Fat residue and use-wear found on Acheulian biface and scraper associated with butchered elephant remains at the site of Revadim, Israel

The archaeological record indicates that elephants must have played a significant role in early human diet and culture during Palaeolithic times in the Old World. However, the nature of interactions between early humans and elephants is still under discussion. Elephant remains are found in Palaeolithic sites, both open-air and cave sites, in Europe, Asia, the Levant, and Africa. In some cases elephant and mammoth remains indicate evidence for butchering and marrow extraction performed by humans. Revadim Quarry (Israel) is a Late Acheulian site where elephant remains were found in association with characteristic Lower Palaeolithic flint tools. In this paper we present results regarding the use of Palaeolithic tools in processing animal carcasses and rare identification of fat residue preserved on Lower Palaeolithic tools. Our results shed new light on the use of Palaeolithic stone tools and provide, for the first time, direct evidence (residue) of animal exploitation through the use of an Acheulian biface and a scraper. The association of an elephant rib bearing cut marks with these tools may reinforce the view suggesting the use of Palaeolithic stone tools in the consumption of large game

The functional brain networks that underlie Early Stone Age tool manufacture

After 800,000 years of making simple Oldowan tools, early humans began manufacturing Acheulian handaxes around 1.75 million years ago. This advance is hypothesized to reflect an evolutionary change in hominin cognition and language abilities. We used a neuroarchaeology approach to investigate this hypothesis, recording brain activity using functional near-infrared spectroscopy as modern human participants learned to make Oldowan and Acheulian stone tools in either a verbal or nonverbal training context. Here we show that Acheulian tool production requires the integration of visual, auditory and sensorimotor information in the middle and superior temporal cortex, the guidance of visual working memory representations in the ventral precentral gyrus, and higher-order action planning via the supplementary motor area, activating a brain network that is also involved in modern piano playing. The right analogue to Broca’s area—which has linked tool manufacture and language in prior work1,2—was only engaged during verbal training. Acheulian toolmaking, therefore, may have more evolutionary ties to playing Mozart than quoting Shakespeare

Influence of handaxe size and shape on cutting efficiency: a large-scale experiment and morphometric analysis

Handaxes represent one of the most temporally enduring and geographically widespread of Palaeolithic artifacts and thus comprised a key technological strategy of many hominin populations. Archaeologically observable variation in the size (i.e., mass) and shape properties of handaxes has been frequently noted. It is logical to ask whether some of this variability may have had functional implications. Here, we report the results of a large-scale (n = 500 handaxes) experiment designed to examine the influence of variation in handaxe size and shape on cutting efficiency rates during a laboratory task. We used a comprehensive dataset of morphometric (size-adjusted) shape variables and statistical methods (including multivariate methods) to address this issue. Our first set of analyses focused on handaxe mass/size variability. This analysis demonstrated that, at a broad-scale level of variation, handaxe mass may have been free to vary independently of functional (cutting) efficiency. Our analysis also, however, identified that there will be a task-specific threshold in terms of functional effectiveness at the lower end of handaxe mass variation. This implies that hominins may have targeted design forms to meet minimal (task-specific) thresholds, and may also have managed handaxe reduction and discard in respect to such factors. Our second set of analyses focused on handaxe shape variability. This analysis also indicated that considerable variation in handaxe shape may occur independently of any strong effect on cutting efficiency. We discuss how these results have several implications for considerations of handaxe variation in the archaeological record. At a general level, our results demonstrate that variability within and between handaxe assemblages in terms of their size and shape properties will not necessarily have had immediate or strong impact on their effectiveness when used for cutting, and that such variability may have been related to factors other than functional issues

The experimental substantiation of the use of the ointment consisting propolis at periodontal tissues pathologies

Изложены результаты экспериментального исследования эффективности применения мази на основе прополиса у лабораторных крыс на фоне пародонтита. Были изучены прооксидантная (содержание малонового диальдегида (МДА)) и антиоксидантная (активность каталазы) системы сыворотки крови и их отношение (индекс АПИ). Установлено значительное увеличение протеолитической активности и содержания МДА, существенное снижение активности каталазы и АПИ, в частности у крыс с пародонтитом. Применение разработанной лечебной мази на основе прополиса нормализует саливацию, снижает активность протеаз, концентрацию МДА и увеличивает активность каталазы и АПИ.The results of the experimental study of the therapeutic effectiveness of the ointment consisting propolis in laboratorial rats at the periodontitis are given. The indices of prooxidant (concenttration of malonic dialdehyde (MDA)) and antioxidant (activity of catalase) systems in blood serum and their ratio (index API) were studied. The considerable increase in contents activity of proteases and MDA, essential decrease in catalase activity, and index API, in particular, were determined in the rats with periodontitis. The application of the elaborated treatment ointment consisting propolis normalizes salivation, reduces activity of proteases, concentration of MDA and increases activity of catalase and antioxidant-prooxidant index (API)

Влияние аписоловой мази на основе прополиса на биохимические показатели ротовой жидкости при гингивитах

Мета даного дослідження — вивчення лікувально-профілактичної дії апісолової мазі на основі прополісу на склад і властивості ротової рідини та тканини пародонта.Salivation and some biochemical indices of oral liquid were studied in 22 patients with chronic catarrhal gingivitis (CCG) before and after treatment with ointment consisting propolis. Reduction in salivation speed, increase of albumen contents activity of proteases and malonic dialdehyde (MDA) in oral liquid were determined at CCG. The application of the elaborated treatment ointment consisting propolis normalizes salivation, reduces the level of albumen, activity of proteases, concentration of MDA and increases activity of catalase and antioxidant-prooxidant index (API) in the examined patients.У 22 пациентов с хроническим катаральным гингивитом (ХКГ) были изучены саливация и ряд биохимических показателей ротовой жидкости (РЖ) до и после лечения аписоловой мазью на основе прополиса. При ХКГ установлено снижение скорости саливации, повышение в РЖ содержания белка, активности протеаз и концентрации малонового диальдегида (МДА). Применение разработанной лечебной мази на основе прополиса нормализует саливацию, снижает уровень белка, активность протеаз, концентрацию МДА, а также увеличивает у обследованных активность каталазы и антиоксидантно-прооксидантный индекс

The influence of vitasol ointment on salivation under experimental parodontitis in rats

Застосування вітасолової мазі для лікування експериментального пародонтиту у щурів показало, що препарат виявляє пародонтопротекторну дію, стимулюючи слиновиділення та нормалізуючи біохімічні показники слини, які характеризують стан перекисного окиснення ліпідів і рівень протеолізу. Аплікації розробленої лікувальної мазі ефективно пригнічували процеси резорбції в кістковій тканині щелеп і стимулювали репаративну регенерацію в кістковій тканині щелеп щурів.The use of Vitasol ointment for treatment of experimental parodontitis in rats showed the preparation to be of marked parodontoprotective action. It stimulates salivation and normalizes biochemical indices in saliva, that characterizes LPO state and the level of proteolysis. The application of the elaborated treatment ointment depressed effectively the processes of resorption in osseous tissues of gums and stimulated the reparative regeneration in osseous tissue of rats gums