An assessment of attitudes to language change based on the use of 'like'. Language change is addressed in this thesis in different contexts: spoken, written and digital. In addressing this topic, I...Show moreAn assessment of attitudes to language change based on the use of 'like'. Language change is addressed in this thesis in different contexts: spoken, written and digital. In addressing this topic, I explore one particular feature, the use of the word like, as a vehicle to assess to what extent standard grammatical rules are observed in different usage environments.Show less
The purpose of this dissertation is to report on the plant macro-remains found at Happisburgh Site 1, Section 1, L7, from levels 0-10 cm, 20-30 cm, 50-60 cm and 60-70 cm, and two samples from...Show moreThe purpose of this dissertation is to report on the plant macro-remains found at Happisburgh Site 1, Section 1, L7, from levels 0-10 cm, 20-30 cm, 50-60 cm and 60-70 cm, and two samples from Section 1, L9. The plant remains that were identified and analysed from these levels will aid in the overall palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of the site, allowing for a better undertanding of the conditions that the Pleistocene hominids were facing in Britain during Happisburgh's occupation. Understanding the Pleistocene environmental conditions in NW Europe is fundamental to our interpretation of the dispersal of hominids across Eurasia, since until very recently it was presumed that colonisation of Europe before 500 Ka did not occur at latitudes beyond 45o N, as demonstrated by the lack of archaeological evidence in these regions (Parfitt et al. 2010:229).Show less
Overbelaste jongeren gaan gebukt onder meervoudige problematiek waardoor de weg naar het behalen van een diploma moeizaam kan verlopen. Deze meervoudige problematiek verklaart waarom zij soms...Show moreOverbelaste jongeren gaan gebukt onder meervoudige problematiek waardoor de weg naar het behalen van een diploma moeizaam kan verlopen. Deze meervoudige problematiek verklaart waarom zij soms probleemgedrag vertonen. Om overbelaste jongeren te ondersteunen in het verwerven van een diploma, is in september 2010 het project Pluscoach van start gegaan in de regio Zuid-Holland Noord. In dit onderzoek is door middel van interviews en een vragenlijst onderzocht met welk probleemgedrag jongeren kampen. Daarop aansluitend is nagegaan of in de belevingswereld van jongeren een verschuiving plaats heeft gevonden bij aanvang van het (plus)coachtraject, van probleemgedrag richting een grotere aandacht voor leerprestaties. De onderzoeksgroep bestond uit 23 overbelaste jongeren van 13 tot 26 jaar. De resultaten van de interviews verschilden van de resultaten van de vragenlijst. De gedragsproblemen, die de jongeren in de interviews aangaven waren vooral school-gerelateerd. In de belevingswereld van de jongeren zijn deze problemen verminderd en 73% van de jongeren gaf aan nu meer aandacht voor leerprestaties te hebben door de samenwerking met een (plus)coach. De resultaten van de vragenlijst toonden aan dat 64% van de jongeren nog steeds met aanzienlijke problemen kampen op internaliserend gebied. Een grotere aandacht voor jongeren met internaliserende problematiek lijkt daarom van belang.Show less
In de periode na de Tweede Wereldoorlog hebben politici van de Nederlandse politieke partijen CDA en PvdA op verschillende manieren met elkaar samengewerkt. In de jaren '50, ten tijde van de...Show moreIn de periode na de Tweede Wereldoorlog hebben politici van de Nederlandse politieke partijen CDA en PvdA op verschillende manieren met elkaar samengewerkt. In de jaren '50, ten tijde van de wederopbouw, zochten kopstukken van beide partijen elkaar op in dienst van het land met elkaar te kunnen samenwerking. In de jaren '60 verliep samenwerking echter veel moeizamer. De Nacht van Schmelzer was daarvan een hoogtepunt en tevens een belangrijk omslagpunt. In daaropvolgende decennia konden CDA-ers en PvdA-ers moeilijk met elkaar overweg. Vooral het kabinet-Den Uyl en zeker ook Van Agt-II vormden hiervan het bewijs. Later, tijdens Lubbers-III verliep samenwerking een stuk beter en konden kopstukken en andere politici veel beter met elkaar overweg. Kortom, een roerige geschiedenis.Show less
This thesis introduces the successive lumping procedure (SLP) to compute the steady state probabilities for a class of Markov Chains with large state spaces. In this procedure we introduce one or...Show moreThis thesis introduces the successive lumping procedure (SLP) to compute the steady state probabilities for a class of Markov Chains with large state spaces. In this procedure we introduce one or multiple successive lumping states processes. Also, this thesis studies the classical reorder quantity, order point (Q, r) continuous review stochastic inventory model. This model has been extensively studied in the literature and its use in practice is widespread. Using the SLP efficient calculations can be done for this model when there are Bernoulli arrivals, a mixture of backorders, lost sales and a random lead time. In addition, this work extends previous research in this area by providing efficient algorithms for the computation of the optimal (Q∗ , r∗ ) values when there are Poisson arrivals, a multi-breakpoint discount pricing structure and a fixed lead time.Show less
During the last 120 years or so, a lot of research has been done on Egyptian paint, pigments and binders. Several scholars have made attempts to reconstruct colour schemes on two-dimensional art...Show moreDuring the last 120 years or so, a lot of research has been done on Egyptian paint, pigments and binders. Several scholars have made attempts to reconstruct colour schemes on two-dimensional art and have succeeded relatively well. However, something similar has not been done on ancient Egyptian three-dimensional art. Therefore, in this thesis the first attempt will be made to reconstruct the colour patterns on a royal statue of Sesostris I. A corpus of other royal statues will be gathered and analysed to detect certain standard ‘rules’, or colour-canon, with can then be applied to other, blank sculptures. Furthermore a review will be made on the relation between two-and threedimensional art, their similarities and differences, as well as the social context of statues and symbolism behind the use of specific colours, which could have affected the original colour layout.Show less
In this thesis the results of a microscopic analysis of ornaments from the Dutch Funnel Beaker culture (3350-2750 cal. BC) are presented. It is tried to get a better understanding of the meaning of...Show moreIn this thesis the results of a microscopic analysis of ornaments from the Dutch Funnel Beaker culture (3350-2750 cal. BC) are presented. It is tried to get a better understanding of the meaning of the TRB ornaments. By using the concept of cultural biography of objects, insight is gained into how ornaments were treated during this period. Several patterns were distinguished in the choice of raw material, the shape of ornaments, the amount of use and the deposition of ornaments. Most ornaments were made of amber, followed by jet and stone. A strong preference for disc-shaped beads was observed, followed by cylindrical-shaped beads. Other shapes, such as pendants, were only sporadically observed. The technological analysis resulted in the conclusion that ornaments were made following a rather straightforward production sequence of cutting, grinding and biconical perforating. Almost all ornaments were used to some degree. No clear pattern was found as to how, how long and how many ornaments were worn by a single individual. The few indications suggest a variety of ways to wear ornaments. After use, more than half of all ornaments were reground. Dutch Funnel Beaker ornaments are mainly found in the hunebedden. During social gatherings burials and rituals were performed at these megalithic structures, emphasizing and reinforcing the collective identity of the social group. It has been argued that the axes, flints and pottery deposited commemorated communal values, beliefs and activities. In this thesis a similar interpretation is suggested for the amber and jet ornaments. The only local source of amber and jet during the Dutch TRB was the coastal area. Exploiting this area was an important part of TRB existence. It is argued that the specific provenance of amber and jet would have created an association between this material and the coastal area. In this manner the ornaments could have come to symbolize the activity of travelling to and from and exploiting the coast. And in my opinion the ornaments in the hunebedden refer to this aspect of everyday life.Show less
Tell Sabi Abyad, an archaeological site in Northern Syria, near the Turkish border. The ceramics excavated at this site are among the earliest ceramics uncovered in Upper Mesopotamia. These...Show moreTell Sabi Abyad, an archaeological site in Northern Syria, near the Turkish border. The ceramics excavated at this site are among the earliest ceramics uncovered in Upper Mesopotamia. These ceramics cover a period from the end of the PPNB to the Pre-Halaf, ca. 7000-6200 BC. This period has been divided into many subdivisions by location and cultural-historical. Until recent a „new‟ period has been added; the IPN. These earliest ceramics are mostly from this period. The ceramics uncovered have been sampled and systematically examined on: baking colour, temper, grain amount, grain colour, surface finish, and decoration. The goal of this thesis is to give a preliminary report on the earliest ceramics of Tell Sabi Abyad, as a start for further research into this „newly‟ discovered period, and to show that further research is indeed required. The material has been underrated, is has also been found in South East Turkey, but was considered to be a discrepancy in the stratigraphy, until recent.Show less
In de historiografie heeft de herdenkingsgeschiedenis de laatste decennia aanzienlijke belangstelling verworven. De herdenkingscultuur rond de Belgische Afscheiding neemt hierin vooralsnog een...Show moreIn de historiografie heeft de herdenkingsgeschiedenis de laatste decennia aanzienlijke belangstelling verworven. De herdenkingscultuur rond de Belgische Afscheiding neemt hierin vooralsnog een bijzondere positie in. De thesis ‘De mythe van de Volksgeest’: de Belgische Afscheiding herdacht (1832-1932) belichaamd een herwaardering van deze herdenkingscultuur. In tegenstelling tot vele andere gedenkwaardige nationale aangelegenheden, kan met name de Tiendaagse Veldtocht (1831) nauwelijks als een nationaal hoogte- of dieptepunt worden beschouwd. Toch werd deze in bepaalde kringen wel degelijk het herdenken waard geacht. De voorstanders van herdenking waren voornamelijk oud-strijders – georganiseerd in de vereniging Het Metalen Kruis – en (oud-)militairen, (protestantse) notabelen, geestelijken en leden van het hof. Voor hen belichaamde de Tiendaagse Veldtocht een glorieuze overwinning. Bovendien had het Nederlandse volk als gevolg van de ‘wapenroep’ van koning Willem I nimmer een eenheid tentoongespreid als in die roerige jaren 1830-1832. Een dergelijke gebeurtenis verdiende het op nationale schaal te worden herdacht. Vanaf de eerste grote herdenking in 1856 tot het vijftigjarig jubileum in 1881 werd de herinnering aan de ‘mythe van de eendracht van 1830-1832’ vooral dankzij de veteranen nog op enige schaal herdacht. Na hun verdwijnen – door ziekte en ouderdom – rond het fin de siècle werd echter al snel duidelijk dat de herinnering aan de Afscheiding hen niet lang zou overleven – laat staan tot een daadwerkelijk nationale aangelegenheid zou worden.Show less
In mijn MA-scriptie, getiteld Ridderlijk vorst en publieke opinie: Het publiek vertoon van koning Willem II en de reacties in de pers, wordt verslag gedaan van een onderzoek naar de wijze waarop...Show moreIn mijn MA-scriptie, getiteld Ridderlijk vorst en publieke opinie: Het publiek vertoon van koning Willem II en de reacties in de pers, wordt verslag gedaan van een onderzoek naar de wijze waarop Koning Willem II zich in het openbaar begaf, en hoe de pers hier in deze periode op reageerde. Dit hangt samen met de ontwikkeling van de Nederlandse monarchie, die tegen het einde van de negentiende eeuw een symbolische functie kreeg, als overkoepelend nationaal orgaan dat de door de verzuiling ontstane maatschappelijke verdeeldheid enig tegengas gaf; dit gevoel werd versterkt door, middels bezoeken aan provincies, de band met het volk te versterken. In dit onderzoek ging het erom om na te gaan in hoeverre hier ook al sprake was onder Willem II. De vraag luidt in hoeverre het uiterlijk vertoon van de vorst toen al belangrijk was in de ogen van de publieke opinie. De reden hiervoor is dat de verzuiling toen nog een minder sterke invloed op de Nederlandse maatschappij had, terwijl de monarchie juist afstand deed van haar officiële machtspositie. Inderdaad had Willem II een voorliefde voor pracht en praal, evenals voor ridderlijk militarisme, terwijl hij ook een band met het gewone volk trachtte te creëren. Zowel ridderlijk vertoon als de populariteitshonger waren reden voor zijn provinciale huldetochten. De reacties van de Nederlandse pers op het vertoon van de koning was echter gematigd. Kritiek bleef beperkt, implicerend dat men zich niet aan dergelijk vertoon stoorde, of dat dit zelfs als vanzelfsprekend beschouwd werd. Indien dat laatste het geval was, was er nauwelijks kritiek, daar dit in een dergelijke visie gelijk zou staan met kritiek op de monarchie, waaraan pracht en praal inherent waren.Show less
In this study, the degree of populism of both the Dutch Socialist Party (SP) and the German socialists (Die Linke) is measured based on the way both parties acted during the annual budget debates...Show moreIn this study, the degree of populism of both the Dutch Socialist Party (SP) and the German socialists (Die Linke) is measured based on the way both parties acted during the annual budget debates in the Dutch and German parliament since 1990. I focused on the debating strategies and the political opinions formulated by both parties. First, it will be explained what populism is. In the second part of this study, I tried to develop a method, based on the knowledge of what populism is from the first part, with which the degree of populism of parties could be measured. In the final chapter, I investigated the way of debating of both parties in the annual budget debates. In my conclusion, I tried to express some thoughts about populism itself.Show less
The Pithecanthropus erectus fossils offer evidence that early Homo dispersed into South East Asia somewhere during the Palaeolithic. The main question that still remains is when this dispersal took...Show moreThe Pithecanthropus erectus fossils offer evidence that early Homo dispersed into South East Asia somewhere during the Palaeolithic. The main question that still remains is when this dispersal took place. However there is also another theory, depending on the outcome of the age of Pithecanthropus erectus; is it possible that Homo erectus evolved in Asia and then migrated to Africa? Over the years a lot of geological research has been conducted in order to date Pithecanthropus erectus, unearthed in Trinil, Java in 1891 by Dutchman Eugène Dubois. Unfortunately until now it has not been possible to provide an exact age estimate. Several researchers have attempted to date the surroundings of the fossil by means of relative and radiometric dating methods, but still ages fluctuate somewhere between 700 kya and 1.8 Ma. Determining the exact age has thus far still eluded the scientific world and this would provide better insight into the dispersal of early Homo. Argon-argon dating may finally provide a definitive answer for this thesis. I have examined the infill of shells which were unearthed by Dubois from the same layer Pithecanthropus erectus was discovered in. These shells, which have been filled up with sediment contain volcanic residue due to a volcanic eruption that took place very probably around the time Pithecanthropus erectus died. At the Free University of Amsterdam I have sampled minerals such as sanidine and plagioclase from the infill, separating them by means of heavy liquids and painstakingly handpicking the minerals one by one. Then argon-argon (40Ar/39Ar) dating was carried out on the minerals. Potassium-argon and argon-argon dating has been conducted on other minerals before in order to try and date this fossil, however those minerals were all taken from different layers and area‟s close to the actual site. The minerals that I examined and dated come from shells from within the actual layer in which Pithecanthropus was found and were excavated by Dubois himself. This research contributes to the attempts at dating this key fossil. Even though the argon-argon dating of the minerals did not yield any definitive results yet, future work on the minerals I selected from the shells may do so.Show less
This thesis describes the research done at the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver, Canada, as part of a CIHR-team, using operations research to solve health care problems. Appointment booking data is...Show moreThis thesis describes the research done at the BC Cancer Agency in Vancouver, Canada, as part of a CIHR-team, using operations research to solve health care problems. Appointment booking data is used to determine where problems occur in the Chemo unit. One of these problems is the mismatch of capacity and demand. Some days there is slack capacity and other days appointments need to be rescheduled due to lack of capacity. A Markov Decision Process of the process is introduced and via Markov Chain theory a simulation model is introduced. New booking methods and ways to add capacity are tested using this simulation model. We conclude that using a booking method that is a bit more advanced and uses the booking tolerance earlier in the process gives the best results, and is significantly better than adding extra capacity.Show less
The quantification of labour in ancient Egypt is an under exposed field of study. Ancient sources are scarce on solid data about the labour processes of that time or the deployment of staff or...Show moreThe quantification of labour in ancient Egypt is an under exposed field of study. Ancient sources are scarce on solid data about the labour processes of that time or the deployment of staff or personnel. The way the administration of the Egyptian state worked has been researched extensively. These studies encompass the long and dynamic history of the pharaonic state, from the Early Dynastic Period to the Graeco-Roman period in the very end. In reconstructing the labour processes of specific activities we may find a way to address the question of quantification. The process of building with mud brick can be an example to study the way how the ancient Egyptians organized their labour. The reconstruction of this process allows us to quantify the labour – in terms of man-hours and duration - for each successive stage. From there, it is possible to estimate the efforts and expenses (funds) necessary to realize the building. A labour organization model has been devised to support and structure the reconstruction of the building processes and to quantify both labour and funds. The building of the First Dynasty fortress at Elephantine has been subject of a case study to test the model. Although we can not reconstruct the ancient processes in detail, the outcome provides reliable information to assess the labour involved with the erection of the initial fortress at Elephantine.Show less
Often low copy number plasmids in bacterial cells exhibit active mechanisms to ensure stable inheritance. In this master thesis we investigate several models that aim to explain the equidistant...Show moreOften low copy number plasmids in bacterial cells exhibit active mechanisms to ensure stable inheritance. In this master thesis we investigate several models that aim to explain the equidistant positioning of pB171 plasmids in E. coli. In this system a walker type ATPase, ParA, forms filamentous structures on the nucleoid. Plasmids with attached ParB, a DNA binding protein, follow the retractive movement of ParA. We show that a polymer pulling model in which the plasmid detachment rate depends critically on the plasmid bound ParB levels can generate partitioning. Furthermore a recently proposed biased diffusion model in which the plasmid diffusion is influenced by the dynamic ParA concentration can direct motion towards mid cell. However the necessity of a high plasmid diffusion constant renders it unlikely to be the actual mechanism used by bacteria. A slight variation of this idea where diffusing oligomers pull on plasmids encounters the same problems as a biased diffusion model. The influence of polymer drag which depends on the length of the filament can be beneficial though it seems unlikely to be the sole mechanism to partition plasmids. Finally, in our favoured model we show that ParA polymers can position plasmids equidistantly with the assumption that ParA subunits bind along the filament and slide to the tip end, thereby influencing the polymerization rate critically.Show less
Refuse layers are often rich in plant remains, which give them the potential to provide valuable information to archaeobotanics. However, the plant remains within these layers could have entered...Show moreRefuse layers are often rich in plant remains, which give them the potential to provide valuable information to archaeobotanics. However, the plant remains within these layers could have entered the layers via a considerable number of combinations of pathways and additionally these layers are exposed to processes such as contamination and reduction, which affect the botanical composition. Due to this complex nature, it remains difficult to fully interpret the botanical information from such refuse layers. Therefore, a new approach is presented, to optimise the interpretation of plant remains from refuse layers based on the analysis and characterisation of botanical samples from refuse layers within a street, some houses and a granary in Karanis, a Graeco-Roman village in Egypt. By analysing the botanical composition of the samples and the degree of fragmentation of the plant remains together with the reduction through consumption by humans, livestock, rodents and/or insects, it was possible to distinguish certain clusters of plant remains. In combination with the additional analysis of the photographs of the large sieve fractions of the samples, these clusters could be assigned to possible pathways, such as crumbled building materials, crumbled dung and kitchen waste. Moreover, it appeared that all samples showed some similarity in botanical composition, which could probably be attributed to crumbled architecture, in combination with the influence of the wind. Furthermore, it appeared that reduction of the plant material by rodent gnawing has occurred in almost all contexts. As a result of these analyses it became possible to improve the characterisation and hence the interpretation of botanical remains from various refuse layers, based on which in the future the sampling strategy can be adjusted in relation to specific research questions. Fruits of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) were identified in the majority of the samples and, because of the rich occurrence of oil presses in Karanis, it was investigated whether the safflower remains were the result of oil production or of other processes, such as animal activity. In order to do so, a small literature study was combined with the proxy data of the safflower remains. Based on the written evidence, it could not be determined exactly how safflower oil was produced and what kind of remains this created. However, the degree of fragmentation and the considerable number of safflower remains that showed traces of consumption by livestock and/or gnawing marks of rodents, suggest that the remains were probably the result of animal activity rather than oil production.Show less
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