Ancient chicken remains reveal the origins of virulence in Marek's disease virus.

The pronounced growth in livestock populations since the 1950s has altered the epidemiological and evolutionary trajectory of their associated pathogens. For example, Marek's disease virus (MDV), which causes lymphoid tumors in chickens, has experienced a marked increase in virulence over the past century. Today, MDV infections kill >90% of unvaccinated birds, and controlling it costs more than US$1 billion annually. By sequencing MDV genomes derived from archeological chickens, we demonstrate that it has been circulating for at least 1000 years. We functionally tested the Meq oncogene, one of 49 viral genes positively selected in modern strains, demonstrating that ancient MDV was likely incapable of driving tumor formation. Our results demonstrate the power of ancient DNA approaches to trace the molecular basis of virulence in economically relevant pathogens.

Two-Dimensional Damage Localization Using a Piezoelectric Smart Aggregate Approach-Implementation on Arbitrary Shaped Concrete Plates.

This paper presents the application of a hybrid approach for damage localization in concrete plates of arbitrary geometric shapes and a constant thickness. The hybrid algorithm utilizes fast discrete wavelet transformation, energy approach and time of flight criteria for the purpose of the localization of single- and multi-damage problems inside or on the periphery of concrete plates. A brief theoretical background of the hybrid method as well as numerical procedures for modeling the piezoelectric smart aggregate and ultrasonic wave propagation are presented. Experimental and numerical verification of the damage localization were performed on square samples/models with one or two damages and with 16 positions of piezoelectric smart actuator/sensor aggregates. After the verification of the hybrid method, a numerical simulation was performed on models with one or two damages for plates of arbitrary geometric shapes. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that the proposed method can be applied to damage localization in concrete plates of arbitrary geometric shapes. The presented method and numerical procedure can be further used in research through varying the geometry, number and position of damages as well as the number and position of piezoelectric smart aggregates.

Palaeogenomic analysis of black rat (Rattus rattus) reveals multiple European introductions associated with human economic history.

The distribution of the black rat (Rattus rattus) has been heavily influenced by its association with humans. The dispersal history of this non-native commensal rodent across Europe, however, remains poorly understood, and different introductions may have occurred during the Roman and medieval periods. Here, in order to reconstruct the population history of European black rats, we first generate a de novo genome assembly of the black rat. We then sequence 67 ancient and three modern black rat mitogenomes, and 36 ancient and three modern nuclear genomes from archaeological sites spanning the 1st-17th centuries CE in Europe and North Africa. Analyses of our newly reported sequences, together with published mitochondrial DNA sequences, confirm that black rats were introduced into the Mediterranean and Europe from Southwest Asia. Genomic analyses of the ancient rats reveal a population turnover in temperate Europe between the 6th and 10th centuries CE, coincident with an archaeologically attested decline in the black rat population. The near disappearance and re-emergence of black rats in Europe may have been the result of the breakdown of the Roman Empire, the First Plague Pandemic, and/or post-Roman climatic cooling.

A case study of vertebral fusion in a 19th-century horse from Serbia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the etiology of skeletal changes noted in equid vertebrae from a 19th- century context near Belgrade, Serbia. MATERIALS: A vertebral column consisting of 15 fused thoracic vertebrae (T2-T16), with right ribs fused to T4 and T5 and small remnants of ribs articulating with T4, T5 and T6 on the left side were accidentally recovered during industrial exploitation of sand. METHODS: The specimen was subjected to morphological analysis and collagen fingerprinting by mass spectrometry for species identification. In order to determine the absolute temporal context, radiocarbon dating was employed. Pathological changes were analyzed macroscopically and then underwent X-ray and (CT) imaging. RESULTS: Species identification indicates that the vertebral column belonged to a domestic horse (Equus caballus) living in the early 19th century. Pathological changes included exuberant bone proliferation, fusion of small articulations, enthesopathy formation, complete fusion between the vertebral bodies, and ossification of the anterior longitudinal ligament. CONCLUSIONS: Pathological changes represent signs of an advanced stage of vertebral fusion consistent with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). SIGNIFICANCE: This case study provides a clear distinction between diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) and other vertebral column diseases in equids. It also presents a new and significant contribution to the nascent discipline of animal paleopathology in present-day Serbia. LIMITATIONS: Given that only 15 thoracic vertebrae were discovered, the impact of this disease on other parts of the horse skeleton remains unknown, as does the archaeological context of the remains. SUGGESTIONS FOR FURTHER RESEARCH: Research into the frequency of DISH in equids, as well as the historical context of equine husbandry in Serbia will allow greater insight into the causes and effects of this pathological condition.

Spavin in red deer: A case study from the Early Neolithic Blagotin, Serbia.

Pathological modifications are rarely observed in the remains of wild animals from archaeological sites. We present one such specific, pathological change - a case of spavin in a red deer specimen from the Early Neolithic site of Blagotin, in central Serbia. The left tarsal joint presented proliferative new bone formation, which was analyzed macroscopically, then subjected to X-ray and computed tomography (CT) imaging. We assume that the initial degenerative changes in this red deer tarsal joint were probably caused by ageing, although the environment may have likely contributed to the progression of the disorder. Spavin usually results in stiffness of the joints and in lameness, perhaps contributing in the animal's capture by Neolithic hunters. This case is important in that it demonstrates that spavin is not necessarily a consequence of riding or traction work.

Paleopathological changes in an early iron age horse skeleton from the Central Balkans (Serbia).

During a rescue archeological excavation in 2012 at the site of Ranutovac-Meaniste near Vranje, southern Serbia, remains of an Early Iron Age (Hallstatt B-C) settlement were revealed. In one of the settlement pits a complete horse skeleton was discovered. The skeleton belongs to a mare, aged 4-5 years at death. In this paper, paleopathological changes in the horse skeleton are described and analyzed using macroscopic, radiographic and scanning electron microscopy techniques to interpret the possible use of the animal. Potential bitting damage is observed in the lower second premolars (P2) and mandibular diastema. Several pathologies are recorded in thoracic (T10-17) and lumbar vertebrae (L1). Paleopathological changes in forelimbs are restricted to the lower leg bones. Bone changes in the hind-limbs, beside the metatarsals and the first phalanges, are also observed in the right femur, right calcaneum and both tibiae. These paleopathological changes were caused by chronic inflammation of ligaments as a consequence of the intensive exploitation of the animal, most likely riding. This paper is one of the first publications of animal paleopathology in Serbia and the first identified example of coxofemoral osteochondrosis in horse in the paleopathological literature.