Raising Practices of Neolithic Livestock Evidenced by Stable Isotope Analysis in the Wei River Valley,North China

Although a patchwork of projects shows a process of agriculture intensification in North China during the Neolithic, the impact of cereal farming on animal husbandry and their mutual interaction remain cloudy. This study reports bone collagen δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of humans and animals from Wayaogou (ca 6.5–6.0 kyrs bp ) and Dongying (ca 5.9–5.6 kyrs bp , 4.6–4.0 kyrs bp ) to explore temporal trend of livestock raising and particularly the importance of millet fodder to stock raising practices in the Wei River valley, North China. The isotopic evidence overall shows that millet products increased in human and domestic animal diets during the mentioned chronological span. δ¹³C values of pigs and dogs at Dongying are higher than those at Wayaogou, implying that the importance of millet nutrients increased to animal husbandry diachronically. Interestingly, δ¹³C results of domestic cattle of Dongying late phase (−14.1 ± 1.1‰, N = 5) are more enriched than Wayaogou wild Bos (−17.8 ± 0.3‰, N = 3), indicating that millet fodder had taken a significant place in early cattle husbandry. Besides, differences between Bos species of the two periods also imply that δ¹³C values of bone collagen constitute a potential indicator for tracing the origin of cattle husbandry in North China. In addition, domestic sheep at Dongying produced similar isotope data to wild ovicaprid at Wayaogou, suggesting that they possibly had grazed for the most in grassland and therefore experienced a different lifestyle from cattle. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulation of adsorption of gold nanoparticles carried by gas ascending from the Earth’s interior in alluvial cover of the middle–lower reaches of the Yangtze River

The adsorption onto other minerals of charged gold nanoparticles, carried by gas ascending from the Earth’s interior, is an important component of their transport and deposition in surficial cover such as alluvial, aeolian, and glacial sediments. To simulate the adsorption of these particles, an experiment was conducted in which a flow of air that contained gold nanoparticles was passed upward through a sample of alluvium from the middle–lower reaches of the Yangtze River. These experiments showed that gold nanoparticles are adsorbed on kaolinite, halloysite, goethite, and hematite in the alluvial cover. Both the gold nanoparticles and minerals (i.e., kaolinite, halloysite, goethite, and hematite) carry surface charges that provide them with excellent adsorption properties. This study showed that the specific mineral composition of surficial alluvial cover affects the concentration of gold nanoparticles in the ascending gas. This phenomenon may plausibly be used in exploration for concealed gold, copper–gold, and silver–gold deposits in areas of thick alluvial cover. Geofluids (2010) 10 , 438–446     

Concentrations of copper,zinc and lead as indicators of hearth usage at the Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum (Silchester,Hampshire, UK)

Although prima facie evidence for non-ferrous metal-working in the form of slag, crucibles, moulds, etc is present at the Roman town of Calleva Atrebatum at Silchester Hampshire, UK it has not yet been stratigraphically associated with in situ hearths; this can make the location of metal-working difficult to determine. This in turn raises the further question of the range of function of hearths in this urban context. The present study uses a combination of archaeological and analytical methods to attempt to determine the use of several hearth and hearth-related contexts within the on-going excavation at Insula IX. Using X-ray fluorescence (XRF) we were able to distinguish between probable industrial and domestic hearths based on elemental concentrations; for example locally elevated metal concentrations, in particular of copper, show evidence for the probable working of copper alloys at Silchester. Metals were found to accumulate in the silty layers associated with hearth platforms indicating that the tiles themselves do not appear to absorb metal spatter.     

Essentials in the use of mycolic acid biomarkers for tuberculosis detection: response to “High-throughput mass spectrometric analysis of 1400-year-old mycolic acids as biomarkers for ancient tuberculosis infection” by

High molecular weight long-chain mycolic acids are key structural components of the cell envelope of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and they are established as biomarkers for the identification of both ancient and modern tuberculosis. Mycolic acids from M. tuberculosis have a characteristic profile, reflecting contributions from five major distinct homologous series of mycolate structural types. Diagnosis of tuberculosis in archaeological material, using mycolic acid biomarkers, depends on objective recognition of the key characteristic mycolic acid components. A recent article in this journal claimed that tuberculosis could be confirmed in ancient bones by high throughput mass spectrometric analysis of mycolic acids. Scrutiny of the data presented reveals no convincing evidence for the presence of mycolic acids, characteristic of the M. tuberculosis complex, in the skeletal remains examined. This communication reviews the essential criteria necessary for positive tuberculosis diagnosis, using mycolic acids.     

On Being ‘Hen's Teeth’: Interdisciplinary practices for women of color in Geography

This paper examines the position of women of color in the discipline of geography in terms of our relatively small numbers, or what one geography professor described as being ‘as rare as hen's teeth’. Using pedagogical examples, the paper analyzes institutionalized racism and sexism at the level of the educational institution, both in geography and also in interdisciplinary locations such as gender studies. Drawing from collective analysis and interdisciplinary research, I propose interdisciplinary strategies of mentorship and support, intellectual exchange, and political engagement outside the academic context as ways to address disciplinary isolation for women of color in the field. I argue that these strategies can offer crucial alternative entry points into intellectual and political projects and can open up the discipline itself by destabilizing its structural and intellectual hierarchies and expanding the scope and relevance of geographic research.

‘Asian American women in human geography are as rare as hen's teeth.’ (Professor in Geography)     

战后法国第三产业的发展和妇女就业

自工业社会形成以来,发达国家的产业结构在本世纪,尤其是二战后经历了重大调整,第三产业异军突起,其产值在国民经济中所占比重以及就业人数大大超出第一和第二产业,并对经济发展和社会生活形成强大冲击力,也使劳动力市场发生结构性的变化。本文以发达国家之一的法国...     

MECHANICAL PERFORMANCE OF QUARTZ-TEMPERED CERAMICS: PART I,STRENGTH AND TOUGHNESS*

The effect of quartz temper on the physical and mechanical properties of clay ceramics and the elucidation of the underlying mechanisms that are responsible for these effects are presented here. Characteristics studied included bulk density, open and closed porosity, density of impervious portion and fracture morphology. Mechanical behaviour was studied by measuring energy dissipation during fracture, Young's modulus, initial fracture toughness and strength in flexure. The significant increase in toughness with quartz volume fraction is explained by the development of a model that accounts for the crack distribution around the grains. The archaeological implications of the work are discussed on the basis of all the parameters that might affect the potter's choices of raw materials.     

NEW EVIDENCE FOR THE NATURE OF THE ATTIC BLACK GLOSS

New evidence is reported here using transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and laser reflectance for the nature of the black glossy decoration layer present on the Attic black or red figure vases of the sixth to fourth century BC. The black layer, of total thickness about 20 μm, consists mainly of poly crystalline magnetite (Fe₃O₄) particles of dimensions from 0.2 μm down to extremely fine sizes embodied in an amorphous vitreous matrix. On the outer surface of the black paint we discovered for the first time a thin clear glassy film of approximate thickness 0.1 μm which is rich in Al and Fe and poor in Si. This film must be responsible for the characteristic sheen of the surface. This is verified with the reflection of laser light mostly in specular direction, a unique property compared with black paints of other areas and other periods.     

Palaeogeography of an 'Ubaid archaeological site, Saudi Arabia

Palaeogeographic analysis and radiocarbon dating indicate that sometime in the second half of the fifth millennium BC a sea-level rise occurred along the coast of the western side of the Arabian (Persian) Gulf. Cultural remains of the'Ubaid archaeological period are intimately associated with the event and the palaeogeographic environment that accompanied it. The sea-level rise appears to have had a catastrophic effect on habitation sites.