An example of a severe neck injury with survival seen in a Bronze Age burial

We present a paleopathological analysis of an adult male from the Bronze Age site of Motilla del Azuer (Daimiel, Ciudad Real) from the Spanish region of La Mancha. The hyoid bone from this individual exhibits a healed fracture. This is an exceptional archaeological find. This injury is extremely rare apart from hanging and strangulation, and it is even rarer since the individual survived this injury to his neck. This injury was probably produced by a direct impact to the neck. This event could have been the result of an accident or that of intentional aggression. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Taphonomic evidence of a human skeleton gnawed by termites in a Moche‐civilisation grave at Huaca de la Luna,Peru

A human skeleton from a Moche grave at Huaca de la Luna, Trujillo, Peru, shows evidence of taphonomic bone modification due to subterranean termite activity. Information related to the occasional osteophagous diet of termites on mammal and human remains is reviewed and detailed. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

家族主义经营——对日本战前企业雇佣制度的考察

20世纪上半叶,日本企业为了缓和劳资矛盾和强化企业内部秩序,纷纷推行以构建家族主义式的劳资关系、劳资沟通协调制度、企业内部培训制度、企业内福利制度、年功主义工资制等为基本内容的家族主义经营模式。这一新型雇佣制度在一定程度上稳定了劳资关系,提高了企业生产效率。     

Chihr de l’encens (Yémen)

Frankincense burners found in al‐Shihr’s excavations in Yemen, a frankincense harbour during the Islamic period, represent a rare corpus of this type, which is an indication of both specific use and goods from South Arabia. Although associated with the pre‐Islamic South Arabian kingdoms, the frankincense burner evolved throughout the Islamic period. This is proved by the long chronological sequence of the al‐Shihr site (780–1996). Texts quoting the presence of frankincense, its use and its trade in al‐Shihr are cited in this article to support the reputation of this harbour‐town, which is part of the maritime trade networks of medieval Islam. The aim of this article is to create a renewal of interest in future archaeological research about this object, which is so often neglected in spite of its importance as a testimony of the customs and exchanges that are deeply rooted in Arabian civilisation.     

华侨华人创业的模式及其影响因素分析——基于上海市的调查

本文以上海为实例,依据创业模式的相关理论,分析了华侨华人在大陆投资创业的主要模式划分、基本特点以及创业模式选择的影响因素。结果表明,华侨华人成功创业与其选择正确的创业模式密切相关,创业模式的选择与行业的关联程度较高,同时,创业模式的选择也与创业者对物质资本、技术资本及人力资本的拥有量密切相关。     

《史记》彭寅翁本异文辨正

<史记>元刻彭寅翁本,系现存两种最早<史记>三家注合刻本之一,安平秋先生于其所撰"<(日本宫内厅书陵部藏宋元版汉籍影印丛书)(史记)影印说明>一文中明确指出:"这部彭寅翁本<史记>在版本研究和学术研究上具有独特的、无可替代的价值."     

Some types of vertebral pathologies in the Argar Culture (Bronze Age,SE Spain)

A collection of 1825 vertebrae belonging to 105 individuals from several Argaric Culture sites (Bronze Age, SE of Spain) were studied. Several pathologies that could provide information about activity patterns were analysed, including spondylolysis, compression fractures and Schmorl's nodes. Spondylolysis appears exclusively in men. Compression fractures seem to be more related to age (osteoporosis) and are more frequent in women, but without statistical significance. Schmorl's nodes affect a large number of the individuals studied, with a slight predominance in men; there are no differences by age. The results obtained were compared with the available archaeological and anthropological information, which shows a clear division of activities by sex in the Argaric population. The validity of studying these pathologies as activity patterns is discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of growth on stable nitrogen isotope ratios in subadult bone collagen

Stable nitrogen isotopes have been used to reconstruct infant feeding practices as nursing infants have elevated δ¹⁵N ratios compared with their mothers. However, infancy is also a time of rapid growth, which may alter nitrogen isotope diet‐to‐tissue spacing. Several studies have documented a decrease in δ¹⁵N during growth in tissues with relatively fast accretion rates. This study investigates the effect that the growth of long bones, via collagen accretion, has on δ¹⁵N ratios. Long bones from individuals aged seven to nineteen years were obtained from a protohistoric ossuary in Ontario, Canada. Analysis of juveniles and adolescents permitted the examination of growth in a group who were not also nursing. It is concluded that a nitrogen isotope growth effect is not detectable in bone collagen from juveniles and adolescents, because: (1) δ¹⁵N ratios are not significantly different among the epiphyses, metaphyses and diaphysis of a growing long bone; (2) δ¹⁵N ratios are not significantly different between faster‐growing versus slower‐growing metaphyses; and (3) δ¹⁵N ratios are not significantly different between bones (or areas of a bone) that are still undergoing growth, versus bones that have ceased growing. The relatively slow speed of collagen accretion may explain why a growth effect is not manifested. Ultimately this research lends support to the use of nitrogen isotopes from bone collagen for infant feeding reconstructions. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Community of Practice in the Kuwaiti Medical Sector: An Exploratory Study

Community of Practice (CoP) is a relatively new concept in the Middle East and North Africa. The concept has been used for a number of years in the business sector; however, the use of CoPs in the health sector has not been as widespread. The aim of this study is to provide insights into the status of CoPs in the health sector and the knowledge sharing practices that take place among members of such CoPs in Kuwait. Ninety‐eight questionnaires were distributed among medical practitioners. Results showed that the majority of members perceived the CoP as a source of increasing professional knowledge. Respondents focused mainly on the COPs fostering social interactions at the workplace or during task‐oriented activities. They mostly discussed specific problems and immediate concerns. The desire to learn and the desire to help others were the main motivators for doctors to share their knowledge. Lack of time and lack of technology and knowledge transfer mechanisms were reported as the primary obstacles to sharing knowledge. Nearly 65 percent of the CoP members responding to the survey stated that they did not receive any financial support from their management. In recent years the role of communities in learning and knowledge sharing has attracted much attention among those interested in knowledge as a situated practice. The concept of Communities of Practice (CoP) was originally developed by Lave and Wenger (1991 ), who suggested that learning took place in social relationships rather than the simple acquisition of knowledge. Lave and Wenger's observations have formed the basis of the “situated learning theory,” which describes that learning takes place in a setting functionally identical to a space where the knowledge is applied ( Lave & Wenger, 1991 ). The CoP concept has been used in the business sector for over 20 years, but the use of CoPs in the health sector has been recent ( Li et al., 2009 ). In addition, results of two studies, conducted by Traboulsi (2002 ) and Johnson and Kalidi (2005 ), revealed that the CoP is a relatively new phenomenon in the Middle East and North Africa. This article aims to provide insights into the status of CoPs in the health sector and their knowledge‐sharing practices in Kuwait.