North Of Town Research Articles

Mineralogy and Chemical Composition of Basalt Stone Tools in Some Iraqi Archaeological Sites

Basalt stone tools were collected from some Iraqi Archaeological Sites. Twenty-one samples were studied petrographically, mineralogically, and chemical composition. Five samples were from the Gaara Depression north of Rutba town, seven samples from Tarmiya, north Baghdad, seven samples from Dalmij site, east of Diwaniya city, and two samples from Jordan, which were used for comparison. The studied samples were classified into three groups, according to their mineralogy and texture: Group A: Vesicular Basalt, Group B: Dolerite, and Group C: Olivine Basalt. These stones most probably were used as a hand axe, grinder, hammer, and other uses, as well as for buildings, like those used in Qasar Al- Azraq and Umm Al- Jamal archaeological sites in Jordan. These basalt rocks most probably were transported by an ancient man from Harrat Al-Sham, which extends through Syria-Jordan-Saudi Arabia, or from NE Syria through a trade route that connected between source areas and the studied archaeological sites in Iraq.

The conservation status and population decline of the African penguin deconstructed in space and time.

Understanding changes in abundance is crucial for conservation, but population growth rates often vary over space and time. We use 40 years of count data (1979–2019) and Bayesian state‐space models to assess the African penguin Spheniscus demersus population under IUCN Red List Criterion A. We deconstruct the overall decline in time and space to identify where urgent conservation action is needed. The global African penguin population met the threshold for Endangered with a high probability (97%), having declined by almost 65% since 1989. An historical low of ~17,700 pairs bred in 2019. Annual changes were faster in the South African population (−4.2%, highest posterior density interval, HPDI: −7.8 to −0.6%) than the Namibian one (−0.3%, HPDI: −3.3 to +2.6%), and since 1999 were almost −10% at South African colonies north of Cape Town. Over the 40‐year period, the Eastern Cape colonies went from holding ~25% of the total penguin population to ~40% as numbers decreased more rapidly elsewhere. These changes coincided with an altered abundance and availability of the main prey of African penguins. Our results underline the dynamic nature of population declines in space as well as time and highlight which penguin colonies require urgent conservation attention.

Organochlorine pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in marine sediments and polychaete worms from the west coast of Unguja island, Tanzania

The coastal areas of Stone Town, on the island of Unguja that is part of Zanzibar, are subjected to different anthropogenic activities and receive untreated municipal wastes that are likely to carry organic pollutants that can bio-accumulate in marine organisms. Sediments and polychaete worms Capitella capitata collected from coastal sites north and south of Stone Town were analysed for organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) using GC–MS to assess their pollution status in the coastal environment and uptake by the food web. The analysis revealed quantifiable concentrations of DDTs, cyclodienes, and HCHs, and six of the 11 USEPA-priority PAHs. The concentration ranges of ΣOCPs were 0.1–100 ng/g dm (dry mass) and 8.5–96 ng/g lm (lipid mass) in sediments and worms, respectively. The concentrations of ΣPAHs6 ranged from non-detectable to 27 ng/g dm in sediments and non-detectable to 18 ng/g lm (lipid mass) in worms. Malindi harbour was the most contaminated of all sites with respect to the pollutants we measured in both sediments and worms. The relative compositions of the OCPs suggest legacy use of DDT and technical HCH, and more recent use of lindane. The relatively higher proportion of low molecular mass PAHs to high molecular mass PAHs suggests major contributions from petrogenic sources in the study area. The results demonstrated bioavailability and uptake of OCPs and PAHs to the food web via C. capitata. Concentrations of DDTs, HCHs, and dieldrin exceed sediment quality guidelines, indicating risk to sediment-dwelling organisms, as well as organisms that eat them. It is likely that other toxic compounds are present, suggesting that the current assessment may underestimate the risk. Due to the indicated risk, further work is needed to look at coastal distributions, terrestrial concentrations, and accumulation of pollutants into higher trophic level organisms of Zanzibar and associated seas.

Patronage, Performance and Memory at Lathom and Knowsley: Curated Artworks, Books and Archives relating to Shakespeare and the Earls of Derby

Patronage, Performance and Memory at Lathom and Knowsley:Curated Artworks, Books and Archives relating to Shakespeare and the Earls of Derby Stephen Lloyd Knowsley Hall with its surrounding park, which is strategically situated on rising ground seven miles east of Liverpool and immediately to the north and west of the southern Lancashire market town of Prescot, has been the principal seat of the powerful regional magnates, the Earls of Derby, since 1645, and one of the two main northern homes of this pre-eminent branch of the Stanley family since 1385 [Fig. 1]. Originally a large hunting lodge surrounded by a private deer park, now consisting of 2,500 acres and a safari park, it was secondary to the family's principal seat at Lathom House or Hall, eleven miles north of Knowsley. That great fortified residence, known as the home to what was, in effect, a northern court with its exceptionally large household, was located three miles east of the market town of Ormskirk. It also enjoyed a strategic view over the fertile plain of south-western Lancashire and the Irish Sea. Both houses were used as territorial powerbases by the founder of the family dynasty, Sir John Stanley (c.1350–1414), who had supported both King Richard II (reigned 1377–99) and Henry IV (reigned 1399–1413). Sir John was also rewarded with titles and estates in east Cheshire as Steward of the Forest of Macclesfield; north-eastern Wales with the Lordships of Mold and Hope; as well as the Isle of Man, with the titular Lord of Mann and the Isles to be held of the Crown by lieu homage. A Knight of the Garter and Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, he was granted free warren of the Manors of Lathom and Knowsley in his wife's right, she being the heiress Isabel de Lathom. He adopted the heraldic device and motto of the Lathom family, namely the crest of the eagle and child and the French [End Page 333] Click for larger view View full resolution Fig 1. A View of Knowsley Hall from the East by an unknown artist, oil on canvas, c. 1700. Reproduced by kind permission of the Rt Hon. the Earl of Derby, 2020. epithet "Sans Changer" used by the Earls of Derby on their coat of arms to this day (Coward; Bagley; Lloyd 2016, 289–97). The most notable of Sir John's great-grandsons was Thomas, 2nd Baron Stanley, who was made 1st Earl of Derby in 1485 after the Battle of Bosworth by the victor Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, later King Henry VII. Thomas was appointed by the new king as Constable of England and High Steward. He was also rewarded with further estates across England, which had been confiscated from supporters of the late king Richard. Derby set about rebuilding both Lathom and Knowsley. In 1495 Henry VII and his queen, Elizabeth of York, stayed with his mother Lady Margaret Beaufort and her husband Lord Derby at Lathom and Knowsley. There, a massive stone structure known as the King's Chambers had been built for them to stay in, known to this day as the Royal Lodgings, the north facade and basement of which are still extant. Throughout the sixteenth century and up until the outbreak of the Civil War in the early 1640s, the direct descendants of Earl Thomas in the [End Page 334] main line of descent—namely the 2nd to the 7th Earls of Derby—continued to live with their large households with which they entertained the Lancashire gentry at both the great castle of Lathom and the hunting lodge of Knowsley (Lewis). Edward, 3rd Earl (1509–72) was well known for the magnificence and liberality of his hospitality, maintaining a household of over 150 servants, which was one of the largest aristocratic households in England after that of the monarch. The 3rd Earl is said to have fed over sixty of the poor every day, and 2,700 people on Good Friday each year. A schedule or list of the 4th Earl's household servants at Lathom and Knowsley, drawn up on 12 May 1590 by the comptroller William Farington of Worden, totalled 117...

Photovoltaic Electric Scooter Charger Dock for the Development of Sustainable Mobility in Urban Environments

Means and modes of transport in urban environments are changing. The emergence of new means of personal transport, such as e-scooters or e-bikes, combined with new concepts such as `vehicle sharing' are changing urban transport. A greater social awareness of the harmful effects of polluting gases is leading to the adoption of new e-mobility solutions. A sustainable e-scooter recharging dock has been designed, built, and put into operation in a small town north of the city of Valencia (Spain). In the proposed novel solution, a stand-alone PV system is built for the free recharge of e-scooters using an original system that supports new sustainable means of transport. The design of the PV system considers the size limitations of the equipment, where a single PV module must generate the energy needed to recharge the e-scooters. A battery is used to store the energy and adjust power generation and consumption profiles. A commercial electronic converter adjusts the various electrical characteristics of generation, storage, and consumption. As a result of the system analysis, the surplus autonomy provided for the e-scooter recharging dock is calculated. Potential stakeholders in the use of the proposed system and their reasons for adopting this sustainable solution are identified. Experimental results of the first months of operation are included and these demonstrate the correct operation of the proposed system.

Estimation of prevalence and screening of communication disorders in North and Middle Andaman and Nicobar Islands

ObjectiveAndaman and Nicobar Islands is a union territory in the Indian sub-continent. Though housing a highly diverse and large population, there is very limited data regarding the prevalence of communication disorder in this region. This information would play a crucial role in creating awareness amongst the people of the islands regarding communication impairments, providing rehabilitation services, and improving policies and facilities for the affected individuals. MethodThe study was conducted in two phases. The first phase involved a door to door survey. The survey was carried out across towns in North and Middle Andaman by NSS student volunteers and staffs of All India Institute of Speech and Hearing, Mysuru. During this phase, individuals with communication disorders were identified and referred for a two-day camp. The second phase involved diagnosis and rehabilitation of these referred individuals in a campsite set in a well accessible point in the city of Mayabunder. Results3.38% of the surveyed population was referred for the camp. Hearing impairment was found to be more prevalent than language and speech disorders. It was also found that delayed birth cry, low-birth weight and pre-mature delivery were the major risk factors of communication disorders in the region. Amongst the referred individuals who attended the camp, 46.8% of ear-related issues and 53.2% of speech and language disorders was estimated. It was also observed that males were more affected by communication disorder than females. ConclusionThe high prevalence values indicate the need for immediate action in terms of facilities and infrastructure in these regions for enabling a better quality of life of individuals with communication disorders.

Access to basic amenities and services to urban households in West Bengal: Does its location and size of settlements matter?

Basic urban services refer to the important civic services required for the citizens of urban areas and for the functioning of cities viz., water supply, sanitation, waste management, drainage, roads, power and shelter etc. This study focuses on the availability and access to basic services and amenities in class I (having population > 1,00,000) and VI (having population < 5000) towns across West Bengal based on census data. To measure the access to basic urban services and amenities, a composite index is devised which is consisting of 3 (three) domains, namely, assets index, basic amenities index and housing quality index and 14 representative indicators. The principal component analysis is used to reduce the dimensions and assign weight to the component domains. The results show that the access to and availability of basic urban services and amenities is relatively better in those towns located in and around Kolkata megacity. There is a huge disparity in terms of availability of basic services and amenities between the towns of North and South Bengal. Kolkata centric development leads to high levels of disparity between KMA (towns included under Kolkata Metropolitan Area) and non-KMA (towns not included under KMA) towns in West Bengal. The research study may assist the urban planners and policy makers to identify the intra-urban as well as well inter-urban spatial disparity in terms of basic urban services and amenities.

ASSESSMENT OF DAMS’ TROPHIC STATUS AS A TOOL FOR WATER RESOURCES’ SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT IN MOROCCO: CASE OF THE BOUHOUDA TAOUNATE DAM (MOROCCO)

The Bouhouda’s dam was built on Oued Sra, a tributary on the right bank of Ouergha wadi, about 18 km in the north of Taounate town. The waters of this dam are mainly intended for irrigation and drinking water supply (Ministry of town planning and urban planning, 2014). The aim of this paper is to study the quality and the spatio-temporal evolution of the physicochemical of this dam waters parameters of over a period of eight years (2000/2008) in order to have a better knowledge of the mechanisms and the factors that condition the eutrophication of this lake. A classification has been established based on the Carlson index (1977) (Trophic State Index or TSI) and the Vollenweider index (1968), to identify the trophic state of the reservoir waters. Accordingly, these results can be used for decision support in the context of sustainable development of several nearby dams in the Sbou Basin.

Honey Bee Products Marketing Practices: Challenges and Opportunities in and around Maksegnit Town, Amhara Region, Ethiopia

The study was conducted in Amhara region Maksegnit town north Gondar Ethiopia with the objective of investigating honey bee products marketing practice; opportunities and constraints. The data was collected from 40 households from four PAs by using pretested semi structure questionnaire. The collected data revealed that the major products of honey bee are honey (67.5%) and the rest (32.5%) colony itself. The major reason of keeping bees in the study area is for income source. The value obtained by ranking index revealed that middlemen, tej (a mead or honey wine) houses and retailer are the three major honey buyers with the index values of 0.30, 0.24 and 0.21, respectively. The price of honey is majorly governed by quality and color of the honey with index values of 0.4 and 0.3, respectively. The highest and the lowest price of honey in the study area was found to be 133.50 ± 6.222 and 69.25 ± 12.483 Ethiopian birr (ETB) for white and black honey, respectively. Lack of road, lack of materials for measuring the quantity of honey and the variation in the color of the honey were found to be the three major constraints of honey marketing with the index value of 0.16 of 0.143 and 0.141, respectively. The major challenge for marketing of bee colony is unavailability of organized marketing place. The Increment in number of unemployed youth, increment in price of honey and colony and the high demand of honey and colony in the area are the three major opportunities available to be engaged in beekeeping sector in the study area. To alleviate challenges of bee product and colony marketing, the government should provide important inputs and awareness should be created for the farmers.

An investigation of the impact of 2017 business rates revaluation on independent high street retailers in the north of England

Purpose Many national retailers have complained about increases in business rates tax bills since the 2017 revaluation. What impact has the 2017 business rates revaluation had on independent high street retailers in market towns in the north of England? The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach The study uses Valuation Office Agency rating list data to determine rateable value and business rates payable for independent high street retailers in eight northern market towns either side of the 2017 rating revaluation. The data were analysed using business rates matrices to reveal the impact of the new rating list on independent retailers in the eight locations. Findings Analysis reveals that the majority of independent retailers in the northern market towns sampled have experienced reductions in both the rateable value of their premises and business rates payable. Increase in the rates relief threshold has extended relief to almost half of the independent retailers in the study, most of whom receive 100 per cent relief. Practical implications Charity shops receive at least 80 per cent rates relief which means they are able to afford to pay higher rents. This “sets the tone” for landlords setting market rents in that location which are then used as comparable evidence by the VOA when determining rateable values at revaluation further polarising the gap between rate payers and those to are exempt. Originality/value Focussing on independent retailers on high streets in markets towns in north of England, this study provides an alternative perspective to the orthodox view of business rates revaluations having a negative impact on retailers.

How He Survived, and: Cabin

How He Survived, and: Cabin Kat Hayes (bio) How He Survived That summer, my father dug graves by hand,twenty-five dollars each. Vietnamwas sending back bodies faster thanthey could be buried. He was in collegein a dry town in North Carolina.Moonshiners sucked white lightningfrom mash and heat. Ski slopeson Sugar Mountain cut like riversthrough the trees. Nixon promisedto bring more boys home, saidI want peace as much as you do,but they kept coming in boxes,flag-draped and rolled off planes.Years later, I watched my father go quietwhen Neil Young climbed the stageto sing “Ohio” in front of the same flagand I knew he was back there,working for hours in the mountain’s shadow,waist deep in a grave that could have been his. [End Page 100] Cabin At night behind a flimsy plastic window shadewe watched as a stump slathered with bacon greaselured foxes in. From the truck, we swept fieldswith spotlights looking for deer. I learned to seetheir green eyes in the false light.I lived for my father then. I strained all day to spotthe lone elk he so badly wanted to see.In summer, hummingbirds whirred at the red feederuntil the bear pawed it down while we were gone.In the yard, we shot BB guns at cans,my cousins silent because, without practice,I could hit at every distance and right in the middle.Our shower was a garden hose rigged to hotand a watering can that tipped over the back stepswhere, one night in winter, I stood in the steam and heatand it began to snow. The driving flakes blew past,sometimes caught in the fog of the shower, and somehowI was not cold, even as the porch stepswere freezing, even in my nakedness.I saw myself, then, the way a fox might see itself.I turned my body toward the white fieldswhere I followed tracks until they were lostin the creek. The moon was fixedover the mountain like a great eye. [End Page 101] Kat Hayes kat hayes’s poetry has appeared in Salamander, Cimarron Review, Lake Effect, and Nimrod. Her first-prize poem, “Rosetta Stone” was selected by Network for New Music to be performed at the Kimmel Center in Philadelphia. She teaches poetry, essay, and memoir at Eastern University. Copyright © 2018 University of North Carolina Wilmington

Geophagic Clayey Materials of Sabga Locality (North West Cameroon): Genesis and Medical Interest

Geophagia, the deliberate ingestion of clayey materials, is a complex eating behaviour with obscure etiology and numerous health/medical problems. Geological, mineralogical and geochemical studies were carried out on Sabga geophagic clayey materials located within a trachyte Bamenda mountain, about 16 km east of Bamenda town (North West Cameroon), in order to define the genesis, and its medical interest. Four (04) samples were characterized by different techniques: description of outcrops and pits, particle size distribution by laser dispersion, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectrometry, Scanning electron microscopy and bulk chemical analyses. The main clay minerals were smectite (49-60%) and kaolinite (4-6%). The other major minerals are quartz (19-34%), feldspar (6-12%), goethite (3-6%), and hematite (1-3%). The average particle diameter varied from 2 to 9 μm. Results from the different analytical techniques point out a meteoric weathering of feldspar as petrogenetic origin of geophagic clayey materials. Smectite and kaolinite, which are the main desirable minerals components of the geophagic clayey materials, were geochemically derived from surrounding trachytes. However the presence of crystalline silica (quartz) up to 2% limits the application of some Sabga geophagic clayey materials for pharmaceutical clays. The high radioactive (Th, U), carcinogenic (Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni) and teratogenic (or birth defects) (Cu, Zn, Pb) elements contents in some Sabga geophagic clayey materials implied some pretreatment.

War, Displacement and Rural–Urban Transformation: Kivu’s Boomtowns, Eastern D.R. Congo

This article addresses rural–urban transformations in the war-torn Kivu provinces. The spectacular growth and development processes of fast-expanding boomtowns in Kivu’s rural areas serve as an entry point to investigate the relationship between conflict, displacement, urbanisation and development in Eastern D.R. Congo. Based on qualitative research on urban expansion in different smaller towns in North and South Kivu, this article analyses the characteristics of these ‘new’ urban spaces. It demonstrates that boomtowns represent centres of opportunities as well as contestation, and that they play an important role in the economic dynamics of development as well as in the political dynamics of stability and conflict.

Ouasel village in western Anbar plateau as a model of desert villages in Iraq

Ouasel village had been originated in western Anbar plateau before one century ago. It is located at 3km north of al-wafaa town. Its community combined from some Arabic tribes that applied agricultural practices as in Euphrates valley of Anbar province. Sheep grazing was motivator to be first establishment where some immigrants were stabilized there. Later, they were applying cultivation activity with determinant areas. They also worked in rock, sand and gravels quarries which distributed in western plateau per se. therefore, in general Ouasel village is considered as a model for desert villages in Iraq based on its nature of establishment, economic activity and social relationships among its population. Furthermore, the governorate strategy is clearly disable to provide population and services level in this village. Thus it could be recommended to find curing solutions to develop this desert village of Anbar.

Monitoring IAQ and thermal comfort in a conservation area low energy retrofit

EnerPHit and low energy retrofitting projects are increasing in adoption to tackle greenhouse gas emissions target in the United Kingdom. While good energy reductions can be achieved, there is a growing concerned of overheating in these low energy projects with high levels of insulation and airtightness.The aim of this study was to evaluate the thermal comfort and Indoor Air Quality (IAQ) of a low energy dwelling in London based on EnerPHit principles to reduce energy consumption.This project concerns an 1860’s Victorian terrace house situated within a conservation area in Kentish Town North London. The design approach was to radically reduce its heating demand while using ecological materials that are moisture open. It was also important to hold onto the original features inside and out that define this house’s character.The approach chosen to monitor IAQ and thermal comfort was based on monitoring the following indoor hygrothermal conditions: internal air temperature, relative humidity (RH) and CO2 concentration. Sensors were placed in every room of the dwelling for temperature and relative humidity. CO2 concentration was measured in the lounge and bedroom 2.Low energy retrofits can be achieved in conservation areas but more importantly, indoor temperatures in the property can be maintain steadily between 19–20 degrees centigrade, while relative humidity will be comfortably in between the range of 40 % and 70 %, with CO2 concentration levels well below the 1000 ppm readings as required for good air exchange and healthy IAQ.

RECORD OF KHURMALA FORMATION (LATE PALEOCENE – EARLY EOCENE) IN THE SULAIMANIAH GOVERNORATE, KURDISTAN REGION, NORTHEAST IRAQ

The present study focuses on the field, petrography and stratigraphic analyses of a thick and sparsely fossiliferous dolomitic limestone succession in the west, north, and northwest of Darbandikhan town from Sulaimaniah governorate. The succession thins toward northwest and east and located in the stratigraphic position of and Khurmala (or Sinjar) Formation (Late Paleocene – Early Eocene) between Kolosh and Gercus formations at the base and top respectively. The Khurmala Formation is a lagoonal crystallized limestone, dolomite with interbeds of different clastic rocks. It also contains an occasional occurrence of gypsum and rare gastropods, miliolids, and algae in some beds. Previous studies found the formation and described in Duhok, Kirkuk and Erbil Governorates while in Sulaimani area it not proved until now. The present article studied four different sections of succession (previously and indicated as Sinjar Formation) and correlated them stratigraphically with each other and with Khurmala Formation in its type section in the well K-114. The study showed that these sections belong to Khurmala Formation. The sections reveal many evidences and signs of the occurrence of Khurmala Formation in between Kolosh and Gercus formations. These signs are the occurrence of 160 m of dolomitic limestone (80%) with beds of sparsely fossiliferous limestone (18%) and conglomeratic limestone (2%) in Zawali section on Shameran Mountain. The fossiliferous intervals contain lagoonal sparse and small miliolids, gastropods, pelecypods green and red algae. The formation laterally changes to Kolosh (in Mirade section) or partly to Sinjar Formation (in Dara Rash section). In the Mirade section, neither Sinjar nor Khurmala Formation is deposited and yellow marly limestone, sandstone and few beds of conglomerate occupy their stratigraphic position.

DELAY on first antenatal care visit and its associated factors among pregnant women in public health facilities of Debre Markos town, North West Ethiopia

BackgroundDelay on timely initiation of antenatal care has a great impact on adverse pregnancy out comes. However, evidences in Ethiopia revealed that majority of pregnant mothers did not start their first visit as recommrnded by WHO. The aim of this study was to assess delay and associated factors of first antenatal care visit among pregnant mothers at public health facilities of Debremarkos town, North West Ethiopia.MethodsAn institutional based crosss-sectional study was conducted from February to March, 2014 in public health facilities of Debremarkos town North west Ethiopia. A total of 320 pregnant mothers who were sure of their last menstrual periods were interviewed with a structured questionnaire. Data entry was done using Epi data 3.1 and analysis was done using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics, binary and multivariable logistic regression analyses were employed to identify the magnitude and factors associated with delay on timely initiation of the first antenatal care visit.ResultsThe proportion of respondents who made their first antenatal care visit after 16 weeks of gestation was found to be 33.4%. Mothers residing in rural settings (AOR = 2.8 [95% CI:1.54–5.44]), not attained formal education(AOR = 2.2 [95% CI:1.10–4.68]),with unintended pregnancy (AOR = 3.6 [95% CI:2.00–6.80]) and who perceived that the right initiation time of the first antenatal care visit is beyond 16 weeks of gestation (AOR = 3.9 [95% CI:1.61–9.76]) were more likely delayed on their first antenatal care visit .ConclusionResidence, educational status, intention of pregnancy and perception on the right time of first antenatal care visit initiation were found to be predictors of delay on timely initiatin of first antenatal care visit. Therefore, the Zonal health department should strengthen awareness creation about timely initiation of first antenatal care visit and family planning to prevent unintended pregnancy in the community especially in the rural settings.

Organic Geochemistry and Depositional Environment of the Oltu Gemstone (Coal) in the Erzurum Area, NE Anatolia, Turkey

The Oltu Gemstone is located in the north of Oltu town (Erzurum–NE Turkey) city as a low rank coal. The Oltu Gemstone occurs as lenticular forms with thickness not exceeding centimeter size and lateral continuity of a few meters within the Liassic–Lower Malm Olurdere Formation consisting chiefly of claystone, sandstone, and volcanics. Coals that are operated as Oltu Gemstone are represented by very high TOC (67.39–78.56% wt), high hydrogen index (HI) values (314–379 mg HC/g TOC) and very low oxygen index (OI) values (1–3 mg CO2/g TOC). Low Pr/Ph ratios indicate that coals were prevented from oxidation and deposited under anoxic conditions. In Oltu Gemstone samples, C29 dominates over C27 and C28 steranes. In general, high (C19 + C20)/C23 tricyclic terpane, low Ts/(Ts + Tm), diasterane/sterane, and C31R/C30 hopane ratios were recorded. C29 MA steroids dominate with respect to others, and the C29/(C28 + C29) MA ratio is mostly high. DBT/P ratio of Oltu Gemstone samples has low values. Tmax values of Oltu Ge...

Teaching Pragmatics with Socio-drama Technique

This paper presents the effectiveness of Socio-drama technique in teaching Pragmatic lesson at Senior HighSchool in North Sumatra Province. The method of Sociodrama as one of the alternative ways in teaching Pragmatics; itincreased the students' learning motivation and improved the learning achievement. With a Class Action Research thisstudy was conducted in Lubuk Pakam Town North Sumatra, Indonesia. Social Drama Technique was applied in thePragmatics teaching learning process. The result of the research can be stated that the application of Social DramaMethod learning model to improve student learning result (X variable) improved the Pragmatics test result of class XIstudent (Y variable).

Environmental evidence from early urban Antwerp: New data from archaeology, micromorphology, macrofauna and insect remains

Recent excavations along the Jordaenskaai, in the medieval burg area in central Antwerp, have provided a unique opportunity to explore the archaeology, economy, and environmental context of early medieval Antwerp. This multidisciplinary project examined structures and features that are radiocarbon dated to 760–970 CE in order to gain a better understanding of the use of human and environmental resources and the use of space at the dawn of this trade town. By combining micromorphology and the analyses of both the insect and the vertebrate fauna, we explore both the local environment of early medieval Antwerp and its connections to the wider hinterland surrounding the town.Excavations in the Antwerp burg have revealed remarkably well preserved wooden trackways, houses, fences, and numerous finds, often related to artisanal activities, including bone, antler and metal working. Around 900 CE, a D-shaped earthen rampart was erected; it was subsequently fortified by a stone wall. The Antwerp burg area is considered a nucleus and catalyst for the urban development. Like many contemporary early urban sites, the macrofaunal remains are dominated by bones of domestic cattle and pigs. However, the presence of sizable numbers of wild mammals, including red deer, wild boar, and beaver, distinguishes the Antwerp burg sites from other contemporary sites such as Ipswich.A number of house structures were excavated within the D-shaped rampart area. A micromorphological analysis of micro-laminated layers of one of these structures was performed, revealing the evolution of its use within a single location. On top of the oldest ash deposit, a thick stabling horizon containing leaves, grass, wood fragments and animal dung was identified. The insect analysis from the stabling horizon confirmed that this deposit was primarily comprised of dung or stable manure, with stored hay or other plant matter also indicated. A high percentage presence of natural woodland indicators was also noted, suggesting that timber and wattle for buildings and trackways was sourced from such woodlands in close proximity to the early town. This is a virtually unique aspect for insect faunas from early towns in north and west Europe, with closest parallels coming from Novgorod, in Russia. The upper part of the sequence shows the presence of floors related to a more domestic use of space.This combined archaeological, macrofaunal, insect and micromorphological study suggests that early Antwerp already had a thriving market and artisanal quarter by the 10th century, with domestic animals stabled within the town for butchery or export, and wild resources being brought in for processing and craft working.