THE legendary Kirkintilloch Male Voice Choir is marking its 90th anniversary with a special concert in St Mary’s Parish Church in the town on Saturday.
The 50-strong choir has been led by musical director Sally McLellan and accompanist/assistant musical director David Burns since 1999.
Sally said: “I’m really looking forward to the night, and I know everyone connected with the choir is too.
“The concert will also feature the Cardiff Male Voice Choir, who we have a great relationship with, so it will be a fitting way to celebrate.
“Four or five of our members are in their 80s and have been in the choir for a long time, so it will be an extra special occasion for them.”
The concert is just one of a series planned this year to mark the milestone anniversary.
A special CD has been released and a book on the choir’s history is being produced by former Scottish Television journalist Bob Tomlinson, who is also one of the group’s singers.
A dinner will also be held later in the year.
The choir has enjoyed a long and illustrious history since it was founded in 1921 by John Knox with a group of singers from church choirs and other local singing groups.
For the next 25 years, the choir continued to grow under his leadership until, at the age of 85, he handed over the baton to son Andrew in 1946.
The choir continued the tradition of male voice singing, taking part in many festivals, radio and television broadcasts before Andrew returned to the singing ranks in 1978.
The founder’s grandson Ian then took over, changing from the accompanist’s position which he had held for 19 years to that of conductor.
Ian will be conducting his own special arrangement of Scottish songs at the anniversary concert.
And Sally is confident that the choir has a healthy future once the 90th anniversary celebrations are over.
Tickets are selling quickly for Saturday’s concert but some were still available as the Herald to press.
However, due to the high demand tickets should be bought in advance. They are on sale, priced £7, and can be purchased from any choir member or Lynsey’s Flowers in Catherine Street, Kirkintilloch.
They are also available from the choir’s business manager on 0141 775 2437.


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Rob Campbell and Candy Buckley in Marlane Meyer’s “The Patron Saint of Sea Monsters,” at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater through December 1 only. | JOAN MARCUS
Ever wondered what would happen if somebody stretched out a five-minute “Saturday Night Live” skit into two hours? Well, apparently dramatist Marlane Meyer has, and the result is “The Patron Saint of Sea Monsters,” a wicked, somewhat cryptic romp now playing at Playwrights Horizons.
In this boldly theatrical production directed by Lisa Peterson, ingenuity and incongruity reign. The story, which takes place in a redneck town deep in a forest somewhere out west, boasts creepy woodland creatures, like a stuffed squirrel, raccoon, fox, and deer, that hide among the trees in Rachel Hauck’s wildly inventive set. Even the stagehands wear plastic animal masks during scene changes.
Oddly juxtaposed to this are oceanic motifs — a diaphanous aqua curtain, a giant whale puppet spouting glitter, and periodic visitations from Saint Martyr Bride, “patron saint of spinsters, childhood infirmity, and sea monsters.” Bedizened in seaweed garlands, pearls, and a starfish crown, she promises respite from this godforsaken place.
Deep in hillbilly territory, an imaginary saint promises succor to lost souls
Not only does the plot defy easy description, but giving away too many details would spoil the fun. It’s a love story of sorts between Calvin (an excellent Rob Campbell), a murderous drunkard who can’t hold a job, and Aubrey (Laura Heisler), a highly intelligent yet socially awkward doctor who worships Saint Martyr Bride.
The naïve Aubrey wants more than anything to believe that Calvin is her soul mate, the man of her dreams. For his part, Calvin will say anything just to get laid. He’d like to clean up his act, but he’s racked with guilt over a little incident involving his wife’s corpse
Will Aubrey’s prayers to her obscure and possibly fictitious saint get answered?
Lurking on the periphery is a motley band of eccentrics, many who reveal hidden pockets of homespun wisdom. These include Calvin’s foul-mouthed, sociopathic mother (Candy Buckley), his wisecracking buddies, Canadian Bill (Haynes Thigpen) and Speedy (Danny Wolohan), an ex-Marine psychic with a squeaky voice, a big-breasted floozy (Jacqueline Wright), and a lovelorn male convict bent on cuddling with Calvin.
As fans might expect from Meyer (“The Chemistry of Change”), “The Patron Saint of Sea Monsters” has more than easy yuks on its mind. Buried beneath the jarring insults and eye-popping sight gags are pointed musings on the transient nature of love, marriage, family, and faith. For some, love is a majestic creature, a salvation. For others, it’s a nasty trap.
The play also considers the animalistic side of humankind and the mystical power of dreams.
The first-rate performers, most taking on multiple roles, go a long way to ground the proceedings. If many characters remain cartoons, the leads shade their roles with unexpected depth. Greasy-haired Campbell plays the wretched Calvin with wry sensitivity and makes his stunning transformation credible. Despite Aubrey’s religious fervor and hare-brained antics, Heisler adds just enough sweetness and humanity to keep us on her side.
“I know it’s the dream of every woman to be married,” Aubrey says. “And I know from personal experience that you can make these things happen if you believe them hard enough.”
Meyer can’t resist tossing in a few topical rants to bulk up the play. When complaining about fat cats who kept their jobs while putting millions of Americans out of work, Aubrey asks, “At what point did we become two Americas? At what point did Greed stop being one of the seven deadly sins?”
Unfortunately, like the sketch comedies from which it was inspired, “The Patron Saint of Sea Monsters” may be too clever for its own good. The jokes are hit-and-miss, and there are passages where levity gives way to tedium.
Yet despite any shortcomings, this warped dramedy leaves us with a marvelous sense of wonder and renewed faith that in this wild world, any goal is worth going for. A dream shattered is still far better than no dream at all.
THE PATRON SAINT OF SEA MONSTERS | Peter Jay Sharp Theater | Playwrights Horizons | 416 W. 42nd St. | Through Dec. 1; Tue.-Sat. at 7:30 p.m.; Sat.-Sun. at 2 p.m.; Sun. at 7 p.m. : $60 at ticketcentral.com

domain: artistic


Mills believes the pitches in Sri Lanka have something in them for pace bowlers as well as spinners
With New Zealand continuing their free-fall towards the bottom of the rankings, many people believe it will take a miracle for them to recover, but pace bowler Kyle Mills feels that the current group of talented youngsters will lead New Zealand towards a brighter future.
Mills expects to see a momentum shift from the New Zealand team during the International Cricket Council (ICC) World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka.
“I’m a firm believer in the fact that cricket is a big momentum game… If you have momentum on your side, then you can sort of work with that throughout the tournament,” Mills said.
Talking about the team’s performance in the recent Test series against India, Mills said: “I think, it as an exciting time for New Zealand cricket. Especially with a young bowling group who have put in some fine performances in the recent past. The first Test was a big switch from the usual New Zealand kind of play and even some of the Indian cricketers will acknowledge that.”
Before the start of the ICC World Twenty20, Mills also talked about how he noticed the change in the pitches in Sri Lanka by playing in the inaugural edition of the Sri Lanka Premier League.
“The wickets in Sri Lanka have changed a lot… Newer grounds have come up and now there’s seam movement… Particularly, at Pallekele. There’s very encouraging movement there, which suits our style of play,” he said.
Mills also believes that the change in tradition spin-friendly pitches will be extremely surprising for all teams during the Twenty20 tournament.
“I have not come across a wicket like Pallekele in the subcontinent. In Premadasa, during the day it was pretty flat but when the lights came out, it swung around a lot for the seamers. People will have to adapt pretty quickly to those situations,” Mills added.


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Growing your own wheatgrass is one of the best ways to ensure that you are able to get the highest quality wheat grass plants. These plants will then provide the most nutritious and beneficial wheatgrass juice possible. We always recommend starting with organic seeds and soil to eliminate any risk of unnecessary or harmful additives or ingredients that can detract from the beneficial effects of the wheatgrass juice.
Wheatgrass juice is so packed with nutrients and other healthy compounds that it is frequently referred to as liquid sunshine. The best and most healthful compounds found under the sun are packed into the wheatgrass plant and the simplest way to get the most out of this ultimate blood purifier is to drink the extracted wheatgrass juice.
Finding a reliable source of fresh wheatgrass juice is not always easy. In fact, the only way to really ensure that you have a steady supply of fresh, organic wheatgrass juice is to grow your own plants and juice them yourself. This process is not as difficult as it may sound at first. Growing wheatgrass is easy and takes very little space; just a sunny window or area on the deck and you can grow your own wheat grass plants.
Here’s a step-by-step guide for growing wheatgrass at home:
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Use organic wheatgrass seeds for the freshest tasting and sweetest wheatgrass juice. Organic seeds also help ensure that your wheatgrass has no residual chemicals or other contaminants that will affect the wholesome and nutritious benefits of the juice. Germinate your seeds for the best results.
- Place enough seeds to plant one layer in whatever tray you are using. Place these seeds into a bowl; about 1-1/2 to 2 cups.
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- Check to see if the seeds have begun to sprout roots; the roots should be at least 1/8” to 1/4”. The seeds will usually sprout within a day or two; once they have reached this point they are ready for planting.
- If after the third soaking, the seeds still have not sprouted roots of at least 1/8”, continue rinsing and soaking the seeds until they germinate. Be sure to rinse and give the seeds fresh water at least twice each day or they will turn sour and won’t germinate.
Step #2 – Preparing the Seedling Tray
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Step #3 – Plant the Germinated Seeds
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- Thoroughly water the seeds until water drips out the bottom of your tray.
- Cover the sprouted seeds with a sheet of damp newspaper or paper towels. You want to keep the seeds dark, cool and moist until they develop green shoots that are about 1” tall; about one or two days.
- Once they have developed green shoots, remove the damp newspaper and place the wheatgrass tray in indirect sunlight; preferably near a sunny window with adequate ventilation. You do not want your wheatgrass to be in direct sunlight.
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Step #4 – Keeping your Wheatgrass Plants Watered
You will want to water the young shoots at least once or twice a day depending on where you live. If you live in a humid environment, you will water less than a dry climate. The important thing is to be sure that the soil does not get dry which will cause the wheatgrass shoots to die off before they have a chance to take root.
The best way to water your wheatgrass plants is to use a light to medium setting on a spray bottle. Once the shoots are approximately an inch tall, you can reduce watering to maybe once per day; again, this will depend on the climate where you live. Always be sure the soil remains just damp enough to keep the roots moist, but avoid over-watering.
Step #5 – Harvesting Your Wheatgrass
From planting to harvesting, your wheatgrass will take about seven days. You should harvest the wheatgrass when it is about 6” to 7” tall; this is the point when the wheatgrass is at its peak of nutritional value. After this point there is a rapid reduction in its nutritional content.
When you harvest the wheatgrass, you will want to use a pair of sharp scissors and cut as close to the soil as possible. You will want to be sure that you keep planting new trays as you are harvesting, so that you always have a fresh supply of wheatgrass to juice. If for some reason you can not juice the wheatgrass plants on the day you harvest them, wrap them with a damp paper towel and keep them in the refrigerator. The plants will keep in the refrigerator for up to a week; just be sure you do not let the plants get too tall or you lose the nutritional benefit.
A standard 11” x 21” tray will yield approximately 16 to 20 ounces of fresh wheatgrass juice.
Step #6 – Juicing the Wheatgrass
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domain: biology


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Oak Hill Elementary School
Oak Hill Middle / High School
Davis Stadium Entrance & Field House
Dawn Richards, Community Health Nurse at Southern Ohio Medical Center, visited the Active Acorns Winter Team’s meeting and taught the students about healthy eating and the importance of physical activity. The students always enjoy her fun and interactive presentations. SOMC is one of the sponsors of the Active Acorns Club at OHES.
Ramsey Sites has signed to play football for the University of Pikeville in Kentucky. February 2018
Congratulations to Hunter McCorkle for being selected as the Adena Athlete of the Month for February 2018.
The Adena Sports Medicine Team, in conjunction with the Adena Health Foundation, sponsors the Athlete of the Month program which seeks to recognize student athletes who have made a considerable effort to maintain a higher grade point average, community service, and also reach high levels of athletic accomplishment.

domain: health


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Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas stated that he intends to submit, Friday, a resolution calling for a three-year timetable for the Israeli withdrawal from the occupied West Bank, after his scheduled speech at the UN General Assembly.Israeli daily Haaretz said Abbas informed US Secretary of State, John Kerry, that he is determined to submit the resolution proposal as more than twenty years of direct “peace talks” with Tel Aviv failed to achieve their intended goal of liberation and independence, while Israel continues its violations, and settlement construction and expansion activities.
Israel does not seem to be concerned about the Palestinian move as its leaders are sure the United States will use its Veto power to topple the resolution, as it did numerous times before, while the US insists “only direct peace talks” can bring a resolution to the conflict.
Abbas is hoping the UN Security Council would pass a binding resolution, setting a timetable for complete withdrawal from the territories Israel illegally captured during the 1967 war, including occupied East Jerusalem.
Haaretz said the United States did not offer Abbas any alternatives to his plan, but only asked him not to head to the Security Council.
On his part, Abbas said his aim is to get the United Nations to set a timetable for direct peace talks between Israel and the Palestinians, and to agree on a map that clearly defines the borders of Israel and the future Palestinian State.
The Palestinian leader added that Israel was failing to show any interest in real peace talks as its continued its invasions and violations in the occupied territories, and is ongoing with its illegitimate construction of expansion of Jewish settlement on Palestinian lands illegally occupied by Tel Aviv.
He added that, should the UN reject his plan; the Palestinians will resume their applications to join more international institutions, including the International Criminal Court (ICC), an issue that would allow the Palestinians to bring charged against Israel for war crime, including Israel’s repeated wars on the civilians in Gaza.
Joining the ICC also opens the door for filing charges of war crimes against Tel Aviv for its ongoing construction and expansion of Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank and Jerusalem, as settlements violate the Fourth Geneva Convention, and International Law.
President Abbas will be holding a meeting with Egypt’s President Abdul-Fattah al-Sissi, and U.S. President Barack Obama, hoping that this could advance the Palestinian demands.
According to the Associated Press, Prime Minister of the interim government in the West Bank Dr. Rami Hamdallah, told its reporter following a meeting for Donor Counties in Norway, that reconstructing Gaza requires around $3.8 Billion due to Israel’s extensive bombardment, including its bombardment homes, hospitals and medical centers, the Gaza Power Plant, and infrastructure.
He added that Saudi Arabia already pledged $500 million, while many other nations expressed interest in provided the needed support.
Meanwhile, the AFP said that President Abbas, Monday, called on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine and make peace with the Palestinians.
Israeli Ynet News said Netanyahu will be delivering a speech in the UN General Assembly, and will hold a meeting with Obama to discuss the operations against the “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria(ISIS),’ the political agenda for “peace” talks between Israel and the Palestinians.

domain: news


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How the town earned its name…
History of Fort Mill
In 1756, when the British and English fought for control of North America, Catawba Indians asked the British for a fort to protect their women and children. Though never completed, the fort was a landmark in the area. A second landmark, a gristmill built where Nation Fort Road crosses Steele Creek, gave Fort Mill the rest of its name.
In the mid-1700s, many Scots-Irish traveled south from Pennsylvania on the Great Wagon Road, bringing their Protestant religion with them. Two of the newcomers were Thomas Spratt and his wife, who spent the night among the friendly Catawba. Thomas Spratt became a friend of the tribesmen, who gave him the name of Kanawha, and he planted his roots in Fort Mill. Descendants of Thomas Spratt still live here.
A tiny park on Main Street in Fort Mill honors the Catawba and the history of the town. You can learn more about local history at the Fort Mill History Museum, 107 Clebourne Street.
Meanwhile, you can learn more about Carolina Orchards and its lifestyle by contacting Charlotte55Plus. Hope to see you soon!
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Copyright © 2021 Charlotte55Plus. All rights reserved. | Information deemed reliable, but not guaranteed.

domain: geography


Combination water and gas fixture is chrome plated brass and is provided with appropriate mounting hardware. The deck mounted faucets are 14-1/2" tall and come with a hose barb and 90 degree gas cock. NSF Approved.
Chrome plated brass, deck mounted faucets are 18"H. Multi-service fixture includes cold water and two gas cocks. Mounting hardware provided.
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Product Class: 16
Unit of Measure: Each
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Assembly Type: Fully Assembled
Lead Time (Days): 7
Ship Width: 14
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Category 1: Accessories > Science > Fixture
7"W x 5"D x 18"H
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100% Satisfaction Guarantee: At Mansion Schools, we want to be sure that the item you choose is the right one for you. Within 30 days of delivery of your order, you may return any merchandise purchased from Mansion Schools in its original condition with your email order confirmation or packing slip. Restocking fees may apply. On items over $275 shipping within the US, we will even arrange free pick up or pay for returns shipping.


SpaceX stated shortly after the explosion that it happened during fueling of the launch vehicle before a routine static fire test rather than during the test itself, and that the "anomaly" was likely caused by a breach in the rocket's cryogenic helium system.
In the latest statement, the company said that the investigation has zoomed in on a specific pressurized helium container located in the second-stage oxygen tank.
"Attention has continued to narrow to one of the three composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) inside the LOX tank," the release read.
The company intends to continue to probe for the "exact root cause" of the eruption and to develop improved helium loading conditions to make sure there's no repeat of the failure.
But given that the incident likely was caused by helium handling issues rather than a design issue with the rocket itself, SpaceX expects to return to flight operations before the end of 2016.


At the premiere of Marvel’s Black Widow (2021), studio chief Kevin Feige revealed a major Marvel Cinematic Universe character introduction had to be reworked due to the global pandemic.
The Marvel Studios Boss admitted that while Marvel’s Phase 4 rollout didn’t change much — even in the face of COVID-19 — one Easter egg intended for Black Widow was instead deployed on the Disney+ streaming series The Falcon and The Winter Soldier.
Related: Internet Breaks After Julia Louis-Dreyfus ‘Falcon and the Winter Soldier’ Cameo
“Truth,” Episode 5 of the wildly popular The Falcon and The Winter Soldier series, threw Marvel fans a curveball by introducing the prolific, Emmy-winning star of Veep and Seinfeld, Julia Louis-Dreyfus into the role of an acerbic, darker Nick Fury-style character. The addition of Julia Louis-Dreyfus to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Contessa Valentina Allegra de Fontaine — Val for short – in Falcon and Winter Soldier was well received by Marvel fans.
However, perhaps Madame Hydra’s bow wasn’t meant to happen on Disney+ afterall.
Marvel Studios head honcho Kevin Feige, speaking to On the Red Carpet at the Black Widow Los Angeles premiere shared how the global pandemic altered a specific detail of Marvel Studios’ Sacred Timeline of Phase 4, saying,
“There’s also an Easter egg that originally was going to appear first in Black Widow and then show up in The Falcon and the Winter Soldier and because of the pandemic, the only thing within our Phase 4 that was twisted a little bit. So, for fans that watch Falcon and the Winter Soldier, there’s something waiting for them as an Easter egg in this one.”
Related: Jimmy Kimmel Blows Marvel Spoiler in Interview with ‘Black Widow’ Star
Marvel fans immediately began to speculate that the Easter egg Feige referenced — though didn’t confirm — is the appearance of Louis-Dreyfus’s Contessa. According to a report from Vanity Fair, Marvel had originally filmed something with Julia Louis-Dreyfus for Black Widow. However, after the pandemic led to a delayed release of Black Widow, the Easter egg will now callback to Falcon and the Winter Soldier — starring Anthony Mackie as Sam Wilson and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes — instead of foreshadow it. The inclusion of the Contessa makes perfect sense, given the character’s penchant for spy games and espionage in Marvel Comics.
Related: Marvel Boss Takes Shots at ‘Spider-Man’ Actor for Spoilers
In another nod to Julia Louis-Dreyfus’s likely inclusion as Val in Black Widow, Marvel boss Kevin Feige recently took a playful jab at another Marvel actor who has seemingly confirmed his appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021).
When asked by Entertainment Tonight, if Marvel fans could expect to see more of Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Feige quipped, “You should ask Alfred Molina.” This was a reference to the Spider-Man 2 (2004) actor spoiling his inclusion in Marvel’s multiverse exploring Spider-Man 3.
Related: Scarlett Johansson’s Husband Went to Great Lengths Avoiding ‘Black Widow’ Spoilers
Marvel’s Black Widow debuts in theaters and on Disney+ Premier Access on July 9 with cast Scarlett Johansson (Natasha Romanoff), Florence Pugh (Yelena Belova), Rachel Weisz (Melina Vostokoff), David Harbour (Alexei Shostakov), O-T Fagbenle (Rick Mason), Ray Winstone, and William Hurt.
Are you psyched to hopefully see more Julia Louis-Dreyfus in the Marvel Cinematic Universe? Let’s hear from our Black Widow fans in the comments!


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Panama (i/ˈpænəmɑː/PAN-ə-mah; Spanish:Panamá[panaˈma]), officially called the Republic of Panama (Spanish:República de Panamá), is a country in Central America situated between North and South America. It is bordered by Costa Rica to the west, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The capital and largest city is Panama City, whose metropolitan area is home to nearly half of the country's 3.9 million people.
Panama was inhabited by several indigenous tribes prior to settlement by the Spanish in the 16th century. Panama broke away from Spain in 1821 and joined a union of Nueva Granada, Ecuador, and Venezuela named the Republic of Gran Colombia. When Gran Colombia dissolved in 1831, Panama and Nueva Granada remained joined, eventually becoming the Republic of Colombia. With the backing of the United States, Panama seceded from Colombia in 1903, allowing the Panama Canal to be built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers between 1904 and 1914. In 1977, an agreement was signed for the total transfer of the Canal from the United States to Panama by the end of the 20th century, which culminated on 31 December 1999.
A Panama hat (toquilla straw hat) is a traditional brimmed straw hat of Ecuadorian origin. Traditionally, hats were made from the plaited leaves of the Carludovica palmata plant, known locally as the toquilla palm or jipijapa palm, although it is a palm-like plant rather than a true palm.
Panama hats are light-colored, lightweight, and breathable, and often worn as accessories to summer-weight suits, such as those made of linen or silk. Beginning around the turn of the 20th century, panamas began to be associated with the seaside and tropical locales.
The art of weaving the traditional Ecuadorian toquilla hat was added to the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage Lists on 6 December 2012. Panama hat is an Intangible Cultural Heritage, a term used to define practices, traditions, knowledge and skills communities pass down from generation to generation as part of their cultural heritage.
Beginning in the early to mid-1600’s hat weaving evolved as a cottage industry all along the Ecuadorian coast. Hat weaving and wearing grew steadily in Ecuador through the 17th and 18th centuries. Even then, the best quality hats were being made in what is now the province of Manabí.
Straw hats woven in Ecuador, like many other 19th and early 20th century South American goods, were shipped first to the Isthmus of Panama before sailing for their destinations in Asia, the rest of the Americas and Europe, subsequently acquiring a name that reflected their point of international sale, "Panama hats", rather than their place of domestic origin. The term was being used by at least 1834.
The village is named after Panama Rocks, a large rock formation south of the village. Paleozoicfossils are visible in the outcrops. This site has become a tourist attraction, and the owners charge admission at the gate.
The village of Panama was incorporated in 1861.
Among many early settlers was George Hawkins, who purchased Lot 50 in 1825. He was born in 1802 in Oneida County, New York. About 1827 he married Rhoda Powers (born 1806). Together they cleared land to make a living. George died in 1883 and Rhoda in 1900. Rhoda's father was Simeon Powers, who established a Baptist church in the area. George's parents are unknown. Both are buried in Panama Union cemetery under one headstone.
The U.S. Post Office at Panama was established in 1826. That was the first, officially recorded, use of the name "Panama". The traditional story is that Panama got its name from someone who had been across the Isthmus of Panama, and said local rock formations reminded him of Panama's rocks. It is possible that this person was Moses Cushman Marsh, who operated a trading company in Panama, and was Panama's first postmaster. He had previously had a business in Cuba, and he may have been across the Isthmus of Panama.
The people of Panama have been protesting the obscene cost of living for weeks ... Panama’s economy grew 17.8% in 2021, and 13.6% in Q1 of 2022 ... The protests will continue as the people have realized that their corrupt government does in fact work for them.The post Civil Unrest in Panama Continues first appeared on Armstrong Economics.
As states seek to avoid criminalizing individuals with mental illness, resources are often lacking to ensure they are not a harm to themselves or others, post-arrest ...Download theGrio mobile apps today! Listen to ‘DearCulture’ with PanamaJackson. The post When mental illness ...
Odesa (CNN)In years gone by, Odesa was Ukraine's "Pearl of the Black Sea," where you would normally at this time of year see locals and holidaymakers jostling for space on its tempting sands ... Political and Literary Essays in Post-Soviet Ukraine," told me as he sat sipping an Americano, dressed in Espadrilles and a Panama hat in heavily fortified St.
... such as passwords, or logon credentials, Microsoft said in a blog post on Wednesday. “Observed victims to date include law firms, banks, and strategic consultancies in countries such as Austria, the United Kingdom, and Panama,” the post said, without identifying the victims.
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Lisa Mikitarian talks about ultra marathons and companion runners and reminds us that Jesus is our companion runner and we need to be a companion runner to others.
04/11/2008 by Lisa Mikitarian
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I want to encourage you in the Lord to never, ever give up.
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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Sec. Addictive Disorders
Volume 14 - 2023 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1156149
Intermittent theta burst stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves cognitive function in polydrug use disorder patients: a randomized controlled trial
- 1Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- 2Wuhan Hospital for Psychotherapy, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
- 3Shanghai Mental Health Center, Shanghai, China
Background: Polydrug abuse is common among opioid users. Individuals who use both heroin and methamphetamine (MA) have been shown to experience a wide range of cognitive deficits. Previous research shows that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) can change cerebral cortical excitability and regulate neurotransmitter concentration, which could improve cognitive function in drug addiction. However, the stimulation time, location, and possible mechanisms of rTMS are uncertain.
Methods: 56 patients with polydrug use disorder were randomized to receive 20 sessions of 10 Hz rTMS (n = 19), iTBS (n = 19), or sham iTBS (n = 18) to the left DLPFC. All patients used MA and heroin concurrently. Cognitive function was assessed and several related proteins including EPI, GABA-Aα5, IL-10, etc. were quantified by ELISA before and after the treatment.
Results: Baseline RBANS scores were lower than normal for age (77.25; IQR 71.5–85.5). After 20 treatment sessions, in the iTBS group, the RBANS score increased by 11.95 (95% CI 0.02–13.90, p = 0.05). In particular, there were improvements in memory and attention as well as social cognition. Following treatment, serum EPI and GABA-Aα5 were reduced and IL-10 was elevated. The improvement of immediate memory was negatively correlated with GABA-Aα5 (r = −0.646, p = 0.017), and attention was positively correlated with IL-10 (r = 0.610, p = 0.027). In the 10 Hz rTMS group, the improvement of the RBANS total score (80.21 ± 14.08 before vs.84.32 ± 13.80 after) and immediate memory (74.53 ± 16.65 before vs.77.53 ± 17.78 after) was statistically significant compared with the baseline (p < 0.05). However, compared with the iTBS group, the improvement was small and the difference was statistically significant. There was no statistically significant change in the sham group (78.00 ± 12.91 before vs.79.89 ± 10.92 after; p > 0.05).
Conclusion: Intermittent theta burst stimulation to the left DLPFC may improve cognitive function in polydrug use disorder patients. Its efficacy appears to be better than that of 10 Hz rTMS. The improvement of cognitive function may be related to GABA-Aα5 and IL-10. Our findings preliminarily demonstrate the clinical value of iTBS to the DLPFC to augment neurocognitive recovery in polydrug use disorders.
Around 275 million people used drugs in 2021 globally; 13% or 36.3 million people had a drug use disorder (1). In China, around 1.458 million people use heroin and other opioids, accounting for 49.3% of the total number of registered drug users. In addition, 1.459 million people used synthetic drugs, including 1.19 million who used methamphetamine, an increase of 40.5% over the previous year (2). As neurotoxic substances, drugs have long been known to cause cognitive deficits. A meta-analysis showed impairment in most cognitive areas of methamphetamine use disorder (MUD), including memory, attention, executive function, verbal/verbal fluency, and social cognition (3). The rate of polydrug use disorders (multiple simultaneous drug use) has been significantly increasing over the past 2 decades (4). Epidemiological studies have reported a high prevalence of polydrug use (30–49.7%), particularly among individuals with opioid use disorder. Chronic polydrug abusers show multiple cognitive impairments (5). Compared to alcohol use disorder, polydrug users show trends for worse performance in general intelligence, auditory-verbal learning, and decision-making tasks (6).
Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) is a noninvasive technique that allows electrical currents to be induced in focal areas of the cerebral cortex, which can stimulate local and related distal cortical and subcortical areas, induce excitatory changes, and the changes can persist for around an hour following the stimulation (7). rTMS has become an evidence-based therapy for treatment-resistant and endorsed by several Clinical Practice Guidelines to be used in the treatment of mental and substance use disorders. Theta burst stimulation (TBS) is a special highly efficient rTMS sequence (8, 9). TBS has two variants: intermittent theta burst stimulation (iTBS) that improves cortical excitability, and continuous theta burst stimulation (cTBS) that reduces excitability. In previous studies, 10 Hz rTMS has been often used to treat substance dependent patients, Su et al. reported that five sessions of 10 Hz rTMS over the DLPFC could improve verbal learning and memory and social–emotional cognition in MA-addicted subjects (10), It has been shown to significantly reduce craving, and improve emotional problems and cognitive function (11). In addition, multiple-day rTMS improved arbitrary face-word pairings memory and hippocampal-cortical functional connectivity (12). In recent years, there have been many studies of iTBS for substance addiction. Previous work suggests that attention bias and beta oscillation during the attentional processing of words in patients with MUD can be modulated by iTBS applied to the left DLPFC, and iTBS significantly reduces craving and improves cognition and sleep quality for methamphetamine addicts (13). The iTBS treatment protocol positively affects behavioral inhibition in patients with heroin addiction (14). 10 Hz rTMS takes around 20 min to complete 900 pulses; iTBS is more efficiently, which takes only 4 min and 52 s to complete the same pulses. Compared with 10 Hz rTMS, TBS maybe more acceptable to patients because of its short treatment time. Even both 10 Hz rTMS and iTBS had similar results of improving cognition in patients with substance addiction, there have no studies to compare the difference between them. So our study was designed to validate previous results and initially compare the efficacy of iTBS with 10 Hz rTMS.
There has been no effective medical treatment for polydrug use disorders. Therefore, novel treatment approaches for polydrug use disorders are desperately needed. Considering the prefrontal dysfunction and cognitive impairments that have been observed in patients with polydrug use disorders and the effectiveness of rTMS for other psychiatric diseases, we hypothesize that iTBS to the DLPFC may also improve the cognitive function of polydrug users. We tested iTBS to the DLPFC as our therapeutic approach. In short, the purpose of this study was to test whether iTBS to the left DLPFC would modulate cognitive function in polydrug use disorders by utilizing a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study design. We tested whether cognitive function would be influenced by using a detailed CogState Battery of standardized neuropsychological tasks: The Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of all the Neuropsychological States (RBANS). In addition, we measured several related blood indicators, including epinephrine (EPI), gamma aminobutyric acid receptor Aα5 (GABA-Aα5), interleukin10 (IL-10), and others, to probe the mechanisms involved in cognitive function in these patients.
2. Materials and methods
2.1. Participant selection
We recruited 56 patients with polydrug use disorder from The First Health Clinic Center for Addiction of Wuhan Mental Health Center, Wuhan, China. Participants were treated with a real or sham iTBS or 10 Hz rTMS protocol from 2019.07 to 2021.10 utilizing a randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled study design. On the day of the clinical intake, patients provided written informed consent. The approval for the protocol was obtained from the Ethical Committee for the Psychological Research of the hospital (Wuhan Mental Health Center). This clinical trial was registered based on the ICMJE guidelines with a clinical trial ID: NCT04264741. Participants were aged between 40 and 62 years and met the diagnostic criteria for heroin and MA use disorder (confirmed by a double positive urine test) according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-5 (DSM-5), as assessed by a clinical psychiatrist specialized in substance use disorders (SUDs). During the study, we did not impose any restrictions on the drugs used; we simply observed and recorded the results.
2.2. Clinical measures
The participants were interviewed by trained investigators using a detailed questionnaire including general information, social demographic characteristics, current and prior substance use behaviors, and medical and psychological history.
2.3. Blood sampling and serum measurements
We collected serum samples from 37 participants before the first session of iTBS and after the entire treatment course with real or sham iTBS. The serum was separated, aliquoted, and stored at −80°C until analysis. The blood marker levels were measured by a commercial sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA; Beijing rongxinzhihe Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Wuhan, China) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. First, the 10 μL serum samples and 40 μL sample diluent were mixed in each well. Then, 50 μL sample diluent was added to the standard well. After that, 100 μL of HRP-conjugate reagent was added to each well, covered with an adhesive strip, and incubated for 60 min at 37°C. The wells were washed and then incubated with HRP Conjugate working solution for 30 min, again washed and incubated with a substrate reagent for 15 min at 37°C and finally the stop solution was added. The Optical Density (O.D.) was read at 450 nm using a microtiter plate reader within 15 min.
The participant ID was coded and the real number IDs were retained by the principal investigator until all biochemical analyses were completed. Inter- and intra-assay variation coefficients were 8 and 5%, respectively.
2.4. Cognitive assessment
All participants were administered the RBANS before and after all treatments with rTMS, to measure cognitive function (15). RBANS is designed to assess and characterize cognitive function over time and covers a broad range of difficulties to minimize floor and ceiling effects. RBANS includes five domains, with scores ranging from 40 to 16i for which age-specific normative data are available; these were generated in a Scandinavian population cohort scoring a mean of 100 (standard deviation (SD) ± 15). The five domains are immediate memory, visuospatial function, language, attention, and delayed memory. The RBANS includes 12 sub-tests that are used to calculate five age-adjusted index scores and then a total score and an emotional identification task. The five test indices comprise immediate memory (story memory and list learning sub-test line orientation), visuospatial/constructional (line orientation and figure copy sub-test), language (semantic fluency and picture naming sub-tests), and delayed memory [figure recall, story recall, list recall, and recognition sub-tests, attention (coding and digit span sub-tests), and delayed memory (including figure recall, story recall, list recall, and recognition sub-tests)]. In the eyes-reading test, participants were asked to interpret the emotion associated with 30 images of eyes, which reflects an individual’s social cognition. The RBANS was previously translated into Chinese, although Chinese normative data do not exist. Attempts have been made to establish a minimal clinically important difference using an anchor-based approach but without solid results. Therefore, we chose not to use a specific cut-off value for clinical relevance.
2.5. rTMS treatment
Fifty-six participants were randomly assigned into a 10 Hz rTMS group (n = 19), an iTBS group (n = 19), or a sham iTBS group (n = 18) by a researcher who was not involved in the assessment used the random number table method. The rTMS stimulation protocol was administered by a trained clinical physiologist. The patient’s motor threshold (MT) was confirmed through the left motor cortex, the lowest intensity which can produced a motor response was found in the right abductor pollicis brevis muscles (APB), that could produce motor-evoked responses of at least 50 mV five in 10 trials. During the treatment, the coil was placed over the left prefrontal area at a point 5 cm anterior to the scalp position where the motor threshold was determined. During treatment, patients reclined on a comfortable bed while TMS stimuli were delivered to the left DLPFC. The stimulator device was a CCY-I TMS instrument with a Cool-B80 butterfly coil (Yiruide Co., Wuhan, China). By reviewing relevant literature, about the use of 10 Hz rTMS, there was stimulation for 1.5 s with intervals of 58.5 s (16) and stimulation for 4 s with intervals of 26 s (17). In our study, we aimed to compare the efficacy of the 10 Hz rTMS and the iTBS; hence, the same number of pulses (900 pulses) was used. After discussion and calculation, we determined the parameters of the 10 Hz, which was 10 Hz, 80–100%MT, 2 s on and 18 s off for 15 min, with 900 pulses per day (18). The iTBS applied 3 × 50 Hz pulses in 5 Hz packets over 2 s, followed by 8 s of inactivity, with repeated cycles that continued for 292 s, 900 pulses per day, 80–100% of MT. The total treatment time was around 5 min. In the sham iTBS group, patients received a similar pseudo-stimulation treatment. The treatment site and method were the same as the real stimulation, but the coil was placed at 90° vertical during the stimulation; a treatment-like sound was generated but the stimulation is weak and cannot penetrate the skull. Patients underwent one treatment session per day from Monday to Friday for 4 weeks. Adverse events were self-reported and collected. Each patient was evaluated by the psychiatrist and provided the appropriate dose of methadone (see CONSORT flowchart in Figure 1).
2.6. Statistical analyses
SPSS (version 21.0) was used for all statistical analyses. The demographic and clinical variables of all participants were compared using ANOVA for continuous variables and X2 for categorical variables. We compared the difference between groups at baseline, after the intervention, and before and after the intervention. When the data were normally distributed, ANOVA or t-test was employed. Changes in cognitive function were calculated by subtracting the post-treatment score from the pre-treatment score. When the data were not normally distributed, nonparametric tests were used. To compare baseline and post-intervention, paired t-tests were utilized. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated to analyze the correlation between cognitive function and biochemical markers in the blood. Data are presented as mean ± SD. All tests were two-tailed with the significance threshold set at 0.05. When making multiple comparisons, we corrected the p value (P/n) according to the number of comparisons.
3.1. Demographic and drug use information
Demographic characteristics and drug use summary data are shown in Table 1. There were no differences between the 10 Hz rTMS group or iTBS or sham iTBS group in terms of age, education years, marriage, employment, or body mass index (BMI). No differences were found between the three groups in terms of onset age, abstinence period, duration of MA use, or the MA dose and frequency. All of the patients continued to use drugs throughout the study (Table 1).
3.2. The effect of iTBS/rTMS on cognition
At baseline, there were no differences in the total RBANS score between groups (80.21 ± 14.08 in traditional rTMS and 79.42 ± 14.22 in iTBS group and 78.00 ± 12.91 in sham iTBS group; p > 0.05), and there were also no differences in all indices between the three groups (p > 0.05; Table 2). After 20 treatment sessions over 4 weeks, compared with any other group, the iTBS group showed improvements in the RBANS total score, and immediate memory (p < 0.05). Compared with the baseline, iTBS showed a significant improvement in the RBANS score, immediate memory, visual spatial, attention, delayed memory, and read-the-eye test (p < 0.05). The 10 Hz rTMS showed a significant improvement in the RBANS score and immediate memory (p < 0.05). Compared with the sham group, the D-value of iTBS showed a significant improvement in the RBANS score, immediate memory, attention, and read-the-eye test (p < 0.017). Compared with the 10 Hz rTMS group, the D-value of iTBS showed a significant difference in the RBANS score and immediate memory (p < 0.017). In the sham iTBS group, no significant difference was found before and after the treatment (p > 0.05; Figure 2).
Figure 2. Cognitive function scores pre and post intervention. ANOVA was used, • means p < 0.05. #Compared with the baseline, group have statistical difference. Immediate memory (IM, story memory and list learning sub-test line orientation), visual spatial/constructional (VS, line orientation and figure copy sub-test), language (semantic fluency and picturenaming sub-tests), attention (including coding and digit span sub-tests), delayed memory (DM, including figure recall, story recall, list recall, and recognition sub-tests), Rbans total score (TS), and Read the eye test (RET).
3.3. Serum biochemical levels/changes in blood biochemical indices
We tested the concentrations of 10 blood markers. Before treatment, there were no differences in any of the markers, except for IL-10, between the iTBS and sham iTBS groups (p > 0.05; Table 3). Compared to baseline, after 20 treatment sessions over 4 weeks, the iTBS group showed lower epinephrine (EPI; 2870.43 ± 441.7 vs. 2578.9 ± 412.13), higher interleukin 10 (IL-10; 931.57 ± 128.68 vs. 1128.94 ± 162.86), and lower γ -aminobutyric acid Aα5 type (GABA-Aα5; 28.65 ± 4.05 vs. 23.05 ± 2.69; Figures 3, 4).
3.4. Relationship between cognitive function and rTMS treatment and serum biochemical levels
Pearson correlation analyses showed that immediate memory was negatively correlated with GABA-Aα5 (r = −0.646, p = 0.017) and attention was positively correlated with IL-10 (r = 0.610, p = 0.027) in the iTBS group (Table 4). However, no significant correlations were detected between other indices of RBANS and other serum biochemical levels (Table 4).
In our study, we found that iTBS to the left DLPFC significantly improved cognitive function, including memory and attention, and social cognition in heroin and MA-addicted individuals. These results are consistent with previous studies (13, 19). However, another study suggested inconsistent results. For instance, Turriziani’s study showed that iTBS to the right DLPFC led to a deterioration in memory performance while iTBS to the left DLPFC had no effect on recognition memory performance in healthy controls (20). Previous research has indicated that the left and right DLPFC serve different functions in memory tasks (21). The inconsistency of previous findings may be attributed to differences in the location of stimulation. Our study found that applying 10 Hz rTMS over the DLPFC can enhance memory in polydrug users, which is consistent with previous research (10). Furthermore, our results suggest that iTBS improves immediate memory to a greater extent than 10 Hz rTMS. Other studies have demonstrated that the frequency of stimulation is the primary factor that determines the direction of excitability modulation (22). Higher frequency iTBS (50 Hz) can increase neuronal activity and cortical excitability, which in turn can improve mood. One clinical study reported that iTBS was more effective than 10 Hz rTMS in alleviating depression (23), and a better mood might contribute to the greater improvement in cognitive function. To date, this is the first trial to investigate the comparative influence of iTBS and 10 Hz rTMS on cognitive function in polydrug users. Compared with 10 Hz rTMS, iTBS takes less time and the effect may be better, so it is more likely to be accepted by patients. We found significantly lower cognitive function levels in adults with polydrug use disorders. Using normative data as a reference, polydrug use disorder patients performed significantly worse across all five RBANS indices, with attention and memory and social cognition showing the largest differences. These findings are in agreement with previous studies showing reduced cognitive function in patients who use methamphetamine and heroin (24).
In our study, GABA-Aα5 was significantly reduced and was significantly associated with improved memory function in the iTBS group. Experiments in animals and humans have elucidated some of the potential mechanisms of rTMS in improving cognitive function. Zheng et al. found the increase of GABA-Aα5 might be involved in learning-memory dysfunction in the offspring of chronic ethanol-treated rats and that a GABA-Aα5 inhibitor could be an effective way to treat alcohol-induced cognitive impairment (25). Prévot et al. found that reduced signaling of the GABA-Aα5 receptor can improve cognitive function (26). We found that iTBS could act as a GABA-Aα5 inhibitor, which led to a decrease in GABA-Aα5 levels and an improvement in memory in our study. This is consistent with the results of previous studies. Su et al. found that the effect of rTMS on cognitive function in individuals with methamphetamine dependence may be related to changes in GABA levels in the prefrontal cortex (27).
Inflammation has been shown to play an important role in the cognitive deficits of polydrug use disorders. MA causes an increase in pro-inflammatory cytokines in animal models and humans. Heroin addiction also influences the immune system. Kobeissy et al. showed that three major cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-10) were elevated in an MA group compared to a saline group (28). Kohno et al. found that IL-6 levels are higher in MA users than in controls (29). Mice subcutaneously administered heroin showed an increased production of IL-1β, IFN-γ, and IL-12 within 2 h, but the production of the anti-inflammatory cytokines IL-4 and IL-10 was decreased (30). In our study, IL-2, IL-6, and IL-9 levels were not changed by iTBS or sham stimulation, but IL-10 was significantly increased and was significantly associated with improved attention in the iTBS group. This suggests that iTBS may modulate immunity by altering IL-10 expression, and thus improve cognitive function. This is consistent with previous studies, Zhang et al. found that cognitive impairment could be alleviated by IL-10 (31). where IL-10 was reported to be increased after rTMS treatment in middle cerebral artery occlusion model rats, which significantly reduced neuronal apoptosis, promoted neuronal plasticity, and improved cognitive function (32). Multiplex cytokine bioassays showed that iTBS increased IL-10 in injury mice with middle cerebral artery occlusion (33). In addition, our study found a significant decline in EPI after treatment but did not find a correlation between this change and cognitive function. This is inconsistent with relevant research, Jiang et al. found a relationship between sevoflurane-induced cognitive impairment and EPI adrenoceptors in the cerebral cortex of rats (34).
Our study has some limitations. First, participants received only 20 sessions of stimulation without subsequent treatments. Secondly, to avoid time effects on cognitive function, especially for memory, we remeasured cognitive function 2 months after the end of treatment. However, blood was drawn immediately after treatment. This discrepancy in timings may affect the correlation between changes in cognitive function and those blood markers, although it does suggest that early biomarker responses are associated with later cognitive status. Future studies may consider continued rTMS treatment 2–3 times a week after the first 20 sessions, with continued cognitive function tests and longitudinal blood analyses, to better model the relationship between changes in cognitive function and blood indicators, and observe the duration of rTMS effects. In addition, we did not assess depression and anxiety symptoms, which is a related oversight because mood, anxiety, and other psychological symptoms are over represented in drug users. The effective treatment of emotional symptoms by iTBS/10 Hz rTMS may be attributed to improved cognitive abilities. We will focus on emotional symptoms in a follow-up study.
In conclusion, we preliminary found that iTBS to the left DLPFC could improve cognitive function in polydrug use disorder patients, and its efficacy was superior to that of 10 Hz rTMS. At the same time, serum GABA-Aα5 and EPI levels decreased and IL-10 increased. These findings suggest that iTBS-rTMS may act as a GABA-Aα5 inhibitor and IL-10 agonist. Future studies should focus on related proteins change and functional MRI of the brain to identify the mechanisms of iTBS, and ideally conduct longer treatment and follow-up.
Data availability statement
The original contributions presented in the study are included in the article/supplementary materials, further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding authors.
The studies involving human participants were reviewed and approved by Ethics Committee of Wuhan Mental Health Center. The patients/participants provided their written informed consent to participate in this study.
LD was responsible for the study concept and design and did the rTMS intervention and drafted the manuscript. X-JL, X-BL, and S-JC helped design the study. M-LW, CD, X-rJ, and S-fM acquired the clinical data. W-CC conducted the data analysis. LD, W-CC, HS, M-LW, CD, X-rJ, S-fM, S-JC, X-JL, and X-BL provided critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content. All authors contributed to the article and approved the submitted version.
This study was supported by the Key Projects for Youth of Wuhan Health and Family Planning Commission (WX19Q23 to LD, 2019); National Nature Science Foundation (82130041); and Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (2018SHZDZX05). The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the above program. The sponsor had no role in the study design, data collection, analysis, interpretation of the results, or writing of the report.
The authors would like to express their gratitude to EditSprings (https://www.editsprings.cn) for the expert linguistic services provided.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.
All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.
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Keywords: polydrug use disorders, iTBS, cognitive function, GABA-Aα5, IL-10
Citation: Dong L, Chen W-C, Su H, Wang M-L, Du C, Jiang X-r, Mei S-f, Chen S-J, Liu X-J and Liu X-B (2023) Intermittent theta burst stimulation to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex improves cognitive function in polydrug use disorder patients: a randomized controlled trial. Front. Psychiatry 14:1156149. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2023.1156149
Edited by:Johannes Petzold, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Germany
Copyright © 2023 Dong, Chen, Su, Wang, Du, Jiang, Mei, Chen, Liu and Liu. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
†These authors have contributed equally to this work and share first authorship

domain: literature


An ancient ɡгаⱱe in Austria may represent the oldest Ьᴜгіаɩ of twins on record, a new study finds.
Researchers found the twins’ oval-shaped Ьᴜгіаɩ at the archaeological site of Krems-Wachtberg, on the bank of the Danube River by the town center of Krems in 2005. The twin infants’ remains were covered with ochre, a red pigment often used in ancient burials across the world.
The double Ьᴜгіаɩ also contained 53 beads made oᴜt of mammoth ivory that were likely once threaded on a necklace, and a perforated fox incisor and three perforated mollusks, which were possibly necklace pendants, the researchers said. A mammoth shoulder blade placed over the Ьᴜгіаɩ protected the small bodies interred beneath it over the millennia.
The finding made headlines shortly after its discovery, and researchers even created a replica of the twins’ Ьᴜгіаɩ, which went on display at the Natural History Museum Vienna in 2013.
However, scientists still had much to learn about the ancient Ьᴜгіаɩ. So, in the new project, an interdisciplinary group of researchers teamed up to decipher the relationship between these three infants and to determine their ѕex and age at deаtһ.
The extгаoгdіпагу burials “seems to imply that the deаtһ of the babies was a great ɩoѕѕ for the community and their survival.”


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