Complete mitochondrial sequences from Mesolithic Sardinia

Little is known about the genetic prehistory of Sardinia because of the scarcity of pre-Neolithic human remains. From a genetic perspective, modern Sardinians are known as genetic outliers in Europe, showing unusually high levels of internal diversity and a close relationship to early European Neolithic farmers. However, how far this peculiar genetic structure extends and how it originated was to date impossible to test. Here we present the first and oldest complete mitochondrial sequences from Sardinia, dated back to 10,000 yBP. These two individuals, while confirming a Mesolithic occupation of the island, belong to rare mtDNA lineages, which have never been found before in Mesolithic samples and that are currently present at low frequencies not only in Sardinia, but in the whole Europe. Preliminary Approximate Bayesian Computations, restricted by biased reference samples for Mesolithic Sardinia (the two typed samples) and Neolithic Europe (limited to central and north European sequences), suggest that the first inhabitants of the island have had a small or negligible contribution to the present-day Sardinian population, which mainly derives its genetic diversity from continental migration into the island by Neolithic times

Risk factors for oral mucositis in paediatric oncology patients receiving alkylant chemotherapy

BACKGROUND: We describe the risk indicators for oral mucositis (OM) in paediatric oncology patients hospitalised in the Institut Gustave Roussy (Villejuif-Paris) and treated with alkylant chemotherapy with autologous peripheral blood progenitor cells. METHODS: The sample was selected using PIGAS software. Three groups of subjects received different chemotherapy regimens: A. Melphalan, B. Busulfan and C. other alkylant protocols. The degree of mucositis was recorded by CTC version 2.0 (Common Toxicity Criteria). Descriptive statistics were performed. The association between mucositis and risk indicator variables was tested using a χ(2 )test. The association between case status and covariates was tested using unconditional logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Of the 337 children enrolled, 241 showed mucositis (group 1) and 96 did not show mucositis (group 2) during alkylant chemotherapy. There was a higher prevalence of male patients in both groups. The three different chemotherapy regimen groups are correlated with the appearance of oral mucositis (χ(2 )= 22.42, p < 0.01). Weight loss was higher in group 1 (χ(2 )= 6.31, p = 0.01). The duration of aplasia was lower in the Busulfan protocol (7.5 days) than in the Melphalan group (9.3 days) or the other regimens (8.6 days). The use of Bufulfan(® )was directly associated with case status (presence of oral mucositis): odds ratio [OR] = 2.1 and confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.3–3.0. Also, occurrences of germinal tumours and secondary bacterial infections were directly linked with case status: [OR] = 1.4 and 1.8, confidence interval [95%CI] = 1.2 – 1.7 and 1.1 – 2.5, respectively. CONCLUSION: The presence of OM was associated with the three different chemotherapy regimens considered; in particularly patients treated with Busulfan had the highest prevalence

The Mesolithic-Neolithic transition in southern Iberia

New data and a review of historiographic information from Neolithic sites of the Malaga and Algarve coasts (southern Iberian Peninsula) and from the Maghreb (North Africa) reveal the existence of a Neolithic settlement at least from 7.5 cal ka BP. The agricultural and pastoralist food producing economy of that population rapidly replaced the coastal economies of the Mesolithic populations. The timing of this population and economic turnover coincided with major changes in the continental and marine ecosystems, including upwelling intensity, sea-level changes and increased aridity in the Sahara and along the Iberian coast. These changes likely impacted the subsistence strategies of the Mesolithic populations along the Iberian seascapes and resulted in abandonments manifested as sedimentary hiatuses in some areas during the Mesolithic-Neolithic transition. The rapid expansion and area of dispersal of the early Neolithic traits suggest the use of marine technology. Different evidences for a Maghrebian origin for the first colonists have been summarized. The recognition of an early North-African Neolithic influence in Southern Iberia and the Maghreb is vital for understanding the appearance and development of the Neolithic in Western Europe. Our review suggests links between climate change, resource allocation, and population turnover. (C) 2011 University of Washington. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.Fundacao para a Ciencia e a Tecnologia (Portugal); European Science Foundation [PTDC/HAH/64548/2006]; European Union; Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia; Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion, Spain [HAR 2008-1920, CGL2009-07603, CTM2009-07715, CSD2006-00041, HAR2008-06477-C03-03/HIST]; European Research Council [2008-AdG 230561]; MARM [200800050084447]; Project RNM [05212]; Junta de Andalucia, Spain [0179]; FCT [SFRH/BPD/26525/2006]; CSIC "JAE-Doc"info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Crop and wild plant exploitation in Italy during the Neolithic period: New data from Su Mulinu Mannu, Middle Neolithic site of Sardinia

This paper provides new data from Su Mulinu Mannu Late Middle Neolithic (ca. 4500–4100 cal BCE) open-air site, (Central-West Sardinia). The new archaeobotanical data from Sardinia provided us with information about an agricultural system based on the cultivation of different cereals, such as Triticum aestivum/durum, Hordeum vulgare var. nudum and Hordeum vulgare. Edible wild fruits, such as Ficus carica, Olea europaea subsp. europaea var. sylvestris, and Pinus sp. integrated subsistence in the site. In addition, seeds of typically Mediterranean trees and herbaceous plants such as Pistacia lentiscus and Malva sp., were also documented. This research provides the first evidence of the role of cultivated plants and wild fruit consumption in the diet of Middle Neolithic groups in Sardinia, in the broader framework of the Italian context

Patriot, 1857-10-26

The Patriot was published in St. John's on a weekly basis from 15 July 1833 - 30 June 1890 with the occasional short semiweekly run. The prefix "Newfoundland" was dropped on 13 July 1842.Title variations recorded in Alternative Title, as needed

Ossidiana del Monte Arci: nuovi dati sulla composizione delle diverse fonti.

La caratterizzazione degli affioramenti di ossidiana nel Monte Arci (Sardegna, Italia) è quanto mai importante per la identificazione e classificazione di tutte le potenziali fonti. Ciò rende possibile, ai fini archeometrici, la attribuzione di provenienza dei manufatti di ossidiana ritrovati negli insediamenti preistorici. Nel Convegno Internazionale di Oristano-Pau del 2002 erano stati presentati i dati relativi alla composizione in elementi in traccia di alcuni campioni di ossidiana provenienti dalle tre aree SA, SB e SC. Al fine di avere una più ampia casistica di campioni analizzali e disporre di risultati maggiormente rappresentativi sotto il profilo statistico si è proceduto ad una nuova e più estesa campionatura presso gli affioramenti delle tre fonti note e nelle prossime aree di deposizione secondaria. Sono stati inoltre campionati blocchi di ossidiana ritrovali anche a notevole distanza dagli affioramenti primari, in terrazzi alluvionali antichi del territorio compreso nel Comune di San Nicolò Arridano (OR). La composizione in elementi in traccia è stata ottenuta mediante analisi per attivazione neutronica strumentale utilizzando il reattore nucleare di ricerca TRICA Mark II dell'Università di Pavia. I dati analitici dei nuovi campioni rientrano nell'intervallo di concentrazione stabilito precedentemente per le tre fonti. L'appartenenza dei campioni alle diverse fonti è inoltre confermata da alcuni parametri basati sugli elementi delle terre rare e sulla loro distribuzione, nonché dai trattamenti di analisi statistica multivariata. Inoltre è stato possibile confermare l'attribuzione iniziale di provenienza per i campioni ritrovati a distanza rispetto agli affioramenti primari, basata sull'analisi visuale dei caratteri macroscopici nonché sulla formazione geologica dell'area di reperimento, ipotizzandone il trascinamento a valle a causa di eventi alluvionali. Da questi dati potrebbero derivare importanti implicazioni sulle strategie di acquisizione dell'ossidiana nei territori circostanti il Monte Arci e sulla diffusione della materia prima nell'ambito del sistema di produzione litica in Sardegna, particolarmente durante le fasi neolitiche