Vegetation development in the Middle Euphrates and Upper Jazirah (Syria/Turkey) during the Bronze Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deckers, Katleen; Pessin, Hugues

2010-09-01

Vegetation changes are reconstructed based on more than 51,000 charcoal fragments of more than 380 samples from nine Bronze Age sites in northern Syria and southern Turkey. In addition to fragment proportions, special attention was paid to the frequency of Pistacia relative to Quercus and Populus/ Salix relative to Tamarix, fruit-tree ubiquity, and riverine diversity in order to gain an improved understanding of the human versus climatic impact on the vegetation. The results indicate that human impacts first took place within the riverine forest. This phase was followed by land clearing within the woodland steppe, especially in the northern portion of the study area. In the south near Emar, the woodland steppe probably disappeared by the Late Bronze Age. It is uncertain whether this was caused by aridification and/or human clearing. The northward shift of the Pistacia-woodland steppe is very likely a result of climatic drying that occurred throughout the entire period under investigation. Although increased deforestation is evident through time, the small proportions of imported wood indicate that local resources were still available.

Environmental Roots of the Late Bronze Age Crisis

PubMed Central

Kaniewski, David; Van Campo, Elise; Guiot, Joël; Le Burel, Sabine; Otto, Thierry; Baeteman, Cecile

2013-01-01

The Late Bronze Age world of the Eastern Mediterranean, a rich linkage of Aegean, Egyptian, Syro-Palestinian, and Hittite civilizations, collapsed famously 3200 years ago and has remained one of the mysteries of the ancient world since the event’s retrieval began in the late 19th century AD/CE. Iconic Egyptian bas-reliefs and graphic hieroglyphic and cuneiform texts portray the proximate cause of the collapse as the invasions of the “Peoples-of-the-Sea” at the Nile Delta, the Turkish coast, and down into the heartlands of Syria and Palestine where armies clashed, famine-ravaged cities abandoned, and countrysides depopulated. Here we report palaeoclimate data from Cyprus for the Late Bronze Age crisis, alongside a radiocarbon-based chronology integrating both archaeological and palaeoclimate proxies, which reveal the effects of abrupt climate change-driven famine and causal linkage with the Sea People invasions in Cyprus and Syria. The statistical analysis of proximate and ultimate features of the sequential collapse reveals the relationships of climate-driven famine, sea-borne-invasion, region-wide warfare, and politico-economic collapse, in whose wake new societies and new ideologies were created. PMID:23967146

The first horse herders and the impact of early Bronze Age steppe expansions into Asia.

PubMed

de Barros Damgaard, Peter; Martiniano, Rui; Kamm, Jack; Moreno-Mayar, J Víctor; Kroonen, Guus; Peyrot, Michaël; Barjamovic, Gojko; Rasmussen, Simon; Zacho, Claus; Baimukhanov, Nurbol; Zaibert, Victor; Merz, Victor; Biddanda, Arjun; Merz, Ilja; Loman, Valeriy; Evdokimov, Valeriy; Usmanova, Emma; Hemphill, Brian; Seguin-Orlando, Andaine; Yediay, Fulya Eylem; Ullah, Inam; Sjögren, Karl-Göran; Iversen, Katrine Højholt; Choin, Jeremy; de la Fuente, Constanza; Ilardo, Melissa; Schroeder, Hannes; Moiseyev, Vyacheslav; Gromov, Andrey; Polyakov, Andrei; Omura, Sachihiro; Senyurt, Süleyman Yücel; Ahmad, Habib; McKenzie, Catriona; Margaryan, Ashot; Hameed, Abdul; Samad, Abdul; Gul, Nazish; Khokhar, Muhammad Hassan; Goriunova, O I; Bazaliiskii, Vladimir I; Novembre, John; Weber, Andrzej W; Orlando, Ludovic; Allentoft, Morten E; Nielsen, Rasmus; Kristiansen, Kristian; Sikora, Martin; Outram, Alan K; Durbin, Richard; Willerslev, Eske

2018-05-09

The Yamnaya expansions from the western steppe into Europe and Asia during the Early Bronze Age (~3000 BCE) are believed to have brought with them Indo-European languages and possibly horse husbandry. We analyze 74 ancient whole-genome sequences from across Inner Asia and Anatolia and show that the Botai people associated with the earliest horse husbandry derived from a hunter-gatherer population deeply diverged from the Yamnaya. Our results also suggest distinct migrations bringing West Eurasian ancestry into South Asia before and after but not at the time of Yamnaya culture. We find no evidence of steppe ancestry in Bronze Age Anatolia from when Indo-European languages are attested there. Thus, in contrast to Europe, Early Bronze Age Yamnaya-related migrations had limited direct genetic impact in Asia. Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Symbolic Metal Bit and Saddlebag Fastenings in a Middle Bronze Age Donkey Burial

PubMed Central

Bar-Oz, Guy; Nahshoni, Pirhiya; Motro, Hadas; Oren, Eliezer D.

2013-01-01

Here we report the unprecedented discovery of the skeleton of a ritually interred donkey with a metal horse bit in association with its teeth and saddlebag fastenings on its back. This discovery in the Middle Bronze Age III sacred precinct (1700/1650-1550 BCE) at Tel Haror, Israel, presents a unique combination of evidence for the early employment of equid harnessing equipment, both for chariot bridling (horse bit) and pack animals (saddlebags). The ritually deposited donkey with its unique accoutrements advances our understanding of the broad social and religious significance of equids in the Levantine Bronze Age, previously known mainly from textual and iconographical sources. PMID:23484046

Analysis of 3800-year-old Yersinia pestis genomes suggests Bronze Age origin for bubonic plague.

PubMed

Spyrou, Maria A; Tukhbatova, Rezeda I; Wang, Chuan-Chao; Valtueña, Aida Andrades; Lankapalli, Aditya K; Kondrashin, Vitaly V; Tsybin, Victor A; Khokhlov, Aleksandr; Kühnert, Denise; Herbig, Alexander; Bos, Kirsten I; Krause, Johannes

2018-06-08

The origin of Yersinia pestis and the early stages of its evolution are fundamental subjects of investigation given its high virulence and mortality that resulted from past pandemics. Although the earliest evidence of Y. pestis infections in humans has been identified in Late Neolithic/Bronze Age Eurasia (LNBA 5000-3500y BP), these strains lack key genetic components required for flea adaptation, thus making their mode of transmission and disease presentation in humans unclear. Here, we reconstruct ancient Y. pestis genomes from individuals associated with the Late Bronze Age period (~3800 BP) in the Samara region of modern-day Russia. We show clear distinctions between our new strains and the LNBA lineage, and suggest that the full ability for flea-mediated transmission causing bubonic plague evolved more than 1000 years earlier than previously suggested. Finally, we propose that several Y. pestis lineages were established during the Bronze Age, some of which persist to the present day.

Ancient X chromosomes reveal contrasting sex bias in Neolithic and Bronze Age Eurasian migrations.

PubMed

Goldberg, Amy; Günther, Torsten; Rosenberg, Noah A; Jakobsson, Mattias

2017-03-07

Dramatic events in human prehistory, such as the spread of agriculture to Europe from Anatolia and the late Neolithic/Bronze Age migration from the Pontic-Caspian Steppe, can be investigated using patterns of genetic variation among the people who lived in those times. In particular, studies of differing female and male demographic histories on the basis of ancient genomes can provide information about complexities of social structures and cultural interactions in prehistoric populations. We use a mechanistic admixture model to compare the sex-specifically-inherited X chromosome with the autosomes in 20 early Neolithic and 16 late Neolithic/Bronze Age human remains. Contrary to previous hypotheses suggested by the patrilocality of many agricultural populations, we find no evidence of sex-biased admixture during the migration that spread farming across Europe during the early Neolithic. For later migrations from the Pontic Steppe during the late Neolithic/Bronze Age, however, we estimate a dramatic male bias, with approximately five to 14 migrating males for every migrating female. We find evidence of ongoing, primarily male, migration from the steppe to central Europe over a period of multiple generations, with a level of sex bias that excludes a pulse migration during a single generation. The contrasting patterns of sex-specific migration during these two migrations suggest a view of differing cultural histories in which the Neolithic transition was driven by mass migration of both males and females in roughly equal numbers, perhaps whole families, whereas the later Bronze Age migration and cultural shift were instead driven by male migration, potentially connected to new technology and conquest.

Earthquake and the Catastrophic End of the Late Bronze Age in the Eastern Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nur, A.

2009-04-01

The reasons for the catastrophic and wide spread political as well as physical collapse in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean areas that define the end of the Bronze age ca. 1225 BC to 1175 BC remain a major enigma. It has been attributed by historian to attacks by outsiders with the most favored group being the (enigmatic) so-called sea people. Unfortunately there is no real evidence for this. However combined geological, geophysical and archaeological evidence suggests that earthquakes may have played a key role in this extraordinary collapse during the late 13th and early 12th centuries . Based on the instrumentally recorded earthquakes occurring in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean region during the 20th century, several events that have clear historical information, and the geography of seismically active faults it is obvious that numerous earthquakes of magnitude 6·5 or greater (enough to destroy modern buildings, let alone those of antiquity) occurred here frequently in the past. Furthermore major earthquakes often occur in this region in groups, known as ‘‘sequences'' or ‘‘storms'', in which one large quake is followed days, months, or a few years later by others elsewhere on the plate boundary fault lines. When a map of the areas in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean region shaken by 20th century  earthquakes of magnitude 6·5 and greater and with an intensity of VII or greater is overlaid on Robert Drews' map of sites destroyed in these same regions during the so-called ‘‘Catastrophe'' near the end of the Late Bronze Age, it is readily apparent that virtually all of these LBA sites lie within the affected (‘‘high-shaking'') areas. This would suggest that a major ‘‘earthquake storm'' may have occurred in the Late Bronze Age Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean during the years 1225-1175 . This ‘‘storm'' may have interacted with societal, political and economic forces at work in these areas c. 1200  and

Towards reconstruction of the lost Late Bronze Age intra-caldera island of Santorini, Greece.

PubMed

Karátson, Dávid; Gertisser, Ralf; Telbisz, Tamás; Vereb, Viktor; Quidelleur, Xavier; Druitt, Timothy; Nomikou, Paraskevi; Kósik, Szabolcs

2018-05-04

During the Late Bronze Age, the island of Santorini had a semi-closed caldera harbour inherited from the 22 ka Cape Riva Plinian eruption, and a central island referred to as 'Pre-Kameni' after the present-day Kameni Islands. Here, the size and age of the intracaldera island prior to the Late Bronze Age (Minoan) eruption are constrained using a photo-statistical method, complemented by granulometry and high-precision K-Ar dating. Furthermore, the topography of Late Bronze Age Santorini is reconstructed by creating a new digital elevation model (DEM). Pre-Kameni and other parts of Santorini were destroyed during the 3.6 ka Minoan eruption, and their fragments were incorporated as lithic clasts in the Minoan pyroclastic deposits. Photo-statistical analysis and granulometry of these lithics, differentiated by lithology, constrain the volume of Pre-Kameni to 2.2-2.5 km 3 . Applying the Cassignol-Gillot K-Ar dating technique to the most characteristic black glassy andesite lithics, we propose that the island started to grow at 20.2 ± 1.0 ka soon after the Cape Riva eruption. This implies a minimum long-term lava extrusion rate of ~0.13-0.14 km 3 /ky during the growth of Pre-Kameni.

Bronze age cosmology and rock art images. Solar ships, deer and charts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitriadis, G.

Bronze Age societies were technologically complex. The impressive production of metal artefacts embodies clearly their astronomical culture and cosmological viewpoint. Same ascertainment is valid also for rock art. In fact, around the European landscape were discovered several cliffs engraved with solar ships, deer and charts. How one could be interpret them? Which is the hidden mentality? From the end of 3rd millennium-early 2nd millennium B. C. deep technological transformations are made by metals. New inventions such metal extraction for weapon production, horse pulling chariot used for war and the bull pulling one used for trade may shorten the culture and material distances between Central Europe and South Mediterranean area. Indeed, taphonomic studies indicate a specific modification of the human body mortuary traditional disposition (orientated to significant astronomical targets) below a substantial transformation of mortuary apparatus with spot evidence of weapons (halberds, swords, knifes) and ornaments (double spiral, lunar shape pectorals). The famous Trundhold Solar chart, the 2nd millennium terracotta chart form Dupljaja, the solar boats petroglyph in Bohusland and the horse rider carved on Philippi's cliffs were conceived by the same mentality: communion with the divinity. Culture expressions as communicate manifestation attested in rock art were produced by the same mentality presented in Bronze Age art-crafts such as, 1. Culture epidemiologic patterns dispersion took place through out iconographic motives, and, 2. Animals can play a double face function inside an analogical-mythological system: a. animal-reflex; b. animal-agent. The question is: Could such petroglyphs help us to "read" archaeoastronomical properly in an archaeological site?

Animal exploitation in northeast Tibetan Plateau during Neolithic-Bronze Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Guanghui; Ren, Lele; Li, Zhipeng; Zhang, Dongju; Chen, Fahu

2017-04-01

The history and driving force for prehistoric human occupation of the Tibetan Plateau has been intensively concerned in recent years. Multidisciplinary studies reveal that human extensively and year-roundly settled below 2500 m asl in northeast Tibetan Plateau (NETP) since 5200BP mainly with the utilization of millet crops, and above 3000 m asl post 3600BP primarily with cold-tolerant barley. However, the strategy for human animal utilization during Neolithic and Bronze periods in NETP still remains enigmatic. We collected and identified hundreds of animal bones from 14 Neolithic and Bronze sites in NETP, with the application of radiocarbon dating, carbon and nitrogen isotopes analysis, and ancient DNA analysis, we explore the changing patterns of animal utilization, and potential human behaviours for taming wild animals in this area throughout late prehistoric times. These works shed lights for understanding when and how husbandry and pastoral economies emerged, and how prehistoric human adapted to the high-cold environment of the Tibetan Plateau..

Prehistoric contacts over the Straits of Gibraltar indicated by genetic analysis of Iberian Bronze Age cattle

PubMed Central

Anderung, Cecilia; Bouwman, Abigail; Persson, Per; Carretero, José Miguel; Ortega, Ana Isabel; Elburg, Rengert; Smith, Colin; Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Ellegren, Hans; Götherström, Anders

2005-01-01

The geographic situation of the Iberian Peninsula makes it a natural link between Europe and North Africa. However, it is a matter of debate to what extent African influences via the Straits Gibraltar have affected Iberia's prehistoric development. Because early African pastoralist communities were dedicated to cattle breeding, a possible means to detect prehistoric African–Iberian contacts might be to analyze the origin of cattle breeds on the Iberian Peninsula. Some contemporary Iberian cattle breeds show a mtDNA haplotype, T1, that is characteristic to African breeds, generally explained as being the result of the Muslim expansion of the 8th century A.D., and of modern imports. To test a possible earlier African influence, we analyzed mtDNA of Bronze Age cattle from the Portalón cave at the Atapuerca site in northern Spain. Although the majority of samples showed the haplotype T3 that dominates among European breeds of today, the T1 haplotype was found in one specimen radiocarbon dated 1800 calibrated years B.C. Accepting T1 as being of African origin, this result indicates prehistoric African–Iberian contacts and lends support to archaeological finds linking early African and Iberian cultures. We also found a wild ox haplotype in the Iberian Bronze Age sample, reflecting local hybridization or backcrossing or that aurochs were hunted by these farming cultures. PMID:15941827

Dating the End of the Greek Bronze Age: A Robust Radiocarbon-Based Chronology from Assiros Toumba

PubMed Central

Wardle, Kenneth; Higham, Thomas; Kromer, Bernd

2014-01-01

Over 60 recent analyses of animal bones, plant remains, and building timbers from Assiros in northern Greece form an unique series from the 14th to the 10th century BC. With the exception of Thera, the number of 14C determinations from other Late Bronze Age sites in Greece has been small and their contribution to chronologies minimal. The absolute dates determined for Assiros through Bayesian modelling are both consistent and unexpected, since they are systematically earlier than the conventional chronologies of southern Greece by between 70 and 100 years. They have not been skewed by reference to assumed historical dates used as priors. They support high rather than low Iron Age chronologies from Spain to Israel where the merits of each are fiercely debated but remain unresolved. PMID:25222862

Neurosurgery during the Bronze Age: a skull trepanation in 1900 BC Greece.

PubMed

Papagrigorakis, Manolis J; Toulas, Panagiotis; Tsilivakos, Manolis G; Kousoulis, Antonis A; Skorda, Despoina; Orfanidis, George; Synodinos, Philippos N

2014-02-01

Paleoneurosurgery represents a comparatively new developing direction of neurosurgery dealing with archaeological skull and spine finds and studying their neurosurgical aspects. Trepanation of the cranial vault was a widespread surgical procedure in antiquity and the most convincing evidence of the ancient origin of neurosurgery. The present study considers a case of trepanation from the Middle Bronze Age Greece (1900-1600 B.C.). The skull under study belongs to skeletal material unearthed from Kirra, Delphi (Central Greece). Macroscopic examination and palpation, as well as three-dimensional computed tomography, were used in this study. There is osteological evidence that the skull belongs to a man who died at 30-35 years of age. The procedure of trepanation was performed on the right parietal bone. Both macroscopic and computed tomography evaluation demonstrate an intravital bone reaction at the edges of the aperture. Projected on the right surface of the brain, the trepanation is located on the level of the central groove. The small dimensions and the symmetrical shape of this hole give us an indication that it was made by a metal tool. We conclude that this paleopathological case provides valuable information about the condition of life and the pre-Hippocratic neurosurgical practice in Bronze Age Greece. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Human spiruridiasis due to Physaloptera spp. (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) in a grave of the Shahr-e Sukhteh archeological site of the Bronze Age (2800-2500 BC) in Iran.

PubMed

Makki, Mahsasadat; Dupouy-Camet, Jean; Seyed Sajjadi, Seyed Mansour; Moravec, František; Reza Naddaf, Saied; Mobedi, Iraj; Malekafzali, Hossein; Rezaeian, Mostafa; Mohebali, Mehdi; Kargar, Faranak; Mowlavi, Gholamreza

2017-01-01

Evidence of rare human helminthiasis in paleoparasitological records is scarce. we report here the finding of Physaloptera spp. eggs in a soil sample collected in the pelvic and sacrum bones area of a skeleton excavated from a grave of Shahr-e Sukhteh archeological site dating back to the Bronze Age. The site is located in southeastern Iran and has attracted the attention of numerous archeological teams owing to its vast expanse and diverse archeological findings since 1997. The spirurid nematodes Physaloptera spp. are rarely the cause of human helminthiasis nowadays, but this infection might not have been so rare in ancient populations such as those in the Shahr-e Sukhteh. Out of 320 skeletons analyzed in this study, only one parasitized individual was detected. This surprising result led us to suspect the role of nematophagous fungi and other taphonomic processes in possible false-negative results. This is the first paleoparasitological study on human remains in this archeological site and the first record of ancient human physalopterosis in the Middle East. © M. Makki et al., published by EDP Sciences, 2017.

Human spiruridiasis due to Physaloptera spp. (Nematoda: Physalopteridae) in a grave of the Shahr-e Sukhteh archeological site of the Bronze Age (2800–2500 BC) in Iran

PubMed Central

Makki, Mahsasadat; Dupouy-Camet, Jean; Seyed Sajjadi, Seyed Mansour; Moravec, František; Reza Naddaf, Saied; Mobedi, Iraj; Malekafzali, Hossein; Rezaeian, Mostafa; Mohebali, Mehdi; Kargar, Faranak; Mowlavi, Gholamreza

2017-01-01

Evidence of rare human helminthiasis in paleoparasitological records is scarce. we report here the finding of Physaloptera spp. eggs in a soil sample collected in the pelvic and sacrum bones area of a skeleton excavated from a grave of Shahr-e Sukhteh archeological site dating back to the Bronze Age. The site is located in southeastern Iran and has attracted the attention of numerous archeological teams owing to its vast expanse and diverse archeological findings since 1997. The spirurid nematodes Physaloptera spp. are rarely the cause of human helminthiasis nowadays, but this infection might not have been so rare in ancient populations such as those in the Shahr-e Sukhteh. Out of 320 skeletons analyzed in this study, only one parasitized individual was detected. This surprising result led us to suspect the role of nematophagous fungi and other taphonomic processes in possible false-negative results. This is the first paleoparasitological study on human remains in this archeological site and the first record of ancient human physalopterosis in the Middle East. PMID:28573969

Shaping bronze by heat and hammer: An experimental reproduction of Minoan Copper alloy forming techniques.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nerantzis, Nerantzis

The compositions of copper-base tools, weapons, ornaments and ceremonial metalwork from numerous Late Bronze Age Aegean sites reveal a pattern of specific alloy combinations for the fabrication of certain classes of objects. Thus the majority of weapons and tools were made of high tin bronze whereas bronze statuettes, tripods and cauldrons contain small amounts of lead and in some cases tin is present in low amounts. Such diversity reflects the direct relationship between the compositions of prehistoric bronze objects and the art of their fabrication, because both the alloy additions and the impurities exert a pronounced effect on the forming capacity of alloys. In order to understand the correlation between composition and formability of Minoan bronzes, replica compositions with varying tin and lead contents were experimentally reproduced and their forming capacities were tested. Deformation and heat treatment of five tin and two leaded tin bronze alloys was attempted in order to replicate the forming stages for the shaping of cutting tools and bronze sheet for vessels and cauldrons. The amount of cold-working and annealing intervals, required to test the effects of workability on alloy properties, has been reflected as hardness values and transformations of the structural characteristics for each sample. It has been shown through the course of the experiment that high tin bronzes could be formed by frequent, short annealing stages at 600˚C and that it is possible to work-harden leaded bronze as long as time and temperatures are closely monitored.

The Neolithic and Bronze Age Monument Complex of Thornborough, North Yorkshire, UK

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harding, Jan

The Neolithic and Bronze Age monument complex of Thornborough in North Yorkshire highlights the significance of heavenly bodies to religious belief and practice. Its investigation by a novel methodology employing virtual reality technology demonstrates alignments with Orion's Belt and the midwinter sunrise. It is argued that these were deliberate, replicating the seasonal movement of those using the complex and thereby suggesting a close relationship between people's skyscape and life cycles.

Micromorphological investigation on ring road sediments of the Early Bronze Age site Tell Chuera, Syria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fritzsch, Dagmar; Thiemeyer, Heinrich

2010-05-01

Tell Chuera is an Early Bronze Age settlement mount in NE-Syria close to the Turkish border. With a diameter of almost 1 km and a height of 18 m it is one of the biggest tells in the region between the rivers Balikh and Khabur. In 1958 the structures of the city wall was known first by Orthmann (1990). This city wall was built of air-dried mud bricks. The age of the founding of this construction is not yet clear. The earliest pottery from the place is dated around 2500 BC to 2350 BC. Inside the fortification a road was detected, which was first excavated by Novak (1995). We took sediment monoliths in 2004 from a new trench, which shows the same situation of the road. A geomagnetic prospection, that included the whole site, suggests that the road was part of the planned extension of the lower town and serves as a circular road (Meyer, in prep.). The micromorphological investigation focussed on the question, how the road was used. Did animals have had access to the town? The thin sections show different indications of the anthropogenic influence. In all samples pseudomorphs after straw are visible. In many parts ash, charred wood fragments, bone fragments, melted material and fragments of basalt and flint were observable, too. These materials are typical for sediments in streets (cf. Goldberg & Macphail, 2006). In some parts of the thin sections faecal spherulites and dung remains with faecal spherulites give an idea that ruminants used the road as well as men. Trampling structures support this assumption. Moreover, leaching of calcite, its redeposition in mottles, pseudomycels and concretions, hydromorphic stains and the translocation of silt indicate postdepositional pedogenic processes. Literature Goldberg, P., & Macphail, R. I. (2006). Practical and theoretical geoarchaeology: UK Blackwell Publishing. Meyer, J.-W. (in prep.). Überlegungen zur Siedlungsstruktur - eine erste Analyse der Ergebnisse der geomagnetischen Prospektion. In J.-W. Meyer (Ed.), Ausgrabungen

Gold and gold working in Late Bronze Age Northern Greece.

PubMed

Vavelidis, M; Andreou, S

2008-04-01

Numerous objects of gold displaying an impressive variety of types and manufacturing techniques are known from the Late Bronze Age (LBA) contexts of Mycenaean Greece, but very little is known about the origin and processing of gold during the second millennium B.C: . Ancient literature and recent research indicate that northern Greece is probably the richest gold-bearing region in Greece, and yet, very little evidence exists regarding the exploitation of its deposits and the production as well as use of gold in the area during prehistory. The unusual find of a group of small stone crucibles at the prehistoric settlement of Thessaloniki Toumba, one with visible traces of gold melting, proves local production and offers a rare opportunity to examine the process of on-site gold working. Furthermore, the comparison of the chemical composition of prehistoric artefacts from two settlements with those of gold deposits in their immediate areas supports the local extraction of gold and opens up the prospect for some of the Mycenaean gold to have originated in northern Greece. The scarcity of gold items in northern Greek LBA contexts may not represent the actual amount of gold produced and consumed, but could be a result of the local social attitudes towards the circulation and deposition of artefacts from precious metals.

Gold and gold working in Late Bronze Age Northern Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vavelidis, M.; Andreou, S.

2008-04-01

Numerous objects of gold displaying an impressive variety of types and manufacturing techniques are known from the Late Bronze Age (LBA) contexts of Mycenaean Greece, but very little is known about the origin and processing of gold during the second millennium b.c. Ancient literature and recent research indicate that northern Greece is probably the richest gold-bearing region in Greece, and yet, very little evidence exists regarding the exploitation of its deposits and the production as well as use of gold in the area during prehistory. The unusual find of a group of small stone crucibles at the prehistoric settlement of Thessaloniki Toumba, one with visible traces of gold melting, proves local production and offers a rare opportunity to examine the process of on-site gold working. Furthermore, the comparison of the chemical composition of prehistoric artefacts from two settlements with those of gold deposits in their immediate areas supports the local extraction of gold and opens up the prospect for some of the Mycenaean gold to have originated in northern Greece. The scarcity of gold items in northern Greek LBA contexts may not represent the actual amount of gold produced and consumed, but could be a result of the local social attitudes towards the circulation and deposition of artefacts from precious metals.

Horse-mounted invaders from the Russo-Kazakh steppe or agricultural colonists from western Central Asia? A craniometric investigation of the Bronze Age settlement of Xinjiang.

PubMed

Hemphill, Brian E; Mallory, J P

2004-07-01

Numerous Bronze Age cemeteries in the oases surrounding the Täklamakan Desert of the Tarim Basin in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, western China, have yielded both mummified and skeletal human remains. A dearth of local antecedents, coupled with woolen textiles and the apparent Western physical appearance of the population, raised questions as to where these people came from. Two hypotheses have been offered by archaeologists to account for the origins of Bronze Age populations of the Tarim Basin. These are the "steppe hypothesis" and the "Bactrian oasis hypothesis." Eight craniometric variables from 25 Aeneolithic and Bronze Age samples, comprising 1,353 adults from the Tarim Basin, the Russo-Kazakh steppe, southern China, Central Asia, Iran, and the Indus Valley, are compared to test which, if either, of these hypotheses are supported by the pattern of phenetic affinities possessed by Bronze Age inhabitants of the Tarim Basin. Craniometric differences between samples are compared with Mahalanobis generalized distance (d2), and patterns of phenetic affinity are assessed with two types of cluster analysis (the weighted pair average linkage method and the neighbor-joining method), multidimensional scaling, and principal coordinates analysis. Results obtained by this analysis provide little support for either the steppe hypothesis or the Bactrian oasis hypothesis. Rather, the pattern of phenetic affinities manifested by Bronze Age inhabitants of the Tarim Basin suggests the presence of a population of unknown origin within the Tarim Basin during the early Bronze Age. After 1200 B.C., this population experienced significant gene flow from highland populations of the Pamirs and Ferghana Valley. These highland populations may include those who later became known as the Saka and who may have served as "middlemen" facilitating contacts between East (Tarim Basin, China) and West (Bactria, Uzbekistan) along what later became known as the Great Silk Road. Copyright

Monumental megalithic burial and rock art tell a new story about the Levant Intermediate Bronze "Dark Ages".

PubMed

Sharon, Gonen; Barash, Alon; Eisenberg-Degen, Davida; Grosman, Leore; Oron, Maya; Berger, Uri

2017-01-01

The Intermediate Bronze Age (IB) in the Southern Levant (ca. 2350-2000 BCE) is known as the "Dark Ages," following the collapse of Early Bronze urban society and predating the establishment of the Middle Bronze cities. The absence of significant settlements and monumental building has led to the reconstruction of IB social organization as that of nomadic, tribal society inhabiting rural villages with no central governmental system. Excavation in the Shamir Dolmen Field (comprising over 400 dolmens) on the western foothills of the Golan Heights was carried out following the discovery of rock art engravings on the ceiling of the central chamber inside one of the largest dolmens ever recorded in the Levant. Excavation of this multi-chambered dolmen, covered by a basalt capstone weighing some 50 tons, revealed a secondary multi-burial (of both adults and children) rarely described in a dolmen context in the Golan. Engraved into the rock ceiling above the multi-burial is a panel of 14 forms composed of a vertical line and downturned arc motif. 3D-scanning by structured-light technology was used to sharpen the forms and revealed the technique employed to create them. Building of the Shamir dolmens required a tremendous amount of labor, architectural mastery, and complex socio-economic organization well beyond the capacity of small, rural nomadic groups. The monumental megalithic burial of the Shamir dolmens indicates a hierarchical, complex, non-urban governmental system. This new evidence supports a growing body of recent criticism stemming from new discoveries and approaches that calls for rethinking our views of the Levantine IB "Dark Ages."

A European population in Minoan Bronze Age Crete

PubMed Central

Hughey, Jeffery R.; Paschou, Peristera; Drineas, Petros; Mastropaolo, Donald; Lotakis, Dimitra M.; Navas, Patrick A.; Michalodimitrakis, Manolis; Stamatoyannopoulos, John A.; Stamatoyannopoulos, George

2013-01-01

The first advanced Bronze Age civilization of Europe was established by the Minoans about 5,000 years before present. Since Sir Arthur Evans exposed the Minoan civic centre of Knossos, archaeologists have speculated on the origin of the founders of the civilization. Evans proposed a North African origin; Cycladic, Balkan, Anatolian and Middle Eastern origins have also been proposed. Here we address the question of the origin of the Minoans by analysing mitochondrial DNA from Minoan osseous remains from a cave ossuary in the Lassithi plateau of Crete dated 4,400–3,700 years before present. Shared haplotypes, principal component and pairwise distance analyses refute the Evans North African hypothesis. Minoans show the strongest relationships with Neolithic and modern European populations and with the modern inhabitants of the Lassithi plateau. Our data are compatible with the hypothesis of an autochthonous development of the Minoan civilization by the descendants of the Neolithic settlers of the island. PMID:23673646

Dental occlusion analysis in the Mesolithic-Neolithic Age, Bronze Age, and Roman to Medieval times in Serbia: Tooth size comparison in skeletal samples.

PubMed

Pajević, Tina; Glišić, Branislav

2017-05-01

Anthropological studies have reported that tooth size decreases in the context of diet changes. Some investigations have found a reverse trend in tooth size from the prehistoric to the modern times. The aims of this study were to analyze tooth size in skeletal samples from Mesolithic-Neolithic Age, Bronze Age, and Roman to Medieval times to determine sex differences and establish a temporal trend in tooth size in the aforementioned periods. Well-preserved permanent teeth were included in the investigation. The mesiodistal (MD) diameter of all teeth and buccolingual (BL) diameter of the molars were measured. Effects of sex and site were tested by one-way ANOVA, and the combined effect of these factors was analyzed by UNIANOVA. Sexual dimorphism was present in the BL diameters of all molars and MD diameters of the upper first and the lower third molar. The lower canine was the most dimorphic tooth in the anterior region. The MD diameter of most teeth showed no significant difference between the groups, (sample from: Mesolithic-Neolithic Age-group 1; Bronze Age-group 2; Roman times-group 3; Medieval times-group 4), whereas the BL diameters of the upper second and the lower first molar were the largest in the first group. Multiple comparisons revealed a decrease in the BL diameter of the upper second and the lower first molar from the first to the later groups. Lower canine MD diameter exhibited an increase in the fourth group compared to the second group. On the basis of the MD diameter, a temporal trend could not be observed for most of the teeth. The lower canine exhibited an increase in the MD diameter from the prehistoric to the Medieval times. Changes of BL diameter were more homogeneous, suggesting that the temporal trend of molar size decreased from the Mesolithic-Neolithic to Medieval times in Serbia. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Origin of the mysterious Yin-Shang bronzes in China indicated by lead isotopes.

PubMed

Sun, Wei-dong; Zhang, Li-peng; Guo, Jia; Li, Cong-ying; Jiang, Yu-hang; Zartman, Robert E; Zhang, Zhao-feng

2016-03-18

Fine Yin-Shang bronzes containing lead with puzzlingly highly radiogenic isotopic compositions appeared suddenly in the alluvial plain of the Yellow River around 1400 BC. The Tongkuangyu copper deposit in central China is known to have lead isotopic compositions even more radiogenic and scattered than those of the Yin-Shang bronzes. Most of the Yin-Shang bronzes are tin-copper alloys with high lead contents. The low lead and tin concentrations, together with the less radiogenic lead isotopes of bronzes in an ancient smelting site nearby, however, exclude Tongkuangyu as the sole supplier of the Yin-Shang bronzes. Interestingly, tin ingots/prills and bronzes found in Africa also have highly radiogenic lead isotopes, but it remains mysterious as to how such African bronzes may have been transported to China. Nevertheless, these African bronzes are the only bronzes outside China so far reported that have lead isotopes similar to those of the Yin-Shang bronzes. All these radiogenic lead isotopes plot along ~2.0-2.5 Ga isochron lines, implying that deposits around Archean cratons are the most likely candidates for the sources. African cratons along the Nile and even micro-cratons in the Sahara desert may have similar lead signatures. These places were probably accessible by ancient civilizations, and thus are the most favorable suppliers of the bronzes.

Origin of the mysterious Yin-Shang bronzes in China indicated by lead isotopes

PubMed Central

Sun, Wei-dong; Zhang, Li-peng; Guo, Jia; Li, Cong-ying; Jiang, Yu-hang; Zartman, Robert E.; Zhang, Zhao-feng

2016-01-01

Fine Yin-Shang bronzes containing lead with puzzlingly highly radiogenic isotopic compositions appeared suddenly in the alluvial plain of the Yellow River around 1400 BC. The Tongkuangyu copper deposit in central China is known to have lead isotopic compositions even more radiogenic and scattered than those of the Yin-Shang bronzes. Most of the Yin-Shang bronzes are tin-copper alloys with high lead contents. The low lead and tin concentrations, together with the less radiogenic lead isotopes of bronzes in an ancient smelting site nearby, however, exclude Tongkuangyu as the sole supplier of the Yin-Shang bronzes. Interestingly, tin ingots/prills and bronzes found in Africa also have highly radiogenic lead isotopes, but it remains mysterious as to how such African bronzes may have been transported to China. Nevertheless, these African bronzes are the only bronzes outside China so far reported that have lead isotopes similar to those of the Yin-Shang bronzes. All these radiogenic lead isotopes plot along ~2.0–2.5 Ga isochron lines, implying that deposits around Archean cratons are the most likely candidates for the sources. African cratons along the Nile and even micro-cratons in the Sahara desert may have similar lead signatures. These places were probably accessible by ancient civilizations, and thus are the most favorable suppliers of the bronzes. PMID:26988425

Endogenous Retroviral Insertions Indicate a Secondary Introduction of Domestic Sheep Lineages to the Caucasus and Central Asia between the Bronze and Iron Age

PubMed Central

Schroeder, Oskar; Benecke, Norbert; Frölich, Kai; Peng, Zuogang; Kaniuth, Kai; Sverchkov, Leonid; Reinhold, Sabine; Belinskiy, Andrey; Ludwig, Arne

2017-01-01

Sheep were one of the first livestock species domesticated by humans. After initial domestication in the Middle East they were spread across Eurasia. The modern distribution of endogenous Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus insertions in domestic sheep breeds suggests that over the course of millennia, successive introductions of improved lineages and selection for wool quality occurred in the Mediterranean region and most of Asia. Here we present a novel ancient DNA approach using data of endogenous retroviral insertions in Bronze and Iron Age domestic sheep from the Caucasus and Pamir mountain areas. Our findings support a secondary introduction of wool sheep from the Middle East between the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age into most areas of Eurasia. PMID:28632161

Endogenous Retroviral Insertions Indicate a Secondary Introduction of Domestic Sheep Lineages to the Caucasus and Central Asia between the Bronze and Iron Age.

PubMed

Schroeder, Oskar; Benecke, Norbert; Frölich, Kai; Peng, Zuogang; Kaniuth, Kai; Sverchkov, Leonid; Reinhold, Sabine; Belinskiy, Andrey; Ludwig, Arne

2017-06-20

Sheep were one of the first livestock species domesticated by humans. After initial domestication in the Middle East they were spread across Eurasia. The modern distribution of endogenous Jaagsiekte sheep retrovirus insertions in domestic sheep breeds suggests that over the course of millennia, successive introductions of improved lineages and selection for wool quality occurred in the Mediterranean region and most of Asia. Here we present a novel ancient DNA approach using data of endogenous retroviral insertions in Bronze and Iron Age domestic sheep from the Caucasus and Pamir mountain areas. Our findings support a secondary introduction of wool sheep from the Middle East between the Late Bronze Age and Iron Age into most areas of Eurasia.

Early atmospheric metal pollution provides evidence for Chalcolithic/Bronze Age mining and metallurgy in Southwestern Europe.

PubMed

Martínez Cortizas, Antonio; López-Merino, Lourdes; Bindler, Richard; Mighall, Tim; Kylander, Malin E

2016-03-01

Although archaeological research suggests that mining/metallurgy already started in the Chalcolithic (3rd millennium BC), the earliest atmospheric metal pollution in SW Europe has thus far been dated to ~3500-3200 cal.yr. BP in paleo-environmental archives. A low intensity, non-extensive mining/metallurgy and the lack of appropriately located archives may be responsible for this mismatch. We have analysed the older section (>2100 cal.yr. BP) of a peat record from La Molina (Asturias, Spain), a mire located in the proximity (35-100 km) of mines which were exploited in the Chalcolithic/Bronze Age, with the aim of assessing evidence of this early mining/metallurgy. Analyses included the determination of C as a proxy for organic matter content, lithogenic elements (Si, Al, Ti) as markers of mineral matter, and trace metals (Cr, Cu, Zn, Pb) and stable Pb isotopes as tracers of atmospheric metal pollution. From ~8000 to ~4980 cal.yr. BP the Pb composition is similar to that of the underlying sediments (Pb 15 ± 4 μg g(-1); (206)Pb/(207)Pb 1.204 ± 0.002). A sustained period of low (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratios occurred from ~4980 to ~2470 cal.yr. BP, which can be divided into four phases: Chalcolithic (~4980-3700 cal.yr. BP), (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratios decline to 1.175 and Pb/Al ratios increase; Early Bronze Age (~3700-3500 cal.yr. BP), (206)Pb/(207)Pb increase to 1.192 and metal/Al ratios remain stable; Late Bronze Age (~3500-2800 cal.yr. BP), (206)Pb/(207)Pb decline to their lowest values (1.167) while Pb/Al and Zn/Al increase; and Early Iron Age (~2800-2470 cal.yr. BP), (206)Pb/(207)Pb increase to 1.186, most metal/Al ratios decrease but Zn/Al shows a peak. At the beginning of the Late Iron Age, (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratios and metal enrichments show a rapid return to pre-anthropogenic values. These results provide evidence of regional/local atmospheric metal pollution triggered by the earliest phases of mining/metallurgy in the area, and reconcile paleo-environmental and

Like a pig out of water: seaborne spread of domestic pigs in Southern Italy and Sardinia during the Bronze and Iron Ages.

PubMed

Lega, C; Fulgione, D; Genovese, A; Rook, L; Masseti, M; Meiri, M; Cinzia Marra, A; Carotenuto, F; Raia, P

2017-02-01

Southern Italy has a long history of human occupation and passage of different cultures since the Early Holocene. Repeated, ancient introductions of pigs in several geographic areas in Europe make it difficult to understand pig translocation and domestication in Italy. The archeozoological record may provide fundamental information on this, hence shedding light on peopling and on trading among different ancient cultures in the Mediterranean. Yet, because of the scanty nature of the fossil record, ancient remains from human-associated animals are somewhat rare. Fortunately, ancient DNA analysis as applied to domestic species proved to be a powerful tool in revealing human migrations. Herein, we analyzed 80-bp fragment of mitochondrial DNA control region from 27 Sus scrofa ancient samples retrieved from Southern Italian and Sardinian archeological sites, spanning in age from the Mesolithic to the Roman period. Our results surprisingly indicate the presence of the Near Eastern haplotype Y1 on both Italy's major islands (Sardinia and Sicily) during the Bronze Age, suggesting the seaborne transportation of domestic pigs by humans at least during 1600-1300 BC. The presence of the Italian E2 clade in domestic contexts shows that the indigenous wild boar was effectively domesticated or incorporated into domestic stocks in Southern Italy during the Bronze Age, although the E2 haplotype has never been found in modern domestic breeds. Pigs belonging to the endemic E2 clade were thus traded between the Peninsula and Sardinia by the end of the second millennium BC and this genetic signature is still detected in Sardinian feral pigs.

Like a pig out of water: seaborne spread of domestic pigs in Southern Italy and Sardinia during the Bronze and Iron Ages

PubMed Central

Lega, C; Fulgione, D; Genovese, A; Rook, L; Masseti, M; Meiri, M; Cinzia Marra, A; Carotenuto, F; Raia, P

2017-01-01

Southern Italy has a long history of human occupation and passage of different cultures since the Early Holocene. Repeated, ancient introductions of pigs in several geographic areas in Europe make it difficult to understand pig translocation and domestication in Italy. The archeozoological record may provide fundamental information on this, hence shedding light on peopling and on trading among different ancient cultures in the Mediterranean. Yet, because of the scanty nature of the fossil record, ancient remains from human-associated animals are somewhat rare. Fortunately, ancient DNA analysis as applied to domestic species proved to be a powerful tool in revealing human migrations. Herein, we analyzed 80-bp fragment of mitochondrial DNA control region from 27 Sus scrofa ancient samples retrieved from Southern Italian and Sardinian archeological sites, spanning in age from the Mesolithic to the Roman period. Our results surprisingly indicate the presence of the Near Eastern haplotype Y1 on both Italy's major islands (Sardinia and Sicily) during the Bronze Age, suggesting the seaborne transportation of domestic pigs by humans at least during 1600–1300 BC. The presence of the Italian E2 clade in domestic contexts shows that the indigenous wild boar was effectively domesticated or incorporated into domestic stocks in Southern Italy during the Bronze Age, although the E2 haplotype has never been found in modern domestic breeds. Pigs belonging to the endemic E2 clade were thus traded between the Peninsula and Sardinia by the end of the second millennium BC and this genetic signature is still detected in Sardinian feral pigs. PMID:27649620

Inferring genealogical processes from patterns of Bronze-Age and modern DNA variation in Sardinia.

PubMed

Ghirotto, Silvia; Mona, Stefano; Benazzo, Andrea; Paparazzo, Francesco; Caramelli, David; Barbujani, Guido

2010-04-01

The ancient inhabitants of a region are often regarded as ancestral, and hence genetically related, to the modern dwellers (for instance, in studies of admixture), but so far, this assumption has not been tested empirically using ancient DNA data. We studied mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation in Sardinia, across a time span of 2,500 years, comparing 23 Bronze-Age (nuragic) mtDNA sequences with those of 254 modern individuals from two regions, Ogliastra (a likely genetic isolate) and Gallura, and considering the possible impact of gene flow from mainland Italy. To understand the genealogical relationships between past and present populations, we developed seven explicit demographic models; we tested whether these models can account for the levels and patterns of genetic diversity in the data and which one does it best. Extensive simulation based on a serial coalescent algorithm allowed us to compare the posterior probability of each model and estimate the relevant evolutionary (mutation and migration rates) and demographic (effective population sizes, times since population splits) parameters, by approximate Bayesian computations. We then validated the analyses by investigating how well parameters estimated from the simulated data can reproduce the observed data set. We show that a direct genealogical continuity between Bronze-Age Sardinians and the current people of Ogliastra, but not Gallura, has a much higher probability than any alternative scenarios and that genetic diversity in Gallura evolved largely independently, owing in part to gene flow from the mainland.

Agricultural production and stability of settlement systems in Upper Mesopotamia during the Early Bronze Age (third millennium BCE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalayci, Tuna

This study investigates the relationship between rainfall variation and rain-fed agricultural production in Upper Mesopotamia with a specific focus on Early Bronze Age urban settlements. In return, the variation in production is used to explore stability of urban settlement systems. The organization of the flow of agricultural goods is the key to sustaining the total settlement system. The vulnerability of a settlement system increases due to the increased demand for more output from agricultural lands. This demand is the key for the success of urbanization project. However, without estimating how many foodstuffs were available at the end of a production cycle, further discussions on the forces that shaped and sustained urban settlement systems will be lacking. While large scale fluctuations in the flow of agricultural products between settlements are not the only determinants of hierarchical structures, the total available agricultural yield for each urban settlement in a hierarchy must have influenced settlement relations. As for the methodology, first, Early Bronze Age precipitation levels are estimated by using modern day associations between the eastern Mediterranean coastal areas and the inner regions of Upper Mesopotamia. Next, these levels are integrated into a remote-sensing based biological growth model. Also, a CORONA satellite imagery based archaeological survey is conducted in order to map the Early Bronze Age settlement system in its entirety as well as the ancient markers of agricultural intensification. Finally, ancient agricultural production landscapes are modeled in a GIS. The study takes a critical position towards the traditionally held assumption that large urban settlements (cities) in Upper Mesopotamia were in a state of constant demand for food. The results from this study also suggest that when variations in ancient precipitation levels are translated into the variations in production levels, the impact of climatic aridification on ancient

The maternal genetic make-up of the Iberian Peninsula between the Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age.

PubMed

Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Roth, Christina; Brandt, Guido; Rihuete-Herrada, Cristina; Tejedor-Rodríguez, Cristina; Held, Petra; García-Martínez-de-Lagrán, Íñigo; Arcusa Magallón, Héctor; Zesch, Stephanie; Knipper, Corina; Bánffy, Eszter; Friederich, Susanne; Meller, Harald; Bueno Ramírez, Primitiva; Barroso Bermejo, Rosa; de Balbín Behrmann, Rodrigo; Herrero-Corral, Ana M; Flores Fernández, Raúl; Alonso Fernández, Carmen; Jiménez Echevarria, Javier; Rindlisbacher, Laura; Oliart, Camila; Fregeiro, María-Inés; Soriano, Ignacio; Vicente, Oriol; Micó, Rafael; Lull, Vicente; Soler Díaz, Jorge; López Padilla, Juan Antonio; Roca de Togores Muñoz, Consuelo; Hernández Pérez, Mauro S; Jover Maestre, Francisco Javier; Lomba Maurandi, Joaquín; Avilés Fernández, Azucena; Lillios, Katina T; Silva, Ana Maria; Magalhães Ramalho, Miguel; Oosterbeek, Luiz Miguel; Cunha, Claudia; Waterman, Anna J; Roig Buxó, Jordi; Martínez, Andrés; Ponce Martínez, Juana; Hunt Ortiz, Mark; Mejías-García, Juan Carlos; Pecero Espín, Juan Carlos; Cruz-Auñón Briones, Rosario; Tomé, Tiago; Carmona Ballestero, Eduardo; Cardoso, João Luís; Araújo, Ana Cristina; Liesau von Lettow-Vorbeck, Corina; Blasco Bosqued, Concepción; Ríos Mendoza, Patricia; Pujante, Ana; Royo-Guillén, José I; Esquembre Beviá, Marco Aurelio; Dos Santos Goncalves, Victor Manuel; Parreira, Rui; Morán Hernández, Elena; Méndez Izquierdo, Elena; Vega Y Miguel, Jorge; Menduiña García, Roberto; Martínez Calvo, Victoria; López Jiménez, Oscar; Krause, Johannes; Pichler, Sandra L; Garrido-Pena, Rafael; Kunst, Michael; Risch, Roberto; Rojo-Guerra, Manuel A; Haak, Wolfgang; Alt, Kurt W

2017-11-15

Agriculture first reached the Iberian Peninsula around 5700 BCE. However, little is known about the genetic structure and changes of prehistoric populations in different geographic areas of Iberia. In our study, we focus on the maternal genetic makeup of the Neolithic (~ 5500-3000 BCE), Chalcolithic (~ 3000-2200 BCE) and Early Bronze Age (~ 2200-1500 BCE). We report ancient mitochondrial DNA results of 213 individuals (151 HVS-I sequences) from the northeast, central, southeast and southwest regions and thus on the largest archaeogenetic dataset from the Peninsula to date. Similar to other parts of Europe, we observe a discontinuity between hunter-gatherers and the first farmers of the Neolithic. During the subsequent periods, we detect regional continuity of Early Neolithic lineages across Iberia, however the genetic contribution of hunter-gatherers is generally higher than in other parts of Europe and varies regionally. In contrast to ancient DNA findings from Central Europe, we do not observe a major turnover in the mtDNA record of the Iberian Late Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age, suggesting that the population history of the Iberian Peninsula is distinct in character.

75 FR 14257 - Pricing for Bronze Medals

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-24

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for Bronze Medals AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing the price of the 1\\5/16\\- inch bronze medals, 1\\1/2\\-inch bronze medals and three-inch bronze medals. Beginning March...

Relative sea-level change in the central Cyclades (Greece) since the Early Bronze Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Draganits, E.

2012-04-01

The Aegean is a focus of important cultural achievements in Europe since the Neolithic period. The resulting abundance of archaeological remains, many of them below sea-level represent an advantageous area for the study of local relative sea-level change. We have carried out detailed mapping of Despotiko Island (SW of Antiparos) and its surrounding. Despotiko is situated almost exactly in the center of the Cyclades (as defined nowadays), more so than Delos, and therefore is very well suited for sea-level studies of the Cyclades. This beneficial location, combined with a spacious and protected bay, additionally may explain its former importance as stepping-stone in the Aegean Sea. The island is uninhabited at present, but Early Bronze Age settlement sites and graveyards as well as a large Archaic sanctuary proof its former importance. The sanctuary is situated on a gently northeast dipping slope in the northeast part of Despotiko, in range of sight of the Órmos Despotiko. Since 1997 large parts of this important sanctuary have been excavated during several excavation campaigns. Tectonically, Despotiko, Antiparos and Paros, belong to the Attic-Cycladic Crystalline of the Central Hellenides, a stack of metamorphic tectonic nappes, mainly comprising variable types of gneiss, schist, marble and amphibolite, and tectonic slices of unmetamorphosed sediments on top, separated by low-angle normal faults from the metamorphic units below. Submerged archaeological structures at the sea bottom of the Órmos Despotiko, a Classical marble inscription from the sanctuary and partly submerged agriculture trenches at the east coast Despotiko, indicate that the relative sea-level in this area was some 3 m lower during the Early Bronze Age and still more than 1 m lower during Classical time. These values of relative sea-level rise indicate a subsidence component additional to the global sea-level rise in the investigated time period. Neglecting possible vertical tectonic movements and

Clay Corner: Recreating Chinese Bronze Vessels.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gamble, Harriet

1998-01-01

Presents a lesson where students make faux Chinese bronze vessels through slab or coil clay construction after they learn about the history, function, and design of these vessels. Utilizes a variety of glaze finishes in order to give the vessels an aged look. Gives detailed guidelines for creating the vessels. (CMK)

Holes in teeth - Dental caries in Neolithic and Early Bronze Age populations in Central Germany.

PubMed

Nicklisch, Nicole; Ganslmeier, Robert; Siebert, Angelina; Friederich, Susanne; Meller, Harald; Alt, Kurt W

2016-01-01

This study provides diachronic insight into the epidemiology of carious defects in teeth of Neolithic and Early Bronze Age populations in Central Germany over a period of 4000 years. The data were retrieved from skeletal remains uncovered at 21 sites throughout the Middle Elbe-Saale region (MES), comprising a total of 494 individuals with preserved teeth. The data generated were examined for age- and sex-related differences in order to gain information about the dietary habits and socio-economic structures of the period with the goal of identifying potential diachronic changes. The results indicated that dietary habits changed over the course of the Neolithic period: the prevalence of caries significantly decreased between the Early and Late Neolithic. The adults from the Early Neolithic sample, particularly those from the LBK bore the highest rate of caries. This highlights the essential importance of cereals in the diet of the early farmers in the Middle Elbe-Saale region. As time went on, meat and dairy products became more and more important, which had a positive impact on dental health. The data also show sex-specific differences: women were more often affected by caries than men and female jaws also generally exhibited greater numbers of carious teeth than their male counterparts. Dental health is a reflection of both biological factors and of economic and sociocultural structures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A distinct section of the Early Bronze Age society? Stable isotope investigations of burials in settlement pits and multiple inhumations of the Únětice culture in central Germany.

PubMed

Knipper, Corina; Fragata, Matthias; Nicklisch, Nicole; Siebert, Angelina; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Hubensack, Vera; Metzner-Nebelsick, Carola; Meller, Harald; Alt, Kurt W

2016-03-01

Inhumations in so-called settlement pits and multiple interments are subordinate burial practices of the Early Bronze Age Únětice culture in central Germany (2200-1700/1650 BC). The majority of the Únětice population was entombed as single inhumations in rectangular grave pits with a normative position of the body. The goal of the study was to test archaeological hypotheses that the deviant burials may represent socially distinct or nonlocal individuals. The study comprised up to two teeth and one bone each of 74 human individuals from eight sites and faunal comparative samples. The inhumations included regular, deviant burials in so-called settlement or storage pits, and multiple burials. We investigated radiogenic strontium isotope compositions of tooth enamel ((87) Sr/(86) Sr) and light stable isotope ratios of carbon and nitrogen of bone collagen (δ(13) C, δ(15) N) aiming at the disclosure of residential changes and dietary patterns. Site-specific strontium isotope data ranges mirror different geological properties including calcareous bedrock, loess, and glacial till. Independent from burial types, they disclose low portions of nonlocal individuals of up to some 20% at the individual sites. The light stable isotope ratios of burials in settlement pits and rectangular graves overlap widely and indicate highly similar dietary habits. The analytical results let to conclude that inhumations in settlement pits and multiple burials were two of the manifold burial practices of the Early Bronze Age. The selection criteria of the individuals for the different forms of inhumation remained undisclosed. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

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

PubMed

Mühlemann, Barbara; Jones, Terry C; Damgaard, Peter de Barros; Allentoft, Morten E; Shevnina, Irina; Logvin, Andrey; Usmanova, Emma; Panyushkina, Irina P; Boldgiv, Bazartseren; Bazartseren, Tsevel; Tashbaeva, Kadicha; Merz, Victor; Lau, Nina; Smrčka, Václav; Voyakin, Dmitry; Kitov, Egor; Epimakhov, Andrey; Pokutta, Dalia; Vicze, Magdolna; Price, T Douglas; Moiseyev, Vyacheslav; Hansen, Anders J; Orlando, Ludovic; Rasmussen, Simon; Sikora, Martin; Vinner, Lasse; Osterhaus, Albert D M E; Smith, Derek J; Glebe, Dieter; Fouchier, Ron A M; Drosten, Christian; Sjögren, Karl-Göran; Kristiansen, Kristian; Willerslev, Eske

2018-05-09

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a major cause of human hepatitis. There is considerable uncertainty about the timescale of its evolution and its association with humans. Here we present 12 full or partial ancient HBV genomes that are between approximately 0.8 and 4.5 thousand years old. The ancient sequences group either within or in a sister relationship with extant human or other ape HBV clades. Generally, the genome properties follow those of modern HBV. The root of the HBV tree is projected to between 8.6 and 20.9 thousand years ago, and we estimate a substitution rate of 8.04 × 10 -6 -1.51 × 10 -5 nucleotide substitutions per site per year. In several cases, the geographical locations of the ancient genotypes do not match present-day distributions. Genotypes that today are typical of Africa and Asia, and a subgenotype from India, are shown to have an early Eurasian presence. The geographical and temporal patterns that we observe in ancient and modern HBV genotypes are compatible with well-documented human migrations during the Bronze and Iron Ages 1,2 . We provide evidence for the creation of HBV genotype A via recombination, and for a long-term association of modern HBV genotypes with humans, including the discovery of a human genotype that is now extinct. These data expose a complexity of HBV evolution that is not evident when considering modern sequences alone.

Bronze rainbow hologram mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dawson, P.

2006-02-01

This project draws on holographic embossing techniques, ancient artistic conventions of bronze mirror design and modelling and casting processes to accomplish portraiture of reflection. Laser scanning, 3D computer graphics and holographic imaging are employed to enable a permanent 3D static holographic image to appear integrated with the real-time moving reflection of a viewer's face in a polished bronze disc. The disc and the figure which holds it (caryatid) are cast in bronze from a lost wax model, a technique which has been used for millennia to make personal mirrors. The Caryatid form of bronze mirror which went through many permutations in ancient Egyptian, Greece and Rome shows a plethora of expressive figure poses ranging from sleek nudes to highly embellished multifigure arrangements. The prototype of this series was made for Australian choreographer Graeme Murphy, Artistic Director of the Sydney Dance Company. Each subsequent mirror will be unique in figure and holographic imagery as arranged between artist and subject. Conceptually this project references both the modern experience of viewing mirrors retrieved from ancient tombs, which due to deterioration of the surface no longer reflect, and the functioning of Chinese Magic mirrors, which have the ability to project a predetermined image. Inspired by the metaphorical potential of these mirrors, which do not reflect the immediate reality of the viewer, this bronze hologram mirror series enables each viewer to reflect upon himself or herself observing simultaneously the holographic image and their own partially obliterated reflection.

Positron lifetime in vanadium oxide bronzes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dryzek, J.; Dryzek, E.

2003-09-01

The positron lifetime (PL) and Doppler broadening (DB) of annihilation line measurements have been performed in vanadium oxide bronzes MxV2O5. The dependence of these annihilation characteristics on the kind and concentration of the metal M donor has been observed. In the PL spectrum only one lifetime component has been detected in all studied bronzes. The results indicate the positron localization in the structural tunnels present in the crystalline lattice of the vanadium oxide bronzes. (

The Somma-Vesuvius complex and the Phlaegrean Fields caldera: New chronological data of several eruptions of the Copper-Middle Bronze Age period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passariello, Isabella; Lubritto, Carmine; D'Onofrio, Antonio; Guan, Yongjing; Terrasi, Filippo

2010-04-01

Radiocarbon dating of short-lived sample materials is a useful tool applied to date deposits of volcanic eruptions. Several archaeological sites discovered and excavated in Campania witnessed important volcanic eruptions, which occurred in the Copper and Middle Bronze Ages. These eruptions come from the Somma-Vesuvius complex and the Phlaegrean Fields caldera. At least four Plinian eruptions have been identified in the eruptive history of Somma-Vesuvius, interspersed by interplinian events, called protohistoric, which occurred between Avellino and Pompeii. At S. Paolo Belsito a stratigraphic sequence below Avellino and above the first two protohistoric events after Avellino were highlighted; while Nola (Naples) gives new information on the chronology of Avellino. Sites like Caivano and Gricignano D'Aversa, involved by the Agnano 3, Paleoastroni 2 and Agnano Monte Spina eruptions were highlighted and investigated. In this work, we want to clarify the chronology of some eruptions by comparing our results with previous data. Charcoal, bone and seed samples were collected, treated and measured at the CIRCE laboratory in Caserta.

Ancient DNA reveals a migration of the ancient Di-qiang populations into Xinjiang as early as the early Bronze Age.

PubMed

Gao, Shi-Zhu; Zhang, Ye; Wei, Dong; Li, Hong-Jie; Zhao, Yong-Bin; Cui, Yin-Qiu; Zhou, Hui

2015-05-01

Xinjiang is at the crossroads between East and West Eurasia, and it harbors a relatively complex genetic history. In order to better understand the population movements and interactions in this region, mitochondrial and Y chromosome analyses on 40 ancient human remains from the Tianshanbeilu site in eastern Xinjiang were performed. Twenty-nine samples were successfully assigned to specific mtDNA haplogroups, including the west Eurasian maternal lineages of U and W and the east Eurasian maternal lineages of A, C, D, F, G, Z, M7, and M10. In the male samples, two Y chromosome haplogroups, C* and N1 (xN1a, N1c), were successfully assigned. Our mitochondrial and Y-chromosomal DNA analyses combined with the archaeological studies revealed that the Di-qiang populations from the Hexi Corridor had migrated to eastern Xinjiang and admixed with the Eurasian steppe populations in the early Bronze Age. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Corrosion and Preservation of Bronze Artifacts.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Walker, Robert

1980-01-01

Reviews chemical information relating to the corrosion of bronze artifacts. Properties of copper alloys are reviewed, with a thorough discussion of the specialized properties of bronze. Techniques to reduce or eliminate corrosion are listed. (CS)

Climate change and archaeological site distribution during the past four millennia in northern Jordan utilizing oxygen isotope analysis of human tooth enamel and geographic information system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alakkam, Abdulla Ahmed

The enamels of one hundred and ninety two teeth were analyzed for their oxygen isotopic composition from five archaeological sites in northern Jordan (Ya'amoun, Pella, Yasieleh, Sa'ad and Waqqas) to reconstruct the climate from the Middle Bronze Age II (1800--1500 BCE) to the Late Byzantine Period (491--640 CE). Results showed that the Middle Bronze Age II delta 18O values were the highest indicating warmer and drier climate conditions. The Late Bronze Age II and the Iron Age I/II experienced more favorable climate conditions. The Early Byzantine period delta18O values indicate wetter conditions compared to the Late Byzantine period but the latter was wetter than the Middle Bronze Age II. The geographic distribution of the archaeological sites in Jordan was affected by climate that changed over the prehistory of the country (from the Paleolithic to the Ottoman Period). Archaeological sites decreased in number during dry periods like the Middle Bronze Age II but increased during wet periods like the Roman one. Proximity to water sources was favored during the various cultural periods, where the northwestern and the mid-western areas witnessed dense occupation. On the other hand, areas that presently receive less than 200mm annual rainfall were not favored even during the wet periods. There were major climate events that overran the whole Mediterranean region during the Holocene, where Jordan was subject to them as well. These climatic events (prolonged droughts and/or insufficient precipitation) were identified using Bryson's archaeoclimate model that simulates the amount of precipitation, evapotranspiration and temperature during the last 12,000 years. These climate events coincided with the collapse of many societies in the Levant, such as the Middle Bronze Age societies of Mesopotamian cities.

New archaeomagnetic directions from Portugal and evolution of the geomagnetic field in Iberia from Late Bronze Age to Roman Times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palencia-Ortas, A.; Osete, M. L.; Campuzano, S. A.; McIntosh, G.; Larrazabal, J.; Sastre, J.; Rodriguez-Aranda, J.

2017-09-01

This study presents new archaeomagnetic results from 33 combustion structures (kilns and hearths) from the archaeological sites of Castelinho, Crestelos, Olival Poço da Barca and Fonte do Milho in NE Portugal. The age of the investigated structures ranges from 1210 BC to 200 AD according to calibrated radiocarbon dating, thermoluminescence dating and archaeological constraints. Stepwise thermal and alternating field demagnetization isolate a single, stable, characteristic remanence component with very well defined directions. Rock magnetic analyses suggest low-Ti titanomagnetite/maghemite as the main magnetic carrier of the remanence. Mean directions are well grouped in most structures. The effect of thermoremanent anisotropy on mean directions has been evaluated and was found to be important. Inclination increases of between 2° and 13° after applying the anisotropy correction at specimen level. This highlights the requirement of evaluating this effect on the directions of small and flattened thin kilns and hearths. The 31 new directional data improve both the temporal and spatial distribution of the Iberian archaeomagnetic dataset from Late Bronze Age to Roman Times. Finally, a new directional palaeosecular variation curve for Iberia for the last twelve centuries BC is proposed. The curve has been computed using the bootstrap method and includes data coming from sites within 900 km of Madrid. The new palaeodirectional secular variation curve for Iberia is consistent with the Western European palaeosecular variation curve and with the prediction of regional European models.

The hydrogeological and paleoclimatic factors in the Bronze Age Motillas Culture of La Mancha (Spain): the first hydraulic culture in Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benítez de Lugo Enrich, Luis; Mejías, Miguel

2017-11-01

Recent studies indicate that the motillas (Chalcolithic and Bronze Age settlements in La Mancha, Spain) could have constituted the most ancient groundwater collection system at regional scale in Europe. This paper presents the first hydrogeoarchaeological study at the regional level in La Mancha. The research includes borehole drilling and hydrogeological analysis of the territory on which the motillas are settled. The resulting data confirm a relationship between the geological substrate and the spatial distribution of the motillas, sited where groundwater was accessible by means of prehistoric technology. The motillas were built during the climatic event known as 4.2 ka cal BP, in a time of environmental stress after a period of severe and prolonged drought. In these environmental conditions, the construction of these wells was a successful solution that lived on for nearly a millennium and played a major part in the processes of change towards a more complex, hierarchical society.

Band structure of the quasi two-dimensional purple molybdenum bronze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guyot, H.; Balaska, H.; Perrier, P.; Marcus, J.

2006-09-01

The molybdenum purple bronze KMo 6O 17 is quasi two-dimensional (2D) metallic oxide that shows a Peierls transition towards a metallic charge density wave state. Since this specific transition is directly related to the electron properties of the normal state, we have investigated the electronic structure of this bronze at room temperature. The shape of the Mo K1s absorption edge reveals the presence of distorted MoO 6 octahedra in the crystallographic structure. Photoemission experiments evidence a large conduction band, with a bandwidth of 800 meV and confirm the metallic character of this bronze. A wide depleted zone separates the conduction band from the valence band that exhibits a fourfold structure, directly connected to the octahedral symmetry of the Mo sites. The band structure is determined by ARUPS in two main directions of the (0 0 1) Brillouin zone. It exhibits some unpredicted features but corroborates the earlier theoretical band structure and Fermi surface. It confirms the hidden one-dimensionality of KMo 6O 17 that has been proposed to explain the origin of the Peierls transition in this 2D compound.

A catastrophic event in Lake Geneva region during the Early Bronze Age?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kremer, Katrina; Yrro, Blé; Marillier, François; Hilbe, Michael; Corboud, Pierre; Rachoud-Schneider, Anne-Marie; Girardclos, Stéphanie

2013-04-01

Similarly to steep oceanic continental margins, lake slopes can collapse, producing large sublacustrine landslides and tsunamis. Lake sediments are excellent natural archives of such mass movements and their study allows the reconstructions of these prehistoric events, such as the 563 AD large tsunami over Lake Geneva (Kremer et al, 2012). In Lake Geneva, more than 100 km of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles reveal the late Holocene sedimentation history. The seismic record shows a succession of five large lens-shaped seismic units (A to I), characterized by transparent/chaotic seismic facies with irregular lower boundaries, and interpreted as mass-movement deposits. These units are interbedded with parallel, continuous and strong amplitude reflections, interpreted as the 'background' lake sediments. The oldest dated mass movement (Unit D) covers a surface of 22 km2 in the deep basin, near the city of Lausanne. This deposit has an estimated minimum volume of 0.18 km3 and thus was very likely tsunamigenic (Kremer et al, 2012). A 12-m-long sediment core confirms the seismic interpretation of the mass movement unit and shows that the uppermost 3 m of Unit D are characterized by deformed hemipelagic sediments topped by a 5 cm thick turbidite. This deposit can be classified as a slump whose scar can be interpreted in the seismic data and visualized by multibeam bathymetry. This slump of Lausanne was likely triggered by an earthquake but a spontaneous slope collapse cannot be excluded (Girardclos et al, 2007). Radiocarbon dating of plant macro-remains reveals that the unit D happened during Early Bronze Age. Three other mass wasting deposits occurred during the same time period and may have been triggered during the same event, either by a single earthquake or by a tsunami generated by the slump of Lausanne. Although the exact trigger mechanism of the all these mass-wasting deposits remains unknown, a tsunami likely generated by this event may have affected the

21 CFR 73.2646 - Bronze powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Cosmetics § 73.2646 Bronze powder. (a) Identity and specifications. The....1646 (a)(1) and (b). (b) Uses and restrictions. Bronze powder may be safely used in coloring cosmetics generally, including cosmetics intended for use in the area of the eye, in amounts consistent with good...

21 CFR 73.2646 - Bronze powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Cosmetics § 73.2646 Bronze powder. (a) Identity and specifications. The....1646 (a)(1) and (b). (b) Uses and restrictions. Bronze powder may be safely used in coloring cosmetics generally, including cosmetics intended for use in the area of the eye, in amounts consistent with good...

21 CFR 73.2646 - Bronze powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... ADDITIVES EXEMPT FROM CERTIFICATION Cosmetics § 73.2646 Bronze powder. (a) Identity and specifications. The....1646 (a)(1) and (b). (b) Uses and restrictions. Bronze powder may be safely used in coloring cosmetics generally, including cosmetics intended for use in the area of the eye, in amounts consistent with good...

Tracing the dynamic life story of a Bronze Age Female

PubMed Central

Margarita Frei, Karin; Mannering, Ulla; Kristiansen, Kristian; Allentoft, Morten E.; Wilson, Andrew S.; Skals, Irene; Tridico, Silvana; Louise Nosch, Marie; Willerslev, Eske; Clarke, Leon; Frei, Robert

2015-01-01

Ancient human mobility at the individual level is conventionally studied by the diverse application of suitable techniques (e.g. aDNA, radiogenic strontium isotopes, as well as oxygen and lead isotopes) to either hard and/or soft tissues. However, the limited preservation of coexisting hard and soft human tissues hampers the possibilities of investigating high-resolution diachronic mobility periods in the life of a single individual. Here, we present the results of a multidisciplinary study of an exceptionally well preserved circa 3.400-year old Danish Bronze Age female find, known as the Egtved Girl. We applied biomolecular, biochemical and geochemical analyses to reconstruct her mobility and diet. We demonstrate that she originated from a place outside present day Denmark (the island of Bornholm excluded), and that she travelled back and forth over large distances during the final months of her life, while consuming a terrestrial diet with intervals of reduced protein intake. We also provide evidence that all her garments were made of non-locally produced wool. Our study advocates the huge potential of combining biomolecular and biogeochemical provenance tracer analyses to hard and soft tissues of a single ancient individual for the reconstruction of high-resolution human mobility. PMID:25994525

Tracing the dynamic life story of a Bronze Age Female

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margarita Frei, Karin; Mannering, Ulla; Kristiansen, Kristian; Allentoft, Morten E.; Wilson, Andrew S.; Skals, Irene; Tridico, Silvana; Louise Nosch, Marie; Willerslev, Eske; Clarke, Leon; Frei, Robert

2015-05-01

Ancient human mobility at the individual level is conventionally studied by the diverse application of suitable techniques (e.g. aDNA, radiogenic strontium isotopes, as well as oxygen and lead isotopes) to either hard and/or soft tissues. However, the limited preservation of coexisting hard and soft human tissues hampers the possibilities of investigating high-resolution diachronic mobility periods in the life of a single individual. Here, we present the results of a multidisciplinary study of an exceptionally well preserved circa 3.400-year old Danish Bronze Age female find, known as the Egtved Girl. We applied biomolecular, biochemical and geochemical analyses to reconstruct her mobility and diet. We demonstrate that she originated from a place outside present day Denmark (the island of Bornholm excluded), and that she travelled back and forth over large distances during the final months of her life, while consuming a terrestrial diet with intervals of reduced protein intake. We also provide evidence that all her garments were made of non-locally produced wool. Our study advocates the huge potential of combining biomolecular and biogeochemical provenance tracer analyses to hard and soft tissues of a single ancient individual for the reconstruction of high-resolution human mobility.

21 CFR 73.2646 - Bronze powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Bronze powder. 73.2646 Section 73.2646 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR....1646 (a)(1) and (b). (b) Uses and restrictions. Bronze powder may be safely used in coloring cosmetics...

21 CFR 73.2646 - Bronze powder.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Bronze powder. 73.2646 Section 73.2646 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL LISTING OF COLOR....1646 (a)(1) and (b). (b) Uses and restrictions. Bronze powder may be safely used in coloring cosmetics...

An Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry and Monte Carlo simulation study of Iron-Age Nuragic small bronzes ("Navicelle") from Sardinia, Italy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schiavon, Nick; de Palmas, Anna; Bulla, Claudio; Piga, Giampaolo; Brunetti, Antonio

2016-09-01

A spectrometric protocol combining Energy Dispersive X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometry with Monte Carlo simulations of experimental spectra using the XRMC code package has been applied for the first time to characterize the elemental composition of a series of famous Iron Age small scale archaeological bronze replicas of ships (known as the ;Navicelle;) from the Nuragic civilization in Sardinia, Italy. The proposed protocol is a useful, nondestructive and fast analytical tool for Cultural Heritage sample. In Monte Carlo simulations, each sample was modeled as a multilayered object composed by two or three layers depending on the sample: when all present, the three layers are the original bronze substrate, the surface corrosion patina and an outermost protective layer (Paraloid) applied during past restorations. Monte Carlo simulations were able to account for the presence of the patina/corrosion layer as well as the presence of the Paraloid protective layer. It also accounted for the roughness effect commonly found at the surface of corroded metal archaeological artifacts. In this respect, the Monte Carlo simulation approach adopted here was, to the best of our knowledge, unique and enabled to determine the bronze alloy composition together with the thickness of the surface layers without the need for previously removing the surface patinas, a process potentially threatening preservation of precious archaeological/artistic artifacts for future generations.

Linked Climatic, Environmental, and Societal Changes in the Lower Yellow River Area during the Neolithic-Bronze Age Transition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, S. Y.

2017-12-01

Understanding human-environment interactions during times of large and rapid climatic changes in the second half of the Holocene may deepen our insight into human adaptation and resilience against potential climate anomalies in the future. However, the drivers and societal responses tend to be different from area to area, and the degree and nature of this link are still a matter of debate. Flooding sediments preserved within the cultural stratigraphical context at archaeological sites in the lower Yellow River area may offer an ideal framework for evaluating the association between evolution of Neolithic cultures and climate fluctuations. Here, we present evidence from a mound site for the prevalence of extreme overbank floods during the Neolithic-Bronze Age transition most likely triggered by excessive summer precipitation in the Yellow River valley when prolonged weak El Niño condition prevailed. Repeated flooding during around 4000-3500 cal yr BP substantially modified the floodplain landscape, thereby driving people to disperse to areas dominated by the Erlitou culture and eventually giving rise to a state-level society in central China historiographically identified as the Xia Dynasty. Changes in the drainage network due to repeated flooding also exerted a profound impact on the rice farming-based communities centered in the region of the floods. Our results provide a precise past analogue of the linked climatic, environmental, and societal changes at a time when human societies were evolving into a hierarchy similar to those of today.

Preparation and evaluation of thin-film sodium tungsten bronzes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kautz, H. E.; Fielder, W. L.; Singer, J.; Fordyce, J. S.

1974-01-01

Thin films of sodium tungsten bronze (NaxWO3) were investigated as reversible sodium ion electrodes for solid electrolytes. The films were made by electron beam evaporation of the three phases, W metal, Na2WO4, and WO3, followed by sintering. The substrates were sodium beta alumina disks and glass slides. X-ray diffraction analyses of the films showed that sintering in dry nitrogen with prior exposure to air lead to mixed phases. Sintering in vacuum with no air exposure produced tetragonal I bronze with a nominal composition of Na0.31WO3, single phase within the limits of X-ray diffraction detectability. The films were uniform and adherent on sodium beta alumina substrates. The ac and dc conductivities of the beta alumina were measured with the sodium tungsten bronze films as electrodes. These experiments indicated that the tetragonal I bronze electrodes were not completely reversible. This may have resulted from sodium ion blocking within the bronze film or at the bronze beta alumina interface. Methods for attempting to make more completely reversible electrodes are suggested.

Geoarchaeological research on Bronze Age settlement mounds in the Kolkheti lowlands at the Black Sea coast of Georgia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laermanns, Hannes; Heisterkamp, Arne; Kirkitadze, Giorgi; Elashvili, Mikheil; Verheul, Jan; Kelterbaum, Daniel; Helmut, Brückner

2016-04-01

0.0.1 Situated between the Rivers Enguri in the north and Khobistsqali in the south, more than 20 settlement mounds (local name Dikhagudzuba), identified by field survey and remote sensing techniques, give evidence of a densely populated landscape in the coastal lowlands of eastern Georgia during the Bronze Age. While the existing chronology of these mounds is based on ceramic evidence obtained during a previous archaeological research, only limited information is available on their internal architecture and their palaeoenvironmental context, and the chronology of the different layers is as yet lacking. 0.0.2 Within the framework of a geoarchaeological research project, we carried out eleven vibracores on and in direct vicinity of three of the most prominent mounds, situated close to the villages of Orulu and Ergeta. Based on these sediment cores, our study aims at (i) establishing a chronostratigraphical framework for the settlements based on radiocarbon dating; (ii) reconstructing possible phases and gaps of occupation; and (iii) identifying the environmental conditions during the time of their existence. Geochemical and sedimentological analyses were carried out to decipher element contents (XRF), granulometry, and organic contents (LOI, C/N) of sediment samples, supporting the interpretation of the mounds' stratigraphical evolution and related human occupation. The three investigated settlement mounds are similar in dimension and stratigraphy, and different settlement layers could be identified in each of them. The 14C age estimates indicate that their formation occurred during the second half of the 3rd and the first half of the 2nd millennium BC, thus confirming the archaeological interpretation of their Bronze Age origin. Based on the granulometric and geochemical data, palaeoenvironmental conditions in the vicinity of the settlements were dominated by fluvial processes.

Evidence that a West-East admixed population lived in the Tarim Basin as early as the early Bronze Age

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

Background The Tarim Basin, located on the ancient Silk Road, played a very important role in the history of human migration and cultural communications between the West and the East. However, both the exact period at which the relevant events occurred and the origins of the people in the area remain very obscure. In this paper, we present data from the analyses of both Y chromosomal and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) derived from human remains excavated from the Xiaohe cemetery, the oldest archeological site with human remains discovered in the Tarim Basin thus far. Results Mitochondrial DNA analysis showed that the Xiaohe people carried both the East Eurasian haplogroup (C) and the West Eurasian haplogroups (H and K), whereas Y chromosomal DNA analysis revealed only the West Eurasian haplogroup R1a1a in the male individuals. Conclusion Our results demonstrated that the Xiaohe people were an admixture from populations originating from both the West and the East, implying that the Tarim Basin had been occupied by an admixed population since the early Bronze Age. To our knowledge, this is the earliest genetic evidence of an admixed population settled in the Tarim Basin. PMID:20163704

77 FR 14600 - Pricing for 2012 Kennedy Half-Dollar Bags and Rolls, Bronze Medals, the First Spouse Bronze Medal...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-03-12

... DEPARTMENT OF THE TREASURY United States Mint Pricing for 2012 Kennedy Half-Dollar Bags and Rolls, Bronze Medals, the First Spouse Bronze Medal Set and the Birth Set AGENCY: United States Mint, Department of the Treasury. ACTION: Notice. SUMMARY: The United States Mint is announcing 2012 pricing for...

Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Measurements of Cda 510 Phosphor Bronze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tuttle, J.; Canavan, E.; DiPirro, M.

2010-04-01

Many cryogenic systems use electrical cables containing phosphor bronze wire. While phosphor bronze's electrical and thermal conductivity values have been published, results vary among different phosphor bronze formulations. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will use several phosphor bronze wire harnesses containing a specific formulation (CDA 510, annealed temper). These harnesses dominate the heat conducted into the JWST instrument stage, and approximately half of the harness conductance is due to the phosphor bronze wires. Since the JWST radiators are expected to keep the instruments at their operating temperature with limited cooling margin, it is important to know the thermal conductivity of the actual alloy being used. We describe an experiment that measured its electrical and thermal conductivity between 4 and 295 Kelvin.

Thermal and Electrical Conductivity Measurements of CDA 510 Phosphor Bronze

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tuttle, James E.; Canavan, Edgar; DiPirro, Michael

2009-01-01

Many cryogenic systems use electrical cables containing phosphor bronze wire. While phosphor bronze's electrical and thermal conductivity values have been published, there is significant variation among different phosphor bronze formulations. The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will use several phosphor bronze wire harnesses containing a specific formulation (CDA 510, annealed temper). The heat conducted into the JWST instrument stage is dominated by these harnesses, and approximately half of the harness conductance is due to the phosphor bronze wires. Since the JWST radiators are expected to just keep the instruments at their operating temperature with limited cooling margin, it is important to know the thermal conductivity of the actual alloy being used. We describe an experiment which measured the electrical and thermal conductivity of this material between 4 and 295 Kelvin.

Corrosion of 85-5-5-5 bronze in natural and synthetic acid rain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morselli, L.; Bernardi, E.; Chiavari, C.; Brunoro, G.

In order to investigate the decay of bronzes exposed to acid wet depositions, a comparative study has been performed by following the corrosion behaviour of different sets of bronze specimens exposed either to natural rain or to a similar solution, without organic compounds, artificially reproduced in laboratory. The as cast G85 bronze specimens were exposed to aggressive solutions for different periods through a wet-dry technique. The pH trend of the solutions and the amount of metals transferred into the solutions were periodically monitored. OM, SEM, XRD, RAMAN analyses and ac electrochemical measurements were performed on the artificially weathered specimens. Preliminary results, showing the difference between the ageing in natural and synthetic rain, suggest the influence of the organic components on the corrosion process. In particular, the growth of a more uniform protective layer of corrosion products on the metal surface exposed to the natural rain could be attributed to these components.

X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy as a tool to investigate silane-based coatings for the protection of outdoor bronze: The role of alloying elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masi, G.; Balbo, A.; Esvan, J.; Monticelli, C.; Avila, J.; Robbiola, L.; Bernardi, E.; Bignozzi, M. C.; Asensio, M. C.; Martini, C.; Chiavari, C.

2018-03-01

Application of a protective coating is the most widely used conservation treatment for outdoor bronzes (cast Cu-Sn-Zn-Pb-Sb alloys). However, improving coating protectiveness requires detailed knowledge of the coating/substrate chemical bonding. This is particularly the case for 3-mercapto-propyl-trimethoxy-silane (PropS-SH) applied on bronze, exhibiting a good protective behaviour in outdoor simulated conditions. The present work deals with X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) and Electron Microscopy (FEG-SEM + FIB (Focused Ion Beam)) characterization of a thin PropS-SH film on bronze. In particular, in order to better understand the influence of alloying elements on coating performance, PropS-SH was studied first on pure Cu and Sn substrates then on bronzes with increasing alloy additions: Cu8Sn as well as a quinary Cu-Sn-Zn-Pb-Sb bronze. Moreover, considering the real application of this coating on historical bronze substrates, previously artificially aged ("patinated") bronze samples were prepared and a comparison between bare and "patinated" quinary bronzes was performed. In the case of coated quinary bronze, the free surface of samples was analysed by High Resolution Photoelectron Spectroscopy using Synchrotron Radiation (HR-SRPES) at ANTARES (Synchrotron SOLEIL), which offers a higher energy and lateral resolution. By compiling complementary spectroscopic and imaging information, a deeper insight into the interactions between the protective coating and the bronze substrate was achieved.

The sun, moon and stars of the southern Levant at Gezer and Megiddo: Cultural astronomy in Chalcolithic/Early and Middle Bronze Ages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, Sara Lee

Astronomical images are found on monumental structures and decorative art, and metaphorically in seasonal myths, and are documented by calendars. In Israel and the southern Levant, images of the sun, the moon, and the stars were common decorating motifs. They were found on walls, pottery, and seals and date to as early as the Chalcolithic period; for example, the wall painting of a star at Teleilat Ghassul (North 1961). This dissertation establishes that the people of the Levant were aware of the apparent movement of the sun, and this will be discussed in Chapter 4. They began recording through representation drawings, astronomical phenomena no later than the Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age and continued to do so late into the Middle Bronze Age. The argument moves beyond the simple use of symbols to the use of images to represent constellations, with the focus on the constellation Leo in Chapter 5. Furthermore, the use of astronomy as a power and political tool is also suggested in Chapter 6. Nonetheless, the primary purpose that is addressed here is the tendency in Syro-Palestinian archaeology has been to attribute technological evidence found in the northern and southern Levant as diffused from Egypt or Assyria, particularly astronomy. This dissertation firmly establishes that astronomy was used in the southern Levant before any significant contact with the civilizations of Egypt or Assyria.

Corrosion investigation of fire-gilded bronze involving high surface resolution spectroscopic imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Masi, G.; Chiavari, C.; Avila, J.; Esvan, J.; Raffo, S.; Bignozzi, M. C.; Asensio, M. C.; Robbiola, L.; Martini, C.

2016-03-01

Gilded bronzes are often affected by severe corrosion, due to defects in the Au layer and Au/Cu alloy galvanic coupling, stimulated by large cathodic area of the gilded layer. Galvanic corrosion, triggered by gilding defects, leads to products growth at the Au/bronze interface, inducing blistering or break-up of the Au layer. In this context, fire-gilded bronze replicas prepared by ancient methods (use of spreadable Au-Hg paste) was specifically characterised by compiling complementary spectroscopic and imaging information before/after accelerated ageing with synthetic rain. Fire-gilded bronze samples were chemically imaged in cross-section at nano-metric scale (<200 nm) using high energy and lateral resolution synchrotron radiation photoemission (HR-SRPES) of core levels and valence band after conventional characterisation of the samples by Glow Discharge optical Emission Spectroscopy (GD-OES) and conventional X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We have found a net surface enrichment in Zn and Sn after fire-gilding and presence of metallic Hg, Pb and Cu within the Au layer. Moreover, the composition distribution of the elements together with their oxidation has been determined. It was also revealed that metallic phases including Hg and Pb remain in the gilding after corrosion. Moreover, selective dissolution of Zn and Cu occurs in the crater due to galvanic coupling, which locally induces relative Sn species enrichment (decuprification). The feasibility advantages and disadvantages of chemical imaging using HR-SRPES to study artworks have been investigated on representative replicas.

An interdisciplinary tillage erosion experiment: establishing a new field in grassland with reconstructed ard plough of the Bronze Age - Iron Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pavelka, Jan; Smetanová, Anna; Rejman, Jerzy; Kováčik, Peter

2017-04-01

Despite recognising the role of tillage erosion in landforms evolution, little research has documented its effects in prehistoric times. Herein, an interdisciplinary archaeological-geomorphological experiment with reconstructed tillage tools and management was conducted in order to measure tillage erosion when a new field in grasslands was established in the Bronze Age-Iron Age. Three wooden ards were reconstructed based on archaeological findings. They were tested in a cross-tillage experiment, consisting of a tillage pass perpendicular to the primary slope (6.5-9.7%), and a second tillage pass parallel to the primary slope of a convex-convex ridge with mowed grass (0.2 m high, vegetation cover >90%). The standard sole ard proved to be the most effective, with a mean tillage depth of 0.12 m, a mean tillage speed of 3.8 km h-1, and a mean distance between furrows of 0.20-0.25 m. Only 13% of the 264 tracers placed on 6 transects were displaced, and the mean tracers displacement parallel to the primary slope was 0.04 ± 0.17 m. Contour tillage perpendicular to primary slope created V or U shaped furrows with a mean depth of 0.1-0.12 m, a mean width of 0.05-0.1 m, and incision under the main root zone. Only soil in direct contact with the ard was displaced, with a mean translocation distance of 0.06 ± 0.2 m parallel and 0.06 ± 0.3 m perpendicular to the primary slope. During tillage parallel to slope, soil clods of 0.20 x 0.25 x 0.10 m were created and slightly disturbed or turned over one another. The tracers moved within the furrows and with the soil clods. Loose soil, resembling a seedbed, was not covered by soil clods. Mean displacement during the second pass was 0.03 ± 0.19 m parallel and 0.00 ± 0.15 m perpendicular to primary slope. The displacement from cross-tillage with a wooden ard in permanent grasslands was lower than many previously measured values of traditional animal-powered metal ploughs in permanent fields. No relationship between mean soil

Stratospheric Ozone destruction by the Bronze-Age Minoan eruption (Santorini Volcano, Greece)

PubMed Central

Cadoux, Anita; Scaillet, Bruno; Bekki, Slimane; Oppenheimer, Clive; Druitt, Timothy H.

2015-01-01

The role of volcanogenic halogen-bearing (i.e. chlorine and bromine) compounds in stratospheric ozone chemistry and climate forcing is poorly constrained. While the 1991 eruption of Pinatubo resulted in stratospheric ozone loss, it was due to heterogeneous chemistry on volcanic sulfate aerosols involving chlorine of anthropogenic rather than volcanogenic origin, since co-erupted chlorine was scavenged within the plume. Therefore, it is not known what effect volcanism had on ozone in pre-industrial times, nor what will be its role on future atmospheres with reduced anthropogenic halogens present. By combining petrologic constraints on eruption volatile yields with a global atmospheric chemistry-transport model, we show here that the Bronze-Age ‘Minoan’ eruption of Santorini Volcano released far more halogens than sulfur and that, even if only 2% of these halogens reached the stratosphere, it would have resulted in strong global ozone depletion. The model predicts reductions in ozone columns of 20 to >90% at Northern high latitudes and an ozone recovery taking up to a decade. Our findings emphasise the significance of volcanic halogens for stratosphere chemistry and suggest that modelling of past and future volcanic impacts on Earth’s ozone, climate and ecosystems should systematically consider volcanic halogen emissions in addition to sulfur emissions. PMID:26206616

Stratospheric Ozone destruction by the Bronze-Age Minoan eruption (Santorini Volcano, Greece).

PubMed

Cadoux, Anita; Scaillet, Bruno; Bekki, Slimane; Oppenheimer, Clive; Druitt, Timothy H

2015-07-24

The role of volcanogenic halogen-bearing (i.e. chlorine and bromine) compounds in stratospheric ozone chemistry and climate forcing is poorly constrained. While the 1991 eruption of Pinatubo resulted in stratospheric ozone loss, it was due to heterogeneous chemistry on volcanic sulfate aerosols involving chlorine of anthropogenic rather than volcanogenic origin, since co-erupted chlorine was scavenged within the plume. Therefore, it is not known what effect volcanism had on ozone in pre-industrial times, nor what will be its role on future atmospheres with reduced anthropogenic halogens present. By combining petrologic constraints on eruption volatile yields with a global atmospheric chemistry-transport model, we show here that the Bronze-Age 'Minoan' eruption of Santorini Volcano released far more halogens than sulfur and that, even if only 2% of these halogens reached the stratosphere, it would have resulted in strong global ozone depletion. The model predicts reductions in ozone columns of 20 to >90% at Northern high latitudes and an ozone recovery taking up to a decade. Our findings emphasise the significance of volcanic halogens for stratosphere chemistry and suggest that modelling of past and future volcanic impacts on Earth's ozone, climate and ecosystems should systematically consider volcanic halogen emissions in addition to sulfur emissions.

Rapid climate change did not cause population collapse at the end of the European Bronze Age

PubMed Central

Armit, Ian; Swindles, Graeme T.; Becker, Katharina; Plunkett, Gill; Blaauw, Maarten

2014-01-01

The impact of rapid climate change on contemporary human populations is of global concern. To contextualize our understanding of human responses to rapid climate change it is necessary to examine the archeological record during past climate transitions. One episode of abrupt climate change has been correlated with societal collapse at the end of the northwestern European Bronze Age. We apply new methods to interrogate archeological and paleoclimate data for this transition in Ireland at a higher level of precision than has previously been possible. We analyze archeological 14C dates to demonstrate dramatic population collapse and present high-precision proxy climate data, analyzed through Bayesian methods, to provide evidence for a rapid climatic transition at ca. 750 calibrated years B.C. Our results demonstrate that this climatic downturn did not initiate population collapse and highlight the nondeterministic nature of human responses to past climate change. PMID:25404290

Rapid climate change did not cause population collapse at the end of the European Bronze Age.

PubMed

Armit, Ian; Swindles, Graeme T; Becker, Katharina; Plunkett, Gill; Blaauw, Maarten

2014-12-02

The impact of rapid climate change on contemporary human populations is of global concern. To contextualize our understanding of human responses to rapid climate change it is necessary to examine the archeological record during past climate transitions. One episode of abrupt climate change has been correlated with societal collapse at the end of the northwestern European Bronze Age. We apply new methods to interrogate archeological and paleoclimate data for this transition in Ireland at a higher level of precision than has previously been possible. We analyze archeological (14)C dates to demonstrate dramatic population collapse and present high-precision proxy climate data, analyzed through Bayesian methods, to provide evidence for a rapid climatic transition at ca. 750 calibrated years B.C. Our results demonstrate that this climatic downturn did not initiate population collapse and highlight the nondeterministic nature of human responses to past climate change.

Climate change versus land management in the Po Plain (Northern Italy) during the Bronze Age: New insights from the VP/VG sequence of the Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cremaschi, Mauro; Mercuri, Anna Maria; Torri, Paola; Florenzano, Assunta; Pizzi, Chiara; Marchesini, Marco; Zerboni, Andrea

2016-03-01

The sedimentary infilling of the moat surrounding the Villaggio Piccolo of the Terramara Santa Rosa di Poviglio was analysed in order to obtain palaeoenvironmental inferences from sediments and pollen assemblage. The high-resolution stratigraphic sequence preserves evidence of the environmental changes that occurred in the Po Plain, in Northern Italy, during the Late Holocene. Our interdisciplinary approach permitted to study climatic and anthropic contributions to the environmental changes in this region. The relationships between these changes and land-use changes were investigated focussing on adaptive strategies of the Terramare people during the Middle and Recent Bronze ages (1550-1170 yr BC). The Terramare are archaeological remains of banked and moated villages, located in the central alluvial plain of the Po river. The Terramara of Santa Rosa consists of two adjoining settlements (Villaggio Grande and Villaggio Piccolo); the moat that separates the two parts of the site is c. 23 m large and reaches a maximum depth of 4 m from the extant ground level. The stratigraphic sequence VP/VG exposed by archaeological excavation inside the moat was sampled for pedosedimentary, thin section, and pollen analyses. Chronology is based on archaeological evidence, stratigraphic correlations and radiocarbon dating. Pedosedimentary features and biological records (pollen of aquatics and algal remains) demonstrate that shallow water, probably subjected to seasonal water-level oscillations, has always been present in the moat. In the lower units of the sequence, the laminations indicate standing water, while occurrence of reworked pollen testified the supply of sediments to the plain from catchment zones located in the Apennine. Open vegetation was widespread; economy was based on wood management, fruit collection on the wild or from cultivated woody plants, crop fields with a fairly diversified set of cereals especially increasing in variety during dryness or phases of water

Effect of alloying elements on the physicomechanical properties of copper and tin bronze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ri, Kh.; Komkov, V. G.; Ri, E. Kh.

2014-09-01

The effect of alloying elements (Al, Si, Mn, Zn, Ni, As) on the physicomechanical properties of copper and tin bronze (6 wt % Sn) is studied. These alloying elements are found to increase the hardness and the microhardness of the structural constituents of Cu- X alloys due to hardening the α solid solution and eutectoid, and this effect of alloying elements is most effective in tin bronze. Alloyed copper and tin bronze have a lower thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance as compared to plain copper and tin bronze.

Bronze Alloy Development for Zinc Vapor Capture

DOE PAGES

Korinko, Paul S.

2017-04-24

After gamma-emitting 65Zinc was detected in a vacuum pumping system contained in a tritium glovebox, a series of experiments were undertaken to develop a method and material to trap zinc vapors in an area that is more suitable for preventing dose to workers. In this study, bronze alloys with 0–30% tin were prepared using a powder metallurgical process and exposed to three levels of zinc vapors. Furthermore, all of the alloys demonstrated acceptable zinc gettering capacity; however, low tin content bronzes are considered for further testing.

Towards novel multiferroic and magnetoelectric materials: dipole stability in tetragonal tungsten bronzes

PubMed Central

Rotaru, Andrei; Miller, Andrew J.; Arnold, Donna C.; Morrison, Finlay D.

2014-01-01

We discuss the strategy for development of novel functional materials with the tetragonal tungsten bronze structure. From the starting composition Ba6GaNb9O30, the effect of A- and B-site substitutions on the dielectric properties is used to develop an understanding of the origin and stability of the dipolar response in these compounds. Both tetragonal strain induced by large B-site cations and local strain variations created by isovalent A-site substitutions enhance dipole stability but result in a dilute, weakly correlated dipolar response and canonical relaxor behaviour. Decreasing cation size at the perovskite A2-site increases the dipolar displacements in the surrounding octahedra, but insufficiently to result in dipole ordering. Mechanisms introducing small A-site lanthanide cations and incorporation of A-site vacancies to induce ferroelectricity and magnetism are presented. PMID:24421377

Bronzed cowbird taken in Florida

USGS Publications Warehouse

Matteson, R.E.

1970-01-01

On 8 November 1968 in Gainesville, Florida, I removed a male Bronzed Cowbird (Tangavius a. aeneus) from a blackbird decoy trap containing a large number of Brown-headed Cowbirds (Malothrus ater). Oliver L. Austin, Jr., at the Florida State Museum, verified the species identification by noting the notched inner webs of the outer three primaries, a characteristic of the genus. The subspecific identification was made at the U. S. National Museum where the bird is now specimen number 531666. The subspecies normally ranges from southcentral Texas and the Yucatan Peninsula south through Central America to Panama (Check-list of North American birds, fifth ed., Baltimore, Amer. Ornithol. Union, 1957, p. 542). This Gainesville specimen apparently is the first Bronzed Cow- bird taken in Florida. Alexander Sprunt, Jr., (Florida bird life. In Addendum to Florida bird life, New York, Coward-McCann, 1963, p. 18) lists three photographed sightings at Sarasota, Florida, in April 196

Weaning practices among pastoralists: New evidence of infant feeding patterns from Bronze Age Eurasia.

PubMed

Ventresca Miller, Alicia; Hanks, Bryan K; Judd, Margaret; Epimakhov, Andrey; Razhev, Dmitry

2017-03-01

This paper investigates infant feeding practices through stable carbon (δ 13 C) and nitrogen (δ 15 N) isotopic analyses of human bone collagen from Kamennyi Ambar 5, a Middle Bronze Age cemetery located in central Eurasia. The results presented are unique for the time period and region, as few cemeteries have been excavated to reveal a demographic cross-section of the population. Studies of weaning among pastoral societies are infrequent and this research adds to our knowledge of the timing, potential supplementary foods, and cessation of breastfeeding practices. Samples were collected from 41 subadults (<15 years) and 27 adults (15+ years). Isotopic reference sets from adult humans as well as faunal remains were utilized as these form the primary and complementary foods fed to infants. Slight shifts in δ 13 C and δ 15 N values revealed that weaning was a multi-stage process (breastfeeding, weaning, and complete cessation of nursing) that began at 6 months of age, occurred over several years of early childhood, and was completed by 4 years of age. Our results indicate that weaning was a multi-stage process that was unique among late prehistoric pastoralist groups in Eurasia that were dependent on milk products as a supplementary food. Our discussion centers on supporting this hypothesis with modern information on central and east Eurasian herding societies including the age at which complementary foods are introduced, the types of complementary foods, and the timing of the cessation of breastfeeding. Integral to this work is the nature of pastoral economies and their dependence on animal products, the impact of complementary foods on nutrition and health, and how milk processing may have affected nutrition content and digestibility of foods. This research on Eurasian pastoralists provides insights into the complexities of weaning among prehistoric pastoral societies as well as the potential for different complementary foods to be incorporated into infant diets

Gold, Silver and Bronze Citations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

American School & University, 2003

2003-01-01

Presents the gold, silver, and bronze winners of a competition, which judged the most outstanding learning environments at educational institutions nationwide. Jurors spent two days reviewing projects, focusing on concepts and ideas that made them exceptional. For each citation, the article offers information on the firm, client, total area, total…

78 FR 56832 - Extension of Import Restrictions Imposed on Archaeological Material From Cambodia From the Bronze...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-09-16

... amended by CBP Dec. 08-40, are due to expire on September 19, 2013, unless extended. The Assistant...: Effective Date: September 19, 2013. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For legal aspects, Lisa Burley, Cargo... until September 19, 2013, and amended them to include archaeological material from the Bronze Age...

Propolis as a green corrosion inhibitor for bronze in weakly acidic solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Varvara, Simona; Bostan, Roxana; Bobis, Otilia; Găină, Luiza; Popa, Florin; Mena, Vicente; Souto, Ricardo M.

2017-12-01

In the present work, the inhibitive action of natural propolis on bronze corrosion in a weakly acidic solution containing Na2SO4 and NaHCO3 at pH 5 was evaluated using multiscale electrochemical techniques, namely potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and scanning vibrating electrode technique measurements. The major constituents of propolis were identified by HPLC. Surface characterization was performed by SEM-EDX and AFM analysis. Experiments were performed as a function of the propolis concentration and immersion time in the corrosive electrolyte. The obtained results showed that propolis presents good anticorrosive properties on bronze, acting as a mixed-type inhibitor, but its protective effectiveness is time-dependent. The highest inhibiting efficiency of 98.9% was obtained in the presence of 100 ppm propolis, after about 12 h of exposure to inhibitor-containing electrolyte through the stabilization of Cu2O on the bronze surface. The inhibitive properties of propolis on bronze corrosion are likely due to the adsorption of its main constituents (flavonoids and phenolic compounds), through the oxygen atoms in their functional groups and aromatic rings, which have been evidenced by FT-IR spectra. The adsorption of propolis on bronze was found to follow Langmuir adsorption isotherm.

Paleoenvironmental reconstruction of the early Neolithic to middle Bronze Age Peña Larga rock shelter (Álava, Spain) from the small mammal record

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rofes, Juan; Zuluaga, Mari Cruz; Murelaga, Xabier; Fernández-Eraso, Javier; Bailon, Salvador; Iriarte, María José; Ortega, Luis Ángel; Alonso-Olazabal, Ainhoa

2013-03-01

The Peña Larga site, a rock shelter on the southern slopes of the Cantabrian cordillera (north Spain), is an archeological deposit covering nearly 4000 years, from the early Neolithic to the middle Bronze Age (Atlantic/Subboreal chronozones). It was used both as a household and as a stable, with a hiatus in the Chalcolithic when it was used as a collective sepulcher. Nearly twenty-eight thousand small vertebrate elements were recovered from its seven stratigraphic units, of which 2553 items were identified to the genus and/or species levels. The assemblage is composed of mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians. Of these, small mammals were used for paleoenvironmental reconstruction since they are very sensitive to climatic conditions, the sample sizes are large, and their preservation is good. Their distributions over time, measured in terms of relative abundance, serve as reliable proxies of habitat and climate change. The reconstruction of Peña Larga's past environments based on small mammals roughly coincides with the pollen and the amphibian/reptile records on the local scale, and with that of an ice core from Central Greenland on the global scale. This makes it a valuable tool for comparative purposes both in the regional and continental scales.

Late Bronze Age climate change and the destruction of the Mycenaean Palace of Nestor at Pylos

PubMed Central

Holmgren, Karin; Shen, Chuan-Chou; Hu, Hsun-Ming; Boyd, Meighan; Stocker, Sharon

2017-01-01

This paper offers new high-resolution oxygen and carbon isotope data from Stalagmite S1 from Mavri Trypa Cave, SW Peloponnese. Our data provide the climate background to the destruction of the nearby Mycenaean Palace of Nestor at Pylos at the transition from Late Helladic (LH) IIIB to LH IIIC, ~3150–3130 years before present (before AD 1950, hereafter yrs BP) and the subsequent period. S1 is dated by 24 U-Th dates with an averaged precision of ±26 yrs (2σ), providing one of the most robust paleoclimate records from the eastern Mediterranean for the end of the Late Bronze Age (LBA). The δ18O record shows generally wetter conditions at the time when the Palace of Nestor at Pylos was destroyed, but a brief period of drier conditions around 3200 yrs BP may have disrupted the Mycenaean agricultural system that at the time was likely operating close to its limit. Gradually developing aridity after 3150 yrs BP, i.e. subsequent to the destruction, probably reduced crop yields and helped to erode the basis for the reinstitution of a central authority and the Palace itself. PMID:29281669

Late Bronze Age climate change and the destruction of the Mycenaean Palace of Nestor at Pylos.

PubMed

Finné, Martin; Holmgren, Karin; Shen, Chuan-Chou; Hu, Hsun-Ming; Boyd, Meighan; Stocker, Sharon

2017-01-01

This paper offers new high-resolution oxygen and carbon isotope data from Stalagmite S1 from Mavri Trypa Cave, SW Peloponnese. Our data provide the climate background to the destruction of the nearby Mycenaean Palace of Nestor at Pylos at the transition from Late Helladic (LH) IIIB to LH IIIC, ~3150-3130 years before present (before AD 1950, hereafter yrs BP) and the subsequent period. S1 is dated by 24 U-Th dates with an averaged precision of ±26 yrs (2σ), providing one of the most robust paleoclimate records from the eastern Mediterranean for the end of the Late Bronze Age (LBA). The δ18O record shows generally wetter conditions at the time when the Palace of Nestor at Pylos was destroyed, but a brief period of drier conditions around 3200 yrs BP may have disrupted the Mycenaean agricultural system that at the time was likely operating close to its limit. Gradually developing aridity after 3150 yrs BP, i.e. subsequent to the destruction, probably reduced crop yields and helped to erode the basis for the reinstitution of a central authority and the Palace itself.

48 CFR 252.216-7007 - Economic price adjustment-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products-representation. 252.216-7007 Section 252....216-7007 Economic price adjustment—basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products... Steel, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, or Copper Mill Products—Representation (MAR 2012) (a) Definitions. The...

48 CFR 252.216-7007 - Economic price adjustment-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products-representation. 252.216-7007 Section 252....216-7007 Economic price adjustment—basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products... Steel, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, or Copper Mill Products—Representation (MAR 2012) (a) Definitions. The...

48 CFR 252.216-7007 - Economic price adjustment-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products-representation. 252.216-7007 Section 252....216-7007 Economic price adjustment—basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products... Steel, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, or Copper Mill Products—Representation (MAR 2012) (a) Definitions. The...

[Using Raman spectrum analysis to research corrosive productions occurring in alloy of ancient bronze wares].

PubMed

Jia, La-jiang; Jin, Pu-jun

2015-01-01

The present paper analyzes the interior rust that occurred in bronze alloy sample from 24 pieces of Early Qin bronze wares. Firstly, samples were processed by grinding, polishing and ultrasonic cleaning-to make a mirror surface. Then, a confocal micro-Raman spectrometer was employed to carry out spectroscopic study on the inclusions in samples. The conclusion indicated that corrosive phases are PbCO3 , PbO and Cu2O, which are common rusting production on bronze alloy. The light-colored circular or massive irregular areas in metallographic structure of samples are proved as Cu2O, showing that bronze wares are not only easy to be covered with red Cu2O rusting layer, but also their alloy is easy to be eroded by atomic oxygen. In other words, the rust Cu2O takes place in both the interior and exterior parts of the bronze alloy. In addition, Raman spectrum analysis shows that the dark grey materials are lead corrosive products--PbCO3 and PbO, showing the corroding process of lead element as Pb -->PbO-->PbCO3. In the texture of cast state of bronze alloy, lead is usually distributed as independent particles between the different alloy phases. The lead particles in bronze alloy would have oxidation reaction and generate PbO when buried in the soil, and then have chemical reaction with CO3(2-) dissolved in the underground water to generate PbCO3, which is a rather stable lead corrosive production. A conclusion can be drawn that the external corrosive factors (water, dissolved oxygen and carbonate, etc) can enter the bronze ware interior through the passageway between different phases and make the alloy to corrode gradually.

Ancient Chinese Bronzes: Teacher's Packet.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC. Arthur M. Sackler Gallery.

The focus of this teacher's packet is the bronze vessels made for the kings and great families of the early Chinese dynasties between 1700 B.C. and 200 A.D. The materials in the guide are intended for use by teachers and students visiting the exhibition, "The Arts of China," at the Arthur M. Sackler Gallery of the Smithsonian Institution…

Warm Spraying of High-Strength Ni-Al-Bronze: Cavitation Characteristics and Property Prediction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krebs, Sebastian; Kuroda, Seiji; Katanoda, Hiroshi; Gaertner, Frank; Klassen, Thomas; Araki, Hiroshi; Frede, Simon

2017-01-01

Bronze materials such as Ni-Al-bronze show exceptional performances against cavitation erosion, due to their high fatigue strength and high strength. These materials are used for ship propellers, pump systems or for applications with alternating stresses. Usually, the respective parts are cast. With the aim to use resources more efficiently and to reduce costs, this study aimed to evaluate opportunities to apply bronze as a coating to critical areas of respective parts. The coatings should have least amounts of pores and non-bonded areas and any contaminations that might act as crack nuclei and contribute to material damages. Processes with low oxidation and high kinetic impacts fulfill these criteria. Especially warm spraying, a nitrogen-cooled HVOF process, with similar impact velocities as cold gas spraying but enhanced process temperature, allows for depositing high-strength Ni-Al-bronze. This study systematically simulates and evaluates the formation and performance of warm-sprayed Ni-Al-bronze coatings for different combustion pressures and nitrogen flow rates. Substrate preheating was used to improve coating adhesion for lower spray parameter sets. Furthermore, this study introduces an energy-based concept to compare spray parameter sets and to predict coating properties. Coatings with low porosities and high mechanical strengths are obtained, allowing for a cavitation resistance similar to bulk material.

Ancient road transport devices: Developments from the Bronze Age to the Roman Empire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, Cesare; Chondros, Thomas G.; Milidonis, Kypros F.; Savino, Sergio; Russo, Flavio

2016-03-01

The development of transportation systems has significantly enhanced the welfare and modernization of society. Wooden vehicles pulled by animals have been used for land transportation since the early Bronze Age. Whole-body gharries with rigid wheels pulled by oxen appeared in Crete by 2000 BC or earlier. Horses originating from the East were depicted in early Cretan seal-rings of the same period. The two-wheeled horsedrawn chariot was one of the most important inventions in history. This vehicle provided humanity its first concept of personal transport and was the key technology of war for 2000 years. Chariots of Mycenaean and Archaic Greece with light and flexible four-spoked wheels acting as spring suspensions were depicted in vase paintings. The development of this vehicle incorporated the seeds of a primitive design activity and was important for engineering. The Trojan horse since 1194 BC and the helepolis since 700 BC were the first known machines on a wheeled base transported by horses or self-powered. Ancient engineers invented bearings lubricated with fat, and Romans introduced the ancestors of ball bearings for their wagons and carts. The historic evolution of wheeled transportation systems, along with early traction, suspension, and braking systems, is presented in this paper. Analytical and numerical methods are incorporated to analyze the most conceivable loading situations of typically reconstructed wheeled transportation systems in ancient times. Traction requirements both for horse-driven machines and the power for internal motors are also analyzed. This study can serve as a basis for further development of detailed reconstruction of transportation systems in antiquity.

48 CFR 252.216-7000 - Economic price adjustment-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. 252.216-7000 Section 252.216-7000 Federal... adjustment—basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. As prescribed in 216.203-4-70(a), use the following clause: Economic Price Adjustment—Basic Steel, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, or Copper...

The significance of the Sun, Moon and celestial bodies to societies in the Carpathian basin during the Bronze Age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pásztor, Emília

2011-06-01

Celestial events often exerted a great or even decisive influence on the life of ancient communities. They may provide some of the foundations on which an understanding of the deeper meaning of mythologies, religious systems and even folk tales can be based. These influences are reflected and may be detected in the archaeological material as well. There is good evidence that celestial (especially solar and perhaps lunar) phenomena played a particularly important rôle in the worldview of prehistoric Europe. To reveal the social and ideational significance of concepts relating to the celestial bodies in the prehistory of the Carpathian Basin, complex investigations on orientations of houses and graves, prestige archaeological finds and iconography have been accomplished. The results indicate ideological and/or social changes, which developed into a likely organized ideological system in large part of Central Europe including the Carpathian Basin by the Late Bronze Age. It might also be the first period in prehistory when people became really interested in celestial phenomena.

48 CFR 252.216-7000 - Economic price adjustment-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

...-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. 252.216-7000 Section 252.216-7000 Federal... adjustment—basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. As prescribed in 216.203-4-70(a)(1), use the following clause: Economic Price Adjustment—Basic Steel, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, or Copper...

48 CFR 252.216-7000 - Economic price adjustment-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

...-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. 252.216-7000 Section 252.216-7000 Federal... adjustment—basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. As prescribed in 216.203-4-70(a)(1), use the following clause: Economic Price Adjustment—Basic Steel, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, or Copper...

48 CFR 252.216-7000 - Economic price adjustment-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

...-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. 252.216-7000 Section 252.216-7000 Federal... adjustment—basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. As prescribed in 216.203-4-70(a)(1), use the following clause: Economic Price Adjustment—Basic Steel, Aluminum, Brass, Bronze, or Copper...

76 FR 40402 - Matthews International Corporation, Bronze Division, Kingwood, WV; Notice of Negative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-07-08

... the Federal Register on February 10, 2011 (76 FR 7584). Workers were engaged in the production of cast... their purchases of cast bronze memorial products (and like or directly competitive articles) in 2007... Department determines that imports of articles like or directly competitive with the cast bronze memorial...

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

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-22

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

Monumental megalithic burial and rock art tell a new story about the Levant Intermediate Bronze “Dark Ages”

PubMed Central

Barash, Alon; Eisenberg-Degen, Davida; Grosman, Leore; Oron, Maya; Berger, Uri

2017-01-01

The Intermediate Bronze Age (IB) in the Southern Levant (ca. 2350–2000 BCE) is known as the “Dark Ages,” following the collapse of Early Bronze urban society and predating the establishment of the Middle Bronze cities. The absence of significant settlements and monumental building has led to the reconstruction of IB social organization as that of nomadic, tribal society inhabiting rural villages with no central governmental system. Excavation in the Shamir Dolmen Field (comprising over 400 dolmens) on the western foothills of the Golan Heights was carried out following the discovery of rock art engravings on the ceiling of the central chamber inside one of the largest dolmens ever recorded in the Levant. Excavation of this multi-chambered dolmen, covered by a basalt capstone weighing some 50 tons, revealed a secondary multi-burial (of both adults and children) rarely described in a dolmen context in the Golan. Engraved into the rock ceiling above the multi-burial is a panel of 14 forms composed of a vertical line and downturned arc motif. 3D-scanning by structured-light technology was used to sharpen the forms and revealed the technique employed to create them. Building of the Shamir dolmens required a tremendous amount of labor, architectural mastery, and complex socio-economic organization well beyond the capacity of small, rural nomadic groups. The monumental megalithic burial of the Shamir dolmens indicates a hierarchical, complex, non-urban governmental system. This new evidence supports a growing body of recent criticism stemming from new discoveries and approaches that calls for rethinking our views of the Levantine IB “Dark Ages.” PMID:28253312

Genetic evidence for an origin of the Armenians from Bronze Age mixing of multiple populations

PubMed Central

Haber, Marc; Mezzavilla, Massimo; Xue, Yali; Comas, David; Gasparini, Paolo; Zalloua, Pierre; Tyler-Smith, Chris

2016-01-01

The Armenians are a culturally isolated population who historically inhabited a region in the Near East bounded by the Mediterranean and Black seas and the Caucasus, but remain under-represented in genetic studies and have a complex history including a major geographic displacement during World War I. Here, we analyse genome-wide variation in 173 Armenians and compare them with 78 other worldwide populations. We find that Armenians form a distinctive cluster linking the Near East, Europe, and the Caucasus. We show that Armenian diversity can be explained by several mixtures of Eurasian populations that occurred between ~3000 and ~2000 bce, a period characterized by major population migrations after the domestication of the horse, appearance of chariots, and the rise of advanced civilizations in the Near East. However, genetic signals of population mixture cease after ~1200 bce when Bronze Age civilizations in the Eastern Mediterranean world suddenly and violently collapsed. Armenians have since remained isolated and genetic structure within the population developed ~500 years ago when Armenia was divided between the Ottomans and the Safavid Empire in Iran. Finally, we show that Armenians have higher genetic affinity to Neolithic Europeans than other present-day Near Easterners, and that 29% of Armenian ancestry may originate from an ancestral population that is best represented by Neolithic Europeans. PMID:26486470

Etiology of bronze leaf disease of Populus

Treesearch

Jason A. Smith; R. A. Blanchette; M. E. Ostry; N. A. Anderson

2002-01-01

Bronze leaf disease is a potentially destructive disorder of the Populus section of the genus Populus. The causal agent has been reported to be Apioplagiostoma populi (anarnorph: Discula sp.). Based on etiological and symptomological studies, field observations of symptom development suggest that the pathogen...

Cold Spraying of Cu-Al-Bronze for Cavitation Protection in Marine Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krebs, S.; Gärtner, F.; Klassen, T.

2015-01-01

Traveling at high speeds, ships have to face the problem of rudder cavitation-erosion. At present, the problem is countered by fluid dynamically optimized rudders, synthetic, and weld-cladded coatings on steel basis. Nevertheless, docking and repair is required after certain intervals. Bulk Cu-Al-bronzes are in use at ships propellers to withstand corrosion and cavitation. Deposited as coatings with bulk-like properties, such bronzes could also enhance rudder life times. The present study investigates the coating formation by cold spraying CuAl10Fe5Ni5 bronze powders. By calculations of the impact conditions, the range of optimum spray parameters was preselected in terms of the coating quality parameter η on steel substrates with different temperatures. As-atomized and annealed powders were compared to optimize cavitation resistance of the coatings. Results provide insights about the interplay between the mechanical properties of powder and substrate for coating formation. Single particle impact morphologies visualize the deformation behavior. Coating performance was assessed by analyzing microstructures, bond strength, and cavitation resistance. These first results demonstrate that cold-sprayed bronze coatings have a high potential for ensuring a good performances in rudder protection. With further optimization, such coatings could evolve towards a competitive alternative to existing anti-cavitation procedures.

Influence of Metal-Coated Graphite Powders on Microstructure and Properties of the Bronze-Matrix/Graphite Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jian-hua; Li, Pu; Tang, Qi; Zhang, Yan-qing; He, Jian-sheng; He, Ke

2017-02-01

In this study, the bronze-matrix/x-graphite (x = 0, 1, 3 and 5%) composites were fabricated by powder metallurgy route by using Cu-coated graphite, Ni-coated graphite and pure graphite, respectively. The microstructure, mechanical properties and corrosive behaviors of bronze/Cu-coated-graphite (BCG), bronze/Ni-coated-graphite (BNG) and bronze/pure-graphite (BPG) were characterized and investigated. Results show that the Cu-coated and Ni-coated graphite could definitely increase the bonding quality between the bronze matrix and graphite. In general, with the increase in graphite content in bronze-matrix/graphite composites, the friction coefficients, ultimate density and wear rates of BPG, BCG and BNG composites all went down. However, the Vickers microhardness of the BNG composite would increase as the graphite content increased, which was contrary to the BPG and BCG composites. When the graphite content was 3%, the friction coefficient of BNG composite was more stable than that of BCG and BPG composites, indicating that BNG composite had a better tribological performance than the others. Under all the values of applied loads (10, 20, 40 and 60N), the BCG and BNG composites exhibited a lower wear rate than BPG composite. What is more, the existence of nickel in graphite powders could effectively improve the corrosion resistance of the BNG composite.

76 FR 56492 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Antico: The Golden Age of...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-13

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice: 7579] Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: ``Antico: The Golden Age of Renaissance Bronzes'' Summary: Notice is hereby given of the... exhibition ``Antico: The Golden Age of Renaissance Bronzes,'' imported from abroad for temporary exhibition...

Root canal morphology of Chalcolithic and early bronze age human populations of El Mirador Cave (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain).

PubMed

Ceperuelo, Dolors; Lozano, Marina; Duran-Sindreu, Fernando; Mercadé, Montse

2014-12-01

This study provides a morphological characterization of the inner anatomy of the root canals of permanent first and second molars in Chalcolithic and early Bronze Age human fossils using cone-beam computed tomography. The general evolutionary trend in present-day human dentition is related to morphological simplification. As little is known about when this trend appeared in Homo sapiens populations, the aim of this work is to test the presence of modern radicular morphology 4,400 years ago. Fifty-four permanent first and second maxillary and mandibular molars of 17 individuals were included in the study. All maxillary first and second molars showed three separate roots. Almost all the lower molars analyzed (100% of first molars and 75% of second molars) had two separate roots. More differences in the canal system configuration were documented in the maxillary mesiobuccal roots than in the palatal or distobuccal roots. The most variable tooth in root and canal configuration is the maxillary second molar. It should be pointed out that 12.5% of the teeth analyzed showed a C-shaped root configuration. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

75 FR 15764 - Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: “Gods of Angkor: Bronzes...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-30

... DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice 6936] Culturally Significant Objects Imported for Exhibition Determinations: ``Gods of Angkor: Bronzes From the National Museum of Cambodia'' SUMMARY: Notice is hereby given... objects to be included in the exhibition ``Gods of Angkor: Bronzes from the National Museum of Cambodia...

Genetic History of Xinjiang's Uyghurs Suggests Bronze Age Multiple-Way Contacts in Eurasia.

PubMed

Feng, Qidi; Lu, Yan; Ni, Xumin; Yuan, Kai; Yang, Yajun; Yang, Xiong; Liu, Chang; Lou, Haiyi; Ning, Zhilin; Wang, Yuchen; Lu, Dongsheng; Zhang, Chao; Zhou, Ying; Shi, Meng; Tian, Lei; Wang, Xiaoji; Zhang, Xi; Li, Jing; Khan, Asifullah; Guan, Yaqun; Tang, Kun; Wang, Sijia; Xu, Shuhua

2017-10-01

The Uyghur people residing in Xinjiang, a territory located in the far west of China and crossed by the Silk Road, are a key ethnic group for understanding the history of human dispersion in Eurasia. Here we assessed the genetic structure and ancestry of 951 Xinjiang's Uyghurs (XJU) representing 14 geographical subpopulations. We observed a southwest and northeast differentiation within XJU, which was likely shaped jointly by the Tianshan Mountains, which traverses from east to west as a natural barrier, and gene flow from both east and west directions. In XJU, we identified four major ancestral components that were potentially derived from two earlier admixed groups: one from the West, harboring European (25-37%) and South Asian ancestries (12-20%), and the other from the East, with Siberian (15-17%) and East Asian (29-47%) ancestries. By using a newly developed method, MultiWaver, the complex admixture history of XJU was modeled as a two-wave admixture. An ancient wave was dated back to ∼3,750 years ago (ya), which is much earlier than that estimated by previous studies, but fits within the range of dating of mummies that exhibited European features that were discovered in the Tarim basin, which is situated in southern Xinjiang (4,000-2,000 ya); a more recent wave occurred around 750 ya, which is in agreement with the estimate from a recent study using other methods. We unveiled a more complex scenario of ancestral origins and admixture history in XJU than previously reported, which further suggests Bronze Age massive migrations in Eurasia and East-West contacts across the Silk Road. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Study of wear mechanism of chopped fiber reinforced epoxy composite filled with graphite and bronze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patil, Nitinchand; Prasad, Krishna

2018-04-01

The combined effect of graphite and sintered bronze with a short glass fiber reinforced epoxy composites was investigated in this work. A pin on disc wear test was carried out to study the wear behaviour and mechanism of the composites. The objective of this work is to develop an alternate friction resistance material for the application of sliding bearing. It was observed that the addition of sintered bronze improved mechanical and thermal stability of the composites as bronze has low contact resistance with graphite and has high thermal conductivity. It was observed from the test results that increased volume percentage of graphite and presence of bronze are play significant role in wear mechanism of the composites. It was observed from the scanning electronic microscopes (SEM) that the abrasive and adhesive wear mechanism was prominent in this study. It was also evident from the result that the frictional force remains stable irrespective of the applied normal load.

Paleoecological crisis in the steppes of the Lower Volga region in the Middle of the Bronze Age (III-II centuries BC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demkina, T. S.; Borisov, A. V.; Demkin, V. A.; Khomutova, T. E.; Kuznetsova, T. V.; El'tsov, M. V.; Udal'tsov, S. N.

2017-07-01

Diagnostic features of a catastrophic aridization of climate, desertification, and paleoecological crisis in steppes of the Lower Volga region have been identified on the basis of data on the morphological, chemical, and microbiological properties of paleosols under archeological monuments (burial mounds) of the Middle Bronze Age. These processes resulted in a certain convergence of the soil cover with transformation of zonal chestnut (Kastanozems) paleosols and paleosolonetzes (Solonetz Humic) into specific chestnut-like eroded saline calcareous paleosols analogous to the modern brown desert-steppe soils (Calcisols Haplic) that predominated in this region 4300-3800 years ago.1 In the second millennium BC, humidization of the climate led to the divergence of the soil cover with secondary formation of the complexes of chestnut soils and solonetzes. This paleoecological crisis had a significant effect on the economy of the tribes in the Late Catacomb and Post-Catacomb time stipulating their higher mobility and transition to the nomadic cattle breeding.

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

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Unlu, Elif

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

Oxygen isotope in archaeological bioapatites from India: Implications to climate change and decline of Bronze Age Harappan civilization.

PubMed

Sarkar, Anindya; Mukherjee, Arati Deshpande; Bera, M K; Das, B; Juyal, Navin; Morthekai, P; Deshpande, R D; Shinde, V S; Rao, L S

2016-05-25

The antiquity and decline of the Bronze Age Harappan civilization in the Indus-Ghaggar-Hakra river valleys is an enigma in archaeology. Weakening of the monsoon after ~5 ka BP (and droughts throughout the Asia) is a strong contender for the Harappan collapse, although controversy exists about the synchroneity of climate change and collapse of civilization. One reason for this controversy is lack of a continuous record of cultural levels and palaeomonsoon change in close proximity. We report a high resolution oxygen isotope (δ(18)O) record of animal teeth-bone phosphates from an archaeological trench itself at Bhirrana, NW India, preserving all cultural levels of this civilization. Bhirrana was part of a high concentration of settlements along the dried up mythical Vedic river valley 'Saraswati', an extension of Ghaggar river in the Thar desert. Isotope and archaeological data suggest that the pre-Harappans started inhabiting this area along the mighty Ghaggar-Hakra rivers fed by intensified monsoon from 9 to 7 ka BP. The monsoon monotonically declined after 7 ka yet the settlements continued to survive from early to mature Harappan time. Our study suggests that other cause like change in subsistence strategy by shifting crop patterns rather than climate change was responsible for Harappan collapse.

Oxygen isotope in archaeological bioapatites from India: Implications to climate change and decline of Bronze Age Harappan civilization

PubMed Central

Sarkar, Anindya; Mukherjee, Arati Deshpande; Bera, M. K.; Das, B.; Juyal, Navin; Morthekai, P.; Deshpande, R. D.; Shinde, V. S.; Rao, L. S.

2016-01-01

The antiquity and decline of the Bronze Age Harappan civilization in the Indus-Ghaggar-Hakra river valleys is an enigma in archaeology. Weakening of the monsoon after ~5 ka BP (and droughts throughout the Asia) is a strong contender for the Harappan collapse, although controversy exists about the synchroneity of climate change and collapse of civilization. One reason for this controversy is lack of a continuous record of cultural levels and palaeomonsoon change in close proximity. We report a high resolution oxygen isotope (δ18O) record of animal teeth-bone phosphates from an archaeological trench itself at Bhirrana, NW India, preserving all cultural levels of this civilization. Bhirrana was part of a high concentration of settlements along the dried up mythical Vedic river valley ‘Saraswati’, an extension of Ghaggar river in the Thar desert. Isotope and archaeological data suggest that the pre-Harappans started inhabiting this area along the mighty Ghaggar-Hakra rivers fed by intensified monsoon from 9 to 7 ka BP. The monsoon monotonically declined after 7 ka yet the settlements continued to survive from early to mature Harappan time. Our study suggests that other cause like change in subsistence strategy by shifting crop patterns rather than climate change was responsible for Harappan collapse. PMID:27222033

Detail view of the bronze gates, lit from behind by ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Detail view of the bronze gates, lit from behind by the sun - United States Department of Commerce, Bounded by Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and E streets and Constitution Avenue, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Detail view of bronze light fixture on on north facade, ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Detail view of bronze light fixture on on north facade, lower level - Blue Ridge Sanatorium, Building No. 1902, East side of State Route 20, .25 mile south of I-64, Charlottesville, Independent City, VA

Detail view of stylized railing and bronze light fixture on ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Detail view of stylized railing and bronze light fixture on southwest facade - Blue Ridge Sanatorium, Building No. 1901, East side of State Route 20, .25 mile south of I-64, Charlottesville, Independent City, VA

Interior view, detail to show the ornate bronze doors to ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Interior view, detail to show the ornate bronze doors to the entrance lobby elevators - United States Department of Commerce, Bounded by Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and E streets and Constitution Avenue, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

18. Photocopy of drawing of bronze dedication plaque, circa 1903 ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

18. Photocopy of drawing of bronze dedication plaque, circa 1903 (original drawing in possession of City Engineer's Office Grand Rapids, Michigan) DEDICATION PLAQUE. - Bridge Street Bridge, Spanning Grand River, Michigan & Bridge Streets, Grand Rapids, MI

Genetic variation of the bronze locus (MC1R) in turkeys from Southern Brazil

PubMed Central

Corso, Josmael; Hepp, Diego; Ledur, Mônica C.; Peixoto, Jane O.; Fagundes, Nelson J. R.; Freitas, Thales R. O.

2017-01-01

Abstract Domestic turkeys present several color phenotypes controlled by at least five genetic loci, but only one of these has been identified precisely: the bronze locus, which turned out to be the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene. MC1R variation is important for breeders interested in maintaining or developing different color varieties. In this study, we sequenced most of the MC1R gene from 16 White Holland (the main commercial turkey variety) and 19 pigmented turkeys from southern Brazil with two purposes. The first was to describe the MC1R diversity in White Holland turkeys, which may serve as reservoirs of genetic diversity at this locus. The second was to test whether the traditional color classification used by Brazilian breeders is related to previously known MC1R alleles. White Holland turkeys had four different haplotypes corresponding to the bronze (b +) and black-winged bronze (b 1) alleles. Pigmented turkeys also had four haplotypes corresponding to the b + and b 1 alleles, but different haplotypes represent the most common b + allele in these two groups. The black (B) allele was absent from our samples. Overall, our results suggest that white and pigmented individuals form two different populations, and that the traditional color classification used by Brazilian breeders cannot accurately predict the genotypes at the bronze locus. PMID:28323301

Genetic variation of the bronze locus (MC1R) in turkeys from Southern Brazil.

PubMed

Corso, Josmael; Hepp, Diego; Ledur, Mônica C; Peixoto, Jane O; Fagundes, Nelson J R; Freitas, Thales R O

2017-01-01

Domestic turkeys present several color phenotypes controlled by at least five genetic loci, but only one of these has been identified precisely: the bronze locus, which turned out to be the melanocortin-1 receptor (MC1R) gene. MC1R variation is important for breeders interested in maintaining or developing different color varieties. In this study, we sequenced most of the MC1R gene from 16 White Holland (the main commercial turkey variety) and 19 pigmented turkeys from southern Brazil with two purposes. The first was to describe the MC1R diversity in White Holland turkeys, which may serve as reservoirs of genetic diversity at this locus. The second was to test whether the traditional color classification used by Brazilian breeders is related to previously known MC1R alleles. White Holland turkeys had four different haplotypes corresponding to the bronze (b+) and black-winged bronze (b1) alleles. Pigmented turkeys also had four haplotypes corresponding to the b+ and b1 alleles, but different haplotypes represent the most common b+ allele in these two groups. The black (B) allele was absent from our samples. Overall, our results suggest that white and pigmented individuals form two different populations, and that the traditional color classification used by Brazilian breeders cannot accurately predict the genotypes at the bronze locus.

Enhancement of bronze alloy surface properties by FSP second-phase particle incorporation

DOE PAGES

Ajayi, O. O.; Lorenzo-Martin, Cinta

2017-06-15

This study presents results of an experimental study to evaluate friction stir processing (FSP) with and without hard second-phase particle incorporation as a means to enhance surface properties and wear performance of C86300 manganese bronze alloy. FSP of flat bronze alloy specimens was conducted with hardened H-13 tool steel to create a 3-mm-thick processed surface layer. The process was also used to incorporate B 4C particles, thereby creating a metal-matrix composite layer on the alloy surface. FSP alone was observed to produce substantial reduction in grain size (from an initial value of 350 mu m to 1-5 μm). FSP withoutmore » particle incorporation resulted in modest surface hardening due to grain refinement and dispersion hardening. Under lubricated contact in block-on-ring testing with a hardened steel counter face, FSP produced substantial reduction (about 3X) in bronze wear after polishing of processing surface roughening. FSP with hard B 4C second-phase particle incorporation further reduced wear by up to 20X. The improvement in wear behavior is attributed to grain refinement and load shielding by second-phase particles, as determined by wear mechanism analysis.« less

Tamil Chola Bronzes and Swamimalai Legacy: Metal Sources and Archaeotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srinivasan, Sharada

2016-08-01

This review explores the great copper alloy image casting traditions of southern India from archaeometallurgical and ethnometallurgical perspectives. The usefulness of lead isotope ratio and compositional analysis in the finger-printing and art historical study of more than 130 early historic, Pallava, Chola, later Chola, and Vijayanagara sculptures (fifth-eighteenth centuries) is highlighted, including Nataraja, Buddha, Parvati, and Rama images made of copper, leaded bronze, brass, and gilt copper. Image casting traditions at Swamimalai in Tamil Nadu are compared with artistic treatises and with the technical examination of medieval bronzes, throwing light on continuities and changes in foundry practices. Western Indian sources could be pinpointed for a couple of medieval images from lead isotope analysis. Slag and archaeometallurgical investigations suggest the exploitation of some copper and lead-silver sources in the Andhra and Karnataka regions in the early historic Satavahana period and point to probable copper sources for the medieval images in Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, and Andhra Pradesh. The general lower iron content in southern Indian bronzes perhaps renders the proximal copper-magnetite reserves of Seruvila in Sri Lanka as a less likely source. Given the lack of lead deposits in Sri Lanka, however, the match of the lead isotope signatures of a well-known Ceylonese Buddhist Tara in British Museum with a Buddha image from Nagapattinam in Tamil Nadu may underscore ties between the island nation and the southern Indian Tamil regions.

Earliest evidence for equid bit wear in the ancient Near East: The "ass" from Early Bronze Age Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel

PubMed Central

Shai, Itzhaq; Greenfield, Tina L.; Arnold, Elizabeth R.; Brown, Annie; Eliyahu, Adi; Maeir, Aren M.

2018-01-01

Analysis of a sacrificed and interred domestic donkey from an Early Bronze Age (EB) IIIB (c. 2800–2600 BCE) domestic residential neighborhood at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel, indicate the presence of bit wear on the Lower Premolar 2 (LPM2). This is the earliest evidence for the use of a bit among early domestic equids, and in particular donkeys, in the Near East. The mesial enamel surfaces on both the right and left LPM2 of the particular donkey in question are slightly worn in a fashion that suggests that a dental bit (metal, bone, wood, etc.) was used to control the animal. Given the secure chronological context of the burial (beneath the floor of an EB IIIB house), it is suggested that this animal provides the earliest evidence for the use of a bit on an early domestic equid from the Near East. PMID:29768439

Earliest evidence for equid bit wear in the ancient Near East: The "ass" from Early Bronze Age Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel.

PubMed

Greenfield, Haskel J; Shai, Itzhaq; Greenfield, Tina L; Arnold, Elizabeth R; Brown, Annie; Eliyahu, Adi; Maeir, Aren M

2018-01-01

Analysis of a sacrificed and interred domestic donkey from an Early Bronze Age (EB) IIIB (c. 2800-2600 BCE) domestic residential neighborhood at Tell eṣ-Ṣâfi/Gath, Israel, indicate the presence of bit wear on the Lower Premolar 2 (LPM2). This is the earliest evidence for the use of a bit among early domestic equids, and in particular donkeys, in the Near East. The mesial enamel surfaces on both the right and left LPM2 of the particular donkey in question are slightly worn in a fashion that suggests that a dental bit (metal, bone, wood, etc.) was used to control the animal. Given the secure chronological context of the burial (beneath the floor of an EB IIIB house), it is suggested that this animal provides the earliest evidence for the use of a bit on an early domestic equid from the Near East.

48 CFR 252.216-7000 - Economic price adjustment-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...-basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. 252.216-7000 Section 252.216-7000 Federal... adjustment—basic steel, aluminum, brass, bronze, or copper mill products. As prescribed in 216.203-4-70(a... Mill Products (JUL 1997) (a) Definitions. As used in this clause— Established price means a price which...

Protection of bronze artefacts through polymeric coatings based on nanocarriers filled with corrosion inhibitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Luna, Martina Salzano; Buonocore, Giovanna; Di Carlo, Gabriella; Giuliani, Chiara; Ingo, Gabriel M.; Lavorgna, Marino

2016-05-01

Protective coatings based on polymers synthesized from renewable sources (chitosan or an amorphous vinyl alcohol based polymer) have been prepared for the protection of bronze artifacts from corrosion. Besides acting as an effective barrier against corrosive species present in the environment, the efficiency of the coatings has been improved by adding corrosion inhibitor compounds (benzotriazole or mercaptobenzothiazole) to the formulations. The liquid medium of the formulations has been carefully selected looking at maximizing the wettability on the bronze substrate and optimizing the solvent evaporation rate. The minimum amount of inhibitor compounds has been optimized by performing accelerated corrosion tests on coated bronze substrates. The inhibitors have been directly dissolved in the coating-forming solutions and/or introduced by means of nanocarriers, which allow to control the release kinetics. The free dissolved inhibitor molecules immediately provide a sufficient protection against corrosion. On the other hand, the inhibitor molecules contained in the nanocarriers serve as long-term reservoir, which can be activated by external corrosion-related stimuli in case of particularly severe conditions. Particular attention has been paid to other features which affect the coating performances. Specifically, the adhesion of the protective polymer layer to the bronze substrate has been assessed, as well as its permeability properties and transparency, the latter being a fundamental feature of protective coating for cultural heritages. Finally, the protective efficiency of the produced smart coatings has been assessed through accelerated corrosion tests.

Copper: a metal for the ages

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doebrich, Jeff

2009-01-01

Copper was one of the first metals ever extracted and used by humans, and it has made vital contributions to sustaining and improving society since the dawn of civilization. Copper was first used in coins and ornaments starting about 8000 B.C., and at about 5500 B.C., copper tools helped civilization emerge from the Stone Age. The discovery that copper alloyed with tin produces bronze marked the beginning of the Bronze Age at about 3000 B.C. Copper is easily stretched, molded, and shaped; is resistant to corrosion; and conducts heat and electricity efficiently. As a result, copper was important to early humans and continues to be a material of choice for a variety of domestic, industrial, and high-technology applications today.

Detail view to show the bronze gates hanging in the ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Detail view to show the bronze gates hanging in the driveway portals; the open grille is foliated and crowned with patriotic eagle emblems - United States Department of Commerce, Bounded by Fourteenth, Fifteenth, and E streets and Constitution Avenue, Washington, District of Columbia, DC

Antibacterial drugs as corrosion inhibitors for bronze surfaces in acidic solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rotaru, Ileana; Varvara, Simona; Gaina, Luiza; Muresan, Liana Maria

2014-12-01

The present study is aiming to investigate the effect of four antibiotics (amoxicillin, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline and streptomycin,) belonging to different classes of antibacterial drugs on bronze corrosion in a solution simulating an acid rain (pH 4). Due to their ability to form protective films on the metal surface, the tested antibiotics act as corrosion inhibitors for bronze. The antibiotics were tested at various concentrations in order to determine the optimal concentration range for the best corrosion inhibiting effect. In evaluating the inhibition efficiency, polarization curves, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, SEM and XPS measurements were used. Moreover, a correlation between the inhibition efficiency of some antibacterial drugs and certain molecular parameters was determined by quantum chemical computations. Parameters like energies EHOMO and ELUMO and HOMO-LUMO energy gap were used for correlation with the corrosion data.

Corrosion of dental aluminium bronze in neutral saline and saline lactic acid.

PubMed

Tibballs, J E; Erimescu, Raluca

2006-09-01

To compare the corrosion behaviours of two aluminium bronze, dental casting alloys during a standard immersion test and for immersion in neutral saline. Cast specimens of aluminium bronzes with 1.4 wt% Fe (G) and 4 wt% Fe (N) were subject to progressively longer periods (up to in total 7 days) immersed in 0.1 M saline, 0.1 M lactic acid solutions and examined by scanning electron microscopy with EDX analysis. Immersion in 0.1M neutral saline was for 7 days. In the acidic solution, exposed interdendritic volumes in alloy N corroded completely away in 7 days with dissolution of Ni-enriched precipitate species as well as the copper-rich matrix. Alloy G begins to corrode more slowly but by a similar mechanism. The number density of an Fe-enriched species is insufficient to maintain a continuous galvanic potential to the copper matrix, and dissolution becomes imperceptible. In neutral saline solution, galvanic action alone caused pit-etching, without the dissolution of either precipitate species. The upper limit for the total dissolution of metallic ions in the standard immersion test can be set at 200 microg cm(-2). Aluminium bronze dental alloys can be expected to release both copper and nickel ions into an acidic oral environment.

7 CFR 51.1145 - U.S. No. 1 Bronze.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

...) Internal quality: Lots meeting the internal requirements for “U.S. Grade AA Juice (Double A)” or “U.S... 7 Agriculture 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false U.S. No. 1 Bronze. 51.1145 Section 51.1145 Agriculture Regulations of the Department of Agriculture AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (Standards, Inspections, Marketing...

Study on acoustical properties of sintered bronze porous material for transient exhaust noise of pneumatic system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jingxiang; Zhao, Shengdun; Ishihara, Kunihiko

2013-05-01

A novel approach is presented to study the acoustical properties of sintered bronze material, especially used to suppress the transient noise generated by the pneumatic exhaust of pneumatic friction clutch and brake (PFC/B) systems. The transient exhaust noise is impulsive and harmful due to the large sound pressure level (SPL) that has high-frequency. In this paper, the exhaust noise is related to the transient impulsive exhaust, which is described by a one-dimensional aerodynamic model combining with a pressure drop expression of the Ergun equation. A relation of flow parameters and sound source is set up. Additionally, the piston acoustic source approximation of sintered bronze silencer with cylindrical geometry is presented to predict SPL spectrum at a far-field observation point. A semi-phenomenological model is introduced to analyze the sound propagation and reduction in the sintered bronze materials assumed as an equivalent fluid with rigid frame. Experiment results under different initial cylinder pressures are shown to corroborate the validity of the proposed aerodynamic model. In addition, the calculated sound pressures according to the equivalent sound source are compared with the measured noise signals both in time-domain and frequency-domain. Influences of porosity of the sintered bronze material are also discussed.

Density-functional studies of tungsten trioxide, tungsten bronzes, and related systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingham, B.; Hendy, S. C.; Chong, S. V.; Tallon, J. L.

2005-08-01

Tungsten trioxide adopts a variety of structures which can be intercalated with charged species to alter the electronic properties, thus forming “tungsten bronzes.” Similar effects are observed upon removing oxygen from WO3 . We present a computational study of cubic and hexagonal alkali bronzes and examine the effects on cell size and band structure as the size of the intercalated ion is increased. With the exception of hydrogen (which is predicted to be unstable as an intercalate), the behavior of the bronzes are relatively consistent. NaWO3 is the most stable of the cubic systems, although in the hexagonal system the larger ions are more stable. The band structures are identical, with the intercalated atom donating its single electron to the tungsten 5d valence band. A study of fractional doping in the NaxWO3 system (0⩽x⩽1) showed a linear variation in cell parameter and a systematic shift in the Fermi level into the conduction band. In the oxygen-deficient WO3-x system the Fermi level undergoes a sudden jump into the conduction band at around x=0.2 . Lastly, three compounds of a layered WO4•α,ω -diaminoalkane hybrid series were studied and found to be insulating, with features in the band structure similar to those of the parent WO3 compound that relate well to experimental UV-visible spectroscopy results.

Study of Traverse Speed Effects on Residual Stress State and Cavitation Erosion Behavior of Arc-Sprayed Aluminum Bronze Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hauer, Michél; Henkel, Knuth Michael; Krebs, Sebastian; Kroemmer, Werner

2017-01-01

Within a research project regarding cavitation erosion-resistant coatings, arc spraying was used with different traverse speeds to influence heat transfer and the resulting residual stress state. The major reason for this study is the lack of knowledge concerning the influence of residual stress distribution on mechanical properties and coating adhesion, especially with respect to heterogeneous aluminum bronze alloys. The materials used for spray experiments were the highly cavitation erosion-resistant propeller alloys CuAl9Ni5Fe4Mn (Ni-Al-Bronze) and CuMn13Al8Fe3Ni2 (Mn-Al-Bronze). Analyses of cavitation erosion behavior were carried out to evaluate the suitability for use in marine environments. Further microstructural, chemical and mechanical analyses were realized to examine adhesive and cohesive coating properties. Residual stress distribution was measured by modified hole drilling method using electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI). It was found that the highest traverse speed led to higher tensile residual stresses near the surface and less cavitation erosion resistance of the coatings. Moreover, high oxygen affinity of main alloying element aluminum was identified to severely influence the microstructures by the formation of large oxides and hence the coating properties. Overall, Mn-Al-Bronze coatings showed lower residual stresses, a more homogeneous pore and oxide distribution and less material loss by cavitation than Ni-Al-Bronze coatings.

Biphase-Interface Enhanced Sodium Storage and Accelerated Charge Transfer: Flower-Like Anatase/Bronze TiO2/C as an Advanced Anode Material for Na-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Chu, Chenxiao; Yang, Jing; Zhang, Qianqian; Wang, Nana; Niu, Feier; Xu, Xuena; Yang, Jian; Fan, Weiliu; Qian, Yitai

2017-12-20

Flower-like assembly of ultrathin nanosheets composed of anatase and bronze TiO 2 embedded in carbon is successfully synthesized by a simple solvothermal reaction, followed with a high-temperature annealing. As an anode material in sodium-ion batteries, this composite exhibits outstanding electrochemical performances. It delivers a reversible capacity of 120 mA h g -1 over 6000 cycles at 10 C. Even at 100 C, there is still a capacity of 104 mA h g -1 . Besides carbon matrix and hierarchical structure, abundant interfaces between anatase and bronze greatly enhance the performance by offering additional sites for reversible Na + storage and improving the charge-transfer kinetics. The interface enhancements are confirmed by discharge/charge profiles, rate performances, electrochemical impedance spectra, and first-principle calculations. These results offer a new pathway to upgrade the performances of anode materials in sodium-ion batteries.

Processing parameter optimization for the laser dressing of bronze-bonded diamond wheels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, H.; Chen, G. Y.; Zhou, C.; Li, S. C.; Zhang, M. J.

2014-01-01

In this paper, a pulsed fiber-laser dressing method for bronze-bonded diamond wheels was studied systematically and comprehensively. The mechanisms for the laser dressing of bronze-bonded diamond wheels were theoretically analyzed, and the key processing parameters that determine the results of laser dressing, including the laser power density, pulse overlap ratio, ablation track line overlap ratio, and number of scanning cycles, were proposed for the first time. Further, the effects of these four key parameters on the oxidation-damaged layer of the material surface, the material removal efficiency, the material surface roughness, and the average protrusion height of the diamond grains were explored and summarized through pulsed laser ablation experiments. Under the current experimental conditions, the ideal values of the laser power density, pulse overlap ratio, ablation track line overlap ratio, and number of scanning cycles were determined to be 4.2 × 107 W/cm2, 30%, 30%, and 16, respectively. Pulsed laser dressing experiments were conducted on bronze-bonded diamond wheels using the optimized processing parameters; next, both the normal and tangential grinding forces produced by the dressed grinding wheel were measured while grinding alumina ceramic materials. The results revealed that the normal and tangential grinding forces produced by the laser-dressed grinding wheel during grinding were smaller than those of grinding wheels dressed using the conventional mechanical method, indicating that the pulsed laser dressing technology provides irreplaceable advantages relative to the conventional mechanical dressing method.

Hyperostosis frontalis interna - a marker of social status? Evidence from the Bronze-Age "high society" of Qatna, Syria.

PubMed

Flohr, S; Witzel, C

2011-02-01

In 1719 Morgagni described a condition, today known as hyperostosis frontalis interna (HFI), as one sign within a triad consisting of HFI, virilism, and obesity. Today, HFI is predominantly found in older women. Although the etiology of HFI has not yet been determined precisely, the condition has been linked to metabolic disorders. HFI is reported to be rare in the archaeological record and the frequency of the condition is thought to have increased during the 19th and 20th centuries. We present preliminary results on the occurrence of HFI in the commingled human bone assemblage from "tomb VII" discovered underneath the Bronze Age royal palace of the ancient city of Qatna, Syria. A preliminary minimal number of individuals of 70 has been estimated for the as yet not fully analyzed skeletal remains. Skull fragments of nine individuals exhibit endocranial bone formations consistent with HFI. Rarity of stress indicators in the skeletons, the rich grave goods, and the burial place within the area of the Royal palace are suggestive of a high social status and an economically favorable situation of the buried individuals. Assuming that their life style included a high calorie diet in combination with little physical activity, acquired metabolic disorders may have been present in many individuals. The comparatively high number of individuals presenting HFI in the studied sample might therefore be viewed as being related to their high social status. Multiple occurrences of HFI in archaeological skeletal assemblages might serve as a proxy for social status. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Exceptionally high levels of lead pollution in the Balkans from the Early Bronze Age to the Industrial Revolution.

PubMed

Longman, Jack; Veres, Daniel; Finsinger, Walter; Ersek, Vasile

2018-05-29

The Balkans are considered the birthplace of mineral resource exploitation and metalworking in Europe. However, since knowledge of the timing and extent of metallurgy in southeastern Europe is largely constrained by discontinuous archaeological findings, the long-term environmental impact of past mineral resource exploitation is not fully understood. Here, we present a high-resolution and continuous geochemical record from a peat bog in western Serbia, providing a clear indication of the extent and magnitude of environmental pollution in this region, and a context in which to place archaeological findings. We observe initial evidence of anthropogenic lead (Pb) pollution during the earliest part of the Bronze Age [∼3,600 years before Common Era (BCE)], the earliest such evidence documented in European environmental records. A steady, almost linear increase in Pb concentration after 600 BCE, until ∼1,600 CE is observed, documenting the development in both sophistication and extent of southeastern European metallurgical activity throughout Antiquity and the medieval period. This provides an alternative view on the history of mineral exploitation in Europe, with metal-related pollution not ceasing at the fall of the western Roman Empire, as was the case in western Europe. Further comparison with other Pb pollution records indicates the amount of Pb deposited in the Balkans during the medieval period was, if not greater, at least similar to records located close to western European mining regions, suggestive of the key role the Balkans have played in mineral resource exploitation in Europe over the last 5,600 years. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Cold spraying of aluminum bronze on profiled submillimeter cermet structures formed by laser cladding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ryashin, N. S.; Malikov, A. G.; Shikalov, V. S.; Gulyaev, I. P.; Kuchumov, B. M.; Klinkov, S. V.; Kosarev, V. F.; Orishich, A. M.

2017-10-01

The paper presents results of the cold spraying of aluminum bronze coatings on substrates profiled with WC/Ni tracks obtained by laser cladding. Reinforcing cermet frames shaped as grids with varied mesh sizes were clad on stainless steel substrates using a CO2 laser machine "Siberia" (ITAM SB RAS, Russia). As a result, surfaces/substrates with heterogeneous shape, composition, and mechanical properties were obtained. Aluminum bronze coatings were deposited from 5lF-NS powder (Oerlikon Metco, Switzerland) on those substrates using cold spraying equipment (ITAM SB RAS). Data of profiling, microstructure diagnostics, EDS analysis, and mechanical tests of obtained composites is reported. Surface relief of the sprayed coatings dependence on substrate structure has been demonstrated.

Bronze-mean hexagonal quasicrystal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dotera, Tomonari; Bekku, Shinichi; Ziherl, Primož

2017-10-01

The most striking feature of conventional quasicrystals is their non-traditional symmetry characterized by icosahedral, dodecagonal, decagonal or octagonal axes. The symmetry and the aperiodicity of these materials stem from an irrational ratio of two or more length scales controlling their structure, the best-known examples being the Penrose and the Ammann-Beenker tiling as two-dimensional models related to the golden and the silver mean, respectively. Surprisingly, no other metallic-mean tilings have been discovered so far. Here we propose a self-similar bronze-mean hexagonal pattern, which may be viewed as a projection of a higher-dimensional periodic lattice with a Koch-like snowflake projection window. We use numerical simulations to demonstrate that a disordered variant of this quasicrystal can be materialized in soft polymeric colloidal particles with a core-shell architecture. Moreover, by varying the geometry of the pattern we generate a continuous sequence of structures, which provide an alternative interpretation of quasicrystalline approximants observed in several metal-silicon alloys.

Copper and tin isotopic analysis of ancient bronzes for archaeological investigation: development and validation of a suitable analytical methodology.

PubMed

Balliana, Eleonora; Aramendía, Maite; Resano, Martin; Barbante, Carlo; Vanhaecke, Frank

2013-03-01

Although in many cases Pb isotopic analysis can be relied on for provenance determination of ancient bronzes, sometimes the use of "non-traditional" isotopic systems, such as those of Cu and Sn, is required. The work reported on in this paper aimed at revising the methodology for Cu and Sn isotope ratio measurements in archaeological bronzes via optimization of the analytical procedures in terms of sample pre-treatment, measurement protocol, precision, and analytical uncertainty. For Cu isotopic analysis, both Zn and Ni were investigated for their merit as internal standard (IS) relied on for mass bias correction. The use of Ni as IS seems to be the most robust approach as Ni is less prone to contamination, has a lower abundance in bronzes and an ionization potential similar to that of Cu, and provides slightly better reproducibility values when applied to NIST SRM 976 Cu isotopic reference material. The possibility of carrying out direct isotopic analysis without prior Cu isolation (with AG-MP-1 anion exchange resin) was investigated by analysis of CRM IARM 91D bronze reference material, synthetic solutions, and archaeological bronzes. Both procedures (Cu isolation/no Cu isolation) provide similar δ (65)Cu results with similar uncertainty budgets in all cases (±0.02-0.04 per mil in delta units, k = 2, n = 4). Direct isotopic analysis of Cu therefore seems feasible, without evidence of spectral interference or matrix-induced effect on the extent of mass bias. For Sn, a separation protocol relying on TRU-Spec anion exchange resin was optimized, providing a recovery close to 100 % without on-column fractionation. Cu was recovered quantitatively together with the bronze matrix with this isolation protocol. Isotopic analysis of this Cu fraction provides δ (65)Cu results similar to those obtained upon isolation using AG-MP-1 resin. This means that Cu and Sn isotopic analysis of bronze alloys can therefore be carried out after a single chromatographic

A theoretical and experimental study on the pulsed laser dressing of bronze-bonded diamond grinding wheels

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, H.; Chen, G. Y.; Zhou, C.; Zhou, X. C.; He, J.; Zhang, Y.

2014-09-01

A series of theoretical analyses and experimental investigations were performed to examine a pulsed fiber-laser tangential profiling and radial sharpening technique for bronze-bonded diamond grinding wheels. The mechanisms for the pulsed laser tangential profiling and radial sharpening of grinding wheels were theoretically analyzed, and the four key processing parameters that determine the quality, accuracy, and efficiency of pulsed laser dressing, namely, the laser power density, laser spot overlap ratio, laser scanning track line overlap ratio, and number of laser scanning cycles, were proposed. Further, by utilizing cylindrical bronze wheels (without diamond grains) and bronze-bonded diamond grinding wheels as the experimental subjects, the effects of these four processing parameters on the removal efficiency and the surface smoothness of the bond material after pulsed laser ablation, as well as the effects on the contour accuracy of the grinding wheels, the protrusion height of the diamond grains, the sharpness of the grain cutting edges, and the graphitization degree of the diamond grains after pulsed laser dressing, were explored. The optimal values of the four key processing parameters were identified.

XRF and micro-PIXE studies of inhomogeneity of ancient bronze and silver alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vasilescu, A.; Constantinescu, B.; Stan, D.; Talmatchi, G.; Ceccato, D.

2017-09-01

New results regarding alloy composition and microstructure for a series of ancient bronze and silver items by X-ray Fluorescence and micro-Particle Induced X-ray Emission spectrometry were obtained in the framework of an extensive numismatic project (Scythian-type arrowheads, arrowhead-shaped monetary signs and wheel coins produced by Histria, 7th-4th century of BCE, and Dacian Radulesti-Hunedoara-type silver tetradrachms, 2nd-1st century of BCE). In Histria, warfare arrowheads were used for trade with Barbarian neighbors at first, then mechanically modified, next melted and cast as dedicated monetary signs, being, in the end, replaced by wheel coins. Three different types of alloys have been identified, and Cu-Mn and Cu-Pb segregation shown. In a blank for Radulesti-Hunedoara-type coins, Ag-(Cu+Pb) segregation has been demonstrated, suggesting an imperfectly alloyed silver-leaded bronze.

Survey of Nickel-Aluminium-Bronze Casting Alloys on Marine Applications,

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-04-01

and corrosion performance of nickel-aluminium bronze (NAB)/covered by naval specification DGS-8520 and DGS-348 have been investigated. No evidence was...found to suggest that there would be any significant difference in corrosion performance between alloys meeting the two specifications. Early... corrosion problems associated with the weld repair areas of castings have been overcome largely by using improved foundry and welding techniques followed by a

Hydrothermal preparation of blue molybdenum bronze nanoribbons: structural changes in mother crystals, related to solid-state conversion and crystallite splitting to nanomorphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nishida, Takamasa; Eda, Kazuo

2018-02-01

Hydrothermal syntheses of alkali-metal blue molybdenum bronze nanoribbons, which are expected to exhibit unique properties induced by a combined effect of extrinsic and intrinsic low-dimensionalities, from hydrated-alkali-metal molybdenum bronzes were investigated. Nanoribbons grown along the quasi-one-dimensional (1D) conductive direction of Cs0.3MoO3, which is difficult to prepare by the conventional methods, were first synthesized. The nanomorphology formation is achieved by a solid-state conversion (or crystallite splitting) and subsequent crystallite growth, and the structural changes of the starting material related to the conversion were first observed by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning transmission electron microscopy as a result of finely tuned reaction system and preparation conditions. The structural changes were analyzed by model simulations and were attributed to the structural modulations that were concerned with the intralayer packing disorder and with two-dimensional long-range ordered structure, formed in MoO3 sheets of the hydrated molybdenum bronze. Moreover, the modulations were related to displacement defects of the Mo-O framework units generated along the [100] direction in the hydrated molybdenum bronze. Then, it was suggested that the solid-state conversion into blue molybdenum bronze and the crystallite splitting to nanomorphology were initiated by the breaking of the Mo-O-Mo bonds at the defects. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Errors in Site Index Determination Caused by Tree Age Variation in Even-Aged Oak Stands

Treesearch

Robert A. McQuilkin

1975-01-01

Age deviations of individual trees in even-aged oak stands in Missouri caused variations in the height growth patterns and site index estimates of these younger or older trees. A correction factor for site index estimates on these age-deviant trees is given.

76 FR 7584 - Matthews International Corporation, Bronze Division, Kingwood, WV; Notice of Affirmative...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-10

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-72,953] Matthews International Corporation, Bronze Division, Kingwood, WV; Notice of Affirmative Determination Regarding Application for.... Conclusion After careful review of the application, I conclude that the claim is of sufficient weight to...

Interface thermal conductance characterization by infrared thermography: A tool for the study of insertions in bronze ancient Statuary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mercuri, F.; Caruso, G.; Orazi, N.; Zammit, U.; Cicero, C.; Colacicchi Alessandri, O.; Ferretti, M.; Paoloni, S.

2018-05-01

In this paper, a new method based on the use of infrared thermography is proposed for the characterization of repairs and inserted parts on ancient bronzes. In particular, the quality of the contact between different kind of insertions and the main body of bronze statues is investigated by analysing the heat conduction process occurring across the interface between them. The thermographic results have been used to establish the nature of these inserted elements and the way they have been coupled to the main body of the statue during and after the manufacturing process. A model for the heat conduction based on the numerical finite elements method has been applied to compare the obtained results to the theoretical predictions. Measurements have been first carried out on test samples and then in the field on the Boxer at Rest (Museo Nazionale Romano in Rome), a masterpiece of the Greek Statuary, which contains a large variety of inserted items and repairs which are typical of the manufacturing process of bronze artefacts in general.

A Roman bronze statuette with gilded silver mask from Sardinia: an EDXRF study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cesareo, Roberto; Brunetti, Antonio; D'Oriano, Rubens; Canu, Alba; Demontis, Gonaria Mattia; Celauro, Angela

2013-12-01

A Roman bronze statuette from the 2nd Century BC was recovered from a nuragic sanctuary close to Florinas, in the north of Sardinia. The facial portion of the statuette is covered by a silver mask, partially gilded and attached to the bronze by tin-lead welding. The silver mask was carefully analyzed by portable energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), a non-destructive and non-invasive method. The aim of the analysis was to reconstruct the layered structure of the silver gilt mask, and to determine homogeneity and thickness of the gold, silver and lead-tin sheets. This is possible by using the internal ratio of the X-ray lines, i.e. starting from the surface, Au (L α/L β), Ag (K α/K β), Au-L α/Ag-K α and Pb (L α/L β).The results were compared with those obtained with simulated X-ray spectra, obtained both experimentally and by using the Monte Carlo simulation technique.

Nanoscale building blocks in a novel lithium arsenotungsten bronze: Synthesis and characterization

DOE PAGES

Zhao, Pei; Mangir Murshed, M.; Huq, Ashfia; ...

2015-02-19

Here we report on a novel compound Li 3AsW 7O 25 obtained by solid-state reaction and characterized by diffraction and spectroscopic methods. The bronze-type compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca with a=724.38(3) pm, b=1008.15(4) pm, c=4906.16(17) pm and Z=8. The structure is built up by chains of WO 6 octahedra interconnected by AsO 4 tetrahedra and WO 6 octahedra forming a polyhedral arrangement as seen in intergrowth tungsten bronzes. The X-ray single crystal structure refinement allows solving the complex arsenotungstate framework. The powder neutron diffraction data analysis locates the lithium atoms. Thermal analysis showed that Li 3AsW 7Omore » 25 is stable up to its melting at 1135(3) K followed by a decomposition at 1182(5) K. Finally, the Kubelka-Munk treatment of the UV-vis spectrum revealed a wide band gap in the range of 2.84-3.40 eV depending on the presumed electron transition type.« less

Effect of microstructure on the breakage of tin bronze machining chips during pulverization via jet milling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afshari, Elham; Ghambari, Mohammad; Farhangi, Hasan

2016-11-01

In this study, jet milling was used to recycle tin bronze machining chips into powder. The main purpose of this study was to assess the effect of the microstructure of tin bronze machining chips on their breakage behavior. An experimental target jet mill was used to pulverize machining chips of three different tin bronze alloys containing 7wt%, 10wt%, and 12wt% of tin. Optical and electron microscopy, as well as sieve analysis, were used to follow the trend of pulverization. Each alloy exhibited a distinct rate of size reduction, particle size distribution, and fracture surface appearance. The results showed that the degree of pulverization substantially increased with increasing tin content. This behavior was attributed to the higher number of machining cracks as well as the increased volume fraction of brittle δ phase in the alloys with higher tin contents. The δ phase was observed to strongly influence the creation of machining cracks as well as the nucleation and propagation of cracks during jet milling. In addition, a direct relationship was observed between the mean δ-phase spacing and the mean size of the jet-milled product; i.e., a decrease in the δ-phase spacing resulted in smaller particles.

Specific corrosion product on interior surface of a bronze wine vessel with loop-handle and its growth mechanism, Shang Dynasty, China

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

Li Yang; Bao Zhirong; Wu Taotao

In this paper, a kind of specific stalactitic product was found on the interior surface of a covered bronze wine vessel with loop-handle (Chinese name is you), which was fabricated in Shang Dynasty (1700 B.C.-1100 B.C.) and now is collected in Xiaogan Museum, Hubei province of China. The microstructures of the product were characterized systematically by using optical microscopy, scanning electron microscope, transmission electron microscope, X-ray diffraction, and Raman microscopy. The experimental results revealed that the product belonged to a kind of malachite with high purity and high crystallinity. The growth of the product was considered to be a possiblemore » reason that the vessel was overly airtight within a museum display cabinet besides a lid of the vessel, which made the excess of H{sub 2}O and CO{sub 2} gas concentrations inside the vessel during long-term storage. This corrosion product is very harmful to bronze cultural relics, because of a large amount of copper consumption from the matrix which will reduce its life. The growth mechanism of the specific stalactitic product and the suggestions for preservation of the similar bronze relics in museum were proposed. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The stalactitic product was the high purity and good crystallinity malachite. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Its growth was related to the excess of H{sub 2}O and CO{sub 2} gas concentrations in museum. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer It is harmful to the bronzes, because copper will be consumed from the matrix. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The suggestions for preservation of the similar bronzes in museum were proposed.« less

Formation of nanocrystalline tetragonal oxide tungsten bronzes on platinum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kosov, A. V.; Semerikova, O. L.; Vakarin, S. V.; Pankratov, A. A.; Plaksin, S. V.; Zaykov, Yu. P.

2017-02-01

Cyclic voltammetry is used to study the formation of tetragonal oxide tungsten bronze of the composition K x Na y WO3 on a Pt(110) substrate during electrodeposition from a K2WO4-Na2WO4-WO3 melt. The potential ranges in which cathode products of various compositions and morphologies form are found. K x Na(0.66- x)WO3 crystals are shown to form according to the nucleation/growth mechanism. A general scheme is proposed and used to write equations for cathode reactions.

Electronic Structures of Purple Bronze KMo6O17 Studied by X-Ray Photoemission Spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Xiaokui; Wei, Junyin; Shi, Jing; Tian, Mingliang; Chen, Hong; Tian, Decheng

X-ray photoemission spectroscopy study has been performed for the purple bronze KMo6O17. The structures of conduction band and valence band are analogous to the results of ultraviolet photoemission spectra and are also consistent with the model of Travaglini et al., but the gap between conduction and valence band is insignificant. The shape of asymmetric and broadening line of O-1s is due to unresolved contributions from the many inequivalent oxygen sites in this crystal structure. Mo 3d core-level spectrum reveals that there are two kinds of valence states of Molybdenum (Mo+5 and Mo+6). The calculated average valence state is about +5.6, which is consistent with the expectation value from the composition of this material. The tail of Mo-3d spectrum toward higher binding energy is the consequence of the excitation of electron-hole pairs with singularity index of 0.21.

Site index model for naturally regenerated even-aged longleaf pine

Treesearch

Dwight K. Lauer; John S. Kush

2013-01-01

Data from the Regional Longleaf Growth Study (339 permanent sample plots) were used to develop a site index model for naturally regenerated, even-aged longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.). The site index equation was derived using the generalized algebraic difference approach and is base-age invariant. Using height as a measure of site productivity...

Studies on bronze pre-monetary signs found in Dobroudja using XRF and micro-PIXE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Constantinescu, B.; Cristea-Stan, D.; Talmatchi, G.; Ceccato, D.

2016-03-01

We performed compositional analyses on 180 Scythian-type arrowheads and pre-monetary signs using XRF method and on 60 small fragments of such items (approx. 100 microns diameter), sampling being performed on previously corrosion-cleaned areas on their surface, using micro-PIXE. The items are found in Dobroudja, Istros-Histria region. The most relevant for numismatists result is that for each finding place the same type of alloy was used both for fighting arrowheads and for pre-monetary signs. Our analyses revealed three types of alloys: Cu-Sn-Pb ("normal" bronze), Cu-Sn-Mn-Pb and Cu-Sn-Sb-Pb. The presence of antimony suggests the use of fahlore-type poly-metals deposits, most probably from Caucasus Mountains. The problem of ancient bronze containing manganese is more complicated; an explanation could be the use of manganese oxides as flux necessary to smelt oxidized ores.

Determining site index accurately in even-aged stands

Treesearch

Gayne G. Erdmann; Ralph M., Jr. Peterson

1992-01-01

Good site index estimates are necessary for intensive forest management. To get tree age used in determining site index, increment cores are commonly used. The diffuse-porous rings of northern hardwoods, though, are difficult to count in cores, so many site index estimates are imprecise. Also, measuring the height of standing trees is more difficult and less accurate...

Confirmation of the immunoreactivity of monoclonal anti-human C-terminal EGFR antibodies in bronze Corydoras Corydoras aeneus (Callichthyidae Teleostei) by Western Blot method.

PubMed

Mytych, Jennifer; Satora, Leszek; Kozioł, Katarzyna

2018-02-01

Bronze corydoras (Corydoras aeneus) uses the distal part of the intestine as accessory respiratory organ. Our previous study showed the presence of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) cytoplasmic domain in the digestive tract of the bronze corydoras. In this study, using Western Blot method, we validated the results presented in the previous research. In detail, results of Western Blot analysis on digestive and respiratory part of bronze corydoras intestine homogenates confirmed the immunoreactivity of anti-cytoplasmic domain (C-terminal) human EGFR antibodies with protein band of approximately 180kDa (EGFR molecular weight). This indicates a high homology of EGFR domain between these species and the possibility of such antibody use in bronze corydoras. Statistically significantly higher EGFR expression was observed in the respiratory part of intestine when compared to the digestive part. This implies higher proliferation activity and angiogenesis of epithelium in this part of intestine, creating conditions for air respiration. Therefore, Corydoras aeneus may be considered as a model organism for the molecular studies of the mechanisms of epithelial proliferation initiation and inhibition depending on hypoxia and normoxia. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

When was irrigation first used in Bat (Wadi Sharsah, northwestern Oman)?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fouache, E.; Desruelles, S.; Eddargach, W.; Cammas, C.; Wattez, J.; Martin, C.; Tengberg, M.; Cable, C.; Thornton, C.

2012-04-01

The extensive archaeological site of Bat, registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1989, is situated within the Wadi Sharsah and around the modern village and palm grove of Bat, approximately 24 km from the modern city of Ibri in northwestern Oman. The archaeological remains from the Bronze Age excavated by the Bat Archaeological Project are located in two main areas. The northern area consists of a chain of low limestone hills cut by wadi tributaries leading to the main Wadi Sharsah. It is characterised by an exceptionally high density of graves from two successive Bronze Age periods: Hafit (ca. 3100-2700 BCE) and Umm an-Nar (ca. 2700-2000 BCE). South of the Bat cemetery, in the flat part of the valley, there are several large circular structures (known historically as "towers") and remains from both Hafit and Umm an-Nar periods, as well as later periods. Geomorphological mapping of the floodplain, associated with archaeological survey, have identified walls suggesting that during the Umm an-Nar period there was a system of irrigation which controlled flood water. Sedimentological, malacological, C14 dating and micromorphological studies of a 10 m long and 2.5 m high section located 143 m northeast of the Tower 1146 on the left bank of a small tributary of the Wadi Sharsah provide strong arguments for the presence of an irrigation system that began before the Hafit period. Botanical macro-remains collected during the excavation of early Bronze Age structures at Bat further indicate the presence of date palm gardens since the early 3rd millennium BCE allowing the cultivation of several crop species, in particular cereals. Most generally, the global palaeoenvironmental reconstruction from our data supports a model of a general trend of aridification from Bronze to Iron Ages. Key words : Bronze Age, Holocene, Geomorphology, Micromorphology, Irrigation, Oman

Interspecific variation in resistance of Asian, European, and North American birches (Betula spp.) to bronze birch borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae).

PubMed

Nielsen, David G; Muilenburg, Vanessa L; Herms, Daniel A

2011-06-01

Bronze birch borer (Agrilus anxius Gory) is the key pest of birches (Betula spp.) in North America, several of which have been recommended for ornamental landscapes based on anecdotal reports of borer resistance that had not been confirmed experimentally. In a 20-yr common garden experiment initiated in 1979 in Ohio, North American birch species, including paper birch (Betula papyrifera Marshall), 'Whitespire' gray birch (Betula populifolia Marshall), and river birch (Betula nigra L.), were much more resistant to bronze birch borer than species indigenous to Europe and Asia, including European white birch (Betula pendula Roth), downy birch (Betula pubescens Ehrh.), monarch birch (Betula maximowicziana Regel), and Szechuan white birch (Betula szechuanica Jansson). Within 8 yr of planting, every European white, downy, and Szechuan birch had been colonized and killed, although 100% of monarch birch had been colonized and 88% of these plants were killed after nine years. Conversely, 97% of river birch, 76% of paper birch, and 73% Whitespire gray birch were alive 20 yr after planting, and river birch showed no evidence of colonization. This pattern is consistent with biogeographic theory of plant defense: North American birch species that share a coevolutionary history with bronze birch borer were much more resistant than naïve hosts endemic to Europe and Asia, possibly by virtue of evolution of targeted defenses. This information suggests that if bronze birch borer were introduced to Europe or Asia, it could threaten its hosts there on a continental scale. This study also exposed limitations of anecdotal observation as evidence of host plant resistance.

Influence of various surface pretreatments on adherence of sputtered molybdenum disulfide to silver, gold, copper, and bronze

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spalvins, T.

1973-01-01

Solid film lubricants of radio frequency sputtered molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) were applied to silver, gold, copper, and bronze surfaces that had various pretreatments (mechanical polishing, sputter etching, oxidation, and sulfurization). Optical and electron transmission micrographs and electron diffraction patterns were used to interpret the film formation characteristics and to evaluate the sputtering conditions in regard to the film and substrate compatibility. Sputtered MoS2 films flaked and peeled on silver, copper, and bronze surfaces except when the surfaces had been specially oxidized. The flaking and peeling was a result of sulfide compound formation and the corresponding grain growth of the sulfide film. Sputtered MoS2 films showed no peeling and flaking on gold surfaces regardless of surface pretreatment.

Squamous epithelium formation in the respiratory intestine of the bronze Corydoras Corydoras aeneus (Callichthyidae Teleostei).

PubMed

Satora, Leszek; Kozioł, Katarzyna; Zebrowski, Jacek

2017-06-01

Accessory respiratory organs in fish exhibit great diversity but share the presence of numerous capillaries covered by a simple squamous epithelium. The adoption of the intestine for respiratory function needs certain special modifications. In this study, we explored immunohistochemical and metabolic fingerprint features that could underlay this adaptation in bronze corydoras Corydoras aeneus. Immunohistochemical localization of the cytoplasmic domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the respiratory part of intestine demonstrated a strong positive immunoreaction in epithelial cells and connective tissue. Fourier Transfer Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy coupled with chemometrics discriminated between anterior and posterior region of intestine in terms of secondary structure of proteins and the abundance of p-cresol and other phenolics. The latter were reduced in the posterior part of intestine, indicating the cessation of digestive function in this region. It has been suggested that aquatic hypoxia via endocrine cells (hypoxia-sensitive) activate EGFR, which induce proliferation of squamous epithelial cells, thereby enabling gas diffusion in the posterior part of intestine. It seems that hypoxia and normoxia are opposed conditions adjusting the production of squamous epithelial cells in this intestine. The physiological role of EGFR in the respiratory intestine of bronze corydoras is of interest not only from an evolutionary aspect but also in terms of a potential model for observations process proliferation squamous epithelial cells. Future investigations on the molecular responses to different water oxygen levels in air-breathing bronze corydoras fish are required to clarify the mechanism responsible for squamous cell proliferation. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Abnormal photothermal effect of laser radiation on highly defect oxide bronze nanoparticles under the sub-threshold excitation of absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gulyaev, P.; Kotvanova, M.; Omelchenko, A.

2017-05-01

The mechanism of abnormal photo-thermal effect of laser radiation on nanoparticles of oxide bronzes has been proposed in this paper. The basic features of the observed effect are: a) sub-threshold absorption of laser radiation by the excitation of donor-like levels formed in the energy gap due to superficial defects of the oxide bronze nano-crystals; b) an interband radiationless transition of energy of excitation on deep triplet levels and c) consequent recombination occurring at the plasmon absorption. K or Na atoms thermally intercalated to the octahedral crystal structure of TiO2 in the wave SHS combustion generate acceptor levels in the gap. The prepared oxide bronzes of the non-stoichiometric composition NaxTiO2 and KxTiO2 were examined by high resolution TEM, and then grinded in a planetary mill with powerful dispersion energy density up to 4000 J/g. This made it possible to obtain nanoparticles about 50 nm with high surface defect density (1017-1019 cm-2 at a depth of 10 nm). High photo-thermal effect of laser radiation on the defect nanocrystals observed after its impregnation into cartilaginous tissue exceeds 7 times in comparison with the intact ones.

Y-chromosome phylogeographic analysis of the Greek-Cypriot population reveals elements consistent with Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements.

PubMed

Voskarides, Konstantinos; Mazières, Stéphane; Hadjipanagi, Despina; Di Cristofaro, Julie; Ignatiou, Anastasia; Stefanou, Charalambos; King, Roy J; Underhill, Peter A; Chiaroni, Jacques; Deltas, Constantinos

2016-01-01

The archeological record indicates that the permanent settlement of Cyprus began with pioneering agriculturalists circa 11,000 years before present, (ca. 11,000 y BP). Subsequent colonization events followed, some recognized regionally. Here, we assess the Y-chromosome structure of Cyprus in context to regional populations and correlate it to phases of prehistoric colonization. Analysis of haplotypes from 574 samples showed that island-wide substructure was barely significant in a spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA). However, analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) of haplogroups using 92 binary markers genotyped in 629 Cypriots revealed that the proportion of variance among the districts was irregularly distributed. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed potential genetic associations of Greek-Cypriots with neighbor populations. Contrasting haplogroups in the PCA were used as surrogates of parental populations. Admixture analyses suggested that the majority of G2a-P15 and R1b-M269 components were contributed by Anatolia and Levant sources, respectively, while Greece Balkans supplied the majority of E-V13 and J2a-M67. Haplotype-based expansion times were at historical levels suggestive of recent demography. Analyses of Cypriot haplogroup data are consistent with two stages of prehistoric settlement. E-V13 and E-M34 are widespread, and PCA suggests sourcing them to the Balkans and Levant/Anatolia, respectively. The persistent pre-Greek component is represented by elements of G2-U5(xL30) haplogroups: U5*, PF3147, and L293. J2b-M205 may contribute also to the pre-Greek strata. The majority of R1b-Z2105 lineages occur in both the westernmost and easternmost districts. Distinctively, sub-haplogroup R1b- M589 occurs only in the east. The absence of R1b- M589 lineages in Crete and the Balkans and the presence in Asia Minor are compatible with Late Bronze Age influences from Anatolia rather than from Mycenaean Greeks.

Stress Analysis and Fatigue Behaviour of PTFE-Bronze Layered Journal Bearing under Real-Time Dynamic Loading

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duman, M. S.; Kaplan, E.; Cuvalcı, O.

2018-01-01

The present paper is based on experimental studies and numerical simulations on the surface fatigue failure of the PTFE-bronze layered journal bearings under real-time loading. ‘Permaglide Plain Bearings P10’ type journal bearings were experimentally tested under different real time dynamic loadings by using real time journal bearing test system in our laboratory. The journal bearing consists of a PTFE-bronze layer approximately 0.32 mm thick on the steel support layer with 2.18 mm thick. Two different approaches have been considered with in experiments: (i) under real- time constant loading with varying bearing widths, (ii) under different real-time loadings at constant bearing widths. Fatigue regions, micro-crack dispersion and stress distributions occurred at the journal bearing were experimentally and theoretically investigated. The relation between fatigue region and pressure distributions were investigated by determining the circumferential pressure distribution under real-time dynamic loadings for the position of every 10° crank angles. In the theoretical part; stress and deformation distributions at the surface of the journal bearing analysed by using finite element methods to determine the relationship between stress and fatigue behaviour. As a result of this study, the maximum oil pressure and fatigue cracks were observed in the most heavily loaded regions of the bearing surface. Experimental results show that PTFE-Bronze layered journal bearings fatigue behaviour is better than the bearings include white metal alloy.

Emptying and filling a tunnel bronze

DOE PAGES

Marley, Peter M.; Abtew, Tesfaye A.; Farley, Katie E.; ...

2015-01-13

The classical orthorhombic layered phase of V 2O 5 has long been regarded as the thermodynamic sink for binary vanadium oxides and has found great practical utility as a result of its open framework and easily accessible redox states. Herein, we exploit a cation-exchange mechanism to synthesize a new stable tunnel-structured polymorph of V 2O 5 (ζ-V 2O 5) and demonstrate the subsequent ability of this framework to accommodate Li and Mg ions. The facile extraction and insertion of cations and stabilization of the novel tunnel framework is facilitated by the nanometer-sized dimensions of the materials, which leads to accommodationmore » of strain without amorphization. The topotactic approach demonstrated here indicates not just novel intercalation chemistry accessible at nanoscale dimensions but also suggests a facile synthetic route to ternary vanadium oxide bronzes (MxV 2O 5) exhibiting intriguing physical properties that range from electronic phase transitions to charge ordering and superconductivity.« less

The presence of nuclear families in prehistoric collective burials revisited: the bronze age burial of Montanissell Cave (Spain) in the light of aDNA.

PubMed

Simón, Marc; Jordana, Xavier; Armentano, Nuria; Santos, Cristina; Díaz, Nancy; Solórzano, Eduvigis; López, Joan B; González-Ruiz, Mercedes; Malgosa, Assumpció

2011-11-01

Ancient populations have commonly been thought to have lived in small groups where extreme endogamy was the norm. To contribute to this debate, a genetic analysis has been carried out on a collective burial with eight primary inhumations from Montanissell Cave in the Catalan pre-Pyrenees. Radiocarbon dating clearly placed the burial in the Bronze Age, around 3200 BP. The composition of the group-two adults (one male, one female), one young woman, and five children from both sexes-seemed to represent the structure of a typical nuclear family. The genetic evidence proves this assumption to be wrong. In fact, at least five out of the eight mitochondrial haplotypes were different, denying the possibility of a common maternal ancestor for all of them. Nevertheless, 50% of the inhumations shared haplogroup J, so the possibility of a maternal relationship cannot be ruled out. Actually, combining different analyses performed using ancient and living populations, the probability of having four related J individuals in Montanissell Cave would range from 0.9884 to 0.9999. Owing to the particularities of this singular collective burial (small number of bodies placed altogether in a hidden cave, the evidence of non-simultaneous interments, close dating and unusual grave goods), we suggest that it might represent a small group with a patrilocal mating system. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Micro-chemical and metallurgical study of Samnite bronze belts from ancient Abruzzo (central Italy, VIII-IV BC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riccucci, Cristina; Ingo, Gabriel Maria; Faustoferri, Amalia; Pierigè, Maria Isabella; Parisi, Erica Isabella; Di Carlo, Gabriella; De Caro, Tilde; Faraldi, Federica

2013-12-01

The Samnite bronze belts and the chest disk cuirasses (VIII-IV BC) are the distinctive defensive weapons of the Samnite warriors having likely also a symbolic relevance. These artefacts were mainly found during the archaeological excavations of warriors' graves from ancient Abruzzo (central Italy). Their chemical composition, metallurgical features and corrosion products formed during the long-term burial have been studied by means of the combined use of analytical techniques such as optical microscopy (OM), scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive X-ray micro-analysis (SEM-EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The micro-chemical and structural results show that the bronze belts have often been produced by using unusual high-tin bronze alloys achieving a silver-like appearance and by performing tailored cycles of thermal treatments under reducing conditions and hot mechanical working aimed to shape the high-tin alloys in the form of a thin bronze sheet. Furthermore, the investigation has shown that the main alloying elements have been transformed during the burial into mineral species giving rise to the formation of stratified structures constituted by different mineral phases such as tin oxides, cuprous oxide (Cu2O) and copper carbonates (azurite (Cu3(CO3)2(OH)2 and malachite (CuCO3Cu(OH)2)) as well as dangerous chlorine-based compounds such as nantokite (CuCl) and atacamite (Cu2(OH)3Cl) polymorphs. This information evidences the strict interaction of the alloying elements with the soil components as well as the occurrence of the copper cyclic corrosion as a post-burial degradation phenomenon. The present study confirms that the combined micro-chemical and micro-structural investigation techniques such as SEM-EDS, XPS, XRD and OM can be successfully used to investigate the technological production processes of the ancient artefacts and to achieve the detailed micro-chemical and structural description of the

Hydrostatic Response of Submarine Nickel Aluminum Bronze Valves with Corrosion Damage

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-07-01

Engineering PO Box 1000 Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 2X4 Project Manager: Dr. T.S. Koko , 902-425-5101 Contract Number: W7707-078022/001/HAL Contract...Manager: Dr. T.S. Koko , 902-425-5101 ext 243 Contract Number: W7707-078022/001/HAL Contract Scientific Authority: Dr. Y. Wang, 902-427-3035...Hydrostatic Response of Submarine Nickel Aluminum Bronze Valves with Corrosion Damage B.K.C. Yuen; T.S. Koko ; R. Warner; DRDC Atlantic CR 2008

New results to discuss possibility of irrigation in Bat (Wadi Sharsah, northwestern Oman) before Hafit period (ca. 3100-2700 BCE)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fouache, Eric; Desruelles, Stéphane; Eddargach, Wassel; Cammas, Cecilia; Wattez, Julia; Martin, Chloé; Tengberg, Margareta; Beuzen-Waller, Tara; Cable, Charlotte; Thornton, Christopher

2014-05-01

Registered as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1989, the extensive archaeological site of Bat is situated within the Wadi Sharsah and around the modern village and palm grove of Bat, 24 km from the modern city of Ibri in northwestern Oman. The archaeological remains from the Bronze Age excavated by the Bat Archaeological Project are located in two mains areas. The northern area consists of a chain of low limestone hills cut by wadi tributaries leading to the main Wadi Sharsah. It is characterised by an exceptionnally high density of graves from two successive Bronze Age periods : Hafit (ca. 3100-2700 BCE) and Umm an-Nar (ca. 2700-2000 BCE). South of the Bat cemetery, in the flat part of the valley, there are several large circular structures (known historically as « towers ») and remains from both Hafit and Umm an-Nar periods, as well as later periods. Geomorphological mapping of the floodplain, associated with archaeological survey, have identified walls suggesting that during the Umm an-Nar period there was a system of irrigation which controlled flood water. Sedimentological, malacological, C14 dating and micromorphological studies of a 10 m long and 2.5 m high section located 143 m northeast of the Tower 1146 on the left bank of a small tributary of the Wadi Sharsah provide strong argument for the presence of an irrigation system that began before the Hafit period. New C14 datings confirm this hypothesis. Botanical macro-remains collected during the excavation of early Bronze Age structures at Bat further indicate the presence of date palm gardens since the 3rd millenium BCE allowing the cultivation of several crop species, in particular cereals. Most generally the global palaeoenvironmental reconstruction from our data supports a model of a general trend of aridification from Bronze Age to iron Age. Key words : Bronze Age, Holocene, Geomoephology, Micromorphology, Irrigation, Oman.

Archaeometric analysis of Roman bronze coins from the Magna Mater temple using solid-state voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy.

PubMed

Di Turo, Francesca; Montoya, Noemí; Piquero-Cilla, Joan; De Vito, Caterina; Coletti, Fulvio; Favero, Gabriele; Doménech-Carbó, Antonio

2017-02-22

Voltammetry of microparticles (VMP) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) techniques, complemented by SEM-EDX and Raman spectroscopy, were applied to a set of 15 Roman bronze coins and one Tessera from the temple of Magna Mater (Rome, Italy). The archaeological site, dated back between the second half and the end of the 4th century A.D., presented a complicated stratigraphic context. Characteristic voltammetric patterns for cuprite and tenorite for sub-microsamples of the corrosion layers of the coins deposited onto graphite electrodes in contact with 0.10 M HClO 4 aqueous solution yielded a grouping of the coins into three main groups. This grouping was confirmed and refined using EIS experiments of the coins immersed in air-saturated mineral water using the reduction of dissolved oxygen as a redox probe. The electrochemical grouping of coins corroborated the complex stratigraphy of the archaeological site and, above all, the reuse of the coins during the later periods due to the economic issues related to the fall of the Roman Empire. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electronic band structure and charge density wave transition in quasi-2D KMo6O17 purple bronze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valbuena, M. A.; Avila, J.; Vyalikh, D. V.; Guyot, H.; Laubschat, C.; Molodtsov, S. L.; Asensio, M. C.

2008-03-01

High resolution angle-resolved photoemission of quasi-2D KMo6O17 purple bronze has been performed in the range from room temperature to 130 K, slightly above the charge density wave (CDW) transition (Tc = 110 K), and down to 35 K (well below Tc). In this paper we report a detailed study of how electronic band structure is affected by this transition driven by the hidden nesting scenario. The expected spectroscopic fingerprints of the CDW phase transition have been found and discussed according to the hidden one dimension and the development of a quasi-commensurate CDW. The excellent agreement between theory and our experimental results makes of potassium purple bronze a reference system for studying this type of instabilities.

Exposition and Synthesis of Benin Bronze Casting: Emphasis on the Olotan Casters of Benin

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ifeta, Chris Funke

2016-01-01

The introduction of Western education to Nigeria has brought in its wake great strides toward development. Changes in Benin dates far back to the dawn of the 20th century. This paper investigates the critical role of education in development. The paper integrates interview data collected from bronze casters in Benin. The first section of the paper…

Study of settlement distribution pattern in the Kolkheti lowland (Black Sea coast of Georgia) starting from early Bronze Age - natural and human influence and adaptation to landscape evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Elashvili, Mikheil; Akhvlediani, Dimitri; Navrozashvili, Levan; Sukhishvili, Lasha; Kirkitadze, Giorgi; Kelterbaum, Daniel; Laermans, Hannes

2015-04-01

archaeological datasets are collected in the joint-venture project and in addition with known historical and old topographic maps of the region they represent a good start for the research. There are typical ancient settlements in the Kolkheti lowland, called locally "Dikhagudzuba", which are still identifiable on aerial imagery. Their structure, physical dimensions and locations were analyzed from aerial and on site studies. Data from existing archaeological studies and recent field works were analyzed to create a reliable database on the distribution of Bronze Age settlements. Changes in paleoclimate, sea level and river deltas represent the main components to form a paleolandscape of the study area. Based on the results of recent fieldwork and the analyses of regional historical maps in addition with the general geological and geomorphological settings paleogeographical scenarios were constructed. Proposed models of past landscape changes and human settlement pattern were merged and analyzed. From one hand the human settlement distribution (taking into account tells relation with the local landscape of the same period) help us to identify the best suitable scenario from the set of paleolandscape patterns. Moreover, paleogeographical scenarios provide a better understanding on the erection of human settlements in the past, and their influence and adaptation to ongoing changes.

Tests of Lead-bronze Bearings in the DVL Bearing-testing Machine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fischer, G

1940-01-01

The lead-bronze bearings tested in the DVL machine have proven themselves very sensitive to load changes as in comparison with bearings of light metal. In order to prevent surface injuries and consequently running interruptions, the increase of the load has to be made in small steps with sufficient run-in time between steps. The absence of lead in the running surface, impurities in the alloy (especially iron) and surface irregularities (pores) decreases the load-carrying capacity of the bearing to two or three times that of the static load.

Maternal and paternal genetic diversity of ancient sheep in Estonia from the Late Bronze Age to the post-medieval period and comparison with other regions in Eurasia.

PubMed

Rannamäe, E; Lõugas, L; Niemi, M; Kantanen, J; Maldre, L; Kadõrova, N; Saarma, U

2016-04-01

Sheep were among the first domesticated animals to appear in Estonia in the late Neolithic and became one of the most widespread livestock species in the region from the Late Bronze Age onwards. However, the origin and historical expansion of local sheep populations in Estonia remain poorly understood. Here, we analysed fragments of the hypervariable D-loop of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA; 213 bp) and the Y-chromosome SRY gene (130 bp) extracted from 31 archaeological sheep bones dated from approximately 800 BC to 1700 AD. The ancient DNA data of sheep from Estonia were compared with ancient sheep from Finland as well as a set of contemporary sheep breeds from across Eurasia in order to place them in a wider phylogeographical context. The analysis shows that: (i) 24 successfully amplified and analysed mtDNA sequences of ancient sheep cluster into two haplogroups, A and B, of which B is predominant; (ii) four of the ancient mtDNA haplotypes are novel; (iii) higher mtDNA haplotype diversity occurred during the Middle Ages as compared to other periods, a fact concordant with the historical context of expanding international trade during the Middle Ages; (iv) the proportion of rarer haplotypes declined during the expansion of sheep from the Near Eastern domestication centre to the northern European region; (v) three male samples showed the presence of the characteristic northern European haplotype, SNP G-oY1 of the Y-chromosome, and represent the earliest occurrence of this haplotype. Our results provide the first insight into the genetic diversity and phylogeographical background of ancient sheep in Estonia and provide basis for further studies on the temporal fluctuations of ancient sheep populations. © 2016 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Sorbed atrazine shifts into non-desorbable sites of soil organic matter during aging.

PubMed

Park, Jeong-Hun; Feng, Yucheng; Cho, Sung Yong; Voice, Thomas C; Boyd, Stephen A

2004-11-01

Soil-chemical contact time (aging) is an important determinant of the sorption and desorption characteristics of the organic contaminants and pesticides in the environment. The effects of aging on mechanism-specific sorption and desorption of atrazine were studied in soil and clay slurries. Sorption isotherm and desorption kinetic experiments were performed, and soil-water distribution coefficients and desorption rate parameters were evaluated using linear and non-linear sorption equations and a three-site desorption model, respectively. Aging time for sorption of atrazine in sterilized soil and clay slurries ranged from 2 days to 8 months. Atrazine sorption isotherms were nearly linear (r(2)>0.97) and sorption coefficients were strongly correlated to soil organic carbon content. Sorption distribution coefficients (K(d)) increased with increase in age in all five soils studied, but not for K-montmorillonite. Sorption non-linearity did not increase with increase in age except for the Houghton muck soil. Desorption profiles were well described by the three-site desorption model. The equilibrium site fraction (f(eq)) decreased and the non-desorbable site fraction (f(nd)) increased as a function of aging time in all soils. For K-montmorillonite, f(nd) approximately 0 regardless of aging, showing that aging phenomena are sorbent/mechanism specific. In all soils, it was found that when normalized to soil organic matter content, the concentration of atrazine in desorbable sites was relatively constant, whereas that in non-desorbable site increased. This, and the lack of aging effects on desorption from montmorillonite, suggests that sorption into non-desorbable sites of soil organic matter is primary source of increased atrazine sorption in soils during aging.

230Th/U ages Supporting Hanford Site-Wide Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis

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

Paces, James B.

This product represents a USGS Administrative Report that discusses samples and methods used to conduct uranium-series isotope analyses and resulting ages and initial 234U/238U activity ratios of pedogenic cements developed in several different surfaces in the Hanford area middle to late Pleistocene. Samples were collected and dated to provide calibration of soil development in surface deposits that are being used in the Hanford Site-Wide probabilistic seismic hazard analysis conducted by AMEC. The report includes description of sample locations and physical characteristics, sample preparation, chemical processing and mass spectrometry, analytical results, and calculated ages for individual sites. Ages of innermost rindsmore » on a number of samples from five sites in eastern Washington are consistent with a range of minimum depositional ages from 17 ka for cataclysmic flood deposits to greater than 500 ka for alluvium at several sites.« less

On Some Mechanical Properties and Wear Behavior of Sintered Bronze Based Composites Reinforced with Some Aluminides Microadditives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feldshtein, E.; Kiełek, P.; Kiełek, T.; Dyachkova, L.; Letsko, A.

2017-05-01

In the paper, the changes in some mechanical properties and wear behavior of CuSn10 sintered bronze and MMCs based on this bronze reinforced with composite ultrafine aluminide powders FeAl/15 % Al2O3, NiAl/15 % Al2O3 and Ti-46Al-8Cr are described. It was observed that the presence of aluminides in the MMCs leads to an increase in the hardness, but the flexural strength may increase or decrease depending on the type of aluminide. The presence of aluminides in the MMC reduces the wear rate considerably. It is decreased in the direction of FeAl/15 % Al2O3 → NiAl/15 % Al2O3 → Ti-46Al-8Cr aluminides and for the best MMC composition the advantage is about 20 times. In the MMCs wear process, micro-craters are formed on the contact surface and it is the principal reason of a decrease in the wear rate.

The presence and expression of the HIF-1α in the respiratory intestine of the bronze Corydoras Corydoras aeneus (Callichthyidae Teleostei).

PubMed

Satora, Leszek; Mytych, Jennifer; Bilska-Kos, Anna

2018-05-23

Bronze corydoras (Corydoras aeneus) is a small diurnal activity fish from South America. Under hypoxia conditions, it uses the posterior part of the intestine as an accessory respiratory organ. The present PCR studies demonstrated higher expression of HIF-1α (hypoxia-inducible factor) gene in the respiratory than that in digestive part of bronze corydoras intestine. Further, immunolocalization studies using antibodies specific to HIF-1α and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the presence of HIF-1α epitopes in the intestine of Corydoras aeneus. In the respiratory intestine, the numerous clusters of gold particles visualizing HIF-1α antibody were observed within fibroblasts, whereas in the digestive tract of this species, single gold grains in the epithelial cells were noted. On the other hand, the presence of HIF-1α and the cytoplasmic domain of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in the respiratory intestine of bronze corydoras assumes their interactions in the system where these factors appeared for the first time. The non-obligatory air-breathing fishes using their digestive tract as an accessory respiratory organ during hypoxia conditions are very interesting for the studies of the processes that control HIF-1α expression and squamous cell proliferation.

Facebook as a site for negative age stereotypes.

PubMed

Levy, Becca R; Chung, Pil H; Bedford, Talya; Navrazhina, Kristina

2014-04-01

Ageism has been found to exist throughout a wide variety of societal institutions. Whether it also exists in social networking sites has not been previously considered. To explore this possibility, we conducted a content analysis of each publicly accessible Facebook group that concentrated on older individuals. The site "Descriptions" of the 84 groups, with a total of 25,489 members, were analyzed. The mean age category of the group creators was 20-29; all were younger than 60 years. Consistent with our hypothesis, the Descriptions of all but one of these groups focused on negative age stereotypes. Among these Descriptions, 74% excoriated older individuals, 27% infantilized them, and 37% advocated banning them from public activities, such as shopping. Facebook has the potential to break down barriers between generations; in practice, it may have erected new ones.

Classification of Corrosion Defects in NiAl Bronze Through Image Analysis

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-01-01

the sub-band coefficient matrix as: EntropypðkÞ ¼ X i X j jCpk;ði;jÞj 2 log jCpk;ði;jÞj 2 ð2Þ EnergypðkÞ ¼ X i X j jCpk;ði;jÞj 2 ð3Þ where...Wharton, R.C. Barik , G. Kear, R.J.K. Wood, K.R. Stokes, F.C. Walsh, The corrosion of nickel–aluminum bronze in seawater, Corros. Sci. 47 (2005) 3336...corrosion under fatigue conditions, J . Aircraft (7–8) (2009) 1253–1259. [10] H.S. Isaacs, Initiation of stress corrosion cracking of sensitized type

Erosion of phosphor bronze under cavitation attack in a mineral oil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, B. C. S.; Buckley, D. H.

1986-01-01

Experimental investigations on erosion of a copper alloy, phosphor bronze, under cavitation attack in a viscous mineral oil are presented. The details of pit formation and erosion were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The mean depth of penetration, the variations in surface roughness, and the changes in erosion pit size were studied. Cavitation pits formed initially over the grain boundaries while the surface grains were plastically deformed. Erosion of surface grains occurred largely by ductile fracture involving microcracking and removal in layers. The ratio h/a of the depth h to half width a of cavitation pits increased with test duration from 0.047 to 0.55.

Microstructure characterization of hypereutectoid aluminium bronze composite coating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kucita, P.; Wang, S. C.; Li, W. S.; Cook, R. B.; Starink, M. J.

2015-10-01

Hypereutectoid aluminium bronze coating was deposited onto an E.N. 10503 steel substrate using plasma transferred arc welding (PTA). Microstructure characterisation of the coating and a section near the steel substrate joint was carried out using SEM, EBSD, EDS in conjunction with XRD and depth-sensing nano-indentation. The constituent phases in the coating were identified as: martensitic Cu3Al β1' phase, solid solution of Al in Cu α phase and the intermetallic Fe3Al κ1 phase. The region near the steel substrate was characterised by high hardness, large grains and presence of Cu precipitates. No cracks were observed in this region. The coating has high hardness of 4.9GPa and Young's modulus of 121.7GPa. This is attributed to homogeneous distribution of sub microns size Fe3Al intermetallic phase. The implications of the coating to the engineering application of sheet metal forming are discussed.

Strengthening of ferrous binder jet 3D printed components through bronze infiltration

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

Cordero, Zachary C.; Siddel, Derek H.; Peter, William H.

Fully-dense, net shape objects have been fabricated from a rapidly-solidified ferrous powder using binder-jet 3D printing and molten bronze infiltration. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and differential thermal analysis were used to characterize the structural evolution of the powder feedstock during an infiltration heating cycle. Microindentation and bend tests were performed on the infiltrated material to evaluate its mechanical properties. The infiltrated material had an 11 GPa hardness and moderate damage tolerance. It was found that infiltration improved both the ductility and strength of the sintered preforms by eliminating the stress concentration at the interparticle necks.

Strengthening of ferrous binder jet 3D printed components through bronze infiltration

DOE PAGES

Cordero, Zachary C.; Siddel, Derek H.; Peter, William H.; ...

2017-04-08

Fully-dense, net shape objects have been fabricated from a rapidly-solidified ferrous powder using binder-jet 3D printing and molten bronze infiltration. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and differential thermal analysis were used to characterize the structural evolution of the powder feedstock during an infiltration heating cycle. Microindentation and bend tests were performed on the infiltrated material to evaluate its mechanical properties. The infiltrated material had an 11 GPa hardness and moderate damage tolerance. It was found that infiltration improved both the ductility and strength of the sintered preforms by eliminating the stress concentration at the interparticle necks.

Element analysis and calculation of the attenuation coefficients for gold, bronze and water matrixes using MCNP, WinXCom and experimental data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esfandiari, M.; Shirmardi, S. P.; Medhat, M. E.

2014-06-01

In this study, element analysis and the mass attenuation coefficient for matrixes of gold, bronze and water with various impurities and the concentrations of heavy metals (Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn) are evaluated and calculated by the MCNP simulation code for photons emitted from Barium-133, Americium-241 and sources with energies between 1 and 100 keV. The MCNP data are compared with the experimental data and WinXCom code simulated results by Medhat. The results showed that the obtained results of bronze and gold matrix are in good agreement with the other methods for energies above 40 and 60 keV, respectively. However for water matrixes with various impurities, there is a good agreement between the three methods MCNP, WinXCom and the experimental one in low and high energies.

Analyzing Lead Content in Ancient Bronze Coins by Flame Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy: An Archaeometry Laboratory with Nonscience Majors

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Donais, Mary Kate; Whissel, Greg; Dumas, Ashley; Golden, Kathleen

2009-01-01

A unique, interdisciplinary collaboration between chemistry and classics has led to the development of an experiment for nonscience majors. This instrumental analysis experiment was designed for use in an archaeology course to quantify the amount of lead in ancient bronze coins. The coins were corroded beyond visual identification, so provenance…

Effect of protective release coatings on the basis of superdispersersed zirconium oxide powder on the formation of gas defects in bronze casting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martyushev, Nikita V.; Risto, Nikolay A.

2014-10-01

This paper investigates the use of nanopowders in the composition of foundry coatings when casting leaded tin bronzes. Influence of the composition of the applied protective coating on surface finish is studied. The effects of the coatings of the following compositions are compared: non-stick coating (a mixture of low-dispersed chromium oxide powder and heat-treated vegetable oil); non-stick lubricant ASPF-2/RgU on the basis of low- dispersed graphite powder and heat-treated vegetable oil; patent #2297300 (a mixture of superdispersed zirconium dioxide powder with industrial oil). It is demonstrated that application of foundry coatings containing superdispersed metal oxide powders with low thermal conductivity makes it possible to significantly reduce irregularities and eliminate gas porosity on the surface of tin-leaded bronze castings.

Charge Density Waves and the Hidden Nesting of Purple Bronze KMo6O17

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Lei; Pereira, Vitor

The layered purple bronze KMo6O17, with its robust triple CDW phase up to high temperatures, became the emblematic example of the ''hidden nesting'' concept. Recent experiments suggest that, on the surface layers, its CDW phase can be stabilized at much higher temperatures, and with a tenfold increase in the electronic gap in comparison with the bulk. Despite such interesting fermiology and properties, the K and Na purple bronzes remain largely unexplored systems, most particularly so at the theoretical level. We introduce the first multi-orbital effective tight-binding model to describe the effect of electron-electron interactions in this system. Upon fixing all the effective hopping parameters in the normal state against an ab-initio band structure, and with only the overall scale of the interactions as sole adjustable parameter, we find that a self-consistent Hartree-Fock solution reproduces extremely well the experimental behavior of the charge density wave (CDW) order parameter in the full range 0 < T < Tc , as well as the precise reciprocal space locations of the partial gap opening and Fermi arc development. The interaction strengths extracted from fitting to the experimental CDW gap are consistent with those derived from an independent Stoner-type analysis This work was supported by the Singapore National Research Foundation under Grant NRF-CRP6-2010-05.

Ferroelectric tungsten bronze bulk crystals and epitaxial thin films for electro-optic device applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neurgaonkar, R. R.; Cross, L. E.

1984-02-01

SBN:50 and SBN:60 crystals have now been grown with improved optical quality using the Czochralski technique with automatic diameter control. The liquid phase epitaxial (LPE) growth of SBN:50 on SBN substrates has also been successfully demonstrated, with particularly good results for (100) and (110) film orientations. Electro-optic measurements on SBN:60 single crystals have shown a high value for r51 of 80 x 10 to the minus 12th power m/v, nearly a factor a 2 greater than for SBN:75. The tungsten bronze system Pb1-xBaxNb2O6 (PBN) has shown enhanced piezoelectric, dielectric and optical properties near the morphotropic boundary at x = 0.37. Substantial data on the physical properties of PBN single crystals is presented as a function of composition. Work on an appropriate flux system for LPE growth of PBN is in progress, with particular focus on the system Pb2V2O7 - PBN:60. Systematic work on the tungsten bronze system Ba2NaNb5O15 Sr2NaNb5O15 (BNN-SNN) and Pb2KNb5O15 - Ba2NaNb5O15 (PKN-BNN) has been undertaken, with both systems showing morphotropic boundary conditions with enhanced dielectric properties. Both systems look promising for future electro-optic development.

Will the Liberal Arts Survive the Bronze Age of American Academe?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimball, Bruce A.

2015-01-01

Kimball begins this essay by comparing the start of the "golden age" of liberal arts education as the period between about 1950 and 1975 when American higher education's revenue and enrollments of colleges and universities grew enormously. During the subsequent silver age of academe, ending in the Great Recession of 2008-2009,…

Human brains found in a fire-affected 4000-years old Bronze Age tumulus layer rich in soil alkalines and boron in Kutahya, Western Anatolia.

PubMed

Altinoz, M A; Ince, B; Sav, A; Dincer, A; Cengiz, S; Mercan, S; Yazici, Z; Bilgen, M N

2014-02-01

Undecomposed human bodies and organs always attracted interest in terms of understanding biological tissue stability and immortality. Amongst these, cases of natural mummification found in glaciers, bog sediments and deserts caused even more attention. In 2010, an archeological excavation of a Bronze Age layer in a tumulus near the Western Anatolia city Kütahya revealed fire affected regions with burnt human skeletons and charred wooden objects. Inside of the cracked skulls, undecomposed brains were discernible. To analyze the burial taphonomy of the rare phenomenon of brain preservation, we analyzed brains, bone, teeth and surrounding soils elements using Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS). Adipocere formation or saponification of postmortem tissue fat requires high levels of alkalinity and especially potassium. Indeed, ICP-MS analysis of the brain, teeth and bone and also of the surrounding soil revealed high levels of potassium, magnesium, aluminum and boron, which are compatible with the famous role of Kütahya in tile production with its soil containing high level of alkalines and tile-glazing boron. Fatty acid chromatography revealed simultaneous saturation of fats and protection of fragile unsaturated fatty acids consistent with soil-presence of both pro-oxidant and anti-oxidant trace metals. Computerized tomography revealed protection of diencephalic, metencephalic and occipital tissue in one of the best-preserved specimens. Boron was previously found as an intentional preservative of Tutankhamen and Deir el Bahari mummies. Here, in natural soil with its insect-repellant, anti-bacterial and fire-resistance qualities it may be a factor to preserve heat-affected brains as almost bioporcellain specimens. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Age dependency of primary tumor sites and metastases in patients with Ewing sarcoma.

PubMed

Worch, Jennifer; Ranft, Andreas; DuBois, Steven G; Paulussen, Michael; Juergens, Heribert; Dirksen, Uta

2018-06-01

The median age of patients with Ewing sarcoma (EwS) at diagnosis is around 14-15 years. Older age is associated with a worse outcome. The correlation of age at diagnosis on sites of disease has not been fully described. The goal of this study was to evaluate the differences in sites of primary tumor and metastatic tumor involvement according to age groups. EwS data from the Gesellschaft für Pädiatrische Onkologie und Hämatology (GPOH) database of the Cooperative Ewing Sarcoma Study (CESS) 81/86 and the European Intergroup Cooperative Ewing's Sarcoma Study EICESS 92 and the EUROpean Ewing tumor Working Initiative of National Groups-99-Protocol (EURO-E.W.I.N.G.-99) study were analyzed. Patient and tumor characteristics were evaluated statistically using chi square tests. The study population included 2,635 patients with bone EwS. Sites of primary and metastatic tumors differed according to the age groups of young children (0-9 years), early adolescence (10-14 years), late adolescence (15-19 years), young adults (20-24 years), and adults (more than 24 years). Young children demonstrated the most striking differences in site of disease with a lower proportion of pelvic primary and axial tumors. They presented less often with metastatic disease at diagnosis. Site of primary and metastatic tumor involvement in EwS differs according to patient age. The biological and developmental etiology for these differences requires further investigations. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Evolution of microstructure and grain boundary character distribution of a tin bronze annealed at different temperatures

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

Huang, Weijiu; Chongqing Municipal Key Laboratory of Institutions of Higher Education for Mould Technology, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054; Chai, Linjiang, E-mail: chailinjiang@cqut.edu.cn

2016-04-15

Specimens cut from a rolled tin bronze sheet were annealed at 400–800 °C for 1 h and evolution of their microstructures was then characterized in details by electron channeling contrast imaging and electron backscatter diffraction techniques. Particularly, statistics on special boundaries (SBs) with Σ ≤ 29 and network connectivity of random high angle boundaries (HABs) in the annealed specimens were examined to probe optimization potentials of grain boundary character distribution (GBCD) for this material. Results show that the deformed microstructure in the as-received material begins to be recrystallized when the annealing temperature increase to 500 °C and average grain sizesmore » surge with further increasing temperatures. As a result of the recrystallization, a large number of annealing twins (with Σ3 misorientation) are produced, leading to remarkably increased fractions of SBs (f{sub SBs}). Thanks to preexisting dense low angle boundaries, the majority of SBs in the 500 °C specimen with only partial recrystallization are Σ3{sub ic} (incoherent) boundaries, which effectively disrupt connectivity of random HABs network. Although the f{sub SBs} can be further increased (up to 72.5%) in specimens with full recrystallization (at higher temperatures), the Σ3{sub ic} boundaries would be replaced to some extent by Σ3{sub c} (coherent) boundaries which do not contribute directly to optimizing the GBCD. This work should be able to provide clear suggestions on applying the concept of grain boundary engineering to tin bronze alloys. - Highlights: • The rolled tin bronze begins to be recrystallized as temperature increases to 500 °C. • A lot of SBs are produced after recrystallization and the highest f{sub SBs} is 72.5%. • Partially recrystallized specimen has the optimum GBCD due to more Σ3{sub ic} boundaries. • The Σ3{sub ic} boundaries are replaced by Σ3{sub c} boundaries after full recrystallization.« less

Reconstruction of settlement phases at Intermediate Bronze Age structures in the Negev Highlands (Israel) using luminescence dating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Junge, Andrea; Lomax, Johanna; Shahack-Gross, Ruth; Dunseth, Zachary C.; Finkelstein, Israel; Fuchs, Markus

2016-04-01

OSL dating is usually applied to sediments in paleoenvironmental sciences. However, there is only limited experience with determining the age of archaeological stone structures by OSL using dust deposits associated with these structures. The age of trapped dust deposits may be used to date the onset of settlement (sediment below structures), settlement activity (occupation layer), or the time after settlement (sediment between collapsed walls and roofs). In this study, OSL dating is applied for establishing a chronology of settlement structures situated in the Negev Highlands, Israel. Two archaeological sites are investigated to identify the occupation history, by dating the aeolian dust trapped within the remains of ancient buildings. OSL dating techniques are applied using coarse grain quartz and a standard SAR protocol. First results indicate that the luminescence properties of the trapped sediments are suitable for OSL dating. Therefore, it was possible to date the onset of sedimentation in a later phase of the human occupation or shortly after the settlement was abandoned, which is supported by archaeological evidence gained from pottery finds and the architecture of the buildings.

Cottonwood Response to Nitrogen Related To Plantation Age and Site

Treesearch

B.G. Blackmon

1977-01-01

When applied at plantation age 4,336 kg N/ha increased diameter growth of cottonwood on Sharkey clay by 33 percent over unfertilized controls. Fertilizing at ages 2 and 3 resulted in no response, nor was there any benefit from applying nitrogen fertilizer to cottonwood on Commerce silt loam. On both sites, foliar N levels were increased by fertilization regardless of...

Economic and social activities on ancient Cypriot terraced landscapes.

PubMed

Ridder, Elizabeth; Galletti, Christopher S; Fall, Patricia L; Falconer, Steven E

2017-11-01

We investigate ancient agricultural terraces and their associated social and economic activities across the site complex consisting of the village at Politiko-Troullia and its more extensive associated taskscape. Surface artifact distributions mapped over 12 ha are integrated with evidence excavated from this Bronze Age settlement in central Cyprus. Contrary to expectations, artifact densities do not diminish with distance from the village architecture. In particular, concentrations of Prehistoric Bronze Age ceramics and ground stone artifacts are most pronounced on nearby terraced hillsides. These terraces were not utilized for domestic structures, but for extensive processing of agricultural crops and copper ore. Bronze Age excavated plant remains indicate cultivation of olives, grapes and figs, with wood resources dominated by olive and pine. Larger, non-portable ground stones and gaming stones are associated with communal social and economic activities in open courtyard settings in Politiko-Troullia. This category of ground stone also is particularly common on the terraced hillsides around Troullia, suggesting that similar behaviors occurred beyond village structures. The terraced landscape of Politiko-Troullia exemplifies a multi-faceted taskscape with a range of agricultural, metallurgical and social activities. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigation of suitability of ventrogluteal site for intramuscular injections in children aged 36 months and under.

PubMed

Atay, Selma; Yilmaz Kurt, Fatma; Akkaya, Gülnur; Karatağ, Gülden; Ilhan Demir, Şeyda; Çalidağ, Ulviye

2017-10-01

This study was performed to determine suitability of ventrogluteal (VG) site for intramuscular (IM) injections in children aged 36 months and under. The present study was designed as a prospective descriptive study and performed between 2016 January and June. The study included a total of 120 children aged 36 months and under that met the study criteria. The subcutaneous tissue thickness and muscle thickness of anterolateral, deltoid, and VG sites were measured and assessed by ultrasound. A strong and powerful correlation was identified between the measurements of subcutaneous tissue and muscle thicknesses in the injection site by the age groups. The thickness of subcutaneous tissue was deltoid < anterolateral < VG by age groups. The muscle thickness of anterolateral and VG sites was significantly higher than that of deltoid site. This study established that skin thickness of VG site was suitable for IM injection in children aged 36 months and under. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

High performance bimorph piezoelectric MEMS harvester via bulk PZT thick films on thin beryllium-bronze substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yi, Zhiran; Yang, Bin; Li, Guimiao; Liu, Jingquan; Chen, Xiang; Wang, Xiaolin; Yang, Chunsheng

2017-07-01

This letter presents a high performance bimorph piezoelectric MEMS harvester with bulk PZT thick films on both sides of a flexible thin beryllium-bronze substrate via bonding and thinning technologies. The upper and lower PZT layers are thinned down to about 53 μm and 76 μm, respectively, and a commercial beryllium bronze with the thickness of about 50 μm is used as the substrate. The effective volume of this device is 30.6 mm3. The harvester with a tungsten proof mass generated the close-circuit peak-to-peak voltage of 53.1 V, the output power of 0.979 mW, and the power density of 31.99 mW/cm3 with the matching load resistance of 360 kΩ at the applied acceleration amplitude of 3.5 g and the applied frequency of 77.2 Hz. Meanwhile, in order to evaluate the stability, the device was measured continuously under applied acceleration amplitudes of 1.0 g and 3.5 g for one hour and demonstrated a good stability. Then, the harvester was utilized to light up LEDs and about twenty-one serial LEDs were lighted up at resonance under an applied acceleration amplitude of 3.0 g.

Phase transition hysteresis and anomalous Curie-Weiss behavior of ferroelectric tetragonal tungsten bronzes Ba2RETi2Nb3O15:RE=Nd,Sm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prades, Marta; Beltrán, Héctor; Masó, Nahum; Cordoncillo, Eloisa; West, Anthony R.

2008-11-01

The ferroelectric tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) phases, Ba2RETi2Nb3O15:RE=Nd,Sm, were prepared by low temperature solvothermal synthesis. The permittivity versus temperature data of sintered ceramics show two unusual features: first, a hysteresis of 50-100 °C between values of the Curie temperature Tc on heat-cool cycles and second: a huge depression in the Curie-Weiss temperature T0. Both effects are attributed to the complex nature of their TTB-related crystal structures with different superstructures above and below Tc and the difficulty in nucleating ferroelectric domains on cooling through Tc. Several factors may contribute to the latter difficulty: first, the structures contain two sets of crystallographic sites for the "active" Ti, Nb ions; second, the distribution of Ti and Nb over these two sets of sites is not random but partially ordered; and third, below Tc a weak commensurate superstructure perpendicular to the polar c&barbelow; axis is present, but above Tc a weak incommensurate superstructure in a similar orientation is present. Hence the formation of the ferroelectric structure on cooling requires both nucleation of polar domains involving two sets of cation sites and structural change from an incommensurate to a commensurate supercell.

Evolution of the Structure of Cu-1% Sn Bronze under High Pressure Torsion and Subsequent Annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, V. V.; Popova, E. N.; Stolbovsky, A. V.; Falahutdinov, R. M.

2018-04-01

The evolution of the structure of tin bronze under the room-temperature high-pressure torsion with different degrees of deformation and the subsequent annealing has been investigated. The thermal stability of the structure formed, namely, its behavior upon annealing in the temperature range of 150-400°C has been studied. The possibility of alloying copper with tin has been analyzed with the purpose of obtaining a thermally stable nanostructure with high strength characteristics.

Morus planting and silk production in Oxus civilization (2000 BC), Transoxiana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, X.; Li, X.; Wang, J.

2017-12-01

Silk is the most important luxury in ancient trade, which promoted communications between east and west civilizations that facilitated the development of them. Currently, probably more than 99% of the silk in commerce in the world today comes from a single species called the silkworm or mulberry silk moth, Bombyx mori (L.), of the family Bombycidae. At present, a list of occurrences of unearthed early silk thread, textile and terracotta figures of China suggests that wild silk has been widely used for weave in Yangtze river and Yellow River basin at least 5000 cal yr BP. On the other hand, the earliest silk fabric out China is from the earliest civilization Harappa site (4500-4000 cal a BP) that confirmed the early use of wild silkworms in South Asia.. In addition, in the Egyptian Deir al Medina relics site, the unearthed silk also as old as nearly 3000 cal a BP, and a serials of pre-han silk also unearthed 3000-2500 cal a BP in Europe. But, the appearance of these out-China silk is usually considered to be the result of the early trade or wild silkmoth products. Here we present a synthesis study of chronology, entomology, protein group, the paleoethnobotany form three Bronze Age site (Sapalli, Jarzgudan, Molleli) concerning on the paleo environment, agriculture gardening, and the possible mulberry silkworm utilization in Bronze Age Tensoxiana 4000 cal a BP. Together with archaeobotany and chronology data from Xinjiang, Hexi corridor and the Loess Plateau in China, we analysis the status of the mulberry silk factory in Bronze Age in Transoxiana and it possible connection to ancient China.

The Influence of Pseudomonas fluorescens on Corrosion Products of Archaeological Tin-Bronze Analogues

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghiara, G.; Grande, C.; Ferrando, S.; Piccardo, P.

2018-01-01

In this study, tin-bronze analogues of archaeological objects were investigated in the presence of an aerobic Pseudomonas fluorescens strain in a solution, containing chlorides, sulfates, carbonates and nitrates according to a previous archaeological characterization. Classical fixation protocols were employed in order to verify the attachment capacity of such bacteria. In addition, classical metallurgical analytical techniques were used to detect the effect of bacteria on the formation of uncommon corrosion products in such an environment. Results indicate quite a good attachment capacity of the bacteria to the metallic surface and the formation of the uncommon corrosion products sulfates and sulfides is probably connected to the bacterial metabolism.

Atypical coastal environmental change during Copper Age - Bronze Age transition (Rio de Moinhos, NW Portugal) - preliminary results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Granja, Helena; Danielsen, Randi

2015-04-01

The research is part of an ongoing project of geo-archaeology from Rio de Moinhos beach (Esposende, NW Portugal), where an extensive area of dark sedimentary outcrops and a large amount of ceramic remains from a Roman shipwreck are present. The dark sedimentary deposit, presenting tree stumps and roots in life position, partially covers a rocky platform that extends seawards. Over the platform, that presents many pits of sea urchins (infralittoral environment) as well as salt pans (supratidal environment), a marine rusty conglomerate is present in some places. Several hand gauge cores were extracted in the sedimentary deposit whose maximum depth do not exceed 50cm. Samples from cores and outcrops were analysed for grain size, mineralogical composition, pollen and diatom content and radiocarbon dated. This work concerns sediment size analysis, dating and pollen. Tree stumps and roots of Alnus glutinosa dated 6310-6220 cal BP are in the base of the sedimentary sequence that presents a gradual passage from very fine sands to clayey silts, all of them organic and very poorly sorted. Pollen analysis revealed an initial wetland habitat containing Alnus, inundated ca 5645-5585 cal BP due to rising sea level at the time. A brackish lagoon formed at the site presumably protected by a clastic barrier seaward. Similar formations of lagoons are detected all along the Portuguese coast, typically disappearing with time due to sand infilling. In this case, however, the brackish lagoon turned into a fresh water lake ca 4485-4440 cal BP. This may have been a natural development caused by permanent closing of the clastic barrier but human interference cannot be excluded as anthropic activity was detected since formation of the lagoon. The lake seems to have filled in with sand at some point in time subsequent to ca 3750-3725 cal BP, the date of the top lake sediment. However, shipwreck vestiges from the Roman Period presently dispersed over the lake sediment, suggests a later date

Structure and physical properties of EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} tungsten bronze polymorph

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

Kolodiazhnyi, T., E-mail: kolodiazhnyi.taras@nims.go.jp; Sakurai, H.; Vasylkiv, O.

A tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) polymorph of EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} was prepared and analyzed. EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} crystallizes in the centrosymmetric Pnam space group (with unit cell: a = 12.3693, b = 12.4254, and c = 7.7228 Å) isomorphous with orthorhombic β-SrTa{sub 2}O{sub 6}. In contrast to early reports, we see no evidence of deviation from paramagnetic Curie-Weiss behavior among the Eu{sup 2+} 4f{sup 7}spins in EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} down to 2 K. Dielectric constant shows a broad peak at ca. 50 K with dielectric dispersion resembling diffuse phase transition. The relaxation time, however, follows a simple (non-freezing) thermally activated process with an activation energy of 92 meV and anmore » attempt frequency of f{sub 0} = 5.79 × 10{sup 12 }Hz. A thermal conductivity of EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} shows a low-temperature (T ≈ 30 K) “plateau” region reminiscent of a glass-like behaviour in Nb-based TTB compounds. This behaviour can be attributed to the loosely bound Eu{sup 2+} ions occupying large tricapped trigonal prismatic sites in the EuTa{sub 2}O{sub 6} structure.« less

Collagen cross-linking in sun-exposed and unexposed sites of aged human skin

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yamauchi, M.; Prisayanh, P.; Haque, Z.; Woodley, D. T.

1991-01-01

A recently described nonreducible, acid-heat stable compound, histidinohydroxylysinonorleucine (HHL), is a collagen cross-link isolated from mature skin tissue. Its abundance is related to chronologic aging of skin. The present communication describes the quantity of HHL from aged human skin of the same individuals in sun-exposed (wrist) and unexposed (buttock) sites. Punch biopsies were obtained from these sites from nine people of age 60 or older. HHL contents (moles/mole of collagen) at these sites were for wrist 0.13 +/- 0.07 and for buttock 0.69 +/- 0.17 (mean +/- SD, p less than 0.001). In addition, it was found that acute irradiation of the cross-linked peptides with UVA (up to 250 J/cm2) and UVB (up to 1 J/cm2) had no effect on HHL structure. The same treatment significantly degraded another nonreducible, stable collagen cross-link, pyridinoline. The results suggest that chronic sunlight exposure may be associated with an impediment to normal maturation of human dermal collagen resulting in tenuous amount of HHL. Thus, the process of photoaging in dermal collagen is different from that of chronologic aging in human skin.

The Quadruple Helix-Based Innovation Model of Reference Sites for Active and Healthy Ageing in Europe: The Ageing@Coimbra Case Study

PubMed Central

Malva, João O.; Amado, Alda; Rodrigues, Alexandra; Mota-Pinto, Anabela; Cardoso, Ana F.; Teixeira, Ana M.; Todo-Bom, Ana; Devesa, António; Ambrósio, António F.; Cunha, António L.; Gomes, Bárbara; Dantas, Carina; Abreu, Cidalina; Santana, Isabel; Bousquet, Jean; Apóstolo, João; Santos, Lúcia; Meneses de Almeida, Lúcio; Illario, Maddalena; Veríssimo, Rafaela; Rodrigues, Vitor; Veríssimo, Manuel T.

2018-01-01

Challenges posed by demographic changes and population aging are key priorities for the Horizon 2020 Program of the European Commission. Aligned with the vision of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA), the development, exchange, and large-scale adoption of innovative good practices is a key element of the responses required to ensure all European citizens remain as active and healthy as possible as they age. Urged by the need of developing scalable disruptive innovation across Europe, the European Commission and the EIP on AHA created the Reference Sites; local coalition of partners that develop good practices to support AHA. Ageing@Coimbra is an example of how this can be achieved at a regional level. The consortium comprises over 70 institutions that develop innovative practices to support AHA in Portugal. Ageing@Coimbra partners support a regional network of stakeholders that build a holistic ecosystem in health and social care, taking into consideration the specificities of the territories, living environments and cultural resources (2,243,934 inhabitants, 530,423 aged 65 or plus live in the Centre Region of Portugal). Good practices in reducing the burden of brain diseases that affect cognition and memory impairment in older people and tackling social isolation in urban and rural areas are among the top priorities of Ageing@Coimbra. Profiting from the collaborative work of academia, business companies, civil society, and authorities, the quadruple helix of Ageing@Coimbra supports: early diagnosis of frailty and disease; care and cure; and active, assisted, and independent living. This paper describes, as a Community Case Study, the creation of a Reference Site of the EIP on AHA, Ageing@Coimbra, and its impact in Portugal. This Reference Site can motivate other regions to develop innovative formulas to federate stakeholders and networks, building consortia at regional level. This growing movement, across Europe, is

The Quadruple Helix-Based Innovation Model of Reference Sites for Active and Healthy Ageing in Europe: The Ageing@Coimbra Case Study.

PubMed

Malva, João O; Amado, Alda; Rodrigues, Alexandra; Mota-Pinto, Anabela; Cardoso, Ana F; Teixeira, Ana M; Todo-Bom, Ana; Devesa, António; Ambrósio, António F; Cunha, António L; Gomes, Bárbara; Dantas, Carina; Abreu, Cidalina; Santana, Isabel; Bousquet, Jean; Apóstolo, João; Santos, Lúcia; Meneses de Almeida, Lúcio; Illario, Maddalena; Veríssimo, Rafaela; Rodrigues, Vitor; Veríssimo, Manuel T

2018-01-01

Challenges posed by demographic changes and population aging are key priorities for the Horizon 2020 Program of the European Commission. Aligned with the vision of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP on AHA), the development, exchange, and large-scale adoption of innovative good practices is a key element of the responses required to ensure all European citizens remain as active and healthy as possible as they age. Urged by the need of developing scalable disruptive innovation across Europe, the European Commission and the EIP on AHA created the Reference Sites; local coalition of partners that develop good practices to support AHA. Ageing@Coimbra is an example of how this can be achieved at a regional level. The consortium comprises over 70 institutions that develop innovative practices to support AHA in Portugal. Ageing@Coimbra partners support a regional network of stakeholders that build a holistic ecosystem in health and social care, taking into consideration the specificities of the territories, living environments and cultural resources (2,243,934 inhabitants, 530,423 aged 65 or plus live in the Centre Region of Portugal). Good practices in reducing the burden of brain diseases that affect cognition and memory impairment in older people and tackling social isolation in urban and rural areas are among the top priorities of Ageing@Coimbra. Profiting from the collaborative work of academia, business companies, civil society, and authorities, the quadruple helix of Ageing@Coimbra supports: early diagnosis of frailty and disease; care and cure; and active, assisted, and independent living. This paper describes, as a Community Case Study, the creation of a Reference Site of the EIP on AHA, Ageing@Coimbra, and its impact in Portugal. This Reference Site can motivate other regions to develop innovative formulas to federate stakeholders and networks, building consortia at regional level. This growing movement, across Europe, is

Manipulation of polar order in the "empty" tetragonal tungsten bronzes: Ba4-xSrxDy0.67□1.33Nb10O30, x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gardner, Jonathan; Morrison, Finlay D.

2016-08-01

A series of "empty" tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) ferroelectrics, Ba4-xSrxDy0.67□1.33Nb10O30 (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3; □ = vacancy), is reported. With increasing x the unit cell contracts in both the ab plane and c-axis; x ≤ 1 compounds are normal ferroelectrics (FE) with decreasing TC as x increases, while x ≥ 2 are relaxor ferroelectrics (RFE) with associated frequency dependent permittivity peaks and with similar Tm and Tf (Vogel-Fulcher freezing temperatures) values. This observation is rationalised by differing cation occupancies: for x ≤ 1, Sr2+ principally occupies the A2-site (co-occupied by Ba2+ with the A1-site occupied by Dy3+ and vacancies); for x ≥ 2 significant Sr A1-site occupation leads to the observed RFE characteristics. This FE to RFE crossover is consistent with a previously proposed TTB crystal chemical framework where both a decrease in average A-site size and concurrent increase in A1-site tolerance factor (tA1) favour destabilization of long range polar order and relaxor behaviour. The effect of increasing tA1 as a result of Sr occupancy at the A1 site is dominant in the compounds reported here.

Age-specific productivity and nest site characteristics of Cooper's hawks (Accipiter cooperii)

USGS Publications Warehouse

Moore, K.R.; Henny, C.J.

1984-01-01

Nesting Cooper's Hawks (Accipiter cooperii) were studied in northeastern Oregon. Second-year (SY) males did not breed, but 22 percent of the breeding females were SY's. Mean clutch size (P = 0.012) and mean number of young fledged per pair that laid eggs (P < 0.10) were lower for SY females than for adult (after second year [ASY}) females; however, an equal percentage of the eggs (excluding a collected sample egg) yielded fledged young for each age class. Stepwise discriminant analysis suggested differences in structural characteristics of the nest site habitat for ASY and SY females, i.e., SY female nest sites were associated with younger successional stages than ASY female nest sites. Nests of both age groups were built in trees with high crown volume, but ASY females utilized mistletoe (Arceuthobium sp.) for nest structures more frequently (P < 0.01) than SY females.

Archaeomagnetic Records from Early Bronze to Iron Age Mediterranean Settlements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ertepinar, Pinar; Hammond, Megan; Hill, Mimi; Biggin, Andy; Langereis, Cor; Yener, Aslihan; Akar, Murat; Greaves, Alan; Gates, Mary; Harrison, Timothy; Özgen, Ilknur

2017-04-01

Recent studies on the geomagnetic field variations over the Middle East have started to take particular attention due to the presence of numerous high intensity periods proposed by various authors. Considering the recent volume of papers focused on archaeomagnetism in this region, the lack of published work centered in Turkey and Cyprus is surprising since both regions have a long cultural heritage and history of trade and immigration from neighboring countries. Here we present a large dataset of directions and intensities from seven archaeological sites in the Mediterranean with 21 subsets of directional and 40 subsets of intensity data covering a long sequence of levels from 3300 to 700 BCE. The sample sets are composed of both ex-situ potsherds and in-situ features such as mud-bricks, basalts and an ash layer. The results from the rock magnetic experiments run on at least three samples from each set indicate that the magnetic mineral assemblage is composed mostly of pseudo-single domain grain magnetite or titano-magnetite with various Ti content. The majority of the demagnetization diagrams are single component and 14 out of 21 sets have a well-defined characteristic remanent magnetization direction. The directional results show a swing of 37.6° in declination and 26.9° in inclination within an age interval of 2000 years. The archaeointensity experiments involved both microwave and thermal methods. To avoid the anisotropy effects, the applied field is either set parallel to the samples NRM or the angle between the pTRM acquired at the last step used for the best-fit segment and the applied field direction, γ, was checked and found to be less than 7.5°. For the samples that are measured in random directions with respect to their NRM, prior to the intensity experiments, the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility was individually measured and the anisotropy degree is found to be less than 2.5%. For all the potsherds, one or two samples from each set are

Cold-induced vasoconstriction at forearm and hand skin sites: the effect of age.

PubMed

Kingma, B R M; Frijns, A J H; Saris, W H M; van Steenhoven, A A; van Marken Lichtenbelt, W D

2010-07-01

During mild cold exposure, elderly are at risk of hypothermia. In humans, glabrous skin at the hands is well adapted as a heat exchanger. Evidence exists that elderly show equal vasoconstriction due to local cooling at the ventral forearm, yet no age effects on vasoconstriction at hand skin have been studied. Here, we tested the hypotheses that at hand sites (a) elderly show equal vasoconstriction due to local cooling and (b) elderly show reduced response to noradrenergic stimuli. Skin perfusion and mean arterial pressure were measured in 16 young adults (Y: 18-28 years) and 16 elderly (E: 68-78 years). To study the effect of local vasoconstriction mechanisms local sympathetic nerve terminals were blocked by bretylium (BR). Baseline local skin temperature was clamped at 33 degrees C. Next, local temperature was reduced to 24 degrees C. After 15 min of local cooling, noradrenaline (NA) was administered to study the effect of neural vasoconstriction mechanisms. No significant age effect was observed in vasoconstriction due to local cooling at BR sites. After NA, vasoconstriction at the forearm showed a significant age effect; however, no significant age effect was found at the hand sites. [Change in CVC (% from baseline): Forearm Y: -76 +/- 3 vs. E: -60 +/- 5 (P < 0.01), dorsal hand Y: -74 +/- 4 vs. E: -72 +/- 4 (n.s.), ventral hand Y: -80 +/- 7 vs. E: -70 +/- 11 (n.s.)]. In conclusion, in contrast to results from the ventral forearm, elderly did not show a blunted response to local cooling and noradrenaline at hand skin sites. This indicates that at hand skin the noradrenergic mechanism of vasoconstriction is maintained with age.

PULSED EDDY CURRENT THICKNESS MEASUREMENT OF SELECTIVE PHASE CORROSION ON NICKEL ALUMINUM BRONZE VALVES

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

Krause, T. W.; Harlley, D.; Babbar, V. K.

Nickel Aluminum Bronze (NAB) is a material with marine environment applications that under certain conditions can undergo selective phase corrosion (SPC). SPC involves the removal of minority elements while leaving behind a copper matrix. Pulsed eddy current (PEC) was evaluated for determination of SPC thickness on a NAB valve section with access from the surface corroded side. A primarily linear response of PEC amplitude, up to the maximum available SPC thickness of 4 mm was observed. The combination of reduced conductivity and permeability in the SPC phase relative to the base NAB was used to explain the observed sensitivity ofmore » PEC to SPC thickness variations.« less

Positron annihilation spectroscopy studies of bronze exposed to sandblasting at different pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurdyumov, S.; Siemek, K.; Horodek, P.

2017-11-01

An application of Doppler broadening of annihilation line spectroscopy to samples of beryllium bronze DIN-CuBe2 exposed to sandblasting is presented in performed studies. It is familiar that sandblasting introduces open-volume defects. Samples were sandblasted under different pressure for 1 minute using 110 μm particles of Al2O3. For a non-defected sample the constant value of S-parameter was detected. In the cases of sandblasted samples, S-parameter decreased when the depth enhanced. In our studies the thicknesses of defected zones were determined (it was c.a. 30 μm for a sample blasted under pressure of 1 bar and 110 μm - for 5 bar), and it was also observed that if sandblasting pressure is higher the defected zone is larger.

K[AsW{sub 2}O{sub 9}], the first member of the arsenate–tungsten bronze family: Synthesis, structure, spectroscopic and non-linear optical properties

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

Alekseev, Evgeny V., E-mail: e.alekseev@fz-juelich.de; Institut für Kristallographie, RWTH Aachen, Jägerstraße 17–19 D-52066 Aachen; Felbinger, Olivier

K[AsW{sub 2}O{sub 9}], prepared by high-temperature solid-state reaction, is the first member of the arsenate–tungsten bronze family. The structure of K[AsW{sub 2}O{sub 9}] is based on a 3-dimensional (3D) oxotungstate–arsenate framework with the non-centrosymmetric P2{sub 1}2{sub 1}2{sub 1} space group, a=4.9747(3) Å, b=9.1780(8) Å, c=16.681(2) Å. The material was characterized using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopic techniques. The results of DSC demonstrate that this phase is stable up to 1076 K. Second harmonic generation (SHG) measurements performed on a powder sample demonstrate noticeable (0.1 of LiIO{sub 3}) non-linear optical (NLO)more » activity. - Graphical abstract: K[AsW{sub 2}O{sub 9}], the first member of arsenate–tungsten bronze family exhibit new three dimensional structure type, significant thermal stability and NLO properties. Highlights: • K[AsW{sub 2}O{sub 9}], the first member of the arsenate–tungsten bronze family was synthesized with solid state reaction technique. • Structure of this phase was investigated with X-ray diffraction, IR and Raman spectroscopy and electron microscopy. • Thermal stability of the phase was determinate with DSC techniques. • NLO properties were investigated.« less

Cold-induced vasoconstriction at forearm and hand skin sites: the effect of age

PubMed Central

Frijns, A. J. H.; Saris, W. H. M.; van Steenhoven, A. A.; van Marken Lichtenbelt, W. D.

2010-01-01

During mild cold exposure, elderly are at risk of hypothermia. In humans, glabrous skin at the hands is well adapted as a heat exchanger. Evidence exists that elderly show equal vasoconstriction due to local cooling at the ventral forearm, yet no age effects on vasoconstriction at hand skin have been studied. Here, we tested the hypotheses that at hand sites (a) elderly show equal vasoconstriction due to local cooling and (b) elderly show reduced response to noradrenergic stimuli. Skin perfusion and mean arterial pressure were measured in 16 young adults (Y: 18–28 years) and 16 elderly (E: 68–78 years). To study the effect of local vasoconstriction mechanisms local sympathetic nerve terminals were blocked by bretylium (BR). Baseline local skin temperature was clamped at 33°C. Next, local temperature was reduced to 24°C. After 15 min of local cooling, noradrenalin (NA) was administered to study the effect of neural vasoconstriction mechanisms. No significant age effect was observed in vasoconstriction due to local cooling at BR sites. After NA, vasoconstriction at the forearm showed a significant age effect; however, no significant age effect was found at the hand sites. [Change in CVC (% from baseline): Forearm Y: −76 ± 3 vs. E: −60 ± 5 (P < 0.01), dorsal hand Y: −74 ± 4 vs. E: −72 ± 4 (n.s.), ventral hand Y: −80 ± 7 vs. E: −70 ± 11 (n.s.)]. In conclusion, in contrast to results from the ventral forearm, elderly did not show a blunted response to local cooling and noradrenalin at hand skin sites. This indicates that at hand skin the noradrenergic mechanism of vasoconstriction is maintained with age. PMID:20300768

Effects of sampling design on age ratios of migrants captured at stopover sites

Treesearch

Jeffrey F. Kelly; Deborah M. Finch

2000-01-01

Age classes of migrant songbirds often differ in migration timing. This difference creates the potential for age-ratios recorded at stopover sites to vary with the amount and distribution of sampling effort used. To test for these biases, we sub-sampled migrant capture data from the Middle Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico. We created data sets that reflected the age...

Woody vegetation following even-aged, uneven-aged, and no-harvest treatments on the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project Sites

Treesearch

John M. Kabrick; Randy G. Jensen; Stephen R. Shifley; David R. Larsen

2002-01-01

The Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project (MOFEP) experimentally tests forest ecosystem response to (a) even-aged management with clearcutting, (b) uneven-aged management with single-tree and group selection, and (c) no-harvesting. The nine MOFEP experimental sites in the southeast Missouri Ozarks are small landscapes ranging from 772 ac (312 ha) to 1,271 ac (514 ha...

Greater Bone Fomation Induction Occurred in Aged Than Young Cancellous Bone Sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ke, H. Z.; Jee, Webster S. S.; Ito, H.; Setterberg, R. B.; Li, M.; Lin, B. Y.; Liang, X. G.; Ma, Y.F.

1993-01-01

We have determined the differences in the effects of continual prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) treatment in aged (non-growing) and young (growing) cancellous bone sites in 7 month-old Sprague-Dawley rats. The sites involved are the aged Distal Tibial Metaphysis (DTM) with a closed epiphysis and the young Proximal Tibial Metaphysis (PTM) with a slow growing, open epiphysis. The study involved rats treated with 0, 1, 3 or 6 mg PGE2/kg/d for 60, 120 and 180 days. Static and dynamic histomorphometty of percent trabecular area, and tissue-referent bone formation rate (BFR/TV) were determined in both DTM and PTM. In pretreatment controls, the secondary spongiosa of the two metaphyses contain the same amount of cancellous bone (11% in DTM vs. 13% in PTM), but markedly less bone formation in DTM (0.6%/y in DTM vs. 41.5%/y in PTM). After 60 days of 6 mg PGE2/kg/d treatment, %Tb.Ar was increased 607% in DTM and 199% in PTM, BFR/TV was increased to nearly 14 fold in DTM and only 5 fold in PTM. These results indicated the aged metaphysis of the DTM was much more responsive to PGE2 treatment than young, growing metaphysis of the PTM. The results of 120 and 180 days treatment did not significantly differ from 60 days treatment in both sites, indicating that the effect of continuous daily PGE2 treatment were in equilibrium after 60 days. We concluded that aged metaphysis was much more responsive to PGE2 treatment than young growing metaphysis.

Characterizing a Middle Bronze Palatial Wine Cellar from Tel Kabri, Israel

PubMed Central

Koh, Andrew J.; Yasur-Landau, Assaf; Cline, Eric H.

2014-01-01

Scholars have for generations recognized the importance of wine production, distribution, and consumption in relation to second millennium BC palatial complexes in the Mediterranean and Near East. However, direct archaeological evidence has rarely been offered, despite the prominence of ancient viticulture in administrative clay tablets, visual media, and various forms of documentation. Tartaric and syringic acids, along with evidence for resination, have been identified in ancient ceramics, but until now the archaeological contexts behind these sporadic discoveries had been uneven and vague, precluding definitive conclusions about the nature of ancient viticulture. The situation has now changed. During the 2013 excavation season of the Kabri Archaeological Project, a rare opportunity materialized when forty large storage vessels were found in situ in an enclosed room located to the west of the central courtyard within the Middle Bronze Age Canaanite palace. A comprehensive program of organic residue analysis has now revealed that all of the relatively uniform jars contain evidence for wine. Furthermore, the enclosed context inherent to a singular intact wine cellar presented an unprecedented opportunity for a scientifically intensive study, allowing for the detection of subtle differences in the ingredients or additives within similar wine jars of apparently the same vintage. Additives seem to have included honey, storax resin, terebinth resin, cedar oil, cyperus, juniper, and perhaps even mint, myrtle, or cinnamon, all or most of which are attested in the 18th century BC Mari texts from Mesopotamia and the 15th century BC Ebers Papyrus from Egypt. These additives suggest a sophisticated understanding of the botanical landscape and the pharmacopeic skills necessary to produce a complex beverage that balanced preservation, palatability, and psychoactivity. This new study has resulted in insights unachievable in the past, which contribute to a greater understanding

Characterizing a Middle Bronze palatial wine cellar from Tel Kabri, Israel.

PubMed

Koh, Andrew J; Yasur-Landau, Assaf; Cline, Eric H

2014-01-01

Scholars have for generations recognized the importance of wine production, distribution, and consumption in relation to second millennium BC palatial complexes in the Mediterranean and Near East. However, direct archaeological evidence has rarely been offered, despite the prominence of ancient viticulture in administrative clay tablets, visual media, and various forms of documentation. Tartaric and syringic acids, along with evidence for resination, have been identified in ancient ceramics, but until now the archaeological contexts behind these sporadic discoveries had been uneven and vague, precluding definitive conclusions about the nature of ancient viticulture. The situation has now changed. During the 2013 excavation season of the Kabri Archaeological Project, a rare opportunity materialized when forty large storage vessels were found in situ in an enclosed room located to the west of the central courtyard within the Middle Bronze Age Canaanite palace. A comprehensive program of organic residue analysis has now revealed that all of the relatively uniform jars contain evidence for wine. Furthermore, the enclosed context inherent to a singular intact wine cellar presented an unprecedented opportunity for a scientifically intensive study, allowing for the detection of subtle differences in the ingredients or additives within similar wine jars of apparently the same vintage. Additives seem to have included honey, storax resin, terebinth resin, cedar oil, cyperus, juniper, and perhaps even mint, myrtle, or cinnamon, all or most of which are attested in the 18th century BC Mari texts from Mesopotamia and the 15th century BC Ebers Papyrus from Egypt. These additives suggest a sophisticated understanding of the botanical landscape and the pharmacopeic skills necessary to produce a complex beverage that balanced preservation, palatability, and psychoactivity. This new study has resulted in insights unachievable in the past, which contribute to a greater understanding

Extrinsic skin ageing in German, Chinese and Japanese women manifests differently in all three groups depending on ethnic background, age and anatomical site.

PubMed

Vierkötter, Andrea; Hüls, Anke; Yamamoto, Ai; Stolz, Sabine; Krämer, Ursula; Matsui, Mary S; Morita, Akimichi; Wang, Sijia; Li, Zhiwen; Jin, Li; Krutmann, Jean; Schikowski, Tamara

2016-09-01

It has been suggested that extrinsic skin ageing manifests differently in Caucasians versus East Asians. In particular, from previous studies it was concluded that Caucasians are more prone to develop wrinkles, whereas pigment spot formation is the hallmark of extrinsic skin ageing in East Asians. However, these assumptions are based on a very limited number of studies which did not include different East Asian populations. We here compare the manifestation of extrinsic skin ageing signs in German, Japanese and Chinese women by specifically elucidating the age and anatomical site dependence of any potential ethnic difference. In the present study, we assessed skin ageing in N=902 German, N=165 Japanese and N=1260 Chinese women ranging from 30 to 90 years by means of SCINEXA™. Linear regression analysis was used to test for ethnic differences and their age and site dependence adjusted for educational level, sun exposure, smoking and sun protection behaviours. Pigment spots and wrinkles on the face were present among all three ethnic groups and differences were influenced by age and anatomical sites independently of further influencing factors. Pigment spots on the forehead were most pronounced over the whole age range in Chinese and German women and least developed in Japanese. Pigment spots on cheeks were a typical extrinsic skin an ageing sign in the two East Asian populations in all age groups. However, in older German women they reach the same level as observed in the two East Asian populations. In contrast, pigment spots on arms and hands were significantly more pronounced in German women ≥45years of age. Wrinkles were not exclusively a skin an ageing sign of German women, but were also very pronounced in Chinese women on forehead, between the eyebrows and in the crow's feet area. These results corroborate the previous notion that the occurrence of pigments spots and wrinkles is different between Caucasians and East Asians. In addition, this study shows

The effect of uric acid on outdoor copper and bronze.

PubMed

Bernardi, E; Bowden, D J; Brimblecombe, P; Kenneally, H; Morselli, L

2009-03-15

Bird droppings are often quoted as a decay agent for outdoor goods, in particular buildings and statues. Undoubtedly, they represent one of the major causes of aesthetic damage on outdoor materials, but the real chemical damage they are able to induce, in particular on metals, is not so well studied. This work focused on the short term role of uric acid, the main constituent of bird urine, with respect to copper, which make such an important contribution to architectural elements of buildings and outdoor sculpture. Preliminary results of laboratory tests and analyses on real exposed samples showed that uric acid chemically affects copper and bronzes: the surface of the metal is modified and copper urates formed. Also natural patina, formed on statues and roof, react with uric acid, even if it seems to afford some protection toward bird droppings. In general, experimental results confirm that the potential chemical damage by bird droppings is significant when considering external cultural heritage such as statues, metal monuments and buildings with historic copper roofs.

Isotopic Evidence for Early Trade in Animals between Old Kingdom Egypt and Canaan.

PubMed

Arnold, Elizabeth R; Hartman, Gideon; Greenfield, Haskel J; Shai, Itzhaq; Babcock, Lindsay E; Maeir, Aren M

2016-01-01

Isotope data from a sacrificial ass and several ovicaprines (sheep/goat) from Early Bronze Age household deposits at Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel provide direct evidence for the movement of domestic draught/draft and husbandry animals between Old Kingdom Egypt (during the time of the Pyramids) and Early Bronze Age III Canaan (ca. 2900-2500 BCE). Vacillating, bi-directional connections between Egypt and Canaan are known throughout the Early Bronze Age, but here we provide the first concrete evidence of early trade in animals from Egypt to Canaan.

Isotopic Evidence for Early Trade in Animals between Old Kingdom Egypt and Canaan

PubMed Central

Greenfield, Haskel J.; Shai, Itzhaq; Babcock, Lindsay E.; Maeir, Aren M.

2016-01-01

Isotope data from a sacrificial ass and several ovicaprines (sheep/goat) from Early Bronze Age household deposits at Tell es-Safi/Gath, Israel provide direct evidence for the movement of domestic draught/draft and husbandry animals between Old Kingdom Egypt (during the time of the Pyramids) and Early Bronze Age III Canaan (ca. 2900–2500 BCE). Vacillating, bi-directional connections between Egypt and Canaan are known throughout the Early Bronze Age, but here we provide the first concrete evidence of early trade in animals from Egypt to Canaan. PMID:27322197

Earliest evidence of pollution by heavy metals in archaeological sites

PubMed Central

Monge, Guadalupe; Jimenez-Espejo, Francisco J.; García-Alix, Antonio; Martínez-Ruiz, Francisca; Mattielli, Nadine; Finlayson, Clive; Ohkouchi, Naohiko; Sánchez, Miguel Cortés; de Castro, Jose María Bermúdez; Blasco, Ruth; Rosell, Jordi; Carrión, José; Rodríguez-Vidal, Joaquín; Finlayson, Geraldine

2015-01-01

Homo species were exposed to a new biogeochemical environment when they began to occupy caves. Here we report the first evidence of palaeopollution through geochemical analyses of heavy metals in four renowned archaeological caves of the Iberian Peninsula spanning the last million years of human evolution. Heavy metal contents reached high values due to natural (guano deposition) and anthropogenic factors (e.g. combustion) in restricted cave environments. The earliest anthropogenic pollution evidence is related to Neanderthal hearths from Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar), being one of the first milestones in the so-called “Anthropocene”. According to its heavy metal concentration, these sediments meet the present-day standards of “contaminated soil”. Together with the former, the Gibraltar Vanguard Cave, shows Zn and Cu pollution ubiquitous across highly anthropic levels pointing to these elements as potential proxies for human activities. Pb concentrations in Magdalenian and Bronze age levels at El Pirulejo site can be similarly interpreted. Despite these high pollution levels, the contaminated soils might not have posed a major threat to Homo populations. Altogether, the data presented here indicate a long-term exposure of Homo to these elements, via fires, fumes and their ashes, which could have played certain role in environmental-pollution tolerance, a hitherto neglected influence. PMID:26388184

Earliest evidence of pollution by heavy metals in archaeological sites.

PubMed

Monge, Guadalupe; Jimenez-Espejo, Francisco J; García-Alix, Antonio; Martínez-Ruiz, Francisca; Mattielli, Nadine; Finlayson, Clive; Ohkouchi, Naohiko; Sánchez, Miguel Cortés; de Castro, Jose María Bermúdez; Blasco, Ruth; Rosell, Jordi; Carrión, José; Rodríguez-Vidal, Joaquín; Finlayson, Geraldine

2015-09-21

Homo species were exposed to a new biogeochemical environment when they began to occupy caves. Here we report the first evidence of palaeopollution through geochemical analyses of heavy metals in four renowned archaeological caves of the Iberian Peninsula spanning the last million years of human evolution. Heavy metal contents reached high values due to natural (guano deposition) and anthropogenic factors (e.g. combustion) in restricted cave environments. The earliest anthropogenic pollution evidence is related to Neanderthal hearths from Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar), being one of the first milestones in the so-called "Anthropocene". According to its heavy metal concentration, these sediments meet the present-day standards of "contaminated soil". Together with the former, the Gibraltar Vanguard Cave, shows Zn and Cu pollution ubiquitous across highly anthropic levels pointing to these elements as potential proxies for human activities. Pb concentrations in Magdalenian and Bronze age levels at El Pirulejo site can be similarly interpreted. Despite these high pollution levels, the contaminated soils might not have posed a major threat to Homo populations. Altogether, the data presented here indicate a long-term exposure of Homo to these elements, via fires, fumes and their ashes, which could have played certain role in environmental-pollution tolerance, a hitherto neglected influence.

Earliest evidence of pollution by heavy metals in archaeological sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Monge, Guadalupe; Jimenez-Espejo, Francisco J.; García-Alix, Antonio; Martínez-Ruiz, Francisca; Mattielli, Nadine; Finlayson, Clive; Ohkouchi, Naohiko; Sánchez, Miguel Cortés; de Castro, Jose María Bermúdez; Blasco, Ruth; Rosell, Jordi; Carrión, José; Rodríguez-Vidal, Joaquín; Finlayson, Geraldine

2015-09-01

Homo species were exposed to a new biogeochemical environment when they began to occupy caves. Here we report the first evidence of palaeopollution through geochemical analyses of heavy metals in four renowned archaeological caves of the Iberian Peninsula spanning the last million years of human evolution. Heavy metal contents reached high values due to natural (guano deposition) and anthropogenic factors (e.g. combustion) in restricted cave environments. The earliest anthropogenic pollution evidence is related to Neanderthal hearths from Gorham's Cave (Gibraltar), being one of the first milestones in the so-called “Anthropocene”. According to its heavy metal concentration, these sediments meet the present-day standards of “contaminated soil”. Together with the former, the Gibraltar Vanguard Cave, shows Zn and Cu pollution ubiquitous across highly anthropic levels pointing to these elements as potential proxies for human activities. Pb concentrations in Magdalenian and Bronze age levels at El Pirulejo site can be similarly interpreted. Despite these high pollution levels, the contaminated soils might not have posed a major threat to Homo populations. Altogether, the data presented here indicate a long-term exposure of Homo to these elements, via fires, fumes and their ashes, which could have played certain role in environmental-pollution tolerance, a hitherto neglected influence.

Greater Bone Formation Induction Occurred in Aged than Young Cancellous Bone Sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ke, H. Z.; Jee, W. S. S.; Ito, H.; Setterberg, R. B.; Li, M.; Lin, B. Y.; Liang, X. G.; Ma, Y. F.

1993-01-01

We have determined the differences in the effects of continual prostaglandin E(sub 2) (PGE(sub 2) treatment in aged (non-growing) and young (growing) cancellous bone sites in 7-month-old Sprague-Dawley rats. The sites involved are the aged distal tibial metaphysis (DTM) with a closed epiphysis and the young proximal tibial metaphysis (PTM) with a slow growing, open epiphysis. The study involved rats treated with 0, 1, 3 or 6 mg PGE(sub 2)/kg/d for 60, 120 and 180 days. Static and dynamic histomorphometry of percent trabecular area, and tissue-referent bone formation rate (BFR/TV) were determined in both DTM and PTM. In pretreatment controls, the secondary spongiosa of the two metaphyses contain the same amount of cancellous bone (11% in DTM vs. 13% in PTM), but markedly less bone formation in DTM (0.6%/y in DTM vs. 41.5%/y in PTM). After 60 days of 6 mg PGE(sub 2)/kg/d treatment, %Tb.Ar was increased 607% in DTM and 199% in PTM, BFR/TV was increased to nearly 14 fold in DTM and only 5 fold in PTM. These results indicated the aged metaphysis of the DTM was much more responsive to PGE(sub 2) treatment than young, growing metaphysis of the PTM. The results of 120 and 180 days treatment did not significantly differ from 60 days treatment in both sites, indicating that the effect of continuous daily PGE2 treatment were in equilibrium after 60 days. We concluded that aged metaphysis was much more responsive to PGE(sub 2) treatment than young growing metaphysis.

Deposits of Large-scale Mass Movements in the Sediments of Hallstätter See (Austria) - Recurrent Natural Hazards at a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauterbach, S.; Strasser, M.; Tjallingii, R.; Kowarik, K.; Reschreiter, H.; Spatl, C.; Brauer, A.

2017-12-01

The cultural importance of underground salt mining in Hallstatt (Austria), which is documented since the Middle Bronze Age, has been recognized already 20 years ago by assigning the status of a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site to the Hallstatt area, particularly because of the wealth of archaeological artefacts from the Early Iron Age. Local mining activity is well documented for prehistoric times and known to have been repeatedly affected by large-scale mass movements, for example at the end of the Bronze Age and during the Late Iron Age. In contrast, evidence of mining activity between the 5th and late 13th century AD is scarce, which could be related to socio-economic changes but also to continued mass movement activity, possibly biasing the archaeological record. Within the present study, a 15.63-m-long 14C-dated sediment core from Hallstätter See has been investigated with respect to the deposits of large-scale mass movements. Most of the lake sediment sequence consists of cm- to sub-mm-scale laminated carbonate mud with frequently intercalated small-scale turbidites, reflecting seasonally variable detrital input from the tributaries, but two major event layers clearly stand out. The upper one comprises a 2.45-m-thick basal mass transport deposit (containing folded laminated sediments, homogenized sediments with liquefaction structures, and coarse gravel) and an overlying 1.45-m-thick co-genetic turbidite. From the lower event layer only the topmost part of the turbiditic sequence with a (minimum) thickness of 1.49 m was recovered. Based on their sedimentological characteristics, both event layers are interpreted as the subaqueous continuation of large-scale mass movements, which occurred at ca. 1050 and 2300 cal. years BP and possibly originated from the rock walls along the western lake shore where also the salt mining area is located. This indicates that mass movement activity not only threatened prehistoric salt mining, but occurred also repeatedly

Incommensurate and commensurate modulations of Ba{sub 5}RTi{sub 3}Nb{sub 7}O{sub 30} (R = La, Nd) tungsten bronzes and the ferroelectric domain structures

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

Mao, Min Min; Li, Kun; Zhu, Xiao Li

2015-04-07

Incommensurate and commensurate structural modulations of Ba{sub 5}RTi{sub 3}Nb{sub 7}O{sub 30} (R = La, Nd) tungsten bronze ceramics were investigated by using a cooling holder equipped transmission electron microscopy in the temperature range from 100 K to 363 K. The incommensurate modulation was observed in both Ba{sub 5}LaTi{sub 3}Nb{sub 7}O{sub 30} and Ba{sub 5}NdTi{sub 3}Nb{sub 7}O{sub 30} at room temperature, while there was a transition from incommensurate tilted structure to commensurate superstructure for Ba{sub 5}NdTi{sub 3}Nb{sub 7}O{sub 30} with decreasing temperature. The incommensurate and commensurate modulations were determined by the A-site occupancy of Ba and R cations. The A-site disorder resulted in larger incommensurabilitymore » parameter δ and the diffusion of the satellite reflection spots. The effect of A-site disorder on the coupling between long-range dipolar order and the commensurate modulation was also discussed. The obvious ferroelectric 180° domains with spike-like shape parallel to c axis were observed for Ba{sub 5}NdTi{sub 3}Nb{sub 7}O{sub 30}, while no macro ferroelectric domain was determined for Ba{sub 5}LaTi{sub 3}Nb{sub 7}O{sub 30}.« less

Structural and relaxor-like dielectric properties of unfilled tungsten bronzes Ba5-5xSm5xTi5xNb10-5xO30

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, T.; Dong, Z.; Zhao, C. Z.; Guo, Y. Y.; Zhou, Q. J.; Li, Z. P.

2016-03-01

New unfilled tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) oxides, Ba5-5xSm5xTi5xNb10-5xO30 (BSTN-x), where 0.10 ≤ x ≤ 0.35, have been synthesized in this work. Their crystal structure was determined and analyzed based on Rietveld structural refinement. It is found that single TTB phase can be formed in a particular x range (i.e., 0.15 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) due to the competition interaction between tolerance factor and electronegativity difference. Furthermore, dielectric and ferroelectric results indicate that phase transitions and ferroelectric states are sensitive to x. Referring to the local chemistry, we suggest that the raise of vacancies at the A2-site compared with that of A1-site will intensely depress the normal ferroelectric phase and is in favor of relaxor ferroelectric state. Macroscopically, previous A-site size difference standpoint on fill TTB compounds cannot give a reasonable explanation about the variation of dielectric maximum temperature (Tm) for present BSTN-x compounds. Alternatively, tetragonality (c/a) is adopted which can well describe the variation of Tm in whole x range. In addition, one by one correspondence between tetragonality and electrical features can be found, and the compositions involving high c/a are usually stabilized in normal ferroelectric phase. It is believed that c/a is a more appropriate parameter to illustrate the variation of ferroelectric properties for unfilled TTB system.

Tungsten Bronze Barium Neodymium Titanate (Ba(6-3n)Nd(8+2n)Ti(18)O(54)): An Intrinsic Nanostructured Material and Its Defect Distribution.

PubMed

Azough, Feridoon; Cernik, Robert Joseph; Schaffer, Bernhard; Kepaptsoglou, Demie; Ramasse, Quentin Mathieu; Bigatti, Marco; Ali, Amir; MacLaren, Ian; Barthel, Juri; Molinari, Marco; Baran, Jakub Dominik; Parker, Stephen Charles; Freer, Robert

2016-04-04

We investigated the structure of the tungsten bronze barium neodymium titanates Ba(6-3n)Nd(8+2n)Ti(18)O(54), which are exploited as microwave dielectric ceramics. They form a complex nanostructure, which resembles a nanofilm with stacking layers of ∼12 Å thickness. The synthesized samples of Ba(6-3n)Nd(8+2n)Ti(18)O(54) (n = 0, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5) are characterized by pentagonal and tetragonal columns, where the A cations are distributed in three symmetrically inequivalent sites. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction and electron energy loss spectroscopy allowed for quantitative analysis of the site occupancy, which determines the defect distribution. This is corroborated by density functional theory calculations. Pentagonal columns are dominated by Ba, and tetragonal columns are dominated by Nd, although specific Nd sites exhibit significant concentrations of Ba. The data indicated significant elongation of the Ba columns in the pentagonal positions and of the Nd columns in tetragonal positions involving a zigzag arrangement of atoms along the b lattice direction. We found that the preferred Ba substitution occurs at Nd[3]/[4] followed by Nd[2] and Nd[1]/[5] sites, which is significantly different to that proposed in earlier studies. Our results on the Ba(6-3n)Nd(8+2n)Ti(18)O(54) "perovskite" superstructure and its defect distribution are particularly valuable in those applications where the optimization of material properties of oxides is imperative; these include not only microwave ceramics but also thermoelectric materials, where the nanostructure and the distribution of the dopants will reduce the thermal conductivity.

Historic mass movements recorded in the sediments of Hallstätter See (Upper Austria) - natural hazards at a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lauterbach, Stefan; Strasser, Michael; Tjallingii, Rik; Spötl, Christoph; Brauer, Achim

2017-04-01

Human activity associated with salt mining in Hallstatt (Upper Austria) can be traced back to the Neolithic and underground salt mining in the area is documented since the Middle Bronze Age. The cultural importance of this salt mining and the wealth of archaeological artefacts - particularly from the epoch of the Early Iron Age, for which Hallstatt became the eponym - has been recognized already 20 years ago by assigning the status of a UNESCO World Cultural Heritage Site to the Hallstatt area. Mining activity is well documented for prehistoric times and known to have been repeatedly affected by large mass movements, destroying mining facilities, for example, at the end of the Bronze Age and during the Late Iron Age. In contrast, evidence of mining activity in the Common Era until the late 13th century AD is scarce, which could be related to socio-economic changes as well as mass movement activity, possibly biasing the archaeological record. Within a project aiming at reconstructing past flood activity of the Traun River, a major tributary of the Danube, a ca. 16-m-long sediment core has been recovered from Hallstätter See. The sediments are continuously cm- to sub-mm-scale laminated, reflecting seasonally variable detrital input by the Traun River and the smaller tributaries. However, an outstanding feature of the sediment record are two meter-scale event layers. The upper one is characterized by a basal mass-transport deposit of 2.50 m thickness, containing folded laminated sediments, homogeneous sediments with liquefaction structures and large stones of up to 4 cm in diameter, which is overlain by a co-genetic turbidite of 1.50 m thickness. From the lower event layer only the topmost part of the turbiditic sequence was recovered, revealing a (minimum) thickness of 1.50 m. Based on their sedimentological characteristics, both event layers are interpreted as the subaqueous continuation of large-scale mass movements, which occurred during the last 2000 years and

Fabricating Superior NiAl Bronze Components through Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing.

PubMed

Ding, Donghong; Pan, Zengxi; van Duin, Stephen; Li, Huijun; Shen, Chen

2016-08-03

Cast nickel aluminum bronze (NAB) alloy is widely used for large engineering components in marine applications due to its excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Casting porosity, as well as coarse microstructure, however, are accompanied by a decrease in mechanical properties of cast NAB components. Although heat treatment, friction stir processing, and fusion welding were implemented to eliminate porosity, improve mechanical properties, and refine the microstructure of as-cast metal, their applications are limited to either surface modification or component repair. Instead of traditional casting techniques, this study focuses on developing NAB components using recently expanded wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). Consumable welding wire is melted and deposited layer-by-layer on substrates producing near-net shaped NAB components. Additively-manufactured NAB components without post-processing are fully dense, and exhibit fine microstructure, as well as comparable mechanical properties, to as-cast NAB alloy. The effects of heat input from the welding process and post-weld-heat-treatment (PWHT) are shown to give uniform NAB alloys with superior mechanical properties revealing potential marine applications of the WAAM technique in NAB production.

The examination, analysis and conservation of a bronze Egyptian Horus statuette

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smith, A.; Botha, H.; de Beer, F. C.; Ferg, E.

2011-09-01

The production techniques, corrosive deterioration, conservation and questions regarding authenticity of a small Egyptian bronze statuette of the Child Horus (in the collection of the Ditsong: National Museum of Cultural History in Pretoria) was scientifically examined and analysed. The statuette dates to Egypt's 12th Dynasty. When the statuette was damaged, it was considered the appropriate time to obtain valuable information about its history and background through scientific research. Neutron tomography (NT), a relatively new non-destructive technique (NDT) to the South African R&D community to study museum objects, was applied to perform this research. The results from NT were supported by additional tests done through XRF and XRD analyses of samples taken from the damaged statuette. Results revealed that the lost-wax method was used in the manufacturing process. The extent of the restoration and materials used can be verified and as a result the deterioration of the object can now be monitored. This paper describes in detail the analytical techniques used in the study and how it contributed to the conservation of the statuette and its authenticity.

Fabricating Superior NiAl Bronze Components through Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

PubMed Central

Ding, Donghong; Pan, Zengxi; van Duin, Stephen; Li, Huijun; Shen, Chen

2016-01-01

Cast nickel aluminum bronze (NAB) alloy is widely used for large engineering components in marine applications due to its excellent mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. Casting porosity, as well as coarse microstructure, however, are accompanied by a decrease in mechanical properties of cast NAB components. Although heat treatment, friction stir processing, and fusion welding were implemented to eliminate porosity, improve mechanical properties, and refine the microstructure of as-cast metal, their applications are limited to either surface modification or component repair. Instead of traditional casting techniques, this study focuses on developing NAB components using recently expanded wire arc additive manufacturing (WAAM). Consumable welding wire is melted and deposited layer-by-layer on substrates producing near-net shaped NAB components. Additively-manufactured NAB components without post-processing are fully dense, and exhibit fine microstructure, as well as comparable mechanical properties, to as-cast NAB alloy. The effects of heat input from the welding process and post-weld-heat-treatment (PWHT) are shown to give uniform NAB alloys with superior mechanical properties revealing potential marine applications of the WAAM technique in NAB production. PMID:28773774

Fractionalization beyond Luttinger Liquid in the spectroscopy of Lithium Purple Bronze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Natalia, Lera; Jose, Alvarez

We offer an interpretation for the departures of ARPES and STS spectroscopies experiments in quasi-one-dimensional Lithium Purple Bronze (LiPB) from single-band Luttinger Liquid (LL) theory. We base our calculation on a phenomenological description of the published data proposed in the original experiments and consider two bands crossing the Fermi level. We discuss the breakdown of the LL scaling relation η = α - 1 , the separation of the spinon edge and the holon peak, the phenomenological TL fit to the Energy Distribution Curves (EDC) and the survival of power-like density of states down to 4K. We consider non-critical fluctuations in one of the separated modes in which the electron fractionalize, and discuss under which conditions could be related with the upturn in the resistivity at 20-30K. We discuss the possibility of a gap in such separated mode and its role on the robust one-dimensional behavior. The connection with the proposed triplet superconductivity is at T = 1 . 4 K is also studied. We acknowledge financial support from MINECO FIS2012-37549-C05-03.

Solar and lunar calendars of the mountain sanctuary Kokino

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuzmanovska, Olgica; Stankovski, Jovica; Apostolovska, Gordana

2016-03-01

The mountain sanctuary Kokino is located in the northeast part of Macedonia, on the summit of a hill of volcanic origin. The archeological research that has been performed for more than a decade confirmed its use as a large extra-urban religious site during the whole period of the Bronze Age. Additional astronomical analyses showed that it has the characteristics of a megalithic observatory, with some of its religious cults related with the motion of the sun, moon and some of the brightest stars. For that purpose the periodic motion of these celestial objects was observed and their position on specific calendar dates marked by stone notches cut in the surrounding rocks. In this paper, we present the results of the astronomical investigation of a group of stone markers aligned toward the specific positions of the full moon and analyze their purpose in creating a simple solar and lunar calendar which was used in planning the everyday life of the Bronze Age people in the region.

The Stone Age Plague and Its Persistence in Eurasia.

PubMed

Andrades Valtueña, Aida; Mittnik, Alissa; Key, Felix M; Haak, Wolfgang; Allmäe, Raili; Belinskij, Andrej; Daubaras, Mantas; Feldman, Michal; Jankauskas, Rimantas; Janković, Ivor; Massy, Ken; Novak, Mario; Pfrengle, Saskia; Reinhold, Sabine; Šlaus, Mario; Spyrou, Maria A; Szécsényi-Nagy, Anna; Tõrv, Mari; Hansen, Svend; Bos, Kirsten I; Stockhammer, Philipp W; Herbig, Alexander; Krause, Johannes

2017-12-04

Yersinia pestis, the etiologic agent of plague, is a bacterium associated with wild rodents and their fleas. Historically it was responsible for three pandemics: the Plague of Justinian in the 6 th century AD, which persisted until the 8 th century [1]; the renowned Black Death of the 14 th century [2, 3], with recurrent outbreaks until the 18 th century [4]; and the most recent 19 th century pandemic, in which Y. pestis spread worldwide [5] and became endemic in several regions [6]. The discovery of molecular signatures of Y. pestis in prehistoric Eurasian individuals and two genomes from Southern Siberia suggest that Y. pestis caused some form of disease in humans prior to the first historically documented pandemic [7]. Here, we present six new European Y. pestis genomes spanning the Late Neolithic to the Bronze Age (LNBA; 4,800 to 3,700 calibrated years before present). This time period is characterized by major transformative cultural and social changes that led to cross-European networks of contact and exchange [8, 9]. We show that all known LNBA strains form a single putatively extinct clade in the Y. pestis phylogeny. Interpreting our data within the context of recent ancient human genomic evidence that suggests an increase in human mobility during the LNBA, we propose a possible scenario for the early spread of Y. pestis: the pathogen may have entered Europe from Central Eurasia following an expansion of people from the steppe, persisted within Europe until the mid-Bronze Age, and moved back toward Central Eurasia in parallel with human populations. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Craniometric examination of Longxian and Qi Li Cun archaeological sites to assess population continuity in ancient northern China.

PubMed

Gibbon, Victoria E; Porter, Tarun A; Wu, Xiujie; Liu, Wu

2016-10-01

In this paper, population continuity and discontinuity in northern China are explored using craniometric analyses from two archaeological sites, Longxian (Warring States) and Qi Li Cun (Han Dynasty). Neither population has been previously studied. Artefactual evidence shows the individuals from Qi Li Cun were Xianbei, descendants from Mongolia. Longxian is from further south in the central plains at an earlier time, thus, we expect to observe variability between these groups. In total, 24 cranial measurements were obtained on 66 crania from these sites. Howells's cranial measurements on Anyang (42 crania) and Hainan (83 crania) Chinese samples were included for comparative purposes. Less variability is expected between Longxian and Howells's Chinese data due to geographic and temporal similarity. With closer geographic and temporal affinity with Anyang, the expectation is for Longxian and Anyang to be similar. Few statistical differences exist between Longxian and Qi Li Cun; this was supported by the similarity found through principal components analysis (PCA). Regardless of sex, canonical discriminant analysis shows clustering of Longxian and Qi Li Cun separate from those of Anyang and Hainan. Their similarity indicates the people from Longxian and Qi Li Cun likely share Mongolian ancestry. Our results, supported by other studies, suggest that despite temporal differences, Mongolians living in China during the Warring States and Han dynasty retained their cultural and genetic Mongolian identity. These data add valuable bioarchaeological information regarding the peopling of northern China during a crucial period of cultural and political change in the Early Bronze Age and Iron Age. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Age determination of the world's oldest movable metal types through measuring the "meog" using AMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hong, W.; Lee, S. C.; Park, J. H.; Park, G.; Sung, K. H.; Lee, J. G.; Nam, K. H.

2015-10-01

The fabrication year of a set of movable metal types that were thought to be used for printing "Jeungdoga" was investigated. Since the types were made from bronze and did not contain carbon, an organic black ink called "meog" was collected from the type surfaces to quantify their ages. The meog samples were collected from 34 metal types, and 27 ages were obtained. The youngest age was 798 ± 44 yrBP, and the oldest reasonable age was 1166 ± 43 yrBP. The weighted average after eliminating ages with poor statistics was 950 ± 28 yrBP. This age is 300 years older than that of the Jikji (AD 1377), which is a Buddhist document recognized as the world's oldest document printed using metal types, and also older than that of the Gutenberg bible (AD 1450).

Height-age and site index curves for Pacific silver fir in the Pacific Northwest.

Treesearch

Gerald E. Hoyer; Francis R. Herman

1989-01-01

Forty felled dominant and codominant Pacific silver fir trees (Abies amabilis Dougl. ex Forbes) from 39 locations provided the basis for height-age and site index curves. Trees were from upper slope forests of the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington. Trees ranged in age from 100 to 300 years and were identified by their height-growth trend as...

Strain Rate Dependency of Bronze Metal Matrix Composite Mechanical Properties as a Function of Casting Technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, Lloyd; Joyce, Peter; Radice, Joshua; Gregorian, Dro; Gobble, Michael

2012-07-01

Strain rate dependency of mechanical properties of tungsten carbide (WC)-filled bronze castings fabricated by centrifugal and sedimentation-casting techniques are examined, in this study. Both casting techniques are an attempt to produce a functionally graded material with high wear resistance at a chosen surface. Potential applications of such materials include shaft bushings, electrical contact surfaces, and brake rotors. Knowledge of strain rate-dependent mechanical properties is recommended for predicting component response due to dynamic loading or impact events. A brief overview of the casting techniques for the materials considered in this study is followed by an explanation of the test matrix and testing techniques. Hardness testing, density measurement, and determination of the volume fraction of WC particles are performed throughout the castings using both image analysis and optical microscopy. The effects of particle filling on mechanical properties are first evaluated through a microhardness survey of the castings. The volume fraction of WC particles is validated using a thorough density survey and a rule-of-mixtures model. Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) testing of various volume fraction specimens is conducted to determine strain dependence of mechanical properties and to compare the process-property relationships between the two casting techniques. The baseline performances of C95400 bronze are provided for comparison. The results show that the addition of WC particles improves microhardness significantly for the centrifugally cast specimens, and, to a lesser extent, in the sedimentation-cast specimens, largely because the WC particles are more concentrated as a result of the centrifugal-casting process. Both metal matrix composites (MMCs) demonstrate strain rate dependency, with sedimentation casting having a greater, but variable, effects on material response. This difference is attributed to legacy effects from the casting process, namely

The sun since the Bronze Age

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eddy, J. A.

1976-01-01

An investigation is conducted concerning the behavior of the sun during the last 7000 years. The C-14 content in carbonaceous fossil material can be used as an indicator regarding the level of solar activity at the time when the carbon was assimilated in the process of photosynthesis. Living trees, such as the bristlecone pine, provide a solar activity record to about 3000 B.C. The record can be extended with the aid of well-preserved dead wood to beyond 5000 B.C. The results of an analysis of solar activity levels as a function of time on the basis of C-14 contents are presented in a graph. Attention is given to the Maunder Minimum, a history of the sun in the last 5000 years, an interpretation of the major C-14 excursions, and the sun and climate history.

Charge-density-wave partial gap opening in quasi-2D KMo 6O 17 purple bronze studied by angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valbuena, M. A.; Avila, J.; Pantin, V.; Drouard, S.; Guyot, H.; Asensio, M. C.

2006-05-01

Low dimensional (LD) metallic oxides have been a subject of continuous interest in the last two decades, mainly due to the electronic instabilities that they present at low temperatures. In particular, charge density waves (CDW) instabilities associated with a strong electron-phonon interaction have been found in Molybdenum metallic oxides such as KMo 6O 17 purple bronze. We report an angle resolved photoemission (ARPES) study from room temperature (RT) to T ˜40 K well below the Peierls transition temperature for this material, with CDW transition temperature TCDW ˜120 K. We have focused on photoemission spectra along ΓM high symmetry direction as well as photoemission measurements were taken as a function of temperature at one representative kF point in the Brillouin zone in order to look for the characteristic gap opening after the phase transition. We found out a pseudogap opening and a decrease in the density of states near the Fermi energy, EF, consistent with the partial removal of the nested portions of the Fermi surface (FS) at temperature below the CDW transition. In order to elucidate possible Fermi liquid (FL) or non-Fermi liquid (NFL) behaviour we have compared the ARPES data with that one reported on quasi-1D K 0.3MoO 3 blue bronze.

Effect of Six Site-Preperation Treatments on Piedmont Loblolly Pine Wood Properties at Age 15

Treesearch

Alexander Clark; M. Boyd Edwards

1999-01-01

The impact of weed control and fertilization on increased tree growth is positive and significant but the effects on wood properties are not well known. Incrernent cores were collectd from loblolly pine (pinus taeda L.) trees growing on an existing site-preparation experiment in the lower Piedmont of Georgia at age 15. The levels of site...

Archaeometric study of artefacts from firing places of Longola-Poggiomarino protohystoric settlement site (Naples, Italy)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balassone, G.; di Maio, G.; Barca, D.; Mormone, A.

2009-04-01

The Longola-Poggiomarino protohistoric village was discovered at west of Naples (southern Italy) in the year 2000, during the construction of a purification plant. It is located nearby the harbour of the Roman town of Pompeii and its age spans from the late Middle Bronze Age to the 6th century B.C., when the site was definitely abandoned (Cicirelli et al., 2006). This is a noteworthy discovery in southern Italy and in Europe, due to the peculiarity of its riverine location and the way in which it was constructed. In fact the village was built on many artificial small islands surrounded by a navigable canal network; hence it is surnamed "The prehistoric Venice". It is characterized by numerous evidences of human activities, like houses, pirogues, numerous objects and some handicraft working areas, where artefacts for domestic artisan and ornamental use were made (Salari et al., 2006). A great abundance of ceramics and metallic objects (made of diversified materials like lead, bronze, iron and gold) has been found, pointing to several distinct working/smelting sites throughout the village (Balassone et al., 2009). In these working sites, fair evidences of heating have been detected on several materials. In this work we characterized the compositional features of fifteen samples coming from firing places found at Longola, by means of a multi-analytical approach. Likely use of these findings could be coverings of burnt pavements, bricks or heat resistant vessel. The research aim is to contribute to the scenario reconstruction of this archaeological site by the knowledge of some production techniques, firing temperatures and provenance of raw materials. The microstructural features and modal mineralogy of the findings were determined by optical microscopy. X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDS and FTIR spectroscopy were used to determine and characterize overall mineral constituents and their quantitative composition. Representative findings were also analyzed for their whole

Late second-early first millennium BC abrupt climate changes in coastal Syria and their possible significance for the history of the Eastern Mediterranean

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaniewski, D.; Paulissen, E.; Van Campo, E.; Weiss, H.; Otto, T.; Bretschneider, J.; Van Lerberghe, K.

2010-09-01

The alluvial deposits near Gibala-Tell Tweini provide a unique record of environmental history and food availability estimates covering the Late Bronze Age and the Early Iron Age. The refined pollen-derived climatic proxy suggests that drier climatic conditions occurred in the Mediterranean belt of Syria from the late 13th/early 12th centuries BC to the 9th century BC. This period corresponds with the time frame of the Late Bronze Age collapse and the subsequent Dark Age. The abrupt climate change at the end of the Late Bronze Age caused region-wide crop failures, leading towards socio-economic crises and unsustainability, forcing regional habitat-tracking. Archaeological data show that the first conflagration of Gibala occurred simultaneously with the destruction of the capital city Ugarit currently dated between 1194 and 1175 BC. Gibala redeveloped shortly after this destruction, with large-scale urbanization visible in two main architectural phases during the Early Iron Age I. The later Iron Age I city was destroyed during a second conflagration, which is radiocarbon-dated at circa 2950 cal yr BP. The data from Gibala-Tell Tweini provide evidence in support of the drought hypothesis as a triggering factor behind the Late Bronze Age collapse in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Forever young: Visual representations of gender and age in online dating sites for older adults.

PubMed

Gewirtz-Meydan, Ateret; Ayalon, Liat

2017-06-13

Online dating has become increasingly popular among older adults following broader social media adoption patterns. The current study examined the visual representations of people on 39 dating sites intended for the older population, with a particular focus on the visualization of the intersection between age and gender. All 39 dating sites for older adults were located through the Google search engine. Visual thematic analysis was performed with reference to general, non-age-related signs (e.g., facial expression, skin color), signs of aging (e.g., perceived age, wrinkles), relational features (e.g., proximity between individuals), and additional features such as number of people presented. The visual analysis in the present study revealed a clear intersection between ageism and sexism in the presentation of older adults. The majority of men and women were smiling and had a fair complexion, with light eye color and perceived age of younger than 60. Older women were presented as younger and wore more cosmetics as compared with older men. The present study stresses the social regulation of sexuality, as only heterosexual couples were presented. The narrow representation of older adults and the anti-aging messages portrayed in the pictures convey that love, intimacy, and sexual activity are for older adults who are "forever young."

Restoration of Worn Movable Bridge Props with Use of Bronze Claddings.

PubMed

Viňáš, Ján; Vrabeľ, Marek; Greš, Miroslav; Brezina, Jakub; Sabadka, Dušan; Fedorko, Gabriel; Molnár, Vieroslav

2018-03-21

This article examined the possibility of using CuSn6P claddings in sliding bearing renovation of movable pontoon bridge props. The bronze layer was welded on cylinders of the high-strength steel S355J0WP EN 10155-93, in an inert atmosphere using an automated welding method (gas tungsten arc welding). Pulsed arc welding was used to minimize the effects of heat on the cladding area, while also accounting for the differences in the physical properties of the joined metals. The sliding bearing was created in two layers. The quality of the cladding layer was evaluated by nondestructive and/or destructive tests. The quality of the surface was assessed by visual inspection (visual testing) in accordance with the EN ISO 17637 standard. The quality of the claddings was evaluated by metallographic analysis, performed using light microscopy. The microhardness values of a few weld areas were determined by Vickers tests, performed according to the EN ISO 9015-2 standard. The analyses confirmed that the welding parameters and filler material used resulted in high-quality weld joints with no internal (subsurface) or metallurgical defects.

Restoration of Worn Movable Bridge Props with Use of Bronze Claddings

PubMed Central

Viňáš, Ján; Vrabeľ, Marek; Greš, Miroslav; Brezina, Jakub; Sabadka, Dušan; Fedorko, Gabriel

2018-01-01

This article examined the possibility of using CuSn6P claddings in sliding bearing renovation of movable pontoon bridge props. The bronze layer was welded on cylinders of the high-strength steel S355J0WP EN 10155-93, in an inert atmosphere using an automated welding method (gas tungsten arc welding). Pulsed arc welding was used to minimize the effects of heat on the cladding area, while also accounting for the differences in the physical properties of the joined metals. The sliding bearing was created in two layers. The quality of the cladding layer was evaluated by nondestructive and/or destructive tests. The quality of the surface was assessed by visual inspection (visual testing) in accordance with the EN ISO 17637 standard. The quality of the claddings was evaluated by metallographic analysis, performed using light microscopy. The microhardness values of a few weld areas were determined by Vickers tests, performed according to the EN ISO 9015–2 standard. The analyses confirmed that the welding parameters and filler material used resulted in high-quality weld joints with no internal (subsurface) or metallurgical defects. PMID:29561762

Computed tomography of a medium size Roman bronze statue of Cupid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bettuzzi, M.; Casali, F.; Morigi, M. P.; Brancaccio, R.; Carson, D.; Chiari, G.; Maish, J.

2015-03-01

Diagnostics based on X-ray computed tomography (CT) are becoming increasingly important, not only in the medical field but in industry and cultural heritage. CT devices typical for medical applications, however, can seldom be used on art objects because both they are not easily transportable and they often present high X-ray absorption. It is therefore necessary to make use of portable instrumentation and/or to develop tomographic systems optimized to the characteristics of the objects under examination. This work describes the computed tomography of a first century A.D. Roman bronze statue of Cupid (96.AB.53) in the collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum, within the collaborative framework between the Getty Conservation Institute and the Department of Physics and Astronomy (DIFA) of the University of Bologna (Italy). The tomography performed at the Getty facilities employed a 450 kV X-ray tube and a detection system developed at DIFA. The study highlighted the casting and construction techniques used by Roman foundry workers and provided information on the status of conservation of the statue. A 3D virtual reconstruction allowed the user to define different cross-sections enabling the study of the internal features.

Problems in archaeomagnetic reference curves elaboration in the prehistoric past.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avramova, M.; Kovacheva, M.; Boyadziev, Y.

2012-04-01

Most important task of archaeomagnetic studies is the construction of the geomagnetic field secular variations in the past for a given territory. The obtained reference curves would be precise only when a large number of well-dated archaeological sites from different time periods are included as input data. Sofia Palaeomagnetic laboratory is the first one in the Balkans to accumulate a large number of data spanning the time interval of 3000 BP to 8000 BP. Many archaeological sites in Bulgaria are multilevel settlements with clear stratigraphy. Commonly the prehistoric sites are dated according to the relative chronology, the type of archaeological artifacts found and 14C dates, the latter being not always available. The biggest difficulty is that usually the radiocarbon dates are not well constrained, often contradictory to the vertical stratigraphy. The transformation of conventional 14C dates to absolute dates BC depends a lot on which part of dendrochronological calibration curve are they related. Besides, multiple dating intervals are often obtained and the calibrated intervals are usually very large (from 100 to 300 and more years). However, when archaeological discoveries of multilevel prehistoric sites are combined with archaeomagnetic investigations the corresponding archaeomagnetic profiles can be obtained. Currently we have archaeomagnetic data for fifteen prehistoric multilevel sites - two of them are Neolithic, nine - Eneolithic and four are from the Bronze Age. The next step is to juxtapose these stratigraphic profiles with the absolute scale of time having in mind that not all sites and layers have 14C dates. Thanks to abundance of 14C dates for most of Bulgarian prehistoric sites, multilayer sites connected with the absolute chronology exist and can be used as reference profiles. The time frames of each horizon for such reference site are based on series of 14C dates (not single measurements), the analysis of the thickness of layers, type of material

Effects of zinc and female aging on nymphal life history in a grasshopper from polluted sites.

PubMed

Augustyniak, Maria; Babczyńska, Agnieszka; Kozłowski, Michał; Sawczyn, Tomasz; Augustyniak, Michał

2008-01-01

Insect reproduction is influenced by various factors, including food quality and quantity, temperature, population density and female age. Contamination, including heavy metals, may disturb reproductive processes. The aim of this work was to assess interactions between effects of aging in female Chorthippus brunneus and environmental pollution on their reproduction measured in number of laid eggs. We also compared basic developmental parameters (number of hatchlings, body mass, embryonic developmental rate) in grasshopper nymphs additionally exposed to zinc during diapause. Aging grasshoppers from heavily polluted areas (Olkusz and Szopienice) lay significantly fewer eggs than insects from the reference site (Pilica). Zinc application caused the decrease in hatching success and duration of embryogenesis in insects from each site. This suggests a cumulative effect of female age, pollutants and additional stressing factors. The intensity of this process differed between populations. In insects from the reference site, it was shown in a moderate degree. In insects from Szopienice, an additional stressor exerted a weaker effect than in insects from Pilica. In grasshoppers from Olkusz, we found the strongest decrease of hatching percentage and increase in duration of embryogenesis after zinc intoxication. This may indicate that the population from Olkusz exists at the limit of its energetic abilities.

Micro-chemical and micro-structural investigation of archaeological bronze weapons from the Ayanis fortress (lake Van, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faraldi, F.; Çilingirǒglu, A.; Angelini, E.; Riccucci, C.; De Caro, T.; Batmaz, A.; Mezzi, A.; Caschera, D.; Cortese, B.

2013-12-01

Bronze weapons (VII cen BC) found during the archaeological excavation of the Ayanis fortress (lake Van, eastern Anatolia, Turkey) are investigated in order to determine their chemical composition and metallurgical features as well as to identify the micro-chemical and micro-structural nature of the corrosion products grown during long-term burial. Small fragments were sampled from the artefacts and analysed by means of the combined use of optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The results show that the bronze artefacts have been manufactured by using alloys with a controlled and refined chemical composition demonstrating the high level metallurgical competence and skill of the Urartian craftsmen and artists. Furthermore, the micro-structural and metallurgical investigations evidence the presence of equiaxed grains in the matrix, indicating that the artefact were produced by repeated cycles of mechanical shaping and thermal annealing treatments to restore the alloy ductility. From the degradation point of view, the results show the structures and the chemical composition of the stratified corrosion layers (i.e. the patina) where the copper or tin depletion phenomenon is commonly observed with the surface enrichment of some elements coming from the burial soil, mainly Cl, which is related to the high concentration of chlorides in the Ayanis soil. The results reveal also that another source of degradation is the inter-granular corrosion phenomenon likely increased by the metallurgical features of the alloys caused by the high temperature manufacturing process that induces crystallisation and segregation phenomena along the grain boundaries.

Spatial and temporal variations in prehistoric human settlement and their influencing factors on the south bank of the Xar Moron River, Northeastern China

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Xin; Yi, Shuangwen; Sun, Yonggang; Wu, Shuangye; Lee, Harry F.; Wang, Lin; Lu, Huayu

2017-03-01

The West Liao River Basin is the hub of ancient civilizations as well as the birthplace of rain-fed agriculture in Northern China. In the present study, based on 276 archaeological sites on the south bank of the Xar Moron River, Northeastern China, we trace the changes in prehistoric cultures as well as the shifts in the spatial and temporal patterns of human settlement in the West Liao River Basin. Location information for those sites was obtained from fieldwork. Factors such as climate change, landform evolution of the Horqin Dunefield, and subsistence strategies practiced at the sites were extracted via the meta-analysis of published literature. Our results show that the Holocene Optimum promoted the emergence of Neolithic Culture on the south bank of the Xar Moron River. Monsoon failure might have caused the periodic collapse or transformation of prehistoric cultures at (6.5, 4.7, 3.9, and 3.0) kyr B.P., leaving spaces for new cultural types to develop after these gaps. The rise and fall of different cultures was also determined by subsistence strategies. The Xiaoheyan Culture, with mixed modes of subsistence, weakened after 4.7 kyr B.P., whereas the Upper Xiajiadian Culture, supported by sheep breeding, expanded after 3.0 kyr B.P. Global positioning system data obtained from the archaeological sites reveal that cultures with different subsistence strategies occupied distinct geographic regions. Humans who subsisted on hunting and gathering resided at higher altitudes during the Paleolithic Age (1074 m a.s.l.). Mixed subsistence strategies led humans to settle down at 600-1000 m a.s.l. in the Neolithic Age. Agricultural activities caused humans to migrate to 400-800 m a.s.l. in the early Bronze Age, whereas livestock production shifted human activities to 800-1200 m a.s.l. in the late Bronze Age.

Pressure dependence of the Peierls transition in the quasi two-dimensional purple bronze KMo 6O 17

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rötger, A.; Beille, J.; Laurant, J. M.; Schlenker, C.

1993-09-01

The electrical resistivity and the lattice parameters have been studied as a function of pressure on the quasi-twodimensional purple bronze KMo 6O 17 which shows a Peierls transition towards a commensurate charge density wave state. The Peierls temperature is found to be first slightly decreased for pressures smaller than 6 kbar, then strongly increased above. This increase is associated to an anomalous contraction of the lattice parameters in the plane of the layers. The corresponding large increase of the compressibility above 16 kbar at 300 K is associated to the pretransitional regime of the Peierls transition as a function of pressure. These results are attributed mainly to an improved nesting of the Fermi surface under pressure.

Interdependence between electrical and magnetic properties of polycrystalline cobalt-substituted tungsten bronze multiferroic ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jindal, Shilpi; Devi, Sheela; Vasishth, Ajay; Batoo, Khalid Mujasam; Kumar, Gagan

Polycrystalline cobalt-substituted tungsten bronze ferroelectric ceramics with chemical composition Ba5CaTi2-xCoXNb8O30 (x=0.00, 0.02, 0.04 and 0.08) were synthesized by solid state reaction technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique was used to confirm the phase formation and it revealed the formation of single phase tetragonal structure with space group P4bm. The surface morphology of the samples was studied by using the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) technique. The dielectric properties such as dielectric constant and dielectric loss have been investigated as a function of temperature and frequency. The P-E and M-H studies confirmed the coexistent of ferroelectricity and magnetism at room temperature. The P-E loop study indicated an increase in the coercive field while the M-H study depicted a decrease in the magnetization with the incorporation of cobalt ions.

A matter of months: High precision migration chronology of a Bronze Age female

PubMed Central

Villa, Chiara; Jørkov, Marie Louise; Allentoft, Morten E.; Kaul, Flemming; Ethelberg, Per; Reiter, Samantha S.; Wilson, Andrew S.; Taube, Michelle; Olsen, Jesper; Lynnerup, Niels; Willerslev, Eske; Kristiansen, Kristian; Frei, Robert

2017-01-01

Establishing the age at which prehistoric individuals move away from their childhood residential location holds crucial information about the socio dynamics and mobility patterns in ancient societies. We present a novel combination of strontium isotope analyses performed on the over 3000 year old “Skrydstrup Woman” from Denmark, for whom we compiled a highly detailed month-scale model of her migration timeline. When combined with physical anthropological analyses this timeline can be related to the chronological age at which the residential location changed. We conducted a series of high-resolution strontium isotope analyses of hard and soft human tissues and combined these with anthropological investigations including CT-scanning and 3D visualizations. The Skrydstrup Woman lived during a pan-European period characterized by technical innovation and great social transformations stimulated by long-distance connections; consequently she represents an important part of both Danish and European prehistory. Our multidisciplinary study involves complementary biochemical, biomolecular and microscopy analyses of her scalp hair. Our results reveal that the Skrydstrup Woman was between 17–18 years old when she died, and that she moved from her place of origin -outside present day Denmark- to the Skrydstrup area in Denmark 47 to 42 months before she died. Hence, she was between 13 to 14 years old when she migrated to and resided in the area around Skrydstrup for the rest of her life. From an archaeological standpoint, this one-time and one-way movement of an elite female during the possible “age of marriageability” might suggest that she migrated with the aim of establishing an alliance between chiefdoms. Consequently, this detailed multidisciplinary investigation provides a novel tool to reconstruct high resolution chronology of individual mobility with the perspective of studying complex patterns of social and economic interaction in prehistory. PMID:28582402

A matter of months: High precision migration chronology of a Bronze Age female.

PubMed

Frei, Karin Margarita; Villa, Chiara; Jørkov, Marie Louise; Allentoft, Morten E; Kaul, Flemming; Ethelberg, Per; Reiter, Samantha S; Wilson, Andrew S; Taube, Michelle; Olsen, Jesper; Lynnerup, Niels; Willerslev, Eske; Kristiansen, Kristian; Frei, Robert

2017-01-01

Establishing the age at which prehistoric individuals move away from their childhood residential location holds crucial information about the socio dynamics and mobility patterns in ancient societies. We present a novel combination of strontium isotope analyses performed on the over 3000 year old "Skrydstrup Woman" from Denmark, for whom we compiled a highly detailed month-scale model of her migration timeline. When combined with physical anthropological analyses this timeline can be related to the chronological age at which the residential location changed. We conducted a series of high-resolution strontium isotope analyses of hard and soft human tissues and combined these with anthropological investigations including CT-scanning and 3D visualizations. The Skrydstrup Woman lived during a pan-European period characterized by technical innovation and great social transformations stimulated by long-distance connections; consequently she represents an important part of both Danish and European prehistory. Our multidisciplinary study involves complementary biochemical, biomolecular and microscopy analyses of her scalp hair. Our results reveal that the Skrydstrup Woman was between 17-18 years old when she died, and that she moved from her place of origin -outside present day Denmark- to the Skrydstrup area in Denmark 47 to 42 months before she died. Hence, she was between 13 to 14 years old when she migrated to and resided in the area around Skrydstrup for the rest of her life. From an archaeological standpoint, this one-time and one-way movement of an elite female during the possible "age of marriageability" might suggest that she migrated with the aim of establishing an alliance between chiefdoms. Consequently, this detailed multidisciplinary investigation provides a novel tool to reconstruct high resolution chronology of individual mobility with the perspective of studying complex patterns of social and economic interaction in prehistory.

Observations on Middle Stone Age human teeth from Klasies River Main Site, South Africa.

PubMed

Grine, Frederick E

2012-11-01

The human fossils, artefacts and faunal remains from the Middle Stone Age (MSA) deposits of Klasies River Main Site have featured prominently in discussions of the evolution of modern human morphology and the emergence of human behavioral modernity. Nearly 40 human fossils were uncovered by John Wymer's (1967-1968) excavations, and subsequent work by Hilary Deacon (1984-1995) has produced an additional dozen specimens. Many of the latter have been described, but most of the dental remains have been afforded only cursory mention and provisional identification. These specimens are documented here, and questions of individual association among some of the fossils from Wymer's excavations are also addressed. Three teeth provide the first indisputable evidence for juvenile individuals in the deposit. The proportion of juvenile to adult remains in the MSA levels at Klasies is notably lower than in other penecontemporaneous South African coastal MSA sites such as Die Kelders Cave 1 and Blombos Cave, where the proportion of juveniles is seemingly in closer keeping with coastal, geographically proximate Later Stone Age sites such as Oakhurst Shelter and Matjes River Cave. The sizes of most of the recently identified human teeth from Klasies seem to affirm at least one arguable aspect of morphometric modernity in the MSA at this site in the form of a tendency for tooth size reduction. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geomorphological and sedimentary record from Poseidi, N. Greece and relationship with Late Bronze and Iron age settlements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Psomiadis, David; Parashou, Theodoros; Albanakis, Konstantinos; Dotsika, Elissavet; Zisi, Nikoleta

2010-05-01

Coastal geomorphological features from Poseidi, Chalkidiki, N. Greece have been studied in order to classify the Late Pleistocene and Holocene formations that prevail across the coastal zone of Cape Poseidi. Carbonate cementation in the littoral shelf (beachrocks) indicates phases of coastal instability. The adjacent conglomerate formation and the stratigraphical characteristics of the backshore sedimentary sequence define the geomorphological setting of the human occupation in the area that dates back to 3500 BP. Eretrians settled the area (Pallini peninsula) during the Iron age, while Poseidi was already used for ritual ceremonies of god Neptune. Although ancient Mendi was built on an approximately 100m-high hill, its so-called "Suburb" by Thucydides was reaching the shoreline, and its cemetery was excavated in the beach sediments. Palaeo-shorelines have been reconstructed using bathymetry data and submerged fossil coastlines. The submerged beachrock horizons are spotted northwards at 1m, 1.7m, 2.4m and 3.6m depth as well as the formation occupies the swashzone at two subsequent separated beaches southwards near ancient Mendi. Tectonic movements were also evaluated and reconsidered in relation to coastal archaeological sites for the reconstruction of the geomorphological setting. The dynamic wave regime at Cape Poseidi and the sedimentary characteristics seem to have played a prominent role during stages of relatively stable sea level and influenced the human occupation in the area.

A generational comparison of social networking site use: the influence of age and social identity.

PubMed

Barker, Valerie

2012-01-01

An online survey (N=256) compared social networking site (SNS) use among younger (millennial: 18-29) and older (baby-boomer: 41-64) subscribers focusing on the influence of collective self-esteem and group identity on motives for SNS use. Younger participants reported higher positive collective self-esteem, social networking site use for peer communication, and social compensation. Regardless of age, participants reporting high collective self-esteem and group identity were more likely to use social networking sites for peer communication and social identity gratifications, while those reporting negative collective self-esteem were more likely to use social networking sites for social compensation. The theoretical implications of the strong relationship between social identity gratifications and social compensation are discussed.

Age Estimation Based on Appearance of Gray Hair in Different Body Sites of Sri Lankan Autopsy Cases.

PubMed

Senanayake, Harshana Mahendra Kumara; Wickramasinghe, Nuwan Darshana

2017-07-01

Owing to the scanty evidence on usefulness of information of appearance of gray hair for age estimation, this study was conducted to estimate age based on the appearance of gray hair on different body sites in a sample of autopsy cases in Sri Lanka. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in Teaching Hospital-Kurunegala during 2011 to 2013. Based on the pattern of the presence of gray hair in different body sites, six stages of gray hair were computed. The analysis 1155 autopsy cases revealed strong, positive correlations between age and appearance of gray hair in head, mustache, beard, and pubic area among males and strong, positive correlations between age and the appearance of gray hair in head and pubic area among females (p < 0.01). Our findings demonstrate the value of information of appearance of gray hair for age estimation in the field of forensic science. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Production of low-background CuSn6-bronze for the CRESST dark-matter-search experiment.

PubMed

Majorovits, B; Kader, H; Kraus, H; Lossin, A; Pantic, E; Petricca, F; Proebst, F; Seidel, W

2009-01-01

One of the most intriguing open questions in modern particle physics is the nature of the dark matter in our universe. As hypothetical weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) do interact with ordinary matter extremely rarely, their observation requires a very low-background detector environment regarding radioactivity as well as an advanced detector technique that allows for active discrimination of the still present radioactive contaminations. The CRESST experiment uses detectors operating at milli-Kelvin temperature. Energy deposition in the detectors is recorded via the simultaneous measurement of a phonon-mediated signal and scintillation emitted by the CaWO(4) crystal targets. The entire setup is made of carefully selected materials. In this note we report on the development of ultra-pure bronze (CuSn(6)) wire in small quantities for springs and clamps that are currently being used in the CRESST II setup.

Longleaf pine cone production in relation to site index, stand age, and stand density

Treesearch

Thomas Croker

1973-01-01

Few cones were produced in stands less than 30 years old. In stands 30 to 70 years in age, production seemed best at timber densities of about 30 square feet of basal area per acre, and tended to increase with increasing site index.

Surface mechanical property and residual stress of peened nickel-aluminum bronze determined by in-situ X-ray diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Chengxi; Jiang, Chuanhai; Zhao, Yuantao; Chen, Ming; Ji, Vincent

2017-10-01

As one of the most important surface strengthening method, shot peening is widely used to improve the fatigue and stress corrosion crack resistance of components by introducing the refined microstructure and compressive residual stress in the surface layer. However, the mechanical properties of this thin layer are different from the base metal and are difficult to be characterized by conventional techniques. In this work, a micro uniaxial tensile tester equipped with in-situ X-ray stress analyzer was employed to make it achievable on a nickel-aluminum bronze with shot peening treatment. According to the equivalent stress-strain relationship based on Von Mises stress criterion, the Young's modulus and yield strength of the peened layer were calculated. The results showed that the Young's modulus was the same as the bulk material, and the yield strength corresponding to the permanent plastic strain of 0.2% was increased by 21% after SP. But the fractographic analysis showed that the fracture feature of the surface layer was likely to transform from the dimple to the cleavage, indicating the improved strength might be attained at the expense of ductility. The monotonic and cyclic loading were also performed via the same combined set-up. In addition, the specific relaxation behavior of compressive residual stress was quantified by linear logarithm relationship between residual stress and cycle numbers. It was found that the compressive residual stress mainly relaxed in the first few cycles, and then reached steady state with further cycles. The relaxation rate and the stable value were chiefly depended on the stress amplitude and number of cycles. The retained residual stress kept in compressive under all given applied stress levels, suggesting that the shot peening could introduce a more stable surface layer of compressive residual stress other than the elevated strength of nickel-aluminum bronze alloy.

Maturation of cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) to speech recorded from frontocentral and temporal sites: three months to eight years of age.

PubMed

Shafer, Valerie L; Yu, Yan H; Wagner, Monica

2015-02-01

The goal of the current analysis was to examine the maturation of cortical auditory evoked potentials (CAEPs) from three months of age to eight years of age. The superior frontal positive-negative-positive sequence (P1, N2, P2) and the temporal site, negative-positive-negative sequence (possibly, Na, Ta, Tb of the T-complex) were examined. Event-related potentials were recorded from 63 scalp sites to a 250-ms vowel. Amplitude and latency of peaks were measured at left and right frontal sites (near Fz) and at left and right temporal sites (T7 and T8). In addition, the largest peak (typically corresponding to P1) was selected from global field power (GFP). The results revealed a large positive peak (P1) easily identified at frontal sites across all ages. The N2 emerged after 6 months of age and the following P2 between 8 and 30 months of age. The latencies of these peaks decreased exponentially with the most rapid decrease observed for P1. For amplitude, only P1 showed a clear relationship with age, becoming more positive in a somewhat linear fashion. At the temporal sites only a negative peak, which might be Na, was clearly observed at both left and right sites in children older than 14 months and peaking between 100 and 200 ms. P1 measures at frontal sites and Na peak latencies were moderately correlated. The temporal negative peak latency showed a different maturational timecourse (linear in nature) than the P1 peak, suggesting at least partial independence. Distinct Ta (positive) and Tb (negative) peaks, following Na and peaking between 120 and 220 ms were not consistently found in most age groups of children, except Ta which was present in 7 year olds. Future research, which includes manipulation of stimulus factors, and use of modeling techniques will be needed to explain the apparent, protracted maturation of the temporal site measures in the current study. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electrochemical fabrication of interconnected tungsten bronze nanosheets for high performance supercapacitor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Gan; Liu, Xiao-Xia

2018-04-01

Interconnected H0.12WO3ṡH2O nanosheets with high electrochemical performances are fabricated on partial exfoliated graphite substrate (Ex-GF) by potential-limited pulse galvanostatic method (PLPG). The dead volume problem of bulk pesudocapacitive materials is addressed by the novel interconnected nanosheets structure, enabling a large specific capacitance of 5.95 F cm-2 (495.8 F g-1) at 2 mA cm-2. Merited from the fluent electrolyte penetration channels established by the plenty voids among nanosheets, as well as fast electron transportation in the electronic conductive tungsten bronze which is directly grown from graphite substrate, the obtained WO3/Ex-GF demonstrates excellent rate capability. The material can maintain 60.0% of its capacitance when the discharge current density increases from 2 to 100 mA cm-2. Moreover, WO3/Ex-GF doesn't show capacitance decay after 5000 galvanostatic charge-discharge cycles, displaying its super stability. Furthermore, a high performance asymmetric supercapacitor assembled by using WO3/Ex-GF and electrochemical fabricated MnO2/Ex-GF as negative and positive electrodes, respectively displays a high energy density of 2.88 mWh cm-3 at the power density of 11.1 mW cm-3, demonstrating its potential application for energy storage.

Analysis of antique bronze coins by Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and multivariate analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bachler, M. Orlić; Bišćan, M.; Kregar, Z.; Jelovica Badovinac, I.; Dobrinić, J.; Milošević, S.

2016-09-01

This work presents a feasibility study of applying the Principal Component Analysis (PCA) to data obtained by Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) with the aim of determining correlation between different samples. The samples were antique bronze coins coated in silver (follis) dated in the Roman Empire period and were made during different rulers in different mints. While raw LIBS data revealed that in the period from the year 286 to 383 CE content of silver was constantly decreasing, the PCA showed that the samples can be somewhat grouped together based on their place of origin, which could be a useful hint when analysing unknown samples. It was also found that PCA can help in discriminating spectra corresponding to ablation from the surface and from the bulk. Furthermore, Partial Least Squares method (PLS) was used to obtain, based on a set of samples with known composition, an estimation of relative copper concentration in studied ancient coins. This analysis showed that copper concentration in surface layers ranged from 83% to 90%.

Devil's staircase of odd-number charge order modulations in divalent β -vanadium bronzes under pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamauchi, Touru; Ueda, Hiroaki; Ohwada, Kenji; Nakao, Hironori; Ueda, Yutaka

2018-03-01

A common characteristic of quasi-one-dimensional (q1D) conductors β -A0.33V2O5 (A = Li, Na, and Ag) is that the charge ordering (CO), the ground state (GS) at ambient pressure, and the superconducting (SC) phases, the GS under high pressure, are competing with each other. We have explored high-pressure properties of divalent β -vanadium bronzes, β -A0.33V2O5 (A = Ca, Sr, and Pb), which are A -cation stoichiometry finely controlled single-crystal/powder samples, and found the absence of the SC phase. In these observations, however, we observed enormous and novel phase transitions, a kind of "devil's staircase"-type phase transitions in the charge ordering (CO) phases. The most surprising discovery in this devil's staircase, which was found mainly in β -Sr0.33V2O5 , is that all the charge modulation vectors of many kinds of CO phases can be represented as a primitive lattice translation vector along the b axis multiplied by several odd numbers. This discovery surely demonstrates interplay between the charge degree freedom and the crystallographic symmetry. We propose two possible mechanisms to explain this phenomenon: "self-charge transfer (carrier redistribution)" between the two subsystems in these compounds and "sequential symmetry reduction" that was discussed in Landau theory of phase transitions. In β -Ca0.33V2O5 we also found a P -T phase diagram similar in outlook but different in detail. The devil's staircase was also observed but it is an incomplete one. Furthermore, the charge modulation vectors in it are shorter than those in β -Sr0.33V2O5 . In β -Pb0.33V2O5 , which has no CO phase at ambient pressure, the pressure-induced antiferromagnetic ordering was observed at around 50 K above 0.5 GPa. Using these two kinds of mechanisms, we also explain the global high-pressure properties in all the stoichiometric divalent β -vanadium bronzes, which were observed as a wide variety of electromagnetic states. In addition, we also discuss a possible key for

Effects of stand and site variables on the lumber value of uneven-aged loblolly pine stands

Treesearch

David W. Patterson; Paul A. Murphy; Michael G. Shelton

2000-01-01

Uneven-aged silviculture using single-tree selection provides the landowner with periodic income from a continuous forest which has a varied canopy. Data were collected from 24 plots of a larger study to determine if site index, basal area, and maximum dbh affected volume and value of lumber from loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) trees in uneven-aged...

IODP Expedition 351 Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc Origins: Age Model for Site U1438

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, A.; Aljahdali, M. H.; Bandini, A. N.; do Monte Guerra, R.; Kender, S.; Maffione, M.

2014-12-01

We report preliminary paleomagnetic and paleontological results from International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 351, which recovered an unprecedented ~1.4 km thick volcaniclastic sedimentary record documenting the initiation and subsequent evolution of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) intra-oceanic arc-basin system. Magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic constraints provide a high-resolution temporal framework for interpretation of this record.Paleomagnetic analyses of archive half core samples provide a continuous record of the geomagnetic field inclination down to 847 mbsf that allows construction of a detailed site magnetostratigraphy that closely matches the Geomagnetic Polarity Timescale (Gradstein et al., 2012). A total of 87 geomagnetic reversals have been recognized in the studied succession, extending back to ~36 Ma. Despite sporadic microfossil occurrences in parts, calcareous nannofossils, planktonic foraminifera and radiolarians each contribute to the age model for the entire Site. All nannofossil marker species for Oligocene to Eocene Zones NP25 to NP19/20 are recognised. Beneath paleomagnetic control (847-1449 mbsf), foraminifera and radiolarians provide the only age control.The most salient features of the age model are that: (i) average linear sedimentation rates during the Plio-Pleistocene range from 1.4 to 2.2 cm/ka; (ii) there was a reduction in sedimentation rates to 0.25 - 0.5 cm/ka throughout the Miocene; and (iii) sedimentation rates sharply increase again in the Oligocene to Late Eocene to a maximum of ~20 cm/ka. These quantitative constraints closely match (non-quantitative) inferences based on the lithostratigraphy of the site, with fine-grained/coarse-grained sediments dominating in periods with low/high sedimentation rates respectively.

IODP Expedition 351 Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc Origins: Age model for Site U1438

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morris, Antony; Maffione, Marco; Kender, Sev; Aljahdali, Mohammed; Bandini, Alexandre; Guerra, Rodrigo do Monte

2015-04-01

We report preliminary paleomagnetic and paleontological results from International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 351, which recovered an unprecedented ~1.4 km thick volcaniclastic sedimentary record documenting the initiation and subsequent evolution of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) intra-oceanic arc-basin system. Magnetostratigraphic and biostratigraphic constraints provide a high-resolution temporal framework for interpretation of this record. Paleomagnetic analyses of archive half core samples provide a continuous record of the geomagnetic field inclination down to 847 mbsf that allows construction of a detailed site magnetostratigraphy that closely matches the Geomagnetic Polarity Timescale (Gradstein et al., 2012). A total of 87 geomagnetic reversals have been recognized in the studied succession, extending back to ~36 Ma. Despite sporadic microfossil occurrences in parts, calcareous nannofossils, planktonic foraminifera and radiolarians each contribute to the age model for the entire Site. All nannofossil marker species for Oligocene to Eocene Zones NP25 to NP19/20 are recognised. Beneath paleomagnetic control (847-1449 mbsf), foraminifera and radiolarians provide the only age control. The most salient features of the age model are that: (i) average linear sedimentation rates during the Plio-Pleistocene range from 1.4 to 2.2 cm/ka; (ii) there was a reduction in sedimentation rates to 0.25 - 0.5 cm/ka throughout the Miocene; and (iii) sedimentation rates sharply increase again in the Oligocene to Late Eocene to a maximum of ~20 cm/ka. These quantitative constraints closely match (non-quantitative) inferences based on the lithostratigraphy of the site, with fine-grained/coarse-grained sediments dominating in periods with low/high sedimentation rates respectively.

Surface ages and rates of erosion at the Calico Archaeological Site in the Mojave Desert, Southern California

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Owen, Lewis A.; Davis, Teresa; Caffee, Marc W.; Budinger, Fred; Nash, David

2011-01-01

Erosion rates and surface exposure ages were determined at the Calico Archaeological Site in the Calico Hills of the Mojave Desert, California, using 10Be terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCN) methods. The Calico Hills are composed of Miocene lacustrine deposits of the Barstow Formation and fanglomerates/debris flows of the Pleistocene Yermo Deposits. These deposits are highly denuded and dissected by arroyos that have surfaces armored with chert. Surface erosion rates based on cosmogenic 10Be concentrations in stream sediments range from 19 to 39 m/Ma, with an average of 30.5 ± 6.2 m/Ma. Surface boulders have 10Be TCN ages that range from 27 ka to 198 ka, reflecting significant erosion of the Calico Hills. The oldest boulder age (197 ± 20 ka) places a minimum limit on the age of Yermo deposits. Depth profile ages at four locations within the study area have minimum ages that range from 31 to 84 ka and erosion rate-corrected surface exposure ages ranging from 43 to 139 ka. These surface exposure ages support the view that the surfaces in Yermo deposits formed during the Late Pleistocene to latest Middle Pleistocene. This chronology has important implications for interpreting the context of possible artifacts/geofacts at the site that might provide evidence for early human occupation of North America, and for reconstructing paleoenvironment change and landscape evolution in the region.

Non destructive neutron diffraction measurements of cavities, inhomogeneities, and residual strain in bronzes of Ghiberti's relief from the Gates of Paradise

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Festa, G.; Senesi, R.; Alessandroni, M.; Andreani, C.; Vitali, G.; Porcinai, S.; Giusti, A. M.; Materna, T.; Paradowska, A. M.

2011-03-01

Quantitative neutron studies of cultural heritage objects provide access to microscopic, mesoscopic, and macroscopic structures in a nondestructive manner. In this paper we present a neutron diffraction investigation of a Ghiberti Renaissance gilded bronze relief devoted to the measurement of cavities and inhomogeneities in the bulk of the sample, along with the bulk phase composition and residual strain distribution. The quantitative measurements allowed the determination of the re-melting parts extension, as well as improving current knowledge about the manufacturing process. The study provides significant and unique information to conservators and restorators about the history of the relief.

State of microbial communities in paleosols buried under kurgans of the desert-steppe zone in the Middle Bronze Age (27th-26th centuries BC) in relation to the dynamics of climate humidity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khomutova, T. E.; Demkina, T. S.; Borisov, A. V.; Shishlina, I. I.

2017-02-01

The size and structure of microbial pool in light chestnut paleosols and paleosolonetz buried under kurgans of the Middle Bronze Age 4600-4500 years ago (the burial mound heights are 45-173 cm), as well as in recent analogues in the desert-steppe zone (Western Ergeni, Salo-Manych Ridge), have been studied. In paleosol profiles, the living microbial biomass estimated from the content of phospholipids varies from 35 to 258% of the present-day value; the active biomass (responsive to glucose addition) in paleosols is 1‒3 orders of magnitude lower than in recent analogues. The content of soil phospholipids is recalculated to that of microbial carbon, and its share in the total soil organic carbon is determined: it is 4.5-7.0% in recent soils and up to three times higher in the remained organic carbon of paleosols. The stability of microbial communities in the B1 horizon of paleosols is 1.3-2.2 times higher than in the upper horizon; in recent soils, it has a tendency to a decrease. The share of microorganisms feeding on plant residues in the ecological-trophic structure of paleosol microbial communities is higher by 23-35% and their index of oligotrophy is 3-5 times lower than in recent analogues. The size of microbial pool and its structure indicate a significantly higher input of plant residues into soils 4600-4500 years ago than in the recent time, which is related to the increase in atmospheric humidity in the studied zone. However, the occurrence depths of salt accumulations in profiles of the studied soils contradict this supposition. A short-term trend of increase in climate humidity is supposed, as indicated by microbial parameters (the most sensitive soil characteristics) or changes in the annual variation of precipitation (its increase in the warm season) during the construction of the mounds under study.

Ancient limpet shells as paleo-environmental and ethno-archaeological archives: the case of Beniguet Island's shell middens (Iroise Sea)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cudennec, Jean-François; Stephan, Pierre; Dupont, Catherine; Pailler, Yvan; Thébault, Julien; Schöne, Bernd; Paulet, Yves-Marie

2017-04-01

During the winter 2013-2014, severe storm events caused a coastal erosion in the southern part of the Beniguet Island (Brittany, France). The associated shoreline retreat had uncovered three layers of shell middens interbedded into an aeolian sand dune deposit. From several radiocarbon dating crossed with the study of ceramic and lithic contents, the shell middens were dated to the Final Neolithic (2400 BC), the Early Bronze Age (2000 BC) and the Early Middle Age (800 AD) respectively. This site offers a unique opportunity to collect two types of information: palaeo-environmental (palaeo-temperature of sea water) and archaeological (determination of harvest season). In this study, we focus on gastropod of the genus Patella which represent 90% of the remains found in this midden. This organism is potentially a highly valuable archive for these environments because they are intertidal and relatively sedentary. We studied the growth rings in the outer calcitic layer of individual limpet shells from the Neolithic, Early Bronze Age and Present Day populations. We report here the results of δ18O analyses. We found a similarity between the reconstructed palaeo-temperature in the Neolithic and the Present periods (between 13 and 14°C in summer and about 8 - 9°C in winter). However, palaeo-temperatures of the Early Bronze Age shells are significantly lower in winter (5 - 6 °C). Moreover, the initial results of the δ18O analyses at the margin of these shells showed that they were harvested during a specific season (end of spring or early summer). Additional work will be done to address questions about shell growth dynamics of these species. These results confirm the interest of using ancient limpet shells as palaeo-environmental and archaeological archives.

Water table in rocks of Cenozoic and Paleozoic age, 1980, Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nevada

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doty, G.C.; Thordarson, William

1983-01-01

The water table at Yucca Flat, Nevada Test Site, Nevada, occurs in rocks of Paleozoic age and in tuffs and alluvium of Cenozoic age and ranges in altitude from about 2,425 feet to about 3,500 feet. The configuration of the water table is depicted by contours with intervals of 25 to 500 feet. Control for the map consists of water-level information from 61 drill holes, whose locations and age of geologic units penetrated are shown by symbols on the map. (USGS)

Chemical and mineralogical characterization of archaeologicam building materials from Seyitomer Hoyuk Kutahya, Turkey.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilgen, Nejat; Olgun, Asim

This paper focuses on the spectroscopic and thermal analysis of the archaeological samples of mortar and plaster from middle Bronze Age and Achaemenid period in Seyitömer Höyük. The composition of the samples was investigated using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and thermogravimetric thermal analysis (TG-DTA). The results showed that human used different types of raw materials in the preperation of the mortar and plaster in the Middle Bronze Age and Achaemenid period. The material used in middle Bronze Age contains muscovite whereas the material in Achaemenid period contains albite. Although, the chemical composition of the mortar and plaster used in the period were similar, the calcium content of the plaster is relatively higher than the one of the mortar indicating people's awareness of the binding properties of calcite.

Astronomical Symbolism in Bronze-Age and Iron-Age Rock Art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

García Quintela, Marco V.; Santos-Estévez, Manuel

The best-known rock art from Late Prehistory is found in Scandinavia, the Alps, and Galicia, North West Spain. In this chapter, we explore its association with astronomical symbolism from three perspectives: the representation of heavenly bodies, the visibility conditions of the carvings, and their position on astronomical alignments. We also consider temporal variables and the impact of aspects of Indo-European ideology on the construction of the representations in their astronomical relationships.

Manipulation of polar order in the “empty” tetragonal tungsten bronzes: Ba{sub 4-x}Sr{sub x}Dy{sub 0.67}□{sub 1.33}Nb{sub 10}O{sub 30}, x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3

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

Gardner, Jonathan; Morrison, Finlay D., E-mail: finlay.morrison@st-andrews.ac.uk

2016-08-15

A series of “empty” tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) ferroelectrics, Ba{sub 4-x}Sr{sub x}Dy{sub 0.67}□{sub 1.33}Nb{sub 10}O{sub 30} (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3; □ = vacancy), is reported. With increasing x the unit cell contracts in both the ab plane and c-axis; x ≤ 1 compounds are normal ferroelectrics (FE) with decreasing T{sub C} as x increases, while x ≥ 2 are relaxor ferroelectrics (RFE) with associated frequency dependent permittivity peaks and with similar T{sub m} and T{sub f} (Vogel-Fulcher freezing temperatures) values. This observation is rationalised by differing cation occupancies: for x ≤ 1, Sr{sup 2+} principally occupies the A2-site (co-occupied by Ba{sup 2+} with the A1-site occupiedmore » by Dy{sup 3+} and vacancies); for x ≥ 2 significant Sr A1-site occupation leads to the observed RFE characteristics. This FE to RFE crossover is consistent with a previously proposed TTB crystal chemical framework where both a decrease in average A-site size and concurrent increase in A1-site tolerance factor (t{sub A1}) favour destabilization of long range polar order and relaxor behaviour. The effect of increasing t{sub A1} as a result of Sr occupancy at the A1 site is dominant in the compounds reported here.« less

Forest Soil Productivity on the Southern Long-Term Soil Productivity Sites at Age 5

Treesearch

D. Andrew Scott; Allan E. Tiarks; Felipe G. Sanchez; Michael Elliott-Smith; Rick Stagg

2004-01-01

Forest management operations have the potential to reduce soil productivity through organic matter and nutrient removal and soil compaction. We measured pine volume, bulk density, and soil and foliar nitrogen and phosphorus at age 5 on the 13 southern Long-Term Soil Productivity study sites. The treatments were organic matter removal [bole only (BO), whole tree (WT),...

Charge density wave properties of the quasi two-dimensional purple molybdenum bronze KMo 6O 17

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balaska, H.; Dumas, J.; Guyot, H.; Mallet, P.; Marcus, J.; Schlenker, C.; Veuillen, J. Y.; Vignolles, D.

2005-06-01

The purple molybdenum bronze KMo 6O 17 is a quasi-two-dimensional compound which shows a Peierls transition towards a commensurate metallic CDW state. Electron spectroscopy (ARUPS), Scanning Tunnelling Microscopy (STM) and spectroscopy (STS) as well as high magnetic field studies are reported. ARUPS studies corroborate the model of the hidden nesting and provide a value of the CDW vector in good agreement with other measurements. STM studies visualize the triple- q CDW in real space. This is consistent with other measurements of the CDW vector. STS studies provide a value of several 10 meV for the average CDW gap. High magnetic field measurements performed in pulsed fields up to 55 T establish that first order transitions to smaller gap states take place at low temperature. These transitions are ascribed to Pauli type coupling. A phase diagram summarizing all observed anomalies and transitions is presented.

Identification of HIV infection-related DNA methylation sites and advanced epigenetic aging in HIV-positive, treatment-naive U.S. veterans.

PubMed

Nelson, Kristin N; Hui, Qin; Rimland, David; Xu, Ke; Freiberg, Matthew S; Justice, Amy C; Marconi, Vincent C; Sun, Yan V

2017-02-20

HIV-positive individuals are at higher risk than healthy persons for aging-related diseases, including myocardial infarction and non-AIDS defining cancers. Recent evidence suggests that HIV infection may modulate changes in the host cell epigenome, and these changes represent a potential mechanism through which HIV infection accelerates aging. We assessed the difference in DNA methylation (DNAm) age, an aging marker involving multiple age-related cytosine-guanine dinucleotide (CpG) sites, among antiretroviral treatment (ART)-naive HIV-positive and HIV-negative individuals in a cohort of veterans from the Veterans Aging Cohort Study. Peripheral blood samples were collected from 19 ART-naive, HIV-positive, and 19 HIV-negative male participants, matched by age and race. Blood samples were collected from HIV-positive participants 7-11 years after ART initiation. We compared DNAm age between HIV-positive and HIV-negative groups at baseline and between HIV-positive patients at baseline and follow-up. We also performed an epigenome-wide analysis to identify CpG methylation sites associated with HIV infection. DNAm age in HIV-positive individuals is, on average, 11.2 years higher than HIV study participants at baseline, and two of 10 HIV-positive individuals showed an increase in DNAm age after ART initiation. Epigenome-wide association studies showed an association of HIV infection with one site, in gene VPS37B, which approached statistical significance in our cohort (P = 3.30 × 10, Bonferroni-corrected threshold = 1.22 × 10) and was replicated in a second, larger cohort. ART treatment-naive HIV-positive individuals have significantly older DNAm age compared to HIV-negative individuals in the Veterans Aging Cohort Study cohort. Longitudinal changes in DNAm age are highly variable across individuals after initiation of antiretroviral therapy.

Early agriculture and crop transmission among Bronze Age mobile pastoralists of Central Eurasia.

PubMed

Spengler, Robert; Frachetti, Michael; Doumani, Paula; Rouse, Lynne; Cerasetti, Barbara; Bullion, Elissa; Mar'yashev, Alexei

2014-05-22

Archaeological research in Central Eurasia is exposing unprecedented scales of trans-regional interaction and technology transfer between East Asia and southwest Asia deep into the prehistoric past. This article presents a new archaeobotanical analysis from pastoralist campsites in the mountain and desert regions of Central Eurasia that documents the oldest known evidence for domesticated grains and farming among seasonally mobile herders. Carbonized grains from the sites of Tasbas and Begash illustrate the first transmission of southwest Asian and East Asian domesticated grains into the mountains of Inner Asia in the early third millennium BC. By the middle second millennium BC, seasonal camps in the mountains and deserts illustrate that Eurasian herders incorporated the cultivation of millet, wheat, barley and legumes into their subsistence strategy. These findings push back the chronology for domesticated plant use among Central Eurasian pastoralists by approximately 2000 years. Given the geography, chronology and seed morphology of these data, we argue that mobile pastoralists were key agents in the spread of crop repertoires and the transformation of agricultural economies across Asia from the third to the second millennium BC.

Investigation of archaeological metal artefacts by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tankova, V.; Malcheva, G.; Blagoev, K.; Leshtakov, L.

2018-03-01

In this work, laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy was applied to determining the elemental composition of a set of ancient bronze artefacts dated from the Late Bronze Age and Early Iron Age (14th – 10th century BC). We used a Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm with pulse duration of 10 ns and energy of 10 mJ and determined the elemental composition of the bronze alloy that was used in manufacturing the samples under study. The concentrations of tin and lead in the bulk of the examined materials was estimated after generating calibration curves for a set of four standard samples. The preliminary results of the analysis will provide information on the artefacts provenance and on the production process.

Estimation of methane emission rate changes using age-defined waste in a landfill site.

PubMed

Ishii, Kazuei; Furuichi, Toru

2013-09-01

Long term methane emissions from landfill sites are often predicted by first-order decay (FOD) models, in which the default coefficients of the methane generation potential and the methane generation rate given by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are usually used. However, previous studies have demonstrated the large uncertainty in these coefficients because they are derived from a calibration procedure under ideal steady-state conditions, not actual landfill site conditions. In this study, the coefficients in the FOD model were estimated by a new approach to predict more precise long term methane generation by considering region-specific conditions. In the new approach, age-defined waste samples, which had been under the actual landfill site conditions, were collected in Hokkaido, Japan (in cold region), and the time series data on the age-defined waste sample's methane generation potential was used to estimate the coefficients in the FOD model. The degradation coefficients were 0.0501/y and 0.0621/y for paper and food waste, and the methane generation potentials were 214.4 mL/g-wet waste and 126.7 mL/g-wet waste for paper and food waste, respectively. These coefficients were compared with the default coefficients given by the IPCC. Although the degradation coefficient for food waste was smaller than the default value, the other coefficients were within the range of the default coefficients. With these new coefficients to calculate methane generation, the long term methane emissions from the landfill site was estimated at 1.35×10(4)m(3)-CH(4), which corresponds to approximately 2.53% of the total carbon dioxide emissions in the city (5.34×10(5)t-CO(2)/y). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early agriculture and crop transmission among Bronze Age mobile pastoralists of Central Eurasia

PubMed Central

Spengler, Robert; Frachetti, Michael; Doumani, Paula; Rouse, Lynne; Cerasetti, Barbara; Bullion, Elissa; Mar'yashev, Alexei

2014-01-01

Archaeological research in Central Eurasia is exposing unprecedented scales of trans-regional interaction and technology transfer between East Asia and southwest Asia deep into the prehistoric past. This article presents a new archaeobotanical analysis from pastoralist campsites in the mountain and desert regions of Central Eurasia that documents the oldest known evidence for domesticated grains and farming among seasonally mobile herders. Carbonized grains from the sites of Tasbas and Begash illustrate the first transmission of southwest Asian and East Asian domesticated grains into the mountains of Inner Asia in the early third millennium BC. By the middle second millennium BC, seasonal camps in the mountains and deserts illustrate that Eurasian herders incorporated the cultivation of millet, wheat, barley and legumes into their subsistence strategy. These findings push back the chronology for domesticated plant use among Central Eurasian pastoralists by approximately 2000 years. Given the geography, chronology and seed morphology of these data, we argue that mobile pastoralists were key agents in the spread of crop repertoires and the transformation of agricultural economies across Asia from the third to the second millennium BC. PMID:24695428

Evaluating the All-Ages Lead Model Using SiteSpecific Data ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

Lead (Pb) exposure continues to be a problem in the United States. Even after years of progress in reducing environmental levels, CDC estimates at least 500,000 U.S. children ages 1-5 years have blood Pb levels (BLL) above the CDC reference level of 5 µg/dL. Childhood Pb exposure is associated with neurological consequences and public health professionals continue to work to reduce Pb exposures. To better understand the relationship between exposure and BLL, the USEPA has developed a beta version of the All-Ages Lead Model (AALM). Compared to the Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetics (IEUBK) Model for lead in children, the AALM provides greater flexibility to describe Pb exposures (acute or chronic, constant or intermittent) for any age. At this time, the AALM has the capability to predict exposure in each of the following media: dust/soil, water, air, food, and other. As part of an interagency test group, we evaluated the ability of the AALM beta v4.2 (Leggett version) to predict BLLs for children that were exposed to Pb in their environment near the John T. Lewis and Bros Lead Smelter Superfund site. The model predicted that fourteen children met our inclusion criteria that spent less than 20 hours a week away from the home (e.g., no daycare or school) and had paired BLL and environmental sampling data (i.e., Pb in soil, window sill dust, front door dust, floor dust, and drinking water). The model can predict average BLLs, but it remains difficult to predic

Optical and thermoluminescence dating of Middle Stone Age and Kintampo bearing sediments at Birimi, a multi-component archaeological site in Ghana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quickert, Nicole A.; Godfrey-Smith, Dorothy I.; Casey, Joanna L.

2003-05-01

We report the first luminescence ages for the archeological and geological sediments forming the substrate of the Birimi archaeological site in the Northern Region of Ghana. The site's significance rests on the fact that it contains a rich collection of artifact assemblages representative of three distinct cultures, and that, on the basis of artifact typology, the earliest assemblage is diagnostic of the Middle Stone Age (MSA) . In situ occurrences of MSA artifacts are found at over 1 m below today's surface. They are overlain by a ceramic-rich complex of a sedentary or semi-sendentary Later Stone Age culture known as the Kintampo. The western half of the site is dominated by the industrial remains of Iron Age smelting activity. Elemental, mineralogical, and sedimentological analysis of the cultural and sub-cultural sedimentary horizons at the site revealed at least three distinct lithostratigraphic units. The quartz sediments are derived from the sandstone of the Gambaga escarpment, mass wasted and accreted fluvially at a rate of 3.2 cm/ka, forming a wide terrace at Birimi. Silts and finer fractions derive from windblown dust, likely from White Volta River and granitic sources to the north. Soil forming processes and wide fluctuations in moisture have progressively reduced the sediments at depth to the resistant quartz and kaolinite, with rich iron oxide coatings, and created two ironstone horizons composed of goethite-cemented quartz nodules. Multiple aliquot green-light stimulated optical ages for 125-150 μm quartz grains yielded ages of 23.6±2.9 and 40.8±11.8 ka for the MSA-bearing sediments, and 58.4±15.3 ka for the base of the terrace. Radiocarbon ages on charcoal from Kintampo-bearing units are 3.36-3.83 ka cal BP, and are supported by thermoluminescence (TL) ages on pottery sherds and burnt house daub fragments of this cultural complex. A 0.4 ka age on sediment from the site's surface confirms that the quartz zeroes well when exposed to natural light

Suspected Offshore Chalcolithic/Early Bronze Age Tsunamigenic Sediments: Jisr al Zarka, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiulienieva, N.; Braun, Y.; Katz, T.; Goodman-Tchernov, B. N.; Suchkov, I.

2017-12-01

Offshore tsunami deposits are a potentially important sedimentological archive for past tsunamis. They have been identified offshore of Israel using granulometric, geoarchaeological, and micropaleontological indicators. Recent advances in tsunami sedimentological research have put forth a series of new proxies that may be useful tools for tsunami deposit identification. The well-studied offshore deposits of Israel provide a unique opportunity to test some of these proxies because they present good distinction between tsunami and non-tsunami deposits and they can be associated with a rich historical record and archaeological artifacts. In this study, a 219 cm long sediment core, retrieved from a 15.3 m water depth, situated in about 5 km to the north from well studied shallow shelf, offshore Caesarea. Based on the previously used criteria three layers in the new core were identified as tsunami-generated. Two of these correlated to previously described tsunami events in Caesarea; 749 AD and 1500 BC. The third layer gave the time frame from 5.6 to 6 ka BP, making this event the oldest identified in the Eastern Mediterranean to date. Identified unusual layers were attributed to tsunami-generated sedimentary sequences, based on both visually recognizable indicators and the results of laboratory analyses. FT-IR, XRD, and XRF analysis were also applied. The results of this study allow to make following conclusions: (1) visual tsunami indicators in the studied core are similar to those in Caesarea, but lack archaeological debris; (2) while distinct deviation of granulometric coefficients (mean, median, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis) correlated to tsunami layers, the additional proxies of deposition rate and mollusk assemblage excluded one deviated layer from tsunamigenic-designation; (3) the results of XRF, FT-IR, XRD showed that they are not useful as independent methods at this study site.

The palaeoenvironmental impact of prehistoric settlement and proto-historic urbanism: tracing the emergence of the Oppidum of Corent, Auvergne, France.

PubMed

Ledger, Paul M; Miras, Yannick; Poux, Matthieu; Milcent, Pierre Yves

2015-01-01

Early human societies and their interactions with the natural world have been extensively explored in palaeoenvironmental studies across Central and Western Europe. Yet, despite an extensive body of scholarship, there is little consideration of the environmental impacts of proto-historic urbanisation. Typically palaeoenvironmental studies of Bronze and Iron Age societies discuss human impact in terms of woodland clearance, landscape openness and evidence for agriculture. Although these features are clearly key indicators of human settlement, and characterise Neolithic and early to Middle Bronze Age impacts at Corent, they do not appear to represent defining features of a protohistoric urban environment. The Late Iron Age Gallic Oppidum of Corent is remarkable for the paucity of evidence for agriculture and strong representation of apophytes associated with disturbance. Increased floristic diversity - a phenomenon also observed in more recent urban environments - was also noted. The same, although somewhat more pronounced, patterns are noted for the Late Bronze Age and hint at the possibility of a nascent urban area. High percentages of pollen from non-native trees such as Platanus, Castanea and Juglans in the late Bronze Age and Gallic period also suggest trade and cultural exchange, notably with the Mediterranean world. Indeed, these findings question the validity of applying Castanea and Juglans as absolute chronological markers of Romanisation. These results clearly indicate the value of local-scale palaeoecological studies and their potential for tracing the phases in the emergence of a proto-historic urban environment.

The Palaeoenvironmental Impact of Prehistoric Settlement and Proto-Historic Urbanism: Tracing the Emergence of the Oppidum of Corent, Auvergne, France

PubMed Central

Ledger, Paul M.; Miras, Yannick; Poux, Matthieu; Milcent, Pierre Yves

2015-01-01

Early human societies and their interactions with the natural world have been extensively explored in palaeoenvironmental studies across Central and Western Europe. Yet, despite an extensive body of scholarship, there is little consideration of the environmental impacts of proto-historic urbanisation. Typically palaeoenvironmental studies of Bronze and Iron Age societies discuss human impact in terms of woodland clearance, landscape openness and evidence for agriculture. Although these features are clearly key indicators of human settlement, and characterise Neolithic and early to Middle Bronze Age impacts at Corent, they do not appear to represent defining features of a protohistoric urban environment. The Late Iron Age Gallic Oppidum of Corent is remarkable for the paucity of evidence for agriculture and strong representation of apophytes associated with disturbance. Increased floristic diversity – a phenomenon also observed in more recent urban environments – was also noted. The same, although somewhat more pronounced, patterns are noted for the Late Bronze Age and hint at the possibility of a nascent urban area. High percentages of pollen from non-native trees such as Platanus, Castanea and Juglans in the late Bronze Age and Gallic period also suggest trade and cultural exchange, notably with the Mediterranean world. Indeed, these findings question the validity of applying Castanea and Juglans as absolute chronological markers of Romanisation. These results clearly indicate the value of local-scale palaeoecological studies and their potential for tracing the phases in the emergence of a proto-historic urban environment. PMID:25853251

Plasma Proteins Modified by Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs) Reveal Site-specific Susceptibilities to Glycemic Control in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes.

PubMed

Greifenhagen, Uta; Frolov, Andrej; Blüher, Matthias; Hoffmann, Ralf

2016-04-29

Protein glycation refers to the reversible reaction between aldoses (or ketoses) and amino groups yielding relatively stable Amadori (or Heyns) products. Consecutive oxidative cleavage reactions of these products or the reaction of amino groups with other reactive substances (e.g. α-dicarbonyls) yield advanced glycation end products (AGEs) that can alter the structures and functions of proteins. AGEs have been identified in all organisms, and their contents appear to rise with some diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. Here, we report a pilot study using highly sensitive and specific proteomics approach to identify and quantify AGE modification sites in plasma proteins by reversed phase HPLC mass spectrometry in tryptic plasma digests. In total, 19 AGE modification sites corresponding to 11 proteins were identified in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus under poor glycemic control. The modification degrees of 15 modification sites did not differ among cohorts of normoglycemic lean or obese and type 2 diabetes mellitus patients under good and poor glycemic control. The contents of two amide-AGEs in human serum albumin and apolipoprotein A-II were significantly higher in patients with poor glycemic control, although the plasma levels of both proteins were similar among all plasma samples. These two modification sites might be useful to predict long term, AGE-related complications in diabetic patients, such as impaired vision, increased arterial stiffness, or decreased kidney function. © 2016 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

Leather material found on a 6th B.C. Chinese bronze sword: A technical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Wugan; Si, Yi; Wang, Hongmin; Qin, Ying; Huang, Fengchun; Wang, Changsui

2011-09-01

During July to November, 2006, an important archaeological excavation was conducted in Yun country, Hubei province, southern China. Chinese archaeologists found some remnant of leather materials, covered with red pigments, on a 6th century B.C. Chinese bronze sword. To understand the technology/ies that may have been utilized for manufacturing the leathers, a combined of Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR and XRF was thus applied to the remnant of leather materials. Raman analyses showed that red pigment on the leather was cinnabar (HgS). FT-IR and XRF analyses indicated that the content of some elements, such as Ca (existing as CaCO 3) and Fe (existing as Fe 2O 3), were much higher than those in the surrounding grave soil. The results inferred an application of lime depilation and retting, and the Fe-Al compound salt as tanning agent. And it was furthermore implicated that the Fe-Al salt tanning technique had been developed in the middle and late Spring and Autumn Period of China.

Leather material found on a 6th B.C. Chinese bronze sword: a technical study.

PubMed

Luo, Wugan; Si, Yi; Wang, Hongmin; Qin, Ying; Huang, Fengchun; Wang, Changsui

2011-09-01

During July to November, 2006, an important archaeological excavation was conducted in Yun country, Hubei province, southern China. Chinese archaeologists found some remnant of leather materials, covered with red pigments, on a 6th century B.C. Chinese bronze sword. To understand the technology/ies that may have been utilized for manufacturing the leathers, a combined of Raman spectroscopy, FT-IR and XRF was thus applied to the remnant of leather materials. Raman analyses showed that red pigment on the leather was cinnabar (HgS). FT-IR and XRF analyses indicated that the content of some elements, such as Ca (existing as CaCO3) and Fe (existing as Fe2O3), were much higher than those in the surrounding grave soil. The results inferred an application of lime depilation and retting, and the Fe-Al compound salt as tanning agent. And it was furthermore implicated that the Fe-Al salt tanning technique had been developed in the middle and late Spring and Autumn Period of China. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Documenting Bronze Age Akrotiri on Thera Using Laser Scanning, Image-Based Modelling and Geophysical Prospection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trinks, I.; Wallner, M.; Kucera, M.; Verhoeven, G.; Torrejón Valdelomar, J.; Löcker, K.; Nau, E.; Sevara, C.; Aldrian, L.; Neubauer, E.; Klein, M.

2017-02-01

The excavated architecture of the exceptional prehistoric site of Akrotiri on the Greek island of Thera/Santorini is endangered by gradual decay, damage due to accidents, and seismic shocks, being located on an active volcano in an earthquake-prone area. Therefore, in 2013 and 2014 a digital documentation project has been conducted with support of the National Geographic Society in order to generate a detailed digital model of Akrotiri's architecture using terrestrial laser scanning and image-based modeling. Additionally, non-invasive geophysical prospection has been tested in order to investigate its potential to explore and map yet buried archaeological remains. This article describes the project and the generated results.

Luminescence ages for three 'Middle Palaeolithic' sites in the Nihewan Basin, northern China, and their archaeological and palaeoenvironmental implications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Yu-Jie; Li, Bo; Zhang, Jia-Fu; Yuan, Bao-Yin; Xie, Fei; Roberts, Richard Graham

2016-05-01

The Nihewan Basin is a key region for studying the Palaeolithic archaeology of East Asia. However, because of the lack of suitable dating methods and representative lithic technologies in this region, the 'Middle Palaeolithic' sites in this basin have been designated based mainly on stratigraphic correlation, which may be unreliable. In this study, three Palaeolithic sites, Motianling, Queergou and Banjingzi, which have been assigned previously to the 'Middle Palaeolithic', are dated based on luminescence dating of K-feldspar grains. Our results show that the cultural layers at Motianling, Queergou and Banjingzi have ages of 315 ± 13, 268 ± 13 and 86 ± 4 ka (corresponding to Marine Isotope Stages 9, 8 and 5), respectively, suggesting that Motianling and Queergou should be assigned to the Lower Palaeolithic, while the age of Banjingzi is consistent with a Middle Palaeolithic attribution. Our results suggest that reassessing the age of 'Middle Palaeolithic' sites in the Nihewan Basin, and elsewhere in North China, is crucial for understanding the presence or absence of the Middle Palaeolithic phase in China. Our dating results also indicate that the Sanggan River developed sometime between about 270 and 86 ka ago.

Impacts of air pollution on cultural heritage corrosion at European level: What has been achieved and what are the future scenarios.

PubMed

Di Turo, Francesca; Proietti, Chiara; Screpanti, Augusto; Fornasier, M Francesca; Cionni, Irene; Favero, Gabriele; De Marco, Alessandra

2016-11-01

The interaction of pollutants with Cultural Heritage materials leads to artworks and materials degradation and loss, causing an unpriceless damage. This works aims to estimate the impacts of air pollution and meteorological conditions on limestone, copper and bronze and represents the European risk assessment for corrosion of Cultural Heritage materials. The measures and policies for atmospheric pollution reduction have cut off the SO 2 concentration and consequently its impact on materials is drastically reduced. Indeed, in 1980 the number of UNESCO sites in danger was extremely high (94% for limestone, 54% for copper and 1% for bronze) while in 2010 these sites did not exceed the tolerable value of surface recession and corrosion. However, some problem related to air pollution persists. In particular, Random Forest Analysis (RFA), highlights PM 10 as the main responsible for materials corrosion, in 2010. Two scenarios in 2030 have been tested, highlighting that the corrosion levels of limestone, copper and bronze exceed the tolerable limits only in the Balkan area and Turkey. Our results show the importance in the air quality modelling as a powerful tool for the UNESCO sites conservation. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Digital Workflows for a 3d Semantic Representation of AN Ancient Mining Landscape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hiebel, G.; Hanke, K.

2017-08-01

The ancient mining landscape of Schwaz/Brixlegg in the Tyrol, Austria witnessed mining from prehistoric times to modern times creating a first order cultural landscape when it comes to one of the most important inventions in human history: the production of metal. In 1991 a part of this landscape was lost due to an enormous landslide that reshaped part of the mountain. With our work we want to propose a digital workflow to create a 3D semantic representation of this ancient mining landscape with its mining structures to preserve it for posterity. First, we define a conceptual model to integrate the data. It is based on the CIDOC CRM ontology and CRMgeo for geometric data. To transform our information sources to a formal representation of the classes and properties of the ontology we applied semantic web technologies and created a knowledge graph in RDF (Resource Description Framework). Through the CRMgeo extension coordinate information of mining features can be integrated into the RDF graph and thus related to the detailed digital elevation model that may be visualized together with the mining structures using Geoinformation systems or 3D visualization tools. The RDF network of the triple store can be queried using the SPARQL query language. We created a snapshot of mining, settlement and burial sites in the Bronze Age. The results of the query were loaded into a Geoinformation system and a visualization of known bronze age sites related to mining, settlement and burial activities was created.

Thinning, Age, and Site Quality Influence Live Tree Carbon Stocks in Upland Hardwood Forests of the Southern Appalachians

Treesearch

Tara L. Keyser; Stanley J. Zarnoch

2012-01-01

This study examines the effects of thinning, age, and site quality on aboveground live tree carbon (ATC) (Mg/ha) stocks in upland hardwood forests of mixed-species composition in the southern Appalachian Mountains. In 1974, 80 plots ranging in size from 0.06 to 0.1 ha were established in even-aged, mixed-hardwood forests throughout the southern Appalachians. All trees...

Angular studies of the magnetoresistance in the density wave state of the quasi-two-dimensional purple bronze KMo6O17

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guyot, H.; Dumas, J.; Kartsovnik, M. V.; Marcus, J.; Schlenker, C.; Sheikin, I.; Vignolles, D.

2007-07-01

The purple molybdenum bronze KMo6O17 is a quasi-two-dimensional compound which shows a Peierls transition towards a commensurate metallic charge density wave (CDW) state. High magnetic field measurements have revealed several transitions at low temperature and have provided an unusual phase diagram “temperature-magnetic field”. Angular studies of the interlayer magnetoresistance are now reported. The results suggest that the orbital coupling of the magnetic field to the CDW is the most likely mechanism for the field induced transitions. The angular dependence of the magnetoresistance is discussed on the basis of a warped quasi-cylindrical Fermi surface and provides information on the geometry of the Fermi surface in the low temperature density wave state.

Wear-triggered self-healing behavior on the surface of nanocrystalline nickel aluminum bronze/Ti3SiC2 composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhai, Wenzheng; Lu, Wenlong; Zhang, Po; Wang, Jian; Liu, Xiaojun; Zhou, Liping

2018-04-01

Self-healing can protect materials from diverse damages, but is intrinsically difficult in metals. This paper demonstrates a potential method through a simultaneous decomposition and oxidation of Ti3SiC2 to achieve healing of stress cracking on the surface of nickel aluminum bronze (NAB)/Ti3SiC2 nanocrystalline composites during fretting wear. At the finest nanocrystalline materials, a crack recovery would be attained at 76.5%. The repetitive fretting wear leads to a modest amount of 'flowability' of Ti3SiC2 toward the crack, facilitating crack recovery. Along with the wear-triggered self-healing, the NAB/Ti3SiC2 shows an improved tribological performance with the stable decreased friction torque due to the formation of lubrication TiO2 oxide.

Technical note: Late Pliocene age control and composite depths at ODP Site 982, revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khélifi, N.; Sarnthein, M.; Naafs, B. D. A.

2012-01-01

Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 982 provided a key sediment section at Rockall Plateau for reconstructing northeast Atlantic paleoceanography and monitoring benthic δ18O stratigraphy over the late Pliocene to Quaternary onset of major Northern Hemisphere glaciation. A renewed hole-specific inspection of magnetostratigraphic reversals and the addition of epibenthic δ18O records for short Pliocene sections in holes 982A, B, and C, crossing core breaks in the δ18O record published for Hole 982B, now imply a major revision of composite core depths. After tuning to the orbitally tuned reference record LR04, the new composite δ18O record results in a hiatus, where the Kaena magnetic subchron might have been lost, and in a significant age reduction for all proxy records by 130 to 20 ky over the time span 3.2-2.7 million years ago (Ma). Our study demonstrates the general significance of reliable composite-depth scales and δ18O stratigraphies in ODP sediment records for generating ocean-wide correlations in paleoceanography. The new concept of age control makes the late Pliocene trends in SST (sea surface temperature) and atmospheric pCO2 at Site 982 more consistent with various paleoclimate trends published from elsewhere in the North Atlantic.

Determining Prehistoric Mining Practices in Southeastern Europe Using Copper Isotopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Powell, Wayne; Mathur, Ryan; Bankoff, H. Arthur; Bulatović, Aleksandar; Filipović, Vojislav

2017-04-01

Copper was first smelted from malachite at 5000 BCE in Serbia. There the Eneolithic (Copper Age) began with the production of small jewelry pieces and progressed to the casting of massive copper tools near its end, approximately 2000 years later. However, copper metallurgy in southeastern Europe ceased or significantly decreased in the later third millennium, several centuries before the Bronze Age began. Whether this metallurgical hiatus was the result a cultural shift or depletion of natural resources remains an ongoing subject of debate. It has been speculated that the marked reduction in metal production at the Eneolithic-Bronze Age transition was due to the exhaustion of surficial weathered oxide ores and the technical inability to smelt the underlying sulfide minerals. The behavior of copper isotopes in near-surface environments allows us to differentiate highly weathered oxide ores that occur at Earth's surface from non-weathered sulfide ores that occur at greater depth. The oxidation of copper generates fluids and associated minerals that are enriched in the 65Cu isotope. Thus, oxidative weathering of sulfide ores leads to the development of three stratified isotopic reservoirs for copper: 1) oxides above the water table that are enriched in 65Cu; 2) residual weathered sulfides minerals at the water table that are depleted in 65Cu; and 3) non-fractionated, non-weathered sulfide ore below the water table. And so, the transformative shift to sulfide-based metallurgy will be delineated by a significant decrease in δ65Cu in copper artifacts corresponding to the first use of 65Cu-depleted residual ore. The degree of variability of primary ore composition from numerable ore deposits would likely result in the overlap of copper isotope composition between populations of artifacts. Therefore, shifts in the mean copper isotope values and associated standard deviations would best reflect changes in ores use. A baseline value of -0.2‰ ±0.5 (1) was determined

Adjusting site index and age to account for genetic effects in yield equations for loblolly pine

Treesearch

Steven A. Knowe; G. Sam Foster

2010-01-01

Nine combinations of site index curves and age adjustments methods were evaluated for incorporating genetic effects for open-pollinated loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) families. An explicit yield system consisting of dominant height, basal area, and merchantable green weight functions was used to compare the accuracy of predictions associated with...

Age- and site-related bone mineral densities in Korean women with a distal radius fracture compared with the reference Korean female population.

PubMed

Lee, Joon Oh; Chung, Moon Sang; Baek, Goo Hyun; Oh, Joo Han; Lee, Young Ho; Gong, Hyun Sik

2010-09-01

To assess age- and site-related bone mineral density (BMD) values in Korean female patients with a distal radius fracture, and to compare them with those of the community-based general Korean female population. For this study, we recruited 54 consecutive Korean women, 50 to 79 years of age, with a distal radius fracture caused by minor trauma. We performed dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans at central sites: the lumbar spine, femoral neck, trochanter, and Ward's triangle, which is a triangular area within the femoral neck. Age- and site-related BMDs were assessed and compared with those of population-based reference data for Korean women. The overall prevalence (defined as meeting the osteoporosis criteria in at least one of the earlier-described measurement areas) of osteoporosis in patients with a distal radius fracture was 57%. The site-related prevalence was 54% at Ward's triangle, 43% at the lumbar spine, 32% at the femoral neck, and 26% at the trochanter, and these values were individually statistically significantly higher than those of the general Korean female population except for the lumbar spine. In patients 50 to 59 and 70 to 79 years of age, patients' mean BMD values at the hip were statistically significantly lower than those of the reference female population of corresponding age groups, but the hip BMD differences were not statistically significant in patients 60 to 69 years of age. There were no statistically significant BMD differences measured at the lumbar spine in any age group. Korean female patients with a distal radius fracture, 50 to 59 and 70 to 79 years of age, had lower BMDs at the hip than the reference Korean female population. However, no statistically significant BMD differences were found in those 60 to 69 years of age. Low BMD may have a greater impact on distal radius fracture in women younger than 60 years of age or over 70 years of age. Considering the young onset of bone loss, patients younger than 60 years of age with a

The Middle Stone Age human fossil record from Klasies River Main Site.

PubMed

Grine, Frederick E; Wurz, Sarah; Marean, Curtis W

2017-02-01

The paleoanthropological significance of Klasies River Main Site derives from its abundant Middle Stone Age (MSA) archaeological debris and the hominin fossils that have featured in discussions about modern human emergence. Despite their significance, the human remains have yet to be contextualized within the spatial, stratigraphic and geochronological framework of the site. We provide an updated overview of the stratigraphy and geochronology of the site, and review the human fossil record in this context. We also provide the first anatomical interpretations of many of the cranial vault fragments. Five hominin specimens derive from the Upper Member and six from the lowermost LBS Member. The vast majority - nearly 40 cataloged specimens - come from the SAS Member; many of these are from a single stratigraphic horizon in a relatively small area in Cave 1. There is a strong cranial bias to the sample; just over 70% of skeletal remains are from the skull. The postcranial skeleton is poorly represented. Excluding the three metatarsals, there are only three long bones in the sample - a clavicle, a proximal radius, and a proximal ulna. Remarkably, humeral, femoral and tibial diaphyses, which are the most durable elements in terms of cortical bone thickness and density, are absent. However, the proportional representation of hominin remains is reminiscent of the "Klasies Pattern" shown by the MSA large bovid skeletal parts. To some degree, this may reflect the excavation and recovery methods that were employed. The vast bulk of the human fossils represent adults. Only three undoubted juvenile individuals are represented - each by a deciduous tooth. This contrasts with other MSA sites along the southern coast of South Africa, where human remains are predominantly juvenile, usually in the form of (possibly exfoliated) deciduous teeth. However, this apparent dissimilarity may also reflect different excavation techniques. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structural and compositional analysis of a casting mold sherd from ancient China.

PubMed

Zong, Yunbing; Yao, Shengkun; Lang, Jianfeng; Chen, Xuexiang; Fan, Jiadong; Sun, Zhibin; Duan, Xiulan; Li, Nannan; Fang, Hui; Zhou, Guangzhao; Xiao, Tiqiao; Li, Aiguo; Jiang, Huaidong

2017-01-01

Casting had symbolic significance and was strictly controlled in the Shang dynasty of ancient China. Vessel casting was mainly distributed around the Shang capital, Yin Ruins, which indicates a rigorous centralization of authority. Thus, for a casting mold to be excavated far from the capital region is rare. In addition to some bronze vessel molds excavated at the Buyao Village site, another key discovery of a bronze vessel mold occurred at Daxinzhuang. The Daxinzhuang site was a core area in the east of Shang state and is an important site to study the eastward expansion of the Shang. Here, combining synchrotron X-rays and other physicochemical analysis methods, nondestructive three-dimensional structure imaging and different elemental analyses were conducted on this mold sherd. Through high penetration X-ray tomography, we obtained insights on the internal structure and discovered some pores. We infer that the generation of pores inside the casting mold sherd was used to enhance air permeability during casting. Furthermore, we suppose that the decorative patterns on the surface were carved and not pasted onto it. Considering the previous compositional studies of bronze vessels, the copper and iron elements were analyzed by different methods. Unexpectedly, a larger amount of iron than of copper was detected on the surface. According to the data analysis and archaeological context, the source of iron on the casting mold sherd could be attributed to local soil contamination. A refined compositional analysis confirms that this casting mold was fabricated locally and used for bronze casting.

Structural and compositional analysis of a casting mold sherd from ancient China

PubMed Central

Zong, Yunbing; Yao, Shengkun; Lang, Jianfeng; Chen, Xuexiang; Fan, Jiadong; Sun, Zhibin; Duan, Xiulan; Li, Nannan; Fang, Hui; Zhou, Guangzhao; Xiao, Tiqiao; Li, Aiguo; Jiang, Huaidong

2017-01-01

Casting had symbolic significance and was strictly controlled in the Shang dynasty of ancient China. Vessel casting was mainly distributed around the Shang capital, Yin Ruins, which indicates a rigorous centralization of authority. Thus, for a casting mold to be excavated far from the capital region is rare. In addition to some bronze vessel molds excavated at the Buyao Village site, another key discovery of a bronze vessel mold occurred at Daxinzhuang. The Daxinzhuang site was a core area in the east of Shang state and is an important site to study the eastward expansion of the Shang. Here, combining synchrotron X-rays and other physicochemical analysis methods, nondestructive three-dimensional structure imaging and different elemental analyses were conducted on this mold sherd. Through high penetration X-ray tomography, we obtained insights on the internal structure and discovered some pores. We infer that the generation of pores inside the casting mold sherd was used to enhance air permeability during casting. Furthermore, we suppose that the decorative patterns on the surface were carved and not pasted onto it. Considering the previous compositional studies of bronze vessels, the copper and iron elements were analyzed by different methods. Unexpectedly, a larger amount of iron than of copper was detected on the surface. According to the data analysis and archaeological context, the source of iron on the casting mold sherd could be attributed to local soil contamination. A refined compositional analysis confirms that this casting mold was fabricated locally and used for bronze casting. PMID:28296963

Age trends in Douglas-fir genetic parameters and implications for optimum selection age.

Treesearch

G.R. Johnson; R.A. Sniezko; N.L. Mandel

1997-01-01

rends in genetic variation were examined over 51 progeny test sites throughout western Oregon. Narrow sense heritabilities for height and diameter showed an increasing trend to age 25, the oldest age examined. Before age 10, height heritabilities were relatively unstable. Type B site-site genetic correlations increased slowly with age for height and remained relatively...

A Critical Evaluation of Ground-Penetrating Radar Methodology on the Kalavasos and Maroni Built Environments (KAMBE) Project, Cyprus (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leon, J.; Urban, T.; Gerard-Little, P.; Kearns, C.; Manning, S. W.; Fisher, K.; Rogers, M.

2013-12-01

The Kalavasos and Maroni Built Environments (KAMBE) Project is a multi-year investigation of the urban fabric and architectural organization of two Late Bronze Age (c. 1650-1100 BCE) polities on Cyprus. The Late Bronze Age (known also as the Late Cypriot period on Cyprus) is characterized by the emergence of a number of large, urban settlements on the island. The amalgamation of large populations at centralized sites coincides with contemporary social, economic and political changes, including a growing disparity in funerary goods, an increased emphasis on metallurgy (specifically copper mining and smelting for the production of bronze), and the construction of monumental buildings. The initial phase of the project centered on geophysical survey at two archaeological sites in adjacent river valleys in south-central Cyprus: Kalavasos-Ayios Dhimitrios and the Maroni settlement cluster [1]. These sites are thought to be two of the earliest 'urban' settlements on the island and provide a unique opportunity to explore how urban space was instrumental in the development of social and political complexity during this transformative period. The formation of these Late Bronze Age urban landscapes is, we argue, not simply the result of this emerging social complexity, but is instead an key tool in the creation and maintenance of societal boundaries. Indeed, the process of 'place-making'--the dynamic creation of socially meaningful spaces, likely by elites--may well have been one of the most effective arenas that elites used to re-enforce the growing socio-political disparity. The KAMBE Project investigates the layout and organization of these new 'urban' spaces to better understand how built-space impacted social developments. Geophysical survey methods are ideal for large-scale data collection both to identify potential areas for targeted archaeological excavation, and to provide proxy data for architectural plans that allow us to comment on the nature of the urban fabric

40Ar 39Ar age constraints on neogene sedimentary beds, Upper Ramparts, half-way Pillar and Canyon village sites, Porcupine river, east-central Alaska

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kunk, Michael J.; Rieck, H.; Fouch, T.D.; Carter, L.D.

1994-01-01

40Ar 39Ar ages of volcanic rocks are used to provide numerical constraints on the age of middle and upper Miocene sedimentary strata collected along the Porcupine River. Intercalated sedimentary rocks north of latitude 67??10???N in the Porcupine terrane of east-central Alaska contain a rich record of plant fossils. The fossils are valuable indicators of this interior region's paleoclimate during the time of their deposition. Integration of the 40Ar 39Ar results with paleomagnetic and sedimentological data allows for refinements in estimating the timing of deposition and duration of selected sedimentary intervals. 40Ar 39Ar plateau age spectra, from whole rock basalt samples, collected along the Upper Ramparts and near Half-way Pillar on the Porcupine River, range from 15.7 ?? 0.1 Ma at site 90-6 to 14.4 ?? 0.1 Ma at site 90-2. With exception of the youngest basalt flow at site 90-2, all of the samples are of reversed magnetic polarity, and all 40Ar 39Ar age spectrum results are consistent with the deposition of the entire stratigraphic section during a single interval of reversed magnetic polarity. The youngest flow at site 90-2 was emplaced during an interval of normal polarity. With age, paleomagnetic and sedimentological data, the ages of the Middle Miocene sedimentary rocks between the basalt flows at sites 90-1 and 90-2 can be assigned to an interval within the limits of analytical precision of 15.2 ?? 0.1 Ma; thus, the sediments were deposited during the peak of the Middle Miocene thermal maximum. Sediments in the upper parts of sites 90-1 and 90-2 were probably deposited during cooling from the Middle Miocene thermal maximum. 40Ar 39Ar results of plagioclase and biotite from a single tephra, collected at sites 90-7 and 90-8 along the Canyon Village section of the Porcupine River, indicate an age of 6.57 ?? 0.02 Ma for its time of eruption and deposition. These results, together with sedimentological and paleomagnetic data, suggest that all of the Upper

Minoan and Mycenaean medicine and its Near Eastern contacts.

PubMed

Arnott, R

2004-01-01

Few scholars of ancient medicine have considered that Hippocratic practice may be based in part upon the experience and tradition, handed-down from generation to generation, starting before the end of the Bronze Age in 1100 BC. This paper examines the evidence for medical practitioners in the Aegean in the second millennium BC, and of medical contacts between the Aegean and contemporary bronze age societies of Egypt and the Near East at this time, and suggests that some of these contacts may have been the start of Near Eastern influence on Greek medicine.

Late Pliocene age control and composite depths at ODP Site 982, revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Khélifi, N.; Sarnthein, M.; Naafs, B. D. A.

2011-05-01

Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 982 provided a key sediment section at Rockall Plateau for reconstructing northeast Atlantic paleoceanography and monitoring benthic δ18O stratigraphy over the Late Pliocene to Quaternary onset of major Northern Hemisphere Glaciation. A renewed hole-specific inspection of magnetostratigraphic events and the addition of epibenthic δ18O records for short Pliocene sections in holes 982A, B, and C, crossing core breaks in the δ18O record published for Hole 982B, now imply a major revision of composite core depths. After tuning to the orbitally tuned reference record LR04 the new composite δ18O record results in a hiatus, where the Kaena magnetic event might been lost, and in a significant age reduction for all proxy records by 130 to 20 ka over the time span 3.2-2.7 million yr ago (Ma). Our study demonstrates the significance of reliable composite-depth scales and δ18O stratigraphies in ODP sediment records for ocean-wide correlations in paleoceanography and makes Late Pliocene trends found at Site 982 much better comparable to those published from elsewhere in the North Atlantic.

Foraging behaviour in tadpoles of the bronze frog Rana temporalis: experimental evidence for the ideal free distribution.

PubMed

Veeranagoudar, Dheeraj K; Shanbhag, Bhagyashri A; Saidapur, Srinivas K

2004-06-01

The ability of bronze frog Rana temporalis tadpoles (pure or mixed parental lines) to assess the profitability of food habitats and distribute themselves accordingly was tested experimentally using a rectangular choice tank with a non- continuous input design. Food (boiled spinach) was placed at two opposite ends of the choice tank in a desired ratio (1 : 1, 1 : 2 or 1 : 4) to create habitat A and B. The tadpoles in Gosner stage 28-33, pre-starved for 24 h, were introduced in an open ended mesh cylinder placed in the center of the choice tank, held for 4 min (for acclimation) and then released to allow free movement and habitat selection. The number of tadpoles foraging at each habitat was recorded at 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 min time intervals. The actual suitability, Si (the food available in a habitat after colonization of tadpoles) of each habitat was obtained from the equation Si = Bi - fi (di) where Bi is basic suitability (amount of food provided at each habitat before release of tadpoles), fi is the rate of depletion of food (lowering effect) with introduction of each tadpole, and di is the density of tadpoles in habitat i. The expected number of tadpoles at each habitat was derived from the actual suitability. With no food in the choice tank, movement of the tadpoles in the test arena was random indicating no bias towards any end of the choice tank or the procedure. In tests with a 1 : 1 food ratio, the observed ratio of tadpoles (11.71 : 12.28) was comparable with the expected 12 : 12 ratio. The observed number of tadpoles in the habitats with a 1 : 2 food ratio was 8.71 : 15.29 and 7.87 : 16.13 for pure and mixed parental lines respectively. In both cases, the observed ratios were close to the expected values (7 : 17). Likewise, in experiments with a 1 : 4 food ratio, the observed number of tadpoles in the two habitats (10.78 : 37.22) did not differ significantly from the expected ratio of 7 : 41. In all tests, the number of R. temporalis tadpoles matched

Healing and medicine in the Aegean Bronze Age.

PubMed

Arnott, R

1996-05-01

Since the discovery of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations of Crete and Greek mainland, a systematic understanding has been gained of their material culture and social structures. Nevertheless, because of the absence of textual and pictorial evidence of medicine of the kind which exists in the contemporary societies of Egypt and the Near East, little work has been produced on the subject of disease and the practice of medicine in the period. However, new pathological evidence throws much light on this hitherto largely unknown aspect of their civilization.

Healing and medicine in the Aegean Bronze Age.

PubMed Central

Arnott, R

1996-01-01

Since the discovery of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations of Crete and Greek mainland, a systematic understanding has been gained of their material culture and social structures. Nevertheless, because of the absence of textual and pictorial evidence of medicine of the kind which exists in the contemporary societies of Egypt and the Near East, little work has been produced on the subject of disease and the practice of medicine in the period. However, new pathological evidence throws much light on this hitherto largely unknown aspect of their civilization. Images Figure 1 PMID:8778434

Impact of copper substitution on the structural, ferroelectric and magnetic properties of tungsten bronze ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jindal, Shilpi; Devi, Sheela; Batoo, Khalid Mujasam; Kumar, Gagan; Vasishth, Ajay

2018-05-01

The copper substituted tungsten bronze ceramics with generic formula Ba5CaCuXTi2-xNb8O30(x = 0.0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06 and 0.08) were successfully synthesized for the first time by solid state reaction method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDAX) were utilized to examine the different structural parameters and elemental compositions. XRD study depicted the single phase tetragonal structure having space group P4bm. The crystallite size was observed to be in the range 14.4-30.23 nm. The coexistent of ferroelectricity and magnetism was established by P-E and M-H measurements. The P-E loop study indicated an increase in the coercive field (11.805-23.736 kVcm-1) while the M-H study depicted adecrease in the magnetization (7.65 × 10-4-5.32 × 10-4 emu/g) with the incorporation of Cu2+ ions. Raman spectrum depicted that there is shift in the position of Raman modes with the substitution of copper which revealed one-mode behavior in the synthesized ceramics.

Chemical corrosion by chlorides on ancient-like bronzes and treatment by hydrogen glow discharge plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papadopoulou, O.; Novakovic, J.; Vassiliou, P.; Filippaki, E.; Bassiakos, Y.

2013-12-01

Three representative ancient-like bronzes are employed for the chemical synthesis of Cu2(OH)3Cl rich patinas in order to study the influence of the alloying elements in the evolution of the chloride attack and to further conduct stabilization treatment via Hydrogen Glow Discharge Plasma (HGDP) at low temperature and pressure. The corrosion behavior of specimens having Sn and Pb as main alloying elements is governed by a decuprification mechanism and by the formation of Sn-Pb-O enriched barrier layers. In the case of the Zn containing alloy, dezincification is more pronounced at the corrosion initial stages, and copper species predominate the corrosion products evolution. A three-hour HGDP treatment leads to Cu+ production and metallic Cu, Sn, Zn, and Pb redeposition, as a result of metal cation reduction. This process is accompanied by partial removal of Cl species, O diminution, and change in coloration. The further increase of the Cl/O atomic ratio measured on the post-treated surfaces leads to the formation of nantokite and thus to the conclusion that the stabilization of objects with extensive Cl attack is not feasible by HGDP without preliminary chemical treatment.

Auger electron spectroscopy for the determination of sex and age related Ca/P ratio at different bone sites

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

Balatsoukas, Ioannis; Kourkoumelis, Nikolaos; Tzaphlidou, Margaret

The Ca/P ratio of normal cortical and trabecular rat bone was measured by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). Semiquantitative analysis was carried out using ratio techniques to draw conclusions on how age, sex and bone site affect the relative composition of calcium and phosphorus. Results show that Ca/P ratio is not sex dependent; quite the opposite, bone sites exhibit variations in elemental stoichiometry where femoral sections demonstrate higher Ca/P ratio than rear and front tibias. Age-related changes are more distinct for cortical bone in comparison with the trabecular bone. The latter's Ca/P ratio remains unaffected from all the parameters under study.more » This study confirms that AES is able to successfully quantify bone mineral main elements when certain critical points, related to the experimental conditions, are addressed effectively.« less

Magneto-vibratory separation of glass and bronze granular mixtures immersed in a paramagnetic liquid.

PubMed

López-Alcaraz, P; Catherall, A T; Hill, R J A; Leaper, M C; Swift, Michael R; King, P J

2007-10-01

A fluid-immersed granular mixture may spontaneously separate when subjected to vertical vibration, separation occurring when the ratio of particle inertia to fluid drag is sufficiently different between the component species of the mixture. Here, we describe how fluid-driven separation is influenced by magneto-Archimedes buoyancy, the additional buoyancy force experienced by a body immersed in a paramagnetic fluid when a strong inhomogeneous magnetic field is applied. In our experiments glass and bronze mixtures immersed in paramagnetic aqueous solutions of MnCl2 have been subjected to sinusoidal vertical vibration. In the absence of a magnetic field the separation is similar to that observed when the interstitial fluid is water. However, at modest applied magnetic fields, magneto-Archimedes buoyancy may balance the inertia/fluid-drag separation mechanism, or it may dominate the separation process. We identify the vibratory and magnetic conditions for four granular configurations, each having distinctive granular convection. Abrupt transitions between these states occur at well-defined values of the magnetic and vibrational parameters. In order to gain insight into the dynamics of the separation process we use computer simulations based on solutions of the Navier-Stokes' equations. The simulations reproduce the experimental results revealing the important role of convection and gap formation in the stability of the different states.

Later Age at Onset of Independent Walking Is Associated With Lower Bone Strength at Fracture-Prone Sites in Older Men.

PubMed

Ireland, Alex; Muthuri, Stella; Rittweger, Joern; Adams, Judith E; Ward, Kate A; Kuh, Diana; Cooper, Rachel

2017-06-01

Later age at onset of independent walking is associated with lower leg bone strength in childhood and adolescence. However, it is unknown whether these associations persist into older age or whether they are evident at axial (central) or upper limb sites. Therefore, we examined walking age obtained at age 2 years and bone outcomes obtained by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and peripheral quantitative computed tomography (pQCT) scans at ages 60 to 64 years in a nationally representative cohort study of British people, the MRC National Survey of Health and Development. It was hypothesized that later walking age would be associated with lower bone strength at all sites. Later independent walking age was associated with lower height-adjusted hip (standardized regression coefficients with 95% confidence interval [CI] -0.179 [-0.251 to -0.107]), spine (-0.157 [-0.232 to -0.082]), and distal radius (-0.159 [-0.245 to -0.073]) bone mineral content (BMC, indicating bone compressive strength) in men (all p < 0.001). Adjustment for covariates partially attenuated these associations, primarily because of lower lean mass and adolescent sporting ability in later walkers. These associations were also evident for a number of hip geometric parameters (including cross-sectional moment of inertia [CSMI], indicating bone bending/torsional strength) assessed by hip structural analysis (HSA) from DXA scans. Similar height-adjusted associations were also observed in women for several hip, spine, and upper limb outcomes, although adjustment for fat or lean mass led to complete attenuation for most outcomes, with the exception of femoral shaft CSMI and spine bone area (BA). In conclusion, later independent walking age appears to have a lifelong association with bone strength across multiple skeletal sites in men. These effects may result from direct effects of early life loading on bone growth and mediation by adult body composition. Results suggest that late walking age may

Geoarchaeology and aggradation around Kinet Höyük, an archaeological mound in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beach, Timothy P.; Luzzadder-Beach, Sheryl

2008-10-01

We examined the alluvial history of the plain near Kinet Höyük, an archaeological mound (or Tell) with a sequence of six millennia of occupation on the southeast Mediterranean coast of Turkey, through 17 excavations over a 1000 m transect near the Mound. Excavations ranged from 2 to 6 m deep and up to 20 m across. This low gradient, alluvial plain shows significantly different rates and processes of near-Mound sedimentation, with one unit having nearly 4 m of Late Bronze Age habitation and flood deposits and another having 4 m of Hellenistic channel and floodplain deposition. This flat, alluvial surface turns out to be a rich geoarchaeological landscape that shrouds Early and Late Bronze Age settlements, Hellenistic walls, and two epochs of Roman Roads. One widespread phenomenon was a Hellenistic or earlier paleosol and occupation level covered by channel gravels and overbank deposits mostly from the Hellenistic to the Late Roman period. These channel and floodplain deposits filled in and flattened out the off-Mound settlements, blanketing the Pre-Hellenistic topography and silting in a long active port. This glut of alluvium correlates in time with drier conditions and the most intensive land uses in the watershed, where Roman and Hellenistic sites today are severely eroded.

Physiological characteristics of an aging Olympic athlete.

PubMed

Nybo, Lars; Schmidt, Jakob F; Fritzdorf, Stephen; Nordsborg, Nikolai B

2014-11-01

To investigate the physiological basis of continued world-class performance of a world-class rower who won medals (three gold and two bronze) at five consecutive Olympic Games. From the age of 19 to 40 yr, maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max), peak HR, blood lactate, and rowing ergometer performance were assessed annually. During the first years of his elite career (from age 19 to 24), VO2 max increased from 5.5 to approximately 5.9 L · min(-1) (78 mL · min(-1) · kg(-1)) and his average power during 6-min maximal rowing increased from 420 to approximately 460 W. Although his HRmax declined by approximately 20 bpm during the 20-yr period, maximal aerobic power, evaluated both as VO2 max and 6-min test performance, was maintained until the age of 40. Furthermore, peak lactate levels remained unchanged and average power outputs during 10-s, 60-s, and 60-min ergometer tests were all maintained at approximately 800 W, approximately 700 W, and approximately 350 W, respectively, indicating that he was able to preserve both aerobic and anaerobic exercise performances. Echocardiographic analyses revealed a left ventricular mass of 198 g and left ventricular end-diastolic diameter of 5.8 cm. This longitudinal case indicates that until the age of 40 yr, a steady increase in the oxygen pulse may have compensated for the significant decline in the maximal heart frequency. Furthermore, the maintenance of aerobic and anaerobic exercise capacities allowed this Olympic athlete to compete at the highest level for almost two decades.

Height growth and site index curves for managed even-aged stands of ponderosa pine in the Pacific Northwest

Treesearch

James W. Barrett

1978-01-01

This paper presents height growth and site index curves and equations for even-aged, managed stands of ponderosa pine east of the Cascade Range in Oregon and Washington where height growth has not been suppressed by high density or related factors.

Nitrogen removal pathway of anaerobic ammonium oxidation in on-site aged refuse bioreactor.

PubMed

Wang, Chao; Zhao, Youcai; Xie, Bing; Peng, Qing; Hassan, Muhammad; Wang, Xiaoyuan

2014-05-01

The nitrogen removal pathways and nitrogen-related functional genes in on-site three-stage aged refuse bioreactor (ARB) treating landfill leachate were investigated. It was found that on average 90.0% of CODCr, 97.6% of BOD5, 99.3% of NH4(+)-N, and 81.0% of TN were removed with initial CODCr, BOD5, NH4(+)-N, and TN concentrations ranging from 2323 to 2754, 277 to 362, 1237 to 1506, and 1251 to 1580 mg/L, respectively. Meanwhile, the functional genes amoA, nirS and anammox 16S rRNA gene were found to coexist in every bioreactor, and their relative proportions in each bioreactor were closely related to the pollutant removal performance of the corresponding bioreactor, which indicated the coexistence of multiple nitrogen removal pathways in the ARB. Detection of anammox expression proved the presence of the anammox nitrogen removal pathway during the process of recirculating mature leachate to the on-site ARB, which provides important information for nitrogen management in landfills. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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

PubMed

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

2011-01-01

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

The Effect of ZrO₂ Nanoparticles on the Microstructure and Properties of Sintered WC-Bronze-Based Diamond Composites.

PubMed

Sun, Youhong; Wu, Haidong; Li, Meng; Meng, Qingnan; Gao, Ke; Lü, Xiaoshu; Liu, Baochang

2016-05-06

Metal matrix-impregnated diamond composites are widely used in diamond tool manufacturing. In order to satisfy the increasing engineering requirements, researchers have paid more and more attention to enhancing conventional metal matrices by applying novel methods. In this work, ZrO₂ nanoparticles were introduced into the WC-bronze matrix with and without diamond grits via hot pressing to improve the performance of conventional diamond composites. The effects of ZrO₂ nanoparticles on the microstructure, density, hardness, bending strength, and wear resistance of diamond composites were investigated. The results indicated that the hardness and relative density increased, while the bending strength decreased when the content of ZrO₂ nanoparticles increased. The grinding ratio of diamond composites increased significantly by 60% as a result of nano-ZrO₂ addition. The enhancement mechanism was discussed. Diamond composites showed the best overall properties with the addition of 1 wt % ZrO₂ nanoparticles, thus paving the way for further applications.

Prevalence and Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years--Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2012.

PubMed

Christensen, Deborah L; Baio, Jon; Van Naarden Braun, Kim; Bilder, Deborah; Charles, Jane; Constantino, John N; Daniels, Julie; Durkin, Maureen S; Fitzgerald, Robert T; Kurzius-Spencer, Margaret; Lee, Li-Ching; Pettygrove, Sydney; Robinson, Cordelia; Schulz, Eldon; Wells, Chris; Wingate, Martha S; Zahorodny, Walter; Yeargin-Allsopp, Marshalyn

2016-04-01

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 2012. The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network is an active surveillance system that provides estimates of the prevalence and characteristics of ASD among children aged 8 years whose parents or guardians reside in 11 ADDM Network sites in the United States (Arkansas, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, South Carolina, Utah, and Wisconsin). Surveillance to determine ASD case status is conducted in two phases. The first phase consists of screening and abstracting comprehensive evaluations performed by professional service providers in the community. Data sources identified for record review are categorized as either 1) education source type, including developmental evaluations to determine eligibility for special education services or 2) health care source type, including diagnostic and developmental evaluations. The second phase involves the review of all abstracted evaluations by trained clinicians to determine ASD surveillance case status. A child meets the surveillance case definition for ASD if one or more comprehensive evaluations of that child completed by a qualified professional describes behaviors that are consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision diagnostic criteria for any of the following conditions: autistic disorder, pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (including atypical autism), or Asperger disorder. This report provides ASD prevalence estimates for children aged 8 years living in catchment areas of the ADDM Network sites in 2012, overall and stratified by sex, race/ethnicity, and the type of source records (education and health records versus health records only). In addition, this report describes the proportion of children with ASD with a score consistent with intellectual disability on a standardized intellectual ability test, the age at which the earliest known

How much related to skin wrinkles between facial and body site? Age-related changes in skin wrinkle on the knee assessed by skin bioengineering techniques.

PubMed

Yoo, M A; Seo, Y K; Shin, M K; Koh, J S

2016-02-01

Skin aging has been focused the wrinkle on the face than on the body, so most studies have been studied the change in Crow's feet for ages. Only little is known about the age-dependent changes of wrinkles on body sites. The aim of this study was to establish new grading criteria for severity of wrinkles on knees and to investigate the relationship of wrinkle severity with age- and site-dependent. The skin on the knee of 38 healthy Korean female volunteers, divided into two groups young and old, were photographed. Standard photograph for body wrinkle was established (grade 0~7), and then visual assessment, skin wrinkle, and skin elasticity were evaluated on Crow's feet and the knee. We examined for any significant differences and the correlation of skin aging parameters with age and two different sites. Skin wrinkle severity with standard photograph and wrinkle parameters (Ra, Rmax, Rz, and Rv) had a significantly positive correlation with age-dependent on the knee (P < 0.001). Also, skin elastic parameters (R2, R5, R6, R7, and Q1) showed a significant negative correlation with age on the knee (P < 0.001). Skin wrinkle severity with standard photograph was highly correlated with all skin wrinkle parameters and skin elastic parameters (R2, R5, R7, and Q1) on the knee (P < 0.001). In addition, all the skin aging parameters on the knee were significantly correlated with Crow's feet (P < 0.01). Skin aging on the knee had the same tendency as the Crow's feet. This study has shown the new grading criteria of wrinkles on the knee. Skin wrinkle and elasticity on the knee are age-dependent related and aging on the knee is highly related to Crow's feet. Those parameters are using a quantitative method to evaluate body aging. Also, the knee is considered that it could be a suitable site to evaluate body aging. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Mineral resource of the month: tin

USGS Publications Warehouse

Carlin, James F.

2011-01-01

Tin was one of the earliest-known metals. Because of its hardening effect on copper, tin was used in bronze implements as early as 3500 B.C. Bronze, a copper-tin alloy that can be sharpened and is hard enough to retain a cutting edge, was used during the Bronze Age in construction tools as well as weapons for hunting and war. The geographical separation between tin-producing and tin-consuming nations greatly influenced the patterns of early trade routes. Historians think that as early as 1500 B.C., Phoenicians traveled by sea to the Cornwall district of England to obtain tin. The pure metal was not used unalloyed until about 600 B.C.

Age structure and age-related performance of sulfur cinquefoil (Potentilla recta).

Treesearch

Dana L. Perkins; Catherine G. Parks; Kathleen A. Dwire; Bryan A. Endress; Kelsi L. Johnson

2006-01-01

Age distributions of sulfur cinquefoil populations were determined on sites that were historically grazed, cultivated, and mechanically disturbed. From 12 sites, a total of 279 reproductively active plants were collected and aged by using herbchronology (counting rings in the secondary root xylem of the root crown) to (1) estimate the age structure of the populations...

Effects of Mo-doping on microstructure and near-infrared shielding performance of hydrothermally prepared tungsten bronzes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Qingjuan; Li, Can; Xu, Wenai; Zhao, Xiaolin; Zhu, Jingxin; Jiang, Haiwei; Kang, Litao; Zhao, Zhe

2017-03-01

Both Mo and W belong to VIB-sub-group, and possess similar ionic radii, electronegativity and oxide lattice configuration. Herein, Mo-doped (0-80 at.%) tungsten bronzes, MxWO3, were hydrothermally prepared to systematically explore the influence of Mo-doping on their micro-structure and optical performance. The products adopted a hexagonal structure within 6 at.% Mo-doping, and transformed into a monoclinic phase with higher Mo-doping content. Further tests suggested that 1.5 at.% Mo-doping is beneficial for the formation of pure hexagonal phase and uniform nano-rod morphology. Optical measures showed that all samples exhibited high and comparable visible transmittance (70-80%), but a very different near infrared (NIR) shielding ability. The sample doped with 1.5 at.% Mo demonstrated the best NIR shielding ability with a transmittance minimum of 20% at 1300 nm. Further increase of Mo-doping dosage remarkably deteriorated NIR shielding ability by depressing the absorption of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR). However, the optical absorption from small-polaron was less influenced by the introduction of Mo. As a result, Mo-doping caused an evident blue shift of the infrared absorption peaks from 1350 to 750 nm.

Laparoendoscopic single-site urologic surgery in children less than 5 years of age.

PubMed

Ganpule, Arvind; Sheladiya, Chetan; Mishra, Shashikant; Sabnis, Ravindra; Desai, Mahesh

2013-08-01

We report our experience with laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) urological procedures in children less than 5 years of age. Ten patients (11 procedures) underwent LESS through the umbilicus. Seven patients underwent nephrectomy and three patients underwent pyeloplasty (one simultaneous bilateral). R-port port (Advanced Surgical Concepts, Ireland) was used in nine cases, in one case, the Gelpoint access port (Applied Medical, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA, USA) was used. The Olympus Endoeye camera with coaxial light cable was used. The hilum was secured in all cases with Hem-o-Lok clips (Teleflex Medical, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA) except in one case in which an Endo GIA stapler (Covidien Surgical, Norwalk, CT, USA) was used. All procedures were technically successful. Accessory port (3 mm) was used in 3 patients. Mean age in nephrectomized patients was 3.14±1.7 years, the mean operative room time (ORT) was 97.5±12.54 minutes. In the pyeloplasty group, mean ORT was 192±47.16 minutes and mean age was 2.43±2.3 years. Bilateral pyeloplasty was done in a 4-month-old infant. The ORT in this case was 180 minutes. A follow-up renogram done in the pyeloplasty patients (n=2) showed good drainage. Mean length of stay was 3.6 days (range, 3 to 6 days).The analgesic requirement was 23.86 mg (range, 12.5 to 50 mg) of diclofenac sodium. LESS is technically feasible in patients as young as 4 months of age. It has the potential to offer better cosmesis. This needs to be proved in further comparative studies. Development of miniature instruments will further the growth of LESS in this age group.

Destructive versus non-destructive methods for geochemical analyses of ceramic artifacts: comparison of portable XRF and ICP-MS data on Bronze Age ceramics from Failaka Island (Kuwait) and Bahrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stremtan, Ciprian; Ashkanani, Hasan; Tykot, Robert H.

2013-04-01

The study of bi-phase (i.e. matrix and clasts) geochemical composition of ceramic artifacts is a very powerful tool in fingerprinting the raw materials used by ancient manufacturers (clay sources, tempering materials, coloring agents, etc.), as well as in understanding the physical parameters of the manufacturing techniques. Reliable datasets often require the deployment of destructive techniques that will irremediably damage the artifact. Recent advances in portable X-ray fluorescence instrumentation (pXRF) allow for quick measurements of a range of chemical elements that not too long ago were available only through complicated and often destructive means of analytical chemistry (instrumental neutron activation analysis - INAA, inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry - ICP-MS, direct coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy - DCP-OES etc.). In this contribution we present a comparison of datasets acquired by means of pXRF, DCP-OES, and ICP-MS on Bronze Age ceramics from Failaka Island (Kuwait) and Bahrain. The samples chosen for this study are fine grained, with very well sorted mineral components, and lack any visible organic material fragments. The sample preparation for ICP-MS and DCP-OES analyses was carried out on powdered samples, by using LiBO2 flux fusion and Ge (for the DCP-OES) and In (for ICP-MS) were used as internal standards. The measurements were calibrated against certified reference materials ranging from shales to rhyolites (SGR-1, SDo-1, JA-2, and JR-1) and performed at Univerity of South Florida's Center for Geochemical Analyses. The analytical errors for major elements was smaller than 5 %, while for selected trace elements the error was usually smaller than 3 %. The same set of elements was measured on the same samples at University of South Florida's Anthropology Department using a pXRF device equipped with obsidian filter. Each sample was measured three times and the values were averaged. Two certified reference materials (NIST-612

The Effect of ZrO2 Nanoparticles on the Microstructure and Properties of Sintered WC–Bronze-Based Diamond Composites

PubMed Central

Sun, Youhong; Wu, Haidong; Li, Meng; Meng, Qingnan; Gao, Ke; Lü, Xiaoshu; Liu, Baochang

2016-01-01

Metal matrix-impregnated diamond composites are widely used in diamond tool manufacturing. In order to satisfy the increasing engineering requirements, researchers have paid more and more attention to enhancing conventional metal matrices by applying novel methods. In this work, ZrO2 nanoparticles were introduced into the WC–bronze matrix with and without diamond grits via hot pressing to improve the performance of conventional diamond composites. The effects of ZrO2 nanoparticles on the microstructure, density, hardness, bending strength, and wear resistance of diamond composites were investigated. The results indicated that the hardness and relative density increased, while the bending strength decreased when the content of ZrO2 nanoparticles increased. The grinding ratio of diamond composites increased significantly by 60% as a result of nano-ZrO2 addition. The enhancement mechanism was discussed. Diamond composites showed the best overall properties with the addition of 1 wt % ZrO2 nanoparticles, thus paving the way for further applications. PMID:28773469

The earliest long-distance obsidian transport: Evidence from the ∼200 ka Middle Stone Age Sibilo School Road Site, Baringo, Kenya.

PubMed

Blegen, Nick

2017-02-01

This study presents the earliest evidence of long-distance obsidian transport at the ∼200 ka Sibilo School Road Site (SSRS), an early Middle Stone Age site in the Kapthurin Formation, Kenya. The later Middle Pleistocene of East Africa (130-400 ka) spans significant and interrelated behavioral and biological changes in human evolution including the first appearance of Homo sapiens. Despite the importance of the later Middle Pleistocene, there are relatively few archaeological sites in well-dated contexts (n < 10) that document hominin behavior from this time period. In particular, geochemically informed evidence of long-distance obsidian transport, important for investigating expansion of intergroup interactions in hominin evolution, is rare from the Middle Pleistocene record of Africa. The SSRS offers a unique contribution to this small but growing dataset. Tephrostratigraphic analysis of tuffs encasing the SSRS provides a minimum age of ∼200 ka for the site. Levallois points and methods of core preparation demonstrate characteristic Middle Stone Age lithic technologies present at the SSRS. A significant portion (43%) of the lithic assemblage is obsidian. The SSRS obsidian comes from three different sources located at distances of 25 km, 140 km and 166 km from the site. The majority of obsidian derives from the farthest source, 166 km to the south of the site. The SSRS thus provides important new evidence that long-distance raw material transport, and the expansion of hominin intergroup interactions that this entails, was a significant feature of hominin behavior ∼200 ka, the time of the first appearance of H. sapiens, and ∼150,000 years before similar behaviors were previously documented in the region. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

78 FR 52984 - Stone Age Interiors, Inc.; d/b/a Colorado Springs Marble and Granite Including On-Site Leased...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-08-27

... the production of finished stone fabrication products. The workers are not separately identifiable by product line. The subject worker group includes on-site leased workers from Express Employment... articles like or directly competitive with the finished stone fabrication products produced by Stone Age...

Accelerated aging in adults with knee osteoarthritis pain: consideration for frequency, intensity, time, and total pain sites

PubMed Central

Sibille, Kimberly T.; Chen, Huaihou; Bartley, Emily J.; Riley, Joseph; Glover, Toni L.; King, Christopher D.; Zhang, Hang; Cruz-Almeida, Yenisel; Goodin, Burel R.; Sotolongo, Adriana; Petrov, Megan E.; Herbert, Matthew; Bulls, Hailey W.; Edberg, Jeffrey C.; Staud, Roland; Redden, David; Bradley, Laurence A.; Fillingim, Roger B.

2017-01-01

Abstract Introduction: Individuals with osteoarthritis (OA) show increased morbidity and mortality. Telomere length, a measure of cellular aging, predicts increased morbidity and mortality. Telomeres shorten with persisting biological and psychosocial stress. Living with chronic OA pain is stressful. Previous research exploring telomere length in people with OA has produced inconsistent results. Considering pain severity may clarify the relationship between OA and telomeres. Objectives: We hypothesized that individuals with high OA chronic pain severity would have shorter telomeres than those with no or low chronic pain severity. Methods: One hundred thirty-six adults, ages 45 to 85 years old, with and without symptomatic knee OA were included in the analysis. Peripheral blood leukocyte telomere length was measured, and demographic, clinical, and functional data were collected. Participants were categorized into 5 pain severity groups based on an additive index of frequency, intensity, time or duration, and total number of pain sites (FITT). Covariates included age, sex, race or ethnicity, study site, and knee pain status. Results: The no or low chronic pain severity group had significantly longer telomeres compared with the high pain severity group, P = 0.025. A significant chronic pain severity dose response emerged for telomere length, P = 0.034. The FITT chronic pain severity index was highly correlated with the clinical and functional OA pain measures. However, individual clinical and functional measures were not associated with telomere length. Conclusion: Results demonstrate accelerated cellular aging with high knee OA chronic pain severity and provide evidence for the potential utility of the FITT chronic pain severity index in capturing the biological burden of chronic pain. PMID:29392207

Ground-water age and atmospheric tracers: Simulation studies and analysis of field data from the Mirror Lake site, New Hampshire

USGS Publications Warehouse

Goode, Daniel J.

1998-01-01

The use of environmental tracers in characterization of ground-water systems is investigated through mathematical modeling of ground-water age and atmospheric tracer transport, and by a field study at the Mirror Lake site, New Hampshire. Theory is presented for modeling ground-water age using the advective-dispersive transport equation. The transport equation includes a zero-order source of unit strength, corresponding to the rate of aging, and can accommodate matrix diffusion and other exchange processes. The effect of temperature fluctuations and layered soils on transport of atmospheric gases to the water table is investigated using a one-dimensional numerical model of chlorofluorocarbon (CFC-11) transport. The nonlinear relation between temperature and Henry's Law coefficient (reflecting air/water phase partitioning) can cause the apparent recharge temperature to be elevated above the annual mean temperature where the water table is shallow. In addition, fine-grained soils can isolate the air phase in the unsaturated zone from the atmosphere. At the USGS' Mirror Lake, New Hampshire fractured-rock research site CFC concentrations near the water table are depleted where dissolved oxygen is low. CFC-11 and CFC-113 are completely absent under anaerobic conditions, while CFC-12 is as low as one-third of modern concentrations. Anaerobic biodegradation apparently consumes CFC's near the water table at this site. One area of active degradation appears to be associated with streamflow loss to ground water. Soil gas concentrations are generally close to atmospheric levels, although some spatial correlation is observed between depleted concentrations of CFC-11 and CFC-113 in soil gas and water-table samples. Results of unsaturated-zone monitoring indicate that recharge occurs throughout the year in the watershed, even during summer evapotranspiration periods, and that seasonal temperature fluctuations occur as much as 5 meters below land surface. Application of ground

Three Thousand Years of Continuity in the Maternal Lineages of Ancient Sheep (Ovis aries) in Estonia

PubMed Central

Rannamäe, Eve; Lõugas, Lembi; Speller, Camilla F.; Valk, Heiki; Maldre, Liina; Wilczyński, Jarosław; Mikhailov, Aleksandr; Saarma, Urmas

2016-01-01

Although sheep (Ovis aries) have been one of the most exploited domestic animals in Estonia since the Late Bronze Age, relatively little is known about their genetic history. Here, we explore temporal changes in Estonian sheep populations and their mitochondrial genetic diversity over the last 3000 years. We target a 558 base pair fragment of the mitochondrial hypervariable region in 115 ancient sheep from 71 sites in Estonia (c. 1200 BC–AD 1900s), 19 ancient samples from Latvia, Russia, Poland and Greece (6800 BC–AD 1700), as well as 44 samples of modern Kihnu native sheep breed. Our analyses revealed: (1) 49 mitochondrial haplotypes, associated with sheep haplogroups A and B; (2) high haplotype diversity in Estonian ancient sheep; (3) continuity in mtDNA haplotypes through time; (4) possible population expansion during the first centuries of the Middle Ages (associated with the establishment of the new power regime related to 13th century crusades); (5) significant difference in genetic diversity between ancient populations and modern native sheep, in agreement with the beginning of large-scale breeding in the 19th century and population decline in local sheep. Overall, our results suggest that in spite of the observed fluctuations in ancient sheep populations, and changes in the natural and historical conditions, the utilisation of local sheep has been constant in the territory of Estonia, displaying matrilineal continuity from the Middle Bronze Age through the Modern Period, and into modern native sheep. PMID:27732668

Structural and relaxor-like dielectric properties of unfilled tungsten bronzes Ba{sub 5−5x}Sm{sub 5x}Ti{sub 5x}Nb{sub 10−5x}O{sub 30}

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

Wei, T., E-mail: weitong.nju@gmail.com, E-mail: weitong-nju@163.com; Dong, Z.; Zhou, Q. J.

2016-03-28

New unfilled tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) oxides, Ba{sub 5−5x}Sm{sub 5x}Ti{sub 5x}Nb{sub 10−5x}O{sub 30} (BSTN-x), where 0.10 ≤ x ≤ 0.35, have been synthesized in this work. Their crystal structure was determined and analyzed based on Rietveld structural refinement. It is found that single TTB phase can be formed in a particular x range (i.e., 0.15 ≤ x ≤ 0.3) due to the competition interaction between tolerance factor and electronegativity difference. Furthermore, dielectric and ferroelectric results indicate that phase transitions and ferroelectric states are sensitive to x. Referring to the local chemistry, we suggest that the raise of vacancies at the A{sub 2}-site compared with that of A{sub 1}-sitemore » will intensely depress the normal ferroelectric phase and is in favor of relaxor ferroelectric state. Macroscopically, previous A-site size difference standpoint on fill TTB compounds cannot give a reasonable explanation about the variation of dielectric maximum temperature (T{sub m}) for present BSTN-x compounds. Alternatively, tetragonality (c/a) is adopted which can well describe the variation of T{sub m} in whole x range. In addition, one by one correspondence between tetragonality and electrical features can be found, and the compositions involving high c/a are usually stabilized in normal ferroelectric phase. It is believed that c/a is a more appropriate parameter to illustrate the variation of ferroelectric properties for unfilled TTB system.« less

Influence of stocking, site quality, stand age, low-severity canopy disturbance, and forest composition on sub-boreal aspen mixedwood carbon stocks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Reinikainen, Michael; D’Amato, Anthony W.; Bradford, John B.; Fraver, Shawn

2014-01-01

Low-severity canopy disturbance presumably influences forest carbon dynamics during the course of stand development, yet the topic has received relatively little attention. This is surprising because of the frequent occurrence of such events and the potential for both the severity and frequency of disturbances to increase as a result of climate change. We investigated the impacts of low-severity canopy disturbance and average insect defoliation on forest carbon stocks and rates of carbon sequestration in mature aspen mixedwood forests of varying stand age (ranging from 61 to 85 years), overstory composition, stocking level, and site quality. Stocking level and site quality positively affected the average annual aboveground tree carbon increment (CAAI), while stocking level, site quality, and stand age positively affected tree carbon stocks (CTREE) and total ecosystem carbon stocks (CTOTAL). Cumulative canopy disturbance (DIST) was reconstructed using dendroecological methods over a 29-year period. DIST was negatively and significantly related to soil carbon (CSOIL), and it was negatively, albeit marginally, related to CTOTAL. Minima in the annual aboveground carbon increment of trees (CAI) occurred at sites during defoliation of aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) by forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hubner), and minima were more extreme at sites dominated by trembling aspen than sites mixed with conifers. At sites defoliated by forest tent caterpillar in the early 2000s, increased sequestration by the softwood component (Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. and Picea glauca (Moench) Voss) compensated for overall decreases in CAI by 17% on average. These results underscore the importance of accounting for low-severity canopy disturbance events when developing regional forest carbon models and argue for the restoration and maintenance of historically important conifer species within aspen mixedwoods to enhance stand-level resilience to disturbance agents and maintain

Changes in the frequencies of human hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells with age and site

PubMed Central

Farrell, TL; McGuire, TR; Bilek, L; Brusnahan, SK; Jackson, JD; Lane, JT; Garvin, KL; O'Kane, BJ; Berger, AM; Tuljapurkar, SR; Kessinger, MA; Sharp, JG

2013-01-01

This study enumerated CD45hi/CD34+ and CD45hi/CD133+ human hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) and granulocyte-monocyte colony forming (GM-CFC) progenitor cells in blood and trochanteric and femoral bone marrow in 233 individuals. Stem cell frequencies were determined by multi-parameter flow cytometry employing an internal control to determine the intrinsic variance of the assays. Progenitor cell frequency was determined using a standard colony assay technique. The frequency of outliers from undetermined methodological causes was highest for blood but less than 5% for all values. The frequency of CD45hi/CD133+ cells correlated highly with the frequency of CD45hi/CD34+ cells in trochanteric and femoral bone marrow. The frequency of these HSC populations in trochanteric and femoral bone marrow rose significantly with age. In contrast, there was no significant trend of either of these cell populations with age in the blood. Trochanteric marrow GM-CFC progenitor cells showed no significant trends with age, but femoral marrow GM-CFC trended downward with age, potentially because of the reported conversion of red marrow at this site to fat with age. Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells exhibited changes in frequencies with age that differed between blood and bone marrow. We previously reported that side population (SP) multipotential HSC, that include the precursors of CD45hi/CD133+ and CD45hi/CD34+, decline with age. Potentially the increases in stem cell frequencies in the intermediate compartment between SP and GM progenitor cells observed in this study represent a compensatory increase for the loss of more potent members of the HSC hierarchy. PMID:24246745

Divergence in male and female manipulative behaviors with the intensification of metallurgy in Central Europe.

PubMed

Macintosh, Alison A; Pinhasi, Ron; Stock, Jay T

2014-01-01

Humeral morphology has been shown to reflect, in part, habitual manipulative behaviors in humans. Among Central European agricultural populations, long-term social change, increasing task specialization, and technological innovation all had the potential to impact patterns of habitual activity and upper limb asymmetry. However, systematic temporal change in the skeletal morphology of agricultural populations in this region has not been well-characterized. This study investigates diachronic patterns in humeral biomechanical properties and lengths among 174 adult Central European agriculturalists through the first ∼ 5400 years of farming in the region. Greater asymmetry in biomechanical properties was expected to accompany the introduction of metallurgy, particularly in males, while upper limb loading patterns were expected to be more similar between the Bronze and Iron Ages. Results revealed a divergence in the lateralization of upper limb biomechanical properties by sex between the Early/Middle Neolithic and Early/Middle Bronze Age. Neolithic females had significantly more variable properties than males in both humeri, while Bronze Age female properties became homogeneous and very symmetrical relative to the right-biased lateralization of contemporaneous males. The Bronze Age to Iron Age transition was associated with morphological change among females, with a significant increase in right-biased asymmetry and a concomitant reduction in sexual dimorphism. Relative to biomechanical properties, humeral length variation and asymmetry were low though some significant sexual dimorphism and temporal change was found. It was among females that the lateralization of humeral biomechanical properties, and variation within them, changed most profoundly through time. This suggests that the introduction of the ard and plow, metallurgical innovation, task specialization, and socioeconomic change through ∼ 5400 years of agriculture impacted upper limb loading in Central

78 FR 37586 - Stone Age Interiors, Inc., D/B/A Colorado Springs Marble and Granite, Including On-Site Leased...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-06-21

... DEPARTMENT OF LABOR Employment and Training Administration [TA-W-82,440] Stone Age Interiors, Inc., D/B/A Colorado Springs Marble and Granite, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Express Employment... Marble and Granite, Colorado Springs, Colorado (subject firm). The negative determination was issued on...

Continuity and Admixture in the Last Five Millennia of Levantine History from Ancient Canaanite and Present-Day Lebanese Genome Sequences.

PubMed

Haber, Marc; Doumet-Serhal, Claude; Scheib, Christiana; Xue, Yali; Danecek, Petr; Mezzavilla, Massimo; Youhanna, Sonia; Martiniano, Rui; Prado-Martinez, Javier; Szpak, Michał; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth; Schutkowski, Holger; Mikulski, Richard; Zalloua, Pierre; Kivisild, Toomas; Tyler-Smith, Chris

2017-08-03

The Canaanites inhabited the Levant region during the Bronze Age and established a culture that became influential in the Near East and beyond. However, the Canaanites, unlike most other ancient Near Easterners of this period, left few surviving textual records and thus their origin and relationship to ancient and present-day populations remain unclear. In this study, we sequenced five whole genomes from ∼3,700-year-old individuals from the city of Sidon, a major Canaanite city-state on the Eastern Mediterranean coast. We also sequenced the genomes of 99 individuals from present-day Lebanon to catalog modern Levantine genetic diversity. We find that a Bronze Age Canaanite-related ancestry was widespread in the region, shared among urban populations inhabiting the coast (Sidon) and inland populations (Jordan) who likely lived in farming societies or were pastoral nomads. This Canaanite-related ancestry derived from mixture between local Neolithic populations and eastern migrants genetically related to Chalcolithic Iranians. We estimate, using linkage-disequilibrium decay patterns, that admixture occurred 6,600-3,550 years ago, coinciding with recorded massive population movements in Mesopotamia during the mid-Holocene. We show that present-day Lebanese derive most of their ancestry from a Canaanite-related population, which therefore implies substantial genetic continuity in the Levant since at least the Bronze Age. In addition, we find Eurasian ancestry in the Lebanese not present in Bronze Age or earlier Levantines. We estimate that this Eurasian ancestry arrived in the Levant around 3,750-2,170 years ago during a period of successive conquests by distant populations. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Documentation of normal stratum corneum scaling in an average population: features of differences among age, ethnicity and body site.

PubMed

Chu, M; Kollias, N

2011-03-01

Scaling skin involves an imbalance between cell proliferation and desquamation, resulting in partially detached corneocytes at the stratum corneum (SC) surface that become visible as they scatter light. The purpose of this study was to document scaling skin with no associated pathology, to estimate the range of normal corneocyte detachment in the average population, and to determine if age, pigmentation and/or body sites of different exposures contribute to differences observed in the SC. Healthy African-American and Caucasian female subjects (n = 151) from a typical central New Jersey population, aged between 14 and 75 years, were evaluated on the dorsal forearm and upper inner arm. Dermatoscopy and adhesive tape were used to evaluate the appearance and adhesion of surface corneocytes. Transepidermal water loss and conductivity were measured to assess water-handling properties of the SC. Measurements were conducted during the winter. Corneocyte detachment observed with dermatoscopy became more prevalent with age and was more severe on the dorsal forearm and in Caucasian subjects. The distribution of the amount of corneocyte removal with adhesive tape increased with age. The range of values was larger in the dorsal forearm than the upper inner arm and was greater in Caucasian subjects than African-American subjects. Minimal changes were observed for water-handling properties. The architecture of the outer SC appears different between ages, body sites of different exposures, and individuals of different pigmentation groups, but minimal differences in water-handling properties are observed. © 2011 The Authors. BJD © 2011 British Association of Dermatologists.

Wood density of young-growth western hemlock: relation to ring age, radial growth, stand density, and site quality.

Treesearch

Dean S. DeBell; Ryan Singleton; Barbara L. Gartner; David D. Marshall

2004-01-01

Breast-high stem sections were sampled from 56 western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) trees growing in 15 plots representing a wide range of tree and site conditions in northwestern Oregon. Growth and wood density traits of individual rings were measured via X-ray densitometry, and relationships of ring density and its components to age...

Age trends of genetic parameters, early selection and family by site interactions for growth traits in Larix kaempferi open-pollinated families.

PubMed

Diao, Shu; Hou, Yimei; Xie, Yunhui; Sun, Xiaomei

2016-07-07

Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) as a successful exotic species has become one of the most important economic and ecological conifers in China. In order to broaden the genetic resource of Larix kaempferi, an effort was made in 1996 to introduce 128 families from seven seed orchards in Japan, with which to establish two progeny trials in climatically different environments. The experiment was aimed to determine the strategy of early selection, particularly important for long-rotated Japanese larch, and the optimal breeding program for specific environments. Growth trajectories revealed different growth performances of stem height (HGT) and diameter at breast height (DBH) in two different environments, Hubei and Liaoning. In both sites, there were marked variabilities in HGT, DBH and volume (VOL) among families at each year. The trends of individual and family heritability and age-age correlations were found to follow a certain dynamic pattern. Based on these trends, the optimum selection age was determined at four years for HGT and five years for DBH in Hubei and Liaoning. Genetic gains for VOL were 34.4 and 6.04 % in Hubei and Liaoning respectively when selection ratio was 10 % at age 16. Type-B correlations were less than 0.67 and rank correlations of breeding value were less than 0.4 for HGT, DBH and VOL between the two sites, revealing that there exist pronounced family-by-site interactions for the growth traits of Larix kaempferi. Early selection for Larix kaempferi is an effective strategy to overcome its long rotation age. In early selection, dual growth trait selection is more effective than single one. Regionalization deployment should be considered in Larix. kaempferi breeding program based on different environmental factors.

Corrosion on prehistoric Cu-Sn-alloys: the influence of artificial environment and storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mödlinger, Marianne; Piccardo, Paolo

2013-12-01

The paper contributes to the identification of different corrosion products detected on the cross-section specimens sampled from Bronze Age swords and one helmet found between 60-160 years ago. The objects are kept in 1889 built oak showcases at the Natural History Museum Vienna, having suffered unknown restoration treatments. The identified corrosion products not only affect further eventual treatment in conservation science of copper base objects but also contribute to identify the often unknown find context, which is meant to facilitate archaeological interpretation of the Bronze Age weapons. The analyses of the samples were carried out using SEM-EDXS-EBSD and optical microscopy.

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.

Bioremediation of Southern Mediterranean oil polluted sites comes of age.

PubMed

Daffonchio, Daniele; Ferrer, Manuel; Mapelli, Francesca; Cherif, Ameur; Lafraya, Alvaro; Malkawi, Hanan I; Yakimov, Michail M; Abdel-Fattah, Yasser R; Blaghen, Mohamed; Golyshin, Peter N; Kalogerakis, Nicolas; Boon, Nico; Magagnini, Mirko; Fava, Fabio

2013-09-25

Mediterranean Sea is facing a very high risk of oil pollution due to the high number of oil extractive and refining sites along the basin coasts, and the intense maritime traffic of oil tankers. All the Mediterranean countries have adopted severe regulations for minimizing pollution events and bioremediation feasibility studies for the most urgent polluted sites are undergoing. However, the analysis of the scientific studies applying modern 'meta-omics' technologies that have been performed on marine oil pollution worldwide showed that the Southern Mediterranean side has been neglected by the international research. Most of the studies in the Mediterranean Sea have been done in polluted sites of the Northern side of the basin. Those of the Southern side are poorly studied, despite many of the Southern countries being major oil producers and exporters. The recently EU-funded research project ULIXES has as a major objective to increase the knowledge of the bioremediation potential of sites from the Southern Mediterranean countries. ULIXES is targeting four major polluted sites on the coastlines of Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia, including seashore sands, lagoons, and oil refinery polluted sediments. The research is designed to unravel, categorize, catalogue, exploit and manage the diversity and ecology of microorganisms thriving in these polluted sites. Isolation of novel hydrocarbon degrading microbes and a series of state of the art 'meta-omics' technologies are the baseline tools for improving our knowledge on biodegradation capacities mediated by microbes under different environmental settings and for designing novel site-tailored bioremediation approaches. A network of twelve European and Southern Mediterranean partners is cooperating for plugging the existing gap of knowledge for the development of novel bioremediation processes targeting such poorly investigated polluted sites. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Measuring site index in the central hardwood region

Treesearch

Robert A. McQuilkin

1989-01-01

Site index is the average height of dominant and codominant trees growing in well-stocked, even-aged stands at a given age called ?index age.? Fifty years is the most commonly used index age in upland hardwoods. Sometimes 25 or 30 years are used for short-rotation bottomland hardwoods. Site index is widely used to indicate site quality because it correlates well with...

Moisture content and specific gravity of the four major southern pines under the same age and site conditions

Treesearch

Mark D. Gibson; Charles W. McMillin; Eugene Shoulders

1986-01-01

Slash, loblolly, longleaf, and shortleaf pines in northern Louisiana were examined for differences in moisture content (MC) and basic specific gravity (SG) of wood and bark in the complete tree, root, stem, and branches and differences in diameter at breast height (dbh), total height, and taproot length of trees in even-aged plantations under identical site conditions...

Influence of Casting Defects on S- N Fatigue Behavior of Ni-Al Bronze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarkar, Aritra; Chakrabarti, Abhishek; Nagesha, A.; Saravanan, T.; Arunmuthu, K.; Sandhya, R.; Philip, John; Mathew, M. D.; Jayakumar, T.

2015-02-01

Nickel-aluminum bronze (NAB) alloys have been used extensively in marine applications such as propellers, couplings, pump casings, and pump impellers due to their good mechanical properties such as tensile strength, creep resistance, and corrosion resistance. However, there have been several instances of in-service failure of the alloy due to high cycle fatigue (HCF). The present paper aims at characterizing the casting defects in this alloy through X-ray radiography and X-ray computed tomography into distinct defect groups having particular defect size and location. HCF tests were carried out on each defect group of as-cast NAB at room temperature by varying the mean stress. A significant decrease in the HCF life was observed with an increase in the tensile mean stress, irrespective of the defect size. Further, a considerable drop in the HCF life was observed with an increase in the size of defects and proximity of the defects to the surface. However, the surface proximity indicated by location of the defect in the sample was seen to override the influence of defect size and maximum cyclic stress. This leads to huge scatter in S- N curve. For a detailed quantitative analysis of defect size and location, an empirical model is developed which was able to minimize the scatter to a significant extent. Further, a concept of critical distance is proposed, beyond which the defect would not have a deleterious consequence on the fatigue behavior. Such an approach was found to be suitable for generating S- N curves for cast NAB.

9 CFR 149.3 - Site audit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

.... as follows: (1) The movement of all non-breeding swine 5 weeks of age or older into or from the pork... previous site (if applicable). (2) All non-breeding swine entering a site must have originated from another certified production site, except that non-breeding swine less than 5 weeks of age may have originated from...

9 CFR 149.3 - Site audit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

.... as follows: (1) The movement of all non-breeding swine 5 weeks of age or older into or from the pork... previous site (if applicable). (2) All non-breeding swine entering a site must have originated from another certified production site, except that non-breeding swine less than 5 weeks of age may have originated from...

9 CFR 149.3 - Site audit.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

.... as follows: (1) The movement of all non-breeding swine 5 weeks of age or older into or from the pork... previous site (if applicable). (2) All non-breeding swine entering a site must have originated from another certified production site, except that non-breeding swine less than 5 weeks of age may have originated from...

Ancient DNA from South-East Europe Reveals Different Events during Early and Middle Neolithic Influencing the European Genetic Heritage

PubMed Central

Hervella, Montserrat; Rotea, Mihai; Izagirre, Neskuts; Constantinescu, Mihai; Alonso, Santos; Ioana, Mihai; Lazăr, Cătălin; Ridiche, Florin; Soficaru, Andrei Dorian; Netea, Mihai G.; de-la-Rua, Concepcion

2015-01-01

The importance of the process of Neolithization for the genetic make-up of European populations has been hotly debated, with shifting hypotheses from a demic diffusion (DD) to a cultural diffusion (CD) model. In this regard, ancient DNA data from the Balkan Peninsula, which is an important source of information to assess the process of Neolithization in Europe, is however missing. In the present study we show genetic information on ancient populations of the South-East of Europe. We assessed mtDNA from ten sites from the current territory of Romania, spanning a time-period from the Early Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age. mtDNA data from Early Neolithic farmers of the Starčevo Criş culture in Romania (Cârcea, Gura Baciului and Negrileşti sites), confirm their genetic relationship with those of the LBK culture (Linienbandkeramik Kultur) in Central Europe, and they show little genetic continuity with modern European populations. On the other hand, populations of the Middle-Late Neolithic (Boian, Zau and Gumelniţa cultures), supposedly a second wave of Neolithic migration from Anatolia, had a much stronger effect on the genetic heritage of the European populations. In contrast, we find a smaller contribution of Late Bronze Age migrations to the genetic composition of Europeans. Based on these findings, we propose that permeation of mtDNA lineages from a second wave of Middle-Late Neolithic migration from North-West Anatolia into the Balkan Peninsula and Central Europe represent an important contribution to the genetic shift between Early and Late Neolithic populations in Europe, and consequently to the genetic make-up of modern European populations. PMID:26053041

Ancient DNA from South-East Europe Reveals Different Events during Early and Middle Neolithic Influencing the European Genetic Heritage.

PubMed

Hervella, Montserrat; Rotea, Mihai; Izagirre, Neskuts; Constantinescu, Mihai; Alonso, Santos; Ioana, Mihai; Lazăr, Cătălin; Ridiche, Florin; Soficaru, Andrei Dorian; Netea, Mihai G; de-la-Rua, Concepcion

2015-01-01

The importance of the process of Neolithization for the genetic make-up of European populations has been hotly debated, with shifting hypotheses from a demic diffusion (DD) to a cultural diffusion (CD) model. In this regard, ancient DNA data from the Balkan Peninsula, which is an important source of information to assess the process of Neolithization in Europe, is however missing. In the present study we show genetic information on ancient populations of the South-East of Europe. We assessed mtDNA from ten sites from the current territory of Romania, spanning a time-period from the Early Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age. mtDNA data from Early Neolithic farmers of the Starčevo Criş culture in Romania (Cârcea, Gura Baciului and Negrileşti sites), confirm their genetic relationship with those of the LBK culture (Linienbandkeramik Kultur) in Central Europe, and they show little genetic continuity with modern European populations. On the other hand, populations of the Middle-Late Neolithic (Boian, Zau and Gumelniţa cultures), supposedly a second wave of Neolithic migration from Anatolia, had a much stronger effect on the genetic heritage of the European populations. In contrast, we find a smaller contribution of Late Bronze Age migrations to the genetic composition of Europeans. Based on these findings, we propose that permeation of mtDNA lineages from a second wave of Middle-Late Neolithic migration from North-West Anatolia into the Balkan Peninsula and Central Europe represent an important contribution to the genetic shift between Early and Late Neolithic populations in Europe, and consequently to the genetic make-up of modern European populations.

Molecular analysis of ancient caries

PubMed Central

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

2014-01-01

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

Ancient Blacksmiths, The Iron Age, Damascus Steels, and Modern Metallurgy

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

Sherby, O.D.; Wadsworth, J.

2000-09-11

The history of iron and Damascus steels is described through the eyes of ancient blacksmiths. For example, evidence is presented that questions why the Iron Age could not have begun at about the same time as the early Bronze Age (i.e. approximately 7000 B.C.). It is also clear that ancient blacksmiths had enough information from their forging work, together with their observation of color changes during heating and their estimate of hardness by scratch tests, to have determined some key parts of the present-day iron-carbon phase diagram. The blacksmiths' greatest artistic accomplishments were the Damascus and Japanese steel swords. Themore » Damascus sword was famous not only for its exceptional cutting edge and toughness, but also for its beautiful surface markings. Damascus steels are ultrahigh carbon steels (UHCSs) that contain from 1.0 to 2.1%. carbon. The modern metallurgical understanding of UHCSs has revealed that remarkable properties can be obtained in these hypereutectoid steels. The results achieved in UHCSs are attributed to the ability to place the carbon, in excess of the eutectoid composition, to do useful work that enhances the high temperature processing of carbon steels and that improves the low and intermediate temperature mechanical properties.« less

Use of radium isotopes to determine the age and origin of radioactive barite at oil-field production sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Zielinski, R.A.; Otton, J.K.; Budahn, J.R.

2001-01-01

Radium-bearing barite (radiobarite) is a common constituent of scale and sludge deposits that form in oil-field production equipment. The barite forms as a precipitate from radium-bearing, saline formation water that is pumped to the surface along with oil. Radioactivity levels in some oil-field equipment and in soils contaminated by scale and sludge can be sufficiently high to pose a potential health threat. Accurate determinations of radium isotopes (226Ra+228Ra) in soils are required to establish the level of soil contamination and the volume of soil that may exceed regulatory limits for total radium content. In this study the radium isotopic data are used to provide estimates of the age of formation of the radiobarite contaminant. Age estimates require that highly insoluble radiobarite approximates a chemically closed system from the time of its formation. Age estimates are based on the decay of short-lived 228Ra (half-life=5.76 years) compared to 226Ra (half-life=1600 years). Present activity ratios of 228Ra/226Ra in radiobarite-rich scale or highly contaminated soil are compared to initial ratios at the time of radiobarite precipitation. Initial ratios are estimated by measurements of saline water or recent barite precipitates at the site or by considering a range of probable initial ratios based on reported values in modern oil-field brines. At sites that contain two distinct radiobarite sources of different age, the soils containing mixtures of sources can be identified, and mixing proportions quantified using radium concentration and isotopic data. These uses of radium isotope data provide more description of contamination history and can possibly address liability issues. Copyright ?? 2000 .

Site-specific Seismic Hazard Assessment to Establish Elastic Design Properties for Oman Museum-Across Ages, Manah, Sultante of Oman

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

El Hussain, I. W.

2017-12-01

The current study provides a site specific deterministic seismic hazard assessment (DSHA) at the selected site for establishing the Oman Museum-Across Ages at Manah area, as a part of a comprehensive geotechnical and seismological plan to design the facilities accordingly. The DSHA first defines the seismic sources that might influence the site and assesses the maximum possible earthquake magnitude for each of them. By assuming each of these maximum earthquakes to occur at a location placing them at the closest distances to the site, the ground motion is predicted utilizing empirical ground motion prediction equations. The local site effects are performed by determining the fundamental frequency of the soft soil using HVSR technique and by estimating amplification spectra using the soil characteristics (mainly shear-wave velocity). Shear-wave velocity has been evaluated using the MASW technique. The maximum amplification value of 2.1 at spectral period 0.06 sec is observed at the ground surface, while the largest amplification value at the top of the conglomerate layer (at 5m depth) is 1.6 for a spectral period of 0.04 Sec. The maximum median 5% damped peak ground acceleration is found to be 0.263g at a spectral period of 0.1 sec. Keywords: DSHA; Site Effects; HVSR; MASW; PGA; Spectral Period

[The effect of heavy metal ions and peptide bioregulators on the expression of chromosome fragile sites in the individuals of different age groups and breast cancer patients].

PubMed

Dzhokhadze, T A; Ganozishvili, M N; Lezhava, T A

2008-09-01

Expression rates of chromosome fragile sites in peripheral blood lymphocytes have been studied in clinically healthy individuals of different age groups (20-38 yrs and 75-86 yrs) and breast cancer patients (8 cases). In individuals with a normal check-up of different age groups the heavy metal (nickel, zinc and cobalt) ions were also examined on their influence on the expression of the fragile sites and the peptide bioregulators (Livagen and Epithalon) were tested on their ability to correct the pattern of expression. Short-term lymphocyte cultures were used as tested material. The analysis showed that the chromosomes of people from young and old age groups differ from each other by the expression pattern of fragile sites - the chromosomes of young individuals were found to be more active by spontaneous formation of fragile sites. They were also sensitive to their induction by heavy metals. Both tested bioregulators lessen heavy metals effect that was statistically reliable only for the young people group. As for the patients with breast cancer general elevated fragility of chromosomes and specific distribution of the fragile sites along the chromosomes were revealed.

Timing of initial arrival at the breeding site predicts age at first reproduction in a long-lived migratory bird

PubMed Central

Becker, Peter H.; Dittmann, Tobias; Ludwigs, Jan-Dieter; Limmer, Bente; Ludwig, Sonja C.; Bauch, Christina; Braasch, Alexander; Wendeln, Helmut

2008-01-01

In long-lived vertebrates, individuals generally visit potential breeding areas or populations during one or more seasons before reproducing for the first time. During these years of prospecting, they select a future breeding site, colony, or mate and improve various skills and their physical condition to meet the requirements of reproduction. One precondition of successful reproduction is arrival in time on the breeding grounds. Here, we study the intricate links among the date of initial spring arrival, body mass, sex, and the age of first breeding in the common tern Sterna hirundo, a long-lived migratory colonial seabird. The study is based on a unique, individual-based, long-term dataset of sexed birds, marked with transponders, which allow recording their individual arrival, overall attendance, and clutch initiation remotely and automatically year by year over the entire lifetime at the natal colony site. We show that the seasonal date of initial arrival at the breeding grounds predicts the individual age at first reproduction, which mostly occurs years later. Late first-time arrivals remain delayed birds throughout subsequent years. Our findings reveal that timing of arrival at the site of reproduction and timing of reproduction itself are coherent parameters of individual quality, which are linked with the prospects of the breeding career and may have consequences for fitness. PMID:18711134

Effects of Contaminated Site Age on Dissolution Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jawitz, J. W.

2004-12-01

This work presents a streamtube-based analytical approach to evaluate reduction in groundwater contaminant flux resulting from partial mass reduction in a nonaqueous phase liquid (NAPL) source zone. The reduction in contaminant flux, Rj, discharged from the source zone is a remediation performance metric that has a direct effect on the fundamental drivers of remediation: protection of human health risks and the environment. Spatial variability is described within a Lagrangian framework where aquifer hydrodynamic heterogeneities are characterized using nonreactive travel time distributions, while NAPL spatial distribution heterogeneity can be similarly described using reactive travel time distributions. The combined statistics of these distributions are used to evaluate the relationship between reduction in contaminant mass, Rm, and Rj. A portion of the contaminant mass in the source zone is assumed to be removed via in-situ flushing remediation, with the initial and final conditions defined as steady-state natural-gradient groundwater flow through the contaminant source zone. The combined effect of aquifer and NAPL heterogeneities are shown to be captured in a single parameter, reactive travel time variability, that was determined to be the most important factor controlling the relationship between Rm and Rj. Increased values of the following parameters are shown to result in more favorable contaminant elution dynamics (i.e., greater flux reduction for a given reduction in mass): aquifer hydrodynamic heterogeneity, NAPL source zone heterogeneity, positive correlation between travel time and NAPL content, and time since the contamination event. Less favorable elution behavior is shown to result from negative correlations between travel time and NAPL content and rate-limited dissolution. The specific emphasis of this presentation is on the effects of the length of time that has elapsed since the contamination event (site age) on the dissolution dynamics.

Effect of diffusion annealing regimes on the structure of Nb3Sn layers in ITER-type bronze-processed wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valova-Zaharevskaya, E. G.; Popova, E. N.; Deryagina, I. L.; Abdyukhanov, I. M.; Tsapleva, A. S.

2018-03-01

The goal of the present study is to characterize the growth kinetics and structural parameters of the Nb3Sn layers formed under various regimes of the diffusion annealing of bronze-processed Nb/Cu-Sn composites. The structure of the superconducting layers is characterized by their thickness, average size of equiaxed grains and by the ratio of fractions of columnar and equiaxed grains. It was found that at higher diffusion annealing temperatures (above 650°C) thicker superconducting layers are obtained, but the average sizes of equiaxed Nb3Sn grains even under short exposures (10 h) are much larger than after the long low-temperature annealing. At the low-temperature (575 °C) annealing the relative fraction of columnar grains increases with increasing annealing time. Based on the data obtained, optimal regimes of the diffusion annealing can be chosen, which would on the one hand ensure complete transformation of Nb into Nb3Sn of close to the stoichiometric composition, and on the other hand prevent the formation of coarse and columnar grains.

Site, gender and age variation in normal skin colour on the back and the forearm: tristimulus colorimeter measurements.

PubMed

Fullerton, A; Serup, J

1997-02-01

To study whether anatomical location and age and gender of subjects had any influence on the objective skin colour measurements. Baseline colour in prone position was measured with the Minolta ChromaMeter® in the upper, middle and lower level of the upper back and on the forearm of 168 volunteers. These two sites are commonly used in skin testing. Higher basal a* and lower basal L* levels were found on the upper scapular region compared to the lower scapular region and the subscapular region. The basal b* level showed no variation relative to site. The basal a* and the basal b* levels were lower on the forearm compared to the upper back while the basal L* level was higher. Females above 65 years showed a less coloured skin with lower values as compared to those of younger age. Females were found to have a generally lower basal a* level than males both on the upper back and forearm skin. These relatively major differences and sources of variation have to be considered when planning irritancy studies where colour differences between erythema and normal skin is used.

Syphilis among middle-aged female sex workers in China: a three-site cross-sectional study.

PubMed

Liu, Hongjie; Dumenci, Levent; Morisky, Donald E; Xu, Yongfang; Li, Xiaojing; Jiang, Baofa

2016-05-10

This study addresses the lack of empirical studies about the epidemic of syphilis among middle-aged female sex workers (FSWs). The objectives of this study were to investigate prevalence of syphilis, and its potential risk factors among middle-aged FSWs in China. A cross-sectional study with respondent-driven sampling (RDS). A multisite study conducted at three Chinese cites (Nanning, Hefei, and Qingdao) with different levels of sexually transmitted diseases in 2014. 1245 middle-aged female sex workers who were over 35 years old (about 400 per study site). Unprotected commercial sex, and syphilis and HIV infection were biologically tested and measured. The RDS-adjusted prevalence of active syphilis was 17.3% in Hefei, 9.9% in Qingdao, and 5.4% in Nanning. The RDS-adjusted prevalence of prevalent syphilis was between 6.8% and 33.6% in the three cities. The proportion of unprotected sex in the past 48 h verified by the prostate-specific antigen test (PSA) was between 27.8% and 42.4%. Multiple log-binomial regression analyses indicate that middle-aged FSWs who had 5 or more clients in the past week prior to interviews and engaged in unprotected sex were more likely to be active syphilitic cases. Middle-aged FSWs who had rural residency were less likely to be active syphilitic cases. In contrast with previous studies that reported low prevalence of syphilis and high prevalence of protected sex among FSWs in China, both the prevalence of syphilis and unprotected sex were high among middle-aged FSWs. Evidence-based intervention programmes should be developed and evaluated among this vulnerable population in China and other countries with similar settings. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

The active site of oxidative phosphorylation and the origin of hyperhomocysteinemia in aging and dementia.

PubMed

McCully, Kilmer S

2015-01-01

The active site of oxidative phosphorylation and adenosine triphosphate (ATP) synthesis in mitochondria is proposed to consist of two molecules of thioretinamide bound to cobalamin, forming thioretinaco, complexed with ozone, oxygen, nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. and inorganic phosphate, TR2CoO3O2NAD(+)H2PO4(-). Reduction of the pyridinium nitrogen of the nicotinamide group by an electron from electron transport complexes initiates polymerization of phosphate with adenosine diphosphate, yielding nicotinamide riboside and ATP bound to thioretinaco ozonide oxygen. A second electron reduces oxygen to hydroperoxyl radical, releasing ATP from the active site. A proton gradient is created within F1F0 ATPase complexes of mitochondria by reaction of protons with reduced nicotinamide riboside and with hydroperoxyl radical, yielding reduced nicotinamide riboside and hydroperoxide. The hyperhomocysteinemia of aging and dementia is attributed to decreased synthesis of adenosyl methionine by thioretinaco ozonide and ATP, causing decreased allosteric activation of cystathionine synthase and decreased allosteric inhibition of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and resulting in dysregulation of methionine metabolism. © 2015 by the Association of Clinical Scientists, Inc.

Composition and microstructure of Roman metallic artefacts of Southwestern Iberian Peninsula

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valério, P.; Voráčová, E.; Silva, R. J. C.; Araújo, M. F.; Soares, A. M. M.; Arruda, A. M.; Pereira, C.

2015-10-01

The Roman invasion introduces new alloys and metallurgical practices in Iberian Peninsula. The southwestern end of this region has many evidences of connections with the Roman World, but there are no studies about the manufacture and use of copper-based artefacts during this period. Therefore, a set of about 20 ornaments, tools and small attachments recovered at the Roman sites of Monte Molião and Cidade das Rosas was studied by an analytical approach combining micro-EDXRF, optical microscopy, SEM-EDS and Vickers microhardness testing. The artefact composition shows a good correlation with function, namely pure copper for nails and rivets, low-tin bronze (2-6 wt% Sn) for basic tools, high-tin bronze (14 wt% Sn) for fibulae and high-lead bronze (19 wt% Pb) for a decorated jug handle. The manufacture also depends on function because most artefacts were subjected to thermomechanical processing, except the ornaments that would not benefit from post-casting work. Brass and gunmetal were only present in the site with a later chronology. A metallurgy visibly ruled by economical, aesthetical and technological concerns reinforces the evidences about the total integration of Southwestern Iberian Peninsula in the Roman World, but further studies will be essential to determine the evolution of copper-based alloys in Lusitania under Roman influence.

Geoscience rediscovers Phoenicia's buried harbors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marriner, Nick; Morhange, Christophe; Doumet-Serhal, Claude; Carbonel, Pierre

2006-01-01

After centuries of archaeological debate, the harbors of Phoenicia's two most important city states, Tyre and Sidon, have been rediscovered, and including new geoarcheological results reveal how, where, and when they evolved after their Bronze Age foundations. The early ports lie beneath their present urban centers, and we have indentified four harbor phases. (1) During the Bronze Age, Tyre and Sidon were characterized by semi-open marine coves that served as protoharbors. (2) Biostratigraphic and lithostratigraphic data indicate the presence of early artificial basins after the first millennium B.C. (3) The harbors reached their apogees during the Greco-Roman and Byzantine periods. (4) Silting up and coastal progradation led to burial of the medieval basins, lost until now.

Middle-Late Holocene environmental history of Kulunda (Southwestern Siberia): vegetation, climate, humans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rudaya, N.; Nazarova, L.; Papin, D.; Nourgaliev, D.

2012-04-01

Environmental reconstruction of Mid-Late Holocene vegetation and climate was inferred from pollen records of Lake Big Yarovoe (Kulunda steppe, Southwestern Siberia). Reconstruction suggests generally prevalence of steppe during last 4.45 ka. Relatively warm and dry climate, open semi-desert and dry steppes with patchy birch forest spread between 4.45 and 3.80 ka BP. The largest development of conifers forest started in Kulunda after 3.80 ka BP. Constant presence of dark-coniferous trees Abies and especially Picea between 3.80 and 2.7 ka BP indicates the most humid period in the region during studied time. Onset of the Late Holocene is characterised by dominance of steppe with birch and pine forests in lowlands and river valleys. After AD 1860, open steppe and semi-desert vegetation with fragmentary birch forest have been dominated parallel to sharp reduction of conifers in Kulunda. These results are in agreement with general scheme of Holocene environmental history of surrounding areas including Baraba forest-steppe, Kazakh Upland and Altai Mountains. Territory of Kulunda consists many archaeological sites of Bronze, Iron and Middle Ages. Second half of Bronze Age (4.45-3.80 ka BP) was represented by local human cultures or migrants from the North Kazakhstan. The main archaeological culture of Kulunda alike in the whole Ob`-Irtysh interfluve in this period was Elunino culture. The economical activities of Elunino community were connected with animal breeding especially with sheep and goats. The most humid period (~1795-710 BC; 3.8-2.7 ka BP) in Kulunda corresponded to the end of early Bronze Age and to the onset of the Iron Age. In 18 century BC Andronovo culture, associated with the Indo-Iranians and migrants from Central Kazakhstan, spread in the region. Cattle breeding economy was distinctive features of Andronovo people, however, increase of sheep, goats and horses with transition to nomadic life style was characteristic of the late Bronze Age. This trend is in

A family of rare earth molybdenum bronzes: Oxides consisting of periodic arrays of interacting magnetic units

DOE PAGES

Schneemeyer, L. F.; Siegrist, T.; Besara, T.; ...

2015-04-06

The family of rare earth molybdenum bronzes, reduced ternary molybdates of composition LnMo 16O 44, was synthesized and a detailed structural study carried out. Bond valence sum (BVS) calculations clearly show that the molybdenum ions in tetrahedral coordination are hexavalent while the electron count in the primitive unit cell is odd. Yet, measurements show that the phases are semiconductors. The temperature dependence of the magnetic susceptibility of samples containing several different rare earth elements was measured. These measurements verified the presence of a 6.5 K magnetic phase transition not arising from the rare earth constituent, but likely associated with themore » unique isolated ReO 3-type Mo 8O 36 structural subunits in this phase. To better understand the behavior of these materials, electronic structure calculations were performed within density functional theory. Results suggest a magnetic state in which these structural moieties have an internal ferromagnetic arrangement, with small ~1/8 μ B moments on each Mo. We suggest that the Mo 8O 36 units behave like pseudoatoms with spin ½ derived from a single hole distributed over the eight Mo atoms that are strongly hybridized with the O atoms of the subunit. As a result, while the compound is antiferromagnetic, our calculations suggest that a field-stabilized ferromagnetic state, if achievable, will be a narrow band half-metal.« less

Structure, upconversion photoluminescence, and dielectric properties of Ho{sup 3+}- and Yb{sup 3+}-codoped tetragonal tungsten bronze Sr{sub 4}La{sub 2}Ti{sub 4}Nb{sub 6}O{sub 30}

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

Wei, T., E-mail: weitong.nju@gmail.com; Li, C.P.; Zhou, Q.J.

2015-04-15

Highlights: • TTB-type SLTN: Ho-Ybx with space group P4/mbm was determined. • UC photoluminescence of SLTN: Ho-Ybx ceramics was first reported. • Bright UC green emission was observed at room temperature. • Two-photon energy transfer process was confirmed for the UC processes. • Temperature stability of dielectric permittivity was improved for SLTN: Ho-Ybx. - Abstract: Ho{sup 3+}- and Yb{sup 3+}-codoped Sr{sub 4}La{sub 2}Ti{sub 4}Nb{sub 6}O{sub 30} (Sr{sub 4}La{sub 1.94–x}Ho{sub 0.06}Yb{sub x}Ti{sub 4}Nb{sub 6}O{sub 30}, abbreviated as SLTN: Ho-Ybx) ceramics have been synthesized, and their structural, up-conversion (UC) photoluminescence, and dielectric properties have been carefully investigated. Through Rietveld structural refinement, SLTN:more » Ho-Ybx samples are determined as single tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) phase with space group P4/mbm in which larger Sr{sup 2+} ions fill the A{sub 2}-sites, relative smaller La{sup 3+}, Ho{sup 3+}, and Yb{sup 3+} ions occupy the A{sub 1}-sites, while Ti{sup 4+} and Nb{sup 4+} ions fill the B-sites. Under 980 nm near infrared (NIR) excitation, bright UC green emission, relatively weak red and near-infrared (NIR) emissions, originating from {sup 5}F{sub 4}/{sup 5}S{sub 2} → {sup 5}I{sub 8}, {sup 5}F{sub 5} → {sup 5}I{sub 8}, and {sup 5}F{sub 4}/{sup 5}S{sub 2} → {sup 5}I{sub 7} transitions of Ho{sup 3+} ions, are confirmed for SLTN: Ho-Ybx. Two-photon energy transfer process is proved through pumping laser power dependence of emission intensity measurement. Furthermore, the influence of Ho{sup 3+}- and Yb{sup 3+}- ions on the dielectric properties of SLTN: Ho-Ybx is also investigated and the temperature stability of dielectric permittivity is improved.« less

Influence of the Heterogeneous Nucleation Sites on the Kinetics of Intermetallic Phase Formation in Aged Duplex Stainless Steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Melo, Elis Almeida; Magnabosco, Rodrigo

2017-11-01

The aim of this work is to study the influence of the heterogeneous nucleation site quantity, observed in different ferrite and austenite grain size samples, on the phase transformations that result in intermetallic phases in a UNS S31803 duplex stainless steel (DSS). Solution treatment was conducted for 1, 24, 96, or 192 hours at 1373 K (1100 °C) to obtain different ferrite and austenite grain sizes. After solution treatment, isothermal aging treatments for 5, 8, 10, 20, 30, or 60 minutes at 1123 K (850 °C) were performed to verify the influence of different amounts of heterogeneous nucleation sites in the kinetics of intermetallic phase formation. The sample solution treated for 1 hour, with the highest surface area between matrix phases, was the one that presented, after 60 minutes at 1123 K (850 °C), the smaller volume fraction of ferrite (indicative of greater intermetallic phase formation), higher volume of sigma (that was present in coral-like and compact morphologies), and chi phase. It was not possible to identify which was the first nucleated phase, sigma or chi. It was also observed that the phase formation kinetics is higher for the sample solution treated for 1 hour. It was evidenced that, from a certain moment on, the chi phase begins to be consumed due to the sigma phase formation, and the austenite/ferrite interface presents higher S V for all solution treatment times. It was also observed that intermetallic phases form preferably in austenite-ferrite interfaces, although the higher occupation rate occurs at triple junction ferrite-ferrite-ferrite. It was verified that there was no saturation of nucleation sites in any interface type nor triple junction, and the equilibrium after 1 hour of aging at 1123 K (850 °C) was not achieved. It was then concluded that sigma phase formation is possibly controlled by diffusional processes, without saturation of nucleation sites.

Atmospheric PAHs, NPAHs, and OPAHs at an urban, mountainous, and marine sites in Northern China: Molecular composition, sources, and ageing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Junmei; Yang, Lingxiao; Mellouki, Abdelwahid; Chen, Jianmin; Chen, Xiangfeng; Gao, Ying; Jiang, Pan; Li, Yanyan; Yu, Hao; Wang, Wenxing

2018-01-01

18 gaseous and particulate polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), 16 nitro-derivative (NPAHs), and 7 oxy-derivative (OPAHs) were analyzed by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) at three locations in Northern China, an urban site (Jinan), a marine site (Tuoji island), and a mountain site (Mt. Tai). The combined gas and particulate concentrations of 18 PAHs, 16 NPAHs, and 7 OPAHs were highest at the urban site (305.91, 2.80, and 9.05 ng/m3, respectively) and lowest at the mountain location (37.83, 0.27, and 1.59 ng/m3, respectively). A noticeable increase in the high molecular weight PAHs was observed during polluted conditions compared to clean conditions. Diagnostic ratios clearly demonstrated that coal/biomass combustion was the major PAH source in Northern China. The particulate PAHs were the most aged at the mountain site due to long-distance atmospheric transport. The formation rate of NPAHs was most efficient at the mountain location and during heavily polluted days at the urban and marine sites. In addition, the main formation pathway for NPAHs was through the OH initiated secondary reaction. NO3 radicals most significantly contributed to the NPAHs formation at night, during clear weather, and at the mountain site. The logKp value was lowest at the urban site for most individual compounds and highest at the mountain site. Higher logKp was found for NPAHs and OPAHs compared with their corresponding parent PAHs. The linear regression of logKp vs logPL0 at the three sites suggested that the gas-particle partitioning of PAHs might be in non-equilibrium.

Site Index for Loblolly Plantations on Cutover Sites in the West Gulf Coastal Plain

Treesearch

T.W. Popham; D.P. Feduccia; T.R. Deli; W.F. Mann; T.E. Campbell

1979-01-01

Functions used previously to derive height-age relationships for southern pines are compared in order to develop new site index curves for loblolly pine plantations on cutover sites in the lower West Gulf.

DNA methylation markers in combination with skeletal and dental ages to improve age estimation in children.

PubMed

Shi, Lei; Jiang, Fan; Ouyang, Fengxiu; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Zhimin; Shen, Xiaoming

2018-03-01

Age estimation is critical in forensic science, in competitive sports and games and in other age-related fields, but the current methods are suboptimal. The combination of age-associated DNA methylation markers with skeletal age (SA) and dental age (DA) may improve the accuracy and precision of age estimation, but no study has examined this topic. In the current study, we measured SA (GP, TW3-RUS, and TW3-Carpal methods) and DA (Demirjian and Willems methods) by X-ray examination in 124 Chinese children (78 boys and 46 girls) aged 6-15 years. To identify age-associated CpG sites, we analyzed methylome-wide DNA methylation profiling by using the Illumina HumanMethylation450 BeadChip system in 48 randomly selected children. Five CpG sites were identified as associated with chronologic age (CA), with an absolute value of Pearson's correlation coefficient (r)>0.5 (p<0.01) and a false discovery rate<0.01. The validation of age-associated CpG sites was performed using droplet digital PCR techniques in all 124 children. After validation, four CpG sites for boys and five CpG sites for girls were further adopted to build the age estimation model with SA and DA using multivariate linear stepwise regressions. These CpG sites were located at 4 known genes: DDO, PRPH2, DHX8, and ITGA2B and at one unknown gene with the Illumina ID number of 22398226. The accuracy of age estimation methods was compared according to the mean absolute error (MAE) and root mean square error (RMSE). The best single measure for SA was the TW3-RUS method (MAE=0.69years, RMSE=0.95years) in boys, and the GP method (MAE=0.74years, RMSE=0.94years) in girls. For DA, the Willems method was the best single measure for both boys (MAE=0.63years, RMSE=0.78years) and girls (MAE=0.54years, RMSE=0.68years). The models that incorporated SA and DA with the methylation levels of age-associated CpG sites provided the highest accuracy of age estimation in both boys (MAE=0.47years, R 2 =0.886) and girls (MAE=0.33years, R

Pathfinder landing sites at candidate SNC impact ejection sites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Golombek, Matthew P.

1994-01-01

If Mars Pathfinder were able to land at a site on Mars from which the SNC meteorites were ejected by impact, the Pathfinder mission would essentially represent a very inexpensive sample return mission. Geologic units that contain four potential impact craters from which SNC meteorites could have been ejected from Mars are accessible to the Mars Pathfinder lander. Determining that SNC meteorites came from a particular spot on Mars raises the intriguing possibility of using Pathfinder as a sample return mission and providing a radiometric age for the considerably uncertain martian crater-age timescale. Pathfinder instruments are capable of determining if the rock type at the landing site is similar to that of one or more of the SNC meteorites, which would strengthen the hypothesis that the SNC meteorites did, in fact, come from Mars. Unfortunately, instrument observations from Pathfinder are probably not capable of determining if the geologic unit sampled by the lander is definitively the unit from which a SNC meteorite came from as opposed to Mars in general or perhaps a particular region on Mars. This abstract evaluates the possibility of landing at potential SNC ejection sites and the ability of Pathfinder to identify the landing site as the place from which an SNC meteorite came.

Yield and proliferation rate of adipose-derived stromal cells as a function of age, body mass index and harvest site-increasing the yield by use of adherent and supernatant fractions?

PubMed

Buschmann, Johanna; Gao, Shuping; Härter, Luc; Hemmi, Sonja; Welti, Manfred; Werner, Clement M L; Calcagni, Maurizio; Cinelli, Paolo; Wanner, Guido A

2013-09-01

Adipose-derived stem cells are easily accessed and have a relatively high density compared with other mesenchymal stromal cells. Isolation protocols of adipose-derived stem cells (ASC) rely on the cell's ability to adhere to tissue culture plastic overnight. It was evaluated whether the floating ASC fractions are also of interest for cell-based therapies. In addition, the impact of age, body mass index (BMI) and harvest site was assessed. The surface protein profile with the use of flow cytometry, the cell yield and the doubling time of passages 4, 5 and 6 of ASC from 30 donors were determined. Adherent and supernatant fractions were compared. The impact of age, BMI and harvest site on cell yield and doubling times was determined. Both adherent and supernatant fractions showed high mean fluorescence intensities for CD13, CD29, CD44, CD73, CD90 and CD105 and comparatively low mean fluorescence intensities for CD11b, CD62L, intracellular adhesion molecule-1 and CD34. Doubling times of adherent and supernatant fractions did not differ significantly. Whereas the old age group had a significantly lower cell yield compared with the middle aged group, BMI and harvest site had no impact on cell yield. Finally, doubling times for passages 4, 5 and 6 were not influenced by the age and BMI of the donors, nor the tissue-harvesting site. The floating ASC fraction is an equivalent second cell source just like the adherent ASC fraction. Donor age, BMI and harvest site do not influence cell yield and proliferation rate. Copyright © 2013 International Society for Cellular Therapy. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Marte Valles site

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rice, Jim W.

1994-01-01

This site is located at 16 deg N, 177 deg W on the flood plains of Marte Valles, which is perhaps the youngest channel system on Mars. The young age of this channel warrants investigation because of climatic implications for fluvial activities in recent geologic time. The paucity of craters makes this an excellent site in terms of safety requirements. Some of the objectives stated previously for the Maja Valles region would also apply to this site (grab bag of rock types, etc.).

Non-destructive analysis of ancient bimetal swords from western Asia by γ-ray radiography and X-ray fluorescence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shizuma, Kiyoshi; Kajimoto, Tsuyoshi; Endo, Satoru; Matsugi, Kazuhiro; Arimatsu, Yui; Nojima, Hisashi

2017-09-01

Eight ancient bimetal swords held by Hiroshima University, Japan were analyzed non-destructively through γ-ray radiography and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). 137Cs and 60Co γ-ray irradiation sources were used to obtain transmission images of swords. A scanning radiography method using a 60Co γ-ray source was developed. XRF was used for qualitative elemental analysis of the swords. The presence of iron cores in the hilts of some swords had been observed and it was assumed that the cores were a ritual symbol or had a functional purpose. However, our work reveals that these swords were originally bronze-hilted iron swords and that the rusty blades were replaced with bronze blades to maintain the swords' commercial value as an antique. Consequently, the rest of the iron blade was left in the hilt as an iron tang. The junction of the blade and the guard was soldered and painted to match the patina color. XRF analysis clearly showed that the elemental Sn/Cu ratios of the blades and the hilts were different. These findings are useful for clarifying the later modifications of the swords and are important for interpreting Bronze Age and Iron Age history correctly.

Thermoluminescence dating of archaeological artefacts from the Middle Neolithic, Bronze Age and the Roman Empire period.

PubMed

Berger, T; Hajek, M; Primerano, W; Vana, N

2002-01-01

Thermoluminescence (TL) dating was applied for artefacts found near the small village of Michelstetten, Lower Austria. Settlements in this region can be traced hack a long time and, according to archaeologists, the discovered artefacts may be as old as 6000 years. A modified sample preparation technique based on the fine-grain method was developed. This technique results in a higher reproducibility and reduces the overall preparation time. For some artefacts the new information of the TL dating leads to an unforeseen re-interpretation of the archaeological age. Furthermore, an iron furnace from the period of the Roman Empire could be dated. For the first time, it was possible to estimate correctly the point of time of the burn-down of an ancient wooden house via an analysis of the house's clay plaster. The fire took place in the sixth century; this was confirmed by dating ceramic artefacts.

Geochemical features of glass beads excavated from the Iron Age archaeological sites, Eastern Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, H.

2016-12-01

The uses of metallic artifacts began 2500-2000 years ago in Taiwan; in the meanwhile glass beads have also been as a common ornament by the prehistoric people. Glass, as the earliest artificial ornament, is made by a mixture of quartz sands and flux which were heated to more than one thousand Celsius degrees. Therefore, the production processes, raw material provenance and exchange systems could be revealed by the chemical compositions of glass artifacts. The chemical composition of glass beads studies from four archaeological sites (PL, PN, CHL and TL sites) in early Iron Age are reported in this study. By the producing in drawn method and limited ranges of colors with various hue, all the studied glass beads here should be classified as Indo-Pacific glass beads. As these ancient glass beads are unique and precious, a non-destructive analytical method is always considered at the initial stage. Therefore, we use the best known and most widely-used of the surface analytical techniques SEM/EDX to get the surface and quantitative elemental information of glass beads. According to the analytical results, the PL and PN glass beads all belong to potassium silica glass and those coexisting with so-called Kueishan sherds excavated from CHL and TL sites should be classified as sodium-calcium glass which is the most general composition of Indo-Pacific glass beads. Not only the different flux using between potassium and sodium glass, the variation in the aluminum contents between potassium and sodium glass also exhibits different provenances of glass-making raw materials. As lack of glass-making remains in Taiwan, these ancient glass beads were considered as a precious and trading artifact to Taiwan from overseas and introduced into prehistoric societies via various sources and paths. Although the trading/exchange routes of ancient glass beads are still debatable, we find that compositional analyses can help answer such questions as what types of glass were used for their

Vegetation history reconstructed from anthracology and pollen analysis at the rescue excavation of the MO Motorway, Hungary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Náfrádi, Katalin; Bodor, Elvira; Törőcsik, Tünde; Sümegi, Pál

2011-12-01

The significance of geoarchaeological investigations is indisputable in reconstructing the former environment and in studying the relationship between humans and their surroundings. Several disciplines have developed during the last few decades to give insight into earlier time periods and their climatic conditions (e.g. palynology, malacology, archaeobotany, phytology and animal osteology). Charcoal and pollen analytical studies from the rescue excavation of the MO motorway provide information about the vegetation changes of the past. These methods are used to reconstruct the environment of the former settlements and to detect the human impact and natural climatic changes. The sites examined span the periods of the Late-Copper Age, Late-Bronze Age, Middle-Iron Age, Late-Iron Age, Sarmatian period, Late Sarmatian period, Migration period, Late-Migration period and Middle Ages. The vegetation before the Copper Age is based only on pollen analytical data. Anthracological results show the overall dominance of Quercus and a great number of Ulmus, Fraxinus, Acer, Fagus, Alnus and Populus/Salix tree fossils, as well as the residues of fruit trees present in the charred wood assemblage.

A novel perovskite-like Ta-bronze KTa1+zO3: preparation, stoichiometry, conductivity and crystal structure studies.

PubMed

Arakcheeva, A; Chapuis, G; Grinevitch, V; Shamray, V

2001-04-01

A new cubic Ta-bronze (1) KTa(1+z)(+(5-delta))O(3) [z approximately 0.107 (3)] was obtained on a cathode by molten salt electrolysis of the system K(2)TaOF(5)-K(3)TaO(2)F(4)-(KF + NaF + LiF)(eutectic). Black, metallic cubic crystals of (1) are formed together with tetragonal beta-Ta. The perovskite-like crystal structure of (1) [a = 4.005 (1) A, space group Pm3m] was refined with anharmonic displacement parameters for Ta and K atoms and anisotropic displacement parameters for a split O-atom position [KM4CCD diffractometer; lambda(Mo Kalpha); 3320 measured reflections with I > 3sigma(I); R = 0.0095, wR = 0.0065, Deltarho(min) = -0.91 e A(-3), Deltarho(max) = 0.65 e A(-3)]. Defects in the O and K atomic positions were found. (1) is a semiconductor in the temperature range 4-300 K, whereas the well studied and closely related colourless transparent crystals KTa(+5)O(3) (2) are dielectric. Differences in the properties of (1) and (2) are assumed to be connected with the existence of Ta dumb-bells statistically distributed into the KTaO(3) matrix.

A piezoelectric micro generator worked at low frequency and high acceleration based on PZT and phosphor bronze bonding.

PubMed

Tang, Gang; Yang, Bin; Hou, Cheng; Li, Guimiao; Liu, Jingquan; Chen, Xiang; Yang, Chunsheng

2016-12-08

Recently, piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) have been paid a lot of attention by many researchers to convert mechanical energy into electrical and low level vibration. Currently, most of PEHs worked under high frequency and low level vibration. In this paper, we propose a micro cantilever generator based on the bonding of bulk PZT wafer and phosphor bronze, which is fabricated by MEMS technology, such as mechanical chemical thinning and etching. The experimental results show that the open-circuit output voltage, output power and power density of this fabricated prototype are 35 V, 321 μW and 8664 μW cm -3 at the resonant frequency of 100.8 Hz, respectively, when it matches an optimal loading resistance of 140 kΩ under the excitation of 3.0 g acceleration. The fabricated micro generator can obtain the open-circuit stable output voltage of 61.2 V when the vibration acceleration arrives at 7.0 g. Meanwhile, when this device is pasted on the vibrating vacuum pump, the output voltage is about 11 V. It demonstrates that this novel proposed device can scavenge high vibration level energy at low frequency for powering the inertial sensors in internet of things application.

A piezoelectric micro generator worked at low frequency and high acceleration based on PZT and phosphor bronze bonding

PubMed Central

Tang, Gang; Yang, Bin; Hou, Cheng; Li, Guimiao; Liu, Jingquan; Chen, Xiang; Yang, Chunsheng

2016-01-01

Recently, piezoelectric energy harvesters (PEHs) have been paid a lot of attention by many researchers to convert mechanical energy into electrical and low level vibration. Currently, most of PEHs worked under high frequency and low level vibration. In this paper, we propose a micro cantilever generator based on the bonding of bulk PZT wafer and phosphor bronze, which is fabricated by MEMS technology, such as mechanical chemical thinning and etching. The experimental results show that the open-circuit output voltage, output power and power density of this fabricated prototype are 35 V, 321 μW and 8664 μW cm−3 at the resonant frequency of 100.8 Hz, respectively, when it matches an optimal loading resistance of 140 kΩ under the excitation of 3.0 g acceleration. The fabricated micro generator can obtain the open-circuit stable output voltage of 61.2 V when the vibration acceleration arrives at 7.0 g. Meanwhile, when this device is pasted on the vibrating vacuum pump, the output voltage is about 11 V. It demonstrates that this novel proposed device can scavenge high vibration level energy at low frequency for powering the inertial sensors in internet of things application. PMID:27929139

Attraction of Male Nymphs to Adult Male Volatiles in the Bronze Bug Thaumastocoris peregrinus Carpintero & Dellape (Heteroptera: Thaumastocoridae).

PubMed

Calvo, M V; Groba, H F; Martínez, G; Sellanes, C; Rossini, C; González, A

2017-12-23

The bronze bug, Thaumastocoris peregrinus Carpintero & Dellape (Heteroptera: Thaumastocoridae), is an exotic emerging pest in Eucalyptus commercial forests in South America, Africa and southern Europe. Information on the chemical communication system and reproductive ecology of this insect is scant, and it may be relevant for designing management strategies for eucalypt plantations. Adults and nymphs usually aggregate in the field, possibly by means of chemical signals. Males emit large amounts of 3-methyl-2-butenyl butyrate, which attracts conspecific adult males but not females. The ecological role of this putative male aggregation pheromone remains unknown. Here, we report olfactometer bioassays showing that late-instar male nymphs are also attracted to synthetic 3-methyl-2-butenyl butyrate and to adult male volatile extracts, which contain this compound as the major component. As previously shown for adult females, nymphs that moulted into females were not attracted to either volatile stimulus. The intra-gender attraction of nymphs and adults may be related to the exploitation of food resources, or as a reproductive strategy for newly emerged males. Further studies on the reproductive behaviour and mating system of T. peregrinus will contribute to understanding the ecological significance of male-male, adult-nymph attraction, as well as the practical applications that may result from these findings.

Early evidence (late 2nd millennium BCE) of plant-based dyeing of textiles from Timna, Israel

PubMed Central

Sukenik, Naama; Iluz, David; Amar, Zohar; Varvak, Alexander; Workman, Vanessa; Shamir, Orit; Ben-Yosef, Erez

2017-01-01

Abstract In this article, we focus on the analysis of dyed textile fragments uncovered at an early Iron Age (11th-10th centuries BCE) copper smelting site during new excavations in the Timna Valley conducted by the Central Timna Valley (CTV) Project, as well as those found by the Arabah Expedition at the Hathor Temple (Site 200), dated to the Late Bronze/early Iron Ages (13th-11th centuries BCE). Analysis by HPLC-DAD identified two organic dyestuffs, Rubia tinctorum L. and indigotin, from a plant source (probably Isatis tinctoria L.). They are among the earliest plants known in the dyeing craft and cultivated primarily for this purpose. This study provides the earliest evidence of textiles dyed utilizing a chemical dyeing process based on an industrial dyeing plant from the Levant. Moreover, our results shed new light on the society operating the copper mines at the time, suggesting the existence of an elite that was interested in these high quality textiles and invested efforts in procuring them by long-distance trade. PMID:28658314

Early evidence (late 2nd millennium BCE) of plant-based dyeing of textiles from Timna, Israel.

PubMed

Sukenik, Naama; Iluz, David; Amar, Zohar; Varvak, Alexander; Workman, Vanessa; Shamir, Orit; Ben-Yosef, Erez

2017-01-01

In this article, we focus on the analysis of dyed textile fragments uncovered at an early Iron Age (11th-10th centuries BCE) copper smelting site during new excavations in the Timna Valley conducted by the Central Timna Valley (CTV) Project, as well as those found by the Arabah Expedition at the Hathor Temple (Site 200), dated to the Late Bronze/early Iron Ages (13th-11th centuries BCE). Analysis by HPLC-DAD identified two organic dyestuffs, Rubia tinctorum L. and indigotin, from a plant source (probably Isatis tinctoria L.). They are among the earliest plants known in the dyeing craft and cultivated primarily for this purpose. This study provides the earliest evidence of textiles dyed utilizing a chemical dyeing process based on an industrial dyeing plant from the Levant. Moreover, our results shed new light on the society operating the copper mines at the time, suggesting the existence of an elite that was interested in these high quality textiles and invested efforts in procuring them by long-distance trade.

Ancient genomes document multiple waves of migration in Southeast Asian prehistory.

PubMed

Lipson, Mark; Cheronet, Olivia; Mallick, Swapan; Rohland, Nadin; Oxenham, Marc; Pietrusewsky, Michael; Pryce, Thomas Oliver; Willis, Anna; Matsumura, Hirofumi; Buckley, Hallie; Domett, Kate; Hai, Nguyen Giang; Hiep, Trinh Hoang; Kyaw, Aung Aung; Win, Tin Tin; Pradier, Baptiste; Broomandkhoshbacht, Nasreen; Candilio, Francesca; Changmai, Piya; Fernandes, Daniel; Ferry, Matthew; Gamarra, Beatriz; Harney, Eadaoin; Kampuansai, Jatupol; Kutanan, Wibhu; Michel, Megan; Novak, Mario; Oppenheimer, Jonas; Sirak, Kendra; Stewardson, Kristin; Zhang, Zhao; Flegontov, Pavel; Pinhasi, Ron; Reich, David

2018-05-17

Southeast Asia is home to rich human genetic and linguistic diversity, but the details of past population movements in the region are not well known. Here, we report genome-wide ancient DNA data from eighteen Southeast Asian individuals spanning from the Neolithic period through the Iron Age (4100-1700 years ago). Early farmers from Man Bac in Vietnam exhibit a mixture of East Asian (southern Chinese agriculturalist) and deeply diverged eastern Eurasian (hunter-gatherer) ancestry characteristic of Austroasiatic speakers, with similar ancestry as far south as Indonesia providing evidence for an expansive initial spread of Austroasiatic languages. By the Bronze Age, in a parallel pattern to Europe, sites in Vietnam and Myanmar show close connections to present-day majority groups, reflecting substantial additional influxes of migrants. Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Synergistic cytotoxic effects of ions released by zinc-aluminum bronze and the metallic salts on osteoblastic cells.

PubMed

Grillo, Claudia A; Morales, María L; Mirífico, María V; Fernández Lorenzo de Mele, Mónica A

2013-07-01

The use of copper-based alloys for fixed dental crowns and bridges is increasingly widespread in several countries. The aim of this work is to study the dissolution of a zinc-aluminum-bronze and the cytotoxic effects of the ions released on UMR-106 osteoblastic cell line. Two sources of ions were used: (1) ions released by the metal alloy immersed in the cell culture and (2) salts of the metal ions. Conventional electrochemical techniques, atomic absorption spectroscopy [to obtain the average concentration of ions (AC) in solution], and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy analysis were used to study the corrosion process. Corrosion tests revealed a strong influence of the composition of the electrolyte medium and the immersion time on the electrochemical response. The cytotoxicity was evaluated with (a) individual ions, (b) combinations of two ions, and (c) the mixture of all the ions released by a metal disc of the alloy. Importantly, synergistic cytotoxic effects were found when Al-Zn ion combinations were used at concentration levels lower than the cytotoxic threshold values of the individual ions. Cytotoxic effects in cells in the vicinity of the metal disc were also found. These results were interpreted considering synergistic effects and a diffusion controlled mechanism that yields to concentration levels, in the metal surroundings, several times higher than the measured AC value. Copyright © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Problematic internet use as an age-related multifaceted problem: Evidence from a two-site survey.

PubMed

Ioannidis, Konstantinos; Treder, Matthias S; Chamberlain, Samuel R; Kiraly, Franz; Redden, Sarah A; Stein, Dan J; Lochner, Christine; Grant, Jon E

2018-06-01

Problematic internet use (PIU; otherwise known as Internet Addiction) is a growing problem in modern societies. There is scarce knowledge of the demographic variables and specific internet activities associated with PIU and a limited understanding of how PIU should be conceptualized. Our aim was to identify specific internet activities associated with PIU and explore the moderating role of age and gender in those associations. We recruited 1749 participants aged 18 and above via media advertisements in an Internet-based survey at two sites, one in the US, and one in South Africa; we utilized Lasso regression for the analysis. Specific internet activities were associated with higher problematic internet use scores, including general surfing (lasso β: 2.1), internet gaming (β: 0.6), online shopping (β: 1.4), use of online auction websites (β: 0.027), social networking (β: 0.46) and use of online pornography (β: 1.0). Age moderated the relationship between PIU and role-playing-games (β: 0.33), online gambling (β: 0.15), use of auction websites (β: 0.35) and streaming media (β: 0.35), with older age associated with higher levels of PIU. There was inconclusive evidence for gender and gender × internet activities being associated with problematic internet use scores. Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and social anxiety disorder were associated with high PIU scores in young participants (age ≤ 25, β: 0.35 and 0.65 respectively), whereas generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) were associated with high PIU scores in the older participants (age > 55, β: 6.4 and 4.3 respectively). Many types of online behavior (e.g. shopping, pornography, general surfing) bear a stronger relationship with maladaptive use of the internet than gaming supporting the diagnostic classification of problematic internet use as a multifaceted disorder. Furthermore, internet activities and psychiatric diagnoses associated with

Automated Shape Analysis of Teeth from the Archaelogical Site of Nerqin Naver

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gaboutchian, A.; Simonyan, H.; Knyaz, V.; Petrosyan, G.; Ter-Vardanyan, L.; Leybova, N. A.; Apresyan, S. V.

2018-05-01

Traditional odontometry currently suggests a limited number of measurements on tooth coronal parts, including estimation of mesio-distal and vestibular-oral diameters, or dimension, through usually a single measurement of the maximal parameter. Taking into consideration the complexity, irregularity and variability of tooth shapes we find such measurements insufficient for interpreting tooth morphology. Thus we propose odontotomic approach of obtaining data from a series of parallel equally spaced sections in combination with automated detection of landmarks used for measurements. These sections allow locating maximal dimensions of teeth as well as collecting data from all parts of the tooth to describe it morphologically. Referring odontometric data to the whole tooth we obtain more precise and objective records which have proved to be informative in a series of dental and anthropological studies. Growing interest and implementing of digital technology in odontometric studies calls for studies ensuring transition to new methods. The current research is aimed to undertake a comparative study of the traditional and automated digital odontometry. The influence of various approaches to odontotomy (number and direction of sections) on odontometric data is subjected to studies as well. The above-mentioned tooth shape analysis is applied to samples from the archaeological site of Nerqin Naver to contribute to complicated odontological studies from the Early Bronze burials.

U-Pb isotopic results for single shocked and polycrystalline zircons record 550-65.5-Ma ages for a K-T target site and 2700-1850-Ma ages for the Sudbury impact event

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krogh, T. E.; Kamo, S. L.; Bohor, B. F.

1992-01-01

The refractory mineral zircon develops distinct morphological features during shock metamorphism and retains these features under conditions that would anneal them in other minerals. In addition, weakly shocked zircon grains give primary ages for the impact site, while highly reconstituted (polycrystalline) single grains give ages that approach the age of the impact event. Data for a series of originally coeval grains will define a mixing line that gives both of these ages providing that no subsequent geological disturbances have overprinted the isotopic systematics. In this study, we have shown that the three zircon grain types described by Bohor, from both K-T distal ejecta (Fireball layer, Raton Basin, Colorado) and the Onaping Formation, represent a progressive increase in impact-related morphological change that coincides with a progressive increase in isotopic resetting in zircons from the ejecta and basement rocks. Unshocked grains are least affected by isotopic resetting while polycrystalline grains are most affected. U-Pb isotopic results for 12 of 14 single zircon grains from the Fireball layer plot on or close to a line recording a primary age of 550 +/- 10 Ma and a secondary age of 65.5 +/- 3 Ma. Data for the least and most shocked grains plot closest to the primary and secondary ages respectively. The two other grains each give ages between 300 and 350 Ma. This implies that the target ejecta was dominated by 550-Ma rocks and that the recrystallization features of the zircon were superimposed during the impact event at 65.5 Ma. A predominant age of 550 Ma for zircons from the Fireball layer provides an excellent opportunity to identify the impact site and to test the hypothesis that multiple impacts occurred at this time. A volcanic origin for the Fireball layer is ruled out by shock-related morphological changes in zircon and the fact that the least shocked grains are old. Basement Levack gneisses north of the Sudbury structure have a primary age of

Genome flux and stasis in a five millennium transect of European prehistory.

PubMed

Gamba, Cristina; Jones, Eppie R; Teasdale, Matthew D; McLaughlin, Russell L; Gonzalez-Fortes, Gloria; Mattiangeli, Valeria; Domboróczki, László; Kővári, Ivett; Pap, Ildikó; Anders, Alexandra; Whittle, Alasdair; Dani, János; Raczky, Pál; Higham, Thomas F G; Hofreiter, Michael; Bradley, Daniel G; Pinhasi, Ron

2014-10-21

The Great Hungarian Plain was a crossroads of cultural transformations that have shaped European prehistory. Here we analyse a 5,000-year transect of human genomes, sampled from petrous bones giving consistently excellent endogenous DNA yields, from 13 Hungarian Neolithic, Copper, Bronze and Iron Age burials including two to high (~22 × ) and seven to ~1 × coverage, to investigate the impact of these on Europe's genetic landscape. These data suggest genomic shifts with the advent of the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages, with interleaved periods of genome stability. The earliest Neolithic context genome shows a European hunter-gatherer genetic signature and a restricted ancestral population size, suggesting direct contact between cultures after the arrival of the first farmers into Europe. The latest, Iron Age, sample reveals an eastern genomic influence concordant with introduced Steppe burial rites. We observe transition towards lighter pigmentation and surprisingly, no Neolithic presence of lactase persistence.

Age, composition, and stand structure of old-growth oak sites in the Florida high pine landscape: implications for ecosystem management and restoration

Treesearch

Cathryn H. Greenberg; Robert W. Simons

1999-01-01

The authors sampled tree age, species composition, and stand structure of four high pine sites composed of old-growth sand post oak (Q. margaretta Ashe), old-growth turkey oak (Quercus laevis Walt.), and young longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) in north and central peninsular Florida. The oldest turkey oak...

γ-Secretase binding sites in aged and Alzheimer’s disease human cerebrum: The choroid plexus as a putative origin of CSF Aβ

PubMed Central

Liu, Fei; Xue, Zhi-Qin; Deng, Si-Hao; Kun, Xiong; Luo, Xue-Gang; Patrylo, Peter R.; Rose, Gregory M.; Cai, Huaibin; Struble, Robert G.; Cai, Yan; Yan, Xiao-Xin

2013-01-01

Deposition of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides, cleavage products of β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β-secretase-1 (BACE1) and γ-secretase, is a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). γ-Secretase inhibition is a therapeutical anti-Aβ approach, although less is clear about the change of the enzyme’s activity in AD brain. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ peptides are considered to derive from brain parenchyma, thus may serve as biomarkers for assessing cerebral amyloidosis and anti-Aβ efficacy. The present study compared active γ-secretase binding sites with Aβ deposition in aged and AD human cerebrum, and explored a possibility of Aβ production and secretion by the choroid plexus (CP). Specific binding density of [3H]-L-685,458, a radiolabeled high affinity γ-secretase inhibitor, in the temporal neocortex and hippocampal formation was similar for AD and control cases with comparable ages and postmortem delays. The CP in postmortem samples exhibited exceptionally high [3H]-L-685,458 binding density, with the estimated maximal binding sites (Bmax) reduced in the AD relative to control groups. Surgically resected human CP exhibited APP, BACE1 and presenilin-1 immunoreactivity, and β-site APP cleavage enzymatic activity. In primary culture, human CP cells also expressed these amyloidogenic proteins but released Aβ40 and Aβ42 into the medium. These results suggest that γ-secretase activity appears not altered in the cerebrum in AD related to aged control, nor correlated with regional amyloid plaque pathology. The choroid plexus appears to represent a novel non-neuronal source in the brain that may contribute Aβ into cerebrospinal fluid, probably at reduced levels in AD. PMID:23432732

Archaeogeophysical data acquisition and analysis at Tel Burna, Israel: a valuable opportunity for ongoing ground-truth investigation and collaboration (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pincus, J. A.

2013-12-01

Tel Burna is a site in the Shephelah breadbasket region of the southern part of Israel. It dates to the Bronze and Iron Age periods, 13th - 7th c. BCE. It has been suggested by scholars to be the Biblical site of Libnah. Libnah is mentioned in the Old Testament as an Israelite desert camp that Joshua encamped and fought against (Joshua 10:29-31; Joshua 12:15). Later it was given as a city to the children of Aaron, it joined the Edomites in a revolt against the King of Judah, and finally during the reign of Hezekiah, Libnah was besieged by Sennacherib (2 Kings 19:8, Isaiah 37:8). Today the tel has a flat-topped shape, has an extensive size, and there are clear casemate wall fortifications dating to the 7th c. BCE surrounding it. Thus far silos, floors, a Late Bronze period cultic area, figurines, and other intriguing artifacts have been unearthed at the site. The site is ideal for a case-study in archaeological geophysics method and interpretation in the region because (1) we are involving the method early in what is expected to be a long timeline of ongoing excavations; (2) it appears we have only a few occupation layers with significant architecture built directly on the bedrock; and (3) there is a relatively unconvoluted geological and pedological context. After conversations with the Director of the Tel Burna Archaeological Project, Itzick Shai, it was decided that out of the three areas actively being excavated a ground penetrating radar (GPR) survey of Area B would be most optimal at this time. The goal was to locate the extent of the archaeological material on the leveled area, while also providing better insight to the cultic area presently being excavated. Area B has proven to have been occupied during the Late Bronze Age IIB (13th c. BCE), as evidenced by the large public building associated with cultic remains, and a complex of walls. Using a 400 MHz antenna, a 30x20 meter grid was surveyed in June 2013. The spacing between each profile was 0.30 meters

Isolation and identification of age-related DNA methylation markers for forensic age-prediction.

PubMed

Yi, Shao Hua; Xu, Long Chang; Mei, Kun; Yang, Rong Zhi; Huang, Dai Xin

2014-07-01

Age-prediction is an important part of forensic science. There is no available method of individual age-prediction for general forensic biological samples at crime scenes. Accumulating evidence indicates that aging resembles a developmentally regulated process tightly controlled by specific age-associated methylation exists in human genome. This study isolated and identified eight gene fragments in which the degree of cytosine methylation is significantly correlated with age in blood of 40 donors. Furthermore, we validated two CpG sites of each gene fragment and replicated our results in a general population sample of 40 males and 25 females with a wide age-range (11-72 years). The methylation of these fragments is linear with age over a range of six decades (Fragment P1 (r=-0.64), P2 (r=-0.58), P3 (r=-0.79), R1 (r=0.82), R2 (r=0.63), R3 (r=0.59), R4 (r=0.63) and R5 (r=0.62)). Using average methylation of two CpG sites from each fragment, we built a regression model that explained 95% of the variance in age and is able to predict the age of an individual with great accuracy (R(2)=0.918). The predicted values are highly correlated with the observed age in the sample (r=0.91). This study implicates that DNA methylation will be an available biological marker of age-prediction. Furthermore, measurement of relevant sites in the genome could be a tool in routine forensic screening to predict age of biological samples. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Large geomagnetic field anomalies revealed in Bronze to Iron Age archeomagnetic data from Tel Megiddo and Tel Hazor, Israel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaar, Ron; Tauxe, Lisa; Ron, Hagai; Ebert, Yael; Zuckerman, Sharon; Finkelstein, Israel; Agnon, Amotz

2016-05-01

Geomagnetic field measurements from the past few centuries show heightened secular variation activity in the southern hemisphere associated with the south Atlantic anomaly (SAA). It is uncertain whether geomagnetic anomalies at a similar scale have existed in the past owing to limited coverage and uncertainties in the paleomagnetic database. Here we provide new evidence from archaeological sources in the Levant suggesting a large positive northern hemisphere anomaly, similar in magnitude to the SAA during the 9th-8th centuries BCE, called ;Levantine Iron Age anomaly;. We also report an additional geomagnetic spike in the 8th century. The new dataset comprises 73 high precision paleointensity estimates from ca. 3000 BCE to 732 BCE, and five directional measurements between the 14th and the 9th centuries BCE. Well-dated pottery and cooking ovens were collected from twenty archaeological strata in two large contemporaneous stratigraphical mounds (tells) in Israel: Tel Megiddo and Tel Hazor. The new data are combined with previously published data and interpreted automatically using the PmagPy Thellier GUI program. The Tel Megiddo and Tel Hazor data sets demonstrate excellent internal consistency and remarkable agreement with published data from Mesopotamia (Syria). The data illustrate the evolution of an extreme geomagnetic high that culminated in at least two spikes between the 11th and the 8th centuries BCE (Iron Age in the Levant). The paleomagnetic directional data of the 9th century BCE show positive inclination anomalies, and deviations of up to 22° from the averaged geocentric axial dipole (GAD) direction. From comparison of the Levantine archaeomagnetic data with IGRF model for 2015 we infer the ;Levantine Iron Age anomaly; between the 10th and the 8th centuries BCE is a local positive anomaly. The eastward extent of the anomaly is currently unknown.

A Prescription for Internet Access: Appealing to Middle-Aged and Older Racial and Ethnic Minorities Through Social Network Sites to Combat Colorectal Cancer.

PubMed

Lumpkins, Crystal Y; Mabachi, Natabhona; Lee, Jaehoon; Pacheco, Christina; Greiner, K Allen; Geana, Mugur

2017-07-01

The popularity and usage of social media networks or SNS (social networking sites) among American Internet users age 50 and over doubled between 2009 and 2010 and has steadily climbed. Part of this increased access may be the result of older adults who are living with a chronic disease and are reaching out for online support. Colorectal cancer (CRC) risk is among those concerns, particularly among middle-age and older minority populations where disparities exist. This exploratory study investigates information seeking behavior related to cancer factors (e.g. testing for colon cancer, cancer fatalism) and current social media usage among racial and ethnic minority groups (African American and Latinos) and Whites age 50 and older. The secondary data from the 2012 Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) was analyzed to compare these populations. Results show that African Americans and Latinos were only slightly more likely to use social network sites to seek out cancer information compared to Whites. However, Whites were more likely to use the Internet to seek health information compared to African Americans and Latinos. In this sample, Whites were also more likely to be informed by a physician about CRC testing (p <.01). Whites were also more fatalistic about CRC (p<.001) and more likely to have self-reported receiving a positive diagnosis (p <.001). Implications of this study suggest that use of both traditional health information sources (physician) and the Internet (social media networks, Internet sites) have increased among older Americans and can serve as critical channels for cancer information and education.

Dose Comparisons for a Site-specific Representative Person Using the Age-dependent Dose Coefficients in CAP88-PC Version 4.

PubMed

Stagich, Brooke H; Moore, Kelsey R; Newton, Joseph R; Dixon, Kenneth L; Jannik, G Timothy

2017-04-01

Most U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) facilities with radiological airborne releases use the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) environmental dosimetry code CAP88-PC to demonstrate compliance with regulations in 40CFR61, subpart H [National Emission Standards for Hazardous Air Pollutants: Radiological (NESHAP)]. In 2015, EPA released Version 4 of CAP88-PC, which included significant modifications that improved usability and age-dependent dose coefficients and usage factors for six age groups (infant, 1 y, 5 y, 10 y, 15 y, and adult). However, EPA has not yet provided specific guidance on how to use these age-dependent factors. For demonstrating compliance with DOE public dose regulations, the Savannah River Site (SRS) recently changed from using the maximally exposed individual (MEI) concept (adult male) to the representative person concept (age- and gender-averaged reference person). In this study, dose comparisons are provided between the MEI and a SRS-specific representative person using the age-specific dose coefficients and usage factors in CAP88-PC V.4. Dose comparisons also are provided for each of the six age groups using five radionuclides of interest at SRS (tritium oxide, Cs, Sr, Pu, and I). In general, the total effective dose increases about 11% for the representative person as compared to the current NESHAP MEI because of the inclusion of the more radiosensitive age groups.

Sex and age differences in site fidelity, food resource tracking, and body condition of wintering Kirtland's Warblers (Setophaga Kirtlandii) in the Bahamas

Treesearch

Joseph M. Wunderle, Jr.; Patricia K. Lebow; Jennifer D. White; Dave Currie; David N. Ewert

2014-01-01

Distribution of nonbreeding migrant birds in relation to variation in food availability has been hypothesized to result from the interaction of dominance hierarchies and variable movement responses, which together may have sex- and age-specific consequences. We predicted that site fidelity, movements, and abundance of Kirtland’s Warblers (Setophaga kirtlandii...

Quantification of bone marrow fat content using iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation (IDEAL): reproducibility, site variation and correlation with age and menopause.

PubMed

Aoki, Takatoshi; Yamaguchi, Shinpei; Kinoshita, Shunsuke; Hayashida, Yoshiko; Korogi, Yukunori

2016-09-01

To determine the reproducibility of the quantitative chemical shift-based water-fat separation method with a multiecho gradient echo sequence [iteraterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation quantitation sequence (IDEAL-IQ)] for assessing bone marrow fat fraction (FF); to evaluate variation of FF at different bone sites; and to investigate its association with age and menopause. 31 consecutive females who underwent pelvic iterative decomposition of water and fat with echo asymmetry and least-squares estimation at 3-T MRI were included in this study. Quantitative FF using IDEAL-IQ of four bone sites were analyzed. The coefficients of variance (CV) on each site were evaluated repeatedly 10 times to assess the reproducibility. Correlations between FF and age were evaluated on each site, and the FFs between pre- and post-menopausal groups were compared. The CV in the quantification of marrow FF ranged from 0.69% to 1.70%. A statistically significant correlation was established between the FF and the age in lumbar vertebral body, ilium and intertrochanteric region of the femur (p < 0.001). The average FF of post-menopausal females was significantly higher than that of pre-menopausal females in these sites (p < 0.05). In the greater trochanter of the femur, there was no significant correlation between FF and age. In vivo IDEAL-IQ would provide reliable quantification of bone marrow fat. IDEAL-IQ is simple to perform in a short time and may be practical for providing information on bone quality in clinical settings.

The Schmidt hammer as a relative-age dating tool and its potential for calibrated-age dating in Holocene glaciated environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shakesby, Richard A.; Matthews, John A.; Owen, Geraint

2006-11-01

The Schmidt hammer is a relatively cheap, portable, sturdy instrument with proven value over the last two decades or so in rapidly dating coarse inorganic deposits of diverse origins. Early views were that its dating role was limited to distinguishing recently exposed from much older. Typically, either a few sites of possibly different ages or occasional older surfaces amongst many young sites were studied. More recently, calibration curves based on individual R-value means from small numbers (2-4) of sites of known ages have been used to estimate the ages of undated sites. We present Schmidt hammer rebound ( R-) values from 28 'Little Ice Age' (and younger), 23 Preboreal and 7 Younger Dryas glaciated surfaces in southern Norway in order, first, to test rigorously the robustness of the instrument as a relative-age dating tool. Despite being obtained from different surfaces (moraines, glaciofluvial deposits and bedrock) and varied metamorphic lithologies, the R-value overall means and 95% confidence intervals for the 'Little Ice Age', Preboreal and Younger Dryas age categories (respectively, 60.0±1.6, 41.6±1.4 and 34.2±2.0) are statistically significantly different. Only two outlying sites in the two younger age categories have overlapping confidence intervals, demonstrating remarkable robustness in differentiating early- and late-Holocene surfaces. The distinction between Preboreal and Younger Dryas sites (with terminal dates <2000 years apart) is less clear but still statistically significant, though possibly partly because of enhanced weathering conditions at the predominantly well vegetated Younger Dryas sites. Second, we examine the feasibility and desirability of controlling non-age-related factors, including some previously considered critical (instrument wear, operator bias, initial rock surface texture), which emerge either as less important than previously argued or as relatively unimportant, together with others previously unreported (e.g. long

Teacher Professionalization in the Age of Social Networking Sites

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kimmons, Royce; Veletsianos, George

2015-01-01

As teacher education students become professionals, they face a number of tensions related to identity, social participation, and work-life balance, which may be further complicated by social networking sites (SNS). This qualitative study sought to articulate tensions that arose between professionalization influences and teacher education student…

Growth of Tungsten Bronze Family Crystals

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-03-01

BaTiO, exhibits several plane.’ s A wide range of solid solutions can be obtained structural transitions, and it has a room-temperature tetrag- by...hiro117Ccrystals are as tbilbis Tu ngst en Hri nze (’’mpi s itiotis 71ungst en Hirwnze Ci injw site ’i ( It The\\~ are molticompi nent and siilid -siilut in svs...cttntrol temperature instabilitY because of poor .0OD-10.1i :NG t-St. G-0 IoCA, LSA.( .. Is...asSO* Ihermal (otnduc(ti\\ it ,. -"o~ s . .. O"oA’’ Ci(o~ ’ing

Soil-Site Classification for Bottomland Hardwoods

Treesearch

John K. Francis

1984-01-01

Foresters have always needed a means of predicting tree growth. Of the many indexes of potential growth, site index is the most widely used. Site index may be defined as the height of dominant trees in a stand at a reference age (usually 50 years). Site index is, in theory, a true reflection of growth potential of the site because height growth is generally unaffected...

Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years - Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2014.

PubMed

Baio, Jon; Wiggins, Lisa; Christensen, Deborah L; Maenner, Matthew J; Daniels, Julie; Warren, Zachary; Kurzius-Spencer, Margaret; Zahorodny, Walter; Robinson Rosenberg, Cordelia; White, Tiffany; Durkin, Maureen S; Imm, Pamela; Nikolaou, Loizos; Yeargin-Allsopp, Marshalyn; Lee, Li-Ching; Harrington, Rebecca; Lopez, Maya; Fitzgerald, Robert T; Hewitt, Amy; Pettygrove, Sydney; Constantino, John N; Vehorn, Alison; Shenouda, Josephine; Hall-Lande, Jennifer; Van Naarden Braun, Kim; Dowling, Nicole F

2018-04-27

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). 2014. The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network is an active surveillance system that provides estimates of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children aged 8 years whose parents or guardians reside within 11 ADDM sites in the United States (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin). ADDM surveillance is conducted in two phases. The first phase involves review and abstraction of comprehensive evaluations that were completed by professional service providers in the community. Staff completing record review and abstraction receive extensive training and supervision and are evaluated according to strict reliability standards to certify effective initial training, identify ongoing training needs, and ensure adherence to the prescribed methodology. Record review and abstraction occurs in a variety of data sources ranging from general pediatric health clinics to specialized programs serving children with developmental disabilities. In addition, most of the ADDM sites also review records for children who have received special education services in public schools. In the second phase of the study, all abstracted information is reviewed systematically by experienced clinicians to determine ASD case status. A child is considered to meet the surveillance case definition for ASD if he or she displays behaviors, as described on one or more comprehensive evaluations completed by community-based professional providers, consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) diagnostic criteria for autistic disorder; pervasive developmental disorder-not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS, including atypical autism); or Asperger disorder. This report provides updated ASD prevalence estimates for children aged 8 years during the 2014 surveillance year, on the basis of DSM

Polymorphic site index curves for red fir in California and southern Oregon

Treesearch

K. Leroy Dolph

1991-01-01

Polymorphic site index curves were developed from stem analysis data of 194 dominant red fir trees in California and southern Oregon. Site index was based on breast-height age and total tree height, with a base age of 50 years at breast height. Site index curves for breast height ages 10 to 160 years are presented for approximate estimates of site index. For more...

Demic and cultural diffusion in prehistoric Europe in the age of ancient genomes.

PubMed

Harris, Eugene E

2017-09-01

Ancient genomes can help us detect prehistoric migrations, population contractions, and admixture among populations. Knowing the dynamics of demography is invaluable for understanding culture change in prehistory, particularly the roles played by demic and cultural diffusion in transformations of material cultures. Prehistoric Europe is a region where ancient genome analyses can help illuminate the interplay between demography and culture change. In Europe, there is more archeological evidence, in terms of detailed studies, radiometric dates, and explanatory hypotheses that can be evaluated, than in any other region of the world. Here I show some important ways that ancient genomes have given us insights into population movements in European prehistory. I also propose that studies might be increasingly focused on specific questions of culture change, for example in evaluating the makers of "transitional" industries as well as the origins of the Gravettian and spread of the Magdalenian. I also discuss genomic evidence supporting the large role that demic expansion has played in the Neolithization of Europe and the formation of the European population during the Bronze Age. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Influences of climate, fire, and topography on contemporary age structure patterns of Douglas-fir at 205 old forest sites in western Oregon

Treesearch

Nathan J. Poage; Peter J. Weisberg; Peter C. Impara; John C. Tappeiner; Thomas S. Sensenig

2009-01-01

Knowledge of forest development is basic to understanding the ecology, dynamics, and management of forest ecosystems. We hypothesized that the age structure patterns of Douglas-fir at 205 old forest sites in western Oregon are extremely variable with long and (or) multiple establishment periods common, and that these patterns reflect variation in regional-scale climate...

Pig Domestication and Human-Mediated Dispersal in Western Eurasia Revealed through Ancient DNA and Geometric Morphometrics

PubMed Central

Ottoni, Claudio; Girdland Flink, Linus; Evin, Allowen; Geörg, Christina; De Cupere, Bea; Van Neer, Wim; Bartosiewicz, László; Linderholm, Anna; Barnett, Ross; Peters, Joris; Decorte, Ronny; Waelkens, Marc; Vanderheyden, Nancy; Ricaut, François-Xavier; Çakırlar, Canan; Çevik, Özlem; Hoelzel, A. Rus; Mashkour, Marjan; Mohaseb Karimlu, Azadeh Fatemeh; Sheikhi Seno, Shiva; Daujat, Julie; Brock, Fiona; Pinhasi, Ron; Hongo, Hitomi; Perez-Enciso, Miguel; Rasmussen, Morten; Frantz, Laurent; Megens, Hendrik-Jan; Crooijmans, Richard; Groenen, Martien; Arbuckle, Benjamin; Benecke, Nobert; Strand Vidarsdottir, Una; Burger, Joachim; Cucchi, Thomas; Dobney, Keith; Larson, Greger

2013-01-01

Zooarcheological evidence suggests that pigs were domesticated in Southwest Asia ∼8,500 BC. They then spread across the Middle and Near East and westward into Europe alongside early agriculturalists. European pigs were either domesticated independently or more likely appeared so as a result of admixture between introduced pigs and European wild boar. As a result, European wild boar mtDNA lineages replaced Near Eastern/Anatolian mtDNA signatures in Europe and subsequently replaced indigenous domestic pig lineages in Anatolia. The specific details of these processes, however, remain unknown. To address questions related to early pig domestication, dispersal, and turnover in the Near East, we analyzed ancient mitochondrial DNA and dental geometric morphometric variation in 393 ancient pig specimens representing 48 archeological sites (from the Pre-Pottery Neolithic to the Medieval period) from Armenia, Cyprus, Georgia, Iran, Syria, and Turkey. Our results reveal the first genetic signatures of early domestic pigs in the Near Eastern Neolithic core zone. We also demonstrate that these early pigs differed genetically from those in western Anatolia that were introduced to Europe during the Neolithic expansion. In addition, we present a significantly more refined chronology for the introduction of European domestic pigs into Asia Minor that took place during the Bronze Age, at least 900 years earlier than previously detected. By the 5th century AD, European signatures completely replaced the endemic lineages possibly coinciding with the widespread demographic and societal changes that occurred during the Anatolian Bronze and Iron Ages. PMID:23180578

Genome flux and stasis in a five millennium transect of European prehistory

PubMed Central

Gamba, Cristina; Jones, Eppie R.; Teasdale, Matthew D.; McLaughlin, Russell L.; Gonzalez-Fortes, Gloria; Mattiangeli, Valeria; Domboróczki, László; Kővári, Ivett; Pap, Ildikó; Anders, Alexandra; Whittle, Alasdair; Dani, János; Raczky, Pál; Higham, Thomas F. G.; Hofreiter, Michael; Bradley, Daniel G; Pinhasi, Ron

2014-01-01

The Great Hungarian Plain was a crossroads of cultural transformations that have shaped European prehistory. Here we analyse a 5,000-year transect of human genomes, sampled from petrous bones giving consistently excellent endogenous DNA yields, from 13 Hungarian Neolithic, Copper, Bronze and Iron Age burials including two to high (~22 × ) and seven to ~1 × coverage, to investigate the impact of these on Europe’s genetic landscape. These data suggest genomic shifts with the advent of the Neolithic, Bronze and Iron Ages, with interleaved periods of genome stability. The earliest Neolithic context genome shows a European hunter-gatherer genetic signature and a restricted ancestral population size, suggesting direct contact between cultures after the arrival of the first farmers into Europe. The latest, Iron Age, sample reveals an eastern genomic influence concordant with introduced Steppe burial rites. We observe transition towards lighter pigmentation and surprisingly, no Neolithic presence of lactase persistence. PMID:25334030

Final report of the key comparison CCQM-K98: Pb isotope amount ratios in bronze

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogl, Jochen; Yim, Yong-Hyeon; Lee, Kyoung-Seok; Goenaga-Infante, Heidi; Malinowskiy, Dmitriy; Ren, Tongxiang; Wang, Jun; Vocke, Robert D., Jr.; Murphy, Karen; Nonose, Naoko; Rienitz, Olaf; Noordmann, Janine; Näykki, Teemu; Sara-Aho, Timo; Ari, Betül; Cankur, Oktay

2014-01-01

Isotope amount ratios are proving useful in an ever increasing array of applications that range from studies unravelling transport processes, to pinpointing the provenance of specific samples as well as trace element quantification by using isotope dilution mass spectrometry (IDMS). These expanding applications encompass fields as diverse as archaeology, food chemistry, forensic science, geochemistry, medicine and metrology. However, to be effective tools, the isotope ratio data must be reliable and traceable to enable the comparability of measurement results. The importance of traceability and comparability in isotope ratio analysis has already been recognized by the Inorganic Analysis Working Group (IAWG) within the CCQM. While the requirements for isotope ratio accuracy and precision in the case of IDMS are generally quite modest, 'absolute' Pb isotope ratio measurements for geochemical applications as well as forensic provenance studies require Pb isotope ratio measurements of the highest quality. To support present and future CMCs on isotope ratio determinations, a key comparison was urgently needed and therefore initiated at the IAWG meeting in Paris in April 2011. The analytical task within such a comparison was decided to be the measurement of Pb isotope amount ratios in water and bronze. Measuring Pb isotope amount ratios in an aqueous Pb solution tested the ability of analysts to correct for any instrumental effects on the measured ratios, while the measurement of Pb isotope amount ratios in a metal matrix sample provided a real world test of the whole chemical and instrumental procedure. A suitable bronze material with a Pb mass fraction between 10 and 100 mg•kg-1 and a high purity solution of Pb with a mass fraction of approximately 100 mg•kg-1 was available at the pilot laboratory (BAM), both offering a natural-like Pb isotopic composition. The mandatory measurands, the isotope amount ratios n(206Pb)/n(204Pb), n(207Pb)/n(204Pb) and n(208Pb)/n(204Pb

Boulder Distributions at Legacy Landing Sites: Assessing Regolith Production Rates and Landing Site Hazards

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watkins, R. N.; Jolliff, B. L.; Lawrence, S. J.; Hayne, P. O.; Ghent, R. R.

2017-01-01

Understanding how the distribution of boulders on the lunar surface changes over time is key to understanding small-scale erosion processes and the rate at which rocks become regolith. Boulders degrade over time, primarily as a result of micrometeorite bombardment so their residence time at the surface can inform the rate at which rocks become regolith or become buried within regolith. Because of the gradual degradation of exposed boulders, we expect that the boulder population around an impact crater will decrease as crater age increases. Boulder distributions around craters of varying ages are needed to understand regolith production rates, and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera (LROC) Narrow Angle Camera (NAC) images provide one of the best tools for conducting these studies. Using NAC images to assess how the distribution of boulders varies as a function of crater age provides key constraints for boulder erosion processes. Boulders also represent a potential hazard that must be addressed in the planning of future lunar landings. A boulder under a landing leg can contribute to deck tilt, and boulders can damage spacecraft during landing. Using orbital data to characterize boulder populations at locations where landers have safely touched down (Apollo, Luna, Surveyor, Chang'e-3) provides validation for landed mission hazard avoidance planning. Additionally, counting boulders at legacy landing sites is useful because: 1) LROC has extensive coverage of these sites at high resolutions (approximately 0.5 meters per pixel). 2) Returned samples from craters at these sites have been radiometrically dated, allowing assessment of how boulder distributions vary as a function of crater age. 3) Surface photos at these sites can be used to correlate with remote sensing measurements.

Thinking locally: Environmental reconstruction of Middle and Later Stone Age archaeological sites in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Zambia based on ungulate stable isotopes.

PubMed

Robinson, Joshua R

2017-05-01

Our knowledge of the Pleistocene environments of Africa consists primarily of data at a scale too coarse to capture the full habitat variation important to hominins 'on the ground.' These environments are complex, highly variable, and poorly understood. As such, data from individual sites are a needed addition to our current paleoenvironmental reconstructions. This study offers a site-based approach focusing on stable isotope analyses of fossil faunal tooth enamel from three archaeological sites in tropical Africa. Carbon and oxygen stable isotope data are reported from the sites of Porc Epic, Ethiopia, Lukenya Hill, Kenya, and Kalemba Rockshelter, Zambia. Stable isotope data from tooth enamel are used to measure two environmental variables: (1) aridity based on oxygen isotope composition and (2) dietary reconstructions of fossil ungulates based on the relative proportions of C 3 browse and C 4 graze in the diet. These data allow for a preliminary assessment of existing models that attempt to explain the behavioral and technological variation characteristic of the transition between the Middle and Later Stone Ages. Results indicate spatial and temporal variation in aridity and phytogeography in tropical Africa during the Pleistocene, suggesting that no single model is likely to provide an explanation for the transition at all sites across Africa. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Vegetation and soil dynamics under climatic to anthropogenic forcing through the Holocene in Eastern France

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Doyen, Elise; Vannière, Boris; Gauthier, Emilie; Bichet, Vincent; Berger, Jean-François; Arnaud, Fabien

2010-05-01

Small lakes with little catchment areas, and high resolution Holocene sediment infilling, offer the interest to record mainly local perturbation and to study the switch from climatic to anthropogenic forcing. Two cores were extracted from Lake Antre in the Jura Mountains (Eastern France, 798 m a.s.l) and Lake Moras located on a low-elevated plateau from the upper Rhone valley (Eastern France, 304 m a.s.l). Cores taken from the deep zone of the lakes present continuous sedimentary series from the Late-glacial (15 000 cal. BP) for Lake Moras and from the Atlantic chronozone (6000 cal. BP) for Lake Antre. Several archaeological excavations and investigations around Lakes Antre and Moras give evidence of major human occupation during Gallo-roman period, while former settlements are indicating by Pre- and Protohistoric archaeological artifacts. Multi-proxy reconstructions with high temporal resolution were undertaken: vegetation dynamics by pollen analysis, fire history by the quantification of microscopic charcoal and soil erosion by magnetic susceptibility measurements. Before the anthropogenic forcing, during the mid-Holocene environment of both lakes are constituted mainly by a dense mixed oak forest. The first palaeoecological signs of anthropogenic impact on the two sites appear to have been discontinuous and limited. They appear at the early Neolithic (ca 6000 cal .BP) for Lake Moras and during the Bronze Age (4000 to 3000 cal .BP) for Lake Antre. For the both sites, all the proxies indicate an acceleration of human impact around 3000 to 2700 cal. BP i.e. at the transition between the Bronze Age and the beginning of the Iron Age. The dense forest and the Alnus dominated vegetation on borders of lakes are affected by several clearances. The influx of micro-charcoal increases due to the use of the fire for clearing and manage settlements. The development of Poaceae and Anthropogenic Pollen Indicators (API) suggest an expansion of pastures, whereas the farming

Interpretation of stable isotope, denitrification, and groundwater age data for samples collected from Sandia National Laboratories /New Mexico (SNL/NM) Burn Site Groundwater Area of Concern

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

Madrid, V.; Singleton, M. J.; Visser, A.

This report combines and summarizes results for two groundwater-sampling events (October 2012 and October/November 2015) from the Sandia National Laboratories/New Mexico (SNL/NM) Burn Site Groundwater (BSG) Area of Concern (AOC) located in the Lurance Canyon Arroyo southeast of Albuquerque, NM in the Manzanita Mountains. The first phase of groundwater sampling occurred in October 2012 including samples from 19 wells at three separate sites that were analyzed by the Environmental Radiochemistry Laboratory at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as part of a nitrate Monitored Natural Attenuation (MNA) evaluation. The three sites (BSG, Technical Area-V, and Tijeras Arroyo) are shown on the regionalmore » hydrogeologic map and described in the Sandia Annual Groundwater Monitoring Report. The first phase of groundwater sampling included six monitoring wells at the Burn Site, eight monitoring wells at Technical Area-V, and five monitoring wells at Tijeras Arroyo. Each groundwater sample was analyzed using the two specialized analytical methods, age-dating and denitrification suites. In September 2015, a second phase of groundwater sampling took place at the Burn Site including 10 wells sampled and analyzed by the same two analytical suites. Five of the six wells sampled in 2012 were resampled in 2015. This report summarizes results from two sampling events in order to evaluate evidence for in situ denitrification, the average age of the groundwater, and the extent of recent recharge of the bedrock fracture system beneath the BSG AOC.« less

LIDAR-based coastal landscape reconstruction and harbour location: The Viking-age royal burial site of Borre (Norway)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Draganits, Erich; Doneus, Michael; Gansum, Terje

2013-04-01

Airborne light detection and ranging (LIDAR) has found wide application in archaeological research for the detection and documentation of archaeological and palaeo-environmental features. In this study we demonstrate the analysis of an LIDAR derived 1x1 m digital elevation model (DTM) combined with geoarchaeological research of the coastal Viking-age burial site in Borre, Olso Fjord (Norway). Borre is an exceptional burial site in Scandinavia, containing burial mounds up to 40 m in diameter and 6 m height, mentioned in Nordic Sagas, especially in the skaldic poem Ynglingatal, as the burial place of one or two kings of the Ynglinga dynasty. Archaeological findings and radiocarbon ages indicate that the Borre burial ground had been in use broadly between 600-1000 AD. Despite the reasonable expectation that a coastal site connected with the Viking kings of Vestfold, with hall buildings and ship graves demands a harbour, up to now no harbour has not been found with traditional archaeological surveys. Since the area of Borre is affected by a continuous land uplift related to glacial rebound of Scandinavia, any former harbour site is expected to be exposed to the land surface today. The present day vertical crustal uplift is calculated around 2.5 mm/yr in the area of Borre. Burial mounds and surrounding borrow pits as well as geomorphological features of the uplifted coast of Borre have been analysed by the 1x1 m LIDAR-DTM, using hillshade, slope and local relief model for visualisation. Altogether, 41 burial mounds and further 6 potential mounds are visible in the high-resolution DTM. A succession of more than 14 beach ridges, cross-cut by the burial mounds, is visible from the present shore line up to 18 m asl. They are more or less parallel and similar in size, except between at ca. 4-6 m asl, where the most prominent ridge is located, which probably has been enforced artificially. Using published shoreline displacement curves from nearby areas, the shore-line at

Prevalence of Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Children Aged 8 Years — Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, 11 Sites, United States, 2014

PubMed Central

Wiggins, Lisa; Christensen, Deborah L.; Maenner, Matthew J; Daniels, Julie; Warren, Zachary; Kurzius-Spencer, Margaret; Zahorodny, Walter; Robinson Rosenberg, Cordelia; White, Tiffany; Durkin, Maureen S.; Imm, Pamela; Nikolaou, Loizos; Yeargin-Allsopp, Marshalyn; Lee, Li-Ching; Harrington, Rebecca; Lopez, Maya; Fitzgerald, Robert T.; Hewitt, Amy; Pettygrove, Sydney; Constantino, John N.; Vehorn, Alison; Shenouda, Josephine; Hall-Lande, Jennifer; Van Naarden Braun, Kim; Dowling, Nicole F.

2018-01-01

Problem/Condition Autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Period Covered 2014. Description of System The Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring (ADDM) Network is an active surveillance system that provides estimates of the prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) among children aged 8 years whose parents or guardians reside within 11 ADDM sites in the United States (Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Wisconsin). ADDM surveillance is conducted in two phases. The first phase involves review and abstraction of comprehensive evaluations that were completed by professional service providers in the community. Staff completing record review and abstraction receive extensive training and supervision and are evaluated according to strict reliability standards to certify effective initial training, identify ongoing training needs, and ensure adherence to the prescribed methodology. Record review and abstraction occurs in a variety of data sources ranging from general pediatric health clinics to specialized programs serving children with developmental disabilities. In addition, most of the ADDM sites also review records for children who have received special education services in public schools. In the second phase of the study, all abstracted information is reviewed systematically by experienced clinicians to determine ASD case status. A child is considered to meet the surveillance case definition for ASD if he or she displays behaviors, as described on one or more comprehensive evaluations completed by community-based professional providers, consistent with the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) diagnostic criteria for autistic disorder; pervasive developmental disorder–not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS, including atypical autism); or Asperger disorder. This report provides updated ASD prevalence estimates for children aged 8

The effects of site, supplemental food, and age on survivorship of Carolina Chickadees and implications for dispersal through- riparian corridors

USGS Publications Warehouse

Doherty, P.F.; Grubb, T.G.

2000-01-01

Few studies have examined survivorship of animals in forest fragments differing in size, and none has used appropriate mark-recapture analysis techniques taking into account probability of recapture. Using Program MARK, a flexible mark-recapture software package, we estimated annual survival rates of Carolina Chickadees over a 5-yr period in a fragmented landscape in Ohio. The probability of survival was related to site (riparian woodland or woodlot area) and increased with the presence of supplemental food. While there was little evidence for an age difference in apparent survival in woodlots, young birds appeared to survive less well in forested river corridors. This last result was quite likely due, at least in part, to age-specific dispersal, suggesting that river corridors function as important dispersal routes for young birds.

Corrosion of dental nickel-aluminum bronze with a minor gold content-mechanism and biological impact.

PubMed

Ardlin, Berit I; Lindholm-Sethson, Britta; Dahl, Jon E

2009-02-01

To study corrosion and to evaluate biological effects in vitro of corrosion products of a copper-aluminum-nickel alloy with 2% gold. The alloy NPGtrade mark+2 with the nominal composition Cu:77.3; Al:7.8; Ni:4.3; Fe:3.0; Zn:2.7; Au:2.0; and Mn:1.7 was characterized. Static immersion in acidic saline, pH 2.2-2.4, was used to determine release of metallic elements in a milieu simulating the condition of plaque build-up in interproximal areas of the tooth. Corrosion and surface reactions in saline and artificial saliva were studied by electrochemical techniques including registration of open-circuit-potentials, polarization curves and impedance spectra. Extracts were made in cell culture media and acidic saline and used for MTT test for cytotoxicity and HET-CAM method for irritation. The mean amount of elements released in the acidic saline were in microg cm(-2) : Cu:632; Al:210; Ni:144; Fe:122; Zn:48; Mn:52. No protective film was formed on the surface of the alloy, as extensive corrosion was observed in both saline and artificial saliva. The corrosion rate was higher in saline than in artificial saliva. Acidic extracts of the alloy diluted up to 64 times reduced cell viability with 80% or more. The extract induced coagulation of the blood vessels of the CAM and was rated as moderate irritant solution. The nickel-aluminum bronze showed high corrosion rate caused by an inability to create a protective surface layer. High levels of toxic elements were found after static immersion testing, and the corrosion products had a distinct adverse effect on the biological activity. Copyright 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The sites and topology of mitochondrial superoxide production

PubMed Central

Brand, Martin D.

2010-01-01

Mitochondrial superoxide production is an important source of reactive oxygen species in cells, and may cause or contribute to ageing and the diseases of ageing. Seven major sites of superoxide production in mammalian mitochondria are known and widely accepted. In descending order of maximum capacity they are the ubiquinone binding sites in complex I (site IQ) and complex III (site IIIQo), glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase, the flavin in complex I (site IF), the electron transferring flavoprotein:Q oxidoreductase (ETFQOR) of fatty acid beta oxidation, and pyruvate and 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenases. None of these sites is fully characterized and for some we only have sketchy information. The topology of the sites is important because it determines whether or not a site will produce superoxide in the mitochondrial matrix and be able to damage mitochondrial DNA. All sites produce superoxide in the matrix; site IIIQo and glycerol 3-phosphate dehydrogenase also produce superoxide to the intermembrane space. The relative contribution of each site to mitochondrial reactive oxygen species generation in the absence of electron transport inhibitors is unknown in isolated mitochondria, in cells or in vivo, and may vary considerably with species, tissue, substrate, energy demand and oxygen tension. PMID:20064600

UV reflection properties of plumage and skin of domesticated turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo f. dom.) as revealed by UV photography.

PubMed

Bartels, T; Lütgeharm, J-H; Wähner, M; Berk, J

2017-12-01

Reflection and fluorescence properties of feathered and non-feathered body regions of white- and bronze-colored fattening turkeys of various ages were examined by ultraviolet (UV) photography. The examinations were carried out on 20 white-feathered fattening turkeys (B.U.T. 6; 10 males, 10 females) and 20 bronze-feathered fattening turkeys (Grelier 708; 10 males, 10 females) over a period of 21 weeks. The turkeys were photographed once a wk under long-wave UV (UVA) radiation illumination (λ = 344-407 nm) using a digital camera. A bandpass filter was used for UV reflectography to filter out the visible components of the used light source. A longpass filter was used for UV fluorescence photography to avoid blurring in the image due to chromatic aberration as a result of UV illumination. We found that natal down feathers of white-feathered turkeys showed an intense yellowish-green fluorescence under UVA light. UVA fluorescence also was shown by the natal downs of the slightly melanized plumage areas of bronze turkeys. Vaned feathers of white fattening turkeys reflected UVA radiation. Freshly molted feathers were optically distinguishable from the previous feather generation due to their more intense UVA reflection. In bronze turkeys, both the bright end seams of the dark pennaceous feathers and rectrices and the bright banding of primary and secondary remiges reflected UVA radiation. Intense UVA fluorescence was recognizable in day-old chicks of both color variants on the scutellate scales of the legs and toes. In male turkeys of both color variants, UVA-reflecting parts were recognizable with increasing age on the featherless head region. The UVA-fluorescent and UVA-reflective characteristics of the plumage of fattening turkeys were closely related to the plumage color, the feather type, the molting state, and the age of the birds. Further research is needed regarding the UVA-reflecting properties of the turkey plumage and the effects of full-spectrum illumination

γ-secretase binding sites in aged and Alzheimer's disease human cerebrum: the choroid plexus as a putative origin of CSF Aβ.

PubMed

Liu, Fei; Xue, Zhi-Qin; Deng, Si-Hao; Kun, Xiong; Luo, Xue-Gang; Patrylo, Peter R; Rose, Gregory M; Cai, Huaibin; Struble, Robert G; Cai, Yan; Yan, Xiao-Xin

2013-05-01

Deposition of β -amyloid (Aβ) peptides, cleavage products of β-amyloid precursor protein (APP) by β-secretase-1 (BACE1) and γ-secretase, is a neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD). γ-Secretase inhibition is a therapeutical anti-Aβ approach, although changes in the enzyme's activity in AD brain are unclear. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) Aβ peptides are thought to derive from brain parenchyma and thus may serve as biomarkers for assessing cerebral amyloidosis and anti-Aβ efficacy. The present study compared active γ-secretase binding sites with Aβ deposition in aged and AD human cerebrum, and explored the possibility of Aβ production and secretion by the choroid plexus (CP). The specific binding density of [(3) H]-L-685,458, a radiolabeled high-affinity γ-secretase inhibitor, in the temporal neocortex and hippocampal formation was similar for AD and control cases with similar ages and post-mortem delays. The CP in post-mortem samples exhibited exceptionally high [(3) H]-L-685,458 binding density, with the estimated maximal binding sites (Bmax) reduced in the AD relative to control groups. Surgically resected human CP exhibited APP, BACE1 and presenilin-1 immunoreactivity, and β-site APP cleavage enzymatic activity. In primary culture, human CP cells also expressed these amyloidogenic proteins and released Aβ40 and Aβ42 into the medium. Overall, our results suggest that γ-secretase activity appears unaltered in the cerebrum in AD and is not correlated with regional amyloid plaque pathology. The CP appears to be a previously unrecognised non-neuronal contributor to CSF Aβ, probably at reduced levels in AD. © 2013 Federation of European Neuroscience Societies and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

75 FR 13345 - Pricing for Certain United States Mint Products

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-03-19

... is announcing the price of First Spouse Bronze Medals and 2010 First Spouse Bronze Medal Series: Four... currently on sale, effective March 18, 2010. The 2010 First Spouse Bronze Medal Series: Four-Medal Set will be priced at $15.95 and will contain all four 2010 First Spouse Bronze Medals. The release date for...

An accidental geophysical discovery of an Iron Age archaeological site on the western shore of Lake Baikal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozhevnikov, Nikolai O.; Kharinsky, Arthur V.; Kozhevnikov, Oleg K.

2001-06-01

Slowly decaying transients were measured during a TEM survey over crystalline metamorphic rocks in the vicinity of the village of Chernorud, on the western shore of Lake Baikal. Once converted to apparent resistivities, these transients resulted in values of about 2-5 Ω m. Because neither in-field nor laboratory DC resistivity measurements indicate conductive rocks, the TEM results are confusing. It is hypothesized that the anomalous transients were caused by the relaxation of the magnetization of extremely fine ferri- and/or ferromagnetic particles concentrated in the near-surface layer. In 1997, in the soil thrown out of a gopher burrow, slags and charcoal fragments were found which suggested ancient metallurgical activity. Despite the slags being electrically poorly conductive, once placed into a small coil, they produced slowly decaying transients caused by magnetic viscosity effects. On the basis of their chemical and mineral composition, the Chernorud site slags proved to be identical to those which are known to have been formed during the production of iron in ancient bloomery furnaces. An excavation carried out at the site of the gopher burrow resulted in the discovery of a large bloomery furnace, much slag, charcoal, and baked clay fragments. In 1999, reconnaissance magnetic field and galvanic resistivity profiling measurements were conducted, focused on the site's archaeological potential. Data were taken over a 96×100 m area at 4 m intervals along parallel profiles spaced at 4 m. The magnetic field contour and surface maps exhibited an isometrically shaped positive anomaly with an amplitude of 40-50 nT, that was 30-40 m in diameter. The bloomery and other archaeometallurgical structures fall within the central part of the magnetic anomaly. The galvanic profiling has revealed a resistivity high (1000-1500 Ω m against 300-500 Ω m) which might be attributed to ancient human activity. Radiocarbon dating of three charcoal fragments sampled during the

Stand age and climate drive forest carbon balance recovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Besnard, Simon; Carvalhais, Nuno; Clevers, Jan; Herold, Martin; Jung, Martin; Reichstein, Markus

2016-04-01

Forests play an essential role in the terrestrial carbon (C) cycle, especially in the C exchanges between the terrestrial biosphere and the atmosphere. Ecological disturbances and forest management are drivers of forest dynamics and strongly impact the forest C budget. However, there is a lack of knowledge on the exogenous and endogenous factors driving forest C recovery. Our analysis includes 68 forest sites in different climate zones to determine the relative influence of stand age and climate conditions on the forest carbon balance recovery. In this study, we only included forest regrowth after clear-cut stand replacement (e.g. harvest, fire), and afforestation/reforestation processes. We synthesized net ecosystem production (NEP), gross primary production (GPP), ecosystem respiration (Re), the photosynthetic respiratory ratio (GPP to Re ratio), the ecosystem carbon use efficiency (CUE), that is NEP to GPP ratio, and CUEclimax, where GPP is derived from the climate conditions. We implemented a non-linear regression analysis in order to identify the best model representing the C flux patterns with stand age. Furthermore, we showed that each C flux have a non-linear relationship with stand age, annual precipitation (P) and mean annual temperature (MAT), therefore, we proposed to use non-linear transformations of the covariates for C fluxes'estimates. Non-linear stand age and climate models were, therefore, used to establish multiple linear regressions for C flux predictions and for determining the contribution of stand age and climate in forest carbon recovery. Our findings depicted that a coupled stand age-climate model explained 33% (44%, average site), 62% (76%, average site), 56% (71%, average site), 41% (59%, average site), 50% (65%, average site) and 36% (50%, average site) of the variance of annual NEP, GPP, Re, photosynthetic respiratory ratio, CUE and CUEclimax across sites, respectively. In addition, we showed that gross fluxes (e.g. GPP and Re) are

Empire Without A Voice Phoenician Iron Metallurgy and Imperial Strategy at Carthage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaufman, Brett Sanford

The role of iron in the emergence of Iron Age states in North Africa and the Near East has been poorly understood due to a paucity of contemporary, diachronic ferrous archaeometallurgical data. Excavations at Phoenician and Punic Carthage in the 2000s recovered one of the largest and most diverse corpora of Iron Age iron production material culture from North Africa and the Near East, spanning the entire history of Carthage from its Tyrian colonial foundations to its destruction by Rome (historical dates 814--146 BC). Analysis of the materials employing metallography, portable X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (pXRF), and variable pressure scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy x-ray dispersive spectroscopy (VPSEM-EDS) indicates that Carthaginian smiths were smelting and smithing wrought iron and steel as an exchange good or tribute commodity to Tyre and the Assyrian empire, as well as producing, refining, and consuming tin and arsenical bronzes, leaded bronzes, lead, and cobalt. Archaeological evidence demonstrates a state industry of iron production, including the commissioning, decommissioning, and outsourcing of metallurgical precincts. There is an overwhelming difference exhibited between output capacity at industrial and household production sites. Epigraphic evidence in Punic illustrates the inherent economic and familial affiliations between the Carthaginian state and metalworkers. Ironsmiths, bronze casters, and goldsmiths were privileged engineers of one of the state's most strategic industries, and were stratified in a hierarchy of technical specialties and ranks. In order to conserve fuel and succeed in properly vitrifying ore or bloom impurities into slag, they recycled industrial byproducts in the form of murex shells from purple dye production as a metallurgical flux and lined the furnaces with quartz-rich heat insulation. Carthage was one colony in the Phoenician commodity procurement network, whose task it was to convert iron blooms into

Drought-induced legacy effects in wood growth across the Eastern and Midwestern U.S. are mediated by site climate, tree age, and drought sensitivity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kannenberg, S.; Maxwell, J. T.; Pederson, N.; D'Orangeville, L.; Phillips, R.

2017-12-01

While it is widely known that drought reduces carbon (C) uptake in temperate forests, tree growth can also remain stagnant post-drought despite favorable climatic conditions. While such "legacy effects" are well established, the degree to which these effects depend on species identity or variability in site conditions is poorly quantified. We sought to uncover how site, species, climate, and tree age interact to affect the presence and magnitude of legacy effects in temperate trees following drought. To do this, we assembled dendrochronological records of 18 common species across 94 sites in Eastern and Midwestern U.S. forests and quantified drought-induced changes in wood growth in the year of the drought (hereafter "drought sensitivity") and the years after the drought (i.e., legacy effects). We predicted that species particularly prone to hydraulic damage (e.g., oaks) would have the least drought sensitivity yet experience larger legacy effects, and that this effect would be exacerbated at arid sites. Across all species and sites, wood growth was reduced by 14% in the year of the drought and by 7% post-drought. Surprisingly, legacy effects were smaller for oak species and larger across species known to be more drought sensitive (e.g. tulip poplar, maple, birch). As a result, we observed a positive relationship between a species' drought sensitivity and that species' legacy effect. These legacy effects were similar in size across a range of drought severities. Surprisingly, legacy effects were smaller in more arid sites - contrary to previous investigations in dryland ecosystems - perhaps indicating the role of adaptation in mediating a tree's recovery from drought. In addition, many species actually decreased the size of their legacy effects as they aged, despite no change in drought responses. Our results run contrary to our predictions, as species with the greatest drought sensitivity had the least ability to recover, and that younger mesic forests- not arid

Radiometric ages for basement rocks from the Emperor Seamounts, ODP Leg 197

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duncan, Robert A.; Keller, Randall A.

2004-08-01

The Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain is the "type" example of an age-progressive, hot spot-generated intraplate volcanic lineament. However, our current knowledge of the age distribution within this province is based largely on radiometric ages determined several decades ago. Improvements in instrumentation, sample preparation methods, and new material obtained by recent drilling warrant a reexamination of the age relations among the older Hawaiian volcanoes. We report new age determinations (40Ar-39Ar incremental heating method) on whole rocks and feldspar separates from Detroit (Sites 1203 and 1204), Nintoku (Site 1205), and Koko (Site 1206) Seamounts (Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 197) and Meiji Seamount (Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) Leg 19, Site 192). Plateaus in incremental heating age spectra for Site 1203 lava flows give a mean age of 75.8 ± 0.6 (2σ) Ma, which is consistent with the normal magnetic polarity directions observed and biostratigraphic age assignments. Site 1204 lavas produced discordant spectra, indicating Ar loss by reheating and K mobilization. Six plateau ages from lava flows at Site 1205 give a mean age of 55.6 ± 0.2 Ma, corresponding to Chron 24r. Drilling at Site 1206 intersected a N-R-N magnetic polarity sequence of lava flows, from which six plateau ages give a mean age of 49.1 ± 0.2 Ma, corresponding to the Chron 21n-22r-22n sequence. Plateau ages from two feldspar separates and one lava from DSDP Site 192 range from 34 to 41 Ma, significantly younger than the Cretaceous age of overlying sediments, which we relate to postcrystallization K mobilization. Combined with new dating results from Suiko Seamount (DSDP Site 433) and volcanoes near the prominent bend in the lineament [, 2002], the overall trend is increasing volcano age from south to north along the Emperor Seamounts, consistent with the hot spot model. However, there appear to be important departures from the earlier modeled simple linear age progression, which we

Transformation of Active Sites in Fe/SSZ-13 SCR Catalysts during Hydrothermal Aging: A Spectroscopic, Microscopic, and Kinetics Study

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

Kovarik, Libor; Washton, Nancy M.; Kukkadapu, Ravi

Fe/SSZ-13 catalysts (Si/Al = 12, Fe loadings 0.37% and 1.20%) were prepared via solution ion-exchange, and hydrothermally aged at 600, 700 and 800 C. The fresh and aged catalysts were characterized with surface area/pore volume analysis, Mössbauer, solid-state MAS NMR, NO titration FTIR spectroscopies, and TEM and APT imaging. Hydrothermal aging causes dealumination of the catalysts, and transformation of various Fe sites. The latter include conversion of free Fe2+ ions to dimeric Fe(III) species, the agglomeration of isolated Fe-ions to Fe-oxide clusters, and incorporation of Al into the Fe-oxide species. These changes result in complex influences on standard SCR andmore » NO/NH3 oxidation reactions. In brief, mild aging causes catalyst performance enhancement for SCR, while harsh aging at 800 C deteriorates SCR performance. In comparison to Fe/zeolites more prone to hydrothermal degradation, this study demonstrates that via the utilization of highly hydrothermally stable Fe/SSZ-13 catalysts, more accurate correlations between various Fe species and their roles in SCR related chemistries can be made. The authors gratefully acknowledge the US Department of Energy (DOE), Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Vehicle Technologies Office for the support of this work. The research described in this paper was performed in the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL), a national scientific user facility sponsored by the DOE’s Office of Biological and Environmental Research and located at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL). PNNL is operated for the US DOE by Battelle.« less

Industrial garnet

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, D.W.

2012-01-01

Garnet has been used as a gemstone since the Bronze Age. However, garnet's angular fractures, relatively high hardness and specific gravity, chemical inertness, and nontoxicity make it ideal for many industrial applications. It is also free of crystalline silica and can be recycled.

Industrial garnet

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, D.W.

2011-01-01

Garnet has been used as a gemstone since the Bronze Age. However, garnet's angular fractures, relatively high hardness and specific gravity, chemical inertness and nontoxicity make it ideal for many industrial applications. It is also free of crystalline silica and can be recycled.

Harvest impacts in uneven-aged and even-aged Missouri Ozark forests

Treesearch

John P. Dwyer; Daniel C. Dey; William D. Walter; Randy G. Jensen

2004-01-01

Forest managers are concerned about the potential damage to residual trees and site from cyclic harvest re-entries into the same forest stand. This study summarizes logging and felling damage resulting from the harvesting of silvicultural treatments on a large landscape experiment in southern Missouri that is designed to compare impacts of even-aged, uneven-aged and no...

A Comparison of two Brunhes Chron Geomagnetic Excursions Recorded by Neighbouring North Atlantic Sites (ODP Sites 1062 and 1063)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourne, M.; Mac Niocaill, C.; Knudsen, M. F.; Thomas, A. L.; Henderson, G. M.

2012-04-01

A full picture of geomagnetic field behaviour during the Blake excursion is currently limited by a paucity of robust, high-resolution records of this ambiguous event. Some records seem to point towards a 'double-excursion' character whilst others fail to record the Blake excursion at all. We present here a high-resolution record of the Blake excursion obtained from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1062 on the Blake Outer Ridge (ODP Leg 172). Palaeomagnetic measurements in three cores reveal a single excursional feature associated with a broad palaeointensity low, characterised by rapid transitions (less than 500 years) between a stable normal polarity and a fully-reversed, pseudo-stable polarity. A relatively high sedimentation rate (~10 cm kyr-1) allows the determination of transitional field behaviour during the excursion. Rather than assuming a constant sedimentation rate between assigned age tie-points, we employ measurements of 230Thxs concentrations in the sediment to assess variations in the sedimentation rates through the core sections of interest. This allows us to determine an age and duration for the two excursions with greater accuracy and known uncertainty. Our new age model gives an age of 127 ka for the midpoint of the Blake event at Site 1062. The age model also gives a duration for the directional excursion of 7.1±1.6 kyr. This duration is similar to that previously reported for the Iceland Basin Excursion (~185 ka) from the nearby Bermuda Rise (ODP Site 1063), which recorded a ~7-8 kyr event. Similarly, a high sedimentation rate (10-15 cm kyr-1) at this site allows a high-resolution reconstruction of the geomagnetic field behaviour during the Iceland Basin Excursion. The Site 1063 palaeomagnetic record suggests more complicated behaviour than that of the Blake excursion at Site 1062. Instead, transitional VGP paths are characterised by stop-and-go behaviour between VGP clusters that may be related to long-standing thermo-dynamic features of the

Superficial basal cell carcinoma: A comparison of superficial only subtype with superficial combined with other subtypes by age, sex and anatomic site in 3150 cases.

PubMed

Pyne, John H; Myint, Esther; Barr, Elizabeth M; Clark, Simon P; David, Michael; Na, Renua; Hou, Ruihang

2017-08-01

Basal cell carcinoma (BCC) may present as superficial subtype alone (sBCC) or superficial combined with other subtypes. The objective of this study was to compare sBCC without or with other BCC subtypes by age, sex and anatomic site. We retrospectively collected superficial BCC with the above characteristics from an Australian center during 2009 to 2014. We recorded 1528 sBCC and 1622 superficial BCC combined with other BCC subtype cases. Males numbered 2007 and females 1140. On males, head sites (forehead, cheek, nose and ear combined) compared to limb plus trunk sites displayed a higher incidence of superficial BCC combined with either nodular and or aggressive BCC subtypes (OR 13.15 CI 95% 8.9-19.5 P < .0001). On females a similar comparison also found a higher incidence of superficial BCC combined with solid subtype BCC on head sites compared to trunk and limb sites (OR 9.66 CI 95% 5.8-16.1 P < .0001). Superficial BCC alone is more likely on younger females on trunk and limb sites. Small partial biopsies reported as sBCC may miss other BCC subtypes present with higher risk on facial sites for males and females. Males had smaller proportions of superficial only subtype BCC on facial and ear sites compared to females. © 2017 John Wiley & Sons A/S. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

AmeriFlux US-Me4 Metolius-old aged ponderosa pine

DOE Data Explorer

Law, Bev [Oregon State University

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Me4 Metolius-old aged ponderosa pine. Site Description - The site is located on land designated as a Research Natural Area (RNA). The site is very open, with even-aged stands of old-growth trees, young trees and mixed aged stands. The eddy-flux tower footprint was classified as ~ 48% mixed aged, ~27% pure old growth and ~25% young aged stands. The data in this workbook describes the mixed aged component. A separate workbook describes the pure old growth component. Law et al (2001) Global Change Biology 7, 755-777; Law et al (2001) Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 110, 27-43; Anthoni et al (2002) Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 111, 203-222; Irvine & Law (2002) Global Change biology 8,1183-1194, Irivne et al (2004) Tree Physiology 24,753-763.

Alkenone radiocarbon stratigraphy at high resolution continental marigin sites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mollenhauer, G.; Eglinton, T.; Freudenthal, T.; Lamy, F.

2003-04-01

Radiocarbon stratigraphy is an essential tool for high resolution Late Quaternary paleoceanographic studies. For this purpose, radiocarbon ages of foraminifera have been extensively measured. Age models based on these measurements are commonly applied to a wide range of sediment proxy information, including the investigation of temporal leads and lags. The critical assumption made in these studies is that temporal coupling between foraminifera and other sediment constituents, including specific biomarkers of marine phytoplankton, e.g. alkenones, is maintained in the sediments. A recent study using coupled foraminifera and alkenone ages was conducted at a high sedimentation rate site situated at the Bermuda Rise sediment drift body. Ages of formanifera and alkenones differed by up to 8000 years. As an interpreation of these data, it was suggested that sediment constituents residing in different grain size fractions may have different current transport properties and may thus originate from different source areas separated by large geographical distances. Sediment retrieved from a site influenced by lateral advection would thus have to be regarded as a mixture of material from different sources. The time span between production and final deposition may be site dependent and remains largely unknown. Continental margins underlying high productivity areas are sites of high sediment accumulation. The major part of this sediment is believed to be biogenic and is produced in the overlying water column. Sediment particles are expected to be deposited rapidly at or near the site of production regardless of their size. To evaluate this premise, we have measured coupled radiocarbon ages of foraminifera, TOC and alkenones in samples taken from sediment cores retreived from three continental margin high accumulation rate sites. Cores from the Benguela upwelling system, the North West African upwelling system and from the Chilean margin high productivity area were chosen. All

Orientations of the Bronze Age Villa Complex at Vathypetro in Crete

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blomberg, M.; Henriksson, G.

We present the results of our archaeoastronomical study of the villa and the tripartite shrine at Vathypetro. We found orientations to three major celestial events (counting the equinoxes as one): to sunrise at the equinoxes and the winter solstice in the case of the villa and to sunset at the summer solstice in the case of the tripartite stone. The axis of symmetry of the major room of the villa was oriented to sunrise of the 22nd of October in the Late Minoan period. This was also the orientation of the axis of symmetry of the main cult room in the west wing of the palace at Malia. We propose that this orientation marked the time for planting and thus the beginning of the agricultural year. It is unusual that archaeoastronomical studies make contributions to historical debates. However certain orientations dating after Late Minoan I seem to reflect the Mycenaean presence in Crete. The orientation of the tripartite shrine to sunset at the summer solstice is the same as the orientations of the small shrines at Malia and Agia Triada, all of which we argue to have been built for Mycenaeans. We propose that there are two types of orientations in the island: those to the east within the limits for sunrise - made by Minoans, and some to the west - made by (or for) Mycenaeans.

URINARY MUTAGENICITY IN CHARCOAL WORKERS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY IN NORTHEASTERN BRAZIL

EPA Science Inventory

Urinary Mutagenicity in charcoal workers: a cross-sectional study in northeastern Brazil

Charcoal production by wood carbonization is an ancient process that has changed little since the Bronze Age. Its production in large scale is necessary to sustain some steel and pig...

Industrial garnet

USGS Publications Warehouse

Olson, D.W.

2013-01-01