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The diverse climate types and geographical structures across Anatolia result in a high level of species diversity. Among these, the lizard species Lacerta diplochondrodes exhibits several distinct populations, with some of them recognized as subspecies. The primary objective of our study was to investigate whether populations from Thrace and the Western Black Sea region of Türkiye differ from other documented populations. For this purpose, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of genetic and morphometric parameters. For the genetic analysis, we utilized the COI and cyt-b gene regions as molecular markers. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Canonical Discriminant Analysis (CDA) were used for the morphometric analyses to differentiate populations. Our findings indicate that a population found in the Bolu region in Western Black Sea region of Turkey differs from the other populations both in morphometric and genetic traits. The L. d. diplochondrodes and L. d. cariensis populations represent sister lineages, and they are both genetically and morphologically only weakly differentiated. These two lineages are therefore referred to as L. d. diplochondrodes. Overall, four different lineages can be distinguished in Türkiye, out of which the lineage of the Western Black Sea region (Bolu lineage) is described for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SARS-CoV-2 are enveloped RNA viruses that belong to the family Coronaviridae of genus Beta coronavirus, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic. The mutation rate is high among RNA viruses and in particular, coronavirus replication is error prone with an estimated mutation rate of 4x10-4 nucleotide substitutions per site per year. Variants of SARS-CoV-2 have been reported from various countries like United Kingdom, South Africa, Denmark, Brazil and India. These variants evolved due to mutations in spike gene of SARS-CoV-2. The most concerning variants are Variant of Concern (VOC) 202012/01 from United Kingdom and B.1.617 variant of India. Other variants include B.1.351 lineages, cluster 5/SARS-CoV-2 variant of Denmark, 501.V2 variant/SARS-CoV-2 variant of South Africa, lineage B.1.1.248/lineage P.1 of Brazil. Mutations in S protein may result in changes in the transmissibility and virulence of SARS-CoV-2. To date, alterations in virulence or pathogenicity have been reported among the variants from many parts of the globe. In our opinion, since the S protein is significantly altered, the suitability of existing vaccine specifically targeting the S protein of SARS-CoV-2 variants is a major concern. The mutations in SARSCoV-2 are a continuous and evolving process that may result in the transformation of naïve SARS-CoV-2 into totally new subsets of antigenically different SARS-CoV-2 viruses over a period of time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Tiempos Modernos is the property of Tiempos Modernos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Tiempos Modernos is the property of Tiempos Modernos and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Fronteras de la Historia is the property of Instituto Colombiano de Antropologia e Historia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Peste des petits ruminant (PPR) is a highly contagious, infectious viral disease of small ruminant species which is caused by the peste des petits ruminants virus (PPRV), the prototype member of the Morbillivirus genus in the Paramyxoviridae family. Peste des petits ruminant was first described in West Africa, where it has probably been endemic in sheep and goats since the emergence of the rinderpest pandemic and was always misdiagnosed with rinderpest in sheep and goats. Since its discovery PPR has had a major impact on sheep and goat breeders in Africa and has therefore been a key focus of research at the veterinary research institutes and university faculties of veterinary medicine in Africa. Several key discoveries were made at these institutions, including the isolation and propagation of African PPR virus isolates, notable amongst which was the Nigerian PPRV 75/1 that was used in the scientific study to understand the taxonomy, molecular dynamics, lineage differentiation of PPRV and the development of vaccine seeds for immunisation against PPR. African sheep and goat breeds including camels and wild ruminants are frequently infected, manifesting clinical signs of the disease, whereas cattle and pigs are asymptomatic but can seroconvert for PPR. The immunisation of susceptible sheep and goats remains the most effective and practical control measure against PPR. To carry out PPR vaccination in tropical African countries with a very high temperature, a thermostable vaccine using the rinderpest lyophilisation method to the attenuated Nigeria 75/1 PPR vaccine strain has been developed, which will greatly facilitate the delivery of vaccination in the control, prevention and global eradication of PPR. Apart from vaccination, other important questions that will contribute towards the control and prevention of PPR need to be answered, for example, to identify the period when a susceptible naïve animal becomes infectious when in contact with an infected animal and when an infectious animal becomes contagious. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organisms reproducing via asexuality harbor a great diversity of lineages, morphotypes and ecotypes. However, classification of asexual taxa does not fit into contemporary species concepts, and hence the diversity of apomictic plant complexes is not well reflected in taxonomy. Plants reproducing via apomixis (i.e., asexual seed formation = agamospermy) exemplify the theoretical and practical problems of classification. Obligately asexual organisms do not form reproductive communities, but they do constitute ancestor-descendant lineages. From the conceptual side, evolutionary lineage concepts would fit best for species delimitation. Recent research showed that these lineages are not necessarily threatened by rapid extinction and do have persistence in time and space. Facultative sexuality and low levels of residual recombination counteract the accumulation of deleterious mutations due to the lack of recombination (Muller's ratchet). Apomictic lineages do have adaptive potential, which is demonstrated by the ability to occupy large distribution areas and to experience ecological niche shifts. The challenge for classification of asexual lineages, however, is to find operational criteria for species delimitation. Current practices of species delimitation can be grouped into four main principles: (1) the sexuals-first principle means that obligate sexual progenitor species are classified separately from their apomictic derivatives. (2) The all-in-one principle merges sexual progenitors and highly facultative apomictic derivatives into one species, whereby the apomicts often represent autopolyploids without differentiated phenotypes. (3) The cluster concept applies to allopolyploid complexes with facultative apomixis and a huge diversity of genotypes and morphotypes; here the main genetic clusters are treated as species. (4) Almost obligate apomictic lineages are being classified as agamospecies. The four principles reflect quite well evolutionary traits and diversity of lineages. Finally, a recommendation for a workflow is given, following this gradient from obligate sexuality to obligate apomixis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) are associated with greater mortality and morbidity; however, risk factors for community-acquired infections caused by MRSA have not been established. Therefore, community patients who are admitted to hospitals without the necessary contact precautions and are infected with community-acquired lineages eventually cause these lineages to spread to these settings. The aim of this study was to detect community-acquired lineages of MRSA in patients on admission to a Brazilian teaching hospital. Methods The antimicrobial susceptibility of the MRSA isolates from nasal swabs was evaluated as was the molecular characteristics of the staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCC mec ). The clonality was determined using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis and multilocus sequence type analysis. Results A total of 702 patients were evaluated between March 2012 and March 2013; 180 (25%) of them were colonized by S aureus , and 21 (3%) were MRSA. The SCC mec IV/USA1100/sequence type (ST) 30 was the predominant MRSA lineage (42.8%), followed by SCC mec IV/USA800/ST5 (23.8%). Conclusions The occurrence of MRSA colonization was very low, and only 1 patient from cardiac surgery developed an infection, which was caused by an SCC mec II/USA100/ST5 isolate. Screening for MRSA colonization on admission does not seem to be productive; however, for populations submitted to specific surgeries, active surveillance should be implemented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Anuario de Estudios Americanos is the property of Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) or extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Tuberculosis (TB) is a major challenge to global TB control. Therefore, accurate tracing of in-country MDR-TB transmission are crucial for the development of optimal TB management strategies. This study aimed to investigate the diversity of MTBC in Nigeria. The lineage and drug-resistance patterns of the clinical MTBC isolates of TB patients in Southwestern region of Nigeria were determined using the WGS approach. The phenotypic DST of the isolates was determined for nine anti-TB drugs. The sequencing achieved average genome coverage of 65.99X. The most represented lineages were L4 (n = 52, 83%), L1 (n = 8, 12%), L2 (n = 2, 3%) and L5 (n = 1, 2%), suggesting a diversified MTB population. In term of detection of M/XDR-TB, while mutations in katG and rpoB genes are the strong predictors for the presence of M/XDR-TB, the current study also found the lack of good genetic markers for drug resistance amongst the MTBC in Nigeria which may pose greater problems on local tuberculosis management efforts. This high-resolution molecular epidemiological data provides valuable insights into the mechanistic for M/XDR TB in Lagos, Nigeria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied to what extent family lines die out over the course of 122 years based on Swedish population-level data. Our data included demographic and socioeconomic information for four generations in the Skellefteå region of northern Sweden from 1885 to 2007. The first generation in our sample consisted of men and women born between 1885 and 1899 (N = 5850), and we observed their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. We found that 48% of the first generation did not have any living descendants (great-grandchildren) by 2007. The risk of a family line dying out within the four-generational framework was highest among those who had relatively low fertility in the first generation. Mortality during reproductive years was also a leading reason why individuals in the first generation ended up with a greater risk of not leaving descendants. We identified socioeconomic differences: both the highest-status and the lowest-status occupational groups saw an increased risk of not leaving any descendants. Almost all lineages that made it to the third generation also made it to the fourth generation. • Nearly half of men and women born in northern Sweden 1885–1899 did not have any great-grandchildren. • Lineage extinction is considerable also in a population with strong population growth. • We examine differences in lineage extinction by occupation and sex. • We find only small differences between individuals not having any grandchildren, and the share not having great-grandchildren. • Mortality in adulthood contributes substantially to lineage extinction for the study cohorts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Estudios de Historia de España is the property of Pontificia Universidad Catolica Argentina and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Hispania: Revista Española de Historia is the property of Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Summary: This study aimed to characterize meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) lineages circulating in a Brazilian teaching hospital. MRSA isolates from nasal swabs were evaluated to assess antimicrobial susceptibility, staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCCmec), Panton–Valentine leucocidin status, pulsed-field gel electrophoresis profile and multi-locus sequence type (MLST) analysis. Eighty-three MRSA isolates were analysed. SCCmec III (43.4%) and IV (49.4%) were predominant. ST1-IV (USA400) was more common in internal medicine (P = 0.002) whereas ‘clone M’ (SCCmec III) was more common in the medical and surgical intensive care unit (P = 0.004), and all isolates were ST5-IV (USA800) in dermatology (P < 0.001). These data improved the understanding of the MRSA epidemiology inside the hospital and helped to establish effective control measures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In post-apartheid South Africa, many hopes were pinned on the process of land-restitution to be a major part of power and wealth redistribution. However, as the land claims process is linked to demonstrable historical legitimacy, this process has sometimes necessitated both the restating and reinventing of local histories and "ethnic identities", in line with new political structures or moral frameworks. This article addresses continuity and innovation in strategies around historical adaptation to governance structures, ethnicity and "traditional" structures in South Africa. These themes will be explored using Hammanskraal, located in the north of Gauteng, as a case study, examining the way legitimacy has been gained, constructed and established in two specific periods: around 1911-1944 and 1995-2010. In 1944, government ethnographer NJ Van Warmelo produced a history of Johannes "Jan Tana" Kekana's Ndebele, depicting the history and lineage of the AmaNdebele-a-Moletlane group. In 1995, a substantial land-claim was lodged by a contestant for the chieftaincy of the AmaNdebele-a-Moletlane, presenting a different historical background that contested the narrative produced by Van Warmelo. The contestant for the chieftaincy, not currently officially recognised by South African state structures, has used various strategies to concretise his position. These strategies show how entrenched historical legitimacy is being counteracted by popular modes of expression, construction and communication. This new politics, consciously constructed around ideas of traditional structures and legitimacy, interacts with new power structures, adding the importance of political connections or resources to the construction of the claim. Contextualising this historically shows how continuities regarding "traditional" authorities have interacted with the state before, during and after apartheid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of gold coinage in the Medieval Catalonian counties has received considerable academic attention over the past forty years. A crucial factor, the characterisation of individuals using gold currency as their basis of accountancy, however, has to date been neglected. The main aim of this paper is to tackle this issue on the basis of the Diplomatari of Santes Creus. After crossing the data with those extracted from seven other documental sets in the Catalonian counties, the kinship and social links and the properties of 86% of users of gold currency in Santes Creus have been identified. Results show that accounting solutions based on gold weight or gold coinage were essentially used by a closed and not too extensive group of magnates of variable status, connected by kinship, vassalage and proximity links. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thesis according to which, in evolutionary biology, species are thought as individual entities is discussed here pointing to three particular questions: the supposition that individuals are always entities able to be spatially localized; the characterization of the nature of the processes to which taxa, being individual entities, are submitted, and the need of a clear distinction between two types of individual entities: the lineages and the systems. We also make comparisons between the Darwinian way of understanding species and the way in which Buffon understood them, and between the Darwinian genealogical taxonomy and the typological taxonomy proposed by Cuvier. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During our survey of the high-ranking courtier of Dao Cam Moc and the Dao lineage in Ngo Thi hamlet, Co Loa commune, Dong Anh district (Hanoi), the author and his colleagues visited the temple of Noi Hau, which was reconstructed recently. The steles housed in the temple contain an enormous amount of information for the study of ancient villages and the development of the Nom scripts in modern Vietnam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Since the emergence of the new virus SARS-CoV-2, multiple lineages have appeared. The virus's genetic diversity has the potential to impact its transmissibility and evade natural infection- or vaccine-elicited neutralizing antibodies. It is necessary then to monitor the different variants and/or set of mutations and to track their diffusion throughout the world as they play a crucial role in controlling the pandemic. Assays other than next-generation sequencing (NGS) can be used as screening tests to track these variants. Objective: To evaluate different real-time RT-PCR protocols for the molecular detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOC) and variants of interest (VOI). Materials and methods: Nasopharyngeal samples were used for RNA extraction; 5 µL of the extracted RNA underwent real-time RT-PCR targeting the virus gene E. We used gene RNAse P as an internal control. On average, 20 positive specimens were further analyzed with six different commercial and in-house protocols for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 VOC and VOI following manufacturers' instructions. All the samples were characterized by NGS using the amplicon sequencing protocol v3 (https://www. protocols.io/view/ncov-2019-sequencing-protocol-v3-locost-bh42j8ye). The assembly of raw data was performed by following the pipeline described in the Oxford Nanopore Technologies platform (https://artic.network/ncov-2019/ncov2019-bioinformatics-sop. html) and the lineages were assigned by using the pangolin software. Results: We found that most of the molecular targets present in these variants were detected by the assays. On average, 81% of the samples were detected correctly as VOC and VOI with a maximum and minimum sensitivity of 100% and 60%, respectively. The protocol proposed by Vogels, et al. allowed the screening of different circulating VOC and VOI in the country. Conclusion: Our results showed that qRT-PCR protocols for detecting mutations of concern or interest in SARS-CoV-2 variants are useful as a screening method to prioritize samples before whole-genome sequencing. We recommend the use of this approach for the early detection of VOC and VOI in Colombia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]