Results.

<p>Results.</p

Reconstructed total ion chromatogram of the thermal desorption profiles (310°C for 10s) of human calculus samples.

<p><b>Figure 3a.</b> (A) Pre-Mesolithic Burial 35, (b) Neolithic Burial 10I, (c) Neolithic Burial 103 and (d) Meroitic Burial 74. The structures of the terpenoid compounds characteristic of <i>C. rotundus</i> are shown, i.e. the main monoterpenoid compounds identified: α-pinene, <i>p</i>-cymene and limonene, and the main sesquiterpenoid compounds identified: calarene (β-gurjunene), rotundene, γ-muurolene, α-muurolene, calamenene, calamene and cadalene. The filled square, <i>n</i>-C₁₂ indicates dodecene (see text). <b>Figure 3b</b><b>.</b> Reconstructed total ion chromatogram of the thermal desorption profile (310°C for 10s) of human calculus, Burial 74, 5.46 mg. Peak identities (x indicates carbon chain length): filled squares, Cx indicates alkenes; filled circles; filled triangles indicates C₁₆ - C₂₃ methyl, ethyl- and butyl- branched alkanes; filled diamonds, Cx indicates alkylcyclohexanes. Also shown are the structures of chlorobenzene, seven monoterpenoid compounds identified: α-pinene, trans-carane, <i>p</i>-cymene, limonene, β-phellandrene, 2-carene and <i>p</i>-cymenene, and seven sesquiterpenoid compounds identified: calarene (β-gurjunene), rotundene, γ-muurolene, calamenene, calamene, cadalene and guaiazulene. In addition, sequiterpenoid compounds numbered 1 to 12 were identified as: 1 =  norrotundene, 2 = α -copaene, 3 =  cubinene (cadina-1,4-diene), 4 =  α-cedrene, 5 =  unidentified sesquiterpenoid, 6 =  γ-selinene, 7 =  α-muurolene, 8 =  γ-cadinene, 9 =  α-cadinene, 10 =  calacorenes (×3), 11 =  dehydrocadalene, 12 =  an isomer of cadalene. SO₂ indicates sulphur dioxide. Inset displays a reconstructed total ion chromatogram of the pyrolysis profile (610°C for 10 s) of this sample, after thermal desorption (310°C for 10 s). Peak identities: filled squares, Cx indicates alkenes, open diamonds indicates propenenitrile and butenenitrile. Also shown are the structures of ten aromatic compounds identified: benzene, pyridine, toluene, styrene, <i>p</i>-xylene (coeluting with styrene), 2-chloropyridine, benzonitrile, naphthalene, biphenyl and 2-phenylpyridine, and three polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons: phenanthrene, fluoranthene and pyrene. SO₂ again indicates sulphur dioxide.</p

Antifungal, anti-biofilm and adhesion activity of the essential oil of <i>Myrtus communis</i> L. against <i>Candida</i> species

<div><p><i>Candida</i> species belong to the normal microbiota of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract and vagina. The increasing incidence of drug-resistant pathogens and the toxicity of the antifungal compounds have drawn the attention towards the antimicrobial activity of natural products, an inexpensive alternative. The aim of this work was to evaluate the adhesion activity, the biofilm formation and the action of the <i>Myrtus communis</i> L. essential oil (EO) on the biofilm formation towards three species isolated from clinical samples: <i>C</i><i>andida</i><i> albicans</i>, <i>C</i><i>andida</i><i> parapsilosis</i> and <i>C</i><i>andida</i><i> tropicalis</i>. Furthermore, we evaluated the antimycotic activity of the EO towards the three species, and the results were compared with the minimum inhibitory concentration of six antimycotics. The activity of the EO against <i>C. albicans</i> and <i>C. parapsilosis</i> was better than that obtained against <i>C. tropicalis</i>; moreover, the strains used in the assay were adhesive and biofilm producer, and the effect of myrtle EO on the biofilm formation yielded encouraging results.</p></div

Al Khiday.

<p>(A) location map, (b) aerial photograph, excavation, (c) skeleton <i>in situ</i>, (d) dental calculus.</p

Silica skeletons from Ghaba compared to reference material.

<p>(<b>a</b>) <i>Brachiaria</i> sp. silica skeleton from grave 295, (<b>b</b>) modern silica skeleton from the inner part of the inflorescence of <i>Brachiaria ramosa</i> (L.) Stapf., (<b>c</b>) <i>Echinochloa</i> sp. <i>type a</i> silica skeleton from grave 233, (<b>d</b>) modern silica skeleton from the inner part of the inflorescence of <i>Echinochloa colona</i> (L.) Link., (<b>e</b>) <i>Echinochloa</i> sp. <i>type b</i> silica skeleton from grave 295 and (<b>f</b>) modern silica skeleton from the outer part of the inflorescence of <i>Echinochloa frumentacea</i> Link. Scale bar 50 µm. See <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0110177#pone.0110177.s001" target="_blank">Table S1</a> for the detailed description of identification characters.</p

Starch grains recovered from dental calculi from Ghaba compared to reference material.

<p>(<b>a</b>) Triticeae starch grain from the skeleton of grave 169, (<b>b</b>) modern starch grain of <i>Triticum turgidum</i> ssp. <i>dicoccon</i> (Schrank) Thell., (<b>c</b>) modern starch grain of <i>Hordeum vulgare</i> L., (<b>d</b>) Panicoideae starch grains from the skeleton of grave 297, (<b>e</b>) modern starch grain of <i>Pennisetum glaucum</i> (L.) R.Br., (<b>f</b>) modern starch grain of <i>Sorghum bicolor</i> (L.) Moench., (<b>g</b>) Faboideae starch grain from the skeleton of grave 52, (<b>h</b>) modern starch grain of <i>Lablab purpureus</i> (L.) Sweet and (<b>i</b>) modern starch grain of <i>Vigna unguiculata</i> (L.) Walp. Scale bar 20 µm.</p

Plant microremains recovered from dental calculi from Ghaba and R12.

<p>Plant microremains recovered from dental calculi from Ghaba and R12.</p

Silica skeletons from the pillow-like structures of R12 and Ghaba cemeteries.

<p>Silica skeletons from the pillow-like structures of R12 and Ghaba cemeteries.</p

Map showing the location of R12 and Ghaba, as well as other settlements in Egypt and Sudan mentioned in the text.

<p>Map showing the location of R12 and Ghaba, as well as other settlements in Egypt and Sudan mentioned in the text.</p

Silica skeletons from R12 compared to reference material.

<p>(<b>a–b</b>) Wheat/barley silica skeletons from grave 46, (<b>c</b>) modern silica skeleton from lemma of <i>Hordeum vulgare</i> L. and (<b>d</b>) modern silica skeleton from lemma of <i>Triticum turgidum</i> ssp. <i>dicoccon</i> (Schrank) Thell. Scale bar 50 µm.</p