Unity of Command for Homeland Security: Title 32, Title 10, or a Combination.

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-01-01

the absence of Los Angeles Police Department ( LAPD ) officers. Hundreds of arson and looting incidents begin. 2100 The California governor’s...time there were over 1,200 CANG soldiers deployed in support of the LOS ANGELES police department , 1,600 in support of the LOS ANGELES County... the streets, but most active component Army and Marine Corps personnel remained in staging areas preparing for

Intersubjective Interaction Between Deaf Parents/Deaf Infants During the Infant's First 18 Months.

PubMed

Roos, Carin; Cramér-Wolrath, Emelie; Falkman, Kerstin W

2016-01-01

This study is part of a larger longitudinal project with the aim of focusing early social interaction and development of mentalizing ability in 12 deaf infants, including the interaction between the infants and their deaf parents. The aim of the present paper is to describe early social interaction and moments of intersubjectivity between the deaf infants and their deaf parents during the first 18 months of the infant's life. The study is focused on the dyadic interaction rather than on the behaviors of the infant and the caregiver separately. In the analysis, the Intersubjective Developmental Theory Model (Loots, Devisé, & Sermijn, 2003) and the definitions of moments of intersubjectivity (Loots, Devisé, & Jacquet, 2005) were used. The findings show that the participating infants follow a typical developmental trajectory of intersubjectivity, both with regard to developmental stages and age. This development is supported by a visual, simultaneous way of communicating by gaze rather than having constant eye contact. Parents use complex visual communication skills in maintaining joint attention and also expect the infant to grasp the meaning of the interaction by use of gaze contact. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

CTC Sentinel. Volume 8, Issue 2

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-02-01

and Antiquities Looting,” Chasing Aphrodite, No- vember 18, 2014; Sam Hardy, “Tax and Spend: Laissez - Faire Islamic State Capitalism for the Illicit...to boost the organization’s standing in the minds of its constituents, Hezbollah leadership is well aware of the organization’s military...at Hearing on ‘The Tuareg Revolt and the Mali Coup’,” United States House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Af- fairs , June 29. 2012, p. 43

Democratic Republic of Congo: Background and U.S. Policy

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-06-29

after Darfur) in number of troops, but others are much larger compared to local population size, such as those in Côte d’Ivoire, Haiti, Lebanon ...professionalization and the prevention and treatment of sexual and gender-based violence (e.g., P.L. 111-32, P.L. 111-212); • Restricting certain types...present in DRC, the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and possibly Sudan. LRA massacres, mass abductions, sexual assault, and looting have caused

A Cultural Resources Survey of the Whitlow Ranch Dam and Reservoir Area, Eastern Pinal County, Arizona,

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-01-01

Superstition foothills. What was not expected was the high proportion of sites which show evidence of structures, and the equally high proportion which can be...to look at an attempt to hit paydirt that ultimately failed. Specifically, we can ask: what is the structure of a mining effort at this early stage...badly disturbed by looting but (as has been learned in recent years) even highly disturbed pueblo sites can be made to yield significant new information

The Administrative, Financial, and Logistical Foundation of British Naval Power, 1649-1654

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-06-21

and flow of the material. But all mistakes are mine alone. Signed: ( 1 June 1991 I has been o pproved Lor public -e and ale; its Research directed by...successful consolidation of Britain by the English. Ireland and Scotland could not have been conquered without the navy’s protection of the army’s supply...to succeed militarily without resorting to looting or piracy. Consequently, the English consolidated Britain and its place as a major naval power in

Public Health Concerns Associated with the New York City Blackout of 1977.

PubMed

Imperato, Pascal James

2016-08-01

The 1977 New York City blackout began at 9:36 p.m. on 13 July and lasted some 25 h until 10:39 p.m. on 14 July. The New York City Department of Health rapidly set up a Blackout Contingency Plan, established priorities, and mobilized its staff to address remedial interventions. Top priorities included water supplies, sewage disposal, perishable food supplies, hospital and emergency room services, solid waste disposal, beach contamination with untreated sewage , and assisting those on electrically powered home life support systems. The 1977 blackout occurred during an extended heat wave. An analysis of total deaths and deaths due to pulmonary and cardiovascular/renal diseases by day correlated with temperatures. However, there was no direct correlation with the blackout itself, in part perhaps because of the confounding influence of high temperatures. The increase of deaths on very hot days outside of the blackout period lends strong support to the relationship between increased deaths and high ambient temperatures. The 1977 New York City blackout was distinguished from those of 1965 and 2003 by violence, arson, and looting that occurred in several areas. These acts resulted in 204 civilian injuries, 436 police injuries, 80 firefighter injuries, and 1037 fires. The violence, arson, and looting caused extensive long-term physical and functional damage to certain areas of two boroughs of the city, Brooklyn and the Bronx. Although the New York City Department of Health had not previously established a disaster preparedness plan, its professionals quickly rose to the occasion because they were able to draw upon vast public health practice experience and ingenuity.

The Looting of the American Dream: The Post-Katrina Rubble of Public Education in Louisiana

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fischetti, John C.; Kirylo, James D.

2014-01-01

The mishandling of pre- and post-Hurricane Katrina rescue and recovery is stunningly similar to the mishandling by those who have been in charge of Louisiana public education over the past seven years. This includes the devaluing of the teaching profession, the rise of the marketization of education, and the minimizing of the common good. In this…

Health implications of war in Uganda and Sudan.

PubMed

Dodge, C P

1990-01-01

Civil war disrupted agriculture and trade in Uganda and Sudan. This reduced tax revenues and drained scarce resources away from health budgets to finance increased military expenditures. Hundreds and thousands of people were driven from their homes either as internally displaced people or as refugees. Normal health service delivery systems were broken down forcing doctors, nurses and other health professionals into towns, cities or neighbouring countries in search of peace and employment. Scores of hospitals, health centres and dispensaries were abandoned, destroyed or looted, rendering even the limited physical facilities useless. Preventive public health services such as immunization and provision of potable drinking water were discontinued leaving huge populations susceptible to controllable infectious diseases and epidemics.

Variations in disaster evacuation behavior: public responses versus private sector executive decision-making processes.

PubMed

Drabek, T E

1992-06-01

Data obtained from 65 executives working for tourism firms in three sample communities permitted comparison with the public warning response literature regarding three topics: disaster evacuation planning, initial warning responses, and disaster evacuation behavior. Disaster evacuation planning was reported by nearly all of these business executives, although it was highly variable in content, completeness, and formality. Managerial responses to post-disaster warnings paralleled the type of complex social processes that have been documented within the public response literature, except that warning sources and confirmation behavior were significantly affected by contact with authorities. Five key areas of difference were discovered in disaster evacuation behavior pertaining to: influence of planning, firm versus family priorities, shelter selection, looting concerns, and media contacts.

Who Gets the Research Loot? The Challenges of Being a Postdoctoral Fellow in a Neoliberal University

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Nash, Joshua

2016-01-01

What does it all mean for universities as research institutions when the external funding acquired by their academics, already stretched intellectually and time poor, is going to those who simply do not have the time to carry out the proposed research, i.e. to the academics themselves? That is, how can a full-time teaching and research academic…

A new species of Laelaspis Berlese (Acari: Mesostigmata: Laelapidae) from Iran, with a revised generic concept and notes on significant morphological attributes in the genus.

PubMed

Kazemi, Shahrooz

2015-11-19

A short diagnosis and a more detailed diagnosis of the genus Laelaspis are presented. Until now, a total of 40 described species belong to the genus, including a new species described here, and excluding the four following species previously described as Laelaspis or Hypoaspis (Laelaspis): L. badrii Nasr & Nawar [considered as Cosmolaelaps badrii comb. nov.], L. zuluensis Trägårdh, Hypoaspis (L.) lawrencei Van Aswegen & Loots, and Hypoaspis (L.) latodentis Karg. In addition, L. morazae sp. nov., is described on the basis of adult female and male specimens associated with Lepisiota semenovi (Ruzsky) (Formicidae) in Mashad County, northeastern Iran, and in the nest of an unknown ant in Shahreza County, central Iran. Laelaspis persicus is redescribed based on the holotype, paratype and additional specimens collected in north, southeastern and southwestern Iran.

How to distinguish between 'business as usual' and 'significant business disruptions' and plan accordingly.

PubMed

Halliwell, Peter

2008-01-01

This paper seeks to provide an insight into Air New Zealand and how business continuity is managed in an industry with inherent disruptions. The differences between 'business as usual' and 'significant business disruptions' are outlined along with their associated criteria, response and escalation processes. The paper describes why the company incorporates the four 'R's of the Civil Defence Emergency Management Act within its BCM framework and how this aids resilience. A case study is provided that details a 'significant disruption' that occurred in November 2006. This event resulted in the total loss of a sales office and cargo shed after unrest in the Kingdom of Tonga escalated to widespread rioting, looting and destruction of their central business district. The lessons from this event have been captured and provide some essential mitigation measures that will assist in future events.

Priming media stereotypes reduces support for social welfare policies: the mediating role of empathy.

PubMed

Johnson, James D; Olivo, Nelgy; Gibson, Nathan; Reed, William; Ashburn-Nardo, Leslie

2009-04-01

Two experiments involving White participants tested the influence of media-based priming of Black stereotypes on support for government policy that assisted Black versus White persons-in-need. Experiment 1 showed that priming the "Black criminal" stereotype through exposure to photographs of Blacks looting after Hurricane Katrina reduced policy support for Black evacuees-in-need but did not influence support responses toward White evacuees-in-need. Experiment 2 showed that priming the "promiscuous Black female" stereotype through exposure to sexual rap music reduced policy support for a Black pregnant woman-in-need but did not influence support responses toward a White pregnant woman-in-need. Further tests of mediated moderation demonstrated that in both experiments, the interactive influence of priming Black stereotypes and race of persons-in-need on policy support was mediated by empathic responding.

Trust via disasters: the case of Chile's 2010 earthquake.

PubMed

Dussaillant, Francisca; Guzmán, Eugenio

2014-10-01

Chile has a long-standing history of natural disasters and, in particular, earthquakes. The latest big earthquake hit Chile on 27 February 2010 with a magnitude of 8.8 on the Richter scale. As an event that had a profound impact on significant portions of the population, the earthquake could theoretically have served to build trust by promoting new trust networks through the enhancement of distant family ties and the interaction between affected neighbours. This study offers an empirical analysis of this theory in the Chilean case. It finds that if initial social capital is very low (thus allowing for post-disaster looting and violence), then the impact of the trust-increasing effect is smaller. It also shows that the effect of the disaster was not transitory, but that it persisted and actually increased over time. © 2014 The Author(s). Disasters © Overseas Development Institute, 2014.

Ethnicity and conflict: theory and facts.

PubMed

Esteban, Joan; Mayoral, Laura; Ray, Debraj

2012-05-18

Over the second half of the 20th century, conflicts within national boundaries became increasingly dominant. One-third of all countries experienced civil conflict. Many (if not most) such conflicts involved violence along ethnic lines. On the basis of recent theoretical and empirical research, we provide evidence that preexisting ethnic divisions do influence social conflict. Our analysis also points to particular channels of influence. Specifically, we show that two different measures of ethnic division--polarization and fractionalization--jointly influence conflict, the former more so when the winners enjoy a "public" prize (such as political power or religious hegemony), the latter more so when the prize is "private" (such as looted resources, government subsidies, or infrastructures). The available data appear to strongly support existing theories of intergroup conflict. Our argument also provides indirect evidence that ethnic conflicts are likely to be instrumental, rather than driven by primordial hatreds.

a Heritage Inventory for Documenting Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheldrick, N.; Zerbini, A.

2017-08-01

The heritage of the Middle East and North Africa is under growing threat from a variety of factors, including agricultural expansion, urban development, looting, and conflict. Recording and documenting this heritage is therefore a key priority to aid heritage practitioners tasked with protecting sites and evaluating their condition on the ground. The Endangered Archaeology in the Middle East and North Africa (EAMENA) project has developed a methodology for the identification, documentation, analysis, and monitoring of sites across the region to aid heritage professionals in these efforts. The project uses remote sensing techniques along with traditional archaeological research and prospection methods to collect data, which are stored and managed in a custom-designed database adapted from open-source Arches v.3 software, using CIDOC CRM standards and controlled vocabularies. In addition to these activities, the EAMENA project has initiated an international conference series and training workshops to support and establish partnerships with heritage professionals and institutions across the region.

Conflict, camps and coercion: the ongoing livelihoods crisis in Darfur.

PubMed

Buchanan-Smith, Margie; Jaspars, Susanne

2007-03-01

This paper presents the findings of a study commissioned by World Food Programme (WFP) in early 2006 to enhance understanding of how the conflict in Darfur has affected livelihoods and markets, and of the effects of food aid. The livelihoods of many in Darfur were devastated early on in the conflict, principally through the widespread looting or destruction of assets and highly restricted population movements, which struck at the heart of pre-conflict livelihoods. Livelihood strategies for most people are now restricted, poorly remunerated and often associated with high risk of attack. Patterns of coercion and exploitation have also become entrenched; and markets and trade, the lifeblood of Da fur's economy pre-conflict, severely disrupted. Against this backdrop the impact of food aid on livelihoods in Darfur has been overwhelmingly positive. The paper proposes a number of preconditions for investment in recovery in Darfur, and recommends ways in which livelihoods can be supported in the current context of ongoing conflict.

Victor's justice: atrocities in postwar Nigeria.

PubMed

Omaka, Arua Oko

2016-01-01

The Nigerian Government's declaration of 'no victor, no vanquished' after the capitulation of Biafra on 12 January 1970, was applauded as the right step towards reconciliation and transition from war to peace. Despite this declaration and assurance of amnesty, the Nigerian Government and its soldiers still engaged in acts that amounted to retributive justice. They starved and killed innocent Biafran civilians, looted their property and raped their women. Surprisingly, these postwar atrocities committed against former Biafrans have been largely ignored in the historiography of the Nigeria-Biafra War. This paper seeks to fill the gap in the war literature by interrogating Nigerian Government's attitude towards the postwar humanitarian crisis and crimes against humanity in former Biafra. The paper argues that former Biafrans were not fully reintegrated into the Nigerian society and that the Nigerian Government deliberately neglected them to die in large numbers, thereby making it difficult for the war victims to recover from the hardships of the conflict.

Human cooperation by lethal group competition.

PubMed

Egas, Martijn; Kats, Ralph; van der Sar, Xander; Reuben, Ernesto; Sabelis, Maurice W

2013-01-01

Why humans are prone to cooperate puzzles biologists, psychologists and economists alike. Between-group conflict has been hypothesized to drive within-group cooperation. However, such conflicts did not have lasting effects in laboratory experiments, because they were about luxury goods, not needed for survival ("looting"). Here, we find within-group cooperation to last when between-group conflict is implemented as "all-out war" (eliminating the weakest groups). Human subjects invested in helping group members to avoid having the lowest collective pay-off, whereas they failed to cooperate in control treatments with random group elimination or with no subdivision in groups. When the game was repeated, experience was found to promote helping. Thus, not within-group interactions alone, not random group elimination, but pay-off-dependent group elimination was found to drive within-group cooperation in our experiment. We suggest that some forms of human cooperation are maintained by multi-level selection: reciprocity within groups and lethal competition among groups acting together.

Memorialization, Graffiti and Artifact Movement: A Case Study of Cultural Impacts on WWII Underwater Cultural Heritage in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McKinnon, Jennifer F.

2015-04-01

Cultural tourism in the Pacific has always offered an underwater option for those who snorkel or are certified to dive. In addition to the coral reefs and marine life, World War II (WWII) shipwrecks, aircraft wrecks and other submerged vehicles draw hundreds of tourists to the Pacific each year. While it is encouraging that so many are interested in the cultural heritage of battlefields, these same visitors can cause considerable amounts of damage. This paper presents a case study of cultural impacts on submerged WWII sites in the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) where diving heritage tourism is a growing industry. Cultural impacts in the CNMI include a diverse range of direct and indirect impacts including vandalism, the act of memorialization, looting and collecting souvenirs, anchor and mooring damage, and moving artifacts. What is often viewed as detrimental cultural impacts by archaeologists and managers can also be examined as behavior that reflects various stakeholders' values and attitudes towards heritage sites. As such, these behaviors can and should be examined and considered concurrently during research and management discussions.

[Three phases of homicidal violence in Venezuela].

PubMed

Briceño-León, Roberto

2012-12-01

Venezuela was considered one of the least violent countries in Latin America, however by 2010 it was among the countries with the highest homicide rate. This article analyzes the evolution of homicides in Venezuela between 1985 and 2010 and proposes the existence of three stages which correspond to trends in social and political institutions of the country. The first from 1985 to 1993, characterized by the looting of 1989 and the coups d'état of 1992, when for the first time the homicide rate rose from 8 to 20. The second phase from 1994 to 1998 was a recovery period of the institutional and political stability when the homicide rate remained constant at around 20. The third phase began in 1999 with the H Chavez government and the institutional destruction that comes with the Bolivarian revolution and caused an increase in the rate of 20 to 57 homicides per 100 thousand inhabitants. This article argues that the explanation for the changes in the phases is to be found in the transformation of social and political institutions.

Is Bringing Back Warrant Officers the Answer A Loot at How They Could Work in the Air Force Cyber Operations Career Field

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-16

warrant officers in the Navy, they did lead directly to their place being cemented firmly in the Navy’s rank structure. The Navy exclusively...Dennis Steele , “The U.S. Army Warrant Officer Corps: Still a Work in Progress,” Army 62 no. 7 (July 2012), 40. 65. Department of the Army, The Army...force- cyber-secure.aspx. Steele , Dennis. “The U.S. Army Warrant Officer Corps: Still a Work in Progress.” Army 62 no. 7 (July 2012): 39-41

Utilization of the Space food in Space Agriculture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Katayama, Naomi; Yamashita, Masamichi; Hashimoto, Hirofumi; Space Agriculture Task Force

2012-07-01

It is important that we think about the utilization of the Space food in the space agriculture. In addition, these studies may lead the food problem on the earth on the solution. This study thought about the utilization of the food and thought about doing a stem and the root of vegetables performed water culture of with food. I order Japan Food Research Laboratories to do the nutritional analysis of the root of a lettuce cultivated by water culture. The analysis items were lipid, carbohydrates, energy, protein, water, ash, Na, P, Fe, Ca, K, Mg, Cu, Zn, Mn, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin D, dietary fiber(water soluble or insoluble). Most were water, but, as for the root of the lettuce, it was revealed that it was rich in a mineral (calcium, iron and magnesium).To eat the root of the lettuce will be good nutritional supply of minerals (calcium, iron) in the space life. In the result, water and mineral supply could make good use of in low calorie at loots of the lettuce. We want to think about the utilization of each food more in future.

Maritime and Underwater Cultural Heritage in South Africa: The Development of Relevant Management Strategies in the Historical Maritime Context of the Southern Tip of Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharfman, Jonathan; Boshoff, Jaco; Parthesius, Robert

2012-10-01

South Africans have a long association with water. It has provided a source of food, a medium for trade and a catalyst for migration and development. The country's geographical position as a crossroads of maritime trade between Europe and the East means that its history is inextricably linked to the history of the rest of the world. The result is a multi-faceted representation of sites, objects and mythologies related to water and maritime heritage that reflect not only local historical and social development, but global cultural change as well. Given the importance of South Africa's underwater cultural heritage (UCH), managers have grappled with management principles, ethics and theoretical models in an effort to produce and enforce heritage legislation that is relevant and effective. This paper outlines South Africa's maritime context from 1.5 million years ago until the present, summarises legislative and mitigation developments over the past half century and provides details of current trends in maritime archaeology and UCH management at the southern tip of Africa. Training programmes and public awareness are keys to this strategy to bring UCH and maritime archaeology into the mainstream and counter treasure hunting and looting of this rich, friable resource.

Advanced direct liquefaction concepts for PETC generic units. Quarterly technical progress report, October 1992--December 1992

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

The reactivity of the THF insoluble fraction of the ashy resid component of Wilsonville recycle oil (WRO) during liquefaction of Black Thunder coal in tetralin was determined at 415{degrees}C and 60 minutes. The liquefaction runs were made by combining this material with Black Thunder coal at the same ratio used in the WRO coal runs. THF conversion and product distribution from liquefaction in tetralin in the presence of the THF insoluble fraction of the ashy resid were similar to results from liquefaction in WRO. THF conversion was greater than loot with an oil yield that was somewhat higher than inmore » WRO. Differences in HC gas yield and H{sub 2} consumption were slight, while conversion and product distribution from liquefaction of Black Thunder coal in tetralin or in the WRO distillate were quite different. In both these solvents the 85--86% THF conversions were less than for runs in which the THF insoluble fraction of the ashy resid was present. This establishes that the THF insoluble fraction of the ashy resid is the reactive fraction of the WRO.« less

The impact of visual communication on the intersubjective development of early parent-child interaction with 18- to 24-month-old deaf toddlers.

PubMed

Loots, Gerrit; Devisé, Isabel; Jacquet, Wolfgang

2005-01-01

This article presents a study that examined the impact of visual communication on the quality of the early interaction between deaf and hearing mothers and fathers and their deaf children aged between 18 and 24 months. Three communication mode groups of parent-deaf child dyads that differed by the use of signing and visual-tactile communication strategies were involved: (a) hearing parents communicating with their deaf child in an auditory/oral way, (b) hearing parents using total communication, and (c) deaf parents using sign language. Based on Loots and colleagues' intersubjective developmental theory, parent-deaf child interaction was analyzed according to the occurrence of intersubjectivity during free play with a standard set of toys. The data analyses indicated that the use of sign language in a sequential visual way of communication enabled the deaf parents to involve their 18- to 24-month-old deaf infants in symbolic intersubjectivity, whereas hearing parents who hold on to oral-only communication were excluded from involvement in symbolic intersubjectivity with their deaf infants. Hearing parents using total communication were more similar to deaf parents, but they still differed from deaf parents in exchanging and sharing symbolic and linguistic meaning with their deaf child.

Molecular Exploration of the First-Century Tomb of the Shroud in Akeldama, Jerusalem

PubMed Central

Matheson, Carney D.; Vernon, Kim K.; Lahti, Arlene; Fratpietro, Renee; Spigelman, Mark; Gibson, Shimon; Greenblatt, Charles L.; Donoghue, Helen D.

2009-01-01

The Tomb of the Shroud is a first-century C.E. tomb discovered in Akeldama, Jerusalem, Israel that had been illegally entered and looted. The investigation of this tomb by an interdisciplinary team of researchers began in 2000. More than twenty stone ossuaries for collecting human bones were found, along with textiles from a burial shroud, hair and skeletal remains. The research presented here focuses on genetic analysis of the bioarchaeological remains from the tomb using mitochondrial DNA to examine familial relationships of the individuals within the tomb and molecular screening for the presence of disease. There are three mitochondrial haplotypes shared between a number of the remains analyzed suggesting a possible family tomb. There were two pathogens genetically detected within the collection of osteological samples, these were Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium leprae. The Tomb of the Shroud is one of very few examples of a preserved shrouded human burial and the only example of a plaster sealed loculus with remains genetically confirmed to have belonged to a shrouded male individual that suffered from tuberculosis and leprosy dating to the first-century C.E. This is the earliest case of leprosy with a confirmed date in which M. leprae DNA was detected. PMID:20016819

Satellite imagery-based monitoring of archaeological site damage in the Syrian civil war

PubMed Central

Laugier, Elise Jakoby

2017-01-01

Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the rich archaeological heritage of Syria and northern Iraq has faced severe threats, including looting, combat-related damage, and intentional demolition of monuments. However, the inaccessibility of the conflict zone to archaeologists or cultural heritage specialists has made it difficult to produce accurate damage assessments, impeding efforts to develop mitigation strategies and policies. This paper presents results of a project, undertaken in collaboration with the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) and the US Department of State, to monitor damage to archaeological sites in Syria, northern Iraq, and southern Turkey using recent, high-resolution satellite imagery. Leveraging a large database of archaeological and heritage sites throughout the region, as well as access to continually updated satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe, this project has developed a flexible and efficient methodology to log observations of damage in a manner that facilitates spatial and temporal queries. With nearly 5000 sites carefully evaluated, analysis reveals unexpected patterns in the timing, severity, and location of damage, helping us to better understand the evolving cultural heritage crisis in Syria and Iraq. Results also offer a model for future remote sensing-based archaeological and heritage monitoring efforts in the Middle East and beyond. PMID:29190783

Quantifying the impact of Teleconnections on Hydrologic Regimes in Texas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhatia, N.; Singh, V. P.; Srivastav, R. K.

2016-12-01

Climate change is being alleged to have led to the increased frequency of extreme flooding events and the resulting damages are severe, especially where the flood-plain population densities are higher. Much research in the field of hydroclimatology is focusing on improving real-time flood forecasting models. Recent studies show that, in the state of Texas, extreme regional floods are actually triggered by abruptly higher precipitation intensities. Such intensities are further driven by sea-surface temperature and pressure anomalies, defined by certain patterns of teleconnections. In this study, climate variability is defined on the basis of five major Atlantic and Pacific Ocean related teleconnections: (i) Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), (ii) North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), (iii) Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), (iv) Pacific North American Pattern (PNA), and (v) Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). Hydrologic extremes will be modeled using probabilistic distributions. Leave-One-Out-Test (LOOT) will be employed to address the outliers in the extremes, and to eventually obtain the robust correlation coefficient. The variation in the effect of most correlated teleconnection with respect to hydrologic attributes will be investigated for the entire state. This study will attempt to identify potential teleconnection inputs for data-driven hydrologic models under varying climatic conditions.

Satellite imagery-based monitoring of archaeological site damage in the Syrian civil war.

PubMed

Casana, Jesse; Laugier, Elise Jakoby

2017-01-01

Since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011, the rich archaeological heritage of Syria and northern Iraq has faced severe threats, including looting, combat-related damage, and intentional demolition of monuments. However, the inaccessibility of the conflict zone to archaeologists or cultural heritage specialists has made it difficult to produce accurate damage assessments, impeding efforts to develop mitigation strategies and policies. This paper presents results of a project, undertaken in collaboration with the American Schools of Oriental Research (ASOR) and the US Department of State, to monitor damage to archaeological sites in Syria, northern Iraq, and southern Turkey using recent, high-resolution satellite imagery. Leveraging a large database of archaeological and heritage sites throughout the region, as well as access to continually updated satellite imagery from DigitalGlobe, this project has developed a flexible and efficient methodology to log observations of damage in a manner that facilitates spatial and temporal queries. With nearly 5000 sites carefully evaluated, analysis reveals unexpected patterns in the timing, severity, and location of damage, helping us to better understand the evolving cultural heritage crisis in Syria and Iraq. Results also offer a model for future remote sensing-based archaeological and heritage monitoring efforts in the Middle East and beyond.

Focus on autonomic dysfunction in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP).

PubMed

Obayashi, Konen; Ando, Yukio

2012-06-01

It is well known that autonomic dysfunction in familial amyloidotic polyneuropathy (FAP) is the most serious problem, because it restricts the daily life of these patients. The detail mechanisms of the onset are not well understood in FAP and domino liver transplantation-induced amyloid neuropathy. As autonomic disturbances play an important role in the symptomatology of FAP, further studies of autonomic dysfunction in these patients may lead the pathogenesis of FAP. Autonomic dysfunction is often observed before sensory and motor nerve dysfunction in FAP. This can be attributed to the morphological characteristics of the nerves. Unmyelinated, small myelinated, and large myelinated fibers tend to become impaired in that order. Although the reasons of susceptibility to amyloid infiltration and injury are not known, studies of autopsied FAP patients have revealed heavy infiltration of amyloid in autonomic ganglions. Moreover, spinal ganglion and posterior loot of the spine had severe amyloid deposits than did the anterior root of the spine or the motor nerves. It is well known that autonomic dysfunction is the most serious problem, because it restricts the daily life of FAP patients. However, we have four major questions about autonomic dysfunction in clinical. In this manuscript, we discuss about the answers of these questions.

The Cipa Database for Saving the Heritage of Syria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silver, Minna; Rinaudo, Fulvio; Morezzi, Emanuele; Quenda, Francesca; Moretti, Maria Laura

2016-06-01

CIPA is contributing with its technical knowledge in saving the heritage of Syria by constructing an open access database based on the data that the CIPA members have collected during various projects in Syria over the years before the civil war in the country broke out in 2011. In this way we wish to support the protection and preservation of the environment, sites, monuments, and artefacts and the memory of the cultural region that has been crucial for the human past and the emergence of civilizations. Apart from the countless human atrocities and loss, damage, destruction and looting of the cultural heritage have taken place in a large scale. The CIPA's initiative is one of the various international projects that have been set up after the conflict started. The Directorate-General of the Antiquities and Museums (DGAM) of Syria as well as UNESCO with its various sub-organizations have been central in facing the challenges during the war. Digital data capture, storage, use and dissemination are in the heart of CIPA's strategies in recording and documenting cultural heritage, also in Syria. It goes without saying that for the conservation and restoration work the high quality data providing metric information is of utmost importance.

Food shortages and gender relations in Ikafe settlement, Uganda.

PubMed

Payne, L

1998-03-01

In 1996, an 18-month-old settlement created for 55,000 Sudanese refugees in northern Uganda came under attack by Ugandan rebels. By March 1997, the entire population of the settlement had migrated in search of safety. Because the refugees lost their livelihoods and cultivated fields, they had to adopt short-term coping strategies to acquire food. Two Oxfam researchers gathering information during this period for use in program planning and monitoring found that coping strategies included 1) hazarding dangerous journeys (women risked rape or abduction; men risked beating, looting, killing, or abduction) to harvest crops; 2) seeking piece-work employment; 3) exchanging sex for food; and 4) depleting assets. The crisis was particularly severe for single people (especially those with children). In families where the women but not the men could find employment, some men took on household responsibilities. As malnutrition increased, health declined. Observed changes to household gender relations included new sexual divisions of labor, assumption by females of decision-making power, increased domestic quarreling, and marital break-down (especially in cases where women had been raped). On the community level, women assumed more responsibility as men withdrew socially or left the settlement. These findings point to the importance of providing refugees with seeds, with small loans to stimulate business, and with the means to rebuild their sense of community.

Archaeological and Environmental Research of the Peten, Guatemala, Using Remote Sensing/GIS Research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sever, Thomas L.

2000-01-01

The Peten, northern Guatemala, was once inhabited by a population of several million Maya before their collapse in the 9th century AD. Although the seventh and eight centuries were a time of crowning glory for millions of Maya; by 930 A.D. only a few scattered houses remained. What is known, is that at the time of their collapse, the Maya had cut down most of their trees. After centuries of regeneration the Peten now represent the largest remaining tropical forest in Central America but is experiencing rapid deforestation in the wake of an invasion of settlers. The successful adaptive techniques of the indigenous population are being abandoned in favor of the destructive techniques of monoculture and cattle raising. These techniques also contribute to the destruction and looting of unrecorded archeological sites. Remote sensing and GIS analysis are being used to address issues in Maya archeology as well as monitor the effects of increasing deforestation in the area today. One thousand years ago the forests of the Peten were nearly destroyed by the ancient Maya, who, after centuries of successful adaptation, finally overused their resources. Current inhabitants are threatening to do the same thing today in a shorter time period with a lesser population. Through the use of remote sensing/GIS analysis we are attempting to answer questions about the past in order to protect the resources of the future.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, John Russell

The Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex near Baghdad contains a number of facilities from Saddam Hussan's nuclear weapons program. Past military operations, lack of upkeep and looting have created an enormous radioactive waste problem at the Al Tuwaitha complex, which contains various, uncharacterized radioactive wastes, yellow cake, sealed radioactive sources, and contaminated metals that must be constantly guarded. Iraq has never had a radioactive waste disposal facility and the lack of a disposal facility means that ever increasing quantities of radioactive material must be held in guarded storage. The Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposal Program (the NDs Program) has beenmore » initiated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to assist the Government of Iraq (GOI) in eliminating the threats from poorly controlled radioactive materials, while building human capacities so that the GOI can manage other environmental cleanups in their country. The DOS is funding the IAEA to provide technical assistance via Technical Cooperation projects. Program coordination will be provided by the DOS, consistent with GOI policies, and Sandia National Laboratories will be responsible for coordination of participants and waste management support. Texas Tech University will continue to provide in-country assistance, including radioactive waste characterization and the stand-up of the Iraq Nuclear Services Company. The GOI owns the problems in Iraq and will be responsible for implementation of the NDs Program.« less

[Bernhard Schapiro (1888-1966): Talmudic scholar - andrologist - pioneer of hormonal treatment for cryptorchidism].

PubMed

Borgwardt, Götz

2004-01-01

Bernhard Schapiro was the first to recommend anterior pituitary lobe hormone for the treatment of cryptorchidism. He was born in 1888 into an orthodox family in Dvinsk (Daugavplis/Latvia), in the Pale of Settlements for Jewish Russian subjects. In simple schools he learned Hewbrew and basics of Torah and Talmud. Then he turned to the Talmudic Academy "Slobodka" in Kovno (Kaunas/Lithuania) for advanced studies. Here he internalized the "Musar" teachings, a doctrine of high-standard ethical behavior towards fellow beings, until he was eighteen. He abandoned a rabbincal carrer and studied medicine in Switzerland. After exams in 1919, he received a training in dermatology with JADASSOHN in Breslau. From 1922 until 1933 he worked at HIRSCHFELD's Institute for Sexual Science in Berlin. Here he pioneered in andrology working on the problems of impotency and premature ejaculation and developing new drug combinations. In males with underdeveloped genitalia he proved the cryptorch testicles may descend under treatment with anterior pituitary lobe. After Nazi students had looted the Institute in May, 1933 he left Germany with wife and four children and established a practice in Zurich. He chaired the Swiss branch of Mizrakhi, which aimed at influencing Zionism with orthodox spirituality. In 1940 he turned to New York where even rabbis recommended his treatment as in accordance with talmudic laws. From 1951 until his death in 1966 he lived and worked on the same issues in Jerusalem. His entire life was guided by Musar.

Discovering the Ancient Maya from Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sever, T. L.

2008-01-01

The Pet6n region of northern Guatemala contains some of the most significant Mayan archeological sites in Latin America. It was in this region that the Maya civilization began, flourished, and abruptly disappeared. Remote sensing technology is helping to locate and map ancient Maya sites that are threatened today by accelerating deforestation and looting. Thematic Mapper, IKONOS, and QuickBird satellite, and airborne STAR-3i and AIRSAR radar data, combined with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, are successfully detecting ancient Maya features such as sites, roadways, canals, and water reservoirs. Satellite imagery is also being used to map the bajos, which are seasonally flooded swamps that cover over 40% of the land surface. Through the use of various airborne and satellite sensor systems we have been able to detect and map ancient causeways, temples, reservoirs, and land forms, and locate these features on the ground through GPS technology. Recently, we have discovered that there is a strong relationship between a tropical forest vegetation signature in satellite imagery and the location of archeological sites. We believe that the use of limestone and lime plasters in ancient Maya construction affects the moisture, nutrition, and plant species of the surface vegetation. We have mapped these vegetation signatures in the imagery and verified through field survey that they are indicative of archeological sites. Through the use of remote sensing and GIS technology it is possible to identify unrecorded archeological features in a dense tropical forest environment and monitor these cultural features for their protection.

Discovering the Ancient Maya From Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sever, T. L.

2007-01-01

The Peten region of northern Guatemala contains some of the most significant Mayan archeological sites in Latin America. It was in this region that the Maya civilization began, flourished, and abruptly disappeared. Remote sensing technology is helping to locate and map ancient Maya sites that are threatened today by accelerating deforestation and looting. Thematic Mapper, IKONOS, and QuickBird satellite, and airborne STAR-3i and AIRSAR radar data, combined with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, are successfully detecting ancient Maya features such as sites, roadways, canals, and water reservoirs. Satellite imagery is also being used to map the bajos, which are seasonally flooded swamps that cover over 40% of the land surface. Through the use of various airborne and satellite sensor systems we have been able to detect and map ancient causeways, temples, reservoirs, and land forms, and locate these features on the ground through GPS technology. Recently, we have discovered that there is a strong relationship between a tropical forest vegetation signature in satellite imagery and the location of archeological sites. We believe that the use o f limestone and lime plasters in ancient Maya construction affects the moisture, nutrition, and plant species of the surface vegetation. We have mapped these vegetation signatures in the imagery and verified through field survey that they are indicative of archeological sites. Through the use of remote sensing and GIS technology it is possible to identify unrecorded archeological features in a dense tropical forest environment and monitor these cultural features for their protection.

Prison, a missing target to address issues related to drug detoxification and rehabilitation: Nepalese experiences.

PubMed

Kant Jha, Chandra; M Donovan, Dennis

2013-01-01

Drug use has numerous consequences on health, the economy, culture and the peace and security of families and communities. Drug users often engage in various criminal activities, including drug dealing, to sustain their drug use. Under Nepalese law, consumption, possession and sale of drugs are illegal, which increases the risk of incarceration for drug users. Using a phenomenological/qualitative approach, the paper explores how various activities can lead to the arrest of drug users, how they cope without taking drugs in custody and prison and how they plan abstinence after release. Participants engaged in various categories of criminal activity, including stealing, looting, etc. Most of the drug users were in custody and prison at least once. Drug use relapses led the participants to re-engage in criminal activities including drug dealing. Parents were often overburdened by their sons and daughter's drug use and were worried about their repeated relapses. Finally, some parents negotiated with their sons and daughters to keep them in prison where they would be able to stay without taking drugs and their involvement in crimes and conflicts would decrease. Keeping substance abusers in prison does not appear to be an effective strategy, as many participants relapse after release from prison. However, a prison-based educational and health promotion strategy would be beneficial for drug users to develop knowledge and skills on staying drug-free. However, to date, no effort has been made to provide such services to drug users and develop their coping strategy after release.

Girls and war: an extra vulnerability.

PubMed

Black, M

1998-01-01

It is no longer possible to consider the raping of girls as an isolated atrocity of war. In Uganda, guerrilla forces have kidnapped 6000-10,000 children and have forced the "most desirable" girls to become "wives" of warlords. Girls who manage to escape are deeply traumatized and suffer ill health as well as possible social ostracism. In refugee camps, recognition that adolescent girls face special risks of rape and of engaging in the informal prostitution that may expose them to HIV/AIDS has led to the introduction of new measures to increase female security. Families in refugee camps in Burundi and Somalia protect female honor by submitting their daughters to very early marriage, which also abuses the girls' rights. Girls conscripted to military groups are forced to transport materials, cook, or help loot villages. In conditions of war, even girls who remain at home protected by their families must assume extra responsibilities, especially if men go off to fight leaving women with the agricultural and livestock burdens. Girls will be the first children withdrawn from school to help keep the household afloat. Girls and women are also expected to tend those wounded by the very war that destroys the health care services that are vital to meet women's reproductive needs. Efforts are being made to identify rape as a specific war crime, and these efforts should be extended to the kidnapping and forced recruitment of children into combat roles. Moral codes must be reestablished, even if they are only nominal at present.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, J.R.; Danneels, J.; Kenagy, W.D.

The Al Tuwaitha nuclear complex near Baghdad contains a significant number of nuclear facilities from Saddam Hussein's dictatorship. Because of past military operations, lack of upkeep and looting there is now an enormous radioactive waste problem at Al Tuwaitha. Al Tuwaitha contains uncharacterised radioactive wastes, yellow cake, sealed radioactive sources, and contaminated metals. The current security situation in Iraq hampers all aspects of radioactive waste management. Further, Iraq has never had a radioactive waste disposal facility, which means that ever increasing quantities of radioactive waste and material must be held in guarded storage. The Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposalmore » Program (the NDs Program) has been initiated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to assist the Government of Iraq (GOI) in eliminating the threats from poorly controlled radioactive materials, while building human capacities so that the GOI can manage other environmental cleanups in their country. The DOS has funded the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to provide technical assistance to the GOI via a Technical Cooperation Project. Program coordination will be provided by the DOS, consistent with U.S. and GOI policies, and Sandia National Laboratories will be responsible for coordination of participants and for providing waste management support. Texas Tech University will continue to provide in-country assistance, including radioactive waste characterization and the stand-up of the Iraq Nuclear Services Company. The GOI owns the problems in Iraq and will be responsible for the vast majority of the implementation of the NDs Program. (authors)« less

Morphologic-anthropological investigations in tomb K93.12 at Dra' Abu el-Naga (Western Thebes, Egypt).

PubMed

Lösch, Sandra; Moghaddam, Negahnaz; Paladin, Alice; Rummel, Ute; Hower-Tilmann, Estelle; Zink, Albert

2014-01-01

In this study we present the analysis of the human remains from tomb K93.12 in the Ancient Egyptian necropolis of Dra' Abu el-Naga, located opposite the modern city of Luxor in Upper Egypt on the western bank of the Nile. Archaeological findings indicate that the rock tomb was originally built in the early 18th dynasty. Remains of two tomb-temples of the 20th dynasty and the looted burial of the High Priest of Amun Amenhotep have been identified. After the New Kingdom the tomb was reused as a burial place until the 26th dynasty. The skeletal and mummified material of the different tomb areas underwent a detailed anthropological and paleopathological analysis. The human remains were mostly damaged and scattered due to extensive grave robberies. In total, 79 individuals could be partly reconstructed and investigated. The age and sex distribution revealed a male predominance and a high percentage of young children (< 6 years) and adults in the range of 20 to 40 years. The paleopathological analysis showed a high prevalence of stress markers such as cribra orbitalia in the younger individuals, and other pathological conditions such as dental diseases, degenerative diseases and a possible case of ankylosing spondylitis. Additionally, 13 mummies of an intrusive waste pit could be attributed to three different groups belonging to earlier time periods based on their style of mummification and materials used. The study revealed important information on the age and sex distribution and diseases of the individuals buried in tomb K93.12.

Prioritization methodology for the decommissioning of nuclear facilities: a study case on the Iraq former nuclear complex.

PubMed

Jarjies, Adnan; Abbas, Mohammed; Monken Fernandes, Horst; Wong, Melanie; Coates, Roger

2013-05-01

There are a number of sites in Iraq which have been used for nuclear activities and which contain potentially significant amounts of radioactive waste. The principal nuclear site being Al-Tuwaitha. Many of these sites suffered substantial physical damage during the Gulf Wars and have been subjected to subsequent looting. All require decommissioning in order to ensure both radiological and non-radiological safety. However, it is not possible to undertake the decommissioning of all sites and facilities at the same time. Therefore, a prioritization methodology has been developed in order to aid the decision-making process. The methodology comprises three principal stages of assessment: i) a quantitative surrogate risk assessment ii) a range of sensitivity analyses and iii) the inclusion of qualitative modifying factors. A group of Tuwaitha facilities presented the highest risk among the evaluated ones, followed by a middle ranking grouping of Tuwaitha facilities and some other sites, and a relatively large group of lower risk facilities and sites. The initial order of priority is changed when modifying factors are taken into account. It has to be considered the Iraq's isolation from the international nuclear community over the last two decades and the lack of experienced personnel. Therefore it is appropriate to initiate decommissioning operations on selected low risk facilities at Tuwaitha in order to build capacity and prepare for work to be carried out in more complex and potentially high hazard facilities. In addition it is appropriate to initiate some prudent precautionary actions relating to some of the higher risk facilities. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Gender-Based Violence and Armed Conflict: A Community-Informed Socioecological Conceptual Model From Northeastern Uganda

PubMed Central

Mootz, Jennifer J.; Stabb, Sally D.; Mollen, Debra

2017-01-01

The high prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in armed conflict has been documented in various national contexts, but less is known about the complex pathways that constitute the relation between the two. Employing a community-based collaborative approach, we constructed a community-informed socioecological conceptual model from a feminist perspective, detailing how armed conflict relates to GBV in a conflict-affected rural community in Northeastern Uganda. The research questions were as follows: (1) How does the community conceptualize GBV? and (2) How does armed conflict relate to GBV? Nine focus group discussions divided by gender, age, and profession and six key informant interviews were conducted. Participants’ ages ranged from 9 to 80 years (n =34 girls/women, n = 43 boys/men). Grounded theory was used in analysis. Participants conceptualized eight forms of and 22 interactive variables that contributed to GBV. Armed conflict affected physical violence/quarreling, sexual violence, early marriage, and land grabbing via a direct pathway and four indirect pathways initiated through looting of resources, militarization of the community, death of a parent(s) or husband, and sexual violence. The findings suggest that community, organizational, and policy-level interventions, which include attention to intersecting vulnerabilities for exposure to GBV in conflict-affected settings, should be prioritized. While tertiary psychological interventions with women and girls affected by GBV in these areas should not be eliminated, we suggest that policy makers and members of community and organizational efforts make systemic and structural changes. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ’s website at http://journals.sagepub.com/page/pwq/suppl/index PMID:29563663

Detect, map, and preserve Bronze & Iron Age monuments along the pre-historic Silk Road

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balz, Timo; Caspari, Gino; Fu, Bihong

2017-02-01

Central Asia is rich in cultural heritage generated by thousands of years of human occupation. Aiming for a better understanding of Central Asia’s archaeology and how this unique heritage can be protected, the region should be studied as a whole with regard to its cultural ties with China and combined efforts should be undertaken in shielding the archaeological monuments from destruction. So far, international research campaigns have focused predominantly on single-sites or small-scale surveys, mainly due to the bureaucratic and security related issues involved in cross-border research. This is why we created the Dzungaria Landscape Project. Since 2013, we have worked on collecting remote sensing data of Xinjiang including IKONOS, WorldView-2, and TerraSAR-X data. We have developed a method for the automatic detection of larger grave mound structures in optical and SAR data. Gravemounds are typically spatially clustered and the detection of larger mound structures is a sufficient hint towards areas of high archaeological interest in a region. A meticulous remote sensing survey is the best planning tool for subsequent ground surveys and excavation. In summer 2015, we undertook a survey in the Chinese Altai in order to establish ground-truth in the Hailiutan valley. We categorized over 1000 monuments in just three weeks thanks to the previous detection and classification work using remote sensing data. Creating accurate maps of the cemeteries in northern Xinjiang is a crucial step to preserving the cultural heritage of the region since graves in remote areas are especially prone to looting. We will continue our efforts with the ultimate aim to map and monitor all large gravemounds in Dzungaria and potentially neighbouring eastern Kazakhstan.

Virtual and Physical Recomposition of Fragmented Ecclesiastical Frescoes Using a Photogrammetric Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abate, D.; Hermon, S.; Eliades, I.

2016-06-01

The octagonal domed church of the Christ Antiphonitis in the district of Kyrenia (Cyprus) was originally completely decorated with frescoes along its interior walls. Two of these are exceptional for their artistic and historic value: the story of the Tree of Jesse (a pictorial genealogy of the Virgin) located on the southern wall of the octagon, and the Last Judgment, on the northern wall. Following the invasion of Cyprus by Turkish military forces in 1974, looters stripped many of the region churches, removing an estimated 15,000 to 20,000 icons and several dozen major frescoes and mosaics, intending to sell them illegally on the antique market. The Church of Antiphonitis was among them. The walls with the two biblical episodes suffered major damages and big portions of their pictorial decoration were removed. Since the end of the 1990s, due to efforts of Cypriot authorities, more than 70 fragments of its frescoes returned from USA and Europe to the Byzantine Museum of Nicosia, where they are currently under conservation and restoration for future display. These were digitally documented through high-resolution ortophotos. The inner space of the church was documented by similar means, in order to virtually re-position the frescoes in their original locations. The virtual re-composition of the frescoes along the looted walls helped quantifying the missing parts, correctly re-locate virtually each fragment at its original position, obtain accurate colour information and prepare a digital musealisation product, to be included in the permanent exhibition display at the museum which will feature a 1:1 scale reproduction of the church walls.

Gender-Based Violence and Armed Conflict: A Community-Informed Socioecological Conceptual Model From Northeastern Uganda.

PubMed

Mootz, Jennifer J; Stabb, Sally D; Mollen, Debra

2017-01-01

The high prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) in armed conflict has been documented in various national contexts, but less is known about the complex pathways that constitute the relation between the two. Employing a community-based collaborative approach, we constructed a community-informed socioecological conceptual model from a feminist perspective, detailing how armed conflict relates to GBV in a conflict-affected rural community in Northeastern Uganda. The research questions were as follows: (1) How does the community conceptualize GBV? and (2) How does armed conflict relate to GBV? Nine focus group discussions divided by gender, age, and profession and six key informant interviews were conducted. Participants' ages ranged from 9 to 80 years ( n =34 girls/women, n = 43 boys/men). Grounded theory was used in analysis. Participants conceptualized eight forms of and 22 interactive variables that contributed to GBV. Armed conflict affected physical violence/quarreling, sexual violence, early marriage, and land grabbing via a direct pathway and four indirect pathways initiated through looting of resources, militarization of the community, death of a parent(s) or husband, and sexual violence. The findings suggest that community, organizational, and policy-level interventions, which include attention to intersecting vulnerabilities for exposure to GBV in conflict-affected settings, should be prioritized. While tertiary psychological interventions with women and girls affected by GBV in these areas should not be eliminated, we suggest that policy makers and members of community and organizational efforts make systemic and structural changes. Online slides for instructors who want to use this article for teaching are available on PWQ 's website at http://journals.sagepub.com/page/pwq/suppl/index.

The Colorado Plateau II: biophysical, socioeconomic, and cultural research

USGS Publications Warehouse

Mattson, David J.; van Riper, Charles

2005-01-01

The publication of The Colorado Plateau: Cultural, Biological, and Physical Research in 2004 marked a timely summation of current research in the Four Corners states. This new volume, derived from the seventh Biennial Conference on the Colorado Plateau in 2003, complements the previous book by focusing on the integration of science into resource management issues. The 32 chapters range in content from measuring human impacts on cultural resources, through grazing and the wildland-urban interface issues, to parameters of climate change on the Plateau. The book also introduces economic perspectives by considering shifting patterns and regional disparities in the Colorado Plateau economy. A series of chapters on mountain lions explores the human-wildland interface. These chapters deal with the entire spectrum of challenges associated with managing this large mammal species in Arizona and on the Colorado Plateau, conveying a wealth of timely information of interest to wildlife managers and enthusiasts. Another provocative set of chapters on biophysical resources explores the management of forest restoration, from the micro scale all the way up to large-scale GIS analyses of ponderosa pine ecosystems on the Colorado Plateau. Given recent concerns for forest health in the wake of fires, severe drought, and bark-beetle infestation, these chapters will prove enlightening for forest service, park service, and land management professionals at both the federal and state level, as well as general readers interested in how forest management practices will ultimately affect their recreation activities. With broad coverage that touches on topics as diverse as movement patterns of rattlesnakes, calculating watersheds, and rescuing looted rockshelters, this volume stands as a compendium of cutting-edge research on the Colorado Plateau that offers a wealth of insights for many scholars.

Nitrate retention in riparian ground water at natural and elevated nitrate levels in North Central Minnesota

USGS Publications Warehouse

Duff, J.H.; Jackman, A.P.; Triska, F.J.; Sheibley, R.W.; Avanzino, R.J.

2007-01-01

The relationship between local ground water flows and NO3- transport to the channel was examined in three well transects from a natural, wooded riparian zone adjacent to the Shingobee River, MN. The hillslope ground water originated as recharge from intermittently grazed pasture up slope of the site. In the hillslope transect perpendicular to the stream, ground water NO3- concentrations decreased from ???3 mg N L-1 beneath the ridge (80 m from the channel) to 0.01 to 1.0 mg N L-1 at wells 1 to 3 m from the channel. The Cl- concentrations and NO3/Cl ratios decreased toward the channel indicating NO3- dilution and biotic retention. In the bankside well transect parallel to the stream, two distinct ground water environments were observed: an alluvial environment upstream of a relict beaver dam influenced by stream water and a hillslope environment downstream of the relict beaver dam. Nitrate was elevated to levels representative of agricultural runoff in a third well transect looted ???5 m from the stream to assess the effectiveness of the riparian zone as a NO3- sink. Subsurface NO3- injections revealed transport of up to 15 mg N L-1 was nearly conservative in the alluvial riparian environment. Addition of glucose stimulated dissolved oxygen uptake and promoted NO3- retention under both background and elevated NO 3- levels in summer and winter. Disappearance of added NO3- was followed by transient NO2- formation and, in the presence of C2H2, by N2O formation, demonstrating potential denitrification. Under current land use, most NO3- associated with local ground water is biotically retained or diluted before reaching the channel. However, elevating NO 3- levels through agricultural cultivation would likely result in increased NO3- transport to the channel. ?? ASA, CSSA, SSSA.

An economic perspective on Malawi's medical "brain drain".

PubMed

Record, Richard; Mohiddin, Abdu

2006-12-18

The medical "brain drain" has been described as rich countries "looting" doctors and nurses from developing countries undermining their health systems and public health. However this "brain-drain" might also be seen as a success in the training and "export" of health professionals and the benefits this provides. This paper illustrates the arguments and possible policy options by focusing on the situation in one of the poorest countries in the world, Malawi. Many see this "brain drain" of medical staff as wrong with developed countries exploiting poorer ones. The effects are considerable with Malawi facing high vacancy rates in its public health system, and with migration threatening to outstrip training despite efforts to improve pay and conditions. This shortage of staff has made it more challenging for Malawi to deliver on its Essential Health Package and to absorb new international health funding.Yet, without any policy effort Malawi has been able to demonstrate its global competitiveness in the training ("production") of skilled health professionals. Remittances from migration are a large and growing source of foreign exchange for poor countries and tend to go directly to households. Whilst the data for Malawi is limited, studies from other poor countries demonstrate the power of remittances in significantly reducing poverty. Malawi can benefit from the export of health professionals provided there is a resolution of the situation whereby the state pays for training and the benefits are gained by the individual professional working abroad. Solutions include migrating staff paying back training costs, or rich host governments remitting part of a tax (e.g. income or national insurance) to the Malawi government. These schemes would allow Malawi to scale up training of health professionals for local needs and to work abroad. There is concern about the negative impacts of the medical "brain-drain". However a closer look at the evidence for and against the medical

Recent Advances in Maya Studies Using Remotely Sensed Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2001-01-01

The Peten region of northern Guatemala is one of the last places on earth where major archeological sites remain to be discovered. It was in this region that the Maya civilization began, flourished, and abruptly disappeared. Remote sensing technology is helping to locate and map ancient Maya sites that are threatened today by accelerating deforestation and looting. Thematic Mapper and IKONOS satellite and airborne Star3i radar data, combined with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, are successfully detecting ancient Maya features such as cities, roadways, canals, and water reservoirs. Satellite imagery is also being used to map the bajos, which are seasonally flooded swamps that cover over 40% of the land surface. The use of baJos for farming has been a source of debate within the professional community for many years. But the recent detection and verification of cultural features within the baJo system by our research team are providing conclusive evidence that the ancient Maya had adapted well to wetland environments from the earliest times and utilized them until the time of the Maya collapse. The combination of water management and baJo farming is an important resource for the future of the current inhabitants who are experiencing rapid population growth. Remote sensing imagery is also demonstrating that in the Preclassic period (600 BC- AD 250), the Maya had already achieved a high organizational level as evidenced by the construction of massive temples and an elaborate inter-connecting roadway system. Although they experienced several setbacks such as droughts and hurricanes, the Maya nevertheless managed the delicate forest ecosystem successfully for several centuries. However, around AD 800, something happened to the Maya to cause their rapid decline and eventual disappearance from the region. The evidence indicates that at this time there was increased climatic dryness, extensive deforestation, overpopulation, and widespread warfare. This raises a

Recent Advances in Maya Studies Using Remotely Sensed Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2001-01-01

The Peten region of northern Guatemala is one of the last places on earth where major archeological sites remain to be discovered. It was in this region that the Maya civilization began, flourished, and abruptly disappeared. Remote sensing technology is helping to locate and map ancient Maya sites that are threatened today by accelerating deforestation and looting. Thematic Mapper and IKONOS satellite and airborne Star3i radar data, combined with Global Positioning System (GPS) technology, are successfully detecting ancient Maya features such as cities, roadways, canals, and water reservoirs. Satellite imagery is also being used to map the baJos, which are seasonally flooded swamps that cover over 40% of the land surface. The use of bajos for farming has been a source of debate within the professional community for many years. But the recent detection and verification of cultural features within the bajo system by our research team are providing conclusive evidence that the ancient Maya had adapted well to wetland environments from the earliest times and utilized them until the time of the Maya collapse. The combination of water management and bajo farming is an important resource for the future of the current inhabitants who are experiencing rapid population growth. Remote sensing imagery is also demonstrating that in the Preclassic period (600 BC- AD 250), the Maya had already achieved a high organizational level as evidenced by the construction of massive temples and an elaborate inter-connecting roadway system. Although they experienced several setbacks such as droughts and hurricanes, the Maya nevertheless managed the delicate forest ecosystem successfully for several centuries. However, around AD 800, something happened to the Maya to cause their rapid decline and eventual disappearance from the region. The evidence indicates that at this time there was increased climatic dryness, extensive deforestation, overpopulation, and widespread warfare. This raises a

As International As They Would Let Us Be

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trimble, Virginia

2015-08-01

Astronomers wanting to chart the whole sky or even part of it 24/7 must collaborate across nations, continents, and hemispheres. The Greeks were perhaps the first to try, but the pioneering modern international scientific project, von Zach’s “Himmelspolitzei,” started in 1800 at Schröter’s Lilienthal Observatory, only to have the city burned and the observatory looted by retreating French soldiers in 1813. The first post-Vereinigte Astronomische Gesellschaft asteroid wasn’t found until 1845. A few international efforts were completed in the 19th century (the AGKI and BD); the Paris-centered Carte du Ciel (1887-1964) might have been done faster with American participation (cf. the League of Nations and the international treaty that declared, without the US, the moon to be the “common Heritage of Mankind”). Kapteyn’s Selected Areas (1906) and Hale’s Solar Union (1907) were just getting started. And then there was a war, ending with a treaty (Versailles) that abolished all previously-existing cultural and scientific organizations and called for new ones, to include only the victorious countries. This included the IAU. Neutrals were to come later and the losers maybe never. In fact, partly for financial reasons, Germany did not join until 1948. Nationalistic issues have slowly disappeared from IAU agendas since the “two adhering organizations” solution was adopted for China in 1982. Member countries now come and go, mostly for economic reasons. So where are we in this International Year of Light? Discouraged by ever-brightening night skies, with bright cities signifying vibrant economies and contrails extending across borders and oceans. But also with SESAME (Synchrotron-light for Experimental Science and Applications in the Middle East) due to start up in 2015; things run late, so perhaps in the upcoming centenary of the death of Solar Union member Karl Schvarzschild. It is in Jordan, with participation from Israel, the Palestinian Authority

Mapping The Ancient Maya Landscape From Space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

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

2002-01-01

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

An economic perspective on Malawi's medical "brain drain"

PubMed Central

Record, Richard; Mohiddin, Abdu

2006-01-01

Background The medical "brain drain" has been described as rich countries "looting" doctors and nurses from developing countries undermining their health systems and public health. However this "brain-drain" might also be seen as a success in the training and "export" of health professionals and the benefits this provides. This paper illustrates the arguments and possible policy options by focusing on the situation in one of the poorest countries in the world, Malawi. Discussion Many see this "brain drain" of medical staff as wrong with developed countries exploiting poorer ones. The effects are considerable with Malawi facing high vacancy rates in its public health system, and with migration threatening to outstrip training despite efforts to improve pay and conditions. This shortage of staff has made it more challenging for Malawi to deliver on its Essential Health Package and to absorb new international health funding. Yet, without any policy effort Malawi has been able to demonstrate its global competitiveness in the training ("production") of skilled health professionals. Remittances from migration are a large and growing source of foreign exchange for poor countries and tend to go directly to households. Whilst the data for Malawi is limited, studies from other poor countries demonstrate the power of remittances in significantly reducing poverty. Malawi can benefit from the export of health professionals provided there is a resolution of the situation whereby the state pays for training and the benefits are gained by the individual professional working abroad. Solutions include migrating staff paying back training costs, or rich host governments remitting part of a tax (e.g. income or national insurance) to the Malawi government. These schemes would allow Malawi to scale up training of health professionals for local needs and to work abroad. Summary There is concern about the negative impacts of the medical "brain-drain". However a closer look at the evidence

Health care workers in danger zones: a special report on safety and security in a changing environment.

PubMed

Redwood-Campbell, Lynda J; Sekhar, Sharonya N; Persaud, Christine R

2014-10-01

Violence against humanitarian health care workers and facilities in situations of armed conflict is a serious humanitarian problem. Targeting health care workers and destroying or looting medical facilities directly or indirectly impacts the delivery of emergency and life-saving medical assistance, often at a time when it is most needed. Attacks may be intentional or unintentional and can take a range of forms from road blockades and check points which delay or block transport, to the direct targeting of hospitals, attacks against medical personnel, suppliers, patients, and armed entry into health facilities. Lack of access to vital health care services weakens the entire health system and exacerbates existing vulnerabilities, particularly among communities of women, children, the elderly, and the disabled, or anyone else in need of urgent or chronic care. Health care workers, especially local workers, are often the target. This report reviews the work being spearheaded by the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement on the Health Care in Danger initiative, which aims to strengthen the protections for health care workers and facilities in armed conflicts and ensure safe access for patients. This includes a review of internal reports generated from the expert workshops on a number of topics as well as a number of public sources documenting innovative coping mechanisms adopted by National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. The work of other organizations is also briefly examined. This is followed by a review of security mechanisms within the humanitarian sector to ensure the safety and security of health care personnel operating in armed conflicts. From the existing literature, a number of gaps have been identified with current security frameworks that need to be addressed to improve the safety of health care workers and ensure the protection and access of vulnerable populations requiring assistance. A way forward for policy, research, and practice is proposed for

Environmental legal implications of oil and gas exploration in the Niger Delta of Nigeria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orubebe, Bibobra Bello

Nigeria is an African country endowed with a wealth of oil and gas resources, and they are mainly found in the core Niger Delta (home to the Ijaw and Ogoni indigenous, ethnic minorities). Since Great Britain granted Nigeria political independence on October 1, 1960, successive Nigerian governments (military and civilian) have been dominated by the majority ethnic groups (Hausa-Fulani, Yoruba, and Ibo). Significantly, the government adopted a socialist-based model of absolute state ownership over oil and gas resources. The socialist model formed the basis of Nigeria's business collaboration with multinational oil and gas corporations from Europe and the United States (notably Shell, Chevron Texaco, Agip, Exxon Mobil, Total, and Elf). This model is fraught with contradictions and has led to unacceptable consequences, including policies that allow exploitation of natural resources without reference to environmental sustainability. When oil was first struck in 1956 at Oloibori (Ijaw area), people thought it would bring prosperity and an improved quality of life. Sadly, the opposite has occurred. Forty-nine years of hardship, agonizing pain, debilitating anger, extreme poverty, poisoned rivers, destroyed occupations, devastated environment, and stunted growth of the youth are the negative impacts of oil and gas exploitation in the Niger Delta. In other words, oil and gas exploration and production have visited a full range of evils---socio-political, economic, and cultural---upon the indigenous Niger Delta people. Furthermore, the wealth extracted from the area is used by the state and multinational corporations to enhance their own wealth and quality of life. Revenue has been conspicuously looted and misappropriated by political leaders at the expense of the Niger Delta environment and its people. This confluence of exploitation and injury has led to social upheavals and armed rebellions, all capable of precipitating the disintegration of the country. In this

Intumescent Coatings as Fire Retardants

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parker, J. A.; Fohlen, G. M.; Sawko, P. M.; Fish, R. H.

1970-01-01

ordinary coating pigment. The char found on intumescence is better in terms of yield and physical properties than chars obtained from many previously known intumescent materials. Prior to intumescence, the coating has a density of 85 pounds per cubic foot. After intumescence, the density is approximately 0.3 pounds per cubic loot. The linear expansion of the coatings ranges from 70 to 200 times the applied coating thickness.

Sandia National Laboratories support of the Iraq Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposal Program.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Cochran, John Russell; Danneels, Jeffrey John

2009-03-01

Because of past military operations, lack of upkeep and looting there are now enormous radioactive waste problems in Iraq. These waste problems include destroyed nuclear facilities, uncharacterized radioactive wastes, liquid radioactive waste in underground tanks, wastes related to the production of yellow cake, sealed radioactive sources, activated metals and contaminated metals that must be constantly guarded. Iraq currently lacks the trained personnel, regulatory and physical infrastructure to safely and securely manage these facilities and wastes. In 2005 the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) agreed to organize an international cooperative program to assist Iraq with these issues. Soon after, the Iraqmore » Nuclear Facility Dismantlement and Disposal Program (the NDs Program) was initiated by the U.S. Department of State (DOS) to support the IAEA and assist the Government of Iraq (GOI) in eliminating the threats from poorly controlled radioactive materials. The Iraq NDs Program is providing support for the IAEA plus training, consultation and limited equipment to the GOI. The GOI owns the problems and will be responsible for implementation of the Iraq NDs Program. Sandia National Laboratories (Sandia) is a part of the DOS's team implementing the Iraq NDs Program. This report documents Sandia's support of the Iraq NDs Program, which has developed into three principal work streams: (1) training and technical consultation; (2) introducing Iraqis to modern decommissioning and waste management practices; and (3) supporting the IAEA, as they assist the GOI. Examples of each of these work streams include: (1) presentation of a three-day training workshop on 'Practical Concepts for Safe Disposal of Low-Level Radioactive Waste in Arid Settings;' (2) leading GOI representatives on a tour of two operating low level radioactive waste disposal facilities in the U.S.; and (3) supporting the IAEA's Technical Meeting with the GOI from April 21-25, 2008. As noted in

Satellite SAR imagery for site discovery, change detection and monitoring activities in cultural heritage sites: experiments on the Nasca region, Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapete, D.; Cigna, F.; Masini, N.; Lasaponara, R.

2012-04-01

data stacks were selected: ERS-2 ascending data acquired in 2001-2011, ENVISAT ASAR ascending and descending data acquired in 2003-2007, and ALOS PALSAR descending and ascending data acquired in 2007 and 2008. The feature extraction was specifically addressed to the recognition of buried structures, archaeological deposits and the study of the buried networks of aqueducts, as well as the morphological study of the Nasca geoglyphs. Change detection analysis also included the multi-temporal reconstruction of the evolution of the Rio Nasca catchment basin, while specific tests were performed to demonstrate the usefulness of SAR imagery for monitoring looting activities. The results of the radar-interpretation compared and integrated with the field investigations will support the archaeological activities and contribute to the monitoring and enhancement of archaeological heritage and cultural landscape of the Nasca region.

[Bernard Schapiro--an orthodox Jew as an early andrologist in the 20th century].

PubMed

Borgwardt, Götz

2002-01-01

The unusual history and professional background of one of the first andrologists is reported. Bernhard Schapiro, born in 1888 in Dvinsk in Latvia, then a city in the Russian Pale of Settlements for Jews, grew up as an orthodox (hassidic) Jew receiving exclusively talmudic lessons until he was 18 years old. During the final years of this period of life he was educated at the famous Slobodka Talmud Academy Kenesset Israel in Kovno where he absorbed the ideals of Musar-doctrines, thus being influenced for the rest of his life. The Rogachover Gaon J. Rozin supported his desire to study medicine. After a brief stay in Frankfurt/Main he acquired by own efforts the necessary general knowledge to matriculate for access to university. Medical studies at Zurich University (1913-1919) were followed by a one-year-internship at a dermatologic department in Breslau/Silesia. The thesis for his doctorate at Zurich University in 1920 was on, Relations between Nodular Erythema and Tuberculosis'. He spent two years training in dermatology at Breslau University under Jadassohn. Back in Berlin, he married and had four children, while he worked at Magnus Hirschfeld's Institute for Sexual Sciences. After initial clinical studies in venerology he more and more turned to andrological problems, including treatment of underdeveloped male genitals, premature ejaculation and impotence in general. In this context he tested the new drug Praehormon and developed the two remedies Testifortan and Praejaculin. He was the first to describe the effect of anterior pituitary lobe hormone on the descent of cryptorchid testicles, thus initiating a treatment modality still in motion today. When Hitler came to power he and his family were spared as Swiss citizens, but he lost his base for working after the Institute was looted. He established an andrologic practice at Zurich. What he had witnessed in Germany caused him to set up a Swiss branch of Mizrachi, the spiritually based center of Zionism in

INL Cultural Resource Monitoring Report for FY 2015

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Pace, Brenda Ringe; Olson, Christina Liegh; Gilbert, Hollie Kae

This report describes the cultural resource monitoring activities of the Idaho National Laboratory’s (INL) Cultural Resource Management (CRM) Office during fiscal year (FY) 2015. Throughout the year, 67 total monitoring visits were completed, with several especially sensitive resources visited on more than one occasion. Overall, FY 2015 monitoring included surveillance of the following 49 individual cultural resource localities: three locations with human remains, one of which is also a cave; nine additional caves; twenty prehistoric archaeological sites; five historic archaeological sites; two historic trails; Experimental Breeder Reactor I (EBR-I), a National Historic Landmark; Aircraft Nuclear Propulsion (ANP) objects located atmore » EBR-I; and eight Arco Naval Proving Ground (NPG) property types. Several INL work processes and projects were also monitored to confirm compliance with original INL CRM recommendations and assess the effects of ongoing work. On two occasions, ground disturbing activities within the boundaries of the Power Burst Facility/Critical Infrastructure Test Range Complex (PBF/CITRC) were observed by INL CRM staff prepared to respond to any additional finds of Native American human remains. Finally, the current location housing INL Archives and Special Collections was evaluated once. Most of the cultural resources monitored in FY 2015 exhibited no adverse impacts, resulting in Type 1 impact assessments. However, Type 2 impacts were noted 13 times. In one case, a portion of a historic trail was graded without prior review or coordination with the INL CRM Office, resulting in impacts to the surface of the trail and one archaeological site. Evidence of unauthorized artifact collection/ looting was also documented at three archaeological sites located along INL powerlines. Federal agents concluded a FY 2012 investigation by filing civil charges and levying fine under the Archaeological Resource Protection Act against one INL employee for

Comparative evaluation of effects of bleaching on color stability and marginal adaptation of discolored direct and indirect composite laminate veneers under in vivo conditions.

PubMed

Jain, Veena; Das, Taposh K; Pruthi, Gunjan; Shah, Naseem; Rajendiran, Suresh

2015-01-01

Change in color and loss of marginal adaptation of tooth colored restorative materials is not acceptable. Bleaching is commonly used for treating discolored teeth. However, the literature is scanty regarding its effect on color and marginal adaptation of direct and indirect composite laminate veneers (CLVs) under in vivo conditions. Purpose of the study was to determine the effect of bleaching on color change and marginal adaptation of direct and indirect CLVs over a period of time when exposed to the oral environment. For this purpose, a total of 14 subjects irrespective of age and sex indicated for CLV restorations on maxillary anterior teeth were selected following the inclusion and exclusion criteria. For each subject, indirect CLVs were fabricated and looted in the first quadrant (Group 1) and direct CLV's (Group 2), were given in the second quadrant. Color change was assessed clinically using intra-oral digital spectrophotometer and marginal adaptation was assessed on epoxy resin replica of the tooth-restoration interface under scanning electron microscope. After 6 months, the subjects underwent a home bleaching regimen for 14 days using 10% carbamide peroxide. The assessment of color change and marginal adaptation was done at 6 months after veneering (0-180 days), immediately after the bleaching regimen (0-194 days) and 3 months after the bleaching regimen (0-284 days). The difference in median color change (ΔE) between the groups was tested using Wilcoxon rank sum test while the median color change with time within the groups was tested using Wilcoxon signed rank test. The difference in the rates of marginal adaptation was tested between the groups using Chi-square/Fisher's exact test. Bleaching led to statistically significant color change at cervical (CE), middle and incisal (IE) regions when direct and indirect composites were compared (P < 0.05). During intra-group comparison, direct CLV's showed significant color change at CE and IE regions when �

Space Archeology Overview at Gordion: 2010 to 2012

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, Compton J.; Slayback, Daniel; Nigro, Joseph D.; Yager, Karina A.

2014-01-01

In fiscal years 2010, 2011, and 2012, Compton Tucker was the principal investigator of a NASA Space Archaeology project that worked at Gordion, in Central Turkey. Tucker was assisted by an excellent team of co-workers including Joseph Nigro and Daniel Slayback of Science Systems Applications Incorporated, Jenny Strum of the University of New Mexico, and Karina Yager, a post doctoral fellow at NASA/GSFC. This report summaries their research activities at Gordion for the field seasons of 2010, 2011, and 2012. Because of the possible use of our findings at Gordion for tomb robbing there and/or the encouragement of potential tomb robbers using our geophysical survey methods to locate areas to loot, we have not published any of our survey results in the open literature nor placed any of these results on any web sites. These 2010- 2012 survey results remain in the confidential archives of the University of Pennsylvania's University Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, the group that leads the Gordion Excavation and Research Project. Excavations are planned for 2013 at Gordion, including several that will be based upon the research results in this report. The site of Gordion in central Turkey, famous as the home of King Midas, whose father's intricately tied knot gave the site its name, also served as the center of the Phrygian kingdom that ruled much of Central Anatolia in Asia Minor during the early first millennium B.C. Gordion has been a University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology excavation project since 1950, yet the site is incompletely published despite six decades of research. The primary obstacles related to the site and its preservation were two problems that NASA technology could address: (1) critical survey errors in the hundreds of maps and plans produced by the earlier excavators, most of which used mutually incompatible geospatial referencing systems, that prevented any systematic understanding of the site; and (2) agricultural

Ground Penetrating Radar employment for searching ancient cisterns.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Semeraro, Grazia; Notario, Corrado; Persico, Raffaele

2017-04-01

Ground Penetrating Radar technology and methodology can provide support for the archaeological research. In particular, investigations in archaeological sites [1-3] and monuments of historical interest [4-6] have provided in many cases information of interest about the presence, the size, the shape and the depth of embedded anomalies, that can range from foundations to crypts, or also walled passages, walled doors, embedded voids or reinforcement bars, fractures and so on. In this contribution we will focus on the possibility to identify ancient cisterns with the aid of a GPR prospection. In particular, the attention will be focused on Messapic cisterns. The Messapians were a population that used to reside in the southern part of the Apulia region (the so called Salento), Their remains dates back from the 8th century B.C. up to the Roman conquest, in the 3rd century B.C. They used to build cisterns for gathering the rain water, both for drinking and for agricultural purposes. The shape of the cisterns can be quite different from case to case, and rarely they are found empty. Rether, in most cases the remains shows a structure with the roof collapsed and filled up with loose materials, which makes their identification with a GPR a challenging issue. At the conference, the results and the interpretation of GPR data gathered in the two Messapic sites of San Vito dei Normanni and Cavallino (both in the Salento area) will be shown and discussed. References 1) R. Lasaponara, G. Leucci, N. Masini, R. Persico, Investigating archaeological looting using satellite images and GEORADAR: the experience in Lambayeque in North Peru, Journal of Archaeological Science, vol. 42, pp. 216-230, 2014. 2) R. Castaldo, L. Crocco, M. Fedi, B. Garofalo, R. Persico, A. Rossi, F. Soldovieri, GPR Microwave Tomography for Diagnostic of Archaeological Sites: the Case of a high-way construction in Pontecagnano (Southern Italy), Archaeological Prospection, vol. 16, pp. 203-217, 2009. 3) L. Matera

The Collapse of Ancient Societies by Great Earthquakes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur, A. M.

2001-12-01

probably limited and may have required a few tens of years to rebuild. But when severe ground shaking is widespread, and when it happened during a major military conflict the devastation may have been so great that it took hundreds of years for a society to recover- going through a dark ages period during which many of the technical skills (e.g., writing) are abandoned (e.g., the cessation of linear B), construction and repairs of monumental buildings ceased, and looting of building materials by surviving squatters was common. In contrast we can imagine the pastoral countryside, especially away from the tsunami prone coastal areas, to have been much less affected (and perhaps even flourished a little as their tax burden to the ruling elite is reduced). During a regional seismic crisis an entire region must have been subjected to a series of devastations by earthquakes over a short period of time. The catastrophic collapse of the main eastern Mediterranean civilizations at the end of the Bronze Age may be a case in point, with the `Sea People' being mostly squatters and refugees.

Archaeological prospection of cultural heritage in the Nasca region, Peru, by coupling ENVISAT ASAR 2003-2007 and optical-VHR time series

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tapete, Deodato; Cigna, Francesca; Masini, Nicola; Lasaponara, Rosa

2013-04-01

. Advantages and shortcomings of the SAR signature-based recognition of archaeological features on the ground are discussed through the test sites of the geoglyphs groups belonging to the Nasca Lines and the puquios along Rio Taruga, with specific reference to the medium spatial resolution offered by ENVISAT ASAR scenes and the supporting comparison with the VHR-optical imagery. Amplitude change detection demonstrates high suitability to highlight temporal differences from which we can infer: (i) modifications due to human activity (e.g., looting in Cahuachi); (ii) surface alteration of the exposed archaeological structures (i.e. site conservation issues); (iii) variations of soil water content and vegetation in agricultural areas where puquios are built; and (iv) land surface processes which can trigger natural hazards potentially damaging cultural and natural heritage, as also demonstrated by past and recent mudslides in Cahuachi and the Andean foot-hills. References Lasaponara R., Masini N. 2012. Investigating satellite Landsat TM and ASTER multitemporal data set to discover ancient canals and acqueduct systems, in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, Vol. 7335, Issue 3, 2012, Pages 497-511, 12th International Conference on Computational Science and Its Applications, ICCSA 2012, doi: 10.1007/978-3-642-31137-6_38. Masini N., Lasaponara R., Rizzo E., Orefici G. 2012. Integrated Remote Sensing Approach in Cahuachi (Peru): Studies and Results of the ITACA Mission (2007-2010), In: Lasaponara R., Masini N. (Eds) 2012, Satellite Remote Sensing: a new tool for Archaeology, Springer, Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, ISBN 978-90-481-8800-0, doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-8801-7_14; pp. 307-344.

A revision of the family Ameroseiidae (Acari, Mesostigmata), with some data on Slovak fauna

PubMed Central

Mašán, Peter

2017-01-01

, 1918 = Kleemannia plumosa (Oudemans, 1902); Ameroseius eumorphus Bregetova, 1977 and Kleemannia potchefstroomensis Kruger & Loots, 1980 = Kleemannia pseudoplumosa (Rack, 1972); Ameroseius gilarovi Petrova, 1986 = Kleemannia plumigera Oudemans, 1930; Ameroseius imparsetosus Westerboer, 1963 = Ameroseius georgei (Turk, 1943); Ameroseius lanatus Solomon, 1969 and Ameroseius fimetorum Karg, 1971 = Kleemannia tenella (Berlese, 1916); Ameroseius lanceosetis Livshits & Mitrofanov, 1975 = Kleemannia pavida (C. L. Koch, 1839); Ameroseius marginalis Fan & Li, 1993 and Ameroseius sichuanensis Fan & Li, 1993 = Kleemannia insignis (Bernhard, 1963); Ameroseius pseudofurcatus Livshits & Mitrofanov, 1975 = Ameroseius furcatus Karg, 1971; Ameroseius stramenis Karg, 1976 and Lasioseius (Lasioseius) gracilis Halbert, 1923 = Kleemannia delicata (Berlese, 1918); Epicriopsis langei Livshits & Mitrofanov, 1975 and Epicriopsis baloghi Kandil, 1978 = Epicriopsis palustris Karg, 1971; Epicriopsis rivus Karg, 1971 = Epicriopsis mirabilis Willmann, 1956; Neocypholaelaps ewae Haitlinger, 1987 = Neocypholaelaps indicus Evans, 1963; Neocypholaelaps lindquisti Prasad, 1968, Afrocypholaelaps ranomafanaensis Haitlinger, 1987 and Afrocypholaelaps analicullus Ho, Ma, Wang & Severinghaus, 2010 = Afrocypholaelaps africanus (Evans, 1963); Sinoseius pinnatus Huhta & Karg, 2010 = Sinoseius lobatus Bai, Gu & Fang, 1995. Ameroseius womersleyi Mašán, is a replacement name proposed for Ameroseius ornatus Womersley, 1956, a junior secondary homonym of Cornubia ornata Turk, 1943 [= Ameroseius corbiculus (Sowerby, 1806)]. Cornubia georgei Turk, 1943 is removed from synonymy with Ameroseius corbiculus (Sowerby, 1806). An annotated catalogue of the world species of Ameroseiidae is provided, partly based on type (in more than 60 species) and non-type specimens from various museum deposits and personal collections, including new or revised material from Slovakia. It contains 206 named species (138 valid species, 37

Multitemporal satellite change detection investigations for documentation and valorization of cultural landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasaponara, R.; Masini, n.

2012-04-01

archaeological prospection. Int J Remote Sens 27: 3607-3614. Lasaponara R, Masini N (2006b) Identification of archaeological buried remains based on Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from Quickbird satellite data. IEEE Geosci Remote S 3(3): 325-328. Lasaponara R, Masini N (2007a) Detection of archaeological crop marks by using satellite QuickBird multispectral imagery. J Archaeol Sci 34: 214-21. Lasaponara R, Masini N (2007b) Improving satellite Quickbird - based identification of landscape archaeological features trough tasselled cup transformation and PCA. 21st CIPA Symposium, Atene, 1-6 giugno 2007. Lasaponara R, Masini N (2010) Facing the archaeological looting in Peru by local spatial autocorrelation statistics of Very high resolution satellite imagery. In: Taniar D et al (Eds), Proceedings of ICSSA, The 2010 International Conference on Computational Science and its Application (Fukuoka-Japan, March 23 - 26, 2010), Springer, Berlin, 261-269. Lasaponara R, Masini N (2011) Satellite Remote Sensing in Archaeology : past, present and future. J Archaeol Sc 38: 1995-2002. Lasaponara R, Masini N, Rizzo E, Orefici G (2011) New discoveries in the Piramide Naranjada in Cahuachi (Peru) using satellite, Ground Probing Radar and magnetic investigations. J Archaeol Sci 38: 2031-2039. Lasaponara R, Masini N, Scardozzi G (2008) Satellite based archaeological research in ancient territory of Hierapolis. 1st International EARSeL Workshop. Advances in Remote Sensing for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Management", CNR, Rome, September 30-October 4, Aracne, Rome, pp.11-16. Lillesand T M, Kiefer R W (2000) Remote Sensing and Image interpretation. John Wiley and Sons, New York. Masini N, Lasaponara R (2006) Satellite-based recognition of landscape archaeological features related to ancient human transformation. J Geophys Eng 3: 230-235, doi:10.1088/1742-2132/3/3/004. Masini N, Lasaponara R (2007) Investigating the spectral capability of QuickBird data to detect archaeological

On the use of wavelet for extracting feature patterns from Multitemporal google earth satellite data sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lasaponara, R.

2012-04-01

, Masini N (2006b) Identification of archaeological buried remains based on Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) from Quickbird satellite data. IEEE Geosci Remote S 3(3): 325-328. Lasaponara R, Masini N (2007a) Detection of archaeological crop marks by using satellite QuickBird multispectral imagery. J Archaeol Sci 34: 214-21. Lasaponara R, Masini N (2007b) Improving satellite Quickbird - based identification of landscape archaeological features trough tasselled cup transformation and PCA. 21st CIPA Symposium, Atene, 1-6 giugno 2007. Lasaponara R, Masini N (2010) Facing the archaeological looting in Peru by local spatial autocorrelation statistics of Very high resolution satellite imagery. In: Taniar D et al (Eds), Proceedings of ICSSA, The 2010 International Conference on Computational Science and its Application (Fukuoka-Japan, March 23 - 26, 2010), Springer, Berlin, 261-269. Lasaponara R, Masini N (2011) Satellite Remote Sensing in Archaeology : past, present and future. J Archaeol Sc 38: 1995-2002. Lasaponara R, Masini N, Rizzo E, Orefici G (2011) New discoveries in the Piramide Naranjada in Cahuachi (Peru) using satellite, Ground Probing Radar and magnetic investigations. J Archaeol Sci 38: 2031-2039. Lasaponara R, Masini N, Scardozzi G (2008) Satellite based archaeological research in ancient territory of Hierapolis. 1st International EARSeL Workshop. Advances in Remote Sensing for Archaeology and Cultural Heritage Management", CNR, Rome, September 30-October 4, Aracne, Rome, pp.11-16. Lillesand T M, Kiefer R W (2000) Remote Sensing and Image interpretation. John Wiley and Sons, New York. Masini N, Lasaponara R (2006) Satellite-based recognition of landscape archaeological features related to ancient human transformation. J Geophys Eng 3: 230-235, doi:10.1088/1742-2132/3/3/004. Masini N, Lasaponara R (2007) Investigating the spectral capability of QuickBird data to detect archaeological remains buried under vegetated and not vegetated areas. J Cult Heri 8 (1

Archaeogeophysical investigations in Tiwanaku: preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masini, Nicola; Sileo, Maria; Lasaponara, Rosa; Leucci, Giovanni; Orefici, Giuseppe; Rizzo, Enzo

2017-04-01

-1450) Tiwanaku was characterized by the resurgence of regional identities and polities In spite of the rich archaeological record numerous issues, related to the function and the extension of Tiwanaku, need to be investigated especially in the monumental core which includes the pyramid of Akapana, and other ceremonial places such Kalasasaya, Putuni and Kantatallita. To this aims some geophysical investigations were performed in 2009 and 2014 in the context of multidisciplinary research including the use of satellite remote sensing [8]. This paper deals with the discussion of preliminary results of geomagnetic and GPR investigations, some of which have been verified by trial archaeological excavations which have unearthed some buried structures, improving the knowledge of the ceremonial areas of Tiwanaku. References [1] Lasaponara R., Leucci G., Masini N., Persico R., Scardozzi G., Towards an operative use of remote sensing for exploring the past using satellite data: The case study of Hierapolis (Turkey), Remote sensing of Environment, 174 (2016) : 148-164, doi:10.1016/j.rse.2015.12.016 [2] Masini N., Lasaponara R., Rizzo E., Orefici G. 2012. Integrated Remote Sensing Approach in Cahuachi (Peru): Studies and Results of the ITACA Mission (2007-2010), In: Lasaponara R., Masini N. (Eds) 2012, Satellite Remote Sensing: a new tool for Archaeology, Springer, Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, ISBN 978-90-481-8800-0, doi: 10.1007/978-90-481-8801-7_14; pp. 307-344 [3] Rizzo E., Masini N., Lasaponara R., Orefici G. 2010, ArchaeoGeophysical methods in the Templo del Escalonado (Cahuachi, Nasca, Perù), Near Surface Geophysics 8 (5), 433-439, doi:10.3997/1873-0604.2010030 [4] Masini N., Rizzo E., Lasaponara R., and Orefici G. 2008, Integrated remote sensing techniques for the detection of buried archaeological adobe structures: preliminary results in Cahuachi (Peru), Advances in Geosciences, 19, 75-82 [5] Lasaponara R., Leucci G., Masini N., Persico R. 2014. Investigating archaeological looting

Archaeology, historical site risk assessment and monitoring by UAV: approaches and case studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pecci, Antonio; Masini, Nicola

2016-04-01

multiple overlapping images. The usefulness of UAV-based investigations has been given by its integrability with other methods of remote sensing including geophysics, optical and SAR satellite remote sensing. The presentation deals with the methodological approaches and the results in three historical sites for different applications such as: 1) archaeological site discovery, 2) the study and observation of archaeological looting and 3) the 3d reconstruction of building and sites. In the case 1) UAV has been used for the creation of orthophotos and digital elevantion models (DEMs) as well as the identification of archaeological marks and microrelief, as proxy indicators of the presence of archaeological buried remains. The obtained information have been compared and integrated with those provided by georadar and geomagnetic prospections. The investigated site is a medieval settlement, including a benedectine monastery, dated to 12-15th century. It is San Pietro a Cellaria, located in the territory of Calvello, in Basilicata (Southern Italy). The multisensor integrated approach allowed to identify several features referable to buried structures of the monastery (Leucci et al. 2015; Roubis et al. 2015). In the case 2) UAVs have been used for the identification and analysis of traces of grave robbers, in the territory of Anzi (Basilicata). Since the end of the 18th century to the first half of the 20th century, hundreds of tombs of the Archaic, Lucan and Roman age have been destroyed and stolen. The case 3) is related to the ceremonial centre of Pachacamac in Peru, which was investigated for several years by the international mission ITACA (Italian scientific mission for heritage Conservation and Archaeogeophysics) of IBAM/IMAA CNR of Potenza (Italy) (Lasaponara et al. 2016b). For more than 2,000 years, Pachacamac was one of the main centers of religious cult keeping this role unchanged in different historical periods and for different cultures such as Chavin, Lima, Huari

Report on the 2010 Chilean earthquake and tsunami response

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2011-01-01

. These plans need to be flexible, include alternative options, and be completed in conjunction with local officials and other volunteers. The Executive/Red Cross Management Team took a broad look at the impacts of the earthquake and the implications for California. Some of the most important preparation for the disaster came from relationships formed before the event. The communities with strong connections between different government services generally fared well. The initial response and resilience of individuals and communities was another important component. Communication system failures limited the ability of a central government to assist impacted communities, or to issue tsunami warnings. It also delayed the response since the government did not know (in some case for several days) the impact and needs of local governments. In general, plans for congregate care shelters existed but were little used as most people chose to stay at damaged homes or with relatives. Looting was a surprise to response officials as well as social scientists, but both public and private sector organizations, including NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations), must consider security for damaged businesses as a priority in California’s multihazard planning. Class and ethnic divisions that become heightened during some cases of actual or perceived injustice may also emerge in natural disasters in California. Several factors contributed overall to the low casualty rate and rapid recovery. A major factor is the strong building code in Chile and its comprehensive enforcement. In particular, Chile has a law that holds building owners accountable for losses in a building they build for 10 years. A second factor was the limited number of fires after the earthquake. In the last few California earthquakes, 60% of the fires were started by electrical problems, so the rarity of fires may have been affected by the shut down of the electricity grid early in the earthquake. Third, in many areas, the