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This research characterizes and reconstructs clay procurement and production practices through the integration of insitu portable XRF and petrographic analysis on ancient ceramics and clay materials recovered from the Mayales river subbasin (central Nicaragua). A particular choice for this study was the largest and arguably most significant archaeological site in the area, Aguas Buenas (cal 400-1250 CE), a pre-Hispanic indigenous agglomeration consisting of 371 human-made mounds of various shapes arranged in geometric patterns. Microanalytical approaches were applied to reconstruct the use of raw mineral resources in the production of ubiquitous pottery materials found at this site and in its immediate surroundings. The resulting compositional analysis produced geochemical and mineralogical data allowing for the characterisation of distinct, geologically-based compositional groups throughout the valley, improving on the limited geological data resolution previously available. The integrated microscopic and compositional analysis (through p-XRF) of archaeological pottery materials and raw clay samples, generates a number of hypotheses and insights about the nature of the Aguas Buenas site, and its role as a shared space among groups living in the Mayales river subbasin. Additionally, this study provides a solid research framework of investigation that can be employed for more detailed and extensive future studies on pre-Hispanic human occupation in this research area or elsewhere.

Archaeobotanical investigations in central Nicaragua are absent and preservation of organic remains is poor; therefore, we have applied starch analyses to samples from fragments of clay vessels excavated from layers dated to cal 1224 and 1391 CE at the Barillas site, Nicaragua. The approach to this dataset reveals the ways people interacted with edible plants in southern Central America. The scarcity of griddles recovered from ancient Nicaraguan archeological contexts has previously co-determined narratives on human mobility or cultural influence from the Mesoamerican culture area, due to the debatable presumption that this type of artifact necessarily entangles production and consumption of maize tortillas. In this article, we present results demonstrating evidence for the use of several starchy plants. The reconstructed culinary practices are vital for disentangling human-plant interrelationships and challenge earlier conceptions of ancient foodways in Central America. This research constitutes the first starch analysis in Nicaragua and the recovered plant remains belonging to manioc (Manihot esculenta Crantz), chili pepper (Capsicum sp.), and maize (Zea mays L.) have provided empirical evidence of ancient foodways. Concomitantly, these results have invalidated the preconception that griddles were tools used exclusively for the production of maize tortillas.

ABSTRACT. The chronology of human presence in Chontales, central Nicaragua, was established by Franck Gorin (1989), who applied a combination of absolute dates and ceramic associations to build a sequence comprised of six different phases. However, interpretative and chronological issues have arisen due to two main problems. First, the sequence was based on stylistic associations to polychrome ceramics from Pacific Nicaragua. Second, the sample analyzed by Gorin shows contextual bias and lacks sufficient absolute dates. As a result, a comprehensive regional research plan was established to test the current accepted chronology, and redefine it where necessary. In this paper, we present the first date list for the Valley of Juigalpa, Mayales River subbasin (Chontales, Nicaragua). Contrary to Gorin's proposal, which established a chronology from 500 BC through AD 1600, reports on new seventeen radiocarbon ( 14 C) assays show a cultural sequence from 1420 ± 30 BP, or cal AD 595-660 (±2σ) through the present.

The material evidence of human presence in the Chontales region of central Nicaragua spans from 1420 ± 30 BP, or cal AD 554–670 (±2σ) through to the present, as was recently established (Donner and Geurds 2018). This cultural chronology, divided into three main periods, contrasts with the one previously proposed by (Gorin 1990), who defined six different phases from 500 BC through AD 1600. Here, we report on 11 new radiocarbon (14C) assays, introducing an update to the cultural sequence, consisting of two considerable changes, while also providing further overall strengthening. First, the earliest traces of human groups are now placed at 1645 ± 25 BP, or cal AD 263–536 (±2σ); second, five different periods are established for the research area. A recalibration of Gorin’s dates identified their consistency with the results reported here, supporting the new cultural chronology of central Nicaragua. Additionally, this study achieved the complete temporal characterization of Aguas Buenas, the largest pre-colonial archaeological site in Nicaragua.

This chapter discusses the epistemic value of a community-based, participatory mapping approach to archaeological survey, based on research co-created with the Indigenous Emberá tribe in Darién Province, Panama. Rather than initiating survey with preconceived criteria for identifying archaeological sites, we mapped landscapes of place-based knowledge, as envisioned by our community partners. This collaborative approach represents an innovation in purposive (as opposed to statistical) archaeological survey, an essential phase of research—especially in low-visibility environments—that has been neglected by literature on archaeological method. Our method centers local conceptions of place and (often fluid) boundaries, as well as history and story. We highlight the role that participatory mapping can play in the development of critical Indigenous cartographies, as well as its value in supporting Indigenous-led movements for sovereignty and long-term ecological stewardship, including gathering evidence for use in land claim cases.

8531 Background: The prevalence of EGFR mutations ( EGFRm) in resected stage I-III NSCLC remains controversial as prior research studies were retrospective in nature. EARLY-EGFR is the first prospective, international study to determine the prevalence of EGFRm and treatment patterns in patients (pts) with early-stage NSCLC. Methods: EARLY-EGFR (NCT04742192), a non-interventional real-world study, captured data on EGFRm status, treatment patterns, demographic, clinical and pathological characteristics in consecutively enrolled pts with surgically resected stage IA-IIIB (AJCC 8th) non-squamous NSCLC (Mar 2021 – Oct 2022). The primary endpoint was prevalence of EGFRm and secondary endpoints included prevalence of EGFRm subtypes and treatment patterns. Results: Of 601 pts (median [range] age: 62 [30-86] yrs) enrolled at 33 centers across Middle East and Africa (n=16), Latin America (n=80), and Asia (n=505), 317 (52.7%) were females, 354 (58.9%) were never smokers. The majority had stage IA-IB NSCLC (64.1%) involving right lung (62.9%), no nodal involvement (81.5%), T1a-T2b tumor (82.7%), adenocarcinoma histology (98.7%), and 105/420 (25.0%) tumors were poorly differentiated. About 23.3% (130/559) were diagnosed through a screening program; 60/539 (11.1%) reported family history of lung cancer. The overall prevalence of EGFRm was 50.7% (300/592). Exon-19 deletions accounted for 50.3%, L858R mutations for 35.7%, and compound mutations for 2.3% of mutations. EGFRm tumors were found to be PD-L1 positive in 38.5% of cases (15/39). Women had higher EGFRm rate than men (63.6% vs 36.2%). Compared with EGFR wild type (wt), pts with EGFRm were more likely to be never smokers (39.5% vs 60.5%) and have stage I/II NSCLC (46.5% vs 53.5%) (Table). Of 216 stage II/III NSCLC pts, only 51.4% received systemic adjuvant therapy. Significantly higher EGFRm rates in stages I and II than in stage III NSCLC (p<0.001 and p=0.050) were found, while no significant difference was found between stages I and II NSCLC (p=0.158). Conclusions: In this first prospective, real-world study of EGFRm prevalence in resected NSCLC, stage III and smoking were independent predictors associated with decreased odds of EGFRm. The results highlight the need to adhere to ASCO adjuvant chemotherapy guidelines, as only half of stage II/III NSCLC pts received adjuvant systemic therapy. Clinical trial information: NCT04742192 . [Table: see text]