Fishing in the Arabian sea : a short note on the prehistoric sites RH6 and Ra's al-Jinz 1 in Oman

The study of the faunal remains from the sites ofRH6 and RHJ1 in Oman shows the importance of fishing in the economy of this region. The site ofRH6 in the 6th millennium BP is particularly rich in remains. The species derive from different marine environments and they suggest the existence of different fishing techniques. The second and later site has fewer species but this may result from the poor state of preservation, and therefore the smaller number of identified remains. Fishing practice was probably connected to climatic factors, and it seems to have been more intense at the beginning of the good season, namely the months with greater rainfall and lower temperature. = L'étude des restes d'animaux issue de sites de RH6 et RHJ1 en Oman, montre l 'importance de la pêche dans les activités économiques de cette région. Le site RH6 (VIe millénaire BP) est particulièrement riche. Les espèces de poisson proviennent de divers environnements marins et permettent de supposer l'existence de différentes techniques de pêche. Le second site, plus récent, présente une moins grande variété d'espèces, conséquence d'un mauvais état de préservation, et d'un nombre moindre de restes identifiés. L'activité de pêche, probablement liée à des facteurs climatiques, semble être plus intense au début de la bonne saison, с'est-à-dire dans les mois plus humides et moins chauds.</br

I Resti faunistici della tomba 743 di Lavello (Basilicata)

Il materiale studiato proviene da un ipogeo utilizzato dal Bronzo medio iniziale al Bronzo finale. I resti faunistici sono scarsi. Prevalgono gli animali domestici, ma sono stati trovati anche animali selvatici come il cervo. Da segnalare la presenza di alcuni carapaci di tartaruga e di alcuni cani in età perinatale

Le Conserve di pesce: alcuni dati da contesti italiani

Lo studio del contenuto delle anfore, e in particolare dei resti ittici, è ancora poco diffuse. Si possono distinguere diversi tipi di prodotti derivati dalla lavorazione del pesce, tra cui il garum, che se bene filtrato non lascia sedimenti, l'hallec, derivato dalla macerazione di piccoli pesci completi di ossa, e i pesci conservati più o meno interi, riconoscibili dalla presenza di ossa in connessione. Le anfore prese in esame in questo lavoro provengono da livelli del IV-III secolo a.C. di Olbia; dal relitto di Chiessi (Elba) del I secolo d.C; da un altro relitto dell'Elba della seconda metà del I secolo d.C, inizio II; da livelli del II secolo d.C. di Olbia; dal relitto di Grado del II secolo d.C; dal relitto A di Cala Reale, Asinara della fine IV, inizio V secolo d.C. Prevalgono i pesci conservati interi, in qualche caso è stato possibile riconoscere prodotti diversi

Fish and Fishing Communities: Understanding Ancient and Modern Fisheries through Archaeological Fish Remains

The papers in this special issue of the International Journal of Osteoarchaeology (IJO) were presented at the 19th biennial meeting of the Fish Remains Working Group (FRWG) of the International Council of Archaeozoology (ICAZ), which was held in Alghero and Stintino, Sardinia, Italy, from October 1–7, 2017. Entitled Fish and Fishing Communities: Understanding Ancient and Modern Fisheries through Archaeological Fish Remains, this conference brought together a diverse group of 120 scholars from 29 countries with specializations in archaeology, zoology, history, and anthropology. These fish specialists ranged from undergraduate students to emeritus professors

Southern Italian wild boar population, hotspot of genetic diversity

The wild boar, Sus scrofa, is an important game species widely distributed in Eurasia. Whereas the genetic variability of most European wild boar populations is well known, the status of wild boar living in Southern Italy is not as clear. We evaluated the present and past genetic diversity (D-loop, mtDNA) of the South Italian population, comparing it with that observed in other Mediterranean glacial refugia. Italian population showed highest genetic variability, if compared to other two European refugia (Iberian and Balkan). Most of samples from Italy carried sequences belonging to the European E1 haplogroup (80.9%) with a small proportion of the private Italian E2 (10.2%) and of the Asian (8.9%) ones. Italian samples carrying an Asian haplotype were genotyped by MC1R nuclear gene, failing to disclose a recent introgression from domestic pigs. Mismatch distribution analysis of the Italian population was affected by secondary contacts between these different lin- eages. This genetic melting pot was detected since the Mesolithic and the Neolithic age, during which we found samples belonging to the indigenous Italian and European haplogroups. Further, a Near-Eastern haplotype was found in 1,800 AD samples from Southern and Central Italy. Our res- ults can be in agreement with post-glacial recolonization theories, as well as with the long history of human-mediated translocations of Sus scrofa in the Mediterranean basi

Isolation and Characterization of Two Novel Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines, Containing a Subpopulation with Potential Stem-Like Properties: Treatment Options by MYC/NMYC Inhibition

Schulte am Esch J, Windmöller BA, Hanewinkel J, et al. Isolation and Characterization of Two Novel Colorectal Cancer Cell Lines, Containing a Subpopulation with Potential Stem-Like Properties: Treatment Options by MYC/NMYC Inhibition. Cancers. 2020;12(9): 2582.Cancer stem cells (CSC) are crucial mediators of cancer relapse. Here, we isolated two primary human colorectal cancer cell lines derived from a rectal neuroendocrine carcinoma (BKZ-2) and a colorectal adenocarcinoma (BKZ-3), both containing subpopulations with potential stem-like properties. Protein expression of CSC-markers prominin-1 and CD44 antigen was significantly higher for BKZ-2 and BKZ-3 in comparison to well-established colon carcinoma cell lines. High sphere-formation capacity further confirmed the existence of a subpopulation with potential stem-like phenotype. Epithelial–mesenchymal transition markers as well as immune checkpoint ligands were expressed more pronounced in BKZ-2. Both cell populations demonstrated N-myc proto-oncogene (NMYC) copy number gain. Myc proto-oncogene (MYC)/NMYC activity inhibitor all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) significantly reduced the number of tumor spheres for both and the volume of BKZ-2 spheres. In contrast, the sphere volume of ATRA-treated BKZ-3 was increased, and only BKZ-2 cell proliferation was reduced in monolayer culture. Treatment with KJ-Pyr-9, a specific inhibitor of MYC/NMYC-myc-associated factor X interaction, decreased survival by the induction of apoptosis of both. In summary, here, we present the novel colorectal cancer cell lines BKZ-2 and BKZ-3 as promising cellular in vitro models for colorectal carcinomas and identify the MYC/NMYC molecular pathway involved in CSC-induced carcinogenesis with relevant therapeutic potential

Barcoding the largest animals on Earth: ongoing challenges and molecular solutions in the taxonomic identification of ancient cetaceans.

Over the last few centuries, many cetacean species have witnessed dramatic global declines due to industrial overharvesting and other anthropogenic influences, and thus are key targets for conservation. Whale bones recovered from archaeological and palaeontological contexts can provide essential baseline information on the past geographical distribution and abundance of species required for developing informed conservation policies. Here we review the challenges with identifying whale bones through traditional anatomical methods, as well as the opportunities provided by new molecular analyses. Through a case study focused on the North Sea, we demonstrate how the utility of this (pre)historic data is currently limited by a lack of accurate taxonomic information for the majority of ancient cetacean remains. We then discuss current opportunities presented by molecular identification methods such as DNA barcoding and collagen peptide mass fingerprinting (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry), and highlight the importance of molecular identifications in assessing ancient species' distributions through a case study focused on the Mediterranean. We conclude by considering high-throughput molecular approaches such as hybridization capture followed by next-generation sequencing as cost-effective approaches for enhancing the ecological informativeness of these ancient sample sets.This article is part of the themed issue 'From DNA barcodes to biomes'

High levels of SARS-CoV-2 specific T-cells with restricted functionality in patients with severe course of COVID-19

Patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 differ in the severity of disease. In this study, SARS-CoV-2 specific T-cells and antibodies were characterized in patients with different COVID-19 related disease severity. Despite severe lymphopenia affecting all major lymphocyte subpopulations, patients with severe disease mounted significantly higher levels of SARS-CoV-2 specific T-cells as compared to convalescent individuals. SARS-CoV-2 specific CD4 T-cells dominated over CD8 T-cells and closely correlated with the number of plasmablasts and SARS-CoV-2 specific IgA- and IgG-levels. Unlike in convalescents, SARS-CoV-2 specific T-cells in patients with severe disease showed marked alterations in phenotypical and functional properties, which also extended to CD4 and CD8 T-cells in general. Given the strong induction of specific immunity to control viral replication in patients with severe disease, the functionally altered phenotype may result from the need for contraction of specific and general immunity to counteract excessive immunopathology in the lung

High levels of SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells with restricted functionality in severe courses of COVID-19

BACKGROUND. Patients infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARSCoV-2) differ in the severity of disease. We hypothesized that characteristics of SARS-CoV-2– specific immunity correlate with disease severity. METHODS. In this study, SARS-CoV-2–specific T cells and antibodies were characterized in uninfected controls and patients with different coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) disease severity. SARS-CoV-2–specific T cells were flow cytometrically quantified after stimulation with SARS-CoV-2 peptide pools and analyzed for expression of cytokines (IFN-γ, IL-2, and TNF-α) and markers for activation, proliferation, and functional anergy. SARS-CoV-2–specific IgG and IgA antibodies were quantified using ELISA. Moreover, global characteristics of lymphocyte subpopulations were compared between patient groups and uninfected controls. RESULTS. Despite severe lymphopenia affecting all major lymphocyte subpopulations, patients with severe disease mounted significantly higher levels of SARS-CoV-2–specific T cells as compared with convalescent individuals. SARS-CoV-2–specific CD4+ T cells dominated over CD8+ T cells and closely correlated with the number of plasmablasts and SARS-CoV-2–specific IgA and IgG levels. Unlike in convalescent patients, SARS-CoV-2–specific T cells in patients with severe disease showed marked alterations in phenotypical and functional properties, which also extended to CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in general. CONCLUSION. Given the strong induction of specific immunity to control viral replication in patients with severe disease, the functionally altered characteristics may result from the need for contraction of specific and general immunity to counteract excessive immunopathology in the lung. FUNDING. The study was supported by institutional funds to MS and in part by grants of Saarland University, the State of Saarland, and the Rolf M. Schwiete Stiftung

Calcinosis in Alpaca Crias (Vicugna pacos) Due to Vitamin D Intoxication—Clinical, Laboratory and Pathological Findings with a Focus on Kidney Function

Alpacas kept in Central Europe are often deficient in vitamin D3, which is supplemented orally or by injection by the owners or veterinarians. Vitamin D3 can be specified in two different units (IU and µg), which differ by a factor of 40. By mixing up these units, an overdosage can be induced. In this study, three alpaca crias were examined after vitamin D3 intoxication, with particular reference to kidney function. All three animals developed non-specific clinical alterations 1–2 weeks after a vitamin D3 overdose of approximately 40 times. Plasma of the animals revealed several alterations. The main findings were severe azotemia, hypercalcemia and hyperphosphatemia, 15 days after treatment. Kidney function analysis (endogenous creatinine clearance) in two of the crias revealed severe glomerular damage. All crias died despite intensive treatment within 23 days after vitamin D3 treatment. Necropsy revealed calcification in different organs, mainly the kidneys, lungs and liver. Since nine other crias in the same group were treated with comparable doses of vitamin D3 and no clinical signs were observed in these animals, it is concluded that individual animals show different levels of sensitivity to vitamin D3