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Synthetic wastewater was treated in lab-scale constructed wetlands (CWs) in sequencing batch mode to evaluate roles of aquatic plants for removing an azo dye: Reactive Yellow 86 (RY86). Under hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 5 days, removal by unplanted CWs was less than 20% for RY86 of 10–50 mg/L. The CWs planted with cattail and papyrus demonstrated RY86 removal of 50–68% and 73–84%, respectively. For wastewater containing 50 mg/L RY86, removal in the unplanted CW was <12%, even under a 15 day HRT, although it was 22–71% in CWs planted with cattail and 34–81% in CWs planted with cattail, with increasing values under HRTs of 1 day to 15 days. Both cattail and papyrus grew well, extending their roots in the CWs for 90 days. RY86-decolorizing microorganisms were detected in CW effluent. Overall, RY86 removal was positively correlated with evapotranspiration in the CWs, indicating the plant uptake as the main removal mechanism. Papyrus and cattail, especially the former, are suitable plants for CWs intended to treat RY86-containing wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs), cell-like synthetic micrometer size structures, assemble when thin lipid films are hydrated in aqueous solutions. Quantitative measurements of static yields and distribution of sizes of GUVs obtained from thin film hydration methods were recently reported. Dynamic data such as the time evolution of yields and distribution of sizes, however, is not known. Dynamic data can provide insights into the assembly pathway of GUVs and guidelines for choosing conditions to obtain populations with desired size distributions. We develop the 'stopped-time' technique to characterize the time evolution of the distribution of sizes and molar yields of populations of free-floating GUVs. We additionally capture high resolution time-lapse images of surface-attached GUV buds on the lipid films. We systematically study the dynamics of assembly of GUVs from three widely used thin film hydration methods, PAPYRUS (Paper-Abetted amPhiphile hYdRation in aqUeous Solutions), gentle hydration, and electroformation. We find that the molar yield versus time curves of GUVs demonstrate a characteristic sigmoidal shape, with an initial yield, a transient, and then a steady state plateau for all three methods. The population of GUVs showed a right-skewed distribution of diameters. The variance of the distributions increased with time. The systems reached steady state within 120 min. We rationalize the dynamics using the thermodynamically motivated budding and merging (BNM) model. These results further the understanding of lipid dynamics and provide for the first-time practical parameters to tailor the production of GUVs of specific sizes for applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructed wetlands system (CWs) have been proposed as an economical, efficient and sustainable wastewater treatment technology. The aim of this paper was to provide the first published data on the efficiency of CWs for dairy wastewater treatment in Tunisia. In most CWs, good organic, total suspended solids (TSS) and nutrient removal was measured. In order to evaluate the efficiency of this process, hybrid small-scale wetland system was designed containing three horizontal subsurface flow (HSSF) and one free water surface flow (FWS). A mixture of Reeds (Phragmites australis), Cattails (Typha latifolia), and Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus) was planted. Several water quality parameters in both raw and treated wastewaters were monitored during the macrophytes life cycle. The average influent properties for 20 % of whey are: TSS (3040 mg/L), COD (5060 mg O2/L), BOD5 (3020 mg O2/L), TKN (79 mg N/L) and TP (32,2 mg P/L). Removal efficiencies of 99.6 % for TSS, 80 % for COD, 97 % for BOD5, 90.4 % for TKN and 99.6 % for TP were observed. The results reveal temporal variations in system performance according to macrophyte growth rates. Reeds, Cattails and Papyrus start their life cycle at the beginning of the winter and continue growing in summer. The effluent pH, TSS, COD, BOD5, TKN and TP concentrations were in compliance with both irrigation reuse and discharge regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2005, a team of Polish archaeologists discovered three Coptic codices, two on papyrus and one on parchment, in the rubbish dump of a hermitage at Sheik Abd el-Gurna, Egypt. While the parchment codex and the remains of the bindings of the papyrus ones have been conserved, the text blocks of the papyrus codices were opened and disassembled and after being disinfected remained untouched for nearly 15 years, until the current project started. Currently, all three books are stored in the collection of the Coptic Museum in Cairo. Our team undertook the conservation of and archaeometric research on the papyrus codices. The first of the books contains the Canons of Pseudo-Basil, while the second is an Encomium of St. Pisenthios. Both codices have been palaeographically dated to the seventh-eighth centuries CE. In this paper, we describe our project and present the results of the work carried out on the Canons of Pseudo-Basil. Our work involved photography in transmitted light, measurements of the thickness of the papyrus leaves, and digital microscopy under three-light illumination. These measurements allowed us to determine the types of the inks and characterize the papyrus writing substrate. For conservation, we used a novel method developed in the Egyptian Museum in Berlin that comprises suspending papyrus folios on a translucent, extremely thin Japanese paper inside glass frames without the use of adhesives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Egyptian women's religious expressions in papyrus letters (Bagnall and Cribiore, 2006) were divided into five categories: None , no god(s) mentioned; Pray , containing "Pray" without gods; Gods , for Greek Gods; Sarapis/local Gods/ προσκυνήµα for letters containing prayers in which obeisance before a God is expressed in the Egyptian reverential manner, a προσκυνήµα ; Θεός / Κύριος / Χριστός letters to the Christian God. The None category is prevalent during the early 300 BC to 100 AD period followed by an increase in, and then stable, formulaic/religious expressions. The Pray category peaked in the second and third centuries AD, and the Gods category, referring to pagan Gods, showed a steady and significant decline from the first to the fourth century AD inverse to the rise in prevalence of letters in the Θεός / Κύριος / Χριστός category. The shift to monotheism with Christianity is rendered in graphic form, and permits an appreciation of feminine popular sentiment on religion and its Gods in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The history of printing is a captivating narrative that has significantly influenced the dissemination of knowledge and the development of human society. This article explores the prehistory of literacy, the emergence of writing systems, the tools used before the invention of printing, and the profound impact of Johannes Gutenberg's movable type printing press. It also discusses the challenges faced by printing technology over the centuries, the role of digitalization, and the enduring value of traditional printing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Publication of fragments of two Ptolemaic papyri from the collection of the Bodleian Library, Oxford. The first fragment is part of a letter (probably a report about a local dispute), while the second is part of a petition by a woman. The papyri both come from Gurob in the Fayum and can be assigned to the third century BC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

P.Mich. inv. 1205 is a small papyrus fragment containing the remains of an instrumental music score. Relying on a paleographic and musical analysis to reinterpret the reading of the most frequent sign, the article substantially modifies the melodic structure, and raises the question of the link between the establishment of intrumental semiography and its nomenclature, leading to a better understanding of tables of musical signs in the treatises copied during the medieval period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numbering is a vital process in museums; it provides a unique identification for each object. Without numbering, objects cannot be tracked or utilized in a museum. Sometimes adding numbers to artifacts can be very challenging due to artifacts diversity in shape and materials. Numbering must be durable as it holds the identity of the artifact as it allows the curator to track it easily and retrieve information quickly. This number is connecting the object with its own other information such as; documentation, description and current condition of the object. A range of new numbering techniques appeared and practiced in many museums beside the traditional ones. This paper will point out and focus on one of new numbering method developed and planning to be applied for the first time on glass mount that hold papyrus in the Grand Egyptian museum through using CO2 marker machine and U.V laser printer. Both methods are tested on glass mount and results compared to select the better method to be applied. It was found that both methods provided sustainable numbering on papyrus mount. Numbers made by these two methods are durable and can't be removed from glass but, one approach was preferred over the other as it will be revealed in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic wastewater was treated in lab-scale constructed wetlands (CWs) in sequencing batch mode to evaluate roles of aquatic plants for removing an azo dye: Reactive Yellow 86 (RY86). Under hydraulic retention time (HRT) of 5 days, removal by unplanted CWs was less than 20% for RY86 of 10–50 mg/L. The CWs planted with cattail and papyrus demonstrated RY86 removal of 50–68% and 73–84%, respectively. For wastewater containing 50 mg/L RY86, removal in the unplanted CW was

The article "A Dead Man's Contract: P. BM EA 10077 Revisited" presents a new edition of the unique mummification contract P. BM EA 10077 from Ptolemaic Thebes. The contract was donated to the British Museum by John Gardner Wilkinson along with other papyri and ostraka from Thebes. The contract dates back to 269 BC and was written by the scribe Amenothes, son of Peteminis. It is a so-called "double document," with one version sealed to prevent changes, while the other remained open for consultation. The text consists of two versions of a contract that differ in some details. Both versions are written in Demotic and date to the 16th year, Hathyr, under Pharaoh Ptolemy II Philadelphos. The contract was concluded between Pagonis, son of Panouphis, and Thoteus, son of Pahyris. Pagonis confirms that Thoteus has paid him the full amount for the natron tax, embalming fee, and everything related to the mummification of Paouser, Thoteus' son. Pagonis promises to prepare Paouser with medicine and hand him over to Thoteus' Choachyte. If Pagonis fails to fulfill his obligations, he will give Thoteus 2 silver deben. The contract was written by Amenothes, son of Peteminis, on the instructions of Pagonis. [Extracted from the article]

• Characteristic elements of papyrus fragments removed from ancient cartonnage. • The difference in the elemental compositions of papyrus from cartonnage through three age groups during Ptolemaic Period. • The composition of the preparation layer of cartonnage remained on papyrus fragments. • Dendrogram helps in dating papyrus. Papyrus was used as a writing support from 2500 BC to the 11th century AD to record and transfer information both in Egypt (where it has predominantly survived) and the wider Mediterranean and Near Eastern world. During the Ptolemaic and early Roman periods in Egypt (c. 322 BC-14 AD), discarded written papyri were recycled and widely used as a support to make cartonnage, which was a glued encasement to protect mummified bodies. This research investigates the elemental characteristics of papyri known or believed to have come from cartonnage, in order to understand how that usage might have changed the elemental compositions of those papyri. In this research, the elemental compositions of ink, no-ink and "white" areas (where observed) were characterised using X-ray fluorescence spectrometry in twenty papyri. Inked areas have significantly greater concentrations of lead than areas of papyri with no ink, and X-ray diffractometry revealed that calcite (CaCO 3) formed the white compound of the preparation layer of the cartonnage. Changes in ink composition may have the potential to be used as a technique for dating papyri. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

4Q69 consists of two small papyrus fragments treating to Isa 5:28–30. Following Raffaella Cribiore's criterion for identification of scribal exercises, an analysis of the textual variants to which the 4Q69 fragments attest will serve as a platform for exploring why the scribe(s) chose papyrus instead of parchment as his medium, the implications of the scroll's column width, and the significance of its semi-cursive script and calligraphic traits. Engaging in a holistic assessment of the scroll's purpose and use, this paper submits that rather than constituting a complete copy of the biblical book of Isaiah, it is a partial copy for use as a scribal exercise of a mid-level student. It thus sheds light on the educational process underlying the production of 4Q69 as the importance attached to the book of Isaiah during the Second Temple period and the book's distinctive, authoritative status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.) is a lignocellulosic plant suitable for many applications when properly pretreated. This study explores the potential of a two-stage pretreatment (combining hydrothermal and chemical methods) on the characteristics of cellulose fibers derived from papyrus. One-stage and two-stage pretreatments were compared, utilizing sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and ferric chloride (FeCl3) chemical solutions at a 3% (w/v) concentration. Chemical pretreatment was employed for one-stage processing, while hydrothermal pretreatment was introduced prior to chemical pretreatment. As the liquid hot-water process intensified, significant changes in chemical composition and morphology occurred. Hydrothermal pretreatment partially eliminates hemicelluloses and lignin, while increasing the cellulose content and enhancing fiber crystallinity. Following the pulping and bleaching stages, it was determined that the FeCl3-based two-stage pretreatment exhibited the greatest potential for cellulose recovery and hemicelluloses and lignin removal, yielding the highest crystallinity index. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article explores the role of the spine in ancient Egyptian medicine through an analysis of medical texts, depictions, and mummified remains. The ancient Egyptians had a comprehensive system of healing that combined science, spirituality, and practical knowledge. They used herbal medicine, surgical procedures, and practical treatments such as bandaging and splinting. The Edwin Smith Papyrus, one of the oldest medical texts, provides detailed instructions for surgical procedures on the spine. The article also discusses the ancient Egyptians' understanding of spinal anatomy and their recognition of conditions like dislocations and herniations. Examination of mummified remains and artistic artifacts further reveals insights into the prevalence of spinal disorders in ancient Egypt. Overall, the study of ancient Egyptian medicine enhances our understanding of the medical practices and perspectives on spinal health during that time. [Extracted from the article]

Modeling is an essential and challenging activity in any engineering environment. It implies some hard-to-train skills such as abstraction and communication. Teachers, project leaders, and tool vendors have a hard time teaching or training their students, co-workers, or users. Gamification refers to the exploitation of gaming mechanisms for serious purposes, like promoting behavioral changes, soliciting participation and engagement in activities, etc. We investigate the introduction of gaming mechanisms in modeling tasks with the primary goal of supporting learning/training. The result has been the realization of a gamified modeling environment named PapyGame. In this article, we present the approach adopted for PapyGame implementation, the details on the gamification elements involved, and the derived conceptual architecture required for applying gamification in any modeling environment. Moreover, to demonstrate the benefits of using PapyGame for learning/training modeling, a set of user experience evaluations have been conducted. Correspondingly, we report the obtained results together with a set of future challenges we consider as critical to make gamified modeling a more effective education/training approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acinetobacter baumannii is a leading cause of biofilm-associated infections, particularly catheter-related bloodstream infections (CRBSIs) that are mostly recalcitrant to antimicrobial therapy. One approach to reducing the burden of CRBSIs is inhibiting biofilm formation on catheters. Owing to their prodigious microbial diversity, bacterial endophytes might be a valuable source of biosurfactants, which are known for their great capacity to disperse microbial biofilms. With this in mind, our study aimed to screen bacterial endophytes from plants growing on the banks of the River Nile for the production of powerful biosurfactants capable of reducing the ability of A. baumannii to form biofilms on central venous catheters (CVCs). This was tested on multidrug- and extensive drugresistant (M/XDR) clinical isolates of A. baumannii that belong to high-risk global clones andon a standardstrainof A. baumannii ATCC 19606. The drop collapse and oil dispersion assays were employed in screening the cell-free supernatants (CFS) of all endophytes for biosurfactant activity. Of the 44 bacterial endophytes recovered from 10 plants, the CFS of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Cp24, isolated from Cyperus papyrus, showed the highest biosurfactant activity. The crude biosurfactant extract of Cp24 showed potent antibacterial activity with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) ranging from 0.78 to 1.56 mg/ml. It also showed significant antibiofilm activity (p-value<0.01). Sub-MICs of the extract could reduce biofilm formation by up to 89.59%, while up to 87.3% of the preformed biofilms were eradicated by the MIC. A significant reduction in biofilm formation on CVCs impregnated with sub-MIC of the extract was demonstrated by CV assay and further confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. This was associated with three log10 reductions in adhered bacteria in the viable count assay. GC-MS analysis of the crude biosurfactant extract revealed the presence of several compounds, such as saturated, unsaturated, and epoxy fatty acids, cyclopeptides, and 3-Benzylhexahydro-pyrrolo [1, 2-a] pyrazine-1,4-dione, potentially implicated in the potent biosurfactant and antibiofilm activities. In the present study, we report the isolation of a B. amyloliquefaciens endophyte from the plant C. papyrus that produces a biosurfactant with potent antibiofilm activity against MDR/XDR global clones of A. baumannii. The impregnation of CVCs with the biosurfactant was demonstrated to reduce biofilms and, hence, proposed as a potential strategy for reducing CRBSIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Romanitas: Revista de Estudos Greco-Latinas is the property of Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article examines the origin of the trope of the crocodile bird in Egyptian culture and its dissemination in classical, Islamic, and Jewish traditions. It discusses whether the crocodile bird actually existed and which bird species could be identified with it. The text describes various versions of a story about the friendship between a crocodile and a bird that was widespread in ancient literature. It also points out that the trochilus may be mentioned in Byzantine poetry and in Horapollo's treatise on hieroglyphs. However, there is no clear evidence for the depiction of the trochilus in visual art. The article describes the origin and dissemination of the trochilus trope, a narrative about a bird that cleans the teeth of a crocodile. The story originated in ancient Egypt and was passed down in various cultures, including Greek, Roman, Islamic, and Jewish traditions. [Extracted from the article]

The present contribution is the editio princeps of pBM EA 10669, of which, despite its very interesting content, no notice has been taken thus far. The papyrus bears a text about a nine-headed figure with the main head in the form of a human being. Various passages inscribed on the papyrus can be paralleled directly with other texts from Egypt and thus offer an informative insight into the religious history of multi-headed beings, particularly during the Late Period in Egypt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The numbering system was an uncommon scribal practice throughout the Ancient Egyptian documents; however, it was used in some texts from different periods. So different types of numbering will be presented in this paper, such as papyrus rolls numbering, pagination, line numbering, chapter numbering, vignettes, and mummy bandages numbering…. etc. This paper will also display the methods of numbering used by the scribes throughout the Egyptian texts.

Abstract With the ongoing rapid growth of publicly available ligand–protein bioactivity data, there is a trove of valuable data that can be used to train a plethora of machine-learning algorithms. However, not all data is equal in terms of size and quality and a significant portion of researchers’ time is needed to adapt the data to their needs. On top of that, finding the right data for a research question can often be a challenge on its own. To meet these challenges, we have constructed the Papyrus dataset. Papyrus is comprised of around 60 million data points. This dataset contains multiple large publicly available datasets such as ChEMBL and ExCAPE-DB combined with several smaller datasets containing high-quality data. The aggregated data has been standardised and normalised in a manner that is suitable for machine learning. We show how data can be filtered in a variety of ways and also perform some examples of quantitative structure–activity relationship analyses and proteochemometric modelling. Our ambition is that this pruned data collection constitutes a benchmark set that can be used for constructing predictive models, while also providing an accessible data source for research. Graphical Abstract

This contribution considers the context, textual content, and means of textual division in a trilingual sales contract from Roman Arabia. The text, P.Yadin I 22, formed part of the so-called Babatha archive, the family papers of a Jewish woman who later took refuge in the Judaean Desert, where the documents were later discovered. Despite the absence of formal punctuation marks or word division comparable to modern conventions, the writers of this papyrus used various subtler means to highlight divisions in sense and content, related also to their choices among the three languages at work in the contract (Greek, Nabataean Aramaic, and Jewish Aramaic). This highlighting will have served in the first instance to ease future reference in a document meant to achieve maximum legal precision and authority, but the interplay of languages may also be seen to have ideological implications in the history of the region.

Papyrus Berlin 8345, which comes from the Roman-period Fayum (Egypt), contains a Demotic astrological treatise aimed at foretelling an individual’s future based on the positions of the seven celestial bodies known in antiquity (Sun, Moon, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, Venus, and Mercury) in the twelve places or compartments of the zodiac known as the dodecatropos. This paper briefly outlines the contents of the text and considers the conventions of textual division demonstrated in the papyrus. Since Demotic lacks modern punctuation, the scribe employed a host of other techniques to highlight and differentiate the various parts of the text. The manual was intended as a reference work, and the copyist therefore attempted to facilitate comfortable navigation through its different sections.

With the ongoing rapid growth of publicly available ligand–protein bioactivity data, there is a trove of valuable data that can be used to train a plethora of machine-learning algorithms. However, not all data is equal in terms of size and quality and a significant portion of researchers' time is needed to adapt the data to their needs. On top of that, finding the right data for a research question can often be a challenge on its own. To meet these challenges, we have constructed the Papyrus dataset. Papyrus is comprised of around 60 million data points. This dataset contains multiple large publicly available datasets such as ChEMBL and ExCAPE-DB combined with several smaller datasets containing high-quality data. The aggregated data has been standardised and normalised in a manner that is suitable for machine learning. We show how data can be filtered in a variety of ways and also perform some examples of quantitative structure–activity relationship analyses and proteochemometric modelling. Our ambition is that this pruned data collection constitutes a benchmark set that can be used for constructing predictive models, while also providing an accessible data source for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prohibition of fermented beverages in Muslim societies was the result of an interpretative process that developed over time. The Qurʾān serves as a witness to the prohibition of wine (khamr), but is silent about other types of beverages. Documentary sources show that Egyptian authorities in the first century AH stimulated the production and drinking of fermented beverages by requisitioning wine for Arab-Muslim troops, who especially appreciated ṭilāʾ , the Arabic name for a cooked wine known in Greek as hepsēma. Under the influence of jurists (mainly from the Hijaz) who condemned the drinking of fermented beverages, the caliph ʿUmar II b. ʿAbd al-ʿAzīz decreed, at the turn of the second century, the prohibition of ṭilāʾ and related drinks. Early debates over the lawfulness of fermented beverages discuss pitched and glazed jars whose impermeability permits fermentation. Based on a comparison between pre-canonical hadith collections and archaeological evidence, we identify the main Egyptian amphorae that were controversial. Whereas in the second/eighth century, legal debates focused primarily on pitched and glazed jars, the extension of the prohibition to all fermented beverages in the third/ninth century led to the rejection of all amphorae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Relegated from Rome to Tomis around 8 A.D., after a sea-voyage which lasted months, forced to give up the circle of high life where he used to be so admired and cherished, Ovid found himself in the land of dissonance. The sources of his dissonance were: the perceived reception of his own poetry, the nature of harsher climate, the life-threatening attacks of the Barbarians and his own fears of illness. Ovid needed a "bandwidth" of communication and resonance and he found it in books, both as objects and as a legacy. The book (liber/libri) was free (liber') to travel to Rome in his place and to receive all the valences of a compensatory myth. Moreover, book (in its ancient form of "volumen") retrieves in "Tristia" the vocabulary of resonating with other people. Books, his own and of other writers, are the mysterious path to a much needed reconciliation with Tomitan people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.) is a sedge plant with a high rate of biomass productivity that represents an interesting raw material to produce chemicals, materials and fuels, which are currently still obtained from fossil resources, in the context of a lignocellulosic biorefinery. In this work, the content and chemical composition of the lipids present in papyrus stems were thoroughly studied. For this, the papyrus stems were separated into the rind and the pith. The lipid content accounted for 4.1% in the rind and 4.9% in the pith (based on dry matter). The main compounds identified in both parts of the papyrus stem were hydrocarbons, n-fatty acids, 2-hydroxyfatty acids, alcohols, alkylamides, mono- and diglycerides, steroids (sterols, ketones, hydrocarbons, esters and glycosides), tocopherols, tocopherol esters, phytol, phytol esters, alkyl ferulates, w-carboxyalkyl ferulates (and their monoglycerides), and acylglycerol glycosides. The rind presented a predominance of n-fatty acids (6790 mg/kg; that represented 28.6% of all identified compounds), steroid compounds (6255 mg/kg; 26.3%), phytol and phytol esters (4985 mg/kg; 21.0%), and isoprenoid hydrocarbons, namely phytadiene and squalene (2660 mg/kg; 11.2%), while the most abundant lipids in the pith were steroids (8600 mg/kg; 44.4% of all identified compounds) and fatty acids (6245 mg/kg; 32.2%). Due to the great diversity and significant abundance of the compounds identified in papyrus, it can be considered as a potential raw material for biorefineries to obtain valuable phytochemicals of interest to various industrial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New edition of a short Christian hymn preserved on papyrus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SM 96A is a vertical papyrus roll (14 × 86 cm) that dates to the fifth–sixth centuries CE and seems to be dedicated mainly to recipes for amulets or curative incantations. The rubric ηρυτυλος at line 24 introduces a long narrow list of words and it is usually interpreted as Ἐρωτύλος, the name of an author quoted in PGM XIII 946–953, from whose Orphika the scribe quotes a long magical word. Another possibility, and one more in line with the fifth–sixth-century CE date of this formulary, is that ηρυτυλος is the Latin term rotulus transliterated imperfectly into Greek ῥυτυλος, which in late Latin refers to a tall, thin roll, usually of parchment, that is scrolled up and down in the mediaeval fashion, rather than side to side, as a typical papyrus handbook. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revue du Monde Musulman et de la Méditerrannée is the property of Edisud and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Journal of Agricultural, Environmental & Veterinary Sciences is the property of Arab Journal of Sciences & Research Publishing (AJSRP) and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Abstract The aging behavior of ancient papyri is not entirely understood, although such understanding is crucial for tailored conservation concepts to preserve these precious historical documents for the millennia to come. In a study on accelerated aging, the effect of light on papyrus sheets was studied, and the consequences were monitored by a combination of non-invasive and invasive techniques. Papyrus sheets were aged for two months at 90 °C and 50% relative humidity, with and without the influence of light. Changes at the optical, mechanical, and molecular levels were monitored using CIELAB color measurements, tensile tests, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and size exclusion chromatography—multi angle light scattering (SEC-MALS). Light exposure has severe consequences for the optical and mechanical properties of papyri, reflected by a strong decrease in cellulose chain length and tensile strength. SEC-MALS proved to be the best method to assess the conservation status of papyri due to its clear results and low sample demand. This publication seeks to highlight the effects of light-induced degradation of papyri and to facilitate an understanding of the underlying aging mechanisms, to support in future conservation measures. Graphical Abstract

The disability studies in Egyptology is still a marginal topic, but it contains crucial information for understanding Egyptian society, in its best light and in its shortcomings. Our paper proposes to study the traces of disability, mainly through texts which evoke them from all periods. Thus, we will seek to find not only the perception of these fragile populations in their contemporaries’ eyes, but also to identify the reasons for their infirmity. Combined with observations on the archaeological field, the sphere of difference becomes a revealer of ancient behavior.

Papyrus (Cyperus papyrus L.) is a sedge plant with a high rate of biomass productivity that represents an interesting raw material to produce chemicals, materials and fuels, which are currently still obtained from fossil resources, in the context of a lignocellulosic biorefinery. In this work, the content and chemical composition of the lipids present in papyrus stems were thoroughly studied. For this, the papyrus stems were separated into the rind and the pith. The lipid content accounted for 4.1% in the rind and 4.9% in the pith (based on dry matter). The main compounds identified in both parts of the papyrus stem were hydrocarbons, n-fatty acids, 2-hydroxyfatty acids, alcohols, alkylamides, mono- and diglycerides, steroids (sterols, ketones, hydrocarbons, esters and glycosides), tocopherols, tocopherol esters, phytol, phytol esters, alkyl ferulates, ω-carboxyalkyl ferulates (and their monoglycerides), and acylglycerol glycosides. The rind presented a predominance of n-fatty acids (6790 mg/kg; that represented 28.6% of all identified compounds), steroid compounds (6255 mg/kg; 26.3%), phytol and phytol esters (4985 mg/kg; 21.0%), and isoprenoid hydrocarbons, namely phytadiene and squalene (2660 mg/kg; 11.2%), while the most abundant lipids in the pith were steroids (8600 mg/kg; 44.4% of all identified compounds) and fatty acids (6245 mg/kg; 32.2%). Due to the great diversity and significant abundance of the compounds identified in papyrus, it can be considered as a potential raw material for biorefineries to obtain valuable phytochemicals of interest to various industrial sectors.

Phytoremediation is a green, cost-effective alternative to established soil remediation technologies. The recent bacterial-mycorrhizal revolution in combination with plants has resulted in significant advances in our knowledge of metal removal in polluted soils. However, depending on the biomass and size of the roots, each plant differs in its capacity to remove heavy metals. The study's objective was to study the effects of bacteria, mycorrhiza, papyrus, and CO2 release on lead (Pb) and cadmium (Cd) removal from the soil. Six different combinations (mycorrhiza, Bacillus 10 mL, Bacillus 100 mL, mycorrhiza + Bacillus 10 mL, mycorrhiza + Bacillus 100 mL, and control) were used in the experiment. The results showed that the combination of the mycorrhiza with bacillus 100 mL showed more profound increases in CO2 release and polysaccharide content (2.84 mg CO2 g−1 dry soil, 0.90 mg) respectively. More importantly, the highest concentrations of Cd and Pb were found in the roots of mycorrhiza + Bacillus 100 mL (18.26 mg kg−1 and 155.22 mg kg−1, respectively), implying that microbes played a concrete role in the phytoextraction process. The highest values of the translocation factor (TF) and biological accumulation factor (BAF) for Cd were found at Bacillus 100 mL (3.99) and (75.54), respectively, suggesting efficient translocation and excessive Cd accumulation in the plant. For Pb, Bacillus 100 mL and mycorrhiza + Bacillus 100 mL had the highest TF and BAF, which were 0.49 and 6.08 respectively. In conclusion, the removal of Cd and Pb was linked to the maximum bacterial cell density, mycorrhizal activity, and CO2 emission, resulting in unique phytoremediation in Pb–Cd contaminated papyrus rhizosphere soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Remarking and tentatively solving analytical problems to achieve accurate analysis of papyri. • Focusing on the appraisal of the surface analysis techniques as powerful tools for studying papyri. • Multivariate analysis helps in understanding differences between inks, facilitating their classification. • Highlighting practical vibrational characterisation of papyrus supports and inks. Knowledge evolves based on past societies, often by studying cultural heritage objects, particularly ancient papyri. To achieve this information, Physico-chemical analysis of the papyri supports and inks is of concern for understanding variations in their chemical composition, structural relationships, and evolution over time. This review appraises at a glance the most relevant analytical characteristics of the main surface spectroscopic techniques, particularly those providing atomic/elemental and molecular information. In addition, this work highlights the analytical problems usually found in analysing papyri and their tentative overcoming using surface and subsurface analysis spectroscopies. Finely, we cover the practical vibrational characterisation of papyri. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papyrus, produced from the white pith of Cyperus papyrus L., has been used for millennia as the major writing support by ancient cultures, but there was no continuous papyrus production until modern times. Therefore, papyrus production had to be rediscovered. Modern Egyptian papyrus producers claim that their sheets possess 'the same physical and chemical properties as ancient papyri'. To study if this is accurate, commercially available papyrus sheets were compared to ancient papyri and papyri produced according to Pliny's historic description. Material characterization was performed with a focus on the potentially color-bearing lignin. Two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, derivatization followed by reductive cleavage, and pyrolysis–gas chromatography/mass spectrometry were complemented with microscopy and tests for surface pH and sodium content. The lignin data in the native pith and commercial sheets were compared to 10 ancient samples from the Papyrus Museum Vienna. The analytical data clearly show the involvement of a strong alkaline treatment followed by chlorine bleaching for commercial papyri, as expressed by higher pH values, altered lignin structures, and chlorinated lignin compounds. The inclusion of an alkaline step in ancient papyrus manufacture is discussed but dismissed, since the alkali-treatment causes a huge decrease in lignin content, that was not found for the analysed ancient specimen. We assume that this additional treatment was introduced to obtain yellowish papyrus sheets meeting optical expectations of modern spectators. Linguistic and art historic evidence indicates that such a step would not have made sense in antiquity, since it was desired to produce white papyri. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Over the last few years, the Federal Institute for material research (BAM, Berlin) together with the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC, University of Hamburg) have initiated a systematic material investigation of black inks produced from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages (ca. fourth century CE–fourteenth/fifteenth centuries CE), aimed primarily at extending and complementing findings from previous sporadic studies. Part of this systematic investigation has focused on Egyptian Coptic manuscripts, and the present preliminary study is one of its outputs. It centres on a corpus of 45 Coptic manuscripts—43 papyri and 2 ostraca—preserved at the Palau-Ribes and Roca-Puig collections in Barcelona. The manuscripts come from the Monastery of Apa Apollo at Bawit, one of the largest monastic settlements in Egypt between the Late Antiquity and the Early Islamic Period (sixth–eighth centuries CE). The composition of their black inks was investigated in situ using near-infrared reflectography (NIRR) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). The analyses determined that the manuscripts were written using different types of ink: pure carbon ink; carbon ink containing iron; mixed inks containing carbon, polyphenols and metallic elements; and iron-gall ink. The variety of inks used for the documentary texts seems to reflect the articulate administrative system of the monastery of Bawit. This study reveals that, in contrast to the documents, written mostly with carbon-based inks, literary biblical texts were written with iron-gall ink. The frequent reuse of papyrus paper for certain categories of documents may suggest that carbon-based inks were used for ephemeral manuscripts, since they were easy to erase by abrasion.