Neanderthals on the Lower Danube: Middle Palaeolithic evidence in the Danube Gorges of the Balkans

The article presents evidence about the Middle Palaeolithic and Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition interval in the karst area of the Danube Gorges in the Lower Danube Basin. We review the extant data and present new evidence from two recently investigated sites found on the Serbian side of the Danube River – Tabula Traiana and Dubočka-Kozja caves. The two sites have yielded layers dating to both the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic and have been investigated by the application of modern standards of excavation and recovery along with a suite of state-of-the-art analytical procedures. The presentation focuses on micromorphological analyses of the caves’ sediments, characterisation of cryptotephra, a suite of new radiometric dates (accelerator mass spectrometry and optically stimulated luminescence) as well as proteomics (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) and stable isotope data in discerning patterns of human occupation of these locales over the long term

Neanderthals on the Lower Danube: Middle Palaeolithic evidence in the Danube Gorges of the Balkans

The article presents evidence about the Middle Palaeolithic and Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition interval in the karst area of the Danube Gorges in the Lower Danube Basin. We review the extant data and present new evidence from two recently investigated sites found on the Serbian side of the Danube River – Tabula Traiana and Dubočka-Kozja caves. The two sites have yielded layers dating to both the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic and have been investigated by the application of modern standards of excavation and recovery along with a suite of state-of-the-art analytical procedures. The presentation focuses on micromorphological analyses of the caves’ sediments, characterisation of cryptotephra, a suite of new radiometric dates (accelerator mass spectrometry and optically stimulated luminescence) as well as proteomics (zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry) and stable isotope data in discerning patterns of human occupation of these locales over the long term

Citizen Science Case Studies and Their Impacts on Social Innovation

Social innovation brings social change and aims to address societal challenges and social needs in a novel way. We therefore consider citizen science as both (1) social innovation in research and (2) an innovative way to develop and foster social innovation. In this chapter, we discuss how citizen science contributes to society’s goals and the development of social innovation, and we conceptualise citizen science as a process that creates social innovation. We argue that both citizen science and social innovation can be analysed using three dimensions – content, process, and empowerment (impact). Using these three dimensions as a framework for our analysis, we present five citizen science cases to demonstrate how citizen science leads to social innovation. As a result of our case study analysis, we identify the major challenges for citizen science in stimulating social innovation

Are social innovation paradigms incommensurable?

This paper calls attention to the problematic use of the concept of social innovation which remains undefined despite its proliferation throughout academic and policy discourses. Extant research has thus far failed to capture the socio-political contentions which surround social innovation. This paper therefore draws upon the work of Thomas Kuhn and conducts a paradigmatic analysis of the field of social innovation which identifies two emerging schools: one technocratic, the other democratic. The paper identifies some of the key thinkers in each paradigm and explains how the struggle between these two paradigms reveals itself to be part of a broader conflict between neoliberalism and it opponents and concludes by arguing that future research focused upon local contextualised struggles will reveal which paradigm is in the ascendancy

A Novel Nonsense Mutation in the DMP1 Gene Identified by a Genome-Wide Association Study Is Responsible for Inherited Rickets in Corriedale Sheep

Inherited rickets of Corriedale sheep is characterized by decreased growth rate, thoracic lordosis and angular limb deformities. Previous outcross and backcross studies implicate inheritance as a simple autosomal recessive disorder. A genome wide association study was conducted using the Illumina OvineSNP50 BeadChip on 20 related sheep comprising 17 affected and 3 carriers. A homozygous region of 125 consecutive single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) loci was identified in all affected sheep, covering a region of 6 Mb on ovine chromosome 6. Among 35 candidate genes in this region, the dentin matrix protein 1 gene (DMP1) was sequenced to reveal a nonsense mutation 250C/T on exon 6. This mutation introduced a stop codon (R145X) and could truncate C-terminal amino acids. Genotyping by PCR-RFLP for this mutation showed all 17 affected sheep were “T T” genotypes; the 3 carriers were “C T”; 24 phenotypically normal related sheep were either “C T” or “C C”; and 46 unrelated normal control sheep from other breeds were all “C C”. The other SNPs in DMP1 were not concordant with the disease and can all be ruled out as candidates. Previous research has shown that mutations in the DMP1 gene are responsible for autosomal recessive hypophosphatemic rickets in humans. Dmp1_knockout mice exhibit rickets phenotypes. We believe the R145X mutation to be responsible for the inherited rickets found in Corriedale sheep. A simple diagnostic test can be designed to identify carriers with the defective “T” allele. Affected sheep could be used as animal models for this form of human rickets, and for further investigation of the role of DMP1 in phosphate homeostasis

Effects of Sildenafil and Tadalafil on Intraocular Pressure in Sheep: Implications for Aqueous Humor Dynamics

These results showing that oral administration of sildenafil and tadalafil increased sheep IOP (with a longer-lasting IOP elevation with the latter agent) are novel findings. The results are discussed within the context of a modified model for AH dynamics that may be of particular importance to senior individuals, the group most likely to be treated with these compounds for vascular diseases

Mechanism of dimerization of a recombinant mature vascular endothelial growth factor C

The vascular endothelial growth factors (VEGFs) and their tyrosine kinase receptors play a pivotal role in angiogenesis and lymphangiogenesis during development and in pathologies such as tumor growth. The VEGFs function as disulfide-linked antiparallel homodimers. The lymphangiogenic factors, VEGF-C and VEGF-D, exist as monomers and dimers, and dimerization is regulated by a unique unpaired cysteine. In this study, we have characterized the redox state of this unpaired cysteine in a recombinant mature monomeric and dimeric VEGF-C by mass spectrometry. Our findings indicate that the unpaired cysteine regulates dimerization via thiol-disulfide exchange involving the interdimer disulfide bond. © 2013 American Chemical Society.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Influence of patient-prosthesis mismatch on postoperative outcome after aortic valve replacement for pure aortic stenosis in the presence of impaired left ventricular contractility

OBJECTIVES: To assess the effects of patient/prosthesis mismatch (PPM) (EOAI < 1 cm2/m2) on postoperative results of patients submitted to aortic valve replacement (AVR) for pure valve stenosis with concomitant left ventricular dysfunction (LVEF ≤ 40%). The persistence of left ventricular outflow tract obstruction after AVR might affect postoperative results in the presence of LV contractile impairment. METHODS: From January 1989 to December 2001, 201 patients submitted to AVR for pure aortic valve stenosis and affected by LV dysfunction (mean LVEF 30±6.8%) were retrospectively identified. After surgery, 161 patients had no PPM whereas PPM was present in 40 patients (mean EOAI 0.87±0.07 cm2/m2). All patients were followed up in terms of postoperative survival, morbidity and functional capacity. Univariate and Cox regression analysis were carried out to evaluate predictors of postoperative outcome. RESULTS: Follow up was 99,8% complete, and 985 patients/year were available for the analysis. No differences were found between the two groups in terms of demographics, except for age (73±9 years in PPM group, and 67±11 years in the second group, respectively). Adjusted Kaplan-Meyer estimations did not show any difference between the two groups in terms of postoperative event-free outcomes. Postoperative functional capacity improved in the majority of the patients, irrespective of the presence of PPM. At multivariate analysis PPM did not show to represent a negative determinant of postoperative outcome, whereas advanced age and NYHA class were predictive of unfavorable results. CONCLUSIONS: After AVR for pure aortic stenosis in the presence of LV dysfunction, PPM did not apparently influence mortality and morbidity outcomes. Further investigations are necessary to elucidate LV response in this setting