The origins and spread of domestic horses from the Western Eurasian steppes

Analysis of 273 ancient horse genomes reveals that modern domestic horses originated in the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region.Domestication of horses fundamentally transformed long-range mobility and warfare(1). However, modern domesticated breeds do not descend from the earliest domestic horse lineage associated with archaeological evidence of bridling, milking and corralling(2-4) at Botai, Central Asia around 3500 bc(3). Other longstanding candidate regions for horse domestication, such as Iberia(5) and Anatolia(6), have also recently been challenged. Thus, the genetic, geographic and temporal origins of modern domestic horses have remained unknown. Here we pinpoint the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region, as the homeland of modern domestic horses. Furthermore, we map the population changes accompanying domestication from 273 ancient horse genomes. This reveals that modern domestic horses ultimately replaced almost all other local populations as they expanded rapidly across Eurasia from about 2000 bc, synchronously with equestrian material culture, including Sintashta spoke-wheeled chariots. We find that equestrianism involved strong selection for critical locomotor and behavioural adaptations at the GSDMC and ZFPM1 genes. Our results reject the commonly held association(7) between horseback riding and the massive expansion of Yamnaya steppe pastoralists into Europe around 3000 bc(8,9) driving the spread of Indo-European languages(10). This contrasts with the scenario in Asia where Indo-Iranian languages, chariots and horses spread together, following the early second millennium bc Sintashta culture(11,12).Descriptive and Comparative Linguistic

The origins and spread of domestic horses from the Western Eurasian steppes

Domestication of horses fundamentally transformed long-range mobility and warfare. However, modern domesticated breeds do not descend from the earliest domestic horse lineage associated with archaeological evidence of bridling, milking and corralling at Botai, Central Asia around 3500 bc. Other longstanding candidate regions for horse domestication, such as Iberia and Anatolia, have also recently been challenged. Thus, the genetic, geographic and temporal origins of modern domestic horses have remained unknown. Here we pinpoint the Western Eurasian steppes, especially the lower Volga-Don region, as the homeland of modern domestic horses. Furthermore, we map the population changes accompanying domestication from 273 ancient horse genomes. This reveals that modern domestic horses ultimately replaced almost all other local populations as they expanded rapidly across Eurasia from about 2000 bc, synchronously with equestrian material culture, including Sintashta spoke-wheeled chariots. We find that equestrianism involved strong selection for critical locomotor and behavioural adaptations at the GSDMC and ZFPM1 genes. Our results reject the commonly held association between horseback riding and the massive expansion of Yamnaya steppe pastoralists into Europe around 3000 bc driving the spread of Indo-European languages. This contrasts with the scenario in Asia where Indo-Iranian languages, chariots and horses spread together, following the early second millennium bc Sintashta culture

Análisis dinámico muscular y de la estructura interna del nervio periférico como biomarcadores para la esclerosis lateral amiotrófica: estudio piloto mediante ecografía

Resumen: Introducción: El objetivo del trabajo fue conocer el comportamiento de los biomarcadores ecográficos de densidad fascicular y fuerza muscular en pacientes con esclerosis lateral amiotrófica (ELA). Métodos: Estudio piloto, observacional y transversal sobre 14 pacientes con ELA (mujeres; 28,6%) y 14 controles. Se tomaron ecografías bilaterales transversales en el abductor corto del pulgar (ACP) y tibial anterior (TA) con registro del grosor muscular (GM) en reposo, en contracción y diferencia de engrosamiento. En los nervios mediano, ciático y peroneo común se analizaron el área de sección transversal (AST), el número de fascículos (NF) y la densidad fascicular (DF). Los análisis se realizaron anidados por lateralidad. Resultados: El acuerdo intra-interobservador en los recuentos de fascículos fue muy bueno con un error mínimo detectable<0,7%. El GM del ACP fue menor en los pacientes con ELA tanto en reposo (p = 0,003; g = 1,03) como en contracción (p = 0,017; g = 0,78) y en el TA en reposo (p = 0,002; g = 0,15) y contracción (p = 0,001; g = 0,46), con una menor capacidad de engrosamiento. En los nervios, se detectó una menor AST, con menor NF y una mayor DF. Se encontraron correlaciones significativas entre el GM del ACP y la Medical Research Council (MRC) (r = 0,34; r2 = 12%; p = 0,011) y con la Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Functional Rating Scale (ALSFRS-r) (r = 0,44; r2 = 19%; p < 0,001). La diferencia de engrosamiento del TA se correlacionó con la MRC (r = 0,30; r2 = 15%; p = 0,003) y con la ALSFRS-r (r = 0,26; r2 = 7%; p = 0,049). El NF del nervio ciático mostró una correlación significativa con la MRC (r = 0,35; r2 = 12%; p = 0,008). Conclusión: Las mediciones del GM derivadas de las pruebas dinámicas junto con el NF y DF podrían ser biomarcadores de utilidad para monitorizar pacientes con ELA y su evaluación pronóstica. Abstract: Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the behaviour of ultrasound biomarkers of fascicle density and muscle strength in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional pilot study of 14 patients with ALS (28.6% women) and 14 controls. Bilateral cross-sectional ultrasound scans were performed in the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles, with recording of muscle thickness (MT) at rest and in contraction, and the difference in thickness. In the median, sciatic, and common peroneal nerves, we analysed the cross-sectional area (CSA), number of fascicles (NF) and fascicle density (FD). Analyses were nested by laterality. Results: Intra- and interrater agreement regarding NF was very good, with a minimum detectable error of < 0.7%. In patients with ALS, MT was lower in the APB both at rest (P = .003; g-Hedges = 1.03) and in contraction (P = .017; g-Hedges = 0.78) and in TA at rest (P = .002; g-Hedges = 0.15) and in contraction (P = .001; g-Hedges = 0.46), with lower thickening capacity. In the nerves, patients displayed lower CSA, with lower NF and higher FD. Significant correlations were found between MT of the ABP and Medical Research Council (MRC) scores for muscle strength (r = 0.34; r2 = 12%; P = .011) and with revised ALS Functional Rating Scale scores (r = 0.44; r2 = 19%; P < .001). The difference in TA thickening correlated with MRC scores (r = 0.30; r2 = 15%; P = .003) and with revised ALS Functional Rating Scale scores (r = 0.26; r2 = 7%; P = .049). NF in the sciatic nerve showed a significant correlation with MRC scores (r = 0.35; r2 = 12%; P = .008). Conclusion: MT measurements derived from dynamic testing together with NF and FD may be useful biomarkers for monitoring patients with ALS and establishing a prognosis

Dynamic analysis of muscles and the internal structure of the peripheral nerve as biomarkers of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: A pilot study with ultrasound imaging

Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the behaviour of ultrasound biomarkers of fascicle density and muscle strength in patients with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods: We conducted an observational, cross-sectional pilot study of 14 patients with ALS (28.6% women) and 14 controls. Bilateral cross-sectional ultrasound scans were performed in the abductor pollicis brevis (APB) and tibialis anterior (TA) muscles, with recording of muscle thickness (MT) at rest and in contraction, and the difference in thickness. In the median, sciatic, and common peroneal nerves, we analysed the cross-sectional area (CSA), number of fascicles (NF) and fascicle density (FD). Analyses were nested by laterality. Results: Intra- and interrater agreement regarding NF was very good, with a minimum detectable error of < 0.7%. In patients with ALS, MT was lower in the APB both at rest (P = .003; g-Hedges = 1.03) and in contraction (P = .017; g-Hedges = 0.78) and in TA at rest (P = .002; g-Hedges = 0.15) and in contraction (P = .001; g-Hedges = 0.46), with lower thickening capacity. In the nerves, patients displayed lower CSA, with lower NF and higher FD. Significant correlations were found between MT of the ABP and Medical Research Council (MRC) scores for muscle strength (r = 0.34; r2 = 12%; P = .011) and with revised ALS Functional Rating Scale scores (r = 0.44; r2 = 19%; P < .001). The difference in TA thickening correlated with MRC scores (r = 0.30; r2 = 15%; P = .003) and with revised ALS Functional Rating Scale scores (r = 0.26; r2 = 7%; P = .049). NF in the sciatic nerve showed a significant correlation with MRC scores (r = 0.35; r2 = 12%; P = .008). Conclusion: MT measurements derived from dynamic testing together with NF and FD may be useful biomarkers for monitoring patients with ALS and establishing a prognosis. Resumen: Introducción: El objetivo del trabajo fue conocer el comportamiento de los biomarcadores ecográficos de densidad fascicular y fuerza muscular en pacientes con ELA. Métodos: Estudio piloto, observacional y transversal sobre 14 pacientes con ELA (mujeres; 28,6%) y 14 controles. Se tomaron ecografías bilaterales transversales en el abductor corto del pulgar (ACP) y tibial anterior (TA) con registro del grosor muscular (GM) en reposo, en contracción y diferencia de engrosamiento. En los nervios mediano, ciático y peroneo común se analizaron el área de sección transversal (AST), el número de fascículos (NF) y la densidad fascicular (DF). Los análisis se realizaron anidados por lateralidad. Resultados: El acuerdo intra-interobservador en los recuentos de fascículos fue muy bueno con un error mínimo detectable <0,7%. El GM del ACP fue menor en los pacientes con ELA tanto en reposo (p = 0,003; g = 1,03) como en contracción (p = 0,017; g = 0,78) y en el TA en reposo (p = 0,002; g = 0,15) y contracción (p = 0,001; g = 0,46), con una menor capacidad de engrosamiento. En los nervios se detectó una menor AST, con menor NF y una mayor DF. Se encontraron correlaciones significativas entre el GM del ACP y la MRC (r = 0,34; r2 = 12%; p = 0,011) y con la ALSFRS-r (r = 0,44; r2 = 19%; p < 0,001). La diferencia de engrosamiento del TA se correlacionó con la MRC (r = 0,30; r2 = 15%; p = 0,003) y con la ALSFRS-r (r = 0,26; r2 = 7%; p=0,049). El NF del nervio ciático mostró una correlación significativa con la MRC r = 0,35; r2 = 12%; p = 0,008). Conclusión: Las mediciones del GM derivadas de las pruebas dinámicas junto con el NF y DF podrían ser biomarcadores de utilidad para monitorizar pacientes con ELA y su evaluación pronóstica