In ancient China, an unobstructed, convenient and efficient transmission system nationwide was established for long-distance transmission of information. The transmission system works to different degrees in different regions, which is an important index to measure the interregional information level. Yet, some minor differences, may not be easily sensed by people subjectively. Identifying and quantifying the influences of information transmission efficiency is the best way to solve this problem. Based on the historical information map visualized by ArcGIS software, this study established a hierarchy evaluation model suitable for the analysis of ancient information transmission efficiency from three aspects of Wei-Suo system, beacon system and post system. The information transmission systems in five different regions of Wenzhou in the Ming Dynasty were quantitatively explored respectively. The results break through the qualitative conclusions of the general studies, and find out that the overall information transmission efficiency of Wenzhou in Ming Dynasty was strong in coastal, northern and southern regions, but weak in inland and central regions, which was closely related to the geographical environment and military defense demands in coastal areas of the Ming Dynasty. The model is proven to greatly contribute to judging the spatial configuration of ancient information transmission system in different regions, and provides a new idea for the study on ancient information transmission system.

OBJECTIVE: Sejong the Great (May 7, 1397-March 30, 1450), a king during Korea\'s Choson Dynasty, is the most respected historical figure in South Korean society, and consequently, many studies have been conducted on his achievements and the disease he suffered. The dominant trend of scholarship claims that Sejong suffered from diabetic retinopathy. However, this interpretation has not been medically verified. The present analysis aimed to demonstrate that Sejong\'s is the oldest documented case of ankylosing spondylitis.
METHODS: The Annals of the Choson Dynasty (hereafter, The Annals) are daily records of the king. The Annals were recorded for 472 years (1392-1865) and contain 49 646 667 Chinese characters. Records in The Annals on Sejong span 1418-1450; the present study author reviewed these records.
RESULTS: Sejong\'s medical records are mentioned 40 times in the source text. The king first experienced musculoskeletal pain in his knee at the age of 22 years. Sejong\'s knee pain is mentioned 3 times, and his back pain, which he described as \"stiff and immobile\", is mentioned 6 times. He complained most frequently of ocular symptoms described as \"prickly or tingling,\" which are mentioned 12 times.
CONCLUSIONS: Based on the analysis of official documentation, the author argues that there is a high probability that Sejong suffered from ankylosing spondylitis, making this the oldest officially documented case of the disease.

This paper reports a pioneering study of an unknown historical drug formulation preserved in the Spezieria of Santa Maria della Scala in Rome, founded at the end of the seventeenth century by the Discalced Carmelites. Due to limited literature related to pharmaceutical remedies and drugs of the Early Modern Era (between the XV and XVIII centuries) and the complexity in their formulations, the study of these drugs represents a great challenge. The untargeted nature of the selected drug required a multi-analytical approach with complementary techniques to formulate a compositional hypothesis: FT-IR spectroscopy, gas chromatography-associated/mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were successfully employed to identify different organic compounds. Systematic archaeobotanical research was performed as well, allowing us to acquire data related to the possible genus of plants from which these natural compounds derive and their geographical origin. The unknown drug formulation turned out to be a complex mixture used as an ointment with an anti-inflammatory purpose. It mainly contains a mixture of Venetian turpentine; a Pine resin (colophony) from the Pinaceae family; an exudate of a plant from South America, whose identified components are triterpenic compounds such as alpha- and beta-amyrins, betulin and lupeol; and saturated fatty acids which act as carriers and/or to reduce the viscosity of abovementioned exudates and resins. The study of historical drugs is important not only in order to know the practices handed down by the speziali in the past but also to reconstruct historical recipes, which can inspire new dermatological, cosmetic, hygienic and current healing products.Graphical abstract.

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To evaluate the etiology of a subadult skeleton exhibiting increased size of the neurocranium and upper face.
Skeletal remains of a child aged between 1.5-2 years from the Early Modern Period (14th -18th), Žumberak, Croatia.
Metric and volumetric data were collected, and CT with VRT reconstruction was employed.
Metric analyses indicate that the neurocranium and upper face display increased size and volume.
A diagnosis of the communicating form of hydrocephalus is suggested.
This is the first published case of the communicating form of hydrocephalus.
It is difficult to determine the specific etiology of this condition based on skeletal remains.

This paper presents a possible case of Facio-Auriculo-Vertebral sequence (FAVs) in an adult female from Haffjarðarey, Western Iceland (1200-1563 CE) and a brief review of associated terminology.
The skeletal remains of a single adult female (HFE-A-34, 18-24 years old), excavated in 1945 by the National Museum of Iceland.
We carried out macroscopic examination of the cranium and mandible in 2017.
Right side unilateral asymmetric craniofacial dysplasia was identified on the cranium and mandible of HFE-A-34.
This individual presents with anomalous craniofacial asymmetry consistent with a clinical diagnosis of FAVs.
This paper offers a visually distinct case of an under-represented and under-documented congenital condition for future identification within paleopathology.
Infra-cranial skeletal manifestations of FAVs would strengthen this possible diagnosis, but at this time it is not possible to definitively link the cranium and mandible of HFE-A-34 to any of the infra-cranial remains excavated from Haffjarðarey.
In addition to further clarifying the variable nature of FAVs in archaeological remains, a detailed discussion of disability and the perception of disabled individuals within the medieval North Atlantic is necessary in order to understand the lived experiences of affected individuals.

Giovanni Pico della Mirandola and Angelo Poliziano were two of the most important humanists of the Italian Renaissance. They died suddenly in 1494 and their deaths have been for centuries a subject of debate. The exhumation of their remains offered the opportunity to study the cause of their death through a multidisciplinary research project. Anthropological analyses, together with documentary evidences, radiocarbon dating and ancient DNA analysis supported the identification of the remains attributed to Pico. Macroscopic examination did not reveal paleopathological lesions or signs related to syphilis. Heavy metals analysis, carried out on bones and mummified tissues, showed that in Pico\'s remains there were potentially lethal levels of arsenic, supporting the philosopher\'s poisoning theory reported by documentary sources. The arsenic concentrations obtained from analysis of Poliziano\'s remains, are probably more related to an As chronic exposure or diagenetic processes rather than poisoning.

This paper discusses the differential diagnosis of an unusual calcified mass found in the pelvic cavity of 45+-year-old female excavated from 15th-18th century Lisbon (Portugal). The mass is relatively large, irregularly shaped, and exhibits a concave base with malformed teeth embedded within its inner surface. Considering its macroscopic and radiological characteristics, several conditions were considered in the differential diagnosis, namely eccyesis, fetus in fetu, lithopaedion, and ovarian teratoma. However, the morphological features of the specimen, such as its structure, morphology, and dimensions, are diagnostic of a teratoma. Its location and the sex of the individual are more specifically compatible with a calcified ovarian teratoma. With regional and temporal variations in the frequency of tumours, the report of new cases becomes imperative, especially from geographic regions where few cases have been identified. In fact, this appears to be the first case of ovarian teratoma detected in the Portuguese archaeological record and adds to the few palaeopathological cases described in the osteoarchaeological literature worldwide.

UNASSIGNED: We here report the discovery of a gold dental ligature from the late 15th century, at the Convent of Santa Clara-a-Velha, in the city of Coimbra, Portugal. A medieval Clare\'s nun presented the left upper lateral incisor splinted to the canine, since the others three incisors were lost, most probably due to an aggressive periodontal disease. The convent is associated with the medieval upper class, which was well known for its consumption of high levels of sugar. There is a higher prevalence of caries in comparison to other Portuguese skeletal samples of the same time period, as well as a high prevalence of periodontal disease. Thus far, this is one of the earliest findings of dental treatment in Europe.

Henry VIII (1491-1547) became King of England in 1509. He started out as a good monarch, sensible, reasonable and pleasant, but later his behaviour changed drastically. He became irascible, intolerant, violent and tyrannical. In January 1536, Henry had a serious jousting accident and was unconscious for 2 h. It is generally believed that this accident played a major role in his personality change. Letters of that time, however, indicate that the change began insidiously in 1534 and became most drastic in 1535, a year before the accident. Henry had suffered from leg ulcers before and after the accident and had been constantly treated for them for many years. Sloane MS1047, now in the British Library in London, contains the prescriptions for the medications used to treat these ulcers. Many of the medications contain a high proportion of lead in various forms. Lead can be absorbed through skin, especially damaged skin. Absorbed lead can affect the brain, causing psychiatric problems, especially those associated with violence. The author presents a hypothesis that absorbed lead from his medications might have been a major factor in King Henry\'s personality change.