La Cuevona de Avín (Avín, Asturias, North Spain): A new Late Pleistocene site in the lower valley of the River Güeña

The archaeological investigations carried out in the last twenty years in the Lower Valley of the River Güeña (Asturias, central part of northern Spain) have documented different prehistoric sites, particularly with Middle and Upper Palaeolithic occupations. This paper presents the first results of the archaeological excavation carried out in the cave of La Cuevona de Avín. From the systematic study of the biotic and abiotic remains, a total of three occupation phases (Phases 1 to 3) have been determined, dated in the Late Pleistocene. The lithic studies indicate the use of local raw materials (mainly quartzite), but also regional ones (different types of flint) in the whole sequence. Retouched implements are typologically representative only during the Upper Magdalenian (Phase II) and use-wear analysis indicates the manufacture and use of artefacts in situ during this phase. Archaeozoological studies reveal continuity in subsistence strategies throughout the sequence, noting specialization in red deer hunting during the Azilian (Phase I), and more diversified prey in the older phases of the sequence. © 2022 The Author(s

Women's Education Level, Maternal Health Facilities, Abortion Legislation and Maternal Deaths: A Natural Experiment in Chile from 1957 to 2007

The aim of this study was to assess the main factors related to maternal mortality reduction in large time series available in Chile in context of the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).Time series of maternal mortality ratio (MMR) from official data (National Institute of Statistics, 1957-2007) along with parallel time series of education years, income per capita, fertility rate (TFR), birth order, clean water, sanitary sewer, and delivery by skilled attendants were analysed using autoregressive models (ARIMA). Historical changes on the mortality trend including the effect of different educational and maternal health policies implemented in 1965, and legislation that prohibited abortion in 1989 were assessed utilizing segmented regression techniques.During the 50-year study period, the MMR decreased from 293.7 to 18.2/100,000 live births, a decrease of 93.8%. Women's education level modulated the effects of TFR, birth order, delivery by skilled attendants, clean water, and sanitary sewer access. In the fully adjusted model, for every additional year of maternal education there was a corresponding decrease in the MMR of 29.3/100,000 live births. A rapid phase of decline between 1965 and 1981 (-13.29/100,000 live births each year) and a slow phase between 1981 and 2007 (-1.59/100,000 live births each year) were identified. After abortion was prohibited, the MMR decreased from 41.3 to 12.7 per 100,000 live births (-69.2%). The slope of the MMR did not appear to be altered by the change in abortion law.Increasing education level appears to favourably impact the downward trend in the MMR, modulating other key factors such as access and utilization of maternal health facilities, changes in women's reproductive behaviour and improvements of the sanitary system. Consequently, different MDGs can act synergistically to improve maternal health. The reduction in the MMR is not related to the legal status of abortion

Pharmacological targeting of MTHFD2 suppresses acute myeloid leukemia by inducing thymidine depletion and replication stress

The folate metabolism enzyme MTHFD2 (methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase/cyclohydrolase) is consistently overexpressed in cancer but its roles are not fully characterized, and current candidate inhibitors have limited potency for clinical development. In the present study, we demonstrate a role for MTHFD2 in DNA replication and genomic stability in cancer cells, and perform a drug screen to identify potent and selective nanomolar MTHFD2 inhibitors; protein cocrystal structures demonstrated binding to the active site of MTHFD2 and target engagement. MTHFD2 inhibitors reduced replication fork speed and induced replication stress followed by S-phase arrest and apoptosis of acute myeloid leukemia cells in vitro and in vivo, with a therapeutic window spanning four orders of magnitude compared with nontumorigenic cells. Mechanistically, MTHFD2 inhibitors prevented thymidine production leading to misincorporation of uracil into DNA and replication stress. Overall, these results demonstrate a functional link between MTHFD2-dependent cancer metabolism and replication stress that can be exploited therapeutically with this new class of inhibitors

Psicología social y procesos educativos

Demostrar que la Pedagogía participativa es un modelo eficaz para adquirir pautas acorde con el contexto sociopolítico en el que se desenvolverá la escuela en un futuro próximo. Hipótesis: las notas académicas de los alumnos en los que hay pedagogía participativa son mejores que las de los grupos control. El sentido democrático y la intensidad de reacción, es mejor en alumnos con pedagogía participativa. 142 alumnos de octavo de EGB de dos cursos distribuidos de la siguiente manera: curso 1984-85: 37 experimentales y 37 control. Curso 1985-86: 35 experimentales y 33 control. Variables dependientes: notas de los alumnos antes, durante y después del tratamiento. Hábitos democráticos. Batería formada por sentido democrático y antidemocrático. Variables independientes: la Pedagogía participtiva, 2 grupos experimentales, y la Pedagogía habitual, control. Los tiempos de medición: antes, durante y después del tratamiento. Los hábitos democráticos son: intervención oral, diálogo, reivindicaciones, críticas, participación activa, colaboración entre los alumnos, número de actos electorales, iniciativas, faltas de comportamiento. Notas académicas de los alumnos en la asignatura de Sociales. Registro de las observaciones de los hábitos democráticos. Adaptación del test de reacción valorativa de Víctor García Hoz, para medir el sentido y la intensidad de las actitudes democráticas-antidemocráticas. Análisis comparativo entre grupos experimentales y de control. Tabulaciones de los datos recogidos. Gráficas para seguir las evoluciones de los datos recogidos. Medición de la aparición de hábitos democráticos y antidemocráticos. Desviación típica de la aparición de los hábitos. Prueba de Chi cuadrado para comprobar la independencia entre variables cualitativas. La puntuación media de los grupos experimentales es ligeramente superior a los grupos control. La Pedagogía participativa ha servido para limar notas extrema y así evitar diferencias y desventajas fuertes entre los alumnos. En los grupos experimentales se observa un incremento en la frecuencia de los hábitos democráticos y una disminución en las faltas de comportamiento. Los alumnos del grupo experimental son los espontáneos, con sugerencias más constructivas, con participación más efectiva y una tensión grupal diluida y liberada. En el grupo control hay sometimiento a la autoridad del profesor y las tareas son más reglamentadas, la actividad del grupo es más reproductiva que creadoras y hay gran desvinculación entre los alumnos. Es necesario un cambio de estrategia del profesorado.País VascoES