Early Arrival of New World Species Enriching the Biological Assemblage of the Santi Quattro Coronati Complex (Rome, Italy)

This paper reports the archaeobotanical and archaeozoological data from a disposal pit, whose use started after the partial closure of a staircase, and from a mortar surface within a former porch in the Santi Quattro Coronati complex in Rome, Italy. The two contexts were in use in the Early Modern Age, when the complex served as a cardinal seat. The element that distinguishes the Santi Quattro Coronati from other contemporaneous contexts is the presence of New World species, until now only hypothesized based on a letter sent by the first resident bishop in Santo Domingo to Lorenzo Pucci, then cardinal with the titulus of the Santi Quattro Coronati. Pumpkin seeds (Cucurbita pepo and C. maxima/moschata) were found in the pit, while a pelvis of guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) was found in a former porch. Numerous archaeobotanical remains preserved by mummification, identified mostly as food, and many archaeozoological specimens were found in the pit. Based on the data, it is hypothesized that the pit was used mainly as a deposit for table waste. The results as a whole help towards the investigation of the eating customs and daily habits of a Renaissance high-status clerical community

Discovering Plum, Watermelon and Grape Cultivars Founded in a Middle Age Site of Sassari (Sardinia, Italy) through a Computer Image Analysis Approach

The discovery of several waterlogged plant remains in a Middle Ages context (1330–1360 AD) in Sassari (NS, Sardinia, Italy) enabled the characterisation of archaeological plum fruit stones and watermelon and grape seeds through computer image analysis. Digital seed/endocarp images were acquired by a flatbed scanner and processed and analysed by applying computerised image analysis techniques. The morphometric data were statistically elaborated using stepwise linear discriminant analysis (LDA), allowing comparisons among archaeological remains, wild populations and autochthonous cultivars. Archaeological samples of plum were compared with 21 autochthonous cultivars of Prunus domestica from Sardinia, while archaeological watermelon seeds were compared with 36 seed lots of Citrullus from Europe, Africa and Asia. Moreover, archaeological grape seeds were compared with 51 autochthonous traditional cultivars of Vitis vinifera subsp. vinifera from Sardinia, 16 cultivars from Tuscany, six cultivars from Liguria, and eight cultivars from Catalonia (Spain). Archaeological plum remains showed morphological affinity with five cultivars of Sardinia. Seed features of the archaeological watermelon remains demonstrated affiliation with a proper sweet dessert watermelon, Citrullus lanatus, and similarity with some Sardinian cultivars. Regarding the archaeological remains of grape, morphometric comparisons showed a high similarity with autochthonous cultivars from Catalonia and Liguria. This study provides new information about ancient fruit cultivated and consumed during the Middle Ages in Sardinia

Migraine and cluster headache show impaired neurosteroids patterns

Background: Perturbation of neuronal excitability contributes to migraine. Neurosteroids modulate the activity of γ-aminobutyric acid A and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors, and might be involved in the pathogenesis of migraine. Here, we measured plasma levels of four neurosteroids, i.e., allopregnanolone, epiallopregnanolone, dehydroepiandrosterone and deydroepiandrosterone sulfate, in patients affected by episodic migraine, chronic migraine, or cluster headache. Methods: Nineteen female patients affected by episodic migraine, 51 female patients affected by chronic migraine, and 18 male patients affected by cluster headache were recruited to the study. Sex- and age-matched healthy control subjects (31 females and 16 males) were also recruited. Patients were clinically characterized by using validated questionnaires. Plasma neurosteroid levels were measured by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Results: We found disease-specific changes in neurosteroid levels in our study groups. For example, allopregnanolone levels were significantly increased in episodic migraine and chronic migraine patients than in control subjects, whereas they were reduced in patients affected by cluster headache. Dehydroepiandrosterone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels were reduced in patients affected by chronic migraine, but did not change in patients affected by cluster headache. Conclusion: We have shown for the first time that large and disease-specific changes in circulating neurosteroid levels are associated with chronic headache disorders, raising the interesting possibility that fluctuations of neurosteroids at their site of action might shape the natural course of migraine and cluster headache. Whether the observed changes in neurosteroids are genetically determined or rather result from exposure to environmental or intrinsic stressors is unknown. This might also be matter for further investigation because stress is a known triggering factor for headache attacks in both migraineurs and cluster headache patients

Practical and clinical utility of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS) for the acute treatment of migraine. A post hoc analysis of the randomized, sham-controlled, double-blind PRESTO trial

Background: The PRESTO study of non-invasive vagus nerve stimulation (nVNS; gammaCore®) featured key primary and secondary end points recommended by the International Headache Society to provide Class I evidence that for patients with an episodic migraine, nVNS significantly increases the probability of having mild pain or being pain-free 2 h post stimulation. Here, we examined additional data from PRESTO to provide further insights into the practical utility of nVNS by evaluating its ability to consistently deliver clinically meaningful improvements in pain intensity while reducing the need for rescue medication. Methods: Patients recorded pain intensity for treated migraine attacks on a 4-point scale. Data were examined to compare nVNS and sham with regard to the percentage of patients who benefited by at least 1 point in pain intensity. We also assessed the percentage of attacks that required rescue medication and pain-free rates stratified by pain intensity at treatment initiation. Results: A significantly higher percentage of patients who used acute nVNS treatment (n = 120) vs sham (n = 123) reported a ≥ 1-point decrease in pain intensity at 30 min (nVNS, 32.2%; sham, 18.5%; P = 0.020), 60 min (nVNS, 38.8%; sham, 24.0%; P = 0.017), and 120 min (nVNS, 46.8%; sham, 26.2%; P = 0.002) after the first attack. Similar significant results were seen when assessing the benefit in all attacks. The proportion of patients who did not require rescue medication was significantly higher with nVNS than with sham for the first attack (nVNS, 59.3%; sham, 41.9%; P = 0.013) and all attacks (nVNS, 52.3%; sham, 37.3%; P = 0.008). When initial pain intensity was mild, the percentage of patients with no pain after treatment was significantly higher with nVNS than with sham at 60 min (all attacks: nVNS, 37.0%; sham, 21.2%; P = 0.025) and 120 min (first attack: nVNS, 50.0%; sham, 25.0%; P = 0.018; all attacks: nVNS, 46.7%; sham, 30.1%; P = 0.037). Conclusions: This post hoc analysis demonstrated that acute nVNS treatment quickly and consistently reduced pain intensity while decreasing rescue medication use. These clinical benefits provide guidance in the optimal use of nVNS in everyday practice, which can potentially reduce use of acute pharmacologic medications and their associated adverse events. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02686034

Palaeoenvironmental reconstruction of a Phoenician site: archaeobotany at Motya (Sicily, Italy)

La presente tesi di dottorato riguarda le analisi archeobotaniche dei materiali provenienti dal sito archeologico di Mozia, una piccola isola (ca. 40 ha) collocata nello Stagnone di Marsala, in Sicilia occidentale. Grazie alla sua posizione strategica e riparata, al centro del Mediterraneo, e alla presenza di sorgenti d’acqua dolce, il sito è stato scelto come insediamento dai Fenici nell’VIII sec. a.C. fino all’assedio di Mozia nel 397/6 a.C. Lo studio dei macro-resti, separati attraverso flottazione, si è concentrato su due contesti chiusi: una favissa votiva sul lato sud-ovest del Tempio del Cappiddazzu (dedicato a Melqart/Herakles), ed un butto nell’Area D, entrambi databili tra l’VIII e il VI sec. a.C. Lo studio ha fornito un ampio set di dati che ha permesso la ricostruzione di diversi aspetti delle interazioni uomo ambiente dei Fenici a Mozia. Per quanto riguarda la sfera rituale, i sacrifici animali erano presumibilmente accompagnati da banchetti cerimoniali. Un’alta concentrazione di piante officinali è probabilmente correlata agli aspetti guaritori che il dio Melqart assumeva a Mozia. Il ritrovamento di numerosi taxa tossici per il bestiame risulta interessante, suggerendo il loro utilizzo per stordire gli animali prima di sacrificarli. È inoltre attestata la presenza di resti relative a offerte di frutti (Vitis vinifera) e fiori (Verbena officinalis), come anche di piante ornamentali (Cupressus cf. sempervirens). Dalla prospettiva secolare, la dieta umana era composta da cereali (principalemente frumenti nudi), legumi e frutta. Le piante infestanti di diverse dimensioni (tra cui Lolium temulentum e Phalaris ssp.) e i resti di pula, attribuibili a diverse fasi di lavorazione del raccolto, indicano che questa venisse svolta quotidianamente prima della consumazione. Questo aspetto è arricchito dal ritrovamento di polline di cereali, il quale suggerisce che la trebbiatura (se non anche la coltivazione) venisse svolta sul sito. Anche la palinologia permette di ricostruire un ambiente aperto, con poca o nessuna copertura forestale, caratterizzato da complesse attività antropiche. L’antracologica suggerisce la presenza di taxa tipici dell’area mediterranea. La presenza di un pinolo e di Pinus pinea/pinaster nella pioggia pollinica è degna di nota, suggerendo la presenza locale di questi pini mediterranei al di fuori del loro areale di distribuzione. Questo rappresenta il primo ritrovamento di questo tipo nel Mediterraneo centrale. I resti fossili consentono anche un confronto tra l'ambiente passato e presente di Mozia. La scomparsa di Juniperus sp. ed Erica arborea dai dintorni dell'attuale Stagnone di Marsala sembra essere correlata allo sfruttamento eccessivo del suolo, all’aridificazione o a una combinazione dei due fattori. Infine, il ruolo dei Fenici nella diffusione e nel commercio della vite è stato analizzato attraverso delle analisi morfometriche sui semi di Vitis vinifera rinvenuti nel butto dell’area D. Questi sono stati confrontati a campioni conservati per sommersione provenienti da altri due siti del Mediterraneo occidentale caratterizzati da influenze fenicie, Nuraghe S’Urachi (Sardegna, Italia) e Huelva (Spagna). I campioni archeobotanici sono stati confrontati con dieci cultivar del “Vivaio Federico Paulsen: Centro Regionale per la Conservazione della Biodiversità Agraria” di Marsala (Sicilia occidentale), selezionati come materiale moderno di riferimento. Le analisi delle componenti principali (PCA) hanno permesso un confronto tra siti, dimostrando che i campioni provenienti da essi sono chiaramente distinguibili in base alla loro morfologia. Questo indica l’utilizzo di diverse varietà, il quale può essere dovuto a numerosi fattori. Le analisi statistiche della forma dei semi d’uva mostrano che i campioni archeologici sono confrontabili morfologicamente a quelli delle varietà moderne, suggerendone la descrizione come “fortemente addomesticati”. Tuttavia, non è stata trovata alcuna apparente corrispondenza con dei cultivar moderni. Ciò è in parte legato alla dimensione limitata della collezione di riferimento, ai secoli di storia che hanno avuto un impatto sulla diversità della vite e ai fattori tafonomici.The present PhD thesis concerns the archaeobotanical analysis of materials found in the archaeological site of Motya, a small island (ca. 40 ha) located in the Stagnone di Marsala, a coastal lagoon of western Sicily. Due to its strategic, harbored position in the middle of the Mediterranean and the presence of fresh-water springs, the site was chosen by Phoenicians as a settlement in the 8th century BC until the siege of Motya in 397/6 BC. The study of macro-remains, retrieved using bucket flotation, focused on two closed contexts: a votive favissa found on the SW side of the Temple of Cappiddazzu (dedicated to Melqart/Herakles), and a big disposal pit in Area D, both dating between the 8th and the 6th century BC. In the latter context, palynological analyses were also performed. The study has yielded a wide set of data which allows to reconstruct different aspects of the human-environment interaction of Phoenicians at Motya. Concerning the ritual sphere, animal sacrifices were likely accompanied by ceremonial meals. A high concentration of officinal plants is probably correlated to the salvific aspects of Melqart at Motya. Interesting is the find of numerous plants toxic to livestock, which suggests their use to stun animals before sacrificing them. Remains referable to fruit (Vitis vinifera) and flower offerings (Verbena officinalis), as well as ornamental (Cupressus cf. sempervirens) plants are also attested. From the secular perspective, human diet was comprised of cereals (mostly naked wheat), pulses and fruits. Different-sized weeds (such as Lolium temulentum and Phalaris ssp.) and chaff remains, referable to different stages of crop processing, indicate that crop processing was carried out daily before consumption. This aspect is enriched by the find of cereal pollen, which suggests that threshing (if not even cultivation) was carried on site. Palynology also indicates an open environment, with little to no forest cover, characterized by complex anthropogenic activities. Anthracology suggests the presence of typical Mediterranean plant taxa. The presence of a stone pine nut and of Pinus pinea/pinaster in the pollen rain is noteworthy, suggesting the local occurrence of these Mediterranean pines outside their native distribution range. This represents the first such find in the central Mediterranean. Fossil evidence also allows a comparison of Motya’s past and present environment. The disappearance of Juniperus sp. and Erica arborea from the present-day surroundings of the Marsala lagoon appears to be related to land-overexploitation, aridification or on a combination of the two. Finally, the role of Phoenicians in the spread and trade of grapevine was investigated through morphometric analyses of the Vitis vinifera seeds retrieved from the disposal pit in Area D. These were compared to waterlogged samples from the western Mediterranean sites of Nuraghe S’Urachi (Sardinia, Italy) and Huelva (Spain), associated to Phoenician expansion and cultural interaction. Archaeobotanical samples were compared to ten chosen cultivars from the “Vivaio Federico Paulsen: Centro Regionale per la Conservazione della Biodiversità Agraria” in Marsala (western Sicily), selected as modern reference material. PCA analyses allowed an inter-site comparison, showing that samples from the three sites are clearly distinguishable based on their morphology. This indicates the use of different varieties which may be due to different factors. Statistical analyses of pip outlines show that archaeological material from these sites is morphologically comparable to that of modern varieties, suggesting that the archaeological finds may be described as “strongly domesticated”. Nonetheless, no apparent correspondence to modern cultivars was found. This is partly related to the limited size of the reference collection, to the centuries of history that have had an impact on grape diversity, and to taphonomic factors

Research on Forecasting: A Quarter-Century Review, 1960-1984

Before 1960, little empirical research was done on forecasting methods. Since then, the literature has grown rapidly, especially in the area of judgmental forecasting. This research supports and adds to the forecasting guidelines proposed before 1960, such as the value of combining forecasts. New findings have led to significant gains in our ability to forecast and to help people to use forecasts. What have we reamed about forecasting over the past quarter century? Does recent research provide guidance for making more accurate forecasts, obtaining better assessments of uncertainty, or gaining acceptance of our forecasts? I will first describe forecasting principles that were believed to be the most advanced in 1960. Following that, I will examine the evidence produced since 1960.forecasting, forecasting research

Archaeobotanical evidence of funerary plant offerings at the Southern Etrurian Necropolis of “Valle Santa nell’Agro Veientano” (Rome, Italy)

The present study concerns the archaeobotanical analysis of soil samples and vase fillings from Etruscan tombs from the Necropolis of “Valle Santa nell’Agro Veientano”, found along via di Boccea, north of Rome (Italy). While the site was in use between the Archaic and Late Roman Age, the studied vestibule tombs belong to the Etruscan necropolis (second half of the 6th – beginning of the 4th centuries BC). Archaeological data, based on the incineration rite and funerary equipment, suggest that these were used by one high-status family (or two) originally from Veio. Carpological analyses reveal the presence of food plants comprised of cereals, pulses and fruits. Furthermore, anthracological data give indications concerning the past environment, with a prevalence of deciduous and semi-deciduous oaks, accompanied by other taxa such as evergreen oaks, hornbeam, ash and Rosaceae Prunoideae. This is in accordance with the present-day vegetation of northern Latium. Finally, remains of synanthropic weeds (e.g., Asteraceae, Caryophyllaceae and Polygonaceae) suggest a heavily anthropized environment. This study represents a step forward in the understanding of the still under-explored human-plant interactions of Etruscans

Seeds morpho-colourimetric analysis as complementary method to molecular characterization of melon diversity

[EN] Melon has undergone an intense process of selection and crossbreeding, resulting in many landraces distributed all over Europe, Africa and Asia. Due to this huge variability, the systematic position of this taxon has been reviewed many times in the last two decades. The goal of this article is to compare the phenotypic characterization achieved by seed features with the molecular analysis on melon genotypes. A set of 124 accessions of Cucurnis melo has been selected for molecular and morpho-colourimetric analyses plus an additional selection of accessions of Cucumis sativus, Citrullus lanatus and Citrullus colocynthis used to highlight seed morphology distances among genus and species. Genotyping was performed on the basis of 211 polymorphic SNPs and was executed using the iPLEX (R) Gold MassARRAY Sequenom technology. A total of 137 parameters were specifically designed to evaluate seed colour, size, shape and texture. Both molecular and seed morpho-colourimetrical analyses confirm the existence of two melon subspecies while an intermediate group has also been found. A non random allelic distribution in SNPs located in specific genomic regions suggests that some of these regions may account for a part of the observed variation in seed size. Six major groups of varieties can be discriminated on the basis on seed traits. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.The Italian University and Research Ministry (MIUR) financed the Ph.D. scholarship (Diego Sabato, Univeristy of Cagliari), making this research possible. Molecular analysis was carried out with contributions of the PLANT KKBE project PIM2010PKB-00691 and the complementary grant from the Generalitat Valenciana ACOMP/2013/141.Sabato, D.; Esteras Gómez, C.; Grillo, O.; Picó Sirvent, MB.; Bacchetta, G. (2015). Seeds morpho-colourimetric analysis as complementary method to molecular characterization of melon diversity. Scientia Horticulturae. 192:441-452. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2015.06.006S44145219

Molecular and morphological characterisation of the oldest Cucumis melo L. seeds found in the Western Mediterranean Basin

[EN] In 2008¿2009, a rescue excavation uncovered an intact Late Bronze Age well in Sa Osa, Sardinia (Italy). The structure yielded a large number of waterlogged plant remains, of which a group of melon seeds (Cucumis melo L.) were some of the most remarkable. These seeds represent the earliest recorded remains of this taxon in the Western Mediterranean and are some of the oldest ever recorded. The plant remains were preserved in anoxic conditions and were found in a perfect state of conservation, making them ideal candidates for morphometric and molecular characterisation. A total of 96 parameters, measured using an automatic image analysis system, were specifically designed to evaluate the morphological features of 15 preserved whole seeds. DNA extraction from archaeological samples followed a procedure specifically set up to avoid any kind of contamination. A 123-SNP genotyping platform that had been validated previously was used. The morphological and molecular data of the archaeological seeds were successfully compared with those of a set of 179 accessions, including landraces, of feral and wild melons from Europe, Africa, and Asia. Both analyses confirmed that these ancient seeds did not belong to a wild melon, but instead to a cultivated one. This primitive melon could have belonged to a group of ancestral non-sweet or semi-sweet forms of chate, flexuosus, or ameri varieties, showing similarities to North African and Central Asian accessions. This finding is coherent with the reportedly important role of cucumber-like melons in the species¿ diversification process and with the accepted role of the ameri group as the ancestors of the modern sweet varieties.Sabato, D.; Esteras Gómez, C.; Grillo, O.; Peña-Chocarro, L.; Leida, C.; Ucchesu, M.; Usai, A.... (2017). Molecular and morphological characterisation of the oldest Cucumis melo L. seeds found in the Western Mediterranean Basin. 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What is a tree in the mediterranean basin hotspot? A critical analysis

Background: Tree species represent 20% of the vascular plant species worldwide and they play a crucial role in the global functioning of the biosphere. The Mediterranean Basin is one of the 36 world biodiversity hotspots, and it is estimated that forests covered 82% of the landscape before the first human impacts, thousands of years ago. However, the spatial distribution of the Mediterranean biodiversity is still imperfectly known, and a focus on tree species constitutes a key issue for understanding forest functioning and develop conservation strategies. Methods: We provide the first comprehensive checklist of all native tree taxa (species and subspecies) present in the Mediterranean-European region (from Portugal to Cyprus). We identified some cases of woody species difficult to categorize as trees that we further called “cryptic trees”. We collected the occurrences of tree taxa by “administrative regions”, i.e. country or large island, and by biogeographical provinces. We studied the species-area relationship, and evaluated the conservation issues for threatened taxa following IUCN criteria. Results: We identified 245 tree taxa that included 210 species and 35 subspecies, belonging to 33 families and 64 genera. It included 46 endemic tree taxa (30 species and 16 subspecies), mainly distributed within a single biogeographical unit. The countries with the highest tree richness are Greece (146 taxa), Italy (133), Albania (122), Spain (155), Macedonia (116), and Croatia (110). The species-area relationship clearly discriminated the richest central-eastern (Balkans) and northern (Alpine and Cevenno-Pyrenean) biogeographical provinces, against the five western provinces in the Iberian Peninsula. We identified 44 unrecognized “cryptic trees”, representing 21% of the total trees. Among the 245 taxa identified, 19 are considered to be threatened (15 CR + EN + VU) or near threatened (4 NT) by IUCN. Conclusions: The Mediterranean-European region includes an unsuspectedly high number of tree taxa, almost 200 tree taxa more than in the central European region. This tree diversity is not distributed evenly and culminates in the central-eastern part of the Mediterranean region, whereas some large Tyrrhenian islands shelter several narrow endemic tree taxa. Few taxa are recognized as threatened in the IUCN Red list, and the vulnerability of these species is probably underestimated.French Foundation for Research on Biodiversity (FRB). Centre for Synthesis and Analysis of Biodiversity data ANR-11-LABX-006