Early divergent strains of Yersinia pestis in Eurasia 5,000 years ago.

The bacteria Yersinia pestis is the etiological agent of plague and has caused human pandemics with millions of deaths in historic times. How and when it originated remains contentious. Here, we report the oldest direct evidence of Yersinia pestis identified by ancient DNA in human teeth from Asia and Europe dating from 2,800 to 5,000 years ago. By sequencing the genomes, we find that these ancient plague strains are basal to all known Yersinia pestis. We find the origins of the Yersinia pestis lineage to be at least two times older than previous estimates. We also identify a temporal sequence of genetic changes that lead to increased virulence and the emergence of the bubonic plague. Our results show that plague infection was endemic in the human populations of Eurasia at least 3,000 years before any historical recordings of pandemics.

Dairying enabled Early Bronze Age Yamnaya steppe expansions.

During the Early Bronze Age, populations of the western Eurasian steppe expanded across an immense area of northern Eurasia. Combined archaeological and genetic evidence supports widespread Early Bronze Age population movements out of the Pontic-Caspian steppe that resulted in gene flow across vast distances, linking populations of Yamnaya pastoralists in Scandinavia with pastoral populations (known as the Afanasievo) far to the east in the Altai Mountains1,2 and Mongolia3. Although some models hold that this expansion was the outcome of a newly mobile pastoral economy characterized by horse traction, bulk wagon transport4-6 and regular dietary dependence on meat and milk5, hard evidence for these economic features has not been found. Here we draw on proteomic analysis of dental calculus from individuals from the western Eurasian steppe to demonstrate a major transition in dairying at the start of the Bronze Age. The rapid onset of ubiquitous dairying at a point in time when steppe populations are known to have begun dispersing offers critical insight into a key catalyst of steppe mobility. The identification of horse milk proteins also indicates horse domestication by the Early Bronze Age, which provides support for its role in steppe dispersals. Our results point to a potential epicentre for horse domestication in the Pontic-Caspian steppe by the third millennium BC, and offer strong support for the notion that the novel exploitation of secondary animal products was a key driver of the expansions of Eurasian steppe pastoralists by the Early Bronze Age.

Initial Upper Palaeolithic Homo sapiens from Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria.

The Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Europe witnessed the replacement and partial absorption of local Neanderthal populations by Homo sapiens populations of African origin1. However, this process probably varied across regions and its details remain largely unknown. In particular, the duration of chronological overlap between the two groups is much debated, as are the implications of this overlap for the nature of the biological and cultural interactions between Neanderthals and H. sapiens. Here we report the discovery and direct dating of human remains found in association with Initial Upper Palaeolithic artefacts2, from excavations at Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria). Morphological analysis of a tooth and mitochondrial DNA from several hominin bone fragments, identified through proteomic screening, assign these finds to H. sapiens and link the expansion of Initial Upper Palaeolithic technologies with the spread of H. sapiens into the mid-latitudes of Eurasia before 45 thousand years ago3. The excavations yielded a wealth of bone artefacts, including pendants manufactured from cave bear teeth that are reminiscent of those later produced by the last Neanderthals of western Europe4-6. These finds are consistent with models based on the arrival of multiple waves of H. sapiens into Europe coming into contact with declining Neanderthal populations7,8.

Exotic foods reveal contact between South Asia and the Near East during the second millennium BCE.

Although the key role of long-distance trade in the transformation of cuisines worldwide has been well-documented since at least the Roman era, the prehistory of the Eurasian food trade is less visible. In order to shed light on the transformation of Eastern Mediterranean cuisines during the Bronze Age and Early Iron Age, we analyzed microremains and proteins preserved in the dental calculus of individuals who lived during the second millennium BCE in the Southern Levant. Our results provide clear evidence for the consumption of expected staple foods, such as cereals (Triticeae), sesame (Sesamum), and dates (Phoenix). We additionally report evidence for the consumption of soybean (Glycine), probable banana (Musa), and turmeric (Curcuma), which pushes back the earliest evidence of these foods in the Mediterranean by centuries (turmeric) or even millennia (soybean). We find that, from the early second millennium onwards, at least some people in the Eastern Mediterranean had access to food from distant locations, including South Asia, and such goods were likely consumed as oils, dried fruits, and spices. These insights force us to rethink the complexity and intensity of Indo-Mediterranean trade during the Bronze Age as well as the degree of globalization in early Eastern Mediterranean cuisine.

Third molar maturity index (I3M) assessment according to different geographical zones: a large multi-ethnic study sample.

Identification of living undocumented individuals highlights the need for accurate, precise, and reproducible age estimation methods, especially in those cases involving minors. However, when their country of origin is unknown, or it can be only roughly estimated, it is extremely difficult to apply assessment policies, procedures, and practices that are accurate and child-sensitive. The main aim of this research is to optimize the correct classification of adults and minors by establishing new cut-off values for four different continents (Africa, America, Asia, and Europe). For this purpose, a vast sample of 10,701 orthopantomographs (OPTs) from four continents was evaluated. For determination and subsequent validation of the new third molar maturity index (I3M) cut-off values by world regions, a cross-validation by holdout method was used and contingency tables (confusion matrices) were generated. The lower third molar maturity indexes, from both left and right side (I3ML and I3MR) and the combination of both sides (I3ML_I3MR) were calculated. The new cut-off values, that aim to differentiate between a minor and an adult, with more than 74.00% accuracy for all populations were as follows (I3ML; I3MR; I3ML_I3MR, respectively): Africa = (0.10; 0.10; 0.10), America = (0.10; 0.09; 0.09), Asia = (0.15; 0.17; 0.14), and Europe = (0.09; 0.09; 0.09). The higher sensitivity (Se) was detected for the I3ML for male African people (91%) and the higher specificity (Sp) of all the parameters (I3ML; I3MR; I3ML_I3MR) for Europeans both male and female (> 91%). The original cut-off value (0.08) is still useful, especially in discriminating individuals younger than 18 years old which is the goal of the forensic methods used for justice.

Neutral evolution of human enamel-dentine junction morphology.

Teeth have been studied for decades and continue to reveal information relevant to human evolution. Studies have shown that many traits of the outer enamel surface evolve neutrally and can be used to infer human population structure. However, many of these traits are unavailable in archaeological and fossil individuals due to processes of wear and taphonomy. Enamel-dentine junction (EDJ) morphology, the shape of the junction between the enamel and the dentine within a tooth, captures important information about tooth development and vertebrate evolution and is informative because it is subject to less wear and thus preserves more anatomy in worn or damaged specimens, particularly in mammals with relatively thick enamel like hominids. This study looks at the molar EDJ across a large sample of human populations. We assessed EDJ morphological variation in a sample of late Holocene modern humans (n = 161) from archaeological populations using µ-CT biomedical imaging and geometric morphometric analyses. Global variation in human EDJ morphology was compared to the statistical expectations of neutral evolution and "Out of Africa" dispersal modeling of trait evolution. Significant correlations between phenetic variation and neutral genetic variation indicate that EDJ morphology has evolved neutrally in humans. While EDJ morphology reflects population history, its global distribution does not follow expectations of the Out of Africa dispersal model. This study increases our knowledge of human dental variation and contributes to our understanding of dental development more broadly, with important applications to the investigation of population history and human genetic structure.

Structural Health Monitoring in Long-Span Steel Structures Based on the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System.

The BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS) provides precise positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) services in the Asia-Pacific Region, but the BDS-based structural health monitoring (SHM) approach (SHM) is rarely studied, especially in civil engineering. Moreover, how BDS can be applied to complete the tasks of SHM in a real project is also not fully investigated, especially working in conjunction with other techniques. This study aims to propose a BDS-based approach for SHM in civil engineering. The performance of the proposed approach is investigated through a case study-the Tianhan Grand Theater (TGT). A specific Tianhan system corresponding to BDS is proposed to complete the SHM tasks of TGT. Based on the collected data, the trusses with maximum displacement and stress are found by BDS to evaluate structural health in the construction stage. The results show that the maximum displacement and stress have certain safety reserves and meet the requirements of the specifications and regulations. Thus, BDS can satisfactorily complete the tasks of SHM for Long-span steel structures. This study gives a clear view to engineers and researchers that how to apply BDS in structural construction and provides a valuable real case for evaluating the performance of BDS in SHM.

Microplastic transport during desertification in drylands: Abundance and characterization of soil microplastics in the Amu Darya-Aral Sea basin, Central Asia.

Desertification and microplastic pollution are major environmental issues that impact the function of the ecosystem and human well-being of drylands. Land desertification may influence soil microplastics' abundance, transport, and distribution, but their distribution in the dryland deserts of Central Asia's Amu Darya-Aral Sea basin is unknown. Here, we investigated the abundance and distribution of microplastics in dryland desert soils from the Amu Darya River to the Aral Sea basin in Central Asia at a spatial scale of 1000 km and soil depths ranging from 0 to 50 cm. Microplastics were found in soils from all sample locations, with abundances ranging from 182 to 17841 items kg-1 and a median of 3369. Twenty-four polymers were identified, with polyurethane (PU, 37.3%), silicone resin (SR, 17.0%), and chlorinated polyethylene (CPE, 9.8%) accounting for 64.1% of all polymer types. The abundance of microplastics was significantly higher in deep (20-50 cm) soils than in surface (0-5, 5-20 cm) soils. The main morphological characteristics of the observed microplastics were small size (20-50 µm) and irregular particles with no round edges (mean eccentricity 0.65). The abundance was significantly and positively related to soil EC and TP. According to the findings, desertification processes increase the abundance of microplastic particles in soils and promote migration to deeper soil layers. Human activities, mainly grazing, may be the region's primary cause of desertification and microplastic pollution. Our findings provide new information on the diffusion of microplastics in drylands during desertification; these findings are critical for understanding and promoting dryland plastic pollution prevention and control.

Gluco-friendly rice consumption: Balancing the palate with the pancreas.

Rice, or Oryza sativa/ Oryza glaberrima is the largest sources of carbohydrates, and calories, for mankind. It is the staple food across many countries of America, Africa and Asia. Hence, we need gluco-friendly ways of incorporating rice-based menus into the cuisine of persons living with diabetes. This multinational article discusses this challenge, and highlights the importance of informed and shared decision making with persons living with diabetes.

New Data on Dental Morphology of Hipparion tchicoicum Ivanjev, 1966 from Western Transbaikalia, Russia.

Morphological features of the teeth were studied in the three-toed horse Hipparion tchicoicum from the Pliocene of Western Transbaikalia (Russia). Several diagnostic signs of the Chicoi hipparion were described for the first time to provide criteria for distinguishing the taxon among other fossils of three-toed horses and estimating their real diversity at the final stage of their distribution in Inner Asia.

New Materials on the Morphology of the Teeth of the Three-Toed Horse (Hipparion houfenense) from the Pliocene of Western Transbaikalia (Russia).

This article is devoted to the morphological features of the teeth of the three-toed horse (Hipparion houfenense) from the Early Pliocene of Western Transbaikalia (Russia). It contains a number of diagnostic features that are unique to this taxon and distinguish it from other Hipparion species, which allows us to speak about their true diversity at the final stage of their existence in the northeast of Inner Asia.

Evolutionary and Ecological Drivers Shape the Emergence and Extinction of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Virus Lineages.

Livestock farming across the world is constantly threatened by the evolutionary turnover of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) strains in endemic systems, the underlying dynamics of which remain to be elucidated. Here, we map the eco-evolutionary landscape of cocirculating FMDV lineages within an important endemic virus pool encompassing Western, Central, and parts of Southern Asia, reconstructing the evolutionary history and spatial dynamics over the last 20 years that shape the current epidemiological situation. We demonstrate that new FMDV variants periodically emerge from Southern Asia, precipitating waves of virus incursions that systematically travel in a westerly direction. We evidence how metapopulation dynamics drive the emergence and extinction of spatially structured virus populations, and how transmission in different host species regulates the evolutionary space of virus serotypes. Our work provides the first integrative framework that defines coevolutionary signatures of FMDV in regional contexts to help understand the complex interplay between virus phenotypes, host characteristics, and key epidemiological determinants of transmission that drive FMDV evolution in endemic settings.

Efficient Atmospheric Transport of Microplastics over Asia and Adjacent Oceans.

We developed a regional atmospheric transport model for microplastics (MPs, 10 µm to 5 mm in size) over Asia and the adjacent Pacific and Indian oceans, accounting for MPs' size- and shape-dependent aerodynamics. The model was driven by tuned atmospheric emissions of MPs from the land and the ocean, and the simulations were evaluated against coastal (n = 19) and marine (n = 56) observations. Our tuned atmospheric emissions of MPs from Asia and the adjacent oceans were 310 Gg y-1 (1 Gg = 1 kton) and 60 Gg y-1, respectively. MP lines and fragments may be transported in the atmosphere >1000 km; MP pellets in our model mostly deposited near-source. We estimated that 1.4% of the MP mass emitted into the Asian atmosphere deposited into the oceans via atmospheric transport; the rest deposited over land. The resulting net atmospheric transported MP flux from Asia into the oceans was 3.9 Gg y-1, twice as large as a previous estimate for the riverine-transported MP flux from Asia into the oceans. The uncertainty of our simulated atmospheric MP budget was between factors of 3 and 7. Our work highlighted the impacts of the size and morphology on the aerodynamics of MPs and the importance of atmospheric transport in the source-to-sink relationship of global MP pollution.

Worldwide prevalence estimates of burning mouth syndrome: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the worldwide prevalence and epidemiology profile of burning mouth syndrome. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted. Search strategies were performed in PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang database for studies published before January 31, 2021, for the prevalence of burning mouth syndrome. RESULTS: Eighteen articles were included. The overall pooled prevalence of burning mouth syndrome was 1.73% (95% CI = 0.176-0.351, n = 26,632) in general population, and 7.72% (95% CI = 0.434-0.691, n = 86,591) in clinical patients. The subgroup analysis by continent showed that among the population-based studies the prevalence in Asia (1.05%) lower than in Europe (5.58%) and North America (1.10%). The subgroup analysis by gender showed the prevalence of female (1.15%) was higher than male (0.38%) in general population. The subgroup analysis by age showed the prevalence was higher for people over 50 (3.31%) than under 50 (1.92%). CONCLUSIONS: The pooled prevalence of burning mouth syndrome was relatively high in both general population and clinical patients, varies in different regions with the highest prevalence in Europe, and females over 50 years were the most susceptible group. More epidemiological surveys on the prevalence of burning mouth syndrome are needed.

Rapid increase in Asian bottles in the South Atlantic Ocean indicates major debris inputs from ships.

Most plastic debris floating at sea is thought to come from land-based sources, but there is little direct evidence to support this assumption. Since 1984, stranded debris has been recorded along the west coast of Inaccessible Island, a remote, uninhabited island in the central South Atlantic Ocean that has a very high macrodebris load (∼5 kg·m-1). Plastic drink bottles show the fastest growth rate, increasing at 15% per year compared with 7% per year for other debris types. In 2018, we examined 2,580 plastic bottles and other containers (one-third of all debris items) that had accumulated on the coast, and a further 174 bottles that washed ashore during regular monitoring over the course of 72 d (equivalent to 800 bottles·km-1·y-1). The oldest container was a high-density polyethylene canister made in 1971, but most were polyethylene terephthalate drink bottles of recent manufacture. Of the bottles that washed up during our survey, 90% were date-stamped within 2 y of stranding. In the 1980s, two-thirds of bottles derived from South America, carried 3,000 km by the west wind drift. By 2009, Asia had surpassed South America as the major source of bottles, and by 2018, Asian bottles comprised 73% of accumulated and 83% of newly arrived bottles, with most made in China. The rapid growth in Asian debris, mainly from China, coupled with the recent manufacture of these items, indicates that ships are responsible for most of the bottles floating in the central South Atlantic Ocean, in contravention of International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships regulations.

Metabolomic characteristics of hand-foot-mouth disease facilitate discovery and diagnosis of pathogeny.

BACKGROUND: Hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD) is a significant public health concern, especially in Asia-Pacific countries. Its diagnosis mainly depends on clinical symptoms. It is easy to miss the source of infection and best treatment period. This research aims to provide a tool for its early clinical diagnosis and for predicting the possibility of complications. METHODS: The serum samples of 39 HFMD children and 36 healthy children were collected for clinical testing and 1 H-NMR spectroscopy. Metabolomic analyses were performed to obtain the metabolic differences between the HFMD and healthy children and to speculate on the pathogenesis of HFMD. RESULTS: Thirty-nine children were divided into severe cases and mild cases. Severe cases demonstrated more obvious inflammatory responses, but no metabolic difference was observed between the severe and mild cases. The metabolic differences between HFMD and healthy children were noticeable. Ten differential metabolites were screened out as the potential biomarkers for HFMD, and seven disturbed metabolic pathways responsible for HFMD were affected by inflammation, impaired intestinal absorptive function, and immune response. CONCLUSIONS: Our results will provide a complementary tool for the early diagnosis of HFMD and potential ideas for later treatment.

Effect of Cordyceps spp. and Cordycepin on Functions of Bones and Teeth and Related Processes: A Review.

Cordyceps spp. (belonging to the Ascomycota group) are entomopathogenic mushrooms that have traditionally been used in ethnomedicine in Asian countries such as China, Japan, Korea, and India. They are unique parasites of larvae of selected species of moths. Cordyceps militaris is one of the best sources of cordycepin. Worldwide, osteoporosis is one of the most common bone diseases, whose pharmacotherapy includes various medical interventions; however, the research and development of new molecules and new drugs is required. The impact of adenosine receptors (ARs) on the purinergic signaling pathway may regulate proliferation, differentiate dental pulp stem cells and bone marrow, and modulate osteogenesis and bone repair. The aim of the review was to collect and analyze the available data on the effects of Cordyceps spp. or cordycepin on bone function and related processes. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic review in this perspective, not necessarily using mushroom raw material or even the isolated parent compound cordycepin, but new molecules that are analogs of nucleosides, such as those from C. militaris. This review found that Cordyceps spp. or isolated cordycepin interacts via the AR, 5' adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK), and adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) signaling pathway and evaluated their impact on bones, teeth, and dental pulp. Cordyceps spp. was found to have the potential to develop regenerative medicines, thus providing an opportunity to expand the treatment or intervention methods in the recovery after traumatic injuries, convalescence, and terminal-stage or devastating diseases.

Impact of extreme events on the transformation of hydrological characteristics of Asia's largest brackish water system, Chilika Lake.

The earth is experiencing the impact of climate change due to global warming. Lake ecosystems are no exception and are expected to cope with the consequences of extreme climatic events (hereafter ECE), such as storms, floods, and droughts. These events have significant potential to alter the hydrological characteristics (HC) influencing the physical, chemical, and biological behavior of lake ecosystems. Considering such ecosystem's high-value services and benefits, it is the need of the hour to monitor and evaluate the impact of ECE on lake ecosystems. The second-largest brackish water system in the world, Chilika Lake, situated at the shore of the Bay of Bengal (BoB), has encountered a total of 1306 tropical cyclonic storms in the last 131 years. Since most tropical cyclones lead to heavy floods, this could be devastating for the ecosystem and its services. Hence, in order to bridge the knowledge gap, the present study was carried out to understand its impact, based on the available field data of more than two decades (1999 to 2020) and historical records of ECE and HC since 1840 and 1915 respectively from the literature. The study revealed that the ECE attributed to short-term changes in HC which were reflected through an immediate change in trophic state index (TSI, indicator of lake health) and trophic switchover (net autotrophic to heterotrophic) between net sink and source of carbon dioxide (CO2) in specific regions. This study showed that both the ECE as well as a human intervention (opening of the new mouth) had an integrated role in the maintenance of HC within the lake as indicated by the variability of salinity level which is the lifeblood of the Chilika. Major ECE factors which controlled the salinity in Chilika were freshwater input through cyclone-induced flash flooding and seawater exchange through varying mouth conditions, i.e., opening of the new mouth, shifting, and widening of existing mouths due to cyclone impacts. The impact of the cyclone-induced flash flood was sustained for a couple of months to years depending on the magnitudes. As evidenced from the historical data available for ECEs, respective mouth variability, and salinity regime, ECE was found to maintain the salinity regime of the lake in the long run. Since the hydrological characteristics are found to be maintained through ECE as well as human intervention, the Chilika Lake recorded a substantial increase in fishery, seagrasses, Irrawaddy dolphins, migratory birds, and reduction in weed infestation. This study highlights the importance of historical data collection through a continuous systematic lake monitoring program which would enable understanding the ecosystem functioning and behavior with ECE-induced changing environmental conditions which is also a key component for formulating a sustainable management action plan for lake ecosystems around the globe.

The treatment landscape of advanced angiosarcoma in Asia-A multi-national collaboration from the Asian Sarcoma Consortium.

Angiosarcoma (AS) is a rare disease with a dismal prognosis. The treatment landscape and prognostic factors for advanced AS, including locally advanced, unresectable, and metastatic disease remain elusive. The Asian Sarcoma Consortium is an international collaborative effort to understand the sarcoma treatment landscape in Asia. We undertook a retrospective chart review of AS patients seen in 8 sarcoma academic centers across Asia. Patients with complete clinical, treatment, and follow-up data were enrolled. Overall, 276 advanced AS patients were included into this study; 84 (30%) of the patients had metachronous metastatic AS. The median age was 67 y; primary sites of AS was cutaneous in 55% and visceral in 45% of patients. In total, 143 (52%) patients received at least 1 line of systemic chemotherapy. The most common first-line chemotherapy regimen used was paclitaxel (47.6%) followed by liposomal doxorubicin (19.6%). The median overall survival (OS) was 7.8 mo. Significant prognostic factors for OS included age > 65 (hazard ratio (HR) 1.54, P = .006), male gender (HR 1.39, P = .02), and a cutaneous primary AS site (HR 0.63, P = .004). The median progression-free survival (PFS) for first-line chemotherapy was 3.4 mo. PFS for single vs combination or paclitaxel vs liposomal doxorubicin chemotherapy regimens were comparable. This study provides an insight into the treatment patterns and prognostic factors of advanced AS patients in Asia. Prognosis of advanced AS remains poor. Data from this study serve as a benchmark for future clinical study design.

A Multicenter Global Registry of Paclitaxel Drug-Coated Balloon in Dysfunctional Arteriovenous Fistulae and Grafts: 6-Month Results.

PURPOSE: To assess the safety and clinical benefit of the Lutonix drug-coated balloon (DCB) catheter for the treatment of dysfunctional arteriovenous fistulae (AVF) and grafts (AVG) in a heterogenous real-world population. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This multicenter, prospective study enrolled 320 subjects from 12 countries in 25 sites across Europe and Asia. A total of 392 lesions were treated with the Lutonix 035 DCB catheter. Lesions were de novo and restenotic, located in every part of the circuit from the cannulation zone to central venous outflow. In-stent restenotic lesions also were treated. The primary safety endpoint was freedom from serious adverse events involving the access circuit through 30 days. The primary effectiveness endpoint was target lesion primary patency (TLPP) through 6 months. Secondary endpoints included access circuit primary patency (ACPP) at 6 months and the investigation of factors that would independently influence the primary endpoints. RESULTS: The primary safety endpoint was 95.5%, while TLPP was 73.9% at 6 months, per Kaplan-Meier survival analysis. ACPP was 71% at 6 months. TLPP for stenosis of AVFs was 78.1%. Subgroup analysis showed significantly improved TLPP when DCB was dilated for ≥120 seconds (P = .007). TLPP was significantly better when predilation occurred compared with cases where only DCB angioplasty was performed (77% vs 48.6%, P = .0005). CONCLUSIONS: The Lutonix AV Global Registry confirms that the Lutonix DCB is a safe and effective treatment option in real-world patients with dysfunctional AVF or AVG. Procedural details had a significant role in TLPP. No significant difference in TLPP was observed among different treatment areas.