Amyloid and tau pathology associations with personality traits, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive lifestyle in the preclinical phases of sporadic and autosomal dominant Alzheimer’s disease

Background Major prevention trials for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are now focusing on multidomain lifestyle interventions. However, the exact combination of behavioral factors related to AD pathology remains unclear. In 2 cohorts of cognitively unimpaired individuals at risk of AD, we examined which combinations of personality traits, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive lifestyle (years of education or lifetime cognitive activity) related to the pathological hallmarks of AD, amyloid-β, and tau deposits. Methods A total of 115 older adults with a parental or multiple-sibling family history of sporadic AD (PREVENT-AD [PRe-symptomatic EValuation of Experimental or Novel Treatments for AD] cohort) underwent amyloid and tau positron emission tomography and answered several questionnaires related to behavioral attributes. Separately, we studied 117 mutation carriers from the DIAN (Dominant Inherited Alzheimer Network) study group cohort with amyloid positron emission tomography and behavioral data. Using partial least squares analysis, we identified latent variables relating amyloid or tau pathology with combinations of personality traits, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and cognitive lifestyle. Results In PREVENT-AD, lower neuroticism, neuropsychiatric burden, and higher education were associated with less amyloid deposition (p = .014). Lower neuroticism and neuropsychiatric features, along with higher measures of openness and extraversion, were related to less tau deposition (p = .006). In DIAN, lower neuropsychiatric burden and higher education were also associated with less amyloid (p = .005). The combination of these factors accounted for up to 14% of AD pathology. Conclusions In the preclinical phase of both sporadic and autosomal dominant AD, multiple behavioral features were associated with AD pathology. These results may suggest potential pathways by which multidomain interventions might help delay AD onset or progression

Taxonomic re-assessment and phylogenetic relationships of Miocene homonymously spiral - horned antelopes

A morphological reappraisal of Middle Miocene and Early Pliocene antelopes with homonymously twisted horncores (i.e., with the left horncore twisted clockwise from the base up) and an additional re−description of some critical Greek specimens allows a revision of the current taxonomy at the species and genus level. A parsimony analysis recognizes Hispanodorcas, Oioceros, Samodorcas, Samotragus, Paraoioceros, and Urmiatherium as distinct lineages of the subtribe Oiocerina. The latter emerged during the Astaracian (ca. 14–11.5 Ma), and radiated in Eurasia during the mid–late Vallesian (ca. 10–9 Ma), resulting in a great variety of genera with unique combinations of morpho–ecological adaptations. The suprageneric relationships of Oiocerina are poorly understood, but their closest ancestors possibly lie within or close to the Middle Miocene “hypsodontines”, and inside Antilopinae

The middle-latest Pliocene gazelles of continental Greece (Macedonia, Thessaly) [Les gazelles du Pliocène moyen-terminal de la Grèce continentale (Macédoine, Thessalie)]

Three species of gazelles are found in the middle-latest Pliocene of continental Greece. Gazella borbonica from the localities of Megalo Emvolo-1 and Sesklo, the new species Gazella bouvrainae from the localities of Gerakarou, Dafnero, Sesklo and Vassiloudi and Gazella sp. B from the locality of Sesklo. Gazzella bouvrainae shows great affinities with the asiatic forms of the genus. Gazella sp, B from Sesklo is a large form with flattened horncores; its affinities with the known species are still obscure. Gazella seems to have a continuous presence from middle to latest Pliocene in the continental Greece. © 1997 E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung

Late miocene bovids from şerefköy-2 (SW Turkey) and their position within the sub-paratethyan biogeographic province

We describe new fossil bovid craniodental remains from the Upper Miocene fossil site of Şerefköy-2, Yata?an Basin, SW Turkey. The new material belongs to six species: Gazella cf. G. capricornis, Palaeoryx pallasi, Sporadotragus parvidens, Skoufotragus cf. Sk. schlosseri, Urmiatherium rugosifrons, and ?Sinotragus sp., which together indicate a latest middle - early Late Turolian (Late Miocene) age. Medium-to-large bovid taxa prevail over small ones, and protoryxoid bovids clearly dominate the assemblage. An analysis of the taxonomic structure, size and diet spectra of several Turolian bovid assemblages from Greece and Turkey reveals Şerefköy-2 to be a member of a mammalian palaeocommunity particular to southwestern Anatolia, which in turn forms part of the sub-Paratethyan biogeographic province. Copyright © 2015 D.S. Kostopoulos and S. Karakütük

A new Late Miocene ovibovine-like bovid (Bovidae, Mammalia) from the Kassandra Peninsula (Chalkidiki, Northern Greece) and implications to the phylogeography of the group

A new Late Miocene bovid, Urmiatherium kassandriensis sp. nov., from Northern Greece is described. The material comes from the Fourka locality in the Kassandra Peninsula (Chalkidiki), and the included fauna is estimated to be of Vallesian age. The two preserved crania represent a medium-sized taxon with short, conical horn cores, a flat cranial roof (consisting of the posterior part of the frontals, parietal and occipital), thick and porous frontals and pneumatized short parietals, an extremely thick basioccipital with voluminous posterior tuberosities and accessory articular facets for the atlas. The specialized atlanto-occipital joint recalls Pleistocene and extant ovibovines, but the braincase structure as a whole and the horn core features closely match Late Miocene ovibovine-like taxa, especially Plesiaddax and even more Urmiatherium. Nevertheless, the Kassandra bovid differs from representatives of both genera in the simpler horn core morphology and external brain anatomy. Urmiatherium is known to appear first in China and Iran at about 7.8 Ma, whereas its westernmost appearance on Samos Island (Greece) is dated much later. The presence of Urmiatherium kassandriensis sp. nov. in N. Greece suggests a farther west and earlier (Vallesian at least) first appearance of the genus. This would justify a basic geographic and phylogenetic split of Urmiatherium into two main Turolian lineages: a central-eastern Asian one leading to the sister species U. polaki and U. intermedium and a western one leading to U. rugosifrons. © 2017, Paläontologische Gesellschaft

Qurliqnoria (Bovidae, Mammalia) from the Upper Miocene of Çorakyerler (Central Anatolia, Turkey) and its biogeographic implications

2-s2.0-85075396426New bovid material from the Upper Miocene site of Çorakyerler (Çankırı basin, Anatolia, Turkey) is described and compared here. The described taxon is identified as a representative of the stem caprine genus Qurliqnoria, previously known from the peri-Tibetan area exclusively. The stronger horn-core divergence, weaker anterior keel, smoother horn-core surface, stronger lateral horn-core curvature, stronger and thicker interfrontal suture, less flexed and less pneumatized frontals, and smaller supraorbital foramina differentiate the Çorakyerler Qurliqnoria from the type and only known species of the genus, Q. cheni from China, and demand the erection of a new species, Qurliqnoria chorakensis n. sp. A review of other late Miocene bovid records allows the recognition of Qurliqnoria in Sinap Tepe (Turkey) and Platania (Greece), suggesting a westward propagation of the genus during the Vallesian. © 2019 Elsevier Ireland Ltd Elsevier B.V. and Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, CASMinistry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, MCST Ankara UniversitesiÇorakyerler excavations are supported by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Museums, Ankara University, and the Turkish Historical Society; we are thankful to all of them. Thanks are also due to Wei Dong for fruitful comments and Denis Geraads for valuable suggestions, and information concerning Turkish specimens in his knowledge

The bovids (Artiodactyla) from the Lower Pleistocene locality of Karnezeika (Southern Greece)

More than 3000 fossil vertebrate specimens have been unearthed from the new Lower Pleistocene locality of Karnezeika, Peloponnese, Greece. The vast majority of the material (~90%) represents bovids, and their systematic study is provided herein. The bovid assemblage consists of four taxa. A significant portion of the collected bovid material belongs to a small sized gazelle, attributed to Gazella bouvrainae, and to the large Rupicaprini Gallogoral meneghinii. A relatively small sized form of Gazellospira torticornis has been recorded as well, and in addition the scarce dental material belonging to an unspecified Caprini form is mentioned as Caprini gen. et sp. indet. This combination of taxa is typical for the Middle Villafranchian of Greece (2.6–1.8 Ma). © 2022 Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group

Two new vertebrate localities from the Early Pleistocene of Mygdonia Basin (Macedonia, Greece): Preliminary results

Two new vertebrate fossiliferous localities from the Pleistocene of the Mygdonia Basin (Macedonia, Greece), Tsiotra Vryssi (TSR) and Platanochori-1 (PLN), are presented in this article. TSR belongs to the Gerakarou Formation and its preliminary faunal list includes the corvid Corvus pliocaenus, the hyaenid Pachycrocuta brevirostris, the canid Canis etruscus, the rhinoceros Stephanorhinus sp., two species of Equus, the bovid Bison sp., the cervid Metacervocerus rhenanus and the giraffid Palaeotragus sp. PLN belongs to the Platanochori Formation (overlying Gerakarou Formation) and its fauna includes the following taxa: Stephanorhinus hundsheimensis, Equus apolloniensis, Bison sp. and Pontoceros ambiguus. The preliminary comparison of these faunal assemblages with the already known localities from the Mygdonia Basin and the wider region, combined with the geological data, suggest a Late Villafranchian age for TSR, chronologically intermediate between the localities Gerakarou-1 and Apollonia-1, while the fauna from PLN is indicative of a Latest Villafranchian age, similar to that of Apollonia-1. These new localities will enhance our understanding of the crucial time period of the earliest dispersal of hominins into Europe. © 2015 Académie des sciences

Late Miocene climatic and environmental variations in northern Greece inferred from stable isotope compositions (δ18O, δ13C) of equid teeth apatite

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Şerefköy-2, a new Late Miocene mammal locality from the Yatagan Formation, Mugla, SW Turkey

Here we report on a new fossil locality, şerefköy-2, from the Yatagan Basin of southwestern Turkey that preserves a well-sampled, abundant, and diverse mammal fauna. Indeed, after three field seasons, more than 1200 catalogued specimens representing 26 mammal species belonging to 14 genera make the şerefköy-2 mammalian assemblage one of the richest Late Miocene fauna from Anatolia. Five hipparionines, six bovids, including the rare and enigmatic Urmiatherium rugosifrons and the presence of Pliohyrax graecus, strongly support affinities with Late Miocene faunas from Samos Island, Greece. Through a consideration of the identified material and the subsequent comparison with material from well-known Balkan and Anatolian faunas, a Middle Turolian (MN12) age for şerefköy-2 is indicated. © 2011 Académie des sciences.Fondation Fyssen Royal Scientific Society: DK, GM Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Ege Üniversitesi: TTM/001/2008, TTM/001/2010 National Council for Scientific Research: 108Y047This work was supported by a “Wenner-Gren International Collaborative Research Grant” to RSS, TK, SM, DK and GM, the Ege University (TTM/001/2008 and TTM/001/2010) and TUBITAK (The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey) 108Y047 Grants to TK and SM, the Turkish Academy of Sciences to CA, a School of Arts and Sciences Global Opportunity Award from Rutgers University to RSS, and a Fyssen Foundation (Paris) Research Grant to GM. We wish to thank our field companions: Dr Vahdet Tuna, Dr Hülya Alçiçek (Pamukkale University, Denizli-Turkey) and Dr Baris Yerli (Ruhr-Universitat, Bochum-Germany) who helped to collect the material during 2009 field season. We are also grateful to Ebru Albayrak (MTA Museum, Ankara, Turkey), Abel Prieur (Collections de géologie de l’université Claude-Bernard Lyon-1, France), and Loïc Costeur (Natural History Museum of Basel, Switzerland) who allowed us to study comparative material under their care. Finally, we are grateful to Sevket Sen and three anonymous reviewers who improved the quality of this manuscript. -