Settlement history of a mountain oasis in Northern Oman

To unravel the settlement history of oases in northern Oman, data on topography, the agricultural setting, water and soil parameters and archaeological findings were collected in the Wadi Bani Awf with its head oasis Balad Seet. Data collection lasted from April 2000 to April 2003 and was based on the establishment of a 3D-georeferenced map of the oasis comprising all its major infrastructural and agronomic features. At today's Balad Seet, a total of 8.8 ha are planted to 2,800 date palms and 4.6 ha are divided into 385 small fields dedicated to wheat, barley, sorghum, oats, alfalfa, garlic, onion, lime and banana. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal in the lower part of the main terrace system determined its age to 911 ± 43 years. Monthly flow measurements of four major aflaj systems showed a total maximum flow of 32 m^3 h^-1 with the largest falaj contributing 78% of the total flow. During drought periods, average water flow decreased by 3% per month, however, with significant differences between the spring systems. The analysis of the tritium/^3helium ratio in the water led to an estimated water age of up to 10 years. In combination with the flow data, this provided insights into the elasticity of the spring flow over time. The use of the natural resources of the Wadi Bani Awf by a pastoral population started probably in the early 3rd millennium BC. The first permanent settlement might have been established at Balad Seet during the first part of the 1st millennium BC. Presumably it was initiated by settlers from al-Hamra, a village at the southern foot of the Hajar mountains. Given an abundant und stable flow of springs, even in periods of drought, the construction of Balad Seet's first irrigation systems may have occurred at this early time. The combination of topographic, agricultural, hydro-pedological and archaeological data allowed assessment of the carrying capacity of this oasis over the three millennia of its likely existence. The changing scarcity of land and water and the eventual optimisation of their use by different aflaj constructions have been major driving forces for the development and apparent relativeley stable existence of this oasis.

Cell-line Engineering of Chinese Hamster Ovary Cells for Low-temperature Culture

Developments in mammalian cell culture and recombinant technology has allowed for the production of recombinant proteins for use as human therapeutics. Mammalian cell culture is typically operated at the physiological temperature of 37°. However, recent research has shown that the use of low-temperature conditions (30-33°) as a platform for cell-culture results in changes in cell characteristics, such as increased specific productivity and extended periods of cell viability, that can potentially improve the production of recombinant proteins. Furthermore, many recent reports have focused on investigating low-temperature mammalian cell culture of Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, one of the principal cell-lines used in industrial production of recombinant proteins. Exposure to low ambient temperatures exerts an external stress on all living cells, and elicits a cellular response. This cold-stress response has been observed in bacteria, plants and mammals, and is regulated at the gene level. The exact genes and molecular mechanisms involved in the cold-stress response in prokaryotes and plants have been well studied. There are also various reports that detail the modification of cold-stress genes to improve the characteristics of bacteria or plant cells at low temperatures. However, there is very limited information on mammalian cold-stress genes or the related pathways governing the mammalian cold-stress response. This project seeks to investigate and characterise cold-stress genes that are differentially expressed during low-temperature culture of CHO cells, and to relate them to the various changes in cell characteristics observed in low-temperature culture of CHO cells. The gene information can then be used to modify CHO cell-lines for improved performance in the production of recombinant proteins.

A History of Communication

Speech, Writing, Print, Telephony, Web. How technology is catching up with the brain.

A Brief History of the Web

The Web is now so ingrained in our lives that it is easy to forget that it is less than twenty years old. But the History of Web goes back much further, to the pioneering technologists who built the first hypertext systems and the men and women before them who imagined great libraries of interconnected information that would augment human intellect and drive civilization forward. In this lecture we will explore the pre-digital origins of the Web, look at how it developed into the mass communication system we have today, and speculate on the next stages of its evolution in the context of Web Science and Social Media.

Possession and Immoveable Property: The History of Two Connected Concepts

Possession and property are two different sides of the same coin. The two institutions have the same axis: the benefit, mainly economic, of a good. In countries like Colombia and Peru, important reforms have been introduced whose main effect has been the following one: the approach to these two institutions. In this article we will speak of these two institutions, today more than ever, connected.

Hans Jürgen Eysenck. Life and work of one of the most infl uential scientist in the history of psychology

On this article, the biography and work of one of the most influential scientists in psychology history is briefl y introduced. With his work, he laid the bases for the scientific study not only on personality, but also on human behaviour. Hence, the most important contributions done by this author are highlighted in a wide range of areas of our discipline, as well as the vision he had about how psychology should be as a science. A series of considerations related to the current situation of scientific psychology in Argentina, lead us to the conclusion that it is essential to rescue his work from forgetfulness, apart from going back over some of his lines of research and thoughts. 

Evidence versus ideology in education policy : the recent history of initial teacher education in England and Wales and the implications for educational researchers as agents of change.

Resumen del autor. Este art??culo pertenece al monogr??fico 'John Elliott: su pensamiento y su influencia'

Breve estudio sobre la influencia de la 'History of Spanish literature' de George Ticknor en manuales posteriores : aparición y desaparición de las mujeres en el canon literario.

Resumen en inglés

Mystery history of a viking longboat.

Los vikingos eran un pueblo guerrero, pero también de comerciantes, pescadores y exploradores. El orgullo de la flota vikinga fue el Longboat que podía ser transportado por aguas poco profundas e incluso por tierra. Construyeron barcos preparados para diferentes tareas y hacer largas travesías por el océano que les permitió llegar a América.

A farm through time : the history of a farm from medieval times to the present day.

Esta es la historia de una granja y de su emplazamiento desde la Alta Edad Media hasta la actualidad. Vemos la evolución de la explotación agrícola y ganadera, de sus dependencias y viviendas; se muestra el impacto causado en el paisaje que la rodea. Y aunque, hay actividades que continúan inalterables a lo largo de los siglos, el progreso científico ha introducido la maquinaría en ellas y esto motiva la desaparición de formas de vida, oficios y costumbres tradicionales.

A history of the flu.

Adecuado para lectura independiente o compartida, y enlaces curriculares. Se adapta a los diferentes tipos de textos requeridos por la Estrategia Nacional de Lectura. La historia de la gripe se presenta como un informe acompañado de gráficos y mapas epidemiológicos, mostrando cómo puede ser de mortal este virus.Incluye glosario.