Objective: This study aims to discuss the differential diagnosis for the pathological alterations... more Objective: This study aims to discuss the differential diagnosis for the pathological alterations displayed on an infant skeleton from Romania. Materials: One infant skeleton retrieved form the bathhouse of an abandoned Roman fort and dated between the 2nd and the 4th centuries AD. Methods: All available skeletal elements were analyzed macroscopically. In addition, the isotopic signatures (δ 13 C and δ1 5 N) and the control region of the human mitochondrial genome for this archaeological sample were analyzed. Results: Based on dental development and long bone length, the skeleton was aged between birth and 2 months of age. Pathological lesions were noted on the mandible and diaphyses of long bones, but spared the metaphyses. Conclusions: The perinatal age of the individual, along with lesion morphology and location, suggests a diagnosis of infantile cortical hyperostosis. Limitations: The analysis would benefit from further stable isotope and mitochondrial genome analyses, which was limited due to the absence of comparative human and faunal remains from the site. Suggestions for further research: Further multidisciplinary research on human archaeological remains from Romania would provide a clearer image of past disease and life histories in this geographic area.
Given the paucity of archaeogenetic data available for medieval European populations in compariso... more Given the paucity of archaeogenetic data available for medieval European populations in comparison to other historical periods, the genetic landscape of this age appears as a puzzle of dispersed, small, known pieces. In particular, Southeastern Europe has been scarcely investigated to date. In this paper, we report the study of mitochondrial DNA in 10th century AD human samples from Capidava necropolis, located in Dobruja (Southeastern Romania, Southeastern Europe). This geographical region is particularly interesting because of the extensive population flux following diverse migration routes, and the complex interactions between distinct population groups during the medieval period. We successfully amplified and typed the mitochondrial control region of 10 individuals. For five of them, we also reconstructed the complete mitochondrial genomes using hybridization-based DNA capture combined with Next Generation Sequencing. We have portrayed the genetic structure of the Capidava medie...
Starting four decades ago, studies have examined the ecology and evolutionary dynamics of populat... more Starting four decades ago, studies have examined the ecology and evolutionary dynamics of populations and species using short mitochondrial DNA fragments and stable isotopes. Through technological and analytical advances, the methods and biomolecules at our disposal have increased significantly to now include lipids, whole genomes, proteomes, and even epigenomes. At an unprecedented resolution, the study of ancient biomolecules has made it possible for us to disentangle the complex processes that shaped the ancient faunal diversity across millennia, with the potential to aid in implicating probable causes of species extinction and how humans impacted the genetics and ecology of wild and domestic species. However, even now, few studies explore interdisciplinary biomolecular approaches to reveal ancient faunal diversity dynamics in relation to environmental and anthropogenic impact. This review will approach how biomolecules have been implemented in a broad variety of topics and species, from the extinct Pleistocene megafauna to ancient wild and domestic stocks, as well as how their future use has the potential to offer an enhanced understanding of drivers of past faunal diversity on Earth.
Objective: This study aims to discuss the differential diagnosis for the pathological alterations... more Objective: This study aims to discuss the differential diagnosis for the pathological alterations displayed on an infant skeleton from Romania. Materials: One infant skeleton retrieved form the bathhouse of an abandoned Roman fort and dated between the 2nd and the 4th centuries AD. Methods: All available skeletal elements were analyzed macroscopically. In addition, the isotopic signatures (δ 13 C and δ1 5 N) and the control region of the human mitochondrial genome for this archaeological sample were analyzed. Results: Based on dental development and long bone length, the skeleton was aged between birth and 2 months of age. Pathological lesions were noted on the mandible and diaphyses of long bones, but spared the metaphyses. Conclusions: The perinatal age of the individual, along with lesion morphology and location, suggests a diagnosis of infantile cortical hyperostosis. Limitations: The analysis would benefit from further stable isotope and mitochondrial genome analyses, which was limited due to the absence of comparative human and faunal remains from the site. Suggestions for further research: Further multidisciplinary research on human archaeological remains from Romania would provide a clearer image of past disease and life histories in this geographic area.
Given the paucity of archaeogenetic data available for medieval European populations in compariso... more Given the paucity of archaeogenetic data available for medieval European populations in comparison to other historical periods, the genetic landscape of this age appears as a puzzle of dispersed, small, known pieces. In particular, Southeastern Europe has been scarcely investigated to date. In this paper, we report the study of mitochondrial DNA in 10th century AD human samples from Capidava necropolis, located in Dobruja (Southeastern Romania, Southeastern Europe). This geographical region is particularly interesting because of the extensive population flux following diverse migration routes, and the complex interactions between distinct population groups during the medieval period. We successfully amplified and typed the mitochondrial control region of 10 individuals. For five of them, we also reconstructed the complete mitochondrial genomes using hybridization-based DNA capture combined with Next Generation Sequencing. We have portrayed the genetic structure of the Capidava medie...
Starting four decades ago, studies have examined the ecology and evolutionary dynamics of populat... more Starting four decades ago, studies have examined the ecology and evolutionary dynamics of populations and species using short mitochondrial DNA fragments and stable isotopes. Through technological and analytical advances, the methods and biomolecules at our disposal have increased significantly to now include lipids, whole genomes, proteomes, and even epigenomes. At an unprecedented resolution, the study of ancient biomolecules has made it possible for us to disentangle the complex processes that shaped the ancient faunal diversity across millennia, with the potential to aid in implicating probable causes of species extinction and how humans impacted the genetics and ecology of wild and domestic species. However, even now, few studies explore interdisciplinary biomolecular approaches to reveal ancient faunal diversity dynamics in relation to environmental and anthropogenic impact. This review will approach how biomolecules have been implemented in a broad variety of topics and species, from the extinct Pleistocene megafauna to ancient wild and domestic stocks, as well as how their future use has the potential to offer an enhanced understanding of drivers of past faunal diversity on Earth.
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