The morphology of the enamel-dentine junction in Neanderthal molars: Gross morphology, non-metric traits, and temporal trends.

This study explores the morphological differences between the enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) of maxillary and mandibular molars of Neanderthals (n = 150) and recent modern humans (n = 106), and between an earlier Neanderthal sample (consisting of Pre-Eemian and Eemian Neanderthals dating to before 115 ka) and a later Neanderthal sample (consisting of Post-Eemian Neanderthals dating to after 115 ka). The EDJ was visualised by segmenting microtomographic scans of each molar. A geometric morphometric methodology compared the positioning of the dentine horns, the shape of the marginal ridge between the dentine horns, and the shape of the cervix. We also examined the manifestation of non-metric traits at the EDJ including the crista obliqua, cusp 5, and post-paracone tubercle. Furthermore, we report on additional morphological features including centrally placed dentine horn tips and twinned dentine horns. Our results indicate that EDJ morphology can discriminate with a high degree of reliability between Neanderthals and recent modern humans at every molar position, and discriminate between the earlier and the later Neanderthal samples at every molar position, except for the M3 in shape space. The cervix in isolation can also discriminate between Neanderthals and recent modern humans, except at the M3 in form space, and is effective at discriminating between the earlier and the later Neanderthal samples, except at the M2/M2 in form space. In addition to demonstrating the taxonomic valence of the EDJ, our analysis reveals unique manifestations of dental traits in Neanderthals and expanded levels of trait variation that have implications for trait definitions and scoring.

The relationship of CD34+ dosage and platelet recovery following high dose chemotherapy and autologous CD34+ reinfusion in multiple myeloma.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (ASCT) is an established treatment for multiple myeloma (MM), yet the impact of transplanted CD34+ cell dose remains unresolved, especially in patients over the age of 65 years. Data was collected from 207 consecutive ASCT patients to determine the relationship between CD34+ infusion count and short-term and long-term platelet recovery. For MM patients under the age of 65 years (n=155), CD34+ dosage correlates with time to platelet engraftment (p<0.001) and platelet count at 30 days (p=0.003), but not with long-term platelet counts at 180 or 360 days from the CD34+ reinfusion. For MM patients aged 65 years or older (n=46), CD34+ dosage did not correlate with time to platelet engraftment, but did correlate with both short-term and long-term platelet counts at 30 (p<0.001), 180 (p=0.021), and 360 days (p=0.005). Exploratory regression analysis was done to explore platelet stability following the current minimum CD34+ dosage reinfusion. For MM patients under the age of 65 years, the minimum standard CD34+ dosage of 2×106cells/kg was sufficient for a timing to platelet engraftment of <21 days and short-term platelets count ≥150×109/L at 30 days. Alternatively, for MM patients aged 65 years or older, the CD34+ dosage of 2×106cells/kg was insufficient for platelet counts ≥150×109/L at 30 and only marginally attainable at 360 days suggesting that in elderly MM patients a higher CD34+ dosage may be required for platelet recovery and possibly long-term platelet stability.

A new ape from Türkiye and the radiation of late Miocene hominines.

Fossil apes from the eastern Mediterranean are central to the debate on African ape and human (hominine) origins. Current research places them either as hominines, as hominins (humans and our fossil relatives) or as stem hominids, no more closely related to hominines than to pongines (orangutans and their fossil relatives). Here we show, based on our analysis of a newly identified genus, Anadoluvius, from the 8.7 Ma site of Çorakyerler in central Anatolia, that Mediterranean fossil apes are diverse, and are part of the first known radiation of early members of the hominines. The members of this radiation are currently only identified in Europe and Anatolia; generally accepted hominins are only found in Africa from the late Miocene until the Pleistocene. Hominines may have originated in Eurasia during the late Miocene, or they may have dispersed into Eurasia from an unknown African ancestor. The diversity of hominines in Eurasia suggests an in situ origin but does not exclude a dispersal hypothesis.