The prehistoric culture of the Motillas: new approaches to an old problem

Los inicios de la caracterización de la Cultura de las Motillas se sitúan hace cuatro décadas. Desde entonces diversas universidades y expertos han intentado encontrar explicación a las causas del origen, evolución y desaparición de este singular grupo humano que habitó La Mancha durante la Prehistoria Reciente. Los últimos avances en la investigación permiten plantear tres datos de importancia para el tema. En primer lugar, las motillas pueden ser en realidad el más antiguo sistema de captación de agua subterránea del accidente europeo. En segundo lugar, la implantación de esta red de pozos pudo estar relacionada con una crisis climática que hizo desaparecer de forma generalizada las aguas superficiales durante un largo periodo de tiempo, debido al Evento Climático 4.2 ka BP. En tercer lugar, las motillas son tells muy similares en lo formal a los túmulos funerarios. Acaba de ser definido un horizonte funerario tumular asociado a la Cultura de las Motillas que era desconocido por completo. Este trabajo aporta, además, el inventario actualizado de todas las motillas conocidasThe investigation of the Culture of the Motillas began four decades ago. Since then, various scholars have tried to ellucidate the origin, development and disappearance of this singular human group that existed during the Late Prehistory in La Mancha (South Central Plateau, Spain). As a result of recent research, three important issues about this question have arisen. First, the Motillas could possibly be the oldest system of underground water collection in Westerm Europe in Europe. Second, the implementation of this network of wells could be related to a climate crisis that could have dried the surface water for a long period of time, related to the 4.2 ka BP Climate Event. Third, the Motillas are tells, very similar in form to burial mounds. Funerary tumuli associated with the Culture of the Motillas have recently been described. This work also provides an updated inventory of all known Motilla

Cytochrome c: Surfing Off of the Mitochondrial Membrane on the Tops of Complexes III and IV

The proper arrangement of protein components within the respiratory electron transport chain is nowadays a matter of intense debate, since altering it leads to cell aging and other related pathologies. Here, we discuss three current views-the so-called solid, fluid and plasticity models-which describe the organization of the main membrane-embedded mitochondrial protein complexes and the key elements that regulate and/or facilitate supercomplex assembly. The soluble electron carrier cytochrome c has recently emerged as an essential factor in the assembly and function of respiratory supercomplexes. In fact, a 'restricted diffusion pathway' mechanism for electron transfer between complexes III and IV has been proposed based on the secondary, distal binding sites for cytochrome c at its two membrane partners recently discovered. This channeling pathway facilitates the surfing of cytochrome c on both respiratory complexes, thereby tuning the efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation and diminishing the production of reactive oxygen species. The well-documented post-translational modifications of cytochrome c could further contribute to the rapid adjustment of electron flow in response to changing cellular conditions.Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (BFU2015-71017/BMC MINECO/FEDER and PGC2018-096049-B-I00 BIO/BMC MICINN/FEDER, EU

Hydrogeology and groundwater catchment in La Mancha during Recent Prehistory: the management of water resources in the Culture of Motillas

Estudios recientes indican que las motillas –asentamientos de la Edad del Bronce en La Mancha (España)– constituyen uno de los más antiguos sistemas de captación de agua subterránea en Europa. Se presenta la primera investigación de los contextos hidrogeoarqueológicos de cuatro motillas. El estudio incluye la perforación de sondeos de investigación y el análisis hidrogeológico del territorio sobre el cual se asentaron. Los datos resultantes desde esta perspectiva verifican una relación entre el sustrato geológico y la distribución espacial de las motillas, emplazadas allí donde el agua subterránea era accesible con la tecnología prehistórica. Las motillas fueron construidas durante el evento climático 4.2 ka cal BP, en un momento de estrés ambiental debido a un período de prolongada aridez.Recent studies indicate that the ‘motillas’ –Chalcolithic and Bronze Age settlements in La Mancha (Spain)– are one of the most ancient groundwater collection system in Europe. We present here the first hydrogeoarchaeological research at the regional level in La Mancha. The study includes borehole drilling and hydrogeological analysis of the territory on which the ‘motillas’ are settled. The resulting data confirm a relationship between the geological substrate and the spatial distribution of the ‘motillas’, sited where groundwater was accessible by means of prehistoric technology. The ‘motillas’ were built during the 4.2 ka cal BP event in a time of environmental stress after a period of prolonged aridity.Depto. de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y ArqueologíaFac. de Geografía e HistoriaTRUEJunta de Comunidades de Castilla La Mancha/Instituto Geológico y Minero de España (IGME)pu

Aproximación a las fuentes para la reconstrucción del paisaje de Zacatena en el Antiguo Régimen (siglos XV-XVIII)

[EN] In the centre of Spain, Las Tablas de Daimiel National Park has been a protected natural area since 1973. During the pre-industrial era this reserve was known as the Real Dehesa de Zacatena and was enclosed by the Order of Calatrava and later managed by the Crown. Hispanic Monarchy. Due to its economic potential, the conservation of the Dehesa was one of the main concerns of its owners. Thanks to this, the historical documentation inform us about the protection measures in Zacatena since the XVIth century. The joint study of all these sources allows us to reconstruct in a very reliable way the natural landscape of the Dehesa, its extension and evolution. Visits, ordinances, descriptions complaints, and lawsuits allow us to understand one of the main pillars of the enclave: its natural patrimony, which in turn is the basis of the rich cultural and architectural heritage also preserved in the area.[ES] Situado en medio de la llanura manchega, el Parque Nacional de Las Tablas de Daimiel es uno de los pocos ámbitos de Europa en los que se desarrolla el ecosistema de tablas fluviales. Durante la época preindustrial este enclave fue conocido como la Real Dehesa de Zacatena, acotada por la Orden de Calatrava y posteriormente administrada por la Corona. Dada su potencialidad económica, la conservación del entorno fue una de las principales preocupaciones de sus gestores. Gracias a ello, se custodian en los archivos numerosos testimonios que nos informan acerca del nivel de protección que, desde siglos atrás, se dio a Zacatena. El estudio conjunto de todas esas fuentes permite reconstruir de una manera muy fidedigna el paisaje natural de la dehesa, su extensión y evolución a lo largo del tiempo. Las visitas, ordenanzas, descripciones, denuncia y, pleitos permiten conocer uno de los principales pilares del enclave: su patrimonio natural, base a su vez de la rica herencia cultural y arquitectónica preservada en la zona.Moreno Díaz Del Campo, F.; Fernández Izquierdo, F.; Gómez Vozmediano, M.; Mejías Moreno, M. (2021). Aproximación a las fuentes para la reconstrucción del paisaje de Zacatena en el Antiguo Régimen (siglos XV-XVIII). En I Simposio anual de Patrimonio Natural y Cultural ICOMOS España. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 27-34. https://doi.org/10.4995/icomos2019.2019.11319OCS273

Applying Model-Driven Web Engineering to the Testing Phase of the ADAGIO Project

The Model-Driven Engineering (MDE) has been used in recent years to promote better results in the development of Web Applications, in the field that has been called Model-Driven Web Engineering (MDWE). One of the advantages of applying MDWE is that it offers a solution to reduce the cost of the tests without affecting their quality execution. This paper presents the application of a MDWE methodology (Navigational Development Techniques, NDT) that provides support for all the phases of the lifecycle of a software project development proposing transformations between these phases, to manage the test phase of a real-world case study named ADAGIO. This project, among other goals, proposes the development of a web application whose main objective is to offer researchers the possibility of integrating and consolidating heterogeneous data sources, showing a unified vision of them, allowing to simplify the search task in different repositories as well as the relationship between the sources found.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad TIN2016- 76956-C3-2-

Nested shallow geothermal systems

The long-term sustainability of shallow geothermal systems in dense urbanized areas can be potentially compromised by the existence of thermal interfaces. Thermal interferences between systems have to be avoided to prevent the loss of system performance. Nevertheless, in this work we provide evidence of a positive feedback from thermal interferences in certain controlled situations. Two real groundwater heat pump systems were investigated using real exploitation data sets to estimate the thermal energy demand bias and, by extrapolation, to assess the nature of thermal interferences between the systems. To do that, thermal interferences were modelled by means of a calibrated and validated 3D city-scale numerical model reproducing groundwater flow and heat transport. Results obtained showed a 39% (522 MWh·yr−1) energy imbalance towards cooling for one of the systems, which generated a hot thermal plume towards the downgradient and second system investigated. The nested system in the hot thermal plume only used groundwater for heating, thus establishing a positive symbiotic relationship between them. Considering the energy balance of both systems together, a reduced 9% imbalance was found, hence ensuring the long-term sustainability and renewability of the shallow geothermal resource exploited. The nested geothermal systems described illustrate the possibilities of a new management strategy in shallow geothermal energy governanc

Oxidative stress is tightly regulated by cytochrome c phosphorylation and respirasome factors in mitochondria

Respiratory cytochrome c has been found to be phosphorylated at tyrosine 97 in the postischemic brain upon neuroprotective insulin treatment, but how such posttranslational modification affects mitochondrial metabolism is unclear. Here, we report the structural features and functional behavior of a phosphomimetic cytochrome c mutant, which was generated by site-specific incorporation at position 97 of p-carboxymethyl-l-phenylalanine using the evolved tRNA synthetase method. We found that the point mutation does not alter the overall folding and heme environment of cytochrome c, but significantly affects the entire oxidative phosphorylation process. In fact, the electron donation rate of the mutant heme protein to cytochrome c oxidase, or complex IV, within respiratory supercomplexes was higher than that of the wild-type species, in agreement with the observed decrease in reactive oxygen species production. Direct contact of cytochrome c with the respiratory supercomplex factor HIGD1A (hypoxia-inducible domain family member 1A) is reported here, with the mutant heme protein exhibiting a lower affinity than the wild-type species. Interestingly, phosphomimetic cytochrome c also exhibited a lower caspase-3 activation activity. Altogether, these findings yield a better understanding of the molecular basis for mitochondrial metabolism in acute diseases, such as brain ischemia, and thus could allow the use of phosphomimetic cytochrome c as a neuroprotector with therapeutic applications.España, Junta de Andalucía BIO-198España MINECO BFU2015-71017/BM

Hidrogeología aplicada al estudio de la Edad del Bronce de La Mancha.

Depto. de Prehistoria, Historia Antigua y ArqueologíaFac. de Geografía e HistoriaFALSEpu

Water in the Guadarrama Mountain range

La Sierra de Guadarrama guarda riquezas geológicas, geomorfológicas, hidrológicas, forestales, de fauna y de paisaje en general, que la hacen merecedora de pertenecer a la Red de Parques Nacionales de España desde 2013. Sus senderos, vías pecuarias, bosques, praderas y roquedos han sido transitados, desde hace más de siglo y medio, por un público cada vez más sensibilizado y cautivado por su rico patrimonio. Presta también unos impagables servicios ecosistémicos y de bienestar a la ciudadanía. Este artículo se detiene en el agua de sus ríos y en el agua subterránea que da lugar a sus manantiales. La red fluvial obedece a tres diferentes tipos de regímenes: pluvio-nival, pluvial y nivopluvial, y de morfología de los ríos: Moros, Eresma, Pirón, Cega, Guadarrama, Manzanares, Guadalix, y Lozoya. El artículo identifica hasta nueve posibles orígenes de los manantiales de la sierra vinculados a coluviones, fallas, diques, aluviales y terrazas, procesos glaciales, etc. El conjunto de recursos hídricos constituye un rico patrimonio hidráulico y arquitectónico (viaductos, puentes, molinos, azudes, batanes, pozos de nieve…) y de usos y costumbres como lo fue en su día las maderadas en el valle de Valsaín. Todo ello confiere a la Sierra de Guadarrama valores notables que requieren ser protegidos y dotarles así de una garantía de sostenibilidad ambiental que pasa por la formación y sensibilización de la ciudadanía.The Guadarrama mountain range, situated very close to Madrid and Segovia – and with more than 6.5 million inhabitants-, is home to important geological, geomorphological, hydrological, forestry, wildlife and general landscape features, that make it worthy of being integrated into the Spanish Network of National Parks by the Law 7/2013 (Fig. 1). Students from grade school to university level are also using this entire natural heritage for educational purposes. Paths, trails, forests, grasslands, rocks and lands have been visited for over a century and half, by an increasingly aware public, captivated by its rich heritage. It also provides priceless ecosystem services and welfare to citizens. The geological uniqueness of the Park is due to its lithological constitution, composed almost exclusively of hard rocks (igneous and metamorphic with very low permeability), the development of landscapes characterized by granitic rocks and forms (La Pedriza), and glacial and periglacial modeling at high summits (Peñalara Lake). Its highest elevations and deep valleys are due to a combination of horst and graben (Figs. 2, 6). This article is devoted mainly to rivers and springs, that is, to blue water. The water quality is excellent both from the springs and from the upper basin of the rivers. The main meteorological characteristics have an average annual temperature of 6.9 ºC and an average precipitation of 1,220 mm/year (Figs. 3, 4, 5 and Table I). In addition, the water dividing line produces the existence of rivers that drain into the Duero basin on the northern slope, the Tagus in the southern part, provides the water necessary to support winter sport facilities relatively close to Madrid, and a large storage of solid water that feeds the rivers thanks to the snow regime. The river network obeys three different types of regimes: rain-snow, rain, and snow-rain that form the rivers of the Segovia slope; Moros, Eresma, Cega and Pirón; the Madrid slope; Manzanares, Guadalix, Lozoya and their tributary streams (Figs. 7, 8). Surface water collected in reservoirs is used to provide for more than six million people (Fig. 9 and Table II). These reservoirs are located at strategic points in a basin that takes advantage of a series of features like the impervious terrains, a significant rainfall, pristine waters, and a high altitude. This, in turn, facilitates water transport by gravity to the consumption points. This paper identifies nine possible origins of the Guadarrama mountain range springs (Fig. 10) linked to: colluvium, discontinuities and faults, dykes, foliation, alteration and weathering, alluvial formations, terrace deposits that break the permeability between lithologies, and finally, springs associated with glacial and periglacial processes. These springs are highly appreciated by visitors to the National Park. The entire set of water resources of the Guadarrama is has a rich hydraulic and architectural heritage (aqueducts, bridges, Fig. 11). This also includes water infrastructure whose remains can still be found today such as mills, weirs, snow storage wells and uses and customs like the maderadas in the Valsaín valley (Fig. 12). All this gives the Guadarrama mountain range features to be protected under the legal figure of The National Park Service to guarantee environmental sustainability in the future based on training and awareness of citizenship values.Depto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y PaleontologíaFac. de Ciencias GeológicasTRUEpu