Dating ancient manuscripts using radiocarbon and AI-based writing style analysis.

Determining by means of palaeography the chronology of ancient handwritten manuscripts such as the Dead Sea Scrolls is essential for reconstructing the evolution of ideas, but there is an almost complete lack of date-bearing manuscripts. To overcome this problem, we present Enoch, an AI-based date-prediction model, trained on the basis of 24 14C-dated scroll samples. By applying Bayesian ridge regression on angular and allographic writing style feature vectors, Enoch could predict 14C-based dates with varied mean absolute errors (MAEs) of 27.

Proteome-wide analysis reveals molecular pathways affected by AgNP in a ROS-dependent manner.

The use of mass spectrometry-based proteomics has been increasingly applied in nanomaterials risk assessments as it provides a proteome-wide overview of the molecular disturbances induced by its exposure. Here, we used this technique to gain detailed molecular insights into the role of ROS as an effector of AgNP toxicity, by incubating Bend3 cells with AgNP in the absence or presence of an antioxidant N-acetyl L-cystein (NAC). ROS generation is a key player in AgNP-induced toxicity, as cellular homeostasis was kept in the presence of NAC.

Elucidating the cellular response of silver nanoparticles as a potential combinatorial agent for cisplatin chemotherapy.

Background: Combination chemotherapy uses drugs that target different cancer hallmarks, resulting in synergistic or additive toxicity. This strategy enhances therapeutic efficacy as well as minimizes drug resistance and side effects. In this study, we investigated whether silver nanoparticles act as a combinatorial partner to cisplatin.

Silver nanoparticle-induced expression of proteins related to oxidative stress and neurodegeneration in an in vitro human blood-brain barrier model.

Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) have been reported to penetrate the central nervous system (CNS) and induce neurotoxicity. However, there is a paucity of understanding of the toxicity of AgNPs and their effect on the blood-brain barrier (BBB) including the underlying molecular mechanism(s) of action. Such information is important for the formulation of new strategies for delivery of biological therapeutics to central nervous system (CNS) targets.

Facial approximation of Tycho Brahe's partial skull based on estimated data with TIVMI-AFA3D.

The virtual approach in physical and forensic anthropology is increasingly used to further analyze human remains, but also to propose new didactic means for visualization and dissemination of scientific results. Computerized facial approximation (FA) offers an alternative to manual methods, but usually requires a complete facial skeleton to allow for the estimation of the facial appearance of an individual. This paper presents the case of Tycho Brahe, Danish astronomer born during the XVIth century, whose remains were reanalyzed at the occasion of a short exhumation in 2010.

Rich table but short life: Diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis in Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) and its possible consequences.

The exhumation of Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe (1546-1601) was performed in 2010 to verify speculative views on the cause of his death. Previous analyses of skeletal and hair remains recovered from his grave refuted the presumption that he died from poisoning. These studies also outlined the possibility that he actually died from an acute illness, echoing the rather vague and inaccurate testimony of some historical records.

Toxicological interactions of silver nanoparticles and non-essential metals in human hepatocarcinoma cell line.

Toxicological interaction represents a challenge to toxicology, particularly for novel contaminants. There are no data whether silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), present in a wide variety of products, can interact and modulate the toxicity of ubiquitous contaminants, such as nonessential metals. In the current study, we investigated the toxicological interactions of AgNP (size=1-2nm; zeta potential=-23mV), cadmium and mercury in human hepatoma HepG2 cells.

On the distribution of trace element concentrations in multiple bone elements in 10 Danish medieval and post-medieval individuals.

Background: The differences in trace element concentrations among 19 different bone elements procured from 10 archaeologically derived human skeletons have been investigated. The 10 individuals are dated archaeologically and some by radiocarbon dating to the medieval and post-medieval period, an interval from ca. AD 1150 to ca.

Schleswig: medieval leprosy on the boundary between Germany and Denmark.

Leprosy was a well-recognized and dreaded disease in medieval Europe. The disease is reported to have reached Germany with the Roman invasion and it was present in Scandinavia in the first centuries AD. This paper estimates and analyzes the frequency of leprosy among adult people buried in one of five medieval cemeteries in the city of Schleswig.

Sampling strategy and analysis of trace element concentrations by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry on medieval human bones--the concept of chemical life history.

Rationale: Medieval human bones have the potential to reveal diet, mobility and treatment of diseases in the past. During the last two decades trace element chemistry has been used extensively in archaeometric investigations revealing such data. Many studies have reported the trace element inventory in only one sample from each skeleton - usually from the femur or a tooth.