bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automated non‐stepwise preparation of bioanalytical calibration standards and quality controls using an ultra‐low volume digitizing liquid dispenser
Authors: Liao Debra , Chen Susan , Paton Martin , Qian Mark G.
Published: April 2014

RATIONALE

Stepwise preparation of calibration standards and quality controls (QCs) is one of the most routine and laborious steps in bioanalysis. An alternative non‐contact dispenser using low picoliter digitized dispensing technology is evaluated for its application in non‐stepwise preparation of calibration curve and QCs in bioanalysis.

METHODS

Fluorescein was initially used to assess the accuracy and precision of dispense volumes with fluorescent measurement. Various concentrations of MX‐1, an in‐house proprietary small molecule compound, in neat solution and in dog plasma were prepared manually with calibrated pipettors and digitally by the digital dispenser. The plasma samples were extracted by protein precipitation. The resultant extracted samples and neat solutions of MX‐1 were analyzed by liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) using an electrospray ionization (ESI) source in positive ion mode with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) of the mass transitions.

RESULTS

In the three‐day precision and accuracy assessment of dispensing volumes between 13 pL to 411.2 nL, the intra‐day precision and accuracy ranged from 1.4% to 10.3% and –12.7% to 12.8%, respectively. The inter‐day precision and accuracy ranged from 3.5% to 7.8% and –6.6% to 10.4%, respectively. For real analysis of in vivo study samples, all 49 samples analyzed showed a less than 5% difference between calibrations with digital and manual curve preparations. The resultant pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters were physiologically comparable as well.

CONCLUSIONS

Using the digitized picoliter dispensing technology, high‐speed automated precise and accurate dispense of a wide range of volumes can be achieved and tests for bioanalytical standards and QC preparations passed the stringent criteria set forth for regulated bioanalysis using LC/MS/MS‐based technology. The digital dispenser has been found to be a useful tool in drug discovery for automatically preparing standards and QCs in seconds with low consumption of stock solutions and blank matrices. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Laser desorption ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry of erbium‐doped Ga‐Ge‐Sb‐S glasses
Authors: Pangavhane Sachinkumar Dagurao , Němec Petr , Nazabal Virginie , Moreac Alain , Jóvári Pál , Havel Josef
Published: April 2014

RATIONALE

Rare earth‐doped sulphide glasses in the Ga‐Ge‐Sb‐S system present radiative emissions from the visible to the middle infrared range (mid‐IR) range, which are of interest for a variety of applications including (bio)‐chemical optical sensing, light detection, and military counter‐measures. The aim of this work was to reveal structural motifs present during the fabrication of thin films by plasma deposition techniques as such knowledge is important for the optimization of thin film growth.

METHODS

The formation of clusters in plasma plume from different concentrations of erbium‐doped Ga5Ge20Sb10S65 glasses (0.05, 0.1, and 0.5 wt. % of erbium) using laser (337 nm) desorption ionization (LDI) was studied by time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (TOF MS) in both positive and negative ion mode. The stoichiometry of the GamGenSboSp+/– clusters was determined via isotopic envelope analysis and computer modelling.

RESULTS

Several GamGenSboSp+/– singly charged clusters were found but, surprisingly, only four species (Sb3S4+/–, GaSb2Sp+/– (p = 4, 5), Ga3Sb2S7+/–) were common to both ion modes. For the first time, species containing rare earths (GaSb2SEr+ and GaS6Er2+) were identified in the plasma formed from rare earth‐doped chalcogenide glasses, directly confirming the importance of gallium presence for rare earth bonding within the glassy matrix.

CONCLUSIONS

The local structure of Ga‐Ge‐Sb‐S glasses is at least partly different from the structure of species identified in plasma by mass spectrometry, as deduced from Raman scattering spectroscopy analysis; these glasses are mainly formed by [GeS4/2]/[GaS4/2] tetrahedra and [SbS3/2] pyramids. Extended X‐ray absorption fine structure measurements show that Er3+ ions in Ga‐Ge‐Sb‐S glasses are surrounded by 7 sulphur atoms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Slope Descent using Plowing to Minimize Slip for Planetary Rovers
Authors: Loret de Mola Lemus Daniel , Kohanbash David , Moreland Scott , Wettergreen David
Published: April 2014

Steep slopes of unconsolidated material at planetary destinations of recent interest, such as craters and skylights, defy descent by rovers due to uncontrolled slip. This work proposes a novel method based on braking by plowing to arrest slip during descent maneuvers on planetary terrains. The method covers two fundamental maneuvers: direct descent and point‐turning. For direct descent, an automatic control system estimates slip through visual odometry and actuates a plow accordingly. For point‐turning, the plow is engaged as a point of rotation. Experimental results showed that the slip control system for direct descent kept slip within ±5% for slopes as steep as 31° and for different commanded driving speeds. In the point‐turning tests, downhill displacement was less than 0.08 m on inclinations up to 30°. Thus, a plowing policy was developed that allows precise descent on extreme slopes by minimizing slip. As a result, this work expands current rover mobility and control capabilities.
A surface analytical investigation of cerium‐based conversion coatings deposited onto an AA2024‐T3 aluminium alloy cladding layer
Authors: Hinder S. J. , Grilli R. , Rustame M. , Santos W. I. A. , Baker M. A. , Costa I.
Published: April 2014

Cerium‐based conversion coatings are being investigated as alternatives to chromating treatments for the corrosion protection of aluminium and its alloys because of the environmentally unfriendly nature of the chromating process. This study investigates the surface film composition, structure and corrosion performance following a two‐step surface treatment for an AA2024‐T3 clad aluminium alloy. The two‐step treatment comprised of an initial cerium conversion process involving immersion in an aqueous solution containing Ce3+ ions at 75 °C followed by immersion in a propylene glycol solution at 75 °C. The coating surface morphology, composition and structure have been studied using SEM, XPS, Auger spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, while corrosion resistance was evaluated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The coating formed by the two‐step treatment is an interconnecting fibrous (pseudo) boehmite layer with the incorporation of Ce3+ in the film. This two step treatment coating exhibits high impedance compared with the coatings formed through exposure to just stage 1 or stage 2 of the two‐step treatment and shows good potential for improved corrosion protection. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Knowledge Norms and Assessing Them Well
Authors: Locke Dustin ,   Philosophy Documentation Center
Published: April 2014

Jonathan Ichikawa (2012) argues that the standard counterexamples to the knowledge norm of practical reasoning are no such thing. More precisely, he argues that those alleged counterexamples rest on claims about which actions are appropriate rather than on claims about which propositions can be appropriately treated as reasons for action. Since the knowledge norm of practical reasoning concerns the latter and not the former, Ichikawa contends that proponents of the alleged counterexamples must offer a theory that bridges the gap between the two types of claims. I argue, first, that the standard counterexamples do not rest on claims about which actions are appropriate, second, that even if they did, we would not need a theory to bridge the gap between the two types of claims, and, third, that even if we did need such a theory, a plausible theory is on offer.
Comparison of wind turbine wake properties in non‐sheared inflow predicted by different computational fluid dynamics rotor models
Authors: Troldborg Niels , Zahle Frederik , Réthoré Pierre‐Elouan , Sørensen Niels N.
Published: April 2014

The wake of the 5MW reference wind turbine designed by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) is simulated using computational fluid dynamics with a fully resolved rotor geometry, an actuator line method and an actuator disc method, respectively. Simulations are carried out prescribing both uniform and turbulent inflows, and the wake properties predicted by the three models are compared. In uniform inflow, the wake properties predicted by the actuator disc and line methods are found to be in very close agreement but differ significantly from the wake of the fully resolved rotor, which is characterized by much higher turbulence levels. In the simulations with turbulent inflow, the wake characteristics predicted by the three methods are in close agreement, indicating that the differences observed in uniform inflow do not play an important role if the inflow is turbulent. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Insights into molecular evolution from yeast genomics
Authors: Zarin Taraneh , Moses Alan M.
Published: April 2014

Enabled by comparative genomics, yeasts have increasingly developed into a powerful model system for molecular evolution. Here we survey several areas in which yeast studies have made important contributions, including regulatory evolution, gene duplication and divergence, evolution of gene order and evolution of complexity. In each area we highlight key studies and findings based on techniques ranging from statistical analysis of large datasets to direct laboratory measurements of fitness. Future work will combine traditional evolutionary genetics analysis and experimental evolution with tools from systems biology to yield mechanistic insight into complex phenotypes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integrating Space With Place in Health Research: A Multilevel Spatial Investigation Using Child Mortality in 1880 Newark, New Jersey
Authors: Xu Hongwei , Logan John R. , Short Susan E.
Published: April 2014

Research on neighborhoods and health increasingly acknowledges the need to conceptualize, measure, and model spatial features of social and physical environments. When ignoring underlying spatial dynamics, we run the risk of biased statistical inference and misleading results. In this article, we propose an integrated multilevel spatial approach for Poisson models of discrete responses. In an empirical example of child mortality in 1880 Newark, New Jersey, we compare this multilevel spatial approach with the more typical aspatial multilevel approach. Results indicate that spatially defined egocentric neighborhoods, or distance-based measures, outperform administrative areal units, such as census units. In addition, although results do not vary by specific definitions of egocentric neighborhoods, they are sensitive to geographic scale and modeling strategy. Overall, our findings confirm that adopting a spatial multilevel approach enhances our ability to disentangle the effect of space from that of place, pointing to the need for more careful spatial thinking in population research on neighborhoods and health.
Outcome for self‐expandable metal stents in patients with malignant gastroduodenal obstruction: A single center experience
Authors: Lee Kuei‐Chuan , Hsieh Yun‐Cheng , Perng Chin‐Lin , Chao Yee , Li Chung‐Pin , Hou Ming‐Chih , Lin Han‐Chieh
Published: April 2014

Background

Malignant gastric outlet obstruction causes significant malnutrition and morbidity. The implantation of a metallic stent is an alternative palliative treatment to allow the intake of food in these patients.

Patients and Methods

Thirty‐eight consecutive patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction who had received an uncovered metallic stent placement in our department from April 2010 to April 2012 were enrolled for analysis. The mean follow‐up time was 6.3 months. Food intake, measured by the Gastric Outlet Obstruction Scoring System, complications, duration of stent patency, and survival were evaluated.

Results

The technical and clinical success rates of the procedure were 100% and 94.7%, respectively. The Gastric Outlet Obstruction Scoring System scores were significantly improved at 1 day, 7 days, and 30 days after the implantation compared with those prior to the procedure (p < 0.001). Aspiration pneumonia developed in two patients (5.2%) after the procedure. One of these patients developed respiratory failure and died 3 days later. Stent dysfunction developed in 11 of 38 patients (28.9%) during the follow‐up period; one patient (2.6%) experienced migration of the stent 38 days later due to resolution of the stricture; 10 patients (26.3%) had stent restenosis. The median time of stent patency was 120 days. The presence of peritoneal carcinomatosis when the procedure was carried out was a significantly poor predictive factor of stent patency [hazard ratio (HR) 7.9, p = 0.039]. The median survival of the patients was 156 days. Poor performance status ≥3; HR 2.647, p = 0.012) and nongastric cancer origin (HR 3.466, p = 0.008) were associated with a significantly short survival time.

Conclusion

Metallic stent placement is an effective and relatively safe treatment for patients with malignant gastric outlet obstruction.
High pre‐operative serum aminotransferase levels predict local recurrence after curative resection of hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Chung Kun‐Ming , Chien Tsu‐Ming , Chuang Shih‐Sung , Wu Hung‐Chang , Sheu Ming‐Jen , Lin Ching‐Yih , Kuo Hsing‐Tao
Published: April 2014

Background

Hepatocellular carcinoma is a common cancer with an increasing incidence worldwide because of the dissemination of hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection. Surgical resection is the most important therapeutic option with a curative intent. Early tumor detection through screening and improvements in surgical techniques have significantly improved the outcome of patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. However, local recurrence after curative hepatic resection is common and is the most frequent cause of death in these patients.

Patients and Methods

In an attempt to identify the risk factors that predict tumor recurrence, we conducted this retrospective study in a single institution for a 6‐year period. Of the 100 consecutive patients who underwent curative tumor resection, we analyzed age, sex, viral etiology (hepatitis B virus vs. hepatitis C virus), preoperative levels of aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase, the α‐fetoprotein level, underlying liver disease status (chronic hepatitis vs. cirrhosis), number and size of tumors, type of resection, and presence of microvascular invasion.

Results

In the median follow‐up period of 36 months (range, 12–85 months), the 1‐year, 3‐year, and 5‐year overall survival rates were 90%, 84%, and 73%, respectively; tumor recurrence occurred in 38 (38%) patients and was the leading cause of death among the patients who died (15 of 17 patients; 88%). On univariate analysis, the only factor significantly associated with a higher incidence of tumor recurrence was preoperative levels of aspartate aminotransferase greater than twice the upper normal value (p < 0.01) and this factor remained significant with multivariate analysis. Subgroup analysis of the risk factor of early tumor recurrence (≤2 years) and late tumor recurrence (>2 years) was conducted and a preoperative aspartate aminotransferase level greater than twice the upper normal value was still significant in both groups (p = 0.02 and p = 0.044, respectively).

Conclusion

Although this is a small‐scale study, our findings could be easily applied clinically and used as readily available indicators to help the follow‐up algorithm. We also suggest antiviral management as soon as possible for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma undergoing curative resection, especially those with a high preoperative aspartate aminotransferase level.
Modified endoscopic mucosal resection of gastric heterotopic pancreas: Report of two cases
Authors: Liao Po‐Hao , Wang Horng‐Yuan , Shih Shou‐Chuan , Chen Ming‐Jen
Published: April 2014

Heterotopic pancreas is a congenital anomaly characterized by the presence of ectopic pancreatic tissue far from the pancreas. The treatment of heterotopic pancreas may include expectant observation, endoscopic resection, or surgery. The aim of this study was to describe the technique of cap‐assisted endoscopic mucosal resection for the management of heterotopic pancreas of the stomach. Two patients, a 41‐year‐old woman and a 31‐year‐old man, were referred to us for the management of gastric subepithelial lesions. Endoscopic ultrasound was used in the female patient to disclose two small hypoechoic lesions arising from the submucosal layer. Cap‐assisted endoscopic mucosal resection was performed in both patients without complications. Histopathological examination of the resected specimens showed heterotopic pancreatic tissue in the submucosal layer. Our technique is a suction, snaring, and cut method. This method does not need a special cap with a shallow circumferential lip on the inside and the snare does not need to be pre‐looped. This technique allowed a histopathological confirmation of the suspected diagnosis in both patients.
A single nucleotide polymorphism in SLC1A1 gene is associated with age of onset of obsessive-compulsive disorder
Authors: Dallaspezia S. , Mazza M. , Lorenzi C. , Benedetti F. , Smeraldi E.
Published: April 2014

Different genetic polymorphisms in the SLC1A1 have been shown to be associated with obsessive-compulsive disorder. Rs301430 is a T/C functional polymorphism affecting the gene expression and extrasynaptic glutamate concentration.We observed that Rs301430 influence age at onset in obsessive-compulsive disorder.
Mutant p53 reactivation by small molecules makes its way to the clinic
Authors: Bykov Vladimir J.N. , Wiman Klas G.
Published: April 2014

The TP53 tumor suppressor gene is mutated in many human tumors, including common types of cancer such as colon and ovarian cancer. This illustrates the key role of p53 as trigger of cell cycle arrest or cell death upon oncogenic stress. Most TP53 mutations are missense mutations that result in single amino acid substitutions in p53 and expression of high levels of dysfunctional p53 protein. Restoration of wild type p53 function in such tumor cells will induce robust cell death and allow efficient eradication of the tumor. Therapeutic targeting of mutant p53 in tumors is a rapidly developing field at the forefront of translational cancer research. Various approaches have led to the identification of small molecules that can rescue mutant p53. These include compounds that target specific p53 mutations, including PK083 and PK5174 (Y220C mutant p53) and NSC319726 (R175H mutant p53), as well as PRIMA‐1 and its analog APR‐246 that affect a wider range of mutant p53 proteins. APR‐246 has been tested in a Phase I/II clinical trial with promising results.
Site‐specific phosphorylation of Tau protein is associated with deacetylation of microtubules in mouse spermatogenic cells during meiosis
Authors: Inoue Hiroki , Hiradate Yuuki , Shirakata Yoshiki , Kanai Kenta , Kosaka Keita , Gotoh Aina , Fukuda Yasuhiro , Nakai Yutaka , Uchida Takafumi , Sato Eimei , Tanemura Kentaro
Published: April 2014

Tau is one of the microtubule‐associated proteins and a major component of paired helical filaments, a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease. Its expression has also been indicated in the testis. However, its function and modification in the testis have not been established. Here, we analyzed the dynamics of phosphorylation patterns during spermatogenesis. The expression of Tau protein and its phosphorylation were shown in the mouse testis. Immunohistochemistry revealed that the phosphorylation was strongly detected during meiosis. Correspondingly, the expression of acetylated tubulin was inversely weakened during meiosis. These results suggest that phosphorylation of Tau protein contributes to spermatogenesis, especially in meiosis.
Elucidating the host–pathogen interaction between human colorectal cells and invading Enterovirus 71 using transcriptomics profiling
Authors: Lui Yan Long Edmund , Tan Tuan Lin , Timms Peter , Hafner Louise Marie , Tan Kian Hwa , Tan Eng Lee
Published: April 2014

Enterovirus 71 (EV71) is one of the main etiological agents for Hand, Foot and Mouth Disease (HFMD) and has been shown to be associated with severe clinical manifestation. Currently, there is no antiviral therapeutic for the treatment of HFMD patients owing to a lack of understanding of EV71 pathogenesis. This study seeks to elucidate the transcriptomic changes that result from EV71 infection. Human whole genome microarray was employed to monitor changes in genomic profiles between infected and uninfected cells. The results reveal altered expression of human genes involved in critical pathways including the immune response and the stress response. Together, data from this study provide valuable insights into the host–pathogen interaction between human colorectal cells and EV71.
Ribogenomics: The Science and Knowledge of RNA
Authors: Wu Jiayan , Xiao Jingfa , Zhang Zhang , Wang Xumin , Hu Songnian , Yu Jun
Published: April 2014

Ribonucleic acid (RNA) deserves not only a dedicated field of biological research — a discipline or branch of knowledge — but also explicit definitions of its roles in cellular processes and molecular mechanisms. Ribogenomics is to study the biology of cellular RNAs, including their origin, biogenesis, structure and function. On the informational track, messenger RNAs (mRNAs) are the major component of ribogenomes, which encode proteins and serve as one of the four major components of the translation machinery and whose expression is regulated at multiple levels by other operational RNAs. On the operational track, there are several diverse types of RNAs — their length distribution is perhaps the most simplistic stratification — involving in major cellular activities, such as chromosomal structure and organization, DNA replication and repair, transcriptional/post-transcriptional regulation, RNA processing and routing, translation and cellular energy/metabolism regulation. An all-out effort exceeding the magnitude of the Human Genome Project is of essence to construct just mammalian transcriptomes in multiple contexts including embryonic development, circadian and seasonal rhythms, defined life-span stages, pathological conditions and anatomy-driven tissue/organ/cell types.
Global sourcing and quality recalls: An empirical study of outsourcing‐supplier concentration‐product recalls linkages
Authors: Steven Adams B. , Dong Yan , Corsi Thomas
Published: April 2014

This study investigates how supply chain sourcing strategies are associated with product quality recalls. In particular, the research examines how make‐or‐buy decisions (i.e., outsourcing), the use of foreign suppliers (i.e., offshore outsourcing), the relocation of production to offshore markets (i.e., offshoring), and decisions to consolidate supply bases (i.e., the use of few vs. myriad suppliers) are related to product recalls. Product recalls are serious quality failures in supply chains with significant, negative impacts on firm performance. Product recalls are frequently connected to the globalization of supply chains. Globalization has, at times, promoted inconsistency in quality control and standards, leading to quality problems and failures. Data across multiple industries, with widely reported recalls, have been collected and analyzed using regression techniques. Our findings indicate that offshore outsourcing has a greater impact on recalls than offshoring without outsourcing; outsourcing domestically has the least influence. Outsourcing to a smaller supplier base may lead to fewer recalls at low levels of outsourcing. However, it may exacerbate the impact of outsourcing on recalls at high levels of outsourcing.
When Using Technology Isn'T Enough: A Comparison of High School Civics Teachers’ Tpck in One-To-One Laptop Environments
Authors: Walker Beeson Melissa , Journell Wayne , Ayers Cheryl A.
Published: April 2014

In this multiple case study, the authors compare the instruction of two high school civics teachers during the 2012 Presidential Election. Both were highly-qualified practitioners who worked in schools with one-to-one laptop initiatives, creating an environment in which access to digital technology ceased to be an issue. Although both teachers regularly used technology in their classrooms, the authors describe stark differences in the complexity and authenticity of their instruction, which the authors attribute to the teachers’ technological pedagogical content knowledge (TPCK). The authors conclude by discussing implications for better understanding TPCK within civics instruction, specifically in classrooms with one-to-one laptop access.
Urothelial cancer of bladder in young versus older adults: Clinical and pathological characteristics and outcomes
Authors: Telli Onur , Sarici Hasmet , Ozgur Berat Cem , Doluoglu Omer Gokhan , Sunay Mehmet Melih , Bozkurt Selen , Eroglu Muzaffer
Published: April 2014

Bladder urothelial carcinoma is rare in young adults and occurs more commonly in older individuals. The aim of this study was to compare the clinical behavior, pathologic characteristics, and prognosis of urothelial carcinoma of urinary bladder in young versus older adults. A retrospective review of our records between 2007 and 2013 identified 56 patients (42 males and 14 females) with transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder who were less than 40 years old. Clinical and pathological parameters of patients who were less than 40 years of age were compared with those of a series of patients older than 40 years of age (the control group) during the same period. A survival analysis was performed using the Kaplan–Meier method and log‐rank test, and Cox regression was performed to identify clinical parameters that affected the clinical outcomes. The mean age was 29.21 years (range, 5–40 years) for patients less than 40 years old and 61.66 years (range, 41–75) for those older than 40 years. The mean follow‐up was 40.26 months (range, 12–65 months) for young patients and 42.57 months (range, 12–72 months) for the older patients. Young bladder cancer patients had smaller‐sized tumors (less than 3 cm), less high‐grade cancers, higher papillary urothelial neoplasms of low malignant potential, and low‐grade tumors than patients older than 40 years. Multivariate logistic regression analysis predicted tumor recurrence in young patients with high‐grade tumors [odds ratio (OR), 1.959; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.235–2.965; p = 0.046] and tumors larger than 3 cm (OR, 1.772; 95% CI, 1.416–1.942; p = 0.032). The 5‐year overall survival rate was 100% for young patients and 88.1% for older patients. No difference was observed in the recurrence‐free (p = 0.321) and progression‐free (p = 0.422) survival rates between the two groups. We concluded that although the clinical stage distribution, natural history, and outcomes of bladder urothelial cancer in young adults are similar to those in their older counterparts, clinicians must be aware that patients under 40 years of age presented with higher‐grade and larger (>3 cm) tumors and are more likely to experience tumor recurrence.
The Emperor Strikes Back: Political Status, Career Incentives and Grain Procurement during China's Great Leap Famine
Authors: Kung James Kai-sing
Published: April 2014

Using China's Great Leap Famine as example, this article shows how political career incentives can produce disastrous outcomes under the well-intended policies of a dictator. By exploiting a regression discontinuity design, the study identifies the causal effect of membership status in the Chinese Communist Party's Central Committee—full (FM) Versus alternate members (AM)—on grain procurement. It finds that the difference in grain procurement between AMs and FMs who ranked near the discontinuity threshold is three times that between all AMs and all FMs on average. This may explain why Mao exceptionally promoted some lower-ranked but radical FMs shortly before the Leap: to create a demonstration effect in order to spur other weakly motivated FMs into action.
Fossil avian eggs from the Palaeogene of southern France: new size estimates and a possible taxonomic identification of the egg-layer
Authors: ANGST D. , BUFFETAUT E. , LÉCUYER C. , AMIOT R. , SMEKTALA F. , GINER S. , MÉCHIN A. , MÉCHIN P. , AMOROS A. , LEROY L. , GUIOMAR M. , TONG H. , MARTINEZ A.
Published: April 2014

Eggshell fragments attributed to large birds have been known from the Palaeogene of southern France for half a century, but reconstructing their original dimensions and identifying the birds that laid the eggs has been fraught with difficulties. On the basis of numerous newly collected specimens and using geometrical calculations, the original size of the thick-shelled eggs is reconstructed, showing that they were slightly larger than ostrich eggs, with a greatest length of 17.8 cm and a mean diameter of 12.0 cm in transversal section. The estimated volume is 1330.4 cm3. The fossil eggs from southern France are thus among the largest known avian eggs, being only surpassed byAepyornisand some moas. Estimated egg mass is about 1.4 kg. On the basis of egg mass, the body mass of the parent bird is estimated at between 135.4 kg and 156.4 kg, assuming that the hatchlings were precocial. These calculations are in good agreement with the dimensions and mass estimates for the Palaeogene giant birdGastornis, a probable anseriform, which lived in Europe at the time the eggs were laid. Other large Early Tertiary birds from Europe (Remiornis,Palaeotis) are too small to have laid these eggs. In all likelihood, the large eggs from the Palaeogene of southern France were laid by gastornithid birds.
TO PROHIBIT OR PERMIT: WHAT IS THE (HUMAN) RIGHTS RESPONSE TO THE PRACTICE OF INTERNATIONAL COMMERCIAL SURROGACY?
Authors: Tobin John
Published: April 2014

The rapid expansion of international commercial surrogacy arrangements has created serious ethical and legal dilemmas with respect to the nationality and parentage of children conceived under such arrangements and the potential exploitation of surrogate mothers. This paper examines these dilemmas through the prism of international human rights law to assess whether a prohibitionist or permissive approach should be adopted with respect to this practice.
REVISITING THE INDIAN EXPERIENCE OF ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RIGHTS ADJUDICATION: THE NEED FOR A PRINCIPLED APPROACH TO JUDICIAL ACTIVISM AND RESTRAINT
Authors: Pillay Anashri
Published: April 2014

The Indian Constitution embraces economic and social rights as directive principles of state policy, ostensibly insulated from judicial review. The Supreme Court's interpretation of traditional civil and political rights to include economic and social guarantees has been praised by academics and activists keen to advance the cause of justiciable economic and social rights. In recent commentary, however, the extent to which the court's jurisprudence furthers the goal of increasing access to goods such as health care, housing, food and water for India's poor, is questioned. This article reconsiders the court's record in this area. It suggests that a more realistic assessment of the court's jurisprudence is necessary and draws on the South African experience of economic and social rights adjudication to argue for more serious engagement with factors that inform the level of judicial activism or restraint applied in the cases.
DANGEROUS EXPRESSIONS: THE ECHR, VIOLENCE AND FREE SPEECH
Authors: Buyse Antoine
Published: April 2014

How should one balance the freedom of expression and the prevention of violence? This article delves into the grey zone between hate speech and incitement to violence by assessing the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights in cases of allegedly dangerous speech. Rather than labelling this case law as simplistic, as some critics even within the Court have done, it is shown that the jurisprudence reveals cleavages within the Court on whether to adopt a more or less consequentialist approach on the links between speech and violence. Freedom of expression cases should preferably be assessed on the merits under Article 10 ECHR since this allows for a balancing of the various interests involved. The application of the abuse of rights clause of Article 17 ECHR is for that very reason undesirable, in addition to its inconsistent use by the Court.
Playing Favorites: How Shared Beliefs Shape the IMF's Lending Decisions
Authors: Nelson Stephen C.
Published: April 2014

International organizations (IOs) suffuse world politics, but the International Monetary Fund (IMF) stands out as an unusually important IO. My research suggests that IMF lending is systematically biased. Preferential treatment is largely driven by the degree of similarity between beliefs held by IMF officials and key economic policy-makers in the borrowing country. This article describes the IMF's ideational culture as “neoliberal,” and assumes it to be stable during the observation window (1980–2000). The beliefs of top economic policy-makers in borrowing countries, however, vary in terms of their distance from IMF officials' beliefs. When fellow neoliberals control the top economic policy posts the distance between the means of the policy team's beliefs and the IMF narrows; consequently, IMF loans become less onerous, more generous, and less rigorously enforced. I gathered data on the number of conditions and the relative size of loans for 486 programs in the years between 1980 and 2000. I collected data on waivers, which allow countries that have missed binding conditions to continue to access funds, as an indicator for enforcement. I rely on indirect indicators, gleaned from a new data set that contains biographical details of more than 2,000 policy-makers in ninety developing countries, to construct a measure of the proportion of the top policy officials that are fellow neoliberals. The evidence from a battery of statistical tests reveals that as the proportion of neoliberals in the borrowing government increases, IMF deals get comparatively sweeter.
The Early History of Ethiopia's Coffee Trade and the Rise of Shawa
Authors: Aregay Merid W.
Published: April 2014

This article draws attention to the possible importance of coffee exports from Ethiopia before the mid-nineteenth century. They may well have been a factor in attempts by Ethiopian emperors in the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries to develop trade in Yaman, in India and with the Dutch in Java. By 1690, coffee was being exported from Zayla, and perhaps by other outlets. In 1705 and 1737 there were unsuccessful attempts by Europeans to obtain coffee direct from Ethiopia, though meanwhile the growth of plantations in European colonies had rendered such effort superfluous. Nonetheless, Ethiopia contributed to the Red Sea coffee trade during the eighteenth century, and it seems likely that coffee was exported from Enarya as well as from Harar. The kingdom of Shawa was well situated to exploit the development of coffee exports from the south-western highlands, and they would have assisted Shawa's efforts to distance itself from upheavals further north during the Zamana Masafent. The coffee trade may therefore have been more significant in the rise of Shawa in the later eighteenth and earlier nineteenth centuries than historians have hitherto allowed.
“Those Stubborn Principles”: From Stoicism to Sociability in Joseph Addison'sCato
Authors: Henderson Christine Dunn , Yellin Mark E.
Published: April 2014

Joseph Addison's 1713 play,Cato: A Tragedy, dramatizes the final days of Cato the Younger's resistance to Julius Caesar before his eventual suicide at Utica in 46 BC. Although Addison initially seems to present Cato as a model for emulation, we argue that Addison is ultimately critical of both Cato and the Stoicism he embodies. Via the play's romantic subplot and via his work as an essayist, Addison offers a revision of the Catonic model, reworking it into a gentler model that elevates qualities such as love, friendship, and sympathy and that is more appropriate to the type of peaceful civil and commercial society he wishes to promote.
Northern Libyan Desert Ware: new thoughts on ‘Shell-tempered Ware’ and other handmade pottery from the Eastern Marmarica (north-west Egypt)
Authors: Rieger Anna-Katharina , Möller Heike
Published: April 2014

A group of handmade pottery from the Eastern Marmarica (north-west Egypt) can be associated with the indigenous population of the region, subsumed as nomadic Libyans. A discussion of its type and fabric – mainly shell-tempered – leads to questions about its chronology as well as the ethnic and cultural background of the producers and users of these wares. Stratified finds and a diligent assessment of the reliability of associated pottery from surface find-spots will seek to fix the chronology of Northern Libyan Desert Ware (NLDW).
Italian archaeologists in colonial Tripolitania
Authors: Munzi Massimiliano
Published: April 2014

This is a contribution to a reassessment of colonial archaeology in Libya, based on the academic and political/ ideological portraits of the archaeologists serving in the Tripolitanian and (from 1936) Libyan Soprintendenza. Italian colonial archaeologists were, often deliberately, instruments of political strategy. They searched for traces of Rome in the nationalistic context of the Libyan War, and sought to reconstruct an idealised vision of the Roman cities during the Fascist Ventennio. The essential continuity between nationalist archaeology of the Liberal period (1910–1922), characterised by the central idea of the civilising force of Rome as a tool of colonial expansion, and the Fascist archaeology of 1922–1943, in which the integration of archaeology with political aims touched on the extreme, sometimes with grotesque results, will be stressed and a chronological overview presented. Negative judgment should be nuanced by placing the colonial archaeology in its historical context, analysing its structure, remembering that its methodological backwardness was shared by metropolitan archaeology, noting the high quality of the restoration work and finally by comparing Italian fieldwork with that of other European excavations in North African or Near Eastern protectorates and colonies. It is not a case of presenting a revisionist interpretation, but of approaching the subject without prejudice.
Breaking our invisible chains The 17th of February revolution: Libya's rise to freedom
Authors: Suhbi Salah
Published: April 2014

On the 15th of February 2011 a series of peaceful protests in Libya was met with excessive military force by the ruling regime. These protests escalated into an uprising that spread across the whole country. My name is Salah Suhbi, Assistant Director Partnerships at the British Council in Libya. I joined the rebels (Tuwar) fighting for freedom from Colonel Gaddafi's regime in the western mountains of Libya. This is our story.
Applebaum's Hillside Stairs at Cyrene
Authors: White Donald , Kenrick Philip
Published: April 2014

A set of monumental stone stairs on the hillside south of Cyrene's Wadi Bel Gadir Sanctuary of Demeter and Persephone were first detected by Shi'mon Applebaum during World War 2 on a now lost aerial photograph. Today his theory that the stairs connected a hilltop structure (now partially covered by a modern farm installation), with the still unidentified Demeter Sanctuary and that all three elements belonged to a Jewish temple complex is no longer sustainable, at least as far as the Demeter Sanctuary goes. But the stairs still exist, still unexcavated and largely unrecorded. What remains visible suggests that they may have been partially covered with a wooden roof and that they served as a ceremonial link between two important components of the suburban city analogous to that played by the porticoed Via Sacra leading to Cyrene's Sanctuary of Apollo. A plea is made for their excavation.
Janzur: anchorage, trade, industry and development on the Tripolitanian littoral
Authors: Preece Chris
Published: April 2014

The identification of a headland anchorage at Janzur and the finding of ceramic material offshore in 2009 led the Department of Antiquities in Tripoli to agree to an underwater scoping survey, the results of which are discussed. The site adjacent to the anchorage was subject to a large waterfront development and during groundwork a number of kilns and other structures related to the anchorage were revealed. The implications of this and neighbouring sites are discussed in regard to trade and industry in antiquity. Concerns regarding modern development are discussed and some proposals are mooted.
Struggling for a Framework: Prolegomena to the study of the Libyan 'Isāwiyya
Authors: Cherstich Igor
Published: April 2014

As a consequence of the importance of the Sanūsiyya in Libyan history the literature on Sufism has shown a scarce curiosity for other Libyan brotherhoods. One of the reasons for this is the fact that, being characterised by a lack of central authority, these orders were considered unorganised entities that could not sustain the comparison with the Sanūsiyya. The article problematises this view by concentrating on the 'Isāwiyya, a Libyan brotherhood constituted by local leaders who do not recognise a common authority. In particular, the paper heavily relies on the recent re-conceptualisation of the idea of ‘Sufi order’ put forward by Rachida Chi, who suggests that Sufi brotherhoods could be best understood as ensembles of different local patronal rerlationships. The article discusses the weaknesses and strenghts of Chih's framework in an attempt to propose a set of preliminary conclusions for the study of the Libyan 'Isāwiyya.
A Roman amphora production site near Lepcis Magna: petrographic analyses of the fabrics
Authors: Capelli Claudio , Leitch Victoria
Published: April 2014

A coastal survey carried out in the area of Lepcis Magna in November 2010 located a ceramic kiln site, which seemed to be mainly producing Tripolitania II amphorae. Archaeometric analysis was carried out on samples recovered from the site to characterise the fabrics and confirm this hypothesis.
A local production of Mid Roman 1 amphorae at Latrun, Cyrenaica
Authors: Mazou Loïc , Capelli Claudio
Published: April 2014

Excavations at the village of Erythron/Latrun near Apollonia in Cyrenaica uncovered a potter's rubbish dump in an abandoned Roman bath complex, thought to be linked to the nearby potter's kiln. Common wares and lamps were produced here and of particular note were Mid Roman 1 amphorae. These amphorae were thought to have been produced mainly in Sicily but also North Africa, and with the new discovery at Latrun we can now also add Cyrenaica to the list. Archaeometric (thin section) analysis on samples from the site confirms this theory.
DMP XV: Palaeohydrology and Palaeoenvironment: Initial Results and Report of 2010 and 2011 Fieldwork
Authors: Drake Nicholas , Salem Mustapha , Armitage Simon , Francke Jan , Hounslow Mark , Hlal Osama , White Kevin , El-Hawat Ahmed
Published: April 2014

This paper reports the results of fieldwork conducted in the 2010 and 2011 DMP field seasons and of analysis of samples collected during these and previous years. Research has involved 1) studying palaeolake sediment outcrops, 2) using ground penetrating radar (GPR) to determine their extent under the Dahān Ubārī, and 3) coring palaeolakes in order to determine their palaeoenvironmental records. Research on these samples is continuing but some initial findings are discussed in this paper. The most extensive palaeolake sediments are found within the al-Mahruqah Formation and were deposited by a giant lake system that developed in the Fazzān Basin during past humid periods. Stratigraphic analysis of Lake Megafazzān sediments suggests two different sedimentary successions, a lake margin succession distinctive for its lacustrine and palaeosol carbonates, and a clastic-dominated, intensely rootleted, basin-centre succession which has terrestrial intervals (aeolian and palaeosols) as well as in the upper parts lacustrine limestones. Both basin margin and basin centre successions are underlain by fluvial deposits. Magnetostratigraphy suggests that the formation may be as old as the mid-Pliocene. After the Lake Megafazzān phase, smaller palaeolakes developed within the basin during subsequent humid periods. One of the largest is found in the Wādī al-Hayāt in the area between Jarma and Ubārī. Similar deposits further west along the Wādī at progressively higher altitudes are interpreted as small lakes and marshes fed by springs issuing from aquifers at the base of the escarpment, last replenished during the Holocene humid phase. Dating of sediments suggests that this was betweenc. 11 andc. 8 ka. The Wādī ash-Shāţī palaeolake core also provides a Holocene palaeoclimate record that paints a slightly different picture, indicating lake conditions until around 7 ka, whereupon it started oscillating until around 5.5 ka when sedimentation terminates. The reasons for the differences in these records are discussed.
Ancient sites in rural Cyrenaica: a partial update
Authors: Kenrick Philip
Published: April 2014

Two brief reconnaissance visits to archaeological sites in Cyrenaica in November 2010 and April 2012, for the purpose of a new archaeological guidebook, led to a variety of observations concerning rural sites which have been little discussed since the 1950s. The predominant theme was a need for a wide-ranging and detailed reassessment of the chronology and nature of rural settlement. This was carried out in Tripolitania in the 1980s by the UNESCO Libyan Valleys Archaeological Survey, but nothing comparable has been done in Cyrenaica. Sites previously regarded as Byzantine or early Arab have yielded early Roman pottery, and many once taken to be military, with strengthened defences, now seem more likely to be civil and to have been shored up following earthquake damage.
Managing water resources in Libya through reducing irrigation water demand: more crop production with less water use
Authors: Alghariani Saad Ahmad
Published: April 2014

The looming water crisis in Libya necessitates taking immediate action to reduce the agricultural water demand that consumes more than 80% of the water supplies. The available information on water use efficiency and crop water productivity reveals that this proportion can be effectively reduced while maintaining the same, if not more, total agricultural production at the national level. Crop water productivity, which is depressingly low, can be doubled through implementing several measures including relocating all major agricultural crops among different hydroclimatic zones and growth seasons; crop selection based on comparative production advantages; realisation of the maximum genetically determined crop yields; and several other measures of demand water management. There is an urgent need to establish the necessary institutional arrangements that can effectively formulate and implement these measures as guided by agricultural research and extension services incorporating all beneficiaries and stakeholders in the process.
Involving the Local Community in the Protection of the Heritage and Archaeology of Cyrene
Authors: Abdulkariem Ahmad
Published: April 2014

A project is being set up at Shahat to involve the local community in the protection of the archaeological heritage, by educating and informing the community through a series of lectures in secondary schools and guided on-site visits.
Open Access and the Society for Libyan Studies
Authors: Kenrick Philip
Published: April 2014

UK government policy is firmly directed, through the agencies which control university and research funding, towards a situation in which much academic output will be made accessible to all on the Internet without payment. This has far-reaching consequences for all academic publishers, including the Society, by no means all of which have yet been taken into account by the policy-makers. Members of the Society need to understand the issues and to consider how best to adapt to changing circumstances and to defend its position where necessary.