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The pressures on honeybee (Apis mellifera) populations, resulting from threats by modern pesticides, parasites, predators and diseases, have raised awareness of the economic importance and critical role this insect plays in agricultural societies across the globe. However, the association of humans with A. mellifera predates post-industrial-revolution agriculture, as evidenced by the widespread presence of ancient Egyptian bee iconography dating to the Old Kingdom (approximately 2400 BC). There are also indications of Stone Age people harvesting bee products; for example, honey hunting is interpreted from rock art in a prehistoric Holocene context and a beeswax find in a pre-agriculturalist site. However, when and where the regular association of A. mellifera with agriculturalists emerged is unknown. One of the major products of A. mellifera is beeswax, which is composed of a complex suite of lipids including n-alkanes, n-alkanoic acids and fatty acyl wax esters. The composition is highly constant as it is determined genetically through the insect's biochemistry. Thus, the chemical 'fingerprint' of beeswax provides a reliable basis for detecting this commodity in organic residues preserved at archaeological sites, which we now use to trace the exploitation by humans of A. mellifera temporally and spatially. Here we present secure identifications of beeswax in lipid residues preserved in pottery vessels of Neolithic Old World farmers. The geographical range of bee product exploitation is traced in Neolithic Europe, the Near East and North Africa, providing the palaeoecological range of honeybees during prehistory. Temporally, we demonstrate that bee products were exploited continuously, and probably extensively in some regions, at least from the seventh millennium cal BC, likely fulfilling a variety of technological and cultural functions. The close association of A. mellifera with Neolithic farming communities dates to the early onset of agriculture and may provide evidence for the beginnings of a domestication process.

Η διατριβή διερευνά την αναβίωση του κλασικού δράματος σε αρχαιολογικούς χώρους ως κοινωνικοπολιτικό μηχανισμό των ευρωπαϊκών εθνών-κρατών κατά τον 20ό αιώνα. Η σύγχρονη χρήση των ελληνορωμαϊκών θεάτρων, αμφιθεάτρων και ωδείων εξαρτήθηκε από κοινωνικές ή καλλιτεχνικές επιρροές και διασυνδέσεις. Ειδικότερα, η ισπανική και η ελληνική περίπτωση αναπτύχθηκαν παράλληλα και απευθύνθηκαν σε παρόμοιες κοινωνικοπολιτικές αντιλήψεις, ενώ το ιταλικό παράδειγμα λειτούργησε ως πρότυπο για τη θεατρική τους παράδοση κατά τις πρώτες δεκαετίες του 20ού αιώνα. Από θεατρική άποψη, το ρεπερτόριο και ο προσανατολισμός του κλασικού δράματος επηρεάστηκαν από (υπερ)εθνικές τάσεις, ενώ οι σχέσεις εξουσίας μεταξύ θεατρικών σκηνοθετών, θιάσων και επίσημων φορέων καθόρισαν την πορεία αυτών των καλλιτεχνικών παραδόσεων. Η σκηνοθεσία του κλασικού δράματος στην Ελλάδα και την Ισπανία μετέτρεψε τους ελληνορωμαϊκούς χώρους σε κοινωνικοπολιτικούς φορείς εξουσίας που παρήγαγαν συλλογικές αφηγήσεις, θεατρικό εκσυγχρονισμό και οικονομική ανάπτυξη. Παρά τον διαφορετικό βαθμό ιδεολογικής εμπλοκής τους με τον κλασικό πολιτισμό, οι πολιτικές συνθήκες στην Ελλάδα και την Ισπανία κατά τον 20ό αιώνα προσφέρουν χώρο για στοχασμό και κριτική σύγκριση. Σε αυτό το πλαίσιο, η παρούσα μελέτη εξετάζει πώς οι ιστορικές πραγματικότητες οδήγησαν στη παραγωγή κλασικού δράματος σε ελληνορωμαϊκούς χώρους και πώς κάθε χώρα οικειοποιήθηκε και ανέδειξε αυτή την κλασική κληρονομιά ως εθνικό κοινωνικοπολιτικό κεφάλαιο. This thesis explores the revival of classical drama at ancient venues as a sociopolitical apparatus of the European nation-states in the 20th century. The modern use of Greco-Roman theatres, amphitheatres, and odeons depended on social or artistic influences and interconnections. In particular, the Spanish and Greek cases developed parallelly and addressed similar sociopolitical concepts, while the Italian example worked as a model for their theatrical tradition in the first decades of the 20th century. In theatrical terms, the repertoire and orientation of classical drama were affected by (inter)national trends, while power relations among theatrical directors, companies, and institutions determined the course of these artistic traditions. Staging classical drama in Greece and Spain transformed Greco-Roman venues into sociopolitical powerhouses that generated collective narratives, theatrical modernization, and economic development. Despite the distinct degree of ideological engagement with classical culture, political conditions in Greece and Spain during the 20th century offer a space for reflection and critical comparison. In this context, this study discusses how historical realities led to the staging of classical drama at Greco-Roman venues and how each country appropriated and showcased this classical heritage as sociopolitical capital.

An analysis of the place names of the coastal area of Crimea (Tauris) has been found in the description of Pallas (1795), along with the study of two or three historic «monuments» of the written and oral linguistic tradition of the Crimean Greeks, make it possible to establish a small vocabulary. This historic glossary provides several direct and indirect informations on the cultural heritage of the Greek speaking communities of Mariupol who live along with the Tatar-speaking Urums who have an ethnic Greek identity. An Urum-Ukrainian dictionary established by Alexander Garkavets has been appended herewith Le parler Grec (Rouméika) contemporain de la région de Mariupol (Azov, Ukraine) est la forme moderne de la langue parlée par les Hellénophones Roumeoi de la péninsule de Crimée. L’analyse des noms de lieu de la zone côtière de Crimée, que nous trouvons dans la description de Pallas (1795), complétée par l’étude de deux ou trois «monuments» de l’histoire linguistique de la tradition écrite et orale de la Crimée, permettent de dresser une liste d toponymes. Ce lexique historique contient de nombreuses indications, directes et indirectes, portant sur l’héritage culturel des Hellénophones de Mariupol ainsi que des Tatarophones Ouroum qui ont une identité ethnique hellénique. En Annexe on trouvera le dictionnaire Ouroum-Ukrainien etabli par Alexander Garkavets.

AbstractThe reactivities of various fatty monoacids and diacids on copper metal-containing surfaces were investigated through reflection–absorption infrared spectroscopy. The formation of copper carboxylates is detected on pure copper surfaces, while copper and zinc carboxylates are simultaneously formed on brass surfaces. Following the decrease of acid carbonyl and the formation of carboxylate infrared bands, it is shown that fatty monoacids C8 and C10 react with clean/polished copper and its zinc alloy within 2–4 h, while those with chains > C12 react within days. At the end of the processes, only the corresponding metal carboxylates are detected in all cases. An explanation for the above is offered on a molecular mobility and acidity basis, where the lower monoacids (liquids in room temperature), also having lower pKa values, favor higher reaction rates. Furthermore, it is argued that longer-chain fatty monoacids, when deposited from their solutions, allow for favorable orientation resulting in self-assembled monolayer-type molecular packing on the copper surface, which may additionally rationalize the slower reaction. Interestingly, fatty diacids do not form any carboxylate products under the same conditions, as it is argued that their molecules may efficiently pack as self-assembled multilayers on copper and ultimately protect it. The possible implications of the fatty monoacid and diacid behavior on the archaeological organic residues level and regarding the stability of copper alloys are discussed.

AbstractWith pet ownership on the rise, millions of individuals are exposed to this environmental exposure. Although the subject has been largely studied, more evidence is needed to clarify the potential association of pet ownership with human health. The aim of this research is to study the potential association of pet exposure (any pet, cat, dog, bird, fish) with all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality of older ($$\ge$$ ≥  50 years) European residents. To this end, a total of 23,274 participants from the Survey of Health Ageing and Retirement in Europe (SHARE) were employed (median follow-up 119 months). All-cause mortality (5163 events), as well as cardiovascular (CVD) (1832 events), and cancer mortality (1346 events) were examined using Cox Proportional Hazards models for their relation with pet exposure at baseline. Stratified analyses were also performed by gender and for single or multi-person households. No significant association was observed for any of the pets with all-cause mortality on the whole sample and the fully adjusted models. In stratified analyses, bird exposure significantly increased the risk of all-cause mortality in women [Hazard Ratio $$(\text {HR})=1.23$$ ( HR ) = 1.23 ; 95% CI 1.04–1.44] as well as women living alone $$(\text {HR}=1.38$$ ( HR = 1.38 ; 95% CI 1.02–1.85). Cause-specific models revealed an increased risk of death for women bird owners for causes other than cancer and CVD $$(\text {HR}=1.40$$ ( HR = 1.40 ; 95% CI 1.05–1.99). In conclusion, bird ownership may be negatively associated with survival of older women in Europe.

Colchicine’s medical evolution is historically bound to the Mediterranean basin, since remarkable researchers from this region underscored its valuable properties. With the passing of years colchicine became an essential pharmaceutical substance for the treatment of rheumatologic and cardiovascular diseases. In light of recent findings, the therapeutic value of colchicine has grown. In clinical practice, colchicine remains underutilized in view of its proven efficacy and safety. Its complex pharmacokinetics and multifaceted anti-inflammatory role remain under investigation. The current review addresses the safe administration of colchicine in view of key drug to drug interactions. Finally, we are briefly presenting colchicine’s future potential applications. Highlights • Colchicine is among the oldest drug molecules in medical history. • Clinicians should always check for drug to drug interactions and modify colchicine’s dose according to published guidelines. • Beyond known indications (e.g. pericarditis, gout), current evidence implies favorable colchicine effects in CAD, stroke and even in COVID19. Graphical abstract