Environment and man in the Late Palaeolithic — Middle Ages in the southern Primorye: review

Questions concerning the effect of environment on appearance, development and disappearance of archaeological cultures in the territory of southern Primorye have been addressed in the article. The chronological framework of the research is from the Late Palaeolithic through to the Middle Ages. Thirty three natural sections of different genesis have been examined for reconstruction of the Late Pleistocene — Holocene environment. Palynological, diatomic and radiocarbon methods have been used for their examination. The data on archaeological periods and cultures have been provided based on the analysis of materials of Primorye archaeological sites (including 14 Palaeolithic, 33 Neolithic, 30 Paleometal, and 15 Medieval). Climatic changes have been discussed in terms of their effect on the resource base of people. The earliest Palaeolithic sites, which 14C date approximately 16,000 years BP, were found in Eastern part of Primorye. Climate warming and rise of sea level in the Early Neolithic (ca. 8,000 years 14C BP) facilitated the growth of resource base and expansion of the Neolithic people with sustainable adaptation models in Primorye. This manifested in the appearance of long-term settlements and differentiation of the tool sets. The beginning of the sea regression around 6,000 14С years BP resulted in the extinction of the Boysman Culture. Slight cooling and aridization of the climate 5,600–5,400 14C years BP contributed to the appearance of a new cultural tradition involved with agriculture. The long existence of cultures in the Late Neolithic and Paleometal periods, with significant climatic shifts, can be explained by introducing mixed economy model with increased role of the economy of producing type. In the Late Paleometal and Medieval periods, economic, political and military factors had a great impact on communities, along with environment and climatic factors. Correlation of palaeogeographical and archaeological data demonstrated a certain synchronicity of environmental changes and cultural events. Climatic fluctuations led to migrations, variations in local population density, changes in adaptation strategies of the people, and changes of direction of economic activities

Economy of the Early Mediaeval population of Primorye (based on archaeological evidence for the Mohe culture)

This paper attempts to reconstruct the economy of the Early Mediaeval population of Primorye, based on an analysis of data obtained from archaeological sites of the Mohe culture. Sites of the Mohe culture in Primorye date from the 6th to the beginning of the 8th c. AD. With the emergence of the Bohai state in the western districts of Primorye, Bohai cultural elements gradually replace Mohe across the region and Mohe sites gradually disappear in the archaeological record. However, some features of the Mohe material culture continue to exist for some time. Paleogeographic evidence indicates a cooling of climate and decrease in rainfall in the 6th to 7th cc. AD and climate warming in the 8th c. There are limited but reliable archaeological evidences from Mohe sites for the existence of agriculture, animal husbandry, hunting, sea and river gathering and fishing, and plant gathering. However, it is not yet possible to rank these components of the economy by economic significance for the population. Our study shows an increase in agricultural activity from the early to the late stages of Mohe culture. The early sites do not demonstrate a significant role for agriculture, in contrast to the later sites, where there is clear evidence for an increase in the list of cultural plants and the volume of agricultural production. Changes in agricultural practice occurred rapidly and were triggered by historical events in the region, connected with the formation of Bohai State and the expansion of its borders. Changes also can be seen chronologically in the settlement patterns of the Mohe of Primorye. Early Mohe settled in places convenient for their traditional activities. At a later stage, sites which controlled territory and the waterway along the Razdolnaya river appear. Evidence for other components of the Mohe economy are limited and only confirm the presence of their in the Mohe subsistence systems in this region, but they are insufficient for more detailed reconstruction. It has been found that the Mohe of Primorye raised at least two types of domestic animals — pigs and horses. There is mostly indirect evidence for hunting (arrowheads, knives, tools for currying skins) from the Mohe sites. The absence of mammal and bird bones prevents any more certain reconstruction of Mohe hunting objects. A few shells of marine and freshwater molluscs were found on three sites. Bone remains of eight species of marine fishes were also found on one site. The gathering of wild plants is confirmed by the finds of seeds and fruits of seven plants species. Most of the plants were used for food and some for medical purposes

Исследование цитокинового профиля и экспрессии генов FYN, ZAP-70 и LAT при стимуляции конканавалином А у пациентов с терапевтически резистентной бронхиальной астмой

Background: Bronchial asthma (BA) is one of the most spreading chronic lung pathology in the world. The disease is characterized by high heterogeneity of clinical phenotypes including resistant forms which provoke significant clinical problem. Immune shift from Th2 to alternative immunological response is considered to be a mechanism of drug-resistance in BA treatment but this issue is not considerably studied yet. Aims: Detection of distinctive patterns in cytokine secretion and genetic expression (ZAP-70, FYN and LAT) of naïve and concanavalin A stimulated lymphocytes in patients with resistant BA. Materials and methods: The study enrolled ten patients in each group: subjects with treatment resistant BA, severe BA, and controls (30 in total). During the experiment, all patients with BA received treatment according to the condition. For each participant lymphocytes isolation from venous blood was performed. Cells were cultured with concanavalin A and without stimulation. Concentrations of cytokines IL-2, IL-12, TNF-α, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-6 in supernatants were measured with ELISA. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the mRNA expression of LAT, ZAP-70, and FYN genes. Results: Significant disease contribution to the lymphocyte secretion profile was established without concanavalin A stimulation: increased levels of IL-2 and IL-4 was observed in lymphocytes of patients with resistant BA if compared to the results of gorup with severe BA. Patients with resistant BA were characterized by weak cytokine response to the stimulation: only TNF-α and IL-5 levels were significantly increased whereas in group with severe BA all cytokines concentrations increased except IL-12, in controls — except IL-12 and IL-2. Significant FYN upregulation was identified in resistant BA group if compared with other groups, and in severe BA patients if compared with controls. The concanavalin A-stimulated cells showed increased expression of ZAP-70 in cells of patients with resistant BA compared to control group. Conclusions: Lymphocytes from patients with resistant BA are characterized by lack of cytokine response to concanavalin A stimulation, alteration of cytokine secretion, and genetic expression profile similar to cells with low sensitivity to apoptosis. The FYN gene is a perspective target for finding approaches to overcome resistance to steroid drugs in bronchial asthma.Обоснование. Бронхиальная астма (БА) является одним из самых распространенных хронических бронхолегочных заболеваний. Это заболевание характеризуется полифенотипичностью и гетерогенностью течения: существуют фенотипы астмы, связанные с резистентностью к терапии, представляющие серьезную клиническую проблему. В качестве основного механизма развития лекарственной резистентности у больных на данный момент предполагается «переключение» иммунного ответа с Th2 на альтернативные варианты, однако причины этого недостаточно понятны. Согласно результатам исследований транскриптома, гены ZAP-70, FYN и LAT могут играть роль в развитии резистентности к лечению. Цель исследования ― выявление характерных паттернов изменения цитокиновой секреции и экспрессии генов (ZAP-70, FYN и LAT) интактных лимфоцитов и при стимуляции конканавалином А при терапевтической резистентности у больных БА. Методы. В исследование было включено по 10 пациентов с терапевтически резистентной БА и тяжелой БА, а также 10 здоровых человек контрольной группы. Все пациенты на момент забора образцов получали лечение по поводу БА. У каждого пациента проводили забор венозной крови и выделение клеток лимфоцитарной фракции, которые культивировали с конканавалином А и без него. После культивирования определяли концентрации цитокинов IL2, IL12, TNFα, IL4, IL5 и IL6 с помощью иммуноферментного анализа, а также экспрессию генов LAT, ZAP-70 и FYN методом полимеразной цепной реакции в режиме реального времени. Результаты. Установлена ассоциация заболевания и профиля секреции лимфоцитов без стимуляции конканавалином А. В клетках пациентов с резистентной БА повышалась концентрация IL2 и IL4 по сравнению с тяжелой БА. Лимфоциты пациентов с резистентной БА демонстрировали незначительный цитокиновый ответ на стимуляцию: отмечалось повышение продукции лишь IL5 и TNFα, тогда как в клетках пациентов с тяжелой БА повышалась продукция всех цитокинов за исключением IL12, в контрольной группе ― за исключением IL12 и IL2. Установлено повышение экспрессии FYN в лимфоцитах пациентов с резистентной БА вне зависимости от режима стимуляции по сравнению с пациентами с тяжелой БА и группой контроля и снижение экспрессии данного гена в контроле по сравнению с тяжелой БА. Также отмечалось повышение экспрессии ZAP-70 в клетках пациентов с резистентной БА по сравнению с контролем при стимуляции конканавалином А. Заключение. Лимфоцитарная фракция клеток пациентов с резистентной БА характеризуется слабым ответом на стимуляцию конканавалином А, измененным профилем цитокиновой секреции и генетической экспрессии, характерным для клеток с низкой чувствительностью к проапоптотическим стимулам. Ген FYN является перспективной мишенью для поиска подходов по преодолению резистентности к стероидным препаратам при БА