20th Century Research Articles

Non-specific inflammatory markers in remains from Ducové site (Slovakia): a bioarchaeological study of sinusitis in paranasal sinuses from the Late Bronze Age to Modern times

The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of chronic sinusitis in an osteoarchaeological sample from the Kostolec cemetery in the Ducové village (Slovakia) dated from the Late Bronze Age (1250–1000 BC) to the Modern Age (mid 16th–mid 19th century AD). The skeletons of 1,746 individuals were examined: 13 from the Late Bronze Age (LBA), 28 from the Great Moravian Period (GM), 1,468 from the Medieval Period (M) and 237 from the Modern Age (MA). The prevalence of sinusitis was 11.11% in the LBA, 45.00% in the GM, 38.39% in the M, and 37.16% in the MA population. There were no significant differences between males and females. The hypothesis of an increasing prevalence of sinusitis with increasing age was confirmed in two populations (the M – p = 0.0001; the MA – p = 0.0038). This trend may be due to the longer exposure of older people to adverse external and internal environmental factors. In both adults and non-adults, the maxillary sinuses were the most frequently affected. The high prevalence of inflammation in the maxillary sinuses may be explained by the fact that they are mainly affected by nasal and also odontogenic infections, in contrast to inflammation in the frontal or sphenoidal sinuses, which are rare.

Entrepreneurship and Charity: studies on the Socio-legal Portrait of a Russian Woman (19th-early 20th centuries)

Entrepreneurship and Charity: studies on the Socio-legal Portrait of a Russian Woman (19th-early 20th centuries)

Documents of the second half of the 15th century on the staffing of merchant ships with mercenaries and weapons from the archives of the "Novgorod guests" of Lübeck

Documents of the second half of the 15th century on the staffing of merchant ships with mercenaries and weapons from the archives of the "Novgorod guests" of Lübeck

Historic Structural Racism and Perceived Stress in Adolescents.

Historic Structural Racism and Perceived Stress in Adolescents.

Geochemical and Pb isotopic constraints on the provenance of the Lupa Capitolina bronze statue

Newly reanalyzed samples from the bronze statue of the Lupa Capitolina have provided lead isotope and trace element data. The lead isotope results coincide with those previously reported in the literature, but are approximately 20 times more precise. The high-resolution lead isotope analyses and the compositional data, especially lead concentrations higher than those found in copper ores, clearly reveal a mixing trend during the casting process. The addition of lead as a flux makes the lead isotopic composition unsuitable for determining the provenance of the bronze. However, comparisons with available data on bronze artifacts from the same epoch as the Lupa Capitolina statue (11th–12th centuries AD) support evidence of the monopolistic copper trade during the early Frankish and later Germanic imperial periods. Furthermore, element zoning in the Lupa Capitolina highlights details of successive melting within the metallurgical chaîne opératoire. Lead and other trace metals may have become enriched at the statue’s surface due to slow cooling after casting.

Historical perspective on farm placements as a child welfare intervention in Iceland

ABSTRACT In 20th-century Iceland, the practice of urban children spending summers on farms evolved from a cultural tradition to include formal social service intervention for vulnerable youth by the early 1970s. This study examines this transformation through qualitative interviews with social workers, adults staying on farms in childhood as a social intervention, and farmers who hosted the children, supplemented by archival research. Social workers viewed farm stays as opportunities for children to broaden their horizons through farm life participation, nature immersion, and animal interaction. Adults who experienced farm placements in childhood valued the structured routine, outdoor activities, and animal care, though their experiences were not uniformly positive. Farmers noticed how the children they took care of in the 1990s presented more complex issues, e.g. behavioural issues and substance abuse. The social services in Reykjavík used the intervention extensively in the second half of the 20th century; however, its use declined after 2000, with the final farm placement occurring in 2019. This decline reflects evolving professional perspectives and practical challenges. Although farm placements may seem obsolete as a social intervention, their fundamental elements align with modern nature-based approaches. The Icelandic experience provides valuable insights for social work practice, highlighting the importance of continuously evaluating and adapting interventions to meet contemporary professional standards, societal needs, and children’s best interests.

Invisible Miners in a Mountain of Mercury: Negotiation, Health, and Night Work in Late 16th Century Huancavelica, Peru

Invisible Miners in a Mountain of Mercury: Negotiation, Health, and Night Work in Late 16th Century Huancavelica, Peru

Surgery of craniosynostosis: a historical review

Surgery of craniosynostosis: a historical review

History of Clinical Neurophysiology in Mexico.

In the 18th century, Luigi Galvani proposed the hypothesis of animal electricity, which is produced by the brain and distributed through the nerves to the muscles. This was the cornerstone of what is known today as the modern study of nerve function, earning him the title of the Father of Clinical Neurophysiology. The 19th century was subsequently marked by two major figures: Santiago Ramón y Cajal (Neuron Theory) and Hans Berger, known for describing cerebral electrical activity and recording the first electroencephalograms. In Mexico, Clinical Neurophysiology emerged in the late 19th century and consolidated itself in the first half of the 20th century. In the year of 1938, Dr. Clemente Robles and Teodoro Flores Covarrubias built the first electroencephalograph, marking the beginning of the era of Clinical Neurophysiology. Initially, this diagnostic tool was primarily applied to psychiatric patients, as there was no clear separation between psychiatry and neurology and patients were treated jointly at the largest psychiatric center of that time, "La Castañeda." In 1968, the Mexican Society of Electroencephalography A.C. was founded and later changed its name to the Mexican Society of Clinical Neurophysiology A.C. Simultaneously, its members achieved universal recognition of the medical specialty, which has become established in clinical practice and has shown progressive academic and scientific growth in Mexico.

Evolution and innovation in urethroplasty: a comprehensive narrative review of graft types and surgical techniques.

Urethroplasty has evolved over last decades, with significant improvements in surgical techniques and graft types. In this narrative review, we aimed to explore the evolution of urethroplasty techniques for bulbar urethral strictures. To do this, the review is structured into three main sections: the Historical Background section highlights the seminal contribution from early pioneers to contemporary techniques, which re-gained momentum in reconstructive urology. Starting with the early techniques in the 19th and 20th centuries, we focused on the pioneering innovations of the 1990s, ultimately leading to the most recent tissue-preserving techniques. The second part presents a literature review comparing different graft types and critically evaluating surgical outcomes from multiple original articles and meta-analysis. Specifically, similar success rates were reported for oral and preputial grafts for the treatment of anterior urethral strictures, while long-term outcomes suggest graft deterioration over time. Furthermore, data on optimal surgical techniques remain limited. Lastly, Future Perspectives address ongoing innovations, including new graft and flap combinations for complex strictures, emphasizing the continuous refinement of less invasive, tissue-preserving techniques.

FORMATION OF ANALYTICAL THINKING THROUGH THE ANALYSIS OF INTERPRETATIONS OF MUSICAL WORKS IN THE PROCESS OF TRAINING A SPECIALIST MUSICIAN

The purpose of the study was to reveal the key aspects of the formation of analytical thinking through the analysis of interpretations of musical works. In the process of conducting this study, such methods as monitoring and surveys were used, as well as the identification of key analytical aspects of performers and their systematization. As a result of the study of the processes of forming analytical thinking based on listening to musical interpretations, its components were revealed. These are the skills of artistic perception of music, the system of comprehension of works, and the components of a musical composition, which are of key importance in the context of performers' thinking. The skills of artistic perception of works include focusing on the object, analysing it as a multifaceted phenomenon, and gaining knowledge about the object as a whole and its individual elements. The indicators of the importance of the analysis of interpretation of works for students to see the prospects of their own interpretation of the formation of high artistic taste, and the multifaceted disclosure of stylistic and epochal features inherent in the work were obtained. The key components of musical interpretation in the context of the activities of prominent representatives of art of the 20th and 21st centuries were discovered. They are a number of means of articulation and phrasing, individual approaches to creating a dramatic plan of composition through the sequence of climaxes and the nature of dynamic shades, operating with ranges of registers and principles of sound production.

History of Leukemia, Revisited.

Provide a general historical overview of leukemia, emphasizing the early discoveries that led to its characterization. Leukemia recognition began in the late 19th century with the advent of the microscope. Leeuwenhoek and Swammerdam described erythrocytes, while Lieutaud first observed globuli albicantes, later identified as lymphocytes by Hewson. Early case studies by Velpeau, Donné, Bennett, Craigie, Virchow, and Fuller suggested that leukocytosis could occur without infection. Virchow coined the term "leukemia," while Bennett proposed "leucocythemia." Neumann identified the bone marrow as the source of blood cells and leukemia, coining the term "myelogenous leukemia," and Ehrlich classified leukemia into myeloid and lymphoid types. In 1914, Boveri linked chromosomal abnormalities to cancer, and in 1960, Nowell and Hungerford discovered the Philadelphia chromosome. The use of mustard gas in WWI led to the development of chemotherapy drugs like chlorambucil and busulfan. The Human Genome Project further advanced leukemia diagnosis and treatment. Leukemia, like many diseases, has evolved due to changes in causative factors such as viruses, bacteria, and genetic mutations, which have impacted its pathogenesis and treatment. It will undoubtedly continue to evolve, with new scientists working towards a cure for this devastating disease.

Archaeology and the Construction of Artifact Lineages: From Culture History to Phylogenetics

Abstract American archaeology has long been focused on reconstructing past cultures through the description and chronological ordering of items found in the archaeological record. This goal was most evident starting in the early 20th century through what became known as culture history, which in retrospect produced results based on common sense and ethnographic analogues rather than on formal theory. By the mid-1930s, some culture historians realized the lack of testability in their conclusions and began exploring Darwinian evolutionary theory as an alternative. However, their efforts were often ignored or ridiculed, and it wasn’t until the early 1980s that evolutionary theory and associated methods began to play significant roles in archaeology. This acceptance grew from the development of a genetics-based theory of cultural transmission and the introduction of phylogenetic methods into anthropology and archaeology. These methods offered the necessary means for distinguishing between simple historical continuity—one thing following another chronologically—and heritable continuity—how one thing is related to another in terms of descent. Two concepts that play key roles in the reconstruction of cultural phylogenies are tradition and lineage, the former representing patterns of phylogenetic relationship and the latter patterns of genealogical descent.

The significance of the gateways on the outskirts of the Odra (Oder) river drainage basin for early medieval communication routes

Abstract Gateways on waterways play a special role, providing links to neighbouring river drainage basins and their communities. In addition to inter-regional as well as local communication, water links were also of strategic and economic importance. The main objective of this study is to characterise the most important gateways connecting the Odra (Oder) drainage basin area with neighbouring areas in terms of their potential for communication and transport in the early medieval period (8th to 11th century), as well as to determine to what extent/degree the gateways delineated in a physiographic context relate to the gateway city model, formulated and developed intensively in the 1970s and 1980s with particular emphasis on Santok as a place on the main waterways of the area. In this paper 17 gateways located on the watershed of the Odra (Oder) drainage basin. Taking into account physiographic features, four categories of gateways were distinguished: easy gateways, gateways of medium difficulty, difficult gateways and very difficult gateways. A number of techniques were considered necessary in crossing most gateways, such as dragging, threading boats with or without goods, carrying by people, transporting on sleds, skids or wagons. The study results indicate that the communities living in the Odra (Oder) drainage basin area and the lofty Pomeranian Lakeland hump clearly directed their interests towards the regions immediately around the Baltic Sea, which, thanks to its long-distance water communication, formed a particularly privileged commercial and cultural area.

Maritime Technology from the 16th Century to Artificial Intelligence

Maritime technology has evolved significantly since the 16th century when navigation relied on sails and tools such as the astrolabe and sextant. In the 19th century, the Industrial Revolution introduced steam propulsion and iron structures, improving the strength and efficiency of ships. In the 20th century, combustion engines, radars, and GPS revolutionized maritime safety and navigation. In the 21st century, artificial intelligence has optimized traffic management, predictive maintenance, and autonomous navigation, reduced costs, and improved safety. This article reviews the technological advances in maritime technology and its evolution towards a sustainable future.

From Diaspora to Religious Pluralism: African American Judaism in the 20th-Century United States

The origin of this article lies in the concurrent existence of multiple religious groups in the United States and the interactions between them. This essay examines the dynamics of religious pluralism through the interaction of two religious groups—African Americans and Jews—in the realms of religion, society, and politics. Among the diverse religious groups in the United States, the growing presence of Jews, bolstered by migration from Germany in the 19th century and from Eastern Europe in the 20th century, introduced new traditions and significantly contributed to the development of religious experimentation among African Americans. The phenomenon of African American communities embracing Judaism exemplifies how religious pluralism and diaspora intersect to produce new forms of religious and cultural identity. These communities challenge traditional notions of both Jewishness and African Americanness, demonstrating the fluidity of identity in diasporic contexts.

Finding home in Irish and German migrant letters: A comparative analysis

Abstract How migrants navigate their sense of home between the place left behind and the new place of destination is a crucial question. The social scientific perspective has increasingly come to emphasize the multiplicity of home and appreciates that home provides a bridge between “here” and “there.” In this article we explore how notions of home compare between migrants who arrived in the US throughout the 19th and 20th century. We can draw on a uniquely rich comparative set of letters written by people who left German-speaking Europe or Ireland. Our analysis of more than 12,000 letters uses methods of linguistic analysis to navigate between a macro-perspective, focused on term frequencies, a meso-perspective focused on the contextual meaning of the terms home and Heimat, and a micro-perspective providing in-depth details of two sets of letter collections. We find that the emotional words used to express an affective link with home reveal a deeper process of socio-cultural integration among the two groups. Indeed, we find that home is being talked about a lot more frequently in the Irish compared to the German letters, pointing to a profound divergence in the integration process. In the German letters, America quickly became home, which occurred at a much slower rate among the Irish. Moreover, the Irish maintained a desire to return home to Ireland for longer, an idea that the German writers contemplated only rarely.

Integration of Historical and Contemporary Data Sources in Understanding the Extent and Types of Disruptions in the Syrdarya Delta Land Use/Land Cover

The Syrdarya Delta, located in semi-arid and arid Central Asia, is an important water source for fertile landscapes. The environmental history of the Syrdarya Delta (SD) during the 19th and 20th centuries is a diverse and understudied subject, and its natural and anthropogenic aspects changed drastically during this period. As a result of the Syrdarya Delta’s location, on the shores of the former Aral Sea, there is a vital need to expand our understanding of the phases and policies that led to the current condition. This study argues that by integrating methods from social and natural sciences and applying them to selected historical materials, among them, former classified materials from the Cold War period, we can expand our understanding regarding the extent and types of disruptions in the Syrdarya Delta ecological system. The main findings of this study show that between the second part of the 19th and the 21st centuries, a period of roughly a hundred and fifty years, the SD changed drastically in aspects of urban areas, which increased during the Soviet period, changes in land use and hydrography, with changes in the amounts, size and flowing directions of water streams in the SD. The findings also present changes in vegetative cover and amounts parallel to salinization of the soil, which increased in the 1970s–1980s, and changes in the meeting point of the former Aral Sea with the SD. The findings of the study indicate that most of these changes can be attributed to anthropogenic factors, which have taken place mainly since the 1960s–1970s under the USSR regime. As this study presents, such materials can assist in reconstructing land use and land cover from the years to which our data are limited by integrating them with modern satellite image analysis, thus being able to quantify and estimate the amounts and types of these changes regarding salinization, land use and land cover and hydrology, which are crucial for studying deltas located in arid and semi-arid landscapes, such as the SD. This study presents evidence and argues that these data are of pivotal importance and should be used when attempting to rehabilitate and manage today’s Syrdarya Delta landscapes and hydrology.

Molecular breeding of tomato: Advances and challenges.

The modern cultivated tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) was domesticated from Solanum pimpinellifolium native to the Andes Mountains of South America through a "two-step domestication" process. It was introduced to Europe in the 16th century and later widely cultivated worldwide. Since the late 19th century, breeders, guided by modern genetics, breeding science, and statistical theory, have improved tomatoes into an important fruit and vegetable crop that serves both fresh consumption and processing needs, satisfying diverse consumer demands. Over the past three decades, advancements in modern crop molecular breeding technologies, represented by molecular marker technology, genome sequencing, and genome editing, have significantly transformed tomato breeding paradigms. This article reviews the research progress in the field of tomato molecular breeding, encompassing genome sequencing of germplasm resources, the identification of functional genes for agronomic traits, and the development of key molecular breeding technologies. Based on these advancements, we also discuss the major challenges and perspectives in this field.

Revisiting the Chronology of Early Plain Handmade Ware in Southern Jordan (9th–12th Centuries a.d.)

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to present an updated theoretical framework for the discussion of the first phase in the long sequence of development of plain handmade wares in Bilād al-Shām. Primary attention is paid to material from three sites located in southern Jordan, namely Khirbat al-Dharīḥ, Gharandal, and Khirbat Shaykh ʿĪsā. Newly obtained data, including the results of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) analysis, indicate that the phenomenon of the rise of a new pottery class was initiated in the 9th, if not mid-8th, century a.d. and that it further developed over the course of the 10th and 11th centuries a.d. Although the whole process was primarily local in nature, it had a crucial meaning for the further development of handmade wares in the later Islamic periods.