Article
Chemistry, Inorganic & Nuclear
Yuqiao Zhou, Yu Qiu, Vidyanshu Mishra, Arthur Mar
Summary: Two missing members, K3Bi2Cl9 and K3Bi2Br9, within the series of Bi-containing defect perovskite halides A(3)Bi(2)X(9) were sought. K3Bi2Cl9 could not be obtained, but the previously identified but uncharacterized compound K2BiCl5 was prepared. K3Bi2Br9 was successfully prepared with its structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods.
JOURNAL OF SOLID STATE CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Forestry
Valenti Rull, Teresa Vegas-Vilarrubia
Summary: This study compares the Medieval dynamics of forests from low-mountain and high-mountain areas of the Iberian Pyrenees, finding that forests in Montcortes experienced intense human pressure and recovery, while forests in Sant Maurici exhibited remarkable resilience to climatic shifts and human pressure.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Elizabeth M. Niespolo, Giday WoldeGabriel, William K. Hart, Paul R. Renne, Warren D. Sharp, M. Steven Shackley, Stanley H. Ambrose, Berhane Asfaw, Yonas Beyene, Marianne F. Brasil, Joshua P. Carlson, Yonatan Sahle, Tim D. White
Summary: The Halibee member of the Upper Dawaitoli Formation in Ethiopia's Middle Awash study area contains a wealth of paleoanthropological resources from the Middle and Later Stone Age. By combining radioisotopic methods and a newly developed dating method for ostrich eggshell, researchers were able to establish the chronology of these artifacts and fossils, providing important insights into technological, environmental, and evolutionary changes during the African Middle and Late Pleistocene.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Mirela Dzehverovic, Belma Jusic, Amela Pilav, Tamara Lukic, Jasmina Cakar
Summary: Medieval cemeteries in Travnik, Bosnia and Herzegovina were excavated from 2011 to 2014, revealing skeletal remains of 11 individuals. Genetic analysis was conducted on these remains to test familial relationships and predict Y-haplogroup. Autosomal and Y-STR markers were analyzed, and kinship analysis showed direct brother-brother relatives with a high probability. Y-STR profiles indicated the same paternal lineage and J2a haplogroup for all male individuals. This study highlights the importance of utilizing STR markers and additional markers like Y-STRs in archaeogenetic studies to obtain comprehensive information on relatives and ancestry.
FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL-GENETICS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Valentina Coia, Alice Paladin, Stefania Zingale, Christina Wurst, Myriam Croze, Frank Maixner, Albert Zink
Summary: The study reveals that the individuals from a cemetery in South Tyrol have diverse genetic ancestries, indicating complex genetic admixture with cultural hybridization. The presence of a high social status family is also discovered in the cemetery.
Article
Biology
James H. Barrett, Natalia Khamaiko, Giada Ferrari, Angelica Cuevas, Catherine Kneale, Anne Karin Hufthammer, Albina Hulda Palsdottir, Bastiaan Star
Summary: This study examines the geographical origin of walrus specimens discovered in Kyiv, Ukraine in the 12th century. Through archaeological typology, ancient DNA, and stable isotope analysis, it is found that some of the specimens can be attributed to a western Greenland origin. This suggests that the demand for walrus products in the medieval period extended beyond Western Europe to include Ukraine, Russia, Byzantium, and Asia.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ana Andruchow-Colombo, Ignacio H. Escapa, Lone Aagesen, Kelly K. S. Matsunaga
Summary: In this study, the fossil record and evolutionary history of the Podocarpaceae conifer family were reviewed. The affinities of the oldest records were tested using phylogenetic analyses, and the diversity, distribution, and morphology of Podocarpaceae through time were investigated. It was found that some fossils previously referred to Podocarpaceae should be reclassified. Total-evidence phylogenetic analyses revealed the evolutionary relationships of various conifer lineages. The earliest reliable occurrences of Podocarpaceae were found in the Jurassic period, and most extant genera appeared between the Late Cretaceous and the Early Cenozoic. The leaf morphologies of Podocarpaceae are thought to be adaptive responses to the diversification of angiosperms.
BOTANICAL JOURNAL OF THE LINNEAN SOCIETY
(2023)
Review
Cell Biology
Yu Tang
Summary: Eukaryotic cells use the nuclear envelope (NE) to organize their genome, which not only protects the nuclear genome but also separates transcription and translation. Proteins of the NE interact with genome and chromatin regulators to establish higher-order chromatin structures. Recent studies show that the plant NE plays a crucial role in chromatin organization and gene expression.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Lotta Leijonhufvud, Dag Retso
Summary: This article examines historical evidence of droughts in Sweden from 1400-1800 CE, identifying eight subperiods with particularly severe summer droughts leading to harvest failures and social impacts.
CLIMATE OF THE PAST
(2021)
Article
Psychology, Multidisciplinary
Erick R. Aguinaldo, Jessie J. Peissig
Summary: Research shows that faces with self-applied heavy makeup are perceived as more attractive and sociosexual than faces with light makeup. Additionally, faces with any level of self-applied makeup are rated as more competent.
FRONTIERS IN PSYCHOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Surgery
Francesco Pata, Cataldo Linardi, Richard R. Brady, Gianluca Pellino, Giancarlo D'Ambrosio
Summary: Bruno da Longobucco was the first academic surgeon of the Middle Ages, who helped surgery regain its reputation. Despite his importance, there are currently no articles in English about his life indexed on PubMed, Scopus or Embase, highlighting the need for rediscovery and understanding of his role.
FRONTIERS IN SURGERY
(2022)
Article
Economics
Jan Luiten van Zanden, Emanuele Felice
Summary: The article provides GDP estimates for 15th century Tuscany based on the 1427 Florentine Catasto. Tuscany's per capita GDP was only slightly higher than England and Holland. However, it was characterized by high extractive rates favoring Florence, to the detriment of other cities and the countryside, as well as subsequent market blockades. This may explain previous overestimations of GDP and shed light on the exceptional artistic flourishing of 15th century Florence despite its marginal lead in average GDP.
EUROPEAN REVIEW OF ECONOMIC HISTORY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Wolfram Kloppmann, Lise Leroux, Philippe Bromblet, Pierre-Yves Le Pogam, Anne Therese Montech, Catherine Guerrot
Summary: Through isotope analysis of the materials used by the Master of Rimini and his workshop, it was found that they exclusively used alabaster from the Franconian region, which is different from previous research. Based on these findings, a new hypothesis is proposed, suggesting that the Master of Rimini may have originated from the Low Countries and established a highly productive workshop in Southern Germany.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Hou Haihai, Shao Longyi, Liang Guodong, Tang Yue, Zhang Huajie, Zhang Jiaqiang
Summary: This study focuses on the coal-bearing strata in the southern Junggar Basin in northwestern China and reveals the wildfire events and palaeoclimatic history through analyzing the composition and characteristics of coal samples. The results indicate large-scale wildfires occurred during the Middle Jurassic, and high oxygen levels were likely the primary cause of repeated wildfires.
ACTA GEOLOGICA SINICA-ENGLISH EDITION
(2022)
Article
Ornithology
Manuel Schweizer, Qindong Tang, Reto Burri, Sergei Drovetski, Hugo Robles, Kristof Zyskowski, Sargis Aghayan, Marko Rakovic, Gilberto Pasinelli
Summary: Deep phylogeographic structure in mitochondrial DNA is not always reflected in morphological variation. Therefore, relying solely on mitochondrial DNA for inferring phylogeographic structure may be misleading. It is important to further investigate such cases using genome-wide data.
Article
Anthropology
Romina Frontini, Eufrasia Rosello-Izquierdo, Arturo Morales-Muniz, Christiane Denys, Emilie Guillaud, Yolanda Fernandez-Jalvo, Maria Dolores Pesquero-Fernandez
Summary: The article explores the mechanical deformations of fish vertebrae in archaeological sites to understand predation, deposition of remains, and time-averaging processes. Experimental work comparing modern skeletons to predator-modified fish vertebrae allows for the identification of key features influencing site formation agents. This research provides valuable insights into the formation of archaeological deposits and fish assemblages in the study sites.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD AND THEORY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Diana Le Duc, Akhil Velluva, Molly Cassatt-Johnstone, Remi-Andre Olsen, Sina Baleka, Chen-Ching Lin, Johannes R. Lemke, John R. Southon, Alexander Burdin, Ming-Shan Wang, Sonja Grunewald, Wilfried Rosendahl, Ulrich Joger, Sereina Rutschmann, Thomas B. Hildebrandt, Guido Fritsch, James A. Estes, Janet Kelso, Love Dalen, Michael Hofreiter, Beth Shapiro, Torsten Schoeneberg
Summary: Steller's sea cow, an extinct mammal, had genetic adaptations to cold aquatic environments and showed convergent evolution with cetaceans. Environmental changes also played a role in their extinction.
Article
Oncology
Philip Bischoff, Alexandra Trinks, Jennifer Wiederspahn, Benedikt Obermayer, Jan Patrick Pett, Philipp Jurmeister, Aron Elsner, Tomasz Dziodzio, Jens-Carsten Rueckert, Jens Neudecker, Christine Falk, Dieter Beule, Christine Sers, Markus Morkel, David Horst, Frederick Klauschen, Nils Bluethgen
Summary: This study used single-cell RNA sequencing to analyze lung carcinoid tumors and normal lung tissue, revealing cellular heterogeneity in the tumor cells. Noninflammatory myeloid cells were enriched in the immune microenvironment, while tumor-associated endothelial cells had distinct gene expression profiles. Additionally, the study found that single-cell gene signatures of pericytes and myofibroblasts had prognostic value.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF CANCER
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
He Yu, Alexandra Jamieson, Ardern Hulme-Beaman, Chris J. Conroy, Becky Knight, Camilla Speller, Hiba Al-Jarah, Heidi Eager, Alexandra Trinks, Gamini Adikari, Henriette Baron, Beate Boehlendorf-Arslan, Wijerathne Bohingamuwa, Alison Crowther, Thomas Cucchi, Kinie Esser, Jeffrey Fleisher, Louisa Gidney, Elena Gladilina, Pavel Gol'din, Steven M. Goodman, Sheila Hamilton-Dyer, Richard Helm, Chris Hillman, Nabil Kallala, Hanna Kivikero, Zsofia E. Kovacs, Guenther Karl Kunst, Rene Kysely, Anna Linderholm, Boutheina Maraoui-Telmini, Nemanja Markovic, Arturo Morales-Muniz, Mariana Nabais, Terry O'Connor, Tarek Oueslati, Erendira M. Quintana Morales, Kerstin Pasda, Jude Perera, Nimal Perera, Silvia Radbauer, Joan Ramon, Eve Rannamae, Joan Sanmarti Grego, Edward Treasure, Silvia Valenzuela-Lamas, Inge van der Jagt, Wim Van Neer, Jean-Denis Vigne, Thomas Walker, Stephanie Wynne-Jones, Jorn Zeiler, Keith Dobney, Nicole Boivin, Jeremy B. Searle, Ben Krause-Kyora, Johannes Krause, Greger Larson, David Orton
Summary: The distribution of black rats in Europe was influenced by human association. Research shows that black rats were introduced into Europe twice during the Roman and medieval periods, and there was a population turnover in temperate Europe between the 6th and 10th centuries CE.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Sara Rocha, Alexandra Trinks, D. James Harris, Greger Larson, Anthony S. Cheke
Summary: There are seven species of house geckos in the scattered islands of the Indian Ocean, with two of them possibly dispersed naturally. Hemidactylus frenatus, one of the species, has a high genetic diversity and global geographic structuring, suggesting the existence of potential cryptic species complex. Further research is needed to understand the dispersal patterns of this interesting species.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Biology
Lourdes Martinez-Garcia, Giada Ferrari, Angelica Cuevas, Lane M. Atmore, Begona Lopez-Arias, Mark Culling, Laura Llorente-Rodriguez, Arturo Morales-Muniz, Eufrasia Rosello-Izquierdo, Juan Antonio Quiros, Ricard Marlasca-Martin, Bernd Hanfling, William F. Hutchinson, Kjetill S. Jakobsen, Sissel Jentoft, David Orton, Bastiaan Star, James H. Barrett
Summary: Using whole-genome sequencing, this study determined the biological origin of ancient Atlantic cod specimens from England and Spain. The findings provide insights into the timing and geography of the trans-Atlantic cod trade, demonstrating the utility of genomic and ancient DNA approaches in understanding the globalization of marine fisheries.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY B-BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Anthropology
Lane M. Atmore, Giada Ferrari, Lourdes Martinez-Garcia, Inge van der Jagt, Rachel Blevis, Jose Granado, Simone Haberle, Katrien Dierickx, Liz M. Quinlan, Lembi Lougas, Daniel Makowiecki, Anne Karin Hufthammer, James H. Barrett, Bastiaan Star
Summary: This study evaluates the capacity of retrieving ancient DNA from small archaeological remains and finds no significant relationship between bone weight and DNA extraction success, content, or complexity. The results suggest that even minute bones can yield positive results, expanding the range of specimens suitable for aDNA analysis.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Yucheng Wang, Ana Prohaska, Haoran Dong, Adriana Alberti, Inger Greve Alsos, David W. Beilman, Anders A. Bjork, Jialu Cao, Anna A. Cherezova, Eric Coissac, Bianca De Sanctis, France Denoeud, Christoph Dockter, Richard Durbin, Mary E. Edwards, Neil R. Edwards, Julie Esdale, Grigory B. Fedorov, Antonio Fernandez-Guerra, Duane G. Froese, Galina Gusarova, James Haile, Philip B. Holden, Kristian K. Kjeldsen, Kurt H. Kjaer, Thorfinn Sand Korneliussen, Youri Lammers, Nicolaj Krog Larsen, Ruairidh Macleod, Jan Mangerud, Hugh McColl, Marie Kristine Foreid Merkel, Daniel Money, Per Moller, David Nogues-Bravo, Ludovic Orlando, Hannah Lois Owens, Mikkel Winther Pedersen, Fernando Racimo, Carsten Rahbek, Jeffrey T. Rasic, Alexandra Rouillard, Anthony H. Ruter, Birgitte Skadhauge, John Inge Svendsen, Alexei Tikhonov, Lasse Vinner, Patrick Wincker, Yingchun Xing, Yubin Zhang, David J. Meltzer, Eske Willerslev
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Isabel Salado, Michaela Preick, Natividad Lupianez-Corpas, Alberto Fernandez-Gil, Carles Vila, Michael Hofreiter, Jennifer A. A. Leonard
Summary: Gray wolves in the Iberian Peninsula have declined in range and population size due to human persecution and habitat fragmentation. However, they have never gone extinct in Iberia and their numbers have increased and stabilized in recent decades. Despite population growth, genetic diversity has declined, indicating that even expanding populations can lose genetic diversity.
Article
Plant Sciences
Edson Sandoval-Castellanos, Juan Nunez-Farfan
Summary: Understanding the strategies used by plants against insect herbivores can help reduce agricultural losses. Plants typically use either resistance or tolerance, but some populations exhibit a mixed defense strategy. This study used agent-based model simulations to analyze the factors that promote the evolutionary stability of mixed defense strategies, including non-linearity and mating system. The results suggest that a multiplicative allocation of costs and benefits, a concave non-linearity, non-heritable selfing, and high tolerance costs contribute to the stability of mixed defense strategies. The study also identified new mechanisms influenced by the mating system that can be explored in empirical studies.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Stefanie Wagner, Andaine Seguin-Orlando, Jean-Charles Leple, Thibault Leroy, Celine Lalanne, Karine Labadie, Jean-Marc Aury, Sandy Poirier, Patrick Wincker, Christophe Plomion, Antoine Kremer, Ludovic Orlando
Summary: Whole genome characterizations based on ancient DNA have provided valuable insights into the evolutionary origins and adaptive processes of modern cultivars. However, there has been a lack of ancient genome sequences for trees, in contrast to the availability of multiple ancient reference genomes for important crops. This study generated the first ancient tree genomes, revealing the species composition and timing of leaf unfolding for ancient trees, and expanding the applications of ancient wood in enhancing our understanding of forest ecosystem responses to past changes.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Justus Hagemann, Michael Hofreiter, Faysal Bibi, Patricia Holroyd, Patrick Arnold
Summary: Sengis are small mammals endemic to Africa, but their taxonomy and phylogeny have been difficult to resolve. This study generated the first phylogeny of all extant species using nuclear and mitochondrial DNA. Different parameters, such as the type of DNA and the inclusion or exclusion of fossil calibration points, were explored to assess their impact on age estimates. The findings showed that using mitochondrial DNA along with nuclear DNA or alone resulted in older ages and different branch lengths compared to using nuclear DNA alone. The study also highlighted the importance of considering the dataset used when interpreting dated phylogenies.
MOLECULAR PHYLOGENETICS AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ludovic Orlando
Summary: An extensive genomic time series has been conducted on 356 humans from ice-age Europe, showing the impact of climate change on the migration patterns and cultural development of hunter-gatherer populations.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Lembi Lougas, Valdis Berzins
Summary: Research in the eastern Baltic Sea has found evidence of Stone Age coastal communities using harbor porpoise bones to decorate pottery vessels. This suggests that the high salinity of the Baltic Sea at the time made it a favorable environment for the porpoise. Compared to seals, the harbor porpoise has received less research attention in the Baltic Sea.
Article
Humanities, Multidisciplinary
Joanna Religa-Sobczyk, Krzysztof Wertz, Lembi Lougas, Michal Wojenka, Anna Lemanik, Piotr Wojtal
Summary: Archaeological research at Ojcow castle has provided important information about the medieval castle life. The zooarchaeological analyses presented in this paper complement the archaeological research and contribute to our understanding of the castle inhabitants' diet from its establishment to the final residents. The zooarchaeological research is also supported by data from older settlement phases related to the Lusatian culture in the early Iron Age. The wide range of remains from mammals, birds, and fish, as well as the taphonomic features of bones found in different chronological strata of the castle, reflect the diverse economic activities that occurred in specific times and spaces.
