Accentuated lines in the enamel of primary incisors from skeletal remains: A contribution to the explanation of early childhood mortality in a medieval population from Poland

Physiological disruptions resulting from an impoverished environment during the first years of life are of key importance for the health and biological status of individuals and populations. Studies of growth processes in archaeological populations point to the fact that the main causes of childhood mortality in the past are to be sought among extrinsic factors. Based on this assumption, one would expect random mortality of children, with the deceased individuals representing the entire subadult population. The purpose of this study is to explore whether differences in early childhood survival are reflected in differences in deciduous tooth enamel, which can provide an insight into the development of an individual during prenatal and perinatal ontogeny. Deciduous incisors were taken from 83 individuals aged 2.0–6.5 years from a medieval inhumation cemetery dated AD 1300–1600. Prenatal and postnatal enamel formation time, neonatal line width, and the number of accentuated lines were measured using an optical microscope. The significantly wider neonatal line and the higher frequency of accentuated lines in the enamel of the incisors of children who died at the age of 2–3 years suggest the occurrence of stronger or more frequent stress events in this group. These results indicate that in skeletal populations mortality was not exclusively determined by random external factors. Individuals predisposed by an unfavorable course of prenatal and perinatal growth were more likely to die in early childhood. Am J Phys Anthropol 157:402–410, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Impact of industrialization: comparative study of child health in four sites from medieval and postmedieval England (A.D. 850-1859)

The morbidity and mortality profiles of 831 non-adult skeletons from four contrasting sites in medieval and postmedieval England were compared to assess whether urbanization and later industrialization, had a detrimental effect on the health of the inhabitants. Failure in the population's ability to adapt to these environments should be evident in the higher rates of mortality, retarded growth, higher levels of stress, and a greater prevalence of metabolic and infectious disease in the urban groups. Non-adult skeletons were examined from Raunds Furnells in Northamptonshire, from St. Helen-on-the-Walls and Wharram Percy in Yorkshire, and from Christ Church Spitalfields in London. Results showed that a greater number of older children were being buried at the later medieval sites and that the skeletal growth profiles of the medieval urban and rural children did not differ significantly. A comparison of the growth profiles of St. Helen-on-the-Walls (urban) and Spitalfields (industrial) showed that the Spitalfields children were up to 3 cm shorter than their later medieval counterparts. At Spitalfields, cribra orbitalia and enamel hypoplasias occurred during the first 6 months of life, and 54% of the non-adults had evidence of metabolic disease. It is argued that differences in the morbidity and mortality of non-adults from urban and rural environments did exist in the past, but that it was industrialization that had the greatest impact on child health. Environmental conditions, urban employment, socioeconomic status, and changes in weaning ages and infant feeding practices contributed to differences in health in rural, urban, and industrial environments.     

Differences in nutritional status between rural and urban Yucatec Maya children: The importance of early life conditions

Early-life conditions shape childhood growth and are affected by urbanization and the nutritional transition. To investigate how early-life conditions (across the “first” and “second” 1000 days) are associated with rural and urban children's nutritional status, we analyzed anthropometric data from Maya children in Yucatan, Mexico. We collected weight, height and triceps skinfold measures, then computed body mass and fat mass indices (BMI/FMI), in a cross-sectional sample of 6-year-olds (urban n = 72, rural n = 66). Demographic, socioeconomic and early-life variables (birthweight/mode, rural/urban residence, household crowding) were collected by maternal interview. We statistically analyzed rural-urban differences in demographic, socioeconomic, early-life, and anthropometric variables, then created linear mixed models to evaluate associations between early-life variables and child anthropometric outcomes. Two-way interactions were tested between early-life variables and child sex, and between early-life variables and rural-urban residence. Results showed that rural children were shorter-statured, with lower overweight/obesity and cesarean delivery rates, compared to urban children. Household crowding was a negative predictor of anthropometric outcomes; the strongest effect was in boys and in urban children. Birthweight positively predicted anthropometric outcomes, especially weight/BMI. Birth mode was positively (not statistically) associated with any anthropometric outcome. Cesarean delivery was more common in boys than in girls, and predicted increased height in urban boys. In conclusion, urbanization and household crowding were the most powerful predictors of Maya 6-year-old anthropometry. The negative effects of crowding may disproportionately affect Maya boys versus girls and urban versus rural children. Early-life conditions shape Maya children's nutritional status both in the “first” and “second” 1000 days.     

Brief communication: Tissue isotopic enrichment associated with growth depression in a pig: Implications for archaeology and ecology

Stressors such as fasting or poor diet quality are thought to potentially alter the nitrogen and carbon isotopic values of animal tissues. In this study, we demonstrate an inverse correlation between growth rate and multiple tissue enrichment of δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C, and, to a lesser degree, δ¹⁸O in a juvenile pig. A more complex pattern is observed with respect to tissue δD and growth rate. The observed association between growth rate and tissue isotopic fractionation has important implications for paleodietary and migratory reconstructions of archaeological populations that may have been affected by famine, malnutrition, seasonal variation in food availability, and/or other factors that can affect childhood growth rates. Am J Phys Anthropol 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The effects of socioeconomic status on endochondral and appositional bone growth,and acquisition of cortical bone in children from 19th century Birmingham,England

Endochondral growth, appositional growth, and acquisition of cortical bone thickness in the femur are investigated in subadult skeletons (N = 43, dental age range birth to 12 years) from the 19^th‐century AD burial site of St. Martin's churchyard, Birmingham, England. Endochondral growth is monitored using diaphyseal femoral length. Appositional growth is monitored using radiographic midshaft mediolateral width and acquisition of cortical bone using combined mediolateral cortical thickness measured at the midshaft from radiographs. The methodology involves plotting these variables against dental age. Growth is compared in children of differing socioeconomic status. Higher and lower status individuals are identified in the assemblage by their burial in brick vaults in the case of the former and in earth‐cut graves in the case of the latter. The relationships between bone dimensions and dental age are described using a polynomial regression procedure, and analysis of regression residuals is used to evaluate differences in bone dimension‐for‐dental age between the two status groups. Results show that lower socioeconomic status individuals had lower cortical thickness‐for‐dental age than those of higher status. This was interpreted as likely reflecting poorer nutrition in the children of lower socioeconomic backgrounds. There was no patterning with respect to socioeconomic status in femur diaphyseal length or midshaft width. The results support the idea that, for skeletal populations, growth in cortical thickness may be a more sensitive indicator of adverse conditions in childhood than growth in bone length or width. Am J Phys Anthropol, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

The biomarkers of fetal growth in intrauterine growth retardation and large for gestational age cases: from adipocytokines to a metabolomic all-in-one tool

Adipose tissue is no longer considered as inert; the literature describes the role it plays in the production of many substances, such as adiponectin, visfatin, ghrelin, S100B, apelin, TNF, IL-6 and leptin. These molecules have specific roles in humans and their potential as biomarkers useful for identifying alterations related to intrauterine growth retardation and large for gestational age neonates is emerging. Infants born in such conditions have undergone metabolic changes, such as fetal hypo- or hyperinsulinemia, which may lead to development of dysmetabolic syndrome and other chronic diseases in adulthood. In this review, these biomarkers are analyzed specifically and it is discussed how metabolomics may be an advantageous tool for detection, discrimination and prediction of metabolic alterations and diseases. Thus, a holistic approach, such as metabolomics, could help the prevention and early diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.     

Respiration rate in human primary renal proximal and early distal tubular cells in vitro: considerations for biohybrid renal devices

Background: For biotechnological use of cells in tissue engineered applications, such as biohybrid renal devices, optimal culture conditions are required. Oxygen delivery is one of the most important cell determined system criterion for ex vivo applications. It is involved in the maintenance of highly oxygen‐dependent renal tubular epithelial cells, affecting metabolic state, differentiation, and desired transport functions. The purpose of this study was to examine respiratory patterns such as basal oxygen consumption, solute transport‐related oxygen demand, and oxygen concentration‐dependent oxygen uptake of renal tubular epithelial cells in vitro. Methods: Respiratory patterns of highly purified human primary renal proximal (hPTC) and early distal tubular cells (hTALDC) were analyzed by perfusion respirometry. Spontaneous oxygen consumptions and maximum respirations after carbonyl cyanide m‐chlorophenyl hydrazone (CCCP) uncoupling were measured. Respiration fractions contributing to basolateral Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase transport activities were assessed via ouabain inhibition and Na⁺‐free medium. Furthermore, we determined oxygen uptake in dependency of oxygen concentration and morphology in various culture conditions (shaken, static). Results: Respiration of solely hPTC strongly depended on oxygen concentration in a Michaelis‐Menten pattern at noncritical oxygen concentrations. Respiration of both cell types was significantly increased by CCCP, whereas average Na⁺/K⁺‐ATPase‐based oxygen uptake fractions differ significantly between the two cell types. Nevertheless, no significant differences were found in spontaneous respiration between hPTC and hTALDC. Conclusions: Our results clearly indicate that cell‐specific oxygen consumption parameters have to be considered in the design of biotechnological devices intended to support kidney function by cell‐supported renal replacement therapy. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Biotechnol. Prog., 2011     

The usefulness of caries frequency,depth, and location in determining cariogenicity and past subsistence: A test on early and later agriculturalists from the Peruvian coast

Dental markers have been used to unravel particularities of paleodiet, subsistence, social structure, and health. This article aims to compare oral pathology among four pre‐Columbian groups with different degrees of agricultural and socio‐cultural development but comparable ecological conditions who lived on the coastal desert of Peru. Three of these groups are assigned to distinct phases of the Formative Period (2500–1 BC), a time critical for our understanding of the development of agriculture and social complexity. The fourth group corresponds to the Late Intermediate Period (1000–1470 AD), when agriculture had its apogee and society was highly stratified. In this study we test whether there is an increase (1) in the frequency of carious lesions and (2) in caries depth, and (3) if there is a shift from occlusal to extra‐occlusal caries locations with the development of agriculture. Therefore, we analyze the frequencies of carious lesions and antemortem tooth loss (AMTL), the caries distributions by age, sex, and type of tooth, as well as the tissues affected by, and the location of the carious lesions. Since there are no significant differences in the frequencies of carious lesions and AMTL between the groups, we reject hypothesis 1. In contrast, caries depth does increase, and caries location changes from occlusal to extra‐occlusal sites with agricultural development. However, we can only corroborate hypothesis 2 and 3 when taking into consideration dental wear. Thus, we recommend that caries depth and locations should be used with evaluations of dental wear to reconstruct subsistence in ancient populations. Am J Phys Anthropol 143:75–91, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Primate remains from African crowned eagle (Stephanoaetus coronatus) nests in Ivory Coast's Tai Forest: implications for primate predation and early hominid taphonomy in South Africa

Understanding the initial processes of deposition can help with interpretations of fossil assemblages. Here we discuss the taphonomy of primate remains collected under 16 nests of African crowned eagles (Stephanoaetus coronatus) in the Tai Forest, Ivory Coast. From 1,200 bones collected, including 669 primate bones, we calculated minimum number of individuals (MNI), survivability profiles, and damage profiles using methods identical to those employed by Sanders et al. (2003 J. Hum. Evol. 44:87-105) in their analysis of bones from eagle nests in Uganda. Crowned eagles leave a consistent taphonomic signature on their prey remains; hence, results from our analysis of the Tai assemblage are similar to those from the Ugandan sample. Hindlimb and cranial bones are relatively abundant in the sample, while ribs, vertebrae, carpals, and tarsals do not survive well. Primate crania typically display puncture marks around the eye, long bones remain largely intact, and scapulae exhibit raked breakage. These data have implications for understanding the dynamic between extant primates and one of their principle predators, as well as the taphonomy of hominid-bearing caves in South Africa. We concur with Berger and Clarke (1995 J. Hum. Evol. 29:275-299) that a large raptor could have been responsible for the death of the Taung child, Australopithecus africanus.     

Enhancement of seminiferous tubular growth and spermatogenesis in testes of rats recovering from early hypothyroidism: a quantitative study

Testicular weight and DNA content were markedly reduced (63 and 69%) in weanling Long-Evans rat pups rendered hypothyroid from birth by administration of propylthiouracil (PTU), a reversible goitrogen. These growth deficits worsened to >80% by continuing hypothyroidism beyond weaning, to days 50 and 90. Recovery of thyroid function, brought about by discontinuing PTU at weaning, resulted in a paradoxical stimulation of testis growth, amounting to increased weight (40%), DNA content (60%) and size by 90 days, compared to age-matched controls. In the 25-day or older hypothyroid rats, testicular structure was immature and spermatogenesis markedly delayed, as evident by closed lumen and significantly reduced diameter of seminiferous tubules (38%), thickness of germinal layer (70%), and number of primary spermatocytes (86%), compared to control. Hypothyroidism did not alter the number of tubules per testis cross section. In the 90-day recovery rats, numbers of seminiferous tubules were unchanged but tubular diameter was significantly (20%) larger than in controls and spermatogenesis appeared very active as indicated by significantly increased germinal layer thickness (22%) and total number and density of primary spermatocytes (55% and 40%). The results show that although postnatal hypothyroidism is deleterious for testicular growth and spermatogenesis, recovery from this condition leads to enhanced seminiferous tubular growth and spermatogenesis.     

MicroRNA-21 as a predictor and prognostic factor for trastuzumab therapy in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive metastatic breast cancer

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer diagnosed worldwide. Human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive breast cancer represents about 20% to 30% of all breast cancers. Trastuzumab is used in the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. MicroRNA-21 (miR-21) is an oncomiR that acts by inhibiting many tumor-suppressor genes. We analyzed the relative expression levels of serum miR-21 in 20 HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients before and after 3 months of treatment with trastuzumab. miR-21 levels decreased with a high significant difference after trastuzumab therapy (P = 0.001). Although miR-21 expression levels were lower in responders than in nonresponders, the difference was not statistically significant ( P = 0.6). Our results demonstrated a significant negative correlation between its basal expression, expression levels after treatment, and time to progression ( P = 0.03 and 0.01, respectively). These results make miR-21 a potential prognostic factor for HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer patients. Additionally, it can be an interesting potential target in therapy using antisense oligonucleotides for miR-21.     

The evolutionary history of the order Antipatharia (Cnidaria: Anthozoa: Hexacorallia) as inferred from mitochondrial and nuclear DNA: implications for black coral taxonomy and systematics

Although black corals inhabit all the world's oceans, they have been relatively understudied as ～185 of 247 species occur at depths > 50 m. Antipatharians have been included in several phylogenetic studies; however, sample sizes are small and taxonomic coverage minimal. Low levels of mitochondrial (mt) sequence divergence within Scleractinia and Octocorallia are assumed to apply to all anthozoans, although no formal study has been conducted on the order Antipatharia. To quantify genetic variation in the black coral mitogenome, we analysed DNA sequences of the two longest intergenic regions (IGRs) and cox3‐cox1 for 26 of 41 genera, representing all families and subfamilies. We also quantified divergence at the intraspecific level using six mtIGRs and their flanking protein‐coding genes and rRNA for 100+ colonies of Antipathes griggi. Utilizing sequence data from the two mtIGRs, cox3‐cox1, as well as nuclear 18S and 28S, we constructed the first multi‐locus phylogenies of the Antipatharia. Reconstructions revealed that species in the genus Stichopathes are split across two families, Sibopathes macrospina groups among North Atlantic Parantipathes (suggesting the actinopharynx and mesenteries were secondarily lost), and three families are polyphyletic. These and other results provide novel, independent insights into the evolutionary history of antipatharians and support placement of species into higher‐level groupings based on microscopic skeletal features rather than gross colony morphology. An illustrated key to the seven currently recognized families is also provided. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London     

The effect of desferrioxamine on the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Yersinia enterocolitica and Streptococcus faecalis in human serum: Uptake of desferrioxamine-bound iron

Abstract Growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Yersinia enterocolitica in human serum was enhanced by addition of excess iron or of the iron-chelating drug desferrioxamine, but neither had any effect on the growth of Streptococcus faecalis . Desferrioxamine could remove iron slowly from transferrin under physiological conditions, and desferrioxamine-bound iron was taken up by S. aureus and Y. enterocolitica but not by Strep. faecalis . The results suggest that patients with iron overload undergoing chelation therapy with desferrioxamine may have an increased risk of bacterial infection.     

The endoplasmic reticulum stress and the unfolded protein response in kidney disease: Implications for vascular growth factors

Acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) represent an important challenge for healthcare providers. The identification of new biomarkers/pharmacological targets for kidney disease is required for the development of more effective therapies. Several studies have shown the importance of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in the pathophysiology of AKI and CKD. ER is a cellular organelle devolved to protein biosynthesis and maturation, and cellular detoxification processes which are activated in response to an insult. This review aimed to dissect the cellular response to ER stress which manifests with activation of the unfolded protein response (UPR) with its major branches, namely PERK, IRE1α, ATF6 and the interplay between ER and mitochondria in the pathophysiology of kidney disease. Further, we will discuss the relationship between mediators of renal injury (with specific focus on vascular growth factors) and ER stress and UPR in the pathophysiology of both AKI and CKD with the aim to propose potential new targets for treatment for kidney disease.     

The relative exclusion of zinc and iron from rice grain in relation to rice grain cadmium as compared to soybean: Implications for human health

During 2000–2002, diagnostic rice and soybean plant samples and concurrent soil samples were collected from cultivated fields within a geo-physically unique Zn/Cd co-contaminated location in Thailand. For the fields sampled, aqua regia-digested Zn and Cd concentrations ranged from 2.91–284 and 254–8036 mg kg^–1, respectively. In comparison, rice and soybean Cd concentrations ranged from 0.02–5.00 and 1.08–1.71 mg kg^–1, respectively. Further, the results indicate that grain Cd, Zn and Fe concentrations are in the order rice^Gr=soybean^Gr, soybean^Gr>rice^Gr, soybean^Gr>rice^Gr, respectively. However, and critically from a human health perspective, Cd:Zn and Cd:Fe ratios are in the order rice^Gr>soybean^Gr. In addition, the rice^Gr Cd:Fe ratio is an order of magnitude higher than that determined for soybean^Gr. The results of this study, clearly demonstrate that compared to rice stalk (rice^St) and rice leaf (rice^L), rice^Gr accumulates comparatively higher Cd than Zn and Fe thus resulting in the high rice^Gr Cd:Zn and Cd:Fe ratios. This is in direct contrast to the results observed for soybean.     

A novel function for selenium in biological system: selenite as a highly effective iron carrier for Chinese hamster ovary cell growth and monoclonal antibody production

As the market for biopharmaceuticals especially monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) rapidly grows, their manufacturing methods are coming under increasing regulatory scrutiny, particularly due to concerns about the potential introduction of adventitious agents from animal-sourced components in the media used for their production in mammalian cell culture. Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells are by far the most commonly used production vehicles for these recombinant glycoproteins. In developing animal-component free media for CHO and other mammalian cell lines, the iron-transporter function of serum or human/bovine transferrin is usually replaced by certain organic or inorganic chelators capable of delivering iron for cell respiration and metabolism, but few of them are sufficiently effective. Selenium is a well-known essential trace element (TE) for cell growth and development, and its positive role in biological system includes detoxification of free radicals by activating glutathione peroxidase. In cell culture, selenium in the form of selenite can help cells to detoxify the medium thus protect them from oxidative damage. In this presentation, we describe the discovery and application of a novel function of selenite, that is, as a highly effective carrier to deliver iron for cell growth and function. In our in-house-developed animal protein-free (APF) medium for CHO cells, using an iron-selenite compound to replace the well-established tropolone delivery system for iron led to comparable or better cell growth and antibody production. A high cell density of >10 x 10(6) viable cells/mL and excellent antibody titer of approximately 3 g/L were achieved in 14-day fed-batch cultures in shake flasks, followed by successful scale-up to stirred bioreactors. The preparation of the commercially unavailable iron-selenite compound from respective ions, and its effectiveness in cell-culture performance, were dependent on reaction time, substrates, and other conditions.     

Alginate from the macroalgae <Emphasis Type="Bold">Sargassum sinicola</Emphasis> as a novel source for microbial immobilization material in wastewater treatment and plant growth promotion

Alginate extracted from the macroalgae Sargassum sinicola was used as the raw material for co-immobilization of the microalgae Chlorella sorokiniana and growth-promoting bacterium Azospirillum brasilense for wastewater treatment and as an inoculant carrier of A. brasilense for plant growth promotion. The composition, structure, viscosity, color, and phenolic compound content of the alginate were analyzed and compared with commercially available alginate produced from the macroalgae Macrocystis pyrifera. From ¹H NMR analysis of alginate, S. sinicola was found to have more guluronic acid (F _G=0.64) than it had mannuronic acid (F _M=0.38) and had a viscosity of 13.5 m Pa s compared to 50 m Pa s for M. pyrifera. The S. sinicola alginate had dark brown color, reducing light penetration, with more phenolic compounds than M. pyrifera alginate. Nonetheless, growth of C. sorokiniana and A. brasilense in S. sinicola alginate was not significantly different than the growth in M. pyrifera alginate beads. Nutrient removal from wastewater by the co-immobilized microorganisms was similar for both types of alginate beads, and so was the growth enhancement of tomato plants inoculated with microbeads containing A. brasilense. This study shows the potential use of S. sinicola alginate as a raw material for cell immobilization for wastewater treatment and plant growth promotion.