Search Results (7,103)

Human habitat is much controlled by the landscape and its ongoing processes overtime. Some of these processes occur instantaneously and are often triggered by seismic events with a major destructive impact on the human-built environment. Helike, on the southwest shore of the Gulf of Corinth, is a characteristic case of an ancient habitation site bearing witness to repetitious natural disasters from the Early Bronze Age to the Late Antiquity. The Late Classical-Hellenistic site, revived in the Helike plain after the 373 BC earthquake, has been systematically investigated thanks to the multidisciplinary research and excavations of the Helike Project in the last 35 years. This work has significantly enriched the historical seismicity of the region and shed light on past human-environment relationships. The study of the architectural remains excavated by the Helike Project, coupled with geological and soil micromorphological analysis on archaeological soils and sediments of the settlement, demonstrates a constant effort of the Helike people to reconcile with the elements of nature. Our results underline the destruction of a flourishing textile dyeworks operated at the settlement, due to a strong earthquake which triggered extensive morphological changes in a broader area. These changes include co-seismic liquefaction and lateral spreading, and post-seismic changes in the gradient of river channels. The former changes attest to an uplift in the headwater area and subsidence in the lowland plain of the ravine flowing near the ancient site. Full article

The Abu Darag sub-basin in Egypt is a significant hydrocarbon province. This study provides the first thorough evaluation of the petroleum system in the Northern Gulf of Suez, specifically targeting regions with tectonically influenced paleo highs. The research is novel in its holistic approach, linking tectonic activity with hydrocarbon generation and accumulation, particularly in the Nukhul Formation. In the NDARAG-1 well, with the Nukhul Formation serving as its main reservoir, petrophysical analysis estimates an average net pay of 126 ft in the Nukhul Formation, with 19% average shale volume, 17% average effective porosity, and 57% average water saturation. Geochemical evaluation of the shales in the Thebes, Matulla, Raha, and Nubia-A formations indicate source rock potential ranging from fair to very good, with TOC values between 0.5 wt% and 5.4 wt%. The burial history model outlines gradual subsidence and sediment deposition from the Paleozoic to the Early Cretaceous, followed by significant compression and uplift during the Late Cretaceous. Early oil generation in the Nubia-A Lower shales began during the Early Cretaceous (~132 Ma) at a depth of 4000 ft while it occurred in the Early Miocene (~22 Ma) at a depth of 7400 ft. The Nubia-A Lower Member is identified as the key source rock, with vitrinite reflectance values above 0.70%. Continuous subsidence during the Eocene led to the deposition of the Nukhul, Rudeis, and Kareem formations. Oil generation in the Nubia-A Lower shales occurred during both the Early Cretaceous and Early Miocene. The main risk to hydrocarbon accumulation in the Abu Darag sub-basin is related to potential seal failures due to the erosion and/or non-deposition of the Belayim, South Gharib, and Zeit evaporites. The only producing wells are situated in the northwest of the study area, where conditions are conducive to hydrocarbon entrapment and preservation, and secondary migration has occurred in a northwestward direction. Full article

It is of great interest to utilize saline fields to promote rice production in China. It has still not been established how salinity stress affects grain-filling characteristics and the relationships with yield formation of rice in a saline field. This experiment was conducted with Ningjing 7 (salinity-tolerant rice variety) and Wuyunjing 30 (salinity-susceptible rice variety) in a non-saline field and a high-saline field in 2021 and 2022. The grain yields of Ningjing 7 and Wuyunjing 30 in a high-saline field were 37.7% and 49.8% lower (p < 0.05) than in a non-saline field across two years. Ningjing 7 exhibited a higher (p < 0.05) grain yield than Wuyunjing 30 in a high-saline field. The reductions in filled-grain percentage and grain weight in inferior grains were greater than in superior grains of Ningjing 7 and Wuyunjing 30. For Ningjing 7 and Wuyunjing 30, the total starch contents in superior and inferior grains at 15, 30, and 45 days after heading were reduced (p < 0.05) in a high-saline field compared to a non-saline field. The ADP–glucose pyrophosphorylase, granule-bound starch synthase, and starch synthase activities after heading in superior and inferior grains in a high-saline field were lower (p < 0.05) than those in a non-saline field, and the reductions were more pronounced for Wuyunjing 30. The maximum grain-filling rate and mean grain-filling rate were decreased, while the time to achieve the maximum grain-filling rate was increased in a high-saline field compared to a non-saline field, especially for Wuyunjing 30. The mean grain-filling rate and grain-filling amount in superior and inferior grains during the early, middle, and late stages were lower in a high-saline field than in a non-saline field. For Ningjing 7 and Wuyunjing 30, the reductions in the grain-filling amount in the inferior grains during the early, middle, and late stages in a high-saline field were greater than those in superior grains. Our results suggest that salinity stress inhibited the grain-filling rate, reduced the total starch content and affected key enzyme activities, which led to the poor sink-filling efficiency and yield performance of rice in a saline field, especially for the salinity-susceptible variety. Full article

Early life stress (ELS) increases predisposition to major depressive disorder (MDD), with neuroinflammation playing a crucial role. This study investigated the long-term effects of the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) inhibitor URB597 on ELS-induced depressive-like behavior and messenger RNA (mRNA) of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and CA1 regions. We also assessed whether these gene expression alterations were present at the onset of URB597 treatment during late adolescence. ELS induced a depressive-like phenotype in adult male and female rats, which was reversed by URB597. In the mPFC, ELS downregulated nuclear factor kappa B1 (nfκb1) in both sexes, while URB597 normalized this expression exclusively in males. In females, ELS downregulated interleukin (il) 6 and tumor necrosis factor alpha (tnfα) but upregulated il1β and corticotropin-releasing factor (crf); URB597 normalized il6, il1β, and crf. In the CA1, ELS downregulated il1β and tnfα in males and upregulated il1β expression in females, which was reversed by URB597. Some of these effects began in late adolescence, including mPFC-nfκb1 expression in both sexes, mPFC-il6 and mPFC-il1β in females, CA1-il1β and CA1-tnfα in males, and CA1-il1β in females. These findings highlight URB597 as a therapeutic approach for reversing ELS-induced depressive-like behavior by associating with changes in the gene expression of neuroinflammatory cytokines, with notable sex differences. Full article

High-temperature (HT) stress frequently affects the early and middle stages of grain filling in hybrid seed production regions. Photo-thermo-sensitive male-sterile (PTMS) wheat lines, which play a critical role as female parents in hybrid seed production, face challenges under HT conditions. However, the mechanisms governing grain filling in PTMS lines under HT stress remain poorly understood. This study used the BS253 line to investigate the effects of HT on grain filling, primarily focusing on the transition from sucrose unloading to starch synthesis. The findings indicated that HT significantly reduced the grain starch content and weight by 7.65% and 36.35% at maturity, respectively. Further analysis revealed that the expression levels of TaSUT1 and TaSWEETs in grains initially increased after HT stress, paralleling the rise in sucrose content during the same period. The activities of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, granule-bound starch synthase, and soluble starch synthase were markedly decreased, indicating that impaired starch synthesis was a key factor limiting grain filling immediately after HT exposure. A total of 41 key regulatory genes involved in sucrose-to-starch metabolism were identified, with HT significantly reducing the expression of genes associated with pathways from sucrose unloading to starch synthesis during the middle and late stages post-HT. Based on the observed ultrastructural changes in the abdominal phloem and sucrose transporter expression levels under HT, we concluded that limited sucrose supply, degradation, and inhibition of starch synthesis collectively constrained grain filling during these stages. Additionally, 11 heat shock proteins and two catalase genes were identified and significantly upregulated during the initial phase post-HT, suggesting their potential role in enhancing sucrose supply at this critical time. More importantly, seven key genes involved in the sucrose-to-starch pathway were identified by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), which provides target genes for their functional research for starch synthase. These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of how HT limits grain filling, identify several genes involved in the sucrose-to-starch pathway, and offer a novel perspective for future research on HT-restricted grain filling across the entire process from sucrose unloading to starch synthesis in developing grains. Full article

The origins of multiple sclerosis (MS) have been a subject intriguing researchers and scholars for generations. The multifactorial etiological nature of the disease continues to be studied as a complex combination of genetic aspects and environmental or external risk elements contributing to the development of the disease. Descriptions of symptoms or clinical disorders suggestive of MS affecting historical figures or prominent individuals (i.e., Lidwina of Schiedam, Heinrich Heine, Augustus d’Este) did not provide clues on the origin of the disease, except for the observation that all these early possible cases were white European individuals. MS was initially framed as a neurological entity and named in the 19th century by the historical participation of the French masters Cruveilhier, Vulpian, and Charcot, among others, but the question of how the disease originated was not addressed until Charles Poser raised his conjecture on the origins of MS in two historical essays (1994 and 1995), raising the question if the Viking voyages and invasions from the 8th to the 11th century carried the Scandinavian MS genetic risk factor to Europe and the rest of the known world at that time. Poser did not have the benefit of access to ancient molecular DNA data and based his theoretical postulation on interesting historical and archeological observations. A series of studies and opinions published in 2024, utilizing sophisticated genetic analyses and genome identification, archeological DNA analysis, and other advanced techniques and biological computation, distinctly demonstrate the installation of HLA-DRB1*15:01 (class II allele) in Europe (with a higher prevalence in Scandinavia) following the massive Yamnaya pastoralists migration from the Pontic Steppe in Eurasia to western Europe (~5000 to 2500 BCE). The data suggest HLA-DRB1*15:01, the strongest genetic association with MS, underwent an evolutive switch (“thrifty drift”) from immune protector against novel zoonotic diseases appearing among the early pastoralists of the Yamnaya civilization to an autoimmune deleterious reactor to molecular mimicry and self-antigens, enabled by lifestyle changes and reduction of pastoralism once communities settled in Europe after the migration from the Pontic Steppe. This writer offers a new perspective on the origins of MS through a phase 1, the ancient east to west migration in the late Bronze Age, consolidating the HLA-DRB1*15:01 haplotype in Europe, and phase 2, the additional dissemination of the genetic MS risk through the Viking invasions, reinforcing inheritability by enabling a homozygous dominant inheritance. Full article

Understanding alterations in structural disorders in tissue/cells/building blocks, such as DNA/chromatin in the human brain, at the nano to submicron level provides us with efficient biomarkers for Alzheimer’s detection. Here, we report a dual photonics technique to detect nano- to submicron-scale alterations in brain tissues/cells and DNA/chromatin due to the early to late progression of Alzheimer’s disease in humans. Using a recently developed mesoscopic light transport technique, fine-focused nano-sensitive partial wave spectroscopy (PWS), we measure the degree of structural disorder in tissues. Furthermore, the chemical-specific inverse participation ratio technique (IPR) was used to measure the DNA/chromatin structural alterations. The results of the PWS and IPR experiments showed a significant increase in the degree of structural disorder at the nano to submicron scale at different stages of AD relative to their controls for both the tissue/cell and DNA cellular levels. The increase in the structural disorder in cells/tissues and DNA/chromatin in the nuclei can be attributed to higher mass density fluctuations in the tissue and DNA/chromatin damage in the nuclei caused by the rearrangements of macromolecules due to the deposition of the amyloid beta protein and damage in DNA/chromatin with the progress of AD. Full article

To better understand host–phage interactions and the genetic bases of phage resistance in a model system relevant to potential phage therapy, we isolated several spontaneous mutants of the USA300 S. aureus clinical isolate NRS384 that were resistant to phage K. Six of these had a single missense mutation in the host rpoC gene, which encodes the RNA polymerase β’ subunit. To examine the hypothesis that mutations in the host RNA polymerase affect the transcription of phage genes, we performed RNA-seq analysis on total RNA samples collected from NRS384 wild-type (WT) and rpoC_G17D mutant cultures infected with phage K, at different timepoints after infection. Infection of the WT host led to a steady increase of phage transcription relative to the host. Our analysis allowed us to define 53 transcriptional units and to categorize genes based on their temporal expression patterns. Predicted promoter sequences defined by conserved −35, −10, and, in some cases, extended −10 elements, were found upstream of early and middle genes. However, in many cases, sequences upstream of late genes did not contain clear, complete, canonical promoter sequences, suggesting that factors in addition to host RNA polymerase are required for their expression. Infection of the rpoC_G17D mutant host led to a transcriptional pattern that was similar to that of the WT at early timepoints. However, beginning at 20 min after infection, transcription of late genes (such as phage structural genes and host lysis genes) was severely reduced. Our data indicate that the rpoC_G17D mutation prevents the expression of phage late genes, resulting in a failed infection cycle for phage K. In addition to illuminating the global transcriptional landscape of phage K throughout the infection cycle, this study will inform our investigations into the basis of phage K’s control of its transcriptional program as well as mechanisms of phage resistance. Full article

Globally, urbanization is accelerating, with China witnessing a significant 40% rise in urbanization rate over the past 4 decades. However, the dynamic changes in the spatial coupling between infrastructure and utilization intensity during the early, middle, and late stages of urbanization are not clear. The trajectory of development and coupling within the urbanization process is crucial for understanding issues such as urban over-saturation and urban shrinkage. Using Hegang in Northeastern China as an example, we utilized high-resolution remote sensing data, examined the construction intensity of urban land use, analyzed the degree of coupling with utilization efficiency, and clarified the dynamic evolution of the binary relationship system between development and coupling. Results show that Hegang’s construction intensity has seen a continuous rise from 1992 to 2000, with a 200.06% increase over 28 years, while its coupling with utilization efficiency has experienced a significant drop in the 21st century, suggesting a persistent decline in the utilization of buildings and a notable urban shrinkage phenomenon. Considering development status and coupling degree, we delineate a characteristic urbanization state curve for Hegang, reflecting its progression through stages of “Underdeveloped, Highly coupled,” to “Underdeveloped, Weakly coupled”, and finally to “Highly developed, Weakly coupled”, offering insights into its urban development path. This research not only establishes a foundational data groundwork for future land-use planning in Hegang but also presents a replicable template for urbanization path analysis in other cities, contributing to a broader understanding of urban development dynamics. Full article

The Oxford Times ran a headline in May 1896 that stated in bold capitals ‘STRANGE DEATH OF A HINDOO’, detailing the circumstances of the death of Baboo Mookhi Singh, who, it seems, was the first (known) Indian grocer in Oxford. While today, the pioneering research by Rozina Visram related to the presence of Asians in Britain, that of Antoinette Burton in the late-Victorian period, or Michael Fisher’s work on counterflows to colonialism, is not new, the majority of research regarding the presence of Indians in the British Isles is either scant for this period of time, or related to ayahs and lascars, or to poets, intellectuals, and aristocrats, with considerable research also related to the Indian military. The majority of times, that research has also focused solely on London. The originality of this research paper provides material heretofore undocumented related to an early settler in Oxford from India (1880s–1890s): Baboo Mookhi Singh (1867–1893), Oxford’s first grocer, and tea importer from India. He originated from Benaras (Varanasi) and arrived in Britain, where he set up a business in the centre of Oxford. However, what he encountered there was name-calling, verbal as well as physical harassment, and ultimately his death in strange circumstances. He seemingly came alone, although his import business, which boasted the best tea not only in Oxford, but in the whole country, was run by the ‘Singh Brothers’ (his brother remaining in India). While Singh most certainly travelled via the Suez Canal to Britain, the country to which he was travelling would have been both familiar and unfamiliar to him. However, due to the lack of resources available, all too often common people, such as Singh, have been neglected. In this article, newspaper reports and material from the numerous trials (mostly initiated by Singh against the local people and his immediate neighbours) are brought together, as well as the coroner’s reports, and the police notes to determine Singh’s struggle for recognition, and his attempt at resistance. This paper documents his struggle for cultural/geographic space, to redress the imbalance of power, and gain agency. Despite his attempts at resilience, he did, in the end, die. However, Singh was a pioneer in a struggle for power, a stand for resistance, and how the law perceived him, in his difference, changing the community around him, albeit on a small scale. It is a telling story that resurfaces an early Indian settler in Britain, his alterity in Victorian society, and the latter’s attitudes towards race. It steps outside of the traditional image of the empire at home, in Britain, in everyday life. Full article

In this paper, I provide a close examination of early Christian biographical sources through the heuristic lens of “home studies”, tracing a thread from the New Testament Gospels to martyrdom texts, the apocryphal Acts literature, Eusebius’ biography of Origen in his Church History, and finally, Athanasius’ Life of Antony. I demonstrate that the lens of home allows us to see that in each of these discrete groups of texts, Christ’s call to discipleship is understood to redefine and reconstitute the meaning of home and relatedly, family: to be “home” required a great deal of displacement and mobility as one forsook one’s biological family and household for the sake of obedience to the call of Christ. I argue that three topics, typically examined separately, are fruitfully brought together through the lens of home: (1) the shaping of ancient Christian identity formation, as expressed by the characters’ use of familial language to identify other members of the early Christian movement; (2) the mobile nature of the person who joins the movement, providing insights about the mobility and travel of many of its members; and (3) ancient Christian eschatological thought concerning the final dwelling of Christ-believers in some form of otherworldly home after death. Full article

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is a serious malignant tumor with a high mortality rate, mainly due to late diagnosis and a lack of effective therapeutic interventions. The possibility of recognizing this cancer with reliable biomarkers using minimally invasive methods is of great importance for improving early detection, prognostic assessment, and targeted treatment methods. In recent years, small non-coding RNAs, especially microRNAs, have emerged as promising candidates for biomarkers of pancreatic cancer. Despite the methodological and analytical limitations of microRNA determination and a lack of available automated and standardized tests, a prospective systematic assessment of this new parameter’s use in the detection of pancreatic cancer is warranted. This review provides general information on the diagnostic and prognostic utility of microRNAs, which appear to be well-established in many studies. In summary, microRNAs are promising non-invasive biomarkers of pancreatic cancer, offering potential opportunities for early detection, prognosis, and treatment monitoring. As research in this field progresses, microRNAs should become valuable tools in the fight against pancreatic cancer. Full article

Objectives: The main goal of this study is to publish findings on the lifestyle factors of pregnant women in Hungary and their impact on early childhood health status by examining changes over time and regional/geographical disparities. Methods: The source of the data is the raw indicators reported by health visitors as per mandatory annual report data for the period of 1997–2019. To examine the association, we used indicators of pregnant women’s states as explanatory variables (for example, pregnant women in very late care, prenatal smoking habits, and pregnant women without care), and the outcome indicators were prematurity, intrauterine malnutrition, and newborn babies with developmental disorders. A univariate Poisson regression was used to examine the correlations. Results: Our results show a decreasing trend in the proportion of pregnant women who smoke and of pregnant women who apply late for care (after 28 weeks of pregnancy), with an increasing indicator of regional differences. The research results of the prenatal and perinatal indicators show that the counties Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén and Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg are the most critical areas in terms of health status in Hungary. The number of pregnancies attended very late (after 28 weeks) and the number of women who gave birth without health visitor care are associated with the number of preterm births (R² = 0.7313; p < 0.001; R² = 0.5519; p < 0.001) and intrauterine growth restrictions (R² = 0.3306; p < 0.001; R² = 0.2632; p < 0.001). Conclusion: Interventions to improve early childhood health in some counties of Hungary are urgently needed to reduce regional disparities. Such counties include Borsod-Abaúj-Zemplén, Szabolcs-Szatmár-Bereg, Heves, Somogy, Bács-Kiskun, and Nógrád. Health education for pregnant women and activities to strengthen the compliance of pregnant women are key to improving early childhood health outcomes. Full article

Mediterranean tropical-like cyclones, or Medicanes, present unique challenges for precipitation estimations due to their rapid development and localized impacts. This study evaluates the performance of satellite precipitation products in capturing the precipitation associated with Medicane Daniel that struck Greece in early September 2023. Utilizing a combination of ground-based observations, reanalysis, and satellite-derived precipitation data, we assess the accuracy and spatial distribution of the satellite precipitation products GPM IMERG, GSMaP, and CMOPRH during the cyclone event, which formed in the Eastern Mediterranean from 4 to 7 September 2023, hitting with unprecedented, enormous amounts of rainfall, especially in the region of Thessaly in central Greece. The results indicate that, while satellite precipitation products demonstrate overall skill in capturing the broad-scale precipitation patterns associated with Medicane Daniel, discrepancies exist in estimating localized intense rainfall rates, particularly in convective cells within the cyclone’s core. Indeed, most of the satellite precipitation products studied in this work showed a misplacement of the highest amounts of associated rainfall, a significant underestimation of the event, and large unbiased root mean square error in the areas of heavy precipitation. The total precipitation field from IMERG Late Run and CMORPH showed the smallest bias (but significant) and good temporal correlation against rain gauges and ERA5-Land reanalysis data as a reference, while IMERG Final Run and GSMaP showed the largest underestimation and overestimation, respectively. Further investigation is needed to improve the representation of extreme precipitation events associated with tropical-like cyclones in satellite precipitation products. Full article

Background: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is prevalent among obese patients, and cryoballoon ablation (CBA) is an effective strategy for the rhythm control of AF. The impact of body mass index (BMI) on the clinical outcomes of CBA for AF is not fully explored. Methods: 85 consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF were enrolled and were categorized into three groups as per their BMI: normal weight (BMI 18.5–25 kg/m²), overweight (BMI 25–30 kg/m²), and obese patients (BMI > 30 kg/m²). The primary study endpoint was a late (12 month) recurrence of AF. Early recurrence of AF, symptom improvement, and procedural outcomes were some key secondary outcomes. Results: 20 patients had normal weight, 35 were overweight, and 30 were obese. Obese patients featured a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, heavier exposure to smoking, and worse baseline symptoms (as assessed through EHRA class at admission and 12 months before CBA) compared to overweight and normal weight patients. Both late and early (<3 months) AF recurrence rates were comparable across the three groups. Of note, obese patients showed greater improvement in their symptoms post-CBA, defined as improvement by at least one EHRA class, compared to normal weight patients; this might be explained by improved diastolic function. Total procedure time and dose area product were significantly increased in obese patients. The multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that early AF recurrence and the duration of hypertension are independent predictors of late AF recurrence. Conclusion: CBA is effective in overweight and obese patients with paroxysmal AF. Procedure time and radiation exposure are increased in obese patients undergoing CBA. Full article