Los Aljezares archaeological site (Alicante, Spain) and the MIS 6/5 open-air settlement in the Iberian Peninsula

The record of open-air Middle Palaeolithic sites in the Iberian Peninsula—specifically in the Mediterranean basin—is scarce, hampering the interpretation of the landscape use strategies developed by Neanderthals in this area. In this work, we present Los Aljezares, a new Middle Palaeolithic site found in Pleistocene fluvio-lacustrine deposits in the sedimentary basin of the Vinalopó River. A U/Th age (132 ± 10 ka) from associated carbonate deposits allows us to attribute the site to the uppermost part of the Middle Pleistocene to Late Pleistocene (marine isotope stage 6/5). To date, a total of two levels of human occupation have been identified in which the density of lithic remains is low compared with cave and rock shelter sites in the region. The first results of technology and use-wear, raw material procurement and geological data indicate a settlement in Los Aljezares along a territory characterised by ephemeral channels and their associated palustrine and lacustrine zones. This palaeoenvironmental setting provided biotic and abiotic resources in a transit area between inland and coastal locations.The research has been funded through the following research projects: El pasado lejano: aproximación a la conducta y la ocupación del territorio en el paleolítico valenciano (PROMETEO/2017/060), Estudio del registro climático reciente preservado en depósitos cuaternarios: el caso de Los Aljezares (Aspe, Alicante) y su relación con los depósitos del Medio y Bajo Vinalopó (GRE17-02), Caracterización tecnológica y funcional de los elementos líticos apuntados durante el Paleolítico medio en la región central del mediterráneo ibérico (GV/2021/054) and Síntesis del Paleolítico medio y superior en Valencia y Murcia: aspectos cronológicos, paleoambientales, económicos y culturales (HAR2017-85153-P)

Mesozooplankton responses to oceanographic conditions across different scales in Salinas Bay, Northern Pacific coast of Costa Rica during 2011-2013

Introducción: El Pacífico Norte de Costa Rica se caracteriza por presentar una variación de la temperatura subsuperficial del mar (TSSM) modulada por vientos superficiales de componente este, con variaciones estacionales e intra-estacional. La TSSM es fundamental para las interacciones de la interfase océano-atmósfera y de gran influencia en los procesos biológicos marinos. Los estudios de zooplancton en el Pacífico Norte son escasos y se han enfocado en la composición, abundancia y biomasa de macro y mesozooplanctonen en Bahía Culebra. No se han realizado trabajos sobre zooplancton al norte del Golfo de Papagayo. Objetivo: Analizar la variación del zooplancton de Bahía Salinas a diferentes escalas como respuesta a condiciones oceanográficas-atmosféricas. Métodos: durante algunos meses de los años 2011, 2012 y 2013, el mesozooplancton fue muestreado en siete estaciones siguiendo un gradiente costero-oceánico para determinar su abundancia, biomasa y composición de la comunidad. Se realizaron lances de CTD en cada estación, y se recopilaron datos horarios de la TSSM desde junio de 2003 a diciembre de 2017. Resultados: La temperatura superficial anual en Bahía Salinas es menor en diciembre-abril con un mínimo secundario en julio y mayor en mayo-junio, y agosto-octubre. Los eventos fríos, neutros y cálidos determinados por anomalías en la TSSM, presentaron una distribución de la temperatura en la columna de agua con estratificación horizontal, de mezcla vertical y homogénea, respectivamente. La distribución espacial del zooplancton no presentó diferencias significativas y la variación del promedio total de abundancia y biomasa mostró un comportamiento similar durante el período de estudio, con menor variación en el primer año en comparación con el segundo, siendo los copépodos la categoría predominante para todas las fechas. A escala estacional no se observó un patrón general de variación entre estación seca y lluviosa y, copépodos y otros grupos del zooplancton fueron las categorías que presentaron diferencias. A escala intra-estacional la abundancia y biomasa presentaron una relación inversa con la TSSM y se vieron afectadas de manera diferencial. Los copépodos y zooplancton gelatinoso se diferenciaron en todos los eventos. Conclusiones: El zooplancton de Bahía de Salinas responde de manera diferencial en las diferentes escalas a las condiciones climáticas que afectan la TSSM de la región. La clasificación de las fechas de muestreo en eventos permite caracterizar diferentes perfiles en la columna de agua, así como permite definer patrones de variación para el mesozooplancton, que refleja la adaptación a corto plazo en función de la variación de las condiciones ambientales. El conocimiento generado ayuda a comprender mejor los fenómenos oceanográficos y su efecto sobre las poblaciones de plancton y la biota en general, especialmente en el escenario de cambio climático y las manifestaciones modernas de su impacto, p. e. la acidificación oceánica y pérdida de biodiversidad marina.Introduction: The North Pacific of Costa Rica is characterized by presenting a variation of the subsurface temperature of the sea (SSST) modulated by surface winds with east component, with seasonal and intra-seasonal variations. The SSST is fundamental for the interactions of the ocean-atmosphere interface and influence marine biological processes. Zooplankton studies in the North Pacific are scarce and have been focused on the composition, abundance and biomass of macro and mesozooplankton in Culebra Bay. No works on zooplankton has been carried out northward of Papagayo Gulf. Objective: To analyze the variation of the zooplankton in Bahía Salinas at different scales in response to oceanographic-atmospheric conditions. Methods: during 2011, 2012 and 2013, mesozooplankton was collected in seven stations following a coastalocean gradient to determine abundance, biomass, and community composition. CTD casts were also carried out in each station. Hourly data of the Sea Subsurface Temperature (SSST) were obtained from June 2003 to December 2017. Results: The annual surface temperature in Bahía Salinas was lower in December-April with a secondary minimum in July and higher in May-June and August-November. The cold, neutral and warm events determined by anomalies in the SSST, presented a distribution of the temperature in the water column with horizontal stratification, vertical mixture and homogeneous, respectively. The spatial distribution of zooplankton did not show significant differences and the variation of the total average abundance and biomass showed a similar behavior during the study period, with less variation in the first year compared to the second one, being the copepods the predominant category for all the dates. On a seasonal scale, a general pattern of variation between dry and rainy seasons was not observed, and copepods and others zooplankton groups were the categories that presented differences. On an intra-seasonal scale, abundance and biomass showed an inverse relationship with SST. Copepods and gelatinous zooplankton (GZ) were differentiated in all events. Conclusions: The zooplankton of Bahía Salinas respond differentially at different scales to the climatic conditions that affect the SSST of the region. The classification of the sampling dates into events allows characterizing different profiles in the water column it also allows to define the variation patterns for mesozooplankton that reflects short-term adaptation as a function of variation in environmental conditions. These findings help to understand how oceanographic processes determine plankton community composition and biota in general. This is relevant in times of climate change and the manifestation of its impact through processes such as ocean acidification and loss of marine biodiversity.Universidad de Costa Rica/[808-B1-194]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-B9-454]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[217-C0-404]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-C0-610]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[EC-497]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[805-C0-074]/UCR/Costa RicaUniversidad de Costa Rica/[808-A5-037]/UCR/Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigaciones Geofísicas (CIGEFI)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR)UCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de BiologíaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Docencia::Ciencias Básicas::Facultad de Ciencias::Escuela de Físic

Conocimiento y gestión de medios marinos y coralinos del Área de Conservación Marina Isla del Coco

INFORME FINAL DEL PROYECTO de investigación No. 08-A7-520, 2009, Conocimiento y gestión de medios marinos y coralinos del Área de Conservación Marina Isla del CocoFondo Francés para el Medio Ambiente Mundial (FFEM) y la Universidad de Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR

Cova de les Malladetes (Valencia, Spain). New insights about the Early Upper Palaeolithic in the Mediterranean Basin of the Iberian Peninsula

New excavations carried out at Cova de les Malladetes confirm and improve previous information on the archaeological sequence of this site. A total of 29 new dates allow to specify the chronology of the Aurignacian (levels XIVA-XII) and Gravettian (levels XI-VII). Furthermore, concerning the results obtained during the 1970 excavation, three new levels were identified: level XIVB, which represents a short temporal human occupation hiatus, and levels XV and XVI with some hearths and anthropic evidence, although the lithic material does not permit a cultural attribution. This paper presents data obtained from the analysis of archaeobotanical, micro and macrofaunal assemblages and lithic and osseous industry. Results are relevant concerning the paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental characterisation of the Early Upper Palaeolithic, as well as for assessing the human occupation patterns during the Gravettian and Aurignacian. Moreover, we evaluate the chronological implications of the basal levels (XIVB, XV and XVI), drawing attention to the absence of an important temporal gap between this phase and the start of the Early Upper Palaeolithic at the site. Finally, our new data extend the information provided by other sites in the Spanish Mediterranean region, allowing a more defined characterisation of the Early Upper Palaeolithic, especially regarding the Evolved Aurignacian chronology and its techno-typological structure, with the presence of Roc-de-Combe subtype Dufour bladelets

Electrifying Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ; for focalized heating in oxygen transport membranes

[EN] Industry decarbonization requires the development of highly efficient and flexible technologies relying on renewable energy resources, especially biomass and solar/wind electricity. In the case of pure oxygen production, oxygen transport membranes (OTMs) appear as an alternative technology for the cryogenic distillation of air, the industrially-established process of producing oxygen. Moreover, OTMs could provide oxygen from different sources (air, water, CO2, etc.), and they are more flexible in adapting to current processes, producing oxygen at 700-1000 degrees C. Furthermore, OTMs can be integrated into catalytic membrane reactors, providing new pathways for different processes. The first part of this study was focused on electrification on a traditional OTM material (Ba(0.5)Sr(0.5)Co(0.8)Fe(0.2)O3(-delta)), imposing different electric currents/voltages along a capillary membrane. Thanks to the emerging Joule effect, the membrane-surface temperature and the associated O-2 permeation flux could be adjusted. Here, the OTM is electrically and locally heated and reaches 900 degrees C on the surface, whereas the surrounding of the membrane was maintained at 650 degrees C The O-2 permeation flux reached for the electrified membranes was similar to 3.7 NmL. min(-1) cm(2), corresponding to the flux obtained with an OTM non-electrified at 900 degrees C. The influence of depositing a porous Ce0.8Tb0.2O2-delta catalytic/protective layer on the outer membrane surface revealed that lower surface temperatures (830 degrees C) were detected at the same imposed electric power. Finally, the electrification concept was demonstrated in a catalytic membrane reactor (CMR) where the oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane (ODHE) was carried out. ODHE reaction is very sensitive to temperature, and here, we demonstrate an improvement of the ethylene yield by reaching moderate temperatures in the reaction chamber while the O-2 injection into the reaction can be easily fine-tuned.Financial support by the Spanish Ministry of Science (PID2022-139663OB-I00 and CEX2021-001230-S grant funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033) and with funding from NextGenerationEU (PRTR-C17.I1) within the Planes Complementarios con CCAA (Area of Green Hydrogen and Energy) and it has been carried out in the CSIC Interdisciplinary Thematic Platform (PTI+) Transición Energética Sostenible+ (PTI-TRANSENER+), and the Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) is gratefully acknowledged. Also, we acknowledge the support of the Servicio de Microscopía Elcectronica of the UPV.Laqdiem-Marin, M.; García-Fayos, J.; Almar-Liante, L.; Carrillo-Del Teso, AJ.; Represa-Bullido, Á.; López Nieto, JM.; Escolástico Rozalén, S.... (2024). Electrifying Ba0.5Sr0.5Co0.8Fe0.2O3-δ; for focalized heating in oxygen transport membranes. Journal of Energy Chemistry. 91:99-110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jechem.2023.12.008991109

Informe de la expedición científica CIMAR-COCO-I

El proyecto “Conocimiento y gestión de medios marinos y coralinos del Área de Conservación Marina Isla del Coco” fue financiado por el Fondo Francés para el Medio Ambiente Mundial y la Universidad de Costa Rica. Del 9 al 20 de octubre del 2007 un grupo de científicos del Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR) de la Universidad de Costa Rica, en conjunto con personal de otros centros de investigación realizaron la Expedición CIMAR-COCO-I. Para esta expedición se utilizó el barco de MarViva, MV Phoenix I, con un apoyo excelente de la tripulación. La finalidad de esta expedición fue iniciar los diferentes componentes de campo del proyecto.Fondo Francés para el Medio Ambiente Mundial y la Universidad de Costa RicaUCR::Vicerrectoría de Investigación::Unidades de Investigación::Ciencias Básicas::Centro de Investigación en Ciencias del Mar y Limnología (CIMAR

Implementation of a roadmap for the comprehensive diagnosis, follow-up, and research of childhood leukemias in vulnerable regions of Mexico: results from the PRONAII Strategy

The main objective of the National Project for Research and Incidence of Childhood Leukemias is to reduce early mortality rates for these neoplasms in the vulnerable regions of Mexico. This project was conducted in the states of Oaxaca, Puebla, and Tlaxcala. A key strategy of the project is the implementation of an effective roadmap to ensure that leukemia patients are the target of maximum benefit of interdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, clinicians, surveyors, and laboratories. This strategy guarantees the comprehensive management of diagnosis and follow-up samples of pediatric patients with leukemia, centralizing, managing, and analyzing the information collected. Additionally, it allows for a precise diagnosis and monitoring of the disease through immunophenotype and measurable residual disease (MRD) studies, enhancing research and supporting informed clinical decisions for the first time in these regions through a population-based study. This initiative has significantly improved the diagnostic capacity of leukemia in girls, boys, and adolescents in the regions of Oaxaca, Puebla, and Tlaxcala, providing comprehensive, high-quality care with full coverage in the region. Likewise, it has strengthened collaboration between health institutions, researchers, and professionals in the sector, which contributes to reducing the impact of the disease on the community

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

Gestión del conocimiento. Perspectiva multidisciplinaria. Volumen 17

El libro “Gestión del Conocimiento. Perspectiva Multidisciplinaria”, Volumen 17 de la Colección Unión Global, es resultado de investigaciones. Los capítulos del libro, son resultados de investigaciones desarrolladas por sus autores. El libro es una publicación internacional, seriada, continua, arbitrada, de acceso abierto a todas las áreas del conocimiento, orientada a contribuir con procesos de gestión del conocimiento científico, tecnológico y humanístico. Con esta colección, se aspira contribuir con el cultivo, la comprensión, la recopilación y la apropiación social del conocimiento en cuanto a patrimonio intangible de la humanidad, con el propósito de hacer aportes con la transformación de las relaciones socioculturales que sustentan la construcción social de los saberes y su reconocimiento como bien público