Correction: Taguatagua 3: A new late Pleistocene settlement in a highly suitable lacustrine habitat in central Chile (34°S).

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0302465.].

Taguatagua 3: A new late Pleistocene settlement in a highly suitable lacustrine habitat in central Chile (34°S).

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. Considering taphonomic, geoarchaeological, lithic, archaeobotanical, and zooarchaeological evidence, as well as the spatial distribution combined with ethnographic data, we interpret Taguatagua 3 as a logistic and temporary camp associated mainly with gomphothere hunting and butchering. Nevertheless, several other activities were carried out here as well, such as hide and/or bone preparation, small vertebrate and plant processing and consumption, and red ochre grinding. Botanical and eggshell remains suggest that the anthropic occupation occurred during the dry season. Considering the contemporaneous sites recorded in the basin, we conclude that the ancient Tagua Tagua lake was a key location along the region's early hunter-gatherer mobility circuits. In this context, it acted as a recurrent hunting/scavenging place during the Late Pleistocene due to its abundant, diverse, and predictable resources.

Development of an antimicrobial material based on a nanocomposite cellulose acetate film for active food packaging.

Nanocomposites based on biopolymers have been recognised as potential materials for the development of new ecofriendly food packaging. In addition, if these materials incorporate active substances in their structure, the potential applications are much higher. Therefore, this work was oriented to develop nanocomposites with antimicrobial activity based on cellulose acetate (CA), a commercial organoclay Cloisite30B (C30B), thymol (T) as natural antimicrobial component and tri-ethyl citrate (TEC) as plasticiser. Nanocomposites were prepared by a solvent casting method and consisted of 5% (w/w) of C30B, 5% (w/w) of TEC and variable content of T (0%, 0.5% and 2% w/w). To evaluate the effect of C30B into the CA matrix, CA films without this organoclay but with T were also prepared. All nanocomposites showed the intercalation of CA into the organoclay structure; furthermore this intercalation was favoured when 2% (w/w) of T was added to the nanocomposite. In spite of the observed intercalation, the presence of C30B inside the CA matrices increased the opacity of the films significantly. On the other hand, T showed a plasticiser effect on the thermal properties of CA nanocomposites decreasing glass transition, melting temperature and melting enthalpy. The presence of T in CA nanocomposites also allowed the control de Listeria innocua growth when these materials were placed in contact with this Gram-positive bacterium. Interestingly, antimicrobial activity was increased with the presence of C30B. Finally, studies on T release showed that the clay structure inside the CA matrix did not affect its release rate; however, this nanofiller affected the partition coefficient KP/FS which was higher to CA nanocomposites films than in CA films without organoclay. The results obtained in the present study are really promising to be applied in the manufacture of food packaging materials.

Evaluación pre y post implante del paciente con hipoacusia neurosensorial / Pre and post implant evaluation of the patient with sensorineural hearing loss

En la actualidad para el diagnostico de hipoacusia neurosensorial en niños recién nacidos se realizan una pruebas de tamizaje auditivo. Posteriormente para confirmar la perdida auditiva se realizan una batería de pruebas audiológicas con las cuales se obtienen los umbrales auditivos. Todos los pacientes deben ser valorados por el grupo interdisciplinario de implante coclear con el propósito de identificar el compromiso sensorial o neural donde se origina la lesión del paciente, los umbrales y habilidades auditivas, el nivel de desarrollo del lenguaje, su entorno familiar y la evaluación anatómica coclear que permita la inserción de un cable de electrodos y la estimulación eléctrica de la vía auditiva. El objetivo principal de un diagnostico temprano de la hipoacusia, es realizar una intervención inmediata con estimulación auditiva, preparándolos para el momento de la colocación del implante coclear. Una vez implantado, al paciente se le debe realizar un seguimiento tanto audiológico como del desarrollo de la percepción auditiva y del lenguaje para de esta forma determinar el beneficio del implante y realizar las modificaciones pertinentes tanto en la programación del implante como en las estrategias de rehabilitación.

Auditory screening tests are being performed nowadays in order to diagnose sensorineural hearing loss in new born babies. Later on and to be able to confirm the hearing loss, a set of auditory tests is conducted to obtain the auditory thresholds. It is necessary for the interdisciplinary cochlear implant group to appraise all patients in order to identify the extent of the sensory or neural damage where the patient’s lesion has been originated, the auditory thresholds and skills, the level of development of the language, his / her family environment and the cochlear anatomic appraisal that allows for the insertion of an electrode array as well as the electric stimulation of the auditory way. The main objective of an early diagnose of hearing loss, is to perform an immediate intervention with auditory stimulation, preparing them for the moment when the cochlear implant is to be inserted. Once having received the implant, it is important to follow up on the patient both, from the auditory point of view and the development of the auditory and language perception so that it can be determined the extent to which the implant has brought benefits and perform the corresponding modifications both in the implant programming and the rehabilitation strategies.