PIXE analysis of archeological variscite beads and pendants from the Neolithic period that were excavated in Spain, Portugal and France and of variscite geological references samples from European ...occurrences were carried out from 1999 to 2013 in order to trace back the circulation of this precious gemstone over three millennia. Transformations of the AGLAE external beam system and progress in spectrum processing have induced some apparent compositional variation, affecting in particular the phosphorus/aluminum ratio. This long term evolution has been taken into account with the help of geostandards to build a large and coherent geochemical database of minor and trace elements in variscite. This database allowed us to determine the provenance of the raw material and thus of the circulation of the jewels.
Molluscs used as personal adornment in Gravettian context are scarce in the Iberian Peninsula. Less than 200 pieces have been barely found along the Mediterranean, and most of them in coastal sites. ...This article presents thirteen new items - in the majority of marine origin - found by a Spanish-German team during a joint research project in Cueva de Ardales (Ardales, Malaga, Spain). The cave is one of the few interior sites in which this type of finds has been attested and therefore shows the connections of the coast with the hinterland (away from the current Mediterranean coastline about 50 km currently and 60-65 kms. around 30 ka). The article also presents archaeozoological and archaeometric analysis of the molluscs, especially Raman spectrometry and X-ray diffraction.
The study zone is geologically very complex and corresponds to the western limits of the Betic Cordilleras (SW Spain); materials from the Triassic to Holocene are found here. This study demonstrates ...that most of the surface textures seen on quartz are present on the seven selected heavy minerals. SEM analysis of heavy-mineral grains reveals that certain morphologies are, in part, associated with particular surface textures. This textural analysis enables the source areas to be differentiated more clearly. Equally, it contributes to a deeper knowledge of the various stages of the grains provenance. A good example is the study of the heavy minerals of the Guadalete River terraces.
A set of six lithic tools, unearthed along 2011 in two karst sites of the Guadalteba County (Málaga, Spain), has been nondestructively investigated by Raman spectroscopy and laboratory x-ray ...diffraction. From a chemist’s point of view, our goal is to develop a systematic screening protocol for a quick, easy, low cost and nondestructive characterization of archaeological flints based on Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction and Rietveld refinement. In this paper, we firstly made use of Raman spectroscopy to determine, in a semiquantitative way, but with the generic advantage of a faster data acquisition than x-ray diffraction, the surface content of moganite of each lithic tool, from the ratio between the relative intensities of the two Raman-active symmetric stretching vibrations (A
1
modes) of α-quartz (465 cm
−1
) and moganite (501 cm
−1
). The precise bulk quartz/moganite weight content was then accurately quantified by means of high-quality x-ray diffraction, followed by Rietveld refinement. We found a general good correlation between Raman and x-ray data. Nonetheless, as recently reported in the scientific literature by other authors, the vibrational spectroscopic quantification of moganite in silica rocks like flint and chert have to be performed very cautiously, to avoid undesired interferences from other Raman features due to the eventual presence of silanol (SiOH) groups, which could finally lead to an overestimation of the surface moganite concentration. As reported in such a recent article, a useful treatment to reduce the interference from silanol-bands is to heat the samples prior to their Raman analysis at a minimum of 600 ºC (but better at 700 or 800 ºC) for silanol “dehydration”. This, in our opinion, may be for sure a satisfactory procedure when studying flint or chert samples of a “geological origin”. But not of practical use when studying lithic tools which were manufactured by men thousands and thousands of years ago.
Summary
Background
In several small studies, anticoagulant therapy reduced the incidence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients with isolated lower‐limb injuries.
Objectives
To compare the ...efficacy and safety of fondaparinux 2.5 mg (1.5 mg in patients with a creatinine clearance between 30 and 50 mL min−1) over nadroparin 2850 anti–factor Xa IU.
Patients and Methods
In this international, multicenter, randomized, open‐label study, patients with an isolated non‐surgical unilateral below‐knee injury having at least one additional major risk factor for VTE and requiring, in the Investigator's opinion, rigid or semi‐rigid immobilization for 21–45 days with thromboprophylaxis up to complete mobilization received subcutaneously once‐daily either fondaparinux or nadroparin. The primary efficacy outcome was the composite of VTE (symptomatic or ultrasonographically detected asymptomatic deep vein thrombosis of the lower limb or symptomatic pulmonary embolism) and death up to complete mobilization. The main safety outcome was major bleeding.
Results
We randomized 1349 patients (mean age 46 years): 88.7% had a bone fracture, and 83.8% had a plaster cast fitted (mean duration of immobilization, 34 days). The primary efficacy outcome occurred in 15 of 584 patients (2.6%) in the fondaparinux group and 48 of 586 patients (8.2%) in the nadroparin group (odds ratio, 0.30; 95% confidence interval CI, 0.15–0.54; P < 0.001). A single major bleed was experienced by fondaparinux‐treated patients and none by nadroparin‐treated patients. These results were maintained up to the end of follow‐up.
Conclusions
Fondaparinux 2.5 mg day−1 may be a valuable therapeutic option over nadroparin 2850 anti‐FXa IU day−1 for preventing VTE after below‐knee injury requiring prolonged immobilization in patients with additional risk factors.
Today, coastal cities worldwide are facing major changes
resulting from climate change and anthropogenic forcing, which requires
adaptation and mitigation strategies to be established. In this ...context,
sedimentological archives in many Mediterranean cities record a
multi-millennial history of environmental dynamics and human adaptation,
revealing a long-lasting resilience. Founded by the Phoenicians around 3000 years ago, Cádiz (south-western Spain) is a key example of a coastal
resilient city. This urban centre is considered to be one of the first
cities of western Europe and has experienced major natural hazards during its
long history, such as coastal erosion, storms, and also tsunamis (like the
one in 1755 CE following the destructive Lisbon earthquake). In the framework of an international, joint archaeological and
geoarchaeological project, three cores have been drilled in a marine
palaeochannel that ran through the ancient city of Cádiz. These
cores reveal a ≥50 m thick Holocene sedimentary sequence. Importantly,
most of the deposits date from the 1st millennium BCE to the 1st
millennium CE. This exceptional sedimentary archive will allow our
scientific team to achieve its research goals, which are (1) to reconstruct
the palaeogeographical evolution of this specific coastal area; (2) to trace
the intensity of activities of the city of Cádiz based on archaeological
data, as well as geochemical and palaeoecological indicators; and (3) to
identify and date high-energy event deposits such as storms and tsunamis.
The average life expectancy of the world population has increased remarkably in the past 150 years and it is still increasing. A long life is a dream of humans since the beginning of time but also a ...dream is to live it in good physical and mental condition. Nutrition research has focused on recent decades more on food combination patterns than on individual foods/nutrients due to the possible synergistic/antagonistic effects of the components in a dietary model. Various dietary patterns have been associated with health benefits, but the largest body of evidence in the literature is attributable to the traditional dietary habits and lifestyle followed by populations from the Mediterranean region. After the Seven Countries Study, many prospective observational studies and trials in diverse populations reinforced the beneficial effects associated with a higher adherence to the Mediterranean diet in reference to the prevention/management of age-associated non-communicable diseases, such as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, depression, respiratory diseases, and fragility fractures. In addition, the Mediterranean diet is ecologically sustainable. Therefore, this immaterial world heritage constitutes a healthy way of eating and living respecting the environment.
The current pandemic of obesity represents a major global public health problem, mainly due to its association with chronic non-communicable disabling conditions and with increased mortality. ...Population aging increases the chances of non-communicable chronic diseases allowing a longer exposure to risk factors for these disabling conditions. Obesity is a major risk factor contributing to pathological aging. Numerous epidemiological studies have shown that the risk of death due to cardiovascular disease and cancer increases progressively as overweight and obesity rise. Nutrition research is now focused on the effects of combinations of foods in dietary patterns instead of those of single nutrients or foods. The dietary model with the largest body of evidence of health benefit is that traditionally followed by inhabitants of some Mediterranean countries. There is evidence confirming the inverse association of adhering to Mediterranean diet with overweight and obesity. Four meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials, including up to 16 trials, have shown a greater reduction of body weight and BMI with MedDiet compared to other diets, while a meta-analysis of 7 prospective cohort studies, found a reduced risk of becoming obese and gaining weight over time associated with a higher adherence to MedDiet. This narrative review examines studies reporting inverse associations of a higher adherence to the MedDiet with overweight/obesity and with age-associated chronic diseases related to obesity.
•Mediterranean diet has the largest body of evidence on the prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases and mortality.•Mediterranean diet is mainly based on plant-based foods but also includes many non-dietary lifestyle components.•PREDIMED and CORDIPREV trials have validated the clear cardiovascular benefit of MedDiet.•Four meta-analyses of RCTs have shown a greater reduction of body weight and BMI with MedDiet compared to other diets.•A meta-analysis of cohort studies found a reduced risk of becoming obese over time.
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