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A ceremonial tsantsa - or shrunken head - was authenticated and repatriated to Ecuador in 2019, after it had been discovered amongst stored exhibits at Mercer University, USA. The history of the artefact and the process of its authentication - which involved CT scans and assessment of 33 criteria such skin and hair features - are described in a study published in
Heritage Science.
Tsantsas are unique and valuable artefacts that were produced by the Shuar, Achuar, Awajún/ Aguaruna, Wampís/Huambisa, and Candoshi-Shampra (SAAWC) peoples until the mid-20th century. They were made from the heads of enemies slain during combat in a labour-intensive, multi-step process. Tsantsas became valuable as keepsakes during the 19th century as a result of Western/European cultural encroachment, and unmet demand resulted in the production of convincing forgeries. As a result, repatriation of tsantsas to their places of origin requires prior authentication.
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Obesity may be a stronger risk factor for death, severe pneumonia and the need for intubation in men than in women with COVID-19, according to a study published in the
European Journal of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases.
An analysis of a cohort of 3530 COVID-19 patients showed that both moderate (BMI of 35/m2 or higher) and severe obesity (BMI of 40kg/m2 and higher) in men but only severe obesity in women (BMI of 40kg/m2 and higher) was associated greater risk of developing severe disease, needing intubation and dying from COVID-19 in hospital.
Previous research demonstrated that obesity is a risk factor for hospitalization, severe disease, and death in patients with COVID-19. However, whether all classes of obesity are associated with worse outcomes and whether this varies between men and women has not been clear.
New species of dumbo octopus identified using minimally invasive techniques eurekalert.org - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from eurekalert.org Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
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Children who are exposed to abuse before they are eleven years old, and those exposed to abuse both in childhood and adolescence may be more likely to develop conduct problems (such as bullying or stealing) than those exposed to abuse in adolescence only and those who are not exposed to abuse, according to a study published in the open access journal
BMC Psychiatry.
A team of researchers at the Universities of Bath and Bristol examined data on 13,793 children and adolescents (51.6% boys), who were followed from ages four to 17 years, included in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children, a cohort of children born in South-West England in the early 1990s.
Greenhouse gas emissions associated with national dietary guidelines advocating a healthy diet vary greatly between countries, with US guidelines having the largest carbon footprint and India having the smallest, according to a study involving seven countries published in the open access