Este trabajo busca profundizar el conocimiento sobre el rol de los sectores intermedios de las quebradas en el entramado social de la microrregión de Antofagasta de la Sierra (Puna meridional argentina) a lo largo del tiempo. A través del estudio de la tecnología cerámica desde una perspectiva diacrónica (ca. 2000-500 aP), haciendo énfasis en los estudios petrográficos de pastas, se investigan los cambios y continuidades en la producción alfarera de la microrregión. Para ello, se presentan los resultados de la investigación realizada sobre el material cerámico proveniente de los sitios de Las Escondidas y Corral Alto, en la quebrada del Río Miriguaca, y Cueva Salamanca 1, en la quebrada del Río Las Pitas. A partir de los análisis realizados, se pudo concluir que existieron cambios en los modos de hacer cerámica a lo largo del tiempo en la microrregión. Se observó que durante el Formativo (ca. 2000 aP) existió un modo de hacer compartido en un área amplia, mientras que durante el periodo Tardío (ca. 800 aP) se dio una fragmentación en las prácticas de producción cerámica en la microrregión. Estos cambios responden a profundas trasformaciones ocurridas en las sociedades puneñas que se comenzaron a gestar tiempo antes del comienzo del período Tardío en un proceso paulatino, complejo y heterogéneo.

It is possible for individuals with a diagnosis of cancer to see the illness as an opportunity to change and to make certain decisions that could improve their chances of recovery. We aimed, through qualitative research, to understand the experience of cancer in older adults through new behaviors and habits, intentions to change and maintenance of old behaviors and habits in the context of the disease. Our participants were 10 people aged 60 to 73 with a diagnosis of cancer. The majority of participants expressed intentions to change or adopted new behaviors or habits. Relatives had very little influence on participant’s choices and participants did not seek information on cancer or ways to contribute to healing. However, they were very receptive to the recommendations made by physicians.

This paper examines how the relationships between the factors (predisposing, enabling and illness) of the 1973 Andersen framework and service use are influenced by changes in the caring role in older women of the 1921–26 cohort of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Outcome variables were the use of three formal community support services: (a) nursing or community health services, (b) home-making services and (c) home maintenance services. Predictor variables were survey wave and the following carer characteristics: level of education, country of birth, age, area of residence, ability to manage on income, need for care, sleep difficulty and changes in caring role. Carer changes were a significant predictor of formal service use. Their inclusion did not attenuate the relationship between the Andersen framework factors and service use, but instead provided a more complete representation of carers' situations. Women were more likely to have used support services if they had changed into or out of co-resident caring or continued to provide co-resident care for a frail, ill or disabled person, needed care themselves, and reported sleep difficulties compared with women who did not provide care. These findings are important because they indicate that support services are particularly relevant to women who are changing their caring role and who are themselves in need of care.

Objective – Starting from research on environmental factors that influence schizophrenia, the author speculates on innovations that could reduce the occurrence of the illness, improve its course and enhance the quality of life of sufferers and their relatives. Results – Ranging from education about obstetric risks to a stigma-reducing campaign, the suggestions could be of interest, not only to clinicians, but also to advocates, policy-makers and communications specialists. Conclusions – Several of the suggestions, which would be innovative in the United States, are already established features of Italian mental health care. These features include social enterprises, family support payments and a disability pension system without severe disincentives to work.

The composition and structure of a molluscan assemblage was studied in a deep subtidal eelgrass bed located in southern Spain before and after the eelgrass decline experienced during 2005 and 2006 due to illegal trawling by fishermen. Sampling was undertaken in summer 2004 (with eelgrass) and summer 2007 (without eelgrass) in an extensive eelgrass bed located in Cañuelo Bay (12–14 m depth) and in the same area once the eelgrass bed disappeared. Eelgrass was completely absent in those samples of summer 2007 and an increase of the organic content and mud was registered in the sediment between 2004 and 2007. The density and the richness of molluscan species decreased significantly in summer 2007, especially for epifaunal gastropods associated with the leaf and sediment stratum. Some species disappeared completely in summer 2007 such as the dominant periphyton grazers Jujubinus striatus and Rissoa spp., the egg feeder Mitrella minor and the seagrass feeder Smaragdia viridis as well as the infaunal bivalve Solemya togata. Other species increased their densities such as the carnivores Cylichna crossei or C. cylindracea as well as the bivalve Nucula nitidosa. Some dominant infaunal species, such as Chamelea gallina, Spisula subtruncata or Tellina fabula did not significantly change their densities. The composition and structure of the assemblages in summer 2004 and summer 2007 was significantly different according to the Bray–Curtis similarity index using qualitative and quantitative data and considering the entire assemblage (epifaunal and infaunal species) or only the infaunal species. The registered changes in the molluscan assemblage may have produced cascade effects in higher trophic levels because molluscs generally represent an important food source for some decapods and fish. Urgent conservation measures are needed for protecting the remaining fragmented eelgrass beds of southern Spain from further illegal fisheries activities and other types of human impacts (e.g. sand extraction and coastal infrastructures), because they support the most diverse faunistic communities for eelgrass beds in Europe due to their bathymetry and geographical location.