bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Rome's marble yards
Authors: Fant J. Clayton 
Published: September 2015

By the death of Augustus, imperial building projects in Rome were being supplied by marble from Africa (Chemtou), Asia (Docimium), Egypt (various alabaster sources), Aegean Greece (Chios, Euboea, and Paros), Attica (Pentelikon), and from Luna (Carrara) in N Italy. A vast network of quarries in Egypt's Eastern Desert was already under development, and their granites and porphyry began to be seen at Rome in the middle of the Julio-Claudian era. By the Antonines, marble from Scyros, Thasos, Proconnesos, and Iasos was also arriving in Rome.Quantities in this period reached several thousand blocks per year. Relative to demand, was this a lot or a little? The Roman marble trade has always attracted attention because of the facilities and the organizational feats that brought so much exotic stone to the capital and thence outward, but the real importance of the answer lies in the use of marble. Whether marble was easy or hard to come by and what distinguished the grades and colors — even whether all grades and colors were available to customers up and down the social ladder — are prerequisite questions for understanding the choices open to imperial and private architects, to sculptors with great or humble commissions, and even to wall-painters with faux architecture to apply to a wall.
Security and water on the Eastern Desert roads: the prefect Iulius Ursus and the construction of praesidia under Vespasian
Authors: Bagnall R. S. , Bülow-Jacobsen A. , Cuvigny H. 
Published: September 2015

During recent years several teams have surveyed and excavated along the roads between Coptos in the Nile Valley and the Red Sea. This article is the result of co-operation between two of them, namely the Dutch-American team working in Berenike since 1994 and the French team that has excavated stations on the Coptos–Myos Hormos road between 1994 and 1997 and later at Didymoi in the N end of the Coptos–Berenike road. A chance visit to Berenike gave the key to a deeper understanding of the origins and history of the road that leads there from Coptos, because an inscription, that could easily have been understood in a purely local context, was suddenly seen to have at least two rather exact, though almost illegible, parallels at other stations. The three inscriptions are published below, two of them for the first time.Sikayt is one of 10 forts that encircle Berenike from southwest to northwest (see fig. 1). These include: (1) a hill top fort at Shenshef; (2) a large hydreuma in Wadi Kalalat; (3) a small fort in Wadi Kalalat; (4) the fort at Sikayt; (5-9) 5 forts in Wadi Abu Greiya (Vetus Hydreuma); and (10) the small fort in Wadi Lahami. These forts range in date from Ptolemaic to late Roman. Some are only from one period, while others seem to span longer periods.
The discovery of a Roman villa at Shapwick and its Severan coin hoard of 9238 silver denarii
Authors: Abdy R. , Brunning R. A. , Webster C. J. 
Published: September 2015

The site (map ref. ST4242 3951) lies on a small line of hills called the Nidons, which run EW along the N edge of the Polden ridge in mid Somerset (fig. 1). The crest of one of the Nidon ‘hills’ runs across the centre of the field containing the site. To the north, the land slopes down to the floodplain of the river Brue, which in the Roman period would have been a raised bog. To the south, the land dips slightly before rising again towards the top of the Polden ridge. The local geology is Jurassic Lower Lias, which is clay with some limestone; the soil (Evesham 1) is a well-drained calcareous clay.On September 14, 1998, two metal detectorists, Martin and Kevin Elliot, found a very large hoard of Roman silver denarii in a ploughed field on this ridge in Shapwick parish. The first coin find was made at the N edge of the field. The same plough furrow was then followed south across the field, yielding small numbers of coins until a group of about 70 coins was found; after half an hour the main body of coins was discovered quite close to the group of 70. The distribution of the coins across the field shows that the hoard had suffered considerable plough damage but some 9000 coins were still in situ with the corrosion products on their surfaces still intact (by contrast, the coins which had been moved by the plough had lost their corroded outer layers and therefore appeared cleaner). No photographs or other records were taken by the finders before they removed the coins, but their verbal description has proved useful. In the undisturbed main body the coins appeared to be arranged in neat individual rows on their sides, suggesting that they may have been deposited in small coin rolls or individually wrapped bundles made of an organic material such as textile or leather (since decayed). The individual rolls were probably contained within a larger sack also made of organic material (the roughly circular shape of the hoard argues against the use of a wooden box).
Giant aortic aneurysm in a child with Takayasu arteritis
Authors: Halaweish Ihab , Patel Himanshu , Si Ming-Sing 
Published: September 2015

AbstractTakayasu arteritis is a chronic, idiopathic, granulomatous vasculitis involving the aorta, its major branches, and occasionally the pulmonary arteries. Although rare in children, it is the third most common vasculitis in the paediatric population. Although aneurysmal disease has been reported in adults with Takayasu arteritis, it is a rare entity in children. We present the case of a 10-year-old boy with a giant ascending and arch aneurysm that necessitated follow-up surgery for a new aneurysm and occlusive disease. This is also the first published case involving endovascular aortic graft placement for the management of vascular sequela of Takayasu arteritis in a child.
Comparison of echocardiographic findings with laboratory parameters in obese children
Authors: Korkmaz Ozlem , Gursu Hazım A. , Karagun Barbaros S. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractAimThe purpose of our study was to evaluate the association between insulin resistance and left ventricular size and function in obese children.Material and methodsA total of 79 cases aged 10–16 years and diagnosed with obesity and 79 healthy and non-obese cases as controls were included in the study. Patient and control groups were divided into three groups in terms of age as group 1 (10–12 years), group 2 (12–14 years), and group 3 (14–16 years). Fasting blood glucose, lipid profile, and fasting insulin levels of the cases were assessed. Mitral valve E and A waves, left ventricular ejection fraction, fractional shortening, end-diastolic and end-systolic diameters, left atrium diameter, and septal wall thickness were measured using echocardiography.ResultsMeasurements of septal diastolic thicknesses, left atrium diameter, and left ventricular end-systolic diameter of all the three groups obtained by echocardiography were statistically higher compared with the controls. In all the patient groups, the mitral valve E/A ratio was >1. In groups 2 and 3, there was a positive correlation between fasting insulin levels and HOMA-IR and left ventricular end-systolic diameter, end-diastolic diameter, and septal systolic and diastolic wall thicknesses.ConclusionIn paediatric obesity, identification of early cardiac changes will be significant in allowing early diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases.
Quantitative Electron-Excited X-Ray Microanalysis of Borides, Carbides, Nitrides, Oxides, and Fluorides with Scanning Electron Microscopy/Silicon Drift Detector Energy-Dispersive Spectrometry (SEM/SDD-EDS) and NIST DTSA-II
Authors: Newbury Dale E. , Ritchie Nicholas W. M. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractA scanning electron microscope with a silicon drift detector energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM/SDD-EDS) was used to analyze materials containing the low atomic number elements B, C, N, O, and F achieving a high degree of accuracy. Nearly all results fell well within an uncertainty envelope of ±5% relative (where relative uncertainty (%)=[(measured−ideal)/ideal]×100%). Quantification was performed with the standards-based “k-ratio” method with matrix corrections calculated based on the Pouchou and Pichoir expression for the ionization depth distribution function, as implemented in the NIST DTSA-II EDS software platform. The analytical strategy that was followed involved collection of high count (>2.5 million counts from 100 eV to the incident beam energy) spectra measured with a conservative input count rate that restricted the deadtime to ~10% to minimize coincidence effects. Standards employed included pure elements and simple compounds. A 10 keV beam was employed to excite the K- and L-shell X-rays of intermediate and high atomic number elements with excitation energies above 3 keV, e.g., the Fe K-family, while a 5 keV beam was used for analyses of elements with excitation energies below 3 keV, e.g., the Mo L-family.
Pro-survival function of MEF2 in cardiomyocytes is enhanced by β-blockers
Authors: Hashemi S , Salma J , Wales S , McDermott JC 
Published: September 2015

Abstractβ1-Adrenergic receptor (β1-AR) stimulation increases apoptosis in cardiomyocytes through activation of cAMP/protein kinase A (PKA) signaling. The myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) proteins function as important regulators of myocardial gene expression. Previously, we reported that PKA signaling directly represses MEF2 activity. We determined whether (a) MEF2 has a pro-survival function in cardiomyocytes, and (b) whether β-adrenergic/PKA signaling modulates MEF2 function in cardiomyocytes. Initially, we observed that siRNA-mediated gene silencing of MEF2 induces cardiomyocyte apoptosis as indicated by flow cytometry. β1-AR activation by isoproterenol represses MEF2 activity and promotes apoptosis in cultured neonatal cardiomyocytes. Importantly, β1-AR mediated apoptosis was abrogated in cardiomyocytes expressing a PKA-resistant form of MEF2D (S121/190A). We also observed that a β1-blocker, Atenolol, antagonizes isoproterenol-induced apoptosis while concomitantly enhancing MEF2 transcriptional activity. β-AR stimulation modulated MEF2 cellular localization in cardiomyocytes and this effect was reversed by β-blocker treatment. Furthermore, Kruppel-like factor 6, a MEF2 target gene in the heart, functions as a downstream pro-survival factor in cardiomyocytes. Collectively, these data indicate that (a) MEF2 has an important pro-survival role in cardiomyocytes, and (b) β-adrenergic signaling antagonizes the pro-survival function of MEF2 in cardiomyocytes and β-blockers promote it. These observations have important clinical implications that may contribute to novel strategies for preventing cardiomyocyte apoptosis associated with heart pathology.
ALS-associated mutant FUS inhibits macroautophagy which is restored by overexpression of Rab1
Authors: Soo K Y , Sultana J , King AE , Atkinson RAK , Warraich S T , Sundaramoorthy V , Blair I , Farg M A , Atkin J D 
Published: September 2015

AbstractAmyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is characterised by the formation of intracellular misfolded protein inclusions that form in motor neurons. Autophagy is the major degradation pathway for aggregate-prone proteins within lysosomes. Autophagy begins by the production of the omegasome, forming the autophagosome membrane, which then fuses with the lysosome. Mutations in fused in sarcoma (FUS) cause 5% of familial ALS cases and FUS-positive inclusions are also formed in sporadic ALS tissues. In this study, we demonstrate that the expression of ALS-associated mutant FUS impairs autophagy in neuronal cells. In mutant FUS-expressing neuronal cells, accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and autophagy substrates p62 and NBR1 was detected, and formation of both the omegasome and autophagosome was inhibited in these cells. However, overexpression of Rab1 rescued these defects, suggesting that Rab1 is protective in ALS. The number of LC3-positive vesicles was also increased in motor neurons from the spinal cord of an ALS patient carrying a FUS (R521C) mutation compared with a control patient, providing additional evidence that autophagy is dysregulated in mutant FUS-associated ALS. This study provides further understanding of the intricate autophagy system and neurodegeneration in ALS.
Integrating regional conservation priorities for multiple objectives into national policy
Authors: Beger Maria , McGowan Jennifer , Treml Eric A. , Green Alison L. , White Alan T. , Wolff Nicholas H. , Klein Carissa J. , Mumby Peter J. , Possingham Hugh P. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractMultinational conservation initiatives that prioritize investment across a region invariably navigate trade-offs among multiple objectives. It seems logical to focus where several objectives can be achieved efficiently, but such multi-objective hotspots may be ecologically inappropriate, or politically inequitable. Here we devise a framework to facilitate a regionally cohesive set of marine-protected areas driven by national preferences and supported by quantitative conservation prioritization analyses, and illustrate it using the Coral Triangle Initiative. We identify areas important for achieving six objectives to address ecosystem representation, threatened fauna, connectivity and climate change. We expose trade-offs between areas that contribute substantially to several objectives and those meeting one or two objectives extremely well. Hence there are two strategies to guide countries choosing to implement regional goals nationally: multi-objective hotspots and complementary sets of single-objective priorities. This novel framework is applicable to any multilateral or global initiative seeking to apply quantitative information in decision making.
Proteomics of yeast telomerase identified Cdc48-Npl4-Ufd1 and Ufd4 as regulators of Est1 and telomere length
Authors: Lin Kah-Wai , McDonald Karin R. , Guise Amanda J. , Chan Angela , Cristea Ileana M. , Zakian Virginia A. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractAlmost 400 genes affect yeast telomere length, including Est1, which is critical for recruitment and activation of telomerase. Here we use mass spectrometry to identify novel telomerase regulators by their co-purification with the telomerase holoenzyme. In addition to all known subunits, over 100 proteins are telomerase associated, including all three subunits of the essential Cdc48-Npl4-Ufd1 complex as well as three E3 ubiquitin ligases. The Cdc48 complex is evolutionarily conserved and targets ubiquitinated proteins for degradation. Est1 levels are ∼40-fold higher in cells with reduced Cdc48, yet, paradoxically, telomeres are shorter. Furthermore, Est1 is ubiquitinated and its cell cycle-regulated abundance is lost in Cdc48-deficient cells. Deletion of the telomerase-associated E3 ligase, Ufd4, in cdc48-3 cells further increases Est1 abundance but suppresses the telomere length phenotype of the single mutant. These data argue that, in concert with Ufd4, the Cdc48 complex regulates telomerase by controlling the level and activity of Est1.
The metabolic response of marine copepods to environmental warming and ocean acidification in the absence of food
Authors: Mayor Daniel J. , Sommer Ulf , Cook Kathryn B. , Viant Mark R. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractMarine copepods are central to the productivity and biogeochemistry of marine ecosystems. Nevertheless, the direct and indirect effects of climate change on their metabolic functioning remain poorly understood. Here, we use metabolomics, the unbiased study of multiple low molecular weight organic metabolites, to examine how the physiology of Calanus spp. is affected by end-of-century global warming and ocean acidification scenarios. We report that the physiological stresses associated with incubation without food over a 5-day period greatly exceed those caused directly by seawater temperature or pH perturbations. This highlights the need to contextualise the results of climate change experiments by comparison to other, naturally occurring stressors such as food deprivation, which is being exacerbated by global warming. Protein and lipid metabolism were up-regulated in the food-deprived animals, with a novel class of taurine-containing lipids and the essential polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, changing significantly over the duration of our experiment. Copepods derive these PUFAs by ingesting diatoms and flagellated microplankton respectively. Climate-driven changes in the productivity, phenology and composition of microplankton communities and hence the availability of these fatty acids, therefore have the potential to influence the ability of copepods to survive starvation and other environmental stressors.
Comprehensive urinary metabolomic profiling and identification of potential noninvasive marker for idiopathic Parkinson’s disease
Authors: Luan Hemi , Liu Liang-Feng , Tang Zhi , Zhang Manwen , Chua Ka-Kit , Song Ju-Xian , Mok Vincent C.T. , Li Min , Cai Zongwei 
Published: September 2015

AbstractUrine metabolic phenotyping has been associated with the development of Parkinson’s disease (PD). However, few studies using a comprehensive metabolomics approach have investigated the correlation between changes in the urinary markers and the progression of clinical symptoms in PD. A comprehensive metabolomic study with robust quality control procedures was performed using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC - MS) and liquid chromatography - mass spectrometry (LC - MS) to characterize the urinary metabolic phenotypes of idiopathic PD patients at three stages (early, middle and advanced) and normal control subjects, with the aim of discovering potential urinary metabolite markers for the diagnosis of idiopathic PD. Both GC-MS and LC-MS metabolic profiles of idiopathic PD patients differed significantly from those of normal control subjects. 18 differentially expressed metabolites were identified as constituting a unique metabolic marker associated with the progression of idiopathic PD. Related metabolic pathway variations were observed in branched chain amino acid metabolism, glycine derivation, steroid hormone biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism and phenylalanine metabolism. Comprehensive, successive metabolomic profiling revealed changes in the urinary markers associated with progression of idiopathic PD. This profiling relies on noninvasive sampling and is complementary to existing clinical modalities.
Lyophilization protects [FeFe]-hydrogenases against O2-induced H-cluster degradation
Authors: Noth Jens , Kositzki Ramona , Klein Kathrin , Winkler Martin , Haumann Michael , Happe Thomas 
Published: September 2015

AbstractNature has developed an impressive repertoire of metal-based enzymes that perform complex chemical reactions under moderate conditions. Catalysts that produce molecular hydrogen (H2) are particularly promising for renewable energy applications. Unfortunately, natural and chemical H2-catalysts are often irreversibly degraded by molecular oxygen (O2). Here we present a straightforward procedure based on freeze-drying (lyophilization), that turns [FeFe]-hydrogenases, which are excellent H2-producers, but typically extremely O2-sensitive in solution, into enzymes that are fully resistant against O2. Complete dryness protects and conserves both, the [FeFe]-hydrogenase proteins and their inorganic active-site cofactor (H-cluster), when exposed to 100% O2 for days. The full H2-formation capacity is restored after solvation of the lyophilized enzymes. However, even minimal moisturizing re-establishes O2-sensitivity. The dry [FeFe]-hydrogenase material is superior also for advanced spectroscopic investigations on the H-cluster reaction mechanism. Our method provides a convenient way for long-term storage and impacts on potential biotechnological hydrogen production applications of hydrogenase enzymes.
In vitro and in vivo Evaluation of Synergism between Anti-Tubercular Spectinamides and Non-Classical Tuberculosis Antibiotics
Authors: Bruhn David F. , Scherman Michael S. , Liu Jiuyu , Scherbakov Dimitri , Meibohm Bernd , Böttger Erik C. , Lenaerts Anne J. , Lee Richard E. 
Published: September 2015

AbstractSpectinamides are new semi-synthetic spectinomycin derivatives with potent anti-tubercular activity. The reported synergism of the precursor spectinomycin with other antibiotics prompted us to examine whether spectinamides sensitize M. tuberculosis to other antibiotics not traditionally used in the treatment of tuberculosis to potentially expand therapeutic options for MDR/XDR Tuberculosis. Whole cell synergy checkerboard screens were performed using the laboratory strain M. tuberculosis H37Rv, lead spectinamide 1599 and a broad panel of 27 antibiotics. In vitro, 1599 synergized with 11 drugs from 6 antibiotic classes. The observed synergy was tested against clinical isolates confirming synergy with Clarithromycin, Doxycycline and Clindamycin, combinations of which were taken forward for in vivo efficacy determination. Co-administration of 1599 and clarithromycin provided additional bacterial killing in a mouse model of acute tuberculosis infection, but not in a chronic infection model. Further studies indicated that mismatched drug exposure profiles likely permitted induction of phenotypic clarithromycin resistance and subsequent loss of synergism. These studies highlight the importance of validating in vitro synergism and the challenge of matching drug exposures to obtain a synergistic outcome in vivo. Results from this study indicate that a 1599 clarithromycin combination is potentially viable, providing the drug exposures can be carefully monitored.
Equalization enhanced phase noise in Nyquist-spaced superchannel transmission systems using multi-channel digital back-propagation
Authors: Xu Tianhua , Liga Gabriele , Lavery Domaniç , Thomsen Benn C. , Savory Seb J. , Killey Robert I. , Bayvel Polina 
Published: September 2015

AbstractSuperchannel transmission spaced at the symbol rate, known as Nyquist spacing, has been demonstrated for effectively maximizing the optical communication channel capacity and spectral efficiency. However, the achievable capacity and reach of transmission systems using advanced modulation formats are affected by fibre nonlinearities and equalization enhanced phase noise (EEPN). Fibre nonlinearities can be effectively compensated using digital back-propagation (DBP). However EEPN which arises from the interaction between laser phase noise and dispersion cannot be efficiently mitigated and can significantly degrade the performance of transmission systems. Here we report the first investigation of the origin and the impact of EEPN in Nyquist-spaced superchannel system, employing electronic dispersion compensation (EDC) and multi-channel DBP (MC-DBP). Analysis was carried out in a Nyquist-spaced 9-channel 32-Gbaud DP-64QAM transmission system. Results confirm that EEPN significantly degrades the performance of all sub-channels of the superchannel system and that the distortions are more severe for the outer sub-channels, both using EDC and MC-DBP. It is also found that the origin of EEPN depends on the relative position between the carrier phase recovery module and the EDC (or MC-DBP) module. Considering EEPN, diverse coding techniques and modulation formats have to be applied for optimizing different sub-channels in superchannel systems.