Rare diseases : an historical introduction

Proyectos “Investigación, redes asistenciales y empoderamiento: respuestas sociales y científicas a las enfermedades raras en la Península Ibérica (1940-2015)” (HAR2017-87318P), funded by the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities, and “Enfermedades raras: cultura visual de la rareza en España y Portugal en la Edad Contemporánea”, funded by the University of Salamanca (PIC2-2020-29

A solutrean site in the Western Betic Range: El Higueral- Guardia cave (Cortes de la Frontera, Málaga, Spain)

En el verano de 2011 se iniciaron trabajos de sondeo en la cueva del Higueral-Guardia (Málaga, España). Los sondeos han determinado la existencia de una importante secuencia con niveles del Paleolítico superior y medio todavía en estudio. No obstante, la actividad perpetrada por los clandestinos en la cueva, ha limitado significativamente las posibilidades de interpretación de los niveles solutrenses. En este trabajo pretendemos, además de realizar una presentación preliminar de los datos obtenidos, establecer una discusión sobre el valor que este tipo de registros puede tener de cara a establecer interpretaciones de rango mayor. Aspectos como la intensidad de la ocupación, la diacronía del registro, o la funcionalidad del sitio son discutidos en este sentidoIn the summer of 2011 several test pits were made in the Higueral-Guardia Cave (Málaga, Spain). The sondages have determined the existence of an important Upper and Middle Paleolithic archaeological sequence, still under study. However, the illegal digging activity in the cave have significantly limited the possibilities of interpretation of the Solutrean levels. In this paper we present some preliminary results of the field work, and at the same time, establish a discussion about the value of such records in order to establish deeper anthropological interpretations. Aspects such as the intensity of the occupation, the diachronic value of the archaeological record, or the functionality of the site are discusse

Reflectance spectroscopy in combination with cluster analysis as tools for identifying the provenance of Neolithic flint artefacts

The authors thank the staff of the Huelva Museum for the facilities given to access the archaeological flint blades studied in this article. Likewise, the authors appreciate the suggestions and constructive criticisms provided by the two reviewers and in particular wish to thank Dr. Ryan M. Parish for his excellent review and recommendations that have notably improved the original manuscript. Angela Tate is thanked for reviewing the English version of the manuscript.The provenance of flint artefacts found in archaeological excavations is very important for archaeologists to better understand artefact displacement, exchange networks, mobility patterns, prehistoric migrations and various cultural processes such as commerce, procurement strategies, territorial boundaries, etc. Reflectance Spectroscopy is an analytical technique that measures the radiation reflected by any type of surface, as it is sensitive to electronic and vibrational processes, both at the atomic and molecular level, which results in spectral signatures and absorption bands of the material. In this study the flint material of 16 quarries with evident signs of having been used to manufacture artefacts during the Neolithic period have been characterized by means of their spectral signatures and used to identify the origin of 5 flint blades found in a dolmen close to one of the quarries. The application of cluster analysis to compare the spectral signatures of both the quarries and the archaeological blades has ruled out one of them as not being sourced from the studied quarries, as well as assigning a very probable origin to the other four. Interestingly, none of the blades studied have been sourced to the nearest quarry, as one might presume. The results of this study confirm that reflectance spectroscopy combined with the multivariate statistical analysis could provide a powerful tool for determining the origin of flint artefacts which have been deposited in museums and other institutions

EL APROVECHAMIENTO PREHISTÓRICO DE SAL EN LA ALTA ANDALUCÍA. EL CASO DE FUENTE CAMACHO (LOJA, GRANADA)

This article introduces a new archaeological site linked to salt production during Prehistoric times. Few sites in the Iberian Peninsula are connected to the use of this abiotic resource—an essential part of life in preindustrial societies. The study of the area surrounding the Fuente Camacho salt mine, located about 12 km (7 miles) southeast of Loja, has led to the identification of a site connected to the use and exploitation of salt through ignition, a technique already documented at other sites of similar chronology on the peninsula.The Fuente Camacho salt mine site fills in the gaps of prehistoric salt extraction on the Iberian Peninsula and draws attention to this topic in Upper Andalusia, an area where this resource has not received the attention it deserves.Este artículo presenta un nuevo yacimiento arqueológico vinculado a la producción de sal durante la Prehistoria. Escasos son los yacimientos de la península ibérica vinculados al aprovechamiento de este recurso abiótico, elemento de especial importancia en la vida de las sociedades preindustriales. El estudio del entorno de las salinas de Fuente Camacho, situadas a unos 12 kilómetros al sureste de Loja, ha permitido identificar un yacimiento vinculado al aprovechamiento de la sal y su explotación mediante ignición, técnica documentada en otros yacimientos peninsulares de similares cronologías. El yacimiento de las salinas de Fuente Camacho viene a completar el panorama de la obtención prehistórica de sal en la península ibérica llamando la atención sobre este particular en el territorio de la Alta Andalucía, ámbito donde este recurso no ha recibido la atención que merece

Application of Robot Programming to the Teaching of Object-Oriented Computer Languages

Object-oriented programming (OOP) abstract concepts are often difficult to understand for students, since it is not easy to find the equivalence of such concepts in daily life. In this paper we will study if an interdisciplinary approach based on an introduction to robotics and robot programming helps the student in acquiring theOOPconcepts. For our experiments, we selected a sample of thirty individuals among students with an adequate knowledge of procedural programming. This sample was divided into two groups of fifteen students each: for the first one we used a standard introductory approach to C#, whereas for the second one we developed an experimental course that included a demonstration program that illustrated OOP basic concepts using the features of a specific type of commercial ball-shaped robot with sensing, wireless communication and output capabilities. After the courses, both groups were evaluated by completing a multiple-choice exam and aC#programming exercise. Our results show that the student group that attended the course including the robot demo showed a higher interest level (i.e. they felt more motivated) than those students that attended the standard introductory C# course. Furthermore, the students from the experimental group also achieved an overall better mark

Excavaciones en el Cerro de las Torres (Álora, Málaga)

Peer reviewe

Towards a new definition of the Middle Neolithic in the southern Iberian peninsula: Grañena Baja, Jaén

En este trabajo presentamos los resultados de las excavaciones en el yacimiento arqueológico de Grañena Baja (Jaén), correspondientes a la primera fase detectada en el mismo. Destaca la posible existencia de un gran foso segmentado, asociado a una cultura material hasta ahora no caracterizada de forma específica en el sur de la península ibérica. Cerámicas de perfil compuesto y borde reforzado con decoraciones sencillas componen el registro. Láminas de formato medio y grande, talón liso y extraídas por percusión indirecta caracterizan los instrumentos líticos. Las dataciones disponibles sitúan en el tercer cuarto del V milenio cal AC el momento de plena ocupación en dicha fase. Esas características dotan al yacimiento de un valor excepcional para completar el vacío existente entre el Neolítico Antiguo y el Neolítico Reciente en gran parte del mediodía peninsular, donde los contextos asociados a dichas cronologías son escasos. Grañena Baja constituye pues una oportunidad única para la caracterización de un Neolítico Medio hasta ahora escurridizo.This work presents the results of the first phase detected at the archaeological site of Grañena Baja (Jaén). The possible existence of a large segmented ditch is one of the most outstanding features, associated with a material culture that has not been specifically characterized in the southern Iberia. The ceramic types stand out for their composite profile and reinforced rims, as well as having decorations simply executed. Blades of medium and large format with straight bases and obtained by means of indirect percussion characterize the lithic industry. Radiocarbon dates place the site’s occupation in the third quarter of the 5th Millennium cal BC. This information makes an important contribution to filling the gap between the Early and the Recent Neolithic in southern Iberia, a region where good evidence for the Middle Neolithic is scarce.La empresa Laura Mercado Gestión del Patrimonio y Servicios Arqueológicos, SLU, realizó la excavación dirigida por Elisabet Conlin con el apoyo técnico de Laura Mercado, Inés Casas, Rosa Gil, Miguel López, Manuel Silva (†), Juan M. Guijo y Elena Vera. Parte del estudio subsecuente y la redacción de este trabajo se financiaron gracias a un contrato Juan de la Cierva (RMMS) del Programa Estatal de Promoción del Talento y su Empleabilidad, Plan Estatal de Investigación Científica y Técnica de Innovación 2013-2016 (MINECO)

Knapping methods and techniques in the bracelets quarry of Cortijo Cevico (Loja, Granada)

The stone bracelets are one of the most outstanding elements of personal ornaments of the ancient Neolithic in Western Mediterranean and the South of the Iberian Peninsula (5500-4800 cal. BCE). These bracelets are considered an element of cultural identity and a chronological marker of the first Neolithic societies in these areas. The study of the production processes of this ornament has brought a new approach to social relations of the early Neolithic groups of this area. The existence of specialized workshops and the circulation of these objects show the shift towards more complex social organizations. The aim of this paper is to present knapping methods and techniques carried out in the Neolithic bracelets quarry of the Cortijo Cevico. This quarry has recently been discovered and excavated, and it is the first site of its kind in the Iberian Peninsula. It is a rocky outcrop in the geological formation of Trías de Antequera, formed by dolomitic marbles. On this site we carried out the extraction works, as well as the first transformation of the knapping performs that were going to be processed as bracelets. In addition, we have applied for the first time in this paper the methodology consists on using diacritical schemes in the knapping waste of the bracelets. This methodology, along with experimentation and technical stigmas, has allowed the recognition of the techniques and methods applied to knapping dolomitic marbles and these are presented for the first time in this paper.

Fiber Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS) of the main siliceous rock quarries in Andalusia and its application to the identification of the origin of lithic artifacts carved during Prehistory

La procedencia de los artefactos de sílex es muy importante en investigaciones arqueológicas, ya que permite conocer el desplazamiento de artefactos líticos, las redes de su intercambio, los patrones de movilidad, etc. Mediante Espectroscopia de Reflectancia de Fibra Óptica (FORS) se han caracterizado 16 de las principales canteras de sílex y otras rocas silíceas de Andalucía con signos evidentes de haber sido utilizadas durante la Prehistoria reciente. La aplicación de métodos estadísticos de análisis multivariante (Análisis de Componentes Principales y Análisis de Clúster) a los datos obtenidos ha permitido diferenciar 58 espectrofacies que definen una colección espectral de los principales sílex de Andalucía. Estas espectrofacies pueden identificar el origen de los artefactos arqueológicos de sílex. La validez de este método se ha contrastado estudiando 15 puntas de flecha de la necrópolis megalítica de Gorafe. Los resultados indican que 5 de ellas pueden proceder de 4 de las canteras andaluzas de sílex y 10 parecen tener un origen diferente, pero 7 con relaciones muy estrechas entre varias de ellas. Estos resultados confirman que la espectroscopia de reflectancia y el análisis multivariante, proporcionan una herramienta muy útil para la identificación de la procedencia, la identificación y la clasificación de los sílex arqueológicos, así como proporcionar información sobre la diagénesis de los materiales silíceos desde los que fueron tallados.The provenance of the flint artifacts is very important in archaeological investigations, since it allows knowing the displacement of lithic manufactures, the networks of their exchange, the patterns of mobility, etc. By means of Fiber Optic Reflectance Spectroscopy (FORS), 16 of the main quarries of flint and other siliceous rocks of Andalusia with obvious signs of having been used during recent Prehistory have been characterized. The application of statistical methods of multivariate analysis (Principal Component Analysis and Cluster Analysis) to the data obtained has made it possible to differentiate 58 spectrofacies that define a spectral collection of the main Andalusian flints. These spectrofacies can identify the origin of archaeological flint artifacts. The validity of this method has been verified by studying 15 arrowheads from the megalithic necropolis of Gorafe. The results indicate that 5 of them may come from 4 of the Andalusian flint quarries and 10 seem to have a different origin, but 7 with very close relationships between several of them. These results confirm that reflectance spectroscopy and multivariate analysis provide a very useful tool for identifying the provenance, identification and classification of archaeological flints, as well as providing information on the diagenesis of the siliceous materials from which they were carved.Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad, Proyecto 694 UNGR15-CE-3531AGR123 de la Junta de Andalucí