Biology

Objectives: To analyze the effect of altitude on weight and prematurity at birth in the Province of Catamarca
(Argentina), between the years 1994 and 2003.
Methods: Records of 22,628 newborns were collected from the vital statistics of the census of Catamarca. Weight
was recategorized to include low birth weight (<2,500 g), and gestational age was divided into births that had occurred
before or after 37 weeks (preterm or at term births). Altitude was also recategorized (<1,500 m, 1,500–2,000 m,
and>2,000 m). Nonparametric statistical tests were performed.
Results: Differences were found in birth weight between sexes and in the incidence of low birth weight depending on
altitude. This pattern changed according to gestational age, because those sexual differences were nonexistent or lower
in preterm neonates with certain advantages for females. Moreover, it was found that the effects of hypoxia were not
reflected in birth weight until later stages of intrauterine development.
Conclusions: To be female appears to be a benefit under conditions of prematurity and high altitude. The increased
incidence of prematurity due to altitude increase may reflect an adaptive advantage of preterm birth under these conditions.

Introduction: The assessment of fetal development and
birth weight is a priority in the field of nutritional epidemiology
and public health. Nowadays, the World Health
Organization (WHO) does not have specific birth weight
curves for the distinct gestational weeks considering that
socio-economic, ecological and ethnic characteristics of
the different human groups are found influencing their
own growth patterns.
Objective: This research develops centile curves for
weight by gestational age concerning to resident populations
in the province of Catamarca.
Methods: In order to process data, SPSS statistical
program was used, as well as LMS Chart Maker pro program
for the subsequent performing of centile curves.
The sample ascended to a total of 22,576 childbirths between
1994 and 2003.
Discussion and Conclusion: In the future, these curves
make possible a better assessment of intrauterine development
and birth weight in this region of Northwest of
Argentina.

Mean birthweight Small for gestational age Large for gestational age a b s t r a c t Objective: Birthweight by gestational age charts enable fetal growth to be evaluated in a specific population. Given that maternal profile and obstetric practice have undergone a remarkable change over the past few decades in Spain, this paper presents new Spanish reference percentile charts stratified by gender, parity and type of delivery. They have been prepared with data from the 2010–2014 period of the Spanish Birth Statistics Bulletin. Methods: Reference charts have been prepared using the LMS method, corresponding to 1,428,769 single , live births born to Spanish mothers. Percentile values and mean birth weight are compared among newborns according to gender, parity and type of delivery. Results: Newborns to primiparous mothers show significantly lower birthweight than those born to mul-tiparous mothers (p < 0.036). Caesarean section was associated with a substantially lower birthweight in preterm births (p < 0.048), and with a substantially higher birthweight for full-term deliveries (p < 0.030). Prevalence of small for gestational age is significantly higher in newborns born by Caesarean section, both in primiparous (p < 0.08) and multiparous mothers (p < 0.027) and, conversely, the prevalence of large for gestational age among full-term births is again greater both in primiparous (p < 0.035) and in multiparous mothers (p < 0.007). Conclusions: Results support the consideration of establishing parity and type of delivery-specific birth-weight references. These new charts enable a better evaluation of the impact of the demographic, reproductive and obstetric trends currently in Spain on fetal growth. Objetivo: Las tablas de peso al nacer por edad gestacional permiten evaluar el crecimiento fetal en una población específica. Dado que el perfil materno y la práctica obstétrica han experimentado un sustancial cambio en las últimas décadas en Espã na, este trabajo propone nuevas tablas de referencia de percentiles estratificadas por sexo, paridad y tipo de parto, elaboradas con los datos del periodo 2010-2014 del Boletín Estadístico de Partos. Métodos: Las curvas de referencia han sido elaboradas mediante el método LMS, correspondientes a 1.428.769 nacidos vivos de partos simples y madres espã nolas. Se comparan los valores por percentiles y la media del peso al nacer, por sexo, paridad y tipo de parto. Resultados: Los nacidos de madres primíparas muestran un peso menor que los nacidos de multíparas (p < 0,036). Los nacidos pretérmino por cesárea tienen un peso menor que los nacidos pretérmino por parto vaginal (p < 0,048), mientras que ocurre lo contrario en los nacidos a término (p < 0,030). La preva-lencia de nacidos pequeños para la edad gestacional es mayor entre los nacidos por cesárea de madres tanto primíparas (p < 0,08) como multíparas (p < 0,027), y la prevalencia de nacidos grandes para la edad gestacional es mayor entre los nacidos a término de madres tanto primíparas (p < 0,035) como multíparas (p < 0,007). Conclusiones: Los resultados apoyan establecer referencias de peso al nacer por paridad y tipo de parto. Estas nuevas curvas permiten una mejor evaluación del impacto de las actuales tendencias demográficas, reproductivas y obstétricas en Espã na sobre el crecimiento fetal.

Aim Natural processes of colonization and human-mediated introductions have shaped current patterns of biodiversity in the Mediterranean Basin. We use a comparative phylogeographic approach to investigate the genetic structure of Herpestes ichneumon and Genetta genetta (Carnivora) across the Strait of Gibraltar, and test for their supposedly contemporaneous introduction into Iberia.

Among its many features of strictly domestic nature, the ditched enclosure site of Camino de las Yeseras incorporates a series of singular faunal deposits that do not seem to represent consumption refuse. These deposits that appear in strategic places of the site often feature very biased representations of the
animals’ skeletons . In addition, considerable time and effort appears to have been put into the correct placement of these remains. In one instance this meant covering with red ochre the bones themselves. Combined, these lines of evidence reveal a treatment of the carcasses that goes well beyond what one
would attribute to utilitarian slaughtering and consumption, pointing instead to some kind of ritual. Some features of this presumably ritual processing exhibit parallels with other regions of Spain, but the sheer faunal diversity recorded in this case renders Camino de las Yeseras an exceptional case in the Prehistory of the Iberian Peninsula.

En este trabajo abordamos el análisis geoarqueológico y cronoestratigráfico de los indicios arqueoló-gicos más antiguos de frecuentación humana en el sector occidental de la Bahía de Málaga. Los datos disponibles permiten ubicar dichas evidencias, como mínimo, en momentos plenos del Pleistoceno medio. Asimismo, tratamos aspectos tecnológicos, paleoambientales, cronológicos o subsistenciales, así como otros relacionados con la explota-ción del territorio durante el estadio isotópico (MIS) 6. Los datos disponibles apuntan a que los rasgos definitorios del Paleolítico medio meridional ibérico ya estaban vigentes en esta zona hace 150.000 años. Palabras claves: Bahía de Málaga, Pleistoceno Medio, Paleolítico Medio, Cronología. earliest human occuPations and the early stage of the southern iberian middle Paleolithic in the bay of málaga abstract: In this paper we address the geoarchaeological and chronostratigraphic features of the earliest archaeological evidences in the western sector of the Bay of Malaga. The available data sets these data squarely back to the Middle Pleistocene. Likewise, we explore issues dealing with technological, palaeoenvironmental, and chronological features, along with landscape use during marine isotopic stage (MIS) 6. These data suggest that in this area the defining features of the Southern Iberian Middle Paleolithic were already in place by at least c. 150,000 years.