Nota preliminare sulle indagini archeologiche presso la grotta “Mora di Cavorso”

Si presentano i dati relativi allo scavo archeologico eseguito per il recupero di reperti umani segnalati nel 2003 presso la grotta Mora Cavorso a Jenne (Rm). Si tratta di varie centiania di ossa umane, fauna e materiale archeologico datati al Neolitico antico e probabilmente relativi a una serie di sepolture intenzionali sconvolte in antico

Pequeños vertebrados del relleno kárstico del Pleistoceno Superior de Avetrana (Apulia, Sur de Italia)

The fossiliferous deposit (karst cavity) in La Grave, a locality near the small town of Avetrana (Taranto, south­ern Italy), has yielded numerous fossils of vertebrates. The remains of large mammals have been the subject of several studies. This paper examines the remains of small vertebrates and identifies four taxa of amphibians (Bufo bufo, Bufotes gr. B. viridis, Hyla gr. H. Arborea and Rana (s.l.) sp.), four taxa of reptiles (Testudo hermanni, Podarcis sp., Zamenis gr. Z. longissimus, Natrix natrix), and nine taxa of small mammals (Erinaceus europaeus, Crocidura suaveolens, Arvicola italicus, Microtus (Terricola) savii, Microtus (Microtus) arvalis, Apodemus gr. A. sylvaticus - A. flavicollis, Hystrix (Acanthion) vinogradovi, Oryctolagus cuniculus and Lepus corsicanus). From a biochronological point of view, the data on small and large vertebrates indicate an age between the beginning of the Late Pleistocene (MIS 5e) and the central part of MIS 3. The most recent fossiliferous layer (bed 8) is likely to have been deposited during a cooler period when compared to the previous layers.The data from small fossil vertebrates combined with those emerging from the large mammals and birds evidence the presence, near the karstic cavity, of open spaces (prairies) with pools of water, bordered by wooded areas and, not far, the presence of a rocky coastline.El depósito (cavidad kárstica) de La Grave, localidad cercana a la pequeña ciudad de Avetrana (Tarento, Italia meridional), ha dado lugar a numerosos fósiles de vertebrados. Los restos de grandes mamíferos han sido objeto de varios estudios. En este trabajo se examinan los restos de pequeños vertebrados y se identifican cuatro taxones de anfibios (Bufo bufo, Bufotes gr. B. viridis, Hyla gr. H. Arborea and Rana (s.l.) sp.), cuatro de reptiles (Testudo hermanni, Podarcis sp., Zamenis gr. Z. longissimus, Natrix natrix), y nueve de pequeños mamíferos (Erinaceus europaeus, Crocidura suaveolens, Arvicola italicus, Microtus (Terricola) savii, Microtus (Microtus) arva­lis, Apodemus gr. A. sylvaticus - A. flavicollis, Hystrix (Acanthion) vinogradovi, Oryctolagus cuniculus and Lepus corsicanus). Desde un punto de vista biocronológico, los datos sobre los vertebrados pequeños y grandes indican una edad entre el comienzo del Pleistoceno tardío (MIS 5e) y la parte central del MIS 3. Es probable que el estrato fosilífero más reciente (nivel 8) se haya depositado durante un período más frío en comparación con las capas anteriores. Los datos de pequeños vertebrados fósiles combinados con los que proceden de los grandes mamífe­ros y aves evidencian la presencia, cerca de la cavidad kárstica, de espacios abiertos (praderas) con charcos de agua, bordeados por zonas boscosas y, no muy lejos, la presencia de una costa rocosa

Socio-economic inequality and inequity in use of health care services in Kenya: evidence from the fourth Kenya household health expenditure and utilization survey

BACKGROUND: Kenya is experiencing persistently high levels of inequity in health and access to care services. In 2018, decades of sustained policy efforts to promote equitable, affordable and quality health services have culminated in the launch of a universal health coverage scheme, initially piloted in four Kenyan counties and planned for national rollout by 2022. Our study aims to contribute to monitoring and evaluation efforts alongside policy implementation, by establishing a detailed, baseline assessment of socio-economic inequality and inequity in health care utilization in Kenya shortly before the policy launch. METHODS: We use concentration curves and corrected concentration indexes to measure socio-economic inequality in care use and the horizontal inequity index as a measure of inequity in care utilization for three types of care services: outpatient care, inpatient care and preventive and promotive care. Further insights into the individual and household level characteristics that determine observed inequality are derived through decomposition analysis. RESULTS: We find significant inequality and inequity in the use of all types of care services favouring richer population groups, with particularly pronounced levels for preventive and inpatient care services. These are driven primarily by differences in living standards and educational achievement, while the region of residence is a key driver for inequality in preventive care use only. Pro-rich inequalities are particularly pronounced for care provided in privately owned facilities, while public providers serve a much larger share of individuals from lower socio-economic groups. CONCLUSIONS: Through its focus on increasing affordability of care for all Kenyans, the newly launched universal health coverage scheme represents a crucial step towards reducing disparities in health care utilization. However in order to achieve equity in health and access to care such efforts must be paralleled by multi-sectoral approaches to address all key drivers of inequity: persistent poverty, disparities in living standards and educational achievement, as well as regional differences in availability and accessibility of care

Apicomplexan protozoa responsible for reproductive disorders: Occurrence of dna in blood and milk of donkeys (equus asinus) and minireview of the related literature

Donkeys may be susceptible to many pathological agents and may act as carriers of pathogens for other animal species and humans. This study evaluated the occurrence of potentially abortifacient apicomplexan protozoa DNA in blood and milk samples collected at different time periods during lactation (1, 6, and 10 months) from 33 healthy dairy jennies. A total of 73 blood and 73 milk samples were used for DNA extraction and analysis. Blood specimens from 11/33 (33%) jennies scored positive for Theileria equi, while milk samples scored negative. Blood and milk of 3/33 jennies yielded DNA of Toxoplasma gondii at 6 months (n. 1) and 10 months (n. 2) after parturition. Neospora caninum DNA was found in four milk and in five blood samples only at one month after parturition. This study is the first report about the presence of N. caninum DNA in milk of naturally infected jennies. Moreover, the excretion of N. caninum DNA in some of these jennies at 30 days from the parturition may suggest a possible occurrence of an endogenous cycle, while the presence of T. gondii DNA in the milk collected at 6 and 10 months after parturition may be suggestive of a discontinuous excretion

Small vertebrates from the Late Pleistocene of Avetrana (Apulia, southern Italy) karst filling

The fossiliferous deposit (karst cavity) in La Grave, a locality near the small town of Avetrana (Taranto, southern Italy), has yielded numerous fossils of vertebrates. The remains of large mammals have been the subject of several studies. This paper examines the remains of small vertebrates and identifies four taxa of amphibians (Bufo bufo, Bufotes gr. B. viridis, Hyla gr. H. Arborea and Rana (s.l.) sp.), four taxa of reptiles (Testudo hermanni, Podarcis sp., Zamenis gr. Z. longissimus, Natrix natrix), and nine taxa of small mammals (Erinaceus europaeus, Crocidura suaveolens, Arvicola italicus, Microtus (Terricola) savii, Microtus (Microtus) arvalis, Apodemus gr. A. sylvaticus - A. flavicollis, Hystrix (Acanthion) vinogradovi, Oryctolagus cuniculus and Lepus corsicanus). From a biochronological point of view, the data on small and large vertebrates indicate an age between the beginning of the Late Pleistocene (MIS 5e) and the central part of MIS 3. The most recent fossiliferous layer (bed 8) is likely to have been deposited during a cooler period when compared to the previous layers.The data from small fossil vertebrates combined with those emerging from the large mammals and birds evidence the presence, near the karstic cavity, of open spaces (prairies) with pools of water, bordered by wooded areas and, not far, the presence of a rocky coastline