Lithic raw material variability in the Central Duck River Basin: Reflections of Middle and Late Archaic organizational strategies: Report of Investigations No. 46

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Amick, D.S.

The purpose was to develop a model for understanding prehistoric chipped-stone distribution in the central Duck River Basin region located in Middle Tennessee. The model design consists of theoretical and empirical observation which are integrated to form an interpretive framework. Seven lithic assemblages ranging from middle to late Archaic periods (ca. 7000 to 3000 years B.P.) in age were analyzed to assess the model. The first stage of model-building was the development of a theoretical foundation for approaching the problem. A cultural adaptation paradigm is the foundation cornerstone. Lithic technology is viewed as an integral part of prehistoric cultural adaptationmore » and lithic remains are regarded as critical indicators of behavioral variability. Environmental variables are stressed in interpreting lithic debris patterning across the landscape. The second stage of model-building involved the construction of a set of observations on lithic resource types and their distributions in the study area. A regional lithic resource survey was implemented. Application of the model to archaeological data was the last stage of model-building. Seven Middle-Late Archaic assemblages are compared. Results of the interassemblage analysis suggest that Late Archaic settlement systems were more logisically organized and technological systems were less expediently organized than those of Middle Archaic groups. Differences between Middle and Late Archaic adaptations are viewed as response to regional environmental and demographic trends. These trends are documented and their implications for subsistence, settlement, and social organization are considered.« less

Cultural Resources Survey for the Lake Darling-Souris River Project, North Dakota (1982).

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-06-13

order, of the Sentinel Butte, Tongue River, and Cannonball Formations of the Fort Union Group of the Tertiary System, and the Hell Creek and Fox Hills...epoch domi- nated by a general cultural pattern. Unfortunately, American archaeologists have chosen to mix and match their terms for cultural periods...period as defined by Antevs (1955), the Middle Plains Archaic which matched the early Middle Prehistoric Period of Mulloy, the Late Plains Archaic which

The microcephalin ancestral allele in a Neanderthal individual.

PubMed

Lari, Martina; Rizzi, Ermanno; Milani, Lucio; Corti, Giorgio; Balsamo, Carlotta; Vai, Stefania; Catalano, Giulio; Pilli, Elena; Longo, Laura; Condemi, Silvana; Giunti, Paolo; Hänni, Catherine; De Bellis, Gianluca; Orlando, Ludovic; Barbujani, Guido; Caramelli, David

2010-05-14

The high frequency (around 0.70 worldwide) and the relatively young age (between 14,000 and 62,000 years) of a derived group of haplotypes, haplogroup D, at the microcephalin (MCPH1) locus led to the proposal that haplogroup D originated in a human lineage that separated from modern humans >1 million years ago, evolved under strong positive selection, and passed into the human gene pool by an episode of admixture circa 37,000 years ago. The geographic distribution of haplogroup D, with marked differences between Africa and Eurasia, suggested that the archaic human form admixing with anatomically modern humans might have been Neanderthal. Here we report the first PCR amplification and high-throughput sequencing of nuclear DNA at the microcephalin (MCPH1) locus from Neanderthal individual from Mezzena Rockshelter (Monti Lessini, Italy). We show that a well-preserved Neanderthal fossil dated at approximately 50,000 years B.P., was homozygous for the ancestral, non-D, allele. The high yield of Neanderthal mtDNA sequences of the studied specimen, the pattern of nucleotide misincorporation among sequences consistent with post-mortem DNA damage and an accurate control of the MCPH1 alleles in all personnel that manipulated the sample, make it extremely unlikely that this result might reflect modern DNA contamination. The MCPH1 genotype of the Monti Lessini (MLS) Neanderthal does not prove that there was no interbreeding between anatomically archaic and modern humans in Europe, but certainly shows that speculations on a possible Neanderthal origin of what is now the most common MCPH1 haplogroup are not supported by empirical evidence from ancient DNA.

Out of Africa: modern human origins special feature: explaining worldwide patterns of human genetic variation using a coalescent-based serial founder model of migration outward from Africa.

PubMed

DeGiorgio, Michael; Jakobsson, Mattias; Rosenberg, Noah A

2009-09-22

Studies of worldwide human variation have discovered three trends in summary statistics as a function of increasing geographic distance from East Africa: a decrease in heterozygosity, an increase in linkage disequilibrium (LD), and a decrease in the slope of the ancestral allele frequency spectrum. Forward simulations of unlinked loci have shown that the decline in heterozygosity can be described by a serial founder model, in which populations migrate outward from Africa through a process where each of a series of populations is formed from a subset of the previous population in the outward expansion. Here, we extend this approach by developing a retrospective coalescent-based serial founder model that incorporates linked loci. Our model both recovers the observed decline in heterozygosity with increasing distance from Africa and produces the patterns observed in LD and the ancestral allele frequency spectrum. Surprisingly, although migration between neighboring populations and limited admixture between modern and archaic humans can be accommodated in the model while continuing to explain the three trends, a competing model in which a wave of outward modern human migration expands into a series of preexisting archaic populations produces nearly opposite patterns to those observed in the data. We conclude by developing a simpler model to illustrate that the feature that permits the serial founder model but not the archaic persistence model to explain the three trends observed with increasing distance from Africa is its incorporation of a cumulative effect of genetic drift as humans colonized the world.

Three new human skulls from the Sima de los Huesos Middle Pleistocene site in Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain.

PubMed

Arsuaga, J L; Martínez, I; Gracia, A; Carretero, J M; Carbonell, E

1993-04-08

Three important fossil hominids were found in July 1992 in the Middle Pleistocene cave site called Sima de los Huesos (Sierra de Atapuerca, Burgos, Northern Spain). One is a complete calvaria (cranium 4), the second a virtually complete cranium (cranium 5), the third represents a more fragmentary cranium of an immature individual (cranium 6). There is a large difference in size between the two adult specimens (for example endocranial volume 1,125 cm3 versus 1,390 cm3). The Atapuerca human remains are dated to > 300,000 years. The Atapuerca cranial sample fits within the 'archaic Homo sapiens' group, but is well differentiated from the Asian Homo erectus group. The extensive Atapuerca human collection is the most complete sample of Middle Pleistocene humans yet discovered from one site, and appears to document an early stage in Neanderthal evolution.

Group differences in proneness to inflammation.

PubMed

Pennington, Renee; Gatenbee, Chandler; Kennedy, Brett; Harpending, Henry; Cochran, Gregory

2009-12-01

All humans are primarily descendants from a diaspora out of Africa approximately 50,000 years ago although there are some indications of admixture with local populations of archaic humans outside Africa. The burden of infectious disease is greater in tropical Africa than elsewhere on earth in historic times, and it was less outside Africa, especially in the New World where passage through the Beringian filter kept many Old World parasites from entering the New World with humans. As a consequence we expect that the immune system, especially susceptibility to inflammation, will be "tuned up" in people with recent tropical African ancestry, intermediate in people of European and Asian ancestry, and perhaps "tuned down" in people of Native American ancestry. We suggest that evolved responses to different pathogen burdens among geographic groups may contribute to higher rates of inflammatory disease in modern people.

External auditory exostoses in the Xuchang and Xujiayao human remains: Patterns and implications among eastern Eurasian Middle and Late Pleistocene crania

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

In the context of Middle and Late Pleistocene eastern Eurasian human crania, the external auditory exostoses (EAE) of the late archaic Xuchang 1 and 2 and the Xujiayao 15 early Late Pleistocene human temporal bones are described. Xujiayao 15 has small EAE (Grade 1), Xuchang 1 presents bilateral medium EAE (Grade 2), and Xuchang 2 exhibits bilaterally large EAE (Grade 3), especially on the right side. These cranial remains join the other eastern Eurasian later Pleistocene humans in providing frequencies of 61% (N = 18) and 58% (N = 12) respectively for archaic and early modern human samples. These values are near the upper limits of recent human frequencies, and they imply frequent aquatic exposure among these Pleistocene humans. In addition, the medial extents of the Xuchang 1 and 2 EAE would have impinged on their tympanic membranes, and the large EAE of Xuchang 2 would have resulted in cerumen impaction. Both effects would have produced conductive hearing loss, a serious impairment in a Pleistocene foraging context. PMID:29232394

External auditory exostoses in the Xuchang and Xujiayao human remains: Patterns and implications among eastern Eurasian Middle and Late Pleistocene crania.

PubMed

Trinkaus, Erik; Wu, Xiu-Jie

2017-01-01

In the context of Middle and Late Pleistocene eastern Eurasian human crania, the external auditory exostoses (EAE) of the late archaic Xuchang 1 and 2 and the Xujiayao 15 early Late Pleistocene human temporal bones are described. Xujiayao 15 has small EAE (Grade 1), Xuchang 1 presents bilateral medium EAE (Grade 2), and Xuchang 2 exhibits bilaterally large EAE (Grade 3), especially on the right side. These cranial remains join the other eastern Eurasian later Pleistocene humans in providing frequencies of 61% (N = 18) and 58% (N = 12) respectively for archaic and early modern human samples. These values are near the upper limits of recent human frequencies, and they imply frequent aquatic exposure among these Pleistocene humans. In addition, the medial extents of the Xuchang 1 and 2 EAE would have impinged on their tympanic membranes, and the large EAE of Xuchang 2 would have resulted in cerumen impaction. Both effects would have produced conductive hearing loss, a serious impairment in a Pleistocene foraging context.

Treponemal disease in the middle Archaic to early Woodland periods of the western Tennessee River Valley.

PubMed

Smith, Maria Ostendorf

2006-10-01

The high frequency of late prehistoric New World treponemal disease is attributable to the demographic changes concomitant with the adoption of agriculture. However, these demographic changes in group mobility and site density episodically preceded intensive plant domestication, suggesting possible staggered temporal change in observed treponemal disease case frequency. Thirteen convincing and an additional two probable (N = 581) cases of treponemal disease were identified in an eight-site skeletal sample spanning the Middle (6,000-3,000 BCE) to Late (2,500-ca. 1,000 to 500 BCE) Archaic and Early Woodland (500 BCE-0 CE) periods from the western Tennessee River Valley. Treponemal disease cases are infrequent in both the Middle (3/115, 2.6%) and Late (2 to 4 cases,

The Microcephalin Ancestral Allele in a Neanderthal Individual

PubMed Central

Lari, Martina; Rizzi, Ermanno; Milani, Lucio; Corti, Giorgio; Balsamo, Carlotta; Vai, Stefania; Catalano, Giulio; Pilli, Elena; Longo, Laura; Condemi, Silvana; Giunti, Paolo; Hänni, Catherine; De Bellis, Gianluca; Orlando, Ludovic; Barbujani, Guido; Caramelli, David

2010-01-01

Background The high frequency (around 0.70 worlwide) and the relatively young age (between 14,000 and 62,000 years) of a derived group of haplotypes, haplogroup D, at the microcephalin (MCPH1) locus led to the proposal that haplogroup D originated in a human lineage that separated from modern humans >1 million years ago, evolved under strong positive selection, and passed into the human gene pool by an episode of admixture circa 37,000 years ago. The geographic distribution of haplogroup D, with marked differences between Africa and Eurasia, suggested that the archaic human form admixing with anatomically modern humans might have been Neanderthal. Methodology/Principal Findings Here we report the first PCR amplification and high- throughput sequencing of nuclear DNA at the microcephalin (MCPH1) locus from Neanderthal individual from Mezzena Rockshelter (Monti Lessini, Italy). We show that a well-preserved Neanderthal fossil dated at approximately 50,000 years B.P., was homozygous for the ancestral, non-D, allele. The high yield of Neanderthal mtDNA sequences of the studied specimen, the pattern of nucleotide misincorporation among sequences consistent with post-mortem DNA damage and an accurate control of the MCPH1 alleles in all personnel that manipulated the sample, make it extremely unlikely that this result might reflect modern DNA contamination. Conclusions/Significance The MCPH1 genotype of the Monti Lessini (MLS) Neanderthal does not prove that there was no interbreeding between anatomically archaic and modern humans in Europe, but certainly shows that speculations on a possible Neanderthal origin of what is now the most common MCPH1 haplogroup are not supported by empirical evidence from ancient DNA. PMID:20498832

Genetic analysis of lice supports direct contact between modern and archaic humans.

PubMed

Reed, David L; Smith, Vincent S; Hammond, Shaless L; Rogers, Alan R; Clayton, Dale H

2004-11-01

Parasites can be used as unique markers to investigate host evolutionary history, independent of host data. Here we show that modern human head lice, Pediculus humanus, are composed of two ancient lineages, whose origin predates modern Homo sapiens by an order of magnitude (ca. 1.18 million years). One of the two louse lineages has a worldwide distribution and appears to have undergone a population bottleneck ca. 100,000 years ago along with its modern H. sapiens host. Phylogenetic and population genetic data suggest that the other lineage, found only in the New World, has remained isolated from the worldwide lineage for the last 1.18 million years. The ancient divergence between these two lice is contemporaneous with splits among early species of Homo, and cospeciation analyses suggest that the two louse lineages codiverged with a now extinct species of Homo and the lineage leading to modern H. sapiens. If these lice indeed codiverged with their hosts ca. 1.18 million years ago, then a recent host switch from an archaic species of Homo to modern H. sapiens is required to explain the occurrence of both lineages on modern H. sapiens. Such a host switch would require direct physical contact between modern and archaic forms of Homo.

Genetic Analysis of Lice Supports Direct Contact between Modern and Archaic Humans

PubMed Central

Smith, Vincent S; Hammond, Shaless L; Rogers, Alan R; Clayton, Dale H

2004-01-01

Parasites can be used as unique markers to investigate host evolutionary history, independent of host data. Here we show that modern human head lice, Pediculus humanus, are composed of two ancient lineages, whose origin predates modern Homo sapiens by an order of magnitude (ca. 1.18 million years). One of the two louse lineages has a worldwide distribution and appears to have undergone a population bottleneck ca. 100,000 years ago along with its modern H. sapiens host. Phylogenetic and population genetic data suggest that the other lineage, found only in the New World, has remained isolated from the worldwide lineage for the last 1.18 million years. The ancient divergence between these two lice is contemporaneous with splits among early species of Homo, and cospeciation analyses suggest that the two louse lineages codiverged with a now extinct species of Homo and the lineage leading to modern H. sapiens. If these lice indeed codiverged with their hosts ca. 1.18 million years ago, then a recent host switch from an archaic species of Homo to modern H. sapiens is required to explain the occurrence of both lineages on modern H. sapiens. Such a host switch would require direct physical contact between modern and archaic forms of Homo. PMID:15502871

A bird-like skull in a Triassic diapsid reptile increases heterogeneity of the morphological and phylogenetic radiation of Diapsida

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pritchard, Adam C.; Nesbitt, Sterling J.

2017-10-01

The Triassic Period saw the first appearance of numerous amniote lineages (e.g. Lepidosauria, Archosauria, Mammalia) that defined Mesozoic ecosystems following the end Permian Mass Extinction, as well as the first major morphological diversification of crown-group reptiles. Unfortunately, much of our understanding of this event comes from the record of large-bodied reptiles (total body length > 1 m). Here we present a new species of drepanosaurid (small-bodied, chameleon-like diapsids) from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation of New Mexico. Using reconstructions of micro-computed tomography data, we reveal the three-dimensional skull osteology of this clade for the first time. The skull presents many archaic anatomical traits unknown in Triassic crown-group reptiles (e.g. absence of bony support for the external ear), whereas other traits (e.g. toothless rostrum, anteriorly directed orbits, inflated endocranium) resemble derived avian theropods. A phylogenetic analysis of Permo-Triassic diapsids supports the hypothesis that drepanosaurs are an archaic lineage that originated in the Permian, far removed from crown-group Reptilia. The phylogenetic position of drepanosaurids indicates the presence of archaic Permian clades among Triassic small reptile assemblages and that morphological convergence produced a remarkably bird-like skull nearly 100 Myr before one is known to have emerged in Theropoda.

A bird-like skull in a Triassic diapsid reptile increases heterogeneity of the morphological and phylogenetic radiation of Diapsida

PubMed Central

Nesbitt, Sterling J.

2017-01-01

The Triassic Period saw the first appearance of numerous amniote lineages (e.g. Lepidosauria, Archosauria, Mammalia) that defined Mesozoic ecosystems following the end Permian Mass Extinction, as well as the first major morphological diversification of crown-group reptiles. Unfortunately, much of our understanding of this event comes from the record of large-bodied reptiles (total body length > 1 m). Here we present a new species of drepanosaurid (small-bodied, chameleon-like diapsids) from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation of New Mexico. Using reconstructions of micro-computed tomography data, we reveal the three-dimensional skull osteology of this clade for the first time. The skull presents many archaic anatomical traits unknown in Triassic crown-group reptiles (e.g. absence of bony support for the external ear), whereas other traits (e.g. toothless rostrum, anteriorly directed orbits, inflated endocranium) resemble derived avian theropods. A phylogenetic analysis of Permo-Triassic diapsids supports the hypothesis that drepanosaurs are an archaic lineage that originated in the Permian, far removed from crown-group Reptilia. The phylogenetic position of drepanosaurids indicates the presence of archaic Permian clades among Triassic small reptile assemblages and that morphological convergence produced a remarkably bird-like skull nearly 100 Myr before one is known to have emerged in Theropoda. PMID:29134065

A bird-like skull in a Triassic diapsid reptile increases heterogeneity of the morphological and phylogenetic radiation of Diapsida.

PubMed

Pritchard, Adam C; Nesbitt, Sterling J

2017-10-01

The Triassic Period saw the first appearance of numerous amniote lineages (e.g. Lepidosauria, Archosauria, Mammalia) that defined Mesozoic ecosystems following the end Permian Mass Extinction, as well as the first major morphological diversification of crown-group reptiles. Unfortunately, much of our understanding of this event comes from the record of large-bodied reptiles (total body length > 1 m). Here we present a new species of drepanosaurid (small-bodied, chameleon-like diapsids) from the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation of New Mexico. Using reconstructions of micro-computed tomography data, we reveal the three-dimensional skull osteology of this clade for the first time. The skull presents many archaic anatomical traits unknown in Triassic crown-group reptiles (e.g. absence of bony support for the external ear), whereas other traits (e.g. toothless rostrum, anteriorly directed orbits, inflated endocranium) resemble derived avian theropods. A phylogenetic analysis of Permo-Triassic diapsids supports the hypothesis that drepanosaurs are an archaic lineage that originated in the Permian, far removed from crown-group Reptilia. The phylogenetic position of drepanosaurids indicates the presence of archaic Permian clades among Triassic small reptile assemblages and that morphological convergence produced a remarkably bird-like skull nearly 100 Myr before one is known to have emerged in Theropoda.

Chromosomal Rearrangements as Barriers to Genetic Homogenization between Archaic and Modern Humans

PubMed Central

Rogers, Rebekah L.

2015-01-01

Chromosomal rearrangements, which shuffle DNA throughout the genome, are an important source of divergence across taxa. Using a paired-end read approach with Illumina sequence data for archaic humans, I identify changes in genome structure that occurred recently in human evolution. Hundreds of rearrangements indicate genomic trafficking between the sex chromosomes and autosomes, raising the possibility of sex-specific changes. Additionally, genes adjacent to genome structure changes in Neanderthals are associated with testis-specific expression, consistent with evolutionary theory that new genes commonly form with expression in the testes. I identify one case of new-gene creation through transposition from the Y chromosome to chromosome 10 that combines the 5′-end of the testis-specific gene Fank1 with previously untranscribed sequence. This new transcript experienced copy number expansion in archaic genomes, indicating rapid genomic change. Among rearrangements identified in Neanderthals, 13% are transposition of selfish genetic elements, whereas 32% appear to be ectopic exchange between repeats. In Denisovan, the pattern is similar but numbers are significantly higher with 18% of rearrangements reflecting transposition and 40% ectopic exchange between distantly related repeats. There is an excess of divergent rearrangements relative to polymorphism in Denisovan, which might result from nonuniform rates of mutation, possibly reflecting a burst of transposable element activity in the lineage that led to Denisovan. Finally, loci containing genome structure changes show diminished rates of introgression from Neanderthals into modern humans, consistent with the hypothesis that rearrangements serve as barriers to gene flow during hybridization. Together, these results suggest that this previously unidentified source of genomic variation has important biological consequences in human evolution. PMID:26399483

Early modern human diversity suggests subdivided population structure and a complex out-of-Africa scenario

PubMed Central

Gunz, Philipp; Bookstein, Fred L.; Mitteroecker, Philipp; Stadlmayr, Andrea; Seidler, Horst; Weber, Gerhard W.

2009-01-01

The interpretation of genetic evidence regarding modern human origins depends, among other things, on assessments of the structure and the variation of ancient populations. Because we lack genetic data from the time when the first anatomically modern humans appeared, between 200,000 and 60,000 years ago, instead we exploit the phenotype of neurocranial geometry to compare the variation in early modern human fossils with that in other groups of fossil Homo and recent modern humans. Variation is assessed as the mean-squared Procrustes distance from the group average shape in a representation based on several hundred neurocranial landmarks and semilandmarks. We find that the early modern group has more shape variation than any other group in our sample, which covers 1.8 million years, and that they are morphologically similar to recent modern humans of diverse geographically dispersed populations but not to archaic groups. Of the currently competing models of modern human origins, some are inconsistent with these findings. Rather than a single out-of-Africa dispersal scenario, we suggest that early modern humans were already divided into different populations in Pleistocene Africa, after which there followed a complex migration pattern. Our conclusions bear implications for the inference of ancient human demography from genetic models and emphasize the importance of focusing research on those early modern humans, in particular, in Africa. PMID:19307568

Evidence for a genetic discontinuity between Neandertals and 24,000-year-old anatomically modern Europeans.

PubMed

Caramelli, David; Lalueza-Fox, Carles; Vernesi, Cristiano; Lari, Martina; Casoli, Antonella; Mallegni, Francesco; Chiarelli, Brunetto; Dupanloup, Isabelle; Bertranpetit, Jaume; Barbujani, Guido; Bertorelle, Giorgio

2003-05-27

During the late Pleistocene, early anatomically modern humans coexisted in Europe with the anatomically archaic Neandertals for some thousand years. Under the recent variants of the multiregional model of human evolution, modern and archaic forms were different but related populations within a single evolving species, and both have contributed to the gene pool of current humans. Conversely, the Out-of-Africa model considers the transition between Neandertals and anatomically modern humans as the result of a demographic replacement, and hence it predicts a genetic discontinuity between them. Following the most stringent current standards for validation of ancient DNA sequences, we typed the mtDNA hypervariable region I of two anatomically modern Homo sapiens sapiens individuals of the Cro-Magnon type dated at about 23 and 25 thousand years ago. Here we show that the mtDNAs of these individuals fall well within the range of variation of today's humans, but differ sharply from the available sequences of the chronologically closer Neandertals. This discontinuity is difficult to reconcile with the hypothesis that both Neandertals and early anatomically modern humans contributed to the current European gene pool.

Interpolity exchange of basalt tools facilitated via elite control in Hawaiian archaic states

PubMed Central

Kirch, Patrick V.; Mills, Peter R.; Lundblad, Steven P.; Sinton, John; Kahn, Jennifer G.

2012-01-01

Ethnohistoric accounts of late precontact Hawaiian archaic states emphasize the independence of chiefly controlled territories (ahupua‘a) based on an agricultural, staple economy. However, elite control of unevenly distributed resources, such as high-quality volcanic rock for adze production, may have provided an alternative source of economic power. To test this hypothesis we used nondestructive energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (ED-XRF) analysis of 328 lithic artifacts from 36 archaeological features in the Kahikinui district, Maui Island, to geochemically characterize the source groups. This process was followed by a limited sampling using destructive wavelength-dispersive X-ray fluorescence (WD-XRF) analysis to more precisely characterize certain nonlocal source groups. Seventeen geochemical groups were defined, eight of which represent extra-Maui Island sources. Although the majority of stone tools were derived from Maui Island sources (71%), a significant quantity (27%) of tools derived from extraisland sources, including the large Mauna Kea quarry on Hawai‘i Island as well as quarries on O‘ahu, Moloka‘i, and Lāna‘i islands. Importantly, tools quarried from extralocal sources are found in the highest frequency in elite residential features and in ritual contexts. These results suggest a significant role for a wealth economy based on the control and distribution of nonagricultural goods and resources during the rise of the Hawaiian archaic states. PMID:22203984

Southern African ancient genomes estimate modern human divergence to 350,000 to 260,000 years ago.

PubMed

Schlebusch, Carina M; Malmström, Helena; Günther, Torsten; Sjödin, Per; Coutinho, Alexandra; Edlund, Hanna; Munters, Arielle R; Vicente, Mário; Steyn, Maryna; Soodyall, Himla; Lombard, Marlize; Jakobsson, Mattias

2017-11-03

Southern Africa is consistently placed as a potential region for the evolution of Homo sapiens We present genome sequences, up to 13x coverage, from seven ancient individuals from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The remains of three Stone Age hunter-gatherers (about 2000 years old) were genetically similar to current-day southern San groups, and those of four Iron Age farmers (300 to 500 years old) were genetically similar to present-day Bantu-language speakers. We estimate that all modern-day Khoe-San groups have been influenced by 9 to 30% genetic admixture from East Africans/Eurasians. Using traditional and new approaches, we estimate the first modern human population divergence time to between 350,000 and 260,000 years ago. This estimate increases the deepest divergence among modern humans, coinciding with anatomical developments of archaic humans into modern humans, as represented in the local fossil record. Copyright © 2017 The Authors, some rights reserved; exclusive licensee American Association for the Advancement of Science. No claim to original U.S. Government Works.

The formation of early settled villages and the emergence of leadership: A test of three theoretical models in the Rio Ilave, Lake Titicaca Basin, southern Peru

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Craig, Nathan Mcdonald

Despite obvious necessities for understanding later developments in the region, Preceramic cultures in the Titicaca Basin are poorly understood due to lacking empirical data. This dissertation focuses on examination of two processes occurring in the Rio Ilave drainage during the Late 5000--3100 B.C.E. (6000--4400 B.P.) and Terminal 3100--1500 B.C.E. Archaic (4400--3200 B.P.): the formation of settled villages and the emergence of leadership. These processes are tested against theoretical predictions derived from: population resource imbalance, human behavioral ecology, and agency theories. Resource imbalance theory predicts appearance of density dependent adaptive problems prior to major cultural transformations. Human behavioral ecology predicts increased dietary diversity and incorporation of greater processing costs occuring coincidentally with reduced residential mobility. Symbolic mate value advertising is a predicted leadership strategy. Agency theory predicts internal sources of social tension, potentially independent of external forces, as primary causes of cultural change. Feast hosting and the formation political economy are expected to be central to both social processes investigated from this perspective. Local paleoclimatic proxies suggest aridity from ca 4000--2000 B.C.E. Reanalysis of pedestrian survey data indicate population growth during the Late Archaic. Excavation and ground penetrating radar survey at Pirco and Jiskairumoko demonstrate reduced residential mobility and increased evidence for social differentiation appearing during the Late Archaic's (before 3000 B.C.E.) end. New cultural patterns include: pithouses, more groundstone, internal storage, costly non-local artifacts, domesticated plants and animals, costly grave goods, and use of ochre in symbolic contexts. No clear cut evidence for inter-community promotional feasting was identified but some finds suggest intra-community alliance feasts. By the end of the Terminal Archaic ca. 1500 B.C.E., domestic architecture changes to rectangular above ground structures lacking internal storage. Survey and excavation data strongly support population-resource imbalance theory. Excavation results are largely consistent with human behavioral ecology expectations. Evidence for early population growth rejects the expectation from some forms of agency theory asserting social change occurs largely independent of external forces. However, the support for human behavioral ecology suggests conspecific interaction and therefore forces described by agency theory are at play during these cultural transitions.

Genetic Evidence of Human Adaptation to a Cooked Diet

PubMed Central

Carmody, Rachel N.; Dannemann, Michael; Briggs, Adrian W.; Nickel, Birgit; Groopman, Emily E.; Wrangham, Richard W.; Kelso, Janet

2016-01-01

Humans have been argued to be biologically adapted to a cooked diet, but this hypothesis has not been tested at the molecular level. Here, we combine controlled feeding experiments in mice with comparative primate genomics to show that consumption of a cooked diet influences gene expression and that affected genes bear signals of positive selection in the human lineage. Liver gene expression profiles in mice fed standardized diets of meat or tuber were affected by food type and cooking, but not by caloric intake or consumer energy balance. Genes affected by cooking were highly correlated with genes known to be differentially expressed in liver between humans and other primates, and more genes in this overlap set show signals of positive selection in humans than would be expected by chance. Sequence changes in the genes under selection appear before the split between modern humans and two archaic human groups, Neandertals and Denisovans, supporting the idea that human adaptation to a cooked diet had begun by at least 275,000 years ago. PMID:26979798

Anti-Family Fantasies in "Cutting-Edge" Anthropological Kinship Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Shapiro, Warren

2012-01-01

Anthropology began as archeology--not just the archaeology of "prehistoric" human or quasi-human bones and stones, but also the study of other things presumably archaic. The most notable of these was the social life and thought of the world's remaining peoples who could be taken as proxies for those who supplied these bones and used these stones…

Mid-Holocene Climate and Culture Change in the Atacama Desert, Northern Chile

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grosjean, Martin; Núñez, Lautaro; Cartajena, Isabel; Messerli, Bruno

1997-09-01

Twenty archaeological campsites intercalated between more than 30 debris flows caused by heavy rainfall events between 6200 and 3100 14C yr B.P. have recently been discovered at Quebrada Puripica in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. This record provides detailed information about extreme, short-lived climatic events during the hyperarid mid-Holocene period. For the first time, we found evidence of continuous human occupation in this area, filling the regional hiatus in the Atacama basin ("Silencio Arqueologico") between 8000 and 4800 14C yr B.P. The transformation of Early Archaic hunters into the complex Late Archaic cultural tradition was an adaptive process. During this time, the site was a local ecological refuge with abundant resources in a generally hostile environment.

Homo erectus in Salkhit, Mongolia?

PubMed

Lee, Sang-Hee

2015-08-01

In 2006, a skullcap was discovered in Salkhit, Mongolia. The Salkhit skullcap has a mostly complete frontal, two partially complete parietals, and nasals. No chronometric dating has been published yet, and suggested dates range from early Middle Pleistocene to terminal Late Pleistocene. While no chronometric date has been published, the presence of archaic features has led to a potential affiliation with archaic hominin species. If it is indeed Homo erectus or archaic Homo sapiens, Salkhit implies a much earlier spread of hominins farther north and inland Asia than previously thought. In this paper, the nature of the archaic features in Salkhit is investigated. The Salkhit skullcap morphology and metrics were compared with Middle and Late Pleistocene hominin fossils from northeast Asia: Zhoukoudian Locality 1, Dali, and Zhoukoudian Upper Cave. Results show an interesting pattern: on one hand, the archaic features that Salkhit shares with the Zhoukoudian Locality 1 sample also are shared with other later hominins; on the other hand, Salkhit is different from the Middle Pleistocene materials in the same way later hominins differ from the Middle Pleistocene sample, in having a broader frontal and thinner supraorbital region. This may reflect encephalization and gracilization, a modernization trend found in many places. It is concluded that the archaic features observed in Salkhit are regionally predominant features rather than diagnostic features of an archaic species. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Morphological comparison of archaic Homo sapiens crania from China and Africa.

PubMed

Wu, X; Bräuer, G

1993-12-01

Regional features play a great role in the analysis of the differentiations of Homo erectus and Homo sapiens. However, this poses the question how widespread and variable these features are. In order to examine this with regard to the features commonly seen in China their occurrence and variability were determined in Chinese as well as in African crania of archaic and late Pleistocene/Holocene modern Homo sapiens. Furthermore, some features known from Africa were examined with regard to their occurrence and variability in China. Although the variability might change due to new finds, the present results for some features point to larger morphological spectra in the African than in the Chinese archaic Homo sapiens. It is furthermore remarkable that the early modern Chinese in many features show deviations from the pattern of archaic Homo sapiens of this region and exhibit broader spectra similar to those seen in African archaic and early modern Homo sapiens.

An Assessment of Cultural Resources in Cochiti Reservoir.

DTIC Science & Technology

1975-11-01

cultural Resource Managmnt Central New blexico, Archaic, Anasazi, Hispanic D. Uzmlassified 246 Unrestricte8i4rvd* Wfowrq LrV AN ASSESSMENT OF CULTURAL...discussed belo. B. Approaches The explanatory approach taken in this analysis will focus upon Isolating relationships between human cultural behavior...be used to explain precisely the dynmic relationship which pertains between human behavior and the environment. Such research has, however, resulted

Adaptation of human skin color in various populations.

PubMed

Deng, Lian; Xu, Shuhua

2018-01-01

Skin color is a well-recognized adaptive trait and has been studied extensively in humans. Understanding the genetic basis of adaptation of skin color in various populations has many implications in human evolution and medicine. Impressive progress has been made recently to identify genes associated with skin color variation in a wide range of geographical and temporal populations. In this review, we discuss what is currently known about the genetics of skin color variation. We enumerated several cases of skin color adaptation in global modern humans and archaic hominins, and illustrated why, when, and how skin color adaptation occurred in different populations. Finally, we provided a summary of the candidate loci associated with pigmentation, which could be a valuable reference for further evolutionary and medical studies. Previous studies generally indicated a complex genetic mechanism underlying the skin color variation, expanding our understanding of the role of population demographic history and natural selection in shaping genetic and phenotypic diversity in humans. Future work is needed to dissect the genetic architecture of skin color adaptation in numerous ethnic minority groups around the world, which remains relatively obscure compared with that of major continental groups, and to unravel the exact genetic basis of skin color adaptation.

Causal Cognition, Force Dynamics and Early Hunting Technologies

PubMed Central

Gärdenfors, Peter; Lombard, Marlize

2018-01-01

With this contribution we analyze ancient hunting technologies as one way to explore the development of causal cognition in the hominin lineage. Building on earlier work, we separate seven grades of causal thinking. By looking at variations in force dynamics as a central element in causal cognition, we analyze the thinking required for different hunting technologies such as stabbing spears, throwing spears, launching atlatl darts, shooting arrows with a bow, and the use of poisoned arrows. Our interpretation demonstrates that there is an interplay between the extension of human body through technology and expanding our cognitive abilities to reason about causes. It adds content and dimension to the trend of including embodied cognition in evolutionary studies and in the interpretation of the archeological record. Our method could explain variation in technology sets between archaic and modern human groups. PMID:29483885

Searching for ancient balanced polymorphisms shared between Neanderthals and Modern Humans

PubMed Central

Viscardi, Lucas Henriques; Paixão-Côrtes, Vanessa Rodrigues; Comas, David; Salzano, Francisco Mauro; Rovaris, Diego; Bau, Claiton Dotto; Amorim, Carlos Eduardo G.; Bortolini, Maria Cátira

2018-01-01

Abstract Hominin evolution is characterized by adaptive solutions often rooted in behavioral and cognitive changes. If balancing selection had an important and long-lasting impact on the evolution of these traits, it can be hypothesized that genes associated with them should carry an excess of shared polymorphisms (trans- SNPs) across recent Homo species. In this study, we investigate the role of balancing selection in human evolution using available exomes from modern (Homo sapiens) and archaic humans (H. neanderthalensis and Denisovan) for an excess of trans-SNP in two gene sets: one associated with the immune system (IMMS) and another one with behavioral system (BEHS). We identified a significant excess of trans-SNPs in IMMS (N=547), of which six of these located within genes previously associated with schizophrenia. No excess of trans-SNPs was found in BEHS, but five genes in this system harbor potential signals for balancing selection and are associated with psychiatric or neurodevelopmental disorders. Our approach evidenced recent Homo trans-SNPs that have been previously implicated in psychiatric diseases such as schizophrenia, suggesting that a genetic repertoire common to the immune and behavioral systems could have been maintained by balancing selection starting before the split between archaic and modern humans. PMID:29658973

77 FR 41266 - Extension of Import Restrictions on Archaeological Objects and Ecclesiastical and Ritual...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-13

... figurines; warrior figures; animals such as birds, bulls and pigs; tubular figurines; boat models; and human masks. In the Cypro-Archaic period, terra cotta models illustrate a variety of daily activities.... Illustrated examples include the head of a woman decorated with rosettes and a bearded male with spiral...

The hominin fossil record: taxa, grades and clades

PubMed Central

Wood, Bernard; Lonergan, Nicholas

2008-01-01

This paper begins by reviewing the fossil evidence for human evolution. It presents summaries of each of the taxa recognized in a relatively speciose hominin taxonomy. These taxa are grouped in grades, namely possible and probable hominins, archaic hominins, megadont archaic hominins, transitional hominins, pre-modern Homo and anatomically modern Homo. The second part of this contribution considers some of the controversies that surround hominin taxonomy and systematics. The first is the vexed question of how you tell an early hominin from an early panin, or from taxa belonging to an extinct clade closely related to the Pan-Homo clade. Secondly, we consider how many species should be recognized within the hominin fossil record, and review the philosophies and methods used to identify taxa within the hominin fossil record. Thirdly, we examine how relationships within the hominin clade are investigated, including descriptions of the methods used to break down an integrated structure into tractable analytical units, and then how cladograms are generated and compared. We then review the internal structure of the hominin clade, including the problem of how many subclades should be recognized within the hominin clade, and we examine the reliability of hominin cladistic hypotheses. The last part of the paper reviews the concepts of a genus, including the criteria that should be used for recognizing genera within the hominin clade. PMID:18380861

Fossil human remains from Bolomor Cave (Valencia, Spain).

PubMed

Arsuaga, Juan Luis; Fernández Peris, Josep; Gracia-Téllez, Ana; Quam, Rolf; Carretero, José Miguel; Barciela González, Virginia; Blasco, Ruth; Cuartero, Felipe; Sañudo, Pablo

2012-05-01

Systematic excavations carried out since 1989 at Bolomor Cave have led to the recovery of four Pleistocene human fossil remains, consisting of a fibular fragment, two isolated teeth, and a nearly complete adult parietal bone. All of these specimens date to the late Middle and early Late Pleistocene (MIS 7-5e). The fibular fragment shows thick cortical bone, an archaic feature found in non-modern (i.e. non-Homo sapiens) members of the genus Homo. Among the dental remains, the lack of a midtrigonid crest in the M(1) represents a departure from the morphology reported for the majority of Neandertal specimens, while the large dimensions and pronounced shoveling of the marginal ridges in the C(1) are similar to other European Middle and late Pleistocene fossils. The parietal bone is very thick, with dimensions that generally fall above Neandertal fossils and resemble more closely the Middle Pleistocene Atapuerca (SH) adult specimens. Based on the presence of archaic features, all the fossils from Bolomor are attributed to the Neandertal evolutionary lineage. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Archaic Adaptive Introgression in TBX15/WARS2

PubMed Central

Gokhman, David; Fumagalli, Matteo; Ko, Amy; Hansen, Torben; Moltke, Ida; Albrechtsen, Anders; Carmel, Liran; Huerta-Sánchez, Emilia

2017-01-01

A recent study conducted the first genome-wide scan for selection in Inuit from Greenland using single nucleotide polymorphism chip data. Here, we report that selection in the region with the second most extreme signal of positive selection in Greenlandic Inuit favored a deeply divergent haplotype that is closely related to the sequence in the Denisovan genome, and was likely introgressed from an archaic population. The region contains two genes, WARS2 and TBX15, and has previously been associated with adipose tissue differentiation and body-fat distribution in humans. We show that the adaptively introgressed allele has been under selection in a much larger geographic region than just Greenland. Furthermore, it is associated with changes in expression of WARS2 and TBX15 in multiple tissues including the adrenal gland and subcutaneous adipose tissue, and with regional DNA methylation changes in TBX15. PMID:28007980

[Archaic stereotypies and modern approaches for understanding of ageing].

PubMed

Grigoryeva, I A; Kelasev, V N

2017-01-01

In the article we discussed the processes of awareness of the place of elderly people in modern society, elaboration of adequate relation to global aging and elderly themselves are still going in social sciences. These processes are expressed in a clash of archaic stereotypes and new approaches which changed social and age structure requires. Not only elderly people are providers of archaic stereotypes, but scientific institutions and practices as well. Reorientation of science, media and social policy towards study and realization of «postponed aging» opportunities is needed.

Archeological Data Recovery by Controlled Surface Collection in the Portion of 23SO496 to be Adversely Affected by the Castor River Enlargement Project, Stoddard County, Missouri

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-04-01

Breckenridge and Tom’s Brook shelters). During this long period a large number of different projectile point types were produced (i.e., Rice Lobed...Big Sandy, Graham Cave, Kirk Comer Notched, White River Archaic, Hidden Valley Stemmed, Hardin Barbed, Searcy, Rice Lanceolate, Jakie Stemmed, and...point did not exhibit basal grinding); one was a Middle Archaic point similar to the Rice Lobed; two were Late Archaic Rice Sidenotched; five were

Characterization of soil bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities inhabiting archaeological human-impacted layers at Monte Iato settlement (Sicily, Italy).

PubMed

Siles, José A; Öhlinger, Birgit; Cajthaml, Tomas; Kistler, Erich; Margesin, Rosa

2018-01-30

Microbial communities in human-impacted soils of ancient settlements have been proposed to be used as ecofacts (bioindicators) of different ancient anthropogenic activities. In this study, bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities inhabiting soil of three archaic layers, excavated at the archaeological site on Monte Iato (Sicily, Italy) and believed to have been created in a chronological order in archaic times in the context of periodic cultic feasts, were investigated in terms of (i) abundance (phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis and quantitative PCR)), (ii) carbon(C)-source consumption patterns (Biolog-Ecoplates) and (iii) diversity and community composition (Illumina amplicon sequencing). PLFA analyses demonstrated the existence of living bacteria and fungi in the soil samples of all three layers. The upper layer showed increased levels of organic C, which were not concomitant with an increment in the microbial abundance. In taxonomic terms, the results indicated that bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities were highly diverse, although differences in richness or diversity among the three layers were not detected for any of the communities. However, significantly different microbial C-source utilization patterns and structures of bacterial, archaeal and fungal communities in the three layers confirmed that changing features of soil microbial communities reflect different past human activities.

Quake Final Video

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

Critical infrastructures of the world are at constant risks for earthquakes. Most of these critical structures are designed using archaic, seismic, simulation methods that were built from early digital computers from the 1970s. Idaho National Laboratory’s Seismic Research Group are working to modernize the simulation methods through computational research and large-scale laboratory experiments.

Late archaic settlement systems in the northern Rio Grande

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vierra, Bradley J.

2003-01-01

Last year at these meetings I proposed a possible seasonal transhumance pattern for the Late Archaic in the northern Rio Grande region. This pattern involved the movement of groups from the lowland juniper-savanna grasslands in the early summer, to the upland ponderosa pindmixed conifer forests in the mid to late summer, and then back down to the piiion-juniper woodlands during the fall. The Rio Grande Valley was also used for winter habitation sites. Following on this research, I take the next step by studying the inter-assemblage variability represented in a sample of open-air sites located within each of these vegetationmore » communities. The results indicate that there are significant differences in reduction tactics represented between valley habitation vs., upland campsites, and that these site sites are linked together by obsidian procurement patterns.« less

Ultrasonic hearing and echolocation in the earliest toothed whales.

PubMed

Park, Travis; Fitzgerald, Erich M G; Evans, Alistair R

2016-04-01

The evolution of biosonar (production of high-frequency sound and reception of its echo) was a key innovation of toothed whales and dolphins (Odontoceti) that facilitated phylogenetic diversification and rise to ecological predominance. Yet exactly when high-frequency hearing first evolved in odontocete history remains a fundamental question in cetacean biology. Here, we show that archaic odontocetes had a cochlea specialized for sensing high-frequency sound, as exemplified by an Oligocene xenorophid, one of the earliest diverging stem groups. This specialization is not as extreme as that seen in the crown clade. Paired with anatomical correlates for high-frequency signal production in Xenorophidae, this is strong evidence that the most archaic toothed whales possessed a functional biosonar system, and that this signature adaptation of odontocetes was acquired at or soon after their origin. © 2016 The Author(s).

The Red Queen Model of Recombination Hotspots Evolution in the Light of Archaic and Modern Human Genomes

PubMed Central

Lesecque, Yann; Glémin, Sylvain; Lartillot, Nicolas; Mouchiroud, Dominique; Duret, Laurent

2014-01-01

Recombination is an essential process in eukaryotes, which increases diversity by disrupting genetic linkage between loci and ensures the proper segregation of chromosomes during meiosis. In the human genome, recombination events are clustered in hotspots, whose location is determined by the PRDM9 protein. There is evidence that the location of hotspots evolves rapidly, as a consequence of changes in PRDM9 DNA-binding domain. However, the reasons for these changes and the rate at which they occur are not known. In this study, we investigated the evolution of human hotspot loci and of PRDM9 target motifs, both in modern and archaic human lineages (Denisovan) to quantify the dynamic of hotspot turnover during the recent period of human evolution. We show that present-day human hotspots are young: they have been active only during the last 10% of the time since the divergence from chimpanzee, starting to be operating shortly before the split between Denisovans and modern humans. Surprisingly, however, our analyses indicate that Denisovan recombination hotspots did not overlap with modern human ones, despite sharing similar PRDM9 target motifs. We further show that high-affinity PRDM9 target motifs are subject to a strong self-destructive drive, known as biased gene conversion (BGC), which should lead to the loss of the majority of them in the next 3 MYR. This depletion of PRDM9 genomic targets is expected to decrease fitness, and thereby to favor new PRDM9 alleles binding different motifs. Our refined estimates of the age and life expectancy of human hotspots provide empirical evidence in support of the Red Queen hypothesis of recombination hotspots evolution. PMID:25393762

The red queen model of recombination hotspots evolution in the light of archaic and modern human genomes.

PubMed

Lesecque, Yann; Glémin, Sylvain; Lartillot, Nicolas; Mouchiroud, Dominique; Duret, Laurent

2014-11-01

Recombination is an essential process in eukaryotes, which increases diversity by disrupting genetic linkage between loci and ensures the proper segregation of chromosomes during meiosis. In the human genome, recombination events are clustered in hotspots, whose location is determined by the PRDM9 protein. There is evidence that the location of hotspots evolves rapidly, as a consequence of changes in PRDM9 DNA-binding domain. However, the reasons for these changes and the rate at which they occur are not known. In this study, we investigated the evolution of human hotspot loci and of PRDM9 target motifs, both in modern and archaic human lineages (Denisovan) to quantify the dynamic of hotspot turnover during the recent period of human evolution. We show that present-day human hotspots are young: they have been active only during the last 10% of the time since the divergence from chimpanzee, starting to be operating shortly before the split between Denisovans and modern humans. Surprisingly, however, our analyses indicate that Denisovan recombination hotspots did not overlap with modern human ones, despite sharing similar PRDM9 target motifs. We further show that high-affinity PRDM9 target motifs are subject to a strong self-destructive drive, known as biased gene conversion (BGC), which should lead to the loss of the majority of them in the next 3 MYR. This depletion of PRDM9 genomic targets is expected to decrease fitness, and thereby to favor new PRDM9 alleles binding different motifs. Our refined estimates of the age and life expectancy of human hotspots provide empirical evidence in support of the Red Queen hypothesis of recombination hotspots evolution.

Homo floresiensis Contextualized: A Geometric Morphometric Comparative Analysis of Fossil and Pathological Human Samples

PubMed Central

Baab, Karen L.; McNulty, Kieran P.; Harvati, Katerina

2013-01-01

The origin of hominins found on the remote Indonesian island of Flores remains highly contentious. These specimens may represent a new hominin species, Homo floresiensis, descended from a local population of Homo erectus or from an earlier (pre-H. erectus) migration of a small-bodied and small-brained hominin out of Africa. Alternatively, some workers suggest that some or all of the specimens recovered from Liang Bua are pathological members of a small-bodied modern human population. Pathological conditions proposed to explain their documented anatomical features include microcephaly, myxoedematous endemic hypothyroidism (“cretinism”) and Laron syndrome (primary growth hormone insensitivity). This study evaluates evolutionary and pathological hypotheses through comparative analysis of cranial morphology. Geometric morphometric analyses of landmark data show that the sole Flores cranium (LB1) is clearly distinct from healthy modern humans and from those exhibiting hypothyroidism and Laron syndrome. Modern human microcephalic specimens converge, to some extent, on crania of extinct species of Homo. However in the features that distinguish these two groups, LB1 consistently groups with fossil hominins and is most similar to H. erectus. Our study provides further support for recognizing the Flores hominins as a distinct species, H. floresiensis, whose affinities lie with archaic Homo. PMID:23874886

Discerning the Origins of the Negritos, First Sundaland People: Deep Divergence and Archaic Admixture

PubMed Central

Jinam, Timothy A.; Phipps, Maude E.; Aghakhanian, Farhang; Majumder, Partha P.; Datar, Francisco; Stoneking, Mark; Sawai, Hiromi; Nishida, Nao; Tokunaga, Katsushi; Kawamura, Shoji; Omoto, Keiichi

2017-01-01

Abstract Human presence in Southeast Asia dates back to at least 40,000 years ago, when the current islands formed a continental shelf called Sundaland. In the Philippine Islands, Peninsular Malaysia, and Andaman Islands, there exist indigenous groups collectively called Negritos whose ancestry can be traced to the “First Sundaland People.” To understand the relationship between these Negrito groups and their demographic histories, we generated genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data in the Philippine Negritos and compared them with existing data from other populations. Phylogenetic tree analyses show that Negritos are basal to other East and Southeast Asians, and that they diverged from West Eurasians at least 38,000 years ago. We also found relatively high traces of Denisovan admixture in the Philippine Negritos, but not in the Malaysian and Andamanese groups, suggesting independent introgression and/or parallel losses involving Denisovan introgressed regions. Shared genetic loci between all three Negrito groups could be related to skin pigmentation, height, facial morphology and malarial resistance. These results show the unique status of Negrito groups as descended from the First Sundaland People. PMID:28854687

The Mitonuclear Dimension of Neanderthal and Denisovan Ancestry in Modern Human Genomes

PubMed Central

Sharbrough, Joel; Havird, Justin C.; Noe, Gregory R.; Warren, Jessica M.

2017-01-01

Abstract Some human populations interbred with Neanderthals and Denisovans, resulting in substantial contributions to modern-human genomes. Therefore, it is now possible to use genomic data to investigate mechanisms that shaped historical gene flow between humans and our closest hominin relatives. More generally, in eukaryotes, mitonuclear interactions have been argued to play a disproportionate role in generating reproductive isolation. There is no evidence of mtDNA introgression into modern human populations, which means that all introgressed nuclear alleles from archaic hominins must function on a modern-human mitochondrial background. Therefore, mitonuclear interactions are also potentially relevant to hominin evolution. We performed a detailed accounting of mtDNA divergence among hominin lineages and used population-genomic data to test the hypothesis that mitonuclear incompatibilities have preferentially restricted the introgression of nuclear genes with mitochondrial functions. We found a small but significant underrepresentation of introgressed Neanderthal alleles at such nuclear loci. Structural analyses of mitochondrial enzyme complexes revealed that these effects are unlikely to be mediated by physically interacting sites in mitochondrial and nuclear gene products. We did not detect any underrepresentation of introgressed Denisovan alleles at mitochondrial-targeted loci, but this may reflect reduced power because locus-specific estimates of Denisovan introgression are more conservative. Overall, we conclude that genes involved in mitochondrial function may have been subject to distinct selection pressures during the history of introgression from archaic hominins but that mitonuclear incompatibilities have had, at most, a small role in shaping genome-wide introgression patterns, perhaps because of limited functional divergence in mtDNA and interacting nuclear genes. PMID:28854627

Continuity of Microblade Technology in the Indian Subcontinent Since 45 ka: Implications for the Dispersal of Modern Humans

PubMed Central

Mishra, Sheila; Chauhan, Naveen; Singhvi, Ashok K.

2013-01-01

We extend the continuity of microblade technology in the Indian Subcontinent to 45 ka, on the basis of optical dating of microblade assemblages from the site of Mehtakheri, (22° 13' 44″ N Lat 76° 01' 36″ E Long) in Madhya Pradesh, India. Microblade technology in the Indian Subcontinent is continuously present from its first appearance until the Iron Age (~3 ka), making its association with modern humans undisputed. It has been suggested that microblade technology in the Indian Subcontinent was developed locally by modern humans after 35 ka. The dates reported here from Mehtakheri show this inference to be untenable and suggest alternatively that this technology arrived in the Indian Subcontinent with the earliest modern humans. It also shows that modern humans in Indian Subcontinent and SE Asia were associated with differing technologies and this calls into question the “southern dispersal” route of modern humans from Africa through India to SE Asia and then to Australia. We suggest that modern humans dispersed from Africa in two stages coinciding with the warmer interglacial conditions of MIS 5 and MIS 3. Competitive interactions between African modern humans and Indian archaics who shared an adaptation to tropical environments differed from that between modern humans and archaics like Neanderthals and Denisovans, who were adapted to temperate environments. Thus, while modern humans expanded into temperate regions during warmer climates, their expansion into tropical regions, like the Indian Subcontinent, in competition with similarly adapted populations, occurred during arid climates. Thus modern humans probably entered the Indian Subcontinent during the arid climate of MIS 4 coinciding with their disappearance from the Middle East and Northern Africa. The out of phase expansion of modern humans into tropical versus temperate regions has been one of the factors affecting the dispersal of modern humans from Africa during the period 200–40 ka. PMID:23840912

Insights into Modern Human Prehistory Using Ancient Genomes.

PubMed

Yang, Melinda A; Fu, Qiaomei

2018-03-01

The genetic relationship of past modern humans to today's populations and each other was largely unknown until recently, when advances in ancient DNA sequencing allowed for unprecedented analysis of the genomes of these early people. These ancient genomes reveal new insights into human prehistory not always observed studying present-day populations, including greater details on the genetic diversity, population structure, and gene flow that characterized past human populations, particularly in early Eurasia, as well as increased insight on the relationship between archaic and modern humans. Here, we review genetic studies on ∼45000- to 7500-year-old individuals associated with mainly preagricultural cultures found in Eurasia, the Americas, and Africa. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Constructing Worlds: Cosmovisions as Integral Parts of Human Ecosystems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rappenglück, M. A.

2009-08-01

Archaeological and ethnological records worldwide give evidence that cosmovisions played an important role in the life of man since Paleolithic epochs. Parallel to the reduction of instincts man developed cultural systems to establish and maintain order and rhythm in his personal and social life and to organize the world into a meaningful system. Cosmovisions helped man to integrate and orientate himself within changing human ecosystems. These concepts were also useful to answer fundamental human questions about the whys and wherefores of man and the world. Some of the main features of archaic cosmovisions in different cultures across the world and throughout the epochs are discussed with focus on human ecosystems and the human mind.

Early history of Neanderthals and Denisovans

PubMed Central

Bohlender, Ryan J.; Huff, Chad D.

2017-01-01

Extensive DNA sequence data have made it possible to reconstruct human evolutionary history in unprecedented detail. We introduce a method to study the past several hundred thousand years. Our results show that (i) the Neanderthal–Denisovan lineage declined to a small size just after separating from the modern lineage, (ii) Neanderthals and Denisovans separated soon thereafter, and (iii) the subsequent Neanderthal population was large and deeply subdivided. They also (iv) support previous estimates of gene flow from Neanderthals into modern Eurasians. These results suggest an archaic human diaspora early in the Middle Pleistocene. PMID:28784789

New fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco and the pan-African origin of Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Ben-Ncer, Abdelouahed; Bailey, Shara E; Freidline, Sarah E; Neubauer, Simon; Skinner, Matthew M; Bergmann, Inga; Le Cabec, Adeline; Benazzi, Stefano; Harvati, Katerina; Gunz, Philipp

2017-06-07

Fossil evidence points to an African origin of Homo sapiens from a group called either H. heidelbergensis or H. rhodesiensis. However, the exact place and time of emergence of H. sapiens remain obscure because the fossil record is scarce and the chronological age of many key specimens remains uncertain. In particular, it is unclear whether the present day 'modern' morphology rapidly emerged approximately 200 thousand years ago (ka) among earlier representatives of H. sapiens or evolved gradually over the last 400 thousand years. Here we report newly discovered human fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco, and interpret the affinities of the hominins from this site with other archaic and recent human groups. We identified a mosaic of features including facial, mandibular and dental morphology that aligns the Jebel Irhoud material with early or recent anatomically modern humans and more primitive neurocranial and endocranial morphology. In combination with an age of 315 ± 34 thousand years (as determined by thermoluminescence dating), this evidence makes Jebel Irhoud the oldest and richest African Middle Stone Age hominin site that documents early stages of the H. sapiens clade in which key features of modern morphology were established. Furthermore, it shows that the evolutionary processes behind the emergence of H. sapiens involved the whole African continent.

Cultural Resources of the Ohio River Valley in Indiana,

DTIC Science & Technology

1977-07-01

Middle Mississippian vessel shapes "Angel Phase" Angel effigy bowls, incised plates, and negative painted decoration (Kellar 1967) "Caborn-Welhorn Phase... Plano 7 Multiple EA Early Archaic 1 Indeterminate or other 3 Palmer-Kirk 4 Thebes 5 HacCorckle-SL. Albanq 6 Kanawha-LeCroy 7 Multiple !1A Middle Archaic

‘Islamic fatalism’: life and suffering among Bangladeshi psychiatric patients and their families in London – an interview study 2

PubMed Central

Littlewood, Roland; Dein, Simon

2013-01-01

An interview study of 44 Bangladeshi patients and relatives in eastern London demonstrated frequent appeals to God and deprecation of personal agency. This paper offers an interpretation of this apparent ‘fatalism’, which argues for the logical downplaying of human agency and ambition in archaic Arabia, contemporary rural Sylhet and among first generation Sylheti migrants in London. PMID:24670160

Cultural Resources Investigations in the Terrebonne Marsh, South-Central Louisiana

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-10-01

Bayou Jasmine Rabbit slaand 1500 B.C. Late Archaic Pearl River Copoll Bayou Blue 0 U .C 3000 B.C. Idnt h. 4 . Monte Banone Archaic...indication of the strong Baytown periodi flavor of the collection comes from one of the Bavtown Plain rims. It is highly eroded. hut may have an incised line

Human Lice in Paleoentomology and Paleomicrobiology.

PubMed

Drali, Rezak; Mumcuoglu, Kosta; Raoult, Didier

2016-08-01

Lice are a classic example of cospeciation. Human lice confirm this cospeciation with lice specialized in hominids which differ from those of gorillas and chimpanzees. Head lice and body lice seem to belong to closely related species with different ecotypes and a different geographical distribution which may reflect population movements. Paleo-entomology allows us in some cases to trace the migrations of archaic human populations. The analysis of lice found on mummies in Egypt and South America has clarified a certain number of these migrations, also the study of lice and the diseases they transmit has shed a new light on the epidemics of the past.

Discerning the Origins of the Negritos, First Sundaland People: Deep Divergence and Archaic Admixture.

PubMed

Jinam, Timothy A; Phipps, Maude E; Aghakhanian, Farhang; Majumder, Partha P; Datar, Francisco; Stoneking, Mark; Sawai, Hiromi; Nishida, Nao; Tokunaga, Katsushi; Kawamura, Shoji; Omoto, Keiichi; Saitou, Naruya

2017-08-01

Human presence in Southeast Asia dates back to at least 40,000 years ago, when the current islands formed a continental shelf called Sundaland. In the Philippine Islands, Peninsular Malaysia, and Andaman Islands, there exist indigenous groups collectively called Negritos whose ancestry can be traced to the "First Sundaland People." To understand the relationship between these Negrito groups and their demographic histories, we generated genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism data in the Philippine Negritos and compared them with existing data from other populations. Phylogenetic tree analyses show that Negritos are basal to other East and Southeast Asians, and that they diverged from West Eurasians at least 38,000 years ago. We also found relatively high traces of Denisovan admixture in the Philippine Negritos, but not in the Malaysian and Andamanese groups, suggesting independent introgression and/or parallel losses involving Denisovan introgressed regions. Shared genetic loci between all three Negrito groups could be related to skin pigmentation, height, facial morphology and malarial resistance. These results show the unique status of Negrito groups as descended from the First Sundaland People. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Excavations at Schöningen and paradigm shifts in human evolution.

PubMed

Conard, Nicholas J; Serangeli, Jordi; Böhner, Utz; Starkovich, Britt M; Miller, Christopher E; Urban, Brigitte; Van Kolfschoten, Thijs

2015-12-01

The exceptional preservation at Schöningen together with a mixture of perseverance, hard work, and sheer luck led to the recovery of unique finds in an exceptional context. The 1995 discovery of numerous wooden artifacts, most notably at least 10 carefully made spears together with the skeletons of at least 20 to 25 butchered horses, brought the debate about hunting versus scavenging among late archaic hominins and analogous arguments about the purportedly primitive behavior of Homo heidelbergensis and Neanderthals to an end. Work under H. Thieme's lead from 1992 to 2008 and results from the current team since 2008 demonstrate that late H. heidelbergensis or early Neanderthals used sophisticated artifacts made from floral and faunal materials, in addition to lithic artifacts more typically recovered at Lower Paleolithic sites. The finds from the famous Horse Butchery Site and two dozen other archaeological horizons from the edges of the open-cast mine at Schöningen provide many new insights into the technology and behavioral patterns of hominins about 300 ka BP during MIS 9 on the Northern European Plain. An analysis of the finds from Schöningen and their contexts shows that the inhabitants of the site were skilled hunters at the top of the food chain and exhibited a high level of planning depth. These hominins had command of effective means of communication about the here and now, and the past and the future, that allowed them to repeatedly execute well-coordinated and successful group activities that likely culminated in a division of labor and social and economic patterns radically different from those of all non-human primates. The unique preservation and high quality excavations have led to a major paradigm shift or "Schöningen Effect" that changed our views of human evolution during the late Lower Paleolithic. In this respect, we can view the behaviors documented at Schöningen as a plausible baseline for the behavioral sophistication of archaic hominins of the late Middle Pleistocene and subsequent periods. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Archeological Survey Along Sals Creek Ditch

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-18

different projectile point types were produced (i.e., Rice Lobed, Big Sandy, Graham Cave, Kirk Corner Notched, White River Archaic, Hidden Valley Stemmed...Hardin Barbed, Searcy, Rice Lanceolate, Jakie Stemmed, and Johnson). Five Early Archaic points were recovered at 23SO496. No controlled excavations have...Archeological Survey, Fayetteville. Edrington, Mabel 1962 History of Mississippi County, Arkansas. Ocala Star Banner, Ocala, Florida. Elvas, Gentleman of

Cultural Resources Investigations at Redstone Arsenal, Madison County, Alabama. Volume I.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-01-01

Parmalee and Klippel’s (1974) nutritional I study of freshwater shellfish further confirmed this point of view by demonstrating first that shellfish were...by no means a complete food from the standpoint of human nutrition , and second that they were 1 markedly lower in protein than other locally available...cultural complexity of the Late Archaic shellmound peoples as simply the by-product of the nutritional rich- ness of the shellfish. Instead, the

Archeological Testing at Four Sites on the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, Las Animas County, Colorado

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the natural and cultural environments of the maneuver area, so that human adaptations , both prehistoric and...early Middle Prehistoric 2.8 Period created the need for Archaic-stage adaptations , it is less applicable elsewhere in the northern Plains, where a...and Zier (1988) is based on four traditional research approaches. The first is the question of evolution versus adaptation , as defined by Michlovic

Phase I Historic Resources Survey Lowndes Wildlife Management Area Lowndes County, Alabama.

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-01-01

years ago. Terrace E has the same general longitudinal profile and gradient as the modem river channel and has an approximate elevation range of between...to new. Shifts in dominant forest species occurred and large mammals ( megafauna ) such as the mammoth and archaic bison began moderate population...the human population was small during this time, it is likely that their hunting of the large animals ( megafauna ) hastened their extinction. From 3,000

The projection of a test genome onto a reference population and applications to humans and archaic hominins.

PubMed

Yang, Melinda A; Harris, Kelley; Slatkin, Montgomery

2014-12-01

We introduce a method for comparing a test genome with numerous genomes from a reference population. Sites in the test genome are given a weight, w, that depends on the allele frequency, x, in the reference population. The projection of the test genome onto the reference population is the average weight for each x, [Formula: see text]. The weight is assigned in such a way that, if the test genome is a random sample from the reference population, then [Formula: see text]. Using analytic theory, numerical analysis, and simulations, we show how the projection depends on the time of population splitting, the history of admixture, and changes in past population size. The projection is sensitive to small amounts of past admixture, the direction of admixture, and admixture from a population not sampled (a ghost population). We compute the projections of several human and two archaic genomes onto three reference populations from the 1000 Genomes project-Europeans, Han Chinese, and Yoruba-and discuss the consistency of our analysis with previously published results for European and Yoruba demographic history. Including higher amounts of admixture between Europeans and Yoruba soon after their separation and low amounts of admixture more recently can resolve discrepancies between the projections and demographic inferences from some previous studies. Copyright © 2014 by the Genetics Society of America.

Body size, body proportions, and encephalization in a Middle Pleistocene archaic human from northern China.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Karen R; Zuné, Lü; Ruff, Christopher B

2006-03-07

The unusual discovery of associated cranial and postcranial elements from a single Middle Pleistocene fossil human allows us to calculate body proportions and relative cranial capacity (encephalization quotient) for that individual rather than rely on estimates based on sample means from unassociated specimens. The individual analyzed here (Jinniushan) from northeastern China at 260,000 years ago is the largest female specimen yet known in the human fossil record and has body proportions (body height relative to body breadth and relative limb length) typical of cold-adapted populations elsewhere in the world. Her encephalization quotient of 4.15 is similar to estimates for late Middle Pleistocene humans that are based on mean body size and mean brain size from unassociated specimens.

The evolution of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis miRNA targeting genes in the prenatal and postnatal brain.

PubMed

Gunbin, Konstantin V; Afonnikov, Dmitry A; Kolchanov, Nikolay A; Derevianko, Anatoly P; Rogaev, Eugeny I

2015-01-01

As the evolution of miRNA genes has been found to be one of the important factors in formation of the modern type of man, we performed a comparative analysis of the evolution of miRNA genes in two archaic hominines, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens denisova, and elucidated the expression of their target mRNAs in bain. A comparative analysis of the genomes of primates, including species in the genus Homo, identified a group of miRNA genes having fixed substitutions with important implications for the evolution of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens denisova. The mRNAs targeted by miRNAs with mutations specific for Homo sapiens denisova exhibited enhanced expression during postnatal brain development in modern humans. By contrast, the expression of mRNAs targeted by miRNAs bearing variations specific for Homo sapiens neanderthalensis was shown to be enhanced in prenatal brain development. Our results highlight the importance of changes in miRNA gene sequences in the course of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis evolution. The genetic alterations of miRNAs regulating the spatiotemporal expression of multiple genes in the prenatal and postnatal brain may contribute to the progressive evolution of brain function, which is consistent with the observations of fine technical and typological properties of tools and decorative items reported from archaeological Denisovan sites. The data also suggest that differential spatial-temporal regulation of gene products promoted by the subspecies-specific mutations in the miRNA genes might have occurred in the brains of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, potentially contributing to the cultural differences between these two archaic hominines.

The evolution of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis miRNA targeting genes in the prenatal and postnatal brain

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Background As the evolution of miRNA genes has been found to be one of the important factors in formation of the modern type of man, we performed a comparative analysis of the evolution of miRNA genes in two archaic hominines, Homo sapiens neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens denisova, and elucidated the expression of their target mRNAs in bain. Results A comparative analysis of the genomes of primates, including species in the genus Homo, identified a group of miRNA genes having fixed substitutions with important implications for the evolution of Homo sapiens neanderthalensis and Homo sapiens denisova. The mRNAs targeted by miRNAs with mutations specific for Homo sapiens denisova exhibited enhanced expression during postnatal brain development in modern humans. By contrast, the expression of mRNAs targeted by miRNAs bearing variations specific for Homo sapiens neanderthalensis was shown to be enhanced in prenatal brain development. Conclusions Our results highlight the importance of changes in miRNA gene sequences in the course of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis evolution. The genetic alterations of miRNAs regulating the spatiotemporal expression of multiple genes in the prenatal and postnatal brain may contribute to the progressive evolution of brain function, which is consistent with the observations of fine technical and typological properties of tools and decorative items reported from archaeological Denisovan sites. The data also suggest that differential spatial-temporal regulation of gene products promoted by the subspecies-specific mutations in the miRNA genes might have occurred in the brains of Homo sapiens denisova and Homo sapiens neanderthalensis, potentially contributing to the cultural differences between these two archaic hominines. PMID:26693966

Native American lithic procurement along the international border in the boot heel region of southwestern New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeigler, K. E.; Hogan, P.; Hughes, C.; Kurota, A.

2011-06-01

Multidisciplinary field projects can be very useful to a more fundamental understanding of the world around us, though these projects are not as common as they should be. In particular, the combination of archeology and geology combines our understanding of human behavior and human use of the landscape with an intimate knowledge of geologic processes and the materials available for human use in order to gain a broader understanding of human-Earth interaction. Here we present data from a cross-disciplinary project that uses a common dataset, archeological artifacts, to explore the anthropological and geologic implications of useage patterns. Archeological excavations and surveys conducted by the Office of Contract Archeology in 2007 along the route of the proposed international border fence reveal patterns of use of geologic materials by Archaic, Formative and Protohistoric Native Americans in the Boot Heel of southwestern New Mexico. Thousands of artifacts were recorded in multiple sites from Guadalupe Pass in the southern Peloncillo Mountains to the Carrizalillo Hills west of Columbus. We identified the lithologies of artifacts, ranging from projectile points to groundstones, and then constructed material movement maps based on either known procurement sites ("quarries") or outcrops identified as the closest source to a given site for each lithology. Not unexpectedly, the majority of the rock types utilized by native peoples are local siliceous volcanic materials. However, several artifacts constructed from obsidian were transported into the region from northern Mexico and eastern Arizona, indicating long-distance travel and/or trade routes. We also examine useage pattern difference between Archaic, Formative and Protohistoric sites. Additionally, a dramatic change in distribution of sources for geologic materials occurs between one pre-Spanish site and one post-Spanish site that are adjacent to one another.

Native American lithic procurement along the international border in the boot heel region of southwestern New Mexico

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeigler, K. E.; Hughes, C.; Kurota, A.; Hogan, P.

2010-12-01

Multidisciplinary field projects can be very useful to a more fundamental understanding of the world around us, though these projects are not as common as they should be. In particular, the combination of archeology and geology combines our understanding of human behavior and human use of the landscape with an intimate knowledge of geologic processes and the materials available for human use in order to gain a broader understanding of human-Earth interaction. Here we present data from a cross-disciplinary project that uses a common dataset, archeological artifacts, to explore the anthropological and geologic implications of useage patterns. Archeological excavations and surveys conducted by the Office of Contract Archeology in 2007 along the route of the proposed international border fence reveal patterns of use of geologic materials by Archaic, Formative and Protohistoric Native Americans in the Boot Heel of southwestern New Mexico. Thousands of artifacts were recorded in multiple sites from Guadalupe Pass in the southern Peloncillo Mountains to the Carrizalillo Hills west of Columbus. We identified the lithologies of artifacts, ranging from projectile points to groundstones, and then constructed material movement maps based on either known procurement sites ("quarries") or outcrops identified as the closest source to a given site for each lithology. Not unexpectedly, the majority of the rock types utilized by native peoples are local siliceous volcanic materials. However, several artifacts constructed from obsidian were transported into the region from northern Mexico and eastern Arizona, indicating long-distance travel and/or trade routes. We also examine useage pattern difference between Archaic, Formative and Protohistoric sites. Additionally, a dramatic change in distribution of sources for geologic materials occurs between one pre-Spanish site and one post-Spanish site that are adjacent to one another.

JPRS Report, Soviet Union, International Affairs.

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-19

capitalism and building socialism in countries with an undeveloped economy and an archaic social structure and the conviction that it was necessary and...in countries with undeveloped econ- omies and archaic social structures and the conviction of the necessity and possibility of accelerating the...Drambyants; AZIYA I AFRIKA SEGODNYA, No 10, Oct 87] 12 Study of Russian in African Countries Described [V. Shaklein; AZIYA 1 AFRIKA SEGODNYA, No 10, Oct 87

Higher Levels of Neanderthal Ancestry in East Asians than in Europeans

PubMed Central

Wall, Jeffrey D.; Yang, Melinda A.; Jay, Flora; Kim, Sung K.; Durand, Eric Y.; Stevison, Laurie S.; Gignoux, Christopher; Woerner, August; Hammer, Michael F.; Slatkin, Montgomery

2013-01-01

Neanderthals were a group of archaic hominins that occupied most of Europe and parts of Western Asia from ∼30,000 to 300,000 years ago (KYA). They coexisted with modern humans during part of this time. Previous genetic analyses that compared a draft sequence of the Neanderthal genome with genomes of several modern humans concluded that Neanderthals made a small (1–4%) contribution to the gene pools of all non-African populations. This observation was consistent with a single episode of admixture from Neanderthals into the ancestors of all non-Africans when the two groups coexisted in the Middle East 50–80 KYA. We examined the relationship between Neanderthals and modern humans in greater detail by applying two complementary methods to the published draft Neanderthal genome and an expanded set of high-coverage modern human genome sequences. We find that, consistent with the recent finding of Meyer et al. (2012), Neanderthals contributed more DNA to modern East Asians than to modern Europeans. Furthermore we find that the Maasai of East Africa have a small but significant fraction of Neanderthal DNA. Because our analysis is of several genomic samples from each modern human population considered, we are able to document the extent of variation in Neanderthal ancestry within and among populations. Our results combined with those previously published show that a more complex model of admixture between Neanderthals and modern humans is necessary to account for the different levels of Neanderthal ancestry among human populations. In particular, at least some Neanderthal–modern human admixture must postdate the separation of the ancestors of modern European and modern East Asian populations. PMID:23410836

The endocranial anatomy of maba 1.

PubMed

Wu, Xiu-Jie; Bruner, Emiliano

2016-08-01

Maba 1, a partial cranium from Guandong Province (China) tentatively dated between 300 and 130 ka, has been suggested to display a mosaic of archaic and derived features, including facial affinities with Neandertals. This study aims to evaluate whether Maba 1 shows a derived endocranial phenotype, or if it displays a plesiomorphic braincase morphology. We analyzed a set of metric variables on fossil and modern human endocasts using bivariate correlation, principal component analysis, and cluster analyses, to evaluate the morphological affinities of the Maba 1 endocast. The cranial capacity, estimated at around 1300 cc, and the endocranial proportions of Maba 1 are within the ranges of modern humans, Neandertals and Homo heidelbergensis. However, the frontal lobes are narrow and the parietal areas are short and flattened, as in H. heidelbergensis and H. erectus. Nonetheless, the position of the frontal lobes relative to the orbits, the morphology of the frontal sinus and the curve of the frontal squama are more derived, being similar to Neandertals and modern humans. The endocast displays a general archaic morphology, although with some derived features associated with the spatial relationships with the face. A similar admixture was described for other Middle Pleistocene samples, like Sima de los Huesos. Future phylogenetic studies must re-evaluate the facial skeleton to consider whether its features can be considered as related to the Neandertal lineage. Alternatively, they should be interpreted as the result of homoplasy and parallelism within the genus Homo, and may reflect a predominantly Asian variation. Am J Phys Anthropol 160:633-643, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Genomic analyses inform on migration events during the peopling of Eurasia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pagani, Luca; Lawson, Daniel John; Jagoda, Evelyn; Mörseburg, Alexander; Eriksson, Anders; Mitt, Mario; Clemente, Florian; Hudjashov, Georgi; Degiorgio, Michael; Saag, Lauri; Wall, Jeffrey D.; Cardona, Alexia; Mägi, Reedik; Sayres, Melissa A. Wilson; Kaewert, Sarah; Inchley, Charlotte; Scheib, Christiana L.; Järve, Mari; Karmin, Monika; Jacobs, Guy S.; Antao, Tiago; Iliescu, Florin Mircea; Kushniarevich, Alena; Ayub, Qasim; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Xue, Yali; Yunusbayev, Bayazit; Tambets, Kristiina; Mallick, Chandana Basu; Saag, Lehti; Pocheshkhova, Elvira; Andriadze, George; Muller, Craig; Westaway, Michael C.; Lambert, David M.; Zoraqi, Grigor; Turdikulova, Shahlo; Dalimova, Dilbar; Sabitov, Zhaxylyk; Sultana, Gazi Nurun Nahar; Lachance, Joseph; Tishkoff, Sarah; Momynaliev, Kuvat; Isakova, Jainagul; Damba, Larisa D.; Gubina, Marina; Nymadawa, Pagbajabyn; Evseeva, Irina; Atramentova, Lubov; Utevska, Olga; Ricaut, François-Xavier; Brucato, Nicolas; Sudoyo, Herawati; Letellier, Thierry; Cox, Murray P.; Barashkov, Nikolay A.; Škaro, Vedrana; Mulaha´, Lejla; Primorac, Dragan; Sahakyan, Hovhannes; Mormina, Maru; Eichstaedt, Christina A.; Lichman, Daria V.; Abdullah, Syafiq; Chaubey, Gyaneshwer; Wee, Joseph T. S.; Mihailov, Evelin; Karunas, Alexandra; Litvinov, Sergei; Khusainova, Rita; Ekomasova, Natalya; Akhmetova, Vita; Khidiyatova, Irina; Marjanović, Damir; Yepiskoposyan, Levon; Behar, Doron M.; Balanovska, Elena; Metspalu, Andres; Derenko, Miroslava; Malyarchuk, Boris; Voevoda, Mikhail; Fedorova, Sardana A.; Osipova, Ludmila P.; Lahr, Marta Mirazón; Gerbault, Pascale; Leavesley, Matthew; Migliano, Andrea Bamberg; Petraglia, Michael; Balanovsky, Oleg; Khusnutdinova, Elza K.; Metspalu, Ene; Thomas, Mark G.; Manica, Andrea; Nielsen, Rasmus; Villems, Richard; Willerslev, Eske; Kivisild, Toomas; Metspalu, Mait

2016-10-01

High-coverage whole-genome sequence studies have so far focused on a limited number of geographically restricted populations, or been targeted at specific diseases, such as cancer. Nevertheless, the availability of high-resolution genomic data has led to the development of new methodologies for inferring population history and refuelled the debate on the mutation rate in humans. Here we present the Estonian Biocentre Human Genome Diversity Panel (EGDP), a dataset of 483 high-coverage human genomes from 148 populations worldwide, including 379 new genomes from 125 populations, which we group into diversity and selection sets. We analyse this dataset to refine estimates of continent-wide patterns of heterozygosity, long- and short-distance gene flow, archaic admixture, and changes in effective population size through time as well as for signals of positive or balancing selection. We find a genetic signature in present-day Papuans that suggests that at least 2% of their genome originates from an early and largely extinct expansion of anatomically modern humans (AMHs) out of Africa. Together with evidence from the western Asian fossil record, and admixture between AMHs and Neanderthals predating the main Eurasian expansion, our results contribute to the mounting evidence for the presence of AMHs out of Africa earlier than 75,000 years ago.

Genomic analyses inform on migration events during the peopling of Eurasia.

PubMed

Pagani, Luca; Lawson, Daniel John; Jagoda, Evelyn; Mörseburg, Alexander; Eriksson, Anders; Mitt, Mario; Clemente, Florian; Hudjashov, Georgi; DeGiorgio, Michael; Saag, Lauri; Wall, Jeffrey D; Cardona, Alexia; Mägi, Reedik; Wilson Sayres, Melissa A; Kaewert, Sarah; Inchley, Charlotte; Scheib, Christiana L; Järve, Mari; Karmin, Monika; Jacobs, Guy S; Antao, Tiago; Iliescu, Florin Mircea; Kushniarevich, Alena; Ayub, Qasim; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Xue, Yali; Yunusbayev, Bayazit; Tambets, Kristiina; Mallick, Chandana Basu; Saag, Lehti; Pocheshkhova, Elvira; Andriadze, George; Muller, Craig; Westaway, Michael C; Lambert, David M; Zoraqi, Grigor; Turdikulova, Shahlo; Dalimova, Dilbar; Sabitov, Zhaxylyk; Sultana, Gazi Nurun Nahar; Lachance, Joseph; Tishkoff, Sarah; Momynaliev, Kuvat; Isakova, Jainagul; Damba, Larisa D; Gubina, Marina; Nymadawa, Pagbajabyn; Evseeva, Irina; Atramentova, Lubov; Utevska, Olga; Ricaut, François-Xavier; Brucato, Nicolas; Sudoyo, Herawati; Letellier, Thierry; Cox, Murray P; Barashkov, Nikolay A; Skaro, Vedrana; Mulahasanovic, Lejla; Primorac, Dragan; Sahakyan, Hovhannes; Mormina, Maru; Eichstaedt, Christina A; Lichman, Daria V; Abdullah, Syafiq; Chaubey, Gyaneshwer; Wee, Joseph T S; Mihailov, Evelin; Karunas, Alexandra; Litvinov, Sergei; Khusainova, Rita; Ekomasova, Natalya; Akhmetova, Vita; Khidiyatova, Irina; Marjanović, Damir; Yepiskoposyan, Levon; Behar, Doron M; Balanovska, Elena; Metspalu, Andres; Derenko, Miroslava; Malyarchuk, Boris; Voevoda, Mikhail; Fedorova, Sardana A; Osipova, Ludmila P; Lahr, Marta Mirazón; Gerbault, Pascale; Leavesley, Matthew; Migliano, Andrea Bamberg; Petraglia, Michael; Balanovsky, Oleg; Khusnutdinova, Elza K; Metspalu, Ene; Thomas, Mark G; Manica, Andrea; Nielsen, Rasmus; Villems, Richard; Willerslev, Eske; Kivisild, Toomas; Metspalu, Mait

2016-10-13

High-coverage whole-genome sequence studies have so far focused on a limited number of geographically restricted populations, or been targeted at specific diseases, such as cancer. Nevertheless, the availability of high-resolution genomic data has led to the development of new methodologies for inferring population history and refuelled the debate on the mutation rate in humans. Here we present the Estonian Biocentre Human Genome Diversity Panel (EGDP), a dataset of 483 high-coverage human genomes from 148 populations worldwide, including 379 new genomes from 125 populations, which we group into diversity and selection sets. We analyse this dataset to refine estimates of continent-wide patterns of heterozygosity, long- and short-distance gene flow, archaic admixture, and changes in effective population size through time as well as for signals of positive or balancing selection. We find a genetic signature in present-day Papuans that suggests that at least 2% of their genome originates from an early and largely extinct expansion of anatomically modern humans (AMHs) out of Africa. Together with evidence from the western Asian fossil record, and admixture between AMHs and Neanderthals predating the main Eurasian expansion, our results contribute to the mounting evidence for the presence of AMHs out of Africa earlier than 75,000 years ago.

Cultural Resource Survey for the Consolidated Space Operations Center Project Near Colorado Springs, El Paso County, Colorado.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-01-01

fauna, to attract hunters prehistorically. I But as this area was not prime habitable land for humans, it probably also did not support large herds ...Rocky Mountain areas. The Archaic people were less dependent on herd movement, thus their socio-economic systems changed. This adaptation to a changing...coyotes, skunks, ground squirrels, pocket gophers, wolves, mule deer, white- tail deer, beaver, and porcupine (Larsen 1981; Goodlng 1977:4; Eddy 1981:7

Evidence for maize (Zea mays) in the Late Archaic (3000–1800 B.C.) in the Norte Chico region of Peru

PubMed Central

Haas, Jonathan; Creamer, Winifred; Huamán Mesía, Luis; Goldstein, David; Reinhard, Karl; Rodríguez, Cindy Vergel

2013-01-01

For more than 40 y, there has been an active discussion over the presence and economic importance of maize (Zea mays) during the Late Archaic period (3000–1800 B.C.) in ancient Peru. The evidence for Late Archaic maize has been limited, leading to the interpretation that it was present but used primarily for ceremonial purposes. Archaeological testing at a number of sites in the Norte Chico region of the north central coast provides a broad range of empirical data on the production, processing, and consumption of maize. New data drawn from coprolites, pollen records, and stone tool residues, combined with 126 radiocarbon dates, demonstrate that maize was widely grown, intensively processed, and constituted a primary component of the diet throughout the period from 3000 to 1800 B.C. PMID:23440194

Learning about human population history from ancient and modern genomes.

PubMed

Stoneking, Mark; Krause, Johannes

2011-08-18

Genome-wide data, both from SNP arrays and from complete genome sequencing, are becoming increasingly abundant and are now even available from extinct hominins. These data are providing new insights into population history; in particular, when combined with model-based analytical approaches, genome-wide data allow direct testing of hypotheses about population history. For example, genome-wide data from both contemporary populations and extinct hominins strongly support a single dispersal of modern humans from Africa, followed by two archaic admixture events: one with Neanderthals somewhere outside Africa and a second with Denisovans that (so far) has only been detected in New Guinea. These new developments promise to reveal new stories about human population history, without having to resort to storytelling.

A Cultural Resources Survey of Castor River Item Number 2, Parcel 1, Channel Clearing and Cleanout Stoddard County, Missouri.

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-01-01

shelters). During this long period a large number of different projectile point types were produced (i.e., Rice Lobed, Big Sand,,, Graham Cave, Kirk Corner...Notched, White River Archaic, Hidden Valley Stemmed, Hardin Barbed, Searcy, Rice Lanceolate, Jakie Stemmed, and Johnson). Five Early Archaic points...Edrington, Mabel 1962 History of Mississippi County, Arkansas. Ocala Star Banner, Ocala, Florida. Elvas, Gentleman of 1851 An Account of the Expedition

Microbiology Meets Archaeology: Soil Microbial Communities Reveal Different Human Activities at Archaic Monte Iato (Sixth Century BC).

PubMed

Margesin, Rosa; Siles, José A; Cajthaml, Tomas; Öhlinger, Birgit; Kistler, Erich

2017-05-01

Microbial ecology has been recognized as useful in archaeological studies. At Archaic Monte Iato in Western Sicily, a native (indigenous) building was discovered. The objective of this study was the first examination of soil microbial communities related to this building. Soil samples were collected from archaeological layers at a ritual deposit (food waste disposal) in the main room and above the fireplace in the annex. Microbial soil characterization included abundance (cellular phospholipid fatty acids (PLFA), viable bacterial counts), activity (physiological profiles, enzyme activities of viable bacteria), diversity, and community structure (bacterial and fungal Illumina amplicon sequencing, identification of viable bacteria). PLFA-derived microbial abundance was lower in soils from the fireplace than in soils from the deposit; the opposite was observed with culturable bacteria. Microbial communities in soils from the fireplace had a higher ability to metabolize carboxylic and acetic acids, while those in soils from the deposit metabolized preferentially carbohydrates. The lower deposit layer was characterized by higher total microbial and bacterial abundance and bacterial richness and by a different carbohydrate metabolization profile compared to the upper deposit layer. Microbial community structures in the fireplace were similar and could be distinguished from those in the two deposit layers, which had different microbial communities. Our data confirmed our hypothesis that human consumption habits left traces on microbiota in the archaeological evidence; therefore, microbiological residues as part of the so-called ecofacts are, like artifacts, key indicators of consumer behavior in the past.

Using the neanderthal and denisova genetic data to understand the common MAPT 17q21 inversion in modern humans.

PubMed

Setó-Salvia, Núria; Sánchez-Quinto, Federico; Carbonell, Eudald; Lorenzo, Carlos; Comas, David; Clarimón, Jordi

2012-12-01

The polymorphic inversion on 17q21, that includes the MAPT gene, represents a unique locus in the human genome characterized by a large region with strong linkage disequilibrium. Two distinct haplotypes, H1 and H2, exist in modern humans, and H1 has been unequivocally related to several neurodegenerative disorders. Recent data indicate that recurrent inversions of this genomic region have occurred through primate evolution, with the H2 haplotype being the ancestral state. Neandertals harbored the H1 haplotype; however, until now, no data were available for the Denisova hominin. Neandertals and Denisovans are sister groups that share a common ancestor with modern humans. We analyzed the MAPT sequence and assessed the differences between modern humans, Neandertals, Denisovans, and great apes. Our analysis indicated that the Denisova hominin carried the H1 haplotype, and the Neandertal and Denisova common ancestor probably shared the same subhaplotype (H1j). We also found 68 intronic variants within the MAPT gene, 23 exclusive to Denisova hominin, 6 limited to Neandertals, and 24 exclusive to present-day humans. Our results reinforce previous data; this suggests that the 17q21 inversion arose within the modern human lineage. The data also indicate that archaic hominins that coexisted in Eurasia probably shared the same MAPT subhaplotype, and this can be found in almost 2% of chromosomes from European ancestry. Copyright © 2013 Wayne State University Press, Detroit, Michigan 48201-1309.

Deployment Area Selection and Land Withdrawal/Acquisition. M-X/MPS (M-X/Multiple Protective Shelter) Environmental Technical Report. Archaeology.

DTIC Science & Technology

1981-10-02

1968b; Gruhn, 1979; Thomas, 1976; Wheeler, 1973). Several studies of petroglyph sites have also been completed ( Heizer and Baumhoff, 1962; T. Thomas, 1976...1978a; Heizer and Hester, 1978). Four broad periods are defined: an early, pre-Archaic or Paleo-Indian period, before ca. 8000 BP; the Western Archaic...historic properties for inclusion in state and agency site files has rendered these files inadequate for the purposes of documenting the nature and

Interpretive Overview of Cultural Resources in Saylorville Lake, Iowa. Volume 1,

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-09-01

Rice Corner Notched variety; CN9, Turin variety). Similar side notched points were found in horizons I and II at the Cherokee Sewer site (Anderson...1980) and in the Middle Archaic levels at Koster (Brown and Vierra 1983:182-4) and the Pigeon Roost Creek site (O’Brien and Warren 1983). The Rice ...triangular blades are like the Rice Corner Notched style of the Archaic periods. Slightly smaller Manker Corner Notched points (Figures A.6, A.13) are

The mitochondrial genome of the lycophyte Huperzia squarrosa: the most archaic form in vascular plants.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Wang, Bin; Cui, Peng; Li, Libo; Xue, Jia-Yu; Yu, Jun; Qiu, Yin-Long

2012-01-01

Mitochondrial genomes have maintained some bacterial features despite their residence within eukaryotic cells for approximately two billion years. One of these features is the frequent presence of polycistronic operons. In land plants, however, it has been shown that all sequenced vascular plant chondromes lack large polycistronic operons while bryophyte chondromes have many of them. In this study, we provide the completely sequenced mitochondrial genome of a lycophyte, from Huperzia squarrosa, which is a member of the sister group to all other vascular plants. The genome, at a size of 413,530 base pairs, contains 66 genes and 32 group II introns. In addition, it has 69 pseudogene fragments for 24 of the 40 protein- and rRNA-coding genes. It represents the most archaic form of mitochondrial genomes of all vascular plants. In particular, it has one large conserved gene cluster containing up to 10 ribosomal protein genes, which likely represents a polycistronic operon but has been disrupted and greatly reduced in the chondromes of other vascular plants. It also has the least rearranged gene order in comparison to the chondromes of other vascular plants. The genome is ancestral in vascular plants in several other aspects: the gene content resembling those of charophytes and most bryophytes, all introns being cis-spliced, a low level of RNA editing, and lack of foreign DNA of chloroplast or nuclear origin.

[Evolution of the pelvis and hip throughout history: from primates to modern man].

PubMed

Lapègue, F; Jirari, M; Sethoum, S; Faruch, M; Barcelo, C; Moskovitch, G; Ponsot, A; Rabat, M-C; Labarre, D; Vial, J; Chiavassa, H; Baunin, C; Railhac, J-J; Sans, N

2011-06-01

The evolution to a bipedal mode of locomotion was accompanied by a verticalization of the spine and a modification in the shape of the pelvis: horizontal curvature and sagittal rotation. Phylogenesis meets ontogenesis: flat bones in fetuses similar to the monkey, australopithecus features at birth and "human-like" features by 7 or 8years of age. These anatomical modifications explain the characteristics of human bipedalism: stable, economical, with hip and knee extension in the standing position with little lateral motion. Some pathologies induce a regression to a more archaic mode of bipedal locomotion. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS and Éditions françaises de radiologie. All rights reserved.

A new Miocene baleen whale from Peru deciphers the dawn of cetotheriids

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

Cetotheriidae are an iconic, nearly extinct family of baleen whales (Mysticeti) with a highly distinct cranial morphology. Their origins remain a mystery, with even the most archaic species showing a variety of characteristic features. Here, we describe a new species of archaic cetotheriid, Tiucetus rosae, from the Miocene of Peru. The new material represents the first mysticete from the poorly explored lowest portion of the highly fossiliferous Pisco Formation (allomember P0), and appears to form part of a more archaic assemblage than observed at the well-known localities of Cerro Colorado, Cerro los Quesos, Sud-Sacaco and Aguada de Lomas. Tiucetus resembles basal plicogulans (crown Mysticeti excluding right whales), such as Diorocetus and Parietobalaena, but shares with cetotheriids a distinct morphology of the auditory region, including the presence of an enlarged paroccipital concavity. The distinctive morphology of Tiucetus firmly places Cetotheriidae in the context of the poorly understood ‘cetotheres’ sensu lato, and helps to resolve basal relationships within crown Mysticeti. PMID:28989761

A new Miocene baleen whale from Peru deciphers the dawn of cetotheriids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marx, Felix G.; Lambert, Olivier; de Muizon, Christian

2017-09-01

Cetotheriidae are an iconic, nearly extinct family of baleen whales (Mysticeti) with a highly distinct cranial morphology. Their origins remain a mystery, with even the most archaic species showing a variety of characteristic features. Here, we describe a new species of archaic cetotheriid, Tiucetus rosae, from the Miocene of Peru. The new material represents the first mysticete from the poorly explored lowest portion of the highly fossiliferous Pisco Formation (allomember P0), and appears to form part of a more archaic assemblage than observed at the well-known localities of Cerro Colorado, Cerro los Quesos, Sud-Sacaco and Aguada de Lomas. Tiucetus resembles basal plicogulans (crown Mysticeti excluding right whales), such as Diorocetus and Parietobalaena, but shares with cetotheriids a distinct morphology of the auditory region, including the presence of an enlarged paroccipital concavity. The distinctive morphology of Tiucetus firmly places Cetotheriidae in the context of the poorly understood `cetotheres' sensu lato, and helps to resolve basal relationships within crown Mysticeti.

The Ontology of Vision. The Invisible, Consciousness of Living Matter

PubMed Central

Fiorio, Giorgia

2016-01-01

If I close my eyes, the absence of light activates the peripheral cells devoted to the perception of darkness. The awareness of “seeing oneself seeing” is in its essence a thought, one that is internal to the vision and previous to any object of sight. To this amphibious faculty, the “diaphanous color of darkness,” Aristotle assigns the principle of knowledge. “Vision is a whole perceptual system, not a channel of sense.” Functions of vision are interwoven with the texture of human interaction within a terrestrial environment that is in turn contained into the cosmic order. A transitive host within the resonance of an inner-outer environment, the human being is the contact-term between two orders of scale, both bigger and smaller than the individual unity. In the perceptual integrative system of human vision, the convergence-divergence of the corporeal presence and the diffraction of its own appearance is the margin. The sensation of being no longer coincides with the breath of life, it does not seems “real” without the trace of some visible evidence and its simultaneous “sharing”. Without a shadow, without an imprint, the numeric copia of the physical presence inhabits the transient memory of our electronic prostheses. A rudimentary “visuality” replaces tangible experience dissipating its meaning and the awareness of being alive. Transversal to the civilizations of the ancient world, through different orders of function and status, the anthropomorphic “figuration” of archaic sculpture addressees the margin between Being and Non-Being. Statuary human archetypes are not meant to be visible, but to exist as vehicles of transcendence to outlive the definition of human space-time. The awareness of individual finiteness seals the compulsion to “give body” to an invisible apparition shaping the figuration of an ontogenetic expression of human consciousness. Subject and object, the term “humanum” fathoms the relationship between matter and its living dimension, “this de facto vision and the ‘there is’ which it contains.” The project reconsiders the dialectic between the terms vision–presence in the contemporary perception of archaic human statuary according to the transcendent meaning of its immaterial legacy. PMID:27014106

Digital cranial endocast of Hyopsodus (Mammalia, "Condylarthra"): a case of paleogene terrestrial echolocation?

PubMed

Orliac, Maeva J; Argot, Christine; Gilissen, Emmanuel

2012-01-01

We here describe the endocranial cast of the Eocene archaic ungulate Hyopsodus lepidus AMNH 143783 (Bridgerian, North America) reconstructed from X-ray computed microtomography data. This represents the first complete cranial endocast known for Hyopsodontinae. The Hyopsodus endocast is compared to other known "condylarthran" endocasts, i. e. those of Pleuraspidotherium (Pleuraspidotheriidae), Arctocyon (Arctocyonidae), Meniscotherium (Meniscotheriidae), Phenacodus (Phenacodontidae), as well as to basal perissodactyls (Hyracotherium) and artiodactyls (Cebochoerus, Homacodon). Hyopsodus presents one of the highest encephalization quotients of archaic ungulates and shows an "advanced version" of the basal ungulate brain pattern, with a mosaic of archaic characters such as large olfactory bulbs, weak ventral expansion of the neopallium, and absence of neopallium fissuration, as well as more specialized ones such as the relative reduction of the cerebellum compared to cerebrum or the enlargement of the inferior colliculus. As in other archaic ungulates, Hyopsodus midbrain exposure is important, but it exhibits a dorsally protruding largely developed inferior colliculus, a feature unique among "Condylarthra". A potential correlation between the development of the inferior colliculus in Hyopsodus and the use of terrestrial echolocation as observed in extant tenrecs and shrews is discussed. The detailed analysis of the overall morphology of the postcranial skeleton of Hyopsodus indicates a nimble, fast moving animal that likely lived in burrows. This would be compatible with terrestrial echolocation used by the animal to investigate subterranean habitat and/or to minimize predation during nocturnal exploration of the environment.

Digital Cranial Endocast of Hyopsodus (Mammalia, “Condylarthra”): A Case of Paleogene Terrestrial Echolocation?

PubMed Central

Orliac, Maeva J.; Argot, Christine; Gilissen, Emmanuel

2012-01-01

We here describe the endocranial cast of the Eocene archaic ungulate Hyopsodus lepidus AMNH 143783 (Bridgerian, North America) reconstructed from X-ray computed microtomography data. This represents the first complete cranial endocast known for Hyopsodontinae. The Hyopsodus endocast is compared to other known “condylarthran” endocasts, i. e. those of Pleuraspidotherium (Pleuraspidotheriidae), Arctocyon (Arctocyonidae), Meniscotherium (Meniscotheriidae), Phenacodus (Phenacodontidae), as well as to basal perissodactyls (Hyracotherium) and artiodactyls (Cebochoerus, Homacodon). Hyopsodus presents one of the highest encephalization quotients of archaic ungulates and shows an “advanced version” of the basal ungulate brain pattern, with a mosaic of archaic characters such as large olfactory bulbs, weak ventral expansion of the neopallium, and absence of neopallium fissuration, as well as more specialized ones such as the relative reduction of the cerebellum compared to cerebrum or the enlargement of the inferior colliculus. As in other archaic ungulates, Hyopsodus midbrain exposure is important, but it exhibits a dorsally protruding largely developed inferior colliculus, a feature unique among “Condylarthra”. A potential correlation between the development of the inferior colliculus in Hyopsodus and the use of terrestrial echolocation as observed in extant tenrecs and shrews is discussed. The detailed analysis of the overall morphology of the postcranial skeleton of Hyopsodus indicates a nimble, fast moving animal that likely lived in burrows. This would be compatible with terrestrial echolocation used by the animal to investigate subterranean habitat and/or to minimize predation during nocturnal exploration of the environment. PMID:22347998

The archaic concept of the universe and its echo in Russian traditional embroidery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Denisova, I.

2001-12-01

This paper is a brief account of the hypothetical concept of the stages of development of ancient cosmology. An attempt to interpret the original semantics of Russian folk embroidery has led the author to a reconstruction of archaic cosmology, based upon the idea of the Universe as a live autoreproductive organism/being. This approach allows to clear up some 'dark spots' in mythology and to consider separate cults as elements of the whole system. The rudiments of such system manifest themselves in different cultures of the world.

Cultural Resources Reconnaissance Study of the Black Warrior-Tombigbee System Corridor, Alabama. Volume 1. Archaeology.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

hazel alder (Alnus serrulata), and lead plant (Amerpha fruticasa) often gain dominance on low stream banks. A great variety of woody vines groww in...Early Archaic ecosystems for the Midwest may be highly signifi- cant. From 8000 to about 5000 B.P. in southwest Alabama mobile groups apparently...n-48) of the Gulf Formational or Early Woodland sites within the BWT project area. Middle to Late Woodi -nd Site Locations The summary locational

Freud's prehistoric matrix--owing 'nature' a death.

PubMed

Raphael-Leff, Joan

2007-12-01

This paper is informed by contemporary literature in two fields--neonatal research, on the one hand, and the burgeoning interdisciplinary interest in Moses and monotheism, on the other. The author postulates that a cluster of traumatic events during the first two years of Freud's life compelled him to repeat what could not be remembered. Embedded in charged implicit schema, these affects remained unprocessed in Freud, who alone of all psychoanalysts did not have an analysis, manifesting in an uncanny dread/allure of the 'prehistoric' as a dark and dangerous era relating to the archaic feminine/maternal matrix and fratricidal murderousness. Furthermore, she cites evidence to suggest that for Freud this unconsciously excluded subtext of the preoedipal era became associated with ancient Egyptian and Minoan-Mycenaean cultures, a passionate fascination actualized in his collection of antiquities yet incongruously absent in his theoretical work, with three exceptions--Egyptian allusions in Leonardo's unconscious attachment to his archaic mother; the 'Minoan-Mycenaean' analogy on discovering the pre-oedipal mother shortly after the death of Freud's own mother; and Egypt as cradle of humanity in his uncharacteristically rambling, troubled text of Moses and monotheism. The author sees Freud's conceptual avoidance yet compulsive reworking of the prehistoric matrix as a symptomatic attempt to expose early unformulated representations that 'return to exert a powerful effect'.

Comparing models on the genealogical relationships among Neandertal, Cro-Magnoid and modern Europeans by serial coalescent simulations.

PubMed

Belle, E M S; Benazzo, A; Ghirotto, S; Colonna, V; Barbujani, G

2009-03-01

Populations of anatomically archaic (Neandertal) and early modern (Cro-Magnoid) humans are jointly documented in the European fossil record, in the period between 40 000 and 25 000 years BP, but the large differences between their cultures, morphologies and DNAs suggest that the two groups were not close relatives. However, it is still unclear whether any genealogical continuity between them can be ruled out. Here, we simulated a broad range of demographic scenarios by means of a serial coalescence algorithm in which Neandertals, Cro-Magnoids and modern Europeans were either part of the same mitochondrial genealogy or of two separate genealogies. Mutation rates, population sizes, population structure and demographic growth rates varied across simulations. All models in which anatomically modern (that is, Cro-Magnoid and current) Europeans belong to a distinct genealogy performed better than any model in which the three groups were assigned to the same mitochondrial genealogy. The maximum admissible level of gene flow between Neandertals and the ancestors of current Europeans is 0.001% per generation, one order of magnitude lower than estimated in previous studies not considering genetic data on Cro-Magnoid people.

Variable NK cell receptors and their MHC class I ligands in immunity, reproduction and human evolution.

PubMed

Parham, Peter; Moffett, Ashley

2013-02-01

Natural killer (NK) cells have roles in immunity and reproduction that are controlled by variable receptors that recognize MHC class I molecules. The variable NK cell receptors found in humans are specific to simian primates, in which they have progressively co-evolved with MHC class I molecules. The emergence of the MHC-C gene in hominids drove the evolution of a system of NK cell receptors for MHC-C molecules that is most elaborate in chimpanzees. By contrast, the human system of MHC-C receptors seems to have been subject to different selection pressures that have acted in competition on the immunological and reproductive functions of MHC class I molecules. We suggest that this compromise facilitated the development of the bigger brains that enabled archaic and modern humans to migrate out of Africa and populate other continents.

Pleistocene Homo sapiens from Middle Awash, Ethiopia.

PubMed

White, Tim D; Asfaw, Berhane; DeGusta, David; Gilbert, Henry; Richards, Gary D; Suwa, Gen; Howell, F Clark

2003-06-12

The origin of anatomically modern Homo sapiens and the fate of Neanderthals have been fundamental questions in human evolutionary studies for over a century. A key barrier to the resolution of these questions has been the lack of substantial and accurately dated African hominid fossils from between 100,000 and 300,000 years ago. Here we describe fossilized hominid crania from Herto, Middle Awash, Ethiopia, that fill this gap and provide crucial evidence on the location, timing and contextual circumstances of the emergence of Homo sapiens. Radioisotopically dated to between 160,000 and 154,000 years ago, these new fossils predate classic Neanderthals and lack their derived features. The Herto hominids are morphologically and chronologically intermediate between archaic African fossils and later anatomically modern Late Pleistocene humans. They therefore represent the probable immediate ancestors of anatomically modern humans. Their anatomy and antiquity constitute strong evidence of modern-human emergence in Africa.

Appendicular robusticity and the paleobiology of modern human emergence.

PubMed

Trinkaus, E

1997-11-25

The emergence of modern humans in the Late Pleistocene, whatever its phylogenetic history, was characterized by a series of behaviorally important shifts reflected in aspects of human hard tissue biology and the archeological record. To elucidate these shifts further, diaphyseal cross-sectional morphology was analyzed by using cross-sectional areas and second moments of area of the mid-distal humerus and midshaft femur. The humeral diaphysis indicates a gradual reduction in habitual load levels from Eurasian late archaic, to Early Upper Paleolithic early modern, to Middle Upper Paleolithic early modern hominids, with the Levantine Middle Paleolithic early modern humans being a gracile anomalous outlier. The femoral diaphysis, once variation in ecogeographically patterned body proportions is taken into account, indicates no changes across the pre-30,000 years B.P. samples in habitual locomotor load levels, followed by a modest decrease through the Middle Upper Paleolithic.

Inferences regarding the diet of extinct hominins: structural and functional trends in dental and mandibular morphology within the hominin clade

PubMed Central

Lucas, Peter W; Constantino, Paul J; Wood, Bernard A

2008-01-01

This contribution investigates the evolution of diet in the Pan–Homo and hominin clades. It does this by focusing on 12 variables (nine dental and three mandibular) for which data are available about extant chimpanzees, modern humans and most extinct hominins. Previous analyses of this type have approached the interpretation of dental and gnathic function by focusing on the identification of the food consumed (i.e. fruits, leaves, etc.) rather than on the physical properties (i.e. hardness, toughness, etc.) of those foods, and they have not specifically addressed the role that the physical properties of foods play in determining dental adaptations. We take the available evidence for the 12 variables, and set out what the expression of each of those variables is in extant chimpanzees, the earliest hominins, archaic hominins, megadont archaic hominins, and an inclusive grouping made up of transitional hominins and pre-modern Homo. We then present hypotheses about what the states of these variables would be in the last common ancestor of the Pan–Homo clade and in the stem hominin. We review the physical properties of food and suggest how these physical properties can be used to investigate the functional morphology of the dentition. We show what aspects of anterior tooth morphology are critical for food preparation (e.g. peeling fruit) prior to its ingestion, which features of the postcanine dentition (e.g. overall and relative size of the crowns) are related to the reduction in the particle size of food, and how information about the macrostructure (e.g. enamel thickness) and microstructure (e.g. extent and location of enamel prism decussation) of the enamel cap might be used to make predictions about the types of foods consumed by extinct hominins. Specifically, we show how thick enamel can protect against the generation and propagation of cracks in the enamel that begin at the enamel–dentine junction and move towards the outer enamel surface. PMID:18380867

The Divergence of Neandertal and Modern Human Y Chromosomes

PubMed Central

Mendez, Fernando L.; Poznik, G. David; Castellano, Sergi; Bustamante, Carlos D.

2016-01-01

Sequencing the genomes of extinct hominids has reshaped our understanding of modern human origins. Here, we analyze ∼120 kb of exome-captured Y-chromosome DNA from a Neandertal individual from El Sidrón, Spain. We investigate its divergence from orthologous chimpanzee and modern human sequences and find strong support for a model that places the Neandertal lineage as an outgroup to modern human Y chromosomes—including A00, the highly divergent basal haplogroup. We estimate that the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of Neandertal and modern human Y chromosomes is ∼588 thousand years ago (kya) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 447–806 kya). This is ∼2.1 (95% CI: 1.7–2.9) times longer than the TMRCA of A00 and other extant modern human Y-chromosome lineages. This estimate suggests that the Y-chromosome divergence mirrors the population divergence of Neandertals and modern human ancestors, and it refutes alternative scenarios of a relatively recent or super-archaic origin of Neandertal Y chromosomes. The fact that the Neandertal Y we describe has never been observed in modern humans suggests that the lineage is most likely extinct. We identify protein-coding differences between Neandertal and modern human Y chromosomes, including potentially damaging changes to PCDH11Y, TMSB4Y, USP9Y, and KDM5D. Three of these changes are missense mutations in genes that produce male-specific minor histocompatibility (H-Y) antigens. Antigens derived from KDM5D, for example, are thought to elicit a maternal immune response during gestation. It is possible that incompatibilities at one or more of these genes played a role in the reproductive isolation of the two groups. PMID:27058445

The Divergence of Neandertal and Modern Human Y Chromosomes.

PubMed

Mendez, Fernando L; Poznik, G David; Castellano, Sergi; Bustamante, Carlos D

2016-04-07

Sequencing the genomes of extinct hominids has reshaped our understanding of modern human origins. Here, we analyze ∼120 kb of exome-captured Y-chromosome DNA from a Neandertal individual from El Sidrón, Spain. We investigate its divergence from orthologous chimpanzee and modern human sequences and find strong support for a model that places the Neandertal lineage as an outgroup to modern human Y chromosomes-including A00, the highly divergent basal haplogroup. We estimate that the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) of Neandertal and modern human Y chromosomes is ∼588 thousand years ago (kya) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 447-806 kya). This is ∼2.1 (95% CI: 1.7-2.9) times longer than the TMRCA of A00 and other extant modern human Y-chromosome lineages. This estimate suggests that the Y-chromosome divergence mirrors the population divergence of Neandertals and modern human ancestors, and it refutes alternative scenarios of a relatively recent or super-archaic origin of Neandertal Y chromosomes. The fact that the Neandertal Y we describe has never been observed in modern humans suggests that the lineage is most likely extinct. We identify protein-coding differences between Neandertal and modern human Y chromosomes, including potentially damaging changes to PCDH11Y, TMSB4Y, USP9Y, and KDM5D. Three of these changes are missense mutations in genes that produce male-specific minor histocompatibility (H-Y) antigens. Antigens derived from KDM5D, for example, are thought to elicit a maternal immune response during gestation. It is possible that incompatibilities at one or more of these genes played a role in the reproductive isolation of the two groups. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Early Modern Humans and Morphological Variation in Southeast Asia: Fossil Evidence from Tam Pa Ling, Laos

PubMed Central

Demeter, Fabrice; Shackelford, Laura; Westaway, Kira; Duringer, Philippe; Bacon, Anne-Marie; Ponche, Jean-Luc; Wu, Xiujie; Sayavongkhamdy, Thongsa; Zhao, Jian-Xin; Barnes, Lani; Boyon, Marc; Sichanthongtip, Phonephanh; Sénégas, Frank; Karpoff, Anne-Marie; Patole-Edoumba, Elise; Coppens, Yves; Braga, José

2015-01-01

Little is known about the timing of modern human emergence and occupation in Eastern Eurasia. However a rapid migration out of Africa into Southeast Asia by at least 60 ka is supported by archaeological, paleogenetic and paleoanthropological data. Recent discoveries in Laos, a modern human cranium (TPL1) from Tam Pa Ling‘s cave, provided the first evidence for the presence of early modern humans in mainland Southeast Asia by 63-46 ka. In the current study, a complete human mandible representing a second individual, TPL 2, is described using discrete traits and geometric morphometrics with an emphasis on determining its population affinity. The TPL2 mandible has a chin and other discrete traits consistent with early modern humans, but it retains a robust lateral corpus and internal corporal morphology typical of archaic humans across the Old World. The mosaic morphology of TPL2 and the fully modern human morphology of TPL1 suggest that a large range of morphological variation was present in early modern human populations residing in the eastern Eurasia by MIS 3. PMID:25849125

Postcranial robusticity in Homo. III: Ontogeny.

PubMed

Ruff, C B; Walker, A; Trinkaus, E

1994-01-01

The influence of developmental factors on long-bone cross-sectional geometry and articular size in modern humans is investigated using two approaches: (1) an analysis of the effects of increased mechanical loading on long-bone structure when applied during different developmental periods, using data collected for a study of upper limb bone bilateral asymmetry in professional tennis players; and (2) an analysis of the relative timing of age changes in femoral dimensions among juveniles from the Pecos Pueblo Amerindian archaeological sample. Results of these analyses are used to interpret the femoral morphology of three pre-Recent Homo juveniles--the H. erectus KNM-WT 15000 and the archaic H. sapiens La Ferrassie 6 and Teshik-Tash 1--as well as observed differences in postcranial morphology between adult Recent and earlier Homo (Ruff et al., 1993). Our findings indicate the following: (1) There are age-related changes in long-bone diaphyseal envelope sensitivity to increased mechanical loading, with the periosteal envelope more responsive prior to mid-adolescence, and the endosteal envelope more responsive thereafter. The periosteal expansion and endosteal contraction of the diaphysis documented earlier for adult pre-Recent Homo relative to Recent humans (Ruff et al., 1993) is thus consistent with a developmental response to increased mechanical loading applied throughout life. The relatively large medullary cavity in the 11-12-year-old KNM-WT 15000 femur is also consistent with this model. However, the two archaic H. sapiens juveniles show relatively small medullary cavities, possibly indicating a modified developmental pattern in this group. (2) Articulations follow a growth pattern similar to that of long-bone length (and stature), while cross-sectional diaphyseal dimensions (cortical area, second moments of area) show a contrasting growth pattern, with slower initial growth from childhood through mid-adolescence, followed by a "catch-up" period that continues through early adulthood. This latter pattern is more similar to the growth curve for body weight, and may in fact partially reflect adaptation of the diaphysis to increased weight bearing. Because of these different growth patterns, articulations appear relatively large, and diaphyseal breadths relatively small during late childhood to mid-adolescence (i.e., about 9-13 years), when compared to adults from the same population. KNM-WT 15000 shows this same proportional difference from adult early Homo specimens, which is therefore interpreted as simply a developmental consequence of his age at death.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)

Genomic Signatures of Selective Pressures and Introgression from Archaic Hominins at Human Innate Immunity Genes

PubMed Central

Deschamps, Matthieu; Laval, Guillaume; Fagny, Maud; Itan, Yuval; Abel, Laurent; Casanova, Jean-Laurent; Patin, Etienne; Quintana-Murci, Lluis

2016-01-01

Human genes governing innate immunity provide a valuable tool for the study of the selective pressure imposed by microorganisms on host genomes. A comprehensive, genome-wide study of how selective constraints and adaptations have driven the evolution of innate immunity genes is missing. Using full-genome sequence variation from the 1000 Genomes Project, we first show that innate immunity genes have globally evolved under stronger purifying selection than the remainder of protein-coding genes. We identify a gene set under the strongest selective constraints, mutations in which are likely to predispose individuals to life-threatening disease, as illustrated by STAT1 and TRAF3. We then evaluate the occurrence of local adaptation and detect 57 high-scoring signals of positive selection at innate immunity genes, variation in which has been associated with susceptibility to common infectious or autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, we show that most adaptations targeting coding variation have occurred in the last 6,000–13,000 years, the period at which populations shifted from hunting and gathering to farming. Finally, we show that innate immunity genes present higher Neandertal introgression than the remainder of the coding genome. Notably, among the genes presenting the highest Neandertal ancestry, we find the TLR6-TLR1-TLR10 cluster, which also contains functional adaptive variation in Europeans. This study identifies highly constrained genes that fulfill essential, non-redundant functions in host survival and reveals others that are more permissive to change—containing variation acquired from archaic hominins or adaptive variants in specific populations—improving our understanding of the relative biological importance of innate immunity pathways in natural conditions. PMID:26748513

Rice Varieties in Archaic East Asia: Reduction of Its Diversity from Past to Present Times.

PubMed

Kumagai, Masahiko; Kanehara, Masaaki; Shoda, Shin'ya; Fujita, Saburo; Onuki, Shizuo; Ueda, Shintaroh; Wang, Li

2016-10-01

The Asian cultivated rice, Oryza sativa, is one of the most important crops feeding more than a third of global population. In spite of the studies for several decades, the origin and domestication history of rice varietal groups, japonica and indica, have not been fully unveiled. Genetic information of ancient rice remains is essential for direct and exclusive insight into the domestication history of rice. We performed ancient DNA analysis of 950- to 2,800-year-old rice remains excavated from Japan and Korea. We found the presence of both japonica- and indica-type varieties in the Yayoi period and the middle ages of Japan and the middle part of Korea Peninsula 2,000 years ago. It is popularly considered that japonica has been exclusively cultivated in northern part of East Asia including Japan and Korea. Our result disclosed unexpectedly wide diversity of rice varieties in archaic East Asia. The present results from ancient rice DNA reveal an exclusive insight for the domestication history of rice which is not provided as far as contemporary rice. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Adolescent archaics or adult moderns? Le Moustier 1 as a model for estimating the age at death of fragmentary supraorbital fossils in the modern human origins debate.

PubMed

Ahern, J C M; Smith, F H

2004-01-01

This study documents and examines selected implications of the adolescent supraorbital anatomy of the Le Moustier 1 Neandertal. Le Moustier's supraorbital morphology conforms to that expected of an adolescent Neandertal but indicates that significant development of the adult Neandertal torus occurs late in ontogeny. As the best preserved adolescent from the Late Pleistocene, Le Moustier 1's anatomy is used to help distinguish adolescent from adult anatomy in two cases of fragmentary supraorbital fossils, the Vindija late Neandertals and KRM 16425 from Klasies River Mouth (South Africa). It has been suggested that the modern-like aspects of the Vindija and Klasies supraorbital fossils are a function of developmental age rather than evolution. Although Le Moustier 1's anatomy does indicate that two of the Vindija fossils are adolescent; these two fossils have already been excluded from studies that demonstrate transitional aspects of the Vindija adult supraorbitals. Results of an analysis of KRM 16425 in light of Le Moustier 1 are more ambiguous. KRM 16425 is clearly not a Neandertal, but its morphology suggests that it may be an adolescent form of such late archaic Africans like Florisbad or Ngaloba. Both the Vindija and Klasies River Mouth cases highlight the need to be wary of confusing adolescent anatomy with modernity.

Greek medicine and Babylonian wisdom: circulation of knowledge and channels of transmission in the archaic and classical periods.

PubMed

Thomas, R

2004-01-01

This paper considers questions of transmission and circulation of knowledge between Greeks and Babylonians, and in particular within the medical sphere. It compares evidence for the extensive exchange of goods and ideas with the Near East in the archaic period and considers the channels and means of transmission involved. It suggests, however, that the evidence of Hippocratic medicine and of Herodotus implies that interaction in the medical sphere followed the main areas of contact through trade and colonisation, and above all Egypt, rather than Mesopotamia. Contact with Babylonian wisdom was to reappear only in the late classical and Hellenistic period.

Searching for signatures of cold adaptations in modern and archaic humans: hints from the brown adipose tissue genes

PubMed Central

Sazzini, M; Schiavo, G; De Fanti, S; Martelli, P L; Casadio, R; Luiselli, D

2014-01-01

Adaptation to low temperatures has been reasonably developed in the human species during the colonization of the Eurasian landmass subsequent to Out of Africa migrations of anatomically modern humans. In addition to morphological and cultural changes, also metabolic ones are supposed to have favored human isolation from cold and body heat production and this can be hypothesized also for most Neandertal and at least for some Denisovan populations, which lived in geographical areas that strongly experienced the last glacial period. Modulation of non-shivering thermogenesis, for which adipocytes belonging to the brown adipose tissue are the most specialized cells, might have driven these metabolic adaptations. To perform an exploratory analysis aimed at looking into this hypothesis, variation at 28 genes involved in such functional pathway was investigated in modern populations from different climate zones, as well as in Neandertal and Denisovan genomes. Patterns of variation at the LEPR gene, strongly related to increased heat dissipation by mitochondria, appeared to have been shaped by positive selection in modern East Asians, but not in Europeans. Moreover, a single potentially cold-adapted LEPR allele, different from the supposed adaptive one identified in Homo sapiens, was found also in Neandertal and Denisovan genomes. These findings suggest that independent mechanisms for cold adaptations might have been developed in different non-African human groups, as well as that the evolution of possible enhanced thermal efficiency in Neandertals and in some Denisovan populations has plausibly entailed significant changes also in other functional pathways than in the examined one. PMID:24667833

Late Pleistocene/Holocene craniofacial morphology in Mesoamerican Paleoindians: implications for the peopling of the New World.

PubMed

González-José, Rolando; Neves, Walter; Lahr, Marta Mirazón; González, Silvia; Pucciarelli, Héctor; Hernández Martínez, Miquel; Correal, Gonzalo

2005-12-01

Several studies on craniofacial morphology showed that most Paleoindians, who were the first settlers of the New World, clearly differ from modern Amerindians and East Asians, their supposed descendants and sister group, respectively. Here we present new evidence supporting this view from the Late Pleistocene/Early Holocene horizon from Mexico, as well as from the most complete set of dated Paleoindian remains. We analyzed the phenotypic resemblance of early Mexicans with other South Paleoamerican and modern human series. Two independent approaches to the data were used. In the first case, individual specimens were tested for morphological similarity with a set of modern reference samples. In the second analysis, Mexican specimens were treated as a sample in order to compute minimum genetic distances. Results from both approaches tend to associate early Mexican skulls with Paleoindians from Brazil, an Archaic sample from Colombia, and several circum-Pacific populations. These results give support to a model in which morphologically generalized groups of non-Northeast Asian descent (the so-called Paleoamericans) entered the continent first, and then dispersed from North to South America through Central America. The large geographic dispersal of Paleoamericans, and their presence in Mexico in the Early Holocene, raise new issues about the continent's settlement scenario. 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Ancient whales did not filter feed with their teeth.

PubMed

Hocking, David P; Marx, Felix G; Fitzgerald, Erich M G; Evans, Alistair R

2017-08-01

The origin of baleen whales (Mysticeti), the largest animals on Earth, is closely tied to their signature filter-feeding strategy. Unlike their modern relatives, archaic whales possessed a well-developed, heterodont adult dentition. How these teeth were used, and what role their function and subsequent loss played in the emergence of filter feeding, is an enduring mystery. In particular, it has been suggested that elaborate tooth crowns may have enabled stem mysticetes to filter with their postcanine teeth in a manner analogous to living crabeater and leopard seals, thereby facilitating the transition to baleen-assisted filtering. Here we show that the teeth of archaic mysticetes are as sharp as those of terrestrial carnivorans, raptorial pinnipeds and archaeocetes, and thus were capable of capturing and processing prey. By contrast, the postcanine teeth of leopard and crabeater seals are markedly blunter, and clearly unsuited to raptorial feeding. Our results suggest that mysticetes never passed through a tooth-based filtration phase, and that the use of teeth and baleen in early whales was not functionally connected. Continued selection for tooth sharpness in archaic mysticetes is best explained by a feeding strategy that included both biting and suction, similar to that of most living pinnipeds and, probably, early toothed whales (Odontoceti). © 2017 The Authors.

Fantastic plastic? Experimental evaluation of polyurethane bone substitutes as proxies for human bone in trauma simulations.

PubMed

Smith, Martin J; James, Stephen; Pover, Tim; Ball, Nina; Barnetson, Victoria; Foster, Bethany; Guy, Carl; Rickman, John; Walton, Virginia

2015-09-01

Recent years have seen steady improvements in the recognition and interpretation of violence related injuries in human skeletal remains. Such work has at times benefited from the involvement of biological anthropologists in forensic casework and has often relied upon comparison of documented examples with trauma observed in skeletal remains. In cases where no such example exists investigators must turn to experimentation. The selection of experimental samples is problematic as animal proxies may be too dissimilar to humans and human cadavers may be undesirable for a raft of reasons. The current article examines a third alternative in the form of polyurethane plates and spheres marketed as viable proxies for human bone in ballistic experiments. Through subjecting these samples to a range of impacts from both modern and archaic missile weapons it was established that such material generally responds similarly to bone on a broad, macroscopic scale but when examined in closer detail exhibits a range of dissimilarities that call for caution in extrapolating such results to real bone. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic Discontinuity between the Maritime Archaic and Beothuk Populations in Newfoundland, Canada.

PubMed

Duggan, Ana T; Harris, Alison J T; Marciniak, Stephanie; Marshall, Ingeborg; Kuch, Melanie; Kitchen, Andrew; Renaud, Gabriel; Southon, John; Fuller, Ben; Young, Janet; Fiedel, Stuart; Golding, G Brian; Grimes, Vaughan; Poinar, Hendrik

2017-10-23

Situated at the furthest northeastern edge of Canada, the island of Newfoundland (approximately 110,000 km 2 ) and Labrador (approximately 295,000 km 2 ) today constitute a province characterized by abundant natural resources but low population density. Both landmasses were covered by the Laurentide ice sheet during the Last Glacial Maximum (18,000 years before present [YBP]); after the glacier retreated, ice patches remained on the island until ca. 9,000 calibrated (cal) YBP [1]. Nevertheless, indigenous peoples, whose ancestors had trekked some 5,000 km from the west coast, arrived approximately 10,000 cal YBP in Labrador and ca. 6,000 cal YBP in Newfoundland [2, 3]. Differential features in material culture indicate at least three settlement episodes by distinct cultural groups, including the Maritime Archaic, Palaeoeskimo, and Beothuk. Newfoundland has remained home to indigenous peoples until present day with only one apparent hiatus (3,400-2,800 YBP). This record suggests abandonment, severe constriction, or local extinction followed by subsequent immigrations from single or multiple source populations, but the specific dynamics and the cultural and biological relationships, if any, among these successive peoples remain enigmatic [4]. By examining the mitochondrial genome diversity and isotopic ratios of 74 ancient remains in conjunction with the archaeological record, we have provided definitive evidence for the genetic discontinuity between the maternal lineages of these populations. This northeastern margin of North America appears to have been populated multiple times by distinct groups that did not share a recent common ancestry, but rather one much deeper in time at the entry point into the continent. Crown Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Menstrual blood and human milk. Reflections and new proposals on breast-feeding in ancient Greece].

PubMed

Pedrucci, Giulia

2013-01-01

Within a larger study on breast-feeding in ancient Greece, we dwelt on four subjects (the superstitions concerning menstrual blood, milk and dairy products consumption by the Athenians, different kinds of milk and beliefs related to the transmission of hereditary characteristics through human milk, the connection between milk, breast and madness) on which we have identified a certain number of neglected sources. Starting from these, we can gain not only some mosaic tiles of the overall fragmentary view on habits and beliefs about breast-feeding, but also, more generally, helpful hints on some aspects of the Greek world and mentality that we barely know. In attempting to reach some general conclusions, we have also considered the iconographic sources, trying to explain, in part at least, the reason for the almost complete absence of scenes of breast-feeding in the archaic and classical art.

Archaic man meets a marvellous automaton: posthumanism, social robots, archetypes.

PubMed

Jones, Raya

2017-06-01

Posthumanism is associated with critical explorations of how new technologies are rewriting our understanding of what it means to be human and how they might alter human existence itself. Intersections with analytical psychology vary depending on which technologies are held in focus. Social robotics promises to populate everyday settings with entities that have populated the imagination for millennia. A legend of A Marvellous Automaton appears as early as 350 B.C. in a book of Taoist teachings, and is joined by ancient and medieval legends of manmade humanoids coming to life, as well as the familiar robots of modern science fiction. However, while the robotics industry seems to be realizing an archetypal fantasy, the technology creates new social realities that generate distinctive issues of potential relevance for the theory and practice of analytical psychology. © 2017, The Society of Analytical Psychology.

Plant-pollinator interactions in New Caledonia influenced by introduced honey bees.

PubMed

Kato, Makoto; Kawakita, Atsushi

2004-11-01

The flora of New Caledonia is characterized by remarkably high species diversity, high endemicity, and an unusual abundance of archaic plant taxa. To investigate community-level pollination mutualism in this endemic ecosystem, we observed flower visitors on 99 plant species in 42 families of various types of vegetation. Among the 95 native plant species, the most dominant pollination system was melittophily (bee-pollinated, 46.3%), followed by phalaenophily (moth-pollinated, 20.0%), ornithophily (bird-pollinated, 11.6%), cantharophily (beetle-pollinated, 8.4%), myophily (fly-pollinated, 3.2%), chiropterophily (bat-pollinated, 3.2%), and anemophily (wind-pollinated, 3.2%). The prevalence of ornithophily by honeyeaters shows an ecological link to pollination mutualism in Australia. The relative dominance of phalaenophily is unique to New Caledonia, and is proposed to be related to the low diversity of the original bee fauna and the absence of long-tongued bees. Although some archaic plants maintain archaic plant-pollinator interactions, e.g., Zygogynum pollinated by micropterigid moths, or Hedycarya pollinated by thrips and staphylinid beetles, the most dominant organism observed on flowers was the introduced honey bee, Apis mellifera. The plant species now visited by honey bees are thought to have originally been pollinated by native solitary short-tongued bees. Our data suggest that the unique systems of pollination mutualism in New Caledonia are now endangered by the establishment of highly invasive honey bees.

Almost 20 years of Neanderthal palaeogenetics: adaptation, admixture, diversity, demography and extinction

PubMed Central

Sánchez-Quinto, Federico; Lalueza-Fox, Carles

2015-01-01

Nearly two decades since the first retrieval of Neanderthal DNA, recent advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have allowed the generation of high-coverage genomes from two archaic hominins, a Neanderthal and a Denisovan, as well as a complete mitochondrial genome from remains which probably represent early members of the Neanderthal lineage. This genomic information, coupled with diversity exome data from several Neanderthal specimens is shedding new light on evolutionary processes such as the genetic basis of Neanderthal and modern human-specific adaptations—including morphological and behavioural traits—as well as the extent and nature of the admixture events between them. An emerging picture is that Neanderthals had a long-term small population size, lived in small and isolated groups and probably practised inbreeding at times. Deleterious genetic effects associated with these demographic factors could have played a role in their extinction. The analysis of DNA from further remains making use of new large-scale hybridization-capture-based methods as well as of new approaches to discriminate contaminant DNA sequences will provide genetic information in spatial and temporal scales that could help clarify the Neanderthal's—and our very own—evolutionary history. PMID:25487326

An enlarged parietal foramen in the late archaic Xujiayao 11 neurocranium from Northern China, and rare anomalies among Pleistocene Homo.

PubMed

Wu, Xiu-Jie; Xing, Song; Trinkaus, Erik

2013-01-01

We report here a neurocranial abnormality previously undescribed in Pleistocene human fossils, an enlarged parietal foramen (EPF) in the early Late Pleistocene Xujiayao 11 parietal bones from the Xujiayao (Houjiayao) site, northern China. Xujiayao 11 is a pair of partial posteromedial parietal bones from an adult. It exhibits thick cranial vault bones, arachnoid granulations, a deviated posterior sagittal suture, and a unilateral (right) parietal lacuna with a posteriorly-directed and enlarged endocranial vascular sulcus. Differential diagnosis indicates that the perforation is a congenital defect, an enlarged parietal foramen, commonly associated with cerebral venous and cranial vault anomalies. It was not lethal given the individual's age-at-death, but it may have been associated with secondary neurological deficiencies. The fossil constitutes the oldest evidence in human evolution of this very rare condition (a single enlarged parietal foramen). In combination with developmental and degenerative abnormalities in other Pleistocene human remains, it suggests demographic and survival patterns among Pleistocene Homo that led to an elevated frequency of conditions unknown or rare among recent humans.

Leukotriene signaling in the extinct human subspecies Homo denisovan and Homo neanderthalensis. Structural and functional comparison with Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Adel, Susan; Kakularam, Kumar Reddy; Horn, Thomas; Reddanna, Pallu; Kuhn, Hartmut; Heydeck, Dagmar

2015-01-01

Mammalian lipoxygenases (LOXs) have been implicated in cell differentiation and in the biosynthesis of pro- and anti-inflammatory lipid mediators. The initial draft sequence of the Homo neanderthalensis genome (coverage of 1.3-fold) suggested defective leukotriene signaling in this archaic human subspecies since expression of essential proteins appeared to be corrupted. Meanwhile high quality genomic sequence data became available for two extinct human subspecies (H. neanderthalensis, Homo denisovan) and completion of the human 1000 genome project provided a comprehensive database characterizing the genetic variability of the human genome. For this study we extracted the nucleotide sequences of selected eicosanoid relevant genes (ALOX5, ALOX15, ALOX12, ALOX15B, ALOX12B, ALOXE3, COX1, COX2, LTA4H, LTC4S, ALOX5AP, CYSLTR1, CYSLTR2, BLTR1, BLTR2) from the corresponding databases. Comparison of the deduced amino acid sequences in connection with site-directed mutagenesis studies and structural modeling suggested that the major enzymes and receptors of leukotriene signaling as well as the two cyclooxygenase isoforms were fully functional in these two extinct human subspecies. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The 7 ka pollen record of Akovitika: Key evidence for environmental change and human impact in the SW Peloponnese, Greece

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engel, M.; Knipping, M.; Brückner, H.; Kraft, J. C.; Kiderlen, M.

2009-04-01

Detailed investigations on the Holocene stratigraphy of the lower Messenian plain (SW Peloponnese, Greece) carried out within the framework of a geoarchaeological study on the Protogeometric Poseidon Sanctuary of Akovitika indicate significant shoreline fluctuations during Holocene times. Sedimentary, geochemical, mineralogical, and microfossil analyses of 18 vibracores document a maximum landward shoreline displacement around 3000 BC. Subsequently, increased sediment loads entering the gulf predominantly at the eastern head overcompensated the decelerating eustatic sea level rise and triggered beach ridge progradation. Synopses of adjacent sediment cores reveal extended wetland formation in the swales between the sand ridges throughout the Holocene. The swamp areas enlarged continuously during the late Holocene marine regression and persisted until the large-scaled implementation of drainage measures in the 20th century. However, the strata representing former wetland environments provide excellently preserved pollen assemblages and enable detailed vegetation reconstruction of certain time windows within the past 7000 years. During early Neolithic times the lower Messenian plain was covered with open vegetation adapted to the seasonal standing water bodies. Deciduous oak forests were abundant but restricted to the surrounding marl terraces while no signs of human impact appear in the pollen record so far. In mid- to late Neolithic times initial modification of the local vegetation composition is evident. The Neogene terraces nearby were still covered with forest, albeit Pinus and evergreen oak gradually started replacing deciduous oak. Anthropogenic influence on the vegetation was moderate although the upper part of the sequence (approx. 3500 BC) contains increasing amounts of settlement indicators. Exceptionally high percentages of Erica and Cistus as well as of charcoal fragments point to extensive burning of woodland and subsequent sustained establishment of a heliophile macchia vegetation. Whether this is man-made or a result of increasing aridity remains uncertain. Agriculture can be excluded for the wet lower Messenian plain in Neolithic times, while it seems possible on the adjacent Neogene marl terraces. The pollen sequence of Submycenaean to Archaic times reflects reduced human impact after the Messenian late Bronze Age population climax. Decreasing amounts of Olea show the abandonment of olive orchards while rising dominance of Phyllirea indicates a temporary re-establishment of high macchia during the cultural decline of the Dark Ages. Higher percentages of Olea in the uppermost sample document a recovering human population in Messenia during Archaic times.

Prehistory of Zodiac Dating: Three Strata of Upper Paleolithic Constellations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gurshtein, Alex A.

A pattern of archaic proto-constellations is extracted from Aratus' "The Phaenomena" didactic poem list according to a size criterion elaborated earlier, and their symbolism is analyzed. As a result of this approach three celestial symbolical strata are discovered to be probably a reflection of the symbols for the Lower, the Middle and the Upper Worlds; the Under-World creatures have a water character, the Middle World ones are mostly anthropomorphic and flying beings are for the Upper World. The strata excerpted from Aratus' sky seems to be in agreement with the well-known Babylonian division into three god pathways for Ea (Enki), Anu and Enlil. There is a possibility of dating the pattern discovered because of precession's strong influence as far back as 16 thousand years, the result being supported by the comparison of different star group mean sizes. The archaic constellation pattern under consideration is a reasonable background of symbolical meanings for the first Zodiacal generation quartet (7.5 thousand years old) examined by the author previously. The enormous size of the Argo constellation (Ship of Argo and his Argonauts) as well as the large sizes of other southern constellations are explained as due to the existence of an accumulation zone near the South celestial pole. Some extra correlations between the reconstruction proposed and cultural data available are discussed. The paper is the second part of the investigation "On the Origin of the Zodiacal constellations" published in Vistas in Astronomy, vol.36, pp.171-190, 1993.

The evolution of language and thought.

PubMed

Lieberman, Philip

2016-06-20

Language primarily evolved as a vocal medium that transmits the attributes of human culture and the necessities of daily communication. Human language has a long, complex evolutionary history. Language also serves as an instrument of thought since it has become evident that in the course of this process neural circuits that initially evolved to regulate motor control, motor responses to external events, and ultimately talking were recycled to serve tasks such as working memory, cognitive flexibility linguistic tasks such as comprehending distinctions in meaning conveyed by syntax. This precludes the human brain possessing an organ devoted exclusively to language, such as the Faculty of Language proposed by Chomsky (1972, 2012). In essence like Fodor's (1983) modular model, a restatement of archaic phrenological theories (Spurzheim, 1815). The subcortical basal ganglia can be traced back to early anurans. Although our knowledge of the neural circuits of the human brain is at a very early stage and incomplete, the findings of independent studies over the past 40 years, discussed here, have identified circuits linking the basal ganglia with various areas of prefrontal cortex, posterior cortical regions and other subcortical structures. These circuits are active in linguistic tasks such as lexical access, comprehending distinctions in meaning conferred by syntax and the range of higher cognitive tasks involving executive control and play a critical role in conferring cognitive flexibility. The cingulate cortex which appeared in Therapsids, transitional mammal-like reptiles who lived in age of the dinosaurs, most likely enhanced mother-infant interaction, contributing to success in the Darwinian (1859) "Struggle for Existence" - the survival of progeny. They continue to fill that role in present-day mammals as well as being involved in controlling laryngeal phonation during speech and directing attention (Newman & MacLean, 1983; Cummings, 1993". The cerebellum and hippocampus, archaic structures, play role in cognition. Natural selection acting on genetic and epigenetic events in the last 500,000 years enhanced human cognitive and linguistic capabilities. It is clear that human language did not suddenly come into being 70,000 to 100,000 years as Noam Chomsky (Bolhuis et al., 2014) and others claim. The archeological record and analyses of fossil and genetic evidence shows that Neanderthals, who diverged from the human line at least 500,000 years ago possessed some form of language. Nor did the human population suddenly acquire the capability to relate two seemingly unrelated concepts by means of associative learning 100,000 years ago, re-coined "Merge" by Chomsky and his adherents, Merge supposedly is the key to syntax but associative learning, one of the cognitive processes by which children learn languages and the myriad complexities of their cultures, is a capability present in dogs and virtually all animals.

Genetic evidence and the modern human origins debate.

PubMed

Relethford, J H

2008-06-01

A continued debate in anthropology concerns the evolutionary origin of 'anatomically modern humans' (Homo sapiens sapiens). Different models have been proposed to examine the related questions of (1) where and when anatomically modern humans first appeared and (2) the genetic and evolutionary relationship between modern humans and earlier human populations. Genetic data have been increasingly used to address these questions. Genetic data on living human populations have been used to reconstruct the evolutionary history of the human species by considering how global patterns of human variation could be produced given different evolutionary scenarios. Of particular interest are gene trees that reconstruct the time and place of the most recent common ancestor of humanity for a given haplotype and the analysis of regional differences in genetic diversity. Ancient DNA has also allowed a direct assessment of genetic variation in European Neandertals. Together with the fossil record, genetic data provide insight into the origin of modern humans. The evidence points to an African origin of modern humans dating back to 200,000 years followed by later expansions of moderns out of Africa across the Old World. What is less clear is what happened when these early modern humans met preexisting 'archaic human' populations outside of Africa. At present, it is difficult to distinguish between a model of total genetic replacement and a model that includes some degree of genetic mixture.

Why psychiatry needs psychedelics and psychedelics need psychiatry.

PubMed

Sessa, Ben

2014-01-01

Without researching psychedelic drugs for medical therapy, psychiatry is turning its back on a group of compounds that could have great potential. Without the validation of the medical profession, the psychedelic drugs, and those who take them off-license, remain archaic sentiments of the past, with the users maligned as recreational drug abusers and subject to continued negative opinion. These two disparate groups--psychiatrists and recreational psychedelic drug users--are united by their shared recognition of the healing potential of these compounds. A resolution of this conflict is essential for the future of psychiatric medicine and psychedelic culture alike. Progression will come from professionals working in the field adapting to fit a conservative paradigm. In this way, they can provide the public with important treatments and also raise the profile of expanded consciousness in mainstream society.

Neandertal clavicle length

PubMed Central

Trinkaus, Erik; Holliday, Trenton W.; Auerbach, Benjamin M.

2014-01-01

The Late Pleistocene archaic humans from western Eurasia (the Neandertals) have been described for a century as exhibiting absolutely and relatively long clavicles. This aspect of their body proportions has been used to distinguish them from modern humans, invoked to account for other aspects of their anatomy and genetics, used in assessments of their phylogenetic polarities, and used as evidence for Late Pleistocene population relationships. However, it has been unclear whether the usual scaling of Neandertal clavicular lengths to their associated humeral lengths reflects long clavicles, short humeri, or both. Neandertal clavicle lengths, along with those of early modern humans and latitudinally diverse recent humans, were compared with both humeral lengths and estimated body masses (based on femoral head diameters). The Neandertal do have long clavicles relative their humeri, even though they fall within the ranges of variation of early and recent humans. However, when scaled to body masses, their humeral lengths are relatively short, and their clavicular lengths are indistinguishable from those of Late Pleistocene and recent modern humans. The few sufficiently complete Early Pleistocene Homo clavicles seem to have relative lengths also well within recent human variation. Therefore, appropriately scaled clavicular length seems to have varied little through the genus Homo, and it should not be used to account for other aspects of Neandertal biology or their phylogenetic status. PMID:24616525

A chronological framework connecting the early Upper Palaeolithic across the Central Asian piedmont.

PubMed

Fitzsimmons, Kathryn E; Iovita, Radu; Sprafke, Tobias; Glantz, Michelle; Talamo, Sahra; Horton, Katharine; Beeton, Tyler; Alipova, Saya; Bekseitov, Galymzhan; Ospanov, Yerbolat; Deom, Jean-Marc; Sala, Renato; Taimagambetov, Zhaken

2017-12-01

Central Asia has delivered significant paleoanthropological discoveries in the past few years. New genetic data indicate that at least two archaic human species met and interbred with anatomically modern humans as they arrived into northern Central Asia. However, data are limited: known archaeological sites with lithic assemblages generally lack human fossils, and consequently identifying the archaeological signatures of different human groups, and the timing of their occupation, remains elusive. Reliable chronologic data from sites in the region, crucial to our understanding of the timing and duration of interactions between different human species, are rare. Here we present chronologies for two open air Middle to Upper Palaeolithic (UP) sequences from the Tien Shan piedmont in southeast Kazakhstan, Maibulak and Valikhanova, which bridge southern and northern Central Asia. The chronologies, based on both quartz optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and polymineral post-infrared infrared luminescence (pIR-IRSL) protocols, demonstrate that technological developments at the two sites differ substantially over the ∼47-19 ka time span. Some of the innovations typically associated with the earliest UP in the Altai or other parts of northeast Asia are also present in the Tien Shan piedmont. We caution against making assumptions about the directionality of spread of these technologies until a larger, better defined database of transitional sites in the region is available. Connections between the timing of occupation of regions, living area setting and paleoenvironmental conditions, while providing hypotheses worth exploring, remain inconclusive. We cautiously suggest a trend towards increasing occupation of open air sites across the Central Asian piedmont after ∼40 ka, corresponding to more humid climatic conditions which nevertheless included pulses of dust deposition. Human occupation persisted into the Last Glacial Maximum, despite cooler, and possibly drier, conditions. Our results thus provide additional data to substantiate arguments for occupation of Central Asia. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Oldest Case of Decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil).

PubMed

Strauss, André; Oliveira, Rodrigo Elias; Bernardo, Danilo V; Salazar-García, Domingo C; Talamo, Sahra; Jaouen, Klervia; Hubbe, Mark; Black, Sue; Wilkinson, Caroline; Richards, Michael Phillip; Araujo, Astolfo G M; Kipnis, Renato; Neves, Walter Alves

2015-01-01

We present here evidence for an early Holocene case of decapitation in the New World (Burial 26), found in the rock shelter of Lapa do Santo in 2007. Lapa do Santo is an archaeological site located in the Lagoa Santa karst in east-central Brazil with evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 11.7-12.7 cal kyBP (95.4% interval). An ultra-filtered AMS age determination on a fragment of the sphenoid provided an age range of 9.1-9.4 cal kyBP (95.4% interval) for Burial 26. The interment was composed of an articulated cranium, mandible and first six cervical vertebrae. Cut marks with a v-shaped profile were observed in the mandible and sixth cervical vertebra. The right hand was amputated and laid over the left side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the chin and the left hand was amputated and laid over the right side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the forehead. Strontium analysis comparing Burial 26's isotopic signature to other specimens from Lapa do Santo suggests this was a local member of the group. Therefore, we suggest a ritualized decapitation instead of trophy-taking, testifying for the sophistication of mortuary rituals among hunter-gatherers in the Americas during the early Archaic period. In the apparent absence of wealth goods or elaborated architecture, Lapa do Santo's inhabitants seemed to use the human body to express their cosmological principles regarding death.

To bee or not to bee, this is the question…: The inborn numerical competence of humans and honeybees.

PubMed

Gross, Hans J

2011-09-01

Human inborn numerical competence means our ability to recognize object numbers precisely under circumstances which do not allow sequential counting. This archaic process has been called "subitizing," from the Latin "subito" = suddenly, immediately, indicating that the objects in question are presented to test persons only for a fraction of a second in order to prevent counting. In contrast, however, sequential counting, an outstanding cultural achievement of mankind, means to count "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8…" without a limit. The following essay will explain how the limit of numerical competence, i.e., the recognition of object numbers without counting, has been determined for humans and how this has been achieved for the first time in case of an invertebrate, the honeybee. Finally, a hypothesis explaining the influence of our limited, inborn numerical competence on counting in our times, e.g., in the Russian language, will be presented. Subitizing versus counting by young Down syndrome infants and autistics and the Savant syndrome will be discussed.

Traffic signal control enhancements under vehicle infrastructure integration systems.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2011-12-01

Most current traffic signal systems are operated using a very archaic traffic-detection simple binary : logic (vehicle presence/non presence information). The logic was originally developed to provide input for old : electro-mechanical controllers th...

Pleistocene survival of an archaic dwarf baleen whale (Mysticeti: Cetotheriidae)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boessenecker, Robert W.

2013-04-01

Pliocene baleen whale assemblages are characterized by a mix of early records of extant mysticetes, extinct genera within modern families, and late surviving members of the extinct family Cetotheriidae. Although Pleistocene baleen whales are poorly known, thus far they include only fossils of extant genera, indicating Late Pliocene extinctions of numerous mysticetes alongside other marine mammals. Here a new fossil of the Late Neogene cetotheriid mysticete Herpetocetus is reported from the Lower to Middle Pleistocene Falor Formation of Northern California. This find demonstrates that at least one archaic mysticete survived well into the Quaternary Period, indicating a recent loss of a unique niche and a more complex pattern of Plio-Pleistocene faunal overturn for marine mammals than has been previously acknowledged. This discovery also lends indirect support to the hypothesis that the pygmy right whale ( Caperea marginata) is an extant cetotheriid, as it documents another cetotheriid nearly surviving to modern times.

Archaic artifacts resembling celestial spheres

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimitrakoudis, S.; Papaspyrou, P.; Petoussis, V.; Moussas, X.

We present several bronze artifacts from the Archaic Age in Greece (750-480 BC) that resemble celestial spheres or forms of other astronomical significance. They are studied in the context of the Dark Age transition from Mycenaean Age astronomical themes to the philosophical and practical revival of astronomy in the Classical Age with its plethora of astronomical devices. These artifacts, mostly votive in nature are spherical in shape and appear in a variety of forms their most striking characteristic being the depiction of meridians and/or an equator. Most of those artifacts come from Thessaly, and more specifically from the temple of Itonia Athena at Philia, a religious center of pan-Hellenic significance. Celestial spheres, similar in form to the small artifacts presented in this study, could be used to measure latitudes, or estimate the time at a known place, and were thus very useful in navigation.

Four-thousand-year-old gold artifacts from the Lake Titicaca basin, southern Peru.

PubMed

Aldenderfer, Mark; Craig, Nathan M; Speakman, Robert J; Popelka-Filcoff, Rachel

2008-04-01

Artifacts of cold-hammered native gold have been discovered in a secure and undisturbed Terminal Archaic burial context at Jiskairumoko, a multicomponent Late Archaic-Early Formative period site in the southwestern Lake Titicaca basin, Peru. The burial dates to 3776 to 3690 carbon-14 years before the present (2155 to 1936 calendar years B.C.), making this the earliest worked gold recovered to date not only from the Andes, but from the Americas as well. This discovery lends support to the hypothesis that the earliest metalworking in the Andes was experimentation with native gold. The presence of gold in a society of low-level food producers undergoing social and economic transformations coincident with the onset of sedentary life is an indicator of possible early social inequality and aggrandizing behavior and further shows that hereditary elites and a societal capacity to create significant agricultural surpluses are not requisite for the emergence of metalworking traditions.

Paleobiology and comparative morphology of a late Neandertal sample from El Sidron, Asturias, Spain.

PubMed

Rosas, Antonio; Martínez-Maza, Cayetana; Bastir, Markus; García-Tabernero, Antonio; Lalueza-Fox, Carles; Huguet, Rosa; Ortiz, José Eugenio; Julià, Ramón; Soler, Vicente; de Torres, Trinidad; Martínez, Enrique; Cañaveras, Juan Carlos; Sánchez-Moral, Sergio; Cuezva, Soledad; Lario, Javier; Santamaría, David; de la Rasilla, Marco; Fortea, Javier

2006-12-19

Fossil evidence from the Iberian Peninsula is essential for understanding Neandertal evolution and history. Since 2000, a new sample approximately 43,000 years old has been systematically recovered at the El Sidrón cave site (Asturias, Spain). Human remains almost exclusively compose the bone assemblage. All of the skeletal parts are preserved, and there is a moderate occurrence of Middle Paleolithic stone tools. A minimum number of eight individuals are represented, and ancient mtDNA has been extracted from dental and osteological remains. Paleobiology of the El Sidrón archaic humans fits the pattern found in other Neandertal samples: a high incidence of dental hypoplasia and interproximal grooves, yet no traumatic lesions are present. Moreover, unambiguous evidence of human-induced modifications has been found on the human remains. Morphologically, the El Sidrón humans show a large number of Neandertal lineage-derived features even though certain traits place the sample at the limits of Neandertal variation. Integrating the El Sidrón human mandibles into the larger Neandertal sample reveals a north-south geographic patterning, with southern Neandertals showing broader faces with increased lower facial heights. The large El Sidrón sample therefore augments the European evolutionary lineage fossil record and supports ecogeographical variability across Neandertal populations.

Genetic and archaeological perspectives on the initial modern human colonization of southern Asia.

PubMed

Mellars, Paul; Gori, Kevin C; Carr, Martin; Soares, Pedro A; Richards, Martin B

2013-06-25

It has been argued recently that the initial dispersal of anatomically modern humans from Africa to southern Asia occurred before the volcanic "supereruption" of the Mount Toba volcano (Sumatra) at ∼74,000 y before present (B.P.)-possibly as early as 120,000 y B.P. We show here that this "pre-Toba" dispersal model is in serious conflict with both the most recent genetic evidence from both Africa and Asia and the archaeological evidence from South Asian sites. We present an alternative model based on a combination of genetic analyses and recent archaeological evidence from South Asia and Africa. These data support a coastally oriented dispersal of modern humans from eastern Africa to southern Asia ∼60-50 thousand years ago (ka). This was associated with distinctively African microlithic and "backed-segment" technologies analogous to the African "Howiesons Poort" and related technologies, together with a range of distinctively "modern" cultural and symbolic features (highly shaped bone tools, personal ornaments, abstract artistic motifs, microblade technology, etc.), similar to those that accompanied the replacement of "archaic" Neanderthal by anatomically modern human populations in other regions of western Eurasia at a broadly similar date.

Denisovans, Melanesians, Europeans, and Neandertals: The Confusion of DNA Assumptions and the Biological Species Concept.

PubMed

Caldararo, Niccolo

2016-08-01

A number of recent articles have appeared on the Denisova fossil remains and attempts to produce DNA sequences from them. One of these recently appeared in Science by Vernot et al. (Science 352:235-239, 2016). We would like to advance an alternative interpretation of the data presented. One concerns the problem of contamination/degradation of the determined DNA sequenced. Just as the publication of the first Neandertal sequence included an interpretation that argued that Neandertals had not contributed any genes to modern humans, the Denisovan interpretation has considerable influence on ideas regarding human evolution. The new papers, however, confuse established ideas concerning the nature of species, as well as the use of terms like premodern, Archaic Homo, and Homo heidelbergensis. Examination of these problems presents a solution by means of reinterpreting the results. Given the claims for gene transfer among a number of Mid Pleistocene hominids, it may be time to reexamine the idea of anagenesis in hominid evolution.

[Rod of Asclepius. Symbol of medicine].

PubMed

Young, Pablo; Finn, Bárbara C; Bruetman, Julio E; Cesaro Gelos, Jorge; Trimarchi, Hernán

2013-09-01

Symbolism is one of the most archaic forms of human thoughts. Symbol derives from the Latin word symbolum, and the latter from the Greek symbolon or symballo, which means "I coincide, I make matches". The Medicine symbol represents a whole series of historical and ethical values. Asclepius Rod with one serpent entwined, has traditionally been the symbol of scientific medicine. In a misconception that has lasted 500 years, the Caduceus of Hermes, entwined by two serpents and with two wings, has been considered the symbol of Medicine. However, the Caduceus is the current symbol of Commerce. Asclepius Rod and the Caduceus of Hermes represent two professions, Medicine and Commerce that, in ethical practice, should not be mixed. Physicians should be aware of their real emblem, its historical origin and meaning.

Palaeoproteomic evidence identifies archaic hominins associated with the Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne

PubMed Central

Welker, Frido; Hajdinjak, Mateja; Talamo, Sahra; Jaouen, Klervia; Dannemann, Michael; David, Francine; Julien, Michèle; Meyer, Matthias; Barnes, Ian; Brace, Selina; Kamminga, Pepijn; Fischer, Roman; Kessler, Benedikt M.; Stewart, John R.; Pääbo, Svante; Collins, Matthew J.; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

2016-01-01

In Western Europe, the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition is associated with the disappearance of Neandertals and the spread of anatomically modern humans (AMHs). Current chronological, behavioral, and biological models of this transitional period hinge on the Châtelperronian technocomplex. At the site of the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, morphological Neandertal specimens are not directly dated but are contextually associated with the Châtelperronian, which contains bone points and beads. The association between Neandertals and this “transitional” assemblage has been controversial because of the lack either of a direct hominin radiocarbon date or of molecular confirmation of the Neandertal affiliation. Here we provide further evidence for a Neandertal–Châtelperronian association at the Grotte du Renne through biomolecular and chronological analysis. We identified 28 additional hominin specimens through zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) screening of morphologically uninformative bone specimens from Châtelperronian layers at the Grotte du Renne. Next, we obtain an ancient hominin bone proteome through liquid chromatography-MS/MS analysis and error-tolerant amino acid sequence analysis. Analysis of this palaeoproteome allows us to provide phylogenetic and physiological information on these ancient hominin specimens. We distinguish Late Pleistocene clades within the genus Homo based on ancient protein evidence through the identification of an archaic-derived amino acid sequence for the collagen type X, alpha-1 (COL10α1) protein. We support this by obtaining ancient mtDNA sequences, which indicate a Neandertal ancestry for these specimens. Direct accelerator mass spectometry radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modeling confirm that the hominin specimens date to the Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne. PMID:27638212

Palaeoproteomic evidence identifies archaic hominins associated with the Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne.

PubMed

Welker, Frido; Hajdinjak, Mateja; Talamo, Sahra; Jaouen, Klervia; Dannemann, Michael; David, Francine; Julien, Michèle; Meyer, Matthias; Kelso, Janet; Barnes, Ian; Brace, Selina; Kamminga, Pepijn; Fischer, Roman; Kessler, Benedikt M; Stewart, John R; Pääbo, Svante; Collins, Matthew J; Hublin, Jean-Jacques

2016-10-04

In Western Europe, the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition is associated with the disappearance of Neandertals and the spread of anatomically modern humans (AMHs). Current chronological, behavioral, and biological models of this transitional period hinge on the Châtelperronian technocomplex. At the site of the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, morphological Neandertal specimens are not directly dated but are contextually associated with the Châtelperronian, which contains bone points and beads. The association between Neandertals and this "transitional" assemblage has been controversial because of the lack either of a direct hominin radiocarbon date or of molecular confirmation of the Neandertal affiliation. Here we provide further evidence for a Neandertal-Châtelperronian association at the Grotte du Renne through biomolecular and chronological analysis. We identified 28 additional hominin specimens through zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS) screening of morphologically uninformative bone specimens from Châtelperronian layers at the Grotte du Renne. Next, we obtain an ancient hominin bone proteome through liquid chromatography-MS/MS analysis and error-tolerant amino acid sequence analysis. Analysis of this palaeoproteome allows us to provide phylogenetic and physiological information on these ancient hominin specimens. We distinguish Late Pleistocene clades within the genus Homo based on ancient protein evidence through the identification of an archaic-derived amino acid sequence for the collagen type X, alpha-1 (COL10α1) protein. We support this by obtaining ancient mtDNA sequences, which indicate a Neandertal ancestry for these specimens. Direct accelerator mass spectometry radiocarbon dating and Bayesian modeling confirm that the hominin specimens date to the Châtelperronian at the Grotte du Renne.

On the olfactory anatomy in an archaic whale (Protocetidae, Cetacea) and the minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata (Balaenopteridae, Cetacea).

PubMed

Godfrey, Stephen J; Geisler, Jonathan; Fitzgerald, Erich M G

2013-02-01

The structure of the olfactory apparatus is not well known in both archaic and extant whales; the result of poor preservation in most fossils and locational isolation deep within the skulls in both fossil and Recent taxa. Several specimens now shed additional light on the subject. A partial skull of an archaic cetacean is reported from the Pamunkey River, Virginia, USA. The specimen probably derives from the upper middle Eocene (Piney Point Formation) and is tentatively assigned to the Protocetidae. Uncrushed cranial cavities associated with the olfactory apparatus were devoid of sediment. CT scans clearly reveal the dorsal nasal meatus, ethmoturbinates within the olfactory recess, the cribriform plate, the area occupied by the olfactory bulbs, and the olfactory nerve tract. Several sectioned skulls of the minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) were also examined, and olfactory structures are remarkably similar to those observed in the fossil skull from the Pamunkey River. One important difference between the two is that the fossil specimen has an elongate olfactory nerve tract. The more forward position of the external nares in extant balaenopterids when compared with those of extant odontocetes is interpreted to be the result of the need to retain a functional olfactory apparatus and the forward position of the supraoccipital/cranial vertex. An increase in the distance between the occipital condyles and the vertex in balaenopterids enhances the mechanical advantage of the epaxial musculature that inserts on the occiput, a specialization that likely stabilizes the head of these enormous mammals during lunge feeding. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

European Higher Education and the Process of Change

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ríos, Cristina

2011-01-01

European higher education has experienced substantial changes as a result of the ongoing implementation of the "Bologna Process." Twenty nine (29) European countries signed the "Bologna Declaration" in 1999 committing themselves to transform, through cooperation, an archaic and separated assortment of higher education…

Skeletons of terrestrial cetaceans and the relationship of whales to artiodactyls.

PubMed

Thewissen, J G; Williams, E M; Roe, L J; Hussain, S T

2001-09-20

Modern members of the mammalian order Cetacea (whales, dolphins and porpoises) are obligate aquatic swimmers that are highly distinctive in morphology, lacking hair and hind limbs, and having flippers, flukes, and a streamlined body. Eocene fossils document much of cetaceans' land-to-water transition, but, until now, the most primitive representative for which a skeleton was known was clearly amphibious and lived in coastal environments. Here we report on the skeletons of two early Eocene pakicetid cetaceans, the fox-sized Ichthyolestes pinfoldi, and the wolf-sized Pakicetus attocki. Their skeletons also elucidate the relationships of cetaceans to other mammals. Morphological cladistic analyses have shown cetaceans to be most closely related to one or more mesonychians, a group of extinct, archaic ungulates, but molecular analyses have indicated that they are the sister group to hippopotamids. Our cladistic analysis indicates that cetaceans are more closely related to artiodactyls than to any mesonychian. Cetaceans are not the sister group to (any) mesonychians, nor to hippopotamids. Our analysis stops short of identifying any particular artiodactyl family as the cetacean sister group and supports monophyly of artiodactyls.

Out of Africa: modern human origins special feature: middle and later Pleistocene hominins in Africa and Southwest Asia.

PubMed

Rightmire, G Philip

2009-09-22

Approximately 700,000 years ago, Homo erectus in Africa was giving way to populations with larger brains accompanied by structural adjustments to the vault, cranial base, and face. Such early Middle Pleistocene hominins were not anatomically modern. Their skulls display strong supraorbital tori above projecting faces, flattened frontals, and less parietal expansion than is the case for Homo sapiens. Postcranial remains seem also to have archaic features. Subsequently, some groups evolved advanced skeletal morphology, and by ca. 200,000 years ago, individuals more similar to recent humans are present in the African record. These fossils are associated with Middle Stone Age lithic assemblages and, in some cases, Acheulean tools. Crania from Herto in Ethiopia carry defleshing cutmarks and superficial scoring that may be indicative of mortuary practices. Despite these signs of behavioral innovation, neither the Herto hominins, nor others from Late Pleistocene sites such as Klasies River in southern Africa and Skhūl/Qafzeh in Israel, can be matched in living populations. Skulls are quite robust, and it is only after approximately 35,000 years ago that people with more gracile, fully modern morphology make their appearance. Not surprisingly, many questions concerning this evolutionary history have been raised. Attention has centered on systematics of the mid-Pleistocene hominins, their paleobiology, and the timing of dispersals that spread H. sapiens out of Africa and across the Old World. In this report, I discuss structural changes characterizing the skulls from different time periods, possible regional differences in morphology, and the bearing of this evidence on recognizing distinct species.

The Oldest Case of Decapitation in the New World (Lapa do Santo, East-Central Brazil)

PubMed Central

Strauss, André; Oliveira, Rodrigo Elias; Bernardo, Danilo V.; Salazar-García, Domingo C.; Talamo, Sahra; Jaouen, Klervia; Hubbe, Mark; Black, Sue; Wilkinson, Caroline; Richards, Michael Phillip; Araujo, Astolfo G. M.; Kipnis, Renato; Neves, Walter Alves

2015-01-01

We present here evidence for an early Holocene case of decapitation in the New World (Burial 26), found in the rock shelter of Lapa do Santo in 2007. Lapa do Santo is an archaeological site located in the Lagoa Santa karst in east-central Brazil with evidence of human occupation dating as far back as 11.7–12.7 cal kyBP (95.4% interval). An ultra-filtered AMS age determination on a fragment of the sphenoid provided an age range of 9.1–9.4 cal kyBP (95.4% interval) for Burial 26. The interment was composed of an articulated cranium, mandible and first six cervical vertebrae. Cut marks with a v-shaped profile were observed in the mandible and sixth cervical vertebra. The right hand was amputated and laid over the left side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the chin and the left hand was amputated and laid over the right side of the face with distal phalanges pointing to the forehead. Strontium analysis comparing Burial 26’s isotopic signature to other specimens from Lapa do Santo suggests this was a local member of the group. Therefore, we suggest a ritualized decapitation instead of trophy-taking, testifying for the sophistication of mortuary rituals among hunter-gatherers in the Americas during the early Archaic period. In the apparent absence of wealth goods or elaborated architecture, Lapa do Santo’s inhabitants seemed to use the human body to express their cosmological principles regarding death. PMID:26397983

Archaic lineages broaden our view on the history of Arabidopsis thaliana.

PubMed

Fulgione, Andrea; Hancock, Angela M

2018-06-04

Contents I. II. III. IV. V. References SUMMARY: Natural variation in Arabidopsis thaliana has contributed to discoveries in diverse areas of plant biology. While A. thaliana has typically been considered a weed associated primarily with human-mediated environments, including agricultural and urban sites and railways, it has recently been shown that it is also native in remote natural areas, including high altitude sites in Eurasia and Africa, from the Atlas mountains in Morocco to the afro-alpine regions in Eastern and South Africa to Yunnan in China, the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. This finding suggests that while A. thaliana has been extensively studied in Europe and Western Asia there are still many open questions about its population history, genotype-phenotype relationships and mechanisms of adaptation. © 2018 European Union New Phytologist © 2018 New Phytologist Trust.

Reconstructing cultural behavior from dental wear studies: is para-facets analysis approach scientifically valid?

PubMed

Sarig, Rachel; Tillier, Anne-marie

2014-06-01

It is common knowledge, that in archaic populations teeth were used as tools, this behavior can be studied by evaluating attrition patterns. Parafacets were defined as nonmasticatory wear areas that have no antagonist matching wear facets. The presence of the parafacets led to far-reaching conclusions regarding cultural interactions between Near Eastern Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans. This study was aimed to examine the identification of parafacets in some of the Qafzeh specimens. Based on findings of our research we suggest that the attrition facets mistakenly considered as parafacets are in fact the result of the static and dynamic occlusion. Therefore the observations induce much less dramatic interpretation. We here propose several guidelines that would be beneficial in that they aim to evaluate the parafacets with heightened accuracy. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Possible halo depictions in the prehistoric rock art of Utah.

PubMed

Sassen, K

1994-07-20

In western American rock art the concentric circle symbol, which is widely regarded as a sun symbol, is ubiquitous. We provide evidence from Archaic and Fremont Indian rock art sites in northwestern Utah that at least one depiction was motivated by an observation of a complex halo display. Cirrus cloud optical displays are linked in both folklore and meteorology to precipitation-producing weather situations, which, in combination with an abundance of weather-related rock art symbolism, indicate that such images reflected the ceremonial concerns of the indigenous cultures for ensuring adequate precipitation. As has been shown to be the case with rock art rainbows, conventionalization of the halo image may have resulted in simple patterns that lacked recognizable details of atmospheric optical phenomena. However, in one case in which an Archaic-style petroglyph (probably 1500 yr or more old) satisfactorily reproduced a complicated halo display that contained parhelia and tangent arcs, sufficient geometricinformation is rendered to indicate a solar elevation angle of ~ 40° at the time of observation.

Dating the Late Archaic occupation of the Norte Chico region in Peru.

PubMed

Haas, Jonathan; Creamer, Winifred; Ruiz, Alvaro

2004-12-23

The Norte Chico region on the coast of Peru north of Lima consists of four adjacent river valleys--Huaura, Supe, Pativilca and Fortaleza--in which archaeologists have been aware of a number of apparently early sites for more than 40 years (refs 1- 3). To clarify the early chronology in this region, we undertook fieldwork in 2002 and 2003 to determine the dates of occupation of sites in the Fortaleza and Pativilca valleys. Here we present 95 new radiocarbon dates from a sample of 13 of more than 20 large, early sites. These sites share certain basic characteristics, including large-scale monumental architecture, extensive residential architecture and a lack of ceramics. The 95 new dates confirm the emergence and development of a major cultural complex in this region during the Late Archaic period between 3000 and 1800 calibrated calendar years bc. The results help to redefine a broader understanding of the respective roles of agricultural and fishing economies in the beginnings of civilization in South America.

Possible Halo Depictions in the Prehistoric Rock Art of Utah

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sassen, Kenneth

1994-01-01

In western American rock art the concentric circle symbol, which is widely regarded as a sun symbol, is ubiquitous. We provide evidence from Archaic and Fremont Indian rock art sites in northwestern Utah that at least one depiction was motivated by an observation of a complex halo display. Cirrus cloud optical displays are linked in both folklore and meteorology to precipitation-producing weather situations, which, in combination with an abundance of weather-related rock art symbolism, indicate that such images reflected the ceremonial concerns of the indigenous cultures for ensuring adequate precipitation. As has been shown to be the case with rock art rainbows, conventionalization of the halo image may have resulted in simple patterns that lacked recognizable details of atmospheric optical phenomena. However, in one case in which an Archaic-style petroglyph (probably 1500 yr or more old) satisfactorily reproduced a complicated halo display that contained parhelia and tangent arcs, sufficient geometric information is rendered to indicate a solar elevation angle of approx. 40 deg. at the time of observation.

Heaven and Earth in Ancient Greek Cosmology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Couprie, Dirk L.

The archaic world picture, the picture of a flat earth with the dome of the heaven vaulted above it, on which the celestial bodies are attached, is the basic world picture of many ancient cultures. Here "world picture" means the conception of the visible universe, not including all kinds of mythical or religious representations of what was imagined to be "under the earth." This archaic world picture (and also its penetration by a curious head) is beautifully rendered in a picture that is often thought to belong to the Renaissance period but was actually drawn in 1888 A.D. on the instructions of the famous French astronomer and popularizer Camille Flammarion (Fig. 1.1). The drawing refers to a story about Archytas (428-347 B.C.), who is supposed to have asked whether it would be possible to put a hand or a stick out of the heavens (DK 47A24). We will return to the implications of this question in the last chapter of this book.

From archaic narcissism to empathy for the self: the evolution of new capacities in psychoanalysis.

PubMed

Gehrie, Mark J

2011-04-01

The concept of the selfobject was central to Heinz Kohut's psychology of the self. With an eye to studying the development of narcissism and its implications for the growth of new psychic structure, this concept is reviewed and reassessed. Post-Kohutian complexities regarding its definition and use extend our consideration of the development of narcissism beyond archaic configurations toward further evolution of the self and the nature of mature narcissism. The hypothesis is offered that developing narcissism and the growth of self-regulation impact the acquisition of new structure and new capacities through the emergence of newly potentiated aspects of the self. The implications of these emergent qualities of the self are examined in the context of our understanding of self-esteem regulation, the state of the self, and the goals of psychoanalysis. A clinical example illustrates how technique and process in an analysis may be organized around the development of such new capacities.

Fossil evidence for the origin of aquatic locomotion in archaeocete whales.

PubMed

Thewissen, J G; Hussain, S T; Arif, M

1994-01-14

Recent members of the order Cetacea (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) move in the water by vertical tail beats and cannot locomote on land. Their hindlimbs are not visible externally and the bones are reduced to one or a few splints that commonly lack joints. However, cetaceans originated from four-legged land mammals that used their limbs for locomotion and were probably apt runners. Because there are no relatively complete limbs for archaic archaeocete cetaceans, it is not known how the transition in locomotory organs from land to water occurred. Recovery of a skeleton of an early fossil cetacean from the Kuldana Formation, Pakistan, documents transitional modes of locomotion, and allows hypotheses concerning swimming in early cetaceans to be tested. The fossil indicates that archaic whales swam by undulating their vertebral column, thus forcing their feet up and down in a way similar to modern otters. Their movements on land probably resembled those of sea lions to some degree, and involved protraction and retraction of the abducted limbs.

Confirmation of a late middle Pleistocene age for the Omo Kibish 1 cranium by direct uranium-series dating.

PubMed

Aubert, Maxime; Pike, Alistair W G; Stringer, Chris; Bartsiokas, Antonis; Kinsley, Les; Eggins, Stephen; Day, Michael; Grün, Rainer

2012-11-01

While it is generally accepted that modern humans evolved in Africa, the specific physical evidence for that origin remains disputed. The modern-looking Omo 1 skeleton, discovered in the Kibish region of Ethiopia in 1967, was controversially dated at ~130 ka (thousands of years ago) by U-series dating on associated Mollusca, and it was not until 2005 that Ar-Ar dating on associated feldspar crystals in pumice clasts provided evidence for an even older age of ~195 ka. However, questions continue to be raised about the age and stratigraphic position of this crucial fossil specimen. Here we present direct U-series determinations on the Omo 1 cranium. In spite of significant methodological complications, which are discussed in detail, the results indicate that the human remains do not belong to a later intrusive burial and are the earliest representative of anatomically modern humans. Given the more archaic morphology shown by the apparently contemporaneous Omo 2 calvaria, we suggest that direct U-series dating is applied to this fossil as well, to confirm its age in relation to Omo 1. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Needed: A Clinton Crusade for Quality and Equality.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Clinchy, Evans

1993-01-01

Our present factory-model educational system, now desperately undergoing "restructuring," was never intended as a social equalizer but as a great American academic and social sorting machine. The archaic, restrictive goals of America 2000 are doomed, along with narrowly defined intelligence quotients. A more revolutionary, restructuring…

To bee or not to bee, this is the question…

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Human inborn numerical competence means our ability to recognize object numbers precisely under circumstances which do not allow sequential counting. This archaic process has been called “subitizing,” from the Latin “subito” = suddenly, immediately, indicating that the objects in question are presented to test persons only for a fraction of a second in order to prevent counting. In contrast, however, sequential counting, an outstanding cultural achievement of mankind, means to count “1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8…” without a limit. The following essay will explain how the limit of numerical competence, i.e., the recognition of object numbers without counting, has been determined for humans and how this has been achieved for the first time in case of an invertebrate, the honeybee. Finally, a hypothesis explaining the influence of our limited, inborn numerical competence on counting in our times, e.g., in the Russian language, will be presented. Subitizing versus counting by young Down syndrome infants and autistics and the Savant syndrome will be discussed. PMID:22046473

Ancient genomics

PubMed Central

Der Sarkissian, Clio; Allentoft, Morten E.; Ávila-Arcos, María C.; Barnett, Ross; Campos, Paula F.; Cappellini, Enrico; Ermini, Luca; Fernández, Ruth; da Fonseca, Rute; Ginolhac, Aurélien; Hansen, Anders J.; Jónsson, Hákon; Korneliussen, Thorfinn; Margaryan, Ashot; Martin, Michael D.; Moreno-Mayar, J. Víctor; Raghavan, Maanasa; Rasmussen, Morten; Velasco, Marcela Sandoval; Schroeder, Hannes; Schubert, Mikkel; Seguin-Orlando, Andaine; Wales, Nathan; Gilbert, M. Thomas P.; Willerslev, Eske; Orlando, Ludovic

2015-01-01

The past decade has witnessed a revolution in ancient DNA (aDNA) research. Although the field's focus was previously limited to mitochondrial DNA and a few nuclear markers, whole genome sequences from the deep past can now be retrieved. This breakthrough is tightly connected to the massive sequence throughput of next generation sequencing platforms and the ability to target short and degraded DNA molecules. Many ancient specimens previously unsuitable for DNA analyses because of extensive degradation can now successfully be used as source materials. Additionally, the analytical power obtained by increasing the number of sequence reads to billions effectively means that contamination issues that have haunted aDNA research for decades, particularly in human studies, can now be efficiently and confidently quantified. At present, whole genomes have been sequenced from ancient anatomically modern humans, archaic hominins, ancient pathogens and megafaunal species. Those have revealed important functional and phenotypic information, as well as unexpected adaptation, migration and admixture patterns. As such, the field of aDNA has entered the new era of genomics and has provided valuable information when testing specific hypotheses related to the past. PMID:25487338

Women in Rural America.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rural America, Inc., Washington, DC.

In rural America 34 million culturally and economically diverse women share the common problem of unfair treatment based on sex. Although in recent years women have begun to question the social attitudes limiting their aspirations, a formidable gap exists between their expectations and the archaic legal, social, and economic policies that continue…

Palmistry, tarot cards, and psychotherapy.

PubMed

Pejic, Nicholas G

2008-01-01

The author summarizes his experience with palm and Tarot card readers in New Orleans. The history, practice, and psychodynamics of palmistry and Tarot are explored. It's postulated that these practices are forms of archaic psychotherapy, which employ supportive treatment and placebo. These tactics are used to elicit hope for its clients.

Bye-Bye Miss Beadle and You, Too, Miss Brooks.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hay, Lee

1985-01-01

The 1983 Teacher of the Year argues that the public has an archaic view of teachers and education, redefines the three Rs of today's education, and suggests five basic competencies students will need for the present Information Age: communication, critical thinking, cultural appreciation, creativity, and coping skills. (MBR)

Parenting After Divorce. Papers from a 1980 Conference for Professionals.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Baden, Clifford, Ed.

Seven brief presentations discuss social attitudes toward divorce and the experiences and problems families face after divorce. Introductory remarks indicate (1) the extent to which divorced parents are denied consistent and positive support from legal and counseling institutions, schools and the work-place, and (2) the archaic institutionalized…

Material Cultural Correlates of the Athapaskan Expansion: A Cross-Disciplinary Approach

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, Joseph Andrew Park

2011-01-01

Contrary to stereotypes of proto-Athapaskan culture as simplistic and archaic, evidence points to a sophisticated web of late prehistoric Asian-Athapaskan interactions. A holistic assessment of Athapaskan migrations in the context of the transpacific Dene-Yeneseian phylum (the largest, fastest pedestrian language spread on earth) sees…

Archaeology of Early Colonial Life. Teaching with Primary Sources Series, Volume 13.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, Jean

This kit, for grades 5 and up, helps students master the content of Colonial American history and develops students' historiographic and upper level thinking skills. The documents and activities included in this volume allow students to become "historical detectives," peeling back the layers, deciphering archaic lettering, reassembling…

Evidence for Evolution from the Vertebrate Fossil Record.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gingerich, Philip D.

1983-01-01

Discusses three examples of evolutionary transition in the vertebrate fossil record, considering evolutionary transitions at the species level. Uses archaic squirrel-like Paleocine primates, the earliest primates of modern aspect, as examples. Also reviews new evidence on the origin of whales and their transition from land to sea. (JN)

Broadcast Captioning: 1979 Update.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Earley, Sharon; Lyons, Hillary Kimmel

1979-01-01

Originally part of a symposium on educational media for the deaf, the paper describes the efforts of the Caption Center at television station WGBH to caption the television production "The scarlet Letter." Among the challenges for the captioners working on the project were the complex syntax and archaic vocabulary and difficulty in the…

Stethoscope versus point-of-care ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of dyspnea: a randomized trial.

PubMed

Özkan, Behzat; Ünlüer, Erden E; Akyol, Pinar Y; Karagöz, Arif; Bayata, Mehmet S; Akoğlu, Haldun; Oyar, Orhan; Dalli, Ayşe; Topal, Fatih E

2015-12-01

We aimed to determine the accuracies of point-of-care ultrasound (PoCUS) and stethoscopes as part of the physical examinations of patients with dyspnea. Three emergency medicine specialists in each of two groups of ultrasound and stethoscope performers underwent didactic and hands-on training on PoCUS and stethoscope usage. All the patients enrolled were randomized to one of two predetermined PoCUS or stethoscope groups. The diagnostic performance of ultrasonography was higher than that of the stethoscope in the diagnoses of heart failure (90 vs. 86%, 1.00 vs. 0.89, and 5.00 vs. 4.92, respectively) and pneumonia (90 vs. 86.7%, 0.75 vs. 0.73, and 16.50 vs. 13.82, respectively). No significant differences were observed in the utility parameters of these modalities in these diagnoses. Although some authors argue that it is time to abandon the 'archaic tools' of past centuries, we believe that it is too early to discontinue the use of the stethoscope.

Early Holocene pecan, Carya illinoensis, in the Mississippi River Valley near Muscatine, Iowa

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bettis, E. Arthur; Baker, R.G.; Nations, B.K.; Benn, D.W.

1990-01-01

A fossil pecan, Carya illinoensis (Wang.) K. Koch, from floodplain sediments of the Mississippi River near Muscatine, Iowa, was accelerator-dated at 7280 ?? 120 yr B.P. This discovery indicates that pecan was at or near its present northern limit by that time. Carya pollen profiles from the Mississippi River Trench indicate that hickory pollen percentages were much higher in the valley than at upland locations during the early Holocene. Pecan, the hickory with the most restricted riparian habitat, is the likely candidate for producing these peaks in Carya pollen percentages. Therefore, pecan may have reached its northern limit as early as 10,300 yr B.P. Its abundance in Early Archaic archaeological sites and the co-occurrence of early Holocene Carya pollen peaks with the arrival of the Dalton artifact complex in the Upper Mississippi Valley suggest that humans may have played a role in the early dispersal of pecan. ?? 1990.

Early Holocene pecan, Carya illinoensis, in the Mississippi River Valley near Muscatine, Iowa*1

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bettis, E. Arthur; Baker, Richard G.; Nations, Brenda K.; Benn, David W.

1990-01-01

A fossil pecan, Carya illinoensis (Wang.) K. Koch, from floodplain sediments of the Mississippi River near Muscatine, Iowa, was accelerator-dated at 7280 ± 120 yr B.P. This discovery indicates that pecan was at or near its present northern limit by that time. Carya pollen profiles from the Mississippi River Trench indicate that hickory pollen percentages were much higher in the valley than at upland locations during the early Holocene. Pecan, the hickory with the most restricted riparian habitat, is the likely candidate for producing these peaks in Carya pollen percentages. Therefore, pecan may have reached its northern limit as early as 10,300 yr B.P. Its abundance in Early Archaic archaeological sites and the co-occurrence of early Holocene Carya pollen peaks with the arrival of the Dalton artifact complex in the Upper Mississippi Valley suggest that humans may have played a role in the early dispersal of pecan.

Compliance/adherence and care management in HIV disease.

PubMed

Crespo-Fierro, M

1997-01-01

With the changing perspectives of the HIV epidemic and the introduction of protease inhibitors to treat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, the issue of compliance has gained considerable interest among health care providers. The idea that clients with HIV disease should succumb to a patriarchal system of medical care has been challenged by AIDS activists since the beginning of the epidemic. The concept that there is only one explanation for "noncompliance" is outdated. The reasons for noncompliance are multifaceted in nature and include psychosocial factors, complex medication and treatment regimens, ethnocultural concerns, and in many instances substance use. Therefore, the notion that there is one intervention to resolve noncompliance is at best archaic. Interventions to enhance compliance include supervised therapy, improving the nurse-client relationship, and patient education, all of which should be combined with ethnocultural interventions. Plans to enhance compliance must incorporate person-specific variables and should be tailored to individualized needs.

War and early state formation in the northern Titicaca Basin, Peru

PubMed Central

Stanish, Charles; Levine, Abigail

2011-01-01

Excavations at the site of Taraco in the northern Titicaca Basin of southern Peru indicate a 2,600-y sequence of human occupation beginning ca. 1100 B.C.E. Previous research has identified several political centers in the region in the latter part of the first millennium B.C.E. The two largest centers were Taraco, located near the northern lake edge, and Pukara, located 50 km to the northwest in the grassland pampas. Our data reveal that a high-status residential section of Taraco was burned in the first century A.D., after which economic activity in the area dramatically declined. Coincident with this massive fire at Taraco, Pukara adopted many of the characteristics of state societies and emerged as an expanding regional polity. We conclude that organized conflict, beginning approximately 500 B.C.E., is a significant factor in the evolution of the archaic state in the northern Titicaca Basin. PMID:21788514

An Enigmatic Carbonate Layer in Everglades Tree Island Peats

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Graf, Maria-Theresia; Schwadron, Margo; Stone, Peter A.; Ross, Michael; Chmura, Gail L.

2008-03-01

Recent archaeological excavations on the heads (i.e., the most elevated and upstream parts) of several large Everglades fixed tree islands may reshape what is understood about the age and formation of these landforms, and about the role of humans in the early Everglades wetland, between 3500 and 1000 B.C. Tree islands are patches of high ground, dry enough to support trees, that rise about 1 meter above the surrounding wetland, and those islands termed "fixed" are the large teardrop-shaped islands thought to have formed over localized high points in the underlying bedrock (Figures 1a and 1b). A hard, cemented carbonate layer perched in the sediments of two tree islands in the southern Everglades was discovered by U.S. National Park Service archaeologists, and penetration of it with a concrete saw revealed that beneath the layer are unconsolidated sediments containing archaeological artifacts dating back to late-Archaic times (3000-1000 B.C.) [Schwadron, 2006].

War and early state formation in the northern Titicaca Basin, Peru.

PubMed

Stanish, Charles; Levine, Abigail

2011-08-23

Excavations at the site of Taraco in the northern Titicaca Basin of southern Peru indicate a 2,600-y sequence of human occupation beginning ca. 1100 B.C.E. Previous research has identified several political centers in the region in the latter part of the first millennium B.C.E. The two largest centers were Taraco, located near the northern lake edge, and Pukara, located 50 km to the northwest in the grassland pampas. Our data reveal that a high-status residential section of Taraco was burned in the first century A.D., after which economic activity in the area dramatically declined. Coincident with this massive fire at Taraco, Pukara adopted many of the characteristics of state societies and emerged as an expanding regional polity. We conclude that organized conflict, beginning approximately 500 B.C.E., is a significant factor in the evolution of the archaic state in the northern Titicaca Basin.

Testing the hypothesis on cognitive evolution of modern humans' learning ability: current status of past-climatic approaches.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yoneda, Minoru; Abe-Ouchi, Ayako; Kawahata, Hodaka; Yokoyama, Yusuke; Oguchi, Takashi

2014-05-01

The impact of climate change on human evolution is important and debating topic for many years. Since 2010, we have involved in a general joint project entitled "Replacement of Neanderthal by Modern Humans: Testing Evolutional Models of Learning", which based on a theoretical prediction that the cognitive ability related to individual and social learning divide fates of ancient humans in very unstable Late Pleistocene climate. This model predicts that the human populations which experienced a series of environmental changes would have higher rate of individual learners, while detailed reconstructions of global climate change have reported fluent and drastic change based on ice cores and stalagmites. However, we want to understand the difference between anatomically modern human which survived and the other archaic extinct humans including European Neanderthals and Asian Denisovans. For this purpose the global synchronized change is not useful for understanding but the regional difference in the amplitude and impact of climate change is the information required. Hence, we invited a geophysicist busing Global Circulation Model to reconstruct the climatic distribution and temporal change in a continental scale. At the same time, some geochemists and geographers construct a database of local climate changes recorded in different proxies. At last, archaeologists and anthropologists tried to interpret the emergence and disappearance of human species in Europe and Asia on the reconstructed past climate maps using some tools, such as Eco-cultural niche model. Our project will show the regional difference in climate change and related archaeological events and its impact on the evolution of learning ability of modern humans.

Climatic, geomorphic, and archaeological implications of a late Quaternary alluvial chronology for the lower Salt River, Arizona, USA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huckleberry, Gary; Onken, Jill; Graves, William M.; Wegener, Robert

2013-03-01

Recent archaeological excavations along the lower Salt River, Arizona resulted in the unexpected discovery of buried late Pleistocene soils and cultural features dating 5800-7100 cal YBP (Early Archaic), the latter representing the earliest evidence of human activity in the lower Salt River floodplain thus far identified. Because the lower Salt River floodplain has been heavily impacted by recent agriculture and urbanization and contains few stratigraphic exposures, our understanding of the river's geological history is limited. Here we present a late Quaternary alluvial chronology for a segment of the lower Salt River based on 19 accelerator mass spectrometry 14C and four optically stimulated luminescence ages obtained during two previous geoarchaeological investigations. Deposits are organized into allostratigraphic units and reveal a buried late Pleistocene terrace inset into middle-to-late Pleistocene terrace deposits. Holocene terrace fill deposits unconformably cap the late Pleistocene terrace tread in the site area, and the lower portion of this fill contains the Early Archaic archaeological features. Channel entrenchment and widening ~ 900 cal YBP eroded much of the older terrace deposits, leaving only a remnant of fill containing the buried latest Pleistocene and middle-to-late Holocene deposits preserved in the site area. Subsequent overbank deposition and channel filling associated with a braided channel system resulted in the burial of the site by a thin layer of flood sediments. Our study confirms that the lower Salt River is a complex mosaic of late Quaternary alluvium formed through vertical and lateral accretion, with isolated patches of buried soils preserved through channel avulsion. Although channel avulsion is linked to changes in sediment load and discharge and may have climatic linkages, intrinsic geomorphic and local base level controls limit direct correlations of lower Salt River stratigraphy to other large rivers in the North American Southwest.

Is Beauty an Archaic Spirit in Education?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cannatella, Howard

2006-01-01

This article discusses the unfashionable and taboo idea that beauty matters. The author's supposition is that beauty as a poetic force should be regarded as one of the defining characteristics central to pedagogic practice. In making this claim he draws upon a few of Charles Dickens' and William Wordsworth's ideas in support of the importance of…

The "Shadowy Underside" of Learning History

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Farley, Lisa

2007-01-01

In this essay, the author offers a reading of both Sigmund Freud's and Madelaine's Acropolis encounters to propose an "affective conflict" at play in historical relations more generally. On the one side of the conflict, the author explores at some length Freud's (1939) theory of history as "archaic inheritance," which takes the form of psychical…

Musical Interlude

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Radda, Chuck

2005-01-01

In this article, the author describes his use of an old obsolete and quaintly archaic form of entertainment in order to create a more lively academic discussion. He introduced the songs of Scottish folk/pop singer, Al Stewart, as an effective teaching tool in his class. Students listened to several Al Stewart songs: (1) "A League of Notions"--a…

Multivalent Narratives: Extending the Narrative Paradigm with Insights from Ancient Indian Rhetoric.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stroud, Scott R.

Research that has focused on ancient Indian rhetoric, a sub-category of Eastern rhetoric, has largely eschewed focus on the narrative paradigm as a theoretical guide. These narratives often enshrine didactic elements, contradictions, and mythic traits that often confound and inspire Western audiences. These archaic religious/philosophical texts…

Lithuanian Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudzius, J.; Murdin, P.

2002-01-01

Lithuanian folklore, archaic calendars and terminology show that Lithuanians were interested in astronomy from ancient times. A lot of celestial bodies have names of Lithuanian origin that are not related to widely accepted ancient Greek mythology. For example, the Milky Way is named `Pauksciu Takas' (literally the way of birds), the constellation of the Great Bear `Didieji Grizulo Ratai' (literal...

Changing Methods and Mindsets: Lessons from Innovate NYC

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hodas, Steven

2016-01-01

As schools and classrooms explore technology-based, student-centered, personalized approaches to teaching and learning, their efforts to innovate can be hamstrung by archaic district operating systems that do not allow them to take advantage of new technologies, to work with smaller startup companies, or to quickly make and implement decisions.…

Decline of Meritocracy: Neo-Feudal Segregation in Turkey

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bagci, S. Erhan

2015-01-01

This paper claims that neo-liberalism is a period that capitalism calls and brings back some archaic forms of class domination depending on the results of marketisation policies in education. Marketisation policies in education are accompanied by specific shifts in ideological discourses, such as meritocracy that were valid only under the welfare…

Cultural Resources Survey of Palmetto and Coochie Revetments, Mississippi River M-326 to 315

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-11-11

oils . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Sedim entary...wildlife are asters (Aster sp.), buck vine (Amelopsis arborea), dewberry (Rubus sp.), elderberry ( Sambucus canadensis), and various maples (Acer sp...time characterized by a "filling in" of regional areas by peoples adapting to essentially modern natural environments. The concept of an Archaic Stage

The Adam and Eve story as exemplar of an early-life variant of the oedipus complex.

PubMed

Osman, M P

2000-01-01

The Adam and Eve story is construed as having an organizing function that facilitates the analytic understanding of certain patients. In this interpretation, the story epitomizes a psychodynamic in which progressive growth, with separation and individuation, of the young is experienced as perilous--not only to them, but also correspondingly to their procreators. In the myth, the increasing psychic and physical maturation of Adam and Eve produced a crisis. Not only was divine authority flouted, but also apprehensions were aroused that God might be humbled or diminished. This threatened him, evoking his wrath and leading to the punishment by abandonment of his youthful wards. It is suggested that the story depicts an emotional complex of widespread application and is an archaic version of the oedipus complex, continuous with the oedipus complex proper, but from an earlier stage of development. This archaic complex is delineated with clinical vignettes, and a clinical explication of its various components is provided. Clinical management is considered, particularly with reference to the challenge that a closed-system perspective (Fairbairn 1958) presents to a patient's development.

The role of an early-life variant of the oedipus complex in motivating religious endeavors.

PubMed

Osman, Marvin P

2004-01-01

A close reading of sources Freud used in writing Totem and Taboo supports the thesis that a predecessor archaic oedipus complex is instrumental in motivating religious worship. This early-life complex manifests a psychodynamic in which birth, growth, and self-realization, to varying degree in each individual, tend to be psychically correlated with diminution and harm vis-à-vis one's procreators. As a result, the psychodynamic is likely to induce unease over youth exercising its powers. The story of Adam and Eve, which depicts a growing self-determination being stymied and coming to grief, is a mythic epitome of this psychodynamic. Religious practices serve to expiate the sense of unease, partly by replenishing and even recasting seemingly diminished procreators, through myth and ritual, into omnipotent, immortal entities, and partly by reversing individuation's challenge to authority by exhorting submission to, and even union, with the divine parent. The sources used in demonstrating the various means whereby religious practices serve to ameliorate the burden of "original sin" include W. R. Smith (1894), the Old Testament, and studies of archaic religious rites, including those of the Aztecs.

Homo sapiens-Specific Binding Site Variants within Brain Exclusive Enhancers Are Subject to Accelerated Divergence across Human Population.

PubMed

Zehra, Rabail; Abbasi, Amir Ali

2018-03-01

Empirical assessments of human accelerated noncoding DNA frgaments have delineated presence of many cis-regulatory elements. Enhancers make up an important category of such accelerated cis-regulatory elements that efficiently control the spatiotemporal expression of many developmental genes. Establishing plausible reasons for accelerated enhancer sequence divergence in Homo sapiens has been termed significant in various previously published studies. This acceleration by including closely related primates and archaic human data has the potential to open up evolutionary avenues for deducing present-day brain structure. This study relied on empirically confirmed brain exclusive enhancers to avoid any misjudgments about their regulatory status and categorized among them a subset of enhancers with an exceptionally accelerated rate of lineage specific divergence in humans. In this assorted set, 13 distinct transcription factor binding sites were located that possessed unique existence in humans. Three of 13 such sites belonging to transcription factors SOX2, RUNX1/3, and FOS/JUND possessed single nucleotide variants that made them unique to H. sapiens upon comparisons with Neandertal and Denisovan orthologous sequences. These variants modifying the binding sites in modern human lineage were further substantiated as single nucleotide polymorphisms via exploiting 1000 Genomes Project Phase3 data. Long range haplotype based tests laid out evidence of positive selection to be governing in African population on two of the modern human motif modifying alleles with strongest results for SOX2 binding site. In sum, our study acknowledges acceleration in noncoding regulatory landscape of the genome and highlights functional parts within it to have undergone accelerated divergence in present-day human population.

Multiethnicity, pluralism, and migration in the south central Andes: An alternate path to state expansion.

PubMed

Goldstein, Paul S

2015-07-28

The south central Andes is known as a region of enduring multiethnic diversity, yet it is also the cradle of one the South America's first successful expansive-state societies. Social structures that encouraged the maintenance of separate identities among coexistent ethnic groups may explain this apparent contradiction. Although the early expansion of the Tiwanaku state (A.D. 600-1000) is often interpreted according to a centralized model derived from Old World precedents, recent archaeological research suggests a reappraisal of the socio-political organization of Tiwanaku civilization, both for the diversity of social entities within its core region and for the multiple agencies behind its wider program of agropastoral colonization. Tiwanaku's sociopolitical pluralism in both its homeland and colonies tempers some of archaeology's global assumptions about the predominant role of centralized institutions in archaic states.

Direct U-series analysis of the Lezetxiki humerus reveals a Middle Pleistocene age for human remains in the Basque Country (northern Iberia).

PubMed

de-la-Rúa, Concepción; Altuna, Jesús; Hervella, Monserrat; Kinsley, Leslie; Grün, Rainer

2016-04-01

In 1964, a human humerus was found in a sedimentary deposit in Lezetxiki Cave (Basque Country, northern Iberia). The first studies on the stratigraphy, associated mammal faunal remains and lithic implements placed the deposits containing the humerus into the Riss glacial stage. Direct chronometric evidence has so far been missing, and the previous chronostratigraphic framework and faunal dating gave inconsistent results. Here we report laser ablation U-series analyses on the humerus yielding a minimum age of 164 ± 9 ka, corresponding to MIS 6. This is the only direct dating analysis of the Lezetxiki humerus and confirms a Middle Pleistocene age for this hominin fossil. Morphometric analyses suggest that the Lezetxiki humerus has close affinities to other Middle Pleistocene archaic hominins, such as those from La Sima de los Huesos at Atapuerca. This emphasizes the significance of the Lezetxiki fossil within the populations that predate the Neanderthals in south-western Europe. It is thus an important key fossil for the understanding of human evolution in Europe during the Middle Pleistocene, a time period when a great morphological diversity is observed but whose phylogenetic meaning is not yet fully understood. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Anthropology and the study of menopause: evolutionary, developmental, and comparative perspectives.

PubMed

Sievert, Lynnette Leidy

2014-10-01

This work aims to consider how the discipline of anthropology contributes to the study of menopause through evolutionary, developmental, and comparative perspectives. This study was a review of skeletal and ethnographic evidence for menopause and postreproductive life in humans' distant past, hypotheses for the evolution of menopause and long postreproductive life, variation in age at menopause with focus on childhood environments, and the study of variation in symptom experience across populations. Longevity, rather than capacity for menopause, sets humans apart from other primates. Skeletal evidence demonstrates that some Neanderthals and archaic Homo sapiens lived to the age at menopause and that at least one third of women in traditional foraging populations live beyond menopause. The evolutionary reasons for why women experience a long postreproductive life continue to be debated. A developmental perspective suggests that early childhood may be a critical time for the environment to irreversibly influence the number of oocytes or rate of follicular atresia and, ultimately, age at menopause. A comparative perspective examines symptom experience at midlife through participant observation, qualitative interviews, and quantitative instruments to gain a holistic understanding of the meaning, experience, and sociocultural context of menopause. An evolutionary perspective suggests that menopause is not a recent phenomenon among humans. A developmental perspective focuses on the influence of early childhood on ovarian function. A comparative perspective expands clinical norms and provides knowledge about the range of human variations.

A Neurological Enigma: The Inborn Numerical Competence of Humans and Animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gross, Hans J.

2012-03-01

"Subitizing" means our ability to recognize and memorize object numbers precisely under conditions where counting is impossible. This is an inborn archaic process which was named after the Latin "subito" = suddenly, immediately, indicating that the objects in question are presented to test persons only for the fraction of a second in order to prevent counting. Sequential counting, however, is an outstanding cultural achievement of mankind and means to count "1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ..." without a limit. In contrast to inborn "subitizing", counting has to be trained, beginning in our early childhood with the help of our fingers. For humans we know since 140 years that we can "subitize" only up to 4 objects correctly and that mistakes occur from 5 objects on. Similar results have been obtained for a number of non-human vertebrates from salamanders to pigeons and dolphins. To our surprise, we have detected this inborn numerical competence for the first time in case of an invertebrate, the honeybee which recognizes and memorizes 3 to 4 objects under rigorous test conditions. This common ability of humans and honeybees to "subitize" up to 4 objects correctly and the miraculous but rare ability of persons with Savant syndrome to "subitize" more than hundred objects precisely raises a number of intriguing questions concerning the evolution and the significance of this biological enigma.

Genomic evidence for an African expansion of anatomically modern humans by a Southern route.

PubMed

Ghirotto, Silvia; Penso-Dolfin, Luca; Barbujani, Guido

2011-08-01

There is general agreement among scientists about a recent (less than 200,000 yrs ago) African origin of anatomically modern humans, whereas there is still uncertainty about whether, and to what extent, they admixed with archaic populations, which thus may have contributed to the modern populations' gene pools. Data on cranial morphology have been interpreted as suggesting that, before the main expansion from Africa through the Near East, anatomically modern humans may also have taken a Southern route from the Horn of Africa through the Arabian peninsula to India, Melanesia and Australia, about 100,000 yrs ago. This view was recently supported by archaeological findings demonstrating human presence in Eastern Arabia >90,000 yrs ago. In this study we analyzed genetic variation at 111,197 nuclear SNPs in nine populations (Kurumba, Chenchu, Kamsali, Madiga, Mala, Irula, Dalit, Chinese, Japanese), chosen because their genealogical relationships are expected to differ under the alternative models of expansion (single vs. multiple dispersals). We calculated correlations between genomic distances, and geographic distances estimated under the alternative assumptions of a single dispersal, or multiple dispersals, and found a significantly stronger association for the multiple dispersal model. If confirmed, this result would cast doubts on the possibility that some non-African populations (i.e., those whose ancestors expanded through the Southern route) may have had any contacts with Neandertals.

The heritage of pathogen pressures and ancient demography in the human innate-immunity CD209/CD209L region.

PubMed

Barreiro, Luis B; Patin, Etienne; Neyrolles, Olivier; Cann, Howard M; Gicquel, Brigitte; Quintana-Murci, Lluís

2005-11-01

The innate immunity system constitutes the first line of host defense against pathogens. Two closely related innate immunity genes, CD209 and CD209L, are particularly interesting because they directly recognize a plethora of pathogens, including bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Both genes, which result from an ancient duplication, possess a neck region, made up of seven repeats of 23 amino acids each, known to play a major role in the pathogen-binding properties of these proteins. To explore the extent to which pathogens have exerted selective pressures on these innate immunity genes, we resequenced them in a group of samples from sub-Saharan Africa, Europe, and East Asia. Moreover, variation in the number of repeats of the neck region was defined in the entire Human Genome Diversity Panel for both genes. Our results, which are based on diversity levels, neutrality tests, population genetic distances, and neck-region length variation, provide genetic evidence that CD209 has been under a strong selective constraint that prevents accumulation of any amino acid changes, whereas CD209L variability has most likely been shaped by the action of balancing selection in non-African populations. In addition, our data point to the neck region as the functional target of such selective pressures: CD209 presents a constant size in the neck region populationwide, whereas CD209L presents an excess of length variation, particularly in non-African populations. An additional interesting observation came from the coalescent-based CD209 gene tree, whose binary topology and time depth (approximately 2.8 million years ago) are compatible with an ancestral population structure in Africa. Altogether, our study has revealed that even a short segment of the human genome can uncover an extraordinarily complex evolutionary history, including different pathogen pressures on host genes as well as traces of admixture among archaic hominid populations.

How "Boundaryless" Are the Careers of High Potentials, Key Experts and Average Performers?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Dries, Nicky; Van Acker, Frederik; Verbruggen, Marijke

2012-01-01

The talent management literature declares talent management a prime concern for HRM professionals while the careers literature calls talent management archaic. Three sets of assumptions identified through comparative review of both streams of the literature were tested in a large-scale survey (n = 941). We found more support for the assumptions…

Re-Envisioning the Archaic Higher Education Learning Environment: Implementation Processes for Flipped Classrooms

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rabidoux, Salena; Rottmann, Amy

2018-01-01

Flipped classrooms are often utilized in PK-12 classrooms; however, there is also a growing trend of flipped classrooms in higher education. This paper presents the benefits and limitations of implementing flipped classrooms in higher education as well as resources for integrating a flipped classroom design to instruction. The various technology…

Teaching Machiavelli, or How I Learned to Love "The Prince"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Alan E.

2010-01-01

Written by a petty bureaucrat and diplomat for Lorenzo de Medici, a member of one of the ruling families of Europe, Niccolo Machiavelli's "The Prince" is a slim volume concerned primarily with advising Medici on how to acquire, maintain, and sustain power over a state. Its difficult and often archaic vocabulary aside, at first glance it…

Excerpts on Vocational Education from the President's Statement on Combating Construction Inflation and Meeting Future Construction Needs.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bowler, Earl M., Comp.

America's $100 billion construction industry with its 3 million workers does not need harassment, unwarranted interference, or political denounciation; it does need better access to mortgage money, less costly materials at more stable prices, an end to archaic regulations that hamper productivity, more dynamic management, and--most of all--more…

The "Magic" of Music: Archaic Dreams in Romantic Aesthetics and an Education in Aesthetics

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kertz-Welzel, Alexandra

2005-01-01

The main intent of this article is to describe some opportunities for an education in aesthetics by referring to similarities between intensive experiences of music in the individual life and in the history of aesthetics. Here, the author discusses Romanticism through the writings of Wilhelm Heinrich Wackenroder. Among other things, she discusses…

A rock engraving made by Neanderthals in Gibraltar.

PubMed

Rodríguez-Vidal, Joaquín; d'Errico, Francesco; Giles Pacheco, Francisco; Blasco, Ruth; Rosell, Jordi; Jennings, Richard P; Queffelec, Alain; Finlayson, Geraldine; Fa, Darren A; Gutiérrez López, José María; Carrión, José S; Negro, Juan José; Finlayson, Stewart; Cáceres, Luís M; Bernal, Marco A; Fernández Jiménez, Santiago; Finlayson, Clive

2014-09-16

The production of purposely made painted or engraved designs on cave walls--a means of recording and transmitting symbolic codes in a durable manner--is recognized as a major cognitive step in human evolution. Considered exclusive to modern humans, this behavior has been used to argue in favor of significant cognitive differences between our direct ancestors and contemporary archaic hominins, including the Neanderthals. Here we present the first known example of an abstract pattern engraved by Neanderthals, from Gorham's Cave in Gibraltar. It consists of a deeply impressed cross-hatching carved into the bedrock of the cave that has remained covered by an undisturbed archaeological level containing Mousterian artifacts made by Neanderthals and is older than 39 cal kyr BP. Geochemical analysis of the epigenetic coating over the engravings and experimental replication show that the engraving was made before accumulation of the archaeological layers, and that most of the lines composing the design were made by repeatedly and carefully passing a pointed lithic tool into the grooves, excluding the possibility of an unintentional or utilitarian origin (e.g., food or fur processing). This discovery demonstrates the capacity of the Neanderthals for abstract thought and expression through the use of geometric forms.

A rock engraving made by Neanderthals in Gibraltar

PubMed Central

Rodríguez-Vidal, Joaquín; d’Errico, Francesco; Pacheco, Francisco Giles; Blasco, Ruth; Rosell, Jordi; Jennings, Richard P.; Queffelec, Alain; Finlayson, Geraldine; Fa, Darren A.; Gutiérrez López, José María; Carrión, José S.; Negro, Juan José; Finlayson, Stewart; Cáceres, Luís M.; Bernal, Marco A.; Fernández Jiménez, Santiago; Finlayson, Clive

2014-01-01

The production of purposely made painted or engraved designs on cave walls—a means of recording and transmitting symbolic codes in a durable manner—is recognized as a major cognitive step in human evolution. Considered exclusive to modern humans, this behavior has been used to argue in favor of significant cognitive differences between our direct ancestors and contemporary archaic hominins, including the Neanderthals. Here we present the first known example of an abstract pattern engraved by Neanderthals, from Gorham’s Cave in Gibraltar. It consists of a deeply impressed cross-hatching carved into the bedrock of the cave that has remained covered by an undisturbed archaeological level containing Mousterian artifacts made by Neanderthals and is older than 39 cal kyr BP. Geochemical analysis of the epigenetic coating over the engravings and experimental replication show that the engraving was made before accumulation of the archaeological layers, and that most of the lines composing the design were made by repeatedly and carefully passing a pointed lithic tool into the grooves, excluding the possibility of an unintentional or utilitarian origin (e.g., food or fur processing). This discovery demonstrates the capacity of the Neanderthals for abstract thought and expression through the use of geometric forms. PMID:25197076

Earliest hominin occupation of Sulawesi, Indonesia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Bergh, Gerrit D.; Li, Bo; Brumm, Adam; Grün, Rainer; Yurnaldi, Dida; Moore, Mark W.; Kurniawan, Iwan; Setiawan, Ruly; Aziz, Fachroel; Roberts, Richard G.; Suyono; Storey, Michael; Setiabudi, Erick; Morwood, Michael J.

2016-01-01

Sulawesi is the largest and oldest island within Wallacea, a vast zone of oceanic islands separating continental Asia from the Pleistocene landmass of Australia and Papua (Sahul). By one million years ago an unknown hominin lineage had colonized Flores immediately to the south, and by about 50 thousand years ago, modern humans (Homo sapiens) had crossed to Sahul. On the basis of position, oceanic currents and biogeographical context, Sulawesi probably played a pivotal part in these dispersals. Uranium-series dating of speleothem deposits associated with rock art in the limestone karst region of Maros in southwest Sulawesi has revealed that humans were living on the island at least 40 thousand years ago (ref. 5). Here we report new excavations at Talepu in the Walanae Basin northeast of Maros, where in situ stone artefacts associated with fossil remains of megafauna (Bubalus sp., Stegodon and Celebochoerus) have been recovered from stratified deposits that accumulated from before 200 thousand years ago until about 100 thousand years ago. Our findings suggest that Sulawesi, like Flores, was host to a long-established population of archaic hominins, the ancestral origins and taxonomic status of which remain elusive.

Modulation of EEG Theta Band Signal Complexity by Music Therapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhattacharya, Joydeep; Lee, Eun-Jeong

The primary goal of this study was to investigate the impact of monochord (MC) sounds, a type of archaic sounds used in music therapy, on the neural complexity of EEG signals obtained from patients undergoing chemotherapy. The secondary goal was to compare the EEG signal complexity values for monochords with those for progressive muscle relaxation (PMR), an alternative therapy for relaxation. Forty cancer patients were randomly allocated to one of the two relaxation groups, MC and PMR, over a period of six months; continuous EEG signals were recorded during the first and last sessions. EEG signals were analyzed by applying signal mode complexity, a measure of complexity of neuronal oscillations. Across sessions, both groups showed a modulation of complexity of beta-2 band (20-29Hz) at midfrontal regions, but only MC group showed a modulation of complexity of theta band (3.5-7.5Hz) at posterior regions. Therefore, the neuronal complexity patterns showed different changes in EEG frequency band specific complexity resulting in two different types of interventions. Moreover, the different neural responses to listening to monochords and PMR were observed after regular relaxation interventions over a short time span.

Long-Distance Dispersal Shaped Patterns of Human Genetic Diversity in Eurasia

PubMed Central

Alves, Isabel; Arenas, Miguel; Currat, Mathias; Sramkova Hanulova, Anna; Sousa, Vitor C.; Ray, Nicolas; Excoffier, Laurent

2016-01-01

Most previous attempts at reconstructing the past history of human populations did not explicitly take geography into account or considered very simple scenarios of migration and ignored environmental information. However, it is likely that the last glacial maximum (LGM) affected the demography and the range of many species, including our own. Moreover, long-distance dispersal (LDD) may have been an important component of human migrations, allowing fast colonization of new territories and preserving high levels of genetic diversity. Here, we use a high-quality microsatellite data set genotyped in 22 populations to estimate the posterior probabilities of several scenarios for the settlement of the Old World by modern humans. We considered models ranging from a simple spatial expansion to others including LDD and a LGM-induced range contraction, as well as Neolithic demographic expansions. We find that scenarios with LDD are much better supported by data than models without LDD. Nevertheless, we show evidence that LDD events to empty habitats were strongly prevented during the settlement of Eurasia. This unexpected absence of LDD ahead of the colonization wave front could have been caused by an Allee effect, either due to intrinsic causes such as an inbreeding depression built during the expansion or due to extrinsic causes such as direct competition with archaic humans. Overall, our results suggest only a relatively limited effect of the LGM contraction on current patterns of human diversity. This is in clear contrast with the major role of LDD migrations, which have potentially contributed to the intermingled genetic structure of Eurasian populations. PMID:26637555

Multiethnicity, pluralism, and migration in the south central Andes: An alternate path to state expansion

PubMed Central

Goldstein, Paul S.

2015-01-01

The south central Andes is known as a region of enduring multiethnic diversity, yet it is also the cradle of one the South America’s first successful expansive-state societies. Social structures that encouraged the maintenance of separate identities among coexistent ethnic groups may explain this apparent contradiction. Although the early expansion of the Tiwanaku state (A.D. 600–1000) is often interpreted according to a centralized model derived from Old World precedents, recent archaeological research suggests a reappraisal of the socio-political organization of Tiwanaku civilization, both for the diversity of social entities within its core region and for the multiple agencies behind its wider program of agropastoral colonization. Tiwanaku’s sociopolitical pluralism in both its homeland and colonies tempers some of archaeology’s global assumptions about the predominant role of centralized institutions in archaic states. PMID:26195732

A Gag at the Bottom of a Bowl? Perceptions of Playfulness in Archaic and Classical Greece

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Banchich, Thomas

2017-01-01

The author uses the inscriptions and images on several ancient Greek vases to consider how social context, the meanings of play-related words, and particular features of the Greek language contributed to the ability to signal and perceive playfulness. He emphasizes the importance of the lexical range of some Greek words and how expectations linked…

A Heteroglossic Theory of Proto-Genbun Itchi in Edo and Early Meiji Writings

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hansen, Kelly J.

2009-01-01

Genbun itchi is conventionally described as an early Meiji-period movement which sought to rid written Japanese of archaic forms, and instead develop a written style closer to the spoken vernacular of the time. The overwhelming bulk of critical work on genbun itchi has centered around the introduction of Western literature during this period as…

Historical and Contemporary Aspects of the Relationship between the State and Adult Education in Greece.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Boucouvalas, Marcie

An outgrowth of earlier research on historical and contemporary adult education in Greece, this paper provides highlights of the relationship between the state and adult education in that country. The highlights are organized by the following historical periods: prehistory (c. 3000-1100 B.C.); early and archaic Greece (c. 1100-700 B.C.);…

Low-frequency hearing preceded the evolution of giant body size and filter feeding in baleen whales.

PubMed

Park, Travis; Evans, Alistair R; Gallagher, Stephen J; Fitzgerald, Erich M G

2017-02-08

Living baleen whales (mysticetes) produce and hear the lowest-frequency (infrasonic) sounds among mammals. There is currently debate over whether the ancestor of crown cetaceans (Neoceti) was able to detect low frequencies. However, the lack of information on the most archaic fossil mysticetes has prevented us from determining the earliest evolution of their extreme acoustic biology. Here, we report the first anatomical analyses and frequency range estimation of the inner ear in Oligocene (34-23 Ma) fossils of archaic toothed mysticetes from Australia and the USA. The cochlear anatomy of these small fossil mysticetes resembles basilosaurid archaeocetes, but is also similar to that of today's baleen whales, indicating that even the earliest mysticetes detected low-frequency sounds, and lacked ultrasonic hearing and echolocation. This suggests that, in contrast to recent research, the plesiomorphic hearing condition for Neoceti was low frequency, which was retained by toothed mysticetes, and the high-frequency hearing of odontocetes is derived. Therefore, the low-frequency hearing of baleen whales has remained relatively unchanged over the last approximately 34 Myr, being present before the evolution of other signature mysticete traits, including filter feeding, baleen and giant body size. © 2017 The Author(s).

Low-frequency hearing preceded the evolution of giant body size and filter feeding in baleen whales

PubMed Central

Evans, Alistair R.; Fitzgerald, Erich M. G.

2017-01-01

Living baleen whales (mysticetes) produce and hear the lowest-frequency (infrasonic) sounds among mammals. There is currently debate over whether the ancestor of crown cetaceans (Neoceti) was able to detect low frequencies. However, the lack of information on the most archaic fossil mysticetes has prevented us from determining the earliest evolution of their extreme acoustic biology. Here, we report the first anatomical analyses and frequency range estimation of the inner ear in Oligocene (34–23 Ma) fossils of archaic toothed mysticetes from Australia and the USA. The cochlear anatomy of these small fossil mysticetes resembles basilosaurid archaeocetes, but is also similar to that of today's baleen whales, indicating that even the earliest mysticetes detected low-frequency sounds, and lacked ultrasonic hearing and echolocation. This suggests that, in contrast to recent research, the plesiomorphic hearing condition for Neoceti was low frequency, which was retained by toothed mysticetes, and the high-frequency hearing of odontocetes is derived. Therefore, the low-frequency hearing of baleen whales has remained relatively unchanged over the last approximately 34 Myr, being present before the evolution of other signature mysticete traits, including filter feeding, baleen and giant body size. PMID:28179519

Early (300−100 B.C.) temple precinct in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico

PubMed Central

Redmond, Elsa M.; Spencer, Charles S.

2013-01-01

Archaeological investigations during the past two decades in Mexico’s Valley of Oaxaca have documented the appearance of key public buildings, such as the royal palace and multiroom temple, associated with the rise of an archaic state at ca. 300−100 B.C. A fuller picture is now emerging from the site of El Palenque, where recent excavations have defined a temple precinct on the east side of the site’s plaza. This precinct exhibits characteristics similar to those of the temple precincts of later Mesoamerican states described by Colonial period sources. The excavation data document a walled enclosure containing three multiroom temples, two special residences identified as priests’ residences, and an array of ritual features and activity areas. The temple precinct’s components are interpreted as comprising a hierarchy of temples staffed by a specialized priesthood. A series of radiocarbon dates indicate that the precinct’s differentiated components were all in use during the 300−100 B.C. period of archaic state emergence. The El Palenque temple precinct is the earliest temple precinct excavated thus far in the Valley of Oaxaca. PMID:23610387

Rearrangement of Immunoglobulin Genes in Shark Germ Cells

PubMed Central

Lee, Susan S.; Fitch, David; Flajnik, Martin F.; Hsu, Ellen

2000-01-01

The variable (V), (diversity [D]), and joining (J) region recombinases (recombination activating genes [RAGs]) can perform like transposases and are thought to have initiated development of the adaptive immune system in early vertebrates by splitting archaic V genes with transposable elements. In cartilaginous fishes, the immunoglobulin (Ig) light chain genes are organized as multiple VJ-constant (C) clusters; some loci are capable of rearrangement while others contain fused VJ. The latter may be key to understanding the evolutionary role of RAG. Are they relics of the archaic genes, or are they results of rearrangement in germ cells? Our data suggest that some fused VJ genes are not only recently rearranged, but also resulted from RAG-like activity involving hairpin intermediates. Expression studies show that these, like some other germline-joined Ig sequences, are expressed at significant levels only early in ontogeny. We suggest that a rejoined Ig gene may not merely be a sequence restricting antibody diversity, but is potentially a novel receptor no longer tied to somatic RAG expression and rearrangement. From the combined data, we arrived at the unexpected conclusion that, in some vertebrates, RAG is still an active force in changing the genome. PMID:10811858

Divergent Ah Receptor Ligand Selectivity during Hominin Evolution

PubMed Central

Hubbard, Troy D.; Murray, Iain A.; Bisson, William H.; Sullivan, Alexis P.; Sebastian, Aswathy; Perry, George H.; Jablonski, Nina G.; Perdew, Gary H.

2016-01-01

We have identified a fixed nonsynonymous sequence difference between humans (Val381; derived variant) and Neandertals (Ala381; ancestral variant) in the ligand-binding domain of the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) gene. In an exome sequence analysis of four Neandertal and Denisovan individuals compared with nine modern humans, there are only 90 total nucleotide sites genome-wide for which archaic hominins are fixed for the ancestral nonsynonymous variant and the modern humans are fixed for the derived variant. Of those sites, only 27, including Val381 in the AHR, also have no reported variability in the human dbSNP database, further suggesting that this highly conserved functional variant is a rare event. Functional analysis of the amino acid variant Ala381 within the AHR carried by Neandertals and nonhuman primates indicate enhanced polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) binding, DNA binding capacity, and AHR mediated transcriptional activity compared with the human AHR. Also relative to human AHR, the Neandertal AHR exhibited 150–1000 times greater sensitivity to induction of Cyp1a1 and Cyp1b1 expression by PAHs (e.g., benzo(a)pyrene). The resulting CYP1A1/CYP1B1 enzymes are responsible for PAH first pass metabolism, which can result in the generation of toxic intermediates and perhaps AHR-associated toxicities. In contrast, the human AHR retains the ancestral sensitivity observed in primates to nontoxic endogenous AHR ligands (e.g., indole, indoxyl sulfate). Our findings reveal that a functionally significant change in the AHR occurred uniquely in humans, relative to other primates, that would attenuate the response to many environmental pollutants, including chemicals present in smoke from fire use during cooking. PMID:27486223

[Bioethics and research into mental health].

PubMed

Braz, Marlene; Schramm, Fermin Roland

2011-04-01

This article discusses research in the field of mental health, examining the ethical is sues involved and the use of Informed Consent. In order to achieve these objectives two main approaches were used: (1) a brief history of the different treatments and research with patients with mental illness or disability; (2) theoretical and conceptual analysis of the main problems concerning the mental health field, namely the notion of vulnerability, responsibility and autonomy and the use of placebo control groups. Two main questions prompted the reflection on whether the patient with a mental disorder can sign an Informed Consent, and whether the use of a placebo is acceptable. The existence of antagonistic and contradictory positions indicates that mental health research is hampered by biases that are difficult to overcome. Ethical investigation that may contribute to the healing of mental disorders should not however be overlooked merely because of the difficulties involved in its implementation. It must be borne in mind that changes occurring in the context of Psychiatric Reform in Brazil are gradually altering archaic concepts about what constitutes mental illness and how this group should be understood and treated.

Clinical vampirism. A presentation of 3 cases and a re-evaluation of Haigh, the 'acid-bath murderer'.

PubMed

Hemphill, R E; Zabow, T

1983-02-19

Clinical vampirism is named after the mythical vampire, and is a recognizable, although rare, clinical entity characterized by periodic compulsive blood-drinking, affinity with the dead and uncertain identity. It is hypothetically the expression of an inherited archaic myth, the act of taking blood being a ritual that gives temporary relief. From ancient times vampirists have given substance to belief in the existence of supernatural vampires. Four vampirists, including Haigh, the 'acid-bath murderer', are described. From childhood they cut themselves, drank their own, exogenous human or animal blood to relieve a craving, dreamed of blood-shed, associated with the dead, and had a changing identity. They were intelligent, with no family mental or social pathology. Some self-cutters are auto-vampirists; females are not likely to assault others for blood, but males are potentially dangerous. Vampirism may be a cause of unpredictable repeated assault and murder, and should be looked for in violent criminals who are self-mutilators. No specific treatment is known.

Strange fires, weird smokes and psychoactive combustibles: entheogens and incense in ancient traditions.

PubMed

Dannaway, Frederick R

2010-12-01

This paper seeks to emphasize what may be the most primary mode of altering consciousness in the ancient world: namely, the burning of substances for inhalation in enclosed areas. While there is abundant literature on archaic uses of entheogenic plants, the literature on psychoactive incenses is quite deficient. From the tents of nomadic tribes to the small meditation rooms of Taoist adepts, the smoldering fumes of plants and resins have been used to invoke and banish and for shamanic travels since humanity mastered fire. The text provides details of primary "incense cults" while highlighting some commonalities and shared influences when possible. Further speculation suggests that selective burning of certain substances, such as mercury and sulphur, may have contributed to their lasting use and veneration in alchemy from India and China to the Arabian and European protochemists. This article would have a companion online database for images and further examples of ingredients in various incenses from China to ancient Greece.

Marine resource reliance in the human populations of the Atacama Desert, northern Chile - A view from prehistory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, Charlotte L.; Millard, Andrew R.; Gröcke, Darren R.; Standen, Vivien G.; Arriaza, Bernardo T.; Halcrow, Siân E.

2018-02-01

The Atacama Desert is one of the most inhospitable terrestrial environments on Earth, yet the upwelling of the Humboldt Current off the coast has resulted in the presence of a rich marine biota. It is this marine environment which first enabled the human settlement of the northern Atacama Desert, and continues to form the basis of regional economies today. In this paper we explore how the desert has shaped human dietary choices throughout prehistory, using carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis of human bone collagen (n = 80) to reconstruct the diets of the inhabitants of the Arica region of the northern Atacama. This area is one of the driest parts of the desert, but has been generally understudied in terms of dietary adaptation. Statistical analysis using FRUITS has allowed deconvolution of isotopic signals to create dietary reconstructions and highlight the continued importance of marine resources throughout the archaeological sequence. Location also appears to have played a role in dietary choices, with inland sites having 10-20% less calories from marine foods than coastal sites. We also highlight evidence for the increasing importance of maize consumption, coinciding with contact with highland polities. In all periods apart from the earliest Archaic, however, there is significant variability between individuals in terms of dietary resource use. We conclude that marine resource use, and broad-spectrum economies persisted throughout prehistory. We interpret these results as reflecting a deliberate choice to retain dietary diversity as a buffer against resource instability.

Human Remains from the Pleistocene-Holocene Transition of Southwest China Suggest a Complex Evolutionary History for East Asians

PubMed Central

Curnoe, Darren; Xueping, Ji; Herries, Andy I. R.; Kanning, Bai; Taçon, Paul S. C.; Zhende, Bao; Fink, David; Yunsheng, Zhu; Hellstrom, John; Yun, Luo; Cassis, Gerasimos; Bing, Su; Wroe, Stephen; Shi, Hong; Parr, William C. H.; Shengmin, Huang; Rogers, Natalie

2012-01-01

Background Later Pleistocene human evolution in East Asia remains poorly understood owing to a scarcity of well described, reliably classified and accurately dated fossils. Southwest China has been identified from genetic research as a hotspot of human diversity, containing ancient mtDNA and Y-DNA lineages, and has yielded a number of human remains thought to derive from Pleistocene deposits. We have prepared, reconstructed, described and dated a new partial skull from a consolidated sediment block collected in 1979 from the site of Longlin Cave (Guangxi Province). We also undertook new excavations at Maludong (Yunnan Province) to clarify the stratigraphy and dating of a large sample of mostly undescribed human remains from the site. Methodology/Principal Findings We undertook a detailed comparison of cranial, including a virtual endocast for the Maludong calotte, mandibular and dental remains from these two localities. Both samples probably derive from the same population, exhibiting an unusual mixture of modern human traits, characters probably plesiomorphic for later Homo, and some unusual features. We dated charcoal with AMS radiocarbon dating and speleothem with the Uranium-series technique and the results show both samples to be from the Pleistocene-Holocene transition: ∼14.3-11.5 ka. Conclusions/Significance Our analysis suggests two plausible explanations for the morphology sampled at Longlin Cave and Maludong. First, it may represent a late-surviving archaic population, perhaps paralleling the situation seen in North Africa as indicated by remains from Dar-es-Soltane and Temara, and maybe also in southern China at Zhirendong. Alternatively, East Asia may have been colonised during multiple waves during the Pleistocene, with the Longlin-Maludong morphology possibly reflecting deep population substructure in Africa prior to modern humans dispersing into Eurasia. PMID:22431968

Human remains from the Pleistocene-Holocene transition of southwest China suggest a complex evolutionary history for East Asians.

PubMed

Curnoe, Darren; Xueping, Ji; Herries, Andy I R; Kanning, Bai; Taçon, Paul S C; Zhende, Bao; Fink, David; Yunsheng, Zhu; Hellstrom, John; Yun, Luo; Cassis, Gerasimos; Bing, Su; Wroe, Stephen; Shi, Hong; Parr, William C H; Shengmin, Huang; Rogers, Natalie

2012-01-01

Later Pleistocene human evolution in East Asia remains poorly understood owing to a scarcity of well described, reliably classified and accurately dated fossils. Southwest China has been identified from genetic research as a hotspot of human diversity, containing ancient mtDNA and Y-DNA lineages, and has yielded a number of human remains thought to derive from Pleistocene deposits. We have prepared, reconstructed, described and dated a new partial skull from a consolidated sediment block collected in 1979 from the site of Longlin Cave (Guangxi Province). We also undertook new excavations at Maludong (Yunnan Province) to clarify the stratigraphy and dating of a large sample of mostly undescribed human remains from the site. We undertook a detailed comparison of cranial, including a virtual endocast for the Maludong calotte, mandibular and dental remains from these two localities. Both samples probably derive from the same population, exhibiting an unusual mixture of modern human traits, characters probably plesiomorphic for later Homo, and some unusual features. We dated charcoal with AMS radiocarbon dating and speleothem with the Uranium-series technique and the results show both samples to be from the Pleistocene-Holocene transition: ∼14.3-11.5 ka. Our analysis suggests two plausible explanations for the morphology sampled at Longlin Cave and Maludong. First, it may represent a late-surviving archaic population, perhaps paralleling the situation seen in North Africa as indicated by remains from Dar-es-Soltane and Temara, and maybe also in southern China at Zhirendong. Alternatively, East Asia may have been colonised during multiple waves during the Pleistocene, with the Longlin-Maludong morphology possibly reflecting deep population substructure in Africa prior to modern humans dispersing into Eurasia.

Human-Specific Histone Methylation Signatures at Transcription Start Sites in Prefrontal Neurons

PubMed Central

Cheung, Iris; Bharadwaj, Rahul; Chou, Hsin-Jung; Houston, Isaac B.; Peter, Cyril J.; Mitchell, Amanda C.; Yao, Wei-Dong; Myers, Richard H.; Chen, Jiang-fan; Preuss, Todd M.; Rogaev, Evgeny I.; Jensen, Jeffrey D.; Weng, Zhiping; Akbarian, Schahram

2012-01-01

Cognitive abilities and disorders unique to humans are thought to result from adaptively driven changes in brain transcriptomes, but little is known about the role of cis-regulatory changes affecting transcription start sites (TSS). Here, we mapped in human, chimpanzee, and macaque prefrontal cortex the genome-wide distribution of histone H3 trimethylated at lysine 4 (H3K4me3), an epigenetic mark sharply regulated at TSS, and identified 471 sequences with human-specific enrichment or depletion. Among these were 33 loci selectively methylated in neuronal but not non-neuronal chromatin from children and adults, including TSS at DPP10 (2q14.1), CNTN4 and CHL1 (3p26.3), and other neuropsychiatric susceptibility genes. Regulatory sequences at DPP10 and additional loci carried a strong footprint of hominid adaptation, including elevated nucleotide substitution rates and regulatory motifs absent in other primates (including archaic hominins), with evidence for selective pressures during more recent evolution and adaptive fixations in modern populations. Chromosome conformation capture at two neurodevelopmental disease loci, 2q14.1 and 16p11.2, revealed higher order chromatin structures resulting in physical contact of multiple human-specific H3K4me3 peaks spaced 0.5–1 Mb apart, in conjunction with a novel cis-bound antisense RNA linked to Polycomb repressor proteins and downregulated DPP10 expression. Therefore, coordinated epigenetic regulation via newly derived TSS chromatin could play an important role in the emergence of human-specific gene expression networks in brain that contribute to cognitive functions and neurological disease susceptibility in modern day humans. PMID:23185133

Lipoxygenase pathways in Homo neanderthalensis: functional comparison with Homo sapiens isoforms

PubMed Central

Chaitidis, Pavlos; Adel, Susan; Anton, Monika; Heydeck, Dagmar; Kuhn, Hartmut; Horn, Thomas

2013-01-01

Lipoxygenases (LOX) have been implicated in biosynthesis of pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, and a previous report suggested compromised leukotriene signaling in H. neanderthalensis. To search for corresponding differences in leukotriene biosynthesis, we screened the Neandertal genome for LOX genes and found that, as modern humans, this archaic hominid contains six LOX genes (nALOX15, nALOX12, nALOX5, nALOX15B, nALOX12B, and nALOXE3) and one pseudogene. In the Neandertal genome, 60–75% of the amino acids of the different human LOX isoforms have been identified, and the degree of identity varies between 96 and 99%. Most functional amino acids (iron ligands, specificity determinants, calcium and ATP-binding sites, membrane-binding determinants, and phosphorylation sites) are well conserved in the Neandertal LOX isoforms, and expression of selected neandertalized human LOX mutants revealed no major functional defects. However, in nALOX12 and nALOXE3, two premature stop codons were found, leading to inactive enzyme species. These data suggest that ALOX15, ALOX5, ALOX15B, and ALOX12B should have been present as functional enzymes in H. neanderthalensis and that in contrast to lower nonhuman primates (M. mulatta) and other mammals (mice, rats), this ancient hominid expressed a 15-lipoxygenating ALOX15. Expression of ALOXE3 and ALOX12 was compromised, which might have caused problems in epidermal differentiation. PMID:23475662

Nonhuman Primate Models and Understanding the Pathogenesis of HIV Infection and AIDS.

PubMed

Veazey, Ronald S; Lackner, Andrew A

2017-12-01

Research using nonhuman primates (NHPs) as models for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) has resulted in tremendous achievements not only in the prevention and treatment of HIV, but also in biomedical research more broadly. Once considered a death sentence, HIV infection is now fairly well controlled with combination antiretroviral treatments, almost all of which were first tested for efficacy and safety in nonhuman primates or other laboratory animals. Research in NHP has led to "dogma changing" discoveries in immunology, infectious disease, and even our own genetics. We now know that many of our genes are retroviral remnants, or developed in response to archaic HIV-like retroviral infections. Early studies involving blood from HIV patients and in experiments in cultured tissues contributed to confusion regarding the cause of AIDS and impeded progress in the development of effective interventions. Research on the many retroviruses of different NHP species have broadened our understanding of human immunology and perhaps even our origins and evolution as a species. In combination with recent advances in molecular biology and computational analytics, research in NHPs has unique potential for discoveries that will directly lead to new cures for old human and animal diseases, including HIV/AIDS. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Sunday Sport Comes to Pennsylvania: Professional Baseball and Football Triumph over the Commonwealth's Archaic Blue Laws, 1919-1933.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Jable, J. Thomas

Following World War I, many Americans plunged into sport, and found the Sabbath a convenient and popular day for engaging in sporting events, especially since Sunday activities had become commonplace during the War and acceptable in many areas. However, when Pennsylvanians turned to sport on the Sabbath, they were confronted by the state's archaic…

Types of Dialect Accommodation in First-Generation Contact between Adult Speakers of Mutually Intelligible but Regionally Different Varieties

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wilson, James

2011-01-01

This study reports on the linguistic behaviour of 39 university students from Moravia (in the east of the Czech Republic) living at a hall of residence in Prague, Bohemia (an area covering the west/central parts of the Czech Republic). In Bohemia, Moravian dialects and Standard Czech (SC)--an archaic and semi-artificial standard dialect that is…

"Computer as Data Gatherer" for a New Generation: Martorella's Predictions, the Past, the Present, and the Future of Technology in Social Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Friedman, Adam

2014-01-01

In his 1997 article "Technology and the Social Studies--or: Which Way to the Sleeping Giant?" Peter Martorella made several predictions regarding technology resources in the social studies. Through a 2014 lens, Martorella's Internet seems archaic, yet two of his predictions were particularly poignant and have had a significant impact on…

[Cross reactivities between food antigens of plant or animal origin].

PubMed

Bakos, N; Nékám, K

2000-03-26

Knowledge about cross reactivities among food proteins of plant or animal origin is getting more and more important. Cross reaction provoking often clinical symptoms may be based on close taxonomical relations or on the presence of "archaic", ubiquiter protein structures preserved during phylogenesis. The most significant cross reactivities characterized by increasing incidence are between pollens and foods of plant origin and between latex and fruits.

High School 2.0: Can Philadephia's School of the Future Live up to Its Name?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mezzacappa, Dale

2010-01-01

In 2003, leaders at the School District of Philadelphia, district CEO Paul Vallas and chairman of the School Reform Commission James Nevels, enlisted the help of the Microsoft Corporation in a bold effort: reshape the archaic 19th-century high school model to better prepare students, especially urban students, to live and work in the 21st century.…

La Influencia del Sustrato en la Fonetica del Espanol de Mexico (The Influence of the Mexican Substratum Dialects on Spanish Pronunciation in Mexico).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lope Blanch, Juan M.

1967-01-01

Spanish spoken in Mexico City is influenced considerably more by indigenous dialects than by archaic or present usage of peninsular Spanish. Six areas in particular fall under this influence: (1) the phoneme "s", treated as a palative and fricative sound, (2) voiced "s", which is dental alveolar and affricate, (3) "t"…

El Lenguaje de los Chicanos (The Language of Chicanos). Regional and Social Characteristics of Language Used by Mexican Americans.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hernandez-Chavez, Eduardo, Ed.; And Others

The following articles are included in this anthology on Chicano speech: (1) "Mexican Spanish," D.N. Cardenas; (2) "The Archaic and the Modern in the Spanish of New Mexico," J. Ornstein; (3) "Problemas Lexicograficos del Espanol del Sudoeste," A.M. Espinosa, Jr.; (4) "Associative Interference in New Mexican Spanish," J.B. Rael; (5) "Some Aspects…

Cultural Resources Survey at Selected Locations, Table Rock Lake, Missouri and Arkansas,

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-12-01

terrace along the river banks, and this alluvial material interfingers with fine-grained colluvium (redeposited loess) and cherty residuum washed fran...by block nhstber) Archaic Period Interfluve Meander Core Rice Complex Bluff Shelter James River Complex Mississippian Sprfld Plteu Cultural Resource...Invt Jefferson City Chert Osage Table Rock Lake Dalton Kings River Ozark Highlands White River Geomorphology Long Creek Paleo-Indian Basin 20

Metallurgy, environmental pollution and the decline of Etruscan civilisation.

PubMed

Harrison, Adrian P; Cattani, Ilenia; Turfa, Jean M

2010-01-01

The Etruscans were justifiably famous in antiquity for their advanced metallurgy and for the rich mineral resources of their region (including La Tolfa, the Colline Metallifere, Mont'Amiata and Elba). We offer a new perspective on certain Iron Age and Archaic (ca. 1,000-480 BC: ) Etruscan industrial and habitation sites, and on the problem of heavy metal poisoning, still being investigated today, coincidentally in some of the same areas that originally saw Etruscan mines and workshops. This study investigates ancient sources, including literature and excavation reports, in the light of modern studies of heavy metal poisoning on human beings, plant and animal life. Furthermore, it is the first to use non-invasive Niton X-ray fluorescence analysis of samples of Etruscan (strictly ethnically Faliscan) hair (c. 350 BCE: ). The findings show the strong likelihood of heavy metal poisoning in areas of Etruscan metallurgical activity with the effects of this being responsible for or contributing to the abandonment of a number of these sites around the 6th century BC: . No thoroughly satisfactory explanation of this phenomenon has previously been offered. However, findings suggest that Faliscan women, represented by sample CG 2004-6-2, were not exposed to high levels of arsenic in life, which is not perhaps surprising for an urban aristocratic woman of the mid-4th century BC: . The reasons for the abandonment of several flourishing settlements are without doubt complex, and include political and social change. We suggest heavy metal contamination as an additional stimulus to the noted phenomenon of the peaceful abandonment, at the beginning, and at the end of the 6th century BC: , of sites in southern and northern Etruria such as Marsiliana d'Albegna (late 7th c.), Lago dell'Accesa, Acquarossa and Poggio Civitate-Murlo (late 6th c.). While the historical truth of the demise of Etruscan civilisation is much more complex, an interim set of related events, the desertion of several important settlements during and at the end of the Archaic period, might actually have been stimulated by the consequences of industrial pollution and arsenic poisoning. We call for archaeologists and curators to test any available human and animal remains in their museums and collections for evidence of heavy metal poisoning, taking due caution and consideration of course to the relevance of the aristocracy, and urge the application of analytical techniques developed in response to this serious modern problem, to provide additional insights into the ancient situation.

Long-Distance Dispersal Shaped Patterns of Human Genetic Diversity in Eurasia.

PubMed

Alves, Isabel; Arenas, Miguel; Currat, Mathias; Sramkova Hanulova, Anna; Sousa, Vitor C; Ray, Nicolas; Excoffier, Laurent

2016-04-01

Most previous attempts at reconstructing the past history of human populations did not explicitly take geography into account or considered very simple scenarios of migration and ignored environmental information. However, it is likely that the last glacial maximum (LGM) affected the demography and the range of many species, including our own. Moreover, long-distance dispersal (LDD) may have been an important component of human migrations, allowing fast colonization of new territories and preserving high levels of genetic diversity. Here, we use a high-quality microsatellite data set genotyped in 22 populations to estimate the posterior probabilities of several scenarios for the settlement of the Old World by modern humans. We considered models ranging from a simple spatial expansion to others including LDD and a LGM-induced range contraction, as well as Neolithic demographic expansions. We find that scenarios with LDD are much better supported by data than models without LDD. Nevertheless, we show evidence that LDD events to empty habitats were strongly prevented during the settlement of Eurasia. This unexpected absence of LDD ahead of the colonization wave front could have been caused by an Allee effect, either due to intrinsic causes such as an inbreeding depression built during the expansion or due to extrinsic causes such as direct competition with archaic humans. Overall, our results suggest only a relatively limited effect of the LGM contraction on current patterns of human diversity. This is in clear contrast with the major role of LDD migrations, which have potentially contributed to the intermingled genetic structure of Eurasian populations. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Preliminary Investigations of the Archaic in the Region of Las Cruces, New Mexico

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-01-01

Excavated in the Jornada Region ................... 110 111-14 Characteristics of Proto-Maiz de Ocho Excavated in the Jornada Region...IlI 111-15 Characteristics of Maiz de Ocho Excavated in the Jornada Region ..................... 112 111-16 Characteristics of Pima-Papago Corn... de - scriptive data that are needed badly in the Southwest so that generalizations can be made about culture change. In Chapter V we attempt to

New evidence on the spatiotemporal distribution and evolution of the Uto-Aztecan premolar.

PubMed

Johnson, Kent M; Stojanowski, Christopher M; Miyar, Kathryn O'D; Doran, Glen H; Ricklis, Robert A

2011-11-01

Uto-Aztecan premolar (UAP) is a rare morphological feature of the maxillary first premolar that occurs in Native American populations with frequencies ranging 0-16.7%. A recent summary of UAP by Delgado-Burbano et al. (2010) suggests the trait evolved around 4,000 BP in the American Southwest where the earliest cases occur and where the trait exists at the highest frequencies among contemporary populations. In this article, we present new data on UAP prevalence from an Archaic North American sample from Buckeye Knoll, Texas (circa 7,500-6,200 cal BP). Buckeye Knoll preserves a single case of UAP, and a sample frequency of 3.6%. In addition, we confirm the presence of UAP in other eastern North American Archaic skeletal samples from the Windover and Harris Creek at Tick Island sites in Florida. We also review the dental morphological literature to assess: 1) whether UAP prevalence is limited to New World populations, and 2) whether the trait's antiquity can be extended further into the Early Holocene Paleoindian period. Additional cases of UAP are presented from the Pacific coast of South America, Europe, Asia, and Australia. Combined, these data greatly expand the spatial and temporal distribution of UAP and suggest the trait evolved considerably earlier than previously thought. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

An archaic crested plesiosaur in opal from the Lower Cretaceous high-latitude deposits of Australia

PubMed Central

Kear, Benjamin P; Schroeder, Natalie I; Lee, Michael S.Y

2006-01-01

Umoonasaurus demoscyllus gen. et sp. nov. is a new small-bodied (approx. 2.5 m) pliosauroid plesiosaur from the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian–Albian) of southern Australia. It is represented by several partial skeletons (one with a near complete skull is the most complete opalized vertebrate fossil yet known), and is unique in having large crests on the skull midline and above the orbits. Umoonasaurus is surprisingly archaic despite its relatively late age (approx. 115 Myr ago)—being simultaneously the most basal (primitive) and last surviving rhomaleosaurid. Notably, it lacks the ‘pliosauromorph’ features (large head, short neck, gigantism) typically characterizing many more derived Jurassic rhomaleosaurids; thus, reinforcing the suspected convergent evolution of the ‘pliosauromorph’ hypercarnivore body plan. Umoonasaurus inhabited an Early Cretaceous high-latitude (approx. 70° S) inland seaway subject to seasonally near-freezing climatic conditions. This extreme environment supported a diverse range of plesiosaur taxa, suggesting that these marine reptiles might have possessed adaptations (e.g. heightened metabolic levels) to cope with cold-water temperatures. Indeed, survival of ancient endemic lineages such as Umoonasaurus is a common phenomenon in Australian Cretaceous vertebrate assemblages and might have been facilitated by isolation in low-temperature high-latitude regions. PMID:17148303

Household expansion linked to agricultural intensification during emergence of Hawaiian archaic states

PubMed Central

Field, Julie S.; Ladefoged, Thegn N.; Kirch, Patrick V.

2011-01-01

The Leeward Kohala Field System (LKFS) covering ∼60 km2 on Hawai‘i Island is one of the world's best-studied archaeological examples of preindustrial agricultural intensification. Archaeological correlates for households over a 400-y period of intensification of the LKFS (A.D. 1400–1800) indicate that household age, number, and distribution closely match the expansion of agricultural features at both macro- and microscales. We excavated and dated residential complexes within portions of five traditional Hawaiian land units (ahupua‘a), two in the central core of the field system and three in the southern margins. Forty-eight radiocarbon dates from 43 residential features indicate an overall pattern of exponential increase in the numbers of households over time. Spatial distribution of these dates suggests that the core of the LKFS may have reached a population saturation point earlier than in the southern margins. Bayesian statistical analysis of radiocarbon dates from residential features in the core region, combined with spatial analysis of agricultural and residential construction sequences, demonstrates that the progressive subdivision of territories into smaller socioeconomic units was matched by addition of new residences, probably through a process of household fissioning. These results provide insights into the economic processes underlying the sociopolitical transformation from chiefdom to archaic state in precontact Hawai‘i. PMID:21502516

Evidence for the Paleoethnobotany of the Neanderthal: A Review of the Literature

PubMed Central

Kindscher, Kelly

2016-01-01

Our perception of our closest human relatives, the Neanderthals, has evolved in the last few decades from brutish ape-men to intelligent archaic human peoples. Our understanding and appreciation of their cultural sophistication has only recently extended to their diet. Only within the last few years, with new techniques and a shift in focus, have we begun to truly investigate and understand the role of plants in their diet and culture. The more we learn about Neanderthals, the more we realize that biological and cultural distinctions between them and us were relatively small. Given that we coexisted and likely interacted with them for thousands of years, the more we learn about them, the better we may understand our own past. In that light, we review the current evidence, derived from such sources as plant remains (e.g., starch, pollen, phytoliths, and seeds) in soil and dental calculus, dental and tool wear, coprolites, and genetics, for Neanderthal's nutritional, medicinal, and ritual use of plants, which includes 61 different taxa from 26 different plant families found at 17 different archaeological sites. Further, we updated and standardized botanical nomenclature from many sources published over many decades to provide a more stable foundation for future work. PMID:27843675

The Aggradational Successions of the Aniene River Valley in Rome: Age Constraints to Early Neanderthal Presence in Europe

PubMed Central

Ceruleo, Piero; Pandolfi, Luca; Petronio, Carmelo; Rolfo, Mario F.; Salari, Leonardo

2017-01-01

We revise the chronostratigraphy of several sedimentary successions cropping out along a 5 km-long tract of the Aniene River Valley in Rome (Italy), which yielded six hominin remains previously attributed to proto- or archaic Neanderthal individuals, as well as a large number of lithic artefacts showing intermediate characteristics somewhere between the local Acheulean and Mousterian cultures. Through a method of correlation of aggradational successions with post-glacial sea-level rises, relying on a large set of published 40Ar/39Ar ages of interbedded volcanic deposits, we demonstrate that deposition of the sediments hosting the human remains spans the interval 295–220 ka. This is consistent with other well constrained ages for lithic industries recovered in England, displaying transitional features from Lower to Middle Paleolithic, suggesting the appearance of Mode 3 during the MIS 9-MIS 8 transition. Moreover, the six human bone fragments recovered in the Aniene Valley should be regarded as the most precisely dated and oldest hominin remains ascribable to Neanderthal-type individuals in Europe, discovered to date. The chronostratigraphic study presented here constitutes the groundwork for addressing re-analysis of these remains and of their associated lithic industries, in the light of their well-constrained chronological picture. PMID:28125602

Fossil skulls reveal that blood flow rate to the brain increased faster than brain volume during human evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Seymour, Roger S.; Bosiocic, Vanya; Snelling, Edward P.

2016-08-01

The evolution of human cognition has been inferred from anthropological discoveries and estimates of brain size from fossil skulls. A more direct measure of cognition would be cerebral metabolic rate, which is proportional to cerebral blood flow rate (perfusion). The hominin cerebrum is supplied almost exclusively by the internal carotid arteries. The sizes of the foramina that transmitted these vessels in life can be measured in hominin fossil skulls and used to calculate cerebral perfusion rate. Perfusion in 11 species of hominin ancestors, from Australopithecus to archaic Homo sapiens, increases disproportionately when scaled against brain volume (the allometric exponent is 1.41). The high exponent indicates an increase in the metabolic intensity of cerebral tissue in later Homo species, rather than remaining constant (1.0) as expected by a linear increase in neuron number, or decreasing according to Kleiber's Law (0.75). During 3 Myr of hominin evolution, cerebral tissue perfusion increased 1.7-fold, which, when multiplied by a 3.5-fold increase in brain size, indicates a 6.0-fold increase in total cerebral blood flow rate. This is probably associated with increased interneuron connectivity, synaptic activity and cognitive function, which all ultimately depend on cerebral metabolic rate.

Ancestral Variations in the Shape and Size of the Zygoma.

PubMed

Oettlé, Anna C; Demeter, Fabrice P; L'abbé, Ericka N

2017-01-01

The variable development of the zygoma, dictating its shape and size variations among ancestral groups, has important clinical implications and valuable anthropological and evolutionary inferences. The purpose of the study was to review the literature regarding the variations in the zygoma with ancestry. Ancestral variation in the zygoma reflects genetic variations because of genetic drift as well as natural selection and epigenetic changes to adapt to diet and climate variations with possible intensification by isolation. Prominence of the zygoma, zygomaxillary tuberosity, and malar tubercle have been associated with Eastern Asian populations in whom these features intensified. Prominence of the zygoma is also associated with groups from Eastern Europe and the rest of Asia. Diffusion of these traits occurred across the Behring Sea to the Arctic areas and to North and South America. The greatest zygomatic projections are exhibited in Arctic groups as an adaptation to extreme cold conditions, while Native South American groups also present with other features of facial robusticity. Groups from Australia, Malaysia, and Oceania show prominence of the zygoma to a certain extent, possibly because of archaic occupations by undifferentiated Southeast Asian populations. More recent interactions with Chinese groups might explain the prominent cheekbones noted in certain South African groups. Many deductions regarding evolutionary processes and diversifications of early groups have been made. Cognisance of these ancestral variations also have implications for forensic anthropological assessments as well as plastic and reconstructive surgery. More studies are needed to improve accuracy of forensic anthropological identification techniques. Anat Rec, 300:196-208, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

The Diversity of REcent and Ancient huMan (DREAM): A New Microarray for Genetic Anthropology and Genealogy, Forensics, and Personalized Medicine

PubMed Central

Yusuf, Leeban; Anderson, Ainan I J; Pirooznia, Mehdi; Arnellos, Dimitrios; Vilshansky, Gregory; Ercal, Gunes; Lu, Yontao; Webster, Teresa; Baird, Michael L; Esposito, Umberto

2017-01-01

Abstract The human population displays wide variety in demographic history, ancestry, content of DNA derived from hominins or ancient populations, adaptation, traits, copy number variation, drug response, and more. These polymorphisms are of broad interest to population geneticists, forensics investigators, and medical professionals. Historically, much of that knowledge was gained from population survey projects. Although many commercial arrays exist for genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping, their design specifications are limited and they do not allow a full exploration of biodiversity. We thereby aimed to design the Diversity of REcent and Ancient huMan (DREAM)—an all-inclusive microarray that would allow both identification of known associations and exploration of standing questions in genetic anthropology, forensics, and personalized medicine. DREAM includes probes to interrogate ancestry informative markers obtained from over 450 human populations, over 200 ancient genomes, and 10 archaic hominins. DREAM can identify 94% and 61% of all known Y and mitochondrial haplogroups, respectively, and was vetted to avoid interrogation of clinically relevant markers. To demonstrate its capabilities, we compared its FST distributions with those of the 1000 Genomes Project and commercial arrays. Although all arrays yielded similarly shaped (inverse J) FST distributions, DREAM’s autosomal and X-chromosomal distributions had the highest mean FST, attesting to its ability to discern subpopulations. DREAM performances are further illustrated in biogeographical, identical by descent, and copy number variation analyses. In summary, with approximately 800,000 markers spanning nearly 2,000 genes, DREAM is a useful tool for genetic anthropology, forensic, and personalized medicine studies. PMID:29165562

Effects Of The Subsurface Domain On The Security Of The Korean Peninsula

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-12-01

1960s and ‘70s. The KPN Sang-O captured in 1996 revealed modifications using commercial equipment. Despite the fact that the submarines are old and...the integration of commercial navigation and communication equipment. Yet, the mostly outdated and archaic KPN submarines have been able to take...78 industry and experience in building submarines and nuclear power plants the ROK may not need much assistance in building its own nuclear

Thomas Birch's 'Weekly Letter' (1741-66): correspondence and history in the mid-eighteenth-century Royal Society.

PubMed

Ellis, Markman

2014-09-20

Thomas Birch (1705-66), Secretary of the Royal Society from 1752 to 1765, and Philip Yorke, second Earl of Hardwicke (1720-90), wrote a 'Weekly Letter' from 1741 to 1766, an unpublished correspondence of 680 letters now housed in the British Library (Additional Mss 35396-400). The article examines the dimensions and purposes of this correspondence, an important conduit of information for the influential coterie of the 'Hardwicke circle' gathered around Yorke in the Royal Society. It explores the writers' self-conception of the correspondence, which was expressed in deliberately archaic categories of seventeenth-century news exchange, such as the newsletter, aviso and a-la-main. It shows how the letter writers negotiated their difference in status through the discourse of friendship, and concludes that the 'Weekly Letter' constituted for the correspondents a form of private knowledge, restricted in circulation to their discrete group, and as such unlike the open and networked model of Enlightenment science.

Healed Depressed Parasagittal Skull Fractures-A Feature of Archaic Australian Aboriginal Remains.

PubMed

Walshe, Keryn; Brophy, Brian; Cornish, Brian; Byard, Roger W

2016-11-01

The skeletal remains of eight Australian Aboriginals with healed depressed skull fractures were examined. Male:female ratio 5:3; age range 20-60 yrs. Burial dates by 14 C dating in three cases were 500 years BP (n = 2) and 1300 BP. There were 13 healed depressed skull fractures manifested by shallow indentations of cortical bone and thinning of diploe, with no significant disturbance of the inner skull tables. Nine (69%) were located within 35 mm of the sagittal suture/midline. These lesions represent another acquired feature that might be helpful in suggesting that a skull is from a tribal Aboriginal individual and may be particularly useful if the remains are represented by only fragments of calvarium. While obviously not a finding specific to this population, these healed injuries would be consistent with the possible results of certain types of conflict behavior reported in traditional Aboriginal groups that involved formalized inflicted blunt head trauma. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Thomas Birch's ‘Weekly Letter’ (1741–66): correspondence and history in the mid-eighteenth-century Royal Society

PubMed Central

Ellis, Markman

2014-01-01

Thomas Birch (1705–66), Secretary of the Royal Society from 1752 to 1765, and Philip Yorke, second Earl of Hardwicke (1720–90), wrote a ‘Weekly Letter’ from 1741 to 1766, an unpublished correspondence of 680 letters now housed in the British Library (Additional Mss 35396–400). The article examines the dimensions and purposes of this correspondence, an important conduit of information for the influential coterie of the ‘Hardwicke circle’ gathered around Yorke in the Royal Society. It explores the writers' self-conception of the correspondence, which was expressed in deliberately archaic categories of seventeenth-century news exchange, such as the newsletter, aviso and a-la-main. It shows how the letter writers negotiated their difference in status through the discourse of friendship, and concludes that the ‘Weekly Letter’ constituted for the correspondents a form of private knowledge, restricted in circulation to their discrete group, and as such unlike the open and networked model of Enlightenment science. PMID:25254279

The Reality of Neandertal Symbolic Behavior at the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, France

PubMed Central

Caron, François; d'Errico, Francesco; Del Moral, Pierre; Santos, Frédéric; Zilhão, João

2011-01-01

Background The question of whether symbolically mediated behavior is exclusive to modern humans or shared with anatomically archaic populations such as the Neandertals is hotly debated. At the Grotte du Renne, Arcy-sur-Cure, France, the Châtelperronian levels contain Neandertal remains and large numbers of personal ornaments, decorated bone tools and colorants, but it has been suggested that this association reflects intrusion of the symbolic artifacts from the overlying Protoaurignacian and/or of the Neandertal remains from the underlying Mousterian. Methodology/Principal Findings We tested these hypotheses against the horizontal and vertical distributions of the various categories of diagnostic finds and statistically assessed the probability that the Châtelperronian levels are of mixed composition. Our results reject that the associations result from large or small scale, localized or generalized post-depositional displacement, and they imply that incomplete sample decontamination is the parsimonious explanation for the stratigraphic anomalies seen in the radiocarbon dating of the sequence. Conclusions/Significance The symbolic artifacts in the Châtelperronian of the Grotte du Renne are indeed Neandertal material culture. PMID:21738702

Late Pleistocene and Early Holocene lake-level fluctuations in the Lahontan Basin, Nevada: Implications for the distribution of archaeological sites

USGS Publications Warehouse

Adams, K.D.; Goebel, Thomas; Graf, K.; Smith, G.M.; Camp, A.J.; Briggs, R.W.; Rhode, D.

2008-01-01

The Great Basin of the western U.S. contains a rich record of late Pleistocene and Holocene lake-level fluctuations as well as an extensive record of human occupation during the same time frame. We compare spatial-temporal relationships between these records in the Lahontan basin to consider whether lake-level fluctuations across the Pleistocene-Holocene transition controlled distribution of archaeological sites. We use the reasonably well-dated archaeological record from caves and rockshelters as well as results from new pedestrian surveys to investigate this problem. Although lake levels probably reached maximum elevations of about 1230-1235 m in the different subbasins of Lahontan during the Younger Dryas (YD) period, the duration that the lakes occupied the highest levels was brief Paleoindian and early Archaic archaeological sites are concentrated on somewhat lower and slightly younger shorelines (???1220-1225 in) that also date from the Younger Dryas period. This study suggests that Paleoindians often concentrated their activities adjacent to large lakes and wetland resources soon after they first entered the Great Basin. ?? 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Bufo toads and bufotenine: fact and fiction surrounding an alleged psychedelic.

PubMed

Lyttle, T; Goldstein, D; Gartz, J

1996-01-01

This paper investigates the supposedly psychedelic Bufo toad and the allegedly psychedelic drug bufotenine, which is contained in the skin and glands of this toad. The bufo toad has held a place in human mythologies and medicines worldwide since archaic times. Used by ancient peoples for a variety of purposes, its most spectacular effects, according to lore, involve magical and shamanic or occult uses for casting spells and for divination. In the Middle Ages, the Bufo toad was celebrated as a panacea and persecuted as a powerful poison. More recently, in the 1960s the Bufo toad was resurrected as a countercultural icon, with people purportedly licking or smoking the secretions to get high. Bufotenine has been at the center of a scientific debate since its discovery in 1893. This paper examines the extensive literature surrounding the Bufo toad and bufotenine, and untangles many of the myths and the misinformation that continue to vex both science and popular reporting. Finally, to promote further investigation, a comprehensive bibliography is provided that charts the history of the Bufo toad and bufotenine.

Architectural and Archeological Investigations in and Adjacent to the Bywater Historic District, New Orleans, Louisiana

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-10-01

society. in southeastern Louisiana, Bayou Jasmine Phase and Garcia Phase sites exhibit traits characteristic of the earlier Archaic stage, with the...addition of Poverty Point-like traits. These Poverty Point sites suggest seasonal and specialized adaptation to the marsh environments. Bayou Jasmine ...The phase, named after the Bayou Jasmine site (16SJB2) In St. John the Baptist Parish, Is typified by Rangia shell and earth middens, by an artifact

The Keystone Dame Site and other Archaic and Formative Sites in Northwest El Paso, Texas.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-10-01

an insect pollinated plant , could be the product of water movement and pollen and the finding of such a large percentage in Sample transport through...the contemporary ecolog - below along with some preliminary comments on ical distribution of these same plants . In this respect the kinds of features... pollinated plant , characterized by production of fewer, *0 larger, pollen grains than a wind pollinated plant , finding mre than a very small

A Cultural Resource Inventory of 13 Proposed Waterfowl Ponds and a Sample of the Prairie Dog Arm, Harlan County Lake, Nebraska

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-01-01

information derived from surrounding areas, this cultural period was characterized by intensive hunting of Pleistocene megafauna augmented by some gathering...migratory patterns of the Pleistocene megafauna brought about by the Altithermal climatic shifts. Archaic period sites contain nebulous house floors...surpassed the erosional and gradient stages. In the project area streams with mature beds have low gradients and are slow moving through wide meander

Klein's archaic Oedipus complex and its possible relationship to the myth of the labyrinth: notes on the origin of courage.

PubMed

Grotstein, J S

1997-10-01

The ancient Greek myth linking the images of the labyrinth and the Minotaur provides an allegory for Melanie Klein's conception of the archaic Oedipus complex as well as a vivid illustration of Winnicott's notions of object usage and the 'subjective object'. The labyrinth is suggestive of mother's body as the first area for an infant's exploration and putative sadistic conquest. The Minotaur, in turn, suggests the infant's unconscious phantasies about the content of mother's body, namely such projective identifications onto that body as the paternal penis and the 'internal babies'. Further, the heroic dynamic personified by Theseus in the myth of the labyrinth metaphorically signifies what is here proposed as a developmental line that involves the courage to do a number of things, including to become, to create, to seek, to explore, to do, to challenge, to undertake risks, to accept, to rescue, to initiate, to think, to know and to realize. The Minotaur can thus be thought to serve as a universal subjective signifier for an 'Object of Challenge', which, if not successfully dealt with by the ego-development of the infant, transforms that default into the 'Object of Nemesis'. Ultimately, this myth of mastery speaks to the psychoanalytic process itself as well as casting light on the transformative aspects of sexual intercourse as a personal healing ritual.

Polyarnye siyaniya sistemy avroral'nogo ovala kak kosmoloficheskij obraz drevnej mifologii %t The northern light of the auroral oval system as a cosmological concept of the archaic mythology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alekseeva, L. M.

Since archaic epochs people attentively observe the sky. They used to associate the sky phenomena with gods, heroes, spirits, etc. People interpreted the regularities in the motion of celestial objects in terms of their mythological model of the Universe. These observations and interpretations were first steps of the archaeoastronomy. Many remarkable features are inherent in the patterns of northern lights of the auroral oval system. Their manifestations are fairly regular. Did the ancients observe and some how classify these northern light phenomena? If yes, with which mythological personages were they associated? When were studies of the polar lights initiated? The present work is an attempt to answer these questions. We shall see that the ancient people assumed the spirit-world to be situated on the North. If so, it should manifest itself in spectacular polar aurorae. The specifically northern mythic cosmology formed the basis for Slavic fairy tales (theme of the Serpent and Serpent Fighter) and folk-beliefs. Other inhabitants of snowy latitudes should also manifest similar views. Studying the mythological reflections of typical auroral phenomena, it is possible to trace up long-standing ideological trends from the late glaciation epoch to the present time. Our results can help geophysicists in studying paleoauroral phenomena.

Emergence of a Homo sapiens-specific gene family and chromosome 16p11.2 CNV susceptibility.

PubMed

Nuttle, Xander; Giannuzzi, Giuliana; Duyzend, Michael H; Schraiber, Joshua G; Narvaiza, Iñigo; Sudmant, Peter H; Penn, Osnat; Chiatante, Giorgia; Malig, Maika; Huddleston, John; Benner, Chris; Camponeschi, Francesca; Ciofi-Baffoni, Simone; Stessman, Holly A F; Marchetto, Maria C N; Denman, Laura; Harshman, Lana; Baker, Carl; Raja, Archana; Penewit, Kelsi; Janke, Nicolette; Tang, W Joyce; Ventura, Mario; Banci, Lucia; Antonacci, Francesca; Akey, Joshua M; Amemiya, Chris T; Gage, Fred H; Reymond, Alexandre; Eichler, Evan E

2016-08-11

Genetic differences that specify unique aspects of human evolution have typically been identified by comparative analyses between the genomes of humans and closely related primates, including more recently the genomes of archaic hominins. Not all regions of the genome, however, are equally amenable to such study. Recurrent copy number variation (CNV) at chromosome 16p11.2 accounts for approximately 1% of cases of autism and is mediated by a complex set of segmental duplications, many of which arose recently during human evolution. Here we reconstruct the evolutionary history of the locus and identify bolA family member 2 (BOLA2) as a gene duplicated exclusively in Homo sapiens. We estimate that a 95-kilobase-pair segment containing BOLA2 duplicated across the critical region approximately 282 thousand years ago (ka), one of the latest among a series of genomic changes that dramatically restructured the locus during hominid evolution. All humans examined carried one or more copies of the duplication, which nearly fixed early in the human lineage--a pattern unlikely to have arisen so rapidly in the absence of selection (P < 0.0097). We show that the duplication of BOLA2 led to a novel, human-specific in-frame fusion transcript and that BOLA2 copy number correlates with both RNA expression (r = 0.36) and protein level (r = 0.65), with the greatest expression difference between human and chimpanzee in experimentally derived stem cells. Analyses of 152 patients carrying a chromosome 16p11. rearrangement show that more than 96% of breakpoints occur within the H. sapiens-specific duplication. In summary, the duplicative transposition of BOLA2 at the root of the H. sapiens lineage about 282 ka simultaneously increased copy number of a gene associated with iron homeostasis and predisposed our species to recurrent rearrangements associated with disease.

Coastal, valley, and oasis interaction: impact on the evolution of ancient populations in the South Central Andes.

PubMed

Varela, Héctor H; Cocilovo, Jose A; Fuchs, María L; O'Brien, Tyler G

2014-12-01

The existing biocultural links are analyzed among ancient inhabitants of the Cochabamba valleys (Bolivia) from the Formative and Tiwanaku periods, coastal and inland Azapa region (Chile) from the Late Archaic to the Late periods, and the Atacama Desert oases (Chile) from the Formative period to the time of European contact. Craniometric information obtained from a sample of 565 individuals from different sites of the studied regions was evaluated using methods derived from quantitative genetics and multivariate statistical analysis techniques. It is shown that during the Formative and Tiwanaku periods inhabitants of the Cochabamba valleys maintained contact with the population of northern Chile. This contact was more fluid with the people from the interior valley of Azapa than it was with the settlers of San Pedro Atacama (SPA). An important biological affinity in the Late Period between the inhabitants of the Azapa valley and the late SPA groups is also examined. The Late-Inca Catarpe SPA sample shows a broad genetic variability shared with the majority of the groups studied. The results reaffirm the differences between the coastal and interior Azapa valley groups and strengthen the hypothesis of two pathways to populating the south central Andean area. The divergence observed among subpopulations can be explained by the spatiotemporal dispersion between them, genetic drift dispersion compensated by the action of gene flow, and cultural norms that regulate within group mating. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Medicine and art: facial palsy depicted in archaic Greek art on Crete.

PubMed

Pirsig, W; Helidonis, E; Velegrakis, G

1995-01-01

A small earthenware statuette was evacuated from the votive-depot of acropolis of Gortys, an ancient town in South-Crete/Greece. This ex-voto is dated approximately 7th to 6th century BC and very probably represents some symptoms of a stroke, especially the left facial palsy and the contracture of the left arm. Since the Minoan time until today, people of Crete have been offering ex-votos to gods or saints to ask for help in specific diseases.

"Dvojnaya zvezda" Dzhordano Bruno %t "Double star" of Giordano Bruno

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vizgin, V. P.

Giordano Bruno's contribution to the history of astronomy includes first of all the infinitiste conception of the Universe incompatible with the Aristotelian one. But the Italian thinker was the great innovator with typically archaic mentality, at least to a considerable extent. The paper presents Bruno's work and life within its cultural and historical context that permits to explain this basic duality of his personality. In the paper are used the most recent editions of documents concerning Bruno's life and doctrine.

Cultural Resources Survey and Literature Review of Planned Drainage Improvements Along and Adjacent to Ditch 1, Mississippi and Poinsett Counties, Arkansas

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

Mississippi River through the backswamp to the St. Francis River Basin. A slight gradient advantage allowed diversion of suf- ficient Mississippi River...a Late Pleistocene environment that may already have been shifting into the 3 26 I I Holocene. In addition to exploiting Pleistocene megafauna , these... megafauna , their basic pattern of hunting and gatheringwas to persist in slightly less mobile lifestyles throughout the Archaic Stage and probably into

A Cultural Resources Literature Search and Record Review of The St. Francis River Seepage Project within Clay, Craighead, Mississippi and Poinsett Counties, Arkansas and Dunklin County, Missouri

DTIC Science & Technology

1985-10-30

Brook Shelters). During this long period a large number of different projectile point types were produced (ie, Rice Lobed, Big Sandy, White River Archaic...Hidden Valley Stemmed, Hardin Barbed, Sear- cy, Rice Lanceolate, Jakie Stemmed, and Johnson). No controlled excavations have been done at any Early...University of Arkansas, Fayetteville. Edrington, Mabel 1962 History of Mississippi County. Arkansas. Ocala Star Banner, Ocala, Florida. 5 68

Intensive Cultural Resource Inventory of Selected Recreation Areas in the West Portion of Lake Sakakawea, Dunn, McKenzie, Mountrail and Williams Counties, North Dakota. Volume 1.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-01-01

populations in the Northwestern Plains. Distinctive lanceolate points such as Clovis, Folsom, and Plano were used along with scrapers, choppers, and...adjacent vicinity; fluted points tend to be concentrated in the west, while Plano points have been found throughout the state. To date, no Clovis or...Indian tradition to the Archaic tradition began with Folsom. During the Plano phase many adaptations are not sig- nificantly different from Plains

Calcium and other ions in blood and skeleton of Nicaraguan fresh-water shark.

PubMed

URIST, M R

1962-09-21

The bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas, employing archaic but effective means of regulating the physical-chemical composition of its body fluids, thrives in tropical fresh-water rivers and lakes. The ionic strength of the serum and the concentrations of total solutes, calcium, urea, and other ions are below the levels found in marine elasmobranchs but higher than the levels in teleosts. The patterns of the calcium deposits of the vertebrae are identical in marine and fresh-water subspecies.

Bioorganic chemistry and the emergence of the first cell

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, S. W.

1977-01-01

It is suggested that the best way to study the evolution of cells from primordial compounds is to attempt to assemble a protocell, i.e., a primordial cell. Simulation of processes that occurred in archaic times would require inductive reasoning and constructionist techniques rather than the analytic approach in which cell components are separated and studied in isolation. Advantages to primordial life which would result from protocell formation are surveyed, and the proteinoid microsphere, a model of the protocell, is discussed. A photoreactive proteinoid is considered.

The Diversity of REcent and Ancient huMan (DREAM): A New Microarray for Genetic Anthropology and Genealogy, Forensics, and Personalized Medicine.

PubMed

Elhaik, Eran; Yusuf, Leeban; Anderson, Ainan I J; Pirooznia, Mehdi; Arnellos, Dimitrios; Vilshansky, Gregory; Ercal, Gunes; Lu, Yontao; Webster, Teresa; Baird, Michael L; Esposito, Umberto

2017-12-01

The human population displays wide variety in demographic history, ancestry, content of DNA derived from hominins or ancient populations, adaptation, traits, copy number variation, drug response, and more. These polymorphisms are of broad interest to population geneticists, forensics investigators, and medical professionals. Historically, much of that knowledge was gained from population survey projects. Although many commercial arrays exist for genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism genotyping, their design specifications are limited and they do not allow a full exploration of biodiversity. We thereby aimed to design the Diversity of REcent and Ancient huMan (DREAM)-an all-inclusive microarray that would allow both identification of known associations and exploration of standing questions in genetic anthropology, forensics, and personalized medicine. DREAM includes probes to interrogate ancestry informative markers obtained from over 450 human populations, over 200 ancient genomes, and 10 archaic hominins. DREAM can identify 94% and 61% of all known Y and mitochondrial haplogroups, respectively, and was vetted to avoid interrogation of clinically relevant markers. To demonstrate its capabilities, we compared its FST distributions with those of the 1000 Genomes Project and commercial arrays. Although all arrays yielded similarly shaped (inverse J) FST distributions, DREAM's autosomal and X-chromosomal distributions had the highest mean FST, attesting to its ability to discern subpopulations. DREAM performances are further illustrated in biogeographical, identical by descent, and copy number variation analyses. In summary, with approximately 800,000 markers spanning nearly 2,000 genes, DREAM is a useful tool for genetic anthropology, forensic, and personalized medicine studies. © The Author(s) 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

[Global Bioethics and Biocultural Ethics].

PubMed

Rozzi, Ricardo

2016-01-01

The biocultural ethic recovers an understanding of the vital links between the life habits of the coinhabitants (humans and other-than-human) that share a habitat. The ″3Hs″ formal framework of the biocultural ethics provides a conceptual and methodological tool to understand and to better manage complex eco-social or biocultural systems in heterogeneous regions of the planet. From the global bioethics originally proposed by V.R. Potter, the integration of theory and praxis promoted by Alfredo Pradenas in the Bioethics Society of Chile, and the conceptual framework of biocultural ethics (including traditions of philosophical thought, scientific and Amerindians), I develop a comparative analysis of: 1. an ecosystemic and intercultural concept of the human body, 2. an intercultural understanding of health with complementary Western and Native American medicinal practices, and 3. an appreciation and respect for the fundamental links among the life habits, the habitats where they take place, and the well-being and identity of the communities of cohabitants. Implicit links in the ″3Hs″ biocultural ethics are present in the archaic meanings of the term ethos. This understanding retrieves a primordial root in the genesis of Western ethics, which did not start bounded to how to inhabit or dwell, but also considered where to inhabit and with whom to co-inhabit. I propose to restore the complexity and breadth of the concept of ethics originated in Ancient Greece, to reaffirm the common roots of bioethics and environmental ethics contained in Potter's global bioethics, and to incorporate the systemic and contextual perspective of the biocultural ethic that values biological and cultural diversity (and their interrelationships), to sustain a conception of human health interconnected with the sustainability of the biosphere.

A Human Deciduous Tooth and New 40Ar/39Ar Dating Results from the Middle Pleistocene Archaeological Site of Isernia La Pineta, Southern Italy

PubMed Central

Peretto, Carlo; Arnaud, Julie; Moggi-Cecchi, Jacopo; Manzi, Giorgio; Nomade, Sébastien; Pereira, Alison; Falguères, Christophe; Bahain, Jean-Jacques; Grimaud-Hervé, Dominique; Berto, Claudio; Sala, Benedetto; Lembo, Giuseppe; Muttillo, Brunella; Gallotti, Rosalia; Thun Hohenstein, Ursula; Vaccaro, Carmela; Coltorti, Mauro; Arzarello, Marta

2015-01-01

Isernia La Pineta (south-central Italy, Molise) is one of the most important archaeological localities of the Middle Pleistocene in Western Europe. It is an extensive open-air site with abundant lithic industry and faunal remains distributed across four stratified archaeosurfaces that have been found in two sectors of the excavation (3c, 3a, 3s10 in sect. I; 3a in sect. II). The prehistoric attendance was close to a wet environment, with a series of small waterfalls and lakes associated to calcareous tufa deposits. An isolated human deciduous incisor (labelled IS42) was discovered in 2014 within the archaeological level 3 coll (overlying layer 3a) that, according to new 40Ar/39Ar measurements, is dated to about 583–561 ka, i.e. to the end of marine isotope stage (MIS) 15. Thus, the tooth is currently the oldest human fossil specimen in Italy; it is an important addition to the scanty European fossil record of the Middle Pleistocene, being associated with a lithic assemblage of local raw materials (flint and limestone) characterized by the absence of handaxes and reduction strategies primarily aimed at the production of small/medium-sized flakes. The faunal assemblage is dominated by ungulates often bearing cut marks. Combining chronology with the archaeological evidence, Isernia La Pineta exhibits a delay in the appearance of handaxes with respect to other European Palaeolithic sites of the Middle Pleistocene. Interestingly, this observation matches the persistence of archaic morphological features shown by the human calvarium from the Middle Pleistocene site of Ceprano, not far from Isernia (south-central Italy, Latium). In this perspective, our analysis is aimed to evaluate morphological features occurring in IS42. PMID:26457581

KIR Diversity in Māori and Polynesians: Populations in which HLA-B is not a Significant KIR Ligand

PubMed Central

Nemat-Gorgani, Neda; Edinur, Hisham A.; Hollenbach, Jill A.; Traherne, James A.; Dunn, Paul P. J.; Chambers, Geoffrey K.; Parham, Peter; Norman, Paul J.

2014-01-01

HLA class I molecules and killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptors (KIR) form a diverse system of ligands and receptors that individualize human immune systems in ways that improve the survival of individuals and populations. Human settlement of Oceania by island-hopping East and Southeast Asian migrants started ~3,500 years ago. Subsequently, New Zealand was reached ~750 years ago by ancestral Māori. To examine how this history impacted KIR and HLA diversity, and their functional interaction, we defined at high resolution the allelic and haplotype diversity of the 13 expressed KIR genes in 49 Māori and 34 Polynesians. Eighty KIR variants, including four ‘new’ alleles, were defined; as were 35 centromeric and 22 telomeric KIR region haplotypes, which combine to give >50 full-length KIR haplotypes. Two new and divergent variant KIR form part of a telomeric KIR haplotype, which appears derived from Papua New Guinea and was probably obtained by the Asian migrants en route to Polynesia. Māori and Polynesian KIR are very similar, but differ significantly from African, European, Japanese and Amerindian KIR. Māori and Polynesians have high KIR haplotype diversity with corresponding allotype diversity being maintained throughout the KIR locus. Within the population each individual has a unique combination of HLA class I and KIR. Characterizing Māori and Polynesians is a paucity of HLA-B allotypes recognized by KIR. Compensating for this deficiency are high frequencies (>50%) of HLA-A allotypes recognized by KIR. These HLA-A allotypes are ones that modern humans likely acquired from archaic humans at a much earlier time. PMID:25139336

The origin and evolution of Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Stringer, Chris

2016-07-05

If we restrict the use of Homo sapiens in the fossil record to specimens which share a significant number of derived features in the skeleton with extant H. sapiens, the origin of our species would be placed in the African late middle Pleistocene, based on fossils such as Omo Kibish 1, Herto 1 and 2, and the Levantine material from Skhul and Qafzeh. However, genetic data suggest that we and our sister species Homo neanderthalensis shared a last common ancestor in the middle Pleistocene approximately 400-700 ka, which is at least 200 000 years earlier than the species origin indicated from the fossils already mentioned. Thus, it is likely that the African fossil record will document early members of the sapiens lineage showing only some of the derived features of late members of the lineage. On that basis, I argue that human fossils such as those from Jebel Irhoud, Florisbad, Eliye Springs and Omo Kibish 2 do represent early members of the species, but variation across the African later middle Pleistocene/early Middle Stone Age fossils shows that there was not a simple linear progression towards later sapiens morphology, and there was chronological overlap between different 'archaic' and 'modern' morphs. Even in the late Pleistocene within and outside Africa, we find H. sapiens specimens which are clearly outside the range of Holocene members of the species, showing the complexity of recent human evolution. The impact on species recognition of late Pleistocene gene flow between the lineages of modern humans, Neanderthals and Denisovans is also discussed, and finally, I reconsider the nature of the middle Pleistocene ancestor of these lineages, based on recent morphological and genetic data.This article is part of the themed issue 'Major transitions in human evolution'. © 2016 The Author(s).

Genes Regulated by Vitamin D in Bone Cells Are Positively Selected in East Asians

PubMed Central

Chen, Yuan; Xue, Yali; Luiselli, Donata; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Pagani, Luca; Ayub, Qasim

2015-01-01

Vitamin D and folate are activated and degraded by sunlight, respectively, and the physiological processes they control are likely to have been targets of selection as humans expanded from Africa into Eurasia. We investigated signals of positive selection in gene sets involved in the metabolism, regulation and action of these two vitamins in worldwide populations sequenced by Phase I of the 1000 Genomes Project. Comparing allele frequency-spectrum-based summary statistics between these gene sets and matched control genes, we observed a selection signal specific to East Asians for a gene set associated with vitamin D action in bones. The selection signal was mainly driven by three genes CXXC finger protein 1 (CXXC1), low density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 5 (LRP5) and runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2). Examination of population differentiation and haplotypes allowed us to identify several candidate causal regulatory variants in each gene. Four of these candidate variants (one each in CXXC1 and RUNX2 and two in LRP5) had a >70% derived allele frequency in East Asians, but were present at lower (20–60%) frequency in Europeans as well, suggesting that the adaptation might have been part of a common response to climatic and dietary changes as humans expanded out of Africa, with implications for their role in vitamin D-dependent bone mineralization and osteoporosis insurgence. We also observed haplotype sharing between East Asians, Finns and an extinct archaic human (Denisovan) sample at the CXXC1 locus, which is best explained by incomplete lineage sorting. PMID:26719974

Spatial determinants of the mandibular curve of Spee in modern and archaic Homo.

PubMed

Laird, Myra F; Holton, Nathan E; Scott, Jill E; Franciscus, Robert G; Marshall, Steven D; Southard, Thomas E

2016-10-01

The curve of Spee (COS) is a mesio-distally curved alignment of the canine through distal molar cusp tips in certain mammals including modern humans and some fossil hominins. In humans, the alignment varies from concave to flat, and previous studies have suggested that this difference reflects craniofacial morphology, including the degree of alveolar prognathism. However, the relationship between prognathism and concavity of the COS has not been tested in craniofacially variant populations. We tested the hypothesis that greater alveolar prognathism covaries with a flatter COS in African-American and European-American populations. We further examined this relationship in fossil Homo including Homo neanderthalensis and early anatomically modern Homo sapiens, which are expected to extend the amount of variation in the COS from the extant sample. These hypotheses were tested using three-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Landmarks were recorded from the skulls of 166 African-Americans, 123 European-Americans, and 10 fossil hominin mandible casts. Landmarks were subjected to generalized Procrustes analysis, principal components analysis, and two-block partial least squares analysis. We documented covariation between the COS and alveolar prognathism such that relatively prognathic individuals have a flatter COS. Mandibular data from the fossil hominin taxa generally confirm and extend this correlation across a greater range of facial size and morphology in Homo. Our results suggest that the magnitude of the COS is related to a suite of features associated with alveolar prognathism in modern humans and across anthropoids. We also discuss the implications for spatial interactions between the dental arches. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Elongation as a factor in artefacts of humans and other animals: an Acheulean example in comparative context.

PubMed

Gowlett, J A J

2013-11-19

Elongation is a commonly found feature in artefacts made and used by humans and other animals and can be analysed in comparative study. Whether made for use in hand or beak, the artefacts have some common properties of length, breadth, thickness and balance point, and elongation can be studied as a factor relating to construction or use of a long axis. In human artefacts, elongation can be traced through the archaeological record, for example in stone blades of the Upper Palaeolithic (traditionally regarded as more sophisticated than earlier artefacts), and in earlier blades of the Middle Palaeolithic. It is now recognized that elongation extends to earlier Palaeolithic artefacts, being found in the repertoire of both Neanderthals and more archaic humans. Artefacts used by non-human animals, including chimpanzees, capuchin monkeys and New Caledonian crows show selection for diameter and length, and consistent interventions of modification. Both chimpanzees and capuchins trim side branches from stems, and appropriate lengths of stave are selected or cut. In human artefacts, occasional organic finds show elongation back to about 0.5 million years. A record of elongation achieved in stone tools survives to at least 1.75 Ma (million years ago) in the Acheulean tradition. Throughout this tradition, some Acheulean handaxes are highly elongated, usually found with others that are less elongated. Finds from the million-year-old site of Kilombe and Kenya are given as an example. These findings argue that the elongation need not be integral to a design, but that artefacts may be the outcome of adjustments to individual variables. Such individual adjustments are seen in animal artefacts. In the case of a handaxe, the maker must balance the adjustments to achieve a satisfactory outcome in the artefact as a whole. It is argued that the need to make decisions about individual variables within multivariate objects provides an essential continuity across artefacts made by different species.

What constitutes Homo sapiens? Morphology versus received wisdom.

PubMed

Schwartz, Jeffrey

2016-06-20

Although Linnaeus coined Homo sapiens in 1735, it was Blumenbach forty years later who provided the first morphological definition of the species. Since humans were not then allowed to be ante-Diluvian, his effort applied to the genus, as well. After the Feldhofer Grotto Neanderthal disproved this creationist notion, and human-fossil hunting became legitimate, new specimens were allocated either to sapiens or new species within Homo, or even to new species within new genera. Yet as these taxonomic acts reflected the morphological differences between specimens, they failed to address the question: What constitutes H. sapiens? When in 1950 Mayr collapsed all human fossils into Homo, he not only denied humans a diverse evolutionary past, he also shifted the key to identifying its species from morphology to geological age - a practice most paleoanthropologists still follow. Thus, for example, H. erectus is the species that preceded H. sapiens, and H. sapiens is the species into which H. erectus morphed. In order to deal with a growing morass of morphologically dissimilar specimens, the non-taxonomic terms "archaic" (AS) and "anatomically modern" (AMS) were introduced to distinguish between the earlier and later versions of H. sapiens, thereby making the species impossible to define. In attempting to disentangle fact from scenario, I begin from the beginning, trying to delineate features that may be distinctive of extant humans (ES), and then turning to the fossils that have been included in the species. With the exception of Upper Paleolithic humans - e.g. from Cro-Magnon, Dolni Vestonice, Mladeč - I argue that many specimens regarded as AMS, and all those deemed AS, are not H. sapiens. The features these AMS do share with ES suggest the existence of a sapiens clade. Further, restudy of near-recent fossils, especially from southwestern China (∼11-14.5 ka), reinforces what discoveries such as H. floresiensis indicate: "If it's recent, it's not necessarily H. sapiens".

The timid crusade.

PubMed

Grant, L

1994-01-01

US population at present growth rates will approach 400 million and maybe pass 500 million by year 2050. Population growth may, however, be reduced by lowering fertility and/or reducing immigration flows. The author opens with the argument that President Bill Clinton should follow ex-President Nixon's recommendation to establish a national goal of providing adequate family planning services for all who want them and notes early efforts to affect population policy in the US. The National Commission on Population Growth and the American Future concluded in 1972 that the government should establish a long-term strategy to monitor demographic, resource, and environmental trends; reform government archaic organizations in anticipation of growing urbanization; adopt a national, publicly funded, volunteer program to reduce unwanted fertility, improve pregnancy outcomes, and improve child health; and forcibly limit immigration. These recommendations were shelved, but certainly warrant consideration and adoption two decades later. A less pointed Global 2000 Report was present to President Carter in 1980. Environmentalist groups began to address population in the late 1970s and 1980s, with eighteen environmental organizations joining forces in 1988 to develop the Blueprint for the Environment as a guide for the incoming US administration. The author describes the views of these groups on US population and stresses the need for them to lobby on population. Potential approaches are suggested.

Late Archaic-Early Formative period microbotanical evidence for potato at Jiskairumoko in the Titicaca Basin of southern Peru.

PubMed

Rumold, Claudia Ursula; Aldenderfer, Mark S

2016-11-29

The data presented in this paper provide direct microbotanical evidence concerning the early use of potato (Solanum tuberosum) within its botanical locus of origin in the high south-central Andes. The data derive from Jiskairumoko, an early village site in the western Titicaca Basin dating to the Late Archaic to Early Formative periods (∼3,400 cal y BC to 1,600 cal y BC). Because the site reflects the transition to sedentism and food production, these data may relate to potato domestication and early cultivation. Of 141 starch microremains recovered from 14 groundstone tools from Jiskairumoko, 50 are identified as consistent with cultivated or domesticated potato, based on reference to published materials and a study of wild and cultivated potato starch morphology. Along with macro- and microbotanical evidence for chenopod consumption and grinding tool data reflecting intensive use of this technology throughout site occupation, the microbotanical data reported here suggest the intensive exploitation, if not cultivation, of plant resources at Jiskairumoko. Elucidating the details of the trajectory of potato domestication is necessary for an overall understanding of the development of highland Andean agriculture, as this crop is central to the autochthonous agricultural suite. A paucity of direct botanical evidence, however, has hindered research efforts. The results of the modern and archaeological starch analyses presented here underscore the utility of this method in addressing questions related to the timing, mode, and context of potato origins.

From Immunologically Archaic to Neoteric Glycovaccines

PubMed Central

Cavallari, Marco; De Libero, Gennaro

2017-01-01

Polysaccharides (PS) are present in the outermost surface of bacteria and readily come in contact with immune cells. They interact with specific antibodies, which in turn confer protection from infections. Vaccines with PS from pneumococci, meningococci, Haemophilus influenzae type b, and Salmonella typhi may be protective, although with the important constraint of failing to generate permanent immunological memory. This limitation has in part been circumvented by conjugating glycovaccines to proteins that stimulate T helper cells and facilitate the establishment of immunological memory. Currently, protection evoked by conjugated PS vaccines lasts for a few years. The same approach failed with PS from staphylococci, Streptococcus agalactiae, and Klebsiella. All those germs cause severe infections in humans and often develop resistance to antibiotic therapy. Thereby, prevention is of increasing importance to better control outbreaks. As only 23 of more than 90 pneumococcal serotypes and 4 of 13 clinically relevant Neisseria meningitidis serogroups are covered by available vaccines there is still tremendous clinical need for PS vaccines. This review focuses on glycovaccines and the immunological mechanisms for their success or failure. We discuss recent advances that may facilitate generation of high affinity anti-PS antibodies and confer specific immunity and long-lasting protection. PMID:28134792

A Predominantly Indigenous Paternal Heritage for the Austronesian-Speaking Peoples of Insular Southeast Asia and Oceania

PubMed Central

Capelli, Cristian; Wilson, James F.; Richards, Martin; Stumpf, Michael P. H.; Gratrix, Fiona; Oppenheimer, Stephen; Underhill, Peter; Pascali, Vincenzo L.; Ko, Tsang-Ming; Goldstein, David B.

2001-01-01

Modern humans reached Southeast Asia and Oceania in one of the first dispersals out of Africa. The resulting temporal overlap of modern and archaic humans—and the apparent morphological continuity between them—has led to claims of gene flow between Homo sapiens and H. erectus. Much more recently, an agricultural technology from mainland Asia spread into the region, possibly in association with Austronesian languages. Using detailed genealogical study of Y chromosome variation, we show that the majority of current Austronesian speakers trace their paternal heritage to Pleistocene settlers in the region, as opposed to more-recent agricultural immigrants. A fraction of the paternal heritage, however, appears to be associated with more-recent immigrants from northern populations. We also show that the northern Neolithic component is very unevenly dispersed through the region, with a higher contribution in Southeast Asia and a nearly complete absence in Melanesia. Contrary to claims of gene flow (under regional continuity) between H. erectus and H. sapiens, we found no ancestral Y chromosome lineages in a set of 1,209 samples. The finding excludes the possibility that early hominids contributed significantly to the paternal heritage of the region. PMID:11170891

Cultural Resources Survey and Monitoring of Joint Task Force Six (JTF-6) Actions in Webb, Zapata, Dimmit, La Salle, Duvall, and Jim Hogg Counties, Texas

DTIC Science & Technology

1994-08-01

vegetation, game, and riverine resources. A recent survey conducted for the proposed Camino Colombia Toll Road resulted in the recording of numerous...Trevino, who was reportedly from old Guerrero (also called Revilla, one of the 12 original Spanish colonies founded by Jose De Escandon in 1749 [(Hume 1972...1985). (Scale 1:1) 19 a b c de Figure 10. Diagnostic projectile points of the Lae Archaic period of South Texas: (a) Ensor (Bell 1960); (b) Frio (Turner

Lost Skies of Italian Folk Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barale, Piero

The limited archival material and the scarcity of evidence from the oldest living representatives of various communities effectively restrict research on archaic astronomical knowledge within Italy to the Alpine area and the most northerly part of the Appenines. These are territories where, fortunately, the folk culture is historically recognized as being very conservative. The sky provided a series of "astral instruments" used for planning religious festivals, fairs, and work in the fields through an empirical-symbolic approach and ancient sidereal calendars with which the valley dwellers were able to arrange daily life.

Testing Nine Archaeological Sites in the Downstream Corridor, Saylorville Lake, Iowa. 1982.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-04-01

cultivated field (fallow since 1981), covering an area of approximately 2 acres . The site is bordered on the west by the river bank and on the north by...sites in the project area. What Middle Archaic period sites in alluvial contexts are likely to yield is an unanswered question at this time, but it is ...13PK410 and 13PK413 be preserved in place, except for minor construction on 13PK413. Site 13PK407, an Oneota occupation, is recommended either for

Archaeological Survey Within Designated Portions of the Proposed Len Small Floodway in Dogtooth Bend, Alexander County, Illinois

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-01-01

derived from recent CRM projects in the New Madrid Floodway (Brown et al . 2000a, 2000h; Buchner et al . 2003 ; Chapman et al . 1999 ; Lafferty et al...extent to which the region was o r was not used ." Within the New Madrid Floodway there are three landforms of sufficient age t o yield evidence of...occupation of the New Madrid Floodway als o took place during the late Middle Archaic (ca . 4000-3000 B .C .), and thus the colonization o f these two

[Social and cultural representations in epilepsy awareness].

PubMed

Arborio, Sophie

2015-01-01

Representations relating to epilepsy have evolved over the centuries, but the manifestations of epilepsy awaken archaic images linked to death, violence and disgust. Indeed, the generalised epileptic seizure symbolises a rupture with the surrounding environment, "informs it", through the loss of social codes which it causes. The social and cultural context, as well as medical knowledge, influences the representations of the disease. As a result, popular knowledge is founded on the social and cultural representations of a given era, in a given society. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Astronomical Orientation of Ancient Greek Temples

PubMed Central

Salt, Alun M.

2009-01-01

Despite its appearing to be a simple question to answer, there has been no consensus as to whether or not the alignments of ancient Greek temples reflect astronomical intentions. Here I present the results of a survey of archaic and classical Greek temples in Sicily and compare them with temples in Greece. Using a binomial test I show strong evidence that there is a preference for solar orientations. I then speculate that differences in alignment patterns between Sicily and Greece reflect differing pressures in the expression of ethnic identity. PMID:19936239

The astronomical orientation of ancient Greek temples.

PubMed

Salt, Alun M

2009-11-19

Despite its appearing to be a simple question to answer, there has been no consensus as to whether or not the alignments of ancient Greek temples reflect astronomical intentions. Here I present the results of a survey of archaic and classical Greek temples in Sicily and compare them with temples in Greece. Using a binomial test I show strong evidence that there is a preference for solar orientations. I then speculate that differences in alignment patterns between Sicily and Greece reflect differing pressures in the expression of ethnic identity.

Wooden Calendar Sticks in Eastern Europe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koleva, Vesselina; Koleva, Svetlana

Wooden calendar sticks have preserved an archaic time-keeping tradition, which, during the Middle Ages, was one of the tools for establishing and disseminating Christian chronology and the liturgical calendars of the Western and Eastern Churches. The calendars vary in size and shape, type of signs, and structure of the record. Christian symbols interwoven with signs and pictograms mark days of importance in the ritual and economic year cycle. The wooden calendars are considered one of the proofs of the syncretism between the pagan tradition and Christian rites in folk cultures.

Cultural Resources Survey, Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir Project, Missouri. Volume 9. Preliminary Studies of Early and Middle Archaic Components.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-02-01

masim y an Identify by block number,) The ten volumes report the results of a cultural resources survev in the Harry S. Truman Dam and Reservoir...UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI-COLUMBIA 1983 j .9!!: *. 1 REPORTS CF THE ’C". CULr.JPAL RESOURCES SURVEY HARRY S. TRUMAN DM AND PRESERVOIR PROJECT volume I...and Surficial Geology of the Harry S. Truman Reservoir Area, West Central Missouri, by R. A. Ward and T. L. Thompson, pp. 1-21 Part II: Report on

The GBFEL-TIE (Ground Based Free Electron Laser Technology Experiment) Sample Survey on White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico: The NASA, Stallion, and Orogrande Alternatives

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-09-30

U.S. Army Engineer Mexico to Zacatecas (some 800 km). Located primarily District, Ft. Worth as Contract No. DACW63 -86-D- between the two major mountain...problems in- few such studies have been conducted in south-central volving temporally sensitive but rare ceramic types. New Mexico , a number of...archeological attention. also offers an opportunity to study Archaic period I adaptations but, because of the extremely high site n addition, potential

The environmental context of human evolutionary history in Eurasia and Africa

PubMed Central

Elton, Sarah

2008-01-01

This review has three main aims: (1) to make specific predictions about the habitat of the hypothetical last common ancestor of the chimpanzee/bonobo–human clade; (2) to outline the major trends in environments between 8–6 Ma and the late Pleistocene; and (3) to pinpoint when, and in some cases where, human ancestors evolved to cope with the wide range of habitats they presently tolerate. Several lines of evidence indicate that arboreal environments, particularly woodlands, were important habitats for late Miocene hominids and hominins, and therefore possibly for the last common ancestor of the chimpanzee/bonobo–human clade. However, as there is no clear candidate for this last common ancestor, and because the sampling of fossils and past environments is inevitably patchy, this prediction remains a working hypothesis at best. Nonetheless, as a primate, it is expected that the last common ancestor was ecologically dependent on trees in some form. Understanding past environments is important, as palaeoenvironmental reconstructions provide the context for human morphological and behavioural evolution. Indeed, the impact of climate on the evolutionary history of our species has long been debated. Since the mid-Miocene, the Earth has been experiencing a general cooling trend accompanied by aridification, which intensified during the later Pliocene and Pleistocene. Numerous climatic fluctuations, as well as local, regional and continental geography that influenced weather patterns and vegetation, created hominin environments that were dynamic in space and time. Behavioural flexibility and cultural complexity were crucial aspects of hominin expansion into diverse environments during the Pleistocene, but the ability to exploit varied and varying habitats was established much earlier in human evolutionary history. The development of increasingly complex tool technology facilitated re-expansion into tropical forests. These environments are difficult for obligate bipeds to negotiate, but their exploitation was accomplished by archaic and/or anatomically modern humans independently in Africa and south-east Asia. Complex social behaviour and material culture also allowed modern humans to reach some of the most hostile regions of the globe, above the Arctic Circle, by the late Pleistocene. This, with colonization of the Americas and Australasia, established Homo sapiens as a truly cosmopolitan species. PMID:18380862

The environmental context of human evolutionary history in Eurasia and Africa.

PubMed

Elton, Sarah

2008-04-01

This review has three main aims: (1) to make specific predictions about the habitat of the hypothetical last common ancestor of the chimpanzee/bonobo-human clade; (2) to outline the major trends in environments between 8-6 Ma and the late Pleistocene; and (3) to pinpoint when, and in some cases where, human ancestors evolved to cope with the wide range of habitats they presently tolerate. Several lines of evidence indicate that arboreal environments, particularly woodlands, were important habitats for late Miocene hominids and hominins, and therefore possibly for the last common ancestor of the chimpanzee/bonobo-human clade. However, as there is no clear candidate for this last common ancestor, and because the sampling of fossils and past environments is inevitably patchy, this prediction remains a working hypothesis at best. Nonetheless, as a primate, it is expected that the last common ancestor was ecologically dependent on trees in some form. Understanding past environments is important, as palaeoenvironmental reconstructions provide the context for human morphological and behavioural evolution. Indeed, the impact of climate on the evolutionary history of our species has long been debated. Since the mid-Miocene, the Earth has been experiencing a general cooling trend accompanied by aridification, which intensified during the later Pliocene and Pleistocene. Numerous climatic fluctuations, as well as local, regional and continental geography that influenced weather patterns and vegetation, created hominin environments that were dynamic in space and time. Behavioural flexibility and cultural complexity were crucial aspects of hominin expansion into diverse environments during the Pleistocene, but the ability to exploit varied and varying habitats was established much earlier in human evolutionary history. The development of increasingly complex tool technology facilitated re-expansion into tropical forests. These environments are difficult for obligate bipeds to negotiate, but their exploitation was accomplished by archaic and/or anatomically modern humans independently in Africa and south-east Asia. Complex social behaviour and material culture also allowed modern humans to reach some of the most hostile regions of the globe, above the Arctic Circle, by the late Pleistocene. This, with colonization of the Americas and Australasia, established Homo sapiens as a truly cosmopolitan species.

Antarctic glossopterid diversity on a local scale: the presence of multiple megasporophyll genera, Upper Permian, Mt. Achernar, Transantarctic Mountains, Antarctica.

PubMed

Ryberg, Patricia E; Taylor, Edith L; Taylor, Thomas N

2012-09-01

The glossopterids are a group of plants that thrived during a time of global warming similar to what is happening on the Earth today as well as the transition from archaic plant groups to the ancestors of modern groups. The diversity of the glossopterid clade is based on the megasporangiate structures assigned to the group, because the vegetative and pollen-bearing structures vary little. The presence of numerous reproductive genera from a single Upper Permian locality in the central Transantarctic Mountains provides important data on local glossopterid diversity in Antarctica. Impression/compression fossils were imaged with a Leica 5000C digital camera on a dissecting microscope or a Fujifilm FinePix S1pro digital camera. Two megasporangiate taxa are described: Scutum leiophyllum, which represents the first confirmed record of the genus in Antarctica, and Lidgettoniopsis ramulus, a new morphology consisting of a pinnate structure with oppositely attached megasporophylls. Plumsteadia ovata specimens indicate that this genus can be larger than previously recorded and illustrate the vegetative surface with a distinct midrib. The presence of a laminar, multiovulate structure and a pinnate structure at the same site indicates that local-level glossopterid diversity in Antarctica is greater than previously hypothesized. The discovery of a new megasporophyll morphology in Antarctica (confirming the presence of three distinctive morphologies on the continent) shows that Antarctic glossopterid heterogeneity is on a par with other Gondwanan continents. The diversity of the Antarctic landscape reveals that high polar latitudes can sustain a diverse ecosystem during times of global warming.

Chimeric creatures in Greek mythology and reflections in science.

PubMed

Bazopoulou-Kyrkanidou, E

2001-04-15

"The Chimaera" in Homer's Iliad, "was of divine stock, not of men, in the forepart a lion, in the hinder a serpent, and in the midst a goat, ellipsis Bellerophon slew her, trusting in the signs of the gods." In Hesiod's Theogony it is emphasized that "Chimaera ellipsis had three heads, one of a grim-eyed lion, another of a goat, and another of a snakeellipsis". In addition to this interspecies animal chimera, human/animal chimeras are referred to in Greek mythology, preeminent among them the Centaurs and the Minotaur. The Centaurs, as horse/men, first appear in Geometric and early Archaic art, but in the literature not until early in the fifth century B.C. The bullheaded-man Minotaur, who is not certainly attested in the literary evidence until circa 500 B.C., first appears in art about 650 B.C. Attempts, in the fourth century B.C. and thereafter, to rationalize their mythical appearance were in vain; their chimeric nature retained its fascinating and archetypal form over the centuries. Early in the 1980s, experimental sheep/goat chimeras were produced removing the reproductive barrier between these two animal species. Late in the 1990s, legal, political, ethical, and moral fights loomed over a patent bid on human/animal chimeras. Chimeric technology is recently developed; however, the concept of chimerism has existed in literary and artistic form in ancient mythology. This is yet another example where art and literature precede scientific research and development. Copyright 2001 Wiley-Liss. Inc.

The nature and dynamics of world religions: a life-history approach.

PubMed

Baumard, Nicolas; Chevallier, Coralie

2015-11-07

In contrast with tribal and archaic religions, world religions are characterized by a unique emphasis on extended prosociality, restricted sociosexuality, delayed gratification and the belief that these specific behaviours are sanctioned by some kind of supernatural justice. Here, we draw on recent advances in life history theory to explain this pattern of seemingly unrelated features. Life history theory examines how organisms adaptively allocate resources in the face of trade-offs between different life-goals (e.g. growth versus reproduction, exploitation versus exploration). In particular, recent studies have shown that individuals, including humans, adjust their life strategy to the environment through phenotypic plasticity: in a harsh environment, organisms tend to adopt a 'fast' strategy, pursuing smaller but more certain benefits, while in more affluent environments, organisms tend to develop a 'slow' strategy, aiming for larger but less certain benefits. Reviewing a range of recent research, we show that world religions are associated with a form of 'slow' strategy. This framework explains both the promotion of 'slow' behaviours such as altruism, self-regulation and monogamy in modern world religions, and the condemnation of 'fast' behaviours such as selfishness, conspicuous sexuality and materialism. This ecological approach also explains the diffusion pattern of world religions: why they emerged late in human history (500-300 BCE), why they are currently in decline in the most affluent societies and why they persist in some places despite this overall decline. © 2015 The Author(s).

The nature and dynamics of world religions: a life-history approach

PubMed Central

Baumard, Nicolas; Chevallier, Coralie

2015-01-01

In contrast with tribal and archaic religions, world religions are characterized by a unique emphasis on extended prosociality, restricted sociosexuality, delayed gratification and the belief that these specific behaviours are sanctioned by some kind of supernatural justice. Here, we draw on recent advances in life history theory to explain this pattern of seemingly unrelated features. Life history theory examines how organisms adaptively allocate resources in the face of trade-offs between different life-goals (e.g. growth versus reproduction, exploitation versus exploration). In particular, recent studies have shown that individuals, including humans, adjust their life strategy to the environment through phenotypic plasticity: in a harsh environment, organisms tend to adopt a ‘fast' strategy, pursuing smaller but more certain benefits, while in more affluent environments, organisms tend to develop a ‘slow' strategy, aiming for larger but less certain benefits. Reviewing a range of recent research, we show that world religions are associated with a form of ‘slow' strategy. This framework explains both the promotion of ‘slow' behaviours such as altruism, self-regulation and monogamy in modern world religions, and the condemnation of ‘fast' behaviours such as selfishness, conspicuous sexuality and materialism. This ecological approach also explains the diffusion pattern of world religions: why they emerged late in human history (500–300 BCE), why they are currently in decline in the most affluent societies and why they persist in some places despite this overall decline. PMID:26511055

The theory of gender identity disorders.

PubMed

Meyer, J K

1982-01-01

Experience with more than 500 patients over the last decade has led to the conclusion that the quest for sex reassignment is a symptomatic compromise formation serving defensive and expressive functions. The symptoms are the outgrowth of developmental trauma affecting body ego and archaic sense of self and caused by peculiar symbiotic and separation-individuation phase relationships. The child exists in the pathogenic (and reparative) maternal fantasy in order to repair her body image and to demonstrate the interconvertability of the sexes. Gender identity exists not as a primary phenomenon, but in a sense as a tertiary one. There is, no doubt, a tendency to gender-differentiate in a way concordant with biological endowment. Nevertheless, gender formation is seriously compromised by earlier psychological difficulty. Gender identity is a fundamental acquisition in the developing personality, but it is part of a hierarchical series beginning with archaic body ego, early body image, and primitive selfness, representing their extension into sexual and reproductive spheres. Gender identity consolidates during separation-individuation and gender pathology bears common features with other preoedipal syndromes. Transsexualism is closely linked to perversions, and the clinical syndromes may shade from one into another. However, what is kept at the symbolic level in the perversions must be made concrete in transsexualism. In this regard there is a close relation to psychosis. The clinical complaint of the transsexual is a condensation of remarkable proportions. When the transsexual says that he is a girl trapped in a man's body, he sincerely means what he says. As with other symptoms, however, it takes a long time before he begins to say what he means.

Virtual anastylosis of Greek sculpture as museum policy for public outreach and cognitive accessibility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stanco, Filippo; Tanasi, Davide; Allegra, Dario; Milotta, Filippo Luigi Maria; Lamagna, Gioconda; Monterosso, Giuseppina

2017-01-01

This paper deals with a virtual anastylosis of a Greek Archaic statue from ancient Sicily and the development of a public outreach protocol for those with visual impairment or cognitive disabilities through the application of three-dimensional (3-D) printing and haptic technology. The case study consists of the marble head from Leontinoi in southeastern Sicily, acquired in the 18th century and later kept in the collection of the Museum of Castello Ursino in Catania, and a marble torso, retrieved in 1904 and since then displayed in the Archaeological Museum of Siracusa. Due to similar stylistic features, the two pieces can be dated to the end of the sixth century BC. Their association has been an open problem, largely debated by scholars, who have based their hypotheses on comparisons between pictures, but the reassembly of the two artifacts was never attempted. As a result the importance of such an artifact, which could be the only intact Archaic statue of a kouros ever found in Greek Sicily, has not fully been grasped by the public. Consequently, the curatorial dissemination of the knowledge related with such artifacts is purely based on photographic material. As a response to this scenario, the two objects have been 3-D scanned and virtually reassembled. The result has been shared digitally with the public via a web platform and, in order to include increased accessibility for the public with physical or cognitive disabilities, copies of the reassembled statue have been 3-D printed and an interactive test with the 3-D model has been carried out with a haptic device.

Magic and the aesthetic illusion.

PubMed

Balter, Leon

2002-01-01

The aesthetic illusion is the subjective experience that the content of a work of art is reality. It has an intrinsic relation to magic, an intrapsychic maneuver oriented toward modification and control of the extraspyschic world, principally through ego functioning. Magic is ontogenetically and culturally archaic, expresses the omnipotence inherent in primary narcissism, and operates according to the logic of the primary process. Magic is a constituent of all ego functioning, usually latent in later development. It may persist as an archaic feature or may be evoked regressively in global or circumscribed ways. It causes a general disinhibition of instincts and impulses attended by a sense of confidence, exhiliration, and exuberance. The aesthetic illusion is a combination of illusions: (1) that the daydream embodied by the work of art is the beholder's own, the artist being ignored, and (2) that the artistically described protagonist is a real person with a real "world." The first illusion arises through the beholder's emotional-instinctual gratification from his or her own fantasy-memory constellations; the second comes about because the beholder, by taking the protagonist as proxy, mobilizes the subjective experience of the imaginary protagonist's "reality." The first illusion is necessary for the second to take place; the second establishes the aesthetic illusion proper. Both illusions are instances of magic. Accordingly, the aesthetic illusion is accompanied by a heady experience of excitement and euphoria. The relation among the aesthetic illusion, magic, and enthusiasm is illustrated by an analytic case, J. D. Salinger's "The Laughing Man," Woody Allen's Play It Again, Sam, Don Quixote, and the medieval Cult of the Saints.

Novel Metabolic Attributes of the Genus Cyanothece, Comprising a Group of Unicellular Nitrogen-Fixing Cyanobacteria

PubMed Central

Bandyopadhyay, Anindita; Elvitigala, Thanura; Welsh, Eric; Stöckel, Jana; Liberton, Michelle; Min, Hongtao; Sherman, Louis A.; Pakrasi, Himadri B.

2011-01-01

ABSTRACT The genus Cyanothece comprises unicellular cyanobacteria that are morphologically diverse and ecologically versatile. Studies over the last decade have established members of this genus to be important components of the marine ecosystem, contributing significantly to the nitrogen and carbon cycle. System-level studies of Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142, a prototypic member of this group, revealed many interesting metabolic attributes. To identify the metabolic traits that define this class of cyanobacteria, five additional Cyanothece strains were sequenced to completion. The presence of a large, contiguous nitrogenase gene cluster and the ability to carry out aerobic nitrogen fixation distinguish Cyanothece as a genus of unicellular, aerobic nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. Cyanothece cells can create an anoxic intracellular environment at night, allowing oxygen-sensitive processes to take place in these oxygenic organisms. Large carbohydrate reserves accumulate in the cells during the day, ensuring sufficient energy for the processes that require the anoxic phase of the cells. Our study indicates that this genus maintains a plastic genome, incorporating new metabolic capabilities while simultaneously retaining archaic metabolic traits, a unique combination which provides the flexibility to adapt to various ecological and environmental conditions. Rearrangement of the nitrogenase cluster in Cyanothece sp. strain 7425 and the concomitant loss of its aerobic nitrogen-fixing ability suggest that a similar mechanism might have been at play in cyanobacterial strains that eventually lost their nitrogen-fixing ability. PMID:21972240

Boca de Potrerillos

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murray, William Breen

Boca de Potrerillos is an archaeological site located in the municipio of Mina, Nuevo León, about 60 km. northwest of Monterrey, Mexicós third largest city. Its principal feature is one of the largest concentrations of petroglyphs in the country. Archaeoastronomical features include petroglyphic markers of the cardinal directions, dot configurations which count lunar synodic periods, and one of the earliest horizon calendars in North America. They indicate that the site was probably used for sky observation from the Middle Archaic time period onward and may represent evidence of the initial stages in the development of Mesoamerican numeration and astronomy.

Cultural Resource Survey and Assessment of Proposed Valley Park Levee Alignment and Borrow Areas, St. Louis County, Missouri. St. Louis District Cultural Resource Management Report Number 10.

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-02-01

these people were not unlike the Old World Upper PaleolIthic cultures occupying much of central AsIa by 15,000 B.C. Paleo-lndlan peoples inhabited an...reconstructions. These large "protein packages" were only a minimal part of their total diet , the major portion probably comprised of modern-day fauna (e.g...the Archaic tradition, corn was Introduced into Woodland diets from Mexico. This was a small-eared "tropical flint" corn with 10 to 16 rows of kernels

A Study of Health Record Control at Reynolds Army Hospital, Fort Sill, Oklahoma

DTIC Science & Technology

1979-04-01

other medical and surgical procedures appear on the walls of Paleolithic caverns of Spain that date back to about 25,000 B.C.1 Although these archaic...record revealed that they were more careful in taking medications, made improvements in their diets , stopped smoking and had fewer worries about their...Pod 19 Mar TMC 3 30 Apr Surg 6 Apr RAH 29 Apr Eye 27 Apr Audio Cl 27 Apr Hosp 27 Nov Diet Cl 23 Apr F.P. 18 Apr Ortho/Pod 30 Apr Pod 26 Apr RAN 30 Apr

Archaeological Sites Inventory of the Training Area 10 and 12 Portions of the Pinon Canyon Maneuver Site, Las Animas County, Colorado. Volume 1

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-01-01

remains are often associated with Pleistocene megafauna such as mammoth and an extinct ancestor of the bison. This association led many archaeologists to... megafauna . The Archaic stage is subdivided into three periods: Early (7,800-5,000 BP), Middle (5,000-3,000 BP), and Late (3,000-1850 BP). The oldest rock art... gradient here (up to 4 degrees), the site seems prone to sheetwash erosion. Only the southern half of the site has accumulated soil depth- up to 35 cm based

Biomaterials at the interface of nano- and micro-scale vector-cellular interactions in genetic vaccine design.

PubMed

Jones, Charles H; Hakansson, Anders P; Pfeifer, Blaine A

2014-01-01

The development of safe and effective vaccines for the prevention of elusive infectious diseases remains a public health priority. Immunization, characterized by adaptive immune responses to specific antigens, can be raised by an array of delivery vectors. However, current commercial vaccination strategies are predicated on the retooling of archaic technology. This review will discuss current and emerging strategies designed to elicit immune responses in the context of genetic vaccination. Selected strategies at the biomaterial-biological interface will be emphasized to illustrate the potential of coupling both fields towards a common goal.

A Cultural Resources LIterature Search, Record Review and Cultural Resources Survey of the Belle Fountain Ditch Enlargement Project within Pemiscot and Dunklin Counties, Missouri

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-06-01

Introduction I Project Location 1 Project History 3 Environment 3 The Relict Braided Surface 3 The Old Meander Belt 5 Soils and Biotic Communities 6 Macrobiotic...Project Area and the Sunk Lands (after Saucier 1970 and USGS Evadale Quad) 4 The Old Meander Belt The Old Meander Belt was incised into the Relict Braided...that the silting of the Old Meander Belt by the Mississippi River started in the Late Archaic period (ca. 3000 - 500 BC). It appears likely that this

The GenoChip: A New Tool for Genetic Anthropology

PubMed Central

Elhaik, Eran; Greenspan, Elliott; Staats, Sean; Krahn, Thomas; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Xue, Yali; Tofanelli, Sergio; Francalacci, Paolo; Cucca, Francesco; Pagani, Luca; Jin, Li; Li, Hui; Schurr, Theodore G.; Greenspan, Bennett; Spencer Wells, R.

2013-01-01

The Genographic Project is an international effort aimed at charting human migratory history. The project is nonprofit and nonmedical, and, through its Legacy Fund, supports locally led efforts to preserve indigenous and traditional cultures. Although the first phase of the project was focused on uniparentally inherited markers on the Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the current phase focuses on markers from across the entire genome to obtain a more complete understanding of human genetic variation. Although many commercial arrays exist for genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, they were designed for medical genetic studies and contain medically related markers that are inappropriate for global population genetic studies. GenoChip, the Genographic Project’s new genotyping array, was designed to resolve these issues and enable higher resolution research into outstanding questions in genetic anthropology. The GenoChip includes ancestry informative markers obtained for over 450 human populations, an ancient human (Saqqaq), and two archaic hominins (Neanderthal and Denisovan) and was designed to identify all known Y-chromosome and mtDNA haplogroups. The chip was carefully vetted to avoid inclusion of medically relevant markers. To demonstrate its capabilities, we compared the FST distributions of GenoChip SNPs to those of two commercial arrays. Although all arrays yielded similarly shaped (inverse J) FST distributions, the GenoChip autosomal and X-chromosomal distributions had the highest mean FST, attesting to its ability to discern subpopulations. The chip performances are illustrated in a principal component analysis for 14 worldwide populations. In summary, the GenoChip is a dedicated genotyping platform for genetic anthropology. With an unprecedented number of approximately 12,000 Y-chromosomal and approximately 3,300 mtDNA SNPs and over 130,000 autosomal and X-chromosomal SNPs without any known health, medical, or phenotypic relevance, the GenoChip is a useful tool for genetic anthropology and population genetics. PMID:23666864

Author Correction: New fossils from Jebel Irhoud, Morocco and the pan-African origin of Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Hublin, Jean-Jacques; Ben-Ncer, Abdelouahed; Bailey, Shara E; Freidline, Sarah E; Neubauer, Simon; Skinner, Matthew M; Bergmann, Inga; Le Cabec, Adeline; Benazzi, Stefano; Harvati, Katerina; Gunz, Philipp

2018-06-13

In the originally published version of this Letter, the x axis in Fig. 3a should have been: 'PC1: 26%' rather than 'PC1: 46%', and the y axis should have been: 'PC2: 16%' rather than 'PC2: 29%'. We also noticed an error in the numbering of the fossils from Qafzeh: Qafzeh 27 should be removed, and Qafzeh 26 is actually Qafzeh 25, following Tillier (2014)1 and Schuh et al. (2017)2 and personal communication with B. Vandermeersch and M. D. Garralda. The correct enumeration of Qafzeh samples in the 'Mandibular metric data' section of the Methods is therefore: 'Qafzeh (9, 25)' rather than 'Qafzeh (9, 26, 27)'. Owing to the removal of Qafzeh 27, the convex hull of early modern humans changes slightly in Extended Data Fig. 1c. The sample sizes in Extended Data Fig. 1c should have read: Middle Pleistocene archaic Homo n = 19 (instead of 11), Neanderthals n = 40 (instead of 41), early modern humans n = 12 (instead of 7), and recent modern humans n = 46 (instead of 48). In Extended Data Table 2, the mean and standard deviation of corpus height and breadth at mental foramen for early modern humans should have been: x̅ = 33.15, σ = 3.26 for height (rather than x̅ = 34.23, σ = 4.57); and x̅ = 16.25, σ = 1.28 for breadth (rather than x̅ = 16.04, σ = 1.75). Accordingly, n = 12 (rather than n = 13) for both breadth and height. These errors have been corrected in the Letter online (the original Extended Data Fig. 1 is shown in Supplementary Information to this Amendment). These changes do not alter any inferences drawn from the data.

The GenoChip: a new tool for genetic anthropology.

PubMed

Elhaik, Eran; Greenspan, Elliott; Staats, Sean; Krahn, Thomas; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Xue, Yali; Tofanelli, Sergio; Francalacci, Paolo; Cucca, Francesco; Pagani, Luca; Jin, Li; Li, Hui; Schurr, Theodore G; Greenspan, Bennett; Spencer Wells, R

2013-01-01

The Genographic Project is an international effort aimed at charting human migratory history. The project is nonprofit and nonmedical, and, through its Legacy Fund, supports locally led efforts to preserve indigenous and traditional cultures. Although the first phase of the project was focused on uniparentally inherited markers on the Y-chromosome and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), the current phase focuses on markers from across the entire genome to obtain a more complete understanding of human genetic variation. Although many commercial arrays exist for genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping, they were designed for medical genetic studies and contain medically related markers that are inappropriate for global population genetic studies. GenoChip, the Genographic Project's new genotyping array, was designed to resolve these issues and enable higher resolution research into outstanding questions in genetic anthropology. The GenoChip includes ancestry informative markers obtained for over 450 human populations, an ancient human (Saqqaq), and two archaic hominins (Neanderthal and Denisovan) and was designed to identify all known Y-chromosome and mtDNA haplogroups. The chip was carefully vetted to avoid inclusion of medically relevant markers. To demonstrate its capabilities, we compared the FST distributions of GenoChip SNPs to those of two commercial arrays. Although all arrays yielded similarly shaped (inverse J) FST distributions, the GenoChip autosomal and X-chromosomal distributions had the highest mean FST, attesting to its ability to discern subpopulations. The chip performances are illustrated in a principal component analysis for 14 worldwide populations. In summary, the GenoChip is a dedicated genotyping platform for genetic anthropology. With an unprecedented number of approximately 12,000 Y-chromosomal and approximately 3,300 mtDNA SNPs and over 130,000 autosomal and X-chromosomal SNPs without any known health, medical, or phenotypic relevance, the GenoChip is a useful tool for genetic anthropology and population genetics.

[The unbroken power of psychiatry as seen through the eyes of Michel Foucault].

PubMed

Kraan, H F

2006-01-01

Is the psychiatrist still a powerfulforce in society? Foucault, a 'historical philosopher' concerned with power relations, would have answered this question in the affirmative. Possibly, however, the psychiatrist's sovereign power is weaker than it was a century ago because some of the psychiatrist's tasks have been re-allocated. Some have been assigned to the growing number of specialist groups in the mental health service, others have been put in the hands of 'health managers' who form part of our country's growing bureaucracy and put a financial and economic burden on our health service. Nevertheless, the procedural power of psychiatrist has not been weakened; psychiatrists are able to deprive patients of their freedom, pronounce them unfit for work and reduce punishments and sentences for serious crime on the grounds of diminished responsibility. This procedural power is accentuated by the increasing influence of psychology in society. The power of psychiatric knowledge has shifted from an archaic to a demonstrative discourse about truth which is rooted in evidence-based medicine and which enhances the power of psychiatrists still further. This may also mean that the 19th century concept of hysteria is perpetuated in psychiatric practice in all kinds of modern clinical forms.

Primary state formation in the Viru Valley, north coast of Peru.

PubMed

Millaire, Jean-François

2010-04-06

The origins of urban life and functioning states are two of the most fascinating research problems in anthropological archeology and a topic that has intrigued generations of scholars working on the Peruvian north coast. In this region, Andeanists have documented the rise of Moche as a dominant culture during the first millennium A.D., and the emergence of urban life and stately institutions at this society's principal center. Although there is a broad consensus that Moche represents an archaic state, it is still unclear whether it is an example of primary state formation or a case of a second-generation state. To document this question, archaeological excavations were recently carried out at the Gallinazo Group site in the Virú Valley. Results from a radiocarbon dating program indicate that a functioning state probably emerged in this valley during the second century B.C., possibly preceding Moche by a few centuries. These results necessarily raise question regarding the nature of state development on the north coast of Peru and, in particular, whether there was a single center of state development in this region or multiple sites where similar conditions and processes led to the parallel emergence of functioning states.

Primary State Formation in the Virú Valley, North Coast of Peru

PubMed Central

Millaire, Jean-François

2010-01-01

The origins of urban life and functioning states are two of the most fascinating research problems in anthropological archeology and a topic that has intrigued generations of scholars working on the Peruvian north coast. In this region, Andeanists have documented the rise of Moche as a dominant culture during the first millennium A.D., and the emergence of urban life and stately institutions at this society’s principal center. Although there is a broad consensus that Moche represents an archaic state, it is still unclear whether it is an example of primary state formation or a case of a second-generation state. To document this question, archaeological excavations were recently carried out at the Gallinazo Group site in the Virú Valley. Results from a radiocarbon dating program indicate that a functioning state probably emerged in this valley during the second century B.C., possibly preceding Moche by a few centuries. These results necessarily raise question regarding the nature of state development on the north coast of Peru and, in particular, whether there was a single center of state development in this region or multiple sites where similar conditions and processes led to the parallel emergence of functioning states. PMID:20308574

Different types of multiethnic societies and different patterns of development and change in the prehistoric Near East.

PubMed

Frangipane, Marcella

2015-07-28

After briefly examining the forms of cultural contact in pre- and protohistoric societies in relation to the problem of the varying perception of territories and their "borders" as well as of "membership" in those societies, and after a brief reconsideration of the concept of culture and ethnicity in such archaic contexts, this paper then examines three examples of multiethnic societies in the Near East, and specifically in Upper Mesopotamia and Southeast Anatolia, in the fifth, fourth, and at the beginning of the third millennia before the common era (BCE), respectively. These examples are dealt with as emblematic cases of different models of society, types of interaction with alien groups, levels of integration, and development dynamics. Each of these cases is examined with respect to its socioeconomic context, the archeological evidence of "multiethnicity," the types of interaction between different components, the degree of cultural integration achieved, and the effects on the dynamics of change and the development of the societies examined. By analyzing and comparing these examples, the paper aims to show how interethnic contact impacted differently on different societies according to their types, the reasons and purposes of the interaction, and the degree of integration achieved.

A 28,000 Years Old Cro-Magnon mtDNA Sequence Differs from All Potentially Contaminating Modern Sequences

PubMed Central

Caramelli, David; Milani, Lucio; Vai, Stefania; Modi, Alessandra; Pecchioli, Elena; Girardi, Matteo; Pilli, Elena; Lari, Martina; Lippi, Barbara; Ronchitelli, Annamaria; Mallegni, Francesco; Casoli, Antonella; Bertorelle, Giorgio; Barbujani, Guido

2008-01-01

Background DNA sequences from ancient speciments may in fact result from undetected contamination of the ancient specimens by modern DNA, and the problem is particularly challenging in studies of human fossils. Doubts on the authenticity of the available sequences have so far hampered genetic comparisons between anatomically archaic (Neandertal) and early modern (Cro-Magnoid) Europeans. Methodology/Principal Findings We typed the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) hypervariable region I in a 28,000 years old Cro-Magnoid individual from the Paglicci cave, in Italy (Paglicci 23) and in all the people who had contact with the sample since its discovery in 2003. The Paglicci 23 sequence, determined through the analysis of 152 clones, is the Cambridge reference sequence, and cannot possibly reflect contamination because it differs from all potentially contaminating modern sequences. Conclusions/Significance: The Paglicci 23 individual carried a mtDNA sequence that is still common in Europe, and which radically differs from those of the almost contemporary Neandertals, demonstrating a genealogical continuity across 28,000 years, from Cro-Magnoid to modern Europeans. Because all potential sources of modern DNA contamination are known, the Paglicci 23 sample will offer a unique opportunity to get insight for the first time into the nuclear genes of early modern Europeans. PMID:18628960

Pego do Diabo (Loures, Portugal): Dating the Emergence of Anatomical Modernity in Westernmost Eurasia

PubMed Central

Zilhão, João; Davis, Simon J. M.; Duarte, Cidália; Soares, António M. M.; Steier, Peter; Wild, Eva

2010-01-01

Background Neandertals and the Middle Paleolithic persisted in the Iberian Peninsula south of the Ebro drainage system for several millennia beyond their assimilation/replacement elsewhere in Europe. As only modern humans are associated with the later stages of the Aurignacian, the duration of this persistence pattern can be assessed via the dating of diagnostic occurrences of such stages. Methodology/Principal Findings Using AMS radiocarbon and advanced pretreatment techniques, we dated a set of stratigraphically associated faunal samples from an Aurignacian III–IV context excavated at the Portuguese cave site of Pego do Diabo. Our results establish a secure terminus ante quem of ca.34,500 calendar years ago for the assimilation/replacement process in westernmost Eurasia. Combined with the chronology of the regional Late Mousterian and with less precise dating evidence for the Aurignacian II, they place the denouement of that process in the 37th millennium before present. Conclusions/Significance These findings have implications for the understanding of the emergence of anatomical modernity in the Old World as a whole, support explanations of the archaic features of the Lagar Velho child's anatomy that invoke evolutionarily significant Neandertal/modern admixture at the time of contact, and counter suggestions that Neandertals could have survived in southwest Iberia until as late as the Last Glacial Maximum. PMID:20111705

Morphology, body proportions, and postcranial hypertrophy of a female Neandertal from the Sima de las Palomas, southeastern Spain.

PubMed

Walker, Michael J; Ortega, Jon; Parmová, Klara; López, Mariano V; Trinkaus, Erik

2011-06-21

Considerations of Neandertal geographical variation have been hampered by the dearth of remains from Mediterranean Europe and the absence there of sufficiently complete associated postcrania. The 2006 and 2007 excavation of an articulated partial skeleton of a small adult female Neandertal at the Sima de las Palomas, Murcia, southeastern Spain (Sima de las Palomas 96) provides substantial and secure information on body proportions among southern European Neandertals, as well as further documenting the nature of Neandertal biology in southern Iberia. The remains exhibit a suite of cranial, mandibular, dental, and postcranial features, of both Neandertals and archaic Homo generally, that distinguish them from contemporary and subsequent early modern humans. Its lower limbs exhibit the robustness of later Pleistocene Homo generally, and its upper limbs conform to the pattern of elevated robustness of the Neandertals. Its body proportions, including relative clavicular length, distal limb segment lengths, and body mass to stature indicators, conform to the "cold-adapted" pattern of more northern Neandertals. Palomas 96 therefore documents the presence of a suite of "Neandertal" characteristics in southern Iberia and, along with its small body size, the more "Arctic" body proportions of other European Neandertals despite the warmer climate of southern Iberia during marine isotope stage 3.

The current state of korean paleoanthropology.

PubMed

Norton, C J

2000-06-01

The hominid fossil and Paleolithic archaeology records from the Korean Peninsula are extensive, but relatively little is known about the Korean human evolutionary record outside this region. The Korean paleoanthropological record is reviewed here in light of major research issues, including the hominid fossil record, relative and chronometric dating, lithic analysis, hominid subsistence, and the presence of bone tools, art and symbolism. Some of the major conclusions drawn from this review include: (1) hominid fossils have been found in nine separate sites on the Korean Peninsula; (2) possible Homo erectus fossils are present in North Korea; (3) Ryonggok Cave, in North Korea, has exposed the remains of at least five archaic Homo sapiens individuals; (4) a possible burial of an anatomically modern Homo sapiens child, discovered in Hungsu Cave in South Korea, has been tentatively dated to roughly 40,000 years ago; (5) handaxes and cleavers have been found at a number of sites near Chongokni and they appear to date to at least 100,000 years ago; and (6) taphonomic studies are necessary for addressing issues related to determining the nature of hominid-carnivore interaction over similar resources (e.g. carcasses and shelter); and the presence/absence of Early Paleolithic bone tools, art, and symbolism in Korea. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

High diversity and rapid diversification in the head louse, Pediculus humanus (Pediculidae: Phthiraptera)

PubMed Central

Ashfaq, Muhammad; Prosser, Sean; Nasir, Saima; Masood, Mariyam; Ratnasingham, Sujeevan; Hebert, Paul D. N.

2015-01-01

The study analyzes sequence variation of two mitochondrial genes (COI, cytb) in Pediculus humanus from three countries (Egypt, Pakistan, South Africa) that have received little prior attention, and integrates these results with prior data. Analysis indicates a maximum K2P distance of 10.3% among 960 COI sequences and 13.8% among 479 cytb sequences. Three analytical methods (BIN, PTP, ABGD) reveal five concordant OTUs for COI and cytb. Neighbor-Joining analysis of the COI sequences confirm five clusters; three corresponding to previously recognized mitochondrial clades A, B, C and two new clades, “D” and “E”, showing 2.3% and 2.8% divergence from their nearest neighbors (NN). Cytb data corroborate five clusters showing that clades “D” and “E” are both 4.6% divergent from their respective NN clades. Phylogenetic analysis supports the monophyly of all clusters recovered by NJ analysis. Divergence time estimates suggest that the earliest split of P. humanus clades occured slightly more than one million years ago (MYa) and the latest about 0.3 MYa. Sequence divergences in COI and cytb among the five clades of P. humanus are 10X those in their human host, a difference that likely reflects both rate acceleration and the acquisition of lice clades from several archaic hominid lineages. PMID:26373806

The Receding Animal: Theorizing Anxiety and Attachment in Psychoanalysis from Freud to Imre Hermann.

PubMed

Marinelli, Lydia; Mayer, Andreas

2016-03-01

Argument Animals played an important role in the formation of psychoanalysis as a theoretical and therapeutic enterprise. They are at the core of texts such as Freud's famous case histories of Little Hans, the Rat Man, or the Wolf Man. The infantile anxiety triggered by animals provided the essential link between the psychology of individual neuroses and the ambivalent status of the "totem" animal in so-called primitive societies in Freud's attempt to construct an anthropological basis for the Oedipus complex in Totem and Taboo. In the following, we attempt to track the status of animals as objects of indirect observation as they appear in Freud's classical texts, and in later revisionist accounts such as Otto Rank's Trauma of Birth and Imre Hermann's work on the clinging instinct. In the 1920s and 1930s, the Freudian conception of patients' animal phobias is substantially revised within Hermann's original psychoanalytic theory of instincts which draws heavily upon ethological observations of primates. Although such a reformulation remains grounded in the idea of "archaic" animal models for human development, it allows to a certain extent to empiricize the speculative elements of Freud's later instinct theory (notably the death instinct) and to come to a more embodied account of psychoanalytic practice.

Reverse Engineering of Corinthian Pigment Processing and Firing Technologies on Archaic Polychrome Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klesner, Catherine Elizabeth

Decorative, polychrome ceramics from Corinth, Greece, produced during the 8th-6th centuries B.C.E. are luxury goods that were widely traded throughout Greece and the Mediterranean. The decorated ceramics were produced in a variety of shapes, including aryballos, alabastron, and olpe. They were decorated with slip-glazes in distinctive white, black, red, yellow, and purple colors, and in a variety of surface finishes, matte, semi-matte and glossy. Artisans in Corinthian workshops experimented to change the colors of the slips by varying the type and amount of iron-rich raw materials. They also varied the composition of the clay used as a binder and the amount of flux used as a sintering aid to promote glass formation. This research reconstructs the technology used by the Corinthian craftsmen to produce the Archaic polychrome ceramics, and shows how these technologies differed from the production of better known, more prestigious Athenian black-figure and red-figure ceramics. Through microstructural examination of archaeological samples and replication experiments, this thesis proposes that the purple iron oxide pigment is the result of acid treatment and oxidation of iron metal. The firing temperature range of the Corinthian polychrome ceramics was determined experimentally to be 925-1025°C, which is higher than previously reported and similar to that reported for Corinthian transport amphoras. The firing range is higher by 50-150°C than the Athenian black-figure and red-figure ceramics. Samples of Corinthian polychrome and Athenian black-figure ceramics from the Marie Farnsworth collection at the University of Arizona were tested and compared to Corinthian clay collections. Analytical techniques included Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning-electron microscopy with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), micro-Raman spectroscopy, and wavelength-dispersive electron microprobe (EPMA with BSE-SEM).

Systematic Morphometry of Catecholamine Nuclei in the Brainstem.

PubMed

Bucci, Domenico; Busceti, Carla L; Calierno, Maria T; Di Pietro, Paola; Madonna, Michele; Biagioni, Francesca; Ryskalin, Larisa; Limanaqi, Fiona; Nicoletti, Ferdinando; Fornai, Francesco

2017-01-01

Catecholamine nuclei within the brainstem reticular formation (RF) play a pivotal role in a variety of brain functions. However, a systematic characterization of these nuclei in the very same experimental conditions is missing so far. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immune-positive cells of the brainstem correspond to dopamine (DA)-, norepinephrine (NE)-, and epinephrine (E)-containing cells. Here, we report a systematic count of TH-positive neurons in the RF of the mouse brainstem by using stereological morphometry. All these nuclei were analyzed for anatomical localization, rostro-caudal extension, volume, neuron number, neuron density, and mean neuronal area for each nucleus. The present data apart from inherent informative value wish to represent a reference for neuronal mapping in those studies investigating the functional anatomy of the brainstem RF. These include: the sleep-wake cycle, movement control, muscle tone modulation, mood control, novelty orienting stimuli, attention, archaic responses to internal and external stressful stimuli, anxiety, breathing, blood pressure, and innumerable activities modulated by the archaic iso-dendritic hard core of the brainstem RF. Most TH-immune-positive cells fill the lateral part of the RF, which indeed possesses a high catecholamine content. A few nuclei are medial, although conventional nosography considers all these nuclei as part of the lateral column of the RF. Despite the key role of these nuclei in psychiatric and neurological disorders, only a few of them aspired a great attention in biomedical investigation, while most of them remain largely obscure although intense research is currently in progress. A simultaneous description of all these nuclei is not simply key to comprehend the variety of brainstem catecholamine reticular neurons, but probably represents an intrinsically key base for understanding brain physiology and physiopathology.

Systematic Morphometry of Catecholamine Nuclei in the Brainstem

PubMed Central

Bucci, Domenico; Busceti, Carla L.; Calierno, Maria T.; Di Pietro, Paola; Madonna, Michele; Biagioni, Francesca; Ryskalin, Larisa; Limanaqi, Fiona; Nicoletti, Ferdinando; Fornai, Francesco

2017-01-01

Catecholamine nuclei within the brainstem reticular formation (RF) play a pivotal role in a variety of brain functions. However, a systematic characterization of these nuclei in the very same experimental conditions is missing so far. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immune-positive cells of the brainstem correspond to dopamine (DA)-, norepinephrine (NE)-, and epinephrine (E)-containing cells. Here, we report a systematic count of TH-positive neurons in the RF of the mouse brainstem by using stereological morphometry. All these nuclei were analyzed for anatomical localization, rostro-caudal extension, volume, neuron number, neuron density, and mean neuronal area for each nucleus. The present data apart from inherent informative value wish to represent a reference for neuronal mapping in those studies investigating the functional anatomy of the brainstem RF. These include: the sleep-wake cycle, movement control, muscle tone modulation, mood control, novelty orienting stimuli, attention, archaic responses to internal and external stressful stimuli, anxiety, breathing, blood pressure, and innumerable activities modulated by the archaic iso-dendritic hard core of the brainstem RF. Most TH-immune-positive cells fill the lateral part of the RF, which indeed possesses a high catecholamine content. A few nuclei are medial, although conventional nosography considers all these nuclei as part of the lateral column of the RF. Despite the key role of these nuclei in psychiatric and neurological disorders, only a few of them aspired a great attention in biomedical investigation, while most of them remain largely obscure although intense research is currently in progress. A simultaneous description of all these nuclei is not simply key to comprehend the variety of brainstem catecholamine reticular neurons, but probably represents an intrinsically key base for understanding brain physiology and physiopathology. PMID:29163071

The late Middle Pleistocene hominin fossil record of eastern Asia: synthesis and review.

PubMed

Bae, Christopher J

2010-01-01

Traditionally, Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils that cannot be allocated to Homo erectus sensu lato or modern H. sapiens have been assigned to different specific taxa. For example, in eastern Asia, these hominin fossils have been classified as archaic, early, or premodern H. sapiens. An increasing number of Middle Pleistocene hominin fossils are currently being assigned to H. heidelbergensis. This is particularly the case for the African and European Middle Pleistocene hominin fossil record. There have been suggestions that perhaps the eastern Asian late Middle Pleistocene hominins can also be allocated to the H. heidelbergensis hypodigm. In this article, I review the current state of the late Middle Pleistocene hominin fossil record from eastern Asia and examine the various arguments for assigning these hominins to the different specific taxa. The two primary conclusions drawn from this review are as follows: 1) little evidence currently exists in the eastern Asian Middle Pleistocene hominin fossil record to support their assignment to H. heidelbergensis; and 2) rather than add to the growing list of hominin fossil taxa by using taxonomic names like H. daliensis for northeast Asian fossils and H. mabaensis for Southeast Asian fossils, it is better to err on the side of caution and continue to use the term archaic H. sapiens to represent all of these hominin fossils. What should be evident from this review is the need for an increase in the quality and quantity of the eastern Asian hominin fossil data set. Fortunately, with the increasing number of large-scale multidisciplinary paleoanthropological field and laboratory research projects in eastern Asia, the record is quickly becoming better understood. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Hominin teeth from the early Late Pleistocene site of Xujiayao, Northern China.

PubMed

Xing, Song; Martinón-Torres, María; Bermúdez de Castro, Jose María; Wu, Xiujie; Liu, Wu

2015-02-01

It is generally accepted that from the late Middle to the early Late Pleistocene (∼340-90 ka BP), Neanderthals were occupying Europe and Western Asia, whereas anatomically modern humans were present in the African continent. In contrast, the paucity of hominin fossil evidence from East Asia from this period impedes a complete evolutionary picture of the genus Homo, as well as assessment of the possible contribution of or interaction with Asian hominins in the evolution of Homo sapiens and Homo neanderthalensis. Here we present a comparative study of a hominin dental sample recovered from the Xujiayao site, in Northern China, attributed to the early Late Pleistocene (MIS 5 to 4). Our dental study reveals a mosaic of primitive and derived dental features for the Xujiayao hominins that can be summarized as follows: i) they are different from archaic and recent modern humans, ii) they present some features that are common but not exclusive to the Neanderthal lineage, and iii) they retain some primitive conformations classically found in East Asian Early and Middle Pleistocene hominins despite their young geological age. Thus, our study evinces the existence in China of a population of unclear taxonomic status with regard to other contemporary populations such as H. sapiens and H. neanderthalensis. The morphological and metric studies of the Xujiayao teeth expand the variability known for early Late Pleistocene hominin fossils and suggest the possibility that a primitive hominin lineage may have survived late into the Late Pleistocene in China. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Chad Genetic Diversity Reveals an African History Marked by Multiple Holocene Eurasian Migrations.

PubMed

Haber, Marc; Mezzavilla, Massimo; Bergström, Anders; Prado-Martinez, Javier; Hallast, Pille; Saif-Ali, Riyadh; Al-Habori, Molham; Dedoussis, George; Zeggini, Eleftheria; Blue-Smith, Jason; Wells, R Spencer; Xue, Yali; Zalloua, Pierre A; Tyler-Smith, Chris

2016-12-01

Understanding human genetic diversity in Africa is important for interpreting the evolution of all humans, yet vast regions in Africa, such as Chad, remain genetically poorly investigated. Here, we use genotype data from 480 samples from Chad, the Near East, and southern Europe, as well as whole-genome sequencing from 19 of them, to show that many populations today derive their genomes from ancient African-Eurasian admixtures. We found evidence of early Eurasian backflow to Africa in people speaking the unclassified isolate Laal language in southern Chad and estimate from linkage-disequilibrium decay that this occurred 4,750-7,200 years ago. It brought to Africa a Y chromosome lineage (R1b-V88) whose closest relatives are widespread in present-day Eurasia; we estimate from sequence data that the Chad R1b-V88 Y chromosomes coalesced 5,700-7,300 years ago. This migration could thus have originated among Near Eastern farmers during the African Humid Period. We also found that the previously documented Eurasian backflow into Africa, which occurred ∼3,000 years ago and was thought to be mostly limited to East Africa, had a more westward impact affecting populations in northern Chad, such as the Toubou, who have 20%-30% Eurasian ancestry today. We observed a decline in heterozygosity in admixed Africans and found that the Eurasian admixture can bias inferences on their coalescent history and confound genetic signals from adaptation and archaic introgression. Copyright © 2016 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A science-based paradigm for the classification of synthetic vitreous fibers.

PubMed

McConnell, E E

2000-08-01

Synthetic vitreous fibers (SVFs) are a broad class of inorganic vitreous silicates used in a large number of applications including thermal and acoustical insulation and filtration. Historically, they have been grouped into somewhat artificial broad categories, e.g., glass, rock (stone), slag, or ceramic fibers based on the origin of the raw materials or the manufacturing process used to produce them. In turn, these broad categories have been used to classify SVFs according to their potential health effects, e.g., the International Agency for Research on Cancer and International Programme for Chemical Safety in 1988, based on the available health information at that time. During the past 10-15 years extensive new information has been developed on the health aspects of these fibers in humans, in experimental animals, and with in vitro test systems. Various chronic inhalation studies and intraperitoneal injection studies in rodents have clearly shown that within a given category of SVFs there can be a vast diversity of biological responses due to the different fiber compositions within that category. This information has been further buttressed by an in-depth knowledge of differences in the biopersistence of the various types of fibers in the lung after short-term exposure and their in vitro dissolution rates in fluids that mimic those found in the lung. This evolving body of information, which compliments and explains the results of chronic animal studies clearly show that these "broad" categories are somewhat archaic, oversimplistic, and do not represent current science. This new understanding of the relation between fiber composition, solubility, and biological activity requires a new classification system to more accurately reflect the potential health consequences of exposure to these materials. It is proposed that a new classification system be developed based on the results of short-term in vivo in combination with in vitro solubility studies. Indeed, the European Union has incorporated some of this knowledge, e.g., persistence in the lung into its recent Directive on fiber classification. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

An updated age for the Xujiayao hominin from the Nihewan Basin, North China: implications for Middle Pleistocene human evolution in East Asia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ao, H.

2017-12-01

With an inventory of >60 early Paleolithic sites, >100,000 in situ stone tools, and tons of mammal fossils, the Nihewan Basin in North China is one of the most important Paleolithic areas in East Asia. The Xujiayao site in the northwestern margin of Nihewan Basin is one of the most important Paleolithic sites worldwide. Twenty archaic Homo fossils have been excavated along with more than 30,000 lithic artifacts and 5000 mammalian fossil specimens. Dating of the Xujiayao hominin has been pursued since its excavation in the 1970s, but its age has remained controversial because of limitations of the previous dating techniques that have been applied to available materials. Here, we report new ages for the Xujiayao hominin based on combined electron spin resonance (ESR) dating of quartz in the sediments and high-resolution magnetostratigraphy of the fluvio-lacustrine sequence. The magnetostratigraphy suggests that the upper Matuyama and Brunhes polarity chrons are recorded at Xujiayao. The ESR dating results indicate a pooled average age of 260, 370 ka for the Homo-bearing layer, which is consistent with its position within the middle Brunhes normal polarity chron indicated by magnetostratigraphy. This age estimate makes the Xujiayao hominin among the oldest mid-Pleistocene hominins with derived Neanderthal traits in East Asia. Our updated age and the Neanderthal-like traits of the Xujiayao Homo fossils, particularly the Denisovan-like molar teeth, make it possible that the Xujiayao hominin could represent an early Denisovan, a sister group of Neanderthals. If this Homo species affiliation is documented by DNA study, it will imply that Neanderthals expanded to East Asia as early as 370 ka, just 60 ka after the origin of Neanderthals in West Europe at 430 ka, and then they further involved into typical Denisovans under local climatic and demographic pressure.

Traces of archaic mitochondrial lineages persist in Austronesian-speaking Formosan populations.

PubMed

Trejaut, Jean A; Kivisild, Toomas; Loo, Jun Hun; Lee, Chien Liang; He, Chun Lin; Hsu, Chia Jung; Lee, Zheng Yan; Li, Zheng Yuan; Lin, Marie

2005-08-01

Genetic affinities between aboriginal Taiwanese and populations from Oceania and Southeast Asia have previously been explored through analyses of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), Y chromosomal DNA, and human leukocyte antigen loci. Recent genetic studies have supported the "slow boat" and "entangled bank" models according to which the Polynesian migration can be seen as an expansion from Melanesia without any major direct genetic thread leading back to its initiation from Taiwan. We assessed mtDNA variation in 640 individuals from nine tribes of the central mountain ranges and east coast regions of Taiwan. In contrast to the Han populations, the tribes showed a low frequency of haplogroups D4 and G, and an absence of haplogroups A, C, Z, M9, and M10. Also, more than 85% of the maternal lineages were nested within haplogroups B4, B5a, F1a, F3b, E, and M7. Although indicating a common origin of the populations of insular Southeast Asia and Oceania, most mtDNA lineages in Taiwanese aboriginal populations are grouped separately from those found in China and the Taiwan general (Han) population, suggesting a prevalence in the Taiwanese aboriginal gene pool of its initial late Pleistocene settlers. Interestingly, from complete mtDNA sequencing information, most B4a lineages were associated with three coding region substitutions, defining a new subclade, B4a1a, that endorses the origin of Polynesian migration from Taiwan. Coalescence times of B4a1a were 13.2 +/- 3.8 thousand years (or 9.3 +/- 2.5 thousand years in Papuans and Polynesians). Considering the lack of a common specific Y chromosomal element shared by the Taiwanese aboriginals and Polynesians, the mtDNA evidence provided here is also consistent with the suggestion that the proto-Oceanic societies would have been mainly matrilocal.

Landscape changes and natural hazards affecting the Pincio hill (Rome, Italy) in historical times

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guarino, Paolo Maria; Lucarini, Mauro; Spizzichino, Daniele

2016-04-01

This work focuses on preliminary results achieved by means of a research project carried out by ISPRA in collaboration with Soprintendenza Capitolina (the Cultural Heritage Capitoline Superintendence), aimed at defining an interpretative model of natural and anthropic evolution of the Pincio Hill (Rome, Italy) during the last 2,500 years. The study area is located in the NE sector of the city of Rome and includes the Pincio hill Cultural Heritage site and the surrounding area of the Tiber River flood plain. The Pincio Hill is a very interesting case of interplay among: i) natural landscape setting; ii) historical urban transformations; iii) human activity and recurrence of natural hazard events impacting heavily on the territory since ancient times. During the last decades, designs of new areas to be allocated for underground parking jointly with new archaeological excavations surveys have allowed the acquisition of a large amount of new data. The study has been carried out through a new reinterpretation of recently drilled boreholes stratigraphic logs and the conspicuous related archaeological literature. The main outcome of the research activities are summarized as below. Concerning the top of the hill, latest archaeological excavations brought to the light traces of ancient structures and settlements dating from the Archaic period until the fourth century AD, highlighting the facto the character of strong agricultural and landscape appeal that have involved the western sector of the Pincio hill since the ancient times, without evidence of relevant alterations of the original landscape. In the slope sector, the information coming from geotechnical survey allowed the reconstruction of isochronous surfaces inside of landfills, divided according to their age. The profile of the slope below the landfill from the Roman period seems very steep and irregular, in strong contrast to the medieval one and the current one, characterized by multiple succession of terraces. In particular, the big thickness of landfill aged fifteenth-sixteenth century could be related to the effects of the changes made after the abandonment of the Middle Age, when the area experienced an agricultural function. At the foot of the hill, below a thickness of about 10 m of landfills, alluvial fine grained deposits with layers of peat have been recognized. These deposits are indicative of a low energy depositional environment of flood-plain, whose top layer at about 5 m a.s.l. identifies the paleo-superficie existing during the Archaic age. The stratigraphic and geomorphological elements were widely recognized; suggesting an intense morphodynamics process who has acted over the centuries. These dynamics have systematically interact with human activities, and are potentially still nowadays active although with different frequencies. The research activity has been mainly focused on the harmonization of historical and environmental data acquired in GIS environment and aimed at analyzing the past and recent transformations. Only through a synoptic reading of the geological, geomorphological, historical, archaeological, architectural and urban evolution is possible to provide a clear and reliable interpretation model of the hill. The so obtained model is a fundamental prerequisite for future works, both concerning maintenance and transformation.

Neurobiology of emotions: an update.

PubMed

Esperidião-Antonio, Vanderson; Majeski-Colombo, Marilia; Toledo-Monteverde, Diana; Moraes-Martins, Glaciele; Fernandes, Juliana José; Bauchiglioni de Assis, Marjorie; Montenegro, Stefânia; Siqueira-Batista, Rodrigo

2017-06-01

The 'nature' of emotions is one of the archaic themes of Western thought, thematized in different cultural manifestations - such as art, science, philosophy, myths and religion -, since Ancient times. In the last decades, the advances in neurosciences have permitted the construction of hypotheses that explain emotions, especially through the studies involving the limbic system. To present an updated discussion about the neurobiology of processes relating to emotions - focusing (1) on the main neural structures that relate to emotions, (2) the paths and circuits of greater relevance, (3) the implicated neurotransmitters, (4) the connections that possess neurovegetative control and (5) the discussion about the main emotions - is the objective of this present article.

Terrestrial evolution of polymerization of amino acids - Heat to ATP

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fox, S. W.; Nakashima, T.

1981-01-01

Sets of amino acids containing sufficient trifunctional monomer are thermally polymerized at temperatures such as 65 deg; the amino acids order themselves. Various polymers have diverse catalytic activities. The polymers aggregate, in aqueous solution, to cell-like structures having those activities plus emergent properties, e.g. proliferatability. Polyamino acids containing sufficient lysine catalyze conversion of free amino acids, by ATP, to small peptides and a high molecular weight fraction. The lysine-rich proteinoid is active in solution, within suspensions of cell-like particles, or in other particles composed of lysine-rich proteinoid and homopolyribonucleotide. Selectivities are observed. An archaic polyamino acid prelude to coded protein synthesis is indicated.

[Life cycle of Maupasina weissi Seurat, 1913, Subuluroidea Nematode, parasite of the elephant shrew (author's transl)].

PubMed

Quentin, J C; Verdier, J M

1979-01-01

The life cycle of Maupasina weissi Seurat, 1913, the parasite of the elephant shrew, has been experimentally obtained from the intermediate host Locusta migratoria. The biology of this Nematoda is considered as being more primitive than the Subuluridae: -- egg maturation in external environment is in fact necessary to the Maupasina larvae to penetrate into the insect, -- The different localizations of the infective larvae, such as mesenteron regeneration crypta, fat body, demonstrate that the parasite is not completely adaptated to its intermediate host, -- the ontogenesis of cephalic structures is characterized by an hypertrophy of the archaic structures mainly from cuticular origin.

Resurrecting KIR2DP1: A Key Intermediate in the Evolution of Human Inhibitory NK Cell Receptors That Recognize HLA-C.

PubMed

Hilton, Hugo G; Blokhuis, Jeroen H; Guethlein, Lisbeth A; Norman, Paul J; Parham, Peter

2017-03-01

KIR2DP1 is an inactive member of the human lineage III KIR family, which includes all HLA-C-specific receptor genes. The lethal, and only, defect in KIR2DP1 is a nucleotide deletion in codon 88. Fixed in modern humans, the deletion is also in archaic human genomes. KIR2DP1 is polymorphic, with dimorphism at specificity-determining position 44. By repairing the deletion, we resurrected 11 alleles of KIR2DP1 F , the functional antecedent of KIR2DP1 We demonstrate how K44-KIR2DP1 F with lysine 44 recognized C1 + HLA-C, whereas T44-KIR2DP1 F recognized C2 + HLA-C. Dimorphisms at 12 other KIR2DP1 F residues modulate receptor avidity or signaling. KIR2DP1 and KIR2DL1 are neighbors in the centromeric KIR region and are in tight linkage disequilibrium. Like KIR2DL1 , KIR2DP1 contributed to CenA and CenB KIR haplotype differences. Encoded on CenA , C1-specific K44-KIR2DP1 F were stronger receptors than the attenuated C2-specific T44-KIR2DP1 F encoded on CenB The last common ancestor of humans and chimpanzees had diverse lineage III KIR that passed on to chimpanzees but not to humans. Early humans inherited activating KIR2DS4 and an inhibitory lineage III KIR , likely encoding a C1-specific receptor. The latter spawned the modern family of HLA-C receptors. KIR2DP1 F has properties consistent with KIR2DP1 F having been the founder gene. The first KIR2DP1 F alleles encoded K44-C1 receptors; subsequently KIR2DP1 F alleles encoding T44-C2 receptors evolved. The emergence of dedicated KIR2DL2/3 and KIR2DL1 genes encoding C1 and C2 receptors, respectively, could have led to obsolescence of KIR2DP1 F Alternatively, pathogen subversion caused its demise. Preservation of KIR2DP1 F functional polymorphism was a side effect of fixation of the deletion in KIR2DP1 F by micro gene conversion. Copyright © 2017 by The American Association of Immunologists, Inc.

Cranial discrete traits in the middle pleistocene humans from Sima de los Huesos (Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain). Does hypostosis represent any increase in "ontogenetic stress" along the Neanderthal lineage?

PubMed

Manzi, G; Gracia, A; Arsuaga, J L

2000-03-01

Cranial discrete traits may be regarded as markers of dynamic responses to general and local perturbations of the morphogenetic pattern, particularly when they are viewed and examined in terms of hypostosis vs. hyperostosis. There are indications, in fact, that the variation between these two opposite conditions relates to mechanical stress suffered by the bony structures during early stages of growth and development. In a previous comparison between Neanderthals and modern humans, variable degrees and contrasting distribution patterns of hypostosis were found [Manzi et al. (1996), JHE30: 511-527]. In the present paper, the occurrence, expression and cranial distribution of 20 hypo-hyperostotic traits are examined in the Middle Pleistocene sample from Atapuerca - Sima de los Huesos (Spain), with the principal aim being to test whether or not the degree of cranial hypostosis increases during the evolution of the Neanderthals. Other Middle Pleistocene representatives of the genus Homo (Kabwe and Petralona), the Italian Neanderthals, and a large recent European sample are also considered. A general consistency between the gradual appearance and stabilization of the Neanderthal cranial features and the results of the present analysis is found and is interpreted as an indication that hypostosis does mark the occurrence of "ontogenetic stress". As suggested more than half a century ago by S. Sergi, an increase in "ontogenetic stress" in the Neanderthal lineage could result from the relationship between intracranial pressures and other (heterochronic) effects produced by the growth of a large brain (encephalization) and the ossification of an archaic (platycephalic) cranial vault. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.

Multiple nuclear genes and retroposons support vicariance and dispersal of the palaeognaths, and an Early Cretaceous origin of modern birds.

PubMed

Haddrath, Oliver; Baker, Allan J

2012-11-22

The origin and timing of the diversification of modern birds remains controversial, primarily because phylogenetic relationships are incompletely resolved and uncertainty persists in molecular estimates of lineage ages. Here, we present a species tree for the major palaeognath lineages using 27 nuclear genes and 27 archaic retroposon insertions. We show that rheas are sister to the kiwis, emu and cassowaries, and confirm ratite paraphyly because tinamous are sister to moas. Divergence dating using 10 genes with broader taxon sampling, including emu, cassowary, ostrich, five kiwis, two rheas, three tinamous, three extinct moas and 15 neognath lineages, suggests that three vicariant events and possibly two dispersals are required to explain their historical biogeography. The age of crown group birds was estimated at 131 Ma (95% highest posterior density 122-138 Ma), similar to previous molecular estimates. Problems associated with gene tree discordance and incomplete lineage sorting in birds will require much larger gene sets to increase species tree accuracy and improve error in divergence times. The relatively rapid branching within neoaves pre-dates the extinction of dinosaurs, suggesting that the genesis of the radiation within this diverse clade of birds was not in response to the Cretaceous-Paleogene extinction event.

Different types of multiethnic societies and different patterns of development and change in the prehistoric Near East

PubMed Central

Frangipane, Marcella

2015-01-01

After briefly examining the forms of cultural contact in pre- and protohistoric societies in relation to the problem of the varying perception of territories and their “borders” as well as of “membership” in those societies, and after a brief reconsideration of the concept of culture and ethnicity in such archaic contexts, this paper then examines three examples of multiethnic societies in the Near East, and specifically in Upper Mesopotamia and Southeast Anatolia, in the fifth, fourth, and at the beginning of the third millennia before the common era (BCE), respectively. These examples are dealt with as emblematic cases of different models of society, types of interaction with alien groups, levels of integration, and development dynamics. Each of these cases is examined with respect to its socioeconomic context, the archeological evidence of “multiethnicity,” the types of interaction between different components, the degree of cultural integration achieved, and the effects on the dynamics of change and the development of the societies examined. By analyzing and comparing these examples, the paper aims to show how interethnic contact impacted differently on different societies according to their types, the reasons and purposes of the interaction, and the degree of integration achieved. PMID:26015583

Early Tertiary mammals from North Africa reinforce the molecular Afrotheria clade

PubMed Central

Tabuce, Rodolphe; Marivaux, Laurent; Adaci, Mohammed; Bensalah, Mustapha; Hartenberger, Jean-Louis; Mahboubi, Mohammed; Mebrouk, Fateh; Tafforeau, Paul; Jaeger, Jean-Jacques

2007-01-01

The phylogenetic pattern and timing of the radiation of mammals, especially the geographical origins of major crown clades, are areas of controversy among molecular biologists, morphologists and palaeontologists. Molecular phylogeneticists have identified an Afrotheria clade, which includes several taxa as different as tenrecs (Tenrecidae), golden moles (Chrysochloridae), elephant-shrews (Macroscelididae), aardvarks (Tubulidentata) and paenungulates (elephants, sea cows and hyracoids). Molecular data also suggest a Cretaceous African origin for Afrotheria within Placentalia followed by a long period of endemic evolution on the Afro-Arabian continent after the mid-Cretaceous Gondwanan breakup (approx. 105–25 Myr ago). However, there was no morphological support for such a natural grouping so far. Here, we report new dental and postcranial evidence of Eocene stem hyrax and macroscelidid from North Africa that, for the first time, provides a congruent phylogenetic view with the molecular Afrotheria clade. These new fossils imply, however, substantial changes regarding the historical biogeography of afrotheres. Their long period of isolation in Africa, as assumed by molecular inferences, is now to be reconsidered inasmuch as Eocene paenungulates and elephant-shrews are here found to be related to some Early Tertiary Euramerican ‘hyopsodontid condylarths’ (archaic hoofed mammals). As a result, stem members of afrotherian clades are not strictly African but also include some Early Paleogene Holarctic mammals. PMID:17329227

Problems of internalization: a button is a button is-not.

PubMed

Rockwell, Shelley

2014-01-01

Analysts hope to help the patient internalize a relationship with the analyst that contrasts with the original archaic object relation. In this paper, the author describes particular difficulties in working with a patient whose defenses and anxieties were bulimic, her movement toward internalization inevitably undone. Several issues are considered: how does the nonsymbolizing patient come to internalize the analyst's understanding, and when this does not hold, what is the nature of the patient's subsequent methods of dispersal? When the patient can maintain connection to the analyst as a good object, even fleetingly, in the depressive position, the possibility of internalization and symbolic communication is increased. © 2014 The Psychoanalytic Quarterly, Inc.

[The concept of mania in Greek medical and philosophical literature].

PubMed

Corleto, L M

1992-01-01

Coverage of the concept of mania in late archaic Greek culture displays a clear difference between its use in medical and philosophical works. Medical literature uses the terms [Greek] and [Greek] to describe mania, with the condition seen largely associated with physical illness. Specific treatment for this attered psychic state is not advanced. The philosophical view sees mania as a divine folly and thus possessing positive as well as negative aspects. Plate identifies four types of mania and treatment is closely associated with the divinity seen as responsible for that particular type. The radical rationalism found in the medical literature is a counterpoint to moderation as shown by Plato with his interest on regulations of society.

The Greek myth of Pleiades in the archaeology of natural disasters. Decoding, dating and enviromental interpretation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laoupi, A.

The strong multi-symbolic archetype of the Pleiades functions as a worldwide astromythological system going back to Upper Palaeolithic Era. The Greek version of the myth seems to embody a wide range of environmental symbolism, as it incorporates various information and very archaic elements about: a) the periodicity of the solstices and the equinoxes, b) the fluctuations on the biochemical structure of Earth's atmosphere related to the global hydro -climatic phenomenon of ENSO, c) probable past observations of brightening of a star (nova) in the cluster of Pleiades, d) the primordial elements of the mythological nucleus of Atlantis' legend and e) the remnants of Palaeolithic 'proto-European' moon culture.

Trauma and daimonic reality in Ferenczi's later work.

PubMed

Kalsched, Donald

2003-09-01

Jung and Ferenczi made independent discoveries of an 'archaic' (Jung) or 'primordial' (Ferenczi) layer of the psyche that shone through the 'basic fault' in the psyche opened by childhood trauma. This paper explores those parallels through an extended vignette of Ferenczi's work with Elizabeth Severn, known as 'R. N.' in the Clinical Diary. A remarkable inner object known as 'Orpha' appeared in the patient's trauma experience and saved a seed of personality from total annihilation. Ferenczi's speculation about this 'daimonic' object is cited along with his discussion of a transpersonal immaterial reality that Orpha makes visible, and that links the patient's ego-experience with a spiritual/material unity not ordinarily available to consciousness.

The Tapanui region of New Zealand: Site of a Tunguska around 800 years ago?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steel, Duncan; Snow, Peter

1992-01-01

Evidence is discussed that the wide-spread fires ca. 800 years ago which denuded the southern provinces of the South Island of New Zealand of the extensive forests present at that time were due to the entry of a large bolide into the atmosphere, the conflagration being ignited by the intense heat generated as this extraterrestrial projectile ablated/detonated in a similar manner to that of the Tunguska object of 1908. These fires led to the extinction of the giant terrestrial bird known as the Moa, and the end of the archaic epoch of Maori history known as the Moa Hunter period. This interpretation is well attested to in Maori myth and legend.

The Tapanui region of New Zealand: Site of a Tunguska around 800 years ago?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steel, Duncan; Snow, Peter

1992-12-01

Evidence is discussed that the wide-spread fires ca. 800 years ago which denuded the southern provinces of the South Island of New Zealand of the extensive forests present at that time were due to the entry of a large bolide into the atmosphere, the conflagration being ignited by the intense heat generated as this extraterrestrial projectile ablated/detonated in a similar manner to that of the Tunguska object of 1908. These fires led to the extinction of the giant terrestrial bird known as the Moa, and the end of the archaic epoch of Maori history known as the Moa Hunter period. This interpretation is well attested to in Maori myth and legend.

The influence of rickettsiologists on post-modern microbiology.

PubMed

Georgiades, Kalliopi; Merhej, Vicky; Raoult, Didier

2011-01-01

Many of the definitions in microbiology are currently false. We have reviewed the great denominations of microbiology and attempted to free microorganisms from the theories of the twentieth century. The presence of compartmentation and a nucleoid in Planctomycetes clearly calls into question the accuracy of the definitions of eukaryotes and prokaryotes. Archaea are viewed as prokaryotes resembling bacteria. However, the name archaea, suggesting an archaic origin of lifestyle, is inconsistent with the lifestyle of this family. Viruses are defined as small, filterable infectious agents, but giant viruses challenge the size criteria used for the definition of a virus. Pathogenicity does not require the acquisition of virulence factors (except for toxins), and in many cases, gene loss is significantly inked to the emergence of virulence. Species classification based on 16S rRNA is useless for taxonomic purposes of human pathogens, as a 2% divergence would classify all Rickettsiae within the same species and would not identify bacteria specialized for mammal infection. The use of metagenomics helps us to understand evolution and physiology by elucidating the structure, function, and interactions of the major microbial communities, but it neglects the minority populations. Finally, Darwin's descent with modification theory, as represented by the tree of life, no longer matches our current genomic knowledge because genomics has revealed the occurrence of de novo-created genes and the mosaic structure of genomes, the Rhizome of life is therefore more appropriate.

Evolutionary development of the neurocranium in Dissorophoidea (Tetrapoda: Temnospondyli), an integrative approach.

PubMed

Maddin, Hillary C; Reisz, Robert R; Anderson, Jason S

2010-01-01

Ontogenetic data can play a prominent role in addressing questions in tetrapod evolution, but such evidence from the fossil record is often incompletely considered because it is limited to initiation of ossification, or allometric changes with increasing size. In the present study, specimens of a new species of an archaic amphibian (280 Myr old), Acheloma n. sp., a member of the temnospondyl superfamily Dissorophoidea and the sister group to Amphibamidae, which is thought to include at least two of our modern amphibian clades, anurans and caudatans (Batrachia), provides us with new developmental data. We identify five ontogenetic events, enabling us to construct a partial ontogenetic trajectory (integration of developmental and transformation sequence data) related to the relative timing of completion of neurocranial structures. Comparison of the adult amphibamid morphology with this partial ontogeny identifies a heterochronic event that occurred within the neurocranium at some point in time between the two taxa, which is consistent with the predictions of miniaturization in amphibamids, providing the first insights into the influence of miniaturization on the neurocranium in a fossil tetrapod group. This study refines hypotheses of large-scale evolutionary trends within Dissorophoidea that may have facilitated the radiation of amphibamids and, projected forward, the origin of the generalized batrachian skull. Most importantly, this study highlights the importance of integrating developmental and transformation sequence data, instead of onset of ossification alone, into investigations of major events in tetrapod evolution using evidence provided by the fossil record, and highlights the value of even highly incomplete growth series comprised of relatively late-stage individuals.

Where are you, my beloved? On absence, loss, and the enigma of telepathic dreams.

PubMed

Eshel, Ofra

2006-12-01

The subject of dream telepathy (especially patients' telepathic dreams) and related phenomena in the psychoanalytic context has been a controversial, disturbing 'foreign body' ever since it was introduced into psychoanalysis by Freud in 1921. Telepathy- suffering (or intense feeling) at a distance (Greek: pathos + tele)-is the transfer or communication of thoughts, impressions and information over distance between two people without the normal operation of the recognized sense organs. The author offers a comprehensive historical review of the psychoanalytic literature on this controversial issue, beginning with Freud's years-long struggles over the possibility of thoughttransference and dream telepathy. She then describes her own analytic encounter over the years with five patients' telepathic dreams-dreams involving precise details of the time, place, sensory impressions, and experiential states that the analyst was in at that time, which the patients could not have known through ordinary sensory perception and communication. The author's ensuing explanation combines contributory factors involving patient, archaic communication and analyst. Each of these patients, in early childhood, had a mother who was emotionally absent-within-absence, due to the absence of a significant figure in her own life. This primary traumatic loss was imprinted in their nascent selves and inchoate relating to others, with a fixation on a nonverbal, archaic mode of communication. The patient's telepathic dream is formed as a search engine when the analyst is suddenly emotionally absent, in order to find the analyst and thus halt the process of abandonment and prevent collapse into the despair of the early traumatization. Hence, the telepathic dream embodies an enigmatic 'impossible' extreme of patient-analyst deep-level interconnectedness and unconscious communication in the analytic process. This paper is part of the author's endeavour to grasp the true experiential scope and therapeutic significance of this dimension of fundamental patient-analyst interconnectedness.

Evidence for early hunters beneath the Great Lakes.

PubMed

O'Shea, John M; Meadows, Guy A

2009-06-23

Scholars have hypothesized that the poorly understood and rarely encountered archaeological sites from the terminal Paleoindian and Archaic periods associated with the Lake Stanley low water stage (10,000-7,500 BP) are lost beneath the modern Great Lakes. Acoustic and video survey on the Alpena-Amberley ridge, a feature that would have been a dry land corridor crossing the Lake Huron basin during this time period, reveals the presence of a series of stone features that match, in form and location, structures used for caribou hunting in both prehistoric and ethnographic times. These results present evidence for early hunters on the Alpena-Amberley corridor, and raise the possibility that intact settlements and ancient landscapes are preserved beneath Lake Huron.

Evidence for early hunters beneath the Great Lakes

PubMed Central

O'Shea, John M.; Meadows, Guy A.

2009-01-01

Scholars have hypothesized that the poorly understood and rarely encountered archaeological sites from the terminal Paleoindian and Archaic periods associated with the Lake Stanley low water stage (10,000–7,500 BP) are lost beneath the modern Great Lakes. Acoustic and video survey on the Alpena-Amberley ridge, a feature that would have been a dry land corridor crossing the Lake Huron basin during this time period, reveals the presence of a series of stone features that match, in form and location, structures used for caribou hunting in both prehistoric and ethnographic times. These results present evidence for early hunters on the Alpena-Amberley corridor, and raise the possibility that intact settlements and ancient landscapes are preserved beneath Lake Huron. PMID:19506245

Archaeocete-like jaws in a baleen whale

PubMed Central

Fitzgerald, Erich M. G.

2012-01-01

The titanic baleen whales (Cetacea, Mysticeti) have a bizarre skull morphology, including an elastic mandibular symphysis, which permits dynamic oral cavity expansion during bulk feeding. How this key innovation evolved from the sutured symphysis of archaeocetes has remained unclear. Now, mandibles of the Oligocene toothed mysticete Janjucetus hunderi show that basal mysticetes had an archaeocete-like sutured symphysis. This archaic morphology was paired with a wide rostrum typical of later-diverging baleen whales. This demonstrates that increased oral capacity via rostral widening preceded the evolution of mandibular innovations for filter feeding. Thus, the initial evolution of the mysticetes' unique cranial form and huge mouths was perhaps not linked to filtering plankton, but to enhancing suction feeding on individual prey. PMID:21849306

Data Management, the Victorian era child of the 21st century

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Farber, Rob

2007-03-30

Do you remember when a gigabyte disk drive was “a lot” of storage in that by-gone age of the 20th century? Still in our first decade of the 21st century, major supercomputer sites now speak of storage in terms of petabytes, 1015 bytes, or six orders of magnitude increase in capacity over a gigabyte! Unlike our archaic “big” disk drive where all the data was in one place, HPC storage is now distributed across many machines and even across the Internet. Collaborative research engages many scientists who need to find and use each others data, preferably in an automated fashion,more » which complicates an already muddled problem.« less

The discovery of the causes of leprosy: A computational analysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Corruble, V.; Ganascia, J.G.

1996-12-31

The role played by the inductive inference has been studied extensively in the field of Scientific Discovery. The work presented here tackles the problem of induction in medical research. The discovery of the causes of leprosy is analyzed and simulated using computational means. An inductive algorithm is proposed, which is successful in simulating some essential steps in the progress of the understanding of the disease. It also allows us to simulate the false reasoning of previous centuries through the introduction of some medical a priori inherited form archaic medicine. Corroborating previous research, this problem illustrates the importance of the socialmore » and cultural environment on the way the inductive inference is performed in medicine.« less

Urban wastewater and stormwater technologies in ancient Greece.

PubMed

Angelakis, A N; Koutsoyiannis, D; Tchobanoglous, G

2005-01-01

The status of urban sewerage and stormwater drainage systems in ancient Greece is reviewed, based on the results of archaeological studies of the 20th century. Emphasis is given to the construction, operation, and management of sewerage and stormwater drainage systems during the Minoan period (2nd millennium B.C.). The achievements of this period in dealing with the hygienic and the functional requirements of palaces and cities, were so advanced that they can only be compared to modern urban water systems, developed in Europe and North America in the second half of the 19th century A.D. The advanced Minoan technologies were exported to all parts of Greece in later periods of the Greek civilization, i.e. in Mycenaean, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods.

Paleoneurology: neurodegenerative diseases are age-related diseases of specific brain regions recently developed by Homo sapiens.

PubMed

Ghika, J

2008-11-01

Bipedal locomotion and fine motility of hand and larynx of humans introduced musculoskeletal adaptations, new pyramidal, corticostriatal, corticobulbar, nigrostriatal, and cerebellar pathways and expansions of prefrontal, cingular, parieto-temporal and occipital cortices with derived new brain capabilities. All selectively degenerate in aged homo sapiens following 16 syndromic presentations: (1) Parkinsonism: nigrostriatal control for fast automatic movements of hand, larynx, bipedal posture and gait ("simian gait and hand"). (2) Frontal (highest level) gait disorders (lower body parkinsonism, gait apraxia, retropulsion): prefrontostriatal executive control of bipedal locomotion. (3) ataxia: new synergistic coordination of bipedal gait and fine motility. (4) Dyskinesias (chorea, dystonia, tremor...): intrusions of simian basal ganglia motor subroutines. (5) motoneuron diseases: new proximo-distal and bulbar motoneurones, preserving older ones (oculomotor, abdominal...). (6) Archaic reflexes: prefrontal disinhibition of old mother/tree-climbing-oriented reflexes (sucking, grasping, Babinski/triple retraction, gegenhalten), group alarms (laughter, crying, yawning, grunting...) or grooming (tremor=scratching). (7) Dysautonomia: contextual regulation (orthostatism...). (8) REM sleep disorders of new cortical functions. (9) Corticobasal syndrome: melokinetic control of hand prehension-manipulation and language (retrocession to simian patterns). (10) Frontal/temporal lobe degeneration: medial-orbitofrontal behavioural variant: self monitoring of internal needs and social context: apathy, loss of personal hygiene, stereotypia, disinhibition, loss of concern for consequences of acts, social rules, danger and empathy; dorsolateral executive variant: inadequacy to the context of action (goal, environmental changes...); progressive non-fluent aphasia: executive and praxic processing of speech; temporal variant: abstract concepts for speech, gestures and vision (semantic dementia, progressive nonfluent aphasia) (11) Temporomesial-limbic-paralimbic-associative cortical dementias (Alzheimer's disease, Lewy body, progressive amnesia): processing of explicit cognition: amnesic syndrome, processing of hand, larynx and eye: disorientation, ideomotor apraxia, agnosia, visuospatial processing, transcortical aphasia. (12) Focal posterior atrophy (Benson, progressive apraxia): visuomotor processing of what and where. (13) Macular degeneration: retinal "spot" for explicit symbols. (14) "Psychiatric syndromes": metacognition, self monitoring and regulation of hierarchical processing of metacognition: hallucinations, delusions, magic and mystic logic, delusions, confabulations; drive: impulsivity, obsessive-compulsive disorders, mental automatisms; social interactions: theory of mind, autism, Asperger. (15) Mood disorders: control on emotions: anxio-depressive and bipolar disorders, moria, emotional lability. (16) Musculoskeletal: inclusion body myositis: muscles for bipedal gait and fine motility. Paget's disease: bones for bipedal gait and cranium. Understanding of the genetic mechanisms underlying the evolution of these recent human brain regions and paleoneurology my be the key to the focal, asymmetrical or systemic character of neurodegeneration, the pathologic heterogeneity/overlap of syndromic presentations associating gait, hand, language, cognition, mood and behaviour disorders.

Brief communication: Artificial cranial modification in Kow Swamp and Cohuna.

PubMed

Durband, Arthur C

2014-09-01

The crania from Kow Swamp and Cohuna have been important for a number of debates in Australian paleoanthropology. These crania typically have long, flat foreheads that many workers have cited as evidence of genetic continuity with archaic Indonesian populations, particularly the Ngandong sample. Other scientists have alleged that at least some of the crania from Kow Swamp and the Cohuna skull have been altered through artificial modification, and that the flat foreheads possessed by these individuals are not phylogenetically informative. In this study, several Kow Swamp crania and Cohuna are compared to known modified and unmodified comparative samples. Canonical variates analyses and Mahalanobis distances are generated, and random expectation statistics are used to calculate statistical significance for these tests. The results of this study agree with prior work indicating that a portion of this sample shows evidence for artificial modification of the cranial vault. Many Kow Swamp crania and Cohuna display shape similarities with a population of known modified individuals from New Britain. Kow Swamp 1, 5, and Cohuna show the strongest evidence for modification, but other individuals from this sample also show evidence of culturally manipulated changes in cranial shape. This project provides added support for the argument that at least some Pleistocene Australian groups were practicing artificial cranial modification, and suggests that caution should be used when including these individuals in phylogenetic studies. Copyright © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

[Dangerous comics--only a fantasy?].

PubMed

Hammon, C P

1992-01-01

Both superhero comics and fairy tales are equally popular with children: they create fantasy worlds full of violence and dangers which the hero must overcome. The question is raised whether the criticism of prevailing violence and a lack of realism can be rejected not only when considering fairy tales but also in the case of comics. The comparison of the two genres leads to the following results: Comics with their regressive pull and their independent superhuman heroes represent the archaic world of narcissism unconscious, unwilling to develop and conservative. Violence serves to maintain the original state or regain a harmonious "paradise". However, the rich world of symbols is also the creative source of our existence to which we keep returning--whether in dreams or in other fields of imagination. As works of literature, fairy tales seem to be more progressive and concerned with solutions. In the main, they support the development of the self. Violence is used to overthrow the old order and usher in the new. The aggression results in overcoming the unconscious. The image of the fairy tale hero corresponds to the child's view of the world. He does not seek narcissistic solitude and greatness but the companionship of prince or princess. A progressive and optimistic view of the future as well as a more conservative and retrospective tendency are part of human nature. For children, however, problems of development take precedence. Thus superhero comics are only dangerous for severely disturbed children, but fairy tales are certainly more beneficial.

Post-Miocene expansion, colonization, and host switching drove speciation among extant nematodes of the archaic genus Trichinella

PubMed Central

Zarlenga, D. S.; Rosenthal, B. M.; La Rosa, G.; Pozio, E.; Hoberg, E. P.

2006-01-01

Parasitic nematodes of the genus Trichinella cause significant food-borne illness and occupy a unique evolutionary position at the base of the phylum Nematoda, unlike the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Although the forthcoming genome sequence of Trichinella spiralis can provide invaluable comparative information about nematode biology, a basic framework for understanding the history of the genus Trichinella is needed to maximize its utility. We therefore developed the first robust and comprehensive analysis of the phylogeny and biogeographic history of Trichinella using the variation in three genes (nuclear small-subunit rDNA, and second internal transcribed spacer, mitochondrial large-subunit rDNA, and cytochrome oxidase I DNA) from all 11 recognized taxa. We conclude that (i) although Trichinellidae may have diverged from their closest extant relatives during the Paleozoic, all contemporary species of Trichinella diversified within the last 20 million years through geographic colonization and pervasive host switching among foraging guilds of obligate carnivores; (ii) mammalian carnivores disseminated encapsulated forms from Eurasia to Africa during the late Miocene and Pliocene, and to the Nearctic across the Bering Land Bridge during the Pliocene and Pleistocene, when crown species ultimately diversified; (iii) the greatest risk to human health is posed by those species retaining an ancestral capacity to parasitize a wide range of hosts; and (iv) early hominids may have first acquired Trichinella on the African savannah several million years before swine domestication as their diets shifted from herbivory to facultative carnivory. PMID:16651518

Hvězdářství krále Jana

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Černá, Alena M.; Hadrava, Petr; Hadravová, Alena; Stluka, Martin

The critical edition of the collection "King John's Astronomy" is based on the Old Czech manuscript written at the beginning of the 15th century which is preserved at the Library of the National Museum in Prague (ms. II F 14). The collection consists of several separate parts - first of all it contains astronomical and astrological treatises refering to Ptolemy's works. Explanations on the impact of the seven planets and twelve zodiacal signs on the fate of man, who was born under their influence, prevail in the texts. The texts which are connected with Hippocrates and Galenos' doctrines about humoral physiology and humoral pathology are another subject. They are supplemented by a treatise on blood-letting and by pharmaceutical instructions on different weight units. Another treatise deals with God, God's acts and with human fate. The manuscript also contains calendar tools for the calculation of Easter and other feasts during the year. The origin of this Old Czech text coincides with the period of the development of national languages as languages of science. Vocabulary contained in the manuscript is rich. It yields evidence about the formation of terminological systems in various fields involved in the collection. The Old Czech language of this literary monument exhibits unexpectedly archaic features. The present edition is a result of interdisciplinary collaboration of researchers from the fields of diachronic Bohemistics, classical philology, and astronomy. The publication is completed with the critical apparatus, indices, vocabulary, by a list of the chosen literature and other related supplements.

Tracking Marsupial Evolution Using Archaic Genomic Retroposon Insertions

PubMed Central

Nilsson, Maria A.; Churakov, Gennady; Sommer, Mirjam; Tran, Ngoc Van; Zemann, Anja; Brosius, Jürgen; Schmitz, Jürgen

2010-01-01

The Australasian and South American marsupial mammals, such as kangaroos and opossums, are the closest living relatives to placental mammals, having shared a common ancestor around 130 million years ago. The evolutionary relationships among the seven marsupial orders have, however, so far eluded resolution. In particular, the relationships between the four Australasian and three South American marsupial orders have been intensively debated since the South American order Microbiotheria was taxonomically moved into the group Australidelphia. Australidelphia is significantly supported by both molecular and morphological data and comprises the four Australasian marsupial orders and the South American order Microbiotheria, indicating a complex, ancient, biogeographic history of marsupials. However, the exact phylogenetic position of Microbiotheria within Australidelphia has yet to be resolved using either sequence or morphological data analysis. Here, we provide evidence from newly established and virtually homoplasy-free retroposon insertion markers for the basal relationships among marsupial orders. Fifty-three phylogenetically informative markers were retrieved after in silico and experimental screening of ∼217,000 retroposon-containing loci from opossum and kangaroo. The four Australasian orders share a single origin with Microbiotheria as their closest sister group, supporting a clear divergence between South American and Australasian marsupials. In addition, the new data place the South American opossums (Didelphimorphia) as the first branch of the marsupial tree. The exhaustive computational and experimental evidence provides important insight into the evolution of retroposable elements in the marsupial genome. Placing the retroposon insertion pattern in a paleobiogeographic context indicates a single marsupial migration from South America to Australia. The now firmly established phylogeny can be used to determine the direction of genomic changes and morphological transitions within marsupials. PMID:20668664

Jung, individuation, and moral relativity in Qohelet 7:16--17.

PubMed

Kotzé, Zacharias

2014-04-01

Qohelet's warning in chapter 7:16 'not to be too righteous' has commonly been interpreted by biblical scholars in ways that acquit the author of teaching immorality. This article approaches the text from a psychological critical perspective, bringing it into dialogue with the psychological maturation process of individuation in Jungian psychology. The confrontation with the shadow, made up of reprehensible qualities residing in the unconscious that a person wishes to deny, forms the prologue to this process. Projection or repression of these primitive instincts can lead to various problems, such as stagnation and neurosis. Raising the shadowy, primitive, and archaic content of the unconscious to consciousness and integrating it with the ego, however, leads to a mysterious union of opposites and a new personality, a 'self' that transcends consciousness.

Geometric Lie algebra in matter, arts and mathematics with incubation of the periodic systems of the elements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trell, Erik; Edeagu, Samuel; Animalu, Alexander

2017-01-01

From a brief recapitulation of the foundational works of Marius Sophus Lie and Herrmann Günther Grassmann, and including missing African links, a rhapsodic survey is made of the straight line of extension and existence that runs as the very fibre of generation and creation throughout Nature's all utterances, which must therefore ultimately be the web of Reality itself of which the Arts and Sciences are interpreters on equal explorer terms. Assuming their direct approach, the straight line and its archaic and algebraic and artistic bearings and convolutions have been followed towards their inner reaches, which earlier resulted in a retrieval of the baryon and meson elementary particles and now equally straightforward the electron geodesics and the organic build of the periodic system of the elements.

"Thou shalt not kill": some legal and linguistic problems.

PubMed

Baron, Jeremy Hugh

2004-10-01

Large plaques of the religious precepts generally known as the Ten Commandments were recently placed in official public spaces in several states. This practice has been successfully challenged in federal courts of appeals, and the challenge was upheld by the Supreme Court in April 2003. Yet there is another problem with such plaques, if older translations are used. "Thou shalt not kill" is actually a mistranslation of the Hebrew, "You shall not murder. The two statements are not synonymous, yet many people in the world still use archaic biblical translations, with unfortunate bioethical consequences. There is also widespread usage of a non-commandment, "Thou shalt not kill; but needst not strive officiously to keep alive." This is not a biblical injunction; it is a line from A.H. Clough's satirical poem, "The Latest Decalogue."

Dopaminergic and Serotonergic Genotypes and the Subjective Experiences of Hypnosis.

PubMed

Katonai, E R; Szekely, Anna; Vereczkei, A; Sasvari-Szekely, Maria; Bányai, Éva I; Varga, Katalin

2017-01-01

Hypnotizability is related to the Val 158 Met polymorphism of the COMT gene. The authors' aim was to find associations between candidate genes and subjective dimensions of hypnosis; 136 subjects participated in hypnosis and noninvasive DNA sampling. The phenomenological dimensions were tapped by the Archaic Involvement Measure (AIM), the Phenomenology of Consciousness Inventory (PCI), and the Dyadic Interactional Harmony Questionnaire (DIH). The main results were that the "Need of dependence" subscale of AIM was associated with the COMT genotypes. The GG subgroup showed higher scores, whereas AA had below average scores on the majority of the subjective measures. An association between the 5-HTTLPR polymorphism and the intimacy scores on the DIH was also evident. The effects are discussed in the social-psychobiological model of hypnosis.

Unconscious identification fantasies and family prehistory.

PubMed

de Mijolla, A

1987-01-01

Discovery of the fact that a subject identifies in an obvious way with another is at first only the awareness of a present process: involuntary mimesis, obedience to early 'identifying designations' or simple imitation deliberately carried out. Much psychic work remains to be done before we can think of such phenomena as 'screen-identifications'. The psychoanalytic interpretation of these dynamic formations will lead to the resolution of genuine 'identification complexes' through the reconstruction of scenarios which I have named 'unconscious identification fantasies'. These fantasies stage characters from the infantile prehistory and family saga of a subject who may be compelled to live out in his behaviour, symptoms, dreams, or even sometimes delusions, episodes pertaining to the past existence of the 'ego's visitors' linked to the most archaic processes that constitute the personality.

Blood donation practices, motivations and beliefs in Montreal's Black communities: the modern gift under a new light.

PubMed

Tran, Nathalie Y L; Charbonneau, Johanne; Valderrama-Benitez, Valeria

2013-01-01

Through the conceptual lens of the archaic and modern gift, this study aims to examine perceived limitations and facilitators to increasing blood donations within Black communities in Montreal, Canada. The overall objective is to support blood agencies, such as Héma-Québec, in understanding the challenges and opportunities they face in promoting blood donation among Black communities in pluralistic societies. Thirty-three semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with donors and leaders of ethnocultural groups in Montreal: of these, 6 were Héma-Québec employees; 3 were Caribbean blood drive organizers; 14 were leaders of African, Caribbean or Black multiethnic churches and community groups; and finally, 10 were donors, including 2 African, 4 French-speaking Haitian and 4 English-speaking Caribbean. The existence of multiple Black communities in Montreal reflects the various facilitators and obstacles facing Héma-Québec. Caribbean and African communities have their own experiences with regard to blood donation as well as different relationships with the broader Quebec society, both of which have great impact on how they perceive the cause. Questions of trust, of giving to the family and to the community, as well as perceived social exclusion appear to be fundamental issues for our informants. The current participation of groups interested in bettering the lives of those affected by sickle cell anaemia combined with the fact that leaders felt more comfortable donating to someone close to the community suggests that the promotion of blood donation through this angle would be well received. Trust issues, perceived discrimination and social exclusion have structural and historical roots that can only be partly overcome with long-term efforts to increase awareness, develop collaborative partnerships and increase institutional efforts to adapt to the challenges of blood donation from Black citizens.

[Healing garden: Primary concept].

PubMed

Pringuey-Criou, F

2015-10-01

Since ancient times the relationship between mankind and plants occupies medicine and philosophy. From the first tablets of herbal medicine to Asclepius gardens, those of cloisters and bimaristans to cosmological gardens in Asia, from the largest public park to asylum institutions of the nineteenth century, the garden is proposed as a place of care, a promoter of restoration of the human being. If the advent of technology and drugs have for a time relegated it to the level of empirical care, results in neuroscience ultimately provide it on a scientific basis. The early evolutionary theories, the Savanah theory from Orians, the biophilia hypothesis from Wilson, are relayed by the famous Ulrich' study showing the positive influence of a view of nature through the window on the recovery of in patients. Mechanisms leading stress regulation, level of attention and organisation, focus and fascination, are recognized at the origin of restoration processes. Human capacities to respond to the recuperating function of a natural environment connect to grounded behaviour for adaptation to natural selection process and survival. The mechanisms of our immune system are essential to maintain our vitality. Phyto-resonance, felt or unconsciously perceived in appearance, according to Shepard is an emotion that structures well beyond the archaic behaviour. Recovery, in terms of phenomenological experience of the presence, is a philosophical demonstration of the environmental i.e. multisensory, spatial and temporal approach. Its emotional and affective experience connects to the vitality and creativity. The phyto-resonance hypothesis according to the Konrad Neuberger's point of view induces strategies catering to all levels of the organisation of the human being. It confirms the multidisciplinary nature of hortitherapy and places the mechanism of relationships between man and plant at the centre of discipline. It is also a source of inspiration and inexhaustible work for caregivers. The phenomenological approach of the therapeutic garden is an art of hospitality, human relationships and care. The garden opens the door to our interiority and prepares the interpersonal meeting. The experience of presence, mobilizing internal resources, is an opening to the possibilities of the living world, allows entry into a slow but promising time. The reintroduction and rehabilitation of the garden setting in residential care is necessary. These benefits are open to all for a better efficacy of care. Copyright © 2015 L’Encéphale, Paris. Published by Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Sequence variants in SLC16A11 are a common risk factor for type 2 diabetes in Mexico

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Performing genetic studies in multiple human populations can identify disease risk alleles that are common in one population but rare in others1, with the potential to illuminate pathophysiology, health disparities, and the population genetic origins of disease alleles. We analyzed 9.2 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in each of 8,214 Mexicans and Latin Americans: 3,848 with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and 4,366 non-diabetic controls. In addition to replicating previous findings2–4, we identified a novel locus associated with T2D at genome-wide significance spanning the solute carriers SLC16A11 and SLC16A13 (P=3.9×10−13; odds ratio (OR)=1.29). The association was stronger in younger, leaner people with T2D, and replicated in independent samples (P=1.1×10−4; OR=1.20). The risk haplotype carries four amino acid substitutions, all in SLC16A11; it is present at ≈50% frequency in Native American samples and ≈10% in East Asian, but rare in European and African samples. Analysis of an archaic genome sequence indicated the risk haplotype introgressed into modern humans via admixture with Neandertals. The SLC16A11 mRNA is expressed in liver, and V5-tagged SLC16A11 protein localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum. Expression of SLC16A11 in heterologous cells alters lipid metabolism, most notably causing an increase in intracellular triacylglycerol levels. Despite T2D having been well studied by genome-wide association studies (GWAS) in other populations, analysis in Mexican and Latin American individuals identified SLC16A11 as a novel candidate gene for T2D with a possible role in triacylglycerol metabolism. PMID:24390345

Dedifferentiation into blastomere-like cancer stem cells via formation of polyploid giant cancer cells

PubMed Central

Niu, N; Mercado-Uribe, I; Liu, J

2017-01-01

Our recent perplexing findings that polyploid giant cancer cells (PGCCs) acquired embryonic-like stemness and were capable of tumor initiation raised two important unanswered questions: how do PGCCs acquire such stemness, and to which stage of normal development do PGCCs correspond. Intriguingly, formation of giant cells due to failed mitosis/cytokinesis is common in the blastomere stage of the preimplantation embryo. However, the relationship between PGCCs and giant blastomeres has never been studied. Here, we tracked the fate of single PGCCs following paclitaxel-induced mitotic failure. Morphologically, early spheroids derived from PGCCs were indistinguishable from human embryos at the blastomere, polyploid blastomere, compaction, morula and blastocyst-like stages by light, scanning electron or three-dimensional confocal scanning microscopy. Formation of PGCCs was associated with activation of senescence, while budding of daughter cells was associated with senescence escape. PGCCs showed time- and space-dependent activation of expression of the embryonic stem cell markers OCT4, NANOG, SOX2 and SSEA1 and lacked expression of Xist. PGCCs acquired mesenchymal phenotype and were capable of differentiation into all three germ layers in vitro. The embryonic-like stemness of PGCCs was associated with nuclear accumulation of YAP, a key mediator of the Hippo pathway. Spheroids derived from single PGCCs grew into a wide spectrum of human neoplasms, including germ cell tumors, high-grade and low-grade carcinomas and benign tissues. Daughter cells derived from PGCCs showed attenuated capacity for invasion and increased resistance to paclitaxel. We also observed formation of PGCCs and dedifferentiation in ovarian cancer specimens from patients treated with chemotherapy. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that PGCCs represent somatic equivalents of blastomeres, the most primitive cancer stem cells reported to date. Thus, our studies reveal an evolutionarily conserved archaic embryonic program in somatic cells that can be de-repressed for oncogenesis. Our work offers a new paradigm for cancer origin and disease relapse. PMID:28436947

Palaeoenvironments and hominoid evolution.

PubMed

Pickford, Martin

2002-03-01

One of the key features that separates humans and their closest relatives (extinct species of the genus Homo and Praeanthropus and the australopithecines Australopithecus and Paranthropus) on the one hand, from the other hominoids, on the other, is their obligate bipedal locomotion when on the ground. This major difference from the generally quadrupedal locomotion practiced by other hominoids (Pan, Gorilla, Pongo and many extinct lineages) is reflected in many parts of the body, including all the major bones in the legs, arms, trunk and cranium. Locomotion has thus been of major interest to those interested in human origins, evolution, classification and phylogeny. A major hurdle to studies of the origins of bipedalism concerns the paucity of African hominoid fossils between 15 Ma, when all the adequately known hominoids were quadrupedal (most were pronograde, but at least one lineage was orthograde), and 4.2 Ma by which time fully bipedal hominids were established in Africa. Examination of Old World geology and palaeontology reveals a great deal about the evolution of palaeoenvironments and faunas during this period, and it is suggested that hominids evolved bipedal locomotion at the same time that there was a fundamental reorganisation of faunas towards the end of the Miocene. This faunal turnover resulted in the establishment of faunal lineages of "modern" aspect in Africa at the expense of "archaic" lineages which either went extinct or suffered a diminution of diversity. Many of the "modern" lineages were adapted to open country habitats in which grass became a major component of the diet as shown by modifications in the cheek teeth. Hominoids, in contrast, retained their traditional diet but were obliged to forage over greater and greater areas in order to do so, and this tactic led to pressures to modify the locomotor system rather than the diet. If bipedal hominids originated during this period, then the family Hominidae (sensu stricto) dates from about 8-7 Ma.

Palaeolithic Timekeepers Looking At The Golden Gate Of The Ecliptic; The Lunar Cycle And The Pleiades In The Cave Of La-TETe-Du-Lion (Ardéche, France) - 21,000 BP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rappenglück, Michael A.

Decades of research work done by several scientists all over the world since the beginning of the 20th century confirmed the idea, that Palaeolithic man looked up to the starry sky and recognized prominent patterns of stars as well as the course of the celestial bodies. Though sometimes highly speculative, the investigations made clear, that time-factored notations played an important role in the archaic cultures of Palaeolithic epochs (from 33,000 to 10,000 BP). There are some distinct and detailed examples of lunar-, solar- and lunisolar-calendars sometimes combined with pictures of seasonality, mostly discovered on transportable bones and stones, but also on the fixed walls of certain caves. The investigations showed that in Palaeolithic epochs time-reckoning, in particular the lunar cycle, had been related to the pregnancy of women too (Figure 2a-d). Recently I showed, that in the Magdalenian time (16,000-12,000 BP) man also recognized single and very complex star patterns, including the Milky Way: the Northern Crown in the cave of El Castillo (Spain), the Pleiades in the cave of Lascaux (France) and the main constellations of the sky at the same location. They were used by the Palaeolithic hunter-gatherers for orientation in space and for time-reckoning. These star patterns also played an important role in the cosmovisions of archaic cultures. Together with the depictions of the course of the moon and the sun, they helped to organize the spatiotemporal structure of daily and spiritual life of Palaeolithic man. Now I present a rock panel in the cave of La-T^ete-du-Lion (France) that shows the combination of a star pattern - Aldebaran in the Bull and the Pleiades - with a drawing of the moons cycle above. This picture comes from the Solutrean epoch ca 21,000-22,000 BP. It shows not only a remarkable similarity with the representation in the Lascaux cave, but clearly connects the star pattern with a part of the lunar cycle.

AmeriFlux US-Snd Sherman Island

DOE Data Explorer

Baldocchi, Dennis [University of California, Berkeley

2016-01-01

This is the AmeriFlux version of the carbon flux data for the site US-Snd Sherman Island. Site Description - The Sherman Island site is a 38-ha peatland pasture, west of the Delta, that is owned by the state and managed by the California Department of Water Resources. The site is degraded and heavily grazed with ~100 cattle in the area that circumscribes the main field and fetch. The island has been drained and farmed since the late 1800s. The soils of the Delta overlay deep peat that was sequestered over the Holocene period as sea-level rose and flooding of archaic wetlands prevented decomposition of roots and stems. Hence, the upper 10 m of peatland has been lost to decomposition, compaction, and subsidence. Today a mineral soil overlays a peat layer, which coincides with the general depth of the water table.

Have sex or not? Lessons from bacteria.

PubMed

Lodé, T

2012-01-01

Sex is one of the greatest puzzles in evolutionary biology. A true meiotic process occurs only in eukaryotes, while in bacteria, gene transcription is fragmentary, so asexual reproduction in this case really means clonal reproduction. Sex could stem from a signal that leads to increased reproductive output of all interacting individuals and could be understood as a secondary consequence of primitive metabolic reactions. Meiotic sex evolved in proto-eukaryotes to solve a problem that bacteria did not have, namely a large amount of DNA material, occurring in an archaic step of proto-cell formation and genetic exchanges. Rather than providing selective advantages through reproduction, sex could be thought of as a series of separate events which combines step-by-step some very weak benefits of recombination, meiosis, gametogenesis and syngamy. Copyright © 2012 S. Karger AG, Basel.

[Shared decision-making and communication theory: grounding the tango].

PubMed

Kasper, Jürgen; Légaré, France; Scheibler, Fülöp; Geiger, Friedemann

2010-01-01

Shared decision-making (SDM) has the potential to overcome outdated social role models in the health care system. The concept, however, adheres to archaic epistemological assumptions as can be inferred from the rudimentary stage of the measurement methods used and from the information monopoly that the physician still holds in this concept. Advantages of an up-to-date model of knowledge for understanding and operationalising SDM are outlined. To this purpose, essential definitions of the concept are reflected in terms of epistemology. Accordingly, information emerges through a process of social construction. Likewise, interpersonal relations do not represent a static condition; rather, they develop anew with each interaction. Therefore, constructs suitable to focus on dyadic interaction processes can be used as indicators of sharing in SDM. Theories and methods of the interpersonal paradigm are advocated. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier GmbH.

Chemometric characterization of alembic and industrial sugar cane spirits from cape verde and ceará, Brazil.

PubMed

Pereira, Regina F R; Vidal, Carla B; de Lima, Ari C A; Melo, Diego Q; Dantas, Allan N S; Lopes, Gisele S; do Nascimento, Ronaldo F; Gomes, Clerton L; da Silva, Maria Nataniela

2012-01-01

Sugar cane spirits are some of the most popular alcoholic beverages consumed in Cape Verde. The sugar cane spirit industry in Cape Verde is based mainly on archaic practices that operate without supervision and without efficient control of the production process. The objective of this work was to evaluate samples of industrial and alembic sugar cane spirits from Cape Verde and Ceará, Brazil using principal component analysis. Thirty-two samples of spirits were analyzed, twenty from regions of the islands of Cape Verde and twelve from Ceará, Brazil. Of the samples obtained from Ceará, Brazil seven are alembic and five are industrial spirits. The components analyzed in these studies included the following: volatile organic compounds (n-propanol, isobutanol, isoamylic, higher alcohols, alcoholic grade, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, acetate); copper; and sulfates.

Narratives of psychiatric malingering in works of fiction.

PubMed

Kuperman, V

2006-12-01

This paper argues that the representation of psychiatric malingering in literary and cinematographic narratives informs societal stereotypes, and thus influences the clinical phenomenology of malingering. The study aims to identify sociocultural models of malingering in contemporary Western society based on the narrative analysis of about 60 fictional and non-fiction texts. Two behavioural patterns derived from the Foucauldian categories folly and madness are recognisable in naïve conceptualisations of fake insanity. Fabricated significations of deviation originate in grand societal narratives rather than in medical discourse, and construct characters such as animal like underdeveloped simpletons or detached, irrational, violent madmen. Each pattern stems from its own archaic conceptual basis and dictates a distinct framework for strategies of malingering. The semiotic structure of artistic narratives of malingering is discussed in comparison with the symptomatology of existing psychiatric models.

Ancient genomic changes associated with domestication of the horse.

PubMed

Librado, Pablo; Gamba, Cristina; Gaunitz, Charleen; Der Sarkissian, Clio; Pruvost, Mélanie; Albrechtsen, Anders; Fages, Antoine; Khan, Naveed; Schubert, Mikkel; Jagannathan, Vidhya; Serres-Armero, Aitor; Kuderna, Lukas F K; Povolotskaya, Inna S; Seguin-Orlando, Andaine; Lepetz, Sébastien; Neuditschko, Markus; Thèves, Catherine; Alquraishi, Saleh; Alfarhan, Ahmed H; Al-Rasheid, Khaled; Rieder, Stefan; Samashev, Zainolla; Francfort, Henri-Paul; Benecke, Norbert; Hofreiter, Michael; Ludwig, Arne; Keyser, Christine; Marques-Bonet, Tomas; Ludes, Bertrand; Crubézy, Eric; Leeb, Tosso; Willerslev, Eske; Orlando, Ludovic

2017-04-28

The genomic changes underlying both early and late stages of horse domestication remain largely unknown. We examined the genomes of 14 early domestic horses from the Bronze and Iron Ages, dating to between ~4.1 and 2.3 thousand years before present. We find early domestication selection patterns supporting the neural crest hypothesis, which provides a unified developmental origin for common domestic traits. Within the past 2.3 thousand years, horses lost genetic diversity and archaic DNA tracts introgressed from a now-extinct lineage. They accumulated deleterious mutations later than expected under the cost-of-domestication hypothesis, probably because of breeding from limited numbers of stallions. We also reveal that Iron Age Scythian steppe nomads implemented breeding strategies involving no detectable inbreeding and selection for coat-color variation and robust forelimbs. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Chemometric Characterization of Alembic and Industrial Sugar Cane Spirits from Cape Verde and Ceará, Brazil

PubMed Central

Pereira, Regina F. R.; Vidal, Carla B.; de Lima, Ari C. A.; Melo, Diego Q.; Dantas, Allan N. S.; Lopes, Gisele S.; do Nascimento, Ronaldo F.; Gomes, Clerton L.; da Silva, Maria Nataniela

2012-01-01

Sugar cane spirits are some of the most popular alcoholic beverages consumed in Cape Verde. The sugar cane spirit industry in Cape Verde is based mainly on archaic practices that operate without supervision and without efficient control of the production process. The objective of this work was to evaluate samples of industrial and alembic sugar cane spirits from Cape Verde and Ceará, Brazil using principal component analysis. Thirty-two samples of spirits were analyzed, twenty from regions of the islands of Cape Verde and twelve from Ceará, Brazil. Of the samples obtained from Ceará, Brazil seven are alembic and five are industrial spirits. The components analyzed in these studies included the following: volatile organic compounds (n-propanol, isobutanol, isoamylic, higher alcohols, alcoholic grade, acetaldehyde, acetic acid, acetate); copper; and sulfates. PMID:23227051

Mimivirus inaugurated in the 21st century the beginning of a reclassification of viruses.

PubMed

Sharma, Vikas; Colson, Philippe; Pontarotti, Pierre; Raoult, Didier

2016-06-01

Mimivirus and other giant viruses are visible by light microscopy and bona fide microbes that differ from other viruses and from cells that have a ribosome. They can be defined by: giant virion and genome sizes; their complexity, with the presence of DNA and mRNAs and dozens or hundreds of proteins in virions; the presence of translation-associated components; a mobilome including (pro)virophages (and a defence mechanism, named MIMIVIRE, against them) and transpovirons; their monophyly; the presence of the most archaic protein motifs they share with cellular organisms but not other viruses; a broader host range than other viruses. These features show that giant viruses are specific, autonomous, biological entities that warrant the creation of a new branch of microbes. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

[Psychoanalytic therapy of sexually abused adolescents].

PubMed

Hirsch, M

1997-12-01

Sexual abuse as an extreme childhood trauma produces distorted object-images, introjects of violence which reproduce the trauma permanently through symptoms and acting-out. Although the traumatic power should be relived in transference, psychoanalytic therapy does not always mean permanent interpretation of transference, rather supporting, confirming, valuing activity is indicated. The following scopes can be differentiated: idealization, changing the therapeutic object into a triangulating one; negative transference of an archaic destructive mother imago, nevertheless also of the traumatic object, setting free hidden aggressive affects; emerging of the specific sexual trauma in transference and counter-transference. In the whole course of therapy, especially at the end, working through of guilt-feelings, shame and mourning permits the separation from the traumatic objects, although the danger of returning to them, often represented by the real actual objects, does not guarantee a full success in all cases.

Early Levallois technology and the Lower to Middle Paleolithic transition in the Southern Caucasus.

PubMed

Adler, D S; Wilkinson, K N; Blockley, S; Mark, D F; Pinhasi, R; Schmidt-Magee, B A; Nahapetyan, S; Mallol, C; Berna, F; Glauberman, P J; Raczynski-Henk, Y; Wales, N; Frahm, E; Jöris, O; MacLeod, A; Smith, V C; Cullen, V L; Gasparian, B

2014-09-26

The Lower to Middle Paleolithic transition (~400,000 to 200,000 years ago) is marked by technical, behavioral, and anatomical changes among hominin populations throughout Africa and Eurasia. The replacement of bifacial stone tools, such as handaxes, by tools made on flakes detached from Levallois cores documents the most important conceptual shift in stone tool production strategies since the advent of bifacial technology more than one million years earlier and has been argued to result from the expansion of archaic Homo sapiens out of Africa. Our data from Nor Geghi 1, Armenia, record the earliest synchronic use of bifacial and Levallois technology outside Africa and are consistent with the hypothesis that this transition occurred independently within geographically dispersed, technologically precocious hominin populations with a shared technological ancestry. Copyright © 2014, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Taxonomic Review of the Orders Mysida and Stygiomysida (Crustacea, Peracarida)

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

The order Mysida (2 families, 178 genera, 1132 species) contains species across a broad range of habitats, such as subterranean, fresh, brackish, coastal, and surface to deep-sea habitats. The Stygiomysida (2 families, 2 genera, 16 species), however, are found primarily in subterranean waters, but always in waters with a marine influence. The Mysida and Stygiomysida body is divided into three main regions: cephalon, thorax, and abdomen. They are shrimp-like in appearance, containing morphological features earlier referred to as defining a "caridoid facies". The shrimp-like morphology was to some extent diagnostic for the historic Decapod taxon Schizopoda, containing the Nebalia, Mysida, Lophogastrida, and Euphausiacea. In 1904 the concept of Schizopoda was abandoned, and the Mysidacea (Mysida and Lophogastrida) along with Cumacea, Amphipoda, Isopoda, and Tanaidacea were placed in a new taxon, the Peracarida. Later discoveries of groundwater mysids led to the establishment of Stygiomysida, but placement to either Lophogastrida or Mysida remained unclear. The presence of oostegites and absence of podobranchiae, coupled with non-statocyst bearing uropods have been used to classify the Stygiomysida as a primitive Mysida family, comparable to Petalophthalmidae. On the other hand, equally suggestive characters, but for a Lophogastrida affiliation, was suggested for the archaic foregut characters and again, non-statocyst bearing uropods. With the inclusion of DNA sequence data of ribosomal genes, sister group relationships between Stygiomysida, Lophogastrida, and Mictacea within the Peracarida are observed, which supports a classification of the Stygiomysida as a separate order removed from the Mysida. PMID:25927358

Earliest Mysticete from the Late Eocene of Peru Sheds New Light on the Origin of Baleen Whales.

PubMed

Lambert, Olivier; Martínez-Cáceres, Manuel; Bianucci, Giovanni; Di Celma, Claudio; Salas-Gismondi, Rodolfo; Steurbaut, Etienne; Urbina, Mario; de Muizon, Christian

2017-05-22

Although combined molecular and morphological analyses point to a late middle Eocene (38-39 million years ago) origin for the clade Neoceti (Odontoceti, echolocating toothed whales plus Mysticeti, baleen whales, and relatives), the oldest known mysticete fossil dates from the latest Eocene (about 34 million years ago) of Antarctica [1, 2]. Considering that the latter is not the most stemward mysticete in recent phylogenies and that Oligocene toothed mysticetes display a broad morphological disparity most likely corresponding to contrasted ecological niches, the origin of mysticetes from a basilosaurid ancestor and its drivers are currently poorly understood [1, 3-8]. Based on an articulated cetacean skeleton from the early late Eocene (Priabonian, around 36.4 million years ago) of the Pisco Basin, Peru, we describe a new archaic tooth-bearing mysticete, Mystacodon selenensis gen. et sp. nov. Being the geologically oldest neocete (crown group cetacean) and the earliest mysticete to branch off described so far, the new taxon is interpreted as morphologically intermediate between basilosaurids and later toothed mysticetes, providing thus crucial information about the anatomy of the skull, forelimb, and innominate at these critical initial stages of mysticete evolution. Major changes in the morphology of the oral apparatus (including tooth wear) and flipper compared to basilosaurids suggest that suction and possibly benthic feeding represented key, early ecological traits accompanying the emergence of modern filter-feeding baleen whales' ancestors. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dental evidence for wild tuber processing among Titicaca Basin foragers 7000 ybp.

PubMed

Watson, James T; Haas, Randall

2017-09-01

The objective of this work is to characterize dental wear in a skeletal sample dating to the Middle/Late Archaic period transition (8,000-6,700 cal. B.P.) from the Lake Titicaca Basin, Peru to better define subsistence behaviors of foragers prior to incipient sedentism and food production. The dental sample consists of 251 teeth from 11 individuals recovered from the site of Soro Mik'aya Patjxa (SMP), the earliest securely dated burial assemblage in the Lake Titicaca Basin and the only burial assemblage in the region from an unequivocal forager context. Occlusal surface wear was quantified according to Smith (1984) and Scott (1979a) to characterize diversity within the site and to facilitate comparison with other foraging groups worldwide. General linear modeling was used to assess observation error and principal axis analysis was used to compare molar wear rates and angles. Teeth were also examined for caries and specialized wear. Occlusal surface attrition is generally heavy across the dental arcade and tends to be flat among posterior teeth. Only one carious lesion was observed. Five of the 11 individuals exhibit lingual surface attrition of the maxillary anterior teeth (LSAMAT). Tooth wear rates, molar wear plane, and caries rates are consistent with terrestrial foraging and a diverse diet. The presence of LSAMAT indicates tuber processing. The results therefore contribute critical new data toward our understanding of forager diet in the Altiplano prior to plant and animal domestication in the south-central Andes. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Ancient road transport devices: Developments from the Bronze Age to the Roman Empire

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rossi, Cesare; Chondros, Thomas G.; Milidonis, Kypros F.; Savino, Sergio; Russo, Flavio

2016-03-01

The development of transportation systems has significantly enhanced the welfare and modernization of society. Wooden vehicles pulled by animals have been used for land transportation since the early Bronze Age. Whole-body gharries with rigid wheels pulled by oxen appeared in Crete by 2000 BC or earlier. Horses originating from the East were depicted in early Cretan seal-rings of the same period. The two-wheeled horsedrawn chariot was one of the most important inventions in history. This vehicle provided humanity its first concept of personal transport and was the key technology of war for 2000 years. Chariots of Mycenaean and Archaic Greece with light and flexible four-spoked wheels acting as spring suspensions were depicted in vase paintings. The development of this vehicle incorporated the seeds of a primitive design activity and was important for engineering. The Trojan horse since 1194 BC and the helepolis since 700 BC were the first known machines on a wheeled base transported by horses or self-powered. Ancient engineers invented bearings lubricated with fat, and Romans introduced the ancestors of ball bearings for their wagons and carts. The historic evolution of wheeled transportation systems, along with early traction, suspension, and braking systems, is presented in this paper. Analytical and numerical methods are incorporated to analyze the most conceivable loading situations of typically reconstructed wheeled transportation systems in ancient times. Traction requirements both for horse-driven machines and the power for internal motors are also analyzed. This study can serve as a basis for further development of detailed reconstruction of transportation systems in antiquity.

Hydrological and pollution processes in mining area of Fenhe River Basin in China.

PubMed

Yang, Yonggang; Meng, Zhilong; Jiao, Wentao

2018-03-01

The hydrological and pollution processes are an important science problem for aquatic ecosystem. In this study, the samples of river water, reservoir water, shallow groundwater, deep groundwater, and precipitation in mining area are collected and analyzed. δD and δ 18 O are used to identify hydrological process. δ 15 N-NO 3 - and δ 18 O-NO 3 - are used to identify the sources and pollution process of NO 3 - . The results show that the various water bodies in Fenhe River Basin are slightly alkaline water. The ions in the water mainly come from rock weathering. The concentration of SO 4 2- is high due to the impact of coal mining activity. Deep groundwater is significantly less affected by evaporation and human activity, which is recharged by archaic groundwater. There are recharge and discharge between reservoir water, river water, soil water, and shallow groundwater. NO 3 - is the main N species in the study area, and forty-six percent of NO 3 - -N concentrations exceed the drinking water standard of China (NO 3 - -N ≤ 10 mg/L content). Nitrification is the main forming process of NO 3 - . Denitrification is also found in river water of some river branches. The sources of NO 3 - are mainly controlled by land use type along the riverbank. NO 3 - of river water in the upper reaches are come from nitrogen in precipitation and soil organic N. River water in the lower reaches is polluted by a mixture of soil organic N and fertilizers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Geometric Conception of the Historical Truss Church of All Saints in Vlčovice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Augustinková, Lucie; Krušinský, Peter; Korenková, Renáta; Holešová, Michaela

2017-10-01

Church of All Saints in Vlčovice was built likely in the second half of the XIV century and was consecrated in 1597 by catholic bishop Stanislav Pavlovsky from Olomouc. The vault and nave of the church was built in Baroque. The truss of the church was dendrochronological dating to 1767/68. Some elements of structure were dendrochronological dating to 1586 when it was constructed primary truss structure. Today’s appearance of the church is given by historicist modifications from the last quarter of the 19th century. Analysed truss has a rafter-collar tie structure with collar beams, pedestal struts. The roof structure has archaic form and we can include the structure into the earlier period by typology. These trusses were commonly used in this region and the wider cultural sphere at that time.

Hebephilia: quintessence of diagnostic pretextuality.

PubMed

Franklin, Karen

2010-01-01

Hebephilia is an archaic term used to describe adult sexual attraction to adolescents. Prior to the advent of contemporary sexually violent predator laws, the term was not found in any dictionary or formal diagnostic system. Overnight, it is on the fast track toward recognition as a psychiatric condition meriting inclusion in the upcoming fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. This article traces the sudden emergence and popularity of hebephilia to pressure from the legal arena and, specifically, to the legal mandate of a serious mental abnormality for civil commitment of sex offenders. Hebephilia is proposed as a quintessential example of pretextuality, in which special interests promote a pseudoscientific construct that furthers an implicit, instrumental goal. Inherent problems with the construct's reliability and validity are discussed. A warning is issued about unintended consequences if hebephilia or its relative, pedohebephilia, make their way into the DSM-5, due out in 2013. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Rocky Mountain spotted fever: a disease in need of microbiological concern.

PubMed Central

Walker, D H

1989-01-01

Rocky Mountain spotted fever, a life-threatening tick-transmitted infection, is the most prevalent rickettsiosis in the United States. This zoonosis is firmly entrenched in the tick host, which maintains the rickettsiae in nature by transovarian transmission. Although the incidence of disease fluctuates in various regions and nationwide, the problems of a deceptively difficult clinical diagnosis and little microbiologic diagnostic effort persist. Many empiric antibiotic regimens lack antirickettsial activity. There is neither an effective vaccine nor a generally available assay that is diagnostic during the early stages of illness, when treatment is most effective. Microbiology laboratories that offer only the archaic retrospective Weil-Felix serologic tests should review the needs of their patients. Research microbiologists who tackle these challenging organisms have an array of questions to address regarding rickettsial surface composition, structure-function analysis, and pathogenic and immune mechanisms, as well as laboratory diagnosis. PMID:2504480

Ego Defense Mechanisms and Types of Object Relations in Adults With ADHD.

PubMed

de Almeida Silva, Vanessa; Louzã, Mario Rodrigues; da Silva, Maria Aparecida; Nakano, Eduardo Yoshio

2016-11-01

This research evaluates the personality structure of adults with ADHD from a psychodynamic perspective. The hypothesis was that possible structural characteristics in personality could be correlated with this syndrome. Assessment tools for ego functions (Bell Object Relations and Reality Testing Inventory [BORRTI-Form O], Defense Style Questionnaire ( DSQ-40)) were applied to a sample of 90 adults with ADHD, recruited in a specialized clinic. Among the ADHD sample, 84.4% of the participants were identified as having object relations pathologies. Pathological elevations were observed mainly in the Alienation, Egocentricity, and Insecure Attachment subscales. Statistically, significant differences were found especially in the use of immature and neurotic defense mechanisms, compared with normative data. The findings indicate that adults with ADHD make more use of immature and neurotic defense mechanisms, and presented pathological internalized object relations that are typical of an archaic and poorly structured egoic structure. © The Author(s) 2012.

[Hippocrates, father of semiology and medical deontology].

PubMed

Dupont, E

2005-01-01

Elaborated 24 centuries ago, Hippocrate's and his school's works are considerable. They concern all aspects of medicine, surgery and even obstetrics, tackled by three approaches: clinical observation by constitution for each patient of what can be considered as the ancestor of the current medical file and by use of clinical signs still in application in modern semeiology; the Oath, basis of benevolence ethic, still taken nowadays but in an actualized form by future medical doctors; humoral theory which proposes a physiopathological concept of diseases and deduces a therapeutical approach still in use until the end of 19th century, by lack of sufficient knowledge about organs function and origin of diseases. It consists in an amalgam of archaic concepts, elaborated by presocratic philosophers about matter's structure transposed to body fluids and presented in a pseudocoherent form. Current concepts of diseases, especially role of pathogens render it obsolete.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Winter, W.L.

The American family farm is threatened by the combination of low, unstable commodity prices and high costs of machine and chemical technology. Overplanting, erosion, excessive taxation, and non-farm development diminish the best cropland. Government and corporate business policy have encouraged overproduction and soil abuse. To survive, the small farmer takes a second job or joins the urban industrial proletariat. No single national organization protects agriculture or equals the effective lobbying of business and unions for their own interests. Modern technology often produces less per land unit than traditional labor-intensive cultivation and costs more in terms of energy, capital, and depletedmore » soil and natural resources. Usurious interest, archaic tax laws, and rapid rise of current technological production costs force insolvency of the small farm while facilitating expansion of giant agribusiness corporations, but technological innovation many have reached the point of diminishing returns. Meanwhile disruption of rural society continues, aggravating metropolitan overpopulation, unemployment, and social disorganization. 39 references.« less

Accelerator radiocarbon dating of evidence for prehistoric horticulture in Illinois

USGS Publications Warehouse

Conard, N.; Asch, D.L.; Asch, N.B.; Elmore, D.; Gove, H.; Rubin, M.; Brown, J.A.; Wiant, M.D.; Farnsworth, K.B.; Cook, T.G.

1984-01-01

With the development of direct detection radiocarbon dating, which uses an accelerator as part of a highly selective mass spectrometer, it is now possible to determine the age of milligram samples of organic materials1-5. One application of accelerator dating is in evaluating scanty, sometimes controversial evidence for early horticulture throughout the world. We have now used the technique to date small samples of carbonized, cultivated plant remains from archaeological sites in Illinois. The results, reported here, establish (1) that squash was introduced by 7,000 yr ago, 2,500 yr before eastern North American records previously reported; (2) that horticulture involving indigenous plants had begun by 4,000 BP in eastern North America with domestication of Iva annua, a small-seeded annual; (3) that anomalous discoveries of Archaic period maize represent contaminants; and (4) that introduction of maize by initial Middle Woodland times (~2,000 BP) is questionable.

A genomic history of Aboriginal Australia.

PubMed

Malaspinas, Anna-Sapfo; Westaway, Michael C; Muller, Craig; Sousa, Vitor C; Lao, Oscar; Alves, Isabel; Bergström, Anders; Athanasiadis, Georgios; Cheng, Jade Y; Crawford, Jacob E; Heupink, Tim H; Macholdt, Enrico; Peischl, Stephan; Rasmussen, Simon; Schiffels, Stephan; Subramanian, Sankar; Wright, Joanne L; Albrechtsen, Anders; Barbieri, Chiara; Dupanloup, Isabelle; Eriksson, Anders; Margaryan, Ashot; Moltke, Ida; Pugach, Irina; Korneliussen, Thorfinn S; Levkivskyi, Ivan P; Moreno-Mayar, J Víctor; Ni, Shengyu; Racimo, Fernando; Sikora, Martin; Xue, Yali; Aghakhanian, Farhang A; Brucato, Nicolas; Brunak, Søren; Campos, Paula F; Clark, Warren; Ellingvåg, Sturla; Fourmile, Gudjugudju; Gerbault, Pascale; Injie, Darren; Koki, George; Leavesley, Matthew; Logan, Betty; Lynch, Aubrey; Matisoo-Smith, Elizabeth A; McAllister, Peter J; Mentzer, Alexander J; Metspalu, Mait; Migliano, Andrea B; Murgha, Les; Phipps, Maude E; Pomat, William; Reynolds, Doc; Ricaut, Francois-Xavier; Siba, Peter; Thomas, Mark G; Wales, Thomas; Wall, Colleen Ma'run; Oppenheimer, Stephen J; Tyler-Smith, Chris; Durbin, Richard; Dortch, Joe; Manica, Andrea; Schierup, Mikkel H; Foley, Robert A; Lahr, Marta Mirazón; Bowern, Claire; Wall, Jeffrey D; Mailund, Thomas; Stoneking, Mark; Nielsen, Rasmus; Sandhu, Manjinder S; Excoffier, Laurent; Lambert, David M; Willerslev, Eske

2016-10-13

The population history of Aboriginal Australians remains largely uncharacterized. Here we generate high-coverage genomes for 83 Aboriginal Australians (speakers of Pama-Nyungan languages) and 25 Papuans from the New Guinea Highlands. We find that Papuan and Aboriginal Australian ancestors diversified 25-40 thousand years ago (kya), suggesting pre-Holocene population structure in the ancient continent of Sahul (Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania). However, all of the studied Aboriginal Australians descend from a single founding population that differentiated ~10-32 kya. We infer a population expansion in northeast Australia during the Holocene epoch (past 10,000 years) associated with limited gene flow from this region to the rest of Australia, consistent with the spread of the Pama-Nyungan languages. We estimate that Aboriginal Australians and Papuans diverged from Eurasians 51-72 kya, following a single out-of-Africa dispersal, and subsequently admixed with archaic populations. Finally, we report evidence of selection in Aboriginal Australians potentially associated with living in the desert.

Light- induced electron transfer and ATP synthesis in a carotene synthesizing insect

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valmalette, Jean Christophe; Dombrovsky, Aviv; Brat, Pierre; Mertz, Christian; Capovilla, Maria; Robichon, Alain

2012-08-01

A singular adaptive phenotype of a parthenogenetic insect species (Acyrthosiphon pisum) was selected in cold conditions and is characterized by a remarkable apparition of a greenish colour. The aphid pigments involve carotenoid genes well defined in chloroplasts and cyanobacteria and amazingly present in the aphid genome, likely by lateral transfer during evolution. The abundant carotenoid synthesis in aphids suggests strongly that a major and unknown physiological role is related to these compounds beyond their canonical anti-oxidant properties. We report here that the capture of light energy in living aphids results in the photo induced electron transfer from excited chromophores to acceptor molecules. The redox potentials of molecules involved in this process would be compatible with the reduction of the NAD+ coenzyme. This appears as an archaic photosynthetic system consisting of photo-emitted electrons that are in fine funnelled into the mitochondrial reducing power in order to synthesize ATP molecules.

The Origin(s) of Whales

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Uhen, Mark D.

2010-05-01

Whales are first found in the fossil record approximately 52.5 million years ago (Mya) during the early Eocene in Indo-Pakistan. Our knowledge of early and middle Eocene whales has increased dramatically during the past three decades to the point where hypotheses of whale origins can be supported with a great deal of evidence from paleontology, anatomy, stratigraphy, and molecular biology. Fossils also provide preserved evidence of behavior and habitats, allowing the reconstruction of the modes of life of these semiaquatic animals during their transition from land to sea. Modern whales originated from ancient whales at or near the Eocene/Oligocene boundary, approximately 33.7 Mya. During the Oligocene, ancient whales coexisted with early baleen whales and early toothed whales. By the end of the Miocene, most modern families had originated, and most archaic forms had gone extinct. Whale diversity peaked in the late middle Miocene and fell thereafter toward the Recent, yielding our depauperate modern whale fauna.

New specimens of the rare taeniodont Wortmania (Mammalia: Eutheria) from the San Juan Basin of New Mexico and comments on the phylogeny and functional morphology of "archaic" mammals.

PubMed

Williamson, Thomas E; Brusatte, Stephen L

2013-01-01

Taeniodonta is a clade of Late Cretaceous-Paleogene mammals remarkable for their relatively extreme cranial, dental, and postcranial adaptations and notable for being among the first mammals to achieve relatively large size following the Cretaceous-Paleogene mass extinction. Previous workers have hypothesized that taeniodonts can be divided into two clades: Conoryctidae, a group of small-bodied taeniodonts with supposedly "generalized" postcranial skeletons, and Stylinodontidae, a group of large-bodied, robust animals with massive forelimbs and claws adapted for scratch-digging. However, many taeniodont taxa are poorly known and few are represented by postcranial material, leaving many details about their anatomy, biology, and evolution ambiguous. In this paper, we describe three new specimens of the rare taxon Wortmania otariidens from the early Paleocene (Puercan) of New Mexico. Among these specimens is one that includes remarkably complete cranial and dental material, including associated upper and lower teeth, and another that consists of partial forelimbs. These specimens allow for an updated anatomical description of this unusual taxon, supply new data for phylogenetic analyses, and enable a more constrained discussion of taeniodont biology and functional morphology. The new specimen of Wortmania that includes associated upper and lower teeth indicates that previous interpretations of the upper dentition of this taxon were not accurate and the taxon Robertschochia sullivani is a junior synonym of W. otariidens. New specimens that include partial forelimbs indicate that Wortmania is very similar to later, large-bodied taeniodonts, with marked and distinctive adaptations for scratch-digging. Comparisons with other taeniodont taxa that include postcranial material suggest that all taeniodonts may have had scratch-digging adaptations. A phylogenetic analysis shows that Schowalteria and Onychodectes are basal taeniodonts, Stylinodontidae (including Wortmania) is monophyletic, and a monophyletic Conoryctidae (but not including Onychodectes) is only recovered when certain characters are ordered.

Craniomandibular form and body size variation of first generation mouse hybrids: A model for hominin hybridization.

PubMed

Warren, Kerryn A; Ritzman, Terrence B; Humphreys, Robyn A; Percival, Christopher J; Hallgrímsson, Benedikt; Ackermann, Rebecca Rogers

2018-03-01

Hybridization occurs in a number of mammalian lineages, including among primate taxa. Analyses of ancient genomes have shown that hybridization between our lineage and other archaic hominins in Eurasia occurred numerous times in the past. However, we still have limited empirical data on what a hybrid skeleton looks like, or how to spot patterns of hybridization among fossils for which there are no genetic data. Here we use experimental mouse models to supplement previous studies of primates. We characterize size and shape variation in the cranium and mandible of three wild-derived inbred mouse strains and their first generation (F 1 ) hybrids. The three parent taxa in our analysis represent lineages that diverged over approximately the same period as the human/Neanderthal/Denisovan lineages and their hybrids are variably successful in the wild. Comparisons of body size, as quantified by long bone measurements, are also presented to determine whether the identified phenotypic effects of hybridization are localized to the cranium or represent overall body size changes. The results indicate that hybrid cranial and mandibular sizes, as well as limb length, exceed that of the parent taxa in all cases. All three F 1 hybrid crosses display similar patterns of size and form variation. These results are generally consistent with earlier studies on primates and other mammals, suggesting that the effects of hybridization may be similar across very different scenarios of hybridization, including different levels of hybrid fitness. This paper serves to supplement previous studies aimed at identifying F 1 hybrids in the fossil record and to introduce further research that will explore hybrid morphologies using mice as a proxy for better understanding hybridization in the hominin fossil record. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterizing the Lower Paleolithic bone industry from Schöningen 12 II: A multi-proxy study.

PubMed

Julien, Marie-Anne; Hardy, Bruce; Stahlschmidt, Mareike C; Urban, Brigitte; Serangeli, Jordi; Conard, Nicholas J

2015-12-01

Although preservation of Paleolithic faunal assemblages from open-air settings is often poor, the Lower Paleolithic sites of Schöningen provide exceptionally well-preserved mammalian faunal material for investigating hominin/animal relationships. Pleistocene fossil assemblages, however, usually reflect a complex taphonomic history in which natural and anthropogenic processes are often superimposed. A number of examples of osseous finds that resemble tools were recently discovered in the MIS 9 deposits of Schöningen 12 II. Non-anthropogenic agents are known to produce surface modifications mimicking human artifacts and the identification of osseous remains used and/or deliberately modified by ancient hominins is often controversial in such old contexts. Multiple lines of evidence are thus useful for distinguishing between osseous artifacts and "eco-facts". In this paper, the recognition of the use of bone for different technological purposes by late Middle Pleistocene hominins is addressed through a multi-proxy study combining geoarcheology, bone taphonomy, zooarcheology, and use-wear analysis. This allowed the identification of the processes and agents responsible for the formation and modification of the different bone assemblages of Schöningen 12 II. Our analysis points to different types of bones having been likely used as tools. These results expand the diversity of the organic technological repertoire of the Middle Pleistocene hominins, making Schöningen 12 II a remarkable new source of information on osseous technology long before the Upper Paleolithic, the period traditionally viewed as the start of the systematic use of bone tools. Together with other observations of bone tools documented during the Lower and Middle Paleolithic, the results from Schöningen show that archeologists may have underestimated the diversity and importance of osseous technology among archaic hominins. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Fast, Accurate and Automatic Ancient Nucleosome and Methylation Maps with epiPALEOMIX.

PubMed

Hanghøj, Kristian; Seguin-Orlando, Andaine; Schubert, Mikkel; Madsen, Tobias; Pedersen, Jakob Skou; Willerslev, Eske; Orlando, Ludovic

2016-12-01

The first epigenomes from archaic hominins (AH) and ancient anatomically modern humans (AMH) have recently been characterized, based, however, on a limited number of samples. The extent to which ancient genome-wide epigenetic landscapes can be reconstructed thus remains contentious. Here, we present epiPALEOMIX, an open-source and user-friendly pipeline that exploits post-mortem DNA degradation patterns to reconstruct ancient methylomes and nucleosome maps from shotgun and/or capture-enrichment data. Applying epiPALEOMIX to the sequence data underlying 35 ancient genomes including AMH, AH, equids and aurochs, we investigate the temporal, geographical and preservation range of ancient epigenetic signatures. We first assess the quality of inferred ancient epigenetic signatures within well-characterized genomic regions. We find that tissue-specific methylation signatures can be obtained across a wider range of DNA preparation types than previously thought, including when no particular experimental procedures have been used to remove deaminated cytosines prior to sequencing. We identify a large subset of samples for which DNA associated with nucleosomes is protected from post-mortem degradation, and nucleosome positioning patterns can be reconstructed. Finally, we describe parameters and conditions such as DNA damage levels and sequencing depth that limit the preservation of epigenetic signatures in ancient samples. When such conditions are met, we propose that epigenetic profiles of CTCF binding regions can be used to help data authentication. Our work, including epiPALEOMIX, opens for further investigations of ancient epigenomes through time especially aimed at tracking possible epigenetic changes during major evolutionary, environmental, socioeconomic, and cultural shifts. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Molecular Biology and Evolution.

Enrichment and activity of methanotrophic microorganisms from municipal wastewater sludge.

PubMed

Siniscalchi, Luciene Alves Batista; Vale, Isabel Campante; Dell'Isola, Jéssica; Chernicharo, Carlos Augusto; Calabria Araujo, Juliana

2015-01-01

In this study, methanotrophic microorganisms were enriched from a municipal wastewater sludge taken from an Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket reactor. The enrichment was performed in a sequencing batch reactor (SBR) with an autotrophic medium containing nitrite and nitrate. The microbial community composition of the inoculum and of the enrichment culture after 100 days of SBR operation was investigated and compared with the help of data obtained from 454 pyrosequencing analyses. The nitrite and nitrate removal efficiencies were 68% and 53%, respectively, probably due to heterotrophic denitrification. Archaeal cells of the anaerobic methanotrophic Archaic (ANME)-I and ANME-II groups were detected by polymerase chain reaction throughout the whole cultivation period. Pyrosequencing analysis showed that community composition was different among the two samples analysed. The dominant phyla found in the inoculum were Synergistestes, Firmicutes and Euryarchaeota, while Planctomycetes, Verrucomicrobia, Chloroflexi and Proteobacteria prevailed in the enriched biomass. The cultivation conditions decreased Methanobacterium abundance from 8% to 1%, and enriched for methanotrophic bacteria such as Methylocaldum, Methylocistis and Methylosinus. Sequences of Methylocaldum sp. accounted for 2.5% of the total reads. The presence and high predominance of Verrucomicrobia in the enriched biomass suggested that other unknown methanotrophic species related to that phylum might also have occurred in the reactor. Anaerobic methane oxidation activity was measured for both samples, and showed that the activity of the enrichment culture was nearly three times higher than the activity of the inoculum. Taken together, these results showed that the inoculum type and cultivation conditions were properly suited for methanotrophic enrichment.

The oldest modern therian mammal from Europe and its bearing on stem marsupial paleobiogeography.

PubMed

Vullo, Romain; Gheerbrant, Emmanuel; de Muizon, Christian; Néraudeau, Didier

2009-11-24

We report the discovery of mammalian tribosphenic teeth from the basal Cenomanian of southwestern France that we refer to a new primitive marsupial-like form identified as a basal taxon of Marsupialiformes, a new clade recognized here to include the crown group Marsupialia and primitive stem lineages more closely related to Marsupialia than to Deltatheroida. Arcantiodelphys marchandi gen et sp nov. shares several significant marsupial-like features (s.l.) with marsupialiform taxa known from the North American Mid-Cretaceous. Among marsupialiforms, it shows a closer resemblance to Dakotadens. This resemblance, which is plesiomorphic within "tribotherians," makes Arcantiodelphys one of the most archaic known Marsupialiformes. Moreover, Arcantiodelphys is characterized by an original and precocious crushing specialization. Both the plesiomorphic and autapomorphic characteristics of Arcantiodelphys among Marsupialiformes might be explained by an Eastern origin from Asian stem metatherians, with some in situ European evolution. In addition, the presence of a mammal with North American affinities in western Europe during the early Late Cretaceous provides further evidence of a large Euramerican biogeographical province at this age or slightly before. Concerning the paleobiogeographical history of the first stem marsupialiforms during the Albian-Cenomanian interval, 2 possible dispersal routes from an Asian metatherian ancestry can be proposed: Asia to Europe via North America and Asia to North America via Europe. The main significance of the Archingeay-Les Nouillers mammal discovery is that it indicates that the beginning of the stem marsupialiforms history involved not only North America but also Europe, and that this early history in Europe remains virtually unknown.

The oldest modern therian mammal from Europe and its bearing on stem marsupial paleobiogeography

PubMed Central

Vullo, Romain; Gheerbrant, Emmanuel; de Muizon, Christian; Néraudeau, Didier

2009-01-01

We report the discovery of mammalian tribosphenic teeth from the basal Cenomanian of southwestern France that we refer to a new primitive marsupial-like form identified as a basal taxon of Marsupialiformes, a new clade recognized here to include the crown group Marsupialia and primitive stem lineages more closely related to Marsupialia than to Deltatheroida. Arcantiodelphys marchandi gen et sp nov. shares several significant marsupial-like features (s.l.) with marsupialiform taxa known from the North American Mid-Cretaceous. Among marsupialiforms, it shows a closer resemblance to Dakotadens. This resemblance, which is plesiomorphic within “tribotherians,” makes Arcantiodelphys one of the most archaic known Marsupialiformes. Moreover, Arcantiodelphys is characterized by an original and precocious crushing specialization. Both the plesiomorphic and autapomorphic characteristics of Arcantiodelphys among Marsupialiformes might be explained by an Eastern origin from Asian stem metatherians, with some in situ European evolution. In addition, the presence of a mammal with North American affinities in western Europe during the early Late Cretaceous provides further evidence of a large Euramerican biogeographical province at this age or slightly before. Concerning the paleobiogeographical history of the first stem marsupialiforms during the Albian–Cenomanian interval, 2 possible dispersal routes from an Asian metatherian ancestry can be proposed: Asia to Europe via North America and Asia to North America via Europe. The main significance of the Archingeay-Les Nouillers mammal discovery is that it indicates that the beginning of the stem marsupialiforms history involved not only North America but also Europe, and that this early history in Europe remains virtually unknown. PMID:19892730

The role of the Vlax Roma in shaping the European Romani maternal genetic history.

PubMed

Salihović, Marijana Peričić; Barešić, Ana; Klarić, Irena Martinović; Cukrov, Slavena; Lauc, Lovorka Barać; Janićijević, Branka

2011-10-01

The Roma are comprised of many founder groups of common Indian origins but different socio-cultural characteristics. The Vlax Roma are one of the founder Roma populations characterized by a period of bondage in the historic Romanian principalities, and by the archaic Romanian language. Demographic history suggests different migration routes of Roma populations, especially after their arrival in Mesopotamia and the eastern boundary of the Byzantine Empire. Although various genetic studies of uniparental genetic markers showed a connection between Roma genetic legacy and their migration routes, precise sampling of Roma populations elucidates this relationship in more detail. In this study, we analyzed mitochondrial DNA of 384 Croatian Vlax Roma from two geographic locations in the context of 734 European Roma samples. Our results show that Roma migration routes are marked with two Near-Eastern haplogroups, X2 and U3, whose inverse proportional incidence clearly separates the Balkan and the Vlax Roma from other Roma populations that reached Europe as part of the first migration wave. Spatial and temporal characteristics of these haplogroups indicate a possibility of their admixture with Roma populations before arrival in Europe. Distribution of haplogroup M35 indicates that all Vlax Roma populations descend from one single founder population that might even reach back to the original ancestral Indian population. Founder effects followed by strict endogamy rules can be traced from India to contemporary small, local communities, as in the case of two Croatian Vlax Roma populations that show clear population differentiation despite similar origins and shared demographic history. Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

A tale of agriculturalists and hunter-gatherers: Exploring the thrifty genotype hypothesis in native South Americans.

PubMed

Reales, Guillermo; Rovaris, Diego L; Jacovas, Vanessa C; Hünemeier, Tábita; Sandoval, José R; Salazar-Granara, Alcibiades; Demarchi, Darío A; Tarazona-Santos, Eduardo; Felkl, Aline B; Serafini, Michele A; Salzano, Francisco M; Bisso-Machado, Rafael; Comas, David; Paixão-Côrtes, Vanessa R; Bortolini, Maria Cátira

2017-07-01

To determine genetic differences between agriculturalist and hunter-gatherer southern Native American populations for selected metabolism-related markers and to test whether Neel's thrifty genotype hypothesis (TGH) could explain the genetic patterns observed in these populations. 375 Native South American individuals from 17 populations were genotyped using six markers (APOE rs429358 and rs7412; APOA2 rs5082; CD36 rs3211883; TCF7L2 rs11196205; and IGF2BP2 rs11705701). Additionally, APOE genotypes from 39 individuals were obtained from the literature. AMOVA, main effects, and gene-gene interaction tests were performed. We observed differences in allele distribution patterns between agriculturalists and hunter-gatherers for some markers. For instance, between-groups component of genetic variance (F CT ) for APOE rs429358 showed strong differences in allelic distributions between hunter-gatherers and agriculturalists (p = 0.00196). Gene-gene interaction analysis indicated that the APOE E4/CD36 TT and APOE E4/IGF2BP2 A carrier combinations occur at a higher frequency in hunter-gatherers, but this combination is not replicated in archaic (Neanderthal and Denisovan) and ancient (Anzick, Saqqaq, Ust-Ishim, Mal'ta) hunter-gatherer individuals. A complex scenario explains the observed frequencies of the tested markers in hunter-gatherers. Different factors, such as pleotropic alleles, rainforest selective pressures, and population dynamics, may be collectively shaping the observed genetic patterns. We conclude that although TGH seems a plausible hypothesis to explain part of the data, other factors may be important in our tested populations. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

From the scala naturae to the symbiogenetic and dynamic tree of life.

PubMed

Kutschera, Ulrich

2011-06-30

All living beings on Earth, from bacteria to humans, are connected through descent from common ancestors and represent the summation of their corresponding, ca. 3500 million year long evolutionary history. However, the evolution of phenotypic features is not predictable, and biologists no longer use terms such as "primitive" or "perfect organisms". Despite these insights, the Bible-based concept of the so-called "ladder of life" or Scala Naturae, i.e., the idea that all living beings can be viewed as representing various degrees of "perfection", with humans at the very top of this biological hierarchy, was popular among naturalists until ca. 1850 (Charles Bonnet, Jean Lamarck and others). Charles Darwin is usually credited with the establishment of a branched evolutionary "Tree of Life". This insight of 1859 was based on his now firmly corroborated proposals of common ancestry and natural selection. In this article I argue that Darwin was still influenced by "ladder thinking", a theological view that prevailed throughout the 19th century and is also part of Ernst Haeckel's famous Oak tree (of Life) of 1866, which is, like Darwin's scheme, static. In 1910, Constantin Mereschkowsky proposed an alternative, "anti-selectionist" concept of biological evolution, which became known as the symbiogenesis-theory. According to the symbiogenesis-scenario, eukaryotic cells evolved on a static Earth from archaic prokaryotes via the fusion and subsequent cooperation of certain microbes. In 1929, Alfred Wegener published his theory of continental drift, which was later corroborated, modified and extended. The resulting theory of plate tectonics is now the principal organizing concept of geology. Over millions of years, plate tectonics and hence the "dynamic Earth" has caused destructive volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. At the same time, it created mountain ranges, deep oceans, novel freshwater habitats, and deserts. As a result, these geologic processes destroyed numerous populations of organisms, and produced the environmental conditions for new species of animals, plants and microbes to adapt and evolve. In this article I propose a tree-like "symbiogenesis, natural selection, and dynamic Earth (synade)-model" of macroevolution that is based on these novel facts and data.

The rod and the serpent: history's ultimate healing symbol.

PubMed

Antoniou, Stavros A; Antoniou, George A; Learney, Robert; Granderath, Frank A; Antoniou, Athanasios I

2011-01-01

The snake has served as a medical emblem for more than 2400 years, since its association with the ancient Greek god of medicine and healing, Asclepius, in the 4th century BC. Its symbolic background can be traced further back to the worship of gods of earth's blossom in ancient Egypt and earth-related deities of the archaic period of Greek antiquity. It is featured entwined around a staff of knowledge and wisdom in most anaglyphs depicting Asclepius. The snake was impressed in the Old and the New Testament as well as in the Christian tradition as a symbol of sin, rejuvenation, death, resurrection, asthenia, and therapy. It is postulated that the double-snake motif was reintroduced by Renaissance philosophers as a medical emblem due to the symbolic connections of Hermes with deliverance and redemption. However, its use during the last two centuries seems to lack substantial historical background. The historical, mythological, and traditional retrospection of the snake's symbolism validates its appropriateness in the health-care field.

The Deleuzian Concept of Structure and Quantum Mechanics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christiaens, Wim A.

2014-03-01

Gilles Deleuze wanted a philosophy of nature in a pre-kantian almost archaic sense. A central concept in his philosophy is `multiplicity'. Although the concept is philosophical through and through, it has roots in the mathematical notion of manifold, specifically the state spaces for dynamical systems exhibiting non-linear behaviour. Deleuze was attracted to such mathematical structures because he believed they indicated a break with the dogmatic image of thought (the kind of thought that constrains itself into producing representations of reality conceived as particular things with strict borders, behaving and interacting according to invariant covering laws within space). However, even though it is true that a phase space representation of a physical entity is not a typical materialist picture of reality, it derives from a normal Euclidean representation, and can in principle be reduced to it. We want to argue that the real break happens with the quantum state space, and that Deleuze's typical description of a multiplicity fits even better with the quantum state space.

Diffusion-Based Density-Equalizing Maps: an Interdisciplinary Approach to Visualizing Homicide Rates and Other Georeferenced Statistical Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzitello, Karina I.; Candia, Julián

2012-12-01

In every country, public and private agencies allocate extensive funding to collect large-scale statistical data, which in turn are studied and analyzed in order to determine local, regional, national, and international policies regarding all aspects relevant to the welfare of society. One important aspect of that process is the visualization of statistical data with embedded geographical information, which most often relies on archaic methods such as maps colored according to graded scales. In this work, we apply nonstandard visualization techniques based on physical principles. We illustrate the method with recent statistics on homicide rates in Brazil and their correlation to other publicly available data. This physics-based approach provides a novel tool that can be used by interdisciplinary teams investigating statistics and model projections in a variety of fields such as economics and gross domestic product research, public health and epidemiology, sociodemographics, political science, business and marketing, and many others.

The Greeks in the West: genetic signatures of the Hellenic colonisation in southern Italy and Sicily

PubMed Central

Tofanelli, Sergio; Brisighelli, Francesca; Anagnostou, Paolo; Busby, George B J; Ferri, Gianmarco; Thomas, Mark G; Taglioli, Luca; Rudan, Igor; Zemunik, Tatijana; Hayward, Caroline; Bolnick, Deborah; Romano, Valentino; Cali, Francesco; Luiselli, Donata; Shepherd, Gillian B; Tusa, Sebastiano; Facella, Antonino; Capelli, Cristian

2016-01-01

Greek colonisation of South Italy and Sicily (Magna Graecia) was a defining event in European cultural history, although the demographic processes and genetic impacts involved have not been systematically investigated. Here, we combine high-resolution surveys of the variability at the uni-parentally inherited Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA in selected samples of putative source and recipient populations with forward-in-time simulations of alternative demographic models to detect signatures of that impact. Using a subset of haplotypes chosen to represent historical sources, we recover a clear signature of Greek ancestry in East Sicily compatible with the settlement from Euboea during the Archaic Period (eighth to fifth century BCE). We inferred moderate sex-bias in the numbers of individuals involved in the colonisation: a few thousand breeding men and a few hundred breeding women were the estimated number of migrants. Last, we demonstrate that studies aimed at quantifying Hellenic genetic flow by the proportion of specific lineages surviving in present-day populations may be misleading. PMID:26173964

Archaeoastronomical Concepts in Popular Culture

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krupp, Edwin C.

Broad public embrace of archaic astronomy probably began in the eighteenth century with awareness of the summer solstice sunrise's affiliation with Stonehenge. Since that time, Stonehenge has retained an astronomical mystique that attracts crowds mobilized by the monument's supposed cosmic purpose. They are committed to witness prehistoric heritage operating in real time and with enduring function. More recently, mass media have intermittently thrown a spotlight on new archaeoastronomical discoveries. While the details, ambiguities, and nuances of disciplined study of astronomy in antiquity do not usually infiltrate popular culture, some astronomical alignments, celestial events, sky-tempered symbols, and astral narratives have become well known and referenced in popular culture. Places and relics that command public interest with astronomical connotations are transformed into cultural icons and capture visitors on a quest for the authenticity the past is believed to possess. Monuments and ideas that successfully forge a romantic bond with the past and inspire an imagined sense of sharing the experience, perspective, and wisdom of antiquity persist in the cultural landscape.

Four-thousand-year-old gold artifacts from the Lake Titicaca basin, southern Peru

PubMed Central

Aldenderfer, Mark; Craig, Nathan M.; Speakman, Robert J.; Popelka-Filcoff, Rachel

2008-01-01

Artifacts of cold-hammered native gold have been discovered in a secure and undisturbed Terminal Archaic burial context at Jiskairumoko, a multicomponent Late Archaic–Early Formative period site in the southwestern Lake Titicaca basin, Peru. The burial dates to 3776 to 3690 carbon-14 years before the present (2155 to 1936 calendar years B.C.), making this the earliest worked gold recovered to date not only from the Andes, but from the Americas as well. This discovery lends support to the hypothesis that the earliest metalworking in the Andes was experimentation with native gold. The presence of gold in a society of low-level food producers undergoing social and economic transformations coincident with the onset of sedentary life is an indicator of possible early social inequality and aggrandizing behavior and further shows that hereditary elites and a societal capacity to create significant agricultural surpluses are not requisite for the emergence of metalworking traditions. PMID:18378903

A basal thunnosaurian from Iraq reveals disparate phylogenetic origins for Cretaceous ichthyosaurs

PubMed Central

Fischer, Valentin; Appleby, Robert M.; Naish, Darren; Liston, Jeff; Riding, James B.; Brindley, Stephen; Godefroit, Pascal

2013-01-01

Cretaceous ichthyosaurs have typically been considered a small, homogeneous assemblage sharing a common Late Jurassic ancestor. Their low diversity and disparity have been interpreted as indicative of a decline leading to their Cenomanian extinction. We describe the first post-Triassic ichthyosaur from the Middle East, Malawania anachronus gen. et sp. nov. from the Early Cretaceous of Iraq, and re-evaluate the evolutionary history of parvipelvian ichthyosaurs via phylogenetic and cladogenesis rate analyses. Malawania represents a basal grade in thunnosaurian evolution that arose during a major Late Triassic radiation event and was previously thought to have gone extinct during the Early Jurassic. Its pectoral morphology appears surprisingly archaic, retaining a forefin architecture similar to that of its Early Jurassic relatives. After the initial latest Triassic radiation of early thunnosaurians, two subsequent large radiations produced lineages with Cretaceous representatives, but the radiation events themselves are pre-Cretaceous. Cretaceous ichthyosaurs therefore include distantly related lineages, with contrasting evolutionary histories, and appear more diverse and disparate than previously supposed. PMID:23676653

Late Oligocene and Early Miocene Muroidea of the Zinda Pir Dome.

PubMed

Lindsay, Everett H; Flynn, Lawrence J

2016-02-17

A series of Oligocene through Early Miocene terrestrial deposits preserved in the foothills of the Zinda Pir Dome of western Pakistan produce multiple, superposed fossil mammal localities. These include small mammal assemblages that shed light on the evolution of rodent lineages, especially Muroidea, in South Asia. Nine small mammal localities span approximately 28-19 Ma, an interval encompassing the Oligocene-Miocene boundary. The Early Miocene rodent fossil assemblages are dominated by muroid rodents, but muroids are uncommon and archaic in earlier Oligocene horizons. The Zinda Pir sequence includes the evolutionary transition to modern Muroidea at about the Oligocene-Miocene boundary. We review the muroid record for the Zinda Pir Dome, which includes the early radiation of primitive bamboo rats (Rhizomyinae) and early members of the modern muroid radiation, which lie near crown Cricetidae and Muridae. The Zinda Pir record dates diversification of modern muroids in the Indian Subcontintent and establishment by 19 Ma of muroid assemblages characteristic of the later Siwaliks.

Light production by the arm tips of the deep-sea cephalopod Vampyroteuthis infernalis.

PubMed

Robison, Bruce H; Reisenbichler, Kim R; Hunt, James C; Haddock, Steven H D

2003-10-01

The archaic, deep-sea cephalopod Vampyroteuthis infernalis occurs in dark, oxygen-poor waters below 600 m off Monterey Bay, California. Living specimens, collected gently with a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) and quickly transported to a laboratory ashore, have revealed two hitherto undescribed means of bioluminescent expression for the species. In the first, light is produced by a new type of organ located at the tips of all eight arms. In the second, a viscous fluid containing microscopic luminous particles is released from the arm tips to form a glowing cloud around the animal. Both modes of light production are apparently linked to anti-predation strategies. Use of the tip-lights is readily educed by contact stimuli, while fluid expulsion has a much higher triggering threshold. Coelenterazine and luciferase are the chemical precursors of light production. This paper presents observations on the structure and operation of the arm-tip light organs, the character of the luminous cloud, and how the light they produce is incorporated into behavioral patterns.

Is it Time to Replace Physical Examination with a Hand-Held Ultrasound Device?

PubMed Central

Kaul, Sanjiv

2014-01-01

Attempts at using physical examination (PE) go back centuries, with inspection, palpation, and percussion being the mainstay of this approach until 2 centuries ago when the stethoscope was invented and auscultation became probably the most important element of PE for patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite its several limitations, PE is still used, sometimes as the only means, of evaluating and following patients with CVD. In this paper I shall argue for the substitution of this inaccurate and archaic approach by direct visualization of the heart using a hand-held ultrasound (HHU) device. I am not in any way suggesting the substitution of a comprehensive echocardiographic examination by an expert sonographer/echocardiographer by HHU in patients with significant CVD. Instead, I am arguing for the replacement of PE for evaluation of the heart at the point of care as well as at the bedside, simply because HHU is more accurate and provides more meaningful information. PMID:28465916

Is it Time to Replace Physical Examination with a Hand-Held Ultrasound Device?

PubMed

Kaul, Sanjiv

2014-01-01

Attempts at using physical examination (PE) go back centuries, with inspection, palpation, and percussion being the mainstay of this approach until 2 centuries ago when the stethoscope was invented and auscultation became probably the most important element of PE for patients with known or suspected cardiovascular disease (CVD). Despite its several limitations, PE is still used, sometimes as the only means, of evaluating and following patients with CVD. In this paper I shall argue for the substitution of this inaccurate and archaic approach by direct visualization of the heart using a hand-held ultrasound (HHU) device. I am not in any way suggesting the substitution of a comprehensive echocardiographic examination by an expert sonographer/echocardiographer by HHU in patients with significant CVD. Instead, I am arguing for the replacement of PE for evaluation of the heart at the point of care as well as at the bedside, simply because HHU is more accurate and provides more meaningful information.

What is in a word? Neuron: Early usage and evolution in antiquity to its long-lasting current significance.

PubMed

Frixione, Eugenio

2017-01-01

Neuron, a Greek term with a rustic background, made much of its way to its current significance since antiquity, when full recognition was achieved that sensory and motor signals travel through the animal body along nerves (neura, plural). Drawing from classic and recent historical scholarship, this study identifies the successive steps toward such a major breakthrough, starting from the usage of the expression in archaic times and continuing up to the much later transference of a mature theory into the modern world. It is shown that four main consecutive stages may be distinguished in the process: (a) incorporation of the word into early anatomical terminology; (b) theorizing on material composition, origin, properties, and role of the neura in animal bodies; (c) functional association of the neura with a transmitting vehicle; (d) identification of true anatomical and physiological correspondences. Upon this over 2000-year-old foundation is still being built one of the most relevant and fascinating scientific adventures of all time.

From Oedipus to PACE, using the concepts of shame and guilt as golden thread.

PubMed

Beckmann, Klaus Martin

2016-02-01

To demonstrate that antiquity's concepts of shame and guilt developed in their meaning over the centuries and can still have practical applicability in psychological therapies these days. To review shame and guilt in philosophy, history, ethics and psychiatry contexts. Within limitations, a narrative is presented, starting with Oedipus in antiquity, visiting several important philosophical theories and ending in the present time with, for example, Dan Hughes' PACE model for therapy. The first part expands on selected ideas presented in Melvyn Bragg's 2007 BBC radio programme entitled 'Guilt'; the second part adds selected therapeutic models where concepts of shame and guilt play a role. Shame and guilt are archaic but quintessential concepts that already occupied thinkers in antiquity. Shame and guilt are concepts that preoccupied science and art over the millennia and continue as useful concepts to the present day. Moreover, shame and guilt, as concepts, continue to play a salient role in recent and contemporary psychiatry. © The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists 2015.

Formation of ammonia from dinitrogen under primordial conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weigand, W.; Dörr, M.; Robl, C.; Kreisel, G.; Grunert, R.; Käßbohrer, J.; Brand, W.; Werner, R.; Popp, J.; Tarcea, N.

2002-11-01

Ammonia is one of the most largely industrially produced basic compounds, leading to a variety of important secondary products. In the chemical industry, ammonia is produced in large amounts via the HABER-BOSCH-process. In contrast to the industrial process, the nitrogenase enzyme operates in organisms under very mild conditions at atmospheric pressure and ambient temperature. In this article, we describe a method for the synthesis of ammonia from molecular nitrogen using H2S and freshly precipitated iron sulfide as a mediator thus serving as a primordial inorganic substitute for the enzyme nitrogenase. The reductand, as well as the reaction conditions (atmospheric nitrogen pressure and temperatures on the order of 70 - 80°C) are rather mild and therefore comparable to the biological processes. The driving force of the overall reaction is believed to be the oxidation of iron sulfide to iron disulfide, and the formation of hydrogen from H2S. The reactions reported in this article may support the theory of an archaic nitrogen-fixing Fe-S cluster.

Ancient palace complex (300–100 BC) discovered in the Valley of Oaxaca, Mexico

PubMed Central

Redmond, Elsa M.; Spencer, Charles S.

2017-01-01

Recently completed excavations at the site of El Palenque in Mexico’s Valley of Oaxaca have recovered the well-preserved remains of a palace complex dated by associated radiocarbon samples and ceramics to the Late Formative period or Late Monte Albán I phase (300–100 BC), the period of archaic state emergence in the region. The El Palenque palace exhibits certain architectural and organizational features similar to the royal palaces of much later Mesoamerican states described by Colonial-period sources. The excavation data document a multifunctional palace complex covering a maximum estimated area of 2,790 m2 on the north side of the site’s plaza and consisting of both governmental and residential components. The data indicate that the palace complex was designed and built as a single construction. The palace complex at El Palenque is the oldest multifunctional palace excavated thus far in the Valley of Oaxaca. PMID:28348218

The Lauramann Howe Russell Papers: a Window into Critical Care Medicine during the American Civil War.

PubMed

Gorbaty, Benjamin

2017-10-01

The Civil War influenced all aspects of American society and culture, including the field of medicine and critical care. Union physician Lauramann Howe Russell's letter to his daughter, Ellen Howe, written on October 19, 1862, illustrates the changes in hospital construction, gender roles in healthcare and medical treatments which revolutionized healthcare during the Civil War. This letter offers a glimpse of the medical care of wounded soldiers during the early years of the Civil War. In describing his conversion hospital, he reveals the precursor to the new hospital construction which would greatly influence hospital design for decades to come. His description of women volunteers hints at the evolving role and growing importance of women in healthcare. Finally, the advancements in surgical and medical practice which developed during the Civil War are embodied in Russell's descriptions of his patients. His letter freezes a moment in medical history, bridging the gap between archaic medical practice and modern critical care. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Women in Physics: Self-Actualization and Perspectives

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kunitsyna, E. V.; Murashova, A. V.; Sokolova, Z. N.; Shmidt, N. M.; Vitman, R. F.

2005-10-01

The status of women physicists at the Ioffe Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences is analyzed. In the Ioffe Physico-Technical Institute (PTI), just 20% of the researchers are female. They work in all of the departments: in theoretical groups, 13% in technological laboratories. up to 30%. Women account for 18% among PhDs and about 11% among Doctors of Science. From 1991 to 2001 there was a trend of growth in the fraction of young women at PTI (from 7% up to 20%). For the last 3 years the percentage of women among postgraduate students has held at 20%. There seems to be the following social phenomenon in the sciences in Russia: against a background of the aging of scientists as a whole, the younger the scientists are, the more likely they are to be women. Women scientists of Ioffe Institute take a hand in organizing the conferences, the physics schools, and the Physics of the Solid State and Semiconductors journals. It is very important to note that careful and reliable results of pseudo-routine work of the PTI women are not always published. This fact exposes them to the ``publications gap.'' In spite of their high research levels, the PTI women physicists give talks at conferences and seminars much more seldom than their male colleagues. In the institute and the departments the male staff of the Academic Councils make decisions without taking gender issues into consideration. In addition, women account for only 3% of the laboratory heads. Now Russian young people are free from archaic gender stereotypes. We can say with certainty that the cultural and professional potential of women scientists is a considerable potential for the 21st century.

[Medicine in ancient Mesopotamia--part 1].

PubMed

Martins E Silva, J

2009-01-01

The present work summarizes the more elucidating aspects on the foundations and the practice of the medicine in Antique Mesopotamia, since the invention of the writing, more than 5000 thousand years ago, and the beginning of our era. The first part of the article includes a brief perspective about the political and social evolution that characterized those archaic civilizations, as well as the inventions and knowledge further used by the following Humanity's generations. Most of what is known on the subject, as well as the history and political-social events that occurred in the region during that remote epoch, resulted of the laborious decoding of about half a million small clay plates or fragments with text engravings in cuneiform characters that were discovered since the middle of the XIX century in the ruins of the main cities of the Babylonian and Assyrian empires. The second part embraces exclusively the main characteristics of the medicine in Ancient Mesopotamia, in its main facets: concept of disease, healers and practice. The disease was considered a divine punishment or resultant from a malign influence. In that base, the medicine began by being preventive, by the use of appropriate amulets, or by offerings or sacrifices intending to pacify those malign forces. The treatment of the generality of the diseases privileged the expulsion of those spirits and malign influences from the patient body, purifying it, which was done by the specific intervention of an ãshipu (clergyman-exorcist); not having results, the treatment was continued by the asû (practical healer) that appealed to a group of physical manipulations, limited surgical acts and the administration or application of prescriptions, resultants of the mixture of organic and inorganic substances. In case of failing, the patients (as well as individuals or rein leaders) could fall back upon a priest diviner (bârû) who, by examination of the organs of an animal especially sacrificed for the effect, would give a final decision about the disease or the future. Separated this more occult facet, nourished in religious faiths and in the magic, the medicine of Ancient Mesopotamia included rational knowledge, certainly as the result of a systematic patients observation and semiotic interpretation. From those observations and knowledge referred to the Sumerian period, carefully logged, refined and transmitted to the following generations, a valuable collection of texts was built with the description of symptoms, signs, diagnosis and prognostic of the most common diseases, still identifiable in the present.

Homosexuality according to ancient Greek physicians.

PubMed

Laios, K; Moschos, M M; Koukaki, E; Kontaxaki, M-I; Androutsos, G

2017-01-01

Homosexuality and pedophilia in ancient Greece greatly concerned many researchers who were mainly interested in highlighting the social aspect of this phenomenon in ancient Greek society. An important source on the subject was the paintings of a man and his lover in attic black and red figured pottery, up to the end of the 5th century BC. Another main source was the information that derived from the texts of ancient Greek literature, especially poetry. Homosexuality was not only referring to relationships between males, but it was also manifested in lesbian love. It is believed that in the Homeric world homosexuality was not favored. In Greek society of the archaic period, the restriction of women at home, the satisfaction of sexual needs with courtesans, the marriage for the purpose of maintaining and managing the property, put women aside, marginalizing them in terms of social life, impeding the cultivation of emotional relationships between sexes. At the same time, in the society of those times, the aristocratic ideal, the constant communication of men during military training and the war, the male nudity in sports and the promotion of beauty and bravery in athletic contests, as well as the gatherings and the entertainment of men at the symposia, created a suitable substrate in which male homosexuality could develop. In this context, pedophile relationships were developed mainly during the archaic period, as recorded on vase paintings, where a mature man developed a special relationship with a teenager of the same social class. The mature man had the role of mentor for the juvenile, he would look after him and cover his living expenses and education cost. In this relationship, exhibiting predominantly the social dimension of an initiation process and introduction to adult life, the erotic homosexual intercourse could find a place to flourish. The above-mentioned relationship could not last forever, given that this would later transform into an emotional connection of friendship and trust. Besides, the constant homosexual relationships and male prostitution were considered to be reprehensible behaviors. Regarding the lesbian love, the main example was Sappho and her poems that praised love between women. Nevertheless, the relationship with the girls in the poems is considered to be similar to that Socrates had with his students, an intense personal relationship which would not involve sexual love and could probably be a platonic love. Ancient Greek physicians used their methodological tools in order to interpret homosexuality as a mental disease, but ancient medical dogmas such as the theory of humors, stereopathology and their variations could not offer an explanation for homosexuality.

Novel metabolic attributes of the genus cyanothece, comprising a group of unicellular nitrogen-fixing Cyanothece.

PubMed

Bandyopadhyay, Anindita; Elvitigala, Thanura; Welsh, Eric; Stöckel, Jana; Liberton, Michelle; Min, Hongtao; Sherman, Louis A; Pakrasi, Himadri B

2011-01-01

The genus Cyanothece comprises unicellular cyanobacteria that are morphologically diverse and ecologically versatile. Studies over the last decade have established members of this genus to be important components of the marine ecosystem, contributing significantly to the nitrogen and carbon cycle. System-level studies of Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142, a prototypic member of this group, revealed many interesting metabolic attributes. To identify the metabolic traits that define this class of cyanobacteria, five additional Cyanothece strains were sequenced to completion. The presence of a large, contiguous nitrogenase gene cluster and the ability to carry out aerobic nitrogen fixation distinguish Cyanothece as a genus of unicellular, aerobic nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria. Cyanothece cells can create an anoxic intracellular environment at night, allowing oxygen-sensitive processes to take place in these oxygenic organisms. Large carbohydrate reserves accumulate in the cells during the day, ensuring sufficient energy for the processes that require the anoxic phase of the cells. Our study indicates that this genus maintains a plastic genome, incorporating new metabolic capabilities while simultaneously retaining archaic metabolic traits, a unique combination which provides the flexibility to adapt to various ecological and environmental conditions. Rearrangement of the nitrogenase cluster in Cyanothece sp. strain 7425 and the concomitant loss of its aerobic nitrogen-fixing ability suggest that a similar mechanism might have been at play in cyanobacterial strains that eventually lost their nitrogen-fixing ability. The unicellular cyanobacterial genus Cyanothece has significant roles in the nitrogen cycle in aquatic and terrestrial environments. Cyanothece sp. ATCC 51142 was extensively studied over the last decade and has emerged as an important model photosynthetic microbe for bioenergy production. To expand our understanding of the distinctive metabolic capabilities of this cyanobacterial group, we analyzed the genome sequences of five additional Cyanothece strains from different geographical habitats, exhibiting diverse morphological and physiological attributes. These strains exhibit high rates of N(2) fixation and H(2) production under aerobic conditions. They can generate copious amounts of carbohydrates that are stored in large starch-like granules and facilitate energy-intensive processes during the dark, anoxic phase of the cells. The genomes of some Cyanothece strains are quite unique in that there are linear elements in addition to a large circular chromosome. Our study provides novel insights into the metabolism of this class of unicellular nitrogen-fixing cyanobacteria.

[Dante's Inferno and the McGill Pain Questionnaire].

PubMed

Tonelli, N; Marcolongo, R

2007-01-01

To study the images which depict the damned's sufferings in Dante's Inferno, in their expression of the several meanings of "pain", the semantics of "pain" in the poem has been analyzed, eventually trying to determine whether the organization of punishments of Inferno may somehow mirror a disability scale. A detailed analysis of the text was carried out, which proved a valuable tool for interpreting the organization of punishments as a possible disability scale. The semantics of pain in the Divine Comedy was studied through all the forms of the pain descriptors (included the archaic terminological forms) from the Italian version of the McGill Pain Questionnaire (MGPQ) by Maiani and Sanavio. In Dante's Inferno a classification of pain is provided, based on the experience of sufferings; Dante's images seem not only instrumental to investigating the sensorial but also the affective and intellectual spheres by introducing a number of characters and describing the impact of punishment onto their souls. Our research highlighted that 46 out of 78 terms from the MGPQ are present in Inferno, though with different forms; the Groups the MGPQ is divided into are also represented with the exception of Group XII, the most frequently detected being Groups XIII-which studies the fear-related sensations in the emotional sphere - XIV, XIX and XX. The great attention emerges that Dante devoted to describing simple sensorial experiences as well as the way punishments affected the soul. As a whole, the terms pertaining to the sensorial sphere are the most frequently encountered. The lack of motion which increases circle after circle in Hell, well matches the progressing physical and psychological impairment caused by some invalidating diseases. Noticeably, Dante created such a complex system centuries before the studies were released on the impact of pain and its quantitative and mostly qualitative definition. In conclusion, this interpretation suggests that the writing on the door to Hell which leads Dante into the inaccessible world of "the miserable race, those who have lost the good of intellect", may well be the title of a precise and incredibly up to date classification of painful sensations which are wonderfully described with simple and suggestive examples each time transforming into powerful images. ..."Through me road to the city of desolation, / Through me the road to sorrows diuturnal, / Through me the road among the lost creation".

Isolated, but transnational: the glocal nature of Waldensian ethnobotany, Western Alps, NW Italy.

PubMed

Bellia, Giada; Pieroni, Andrea

2015-05-07

An ethnobotanical field study on the traditional uses of wild plants for food as well as medicinal and veterinary plants was conducted in four Waldensian valleys (Chisone, Germanasca, Angrogna, and Pellice) in the Western Alps, Piedmont, NW Italy. Waldensians represent a religious Protestant Christian minority that originated in France and spread around 1,170 AD to the Italian side of Western Alps, where, although persecuted for centuries, approximately 20,000 believers still survive today, increasingly mixing with their Catholic neighbours. Interviews with a total of 47 elderly informants, belonging to both Waldensian and Catholic religious groups, were undertaken in ten Western Alpine villages, using standard ethnobotanical methods. The uses of 85 wild and semi-domesticated food folk taxa, 96 medicinal folk taxa, and 45 veterinary folk taxa were recorded. Comparison of the collected data within the two religious communities shows that Waldensians had, or have retained, a more extensive ethnobotanical knowledge, and that approximately only half of the wild food and medicinal plants are known and used by both communities. Moreover, this convergence is greater for the wild food plant domain. Comparison of the collected data with ethnobotanical surveys conducted at the end of the 19th Century and the 1980s in one of studied valleys (Germanasca) shows that the majority of the plants recorded in the present study are used in the same or similar ways as they were decades ago. Idiosyncratic plant uses among Waldensians included both archaic uses, such as the fern Botrychium lunaria for skin problems, as well as uses that may be the result of local adaptions of Central and Northern European customs, including Veronica allionii and V. officinalis as recreational teas and Cetraria islandica in infusions to treat coughs. The great resilience of plant knowledge among Waldensians may be the result of the long isolation and history of marginalisation that this group has faced during the last few centuries, although their ethnobotany present trans-national elements. Cross-cultural and ethno-historical approaches in ethnobotany may offer crucial data for understanding the trajectory of change of plant knowledge across time and space.

From the scala naturae to the symbiogenetic and dynamic tree of life

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

All living beings on Earth, from bacteria to humans, are connected through descent from common ancestors and represent the summation of their corresponding, ca. 3500 million year long evolutionary history. However, the evolution of phenotypic features is not predictable, and biologists no longer use terms such as "primitive" or "perfect organisms". Despite these insights, the Bible-based concept of the so-called "ladder of life" or Scala Naturae, i.e., the idea that all living beings can be viewed as representing various degrees of "perfection", with humans at the very top of this biological hierarchy, was popular among naturalists until ca. 1850 (Charles Bonnet, Jean Lamarck and others). Charles Darwin is usually credited with the establishment of a branched evolutionary "Tree of Life". This insight of 1859 was based on his now firmly corroborated proposals of common ancestry and natural selection. In this article I argue that Darwin was still influenced by "ladder thinking", a theological view that prevailed throughout the 19th century and is also part of Ernst Haeckel's famous Oak tree (of Life) of 1866, which is, like Darwin's scheme, static. In 1910, Constantin Mereschkowsky proposed an alternative, "anti-selectionist" concept of biological evolution, which became known as the symbiogenesis-theory. According to the symbiogenesis-scenario, eukaryotic cells evolved on a static Earth from archaic prokaryotes via the fusion and subsequent cooperation of certain microbes. In 1929, Alfred Wegener published his theory of continental drift, which was later corroborated, modified and extended. The resulting theory of plate tectonics is now the principal organizing concept of geology. Over millions of years, plate tectonics and hence the "dynamic Earth" has caused destructive volcanic eruptions and earthquakes. At the same time, it created mountain ranges, deep oceans, novel freshwater habitats, and deserts. As a result, these geologic processes destroyed numerous populations of organisms, and produced the environmental conditions for new species of animals, plants and microbes to adapt and evolve. In this article I propose a tree-like "symbiogenesis, natural selection, and dynamic Earth (synade)-model" of macroevolution that is based on these novel facts and data. Reviewers This article was reviewed by Mark Ragan, W. Ford Doolittle, and Staffan Müller-Wille. PMID:21714937

The mid- to late-Holocene environmental evolution at the marsh of Vravron (Attiki, SE Greece): a multidisciplinary approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Triantaphyllou, M. V.; Kouli, K.; Tsourou, T.; Koukousioura, O.; Pavlopoulos, K.; Dermitzakis, M. D.

2009-04-01

The Vravron bay, in the vicinity of the homonym archaeological site is a marshy area located on the eastern coast of Attiki peninsula (eastern Greece). Vravron was inhabited already since the Early/ Middle Neolithic, although it's mainly known from the famous Archaic and Classical sanctuary of Vravronia Artemis. A sediment core from the marshy deposits of Vravron was submitted to detailed palynological, micropaleontological and sedimentological analyses, in order to investigate the environmental evolution of the area since approx. 3000 BC (AMS 14C). Benthic foraminifera and ostracoda assemblages were used to trace the depositional environment of the sequence: open shallow marine conditions with constant input of fresh water due to the influx of Erasinos River are recorded until 400BC, confirming the existence of the natural port known from a Mycenaean legend, while repeated flooding events recorded between 400BC and 50 AD should be linked with the destruction of the famous sanctuary of Artemis and the abandonment of the area. Around 50 AD the ongoing progression of Erasinos River resulted in the gradual development of lagoonal environment that after 1300AD got isolated from the sea becoming progressively a fresh water marsh. Pollen assemblages included representatives from all modern phytogeographic zones, indicating the complexity of the plant communities in the area and outlined the vegetation development since the Early Bronze Age. Even if human presence has been continuously recorded, its impact on natural environment appears profound only during the Mycenaean times, when cereal cultivation seems to be the main rural activity and after 1300AD, when a remarkable rise in like ploughing and herding evidence marks the introduction of the Arvanites population in the area. The establishment of the Vravronia Artemis sanctuary during the Geometric times coincides with a turnover in agricultural activities, as cereal cultivation is neglected and olive groves are amplified.

Leadership, consensus decision making and collective behaviour in humans

PubMed Central

Dyer, John R.G.; Johansson, Anders; Helbing, Dirk; Couzin, Iain D.; Krause, Jens

2008-01-01

This paper reviews the literature on leadership in vertebrate groups, including recent work on human groups, before presenting the results of three new experiments looking at leadership and decision making in small and large human groups. In experiment 1, we find that both group size and the presence of uninformed individuals can affect the speed with which small human groups (eight people) decide between two opposing directional preferences and the likelihood of the group splitting. In experiment 2, we show that the spatial positioning of informed individuals within small human groups (10 people) can affect the speed and accuracy of group motion. We find that having a mixture of leaders positioned in the centre and on the edge of a group increases the speed and accuracy with which the group reaches their target. In experiment 3, we use large human crowds (100 and 200 people) to demonstrate that the trends observed from earlier work using small human groups can be applied to larger crowds. We find that only a small minority of informed individuals is needed to guide a large uninformed group. These studies build upon important theoretical and empirical work on leadership and decision making in animal groups. PMID:19073481

General Aviation Light Aircraft Propulsion: From the 1940's to the Next Century

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burkardt, Leo A.

1998-01-01

Current general aviation light aircraft are powered by engines that were originally designed in the 1940's. This paper gives a brief history of light aircraft engine development, explaining why the air-cooled, horizontally opposed piston engine became the dominant engine for this class of aircraft. Current engines are fairly efficient, and their designs have been updated through the years, but their basic design and operational characteristics are archaic in comparison to modem engine designs, such as those used in the automotive industry. There have been some innovative engine developments, but in general they have not been commercially successful. This paper gives some insight into the reasons for this lack of success. There is now renewed interest in developing modem propulsion systems for light aircraft, in the fore-front of which is NASA's General Aviation Propulsion (GAP) program. This paper gives an overview of the engines being developed in the GAP program, what they will mean to the general aviation community, and why NASA and its industry partners believe that these new engine developments will bring about a new era in general aviation light aircraft.

Smoothbore hunting ammunition - a historical overview.

PubMed

Bochyński, Piotr J; Karpiewska, Anna; Kuliczkowski, Maciej; Dobosz, Tadeusz

2017-01-01

This article deals with traditional hunting amunitions in paper cases, intended for smooth-bore shotgun. The paper describes the development of gunshot cartridges in historical terms, with particular emphasis on the origins and development of systems, initiating the combustion of subsequent generations of propelling cargo. The work gives an author's look into the uprising process of an integrating gunshot cartridge. The article contains a number of information about historical cartridges, currently not to be found, their dimensions, markings and ignition systems. The described cartridges are often examples of rare and long-lasting constructional solutions, that have been made to create a modern cartridge in weight scale calibers. The presented work includes a number of numerical data as well as ballistic, obsolete and archaic today's cartridges, with dimensions and ballistic properties. Some of the theses and data in this paper contained, according to the author's knowledge, are for the first time presented in the literature, and others can be found, but it is very tedious because of their dispersion in the literature or the availability of hard to find and unstable internet sources.

[The classical parasite: from appreciative partners of the gods to serving as jesters].

PubMed

Hassl, Andreas

2005-01-01

A [pialpharhoalphasigmaiotatauomicronzeta] = parasitos = parasite of the classical Greek antiquity was a tolerated, but not invited co-eater during a guest meal. Usually a parasite was an illegitimate, incapable to inherit or anyway pauperised, free, young man who had to pay for his meal with exhilaration of the guests, adulation, maintenance art, and humiliation. However, during the more than two millennia lasting development of the classical antique society, even this little prestigious profession was preceded by a stupendous development, reflecting an unprecedented devaluation of this socially enforced activity. At the outset of the development there stood the archaic, neolithic social order of Greece, within which a parasitos was the selected partner of the divinity and at the same time a civil servant of a municipality and an outstanding citizen of a community. In the classical antiquity the term parasitos had a socio-political contents above all; the term incorporated itself into the ancient sacral, social, and constitutional spheres. The transformation to a medical word meaning took originally place in the course of an erroneous reception during the 17th century.

Pre-Wisconsin glacial stratigraphy of the central plains region in Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, and Missouri

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hallberg, G.R.

1986-01-01

Recent investigations have documented the presence of several tills and interglacial paleosols that were not recognized in the simple Kansan-Aftonian-Nebraskan stratigraphic sequence. Also, the single 'Pearlette ash' recognized by early workers now is known to be three different Pearlette family ash beds of greatly contrasting ages. The complexity of the stratigraphy, as it is currently understood, and the miscorrelations of early work necessitate abandonment of the archaic terms Kansan, Aftonian, and Nebraskan in stratigraphic terminology. Continued use of those terms will only promote confusion of stratigraphic nomenclature and erroneous correlations of stratigraphic units. The limited chronometric control available within the early and middle Pleistocene stratigraphic sequence is provided directly by dating or by correlation of buried soils and volcanic ash beds and it is provided inferentially by interpretation of magnetic polarity data. These controls provide, at best, a general time framework to begin a new synthesis of the Quaternary history of the region. New methods of dating are needed to facilitate long-distance correlation of early and middle Pleistocene deposits. ?? 1986.

Intuition: a bridge to the coenesthetic world of experience.

PubMed

Piha, Heikki

2005-01-01

The concept of intuition is relatively unestablished in psychoanalysis, where it is often associated with narcissistic meanings and vagueness. But intuition, as an integrated mode of archaic coenesthetic thinking, should be kept conceptually free of those connotations. Its capacity of undifferentiated delineation supplies an instinctive general means of dealing immediately with various rationally indistinct phenomena, such as forms, shades, and multidimensionality, regardless of the boundaries between sensory modalities. It may be impossible to translate intuitive experiences into lexical form; these languages are incommensurable. Intuition as a preconscious nondiscursive thinking process is needed in creativity, as well as less conspicuously in countless everyday activities. In speech communication, intuition rapidly specifies subtle shades of meaning in linguistic content and all the prosody. In psychoanalytic work intuition is like radar, creating preliminary contacts with the inner world of the analysand. The observations gained require, however, rational consideration to be confirmed. Intuition is an essential instrument of the psychoanalyst, and also functions in the service of tact to create working space and adequate forms of interpretations. Clinical vignettes reflecting some problematic fates of special intuitiveness in creativity are presented from psychoanalytic work with artists.

CT scanning analysis of Megantereon whitei (Carnivora, Machairodontinae) from Monte Argentario (Early Pleistocene, central Italy): evidence of atavistic teeth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iurino, Dawid Adam; Sardella, Raffaele

2014-12-01

CT scanning analysis applied to vertebrate palaeontology is providing an increasing number of data of great interest. This method can be used in many branches of palaeontology such as the investigation of all the fossilized elements in a hard matrix and the hidden structures in the bones. A large number of pathologies are "hidden", completely or partially invisible on the external surface of the bones because their development took place within the bones. However, the study of these diseases and abnormalities plays a crucial role in our understanding of evolutionary and adaptive processes of extinct taxa. The analysis of a partial skeleton of the sabre-toothed felid Megantereon whitei from the Early Pleistocene karst filling deposits of Monte Argentario (Tuscany, Italy) has been carried out. The CT scanning analysis put in evidence the presence of supernumerary teeth (P2) and the absence of P3 in the mandible. The occurrence of P2 can be considered as an evidence of atavism. Such an archaic feature is recorded for the first time in Megantereon.

The evolution of neocortex in primates

PubMed Central

Kaas, Jon H.

2013-01-01

We can learn about the evolution of neocortex in primates through comparative studies of cortical organization in primates and those mammals that are the closest living relatives of primates, in conjunction with brain features revealed by the skull endocasts of fossil archaic primates. Such studies suggest that early primates had acquired a number of features of neocortex that now distinguish modern primates. Most notably, early primates had an array of new visual areas, and those visual areas widely shared with other mammals had been modified. Posterior parietal cortex was greatly expanded with sensorimotor modules for reaching, grasping, and personal defense. Motor cortex had become more specialized for hand use, and the functions of primary motor cortex were enhanced by the addition and development of premotor and cingulate motor areas. Cortical architecture became more varied, and cortical neuron populations became denser overall than in nonprimate ancestors. Primary visual cortex had the densest population of neurons, and this became more pronounced in the anthropoid radiation. Within the primate clade, considerable variability in cortical size, numbers of areas, and architecture evolved. PMID:22230624

The evolution of neocortex in primates.

PubMed

Kaas, Jon H

2012-01-01

We can learn about the evolution of neocortex in primates through comparative studies of cortical organization in primates and those mammals that are the closest living relatives of primates, in conjunction with brain features revealed by the skull endocasts of fossil archaic primates. Such studies suggest that early primates had acquired a number of features of neocortex that now distinguish modern primates. Most notably, early primates had an array of new visual areas, and those visual areas widely shared with other mammals had been modified. Posterior parietal cortex was greatly expanded with sensorimotor modules for reaching, grasping, and personal defense. Motor cortex had become more specialized for hand use, and the functions of primary motor cortex were enhanced by the addition and development of premotor and cingulate motor areas. Cortical architecture became more varied, and cortical neuron populations became denser overall than in nonprimate ancestors. Primary visual cortex had the densest population of neurons, and this became more pronounced in the anthropoid radiation. Within the primate clade, considerable variability in cortical size, numbers of areas, and architecture evolved. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Neurology in the medical papyruses of the pharaohs].

PubMed

García-Albea, E

The civilization of Ancient Egypt included a long period of almost three millenniums, and is the most interesting example of the so-called pretechnical archaic cultures. Papyrus scrolls are the main source of information about medical activities. There are fourteen medical papyrus scrolls, in varying states of conservation, mostly corresponding to the Middle Empire, but containing references to the Ancient Empire (the period of the pyramids). These are practical treaties with little explanation of the underlying pathology (a primitive theory of the 'flow' of humors, involving the flowing of different malignant entities) within a system of magic and religion. The empirical observations referring to diseases or dysfunctions of the nervous system, although few, seem to be worth reviewing. Remedies for migraine ('the disorder affecting half the head') take up a long chapter of the only complete and best preserved Ebers papyrus. Dementia (deterioration with age), convulsions and tetany are briefly mentioned in several papyrus scrolls. With the detailed description of the clinical findings of cranial and vertebral trauma, and the orderly assessment of severity presented in Edwin Smith's papyrus the neurology of pharaonic Egypt attained its greatest importance.

[On two antique medical texts].

PubMed

Rosa, Maria Carlota

2005-01-01

The two texts presented here--Regimento proueytoso contra ha pestenença [literally, "useful regime against pestilence"] and Modus curandi cum balsamo ["curing method using balm"]--represent the extent of Portugal's known medical library until circa 1530, produced in gothic letters by foreign printers: Germany's Valentim Fernandes, perhaps the era's most important printer, who worked in Lisbon between 1495 and 1518, and Germdo Galharde, a Frenchman who practiced his trade in Lisbon and Coimbra between 1519 and 1560. Modus curandi, which came to light in 1974 thanks to bibliophile José de Pina Martins, is anonymous. Johannes Jacobi is believed to be the author of Regimento proueytoso, which was translated into Latin (Regimen contra pestilentiam), French, and English. Both texts are presented here in facsimile and in modern Portuguese, while the first has also been reproduced in archaic Portuguese using modern typographical characters. This philological venture into sixteenth-century medicine is supplemented by a scholarly glossary which serves as a valuable tool in interpreting not only Regimento proueytoso but also other texts from the era. Two articles place these documents in historical perspective.

Prehistoric spatial patterning and subsistence studies: Archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19arP4, Nevada Test Site, Nye County, Nevada

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, W.G.; DuBarton, A.; Edwards, S.

1992-12-31

This report documents the methods and results of archaeological investigations at Sample Unit U19arP4 on Pahute Mesa at the Nevada Test Site (NTS). Eight sites were located there: four lithic artifact scatters (26NY1370, 26NY1372, 26NY3666 and 26NY3667), two temporary camps (26NY3665 and 26NY5418), one artifact locality (26NY5419), and one quarry (26NY3664). One of the lithic scatters, 26NY3667, incorporated a previously recorded rock ring, 26NY1371, that could not be relocated during subsequent investigations. Surface artifacts were collected from all but two of the sites, 26NY1370 and 26NY1372. The data retrieved from these investigations include over one thousand artifacts, such as projectilemore » points, bifaces, debitage, groundstone, and pottery. The temporally diagnostic materials indicate periodic use of Sample Unit U19arP4 from the Middle Archaic to the Shoshonean period.« less

Philosophy, medicine and healthcare: insights from the Italian experience.

PubMed

Adinolfi, Paola

2014-09-01

To contribute to our understanding of the relationship between philosophical ideas and medical and healthcare models. A diachronic analysis is put in place in order to evaluate, from an innovative perspective, the influence over the centuries on medical and healthcare models of two philosophical concepts, particularly relevant for health: how Man perceives his identity and how he relates to Nature. Five epochs are identified--the Archaic Age, Classical Antiquity, the Middle Ages, the Modern Age, the 'Postmodern' Era--which can be seen, à la Foucault, as 'fragments between philosophical fractures'. From a historical background perspective, up to the early 1900s progress in medical and healthcare models has moved on a par with the evolution of philosophical debate. Following the Second World War, the Health Service started a series of reforms, provoked by anti-positivistic philosophical transformations. The three main reforms carried out however failed and the medical establishment remained anchored to a mechanical, reductionist approach, perfectly in line with the bureaucratic stance of the administrators. In this context, future scenarios are delineated and an anthropo-ecological model is proposed to re-align philosophy, medicine and health care.

Gold and electrum jewellery in the strategic area of Gadir in Phoenician period

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ortega-Feliu, I.; Gómez-Tubío, B.; Ontalba Salamanca, M. Á.; Respaldiza, M. Á.; de la Bandera, M. L.; Ovejero Zappino, G.

2007-07-01

A set of ancient gold jewellery was found in Cádiz (formerly Gadir, south Spain) in tombs dated in Phoenician-Archaic period (VII-VI century BC), and nowadays is exhibited in the local Museum. The production of this strategic area is of great interest for the knowledge of the commercial routes along the Mediterranean Sea at that time. Part of this production has already been analyzed by the authors, finding compositional differences and identifying soldering procedures, thanks to the use of the external microbeam. Absolutely non destructive analysis was performed. For this work we have again employed PIXE spectrometry with 2.2 MeV protons from the 3 MV Pelletron accelerator at the CNA to characterize the metallic alloys and the manufacturing techniques. We have found an unusual composition characterized by around 50 wt.% gold, 50 wt.% silver and some copper, which can be identified as ELECTRUM. Few analytical data of this particular kind of alloy are reported in the bibliography. The study of these objects can help to follow the trade of metals in the Phoenician-colonial period.

Serum phenylalanine in preterm newborns fed different diets of human milk.

PubMed

Thomaz, Débora M; Serafin, Paula O; Palhares, Durval B; Tavares, Luciana V M; Grance, Thayana R S

2014-01-01

To evaluate phenylalanine plasma profile in preterm newborns fed different human milk diets. Twenty-four very-low weight preterm newborns were distributed randomly in three groups with different feeding types: Group I: banked human milk plus 5% commercial fortifier with bovine protein, Group II: banked human milk plus evaporated fortifier derived from modified human milk, Group III: banked human milk plus lyophilized fortifier derived from modified human milk. The newborns received the group diet when full diet was attained at 15 ± 2 days. Plasma amino acid analysis was performedon the first and last day of feeding. Comparison among groups was performed by statistical tests: one way ANOVA with Tukey's post-test using SPSS software, version 20.0 (IBM Corp, NY, USA), considering a significance level of 5%. Phenylalanine levels in the first and second analysis were, respectively, in Group I: 11.9 ± 1.22 and 29.72 ± 0.73; in Group II: 11.72 ± 1.04 and 13.44 ± 0.61; and in Group III: 11.3 ± 1.18 and 15.42 ± 0.83 μmol/L. The observed results demonstrated that human milk with fortifiers derived from human milk acted as a good substratum for preterm infant feeding both in the evaporated or the lyophilized form, without significant increases in plasma phenylalanine levels in comparison to human milk with commercial fortifier. Copyright © 2014 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Human cooperation by lethal group competition.

PubMed

Egas, Martijn; Kats, Ralph; van der Sar, Xander; Reuben, Ernesto; Sabelis, Maurice W

2013-01-01

Why humans are prone to cooperate puzzles biologists, psychologists and economists alike. Between-group conflict has been hypothesized to drive within-group cooperation. However, such conflicts did not have lasting effects in laboratory experiments, because they were about luxury goods, not needed for survival ("looting"). Here, we find within-group cooperation to last when between-group conflict is implemented as "all-out war" (eliminating the weakest groups). Human subjects invested in helping group members to avoid having the lowest collective pay-off, whereas they failed to cooperate in control treatments with random group elimination or with no subdivision in groups. When the game was repeated, experience was found to promote helping. Thus, not within-group interactions alone, not random group elimination, but pay-off-dependent group elimination was found to drive within-group cooperation in our experiment. We suggest that some forms of human cooperation are maintained by multi-level selection: reciprocity within groups and lethal competition among groups acting together.

How do different humanness measures relate? Confronting the attribution of secondary emotions, human uniqueness, and human nature traits.

PubMed

Martínez, Rocío; Rodriguez-Bailon, Rosa; Moya, Miguel; Vaes, Jeroen

2017-01-01

The present research examines the relationship between the infrahumanization approach and the two-dimensional model of humanness: an issue that has received very little empirical attention. In Study 1, we created three unknown groups (Humanized, Animalized, and Mechanized) granting/denying them Human Nature (HN) and Human Uniqueness (HU) traits. The attribution of primary/secondary emotions was measured. As expected, participants attributed more secondary emotions to the humanized compared to dehumanized groups. Importantly, both animalized and mechanized groups were attributed similar amounts of secondary emotions. In Study 2, the groups were described in terms of their capacity to express secondary emotions. We measured the attribution of HN/HU traits. Results showed that the infrahumanized group was denied both HU/HN traits. The results highlight the importance of considering the common aspects of both approaches in understanding processes of dehumanization.

Group & Intergroup Relations in Living Human Systems.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-06-01

organizational diagnosis , the group is itself a living human system. A group may be underbounded, overbounded, or optimally bounded. The state of group...very im- portant to understand and to use in order to conduct organizational diagnosis " using group methods. 2 -43 (Alderfer, 1977b). The group...Boundary Relations and Organizational Diagnosis . In H. Meltzer and F.W. Wickert (eds.) Humanizing Organizational Behavior. Springfield, Illinois: Thomas

Leadership in moving human groups.

PubMed

Boos, Margarete; Pritz, Johannes; Lange, Simon; Belz, Michael

2014-04-01

How is movement of individuals coordinated as a group? This is a fundamental question of social behaviour, encompassing phenomena such as bird flocking, fish schooling, and the innumerable activities in human groups that require people to synchronise their actions. We have developed an experimental paradigm, the HoneyComb computer-based multi-client game, to empirically investigate human movement coordination and leadership. Using economic games as a model, we set monetary incentives to motivate players on a virtual playfield to reach goals via players' movements. We asked whether (I) humans coordinate their movements when information is limited to an individual group member's observation of adjacent group member motion, (II) whether an informed group minority can lead an uninformed group majority to the minority's goal, and if so, (III) how this minority exerts its influence. We showed that in a human group--on the basis of movement alone--a minority can successfully lead a majority. Minorities lead successfully when (a) their members choose similar initial steps towards their goal field and (b) they are among the first in the whole group to make a move. Using our approach, we empirically demonstrate that the rules of swarming behaviour apply to humans. Even complex human behaviour, such as leadership and directed group movement, follow simple rules that are based on visual perception of local movement.

Grouping by proximity and the visual impression of approximate number in random dot arrays.

PubMed

Im, Hee Yeon; Zhong, Sheng-Hua; Halberda, Justin

2016-09-01

We address the challenges of how to model human perceptual grouping in random dot arrays and how perceptual grouping affects human number estimation in these arrays. We introduce a modeling approach relying on a modified k-means clustering algorithm to formally describe human observers' grouping behavior. We found that a default grouping window size of approximately 4° of visual angle describes human grouping judgments across a range of random dot arrays (i.e., items within 4° are grouped together). This window size was highly consistent across observers and images, and was also stable across stimulus durations, suggesting that the k-means model captured a robust signature of perceptual grouping. Further, the k-means model outperformed other models (e.g., CODE) at describing human grouping behavior. Next, we found that the more the dots in a display are clustered together, the more human observers tend to underestimate the numerosity of the dots. We demonstrate that this effect is independent of density, and the modified k-means model can predict human observers' numerosity judgments and underestimation. Finally, we explored the robustness of the relationship between clustering and dot number underestimation and found that the effects of clustering remain, but are greatly reduced, when participants receive feedback on every trial. Together, this work suggests some promising avenues for formal models of human grouping behavior, and it highlights the importance of a 4° window of perceptual grouping. Lastly, it reveals a robust, somewhat plastic, relationship between perceptual grouping and number estimation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Using Human Inquiry Groups in Counselling Research.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

West, William

1996-01-01

Explores the nature of human inquiry groups and how such groups decide on a research agenda. Outlines the stages involved in the process and considers the value of human inquiry as a qualitative methodology for counseling research. Compares the roles of the human inquiry researcher and the counselor. (RJM)

Lack of adaptation to human tetherin in HIV-1 Group O and P

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background HIV-1 viruses are categorized into four distinct groups: M, N, O and P. Despite the same genomic organization, only the group M viruses are responsible for the world-wide pandemic of AIDS, suggesting better adaptation to human hosts. Previously, it has been reported that the group M Vpu protein is capable of both down-modulating CD4 and counteracting BST-2/tetherin restriction, while the group O Vpu cannot antagonize tetherin. This led us to investigate if group O, and the related group P viruses, possess functional anti-tetherin activities in Vpu or another viral protein, and to further map the residues required for group M Vpu to counteract human tetherin. Results We found a lack of activity against human tetherin for both the Vpu and Nef proteins from group O and P viruses. Furthermore, we found no evidence of anti-human tetherin activity in a fully infectious group O proviral clone, ruling out the possibility of an alternative anti-tetherin factor in this virus. Interestingly, an activity against primate tetherins was retained in the Nef proteins from both a group O and a group P virus. By making chimeras between a functional group M and non-functional group O Vpu protein, we were able to map the first 18 amino acids of group M Vpu as playing an essential role in the ability of the protein to antagonize human tetherin. We further demonstrated the importance of residue alanine-18 for the group M Vpu activity. This residue lies on a diagonal face of conserved alanines in the TM domain of the protein, and is necessary for specific Vpu-tetherin interactions. Conclusions The absence of human specific anti-tetherin activities in HIV-1 group O and P suggests a failure of these viruses to adapt to human hosts, which may have limited their spread. PMID:21955466

Human milk consumption and full enteral feeding among infants who weigh

PubMed

Sisk, Paula M; Lovelady, Cheryl A; Gruber, Kenneth J; Dillard, Robert G; O'Shea, T Michael

2008-06-01

Establishing enteral feeding is an important goal in the care of very low birth weight infants. In such infants, receipt of >/=50 mL/kg per day human milk during hospitalization has been associated with shorter time to full enteral feeding. The objective of this study was to determine whether high proportions (>/=50%) of human milk during feeding advancement are associated with shorter time to full enteral feeding and improved feeding tolerance. This was a prospective cohort study of very low birth weight infants (n = 127) who were grouped into low (<50%; n = 34) and high (>/=50%; n = 93) human milk consumption groups according to their human milk proportion of enteral feeding during the time of feeding advancement. The primary outcomes of interest were ages at which 100 and 150 mL/kg per day enteral feedings were achieved. The high human milk group reached 100 mL/kg per day enteral feeding 4.5 days faster than the low human milk group. The high human milk group reached 150 mL/kg per day enteral feeding 5 days faster than the low human milk group. After adjustment for gestational age, gender, and respiratory distress syndrome, times to reach 100 and 150 mL/kg per day were significantly shorter for those in the high human milk group. Infants in the high human milk group had a greater number of stools per day; other indicators of feeding tolerance were not statistically different. In infants who weighed

76 FR 74691 - Import Restrictions Imposed on Certain Archaeological and Ethnological Material From Greece

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-12-01

... Statuary--Subject matter is varied and includes human and animal figures, human body parts, groups of..., including fragments of statues. Subject matter includes human and animal figures and groups of figures in... marble and other stone. Subject matter includes human and animal figures and groups of figures in the...

Fractal multi-level organisation of human groups in a virtual world.

PubMed

Fuchs, Benedikt; Sornette, Didier; Thurner, Stefan

2014-10-06

Humans are fundamentally social. They form societies which consist of hierarchically layered nested groups of various quality, size, and structure. The anthropologic literature has classified these groups as support cliques, sympathy groups, bands, cognitive groups, tribes, linguistic groups, and so on. Anthropologic data show that, on average, each group consists of approximately three subgroups. However, a general understanding of the structural dependence of groups at different layers is largely missing. We extend these early findings to a very large high-precision large-scale internet-based social network data. We analyse the organisational structure of a complete, multi-relational, large social multiplex network of a human society consisting of about 400,000 odd players of an open-ended massive multiplayer online game for which we know all about their various group memberships at different layers. Remarkably, the online players' society exhibits the same type of structured hierarchical layers as found in hunter-gatherer societies. Our findings suggest that the hierarchical organisation of human society is deeply nested in human psychology.

Fractal multi-level organisation of human groups in a virtual world

PubMed Central

Fuchs, Benedikt; Sornette, Didier; Thurner, Stefan

2014-01-01

Humans are fundamentally social. They form societies which consist of hierarchically layered nested groups of various quality, size, and structure. The anthropologic literature has classified these groups as support cliques, sympathy groups, bands, cognitive groups, tribes, linguistic groups, and so on. Anthropologic data show that, on average, each group consists of approximately three subgroups. However, a general understanding of the structural dependence of groups at different layers is largely missing. We extend these early findings to a very large high-precision large-scale internet-based social network data. We analyse the organisational structure of a complete, multi-relational, large social multiplex network of a human society consisting of about 400,000 odd players of an open-ended massive multiplayer online game for which we know all about their various group memberships at different layers. Remarkably, the online players' society exhibits the same type of structured hierarchical layers as found in hunter-gatherer societies. Our findings suggest that the hierarchical organisation of human society is deeply nested in human psychology. PMID:25283998

Fractal multi-level organisation of human groups in a virtual world

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuchs, Benedikt; Sornette, Didier; Thurner, Stefan

2014-10-01

Humans are fundamentally social. They form societies which consist of hierarchically layered nested groups of various quality, size, and structure. The anthropologic literature has classified these groups as support cliques, sympathy groups, bands, cognitive groups, tribes, linguistic groups, and so on. Anthropologic data show that, on average, each group consists of approximately three subgroups. However, a general understanding of the structural dependence of groups at different layers is largely missing. We extend these early findings to a very large high-precision large-scale internet-based social network data. We analyse the organisational structure of a complete, multi-relational, large social multiplex network of a human society consisting of about 400,000 odd players of an open-ended massive multiplayer online game for which we know all about their various group memberships at different layers. Remarkably, the online players' society exhibits the same type of structured hierarchical layers as found in hunter-gatherer societies. Our findings suggest that the hierarchical organisation of human society is deeply nested in human psychology.

Human cooperation by lethal group competition

PubMed Central

Egas, Martijn; Kats, Ralph; van der Sar, Xander; Reuben, Ernesto; Sabelis, Maurice W.

2013-01-01

Why humans are prone to cooperate puzzles biologists, psychologists and economists alike. Between-group conflict has been hypothesized to drive within-group cooperation. However, such conflicts did not have lasting effects in laboratory experiments, because they were about luxury goods, not needed for survival (“looting”). Here, we find within-group cooperation to last when between-group conflict is implemented as “all-out war” (eliminating the weakest groups). Human subjects invested in helping group members to avoid having the lowest collective pay-off, whereas they failed to cooperate in control treatments with random group elimination or with no subdivision in groups. When the game was repeated, experience was found to promote helping. Thus, not within-group interactions alone, not random group elimination, but pay-off-dependent group elimination was found to drive within-group cooperation in our experiment. We suggest that some forms of human cooperation are maintained by multi-level selection: reciprocity within groups and lethal competition among groups acting together. PMID:23459158

Human milk as a protective factor for bronchopulmonary dysplasia: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

PubMed

Huang, Jinglan; Zhang, Li; Tang, Jun; Shi, Jing; Qu, Yi; Xiong, Tao; Mu, Dezhi

2018-06-15

To summarise current evidence evaluating the effects of human milk on the risk of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterm infants. We searched for studies on human milk and BPD in English and Chinese databases on 26 July 2017. Furthermore, the references of included studies were also screened. The inclusion criteria in this meta-analysis were the following: (1) preterm infants (<37 weeks); (2) human milk; (3) comparing with formula feeding; (4) the outcome included BPD; and (5) the type of study was randomised controlled trial (RCT) or cohort study. A total of 17 cohort studies and 5 RCTs involving 8661 preterm infants met our inclusion criteria. The ORs and 95% CIs of six groups were as follows: 0.78 (0.68 to 0.88) for exclusive human milk versus exclusive formula group, 0.77 (0.68 to 0.87) for exclusive human milk versus mainly formula group, 0.76 (0.68 to 0.87) for exclusive human milk versus any formula group, 0.78 (0.68 to 0.88) for mainly human milk versus exclusive formula group, 0.83 (0.69 to 0.99) for mainly human milk versus mainly formula group and 0.82 (0.73 to 0.93) for any human milk versus exclusive formula group. Notably, subgroup of RCT alone showed a trend towards protective effect of human milk on BPD but no statistical significance. Both exclusive human milk feeding and partial human milk feeding appear to be associated with lower risk of BPD in preterm infants. The quality of evidence is low. Therefore, more RCTs of this topic are needed. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2018. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Isolation and characterization of a specific receptor for human albumin on a group L Streptococcus.

PubMed

Lämmler, C

1988-08-01

Certain group L streptococci demonstrate surface receptors for human albumin. Binding of 125I-albumin to group L streptococci could be inhibited by unlabelled albumin preparations from humans, dogs, mice and bovines, but not by albumin from rabbits. The albumin-binding proteins (ABP) could be solubilized from the streptococcal surface by hot acid treatment of the bacteria and isolated by affinity chromatography on human-albumin sepharose. ABP and specific antisera produced against ABP inhibited 125I-albumin binding to group L streptococci. The molecular weight of ABP determined by SDS-PAGE and Western blotting, was approximately 48,000 Dalton. ABP preparations of group G streptococci isolated from bovines and humans demonstrated cross reactivity with antiserum produced against group L streptococcal ABP.

Modeling Mixed Groups of Humans and Robots with Reflexive Game Theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarasenko, Sergey

The Reflexive Game Theory is based on decision-making principles similar to the ones used by humans. This theory considers groups of subjects and allows to predict which action from the set each subject in the group will choose. It is possible to influence subject's decision in a way that he will make a particular choice. The purpose of this study is to illustrate how robots can refrain humans from risky actions. To determine the risky actions, the Asimov's Three Laws of robotics are employed. By fusing the RGT's power to convince humans on the mental level with Asimov's Laws' safety, we illustrate how robots in the mixed groups of humans and robots can influence on human subjects in order to refrain humans from risky actions. We suggest that this fusion has a potential to device human-like motor behaving and looking robots with the human-like decision-making algorithms.

Do humans and nonhuman animals share the grouping principles of the iambic-trochaic law?

PubMed

de la Mora, Daniela M; Nespor, Marina; Toro, Juan M

2013-01-01

The iambic-trochaic law describes humans' tendency to form trochaic groups over sequences varying in pitch or intensity (i.e., the loudest or highest sounds mark group beginnings), and iambic groups over sequences varying in duration (i.e., the longest sounds mark group endings). The extent to which these perceptual biases are shared by humans and nonhuman animals is yet unclear. In Experiment 1, we trained rats to discriminate pitch-alternating sequences of tones from sequences randomly varying in pitch. In Experiment 2, rats were trained to discriminate duration-alternating sequences of tones from sequences randomly varying in duration. We found that nonhuman animals group sequences based on pitch variations as trochees, but they do not group sequences varying in duration as iambs. Importantly, humans grouped the same stimuli following the principles of the iambic-trochaic law (Exp. 3). These results suggest the early emergence of the trochaic rhythmic grouping bias based on pitch, possibly relying on perceptual abilities shared by humans and other mammals, whereas the iambic rhythmic grouping bias based on duration might depend on language experience.

From evolution to revolution: understanding mutability in large and disruptive human groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitaker, Roger M.; Felmlee, Diane; Verma, Dinesh C.; Preece, Alun; Williams, Grace-Rose

2017-05-01

Over the last 70 years there has been a major shift in the threats to global peace. While the 1950's and 1960's were characterised by the cold war and the arms race, many security threats are now characterised by group behaviours that are disruptive, subversive or extreme. In many cases such groups are loosely and chaotically organised, but their ideals are sociologically and psychologically embedded in group members to the extent that the group represents a major threat. As a result, insights into how human groups form, emerge and change are critical, but surprisingly limited insights into the mutability of human groups exist. In this paper we argue that important clues to understand the mutability of groups come from examining the evolutionary origins of human behaviour. In particular, groups have been instrumental in human evolution, used as a basis to derive survival advantage, leaving all humans with a basic disposition to navigate the world through social networking and managing their presence in a group. From this analysis we present five critical features of social groups that govern mutability, relating to social norms, individual standing, status rivalry, ingroup bias and cooperation. We argue that understanding how these five dimensions interact and evolve can provide new insights into group mutation and evolution. Importantly, these features lend themselves to digital modeling. Therefore computational simulation can support generative exploration of groups and the discovery of latent factors, relevant to both internal group and external group modelling. Finally we consider the role of online social media in relation to understanding the mutability of groups. This can play an active role in supporting collective behaviour, and analysis of social media in the context of the five dimensions of group mutability provides a fresh basis to interpret the forces affecting groups.

Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin's 1825 treatise on the mouth and ingestion.

PubMed

Chong, Gabriel Tse Feng

2012-12-01

This article quotes and discusses Jean-Anthelme Brillat-Savarin's musings on the mouth and ingestion as described in his book The Physiology of Taste. The book was first published in France in December 1825, and is still widely read as a key work in Gastronomy today. The mouth is intimately related to the acts of chewing, swallowing and eating and it would be interesting to report an early 19th century epicurean's views on the mouth. Passages from Brillat-Savarin's book describing the functions of the teeth and tongue and the acts of tasting, chewing, and swallowing are quoted in full. Anecdotes also include one on the horrifying punishment of having one's tongue removed and another illustrating the poor oral health found among Europeans of that era. His work offers a unique glimpse into how a 19th century gastronome viewed the oral cavity and its gastronomical functions. While some of his writings may appear archaic and antediluvian to the modern reader; others relating to, for example chewing and swallowing, are surprisingly accurate by contemporary standards. Nonetheless, the gastronomic savant seemed to know a lot right about modern stomatology! Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Enhancement of naming in nonfluent aphasia through gesture.

PubMed

Hanlon, R E; Brown, J W; Gerstman, L J

1990-02-01

In a number of studies that have examined the gestural disturbance in aphasia and the utility of gestural interventions in aphasia therapy, a variable degree of facilitation of verbalization during gestural activity has been reported. The present study examined the effect of different unilateral gestural movements on simultaneous oral-verbal expression, specifically naming to confrontation. It was hypothesized that activation of the phylogenetically older proximal motor system of the hemiplegic right arm in the execution of a communicative but nonrepresentational pointing gesture would have a facilitatory effect on naming ability. Twenty-four aphasic patients, representing five aphasic subtypes, including Broca's, Transcortical Motor, Anomic, Global, and Wernicke's aphasics were assessed under three gesture/naming conditions. The findings indicated that gestures produced through activation of the proximal (shoulder) musculature of the right paralytic limb differentially facilitated naming performance in the nonfluent subgroup, but not in the Wernicke's aphasics. These findings may be explained on the view that functional activation of the archaic proximal motor system of the hemiplegic limb, in the execution of a communicative gesture, permits access to preliminary stages in the formative process of the anterior action microgeny, which ultimately emerges in vocal articulation.

Bandicoot fossils and DNA elucidate lineage antiquity amongst xeric-adapted Australasian marsupials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kear, Benjamin P.; Aplin, Ken P.; Westerman, Michael

2016-11-01

Bandicoots (Peramelemorphia) are a unique order of Australasian marsupials whose sparse fossil record has been used as prima facie evidence for climate change coincident faunal turnover. In particular, the hypothesized replacement of ancient rainforest-dwelling extinct lineages by antecedents of xeric-tolerant extant taxa during the late Miocene (~10 Ma) has been advocated as a broader pattern evident amongst other marsupial clades. Problematically, however, this is in persistent conflict with DNA phylogenies. We therefore determine the pattern and timing of bandicoot evolution using the first combined morphological + DNA sequence dataset of Peramelemorphia. In addition, we document a remarkably archaic new fossil peramelemorphian taxon that inhabited a latest Quaternary mosaic savannah-riparian forest ecosystem on the Aru Islands of Eastern Indonesia. Our phylogenetic analyses reveal that unsuspected dental homoplasy and the detrimental effects of missing data collectively obscure stem bandicoot relationships. Nevertheless, recalibrated molecular clocks and multiple ancestral area optimizations unanimously infer an early diversification of modern xeric-adapted forms. These probably originated during the late Palaeogene (30-40 Ma) alongside progenitors of other desert marsupials, and thus occupied seasonally dry heterogenous habitats long before the onset of late Neogene aridity.

Mixis and Diagnôsis: Aristotle and the "Chemistry" of the Sublunary World.

PubMed

Viano, Cristina

2015-08-01

In On Generation and Corruption 1.10, Aristotle introduces the new idea of "chemical mixture" (mixis) to explain the constitution of those homogeneous substances from which all things in the sublunary world are comprised. In a mixture, the ingredients interact with one another to give rise to a new substance, qualitatively different, yet preserving the original ingredients in potentia, so that they can be separated again. In Book IV of the Meteorologica, Aristotle further suggests that bodies may be "diagnosed" according to certain passive properties, such as the fusibility of metals. While his theory of mixture has often led historians of science to identify Aristotle as one of the precursors of chemical science, his ideas have also been criticised as archaic, and implicated in a qualitative conception of the cosmos that delayed progress towards quantifying natural phenomena. In this paper, I take up the defence of Aristotle's theory by showing that his concept of mixture is not an obstacle to the development of natural science and chemistry, but, on the contrary, opens the way by offering an advanced model of qualitative analysis which does not exclude the possibility of quantitative development.

The Role of Informal Support Networks in Teaching the Nature of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Herman, Benjamin C.; Olson, Joanne K.; Clough, Michael P.

2017-06-01

This study reports the participation of 13 secondary science teachers in informal support networks and how that participation was associated with their nature of science (NOS) teaching practices 2 to 5 years after having graduated from the same science teacher education program. The nine teachers who participated in informal support networks taught the NOS at high/medium levels, while the four non-participating teachers taught the NOS at low levels. The nine high/medium NOS implementation teachers credited the informal support networks for maintaining/heightening their sense of responsibility for teaching NOS and for helping them navigate institutional constraints that impede effective NOS instruction. Several high/medium NOS instruction implementers initially struggled to autonomously frame and resolve the complexities experienced in schools and thus drew from the support networks to engage in more sophisticated forms of teacher decision-making. In contrast, the NOS pedagogical decisions of the four teachers not participating in support networks were governed primarily by the expectations and constraints experienced in their schools. Implications of this study include the need for reconsidering the structure of teacher mentorship programs to ensure they do not promote archaic science teaching practices that are at odds with reform efforts in science education.

Cryptosporidium parvum Among Coprolites from La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (600-800 CE), Rio Zape Valley, Durango, Mexico.

PubMed

Morrow, Johnica J; Reinhard, Karl J

2016-08-01

:  In the present study, 90 coprolites from La Cueva de los Muertos Chiquitos (CMC) were subjected to enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) tests for 3 diarrhea-inducing protozoan parasites, Entamoeba histolytica , Giardia duodenalis , and Cryptosporidium parvum , to determine whether these parasites were present among the people who utilized this cave 1,200-1,400 yr ago. These people, the Loma San Gabriel, developed as a culture out of the Archaic Los Caracoles population and lived throughout much of present-day Durango and Zacatecas in Mexico. The Loma San Gabriel persisted through a mixed subsistence strategy of hunting-gathering and agricultural production. The results of ELISA testing were negative for both E. histolytica and G. duodenalis across all coprolites. A total of 66/90 (∼73% prevalence) coprolites tested positive or likely positive for C. parvum . The high prevalence of C. parvum among CMC coprolites contributes to our growing knowledge of the pathoecology among the Loma San Gabriel who utilized CMC. Herein, we report the successful recovery of C. parvum coproantigens from prehistoric coprolites. The recovery of these coproantigens demonstrates the existence of C. parvum in Mesoamerica before European contact in the 1400s.

Colleges and universities: survival in the information age

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huff, Warren D.

2000-07-01

Coping with information technology (IT) planning is one of the more important, expensive, time-consuming and potentially disastrous exercises an academic institution can undertake. Those institutions that are successful in establishing administrative and academic frameworks within which rapid technological change and adaptation can occur will survive and those who stubbornly adhere to archaic styles of management and decision-making will not. IT strategies, priorities and plans must be driven by and integrated with on-going academic planning. Cross-department/unit collaboration must be encouraged and facilitated by university resources and processes. Long-range planning and identification of reasonable and attainable goals requires a leadership and governance structure in which all major stakeholders participate in setting information technology strategies, priorities, plans, standards and performance measures. A successful technology funding strategy must ensure budgeting for adequate network facilities, including assets and the people and processes to support them. Accompanying these administrative procedures should be an open dialogue on the issues brought about by apparent conflicts between University wide standardization of basic policy, procedures and technologies and the pedagogical and research initiatives which address unique collegiate or departmental needs. Network capabilities should be integrated, timely, accurate, secure and easily accessible to all who need it.

Towards an Absolute Chronology for the Aegean Iron Age: New Radiocarbon Dates from Lefkandi, Kalapodi and Corinth

PubMed Central

Toffolo, Michael B.; Fantalkin, Alexander; Lemos, Irene S.; Felsch, Rainer C. S.; Niemeier, Wolf-Dietrich; Sanders, Guy D. R.; Finkelstein, Israel; Boaretto, Elisabetta

2013-01-01

The relative chronology of the Aegean Iron Age is robust. It is based on minute stylistic changes in the Submycenaean, Protogeometric and Geometric styles and their sub-phases. Yet, the absolute chronology of the time-span between the final stages of Late Helladic IIIC in the late second millennium BCE and the archaic colonization of Italy and Sicily toward the end of the 8th century BCE lacks archaeological contexts that can be directly related to events carrying absolute dates mentioned in Egyptian/Near Eastern historical sources, or to well-dated Egyptian/Near Eastern rulers. The small number of radiocarbon dates available for this time span is not sufficient to establish an absolute chronological sequence. Here we present a new set of short-lived radiocarbon dates from the sites of Lefkandi, Kalapodi and Corinth in Greece. We focus on the crucial transition from the Submycenaean to the Protogeometric periods. This transition is placed in the late 11th century BCE according to the Conventional Aegean Chronology and in the late 12th century BCE according to the High Aegean Chronology. Our results place it in the second half of the 11th century BCE. PMID:24386150

Bandicoot fossils and DNA elucidate lineage antiquity amongst xeric-adapted Australasian marsupials.

PubMed

Kear, Benjamin P; Aplin, Ken P; Westerman, Michael

2016-11-24

Bandicoots (Peramelemorphia) are a unique order of Australasian marsupials whose sparse fossil record has been used as prima facie evidence for climate change coincident faunal turnover. In particular, the hypothesized replacement of ancient rainforest-dwelling extinct lineages by antecedents of xeric-tolerant extant taxa during the late Miocene (~10 Ma) has been advocated as a broader pattern evident amongst other marsupial clades. Problematically, however, this is in persistent conflict with DNA phylogenies. We therefore determine the pattern and timing of bandicoot evolution using the first combined morphological + DNA sequence dataset of Peramelemorphia. In addition, we document a remarkably archaic new fossil peramelemorphian taxon that inhabited a latest Quaternary mosaic savannah-riparian forest ecosystem on the Aru Islands of Eastern Indonesia. Our phylogenetic analyses reveal that unsuspected dental homoplasy and the detrimental effects of missing data collectively obscure stem bandicoot relationships. Nevertheless, recalibrated molecular clocks and multiple ancestral area optimizations unanimously infer an early diversification of modern xeric-adapted forms. These probably originated during the late Palaeogene (30-40 Ma) alongside progenitors of other desert marsupials, and thus occupied seasonally dry heterogenous habitats long before the onset of late Neogene aridity.

A bizarre new toothed mysticete (Cetacea) from Australia and the early evolution of baleen whales.

PubMed

Fitzgerald, Erich M G

2006-12-07

Extant baleen whales (Cetacea, Mysticeti) are all large filter-feeding marine mammals that lack teeth as adults, instead possessing baleen, and feed on small marine animals in bulk. The early evolution of these superlative mammals, and their unique feeding method, has hitherto remained enigmatic. Here, I report a new toothed mysticete from the Late Oligocene of Australia that is more archaic than any previously described. Unlike all other mysticetes, this new whale was small, had enormous eyes and lacked derived adaptations for bulk filter-feeding. Several morphological features suggest that this mysticete was a macrophagous predator, being convergent on some Mesozoic marine reptiles and the extant leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx). It thus refutes the notions that all stem mysticetes were filter-feeders, and that the origins and initial radiation of mysticetes was linked to the evolution of filter-feeding. Mysticetes evidently radiated into a variety of disparate forms and feeding ecologies before the evolution of baleen or filter-feeding. The phylogenetic context of the new whale indicates that basal mysticetes were macrophagous predators that did not employ filter-feeding or echolocation, and that the evolution of characters associated with bulk filter-feeding was gradual.

A bizarre new toothed mysticete (Cetacea) from Australia and the early evolution of baleen whales

PubMed Central

Fitzgerald, Erich M.G

2006-01-01

Extant baleen whales (Cetacea, Mysticeti) are all large filter-feeding marine mammals that lack teeth as adults, instead possessing baleen, and feed on small marine animals in bulk. The early evolution of these superlative mammals, and their unique feeding method, has hitherto remained enigmatic. Here, I report a new toothed mysticete from the Late Oligocene of Australia that is more archaic than any previously described. Unlike all other mysticetes, this new whale was small, had enormous eyes and lacked derived adaptations for bulk filter-feeding. Several morphological features suggest that this mysticete was a macrophagous predator, being convergent on some Mesozoic marine reptiles and the extant leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx). It thus refutes the notions that all stem mysticetes were filter-feeders, and that the origins and initial radiation of mysticetes was linked to the evolution of filter-feeding. Mysticetes evidently radiated into a variety of disparate forms and feeding ecologies before the evolution of baleen or filter-feeding. The phylogenetic context of the new whale indicates that basal mysticetes were macrophagous predators that did not employ filter-feeding or echolocation, and that the evolution of characters associated with bulk filter-feeding was gradual. PMID:17015308

Digital reconstruction of the Ceprano calvarium (Italy), and implications for its interpretation.

PubMed

Di Vincenzo, Fabio; Profico, Antonio; Bernardini, Federico; Cerroni, Vittorio; Dreossi, Diego; Schlager, Stefan; Zaio, Paola; Benazzi, Stefano; Biddittu, Italo; Rubini, Mauro; Tuniz, Claudio; Manzi, Giorgio

2017-10-25

The Ceprano calvarium was discovered in fragments on March 1994 near the town of Ceprano in southern Latium (Italy), embedded in Middle Pleistocene layers. After reconstruction, its morphological features suggests that the specimen belongs to an archaic variant of H. heidelbergensis, representing a proxy for the last common ancestor of the diverging clades that respectively led to H. neanderthalensis and H. sapiens. Unfortunately, the calvarium was taphonomically damaged. The postero-lateral vault, in particular, appears deformed and this postmortem damage may have influenced previous interpretations. Specifically, there is a depression on the fragmented left parietal, while the right cranial wall is warped and angulated. This deformation affected the shape of the occipital squama, producing an inclination of the transverse occipital torus. In this paper, after X-ray microtomography (μCT) of both the calvarium and several additional fragments, we analyze consistency and pattern of the taphonomic deformation that affected the specimen, before the computer-assisted retrodeformation has been performed; this has also provided the opportunity to reappraise early attempts at restoration. As a result, we offer a revised interpretation for the Ceprano calvarium's original shape, now free from the previous uncertainties, along with insight for its complex depositional and taphonomic history.

Deep-time moles: art and archiving for an uncertain radiological future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffiths, Dave; Illingworth, Samuel; Girling, Matt

2017-04-01

This paper will present Deep Field [UnclearZine], a 2016 art-science project conducted at Mol and Dessel, two neighbouring rural villages co-existing with sites for planned geological nuclear-waste disposal in eastern Belgium. Dave Griffiths produced a microfiche publication that probes and narrates the scientific testing and politics of decision-making surrounding controversial ONDRAF-NIRAS (Belgian National Agency for Radioactive Waste and Enriched Fissile Materials) projects - at CatA, a tumulus for encasing low-level waste, and HADES, a lab investigating the feasibility and safety-case for deep-time geo-burial of high-level waste in clay strata. Griffiths' field work used qualitative and experiential methods such as ethnographic interviews with state scientists and independent monitoring groups, photographic derive, and sound recording, to sense a wider Anthropogenic narrative of energy production, mineral extraction and terrorist threat. Data were then remixed through narrative responses by scientist-poet Dr Sam Illingworth (Manchester Metropolitan University) and DIY-comix artist Matt Girling. Through experimenting with archaic analogue film technology, Griffiths collaged and miniaturised content to produce an edition of microfiches that have been distributed to zine libraries internationally. This subcultural format attempts to translate the past, present and future history of the repositories as folkloric sites of conflict, complexity and unknowing, for the benefit of a far-future readership. The paper will discuss the contemporary context of epistemological uncertainty around the survival and reception of crucial nuclear-security information in the face of inevitable material, linguistic and political ruination. We suggest that place-markers, as monumental semiotic warnings to the future, along with digital archives, might also be augmented by decentralised analogue fragments that promote ongoing memorialisation of nuclear-heritage sites through intergenerational storytelling and re-archiving. The gesture of microfiche proposes an indeterminate, spectral archive for future citizens, that could be re-translated and reproduced many times through deep-time subject to a decision: to remember, or to delete? Deep Field [UnclearZine] was produced for the exhibition Perpetual Uncertainty: Contemporary Art in the Nuclear Anthropocene, Bildmuseet, Umeå, Sweden (2 October 2016 - 16 April 2017). Curated by Ele Carpenter (Nuclear Cultures Research Group, Goldsmith University UK) and commissioned by Arts Catalyst (London) with support from Z33 House for Contemporary Art (Hasselt, Belgium) and Manchester School of Art (UK).

Effects of recombinant human growth hormone and nandrolone phenylpropionate on the healing of ischemic colon anastomosis in rats.

PubMed

Yarimkaya, Ali; Apaydin, Berat; Unal, Ethem; Karabicak, Ilhan; Aydogan, Fatih; Uslu, Ezel; Erginoz, Ethem; Artis, Tarik; Eyuboglu, Erhun

2003-12-01

Recombinant human growth hormone and nandrolone phenylpropionate are two different anabolic agents. This study was designed to investigate the effects of these anabolic agents on the healing of ischemic colon anastomosis in rats. Seventy adult male Wistar rats were divided into five groups (n = 14). Group I was the sham laparotomy group. In the other groups, surgical procedures consisting of transsection and anastomosis were made at a distance 3 cm from the peritoneal reflection. Group II was the nonischemic control group. Ischemic colon model was produced in the remaining groups. Group III was the untreated control group. Groups IV and V received recombinant human growth hormone and nandrolone phenylpropionate, respectively. Bursting pressure and hydroxyproline levels were measured on the third and seventh postoperative days to evaluate anastomotic healing. Recombinant human growth hormone increased both collagen deposition and bursting pressure significantly at postoperative Days 3 and 7 compared with the sham and untreated control groups (P < 0.005). When compared with the untreated control, nandrolone phenylpropionate significantly increased collagen deposition at postoperative Days 3 and 7 (P < 0.005) and bursting pressure only at postoperative Day 3 (P < 0.005). Recombinant human growth hormone has more favorable therapeutic effects on the healing of ischemic colonic anastomoses than nandrolone phenylpropionate. Recombinant human growth hormone also improves healing of nonischemic colonic anastomosis.

The Analysis of a Diet for the Human Being and the Companion Animal using Big Data in 2016

PubMed Central

Kang, Hye Won

2017-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diet tendencies of human and companion animals using big data analysis. The keyword data of human diet and companion animals' diet were collected from the portal site Naver from January 1, 2016 until December 31, 2016 and collected data were analyzed by simple frequency analysis, N-gram analysis, keyword network analysis and seasonality analysis. In terms of human, the word exercise had the highest frequency through simple frequency analysis, whereas diet menu most frequently appeared in the N-gram analysis. companion animals, the term dog had the highest frequency in simple frequency analysis, whereas diet method was most frequent through N-gram analysis. Keyword network analysis for human indicated 4 groups: diet group, exercise group, commercial diet food group, and commercial diet program group. However, the keyword network analysis for companion animals indicated 3 groups: diet group, exercise group, and professional medical help group. The analysis of seasonality showed that the interest in diet for both human and companion animals increased steadily since February of 2016 and reached its peak in July. In conclusion, diets of human and companion animals showed similar tendencies, particularly having higher preference for dietary control over other methods. The diets of companion animals are determined by the choice of their owners as effective diet method for owners are usually applied to the companion animals. Therefore, it is necessary to have empirical demonstration of whether correlation of obesity between human being and the companion animals exist. PMID:29124046

The Analysis of a Diet for the Human Being and the Companion Animal using Big Data in 2016.

PubMed

Jung, Eun-Jin; Kim, Young-Suk; Choi, Jung-Wa; Kang, Hye Won; Chang, Un-Jae

2017-10-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diet tendencies of human and companion animals using big data analysis. The keyword data of human diet and companion animals' diet were collected from the portal site Naver from January 1, 2016 until December 31, 2016 and collected data were analyzed by simple frequency analysis, N-gram analysis, keyword network analysis and seasonality analysis. In terms of human, the word exercise had the highest frequency through simple frequency analysis, whereas diet menu most frequently appeared in the N-gram analysis. companion animals, the term dog had the highest frequency in simple frequency analysis, whereas diet method was most frequent through N-gram analysis. Keyword network analysis for human indicated 4 groups: diet group, exercise group, commercial diet food group, and commercial diet program group. However, the keyword network analysis for companion animals indicated 3 groups: diet group, exercise group, and professional medical help group. The analysis of seasonality showed that the interest in diet for both human and companion animals increased steadily since February of 2016 and reached its peak in July. In conclusion, diets of human and companion animals showed similar tendencies, particularly having higher preference for dietary control over other methods. The diets of companion animals are determined by the choice of their owners as effective diet method for owners are usually applied to the companion animals. Therefore, it is necessary to have empirical demonstration of whether correlation of obesity between human being and the companion animals exist.

[Role of donor human milk feeding in preventing nosocomial infection in very low birth weight infants].

PubMed

Bi, Hong-Juan; Xu, Jing; Wei, Qiu-Fen

2018-02-01

To investigate the role of donor human milk in the prevention of nosocomial infection in very low birth weight infants. MeETHODS: A total of 105 hospitalized preterm infants with a very low birth weight were enrolled. They were classified into mother's own milk feeding group, donor human milk feeding group, and preterm formula feeding group, with 35 infants in each group. The three groups were compared in terms of incidence rates of nosocomial infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, and feeding intolerance, time to full enteral feeding, and early growth indices. Compared with the preterm formula feeding group, the donor human milk feeding group and the mother's own milk feeding group had significantly lower incidence rates of nosocomial infection and necrotizing enterocolitis and shorter time to full enteral feeding (P<0.05). There were no significant differences in head circumference, body length, and weight growth velocity among the three groups. Donor human milk can be used in case of a lack of mother's own milk and may help to reduce nosocomial infection.

Clonal group distribution of fluoroquinolone-resistant Escherichia coli among humans and companion animals in Australia.

PubMed

Platell, Joanne L; Cobbold, Rowland N; Johnson, James R; Trott, Darren J

2010-09-01

To determine the phylogenetic group distribution and prevalence of three major globally disseminated clonal groups [clonal group A (CGA) and O15:K52:H1, associated with phylogenetic group D, and sequence type ST131, associated with phylogenetic group B2] among fluoroquinolone-resistant extra-intestinal Escherichia coli isolates from humans and companion animals in Australia. Clinical extra-intestinal fluoroquinolone-resistant E. coli isolates were obtained from humans (n = 582) and companion animals (n = 125), on Australia's east coast (October 2007-October 2009). Isolates were tested for susceptibility to seven antimicrobial agents, and for phylogenetic group, O type and clonal-group-specific single nucleotide polymorphisms by PCR. The fluoroquinolone-resistant isolates were typically resistant to multiple agents (median of four). Analysis revealed that clonal group ST131 accounted for a large subset of the human isolates (202/585, 35%), but for a much smaller proportion of the companion animal isolates (9/125, 7.2%; P

A brief history of human blood groups.

PubMed

Farhud, Dariush D; Zarif Yeganeh, Marjan

2013-01-01

The evolution of human blood groups, without doubt, has a history as old as man himself. There are at least three hypotheses about the emergence and mutation of human blood groups. Global distribution pattern of blood groups depends on various environmental factors, such as disease, climate, altitude, humidity etc. In this survey, the collection of main blood groups ABO and Rh, along with some minor groups, are presented. Several investigations of blood groups from Iran, particularly a large sampling on 291857 individuals from Iran, including the main blood groups ABO and Rh, as well as minor blood groups such as Duffy, Lutheran, Kell, KP, Kidd, and Xg, have been reviewed.

hCG, the wonder of today's science

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background hCG is a wonder. Firstly, because hCG is such an extreme molecule. hCG is the most acidic glycoprotein containing the highest proportion of sugars. Secondly, hCG exists in 5 common forms. Finally, it has so many functions ranging from control of human pregnancy to human cancer. This review examines these molecules in detail. Content These 5 molecules, hCG, sulfated hCG, hyperglycosylated hCG, hCG free beta and hyperglycosylated free beta are produced by placental syncytiotrophoblast cells and pituitary gonadotrope cells (group 1), and by placental cytotrophoblast cells and human malignancies (group 2). Group 1 molecules are both hormones that act on the hCG/LH receptor. These molecules are central to human menstrual cycle and human pregnancy. Group 2 molecules are autocrines, that act by antagonizing a TGF beta receptor. These molecules are critical to all advanced malignancies. Conclusions The hCG groups are molecules critical to both the molecules of pregnancy or human life, and to the advancement of cancer, or human death. PMID:22455390

Paper-based device for rapid typing of secondary human blood groups.

PubMed

Li, Miaosi; Then, Whui Lyn; Li, Lizi; Shen, Wei

2014-01-01

We report the use of bioactive paper for typing of secondary human blood groups. Our recent work on using bioactive paper for human blood typing has led to the discovery of a new method for identifying haemagglutination of red blood cells. The primary human blood groups, i.e., ABO and RhD groups, have been successfully typed with this method. Clinically, however, many secondary blood groups can also cause fatal blood transfusion accidents, despite the fact that the haemagglutination reactions of secondary blood groups are generally weaker than those of the primary blood groups. We describe the design of a user-friendly sensor for rapid typing of secondary blood groups using bioactive paper. We also present mechanistic insights into interactions between secondary blood group antibodies and red blood cells obtained using confocal microscopy. Haemagglutination patterns under different conditions are revealed for optimization of the assay conditions.

Soil and Human Interactions in Maya Wetlands

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beach, Timothy; Luzzadder-Beach, Sheryl

2013-04-01

Since the early 1990s, we have studied Maya interaction with soils in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and elsewhere. We studied upland and lowland soils, but here we focus on seasonal or 'Bajo' wetlands and perennial wetlands for different reasons. Around the bajos, the ancient Maya focused on intensive agriculture and habitation despite the difficulties their Vertisol soils posed. For the perennial wetlands, small populations spread diffusely through Mollisol and Histisol landscapes with large scale, intensive agro-ecosystems. These wetlands also represent important repositories for both environmental change and how humans responded in situ to environmental changes. Work analyzing bajo soils has recorded significant diversity but the soil and sediment record shows two main eras of soil instability: the Pleistocene-Holocene transition as rainfall fluctuated and increased and tropical forest pulsed through the region, and the Maya Preclassic to Classic 3000 to 1000 BP as deforestation, land use intensity, and drying waxed and waned. The ancient Maya adapted their bajo soil ecosystems successfully through agro-engineering but they also withdrew in many important places in the Late Preclassic about 2000 BP and Terminal Classic about 1200 BP. We continue to study and debate the importance of perennial wetland agro-ecosystems, but it is now clear that Maya interaction with these soil landscapes was significant and multifaceted. Based on soil excavation and coring with a broad toolkit of soil stratigraphy, chemistry, and paleoecology from 2001 to 2013, our results show the ancient Maya interacted with their wetland soils to maintain cropland for maize, tree crops, arrow root, and cassava against relative sea level rise, increased flooding, and aggradation by gypsum precipitation and sedimentation. We have studied these interactions across an area of 2000 km2 in Northern Belize to understand how Maya response varied and how these soil environments varied over time and distance. Most areas dealt with water table rise and gypsum aggradation from extremely sulfur- and calcium-rich water sources. Thus far we have evidence for Archaic to Classic aggradation (5000 BP to the present) and Classic period fields and canals as mostly piecemeal attempts by the Maya to adapt to these and other environmental changes. Wetland fields were mainly Classic period systems (1500 to 1000 BP) but varied from long- to short-lived. We found one example of a very Late/Terminal Classic (c. 1200 BP), preplanned reclamation project on a floodplain. One system had some reoccupation in the Postclassic about 800 BP. These findings and a recent discovery in Campeche, MX display the burgeoning evidence for intricate Maya connections with tropical wetland soils.

Effectiveness of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone for Pharyngocutaneous Fistula Closure.

PubMed

Kucuk, Nurten; Sari, Murat; Midi, Ahmet; Yumusakhuylu, Ali Cemal; Findik, Ozan; Binnetoglu, Adem

2015-12-01

In laryngeal cancer, which comprises 25% of head and neck cancer, chemotherapy has come into prominence with the increase in organ-protective treatments. With such treatment, salvage surgery has increased following recurrence; the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula has also increased in both respiratory and digestive system surgery. We investigated the effects of recombinant human growth hormone on pharyngocutaneous fistula closure in Sprague-Dawley rats, based on an increase in amino acid uptake and protein synthesis for wound healing, an increase in mitogenesis, and enhancement of collagen formation by recombinant human growth hormone. This study was experimental animal study. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into two groups, and pharyngoesophagotomy was performed. The pharyngoesophagotomy was sutured with vicryl in both groups. Rats in group 1 (control group) received no treatment, while those in group 2 were administered a subcutaneous injection of recombinant human growth hormone daily. On day 14, the pharynx, larynx, and upper oesophagus were excised and examined microscopically. Pharyngocutaneous fistula exhibited better closure macroscopically in the recombinant human growth hormone group. There was a significant difference in collagen formation and epithelisation in the recombinant human growth hormone group compared to the control group. This study is believed to be the first in which the effect of recombinant human growth hormone on pharyngocutaneous fistula closure was evaluated, and the findings suggest the potential of use of growth hormone for treatment of pharyngocutaneous fistula.

Selective auditory grouping by zebra finches: testing the iambic-trochaic law.

PubMed

Spierings, Michelle; Hubert, Jeroen; Ten Cate, Carel

2017-07-01

Humans have a strong tendency to spontaneously group visual or auditory stimuli together in larger patterns. One of these perceptual grouping biases is formulated as the iambic/trochaic law, where humans group successive tones alternating in pitch and intensity as trochees (high-low and loud-soft) and alternating in duration as iambs (short-long). The grouping of alternations in pitch and intensity into trochees is a human universal and is also present in one non-human animal species, rats. The perceptual grouping of sounds alternating in duration seems to be affected by native language in humans and has so far not been found among animals. In the current study, we explore to which extent these perceptual biases are present in a songbird, the zebra finch. Zebra finches were trained to discriminate between short strings of pure tones organized as iambs and as trochees. One group received tones that alternated in pitch, a second group heard tones alternating in duration, and for a third group, tones alternated in intensity. Those zebra finches that showed sustained correct discrimination were next tested with longer, ambiguous strings of alternating sounds. The zebra finches in the pitch condition categorized ambiguous strings of alternating tones as trochees, similar to humans. However, most of the zebra finches in the duration and intensity condition did not learn to discriminate between training stimuli organized as iambs and trochees. This study shows that the perceptual bias to group tones alternating in pitch as trochees is not specific to humans and rats, but may be more widespread among animals.

The monetary value of human lives lost due to neglected tropical diseases in Africa.

PubMed

Kirigia, Joses Muthuri; Mburugu, Gitonga N

2017-12-18

Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are an important cause of death and disability in Africa. This study estimates the monetary value of human lives lost due to NTDs in the continent in 2015. The lost output or human capital approach was used to evaluate the years of life lost due to premature deaths from NTDs among 10 high/upper-middle-income (Group 1), 17 middle-income (Group 2) and 27 low-income (Group 3) countries in Africa. The future losses were discounted to their present values at a 3% discount rate. The model was re-analysed using 5% and 10% discount rates to assess the impact on the estimated total value of human lives lost. The estimated value of 67 860 human lives lost in 2015 due to NTDs was Int$ 5 112 472 607. Out of that, 14.6% was borne by Group 1, 57.7% by Group 2 and 27.7% by Group 3 countries. The mean value of human life lost per NTD death was Int$ 231 278, Int$ 109 771 and Int$ 37 489 for Group 1, Group 2 and Group 3 countries, respectively. The estimated value of human lives lost in 2015 due to NTDs was equivalent to 0.1% of the cumulative gross domestic product of the 53 continental African countries. Even though NTDs are not a major cause of death, they impact negatively on the productivity of those affected throughout their life-course. Thus, the case for investing in NTDs control should also be influenced by the value of NTD morbidity, availability of effective donated medicines, human rights arguments, and need to achieve the NTD-related target 3.3 of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 3 (on health) by 2030.

A Life-Cycle Model of Human Social Groups Produces a U-Shaped Distribution in Group Size.

PubMed

Salali, Gul Deniz; Whitehouse, Harvey; Hochberg, Michael E

2015-01-01

One of the central puzzles in the study of sociocultural evolution is how and why transitions from small-scale human groups to large-scale, hierarchically more complex ones occurred. Here we develop a spatially explicit agent-based model as a first step towards understanding the ecological dynamics of small and large-scale human groups. By analogy with the interactions between single-celled and multicellular organisms, we build a theory of group lifecycles as an emergent property of single cell demographic and expansion behaviours. We find that once the transition from small-scale to large-scale groups occurs, a few large-scale groups continue expanding while small-scale groups gradually become scarcer, and large-scale groups become larger in size and fewer in number over time. Demographic and expansion behaviours of groups are largely influenced by the distribution and availability of resources. Our results conform to a pattern of human political change in which religions and nation states come to be represented by a few large units and many smaller ones. Future enhancements of the model should include decision-making rules and probabilities of fragmentation for large-scale societies. We suggest that the synthesis of population ecology and social evolution will generate increasingly plausible models of human group dynamics.

A Life-Cycle Model of Human Social Groups Produces a U-Shaped Distribution in Group Size

PubMed Central

Salali, Gul Deniz; Whitehouse, Harvey; Hochberg, Michael E.

2015-01-01

One of the central puzzles in the study of sociocultural evolution is how and why transitions from small-scale human groups to large-scale, hierarchically more complex ones occurred. Here we develop a spatially explicit agent-based model as a first step towards understanding the ecological dynamics of small and large-scale human groups. By analogy with the interactions between single-celled and multicellular organisms, we build a theory of group lifecycles as an emergent property of single cell demographic and expansion behaviours. We find that once the transition from small-scale to large-scale groups occurs, a few large-scale groups continue expanding while small-scale groups gradually become scarcer, and large-scale groups become larger in size and fewer in number over time. Demographic and expansion behaviours of groups are largely influenced by the distribution and availability of resources. Our results conform to a pattern of human political change in which religions and nation states come to be represented by a few large units and many smaller ones. Future enhancements of the model should include decision-making rules and probabilities of fragmentation for large-scale societies. We suggest that the synthesis of population ecology and social evolution will generate increasingly plausible models of human group dynamics. PMID:26381745

Immune thrombocytopenic purpura might be an early hematologic manifestation of undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus infection.

PubMed

Lai, Shih-Wei; Lin, Hsien-Feng; Lin, Cheng-Li; Liao, Kuan-Fu

2017-03-01

Little research focuses on the association between immune thrombocytopenic purpura and human immunodeficiency virus infection in Taiwan. This study investigated whether immune thrombocytopenic purpura might be an early hematologic manifestation of undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus infection in Taiwan. We conducted a retrospective population-based cohort study using data of individuals enrolled in Taiwan National Health Insurance Program. There were 5472 subjects aged 1-84 years with a new diagnosis of immune thrombocytopenic purpura as the purpura group since 1998-2010 and 21,887 sex-matched and age-matched, randomly selected subjects without immune thrombocytopenic purpura as the non-purpura group. The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus infection at the end of 2011 was measured in both groups. We used the multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression model to measure the hazard ratio and 95 % confidence interval (CI) for the association between immune thrombocytopenic purpura and human immunodeficiency virus infection. The overall incidence of human immunodeficiency virus infection was 6.47-fold higher in the purpura group than that in the non-purpura group (3.78 vs. 0.58 per 10,000 person-years, 95 % CI 5.83-7.18). After controlling for potential confounding factors, the adjusted HR of human immunodeficiency virus infection was 6.3 (95 % CI 2.58-15.4) for the purpura group, as compared with the non-purpura group. We conclude that individuals with immune thrombocytopenic purpura are 6.47-fold more likely to have human immunodeficiency virus infection than those without immune thrombocytopenic purpura. We suggest not all patients, but only those who have risk factors for human immunodeficiency virus infection should receive testing for undiagnosed human immunodeficiency virus infection when they develop immune thrombocytopenic purpura.

The relative use of proximity, shape similarity, and orientation as visual perceptual grouping cues in tufted capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella) and humans (Homo sapiens).

PubMed

Spinozzi, Giovanna; De Lillo, Carlo; Truppa, Valentina; Castorina, Giulia

2009-02-01

Recent experimental results suggest that human and nonhuman primates differ in how they process visual information to assemble component parts into global shapes. To assess whether some of the observed differences in perceptual grouping could be accounted for by the prevalence of different grouping factors in different species, we carried out 2 experiments designed to evaluate the relative use of proximity, similarity of shape, and orientation as grouping cues in humans (Homo sapiens) and capuchin monkeys (Cebus apella). Both species showed similarly high levels of accuracy using proximity as a cue. Moreover, for both species, grouping by orientation similarity produced a lower level of performance than grouping by proximity. Differences emerged with respect to the use of shape similarity as a cue. In humans, grouping by shape similarity also proved less effective than grouping by proximity but the same was not observed in capuchins. These results suggest that there may be subtle differences between humans and capuchin monkeys in the weighting assigned to different grouping cues that may affect the way in which they combine local features into global shapes. Copyright 2009 APA, all rights reserved.

The Development of Altruism with Special Reference to Human Relationships: A 10-Stage Theory.

PubMed

Ma, Hing Keung

2017-01-01

All human relationships involve some form of cost and benefit and altruism forms the foundation upon which human relationships are built. In this paper, a taxonomy of human relationships in terms of altruism was constructed. In the proposed taxonomy, human relationships are categorized into three major groups: primary group, secondary group, and tertiary group. The primary group consists of members that are very closely related to each other either by genetic relatedness (e.g., parents, siblings, and cousins) or social relatedness (e.g., mate and close friends) or both. The secondary group consists of members that are socially related but also less closely related with each other (e.g., people of the same political or religious group, teachers, mentors, acquaintances, neighbors, working colleagues, and strangers). Lastly, the tertiary group consists of members of other species. A 10-stage theory of altruism with special reference to human relationships is proposed. The affective, cognitive, and relationship aspects of each stage are delineated in details. There are two developmental principles of altruism. The first principle states that the development of altruism follows the 10-stage theory and moves from Stage 1: Egoism toward the higher stages of altruism slowly. The second developmental principle states that the taxonomy of human relationships is valid at any stage of altruism development. In other words, people at any stage of altruism are more altruistic toward their kin and mate, and then close friends, extended family members, and so on. They are least altruistic toward enemies and members of non-human species. In summary, the proposed developmental principle of altruism and human relationships is logical and robust. It is formulated based on the major developmental and social psychological theories. The theory has the potential in providing a useful framework for future studies on the development and evolution of human relationships.

The Development of Altruism with Special Reference to Human Relationships: A 10-Stage Theory

PubMed Central

Ma, Hing Keung

2017-01-01

All human relationships involve some form of cost and benefit and altruism forms the foundation upon which human relationships are built. In this paper, a taxonomy of human relationships in terms of altruism was constructed. In the proposed taxonomy, human relationships are categorized into three major groups: primary group, secondary group, and tertiary group. The primary group consists of members that are very closely related to each other either by genetic relatedness (e.g., parents, siblings, and cousins) or social relatedness (e.g., mate and close friends) or both. The secondary group consists of members that are socially related but also less closely related with each other (e.g., people of the same political or religious group, teachers, mentors, acquaintances, neighbors, working colleagues, and strangers). Lastly, the tertiary group consists of members of other species. A 10-stage theory of altruism with special reference to human relationships is proposed. The affective, cognitive, and relationship aspects of each stage are delineated in details. There are two developmental principles of altruism. The first principle states that the development of altruism follows the 10-stage theory and moves from Stage 1: Egoism toward the higher stages of altruism slowly. The second developmental principle states that the taxonomy of human relationships is valid at any stage of altruism development. In other words, people at any stage of altruism are more altruistic toward their kin and mate, and then close friends, extended family members, and so on. They are least altruistic toward enemies and members of non-human species. In summary, the proposed developmental principle of altruism and human relationships is logical and robust. It is formulated based on the major developmental and social psychological theories. The theory has the potential in providing a useful framework for future studies on the development and evolution of human relationships. PMID:29085818

Unbiased whole-genome deep sequencing of human and porcine stool samples reveals circulation of multiple groups of rotaviruses and a putative zoonotic infection

PubMed Central

Phan, My V. T.; Anh, Pham Hong; Cuong, Nguyen Van; Munnink, Bas B. Oude; van der Hoek, Lia; My, Phuc Tran; Tri, Tue Ngo; Bryant, Juliet E.; Baker, Stephen; Thwaites, Guy; Woolhouse, Mark; Kellam, Paul; Rabaa, Maia A.

2016-01-01

Abstract Coordinated and synchronous surveillance for zoonotic viruses in both human clinical cases and animal reservoirs provides an opportunity to identify interspecies virus movement. Rotavirus (RV) is an important cause of viral gastroenteritis in humans and animals. In this study, we document the RV diversity within co-located humans and animals sampled from the Mekong delta region of Vietnam using a primer-independent, agnostic, deep sequencing approach. A total of 296 stool samples (146 from diarrhoeal human patients and 150 from pigs living in the same geographical region) were directly sequenced, generating the genomic sequences of sixty human rotaviruses (all group A) and thirty-one porcine rotaviruses (thirteen group A, seven group B, six group C, and five group H). Phylogenetic analyses showed the co-circulation of multiple distinct RV group A (RVA) genotypes/strains, many of which were divergent from the strain components of licensed RVA vaccines, as well as considerable virus diversity in pigs including full genomes of rotaviruses in groups B, C, and H, none of which have been previously reported in Vietnam. Furthermore, the detection of an atypical RVA genotype constellation (G4-P[6]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A8-N1-T7-E1-H1) in a human patient and a pig from the same region provides some evidence for a zoonotic event. PMID:28748110

Effectiveness of Recombinant Human Growth Hormone for Pharyngocutaneous Fistula Closure

PubMed Central

Sari, Murat; Midi, Ahmet; Yumusakhuylu, Ali Cemal; Findik, Ozan; Binnetoglu, Adem

2015-01-01

Objectives In laryngeal cancer, which comprises 25% of head and neck cancer, chemotherapy has come into prominence with the increase in organ-protective treatments. With such treatment, salvage surgery has increased following recurrence; the incidence of pharyngocutaneous fistula has also increased in both respiratory and digestive system surgery. We investigated the effects of recombinant human growth hormone on pharyngocutaneous fistula closure in Sprague-Dawley rats, based on an increase in amino acid uptake and protein synthesis for wound healing, an increase in mitogenesis, and enhancement of collagen formation by recombinant human growth hormone. Methods This study was experimental animal study. Forty Sprague-Dawley rats were separated into two groups, and pharyngoesophagotomy was performed. The pharyngoesophagotomy was sutured with vicryl in both groups. Rats in group 1 (control group) received no treatment, while those in group 2 were administered a subcutaneous injection of recombinant human growth hormone daily. On day 14, the pharynx, larynx, and upper oesophagus were excised and examined microscopically. Results Pharyngocutaneous fistula exhibited better closure macroscopically in the recombinant human growth hormone group. There was a significant difference in collagen formation and epithelisation in the recombinant human growth hormone group compared to the control group. Conclusion This study is believed to be the first in which the effect of recombinant human growth hormone on pharyngocutaneous fistula closure was evaluated, and the findings suggest the potential of use of growth hormone for treatment of pharyngocutaneous fistula. PMID:26622960

Blood Groups in the Species Survival Plan®, European Endangered Species Program, and Managed in situ Populations of Bonobo (Pan paniscus), Common Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), Gorilla (Gorilla ssp.), and Orangutan (Pongo pygmaeus ssp.)

PubMed Central

Gamble, Kathryn C.; Moyse, Jill A.; Lovstad, Jessica N.; Ober, Carole B.; Thompson, Emma E.

2014-01-01

Blood groups of humans and great apes long have been considered similar although are not interchangeable between species. In this study, human monoclonal antibody technology was used to assign human ABO blood groups to whole blood samples from great apes housed in North American and European zoos and in situ managed populations, as a practical means to assist blood transfusion situations for these species. From a subset of each of the species (bonobo, common chimpanzee, gorilla, and orangutans), DNA sequence analysis was performed to determine blood group genotype. Bonobo and common chimpanzee populations were predominantly group A which concurred with historic literature and was confirmed by genotyping. In agreement with historic literature, a smaller number of the common chimpanzees sampled were group O although this O blood group was more often present in wild-origin animals as compared to zoo-born animals. Gorilla blood groups were inconclusive by monoclonal antibody techniques and by genetic studies were inconsistent with any known human blood group. As the genus and specifically the Bornean species, orangutans were identified with all human blood groups, including O, which had not been reported previously. Following this study, it was concluded that blood groups of bonobo, common chimpanzees, and some orangutans can be reliably assessed by human monoclonal antibody technology. However, this technique was not reliable for gorilla or orangutans other than those with blood group A. Even in those species with reliable blood group detection, blood transfusion preparation must include cross-matching to minimize adverse reactions for the patient. PMID:20853409

Implementing human factors in clinical practice.

PubMed

Timmons, Stephen; Baxendale, Bryn; Buttery, Andrew; Miles, Giulia; Roe, Bridget; Browes, Simon

2015-05-01

To understand whether aviation-derived human factors training is acceptable and useful to healthcare professionals. To understand whether and how healthcare professionals have been able to implement human factors approaches to patient safety in their own area of clinical practice. Qualitative, longitudinal study using semi-structured interviews and focus groups, of a multiprofessional group of UK NHS staff (from the emergency department and operating theatres) who have received aviation-derived human factors training. The human factors training was evaluated positively, and thought to be both acceptable and relevant to practice. However, the staff found it harder to implement what they had learned in their own clinical areas, and this was principally attributed to features of the informal organisational cultures. In order to successfully apply human factors approaches in hospital, careful consideration needs to be given to the local context and informal culture of clinical practice. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://group.bmj.com/group/rights-licensing/permissions.