Article
Geography, Physical
William A. Marsh, Silvia Bello
Summary: The Magdalenian period exhibits diverse funerary behaviors, including both primary burials and cannibalism. Cannibalism appears to be more prevalent during the Middle Magdalenian, while primary burials are more common in the Upper and terminal Magdalenian. Genetic analysis suggests that individuals associated with cannibalism practices belong to the GoyetQ2 cluster, while individuals found in a primary burial context have a genetic affinity with the Epigravettian.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Marialetizia Carra, Andrea Zupancich, Elena Fiorin, Lucia Sarti, Domenico Lo Vetro, Fabio Martini, Emanuela Cristiani
Summary: By studying caves in Southern Italy and Sicily, including human burials, researchers have found valuable evidence about human adaptations and subsistence during the Upper Palaeolithic. While there is much information about the exploitation of animals, little is known about the role of plants in the diet. This study combines carpological data with vegetal micro-debris in dental calculus to provide new clues about the dietary role of plant foods in the Late Glacial period.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Plant Sciences
Yan Wu, Dawei Tao, Xiujie Wu, Wu Liu, Yanjun Cai
Summary: Reconstructing the diet of early modern humans provides important insights into human origins and evolution. This study analyzed starch grains in dental calculus from early modern humans in Fuyan Cave, revealing that their diet consisted of acorns, roots, tubers, grass seeds, and other unidentified plants. The study also suggests that acorns played a significant role in their subsistence strategies and that there may have been a long-standing tradition of using these plants in Late Pleistocene China.
FRONTIERS IN PLANT SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Oncology
Kristine Eidal Tanem, Einar Stensvold, Petter Wilberg, Anne B. Skaare, Petter Brandal, Bente Brokstad Herlofson
Summary: This study investigated oral and dental late effects in survivors of childhood brain tumors, finding that reduced mouth opening and dental developmental disturbances were the most common issues, especially in survivors treated before the age of 5.
SUPPORTIVE CARE IN CANCER
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Stephen Buckley, Robert C. Power, Maria Andreadaki-Vlazaki, Murat Akar, Julia Becher, Matthias Belser, Sara Cafisso, Stefanie Eisenmann, Joann Fletcher, Michael Francken, Birgitta Hallager, Katerina Harvati, Tara Ingman, Efthymia Kataki, Joseph Maran, Mario A. S. Martin, Photini J. P. McGeorge, Ianir Milevski, Alkestis Papadimitriou, Eftychia Protopapadaki, Domingo C. Salazar-Garcia, Tyede Schmidt-Schultz, Verena J. Schuenemann, Rula Shafiq, Ingelise Stuijts, Dmitry Yegorov, K. Aslihan Yener, Michael Schultz, Cynthianne Spiteri, Philipp W. Stockhammer
Summary: This paper presents the earliest evidence for the exploitation of lignite in Europe and sheds new light on the use of combustion fuel sources in the 2nd millennium BCE Eastern Mediterranean. The analysis of dental calculus from 67 individuals revealed clear evidence of combustion markers embedded within.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Ye Tu, Zhiyan Zhou, Chang Shu, Yuan Zhou, Xuedong Zhou
Summary: Early childhood caries (ECC) is a prevalent oral disease in children, and this study investigates the correlation between oral mycobiome and ECC progression. Salivary samples from ECC patients and caries-free controls were analyzed using 16S rRNA and ITS1 rRNA gene sequencing. The study reveals significant alterations in the salivary fungal community of ECC patients and identifies correlations between specific bacteria/fungi and carious phenotypes. These findings enhance our understanding of the etiological role of bacteria/fungi in ECC development and provide insights for disease management.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Andrea Baucon, Annalisa Ferretti, Chiara Fioroni, Luca Pandolfi, Enrico Serpagli, Armando Piccinini, Carlos Neto de Carvalho, Mario Cachao, Thomas Linley, Fernando Muniz, Zain Belaustegui, Alan Jamieson, Girolamo Lo Russo, Filippo Guerrini, Sara Ferrando, Imants Priede
Summary: This study reveals that fish have been inhabiting the deep seafloor since the Early Cretaceous, using various techniques to feed on prey. These findings shed light on the evolutionary history of deep-seafloor fishes and the availability of new food sources in the deep sea.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
M. Mariotti Lippi, B. Aranguren, S. Arrighi, D. Attolini, S. Benazzi, F. Boschin, S. Florindi, A. Moroni, F. Negrino, P. Pallecchi, L. Pisaneschi, J. Riel-Salvatore, A. Ronchitelli, A. Revedin
Summary: Evidence of plant food processing on grinding tools from two ancient sites in Italy indicates that Neanderthals and Homo sapiens had the ability to make flour at least 43,000-41,000 years ago and process wild cereals at least 41,500-36,500 years ago, respectively. These findings suggest a profound knowledge of available plant resources in both human groups before the advent of agriculture.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Kim R. Ekstrand, Thais Cordeschi, Ninoska Abreu-Placeres
Summary: This study examined the relationship between the features of root caries lesions classified by ICCMS (TM) and the depth of the lesions towards the pulp, showing high validity in terms of reproducibility and accuracy of the scoring system. The results demonstrated that the ICCMS (TM) system can effectively evaluate the depth of root caries lesions towards the pulp.
CLINICAL ORAL INVESTIGATIONS
(2022)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Maria Kolp-Godoy Allende, Anton Samplonius
Summary: The reconstruction of plant-based healing treatments of past societies from a dental anthropological perspective remains a challenging task due to the wide range of plant species and limitations on plant-taxa identification. Analysis of starch grains and phytoliths from dental calculus and sediment of dental caries revealed the presence of various starch grains in the individual's diet, highlighting the nutritional and potential medicinal properties of certain plant species. This study demonstrates the value of analyzing sediment from dental caries in tracing medicinal plant-based treatments in archaeological populations.
ANNALS OF ANATOMY-ANATOMISCHER ANZEIGER
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bethan Linscott, Alistair W. G. Pike, Diego E. Angelucci, Matthew J. Cooper, James S. Milton, Henrique Matias, Joao Zilhao
Summary: Using an optimized method, highly spatially resolved strontium isotope analysis was conducted on the teeth of two Middle Paleolithic Neanderthals and one Late Magdalenian human from the Almonda karst system in Torres Novas, Portugal. The results show that the Middle Paleolithic individuals had a subsistence territory of approximately 600 km2, while the Late Magdalenian individual had a smaller territory of approximately 300 km2. The difference in territory size is believed to be due to an increase in population density during the Late Upper Paleolithic.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ghulam Sarwar Khalid, Mohammad Hassan Hamrah, Elaha Somaya Ghafary, Sepideh Hosseini, Fateme Almasi
Summary: Studies have shown that Xanthorrhizol exhibits significant inhibitory effects on caries-causing bacteria, but it cannot selectively target the growth of cariogenic bacteria. Research exploring its potential as a drug for preventing and treating dental caries has shown promising results, but further work is needed in areas such as optimal dosage, in vitro and in vivo studies, and selective targeting of cariogenic bacteria.
DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Chelsea Mitchell, Andrew J. Gross, Peter Milgrom, Lloyd Mancl, David B. Prince
Summary: The study showed that 38% silver diamine fluoride was effective in arresting root surface and crown margin caries lesions in older adults, with slightly better results on root surfaces. Additionally, all furcal lesions were successfully treated within 6 months of treatment.
JOURNAL OF DENTISTRY
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Yangbo Lu, Fang Hao, Detian Yan, Yongchao Lu
Summary: The study conducted on bentonite beds-bearing intervals from the Upper Ordovician Wufeng Formation in South China reveals the short-term and long-term impacts of volcanic activity on the paleoenvironment. Short-term effects include environmental disruptions such as ocean fertilization and warmer climate, while the long-term effects show a correlation between distribution of bentonite beds and global sea-level fluctuations, suggesting a cumulative heating effect from intense volcanic activities in South China.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Kim Genuite, Pierre Voinchet, Jean -Jacques Delannoy, Jean -Jacques Bahain, Julien Monney, Judicael Arnaud, Laurent Bruxelles, Marie-Helene Moncel, Anne Philippe, Edwige Pons-Branchu, Andre Revil, Mailys Richard, Stephane Jaillet
Summary: Most archaeological and palaeo-environmental archives are preserved in specific environments, which results in incomplete information with limited spatial and morphological significance. Studying landscape evolution is crucial for understanding the location and distribution of past societies and their relationship with Quaternary environments.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Alessandra Modi, Davide Attolini, Valentina Zaro, Lisa Pisaneschi, Gabriel Innocenti, Stefania Vai, David Caramelli, Jacopo Moggi Cecchi, Andrea Quagliariello, Marta Mariotti Lippi, Martina Lari
Summary: Multidisciplinary analyses on ancient dental calculus can reconstruct habits and diet of ancient human populations, investigate individual health status, and provide information on past environments. In this study, both metagenomic and microscopic analysis were applied to ancient human dental calculus from a population in Central Italy during the Copper Age. The results suggested an agricultural subsistence and a diet enriched in complex carbohydrates with low soluble fiber. The presence of oral pathogens correlated with the high consumption of carbohydrates and supported the paleopathological evidence. Overall, the molecular and microscopic analysis provided complementary data for reconstructing the past life conditions of ancient human populations.
QUATERNARY INTERNATIONAL
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Carla Figus, Nicholas B. Stephens, Rita Sorrentino, Eugenio Bortolini, Simona Arrighi, Owen A. Higgins, Federico Lugli, Giulia Marciani, Gregorio Oxilia, Matteo Romandini, Sara Silvestrini, Fabio Baruffaldi, Maria Giovanna Belcastro, Federico Bernardini, Anna Festa, Tamas Hajdu, Orsolya Mateovics-Laszlo, Ildiko Pap, Tamas Szeniczey, Claudio Tuniz, Timothy M. Ryan, Stefano Benazzi
Summary: This study investigates the early development of the talus bone and highlights the relationship between mechanical loading and bone development in the acquisition of bipedalism. The results suggest that the youngest group may reflect the immaturity of the human talus in bearing forces and performing bipedal walking.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
C. Gravel-Miguel, E. Cristiani, J. Hodgkins, C. M. Orr, D. S. Strait, M. Peresani, S. Benazzi, G. Pothier-Bouchard, H. M. Keller, D. Meyer, D. Drohobytsky, S. Talamo, D. Panetta, A. Zupancich, C. E. Miller, F. Negrino, J. Riel-Salvatore
Summary: Personal ornaments are considered important symbols of social identity and individuality. This article presents a detailed analysis of the ornaments found in association with an Early Mesolithic buried infant, providing insights into their use, perforation, and their deposition in the grave. The study sheds light on the use of beads in the Early Mesolithic period and their significance to young individuals.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL METHOD AND THEORY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Juelide Kubat, Alessia Nava, Luca Bondioli, M. Christopher Dean, Clement Zanolli, Nicolas Bourgon, Anne-Marie Bacon, Fabrice Demeter, Beatrice Peripoli, Richard Albert, Tina Luedecke, Christine Hertler, Patrick Mahoney, Ottmar Kullmer, Friedemann Schrenk, Wolfgang Mueller
Summary: Geochemical analyses of Pleistocene teeth from Sangiran revealed the dietary strategies of orangutans, Homo erectus, and other mammals. Orangutans displayed marked seasonal cycles in their diet, while Homo erectus showed less intra-annual variability. The results suggest that Homo erectus on Java had a greater degree of nutritional independence and was less affected by seasonal resource availability compared to orangutans.
NATURE ECOLOGY & EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
Letizia Ceregatti, Claudio Berto, Helen Fewlass, Mateusz Baca, Elisa Luzi, Greta Brancaleoni, Andrea Pereswiet-Soltan, Marco Peresani
Summary: Recent advances in paleoecological reconstruction methods, collagen extraction of small bone samples, and ancient DNA analyses have led to new approaches to improve the chronological resolution of climate reconstructions from small mammal assemblages. Through the study of Grotta della Ferrovia in Italy, it was found that the climate in the area gradually shifted from a cold phase to conditions similar to the present during the Late Epigravettian.
QUATERNARY SCIENCE REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ana B. Marin-Arroyo, Gabriele Terlato, Marco Vidal-Cordasco, Marco Peresani
Summary: This article presents the subsistence strategies adopted by early modern humans in expanding throughout Eurasia, with a focus on the Protoaurignacian groups in Fumane Cave in northern Italy. The study reveals that these groups occupied the cave during the period of and Coping with significant climate changes. They mainly relied on hunting ibex and chamois in nearby areas in a cold environment with open landscapes and patchy woodlands. The findings highlight the adaptability and resilience of early modern humans in different environments affected by climate fluctuations.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Antonio Profico, Costantino Buzi, Fabio Di Vincenzo, Marco Boggioni, Andrea Borsato, Giovanni Boschian, Damiano Marchi, Mario Micheli, Jacopo Moggi Cecchi, Marco Samadelli, Mary Anne Tafuri, Juan Luis Arsuaga, Giorgio Manzi
Summary: A well-preserved Neanderthal cranium was discovered in a deep karstic system in Altamura, Italy in 1993. Through virtual extraction, the morphology of the cranium was described in detail. The Altamura cranium exhibits Neanderthal variability and retains features seen in more archaic European samples. The U-Th age (>130 ka) and morphology suggest that geographic isolation in Southern Italy contributed to the development of archaic traits in early Neanderthal populations.
COMMUNICATIONS BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Archaeology
Marco Peresani, Laurence Bourguignon, Davide Delpiano, Cristina Lemorini
Summary: This study presents the lithic assemblage found at Fumane Cave in Italy, which is closely related to the Mousterian Quina techno-complex. The assemblage consists of large scrapers, flakes, and cores, with distinctive retouched edges that allow Neanderthals to obtain different morphologies on the same edge of the scraper. These findings share similarities with the Quina reduction methods in Western European Middle Palaeolithic contexts and provide opportunities for comparison at a larger scale.
JOURNAL OF ARCHAEOLOGICAL SCIENCE-REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Will Archer, Darya Presnyakova, Vera Aldeias, Debra Colarossi, Louisa Hutten, Tobias Lauer, Guillaume Porraz, Lloyd Rossouw, Matthew Shaw
Summary: Patterns of modern human behavior are well documented in Middle Stone Age sites in southern Africa. However, there is a lack of contextual information about the preceding period. This study presents new excavations at Montagu Cave in South Africa, providing insights into early Acheulean layers and later Middle Stone Age occupation. The findings suggest that the classic Acheulean persisted in the southwestern Cape while Middle Stone Age technologies emerged in other regions of Africa. This has implications for the biogeography of hominin populations and the pattern of behavioral change in southern Africa.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Lucas K. Delezene, Matthew M. Skinner, Shara E. Bailey, Juliet K. Brophy, Marina C. Elliott, Alia Gurtov, Joel D. Irish, Jacopo Moggi-Cecchi, Darryl J. de Ruiter, John Hawks, Lee R. Berger
Summary: More than 150 hominin teeth dating back to approximately 330-241 thousand years ago were discovered in the Dinaledi Chamber of South Africa's Rising Star cave system. These fossils represent the first large sample of hominin teeth from the Middle Pleistocene in Africa. The distinct morphological features of the Dinaledi teeth suggest the existence of a new hominin species, Homo naledi, indicating diverse African Homo lineage that lasted until at least the Middle Pleistocene. The article provides a catalog, anatomical descriptions, preservation details, and proposed connections among the teeth, as well as access to a catalog of surface files for further research.
JOURNAL OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Rene Bobe, Vera Aldeias, Zeresenay Alemseged, Robert L. Anemone, Will Archer, Georges Aumaitre, Marion K. Bamford, Dora Biro, Didier L. Bourles, Melissa Doyle Boyd, David R. Braun, Cristian Capelli, Joao d'Oliveira Coelho, Joerg M. Habermann, Jason J. Head, Karim Keddadouche, Kornelius Kupczik, Anne-Elisabeth Lebatard, Tina Luedecke, Amelia Macoa, Felipe I. Martinez, Jacinto Mathe, Clara Mendes, Luis Meira Paulo, Maria Pinto, Darya Presnyakova, Thomas A. Pueschel, Frederico Tata Regala, Mark Sier, Maria Joana Ferreira da Silva, Marc Stalmans, Susana Carvalho
Summary: This study reports the first Miocene fossil teeth from the shoulders of the Urema Rift in Gorongosa National Park, Mozambique. The researchers provide radiometric ages of the Mazamba Formation, reconstructions of paleovegetation in the region, and descriptions of fossil teeth. The Gorongosa fossil sites offer valuable evidence of woodlands and forests during the Miocene in southeastern Africa.
Article
Anthropology
Annalisa Pietrobelli, Rita Sorrentino, Stefano Benazzi, Maria Giovanna Belcastro, Damiano Marchi
Summary: In this study, the shape variation of the proximal fibula in extant humans and great apes was compared to investigate the possible link between proximal fibular shape and locomotor patterns. Unique features of the human fibular head were found, supporting the functional role of this bone in human bipedalism. Distinctive traits in the proximal fibula morphology of great apes were also observed, corresponding to differences in their locomotor behavior. These findings suggest that the morphology of the proximal fibula can indicate locomotor behavior and may be useful in comparative analysis of fossil hominin remains.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL ANTHROPOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Anthropology
Diana Marcazzan, Christopher E. Miller, Bertrand Ligouis, Rossella Duches, Nicholas J. Conard, Marco Peresani
Summary: This study presents a detailed analysis of combustion features from Middle and Upper Paleolithic occupations at the Fumane cave site in Italy. The results show that only a few features are intact hearths, while others have been modified through anthropogenic activities. Additionally, the study reveals the presence of multi-layered features indicating various activities related to combustion and site maintenance. The analysis also indicates a decrease in the frequency of combustion features throughout the Mousterian period, with more well-defined and multi-layered features associated with the Protoaurignacian occupation.
JOURNAL OF ANTHROPOLOGICAL SCIENCES
(2023)