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1. Diagnosis and assessment of the motivation and mathematical competence of students majoring in systems programming.

Author

Sirakova, N. and Sirakov, N.

Subjects
*MOTIVATION (Psychology), *MATHEMATICS students, *MATHEMATICS, *DIAGNOSIS
Abstract

The article discusses the problem of motivation in teaching mathematics to students majoring in systems programming. Based on research, conclusions are made about the reasons for reducing motivation and ideas are offered to improve it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2023
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6. An ancient continuous human presence in the Balkans and the beginnings of human settlement in western Eurasia: A Lower Pleistocene example of the Lower Palaeolithic levels in Kozarnika cave (North-western Bulgaria)

Author

Sirakov, N., Guadelli, J.-L., Ivanova, S., Sirakova, S., Boudadi-Maligne, M., Dimitrova, I., Ph, Fernandez, Ferrier, C., Guadelli, A., Iordanova, D., Iordanova, N., Kovatcheva, M., Krumov, I., Leblanc, J.-Cl., Miteva, V., Popov, V., Spassov, R., Taneva, S., and Tsanova, T.

Published
2010
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8. The RESET project: Constructing a European tephra lattice for refined synchronisation of environmental and archaeological events during the last c. 100 ka

Author

Lowe, John J, Ramsey, Christopher Bronk, Housley, Rupert A., Lane, Christine S., Tomlinson, Emma L., Stringer, Chris, Davies, William, Barton, Nick, Pollard, Mark, Gamble, Clive, Menzies, Martin, Rohling, Eelco, Roberts, Andrew, Blockley, Simon, Cullen, Victoria, Grant, Katharine, Lewis, Mark, Macleod, Alison, White, Dustin, Albert, Paul, Hardiman, Mark, Lee, Sharen, Anna, Oh, Satow, Christopher, Cross, Joanna K., Law, Cassian Bramham, Todman, Anna, Bourne, Anna, Matthews, Ian, Müller, Wolfgang, Smith, Victoria, Wulf, Sabine, Anghelinu, M., Antl Weiser, W., Bar Yosef, O., Boric, D., Boscato, P., Ronchitelli, A., Chabai, V., Veselsky, A., Uthmeier, T., Farrand, W., Gjipali, I., Ruka, R., Güleç, E., Karavanic, I., Karkanas, P., King, T., Komšo, D., Koumouzelis, M., Kyparissi, N., Lengyel, G., Mester, Z., Neruda, P., Panagopoulou, E., Shalamanov Korobar, L., Tolevski, I., Sirakov, N., Guadelli, A., Guadelli, J. L., Ferrier, C., Skrdla, P., Slimak, L., Soler, N., Soler, J., Soressi, M., Tushabramishvilii, N., Zilhão, J., Angelucci, D., Albert, P., Bramham Law, C., Cullen, V. L., Lincoln, P., Staff, R., Flower, K., Aouadi Abdeljaouad, N., Belhouchet, L., Barker, G., Bouzouggar, A., Van Peer, P., Kindermann, K., Gerken, K., Niemann, H., Tipping, R., Saville, A., Ward, T., Clausen, I., Weber, M. J., Kaiser, K., Torksdorf, J. F., Turner, F., Veil, S., Nygaard, N., Pyne O'Donnell, S. D. F., Masojc, M., Nalepka, D., Jurochnik, A., Kabacinski, J., Antoine, P., Olive, M., Christensen, M., Bodu, P., Debout, G., Orliac, M., De Bie, M., Van Gils, M., Paulissen, E., Brou, L., Leesch, D., Hadorn, P., Thew, N., Riede, F., Heinen, M., Joris, O., Richter, J., Knipping, M., Stika, H. P., Friedrich, M., Conard, N., Malina, M., Kind, C. J., Beutelspacher, T., Mortensen, M. F., Burdukiewicz, J. M., Szynkiewicz, A., Poltowicz Bobak, M., Bobak, D., Wisniewski, A., Przezdziecki, M., Valde Nowak, P., Muzyczuk, A., Davies, L., Macleod, A., Morgan, P., Aydar, Erkan, Çubukçu, Evren, Brown, Richard, Coltelli, Mauro, Castro, Deborah Lo, Cioni, Raffaello, Derosa, Rosanna, Donato, Paola, Roberto, Alessio Di, Gertisser, Ralf, Giordano, Guido, Branney, Mike, Jordan, Nina, Keller, Jörg, Kinvig, Helen, Gottsman, Jo, Blundy, Jon, Marani, Michael, Orsi, Giovanni, Civetta, Lucia, Arienzo, Ilenia, Carandente, Antonio, Rosi, Mauro, Zanchetta, Giovanni, Seghedi, Ioan, Szakacs, Alex, Sulpizio, Roberto, Thordarson, Thor, Trincardi, Fabio, Vigliotti, Luigi, Asioli, Alesssandra, Piva, Andrea, Andric, M., Brauer, A., de Klerk, P., Filippi, M. L., Finsinger, W., Galovic, L., Jones, T., Lotter, A., Müller, U., Pross, J., Mangerud, J., Lohne, Ø., Pyne O'Donnell, S., Markovic, S., Pini, R., Ravazzi, C., Theuerkauf, M., Tzedakis, C., Margari, V., Veres, D., Wastegård, S., Ortiz, J. E., Torres, T., Díaz Bautista, A., Moreno, A., Valero Garcés, B., Lowick, S., Ottolini, Lusia, John J. Lowe a,, Christopher Bronk Ramsey, B, A, Rupert A. Housley, B, Christine S. Lane, C, Emma L. Tomlinson, Team, Reset, and Giordano, Guido

Subjects
Archeology, Environmental change, Evolution, Dansgaard–Oeschger and Heinrich events, Abrupt environmental transitions (AETs), Dansgaard-Oeschger and Heinrich events, Last Glacial stage, Middle to Upper Palaeolithic, Tephra database, Tephra geochemistry, Volcanic ash isochrons, Geology, Global and Planetary Change, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics, Archeology (arts and humanities), Behavior and Systematics, Glacial period, Tephra, Holocene, Isochron dating, Ecology, Volcanic ash isochron, Tephra geochemistr, Quaternary science, Archaeology, Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematic, Dansgaard-Oeschger and Heinrich event, Mainland, Physical geography
Abstract

This paper introduces the aims and scope of the RESET project (. RESponse of humans to abrupt Environmental Transitions), a programme of research funded by the Natural Environment Research Council (UK) between 2008 and 2013; it also provides the context and rationale for papers included in a special volume of Quaternary Science Reviews that report some of the project's findings. RESET examined the chronological and correlation methods employed to establish causal links between the timing of abrupt environmental transitions (AETs) on the one hand, and of human dispersal and development on the other, with a focus on the Middle and Upper Palaeolithic periods. The period of interest is the Last Glacial cycle and the early Holocene (c. 100-8 ka), during which time a number of pronounced AETs occurred. A long-running topic of debate is the degree to which human history in Europe and the Mediterranean region during the Palaeolithic was shaped by these AETs, but this has proved difficult to assess because of poor dating control. In an attempt to move the science forward, RESET examined the potential that tephra isochrons, and in particular non-visible ash layers (cryptotephras), might offer for synchronising palaeo-records with a greater degree of finesse. New tephrostratigraphical data generated by the project augment previously-established tephra frameworks for the region, and underpin a more evolved tephra 'lattice' that links palaeo-records between Greenland, the European mainland, sub-marine sequences in the Mediterranean and North Africa. The paper also outlines the significance of other contributions to this special volume: collectively, these illustrate how the lattice was constructed, how it links with cognate tephra research in Europe and elsewhere, and how the evidence of tephra isochrons is beginning to challenge long-held views about the impacts of environmental change on humans during the Palaeolithic. © 2015 Elsevier Ltd., RESET was funded through Consortium Grants awarded by the Natural Environment Research Council, UK, to a collaborating team drawn from four institutions: Royal Holloway University of London (grant reference NE/E015905/1), the Natural History Museum, London (NE/E015913/1), Oxford University (NE/E015670/1) and the University of Southampton, including the National Oceanography Centre (NE/01531X/1). The authors also wish to record their deep gratitude to four members of the scientific community who formed a consultative advisory panel during the lifetime of the RESET project: Professor Barbara Wohlfarth (Stockholm University), Professor Jørgen Peder Steffensen (Niels Bohr Institute, Copenhagen), Dr. Martin Street (Romisch-Germanisches Zentralmuseum, Neuwied) and Professor Clive Oppenheimer (Cambridge University). They provided excellent advice at key stages of the work, which we greatly valued. We also thank Jenny Kynaston (Geography Department, Royal Holloway) for construction of several of the figures in this paper, and Debbie Barrett (Elsevier) and Colin Murray Wallace (Editor-in-Chief, QSR) for their considerable assistance in the production of this special volume.

Published
2015
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9. Rapport de la Mission Paléolithique-Bulgarie « Les plus anciennes manifestations de la présence humaine dans les Balkans » (MAE)

Author

Guadelli, J.L., Sirakov, N., Boyadzhiev, K., Crèvecoeur, I., Dimitrova, I., Fontugne, Michel, Guadelli, A., Kovacheva, M., Krumov, I., Miteva, V., Mitov, K., Sirakova, S., Taneva, S., Tisnérat-Laborde, Nadine, Yordanova, D., Yordanova, N., De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement [Gif-sur-Yvette] (LSCE), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Géochrononologie Traceurs Archéométrie (GEOTRAC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), MAE, Projet de recherche conjoint CNRS-Univ. Bordeaux I / Institut d’Archéologie et Musée de l’Académie bulgare des Sciences, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
[SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere, [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment
Published
2013

10. Палеолитът в Белоградчишкия карст (българо-френски проучвания): Пещера Козарника

Author

Guadelli, Jean-Luc, Sirakov, N., Sirakova, B., Ivanova, S., Fernandez, Philippe, Taneva, S., Guadelli, A., Miteva, V., I., Krumov, Dimitrova, I., Spassov, R., De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique (LAMPEA), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC), Natsionalen Arhelogicheski Institut I Musei – BAN, and fernandez, philippe

Subjects
[SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, Kozarnika cave, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS
Abstract

International audience

Published
2012

11. N°1. Prouchvaniya na mnogosloynata arheologicheska sekventsiya ot pleystotsena v peshtera Kozarnika: Ranen, sreden i kasen paleolit

Author

Guadelli, J.-L., Sirakov, N., Sirakova, S., Ivanova, S., Popov, V., Fernandez, P., Dimitrova, I., fernandez, philippe, Arheologicheski Otkritiya i Razkopki prez 2010g. Balgarska Akademiya naukite, Natsionalen Arheologicheski Institut s Muzey, De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique (LAMPEA), and Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC)

Subjects
[SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, Kozarnika Cave, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS
Abstract

International audience

Published
2011

12. N°2 Sondajno prouchvane v peshtera Redaka II, Belogradchishko: Sreden i Kassen Paleolit

Author

Guadelli, A., Sirakov, N., Guadelli, J.-L., Fernandez, P., De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique (LAMPEA), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC), Natsionalen Arhelogicheski Institut I Musei – BAN, and fernandez, philippe

Subjects
[SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, repaire d'Hyène, Bulgarie, Redaka II, Pléistocène supérieur, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS
Abstract

International audience

Published
2010

13. №1 Prouchvaniya na Paleolitnoto nahodishte v peshtera Kozarnika, Belogradchishko prez 2009g

Author

Sirakov, N., Guadelli, J.-L., Sirakova, S., Ivanova, S., Popov, V., Fernandez, P., Ferrier, C., Leblanc, J.-Cl., Taneva, S., Dimitrova, I., De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique (LAMPEA), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC), Natsionalen Arhelogicheski Institut I Musei - BAN, and fernandez, philippe

Subjects
[SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, Kozarnika Cave, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS
Abstract

International audience

Published
2010

14. An ancient continuous human presence in the Balkans and the beginnings of human settlement in western Eurasia: A Lower Pleistocene example of the Lower Palaeolithic levels in Kozarnika cave (North-western Bulgaria)

Author

Fernandez, Philippe, Sirakov, N., Guadelli, J.-L., Ivanova, S., Sirakova, S., Boudadi-Maligne, M., Dimitrova, I., Ph, Fernandez, Ferrier, C., Guadelli, A., Iordanova, D., Iordanova, N., Kovatcheva, M., Krumov, I., Leblanc, J.-Cl., Miteva, V., Popov, V., Spassov, R., Taneva, S., Tsanova, T., National Archaeological Institute and Museum (NAIM), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Department of Archaeology, New Bulgarian University, Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique (LAMPEA), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC), Geophysical Institute [Sofia], Geophysical Institute of Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Zoological Institute, Department of Human Evolution [Leipzig], Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology [Leipzig], Max-Planck-Gesellschaft-Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Mission Préhistorique Française en Bulgarie du Nord (MAEE) « Les Premières Manifestations de la présence humaine dans les Balkans », Région Aquitaine (programmes « Origines » et « Origines II »), LEA « BINEK » (CNRS et Académie Bulgare des Sciences), fondation « Stichting Horizon », Max-Planck Institut de Leipzig, Archaeological Institute and Museum (NAIM), INPGQ, Université de Bordeaux (UB), Dept. of General and Industrial Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, Sofia University 'St. Kliment Ohridski', Institute of Microbiology, and Leglise, Nicolas

Subjects
Symbolism, 010506 paleontology, Europe orientale, Pleistocene, Pléistocène inférieur, [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, Balkans, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, archéozoologie, industrie lithique, Sequence (geology), Cave painting, Cave, Human settlement, Kozarnika, boucherie, Bulgarie, Bulgaria, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, Lower Palaeolithic, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Earth-Surface Processes, geography.geographical_feature_category, [SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, Préhistoire, non-Acheulian core-and-flake industry, mammifère, Kozarnika cave, technologie lithique, Archaeology, Symbolisme, Taxon, Geography, trace de découpe, [SDE]Environmental Sciences, typologie lithique, Paléolithique inférieur, Lower Pleistocene
Abstract

15 fig, 6 tab.; International audience; The lower levels of the archaeological sequence of Kozarnika cave (north-western Bulgaria) provide levels with non-Acheulian core-and-flake (as opposed to pebble-core) industries. Associations with numerous taxa of large mammals indicate that the date of the lower layers of the cave falls between MNQ17 and MNQ19. These layers produced several bones showing anthropic traces. Its date and geographical position place Kozarnika cave as a landmark site in the primary phase of the settlement of Europe.

Published
2010
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15. Rapport préliminaire de la Mission Préhistorique française en Bulgarie du Nord « Les plus anciennes manifestations de la présence humaine dans les Balkans »

Author

Guadelli, Jean-Luc, Sirakov, N., Dimitrova, I., Fernandez, Philippe, Ferrier, C., Fontugne, Michel, Guadelli, A., Ivanova, S., Krumov, I., Leblanc, Jean-Claude, Miteva, V., Popov, V., Sirakova, S., Taneva, S., De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique (LAMPEA), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC), Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement [Gif-sur-Yvette] (LSCE), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), Géochrononologie Traceurs Archéométrie (GEOTRAC), Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), MAEE, CNRS-Univ. Bordeaux I, Institut d’Archéologie et Musée de l’Académie bulgare des Sciences, Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), and Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)

Subjects
[SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere, [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment
Published
2010

16. Les associations fauniques pléistocènes de la séquence archéologique de la grotte Kozarnika (Nord-Ouest de la Bulgarie)

Author

Guadelli, J.-L., Fernandez, P., Boudadi-Maligne, M., Popov, V., Marinska, M., Guadelli, A., Miteva, V., Spassov, R., Sirakov, N., fernandez, philippe, De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique (LAMPEA), and Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC)

Subjects
Pleistocene, Faunal association, [SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, [SHS.ENVIR] Humanities and Social Sciences/Environmental studies, [SHS.ENVIR]Humanities and Social Sciences/Environmental studies, Kozarnika cave, Biostratigraphy, Bulgaria, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS
Abstract

International audience

Published
2010

17. Tracking partially occluded objects with centripetal active contour

Author

Kandhare, P. G., Arslan, A. N., Sirakov, N. M., Kandhare, P. G., Arslan, A. N., and Sirakov, N. M.

Abstract

This study develops a new approach for tracking single object through a video in case of partial occlusion. The approach uses an active contour (AC) to determine the mass center of the target in the present frame. The mass center is utilized by a Modified Kalman Filter which estimates its position, in the next frame, as the center of the area, the target is most likely to appear in. This area is bounded by the AC, which evolves toward the target. If multiple objects are enveloped, a shell algorithm splits the AC to multiple contours utilizing the mass center position estimated in the previous frame. Every shell is constructed by a part of the AC which envelops the visible, from the contour, parts of objects and ends at the mass center of the AC. In every shell, an AC extracts the object’s boundary and generates a finite numerical sequence as a signature for this boundary. A sequence alignment approach matches the signature of every object, in the present frame, with the signature of the target. To validate the method, experiments are performed on 14 videos. The paper ends with discussion on the results and the contributions comparing them with contemporary works.

Published
2014

18. La séquence paléolithique inférieur de la grotte Kozarnika (Nord-Ouest de la Bulgarie)

Author

Guadelli, J.-L., Sirakov, N., Ivanova, S., Sirakova, S., Fernandez, P., Ferrier, C., Leblanc, J.-Cl., Popov, V., Marinska, M., Boudadi-Maligne, M., Dimitrova, I., Guadelli, A., Mallye, J.-B., Miteva, V, Taneva, S., Tsanova, T., fernandez, philippe, De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique (LAMPEA), and Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC)

Subjects
[SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, [SHS.ENVIR] Humanities and Social Sciences/Environmental studies, [SHS.ENVIR]Humanities and Social Sciences/Environmental studies, Kozarnika Cave, Human occupation, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS, Lower Pleistocene
Abstract

International audience

Published
2008

19. Sondajna prouchvane v peshtera Golemi Pech: Paleolit, rannojelyazna epoha

Author

Taneva, S., Sirakov, N., Guadelli, J.-L., Ferrier, C., Leblanc, J.-C., Fernandez, P., Atanassov, B., De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire méditerranéen de préhistoire Europe-Afrique (LAMPEA), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Ministère de la Culture (MC), Natsionalen Arhelogicheski Institut I Musei – BAN, and fernandez, philippe

Subjects
Pleistocene, [SHS.ARCHEO] Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, Kozarnika Cave, Excavation, ComputingMilieux_MISCELLANEOUS
Abstract

International audience

Published
2008

20. Rapport de la Mission Préhistorique française en Bulgarie du Nord «Les plus anciennes manifestations de la présence humaine dans les Balkans»

Author

Guadelli, J.L., Sirakov, N., Dimitrova, I., Fernandez, P., Ferrier, C., Fontugne, M., Guadelli, A., Iordanova, D., Iordanova, N., Ivanova, S., Kovatcheva, M., Krumov, I., Le Gall, O., Leblanc, J.C., Marinska, M., Miteva, V., Scharf, A., Sirakova, S., Taneva, S., Tisnérat−Laborde, N., Zlateva, R., Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l'Environnement [Gif-sur-Yvette] (LSCE), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Géochrononologie Traceurs Archéométrie (GEOTRAC), Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), MAE, Projet de recherche conjoint CNRS-Univ. Bordeaux I / Institut d’Archéologie et Musée de l’Académie bulgare des Sciences, Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ), and Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Commissariat à l'énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA)-Université de Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines (UVSQ)

Subjects
[SDU.OCEAN]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Ocean, Atmosphere, [SDU.ENVI]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Continental interfaces, environment
Published
2005

25. Implementation of the Euler-Lagrange and Poisson Equations to Extract One Connected Region.

Author

Bowden, A., Todorov, M. D., and Sirakov, N. M.

Subjects
EULER-Lagrange equations, POISSON processes, IMAGE segmentation, DIFFERENTIAL equations, NUMERICAL analysis
Abstract

This paper presents a numerical method that evolves an active contour toward the boundary of one connected image region. The numerical method implements a model which uses the solution of the Euler-Lagrange Differential Equation in order to minimize a "snake" functional. This functional is constructed as an integral of the so called internal and external energies. The internal energy is related to the moving contour. The external energy represents the image. The minimum of the functional falls on the boundaries of objects placed in the image. A half step numerical scheme implements the concepts. The contributions of the new model come from the use of the solution of the Poisson equation and development of a new penalty function to halt the contour on the object's boundary. In order to make the contour move across homogeneous regions and enlarge the capture range, we solve the Poisson equation with Dirichlet boundary conditions and generate a gradient vector field of the image. The numerical method is implemented with MatLab and uses a stop condition based on the gradient. The advantages of the model are that it has a large capture range, is accurate in detecting the boundaries of image objects, and is capable of surpassing noise. A disadvantage is that the user has to select the right values of three parameters. Several experiments with synthetic, weapon, and medical images have been conducted to validate the model. Our work continues with the goal of cutting the curve in the event multiple objects have been enveloped. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Published
2014
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26. 3D modelling of complex sulphide ore bodies.

Author

Sirakov N., APCOM'99: 28th international symposium Golden, Colorado 20-Oct-9922-Oct-99, Granado I., Muge F., Tareco C., Sirakov N., APCOM'99: 28th international symposium Golden, Colorado 20-Oct-9922-Oct-99, Granado I., Muge F., and Tareco C.

Abstract

An approach to smooth 3D reconstruction and visualisation of several ore types within an orebody is presented, using as input data the co-ordinates and grades of points measured during exploration drilling of the Moinho complex sulphide orebody in Aljustrel mine, Portugal. The different ore types were characterised by multivariate geostatistics. A set of horizontal planes containing sections of the orebody was generated from the input data, with approximation used to improve representation where data was lacking. N-dimensional vector feature space was used to recognise similarities between 2D objects and separate them into different types, before 3D reconstruction and interpolation of intermediate sections., An approach to smooth 3D reconstruction and visualisation of several ore types within an orebody is presented, using as input data the co-ordinates and grades of points measured during exploration drilling of the Moinho complex sulphide orebody in Aljustrel mine, Portugal. The different ore types were characterised by multivariate geostatistics. A set of horizontal planes containing sections of the orebody was generated from the input data, with approximation used to improve representation where data was lacking. N-dimensional vector feature space was used to recognise similarities between 2D objects and separate them into different types, before 3D reconstruction and interpolation of intermediate sections.

Published
1999

28. Cortisol Correlates with Structural Magnetic Resonance Imaging Parameters in Middle Aged Bulgarian Patients with Metabolic Syndrome: A Pilot Study

Author

Bahchevanov Karamfil M., Atanassova Penka A., Chompalov Kostadin A., Mitkov Mitko D., Milev Borislav I., Terzieva Dora D., Naydenov Valcho I., Dosheva Vesselina S., Masaldjieva Radka I., Velkova Kichka G., Sirakov Nikolai V., and Kilova Kristina P.

Subjects
metabolic syndrome, salivary cortisol, cortical thickness, neuroimaging, Medicine
Abstract

Background: There is a dose-dependent relationship between chronically increased cortisol levels and the number of metabolic syndrome (MetS) components. Both cortisol and MetS are linked to various brain abnormalities.

Published
2018
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36. Proceedings of the 2005 international conference on imaging science, systems, and technology: Computer graphics, CISST'05: foreword

Author

Abachi, H., Alameldin, T., Alsultanny, Y. A., Arabnia, H. R., Demetriou, G. A., Fiaidhi, J., Girija, P. N., Grawanis, G. A., Xiangjian He, Hintz, T., Joshua, R., Karam, J. R., Kato, H., Li, K. -C, Li, P., Li, X., Luo, Y., Mayer, J., Mohammed, S., Mun, Y., Ponalagusamy, R., Ro, Y. M., Schaefer, G., Sim, K. -S, Sirakov, N. M., Shrikumar, H., Vasikarla, S., Watson, L. T., Wu, Q., You, J., Zadeh, J., Zhang, C., and Zhu, Y.

37. Lesion detection in demoscopy images with novel density-based and active contour approaches

Author

Sirakov Nikolay and Mete Mutlu

Subjects
Computer applications to medicine. Medical informatics, R858-859.7, Biology (General), QH301-705.5
Abstract

Abstract Background Dermoscopy is one of the major imaging modalities used in the diagnosis of melanoma and other pigmented skin lesions. Automated assessment tools for dermoscopy images have become an important field of research mainly because of inter- and intra-observer variations in human interpretation. One of the most important steps in dermoscopy image analysis is the detection of lesion borders, since many other features, such as asymmetry, border irregularity, and abrupt border cutoff, rely on the boundary of the lesion. Results To automate the process of delineating the lesions, we employed Active Contour Model (ACM) and boundary-driven density-based clustering (BD-DBSCAN) algorithms on 50 dermoscopy images, which also have ground truths to be used for quantitative comparison. We have observed that ACM and BD-DBSCAN have the same border error of 6.6% on all images. To address noisy images, BD-DBSCAN can perform better delineation than ACM. However, when used with optimum parameters, ACM outperforms BD-DBSCAN, since ACM has a higher recall ratio. Conclusion We successfully proposed two new frameworks to delineate suspicious lesions with i) an ACM integrated approach with sharpening and ii) a fast boundary-driven density-based clustering technique. ACM shrinks a curve toward the boundary of the lesion. To guide the evolution, the model employs the exact solution 27 of a specific form of the Geometric Heat Partial Differential Equation 28. To make ACM advance through noisy images, an improvement of the model’s boundary condition is under consideration. BD-DBSCAN improves regular density-based algorithm to select query points intelligently.

Published
2010
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38. Initial Upper Palaeolithic humans in Europe had recent Neanderthal ancestry

Author

Jean-Jacques Hublin, Benjamin M. Peter, Qiaomei Fu, Nikolay Zahariev, Mateja Hajdinjak, Silviu Constantin, Sarah Nagel, Oana Teodora Moldovan, Birgit Nickel, Virginie Sinet-Mathiot, Laurits Skov, Tsenka Tsanova, Benjamin Vernot, Helen Fewlass, Rosen Spasov, Svante Pääbo, Matthias Meyer, Lindsey Paskulin, Julia Richter, Fabrizio Mafessoni, Pontus Skoglund, Geoff M. Smith, Elena Endarova, Elena Essel, Frido Welker, Shannon P. McPherron, Janet Kelso, Nikolay Sirakov, Alexander Hübner, Sahra Talamo, Zeljko Rezek, Svoboda Sirakova, Hajdinjak M., Mafessoni F., Skov L., Vernot B., Hubner A., Fu Q., Essel E., Nagel S., Nickel B., Richter J., Moldovan O.T., Constantin S., Endarova E., Zahariev N., Spasov R., Welker F., Smith G.M., Sinet-Mathiot V., Paskulin L., Fewlass H., Talamo S., Rezek Z., Sirakova S., Sirakov N., McPherron S.P., Tsanova T., Hublin J.-J., Peter B.M., Meyer M., Skoglund P., Kelso J., and Paabo S.

Subjects
Male, Neanderthal, Early human migrations, Pleistocene, Population genetics, Evolutionary biology, DNA, Radiocarbon, Bacho Kiro, Article, 03 medical and health sciences, 0302 clinical medicine, Cave, biology.animal, Assemblage (archaeology), Animals, Humans, East Asia, DNA, Ancient, Bulgaria, Alleles, History, Ancient, Phylogeny, 030304 developmental biology, Neanderthals, 0303 health sciences, Multidisciplinary, geography.geographical_feature_category, biology, Human migration, business.industry, Asia, Eastern, Genome, Human, CC, Caves, Geography, Archaeology, Ethnology, Female, Americas, business, 030217 neurology & neurosurgery
Abstract

Modern humans appeared in Europe by at least 45,000 years ago1–5, but the extent of their interactions with Neanderthals, who disappeared by about 40,000 years ago6, and their relationship to the broader expansion of modern humans outside Africa are poorly understood. Here we present genome-wide data from three individuals dated to between 45,930 and 42,580 years ago from Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria1,2. They are the earliest Late Pleistocene modern humans known to have been recovered in Europe so far, and were found in association with an Initial Upper Palaeolithic artefact assemblage. Unlike two previously studied individuals of similar ages from Romania7 and Siberia8 who did not contribute detectably to later populations, these individuals are more closely related to present-day and ancient populations in East Asia and the Americas than to later west Eurasian populations. This indicates that they belonged to a modern human migration into Europe that was not previously known from the genetic record, and provides evidence that there was at least some continuity between the earliest modern humans in Europe and later people in Eurasia. Moreover, we find that all three individuals had Neanderthal ancestors a few generations back in their family history, confirming that the first European modern humans mixed with Neanderthals and suggesting that such mixing could have been common., Genome-wide data for the three oldest known modern human remains in Europe, dated to around 45,000 years ago, shed light on early human migrations in Europe and suggest that mixing with Neanderthals was more common than is often assumed.

Published
2021
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39. Initial Upper Palaeolithic Homo sapiens from Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria

Author

Mateja Hajdinjak, Lindsey Paskulin, Geoff M. Smith, Vasil V. Popov, Elena Endarova, Matthew M. Skinner, Vera Aldeias, Edouard Bard, I. Krumov, Rosen Spasov, Yoann Fagault, Naomi L. Martisius, Matthias Meyer, Tsenka Tsanova, Virginie Sinet-Mathiot, Lukas Wacker, Jean-Jacques Hublin, Arndt Wilcke, Bernd Kromer, Shara E. Bailey, Helen Fewlass, Thibaut Tuna, Vincent Delvigne, Nikolay Zahariev, João Marreiros, Svante Pääbo, Shannon P. McPherron, Svoboda Sirakova, Zeljko Rezek, Frido Welker, Nikolay Sirakov, Sahra Talamo, Hublin J.-J., Sirakov N., Aldeias V., Bailey S., Bard E., Delvigne V., Endarova E., Fagault Y., Fewlass H., Hajdinjak M., Kromer B., Krumov I., Marreiros J., Martisius N.L., Paskulin L., Sinet-Mathiot V., Meyer M., Paabo S., Popov V., Rezek Z., Sirakova S., Skinner M.M., Smith G.M., Spasov R., Talamo S., Tuna T., Wacker L., Welker F., Wilcke A., Zahariev N., McPherron S.P., Tsanova T., Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology [Leipzig], Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, Chaire internationale Paléoanthropologie, Collège de France (CdF (institution)), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Universidade do Algarve (UAlg), Department of Anthropology [New York University], New York University [New York] (NYU), NYU System (NYU)-NYU System (NYU), Chaire Evolution du climat et de l'océan, Centre européen de recherche et d'enseignement des géosciences de l'environnement (CEREGE), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Université de Liège, De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), National Museum of Natural History, Sofia, Bulgaria (NMNHS), Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Department of Evolutionary Genetics, Max-Planck-Gesellschaft-Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, History Museum - Belogradchik, Monrepos Archaeological Research Centre and Museum for Human Behavioural Evolution, University of California, University of Aberdeen, Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology, University of Pennsylvania [Philadelphia], University of Kent [Canterbury], New Bulgarian University, University of Bologna, Department of Earth Sciences [Swiss Federal Institute of Technology - ETH Zürich] (D-ERDW), Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology [Zürich] (ETH Zürich), Globe Institute, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (KU)-University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (KU), Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology (Fraunhofer IZI), Fraunhofer (Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft), Max Planck Society, Collège de France, EQUIPEX ASTER-CEREGE (principal investigator, E.B), European Project: 694707,100 Archaic Genomes, European Project: 803147,RESOLUTION, Collège de France - Chaire internationale Paléoanthropologie, Collège de France - Chaire Evolution du climat et de l'océan, Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU)-Collège de France (CdF (institution))-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut National de Recherche pour l’Agriculture, l’Alimentation et l’Environnement (INRAE), University of California (UC), University of Pennsylvania, University of Bologna/Università di Bologna, University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (UCPH)-University of Copenhagen = Københavns Universitet (UCPH), and Publica

Subjects
0301 basic medicine, 010506 paleontology, Neanderthal, Asia, Human Migration, [SHS.ANTHRO-BIO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Biological anthropology, Cave, 01 natural sciences, DNA, Mitochondrial, 03 medical and health sciences, biology.animal, Genetics, DNA, Ancient, Bulgaria, History, Ancient, Phylogeny, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Multidisciplinary, geography.geographical_feature_category, biology, Tool Use Behavior, Proteomic screening, Animal, Fossils, CC, biology.organism_classification, Archaeology, Europe, 030104 developmental biology, Geography, Homo sapiens, GN, Anthropology, Cave bear, Tooth, Bone and Bone, Human
Abstract

The Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition in Europe witnessed the replacement and partial absorption of local Neanderthal populations by Homo sapiens populations of African origin1. However, this process probably varied across regions and its details remain largely unknown. In particular, the duration of chronological overlap between the two groups is much debated, as are the implications of this overlap for the nature of the biological and cultural interactions between Neanderthals and H. sapiens. Here we report the discovery and direct dating of human remains found in association with Initial Upper Palaeolithic artefacts2, from excavations at Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria). Morphological analysis of a tooth and mitochondrial DNA from several hominin bone fragments, identified through proteomic screening, assign these finds to H. sapiens and link the expansion of Initial Upper Palaeolithic technologies with the spread of H. sapiens into the mid-latitudes of Eurasia before 45 thousand years ago3. The excavations yielded a wealth of bone artefacts, including pendants manufactured from cave bear teeth that are reminiscent of those later produced by the last Neanderthals of western Europe4–6. These finds are consistent with models based on the arrival of multiple waves of H. sapiens into Europe coming into contact with declining Neanderthal populations7,8. Direct dates for human remains found in association with Initial Upper Palaeolithic artefacts at Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria) demonstrate the presence of Homo sapiens in the mid-latitudes of Europe before 45 thousand years ago.

Published
2020
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40. Volcanic ash layers illuminate the resilience of Neanderthals and early modern humans to natural hazards

Author

Lowe, John, Barton, N., Blockley, Simon, Ramsey, C. Bronk, Cullen, Victoria L., Davies, S. W. G., Gamble, Clive, Grant, Katharine, Hardiman, Mark, Housley, Rupert, Lane, Christine S., Lee, Sharen, Lewis, Mark, MacLeod, Alison, Menzies, Martin, Muller, Wolfgang, Pollard, Mark, Price, Catherine, Roberts, Andrew P., Rohling, Eelco J., Satow, Christopher, Smith, V.C., Stringer, C. B., Tomlinson, Emma, White, Dustin, Albert, Paul, Arienzo, Ilenia, Barker, G., Carandente, Antonio, Civetta, Lucia, Farrand, William, Ferrier, Catherine, Gaudelli, Jean-Luc, Karkanas, Panagiotis, Koumouzelis, Margarita, Muller, Ulrich C., Orsi, Giovanni, Pross, Jorg, Rosi, Mauro, Shalamanov-Korobar, Ljiljiana, Sirakov, Nikolay, Tzedakis, Polychronis C., Boric, Dusan, Lowe, J., Barton, N., Blockley, S., Bronk Ramsey, C., Cullen, V. L., Davies, W., Gamble, C., Grant, K., Hardiman, M., Housley, R., Lane, C. S., Lee, S., Lewis, M., Macleod, A., Menzies, M., Müller, W., Pollard, M., Price, C., Roberts, A. P., Rohling, E. J., Satow, C., Smith, V., Stringer, C., Tomlinson, E. L. White D., Albert, P., Arienzo, I., Barker, G., Carandente, A., Civetta, Lucia, Farrand, W., Ferrier, C., Gaudelli, J. L., Karkanas, P., Koumouzelis, M., Muller, U. C., Orsi, G., Pross, J., Rosi, M., Shalamanov Korobar, L., Sirakov, N., Tzedakis, P. C., Borić, D., Department of Geography, University College of London [London] (UCL), Institute of Archaeology, University of Oxford [Oxford], Research Laboratory for Archaeology and the History of Art [Oxford], Archaeology Department, University of Southampton, Ocean and Earth Science [Southampton], University of Southampton-National Oceanography Centre (NOC), Palaeontology Department, The Natural History Museum [London] (NHM), Department of Earth Sciences [Egham], Royal Holloway [University of London] (RHUL), Research School of Earth Sciences [Canberra] (RSES), Australian National University (ANU), The Natural History Museum, Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia, Sezione di Palermo, McDonald Institute for Archaeological Research, University of Cambridge [UK] (CAM), Cardiff School of History, Ancient History, Archaeology and Religion, Cardiff University, Dipartimento di Scienze Fisiche [Naples], Università degli studi di Napoli Federico II, PPP, De la Préhistoire à l'Actuel : Culture, Environnement et Anthropologie (PACEA), Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Bordeaux (UB)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ephoreia of Palaeoanthropology-Speleology of Southern Greece, Institute of Geosciences [Frankfurt am Main], Goethe-Universität Frankfurt am Main, Universita di Pisa Dip. Scienze Geologiche (UNIV. PISA), University of Pisa - Università di Pisa, National Institution Museum of Macedonia, National Archaeological Institute and Museum (NAIM), and Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS)

Subjects
Neanderthal, Human dispersal, Climate, 010502 geochemistry & geophysics, 01 natural sciences, Mass Spectrometry, Research Groups and Centres\Earth Sciences\Geochemistry, Campanian Ignimbrite, Earliest anatomically modern human, VOLCANIC ASH, Tephra, Neanderthals, MODERN HUMANS, education.field_of_study, Multidisciplinary, biology, Fossils, Hominidae, Biological Sciences, ABRUPT CLIMATE-CHANGE, Archaeology, campi Flegrei, Geology, 010506 paleontology, Cryptotephra deposits, [SHS.ARCHEO]Humanities and Social Sciences/Archaeology and Prehistory, Faculty of Science\Geography, [SDE.MCG]Environmental Sciences/Global Changes, Population, Research Groups and Centres\Earth Sciences\Ancient and Modern Earth Systems, Volcanic Eruptions, Paleontology, volcanology, Natural hazard, biology.animal, Commentaries, Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition, [SDU.STU.VO]Sciences of the Universe [physics]/Earth Sciences/Volcanology, Faculty of Science\Earth Sciences, Animals, Humans, education, 0105 earth and related environmental sciences, Vulcanian eruption, Volcanic eruption, 15. Life on land, biology.organism_classification, Research Groups and Centres\Geography\Centre for Quaternary Research, archeology, 13. Climate action, Anatomically modern human, Upper Paleolithic, Microscopy, Electron, Scanning, Paleolithic Transitions, Volcanic ash
Abstract

Marked changes in human dispersal and development during the Middle to Upper Paleolithic transition have been attributed to massive volcanic eruption and/or severe climatic deterioration. We test this concept using records of volcanic ash layers of the Campanian Ignimbrite eruption dated to ca. 40,000 y ago (40 ka B.P.). The distribution of the Campanian Ignimbrite has been enhanced by the discovery of cryptotephra deposits (volcanic ash layers that are not visible to the naked eye) in archaeological cave sequences. They enable us to synchronize archaeological and paleoclimatic records through the period of transition from Neanderthal to the earliest anatomically modern human populations in Europe. Our results confirm that the combined effects of a major volcanic eruption and severe climatic cooling failed to have lasting impacts on Neanderthals or early modern humans in Europe. We infer that modern humans proved a greater competitive threat to indigenous populations than natural disasters.

Published
2016
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41. Curated character of the Initial Upper Palaeolithic lithic artefact assemblages in Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria).

Author

Tsanova T, Delvigne V, Sirakova S, Anastasova E, Horta P, Krumov I, Marreiros J, Nacheva E, Rezek Z, Hublin JJ, and Sirakov N

Subjects
Humans, Bulgaria, Animals, Technology history, Geologic Sediments analysis, Artifacts, Caves, Archaeology, Fossils
Abstract

The dispersal of Homo sapiens across Eurasia during MIS 3 in the Late Pleistocene is marked by technological shifts and other behavioral changes, known in the archaeological record under the term of Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP). Bacho Kiro Cave in north Bulgaria, re-excavated by us from 2015 to 2021, is one of the reference sites for this phenomenon. The newly excavated lithic assemblages dated by radiocarbon between 45,040 and 43,280 cal BP and attributed to Homo sapiens encompass more than two thousand lithic artifacts. The lithics, primarily from Layer N1-I, exist amid diverse fauna remains, human fossils, pierced animal teeth pendants, and sediment with high organic content. This article focuses on the technological aspects of the IUP lithics, covering raw material origin and use-life, blank production, on-site knapping activities, re-flaking of lithic implements, and the state of retouched lithic components. We apply petrography for the identification of silicites and other used stones. We employ chaîne opératoire and reduction sequence approaches to profile the lithics techno-typologically and explore the lithic economy, particularly blade production methods, knapping techniques, and artifact curation. Raw material analysis reveals Lower Cretaceous flints from Ludogorie and Upper Cretaceous flints from the Danube region, up to 190 km and 130 km, respectively, from Bacho Kiro Cave, indicating long-distance mobility and finished products transport. Imported lithic implements, were a result of unidirectional and bidirectional non-Levallois laminar technology, likely of volumetric concept. Systematic on-anvil techniques (bipolar knapping) and tool segmentation indicate re-flaking and reshaping of lithic implements, reflecting on-site curation and multifaceted lithic economy. A limited comparison with other IUP sites reveals certain shared features and also regional variations. Bacho Kiro Cave significantly contributes to understanding the technological and behavioral evolution of early Homo sapiens in western Eurasia., Competing Interests: NO authors have competing interests., (Copyright: © 2024 Tsanova et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.)

Published
2024
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42. High Concordance of CT Colonography and Colonoscopy Allows for the Distinguishing and Diagnosing of Intestinal Diseases.

Author

Chervenkov L, Sirakov N, Georgiev A, Miteva D, Gulinac M, Peshevska-Sekulovska M, Sekulovski M, and Velikova T

Abstract

(1) Although new imaging methods for examining the GIT with high diagnostic capabilities were introduced, the improvement and implementation of safe, efficient, and cost-effective approaches continue, and GIT diseases are still challenging to diagnose; (2) Methods: We aim to show the possibilities of computed tomography (CT) colonography for early diagnosis of colon diseases using a multidetector 32-channel CT scanner after appropriate preparation; (3) Results: After a colonoscopy was performed earlier, 140 patients were examined with CT colonography. Complete colonoscopy was performed in 80 patients (57.1%) out of 140 who underwent CT colonography. Incomplete colonoscopy was observed in 52 patients (37.2%); in 5 patients (3.6%), it was contraindicated, and in 3 patients (2.1%), it was not performed because of patients' refusal. We determined that in cases of complete FCS in 95% of patients, CT colonography established the same clinical diagnosis as FCS. In cases of incomplete, refused, or contraindicated FCS in 32.7% (17 patients), FCS failed to diagnose correctly. The main reasons for incomplete colonoscopy were: intraluminal obturation of tumor nature-17 patients (33%), extraluminal obturation (compression) from a tumor formation-4 patients (8%), stenotic changes of non-tumor nature-11 patients (21%), congenital diseases with changes in the length of the lumen of the intestinal loops-7 patients (13%), and subjective factors (pain, poor preparation, contraindications) in 13 patients (25%); (4) Conclusions: Our results confirmed that CT colonography is a method of choice in cases of negative FCS results accompanied by clinical data for the neoplastic process and in cases of incomplete and contraindicated FCS. Also, the insufflation system we developed optimizes the method by improving the quality of the obtained images and ensuring good patient tolerance.

Published
2023
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43. Ancient human DNA recovered from a Palaeolithic pendant.

Author

Essel E, Zavala EI, Schulz-Kornas E, Kozlikin MB, Fewlass H, Vernot B, Shunkov MV, Derevianko AP, Douka K, Barnes I, Soulier MC, Schmidt A, Szymanski M, Tsanova T, Sirakov N, Endarova E, McPherron SP, Hublin JJ, Kelso J, Pääbo S, Hajdinjak M, Soressi M, and Meyer M

Subjects
Animals, Female, Humans, Archaeology methods, Deer genetics, DNA, Mitochondrial analysis, DNA, Mitochondrial isolation & purification, History, Ancient, Siberia, Caves, Russia, Bone and Bones chemistry, DNA, Ancient analysis, DNA, Ancient isolation & purification, Tooth chemistry
Abstract

Artefacts made from stones, bones and teeth are fundamental to our understanding of human subsistence strategies, behaviour and culture in the Pleistocene. Although these resources are plentiful, it is impossible to associate artefacts to specific human individuals 1 who can be morphologically or genetically characterized, unless they are found within burials, which are rare in this time period. Thus, our ability to discern the societal roles of Pleistocene individuals based on their biological sex or genetic ancestry is limited 2-5 . Here we report the development of a non-destructive method for the gradual release of DNA trapped in ancient bone and tooth artefacts. Application of the method to an Upper Palaeolithic deer tooth pendant from Denisova Cave, Russia, resulted in the recovery of ancient human and deer mitochondrial genomes, which allowed us to estimate the age of the pendant at approximately 19,000-25,000 years. Nuclear DNA analysis identifies the presumed maker or wearer of the pendant as a female individual with strong genetic affinities to a group of Ancient North Eurasian individuals who lived around the same time but were previously found only further east in Siberia. Our work redefines how cultural and genetic records can be linked in prehistoric archaeology., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Published
2023
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44. Future of prostate imaging: Artificial intelligence in assessing prostatic magnetic resonance imaging.

Author

Chervenkov L, Sirakov N, Kostov G, Velikova T, and Hadjidekov G

Abstract

Prostate cancer (Pca; adenocarcinoma) is one of the most common cancers in adult males and one of the leading causes of death in both men and women. The diagnosis of Pca requires substantial experience, and even then the lesions can be difficult to detect. Moreover, although the diagnostic approach for this disease has improved significantly with the advent of multiparametric magnetic resonance, that technology has certain unresolved limitations. In recent years artificial intelligence (AI) has been introduced to the field of radiology, providing new software solutions for prostate diagnostics. Precise mapping of the prostate has become possible through AI and this has greatly improved the accuracy of biopsy. AI has also allowed for certain suspicious lesions to be attributed to a given group according to the Prostate Imaging-Reporting & Data System classification. Finally, AI has facilitated the combination of data obtained from clinical, laboratory (prostate-specific antigen), imaging (magnetic resonance), and biopsy examinations, and in this way new regularities can be found which at the moment remain hidden. Further evolution of AI in this field is inevitable and it is almost certain to significantly expand the efficacy, accuracy and efficiency of diagnosis and treatment of Pca., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report having no relevant conflicts of interest for this article., (©The Author(s) 2023. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Published
2023
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45. Initial Upper Paleolithic bone technology and personal ornaments at Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria).

Author

Martisius NL, Spasov R, Smith GM, Endarova E, Sinet-Mathiot V, Welker F, Aldeias V, Horta P, Marreiros J, Rezek Z, McPherron SP, Sirakov N, Sirakova S, Tsanova T, and Hublin JJ

Subjects
Animals, Bulgaria, Caves, Fossils, Technology, Archaeology, Hominidae
Abstract

The expansion of Homo sapiens and our interaction with local environments, including the replacement or absorption of local populations, is a key component in understanding the evolution of our species. Of special interest are artifacts made from hard animal tissues from layers at Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria) that have been attributed to the Initial Upper Paleolithic. The Initial Upper Paleolithic is characterized by Levallois-like blade technologies that can co-occur with bone tools and ornaments and likely represents the dispersal of H. sapiens into several regions throughout Eurasia starting by 45 ka or possibly earlier. Osseous artifacts from the Initial Upper Paleolithic are important components of this record and have the potential to contribute to our understanding of group interactions and population movements. Here, we present a zooarchaeological, technological, and functional analysis of the diverse and sizable osseous artifact collection from Bacho Kiro Cave. Animal raw material sources are consistent with taxa found within the faunal assemblage including cervids, large bovids, and cave bears. A variety of bone tool morphologies, both formal and informal, indicate a diverse technological approach for conducting various on-site activities, many of which were focused on the processing of animal skins, likely for cold weather clothing. Technological flexibility is also evident in the manufacture of personal ornaments, which were made primarily from carnivore teeth, especially cave bear, though herbivore teeth and small beads are also represented. The osseous artifacts from Bacho Kiro Cave provide a series of insights into the bone technology and indirectly on the social aspects of these humans in southeast Europe, and when placed within the broader Initial Upper Paleolithic context, both regional and shared behaviors are evidently indicating widespread innovation and complexity. This is especially significant given the location and chronology of the site in the context of H. sapiens dispersals., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Published
2022
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46. The effect of eraser sampling for proteomic analysis on Palaeolithic bone surface microtopography.

Author

Sinet-Mathiot V, Martisius NL, Schulz-Kornas E, van Casteren A, Tsanova TR, Sirakov N, Spasov R, Welker F, Smith GM, and Hublin JJ

Subjects
Archaeology, Bulgaria, Humans, Surface Properties, Bone and Bones metabolism, Fossils, Proteomics methods
Abstract

Bone surface modifications are crucial for understanding human subsistence and dietary behaviour, and can inform about the techniques employed in the production and use of bone tools. Permission to destructively sample such unique artefacts is not always granted. The recent development of non-destructive proteomic extraction techniques has provided some alternatives for the analysis of rare and culturally significant artefacts, including bone tools and personal ornaments. The Eraser Extraction Method (EEM), first developed for ZooMS analysis of parchment, has recently been applied to bone and ivory specimens. To test the potential impact of the EEM on ancient bone surfaces, we analyse six anthropogenically modified Palaeolithic bone specimens from Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria) through a controlled sampling experiment using qualitative and 3D quantitative microscopy. Although the overall bone topography is generally preserved, our findings demonstrate a slight flattening of the microtopography alongside the formation of micro-striations associated with the use of the eraser for all bone specimens. Such modifications are similar to ancient use-wear traces. We therefore consider the EEM a destructive sampling approach for Palaeolithic bone surfaces. Together with low ZooMS success rates in some of the reported studies, the EEM might not be a suitable approach to taxonomically identify Pleistocene bone specimens., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Published
2021
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47. Subsistence behavior during the Initial Upper Paleolithic in Europe: Site use, dietary practice, and carnivore exploitation at Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria).

Author

Smith GM, Spasov R, Martisius NL, Sinet-Mathiot V, Aldeias V, Rezek Z, Ruebens K, Pederzani S, McPherron SP, Sirakova S, Sirakov N, Tsanova T, and Hublin JJ

Subjects
Animals, Bulgaria, Caves, Europe, Fossils, Archaeology, Hominidae
Abstract

The behavioral dynamics underlying the expansion of Homo sapiens into Europe remains a crucial topic in human evolution. Owing to poor bone preservation, past studies have strongly focused on the Initial Upper Paleolithic (IUP) stone tool record. Recent excavations and extensive radiocarbon dating at Bacho Kiro Cave (Bulgaria) pushed back the arrival of IUP H. sapiens into Europe to ca. 45,000 years ago. This site has exceptional bone preservation, and we present the study of 7431 faunal remains from across two IUP layers (I and J) and one Middle Paleolithic layer (K). We identified a shift in site use and occupation intensity through time, marked by increased find density and human modifications in Layer I. Alongside a decrease in carnivore presence and seasonality data demonstrating human presence in all seasons, this indicates a more frequent or prolonged occupation of the site by IUP groups. Contrarily, the dietary focus across the IUP and Middle Paleolithic layers is similar, centered on the exploitation of species from a range of habitats including Bos/Bison, Cervidae, Equidae, and Caprinae. While body parts of large herbivores were selectively transported into the site, the bear remains suggest that these animals died in the cave itself. A distinct aspect of the IUP occupation is an increase in carnivore remains with human modifications, including these cave bears but also smaller taxa (e.g., Canis lupus, Vulpes vulpes). This can be correlated with their exploitation for pendants, and potentially for skins and furs. At a broader scale, we identified similarities in subsistence behavior across IUP sites in Europe and western Asia. It appears that the first IUP occupations were less intense with find densities and human modifications increasing in succeeding IUP layers. Moreover, the exploitation of small game appears to be limited across IUP sites, while carnivore exploitation seems a recurrent strategy., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest The authors declare that there is no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Published
2021
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48. Subarctic climate for the earliest Homo sapiens in Europe.

Author

Pederzani S, Britton K, Aldeias V, Bourgon N, Fewlass H, Lauer T, McPherron SP, Rezek Z, Sirakov N, Smith GM, Spasov R, Tran NH, Tsanova T, and Hublin JJ

Abstract

The expansion of Homo sapiens across Eurasia marked a major milestone in human evolution that would eventually lead to our species being found across every continent. Current models propose that these expansions occurred only during episodes of warm climate, based on age correlations between archaeological and climatic records. Here, we obtain direct evidence for the temperatures faced by some of these humans through the oxygen isotope analysis of faunal remains from Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria, the earliest clear record of H. sapiens in Europe. The results indicate that humans ∼45,000 years ago experienced subarctic climates with far colder climatic conditions than previously suggested. This demonstrates that the early presence of H. sapiens in Europe was not contingent on warm climates. Our results necessitate the revision of key models of human expansion and highlight the need for a less deterministic role of climate in the study of our evolutionary history.

Published
2021
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49. Initial Upper Palaeolithic humans in Europe had recent Neanderthal ancestry.

Author

Hajdinjak M, Mafessoni F, Skov L, Vernot B, Hübner A, Fu Q, Essel E, Nagel S, Nickel B, Richter J, Moldovan OT, Constantin S, Endarova E, Zahariev N, Spasov R, Welker F, Smith GM, Sinet-Mathiot V, Paskulin L, Fewlass H, Talamo S, Rezek Z, Sirakova S, Sirakov N, McPherron SP, Tsanova T, Hublin JJ, Peter BM, Meyer M, Skoglund P, Kelso J, and Pääbo S

Subjects
Alleles, Americas ethnology, Animals, Archaeology, Bulgaria ethnology, Caves, Asia, Eastern ethnology, Female, History, Ancient, Humans, Male, Phylogeny, DNA, Ancient analysis, Genome, Human genetics, Neanderthals genetics
Abstract

Modern humans appeared in Europe by at least 45,000 years ago 1-5 , but the extent of their interactions with Neanderthals, who disappeared by about 40,000 years ago 6 , and their relationship to the broader expansion of modern humans outside Africa are poorly understood. Here we present genome-wide data from three individuals dated to between 45,930 and 42,580 years ago from Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria 1,2 . They are the earliest Late Pleistocene modern humans known to have been recovered in Europe so far, and were found in association with an Initial Upper Palaeolithic artefact assemblage. Unlike two previously studied individuals of similar ages from Romania 7 and Siberia 8 who did not contribute detectably to later populations, these individuals are more closely related to present-day and ancient populations in East Asia and the Americas than to later west Eurasian populations. This indicates that they belonged to a modern human migration into Europe that was not previously known from the genetic record, and provides evidence that there was at least some continuity between the earliest modern humans in Europe and later people in Eurasia. Moreover, we find that all three individuals had Neanderthal ancestors a few generations back in their family history, confirming that the first European modern humans mixed with Neanderthals and suggesting that such mixing could have been common.

Published
2021
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50. A 14 C chronology for the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition at Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria.

Author

Fewlass H, Talamo S, Wacker L, Kromer B, Tuna T, Fagault Y, Bard E, McPherron SP, Aldeias V, Maria R, Martisius NL, Paskulin L, Rezek Z, Sinet-Mathiot V, Sirakova S, Smith GM, Spasov R, Welker F, Sirakov N, Tsanova T, and Hublin JJ

Subjects
Animals, Bulgaria, Europe, Fossils, Humans, Caves, Radiometric Dating
Abstract

The stratigraphy at Bacho Kiro Cave, Bulgaria, spans the Middle to Upper Palaeolithic transition, including an Initial Upper Palaeolithic (IUP) assemblage argued to represent the earliest arrival of Upper Palaeolithic Homo sapiens in Europe. We applied the latest techniques in 14 C dating to an extensive dataset of newly excavated animal and human bones to produce a robust, high-precision radiocarbon chronology for the site. At the base of the stratigraphy, the Middle Palaeolithic (MP) occupation dates to >51,000 yr BP. A chronological gap of over 3,000 years separates the MP occupation from the occupation of the cave by H. sapiens, which extends to 34,000 cal BP. The extensive IUP assemblage, now associated with directly dated H. sapiens fossils at this site, securely dates to 45,820-43,650 cal BP (95.4% probability), probably beginning from 46,940 cal BP (95.4% probability). The results provide chronological context for the early occupation of Europe by Upper Palaeolithic H. sapiens.

Published
2020
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