Comensalitat durant el bronze final i la primera edat del ferro al paratge arqueològic de Can Roqueta: anàlisi dels dipòsits relacionats amb el consum en contextos domèstics i funeraris

La reconstrucció de les pautes de consum d"aliments durant el bronze final i la primera edat de ferro, tant si són de caire domèstic com si no, passa per un anàlisi exhaustiu de les diferents dades arqueològiques. En primer lloc, tenim els espais destinats al consum. Les circumstàncies pròpies del registre arqueològic a Catalunya durant aquests períodes fa que, depèn del territori, aquest nivell d"anàlisi sigui més o menys evident. Així, en territoris on existeix una tradició arquitectònica en pedra i, fins i tot, dissenys urbanístics ben definits (entorn del Segre i l"Ebre), aquest problema resulta relativament fàcil de tractar en funció de la conservació de la resta d"elements i la particularitat de les estructures analitzades. Això ha permès caracteritzar certes pràctiques.de consum diferenciades del que podria ser propi d"un àmbit domèstic en jaciments com Barranc de Gàfols (habitacions 1 y 2), la Moleta del Remei (habitació 7), Tossal Redó (habitació 1), San Cristóbal (habitació 2), Sant Jaume Mas d"en Serrà (habitacions 3 i 4), l"edifici de Turó del Calvari de Vilalba dels Arcs o Genó (habitació 2) (Lucas 1989; López Cachero 1998; Sanmartí et al. 2000; Fatás 2004-05; Garcia 2005; Sardà 2008). Aquesta situació contrasta amb el que passa a la resta del litoral català on les estructures negatives són pràcticament l"única evidència del poblament existent i on resulta molt complicat, fins i tot, la documentació de qualsevol espai habitacional que ens permeti avançar en aquesta direcció.

Recollida i emmagatzematge d'aigües al mas Sanmartí de Serraïma (Bages). Gestió sostenible de l'aigua per a usos domèstics, agrícoles i ramaders en relació al gènere

L'article exposa la racionalització i la sostenibilitat en la captació, l'emmagatzematge i el posterior ús de les aigües d'un mas de la Catalunya central. L'estructuració d'una xarxa de recollida d'aigües d'escolament superficial a l'entorn d'un turó proper al mas va permetre l'acumulació de volums d'aigua renovables en una bassa, malgrat l'aridesa climàtica i la pràctica absència de recursos hídrics subterranis. D'altra banda, la recollida de les aigües pluvials es complementava amb les aigües de les teulades connetades a una cisterna interior i amb un pou obert situat al mateix coll del mas. Aquests recursos hídrics permetien uns usos diversificats en relació a les activitats domèstiques, ramaderes i agrícoles que es realitzaven en el mas. Les dones s'ocupaven de les labors de neteja, de l'elaboració del menjar, de la higiene i de l'aviram, mentre que els homes s'encarregavem del bestiar, l'hort i els conreus. El mas Sanmartí constitueix un exemple reeixit d'aquest emmagatzematge divers i dispers d'aigües lligat a un ús sostenible.

Animals in an Urban Context. A Zooarchaeological study of the Medieval and Post-Medieval town of Turku

The aim of this study is to explore the role and importance of different animal species in Turku through an analysis of osteological data and documentary evidence. The osteological material used in this study is derived from two town plots in Turku dating from the 13th century to the 19th century. The osteological material deposited in Turku represents animals bred both in the town and in the surrounding landscape. Animal husbandry in SW-Finland can also be examined through a number of historical documents. The importance of animals in Turku and its hinterland are closely connected and therefore the roles of the animals in both urban and rural settings are examined. The study has revealed the complexity of the depositional patterns in medieval and post-medieval Turku. In the different areas of Turku, characteristic patterns in the osteological material and different deposit types were evident. These patterns are reflections of the activities and therefore of the lifestyles practiced in Turku. The results emphasise the importance of context- awareness in the study of material culture from archaeological sites. Both the zooarchaeological and historical sources indicate that cattle were important in animal husbandry in Turku from the Middle Ages up to the 19th century. Sheep were the second most common species. When taking into consideration the larger size of cattle, the dominance of these animals when it come to meat consumption seems clear even in those phases where sheep bones are more abundant. Pig is less abundant in the material than either cattle or sheep and their importance for subsistence was probably fairly modest, albeit constant. Goats were not abundant in the material. Most of the identified goat bones came from low utility body parts (e.g. skulls and lower extremities), but some amount of goat meat was also consumed. Wild species were of minor importance when it came to consumption practices in Turku. The changes in Turku’s animal husbandry patterns between the medieval and post medieval periods is reflected in the change in age of the animals slaughtered, which was part of a wider pattern seen in North- and Central Europe. More mature animals are also present in the assemblages. This pattern is related to the more pronounced importance of cattle as a manure producer and a draught animal as a result of the intensification of crop cultivation. This change seems to occur later in Finland than in the more Southerly regions, and indeed it did not necessarily take hold in all parts of the country.

Èquids i gossos en l"economia i en els rituals. Resultats de l"estudi dels materials dipositats en el sitjar iberoromà del Serrat dels Espinyers (Isona, Pallars Jussà)

[cat]El Serrat dels Espinyers constitueix, per si mateix, un punt important en el poc conegut poblament ibéric del Pallars. En el panorama arqueològic català esdevé un cas únic pel que fa a la utiliztzació dels animals en activitats rituals vinculades tant a espais funeraris com domèstics, en particular pel volum i la qualitat de les dades aportades. L'anàlisi de les restes òssies animals i d'altes materials associats han procurart un conjunt de dades que permeten establir hipòtesis sobre els comportaments rituals de la societat ibèrica que va ocupar el jaciment. D'altra banda, es posa en evidència la importància de dos tàxons: els èquids i els gossos, i la seva relació amb l'activitat econòmica que hi va poder tenir lloc. [eng]Serrat dels Espinyers is an important site within the little known Iberian culture settlement of the Pallars area in Catalonia. Regarding the use of animals in ritual activities related to both domestic and funerary spaces, the data provided by this site are unique within the Catalan archaeology. The results obtained in the analysis of animal bones and other associated materials have allowed us to establish new hypotheses about the ritual behavior in Iberian society. Moreover, the importance of two taxa: horses and dogs, has been highlighted, as well as their relationship with the economic activity that could have taken place on the site.

Green tea catechin inhibits fatty acid synthase without stimulating carnitine Palmitoyltransferase-1 or inducing weight loss in experimental animals

Background: The enzyme fatty acid synthase (FASN) is highly expressed in many human carcinomas and its inhibition is cytotoxic to human cancer cells. The use of FASN inhibitors has been limited until now by anorexia and weight loss, which is associated with the stimulation of fatty acid oxidation. Materials and Methods: The in vitro effect of (-)-epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) on fatty acid metabolism enzymes, on apoptosis and on cell signalling was evaluated. In vivo, the effect of EGCG on animal body weight was addressed. Results: EGCG inhibited FASN activity, induced apoptosis and caused a marked decrease of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT and extracellular (signal)-regulated kinase (ERK) 1/2 proteins, in breast cancer cells. EGCG did not induce a stimulatory effect on CPT-1 activity in vitro (84% of control), or on animal body weight in vivo (99% of control). Conclusion: EGCG is a FASN inhibitor with anticancer activity which does not exhibit cross-activation of fatty acid oxidation and does not induce weight loss, suggesting its potential use as an anticancer drug.

Els organismes animals del litoral gironí

Article que descriu els organismes animals del litoral gironí

Una llei per als animals

Ja fa temps que es debat la necessitat, la conveniència i la moralitat que determinats animals disposin d'una llei que els atorgui certs drets en cursiva, atès que originalment aquesta paraula només s'aplica a persones. Als EUA, per exemple, hi ha més de 120 facultats on s'imparteixen cursos sobre aquest tema. El motiu és que molts animals tenen la capacitat fisiològica de sentir dolor i plaer, poden comunicar-se, posseeixen memòria i són capaços d'aprendre [...].

Histological changes caused by experimental Riedeliella graciliflora (Leg. Papilionoideae) poisoning in cattle and laboratory animals

Tissues from cattle, mice, rats and guinea pigs experimentally intoxicated by Riedeliella graciliflora were studied histologically. Cattle lymph nodes, spleen, Peyer patches and peribronchial lymphoid tissues had diffuse necrosis of lymphocytes, mainly in the germinal centers of the follicles. This lesion was less severe in laboratory animals. All species had severe enteritis with infiltration of the lamina propria by mononuclear cells. Some cells in this infiltrate were necrotic. Degeneration and necrosis of the epithelial cells, mainly in the tip of the villi, and detachment of the epithelial lining from the lamina propria were also observed. In the liver the trabecular structure was disrupted and the hepatocytes had some degree of individual necrosis and degeneration. A tubular nephrosis was observed in the kidneys. Liver, lung, kidney, intestine and lymph nodes had different degrees of congestion. Those lesions are similar than those caused by Polygala klotzschii, a plant that contains 5-metoxi-podophyllotoxin.

Myocardial stereology in captive Callithrix kuhlii (Callitrichidae, Primates): healthy animals versus animals affected by wasting marmoset syndrome (WMS)

This study comprised 12 hearts of Wied´s black-tufted-ear marmoset, Callithrix kuhlii (Coimbra-Filho 1985), 6 with Wasting Marmoset Syndrome (WMS) and 6 non-affected. Biometry was performed after death. After necropsy, the hearts were weighed, dissected, fixed in 10% formalin solution (pH 7.2), and processed for optical microscopy at 5µm sections stained with Haematoxylin-Eosin. Quantitative analysis was performed by stereological techniques. The statistical differences between the biometrical and stereological parameters were assessed by the Mann-Whitney test. The morphometric results showed that WMS causes a significant reduction in body and cardiac weights, and also in the volume density of vessels in those animals. Further studies are necessary to understand some of the results shown here.

Identification of new flagellin-encoding fliC genes in Escherichia coli isolated from domestic animals using RFLP-PCR and sequencing methods

Identification of Escherichia coli requires knowledge regarding the prevalent serotypes and virulence factors profiles allows the classification in pathogenic/non-pathogenic. However, some of these bacteria do not express flagellar antigen invitro. In this case the PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP-PCR) and sequencing of the fliC may be suitable for the identification of antigens by replacing the traditional serology. We studied 17 samples of E. coli isolated from animals and presenting antigen H nontypeable (HNT). The H antigens were characterized by PCR-RFLP and sequencing of fliC gene. Three new flagellin genes were identified, for which specific antisera were obtained. The PCR-RFLP was shown to be faster than the serotyping H antigen in E. coli, provided information on some characteristics of these antigens and indicated the presence of new genes fliC.

Fifty years in the blink of an eye: a retrospective study of ocular and periocular lesions in domestic animals

A survey was undertaken aiming to obtain an overview of ocular and periocular lesions diagnosed in domestic mammals over a period of 50 years in a veterinary pathology diagnostic laboratory in the Central Region of the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. In this lab, 33,075 histophatological exams had been performed over the period surveyed, of which 540 (1.6%) concerned ocular and periocular lesions. For various reasons ninety specimens were excluded from the study and the remaining 450 consisted of samples from dogs (53.5%), cattle (28.2%), cats (11.1%), horses (5.1%) sheep (1.3%), rabbits (0.4%), and pig (0.2%). The eyelids were the most prevalent (248/450) site of lesions in each of the species studied, followed by third eyelid (73/450), and conjunctiva (27/450). In dogs (241 samples) lesions in sebaceous glands (including Meibomian glands) were the most common findings (75/241), followed by melanocytic tumors (52/241) and nonspecific conjunctivitis (13/241). Squamous cell neoplasms, both benign and malignant, were relatively common. In cattle, anatomical sites affected by ocular and periocular lesions, in decreasing order of frequency, were eyelid, cornea and third eyelid. Squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) alone accounted for 80.3% of all diagnoses, while all neoplastic lesions made up for 85.0% of the lesions diagnosed in cattle. Neoplasia accounted for most of the lesions diagnosed in cats (39/50 cases); all of these were malignant, and SCC, hemangiosarcoma and fibrosarcoma were the most common types diagnosed. In horses, 19 out of 23 submissions were neoplasms and most were sarcoid (8/23) and SCC (8/23). There were six submissions from sheep with unpigmented skin, all of which represented SCC of the eyelids (5) and third eyelid (1).

Parasitic infections in germfree animals

The association of vertebrate hosts with the indigenous microbiota and its effect on the response to infections has long been a subject of scientific curiosity. From the first theory supported by Louis Pasteur that life would be impossible in the absence of associated microorganisms to the development of germfree mammals for research, a lot was learned about how the normal microbiota influences the environment in which pathogens may find themselves. In the present review, we attempt to summarize the more recent results from our group and others on the influence of the normal microbiota on the outcome of parasitic infections. Our results and those of others point to a complex relationship between the mammalian system and its indigenous microbiota, leading to greater resistance to some infections and enhanced susceptibility to others

Cyanobacterial toxins in Portugal: effects on aquatic animals and risk for human health

Toxic cyanobacteria are common in Portuguese freshwaters and the most common toxins are microcystins. The occurrence of microcystin-LR (MCYST-LR) has been reported since 1990 and a significant number of water reservoirs that are used for drinking water attain high levels of this toxin. Aquatic animals that live in eutrophic freshwater ecosystems may be killed by microcystins but in many cases the toxicity is sublethal and so the animals can survive long enough to accumulate the toxins and transfer them along the food chain. Among these, edible mollusks, fish and crayfish are especially important because they are harvested and sold for human consumption. Mussels that live in estuarine waters and rivers where toxic blooms occur may accumulate toxins without many significant acute toxic effects. In this study data are presented in order to understand the dynamics of the accumulation and depuration of MCYST-LR in mussels. The toxin is readily accumulated and persists in the shellfish for several days after contact. In the crayfish the toxin is accumulated mainly in the gut but is also cleared very slowly. In carps, although the levels of the toxins found in naturally caught specimens were not very high, some toxin was found in the muscle and not only in the viscera. This raises the problem of the toxin accumulation by fish and possible transfer through the food chain. The data gathered from these experiments and from naturally caught specimens are analyzed in terms of risk for human consumption. The occurrence of microcystins in tap water and the incidence of toxic cyanobacteria in fresh water beaches in Portugal are reported. The Portuguese National Monitoring Program of cyanobacteria is mentioned and its implications are discussed.

The Role of Oxidative Stress in Environmental Responses of Fennoscandian Animals

All aerobic organisms have to deal with the toxicity of oxygen. Oxygen enables more efficient energy production compared to anaerobic respiration or fermentation, but at the same time reactive oxygen species (ROS) are being formed. ROS can also be produced by external factors such as UV-radiation and contamination. ROS can cause damage to biomolecules such as DNA, lipids and proteins and organisms try to keep the damage as small as possible by repairing biomolecules and metabolizing ROS. All ROS are not harmful, because they are used as signaling molecules. To cope against ROS organism have an antioxidant (AOX) system which consists both enzymatic and non-enzymatic AOX defense. Some AOX are produced by the organism itself and some are gained via diet. In this thesis I studied environmentally caused changes in the redox regulation of different wild vertebrate animals to gain knowledge on the temporal, spatial and pollution-derived-effects on the AOX systems. As study species I used barn swallow, ringed seal and the Baltic salmon. For the barn swallow the main interest was the seasonal fluctuation in the redox regulation and its connection to migration and breeding. The more contaminated ringed seals of the Baltic Sea were compared to seals from cleaner Svalbard to investigate whether they suffered from contaminant induced oxidative stress. The regional and temporal variation in redox regulation and regional variation in mRNA and protein expressions of Baltic salmon were studied to gain knowledge if the salmon from different areas are equally stressed. As a comparative aspect the redox responses of these different species were investigated to see which parts of the AOX system are substantial in which species. Certain parts of AOX system were connected to breeding and others to migration in barn swallows, there was also differences in biotransformation between birds caught from Africa and Finland. The Baltic ringed seal did not differ much from the seals from Svalbard, despite the difference in contaminant load. A possible explanation to this could be the enhanced AOX mechanisms against dive-associated oxidative stress in diving air-breathing animals, which also helps to cope with ROS derived from other sourses. The Baltic salmon from Gulf of Finland (GoF) showed higher activities in their AOX defense enzymes and more oxidative damage than fish from other areas. Also on mRNA and proteomic level, stress related metabolic changes were most profound in in the fish from GoF. Mainly my findings on species related differences followed the pattern of mammals showing highest activities and least damage and birds showing lower activities and most damage, fish being intermediate. In general, the glutathione recycling-related enzymes and the ratio of oxidized and reduced glutathione seemed to be the most affected parameters in all of the species.