| 1. |
- Valdiosera, Cristina, et al.
(author)
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Four millennia of Iberian biomolecular prehistory illustrate the impact of prehistoric migrations at the far end of Eurasia
- 2018
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 115:13, s. 3428-3433
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Population genomic studies of ancient human remains have shown how modern-day European population structure has been shaped by a number of prehistoric migrations. The Neolithization of Europe has been associated with large-scale migrations from Anatolia, which was followed by migrations of herders from the Pontic steppe at the onset of the Bronze Age. Southwestern Europe was one of the last parts of the continent reached by these migrations, and modern-day populations from this region show intriguing similarities to the initial Neolithic migrants. Partly due to climatic conditions that are unfavorable for DNA preservation, regional studies on the Mediterranean remain challenging. Here, we present genome-wide sequence data from 13 individuals combined with stable isotope analysis from the north and south of Iberia covering a four-millennial temporal transect (7,500-3,500 BP). Early Iberian farmers and Early Central European farmers exhibit significant genetic differences, suggesting two independent fronts of the Neolithic expansion. The first Neolithic migrants that arrived in Iberia had low levels of genetic diversity, potentially reflecting a small number of individuals; this diversity gradually increased over time from mixing with local hunter-gatherers and potential population expansion. The impact of post-Neolithic migrations on Iberia was much smaller than for the rest of the continent, showing little external influence from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. Paleodietary reconstruction shows that these populations have a remarkable degree of dietary homogeneity across space and time, suggesting a strong reliance on terrestrial food resources despite changing culture and genetic make-up.
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| 2. |
- Espinosa-Oliva, Ana M., et al.
(author)
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Inflammatory bowel disease induces pathological α-synuclein aggregation in the human gut and brain
- 2024
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In: Neuropathology and Applied Neurobiology. - 0305-1846. ; 50:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Aims: According to Braak's hypothesis, it is plausible that Parkinson's disease (PD) originates in the enteric nervous system (ENS) and spreads to the brain through the vagus nerve. In this work, we studied whether inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs) in humans can progress with the emergence of pathogenic α-synuclein (α-syn) in the gastrointestinal tract and midbrain dopaminergic neurons. Methods: We have analysed the gut and the ventral midbrain from subjects previously diagnosed with IBD and form a DSS-based rat model of gut inflammation in terms of α-syn pathology. Results: Our data support the existence of pathogenic α-syn in both the gut and the brain, thus reinforcing the potential role of the ENS as a contributing factor in PD aetiology. Additionally, we have analysed the effect of a DSS-based rat model of gut inflammation to demonstrate (i) the appearance of P-α-syn inclusions in both Auerbach's and Meissner's plexuses (gut), (ii) an increase in α-syn expression in the ventral mesencephalon (brain) and (iii) the degeneration of nigral dopaminergic neurons, which all are considered classical hallmarks in PD. Conclusion: These results strongly support the plausibility of Braak's hypothesis and emphasise the significance of peripheral inflammation and the gut-brain axis in initiating α-syn aggregation and transport to the substantia nigra, resulting in neurodegeneration.
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| 3. |
- Frantz, Laurent A. F., et al.
(author)
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Ancient pigs reveal a near-complete genomic turnover following their introduction to Europe
- 2019
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 116:35, s. 17231-17238
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Archaeological evidence indicates that pig domestication had begun by similar to 10,500 y before the present ( BP) in the Near East, and mitochondrial DNA ( mtDNA) suggests that pigs arrived in Europe alongside farmers similar to 8,500 y BP. A few thousand years after the introduction of Near Eastern pigs into Europe, however, their characteristic mtDNA signature disappeared and was replaced by haplotypes associated with European wild boars. This turnover could be accounted for by substantial gene flow from local European wild boars, although it is also possible that European wild boars were domesticated independently without any genetic contribution from the Near East. To test these hypotheses, we obtained mtDNA sequences from 2,099 modern and ancient pig samples and 63 nuclear ancient genomes from Near Eastern and European pigs. Our analyses revealed that European domestic pigs dating from 7,100 to 6,000 y BP possessed both Near Eastern and European nuclear ancestry, while later pigs possessed no more than 4% Near Eastern ancestry, indicating that gene flow from European wild boars resulted in a near-complete disappearance of Near East ancestry. In addition, we demonstrate that a variant at a locus encoding black coat color likely originated in the Near East and persisted in European pigs. Altogether, our results indicate that while pigs were not independently domesticated in Europe, the vast majority of human-mediated selection over the past 5,000 y focused on the genomic fraction derived from the European wild boars, and not on the fraction that was selected by early Neolithic farmers over the first 2,500 y of the domestication process.
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| 4. |
- Günther, Torsten, et al.
(author)
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Ancient genomes link early farmers from Atapuerca in Spain to modern-day Basques
- 2015
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 112:38, s. 11917-11922
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The consequences of the Neolithic transition in Europe-one of the most important cultural changes in human prehistory-is a subject of great interest. However, its effect on prehistoric and modern-day people in Iberia, the westernmost frontier of the European continent, remains unresolved. We present, to our knowledge, the first genome-wide sequence data from eight human remains, dated to between 5,500 and 3,500 years before present, excavated in the El Portalon cave at Sierra de Atapuerca, Spain. We show that these individuals emerged from the same ancestral gene pool as early farmers in other parts of Europe, suggesting that migration was the dominant mode of transferring farming practices throughout western Eurasia. In contrast to central and northern early European farmers, the Chalcolithic El Portalon individuals additionally mixed with local southwestern hunter-gatherers. The proportion of hunter-gatherer-related admixture into early farmers also increased over the course of two millennia. The Chalcolithic El Portalon individuals showed greatest genetic affinity to modern-day Basques, who have long been considered linguistic and genetic isolates linked to the Mesolithic whereas all other European early farmers show greater genetic similarity to modern-day Sardinians. These genetic links suggest that Basques and their language may be linked with the spread of agriculture during the Neolithic. Furthermore, all modern-day Iberian groups except the Basques display distinct admixture with Caucasus/Central Asian and North African groups, possibly related to historical migration events. The El Portalon genomes uncover important pieces of the demographic history of Iberia and Europe and reveal how prehistoric groups relate to modern-day people.
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| 5. |
- Anderung, Cecilia, et al.
(author)
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Prehistoric contacts over the Straits of Gibraltar indicated by genetic analysis of Iberian Bronze Age cattle
- 2005
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In: PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424. ; 102:24, s. 8431-8435
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The geographic situation of the Iberian Peninsula makes it a natural link between Europe and North Africa. However, it is a matter of debate to what extent African influences via the Straits Gibraltar have affected Iberia's prehistoric development. Because early African pastoralist communities were dedicated to cattle breeding, a possible means to detect prehistoric African–Iberian contacts might be to analyze the origin of cattle breeds on the Iberian Peninsula. Some contemporary Iberian cattle breeds show a mtDNA haplotype, T1, that is characteristic to African breeds, generally explained as being the result of the Muslim expansion of the 8th century A.D., and of modern imports. To test a possible earlier African influence, we analyzed mtDNA of Bronze Age cattle from the Portalón cave at the Atapuerca site in northern Spain. Although the majority of samples showed the haplotype T3 that dominates among European breeds of today, the T1 haplotype was found in one specimen radiocarbon dated 1800 calibrated years B.C. Accepting T1 as being of African origin, this result indicates prehistoric African–Iberian contacts and lends support to archaeological finds linking early African and Iberian cultures. We also found a wild ox haplotype in the Iberian Bronze Age sample, reflecting local hybridization or backcrossing or that aurochs were hunted by these farming cultures.
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| 6. |
- Arend, Giordana Demaman, et al.
(author)
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Is nanofiltration an efficient technology to recover and stabilize phenolic compounds from guava (Psidium guajava) leaves extract?
- 2022
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In: Food Bioscience. - : Elsevier BV. - 2212-4292 .- 2212-4306. ; 50
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Guava leaves (Psidium guajava) are popularly known due to their effects antidiabetic, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antidiarrheal, and functional properties. Processes for the concentration of these extracts are necessary since their pharmacological effects are dose-dependent. In this work, guava leaves aqueous extract (GE) concentration was carried out in nanofiltration (NF) equipment. Process performance was evaluated in terms of permeate flux, flux decline modeling, and extract quality (compounds characterization, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity). NF allowed an increase in phenolic compounds next to 20-times, retention coefficients of total phenolic compounds (99%) and enhanced antioxidant capacity (an increase of 4 and 9-fold for ABTS and DPPH, respectively) compared to the initial GE. Forty-two phenolic compounds were identified, being catechin (594.56 mg mL-1) and vescalagin (295.39 mg mL-1) the main compounds. All phenolics pre-sented a significant increase (p < 0.05) after the concentration suggesting that NF is efficient for the recovery and concentration of bioactive compounds and poses as an alternative to obtain functional products and improve added value in agro-industrial residues.
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