The Southwestern stela of Pedro Abad II (Alcurrucen Farmhouse, Cordoba, Spain)

En este trabajo damos a conocer el análisis y descripción de una nueva estela hallada recientemente de manera fortuita en la finca de Alcurrucén (Pedro Abad, Córdoba). Dicha estela constituye la quinta de estas características hallada en el Alto Guadalquivir cordobés y la segunda encontrada en dicha propiedad. En ella se muestra la representación de una figura humana acompañada de un escudo circular junto a otros objetos, algunos de los cuales resultan de difícil interpretación al presentar dicha pieza graves daños y una deficiente conservaciónIn this work we present analysis and description of a new stela recently found by chance in a property called Alcurrucén (municipality of Pedro Abad, Cordoba). This stone is the fifth of these objects known in the east part of the Guadalquivir River in Cordoba territory, and the second one found in this land farm. It shows a schematic human figure followed by a circular shield together with other objects, many of which are difficult to identify due to several damages and poor conservatio

¿Instrumentos o desechos? Objetos en asta procedentes de dos contextos de la Edad del Cobre del Guadalquivir Medio (Sur de Iberia)

In the south of the Iberian Peninsula, as in many European sites, antler working has been a well-known technology since the Upper Paleolithic Period. However, apart from studies of the opportunistic use of unmodified elements such as antler-picks, antler working has been scarcely researched in the archaeology of the Neolithic and Copper Age in this region. This brief contribution focuses on three antler elements from the Andalusian Copper Age. Two of the elements are angular fragments recovered in the ditched enclosure of La Minilla (La Rambla, Córdoba), dated to around the middle of the 3rd millennium BC. The third object is a modified shed antler beam and basal part associated with a collective burial, dated to the end of 4th and early 3rd millennium Cal BC. It was discovered in the territory of modern Córdoba. These fragments are interpreted as waste material from manufacturing processes aimed at obtaining elongated blanks.  Como en el resto de Europa, el trabajo del asta de ciervo constituye una técnica bien conocida en el sur de la Península Ibérica desde el Paleolítico Superior. Sin embargo, más allá de la observación de un uso frecuente a modo de pico de elementos apenas transformados, dicha tecnología ha sido escasamente tratada en la arqueología del Neolítico y de la Edad del Cobre en esta región. Esta breve aportación pretende presentar tres elementos de asta de la Edad del Cobre de Andalucía. Dos de ellos son fragmentos angulares recuperados en el recinto de fosos de La Minilla (La Rambla, Córdoba), y datadas a mediados del III milenio Cal AC. El último y tercero de ellos es una cuerna de desmogue que conserva roseta y rama principal, asociada a un enterramiento colectivo, datado en el tránsito del IV al III milenio Cal AC en el espaciourbano de la actual ciudad de Córdoba. Estos objetos han sido interpretados como material de desecho resultado de la obtención de preformas longitudinales de asta

H.264/AVC inter prediction on accelerator-based multi-core systems

The AVC video coding standard adopts variable block sizes for inter frame coding to increase compression efficiency, among other new features. As a consequence of this, an AVC encoder has to employ a complex mode decision technique that requires high computational complexity. Several techniques aimed at accelerating the inter prediction process have been proposed in the literature in recent years. Recently, with the emergence of many-core processors or accelerators, a new way of supporting inter frame prediction has presented itself. In this paper, we present a step forward in the implementation of an AVC inter prediction algorithm in a graphics processing unit, using Compute Unified Device Architecture. The results show a negligible drop in rate distortion with a time reduction, on average, of over 98.8 % compared with full search and fast full search, and of over 80 % compared with UMHexagonS search

Fallen and Lost into the Abyss? A Mesolithic Human Skull from Sima Hedionda IV (Casares, Málaga, Iberian Peninsula)

The presence of scattered prehistoric human bones in caves and sinkholes is common in many regions of Iberia. These are usually interpreted as erratic elements coming from burial contexts, usually collective associations. These burial contexts are very frequent in karst areas of the Iberian Peninsula since the Early Neolithic, mostly in the Late Neolithic, and Copper Age, while findings from earlier chronologies are much more unusual. In this work, we present partial remains of a human skull from the Mesolithic period, recovered from a cave in the Strait of Gibraltar area. Although there is no conclusive evidence pointing to a dismantled burial context, this constitutes an isolated find, where its final location appears to be consistent with gravitational fall followed by water transportation.We are grateful to members of the caving groups GES Casares (Casares Underground Exploration Group) and SE Mainake (Speleo-Excursionist Society), and the town Council of Casares for their help throughout the work of survey and archaeological research inside Sima Hedionda II/IV. The frontal bone SHII/IV/7001-7 (known as Cecilín) was first located by Carlos Pintos Zanca, Juan Antonio Rodriguez Alarcón, Rafael Beltran, and Pascal Boutery de la SE Mainake. CT scan was carried out in the Clinical Veterinary Hospital of the University of Cordoba. We would like to thank especially Dr Manuel Novales Durán (Department of Animal Medicine and Surgery, UCO) for his help in the scanning process. We would also appreciate the help of Alvaro Perea (Ergonidámica Clínica, Córdoba) in composing Figures 5 and 6 using the OsiriX DICOM Wiever software. Dating Beta-424650 was funded by an internal research grant from La Trobe University. The “Archaeological Survey Project in Sima Hedionda II/IV, Casares (Málaga)” was partly self-financed by the team members themselves, and also partly (Technical equipment, transportation, other datings, maintenance, and accommodation) with the support of the Casares Town Council. Thanks to the efforts of the last institution, this cave is now gated and protected. This work has been carried out in the framework of the Project “Archaeobiology of the Neolithic of the Southern Iberian Peninsula” (NeArqBioSI) A-HUM-460-UGR18 by Consejería de Economía, Conocimiento, Empresas y Universidad. FEDER Programme – Junta de Andalucía-Universidad de Granada. Call 2019. SPG is Juan de la Cierva Incorporación (IJC2019-038830-I) funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033. We would like to thank the anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful comments and efforts in improving our manuscript

Twofold topological phase transitions induced by third-nearest-neighbor interactions in 1D chains

Strong long-range interactions up to third nearest neighbors may induce a topological phase transition in one-dimensional chains. Unlike the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model, this transition from trivial to topological phase occurs with the emergence of a pseudospin valley structure and a twofold nontrivial topological phase. Within a tight-binding approach, these topological phases are analyzed in detail and it is shown that the low-energy excitations follow a modified Dirac equation. An experimental realization in a one-dimensional elastic chain, where it is feasible to tune directly the third-nearest-neighbor interaction strength, is proposed.Comment: 6 pages, 3 figure

Sociology of caprine production systems in western Pampa

Goat ranches in the west area of La Pampa Province (Argentina) are analyzed by mean of surveys. These are long tradition family enterprises (2.5 man equivalent) with owners (average 53.3 years old) that believe in the continuity of their farms. The educational level is very low (about 80 percent are real or functional illiterates), although 46 percent of their inheritors had completed the primary school and 15 percent had completed the high school. Technical assistance is received mainly from governmental programs. Kids are the main sale product and about 18 percent of them are used for family feeding. Other source of income would be increased adding value by mean of handmade manufacture (cheese, hair, spinning, tan leather, etc.)Mediante encuesta se estudian las explotaciones caprinas del oeste pampeano (Argentina). Son empresas familiares (2,5 equivalentes hombre), de larga tradición cuyos responsables, de bastante edad (53,3 años), confían en la continuidad de las explotaciones. El nivel educativo es muy bajo (alrededor del 80 p.100 son analfabetos reales o funcionales), aunque entre los posibles herederos el 46 p.100 ha completado la escuela primaria y el 15 p.100 la secundaria. El apoyo técnico que reciben corresponde casi exclusivamente a programas estatales. El cabrito para venta es el principal producto registrándose un 18 p.100 de autoconsumo. Otras fuentes de ingreso podrían potenciarse agregándoles valor por medio de procesos artesanales de elaboración (quesos, hilado de pelo, curtidos de cueros, etc.)

Censo de focos de "Heterobasidion annosum" (Fr.) Bref. en ecosistemas de pinsapo

Se exponen los resultados de un censo de focos de podredumbre radical causada por Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. en ecosistemas de Abies pinsapo Boiss. en las tres áreas de distribución natural de la especie en la Península Ibérica: los pinsapares de Sierra de las Nieves (Málaga), Sierra de Grazalema (Cádiz) y Los Reales de Sierra Bermeja (Málaga). La búsqueda del patógeno se dirigió a la observación de los sistemas radicales de los pies derribados visibles en el monte, para posterior delimitación de las zonas afectadas y cumplimentación de una ficha de campo específica para la descripción y caracterización de la enfermedad. El patógeno fue detectado en la totalidad de las áreas muestreadas, en un total de 81 centros de infección o focos, contabilizándose, adicionalmente, 11 zonas de elevada mortandad de pinsapo (áreas de posible infección), donde no pudo comprobarse la presencia del patógeno, si bien ésta se consideró posible. El Parque Natural Sierra de las Nieves fue el más afectado, con un 88.9% de los focos detectados. En Sierra de Grazalema la incidencia fue considerablemente inferior, si bien las características del pinsapar y las particularidades de la enfermedad en la zona hicieron temer de un riesgo generalizado de infección. Finalmente, Los Reales fue la zona menos afectada, con tan sólo un foco con causa atribuible a H. annosum.We expose the results of an inventory of gaps of trees of Abies pinsapo with root decay caused by Heterobasidion annosum. The sampling was developed in ecosystems with Abies pinsapo Boiss., in the species natural areas of the Iberian Peninsula: Sierra de las Nieves (Málaga, Spain), Sierra de Grazalema (Cádiz, Spain) and Los Reales de Sierra Bermeja (Málaga, Spain). The pathogen research was restricted to the observation of the radical systems in windthrown trees, identification in roots and further delimitation of the affected surface. The pathogen was identified in 81 infection centers, aditionally accounting 11 areas of high mortality oí Abies pinsapo trees {areas of possible infection), where the presence of H. annosum was not certain but considered possible. Sierra de las Nieves Natural Park was the most affected area, reaching the 88.9% of the total amount of infections centers. Sierra de Grazalema showed a lower incidence, although the stand features and disease particularities in this Park make us suspect a general and high risk of infection all over the A. pinsapo forest. Finally, Los Reales was the least affected zone, with only one infection center with root decay caused by H. annosum

Aroma composition of wines produced from grapes treated with organic amendments

The application to agriculture of wheat-straw spent mushroom substrate amendments (compost/vermicompost) used to grow Pleurotus ostreatus has been analyzed. The study was conducted in a vineyard where the effect on (1) the physicochemical properties of the soil and the leaf and (2) the analytical characteristics and the aromatic composition of the wine were analyzed. The application of the amendments resulted in an increase in organic matter and macronutrients (NO3−, P2O5 and K2O) in the soil. With regard to the leaves, the NO3− and K2O contents of those vines fertilized with vermicompost were higher, and the metallic content was the same regardless of the treatment applied. The analysis of the colorimetric parameters showed that there was a higher content of compounds with red and violet colorations in the case of wine obtained after treatment with vermicompost. In addition, for this type of wine, a higher concentration of volatile compounds was obtained. Thus, after grouping the aroma compounds into aroma series, the greatest differences among vermicompost wines and the rest were obtained in the fruit, floral, herbaceous, and green fruit series. The principal component analysis showed that the vermicompost treatment clearly differentiated the wine from the rest of the wines, in addition to its effects on the aromatic series, the values in the total polyphenol index, and the compounds responsible for brown tones

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)

Productive structure of caprine farms in pampean west (Argentina)

In La Pampa, the average caprine farm land is 5700 ha, without fences and poor infra-estructure for animal management, there are two farmyards with an area of 5-8 m2/goat and a shed for kids housing with an area of 0.15 m2/kid. The average flock size is 164 goats, with horses and catle, extensively grazed daily and penned at nigth, without planning or suplementation. Reproducers usually began with the sexual activity before to have an apropiate weight. Kidding peaks occurs between end of september and middle of november. The number of bocks is 1-3/100 female. Reproductive parameters are: fertility 97,3 percent; fecundity 89,4 percent; real prolificity 177,2 percent and comercial prolificity 160,6 percent. Major health problems were contagious ectima, diarrhoea in kids, mastits and pediculosis.Las explotaciones caprinas pampeanas, son de 5700 ha, sin delimitación perimetral e infraestructura muy deficiente, con un par de corrales sin techar de 5-8 m2/cabra y uno techado para cabritos (0,15 m2 por cabrito). En promedio 164 cabras, con equino y vacuno, pastorean extensivamente, con encierro nocturno, casi sin planificación y sin suplementación alimenticia. Los reproductores entran en servicio sin suficiente peso y la paridera va de fin de septiembre a mediados de noviembre. Con 1-3 machos/100 hembras, los índices reproductivos son: fertilidad 97,3 p.100; fecundidad 89,4 p.100; prolificidad real 177,2 p.100 y prolificidad comercial 160,6 p.100. Los problemas sanitarios son ectima contagioso, diarrea de los cabritos, mastitis y pediculosis