Sistema Regional de Información
en línea para Revistas Científicas de América Latina,
el Caribe, España y Portugal

The black-and-gold howler monkey, Alouatta caraya, is an arboreal primate that inhabits the northeastern region of Argentina, from the provinces of Formosa and Misiones to northeastern Santa Fe and central Corrientes. This distribution has not changed dramatically from its historical distribution. However, it has been proposed that the species inhabited the northwestern region of Entre Ríos. The aim of this paper was to analyze paleontological and archaeological studies carried out in that province, focusing on those from the northern and western regions, in order to provide accurate information on the historical distribution of A. caraya at its southernmost limit, which can be taken into account in conservation plans for the species. The literature review revealed only a brief mention of non-human primates in the region, either as representations of zoomorphic ceramic appendages associated with the Goya-Malabrigo archaeological entity, or as part of the vocabulary of indigenous peoples who inhabited the region. However, there are no records of monkey bone remains, of any species, from paleontological or archaeological sites in Entre Ríos. Likewise, there is no evidence of their use as food source or for other purposes by the indigenous people who inhabited the province. Knowing both the historical and recent distribution of species is a key factor that must be considered in the design of conservation plans, especially those involving animal release or reintroduction programs.

Research on breastfeeding and weaning practices has great potential in bioarchaeology, as it not only enables the analysis of cross-cultural diversity in these childrearing practices among different populations but also provides insights into how various factors—such as biological, sociocultural, environmental, demographic, and economic—affect these processes. This work represents the first study on infant feeding in pre-Hispanic populations of Panama. The sample includes 44 non-adult individuals aged 0 to 9 years and 18 adult individuals from three archaeological sites in central Panama: Cerro Mangote, Sitio Sierra, and Cerro Juan Díaz, corresponding to the Early, Middle, and Late Ceramic periods. To analyze aspects related to infant feeding, stable of nitrogen (δ15N) and carbon (δ13C) were measured from bone collagen. δ15N data were analyzed using the Bayesian WARN method (Weaning Age Reconstruction using Nitrogen Isotope Analysis [R Package]) to estimate the start and end of weaning. Additionally, δ13C values were assessed to identify complementary foods and dietary variations between children and adults. The results indicate that the introduction of complementary foods occurred before six months of age, marking an early onset of the weaning process. However, the overall duration of the weaning process varied over time, with differences observed across chronological phases, ranging from 3 to 3.9 years. These early weaning practices may have shortened birth intervals and contributed to population growth during the periods associated with these archaeological contexts.

In this exploratory study, we analyzed the hormonal and growth trajectories of 61 Qom/Toba girls aged 8 to 14 years from a peri-urban community in Formosa, Argentina. Monthly measurements of weight and height were taken, and eight urine samples were collected every three months until the menarche was reported or until the end of the study. The urine samples were analyzed using enzyme immunoassay to determine testosterone and C-peptide levels. Bayesian Gompertz models were used to generate predicted hormonal and anthropometric growth parameters for statistical analysis. The model results suggest that early menarche and a higher overall body mass index (BMI) velocity during puberty were associated with rapid increases in C-peptide levels in the early stages of puberty but not with higher initial levels of these variables. It was predicted that most girls would maintain their initial BMI status throughout puberty while 10% would transition from overweight to a healthy weight, and 15% from healthy weight to overweight or obesity. Neither predicted adult height nor growth velocity showed a statistically significant association with BMI velocity, although growth velocity was positively correlated with C-peptide and testosterone levels up to age 11. These f indings underscore the importance of longitudinal data in understanding the heterogeneous patterns of pubertal growth and obesity risks within and across populations.

Given the lack of studies on changes in the nutritional status of children in rural areas, this study aims to determine the prevalence of malnutrition and the socio-economic and environmental characteristics of the residence of boys and girls in the district of Magdalena (Buenos Aires), as well as to investigate whether any secular changes have occurred over the last 15 years (2008-2023). To this end, the prevalence of malnutrition (undernutrition and excess weight) was calculated and compared in two samples of schoolchildren, aged 3-11 years, attending schools in the district of Magdalena. Data collection for sample 1 (n = 321) took place between 2008–2009, and for sample 2 (n = 431) in 2023. Nutritional status was determined according to the World Health Organization cut-off points, and the description of the residential context was based on self-administered and structured surveys that asked about housing characteristics, access to services and health care, educational level, and the employment situation of parents. A decrease in chronic undernutrition (4%) was observed driven by improvements in the socio-economic and environmental characteristics of families. Simultaneously, a positive secular trend in excess weight was observed (an increase of 3% in overweight and 8% in obesity), regardless of the environment. These results place the current child population of Magdalena in a more advanced stage of nutritional transition than the previous one.

The present study analyzes the evolution of prevalence rates of different types of malnutrition, differentiated by sex, in schoolchildren aged 10 to 14 years in San Salvador de Jujuy during the period 1997–2015. This is an epidemiological, observational, and analytical study, based on secondary data from the National School Health Program. Nutritional status was evaluated using body mass index for age and height for age. Annual prevalences of thinness, overweight, obesity, stunting, and stunting with excess weight were calculated, and trends were analyzed using Joinpoint regression models. In general, the proportions of thinness and stunting with excess weight were higher in females, while overnutrition was more prevalent in males. No significant temporal variations were found in the prevalences of thinness and stunting with excess weight. Stunting showed a decreasing trend, more marked in males. Overweight and obesity showed upward trends, with overweight being similar between sexes and obesity more pronounced in males. It is concluded that the increase in excess weight in Jujuy schoolchildren transitioning to adolescence is significant and reflects the global trend. The differences observed between sexes could be attributed to multiple biological and sociocontextual factors, which require further study to be fully understood.

In the Tumulus II of Brazo Largo (Lower Paraná River Delta), excavated in 1923 by Pablo Gaggero and Octavio Fernández, numerous materials remains and human burials were found, currently in the collections of the La Plata Museum. The aim of this paper is to present the results of the bioarchaeological and paleopathological analysis of the bones and teeth of individual buried in that site in order to 1) provide information on the preservation and conformation of the collection, 2) characterize the mortuary practices and the handing of the bodies, and 3) analyze different oral dental indicators and bone lesions. The bioarchaeological assemblage consists of a minimum number of 38 individuals, among which both sub-adults and adults of both sexes are represented. The bone elements are well-preserved, indicated by the low fragmentation index and high bone integrity. The documentation regarding fieldwork at the site does not allow for specification of burial modalities, and no evidence of fleshing or coloring application on the remains was found. The oral-dental indicators show similar frequencies compared to other bioarchaeological assemblages from the lower Paraná. Finally, traumatic lesions were observed in two skulls, possibly linked related to interpersonal violence events. This work complements the re-analyses of this site excavated 100 years ago and contributes to the understanding of the demographic composition, health and burial practices of the populations that inhabited the lower Paraná River during the late Holocene.

The main objective of this work is to reconstruct the brief life histories of children buried in Monte Albán, Oaxaca, Mexico, in two domestic units (Parking House A and A’). Life history and osteobiography were applied to link macroscopic observation of bone lesions (criba orbitalia, porotic hyperostosis and periosteal reactions) with the archaeological context of the individuals. A total of 20 children and infants under five years of age were analyzed, all of them deposited in simple earth pits. Children under three years of age were located under patios, and two five-year-old children were found under rooms. Periosteal reaction was observed in all of them, which could indicate the presence of infections due to the unhealthy environment of the urban city of Monte Albán. Lesions compatible with nutritional deficiencies such as scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), rickets (vitamin D deficiency), anemia (vitamin B12 or folic acid deficiency), and vitamin A deficiency were identified. Three cases are described in greater depth based on their archaeological context and the bone and dental lesions observed in them. The importance of Zapotec children and infants is demonstrated in their funerary treatment.

A descriptive analysis of the demographic behavior of Cochinoca, a town located in the central area of the Puna de Jujuy, Republic of Argentina, is presented, on the basis of count sources from 1654 to 2010, divided into three periods: colonial, historical, and current. The general composition was analyzed, assessing population size, sex structure, and age structure, and relating our observations to the socio-political context of each period. The population was found to be growing, young considering the large number of infants during the entire period observed, and with a robust labor force represented by adults and young men and women. There was also a considerable ageing portion, with greater female representation in all three periods. Initially, sex distribution was balanced, but later presented a marked imbalance, a situation possibly related to male labor migrations and war events during the 19th century. The sources consulted proved adequate to evaluate general demographic aspects, covering at least three centuries. They made it possible to observe long-term phenomena in a population in constant change, adjusting to the situation of each phase analyzed.

Cancer cells are highly adaptive and often resistant to antitumor agents, which prevents effective cancer therapy. However, in these cells there are factors that can modify the response to chemotherapy treatment. Previous results, obtained in HeLa tumor cells, demonstrated that folic acid (FA) combined with carboplatin (CBP) allowed lowering the dose of CBP used and increasing the activity of the platinum compound. In this sense, it is essential to evaluate the effects of such treatment on healthy cells. For this reason, the effect of combined FA and CBP treatment in vitro on cell viability (MTT assay) in peripheral blood of healthy women was analyzed. Cultures were carried out for 48 hours at 37°C, during the last 24 hours the treatments were carried out: 1. negative control (NC); 2. FA control (900 nM); 3. CBP control (40.4 mM); 4. mannitol control (ML 40.4 mM); 5. combined FA-CBP (900 nM-40.4 mM); 6. combined FA-ML (900 nM-40.4 mM); 7. positive control (PC ethanol 10%). The cultures that received the FA-CBP combination showed a similar viability to that observed for NC. On the contrary, in the cultures that received treatment with CBP only, viability decreased in a statistically significant manner compared to the control. These findings could be a contribution to exploring the use of FA in protocols based on platinum agents, in order to reduce doses in the treatment of patients and the appearance of side effects.