Spiral tube decorations on garments: Restoring a lost technique

Spiral tubes made from coiled wire have been used as decorative elements on garments in Estonia for the last thousand years (from the 10th to 19th centuries). Decorations using this technique can be found in both archaeological and ethnographic collections. The tradition documented in Estonia is part of a larger phenomenon that spread across the eastern shores of the Baltic Sea (Finland, Northwestern Russia, Latvia, and Lithuania, in addition to Estonia) from the 6th century AD. Thus far, archaeologists have regarded spiral tube decorations mainly as a source for garment history, and not much attention has been paid to understanding their construction. This article focuses on the techniques used to make spiral tube decorations, from wiredrawing to constructing the ornaments. The results from metal analysis prove that the main raw materials used in wiredrawing have been copper alloys, with additives being mainly zinc and tin, and in lesser amounts, lead and other elements. Woollen and linen yarn and horsehair have been used as materials for constructing patterns. The woollen yarns used are usually fine and of high quality. Two main techniques used to make the ornaments can be observed: weaving the spiral tubes into a tablet-woven band and the use of various types of braided mesh and bands. When considering this very long period as a whole, it is possible to discern many regional differences both in techniques and pattern combinations. Behind the archaeological examples, makers of different skill levels and with different purposes can be seen, from professional craftsmen to women who made spiral tube decorations at home for personal use. Keywords: Spiral tube decorations, ancient craft, tabletwoven bands, archaeological textile

Role of environment in strengthening competitiveness of cities by example of European Green Capitals and Tallinn

Guaranteeing a high-level living environment is one of the most important preconditions to the balanced and sustainable economic and social development of the European Union. Serious environmental problems can be seen in European cities, which are the places where most of the population live and which create the highest number of jobs, economic growth and added value. The level of urbanisation in Europe was 72.7% in 2010 and the UN forecast that it will increase to 82.2% by 2050. The European Green Capital Award was created in 2006 in order to recognise cities that have contributed to the improvement of their quality of life. The cities that have won the award have started using the most innovative and efficient measures for increasing the city’s competitiveness, and are an example of how to achieve sustainable development for all cities, not just capitals. The environmental indicators of cities that have won the European Green Capital Award are high. In this article the problem is analysed using the example of Tallinn, the capital of Estonia, which strives for a place among cities with the highest quality of life in Europe. The objective of this article is to analyse the areas of the city’s environmental activities and environmental organisation in the context of increasing competitiveness. The original database used by the author in this article consists of the responses given by the governments of the cities who have already been awarded the title of European Green Capital when asked to describe the impact that applying for and achieving the title had on their citie

Improved timed-mating, non-invasive method using fewer unproven female rats with pregnancy validation via early body mass increases

For studies requiring accurate conception-timing, reliable, efficient methods of detecting oestrus reduce time and costs, whilst improving welfare. Standard methods use vaginal cytology to stage cycle, and breeders are paired–up using approximately five proven females with proven males to achieve at least one conception on a specific day. We describe an alternative, fast, consistent, non-invasive method of timed-mating using detection of lordosis behaviour in Wistar and Lister-Hooded rats that used unproven females with high success rates. Rats under reverse-lighting had body masses recorded pre-mating, day (d) 3-4, d8, d10 and d18 of pregnancy. Using only the presence of the oestrus dance to time-mate females for 24-hrs, 89% Wistar and 88% Lister-Hooded rats successfully conceived. We did not observe behavioural oestrus in Sprague-Dawleys without males present. Significant body mass increases following mating distinguished pregnant from non-pregnant rats, as early as d4 of pregnancy (10% ± 1.0 increase cf 3% ± 1.2). The pattern of increases throughout gestation was similar for all pregnant rats until late pregnancy, when there were smaller increases for primi- and multiparous rats (32% ± 2.5; 25% ± 2.4), whereas nulliparous rats had highest gains (38% ± 1.5). This method demonstrated a distinct refinement of the previous timed-mating common practice used, as disturbance of females was minimised. Only the number required of nulli-, primi- or multiparous rats were mated, and body mass increases validated pregnancy status. This new breeding-management method is now established practice for two strains of rat and resulted in a reduction in animal use

Effect of lead intoxication and D-penicillamine treatment on hematological indices in rats

Lead is one of the most important environmental pollution which is toxic to many organ systems. D-penicillamine (D-P) is a chelator drug which is used for treatment of lead toxicity for several years. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the efficacy of D-P in reducing the effects of lead on hematological indices. This study was done on 36 male adult, 6-8 weeks albino Wistar rats in Gorgan University of Medical Sciences. At first male adult rats were exposed to lead acetate in their drinking water. After 8 weeks, 6 rats were selected and blood samples were prepared to assess the effects of lead toxicity. The remained lead exposed rats were divided into recovery and treatment groups where distilled water and D-P was administered for them, respectively. After lead exposure, red blood cell count increased slightly, but hemoglobin and hematocrite were decreased. Also MCV and MCH were significantly decreased (P<0.05). RDW, PDW and MPV were significantly higher in lead exposed rats (P<0.05). After recovery period, most of parameters were close to normal while there were no significant differences between recovery and treatment groups. This study showed that hematologic effects of lead are reversible and D-P administration do not play an important role in subchronic lead intoxication

Alteration of dentate gyrus astrocytes in diabetic rats: Protective role of Urtica dioica

Diabetes mellitus can cause astrocytes alterations in the central nervous system. Urtica dioica (Nettle) is among several species listed for their use against diabetes in folk medicine. Therefore, this study was done to evaluate the protective effect of Urtica dioica on astrocytes density of the dentate gyrus in STZ induced diabetic rats. In this experimental study, 21 male albino Wistar rats were randomly allocated equally into normal, diabetic and protective (nettle treated diabetic) groups. Hyperglycemia was induced by streptozotocin (80 mg/kg) in the animals of diabetic and treatment groups. Before induction of diabetes in animals, animals in protective group received hydroalcoholic extract of Urtica dioica (100 mg/kg/BW /day) for five days intraperitoneally. Four weeks after induction of diabetes, animals were sacrificed and coronal sections were taken from the dorsal hippocampal formation of the right cerebral hemispheres and stained with PTAH stain. The area densities of the astrocytes were measured and compared in the three groups (p < 0.05). The number of astrocytes in DG area of controls was 17.72±6.7. The density of astrocytes increased in diabetic (24.26±9.5) in comparison with controls. The density in the nettle treated rats (23.17±5.8) was lower than diabetic rats. This study showed that the administration of U. dioica extract before induction of diabetes can not significantly help compensate for astrocytes in the dentate gyrus of treated rats

Õpetajate arusaamad nende kutsekindlust mõjutavatest teguritest

http://www.ester.ee/record=b4409480~S1*es

Õmbluskunst keskaegsetes linnades: Tallinna Jahu tn arheoloogiliste leidude näitel

Magistritöö "Õmbluskunst keskaegsetes linnades Tallinna Jahu tn arheoloogiliste leidude näitel" uurib õmblusjälgedega tekstiilileide keskaegsetest linnadest, põhitähelepanuga Jahu 6 / Väike-Patarei 1 (Tallinn) kaevandi materjalil. Töö on isiklikule käsitöökogemusele toetuv ja tehnikatele keskenduv esemeuurimus. Magistritöö on seotud arheoloogiaga, üritades esemekatketest õmblemise jälgi otsides heita valgust esemete elukäigule minevikus. Töö koosneb kolmest peatükist ja lisadest. Esimene peatükk vaatleb teema varasemat uurimist, arutleb töös kasutatud terminite üle ja kirjeldab uurimismetoodikat. Teine peatükk annab ülevaate tekstiilikatketel tuvastatud pistete ja õmbluste tüüpidest ning teeb kokkuvõtted nende esinemissagedusest uuritud leidudel. Kolmas peatükk vaatleb tekstiilikatketel leiduvaid kasutusjälgi ja kirjeldab esemeid, mida õnnestus tekstiilikatkete hulgas leida.https://www.ester.ee/record=b5457452*es