Temporal inflection points in decorated pottery: a bayesian refinement of the late formative chronology in the Southern Lake Titicaca Basin, Bolivia

The Late Formative period immediately precedes the emergence of Tiwanaku, one of the earliest South American states, yet it is one of the most poorly understood periods in the southern Lake Titicaca Basin (Bolivia). In this article, we refine the ceramic chronology of this period with large sets of dates from eight sites, focusing on temporal inflection points in decorated ceramic styles. These points, estimated here by Bayesian models, index specific moments of change: (1) cal AD 120 (60-170, 95% probability): the first deposition of Kalasasaya red-rimmed and zonally incised styles; (2) cal AD 240 (190-340, 95% probability): a tentative estimate of the final deposition of Kalasasaya zonally incised vessels; (3) cal AD 420 (380-470, 95% probability): the final deposition of Kalasasaya red-rimmed vessels; and (4) cal AD 590 (500-660, 95% probability): the first deposition of Tiwanaku Redwares. These four modeled boundaries anchor an updated Late Formative chronology, which includes the Initial Late Formative phase, a newly identified decorative hiatus between the Middle and Late Formative periods. The models place Qeya and transitional vessels between inflection points 3 and 4 based on regionally consistent stratigraphic sequences. This more precise chronology will enable researchers to explore the trajectories of other contemporary shifts during this crucial period in Lake Titicaca Basin's prehistory.Fil: Marsh, Erik Johnson. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Mendoza; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales. Laboratorio de Paleoecología Humana; ArgentinaFil: Roddick, Andrew P.. Mc Master University; CanadáFil: Bruno, Maria C.. Dickinson College; Estados UnidosFil: Smith, Scott C.. Franklin & Marshall College; Estados UnidosFil: Janusek, John W.. Vanderbilt University; Estados UnidosFil: Hastorf, Christine A.. University of California at Berkeley; Estados Unido

Lokalne społeczeństwo obywatelskie w regionie o nasilonych migracjach zagranicznych. Analiza wybranych aspektów na przykładzie woj. opolskiego

The subject of research undertaken in this article is to analyze the consequences of intensified foreign emigration for local civil society in Opole Voivodeship. On the basis of selected theories of emigration, related to social capital, the most important relationships existing between these categories has been established. This study considers, first and foremost, the impact of foreign emigration on the social sphere, at the individual, family and community level, and on selected demographic and economic aspects. The paper presents the real prospect of economic migration, based on statistical data, expert reports and scientific publications, as well as the prospect of media associated with the analysis of regional press discourse.Przedmiotem badań, podjętym w niniejszym artykule, jest analiza konsekwencji nasilonych emigracji zagranicznych dla lokalnego społeczeństwa obywatelskiego w województwie opolskim. W oparciu o wybrane teorie emigracji związane z kapitałem społecznym, ustalono najważniejsze relacje występujące między tymi kategoriami. W opracowaniu uwzględniono przede wszystkim wpływ zagranicznych wyjazdów na sferę społeczną, na poziomie jednostki, rodziny i społeczności lokalnej, a także na wybrane aspekty demograficzne i gospodarcze. W pracy przedstawiono perspektywę rzeczywistą wyjazdów zarobkowych, opartą na danych statystycznych, raportach eksperckich i publikacjach naukowych oraz medialną, związaną z analizą dyskursu prasy regionalnej

Epigenetics and Social Context: Implications for Disparity in Cardiovascular Disease

BACKGROUND: Although it is well established that African Americans (AA) experience greater social stressors than non-Hispanic Whites (NHW), the extent to which early life adversity and cumulative social stressors such as perceived discrimination, neighborhood violence, subjective social status, and socioeconomic status contribute to disparity in coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke between AA and NHW are not well understood. PURPOSE: The purpose of this paper is to propose a conceptual model based upon McEwen’s Allostatic Load Model suggesting how the relationships among social context, early life adversity, psychological stress, inflammation, adaptation, and epigenetic signature may contribute to the development of CHD and ischemic stroke. We hypothesize that social context and prior life adversity are associated with genome-wide as well as gene-specific epigenetic modifications that confer a proinflammatory epigenetic signature that mediates an enhanced proinflammatory state. Exposure to early life adversity, coupled with an increased allostatic load places individuals at greater risk for inflammatory based diseases, such as CHD and ischemic stroke. RESULTS: Based on a review of the literature, we propose a novel model in which social context and psychological stress, particularly during early life, engenders a proinflammatory epigenetic signature, which drives a heightened inflammatory state that increases risk for CHD and stroke. In the proposed model, a proinflammatory epigenetic signature and adaptation serve as mediator variables. CONCLUSIONS: Understanding the extent to which epigenetic signature bridges the psycho-social environment with inflammation and risk for CHD may yield novel biomarkers that can be used to assess risk, development, and progression of CHD/stroke. Epigenetic biomarkers may be used to inform preventive and treatment strategies that can be targeted to those most vulnerable, or to those with early signs of CHD, such as endothelial dysfunction. Furthermore, epigenetic approaches, including lifestyle modification and stress reduction programs, such as mindfulness-based stress reduction, offer promise to reduce health inequity linked to social disadvantage, as emerging evidence demonstrates that adverse epigenetic marks can be reversed

Characteristics of the indoor propagation channel in 1.9 GHz band, Journal of Telecommunications and Information Technology, 2001, nr 4

This paper presents results of propagation mea- surements carried out in the frequency range 1.8-2.0 GHz inside a building, using network analyser. Wideband properties of the channel, described through mean delay and delay spread, and a narrowband local statistics of the received power have been presented. For each transmitter and receiver antennas location two propagation cases have been considered, line of sight (LOS) and obstructed line of sight (NLOS) – the direct path component was attenuated by radio absorbing mat near the receiver

Evaluating elbow osteoarthritis within the prehistoric Tiwanaku state using generalized estimating equations (GEE).

OBJECTIVES:Studies of osteoarthritis (OA) in human skeletal remains can come with scalar problems. If OA measurement is noted as present or absent in one joint, like the elbow, results may not identify specific articular pathology data and the sample size may be insufficient to address research questions. If calculated on a per data point basis (i.e., each articular surface within a joint), results may prove too data heavy to comprehensively understand arthritic changes, or one individual with multiple positive scores may skew results and violate the data independence required for statistical tests. The objective of this article is to show that the statistical methodology Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) can solve scalar issues in bioarchaeological studies. MATERIALS AND METHODS:Using GEE, a population-averaged statistical model, 1,195 adults from the core and one colony of the prehistoric Tiwanaku state (AD 500-1,100) were evaluated bilaterally for OA on the seven articular surfaces of the elbow joint. RESULTS:GEE linked the articular surfaces within each individual specimen, permitting the largest possible unbiased dataset, and showed significant differences between core and colony Tiwanaku peoples in the overall elbow joint, while also pinpointing specific articular surfaces with OA. Data groupings by sex and age at death also demonstrated significant variation. A pattern of elbow rotation noted for core Tiwanaku people may indicate a specific pattern of movement. DISCUSSION:GEE is effective and should be encouraged in bioarchaeological studies as a way to address scalar issues and to retain all pathology information

Skeletal evidence of craft production from the Ch'iji Jawira site in Tiwanaku, Bolivia

The Tiwanaku culture in the Bolivian highlands was comprised of neighborhoods home to various groups laboring at differing jobs. Ch'iji Jawira, one site within this community, is described archaeologically as containing both a manufacturing center for pottery and a residential area home to these ceramic manufacturers. Prior bioarchaeological research has also noted that the people buried at the Ch'iji Jawira site show statistically significant differences in labor and activity from others who lived in the Tiwanaku capital. Using a life-history approach, this study explores the idea that Ch'iji Jawira was home to ceramic specialists by describing one individual from this community, a 30–39 year old female (CJ-35250). This person has evidence of degeneration associated with osteoarthritis in her arms, wrists, hands, fingers, lumbar spine, sacroiliac, hip, and feet. The bones of her wrists, hands, fingers, and feet also have extensive skeletal changes at tendon and muscle attachment areas. The pattern on her bones suggests she worked at crafting, especially tasks involving repetitive joint movement and heavy use of arm, hand, and foot musculature. From her burial location and grave goods, it may be that CJ-35250 was one of the earliest potters at this site