SOCIOECONOMIC INEQUALITIES IN SELF-REPORTED HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FUNCTIONING IN ARGENTINA: FINDINGS FROM THE NATIONAL SURVEY ON QUALITY OF LIFE OF OLDER ADULTS 2012 (ENCaViAM).

This study aimed to evaluate educational and income inequalities in self-reported health (SRH), and physical functioning (limitations in Activities of Daily Living (ADL)/Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL)), among 60-year-old and older adults in Argentina. Using cross-sectional data from the Argentinian National Survey on Quality of Life of Older Adults 2012 (Encuesta Nacional sobre Calidad de Vida de Adultos Mayores, ENCaViAM), gender-specific socioeconomic inequalities in SRH and ADL and IADL limitations were studied in relation to educational level and household per capita income. The Relative Index of Inequality (RII) - an index of the relative size of socioeconomic inequalities in health - was used. Socioeconomic inequalities in the studied health indicators were found - except for limitations in ADL among women - favouring socially advantaged groups. The results remained largely significant after full adjustment, suggesting that educational and income inequalities, mainly in SRH and IADL, were robust and somehow independent of age, marital status, physical activity, the use of several medications, depression and the occurrence of falls. The findings add to the existing knowledge on the relative size of the socioeconomic inequalities in subjective health indicators among Argentinian older adults, which are to the detriment of lower socioeconomic groups. The results could be used to inform planning interventions aimed at decreasing socioeconomic inequalities in health, to the benefit of socially disadvantaged adults.

Inbreeding and population subdivision in Córdoba province, Argentina, at the end of the eighteenth century.

Marital isonymy is frequently used to estimate inbreeding and the repeated pairs method is useful to investigate whether the population under examination has subdivisions. These methods can also be applied to registers, such as population censuses, where both spouses' surnames are noted. In this paper, the 1795 census for Córdoba province is analysed. Numerically speaking, Spanish and mixed-race people are the major ethno-social groups in the register. In order to estimate inbreeding, the isonymic method was applied to both groups, at provincial and at parish level. To appreciate to what extent the parishes were genetically isolated, Wright's Fst was also calculated. The repeated pairs method was also used for both groups to assess if population subdivision existed in the units under study. Finally, to evaluate whether the subdivision based on surnames reflected the ethno-social stratification, the same method was used considering the two groups together. At the provincial scale, both groups displayed low inbreeding and micro-differentiation, although the former was higher for the Spanish and the latter for mixed-race groups, which could indicate a more marked conjugal selectivity in the Spanish. At the parish scale, preferences for isonymic spouses were not pronounced either in Spanish or in mixed-race groups; in the Spanish group population subdivision prevailed, with the opposite occurring in the mixed-race group. The estimations from repeated pairs, taking the two groups together, indicated that for the studied populations the surnames do not allow the two groups to be differentiated into isolated reproductive units.

Morfología dental en una muestra de cráneos humanos de Pampa Grande, Argentina / Dental morphology in a sample of human skulls from Pampa Grande, Argentina

Se ha estudiado la prevalencia de 25 rasgos dentales en un grupo de cráneos adultos de aborígenes argentinos provenientes de la provincia de Salta, particularmente de la localidad llamada Pampa Grande. Se han analizando las arcadas superiores e inferiores de los mismos y la totalidad de las piezas dentales, excepto los terceros molares. El estudio se realizó sobre la dentición permanente de 66 cráneos adultos - maduros. Se establecieron las frecuencias absolutas y relativas de los rasgos estudiados.

Prevalence of 25 dental non-metric traits has been observed in a sample of 66 adult human skulls from Pampa Grande, Provincia de Salta, Argentina. All teeth from upper and lower arcades were analyzed, except the third molars. Frequency of traits observed was established.

Temporal and territorial analysis of multiple deliveries in Spain (1900-2006).

Temporal variations in the frequency of multiple maternities in many Western European countries have been described. However, within a single country, regional differences are observed. Urban industrialized regions and rural agricultural areas have experienced in recent decades a distinct decline in multiple deliveries, which in cases have been related to maternal age and parity changes. Research on multiple deliveries in Spain is scarce and none of the studies go back to the beginning of the 20th century or consider regional variation over an extended period of time. The present paper is a yearly study on multiple deliveries in Spain since 1900 including a geographical analysis. Rather than dealing with recent changes in multi-parity, this paper is concerned with Spain's long-term national variation (between 1900 and 2006). The changing pattern of double and triple deliveries was analyzed using data from the Spanish National Statistics Institute (INE). Twinning rates in Spain are low in comparison to those of equivalent periods in other countries, and the minimum rates correspond to the 1980s decade. Results were interpreted by taking into account the influence of age at maternity and reproductive variation up to 1990. A good fit between observed and predicted rates was obtained after the application of models, which besides maternal age and parity, include their interaction. Regarding territorial variability, the values corresponding to southern, northern and insular Spanish provinces are consistent with an earlier reduction of the crude birth rate in the north-east regions and latter in the southern regions and the Canary Islands.

Dental non-metric traits in a pre-conquest sample "Calchaquí" from Argentina, South America / Rasgos dentales no-métricos en una muestra pre-conquista "Calchaquí" de Argentina, América del Sur

The present study was carried out with a Calchaquí human Pre-Conquest sample from Northwest of Argentina, with the aim of exploring the dental morphology patterns in this population. This study was carried out by means of a macroscopic analysis in permanent dentitions of 7 skulls. 40 dental non-mtetric traits were recorded using the ASU Dental Anthropology System. Percentages >70 percent was found only in 4 traits. Calchaquí sample studied here is near to these values in shovel shape expression, but the results of this study suggest that a Sinodont pattern is no clear for this sample. To conclude, the present investigation provides additional, insightful elements for a description of biological factors in the process of dental morphologic diversification associated to regional and temporal ranges in this region of Argentina.

Estudiamos una muestra Pre-Conquista de Calchaquíes del Noroeste de Argentina, con el objetivo de explorar patrones de morfología dental presentes en esta población. Se realizó un análisis macroscópico en dentición permanente de 7 cráneos. 40 rasgos no-dentales fueron registrados utilizando el ASU Dental Antropology System. Porcentajes mayores al 70 por ciento fueron encontrados solamente en 4 rasgos. La muestra estudiada está cerca de valores en la expresión de la forma de pala, pero los resultados de este estudio sugieren que un patrón Sinodonte no es claro para esta muestra. Para concluir, la presente investigación brinda adicionalmente, profundos elementos para una descripción de los factores biológicos en el proceso de diversificación morfológica dental asociada a los rangos regionales y temporales en esta región de Argentina.

Factors related to inbreeding components from isonymy in an urban population: Aranjuez (Spain).

An isonymic analysis has been carried out using a sample of 1529 reconstituted families residing during 1870-1964 in Aranjuez, an urban area situated south of Madrid, Spain. The random, non-random and total-components inbreeding coefficients from isonymy were obtained and the various combinations of surnames compared in order to infer the patri- or matrilocal pattern of residence. Throughout the period studied the random component of inbreeding (F(r)) has not changed, in contrast to the non-random component (F(n)), thus suggesting the latter could be responsible for the reduction of total inbreeding. Using several methodological approaches (biplot analysis, alpha, nu and percentage of immigrants) the predominance of the immigration of grooms was interpreted in terms of Aranjuez as a matrilocal pattern of residence. From this study it can also be concluded that surnames provided by reconstituted families are good estimators of inbreeding and migration.

El metaconulo de los molares superiores humanos / The metaconule in the human upper molars

Este artículo presenta la distribución mundial del rasgo Metaconulo en los primeros molares superiores humanos. Su conocimiento poblacional nos ayuda a tener una visión más completa de la morfología dental humana y nos permite tener un referente geográfico y temporal de este rasgo.

This article shows the world wide distribution of Metaconule trait on first human upper molars. The populational record of this trait can help us to know better the human dental morphology, its geographic and microevolution of this dental trait.

Morfología dental de una serie prehistórica de araucanos provenientes de la Patagonia Argentina y su relación biológica con otras poblaciones prehistóricas argentinas y del mundo / Dental morphology in a prehistoric sample of araucanos from Patagonia and his biological relationship with other prehistoric populations from Argentina and the world

Se ha estudiado la prevalencia de 25 rasgos dentales en un grupo de cráneos adultos prehispánicos conservados en el Museo de La Plata (Argentina). Se han analizando ambas arcadas y la totalidad de las piezas dentales de la dentición permanente excepto los terceros molares. El principal objetivo de este estudio es establecer el patrón morfológico dental según las frecuencias absolutas y relativas de los rasgos que caracterizan a la dentición de la serie araucanos. Se puede concluir, por las frecuencias de los rasgos analizados, que la muestra presenta similitudes con las poblaciones mongoloides sinodontes y se aleja de las poblaciones europeas y africanas.

The prevalence of 25 dental traits in a simple of pre-hispanic mature skulls belonging to Museo de La Plata (Agentina) were analyzed. Both arches, upper and lower, and all of the permanent dentition with the exception of the third molars were studied. The main objective of this study was to establish the morphological dental pattern according to absolute and relative frequency of the traits that characterize the dentitions of araucanos. It can be concluded, from the frecuency of the traits analyzed, that the sample presents similarities with momgoloid synodonts and it moves away from the European and African populations.

Morfología Dental de una Serie Prehistórica de Araucanos Provenientes de la Patagonia Argentina y su Relación Biológica con Otras Poblaciones Prehistóricas Argentinas y del Mundo / Dental Morphology in a Prehistoric Sample of Araucanos From Patagonia and His Biological Relationship With Other Prehistoric Populations From Argentina and the World

Se estudió la prevalencia de 25 rasgos dentales en un grupo de cráneos adultos prehispánicos, conservados en el Museo de La Plata (Argentina). Fueron analizadas ambas arcadas y la totalidad de las piezas dentales de la dentición permanente excepto los terceros molares. El principal objetivo de este estudio es establecer el patrón morfológico dental, según las frecuencias absolutas y relativas de los rasgos que caracterizan a la dentición de la serie Araucanos. Se puede concluir, por las frecuencias presentadas en los rasgos analizados, que la muestra presenta similitudes con las poblaciones mongoloides sinodontes y se aleja de las poblaciones europeas y africanas.

Presence of 25 dental traits in a sample of pre-conquest mature skulls kept in Museo de La Plata (Argentina) has been analyzed. Both arches upper and lower and all permanent dental pieces has been registred, except third molars. This study establish dental morphology patterns from a statistical point of view. We conluded that statistical frequences show high similarity with populations associated to mongoloid dental complex and move away of European and African populations.

Class endogamy, inbreeding and migration during the Argentinean colonial period: analysis based on individuals of European ancestry.

During the Spanish colonial period, Córdoba was an important town due to its location suitable for controlling communication throughout a wide region of Argentina. As a typical colonial society, where individuals belonged to a well established social class, marriages among Whites were the result of strict norms and prejudices founded on nets of kinship, friendship and neighbouring. The objective of this paper is to determine, whether the elevated class endogamy among Whites during the colonial period resulted in high consanguinity and whether a process of selection of surnames was present in 1813. In both cases the interaction with the migratory flow was taken into account. It is concluded that (a) Although an endogamy of "class" existed among Whites, there is no evidence of the consequences on the biological structure of the population through preferential mating between relatives, as deduced from the low level of inbreeding from isonymy. (b) There was no differential reproduction reflecting the selection of families carrying certain surnames; therefore surnames followed a "neutral" model. (c) The diversity of surnames and the gene flow deduced from them were of a magnitude similar to present populations; this fact could have balanced the effect of the "class" endogamy. (d) Finally, the congruence between information derived from the population age distribution and historic data and the quantification of migration from surnames allowed the detection of mistakes in the census data file regarding the number of foreigners, thus validating the use of surnames as biological markers of the population structure.

Isonymic relationships in ethno-social categories (Argentinian colonial period) including illegitimate reproduction.

Surnames provide a useful method to study the structure of human populations for which biological data are not available. The isonymic method has had multiple applications, but difficulties emerge when dealing with groups where extramarital reproduction is common and the sample size is small, and even more so when only paternal surnames are taken into account.Therefore, it could be of interest to retain female surnames, including those of unmarried mothers. This study was carried out using all birth records froman Argentinian population in the colonial period, which was characterized by the presence of different ethno-social groups (Spanish, Indian and 'Mestizo'or mixed Spanish-Indian) and various reproductive patterns regarding legitimacy. Coefficient of relationship by isonymy (Ri) kinship matrices between geographical populations were obtained, and the results derived from sets of surnames (paternal, maternal of legitimate and illegitimate children,and all surnames in the registers) compared. The results show similar surname distribution regardless of the set of surnames and group considered. Kinship Ri matrices using paternal surnames, maternal surnames of legitimate children, maternal surnames of illegitimate children, and the set of whole surnames showed the same relationships among populations, indicating a similar pattern for Spanish, Indian and Mixed ethno-social groups. Mantel test correlation between all pairs of matrices was significant in all different ethno-social groups. The results suggest that in populations with high illegitimacy, such as that studied here, it is possible to include maternal surnames, even corresponding to single mothers, in order to consider total reproduction and therefore maximize sample size.

Use of surname models in human population biology: a review of recent developments.

Since 1985, when a bibliography concerning studies on surnames and genetic structure appeared, the number of publications on this subject has increased a thousandfold. New topics and uses have been added, but large gaps in knowledge remain. Only studies on isonymy in cities of nation states for recent times are well covered, and most studies are on populations that were selected because they are isolated and not because they are typical. This review, although not exhaustive, covers the literature published since 1985.