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In this paper, we analyze the changes in food consumption patterns throughout the lives of five individuals (n=5), one subadult and four adults, found in archaeological sites of El Remate, Bajo los Cardones and Finca Cruz. All of them are associated with the Formative period (ca. 2500 - 1000 years B. P.) and are located in the Quebrada de Amaicha (Tucumán, Argentina). We propose an analysis of the carbon and nitrogen isotopic composition in the dentin of different sections of the same tooth and in different teeth of the five individuals. This approach sheds light on the way in which the characteristics of children's diets affect their adulthood, as well as providing a more inclusive perspective on consumption patterns in the agropastoralist societies of the study area by integrating young individuals into the analysis. Little intravariation and intervariation was found, with a predominance of food resources framed in the C4 photosynthetic pattern. The exception is an individual, probably female, whose diet was based on C3 resources during the first period of life. This could be the result of the existence of a "childhood diet" or of a change in geographic residence, with both areas being isotopically distinguishable. Finally, we illustrate the methodological steps required to reconstruct life histories through the serial study of human dental pieces. This is a novel approach, which has been applied to human remains from the Argentine Northwest for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this trial was to study the effect of subclinical zinc (Zn) deficiency in lambs on productive variables, nitrogen (N) balance and hematological parameters. Ten Corriedale lambs, with an average weight of 10.09 kg, were randomly assigned to two groups: Basal (B, 10 ppm Zn) and Supplemented with 30 ppm Zn (Z). The trial lasted 20 weeks. The animals were weighed every 4 weeks. Also with this periodicity, they were bled by jugular venipuncture. In weeks 6 and 20 the apparent dry matter digestibility (ADMD) and N balance were evaluated. At the end of the test the wool production and quality were measured. The weight gain and wool quality were similar in both groups, while wool production was 37.4% higher in group Z. According to the first balance period, ADMD was similar in both groups, but the retention of N was significantly higher in group Z than in group B (5.53 vs 4.03 g/day). In the second balance period there was a similar trend. There were no differencies between groups on hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, red blood cells, total leukocytes, lymphocytes and neutrophils number. These results suggest that subclinical Zn deficiency reduces wool production, which may be related to lower protein synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se utilizaron seis cerdos machos castrados Yorkshire-Landrace x Duroc, con peso promedio de 35 kg, en un diseño cuadrado latino 3 x 3. El objetivo fue determinar el balance y la digestibilidad del nitrógeno en dietas convencionales de maíz-soya, donde se sustituyó 0, 15 y 30 % de la proteína de la soya por vinaza de destilería. Los animales se alojaron en jaulas de metabolismo con iguales condiciones. Se determinó la digestibilidad de la materia seca y del nitrógeno, el balance del nitrógeno y la retención de lo digerido y consumido en g/d. Los resultados obtenidos evidenciaron un balance positivo. Se encontraron diferencias (P < 0.05) en la digestibilidad de la materia seca para los niveles empleados (0, 15 y 30 %) (84.16, 84.42, 87.85%). En el tratamiento control, la excreción urinaria del N en g/d difirió (P < 0.05) con respecto a los restantes, reteniéndose mayor cantidad de nitrógeno en los tratamientos con vinaza (7.47, 4.48, 5.01). Se concluye que es posible la inclusión de hasta 30 % de la vinaza de destilería en la dieta de cerdos en crecimiento, sin afectar su comportamiento fisiológico y metabólico. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]