Publications by authors named "R Labarca"
We present the results of the excavations and analyses of the diverse and exceptional archaeological assemblage of Taguatagua 3, a new late Pleistocene site located in the ancient Tagua Tagua lake in Central Chile (34°S). The anthropogenic context is constrained in a coherently dated stratigraphic deposit which adds new information about the mobility, subsistence strategies, and settlement of the early hunter-gatherers of southern South America. The age model constructed, as well as radiocarbon dates obtained directly from a combustion structure, indicate that the human occupation occurred over a brief time span around 12,440-12,550 cal yr BP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIn deserts, water has been singled out as the most important factor for choosing where to settle, but trees were likely an important part of the landscape for hunter-gatherers beyond merely constituting an economic resource. Yet, this critical aspect has not been considered archaeologically. Here, we present the results of mapping and radiocarbon dating of a truly unique archaeological record.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPalaeopathological analysis of a Chilean gomphothere (Proboscidea: Gomphotheriidae).
Int J Paleopathol
September 2019
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to reassess the pathological lesions on a gomphothere found in Chile, using 227 skeletal specimens of a young adult male.
- Various conditions were identified including vertebral asymmetries, degenerative joint disease, possible neoplastic lesions, and signs of spondyloarthropathy, challenging previous diagnoses of trauma.
- The findings highlight the need for further investigation into South American gomphothere paleopathology and encourage researchers to re-evaluate specimens in museum collections for overlooked conditions.
Objective: We aimed to evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) previously used criteria (Matthews's criteria, MC) for differentiating multiple sclerosis (MS) from neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) in Caucasian and non-Caucasian populations (Argentina, Brazil and Venezuela) with positive (P-NMOSD), negative (N-NMOSD), and unknown (U-NMOSD) aquaporin-4 antibody serostatus at disease onset and to assess the added diagnostic value of spinal cord MRI in these populations.
Methods: We reviewed medical records, and MRIs were assessed by two blinded evaluators and were scored using MC. Short-segment transverse myelitis (STM) was added as a new criterion.