New AMS 14C dates track the arrival and spread of broomcorn millet cultivation and agricultural change in prehistoric Europe

Broomcorn millet (Panicum miliaceum L.) is not one of the founder crops domesticated in Southwest Asia in the early Holocene, but was domesticated in northeast China by 6000 bc. In Europe, millet was reported in Early Neolithic contexts formed by 6000 bc, but recent radiocarbon dating of a dozen 'early' grains cast doubt on these claims. Archaeobotanical evidence reveals that millet was common in Europe from the 2nd millennium bc, when major societal and economic transformations took place in the Bronze Age. We conducted an extensive programme of AMS-dating of charred broomcorn millet grains from 75 prehistoric sites in Europe. Our Bayesian model reveals that millet cultivation began in Europe at the earliest during the sixteenth century bc, and spread rapidly during the fifteenth/fourteenth centuries bc. Broomcorn millet succeeds in exceptionally wide range of growing conditions and completes its lifecycle in less than three summer months. Offering an additional harvest and thus surplus food/fodder, it likely was a transformative innovation in European prehistoric agriculture previously based mainly on (winter) cropping of wheat and barley. We provide a new, high-resolution chronological framework for this key agricultural development that likely contributed to far-reaching changes in lifestyle in late 2nd millennium bc Europe

Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy – is it really a mild, benign disease?

Background. Acute hemorrhagic edema of infancy (AHEI) is a rare vasculitis, which presents dramatically as palpable purpuric skin lesions on the limb, face and auricles, with swelling of these parts and low-grade fever, in children up to 2 years of age. To date, approximately 400 cases have been described in the literature. The etiology remains mostly unknown. With or without treatment, AHEI goes to spontaneous recovery within 1-3 weeks, usually without any complications. To our knowledge, compartment syndrome as complication of AHEI has only been reported in one case. We present an unusual case of AHEI with serious complications due to compartment syndrome of the right-hand fingers. Case. A 16–month–old male child presented with fever and sudden appearance and rapid spread of palpable, painless, non–itching ecchymotic hematomas on the thigh, cheeks, earlobes, forearms, dorsum of hands and feet, with mild edema of these regions. Complete systemic examination and all vital parameters were normal for age. There was no history of bleeding disorders in the family. Except low hemoglobin on complete blood count and increased D-dimer values, all other laboratory investigations were in the normal range. Changes on the right forearm and hand expanded on almost the entire dorsal side and all surfaces of the fingers, with pronounced swelling and formation of bullous lesions, which were spreading and cracking. Skin biopsy confirmed nonspecific small–vessel vasculitis. That required the use of Methylprednisolone, low-molecular-weight heparin, antibiotics and debridement of necrotic eschar, with necrectomy of the affected fingers. Conclusions. Early recognition of AHEI is important to avoid unnecessary investigation and therapy. On the other hand, our reported case warns that unexpected complications may occur

Laboratory parameters in differential diagnosis of iron deficiency anemia and chronic infections anemia among children

Objective. Aim of this study were to establish laboratory parameters of sideropenic and secondary anemia among children. Methods. From December 1, 2010 to January 31, 2011, 35 children with sideropenic anemia, 35 children with anemia of chronic disease and 35 healthy children were recruited in Hematology infirmary of Pediatric Clinic of Clinical Centre Kragujevac. All children underwent following analyses: count of leukocytes (LE), erythrocytes (ER), platelets (TR), hemoglobin (HB), hematocrit (HCT), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), red blood cell distribution width (RDW), serum iron (FE), total iron binding capacity (TIBC), unsaturated iron binding capacity (UIBC) and ferritin. For data processing we used t-test, with probability threshold p =<0.05. Results. Leukocytes count values were increased in group with secondary anemia compared to control and sideropenic anemia. Erythrocytes count values showed no difference between groups as well as HB, HCT, MCHC, TR and serum Fe between groups, but there was a difference between groups with anemia compared to control group. Values of MCV and MCH differed between groups, with the highest ones in controls, and the lowest value in sideropenic anemia group. Values of RDW, TIBC and UIBC were increased in group with sideropenic anemia, compared to control and secondary anemia group. Ferritin differed between groups, with the highest value in secondary anemia group and the lowest value in sideropenic anemia group. Conclusion: Valid laboratory parameters in differential diagnosis of sideropenic and secondary anemia are Le, MCV, MCH, RDW, TIBC, UIBC and ferritin

Characterization and behavior of anesthetic bioactive textile complex in vitro condition

In this study, a bioactive complex containing nonwoven textile material (polypropilene (PP)/viscose), chitosan hydrogel, and lidocaine hydrochloride, was designed. The purpose of such biomedical textile was in the treatment of painful sites. Mercury intrusion porosimetry was used in order to estimate the influence of medical impregnation on porous structure of nonwoven material. It was estimated that more than 97% of pores in untreated nonwoven sample were larger than 15 mu m. Anesthetic treatment of nonwoven reduced total pore volume of ultramacropores and macropores, while total pore volume of mesopores slightly increased. Lidocaine hydrochloride release from the anesthetic/chitosan hydrogel/nonwoven complex was measured in vitro by Franz diffusion cell technique. Mathematical model was developed to estimate the release of the lidocaine from obtained bioactive textile material. The diffusive transport of lidocaine hydrochloride through three connected layers, i.e., polymer hydrogel, membrane, and solution is modeled based on Fick's second law. Taking all the relevant conditions, regarding this experiment, into consideration, the coefficient of lidocaine diffusion through the polymer hydrogel, as well as the concentration ratio parameter were determined by the mathematical model

The Modeling of Insulin Controlled Release Process From Fibrous Artificial Store

In the past, insulin was frequently administered by hypodermic injection, as liquids forms. To avoid problems incurred through the utilization of the injectable route of insulin administration, new dosage forms containing the insulin were introduced. Therefore, insulin delivery systems were developed to optimize the therapeutic properties of drug products and render them safer, more effective, and more reliable. The aim of this article is to present the modeling of the controlled releasing process of insulin from a fibrous artificial store. The release of insulin has been evaluated in both a physiological solution and blood serum in vitro and on experimental animals (mice) in vivo. On the basis of experimental results a mathematical model of diffusion-mediated release of insulin from cation-exchange fiber has been developed and presented in this paper

Effects of Different Therapeutic Approaches on Redox Balance in Psoriatic Patients

Given that oxidative stress represents an important etiological factor in the pathogenesis of psoriasis, the aim of this study was to assess the effects of different therapeutic approaches, methotrexate, secukinumab, and ustekinumab on systemic oxidative stress biomarkers in psoriatic patients. This study involved 78 psoriatic patients, divided into the group treated with methotrexate (23 patients), secukinumab (28 patients), and ustekinumab (27 patients), and 15 healthy controls. Oxidative stress biomarkers (index of lipid peroxidation measured as TBARS, nitrites (NO2−), superoxide anion radical (O2−), and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2)) and antioxidative defense system (superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, catalase (CAT) activity, and reduced glutathione (GSH)) were determined spectrophotometrically from the blood before the initiation of therapy in 16th, 28th, and 52nd week. O2− and SOD showed the most prominent changes comparing the psoriatic patients and healthy controls. CAT activity was significantly lower in psoriatic patients, and methotrexate induced a further decline in CAT activity. Ustekinumab induced a significant increase in GSH level after 52 weeks of treatment, while methotrexate reduced GSH. All applied therapeutic options induced a reduction in PASI, BSA, DLQI, and EARP. Biological drugs exert more pronounced antioxidant effects compared to methotrexate, which is most clearly observed in the values of O2− and SOD