Molecular and isotopic investigations of pottery and “charred remains” from Sannai Maruyama and Sannai Maruyama No. 9, Aomori Prefecture.

This paper presents a preliminary study of the analysis of organic residues of Early and Middle Jomon pottery and ‘charred remains.’ Samples are taken from the Sannai Maruyama site and the Sannai Maruyama No. 9 site in Aomori City, Aomori Prefecture in northern Japan. The following questions are addressed in this study: (i) Do organic residues survive in association with pottery vessels and charred remains? (ii) Can the residues be identified based on molecular and isotopic criteria applied in other investigations? (iii) Are the residues associated with the charred remains common to the residues associated with the pottery vessels? (iv) How do these residues contribute to our understanding of food processing and consumption? Results of our analysis indicate that the lipid composition of the pottery extracts is remarkably similar although some of the sherds exhibited better preservation and a wider range of molecules were detected albeit in lower abundance. There is a marked contrast with the composition of the lipid extracts of the ‘charred remains.’ The lipid compositions of sample sets from Sannai Maruyama and Sannai Maruyama No. 9 suggest aquatic resources in the pottery but with a plant contribution. The ‘charred remains’ from Sannai Maruyama contain plant tissues most likely with a high starch composition such as nuts. Lipids were recovered from the majority of the samples

Genomic investigations of unexplained acute hepatitis in children

Since its first identification in Scotland, over 1,000 cases of unexplained paediatric hepatitis in children have been reported worldwide, including 278 cases in the UK1. Here we report an investigation of 38 cases, 66 age-matched immunocompetent controls and 21 immunocompromised comparator participants, using a combination of genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic and immunohistochemical methods. We detected high levels of adeno-associated virus 2 (AAV2) DNA in the liver, blood, plasma or stool from 27 of 28 cases. We found low levels of adenovirus (HAdV) and human herpesvirus 6B (HHV-6B) in 23 of 31 and 16 of 23, respectively, of the cases tested. By contrast, AAV2 was infrequently detected and at low titre in the blood or the liver from control children with HAdV, even when profoundly immunosuppressed. AAV2, HAdV and HHV-6 phylogeny excluded the emergence of novel strains in cases. Histological analyses of explanted livers showed enrichment for T cells and B lineage cells. Proteomic comparison of liver tissue from cases and healthy controls identified increased expression of HLA class 2, immunoglobulin variable regions and complement proteins. HAdV and AAV2 proteins were not detected in the livers. Instead, we identified AAV2 DNA complexes reflecting both HAdV-mediated and HHV-6B-mediated replication. We hypothesize that high levels of abnormal AAV2 replication products aided by HAdV and, in severe cases, HHV-6B may have triggered immune-mediated hepatic disease in genetically and immunologically predisposed children

The Impact of Appearance Concerns on Depression and Anxiety in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objectives: Increased levels of anxiety and depression are commonly reported by patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in comparison to the general population. Rather than the clinical features of the disease, this difference has been attributed to psychosocial factors. Patients with RA can develop joint swelling and disfigurement as a direct result of the disease, and experience concerns about their altered appearance. This study aimed to identify if appearance-specific issues contribute to our understanding of mood in RA, over and above demographic, functional and generalized psychosocial measures. Methods: A total of 89 patients with RA completed a series of psychosocial questionnaires measuring demographics, physical function, general cognitive processes and a number of appearance-specific concepts, to determine the contribution of appearance concerns to mood. Results: Hierarchical linear regression suggested that living status, optimism, social support and appearance-related social anxiety and avoidance are associated with levels of depression. The relationship between social support and depression was found to be mediated by appearance-related social anxiety and avoidance. Optimism remained the only variable significantly associated with anxiety. Conclusion: These findings confirm the role of optimistic cognitions and a supportive environment in determining the mood of patients with RA and also establishes a possible link between depression and appearance concerns in this population. Interventions targeting social support, optimism and social anxiety and avoidance in relation to appearance are key in the improvement of depression in this patient group. © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd