Multidisciplinary investigation of two Egyptian child mummies curated at the University of Tartu Art Museum, Estonia (Late/Graeco-Roman Periods)

Two ancient Egyptian child mummies at the University of Tartu Art Museum (Estonia) were, according to museum records, brought to Estonia by the young Baltic-German scholar Otto Friedrich von Richter, who had travelled in Egypt during the early 19th century. Although some studies of the mummies were conducted, a thorough investigation has never been made. Thus, an interdisciplinary team of experts studied the remains using the most recent analytical methods in order to provide an exhaustive analysis of the remains. The bodies were submitted for osteological and archaeothanatological study, radiological investigation, AMS radiocarbon dating, chemical and textile analyses, 3D modelling, entomological as well as aDNA investigation. Here we synthesize the results of one of the most extensive multidisciplinary analyses of ancient Egyptian child mummies, adding significantly to our knowledge of such examples of ancient funerary practices.© 2020 Oras et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited

The interlayer cohesive energy of graphite from thermal desorption of polyaromatic hydrocarbons

We have studied the interaction of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) with the basal plane of graphite using thermal desorption spectroscopy. Desorption kinetics of benzene, naphthalene, coronene and ovalene at sub-monolayer coverages yield activation energies of 0.50 eV, 0.85 eV, 1.40 eV and 2.1 eV, respectively. Benzene and naphthalene follow simple first order desorption kinetics while coronene and ovalene exhibit fractional order kinetics owing to the stability of 2-D adsorbate islands up to the desorption temperature. Pre-exponential frequency factors are found to be in the range $10^{14}$-$10^{21} s^{-1}$ as obtained from both Falconer--Madix (isothermal desorption) analysis and Antoine's fit to vapour pressure data. The resulting binding energy per carbon atom of the PAH is $52\pm$5 meV and can be identified with the interlayer cohesive energy of graphite. The resulting cleavage energy of graphite is $61\pm5$~meV/atom which is considerably larger than previously reported experimental values.Comment: 8 pages, 4 figures, 2 table

Multidrug-resistant Tuberculosis Management in Resource-limited Settings

Managing MDRTB through national programs can yield results similar to those seen in wealthier settings

Multi-method Analysis of Avian Eggs as Grave Goods: Revealing Symbolism in Conversion Period Burials at Kukruse, NE Estonia

Eggshells are unusual finds in the Iron Age of eastern Europe (500 BC–1200 AD) deserving extra attention in terms of analysis as well as interpretation. This paper discusses two rare eggshell finds, discovered in female burials at the conversion period (12th–13th century AD) cemetery at Kukruse, NE Estonia. Our multianalytical study combining FT-IR, SEM(-EDS), microscopy and ZooMS provides an overview of methods applicable for identifying egg species, their predepositional history and curation. Based on the analytical results and the comparative analysis of the content and context of these two burials, we argue that different aims and connotations lay behind depositing eggs as burial goods, allowing well-supported interpretations of both pagan and Christian religious worldviews simultaneously

Quality of life of palliative chemotherapy naive patients with advanced adenocarcinoma of the stomach or esophagogastric junction treated with irinotecan combined with 5-fluorouracil and folinic acid: results of a randomised phase III trial

41st Annual Meeting of the American-Society-of-Clinical-Oncology -- MAY 13-17, 2005 -- Orlando, FLWOS: 000268881000007PubMed ID: 19568958The quality of life (QL) of advanced gastric cancer patients receiving irinotecan, folinic acid and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) (IF arm) or cisplatin with 5-FU (CF arm) is presented. Patients with measurable or evaluable advanced gastric cancer received IF weekly for 6/7 weeks or CF q4 weeks. QL was assessed using the EORTC QLQ-C30 at baseline, subsequently every 8 weeks until progression and thereafter every 3 months until death. The QL data were analysed using several statistical methods including summary measures and pattern-mixture modelling. A total of 333 patients were randomised and treated (IF 170, CF 163). The time-to-progression for IF and CF was 5.0 and 4.2 months (P = 0.088), respectively. The overall compliance rates for QL questionnaire completion were 60 and 56% in the IF and CF arms, respectively. Significant treatment differences were observed for the physical functioning scale (P = 0.024), nausea\vomiting (P = 0.001) and EQ-5D thermometer (P = 0.020) in favour of the IF treatment arm. There was a trend in favour of IF over CF in time-to-progression. The IF group also demonstrated a better safety profile than CF and a better QL on a number of multi-item scales, suggesting that IF offers an alternative first-line platinum-free treatment option for advanced gastric cancer.Amer Soc Clin Onco

Temperature and Pressure Dependence of Density of a Shale Oil and Derived Thermodynamic Properties

The temperature and pressure dependence of density was measured experimentally from 293 to 473 K and 0.1 to 12 MPa for a shale oil produced from Kukersite oil shale in Estonia. The shale oil sample was a fuel oil fraction of a whole oil produced in a commercial plant that uses solid heat carrier retorting technology. The fraction had a boiling range of approximately 460 to 780 K and contained significant quantities of polar phenolic compounds (hydroxyl group content of 5.3 wt %). The effect of these compounds on the properties of the oil was investigated by removing most of the phenolic compounds via extraction to create the second sample (dephenolated sample with hydroxyl group content of 1.1 wt %). The dephenolation resulted in a shale oil with a composition being more similar to that of other shale oils from well explored deposits. On the basis of a review of the literature, these are the first experimental data on the pressure dependence of density for this shale oil, and shale oils generally. Thermal expansion coefficients, isothermal compressibilities, and speeds of sound were calculated from the experimental data. Empirical relationships describing the temperature dependence of the heat capacities between 288 and 423 K at atmospheric pressure are also presented here

Temperature and Pressure Dependence of Density of a Shale Oil and Derived Thermodynamic Properties

The temperature and pressure dependence of density was measured experimentally from 293 to 473 K and 0.1 to 12 MPa for a shale oil produced from Kukersite oil shale in Estonia. The shale oil sample was a fuel oil fraction of a whole oil produced in a commercial plant that uses solid heat carrier retorting technology. The fraction had a boiling range of approximately 460 to 780 K and contained significant quantities of polar phenolic compounds (hydroxyl group content of 5.3 wt %). The effect of these compounds on the properties of the oil was investigated by removing most of the phenolic compounds via extraction to create the second sample (dephenolated sample with hydroxyl group content of 1.1 wt %). The dephenolation resulted in a shale oil with a composition being more similar to that of other shale oils from well explored deposits. On the basis of a review of the literature, these are the first experimental data on the pressure dependence of density for this shale oil, and shale oils generally. Thermal expansion coefficients, isothermal compressibilities, and speeds of sound were calculated from the experimental data. Empirical relationships describing the temperature dependence of the heat capacities between 288 and 423 K at atmospheric pressure are also presented here

Studies of Archaeological Bone Structure by Different Analytical Methods

Preservation of the structure of archaeological bones was studied by examining their physicochemical properties. The mechanical properties, and conductivity porosity, crystallinity and content of organic material were evaluated. These parameters were established to be suitable for characterizing changes in the course of time of archaeological bone structure. The obtained results revealed that the elastic modulus and conductivity changes depended on the porosity of bones; and the increase in crystallinity was correlated with a loss of organic matter