Analyzing Pre-Inhumation Breakage Ceramics at Lamanai, Belize: A Conjunctive Approach

During the Terminal Classic period (9th-10th centuries A.D.), the ancient Maya at Lamanai, Belize, began to practice pre-inhumation breakage of ceramics in mortuary contexts. Previously, the custom had been to bury whole vessels with the deceased. This conspicuous shift in behavior suggests important changes in beliefs regarding the role of ceramics in death and interment at a pivotal moment in ancient Maya culture history. Despite this significant change, there has been no published research conducted specifically on these vessels. In fact, there has been no clearly delineated set of characteristics for what qualifies as a pre-inhumation breakage vessel (PBV). This study offers a working definition for PBVs and converts the original Lamanai grave descriptions of those that contain PBVs to a classification system for ease of future comparative analyses. Finally, the sex and age of individuals buried with PBVs are considered. The result is a conjunctive analysis that provides data not only on PBV forms and quantities, grave types, and the sex and age of those interred with PBVs, but also several statistically significant correlations among these variables. I argue that the conjoined data suggest that one of the primary purposes for the pre-inhumation breakage of ceramics in mortuary contexts was a strategic one, a method selected by Lamanai leadership, and enacted community-wide, as a way to protect the community from potentially harmful energies and to maintain communal confidence at a time of great uncertainty in the southern Maya lowlands

Very Low Frequency Propagation Mapper (VPM) Experience and Results from the Systems Engineering Cycle of a Small Satellite

The Very Low Frequency Propagation Mapper, an Air Force Research Laboratory 6U CubeSat, is currently in operations complementing the Demonstration and Science Experiments (DSX) satellite by taking coincident measurements with DSX of the inner magnetosphere. This presents an exciting way to have a low-cost platform enhance an existing mission’s data set with multiple spatial collection points. The Small Satellite Portfolio (SSP) had overall responsibility for the vehicle, ground system, and mission design; by enabling the team to make technical and programmatic decisions on their own, the team has been able to overcome many hurdles in short timeframes. Further, the team was constructed with a diverse set of skills to handle the many complexities of space systems. Finally, the team, and SSP as a whole, recognize that changes to the system and mission are not only expected but desired as mission maturity is gained. This paper outlines a selected set of issues and challenges that occurred, the ways the team dynamically handled the situations, and lessons learned for systems that are constrained in both cost and capability (e.g. small satellites)

Incentives and Barriers to lifestyle interventions for people with severe mental illness: a narrative synthesis of quantitative, qualitative and mixed-methods studies

AIM: To examine the evidence for incentives and barriers to lifestyle interventions for people with severe mental illness. BACKGROUND: People with severe mental illnesses, particularly those with schizophrenia, have poorer physical health than the general population with increased mortality and morbidity rates. Social and lifestyle factors are reported to contribute to this health inequality, though antipsychotic therapy poses additional risk to long-term physical health. Many behavioural lifestyle interventions including smoking cessation, exercise programmes and weight-management programmes have been delivered to this population with promising results. Surprisingly little attention has been given to factors that may facilitate or prevent engagement with these interventions in this population. DATA SOURCES: Eight electronic databases were searched [1985-March 2009] along with the Cochrane Library and Google Scholar. Electronic 'hand' searches of key journals and explosion of references were undertaken. REVIEW METHODS: A narrative synthesis of qualitative, quantitative and mixed-methods studies was undertaken. RESULTS: No studies were identified that specifically explored the incentives and barriers to participation in lifestyle intervention for this population. Existing literature report some possible incentives and barriers including: illness symptoms, treatment effects, lack of support and negative staff attitudes as possible barriers; and symptom reduction, peer and staff support, knowledge, personal attributes and participation of staff as possible incentives. CONCLUSIONS: Healthcare professionals, in particular nurses, should consider issues that may hinder or encourage individuals in this clinical group to participate in lifestyle interventions if the full benefits are to be achieved. Further research is needed to explore possible incentives and barriers from the service users' own perspective