Papers by Javier Caballero
Http Www Ecologyandsociety Org Vol11 Iss2 Art27, 2006
2005. Applying retrospective demographic models to assess sustainable use: the Maya management of... more 2005. Applying retrospective demographic models to assess sustainable use: the Maya management of xa'an palms. Ecology and Society 10(2): 17. [online] ABSTRACT. Xa'an palm (Sabal yapa) has been used to thatch traditional Maya houses for over 3000 years. In the Yucatan Peninsula, this palm has been introduced to pasturelands, maize fields (milpas), and homegardens. These and other traditional management systems are usually believed to be sustainable, but there is as yet little evidence to support this hypothesis. Demographic models have been used for this purpose, mainly focusing on population growth rate (λ). So far, retrospective analysis has not been applied, even though it examines how changes in the the life cycle of a species, caused by different management regimes, affect its λ. In this study, we assess whether ecologically sustainable use of xa'an occurs in homegardens, pasturelands, and milpas, and if so, how it is achieved. We constructed matrix population models for four populations of xa'an that were followed for 3 years, and then conducted a retrospective analysis on them. Management in homegardens seems to be oriented to increasing the availability of xa'an leaves, favoring the survival of seedlings, and increasing the density of harvestable-sized palms. However, in the milpa and the pastureland, the population size structure resembles that of unmanaged populations.
Journal of Ethnopharmacology, Jan 15, 2005
Journal of Ethnobiology and Ethnomedicine, 2015
Background: Several ethnobiology studies evaluate the cultural significance (CS) of plants and mu... more Background: Several ethnobiology studies evaluate the cultural significance (CS) of plants and mushrooms. However, this is not the case for mammals. It is important to make studies of CS allowing the comparison of cultural groups because the value given to groups of organisms may be based on different criteria. Such information would be valuable for wildlife preservation plans. In this study, the most culturally significant species of mammals from the Lacandon Rainforest (Chiapas, Mexico) for people from two Mayan-Lacandon and mestizo communities were identified. The reasons behind the CS of the studied species were explored and the existence of differences among the cultural groups was evaluated.
PLOS ONE, 2015
Computational theories of decision making in the brain usually assume that sensory &a... more Computational theories of decision making in the brain usually assume that sensory 'evidence' is accumulated supporting a number of hypotheses, and that the first accumulator to reach threshold triggers a decision in favour of its associated hypothesis. However, the evidence is often assumed to occur as a continuous process whose origins are somewhat abstract, with no direct link to the neural signals - action potentials or 'spikes' - that must ultimately form the substrate for decision making in the brain. Here we introduce a new variant of the well-known multi-hypothesis sequential probability ratio test (MSPRT) for decision making whose evidence observations consist of the basic unit of neural signalling - the inter-spike interval (ISI) - and which is based on a new form of the likelihood function. We dub this mechanism s-MSPRT and show its precise form for a range of realistic ISI distributions with positive support. In this way we show that, at the level of spikes, the refractory period may actually facilitate shorter decision times, and that the mechanism is robust against poor choice of the hypothesized data distribution. We show that s-MSPRT performance is related to the Kullback-Leibler divergence (KLD) or information gain between ISI distributions, through which we are able to link neural signalling to psychophysical observation at the behavioural level. Thus, we find the mean information needed for a decision is constant, thereby offering an account of Hick's law (relating decision time to the number of choices). Further, the mean decision time of s-MSPRT shows a power law dependence on the KLD offering an account of Piéron's law (relating reaction time to stimulus intensity). These results show the foundations for a research programme in which spike train analysis can be made the basis for predictions about behavior in multi-alternative choice tasks.
Natural product communications, 2009
The water distilled essential oils from leaves, stems and roots of Chrysanthemum parthenium (L.) ... more The water distilled essential oils from leaves, stems and roots of Chrysanthemum parthenium (L.) Bernh. were analyzed by GC and GC/MS methods. The leaf oil was characterized by a high amount of camphor (56.4%), whereas in the stem oil, camphor (26.0%), trans-beta-ocimene (23.6%) and germacrene-d (15.0%) were the major constituents. The main components of the root oil were alpha-pinene (50.0%), trans-beta-farnesene (13.8%) and bicyclogermacrene (11.0%). Antibacterial activity of the leaf, stem and root oil were evaluated using the micro-dilution broth method. The oils showed inhibitory effects on Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhi, but were not active against Staphylococcus aureus.
Journal of clinical microbiology, 2000
Genomic fingerprints from 92 capsulated and noncapsulated strains of Haemophilus influenzae from ... more Genomic fingerprints from 92 capsulated and noncapsulated strains of Haemophilus influenzae from Mexican children with different diseases and healthy carriers were generated by PCR using the enterobacterial repetitive intergenic consensus (ERIC) sequences. A cluster analysis by the unweighted pair-group method with arithmetic averages based on the overall similarity as estimated from the characteristics of the genomic fingerprints, was conducted to group the strains. A total of 69 fingerprint patterns were detected in the H. influenzae strains. Isolates from patients with different diseases were represented by a variety of patterns, which clustered into two major groups. Of the 37 strains isolated from cases of meningitis, 24 shared patterns and were clustered into five groups within a similarity level of 1.0. One fragment of 1.25 kb was common to all meningitis strains. H. influenzae strains from healthy carriers presented fingerprint patterns different from those found in strains ...
Journal of ethnobiology and ethnomedicine, Jan 11, 2007
Cultural significance is a keystone in quantitative ethnobiology, which offers the possibility to... more Cultural significance is a keystone in quantitative ethnobiology, which offers the possibility to make inferences about traditional nomenclature systems, use, appropriation and valuing of natural resources. In the present work, using as model the traditional mycological knowledge of Zapotecs from Oaxaca, Mexico, we analyze the cultural significance of wild edible resources. In 2003 we applied 95 questionnaires to a random sample of informants. With this data we integrated the Edible Mushroom Cultural Significance Index. This index included eight variables: frequency of mention, perceived abundance, use frequency, taste, multifunctional food use, knowledge transmission, health and economy. Data were analyzed in an inductive perspective using ordination and grouping techniques to reveal the behavior of species in a cultural multivariate dimension. In each variable the species had different conducts. Cantharellus cibarius s.l. was the species with most frequency of mention. Pleurotus s...
The American journal of clinical nutrition, 2007
Oxidative stress associated with postprandial lipemia contributes to endothelial dysfunction, whi... more Oxidative stress associated with postprandial lipemia contributes to endothelial dysfunction, which shifts hemostasis to a more thrombogenic state. We investigated whether a high concentration of phenols in olive oil can partly reverse this phenomenon. Twenty-one hypercholesterolemic volunteers received 2 breakfasts rich in olive oils with different phenolic contents (80 or 400 ppm) according to a randomized, sequential crossover design. Plasma concentrations of lipid fractions, factor VII antigen (FVIIag), activated factor VII (FVIIa), and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) activity were measured at baseline and postprandially. Concentrations of FVIIa increased less (P = 0.018) and plasma PAI-1 activity decreased more (P = 0.021) 2 h after the high-phenol meal than after the low-phenol meal. FVIIa concentrations 120 min after intake of the olive oil with a high phenol content correlated positively with fasting plasma triacylglycerols (P = 0.001), area under the curve (AUC) o...
Human Ecology, 1996
River Basin, Mexico, are described. Along with cultivation of domesticated plants, these forms of... more River Basin, Mexico, are described. Along with cultivation of domesticated plants, these forms of plant management include gathering from wild populations; in situ tolerance of plant individuals during clearings of natural vegetation; in situ enhancement and protection of particular plants among populations of some species; as well as sowing or planting of propagules and transplantation of complete individuals of weedy and wild plants in controlled ex situ environments. Processes of artificial selection and possible routes of domestication occurring in these forms of plant management are discussed. Enhanced Protected Sowed Transplanted Agavaceae Agave sp. A X Agave cupreata Trel. et Berger A X X Anacardiaceae Comocladia mollis~la H.B.K. A X Cyrtocarpa procera H.B.K. A,J X X Spondias mombin L. A,J X X Annonaceae Annona cherimola Mill. A X X X Annona purpurea Moc. et Sess6 J X X Annona reticulata L. J X X Cynanchum jaliscanum A X Matelea crenata (Vail) Woodson A X Parementiera edulis DC. A X X Ceiba parvifolia Rose A X Ceiba aesculifolia (Kunth) Britton J X and Baker Cordia cylindrosmchya (Ruiz and Pav.) A X Roem and Shult Cordia dentata Poiret A X Op,mtia sp. A X Stenocereus stellatus (Pfeiffer) Riccob. A X X Porophyllum n~derale (Jacq) Cass. A,J X X Porophyllum nutans Rob. and Greenm. A,J X X Tagetes filifolia Lag A X Tridax mexicana A. Powell A X X Operculina sp. A X Erogonium bracteatum (Car.) Choisy J X Euphorbia graminea Jacq. A,J X X Euphorbia macropus (Klotz and A X Gaerke) Boiss. Asclepiadaceae Bignoniaceae Bombaeaceae Boraginaceae Cactaceae Compositae Convolvulaceae Euphorbiaceae A J A,J A X X Lippia palmed S. Watson J X Crotalaria pumila Ortega (*) A X X X Crotalada longirostrata Hook. and Arn. (*) J X X Desmodium sericophyllun~ Schldl. A X X Desmanthus virgatus (L.) Wild. A X X Eysenhardtia sp. (*) A X X Gliricidia saepium (Jack.) Steud. A X X Leucaena esculenta (Moc. et Sess6 ex A,J X X X A.DC.) Benth. subsp, esculenta (*) Phaseolus coccineus L. subsp, formosus A X X (Kunth) Mare., Masch. and Stain.
Management of plant resources is a complex process that involves the interaction of numerous cult... more Management of plant resources is a complex process that involves the interaction of numerous cultural, environmental, economic, and ecological factors Therefore, understanding factors influencing management decisions requires multidisciplinary approaches, including both quantitative and qualitative perspectives. This study explores quantitative approaches as methodological tools with which to identify patterns underlying more intensive management of plant resources. The research was conducted in the village of Santa María Tecomavaca, Oaxaca, in south-central México, within the semiarid Tehuacán-Cuicatlán Biosphere Reserve. Three models explaining the management intensity tendencies were identified, consistent with the pattern of multiple variables influencing plant management.
Clínica e Investigación en Arteriosclerosis, 2006
ABSTRACT Introduction Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) carries a high risk of mortality from co... more ABSTRACT Introduction Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) carries a high risk of mortality from coronary heart disease. The interaction between genes and diet is one of the factors determining plasma lipid response to dietary interventions. However, the possible influence of the genetic-environmental interaction on plasma cholesterol levels is not well characterized in patients with FH. Consequently, the aim of this study was to analyze whether mutations in the ABCG transporter genes influence lipid response to distinct diets. Methods We conducted a dietary intervention of four periods of 28 days each in 30 patients with FH under stable statin treatment following a randomized, crossover, Latin square design. The cholesterol and sitosterol content of the four diets differed (from <1 g to 2.5 g of sitosterol/day and from <150 mg to 300 mg of cholesterol/day). Results An effect of the ABCG8 genotype was found. Patients homozygous for the C54Y (AA) mutation had higher levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and apoAl than carriers of the normal allele (56 mg/dl ± 14 mg/dl vs 43 mg/dl ± 8 mg/dl, P< 0.05) with fat-poor diets. Conclusions In patients with FH the polymorphisms analyzed did not influence lipid response to the diets studied. However, the C54Y polymorphism of the ABCG8 gene did influence plasma HCL-C and apoAl levels.
Industrial Engineering: Innovative Networks, 2012
This article extracts a set of simple tools from the performance modelling of the elements which ... more This article extracts a set of simple tools from the performance modelling of the elements which make up the logistic system of a container terminal in a hub port. These tools will allow us to give a heuristic solution to sea operations by optimizing the assigned ...
Human Ecology, 2006
Previous studies have shown there is a wide spectrum of incipient management practices between ga... more Previous studies have shown there is a wide spectrum of incipient management practices between gathering and agriculture, that include resources commonly considered "wild." Based on the study of 20 species used as foodstuffs in the community of Santa María Tecomavaca (Mexico), we evaluated nonagricultural management forms such as gathering, incipient nonselective management, incipient selective management and occasional ex situ cultivation to learn if they represent a gradient in the intensity of manipulation of a resource. The way in which the intensity of manipulation of a resource can vary as a function of cultural importance and the species' biology was also analyzed. Using an index that measures the intensity of management of a resource, it has been established that the degree of intensity depends on: the specialization of the practices directed to the environment as well as to the individuals; the number of persons performing these practices; and the number of different practices taking place. The degree of management intensity is also a consequence of the joint action of cultural importance and of species' biology.
British Journal of Nutrition, 2011
The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is an essential regulator of food intake and energy homeostasi... more The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) is an essential regulator of food intake and energy homeostasis. Previous data suggest an influence of MC4R activity on TAG levels. Thus, the aim of the present study was to determine whether the presence of the rs12970134 polymorphism near the MC4R gene could influence postprandial lipoprotein metabolism in healthy subjects. A total of eighty-eight volunteers were selected, fifty-three homozygous for the common genotype (G/G) and thirty-five carriers for the minor A-allele (G/A and A/A). They were given a fat-rich meal containing 1 g fat and 7 mg cholesterol/kg body weight and vitamin A (60,000 IU/m(2) body surface). Fat accounted for 60 % of energy, and protein and carbohydrates accounted for 15 and 25 % of energy, respectively. Blood samples were taken at time 0, every 1 h until 6 h and every 2·5 h until 11 h. Total cholesterol and TAG in plasma, and cholesterol, TAG and retinyl palmitate in TAG-rich lipoproteins (TRL, large and small TRL) were separated by ultracentrifugation. Individuals carrying the G/G genotype displayed a higher postprandial response of plasma TAG (P = 0·033), total cholesterol (P = 0·019) and large TRL-TAG (P = 0·023) than did carriers of the minor A-allele. Furthermore, G/G subjects showed a greater postprandial response of small TRL-apoB48 than did carriers of the A-allele (P = 0·032). These results suggest that the rs12970134 polymorphism near the MC4R gene region may partly explain the inter-individual differences in postprandial lipoprotein response in healthy subjects.
Taxon, 1997
Page 1. TAXON 46 - MAY 1997 A contribution to the generic delimitation of Sechium (Cucurbitaceae,... more Page 1. TAXON 46 - MAY 1997 A contribution to the generic delimitation of Sechium (Cucurbitaceae, Sicyinae) Rafael Lira1, Javier Caballero2 & Patricia Davila1 Summary Lira, R., Caballero, J. & Davila, P.: A contribution to ...
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Papers by Javier Caballero