Imperial Christianization in Corinth: 300-600 AD

Despite Greece’s longstanding traditions of paganism in late antiquity, the city of Corinth seems to have experienced a top-down process of Christianization— where the government led the process of transition from paganism to Christianity, basically converting this costal town. Although it is evident that practice of paganism continued in Corinth, this paper suggests a new form of Christianization—that of "imperial Christianization" which pressured citizens to convert to Christianity based on the faith of the Emperor, imperial edicts, economic funding and building projects. The archaeological findings in Corinth explain that this idea of imperial Christianization prevented the pagans present in Corinth to rebuild the classical and Roman temples following earthquakes which ruined them in the early 400s, therefore removing the authoritarian pagan presence at the temples (in priests and local leaders) and pushing imperial Christianity.No embarg

Genetic variation of functional traits related to drought tolerance in yellow birch seedlings

Understanding patterns of variation in drought-related traits of hardwood trees is crucial for conserving and managing North American temperate forests under climate change. In this study, I examined provenance variation of yellow birch (Betula alleghaniensis Britton) in traits related to drought resistance. Yellow birch is a widespread and economically important eastern North American hardwood species. A common garden approach was used to compare height, diameter, biomass, leaf morphology, and stable carbon isotopes among ten seed sources originating from across Canada and Northern US states. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) of seedling height and diameter did not reveal significant variation in either trait, while ANOVA of a subsample (n=40) revealed significant variation in height and leaf characters (average horizontal width, horizontal width, maximum perpendicular width, perpendicular width 1, and perpendicular width 2). Simple linear regressions revealed significant correlations between variation in leaf morphological traits and climate at seed origin. Temperature-related climate variables were more strongly correlated with leaf traits than precipitation-related climate variables. [...

Retrospective Study of Healthcare Resources Developed for Patients by Interprofessional Teams

Wayne State University (WSU) emphasizes the importance of interdisciplinary education by having students participate in an Interprofessional Team Visit (IPTV) program. A 60-minute virtual visit is conducted to assess adults aged over 50 years within the Detroit Metropolitan Area (Metro Detroit) community. This project was designed to prepare healthcare students in evaluating the mental, physical, and social health aspects of assigned patients based on specific disciplinary assessments. Upon completion of assessments, the interdisciplinary team provided the patient with resources based on the team and the patient\u27s agreed-upon area of concern. Twenty-eight IPTV teams, consisting of a medical and occupational therapy student and a healthcare professional student from another discipline studying at WSU, were randomly created. The IPTV resource guides created by each team were reviewed and sorted into two categories based on the health or social need of the individual patient. The data identified three main areas of interest, which included medication management, diet and exercise plans, and the use of technology to stay connected to medical professionals, friends, and family. The purpose of this report is to assess the IPTV program’s findings and analyze patients’ concerns based on health or social needs and the resources presented to them

Integration of a Retrograde Signal during Synapse Formation by Glia-Secreted TGF-β Ligand

SummaryGlial cells are crucial regulators of synapse formation, elimination, and plasticity [1, 2]. In vitro studies have begun to identify glial-derived synaptogenic factors [1], but neuron-glia signaling events during synapse formation in vivo remain poorly defined. The coordinated development of pre- and postsynaptic compartments at the Drosophila neuromuscular junction (NMJ) depends on a muscle-secreted retrograde signal, the TGF-β/BMP Glass bottom boat (Gbb) [3, 4]. Muscle-derived Gbb activates the TGF-β receptors Wishful thinking (Wit) and either Saxophone (Sax) or Thick veins (Tkv) in motor neurons [3, 4]. This induces phosphorylation of Mad (P-Mad) in motor neurons, its translocation into the nucleus with a co-Smad, and activation of transcriptional programs controlling presynaptic bouton growth [5]. Here we show that NMJ glia release the TGF-β ligand Maverick (Mav), which likely activates the muscle activin-type receptor Punt to potently modulate Gbb-dependent retrograde signaling and synaptic growth. Loss of glial Mav results in strikingly reduced P-Mad at NMJs, decreased Gbb transcription in muscle, and in turn reduced muscle-to-motor neuron retrograde TGF-β/BMP signaling. We propose that by controlling Gbb release from muscle, glial cells fine tune the ability of motor neurons to extend new synaptic boutons in correlation to muscle growth. Our work identifies a novel glia-derived synaptogenic factor by which glia modulate synapse formation in vivo

Pedigree Validation Using Genetic Markers in an Intensively-Managed Taonga Species, the Critically Endangered Kakī (\u3cem\u3eHimantopus novaezelandiae\u3c/em\u3e)

Many species recovery programmes use pedigrees to understand the genetic ancestry of individuals to inform conservation management. However, incorrect parentage assignment may limit the accuracy of these pedigrees and subsequent management decisions. This is especially relevant for pedigrees that include wild individuals, where misassignment may not only be attributed to human error, but also promiscuity (i.e. extra-pair parentage) or egg-dumping (i.e. brood parasitism). Here, we evaluate pedigree accuracy in the socially monogamous and critically endangered kakī (black stilt, Himantopus novaezelandiae) using microsatellite allele-exclusion analyses for 56 wild family groups across three breeding seasons (2014–2016, n= 340). We identified 16 offspring where parentage was incorrectly assigned, representing 5.9% of all offspring. Of the 16 misassigned offspring, three can be attributed to non-kakī brood parasitism, one can be assigned to human error, but others cannot be readily distinguished between non-monogamous mating behaviours and human error. In the short term, we advise the continued use of microsatellites to identify misassigned offspring in the kakī pedigree, and to verify non-kakī brood parasitism. We also recommend the Department of Conservation’s Kakī Recovery Programme further evaluate the implications of pedigree error to the management of this critically endangered taonga species

Shocked molecular gas towards the SNR G359.1-0.5 and the Snake

We have found a bar of shocked molecular hydrogen (H2) towards the OH(1720 MHz) maser located at the projected intersection of supernova remnant (SNR) G359.1-0.5 and the nonthermal radio filament, known as the Snake. The H2 bar is well aligned with the SNR shell and almost perpendicular to the Snake. The OH(1720 MHz) maser is located inside the sharp western edge of the H2 emission, which is consistent with the scenario in which the SNR drives a shock into a molecular cloud at that location. The spectral-line profiles of 12CO, HCO+ and CS towards the maser show broad-line absorption, which is absent in the 13CO spectra and most probably originates from the pre-shock gas. A density gradient is present across the region and is consistent with the passage of the SNR shock while the H2 filament is located at the boundary between the pre--shocked and post-shock regions.Comment: 8 pages, 12 figures, accepted by the MNRAS, typos fixe

Matching-adjusted indirect treatment comparison of liso-cel versus axi-cel in relapsed or refractory large B cell lymphoma

Abstract Background In the absence of randomized studies directly comparing chimeric antigen receptor T cell therapies, this study used matching-adjusted indirect comparisons (MAIC) to evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of lisocabtagene maraleucel (liso-cel) versus axicabtagene ciloleucel (axi-cel) in patients with relapsed or refractory large B cell lymphoma (LBCL). Methods Primary data sources included individual patient data from the TRANSCEND NHL 001 study (TRANSCEND [NCT02631044]; N = 256 for efficacy set, N = 269 for safety set) for liso-cel and summary-level data from the ZUMA-1 study (NCT02348216; N = 101 for efficacy set, N = 108 for safety set) for axi-cel. Inter-study differences in design, eligibility criteria, baseline characteristics, and outcomes were assessed and aligned to the extent feasible. Clinically relevant prognostic factors were adjusted in a stepwise fashion by ranked order. Since bridging therapy was allowed in TRANSCEND but not ZUMA-1, the initial efficacy and safety analyses included bridging therapy use as a matching factor (TRANSCEND patients who received bridging therapy were removed). Subsequent sensitivity analyses excluded this matching factor. Results The initial analysis showed similar MAIC-weighted efficacy outcomes between TRANSCEND and ZUMA-1 for overall and complete response rates (odds ratio [95% confidence interval (CI)], 1.40 [0.56–3.49] and 1.21 [0.56–2.64], respectively) and for overall survival and progression-free survival (hazard ratio [95% CI], 0.81 [0.44–1.49] and 0.95 [0.58–1.57], respectively). MAIC-weighted safety outcomes favored liso-cel, with significantly lower odds of all-grade and grade ≥ 3 cytokine release syndrome (odds ratio [95% CI], 0.03 [0.01–0.07] and 0.08 [0.01–0.67], respectively) and study-specific neurological events (0.16 [0.08–0.33] and 0.05 [0.02–0.15], respectively). Efficacy and safety outcomes remained similar in sensitivity analyses, which did not include use of bridging therapy as a matching factor. Conclusions After matching and adjusting for clinically relevant prognostic factors, liso-cel demonstrated comparable efficacy and a more favorable safety profile compared with axi-cel in patients with third- or later-line relapsed or refractory LBCL. Trial registration: NCT02631044 and NCT0234821

Human settlement of East Polynesia earlier, incremental, and coincident with prolonged South Pacific drought

The timing of human colonization of East Polynesia, a vast area lying between Hawai‘i, Rapa Nui, and New Zealand, is much debated and the underlying causes of this great migration have been enigmatic. Our study generates evidence for human dispersal into eastern Polynesia from islands to the west from around AD 900 and contemporaneous paleoclimate data from the likely source region. Lake cores from Atiu, Southern Cook Islands (SCIs) register evidence of pig and/or human occupation on a virgin landscape at this time, followed by changes in lake carbon around AD 1000 and significant anthropogenic disturbance from c. AD 1100. The broader paleoclimate context of these early voyages of exploration are derived from the Atiu lake core and complemented by additional lake cores from Samoa (directly west) and Vanuatu (southwest) and published hydroclimate proxies from the Society Islands (northeast) and Kiribati (north). Algal lipid and leaf wax biomarkers allow for comparisons of changing hydroclimate conditions across the region before, during, and after human arrival in the SCIs. The evidence indicates a prolonged drought in the likely western source region for these colonists, lasting c. 200 to 400 y, contemporaneous with the phasing of human dispersal into the Pacific. We propose that drying climate, coupled with documented social pressures and societal developments, instigated initial eastward exploration, resulting in SCI landfall(s) and return voyaging, with colonization a century or two later. This incremental settlement process likely involved the accumulation of critical maritime knowledge over several generations

Recommendations for advancing mixoplankton research through empirical-model integration

Protist plankton can be divided into three main groups: phytoplankton, zooplankton, and mixoplankton. In situ methods for studying phytoplankton and zooplankton are relatively straightforward since they generally target chlorophyll/photosynthesis or grazing activity, while the integration of both processes within a single cell makes mixoplankton inherently challenging to study. As a result, we understand less about mixoplankton physiology and their role in food webs, biogeochemical cycling, and ecosystems compared to phytoplankton and zooplankton. In this paper, we posit that by merging conventional techniques, such as microscopy and physiological data, with innovative methods like in situ single-cell sorting and omics datasets, in conjunction with a diverse array of modeling approaches ranging from single-cell modeling to comprehensive Earth system models, we can propel mixoplankton research into the forefront of aquatic ecology. We present eight crucial research questions pertaining to mixoplankton and mixotrophy, and briefly outline a combination of existing methods and models that can be used to address each question. Our intent is to encourage more interdisciplinary research on mixoplankton, thereby expanding the scope of data acquisition and knowledge accumulation for this understudied yet critical component of aquatic ecosystems

Frankincense oil derived from Boswellia carteri induces tumor cell specific cytotoxicity

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Originating from Africa, India, and the Middle East, frankincense oil has been important both socially and economically as an ingredient in incense and perfumes for thousands of years. Frankincense oil is prepared from aromatic hardened gum resins obtained by tapping <it>Boswellia </it>trees. One of the main components of frankincense oil is boswellic acid, a component known to have anti-neoplastic properties. The goal of this study was to evaluate frankincense oil for its anti-tumor activity and signaling pathways in bladder cancer cells.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Frankincense oil-induced cell viability was investigated in human bladder cancer J82 cells and immortalized normal bladder urothelial UROtsa cells. Temporal regulation of frankincense oil-activated gene expression in bladder cancer cells was identified by microarray and bioinformatics analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Within a range of concentration, frankincense oil suppressed cell viability in bladder transitional carcinoma J82 cells but not in UROtsa cells. Comprehensive gene expression analysis confirmed that frankincense oil activates genes that are responsible for cell cycle arrest, cell growth suppression, and apoptosis in J82 cells. However, frankincense oil-induced cell death in J82 cells did not result in DNA fragmentation, a hallmark of apoptosis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Frankincense oil appears to distinguish cancerous from normal bladder cells and suppress cancer cell viability. Microarray and bioinformatics analysis proposed multiple pathways that can be activated by frankincense oil to induce bladder cancer cell death. Frankincense oil might represent an alternative intravesical agent for bladder cancer treatment.</p