Dry, rainfed or irrigated? Reevaluating the role and development of rice agriculture in Iron Age-Early Historic South India using archaeobotanical approaches

Domestic rice agriculture had spread across the mainland Indian subcontinent by c.500 BC. The initial spread of rice outside the core zone of the central Gangetic Plains is thought to have been limited by climatic constraints, particularly seasonal rainfall levels, and so the later spread of rice into the dry regions of South India is largely supposed to have relied on irrigation. This has been associated with the development of ritual water features in the Iron Age (c.1000–500 BC), and to the subsequent development of tanks (reservoirs) during the period of Early Historic state development (c.500 BC–500 AD). The identification of early irrigation systems within South Asia has largely relied on early historical texts, and not on direct archaeological evidence. This initial investigation attempts to identify irrigated rice cultivation in the Indian subcontinent by directly examining rice crop remains (phytolith and macrobotanical data) from four sites. The evidence presented here shows that, contrary to accepted narratives, rice agriculture in the Iron Age-Early Historic South India may not have been supported by irrigated paddy fields, but may have relied on seasonal rainfall as elsewhere in the subcontinent. More caution is urged, therefore, when using terms related to ‘irrigation’ and ‘agricultural intensification’ in discussions of the Iron Age and Early Historic South Asia and the related developments of urbanism and state polities

Comparing Pathways to Agriculture

The transition from foraging systems to agricultural dependence is a persistent focus of archaeological research, and the focus of a major research project supported by the European Research Council (ERC grant no. 323842, ’ComPAg’). Gordon Childe, director of the Institute of Archaeology 1947–1957, influentially defined the Neolithic revolution as that which instigated a series of changes in human societies towards sedentism (settling in one place), larger populations, food production based on domesticated plants and animals, transformed cosmologies and the dawn of new malleable technologies such as ceramics and textiles (Childe 1936)

Shifting cultivators in South Asia: Expansion, marginalisation and specialisation over the long term

This paper will consider alternative perspectives on the long-term history of shifting cultivation in India and Sri Lanka. Ethnographic and historical accounts of shifting cultivation, often by groups marginal to centres of urbanism and agrarian civilisation, are reviewed. Shifting cultivation persists in hill regions which are more marginal for sedentary, high intensity agriculture and state procurement of taxation. This can be considered as a strategy both to exploit more marginal lands and to avoid state domination. The origins of this historical equilibrium are hypothesized to lie with the expansion of later Neolithic agriculture (4000–3000 BP) and the development of hierarchical polities in the Indian plains in the Iron Age (mainly after 3000 BP). The archaeological record of early agriculture indicates that cultivation precedes sedentary villages, suggesting that shifting cultivation may have been a widespread economic system in the Neolithic, in both the Ganges Valley and the Deccan Plateau of South India. These areas are more suited to sedentary cultivation that could support higher population densities. Therefore, as populations grew in the Neolithic the economic system shifted to sedentary agriculture. The expansion of trade networks, hierarchical societies and demographic density pushed shifting cultivation practices into increasingly marginal settings, where this became an interdependent strategy. Specialist hunter–gatherers trading in forest products became an increasingly important aspect of forest exploitation as did cultivation of ‘cash crop trees’. The potential to detect the effect of some of these processes in archaeological and palynological evidence is explored

A step forward in tropical anthracology: understanding woodland vegetation and wood uses in ancient Sri Lanka based on charcoal records from Mantai, Kirinda and Kantharodai

The aim of this study is to present the anthracological results from three archaeological sites located in the North, North West and South East of Sri Lanka. The study is based on the observation and analysis of 1689 charcoal fragments using for support the reference collection of South Indian wood at the Institute of Archaeology ( UCL), Inside Wood (2004-onwards) and several wood anatomy atlases. Mantai (200 BCE-850 CE), an urban site, has yielded 25 taxa with significant presence of cf. Cocos nucifera among other taxa. Kantharodai (400-170- BCE), an urban site, has yielded 19 taxa from arid zones (Fabaceae, Rubiaceae), mangroves (Rhizophoraceae) and dune zones (cf. Cocos nucifera). Kirinda (500–900 CE), a fishing settlement, has yielded 24 taxa including Fabaceae (Dalbergia, Acacia) and Rubiaceae, belonging to dry deciduous forest and open savannas. This collective data set allows for the identification of discernible patterns related to the use of ecological interfaces between the forest and the open plains, used and actively managed by humans, and the possibility to identify if this changed with an increase in maritime trade and/or changes in agriculture over time. This study provides evidence of the differences in the vegetation present as well as use of wood fuel and other specific uses of wood for each site examined. It also sheds new light on tropical anthracology regarding quantification and accuracy in taxa identification

The acute effect of ‘breaking-up’ prolonged sitting on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight/obese adults

Session - Physical activity and cardiovascular disease in adults: paper no. 562This journal suppl. entitled: Be Avtive 2012INTRODUCTION: We have recently shown in a controlled laboratory setting that regularly ‘breaking up’ prolonged sitting with frequent short bouts of light-or moderate-intensity walking activity acutely lowers postprandial blood glucose and insulin concentrations. However, we are yet to report the effect of interrupting sitting time on secondary outcomes relating to cardiovascular disease. Consequently, we compared the effect of a single prolonged (7-hour) bout of sitting with a similar duration of sitting combined with intermittent bouts of light-intensity or moderate-intensity activity on blood pressure, blood lipids and CRP. METHODS: Overweight/obese adults (n=19; age range 45–65 yrs) were recruited for a randomized three-week, three-treatment acute cross-over trial: 1) uninterrupted sitting; 2) seated with 2-minute bouts of light-intensity walking at 3.2 km/hr every 20 minutes; and 3) seated with 2-minute bouts of moderate-intensity walking at between 5.8–6.4 km/hr every 20 minutes. Following the completion of baseline measurements and an initial 2 hour steady-state period, participants consumed a standard test meal (75 g glucose, 50 g fat). Serum triglycerides were assessed hourly to calculate the incremental area under the curve (iAUC) and high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) was assessed at baseline and 7 hours. Seated brachial artery blood pressure was also measured every hour as a single measurement, 5 mins prior to each activity bout, with an automated oscillometric blood pressure monitor (Philips SureSigns VS3 Monitor). GEE models were adjusted for sex, age, BMI, fasting blood pressure and treatment order. RESULTS: Systolic blood pressure decreased similarly and significantly during the light and moderate-intensity activity conditions [light: 120±4mmHg (hourly mean±SEM), p=0.002; moderate: 120±3mmHg, p=0.02] compared to uninterrupted sitting (125±4mmHg). Diastolic blood pressure was also significantly reduced with both activity conditions (light: 78±3mmHg, p=0.006; moderate: 78±3mmHg, p=0.03) compared to uninterrupted sitting (79±3mmHg). No significant group differences were observed in triglyceride iAUC, hsCRP and the hourly measurement of heart rate. DISCUSSION: These findings indicate that breaking up prolonged sitting with frequent short breaks of either light or moderate-intensity physical activity may have favourable effects on seated blood pressure. Further studies are needed to evaluate the chronic effects of breaking up sedentary time on cardiovascular disease risk factors and the feasibility of such strategies in the general community

MicroRNA-194 modulates glucose metabolism and its skeletal muscle expression is reduced in diabetes

BACKGROUND: The regulation of microRNAs (miRNAs) at different stages of the progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and their role in glucose homeostasis was investigated. METHODS: Microarrays were used to assess miRNA expression in skeletal muscle biopsies taken from healthy individuals and patients with pre-diabetes or T2DM, and insulin resistant offspring of rat dams fed a high fat diet during pregnancy. RESULTS: Twenty-three miRNAs were differentially expressed in patients with T2DM, and 7 in the insulin resistant rat offspring compared to their controls. Among these, only one miRNA was similarly regulated: miR-194 expression was significantly reduced by 25 to 50% in both the rat model and in human with pre-diabetes and established diabetes. Knockdown of miR-194 in L6 skeletal muscle cells induced an increase in basal and insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis. This occurred in conjunction with an increased glycolysis, indicated by elevated lactate production. Moreover, oxidative capacity was also increased as we found an enhanced glucose oxidation in presence of the mitochondrial uncoupler FCCP. When miR-194 was down-regulated in vitro, western blot analysis showed an increased phosphorylation of AKT and GSK3β in response to insulin, and an increase in expression of proteins controlling mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation. CONCLUSIONS: Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with regulation of several miRNAs in skeletal muscle. Interestingly, miR-194 was a unique miRNA that appeared regulated across different stages of the disease progression, from the early stages of insulin resistance to the development of T2DM. We have shown miR-194 is involved in multiple aspects of skeletal muscle glucose metabolism from uptake, through to glycolysis, glycogenesis and glucose oxidation, potentially via mechanisms involving AKT, GSK3 and oxidative phosphorylation. MiR-194 could be down-regulated in patients with early features of diabetes as an adaptive response to facilitate tissue glucose uptake and metabolism in the face of insulin resistance

Medication adherence in multiple sclerosis as a potential model for other chronic diseases: a population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether better medication adherence in multiple sclerosis (MS) might be due to specialised disease-modifying drug (DMD) support programmes by: (1) establishing higher adherence in MS than in other chronic diseases and (2) determining if higher adherence is associated with patient-specific or treatment-specific factors. DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study with data from 1 January 1996 to 31 December 2015. SETTING: Population-based health administrative data from three Canadian provinces. PARTICIPANTS: Individual cohorts were created using validated case definitions for MS, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease (PD) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Subjects were included if they received ≥1 dispensation for a disease-related drug between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2014. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Proportion of subjects with optimal adherence (≥80%) measured by the medication possession ratio 1 year after the index date (first dispensation of disease-related drug). RESULTS: 126 478 subjects were included in the primary analysis (MS, n=6271; epilepsy, n=55 739; PD, n=21 304; RA, n=43 164). Subjects with epilepsy (adjusted OR, aOR 0.29; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.45), PD (aOR 0.42; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.63) or RA (aOR 0.26; 95% CI 0.19 to 0.35) were less likely to have optimal 1-year adherence compared with subjects with MS. Within the MS cohort, adherence was higher for DMD than for chronic-use non-MS medications, and no consistent patient-related predictors of adherence were observed across all four non-MS medication classes, including having optimal adherence to DMD. CONCLUSIONS: Subjects with MS were significantly more likely to have optimal 1-year adherence than subjects with epilepsy, RA and PD, and optimal adherence appears related to treatment-specific factors rather than patient-related factors. This supports the hypothesis that higher adherence to the MS DMDs could be due to the specialised support programmes; these programmes may serve as a model for use in other chronic conditions

Archaeobotanical Investigations into Golbai Sasan and Gopalpur, Two Neolithic-Chalcolithic Settlements of Odisha

This paper presents the results of plant macro-remain and phytolith analyses from two Neolithic-Early Historic mounded settlement sites in Odisha, eastern India: Gopalpur and Golbai Sasan. Macrobotanical and phytolith samples were taken throughout the stratigraphy and the results are presented here. The plant remains confirm the presence of a distinct agricultural economy in Neolithic-Chalcolithic Odisha based on rice (Oryza sativa), pulses (Vigna spp., Macrotyloma uniflorium and Cajanus cajan) and millets (Bracharia ramosa, Panicum spp., Setaria spp. and possibly Paspalum sp.). Crop processing activities have been reconstructed using both phytoliths and macro-remains, and suggest that threshing occurred off site as part of a communal harvesting strategy. Potential differences between the economies of Golbai Sasan and Gopalpur are suggested, with a broader range of pulses present at Gopalpur. Radiocarbon dates from individual rice grains and legumes provide a secure chronology for the sites. This paper therefore provides the first published details for the agricultural base of the Neolithic-Chalcolithic coastal lowlands in Odisha, as well as new AMS radiocarbon dates for the Odishan Neolithic-Chalcolithic period

Sex and age differences in the Multiple Sclerosis prodrome

Background and objectives: Little is known of the potential sex and age differences in the MS prodrome. We investigated sex and age differences in healthcare utilization during the MS prodrome. Methods: This was a population-based matched cohort study linking administrative and clinical data from British Columbia, Canada (population = 5 million). MS cases in the 5 years preceding a first demyelinating event (“administrative cohort;” n = 6,863) or MS symptom onset (“clinical cohort;” n = 966) were compared to age-, sex- and geographically-matched controls (n = 31,865/4,534). Negative binomial and modified Poisson models were used to compare the rates of physician visits and hospitalizations per international classification of diseases chapter, and prescriptions filled per drug class, between MS cases and controls across sex and age-groups (< 30, 30–49, ≥50 years). Results: In the administrative cohort, males with MS had a higher relative rate for genitourinary-related visits (males: adjusted Rate Ratio (aRR) = 1.65, females: aRR = 1.19, likelihood ratio test P = 0.02) and antivertigo prescriptions (males: aRR = 4.72, females: aRR = 3.01 P < 0.01). Injury and infection-related hospitalizations were relatively more frequent for ≥50-year-olds (injuries < 30/30–49/≥50: aRR = 1.16/1.39/2.12, P < 0.01; infections 30–49/≥50: aRR = 1.43/2.72, P = 0.03), while sensory-related visits and cardiovascular prescriptions were relatively more common in younger persons (sensory 30–49/≥50: aRR = 1.67/1.45, P = 0.03; cardiovascular < 30/30–49/≥50: aRR = 1.56/1.39/1.18, P < 0.01). General practitioner visits were relatively more frequent in males (males: aRR = 1.63, females: aRR = 1.40, P < 0.01) and ≥50-year-olds (< 30/≥50: aRR = 1.32/1.55, P = 0.02), while differences in ophthalmologist visits were disproportionally larger among younger persons, < 50-years-old (< 30/30–49/≥50: aRR = 2.25/2.20/1.55, P < 0.01). None of the sex and age-related differences in the smaller clinical cohort reached significance (P ≥ 0.05). Discussion: Sex and age-specific differences in healthcare use were observed in the 5 years before MS onset. Findings demonstrate fundamental heterogeneity in the MS prodromal presentation

Sex-Specific Associations in Nutrition and Activity-Related Risk Factors for Chronic Disease: Australian Evidence from Childhood to Emerging Adulthood

Global assessments of burden of disease suggests there are sex differences in risk factors for chronic disease, including overweight/obesity, dietary patterns and habitual physical activity. Given that prevention efforts aim to target such factors to reduce disease risk, the age at which sex differences may occur is of particular interest. Early life to young adulthood is the optimal time for intervention, with lifestyle habits typically forming during this period. This study aimed to identify the sex differences in risk factors for chronic disease during childhood (5–9 years), adolescence (10–17 years) and emerging adulthood (18–25 years) in a large population-representative Australian sample. Among children in this study (n = 739), no sex-related differences were observed. Among adolescents (n = 1304), females were more likely than males to meet daily fruit and vegetable recommendations (12.9% vs. 7.5%; OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.16, 2.93, p &lt; 0.05). Among emerging adults (n = 909), females were less likely to be overweight/obese (30.1% vs. 39.8%; OR = 0.65, 95% CI = 0.44, 0.95, p &lt; 0.05) and more likely to meet physical activity recommendations (52.1% vs. 42.3%; OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.01, 2.06, p &lt; 0.05). These findings suggest that sex differences for risk factors of chronic disease occur during adolescence and emerging adulthood, although the differences are not consistent across age periods. From adolescence onwards, it appears that females exhibit lower risk factors than males and a life span approach to risk factor monitoring is warranted