Plaqueta decorada de la cueva de El Horno (Ramales de la Victoria, Cantabria) en su contexto local y regional

En la actualidad, uno de los retos más relevantes de la investigación sobre el Paleolítico es el de superar definitivamente el paradigma del yacimiento único, abordando el estudio de las sociedades de cazadores desde una perspectiva regional, tal y como demanda el carácter móvil de las mismas. De hecho, la movilidad debería ser considerada siempre en nuestras estrategias de investigación acerca de los grupos paleolíticos, y no sólo al abordar el estudio de materiales más o menos exóticos. El arte mueble, estudiado desde el punto de vista de las cadenas operativas, aporta datos relevantes para la compresión de las sociedades de cazadores en su territorio. Los resultados del análisis de una plaqueta de arenisca procedente del nivel 2 de El Horno (Ramales de la Victoria, Cantabria), atribuido al Magdaleniense superior-final, constituyen un buen ejemplo de lo comentado. La cara A de la plaqueta presenta el grabado de una cabeza de probable cierva, un tema poco común a finales del Magdaleniense, cuyo estudio tecnológico ha revelado que se trata de la obra de un artista inexperto. La cara B está grabada y pintada, y los estigmas identificados sugieren la utilización de la plaqueta como mortero para machacar algún material, quizá el propio ocre. En ese sentido, el material presentado aporta elementos de juicio a la reflexión actual acerca de la tradicional dicotomía establecida en el arte mobiliar entre los soportes utilitarios y no utilitarios

Last-come, best served? Mosquito biting order and Plasmodium transmission

International audienceA pervasive characteristic of parasite infections is their tendency to be overdispersed. Understanding the mechanisms underlying this overdispersed distribution is of key importance as it may impact the transmission dynamics of the pathogen. Although multiple factors ranging from environmental stochasticity to inter-individual heterogeneity may explain parasite overdispersion, parasite infection is also overdispersed in an inbred host population maintained under laboratory conditions, suggesting that other mechanisms are at play. Here, we show that the aggregated distribution of malaria parasites within mosquito vectors is partially explained by a temporal heterogeneity in parasite infectivity triggered by the bites of mosquitoes. Parasite transmission tripled between the mosquito's first and last blood feed in a period of only 3 h. Surprisingly, the increase in transmission is not associated with an increase in parasite investment in production of the transmissible stage. Overall, we highlight that Plasmodium is capable of responding to the bites of mosquitoes to increase its own transmission at a much faster pace than initially thought and that this is partly responsible for overdispersed distribution of infection. We discuss the underlying mechanisms as well as the broader implications of this plastic response for the epidemiology of malaria

Evaluación de riesgo psicosocial a partir de la aplicación del instrumento ISTAS 21 para la formulación de estrategias de mejora para A&M Factory

Ingeniería IndustrialEl actual proyecto de investigación se desarrolló implementando un instrumento de evaluación de riesgos psicosociales del Instituto Sindical de Trabajo, Ambiente y Salud ISTAS21 y los Determinantes Sociales de la Salud de la Organización Mundial de la Salud, con el objetivo de intervenir y controlar factores que inciden directa e indirectamente sobre el recurso humano, consecuentemente influyendo sobre la productividad de la empresa. Inicialmente se recurre a herramientas de diagnóstico organizacional para visualizar un esquema general de la situación en cuanto a condiciones de trabajo; se implementó una Matriz DOFA con elementos de las áreas productivas con incidencia tanto interna como externa sobre los cuales repercuten en la producción. Posteriormente al análisis dofa se dan a conocer riesgos implícitos en el entorno laboral, se realiza un análisis general en cuanto a la seguridad laboral que actualmente presenta la empresa mediante la Matriz de Riesgos y Peligros GTC 45 y se reconocen las áreas con mayor afectación, adicional a lo anterior se identifica el riesgo más relevante en todo el proceso. En este orden de ideas, luego de la aplicación de todo el proceso de diagnóstico, el riesgo psicosocial sobre sale entre los riesgos con mayor influencia, permitiendo la participación del instrumento de evaluación de riesgos psicosociales. A partir de lo anterior, se lleva a cabo un registro de las dimensiones psicosociales que impactan repercutiendo sobre las competencias laborales del factor humano, siendo estas vulneradas se han manifestado en el abandono del puesto de trabajo y la rotación frecuente del personal. Finalmente, por cada dimensión psicosocial intervenida por el instrumento, se sugieren unas medidas o estrategias de mejora que permiten controlar el riesgo y mantener un seguimiento del mismo. Seguidamente se presentan recomendaciones propias del contexto interno teniendo en cuenta condiciones o elementos que se pueden manejar; y posteriormente conclusiones del proceso.The present research project was developed by implementing a psychosocial risk assessment instrument of the Trade Union Institute of Labor, Environment and Health ISTAS21 and the Social Determinants of Health of the World Health Organization, with the objective of intervening and controlling factors that directly affect and indirectly on the human resource, consequently influencing the productivity of the company. Initially, organizational diagnostic tools are used to visualize a general scheme of the situation in terms of working conditions; a DOFA Matrix was implemented with elements of the productive areas with internal and external impact on which they affect production. After the Dofa analysis, risks implicit in the work environment are disclosed, a general analysis is made regarding the job security currently presented by the company through the GTC 45 Hazard and Risk Matrix and the areas with the greatest impact, additional to the above, the most relevant risk in the entire process is identified. In this ideas order, after the application of the entire diagnostic process, the psychosocial risk comes out among the most influential risks, allowing the participation of the psychosocial risk assessment instrument. Based on the above, a record of the psychosocial dimensions that impact impacting on the labor competencies of the human factor is carried out, being these violated they have manifested in the abandonment of the job and the frequent rotation of the personnel. Finally, for each psychosocial dimension intervened by the instrument, some improvement measures or strategies are suggested that allow controlling the risk and maintaining a follow-up of it. Following are recommendations of the internal context taking into account conditions or elements that can be managed; and later conclusions of the process

Antropoestratigrafía: nuevas unidades litológicas del Cuaternario controladas por la actividad humana

Many areas around the world such as the Mediterranean region have been inhabited without interruption for thousands of years. This is the case of the city of Barcelona (Spain), where remains of human settlements dating from pre-Roman times until the present have been found. A detailed geological mapping of the area occupied by the city of Barcelona raises a number of questions about the Holocene stratigraphy affected by human activity. In the old urban and surrounding areas most of the sedimentary deposits accumulated during settlement result from human interactions. Thus, new anthropostratigraphic units are proposed. The sedimentary deposits and the infill of rock excavations due to human presence may be divided into three categories: Natural lithoanthropogenic units (NAU) when their formation is not directly affected by anthropogenic activity but these contain artefacts of human origin. Induced lithoanthropogenic units (IAU) when natural processes together with human actions produce sedimentation or erosion due to natural phenomena; Constructed lithoanthropogenic units (CAU) when sedimentary accumulations and sharp contacts result from direct human activity.A lo largo de todo el globo terrestre, existen muchas zonas como la región mediterránea que han sido habitadas ininterrumpidamente durante miles de años. Este es el caso de la ciudad de Barcelona donde se han encontrado restos de asentamientos humanos desde los tiempos pre-romanos hasta la actualidad. Un mapa geológico detallado de la zona ocupada por la ciudad de Barcelona plantea una serie de interrogantes sobre la estratigrafía del Holoceno influenciado por la actividad humana. En la zona urbana antigua y en áreas circundantes, la mayoría de los depósitos acumulados durante el asentamiento se han producido por las interacciones humanas. Por tanto, se proponen nuevas unidades antropoestratigráficas. Los depósitos sedimentarios así como los rellenos de lasexcavaciones debidos a la presencia humana pueden ser divididos en tres categorías: Unidades litoantropogénicas naturales (NAU) cuando su generación no ha sido afectada directamente por la actividad humana, pero contienen diversos artefactos artificiales. Unidades litoantropogénicas inducidas (IAU) cuando los procesos naturales junto a las acciones humanas producen sedimentación o erosión debido a los fenómenos naturales. Unidades litoantropogénicas construidas (CAU) cuando las acumulaciones sedimentarias y los contactos nítidos son el resultado de la actividad humana directa

Short-Term Effect of Daily Herbage Allowance Restriction on Pasture Condition and the Performance of Grazing Dairy Cows during Autumn

The aim of this study was to evaluate the short-term effects of daily herbage allowance (DHA, defined as the product of pre-grazing herbage mass and offered area per animal) on pasture conditions and milk production of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows. Forty-four early lactation dairy cows were randomly assigned to one of four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial design that tested two levels of DHA (17 and 25 kg DM/cow.day) and two levels of maize silage supplementation (MSS, 4.5 and 9 kg DM/cow.day) over a 77-day period. Low DHA decreased the post-grazing herbage mass from 1546 to 1430 kg DM/ha and the compressed sward height from 5 to 4.4 cm, while the grazing efficiency remained unaffected. Low DHA induced a faster herbage mass reduction, while the sward-height and pasture characteristics did not differ from the high DHA regime. Low DHA decreased the tiller production rates and daily lamina growth, while the leaf-production rate was not affected by the DHA. Daily increases of herbage mass were greater in the high DHA than in the low DHA treatments. Individual milk production and milk protein concentration decreased at a low DHA compared to high DHA, while the milk fat concentration was greater and the milk output per hectare increased by 1510 kg. Neither the MSS level nor the interaction DHA by the MSS level had any effect on the sward characteristics or the productivity of the cows. From these results, it is suggested that,in a high-quality pasture, using 17 kg DM/cow.day was appropriate for improving both herbage utilization and milk production per hectare while maintaining the short-term conditions of a pasture grazed by dairy cows in the autumn

Difusão de fosfina no interior de cupinzeiros de Cornitermes cumulans (Kollar) (Isoptera: Termitidae).

Aspectos relacionados à difusão da fosfina dentro de cupinzeiros de C. cumulans foram estudados, em condições naturais, em Piracicaba-SP. Concluiu-se que as paredes externas dos montículos, construídas com partículas de latossol e cimentadas com saliva dos insetos, não eram totalmente impermeáveis à fumaça da queima da celulose existente em seu interior que fluía, com relativa facilidade, para o ambiente externo, sem o auxílio de qualquer pressão artificial interna. Medições periódicas das concentrações de fosfina em diferentes localizações internas nos montículos, através de "Multi Gás Detector DRAGER", indicaram uma perda total do gás, num intervalo de seis a trinta horas desde a introdução de quantidades variáveis de comprimidos de fosfina nos termiteiros. A mortalidade dos insetos nunca foi total, mesmo quando se aplicaram oito drágeas por montículo, encontrando-se sempre nas regiões mais baixas da câmara de celulose, pelo menos cerca de 20% de insetos vivos e em condições de reconstruírem o ninho. Mortalidade de 100% foram obtidas acima da linha do solo e para dosagens maiores que quatro comprimidos por ninho, independentemente do local de sua deposição no interior dos montículos

First Report of Soybean (Glycine max) Disease Caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Cuba

Soybean (Glycine max L.) has become one of the most widely consumed foods, however diseases caused by microorganisms can affect yields and seed quality. In March 2015, during routine survey in a soybean growing area in Pinar del Rio province, Cuba; disease symptoms were observed in some leaves. These included water-soaked necrotic spots with surrounded chlorotic halos, especially on the margins of the leaves. To identify the possible pathogens involved, leaves were disinfected with tap water, 70% ethanol and were rinsed with sterile distilled water. Small segments from diseased tissue were macerated in sterile 0.85% NaCl solution, decimal dilutions were performed and 20 µL aliquots were streaked onto King´s B medium (KB). After 24 hours of incubation at 28 oC, a fluorescent pseudomonad was isolated. Colonies were round, smooth and produced yellowish-green diffusible pigments on KB. Physiological and morphological characteristics were determined using standard microbiological techniques (Schaad et al., 200..