Tracing the tin-opacified yellow glazed ceramics in the western Islamic world: the findings at Madinat al-Zahra’

A small group of opaque yellow glazed sherds has recently been identified among the ceramics excavated at the Islamic city of Madinat al-Zahra’ near Cordoba, in al-Andalus (southern Spain), which was founded in 936 AD as the seat of the Umayyad Caliphate power. A small group of sherds from Madinat al-Zahra’, which can be dated to about 960–980 AD, has been examined in polished section in a SEM with EDS attached. These analyses have established that the Madinat al-Zahra’ sherds were opacified with lead stannate, and not lead antimonate, as was being used to opacify yellow glazed ceramics in Egypt and Tunisia in the ninth and tenth centuries AD. Islamic opaque yellow glazed ceramics, with lead stannate as the opacifier, were first produced (Beiträge Zur Islamischen Kunst Und Archäologie 4:125–144, 2014) in Egypt and Syria in seventh/eighth centuries AD, and from there, the technology spread eastwards into Iraq and Iran in the ninth century AD and continued in use in Iran and Central Asia into the tenth century AD and beyond. However, the question of where these opaque yellow glazed ceramics were produced has not been fully resolved. Because such ceramics are extremely rare in al-Andalus, it seems most likely that they were either imported from Iran or Central Asia or produced locally by potters arriving from these areas. The study adds one further, yet not fully understood chapter to the story of a persistent glaze technology which has been widely ignored.Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Determining the Mechanisms by Which Membrane Targeted Dietary Bioactives Reduce Oncogenic KRas Driven Nutrient Scavenging

Approximately 30 to 50% of colorectal cancers contain KRas mutations, which confer resistance to standard therapy and have therefore been termed “undruggable.” Since no curative treatments for KRas driven colon cancer are available, there is a critical need to develop toxicologically innocuous KRas therapeutic approaches that are free of safety problems intrinsic to drugs administered over long periods of time. The present study will investigate the mechanisms underlying previous observations that membrane targeted dietary bioactives (MTDBs) attenuate oncogenic Ras driven nutrient scavenging. The overall goal of the study is to link perturbations in plasma membrane organization and cytoskeletal remodeling to reductions in macropinocytosis and ultimately cell proliferation. For this purpose, we have utilized a human colon adenocarcinoma cell line as an in vitro model. These experiments are relevant to the chemoprevention field, i.e., colorectal cancer prevention

Crew station research and development facility training for the light helicopter demonstration/validation program

The U.S. Army Crew Station Research and Development Branch (CSRDB) of the Aircraft Simulation Division (AVSCOM) was tasked by the Light Helicopter Program Manager (LH-PM) to provide training to Army personnel in advanced aircraft simulation technology. The purpose of this training was to prepare different groups of pilots to support and evaluate two contractor simulation efforts during the Demonstration/Validation (DEM/VAL) phase of the LH program. The personnel in the CSRDB developed mission oriented training programs to accomplish the objectives, conduct the programs, and provide guidance to army personnel and support personnel throughout the DEM/VAL phase

March Storm 2017

The commercial space industry is emerging out of the technological advances made in the last half century. Much like the aerospace industry, policy and law are needed to regulate what can and cannot be done in space. This has been known since the launch of the first man-made object put into orbit. Laws and regulations pertaining to the use of space have been drafted and will continue to be necessary. This project examines legislative advocacy tactics and advocate training procedures during a weeklong legislative blitz on Capitol Hill. Through applied research in the planning, execution, and results of citizen advocacy, the impact of a legislative campaign will be examined. The “Citizens’ Space Agenda” consists of pro-space legislative proposals supported by national non-profit space groups. The leaders of the March Storm blitz schedule meetings with congressional offices, committees, and executive offices. With no lobbying experience necessary, volunteers are trained on the agenda and advocacy techniques to employ during congressional meetings. Throughout the week, advocates are tasked with compiling after-action reports for each congressional meeting detailing the agenda items discussed and the offices’ reactions. Upon the resolution of the blitz, organizers will follow up with congressional staff to monitor the results of the specific asks made. The entire process will be analyzed and a critique offered. This research, which will be included in the overall group presentation by the students who are going to March Storm, involves the efforts of the branches of the Federal Government in producing space legislation that will then be placed into the United States Code and the Code of Federal Regulations. Research will include how the statutes affect the policy of the United States for operating in space and the direction it gives to its federal agencies to do so

Preparing Aspiring School Principals: One Field-Based Approach

In the United States, principals play a vital role in leading educational institutions. School principals are responsible for creating safe and supportive learning environments for all students. Previous studies have emphasized that all principals share one challenge, which is to identify effective instructional strategies that help decrease student achievement gaps. Studies of novice school principals are well-documented; it is also well-acknowledged that the acclimatization process for novice school principals is characterized with a high level of stress related to the organizational structures that influence the school’s culture and climate and student achievement. This study addresses the implementation of a field-based approach utilized by a principal preparation program to provide principal candidates an opportunity to connect theory with practice and expand their understanding of novice principals’ daily responsibilities. To that end, this work serves aspiring principal candidates in their transition from the classroom into a leadership role. Furthermore, this field-based experience informs aspiring principals about novice school principals’ daily responsibilities

Energy Systems Test Area (ESTA) Battery Test Operations User Test Planning Guide

Test process, milestones and inputs are unknowns to first-time users of the ESTA Battery Test Operations. The User Test Planning Guide aids in establishing expectations for both NASA and non-NASA facility customers. The potential audience for this guide includes both internal and commercial spaceflight hardware/software developers. It is intended to assist their test engineering personnel in test planning and execution. Material covered includes a roadmap of the test process, roles and responsibilities of facility and user, major milestones, facility capabilities, and inputs required by the facility. Samples of deliverables, test article interfaces, and inputs necessary to define test scope, cost, and schedule are included as an appendix to the guide

Phosphoric Acid Industry: Problems and Solutions

Phosphoric acid (PA) is an important industrial chemical used as an intermediate in the fertilizer industry, for metal surface treatment in the metallurgical industry and as an additive in the food industry. The PA industry is spread out worldwide in Europe, Asia and America, including countries that operate phosphate rock (PR) mines and produce PA, phosphatic fertilizers and phosphate-based products

Análisis de exoma en dos familias nucleares con gastrosquisis recurrente: estudio piloto para la identificación de genes candidatos.

La gastrosquisis es un defecto congénito que involucra el desarrollo de la pared anterior del abdomen y el anillo umbilical cuya etiología es desconocida. La investigación basada en familias mediante el análisis de exoma podría contribuir al origen y prevención de gastrosquisis. Actualmente, no existen estudios genéticos en gastrosquisis recurrente. Objetivo: Identificar genes candidatos de riesgo para gastrosquisis mediante el análisis de exoma en una familia nuclear. Material y métodos: Se realizó análisis de exoma en dos medias hermanas afectadas, madre y padre del caso índice. Para el análisis se utilizó el GRCh37/hg19 y las plataformas ClinVar, SVS-PhoRank y Ensembl-VEP. SVS-PhoRank clasificó el modelo de herencia. Se realizó un enriquecimiento de genes y análisis de interactoma mediante Gene Ontology, Panther y String. Se clasificaron vías patogenéticas (curación manual) a través ToppGene Suite