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Based on peasant and scientific knowledge of climate and climate change in a Colombian highland, located in the departments of Cundinamarca and Boyacá, this article studies the relationship between hazards caused by rain and extreme temperatures on peasant communities. Among 26 weather stations analyzed, five showed changes between 1980 and 2014: four with increases and one with a decrease, using the Mann-Kendall test with more than 90% confidence. Per decade periods, four stations showed increased maximum daily temperatures, which aligns with the perceptions of farmers, while one showed a decrease. Meanwhile, minimum temperatures decreased in two stations and increased in two others. The climate change observed by farmers is not expressed through meteorological variables, but through changes in conditions and factors affecting their rural work. From a transdisciplinary approach based on dialogues with farmers, climate change was better understood through adaptations in the use and management of their territories, which may be considered a better perspective to increase the resilience of farmers in the Colombian Andes against the risks of climate change.

El cambio climático se afecta por la actividad humana principalmente al producir gases de efecto invernadero (GEI) que alteran la atmósfera y aumentan la temperatura media del planeta. En los Andes, cordillera oriental, con importante rango altitudinal, está ubicado el departamento de Boyacá, segundo productor de papa en Colombia, con una zona ligada culturalmente al tubérculo, el cual es vulnerable al cambio climático. Dado lo anterior, es relevante, para la producción de papa, conocer cuál es la distribución del cambio climático en la zona papera de Boyacá. En esta investigación se determina el cambio de precipitación y temperatura en esta zona durante el periodo 1986-2017. Se seleccionaron 37 estaciones con series anuales de precipitación y temperatura, se reconstruyeron los datos faltantes y se estimaron las medias multianuales y los cambios en estos elementos. Se zonificaron las variables climáticas y sus cambios por interpolación espacial. Se encontraron cambios, diferenciales espacialmente, de temperatura de entre -1,2 °C y 1,6 °C y de precipitación de entre -40 % y 60 %. Se concluye que existe variabilidad espacial a causa del cambio climático en la zona papera de Boyacá, con aumento y disminución tanto de precipitación como de temperatura en cerca del 50 % del territorio.

This article studies the discoid Didacna sp. shell beads discovered at Kaylu, a Middle Holocene burial site located in Southern Turkmenistan. Microscopic, morphometric, spectrometric, and SEM analyses were carried out on the material to identify how the beads were manufactured and used. New radiocarbon dating and bioanthropological data to age and sex the two skeletons discovered in the burials are provided. A regional synthesis shows that personal ornaments from the Caspian region were diversified through time and that a stylistic shift between the last foragers and the first farmers occurred. We also observed strong correspondences between the personal ornaments documented in the northern, eastern, and western Caspian Sea during the Neolithic, with no evidence of similar symbolic production in Northern Iran. We propose that a northern route may have allowed the diffusion of common ornamental traditions in the Caspian region to the exclusion of the southern Caspian. Alternatively, discontinuities in material culture diffusion in coastal areas could be evidence of maritime voyaging. Seafaring may have granted the fast and spatially erratic diffusion of specific bead types, people, information, knowledge, and symbols from both sides of the Caspian Sea, by long maritime voyages or by leapfrog diffusion during the Neolithic.

In the western Mediterranean, the question of the settlement patterns of the first farming communities remains a much debated issue. Frequently compared with the LBK model, based on hundreds of well-documented villages, the settlement organization of the Impressed Ware complex is still poorly characterized and highly diversified. New data obtained in Southern France (Languedoc) may shed light on this matter, based on new excavations, revised data, and a multi-proxy perspective (site type, domestic area, food supply strategies, activities, spheres of acquisition of raw material, and so forth). Rather than reproducing a pattern of site locations and settlement structuring, it seems that these Early Neolithic groups sought to optimize the location and structuring of their settlements in relation to the specific characteristics of the surrounding environment and available resources. We therefore propose that the diversity observed in the settlement organization of these first farming communities is a reflection of a social organization well-adapted to the diversity of the ecosystem.

Background: Changes in global and local environmental variables condition the distribution and density of disease vectors. This study aimed to estimate the relationship between the entomological indicator of immature and adult forms of the Aedes aegypti mosquito per unit area, the environmental variables of temperature, precipitation, and relative humidity in rural areas of two municipalities in Colombia. Methods: Four spatial regression models were fitted: The Spatial Autoregressive Model with Autoregressive Disturbances of order [1,1] (SARAR[1,1]), Spatial Error Model (SEM), Spatial Lag Model (SLM), and the Pure Spatial Autoregressive Model. Immature and adult A. aegypti forms were collected in homes during June 2013 (dry season). The houses were chosen at random and were georeferenced. Climate information was obtained from the Institute of Hydrology, Meteorology and Environmental Studies (IDEAM- Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales). Climatic information was completed with mathematical interpolation from the Akima library. Results: The most appropriate model was SARAR[1,1], as it showed the lowest values of the Akaike information criterion (AIC = 473.34). In this model, the variable that best explained the entomological indicator (immature and adult forms per unit area) was the altitude of the houses in the rural area where the entomological samples were collected. This means that the higher the altitude, the lower the entomological indicator calculated. The ranges of the environmental variables in which the presence of the mosquito occurred are between 602 to 1414 m.a.s.l (meters above sea level) for altitude, 17 °C to 27 °C for temperature, 27 mm to 86 mm for precipitation, and 70% to 85% for relative humidity. Conclusions: The importance of understanding the relationship between local environmental characteristics and the presence of the vector for designing comprehensive management strategies was highlighted, contributing to better surveillance, prevention, and control of vectors and diseases transmitted by them.

Mutations in the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis ( XIAP) gene have been associated with XLP-like disease, including recurrent Epstein-Barr virus ( EBV)-related haemophagocytic lymphohystiocytosis (HLH), but the immunopathogenic bases of EBV-related disease in XIAP deficiency is unknown. We present the first analysis of EBV-specific T cell responses in functional XIAP deficiency. In a family of patients with a novel mutation in XIAP ( G466 X) leading to a late-truncated protein and varying clinical features, we identified gradual hypogammaglobulinaemia and large expansions of T cell subsets, including a prominent CD4+ CD8+ population. Extensive ex-vivo analyses showed that the expanded T cell subsets were dominated by EBV-specific cells with conserved cytotoxic, proliferative and interferon ( IFN)-γ secretion capacity. The EBV load in blood fluctuated and was occasionally very high, indicating that the XIAPG466X mutation could impact upon EBV latency. XIAP deficiency may unravel a new immunopathogenic mechanism in EBV-associated disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

En este artículo se analizan diferentes criterios, categorías y estrategias de las ciencias edáfica y climática frente al proceso de construcción de conocimientos tradicionales y científicos, los cuales son contrastados respecto a la erosión pluvial en el corredor Bogotá-Duitama del altiplano cundiboyacense en Colombia. En el análisis se aplican herramientas de la teoría general de sistemas con el fin de facilitar la integración de explicaciones científicas a través del diálogo y la comprensión de las comunidades campesinas. Al integrar las variables culturales de la sabiduría campesina con el conocimiento científico se logra comprender y complementar las relaciones que intervienen en el entendimiento de la erosión del suelo a causa de la lluvia, en contraste con la variabilidad y los cambios climáticos representados en los cambios de la lluvia y las temperaturas extremas. El análisis sistémico de estos conocimientos permite incrementar la sinergia entre los enfoques cualitativo y cuantitativo, por tanto, se convierten en una herramienta útil para el análisis de enfoque mixto.

This article presents a characterization of the areas likely to integrate a Green Infrastructure (GI) for the Tunja city at local scale and spatial analysis is mainly applied to the land cover and land use of the study area. To identify the areas that could be integrated into the GI, four thematic dimensions were first zoned (ecological connectivity, multifunctionality, ecological status and accessibility to the population); they were later normalized on a scale of 1 to 10 to make them comparable; the dimensions were combined by an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) and finally those areas whose pixel values ​​were above the third quartile were selected in the integration of the dimensions. The zoned dimensions the following weights were obtained: ecological connectivity (48%), multifunctionality (30%), ecological status (13%) and accessibility to the population (9%). It was found that the main areas likely to integrate into the GI are concentrated in the western fringe of the city; however, the northwestern area has a greater fragmentation and lower ecological status than the southwestern zone (which refers mainly to the Protective Forest Reserve El Malmo). Likewise, several areas or patches were identified to the south of the city (referring mainly to wooded areas and presence of wetlands) as well as small wooded areas in the urban perimeter, but with greater isolation among the other areas of GI. Within the urban perimeter the zoning of areas that could be integrated into a GI was practically null.

En los últimos años se ha dado un gran fomento a la productividad científica, lo cual se ha visto acompañado de una mayor y más actual divulgación de la misma. Acorde a los avances y tendencias en los procesos editoriales, en la revista Perspectiva Geográfica estamos inmersos en el mejoramiento continuo de nuestra publicación, implementando sistemas de apoyo a la gestión editorial como Open Journal system (OJS) y diversos aplicativos de comunicación que nos ofrecen las tecnologías de la información y la comunicación (TIC’s) como Twitter (@PerspectivaGeog), Facebook (Perspectiva Geográfica), linkedin (Revista Perspectiva Geográfica). Así mismo, estamos permanentemente incrementando el equipo de colaboradores de las mayores competencias académicas en los diferentes campos de la geografía, para la evaluación científica de los artículos sometidos a publicación.

La conservación y recuperación de las rondas hídricas, a partir de la identificación de áreas de intervención prioritaria, son aspectos necesarios para asegurar la disponibilidad y sostenibilidad del recurso hídrico. En este estudio, se propone una metodología que, mediante la utilización de sistemas de información geográfica e información secundaría de los planes de ordenamiento territorial, facilite la identificación y cuantificación de rondas hídricas expuestas a la potencial degradación causada por los conflictos de uso del suelo presentes, y así dar criterios para la intervención y manejo ambiental de estas áreas. En el municipio de Paipa, se encontró que de las 3.420 hectáreas de ronda hídrica, el 68% se encuentra en zonas de conflictos de uso del suelo alto y medio, viéndose afectadas, principalmente, las rondas de las veredas Medios y Marcura.

Over the last 15 years, numerous analyses of sediment from the Mediterranean harbors of Occitanie (Southern France) has been made before dredging operations in order to assess geochemical quality of dredged sediment and define the extend of dredging project and the potential fate of dredged sediment (sea dumping vs management on land). However, these data are today scattered, printed and stored as archives, and not directly accessible. With time, those data are expected to be lost for the community whereas they constitute an irreplaceable and mobilizable knowledge base to address the challenges of the circular economy. Characterization data aid in developing regulations for better land-based management of dredged sediments. Existing data are also needed to define pollutant limits in sediments for different uses of marine resources. The collection of these data can thus offer a unique opportunity to assess the geochemical quality of dredged marine sediments and their determining factors. The dataset collected is composed of geochemical characteristics of 146 marine sediments wastes collected before dredging operations between 2010 and 2021. The sampling was designed to capture the large diversity of sediment distribution in harbors of southern France. The dataset contains a wide range of variability in the composition characteristics of dredged sediment (dry matter, organic matter, total nitrogen and phosphorus, sulphate, chloride, trace metals and organics elements). Because the dataset provides information about the characteristics defining the geochemical quality of dredged sediments, it can be used further for research, waste management or dredged sediment valorization, and represent a great interest to other researchers, harbors managers and stakeholders in search of references on the geochemical quality of dredged sediments for their reuse., (© 2024 The Author(s).)

Fifty million cubic meters of marine sediments are dredged each year in France in order to maintain harbor activities and sustain the economy of littoral territories. Because of anthropogenic activities in and around harbors, sediments can contain significant amounts of chemical and organic pollutants whose behavior during dredging must be addressed in order to avoid releasing risks for humans and the environment. French regulations come to govern the management of dredged sediments, considering them "safe" and possible to be dumped at sea or "contaminated" and needed to be treated on land as waste. In recent years, new constraints have been pushed toward the management of land. This management is, however, challenging as few channels are proposed to reuse marine sediments, and elimination appears to be economically and environmentally unsustainable. This study provides an overview of the technical and regulatory aspects related to dredged marine sediment management in France and aims to identify and discuss the limits of their valorization. Dredged sediments are mainly composed of particles with heterogeneous grain size, some being known for many applications such as building materials and growing media. However, several reasons have been put forward to explain why these particles are not reused when extracted from dredged sediments. Several technical, socio-economic, and regulatory obstacles explain the low demand for dredged sediments. This demand can be stimulated by government incentives and a good regulatory framework. National regulations could help streamline their reuse by removing their "waste" status and creating a regulated market for dredged sediment., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Mechanisms governing the relationship between genetic and cultural evolution are the subject of debate, data analysis and modelling efforts. Here we present a new georeferenced dataset of personal ornaments worn by European hunter-gatherers during the so-called Gravettian technocomplex (34,000-24,000 years ago), analyse it with multivariate and geospatial statistics, model the impact of distance on cultural diversity and contrast the outcome of our analyses with up-to-date palaeogenetic data. We demonstrate that Gravettian ornament variability cannot be explained solely by isolation-by-distance. Analysis of Gravettian ornaments identified nine geographically discrete cultural entities across Europe. While broadly in agreement with palaeogenetic data, our results highlight a more complex pattern, with cultural entities located in areas not yet sampled by palaeogenetics and distinctive entities in regions inhabited by populations of similar genetic ancestry. Integrating personal ornament and biological data from other Palaeolithic cultures will elucidate the complex narrative of population dynamics of Upper Palaeolithic Europe., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

This study investigates the complexation of mefloquine hydrochloride by cyclodextrins to improve its solubility in order to design an oral solution. This approach may enhance the effectiveness of mefloquine, a drug which can be used for malaria prophylaxis and treatment in children. Mefloquine hydrochloride's solubility was assessed in different buffer solutions, and its quantification was achieved through high-performance liquid chromatography. The complexation efficiency with cyclodextrins was evaluated, and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods were employed to determine the interactions between mefloquine and cyclodextrins. Mefloquine's solubility increased when combined with hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin (HP-β-CD) and randomly methylated β-cyclodextrin (RAMEB), with RAMEB being more effective. The drug's solubility varied across different pH buffers, being higher in acidic buffers. Interestingly, mefloquine's solubility decreased with a citrate buffer, possibly due to precipitation. The NMR studies highlighted non-covalent interactions between RAMEB, HP-β-CD, and mefloquine, explaining the solubilizing effect via complexation phenomena. Furthermore, the NMR experiments indicated the complexation of mefloquine by all the studied cyclodextrins, forming diastereoisomeric complexes. Cyclodextrin complexation improved mefloquine's solubility, potentially impacting its bioavailability.