Late Stage Research Articles

Changes in the Transcription of Proliferation- and Apoptosis-Related Genes in Embryos in Women of Different Ages under the Influence of Extracellular Vesicles from Donor Follicular Fluid In Vitro.

We studied the influence of extracellular vesicles from the follicular fluid of a young donor on gene expression (MKI67, MYBL2, CCNB1, CCND1, CCNE1, CALM2, BAX, NDRG1, TP53I3, VEGF, VCAN, HAS2, CTSL2, PIBF1, RPL37, PFKP, GPX3, and AQP3) in embryos of women of different ages. According to nanoparticle tracking analysis data, the concentration of extracellular vesicles was 3.75±0.47×1011 particles/ml and the mean particle size was 138.78±9.90 nm. During co-culturing of the follicular fluid extracellular vesicles with blastocysts of young women, we observed significantly increased expression of mRNA for genes CTSL2, CCND1, CCNE1, VEGF and reduced expression of BAX gene mRNA in comparison with embryos in women of late reproductive age. We hypothesized that addition of extracellular vesicles of the oocyte follicular fluid from a young donor to the culture medium of embryos could slow down apoptosis process typical of blastocyst cells in women above 36 years.

Change in Marriage Behaviour in North-Central Namibia 1925–2009

Namibia is the only country in Africa for which historical data is available to describe the change in marriage behavior since the 1920s. The aim of this article is to describe and to understand how the age at first marriage changed and how it was related to cohabitation since the 1920s in Namibia. The description of changes is based on parish register material and the family reconstitution method. The mean age at first marriage was over 20 for both sexes as early as the 1920s. In 1945–49, the mean age at first marriage started to increase, reaching about 29 for men and 24 for women at the end of the 1950s. The explanation for the increase was labor migration. The new cohabitation model was introduced from the end of the 1970s to the 1980s. Features of this model were cohabitation before marriage, late marriage age, a low married proportion of the population and high proportion of premarital births.

Identifying impactful sea turtle conservation strategies: a mismatch between most influential and most readily manageable life-stages

Sea turtles worldwide face a range of threats including sea level rise and warming associated with climate change, predation by invasive species, plastic and light pollution, coastal development, and human interference. Conservation managers have a long history of aiding sea turtle populations, from protecting nests to head-starting hatchlings. Due to these challenges faced by turtles, there is a constant focus on assessing the likely success of proposed conservation interventions to help inform decision-making processes. We develop an age-based, spatially implicit population model for the north-west shelf stock of Australia’s endemic flatback turtle Natator depressus that estimates the long-term outcomes of a range of onshore and offshore conservation interventions. Analysis of the model shows that young adults contribute most to population growth (i.e. have highest expected future reproductive success); however, this is often the most difficult life stage to manipulate in the field. Observable outcomes of interventions are often delayed for many years, especially for on shore activities (e.g. protecting eggs and hatchlings), due to late age to maturity. The potential impact of warming-induced female bias on population dynamics was also investigated. Although such bias increases population growth rates in the short term, negative effects of the bias (e.g. reduced female mating success) and negative environmental effects (e.g. reduced survival rates, habitat loss) can lead to sustained declines. Population models can rapidly assess climate change and conservation impacts on turtle dynamics and can guide monitoring efforts for real-world application.

First Sauropodomorpha (Dinosauria) for the Vila Botucaraí site (Hyperodapedon Assemblage Zone, Candelária Sequence), Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

The Vila Botucaraí site is located west of the municipality of Candelária, Rio Grande do Sul State, southern Brazil, and is particularly important because it represents the type locality of the species Exaeretodon riograndensis (Cynodontia, Traversodontidae), Charruodon tetracuspidatus (Cynodontia, Probainognathia) and Proterochampsa nodosa (Archosauriformes, Proterochampsidae). The site is correlated to the Hyperodapedon Assemblage Zone whose fossiliferous content allows to correlate it to the lower half of the Ischigualasto Formation (Ischigualasto-Villa Unión Basin), of late Carnian age, in Argentina. The aim of this study is to record the first remains of dinosaurs from this locality, found in 2001 during the Pró-Guaiba Project and stored in the Scientific Collection of the Paleontology Section of the Museu de Ciências Naturais, Secretaria Estadual do Meio Ambiente e Infraestrutura, Porto Alegre, RS. In addition to the taxa mentioned at the Vila Botucaraí site, the archosauromorph Hyperodapedon sp. was also preliminarily recorded. The Dinosauria specimen includes four dorsal vertebrae (MCN-PV 10347a, b, c, d). The general characteristics observed are: (i) absence of a ventral keel in the vertebral centra, shared with Guaibasaurus, Bagualosaurus, Pampadromaeus; (ii) amphicoelic centra with concave ventral surface, shared with Bagualosaurus, Guaibasaurus, and most non-sauropod sauropodomorphs (exceptions are, for example, Riojasaurus; also, this character does not appear in herrerasaurids); (iii) vertebral laminae connected to the diapophysis, and their arrangement results in different fossae, as in Bagualosaurus, Buriolestes, Guaibasaurus, and herrerasaurids; (iv) neural spine anteroposteriorly elongated and transversely narrow, as in Bagualosaurus, Pampadromaeus, Buriolestes, Macrocollum, differing from herrerasaurids and theropods. This set of characters is similar to that observed in basal sauropodomorphs, quite different from the neural spine with a spine table, such as the observed in herrerasaurids. Specimen MCN-PV 10347 is here considered a member of the Sauropodomorpha clade and tentatively identified as cf. Bagualosauria. The features of this specimen are shared among Carnian (e.g., Buriolestes schultzi, Bagualosaurus agudoensis) and Norian (e.g., Unaysaurus tolentinoi, Guaibasaurus candelariensis) sauropodomorphs. In addition to this, the new material expands the knowledge regarding the number of outcrops with the occurrence of sauropodomorphs for the Triassic in Brazil, as well as about the paleofauna of the Vila Botucaraí site, allowing us to infer its biostratigraphic correlation with one of the sub-divisions already proposed for the Hyperodapedon AZ, the Exaeretodon Subzone, interpreted as the top of this AZ. Despite the abundance of sauropodomorphs in Rio Grande do Sul, this record confirms the occurrence of this clade at the Hyperodapedon AZ in the Candelária region.

Analysis of the Early Pleistocene small mammals from Pirro Nord 13 (Apricena, southern Italy) and their implications for reconstructing the palaeoenvironment of the early human occupation in Europe

The Pirro Nord quarry (Apricena, Foggia, southern Italy, 41°48′6″N, 15°23′5″ E) is a well-known palaeontological and archaeological locality comprising an abundant and diverse Early Pleistocene vertebrate assemblage of mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles related to the Late Villafranchian and Early Biharian mammal ages. In this study, we describe the small mammal assemblages (insectivores, rodents, and bats) excavated between 2010 and 2022 to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment surrounding the site using Habitat Weighting and the Bioclimatic model methods. The rodent assemblage comprises mostly Allophaiomys cf. ruffoi, Apodemus sp., and Hystrix refossa, whereas Eliomys cf. intermedius was reported for the first time. Insectivores includes Talpa gr. minor-caeca; Asoriculus sp.; Erinaceus praeglacialis; and Sorex sp. Bats are represented by Rhinolophus ferrumequinum, Rhinolophus gr. euryale-mehelyi, Myotis gr. myotis-blythii, Myotis sp., and Miniopterus schreibersii. Landscape reconstruction attested to the presence of a rich and diverse environment with open areas and forest patches surrounding the Pirro Nord 13 site. The climate was slightly colder than that of current times in the same area, with higher precipitation. The presence of different ecosystems near the sites constituted suitable conditions for the first human dispersion in Europe, as already revealed by evidence from Barranco León D, Atapuerca TE7–14, and Fuente Nueva 3 elsewhere on the Iberian Peninsula. The study of small mammal assemblages improves our understanding of the chronological boundaries of the human occupation of Pirro Nord 13, adding important information in the context of the first peopling of the Mediterranean region between 1.6 and 1.3 million years ago.

Indian Freshwater Elasmobranchs: Ongoing Threats along with IUCN Current Status and Conservation of Protecting Hidden Treasures: A Review

We always thought that elasmobranchs inhabit marine environments, but this is only partially true. About 5% of known elasmobranch species are the freshwater compared to 40% of teleost species. A systematic checklist is available for Indian freshwater elasmobranches with names and IUCN status. A total of 13 species belonging to 3 orders, 3 families and 10 genera were enlisted from secondary data. Euryhaline and obligate species include sharks as Carcharhinus, Glyphis (Carcharhinidae), Chiloscyllium (Hemiscylliidae), sawfishes or Pristis (Pristidae), stingrays or Himantura (whiprays) and Pastinachus (cowtailed rays) (Dasyatidae). We focus on distribution, feeding habits, threats and conservation. Freshwater excursions are relatively rare in extant elasmobranchs than other groups of fish. The low growth rate is probably due to late age at maturity and low fecundity, long gestation periods, slow growth and productivity (small, infrequent litters), high natural survivorship for all age classes and long life. Despite this, some species of freshwater elasmobranchs can tolerate and even thrive in freshwater.

Abstract PO4-02-14: Parity and age first full term pregnancy affects the odds of different breast cancer subtypes defined by estrogen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2

Abstract Background: A rising trend in the incidence of estrogen receptor (ER)-positive subtype over time is observed in several high-income countries, while the incidence of ER-negative subtype is decreasing in some areas. It has been found that decreased parity and late age at 1st full-term pregnancy (FTP1) can increase the risk of breast cancer (BC). This study aims at investigating the association between two reproductive factors, parity and FTP1, and the odds of BC subtypes in premenopausal and postmenopausal patients. Patients and method: This study included patients diagnosed with early-stage BC after the age of 34, who were treated in UZ Leuven between January 2000 and November 2020. The patients were classified into four subtypes defined by ER and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER2). ER positivity was defined as >1% of cells staining positive while HER2 positivity was based on fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing of samples with immunohistochemistry score of 2+ or 3+. Baseline-category logit models with subtype as the response (ER+/HER2- as the baseline) and adjusted for age at diagnosis and BMI, were performed for premenopausal and postmenopausal patients separately. First, we exclude nulliparous patients. Parity (1-2 or ≥3) and FTP1 (continuous) were included in the models as the covariates of interest in the first model. To evaluate the effects of reproductive patterns compared to nulliparity, a new variable reproductive pattern was created by taking intersection of parity groups and FTP1 groups (< 27, ≥27). Reproductive pattern was set as the covariate of interest in the second model. Result: After imputing the missing values, we included 9606 patients in the study. 8125 of them were parous. In parous patients, high FTP1 was associated with low odds of ER-/HER2- BC relative to ER+/HER2- BC for both premenopausal and postmenopausal patients (table 1). In postmenopausal patients, low parity was associated with low odds of ER-/HER2- BC and high odds of ER+/HER2+ BC relative to ER+/HER2- BC. There was no evidence that parity affects the odds of subtypes in premenopausal patients. When investigating the effect of different reproductive patterns compared to nulliparity on the odds of subtypes, there was no evidence that reproductive patterns will affect the odds of subtypes in premenopausal patients. Postmenopausal patients who had FTP1 before 27 years old and had at least three children tended to have higher odds of ER-/HER2- BC relative to ER+/HER2- BC compared to nulliparous patients. Conclusion: In parous patients, increased FTP1 was associated with reduced odds of ER-/HER2- relative to ER+/HER2- BC. In postmenopausal patients, patients with at least three children tended to have low odds of ER-/HER2- BC and high odds of ER+/HER2+ BC relative to ER+/HER2- BC. When compared to nulliparity, the combination of having at least three children and having the first child before 27 years old increased the odds of ER-/HER2- BC relative to ER+/HER2- BC in postmenopausal patients. Table 1 Effect of FTP1, parity on subtype odds Menopause Subtype Effect Odds ratio (95%CI) p-value pre ER-/HER2- FTP1 (continuous) 0.960 (0.935, 0.985) 0.0021 post 0.969 (0.948, 0.990) 0.0047 pre ER-/HER2+ 0.992 (0.952, 1.034) 0.7166 post 1.005 (0.977, 1.034) 0.7081 pre ER+/HER2+ 0.976 (0.949, 1.004) 0.0962 post 1.015 (0.992, 1.039) 0.1969 pre ER-/HER2- Parity 1-2 vs ≥3 1.194 (0.899, 1.585) 0.2200 post 0.784 (0.648, 0.949) 0.0124 pre ER-/HER2+ 1.152 (0.723, 1.834) 0.5521 post 0.896 (0.684, 1.173) 0.4228 pre ER+/HER2+ 1.080 (0.795, 1.469) 0.6220 post 1.300 (1.022, 1.654) 0.0329 The baseline category is ER+/HER2- subtype Effect of age at first full-term pregnancy and parity on subtype odds Citation Format: Zhao Liu, Jiumeng Zhang, Karen Van Baelen, Maja Vangoitsenhoven, Hans Wildiers, Adelheid Soubry, Patrick Neven. Parity and age first full term pregnancy affects the odds of different breast cancer subtypes defined by estrogen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-02-14.

Abstract PO4-02-13: Parity and age first full term pregnancy affects the age of breast cancer diagnosis in breast cancer subtypes defined by estrogen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2

Abstract Background: Reproductive factors like parity and age at first full term pregnancy (FTP1) are found to have an impact on the occurrence of breast cancer (BC) in many epidemiological studies. Importantly, since the 70s, an ongoing trend to postpone FTP1 and have less children is observed. Additionally, there is an increasing trend for breast cancer incidence in young women in the past several decades, which may match the changing exposures to reproductive factors over time. To our knowledge, few studies focus on the association between parity, FTP1 and the age of breast cancer diagnosis. In this study, we aimed at studying the association between age at breast cancer diagnosis and reproductive factors (parity and FTP1) in each of the four breast cancer subtypes defined by estrogen receptor (ER) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Patients and method: We considered patients who were >34 years old and were diagnosed and/or treated for early BC in University Hospitals Leuven between January 2000 and November 2020. Patient and tumor characteristics were extracted from the patient files. Missing values were filled in by multiple imputation. A linear mixed model with birth cohorts as random effects was built for premenopausal and postmenopausal patients separately to investigate the association between two reproductive factors (parity and age at first full term pregnancy) and age at diagnosis in each of four breast cancer subtypes defined by ER and HER2. ER positivity was defined as >1% of cells staining positive and reflex fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) testing was performed for samples that immunohistochemically (IHC) stained for HER2 with IHC score of 2+ or 3+. Parous women are classified into low parity (1 or 2 children) and high parity (≥ 3 children) and FTP1 was divided into < or ≥ 27 years of age. BMI was considered a possible confounder and was corrected for. We first excluded nulliparous people and compared the mean ages at diagnosis in different parity groups and FTP1 groups separately. We created new variable reproductive patterns by taking intersection of parity categories and FTP1 categories. Then the mean ages at diagnosis in parous groups could be compared with the mean age at diagnosis in nulliparous patients. Step down Bonferroni procedure is applied to correct for multiple comparisons. Result: 3039 premenopausal patients and 6569 postmenopausal patients at breast cancer diagnosis were included in the study. Patients with early age at FTP1 have older age at diagnosis in case of ER+HER2+ BC in both premenopausal and postmenopausal group as compared to patients with late FTP1 (Table 1). For premenopausal patients with ER-HER2+, early age at FTP1 was associated with older age at diagnosis in comparison to late age at FTP1. Premenopausal patients with ER+HER2- BC that had low parity and late FTP1 were diagnosed 0.66 years later than nulliparous patients (p= 0,01). Conclusion: In both premenopausal and postmenopausal parous patients with early FTP1, an older age at diagnosis was observed in HER2+ cases only. When compared to nulliparous patients, the combination of low parity and late FTP1 was associated with older age at diagnosis for premenopausal patients with ER+ HER2- BC. Table 1 Differences in mean age at diagnosis between FTP1 groups in parous patients Menopause Subtype Comparison Estimate (difference in mean age at diagnosis) p-value pre ER+HER2+ <27 vs >=27 1,2030 0,0045 ER+HER2- <27 vs >=27 -0,0548 0,7468 ER-HER2+ <27 vs >=27 1,3519 0,0334 ER-HER2- <27 vs >=27 0,4023 0,3326 post ER+HER2+ <27 vs >=27 1,1764 0,0175 ER+HER2- <27 vs >=27 0,0743 0,7069 ER-HER2+ <27 vs >=27 -0,3750 0,6023 ER-HER2- <27 vs >=27 0,3862 0,3815 Citation Format: Jiumeng Zhang, Zhao Liu, Karen Van Baelen, Maja Vangoitsenhoven, Hans Wildiers, Adelheid Soubry, Patrick Neven. Parity and age first full term pregnancy affects the age of breast cancer diagnosis in breast cancer subtypes defined by estrogen receptor and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2023 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2023 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(9 Suppl):Abstract nr PO4-02-13.

The relationship between time perspective, subjective well-being and personal resource capacity in late age

Introduction. Realisation of resources, access to education, and preservation of well-being of elderly people are topical issues for research and social practice since effective structuring of educational environment and methods of social support need empirically confirmed data on psychological characteristics and resources of a person in elderly age. The study of the relationship of time perspective with well-being personal resource capacity makes it possible to assess the implications of the educational environment’s influence on these characteristics. The aim of the article is to identify the nature of the conjunction of a person’s time perspective with factors of subjective well-being and components of personal resource capacity. Materials and methods. The empirical study involved 528 respondents (387 women, 152 men) aged from 45 to 75, with the average age of the participants being 58 years. A set of eleven psychodiagnostic techniques was implemented, united into three blocks: diagnostic techniques for time perspective, subjective well-being, lifeconscious and regulatory components of personal resource capacity. The methods of descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were used for data processing. Results. The peculiarities of conjugation of time perspective with the explored components of personal resource capacity were empirically established: subjective well-being (59 correlations with coefficients – 0.230 < r < 0.496), regulatory aspect (42 correlations with coefficients – 0.325 < r < 0.450), and life-conscious aspect (43 correlations with coefficients – 0.573 < r < 0.415). “Favourable” and “unfavourable” types of time orientation in the late age were defined. Their positive and negative influence on subjective well-being indicators, as well as on life-conscious and regulatory components of personal resource capacity, was specified. Conclusion. The obtained results made it possible to define the methods of managing time perspective by maintaining and developing its “favourable” types – orientation at the future, positive past, and hedonistic present, and reducing the negative influence of “unfavourable” types – orientation at the negative past and fatalistic present.

Pubertal Timing Across Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Subgroups.

Earlier puberty is associated with adverse health outcomes, such as mental health issues in adolescence and cardiometabolic diseases in adulthood. Despite rapid growth of the Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander populations in the US, limited research exists on their pubertal timing, potentially masking health disparities. To examine pubertal timing among Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander children and adolescents by disaggregating ethnic subgroups. This retrospective cohort study included Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander youths aged 5 to 18 years assessed for pubertal development at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, a large, integrated health care delivery system. Follow-up occurred from March 2005, through December 31, 2019. Data were analyzed in October 2023. Race and ethnicity, categorized into 11 ethnic subgroups: Asian Indian, Chinese, Filipino, Japanese, Korean, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, Other South Asian, Other Southeast Asian, Vietnamese, multiethnic, and multiracial. Pubertal timing was determined using physician-assessed sexual maturity ratings (SMRs). Outcomes included the median age at transition from SMR 1 (prepubertal) to SMR 2 or higher (pubertal) for onset of genital development (gonadarche) in boys, breast development (thelarche) in girls, and pubic hair development (pubarche) in both boys and girls. In this cohort of 107 325 Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander children and adolescents (54.61% boys; 12.96% Asian Indian, 22.24% Chinese, 26.46% Filipino, 1.80% Japanese, 1.66% Korean, 1.96% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.86% Other South Asian, 3.26% Other Southeast Asian, 5.99% Vietnamese, 0.74% multiethnic, and 22.05% multiracial), the overall median ages for girls' pubarche and thelarche were 10.98 years (95% CI, 10.96-11.01 years) and 10.13 years (95% CI, 10.11-10.15 years), respectively. For boys' pubarche and gonadarche, median ages were 12.08 years (95% CI, 12.06-12.10 years) and 11.54 years (95% CI, 11.52-11.56 years), respectively. Differences between subgroups with earliest and latest median age at onset were 14 months for girls' pubarche, 8 months for thelarche, 8 months for boys' pubarche, and 4 months for gonadarche. In general, Asian Indian, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, and Other South Asian subgroups had the earliest ages at onset across pubertal markers, while East Asian youths exhibited the latest onset. Restricting to those with healthy body mass index did not substantially change the findings. In this cohort study of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander children and adolescents, pubertal timing varied considerably across ethnic subgroups. Further investigation is warranted to assess whether these differences contribute to observed health disparities in adulthood, such as type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.

Temperature stratification in a molecular shock: Analysis of the emission of H2 pure rotational lines in IC443G

Context. Supernovae remnants (SNRs) represent a major source of feedback from stars on the interstellar medium of galaxies. During the latest stage of supernova explosions (which lasts 10–100 kyr), shock waves produced by the initial blast modify the chemistry of gas and dust, inject kinetic energy in the surroundings, and may alter star formation characteristics. Simultaneously, γ-ray emission is generated by the interaction between the ambient medium and cosmic rays, in particular those locally accelerated in the early stages of the explosion. Aims. We aim to estimate the total molecular mass, local density, and total column density of H2 and the temperature structure in a shocked clump interacting with the supernova remnant IC443 located in a region where cosmic rays interact with the interstellar medium. Measuring the mass of the dense and neutral component of the medium is a prerequisite to understanding the chemistry, energetics, and GeV to TeV γ-ray emission. Methods. Assuming that the emission of H2 pure rotational lines is produced by a collection of gas layers with variable temperature, we compared Spitzer/IRS emission maps for the ν = 0–0 S(0) to S(7) lines with a thermal admixture model. Our description is based on a power-law distribution of thermalized components with temperatures varying between Tmin = 25 K and Tmax = 1500 K. Results. Our thermal admixture model allows the level populations of H2 to be described by a power-law distribution dN = ΛT−ΓdT, with Γ ~ 2.2−4.7. We measured a total mass MH2 = 220−80+110 M⊙ across the Spitzer/IRS field of observations. Conclusions. Our analysis shows that an estimate of the cold molecular gas temperature is paramount to accurately constraining the H2 mass, although the mass remains affected by significant uncertainties due to the assumptions on the gas temperature distribution.

‘Writing is expensive, and it takes a long time’: publishing as picaresque in Emma Healey’s Best Young Woman Job Book

ABSTRACT This article discusses Emma Healey’s 2022 Best Young Woman Job Book as an instance of a contemporary publishing picaresque: stories that track creative work in today’s conditions of acute scarcity and struggle, and that connect conditions for writers to a more generalised experience of economic struggle both in and beyond the creative industries. Healey deploys the picaresque as a politicised aesthetic, while ironising the figure of the struggling writer, and the structure of the bildungsroman, as forms engendering commitment to one’s own exploitation and unravelling. Her work partakes of and advances a broader antiwork wariness about the forms of complicity, compromise, self-silencing, and coercion required to get ahead given worsening conditions of literary work in its late age of destitution and disinvestment.

Social and Seasonal Organisation of Red Deer Hunting from the Neolithic to the Late Iron Age (c. 2000 BC to AD 1000)

This is the first paper to examine social and seasonal organization of red deer hunting using stone-set hunting blinds in Norway. The paper examines seven hunting blinds discovered in Gjesdal, western Norway. Four of the hunting blinds are unique; it was possible to date them directly with radiocarbon dating. The sites exhibit multiple construction phases, with a usage period ranging from the Neolithic to the Mid Iron Age, and we would suggest likely extending into the Late Iron Age and Middle Ages. The datings and multiple phases make it possible to discuss temporal change in the construction of the hunting blinds, which is unprecedented in a Fennoscandian context. Hunting appears to align with social trends, becoming more prominent during periods of settlement decline and increased use of outfield resources for surplus production. While hunting in the lowlands of western Norway, particularly between 0 and 900 metres above sea level, appears to have been smaller in scale compared to mass-scale hunting in Norway’s high-altitude zones and eastern regions, the high population of red deer until about 500 years ago indicates profitable hunting opportunities during specific seasons. The cluster of hunting blinds suggests organized cooperation among neighbours and families, with surplus products potentially sold and exported to local and regional markets. 

Isotopic evidence of high reliance on plant food among Later Stone Age hunter-gatherers at Taforalt, Morocco

The transition from hunting-gathering to agriculture stands as one of the most important dietary revolutions in human history. Yet, due to a scarcity of well-preserved human remains from Pleistocene sites, little is known about the dietary practices of pre-agricultural human groups. Here we present the isotopic evidence of pronounced plant reliance among Late Stone Age hunter-gatherers from North Africa (15,000–13,000 cal BP), predating the advent of agriculture by several millennia. Employing a comprehensive multi-isotopic approach, we conducted zinc (δ66Zn) and strontium (87Sr/86Sr) analysis on dental enamel, bulk carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) and sulfur (δ34S) isotope analysis on dentin and bone collagen, and single amino acid analysis on human and faunal remains from Taforalt (Morocco). Our results unequivocally demonstrate a substantial plant-based component in the diets of these hunter-gatherers. This distinct dietary pattern challenges the prevailing notion of high reliance on animal proteins among pre-agricultural human groups. It also raises intriguing questions surrounding the absence of agricultural development in North Africa during the early Holocene. This study underscores the importance of investigating dietary practices during the transition to agriculture and provides insights into the complexities of human subsistence strategies across different regions.

New Late Pleistocene age for the Homo sapiens skeleton from Liujiang southern China

The emergence of Homo sapiens in Eastern Asia is a topic of significant research interest. However, well-preserved human fossils in secure, dateable contexts in this region are extremely rare, and often the subject of intense debate owing to stratigraphic and geochronological problems. Tongtianyan cave, in Liujiang District of Liuzhou City, southern China is one of the most important fossils finds of H. sapiens, though its age has been debated, with chronometric dates ranging from the late Middle Pleistocene to the early Late Pleistocene. Here we provide new age estimates and revised provenience information for the Liujiang human fossils, which represent one of the most complete fossil skeletons of H. sapiens in China. U-series dating on the human fossils and radiocarbon and optically stimulated luminescence dating on the fossil-bearing sediments provided ages ranging from ~33,000 to 23,000 years ago (ka). The revised age estimates correspond with the dates of other human fossils in northern China, at Tianyuan Cave (~40.8–38.1 ka) and Zhoukoudian Upper Cave (39.0–36.3 ka), indicating the geographically widespread presence of H. sapiens across Eastern Asia in the Late Pleistocene, which is significant for better understanding human dispersals and adaptations in the region.

Provenance constraints on the Late Triassic ejecta layer from Churchwood Quarry, SW England: An impactite suite from Manicouagan

AbstractIn situ LA‐ICP‐MS/MS U‐Pb and Rb‐Sr geochronology combined with geochemical analysis and electron microscopy have been performed on ejecta components sampled from the Mid‐to‐Late Triassic Mercia Mudstone Group at Churchwood Quarry, SW England. The layer comprises altered impact spherules, melt‐rich and fragment‐rich accreted grain clusters (AGCs), along with shocked mineral phases. Late Triassic ages are obtained: a U‐Pb age of 219 ± 72 Ma from variably shock‐metamorphosed apatite and a Rb‐Sr age of 213 ± 31 Ma from melt‐rich AGCs. A post‐depositional U‐Pb age of 200 ± 7.5 Ma obtained from the carbonate host matrix correlates with an early Jurassic dolomitization event associated with regional marine transgression. Several links to the Manicouagan impact structure, Canada, are identified that complement previous provenance studies: (1) rare earth element compositions of impact spherules and melt‐rich AGCs match those of the Manicouagan impact melt sheet; (2) the preservation of Archean and Paleo‐ to Neoproterozoic target rock U‐Pb ages in zircon and apatite match those recorded within Manicouagan basement lithologies; and (3) impact spherules and melt‐rich AGCs record initial 87Sr/86Sr compositions that overlap with those of the Manicouagan impact melt sheet and the target rocks involved in their generation.

Modified Technique to Protect the Superior Sagittal Sinus in Cranial Vault Reconstruction for Scaphocephaly

AbstractScaphocephaly remains the most prevalent form of isolated single-suture synostosis. In most Pediatric Neurosurgery Centers, the treatment consists of extensive calvarial reshaping operations which are performed in relatively late ages. We described a modified open technique of cranial vault reconstruction for scaphocephaly and we report the anesthetic approach and how it influences our results and enables the performance of this surgery at earlier ages. A total of 47 patients with an average age of 11 ± 2.72 months underwent to the same surgical technique. Blood transfusion during the surgical intervention was needed in 25 patients (53%), and 22 patients (46.8%) did not need blood transfusion. None of the 14 patients who used tranexamic acid (TXA) needed blood transfusions. We reported a statistically significant association between the use of TXA and blood transfusion (p < 0.0001), with a decreased need for blood transfusion with the use of TXA. Besides sagittal suturectomy, we create new parasagittal sutures by replacing the prematurely fused one, and 1.5 cm of the anterior segment of bone of those 2 rectangular structures are cut before fixation, to enable the immediate shortening of the anteroposterior (AP) diameter of the skull. Finally, we put a mesh plate (SonicWeld Rx, KLS Martin Group, Tuttlingen, Baden-Wuerttemberg, Germany) over the superior sagittal sinus (SSS), which is fixed anteriorly and posteriorly with pins (SonicPins Rx, KLS Martin Group). This procedure enables an immediate reduction of the AP diameter of the skull, with no further therapies needed, and promotes a wide decompression and remodeling of the skull. With an experienced surgical team and an anesthesiologic protocol, we were able to perform this surgery at early ages, requiring no blood transfusions.

Seismic sequence stratigraphy of Late Albian-Early Turonian successions in SW Iran: Implication for reservoir characterizations and potential for improved reservoir quality prediction

The Late Albian-Early Turonian succession on the Arabian Platform stands out as one of the world's richest hydrocarbon provinces. This study delves into the Seismic Sequence Stratigraphy (SSS) of these successions to unravel reservoir characterization and characterized potential hydrocarbon plays. Utilizing data from five exploration wells, including well logs, selected core data, biostratigraphical information, and chemostratigraphy analysis, alongside a comprehensive 3D seismic volume, enabled the identification of four 3rd-order sequences and multiple 4th-order sequences within the studied successions. Sequence-1 (DS-I), dating back to the Late Albian age, features mudstone and bioclast wackestone in an open marine environment. DS-I is a key sequence, notably witnessing the disappearance of siliciclastic input from west to east in the study area. DS-II (Early Cenomanian) and DS-III (Mid-Cenomanian) were deposited on carbonate platforms with grain-supported facies in shoal and lagoonal depositional environments.A distinct regional unconformity at the Turonian base, evident on seismic sections, aligns with depleted δ18O values on the Cenomanian-Turonian Boundary. The maximum flooding surfaces of DS-I and DS-II are characterized by continuous reflectors with negative amplitude. Furthermore, the lateral grading of reservoir facies and their intercalation with non-reservoir facies within 4th-order sequences suggest that reservoir facies heterogeneity is strongly influenced by depositional processes at this scale. Potential reservoirs, particularly in the Highstand System Tract (HST) of each 3rd sequence, are highlighted, with DC-III's HST standing out, hosting patch reef facies resulting from local tectonic activities and carbonate build-up movements.

First documentation of Late Paleozoic conodonts from Argentina: Biostratigraphic and paleoclimatic constraints for the Late Paleozoic Ice Age in SW Gondwana

We present the first discovery of Late Paleozoic conodonts in Argentina, marking the southernmost occurrence of this fossil group in the dominantly cold, high latitudes of Gondwana. Recovered from the siliciclastic Río del Peñón (RDP) Formation at the Rincón Blanco section in the northern Precordillera, La Rioja Province, the fossil assemblage includes Neognathodus colombiensis and Neognathodus “pre-colombiensis,” precisely indicating the early Moscovian (late Atokan in North America) N. colombiensis Zone. Furthermore, the conodont fauna establishes a crucial temporal constraint for the brachiopod Tivertonia jachalensis−Streptorhynchus inaequiornatus (TS) Zone, which is a widely employed biostratigraphic unit in southern South America. The warm-water affinity of Neognathodus is in accordance with the record of typical paleoequatorial faunal elements in the TS Zone in several central western Argentinian basins, thus reinforcing the idea of a climatic amelioration in the southern latitudes of Gondwana during the early Moscovian.

Reduction in Marine Primary Productivity in the Early Cambrian Nanhua Basin, South China.

The Cambrian explosion is represented by a rapid diversification of early animals in which the role of marine primary productivity remains obscure. In this study, we analyzed multiple geochemical data, including TOC, major, and trace elements, in the basinal Yuanjia section, South China. Covariations among TOC, P/Al, CuEF, and NiEF suggest that they could be taken as effective marine productivity proxies in the early Cambrian Nanhua Basin. The similarities of CdEF and Cd/Mo in the Nanhua Basin and modern upwelling settings suggest that they might be effective to track upwelling, where Cd and Mo were mainly controlled by plankton biomass and redox conditions, respectively. Our results indicate that CoEF and Co × Mn were invalid in evaluating upwelling because of the significant effects of water-column redox conditions on Co enrichments in the Nanhua Basin. The decreased TOC, P/Al, CuEF, and NiEF reflect a long-term decline in marine productivity from late age 2 to age 3. In comparison with the published results in the outer shelf (Jinsha, TZS drill core, YJK drill core, and GDM-1 well) and slope areas (TX-1 well), the fall in marine productivity might be common in the early Cambrian Nanhua Basin. Our results exhibit that the reduced marine productivity was accompanied by weakened upwelling, quiet hydrothermal activities, and enhanced local terrestrial fluxes, indicating that variations in marine productivity might be mainly driven by the development of upwelling in the early Cambrian Nanhua Basin. Comparison of marine productivity with fossil records suggests that food availability was sufficient to sustain the Cambrian explosion in the Nanhua Basin. We infer that marine productivity might indirectly stimulate early animal evolution through its significant impact on water-column oxygen levels in the early Cambrian Nanhua Basin.