing and impact of the trade-off between wild game and domestic progenitor taxa that reflects the very beginning of this critical transition in the Mediterranean zone of the southern Levant. Our results reveal a direct trade-off between the intensive hunting of wild ungulates that had been staples for millennia, and domestic progenitor taxa. We suggest that the changes in wild animal use are linked to a region-wide shift in the relationship between humans and domestic progenitor species including goat, pig and cattle.

Fractal statistics of brittle fragmentation

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M. Davydova

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The study of fragmentation statistics of brittle materials that includes four types of experiments is presented. Data processing of the fragmentation of glass plates under quasi-static loading and the fragmentation of quartz cylindrical rods under dynamic loading shows that the size distribution of fragments (spatial quantity is fractal and can be described by a power law. The original experimental technique allows us to measure, apart from the spatial quantity, the temporal quantity - the size of time interval between the impulses of the light reflected from the newly created surfaces. The analysis of distributions of spatial (fragment size and temporal (time interval quantities provides evidence of obeying scaling laws, which suggests the possibility of self-organized criticality in fragmentation.

Analysis of different DNA fragments of Corynebacterium glutamicum complementing dapE of Escherichia coli.

Science.gov (United States)

Wehrmann, A; Eggeling, L; Sahm, H

1994-12-01

In Corynebacterium glutamicum L-lysine is synthesized simultaneously via the succinylase and dehydrogenase variant of the diaminopimelate pathway. Starting from a strain with a disrupted dehydrogenase gene, three different-sized DNA fragments were isolated which complemented defective Escherichia coli mutants in the succinylase pathway. Enzyme studies revealed that in one case the dehydrogenase gene had apparently been reconstituted in the heterologous host. The two other fragments resulted in desuccinylase activity; one of them additionally in succinylase activity. However, the physical analysis showed that structural changes had taken place in all fragments. Using a probe derived from one of the fragments we isolated a 3.4 kb BamHI DNA fragment without selective pressure (by colony hybridization). This was structurally intact and proved functionally to result in tenfold desuccinylase overexpression. The nucleotide sequence of a 1966 bp fragment revealed the presence of one truncated open reading frame of unknown function and that of dapE encoding N-succinyl diaminopimelate desuccinylase (EC 3.5.1.18). The deduced amino acid sequence of the dapE gene product shares 23% identical residues with that from E. coli. The C. glutamicum gene now available is the first gene from the succinylase branch of lysine synthesis of this biotechnologically important organism.

The transition to farming and the ceramic trajectories in Western Eurasia. From ceramic figurines to vessels

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Mihael Budja

2006-12-01

Full Text Available In Eurasia the invention of ceramic technology and production of fired-clay vessels has not necessarily been related to the dynamics of the transition to farming. The invention of ceramic technology in Europe was associated with female and animal figurine making in Gravettian technocomplex. The fired-clay vessels occurred first in hunter-gatherer contexts in Eastern Eurasia a millennia before the agriculture. The adoption of pottery making in Levant seems to correlate with the collapse of the ‘ritual economy’, social decentralisation and community fragmentation in the Levantine Pre-Pottery Neolithic. In South-eastern Europe the adoption of pottery making was closely associated with social, symbolic and ritual hunter-gatherers’ practices.

Application of k0-based internal monostandard NAA for large sample analysis of clay pottery. As a part of inter comparison exercise

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Acharya, R.; Dasari, K.B.; Pujari, P.K.; Swain, K.K.; Shinde, A.D.; Reddy, A.V.R.

2014-01-01

As a part of inter comparison exercise of an IAEA Coordinated Research Project on large sample neutron activation analysis, a large size and non standard geometry size pottery replica (obtained from Peru) was analyzed by k 0 -based internal monostandard neutron activation analysis (IM-NAA). Two large size sub samples (0.40 and 0.25 kg) were irradiated at graphite reflector position of AHWR Critical Facility in BARC, Trombay, Mumbai, India. Small samples (100-200 mg) were also analyzed by IM-NAA for comparison purpose. Radioactive assay was carried out using a 40 % relative efficiency HPGe detector. To examine homogeneity of the sample, counting was also carried out using X-Z rotary scanning unit. In situ relative detection efficiency was evaluated using gamma rays of the activation products in the irradiated sample in the energy range of 122-2,754 keV. Elemental concentration ratios with respect to Na of small size (100 mg mass) as well as large size (15 and 400 g) samples were used to check the homogeneity of the samples. Concentration ratios of 18 elements such as K, Sc, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Zn, As, Rb, Cs, La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Yb, Lu, Hf and Th with respect to Na (internal mono standard) were calculated using IM-NAA. Absolute concentrations were arrived at for both large and small samples using Na concentration, obtained from relative method of NAA. The percentage combined uncertainties at ±1 s confidence limit on the determined values were in the range of 3-9 %. Two IAEA reference materials SL-1 and SL-3 were analyzed by IM-NAA to evaluate accuracy of the method. (author)

Advanced in the Forensic Analysis of Glass Fragments with a Focus on Refractive Index and Elemental Analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Almirall, J R; Trejos, T

2006-07-01

Advances in technology provide forensic scientists with better tools to detect, to identify, and to individualize small amounts of trace evidence that have been left at a crime scene. The analysis of glass fragments can be useful in solving cases such as hit and run, burglaries, kidnappings, and bombings. The value of glass as "evidentiary material" lies in its inherent characteristics such as: (a) it is a fragile material that is often broken and hence commonly found in various types of crime scenes, (b) it can be easily transferred from the broken source to the scene, suspect, and/or victim, (c) it is relatively persistent, (d) it is chemically stable, and (e) it has measurable physical and chemical properties that can provide significant evidence of an association between the recovered glass fragments and the source of the broken glass. Forensic scientists have dedicated considerable effort to study and improve the detection and discrimination capabilities of analytical techniques in order to enhance the quality of information obtained from glass fragments. This article serves as a review of the developments in the application of both traditional and novel methods of glass analysis. The greatest progress has been made with respect to the incorporation of automated refractive index measurements and elemental analysis to the analytical scheme. Glass examiners have applied state-of-the-art technology including elemental analysis by sensitive methods such as ICPMS and LA-ICP-MS. A review of the literature regarding transfer, persistence, and interpretation of glass is also presented. Copyright © 2006 Central Police University.

Meta-analysis of the effects of forest fragmentation on interspecific interactions.

Science.gov (United States)

Magrach, Ainhoa; Laurance, William F; Larrinaga, Asier R; Santamaria, Luis

2014-10-01

Forest fragmentation dramatically alters species persistence and distribution and affects many ecological interactions among species. Recent studies suggest that mutualisms, such as pollination and seed dispersal, are more sensitive to the negative effects of forest fragmentation than antagonisms, such as predation or herbivory. We applied meta-analytical techniques to evaluate this hypothesis and quantified the relative contributions of different components of the fragmentation process (decreases in fragment size, edge effects, increased isolation, and habitat degradation) to the overall effect. The effects of fragmentation on mutualisms were primarily driven by habitat degradation, edge effects, and fragment isolation, and, as predicted, they were consistently more negative on mutualisms than on antagonisms. For the most studied interaction type, seed dispersal, only certain components of fragmentation had significant (edge effects) or marginally significant (fragment size) effects. Seed size modulated the effect of fragmentation: species with large seeds showed stronger negative impacts of fragmentation via reduced dispersal rates. Our results reveal that different components of the habitat fragmentation process have varying impacts on key mutualisms. We also conclude that antagonistic interactions have been understudied in fragmented landscapes, most of the research has concentrated on particular types of mutualistic interactions such as seed dispersal, and that available studies of interspecific interactions have a strong geographical bias (arising mostly from studies carried out in Brazil, Chile, and the United States). © 2014 Society for Conservation Biology.

Analysis and performance assessment of a fragment retransmission scheme for energy efficient IEEE 802.11 WLANs.

Science.gov (United States)

Mafole, Prosper; Aritsugi, Masayoshi

2016-01-01

Backoff-free fragment retransmission (BFFR) scheme enhances the performance of legacy MAC layer fragmentation by eliminating contention overhead. The eliminated overhead is the result of backoff executed before a retransmission attempt is made when fragment transmission failure occurs within a fragment burst. This paper provides a mathematical analysis of BFFR energy efficiency and further assesses, by means of simulations, the energy efficiency, throughput and delay obtained when BFFR is used. The validity of the new scheme is evaluated in different scenarios namely, constant bit rate traffic, realistic bursty internet traffic, node mobility, rigid and elastic flows and their combinations at different traffic loads. We also evaluate and discuss the impact of BFFR on MAC fairness when the number of nodes is varied from 4 to 10. It is shown that BFFR has advantages over legacy MAC fragmentation scheme in all the scenarios.

Inland Ertebølle Culture: the importance of aquatic resources and the freshwater reservoir effect in radiocarbon dates from pottery food crusts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bente Philippsen

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The Ertebølle culture is a late Mesolithic hunter-gatherer-fisher culture in southern Scandinavia, northern Germany and Poland. Archaeological finds as well as scientific analyses of humans and their artefacts indicate the great importance of aquatic resources, both marine and freshwater, to Ertebølle subsistence. In northern Germany, modern freshwater fish samples can have very high apparent radiocarbon ages (up to 3000 years. If such dramatic 'freshwater reservoir effects' also existed during the late Mesolithic, they could lead to artificially old radiocarbon dates for the bones of Ertebølle humans and domestic dogs, and for carbonised food crusts on cooking pots. Conversely, if we can demonstrate radiocarbon age 'offsets' in such samples, we can often attribute them to the exploitation of freshwater food resources. This article discusses methods of identifying freshwater resources in prehistoric pottery, including radiocarbon reservoir effects. We consider the results of radiocarbon, stable isotope and elemental analyses of food crusts on prehistoric pottery from four sites in the Alster and Trave valleys: Kayhude, Schlamersdorf, Bebensee and Seedorf.

Phytoliths in pottery reveal the use of spice in European prehistoric cuisine.

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Hayley Saul

Full Text Available Here we present evidence of phytoliths preserved in carbonised food deposits on prehistoric pottery from the western Baltic dating from 6,100 cal BP to 5750 cal BP. Based on comparisons to over 120 European and Asian species, our observations are consistent with phytolith morphologies observed in modern garlic mustard seed (Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb Cavara & Grande. As this seed has a strong flavour, little nutritional value, and the phytoliths are found in pots along with terrestrial and marine animal residues, these findings are the first direct evidence for the spicing of food in European prehistoric cuisine. Our evidence suggests a much greater antiquity to the spicing of foods than is evident from the macrofossil record, and challenges the view that plants were exploited by hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists solely for energy requirements, rather than taste.

Phytoliths in Pottery Reveal the Use of Spice in European Prehistoric Cuisine

Science.gov (United States)

Saul, Hayley; Madella, Marco; Fischer, Anders; Glykou, Aikaterini; Hartz, Sönke; Craig, Oliver E.

2013-01-01

Here we present evidence of phytoliths preserved in carbonised food deposits on prehistoric pottery from the western Baltic dating from 6,100 cal BP to 5750 cal BP. Based on comparisons to over 120 European and Asian species, our observations are consistent with phytolith morphologies observed in modern garlic mustard seed (Alliaria petiolata (M. Bieb) Cavara & Grande). As this seed has a strong flavour, little nutritional value, and the phytoliths are found in pots along with terrestrial and marine animal residues, these findings are the first direct evidence for the spicing of food in European prehistoric cuisine. Our evidence suggests a much greater antiquity to the spicing of foods than is evident from the macrofossil record, and challenges the view that plants were exploited by hunter-gatherers and early agriculturalists solely for energy requirements, rather than taste. PMID:23990910

Gesture Recognition and Sensorimotor Learning-by-Doing of Motor Skills in Manual Professions: A Case Study in the Wheel-Throwing Art of Pottery

Science.gov (United States)

Glushkova, Alina; Manitsaris, Sotiris

2018-01-01

This paper presents a methodological framework for the use of gesture recognition technologies in the learning/mastery of the gestural skills required in wheel-throwing pottery. In the case of self-instruction or training, learners face difficulties due to the absence of the teacher/expert and the consequent lack of guidance. Motion capture…

Archaeological Ceramics: Provenience Based on Neutron Activation Analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yellin, J.

2014-01-01

Compositions of ancient artefacts are examined for a variety of reasons including chronology, provenience, ancient technology and conservation studies. In particular, the elemental composition of archaeological pottery is of prime importance in fixing the origin of the pottery and thereby throwing light on trade routes and inter-regional connections between settlements in antiquity4. An intensive program of INAA was conducted at the Institute of Archaeology, The Hebrew University of Jerusalem, during the 1970-1990s5. Although that laboratory was closed as were other similar laboratories, new INAA laboratories have sprung up. Despite advances in other methods of analysis, INAA remains the favourite and best method for pottery provenience studies. The bulk of pottery data accumulated over the past five decades is based on INAA. These data, perhaps better than data obtained by other methods, can be integrated providing care is taken in accounting for the different standards employed by different laboratories and the different degrees of precisions attained. As a consequence projects that were suspended with the closure of laboratories can sometimes be concluded by combining resources from different laboratories. Examples will be given on how data from four laboratories, Hebrew University, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Missouri University Research Reactor6 and the University of Texas at Austin are utilized

EDXRF study of Tupi-Guarani archaeological ceramics

Science.gov (United States)

Appoloni, C. R.; Espinoza Quiñones, F. R.; Aragão, P. H. A.; dos Santos, A. O.; da Silva, L. M.; Barbieri, P. F.; do Nascimento Filho, V. F.; Coimbra, M. M.

2001-06-01

A set of Indian Brazilian pottery fragments belonging to Tupi-Guarani tradition has been studied by EDXRF. The main objective was to characterize the ceramic paste, as well as the superficial layer of the ceramic fragments, in order to get qualitative information about the pigment composition of the plastic decoration. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) methodology was employed to obtain the ceramic paste composition, as well as the superficial layer of the ceramic fragments. The experimental set-up consisted of 238Pu, 55Fe and 109Cd radioactive sources, a X-ray tube (at 15 kV, 40 mA, Mo target and Zr filter), a Si(Li) detector (30 mm 2, with a Be window) and a multichannel analyzer. X-ray spectra were analyzed using the AXIL program. A program based on the graphic polygonal representation method was developed and used to correlate the representative intensity data of each fragment. A low Ca content and a systematic presence of relatively high concentrations of Fe can characterize the ceramic pastes. Ti and Zr are also always present at high levels, and Ni, Cu and in some cases Zn at level of traces; Rb, Sr, Ba and Y are also present at low concentration. The black pigment in the pottery plastic decoration is due to the presence of Mn, the red pigment is due to the presence of Fe, while the white pigment is characterized by the presence of Ba. For the eleven fragments studied, the polygonal representation method points that the same materials were employed in the pottery production, and the pigments in the plastic decoration were obtained from different inorganic materials.

EDXRF study of Tupi-Guarani archaeological ceramics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Appoloni, C.R. E-mail: appoloni@uel.br; Espinoza Quinones, F.R.; Aragao, P.H.A.; Santos, A.O. dos; Silva, L.M. da; Barbieri, P.F.; Nascimento Filho, V.F. do; Coimbra, M.M

2001-06-01

A set of Indian Brazilian pottery fragments belonging to Tupi-Guarani tradition has been studied by EDXRF. The main objective was to characterize the ceramic paste, as well as the superficial layer of the ceramic fragments, in order to get qualitative information about the pigment composition of the plastic decoration. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) methodology was employed to obtain the ceramic paste composition, as well as the superficial layer of the ceramic fragments. The experimental set-up consisted of 238Pu, 55Fe and 109Cd radioactive sources, a X-ray tube (at 15 kV, 40 mA, Mo target and Zr filter), a Si(Li) detector (30 mm{sup 2}, with a Be window) and a multichannel analyzer. X-ray spectra were analyzed using the AXIL program. A program based on the graphic polygonal representation method was developed and used to correlate the representative intensity data of each fragment. A low Ca content and a systematic presence of relatively high concentrations of Fe can characterize the ceramic pastes. Ti and Zr are also always present at high levels, and Ni, Cu and in some cases Zn at level of traces; Rb, Sr, Ba and Y are also present at low concentration. The black pigment in the pottery plastic decoration is due to the presence of Mn, the red pigment is due to the presence of Fe, while the white pigment is characterized by the presence of Ba. For the eleven fragments studied, the polygonal representation method points that the same materials were employed in the pottery production, and the pigments in the plastic decoration were obtained from different inorganic materials.

EDXRF study of Tupi-Guarani archaeological ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Appoloni, C.R.; Espinoza Quinones, F.R.; Aragao, P.H.A.; Santos, A.O. dos; Silva, L.M. da; Barbieri, P.F.; Nascimento Filho, V.F. do; Coimbra, M.M.

2001-01-01

A set of Indian Brazilian pottery fragments belonging to Tupi-Guarani tradition has been studied by EDXRF. The main objective was to characterize the ceramic paste, as well as the superficial layer of the ceramic fragments, in order to get qualitative information about the pigment composition of the plastic decoration. Energy Dispersive X-ray Fluorescence (EDXRF) methodology was employed to obtain the ceramic paste composition, as well as the superficial layer of the ceramic fragments. The experimental set-up consisted of 238Pu, 55Fe and 109Cd radioactive sources, a X-ray tube (at 15 kV, 40 mA, Mo target and Zr filter), a Si(Li) detector (30 mm 2 , with a Be window) and a multichannel analyzer. X-ray spectra were analyzed using the AXIL program. A program based on the graphic polygonal representation method was developed and used to correlate the representative intensity data of each fragment. A low Ca content and a systematic presence of relatively high concentrations of Fe can characterize the ceramic pastes. Ti and Zr are also always present at high levels, and Ni, Cu and in some cases Zn at level of traces; Rb, Sr, Ba and Y are also present at low concentration. The black pigment in the pottery plastic decoration is due to the presence of Mn, the red pigment is due to the presence of Fe, while the white pigment is characterized by the presence of Ba. For the eleven fragments studied, the polygonal representation method points that the same materials were employed in the pottery production, and the pigments in the plastic decoration were obtained from different inorganic materials

Multielemental determination in ten maize plant fragment using neutron activation analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Spiridon, S.

1993-01-01

An instrumental activation technique has been developed for simultaneous analysis in dry ash maize plant samples of 18 elements: Al, Au, Ca, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, La, Lu, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sc, and Zn. Ten fragments of maize plants (dry ash) were analysed: leaves sheaths, beads, stumps, peduncles, spikes, unfruitfuls, interknots, knots, and corn husks, with a content distribution of the elements from percent to ppm. A precision of 5-7 % has been achieved on the basis of replicate analysis. The method is relatively simple and suitable for the analysis of biological samples. (Author)

Ceramic petrography, mineralogy and typology of Eneolithic pottery from Krašnja, Slovenia

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Andreja Žibrat Gašparič

2014-12-01

Full Text Available In this article, we present newly excavated Eneolithic pottery from the site at Krašnja near Lukovica in central Slovenia. The material was AMS 14C dated and is contemporaneous with archaeological sites from the Ljubljansko barje region in Slovenia. The vessels were reconstructed and then various types of pots, dishes, cups, and beakers were analysed using petrography and the X-ray diffraction method. Additionally, the clay remains of walls and the floor of an Eneolithic kiln excavated at the site were also analysed. The results show that Eneolithic potters used different fab- rics to make vessels, and mostly one recipe with added calcite. The raw source material probably came from a nearby valley to the south of the site at Krašnja.

Study of the production and distribution of middle horizon pottery of Cuzco, Peru by k{sub 0}-based instrumental neutron activation analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Montoya, E [Instituto Peruano de Energia Nuclear, Lima (Peru). Departamento de Quimica; Glowacki, M [Smithsonian Institution, MA (United States); Zapata, J [Universidad Nacional San Antonio Abad, Cuzco (Peru); Mendoza, P [Instituto Peruano de Energia Nuclear, Lima (Peru). Departamento de Quimica

2002-07-01

A very important period of the Andean prehistory known as the Middle Horizon (A.D. 540-900) is associated with the widespread expansion of the Wari state from the region of Ayacucho. During this time, the Wari occupied much of Cuzco, building the large architectural complex of o Pikillacta and a large settlement located in Huaro Valley (southeast of Pikillacta), including the elite cemetery of Batan Urqu and a complex of domestic structures referred to as Ccotocotuyoc. The objective of the present research was to establish, in general terms, the provenience of certain pottery styles dating to the Middle Horizon which are known to the Southern Highlands, Cuzco region. The specific goal was to determine which of these ceramic styles were made in other regions and brought to Cuzco and which were imitations locally manufactured, and to compare their patterns of production and distribution with those of local ceramic styles. These data, in turn, being helpful for understanding some aspects of the social, economic and political dynamics of the Middle Horizon period at Cuzco. To reach the aforementioned objective, a set of 306 ceramic samples (taken from a population of more than 137000 specimens) were chemically analyzed by k{sub 0}-based instrumental neutron activation analysis and the results processed by multivariate statistical methods. Special care was taken in our research to maintain quality control of the analytical results, which were produced in duplicate for every sample, and for repeated analysis of the NIST SRM 2704 (Buffalo River Sediment) and other reference materials as e.g. the well known Old Ohio Red Clay. All of the work was performed within the framework of the IAEA Regional Coordinated Research Program on Nuclear Analytical Techniques In Archaeological Investigations, under the terms of contract PER 9398/R1.

Geospatial analysis of forest fragmentation in Uttara Kannada District, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ramachandra T V

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Landscapes consist of heterogeneous interacting dynamic elements with complex ecological, economic and cultural attributes. These complex interactions help in the sustenance of natural resources through bio-geochemical and hydrological cycling. The ecosystem functions are altered with changes in the landscape structure. Fragmentation of large contiguous forests to small and isolated forest patches either by natural phenomena or anthropogenic activities leads to drastic changes in forest patch sizes, shape, connectivity and internal heterogeneity, which restrict the movement leading to inbreeding among Meta populations with extirpation of species. Methods: Landscape dynamics are assessed through land use analysis by way of remote sensing data acquired at different time periods. Forest fragmentation is assessed at the pixel level through computation of two indicators, i.e., Pf (the ratio of pixels that are forested to the total non-water pixels in the window and Pff (the proportion of all adjacent (cardinal directions only pixel pairs that include at least one forest pixel, for which both pixels are forested. Results: Uttara Kannada District has the distinction of having the highest forest cover in Karnataka State, India. This region has been experiencing changes in its forest cover and consequent alterations in functional abilities of its ecosystem. Temporal land use analyses show the trend of deforestation, evident from the reduction of evergreen - semi evergreen forest cover from 57.31 % (1979 to 32.08 % (2013 Forest fragmentation at the landscape level shows a decline of interior forests 64.42 % (1979 to 25.62 % (2013 and transition of non-forest categories such as crop land, plantations and built-up areas, amounting now to 47.29 %. PCA prioritized geophysical and socio variables responsible for changes in the landscape structure at local levels. Conclusion: Terrestrial forest ecosystems in Uttara Kannada District of Central

Scaling and critical behaviour in nuclear fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campi, X.

1990-09-01

These notes review recent results on nuclear fragmentation. An analysis of experimental data from exclusive experiments is made in the framework of modern theories of fragmentation of finite size objects. We discuss the existence of a critical regime of fragmentation and the relevance of scaling and finite size scaling

Fragment informatics and computational fragment-based drug design: an overview and update.

Science.gov (United States)

Sheng, Chunquan; Zhang, Wannian

2013-05-01

Fragment-based drug design (FBDD) is a promising approach for the discovery and optimization of lead compounds. Despite its successes, FBDD also faces some internal limitations and challenges. FBDD requires a high quality of target protein and good solubility of fragments. Biophysical techniques for fragment screening necessitate expensive detection equipment and the strategies for evolving fragment hits to leads remain to be improved. Regardless, FBDD is necessary for investigating larger chemical space and can be applied to challenging biological targets. In this scenario, cheminformatics and computational chemistry can be used as alternative approaches that can significantly improve the efficiency and success rate of lead discovery and optimization. Cheminformatics and computational tools assist FBDD in a very flexible manner. Computational FBDD can be used independently or in parallel with experimental FBDD for efficiently generating and optimizing leads. Computational FBDD can also be integrated into each step of experimental FBDD and help to play a synergistic role by maximizing its performance. This review will provide critical analysis of the complementarity between computational and experimental FBDD and highlight recent advances in new algorithms and successful examples of their applications. In particular, fragment-based cheminformatics tools, high-throughput fragment docking, and fragment-based de novo drug design will provide the focus of this review. We will also discuss the advantages and limitations of different methods and the trends in new developments that should inspire future research. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Population viability analysis: using a modeling tool to assess the viability of tapir populations in fragmented landscapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Medici, Emília Patrícia; Desbiez, Arnaud Leonard Jean

2012-12-01

A population viability analysis (PVA) was conducted of the lowland tapir populations in the Atlantic Forest of the Pontal do Paranapanema region, Brazil, including Morro do Diabo State Park (MDSP) and surrounding forest fragments. Results from the model projected that the population of 126 tapirs in MDSP is likely to persist over the next 100 years; however, 200 tapirs would be required to maintain a viable population. Sensitivity analysis showed that sub-adult mortality and adult mortality have the strongest influence on the dynamics of lowland tapir populations. High road-kill has a major impact on the MDSP tapir population and can lead to population extinction. Metapopulation modeling showed that dispersal of tapirs from MDSP to the surrounding fragments can be detrimental to the overall metapopulation, as fragments act as sinks. Nevertheless, the model showed that under certain conditions the maintenance of the metapopulation dynamics might be determinant for the persistence of tapirs in the region, particularly in the smaller fragments. The establishment of corridors connecting MDSP to the forest fragments models resulted in an increase in the stochastic growth rate, making tapirs more resilient to threats and catastrophes, but only if rates of mortality were not increased when using corridors. The PVA showed that the conservation of tapirs in the Pontal region depends on: the effective protection of MDSP; maintenance and, whenever possible, enhancement of the functional connectivity of the landscape, reducing mortality during dispersal and threats in the unprotected forest fragments; and neutralization of all threats affecting tapirs in the smaller forest fragments. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd, ISZS and IOZ/CAS.

FT-IR X-ray diffraction and porosimetry studies of archaeologic artifacts recently excavated from Rajakkamangalam in Tamilnadu

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Babu Suresh; Velraj, Gothandapani

2011-01-01

In the present study, fragmented pottery sample were collected from the recently excavated archaeologic site named Rajakkamangalam, India. The samples were collected at different depths. The samples were subjected to FT-IR, X-ray diffraction and also porosimetry study was done, The spectroscopic method Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR) has been employed to find the mineralogical composition of the potteries. And the complementary technique to find the clay minerals present using XRD. The major primary minerals present in the samples are Kaolinite and the secondary mineral present is quartz and the accessory minerals present in the sample are hematite and magnetite. In addition to the used mineral the orthoclase and orthopyroxene are present in the sample of interest. The firing temperature of the samples at the time of manufacturing is also estimated from apparent porosity of the samples. The percentage of the potteries lies in the range of porosity is 17-42 percentages. The results obtained from Porosimetry techniques on pottery shreds provide information of the firing temperature might have been fired below 1000 deg C at the time of manufacturing the potteries. (author)

Common Roman pottery from the Portus Illicitanus | Cerámica común romana del Portus Illicitanus

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María José Sánchez Fernández

1983-12-01

Full Text Available We began to study Roman common ceramic forms from Portus Illicitanus. For its classification we have stated two big groups: cook pottery and table-vessel according to their morphology, chronology and functionality, establishing differences between the local and regional forms and the imported ones. | Se inicia el estudio de algunas formas de cerámica común romana procedentes del Portus Illicitanus. Para su clasificación se han establecido dos grandes apartados: vasijas de cocina y vajilla de mesa, agrupadas según su morfología, cronología y funcionalidad, diferenciando las formas locales y regionales de las importadas.

Contextual analysis of fragmentation of the anthropomorphic figurines from the Late Neolithic site of Selevac

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Marko Porčić

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The biographical approach to material culture and the hypothesis of deliberate fragmentation of anthropomorphic figurines are used in this paper to deduce a hypothesis that there should be an association between particular fragmentation categories and context types in the archaeological record of the Late Neolithic settlements in Central Balkans. This hypothesis is tested using published data from the site of Selevac by performing correspondence analysis and chi-square test on a contingency table in which categories of fragmentation are cross-tabulated with context types. The results are statistically significant, suggesting that complete figurines are associated with houses while transversely broken figurines are associated with pits. There is also evidence that figurines were broken differentially in respect to their original size.

Fragments of peer review: A quantitative analysis of the literature (1969-2015)

Science.gov (United States)

Grimaldo, Francisco; Marušić, Ana

2018-01-01

This paper examines research on peer review between 1969 and 2015 by looking at records indexed from the Scopus database. Although it is often argued that peer review has been poorly investigated, we found that the number of publications in this field doubled from 2005. A half of this work was indexed as research articles, a third as editorial notes and literature reviews and the rest were book chapters or letters. We identified the most prolific and influential scholars, the most cited publications and the most important journals in the field. Co-authorship network analysis showed that research on peer review is fragmented, with the largest group of co-authors including only 2.1% of the whole community. Co-citation network analysis indicated a fragmented structure also in terms of knowledge. This shows that despite its central role in research, peer review has been examined only through small-scale research projects. Our findings would suggest that there is need to encourage collaboration and knowledge sharing across different research communities. PMID:29466467

Geospatial analysis of forest fragmentation in Uttara Kannada District, India

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

Ramachandra T V; Bharath Setturu; Subash Chandran

2016-01-01

Background: Landscapes consist of heterogeneous interacting dynamic elements with complex ecological,economic and cultural attributes. These complex interactions help in the sustenance of natural resources through bio-geochemical and hydrological cycling. The ecosystem functions are altered with changes in the landscape structure. Fragmentation of large contiguous forests to small and isolated forest patches either by natural phenomena or anthropogenic activities leads to drastic changes in forest patch sizes, shape, connectivity and internal heterogeneity, which restrict the movement leading to inbreeding among Meta populations with extirpation of species.Methods: Landscape dynamics are assessed through land use analysis by way of remote sensing data acquired at different time periods. Forest fragmentation is assessed at the pixel level through computation of two indicators,i.e., Pf(the ratio of pixels that are forested to the total non-water pixels in the window) and Pff(the proportion of all adjacent(cardinal directions only) pixel pairs that include at least one forest pixel, for which both pixels are forested).Results: Uttara Kannada District has the distinction of having the highest forest cover in Karnataka State, India. This region has been experiencing changes in its forest cover and consequent alterations in functional abilities of its ecosystem. Temporal land use analyses show the trend of deforestation, evident from the reduction of evergreen-semi evergreen forest cover from 57.31 %(1979) to 32.08 %(2013) Forest fragmentation at the landscape level shows a decline of interior forests 64.42 %(1979) to 25.62 %(2013) and transition of non-forest categories such as crop land, plantations and built-up areas, amounting now to 47.29 %. PCA prioritized geophysical and socio variables responsible for changes in the landscape structure at local levels.Conclusion: Terrestrial forest ecosystems in Uttara Kannada District of Central Western Ghats have been

Numerical analysis of fragmentation mechanisms in vapor explosions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Koshizuka, Seiichi; Ikeda, Hirokazu; Oka, Yoshiaki [Tokyo Univ., Tokai, Ibaraki (Japan). Nuclear Engineering Research Lab.

1998-01-01

Fragmentation of molten metal is the key process in vapor explosions. However this process is so rapid that the mechanisms have not been clarified yet in the experimental studies. Besides, numerical simulation is difficult because we have to analyze water, steam and molten metal simultaneously with evaporation and fragmentation. The authors have been developing a new numerical method, the Moving Particle Semi-implicit (MPS) method, based on moving particles and their interactions. Grids are not necessary. Incompressible flows with fragmentation on free surfaces have been calculated successfully using the MPS method. In the present study numerical simulation of the fragmentation processes using the MPS method is carried out to investigate the mechanisms. A numerical model to calculate evaporation from water to steam is developed. In this model, new particles are generated on water-steam interfaces. Effect of evaporation is also investigated. Growth of the filament is not accelerated when the normal evaporation is considered. This is because the normal evaporation needs a longer time than the moment of the jet impingement, though the filament growth is decided in this moment. Next, rapid evaporation based on spontaneous nucleation is considered. The filament growth is markedly accelerated. This result is consistent with the experimental fact that the spontaneous nucleation temperature is a necessary condition of small-scale vapor explosions. (J.P.N.)

Glazed clay pottery and lead exposure in Mexico: Current experimental evidence.

Science.gov (United States)

Diaz-Ruiz, Araceli; Tristán-López, Luis Antonio; Medrano-Gómez, Karen Itzel; Torres-Domínguez, Juan Alejandro; Ríos, Camilo; Montes, Sergio

2017-11-01

Lead exposure remains a significant environmental problem; lead is neurotoxic, especially in developing humans. In Mexico, lead in human blood is still a concern. Historically, much of the lead exposure is attributed to the use of handcrafted clay pottery for cooking, storing and serving food. However, experimental cause-and-effect demonstration is lacking. The present study explores this issue with a prospective experimental approach. We used handcrafted clay containers to prepare and store lemonade, which was supplied as drinking water to pregnant rats throughout the gestational period. We found that clay pots, jars, and mugs leached on average 200 µg/l lead, and exposure to the lemonade resulted in 2.5 µg/dl of lead in the pregnant rats' blood. Neonates also showed increased lead content in the hippocampus and cerebellum. Caspase-3 activity was found to be statistically increased in the hippocampus in prenatally exposed neonates, suggesting increased apoptosis in that brain region. Glazed ceramics are still an important source of lead exposure in Mexico, and our results confirm that pregnancy is a vulnerable period for brain development.

Meta-analysis of susceptibility of woody plants to loss of genetic diversity through habitat fragmentation.

Science.gov (United States)

Vranckx, Guy; Jacquemyn, Hans; Muys, Bart; Honnay, Olivier

2012-04-01

Shrubs and trees are assumed less likely to lose genetic variation in response to habitat fragmentation because they have certain life-history characteristics such as long lifespans and extensive pollen flow. To test this assumption, we conducted a meta-analysis with data on 97 woody plant species derived from 98 studies of habitat fragmentation. We measured the weighted response of four different measures of population-level genetic diversity to habitat fragmentation with Hedge's d and Spearman rank correlation. We tested whether the genetic response to habitat fragmentation was mediated by life-history traits (longevity, pollination mode, and seed dispersal vector) and study characteristics (genetic marker and plant material used). For both tests of effect size habitat fragmentation was associated with a substantial decrease in expected heterozygosity, number of alleles, and percentage of polymorphic loci, whereas the population inbreeding coefficient was not associated with these measures. The largest proportion of variation among effect sizes was explained by pollination mechanism and by the age of the tissue (progeny or adult) that was genotyped. Our primary finding was that wind-pollinated trees and shrubs appeared to be as likely to lose genetic variation as insect-pollinated species, indicating that severe habitat fragmentation may lead to pollen limitation and limited gene flow. In comparison with results of previous meta-analyses on mainly herbaceous species, we found trees and shrubs were as likely to have negative genetic responses to habitat fragmentation as herbaceous species. We also found that the genetic variation in offspring was generally less than that of adult trees, which is evidence of a genetic extinction debt and probably reflects the genetic diversity of the historical, less-fragmented landscape. ©2011 Society for Conservation Biology.

Polymer fragmentation in extensional flow

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maroja, Armando M.; Oliveira, Fernando A.; Ciesla, Michal; Longa, Lech

2001-06-01

In this paper we present an analysis of fragmentation of dilute polymer solutions in extensional flow. The transition rate is investigated both from theoretical and computational approaches, where the existence of a Gaussian distribution for the breaking bonds has been controversial. We give as well an explanation for the low fragmentation frequency found in DNA experiments.

Fragmentation Main Model

Data.gov (United States)

Earth Data Analysis Center, University of New Mexico — The fragmentation model combines patch size and patch continuity with diversity of vegetation types per patch and rarity of vegetation types per patch. A patch was...

Fragment-based lead generation: identification of seed fragments by a highly efficient fragment screening technology

Science.gov (United States)

Neumann, Lars; Ritscher, Allegra; Müller, Gerhard; Hafenbradl, Doris

2009-08-01

For the detection of the precise and unambiguous binding of fragments to a specific binding site on the target protein, we have developed a novel reporter displacement binding assay technology. The application of this technology for the fragment screening as well as the fragment evolution process with a specific modelling based design strategy is demonstrated for inhibitors of the protein kinase p38alpha. In a fragment screening approach seed fragments were identified which were then used to build compounds from the deep-pocket towards the hinge binding area of the protein kinase p38alpha based on a modelling approach. BIRB796 was used as a blueprint for the alignment of the fragments. The fragment evolution of these deep-pocket binding fragments towards the fully optimized inhibitor BIRB796 included the modulation of the residence time as well as the affinity. The goal of our study was to evaluate the robustness and efficiency of our novel fragment screening technology at high fragment concentrations, compare the screening data with biochemical activity data and to demonstrate the evolution of the hit fragments with fast kinetics, into slow kinetic inhibitors in an in silico approach.

AMPLIFIED FRAGMENT LENGTH POLYMORPHISM ANALYSIS OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX ISOLATES RECOVERED FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Science.gov (United States)

Fine-scale genotyping methods are necessary in order to identify possible sources of human exposure to opportunistic pathogens belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). In this study, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was evaluated for fingerprintin...

Evolution equations for extended dihadron fragmentation functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ceccopieri, F.A.; Bacchetta, A.

2007-03-01

We consider dihadron fragmentation functions, describing the fragmentation of a parton in two unpolarized hadrons, and in particular extended dihadron fragmentation functions, explicitly dependent on the invariant mass, M h , of the hadron pair. We first rederive the known results on M h -integrated functions using Jet Calculus techniques, and then we present the evolution equations for extended dihadron fragmentation functions. Our results are relevant for the analysis of experimental measurements of two-particle-inclusive processes at different energies. (orig.)

The use of fan scrapers: Microwear evidence from Late Pottery Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, Ein Zippori, Israel

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Richard W. Yerkes

2016-09-01

Full Text Available The results of a microwear analysis of samples of fan scrapers and fan scrapers spalls from late Pottery Neolithic (PN and Early Bronze Age (EBA occupation layers at Ein Zippori, Lower Galilee, Israel are presented. The goal of the microwear analysis was to determine the function of the fan scrapers and compare the visible usewear on the scrapers found in late PN and EBA lithic assemblages. The results indicate that during both periods most of the fan scrapers were used to skin and butcher animals, while some were also used for hide processing and bone working. The working edges of the fan scrapers had sharp, moderate, or steep edge-angles, and different edges were used for different tasks. Edges with microwear from scraping meat, bone, and hides (including some hides that may have been treated with abrasives had steep edge-angles, while there were moderate or sharp edge-angles on the edges of fan scrapers used for cutting. Two sub-types of fan scrapers were identified, flat cortex fan scrapers (FCFS, and cortical fan scrapers (CFS with convex dorsal faces. The CFS were abundant in PN contexts, while the FCFS were more common in EBA layers. However both of the sub-types had similar microwear traces.

Intermittency in 197Au fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dabrowska, A.; Holynski, R.; Olszewski, A.; Szarska, M.; Wilczynska, B.; Wolter, W.; Wosiek, B.; Cherry, M.L.; Deines-Jones, P.; Jones, W.V.; Sengupta, K.; Wefel, B.

1995-07-01

The concept of factorial moments was applied to an analysis of the dynamical fluctuations in the charge distributions of the fragments emitted from gold nuclei with energies 10.6 and < 1.0 GeV/n interacting with emulsion nuclei. Clear evidence for intermittent fluctuations has been found in an analysis using all the particles released from the gold projectile, with a stronger effect observed below 1 GeV/n than at 10.6 GeV/n. For the full data sets, however, the intermittency effect was found to be very sensitive to the singly charged particles, and neglecting these particles strongly reduces the intermittency signal. When the analysis is restricted to the multiply charged fragments, an intermittency effect is revealed only for multifragmentation events, although one that is enhanced as compared to the analysis of all, singly and multiply charged, particles. The properties of the anomalous fractal dimensions suggest a sequential decay mechanism, rather than the existence of possible critical behaviour in the process of nuclear fragmentation. The likely influence of the charge conservation effects and the finite size of decaying systems on the observed intermittency signals was pointed out. (author). 37 refs, 9 figs, 5 tabs

The dual role of fragments in fragment-assembly methods for de novo protein structure prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Handl, Julia; Knowles, Joshua; Vernon, Robert; Baker, David; Lovell, Simon C.

2013-01-01

In fragment-assembly techniques for protein structure prediction, models of protein structure are assembled from fragments of known protein structures. This process is typically guided by a knowledge-based energy function and uses a heuristic optimization method. The fragments play two important roles in this process: they define the set of structural parameters available, and they also assume the role of the main variation operators that are used by the optimiser. Previous analysis has typically focused on the first of these roles. In particular, the relationship between local amino acid sequence and local protein structure has been studied by a range of authors. The correlation between the two has been shown to vary with the window length considered, and the results of these analyses have informed directly the choice of fragment length in state-of-the-art prediction techniques. Here, we focus on the second role of fragments and aim to determine the effect of fragment length from an optimization perspective. We use theoretical analyses to reveal how the size and structure of the search space changes as a function of insertion length. Furthermore, empirical analyses are used to explore additional ways in which the size of the fragment insertion influences the search both in a simulation model and for the fragment-assembly technique, Rosetta. PMID:22095594

Extraction of 16th Century Calender Fragments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Holck, Jakob Povl; Etheridge, Christian

at the Cultural Heritage & Archaeometric Research Team, SDU. Upon finding medieval manuscript fragments in the university library’s special collections, scholars at the Centre for Medieval Literature are consulted. In most cases, digital pictures of the finds will circulate in the international community...... fragments may require extensive use of Big Data and other forms of analysis in order to be identified. Usually, the university library prefers not to remove the fragments from their “fragment carriers”. In order to read fragments that are only partially visible or invisible, x-ray technology may be deployed...... of medieval scholars. Thousands of 16th and 17th Century books are stored in the University Library of Southern Denmark. One out of five of these books is expected to contain medieval manuscript fragments or fragments of rare prints, e.g. incunabula....

The End of Roman Pottery Production in Southern Britain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Malcolm Lyne

2016-03-01

Full Text Available This paper seeks to show that a full or partial monetary economy may have continued to operate in parts of Britain into the 2nd quarter of the 5th century at least; changing our perception of early 5th century material culture in South-East Britain from one leaving very few traces in the archaeological record to one which is an extension of that previously thought to be restricted to the period c.AD 370-410 but which can now be seen to span the period c.AD 370-430/440. Some Romano-British style pottery appears to have continued being made on a much more limited scale into the mid-5th century: a distinctive type of convex-sided dish with solid spaced bosses can be shown to have been made at or near Dorchester-upon-Thames, Portchester and Alice Holt Forest during the 5th century and continued being produced at the first-mentioned place for long enough to be copied by local Anglo-Saxon potters. Adjustments in dating mean that certain peculiarly insular types of military equipment such as the Tortworth strap-end and horse-headed buckle, hitherto dated to the last years of the 4th century, could belong to British soldiers of the early 5th century.

Buckley Sgraffito: a study of a 17th century pottery industry in North Wales, its production techniques and design influences

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christine Longworth

2004-07-01

Full Text Available The area around Buckley in north Wales has been associated with the production of pottery since the 13th or 14th centuries. Nineteen different pottery sites have been identified, producing a wide range of ceramic wares in the six-hundred year period up to the mid-20th century. In the 17th and 18th centuries, many of the wares produced were of high quality, on a par with Staffordshire wares of the same date. In the early 17th century, the technique of sgraffito decoration spread to north Devon and Somerset from mainland Europe. Buckley is the only known site to produce early sgraffito wares in northern Britain. This article aims to establish the date of the production and range of early sgraffito wares at Buckley and to examine the derivation of the designs and illustrations on the vessels. An illustrated catalogue has been produced and a comparative study made of sgraffito wares elsewhere to place Buckley into a national and international context. The results show that early sgraffito production at Brookhill pottery, Buckley, was between 1640-1720. Of the excavated pieces, 62% were made between 1640-1680, and the number of sherds by vessel number is also greater within that date range. All the vessels are dishes. The form and designs on the remainder of the sherds, dated up to 1720, are no different from those dated to 1640-1680, which suggests a continuous period of production. The most common themes on the pots – tulips, leaves, mottoes, animals and birds – relate very closely to the designs featured on other objects made in the same period such as textiles, wallpaper, furniture and manuscripts. Some of the designs were available in pattern books for particular groups of objects, for example needlework and pastry decoration. There is an interesting sub-group of pieces with animal and bird motifs and mottoes on the rims. It is possible that the influence for these came from a resurgence of interest in the medieval bestiary texts and

A non-destructive spectroscopic study of the decoration of archaeological pottery: from matt-painted bichrome ceramic sherds (southern Italy, VIII-VII B.C.) to an intact Etruscan cinerary urn

Science.gov (United States)

Bruni, Silvia; Guglielmi, Vittoria; Della Foglia, Elena; Castoldi, Marina; Bagnasco Gianni, Giovanna

2018-02-01

A study is presented based on the use of entirely non-destructive spectroscopic techniques to analyze the chemical composition of the painted surface layer of archaeological pottery. This study aims to define both the raw materials and the working technology of ancient potters. Energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, micro-Raman spectroscopy, visible and near infrared (NIR) diffuse reflection spectroscopy and external reflection Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy were applied to matt-painted bichrome pottery sherds (VIII-VII century B.C.) from the site of Incoronata near Metaponto in southern Italy. Two different raw materials, ochre and iron-rich clay, were recognized for the red decoration, while the dark areas resulted to have been obtained by the so-called manganese black technique. In any case, it was demonstrated that the decoration was applied before firing, in spite of its sometimes grainy aspect that could suggest a post-firing application. For the samples with a more sophisticated decorative pattern a red/black/white polychromy was recognized, as the lighter areas correspond to an ;intentional white; obtained by the firing of a calcium-rich clay. Reflection spectroscopy in the visible-NIR and mid-IR as well as micro-Raman spectroscopy were then employed to characterize the decoration of an intact ceramic urn from the Etruscan town of Chiusi, evidencing a post-firing painting based on the use of red ochre, carbon black and lime, possibly imitating the ;fresco; technique used in wall paintings.

Analysis of Immunogenicity of Intracellular CTAR Fragments of Epstein-Barr Virus Latent Phase Protein LMP1.

Science.gov (United States)

Lomakin, Ya A; Shmidt, A A; Bobik, T V; Chernov, A S; Pyrkov, A Yu; Aleksandrova, N M; Okunola, D O; Vaskina, M I; Ponomarenko, N A; Telegin, G B; Dubina, M V; Belogurov, A A

2017-10-01

Intracellular fragments of latent phase protein LMP1 of Epstein-Barr virus, denoted as CTAR1/2/3, can trigger a variety of cell cascades and contribute to the transforming potential of the virus. Generation of recombinant proteins CTAR1/2/3 is expected to yield more ample data on functional and immunogenic characteristics of LMP1. We created genetic constructs for prokaryotic expression of LMP1 CTAR fragments and selected optimal conditions for their production and purification. Using a new library of LMP1 CTAR fragments, we carried out epitope mapping of a diagnostic anti-LMP1 antibody S12. Analysis of polyclonal serum antibodies from mice immunized with full-length LMP1 confirmed immunogenicity of CTAR elements comparable with that of full-length protein.

AN IMAGE-ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE FOR DETECTION OF RADIATION-INDUCED DNA FRAGMENTATION AFTER CHEF ELECTROPHORESIS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

ROSEMANN, M; KANON, B; KONINGS, AWT; KAMPINGA, HH

CHEF-electrophoresis was used as a technique to detect radiation-induced DNA breakage with special emphasis to biological relevant X-ray doses (0-10 Gy). Fluorescence detection of DNA-fragments using a sensitive image analysis system was directly compared with conventional scintillation counting of

Carbon extraction methods for radiocarbon dating of pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Delque-Kolic, E.

1995-01-01

Pottery is a direct witness of human activity and gives, through its macroscopic and microscopic studies, lots of information about its manufacturers. Nevertheless, radiocarbon dating, currently applied in archaeology to charcoals, wood and bones has only been rarely employed with ceramic. The problem is that many different carbon sources, of different radiocarbon age, may contribute to the potsherd carbon content. So, the aim of all dating projects is to separate carbon related to the period when the potsherd was manufactured and used. In a first time, we have made our own samples with raw materials (clay and temper) known in nature and age. We have fired them with wood of known age under reducing atmosphere. Under these conditions, soot produced by wood burning forms a more or less important deposit on the surface of the pots. It is this source of carbon, present in many archaeological sherds, that we first tried to select. Burning these potsherds at low temperature under an O 2 flow, we have noticed that carbon from kiln wood was preferentially extracted. This treatment applied to a thin lamella cut in a smoked part of the potsherd provides, almost exclusively, carbon from smoke. These techniques, applied to known archaeological sherds, have given encouraging results. We have also explored a new method which consists in oxidizing carbon with a laser beam at the surface of the sample. The use of this process for extracting carbon from smoke seems promising if serious experimental precautions are taken when working with so low carbon content. (author)

Virtual fragment preparation for computational fragment-based drug design.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludington, Jennifer L

2015-01-01

Fragment-based drug design (FBDD) has become an important component of the drug discovery process. The use of fragments can accelerate both the search for a hit molecule and the development of that hit into a lead molecule for clinical testing. In addition to experimental methodologies for FBDD such as NMR and X-ray Crystallography screens, computational techniques are playing an increasingly important role. The success of the computational simulations is due in large part to how the database of virtual fragments is prepared. In order to prepare the fragments appropriately it is necessary to understand how FBDD differs from other approaches and the issues inherent in building up molecules from smaller fragment pieces. The ultimate goal of these calculations is to link two or more simulated fragments into a molecule that has an experimental binding affinity consistent with the additive predicted binding affinities of the virtual fragments. Computationally predicting binding affinities is a complex process, with many opportunities for introducing error. Therefore, care should be taken with the fragment preparation procedure to avoid introducing additional inaccuracies.This chapter is focused on the preparation process used to create a virtual fragment database. Several key issues of fragment preparation which affect the accuracy of binding affinity predictions are discussed. The first issue is the selection of the two-dimensional atomic structure of the virtual fragment. Although the particular usage of the fragment can affect this choice (i.e., whether the fragment will be used for calibration, binding site characterization, hit identification, or lead optimization), general factors such as synthetic accessibility, size, and flexibility are major considerations in selecting the 2D structure. Other aspects of preparing the virtual fragments for simulation are the generation of three-dimensional conformations and the assignment of the associated atomic point charges.

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

Human intestinal parasites from a Mamluk Period cesspool in the Christian quarter of Jerusalem: Potential indicators of long distance travel in the 15th century AD.

Science.gov (United States)

Yeh, Hui-Yuan; Prag, Kay; Clamer, Christa; Humbert, Jean-Baptiste; Mitchell, Piers D

2015-06-01

The aim of this research is to determine which parasites were present in a mediaeval latrine from the old city of Jerusalem. This latrine contains fragments of pottery from the Middle East and also from Italy, suggesting links of some kind with Europe. Excavation identified two separate entry chutes emptying in a shared cesspool. Radiocarbon dating and pottery analysis is compatible with a date of use in the late fifteenth century and early sixteenth century. Twelve coprolites (preserved stool) and mixed cesspool sediment were analysed with light microscopy and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Six species of intestinal parasites were identified. These were the helminths Ascaris lumbricoides (roundworm), Trichuris trichiura (whipworm), Taenia sp. (beef/pork/asiatic tapeworm) Diphyllobothrium sp. (fish tapeworm), and two protozoa that can cause dysentery (Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia duodenalis). While roundworm and whipworm were found in every sample, the other parasite species were present in only one or two samples each, suggesting that only a minority of those using the latrine were infected with those species. The role of Jerusalem as a site for long distance trade, migration or pilgrimage is considered when interpreting the Italian pottery and the parasites present, especially E. histolytica and Diphyllobothrium sp. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Phylogenetic analysis of Gossypium L. using restriction fragment length polymorphism of repeated sequences.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Meiping; Rong, Ying; Lee, Mi-Kyung; Zhang, Yang; Stelly, David M; Zhang, Hong-Bin

2015-10-01

Cotton is the world's leading textile fiber crop and is also grown as a bioenergy and food crop. Knowledge of the phylogeny of closely related species and the genome origin and evolution of polyploid species is significant for advanced genomics research and breeding. We have reconstructed the phylogeny of the cotton genus, Gossypium L., and deciphered the genome origin and evolution of its five polyploid species by restriction fragment analysis of repeated sequences. Nuclear DNA of 84 accessions representing 35 species and all eight genomes of the genus were analyzed. The phylogenetic tree of the genus was reconstructed using the parsimony method on 1033 polymorphic repeated sequence restriction fragments. The genome origin of its polyploids was determined by calculating the diploid-polyploid restriction fragment correspondence (RFC). The tree is consistent with the morphological classification, genome designation and geographic distribution of the species at subgenus, section and subsection levels. Gossypium lobatum (D7) was unambiguously shown to have the highest RFC with the D-subgenomes of all five polyploids of the genus, while the common ancestor of Gossypium herbaceum (A1) and Gossypium arboreum (A2) likely contributed to the A-subgenomes of the polyploids. These results provide a comprehensive phylogenetic tree of the cotton genus and new insights into the genome origin and evolution of its polyploid species. The results also further demonstrate a simple, rapid and inexpensive method suitable for phylogenetic analysis of closely related species, especially congeneric species, and the inference of genome origin of polyploids that constitute over 70 % of flowering plants.

Association of glass fragments by their trace elemental content using ICP-MS and LA-ICP-MS in the analysis scheme

Science.gov (United States)

Almirall, Jose R.; Montero, Shirly; Furton, Kenneth G.

2002-08-01

The importance of glass as evidence of association between a crime event and a suspect has been recognized for some time. Glass is a fragile material that is often found at the scenes of crimes such as burglaries, hit-and-run accidents and violent crime offenses. The physical and chemical properties of glass can be used to differentiate between possible sources and as evidence of association between two fragments of glass thought to originate from the same source. Refractive index (RI) comparisons have been used for this purpose but due to the improved control over glass manufacturing processes, RI values often cannot differentiate glasses, even if the glass originates from different sources. Elemental analysis methods such as NAA, XRF, ICP-AES, and Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) have also been used for the comparison of trace elemental compositions and these techniques have been shown to provide an improvement in the discrimination of glass fragments over RI comparisons alone. The multi-element capability and the sensitivity of ICP-MS combined with the simplified sample introduction of laser ablation prior to ion detection provides for an excellent and relatively non-destructive technique for elemental analysis of glass fragments. The methodology for solution analysis (digestion procedure) and solid sample analysis (laser ablation) of glass is reported and the analytical results are compared. An isotope dilution method is also reported as a high precision technique for elemental analysis of glass fragments. The optimum sampling parameters for laser ablation, for semi-quantitative analysis and element ratio comparisons are also presented. Finally, the results of a case involving the breaking of 15 vehicle windows in an airport parking lot and the association of a suspect to the breakings by the glass fragments found on his person are also presented.

Kaon fragmentation function from NJL-jet model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matevosyan, Hrayr H.; Thomas, Anthony W.; Bentz, Wolfgang

2010-01-01

The NJL-jet model provides a sound framework for calculating the fragmentation functions in an effective chiral quark theory, where the momentum and isospin sum rules are satisfied without the introduction of ad hoc parameters [1]. Earlier studies of the pion fragmentation functions using the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL) model within this framework showed good qualitative agreement with the empirical parameterizations. Here we extend the NJL-jet model by including the strange quark. The corrections to the pion fragmentation function and corresponding kaon fragmentation functions are calculated using the elementary quark to quark-meson fragmentation functions from NJL. The results for the kaon fragmentation function exhibit a qualitative agreement with the empirical parameterizations, while the unfavored strange quark fragmentation to pions is shown to be of the same order of magnitude as the unfavored light quark's. The results of these studies are expected to provide important guidance for the analysis of a large variety of semi-inclusive data.

Fragmented Work Stories

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Humle, Didde Maria; Reff Pedersen, Anne

2015-01-01

stories. We argue that meaning by story making is not always created by coherence and causality; meaning is created by different types of fragmentation: discontinuities, tensions and editing. The objective of this article is to develop and advance antenarrative practice analysis of work stories...

Analysis of quality life in two factories of Civita Castellana pottery district (Italy); Percezione delle condizioni ambientali di lavoro e di vita degli addetti di due aziende di manufatti ceramici del comprensorio di Civita Castellana

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dai Pra`, L.; Delle Fratte, A.; Salerno, S. [ENEA, Casaccia (Italy). Area Energia Ambiente e Salute

1994-11-01

The aim of this research is the analysis of job satisfaction and quality of life in two of the most important representative factories of Civita Castellana pottery district located near Rome (Italy). The two factories were before studied by the Method of Organizational Congruences (MOC) and the results obtained published in another technical report (ENEA-RT-AMB--93-24). It is analized worker`s job and life satisfaction by a structured interview with various open questions in such a way to reveal also many hidden feelings. The 103 structured interviews (in-table-ware 17 women and 55 men; in sanitary-ware 30 men and 1 woman) emphasize the experience at work, the opinions and attitudes about it and the style of life. The results obtained confirm the different Organizational Constraint (OC) in the two factories that have various degrees of technology innovation. Nevertheless the workers who were interviewed show high job satisfaction and high degree of life: This incongruence is dealt with in this work.

Momentum sum rules for fragmentation functions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meissner, S.; Metz, A.; Pitonyak, D.

2010-01-01

Momentum sum rules for fragmentation functions are considered. In particular, we give a general proof of the Schaefer-Teryaev sum rule for the transverse momentum dependent Collins function. We also argue that corresponding sum rules for related fragmentation functions do not exist. Our model-independent analysis is supplemented by calculations in a simple field-theoretical model.

The Destructive/Non-Destructive Identification of Enameled Pottery, Glass Artifacts and Associated Pigments—A Brief Overview

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Philippe Colomban

2013-07-01

Full Text Available The birth of Chemistry can be found in two main practices: (i the Arts du feu (ceramic and glass, metallurgy, i.e., inorganic and solid state chemistry and (ii the preparation of remedies, alcohols and perfumes, dyes, i.e., organic and liquid state chemistry. After a brief survey of the history of (glazed pottery and (enameled glass artifacts, the development of destructive and non-destructive analytical techniques during the last few centuries is reviewed. Emphasis is put on mobile non-destructive Raman microspectroscopy of pigments and their glass/glaze host matrices for chronological/technological expertise. The techniques of white opacification, blue, yellow, green, red, and black coloring, are used as examples to point out the interest of pigments as chronological/technological markers.

Serum and urine analysis of the aminoterminal procollagen peptide type III by radioimmunoassay with antibody Fab fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Rohde, H; Langer, I; Krieg, T; Timpl, R

1983-09-01

A radioimmunoassay based on antibody Fab fragments was developed for the aminoterminal peptide Col 1-3 of bovine type III procollagen. This assay does not distinguish the intact aminopropeptide Col 1-3 from its globular fragment Col 1. Parallel inhibition profiles were observed with human serum and urine allowing the simultaneous quantitative determination of intact and fragmented antigens in these samples. Most of the material has a size similar to that of fragment Col 1 indicating that the aminopropeptide is degraded under physiologic conditions. The concentration of aminopeptide in normal sera was in the range 15-63 ng/ml. Daily excretion was found to be in the range 30-110 micrograms. More than 50% of patients with alcoholic hepatitis and liver cirrhosis showed elevated serum levels of aminopropeptide by the Fab assay. Elevated concentrations were detected more frequently with an antibody radioimmunoassay which measures mainly the intact form of the aminopropeptide. It is suggested that analysis of patients material by both assays could improve their diagnostic application.

Petrographic analysis of prehistoric ceramics from the Huagangshan site of Hualien City, eastern Taiwan

Science.gov (United States)

Liou, Y. S.; Yi-Chang, L.

2017-12-01

Numerous stone artifacts, ceramics, bone tools, metal objects, and etc., had been unearthed from the Huagangshan site of Hualien City, eastern Taiwan, during the excavations of 2008-2010 and 2012. Of particular importance is more than ten thousands of potsherds were discovered. A stratigraphic sequence spanning the late Early Neolithic (ca. 5000 BP) through to the prehistoric of Taiwan (300 BP) was excavated. This study focuses on potteries from the Late Neolithic (ca. 3500-2800 BP), owing to some ceramics exhibiting distinct stylistic motifs and morphological attributes were recognized to be not produced locally. Have these wares been brought to the area by exchange trade and/or by immigrants? Or had they been made by local potters through the imitation of exotic styles? It is still unclear and is one of the most important archaeological issues in eastern Taiwan. To clarify this subject, understanding the raw material compositions and sources, manufacturing techniques, and etc. are considered to be the best ways. Thus, 21 potsherds from excavations and 6 river sand samples near the site were studied by petrographic analysis. The results of petrographic study show that temper components in the potsherds are quartz, pyroxene, amphibole, plagioclase, sedimentary rock fragments (sandstone), igneous rock fragments (andesite), and metamorphic rock fragments (metasandstone, slate, schist), and the contents and proportions are different in these samples. Petrography shows that the ceramic have multiple origins. A ternary plot of rock fragments shows three compositional groups. This result discriminates two types of ceramics from the others and confirms those ceramics producing non-locally. However, one type of potsherds have local origins through they were recognized to be exotic ones.

Chemical process to separate iron oxides particles in pottery sample for EPR dating

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, S.; Farias, T. M. B.; Gennari, R. F.; Ferraz, G. M.; Kunzli, R.; Chubaci, J. F. D.

2008-12-01

Ancient potteries usually are made of the local clay material, which contains relatively high concentration of iron. The powdered samples are usually quite black, due to magnetite, and, although they can be used for thermoluminescene (TL) dating, it is easiest to obtain better TL reading when clearest natural or pre-treated sample is used. For electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) measurements, the huge signal due to iron spin-spin interaction, promotes an intense interference overlapping any other signal in this range. Sample dating is obtained by dividing the radiation dose, determined by the concentration of paramagnetic species generated by irradiation, by the natural dose so as a consequence, EPR dating cannot be used, since iron signal do not depend on radiation dose. In some cases, the density separation method using hydrated solution of sodium polytungstate [Na 6(H 2W 12O 40)·H 2O] becomes useful. However, the sodium polytungstate is very expensive in Brazil; hence an alternative method for eliminating this interference is proposed. A chemical process to eliminate about 90% of magnetite was developed. A sample of powdered ancient pottery was treated in a mixture (3:1:1) of HCl, HNO 3 and H 2O 2 for 4 h. After that, it was washed several times in distilled water to remove all acid matrixes. The original black sample becomes somewhat clearer. The resulting material was analyzed by plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), with the result that the iron content is reduced by a factor of about 9. In EPR measurements a non-treated natural ceramic sample shows a broad spin-spin interaction signal, the chemically treated sample presents a narrow signal in g = 2.00 region, possibly due to a radical of (SiO 3) 3-, mixed with signal of remaining iron [M. Ikeya, New Applications of Electron Spin Resonance, World Scientific, Singapore, 1993, p. 285]. This signal increases in intensity under γ-irradiation. However, still due to iron influence, the additive method yielded too

Global-Scale Patterns of Forest Fragmentation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kurt Riitters

2000-12-01

Full Text Available We report an analysis of forest fragmentation based on 1-km resolution land-cover maps for the globe. Measurements in analysis windows from 81 km 2 (9 x 9 pixels, "small" scale to 59,049 km 2 (243 x 243 pixels, "large" scale were used to characterize the fragmentation around each forested pixel. We identified six categories of fragmentation (interior, perforated, edge, transitional, patch, and undetermined from the amount of forest and its occurrence as adjacent forest pixels. Interior forest exists only at relatively small scales; at larger scales, forests are dominated by edge and patch conditions. At the smallest scale, there were significant differences in fragmentation among continents; within continents, there were significant differences among individual forest types. Tropical rain forest fragmentation was most severe in North America and least severe in Europe-Asia. Forest types with a high percentage of perforated conditions were mainly in North America (five types and Europe-Asia (four types, in both temperate and subtropical regions. Transitional and patch conditions were most common in 11 forest types, of which only a few would be considered as "naturally patchy" (e.g., dry woodland. The five forest types with the highest percentage of interior conditions were in North America; in decreasing order, they were cool rain forest, coniferous, conifer boreal, cool mixed, and cool broadleaf.

Global-scale patterns of forest fragmentation

Science.gov (United States)

Riitters, K.; Wickham, J.; O'Neill, R.; Jones, B.; Smith, E.

2000-01-01

We report an analysis of forest fragmentation based on 1-km resolution land-cover maps for the globe. Measurements in analysis windows from 81 km 2 (9 ?? 9 pixels, "small" scale) to 59,049 km 2 (243 ?? 243 pixels, "large" scale) were used to characterize the fragmentation around each forested pixel. We identified six categories of fragmentation (interior, perforated, edge, transitional, patch, and undetermined) from the amount of forest and its occurrence as adjacent forest pixels. Interior forest exists only at relatively small scales; at larger scales, forests are dominated by edge and patch conditions. At the smallest scale, there were significant differences in fragmentation among continents; within continents, there were significant differences among individual forest types. Tropical rain forest fragmentation was most severe in North America and least severe in Europe - Asia. Forest types with a high percentage of perforated conditions were mainly in North America (five types) and Europe - Asia (four types), in both temperate and subtropical regions. Transitional and patch conditions were most common in 11 forest types, of which only a few would be considered as "naturally patchy" (e.g., dry woodland). The five forest types with the highest percentage of interior conditions were in North America; in decreasing order, they were cool rain forest, coniferous, conifer boreal, cool mixed, and cool broadleaf. Copyright ?? 2000 by The Resilience Alliance.

Fragmentation of Continental United States Forests

Science.gov (United States)

Kurt H. Riitters; James D. Wickham; Robert V. O' Neill; K. Bruce Jones; Elizabeth R. Smith; John W. Coulston; Timothy G. Wade; Jonathan H. Smith

2002-01-01

We report a multiple-scale analysis of forest fragmentation based on 30-m (0.09 ha pixel-1) land- cover maps for the conterminous United States. Each 0.09-ha unit of forest was classified according to fragmentation indexes measured within the surrounding landscape, for five landscape sizes including 2.25, 7.29, 65.61, 590.49, and 5314.41 ha....

Compositional groupings of some ancient native pottery made in Marajo Island

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Toyota, Rosimeiri G.; Munita, Casimiro S.; Menezes, Mario O.; Neves, Eduardo G.; Demartini, Celia C.

2007-01-01

In this work 161 Marajoara ceramics fragments were studied by means of the Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis (INAA) to determine As, Ba, Ce, Co, Cr, Cs, Eu, Fe, Hf, K, La, Lu, Na, Nd, Rb, Sb, Sc, Sm, Ta, Tb, Th, U, Yb, and Zn concentrations with the purpose to classify and to order the ceramics which are related to one another in their chemical compositions. The analytical method is right for this type of study because it is a nondestructive technique, however, the sample procedure is destructive, besides being highly sensitivity, accuracy and precision to determine chemical elements in trace and ultra trace levels. To study the data set multivariate statistical analysis techniques were used. Initially the concentrations were normalized using log base 10. Following the outliers were studied by means of Mahalanobis distance. Finally the data were interpreted by means of components analysis and discriminant analysis. (author)

Intermittency in {sup 197}Au fragmentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dabrowska, A; Holynski, R; Olszewski, A; Szarska, M; Wilczynska, B; Wolter, W; Wosiek, B [Institute of Nuclear Physics, Cracow (Poland); Cherry, M L; Deines-Jones, P; Jones, W V; Sengupta, K; Wefel, B [Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge, LA (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy; Waddington, C J [Minnesota Univ., Minneapolis, MN (United States). School of Physics and Astronomy; Pozharova, E A; Skorodko, T Yu [Inst. of Theoretical and Experimental Physics, Moscow (Russian Federation); KLMM Collaboration

1995-07-01

The concept of factorial moments was applied to an analysis of the dynamical fluctuations in the charge distributions of the fragments emitted from gold nuclei with energies 10.6 and < 1.0 GeV/n interacting with emulsion nuclei. Clear evidence for intermittent fluctuations has been found in an analysis using all the particles released from the gold projectile, with a stronger effect observed below 1 GeV/n than at 10.6 GeV/n. For the full data sets, however, the intermittency effect was found to be very sensitive to the singly charged particles, and neglecting these particles strongly reduces the intermittency signal. When the analysis is restricted to the multiply charged fragments, an intermittency effect is revealed only for multifragmentation events, although one that is enhanced as compared to the analysis of all, singly and multiply charged, particles. The properties of the anomalous fractal dimensions suggest a sequential decay mechanism, rather than the existence of possible critical behaviour in the process of nuclear fragmentation. The likely influence of the charge conservation effects and the finite size of decaying systems on the observed intermittency signals was pointed out. (author). 37 refs, 9 figs, 5 tabs.

Restriction Fragment Pattern (RFP) analysis of genomes from Danish isolates of Suid herpesvirus 1 (Aujeszky's disease virus)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Laurids Siig; Sørensen, K. J.; Lei, J. C.

1987-01-01

Purified DNA from 42 isolates of Suid herpesvirus 1 (SHV-1) collected during 1985 from clinical outbreaks of Aujezsky's disease on Danish farms was compared by restriction fragment pattern (RFP) analysis. The BamHI generated RFPs were found to be distinguishable, thus confirming RFP analysis...

Study on provenance of ancient Yaozhou porcelain bodies by fingerprint elements scatter analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao Weijuan; Guo Min; Gao Zhengyao; Li Guoxia; Xie Jianzhong

2004-01-01

25 samples of Yaozhou porcelain bodies, 3 samples of the tri-color pottery bodies during the Tang Dynasty, 1 samples of Saggar material during Song Dynasty and 4 samples of clay mineral taken from the place near Yaozhou Kiln Museum was selected. The technique of neutron activation analysis (NAA) has been employed to measure the content of 29 kinds of elements in the samples. 8 elements of them were selected as fingerprint elements to make scatter analysis. The conclusion is that the ancient Yaozhou porcelain bodies produced by different kilns have long shared a stable and concentrated raw material sources. Both the tri-colored pottery bodies made in Yaozhou Kilns during the Tang Dynasty and the Yaozhou porcelain bodies are from the same provenance. (authors)

Fragmentation in DNA double-strand breaks

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wei Zhiyong; Suzhou Univ., Suzhou; Zhang Lihui; Li Ming; Fan Wo; Xu Yujie

2005-01-01

DNA double strand breaks are important lesions induced by irradiations. Random breakage model or quantification supported by this concept is suitable to analyze DNA double strand break data induced by low LET radiation, but deviation from random breakage model is more evident in high LET radiation data analysis. In this work we develop a new method, statistical fragmentation model, to analyze the fragmentation process of DNA double strand breaks. After charged particles enter the biological cell, they produce ionizations along their tracks, and transfer their energies to the cells and break the cellular DNA strands into fragments. The probable distribution of the fragments is obtained under the condition in which the entropy is maximum. Under the approximation E≅E 0 + E 1 l + E 2 l 2 , the distribution functions are obtained as exp(αl + βl 2 ). There are two components, the one proportional to exp(βl 2 ), mainly contributes to the low mass fragment yields, the other component, proportional to exp(αl), decreases slowly as the mass of the fragments increases. Numerical solution of the constraint equations provides parameters α and β. Experimental data, especially when the energy deposition is higher, support the statistical fragmentation model. (authors)

Clustering document fragments using background color and texture information

Science.gov (United States)

Chanda, Sukalpa; Franke, Katrin; Pal, Umapada

2012-01-01

Forensic analysis of questioned documents sometimes can be extensively data intensive. A forensic expert might need to analyze a heap of document fragments and in such cases to ensure reliability he/she should focus only on relevant evidences hidden in those document fragments. Relevant document retrieval needs finding of similar document fragments. One notion of obtaining such similar documents could be by using document fragment's physical characteristics like color, texture, etc. In this article we propose an automatic scheme to retrieve similar document fragments based on visual appearance of document paper and texture. Multispectral color characteristics using biologically inspired color differentiation techniques are implemented here. This is done by projecting document color characteristics to Lab color space. Gabor filter-based texture analysis is used to identify document texture. It is desired that document fragments from same source will have similar color and texture. For clustering similar document fragments of our test dataset we use a Self Organizing Map (SOM) of dimension 5×5, where the document color and texture information are used as features. We obtained an encouraging accuracy of 97.17% from 1063 test images.

Morphology of the posteromedial fragment in pertrochanteric fractures: A three-dimensional computed tomography analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sharma, Gaurav; Gn, Kiran Kumar; Khatri, Kavin; Singh, Ravijot; Gamanagatti, Shivanand; Sharma, Vijay

2017-02-01

In this study we describe the morphology of the posteromedial fragment in pertrochanteric fractures using 3D CT scans and answer two questions 1) Do differences exist between the 3D CT appearances of posteromedial fragments and the depictions made in the AO classification 2) Does the posteromedial fragment affect stability in pertrochanteric fractures, in terms of fracture collapse? Preoperative CT scans of eight 31-A1 and fifty 31-A2 fractures were analysed. The presence of PM fragment, its fragmentation, greater trochanter (GT) involvement, lesser trochanter (LT) fragment size (in terms of its posterior and medial extent as well as LT length), LT fragment displacement (in terms of medial displacement and rotation) were determined. All fractures were treated with a DHS. Fracture collapse was determined on postoperative radiographs. The relationship between fracture collapse and patient factors including age, gender, fracture type (A1 versus A2), characteristics of the posteromedial fragment, and the presence of a lateral wall fracture were determined. Three out of eight 31-A1 fractures demonstrated a separate GT fragment (three part fracture). Out of the 50 31-A2 fractures, 12 had a single PM fragment, which included the LT and GT in continuity. The more common four part fractures seem to form by further fragmentation of this basic form. In A2 fractures, the GT was almost always broken and the broken fragment comprised a mean 56% of normal GT. The LT fragment involved an average of 74% of the posterior wall, and an average of 36% of the medial wall of the proximal femur. Larger LT fragments were less displaced as compared to smaller fragments. Univariate regression analyses revealed that fracture collapse was significantly correlated with fracture type (A1 versus A2, p 0.036), GT size (p 0.002) and the presence of a lateral wall fracture (pfragmentation of the posteromedial fragment, nor the size of the lesser trochanter fragment was found to predict stability in

Analysis of human blood plasma cell-free DNA fragment size distribution using EvaGreen chemistry based droplet digital PCR assays.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernando, M Rohan; Jiang, Chao; Krzyzanowski, Gary D; Ryan, Wayne L

2018-04-12

Plasma cell-free DNA (cfDNA) fragment size distribution provides important information required for diagnostic assay development. We have developed and optimized droplet digital PCR (ddPCR) assays that quantify short and long DNA fragments. These assays were used to analyze plasma cfDNA fragment size distribution in human blood. Assays were designed to amplify 76,135, 490 and 905 base pair fragments of human β-actin gene. These assays were used for fragment size analysis of plasma cell-free, exosome and apoptotic body DNA obtained from normal and pregnant donors. The relative percentages for 76, 135, 490 and 905 bp fragments from non-pregnant plasma and exosome DNA were 100%, 39%, 18%, 5.6% and 100%, 40%, 18%,3.3%, respectively. The relative percentages for pregnant plasma and exosome DNA were 100%, 34%, 14%, 23%, and 100%, 30%, 12%, 18%, respectively. The relative percentages for non-pregnant plasma pellet (obtained after 2nd centrifugation step) were 100%, 100%, 87% and 83%, respectively. Non-pregnant Plasma cell-free and exosome DNA share a unique fragment distribution pattern which is different from pregnant donor plasma and exosome DNA fragment distribution indicating the effect of physiological status on cfDNA fragment size distribution. Fragment distribution pattern for plasma pellet that includes apoptotic bodies and nuclear DNA was greatly different from plasma cell-free and exosome DNA. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Box-Cox transformation on dataset from compositional studies of archaeological potteries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Santos, J.O.; Santana Reis, Michael; Silva, J.E.

2017-01-01

In archaeometric data set it was verified by statistical tests that some variables almost never follow a multivariate normal distribution using logarithmic transformation or other. This work presents a multivariate Box-Cox transformation for Mardia's and Royton's tests for a data set of fifty ceramic fragments from archaeological site Justino, Xingo, Brazil, and one clay sample collected near of the site. The samples were analyzed by instrumental neutron activation analysis, INAA. The study was made using companion to applied regression package from R software and was tested by Hotelling's T"2 statistics. (author)

Heart Rate Fragmentation: A Symbolic Dynamical Approach

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Madalena D. Costa

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Background: We recently introduced the concept of heart rate fragmentation along with a set of metrics for its quantification. The term was coined to refer to an increase in the percentage of changes in heart rate acceleration sign, a dynamical marker of a type of anomalous variability. The effort was motivated by the observation that fragmentation, which is consistent with the breakdown of the neuroautonomic-electrophysiologic control system of the sino-atrial node, could confound traditional short-term analysis of heart rate variability.Objective: The objectives of this study were to: (1 introduce a symbolic dynamical approach to the problem of quantifying heart rate fragmentation; (2 evaluate how the distribution of the different dynamical patterns (“words” varied with the participants' age in a group of healthy subjects and patients with coronary artery disease (CAD; and (3 quantify the differences in the fragmentation patterns between the two sample populations.Methods: The symbolic dynamical method employed here was based on a ternary map of the increment NN interval time series and on the analysis of the relative frequency of symbolic sequences (words with a pre-defined set of features. We analyzed annotated, open-access Holter databases of healthy subjects and patients with CAD, provided by the University of Rochester Telemetric and Holter ECG Warehouse (THEW.Results: The degree of fragmentation was significantly higher in older individuals than in their younger counterparts. However, the fragmentation patterns were different in the two sample populations. In healthy subjects, older age was significantly associated with a higher percentage of transitions from acceleration/deceleration to zero acceleration and vice versa (termed “soft” inflection points. In patients with CAD, older age was also significantly associated with higher percentages of frank reversals in heart rate acceleration (transitions from acceleration to

Squaring the circle. Social and environmental implications of pre-pottery neolithic building technology at Tell Qarassa (South Syria.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea L Balbo

Full Text Available We present the results of the microstratigraphic, phytolith and wood charcoal study of the remains of a 10.5 ka roof. The roof is part of a building excavated at Tell Qarassa (South Syria, assigned to the Pre-Pottery Neolithic B period (PPNB. The Pre-Pottery Neolithic (PPN period in the Levant coincides with the emergence of farming. This fundamental change in subsistence strategy implied the shift from mobile to settled aggregated life, and from tents and huts to hard buildings. As settled life spread across the Levant, a generalised transition from round to square buildings occurred, that is a trademark of the PPNB period. The study of these buildings is fundamental for the understanding of the ever-stronger reciprocal socio-ecological relationship humans developed with the local environment since the introduction of sedentism and domestication. Descriptions of buildings in PPN archaeological contexts are usually restricted to the macroscopic observation of wooden elements (posts and beams and mineral components (daub, plaster and stone elements. Reconstructions of microscopic and organic components are frequently based on ethnographic analogy. The direct study of macroscopic and microscopic, organic and mineral, building components performed at Tell Qarassa provides new insights on building conception, maintenance, use and destruction. These elements reflect new emerging paradigms in the relationship between Neolithic societies and the environment. A square building was possibly covered here with a radial roof, providing a glance into a topologic shift in the conception and understanding of volumes, from round-based to square-based geometries. Macroscopic and microscopic roof components indicate buildings were conceived for year-round residence rather than seasonal mobility. This implied performing maintenance and restoration of partially damaged buildings, as well as their adaptation to seasonal variability.

Analysis of clays from a Hellenistic housing insula in North Syria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jackson, H.; Bailey, G.; Clayton, E.; Stelcer, E.

1999-01-01

Jebel Khalid, on the West bank of the Euphrates River in Northern Syria, has been excavated by an Australian team from Canberra and Melbourne Universities since 1987. It is a Seleucid settlement, probably founded by Seleucus I (one of Alexander's generals who 'inherited' a large tract of his empire) or one of his successors in the early third century BCE. The pottery which is the main subject of this report was all excavated from the housing area, which lies on a south-facing slope facing the higher peak, on which stood the Governor's Palace. Very few whole pots were excavated so we have to rely on diagnostic sherds to recreate the types of vessels used. The volume and range is enormous; it covers large amphorae and jars, cooking pots, kitchen vessels and tableware which can be quite fine. Some of the latter is imported and easily identified as such by its appearance, particularly the even surface of glossy black or glossy red. The majority, however, if painted at all, has a dull red surface, with drips running down. This is what we tend to call 'local' pottery without really knowing where it was made. No kilns have been found on site but would surely have been down in the valley with the source of the clay, near the river for water supply. North Syria has long been suspected of having an important role in pottery production during the Hellenistic period, but no specific site has been proved. Antioch-on-the-Orontes is a strong contender and it seems likely that at least some of the Jebel Khalid pottery was brought in from there. But there must have been a nearer source and we cannot determine the extent and range of imports from Antioch until we can distinguish between the clays. Publications of pottery from Syrian Hellenistic sites (including Antioch) tend to date from early in the century when such analysis was not available, or are often given less attention because they are incidental to the excavation of another earlier period. Where clays are described, it is

Evaluation and analysis of geological condition of in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang Jianming; Tan Kaixuan; Huang Xiaonai

2003-01-01

The ore geological condition, hydrogeological condition, engineering geological condition and technological mineralogical character of in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium are analyzed, and it is considered that the implementation of in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium technology is decided by different geological factor. Previously prospecting and geological condition evaluation of uranium ore is based on traditional mining method. If in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium method is adopted, one must re-evaluate previously prospected deposits before they are mined, or one must evaluate new prospecting deposits according to geological conditions of in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium method. The feasibility evaluation method of uranium deposit by in-situ fragmentation leaching uranium put forward by B. N. Mociniets is introducd, and it is considered that B. N. Mociniets method has guidable significance for geological condition evaluation before uranium deposits are mined. A feasibility study is done by applying B. N. Mociniets method to a uranium deposit. (authors)

Jet fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saxon, D.H.

1985-10-01

The paper reviews studies on jet fragmentation. The subject is discussed under the topic headings: fragmentation models, charged particle multiplicity, bose-einstein correlations, identified hadrons in jets, heavy quark fragmentation, baryon production, gluon and quark jets compared, the string effect, and two successful models. (U.K.)

Neutron activation analysis of Lerna ceramics (Greece) at Early Bronze Age: local production and trade exchanges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Attas, M.

1980-01-01

Neutron activation analysis is a powerful tool for determining the provenance of ancient ceramics. A sophisticated analytical system for gamma-ray spectrometry, designed specifically for the chemical analysis of ceramics by thermal neutron activation, was used to determine the concentrations of twenty elements in samples of ancient pottery. The measurements were made relative to the standard pottery of Perlman and Asaro. The purpose of the work was to study the production of fine pottery at the settlement of Lerna, in the Argolid of Greece, during the Early Bronze Age (third millennium BC). About half of the 50 samples analysed formed the major compositional group, which was attributed to Lerna. It included, besides the majority of the samples from the second phase of the Early Bronze Age (Lerna III), several samples from the third phase (Lerna IV); that is, from levels immediately succeeding the great destruction which marks the end of the Lerna III settlement. A small number of objects forms a second group of local origin and includes 4 of the 5 clay sealings sampled. Among the archaeologically unusual objects, several could be attributed to Lerna, while others were characterized as imports [fr

3D RECONSTRUCTION AND ANALYSIS OF THE FRAGMENTED GRAINS IN A COMPOSITE MATERIAL

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luc Gillibert

2013-06-01

Full Text Available X-ray microtomography from solid propellant allows studying the microstructure of fragmented grains in damaged samples. A new reconstruction algorithm of fragmented grains for 3D images is introduced. Based on a watershed transform of a morphological closing of the input image, the algorithm can be used  with different sets of markers. Two of them are compared. After the grain reconstruction, a multiscale segmentation  algorithm is used to extract each fragment of the damaged grains. This allows an original quantitative study of the  fragmentation of each grain in 3D. Experimental results on X-ray microtomographic images of a solid propellant fragmented under compression are presented and validated.

Application of the fragment molecular orbital method analysis to fragment-based drug discovery of BET (bromodomain and extra-terminal proteins) inhibitors.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozawa, Motoyasu; Ozawa, Tomonaga; Ueda, Kazuyoshi

2017-06-01

The molecular interactions of inhibitors of bromodomains (BRDs) were investigated. BRDs are protein interaction modules that recognizing ε-N-acetyl-lysine (εAc-Lys) motifs found in histone tails and are promising protein-protein interaction (PPI) targets. First, we analyzed a peptide ligand containing εAc-Lys to evaluate native PPIs. We then analyzed tetrahydroquinazoline-6-yl-benzensulfonamide derivatives found by fragment-based drug design (FBDD) and examined their interactions with the protein compared with the peptide ligand in terms of the inter-fragment interaction energy. In addition, we analyzed benzodiazepine derivatives that are high-affinity ligands for BRDs and examined differences in the CH/π interactions of the amino acid residues. We further surveyed changes in the charges of the amino acid residues among individual ligands, performed pair interaction energy decomposition analysis and estimated the water profile within the ligand binding site. Thus, useful insights for drug design were provided. Through these analyses and considerations, we show that the FMO method is a useful drug design tool to evaluate the process of FBDD and to explore PPI inhibitors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The importance of hydration thermodynamics in fragment-to-lead optimization.

Science.gov (United States)

Ichihara, Osamu; Shimada, Yuzo; Yoshidome, Daisuke

2014-12-01

Using a computational approach to assess changes in solvation thermodynamics upon ligand binding, we investigated the effects of water molecules on the binding energetics of over 20 fragment hits and their corresponding optimized lead compounds. Binding activity and X-ray crystallographic data of published fragment-to-lead optimization studies from various therapeutically relevant targets were studied. The analysis reveals a distinct difference between the thermodynamic profile of water molecules displaced by fragment hits and those displaced by the corresponding optimized lead compounds. Specifically, fragment hits tend to displace water molecules with notably unfavorable excess entropies-configurationally constrained water molecules-relative to those displaced by the newly added moieties of the lead compound during the course of fragment-to-lead optimization. Herein we describe the details of this analysis with the goal of providing practical guidelines for exploiting thermodynamic signatures of binding site water molecules in the context of fragment-to-lead optimization. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Change of exposure response over time and long-term risk of silicosis among a cohort of Chinese pottery workers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Yi; Bochmann, Frank; Morfeld, Peter; Ulm, Kurt; Liu, Yuewei; Wang, Heijiao; Yang, Lei; Chen, Weihong

2011-07-01

An analysis was conducted on a cohort of Chinese pottery workers to estimate the exposure-response relationship between respirable crystalline silica dust exposure and the incidence of radiographically diagnosed silicosis, and to estimate the long-term risk of developing silicosis until the age of 65. The cohort comprised 3,250 employees with a median follow-up duration of around 37 years. Incident cases of silicosis were identified via silicosis registries (Chinese X-ray stage I, similar to International Labor Organisation classification scheme profusion category 1/1). Individual exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust was estimated based on over 100,000 historical dust measurements. The association between dust exposure, incidence and long-time risk of silicosis was quantified by Poisson regression analysis adjusted for age and smoking. The risk of silicosis depended not only on the cumulative respirable crystalline silica dust exposures, but also on the time-dependent respirable crystalline silica dust exposure pattern (long-term average concentration, highest annual concentration ever experienced and time since first exposure). A long-term "excess" risk of silicosis of approximately 1.5/1,000 was estimated among workers with all annual respirable crystalline silica dust concentration estimates less than 0.1 mg/m(3), using the German measurement strategy. This study indicates the importance of proper consideration of exposure information in risk quantification in epidemiological studies.

Change of Exposure Response over Time and Long-Term Risk of Silicosis among a Cohort of Chinese Pottery Workers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yuewei Liu

2011-07-01

Full Text Available An analysis was conducted on a cohort of Chinese pottery workers to estimate the exposure-response relationship between respirable crystalline silica dust exposure and the incidence of radiographically diagnosed silicosis, and to estimate the long-term risk of developing silicosis until the age of 65. The cohort comprised 3,250 employees with a median follow-up duration of around 37 years. Incident cases of silicosis were identified via silicosis registries (Chinese X-ray stage I, similar to International Labor Organisation classification scheme profusion category 1/1. Individual exposure to respirable crystalline silica dust was estimated based on over 100,000 historical dust measurements. The association between dust exposure, incidence and long-time risk of silicosis was quantified by Poisson regression analysis adjusted for age and smoking. The risk of silicosis depended not only on the cumulative respirable crystalline silica dust exposures, but also on the time-dependent respirable crystalline silica dust exposure pattern (long-term average concentration, highest annual concentration ever experienced and time since first exposure. A long-term “excess” risk of silicosis of approximately 1.5/1,000 was estimated among workers with all annual respirable crystalline silica dust concentration estimates less than 0.1 mg/m3, using the German measurement strategy. This study indicates the importance of proper consideration of exposure information in risk quantification in epidemiological studies.

Missing Fragments: Detecting Cooperative Binding in Fragment-Based Drug Design

Science.gov (United States)

2012-01-01

The aim of fragment-based drug design (FBDD) is to identify molecular fragments that bind to alternate subsites within a given binding pocket leading to cooperative binding when linked. In this study, the binding of fragments to human phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase is used to illustrate how (a) current protocols may fail to detect fragments that bind cooperatively, (b) theoretical approaches can be used to validate potential hits, and (c) apparent false positives obtained when screening against cocktails of fragments may in fact indicate promising leads. PMID:24900472

Fragmentation model analysis of EN2700 fireball

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Spurný, Pavel; Ceplecha, Zdeněk

2005-01-01

Roč. 95, 1-4 (2005), s. 477-487 ISSN 0167-9295. [Meteoroids 2004. London, Ontario, 16.08.2004-20.08.2004] R&D Projects: GA ČR GA205/03/1404 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z10030501 Keywords : ablation * fireball * fragmentation Subject RIV: BN - Astronomy, Celestial Mechanics, Astrophysics Impact factor: 0.975, year: 2005

Integration of fragment screening and library design.

Science.gov (United States)

Siegal, Gregg; Ab, Eiso; Schultz, Jan

2007-12-01

With more than 10 years of practical experience and theoretical analysis, fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) has entered the mainstream of the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. An array of biophysical techniques has been used to detect the weak interaction between a fragment and the target. Each technique presents its own requirements regarding the fragment collection and the target; therefore, in order to optimize the potential of FBDD, the nature of the target should be a driving factor for simultaneous development of both the library and the screening technology. A roadmap is now available to guide fragment-to-lead evolution when structural information is available. The next challenge is to apply FBDD to targets for which high-resolution structural information is not available.

Effective Fragmentation and Flyrock Control Strategies at Quarries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sedat Esen

2017-01-01

Full Text Available This paper presents the effective fragmentation and flyrock control strategies that could be applied at quarries to improve the productivity and safety. Fragmentation measurement and modelling as well as a comprehensive drill and blast audit are essential for improving the fragmentation. Face profiling and bore tracking are good tools to manage the ―as-designed‖ and ―as-drilled‖ conditions to get reasonable fragmentation from face burden zone and minimise the flyrock risk. In general, a large scatter in fragmentation data was observed at sites and the causes should be analysed by a detailed root-cause analysis technique. Two case studies were presented in this paper showing some of the effective fragmentation strategies. Finally, a flyrock model was shown to determine the safe blast exclusion zone for the mining equipment and personnel. Some key guidelines were suggested to minimise the occurrence of the flyrock.

Trace element analysis of archaeological artefacts from Pella, Jordan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clayton, E.

1985-01-01

A brief history of the site at Pella, Jordan is presented, as a prelude to an analysis of the element composition of 82 pottery sherds. Statistical results from this data support the archaeological evidence for occupation during the Late Bronze and Early Iron Age

Portable X-ray powder diffractometer for the analysis of art and archaeological materials

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakai, Izumi; Abe, Yoshinari [Tokyo University of Science, Department of Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tokyo (Japan)

2012-02-15

Phase identification based on nondestructive analytical techniques using portable equipment is ideal for the analysis of art and archaeological objects. Portable(p)-XRF and p-Raman are very widely used for this purpose, yet p-XRD is relatively rare despite its importance for the analysis of crystalline materials. This paper overviews 6 types of p-XRD systems developed for analysis of art and archaeological materials. The characteristics of each system are compared. One of the p-XRD systems developed by the authors was brought to many museums as well as many archeological sites in Egypt and Syria to characterize the cultural heritage artifacts, e.g., amulet made of Egyptian blue, blue painted pottery, and Islamic pottery from Egypt, jade from China, variscite from Syria, a Japanese classic painting drawn by Korin Ogata, and oil paintings drawn by Taro Okamoto. Practical application data are shown to demonstrate the potential ability of the method for analysis of various art and archaeological materials. (orig.)

Portable X-ray powder diffractometer for the analysis of art and archaeological materials

Science.gov (United States)

Nakai, Izumi; Abe, Yoshinari

2012-02-01

Phase identification based on nondestructive analytical techniques using portable equipment is ideal for the analysis of art and archaeological objects. Portable(p)-XRF and p-Raman are very widely used for this purpose, yet p-XRD is relatively rare despite its importance for the analysis of crystalline materials. This paper overviews 6 types of p-XRD systems developed for analysis of art and archaeological materials. The characteristics of each system are compared. One of the p-XRD systems developed by the authors was brought to many museums as well as many archeological sites in Egypt and Syria to characterize the cultural heritage artifacts, e.g., amulet made of Egyptian blue, blue painted pottery, and Islamic pottery from Egypt, jade from China, variscite from Syria, a Japanese classic painting drawn by Korin Ogata, and oil paintings drawn by Taro Okamoto. Practical application data are shown to demonstrate the potential ability of the method for analysis of various art and archaeological materials.

Portable X-ray powder diffractometer for the analysis of art and archaeological materials

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakai, Izumi; Abe, Yoshinari

2012-01-01

Phase identification based on nondestructive analytical techniques using portable equipment is ideal for the analysis of art and archaeological objects. Portable(p)-XRF and p-Raman are very widely used for this purpose, yet p-XRD is relatively rare despite its importance for the analysis of crystalline materials. This paper overviews 6 types of p-XRD systems developed for analysis of art and archaeological materials. The characteristics of each system are compared. One of the p-XRD systems developed by the authors was brought to many museums as well as many archeological sites in Egypt and Syria to characterize the cultural heritage artifacts, e.g., amulet made of Egyptian blue, blue painted pottery, and Islamic pottery from Egypt, jade from China, variscite from Syria, a Japanese classic painting drawn by Korin Ogata, and oil paintings drawn by Taro Okamoto. Practical application data are shown to demonstrate the potential ability of the method for analysis of various art and archaeological materials. (orig.)

Collision induced fragmentation dynamics of small metallic clusters; Dynamique de fragmentation induite par collision de petits agregats metalliques

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Picard, Y

1999-04-15

The goal of this work is the complete analysis of the fragmentation of alkali clusters (Na{sub n}{sup +} (n < 10), NaK{sup +} and K{sub 2}{sup +}) induced by collision with light atomic (He) or molecular (H{sub 2}) targets. The main point is to study how the energy is transmitted to the cluster during the collision and how this energy is shared among the various degrees of freedom of the system and leads to its fragmentation. Two types of interactions govern the collision induced dissociation processes: on one hand, the electronic mechanisms where the target perturbs the electronic cloud and brings the molecule into a dissociative state, and on the other hand, the impulsive mechanisms where the momentum transferred to the atomic cores leads to the rotational-vibrational dissociation of the molecule. The experimental procedure is based on the measurement of the velocity vectors of the outgoing fragments detected in coincidence. This allows to reconstruct the full kinematics of the fragmentation and to separate and characterize for the first time the two types of interactions. The two basic mechanisms of collision induced dissociation are then clearly resolved for the diatomic molecule Na{sub 2}{sup +}. For the heteronuclear molecular ion NaK{sup +}, it is shown that the dissociation process is due to a combination of electronic and impulsive mechanisms in some of the dissociation pathways. The extension to the study of metallic clusters Na{sub n}{sup +} (n < 10) fragmentation shows the role and the relative importance of the electronic and impulsive mechanisms and their evolution with the cluster size. The complete analysis of Na{sub 3}{sup +} multi-fragmentation is also presented. (author)

Experimental modelling of fragmentation applied to volcanic explosions

Science.gov (United States)

Haug, Øystein Thordén; Galland, Olivier; Gisler, Galen R.

2013-12-01

Explosions during volcanic eruptions cause fragmentation of magma and host rock, resulting in fragments with sizes ranging from boulders to fine ash. The products can be described by fragment size distributions (FSD), which commonly follow power laws with exponent D. The processes that lead to power-law distributions and the physical parameters that control D remain unknown. We developed a quantitative experimental procedure to study the physics of the fragmentation process through time. The apparatus consists of a Hele-Shaw cell containing a layer of cohesive silica flour that is fragmented by a rapid injection of pressurized air. The evolving fragmentation of the flour is monitored with a high-speed camera, and the images are analysed to obtain the evolution of the number of fragments (N), their average size (A), and the FSD. Using the results from our image-analysis procedure, we find transient empirical laws for N, A and the exponent D of the power-law FSD as functions of the initial air pressure. We show that our experimental procedure is a promising tool for unravelling the complex physics of fragmentation during phreatomagmatic and phreatic eruptions.

Structures of endothiapepsin-fragment complexes from crystallographic fragment screening using a novel, diverse and affordable 96-compound fragment library.

Science.gov (United States)

Huschmann, Franziska U; Linnik, Janina; Sparta, Karine; Ühlein, Monika; Wang, Xiaojie; Metz, Alexander; Schiebel, Johannes; Heine, Andreas; Klebe, Gerhard; Weiss, Manfred S; Mueller, Uwe

2016-05-01

Crystallographic screening of the binding of small organic compounds (termed fragments) to proteins is increasingly important for medicinal chemistry-oriented drug discovery. To enable such experiments in a widespread manner, an affordable 96-compound library has been assembled for fragment screening in both academia and industry. The library is selected from already existing protein-ligand structures and is characterized by a broad ligand diversity, including buffer ingredients, carbohydrates, nucleotides, amino acids, peptide-like fragments and various drug-like organic compounds. When applied to the model protease endothiapepsin in a crystallographic screening experiment, a hit rate of nearly 10% was obtained. In comparison to other fragment libraries and considering that no pre-screening was performed, this hit rate is remarkably high. This demonstrates the general suitability of the selected compounds for an initial fragment-screening campaign. The library composition, experimental considerations and time requirements for a complete crystallographic fragment-screening campaign are discussed as well as the nine fully refined obtained endothiapepsin-fragment structures. While most of the fragments bind close to the catalytic centre of endothiapepsin in poses that have been observed previously, two fragments address new sites on the protein surface. ITC measurements show that the fragments bind to endothiapepsin with millimolar affinity.

Structures of endothiapepsin–fragment complexes from crystallographic fragment screening using a novel, diverse and affordable 96-compound fragment library

Science.gov (United States)

Huschmann, Franziska U.; Linnik, Janina; Sparta, Karine; Ühlein, Monika; Wang, Xiaojie; Metz, Alexander; Schiebel, Johannes; Heine, Andreas; Klebe, Gerhard; Weiss, Manfred S.; Mueller, Uwe

2016-01-01

Crystallographic screening of the binding of small organic compounds (termed fragments) to proteins is increasingly important for medicinal chemistry-oriented drug discovery. To enable such experiments in a widespread manner, an affordable 96-compound library has been assembled for fragment screening in both academia and industry. The library is selected from already existing protein–ligand structures and is characterized by a broad ligand diversity, including buffer ingredients, carbohydrates, nucleotides, amino acids, peptide-like fragments and various drug-like organic compounds. When applied to the model protease endothiapepsin in a crystallographic screening experiment, a hit rate of nearly 10% was obtained. In comparison to other fragment libraries and considering that no pre-screening was performed, this hit rate is remarkably high. This demonstrates the general suitability of the selected compounds for an initial fragment-screening campaign. The library composition, experimental considerations and time requirements for a complete crystallographic fragment-screening campaign are discussed as well as the nine fully refined obtained endothiapepsin–fragment structures. While most of the fragments bind close to the catalytic centre of endothiapepsin in poses that have been observed previously, two fragments address new sites on the protein surface. ITC measurements show that the fragments bind to endothiapepsin with millimolar affinity. PMID:27139825

When fragments link: a bibliometric perspective on the development of fragment-based drug discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Romasanta, Angelo K S; van der Sijde, Peter; Hellsten, Iina; Hubbard, Roderick E; Keseru, Gyorgy M; van Muijlwijk-Koezen, Jacqueline; de Esch, Iwan J P

2018-05-05

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a highly interdisciplinary field, rich in ideas integrated from pharmaceutical sciences, chemistry, biology, and physics, among others. To enrich our understanding of the development of the field, we used bibliometric techniques to analyze 3642 publications in FBDD, complementing accounts by key practitioners. Mapping its core papers, we found the transfer of knowledge from academia to industry. Co-authorship analysis showed that university-industry collaboration has grown over time. Moreover, we show how ideas from other scientific disciplines have been integrated into the FBDD paradigm. Keyword analysis showed that the field is organized into four interconnected practices: library design, fragment screening, computational methods, and optimization. This study highlights the importance of interactions among various individuals and institutions from diverse disciplines in newly emerging scientific fields. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

SCEDS: protein fragments for molecular replacement in Phaser

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCoy, Airlie J., E-mail: ajm201@cam.ac.uk [University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY (United Kingdom); Nicholls, Robert A. [MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Francis Crick Avenue, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge CB2 0QH (United Kingdom); Schneider, Thomas R. [Hamburg Unit c/o DESY, Notkestrasse 85, 22603 Hamburg (Germany); University of Cambridge, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY (United Kingdom)

2013-11-01

Protein fragments suitable for use in molecular replacement can be generated by normal-mode perturbation, analysis of the difference distance matrix of the original versus normal-mode perturbed structures, and SCEDS, a score that measures the sphericity, continuity, equality and density of the resulting fragments. A method is described for generating protein fragments suitable for use as molecular-replacement (MR) template models. The template model for a protein suspected to undergo a conformational change is perturbed along combinations of low-frequency normal modes of the elastic network model. The unperturbed structure is then compared with each perturbed structure in turn and the structurally invariant regions are identified by analysing the difference distance matrix. These fragments are scored with SCEDS, which is a combined measure of the sphericity of the fragments, the continuity of the fragments with respect to the polypeptide chain, the equality in number of atoms in the fragments and the density of C{sup α} atoms in the triaxial ellipsoid of the fragment extents. The fragment divisions with the highest SCEDS are then used as separate template models for MR. Test cases show that where the protein contains fragments that undergo a change in juxtaposition between template model and target, SCEDS can identify fragments that lead to a lower R factor after ten cycles of all-atom refinement with REFMAC5 than the original template structure. The method has been implemented in the software Phaser.

SCEDS: protein fragments for molecular replacement in Phaser

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

McCoy, Airlie J.; Nicholls, Robert A.; Schneider, Thomas R.

2013-01-01

Protein fragments suitable for use in molecular replacement can be generated by normal-mode perturbation, analysis of the difference distance matrix of the original versus normal-mode perturbed structures, and SCEDS, a score that measures the sphericity, continuity, equality and density of the resulting fragments. A method is described for generating protein fragments suitable for use as molecular-replacement (MR) template models. The template model for a protein suspected to undergo a conformational change is perturbed along combinations of low-frequency normal modes of the elastic network model. The unperturbed structure is then compared with each perturbed structure in turn and the structurally invariant regions are identified by analysing the difference distance matrix. These fragments are scored with SCEDS, which is a combined measure of the sphericity of the fragments, the continuity of the fragments with respect to the polypeptide chain, the equality in number of atoms in the fragments and the density of C α atoms in the triaxial ellipsoid of the fragment extents. The fragment divisions with the highest SCEDS are then used as separate template models for MR. Test cases show that where the protein contains fragments that undergo a change in juxtaposition between template model and target, SCEDS can identify fragments that lead to a lower R factor after ten cycles of all-atom refinement with REFMAC5 than the original template structure. The method has been implemented in the software Phaser

Towards a population synthesis model of self-gravitating disc fragmentation and tidal downsizing II: the effect of fragment-fragment interactions

Science.gov (United States)

Forgan, D. H.; Hall, C.; Meru, F.; Rice, W. K. M.

2018-03-01

It is likely that most protostellar systems undergo a brief phase where the protostellar disc is self-gravitating. If these discs are prone to fragmentation, then they are able to rapidly form objects that are initially of several Jupiter masses and larger. The fate of these disc fragments (and the fate of planetary bodies formed afterwards via core accretion) depends sensitively not only on the fragment's interaction with the disc, but also with its neighbouring fragments. We return to and revise our population synthesis model of self-gravitating disc fragmentation and tidal downsizing. Amongst other improvements, the model now directly incorporates fragment-fragment interactions while the disc is still present. We find that fragment-fragment scattering dominates the orbital evolution, even when we enforce rapid migration and inefficient gap formation. Compared to our previous model, we see a small increase in the number of terrestrial-type objects being formed, although their survival under tidal evolution is at best unclear. We also see evidence for disrupted fragments with evolved grain populations - this is circumstantial evidence for the formation of planetesimal belts, a phenomenon not seen in runs where fragment-fragment interactions are ignored. In spite of intense dynamical evolution, our population is dominated by massive giant planets and brown dwarfs at large semimajor axis, which direct imaging surveys should, but only rarely, detect. Finally, disc fragmentation is shown to be an efficient manufacturer of free-floating planetary mass objects, and the typical multiplicity of systems formed via gravitational instability will be low.

An Analysis of the FY-1C, Iridium 33, and Cosmos 2251 Fragments

Science.gov (United States)

Liou, J.-C.

2014-01-01

The beginning of the year 2013 marks the sixth anniversary of the destruction of the Fengyun-1C (FY-1C) weather satellite as the result of an anti-satellite test conducted by China in January 2007 and the fourth anniversary of the accidental collision between Cosmos 2251 and the operational Iridium 33 in February 2009. These two events represent the worst satellite breakups in history. A total of 5579 fragments have been cataloged by the U.S. Space Surveillance Network (SSN), and almost 5000 of them were still in orbit in January 2013. In addition to these cataloged objects, hundreds of thousands (or more) of fragments down to the millimeter size regime were also generated during the breakups. These fragments are too small to be tracked by the SSN, but are large enough to be a safety concern for human space activities and robotic missions in low Earth orbit (LEO, the region below 2000 km altitude). Like their cataloged siblings, many of them remain in orbit today. These two breakup events dramatically changed the landscape of the orbital debris environment in LEO. The spatial density of the cataloged population in January 2013 is shown as the top blue curve. The combined FY-1C, Iridium 33, and Cosmos 2251 fragments (black curve) account for about 50 percent of the cataloged population below an altitude of 1000 km. They are also responsible for the concentrations at 770 km and 850 km, altitudes at which the collisions occurred. The effects of the FY-1C, Iridium 33, and Cosmos 2251 fragments will continue to be felt for decades to come. For example, approximately half of the generated FY-1C fragments will remain in orbit 20 years from now. In general, the Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 fragments will decay faster than the FY-1C fragments because of their lower altitudes. Of the Iridium 33 and Cosmos 2251 fragments, the former have much shorter orbital lifetimes than the latter, because lightweight composite materials were heavily used in the construction of the Iridium

Universal elements of fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanovsky, V. V.; Tur, A. V.; Kuklina, O. V.

2010-01-01

A fragmentation theory is proposed that explains the universal asymptotic behavior of the fragment-size distribution in the large-size range, based on simple physical principles. The basic principles of the theory are the total mass conservation in a fragmentation process and a balance condition for the energy expended in increasing the surface of fragments during their breakup. A flux-based approach is used that makes it possible to supplement the basic principles and develop a minimal theory of fragmentation. Such a supplementary principle is that of decreasing fragment-volume flux with increasing energy expended in fragmentation. It is shown that the behavior of the decreasing flux is directly related to the form of a power-law fragment-size distribution. The minimal theory is used to find universal asymptotic fragment-size distributions and to develop a natural physical classification of fragmentation models. A more general, nonlinear theory of strong fragmentation is also developed. It is demonstrated that solutions to a nonlinear kinetic equation consistent with both basic principles approach a universal asymptotic size distribution. Agreement between the predicted asymptotic fragment-size distributions and experimental observations is discussed.

The role of fragmentation mechanism in large-scale vapor explosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Jie

2003-01-01

A non-equilibrium, multi-phase, multi-component code PROVER-I is developed for propagation phase of vapor explosion. Two fragmentation models are used. The hydrodynamic fragmentation model is the same as Fletcher's one. A new thermal fragmentation model is proposed with three kinds of time scale for modeling instant fragmentation, spontaneous nucleation fragmentation and normal boiling fragmentation. The role of fragmentation mechanisms is investigated by the simulations of the pressure wave propagation and energy conversion ratio of ex-vessel vapor explosion. The spontaneous nucleation fragmentation results in a much higher pressure peak and a larger energy conversion ratio than hydrodynamic fragmentation. The instant fragmentation gives a slightly larger energy conversion ratio than spontaneous nucleation fragmentation, and the normal boiling fragmentation results in a smaller energy conversion ratio. The detailed analysis of the structure of pressure wave makes it clear that thermal detonation exists only under the thermal fragmentation circumstance. The high energy conversion ratio is obtained in a small vapor volume fraction. However, in larger vapor volume fraction conditions, the vapor explosion is weak. In a large-scale vapor explosion, the hydrodynamic fragmentation is essential when the pressure wave becomes strong, so a small energy conversion ratio is expected. (author)

Baculovirus display of functional antibody Fab fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Takada, Shinya; Ogawa, Takafumi; Matsui, Kazusa; Suzuki, Tasuku; Katsuda, Tomohisa; Yamaji, Hideki

2015-08-01

The generation of a recombinant baculovirus that displays antibody Fab fragments on the surface was investigated. A recombinant baculovirus was engineered so that the heavy chain (Hc; Fd fragment) of a mouse Fab fragment was expressed as a fusion to the N-terminus of baculovirus gp64, while the light chain of the Fab fragment was simultaneously expressed as a secretory protein. Following infection of Sf9 insect cells with the recombinant baculovirus, the culture supernatant was analyzed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay using antigen-coated microplates and either an anti-mouse IgG or an anti-gp64 antibody. A relatively strong signal was obtained in each case, showing antigen-binding activity in the culture supernatant. In western blot analysis of the culture supernatant using the anti-gp64 antibody, specific protein bands were detected at an electrophoretic mobility that coincided with the molecular weight of the Hc-gp64 fusion protein as well as that of gp64. Flow cytometry using a fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjugated antibody specific to mouse IgG successfully detected the Fab fragments on the surface of the Sf9 cells. These results suggest that immunologically functional antibody Fab fragments can be displayed on the surface of baculovirus particles, and that a fluorescence-activated cell sorter with a fluorescence-labeled antigen can isolate baculoviruses displaying specific Fab fragments. This successful baculovirus display of antibody Fab fragments may offer a novel approach for the efficient selection of specific antibodies.

Investigating the archaeointensity determination success of prehistoric ceramics through a multidisciplinary approach: new and re-evaluated data from Greek collections

Science.gov (United States)

Kondopoulou, D.; Gómez-Paccard, M.; Aidona, E.; Rathossi, Ch.; Carvallo, C.; Tema, E.; Efthimiadis, K. G.; Polymeris, G. S.

2017-09-01

The Balkan area provides an almost continuous record of the geomagnetic field variations during the last eight millennia but important data dispersion and chronological gaps are still observed. In order to improve this pattern, we oriented our research towards the study of Greek prehistoric ceramics and pottery collections. We present here new archaeointensity and mineralogical results from pottery and ceramics collected in two Bronze Age sites in Northern Greece, corresponding to the middle third and middle second millennium BC. Thermal demagnetization experiments, thermomagnetic curves, thermal demagnetization measurements of three axes composite isothermal magnetization and first-order reversal curves (FORC) diagrams were performed in order to define the main magnetic carriers and select the most promising samples for archaeointensity determination. The results suggest that the majority of the studied materials are dominated by a mixture of superparamagnetic and stable single domain grains, with very little magnetic interactions. In almost all samples the main magnetic carrier observed is a low coercivity mineral, most probably magnetite and/or Ti-magnetite. Classical Thellier experiments, including both the thermoremanent magnetization anisotropy and cooling rate corrections were performed on the selected samples. Two new archaeointensities were obtained and compared with previous data available for Greece and neighbouring countries and with global geomagnetic field models results. In order to investigate the causes of the high rate of failure observed in our archaeointensity experiments, we re-examined the results obtained from the study of four collections already published by better characterizing the magnetic and mineralogical properties of the studied fragments. Specific hysteresis curves performed at different layers of ceramic fragments reveal an important degree of inhomogeneity. Mineralogical analysis of selected samples from the totality of six Greek

Identifying Interactions that Determine Fragment Binding at Protein Hotspots.

Science.gov (United States)

Radoux, Chris J; Olsson, Tjelvar S G; Pitt, Will R; Groom, Colin R; Blundell, Tom L

2016-05-12

Locating a ligand-binding site is an important first step in structure-guided drug discovery, but current methods do little to suggest which interactions within a pocket are the most important for binding. Here we illustrate a method that samples atomic hotspots with simple molecular probes to produce fragment hotspot maps. These maps specifically highlight fragment-binding sites and their corresponding pharmacophores. For ligand-bound structures, they provide an intuitive visual guide within the binding site, directing medicinal chemists where to grow the molecule and alerting them to suboptimal interactions within the original hit. The fragment hotspot map calculation is validated using experimental binding positions of 21 fragments and subsequent lead molecules. The ligands are found in high scoring areas of the fragment hotspot maps, with fragment atoms having a median percentage rank of 97%. Protein kinase B and pantothenate synthetase are examined in detail. In each case, the fragment hotspot maps are able to rationalize a Free-Wilson analysis of SAR data from a fragment-based drug design project.

Route to three-dimensional fragments using diversity-oriented synthesis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hung, Alvin W; Ramek, Alex; Wang, Yikai; Kaya, Taner; Wilson, J Anthony; Clemons, Paul A; Young, Damian W

2011-04-26

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) has proven to be an effective means of producing high-quality chemical ligands as starting points for drug-discovery pursuits. The increasing number of clinical candidate drugs developed using FBDD approaches is a testament of the efficacy of this approach. The success of fragment-based methods is highly dependent on the identity of the fragment library used for screening. The vast majority of FBDD has centered on the use of sp(2)-rich aromatic compounds. An expanded set of fragments that possess more 3D character would provide access to a larger chemical space of fragments than those currently used. Diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS) aims to efficiently generate a set of molecules diverse in skeletal and stereochemical properties. Molecules derived from DOS have also displayed significant success in the modulation of function of various "difficult" targets. Herein, we describe the application of DOS toward the construction of a unique set of fragments containing highly sp(3)-rich skeletons for fragment-based screening. Using cheminformatic analysis, we quantified the shapes and physical properties of the new 3D fragments and compared them with a database containing known fragment-like molecules.

Chemical signature study of tupiguarani ceramic tradition from Central region of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil; Estudo de assinaturas quimicas em ceramica da tradicao tupiguarani da regiao central do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bona, Irene Akemy Tomiyoshi

2006-07-01

In this work a model based on experimental results using chemical composition data of the pottery sherds applied to Spearmann's no parametric test, principal component analysis and discriminant analysis, was applied. The samples are soils and Tupiguarani Tradition pottery sherd from the central area of the Rio Grande do Sul State. The chemical elements , Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, K Mn, Pb, Rb, S, Si, Sr, Ti, V and Zn were determined by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXFR) while Ce, Cu, Gd, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, Th and Y by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) techniques. Relationships among the pottery characteristics, studied sites and sherd dispersion in the several sites were proposed. Indications of chemical signature of the small pottery with function to go or not to the fire were observed. The largest dispersion is of small pottery with surface treatment no corrugated. The potteries chemical fingerprints from Ijui River, Ibicui-Vacacai Mirim River and Jacui River were verified. (author)

Chemical signature study of tupiguarani ceramic tradition from Central region of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bona, Irene Akemy Tomiyoshi

2006-01-01

In this work a model based on experimental results using chemical composition data of the pottery sherds applied to Spearmann's no parametric test, principal component analysis and discriminant analysis, was applied. The samples are soils and Tupiguarani Tradition pottery sherd from the central area of the Rio Grande do Sul State. The chemical elements , Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, K Mn, Pb, Rb, S, Si, Sr, Ti, V and Zn were determined by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXFR) while Ce, Cu, Gd, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, Th and Y by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) techniques. Relationships among the pottery characteristics, studied sites and sherd dispersion in the several sites were proposed. Indications of chemical signature of the small pottery with function to go or not to the fire were observed. The largest dispersion is of small pottery with surface treatment no corrugated. The potteries chemical fingerprints from Ijui River, Ibicui-Vacacai Mirim River and Jacui River were verified. (author)

Complementary DNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Complementary DNA-amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP-cDNA) analysis of differential gene expression from the xerophyte Ammopiptanthus mongolicus in response to cold, drought and cold together with drought.

Fragment growing induces conformational changes in acetylcholine-binding protein: A structural and thermodynamic analysis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Edink, E.S.; Rucktooa, P.; Retra, K.; Akdemir, A.; Nahar, T.T.; Zuiderveld, O.P.; van Elk, R.; Janssen, E.; van Nierop, P.; van Muijlwijk-Koezen, J.E.; Smit, A.B.; Sixma, T.K.; Leurs, R.; de Esch, I.J.P.

2011-01-01

Optimization of fragment hits toward high-affinity lead compounds is a crucial aspect of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD). In the current study, we have successfully optimized a fragment by growing into a ligand-inducible subpocket of the binding site of acetylcholine-binding protein (AChBP).

Metagenome Fragment Classification Using -Mer Frequency Profiles

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gail Rosen

2008-01-01

Full Text Available A vast amount of microbial sequencing data is being generated through large-scale projects in ecology, agriculture, and human health. Efficient high-throughput methods are needed to analyze the mass amounts of metagenomic data, all DNA present in an environmental sample. A major obstacle in metagenomics is the inability to obtain accuracy using technology that yields short reads. We construct the unique -mer frequency profiles of 635 microbial genomes publicly available as of February 2008. These profiles are used to train a naive Bayes classifier (NBC that can be used to identify the genome of any fragment. We show that our method is comparable to BLAST for small 25 bp fragments but does not have the ambiguity of BLAST's tied top scores. We demonstrate that this approach is scalable to identify any fragment from hundreds of genomes. It also performs quite well at the strain, species, and genera levels and achieves strain resolution despite classifying ubiquitous genomic fragments (gene and nongene regions. Cross-validation analysis demonstrates that species-accuracy achieves 90% for highly-represented species containing an average of 8 strains. We demonstrate that such a tool can be used on the Sargasso Sea dataset, and our analysis shows that NBC can be further enhanced.

Controlled fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnold, Werner

2002-01-01

Contrary to natural fragmentation, controlled fragmentation offers the possibility to adapt fragment parameters like size and mass to the performance requirements in a very flexible way. Known mechanisms like grooves inside the casing, weaken the structure. This is, however, excluded for applications with high accelerations during launch or piercing requirements for example on a semi armor piercing penetrator. Another method to achieve controlled fragmentation with an additional grid layer is presented with which the required grooves are produced 'just in time' inside the casing during detonation of the high explosive. The process of generating the grooves aided by the grid layer was studied using the hydrocode HULL with respect to varying grid designs and material combinations. Subsequent to this, a large range of these theoretically investigated combinations was contemplated in substantial experimental tests. With an optimised grid design and a suitable material selection, the controlled fragment admits a very flexible adaptation to the set requirements. Additional advantages like the increase of perforation performance or incendiary amplification can be realized with the grid layer

The multi-step prompt particle emission from fission fragments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhivopistsev, A.; Oprea, C.; Oprea, I.

2003-01-01

The purpose of this work is the study of non-equilibrium high-energy gamma emission from 252 Cf. In the framework of the formalism of statistical multi-step compound processes in nuclear reactions. A relation was found between the shape of the high-energy part of the gamma spectrum and different mechanisms of excitation of the fission fragments. Agreement with experimental data for different groups of fission fragments was obtained. The analysis of the experimental high-energy part of gamma spectra yields information about the mechanism of excitation of fission fragments. The influence of dissipation of the deformation excess on intrinsic excitation of fission fragments was studied. (authors)

Raman spectroscopic study of ancient South African domestic clay pottery

Science.gov (United States)

Legodi, M. A.; de Waal, D.

2007-01-01

The technique of Raman spectroscopy was used to examine the composition of ancient African domestic clay pottery of South African origin. One sample from each of four archaeological sites including Rooiwal, Lydenburg, Makahane and Graskop was studied. Normal dispersive Raman spectroscopy was found to be the most effective analytical technique in this study. XRF, XRD and FT-IR spectroscopy were used as complementary techniques. All representative samples contained common features, which were characterised by kaolin (Al 2Si 2O 5(OH) 5), illite (KAl 4(Si 7AlO 20)(OH) 4), feldspar (K- and NaAlSi 3O 8), quartz (α-SiO 2), hematite (α-Fe 2O 3), montmorillonite (Mg 3(Si,Al) 4(OH) 2·4.5H 2O[Mg] 0.35), and calcium silicate (CaSiO 3). Gypsum (CaSO 4·2H 2O) and calcium carbonates (most likely calcite, CaCO 3) were detected by Raman spectroscopy in Lydenburg, Makahane and Graskop shards. Amorphous carbon (with accompanying phosphates) was observed in the Raman spectra of Lydenburg, Rooiwal and Makahane shards, while rutile (TiO 2) appeared only in Makahane shard. The Raman spectra of Lydenburg and Rooiwal shards further showed the presence of anhydrite (CaSO 4). The results showed that South African potters used a mixture of clays as raw materials. The firing temperature for most samples did not exceed 800 °C, which suggests the use of open fire. The reddish brown and grayish black colours were likely due to hematite and amorphous carbon, respectively.

Fragmentation cross sections outside the limiting-fragmentation regime

CERN Document Server

Sümmerer, K

2003-01-01

The empirical parametrization of fragmentation cross sections, EPAX, has been successfully applied to estimate fragment production cross sections in reactions of heavy ions at high incident energies. It is checked whether a similar parametrization can be found for proton-induced spallation around 1 GeV, the range of interest for ISOL-type RIB facilities. The validity of EPAX for medium-energy heavy-ion induced reactions is also checked. Only a few datasets are available, but in general EPAX predicts the cross sections rather well, except for fragments close to the projectile, where the experimental cross sections are found to be larger.

Universality of fragment shapes.

Science.gov (United States)

Domokos, Gábor; Kun, Ferenc; Sipos, András Árpád; Szabó, Tímea

2015-03-16

The shape of fragments generated by the breakup of solids is central to a wide variety of problems ranging from the geomorphic evolution of boulders to the accumulation of space debris orbiting Earth. Although the statistics of the mass of fragments has been found to show a universal scaling behavior, the comprehensive characterization of fragment shapes still remained a fundamental challenge. We performed a thorough experimental study of the problem fragmenting various types of materials by slowly proceeding weathering and by rapid breakup due to explosion and hammering. We demonstrate that the shape of fragments obeys an astonishing universality having the same generic evolution with the fragment size irrespective of materials details and loading conditions. There exists a cutoff size below which fragments have an isotropic shape, however, as the size increases an exponential convergence is obtained to a unique elongated form. We show that a discrete stochastic model of fragmentation reproduces both the size and shape of fragments tuning only a single parameter which strengthens the general validity of the scaling laws. The dependence of the probability of the crack plan orientation on the linear extension of fragments proved to be essential for the shape selection mechanism.

Anomalous nuclear fragments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Karmanov, V.A.

1983-01-01

Experimental data are given, the status of anomalon problem is discussed, theoretical approaches to this problem are outlined. Anomalons are exotic objects formed following fragmentation of nuclei-targets under the effect of nuclei - a beam at the energy of several GeV/nucleon. These nuclear fragments have an anomalously large cross section of interaction and respectively, small free path, considerably shorter than primary nuclei have. The experimental daa are obtained in accelerators following irradiation of nuclear emulsions by 16 O, 56 Fe, 40 Ar beams, as well as propane by 12 C beams. The experimental data testify to dependence of fragment free path on the distance L from the point of the fragment formation. A decrease in the fragment free path is established more reliably than its dependence on L. The problem of the anomalon existence cannot be yet considered resolved. Theoretical models suggested for explanation of anomalously large cross sections of nuclear fragment interaction are variable and rather speculative

New Neolithic Settlement in Mariupol and Its Place in the System of Synchronous Monuments

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gorbov Vladimir N.

2016-10-01

Full Text Available The settlement of Kalmius in the Northeastern Azov Sea region is situated on the left bank of the the Kalmius river in the historical center of the town of Mariupol. This is a mailtilayered site with cultural layers ranging from the Neolithic to Modern Аge. The Neolithic layer underwent considerable postdepositional deformations. Cultural remains of the Neolithic period are associated with a buried soil occurring at a considerable depth. The layer has yielded numerous flint artifacts, animal bone fragments, and pottery fragments most of which are represented by small shards. The paper describes the ceramic assemblage, demonstrates the connection between the Kalmius settlement and Mariupol cemetery, and compares the materials of Kalmius with those from the coeval assemblages from the Northern Azov and Lower Don regions. In addition, a special attention is paid to the comparative analysis of flint inventories of the Kalmius settlement and Mariupol cemetery. The flint industry of both sites is based on small and middle-sized blades obtained by pressure-flaking. Similar or identical are also microlithic tools, bifacial points, etc. The period of existence of the Mariupol cemetery seems to have been longer than that of the Neolithic settlement at Kalmius. The difference in clay paste makes it possible to reconstruct two technologies of pottery making. The majority of ceramic fragments are decorated with tooth-stamp impressions, but some bear compositions of scratched lines. Most vessels are flat-based. The rims are collar-shaped, bent, sharpened. The assemblage of Kalmius finds close analogies among the Neolithic and Early Eneolithic sites of the South Russian Plain.

From the Spreadsheet to the Table? Using 'spot-dating' level pottery records from Roman London to explore functional trends among open vessel forms

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Marshall

2018-05-01

Full Text Available Intensive excavation and research over the course of decades have produced a very large dataset relating to Roman pottery from London. Research into the function of specific vessel forms has rarely been undertaken but information about the size, shape, fabric and condition of vessels recorded during routine identification and quantification of assemblages at MOLA (Museum of London Archaeology and its predecessor organisations, has significant potential to inform functional interpretations. This evidence was used to explore the function of a sample of open forms, suggesting considerable variation in use and highlighting areas in which the quality of data needs to be improved to aid further functional analysis in the future. It was possible to use this evidence to show broad distinctions in the use of fine and coarse wares and to identify recurrent wear on a range of forms, mirroring those previously identified elsewhere. More subtle patterns relating to the use of lids in cooking, and a decline in the evidence for heating on similar coarse-ware forms over time, were also identified.

Dynamic Failure and Fragmentation of a Hot-Pressed Boron Carbide

Science.gov (United States)

Sano, Tomoko; Vargas-Gonzalez, Lionel; LaSalvia, Jerry; Hogan, James David

2017-12-01

This study investigates the failure and fragmentation of a hot-pressed boron carbide during high rate impact experiments. Four impact experiments are performed using a composite-backed target configuration at similar velocities, where two of the impact experiments resulted in complete target penetration and two resulted in partial penetration. This paper seeks to evaluate and understand the dynamic behavior of the ceramic that led to either the complete or partial penetration cases, focusing on: (1) surface and internal failure features of fragments using optical, scanning electron, and transmission electron microscopy, and (2) fragment size analysis using state-of-the-art particle-sizing technology that informs about the consequences of failure. Detailed characterization of the mechanical properties and the microstructure is also performed. Results indicate that transgranular fracture was the primary mode of failure in this boron carbide material, and no stress-induced amorphization features were observed. Analysis of the fragment sizes for the partial and completely penetrated experiments revealed a possible correlation between larger fragment sizes and impact performance. The results will add insight into designing improved advanced ceramics for impact protection applications.

Advancement of magma fragmentation by inhomogeneous bubble distribution.

Science.gov (United States)

Kameda, M; Ichihara, M; Maruyama, S; Kurokawa, N; Aoki, Y; Okumura, S; Uesugi, K

2017-12-01

Decompression times reported in previous studies suggest that thoroughly brittle fragmentation is unlikely in actual explosive volcanic eruptions. What occurs in practice is brittle-like fragmentation, which is defined as the solid-like fracture of a material whose bulk rheological properties are close to those of a fluid. Through laboratory experiments and numerical simulation, the link between the inhomogeneous structure of bubbles and the development of cracks that may lead to brittle-like fragmentation was clearly demonstrated here. A rapid decompression test was conducted to simulate the fragmentation of a specimen whose pore morphology was revealed by X-ray microtomography. The dynamic response during decompression was observed by high-speed photography. Large variation was observed in the responses of the specimens even among specimens with equal bulk rheological properties. The stress fields of the specimens under decompression computed by finite element analysis shows that the presence of satellite bubbles beneath a large bubble induced the stress concentration. On the basis of the obtained results, a new mechanism for brittle-like fragmentation is proposed. In the proposed scenario, the second nucleation of bubbles near the fragmentation surface is an essential process for the advancement of fragmentation in an upward magma flow in a volcanic conduit.

Intramolecular carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis by quantitative dry fragmentation of the phenylurea herbicide isoproturon in a combined injector/capillary reactor prior to GC separation.

Science.gov (United States)

Penning, Holger; Elsner, Martin

2007-11-01

Potentially, compound-specific isotope analysis may provide unique information on source and fate of pesticides in natural systems. Yet for isotope analysis, LC-based methods that are based on the use of organic solvents often cannot be used and GC-based analysis is frequently not possible due to thermolability of the analyte. A typical example of a compound with such properties is isoproturon (3-(4-isopropylphenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea), belonging to the worldwide extensively used phenylurea herbicides. To make isoproturon accessible to carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis, we developed a GC-based method during which isoproturon was quantitatively fragmented to dimethylamine and 4-isopropylphenylisocyanate. Fragmentation occurred only partially in the injector but was mainly achieved on a heated capillary column. The fragments were then chromatographically separated and individually measured by isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The reliability of the method was tested in hydrolysis experiments with three isotopically different batches of isoproturon. For all three products, the same isotope fractionation factors were observed during conversion and the difference in isotope composition between the batches was preserved. This study demonstrates that fragmentation of phenylurea herbicides does not only make them accessible to isotope analysis but even enables determination of intramolecular isotope fractionation.

Arthropods on plants in a fragmented Neotropical dry forest: a functional analysis of area loss and edge effects.

Science.gov (United States)

González, Ezequiel; Salvo, Adriana; Valladares, Graciela

2015-02-01

Loss and fragmentation of natural ecosystems are widely recognized as the most important threats to biodiversity conservation, with Neotropical dry forests among the most endangered ecosystems. Area and edge effects are major factors in fragmented landscapes. Here, we examine area and edge effects and their interaction, on ensembles of arthropods associated to native vegetation in a fragmented Chaco Serrano forest. We analyzed family richness and community composition of herbivores, predators, and parasitoids on three native plant species in 12 fragments of varying size and at edge/interior positions. We also looked for indicator families by using Indicator Species Analysis. Loss of family richness with the reduction of forest fragment area was observed for the three functional groups, with similar magnitude. Herbivores were richer at the edges without interaction between edge and area effects, whereas predators were not affected by edge/interior position and parasitoid richness showed an interaction between area and position, with a steeper area slope at the edges. Family composition of herbivore, predator, and parasitoid assemblages was also affected by forest area and/or edge/interior situation. We found three indicator families for large remnants and five for edges. Our results support the key role of forest area for conservation of arthropods taxonomic and functional diversity in a highly threatened region, and emphasize the need to understand the interactions between area and edge effects on such diversity. © 2014 Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.

Simultaneous vitality and DNA-fragmentation measurement in spermatozoa of smokers and non-smokers.

Science.gov (United States)

De Bantel, A; Fleury-Feith, J; Poirot, C; Berthaut, I; Garcin, C; Landais, P; Ravel, C

2015-03-01

Because cigarette smoke is a powerful ROS producer, we hypothesized that the spermatozoa of smokers would be more at risk of having increased DNA fragmentation than spermatozoa of non-smoking men. A cross-sectional study was performed on consenting smokers and non-smokers, consulting in an infertility clinic for routine sperm analysis. The application of a novel TUNEL assay coupled to a vitality marker, LIVE/DEAD®, allowed both DNA fragmentation and viability measurement within spermatozoa of participants to be analyzed by flow cytometry. The coupled vitality-DNA fragmentation analysis revealed that non-smokers and smokers, respectively presented medians of 3.6% [0.6-36.8] and 3.3% [0.9-9.6] DNA fragmented spermatozoa among the living spermatozoa population (P > 0.05). No deleterious effect of smoking on spermatozoa was found in our study. More studies concerning potential mutagenic capacities of cigarette smoke on spermatozoa are necessary. In addition, the coupled vitality-DNA fragmentation analysis may orient Assisted Reproductive Technology teams when confronted with patients having a high percentage of DNA-fragmented living spermatozoa. © 2014 International Clinical Cytometry Society.

Glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction of Ag nanoparticles in gold lustre decoration of Italian Renaissance pottery

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bontempi, E.; Colombi, P.; Depero, L.E. [Universita di Brescia, Laboratorio di Chimica per le Tecnologie and INSTM, Brescia (Italy); Cartechini, L. [Universita di Perugia, Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari-CNR, Sezione di Perugia, Perugia (Italy); Presciutti, F.; Brunetti, B.G. [Universita di Perugia, INSTM and Centro di Eccellenza SMAArt, Dipartimento di Chimica, Perugia (Italy); Sgamellotti, A. [Universita di Perugia, Istituto di Scienze e Tecnologie Molecolari-CNR, Sezione di Perugia, Perugia (Italy); Universita di Perugia, INSTM and Centro di Eccellenza SMAArt, Dipartimento di Chimica, Perugia (Italy)

2006-06-15

Lustre is known as one of the most significant decorative techniques of Medieval and Renaissance pottery in the Mediterranean basin, characterized by brilliant gold and red metallic reflections and iridescence effects. Previous studies by various techniques (SEM-EDS and TEM, UV-VIS, XRF, RBS and EXAFS) demonstrated that lustre consists of a heterogeneous metal-glass composite film, formed by Cu and Ag nanoparticles dispersed within the outer layer of a tin-opacified lead glaze. In the present work the investigation of an original gold lustre sample from Deruta has been carried out by means of glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction techniques (GIXRD). The study was aimed at providing information on structure and depth distribution of Ag nanoparticles. Exploiting the capability of controlling X-ray penetration in the glaze by changing the incidence angle, we used GIXRD measurements to estimate non-destructively thickness and depth of silver particles present in the first layers of the glaze. (orig.)

Glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction of Ag nanoparticles in gold lustre decoration of Italian Renaissance pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bontempi, E.; Colombi, P.; Depero, L.E.; Cartechini, L.; Presciutti, F.; Brunetti, B.G.; Sgamellotti, A.

2006-01-01

Lustre is known as one of the most significant decorative techniques of Medieval and Renaissance pottery in the Mediterranean basin, characterized by brilliant gold and red metallic reflections and iridescence effects. Previous studies by various techniques (SEM-EDS and TEM, UV-VIS, XRF, RBS and EXAFS) demonstrated that lustre consists of a heterogeneous metal-glass composite film, formed by Cu and Ag nanoparticles dispersed within the outer layer of a tin-opacified lead glaze. In the present work the investigation of an original gold lustre sample from Deruta has been carried out by means of glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction techniques (GIXRD). The study was aimed at providing information on structure and depth distribution of Ag nanoparticles. Exploiting the capability of controlling X-ray penetration in the glaze by changing the incidence angle, we used GIXRD measurements to estimate non-destructively thickness and depth of silver particles present in the first layers of the glaze. (orig.)

Glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction of Ag nanoparticles in gold lustre decoration of Italian Renaissance pottery

Science.gov (United States)

Bontempi, E.; Colombi, P.; Depero, L. E.; Cartechini, L.; Presciutti, F.; Brunetti, B. G.; Sgamellotti, A.

2006-06-01

Lustre is known as one of the most significant decorative techniques of Medieval and Renaissance pottery in the Mediterranean basin, characterized by brilliant gold and red metallic reflections and iridescence effects. Previous studies by various techniques (SEM-EDS and TEM, UV-VIS, XRF, RBS and EXAFS) demonstrated that lustre consists of a heterogeneous metal-glass composite film, formed by Cu and Ag nanoparticles dispersed within the outer layer of a tin-opacified lead glaze. In the present work the investigation of an original gold lustre sample from Deruta has been carried out by means of glancing-incidence X-ray diffraction techniques (GIXRD). The study was aimed at providing information on structure and depth distribution of Ag nanoparticles. Exploiting the capability of controlling X-ray penetration in the glaze by changing the incidence angle, we used GIXRD measurements to estimate non-destructively thickness and depth of silver particles present in the first layers of the glaze.

Effects of cyanoacrylate fuming, time after recovery, and location of biological material on the recovery and analysis of DNA from post-blast pipe bomb fragments*.

Science.gov (United States)

Bille, Todd W; Cromartie, Carter; Farr, Matthew

2009-09-01

This study investigated the effects of time, cyanoacrylate fuming, and location of the biological material on DNA analysis of post-blast pipe bomb fragments. Multiple aliquots of a cell suspension (prepared by soaking buccal swabs in water) were deposited on components of the devices prior to assembly. The pipe bombs were then deflagrated and the fragments recovered. Fragments from half of the devices were cyanoacrylate fumed. The cell spots on the fragments were swabbed and polymerase chain reaction/short tandem repeat analysis was performed 1 week and 3 months after deflagration. A significant decrease in the amount of DNA recovered was observed between samples collected and analyzed within 1 week compared with the samples collected and analyzed 3 months after deflagration. Cyanoacrylate fuming did not have a measurable effect on the success of the DNA analysis at either time point. Greater quantities of DNA were recovered from the pipe nipples than the end caps. Undeflagrated controls showed that the majority (>95%) of the DNA deposited on the devices was not recovered at a week or 3 months.

Quantification of DNA fragmentation in processed foods using real-time PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Mano, Junichi; Nishitsuji, Yasuyuki; Kikuchi, Yosuke; Fukudome, Shin-Ichi; Hayashida, Takuya; Kawakami, Hiroyuki; Kurimoto, Youichi; Noguchi, Akio; Kondo, Kazunari; Teshima, Reiko; Takabatake, Reona; Kitta, Kazumi

2017-07-01

DNA analysis of processed foods is performed widely to detect various targets, such as genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Food processing often causes DNA fragmentation, which consequently affects the results of PCR analysis. In order to assess the effects of DNA fragmentation on the reliability of PCR analysis, we investigated a novel methodology to quantify the degree of DNA fragmentation. We designed four real-time PCR assays that amplified 18S ribosomal RNA gene sequences common to various plants at lengths of approximately 100, 200, 400, and 800 base pairs (bp). Then, we created an indicator value, "DNA fragmentation index (DFI)", which is calculated from the Cq values derived from the real-time PCR assays. Finally, we demonstrated the efficacy of this method for the quality control of GMO detection in processed foods by evaluating the relationship between the DFI and the limit of detection. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Tinggalan Arkeologis di Pesisir Utara Jawa Bagian Barat dan Kaitannya dengan Perubahan Budaya

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lia Nuralia

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Archaeological remains from prehistoric until the colonial period in the northern coastal areas of western Java (Karawang, Subang, Serang, is closely related to changes in the cultures of people. Some of the findings of archaeological objects, including fragments of bone, fragments of pottery, frag­ments of pottery, grave sites, ancient tombs, ancient mosques, colonial build­ings, and so forth. Entering the era of history, the coastal community vjith dis­tinctive cultural character of the coast have been in contact with the outside world or the culture of the immigrants, who have different cultures, through the channels of trade and friendship. By using methods of descriptive and inductive reasoning, based on archaeo­logical objects have been discovered, cultural change occurs due to mixing of two or more cultures (acculturation and the fusion of one culture into another culture with a voluntary one (assimilation. These cultural changes occurred in various areas of life, whether social, political, economic, and technology.. Kata Kunci: Tinggalan Arkeologis, Masyarakat pesisir, Akulturasi, Asimilasi

Statistical analysis of fragmentation patterns of electron ionization mass spectra of enolized-trimethylsilylated anabolic androgenic steroids

Science.gov (United States)

Fragkaki, A. G.; Angelis, Y. S.; Tsantili-Kakoulidou, A.; Koupparis, M.; Georgakopoulos, C.

2009-08-01

Anabolic androgenic steroids (AAS) are included in the List of prohibited substances of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) as substances abused to enhance athletic performance. Gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) plays an important role in doping control analyses identifying AAS as their enolized-trimethylsilyl (TMS)-derivatives using the electron ionization (EI) mode. This paper explores the suitability of complementary GC-MS mass spectra and statistical analysis (principal component analysis, PCA and partial least squares-discriminant analysis, PLS-DA) to differentiate AAS as a function of their structural and conformational features expressed by their fragment ions. The results obtained showed that the application of PCA yielded a classification among the AAS molecules which became more apparent after applying PLS-DA to the dataset. The application of PLS-DA yielded a clear separation among the AAS molecules which were, thus, classified as: 1-ene-3-keto, 3-hydroxyl with saturated A-ring, 1-ene-3-hydroxyl, 4-ene-3-keto, 1,4-diene-3-keto and 3-keto with saturated A-ring anabolic steroids. The study of this paper also presents structurally diagnostic fragment ions and dissociation routes providing evidence for the presence of unknown AAS or chemically modified molecules known as designer steroids.

Chemical signature study of tupiguarani ceramic tradition from Central region of the Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil; Estudo de assinaturas quimicas em ceramica da tradicao tupiguarani da regiao central do estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bona, Irene Akemy Tomiyoshi

2006-07-01

In this work a model based on experimental results using chemical composition data of the pottery sherds applied to Spearmann's no parametric test, principal component analysis and discriminant analysis, was applied. The samples are soils and Tupiguarani Tradition pottery sherd from the central area of the Rio Grande do Sul State. The chemical elements , Al, Ba, Ca, Cr, Fe, K Mn, Pb, Rb, S, Si, Sr, Ti, V and Zn were determined by energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXFR) while Ce, Cu, Gd, La, Nd, Pr, Sm, Th and Y by high-resolution inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (HR-ICP-MS) techniques. Relationships among the pottery characteristics, studied sites and sherd dispersion in the several sites were proposed. Indications of chemical signature of the small pottery with function to go or not to the fire were observed. The largest dispersion is of small pottery with surface treatment no corrugated. The potteries chemical fingerprints from Ijui River, Ibicui-Vacacai Mirim River and Jacui River were verified. (author)

Nuclear fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chung, K.C.

1989-01-01

An introduction to nuclear fragmentation, with emphasis in percolation ideas, is presented. The main theoretical models are discussed and as an application, the uniform expansion approximation is presented and the statistical multifragmentation model is used to calculate the fragment energy spectra. (L.C.)

Compatibility of various approaches to heavy-quark fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bodwin, G. T.; Harris, B. W.

2001-01-01

We find that the definition of the heavy-quark fragmentation function given by Jaffe and Randall differs by a factor of the longitudinal-momentum fraction z from the standard Collins-Soper definition. Once this factor is taken into account, the explicit calculation of Braaten is found to be in agreement with the general analysis of Jaffe and Randall. We also examine the model of Peterson for heavy-quark fragmentation and find that the quoted values of the width and of the value of z at the maximum are in error. The corrected values are in agreement with the analysis of Jaffe and Randall

ACFIS: a web server for fragment-based drug discovery

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Ge-Fei; Jiang, Wen; Ye, Yuan-Nong; Wu, Feng-Xu; Zhu, Xiao-Lei; Guo, Feng-Biao; Yang, Guang-Fu

2016-01-01

In order to foster innovation and improve the effectiveness of drug discovery, there is a considerable interest in exploring unknown ‘chemical space’ to identify new bioactive compounds with novel and diverse scaffolds. Hence, fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) was developed rapidly due to its advanced expansive search for ‘chemical space’, which can lead to a higher hit rate and ligand efficiency (LE). However, computational screening of fragments is always hampered by the promiscuous binding model. In this study, we developed a new web server Auto Core Fragment in silico Screening (ACFIS). It includes three computational modules, PARA_GEN, CORE_GEN and CAND_GEN. ACFIS can generate core fragment structure from the active molecule using fragment deconstruction analysis and perform in silico screening by growing fragments to the junction of core fragment structure. An integrated energy calculation rapidly identifies which fragments fit the binding site of a protein. We constructed a simple interface to enable users to view top-ranking molecules in 2D and the binding mode in 3D for further experimental exploration. This makes the ACFIS a highly valuable tool for drug discovery. The ACFIS web server is free and open to all users at http://chemyang.ccnu.edu.cn/ccb/server/ACFIS/. PMID:27150808

Searching Fragment Spaces with feature trees.

Science.gov (United States)

Lessel, Uta; Wellenzohn, Bernd; Lilienthal, Markus; Claussen, Holger

2009-02-01

Virtual combinatorial chemistry easily produces billions of compounds, for which conventional virtual screening cannot be performed even with the fastest methods available. An efficient solution for such a scenario is the generation of Fragment Spaces, which encode huge numbers of virtual compounds by their fragments/reagents and rules of how to combine them. Similarity-based searches can be performed in such spaces without ever fully enumerating all virtual products. Here we describe the generation of a huge Fragment Space encoding about 5 * 10(11) compounds based on established in-house synthesis protocols for combinatorial libraries, i.e., we encode practically evaluated combinatorial chemistry protocols in a machine readable form, rendering them accessible to in silico search methods. We show how such searches in this Fragment Space can be integrated as a first step in an overall workflow. It reduces the extremely huge number of virtual products by several orders of magnitude so that the resulting list of molecules becomes more manageable for further more elaborated and time-consuming analysis steps. Results of a case study are presented and discussed, which lead to some general conclusions for an efficient expansion of the chemical space to be screened in pharmaceutical companies.

Quantitative experimental modelling of fragmentation during explosive volcanism

Science.gov (United States)

Thordén Haug, Ø.; Galland, O.; Gisler, G.

2012-04-01

Phreatomagmatic eruptions results from the violent interaction between magma and an external source of water, such as ground water or a lake. This interaction causes fragmentation of the magma and/or the host rock, resulting in coarse-grained (lapilli) to very fine-grained (ash) material. The products of phreatomagmatic explosions are classically described by their fragment size distribution, which commonly follows power laws of exponent D. Such descriptive approach, however, considers the final products only and do not provide information on the dynamics of fragmentation. The aim of this contribution is thus to address the following fundamental questions. What are the physics that govern fragmentation processes? How fragmentation occurs through time? What are the mechanisms that produce power law fragment size distributions? And what are the scaling laws that control the exponent D? To address these questions, we performed a quantitative experimental study. The setup consists of a Hele-Shaw cell filled with a layer of cohesive silica flour, at the base of which a pulse of pressurized air is injected, leading to fragmentation of the layer of flour. The fragmentation process is monitored through time using a high-speed camera. By varying systematically the air pressure (P) and the thickness of the flour layer (h) we observed two morphologies of fragmentation: "lift off" where the silica flour above the injection inlet is ejected upwards, and "channeling" where the air pierces through the layer along sub-vertical conduit. By building a phase diagram, we show that the morphology is controlled by P/dgh, where d is the density of the flour and g is the gravitational acceleration. To quantify the fragmentation process, we developed a Matlab image analysis program, which calculates the number and sizes of the fragments, and so the fragment size distribution, during the experiments. The fragment size distributions are in general described by power law distributions of

Fragment screening by SPR and advanced application to GPCRs.

Science.gov (United States)

Shepherd, Claire A; Hopkins, Andrew L; Navratilova, Iva

2014-01-01

Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) is one of the primary biophysical methods for the screening of low molecular weight 'fragment' libraries, due to its low protein consumption and 'label-free' methodology. SPR biosensor interaction analysis is employed to both screen and confirm the binding of compounds in fragment screening experiments, as it provides accurate information on the affinity and kinetics of molecular interactions. The most advanced application of the use of SPR for fragment screening is against membrane protein drug targets, such G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs). Biophysical GPCR assays using SPR have been validated with pharmacological measurements approximate to cell-based methods, yet provide the advantage of biophysical methods in their ability to measure the weak affinities of low molecular weight fragments. A number of SPR fragment screens against GPCRs have now been disclosed in the literature. SPR fragment screening is proving versatile to screen both thermostabilised GPCRs and solubilised wild type receptors. In this chapter, we discuss the state-of-the-art in GPCR fragment screening by SPR and the technical considerations in performing such experiments. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Silver and copper nanoclusters in the lustre decoration of Italian Renaissance pottery: an EXAFS study

Science.gov (United States)

Padovani, S.; Borgia, I.; Brunetti, B.; Sgamellotti, A.; Giulivi, A.; D'Acapito, F.; Mazzoldi, P.; Sada, C.; Battaglin, G.

Lustre is one of the most important decorative techniques of the Medieval and Renaissance pottery of the Mediterranean basin, capable of producing brilliant metallic reflections and iridescence. Following the recent finding that the colour of lustre decorations is mainly determined by copper and silver nanoclusters dispersed in the glaze layer, the local environment of copper and silver atoms has been studied by extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy on original samples of gold and red lustre. It has been found that, in gold lustre, whose colour is attributed mainly to the silver nanocluster dispersion, silver is only partially present in the metallic form and copper is almost completely oxidised. In the red lustre, whose colour is attributed mainly to the copper nanocluster dispersion, only a fraction of copper is present in the metallic form. EXAFS measurements on red lustre, carried out in the total electron yield mode to probe only the first 150 nm of the glaze layer, indicated that in some cases lustre nanoclusters may be confined in a very thin layer close to the surface.

Genetic alterations of hepatocellular carcinoma by random amplified polymorphic DNA analysis and cloning sequencing of tumor differential DNA fragment

Science.gov (United States)

Xian, Zhi-Hong; Cong, Wen-Ming; Zhang, Shu-Hui; Wu, Meng-Chao

2005-01-01

AIM: To study the genetic alterations and their association with clinicopathological characteristics of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and to find the tumor related DNA fragments. METHODS: DNA isolated from tumors and corresponding noncancerous liver tissues of 56 HCC patients was amplified by random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) with 10 random 10-mer arbitrary primers. The RAPD bands showing obvious differences in tumor tissue DNA corresponding to that of normal tissue were separated, purified, cloned and sequenced. DNA sequences were analyzed and compared with GenBank data. RESULTS: A total of 56 cases of HCC were demonstrated to have genetic alterations, which were detected by at least one primer. The detestability of genetic alterations ranged from 20% to 70% in each case, and 17.9% to 50% in each primer. Serum HBV infection, tumor size, histological grade, tumor capsule, as well as tumor intrahepatic metastasis, might be correlated with genetic alterations on certain primers. A band with a higher intensity of 480 bp or so amplified fragments in tumor DNA relative to normal DNA could be seen in 27 of 56 tumor samples using primer 4. Sequence analysis of these fragments showed 91% homology with Homo sapiens double homeobox protein DUX10 gene. CONCLUSION: Genetic alterations are a frequent event in HCC, and tumor related DNA fragments have been found in this study, which may be associated with hepatocarcin-ogenesis. RAPD is an effective method for the identification and analysis of genetic alterations in HCC, and may provide new information for further evaluating the molecular mechanism of hepatocarcinogenesis. PMID:15996039

Iron coated pottery granules for arsenic removal from drinking water.

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, Liangjie; Zinin, Pavel V; Cowen, James P; Ming, Li Chung

2009-09-15

A new media, iron coated pottery granules (ICPG) has been developed for As removal from drinking water. ICPG is a solid phase media that produces a stable Fe-Si surface complex for arsenic adsorption. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to document the physical attributes (grain size, pore size and distribution, surface roughness) of the ICPG media. Several advantages of the ICPG media such as (a) its granular structure, (b) its ability to absorb As via the F(0) coating on the granules' surface; (c) the inexpensive preparation process for the media from clay material make ICPG media a highly effective media for removing arsenic at normal pH. A column filtration test demonstrated that within the stability region (flow rate lower than 15L/h, EBCT >3 min), the concentration of As in the influent was always lower than 50 microg/L. The 2-week system ability test showed that the media consistently removed arsenic from test water to below the 5 microg/L level. The average removal efficiencies for total arsenic, As(III), and As(V) for a 2-week test period were 98%, 97%, and 99%, respectively, at an average flow rate of 4.1L/h and normal pH. Measurements of the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms at normal pH show that the Freundlich constants of the ICPG are very close to those of ferric hydroxide, nanoscale zero-valent iron and much higher than those of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide. The parameter 1/n is smaller than 0.55 indicating a favorable adsorption process [K. Hristovski, A. Baumgardner, P. Westerhoff, Selecting metal oxide nanomaterials for arsenic removal in fixed bed columns: from nanopowders to aggregated nanoparticle media, J. Hazard. Mater. 147 (2007) 265-274]. The maximum adsorption capacity (q(e)) of the ICPG from the Langmuir isotherm is very close to that of nanoscale zero-valent indicating that zero-valent iron is involved in the process of the As removal from the water. The results of the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP

Iron coated pottery granules for arsenic removal from drinking water

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dong Liangjie; Zinin, Pavel V.; Cowen, James P.; Ming, Li Chung

2009-01-01

A new media, iron coated pottery granules (ICPG) has been developed for As removal from drinking water. ICPG is a solid phase media that produces a stable Fe-Si surface complex for arsenic adsorption. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to document the physical attributes (grain size, pore size and distribution, surface roughness) of the ICPG media. Several advantages of the ICPG media such as (a) its granular structure, (b) its ability to absorb As via the F(0) coating on the granules' surface; (c) the inexpensive preparation process for the media from clay material make ICPG media a highly effective media for removing arsenic at normal pH. A column filtration test demonstrated that within the stability region (flow rate lower than 15 L/h, EBCT >3 min), the concentration of As in the influent was always lower than 50 μg/L. The 2-week system ability test showed that the media consistently removed arsenic from test water to below the 5 μg/L level. The average removal efficiencies for total arsenic, As(III), and As(V) for a 2-week test period were 98%, 97%, and 99%, respectively, at an average flow rate of 4.1 L/h and normal pH. Measurements of the Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms at normal pH show that the Freundlich constants of the ICPG are very close to those of ferric hydroxide, nanoscale zero-valent iron and much higher than those of nanocrystalline titanium dioxide. The parameter 1/n is smaller than 0.55 indicating a favorable adsorption process [K. Hristovski, A. Baumgardner, P. Westerhoff, Selecting metal oxide nanomaterials for arsenic removal in fixed bed columns: from nanopowders to aggregated nanoparticle media, J. Hazard. Mater. 147 (2007) 265-274]. The maximum adsorption capacity (q e ) of the ICPG from the Langmuir isotherm is very close to that of nanoscale zero-valent indicating that zero-valent iron is involved in the process of the As removal from the water. The results of the toxicity characteristic leaching procedure (TCLP) analysis

Analysis of E. rutaecarpa Alkaloids Constituents In Vitro and In Vivo by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS Combined with Diagnostic Fragment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shenshen Yang

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Evodia rutaecarpa (Juss. Benth. (Rutaceae dried ripe fruit is used for dispelling colds, soothing liver, and analgesia. Pharmacological research has proved that alkaloids are the main active ingredients of E. rutaecarpa. This study aimed to rapidly classify and identify the alkaloids constituents of E. rutaecarpa by using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS coupled with diagnostic fragments. Furthermore, the effects of the material base of E. rutaecarpa bioactive ingredients in vivo were examined such that the transitional components in the blood of rats intragastrically given E. rutaecarpa were analyzed and identified. In this study, the type of alcohol extraction of E. rutaecarpa and the corresponding blood sample were used for the analysis by UPLC-Q-TOF-MS in positive ion mode. After reviewing much of the literature and collected information on the fragments, we obtained some diagnostic fragments of the alkaloids. Combining the diagnostic fragments with the technology of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS, we identified the compounds of E. rutaecarpa and blood samples and compared the ion fragment information with that of the alkaloids in E. rutaecarpa. A total of 17 alkaloids components and 6 blood components were identified. The proposed method was rapid, accurate, and sensitive. Therefore, this technique can reliably and practically analyze the chemical constituents in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM.

String fragmentation; La fragmentation des cordes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drescher, H.J.; Werner, K. [Laboratoire de Physique Subatomique et des Technologies Associees - SUBATECH, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, 44 - Nantes (France)

1997-10-01

The classical string model is used in VENUS as a fragmentation model. For the soft domain simple 2-parton strings were sufficient, whereas for higher energies up to LHC, the perturbative regime of the QCD gives additional soft gluons, which are mapped on the string as so called kinks, energy singularities between the leading partons. The kinky string model is chosen to handle fragmentation of these strings by application of the Lorentz invariant area law. The `kinky strings` model, corresponding to the perturbative gluons coming from pQCD, takes into consideration this effect by treating the partons and gluons on the same footing. The decay law is always the Artru-Menessier area law which is the most realistic since it is invariant to the Lorentz and gauge transformations. For low mass strings a manipulation of the rupture point is necessary if the string corresponds already to an elementary particle determined by the mass and the flavor content. By means of the fragmentation model it will be possible to simulate the data from future experiments at LHC and RHIC 3 refs.

Design and Security Analysis of a Fragment of Internet of Things Telecommunication System

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V. A. Alexandrov

2016-01-01

Full Text Available This paper comprises the development and implementation of systems using the concept of Internet of Things. In terms of active development of industries, use the concept of the Internet of Things, the information security problem is urgent. To create a protected module of information-telecommunication system which implements the Internet of Things concept, it is important to take into account all its aspects. To determine relevant threats, it is necessary to use the detailed risk analysis according to existing GOST standards when choosing protection measures, one must rely on identified relevant threats. Actual threats and necessary protective actions are determined in this paper for implementation of Smart House computer appliance module, in order to develop a protected part of Smart House, which is necessary for realization of room access control. We solved the following tasks in the work, namely, a description of the system Smart Home, a description of steps and evaluation system security Smart Home; implementation of hardware assembly and writing a code for the selected fragment of the system; safety evaluation of the selected fragment Smart House and identification of actual threats; make recommendations to counter current threats; software implementation of one of the most urgent threats and software implementation of protective measures for a selected threat. A feature of the work is an integrated approach to the design with the use of the intruder models, analysis of the system’s assets and evaluation of their security.

On the nuclear fragmentation mechanisms in nuclear collisions at intermediate and high energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jipa, Al; Besliu, C.; Felea, D.

2004-01-01

The nuclear fragmentation mechanisms can be discussed by taking into account different scales related to the fragment sizes. Considering two fragmentation mechanisms of the nuclei at the same incident energy an analysis of the experimental results obtained was done. Goldhaber formula was improved by analyzing the discrepancies between data and theories concerning the projectile fragmentation. We implied that the projectile fragmentation process would be governed by the distribution of nucleon momenta in the projectile after the collision occurred. We used in our analysis protons from the 4 He + 7 Li at 4.5 GeV/c per nucleon incident momentum, as well as from 40 Ar + 12 C at 213 AMeV bombarding energy. We proved that in order to proceed in analyzing the projectile fragmentation process at intermediate and high energies one has to consider the dependence σ 0 on the apparent temperature of projectile nucleus after the collision took place. The generalized Bertsch correction for light projectile nuclei and fragments was used and the number of spatial correlations between identical nucleons having anticorrelated momenta was found. Thus we found apparent temperature values close to the separation energies of the considered fragments per number of fragments. The temperatures associated to kinetic energy spectra of the projectile fragments were calculated following two methods. The results from Bauer's method were compared with those obtained by fitting the kinetic energy distributions of the projectile fragments in the rest frame of the projectile with a Maxwellian curve. We also accomplished the comparison of the experimental results with similar events simulated with RQMD 2.4. All the results obtained suggested two nuclear fragmentation mechanisms: a sudden fragmentation by explosive mechanisms, like shock waves and a slow fragmentation by the 'fission' of the spectator regions, mainly because of the interactions with the particles or fragments emitted from the

Universal Rim Thickness in Unsteady Sheet Fragmentation

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Y.; Dandekar, R.; Bustos, N.; Poulain, S.; Bourouiba, L.

2018-05-01

Unsteady fragmentation of a fluid bulk into droplets is important for epidemiology as it governs the transport of pathogens from sneezes and coughs, or from contaminated crops in agriculture. It is also ubiquitous in industrial processes such as paint, coating, and combustion. Unsteady fragmentation is distinct from steady fragmentation on which most theoretical efforts have been focused thus far. We address this gap by studying a canonical unsteady fragmentation process: the breakup from a drop impact on a finite surface where the drop fluid is transferred to a free expanding sheet of time-varying properties and bounded by a rim of time-varying thickness. The continuous rim destabilization selects the final spray droplets, yet this process remains poorly understood. We combine theory with advanced image analysis to study the unsteady rim destabilization. We show that, at all times, the rim thickness is governed by a local instantaneous Bond number equal to unity, defined with the instantaneous, local, unsteady rim acceleration. This criterion is found to be robust and universal for a family of unsteady inviscid fluid sheet fragmentation phenomena, from impacts of drops on various surface geometries to impacts on films. We discuss under which viscous and viscoelastic conditions the criterion continues to govern the unsteady rim thickness.

Analysis of Behind-Armor Debris Fragments From Physics-Based Simulations

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Clarke, Jerry a; Meyer, Hubert W; Mark, Eric R

2007-01-01

.... Utilizing the capabilities of the interdisciplinary computing environment, we have developed a tool that is capable of identifying individual fragments in a CTH flat mesh or adaptive mesh refinement calculation...

Fission fragment angular momentum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frenne, D. De

1991-01-01

Most of the energy released in fission is converted into translational kinetic energy of the fragments. The remaining excitation energy will be distributed among neutrons and gammas. An important parameter characterizing the scission configuration is the primary angular momentum of the nascent fragments. Neutron emission is not expected to decrease the spin of the fragments by more than one unit of angular momentum and is as such of less importance in the determination of the initial fragment spins. Gamma emission is a suitable tool in studying initial fragment spins because the emission time, number, energy, and multipolarity of the gammas strongly depend on the value of the primary angular momentum. The main conclusions of experiments on gamma emission were that the initial angular momentum of the fragments is large compared to the ground state spin and oriented perpendicular to the fission axis. Most of the recent information concerning initial fragment spin distributions comes from the measurement of isomeric ratios for isomeric pairs produced in fission. Although in nearly every mass chain isomers are known, only a small number are suitable for initial fission fragment spin studies. Yield and half-life considerations strongly limit the number of candidates. This has the advantage that the behavior of a specific isomeric pair can be investigated for a number of fissioning systems at different excitation energies of the fragments and fissioning nuclei. Because most of the recent information on primary angular momenta comes from measurements of isomeric ratios, the global deexcitation process of the fragments and the calculation of the initial fragment spin distribution from measured isomeric ratios are discussed here. The most important results on primary angular momentum determinations are reviewed and some theoretical approaches are given. 45 refs., 7 figs., 2 tabs

Fragment-orbital tunneling currents and electronic couplings for analysis of molecular charge-transfer systems.

Science.gov (United States)

Hwang, Sang-Yeon; Kim, Jaewook; Kim, Woo Youn

2018-04-04

In theoretical charge-transfer research, calculation of the electronic coupling element is crucial for examining the degree of the electronic donor-acceptor interaction. The tunneling current (TC), representing the magnitudes and directions of electron flow, provides a way of evaluating electronic couplings, along with the ability of visualizing how electrons flow in systems. Here, we applied the TC theory to π-conjugated organic dimer systems, in the form of our fragment-orbital tunneling current (FOTC) method, which uses the frontier molecular-orbitals of system fragments as diabatic states. For a comprehensive test of FOTC, we assessed how reasonable the computed electronic couplings and the corresponding TC densities are for the hole- and electron-transfer databases HAB11 and HAB7. FOTC gave 12.5% mean relative unsigned error with regard to the high-level ab initio reference. The shown performance is comparable with that of fragment-orbital density functional theory, which gave the same error by 20.6% or 13.9% depending on the formulation. In the test of a set of nucleobase π stacks, we showed that the original TC expression is also applicable to nondegenerate cases under the condition that the overlap between the charge distributions of diabatic states is small enough to offset the energy difference. Lastly, we carried out visual analysis on the FOTC densities of thiophene dimers with different intermolecular alignments. The result depicts an intimate topological connection between the system geometry and electron flow. Our work provides quantitative and qualitative grounds for FOTC, showing it to be a versatile tool in characterization of molecular charge-transfer systems.

ACFIS: a web server for fragment-based drug discovery.

Science.gov (United States)

Hao, Ge-Fei; Jiang, Wen; Ye, Yuan-Nong; Wu, Feng-Xu; Zhu, Xiao-Lei; Guo, Feng-Biao; Yang, Guang-Fu

2016-07-08

In order to foster innovation and improve the effectiveness of drug discovery, there is a considerable interest in exploring unknown 'chemical space' to identify new bioactive compounds with novel and diverse scaffolds. Hence, fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) was developed rapidly due to its advanced expansive search for 'chemical space', which can lead to a higher hit rate and ligand efficiency (LE). However, computational screening of fragments is always hampered by the promiscuous binding model. In this study, we developed a new web server Auto Core Fragment in silico Screening (ACFIS). It includes three computational modules, PARA_GEN, CORE_GEN and CAND_GEN. ACFIS can generate core fragment structure from the active molecule using fragment deconstruction analysis and perform in silico screening by growing fragments to the junction of core fragment structure. An integrated energy calculation rapidly identifies which fragments fit the binding site of a protein. We constructed a simple interface to enable users to view top-ranking molecules in 2D and the binding mode in 3D for further experimental exploration. This makes the ACFIS a highly valuable tool for drug discovery. The ACFIS web server is free and open to all users at http://chemyang.ccnu.edu.cn/ccb/server/ACFIS/. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Albumin modification and fragmentation in renal disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Donadio, Carlo; Tognotti, Danika; Donadio, Elena

2012-02-18

Albumin is the most important antioxidant substance in plasma and performs many physiological functions. Furthermore, albumin is the major carrier of endogenous molecules and exogenous ligands. This paper reviews the importance of post-translational modifications of albumin and fragments thereof in patients with renal disease. First, current views and controversies on renal handling of proteins, mainly albumin, will be discussed. Post-translational modifications, namely the fragmentation of albumin found with proteomic techniques in nephrotic patients, diabetics, and ESRD patients will be presented and discussed. It is reasonable to hypothesize that proteolytic fragmentation of serum albumin is due to a higher susceptibility to proteases, induced by oxidative stress. The clinical relevance of the fragmentation of albumin has not yet been established. These modifications could affect some physiological functions of albumin and have a patho-physiological role in uremic syndrome. Proteomic analysis of serum allows the identification of over-expressed proteins and can detect post-translational modifications of serum proteins, hitherto hidden, using standard laboratory techniques. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

PRIMERA SISTEMATIZACIÓN DE LAS CARACTERÍSTICAS ESTILÍSTICAS DE LA ALFARERÍA FINA DEL SITIO SORIA 2 (VALLE DE YOCAVIL, NOROESTE ARGENTINO / First systematization of stylistic characters of fine pottery from Soria 2 site (Yocavil, Northwestern Argentina

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Romina Clara Spano

2011-12-01

Full Text Available Se presenta una primera sistematización de las características de la alfarería temprana del sitio Soria 2 (valle de Yocavil, Noroeste Argentino, centrando el análisis en ejemplares pertenecientes al denominado conjunto fino. Se apunta a la caracterización de una muestra del abundante material cerámico hallado en un contexto primario, para el cual se cuenta con un fechado de inicios de la Era Cristiana. El material es clasificado recurriendo a la categoría estilo, entendiendo a la misma como la integración de aspectos morfológicos, tecnológicos y decorativos, que convergen en los “modos de hacer” vigentes durante la ocupación del sitio. Se detallan las variables analíticas puestas en juego: forma, técnica de manufactura, pasta, cocción, tratamiento de la superficie y decoración. La conjunción de dichas variables es la base para proponer modalidades estilísticas. Adicionalmente, se refiere brevemente a las prácticas en las cuales las vasijas estuvieron involucradas, tomando en cuenta los contextos de hallazgo (doméstico y funerario. El análisis sugiere que algunos ejemplares de la muestra estudiada exhiben afinidades con espacios circundantes.   Palabras clave: alfarería; modalidades estilísticas; contexto primario; Formativo; valle de Yocavil.   Abstract In this paper we present a first systematization of the features of early pottery found at the site Soria 2 (Yocavil Valley, Northwestern Argentina, focusing the analysis on the specimens belonging to the so-called fine pottery group. We aim at the characterization of a sample of the abundant ceramic material found in primary context for which there is a radiocarbon date from the beginning of the Christian era. The material is classified using the style category, considered here as the integration of morphological, technological and decorative aspects, which converge in the current “ways of doing” at those times of the site occupation. The analytical variables used

Residue preference mapping of ligand fragments in the Protein Data Bank.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Lirong; Xie, Zhaojun; Wipf, Peter; Xie, Xiang-Qun

2011-04-25

The interaction between small molecules and proteins is one of the major concerns for structure-based drug design because the principles of protein-ligand interactions and molecular recognition are not thoroughly understood. Fortunately, the analysis of protein-ligand complexes in the Protein Data Bank (PDB) enables unprecedented possibilities for new insights. Herein, we applied molecule-fragmentation algorithms to split the ligands extracted from PDB crystal structures into small fragments. Subsequently, we have developed a ligand fragment and residue preference mapping (LigFrag-RPM) algorithm to map the profiles of the interactions between these fragments and the 20 proteinogenic amino acid residues. A total of 4032 fragments were generated from 71 798 PDB ligands by a ring cleavage (RC) algorithm. Among these ligand fragments, 315 unique fragments were characterized with the corresponding fragment-residue interaction profiles by counting residues close to these fragments. The interaction profiles revealed that these fragments have specific preferences for certain types of residues. The applications of these interaction profiles were also explored and evaluated in case studies, showing great potential for the study of protein-ligand interactions and drug design. Our studies demonstrated that the fragment-residue interaction profiles generated from the PDB ligand fragments can be used to detect whether these fragments are in their favorable or unfavorable environments. The algorithm for a ligand fragment and residue preference mapping (LigFrag-RPM) developed here also has the potential to guide lead chemistry modifications as well as binding residues predictions.

Finite size effects in the intermittency analysis of the fragment-size correlations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bozek, P.; Ploszajczak, M.; Tucholski, A.

1991-01-01

An influence of the finite size effect on the fragment-size correlations in the nuclear multifragmentation is studied using the method of scaled factorial moments for a 1 - dim percolation model and for a statistical model of the fragmentation process, which for a certain value of a tuning parameter yields the power-law behaviour of the fragment-size distribution. It is shown that the statistical models of this type contain only repulsive correlations due to the conservation laws. The comparison of the results with those obtained in the non-critical 1 - dim percolation and in the 3 - dim percolation at around the critical point is presented. Correlations in the 1 - dim percolation model are analysed analytically and the mechanism of the attractive correlations in 1 - dim and 3 - dim is identified. (author) 30 refs., 7 figs

CARACTERIZACIÓN Y PROCEDENCIA DE MATERIAS PRIMAS PARA LA PRODUCCIÓN DE ALFARERÍA PREHISPÁNICA EN LA QUEBRADA DE HUMAHUACA (PROVINCIA DE JUJUY, REPÚBLICA ARGENTINA: FRX, ICP Y PETROGRAFÍA DE PASTAS (Characterization and Provenance of Raw Materials for the Production of Prehispanic Pottery in Quebrada de Humahuaca (Jujuy Province, Argentina: XRF, ICP and Ceramic Petrography

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Nicolás E. Larcher

2016-03-01

Full Text Available Se presenta un avance en la investigación arqueométrica de la alfarería prehispánica de la Quebrada de Humahuaca, territorio ubicado en el extremo noroeste de Argentina. Se analizaron 72 muestras de cerámicas y arcillas por FRX e ICP en tres laboratorios distintos. La integración de los datos y su procesamiento estadístico permitió identificar 4 grupos con características químicas definidas. La petrografía de pastas aportó información extra que ayudó a corroborar la congruencia de los agrupamientos obtenidos. Los resultados permitieron relacionar arcillas con cerámicas, diferenciar químicamente las arcillas y cerámicas de dos sectores de la Quebrada de Humahuaca estudiados e identificar posibles evidencias de interacción. ENGLISH: This article presents a new archaeometric investigation of prehispanic pottery from Quebrada de Humahuaca, a valley in the northwesternmost region of Argentina. We assayed 72 samples from pottery and clays using X-RF and ICP in three different laboratories. Data integration and statistical processing allowed us to identify 4 groups with defined chemical signatures. Ceramic petrology provided additional information that helped us to corroborate the coherence of the clustering. The results enabled us to correlate clays with pottery, to establish chemical differences between the clays and pottery of two areas of Quebrada de Humahuaca that have been investigated archaeologically, and to identify possible evidence of social interaction.

Fragmentation of 22Ne in emulsion at 4.1 A GeV/c

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El-Naghy, A.; Krasnov, S.A.; Tolstov, K.D.

1987-01-01

Charge distributions of projectile fragments produced in the interactions of 22 Ne beams with emulsion at 4.1 A GeV/c have been studied. Correlations between projectile and target fragments and among projectile fragments are presented. The change of charge yield distribution with the violence of the collision has been shown. The present analysis contradicts theoretical calculations describing the inclusive charge yield distribution of fragments by a single process

On the nuclear fragmentation mechanisms in nuclear collisions at intermediate and high energies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jipa, Al.; Besliu, C.; Felea, D.; Iliescu, B.; Ristea, O.; Ristea, M.; Calin, C.; Horbuniev, A.; Arsene, I.; Esanu, T.; Ochesanu, S.; Caramarcu, C.; Bordeianu, C.; Rosu, I.; Grossu, V.; Zgura, I.S.; Stan, E.; Mitu, C.; Potlog, M.; Cherciu, M.; Stefan, I.

2004-01-01

The nuclear fragmentation mechanisms can be discussed taking into account different scales. These scales are related to the fragment sizes. Taking into account the possible different fragmentation mechanisms of the nuclei at the same incident energy an analysis of the experimental results obtained in different experiments performed at the JINR Dubna (Russia), KEK Tsukuba (Japan), GSI Darmstadt (Germany) is done. Results on apparent temperatures, angular distributions, fragment momentum spectra, multiplicities of the intermediate mass fragments are used to analyse the competition between two possible nuclear fragmentation mechanisms, namely: a sudden fragmentation by explosive mechanisms, like shock waves, and a slow fragmentation by the 'fission' of the spectator regions, mainly, because of the interactions with the particles or fragments emitted from the participant region at transverse angles on the incident nucleus, in CMS.Some connections with chaos dynamics and fractal structure of the fragmentation patterns are included. (authors)

Calculating kaon fragmentation functions from the Nambu-Jona-Lasinio jet model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Matevosyan, Hrayr H.; Thomas, Anthony W.; Bentz, Wolfgang

2011-01-01

The Nambu-Jona-Lasinio (NJL)-jet model provides a sound framework for calculating the fragmentation functions in an effective chiral quark theory, where the momentum and isospin sum rules are satisfied without the introduction of ad hoc parameters. Earlier studies of the pion fragmentation functions using the NJL model within this framework showed qualitative agreement with the empirical parametrizations. Here we extend the NJL-jet model by including the strange quark. The corrections to the pion fragmentation functions and corresponding kaon fragmentation functions are calculated using the elementary quark to quark-meson fragmentation functions from NJL. The results for the kaon fragmentation functions exhibit a qualitative agreement with the empirical parametrizations, while the unfavored strange quark fragmentation to pions is shown to be of the same order of magnitude as the unfavored light quark. The results of these studies are expected to provide important guidance for the analysis of a large variety of semi-inclusive data.

Fuego Volcano eruption (Guatemala, 1974): evidence of a tertiary fragmentation?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brenes-Andre, Jose

2014-01-01

Values for mode and dispersion calculated from SFT were analyzed using the SFT (Sequential Fragmentation/Transport) model to Fuego Volcano eruption (Guatemala, 1974). Analysis results have showed that the ideas initially proposed for Irazu, can be applied to Fuego Volcano. Experimental evidence was found corroborating the existence of tertiary fragmentations. (author) [es

Release and characteristics of fungal fragments in various conditions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mensah-Attipoe, Jacob [Department of Environmental Science, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1D, P. O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio (Finland); Saari, Sampo [Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, 33720 Tampere (Finland); Veijalainen, Anna-Maria; Pasanen, Pertti [Department of Environmental Science, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1D, P. O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio (Finland); Keskinen, Jorma [Department of Physics, Tampere University of Technology, Korkeakoulunkatu 3, 33720 Tampere (Finland); Leskinen, Jari T.T. [SIB Labs, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1E, P. O. Box 1627, FI-70211, Kuopio (Finland); Reponen, Tiina, E-mail: reponeta@ucmail.uc.edu [Department of Environmental Science, University of Eastern Finland, Yliopistonranta 1D, P. O. Box 1627, FI-70211 Kuopio (Finland); Department of Environmental Health, University of Cincinnati, P.O. Box 670056, Cincinnati, OH 45267-0056 (United States)

2016-03-15

Intact spores and submicrometer size fragments are released from moldy building materials during growth and sporulation. It is unclear whether all fragments originate from fungal growth or if small pieces of building materials are also aerosolized as a result of microbial decomposition. In addition, particles may be formed through nucleation from secondary metabolites of fungi, such as microbial volatile organic compounds (MVOCs). In this study, we used the elemental composition of particles to characterize the origin of submicrometer fragments released from materials contaminated by fungi. Particles from three fungal species (Aspergillus versicolor, Cladosporium cladosporioides and Penicillium brevicompactum), grown on agar, wood and gypsum board were aerosolized using the Fungal Spore Source Strength Tester (FSSST) at three air velocities (5, 16 and 27 m/s). Released spores (optical size, d{sub p} ≥ 0.8 μm) and fragments (d{sub p} ≤ 0.8 μm) were counted using direct-reading optical aerosol instruments. Particles were also collected on filters, and their morphology and elemental composition analyzed using scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) coupled with an Energy-Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Among the studied factors, air velocity resulted in the most consistent trends in the release of fungal particles. Total concentrations of both fragments and spores increased with an increase in air velocity for all species whereas fragment–spore (F/S) ratios decreased. EDX analysis showed common elements, such as C, O, Mg and Ca, for blank material samples and fungal growth. However, N and P were exclusive to the fungal growth, and therefore were used to differentiate biological fragments from non-biological ones. Our results indicated that majority of fragments contained N and P. Because we observed increased release of fragments with increased air velocities, nucleation of MVOCs was likely not a relevant process in the formation of fungal fragments. Based

Habitat fragmentation and its lasting impact on Earth’s ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Haddad, Nick M.; Brudvig, Lars A.; Clobert, Jean; Davies, Kendi F.; Gonzalez, Andrew; Holt, Robert D.; Lovejoy, Thomas E.; Sexton, Joseph O.; Austin, Mike P.; Collins, Cathy D.; Cook, William M.; Damschen, Ellen I.; Ewers, Robert M.; Foster, Bryan L.; Jenkins, Clinton N.; King, Andrew J.; Laurance, William F.; Levey, Douglas J.; Margules, Chris R.; Melbourne, Brett A.; Nicholls, A. O.; Orrock, John L.; Song, Dan-Xia; Townshend, John R.

2015-01-01

We conducted an analysis of global forest cover to reveal that 70% of remaining forest is within 1 km of the forest’s edge, subject to the degrading effects of fragmentation. A synthesis of fragmentation experiments spanning multiple biomes and scales, five continents, and 35 years demonstrates that habitat fragmentation reduces biodiversity by 13 to 75% and impairs key ecosystem functions by decreasing biomass and altering nutrient cycles. Effects are greatest in the smallest and most isolated fragments, and they magnify with the passage of time. These findings indicate an urgent need for conservation and restoration measures to improve landscape connectivity, which will reduce extinction rates and help maintain ecosystem services. PMID:26601154

Fragment capture device

Science.gov (United States)

Payne, Lloyd R.; Cole, David L.

2010-03-30

A fragment capture device for use in explosive containment. The device comprises an assembly of at least two rows of bars positioned to eliminate line-of-sight trajectories between the generation point of fragments and a surrounding containment vessel or asset. The device comprises an array of at least two rows of bars, wherein each row is staggered with respect to the adjacent row, and wherein a lateral dimension of each bar and a relative position of each bar in combination provides blockage of a straight-line passage of a solid fragment through the adjacent rows of bars, wherein a generation point of the solid fragment is located within a cavity at least partially enclosed by the array of bars.

Fragmentation measurement using image processing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Farhang Sereshki

2016-12-01

Full Text Available In this research, first of all, the existing problems in fragmentation measurement are reviewed for the sake of its fast and reliable evaluation. Then, the available methods used for evaluation of blast results are mentioned. The produced errors especially in recognizing the rock fragments in computer-aided methods, and also, the importance of determination of their sizes in the image analysis methods are described. After reviewing the previous work done, an algorithm is proposed for the automated determination of rock particles’ boundary in the Matlab software. This method can determinate automatically the particles boundary in the minimum time. The results of proposed method are compared with those of Split Desktop and GoldSize software in two automated and manual states. Comparing the curves extracted from different methods reveals that the proposed approach is accurately applicable in measuring the size distribution of laboratory samples, while the manual determination of boundaries in the conventional software is very time-consuming, and the results of automated netting of fragments are very different with the real value due to the error in separation of the objects.

A production centre of Iberian decorated figurative pottery in the Contestania | Un posible centro productor de cerámica ibérica con decoración figurada en la Contestania

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Ignacio Grau Mira

1999-12-01

Full Text Available In this paper we show the pottery coming from one possible pottery production center located at Cocentaina (Alicante. Through the formal and decorative study we identify a comarcal characteristic production of the central-south district in the Valencian Country in Classical Iberian Period III-II century BC, well represented in the Iberian site of La Serreta. The most interesting ceramics of this point are the pieces with decorations in figurative and floral styles, that are documented in different settlements of this regional area. | En este trabajo presentamos las cerámicas procedentes de un posible centro de producción cerámica localizado en Cocentaina (El Comtat. Alicante. A través del estudio de las formas y las decoraciones identificamos una producción característica de las comarcas centro-meridionales valencianas datada en época plena ss. III-II aC y que tiene su mayor representación en el ajuar recuperado en el poblado ibérico de la Serreta. Entre el conjunto de cerámicas estudiado destacamos algunas piezas con decoración de estilo vegetal y figurado producidas en el citado alfar y que aparecen distribuidas en distintos asentamientos del área comarcal.

Land fragmentation and production diversification

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ciaian, Pavel; Guri, Fatmir; Rajcaniova, Miroslava; Drabik, Dusan; Paloma, Sergio Gomez Y.

2018-01-01

We analyze the impact of land fragmentation on production diversification in rural Albania. Albania represents a particularly interesting case for studying land fragmentation as the fragmentation is a direct outcome of land reforms. The results indicate that land fragmentation is an important driver

SEM/EDS analysis of soil and roasting vessels fragments from ancient mercury ore roasting sites at Idrija area

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Tamara Teršič

2011-06-01

Full Text Available Numerous roasting vessels fragments can be found at ancient roasting site areas in the surroundings of Idrija town, which were used for ore roasting in the first 150 years of Hg production in Idrija. The earthen vessels fragments lay just below the surface humus layer and in some parts they stretch more than 1 meter deep; they arecovered with red (cinnabar or black (metacinnabar coatings.SEM/EDS analysis of roasting vessels fragments and soil samples from roasting site areas P{enk and Frbejžene trate was performed in order to characterize the solid forms of Hg in applied sampling material. Mercuric sulphide HgS was found to be the main mercury compound present in the samples. Analysis of earthen vessels fragmentsshowed abundant HgS coatings on the surface of ceramics, forming either crust-like aggregates on matrix or isolated grains. Some well-shaped grains with indicated structure and the size of up to 200 μm could also be observed. In soil HgS was present as powder-like concentrations scattered in soil samples, frequently coating silicate and quartz crystals and clay-minerals. Polycristalline, mercury- and sulphur- rich particles comprising silica, clay mineralsand Al-, Fe- and Mg-oxides that were also observed in the samples were interpreted as soil aggregates infiltrated by mercuric and sulphur vapours and by liquid mercury spilled during roasting. These particles suggest a possible presence of mercury-sulphur associations other than HgS.

Fragmentation processes in nuclear reactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Legrain, R.

1984-08-01

Projectile and nuclear fragmentation are defined and processes referred to are recalled. The two different aspects of fragmentation are considered but the emphasis is also put on heavy ion induced reactions. The preliminary results of an experiment performed at GANIL to study peripheral heavy ions induced reactions at intermediate energy are presented. The results of this experiment will illustrate the characteristics of projectile fragmentation and this will also give the opportunity to study projectile fragmentation in the transition region. Then nuclear fragmentation is considered which is associated with more central collisions in the case of heavy ion induced reactions. This aspect of fragmentation is also ilustrated with two heavy ion experiments in which fragments emitted at large angle have been observed

Asymmetry effects in fragment production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kaur, Manpreet [Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab (India); Kaur, Varinderjit, E-mail: drvarinderjit@gmail.com [Mata Gujri College, Fatehgarh Sahib-140406, Punjab (India)

2016-05-06

The production of different fragments has been studied by taking into account the mass asymmetry of the reaction and employing the momentum dependent interactions. Two different set of asymmetric reactions have been analyzed while keeping At{sub otal} fixed using soft momentum dependent equation of state. Our results indicate that the impact of momentum dependent interactions is different in lighter projectile systems as compared to heavier ones. The comparative analysis of IQMD simulations with the experimental data in case of heavier projectile and lighter target system for the reaction of {sup 197}Au+{sup 27}Al (η = 0.7) at E = 600 MeV/nucleon shows that with the inclusion of MDI we are able, upto some extent, to reproduce the experimental universality of rise and fall of intermediate mass fragments (IMFs).

Analysis of mutation/rearrangement frequencies and methylation patterns at a given DNA locus using restriction fragment length polymorphism.

Science.gov (United States)

Boyko, Alex; Kovalchuk, Igor

2010-01-01

Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) is a difference in DNA sequences of organisms belonging to the same species. RFLPs are typically detected as DNA fragments of different lengths after digestion with various restriction endonucleases. The comparison of RFLPs allows investigators to analyze the frequency of occurrence of mutations, such as point mutations, deletions, insertions, and gross chromosomal rearrangements, in the progeny of stressed plants. The assay involves restriction enzyme digestion of DNA followed by hybridization of digested DNA using a radioactively or enzymatically labeled probe. Since DNA can be digested with methylation sensitive enzymes, the assay can also be used to analyze a methylation pattern of a particular locus. Here, we describe RFLP analysis using methylation-insensitive and methylation-sensitive enzymes.

Sex Determination from Fragmented and Degenerated DNA by Amplified Product-Length Polymorphism Bidirectional SNP Analysis of Amelogenin and SRY Genes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kotoka Masuyama

Full Text Available Sex determination is important in archeology and anthropology for the study of past societies, cultures, and human activities. Sex determination is also one of the most important components of individual identification in criminal investigations. We developed a new method of sex determination by detecting a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the amelogenin gene using amplified product-length polymorphisms in combination with sex-determining region Y analysis. We particularly focused on the most common types of postmortem DNA damage in ancient and forensic samples: fragmentation and nucleotide modification resulting from deamination. Amplicon size was designed to be less than 60 bp to make the method more useful for analyzing degraded DNA samples. All DNA samples collected from eight Japanese individuals (four male, four female were evaluated correctly using our method. The detection limit for accurate sex determination was determined to be 20 pg of DNA. We compared our new method with commercial short tandem repeat analysis kits using DNA samples artificially fragmented by ultraviolet irradiation. Our novel method was the most robust for highly fragmented DNA samples. To deal with allelic dropout resulting from deamination, we adopted "bidirectional analysis," which analyzed samples from both sense and antisense strands. This new method was applied to 14 Jomon individuals (3500-year-old bone samples whose sex had been identified morphologically. We could correctly identify the sex of 11 out of 14 individuals. These results show that our method is reliable for the sex determination of highly degenerated samples.

Diversity-Oriented Synthesis as a Strategy for Fragment Evolution against GSK3β

Science.gov (United States)

2016-01-01

Traditional fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) relies heavily on structural analysis of the hits bound to their targets. Herein, we present a complementary approach based on diversity-oriented synthesis (DOS). A DOS-based fragment collection was able to produce initial hit compounds against the target GSK3β, allow the systematic synthesis of related fragment analogues to explore fragment-level structure–activity relationship, and finally lead to the synthesis of a more potent compound. PMID:27660690

TOF neutron diffraction study of archaeological ceramics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kockelmann, W.; Kirfel, A.

1999-01-01

Complete text of publication follows. The time-of flight (TOF) neutron diffractometer ROTAX [1] at ISIS has been used for identification and quantitative phase analysis of archaeological pottery. Neutron diffraction yields mineral phase fractions which, in parallel with information obtained from other archaeometric examination techniques, can provide a fingerprint that can be used to identify provenance and reconstruct methods of manufacturing of an archaeological ceramic product. Phase fractions obtained from a 13th century Rhenish stoneware jar compare well with those obtained from a powder sample prepared from the same fragment. This indicates that reliable results can be obtained by illuminating a large piece or even an intact ceramic object making TOF neutron diffraction a truly non-destructive examination technique. In comparison to X-ray diffraction, information from the bulk sample rather than from surface regions is obtained. ROTAX allows for a simple experimental set-up, free of sample movements. Programmes of archaeological study on ROTAX involve Russian samples (Upper-Volga culture, 5000-2000 BC), Greek pottery, (Agora/Athens, 500-300 BC), and medieval German earthenware and stoneware ceramics (Siegburg waster heap, 13-15th century). (author)

An investigation of pottery production technology for the West Slope wares from Dorylaion (Eskişehir/Turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kara, A.

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Researches in the field of pottery production technology in ancient times, done in different settlements during the same period, may contribute to know relationships established within the different cultural communities. In ancient times, Anatolia (Asia Minor was the crossroads of ancient civilizations. There are several ancient settlements and artifacts belonging to Hellenistic culture (330-30 BC. West Slope wares from Dorylaion (Eskişehir/Turkey excavations are the main Hellenistic culture findings. In this study, different analytical techniques were employed for the characterization of these findings in order to enlighten the pottery production technology. Wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WDXRF and X-ray diffraction (XRD were employed to study the chemical and mineralogical composition of the bodies, respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM and energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX were also performed for the microstructural and microchemical characterization of body and slip layers of the selected potsherds. The raw materials used, firing temperatures and atmosphere and related microstructural characteristics were discussed.La investigación de la tecnología utilizada por distintas civilizaciones en la producción de piezas cerámicas encontradas de un mismo asentamiento arqueológico, puede contribuir al conocimiento de relaciones establecidas entre distintas comunidades culturales. Anatolia (Asia Menor es considerada una importante encrucijada de antiguas civilizaciones que abarcan del Periodo de Bronce al imperio Otomano. Las piezas conocidas como West Slope son los principales restos de la cultura helenística (330-30 A.C. encontrados en las excavaciones de Dorylaion (Eskişehir/ Turquía. En este estudio, diferentes técnicas analíticas han sido empleadas en la caracterización de estas piezas, a fin de dilucidar la tecnología utilizada en su produción.. Fluorescencia de rayos X por onda dispersa (WDXRF y

Analyzing Internal Fragmentation of Electrosprayed Ubiquitin Ions During Beam-Type Collisional Dissociation

Science.gov (United States)

Durbin, Kenneth R.; Skinner, Owen S.; Fellers, Ryan T.; Kelleher, Neil L.

2015-05-01

Gaseous fragmentation of intact proteins is multifaceted and can be unpredictable by current theories in the field. Contributing to the complexity is the multitude of precursor ion states and fragmentation channels. Terminal fragment ions can be re-fragmented, yielding product ions containing neither terminus, termed internal fragment ions. In an effort to better understand and capitalize upon this fragmentation process, we collisionally dissociated the high (13+), middle (10+), and low (7+) charge states of electrosprayed ubiquitin ions. Both terminal and internal fragmentation processes were quantified through step-wise increases of voltage potential in the collision cell. An isotope fitting algorithm matched observed product ions to theoretical terminal and internal fragment ions. At optimal energies for internal fragmentation of the 10+, nearly 200 internal fragments were observed; on average each of the 76 residues in ubiquitin was covered by 24.1 internal fragments. A pertinent finding was that formation of internal ions occurs at similar energy thresholds as terminal b- and y-ion types in beam-type activation. This large amount of internal fragmentation is frequently overlooked during top-down mass spectrometry. As such, we present several new approaches to visualize internal fragments through modified graphical fragment maps. With the presented advances of internal fragment ion accounting and visualization, the total percentage of matched fragment ions increased from approximately 40% to over 75% in a typical beam-type MS/MS spectrum. These sequence coverage improvements offer greater characterization potential for whole proteins with no needed experimental changes and could be of large benefit for future high-throughput intact protein analysis.

Fragment-based drug design.

Science.gov (United States)

Feyfant, Eric; Cross, Jason B; Paris, Kevin; Tsao, Désirée H H

2011-01-01

Fragment-based drug design (FBDD), which is comprised of both fragment screening and the use of fragment hits to design leads, began more than 15 years ago and has been steadily gaining in popularity and utility. Its origin lies on the fact that the coverage of chemical space and the binding efficiency of hits are directly related to the size of the compounds screened. Nevertheless, FBDD still faces challenges, among them developing fragment screening libraries that ensure optimal coverage of chemical space, physical properties and chemical tractability. Fragment screening also requires sensitive assays, often biophysical in nature, to detect weak binders. In this chapter we will introduce the technologies used to address these challenges and outline the experimental advantages that make FBDD one of the most popular new hit-to-lead process.

Diagnostic fragment-ion-based and extension strategy coupled to DFIs intensity analysis for identification of chlorogenic acids isomers in Flos Lonicerae Japonicae by HPLC-ESI-MS(n).

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Jia-Yu; Zhang, Qian; Li, Ning; Wang, Zi-Jian; Lu, Jian-Qiu; Qiao, Yan-Jiang

2013-01-30

A method of modified diagnostic fragment-ion-based extension strategy (DFIBES) coupled to DFIs (diagnostic fragmentation ions) intensity analysis was successfully established to simultaneously screen and identify the chlorogenic acids (CGAs) in Flos Lonicerae Japonicae (FLJ) by HPLC-ESI-MS(n). DFIs, such as m/z 191 [quinic acid-H](-), m/z 179 [caffeic acid-H](-) and m/z 173 [quinic acid-H-H2O](-) were determined or proposed from the fragmentation patterns analysis of corresponding reference substances for every chemical family of CGAs. A "structure extension" method was then proposed based on the well-demonstrated fragmentation patterns and was successively applied into the rapid screening of CGAs in FLJ. Considering that substitution isomerism is a common phenomenon, a full ESI-MS(n) fragmentation analysis according to the intensity of DFIs has been performed to identify the CGA isomers. Based on the DFIs and intensity analysis, 41 peaks attributed to CGAs including 4 caffeoylquinic acids (CQA), 7 CQA glycosides, 6 dicaffeoylquinic acids (DiCQA), 10 DiCQA glycosides, 1 tricaffeoylquinic acids (TriCQA), 4p-coumaroylquinic acids (pCoQA), 3 feruloylquinic acids (FQA) and 6 caffeoylferuloylquinic acids (CFQA) were identified preliminarily in a 65-min chromatographic run. It was the first time to systematically report the presence of CGAs in FLJ, especially for CQA glycosides, DiCQA glycosides, TriCQA, pCoQA and CFQA. All the results indicated that the method of developed DFIBES coupled to DFIs analysis was feasible, reliable and universal for screening and identifying the constituents with the same carbon skeletons especially the isomeric compounds from the complex extract of TCMs. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

WHAT IS CONTROLLING THE FRAGMENTATION IN THE INFRARED DARK CLOUD G14.225–0.506?: DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FRAGMENTATION IN TWIN HUBS

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Busquet, Gemma; Girart, Josep Miquel [Institut de Ciències de l’Espai (CSIC-IEEC), Campus UAB, Carrer de Can Magrans, S/N, E-08193, Cerdanyola del Vallès, Catalunya (Spain); Estalella, Robert [Departament d’Astronomia i Meteorologia, Institut de Ciències del Cosmos (ICC), Universitat de Barcelona (IEEC-UB), Martí i Franquès, 1, E-08028 Barcelona, Catalunya (Spain); Palau, Aina [Instituto de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, P.O. Box 3-72, 58090 Morelia, Michoacán, México (Mexico); Liu, Hauyu Baobab; Ho, Paul T. P. [Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Taipei, Taiwan (China); Zhang, Qizhou [Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, 60 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138 (United States); De Gregorio-Monsalvo, Itziar [European Southern Observatory (ESO), Karl-Schwarzschild-Str. 2, D-85748 Garching (Germany); Pillai, Thushara [Max Planck Institut für Radioastronomie, Auf dem Hügel 69, D-53121 Bonn (Germany); Anglada, Guillem, E-mail: busquet@ice.cat [Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía, CSIC, Glorieta de la Astronomía, s/n, E-18008, Granada (Spain)

2016-03-20

We present observations of the 1.3 mm continuum emission toward hub-N and hub-S of the infrared dark cloud G14.225–0.506 carried out with the Submillimeter Array, together with observations of the dust emission at 870 and 350 μm obtained with APEX and CSO telescopes. The large-scale dust emission of both hubs consists of a single peaked clump elongated in the direction of the associated filament. At small scales, the SMA images reveal that both hubs fragment into several dust condensations. The fragmentation level was assessed under the same conditions and we found that hub-N presents 4 fragments while hub-S is more fragmented, with 13 fragments identified. We studied the density structure by means of a simultaneous fit of the radial intensity profile at 870 and 350 μm and the spectral energy distribution adopting a Plummer-like function to describe the density structure. The parameters inferred from the model are remarkably similar in both hubs, suggesting that density structure could not be responsible for determining the fragmentation level. We estimated several physical parameters, such as the level of turbulence and the magnetic field strength, and we found no significant differences between these hubs. The Jeans analysis indicates that the observed fragmentation is more consistent with thermal Jeans fragmentation compared with a scenario in which turbulent support is included. The lower fragmentation level observed in hub-N could be explained in terms of stronger UV radiation effects from a nearby H ii region, evolutionary effects, and/or stronger magnetic fields at small scales, a scenario that should be further investigated.

WHAT IS CONTROLLING THE FRAGMENTATION IN THE INFRARED DARK CLOUD G14.225–0.506?: DIFFERENT LEVELS OF FRAGMENTATION IN TWIN HUBS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Busquet, Gemma; Girart, Josep Miquel; Estalella, Robert; Palau, Aina; Liu, Hauyu Baobab; Ho, Paul T. P.; Zhang, Qizhou; De Gregorio-Monsalvo, Itziar; Pillai, Thushara; Anglada, Guillem

2016-01-01

We present observations of the 1.3 mm continuum emission toward hub-N and hub-S of the infrared dark cloud G14.225–0.506 carried out with the Submillimeter Array, together with observations of the dust emission at 870 and 350 μm obtained with APEX and CSO telescopes. The large-scale dust emission of both hubs consists of a single peaked clump elongated in the direction of the associated filament. At small scales, the SMA images reveal that both hubs fragment into several dust condensations. The fragmentation level was assessed under the same conditions and we found that hub-N presents 4 fragments while hub-S is more fragmented, with 13 fragments identified. We studied the density structure by means of a simultaneous fit of the radial intensity profile at 870 and 350 μm and the spectral energy distribution adopting a Plummer-like function to describe the density structure. The parameters inferred from the model are remarkably similar in both hubs, suggesting that density structure could not be responsible for determining the fragmentation level. We estimated several physical parameters, such as the level of turbulence and the magnetic field strength, and we found no significant differences between these hubs. The Jeans analysis indicates that the observed fragmentation is more consistent with thermal Jeans fragmentation compared with a scenario in which turbulent support is included. The lower fragmentation level observed in hub-N could be explained in terms of stronger UV radiation effects from a nearby H ii region, evolutionary effects, and/or stronger magnetic fields at small scales, a scenario that should be further investigated

Dose-rate determination by radiochemical analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mangini, A.; Pernicka, E.; Wagner, G.A.

1983-01-01

At the previous TL Specialist Seminr we had suggested that α-counting is an unsuitable technique for dose-rate determination due to overcounting effects. This is confirmed by combining α-counting, neutron activation analysis, fission track counting, α-spectrometry on various pottery samples. One result of this study is that disequilibrium in the uranium decay chain alone cannot account for the observed discrepancies between α-counting and chemical analysis. Therefore we propose for routine dose-rate determination in TL dating to apply chemical analysis of the radioactive elements supplemented by an α-spectrometric equilibrium check. (author)

BARNARD 59: NO EVIDENCE FOR FURTHER FRAGMENTATION

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roman-Zuniga, C. G. [Instituto de Astronomia, Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Km 103 Carr. Tijuana-Ensenada, Ensenada BC 22860 (Mexico); Frau, P.; Girart, J. M. [Institut de Ciencies de l' Espai (CSIC-IEEC), Campus UAB, Facultat de Ciencies, Torre C-5p, 08193 Bellaterra, Catalunya (Spain); Alves, Joao F., E-mail: croman@astrosen.unam.mx [Institute of Astronomy, University of Vienna, Tuerkenschanzstr. 17, 1180 Vienna (Austria)

2012-03-10

The dense molecular clump at the center of the Barnard 59 (B59) complex is the only region in the Pipe Nebula that has formed a small, stellar cluster. The previous analysis of a high-resolution near-IR dust extinction map revealed that the nuclear region in B59 is a massive, mostly quiescent clump of 18.9 M{sub Sun }. The clump shows a monolithic profile, possibly indicating that the clump is on the way to collapse, with no evident fragmentation that could lead to another group of star systems. In this paper, we present new analysis that compares the dust extinction map with a new dust emission radio-continuum map of higher spatial resolution. We confirm that the clump does not show any significant evidence for prestellar fragmentation at scales smaller than those probed previously.

BARNARD 59: NO EVIDENCE FOR FURTHER FRAGMENTATION

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Román-Zúñiga, C. G.; Frau, P.; Girart, J. M.; Alves, João F.

2012-01-01

The dense molecular clump at the center of the Barnard 59 (B59) complex is the only region in the Pipe Nebula that has formed a small, stellar cluster. The previous analysis of a high-resolution near-IR dust extinction map revealed that the nuclear region in B59 is a massive, mostly quiescent clump of 18.9 M ☉ . The clump shows a monolithic profile, possibly indicating that the clump is on the way to collapse, with no evident fragmentation that could lead to another group of star systems. In this paper, we present new analysis that compares the dust extinction map with a new dust emission radio-continuum map of higher spatial resolution. We confirm that the clump does not show any significant evidence for prestellar fragmentation at scales smaller than those probed previously.

Diagnostic value of fragmented QRS complex in myocardial scar detection: systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Sadeghi, Ramin; Dabbagh, Vahid-Reza; Tayyebi, Mohammad; Zakavi, Seyed Rasoul; Ayati, Narjess

2016-01-01

The present study aimed to investigate the diagnostic value of fragmented QRS complex (fQRS) on 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) for myocardial scar detection, and presented the results in a systematic review and meta-analysis format. Medline, SCOPUS, and ISI Web of Knowledge were searched electronically with "Fragmented QRS" or "fQRS" as key words. All related studies that had evaluated the accuracy of fQRS for myocardial scar diagnosis were included. Eight studies (2560 patients) were finally included in the systematic review. Specificity assessment could be evaluated only by five out of these eight articles. Overall pooled sensitivity of fQRS, Q wave, and mixed Q-fQRS was 68% (65-71), 51% (47-55), and 74% (69-79) and the pooled specificity was 80% (79-81), 97% (97-98) and 92% (91-93), respectively. Fragmented QRS is a novel ECG marker with more sensitivity and less specificity than Q wave. A combination of fQRS with Q wave in a 12-lead ECG results in up to 74% sensitivity and 92% specificity. Additional studies are needed to assess the significance of this ECG parameter for regional myocardial scar detection.

Assessment of fragment projection hazard: probability distributions for the initial direction of fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Tugnoli, Alessandro; Gubinelli, Gianfilippo; Landucci, Gabriele; Cozzani, Valerio

2014-08-30

The evaluation of the initial direction and velocity of the fragments generated in the fragmentation of a vessel due to internal pressure is an important information in the assessment of damage caused by fragments, in particular within the quantitative risk assessment (QRA) of chemical and process plants. In the present study an approach is proposed to the identification and validation of probability density functions (pdfs) for the initial direction of the fragments. A detailed review of a large number of past accidents provided the background information for the validation procedure. A specific method was developed for the validation of the proposed pdfs. Validated pdfs were obtained for both the vertical and horizontal angles of projection and for the initial velocity of the fragments. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Knowledge-based Fragment Binding Prediction

Science.gov (United States)

Tang, Grace W.; Altman, Russ B.

2014-01-01

Target-based drug discovery must assess many drug-like compounds for potential activity. Focusing on low-molecular-weight compounds (fragments) can dramatically reduce the chemical search space. However, approaches for determining protein-fragment interactions have limitations. Experimental assays are time-consuming, expensive, and not always applicable. At the same time, computational approaches using physics-based methods have limited accuracy. With increasing high-resolution structural data for protein-ligand complexes, there is now an opportunity for data-driven approaches to fragment binding prediction. We present FragFEATURE, a machine learning approach to predict small molecule fragments preferred by a target protein structure. We first create a knowledge base of protein structural environments annotated with the small molecule substructures they bind. These substructures have low-molecular weight and serve as a proxy for fragments. FragFEATURE then compares the structural environments within a target protein to those in the knowledge base to retrieve statistically preferred fragments. It merges information across diverse ligands with shared substructures to generate predictions. Our results demonstrate FragFEATURE's ability to rediscover fragments corresponding to the ligand bound with 74% precision and 82% recall on average. For many protein targets, it identifies high scoring fragments that are substructures of known inhibitors. FragFEATURE thus predicts fragments that can serve as inputs to fragment-based drug design or serve as refinement criteria for creating target-specific compound libraries for experimental or computational screening. PMID:24762971

First spatial isotopic separation of relativistic uranium projectile fragments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Magel, A.; Voss, B.; Armbruster, P.; Aumann, T.; Clerc, H.G.; Czajkowski, S.; Folger, H.; Grewe, A.; Hanelt, E.; Heinz, A.; Irnich, H.; Jong, M. de; Junghans, A.; Nickel, F.; Pfuetzner, M.; Roehl, C.; Scheidenberger, C.; Schmidt, K.H.; Schwab, W.; Steinhaeuser, S.; Suemmerer, K.; Trinder, W.; Wollnik, H.

1994-07-01

Spatial isotopic separation of relativistic uranium projectile fragments has been achieved for the first time. The fragments were produced in peripheral nuclear collisions and spatially separated in-flight with the fragment separator FRS at GSI. A two-fold magnetic-rigidity analysis was applied exploiting the atomic energy loss in specially shaped matter placed in the dispersive central focal plane. Systematic investigations with relativistic projectiles ranging from oxygen up to uranium demonstrate that the FRS is a universal and powerful facility for the production and in-flight separation of monoisotopic, exotic secondary beams of all elements up to Z=92. This achievement has opened a new area in heavy-ion research and applications. (orig.)

HYPOLIPEDEMIC EFFECT OF CYNODON DACTYLON ON HISTOPATHOLOGICAL STUDY AND DNA FRAGMENTATION ANALYSIS IN EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED HYPERCHOLESTEREMIC RATS

OpenAIRE

C. Selva Kumar

2011-01-01

Hypercholesteremia is one of the risk factors for coronary artery disease. The present study highlights the efficacy of Ayurvedic herbal formulation Cynodon dactylon (Bermuda grass) on histopathological study and DNA fragmentation analysis in experimentally induced hypercholesteremic rats. Four groups of rats were employed namely control, hypercholesterolemia rats (4% Cholesterol＋1% cholic acid), Cynodon dactylon treatment in hypercholesteremic rats and Cynodon dactylon alone treated rats. Re...

Fragmentation in the branching coral Acropora palmata (Lamarck): growth, survivorship, and reproduction of colonies and fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Lirman

2000-08-23

Acropora palmata, a branching coral abundant on shallow reef environments throughout the Caribbean, is susceptible to physical disturbance caused by storms. Accordingly, the survivorship and propagation of this species are tied to its capability to recover after fragmentation. Fragments of A. palmata comprised 40% of ramets within populations that had experienced recent storms. While the survivorship of A. palmata fragments was not directly related to the size of fragments, removal of fragments from areas where they settled was influenced by size. Survivorship of fragments was also affected by type of substratum; the greatest mortality (58% loss within the first month) was observed on sand, whereas fragments placed on top of live colonies of A. palmata fused to the underlying tissue and did not experience any losses. Fragments created by Hurricane Andrew on a Florida reef in August 1992 began developing new growth (proto-branches) 7 months after the storm. The number of proto-branches on fragments was dependent on size, but growth was not affected by the size of fragments. Growth-rates of proto-branches increased exponentially with time (1.7 cm year(-1) for 1993-1994, 2.7 cm year(-1) for 1994-1995, 4.2 cm year(-1) for 1995-1996, and 6.5 cm year(-1) for 1996-1997), taking over 4 years for proto-branches to achieve rates comparable to those of adult colonies on the same reef (6.9 cm year(-1)). In addition to the initial mortality and reduced growth-rates, fragmentation resulted in a loss of reproductive potential. Neither colonies that experienced severe fragmentation nor fragments contained gametes until 4 years after the initial damage. Although A. palmata may survive periodic fragmentation, the long-term effects of this process will depend ultimately on the balance between the benefits and costs of this process.

Plasminogen fragments K 1-3 and K 5 bind to different sites in fibrin fragment DD.

Science.gov (United States)

Grinenko, T V; Kapustianenko, L G; Yatsenko, T A; Yusova, O I; Rybachuk, V N

2016-01-01

Specific plasminogen-binding sites of fibrin molecule are located in Аα148-160 regions of C-terminal domains. Plasminogen interaction with these sites initiates the activation process of proenzyme and subsequent fibrin lysis. In this study we investigated the binding of plasminogen fragments K 1-3 and K 5 with fibrin fragment DD and their effect on Glu-plasminogen interaction with DD. It was shown that the level of Glu-plasminogen binding to fibrin fragment DD is decreased by 50-60% in the presence of K 1-3 and K 5. Fragments K 1-3 and K 5 have high affinity to fibrin fragment DD (Kd is 0.02 for K 1-3 and 0.054 μМ for K 5). K 5 interaction is independent and K 1-3 is partly dependent on C-terminal lysine residues. K 1-3 interacts with complex of fragment DD-immobilized K 5 as well as K 5 with complex of fragment DD-immobilized K 1-3. The plasminogen fragments do not displace each other from binding sites located in fibrin fragment DD, but can compete for the interaction. The results indicate that fibrin fragment DD contains different binding sites for plasminogen kringle fragments K 1-3 and K 5, which can be located close to each other. The role of amino acid residues of fibrin molecule Аα148-160 region in interaction with fragments K 1-3 and K 5 is discussed.

Habitat fragmentation causes rapid genetic differentiation and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

... city buildings. These results were supported by multiple statistical analyses including Mantel's test, PCOORDA and AMOVA. Genetic enrichment and epigenetic variation studies can be included in habitat fragmentation analysis and its implications in inducing homogenization and susceptibility in natural plant populations.

Development of issue-relevant state level analyses of fragmentation and urbanization

Science.gov (United States)

Rachel Riemann; Tonya Lister; Andy Lister; Dacia Meneguzzo; Sarah Parks

2009-01-01

There has been considerable research concerning the extent and effect of urbanization and fragmentation and the importance of monitoring current and potential magnitudes of change is recognized. However, there are limited guidelines for interpreting fragmentation data or for their application for analysis and statewide planning efforts. In this study we take a first...

Forest Fragmentation and Driving Forces in Yingkou, Northeastern China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lei Zhang

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Forest fragmentation, the process of changing original large and intact forest patches into smaller and isolated areas, significantly influences the balance of surface physical environment, biodiversity, and species richness. Sufficient knowledge of forest fragmentation is necessary to maintain ecological balance and promote sustainable resource utilization. This study combines remote sensing, geographical information systems, and landscape metrics to assess forest fragmentation at landscape and pixel levels during different time periods (2000–2005, 2005–2010, and 2010–2015 in the Yingkou region. Spatial statistical analysis is also used to analyze the relationship between forest landscape fragmentation and its determinants (e.g., natural factors, socioeconomic factors, and proximity factors. Results show that forest patches became smaller, subdivided, and isolated during 2010–2015 at the total landscape level. Local changes occurred in the southwest of the study region or around the development area. Our data also indicate that shrinkage and subdivision were the main forest fragmentation processes during three times, and attrition became the main forest fragmentation process from 2010 to 2015. These changes were significantly influenced by natural factors (e.g., elevation and slope, proximity factors (e.g., distance to city and distance to province roads, and socioeconomic factors (e.g., gross domestic product. Results presented in this study provide valuable insights into the pattern and processes of forest fragmentation and present direct implications for the protection and reasonable utilization of forest resources.

Nuclear gamma resonance absorption (Moessbauer) spectroscopy as an archaeometric technique to assess chemical states of iron in a Tupiguarani ceramic artifact from Corinto, Minas Gerais, Brazil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Floresta, D.L.; Ardisson, J.D.; Fagundes, M.; Fabris, J.D.

2013-01-01

Archaeological ceramics of Tupiguarani Tradition are found in many parts throughout the Brazilian territory and have many similarities. Fragments of Tupiguarani pottery found in the archaeological site known as Beltrao, in the municipality of Corinto, state of Minas Gerais, were identified and collected by researchers of the LAEP/UFVJM, in Diamantina, also in Minas Gerais. A selected fragment of about 15 mm-thick, with a color gradation across the ceramic wall ranging from red, on one side, grayish in the middle and orange on the opposite side, was transversely cut and a series of subsamples of powdered materials were collected from different depths across the wall, in layer segments of ∼3 mm, from the orange side. These powdered subsamples were analyzed with X-ray fluorescence and diffraction spectroscopy and 57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy at room temperature (298 K) and at 80 K. According to the XRF results, the elementary composition does not clearly vary with the depth in the sample. The powder XRD analysis revealed the occurrence mainly of quartz and muscovite. Results of 57 Fe Moessbauer spectroscopy reveal that hematite is the magnetically ordered phase. An Fe 2+ component appears for the grayish subsample. According to these results, the red subsample seems to be the external part of the pottery, representing the side that had direct contact with fire used to burn the precursor clay in air for this primitive ceramics preparation. The grayish middle layer is probably due to burning clay mixed with some ashes containing residual carbon, under milder temperature than on the external . (author)

The Source of Volcanic Ash in Late Classic Maya Pottery at El Pilar, Belize

Science.gov (United States)

Catlin, B. L.; Ford, A.; Spera, F. J.

2007-12-01

The presence of volcanic ash used as temper in Late Classic Maya pottery (AD 600-900) at El Pilar has been long known although the volcano(s) contributing ash have not been identified. We use geochemical fingerprinting, comparing compositions of glass shards in potsherds with volcanic sources to identify the source(s). El Pilar is located in the Maya carbonate lowlands distant from volcanic sources. It is unlikely Maya transported ash from distant sites: ash volumes are too large, the terrain too rugged, and no draft animals were available. Ash layer mining is unlikely because mine sites have not been found despite intensive surveys. Nearest volcanic sources to El Pilar, Belize and Guatemala, are roughly 450 km to the south and east. The ash found in potsherds has a cuspate morphology. This suggests ash was collected during, or shortly after, an ash airfall event following eruption. Analyses of n=333 ash shards from 20 ceramic (pottery) sherds was conducted by electron microprobe for major elements, and LA-ICPMS for trace elements and Pb isotopes. These analyses can be compared to volcanic materials from candidate volcanoes in the region. The 1982 El Chichon eruption caused airfall deposition (archaeological samples and El Chichon has been made. The atomic ratios of La/Yb, Nb/Ta, Zr/Hf, Sr/Ba and Th/U of n=215 glass shards in the potsherds are 12.2±7.1, 10.9±3.4, 31.2±11.5, 0.09±0.05 and 2.5±0.9, respectively. These ratios for 1982 El Chichon are 15.4±2.1, 26.3, 36.1±5.3, 1.4±0.06 and 3.16, respectively. Data for the 1475 AD El Chichon eruption (Macias et al, 2003) can also be compared; the ratios from are 13.2±2.2, 7.3±1.8, 30.4±9.6, 1.51±0.4 and 2.88±0.23, respectively. The mean 208Pb/206Pb ratio of n=5 potsherds is 2.0523±0.002 compared to 2.0514±0.00074 for n=7 samples from El Chichon. The two most recent eruptions from El Chichon overlap with the potsherd glass data except for Sr/Ba, which might be modified by Sr-Ca exchange during firing. In

Sex Determination from Fragmented and Degenerated DNA by Amplified Product-Length Polymorphism Bidirectional SNP Analysis of Amelogenin and SRY Genes

Science.gov (United States)

Masuyama, Kotoka; Shojo, Hideki; Nakanishi, Hiroaki; Inokuchi, Shota; Adachi, Noboru

2017-01-01

Sex determination is important in archeology and anthropology for the study of past societies, cultures, and human activities. Sex determination is also one of the most important components of individual identification in criminal investigations. We developed a new method of sex determination by detecting a single-nucleotide polymorphism in the amelogenin gene using amplified product-length polymorphisms in combination with sex-determining region Y analysis. We particularly focused on the most common types of postmortem DNA damage in ancient and forensic samples: fragmentation and nucleotide modification resulting from deamination. Amplicon size was designed to be less than 60 bp to make the method more useful for analyzing degraded DNA samples. All DNA samples collected from eight Japanese individuals (four male, four female) were evaluated correctly using our method. The detection limit for accurate sex determination was determined to be 20 pg of DNA. We compared our new method with commercial short tandem repeat analysis kits using DNA samples artificially fragmented by ultraviolet irradiation. Our novel method was the most robust for highly fragmented DNA samples. To deal with allelic dropout resulting from deamination, we adopted “bidirectional analysis,” which analyzed samples from both sense and antisense strands. This new method was applied to 14 Jomon individuals (3500-year-old bone samples) whose sex had been identified morphologically. We could correctly identify the sex of 11 out of 14 individuals. These results show that our method is reliable for the sex determination of highly degenerated samples. PMID:28052096

Political fragmentation and widening disparities in African-American and white mortality, 1972-1988.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, Yonsu; Bruckner, Tim A

2016-12-01

During the 1970s and 1980s in the U.S., population movement, urban sprawl and urban governance reform led to a proliferation of local, autonomous jurisdictions. Prior literature examines how this creation of local governments, also referred to as political fragmentation, contributes to economic growth and social inequality. We examine the impact of political fragmentation on health equity by testing the hypothesis that the mortality disparity between whites and African-Americans varies positively with political fragmentation. We retrieved mortality data from the multiple cause-of-death file and calculated total number of local governments per 1000 residents in a county to measure the degree of political fragmentation. We focused on 226 U.S. counties with population size greater than 200,000 and restricted the analysis to four distinct periods with overlapping government and mortality data (1972-73, 1977-78, 1982-83, and 1987-88). We applied generalized estimating equation methods that permit analysis of clustered data over time. Methods also controlled for the age structure of the population, reductions in mortality over time, and confounding by county-level sociodemographic variables. Adjusted coefficients of fragmentation are positive and statistically significant for both whites (coef: 2.60, SE: 0.60, p politically fragmented urban counties and/or time periods. From 1972 to 1988, political fragmentation in large urban counties moves positively with the racial/ethnic gap in mortality between whites and African-Americans. We discuss intervening mechanisms through which political fragmentation may disproportionately affect mortality among African-Americans.

Analytical investigations of glazed Islamic pottery

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pernicka, E.; Krejsa, P.

1977-11-01

The composition of the glazes of 14 fragments of medieval ceramics from Sistan in the south-west of Afghanistan has been determined quantitatively by means of electron probe microanalysis. The results were compared with materials and recipes, which are described in a Persian treatise on the manufacutre of glazed ceramic objects dated 1300 A.D. The mineral ''muzzarad'' which was used for the black underglaze painting, could be identified as chromite. The light blue colouring of the glaze was accomplished by admixtue of Cu, while Co was used for the dark blue painting. Most probably the Co pigment originated from Kashan in Persia. Only two glazes Pb was found, one of which contained also Sn. Based on the results of the quantitative analyses, a frit composition was calculated, which agrees with the medieval description of one identifies another so far unknown material mentioned in the treatise (qamsari) as dolomitic sandstone. (author)

Does tropical forest fragmentation increase long-term variability of butterfly communities?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Allison K Leidner

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Habitat fragmentation is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Yet, the overall effects of fragmentation on biodiversity may be obscured by differences in responses among species. These opposing responses to fragmentation may be manifest in higher variability in species richness and abundance (termed hyperdynamism, and in predictable changes in community composition. We tested whether forest fragmentation causes long-term hyperdynamism in butterfly communities, a taxon that naturally displays large variations in species richness and community composition. Using a dataset from an experimentally fragmented landscape in the central Amazon that spanned 11 years, we evaluated the effect of fragmentation on changes in species richness and community composition through time. Overall, adjusted species richness (adjusted for survey duration did not differ between fragmented forest and intact forest. However, spatial and temporal variation of adjusted species richness was significantly higher in fragmented forests relative to intact forest. This variation was associated with changes in butterfly community composition, specifically lower proportions of understory shade species and higher proportions of edge species in fragmented forest. Analysis of rarefied species richness, estimated using indices of butterfly abundance, showed no differences between fragmented and intact forest plots in spatial or temporal variation. These results do not contradict the results from adjusted species richness, but rather suggest that higher variability in butterfly adjusted species richness may be explained by changes in butterfly abundance. Combined, these results indicate that butterfly communities in fragmented tropical forests are more variable than in intact forest, and that the natural variability of butterflies was not a buffer against the effects of fragmentation on community dynamics.

Does Tropical Forest Fragmentation Increase Long-Term Variability of Butterfly Communities?

Science.gov (United States)

Leidner, Allison K.; Haddad, Nick M.; Lovejoy, Thomas E.

2010-01-01

Habitat fragmentation is a major driver of biodiversity loss. Yet, the overall effects of fragmentation on biodiversity may be obscured by differences in responses among species. These opposing responses to fragmentation may be manifest in higher variability in species richness and abundance (termed hyperdynamism), and in predictable changes in community composition. We tested whether forest fragmentation causes long-term hyperdynamism in butterfly communities, a taxon that naturally displays large variations in species richness and community composition. Using a dataset from an experimentally fragmented landscape in the central Amazon that spanned 11 years, we evaluated the effect of fragmentation on changes in species richness and community composition through time. Overall, adjusted species richness (adjusted for survey duration) did not differ between fragmented forest and intact forest. However, spatial and temporal variation of adjusted species richness was significantly higher in fragmented forests relative to intact forest. This variation was associated with changes in butterfly community composition, specifically lower proportions of understory shade species and higher proportions of edge species in fragmented forest. Analysis of rarefied species richness, estimated using indices of butterfly abundance, showed no differences between fragmented and intact forest plots in spatial or temporal variation. These results do not contradict the results from adjusted species richness, but rather suggest that higher variability in butterfly adjusted species richness may be explained by changes in butterfly abundance. Combined, these results indicate that butterfly communities in fragmented tropical forests are more variable than in intact forest, and that the natural variability of butterflies was not a buffer against the effects of fragmentation on community dynamics. PMID:20224772

Chameleon fragmentation

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brax, Philippe [Institut de Physique Théorique, CEA, IPhT, CNRS, URA 2306, F-91191Gif/Yvette Cedex (France); Upadhye, Amol, E-mail: philippe.brax@cea.fr, E-mail: aupadhye@anl.gov [Institute for the Early Universe, Ewha University, International Education, Building #601, 11-1, Daehyun-Dong Seodaemun-Gu, Seoul 120-750 (Korea, Republic of)

2014-02-01

A scalar field dark energy candidate could couple to ordinary matter and photons, enabling its detection in laboratory experiments. Here we study the quantum properties of the chameleon field, one such dark energy candidate, in an ''afterglow'' experiment designed to produce, trap, and detect chameleon particles. In particular, we investigate the possible fragmentation of a beam of chameleon particles into multiple particle states due to the highly non-linear interaction terms in the chameleon Lagrangian. Fragmentation could weaken the constraints of an afterglow experiment by reducing the energy of the regenerated photons, but this energy reduction also provides a unique signature which could be detected by a properly-designed experiment. We show that constraints from the CHASE experiment are essentially unaffected by fragmentation for φ{sup 4} and 1/φ potentials, but are weakened for steeper potentials, and we discuss possible future afterglow experiments.

Chameleon fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brax, Philippe; Upadhye, Amol

2014-01-01

A scalar field dark energy candidate could couple to ordinary matter and photons, enabling its detection in laboratory experiments. Here we study the quantum properties of the chameleon field, one such dark energy candidate, in an ''afterglow'' experiment designed to produce, trap, and detect chameleon particles. In particular, we investigate the possible fragmentation of a beam of chameleon particles into multiple particle states due to the highly non-linear interaction terms in the chameleon Lagrangian. Fragmentation could weaken the constraints of an afterglow experiment by reducing the energy of the regenerated photons, but this energy reduction also provides a unique signature which could be detected by a properly-designed experiment. We show that constraints from the CHASE experiment are essentially unaffected by fragmentation for φ 4 and 1/φ potentials, but are weakened for steeper potentials, and we discuss possible future afterglow experiments

New ceramic data from East Kalimantan : the cord-marked and red-slipped sherds of Liang Abu's layer 2 and Kalimantan's potter chronology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Plutniak, S.; Agus Oktaviana, A.; Sugiyanto, B.; Chazine, J.M.; Ricaut, F.X.

2014-01-01

Archaeological research in the Liang Abu rock shelter (East Kalimantan) led to the discovery and analysis of a pottery assemblage including red-slipped, cord-marked and incised pottery sherds, radiocarbon dated to 1672 ± 21 BP and 1524 ± 22 BP. In order to discuss our findings we undertake a reappraisal of the pottery material and associated radiocarbon dates from archaeological sites on Borneo Island, which provide us with an appropriate framework for a comparative analysis. This allows us to to include the inland region of Kalimantan in the technological network of Neolithic Island South East Asia. (author)

Contribution to the design, fulfillment, and data analysis of fission fragment yields of the SOFIA experiment at GSI

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pellereau, Eric

2013-01-01

The isotopic fission yields of U 238 following the SOFIA experiment, conducted at the GSI facility (Darmstadt), are presented here. This experiment takes advantage of the inverse kinematics technique at relativistic energies. Benefits are several: fission fragments are highly focused (high geometrical efficiency) and are also completely stripped, which greatly simplifies their nuclear charge measurement. The first detector of the SOFIA setup is an active target in which fission occurs via electromagnetic excitation, followed by an ionization chamber to measure the nuclear charge and the horizontal angle of both fission fragments. The masses are deduced by the bending radius measurement of the fragments, deflected by a strong magnet (ALADIN), thanks to two position detectors (MWPC), and also by a highly resolved time-of-flight measurement (40 ps FWHM) so that heavy neighboring isotopes can be separated. The data analysis shows that the main goals are achieved since the isotopic separation is reached over the whole range of the fission fragments. A strong even-odd effect is seen in the charge spectrum, which also exhibits a mean heavy charge close to Z = 54. Surprisingly, the neutron even-odd effect of the light region is seen to be very close to the one in thermal neutron induced fission. The peak-to-valley ratio of the mass spectrum confirms that the mean excitation energy at fission is close to the expected one (14 MeV). The GEF code is used for comparison and always gives results very close to ours. (author) [fr

Primary and secondary fragmentation of crystal-bearing intermediate magma

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, Thomas J.; McNamara, Keri; Eychenne, Julia; Rust, Alison C.; Cashman, Katharine V.; Scheu, Bettina; Edwards, Robyn

2016-11-01

Crystal-rich intermediate magmas are subjected to both primary and secondary fragmentation processes, each of which may produce texturally distinct tephra. Of particular interest for volcanic hazards is the extent to which each process contributes ash to volcanic plumes. One way to address this question is by fragmenting pyroclasts under controlled conditions. We fragmented pumice samples from Soufriere Hills Volcano (SHV), Montserrat, by three methods: rapid decompression in a shock tube-like apparatus, impact by a falling piston, and milling in a ball mill. Grain size distributions of the products reveal that all three mechanisms produce fractal breakage patterns, and that the fractal dimension increases from a minimum of 2.1 for decompression fragmentation (primary fragmentation) to a maximum of 2.7 by repeated impact (secondary fragmentation). To assess the details of the fragmentation process, we quantified the shape, texture and components of constituent ash particles. Ash shape analysis shows that the axial ratio increases during milling and that particle convexity increases with repeated impacts. We also quantify the extent to which the matrix is separated from the crystals, which shows that secondary processes efficiently remove adhering matrix from crystals, particularly during milling (abrasion). Furthermore, measurements of crystal size distributions before (using x-ray computed tomography) and after (by componentry of individual grain size classes) decompression-driven fragmentation show not only that crystals influence particular size fractions across the total grain size distribution, but also that free crystals are smaller in the fragmented material than in the original pumice clast. Taken together, our results confirm previous work showing both the control of initial texture on the primary fragmentation process and the contributions of secondary processes to ash formation. Critically, however, our extension of previous analyses to characterisation

HIERARCHICAL FRAGMENTATION OF THE ORION MOLECULAR FILAMENTS

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Takahashi, Satoko; Ho, Paul T. P.; Su, Yu-Nung; Teixeira, Paula S.; Zapata, Luis A.

2013-01-01

We present a high angular resolution map of the 850 μm continuum emission of the Orion Molecular Cloud-3 (OMC 3) obtained with the Submillimeter Array (SMA); the map is a mosaic of 85 pointings covering an approximate area of 6.'5 × 2.'0 (0.88 × 0.27 pc). We detect 12 spatially resolved continuum sources, each with an H 2 mass between 0.3-5.7 M ☉ and a projected source size between 1400-8200 AU. All the detected sources are on the filamentary main ridge (n H 2 ≥10 6 cm –3 ), and analysis based on the Jeans theorem suggests that they are most likely gravitationally unstable. Comparison of multi-wavelength data sets indicates that of the continuum sources, 6/12 (50%) are associated with molecular outflows, 8/12 (67%) are associated with infrared sources, and 3/12 (25%) are associated with ionized jets. The evolutionary status of these sources ranges from prestellar cores to protostar phase, confirming that OMC-3 is an active region with ongoing embedded star formation. We detect quasi-periodical separations between the OMC-3 sources of ≈17''/0.035 pc. This spatial distribution is part of a large hierarchical structure that also includes fragmentation scales of giant molecular cloud (≈35 pc), large-scale clumps (≈1.3 pc), and small-scale clumps (≈0.3 pc), suggesting that hierarchical fragmentation operates within the Orion A molecular cloud. The fragmentation spacings are roughly consistent with the thermal fragmentation length in large-scale clumps, while for small-scale cores it is smaller than the local fragmentation length. These smaller spacings observed with the SMA can be explained by either a helical magnetic field, cloud rotation, or/and global filament collapse. Finally, possible evidence for sequential fragmentation is suggested in the northern part of the OMC-3 filament.

Fragment library design: using cheminformatics and expert chemists to fill gaps in existing fragment libraries.

Science.gov (United States)

Kutchukian, Peter S; So, Sung-Sau; Fischer, Christian; Waller, Chris L

2015-01-01

Fragment based screening (FBS) has emerged as a mainstream lead discovery strategy in academia, biotechnology start-ups, and large pharma. As a prerequisite of FBS, a structurally diverse library of fragments is desirable in order to identify chemical matter that will interact with the range of diverse target classes that are prosecuted in contemporary screening campaigns. In addition, it is also desirable to offer synthetically amenable starting points to increase the probability of a successful fragment evolution through medicinal chemistry. Herein we describe a method to identify biologically relevant chemical substructures that are missing from an existing fragment library (chemical gaps), and organize these chemical gaps hierarchically so that medicinal chemists can efficiently navigate the prioritized chemical space and subsequently select purchasable fragments for inclusion in an enhanced fragment library.

Quantifying forest fragmentation using Geographic Information Systems and Forest Inventory and Analysis plot data

Science.gov (United States)

Dacia M. Meneguzzo; Mark H. Hansen

2009-01-01

Fragmentation metrics provide a means of quantifying and describing forest fragmentation. The most common method of calculating these metrics is through the use of Geographic Information System software to analyze raster data, such as a satellite or aerial image of the study area; however, the spatial resolution of the imagery has a significant impact on the results....

Forest fragmentation in Massachusetts, USA: a town-level assessment using Morphological Spatial Pattern Analysis and affinity propagation

Science.gov (United States)

J. Rogan; T.M. Wright; J. Cardille; H. Pearsall; Y. Ogneva-Himmelberger; Rachel Riemann; Kurt Riitters; K. Partington

2016-01-01

Forest fragmentation has been studied extensively with respect to biodiversity loss, disruption of ecosystem services, and edge effects although the relationship between forest fragmentation and human activities is still not well understood. We classified the pattern of forests in Massachusetts using fragmentation indicators to address...

Fragmentation of random trees

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kalay, Z; Ben-Naim, E

2015-01-01

We study fragmentation of a random recursive tree into a forest by repeated removal of nodes. The initial tree consists of N nodes and it is generated by sequential addition of nodes with each new node attaching to a randomly-selected existing node. As nodes are removed from the tree, one at a time, the tree dissolves into an ensemble of separate trees, namely, a forest. We study statistical properties of trees and nodes in this heterogeneous forest, and find that the fraction of remaining nodes m characterizes the system in the limit N→∞. We obtain analytically the size density ϕ s of trees of size s. The size density has power-law tail ϕ s ∼s −α with exponent α=1+(1/m). Therefore, the tail becomes steeper as further nodes are removed, and the fragmentation process is unusual in that exponent α increases continuously with time. We also extend our analysis to the case where nodes are added as well as removed, and obtain the asymptotic size density for growing trees. (paper)

Diquark fragmentation in leptoproduction of hadrons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beavis, D.; Desai, B.R.

1981-08-01

In the analysis of the leptoproduction data for the charge ratios of hadrons, the Sukhatme, Lassila and Orava (SLO) model for diquark fragmentation is shown to be consistent with the hypothesis of a diquark acting as a single unit. The baryon contribution to the charge ratio, ignored earlier by SLO, makes a significant effect. (author)

Universality of projectile fragmentation model

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chaudhuri, G.; Mallik, S.; Das Gupta, S.

2012-01-01

Presently projectile fragmentation reaction is an important area of research as it is used for the production of radioactive ion beams. In this work, the recently developed projectile fragmentation model with an universal temperature profile is used for studying the charge distributions of different projectile fragmentation reactions with different projectile target combinations at different incident energies. The model for projectile fragmentation consists of three stages: (i) abrasion, (ii) multifragmentation and (iii) evaporation

Suicidal traits in Marilyn Monroe's Fragments: an LIWC analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernández-Cabana, M; García-Caballero, A; Alves-Pérez, M T; García-García, M J; Mateos, R

2013-01-01

Linguistic inquiry and word count (LIWC), a computerized method for text analysis, is often used to examine suicide writings in order to characterize the quantitative linguistic features of suicidal texts. To analyze texts compiled in Marilyn Monroe's Fragments using LIWC, in order to explore the use of different linguistic categories in her narrative over the years. Selected texts were grouped into four periods of similar word count and processed with LIWC. Spearman's rank correlation was used to assess changes in language use across the documents over time. The Kruskal-Wallis test was applied to compare means between periods and for each of the 80 LIWC output scores. Significant differences (p < .05) were found in 11 categories, the most relevant being a progressive decrease in the use of negative emotion words, a reduction in the use of long words in the third period, and an increase in the proportion of personal pronouns used as Monroe approached the time of her death. The consistently elevated usage of first-person personal singular pronouns and the consistently diminished usage of first-person personal plural pronouns are in line with previous studies linking this pattern with a low level of social integration, which has been related to suicide according to different theories.

A molecular fragment cheminformatics roadmap for mesoscopic simulation.

Science.gov (United States)

Truszkowski, Andreas; Daniel, Mirco; Kuhn, Hubert; Neumann, Stefan; Steinbeck, Christoph; Zielesny, Achim; Epple, Matthias

2014-12-01

Mesoscopic simulation studies the structure, dynamics and properties of large molecular ensembles with millions of atoms: Its basic interacting units (beads) are no longer the nuclei and electrons of quantum chemical ab-initio calculations or the atom types of molecular mechanics but molecular fragments, molecules or even larger molecular entities. For its simulation setup and output a mesoscopic simulation kernel software uses abstract matrix (array) representations for bead topology and connectivity. Therefore a pure kernel-based mesoscopic simulation task is a tedious, time-consuming and error-prone venture that limits its practical use and application. A consequent cheminformatics approach tackles these problems and provides solutions for a considerably enhanced accessibility. This study aims at outlining a complete cheminformatics roadmap that frames a mesoscopic Molecular Fragment Dynamics (MFD) simulation kernel to allow its efficient use and practical application. The molecular fragment cheminformatics roadmap consists of four consecutive building blocks: An adequate fragment structure representation (1), defined operations on these fragment structures (2), the description of compartments with defined compositions and structural alignments (3), and the graphical setup and analysis of a whole simulation box (4). The basis of the cheminformatics approach (i.e. building block 1) is a SMILES-like line notation (denoted f SMILES) with connected molecular fragments to represent a molecular structure. The f SMILES notation and the following concepts and methods for building blocks 2-4 are outlined with examples and practical usage scenarios. It is shown that the requirements of the roadmap may be partly covered by already existing open-source cheminformatics software. Mesoscopic simulation techniques like MFD may be considerably alleviated and broadened for practical use with a consequent cheminformatics layer that successfully tackles its setup subtleties and

Equilibrium and non equilibrium in fragmentation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dorso, C.O.; Chernomoretz, A.; Lopez, J.A.

2001-01-01

Full text: In this communication we present recent results regarding the interplay of equilibrium and non equilibrium in the process of fragmentation of excited finite Lennard Jones drops. Because the general features of such a potential resemble the ones of the nuclear interaction (fact that is reinforced by the similarity between the EOS of both systems) these studies are not only relevant from a fundamental point of view but also shed light on the problem of nuclear multifragmentation. We focus on the microscopic analysis of the state of the fragmenting system at fragmentation time. We show that the Caloric Curve (i e. the functional relationship between the temperature of the system and the excitation energy) is of the type rise plateau with no vapor branch. The usual rise plateau rise pattern is only recovered when equilibrium is artificially imposed. This result puts a serious question on the validity of the freeze out hypothesis. This feature is independent of the dimensionality or excitation mechanism. Moreover we explore the behavior of magnitudes which can help us determine the degree of the assumed phase transition. It is found that no clear cut criteria is presently available. (Author)

Critical Evaluation of Native Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry for Fragment-Based Screening.

Science.gov (United States)

Göth, Melanie; Badock, Volker; Weiske, Jörg; Pagel, Kevin; Kuropka, Benno

2017-08-08

Fragment-based screening presents a promising alternative to high-throughput screening and has gained great attention in recent years. So far, only a few studies have discussed mass spectrometry as a screening technology for fragments. Herein, we report the application of native electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (MS) for screening defined sets of fragments against four different target proteins. Fragments were selected from a primary screening conducted with a thermal shift assay (TSA) and represented different binding categories. Our data indicated that, beside specific complex formation, many fragments show extensive multiple binding and also charge-state shifts. Both of these factors complicate automated data analysis and decrease the attractiveness of native MS as a primary screening tool for fragments. A comparison of the hits identified by native MS and TSA showed good agreement for two of the proteins. Furthermore, we discuss general challenges, including the determination of an optimal fragment concentration and the question of how to rank fragment hits according to their affinity. In conclusion, we consider native MS to be a highly valuable tool for the validation and deeper investigation of promising fragment hits rather than a method for primary screening. © 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effective Fragment Potential Method for H-Bonding: How To Obtain Parameters for Nonrigid Fragments.

Science.gov (United States)

Dubinets, Nikita; Slipchenko, Lyudmila V

2017-07-20

Accuracy of the effective fragment potential (EFP) method was explored for describing intermolecular interaction energies in three dimers with strong H-bonded interactions, formic acid, formamide, and formamidine dimers, which are a part of HBC6 database of noncovalent interactions. Monomer geometries in these dimers change significantly as a function of intermonomer separation. Several EFP schemes were considered, in which fragment parameters were prepared for a fragment in its gas-phase geometry or recomputed for each unique fragment geometry. Additionally, a scheme in which gas-phase fragment parameters are shifted according to relaxed fragment geometries is introduced and tested. EFP data are compared against the coupled cluster with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations (CCSD(T)) method in a complete basis set (CBS) and the symmetry adapted perturbation theory (SAPT). All considered EFP schemes provide a good agreement with CCSD(T)/CBS for binding energies at equilibrium separations, with discrepancies not exceeding 2 kcal/mol. However, only the schemes that utilize relaxed fragment geometries remain qualitatively correct at shorter than equilibrium intermolecular distances. The EFP scheme with shifted parameters behaves quantitatively similar to the scheme in which parameters are recomputed for each monomer geometry and thus is recommended as a computationally efficient approach for large-scale EFP simulations of flexible systems.

Characterizing GEO Titan IIIC Transtage Fragmentations Using Ground-based and Telescopic Measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Cowardin, H.; Anz-Meador, P.; Reyes, J. A.

In a continued effort to better characterize the geosynchronous orbit (GEO) environment, NASA’s Orbital Debris Program Office (ODPO) utilizes various ground-based optical assets to acquire photometric and spectral data of known debris associated with fragmentations in or near GEO. The Titan IIIC Transtage upper stage is known to have fragmented four times. Two of the four fragmentations were in GEO while the Transtage fragmented a third time in GEO transfer orbit. The forth fragmentation occurred in low Earth orbit. To better assess and characterize these fragmentations, the NASA ODPO acquired a Titan Transtage test and display article previously in the custody of the 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) in Tucson, Arizona. After initial inspections at AMARG demonstrated that it was of sufficient fidelity to be of interest, the test article was brought to NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) to continue material analysis and historical documentation. The Transtage has undergone two separate spectral measurement campaigns to characterize the reflectance spectroscopy of historical aerospace materials. These data have been incorporated into the NASA Spectral Database, with the goal of using telescopic data comparisons for potential material identification. A Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) system scan also has been completed and a scale model has been created for use in the Optical Measurement Center (OMC) for photometric analysis of an intact Transtage, including bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) measurements. An historical overview of the Titan IIIC Transtage, the current analysis that has been done to date, and the future work to be completed in support of characterizing the GEO and near GEO orbital debris environment will be discussed in the subsequent presentation.

Sperm DNA fragmentation affects epigenetic feature in human male pronucleus.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajabi, H; Mohseni-Kouchesfehani, H; Eslami-Arshaghi, T; Salehi, M

2018-02-01

To evaluate whether the sperm DNA fragmentation affects male pronucleus epigenetic factors, semen analysis was performed and DNA fragmentation was assessed by the method of sperm chromatin structure assay (SCSA). Human-mouse interspecies fertilisation was used to create human male pronucleus. Male pronucleus DNA methylation and H4K12 acetylation were evaluated by immunostaining. Results showed a significant positive correlation between the level of sperm DNA fragmentation and DNA methylation in male pronuclei. In other words, an increase in DNA damage caused an upsurge in DNA methylation. In the case of H4K12 acetylation, no correlation was detected between DNA damage and the level of histone acetylation in the normal group, but results for the group in which male pronuclei were derived from sperm cells with DNA fragmentation, increased DNA damage led to a decreased acetylation level. Sperm DNA fragmentation interferes with the active demethylation process and disrupts the insertion of histones into the male chromatin in the male pronucleus, following fertilisation. © 2017 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Fragment assignment in the cloud with eXpress-D

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Probabilistic assignment of ambiguously mapped fragments produced by high-throughput sequencing experiments has been demonstrated to greatly improve accuracy in the analysis of RNA-Seq and ChIP-Seq, and is an essential step in many other sequence census experiments. A maximum likelihood method using the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm for optimization is commonly used to solve this problem. However, batch EM-based approaches do not scale well with the size of sequencing datasets, which have been increasing dramatically over the past few years. Thus, current approaches to fragment assignment rely on heuristics or approximations for tractability. Results We present an implementation of a distributed EM solution to the fragment assignment problem using Spark, a data analytics framework that can scale by leveraging compute clusters within datacenters–“the cloud”. We demonstrate that our implementation easily scales to billions of sequenced fragments, while providing the exact maximum likelihood assignment of ambiguous fragments. The accuracy of the method is shown to be an improvement over the most widely used tools available and can be run in a constant amount of time when cluster resources are scaled linearly with the amount of input data. Conclusions The cloud offers one solution for the difficulties faced in the analysis of massive high-thoughput sequencing data, which continue to grow rapidly. Researchers in bioinformatics must follow developments in distributed systems–such as new frameworks like Spark–for ways to port existing methods to the cloud and help them scale to the datasets of the future. Our software, eXpress-D, is freely available at: http://github.com/adarob/express-d. PMID:24314033

Robust Object Tracking Using Valid Fragments Selection.

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jin; Li, Bo; Tian, Peng; Luo, Gang

Local features are widely used in visual tracking to improve robustness in cases of partial occlusion, deformation and rotation. This paper proposes a local fragment-based object tracking algorithm. Unlike many existing fragment-based algorithms that allocate the weights to each fragment, this method firstly defines discrimination and uniqueness for local fragment, and builds an automatic pre-selection of useful fragments for tracking. Then, a Harris-SIFT filter is used to choose the current valid fragments, excluding occluded or highly deformed fragments. Based on those valid fragments, fragment-based color histogram provides a structured and effective description for the object. Finally, the object is tracked using a valid fragment template combining the displacement constraint and similarity of each valid fragment. The object template is updated by fusing feature similarity and valid fragments, which is scale-adaptive and robust to partial occlusion. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is accurate and robust in challenging scenarios.

Self-organized criticality in fragmenting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Oddershede, L.; Dimon, P.; Bohr, J.

1993-01-01

The measured mass distributions of fragments from 26 fractured objects of gypsum, soap, stearic paraffin, and potato show evidence of obeying scaling laws; this suggests the possibility of self-organized criticality in fragmenting. The probability of finding a fragment scales inversely to a power...

Evaluating realized seed dispersal across fragmented tropical landscapes: a two-fold approach using parentage analysis and the neighbourhood model.

Science.gov (United States)

Ismail, Sascha A; Ghazoul, Jaboury; Ravikanth, Gudasalamani; Kushalappa, Cheppudira G; Uma Shaanker, Ramanan; Kettle, Chris J

2017-05-01

Despite the importance of seed dispersal for survival of plant species in fragmented landscapes, data on seed dispersal at landscape scales remain sparse. Effective seed dispersal among fragments determines recolonization and plant species persistence in such landscapes. We present the first large-scale (216-km 2 ) direct estimates of realized seed dispersal of a high-value timber tree (Dysoxylum malabaricum) across an agro-forest landscape in the Western Ghats, India. Based upon an exhaustive inventory of adult trees and a sample of 488 seedlings all genotyped at 10 microsatellite loci, we estimated realized seed dispersal using parentage analysis and the neighbourhood model. Our estimates found that most realized seed dispersal was within 200 m, which is insufficient to effectively bridge the distances between forest patches. We conclude that using mobility of putative animal dispersers can be misleading when estimating tropical tree species vulnerability to habitat fragmentation. This raises serious concerns about the potential of many tropical trees to recolonize isolated forest patches where high-value tree species have already been removed. © 2017 The Authors. New Phytologist © 2017 New Phytologist Trust.

Energy production using fission fragment rockets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapline, G.; Matsuda, Y.

1991-08-01

Fission fragment rockets are nuclear reactors with a core consisting of thin fibers in a vacuum, and which use magnetic fields to extract the fission fragments from the reactor core. As an alternative to ordinary nuclear reactors, fission fragment rockets would have the following advantages: Approximately twice as efficient if one can directly convert the fission fragment energy into electricity; by reducing the buildup of a fission fragment inventory in the reactor one could avoid a Chernobyl type disaster; and collecting the fission fragments outside the reactor could simplify the waste disposal problem. 6 refs., 4 figs., 2 tabs

PIXE-PIGE analysis of late roman glass fragments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gomez-Tubio, B. [Departamento de Fisica Aplicada III, Escuela de Ingenieros, Universidad de Sevilla, Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, 41092 Sevilla (Spain)]. E-mail: tubio@us.es; Ontalba Salamanca, M.A. [Departamento de Fisica, Escuela Politecnica, Universidad de Extremadura, Avda. de la Universidad s/n, 10071 Caceres (Spain); Ortega-Feliu, I. [Centro Nacional de Aceleradores, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Thomas A. Edison s/n, 41092 Sevilla (Spain); Respaldiza, M.A. [Centro Nacional de Aceleradores, Universidad de Sevilla, Avda. Thomas A. Edison s/n, 41092 Sevilla (Spain); Amores Carredano, F. [Departamento de Prehistoria y Arqueologia, Universidad de Sevilla, C/Dona Maria de Padilla s/n, 41010 Sevilla (Spain); Gonzalez-Acuna, D. [Departamento de Geografia, Historia y Filosofia, Universidad Pablo de Olavide, Ctra. de Utrera Km 1, 41013 Sevilla (Spain)

2006-08-15

A set of Roman glass fragments, excavated at Sevilla and dated in the 5th century A.D., has been analysed by PIXE and PIGE techniques using the external beam set-up of the 3 MV tandem Pelletron accelerator of the CNA at the University of Sevilla. Using a simple quantification method, based on the indirect charge calculation on the sample by monitoring the X-ray induced by the proton beam on the exit window, the composition of the glasses has been determined. From the obtained results, the use of soda as flux has been inferred and colouring manufacture procedures have been identified.

Fragmentation of relativistic nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cork, B.

1975-06-01

Nuclei with energies of several GeV/n interact with hadrons and produce fragments that encompass the fields of nuclear physics, meson physics, and particle physics. Experimental results are now available to explore problems in nuclear physics such as the validity of the shell model to explain the momentum distribution of fragments, the contribution of giant dipole resonances to fragment production cross sections, the effective Coulomb barrier, and nuclear temperatures. A new approach to meson physics is possible by exploring the nucleon charge-exchange process. Particle physics problems are explored by measuring the energy and target dependence of isotope production cross sections, thus determining if limiting fragmentation and target factorization are valid, and measuring total cross sections to determine if the factorization relation, sigma/sub AB/ 2 = sigma/sub AA/ . sigma/sub BB/, is violated. Also, new experiments have been done to measure the angular distribution of fragments that could be explained as nuclear shock waves, and to explore for ultradense matter produced by very heavy ions incident on heavy atoms. (12 figures, 2 tables)

Detection of fission fragments by secondary emission; Detection des fragments de fission par emission secondaire

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Audias, A [Commissariat a l' Energie Atomique, Saclay (France). Centre d' Etudes Nucleaires

1965-07-01

This fission fragment detecting apparatus is based on the principle that fragments traversing a thin foil will cause emission of secondary electrons. These electrons are then accelerated (10 kV) and directly detected by means of a plastic scintillator and associated photomultiplier. Some of the advantages of such a detector are, its rapidity, its discriminating power between alpha particles and fission fragments, its small energy loss in detecting the fragments and the relatively great amount of fissionable material which it can contain. This paper is subdivided as follows: a) theoretical considerations b) constructional details of apparatus and some experimental details and c) a study of the secondary emission effect itself. (author) [French] Le detecteur de fragments de fission que nous avons realise est base sur le principe de l'emission secondaire produite par les fragments de fission traversant une feuille mince: les electrons secondaires emis sont acceleres a des tensions telles (de l'ordre de 10 kV), qu'ils soient directement detectables par un scintillateur plastique associe a un photomultiplicateur. L'interet d'un tel detecteur reside: dans sa rapidite, sa tres bonne discrimination alpha, fission, la possibilite de detecter les fragments de fission avec une perte d'energie pouvant rester relativement faible, et la possibilite d'introduire des quantites de matiere fissile plus importantes que dans les autres types de detecteurs. Ce travail comporte: -) un apercu bibliographique de la theorie du phenomene, -) realisation et mise au point du detecteur avec etude experimentale de quelques parametres intervenant dans l'emission secondaire, -) etude de l'emission secondaire (sur la face d'emergence des fragments de fission) en fonction de l'energie du fragment et en fonction de l'epaisseur de matiere traversee avant emission secondaire, et -) une etude comparative de l'emission secondaire sur la face d'incidence et sur la face d'emergence des fragments de

Thermodynamics of the fuel fragmentation gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Perez, R.B.; Alsmiller, R.G. Jr.

1977-01-01

In the context of nuclear reactor safety studies, a program is in progress at ORNL whereby fuel-fragmentation situations are mocked up by the application of high-current capacitor discharges through solid UO 2 samples. The goal of the present work is to predict such quantities as the number of gas and liquid fragments and their energy distributions. The point of view adopted is that upon fragmentation, a cloud of UO 2 vapor is formed containing ''primeval'' liquid fragments which act as condensation centers. In the evolution of time, fragment growth is controlled by nucleation, coagulation and evaporation processes. Eventually, the vapor-droplet system will reach a situation in which clusters (fragments) of various sizes and UO 2 vapor will coexist in an ''association-disassociation'' equilibrium. Thus, the physical model considered here consists of the identification of the fragmentation gas with an ''imperfect'' vapor, made up of interacting UO 2 vapor and liquid fragments. The results of the study are presented

Analysis of the engine fragment threat and the crush environment for small packages carried on U.S. commercial jet aircraft

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartman, W.F.; McClure, J.D.; von Riesemann, W.A.