Archäologische und naturwissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zu spätantiken Gräbern in und bei den römischen Thermen von Grumentum

Die römische Stadt Grumentum liegt in Süditalien, im Innern von Lucanien, der heutigen Region Basilicata, etwa gleich weit vom ionischen und tyrrhenischen Meer entfernt, inmitten einer wunderschönen Landschaft, die zum einen durch das Agri-Tal und zum anderen durch hohe Berge gekennzeichnet ist. Diese Stadt war in der Antike ein bedeutendes Zentrum des Binnenlandes, da sie an einem wichtigen Straßenknotenpunkt lag. Von seinem wechselhaften Schicksal in der Geschichte berichten zahlreiche Schriftsteller, wie Livius von den punischen Kriegen – Hannibal stand auch hier vor den Toren – oder Appian von den Bürgerkriegen zu Beginn des ersten vorchristlichen Jahrhunderts. Außerhalb des Stadtgebietes sind vier monumentale Grabbauten, zahlreiche Grabinschriften und ein Aquaedukt gefunden worden. Von der Stadtbefestigung sind die Reste der Mauern unter üppigem Bewuchs noch verborgen. In der Stadt wurden bis jetzt das Forum, mehrere Tempel, ein Theater, ein Amphitheater und ein Wohnkomplex freigelegt. Zwischen 1999 und 2003 fanden erneut Ausgrabungen statt. Ein internationales Team unter der Leitung von Hansjörg Thaler konnte Teile der Straßen, einen weiteren Wohnkomplex und eine Thermenanlage – zunächst durch Prospektionen, dann in mehreren Grabungskampagnen – untersuchen. ..

Exploring the complexity of domestication : a response to Rowley-Conwy and Zeder

Funding: This work was supported by Natural Environment Research Council [grant number NE/F003382/1]. Acknowledgements: We once again thank the many institutions and individuals that provided sample material and access to collections, especially the curators of the Museum für Haustierkunde, Halle; Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin; Zoologische Staatssammlung, Munich; Muséum National d’Histoire Naturelle, Paris; The American Museum of Natural History, New-York.Peer reviewedPostprin

DNA supercoiling suppresses real-time PCR: a new approach to the quantification of mitochondrial DNA damage and repair

As a gold standard for quantification of starting amounts of nucleic acids, real-time PCR is increasingly used in quantitative analysis of mtDNA copy number in medical research. Using supercoiled plasmid DNA and mtDNA modified both in vitro and in cancer cells, we demonstrated that conformational changes in supercoiled DNA have profound influence on real-time PCR quantification. We showed that real-time PCR signal is a positive function of the relaxed forms (open circular and/or linear) rather than the supercoiled form of DNA, and that the conformation transitions mediated by DNA strand breaks are the main basis for sensitive detection of the relaxed DNA. This new finding was then used for sensitive detection of structure-mediated mtDNA damage and repair in stressed cancer cells, and for accurate quantification of total mtDNA copy number when all supercoiled DNA is converted into the relaxed forms using a prior heat-denaturation step. The new approach revealed a dynamic mtDNA response to oxidative stress in prostate cancer cells, which involves not only early structural damage and repair but also sustained copy number reduction induced by hydrogen peroxide. Finally, the supercoiling effect should raise caution in any DNA quantification using real-time PCR

Research potential and limitations of trace analyses of cremated remains

Human cremation is a common funeral practice all over the world and willpresumably become an even more popular choice for interment in thefuture. Mainly for purposes of identification, there is presently agrowing need to perform trace analyses such as DNA or stable isotopeanalyses on human remains after cremation in order to clarify pendingquestions in civil or criminal court cases. The aim of this study was toexperimentally test the potential and limitations of DNA and stableisotope analyses when conducted on cremated remains.For this purpose, tibiae from modern cattle were experimentally crematedby incinerating the bones in increments of 100 degrees C until a maximumof 1000 degrees C was reached. In addition, cremated human remains werecollected from a modern crematory. The samples were investigated todetermine level of DNA preservation and stable isotope values (C and Nin collagen, C and O in the structural carbonate, and Sr in apatite).Furthermore, we assessed the integrity of microstructural organization,appearance under UV-light, collagen content, as well as the mineral andcrystalline organization. This was conducted in order to provide ageneral background with which to explain observed changes in the traceanalyses data sets. The goal is to develop an efficacious screeningmethod for determining at which degree of burning bone still retains itsoriginal biological signals. We found that stable isotope analysis ofthe tested light elements in bone is only possible up to a heat exposureof 300 degrees C while the isotopic signal from strontium remainsunaltered even in bones exposed to very high temperatures. DNA-analysesseem theoretically possible up to a heat exposure of 600 degrees C butcan not be advised in every case because of the increased risk ofcontamination. While the macroscopic colour and UV-fluorescence ofcremated bone give hints to temperature exposure of the bone’s outersurface, its histological appearance can be used as a reliable indicatorfor the assessment of the overall degree of burning

Chronic pain, depression and cardiovascular disease linked through a shared genetic predisposition:Analysis of a family-based cohort and twin study

BACKGROUND: Depression and chronic pain are the two most important causes of disability (Global Burden of Disease Study 2013). They occur together more frequently than expected and both conditions have been shown to be co-morbid with cardiovascular disease. Although shared socio-demographic risk factors (e.g. gender, deprivation) might explain the co-morbidity of these three conditions, we hypothesised that these three long-term, highly prevalent conditions co-occur and may be due to shared familial risk, and/or genetic factors. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We employed three different study designs in two independent cohorts, namely Generation Scotland and TwinsUK, having standardised, validated questionnaire data on the three traits of interest. First, we estimated the prevalence and co-occurrence of chronic pain, depression and angina among 24,024 participants of a population-based cohort of extended families (Generation Scotland: Scottish Family Health Study), adjusting for age, gender, education, smoking status, and deprivation. Secondly, we compared the odds of co-morbidity in sibling-pairs with the odds in unrelated individuals for the three conditions in the same cohort. Lastly, examination of similar traits in a sample of female twins (TwinsUK, n = 2,902), adjusting for age and BMI, allowed independent replication of the findings and exploration of the influence of additive genetic (A) factors and shared (C) and non-shared (E) environmental factors predisposing to co-occurring chronic widespread pain (CWP) and cardiovascular disease (hypertension, angina, stroke, heart attack, elevated cholesterol, angioplasty or bypass surgery). In the Generation Scotland cohort, individuals with depression were more than twice as likely to have chronic pain as those without depression (adjusted OR 2·64 [95% CI 2·34-2·97]); those with angina were four times more likely to have chronic pain (OR 4·19 [3·64-4·82]); those with depression were twice as likely to have angina (OR 2·20 [1·90-2·54]). Similar odds were obtained when the outcomes and predictors were reversed and similar effects seen among sibling pairs; depression in one sibling predicted chronic pain in the other (OR 1·34 [1·05-1·71]), angina predicted chronic pain in the other (OR 2·19 [1·63-2·95]), and depression, angina (OR 1·98 [1·49-2·65]). Individuals with chronic pain and angina showed almost four-fold greater odds of depression compared with those manifesting neither trait (OR 3·78 [2·99-4·78]); angina showed seven-fold increased odds in the presence of chronic pain and depression (OR 7·76 [6·05-9·95]) and chronic pain nine-fold in the presence of depression and angina (OR 9·43 [6·85-12·98]). In TwinsUK, the relationship between CWP and depression has been published (R = 0.34, p<0.01). Considering the CWP-cardiovascular relationship, the most suitable model to describe the observed data was a combination of A, C and E, with a small but significant genetic predisposition, shared between the two traits (2·2% [95% CI 0·06-0·23]). CONCLUSION: We found an increased co-occurrence of chronic pain, depression and cardiovascular disease in two independent cohorts (general population-based cohort, twins cohort) suggesting a shared genetic contribution. Adjustment for known environmental influences, particularly those relating to socio-economic status (Generation Scotland: age, gender, deprivation, smoking, education; Twins UK: age,BMI) did not explain the relationship observed between chronic pain, depression and cardiovascular disease. Our findings from two independent cohorts challenge the concept of traditional disease boundaries and warrant further investigation of shared biological mechanisms

Cellular and Mitochondrial Effects of Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol dependence is correlated with a wide spectrum of medical, psychological, behavioral, and social problems. Acute alcohol abuse causes damage to and functional impairment of several organs affecting protein, carbohydrate, and fat metabolism. Mitochondria participate with the conversion of acetaldehyde into acetate and the generation of increased amounts of NADH. Prenatal exposure to ethanol during fetal development induces a wide spectrum of adverse effects in offspring, such as neurologic abnormalities and pre- and post-natal growth retardation. Antioxidant effects have been described due to that alcoholic beverages contain different compounds, such as polyphenols as well as resveratrol. This review analyzes diverse topics on the alcohol consumption effects in several human organs and demonstrates the direct participation of mitochondria as potential target of compounds that can be used to prevent therapies for alcohol abusers