Reprint of "Shell oxygen isotope values and sclerochronology of the limpet "Patella vulgata" Linnaeus 1758 from northern Iberia: Implications for the reconstruction of past seawater temperatures"

Abstract: Understanding environmental conditions faced by hunter-fisher-gatherers during the Pleistocene and Holocene, and interpretation of subsistence strategies, social organisation and settlement patterns, are key topics for the study of past human societies. In this respect, oxygen isotope values (?18O) of mollusc shell calcium carbonate can provide important information on palaeoclimate and the seasonality of shell collection at archaeological sites. In this paper, we tested P. vulgata shells from northern Iberia as a paleoclimate archive through the study of shell oxygen isotope values and sclerochronology of modern samples. Results showed that limpets formed their shells close to isotopic equilibrium, with an average offset between measured and predicted values of 0.36?. This offset is significantly reduced with respect to those reported in previous studies, probably due to the use of highly resolved data on the isotopic composition of the water when calculating predicted values. Despite large intra-specific variability, shell growth patterns of P. vulgata revealed a common pattern of higher growth in spring and a growth cessation/slowdown in summer and winter. The seasonal growth cessation/slowdown did not exceed three months. Therefore, a correct interpretation of the season of shell collection is still possible. Reconstructed seawater temperature exhibited a high correlation with instrumental temperature (R2 =0.68 to 0.93; p b 0.0001). Despite periods of growth cessation/slowdown, mean seawater temperatures and annual ranges were reconstructed accurately. As demonstrated here, seawater temperature can be reconstructed with a maximum uncertainty of ±2.7 °C. Therefore, our study shows that oxygen isotope values from P. vulgate can be used for the reconstruction of paleoclimate and the season of shell collectionThis research was part of the projects NF100413 (Newton International Fellowship granted to IGZ) and HAR2013-46802-P (funded bythe Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness, MINECO)

Shell oxygen isotope values and sclerochronology of the limpet Patella vulgata Linnaeus 1758 from northern Iberia : implications for the reconstruction of past seawater temperatures

Understanding environmental conditions faced by hunter-fisher-gatherers during the Pleistocene and Holocene, and interpretation of subsistence strategies, social organisation and settlement patterns, are key topics for the study of past human societies. In this respect, oxygen isotope values (18O) of mollusc shell calcium carbonate can provide important information on palaeoclimate and the seasonality of shell collection at archaeological sites. In this paper, we tested P. vulgata shells from northern Iberia as a paleoclimate archive through the study of shell oxygen isotope values and sclerochronology of modern samples. Results showed that limpets formed their shells close to isotopic equilibrium, with an average offset between measured and predicted values of 0.36 ‰. This offset is significantly reduced with respect to those reported in previous studies, probably due to the use of highly resolved data on the isotopic composition of the water when calculating predicted values. Despite large intra-specific variability, shell growth patterns of P. vulgata revealed a common pattern of higher growth in spring and a growth cessation/slowdown in summer and winter. The seasonal growth cessation/slowdown did not exceed three months. Therefore, a correct interpretation of the season of shell collection is still possible. Reconstructed seawater temperature exhibited a high correlation with instrumental temperature (R2 = 0.68 to 0.93; p < 0.0001). Despite periods of growth cessation/slowdown, mean seawater temperatures and annual ranges were reconstructed accurately. As demonstrated here, seawater temperature can be reconstructed with a maximum uncertainty of ± 2.7 °C. Therefore, our study shows that oxygen isotope values from P. vulgata can be used for the reconstruction of paleoclimate and the season of shell collection

Climate changes and exploitation of coastal resources during the upper Palaeolithic and the Mesolithic: a decade of investigations in Cantabria

RESUMEN: Tradicionalmente, las actividades relacionadas con la explotación de recursos marinos han sido consideradas como secundarias dentro de las estrategias de subsistencia de las poblaciones de cazadores-recolectores-pescadores de la región. En los últimos diez años se han desarrollado varios proyectos de investigación coordinados desde el Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (IIIPC) cuyos objetivos generales son la reconstrucción de las condiciones climáticas y medioambientales del pasado, el establecimiento de los patrones de ocupación de la costa, y el papel de los recursos costeros en las estrategias económicas y sociales de las poblaciones humanas del Paleolítico superior y el Mesolítico. En este artículo se realiza un repaso a los resultados obtenidos en dichos proyectos a partir del estudio de los moluscos, equinodermos y crustáceos. Los resultados obtenidos hasta la fecha reflejan una continuada y variada utilización de estos recursos a lo largo de todo el periodo, y sugieren que su importancia fue mayor de lo que se pensaba.ABSTRACT: Traditionally, activities related to the exploitation of marine resources have been considered secondary within the subsistence strategies of populations of hunter-gatherer-fishers in the region. In the last ten years we have developed several research projects coordinated by the International Institute of Prehistoric Research of Cantabria (IIIPC), aiming to reconstruct past climatic and environmental conditions, establish coastal settlement patterns and to assess the role of coastal resources in economic and social strategies of Upper Palaeolithic and Mesolithic human populations. This article reviews the results of these projects through the study of molluscs, echinoderms and crustaceans. The results to date reflect a continued and varied use of marine resources throughout the entire period, and suggest that their importance was greater than previously thought.Las investigaciones descritas en este artículo se han desarrollado en el marco de los proyectos HUM 2006-13729, HAR2010-22115-C02-01 y HAR2013- 46802-P financiados por el Gobierno de España, el proyecto NF100413 financiado por la British Academy y la Royal Society a través del programa Newton International Fellowships, y el proyecto UFG54/Proyecto1470 financiado por la Fundación Marcelino Botín. IGZ y DCS disfrutan de sendos contratos del programa Juan de la Cierva (JCI-2012-12094 e IJCI-2014- 20590, respectivamente) financiado por el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (MINECO). AGE disfruta de un contrato predoctoral de la Universidad de Cantabria y RSR cuenta con el apoyo de una ayuda para contratos predoctorales para la formación de doctores (BES-2014-070075) financiada por el MINECO

Crónica de las IX Jornadas de Jóvenes en Investigación Arqueológica. Arqueología en 3D: herramienta social, agente histórico y ciencia natural. Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (IIIPC), Universidad de Cantabria (UC), S

Crónica de las IX Jornadas de Jóvenes en Investigación Arqueológica. Arqueología en 3D: herramienta social, agente histórico y ciencia natural. Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (IIIPC), Universidad de Cantabria (UC),

Research in the Bioarchaeology Laboratory in the International Institute for Prehistoric Research (IIIPC) - University of Cantabria

RESUMEN: Cantabria se caracteriza por ser una región especialmente rica en yacimientos de época prehistórica. En ellos, se han podido recuperar múltiples evidencias que, con la aplicación de las técnicas metodológicas adecuadas, permiten reconstruir los modos de vida de los grupos humanos del pasado, la explotación que realizaban del medio, su tipo de dieta, su movilidad, así como el tipo de clima y medioambiente en que habitaron, entre otros aspectos. Una de las líneas de investigación más novedosas desarrollada en la región es la Bioarqueología, entendida como el estudio y análisis de restos biológicos procedentes de yacimientos arqueológicos. En este artículo se muestran las diferentes colecciones de referencia de materiales bioarqueológicos que alberga el Laboratorio de Bioarqueología del Instituto Internacional de Investigaciones Prehistóricas de Cantabria (Universidad de Cantabria), así como las investigaciones desarrolladas en dicha institución sobre esta temática en los últimos años.ABSTRACT: Cantabria is a region characterised as especially rich in prehistoric archaeological sites. These sites can be investigated using stateof- the art methodologies, making it possible to reconstruct the way of life of humans in the past, answering questions about diet and mobility, and what the climate and environment was like, amongst other things. One of these newly-developed lines of research in the region is bioarchaeology, which is the study and analysis of biological remains recovered from archaeological sites. This article introduces the different bioarchaeological reference collection materials housed in the Bioarchaeology Laboratory at the International Institute of Prehistoric Research in Cantabria (University of Cantabria), as well as the bioarchaeological research that has been carried out within the institution in the last few years.La investigación llevada a cabo por el grupo de investigadores del Laboratorio de Bioarqueología ha sido posible gracias a diversas fuentes de financiación españolas y europeas. En primer lugar, a título personal señalar las siguientes ayudas: Programa Ramon y Cajal a ABMA (RYC-2011-00695), Programa Juan de la Cierva a IGZ (JCI-2012-12094) y DCS (IJCI- 2014-20590), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowship a JJ (H2020-MSCA-IF-2014-Ref. 656122), Becas Predoctorales FPI a JMG (BES-2013-063309) y RSR (BES-2014-070075), AH (BES-2015-075176), Predoctorales UC a ILD y AGE y Técnicos de Apoyo I+D a LAP (PTA2013-8401-I). En segundo lugar, parte de estas investigaciones forma o ha formado parte de los siguientes proyectos de investigación financiados por la Comisión Europea (FP7-PEOPLE- 2012-CIG (322112), la British Academy y The Royal Society (Newton International Fellowship NF100413), y el Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad de España (HAR2008-06477-C03-00/HIST; HAR2010- 22115-C02-01; HAR2011-29907-C03-00; HAR2012- 33956; HAR2013-46802-P; HAR2014-51830-P). Por último, queremos agradecer el acceso a los fondos de museos como los depositados en el Museo de Prehistoria y Arqueología de Cantabria (MUPAC), el Museo de Altamira, Centro de Patrimonio Cultural Mueble de Gipuzkoa (Gordailua), Museo Arqueológico de Asturias, Grupo de Ingeniería Fotónica de la Universidad de Cantabria, Laboratorio de la División de Ciencia e Ingeniería de los Materiales de la Universidad de Cantabria (LADICIM) e Instituto de Biomedicina y Biotecnología de Cantabria

Repositioning of the global epicentre of non-optimal cholesterol

High blood cholesterol is typically considered a feature of wealthy western countries(1,2). However, dietary and behavioural determinants of blood cholesterol are changing rapidly throughout the world(3) and countries are using lipid-lowering medications at varying rates. These changes can have distinct effects on the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, which have different effects on human health(4,5). However, the trends of HDL and non-HDL cholesterol levels over time have not been previously reported in a global analysis. Here we pooled 1,127 population-based studies that measured blood lipids in 102.6 million individuals aged 18 years and older to estimate trends from 1980 to 2018 in mean total, non-HDL and HDL cholesterol levels for 200 countries. Globally, there was little change in total or non-HDL cholesterol from 1980 to 2018. This was a net effect of increases in low- and middle-income countries, especially in east and southeast Asia, and decreases in high-income western countries, especially those in northwestern Europe, and in central and eastern Europe. As a result, countries with the highest level of non-HDL cholesterol-which is a marker of cardiovascular riskchanged from those in western Europe such as Belgium, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Malta in 1980 to those in Asia and the Pacific, such as Tokelau, Malaysia, The Philippines and Thailand. In 2017, high non-HDL cholesterol was responsible for an estimated 3.9 million (95% credible interval 3.7 million-4.2 million) worldwide deaths, half of which occurred in east, southeast and south Asia. The global repositioning of lipid-related risk, with non-optimal cholesterol shifting from a distinct feature of high-income countries in northwestern Europe, north America and Australasia to one that affects countries in east and southeast Asia and Oceania should motivate the use of population-based policies and personal interventions to improve nutrition and enhance access to treatment throughout the world.Peer reviewe

Reducing the environmental impact of surgery on a global scale: systematic review and co-prioritization with healthcare workers in 132 countries

Abstract Background Healthcare cannot achieve net-zero carbon without addressing operating theatres. The aim of this study was to prioritize feasible interventions to reduce the environmental impact of operating theatres. Methods This study adopted a four-phase Delphi consensus co-prioritization methodology. In phase 1, a systematic review of published interventions and global consultation of perioperative healthcare professionals were used to longlist interventions. In phase 2, iterative thematic analysis consolidated comparable interventions into a shortlist. In phase 3, the shortlist was co-prioritized based on patient and clinician views on acceptability, feasibility, and safety. In phase 4, ranked lists of interventions were presented by their relevance to high-income countries and low–middle-income countries. Results In phase 1, 43 interventions were identified, which had low uptake in practice according to 3042 professionals globally. In phase 2, a shortlist of 15 intervention domains was generated. In phase 3, interventions were deemed acceptable for more than 90 per cent of patients except for reducing general anaesthesia (84 per cent) and re-sterilization of ‘single-use’ consumables (86 per cent). In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for high-income countries were: introducing recycling; reducing use of anaesthetic gases; and appropriate clinical waste processing. In phase 4, the top three shortlisted interventions for low–middle-income countries were: introducing reusable surgical devices; reducing use of consumables; and reducing the use of general anaesthesia. Conclusion This is a step toward environmentally sustainable operating environments with actionable interventions applicable to both high– and low–middle–income countries

Identificación de cambios climáticos abruptos durante la transición Pleistoceno-Holoceno en la región cantábrica y su impacto en las sociedades humanas

RESUMEN: En las últimas décadas se ha desarrollado un amplio debate, no solo en la región cantábrica sino en gran parte del mundo, sobre la importancia de los cambios climáticos en los comportamientos humanos. Con la información disponible actualmente, son varias las respuestas que se han dado a la posible influencia que tienen las condiciones climáticas en las estrategias humanas; desde las que proclaman la independencia de ambos procesos hasta las que abogan por una estrecha relación entre ambos. En esta tesis se pretenden obtener nuevas fuentes de información local que permitan la reconstrucción de las condiciones climáticas de la región cantábrica durante el período de estudio, y que contribuyan a clarificar el debate en curso. El objetivo global del proyecto es la identificación de eventos climáticos, de especial significación y corta duración, que por su carácter abrupto pueden definir con precisión los momentos de cambio ambiental y su intensidad, así como la posible sincronía (o falta de ella) de estos cambios climáticos con momentos de cambio acelerado en las sociedades humanas. Con el fin de identificar dichas oscilaciones climáticas, se ha realizado una reconstrucción npaleoclimática empleando técnicas geoquímicas como el análisis de los isótopos estables del oxígeno 16O y 18O, y las relaciones elementales de Mg/Ca, sobre materiales carbonatados de moluscos (conchas de Patella vulgata), dentro del intervalo cronológico de tardiglaciar (23.000 - 9.000 cal BP). Para la realización de estas analíticas, se emplearon materiales arqueomalacológicos de los niveles del Solutrense y el Magdaleniense arcaico/inferior del yacimiento de La Fragua, y del Magdaleniense superior, Aziliense y Mesolítico de El abrigo de La Peña del Perro, ambos localizados en Santoña (Cantabria). Por otra parte, para identificar posibles modificaciones en el comportamiento humano durante estos periodos de cambio climático abrupto, se utilizaron, así mismo, una serie de recursos marinos consumidos por estos grupos prehistóricos, sobre los que se realizaron análisis arqueomalacológicos. Así, a partir del análisis arqueomalacológico de diversos conjuntos de la región, especialmente moluscos (en concreto las lapas de la especie P. vulgata, crustáceos y equinodermos), se observan los cambios en las estrategias de recogida de los recursos marinos, lo que nos ha permitido determinar si las condiciones medioambientales se correlacionan con otros cambios en las estrategias de subsistencia (intensificación o diversificación) de los grupos de cazadores-recolectores-pescadores del final del Tardiglaciar y los inicios del Holoceno