bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Early Arabic Inscriptions in Libya
Authors: Lowick N. M. 
Published: February 2016

With financial aid from the Society for Libyan Studies I was able to visit Libya on special leave from the British Museum between 21 April and 11 May. The object of the visit was to examine early Islamic epigraphic material, in particular any that might contribute to a knowledge of the archaeology of Ajdabiyah and contemporary sites. One week was spent in Tripoli as a guest of the Department of Antiquities, one week with Dr Whitehouse's team at Ajdabiyah and several days at Cyrene, Tolmeita and in other parts of Cyrenaica.At Tripoli Museum a fine collection of Kufic gravestones collected in and around the city was examined. These can be divided into two chronological and stylistic groups. The earliest pieces of the period of Aghlabid and Fāṭimid domination (third–fourth centuries A.H./ninthtenth centuries A.D.), are roughly incised rectangular or irregular slabs of stone or marble. The Kufic is plain, ornament being generally limited to bifurcation of the terminals; however, elements of foliation are discernible, notably on an example dated 248/862 (Rossi, Iscrizioni arabi e turchi del museo di Tripoli (1953) no. I). By contrast, those inscriptions which belong to the Khazrūnid and Muwaḥḥid periods (fifth-sixth centuries A.H./eleventh–twelfth centuries A.D.) are carved in relief on finely shaped marble blocks of a distinctive elongated type. The lettering is in the floriated style with additional decorative devices such as loops and right-angled bends in the uprights. Borders are adorned with vine-leaf or geometric motifs. The apparently abrupt transition to this evolved type of funerary monument is striking evidence of the high cultural level attained in Tripoli soon after the rise to power of an independent local dynasty.
From looted tombs to ancient society: a survey of the Southern Necropolis of Cyrene
Authors: Cherstich Luca 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis 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

AbstractIn 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

SUMMARYBoiling 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

SUMMARYVector-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

AbstractAnomalous 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.
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

BackgroundNational 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.ObjectivesTo evaluate this care pathway.MethodsThe 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.ResultsThe 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 (&lt;50 mcg/g), without affecting the NPV. In total, 89% of patients with IBD had an FC&gt;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%).ConclusionsA 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.
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

AbstractThe 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

AbstractWe 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

AbstractMonolayer 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

AbstractRNA 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

AbstractThe 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

AbstractWe 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

AbstractCrystalline 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.