A new approach to the chronology of caves 268/272/275 in the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes: combining radiocarbon dates and archaeological information within a Bayesian statistical framework

The construction chronology of three of the earliest Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes (Caves 268, 272, and 275) has been the subject of ongoing debate for over half a century. This chronology is a crucial topic in terms of further understanding of the establishment of the Dunhuang Mogao Grottoes, early Buddhism in the Gansu corridor, and its relationship with Buddhism developed in the Central Plains. Building upon archaeological, art historical and radiocarbon (14C) dating studies, we integrate new 14C data with these previously published findings utilizing Bayesian statistical modeling to improve the chronological resolution of this issue. Thus, we determine that all three of these caves were constructed around AD 410–440, suggesting coeval rather than sequential construction

Multikingdom interactions govern the microbiome in subterranean cultural heritage sites

9 páginas.- 5 figuras.- 66 referencias.- Data Availability. The amplicon sequences, shotgun metagenomics, and screened Actinobacteria strain sequences reported in this article have been deposited in the NCBI BioProject and GenBank databases (accession nos. PRJNA721777, PRJNA745276, and OL444665 to OL444682, respectively). All other study data are included in the article and/or supporting informationMicrobial biodeterioration is a major concern for the conservation of historical cultural relics worldwide. However, the ecology involving the origin, composition, and establishment of microbiomes on relics, once exposed to external environments, is largely unknown. Here, we combined field surveys with physiological assays and biological interaction experiments to investigate the microbiome in the Dahuting Han Dynasty Tomb, a Chinese tomb with more than 1,800 y of history, and its surrounding environments. Our investigation finds that multikingdom interactions, from mutualism to competition, drive the microbiome in this subterranean tomb. We reveal that Actinobacteria, Pseudonocardiaceae are the dominant organisms on walls in this tomb. These bacteria produce volatile geosmin that attracts springtails (Collembola), forming an interkingdom mutualism, which contributes to their dispersal, as one of the possible sources into the tomb from surrounding environments. Then, intrakingdom competition helps explain why Pseudonocardiaceae thrive in this tomb via the production of a mixture of cellulases, in combination with potential antimicrobial substances. Together, our findings show that multikingdom interactions play an important role in governing the microbiomes that colonize cultural relics. This knowledge is integral to understanding the ecological and physiological features of relic microbiomes and to supporting the relics’ long-term conservation.This work was supported by the National Key R&D Program (2019YFC1520700), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (42177297), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) Strategic Priority Research Program Grant XDA28010302, and the Youth Innovation Promotion Association, CAS (Member No. 2014271). M.D.-B. is supported by a Ramón y Cajal Grant (RYC2018-025483-I), a project from the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (PID2020-115813RA-I00), and Project Plan Andaluz de Investigación, Desarrollo e Innovación 2020 from the Junta de Andalucía (P20_00879).Peer reviewe

Effects of Drifting Sand Particles on Deterioration of Mural Paintings on the East Wall of Cave 285 in Mogao Caves, Dunhuang

6th International Building Physics Conference, IBPC 2015The Mogao caves, which are designated as a World Heritage site, house the remains of one of the largest collections of Buddhist mural paintings. The cave investigated in this study is cave 285, which has paintings on the walls and ceiling. The purpose of this research is to identify the causes for the deterioration of the paintings, particularly on the east wall. Emphasis is placed on collision and adhesion of sand particles driven by the wind into the cave as a candidate cause of deterioration on the east wall

A Comparative Study of the Method to Rapid Identification of the Mural Pigments by Combining LIBS-Based Dataset and Machine Learning Methods

Due to the similar chemical composition and matrix effect, the accurate identification of mineral pigments on wall paintings has brought great challenges. This work implemented an identification study on three mineral pigments with similar chemical compositions by combining LIBS technology with the K-nearest neighbor algorithm (KNN), random forest (RF support vector machine (SVM), back propagation artificial neural network (Bp-ANN) and convolutional neural network (CNN) to find the most suitable identification method for mural research. Using the SelectKBest algorithm, 300 characteristic lines with the largest difference among the three pigments were determined. The identification models of KNN, RF, SVM, Bp-ANN and CNN were established and optimized. The results showed that, except for the KNN model, the identification accuracy of other models for mock-up mural samples was above 99%. However, only the identification accuracy of 2D-CNN models reached above 94% for actual mural samples. Therefore, the 2D-CNN model was determined as the most suitable model for the identification and analysis of mural pigments

A Comparative Study of the Method to Rapid Identification of the Mural Pigments by Combining LIBS-Based Dataset and Machine Learning Methods

Due to the similar chemical composition and matrix effect, the accurate identification of mineral pigments on wall paintings has brought great challenges. This work implemented an identification study on three mineral pigments with similar chemical compositions by combining LIBS technology with the K-nearest neighbor algorithm (KNN), random forest (RF support vector machine (SVM), back propagation artificial neural network (Bp-ANN) and convolutional neural network (CNN) to find the most suitable identification method for mural research. Using the SelectKBest algorithm, 300 characteristic lines with the largest difference among the three pigments were determined. The identification models of KNN, RF, SVM, Bp-ANN and CNN were established and optimized. The results showed that, except for the KNN model, the identification accuracy of other models for mock-up mural samples was above 99%. However, only the identification accuracy of 2D-CNN models reached above 94% for actual mural samples. Therefore, the 2D-CNN model was determined as the most suitable model for the identification and analysis of mural pigments

Pallidal stimulation as treatment for camptocormia in Parkinson's disease

Contains fulltext : 230542.pdf (publisher's version ) (Open Access

Theta Oscillations Support Prefrontal-hippocampal Interactions in Sequential Working Memory

The prefrontal cortex and hippocampus may support sequential working memory beyond episodic memory and spatial navigation. This stereoelectroencephalography (SEEG) study investigated how the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) interacts with the hippocampus in the online processing of sequential information. Twenty patients with epilepsy (eight women, age 27.6 +/- 8.2 years) completed a line ordering task with SEEG recordings over the DLPFC and the hippocampus. Participants showed longer thinking times and more recall errors when asked to arrange random lines clockwise (random trials) than to maintain ordered lines (ordered trials) before recalling the orientation of a particular line. First, the ordering-related increase in thinking time and recall error was associated with a transient theta power increase in the hippocampus and a sustained theta power increase in the DLPFC (3-10 Hz). In particular, the hippocampal theta power increase correlated with the memory precision of line orientation. Second, theta phase coherences between the DLPFC and hippocampus were enhanced for ordering, especially for more precisely memorized lines. Third, the theta band DLPFC -> hippocampus influence was selectively enhanced for ordering, especially for more precisely memorized lines. This study suggests that theta oscillations may support DLPFC-hippocampal interactions in the online processing of sequential information

In-situ non-invasive analysis of conservation materials on mural paintings: a systematic approach in Dahuting Han Dynasty Tomb

Abstract In this study, the in-situ non-invasive analysis of the conservation materials on the mural paintings in the Dahuting Han Dynasty Tomb was performed. The analytical process of non-invasive measurement for mural conservation materials has been designed, including digital microscopy, external reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and optical coherence tomography. By using these methods, effective analytical results have been acquired. The microscopic morphologies of the murals were observed and recorded via a portable digital microscope, thereby the effects of the conservation materials on the surface of the murals and the structural characteristics of the coatings were clarified. Through external reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis, it was found that both the painting ground layer and the edge reinforcement material are calcium carbonate, and there are cellulose nitrate and poly(methyl methacrylate) as conservation materials on the surfaces of the murals in different areas. The spatial location and distribution of these conservation materials were determined by principal component analysis of infrared spectra. The thicknesses of cellulose nitrate and poly(methyl methacrylate) coatings were measured by optical coherence tomography. The above work laid a solid foundation for the subsequent conservation and restoration of the murals. It is proved that the in-situ non-invasive analytical methods applied in this work have broad prospects for the measurement of conservation materials on murals