Artritis cervicales, C3-C7, en una colección osteológica documentada

Osteoarthritis on the cervical vertebrae, C3-C7, accumulates as a function of age, life style, diet and severity of long-term skeletomuscular stress. However, the degree to which age (older adult and elderly) and sex differences impact on the manifestation of osteoarthritis remains difficult to assess because of the variability of biological aging and the lack of discrete post-reproductive age categories. The aim of this investigation was to score the degree of osteophytic marginal lipping, porosity and eburnation on the cervical vertebrae of identified individuals from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection of the Forensic Anthropology Center of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA, to address whether the expression of osteoarthritic features differs (1) between older adults, 50-55 years, and elderly adults, 70-76 years, within each sex; (2) between both sexes of the same William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection age category; and (3) between the sexes regardless of age. Osteological remains included were accessioned between 2000 and 2010 to reflect contemporary variation, and only C3 to C7 were scored given the distinctions in morphology and function of the atlas and axis. The vertebrae were separated by number and analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests. Osteoarthritic features are generally more severe in males compared to females although eburnation is elevated in older females (50-55 years) compared to their elderly counterparts (70-76 years). Both sexes show an accumulation of osteoarthritic features as a consequence of advancing age. However, sex differences between elderly adults (70-76 years) are less extreme compared to when all females and males are considered regardless of age.La osteoartritis en las vértebras cervicales, C3-C7, se acumula debido a la edad, el estilo de vida, la dieta y la gravedad del estrés esqueletomuscular a largo plazo. Sin embargo, el grado en que la edad (adultos mayores y ancianos) y las diferencias sexuales afectan la manifestación de la osteoartritis sigue siendo difícil de evaluar debido a la variabilidad del envejecimiento biológico y la falta de categorías discretas de edad postreproductiva. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar el grado de inflamación osteofítica, porosidad y eburnación en las vértebras cervicales de individuos identificados de la Colección Osteológica William M. Bass del Centro de Antropología Forense de la Universidad de Tennessee, Knoxville, EE. UU, para determinar si la expresión de las características osteoartríticas difiere (1) entre adultos mayores, de entre 50-55 años, y ancianos, de 70-76 años, dentro de cada sexo; (2) entre ambos sexos de la misma categoría de edad; y (3) entre los sexos, independientemente de la edad. Los restos osteológicos incluidos fueron seleccionados entre 2000 y 2010 para reflejar la variación contemporánea, y solo se analizaron las vértebras cervicales C3 a C7, dadas las distinciones en morfología y función del atlas y del axis. Las vértebras se separaron por número y se analizaron mediante la prueba Mann-Whitney. Las características osteoartríticas son generalmente más serias en hombres que en mujeres, aunque la eburnación es elevada en mujeres mayores (50-55 años) en comparación con sus contrapartes mayores (70-76 años). Ambos sexos muestran una acumulación de rasgos osteoartríticos como consecuencia de la edad avanzada. Sin embargo, las diferencias en función del sexo entre los adultos mayores (70-76 años) son menos extremas en comparación con las diferencias observadas al considerar hombres y mujeres con independencia de la edad de los individuos.Asociación de Antropología Biológica de la República Argentin

Artritis cervicales, C3-C7, en una colección osteológica documentada

Osteoarthritis on the cervical vertebrae, C3-C7, accumulates as a function of age, life style, diet and severity of long-term skeletomuscular stress. However, the degree to which age (older adult and elderly) and sex differences impact on the manifestation of osteoarthritis remains difficult to assess because of the variability of biological aging and the lack of discrete post-reproductive age categories. The aim of this investigation was to score the degree of osteophytic marginal lipping, porosity and eburnation on the cervical vertebrae of identified individuals from the William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection of the Forensic Anthropology Center of the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, USA, to address whether the expression of osteoarthritic features differs (1) between older adults, 50-55 years, and elderly adults, 70-76 years, within each sex; (2) between both sexes of the same William M. Bass Donated Skeletal Collection age category; and (3) between the sexes regardless of age. Osteological remains included were accessioned between 2000 and 2010 to reflect contemporary variation, and only C3 to C7 were scored given the distinctions in morphology and function of the atlas and axis. The vertebrae were separated by number and analyzed using Mann-Whitney U tests. Osteoarthritic features are generally more severe in males compared to females although eburnation is elevated in older females (50-55 years) compared to their elderly counterparts (70-76 years). Both sexes show an accumulation of osteoarthritic features as a consequence of advancing age. However, sex differences between elderly adults (70-76 years) are less extreme compared to when all females and males are considered regardless of age.La osteoartritis en las vértebras cervicales, C3-C7, se acumula debido a la edad, el estilo de vida, la dieta y la gravedad del estrés esqueletomuscular a largo plazo. Sin embargo, el grado en que la edad (adultos mayores y ancianos) y las diferencias sexuales afectan la manifestación de la osteoartritis sigue siendo difícil de evaluar debido a la variabilidad del envejecimiento biológico y la falta de categorías discretas de edad postreproductiva. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar el grado de inflamación osteofítica, porosidad y eburnación en las vértebras cervicales de individuos identificados de la Colección Osteológica William M. Bass del Centro de Antropología Forense de la Universidad de Tennessee, Knoxville, EE. UU, para determinar si la expresión de las características osteoartríticas difiere (1) entre adultos mayores, de entre 50-55 años, y ancianos, de 70-76 años, dentro de cada sexo; (2) entre ambos sexos de la misma categoría de edad; y (3) entre los sexos, independientemente de la edad. Los restos osteológicos incluidos fueron seleccionados entre 2000 y 2010 para reflejar la variación contemporánea, y solo se analizaron las vértebras cervicales C3 a C7, dadas las distinciones en morfología y función del atlas y del axis. Las vértebras se separaron por número y se analizaron mediante la prueba Mann-Whitney. Las características osteoartríticas son generalmente más serias en hombres que en mujeres, aunque la eburnación es elevada en mujeres mayores (50-55 años) en comparación con sus contrapartes mayores (70-76 años). Ambos sexos muestran una acumulación de rasgos osteoartríticos como consecuencia de la edad avanzada. Sin embargo, las diferencias en función del sexo entre los adultos mayores (70-76 años) son menos extremas en comparación con las diferencias observadas al considerar hombres y mujeres con independencia de la edad de los individuos.Asociación de Antropología Biológica de la República Argentin

Removal of anionic surfactant from aqueous solutions by adsorption onto biochars:characterisation, kinetics, and mechanism

Biochar, a waste biomass-derived adsorbent, holds promise for decentralised wastewater treatment. However, limited research exists on its efficacy in adsorbing anionic surfactants in wastewater. To address this, the adsorption of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), a common anionic surfactant, was studied using various biochar types: rice husk biochar (RH-550 and RH-700), wheat straw biochar (WS-550 and WS-700) produced at 550°C and 700°C, wood-based biochar (OB), and activated carbon (AC) as a control. The study investigated the impact of pH (3–9), adsorbent loading (1–10 g/L), adsorbent size (<0.5–2.5 mm), contact time (5–180 min), and initial concentration (50–200 mg/L) on SDS removal. Under optimised conditions (100 mg/L SDS, 4 g/L adsorbent, 1–2 mm particle size, pH 8.3, and 180 min contact time), maximum SDS removals were RH-550 (78%), RH-700 (82.4%), WS-550 (89.5%), WS-700 (90.4%), AC (97%), and OB (88.4%). Among the tested adsorbent materials, WS-550 exhibited the highest SDS adsorption capacity at 66.23 mg/g compared to AC (80.65 mg/g), followed by RH-550 (49.75 mg/g), OB (45.87 mg/g), RH-700 (43.67 mg/g), and WS-700 (42.74 mg/g). SDS adsorption followed a pseudo-second-order kinetic model, indicating chemisorption on the adsorbent surface. The Freundlich isotherm model exhibited a better fit for the experimental data on SDS adsorption using all tested adsorbents except for RH-550. This study showed that biochars produced from agricultural and forestry residues are effective adsorbents for SDS in aqueous solutions and can be a promising sustainable and low-cost material for the treatment of greywater containing anionic surfactants (e.g. handwashing, laundry, kitchen, and bathroom greywaters)

Heavy metal removal by biopolymers-based formulations with native potato starch/nopal mucilage

The contamination of water bodies by heavy metals is a critical problem for human health and ecosystems, and it can bioaccumulate in organisms to toxic levels and even lead to the living being’s death. This research aimed to synthesize and characterize a biopolymer with the capacity to remove heavy metals in wastewater, elaborated from potato starch, glycerin, and nopal mucilage. Native potato starch of the Allcca sipas variety was extracted by conventional methods; the mucilage was extracted with ethanol. Four formulations of biopolymers were synthesized at 60 and 70 °C. The solubility, structural characteristics, and adsorption capacity of heavy metals were evaluated. Starch, mucilage, and biopolymers presented predominant functional groups as -OH, -C-O-, -NH-, -C-H-, -C-OH determined by FTIR, allowing to remove up to 50.18% of Al, 56.81% of As, 35.95% of Cr, 37.43% of Hg and 73.22% of Pb determined through an ICPE-OES, for a contact time of 100 minutes at pH 5.0, heavy metal removal and solubility were significantly influenced (p-value < 0.05) by the addition of starch and mucilage. The synthesized biopolymers present a high capacity for heavy metal removal in wastewate

Características de la fibra de alpaca Huacaya producida en la región peruana alto andina de Huancavelica

Se describe la calidad de la fibra de alpacas Huacaya producida en la región de Huancavelica (Perú), utilizando una muestra de 203 alpacas pertenecientes a ocho comunidades de alpaqueros ubicadas entre 4.100 y 4.750 m de altitud. El diámetro medio de la fibra, 22,7 μm (SE 0,2), fue inferior a los valores referidos para la raza Huacaya en otras zonas, variando con el sexo, la edad y la comunidad de origen (P < 0,01). Los machos mostraron tener una fibra más fina que las hembras, en contraste con los resultados de otros estudios, aunque puede deberse a que proceden de rebaños seleccionados de Puno y Cusco. No se detectó relación lineal entre el diámetro de la fibra y la longitud de mecha. Antes de iniciar un futuro programa de mejora de la producción de fibra en esa región, se deberían realizar más estudios para conocer mejor los caracteres de producción de fibra y cuantificar su importancia económica. Aunque puede parecer difícil realizar este tipo de investigaciones en la zona alto andina peruana, se vio que es posible si alpaqueros y promotores de desarrollo participan activamente en ellas.The quality of Huacaya alpaca fibre produced in the region of Huancavelica (Peru) is described based on a sample of 203 animals belonging to eight herding communities located between 4, 100 and 4, 750 in above sea level. The mean fibre diameter, 22.7 mu m (SE 0.2), was lower than values reported for Huacaya alpacas from other areas and varied with sex, age, and community origin (P < 0.01). In contrast with results from other studies, males had finer fibre than females, but this may be because they represent selected breeding stock brought from Puno and Cusco. No linear relationship was found between fibre diameter and staple length. Further research is needed to better characterise fibre production traits and quantify their economic values prior to establishing a breeding program to improve fibre production in the region. Although conducting this type of research in the Peruvian Andean Plateau might seem difficult, the active participation of alpaca owners and development promoters made it feasible.Universidad Pública de Navarra and Gobierno de Navarra provided financial support for this work

Palcayaco watershed management through environmental zoning in Huancavelica, Peru

The technical and integrated participation of the population in environmental zoning and soil and water conservation techniques and management is a sustainable alternative for watershed management. The objective of the research was to develop an environmental zoning map for the Palcayaco watershed in Huancavelica, Peru (from its socioeconomic aspects to its technical recommendations). The research work was deductive, where all the necessary data were delimited, described, inventoried, recapitulated and extracted to describe the morphometric parameters, biophysical and socioeconomic situation, environmental zoning and techniques for soil and water conservation. Results: the watershed was perennial, an average slope of 29.65%, a time of concentration of 180.6 min and a balanced hypsometric curve type (B). It also had low population density, unpaved roads, scarce basic services, and poor education and health services infrastructure. The watershed presented different ecoregions, life zones, climatic classification and altitudinal sector, current land use for agricultural, livestock and silvopastoral production, steep type, forest pasture use and protection capacity. The conflict area was in good use, and economic-ecological zoning was in protection, conservation, recovery, water, productive, and urban-industrial. The environmental zoning designed for the Palcayaco watershed preserved the most important natural resources for rural communities, improving their biophysical and socioeconomic status. Through soil and water conservation techniques and management, it will prevent the degradation of the watershed for a better and sustainable future.             

Spatial behaviour of daily observed extreme temperatures in Northern Chile (1966-2015): data quality, warming trends, and its orographic and latitudinal effects

According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), Northern Chile will be one of the most affected territories by changes in the atmospheric dynamics in next years. These climate change effects will be noticed in several ways, and temperatures will be one of the most sensitive variables to these changes, and with high importance because of their relationship with the hydrological cycle in one of the most arid regions in the world. Extreme temperatures of 77 observatories have been analysed by the calculation of 14 indices and their temporal trends. Also, the relationship of these indices between them, between observatories, with elevation and latitude has been taken into consideration, while they imply significant differences of the behaviour of the analysed indices. The results showed general warming trends but with particular differences depending on the behaviour of minimum temperatures. Examining the relationship between the indices and elevation, it appears that this variable has more implications in minimum temperatures. The analysis showed significant correlations also between the indices and latitude, agreeing with not evident general warming trends in the intertropical area of Northern Chile. Considering the different behaviours of the trends and their relationships with latitude and elevations, it has to be analysed in the future the possible existing relations with the spatial and temporal changes in the hydrological cycle such as precipitations.The authors want to thank the FONDECYT Project 11160059, the UTA-Mayor Project 5755-17, the CLICES Project (CGL2017-83866-C3-2-R) and the Climatology Group (2014SGR300, Catalan Government)

Depresión y violencia conyugal en gestantes peruanas durante la pandemia por la COVID-19

Introduction: The restrictive measures chosen to reduce COVID-19 infection could maintain and even increase high levels of depression and violence, putting at risk both the fetus and the mother. Objective: To identify the prevalence and factors associated with depression in pregnant Peruvians during the COVID-19 pandemic. The study: Observational-analytical study, with 267 pregnant women in their third trimester of pregnancy. Conducted during the month of January 2021, applying the Edinburgh Scale and the Spanish version of the Index of Spouse Abuse-19 (ISA-19). Findings: 62.17% of pregnant women presented depression and 17.6% spousal violence during pregnancy. Spousal violence, the history of at least one lost pregnancy and planned pregnancy, were associated with depression. Conclusions: Spousal violence increases the prevalence of depression during pregnancy as opposed to a planned pregnancy or the history of at least one lost pregnancy.Introducción: Las medidas restrictivas que optaron para aminorar el contagio por COVID-19 pudieron mantener e incluso incrementar los altos niveles de depresión y violencia, poniendo en riesgo tanto al feto como la madre. Objetivo: Identificar la prevalencia y factores asociados a la depresión en gestantes peruanas durante la pandemia por la COVID-19. El estudio: Estudio observacional-analítico, con 267 gestantes en su tercer trimestre de embarazo. Realizándose durante el mes de enero del 2021, aplicando la Escala de Edimburgo y la versión en español del Index of Spouse Abuse-19 (ISA-19). Hallazgos: El 62.17% de gestantes presento depresión y el 17.6%, violencia conyugal durante el embarazo. La violencia conyugal, el antecedente de al menos un embarazo perdido y el embarazo planificado, se asociaron a la depresión. Conclusiones: La violencia conyugal aumenta la prevalencia de depresión durante el embarazo a diferencia de un embarazo planificado o el antecedente de al menos un embarazo perdido

The seasonal origins and ages of water provisioning streams and trees in a tropical montane cloud forest

Determining the sources of water provisioning streams, soils, and vegetation can provide important insights into the water that sustains critical ecosystem functions now and how those functions may be expected to respond given projected changes in the global hydrologic cycle. We developed multi-year time series of water isotope ratios (δ18O and δ2H) based on twice-monthly collections of precipitation, lysimeter, and tree branch xylem waters from a seasonally dry tropical montane cloud forest in the southeastern Andes mountains of Peru. We then used this information to determine indices of the seasonal origins, the young water fractions (Fyw), and the new water fractions (Fnew) of soil, stream, and tree water. There was no evidence for intra-annual variation in the seasonal origins of stream water and lysimeter water from 1 m depth, both of which were predominantly comprised of wet-season precipitation even during the dry seasons. However, branch xylem waters demonstrated an intra-annual shift in seasonal origin: xylem waters were comprised of wet-season precipitation during the wet season and dry-season precipitation during the dry season. The young water fractions of lysimeter (&lt; 15 %) and stream (5 %) waters were lower than the young water fraction (37 %) in branch xylem waters. The new water fraction (an indicator of water ≤ 2 weeks old in this study) was estimated to be 12 % for branch xylem waters, while there was no significant evidence for new water in stream or lysimeter waters from 1 m depth. Our results indicate that the source of water for trees in this system varied seasonally, such that recent precipitation may be more immediately taken up by shallow tree roots. In comparison, the source of water for soils and streams did not vary seasonally, such that precipitation may mix and reside in soils and take longer to transit into the stream. Our insights into the seasonal origins and ages of water in soils, streams, and vegetation in this humid tropical montane cloud forest add to understanding of the mechanisms that govern the partitioning of water moving through different ecosystems.</p