The earliest known foragers to populate most of North America south of the glaciers ∼11,500 to ≥ ∼10,800 ¹⁴C yBP; ∼13,300 to ∼12,800 calibrated (Cal) years made distinctive “Clovis” artifacts. They ...are stereotypically characterized as hunters of Pleistocene megamammals (mostly mammoth) who entered the continent via Beringia and an ice-free corridor in Canada. The origins of Clovis technology are unclear, however, with no obvious evidence of a predecessor to the north. Here we present evidence for Clovis hunting and habitation ∼11,550 yBP (∼13,390 Cal years) at “El Fin del Mundo,” an archaeological site in Sonora, northwestern Mexico. The site also includes the first evidence to our knowledge for gomphothere (Cuvieronius sp.) as Clovis prey, otherwise unknown in the North American archaeological record and terminal Pleistocene paleontological record. These data (i) broaden the age and geographic range for Clovis, establishing El Fin del Mundo as one of the oldest and southernmost in situ Clovis sites, supporting the hypothesis that Clovis had its origins well south of the gateways into the continent, and (ii) expand the make-up of the North American megafauna community just before extinction.
is one of the largest genera of the Ephedraceae family, which is distributed in arid and semiarid regions of the world. In the traditional medicine from several countries some species from the genus ...are commonly used to treat asthma, cold, flu, chills, fever, headache, nasal congestion, and cough. The chemical constituents of
species have been of research interest for decades due to their contents of ephedrine-type alkaloids and its pharmacological properties. Other chemical constituents such as phenolic and amino acid derivatives also have resulted attractive and have provided evidence-based supporting of the ethnomedical uses of the
species. In recent years, research has been expanded to explore the endophytic fungal diversity associated to
species, as well as, the chemical constituents derived from these fungi and their pharmacological bioprospecting. Two additional aspects that illustrate the chemical diversity of
genus are the chemotaxonomy approaches and the use of ephedrine-type alkaloids as building blocks in organic synthesis. American
species, especially those that exist in Mexico, are considered to lack ephedrine type alkaloids. In this sense, the phytochemical study of Mexican
species is a promising area of research to corroborate their ephedrine-type alkaloids content and, in turn, discover new chemical compounds with potential biological activity. Therefore, the present review represents a key compilation of all the relevant information for the
genus, in particular the American species, the species distribution, their ecological interactions, its ethnobotany, its phytochemistry and their pharmacological activities and toxicities, in order to promote clear directions for future research.
The prevalence of metabolic syndrome is increasing worldwide and has become a risk factor for the development of chronic kidney disease. The complex linkage between metabolic syndrome and chronic ...kidney disease is under research and the factors involved beyond the biological pathogenesis include demographic, sociological and psychological factors that are related to the metabolic syndrome prevalence. The social context of disease causation is as relevant to today's clinical scientist and practitioner as biomarker-directed risk stratification and therapy. The aim of this review is to compare the criteria for diagnosis among different international health organizations, identifying all factors that contribute to the development of this association between metabolic syndrome and chronic kidney disease, and categorizing them by those that could be useful for preventive strategies. In addition, patients with metabolic syndrome have microvascular disease characterized by microalbuminuria, decreased glomerular filtration rate, tubular atrophy, interstitial fibrosis, and glomerulosclerosis. These effects may be due to insulin resistance, hypertension, dyslipidemias, activation of inflammatory processes, fibrotic, dysbiosis and generation of oxidative stress; which cause an imbalance in the main vasoactive factors and thus endothelial dysfunction, deteriorating the renal function. Furthermore, since unhealthy eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle are among the strongest risk factors related to these diseases, lifestyle interventions programs have been recommended for facilitating positive changes in behavior at the individual level. However, further research is needed to promote multiple social, economic and political transformations, shifting the intervention emphasis from individual education, counseling, regimens and medications to community, national and global institutions.
Archaeological investigations have been conducted along the northern coast of Sonora, Mexico where over 60 prehistoric middens have been identified around Bahía Adair and the town of Puerto Peñasco. ...The middens include low densities of pottery, chipped and ground stone tools, and some shell tools and ornaments, as well as molluscs, fish bones, crab claws, sea turtle bones, terrestrial animal bones, and charred plant remains. Radiocarbon dates indicate nearly continuous use of the coast from as early as 4,000 BC through late historic times. Pottery types found are associated with the Patayan, Hohokam, Trincheras, and the Ancestral Comcaac cultures. These middens were created by peoples occupying the western Papaguería who interacted extensively with neighboring groups in California, Arizona, and Sonora, Mexico. The Areneños (Sand Papago or Hia ced O'odham) occupied the area in historical times and their subsistence, settlement, and interaction patterns can be used as a model for prehistoric groups.
•The majority of the Mexican cactus fruits are underutilized and understudied but can be promoted for their sustainable use.•Mexican cactus fruits contain an extensive range of bioactive ...compounds.•The principal bioactive compounds found in Mexican cactus fruits are betalains and phenolic compounds.
The Mexican drylands possess enormous biotic and cultural wealth, representing 65% of the national territory. Approximately 50% of Mexican dryland flora is endemic and accompanied by ample local and traditional knowledge. There are certain types of cactus fruits that are being technologically produced. However, there are other cactus fruit that are underutilized and understudied that could be promoted for their sustainable use. Evidence indicates that the genera of Escontria, Myrtilocactus, Hylocereus, and Stenocereus contain bioactive compounds such as betalains and phenols. Opuntia, the most abundant cactus in Mexico, produces fruit known as prickly pears with bioactive compounds that are associated with health benefits. The purpose of this review is to compile the nutritional and functional properties of selected cactus fruits from the Mexican drylands, as well as their use in the health, food, cosmetic, and agricultural industries in order to establish knowledge gaps and well-supported future research directions.
•The Comcaac have a deep connection with, and knowledge of, the archaeological record.•Mobility is multifaceted as played out by different people with various motivations.•Some mobility patterns ...persisted for millennia thus crucial for social reproduction.•Collaboration shows that the cultural landscape shapes decisions for movement.
The Comcaac have lived along the central part of the Sonoran coast of Mexico for over a thousand years. These traditionally highly mobile hunters, gatherers, and fishermen of the desert and sea are now mainly settled in two villages with several seasonal exceptions. Past places remain important to the Comcaac, and they recall and remember these places through place-names, storytelling, and other cultural practices that integrate Comcaac historical events and traditions. Enduring cultural knowledge about the land and sea reveals that the Comcaac constructed a complex cultural landscape through their multifaceted mobility patterns during the past that included different people with varying degrees of cultural knowledge and experience.Through materiality theory, a cultural landscape approach and the analytical unit of place, this paper understands mobility as multifaceted, played out by different participants with different motivations. Direct involvement by Comcaac community members in this work expands and refines interpretations about the Comcaac cultural landscape through time using archaeological evidence, oral history, archival documents, and ethnographic information to better understand and explain past mobility patterns. Comcaac patterns of mobility and cultural meanings of places are valuable in understanding broader movement scenarios that may be applicable to a range of cultures.
In collaboration with Comcaac (Seris) Indigenous community members from the Sonoran coast of Mexico, this study integrates ethnographic, archaeological, documentary, and oral historical data to ...better understand the Comcaac past relevant to the present. This is the first publication of Comcaac historical accounts about the Cazoopin, or colonial Spaniards, extending back to AD 1750 and earlier. We document Comcaac people's first encounters with Spanish sailing ships and their opportunistic adoption of Spanish material culture. Oral accounts are combined with evidence from archaeological survey of named places and archival documents, particularly Pimentel's Diary of Governor Ortiz Parrilla's 1750 expedition to Tahejcö (Tiburón Island). For the Sonoran colonial period, previous reconstructions have been based on archaeological evidence and archival documents written by Spanish Empire representatives; here, we encourage the incorporation of Indigenous voices to understand economic, social, political, and ecological dimensions of the past that condition the creation of different historical narratives.
A vibrant artisanal fishery of the brackish water marsh clam (
Polymesoda acuta
) is located in the lower Río Tempisque, Costa Rica. Fishermen harvest clams from shoals according to tidal and lunar ...cycles. They take most clams directly to riverside processing stations to be cooked and sold as salted meat, although some cooked clams are dried, and others sold live. Processing activities result in the formation of shellmounds that share significant similarities and some differences with ancient marsh clam shellmounds of coastal Chiapas, Mexico. In this study, procurement and processing activities are described and quantified, revealing the substantial amount of labor and skill involved in the modern fishery. Implications for archaeological preservation and predictions from optimal foraging theory are evaluated.
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