Revealing the stygobiont and crenobiont Mollusca biodiversity hotspot in the Caucasus: Part III. Revision of stygobiont microsnails (Mollusca: Gastropoda: Hydrobiidae) from the Russian part of Western Transcaucasia, with the description of new taxa.

A taxonomic revision of the stygobiont microsnails from north-western Transcaucasia (Krasnodar Krai, Russia) is presented. Two new generaSchapsugia gen. n. and Tachira gen. n. are established. It is shown that the genus Paladilhiopsis does not occur in this area, and the snails previously assigned to this genus belong to Schapsugia gen. n. Two nominal species Paladilhiopsis orientalis Starobogatov, 1962, and P. subovata Starobogatov, 1962 are considered junior synonyms of Sch. pulcherrima (Starobogatov, 1962), based on a re-examination of their conchological variation. In addition, two more species of Schapsugia are described: Sch. kudepsta sp. nov. and Sch. occultata sp. nov. The anatomical structure of another species, Geyeria valvataeformis Starobogatov, 1962 was studied for the first time. It is revealed that it should be placed in a separate genus (Tachira gen. n.). Thus, the previously proposed placement of the microsnails from north-western Transcaucasia in hydrobiid genera from the Balkan Peninsula (Geyeria, Paladilhiopsis) is rejected.

Prevalence of HIV, HCV and HBV in Central Asia and the Caucasus: A systematic review.

BACKGROUND: Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and hepatitis B virus (HBV) are substantial public health threats in the region of Central Asia and the Caucasus, where the prevalence of these infections is currently rising. METHODS: A systematic review of MEDLINE, Embase and PsycINFO was conducted with no publication date or language restrictions through October 2019. Additional data were also harvested from national surveillance reports, references found in discovered sources, and other "grey" literature. It included studies conducted on high-risk populations (people who inject drugs (PWID), female sex workers (FSW), men who have sex with men (MSM), prisoners, and migrants) in Central Asia: Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan; and the Caucasus: Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Northern Caucasus region of the Russian Federation. RESULTS: Wide ranges were noted for HIV prevalence: PWID 0-30.1%, MSM 0-25.1%, prisoners 0-22.8%, FSW 0-10.0%, and migrants 0.06-1.5%, with the highest prevalence of these high-risk groups reported in Kazakhstan (for PWID), Georgia (for MSM and prisoners) and Uzbekistan (for migrants). HCV prevalence also had a wide range: PWID 0.3-92.1%, MSM 0-18.9%, prisoners 23.8-49.7%, FSW 3.3-17.8%, and migrants 0.5-26.5%, with the highest prevalence reported in Georgia (92.1%), Kyrgyzstan (49.7%), and migrants from Tajikistan and Uzbekistan (26.5%). Similarly, HBV prevalence had a wide range: PWID 2.8-79.7%, MSM 0-22.2%, prisoners 2.7-6.2%, FSW 18.4% (one study), and migrants 0.3-15.7%. CONCLUSION: In Central Asia and the Caucasus, prevalence of HIV, HCV and HBV remains exceedingly high among selected populations, notably PWID and MSM.

Review of the genus Saropogon Loew, 1847 (Diptera: Asilidae) from Russia, Transcaucasia and Central Asia, with description of three new species.

Nine species of the genus Saropogon Loew, 1847 are reviewed. Saropogon aliyevi Sakhvon sp. nov. (Azerbaijan), S. astakhovi Sakhvon sp. nov. (Armenia) and S. tajikistanensis Sakhvon sp. nov. (Tajikistan) are described and illustrated. The distribution of some species is increased. Saropogon pittoproctus Loew, 1873 is recorded from Russia (Kalmykia) for the first time. Records of prey of some of the Saropogon species are presented. An identification key to males of the species is given.

Training of psychiatrists in Eastern Europe: problems and solutions.

The analysis of the training of mental health professionals in WPA Zone 10 was performed based on a comparison of data of a specifically designed questionnaire comprising 29 questions on undergraduate education, 34 questions on postgraduate training, and six questions on training of general practitioners to work in the field of mental health. The project involved National Associations of psychiatrists of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russian Federation, Uzbekistan, and Ukraine. This comparison provides an opportunity to identify ways to improve psychiatric training in Eastern Europe.

Epidemiology of Taenia saginata taeniosis/cysticercosis: a systematic review of the distribution in central and western Asia and the Caucasus.

BACKGROUND: The zoonotic parasite Taenia saginata transmits between humans, the definitive host (causing taeniosis), and bovines as the intermediate host (causing cysticercosis). Central and western Asia and the Caucasus have large cattle populations and beef consumption is widespread. However, an overview of the extent of human T. saginata infection and bovine cysticercosis is lacking. This review aims to summarize the distribution of T. saginata in this region. METHODS: A systematic review was conducted, that gathered published and grey literature, and official data concerning T. saginata taeniosis and bovine cysticercosis in central and western Asia and the Caucasus published between January 1st, 1990 and December 31st, 2018. Where no data were available for a country within this period, published data from 1985-1990 were also accessed. RESULTS: From 10,786 articles initially scanned, we retrieved 98 full-text articles from which data were extracted. In addition, two unpublished datasets were provided on the incidence of human taeniosis. Data for human taeniosis and bovine cysticercosis were found for all countries except Turkmenistan. Human taeniosis prevalence varied from undetected to over 5.3%, with regional variations. Where bovine cysticercosis was detected, prevalences varied from case reports to 25%. CONCLUSIONS: The public health burden of T. saginata is assumed to be small as the parasite is of low pathogenicity to humans. However, this review indicates that infection continues to be widespread and this may result in a large economic burden, due to the resources utilized in meat inspection and condemnation or processing with subsequent downgrading of infected carcasses.

Evolutionary history and postglacial colonization of an Asian pit viper (Gloydius halys caucasicus) into Transcaucasia revealed by phylogenetic and phylogeographic analyses.

It has been generally acknowledged that glacial climates at the time of the Pleistocene altered the patterns of species distributions, prompting latitudinal and altitudinal distribution shifts in several species, including poikilothermic species commonly known for their thermal sensitivity. However, the historical phylogeographic patterns of such species have remained largely unknown. Here, we present the historical biogeographic, phylogenetic, and phylogeographic relationships of the Caucasian pit viper, G. h. caucasicus, based on two mtDNA (cyt b and ND4) and one nDNA (c-mos) genes. This pit viper represents the westernmost member of the Crotalinae subfamily in the Palearctic and occurs in a variety of habitats, from 30 m to 3,000 m above sea level. In Iran, it is distributed on the northern and southern slopes of the Alborz Mountains, rendering it a target for phylogenetic and phylogeographic studies of a terrestrial poikilothermic animal. Our study identified four Iranian lineages of G. h. caucasicus along the northeastern to northwestern slopes of the Alborz Mountains and southern Azerbaijan (Talysh Mountains). Diversification of the Iranian lineages highlights population expansion and subsequent isolation into four plausible refugial areas during the Quaternary paleo-climatic oscillations, confirmed by our molecular dating and historical biogeographic analyses. The results of coalescence-based simulations support the incursion of the species from northeastern Iran to the western end of the Alborz, and then toward Transcaucasia via two directions: northern and southern slopes of the Alborz Mountains. Furthermore, our results clearly implied that G. h. caucasicus should be elevated to species rank and further referred to as G. caucasicus (Nikolsky, 1916).

Outcomes of HIV-infected versus HIV-non-infected patients treated for drug-resistance tuberculosis: Multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: The emergence of resistance to anti-tuberculosis (DR-TB) drugs and the HIV epidemic represent a serious threat for reducing the global burden of TB. Although data on HIV-negative DR-TB treatment outcomes are well published, few data on DR-TB outcomes among HIV co-infected people is available despite the great public health importance. METHODS: We retrospectively reported and compared the DR-TB treatment outcomes of HIV-positive and HIV-negative patients treated with an individualized regimen based on WHO guidelines in seven countries: Abkhazia, Armenia, Colombia, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Swaziland and Uzbekistan. RESULTS: Of the 1,369 patients started DRTB treatment, 809 (59.1%) were multi-drug resistant (MDR-TB) and 418 (30.5%) were HIV-positive. HIV-positive patients were mainly from African countries (90.1%) while HIV-negative originated from Former Soviet Union (FSU) countries. Despite a higher case fatality rate (19.0% vs 9.4%), HIV-positive MDR-TB patients had a 10% higher success rate than HIV-negative patients (64.0% vs 53.2%, p = 0.007). No difference in treatment success was found among polydrug-resistant (PDR-TB) patients. Overall, lost to follow-up rate was much higher among HIV-negative (22.0% vs. 8.4%). Older age and not receiving ART were the only factors associated with unfavorable treatment outcome among HIV-positive patients. CONCLUSIONS: As already known for HIV-negative patients, success rate of DR-TB HIV-positive patients remains low and requires more effective DR-TB regimen using new drugs also suitable to HIV-infected patients on ART. The study also confirms the need of ART introduction in HIV co-infected patients.

The TB Portals: an Open-Access, Web-Based Platform for Global Drug-Resistant-Tuberculosis Data Sharing and Analysis.

The TB Portals program is an international consortium of physicians, radiologists, and microbiologists from countries with a heavy burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis working with data scientists and information technology professionals. Together, we have built the TB Portals, a repository of socioeconomic/geographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological, and genomic data from patient cases of drug-resistant tuberculosis backed by shareable, physical samples. Currently, there are 1,299 total cases from five country sites (Azerbaijan, Belarus, Moldova, Georgia, and Romania), 976 (75.1%) of which are multidrug or extensively drug resistant and 38.2%, 51.9%, and 36.3% of which contain X-ray, computed tomography (CT) scan, and genomic data, respectively. The top Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineages represented among collected samples are Beijing, T1, and H3, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that confer resistance to isoniazid, rifampin, ofloxacin, and moxifloxacin occur the most frequently. These data and samples have promoted drug discovery efforts and research into genomics and quantitative image analysis to improve diagnostics while also serving as a valuable resource for researchers and clinical providers. The TB Portals database and associated projects are continually growing, and we invite new partners and collaborations to our initiative. The TB Portals data and their associated analytical and statistical tools are freely available at https://tbportals.niaid.nih.gov/.

List of leaf beetles (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) from Lagodekhi reserve with new records for Transcaucasia and Georgia.

Leaf beetles of Lagodekhi National Park have been studied for the first time. Thirty two species were recorded from the area of which 14 are new for Georgia, 1 genus and 8 species are new to Transcaucasus. Together with the additional 16 species that were already known from literature, a total of 48 chrysomelid species for Lagodekhi reserve is listed here with notes on the specimens examined and general distributions. Some insights into the elevational pattern of leaf beetle diversity in Lagodekhi National Park are also provided.

The Caucasus as a major hotspot of biodiversity: Evidence from the millipede family Anthroleucosomatidae (Diplopoda, Chordeumatida).

Fifteen new genera and 36 new species of the diplopod family Anthroleucosomatidae Verhoeff, 1899 are described from the Caucasus, one of the world's biodiversity hotspots: Golovatchosoma bacillichaetum gen. et sp. nov., G. trichochaetum sp. nov., Alpinella waltheri gen. et sp. nov., Brachychaetosoma turbanovi gen. et sp. nov., Caucaseuma elephantum sp. nov., C. fanagoriyskaya sp. nov., C. glabroscutum sp. nov., C. kelasuri sp. nov., C. minellii sp. nov., C. variabile sp. nov., Caucasominorus billi gen. et sp. nov., C. polylobatus sp. nov., Georgiosoma bicornutum gen. et sp. nov., Heterocaucaseuma feminaepectorum gen. et sp. nov., H. longicorne sp. nov., Paranotosoma attemsi gen. et sp. nov., P. cordatum sp. nov., P. subrotundatum sp. nov., Dentatosoma denticulatum gen. et sp. nov., D. magnum sp. nov., D. zeraboseli sp. nov., Enghoffiella insolita gen. et sp. nov., Metamastigophorophyllon hamatum sp. nov., M. lamellohirsutum sp. nov., M. torsivum sp. nov., Acanthophorella barjadzei gen. et sp. nov., A. chegemi sp. nov., A. irystoni sp. nov., Cryptacanthophorella manubriata gen. et sp. nov., Flagellophorella hoffmani gen. et sp. nov., Pseudoflagellophorella eskovi gen. et sp. nov., P. mirabilis sp. nov., P. papilioformis sp. nov., Herculina oligosagittae gen. et sp. nov., H. polysagittae sp. nov., Vegrandosoma tabacarui gen. et sp. nov. All anthroleucosomatids from the Caucasus, both new and previously described, are classified in eight endemic complexes, arranged as follows in alphabetic order: the Alloiopus complex, the Caucaseuma complex, the Dentatosoma complex, the Enghoffiella complex, the Flagellophorella complex, the Herculina complex, the Ratcheuma complex and the Vegrandosoma complex. The genus Metamastigophorophyllon Ceuca, 1976 (the type-species: Mastigophorophyllon giljarovi Lang, 1959, adequately redescribed from new material), is a new subjective senior synonym of Persedicus Mauriès, 1982, syn. nov., being also newly transferred from the family Mastigophorophyllidae to the family Anthroleucosomatidae, comb. nov. The following two new combinations are also proposed: Heterocaucaseuma mauriesi (Golovatch and Makarov, 2011), comb. nov. ex Anamastigona Silvestri, 1898; and Metamastigophorophyllon martensi (Mauriès, 1982), comb. nov. ex Persedicus Mauriès, 1982. An identification key to and distribution maps for all known species of Caucasian Anthroleucosomatidae are provided, as well as brief remarks on distributions and on cave-dwelling taxa.

Description of two new species related to Pterostichus (Aphaonus) arcanoides Lorenz, 1998 from the West Transcaucasia (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Pterostichini).

Two new carabid beetle species, Pterostichus (Aphaonus) mariamae sp. nov. and Pterostichus (Aphaonus) svetlanae sp. nov., related to an enigmatic mountainous representative of the subgenus Aphaonus, P. (Aphaonus) arcanoides Lorenz, 1998, are described from the Abkhazian midlands (Tsebelda Plateau and Mtsara district). Discriminative features of the new species in the subgenus are briefly discussed.

[Taxonomic status of the Artashat virus (ARTSV) (Bunyaviridae, Nairovirus) isolated from the ticks Ornithodoros alactagalis Issaakjan, 1936 and O. verrucosus Olenev, Sassuchin et Fenuk, 1934 (Argasidae Koch, 1844) collected in Transcaucasia].

The Artashat virus (ARTSV) was originally isolated fom the Ornithodoros alactagalis Issaakjan, 1936 (Argasidae Koch, 1844), which were collected in the burrow of small five-toed jerboa (Allactaga elater Lichtenstein, 1825) in Armenia in 1972. Later, the ARTSV was isolated from the O. verrucosus Olenev, Sassuchin et Fenuk, 1934 collected in the burrows of Persian gerbil (Meriones persicus Blanford, 1875) in Azerbaijan. Based on the virion morphology, the ARTSV was assigned to the Bunyaviridae viruses. In this work, the ARTSV genome was partially sequenced (GenBank ID: KF801650) and it was shown that the ARTSV is a new member of the Nairovirus genus. ARTSV has from 42% (Issyk-Kul virus) to 58% (Raza virus, Hughes group) similarity with the nairoviruses for nucleotide sequence of part of RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase (RdRp). The similarity on the amino acid level is 65-70%. Low level of homology and the equidistant position of the ARTSV on phylogenetic tree indicate that the ARTSV is a new prototype species of the Nairovirus genus (Bunyaviridae) forming a separate phylogenetic branch.

Adapting continuing medical education for post-conflict areas: assessment in Nagorno Karabagh - a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: One of the major challenges in the current century is the increasing number of post-conflict states where infrastructures are debilitated. The dysfunctional health care systems in post-conflict settings are putting the lives of the populations in these zones at increased risk. One of the approaches to improve such situations is to strengthen human resources by organizing training programmes to meet the special needs in post-conflict zones. Evaluations of these training programmes are essential to assure effectiveness and adaptation to the health service needs in these conditions. METHODS: A specialized qualitative evaluation was conducted to assess and improve a post-conflict continuing medical education (CME) programme that was conducted in Nagorno Karabagh. Qualitative research guides were designed for this post-conflict zone that included focus group discussions with physician programme participants and semi-structured in-depth interviews with directors of hospitals and training supervisors. RESULTS: Saturation was achieved among the three participating groups in the themes of impact of participation in the CME and obstacles to application of obtained skills. All respondents indicated that the continuing medical education programme created important physician networks absent in this post-conflict zone, updated professional skills, and improved professional confidence among participants. However, all respondents indicated that some skills gained were inapplicable in Nagorno Karabagh hospitals and clinics due to lack of appropriate medical equipment, qualified supporting human resources and facilities. CONCLUSION: The qualitative research methods evaluation highlighted the fact that the health care human resources training should be closely linked to appropriate technologies, supplies, facilities and human resources available in post-conflict zones and identified the central importance of creating health professional networks and professional confidence among physicians in these zones. The qualitative research approach most effectively identifies these limitations and strengths and can directly inform the optimal adjustments for effective CME planning in these difficult areas of greatest need.

A review of the subgenus Cladoconnus Reitter of the genus Euconnus Thomson (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Scydmaeninae) from the Balkan Peninsula, Turkey and Caucasus.

The subgenus Cladoconnus Reitter, 1909 of the megadiverse genus Euconnus Thomson, 1859 is redescribed and revised for the Balkan Peninsula, Turkey and Caucasus. The following species are described: Euconnus (Cladoconnus) gagranicus sp. nov., E. (C.) ispartaensis sp. nov., E. (C.) meybohmi sp. nov., E. (C.) brachati sp. nov. and E. (C.) croaticus sp. nov. Lectotypes are designated for E. (C.) anatolicus Franz, 1997, E. (C.) dodecanicus Franz, 1966, E. (C.) robustus Reitter, 1882 and E. (C.) winneguthi Apfelbeck, 1907. Euconnus (Cladoconnus) major (Motschulsky, 1851) is placed as a junior synonym of E. (C.) motschulskii (Motschulsky, 1837). Two species groups, schlosseri and denticornis are defined; identification keys to the groups and species are given.

Analysing compliance of cigarette packaging with the FCTC and national legislation in eight former Soviet countries.

AIM: To analyse compliance of cigarette packets with the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) and national legislation and the policy actions that are required in eight former Soviet Union countries. METHODS: We obtained cigarette packets of each of the 10 most smoked cigarette brands in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Moldova, Russia and Ukraine. The packets were then analysed using a standardised data collection instrument. The analysis included the placing, size and content of health warning labels and deceptive labels (eg, 'Lights'). Findings were assessed for compliance with the FCTC and national legislation. RESULTS: Health warnings were on all packets from all countries and met the FCTC minimum recommendations on size and position except Azerbaijan and Georgia. All countries used a variety of warnings except Azerbaijan. No country had pictorial health warnings, despite them being mandatory in Georgia and Moldova. All of the countries had deceptive labels despite being banned in all countries except Russia and Azerbaijan where still no such legislation exists. CONCLUSIONS: Despite progress in the use of health warning messages, gaps still remain-particularly with the use of deceptive labels. Stronger surveillance and enforcement mechanisms are required to improve compliance with the FCTC and national legislation.

The missing link of Jewish European ancestry: contrasting the Rhineland and the Khazarian hypotheses.

The question of Jewish ancestry has been the subject of controversy for over two centuries and has yet to be resolved. The "Rhineland hypothesis" depicts Eastern European Jews as a "population isolate" that emerged from a small group of German Jews who migrated eastward and expanded rapidly. Alternatively, the "Khazarian hypothesis" suggests that Eastern European Jews descended from the Khazars, an amalgam of Turkic clans that settled the Caucasus in the early centuries CE and converted to Judaism in the 8th century. Mesopotamian and Greco-Roman Jews continuously reinforced the Judaized empire until the 13th century. Following the collapse of their empire, the Judeo-Khazars fled to Eastern Europe. The rise of European Jewry is therefore explained by the contribution of the Judeo-Khazars. Thus far, however, the Khazars' contribution has been estimated only empirically, as the absence of genome-wide data from Caucasus populations precluded testing the Khazarian hypothesis. Recent sequencing of modern Caucasus populations prompted us to revisit the Khazarian hypothesis and compare it with the Rhineland hypothesis. We applied a wide range of population genetic analyses to compare these two hypotheses. Our findings support the Khazarian hypothesis and portray the European Jewish genome as a mosaic of Near Eastern-Caucasus, European, and Semitic ancestries, thereby consolidating previous contradictory reports of Jewish ancestry. We further describe a major difference among Caucasus populations explained by the early presence of Judeans in the Southern and Central Caucasus. Our results have important implications for the demographic forces that shaped the genetic diversity in the Caucasus and for medical studies.

Совещание по контролю и профилактике вспышек кори в странах Кавказа: Тбилиси, Грузия, 10–11 июля 2013 года

Представители министерств здравоохранения Армении, Азербайджана и Грузии, а также экспертыВсемирной организации здравоохранения, Фонда Виневской - Ростроповича (ФВР), Центров по контролю ипрофилактике заболеваний США (СDС) и Детского фонда ООН (ЮНИСЕФ) обсудили на совещании вТбилиси, Грузия, 10–11 июля 2013 года прогресс в достижении цели элиминации кори и краснухи вЕвропейском регионе ВОЗ к 2015 году, а также план проведения мероприятий в ответ на вспышки кори,имеющие место в Кавказском субрегионе.Представители стран согласились с необходимостью осуществления в следующем году комплексных усилийпо устранению проблем, связанных с коллективным иммунитетом, и предотвращению дальнейшегораспространения заболевания внутри стран и за их пределами, в то время как партнеры обязалисьпредоставить техническую и возможную финансовую поддержку в разработке и осуществлениипланируемых ответных мероприятий. Эти усилия необходимо начать как можно скорее, и основныемероприятия должны быть завершены к середине 2014 года.

Meeting on prevention and control of measles outbreaks in the Caucasus: Tbilisi, Georgia, 10–11 July 2013

Representatives from the ministries of health of Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia, the World Health Organization, the Rostropovich-Vishnevskaya Foundation (RVF), the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) met in Tbilisi, Georgia, on 10–11 July 2013 to discuss progress towards the 2015 measles and rubella elimination target for the WHO European Region and plan a response to the current measles outbreaks in the Caucasus subregion. The country representatives agreed on comprehensive efforts for the coming year to close immunity gaps in the population and prevent further spread of the disease within and across their borders; while partners pledged technical and possible financial support to develop and implement the planned responses. These efforts will start as soon as possible and major activities should be completed by mid–2014.

New chronology for the Middle Palaeolithic of the southern Caucasus suggests early demise of Neanderthals in this region.

Neanderthal populations of the southern and northern Caucasus became locally extinct during the Late Pleistocene. The timing of their extinction is key to our understanding of the relationship between Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans (AMH) in Eurasia. Recent re-dating of the end of the Middle Palaeolithic (MP) at Mezmaiskaya Cave, northern Caucasus, and Ortvale Klde, southern Caucasus, suggests that Neanderthals did not survive after 39 ka cal BP (thousands of years ago, calibrated before present). Here we extend the analysis and present a revised regional chronology for MP occupational phases in western Georgia, based on a series of model-based Bayesian analyses of radiocarbon dated bone samples obtained from the caves of Sakajia, Ortvala and Bronze Cave. This allows the establishment of probability intervals for the onset and end of each of the dated levels and for the end of the MP occupation at the three sites. Our results for Sakajia indicate that the end of the late Middle Palaeolithic (LMP) and start of the Upper Palaeolithic (UP) occurred between 40,200 and 37,140 cal BP. The end of the MP in the neighboring site of Ortvala occurred earlier at 43,540-41,420 cal BP (at 68.2% probability). The dating of MP layers from Bronze Cave confirms that it does not contain LMP phases. These results imply that Neanderthals did not survive in the southern Caucasus after 37 ka cal BP, supporting a model of Neanderthal extinction around the same period as reported for the northern Caucasus and other regions of Europe. Taken together with previous reports of the earliest UP phases in the region and the lack of archaeological evidence for an in situ transition, these results indicate that AMH arrived in the Caucasus a few millennia after the Neanderthal demise and that the two species probably did not interact.