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Simple Summary: This study was conducted to estimate the rate of Salmonella spp. isolation from cage papers, located in the bottom of canaries' cages and those of other exotic pet birds, in the 2015 Argentinean canary breeder championship. Furthermore, we determined the antimicrobial resistance profile of the isolates for antibiotics and commercial disinfectants. One pool of 258 cage paper pools was positive for Salmonella spp. (0.4%). Two strains of Salmonella serotype Glostrup were isolated, which were only resistant to sulfonamides and erythromycin and sensitive to alkali-based product PL301 AS. Although the rate of Salmonella spp. isolation from cage papers in an Argentinean canary breeder championship is low, this is the first study conducted in Argentina on Salmonella spp. isolation from these materials of pet birds. However, Salmonella ser. Glostrup isolated strains could be a source of human Salmonella outbreaks, and they show high resistance to disinfecting products. Birds, including canaries and other birds, have become increasingly popular as pets. Bird fairs, where breeders gather and show their production in a championship setting, present a setting for possible Salmonella spp. contamination and transmission. Therefore, this study estimated the rate of Salmonella spp. isolation from cage papers, located in the bottom of cages of exotic pet birds, including canaries. Collected Salmonella isolates were used to determine the antimicrobial resistance profile to 52 antibiotics and 17 commercial disinfectants, based on pure or a mixture of acids, alcohols, aldehydes, alkalis, halogens, peroxygen, and quaternary ammonium compounds. The samples consisted of 774 cage papers taken in the 2015 Argentinean canary breeder championship, pooling three cage papers into one sterile sampling bag. Only one pool of the cage papers was positive for Salmonella spp. (0.4%), which belonged to the sample from three frill canary cages. Two strains of Salmonella serotype Glostrup were isolated, which were only resistant to sulfonamides and erythromycin and sensitive to alkali-based product PL301 AS. Although the rate of Salmonella spp. isolation from cage papers in an Argentinean canary breeder championship is low, it should not be discounted because Salmonella ser. Glostrup can be a source of human Salmonella outbreaks and they show high resistance to disinfecting products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of South American biomass burning (BB) aerosols transported over northern and central Argentina were investigated from July to December 2019. This period was chosen due to the high aerosol optical depth values found in the region and because simultaneously intensive biomass burning took place over the Amazon. More specifically, a combination of remote sensing observations with simulated air parcel back trajectories was used to link the optical and physical properties of three BB aerosol events that affected Pilar Observatory (PO, Argentina, 31°41′S, 63°53′W, 338 m above sea level), with low-level atmospheric circulation patterns and with types of vegetation burned in specific fire regions. The lidar observations at the PO site were used for the first time to characterize the vertical extent and structure of BB aerosol plumes as well as their connection with the planetary boundary layer, and dust particles. Based mainly on the air-parcel trajectories, a local transport regime and a long transport regime were identified. We found that in all the BB aerosol event cases studied in this paper, light-absorbing fine-mode aerosols were detected, resulting mainly from a mixture of aging smoke and dust particles. In the remote transport regime, the main sources of the BB aerosols reaching PO were associated with Amazonian rainforest wildfires. These aerosols were transported into northern and central Argentina within a strong low-level jet circulation. During the local transport regime, the BB aerosols were linked with closer fires related to tropical forests, cropland, grassland, and scrub/shrubland vegetation types in southeastern South America. Moreover, aerosols carried by the remote transport regime were associated with a high aerosol loading and enhanced aging and relatively smaller particle sizes, while aerosols associated with the local transport pattern were consistently less affected by the aging effect and showed larger sizes and low aerosol loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The shore line is the limit that separates the public water domain from the property of individuals, the criterion for its delimitation is stated by law, both in Argentina and in other countries of the world. But its practical analysis remains a matter of current discussion. In this paper, a geomorphological interpretation of the established criterion is proposed as well as a methodology for its delimitation. To achieve this, different international, national, provincial and papers on shore line works were analyzed, which allowed to establish a criterion adjusted to the natural form of the channel and to cartographically define the shore line by using products of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). If the waterfront is delimited on the basis of natural facts, its indubitable mark on the ground will be close to what actually belongs to the public water domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper attempts to study the dynamics and influencing factors of China-Argentina cooperation in the multilateral framework from a multidimensional theoretical perspective, in order to reveal the external thrust and internal logic of the development of Sino-Argentine relations. The four theories discussed in the paper are not opposed but complementary to each other. Together, they explain the factors that drive and hinder Sino-Argentine cooperation at the multilateral level. This article also presents a study of Sino-Argentine cooperation practices at three different levels of multilateral platforms, namely the UN General Assembly and Security Council, the G20 and the China-CELAC Forum. Cooperation between China and Argentina in multilateral mechanisms not only helps communication, understanding and coordination of positions between China and Argentina on major international issues, but also contributes to jointly enhancing the voice and influence of developing countries in international affairs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the impact of large swings in economic policy on the risk-return trade-off faced by i nvestors? What is the impact of changes in policy regimes on investment strategies? In this paper we study the impact on returns of switches between periods of market-friendly economic policies and periods of populist policies. To quantify the impact of policy instability, we use data from Argentina--a country that has experienced frequent and very large regime changes--and find that the risk-return for individual assets and minimum variance portfolios are quite different across regimes. We then develop a dynamic model to understand optimal portfolios when investors are cognizant that regimes can change. We find that when portfolios are unrestricted, it is optimal for investors to take a large amount of risk. On the other hand, when portfolios are restricted to include only long positions, a real asset (real estate) dominates financial assets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Anatomy is considered critical to understanding the size and shape of the different systems of animals belonging to the same group or individuals that are close in the phylogenetic scale. In the case of the Franciscana dolphin or Pontoporia blainvillei, the digestive apparatus shows some differential characteristics compared to other dolphins or other marine mammals. In the present work, the authors try to demonstrate whether these characteristics are conditioned by the animal's own diet or if they have more to do with certain phylogenetic adaptations. Considering that the Franciscana dolphin is an endangered species, any work that could facilitate better knowledge of these individuals has a high social, ecological, and scientific value because it will help in their care and conservation, and this is of utmost importance to implement effective management strategies for this species. The Franciscana (also known as the La Plata River Dolphin) is a small dolphin that lives in the coastal waters of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. This species is considered the most endangered marine mammal in the western South Atlantic Ocean. Anatomic dissection of the digestive system of 19 animals of different ages, including 2 neonates, 12 juveniles, and 5 adults, was performed. Parameters related to length, breadth, weight, and diameter of the digestive viscera were considered in each case. Our results show that the Franciscana dolphin presents differential characteristics in relation to several parts of the digestive system, including, specifically, the tongue, the teeth, the stomach, and the small intestine. Thus, this paper add precious information to the actual knowledge of this vulnerable marine mammal species in order to improve conservation efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the gender agenda has permeated all policy areas and has gained relevance through the constant work of organisations that have succeeded in making issues and challenges visible. This paper examines the interaction between international politics and the gender agenda in Argentina during the presidency of Alberto Fernández (2019-2023). Based on a triangulation of information gathered from interviews, official documents, and news reports, the paper aims to analyse, in the context of recent foreign policy, what kind of decisions are linked to the gender agenda, and at the same time, what international projection the gender policies implemented at the local level have. We propose that the gender agenda has opened up a space in Argentine foreign policy in a short period and that it has done so mainly based on the country’s trajectory in the international sphere linked to human rights and the discussion of inequalities in the world. The creation of the Ministry of Women, Gender and Diversity has been crucial, projecting the country into global gender debates in an institutionalised way. Although concrete policies are developing in some cases, the agendas in this dual track demonstrate that these profound social demands have come to the state to stay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the behaviour of credit rating agencies (CRAs) during the ebbing 'pink tide'. It claims that the actions of S&P Global, Moody's and Fitch contributed to dismantling left-wing regimes in Latin America, to the benefit of their right-wing competitors. The methodology draws on case studies of Brazil and Argentina, where the governments of Dilma Rousseff and Cristina Fernández de Kirchner were replaced by those of Michel Temer and Mauricio Macri, respectively. The research is based on sovereign ratings, reports and press releases the agencies issued during those transitions, which are analysed in the light of critical theories of their modus operandi and confronted with the political processes unfolding in both countries. This allows us to draw conclusions that are consistent with the presented argument, thereby contributing to advance the research agenda around the CRAs and to shed light on Brazil and Argentina's recent critical presidential transitions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the temporal evolution of streamflow for different rivers in Argentina based on information quantifiers such as statistical complexity and permutation entropy. The main objective is to identify key details of the dynamics of the analyzed time series to differentiate the degrees of randomness and chaos. The permutation entropy is used with the probability distribution of ordinal patterns and the Jensen–Shannon divergence to calculate the disequilibrium and the statistical complexity. Daily streamflow series at different river stations were analyzed to classify the different hydrological systems. The complexity-entropy causality plane (CECP) and the representation of the Shannon entropy and Fisher information measure (FIM) show that the daily discharge series could be approximately represented with Gaussian noise, but the variances highlight the difficulty of modeling a series of natural phenomena. An analysis of stations downstream from the Yacyretá dam shows that the operation affects the randomness of the daily discharge series at hydrometric stations near the dam. When the station is further downstream, however, this effect is attenuated. Furthermore, the size of the basin plays a relevant role in modulating the process. Large catchments have smaller values for entropy, and the signal is less noisy due to integration over larger time scales. In contrast, small and mountainous basins present a rapid response that influences the behavior of daily discharge while presenting a higher entropy and lower complexity. The results obtained in the present study characterize the behavior of the daily discharge series in Argentine rivers and provide key information for hydrological modeling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper will develop what is understood by the right to education and how it is specifically regulated in the contexts of confinement, taking into account how the educational stimulus regulated in article 140 of Law 24.660 operates and its importance in the process of social reintegration of inmates. A comparison will be made between what is sanctioned by the National Education Law and the international human rights instruments with constitutional hierarchy that support this right and what actually happens in the penitentiary system. Likewise, an analysis will be made of Argentine jurisprudence that recognizes the right to education of persons deprived of liberty and its importance for the system of progressiveness regulated by the law of penal execution. On the other hand, an analysis will be made of how, in practice, the reduction regulated by article 140 has lost its virtuality due to the introduction of a group of offenses that are not eligible for the liberatory institutes through Law 27.375. The main objective lies in the need to emphasize that education in prison contexts is essential for social reintegration and that the State has the obligation to guarantee this right. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to develop and to, subsequently, validate a Spanish version of the Short Work-Family Enrichment Scale (sp-wfes-6). Using cross-sectional (n = 438) and multi-wave (n = 103) data from a sample of workers with different backgrounds, this paper conducted a thorough examination of the psychometric properties of the sp-wfes-6 in terms of its internal consistency, test-retest reliability, dimensionality, factor invariance, gender invariance, convergent validity, discriminant validity, and predictive validity. The results from the cfa revealed that the sp-wfes-6 comprised two factors and that this two-factor structure remained statistically invariant across gender and sample. Furthermore, both factors reported adequate levels of internal consistency, test-retest reliability, convergent validity, discriminant validity and predictive validity. Altogether, the findings of this study demonstrated that the spwfes-6 is a reliable and valid instrument to measure work-family enrichment in Argentina and, possibly, in other Spanish-speaking countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Migrants' home gardens may be created from elements of both old and new landscapes. We assume that medicinal plant assemblages in migrants' gardens are shaped by plant diversity and availability, therapeutic needs, and heritagization processes. Which of the factors prevail: those related to biodiversity and ecology, epidemiology, or heritage and memory? In this paper we offer new knowledge on the garden landscapes of the Global South. The research was conducted in the Atlantic Forest in Argentina. We surveyed 120 home gardens: 60 of transborder Paraguayan migrants, and 60 of transcontinental Europeans who arrived in Misiones, Argentina before WW2 and their descendants. We compared the richness, composition, medicinal uses, and the relationships of garden plants (via plant networks) between these groups, taking into account everyday scales and the transnational scale. Paraguayans cultivated and protected 137 species, predominantly native, and people of European origin 119 spp., native and exotic in similar proportions. The similarity in plant composition (68%) and the consensus in the medicinal use of plants (62%) were high between the migrant groups. Plant network analysis revealed many overlaps in assemblages of plants, but certain particularities of each group remained because of cultural expressions and therapeutic needs. This high level of similarity suggests that plant diversity, both native and allochthonous, shared concepts of illness, and the flux of knowledge between these groups was more significant than heritagization practices in shaping home gardens' medicinal plant assemblages. People of Paraguayan and European origins do not make an active effort to convert their home gardens into heritage. Medicinal plants are connected to the lived emplacement--intimate daily practices--rather than to ethnic identity strategies. Nevertheless, the plant assemblages in gardens have been shaped by ecology, colonial legacy, nostalgia, and transfer of knowledge; therefore migrants' home gardens can be considered heritage in a broad sense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: The Funga of the Patagonian Nothofagus forests is being studied since the late 19th century, but despite many efforts is still far from being completely known. The aim of this paper is to present detailed descriptions and data on geographical distribution of some genera and species of mitosporic ascomycetes that constitute new records for Argentina and for the Neotropical Region. M&M: Bark and woody debris from native Nothofagaceae were collected and studied. Reproductive structures were hand-sectioned and examined following traditional mycological techniques. Results: Six species of mitosporic ascomycetes were identified: Avettaea salvadorae, Bactrodesmium atrum, Dwiroopa ramya, Gilmaniella multiporosa, Monodictys paradoxa and Pycnopeziza quisquiliaris. Full descriptions, comments on identification and data on distribution and habitat of each species are provided, along with photographs illustrating diagnostic features. Conclusions: Two genera, Dwiroopa and Pycnopeziza, and one species, M. paradoxa, are registered for the first time in the Neotropical Region, two other species are first recorded in South America (B. atrum and G. multiporosa). This constitutes the second record of A. salvadorae in the continent, thus expanding its area of distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The igneous rocks of Cerro Cacheuta are considered a typical expression of the Permian-Triassic magmatism within the Andes Precordillera of Mendoza, Argentina. In particular, the southwestern margin of this hilltop is characterised by intermediate volcanic and felsic intrusives from the Choiyoi Group, one of the most extensive volcano-sedimentary suites of southern South America. The Choiyoi magmatism is widely associated with dramatic tectonic and environmental changes in the Gondwana supercontinent. Therefore, a better characterisation of the igneous facies of Cerro Cacheuta is critical to understand the evolution of Gondwana and recognise the multiple events that occurred towards the end of the Permian. This paper presents new data about the mineralogy, petrography, and geochemistry of the plutonic and volcanic units of Cerro Cacheuta, which enables authors to draw additional conclusions about the genesis and evolution of the magmatism in the region. Microscope observations indicate that the volcanic rocks are largely consistent with intermediate facies dominated by a porphyry texture with plagioclase and sanidine phenocrystals within a trachytic groundmass. Coetaneous breccias of possible hydrothermal origin and geodes with cryptocrystalline silica, limonite, and quartz are also recognised in outcrops. Geochemical analysis suggests that the lavas would likely correspond to andesites from a calc-alkaline magmatic arc. Furthermore, trace elements show enrichment in LREE/HREE, a slight negative anomaly in Eu, and concentration ratios compatible with crustal extension during the initial stages of the Choiyoi Group. Based on their chemical similarities, the monzonites of the Boca del Río Pluton would correlate with the lower section of the Choiyoi Group, of Permian age. In contrast, granites of the Cacheuta Pluton show a signature typically recognised in units from the Triassic and, therefore, would be comparable to the upper member of the Choiyoi Group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study wage convergence and flexibility in the labour market of Argentinean provinces. We first review historical determinants and propose a theoretical interpretation: the higher the level of convergence in wages, the lower the convergence in employment and eventually in the product level, because of the low competitiveness of the Interior Area, which conspires, via a restriction of the balance of payments, against their growth. Then, we empirically analyze wage convergence and the degree of wage flexibility in provincial labour markets for the period 1997-2013. We find evidence of real wage convergence and low wage flexibility. This indicates that wages do not depend on provincial factors such as labour productivity or local unemployment but on national determinants such as centralized wage agreements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absence of specifications for the granulometry a quarry must produce causes a serious problem, making it difficult for quarries to adjust their processes to produce within the range required by clients, and for costumers, making it a difficult process to design asphalt mixes and concretes that conform to the granulometric curves established in regulations. It is essential to develop limit granulometric curves for quarries, adapted to customer requirements. In this paper, a methodology for granulometric control in the quarry is proposed, which includes the collection of process information, the preparation of control charts and the process capability analysis according to the established specifications. Moreover, an example of the development of limit granulometric curves is proposed for the quarry under study located in Argentina, in the province of Buenos Aires, which would allow to produce aggregates whose granulometry can be used in asphalt mixes CAC D19 and concrete pavements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Argentina, there is a clear consensus between neoliberals and neodevelopmentalists regarding the increase of exports as the first step towards development, consolidating the political and economic power held by the exporting business elite and, at the same time, creating an unsustainable development path in socio-environmental terms. A labyrinth with no way out. This paper has set out to retrace this labyrinth, building bridges between different currents of economic heterodoxy that enable the construction of an exit. The powerful consolidation of neodevelopmentalism at the academic and political level in Argentina shows the relevance of this discussion, which transcends national boundaries to become a global development problem due to the elements at stake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we seek to describe a series of short food marketing circuits with local markets in the district of Quilmes (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), particularly those that incorporate consumption nodes. Our aim is to identify, characterise and analyse the functioning of these experiences within the framework of the Social, Solidarity and Popular Economy. To this end, we first describe the methodology employed - which is mainly based on certain ontological, epistemological and methodological assumptions of the interpretative paradigm - as well as the spatio-temporal context of the research. Then, resorting to the notion of geographical space and network, we describe the main characteristics of these circuits involving the distribution of food of agricultural origin. Subsequently, we carry out a more detailed analysis of some of the dimensions involved in local markets organised around consumption nodes. Finally, we offer some reflections by way of conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problems linked to the training trajectories of those who enter the university are not limited to social issues, personal history or the mere transition between levels, but have strong institutional conditioning factors. This paper questions the devices that national universities have designed to regulate access to the level. The objective is to present a mapping of these devices in the national universities in Argentina built from a comparative perspective. A survey of institutional regulations was carried out, as well as information available on the official website of the institutions. After the construction of a systematized data matrix, trends are identified from a cross-sectional reading of the constructed map. There is a high presence of regulatory devices for admission in national universities, with variable characteristics regarding their mode of organization, curricular components, duration and planned evaluation methodology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chagas disease is one of the most important public health problems in America, involving triatomines (Hemiptera: Reduviidae: Triatominae) in the vectorial transmission of Trypanosoma cruzi (Protista: Kinetoplastea: Trypanosomatidae). In Argentina, 15 species of triatomines are distributed, of which seven are the most common in the domicile and peridomicile, while the rest are mainly associated with wild environments. Due to the lack of updated data of geographic distribution, the GeoVin Project arises to provide not only a triatomine digital tool of triatomine notification, but also resources with information about Chagas and triatomine vectors. The aim of this paper is to present, describe and highlight the progress of the project, emphasizing the principles of participatory science and entomological surveillance. So far, more than 2,300 web visits have been recorded and the application has been downloaded over 3,400 times. The contribution of the project in articulating with the corresponding government health agencies and the immediacy of the interaction with the community are key elements for the project success. At the same time, the information collected is a constant input for updating the geographical distributions of Argentinian triatomines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Austral Yungas cloud forest (Southern Bolivia and NW Argentina) is known for its high diversity, steep landscape and low accessibility. Anacroneuria Klapálek (Plecoptera: Perlidae) species in this ecoregion have been seldom studied. We aim to know its species diversity (based on adult characters) and explore larval characters important for their recognition. We have reared dozens of larvae from different localities and collected adults with light traps. Reared adults and associated larval exuviae were studied, photographed and drawn. We have identified 13 species (based on male aedeagus) and successfully associated larval and adult stages for seven species. In the present paper we describe seven new species: Anacroneuria tafi sp. nov., A. flavinigra sp. nov., A. saican sp. nov., A. triplex sp. nov., A. calilegua sp. nov., A. lutea sp. nov., and A. tupacamaru sp. nov. For six species previously described we present new data and stage descriptions: A. arrazayalensis Orce, A. handlirschi Klapálek, A. reedi (Navás), A. tucuman Stark, A. saltensis Froehlich, and A. chimborazo Stark. Genetic divergence for some of these species was studied using the barcode region of the mitochondrial gene COI. A key to the male adults of all the species of Anacroneuria from Northwestern Argentina is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Reproductive behaviour under natural conditions is hard to record, especially in rare and cryptic species, such as the Casuhatien anole (Pristidactylus casuhatiensis). This medium size lizard is endemic to the Sierras Australes Bonaerenses, a rocky outcrop in the Southern Pampas of Argentina. Methods: During spring and summer from 2018 to 2022, we surveyed five hills at above 600 m altitude, where specimens were known to occur. Every time we detected a courtship or copulation event, we took photographs of the specimens for their individual identification, and recorded the body temperature of the participating individuals as well as air temperature, wind speed and relative humidity. We recorded the duration in minutes of each phase of the event (immobilization, juxtaposition of the cloacae followed by copulation, and finally, restraint and separation) and described the main habitat features of the site where it happened. Results: We detected 12 reproductive events; all of them occurred in October and November, on Funke, Puntudo and Tres Picos hills, mostly between 1300 and 1700 h. The mean duration of each copulation phase was 6 min (95% CI = ± 1.4, n = 10), 4.3 min (95% CI = ± 1.8, n = 10) and 3.8 min (95% CI = ± 3.42, n = 10), respectively. Conclusion: The reproductive activity of the Casuhatien anole is concentrated in the spring, particularly in the early afternoon, following the patterns described for other species of lizards. During these events, the greatest exposure of individuals could make them more vulnerable. This, together with other features related to their reproductive behaviour revealed in this paper may contribute to the planning of conservation actions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to investigate how Buddhism is related to science as a mechanism for legitimizing its meditative practices and worldview. The first part takes a historical review of the different moments that mark the dialogue between Buddhism and the scientific worldview in the Western sociocultural context. Then, the paper explores the narratives of various contemporary Buddhist leaders and personalities from the scientific field to identify the different argumentative modalities that support the compatibility between Buddhism and science. From this conceptual scheme, the last section of the article analyzes the stories of committed practitioners of Buddhist centers formed in Argentina in recent decades to investigate the modalities of reception and appropriation of this discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is an analysis and reflection of the results of the project "State Capacities for a Post Pandemic Municipal Agenda", from the call Pisac Covid 19. Argentine Society in the Post Pandemic; promoted by the National Agency for the Promotion of Research, Technological Development, and Innovation (Agencia I+D+i) of the Argentine Republic. The article is based on the advances and developments made by the research teams of the project and the progress made in some lines of work for the design of national public policies for LGs. This paper first presents the hypotheses and methodology of the research project. It then outlines the characteristics of the current situation of cities, their challenges, and capacities in a global context of accelerated and deepened transformations due to the pandemic and, in the following section, the main characteristics of local governments in Argentina. Subsequently, the results of the study are presented in relation to the different dimensions of the local governments studied and the profiles identified. Finally, models of local governments are proposed, resulting from the analysis and combination of the profiles previously identified, for the design of strategies to strengthen these capacities in the current context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The time-dependent traveling salesman problem with time windows (TDTSPTW) is a variant of the well-known traveling salesman problem with time windows, in which travel times are not assumed to be constant. The TDTSPTW accounts for the effects of congestion at the planning level, being particularly suited for distribution problems in large cities. In this paper we develop a labeling-based algorithm for the TDTSPTW that incorporates partial dominance and generalizes several state-of-the-art components from the time-independent related literature. We propose a framework general enough to be applied to the TDTSPTW and its variant without time windows, with the objective of minimizing the duration or the makespan. As part of the framework, we introduce a new state-space relaxation specifically designed for the time-dependent context. Extensive computational experiments show the effectiveness of the overall approach and the impact of the new relaxation, outperforming several recent algorithms proposed for these variants on more than 9,000 benchmark instances. In addition, we frame the minimum tour duration problem within the time-dependent literature and include it as a benchmark for our algorithm, obtaining improved computation times and 31 new optimal solutions. Summary of Contribution: In this paper, we study the time-dependent traveling salesman problem with time windows (TDTSPTW), a difficult single-vehicle routing problem that incorporates more realistic travel time functions than its classic time-independent counterpart. As a result, the TDTSPTW is harder to solve, as it requires more complex models and algorithms. Using state-of-the-art optimization techniques, we propose an efficient solution approach for the TDTSPTW and some related variants that outperforms the previous approaches in the literature. Our paper emphasizes the importance of algorithmic design and efficient implementations to tackle relevant practical combinatorial optimization problems—in particular, for time-dependent problems. Moreover, the resulting algorithm fosters a new research direction regarding exact algorithms for time-dependent problems using dynamic programming and relaxation techniques. History: Accepted by Andrea Lodi, Area Editor for Design & Analysis of Algorithms—Discrete. Funding: This research has been funded by Fondo para la Investigación Científica y Tecnológica (FONCyT) [Grants PICT-2016-2677 and PICT-2018-2961] from the Ministry of Science, Argentina, and by the Google Latin America Research Award (LARA) 2019. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/ijoc.2022.1236. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the increase in housing tenants (inquilinización) and financialization in Latin America, this paper explores the emergence of short-term rentals in the City of Buenos Aires, as a growing trend of housing commodification, barely incorporated into the agenda of urban studies in Latin America. To do so, we take the case of Airbnb and examined four basic dimensions to characterize the phenomenon: quantity and evolution of offers, spatial distribution, housing prices and types of owners, then comparing them with the long term rental market. Results show that short term rental shows sustained growth both over time and territory; it is a real estate market segment which is operated by concentrated and intermediary actors. Due to the low occupancy rate of the properties, the rent obtained is currently lower than in the long-term rental market. However, the post-pandemic context (still in the process of recovery) and other significant non-economic factors must be considered when interpreting these results. The paper concludes by proposing future possibilities of advance in the research of the phenomenon in Argentina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper develops a model in which the relation between the real exchange rate and the real wage, in the context of conflictive income distribution, is made explicit. It is noted that the central bank tries to regulate the distributive relation exchange rate and real wages through the changes in the interest rate. The theoretical point is that, under certain circumstances, a relatively depreciated or high level of the real exchange rate might reduce real wages and have a negative impact on economic growth. The paper also provides some evidence for the Argentine case, and suggests that the Classical Developmentalist elasticity pessimism seems, in the case of Argentina, to be validated. Also, the use of the exchange rate as an instrument to bolster redistribution away from the working class, and to promote investment and growth is also not born in the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a methodology for the estimation of the current account equilibrium exchange rate - the exchange rate that guarantees the intertemporal current account equilibrium for a country. Moreover, the methodology is tested throughout appropriate econometric technics (VECM Models) for Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia, using quarterly data from around 2000 (according to data availability for each country) to 2020. The model includes both long-term structural variables such as terms of trade, goods and service trade as percentage of GDP and GDP per capita as well short term policy variables such as interest rate differential and EMBI plus. Apart from proposing an innovative methodology for estimating the current account equilibrium exchange rate, the paper brings important insights in terms of chronicle and cyclical appreciation (depreciation) of the exchange rate in LA countries. In addition, it shows high correlation between the exchange rate negative (positive) misalignments and the current account deficits (surpluses) in the countries analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies an adjacent accumulation discrete grey model to improve the prediction of the grey model and enhance the utilization of new data. The impact of COVID-19 on the global economy is also discussed. Two cases are discussed to prove the stability of the adjacent accumulation discrete grey model, which helped the studied model attain higher forecasting accuracy. Using the adjacent accumulation discrete grey model, non-renewable energy consumption in G20 countries from 2022 to 2026 is predicted based on their consumption data from 2011 to 2021. It is proven that the adjacent accumulation exhibits sufficient accuracy and precision. Forecasting results obtained in this paper show that energy consumption of all the non-renewable sources other than coal has an increasing trend during the forecasting period, with the USA, Russia, and China being the biggest consumers. Natural gas is the most consumed non-renewable energy source between 2022 and 2026, whereas hydroelectricity is the least consumed. The USA is the biggest consumer of Nuclear energy among the G20 countries, whereas Argentina consumed only 0.1 Exajoules of nuclear energy, placing it at the end of nuclear energy consumers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article, firstly, deals with some definitions and classifications of medicines generated in the social science and biomedical fields. Then, the author proposes a systematization of medicines, incorporating new categories, as well as the notion of ethno-medical configuration, to explain healthcare in intercultural contexts. The categories introduced are biomedicine, traditional medicine, alternative medicine, religious therapy or medicine, and lay-treatment. Finally, as an illustrative example, the paper focuses on the ethno-medical configuration of the Metropolitan Area of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The goal of this systematization is proposing categories that consider the understandings and behaviors of social actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the linguistics column that Juan B. Selva published in the pedagogical journal La Obra between 1923 and 1927, with the aim of examining both the criteria of authority regarding linguistic knowledge, as well as the ideological assessments and attitudes expressed by the author in relation to the linguistic phenomena he describes. The analysis of the column (which was published in a context in which Argentina was witnessing the institutionalization of linguistics and the expansion of debates on language in the press) allows us to corroborate the centrality of normative issues, a characteristic feature of the genre. However, it also reveals the emergence of a discourse that rejects prescriptive positions and, instead, seeks scientific explanations for the linguistic phenomena it records. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent decades, at the same time that the problems of women and diversity in relation to entry and permanence in the labor market have gained visibility, gender and diversity issues have occupied a relevant place on the public agenda. In this framework, this work aims to know and analyze the gender and diversity policies implemented in national public companies in Argentina. This is an exploratory and descriptive study where regulations, documents and public information on the development and implementation of policies aimed at reducing gender inequalities in national public companies were surveyed. Specifically, this paper presents a systematization of the surveyed actions, their link with current regulations and ministerial authorities, and the presence of heterogeneity of actions carried out in the different companies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this article is to analyze the forms that organizational hybridity assumes in subnational state-owned enterprises in Argentina --specifically, in those at the provincial level--; as well as the characteristics of the relations with the owner state and the national state, as a basis for the study of their interjurisdictional governance. The paper is based on a comparative analysis of four cases of provincial state-owned enterprise, using primary and secondary sources. Among other aspects, it is highlighted that the orientation of the companies analyzed includes a relevant presence of their public mission, although coexisting with varying degrees of commercial objectives. Likewise, the link with the owner state is mostly hierarchical, without ignoring different levels of managerial autonomy. Finally, the predominant relations with the national state are generally characterized by cooperation, usually in terms of the implementation of public policies, which reinforces the centrality of the companies' public mission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the economic-financial performance of public enterprises under the Sindicatura General de Empresas Públicas (SIGEP), during the Argentine democratic transition (1983-1989). For this purpose, the performance often state-owned firms is examined in four indicators: sales revenues, prices and tariffs, real fixed investment, and level of internal and external indebtedness. The statistical analysis was carried out with secondary sources, based on the balance sheets and publications of the syndicate. In conclusion, two decouplings are observed in the indicators examined, which significantly eroded the financial capacities of the companies, continuing with the dynamics installed during the last civil-military dictatorship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The workshop ""Imagining what's next". Reflections upon genders and sexualities, writing and editorial practices", held by teachers of the Philosophy and Literature Faculty's Prison Outreach Program of the University of Buenos Aires, was an experience of re-entry and reconstruction of the pedagogical territory of the Ezeiza University Center of the IV Federal Penitentiary Complex, in Argentina, after the pandemic years' hardships. It is therefore worthwhile to observe, systematize and conceptualize the resources and strategies that teachers and students alike deployed as part of the process of re-engaging within the classroom. It is our purpose to contribute to the study on the literary, intimate, academic, political, and affective mechanisms that make up the field of pedagogical territories in prison. We approached several scenes and texts produced in this framework from the three disciplines that made up the workshop. We sought to explore the power of writing, editorial and pedagogical practices to counteract prison logics and create ways of repairing the damage inflicted on incarcerated persons. Thus, the community-building processes and the recourse to pleasure and desire as practices of resistance appear as guiding lines of the workshop we analyze in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The international Atmospheric Circulation Reconstructions over the Earth (ACRE) initiative works to recover global climate history and build an accessible databank, with data from the past 250 years of terrestrial and marine surface. Argentina is part of that effort with ACRE Argentina recovering data from various sources that have been recorded throughout the country since the 19th century. In this paper, weather observations transcribed from the original records into digital form and taken every day during the years 1860–1879 at Bahía Blanca and from 1873–1886 at Corrientes are presented. The digitization was carried out through the project Meteorologum ad Extremum Terrae (MET) launched in the Zooniverse interface, which is currently working with near 900 citizen scientist volunteers per day. The present analysis corresponds to data retrieved from the collection 'Anales de la Oficina Meteorológica Argentina' and contains information on atmospheric pressure, air temperature, relative humidity, cloud cover, cloud types, wind direction, wind speed, rainfall and weather remarks. For the present analysis, only temperature and pressure values, measured in °C and mm of Hg, respectively, were considered, after a quality control of the digitization process was applied. Data values were tested and used to rebuild the time series of both places and correlation with SOI index and monthly pressure values for both places was tested using Spearman correlation. Results show that the influence of El Niño episode during 1877–1878 can be found in the pressure values at Corrientes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the relationship between the life of the Spanish legal philosopher, Gregorio Peces-Barba Martinez, and the development of human rights and fundamental rights in the Spanish university environment in the nineties. It is analyzed its evolution in Argentina in the same period of time. Finally, this work highlights both, the integral (and three-dimensional) bases of the thought of the Spanish teacher, and the scope they have at present and in the future of all human rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a global shortage of midwives, whose services are essential to meet the healthcare needs of pregnant women and newborns. Evidence suggests that if enough midwives, trained and regulated to global standards, were deployed worldwide, maternal, and perinatal mortality would decline significantly. Health workforce planning estimates the number of midwives needed to achieve population coverage of midwifery interventions. However, to provide a valid measure of midwifery care coverage, an indicator must consider not only the raw number of midwives, but also their scope and competency. The tasks midwives are authorized to deliver and their competency to perform essential skills and behaviors provide crucial information for understanding the availability of safe, high-quality midwifery services. Without reliable estimates for an adequate midwifery workforce, progress toward ending preventable maternal and perinatal mortality will continue to be uneven. The International Labor Organization (ILO) and the International Confederation of Midwives (ICM) suggest standards for midwifery scope of practice and competencies. This paper compares national midwifery regulations, scope, and competencies in three countries to the ILO and ICM standards to validate measures of midwife density. We also assess midwives' self-reported skills/behaviors from the ICM competencies and their acquisition. Methods and findings: We compared midwives' scope of practice in Argentina, Ghana, and India to the ILO Tasks and ICM Essential Competencies for Midwifery Practice. We compared midwives self-reported skills/behaviors with the ICM Competencies. Univariate and bivariate analysis was conducted to describe the association between midwives' skills and selected characteristics. National scopes of practice matched two ILO tasks in Argentina, four in India, and all in Ghana. National standards partially reflected ICM skills in Categories 2, 3, and 4 (pre-pregnancy and antenatal care; care during labor and birth; and ongoing care of women and newborns, respectively) in Argentina (range 11% to 67%), mostly in India (range 74% to 100%) and completely in Ghana (100% match). 1,266 midwives surveyed reported considerable variation in competency for skills and behaviors across ICM Category 2, 3, and 4. Most midwives reported matching skills and behaviors around labor and childbirth (Category 2). Higher proportions of midwives reported gaining basic skills through in-service training and on-job-experience than in pre-service training. Conclusion: Estimating the density of midwives needed for an adequate midwifery workforce capable of providing effective population coverage is predicated on a valid numerator. A reliable and valid count of midwives to meet population needs assumes that each midwife counted has the authority to exercise the same behaviors and reflects the ability to perform them with comparable competency. Our results demonstrate variation in midwifery scopes of practice and self-reported competencies in comparison to global standards that pose a threat to the reliability and validity of the numerator in measures of midwife density, and suggest the potential for expanded authorization and improved education and training to meet global reference standards for midwifery practice has not been fully realized. Although the universally recognized standard, this study demonstrates that the complex, composite descriptions of skills and behaviors in the ICM competencies make them difficult to use as benchmark measures with any precision, as they are not defined or structured to serve as valid measures for assessing workforce competency. A simplified, content-validated measurement system is needed to facilitate evaluation of the competency of the midwifery workforce. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is an exploratory review about teaching practices at Argentinean public universities published between 2010 and 2019. The sample was constituted by 20 papers. The methodology was qualitative based on content analysis in three axes: work methodology, teaching practices description and characterization of the public university. The results showed a predominance of qualitative methodology, in particular of narrative approach. The aim of studies was teaching practices themselves in most of the papers, followed by directly related issues and, finally, in a few papers teaching practices were part of the aim of the study. Almost all of the papers collected data on public universities, but only a small number included the analysis of the university context in their studies. The results are discussed based on the particularities of university education in the local context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we developed an innovative and plural methodology for a socio-cultural assessment of ecosystem services (ES). This methodology was performed using diverse and interdependent tools applied within the framework of ethnoecology and post-normal science, with the aim of identifying ES from the perspective of local communities that inhabit different socio-ecosystems, highlighting the relevance of Indigenous and Local Knowledge (ILK). As examples of how this methodology works, we analyzed a multiple case study performed in three peasant communities of the Dry Chaco eco-region, Argentina. We identified ES in all the categories and their fundamental contributions to the particular way of life in this area. The method is flexible enough to be used in other socio-ecosystems with different environmental and social features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The military in Latin America has been extensively involved in pandemic relief operations. This paper analyses the impact of militarization of pandemic relief operations on human rights. It argues that not all militarization is equally harmful to individuals in the region. When troops assume responsibilities regarding medical care and logistical support, human rights violations do not follow. When involved in policing the stay-at-home orders, the extent of human rights violations is explained by the level of operational autonomy the military has in public security operations. The more autonomous the military, more likely abuses are to occur. Additionally, military exposure to judicial prosecution for human rights offenses contributes to the explanation. After gathering original empirical evidence from 14 Latin American democracies on military presence in pandemic relief, we draw our inferences from process tracing on four comparative case studies of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and El Salvador. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the Argentinian economic crisis of 2018. We argue that the crisis was brought about by the process of financial fragility directly related to the choice of economic policy made by the Macri government. That fragility came to manifest in a moment of reversal in the external scenario in 2018. In our analysis, we have gathered evidence on the macroeconomic performance of Argentina to present an interpretation based on the concepts of asymmetry of power in the monetary and financial international system, external vulnerability, and sudden stop crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If there is one thing we can be sure about the COVID-19 pandemic, it is that it caused an irruption of such magnitude throughout the world that the resonances of the multiple and varied changes it generated have yet to be seen. In relation to communication processes, the demand for information in real time increased and the media took center stage, especially in an initial period when the possibilities of intersubjective contrasts between people were diminished by the confinements. But this was not a constant: as the pandemic spread over time, it lost its novelty character and went from center stage to backdrop in media coverage. This research describes the thematic shifts and the predominant frames that La Nación, Clarín (in its digital versions) and Infobae deployed in their coverage of the pandemic between 2020 and 2022. Framed in the contributions of the agenda setting and framing theories, this paper starts with a quantitative content analysis and compares four specific time frames (April 2020, October 2020, May 2021 and January 2022), chosen for having represented significant peaks in the development of the pandemic in national health terms. The analysis shows that the concentration of the health issue, as well as the prominence of the variables that make up the morality and human interest frames were diluted over time, making the frames in the coverage of the issue less compact and more dispersed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limno-terrestrial tardigrades of Argentina had been studied starting in 1908 and for a long time by European researchers, most frequently in the Patagonian region (incl. the Land of Fire). Starting during the 1980s, Claps, Rossi and collaborators published many surveys, studying other regions also, but with taxonomic criteria at that time. Since the 2000s, methodical and continuous studies using more modern criteria, have been carried out at the National University of La Pampa, contributing to the faunistic, taxonomic and ecological knowledge (including new species descriptions). This paper provides a comprehensive list of the limno-terrestrial tardigrade fauna reported from Argentina, with pertinent evaluations, owing to a careful study of every pertinent piece of literature since 1908, also solving some problems of discordance between the main past checklists. Summarizing, 39 genera and 119 species are present; of these, 72 represent records accepted by the literature, while 47 are records questioned in the literature but which represent distinct taxa surely present in Argentina; 14 additional taxa, instead, are clearly dubious. The authors also report the correct genus assignment to Viridiscus rufoviridis (du Bois-Reymond Marcus, 1944), which now becomes Barbaria rufoviridis comb. nov. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Customer rephasing is one of the most efficient techniques for balancing loads, reducing losses, and improving electricity quality. Traditionally, phase changes were performed by an operator, interrupting the supply during the process. Instead, a more recent approach proposes using phase switching devices that dynamically and imperceptibly transfer the customer load from one phase to another. Although this solution requires an extra investment related to these devices, it preserves the balance over time. This paper presents a new method to determine the minimum number of devices that should be installed and find their optimal allocation. The method is based on genetic algorithms and only uses data from the substation and a fraction of the customers, requiring less than 50% of penetration of smart meters to fix the imbalance problem. A new control algorithm for the switching devices is also proposed. It was designed to reduce the load imbalance while maintaining the number of changes per customer to a minimum, reducing device degradation. The method was validated through simulations using data from Tucumán province, Argentina. With at least 40% of the customers measured, it is possible to allocate the switches to less than 20% of customers and correctly reduce the load imbalance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased volatility of commodity prices caused by the entry of financial investors within the framework of so-called financialization, makes macroeconomic management more complex, especially for economies with a high incidence of primary products in their international trade. The purpose of this paper is to measure the exposure to export price risk for the Argentine case during the 1993-2018 period. The Value at Risk (VaR), typically used in finance, is employed in a novel way to design an export portfolio of commodities that operate daily in international markets. Among the main results is that 2.90% of the total exported is exposed to a monthly price risk from 2004 to 2018 in Argentina compared to 1.73% registered between 1993 and 2003. This indicator contributes to the design of fiscal rules that allow planning expenses based on structural income in contexts of high volatility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper illustrates the insights that can be gained from using a multidimensional poverty measurement method based on the capability approach to analyse the scale, characteristics, and spatial distribution of poverty in segregated cities. We assess the poverty gaps between formal and informal neighbourhoods and across districts, compare the results with income-based poverty estimates, and analyse the dimensional composition of poverty and disparities across population subgroups. The results show a weaker correlation between multidimensional and income-based measures and less overlap in terms of who is identified as poor in informal settlements than in the rest of the city. After adjusting for underrepresentation of the slum population in the household survey, informal settlements account for 10% of the city's population but nearly half of the multidimensionally poor. The results highlight the need to design poverty reduction policies that target informal neighbourhoods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to analyse the relationship between household income sources and household economic welfare over a medium-term period spanning different political-economic cycles in Argentina. It bases on the convergence between social class studies and welfare regimes analysis. We used a quantitative methodological strategy based on microdata from the Permanent Household Survey (EPH for its acronym in Spanish) of the National Institute of Statistics and Census (Indec for its acronym in Spanish), Argentina. The class scheme known as EGP/Casmin was constructed. The income sources for the different years were harmonised into labour and non-labour sources, differentiating the latter between market income and welfare income. The relationship between social class and income sources was analysed descriptively. A decomposition analysis by income sources and social class of the Gini economic inequality index was applied at the household level. Among the main conclusions of the paper, the strong dependence of households of all social classes on labour income for their social reproduction is highlighted, even in periods of strong dynamism in the field of social policies, such as the governments framed within the "progressive turn" or "pink tide". [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper analyzes the private listed real estate funds in Argentina as an expression of the process of real estate and housing financialization. Taking into consideration other national REITs regimes analyzed by current research, this paper argues that the limited expansion of these funds ought to be interpreted in light of the subordinate condition of Argentina in the process of financialization, which intensified both macroeconomic volatility and dependence on the hegemonic currency. In this context, the efforts to channel surplus from/ to housing, appear to the agents as an arduous process of marker making, in which fiscal incentives and credit orientation are unavoidable conditions. However, as explained, specific elements of housing production and capital market functioning in Argentina show tensions in their articulation, and a rather tailor-made development of real estate funds for national investors that take advantage of these fiscal benefits in conjunctures of "opportunity" for extraordinary gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new approach for detecting deforestation using Sentinel-1 C-band backscattering data. It is based on the temporal analysis of the backscatter intensity and its correlation with the scattering behavior of deforested plots. The backscatter intensity temporal variability is modeled with a logistic function, whose lower and upper boundaries are, respectively, set based on the representative backscatter values for forest and deforested plots. The approach also enables the identification of the date of each deforestation event, corresponding to the inflection point of the logistic curve that best fits the backscatter intensity time series. The methodology was applied to two forest biomes, a tropical forest at Iguazu National Park in Argentina and a temperate forest in the Brăila region in Romania. The optimal flattening parameter was 0.12 for both sites, with an F1-score of 0.93 and 0.71 for the tropical and temperate forests, respectively. The temporal accuracy shows a bias on the estimated date, with a slight delay of 2 months. The results reveal that the Sentinel C-band data can be successfully used for deforestation detection over tropical forests; however, the accuracy for temperate forests might be 20 pp lower, depending on the environmental conditions, such as rainfall, snow and management after logging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]