Point

Forensic scientists are often expected to present the likelihood of DNA identifications in US courts based on comparative population data, yet forensic anthropologists tend not to quantify the strength of an osteological identification. Because forensic anthropologists are trained first and foremost as physical anthropologists, they emphasize estimation problems at the expense of evidentiary problems, but this approach must be reexamined. In this paper, the statistical bases for presenting osteological and dental evidence are outlined, using a forensic case as a motivating example. A brief overview of Bayesian statistics is provided, and methods to calculate likelihood ratios for five aspects of the biological profile are demonstrated. This paper emphasizes the definition of appropriate reference samples and of the “population at large,” and points out the conceptual differences between them. Several databases are introduced for both reference information and to characterize the “population at large,” and new data are compiled to calculate the frequency of specific characters, such as age or fractures, within the “population at large.” Despite small individual likelihood ratios for age, sex, and stature in the case example, the power of this approach is that, assuming each likelihood ratio is independent, the product rule can be applied. In this particular example, it is over three million times more likely to obtain the observed osteological and dental data if the identification is correct than if the identification is incorrect. This likelihood ratio is a convincing statistic that can support the forensic anthropologist's opinion on personal identity in court. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Compressive strength is an essential engineering parameter employed in civil and
mining engineering operations. Often, uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) and point
load index (Is50) are linked for simplicity in assessing rock properties during
preparatory design stage. However, a number of researches have been conducted to
establish relationship between these two parameters for various rock types but few
have been centered on rock strength classifications. This research focuses on using
regression analysis to establish correlation factor(s) for different strength groups
based on modified Rock Mass Classification Scheme for Banket conglomerates within
the Tarkwaian Deposit of Ghana. The rocks were classified into strong, medium and
weak group based on their strength threshold. Quantitative analysis of the strength
states revealed that, the higher the strength value of the rock the higher the
correlation factor. The correlation analysis disclosed a good linear relationship
between the two parameters for the grouped rock strengths. The established
correlation factors (k) between UCS and Is50 for strong, medium and weak rock group
for Banket conglomerates were 20.71, 18.1 and 13.72 respectively

Geometric organization is readily detected in discrete textures such as dot patterns. A common proposal is that orientation-tuned receptive field mechanisms provide the local orientation information from which the global organizations emerge. Alternatively, the local orientation might be attributed to grouping constructions between adjacent tokens, each representing the position of a dot and its attributes such as color, size, and contrast. Geometric organization would then emerge by grouping operations on selected tokens that are similar, adjacent, and aligned. It is the ability to group on the basis of similarity that most strongly differentiates this from the energy-summating receptive field approach. Using dot patterns with rivalrous organization, we demonstrate grouping phenomena that are difficult to attribute to a broad class of energy summation detectors operating in the spatial frequency domain, which we therefore attribute to perceptual groupings on tokens. We discuss the computational differences between feature detection and structure detection, and suggest that orientation-tuned receptive field mechanisms, while appropriate for the former task, have little application to the latter.

Summary. New analysis explores Tech Midchúarta (the 'Banqueting Hall') from the point of view of a sacral, processional approach to the summit of the Hill of Tara, the pre-eminent cult and inauguration site of prehistoric and early medieval Ireland. It is suggested that aspects of ...

RESUMEN: Esta pequena cavidad ha sufrido la destruccion de su parte anterior y una importante alteracion del registro de la sala terminal. Situada estrategicamente a la entrada del valle de Buelna, fue ocupada al menos durante el Magdaleniense Superior-Final, segun atestiguan las industrias recogidas en superficie. A esa misma epoca corresponden los grabados rupestres conservados, de estilo IV mas bien reciente. RESUME: Cette petite cavite a souffert la destruction de sa partie anterieure et une importante alteration du registre de la salle terminale. Strategiquement situee a l'entree de la vallee de Buelna, elle fut occupee au moins durant le Magdalenien Superieur-Final, comme le temoignent les industries retrouvees en surface. Les gravures rupestres conservees, de style IV plutot recent, correspondent aussi a cette meme epoque.

La sequence culturelle regionale de l’Archaique superieur et terminal de la vallee de l’Outaouais n’est pas completee, mais les variations stylistiques, technologiques et fonctionnelles des artefacts sur le plan regional et local facilitent le decoupage culturel. La reconstruction de la chaine operatoire des haches, des herminettes et des gouges en pierre polie des sites Muldoon et Lamoureux, deux sites du sud-est ontarien, pourrait permettre de deceler une tradition technologique regionale a cheval entre l’Archaique laurentien, l’Archaique post-laurentien et d’autres courants des Grands Lacs. L’analyse des haches, des herminettes et des gouges des sites Muldoon et Lamoureux demontre l’utilisation massive de l’amphibolite. La moitie distale de ces outils est surtout polie et finement abrasee et la moitie proximale souvent eclatee, mais parfois abrasee. Ces elements technologiques et l’industrie de pierre taillee demontrent des ressemblances et des differences avec les sites laurenti...

Knowledge of the solid angle (and consequently, the geometrical efficiency) is essential in all absolute measurements of the strengths of radioactive materials and to calibrate detectors. The method of high-efficiency γ counting by means of well-type HPGe and NaI (Tl) detectors is widely used and has proved a powerful tool, particularly when low-activity, small-volume environmental samples are to be analyzed by γ-ray spectrometry. In the present work, we introduce a direct analytical method for calculating the solid angle subtended by a well-type detector at axial point, non-axial point, extended circular disk and cylindrical sources. The validity of the derived analytical expressions was successfully confirmed by the comparisons with some published data (experimental and Monte Carlo).

Résumé/Abstract Gisement de plein air du Paléolithique moyen du nord de la France, vraisemblablement une halte de chasseurs dont ont été reconnues cinq phases d'occupation qui se sont succédé sur près de 40 000 ans, le site de Bettencourt-Saint-...

The presence of many phytolith-rich layers in late Bronze and Iron Age deposits at Tel Dor, Israel, are indicative of specific locations where plants were concentrated. Detailed studies of six of these phytolith-rich layers and associated sediments from Tel Dor show that the phytoliths were derived mainly from wild and domestic grasses. The most common domestic grass was the cereal Triticum aestivum (bread wheat). Three of these layers have a microlaminated microstructure, associated dung spherulites and phosphate nodules; characteristics that all point to the phytolith-rich layers having formed from dung in animal enclosures. In two of the layers, the microlaminated structure is absent while dung spherulites and phosphate nodules are present, suggesting that these too originate from dung that was not deposited in an enclosure. The sixth layer is microlaminated but does not contain spherulites. We thus cannot suggest a parsimonious explanation of its observed properties. Concentrations of burnt phytoliths are present in three locations, implying that dung was either burnt in situ or the ashes from burnt dung were redeposited. The transformation of dung accumulations into phytolith-rich layers involves a loss of organic material and hence a significant reduction in sediment volume, which is clearly apparent in the stratigraphy of some of the locations examined. The volume reduction can be observed in the macrostratigraphy and has important implications with regard to macrostratigraphic interpretation. The presence of abundant phytolith-rich layers on the tell has significant implications for the concept of ‘urbanism’ during these periods.

Forensic scientists are often expected to present the likelihood of DNA identifications in US courts based on comparative population data, yet forensic anthropologists tend not to quantify the strength of an osteological identification. Because forensic anthropologists are trained first and foremost as physical anthropologists, they emphasize estimation problems at the expense of evidentiary problems, but this approach must be reexamined. In this paper, the statistical bases for presenting osteological and dental evidence are outlined, using a forensic case as a motivating example. A brief overview of Bayesian statistics is provided, and methods to calculate likelihood ratios for five aspects of the biological profile are demonstrated. This paper emphasizes the definition of appropriate reference samples and of the “population at large,” and points out the conceptual differences between them. Several databases are introduced for both reference information and to characterize the “population at large,” and new data are compiled to calculate the frequency of specific characters, such as age or fractures, within the “population at large.” Despite small individual likelihood ratios for age, sex, and stature in the case example, the power of this approach is that, assuming each likelihood ratio is independent, the product rule can be applied. In this particular example, it is over three million times more likely to obtain the observed osteological and dental data if the identification is correct than if the identification is incorrect. This likelihood ratio is a convincing statistic that can support the forensic anthropologist's opinion on personal identity in court. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.