Ochre use and hair treatment among the Hamar (Ethiopia): an ethnoarchaeological approach

El uso de colorantes está actualmente en el centro del debate sobre el origen de la complejidad cultural.Diversos yacimientos paleolíticos han demostrado un uso sistemático de este material, que serelaciona con funciones prácticas o simbólicas. El estudio de los colorantes en sociedades tradicionalesactuales es una etapa necesaria para aportar respuestas al debate. Nuestro objetivo es realizarun análisis preliminar de la cadena operativa de los colorantes para el tratamiento del cabello en lasociedad Hamar, Etiopía, y avanzar en el conocimiento sobre el papel de este tipo de materia primaen este grupo humano.Ochre use is currently at the centre of the debate on the origin of cultural complexity. NumerousPalaeolithic sites yielded proof of a systematic use of this material, which has been interpreted as functionalor symbolic. The analysis of ochre use among traditional societies is essential in this context.Our aim is to conduct a preliminary analysis of the ochre chaîne opératoire for hair treatment amongthe Hamar women, and more specifically to understand the role of this material in the Hamar culture

Middle Stone Age Ochre Processing and Behavioural Complexity in the Horn of Africa : Evidence from Porc-Epic Cave, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia

Ochre is a common feature at Middle Stone Age (MSA) sites and has often been interpreted as a proxy for the origin of modern behaviour. However, few ochre processing tools, ochre containers, and ochre-stained artefacts from MSA contexts have been studied in detail within a theoretical framework aimed at inferring the technical steps involved in the acquisition, production and use of these artefacts. Here we analyse 21 ochre processing tools, i.e. upper and lower grindstones, and two ochre-stained artefacts from the MSA layers of Porc-Epic Cave, Dire Dawa, Ethiopia, dated to ca. 40 cal kyr BP. These tools, and a large proportion of the 4213 ochre fragments found at the site, were concentrated in an area devoted to ochre processing. Lower grindstones are made of a variety of raw materials, some of which are not locally available. Traces of use indicate that different techniques were employed to process ochre. Optical microscopy, XRD, μ-Raman spectroscopy, and SEM-EDS analyses of residues preserved on worn areas of artefacts show that different types of ferruginous rocks were processed in order to produce ochre powder of different coarseness and shades. A round stone bearing no traces of having been used to process ochre is half covered with residues as if it had been dipped in a liquid ochered medium to paint the object or to use it as a stamp to apply pigment to a soft material. We argue that the ochre reduction sequences identified at Porc-Epic Cave reflect a high degree of behavioural complexity, and represent ochre use, which was probably devoted to a variety of functions

Modal waves in multiconductor transmission lines by using fundamental matrix response

The differential equations that model voltage and current for a multiconductor transmission line are written in matrix form. Supposing a time exponential solution through of the modal analysis the modal waves are obtained and solution of a ordinary matrix differential equation, thus determining the amplitude for voltage and current. The modal waves are given in terms of the fundamental matrix solution associated to the ordinary matrix differential equation. The decomposition of the modal waves in forward and backward propagators are used for determine the reflection and transmission matrices for junction in transmission lines. Circulant symmetric transmission lines are discussed, case in that the values for the self-impedance are the same as well as the mutual-impedance values and the same considerations to the admittance matrix. In particular, for these transmission lines are characterized the propagation constants and is observed that the number of multiconductors has effects only on a specific propagation constant. Numerical example of one multiconductor transmission line is presented allowing to observe important aspects of the methodology developed

Importancia de la vacunación en niños de 15 a 18 meses de edad

Este estudio propone determinar el nivel de conocimiento que tiene la población del área de influencia del centro de Salud la Bebida, Área programática de Rivadavia, provincia de San Juan, acerca de laiImportancia de la vacunación en niños de 15 a 18 meses de edad, para poder determinar los motivos de la baja cobertura en el grupo etario antes mencionado. Objetivos: Conocer los factores que inciden en los padres de niños de entre 15 a 18 meses que asisten al centro de salud La Bebida para no vacunar a sus hijos. Proponer la implementación medidas de solución luego del análisis de los datos. Métodos: El estudio empleado en esta investigación, es cuali-cuantitativo, descriptivo transversal. La muestra quedo conformada por un total de 60 personas encuestadas entre las edades de 16 a más de 52 años, las personas son padres y /o tutores de los niños de 15 a 18 meses de edad que pertenecen al área de influencia poblacional del centro de salud, los cuales fueron entrevistadas por los investigadores. Resultados: Los datos demostraron que los principales motivos que influyen en las bajas coberturas de vacunas en los niños de 15 a 18 meses, está relacionada principalmente con factores proveniente de los padres de los niños como, escasa información sobre vacunas, bajos recursos económicos, bajo nivel de educación, escasa motivación e interés, factores determinantes en el índice de coberturas de vacunas. Conclusión: El principal desafío a cumplir es aumentar la confianza, el conocimiento, el interés y la motivación en los padres para poder lograr la concientización de la prevención de enfermedades inmunoprevenibles es lograda en gran parte a través de la vacunación a temprana edad.Fil: Brunotti, Daniela.Fil: Rosso, Javier.Fil: Villavicencio, Carolina

microRNA-222 controls neovascularization by regulating signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A expression.

OBJECTIVE: Inflammatory stimuli released into atherosclerotic plaque microenvironment regulate vessel formation by modulating gene expression and translation. microRNAs are a class of short noncoding RNAs, acting as posttranscriptional regulators of protein-coding genes involved in various biological processes, including vascular cell biology. Among them, microRNA-221/222 (miR-221/222) seem to negatively modulate vascular remodeling by targeting different target genes. Here, we investigated their potential contribution to inflammation-mediated neovessel formation. METHODS AND RESULTS: We used quantitative real-time RT-PCR amplification to analyze expression of 7 microRNAs previously linked to vascular biology, such as miR-17-5p, miR-21, miR-126, miR-210, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-296 and found high levels of expression for all of them in quiescent endothelial cells. However, miR-126, miR-221, miR-222, and miR-296 turned out to be down-modulated in endothelial cells exposed to inflammatory stimuli. Applying a gain-of-function approach, we demonstrated that, among them, only miR-222 was involved in inflammation-mediated vascular remodeling. In addition, we identified signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A (STAT5A) as a bona fide target of miR-222 and observed that miR-222 negatively correlated with STAT5A expression in human endothelial cells from advanced neovascularized atherosclerotic lesions. CONCLUSIONS: We identified STAT5A as a novel miR-222 target, and this finding opens up new perspectives for treatment of vascular diseases

The Wilms' tumor (WT1) gene expression correlates with the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) score in patients with myelofibrosis and it is a marker of response to therapy

The Wilms tumor gene WT1 is a useful marker of clonal hematopoiesis and it has been shown to be a good marker of residual disease and it reflects the response to therapy. Although myelofibrosis is characterized by mutations of JAK2 and calreticulin (CALR), these mutations are not useful to monitor response to therapy. In this study we demonstrated that in patients affected by myelofibrosis WT1 correlates with the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) score at diagnosis. Furthermore WT1 is a good marker of response to JAK2 inhibitors especially for patients without blasts and for patients who develop anemia or thrombocytopenia not for progression but as therapy related toxicity. Finally, WT1 transcript reduction can mirror a benefit of therapy on the disease burden. This study demonstrated that WT1 is a good marker for monitoring the response to therapy in patients affected by myelofibrosis

[D-Leu1]MC-LR has lower PP1 inhibitory capability and greater toxic potency than MC-LR in animal and plant tissues

Two microcystins, MC-LR and [D-Leu1]MC-LR, present in La Plata Basin blooms, are differentiated by substitution of D-Alanine for D-Leucine at position 1. Our objective was to evaluate acute toxicity of [D-Leu1]MC-LR and MC-LR in mice (N:NIH Swiss) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). We observed variations in [D-Leu1]MC-LR lethal doses with respect to those reported for MC-LR (100 μg/kg), with an increased liver/body weight ratio and intrahepatic hemorrhages in mice exposed to 50?200 μg [D-Leu1]MC-LR/kg and slight steatosis after a single 25 μg [D-Leu1]MC-LR/kg i.p. dose. Our study in the plant model showed alterations in germination, development, morphology and TBARs levels after a single contact with the toxins during imbibition (3.5 and 15 µg/mL), those treated with [D-Leu1]MC-LR being more affected than those treated with the same concentration of MC-LR. Protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) IC50 values were 40.6 nM and 5.3 nM for [D-Leu1]MC-LR and MC-LR, respectively. However, the total phosphatase activity test in root homogenate showed 60% inhibition for [D-Leu1]MC-LR and 12% for MC-LR. In mouse liver homogenate, 50% inhibition was observed for [D-Leu1]MC-LR and 40% for MC-LR. Our findings indicate the need for further research into [D-Leu1]MC-LR toxicity since together with oxidative stress, the possible inhibition of other phosphatases could explain the differences detected in the potency of the two toxins.Fil: Sedan, Daniela Yazmine. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones del Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Área de Toxicología; ArgentinaFil: Malaissi, Luciano. Centro de Investigaciones del Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Vaccarini, Cristian Adrián. Centro de Investigaciones del Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Área de Toxicología; ArgentinaFil: Ventosi, Ezequiel Gustavo. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Laguens, Martín. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Química. Centro de Investigaciones del Medio Ambiente; ArgentinaFil: Rosso, Lorena. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Área de Toxicología; ArgentinaFil: Giannuzzi, Leda. Provincia de Buenos Aires. Gobernación. Comisión de Investigaciones Científicas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Centro de Investigación y Desarrollo en Criotecnología de Alimentos; ArgentinaFil: Andrinolo, Dario. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - La Plata; Argentina. Centro de Investigaciones del Medioambiente; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de La Plata. Facultad de Ciencias Exactas. Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas. Área de Toxicología; Argentin

Configuración de las prácticas de participación política de las mujeres dentro del consejo consultivo LGBTI de la ciudad de Medellín

RESUMEN: El trabajo de grado Configuración de las prácticas de participación política de las mujeres dentro del Consejo Consultivo LGBTI de la ciudad de Medellín, es un ejercicio investigativo realizado de manera conjunta que tuvo por objetivo la caracterización de la participación de las mujeres LBT (Lesbianas, Bisexuales y Trans) que hacen parte de este escenario político, logrando evidenciar su diversidad desde la sexualidad, la identidad, las nociones políticas, las luchas sociales y las luchas culturales propias. Bajo este contexto leímos la incidencia de la participación política femenina, los factores que influyen en esta y las percepciones que tienen los demás integrantes del Consejo Consultivo del papel político que las mujeres desarrollan dentro de este espacio desde las teóricas del feminismo decolonial e interseccional, las cuales nos brindaron lentes para realizar una lectura de la problemática desde el contexto latinoamericano y de las realidades en las que habitan las mujeres LBT en una ciudad como Medellín. Desde lo anterior, pudimos identificar que existen cuestiones subyacentes y estructurales que nos llevan a comprender otras razones y ver la problemática de la participación política femenina desde otros factores, tales como: los roles de la mujer, la esfera económica y la intimidad ligada a la seguridad.ABSTRACT: The degree work Configuration of women's political participation practices within the LGBTI Advisory Council of the city of Medellín, it is a jointly conducted research exercise that aimed to characterize the participation of LBT (Lesbian, Bisexual and Trans) women who are part of this political scenario, managing to demonstrate its diversity from sexuality, identity, political notions, social struggles and cultural struggles of their own. Under this context we read the incidence of female political participation, the factors that influence this and the perceptions that the other members of the Advisory Council have of the political role that women develop within this space from the theories of decolonial and intersectional feminism, which gave us lenses to read the problem from the Latin American context and the realities in which LBT women live in a city like Medellín. From the above, we could identify that there are underlying and structural issues that lead us to understand other reasons and see the problem of female political participation from other factors, such as: the roles of women, the economic sphere and intimacy linked to security

Design and application of a novel PNA probe for the detection at single cell level of JAK2V617F mutation in Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

BACKGROUND: Mutation(s) of the JAK2 gene (V617F) has been described in a significant proportion of Philadelphia negative Myeloproliferative Neoplasms (MPN) patients and its detection is now a cornerstone in the diagnostic algorithm. METHODS: We developed a novel assay based on peptide nucleic acid (PNA) technology coupled to immuno-fluorescence microscopy (PNA-FISH) for the specific detection at a single cell level of JAK2-mutation thus improving both the diagnostic resolution and the study of clonal prevalence. RESULTS: Using this assay we found a percentage of mutated CD34+ cells ranging from 40% to 100% in Polycythemia Vera patients, from 15% to 80% in Essential Thrombocythemia and from 25% to 100% in Primary Myelofibrosis. This method allows to distinguish, with a high degree of specificity, at single cell level, between CD34+ progenitor stem cells harbouring the mutated or the wild type form of JAK2 in NPM patients. CONCLUSIONS: This method allows to identify multiple gene abnormalities which will be of paramount relevance to understand the pathophysiology and the evolution of any type of cancer