Bone artifacts from chalcolithic funerary contexts in the eastern and southeastern Iberia: pointed flat rods

Uno de los objetos óseos más característicos del registro funerario del Neolítico y Calcolítico del Sureste de la península Ibérica son las llamadas “varillas planas de hueso”. Con este nombre es con el que mayoritariamente se las viene conociendo en la bibliografía arqueológica desde inicios del siglo xx. No obstante, su identificación, descripción y atribución funcional nunca han dejado de suponer un problema. Este trabajo se centra en el análisis de las técnicas de trabajo empleadas en su producción y en evaluar las diferentes hipótesis planteadas en cuanto a su posible uso como agujas para el pelo, alfileres o paletines cosméticos, entre otras, a partir de los contextos arqueológicos documentados en excavaciones recientes y en el análisis de antiguas colecciones conservadas en diversos museos.One of the most characteristic bone objects in the Late Neolithic and Chalcolithic funerary record of the south-eastern area of the Iberian Peninsula is the so-called “pointed flat rod”. They have been mentioned in many of the papers published since the beginning of the 20th century. However, their identification, description and functional attribution have not ceased to be problematic. This paper has focused in the manufacturing techniques employed in the production of these bone artefacts and evaluates the different hypotheses related to their supposed use as hairpins, awls or cosmetic palettes —among others— taking into account the archaeological contexts recorded in some recent excavations and the analysis of ancient collections stored in museums

Structural and morphological evolution of powders nanostructured ceramics: transitional aluminas

This work aims with the study of the transformation of boehmite into transitional aluminas. Boehmite was obtained by a sol-gel method from an aluminium hazardous waste. The thermal behaviour of boehmite was followed by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis to determine the transformation temperatures.  By calcinations of boehmite at temperatures ranging between 250-1000ºC, transitional aluminas (?, ? , ?-Al2O3)  were synthesized and characterized by XRD, TEM and FTIR. All the transitional aluminas exhibit nanometric crystallite size, ranging from 2.5-15nm. ?-Al2O3 was obtained as a nanostructured material at 500ºC with a cell parameter a=7.923Å. ?-phase stars to appear at 850ºC with a crystallite size of 6nm and cell parameters a=5.672Å and c=24.600Å. For ?-Al2O3 the cell parameters, in Å, were a=11.817, b=2.912, c=5.621 and ?=103.8º. The progressive conversion of the transitional phase ?-Al2O3 into the stable polymorph ?-alumina, takes place gradually and a four-phases region is achieved at 1000ºC, where coexist with other transitional phase such as  ?- and ?-Al2O3

Distribución territorial y consumo de botones de perforación en “V” en el ámbito argárico

The V -perforated buttons have been largely considered as intrusive elements in Argaric artefact assemblages. Chronologically, the close association with the “Bell- Beaker phenomenon” has led to the tendency to relate these to the earliest stages in the development of Argaric society. Nevertheless, recent information provided by the review of the excavations and of the archaeological remains recovered from the Illeta dels Banyets de El Campello settlement located in Alicante, has enabled us to reconsider spatially and chronologically the production and consumption of these objects in Argaric society.Los botones de perforación en V han sido tradicionalmente considerados como un elemento en cierto modo “intrusivo” en el repertorio artefactual argárico. Desde el punto de vista cronológico, su estrecha vinculación con el “fenómeno campaniforme” provocó una clara tendencia a relacionarlos exclusivamente con las etapas más antiguas del desarrollo de la sociedad argárica. No obstante, los datos recientemente proporcionados por la revisión de las excavaciones y del material arqueológico de cronología prehistórica procedentes de la Illeta dels Banyets de El Campello, en Alicante, permiten reconsiderar la producción y el consumo de estos objetos en el seno de la sociedad argárica tanto desde el punto de vista espacial como cronológico

Old males reduce melanin-pigmented traits and increase reproductive outcome under worse environmental conditions in common kestrels

Secondary sexual traits displayed by males and females may have evolved as a signal of individual quality. However, both individual quality and investment on producing or maintaining enhanced sexual traits change as individuals age. At the same time, the costs associated to produce sexual traits might be attenuated or increased if environmental conditions are benign or worse respectively. Accordingly, environmental conditions are expected to shape the association between the expression of sexual traits and their reproductive outcome as individuals age. Nonetheless, little is known about the environmental influence on the co-variation between sexual traits and reproductive outcome throughout the life of individuals. We studied the age-dependency of the number and size of back spots, a melanin-based and sexual trait in adults of common kestrels (Falco tinnunculus). We analysed the age-dependence of reproductive traits and the environmental influence, defined as vole abundance, using a 10-year individual-based dataset. We broke down age-related changes of reproductive traits into within- and between-individual variation to assess their contribution to population-level patterns. Our results showed a within-individual decrease in the number, but not the size, of back spots in males. The size of back spots was positively correlated with food availability in males. Reproductive performance of males increased as they aged, in agreement with the life-history theory but depending of vole abundance. Remarkably, we found that having fewer back spots was positively associated with clutch size only for old individuals under low-food conditions. We suggest that environmental variation may shape the association between the expression of a sexual signal and reproductive outcome. We speculate that the reliability of sexual traits is higher when environmental conditions are poor only for old individuals. Within an evolutionary context, we suggest that the expression of sexual traits might be constrained by environmental conditions at later stages of life.The long-term monitoring of the study population was financed by several projects of the Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (CGL2004-04479/BOS, CGL2007-61395/BOS, CGL2010-15726/BOS, CGL2013-42451-P) of the Spanish Government.Peer reviewe

El Argar y el Bronce Valenciano. Reflexiones en torno al mundo funerario

This paper is a review of a considerable amount of new data published about settlements in Alicante in which the presence of Bronze Age burials has been registered. At the same time we will state, based on the mortuary evidence, some reflections about the coexistence in Alicante of two different social formations: Argaric Culture and Bronce Valenciano.Con este texto pretendemos revisar un buen número de noticias publicadas sobre yacimientos de la Provincia de Alicante en los que se ha registrado la presencia de enterramientos adscribibles a la Edad del Bronce, y al mismo tiempo exponer, a partir de las evidencias funerarias, algunas reflexiones sobre la coexistencia en suelo alicantino de dos formaciones sociales diferentes: la Cultura Argárica y el denominado Bronce Valenciano

Homecare physiotherapy in the iberian peninsula public health system

Objetivos - Conocer los principales servicios de fisioterapia domiciliaria que oferta el Sistema Sanitario Público para las personas mayores dependientes de la Península Ibérica (España y Portugal). Estrategia de búsqueda - Revisión bibliográfica actualizada y exhaustiva sobre los estudios previos; estancia de investigación en Hospitales, Centros de Salud y organismos financiados por la Administración Pública en ambos países; entrevistas en profundidad a informantes estratégicos. Síntesis de los resultados - Se describe la situación de la fisioterapia domiciliaria en España, desde el año 1987 hasta agosto de 2008. Se detecta que en Portugal la fisioterapia domiciliaria está recogida en la cartera de servicios de atención primaria (Decreto-Ley no 28/2008, del 22 de febrero). Conclusiones - Existen pocas investigaciones a nivel de la Península que ofrezcan datos objetivos basados en la evidencia científica sobre la efectividad de estos servicios de fisioterapia, la satisfacción del usuario y las repercusiones que producen con respecto a otros tratamientos; sin embargo, estos estudios son necesarios para la evaluación de las políticas sanitarias, la distribución adecuada de recursos, la revisión de los programas, la metodología de actuación, etc.ABSTRACT - Objectives: To become acquainted with the principal homecare physiotherapy services that are offered by the Public Health System for dependent elderly patients in the Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal). Methods: A thorough and updated review of the literature regarding previous studies, research stays in Hospitals, Primary Health Care Centers and Public Health institutions in both countries financed by the Public Health Administration; in-depth interviews with specific informants. Results: The situation of homecare physiotherapy in Spain from the year 1987 to the August 2008 is described. In Portugal, these services are established within the services regulated by Primary Health Care (Decree-Law no. 28/2008, of February 22). Conclusions: There are few studies in the Iberian Peninsula that offer scientific evidence-based information on the effectiveness of these physiotherapy services, user satisfaction and the effect they have in relation to other treatments. However, these studies are needed in order to evaluate the current health legislation, appropriate distribution of resources, to review the clinical programs, clinical action methodologies, etc.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Effects of web-based electrocardiography simulation on strategies and learning styles

Objective: To identify the association between the use of web simulation electrocardiography and the learning approaches, strategies and styles of nursing degree students. Method: A descriptive and correlational design with a one-group pretest– posttest measurement was used. The study sample included 246 students in a Basic and Advanced Cardiac Life Support nursing class of nursing degree. Results: No significant differences between genders were found in any dimension of learning styles and approaches to learning. After the introduction of web simulation electrocardiography, significant differences were found in some item scores of learning styles: theorist (p < 0.040), pragmatic (p < 0.010) and approaches to learning. Conclusion: The use of a web electrocardiogram (ECG) simulation is associated with the development of active and reflexive learning styles, improving motivation and a deep approach in nursing students