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El Castillo Cave is one of the most important sites for understanding the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic in Europe. Despite its importance, the absence of a widely used stratigraphic section with detailed lithostratigraphic descriptions and correlations between the different geological and archaeological interpretations has led to confusion in the correct identification of lithostratigraphic units in the lowermost, Middle Palaeolithic sequence. This study establishes a new lithostratigraphic framework for the site, which can be accurately correlated to previous geological and archaeological studies and generates a solid working basis for framing the Mousterian of El Castillo Cave in the Cantabrian region and southwestern Europe. The geological re‐evaluation of Unit XX ('Mousterian Alpha') has expanded its chronology, now ranging from 49 130–43 260 cal bp to 70 400 ± 9600 bp. Unit XXII ('Mousterian Bet') would consequently yield an age older than 70 400 ± 9600 bp and younger than the underlying speleothem (Unit XXIIIb), dated to 89 000 +11 000/‐10 000 bp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We introduce the new vertebrate site of La Piquera (Duero Basin, central Iberian Peninsula), provide a detailed description of the lithostratigraphy and present a preliminary faunal list. The fossil vertebrate association includes amphibians (with representatives of the families Salamandridae, Alytidae, Pelodytidae, and Bufonidae), squamate reptiles (with members of the families Agamidae, Lacertidae, Anguidae, Scincidae, Blanidae, 'Erycidae, and Colubridae/Psammophiidae), and mammals (with representatives of the families Soricidae, Erinaceidae, Muridae, Cricetidae, Gerbillidae, Gliridae, Sciuridae, Vespertilionidae, Rhinolophidae, Miniopteridae, Megadermatidae, Leporidae, Prolagidae, and Bovidae). The association indicates an intermediate biostratigraphic position between the southern Iberian sites of Sifón-413 (at about 5.33-5.23 Ma) and Botardo-D (between 4.79 and 4.63 Ma), the new locality being correlated with the earliest Ruscinian (lower part of the MN14 unit). The ecological affinities of the identified small vertebrates suggest the presence of a landscape dominated by open herbaceous meadows in the surroundings of the fossil-site during the earliest Pliocene, with the occasional presence of woodland patches and stable water bodies under relatively dry and warm environmental conditions. La Piquera therefore enhances our knowledge on the vertebrate community recorded in central Iberian Peninsula during the earliest Pliocene. With more than 1200 remains, La Piquera becomes a key locality for the Early Pliocene of southwestern Europe, central Spain, where this time-span is poorly represented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc pyrithione (1a), together with its analogues 1b-h and ruthenium pyrithione complex 2a, were synthesised and evaluated for the stability in biologically relevant media and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Zinc pyrithione revealed potent in vitro inhibition of cathepsin L (IC50= 1.88 ±0.49 µM) and PLPro (IC50=0.50±0.07 µM), enzymes involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication, respectively, as well as anti-viral entry and replication properties in an ex vivo system derived from primary human lung tissue. Zinc complexes 1b-h expressed comparable in vitro inhibition. On the contrary, ruthenium complex 2a and the ligand pyrithione a itself expressed poor inhibition in mentioned assays, indicating the importance of the selection of metal core and structure of metal complex for antiviral activity. Safe, effective, and preferably oral at-home therapeutics for COVID-19 are needed and as such zinc pyrithione, which is also commercially available, could be considered as a potential therapeutic agent against SARS-CoV-2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elisabeth S. Vrba's resource-use hypothesis suggests that speciation in biomes subjected to successive expansion-contraction-fragmentation during periods of climatic change generates high frequency of species restricted to a single biome (stenobiomic species). We compiled biome occupation for all terrestrial mammals and, using Monte Carlo simulations, demonstrated that patterns of biome occupation are congruent with those predicted by the resource-use hypothesis. Biome specialists are much more speciose than expected by chance, while there are fewer moderate biome generalists than expected. Despite their scarcity, extreme eurybiomic lineages show significant overrepresentation, which suggests they are seldom affected by climate-related extinction processes. Additionally, stenobiomic species are concentrated in biomes placed at the extremes of the climatic gradient, such as equatorial rainforest, subtropical desert, steppe, and tundra. Although this pattern is fairly maintained across different mammalian families, highlighting its universality, our analysis also found great variability. Exceptions to the predictions of the resource-use hypothesis seem to be associated to biome climatic or geographical heterogeneity, which favours vicariance in some biomes not placed in extremes of the climatic gradient (tropical deciduous woodland, sclerophyllous woodland-shrubland), as well as life-history differences across taxa, which generates a stronger trend to specialisation in small body size lineages than in larger mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of physiological models that reproduce SARS-CoV-2 infection in primary human cells will be instrumental to identify host-pathogen interactions and potential therapeutics. Here, using cell suspensions directly from primary human lung tissues (HLT), we have developed a rapid platform for the identification of viral targets and the expression of viral entry factors, as well as for the screening of viral entry inhibitors and anti-inflammatory compounds. The direct use of HLT cells, without long-term cell culture and in vitro differentiation approaches, preserves main immune and structural cell populations, including the most susceptible cell targets for SARS-CoV-2; alveolar type II (AT-II) cells, while maintaining the expression of proteins involved in viral infection, such as ACE2, TMPRSS2, CD147 and AXL. Further, antiviral testing of 39 drug candidates reveals a highly reproducible method, suitable for different SARS-CoV-2 variants, and provides the identification of new compounds missed by conventional systems, such as VeroE6. Using this method, we also show that interferons do not modulate ACE2 expression, and that stimulation of local inflammatory responses can be modulated by different compounds with antiviral activity. Overall, we present a relevant and rapid method for the study of SARS-CoV-2. Author summary: The early stages of laboratory identification of therapeutics against pathogens is usually based on the use of immortalized cell lines, as exemplified by many studies screening antivirals against SARS-CoV-2. Cell lines are manipulated for their continuous growth which offers several advantages, however they do not fully reproduce the behavior of primary cells nor the complexity of heterogeneous populations. In this study, we overcome this limitation by using surgical resections to establish human lung tissue (HLT) cell cultures ready for drug evaluation. First, we show that HLT preserves lung cell composition, including the main SARS-CoV-2 cellular target, namely alveolar type-2 cells, as well as the proteins required for viral entry into the cells: ACE2, CD147, TMPRSS2 and AXL. Moreover, using HLT cells we identified new antiviral drug candidates missed by conventional systems, and anti-inflammatory compounds that module molecules associated with SARS-CoV-2 infection. In summary, we have established a physiological model that can be used for the identification of novel anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics and other respiratory pathogens.​ [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile applications (apps) are becoming an essential tool when it comes to sightseeing. There is even a specific category for trips in the leading app stores. These are no strangers to the rise of the itinerant travel style, the caravans. The study aims to understand the situation of the main caravanning apps in Spain. We have carried out a web scraping methodology using a sample of 1,601 Spanish reviews of the main apps related to caravanning. The most interesting findings, among others, are that we are getting to know a sector that up to now was unknown and that even has not been affected by the pandemic crisis. Besides, the paper has demonstrated that developers do not follow the right strategies in caravanning apps. The paper also shows users' most crucial concerns about these apps. Therefore, managers of caravanning apps could improve their strategies by focusing their attention on users' concerns and, most important, reviews to respond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carnivoran‐dominated fossil sites are scarce in the fossil record but provide precious information on the diversity and ecology of past carnivoran guilds. The Cerro de los Batallones sites host the oldest carnivoran‐dominated assemblages, with the highest carnivoran abundances observed in the fossil record. Batallones‐3 (Late Miocene, Madrid Basin, Spain) hosts three discrete, carnivoran‐dominated fossiliferous levels deposited in a 15m‐diameter, 4m‐high pseudokarstic cavity with 1m‐high talus cone located beneath the mouth of the cavity on the roof. Levels I, II and III are multitaxic multidominant assemblages, with the sabretooth cats Promegantereon ogygia and Machairodus aphanistus and the ursid Indarctos arctoides being the most abundant species. These carnivoran‐dominated assemblages are autochthonous and show diagenetically fractured but well‐preserved remains (complete, little to no weathering or abrasion). Root marks and manganese oxide precipitation are common and more abundant in Level III, due to modern pedogenic processes. There are also a few allochthonous, badly preserved (weathered and abraded) herbivore remains that were washed into the cavity. The taphonomic homogeneity of all three levels suggests recurring taphonomic and geologic processes throughout the accumulation of infill in the cave. The trap‐like nature of the cave, unbroken and largely unweathered carnivoran bones suggest these predators intentionally jumped into the cave but were unable to escape. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We describe two carnivoran coprolites found in the pseudokarst natural carnivore trap of Batallones‐3, from the Late Miocene of Spain. The larger one, comprising multiple indistinguishable fragments of broken and corroded bones, indicates that the producer of the dropping might have been highly capable of crushing the softer parts of large bones. On the other hand, the smaller one shows several relatively larger and more complete bone fragments, thus exhibiting a greater capacity to break and swallow large portions of bone. The external morphology of the large coprolite is similar to that of extant bears, whereas the smaller one more closely resembles that of the living insectivorous hyaenid Proteles in morphology, on the one hand, and that of the viverrid Genetta in size, on the other hand. We hypothesize that the amphicyonid Magerycion anceps was the producer of the large coprolite and the jackal‐sized basal hyaenid Protictitherium crassum excreted the smaller one. Thus, we present the first direct evidence of a bone durophagous diet in the carnivorans of Batallones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern death assemblages provide insights about the early stages of fossilization and useful ecological information about the species inhabiting the ecosystem. We present the results of taphonomic monitoring of modern vertebrate carcasses and bones from Doñana National Park, a Mediterranean coastal ecosystem in Andalusia, Spain. Ten different habitats were surveyed. Half of them occur in active depositional environments (marshland, lake margin, river margin, beach and dunes). Most of the skeletal remains belong to land mammals larger than 5 kg in body weight (mainly wild and feral ungulates). Overall, the Doñana bone assemblage shows good preservation with little damage to the bones, partly as a consequence of the low predator pressure on large vertebrates. Assemblages from active depositional habitats differ significantly from other habitats in terms of the higher incidence of breakage and chewing marks on bones in the latter, which result from scavenging, mainly by wild boar and red fox. The lake-margin and river-margin death assemblages have high concentrations of well preserved bones that are undergoing burial and offer the greatest potential to produce fossil assemblages. The spatial distribution of species in the Doñana death assemblage generally reflects the preferred habitats of the species in life. Meadows seem to be a preferred winter habitat for male deer, given the high number of shed antlers recorded there. This study is further proof that taphonomy can provide powerful insights to better understand the ecology of modern species and to infer past and future scenarios for the fossil record. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nasera Rockshelter hosts a highly continuous sedimentary record, containing a wide array of archaeological remains from Middle Stone Age, Later Stone Age and Pastoralist occupations. Excavated by L. Leakey and M. Mehlman, geological studies carried out by R. Hay included granulometric and general mineralogical analyses but lacked individualized, detailed description and interpretation of each of the 25 levels exposed. This study presents updated detailed geological descriptions and interpretations of 17 levels exposed during excavations in 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The separation of discrete fossiliferous levels within an archaeological or paleontological site with no clear stratigraphic horizons has historically been carried out using qualitative approaches, relying on two-dimensional transversal and longitudinal projection planes. Analyses of this type, however, can often be conditioned by subjectivity based on the perspective of the analyst. This study presents a novel use of Machine Learning algorithms for pattern recognition techniques in the automated separation and identification of fossiliferous levels. This approach can be divided into three main steps including: (1) unsupervised Machine Learning for density based clustering (2) expert-in-the-loop Collaborative Intelligence Learning for the integration of geological data followed by (3) supervised learning for the final fine-tuning of fossiliferous level models. For evaluation of these techniques, this method was tested in two Late Miocene sites of the Batallones Butte paleontological complex (Madrid, Spain). Here we show Machine Learning analyses to be a valuable tool for the processing of spatial data in an efficient and quantitative manner, successfully identifying the presence of discrete fossiliferous levels in both Batallones-3 and Batallones-10. Three discrete fossiliferous levels have been identified in Batallones-3, whereas another three have been differentiated in Batallones-10. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Few studies have inquired about the relationship between myrmecological activity and the granulometry and mineralogy of sediments of a palaeontological site. The objectives of this article are to determine the sedimentological or mineralogical distinctions produced by ants of the species Messor barbarus when excavating their nests and extracting grains and vertebrate fossil remains from the Miocene palaeontological site of Somosaguas (Madrid, Spain), to evaluate the degree of taphonomic influence this myrmecological activity has on the fossil remains, and to decide whether or not it can be used as a tool for palaeontological prospection. Results show that Messor barbarus does not alter fossil remains when examined under a 10× binocular magnifying glass. Ants preferentially extract from the ant nest grains of medium sizes (0.25–2 mm) compared to the non-ant-modified soils, and also extract a higher quantity of feldspars. These significant granulometric and mineralogical modifications should be considered when carrying out compositional, sedimentological or stratigraphical studies, since these can become biased and alter geological interpretations as provenance or palaeoclimatic signal. Grain size selection could be due to Messor barbarus ' physical capacities or the use of clay particles as cementing elements in nests. Mineralogical distinction may be related to feldspars' embayments and pits filled with finer material (mainly smectites), making transportation and pheromone impregnation easier. Results show that the ant mounds had increasing concentrations of fossil remains the nearer they were from the main excavation area, therefore the study of ant mounds in potentially fossiliferous zones can indeed be used as a new method of palaeontological prospection. Highlights • Messor barbarus modifies the granulometry and composition of soils. • Messor barbarus preferentially extracts medium size grains and feldspars. • Messor barbarus does not alter taphonomically the bone remains that extracts. • The optical study of ant mounds is suitable as a prospection method. • Ants-induced bioturbation could alter palaeoclimatic signal from petrographic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spatial statistical models are powerful tools for creating simulation and prediction models. Here, we apply such models to the newly discovered 1.84 Ma site of DS (Bed I, Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania). Ongoing excavation has already exposed 370 m2 of the same discrete archaeological level. This is the biggest window into an Early Pleistocene anthropogenic site. With such a large area opened, modelling based on spatial trends (using coordinates) and on covariates (topography) has enabled the creation of predictions about where the densest concentrations of unexcavated materials may lie. Following this modelling, excavation has confirmed the predictions; the densest clusters of stone tools and fossils bones are palaeotopographically and palaeoecologically influenced. Spatial statistical analysis is, therefore, a powerful analytical tool to model and understand in-site and off-site hominin behaviour as an interaction between hominins and environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In infraclavicular lesions of brachial plexus, severe lesions of the posterior cord often occur when medial and lateral cord function is preserved to a greater or lesser extent. In these cases, shoulder function may be preserved by activity of the muscles innervated by the suprascapular nerve, but complete paralysis exists in the deltoid, triceps, and brachioradialis, and all wrist and finger extensors. Classical reconstruction procedures consist of nerve grafts, but their results in adults are disappointing. We report an approach transferring: (1) an ulnar nerve fascicle to the motor branch of the long portion of the triceps brachii muscle, (2) a median nerve branch from the pronator teres to the motor branch of the extensor carpi radialis longus, and (3) a median nerve branch from the flexor carpi radialis to the posterior interosseous nerve. We describe the procedure and report 2 clinical cases showing the effectiveness of this technique for restoring extension of the elbow, wrist, and fingers in the common infraclavicular lesions of the brachial plexus affecting the posterior cord. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In lower lesions of the brachial plexus (C8–T1) there is good function of the shoulder, elbow, and wrist, although that of the hand is impaired. Reconstruction of finger flexion is generally obtained by tendon transfer. We present a case report involving transfer of the motor nerve branch of the brachioradialis muscle to the anterior interosseous nerve to restore finger flexion in acute lower brachial plexus lesion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, pharmaceutical companies and research groups have focused on the development of vaccines and antiviral drugs against SARS-CoV-2. Here, we apply a drug repurposing strategy to identify drug candidates that are able to block the entrance of the virus into human cells. By combining virtual screening with in vitro pseudovirus assays and antiviral assays in Human Lung Tissue (HLT) cells, we identify entrectinib as a potential antiviral drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zinc pyrithione ( 1a ), together with its analogues 1b - h and ruthenium pyrithione complex 2a , were synthesised and evaluated for the stability in biologically relevant media and anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity. Zinc pyrithione revealed potent in vitro inhibition of cathepsin L (IC 50 =1.88 ± 0.49 µM) and PL Pro (IC 50 =0.50 ± 0.07 µM), enzymes involved in SARS-CoV-2 entry and replication, respectively, as well as antiviral entry and replication properties in an ex vivo system derived from primary human lung tissue. Zinc complexes 1b - h expressed comparable in vitro inhibition. On the contrary, ruthenium complex 2a and the ligand pyrithione a itself expressed poor inhibition in mentioned assays, indicating the importance of the selection of metal core and structure of metal complex for antiviral activity. Safe, effective, and preferably oral at-home therapeutics for COVID-19 are needed and as such zinc pyrithione, which is also commercially available, could be considered as a potential therapeutic agent against SARS-CoV-2.

Misiam is a modern wildebeest-dominated accumulation situated in a steep ravine covered with dense vegetation at Olduvai Gorge (Tanzania). It is interpreted here as a leopard lair to which carcasses have been transported for several years. Felid-specific bone damage patterns, felid-typical skeletal part profiles, taxonomic specialization and the physical presence of leopards observed by the authors show that leopards at Misiam can be specialized medium-sized carcass accumulators. Hyenas also intervened at intervals in the modification of the retrieved faunal assemblage. This makes Misiam a carnivore palimpsest. Here, we additionally show that leopards only transport and accumulate carcasses on occasions, that they can seem highly specialized despite being dietary generalists, and that such a behaviour may be prompted by seasonal competition or during the breeding season or both. Misiam is the first open-air leopard lair with a dense bone accumulation reported. There, leopards engaged in intensive accumulation of carcasses during the wet season, when the southern Serengeti short-grass plains undergo the effect of the famous wildebeest migration and this migratory species reaches the gorge. The ecological importance of this behaviour and its relevance as a proxy for reconstructing prehistoric carnivore behaviours are discussed., (© 2022 The Authors.)