The deposition and manipulation of human remains in natural caves are well known for the Neolithic of Southern Iberia. The cultural meaning of these practices is however still largely unclear. Cueva ...de los Marmoles (CM, Priego-Córdoba) is one of the most important cave contexts from Southern Spain, which returned a large number of commingled skeletal remains suggesting its funerary use from the Neolithic to the Late Bronze Age. Here we discuss CM from a chronological and cultural perspective based on new radiocarbon, anthropological, and taphonomic analyses. These include the estimation of the minimum number of individuals, the exploration of fragmentation patterns characterizing different skeletal regions, and the macroscopic and microscopic analysis of modifications to the remains of possible anthropic origin. Radiocarbon data point to a funerary use of CM between the 5
th
-2
nd
millennium cal. BCE. MNI estimates reveal the presence of at least 12 individuals (seven adults and five nonadults). The low representation of elements from hands and feet suggests that individuals were placed in the cave while partially decomposed. Anthropic traces on the remains (e.g. fresh fractures, marrow canal modifications, and scraping marks) hint at their intentional fragmentation, cleaning from residual soft tissues, and in some cases reutilization. These practices are well-exemplified by the recovery of one "skull cup" and of two long bones used as tools. These data align with those from other cave contexts from the same geographic region, suggesting the presence, especially during the Neolithic period, of shared ideologies centered on the human body.
Celotno besedilo
Dostopno za:
DOBA, IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SIK, UILJ, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK
Variability and seasonality is an inherent characteristic in many service industries. This leads to the problem of mismatch between employee supply and demand. In this work we present a mixed integer ...linear programming model and a constructive heuristic to address this problem. The proposed methodology applies the concept of multiskilling, an attractive source of flexibility for improving service levels and reducing the costs to firms of staff shortages and surpluses induced by employee demand variability. The model structures the multiskilling characteristics of a set of employees. Initially deterministic, the model is then modified to incorporate a robust optimization approach in which demand uncertainty is explicitly included. A Monte Carlo simulation is conducted to evaluate the model's robust solutions for different levels of demand variability and decision-maker risk aversion. The methodology creates closed-chain multiskilling structures of different lengths with excellent cost-effective performance for each variability level. Finally, some user guidelines are defined for choosing the appropriate risk aversion level and generating a skills training plan that will ensure most of the total potential benefits of multiskilling are actually obtained with an investment much less than what would be required by the most conservative (i.e., worst case) robust solution.
•The model evaluates benefits of chained multiskilling structures in unbalanced systems.•Robust optimization was applied using a deterministic model to handle an uncertain demand.•The model was applied to a study case of a Chilean retailer.•The best performance with chaining was obtained when flexibility was maximized.•Solutions involved closed long chains, and closed short chains of different lengths.
Population genomic studies of ancient human remains have shown how modern-day European population structure has been shaped by a number of prehistoric migrations. The Neolithization of Europe has ...been associated with large-scale migrations from Anatolia, which was followed by migrations of herders from the Pontic steppe at the onset of the Bronze Age. Southwestern Europe was one of the last parts of the continent reached by these migrations, and modern-day populations from this region show intriguing similarities to the initial Neolithic migrants. Partly due to climatic conditions that are unfavorable for DNA preservation, regional studies on the Mediterranean remain challenging. Here, we present genome-wide sequence data from 13 individuals combined with stable isotope analysis from the north and south of Iberia covering a four-millennial temporal transect (7,500–3,500 BP). Early Iberian farmers and Early Central European farmers exhibit significant genetic differences, suggesting two independent fronts of the Neolithic expansion. The first Neolithic migrants that arrived in Iberia had low levels of genetic diversity, potentially reflecting a small number of individuals; this diversity gradually increased over time from mixing with local hunter-gatherers and potential population expansion. The impact of post-Neolithic migrations on Iberia was much smaller than for the rest of the continent, showing little external influence from the Neolithic to the Bronze Age. Paleodietary reconstruction shows that these populations have a remarkable degree of dietary homogeneity across space and time, suggesting a strong reliance on terrestrial food resources despite changing culture and genetic make-up.
VLA1553 is a live-attenuated vaccine candidate for active immunisation and prevention of disease caused by chikungunya virus. We report safety and immunogenicity data up to day 180 after vaccination ...with VLA1553.
This double-blind, multicentre, randomised, phase 3 trial was done in 43 professional vaccine trial sites in the USA. Eligible participants were healthy volunteers aged 18 years and older. Patients were excluded if they had history of chikungunya virus infection or immune-mediated or chronic arthritis or arthralgia, known or suspected defect of the immune system, any inactivated vaccine received within 2 weeks before vaccination with VLA1553, or any live vaccine received within 4 weeks before vaccination with VLA1553. Participants were randomised (3:1) to receive VLA1553 or placebo. The primary endpoint was the proportion of baseline negative participants with a seroprotective chikungunya virus antibody level defined as 50% plaque reduction in a micro plaque reduction neutralisation test (μPRNT) with a μPRNT50 titre of at least 150, 28 days after vaccination. The safety analysis included all individuals who received vaccination. Immunogenicity analyses were done in a subset of participants at 12 pre-selected study sites. These participants were required to have no major protocol deviations to be included in the per-protocol population for immunogenicity analyses. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT04546724.
Between Sept 17, 2020 and April 10, 2021, 6100 people were screened for eligibility. 1972 people were excluded and 4128 participants were enrolled and randomised (3093 to VLA1553 and 1035 to placebo). 358 participants in the VLA1553 group and 133 participants in the placebo group discontinued before trial end. The per-protocol population for immunogenicity analysis comprised 362 participants (266 in the VLA1553 group and 96 in the placebo group). After a single vaccination, VLA1553 induced seroprotective chikungunya virus neutralising antibody levels in 263 (98·9%) of 266 participants in the VLA1553 group (95% CI 96·7–99·8; p<0·0001) 28 days post-vaccination, independent of age. VLA1553 was generally safe with an adverse event profile similar to other licensed vaccines and equally well tolerated in younger and older adults. Serious adverse events were reported in 46 (1·5%) of 3082 participants exposed to VLA1553 and eight (0·8%) of 1033 participants in the placebo arm. Only two serious adverse events were considered related to VLA1553 treatment (one mild myalgia and one syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion). Both participants recovered fully.
The strong immune response and the generation of seroprotective titres in almost all vaccinated participants suggests that VLA1553 is an excellent candidate for the prevention of disease caused by chikungunya virus.
Valneva, Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovation, and EU Horizon 2020.
In this industrialized world, in which the daily consumption of fossil fuels occurs, companies seek to prioritize energy generation through renewable energy sources with minimal environmental impact ...to improve their energy efficiency. The research objective was to calculate CO2 emissions for the pyrolysis process (conventional low-temperature pyrolysis) in two types of reactors, electric and traditional, where solar panels power the electric reactor. In addition, the amount of polluting gases and the energy consumption necessary to convert biomass into biochar were compared. Residual lignocellulosic biomass (RLB) from various species present in the southern region of Ecuador (eucalyptus, capuli, and acacia) was used, with three replicates per reactor. The electrical reactor (ER) consumed 82.60% less energy than the primary forest biomass fuel “traditional reactor (TR)” and distributed heat better in each pyrolytic process. The TR generated more pollution than the ER; it generated 40.48% more CO, 50% more NO2, 66.67% more SO2, and 79.63% more CH4. Undoubtedly, the pyrolysis process in an ER reduces environmental pollution and creates new bioproducts that could replace fossil fuels. This study provides relevant information on the residual biomass pyrolysis of plant species. These species are traditionally grown in the southern Ecuadorian region. In addition, an analysis of polluting gases for the TR and ER is presented.
The rumen microbiome plays a fundamental role in all ruminant species, it is involved in health, nutrient utilization, detoxification, and methane emissions. Methane is a greenhouse gas which is ...eructated in large volumes by ruminants grazing extensive grasslands in the tropical regions of the world. Enteric methane is the largest contributor to the emissions of greenhouse gases originating from animal agriculture. A large variety of plants containing secondary metabolites essential oils (terpenoids), tannins, saponins, and flavonoids have been evaluated as cattle feedstuffs and changes in volatile fatty acid proportions and methane synthesis in the rumen have been assessed. Alterations to the rumen microbiome may lead to changes in diversity, composition, and structure of the methanogen community. Legumes containing condensed tannins such as
Leucaena leucocephala
have shown a good methane mitigating effect when fed at levels of up to 30–35% of ration dry matter in cattle as a result of the effect of condensed tannins on rumen bacteria and methanogens. It has been shown that saponins disrupt the membrane of rumen protozoa, thus decreasing the numbers of both protozoa and methanogenic archaea. Trials carried out with cattle housed in respiration chambers have demonstrated the enteric methane mitigation effect in cattle and sheep of tropical legumes such as
Enterolobium cyclocarpum
and
Samanea saman
which contain saponins. Essential oils are volatile constituents of terpenoid or non-terpenoid origin which impair energy metabolism of archaea and have shown reductions of up to 26% in enteric methane emissions in ruminants. There is emerging evidence showing the potential of flavonoids as methane mitigating compounds, but more work is required
in vivo
to confirm preliminary findings. From the information hereby presented, it is clear that plant secondary metabolites can be a rational approach to modulate the rumen microbiome and modify its function, some species of rumen microbes improve protein and fiber degradation and reduce feed energy loss as methane in ruminants fed tropical plant species.
Noise pollution is an emerging and challenging problem of all large metropolitan areas, affecting the health of citizens in multiple ways. Therefore, obtaining a detailed and real-time map of noise ...in cities becomes of the utmost importance for authorities to take preventive measures. Until now, these measurements were limited to occasional sampling made by specialized companies, that mainly focus on major roads. In this paper, we propose an alternative approach to this problem based on crowdsensing. Our proposed architecture empowers participating citizens by allowing them to seamlessly, and based on their context, sample the noise in their surrounding environment. This allows us to provide a global and detailed view of noise levels around the city, including places traditionally not monitored due to poor accessibility, even while using their vehicles. In the paper, we detail how the different relevant issues in our architecture, i.e., smartphone calibration, measurement adequacy, server design, and client⁻server interaction, were solved, and we have validated them in real scenarios to illustrate the potential of the solution achieved.
Textile production is among the most fundamental and more complex technologies in human prehistory, but is under-investigated due to the perishable nature of fibrous materials. Here we report a ...discovery of five textile fragments from a prehistoric (fourth-third millennium cal BC) burial deposit located in a small cave at Peñacalera in Sierra Morena hills, near Córdoba, Southern Spain. These textiles accompanied a set of human remains as grave goods, together with other organic elements such as fragments of wood and cork, and some pottery vessels. They were characterized and dated using digital microscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy and Accelerator Mass Spectrometry. Two of the fragments described here are the oldest examples of loom-woven textiles in the Iberian Peninsula, dating from the second half of the fourth millennium cal BC. This correlates chronologically with the first appearance of loom weights in the archaeological record of this region. The more recently dated textile is the earliest preserved cloth intentionally coloured with cinnabar in the western Mediterranean. The Peñacalera finds are a key reference for understanding the development of textile technologies during the Neolithic and Copper Age in western Europe and beyond.
Abstract In this work we report on modeling the demand for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico, followed by the optimization of the location of the ambulances for the ...the Red Cross of Tijuana (RCT), which is by far the largest provider of EMS services in the region. We used data from more than 10,000 emergency calls surveyed during the year 2013 to model and classify the demand for EMS in different scenarios that provide different perspectives on the demand throughout the city, considering such factors as the time of day, work and off-days. A modification of the Double Standard Model (DSM) is proposed and solved to determine a common robust solution to the ambulance location problem that simultaneously satisfies all specified constraints in all demand scenarios selecting from a set of almost 1,000 possible base locations. The resulting optimization problems are solved using integer linear programming and the solutions are compared with the locations currently used by the Red Cross. Results show that demand coverage and response times can be substantially improved by relocating the current bases without the need for additional resources.
D-Pinitol (DPIN) is a natural occurring inositol capable of activating the insulin pathway in peripheral tissues, whereas this has not been thoroughly studied in the central nervous system. The ...present study assessed the potential regulatory effects of DPIN on the hypothalamic insulin signaling pathway. To this end we investigated the Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Protein Kinase B (Akt) signaling cascade in a rat model following oral administration of DPIN. The PI3K/Akt-associated proteins were quantified by Western blot in terms of phosphorylation and total expression. Results indicate that the acute administration of DPIN induced time-dependent phosphorylation of PI3K/Akt and its related substrates within the hypothalamus, indicating an activation of the insulin signaling pathway. This profile is consistent with DPIN as an insulin sensitizer since we also found a decrease in the circulating concentration of this hormone. Overall, the present study shows the pharmacological action of DPIN in the hypothalamus through the PI3K/Akt pathway when giving in fasted animals. These findings suggest that DPIN might be a candidate to treat brain insulin-resistance associated disorders by activating insulin response beyond the insulin receptor.
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