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

Análisis radiográfico

Peer reviewe

Archaeometric investigation of a hellenistic golden funerary belt: A case study

Archaeometric analysis based on Optical Microscopy, X-Ray Fluorescence and Ion-Beam analysis were used to study a golden funerary belt with an anthropomorphic and zoomorphic iconography. This complex gold and enamel work shows the portraits of a man and a woman, as well as a libation scene, can be dated to the Early Hellenistic period. The data obtained point to a Near Eastern workshop (Babylon) as the place of manufacture, while comparative typology leads us to the Far East (Afghanistan) as the presumable origin of the morphotype. Elemental analysis results raise anew the old debate on the use of cadmium in the solder alloys. Finally, from the iconography we suggest to identify the manly figure with one of the few small format portraits of Alexander the Great.Peer Reviewe

El Archivo Au: acceso público y puesta en valor

Trabajo presentado en el X Congreso Ibérico de Arqueometría, celebrado en Castellón (España), del 16 al 18 de octubre de 2013El Archivo Au es el resultado de una investigación planificada a largo plazo, que surge a principios de los años 1990, dentro del Grupo Arqueometal del actual Instituto de Historia, CCHS-CSIC. Centrada principalmente en el estudio de la metalurgia del oro y en menor medida en la tecnología de la plata y el bronce, la información recogida hasta la fecha comprende una extensa documentación gráfica, formada tanto por imágenes de microscopio electrónico de barrido (micrografías) como por fotografía macro, relativas a un extenso número de piezas de orfebrería de la Península Ibérica, desde época prehistórica a época medieval. En esta ocasión se presenta a la comunidad científica y al público en general el Archivo Au en línea, el cual contiene toda la información recolectada a lo largo de estos años de investigación y que estará a disposición de todos vía internet. En esta etapa de divulgación, nuestro interés es poner a disposición de cualquier investigador toda la información para que con ello se sigan generando nuevos conocimientos acerca de los procesos técnicos relacionados con la metalurgi

PIXE and PIGE studies of gems in Torredonjimeno Treasure

[ES] El tesoro de Torredonjimeno (TDJ) es, junto al tesoro de Guarrazar uno de los pocos ejemplos de orfebrería de la época visigoda que se conservan actualmente; se encuentra distribuido en tres museos diferentes: Museo de Arqueología de Cataluña (MAC), Museo Arqueológico y Etnológico de Córdoba (MAECO) y Museo Arqueológico de Madrid (MAN). Está constituido por cruces, cadenas, fragmentos de diferentes objetos y gemas sueltas y montadas en cruces, fragmentos y letras colgantes. Con el fin de identificar las piedras preciosas utilizadas por los orfebres en la fabricación del tesoro de TDJ y de comparar los resultados obtenidos con los del tesoro de Guarrazar, se han analizado las gemas presentes en varias piezas utilizando técnicas con haces de iones, en concreto las técnicas PIXE (Particle Induced Xray Emission) y PIGE (Particle Induced g-ray Emission).[EN] The Torredonjimeno (TDJ) treasure is, with the Guarrazar treasure, one of the few examples of the Visigothic jewellery left today; it is shared between three different museums: Museo de Arqueología de Cataluña (MAC), Museo Arqueológico y Etnológico de Córdoba (MAECO) and Museo Arqueológico de Madrid (MAN). It is composed of crosses, chains, fragments of objects and gemstones isolated and mounted on crosses, fragments and pendant letters. In order to identify the precious stones employed by the jewellers of the TDJ treasure and to compare the results obtained with those of the Guarrazar treasure, we have analysed the gems set on several objects using ion beam techniques, in particular PIXE (Particle Induced X-ray Emission) and PIGE (Particle Induced g-ray Emission) methods.Peer reviewe

Amorphous glass fragments from archaeological surface surveys: Potential chronological use of ion beam and isotopic analytical characterization

Analytical techniques have been used to implement the archaeological information from surface surveys. Wehave shown that the compositional comparison of amorphous samples, e.g. glass, can provide importantchronological information when compared withfindings from other sites. A group of 61 glass fragments, re-covered from an archaeological surface survey at the site of the Roman city of Duratón (1st to 3rd century AD),near Segovia, Spain, have been analysed by combined Particle Induced X-ray/Gamma-ray Emission (PIXE-PIGE) techniques and by isotope dilution mass spectrometry. Four groups of objects were identified. The largest groupby far, corresponds to the typical sodium-rich natron-made Roman glass. Compared with data reported inprevious studies, including a few on the Iberian Peninsula, the composition of Duratón natron glass is similar tothat of the widespread Roman 1st–3rd century AD glasses. The glasses of the nearby Patones, six of which havebeen analysed in this study, belong, on the contrary, to the so-called HIMT glass. This is compatible with thesoda-lime-silica glass pattern observed in the Western Mediterranean. HIMT glass is dominant in this area fromthe 4th century onward. HIMT glass products are much easier to make and less expensive. Strontium andneodimium isotope analysis confirms the compositional proximity of the Duratón glasses to three groups of1st–3rd century samples from Barcino, Lyon and the Iulia Felix wreck and point to a production of the glass inthe Eastern Mediterranean. Pliny the Elder in his Naturalis Historia had specifically mentioned the glass pro-duction of Hispania and Gallia, which should hopefully be confirmed by thefindings in the correspondingregional sites. This is the case for Gallia but not yet for the Iberian Peninsula, where few Roman glass analyseshave been completed.We thank the technical staffof the CMAM for their assistance duringthis research. We thank Almudena Orejas who offered the opportunityto do this study and the archaeological information about“LosMercados”(Duratón). The archaeological work has been supported bythe programs: Consolider-Ingenio 2010 (CSD2007-00058)“Technologies for the conservation and valorisation of CulturalHeritage-TCP”of the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation, andDuratón project“Ciudad, aldeas y paisaje antiguos del ámbito deDuratón (Segovia)”financed by the Junta de Castilla y León, Diputaciónde Segovia, Caja de Segovia (2001–2002). We also thank Area,Sociedad Coopertaiva Arqueológica for the glass samples from the 2011fieldwork at La Dehesa de la Oliva (Patones). The CAI de Geocronología(UCM) appreciates the opportunity to participate in a new and excitingtopic. Thanks are due to Thomas Ryan for revising the manuscript.Peer Reviewe

Estudio analítico mediante técnica PIXE. Los vidrios

Peer reviewe

Análisis mediante haces de iones (PIXE)

Peer reviewe

Pre-hispanic goldwork technology. The Quimbaya Treasure, Colombia

One of the most important pre-Columbian gold assemblages made up of more than one hundred objects from two tombs in the Cauca river valley, Colombia, was studied to obtain archaeometric information. Although several attempts have been made to arrange gold production in time and space from the stylistic point of view, no firm conclusions were possible due to the lack of archaeological contexts. This paper presents first results of a new, fully instrumental approach, in which different analytical techniques, including OM, SEM-EDS, XRF, PIXE, RBS, AMS and X-ray imaging, were applied in order to determine a technological, metallurgical and chronological frame of the so-called Quimbaya Treasure.Peer reviewe

Análisis mediante fluorescencia de rayos (FRX)

Peer reviewe