Geographical partitioning of goat diversity in Europe and the Middle East

Thirty microsatellite markers were analysed in 1426 goats from 45 traditional or rare breeds in 15 European and Middle Eastern countries. In all populations inbreeding was indicated by heterozygosity deficiency (mean FIS = 0.10). Genetic differentiation between breeds was moderate with a mean FST value of 0.07, but for most (c. 71%) northern and central European breeds, individuals could be assigned to their breeds with a success rate of more than 80%. Bayesian-based clustering analysis of allele frequencies and multivariate analysis revealed at least four discrete clusters: eastern Mediterranean (Middle East), central Mediterranean, western Mediterranean and central/northern Europe. About 41% of the genetic variability among the breeds could be explained by their geographical origin. A decrease in genetic diversity from the south-east to the north-west was accompanied by an increase in the level of differentiation at the breed level. These observations support the hypothesis that domestic livestock migrated from the Middle East towards western and northern Europe and indicate that breed formation was more systematic in north-central Europe than in the Middle East. We propose that breed differentiation and molecular diversity are independent criteria for conservation.

Translated Literature in the Bulgarian Middle Ages as a Social and Cultural Phenomenon

The study reviews the Medieval Bulgarian translations from Greek as a multi-centennial process, preconditioned by the constant contacts between Byzantium and its Slavonic neighbor and dependant on the historical and cultural circumstances in Medieval Bulgaria. The facts are discussed from the prospective of two basic determining factors: social and cultural environment (spiritual needs of the age, political and cultural ideology, translationsʼ initiator, centers of translation activities, degree of education/literacy). The chronological and typological analysis of the thematic and genre range of the translated literature enables the outlining of five main stages: (1) Cyrillo-Methodian period (the middle of the 9th centuty – 885) – reception of the corpus needed for missionary purposes; (2) The First Bulgarian Tsardom period (885–1018) – intensive translation activities, founding the Christian literature in Bulgaria; (3) The period of The Byzantine rule (1018–1185) – a standstill in the translation activities and single translations of low-level literature texts; (4) The Second Bulgarian Tsardom – the period of Asenevtsi dynasty (the late 12th and the 13th centuries) – a partial revision of the liturgical and paraliturgical books; (5) The Second Bulgarian Tsardom – the Athonite-Tarnovo period (the 14th – early 15th century) – extensive relations with Byzantium and alignment to the then-current Byzantine models, intensifications of the translations flow and a broad range of the translation stream. (taken from: http://www.ceeol.com/aspx/issuedetails.aspx?issueid=fb876e89-ce0b-48a8-9373-a3d1e4d579a6&articleId=3056800e-cac7-4138-959e-8813abc311d9, 10.12.2013)

Thrombolysis in childhood stroke: report of 2 cases and review of the literature

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: No controlled, randomized trial has investigated whether intravenous, intra-arterial (IAT), or mechanical thrombolysis is beneficial in children with ischemic stroke. We report 2 children who underwent IAT for acute ischemic stroke and include them in a review about intravenous thrombolysis, IAT, and mechanical thrombolysis for childhood stroke. METHODS: We searched in MEDLINE and EMBASE for studies that reported on treatment of childhood stroke with intravenous thrombolysis, IAT, or mechanical thrombolysis in the presence of occlusion of the basilar artery, sphenoidal, or insular middle cerebral artery. To be included in this review, the following findings had to be reported: (1) stroke severity at presentation; (2) cerebral imaging findings before thrombolysis; (3) time to treatment; (4) dose of the thrombolytic agent; (5) pre- and postinterventional angiographic findings in IAT; and (6) outcome assessed at hospital discharge or within 12 months after thrombolysis. RESULTS: Adequate data were available in 17 children (including our 2 own cases) who underwent intravenous thrombolysis (n=6), IAT (n=10), or mechanical thrombolysis (n=1). No symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage occurred, but 2 asymptomatic intracranial hemorrhages were present. Sixteen children (94%) survived, and 12 (71%) had a good outcome (modified Rankin Scale score 0 or 1). CONCLUSIONS: The available data about thrombolysis in pediatric stroke are limited. They suggest that this treatment may be beneficial in children with ischemic stroke. Controlled, randomized trials are needed to determine whether thrombolysis is useful in childhood stroke.

Cholesteatoma triggering squamous cell carcinoma: case report and literature review of a rare tumor

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to report a case of squamous cell carcinoma of the petrous part of the temporal bone associated with a long history of secondary acquired cholesteatoma in a 71-year-old man. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present the case of a 71-year-old man diagnosed with secondary acquired cholesteatoma in 1950. Treatments consisted of repetitive surgery owing to several relapses. In 2004, he presented with progressive fetid otorrhea. Clinical and computed tomography findings were indicative for relapsing cholesteatoma and a subtotal petrosectomy was performed. RESULTS: Histologic work-up demonstrated a moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma. The staging revealed stadium pT3 cN0 cM0. Postoperative treatment consisted of local radiation therapy with intensity-modulated beam geometry with a total of 64.2 Gy in 30 fractions using a simultaneous integrated boost. CONCLUSION: Middle ear carcinoma can arise from acquired cholesteatoma. The pathogenesis of squamous cell carcinoma associated with cholesteatoma has not been elucidated satisfactorily. Due to the complex anatomic features, intensity-modulated radiation therapy is the technique of choice for postoperative radiotherapy.

Agat‘angełos

The Encyclopedia of the Medieval Chronicle brings together the latest research in chronicle studies from a variety of disciplines and scholarly traditions. Chronicles are the history books written and read in educated circles throughout Europe and the Middle East in the Middle Ages. For the modern reader, they are important as sources for the history they tell, but equally they open windows on the preoccupations and self-perceptions of those who tell it. Interest in chronicles has grown steadily in recent decades, and the foundation of a Medieval Chronicle Society in 1999 is indicative of this. Indeed, in many ways the Encyclopedia has been inspired by the emergence of this Society as a focus of the interdisciplinary chronicle community. The Encyclopedia fills an important gap especially for historians, art historians and literary scholars. It is the first reference work on medieval chronicles to attempt this kind of coverage of works from Europe, North Africa and the Middle East over a period of twelve centuries. 2564 entries and 65 illustrations describe individual anonymous chronicles or the historical oeuvre of particular chroniclers, covering the widest possible selection of works written in Latin, English, French, Spanish, German, Dutch, Norse, Irish, Hebrew, Arabic, Greek, Syriac, Church Slavonic and other languages. Leading articles give overviews of genres and historiographical traditions, and thematic entries cover particular features of medieval chronicles and such general issues as authorship and patronage, as well as questions of art history. Textual transmission is emphasized, and a comprehensive manuscript index makes a useful contribution to the codicology of chronicles.

Middle and Late Pleistocene humid periods recorded in palaeolake deposits of the Nafud desert, Saudi Arabia

Present climate in the Nafud desert of northern Saudi Arabia is hyper-arid and moisture brought by north-westerly winds scarcely reaches the region. The existence of abundant palaeolake sediments provides evidence for a considerably wetter climate in the past. However, the existing chronological framework of these deposits is solely based on radiocarbon dating of questionable reliability, due to potential post-depositional contamination with younger 14C. By using luminescence dating, we show that the lake deposits were not formed between 40 and 20 ka as suggested previously, but approximately ca 410 ka, 320 ka, 200 ka, 125 ka, and 100 ka ago. All of these humid phases are in good agreement with those recorded in lake sediments and speleothems from southern Arabia. Surprisingly, no Holocene lake deposits were identified. Geological characteristics of the deposits and diatom analysis suggest that a single, perennial lake covered the entire south-western Nafud ca 320 ka ago. In contrast, lakes of the 200 ka, 125 ka, and 100 ka humid intervals were smaller and restricted to interdune depressions of a pre-existing dune relief. The concurrent occurrence of humid phases in the Nafud, southern Arabia and the eastern Mediterranean suggests that moisture in northern Arabia originated either from the Mediterranean due to more frequent frontal depression systems or from stronger Indian monsoon circulation, respectively. However, based on previously published climate model simulations and palaecolimate evidence from central Arabia and the Negev desert, we argue that humid climate conditions in the Nafud were probably caused by a stronger African monsoon and a distinct change in zonal atmospheric circulation.

Psychological adaptation to marital breakup in middle-aged persons: the role of gender and time

Marital breakup is among the most incisive stressors in adult life. While the negative effects of divorce on well-being are well documented in research literature, the large interindividual differences in psychological adaptation to marital dissolution are still not well understood. One major controversially discussed question is, whether marital dissolution represents a temporary crisis or rather a chronic strain. But also with regard of the role of gender results are mixed. The aim of the present study is to investigate the psychological adaptation (depression, perceived stress and life satisfaction) to marital breakup in a sample of 980 middle-aged persons (M = 51.8 years) who were partnered on average 19.4 years. We compared four time groups: one with a separation within the last 12 months (84 women, 36 men), another within the last 13-24 months (75 women, 19 men), a third within 25-60 months (121 women, 49 men), and one with a separation more than 60 months ago (189 women, 144 men). A group of 348 age-matched married people served as control group (189 women, 159 men). Findings from ANOVA with the outcome depression as well as with the outcome perceived stress yielded a significant main effect for both factors (gender and time). The group who had experienced a separation within the last 12 months differed significantly from all other groups (higher depression score and higher perceived stress). No significant main effect for the factor time was found for the outcome life satisfaction. Regarding gender differences, females from all time groups displayed higher depression scores and higher perceived stress but lower life satisfaction than males. These results give important insights into the process of adaptation to marital breakup, which can be used for counselling.