Is Neolithic land use correlated with demography? An evaluation of pollen-derived land cover and radiocarbon-inferred demographic change from Central Europe

The transformation of natural landscapes in Middle Europe began in the Neolithic as a result of the introduction of food-producing economies. This paper examines the relation between land-cover and demographic change in a regionally restricted case study. The study area is the Western Lake Constance area which has very detailed palynological as well as archaeological records. We compare land-cover change derived from nine pollen records using a pseudo-biomisation approach with 14C date probability density functions from archaeological sites which serve as a demographic proxy. We chose the Lake Constance area as a regional example where the pollen signal integrates a larger spatial pattern. The land-cover reconstructions for this region show first notable impacts at the Middle to Young Neolithic transition. The beginning of the Bronze Age is characterised by increases of arable land and pasture/meadow, whereas the deciduous woodland decreases dramatically. Changes in the land-cover classes show a correlation with the 14C density curve: the correlation is best with secondary woodland in the Young Neolithic which reflects the lake shore settlement dynamics. In the Early Bronze Age, the radiocarbon density correlates with open land-cover classes, such as pasture, meadow and arable land, reflecting a change in the land-use strategy. The close overall correspondence between the two archives implies that population dynamics and land-cover change were intrinsically linked. We therefore see human impact as a key driver for vegetation change in the Neolithic. Climate might have an influence on vegetation development, but the changes caused by human land use are clearly detectable from Neolithic times, at least in these densely settled, mid-altitude landscapes

Theory of Shape-Shifting Droplets

Recent studies of cooled oil emulsion droplets uncovered transformations into a host of flattened shapes with straight edges and sharp corners, driven by a partial phase transition of the bulk liquid phase. Here, we explore theoretically the simplest geometric competition between this phase transition and surface tension in planar polygons and recover the observed sequence of shapes and their statistics in qualitative agreement with experiments. Extending the model to capture some of the three-dimensional structure of the droplets, we analyze the evolution of protrusions sprouting from the vertices of the platelets and the topological transition of a puncturing planar polygon.This work was supported in part by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (P. A. H.), an Established Career Fellowship from the EPSRC (R. E. G.), and the European Research Council (Grant EMATTER No. 280078 to S. K. S.)

Similarities and differences in the dolomitization history of two coeval Middle Triassic carbonate platforms, Balaton Highland, Hungary

Dolomitization of platform carbonates is commonly the result of multiphase processes. Documentation of the complex dolomitization history is difficult if completely dolomitized sections are studied. Two Middle Anisian sections representing two coeval carbonate platforms were investigated and compared in the present study. Both sections are made up of meter-scale peritidal–lagoonal cycles with significant pedogenic overprint. One of the sections contains non-dolomitized, partially dolomitized, and completely dolomitized intervals, whereas the other is completely dolomitized. Based on investigations of the partially dolomitized section, penecontemporaneous dolomite formation and/or very early post-depositional dolomitization were identified in various lithofacies types. In shallow subtidal facies, porphyrotopic dolomite was found preferentially in microbial micritic fabrics. Microbially induced dolomite precipitation and/or progressive replacement of carbonate sediments could be interpreted for stromatolites. Cryptocrystalline to very finely crystalline dolomite, probably of pedogenic origin, was encountered in paleosoil horizons. Fabric-destructive dolomite commonly found below these horizons was likely formed via reflux of evaporated seawater. As a result of the different paleogeographic settings of the two platforms, their shallow-burial conditions were significantly different. One of the studied sections was located at the basinward platform margin where pervasive fabric-retentive dolomitization took place in a shallow-burial setting, probably via thermal convection. In contrast, in the area of the other, smaller platform shallow-water carbonates were covered by basinal deposits, preventing fluid circulation and accordingly pervasive shallow-burial dolomitization. In the intermediate to deep burial zone, recrystallization of partially dolomitized limestone and occlusion of newly opened fractures and pores by coarsely crystalline dolomite took place

Chronic non-transmural infarction has a delayed recovery of function following revascularization

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The time course of regional functional recovery following revascularization with regards to the presence or absence of infarction is poorly known. We studied the effect of the presence of chronic non-transmural infarction on the time course of recovery of myocardial perfusion and function after elective revascularization.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Eighteen patients (mean age 69, range 52-84, 17 men) prospectively underwent cine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), delayed contrast enhanced MRI and rest/stress 99m-Tc-tetrofosmin single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) before, one and six months after elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Dysfunctional myocardial segments (n = 337/864, 39%) were classified according to the presence (n = 164) or absence (n = 173) of infarction. Infarct transmurality in dysfunctional segments was largely non-transmural (transmurality = 31 ± 22%). Quantitative stress perfusion and wall thickening increased at one month in dysfunctional segments without infarction (p < 0.001), with no further improvement at six months. Despite improvements in stress perfusion at one month (p < 0.001), non-transmural infarction displayed a slower and lesser improvement in wall thickening at one (p < 0.05) and six months (p < 0.001).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Dysfunctional segments without infarction represent repetitively stunned or hibernating myocardium, and these segments improved both perfusion and function within one month after revascularization with no improvement thereafter. Although dysfunctional segments with non-transmural infarction improved in perfusion at one month, functional recovery was mostly seen between one and six months, possibly reflecting a more severe ischemic burden. These findings may be of value in the clinical assessment of regional functional recovery in the time period after revascularization.</p

A patient with glycogen storage disease type Ib presenting with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) bearing monosomy 7 and translocation t(3;8)(q26;q24) after 14 years of treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF): A case report

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Glycogen storage disease type Ib is an autosomal recessive transmitted disorder of glycogen metabolism caused by mutations in the glucose-6-phosphate translocase gene on chromosome 11q23 and leads to disturbed glycogenolysis as well as gluconeogenesis. Besides hepatomegaly, growth retardation, hypoglycemia, hyperlactatemia, hyperuricemia and hyperlipidemia, patients suffer from neutropenia associated with functional defects predisposing for severe infections. In order to attenuate these complications, long-term treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is common but this is associated with an increased risk for acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes in patients with inherited bone marrow failures such as severe congenital neutropenia. Onset of these myeloid malignancies is linked to cytogenetic aberrations involving chromosome 7. In addition, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor is known to stimulate proliferation of monosomy 7 cells <it>in vitro</it>. To our knowledge, we report for the first time a case report of a patient with glycogen storage disease type Ib, who developed acute myeloid leukemia with a classical monosomy 7 and acute myeloid leukemia-associated translocation t(3;8)(q26;q24) after 14 years of continuous treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>A 28-year-old Turkish man with glycogen storage disease type Ib was admitted to our department because of dyspnea and increasing fatigue. He also presented with gum bleeding, bone pain in his legs, night sweats, recurrent episodes of fever with temperatures up to 39°C and hepatosplenomegaly.</p> <p>A blood count taken on the day of admission showed pancytopenia and a differential count displayed 30% blasts. A bone marrow biopsy was taken which showed a hypercellular marrow with dysplastic features of all three cell lines, while blast count was 20%. Classical cytogenetic analyses as well as fluorescence in situ hybridization showed a monosomy 7 with a translocation t(3;8)(q26;q24). Based on these findings, the diagnosis of acute myeloid leukemia was made.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our observations suggest that bone marrow examinations including cytogenetic analysis should be carried out on a regular basis in patients with glycogen storage disease type Ib who are on long-term treatment with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor for severe neutropenia, since this treatment might also contribute to an increased risk for acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes.</p

Lack of microbiological concordance between bone and non-bone specimens in chronic osteomyelitis: an observational study

BACKGROUND: Prognosis of chronic osteomyelitis depends heavily on proper identification and treatment of the bone-infecting organism. Current knowledge on selecting the best specimen for culture is confusing, and many consider that non-bone specimens are suitable to replace bone cultures. This paper compares the microbiology of non-bone specimens with bone cultures, taking the last as the diagnostic gold standard. METHODS: Retrospective observational analysis of 50 patients with bacterial chronic osteomyelitis in a 750-bed University-based hospital. RESULTS: Concordance between both specimens for all etiologic agents was 28%, for Staphylococcus aureus 38%, and for organisms other than S. aureus 19%. The culture of non-bone specimens to identify the causative organisms in chronic osteomyelitis produced 52% false negatives and 36% false positives when compared against bone cultures. CONCLUSIONS: Diagnosis and therapy of chronic osteomyelitis cannot be guided by cultures of non-bone specimens because their microbiology is substantially different to the microbiology of the bone

An investigation into the validity of cervical spine motion palpation using subjects with congenital block vertebrae as a 'gold standard'

BACKGROUND: Although the effectiveness of manipulative therapy for treating back and neck pain has been demonstrated, the validity of many of the procedures used to detect joint dysfunction has not been confirmed. Practitioners of manual medicine frequently employ motion palpation as a diagnostic tool, despite conflicting evidence regarding its utility and reliability. The introduction of various spinal models with artificially introduced 'fixations' as an attempt to introduce a 'gold standard' has met with frustration and frequent mechanical failure. Because direct comparison against a 'gold standard' allows the validity, specificity and sensitivity of a test to be calculated, the identification of a realistic 'gold standard' against which motion palpation can be evaluated is essential. The objective of this study was to introduce a new, realistic, 'gold standard', the congenital block vertebra (CBV) to assess the validity of motion palpation in detecting a true fixation. METHODS: Twenty fourth year chiropractic students examined the cervical spines of three subjects with single level congenital block vertebrae, using two commonly employed motion palpation tests. The examiners, who were blinded to the presence of congenital block vertebrae, were asked to identify the most hypomobile segment(s). The congenital block segments included two subjects with fusion at the C2–3 level and one with fusion at C5-6. Exclusion criteria included subjects who were frankly symptomatic, had moderate or severe degenerative changes in their cervical spines, or displayed signs of cervical instability. Spinal levels were marked on the subject's skin overlying the facet joints from C1 to C7 bilaterally and the motion segments were then marked alphabetically with 'A' corresponding to C1-2. Kappa coefficients (K) were calculated to determine the validity of motion palpation to detect the congenitally fused segments as the 'most hypomobile' segments. Sensitivity and specificity of the diagnostic procedure were also calculated. RESULTS: Kappa coefficients (K) showed substantial overall agreement for identification of the segment of greatest hypomobility (K = 0.65), with substantial (K = 0.76) and moderate (K = 0.46) agreement for hypomobility at C2-3 and C5-6 respectively. Sensitivity ranged from 55% at the C5-6 CBV to 78% at the C2-3 level. Specificity of the procedure was high (91 – 98%). CONCLUSION: This study indicates that relatively inexperienced examiners are capable of correctly identifying inter-segmental fixations (CBV) in the cervical spine using 2 commonly employed motion palpation tests. The use of a 'gold standard' (CBV) in this study and the substantial agreement achieved lends support to the validity of motion palpation in detecting major spinal fixations in the cervical spine

Extractability and chemical forms of radioactive cesium in designated wastes investigated in an on-site test

In the aftermath of the 2011 accident at Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (F1 hereafter), municipal solid waste (MSW) contaminated with radioactive cesium (rad-Cs hereafter) has been generated in 12 prefectures in Japan. The Japanese Minister of Environment classified MSW that contained rad-Cs in the concentration more than 8,000 Bq/kg as “designated (solid) waste (DSW hereafter), and prescribed the collection, storage and transportation procedures. When MSW containing rad-Cs was incinerated, rad-Cs was concentrated in fly ash, and the ash often fell into the category of DSW. We have investigated a technique that can reduce the volume of the rad-Cs-contaminated fly-ash by extracting rad-Cs with aqueous solvents such as water and oxalic acid and concentrating rad-Cs in a small amount of hexacyanoferrate (or ferrocyanide, designated as Fer hereafter) precipitate. Since DSW could not be transported to the outside laboratory, we have conducted on-site tests at places where DSW were generated to investigate the applicability of the extraction – precipitation technique. The present report is a summary of our most recent on-site test conducted in 2014. Also presented is the re-evaluation of the results of our past on-site test from the viewpoint of leaching of rad-Cs and heavy metals in the fly ash. An apparent decrease in leaching of rad-Cs from fly ash was observed by incinerating sewage sludge with soil. Fly ash from a melting furnace contained more water-soluble rad-Cs than that from a fluidized-bed incinerator. Some incinerator fly ash appeared to produce rad-Cs in colloidal form when extracted with oxalic acid, resulting in the lower removal of rad-Cs from the extract by Fer method. © The Editor(s) if applicable and the Author(s) 2016

Serratamolide is a hemolytic factor produced by Serratia marcescens

Serratia marcescens is a common contaminant of contact lens cases and lenses. Hemolytic factors of S. marcescens contribute to the virulence of this opportunistic bacterial pathogen. We took advantage of an observed hyper-hemolytic phenotype of crp mutants to investigate mechanisms of hemolysis. A genetic screen revealed that swrW is necessary for the hyper-hemolysis phenotype of crp mutants. The swrW gene is required for biosynthesis of the biosurfactant serratamolide, previously shown to be a broad-spectrum antibiotic and to contribute to swarming motility. Multicopy expression of swrW or mutation of the hexS transcription factor gene, a known inhibitor of swrW expression, led to an increase in hemolysis. Surfactant zones and expression from an swrW-transcriptional reporter were elevated in a crp mutant compared to the wild type. Purified serratamolide was hemolytic to sheep and murine red blood cells and cytotoxic to human airway and corneal limbal epithelial cells in vitro. The swrW gene was found in the majority of contact lens isolates tested. Genetic and biochemical analysis implicate the biosurfactant serratamolide as a hemolysin. This novel hemolysin may contribute to irritation and infections associated with contact lens use. © 2012 Shanks et al