Search Results (18)

In zooarchaeological research, animal bone fractures can result from various processes including slaughtering, dismemberment, marrow/grease extraction, craft processing, carnivore gnawing/trampling, sediment compression, bioturbation, and recovery bias. These fractures are further influenced by bone freshness/dryness and environmental temperature. The animal bones analysed in this study, excavated from Han dynasty tombs in the Xinxiang Plain New District, China, represent ritual offerings. These specimens exhibit distinct truncation features—chop surfaces, rough planes, and fracture traces—created by ancient iron tools for culinary purposes such as stewing preparation or consumption facilitation. These characteristics differ significantly, from the V-shaped butchery marks produced by stone/bronze tools and fracture patterns from marrow/grease extraction to post-depositional breakage formed during burial processes. In this study, steel tools were employed in the rocking slicing and rolling slicing of animal bones, complemented by techniques such as breaking to sever bone shafts. Subsequently, the marks on the cross-sections were observed using a stereomicroscope, and the results were compared and analysed with the materials from Han dynasty tombs unearthed at Xinxiang city, Henan Province. From the comparison between experimental observation results and archaeological materials, it is evident that the fine processing of meat-bearing bone materials mainly involved the use of rocking and rolling slicing methods. The cross-sections of the slices revealed shearing surfaces, rough patches, bone splinters, and sliced ends. The shearing surfaces in particular exhibited numerous visible trace characteristics, with the types and quantities of these traces varying with different cutting tools. This study holds significant reference value for exploring cutting tools and techniques in antiquity. Full article

Birds were observed in divinatory rituals in antiquity. This was the most significant process that regularly involved looking closely at birds. At the same time, birds were intimately connected to human perceptions of the natural world and, through their capacity to ascend skywards, with the supernatural world. By studying two neighbouring areas connected by the myth of Orpheus and divinatory birds, we can begin to appreciate the role of birds (and bird-like beings) in the culture of Macedonia and Thrace. Birds played a central role in prophecy (ornithomancy). Literary, archaeological and zooarchaeological data from the 6th to 4th centuries BCE provide the means of uniting different types of evidence. The literary and archaeological evidence provides a broad perspective for understanding the still-limited zooarchaeological data. Birds of prey were among the key divinatory creatures regularly observed, while cranes and a variety of lacustrine and meadow birds were among those most regularly observed and hunted. Winged creatures (human–animal hybrids) form some of the most important creations of the human imagination in southern Europe, with distinctive local variants in Macedonia and Thrace. Full article

Humans have developed a special relationship with some animal species throughout history, even though these animals were never domesticated. Based on raptors, bears, beavers, and elks, the question of whether there are similarities between the perception of these animals that triggered a special kind of fascination in humans and how the relationship between humans and these animals changed between Mesolithic age and medieval times is addressed. As we demonstrate, the categorical antagonism between ‘animal’ and ‘human’ is a concept that saw different kinds of influence, from the advent of sedentarism and husbandry to Christianity and from philosophical thinking in Classical Antiquity and the Period of Enlightenment. In prehistory and early history, we find different, opposing world views across time, cultures, and periods. Differences between animals and humans have been considered as fluid, and humans have had to engage with animals and their needs. The well-known and famous ‘bear ceremonies’ attested to different peoples and times were not unique, but were a part of belief systems that also included other animal species. Among the considered animals, certain raptor species attracted the attention of humans who tried to establish contact with them, as companions, whereas bears were almost ‘disguised humans’ due to all their similarities with humans, but they were also tabooed beings whose real names had to be avoided. Full article

The widespread belief that music has some therapeutic potential rests partly on demonstrable, practical results. But explaining how such therapy works depends on the belief system of the explainer or practitioner. This survey of the literature shows how strongly a discipline is affected by its underlying metaphysical presuppositions. Traditional explanations, from antiquity through the nineteenth century, include participation by God or the gods; music as a bearer of sacred and harmonic numbers; the doctrine of correspondences and occult sympathies; the presence of animal spirits, subtle fluids, and other non-material elements in the human compound. The official belief system of the modern medical establishment cannot allow for any of these, hence its attempt to find materialistic explanations of how music therapy works. In the late 20th century some therapists, rejecting this constraint, returned to a more spiritual approach. Full article

(1) Background: Since antiquity, it is considered that sounds influence human emotional states and health. Acoustic enrichment has also been proposed for domestic animals. However, in both humans and animals, effects vary according to the type of sound. Human studies suggest that frequencies, more than melodies, play a key role. Low and high frequencies, music tuning frequency and even EEG slow waves used for ‘neurofeedback’ produce effects. (2) Methods: We tested the possible impact of such pure frequencies on racehorses’ behavior and physiology. A commercial non-audible acoustic stimulus, composed of an array of the above-mentioned frequencies, was broadcasted twice daily and for three weeks to 12 thoroughbred horses in their home stall. (3) Results: The results show a decrease in stereotypic behaviors and other indicators such as yawning or vacuum chewing, an increase in the time spent in recumbent resting and foraging, and better hematological measures during and after the playback phase for 4 of the 10 physiological parameters measured. (4) Conclusions: These results open new lines of research on possible ways of alleviating the stress related to housing and training conditions in racehorses and of improving physical recovery. Full article

Climate change has affected the food supply chain and raised serious food concerns for humans and animals worldwide. The present investigation aimed to assess the effect of environmental factors along with three different levels of cutting (i.e., cutting 1, 2, and 3 at the vegetative, budding, and flowering stages, respectively) and spacing (i.e., 21, 23, and 26 cm) on quinoa biomass and quality to select the most suitable accessions. This experiment was repeated for two years using a split–split plot experimental design. The cutting × genotype × year and cutting × space × genotype interactions were significant for most quinoa morphological traits (except for leaf area and intermodal distance), where the maximum growth in number of leaves/plant (NoL), plant height (PH), fresh weight (FW), number of branches/plant (Br), and dry weight (DW) were observed during the second growing season. Cutting and spacing levels also showed significant effects on morphological and quality traits of quinoa. Among the different levels of cutting and spacing, cutting level 3 and spacing level 2 were more effective across both years at gaining maximum biomass and quality traits such as crude fat (CF) and crude protein (CP). According to the MGIDI, only two accessions (R3 and R9) fared better in both growing seasons, and selected accessions had positive morphological and quality traits. There were moderately significant negative correlations between PH, NoL, LA, FW, and DW and anti-quality traits such as neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF), indicating that an increase in biomass decreased the concentrations of ADF and NDF in both stem and leaves. A comparison with oat accessions (G3 and G7) revealed that quinoa has higher CP and CF and lower NDF than oats in both stems and leaves (except for ADF). In conclusion, the combination of cutting level 3 and spacing level 2 (23 cm) is more suitable to obtain high-quality quinoa forage with maximum biomass production. Furthermore, the MGIDI is a useful tool for breeders to select genotypes based on their mean performance, stability, and desired traits. Full article

Rabies is a disease of antiquity and has a history spanning millennia ever since the first interactions between humans and dogs. The alarming fatalities caused by this disease have triggered rabies prevention strategies since the first century BC. There have been numerous attempts over the past 100 years to develop rabies vaccineswith the goal of preventing rabies in both humans and animals. Thepre-Pasteurian vaccinologists, paved the way for the actual history of rabies vaccines with the development of first generation vaccines. Further improvements for less reactive and more immunogenic vaccines have led to the expansion of embryo vaccines, tissue culture vaccines, cell culture vaccines, modified live vaccines, inactivated vaccines, and adjuvanted vaccines. The adventof recombinant technology and reverse genetics have given insight into the rabies viral genome and facilitated genome manipulations, which in turn led to the emergence of next-generation rabies vaccines, such as recombinant vaccines, viral vector vaccines, genetically modified vaccines, and nucleic acid vaccines. These vaccines were very helpful in overcoming the drawbacks of conventional rabies vaccines with increased immunogenicity and clinical efficacies. The path traversed in the development of rabies vaccines from Pasteur to the modern era vaccines, though, faced numerous challenges;these pioneering works have formed the cornerstone for the generation of thecurrent successful vaccines to prevent rabies. In the future, advancements in the scientific technologies and research focus will definitely lay the path for much more sophisticated vaccine candidates for rabies elimination. Full article

Halmyris (Murighiol, Tulcea County, Romania) is one of the most important Roman settlements located in the inferior sector of the Danube Delta, in the easternmost part of Scythia province during the Late Antiquity. Halmyris was the most easterly fort of the Danubian border in Roman times and probably served as a supply centre for the imperial fleet; Roman inscriptions inform on the existence of a ‘mariner’s village’ named vicus classicorum. Given that the written information about this settlement is extremely incomplete, the study of animal and plant remains can answer important questions related to economic life (e.g., human use of biological resources) and the relationship between community and environment. This study contributes to understanding the process of Roman domination in the area (e.g., highlighting the improved type of cattle, brought and reproduced here by the Romans), as well as to the knowledge of environmental changes under anthropic pressure (e.g., animal extinction, such as aurochs). In 2014, extensive archaeological research took place in the extramural area of the fort. During research, a total area of 234 sqm was investigated through five trenches west–east oriented and perpendicular to vallum II but not intersecting with it. Phytolith samples were taken from the habitation levels dated to the 5th–6th centuries AD, and faunal remains were collected from four trenches dated to the 4th–6th centuries AD. Phytolith assemblages from the Halmyris site are composed mainly of grass phytoliths. We noticed important amounts of Elongate dendritic forms and a high proportion of silica skeletons. Phytolith analysis resulting from the processing of 12 samples shows that cereals were a relevant part of the subsistence economy of the site, revealing an important signal of cereal processing. Flax fibers, which are the strongest natural fibers, were also identified in samples from Halmyris. The exploited animal resources are varied, including molluscs, fish, birds, and mammals. Most of the skeletal remains belong to the group of mammals. Animal husbandry represented an important occupation; the identified domestic mammals are cattle, sheep, goat, pig, horse, donkey, and dog. The predominant species were cattle and sheep/goat, both by the number of identified remains and by the minimal number of individuals. Hunting had small importance for the settlement under study, red deer and wild boar having the highest proportion of wild mammals. Full article

Boswellia trees, found throughout the Middle East and parts of Africa and Asia, are the source of frankincense oil. Since antiquity, frankincense has been traded as a precious commodity, but it has also been used for the treatment of chronic disease, inflammation, oral health, and microbial infection. More recently, the bioactive components of Boswellia trees have been identified and characterized for their effects on cancer, microbial infection (especially infection by oral pathogens), and inflammation. Most studies have focused on cell lines, but more recent research has also investigated effects in animal models of disease. As natural products are considered to be safer than synthetic drugs, there is growing interest in further developing the use of substances such as frankincense oil for therapeutic treatment. Full article

Since antiquity, the ubiquitous lactic acid bacteria (LAB) Enterococci, which are just as predominant in both human and animal intestinal commensal flora, have been used (and still are) as probiotics in food and feed production. Their qualities encounter several hurdles, particularly in terms of the array of virulence determinants, reflecting a notorious reputation that nearly prevents their use as probiotics. Additionally, representatives of the Enterococcus spp. genus showed intrinsic resistance to several antimicrobial agents, and flexibility to acquire resistance determinants encoded on a broad array of conjugative plasmids, transposons, and bacteriophages. The presence of such pathogenic aspects among some species represents a critical barrier compromising their use as probiotics in food. Thus, the genus neither has Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) status nor has it been included in the Qualified Presumption of Safety (QPS) list implying drastic legislation towards these microorganisms. To date, the knowledge of the virulence factors and the genetic structure of foodborne enterococcal strains is rather limited. Although enterococcal infections originating from food have never been reported, the consumption of food carrying virulence enterococci seems to be a risky path of transfer, and hence, it renders them poor choices as probiotics. Auspiciously, enterococcal virulence factors seem to be strain specific suggesting that clinical isolates carry much more determinants that food isolates. The latter remain widely susceptible to clinically relevant antibiotics and subsequently, have a lower potential for pathogenicity. In terms of the ideal enterococcal candidate, selected strains deemed for use in foods should not possess any virulence genes and should be susceptible to clinically relevant antibiotics. Overall, implementation of an appropriate risk/benefit analysis, in addition to the case-by-case assessment, the establishment of a strain’s innocuity, and consideration for relevant guidelines, legislation, and regulatory aspects surrounding functional food development seem to be the crucial elements for industries, health-staff and consumers to accept enterococci, like other LAB, as important candidates for useful and beneficial applications in food industry and food biotechnology. The present review aims at shedding light on the world of hurdles and limitations that hampers the Enterococcus spp. genus and its representatives from being used or proposed for use as probiotics. The future of enterococci use as probiotics and legislation in this field are also discussed. Full article

Legumes have played an important part in cropping systems since the dawn of agriculture, both as human food and as animal feed. The legume family is arguably one of the most abundantly domesticated crop plant families. Their ability to symbiotically fix nitrogen and improve soil fertility has been rewarded since antiquity and makes them a key protein source. The pea was the original model organism used in Mendel’s discovery of the laws of inheritance, making it the foundation of modern plant genetics. This Special Issue provides up-to-date information on legume biology, genetic advances, and the legacy of Mendel. Full article

This study attempts to demonstrate that ancient Greek authors and vase painters (mostly of the late sixth and early fifth centuries) were well attuned to the many bodily gestures and positions exhibited by dogs in real life and utilized this knowledge in producing their works. Once this is clear, it becomes evident that the Greek public at large was equally aware of such canine bodily gestures and positions. This extends the seminal work on gestures of Boegehold and Lateiner to the animal world and seeks also to serve as a call for further study of similar animals throughout ancient Greek times. Full article

Rivers are central to debate about the Anthropocene because many human activities from antiquity focused on channels and floodplains. A literature compilation for the onset of human modification of rivers identifies six stages that represent key innovations focused in the Near East and adjoining areas: (1) minimal effects before about 15,000 cal yr BP, with the use of fire and gathering of plants and aquatic resources; (2) minor effects from increased cultivation after about 15,000 cal yr BP, with plant and animal domestication after about 10,700 cal yr BP; (3) agricultural era after about 9800 cal yr BP, with legacy sediments, widespread fire use, the first dams and irrigation, and mud-brick manufacture; (4) irrigation era from about 6500 cal yr BP, with large-scale irrigation, major cities, the first large dam, urban water supplies, expanded groundwater use, river fleets, and alluvial mining; (5) engineering era with embankments, dams, and watermills after about 3000 cal yr BP, especially in the Chinese and Roman empires; and (6) technological era after about 1800 CE. Anthropogenic river effects were more varied and intense than commonly has been recognised, and they should be considered routinely in interpreting Late Pleistocene and Holocene fluvial archives. Full article

Plants have been used since antiquity to treat and prevent diseases. Plantain (Plantago lanceolata L.) is traditionally used for the treatment of the common cold and associated symptoms such as cough. This study was designed to evaluate the oral toxicity of plantain leaf extract-containing syrup. In preparation of the toxicological examination and to ensure the quality of the herbal preparation, analytical methods were developed and validated, and stability testing was performed. Physicochemical and microbial quality, thin layer chromatography patterns and high performance liquid chromatography fingerprints complied with the specifications during the entire period of stability testing. The marker substance, acteoside, remained within the stability-defining limits of 90%–110% for quantitative determinations. No hint of toxicity emerged from 14-day repeat dose toxicity testing in rats. The animals were given doses of 3, 6, or 12 mL of syrup per kg body weight by gavage twice daily. All animals showed normal appearance and behavior. Body and organ weights at the end of the study were similar to those in the control group. Overall, P. lanceolata syrup was found to be stable and non-toxic under the test conditions. Full article

Animal research is not only regulated by legislation but also by self-regulatory mechanisms within the scientific community, which include biomedical journals’ policies on animal use. For editorial policies to meaningfully impact attitudes and practice, they must not only be put into effect by editors and reviewers, but also be set to high standards. We present a novel tool to classify journals’ policies on animal use—the EXEMPLAR scale—as well as an analysis by this scale of 170 journals publishing studies on animal models of three human diseases: Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, Type-1 Diabetes and Tuberculosis. Results show a much greater focus of editorial policies on regulatory compliance than on other domains, suggesting a transfer of journals’ responsibilities to scientists, institutions and regulators. Scores were not found to vary with journals’ impact factor, country of origin or antiquity, but were, however, significantly higher for open access journals, which may be a result of their greater exposure and consequent higher public scrutiny. Full article