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The features of the settlements of the Saka time in Central Kazakhstan are studied on the basis of materials from more than 70 objects that have been discovered to date. Along with the study of such important aspects as topography and planigraphy, house building, ceramic complex, determining the function of stone tools, etc., the dating of monuments using modern natural science methods is relevant. The article publishes for the frst time the results of a new series of radiocarbon analyzes that were carried out at the end of 2021 on bone samples from two settlements. A total of 7 new dates from the Tasmola settlements of Abylai and Kulzhan-I were obtained in the 14C Chronology Laboratory at Lanzhou University, China. All dates ft within the framework of the 8th – 6th centuries BC. It seems important that the upper limit of calibrated dates does not go beyond the middle of the 6th century BC. The new dates are consistent with the previously made archaeological dates of the settlements of Central Kazakhstan. According to materials of the study of the monuments of the Scythian-Saka era of Kazakhstan, Sayan-Altay, this milestone is the time of the end of the Early Scythian period in the ancient history of the steppe Eurasia. There are still not enough radiocarbon dates for the settlements of the Saka time in Central Kazakhstan. Therefore, it is planned to continue work in this direction.

The role of human activity in shaping the terrestrial environment has been a core scientific issue of interest across various disciplines. However, it remains unclear whether there are significant differences in the patterns of the anthropogenic impact on the terrestrial environment in terms of spatial and temporal dimensions, and we are yet to identify the underlying factors that have driven it. Here, we present an analysis of sporopollen and geochemical proxies from a section of the Anjiangbei site (AJB) on the Yunnan Plateau, spanning the Ming–Qing period, in order to explore the spatio-temporal variation in the anthropogenic impact on the terrestrial environment in the Lake Dian basin. Integrating the reported multidisciplinary evidence, we aim to reveal the influencing factors of anthropogenic impact. Our results show that there were remarkable differences in anthropogenic impact on the terrestrial environment in the Lake Dian basin between the Late Bronze Age and the Ming–Qing period. Changes in crop vegetation and the forest were all affected by human activity in the Lake Dian basin during the two periods, and were more evident during the Ming–Qing period. The heavy metal pollution in the soil was obvious during the Ming–Qing period. The increase in the intensity of human activity, especially the rise in population, could be attributed to changes in the hydrological environment in the Lake Dian basin during the Late Bronze Age and to geopolitical change during the Ming–Qing period. This study reveals the different patterns in human impact on the terrestrial environment in the Lake Dian basin during the Late Bronze Age and the Ming–Qing period, providing new evidence to enable a deeper understanding of past human–environment interactions on the Yunnan Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of chemotherapy drugs in tumor treatment has a long history, but the lack of selectivity of drugs often leads to serious side effects during chemotherapy. The natural anti-tumor ingredients derived from Chinese herbal medicine are attracting increased attention due to their diverse anti-tumor effects, abundant resources, and minimal side effects. An effective anti-tumor strategy may lie in the combination of these naturally derived anti-tumor ingredients with conventional chemotherapy drugs. This approach could potentially inhibit tumor growth and the development of drug resistance in tumor cells while reducing the adverse effects of chemotherapy drugs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the combined therapy strategies integrating natural anti-tumor components from Chinese herbal medicine with chemotherapy drugs in current research. We primarily summarize various compounds in Chinese herbal medicine exhibiting natural anti-tumor activities and the relevant mechanisms in synergistic anti-tumor combination therapy. The focus of this paper is on underlining that this integrative approach, combining natural anti-tumor components of Chinese herbal medicine with chemotherapy drugs, presents a novel cancer treatment methodology, thereby providing new insights for future oncological research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]