Osteoporosis among ancient Egyptians

Osteoporosis is a condition of reduced total bone mass per unit volume for the normal ratio of bone mineral to bone matrix. The present work deals with the investigation and evaluation of osteoporosis in ancient Egyptians of two social classes from the Old Kingdom in Giza. The aims of this study are to provide information about the lifestyle and health status of ancient Egyptians, and to detect the causes of osteoporosis. The material consisted of 74 skeletons (43 males and 31 females) from two different social classes (high officials and workers). Skeletons were excavated from the Giza Necropolis and belonged to the Old Kingdom (2687–2191 BC). Dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to measure bone mineral density (BMD) at different skeletal sites (radius, fourth lumbar vertebra and head of femur). Moreover, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to show the microarchitectural structure of the bone. Results showed a significant decrease of BMD values in old age groups compared with younger ones in both sexes. In addition, SEM of trabecular bone in osteoporotic cases demonstrated that the horizontal trabeculae were more affected than the vertical trabeculae. Comparison between high officials and workers revealed that osteoporosis was more frequent in male workers than in male high officials, and in female high officials than in female workers. An elevated prevalence of osteoporosis among male workers may be related to the effects of nutritional stress and excessive workload, while a sedentary lifestyle may have played a role in the occurrence of osteoporosis among female high officials. Moreover, osteoporosis occurs earlier and more frequently in females than males, which may be related to the hormonal changes that accompany the menopause in females. This study emphasises the importance of gender and lifestyle factors in influencing the severity of osteoporosis. Age‐related bone loss at most skeletal sites is noted in both sexes of ancient Egyptians. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Windward Sailing Capabilities of Ancient Vessels

Weatherliness is widely considered to have been an important ability for ancient sailing vessels, yet little firm experimental or theoretical data on the matter is available. However, by drawing on a variety of sources of model-test data and trials of full-scale replicas, it is possible to establish a general picture of what might have been possible. It appears that while ancient sailing vessels may have been capable of modest windward performance in moderate conditions and with a freshly-cleaned hull, this capability quickly disappeared as the hull became fouled and/or the wind and sea conditions deteriorated.
© 2008 The Author     

从《慈恩传》看唐人风貌

《慈恩传》全称《大慈恩寺三藏法师传》,是一部记述玄奘生平最早最详实的传记,也是唐代唯一的一部专传;《慈恩传》记述了玄葵不同寻常的一生,更重要的是,《慈恩传》折射出唐代上升时期的唐人风貌：开放的文化心态,进取的时代风貌,强烈的爱国情感。     

人类早期文明中的自然铜

自然铜是人类使用最早使用的金属之一,它与人类早期文明存在重要联系。本文介绍了自然铜的属性、地质与世界分布,并结合考古证据和相关文献对人类早期自然铜的认识、利用、开采、加工及其社会价值进行了分析,对自然铜与早期金属文明之间的关系进行了探讨。     

江苏镇江花山湾古城遗址2010年发掘简报

江苏镇江花山湾古城遗址位于镇江市区东北花山湾的丘陵土岗上,城垣依山加筑夯土而成,1984、1991年曾先后两次对该城址进行了考古发掘。2010年,镇江博物馆再次对其进行了考古勘探和发掘,发掘面积114平方米,分为东城垣和城内2个发掘区域,在东城垣发现了1处城门遗迹,推断其为史料记载的唐宋罗城"新开门",并判断城门始建于唐代晚期,宋代加筑,南宋时废弃。     

古镇遗产分类及资源型古镇的保护性利用模式初探

古镇是人类主要聚落形态之一,按其成因和社会功能可把古镇分为聚落型村镇、区域贸易中心型集镇、资源型或资源—产业型集镇、军事重镇型集镇和文化景观型集镇等。资源型古镇通常是在对某地自然资源进行开发利用的过程中发展起来的场镇,它的发展历程直接折射出区域社会变迁及其关联的社会背景,构成地方文化和历史记忆的重要载体。对资源型古镇的保护性利用旨在服务当地,在内容和形式上旨在使古镇的"形"与"神"与其生存空间达到高度的融合与统一,从而准确传达古镇所蕴含的历史信息及遗产价值。     

An Analysis Of Mitochondrial Dna From The Pakhomovskaya Population Of The Late Bronze Age,Western Siberia

This article presents the results of an analysis of mitochondrial DNA extracted from bone samples from Stary Sad – a burial ground representing the eastern variant of the Late Bronze Age Pakhomovskaya culture in the Baraba forest-steppe, Western Siberia. Comparison with mitochondrial DNA data from earlier populations of the region and also with archaeological facts, points to the origins of the Pakhomovskaya people. Certain components of their gene pool were evidently derived from the local pre-Andronovo populations, others from the actual Andronovo (Fedorovka) population and also from later immigrants. In this article an integrative reconstruction based on biological and cultural facts is proposed.     

基于概率法的木构古建筑地震破坏综合评价方法

为了研究木构古建筑地震破坏状态评估的准确性,应用概率的方法,以结构损伤指数、最大层间位移角作为评价因子,建立了地震破坏综合评价模型,提出了基于概率法的木构古建筑地震破坏综合评价方法。该方法在综合现状分析与实验数据,在一定烈度下计算各种破坏状态等级中每一种破坏状态出现的概率,古建筑地震破坏状态应为概率最大的地震破坏状态,从而比较准确地判别木构古建筑地震破坏程度。并对经受过汶川地震的两种结构形式的古建筑进行了验证,从而验证了该方法的合理性和有效性。这一方法将提高木构古建筑震害预测的准确性,为古建筑抗震加固提供有效的理论支持。     

关于中国古代疆域理论若干问题的再探索

本文是作者在20世纪80年代发表的有关讨论中国古代疆域的论文基础上,进一步阐述了古代中国疆域范围即古代中国统一多民族国家统一或分裂的政权所管辖疆域的观点;接着,对20世纪90年代以来有关中国疆域形成的新观点作了评述,并提出了对古代中国疆域形成、发展的阶段划分（即分期）以及规律和特征的四点认识。     

论“雪域牧耕文明板块”在中国疆域底定过程中的地位

青藏高原特有的高山地带适宜游牧、河谷地带有利农耕的自然条件,带来了该地域定居农业与游牧社会二元分割的态势。因二者势均力敌、彼此难以统合对方,造成该地域在前近代除了吐蕃王朝暂短统一外,大部分时间处于分裂割据状态。此既是藏传佛教趁势崛起之缘由,亦为元、清两朝政治力量始终对该地域起着决定性影响的深层机理。同时,由于藏传佛教通过宗教的力量将雪域高原的文明一体性延续下来,妙用文化的力量参与并深刻地影响着古代中国疆域构建历程,使得该地域在中国疆域底定过程中起着不可替代的作用。