New insights on Celtic migration in Hungary and Italy through the analysis of non-metric dental traits

The Iron Age is characterized by an extended interweaving of movements by Celts in Europe. Several waves of Celts from Western and Central Europe migrated southeast and west from the core area of the La Téne culture (between Bourgogne and Bohemia). Through the analysis of non-metric dental traits, this work aims to understand the biological relationship among Celtic groups arrived in Italy and the Carpathian Basin, as well as between local populations and Celtic newcomers. A total of 10 non-metric dental traits were analyzed to evaluate biological affinities among Celts (Sopron-Krautacker and Pilismarót-Basaharc) and Scythians-related populations from Hungary (Tápiószele), Celts from continental Europe (Switzerland and Austria), two Iron Age Etruscan-Celtic sites from northern Italy (Monterenzio Vecchio and Monte Bibele), 13 Iron Age central-southern Italic necropolises, and the northern Italian Bronze Age necropolis of Scalvinetto. Strontium isotopes were measured on individuals from the necropolis of Monte Bibele to infer their local or non-local origin. Results highlight the existence of statistically significant differences between Celts and autochthonous Italian groups. Celtic groups from Hungary and Italy (i.e., non-local individuals of Monterenzio Vecchio and Monte Bibele) share a similar biological background, supporting the historical records mentioning a common origin for Celts migrated to the eastern and southern borders of today’s Europe. The presence of a supposed Steppean ancestry both in Celts from Hungary and Celts from northern Italy corroborates the hypothesis of the existence of a westward migration of individuals and genes from the Steppe towards northern Italy during the Bronze and Iron Age, which contributed to the biological variability of pre-Celtic and later Celtic populations, respectively. Conversely, individuals from central-southern Italy show an autochthonous pre-Iron Age background. Lastly, this work supports the existence of Celtic migratory routes in northern Italy, as shown by biological and cultural admixture between Celts and Italics living together.E.P. was funded from the Erasmus+ Traineeship Program/KA103, Agreement n. 2020-1-IT02-KA103-078332. T.H. and K.G. were supported by the Hungarian Scientific Research Fund (FK128013), the Bolyai Scholarship granted by the Hungarian Academy of Sciences and the ÚNKP-22-5 New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Culture and Innovation from the source of the National Research, Development and Innovation Fund. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

The ELIXIR Human Copy Number Variations Community:building bioinformatics infrastructure for research

Copy number variations (CNVs) are major causative contributors both in the genesis of genetic diseases and human neoplasias. While 'High-Throughput' sequencing technologies are increasingly becoming the primary choice for genomic screening analysis, their ability to efficiently detect CNVs is still heterogeneous and remains to be developed. The aim of this white paper is to provide a guiding framework for the future contributions of ELIXIR's recently established h uman CNV Community, with implications beyond human disease diagnostics and population genomics. This white paper is the direct result of a strategy meeting that took place in September 2018 in Hinxton (UK) and involved representatives of 11 ELIXIR Nodes. The meeting led to the definition of priority objectives and tasks, to address a wide range of CNV-related challenges ranging from detection and interpretation to sharing and training. Here, we provide suggestions on how to align these tasks within the ELIXIR Platforms strategy, and on how to frame the activities of this new ELIXIR Community in the international context

A Kárpát-medence vaskorának népességtörténeti kérdései

A Dunántúlt a kora vaskorban a Hallstatt-kultúra népessége lakta. Halottaikat hamvasztották, így eredetükre, továbbélésükre nehéz következtetni. Ugyanekkor Borsod és Heves megye területén keleti eredetű preszkíták éltek. A szkíták a Kr.e. VII. század közepén érkeztek az Alföldre. A kelták a Kr.e. IV. században érték el a Dunántúlt. Utóbbi három népcsoport embertani szempontból jobban ismert, ugyanakkor átfogó tanulmány a vaskorról még nem született, ami a jövő kutatásának célkitűzése

Győr-Kálvária összevont lelőhely késő vaskori embertani leleteinek biológiai antropológiai vizsgálata

A tanulmány a Győr-Kálvária összevont lelőhelyen feltárt húsz csontvázas és két hamvasztásos késő vaskori kelta temetkezésből előkerült emberi maradványok klasszikus embertani és makroszkópos paleopatológiai eredményeit mutatja be

Jászberény Szent Pál-halom Árpád-kori népességének történeti embertani vizsgálata (11–13. század)

We analysed 239 individuals from the Árpádian Age (11–13th century) cemetery of Jászberény Szent Pál-halom. The aim of this article was to provide anthropological and paleopathological information regarding the populations of Árpádian Age from Jászberény. Altogether 88 males, 71 females and 48 children were examined. In the case of 32 individuals, sex could not be determined. Based on demographic analysis 22.5% of the population passed away in subadult age. In the case of males, the mortality curve peaks at about age 40, while in females around age 30. This phenomenon can be explained by the fact that women had to deal with physiological and pathophysiological stress due to pregnancy and its complications. The average height was 167.11 cm for men and 158.07 cm for women. Craniometric analysis revealed some differences between the two sexes, e.g. females were mainly mesokran, while males had hyperdolichokran, dolichokran, mesokran and brachykran skull as well. Porotic hyperostosis was identified most frequently on the orbital roof. Signs of premortem and postmortem traumas were also identified. Interpersonal violence is indubitable as premortem cut marks were observed in more cases. The premortem traumas were mostly related to lifestyle, possible accidents and cultural intentions. Linear enamel hypoplasia was most common on the lower first and second incisors, furthermore on the lower canines. The prevalence was much higher in males compared to females

Az anti-SARS-CoV-2-IgG-antitest-immunválaszok monitorozása magyarországi egészségügyi dolgozók két kohorszában fertőzést, illetve immunizálást követően

Bevezetés: A SARS-CoV-2-fertőzések és az anti-SARS-CoV-2-vakcinák által kiváltott immunvédelem tartóssága, nagysága és különbségeinek háttere nem teljesen tisztázott, az oltási protokollok optimális időzítése vitatott. Célkitűzés: A humorális immunválaszok nagyságát, időbeli változását, a reinfekciók gyakoriságát, demográfiai és klinikai paraméterekkel való összefüggését vizsgáltuk magyarországi egészségügyi dolgozóknál. Módszerek: Megyei egyetemi oktató kórházunkban prospektív, longitudinális vizsgálatot végeztünk egészségügyi dolgozók két csoportjában. 1. kohorsz: SARS-CoV-2-fertőzésen átesett, oltatlan 42 dolgozó (nő: 100%) antinukleokapszid-IgG-szintjét mértük 8 hónapon keresztül (2020. június-2021. február). Az immunválasznak a változását és az életkorral, a krónikus betegségekkel, a vércsoporttal és a tünetek súlyosságával való összefüggését vizsgáltuk. 2. kohorsz: két dózis mRNS-vakcinával (Pfizer-BioNTech) végzett immunizálást követően, fertőzésnaiv 49 dolgozó (nő: 73%) anti-spike-RBD-protein-IgG-szintjét monitoroztuk 8 hónapig (2020. december-2021. augusztus). Medián analízis, lineáris regresszió, ANCOVA, Kruskal-Wallis- és Skillings-Mack-teszt-elemzéseket végeztünk. Eredmények: 1. kohorsz: az IgG-szintek átlagosan a betegség 4-es súlyossági kategóriájában voltak a legmagasabbak, a negatív tartományba csökkenés medián ideje 6 hónap volt. 2. kohorsz: a második vakcina hatására az IgG-szint a 25-szörösére nőtt, majd 210 nap után a csúcsszint 6%-ra csökkent. Az ellenanyagtiter negatív összefüggést mutatott az idősebb életkorral és a férfinemmel. Tünetmentes (újra)fertőződést valószínűsítettünk a fertőzésen átesettek 17%-ánál és az immunizált kohorsz 14%-ánál. Az érintettek magas kockázatú osztályokon dolgoztak. Következtetés: 6 hónap után mind a fertőzésen átesettek, mind az immunizáltak jelentősen csökkenő IgG-védelmet mutattak. A (re)infekciók átlagosan 15%-ban, tünetmentesen zajlottak. Az eredmények megerősítik az oltás hatékonyságát a betegség megelőzésében, a harmadik emlékeztető vakcina fontosságát 6 hónap után és az anti-SARS-CoV-2-IgG-monitorozás potenciális értékét

NGS-Based Application for Routine Non-Invasive Pre-Implantation Genetic Assessment in IVF

Although non-invasive pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (NIPGT-A) is potentially appropriate to assess chromosomal ploidy of the embryo, practical application of it in a routine IVF centre have not been started in the absence of a recommendation. Our objective in this study was to provide a comprehensive workflow for a clinically applicable strategy for NIPGT-A based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology with the corresponding bioinformatic pipeline. In a retrospective study, we performed NGS on spent blastocyst culture media of Day 3 embryos fertilised with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with quality score on morphology assessment using the blank culture media as background control. Chromosomal abnormalities were identified by an optimised bioinformatics pipeline applying copy number variation (CNV) detecting algorithm. In this study, we demonstrate a comprehensive workflow covering both wet- and dry-lab procedures supporting a clinically applicable strategy for NIPGT-A that can be carried out within 48 h, which is critical for the same-cycle blastocyst transfer. The described integrated approach of non-invasive evaluation of embryonic DNA content of the culture media can potentially supplement existing pre-implantation genetic screening methods

NGS-Based Application for Routine Non-Invasive Pre-Implantation Genetic Assessment in IVF

Although non-invasive pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (NIPGT-A) is potentially appropriate to assess chromosomal ploidy of the embryo, practical application of it in a routine IVF centre have not been started in the absence of a recommendation. Our objective in this study was to provide a comprehensive workflow for a clinically applicable strategy for NIPGT-A based on next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology with the corresponding bioinformatic pipeline. In a retrospective study, we performed NGS on spent blastocyst culture media of Day 3 embryos fertilised with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) with quality score on morphology assessment using the blank culture media as background control. Chromosomal abnormalities were identified by an optimised bioinformatics pipeline applying copy number variation (CNV) detecting algorithm. In this study, we demonstrate a comprehensive workflow covering both wet- and dry-lab procedures supporting a clinically applicable strategy for NIPGT-A that can be carried out within 48 h, which is critical for the same-cycle blastocyst transfer. The described integrated approach of non-invasive evaluation of embryonic DNA content of the culture media can potentially supplement existing pre-implantation genetic screening methods

Analysis of COVID-19-Related RT-qPCR Test Results in Hungary : Epidemiology, Diagnostics, and Clinical Outcome

Background: Effective testing is an essential tool for controlling COVID-19. We aimed to analyse the data from first-wave PCR test results in Hungary's Southern Transdanubian region to improve testing strategies. Methods: We performed a retrospective analysis of all suspected COVID-19 cases between 17 March and 8 May 2020, collecting epidemiological, demographic, clinical and outcome data (ICU admission and mortality) with RT-qPCR test results. Descriptive and comparative statistical analyses were conducted. Results: Eighty-six infections were confirmed among 3,657 tested patients. There was no difference between the positive and negative cases in age and sex distribution; however, ICU admission (8.1 vs. 3.1%, p = 0.006) and in-hospital mortality (4.7 vs. 1.6%, p = 0.062) were more frequent among positive cases. Importantly, none of the initially asymptomatic patients (n = 20) required ICU admission, and all survived. In almost all cases, if the first test was negative, second and third tests were performed with a 48-h delay for careful monitoring of disease development. However, the positive hit rate decreased dramatically with the second and third tests compared to the first (0.3 vs. 2.1%, OR = 0.155 [0.053-0.350]). Higher E-gene copy numbers were associated with a longer period of PCR positivity. Conclusion: In our immunologically naïve suspected COVID-19 population, coronavirus infection increased the need for intensive care and mortality by 3-4 times. In the event of the exponential phase of the pandemic involving a bottleneck in testing capacity, a second or third test should be reconsidered to diagnose more coronavirus infections