Lineal Megalithic Scripts in widespread rocks, stones and a menhir structure in Zalamea la Real (Huelva, Spain)

Zalamea la Real is close to the biggest Mediterranean mines known in ancient times: Riotinto Mines (Huelva, Spain). Zalamea is within the South Iberia Pyrite Belt, which goes from Alcácer do Sal (Portugal) to Seville (Las Cruces Mines, at Gerena/Aznalcollar villages). It is a territory containing a high density of megaliths and neglected rocks/stones on the surrounding area which are rests of them. Zalamea district could be considered a megalithic region and also a megalithic context altogether, which is linked to mines of metal extractions since 3000 years ago. Probably, the main mines furnaces were at Zalamea. This metal richness could explain Tartessos flourishing, which could extend together with both the high megaliths density and the Southern Iberia Pyrite Belt through South Spain and Portugal. Indeed, common Iberian-Tartessian signary (sometimes admixed with Lineal Megalithic Scripts, a primitive evolutionary writing stage) had been used in this Iberian Pyrite Belt area. In the present paper ,we show our findings on Zalamea la Real engraved rocks/stones and menhirs with Lineal Megalithic Scripts and Tartessian signs, and put them in a context of other similar findings in a big European/African area (South Iberia, Canary Islands and South Algeria, Sahara Desert).

HLA-G: Too Much or Too Little? Role in Cancer and Autoimmune Disease

HLA-G is a non-classical HLA class I molecule with immunomodulatory properties. It was initially described at the maternal-fetal interface, and it was later found that this molecule was constitutively expressed on certain immuneprivileged tissues, such as cornea, endothelial and erythroid precursors, and thymus. The immunosuppressive effect of HLA-G is exerted through the interaction with its cognate receptors, expressed on immunocompetent cells, like ILT2, expressed on NK, B, T cells and APCs; ILT4, on APCs; KIR, found on the surface of NK cells; and finally, the co-receptor CD8. Because of these immunomodulatory functions, HLA-G has been involved in several processes, amongst which organ transplantation, viral infections, cancer progression, and autoimmunity. HLA-G neo-expression on tumors has been recently described in several types of malignancies. In fact, tumor progression is tightly linked to the presence of the molecule, as it exerts its tolerogenic function, inhibiting the cells of the immune system and favoring tumor escape. Several polymorphisms in the 3’UTR region condition changes in HLA-G expression (14bp and +3142C/G, among others), which have been associated with both the development and outcome of patients with different tumor types. Also, in recent years, several studies have shown that HLA-G plays an important role in the control of autoimmune diseases. The ability of HLA-G to limit the progression of these diseases has been confirmed and, in fact, levels of the molecule and several of its polymorphisms have been associated with increased susceptibility to the development of autoimmune diseases, as well as increased disease severity. Thus, modulating HLA-G expression in target tissues of oncology patients or patients with autoimmune diseases may be potential therapeutic approaches to treat these pathological conditions.

HLA-G 3'UTR Polymorphisms Are Linked to Susceptibility and Survival in Spanish Gastric Adenocarcinoma Patients

HLA-G is a non-classical class I HLA molecule that induces tolerance by acting on receptors of both innate and adaptive immune cells. When overexpressed in tumors, limits surveillance by the immune system. The HLA-G gene shows several polymorphisms involved in mRNA and protein levels. We decided to study the implication of two polymorphisms (rs371194629; 14bp INS/DEL and rs1063320; +3142 C/G) in paired tissue samples (tumoral and non-tumoral) from 107 Spanish patients with gastric adenocarcinoma and 58 healthy control individuals, to assess the possible association of the HLA-G gene with gastric adenocarcinoma susceptibility, disease progression and survival. The presence of somatic mutations involving these polymorphisms was also analyzed. The frequency of the 14bp DEL allele was increased in patients (70.0%) compared to controls (57.0%, p=0.025). In addition, the haplotype formed by the combination of the 14bp DEL/+3142 C variants is also increased in patients (54.1% vs 44.4%, p=0.034, OR=1.74 CI95% 1.05-2.89). Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed that 14bp DEL/DEL patients showed lower 5-year life-expectancy than INS/DEL or INS/INS (p=0.041). Adjusting for TNM staging (Cox regression analysis) disclosed a significant difference in death risk (p=0.03) with an expected hazard 2.6 times higher. Finally, no somatic mutations were found when comparing these polymorphisms in tumoral vs non-tumoral tissues, which indicates that this is a preexisting condition in patients and not a de novo, tumor-restricted, event. In conclusion, the variants predominant in patients were those increasing HLA-G mRNA stability and HLA-G expression, clearly involving this molecule in gastric adenocarcinoma susceptibility, disease progression and survival and making it a potential target for immunotherapeutic approaches.

Iberian inscriptions in Sahara Desert rocks (Ti-m Missaou, Ahaggar Mts. area, Algeria): first evidence of incise Iberian rock scripts in continental North Africa

In the present paper, we show Iberian or Iberian-Guanche scripts found in the Middle of Sahara Desert, Ti-m Missaou (Tim Missao, Tim Missaw), 270 km SouthWest of Tamanrasset on Ahaggar or Hoggar Mountains (Mts.) area (Algeria). More Iberian scripts may be earthed beneath Sahara Desert sands or have been neglected by observers. We also put forward that Iberian semi-syllabary may have its origin in the Neolithic Saharo-Canarian Circle, the same as other Mediterranean, Atlantic and European lineal scripts (apart from Berber/Tuareg) like Etruscan, Runes, Old Italian languages, Minoan Lineal A, Sitovo and Gradeshnitsa (Bulgaria) writings (6,000 yearsBC) and others. In fact, Strabo wrote that Iberians had written language before since 6,000 BC. On the other hand, Sahara Desert was green and populated since before 5,000 years BC and we had proposed that most of Mediterranean culture, languages and writing, had a Saharan origin. Ti-m Missaou Sahara Iberian inscriptions, together with our previous and others researches on Canary Islands, further support this proposal, i.e.: rock scripts, Gimbutas-like Paleolithic figurines and unusual artifacts, like a lunisolar Egyptian-like calendar (“Cheeseboard/Quesera” at Lanzarote) carved in a Megalithic stone, do no support that Phoenicians and Romans carried Canarian ancient Guanche culture. Finally, a continuous lineal writing systems developing seems to have occurred during Paleolithic and Neolithic Epochs, which also harbor the related incise Lineal Megalithic Scripts that could have given rise to Iberian development and other lineal African, European and Mediterranean lineal language scripts. Our present new data is interpreted in the context of the Sahara people migration which occurred when hyperarid conditions started establishing about 6,000 years BC. Keywords: Iberian, Iberian-Guanche, Scripts, Canary Islands, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Prehistory, Saharo-Canarian Circle, Genetics, Megaliths, Iberia, Sahara, Atlantic, Mediterranean, Lineal Scripts, Neolithic, Tamanrasset, Hoggar, Ahaggar, Usko-Mediterranean,Etruscan, Tuareg, Berber, Lineal A.

Iberian inscriptions in Sahara Desert rocks (Ti-m Missaou, Ahaggar Mts. area, Algeria): first evidence of incise Iberian rock scripts in continental North Africa

In the present paper, we show Iberian or Iberian-Guanche scripts found in the Middle of Sahara Desert, Ti-m Missaou (Tim Missao, Tim Missaw), 270 km SouthWest of Tamanrasset on Ahaggar or Hoggar Mountains (Mts.) area (Algeria). More Iberian scripts may be earthed beneath Sahara Desert sands or have been neglected by observers. We also put forward that Iberian semi-syllabary may have its origin in the Neolithic Saharo-Canarian Circle, the same as other Mediterranean, Atlantic and European lineal scripts (apart from Berber/Tuareg) like Etruscan, Runes, Old Italian languages, Minoan Lineal A, Sitovo and Gradeshnitsa (Bulgaria) writings (6,000 yearsBC) and others. In fact, Strabo wrote that Iberians had written language before since 6,000 BC. On the other hand, Sahara Desert was green and populated since before 5,000 years BC and we had proposed that most of Mediterranean culture, languages and writing, had a Saharan origin. Ti-m Missaou Sahara Iberian inscriptions, together with our previous and others researches on Canary Islands, further support this proposal, i.e.: rock scripts, Gimbutas-like Paleolithic figurines and unusual artifacts, like a lunisolar Egyptian-like calendar (“Cheeseboard/Quesera” at Lanzarote) carved in a Megalithic stone, do no support that Phoenicians and Romans carried Canarian ancient Guanche culture. Finally, a continuous lineal writing systems developing seems to have occurred during Paleolithic and Neolithic Epochs, which also harbor the related incise Lineal Megalithic Scripts that could have given rise to Iberian development and other lineal African, European and Mediterranean lineal language scripts. Our present new data is interpreted in the context of the Sahara people migration which occurred when hyperarid conditions started establishing about 6,000 years BC. Keywords: Iberian, Iberian-Guanche, Scripts, Canary Islands, Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Prehistory, Saharo-Canarian Circle, Genetics, Megaliths, Iberia, Sahara, Atlantic, Mediterranean, Lineal Scripts, Neolithic, Tamanrasset, Hoggar, Ahaggar, Usko-Mediterranean,Etruscan, Tuareg, Berber, Lineal A.

HLA-G in Mayas from Yucatan: An evolutionary approach

HLA-G allele frequencies were studied in Yucatán (Mexico) Maya Amerindians by a direct exon DNA sequencing technique. It is described that Mayas are probably one of the first populations together with Olmecs that populated Meso America and that important HLA genetic differences between Mexican and Guatemalan Mayas support that Maya languages were imposed to several neighbouring Amerindian groups. HLA-G*01:01:02, HLA-G*01:01:01 and HLA-G*01:04:01 are the most frequent alleles in this population. It is remarkable that HLA-G*01:05N allele was not found in the population in accordance with similar results found in another Amerindians. Also, protein allele HLA-G*01:04 frequency is found not to differ to those found in another far or close living Amerindians in contrast to other World populations. It seems that while high HLA-G*01:05N frequency is found in Iran and Middle East populations, probably where this allele appeared within an ancestral HLA-A*19 group of alleles haplotype and it is maintained by unknown evolutionary forces, Amerindians do not have a high frequency because a founder effect or because required natural evolutionary forces do not exist in America. Finally, we believe useful to study HLA-G evolution for its physiopathology understanding in addition to the many papers on statistics on HLA-G and in vitro models that are yearly published.

The Iberian-Guanche rock inscriptions at La Palma Is.: all seven Canary Islands (Spain) harbour these scripts

Rock Iberian-Guanche inscriptions have been found in all Canary Islands including La Palma: they consist of incise (with few exceptions) lineal scripts which have been done by using the Iberian semi-syllabary that was used in Iberia and France during the 1st millennium BC until few centuries AD .This confirms First Canarian Inhabitants navigation among Islands. In this paper we analyze three of these rock inscriptions found in westernmost La Palma Island: hypotheses of transcription and translation show that they are short funerary and religious text, like of those found widespread through easternmost Lanzarote, Fuerteventura and also Tenerife Islands. They frequently name “Aka” (dead), “Ama” (mother godness) and “Bake” (peace), and methodology is mostly based in phonology and semantics similarities between Basque language and prehistoric Iberian-Tartessian semi-syllabary transcriptions. These Iberian-Guanche scripts are widespread in La Palma usually together with spiral and circular typical Atlantic motifs which are similar to these of Megalithic British Isles, Brittany (France) and Western Iberia. Sometimes linear incise Iberian-Guanche inscriptions are above the circular ones (more recent) but they are also found underneath (less recent). The idea that this prehistoric Iberian semi-syllabary was originated in Africa and/or Canary Islands is not discarded. It is discussed in the frame of Saharian people migration to  Mediterranean, Atlantic (i.e.: Canary Islands) and other areas, when hyperarid climate rapidly established. On the other hand, an Atlantic gene and possibly linguistic and cultural pool is shared among people from British Isles, Brittany (France), Iberia (Spain, Portugal), North Africa and Canary Islands. Keywords: La Palma, Iberian-Guanche, Latin, Inscriptions, Iberian, Celts, Sahara, Africa, Garafia, Santo Domingo, Canary Islands, Lybic British, Brittons, Basque, Irish, Lybic Canarian, Palmeses, Benahoaritas, Awaritas, Tricias, Prehistory, Guache, Tartessian.