Los inicios de la economía de producción en el estuario Tinto-Odiel : el asentamiento prehistórico de Casa del Río (Aljaraque, Huelva)

La investigación arqueológica sobre el proceso de génesis y consolidación de estrategias productoras en el marco global del suroeste penínsular y en los contextos fluviomarítimos de la provincia de Huelva, en particular, apenas cuenta, hoy por hoy con resultados contrastados que puedan contribuir a esclarecer la cuestión. La excavación en el asentamiento de Casa del Río (Aljaraque, Huelva) ha aportado bases tanto para el análisis y definición del proceso histórico de aquellos grupos, su organización social, economía, etc., cuanto para el planteamiento de un modelo hipotético zonal del tránsito de sociedades cazadoras-recolectoras a productoras._______________________Nowadays, the archaeological research on the process of genesis and consolidation of producing strategies in the Southwest of the Iberian Peninsula, specially, on the fluvial and maritime context of the province of Huelva, hardly posseses contrasting results that clarify the isue. Anyway, thexcavations in the settlement of "Casa del Río" (Aljaraque, Huelva) have provided foundations for both the analysis and definition of the historical process, social organisation, economy, etc, for these groups. Besides, they have introduced a hypothetical model that enables the shift from hunting-farming societies to producing ones

Cañada Honda I shell-midden (Aljaraque, Huelva, Spain): new data for its chronological and techno-cultural characterization

Los estuarios de los ríos Tinto y Odiel se localizan en la costa suroeste de la Península Ibérica, en el sector noroccidental del Golfo de Cádiz. Los cursos fluviales de ambos ríos atraviesan la provincia de Huelva constituyendo un sistema estuarino en su zona de desembocadura con el Océano Atlántico. Situado en la margen derecha del estuario del Odiel el conchero arqueológico de Cañada Honda (Aljaraque, Huelva), originado en torno a la fase final del último ascenso marino postglaciar (Holoceno), se ha venido considerando un importante establecimiento prehistórico para el estudio del proceso de tránsito de las sociedades cazadoras-recolectoras a aquellas que, en el camino a la sedentarización, desarrollaron estrategias productoras. En el presente artículo damos a conocer un conjunto de materiales y una datación radiocarbónica de Cañada Honda que viene a reforzar su atribución cronológica-cultural a momentos del Mesolítico Final y Neolítico AntiguoTinto and Odiel estuaries are located on the southwestern coast of Iberian Peninsula, on the north-western part of Golfo de Cadiz. Both rivers cross Huelva province and present an estuarine system on its debouch into Atlantic Ocean. Located on the right bank of Odiel Estuary, Cañada Honda shell-midden (Aljaraque, Huelva), formed around the final phase of the maximum of post-glacial sea-level rise (Holocene), has been considered an important pre-historic site for the study of the transition process from hunter-gatherer societies, those that on their way into sedentarization, develop productive strategies.In this text, we present a set of archaeological materials and a radiocarbon date for Cañada Honda that reinforces its chrono-cultural attribution to a time between Late Mesolithic and Early Neolithi

Pacientes hipertensos muestran una mayor respuesta de la frecuencia cardíaca durante el ejercicio progre-sivo en relación con pares adultos normotensos: Proyecto Vascu-Health

Existe información limitada respecto a la respuesta de la frecuencia cardiaca (FC) a partir de fórmulas predictivas y prueba de ejercicio real entre adultos con hipertensión arterial (HTA) y normotensos, así como sobre las similitudes o diferencias vasculares entre muestras de diferente control de la presión arterial. El objetivo de este estudio fue describir y comparar la frecuencia cardiaca durante el ejercicio entre adultos con HTN y normotensos, así como describir parámetros de función endotelial y vasculares. Se realizó un estudio clínico descriptivo con 64 adultos (hombres y mujeres) que fueron divididos en tres grupos: hipertensión arterial (HTN n=26), presión arterial elevada (Ele n=16), o normotensos control (CG n=22). Los participantes se sometieron a una prueba de ejercicio, en la que se midió la FC (variable principal) y parámetros vasculares secundarios (clasificación percentil de la velocidad de la onda del pulso (%ILEPWVba), grosor máximo de la íntima-media carotídea (cIMTmax) y edad arterial entre otras. En la etapa 2 del test (50-100 vatios), el grupo HTN mostró una FC significativamente mayor vs. el grupo GC (+14 latidos/min), y vs. el grupo Ele (+15 latidos/min), ambos p<0,05; y en la etapa 5 (125-250 vatios) vs. el grupo GC (+22 latidos/min; p<0,05). El grupo HTN mostró una clasificación mayor de rigidez arterial %ILEPWVba, y de edad arterial que el grupo NT. En conclusión, los sujetos con HTA presentan una mayor respuesta de la FC durante el ejercicio que los normotensos. Sin embargo, todos los grupos mostraron una mayor HRpredicted en relación con la HRpeak real. Estos resultados se muestran con una clasificación en percentiles superiores de rigidez arterial y una mayor estimación de la edad arterial con relación a adultos normotensos.There is limited information regarding heart rate (HR) response from predictive formulae and actual exercise tests between arterial hypertension (HTN) and normotensive adults, as well as about vascular similarities or differences between samples of different blood pressure control. This study aimed 1) to describe and compare the HR during exercise between HTN and normotensive adults and 2) to describe the endothelial function and related vascular parameters in both groups. A descriptive clinical study was conducted with 64 adults (men and women) who were divided into three groups: arterial hypertension (HTN n=26), elevated blood pressure (Ele n=16), or normotensive control (CG n=22). The participants underwent a incremental cycling exercise test of 5 stages, where HR (primary outcome) was measured, and secondary vascular outcomes (percentile classification of the pulse wave velocity (%ILEPWVba), maximum carotid intima-media thickness (cIMTmax), and arterial age among others were measured. In stage 2 of the test (50-100 watts), the HTN group showed significantly higher HR vs. CG (+14 beats/min; p<0.05) and vs. Ele group (+15 beats/min; p<0.05), and in stage 5 (125-250 watts), HTN group showed vs. CG (+22 beats/min; p<0.05). HTN group showed a higher arterial stiffness by %ILEPWVba classification and arterial age estimation than the CG group. In conclusion, HTN patients reported a higher HR response only in two out of five stages of the Astrand cycling exercise test than normotensive peers. Moreover, all groups showed a higher HRpredicted than real HRpeak obtained from the exercise test. These results are displayed with more altered vascular parameters in the HTN group.This research was funded by Direccion General de In-vestigación, Vicerrectoria de Investigación y Doctorado, Concurso de Ciencias Biomédicas y Clínicas, Universidad Andres Bello 2022 Código N° DI-01-CBC/22”. Also, the main author (C.A.) was funded by the Exercise and Reha-bilitation Sciences Institute, School of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago, 7591538, Chile

Molecules involved in the sperm interaction in the human uterine tube: a histochemical and immunohistochemical approach

In humans, even where millions of spermatozoa are deposited upon ejaculation in the vagina, only a few thousand enter the uterine tube (UT). Sperm transiently adhere to the epithelial cells lining the isthmus reservoir, and this interaction is essential in coordinating the availability of functional spermatozoa for fertilization. The binding of spermatozoa to the UT epithelium (mucosa) occurs due to interactions between cell-adhesion molecules on the cell surfaces of both the sperm and the epithelial cell. However, in humans, there is little information about the molecules involved. The aim of this study was to perform a histological characterization of the UT focused on determining the tissue distribution and deposition of some molecules associated with cell adhesion (F-spondin, galectin-9, osteopontin, integrin αV/β3) and UT’s contractile activity (TNFα-R1, TNFα-R2) in the follicular and luteal phases. Our results showed the presence of galectin-9, F-spondin, osteopontin, integrin αV/β3, TNFα-R1, and TNFα-R2 in the epithelial cells in ampullar and isthmic segments during the menstrual cycle. Our results suggest that these molecules could form part of the sperm-UT interactions. Future studies will shed light on the specific role of each of the identified molecules

Obesidad, autoestima y condición física en escolares

Introducción. La obesidad infantil es un problema grave de salud pública, ya que genera resultados adversos para la salud física y mental.Objetivo. Relacionar el estado nutricional con los niveles de autoestima y rendimiento físico en escolares de 8 a 10 años de edad.Materiales y métodos. Participaron 236 escolares: 117 hombres y 119 mujeres, de entre 8 y 10 años de edad, pertenecientes a dos colegios del municipio de Temuco con carácter estatal-municipal. Se evaluó peso, talla, índice de masa corporal, porcentaje de masa/grasa, contorno cintura, condición física, horas de ejercicio físico a la semana y autoestima.Resultados. El 43.6% de los escolares presentó malnutrición por exceso. Los categorizados como obesos (19%) presentaron niveles superiores en masa grasa y contorno cintura (p0.001), además obtuvieron un rendimiento físico menor (p0.05). Las horas realizadas de ejercicio físico a la semana y el nivel de autoestima fueron menores en lo escolares obesos, pero estos no alcanzaron significancia (p≥ 0.05).Conclusiones. La obesidad en edad escolar pone de manifiesto alteraciones asociadas con el rendimiento físico, la masa grasa y las tendencias negativas sobre la autoestima. A pesar de ser una etapa temprana, se pueden apreciar las consecuencias asociadas a esta condición.Introduction: Childhood obesity is a serious public health issue, since it generates adverse results for physical and mental health.Objective: To correlate nutritional status and levels of self-esteem and physical performance in schoolchildren aged between 8 and 10.Materials and methods: 236 students participated, 117 male and 119 female, aged between 8 and 10, from two public schools in the municipality of Temuco. Weight, height, body mass index, mass/fat percentage, waist contour, physical condition, hours of physical exercise per week and self-esteem were evaluated.Results: Overnutrition was documented in 43.6% of the students; children classified as obese (19%) presented higher levels of fat mass and waist contour (p0.001), and also had a lower physical performance (p0.05). The hours of physical exercise per week and the level of self-esteem were lower in obese school children, although this figure was not significant (p≥0.05).Conclusions: Obesity in school-aged children reveals alterations associated with physical performance, fat mass and negative trends on self-esteem. Despite developing at an early stage, the consequences associated with this condition can already be seen

Single-reaction multi-antigen serological test for comprehensive evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 patients by flow cytometry

Here, we describe a new, simple, highly multiplexed serological test that generates a more complete picture of seroconversion than single antigen-based assays. Flow cytometry is used to detect multiple Ig isotypes binding to four SARS-CoV-2 antigens: the Spike glycoprotein, its RBD fragment (the main target for neutralizing antibodies), the nucleocapsid protein, and the main cysteine-like protease in a single reaction. Until now, most diagnostic serological tests measured antibodies to only one antigen and in some laboratory-confirmed patients no SARS-CoV-2-specific antibodies could be detected. Our data reveal that while most patients respond against all the viral antigens tested, others show a marked bias to make antibodies against either proteins exposed on the viral particle or those released after cellular infection. With this assay, it was possible to discriminate between patients and healthy controls with 100% confidence. Analysing the response of multiple Ig isotypes to the four antigens in combination may also help to establish a correlation with the severity degree of disease. A more detailed description of the immune responses of different patients to SARS-CoV-2 virus might provide insight into the wide array of clinical presentations of COVID-19.This work was supported by: Spanish National Research Council (CSIC-202020E079, CSIC-COVID19-028); Madrid Regional Government “IMMUNOTHERCAN” [S2017/BMD-3733-2 (MVG)]; Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [(MCIU/AEI/FEDER, EU, RTI2018-093569-B-I00 (MVG), SAF2017-82940-R (JMRF), SAF2017-83265-R (HTR); SAF2017-82886-R (FSM)]; Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII) [RETICS Program RD16/0012/0006; RIER (EMGC); PI19/00549 (AA)]; “La Caixa Bank Foundation” (HR17-00016), Fondo Supera COVID (CRUE-Banco de Santander), both to FSM.Peer reviewe

Bead-assisted SARS-CoV-2 multi-antigen serological test allows effective identification of patients

Many new aspects of COVID-19 disease, including different clinical manifestations, have been identified during the pandemic. The wide array of symptoms and variation in disease severity after SARS-CoV-2 infection might be related to heterogeneity in the immune responses of different patients. Here we describe a new method for a simple multi-antigen serological test that generates a full picture of seroconversion in a single reaction. The assay is based on the detection by flow cytometry of multiple immunoglobulin classes (isotypes) specific for four SARS-CoV-2 antigens: the Spike glycoprotein (one of the highly immunogenic proteins), its RBD fragment (the major target for neutralising antibodies), the nucleocapsid protein and the main cysteine-like protease. Until now, most diagnostic serological tests measured antibodies to only one antigen and some patients seemed to not make any antibody response. Our data reveal that while most patients respond against all the viral antigens tested, others show a marked bias to make antibodies against either proteins exposed on the viral particle or those released after cellular infection. Combining all the four antigens and using machine learning techniques, it was possible to clearly discriminate between patients and healthy controls with 100% confidence. Further, combination of antigens and different immunoglobulin isotypes in this multi-antigen assay improved the classification of patients with mild and severe disease. Introduction of this method will facilitate massive screenings of patients to evaluate their immune response. It could also support vaccination campaigns both to select non-immune individuals and to distinguish infected patients from vaccine responders.This work was supported by the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC, project numbers 202020E079 and CSIC-COVID19-028) and grants from Madrid Regional Government “IMMUNOTHERCAN” [S2017/BMD-3733-2 (MVG)]; the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation [(MCIU/AEI/FEDER, EU): RTI2018-093569-B-I00 (MVG), SAF2017-82940-R (JMRF), SAF2017-83265-R (HTR); SAF2017-82886-R (FSM)]; Health Institute Carlos III (ISCIII) [RETICS Program RD16/0012/0006; RIER (JMRF); PI19/00549 (AA)]. The study was also funded by “La Caixa Banking Foundation” (HR17-00016 to FSM) and Fondo Supera COVID (CRUE-Banco de Santander) to FSM.N

Clonal chromosomal mosaicism and loss of chromosome Y in elderly men increase vulnerability for SARS-CoV-2

The pandemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19) had an estimated overall case fatality ratio of 1.38% (pre-vaccination), being 53% higher in males and increasing exponentially with age. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, we found 133 cases (1.42%) with detectable clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations (mCA) and 226 males (5.08%) with acquired loss of chromosome Y (LOY). Individuals with clonal mosaic events (mCA and/or LOY) showed a 54% increase in the risk of COVID-19 lethality. LOY is associated with transcriptomic biomarkers of immune dysfunction, pro-coagulation activity and cardiovascular risk. Interferon-induced genes involved in the initial immune response to SARS-CoV-2 are also down-regulated in LOY. Thus, mCA and LOY underlie at least part of the sex-biased severity and mortality of COVID-19 in aging patients. Given its potential therapeutic and prognostic relevance, evaluation of clonal mosaicism should be implemented as biomarker of COVID-19 severity in elderly people. Among 9578 individuals diagnosed with COVID-19 in the SCOURGE study, individuals with clonal mosaic events (clonal mosaicism for chromosome alterations and/or loss of chromosome Y) showed an increased risk of COVID-19 lethality

Global, regional, and national under-5 mortality, adult mortality, age-specific mortality, and life expectancy, 1970–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

BACKGROUND: Detailed assessments of mortality patterns, particularly age-specific mortality, represent a crucial input that enables health systems to target interventions to specific populations. Understanding how all-cause mortality has changed with respect to development status can identify exemplars for best practice. To accomplish this, the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016) estimated age-specific and sex-specific all-cause mortality between 1970 and 2016 for 195 countries and territories and at the subnational level for the five countries with a population greater than 200 million in 2016. METHODS: We have evaluated how well civil registration systems captured deaths using a set of demographic methods called death distribution methods for adults and from consideration of survey and census data for children younger than 5 years. We generated an overall assessment of completeness of registration of deaths by dividing registered deaths in each location-year by our estimate of all-age deaths generated from our overall estimation process. For 163 locations, including subnational units in countries with a population greater than 200 million with complete vital registration (VR) systems, our estimates were largely driven by the observed data, with corrections for small fluctuations in numbers and estimation for recent years where there were lags in data reporting (lags were variable by location, generally between 1 year and 6 years). For other locations, we took advantage of different data sources available to measure under-5 mortality rates (U5MR) using complete birth histories, summary birth histories, and incomplete VR with adjustments; we measured adult mortality rate (the probability of death in individuals aged 15-60 years) using adjusted incomplete VR, sibling histories, and household death recall. We used the U5MR and adult mortality rate, together with crude death rate due to HIV in the GBD model life table system, to estimate age-specific and sex-specific death rates for each location-year. Using various international databases, we identified fatal discontinuities, which we defined as increases in the death rate of more than one death per million, resulting from conflict and terrorism, natural disasters, major transport or technological accidents, and a subset of epidemic infectious diseases; these were added to estimates in the relevant years. In 47 countries with an identified peak adult prevalence for HIV/AIDS of more than 0·5% and where VR systems were less than 65% complete, we informed our estimates of age-sex-specific mortality using the Estimation and Projection Package (EPP)-Spectrum model fitted to national HIV/AIDS prevalence surveys and antenatal clinic serosurveillance systems. We estimated stillbirths, early neonatal, late neonatal, and childhood mortality using both survey and VR data in spatiotemporal Gaussian process regression models. We estimated abridged life tables for all location-years using age-specific death rates. We grouped locations into development quintiles based on the Socio-demographic Index (SDI) and analysed mortality trends by quintile. Using spline regression, we estimated the expected mortality rate for each age-sex group as a function of SDI. We identified countries with higher life expectancy than expected by comparing observed life expectancy to anticipated life expectancy on the basis of development status alone. FINDINGS: Completeness in the registration of deaths increased from 28% in 1970 to a peak of 45% in 2013; completeness was lower after 2013 because of lags in reporting. Total deaths in children younger than 5 years decreased from 1970 to 2016, and slower decreases occurred at ages 5-24 years. By contrast, numbers of adult deaths increased in each 5-year age bracket above the age of 25 years. The distribution of annualised rates of change in age-specific mortality rate differed over the period 2000 to 2016 compared with earlier decades: increasing annualised rates of change were less frequent, although rising annualised rates of change still occurred in some locations, particularly for adolescent and younger adult age groups. Rates of stillbirths and under-5 mortality both decreased globally from 1970. Evidence for global convergence of death rates was mixed; although the absolute difference between age-standardised death rates narrowed between countries at the lowest and highest levels of SDI, the ratio of these death rates-a measure of relative inequality-increased slightly. There was a strong shift between 1970 and 2016 toward higher life expectancy, most noticeably at higher levels of SDI. Among countries with populations greater than 1 million in 2016, life expectancy at birth was highest for women in Japan, at 86·9 years (95% UI 86·7-87·2), and for men in Singapore, at 81·3 years (78·8-83·7) in 2016. Male life expectancy was generally lower than female life expectancy between 1970 and 2016, an

Global, regional, and national disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 333 diseases and injuries and healthy life expectancy (HALE) for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2016: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

BACKGROUND: Measurement of changes in health across locations is useful to compare and contrast changing epidemiological patterns against health system performance and identify specific needs for resource allocation in research, policy development, and programme decision making. Using the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016, we drew from two widely used summary measures to monitor such changes in population health: disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) and healthy life expectancy (HALE). We used these measures to track trends and benchmark progress compared with expected trends on the basis of the Socio-demographic Index (SDI). METHODS: We used results from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 for all-cause mortality, cause-specific mortality, and non-fatal disease burden to derive HALE and DALYs by sex for 195 countries and territories from 1990 to 2016. We calculated DALYs by summing years of life lost and years of life lived with disability for each location, age group, sex, and year. We estimated HALE using age-specific death rates and years of life lived with disability per capita. We explored how DALYs and HALE differed from expected trends when compared with the SDI: the geometric mean of income per person, educational attainment in the population older than age 15 years, and total fertility rate. FINDINGS: The highest globally observed HALE at birth for both women and men was in Singapore, at 75·2 years (95% uncertainty interval 71·9-78·6) for females and 72·0 years (68·8-75·1) for males. The lowest for females was in the Central African Republic (45·6 years [42·0-49·5]) and for males was in Lesotho (41·5 years [39·0-44·0]). From 1990 to 2016, global HALE increased by an average of 6·24 years (5·97-6·48) for both sexes combined. Global HALE increased by 6·04 years (5·74-6·27) for males and 6·49 years (6·08-6·77) for females, whereas HALE at age 65 years increased by 1·78 years (1·61-1·93) for males and 1·96 years (1·69-2·13) for females. Total global DALYs remained largely unchanged from 1990 to 2016 (-2·3% [-5·9 to 0·9]), with decreases in communicable, maternal, neonatal, and nutritional (CMNN) disease DALYs offset by increased DALYs due to non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The exemplars, calculated as the five lowest ratios of observed to expected age-standardised DALY rates in 2016, were Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Maldives, Peru, and Israel. The leading three causes of DALYs globally were ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and lower respiratory infections, comprising 16·1% of all DALYs. Total DALYs and age-standardised DALY rates due to most CMNN causes decreased from 1990 to 2016. Conversely, the total DALY burden rose for most NCDs; however, age-standardised DALY rates due to NCDs declined globally. INTERPRETATION: At a global level, DALYs and HALE continue to show improvements. At the same time, we observe that many populations are facing growing functional health loss. Rising SDI was associated with increases in cumulative years of life lived with disability and decreases in CMNN DALYs offset by increased NCD DALYs. Relative compression of morbidity highlights the importance of continued health interventions, which has changed in most locations in pace with the gross domestic product per person, education, and family planning. The analysis of DALYs and HALE and their relationship to SDI represents a robust framework with which to benchmark location-specific health performance. Country-specific drivers of disease burden, particularly for causes with higher-than-expected DALYs, should inform health policies, health system improvement initiatives, targeted prevention efforts, and development assistance for health, including financial and research investments for all countries, regardless of their level of sociodemographic development. The presence of countries that substantially outperform others suggests the need for increased scrutiny for proven examples of best practices, which can help to extend gains, whereas the presence of underperforming countries suggests the need for devotion of extra attention to health systems that need more robust support. FUNDING: Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation