bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Excavations at Ajdabiyah: An Interim Report
Authors: Whitehouse David
Published: February 2016

In 1971 the Libyan Department of Antiquities invited the Society to conduct a trial excavation at Ajdabiyah, with a view to defining the extent of the medieval Islamic occupation and determining whether the site would repay further investigation. The prognosis was good. Documentary evidence indicated that Ajdabiyah was already a caravan town in the ninth century A.D., that it flourished under the Fatimids and that it was destroyed or severely damaged when the Bani Sulaim and the Bani Hilal invaded the Maghrib in 1051. Furthermore, earlier excavations had revealed two medieval monuments, a ruined qasr and a mosque, both apparently Fatimid. As expected, the trial excavation, which was described in the Society's Annual Report for 1971, yielded positive results and in April 1972 we began a second, larger campaign. During the season we resumed excavations at the mosque and planned in detail the remains of the qasr. The Director-General of Antiquities, Mr Sadawiya, and the Controller of Antiquities in W. Cyrenaica, Mr. Abdussaid, did everything in their power to make the expedition a success and our Inspector, Mr Warfelli, gave valuable on-the-spot assistance. The Society sent a team of nine—Hilde Ainger, Sarah Jennings, Ruth Whitehouse, George Ainger, Warwick Ball, Peter Donaldson, David Jeffery, John Morrish and myself—and the Department of Antiquities provided accommodation and labour. The Trustees of the British Museum kindly released Mr Nicholas Lowick, who joined us to study the coins and epigraphy, see p. 4. The Department of Civil Engineering, Imperial College of Science and Technology, generously lent us surveying instruments. The project, therefore, was a combined operation and I wish to thank most warmly all those concerned.
James Bruce in Libya, 1766
Authors: Cumming Duncan
Published: February 2016

It is appropriate that the Society for Libyan Studies should recall the visit of James Bruce of Kinnaird to Libya in 1766. He was the first European to visit the country who possessed both the knowledge and the equipment to undertaken an exploratory expedition with any serious claim to scientific method. But it might seem to a reader of one of Bruce's biographies that the event was of such slight and transitory interest hardly to deserve recognition. Bruce himself allowed it to be overshadowed by his subsequent experiences in Abyssinia which culminated with his visit to the source of the Blue Nile, the final goal of his great journey. A recent bibliography of Libya and a recent standard work on the country omit all reference to his name. Surely this is unjustified. Many years were to pass before other Europeans were to undertaken comparable journeys in Libya.
From looted tombs to ancient society: a survey of the Southern Necropolis of Cyrene
Authors: Cherstich Luca
Published: February 2016

This paper uses the Southern Necropolis of Cyrene as a source of information about Cyrenean society and its evolution through time. The vitality of the aristocratic class produced, already by the sixth century BC, a tradition of monumental tombs using both, conventional, or foreign models according to the identity that each Cyrenean wanted to show. Tombs defined land holdings and the Southern Necropolis is an optimal setting to study their relationships with sanctuaries, roads and quarries. The continuing prosperity of the city increased the number and elaboration of tombs, especially in Classical/Hellenistic times when the Archaic territorial divisions became invisible in a landscape overcrowded by sepulchres. A tradition particularly focused on external façades was developed, possibly underlying a focus on funerary rituals held outside the tombs. After the Ptolemaic and Roman conquests this tradition was challenged by external models and Cyreneans tried to adapt foreign customs into their ancient ritual systems, for example through portrait-busts. With time the foreign models prevailed and the tombs displayed elements shared with a wider Roman cultural elite, nevertheless, already from the third century AD onwards, the regional crises sign the end of the monumental necropolis' phenomenon.
Sabratha and Lepcis Magna: two notes
Authors: Kenrick Philip
Published: February 2016

In the 1986 publication of the British excavations at Sabratha, a photograph was inadvertently included of a grave with faked burial goods: an explanation of this is now given. The posthumous volume by John Ward-Perkins on the Severan buildings at Lepcis Magna appeared to refer to a drawing of marble veneer decoration which was not found at the time: this has now been located, and has drawn attention to a surprising solution to an architectural problem.
British Economic, Geographical, Sociological and related studies in Libya 1943-1971
Authors: Allan J. A.
Published: February 2016

The military administration which controlled what was known formerly as Tripolitania and Cyrenaica showed considerable initiative in preparing publications which still have great value in presenting statistical and other background data of a precision comparable with and sometimes better than more recent work.

Duncan Cumming (now Sir Duncan Cumming and the President of the Society for Libyan Studies) came from the Sudan administration with considerable Middle Eastern experience, a knowledge of Arabic and a sensitivity for the Islamic way of life, to run the military administration in Cyrenaica. He had the good fortune to find amongst his staff a number of technical specialists and scholars whom he stimulated to write and publish an excellent introductory account of the eastern part of Libya. This Handbook of Cyrenaica (1944–47) includes sections on the physical character of the area with a summary of geological knowledge based mainly on Italian sources, by O. H. Little, as well as sections outlining the history of Cyrenaica by the editor, and a sociological contribution by E. E. Evans-Pritchard (now Professor Evans-Pritchard) in Habitat and Way of Life—Tribes and Their Divisions. The work carried out in preparing the latter was to prove the basis of much more important and comprehensive studies by Evans-Pritchard. The Sanusiya Order was treated by C. C. Adams in the handbook, which also contained probably the only published account in English of the period of Italian colonization in eastern Libya, compiled by D. H. Weir, as well as a description of the famous southern oasis and shrine of Kufra by K. D. Bell.
Libya before the Greeks
Authors: McBurney C. B. M.
Published: February 2016

In the following tour d'horizon I will try to indicate some of the main achievements of prehistoric research in Libya together with some of the ways in which they have been amplified by work in nearby regions. Finally I shall try to suggest some of the more promising avenues of future enquiry, as I see them.

In 1947 when R. W. Hey, William Watson, and I set out on our first field expedition to Libya the picture was very different from that which would form the background to such an undertaking today. No physical methods of time measurement of any kind were available, nor was there any serious estimate of the total chronological framework of the Ice Age or of human evolution as such. As to the situation in neighbouring territories, Dr. Gaton Thompson will I hope forgive me if I describe the then state of research in Egypt as sketchy and incomplete to a degree, while the position in the Maghreb despite the pioneering efforts of R. Vaufrey and E. G. Gobert was still marked by immense gaps and uncertainties. In Libya itself we knew of only a single excavated site, Hagfet et-Tera near Benghazi dug by C. T. Petrocchi during the early war years.
The challenge of improving boiling: lessons learned from a randomized controlled trial of water pasteurization and safe storage in Peru
Authors: HEITZINGER K. , ROCHA C. A. , QUICK R. E. , MONTANO S. M. , TILLEY D. H. , MOCK C. N. , CARRASCO A. J. , CABRERA R. M. , HAWES S. E.
Published: February 2016

Boiling is the most common method of household water treatment in developing countries; however, it is not always effectively practised. We conducted a randomized controlled trial among 210 households to assess the effectiveness of water pasteurization and safe-storage interventions in reducingEscherichia colicontamination of household drinking water in a water-boiling population in rural Peru. Households were randomized to receive either a safe-storage container or a safe-storage container plus water pasteurization indicator or to a control group. During a 13-week follow-up period, households that received a safe-storage container and water pasteurization indicator did not have a significantly different prevalence of stored drinking-water contamination relative to the control group [prevalence ratio (PR) 1·18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0·92–1·52]. Similarly, receipt of a safe-storage container alone had no effect on prevalence of contamination (PR 1·02, 95% CI 0·79–1·31). Although use of water pasteurization indicators and locally available storage containers did not increase the safety of household drinking water in this study, future research could illuminate factors that facilitate the effective use of these interventions to improve water quality and reduce the risk of waterborne disease in populations that boil drinking water.
Will integrated surveillance systems for vectors and vector-borne diseases be the future of controlling vector-borne diseases? A practical example from China
Authors: WU Y. , LING F. , HOU J. , GUO S. , WANG J. , GONG Z.
Published: February 2016

Vector-borne diseases are one of the world's major public health threats and annually responsible for 30–50% of deaths reported to the national notifiable disease system in China. To control vector-borne diseases, a unified, effective and economic surveillance system is urgently needed; all of the current surveillance systems in China waste resources and/or information. Here, we review some current surveillance systems and present a concept for an integrated surveillance system combining existing vector and vector-borne disease monitoring systems. The integrated surveillance system has been tested in pilot programmes in China and led to a 21·6% cost saving in rodent-borne disease surveillance. We share some experiences gained from these programmes.
Left bronchial compression and pulmonary hypertension related to anomalous right pulmonary artery
Authors: Su Jennifer A. , Cheng Andrew L. , Szmuszkovicz Jacqueline R.
Published: February 2016

Anomalous origin of a pulmonary artery from the ascending aorta is a congenital defect that can be complicated by pulmonary arterial hypertension, typically due to vascular disease if the anomaly is left uncorrected past 6 months of age. We describe a unique case of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension with this defect in a 1-month-old infant unexpectedly caused instead by bronchial compression from her dilated left pulmonary artery.
Comorbidity between neurological illness and psychiatric disorders
Authors: Hesdorffer Dale C.
Published: February 2016

Psychiatric disorders are common in many neurological disorders, including epilepsy, migraine, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, essential tremor, and stroke. These comorbidities increase disease burden and may complicate the treatment of the combined disorders. Initial studies of the comorbidity of psychiatric and neurological disorders were cross-sectional, and time order of the associations was impossible to elucidate. More recent work has clarified time associations between psychiatric disorders and neurological disorders, particularly in epilepsy and stroke where epidemiological evidence suggests that there is a bidirectional relationship. This article takes an epidemiological approach to understanding these relationships and focuses mostly on epilepsy. Although, these relationships are understood in many neurological disorders, routine screening for psychiatric disorders in neurological disorders is infrequent, mostly due to the lack of partnerships between psychiatrists and neurologists and the paucity of neuropsychiatrists. Much more needs to be done to improve the detection and treatment of patients affected by neurological and psychiatric disorders. Understanding the scope of this overlap may inspire collaborations to improve the lives of people affected by both disorders.
Evaluation of a faecal calprotectin care pathway for use in primary care
Authors: Turvill James , O’Connell Shaun , Brooks Abigail , Bradley-Wood Karen , Laing James , Thiagarajan Swaminathan , Hammond David , Turnock Daniel , Jones Alison , Sood Ruchit , Ford Alex
Published: February 2016

Background

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence have recommended faecal calprotectin (FC) testing as an option in adults with lower gastrointestinal symptoms for whom specialist investigations are being considered, if cancer is not suspected and it is used to support a diagnosis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) or irritable bowel syndrome. York Hospital and Vale of York Clinical Commissioning Group have developed an evidence-based care pathway to support this recommendation for use in primary care. It incorporates a higher FC cut-off value, a ‘traffic light’ system for risk and a clinical management pathway.

Objectives

To evaluate this care pathway.

Methods

The care pathway was introduced into five primary care practices for a period of six months and the clinical outcomes of patients were evaluated. Negative and positive predictive values (NPV and PPV) were calculated. GP feedback of the care pathway was obtained by means of a web-based survey. Comparator gastroenterology activity in a neighbouring trust was obtained.

Results

The care pathway for FC in primary care had a 97% NPV and a 40% PPV. This was better than GP clinical judgement alone and doubled the PPV compared with the standard FC cut-off (<50 mcg/g), without affecting the NPV. In total, 89% of patients with IBD had an FC>250 mcg/g and were diagnosed by ‘straight to test’ colonoscopy within three weeks. The care pathway was considered helpful by GPs and delivered a higher diagnostic yield after secondary care referral (21%) than the conventional comparator pathway (5%).

Conclusions

A care pathway for the use of FC that incorporates a higher cut-off value, a ‘traffic light’ system for risk and supports clinical decision making can be achieved safely and effectively. It maintains the balance between a high NPV and an acceptable PPV. A modified care pathway for the use of FC in primary care is proposed.
A concurrent 915/2440 MHz RF energy harvester
Authors: Fadel Ludvine , Oyhenart Laurent , Bergès Romain , Vigneras Valérie , Taris Thierry
Published: February 2016

This paper presents the development of two dual-band radio-frequency (RF) harvesters optimized to convert far-field RF energy to DC voltage at very low received power. The first one is based on a patch antenna and the second on a dipole antenna. They are both implemented on a standard FR4 substrate with commercially off-the-shelf devices. The two RF harvesters provide a rectified voltage of 1 V for a combined power, respectively, of −19.5 dBm at 915 MHz, −25 dBm at 2.44 GHz, of −20 dBm at 915 MHz, and −15 dBm at 2.44 GHz. The remote powering of a clock consuming 1 V/5 µA is demonstrated, and the rectenna yields a power efficiency of 12%.
Prohibition, Legalisierung, Dekriminalisierung: Diskussion einer Neugestaltung des Cannabisrechts
Authors: Simon Roland
Published: February 2016

Zusammenfassung. Zielsetzung: Neue Entwicklungen innerhalb und außerhalb Europas haben die Diskussion um den legalen Status von Cannabis intensiviert. Der Artikel beschreibt die wichtigsten Aspekte der Diskussion und Ansätze zur Weiterentwicklung des Cannabisrechts. Darstellung der Diskussions- und Lösungsansätze: Ein zentraler Punkt betrifft dabei das Konsumrisiko, das von manchen Wissenschaftlern ebenso wie von Teilen vor allem der jungen Bevölkerung zunehmend mit dem von Alkohol verglichen wird. Dies und die insgesamt hohe Verfügbarkeit von Cannabis tragen zu einer abnehmenden Unterstützung der Prohibition bei. Auch Organisierte Kriminalität im Drogenmarkt und das vermehrte Angebot an synthetischen Cannabinoiden sind hierbei wichtige Aspekte. Pragmatische Lösungsansätze nutzen etwa in den Niederlanden und in einigen US Bundesstaaten Unklarheiten im vorhanden Recht und rechtliche Besonderheiten, um, ohne den Gesetzestext zu ändern, de facto einer Legalisierung so nahe wie möglich zu kommen. Initiativen zur Selbsthilfe zielen darauf ab, individuelle Duldung von Cannabiskonsum in Richtung genossenschaftlicher Produktionsweisen zu erweitern. Schließlich werden Regulierungsmöglichkeiten zwischen Staatsmonopol und freiem Markt mit dem Ziel diskutiert, negative Folgen für Konsumenten und Nichtkonsumenten zu minimieren. Schlussfolgerungen: Die Erfahrungen aus den aktuellen Initiativen in den USA und Südamerika werden wichtige Hinweise für die zukünftige Gestaltung des Cannabisrechts in Europa geben.
Erratum: Nanoscale visualization of functional adhesion/excitability nodes at the intercalated disc
Authors: Leo-Macias Alejandra , Agullo-Pascual Esperanza , Sanchez-Alonso Jose L , Keegan Sarah , Lin Xianming , Arcos Tatiana , Feng-Xia-Liang  , Korchev Yuri E , Gorelik Julia , Fenyö David , Rothenberg Eli , Delmar Mario
Published: February 2016

Nature Communications 6: Article number: 10342 (2015); Published: 20 January 2016; Updated: 22 February 2016 The author Eli Rothenberg was incorrectly omitted from the list of corresponding authors in this Article and authors Julia Gorelik and David Fenyö were incorrectly listed as corresponding authors.
Growth and Deposition of Au Nanoclusters on Polymer-wrapped Graphene and Their Oxygen Reduction Activity
Authors: Fujigaya Tsuyohiko , Kim ChaeRin , Hamasaki Yuki , Nakashima Naotoshi
Published: February 2016

The development of a non-Pt electrocatalyst with a high performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is one of the central issues in polymer electrolyte fuel cells science. Au-nanoparticles (Au-NPs) with a diameter of <2 nm are one of the promising substitutes of Pt-NPs; however, it is still a challenge to synthesize such a small-sized Au-NPs with a narrow diameter distribution on a carbon support without using capping agents. We here describe a facile method to deposit uniform Au-NPs (diameter = 1.6 nm and 3.3 nm) on the stacked-graphene (<10 layers) coated with poly[2,2′-(2,6-pyridine)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole] without using any capping agents. The obtained Au-NPs exhibit an excellent ORR activity with the onset potential at −0.11 V and −0.09 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) for 1.6 nm and 3.3 nm, respectively. On the other hand, inhomogeneous Au-NPs with 4.6 nm in average diameter shows the onset potential at −0.15 V (vs. Ag/AgCl).
Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes Inhibit the Cytochrome P450 Enzyme, CYP3A4
Authors: El-Sayed Ramy , Bhattacharya Kunal , Gu Zonglin , Yang Zaixing , Weber Jeffrey K. , Li Hu , Leifer Klaus , Zhao Yichen , Toprak Muhammet S. , Zhou Ruhong , Fadeel Bengt
Published: February 2016

We report a detailed computational and experimental study of the interaction of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with the drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 enzyme, CYP3A4. Dose-dependent inhibition of CYP3A4-mediated conversion of the model compound, testosterone, to its major metabolite, 6β-hydroxy testosterone was noted. Evidence for a direct interaction between SWCNTs and CYP3A4 was also provided. The inhibition of enzyme activity was alleviated when SWCNTs were pre-coated with bovine serum albumin. Furthermore, covalent functionalization of SWCNTs with polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains mitigated the inhibition of CYP3A4 enzymatic activity. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that inhibition of the catalytic activity of CYP3A4 is mainly due to blocking of the exit channel for substrates/products through a complex binding mechanism. This work suggests that SWCNTs could interfere with metabolism of drugs and other xenobiotics and provides a molecular mechanism for this toxicity. Our study also suggests means to reduce this toxicity, eg., by surface modification.
Plasma functionalization for cyclic transition between neutral and charged excitons in monolayer MoS2
Authors: Kim Y. , Jhon Y. I. , Park J. , Kim C. , Lee S. , Jhon Y. M.
Published: February 2016

Monolayer MoS2(1L-MoS2) has photoluminescence (PL) properties that can greatly vary via transition between neutral and charged exciton PLs depending on carrier density. Here, for the first time, we present a chemical doping method for reversible transition between neutral and charged excitons of 1L-MoS2using chlorine-hydrogen-based plasma functionalization. The PL of 1L-MoS2is drastically increased by p-type chlorine plasma doping in which its intensity is easily tuned by controlling the plasma treatment duration. We find that despite their strong adhesion, a post hydrogen plasma treatment can very effectively dedope chlorine adatoms in a controllable way while maintaining robust structural integrity, which enables well-defined reversible PL control of 1L-MoS2. After exhaustive chlorine dedoping, the hydrogen plasma process induces n-type doping of 1L-MoS2, degrading the PL further, which can also be recovered by subsequent chlorine plasma treatment, extending the range of tunable PL into a bidirectional regime. This cyclically-tunable carrier doping method can be usefully employed in fabricating highly-tunable n- and p-type domains in monolayer transition-metal dichalcogenides suitable for two-dimensional electro-optic modulators, on-chip lasers, and spin- and valley-polarized light-emitting diodes.
Truncated yet functional viral protein produced via RNA polymerase slippage implies underestimated coding capacity of RNA viruses
Authors: Hagiwara-Komoda Yuka , Choi Sun Hee , Sato Masanao , Atsumi Go , Abe Junya , Fukuda Junya , Honjo Mie N. , Nagano Atsushi J. , Komoda Keisuke , Nakahara Kenji S. , Uyeda Ichiro , Naito Satoshi
Published: February 2016

RNA viruses use various strategies to condense their genetic information into small genomes. Potyviruses not only use the polyprotein strategy, but also embed an open reading frame, pipo, in the P3 cistron in the –1 reading frame. PIPO is expressed as a fusion protein with the N-terminal half of P3 (P3N-PIPO) via transcriptional slippage of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). We herein show that clover yellow vein virus (ClYVV) produces a previously unidentified factor, P3N-ALT, in the +1 reading frame via transcriptional slippage at a conserved G1–2A6–7 motif, as is the case for P3N-PIPO. The translation of P3N-ALT terminates soon, and it is considered to be a C-terminal truncated form of P3. In planta experiments indicate that P3N-ALT functions in cell-to-cell movement along with P3N-PIPO. Hence, all three reading frames are used to produce functional proteins. Deep sequencing of ClYVV RNA from infected plants endorses the slippage by viral RdRp. Our findings unveil a virus strategy that optimizes the coding capacity.
Entry of PIP3-containing polyplexes into MDCK epithelial cells by local apical-basal polarity reversal
Authors: Wang Cuifeng , de Jong Edwin , Sjollema Klaas A. , Zuhorn Inge S.
Published: February 2016

The polarized architecture of epithelium presents a barrier to therapeutic drug/gene carriers, which is mainly due to a limited (apical) internalization of the carrier systems. The bacterium Pseudomonas aeruginosa invades epithelial cells by inducing production of apical phosphatidylinositol-3, 4, 5-triphosphate (PIP3), which results in the recruitment of basolateral receptors to the apical membrane. Since basolateral receptors are known receptors for gene delivery vectors, apical PIP3 may improve the internalization of such vectors into epithelial cells. PIP3 and nucleic acids were complexed by the cationic polymer polyethylenimine (PEI), forming PEI/PIP3 polyplexes. PEI/PIP3 polyplexes showed enhanced internalization compared to PEI polyplexes in polarized MDCK cells, while basolateral receptors were found to redistribute and colocalize with PEI/PIP3 polyplexes at the apical membrane. Following their uptake via endocytosis, PEI/PIP3 polyplexes showed efficient endosomal escape. The effectiveness of the PIP3-containing delivery system to generate a physiological effect was demonstrated by an essentially complete knock down of GFP expression in 30% of GFP-expressing MDCK cells following anti-GFP siRNA delivery. Here, we demonstrate that polyplexes can be successfully modified to mimic epithelial entry mechanisms used by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These findings encourage the development of pathogen-inspired drug delivery systems to improve drug/gene delivery into and across tissue barriers.
Systematic Surface Phase Transition of Ag Thin Films by Iodine Functionalization at Room Temperature: Evolution of Optoelectronic and Texture Properties
Authors: Bashouti Muhammad Y. , Talebi Razieh , Kassar Thaer , Nahal Arashmid , Ristein Jürgen , Unruh Tobias , Christiansen Silke H.
Published: February 2016

We show a simple room temperature surface functionalization approach using iodine vapour to control a surface phase transition from cubic silver (Ag) of thin films into wurtzite silver-iodid (β-AgI) films. A combination of surface characterization techniques (optical, electronical and structural characterization) reveal distinct physical properties of the new surface phase. We discuss the AgI thin film formation dynamics and related transformation of physical properties by determining the work-function, dielectric constant and pyroelectric behavior together with morphological and structural thin film properties such as layer thickness, grain structure and texture formation. Notable results are: (i) a remarkable increase of the work-function (by 0.9 eV) of the Ag thin layer after short a iodine exposure time (≤60 s), with simultaneous increase of the thin film transparency (by two orders of magnitude), (ii) pinning of the Fermi level at the valance band maximum upon iodine functionalization, (iii) 84% of all crystallites grain were aligned as a result of the evolution of an internal electric field. Realizing a nano-scale layer stack composed of a dielectric AgI layer on top of a metallic thin Ag layer with such a simple method has some technological implications e.g. to realize optical elements such as planar optical waveguides.
Tunable Thermal Transport in Polysilsesquioxane (PSQ) Hybrid Crystals
Authors: Li Pengfei , Yang Sui , Zhang Teng , Shrestha Ramesh , Hippalgaonkar Kedar , Luo Tengfei , Zhang Xiang , Shen Sheng
Published: February 2016

Crystalline polymers have attracted significant interest in recent years due to their enhanced mechanical and thermal properties. As one type of organic-inorganic hybrid polymer crystals, polysilsesquioxane can be synthesized by large-scale and inexpensive so-gel processes with two precursors. In this paper, both octylene-bridged and hexylene-bridged PSQ crystals are characterized with infrared spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography to reveal their super high crystallinity. To study the thermal transport in these unique polymer crystals, we use a suspended micro thermal device to examine their thermal properties from 20 K to 320 K and demonstrate their tunable thermal conductivity by varying the length of alkyl chains. We also conduct non-equilibrium molecular dynamics simulations to study the phonon behaviors across the hydrogen bond interface. The simulation results demonstrate good agreement with the experimental results regarding both the value and trend of the PSQ thermal conductivity. Furthermore, from the simulation, we find that the anharmonic phonon scattering and interfacial anharmnic coupling effects across the hydrogen bond interface may explain the experimentally observed thermal properties.
Parallel expression profiling of hepatic and serum microRNA-122 associated with clinical features and treatment responses in chronic hepatitis C patients
Authors: Butt Azeem Mehmood , Raja Arsalan Jamil , Siddique Shafiqa , Khan Jahangir Sarwar , Shahid Muhammad , Tayyab Ghias-Un-Nabi , Minhas Zahid , Umar Muhammad , Idrees Muhammad , Tong Yigang
Published: February 2016

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, non-coding RNAs that regulate a variety of biological processes. Recently, human liver-specific miRNA miR-122 has been reported to facilitate hepatitis C virus (HCV) replication in liver cells. HCV is one of the leading causes of liver diseases worldwide. In Pakistan, the estimated prevalence is up to 10%. Here, we report hepatic and serum miR-122 expression profiling from paired liver and serum samples from treatment-naive chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients and controls. We aimed to elucidate the biomarker potential of serum miR-122 for monitoring disease progression and predicting end treatment response (ETR). Hepatic miR-122 levels were significantly down-regulated in CHC patients. A significant inverse correlation was observed between hepatic and serum miR-122 levels, indicating that serum miR-122 levels reflect HCV-associated disease progression. Both hepatic and serum miR-122 were significantly correlated (P < 0.05) with several clinicopathological features of CHC. Receiver operator curve analysis showed that serum miR-122 had superior discriminatory ability even in patients with normal alanine transaminase levels. Multivariate logistic regression analysis highlighted pre-treatment serum miR-122 levels as independent predictors of ETR. In conclusion, serum miR-122 holds the potential to serve as a promising biomarker of disease progression and ETR in CHC patients.
Direct Optical Probing of Transverse Electric Mode in Graphene
Authors: Menabde Sergey G. , Mason Daniel R. , Kornev Evgeny E. , Lee Changhee , Park Namkyoo
Published: February 2016

Unique electrodynamic response of graphene implies a manifestation of an unusual propagating and localised transverse-electric (TE) mode near the spectral onset of interband transitions. However, excitation and further detection of the TE mode supported by graphene is considered to be a challenge for it is extremely sensitive to excitation environment and phase matching condition adherence. Here for the first time, we experimentally prove an existence of the TE mode by its direct optical probing, demonstrating significant coupling to an incident wave in electrically doped multilayer graphene sheet at room temperature. We believe that proposed technique of careful phase matching and obtained access to graphene’s TE excitation would stimulate further studies of this unique phenomenon, and enable its potential employing in various fields of photonics as well as for characterization of graphene.
Ocean acidification increases copper toxicity differentially in two key marine invertebrates with distinct acid-base responses
Authors: Lewis Ceri , Ellis Robert P. , Vernon Emily , Elliot Katie , Newbatt Sam , Wilson Rod W.
Published: February 2016

Ocean acidification (OA) is expected to indirectly impact biota living in contaminated coastal environments by altering the bioavailability and potentially toxicity of many pH-sensitive metals. Here, we show that OA (pH 7.71; pCO2 1480 μatm) significantly increases the toxicity responses to a global coastal contaminant (copper ~0.1 μM) in two keystone benthic species; mussels (Mytilus edulis) and purple sea urchins (Paracentrotus lividus). Mussels showed an extracellular acidosis in response to OA and copper individually which was enhanced during combined exposure. In contrast, urchins maintained extracellular fluid pH under OA by accumulating bicarbonate but exhibited a slight alkalosis in response to copper either alone or with OA. Importantly, copper-induced damage to DNA and lipids was significantly greater under OA compared to control conditions (pH 8.14; pCO2 470 μatm) for both species. However, this increase in DNA-damage was four times lower in urchins than mussels, suggesting that internal acid-base regulation in urchins may substantially moderate the magnitude of this OA-induced copper toxicity effect. Thus, changes in metal toxicity under OA may not purely be driven by metal speciation in seawater and may be far more diverse than either single-stressor or single-species studies indicate. This has important implications for future environmental management strategies.
The modification of Gat1p in nitrogen catabolite repression to enhance non-preferred nitrogen utilization in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Zhao Xinrui , Zou Huijun , Chen Jian , Du Guocheng , Zhou Jingwen
Published: February 2016

InSaccharomyces cerevisiae, when preferred nitrogen sources are present, the metabolism of non-preferred nitrogen is repressed. Previous work showed that this metabolic regulation is primarily controlled by nitrogen catabolite repression (NCR) related regulators. Among these regulators, two positive regulators (Gln3p and Gat1p) could be phosphorylated and sequestered in the cytoplasm leading to the transcription of non-preferred nitrogen metabolic genes being repressed. The nuclear localization signals (NLSs) and nuclear localization regulatory signals (NLRSs) in Gln3p and Gat1p play essential roles in the regulation of their localization in cells. However, compared with Gln3p, the information of NLS and NLRS for Gat1p remains unknown. In this study, residues 348–375 and 366–510 were identified as the NLS and NLRS of Gat1p firstly. In addition, the modifications of Gat1p (mutations on the NLS and truncation on the NLRS) were attempted to enhance the transcription of non-preferred nitrogen metabolic genes. Quantitative real-time PCR showed that the transcriptional levels of 15 non-preferred nitrogen metabolic genes increased. Furthermore, during the shaking-flask culture tests, the utilization of urea, proline and allantoine was significantly increased. Based on these results, the genetic engineering on Gat1p has a great potential in enhancing non-preferred nitrogen metabolism inS. cerevisiae.
Biochemical characterization of extra- and intracellular endoxylanse from thermophilic bacterium Caldicellulosiruptor kronotskyensis
Authors: Jia Xiaojing , Qiao Weibo , Tian Wenli , Peng Xiaowei , Mi Shuofu , Su Hong , Han Yejun
Published: February 2016

Caldicellulosiruptor kronotskyensis grows on lignocellulosic biomass by the catalysis of intrinsic glycoside hydrolase and has potential application for consolidated bioprocessing. In current study, two predicted extra- (Xyn10A) and intracellular (Xyn10B) xylanase from C. kronotskyensis were comparatively characterized. Xyn10A and Xyn10B share GH10 catalytic domain with similarity of 41%, while the former contains two tandem N-terminus CBM22s. Xyn10A showed higher hydrolytic capability than Xyn10B on both beechwood xylan (BWX) and oat spelt xylan (OSX). Truncation mutation experiments revealed the importance of CBMs for hydrolytic activity, substrate binding and thermostability of Xyn10A.While the quantity of CBM was not directly related to bind and thermostability. Although CBM was considered to be crucial for substrate binding, Xyn10B and Xyn10A as well as truncations performed similar binding affinity to insoluble substrate OSX. Analysis of point mutation revealed similar key residues, Glu493, Glu601 and Trp658 for Xyn10A and Glu139, Glu247 and Trp305 for Xyn10B. Both Xyn10A and Xyn10B exhibited hydrolytic activity on the mechanical pretreated corncob. After pre-digested by Xyn10A or Xyn10B, the micropores inthe the mechanical pretreated corncob were observed, which enhanced the accessibility for cellulase. Compared with corncob hydrolyzed with cellulase alone, enhanced hydrolytic performance of was observed after pre-digestion by Xyn10A or Xyn10B.
Integration of conductive reduced graphene oxide into microstructured optical fibres for optoelectronics applications
Authors: Ruan Yinlan , Ding Liyun , Duan Jingjing , Ebendorff-Heidepriem Heike , Monro Tanya M.
Published: February 2016

Integration of conductive materials into optical fibres can largely expand functions of fibre devices including surface plasmon resonator/metamaterial, modulators/detectors, or biosensors. Some early attempts have been made to incorporate metals such as tin into fibres during the fibre drawing process. Due to the restricted range of materials that have compatible melting temperatures with that of silica glass, the methods to incorporate metals along the length of the fibres are very challenging. Moreover, metals are nontransparent with strong light absorption, which causes high fibre loss. This article demonstrates a novel but simple method for creating transparent conductive reduced graphene oxide film onto microstructured silica fibres for potential optoelectronic applications. The strongly confined evanescent field of the suspended core fibres with only 2 μW average power was creatively used to transform graphene oxide into reduced graphene oxide with negligible additional loss. Existence of reduced graphene oxide was confirmed by their characteristic Raman signals, shifting of their fluorescence peaks as well as largely decreased resistance of the bulk GO film after laser beam exposure.
On the causal structure between CO2 and global temperature
Authors: Stips Adolf , Macias Diego , Coughlan Clare , Garcia-Gorriz Elisa , Liang X. San
Published: February 2016

We use a newly developed technique that is based on the information flow concept to investigate the causal structure between the global radiative forcing and the annual global mean surface temperature anomalies (GMTA) since 1850. Our study unambiguously shows one-way causality between the total Greenhouse Gases and GMTA. Specifically, it is confirmed that the former, especially CO2, are the main causal drivers of the recent warming. A significant but smaller information flow comes from aerosol direct and indirect forcing and on short time periods, volcanic forcings. In contrast the causality contribution from natural forcings (solar irradiance and volcanic forcing) to the long term trend is not significant. The spatial explicit analysis reveals that the anthropogenic forcing fingerprint is significantly regionally varying in both hemispheres. On paleoclimate time scales, however, the cause-effect direction is reversed: temperature changes cause subsequent CO2/CH4 changes.
The role of nano-perovskite in the negligible thorium release in seawater from Greek bauxite residue (red mud)
Authors: Gamaletsos Platon N. , Godelitsas Athanasios , Kasama Takeshi , Kuzmin Alexei , Lagos Markus , Mertzimekis Theo J. , Göttlicher Jörg , Steininger Ralph , Xanthos Stelios , Pontikes Yiannis , Angelopoulos George N. , Zarkadas Charalampos , Komelkov Aleksandr , Tzamos Evangelos , Filippidis Anestis
Published: February 2016

We present new data about the chemical and structural characteristics of bauxite residue (BR) from Greek Al industry, using a combination of microscopic, analytical, and spectroscopic techniques. SEM-EDS indicated a homogeneous dominant “Al-Fe-Ca-Ti-Si-Na-Cr matrix”, appearing at the microscale. The bulk chemical analyses showed considerable levels of Th (111 μg g−1), along with minor U (15 μg g−1), which are responsible for radioactivity (355 and 133 Bq kg−1 for 232Th and 238U, respectively) with a total dose rate of 295 nGy h−1. Leaching experiments, in conjunction with SF-ICP-MS, using Mediterranean seawater from Greece, indicated significant release of V, depending on S/L ratio, and negligible release of Th at least after 12 months leaching. STEM-EDS/EELS & HR-STEM-HAADF study of the leached BR at the nanoscale revealed that the significant immobility of Th4+ is due to its incorporation into an insoluble perovskite-type phase with major composition of Ca0.8Na0.2TiO3 and crystallites observed in nanoscale. The Th LIII-edge EXAFS spectra demonstrated that Th4+ ions, which are hosted in this novel nano-perovskite of BR, occupy Ca2+ sites, rather than Ti4+ sites. That is most likely the reason of no Th release in Mediterranean seawater.
No rapid audiovisual recalibration in adults on the autism spectrum
Authors: Turi Marco , Karaminis Themelis , Pellicano Elizabeth , Burr David
Published: February 2016

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are characterized by difficulties in social cognition, but are also associated with atypicalities in sensory and perceptual processing. Several groups have reported that autistic individuals show reduced integration of socially relevant audiovisual signals, which may contribute to the higher-order social and cognitive difficulties observed in autism. Here we use a newly devised technique to study instantaneous adaptation to audiovisual asynchrony in autism. Autistic and typical participants were presented with sequences of brief visual and auditory stimuli, varying in asynchrony over a wide range, from 512 ms auditory-lead to 512 ms auditory-lag and judged whether they seemed to be synchronous. Typical adults showed strong adaptation effects, with trials proceeded by an auditory-lead needing more auditory-lead to seem simultaneous and vice versa. However, autistic observers showed little or no adaptation, although their simultaneity curves were as narrow as the typical adults. This result supports recent Bayesian models that predict reduced adaptation effects in autism. As rapid audiovisual recalibration may be fundamental for the optimisation of speech comprehension, recalibration problems could render language processing more difficult in autistic individuals, hindering social communication.
Activated FXR Inhibits Leptin Signaling and Counteracts Tumor-promoting Activities of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Breast Malignancy
Authors: Giordano Cinzia , Barone Ines , Vircillo Valentina , Panza Salvatore , Malivindi Rocco , Gelsomino Luca , Pellegrino Michele , Rago Vittoria , Mauro Loredana , Lanzino Marilena , Panno Maria Luisa , Bonofiglio Daniela , Catalano Stefania , Andò Sebastiano
Published: February 2016

Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), the principal components of the tumor stroma, play a central role in cancer development and progression. As an important regulator of the crosstalk between breast cancer cells and CAFs, the cytokine leptin has been associated to breast carcinogenesis. The nuclear Farnesoid X Receptor-(FXR) seems to exert an oncosuppressive role in different tumors, including breast cancer. Herein, we demonstrated, for the first time, that the synthetic FXR agonist GW4064, inhibiting leptin signaling, affects the tumor-promoting activities of CAFs in breast malignancy. GW4064 inhibited growth, motility and invasiveness induced by leptin as well as by CAF-conditioned media in different breast cancer cell lines. These effects rely on the ability of activated FXR to increase the expression of the suppressor of the cytokine signaling 3 (SOCS3) leading to inhibition of leptin-activated signaling and downregulation of leptin-target genes. In vivo xenograft studies, using MCF-7 cells alone or co-injected with CAFs, showed that GW4064 administration markedly reduced tumor growth. Interestingly, GW4064-treated tumors exhibited decreased levels of leptin-regulated proteins along with a strong staining intensity for SOCS3. Thus, FXR ligands might represent an emerging potential anti-cancer therapy able to block the tumor supportive role of activated fibroblasts within the breast microenvironment.
CD36 is a co-receptor for hepatitis C virus E1 protein attachment
Authors: Cheng Jun-Jun , Li Jian-Rui , Huang Meng-Hao , Ma Lin-Lin , Wu Zhou-Yi , Jiang Chen-Chen , Li Wen-Jing , Li Yu-Huan , Han Yan-Xing , Li Hu , Chen Jin-Hua , Wang Yan-Xiang , Song Dan-Qing , Peng Zong-Gen , Jiang Jian-Dong
Published: February 2016

The cluster of differentiation 36 (CD36) is a membrane protein related to lipid metabolism. We show that HCV infection in vitro increased CD36 expression in either surface or soluble form. HCV attachment was facilitated through a direct interaction between CD36 and HCV E1 protein, causing enhanced entry and replication. The HCV co-receptor effect of CD36 was independent of that of SR-BI. CD36 monoclonal antibodies neutralized the effect of CD36 and reduced HCV replication. CD36 inhibitor sulfo-N-succinimidyl oleate (SSO), which directly bound CD36 but not SR-BI, significantly interrupted HCV entry, and therefore inhibited HCV replication. SSO’s antiviral effect was seen only in HCV but not in other viruses. SSO in combination with known anti-HCV drugs showed additional inhibition against HCV. SSO was considerably safe in mice. Conclusively, CD36 interacts with HCV E1 and might be a co-receptor specific for HCV entry; thus, CD36 could be a potential drug target against HCV.
Differentially expressed lncRNAs and mRNAs identified by microarray analysis in GBS patients vs healthy controls
Authors: Xu Jing , Gao Chao , Zhang Fang , Ma Xiaofeng , Peng Xiaolin , Zhang Rongxin , Kong Dexin , Simard Alain R. , Hao Junwei
Published: February 2016

The aim of our present study was to determine whether message RNAs (mRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are expressed differentially in patients with Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) compared with healthy controls. The mRNA and lncRNA profiles of GBS patients and healthy controls were generated by using microarray analysis. From microarray analysis, we listed 310 mRNAs and 114 lncRNAs with the mRMR software classed into two sample groups, GBS patients and healthy controls. KEGG mapping demonstrated that the top seven signal pathways may play important roles in GBS development. Several GO terms, such as cytosol, cellular macromolecular complex assembly, cell cycle, ligase activity, protein catabolic process, etc., were enriched in gene lists, suggesting a potential correlation with GBS development. Co-expression network analysis indicated that 113 lncRNAs and 303 mRNAs were included in the co-expression network. Our present study showed that these differentially expressed mRNAs and lncRNAs may play important roles in GBS development, which provides basic information for defining the mechanism(s) that promote GBS.
Graphene oxide-dependent growth and self-aggregation into a hydrogel complex of exoelectrogenic bacteria
Authors: Yoshida Naoko , Miyata Yasushi , Doi Kasumi , Goto Yuko , Nagao Yuji , Tero Ryugo , Hiraishi Akira
Published: February 2016

Graphene oxide (GO) is reduced by certain exoelectrogenic bacteria, but its effects on bacterial growth and metabolism are a controversial issue. This study aimed to determine whether GO functions as the terminal electron acceptor to allow specific growth of and electricity production by exoelectrogenic bacteria. Cultivation of environmental samples with GO and acetate as the sole substrate could specifically enrich exoelectrogenic bacteria withGeobacterspecies predominating (51–68% of the total populations). Interestingly, bacteria in these cultures self-aggregated into a conductive hydrogel complex together with biologically reduced GO (rGO). A novel GO-respiring bacterium designatedGeobactersp. strain R4 was isolated from this hydrogel complex. This organism exhibited stable electricity production at >1000 μA/cm3(at 200 mV vs Ag/AgCl) for more than 60 d via rGO while temporary electricity production using graphite felt. The better electricity production depends upon the characteristics of rGO such as a large surface area for biofilm growth, greater capacitance and smaller internal resistance. This is the first report to demonstrate GO-dependent growth of exoelectrogenic bacteria while forming a conductive hydrogel complex with rGO. The simple put-and-wait process leading to the formation of hydrogel complexes of rGO and exoelectrogens will enable wider applications of GO to bioelectrochemical systems.