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Copyright of Politai. Revista de Ciencia Política is the property of Asociacion Civil Politai and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Boletín de la Sociedad Geológica Mexicana is the property of Sociedad Geologica Mexicana and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

When observing transboundary waters through the lens of Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM), it is essential to emphasize the principle of watershed unicity, which must overcome geopolitical interests while being supported by technical criteria. This paper used a multilevel and multiscale approach for integrated management of transboundary water resources in two South American transboundary river basins: the Javari River Basin (between Brazil and Peru) and the Quaraí River Basin (between Brazil and Uruguay). The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) provided spatialized data for South American watersheds. Our research focused on several broad issues concerning regional transboundary water management: (a) Because only Peru and Brazil use the Otto–Pfafstetter method, a uniform method within a regional agreement about methodological differences for delimiting hydrographic basins in each country is required; (b) It is necessary to organize accurate databases to avoid problems of mismatched borders by overlapping national databases or mismatches due to scale problems; (c) It is also necessary to establish a coordinating body capable of working with each country's representatives. In this case, building integrated and collaborative cartographic database becomes critical; (d) Because river meanders can change, historical data of a river's morphology is required. In this sense, this research provides guidelines to make water management in transboundary rivers feasible in South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Information Science is the property of Brazilian Journal of Information Science and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Revista Debates is the property of Revista Debates and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article discusses nominal classification in the languages found in the Amazon Region and the history of the description of their existence by scholars. The article also provides brief summaries of the papers in this volume of "International Journal of American Linguistics." The papers describe nominal classification in the Witotoan, Peba-Yaguan, and Eastern Tucanoan languages of Colombia, Peru, and Brazil. Classifiers in the languages are discussed and the papers address questions of how structurally homogeneous patterns across language families came about and how these systems related typologically to other systems throughout the world.

The Peruvian-Brazilian border is a highly endemic tegumentary leishmaniasis region in South America. The interoceanic highway is a commercial route that connects Peru and Brazil through Madre de Dios and has raised concerns about its impact on previously undisturbed areas. In order to assess leishmaniasis transmission risk along this highway, we conducted a surveillance study of the sand fly populations in this area. Sand flies were collected between 2009 and 2010 along transects at 200 m, 600 m and 1000 m from six study sites located along the highway (Iberia, La Novia, Alto Libertad, El Carmen, Florida Baja, Mazuko and Mavila) and an undisturbed area (Malinowski). Collected specimens were identified based on morphology and non-engorged females of each species were pooled and screened by kinetoplast PCR to detect natural Leishmania infections. A total of 9,023 specimens were collected belonging to 54 different Lutzomyia species including the first report of Lu. gantieri in Peru. Four species accounted for 50% of all specimens (Lutzomyia carrerai carrerai, Lu. davisi, Lu. shawi and Lu. richardwardi). El Carmen, Alto Libertad, Florida Baja and Malinowski presented higher Shannon diversity indexes (H = 2.36, 2.30, 2.17 and 2.13, respectively) than the most human disturbed sites of Mazuko and La Novia (H = 1.53 and 1.06, respectively). PCR detected 10 positive pools belonging to Lu. carrerai carrerai, Lu. yuilli yuilli, Lu. hirsuta hirsuta, Lu. (Trichophoromyia) spp., and Lu. (Lutzomyia) spp. Positive pools from 1,000 m transects had higher infectivity rates than those from 600 m and 200 m transects (9/169 = 5.3% vs 0/79 = 0% and 1/127 = 0.8%, p = 0.018). El Carmen, accounted for eight out of ten positives whereas one positive was collected in Florida Baja and Mazuko each. Our study has shown differences in sand fly diversity, abundance and species composition across and within sites. Multiple clustered Lutzomyia pools with natural Leishmania infection suggest a complex, diverse and spotty role in leishmaniasis transmission in Madre de Dios, with increased risk farther from the highway. Author summary: Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease that is endemic in tropical and subtropical regions affecting up to 2 million people every year. Currently, there is concern about the effects of human-made environmental changes on the transmission of leishmaniasis due to increased exposure to the sand fly vector. In this paper, the authors explored changes in the distribution of sand flies and natural leishmania infection across communities located along the interoceanic highway that connects Peru and Brazil. The study found differences in sand fly species composition and abundance between and within sites as well as a lower sand fly diversity in communities with high human disturbance. Ten pools belonging to Lutzomyia shawi, Lu. carrerai carrerai, Lu. yuilli yuilli, Lu. hirsuta hirsuta, Lu. (Helcocyrtomyia) spp. and Lu. (Lutzomyia) spp. were found positive for Leishmania spp. The majority of these positive pools were collected from a single community and far from the highway. The information provided by this manuscript will serve as a baseline to assess the effects of human activities in the region and guide future surveillance and intervention strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Task-shifting and technology in psychological interventions are two solutions to increasing access to mental health intervention and overcoming the treatment gap in low and middle-income countries. The CONEMO intervention combines a smartphone app with support from non-specialized professionals, aiming to treat depression in patients with diabetes and/or hypertension. The aim of this paper is to describe the process of recruitment, training and supervision of the non-specialized professionals who participated in the CONEMO task-shifting intervention in Brazil and Peru.Methods: We described and analyzed data related to the recruitment, training and supervision of 62 nurse assistants from the health system in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and three hired nurses in Lima, Peru. The data were collected from information provided by nurses and nurse assistants, supervisor records from supervision meetings and the CONEMO platform database.Results: We found that task-shifting was feasible using existing resources in Sao Paulo and additional human resources in Lima. Training and supervision were found to be crucial and well received by the staff; however, time was a limitation when using existing human resources. Ensuring technological competence prior to the start of the intervention was essential. Group supervision meetings allowed non-specialized professionals to learn from each other's experiences.Conclusion: Carefully considering recruitment, training and supervision of non-specialized professionals is important for effective task-shifting when delivering an mHealth intervention for depression. Opportunities and challenges of working in different health systems are described, which should be considered in future implementation, either for research or real settings. Trial registration NCT028406662 (Sao Paulo), NCT03026426 (Peru). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Education Policy Analysis Archives / Archivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas / Arquivos Analíticos de Políticas Educativas is the property of Educational Policy Analysis Archives & Education Review and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Simple Summary: The Aedes aegypti mosquito is distributed throughout several tropical countries and is considered one of the most important species vectoring arboviruses such as dengue. It has been debated whether local adaptations affect mosquito vectorial capacity. In this study, we used a network of collaborators to access Ae. aegypti mosquitoes from four different countries: Australia (AUS), Brazil (BRA), Pakistan (PAK), and Peru (PER). For each population, we generated a DENV-exposed group and an unexposed control and estimated survival rate and fecundity as a consequence of DENV-1 infection. Overall, DENV-1 infection reduced mosquito survival rates, but this effect was not observed in PER Ae. aegypti females. The number of eggs laid by Ae. aegypti females was similar among tested populations, with the exception of PAK in which DENV-infected mosquitoes laid fewer eggs than the uninfected control. Taken together, our results suggest geographic variation among mosquitoes that could impact dengue transmission patterns across natural settings. The mosquito Aedes aegypti is distributed worldwide and is recognized as the primary vector for dengue in numerous countries. To investigate whether the fitness cost of a single DENV-1 isolate varies among populations, we selected four Ae. aegypti populations from distinct localities: Australia (AUS), Brazil (BRA), Pakistan (PAK), and Peru (PER). Utilizing simple methodologies, we concurrently assessed survival rates and fecundity. Overall, DENV-1 infection led to a significant decrease in mosquito survival rates, with the exception of the PER population. Furthermore, infected Ae. aegypti from PAK, the population with the lowest infection rate among those tested, exhibited a noteworthy reduction in egg laying. These findings collectively suggest that local mosquito-virus adaptations may influence dengue transmission in endemic settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolution equations with convolution-type integral operators have a history of study, yet a gap exists in the literature regarding the link between certain convolution kernels and new models, including delayed and fractional differential equations. We demonstrate, starting from the logistic model structure, that classical, delayed, and fractional models are special cases of a framework using a gamma Mittag-Leffler memory kernel. We discuss and classify different types of this general kernel, analyze the asymptotic behavior of the general model, and provide numerical simulations. A detailed classification of the memory kernels is presented through parameter analysis. The fractional models we constructed possess distinctive features as they maintain dimensional balance and explicitly relate fractional orders to past data points. Additionally, we illustrate how our models can reproduce the dynamics of COVID-19 infections in Australia, Brazil, and Peru. Our research expands mathematical modeling by presenting a unified framework that facilitates the incorporation of historical data through the utilization of integro-differential equations, fractional or delayed differential equations, as well as classical systems of ordinary differential equations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dengue fever, a prevalent and rapidly spreading arboviral disease, poses substantial public health and economic challenges in tropical and sub-tropical regions worldwide. Predicting infectious disease outbreaks on a countrywide scale is complex due to spatiotemporal variations in dengue incidence across administrative areas. To address this, we propose a machine learning ensemble model for forecasting the dengue incidence rate (DIR) in Brazil, with a focus on the population under 19 years old. The model integrates spatial and temporal information, providing one-month-ahead DIR estimates at the state level. Comparative analyses with a dummy model and ablation studies demonstrate the ensemble model's qualitative and quantitative efficacy across the 27 Brazilian Federal Units. Furthermore, we showcase the transferability of this approach to Peru, another Latin American country with differing epidemiological characteristics. This timely forecast system can aid local governments in implementing targeted control measures. The study advances climate services for health by identifying factors triggering dengue outbreaks in Brazil and Peru, emphasizing collaborative efforts with intergovernmental organizations and public health institutions. The innovation lies not only in the algorithms themselves but in their application to a domain marked by data scarcity and operational scalability challenges. We bridge the gap by integrating well-curated ground data with advanced analytical methods, addressing a significant deficiency in current practices. The successful transfer of the model to Peru and its consistent performance during the 2019 outbreak in Brazil showcase its scalability and practical application. While acknowledging limitations in handling extreme values, especially in regions with low DIR, our approach excels where accurate predictions are critical. The study not only contributes to advancing DIR forecasting but also represents a paradigm shift in integrating advanced analytics into public health operational frameworks. This work, driven by a collaborative spirit involving intergovernmental organizations and public health institutions, sets a precedent for interdisciplinary collaboration in addressing global health challenges. It not only enhances our understanding of factors triggering dengue outbreaks but also serves as a template for the effective implementation of advanced analytical methods in public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper explores Latin American countries legislation with the view to identify specific features of South American model of judicial review. The research methodology rests on comparative approach to analyzing national constitutions' provisions and experts' interpretations thereof. The constitutional provisions of Brazil, Peru, Mexico, and Ecuador are taken as core examples to compare the relevant procedure with Anglo-Saxon and European models of judicial review. The paper underlines that within the traditional separation of powers (i.e. legislative, executive and judicial), each of the respective branches conducts supervision and review functions to a particular extent. The text covers some examples regarding the head of the state, the supreme legislative body activities in this respect, and goes further to explore the nature of the phenomenon under study, taking into account that the majority of Latin American countries supported the organizational structure of judiciary operating in line with the separation of powers and also grant their courts of general jurisdiction the right of review for constitutionality and legality. The comparative analysis of national constitutions' provisions and scholars' interpretations has led to a number of conclusive statements regarding distinctive features of constitutional supervision and judicial review procedure in the South American legal tradition.

Empirical studies confirm that the impact of capital account regulation (CAR) is highly case-specific, which underlines the need to identify the determinants of CAR effectiveness in greater depth. Coming from a political economy perspective, this article aims to contribute to this subject by comparing three experiences of intense regulation: Brazil (2008-2013), Peru (2008-2013), and Iceland (2008-2017). The main result encountered is that the bargaining power of the different sectors involved in regulation represents a crucial factor in explaining the impact of this policy. Furthermore, domestic banks play an important role in the effectiveness of capital account regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2021, the federal government of the United States expanded a set of income transfers that led to strong reductions in child poverty. This research note uses microdata from more than 50 countries and U.S. data spanning more than 50 years to place the 2021 child poverty rate in historical and international perspective. We demonstrate that whether using the Supplemental Poverty Measure (SPM), relative poverty measures, or an absolute poverty measure, the U.S. child poverty rate in 2021 was at its lowest level since at least 1967. The U.S. tax and transfer system reduced the 2021 SPM child poverty rate by more than 75% relative to the pre-tax/transfer child poverty rate; this reduction was three times the mean reduction effect between 1967 and 2019. These policy changes improved the country's standing from having a relative poverty rate twice that of Germany's in 2019 to the same as Germany's in 2021. Moreover, the U.S. progressed from reducing child poverty at less than half the rate of Norway in 2019 to a rate comparable to Norway in 2021. However, the U.S. success was temporary: after the expiration of the 2021 income provisions, the child poverty rate doubled and returned to being higher than in most other high-income countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovation plays a crucial role in the economy of nations worldwide. In Latin America, countries foster competitiveness through public and private incentives to support innovation. Moreover, entrepreneurship incentives seek to improve countries' performance, although factors such as low business growth rates and informality can compromise it. Despite the efforts, there are several difficulties in achieving competitiveness, and few studies in developing countries. Therefore, the article explores the relationship between the factors that influence competitiveness, especially the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in Brazil and Peru. The research uses quantitative-qualitative methodology through modeling and simulation and a case study. The authors use the Affinities Theory to verify the relationship between the indicators that make up the competitiveness landscape and its most significant and attractive factors, adapting the methodology established by the International Institute for Management Development (IMD) World Competitiveness ranking. As a result, this algorithm allows us to know the relationships between five factors of economic attractiveness and four competitiveness indicators. As its main contributions, the study advances the frontier of knowledge about innovation and entrepreneurship, as few studies explore competitiveness in developing countries. Also, it offers a detailed explanation of the application of this algorithm, allowing researchers to reproduce this methodology in other scenarios. Practically, it might support policymakers in formulating development strategies and stimuli for business competitiveness. In addition, academic and business leaders can strengthen university-business collaboration with applied research in innovation and entrepreneurship. One limitation would be the number of countries participating in the research. The authors suggest future lines of research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indoor residual spray (IRS), mainly employing pyrethroid insecticides, is the most common intervention for preventing malaria transmission in many regions of Latin America; the use of long-lasting insecticidal nets (LLINs) has been more limited. Knockdown resistance (kdr) is a well-characterized target-site resistance mechanism associated with pyrethroid and DDT resistance. Most mutations detected in acetylcholinesterase-1 (Ace-1) and voltage-gated sodium channel (VGSC) genes are non-synonymous, resulting in a change in amino acid, leading to the non-binding of the insecticide. In the present study, we analyzed target-site resistance in Nyssorhynchus darlingi, the primary malaria vector in the Amazon, in multiple malaria endemic localities. We screened 988 wild-caught specimens of Ny. darlingi from three localities in Amazonian Peru and four in Amazonian Brazil. Collections were conducted between 2014 and 2021. The criteria were Amazonian localities with a recent history as malaria hotspots, primary transmission by Ny. darlingi, and the use of both IRS and LLINs as interventions. Fragments of Ace-1 (456 bp) and VGSC (228 bp) were amplified, sequenced, and aligned with Ny. darlingi sequences available in GenBank. We detected only synonymous mutations in the frequently reported Ace-1 codon 280 known to confer resistance to organophosphates and carbamates, but detected three non-synonymous mutations in other regions of the gene. Similarly, no mutations linked to insecticide resistance were detected in the frequently reported codon (995) at the S6 segment of domain II of VGSC. The lack of genotypic detection of insecticide resistance mutations by sequencing the Ace-1 and VGSC genes from multiple Ny. darlingi populations in Brazil and Peru could be associated with low-intensity resistance, or possibly the main resistance mechanism is metabolic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Relaciones Internacionales, Estrategia y Seguridad is the property of Revista de Relaciones Internacionales, Estrategia y Seguridad and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Highlights • Expert framings led some previously excluded actors to have their voices heard. • Common discursive framings led to new alliances. • Not all actors have access to technical and scientific knowledge. • Interests that cannot be expressed in expert terms remain excluded. Abstract In the last twenty years, participatory forums have been increasingly used to manage water basins around the world. The implementation of participatory forums has sought to prevent and overcome conflicts by bringing together a multiplicity of stakeholders in joint efforts to deliberate, achieve mutually agreed upon decisions, and distribute limited water resources. Different literature streams have evaluated the benefits and challenges of participatory forums in practice, such as the difficulties some forums have had when confronting existing power structures. Separately, research on water governance has paid particular attention to the ways in which expert discourses are used by traditionally powerful actors to exclude less powerful others. This paper draws from the literatures on participation and discourses in environmental governance to empirically investigate how expert discourses may empower or disempower certain actors in four basin councils – two in Peru and two in Brazil. Through qualitative thematic analysis of 116 interviews and observation notes, we specifically investigate the extent to which expert discourses in these basin councils help empower previously excluded actors. Our findings indicate stakeholder interests that are not, or cannot, be expressed within the frame of expert discourses are often marginalized. This suggests participation has made it possible for some previously excluded actors to have a voice, yet their potential influence is seemingly confined to a restricted space beyond which their voices will have little effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2004, the representatives of Latin American countries, gathered in Mexico City, devised a multilateral Plan of Action (MPA) in order to foster an improvement on refugee protection mechanisms in the region. Among its many proposals, the document advanced the idea of borders of solidarity. The proposal calls attention to new forms of thinking about border zones and border lives and how different actors might dialogue to improve the reception, assistance, and protection of displaced groups in a region marked by deep social inequalities and political violence. This paper is an attempt to make sense of these assumed new modes of governance of borders, trying to elucidate multiple perspectives and mechanisms of dealing with life in displacement in border contexts. The paper follows the narratives stemming from national and international officials, NGO and assistance workers, and displaced families' associations, in the context of the Tri-Border area between Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. The paper aims to unveil how each discourse deals with the (dis)connections between borders, displacement, and protection. I argue that perceptions of the role of borders, as both bridges and barriers, and as spaces of life, vary according to how each group appropriates and interferes in the political dialogue. Some focus on the management of mobility; others on the improvement of life conditions for marginal groups; still others try to interrupt the political processes that make such marginalization possible in the first place. I propose three varying understandings of solidarity that speak to each of these perspectives—managerial, faith-based, and autonomous—stressing the problems and also the positive aspects that might be learned from approaching borders through the lenses of solidarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper we compare recent efforts towards the constitutionalization of the right to water in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru to understand the opportunities and limitations related to the attempts to enhance access to piped water to the highest normative level. Peru passed a constitutional amendment in 2017 while Brazil and Colombia have seen much right-to-water activism but have not succeeded in passing such reforms. We explore the role of the existing domestic legal frameworks on drinkable water provision and water management towards the approval of constitutional amendments. We find that all three countries have specialized laws, water governing institutions, and constitutional jurisprudence connecting access to water with rights, but the legal opportunity structures to enforce socio-economic rights vary; they are stronger in Colombia and Brazil, and weaker in Peru. We argue that legal opportunity structures build legal environments that influence constitutional reform success. Legal opportunity structures act as incentives both for social movements to push for reforms and for actors with legislative power to accept or reject them. Our findings also show that in some contexts political cost is a key element of constitutional reforms that enshrine the right to water; therefore, this is an element that should be considered when analyzing these processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is on territorial management in the frontier zone of Peru, Brazil and Bolivia, and its relation to the construction of the transoceanic highway. Its main objective is to discuss the processes of urban growth in the settlements of Iflapari (Madre de Dios, Peru), Assis Brasil (Acre, Brazil), and Bolpebra (Pando, Bolivia), and their connection to the wider process of international South American integration. Another objective is to bring a new comprehension to the planning and management process of the Amazon territory from a decentralized viewpoint, taking care of the environmental conservation and the protection of the Rio Acre basin. The discussion departs from the view that the construction of the road will stimulate an organized urban growth that may dramatically enforce the problems in relation to the social and environmental degradation, to finally propose a new strategy for territorial and urban management through the building of an international city that includes the three urban settlements already mentioned above. Finally, this paper shows that the best development possibilities for the region are in the integral management of the urban services, infrastructure and equipment. It is hoped that the perspective of an international city will ameliorate and even control the appearance of problems typical of frontier urban settlements, such as delinquency, prostitution, drugs traffic and consumption, smuggling, unemployment, lack of cultural identity, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Initiatives led by grassroots actors achieve better social-ecological outcomes. • Multi-specialization of activities promotes positive sustainability transformations. • Initiatives with cross-sectoral and -scalar partnerships are more successful. • Place-based initiatives promote sustainable pathways and transformative change. • Grassroots empowerment is key for external actors seeking to promote sustainability. The Amazon has a diverse array of social and environmental initiatives that adopt forest-based land-use practices to promote rural development and support local livelihoods. However, they are often insufficiently recognized as transformative pathways to sustainability and the factors that explain their success remain understudied. To address this gap, this paper proposes that local initiatives that pursue three particular pathways are more likely to generate improvements in social-ecological outcomes: (1) maintaining close connections with local grassroots, (2) pursuing diversity in productive activities performed and partnership choices, and (3) developing cross-scale collaborations. To test these ideas we collected and analyzed observations of 157 initiatives in Brazil and Peru, applying a combination of quantitative and qualitative analyses. Our results show that initiatives maintaining groundedness in representing the interests and concerns of local actors while partnering with other organizations at multiple scales are more likely to develop joint solutions to social-ecological problems. Partnerships and support from external organizations may strengthen and enhance local capabilities, providing a platform for negotiating interests and finding common ground. Such diversified pathways demonstrate the power of local actors to transcend their own territories and have broader impacts in sustainability objectives. Our findings highlight the need to make governmental and non-governmental support (e.g., financial, technical, political) available according to local needs to enable local initiatives' own ways of addressing global environmental change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Smilidarnis duocornus sp. nov., S. erwini sp. nov., and S. robustus sp. nov. are described, illustrated, and included in a key to the five species here recognized in Smilidarnis. One member of this genus, from Ecuador (new country record for genus), is S. erwini, which differs from its congeners in having distinct coloration and being of intermediate size in terms of overall body length and the relative length of the lateral apical spines. Smilidarnis robustus (from Peru) and S. duocornus (from Brazil) differ from the other species of Smilidarnis in having the pronotum bearing a pair of suprahumeral spines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Neotropical Ichthyology is the property of Neotropical Ichthyology and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper analyzes the relationship between the financial instability generated by shortterm capital flows in the absence of control mechanisms and the restrictions facing the implementation of counter-cyclical fiscal policies in the inflation-targeting regime, using as a springboard the recent financial crises in, specifically, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, showing how an increase in the issuance of public bonds to, via interventions in the exchange rate market, sterilize the effects of short-term capital flows on the monetary base is a source of endogenous instability, because this mechanism entails risks for the exchange rate and interest rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrochlorothiazide (HTZ) and Valsartan (VAL) are poorly soluble drugs in BCS classes IV and II. This study aimed to develop a method to assess the dissolution profile of tablets containing HTZ (12.5 mg) and VAL (160 mg) as a fixed-dose combination, using in silico tools to evaluate products marketed in Brazil and Peru. Firstly, in vitro dissolution tests were performed using a fractional factorial design 33−1. Then, DDDPlus™ was used to carry out experimental design assays of a complete factorial design 33. Data from the first stage were used to obtain calibration constants for in silico simulations. The factors used in both designs were formulation, sinker use, and rotation speed. Finally, effects and factor interaction assessment was evaluated based on a statistical analysis of the dissolution efficiency (DE) obtained from simulations. Thus, the established final conditions of the dissolution method were 900 mL of phosphate buffer pH 6.8, 75 rpm of rotation speed, and sinker use to prevent formulation floating. The reference product stood out because of its higher DE than other formulations. It was concluded that the proposed method, in addition to ensuring total HTZ and VAL release from formulations, has adequate discriminative power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Our study analyzes the cost-effectiveness of the COVID-19 vaccination campaigns in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Mexico, and Peru. Methods: Using a previously published SVEIR model, we analyzed the impact of a vaccination campaign (2021) from a national healthcare perspective. The primary outcomes were quality adjusted life years (QALYs) lost and total costs. Other outcomes included COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, deaths, and life years. We applied a discount rate of 3% for health outcomes. We modeled a realistic vaccination campaign in each country (the realistic country-specific campaign). Additionally, we assessed a standard campaign (similar, "typical" for all countries), and an optimized campaign (similar in all countries with higher but plausible population coverage). One-way deterministic sensitivity analyses were performed. Findings: Vaccination was health improving as well as cost-saving in almost all countries and scenarios. Our analysis shows that vaccination in this group of countries prevented 573,141 deaths (508,826 standard; 685,442 optimized) and gained 5.07 million QALYs (4.53 standard; 6.03 optimized). Despite the incremental costs of vaccination campaigns, they had a total net cost saving to the health system of US$16.29 billion (US$16.47 standard; US$18.58 optimized). The realistic (base case) vaccination campaign in Chile was the only scenario, which was not cost saving, but it was still highly cost-effective with an ICER of US$22 per QALY gained. Main findings were robust in the sensitivity analyses. Interpretation: The COVID-19 vaccination campaign in seven Latin American and Caribbean countries -that comprise nearly 80% of the region- was beneficial for population health and was also cost-saving or highly cost-effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rodriguésia is the property of Revista Rodriguesia and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Tropical Lepidoptera Research is the property of Association for Tropical Lepidoptera and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper aims to evaluate and discuss the digital competence of academics at universities, to identify challenges and define recommendations for policy. This study was conducted through collaboration between the Joint Research Centre (JRC) of the European Commission and Metared of the Universia Foundation, surveying 30,407 participants who present the perceptions of their own digital competence levels. These self-reflections took place in universities in seven countries, namely Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Chile, Peru, Mexico and Portugal, and used the Check-In tool, which consists of 22 questions based on the European Framework for the Digital Competence of Educators--or 'DigCompEdu' framework. A descriptive statistical analysis was performed, followed by a qualitative evaluation. Almost 70% of the academics have an average intermediate level of competence when the data is aggregated, with results varying in each DigCompEdu area according to the specific question asked. There is no significant difference between young and senior academics, as well as between men and women. The results present a discussion of whether the age and gender of educators and their work environment have an impact on their digital competence level, and at the same time highlights the areas in which educators perceive themselves to be most and least competent. It shows how the amount of institutional support that is offered affects the academics' perceptions of their level of digital competence. On the basis of the results, recommendations are presented for higher-education institutions, with the aim of supporting the professional development of their academics.

In recent years, the border shared by Peru, Colombia and Brazil has become an enclave of drug production and trafficking for the international markets. It is a territory whose control is disputed by non-state actors and where state security forces suffer from severe material and transport limitations. This paper takes an ethnographic approach to explain the limitations of border security and the institutional challenges of controlling drug and wood trafficking in this context. It places the ideas of reproduction and social change at the centre of the discussion on drugs and borders, as key ways of thinking about the dynamics of growing and processing coca-derived drugs in the global South. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Latin American countries have evolved over the years. Still, after years of military reign, socioeconomicinstability, and civil wars, the region has been known for its anti-hegemonic economic growth (educationalpolicies) strategies. Central and South America's educational system has long been under investigation by researchers both theoretically and empirically. The transition of its education system through the introduction of centralized, liberalized, and populist ideology has sparked many researchers' interest. This paper aims to understand and compare 14 Latin American countries' education orientation. The study uses a matrix table to visualize the qualitative finding.

Circular single stranded DNA viruses (CRESS DNA) encoding a homologous replication-associated protein (REP) have been identified in most of eukaryotic groups. It is not clear yet the role in human diseases or details of the life cycle of these viruses. Recently, much interest has been raised in the evolutionary history of CRESS DNA owing to the increasing number of new sequences obtained by Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS) in distinct host species. In this study we describe two full-length CRESS DNA genomes obtained of two newly diagnosed HIV patients from São Paulo State, Brazil. The initial BLASTx search indicated that both sequences (named SP-FFB/2020 and SP-MJMS/2020) are highly similar (98%) to a previous CRESS DNA sequence detected in human fecal sample from Peru in 2016 and designated as pecovirus (Peruvian stool-associated circo-like virus). This study reported for the first time the Human feces pecovirus in the feces of two newly diagnosed HIV patients in Brazil. Our comparative analysis showed that although pecoviruses in South America share an identical genome structure they diverge and form distinct clades. Thus, we suggest the circulation of different species of pecoviruses in Latin America. Nevertheless, further studies must be done to examine the pathogenicity of this virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To identify the prevalence and sociodemographic correlates of different domains of physical activity (PA) and higher sitting time among South American adolescents. Methods: Data from national surveys of 11 South American countries were analyzed, and comprised information on 166,901 adolescents. PA (≥ 60 min/day of moderate-vigorous PA), physical education classes (PEC) (≥ 3 classes/wk), active commuting to school (≥ 1 d/wk), and higher sitting time (≥ 3 h/d) were self-reported. Sociodemographic correlates, such as gender, age, and food security status were explored using a random effect meta-analysis for logistic parameters. Results: Recommended PA ranged between 7.5% (Brazil) and 19.0% (Suriname). Peru (2.2%) and Guyana (43.1%) presented the lowest prevalence of PEC and active commuting to school, respectively. Higher sitting time was less prevalent in Bolivia (24.6%) and more prevalent in Argentina (55.6%). Compared to girls, boys were more prone to reach recommendations for PA [OR = 1.94(1.65;2.28)]; to reach ≥ 3 PEC [OR = 1.17(1.04;1.33)] and to be active in commuting to school [(OR = 1.14(1.06;1.23)], but less prone to higher sitting time [OR = 0.89(0.82;0.96)]. Older adolescents had less odds of reach PA guidelines [OR = 0.86(0.77; 0.97)] and accumulated higher sitting time [OR = 1.27(1.14;1.41)]. Adolescents with food insecurity reported more PEC [OR = 1.12(1.04;1.21)] and active commuting to school [OR = 1.12(1.02;1.22)] but had less higher sitting time than their food security pairs [OR = 0.89(0.81;0.98)]. Conclusions: Few adolescents reach the PA recommendation. Actions aiming the promotion of PA and the reduction of sitting time must consider girls and older adolescents as target groups, as well as the specifics of each country. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical trees store a large amount of nutrients in their woody tissues, thus triggering the question of what the functional association of these elements with other wood traits is. Given the osmotic activity of mineral elements such as potassium, sodium, and calcium, these elements should be strong candidates in mediating the water storing capacity in tropical trees. We investigated the role of wood nutrients in facilitating wood water storage in trees by using branch samples from 48 tropical tree species in South America and examined their associations with wood density (ρ). Wood density varied from 316 kg/m3 in Peru plots, where the soil nutrient status is relatively higher, to 908 kg/m3 in Brazil plots, where the nutrient availability is lower. Phosphorus content in wood varied significantly between plots with lowest values found in French Guiana (1.2 mol/m3) and plots with highest values found in Peru (43.6 mol/m3). Conversely, potassium in woody tissues showed a significant cross-species variation with Minquartia guianensis in Brazil showing the lowest values (8.8 mol/m3) and with Neea divaricata in Peru having the highest values (114 mol/m3). We found that lower wood density trees store more water in their woody tissues with cations, especially potassium, having a positive association with water storage. Specific relationships between wood cation concentrations and stem water storage potential nevertheless depend on both species' identity and growing location. Tropical trees with increased water storage capacity show lower wood density and have an increased reliance on cations to regulate this reservoir. Our study highlights that cations play a more important role in tropical tree water relations than has previously been thought, with potassium being particularly important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the colonial period in South America, many autochthonous populations were affected by relocation by European missionary reductions and other factors that impacted and reconfigured their genetic makeup. Presently, the descendants of some "reduced" and other isolated groups are distributed in the Amazonian areas of Peru, Bolivia, and Brazil, and among them, speakers of Takanan and Panoan languages. Based on linguistics, these peoples should be closely related, but so far no DNA comparison studies have been conducted to corroborate a genetic relationship. To clarify these questions, we used a set of 15 short tandem repeats of the non-recombining part of the Y-chromosome (Y-STRs) and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequence data. Paternal line comparisons showed the Takanan-speaking peoples from Peru and Bolivia descended from recent common ancestors; one group was related to Arawakan, Jivaroan, and Cocama and the other to Panoan speakers, consistent with linguistics. Also, a genetic affinity for maternal lines was observed between some Takanan speakers and individuals who spoke different Amazonian languages. Our results supported a shared ancestry of Takanan, Panoan, Cocama, and Jivaroan-speaking communities who appeared to be related to each other and came likely from an early Arawak expansion in the western Amazonia of South America., (© 2023 The Authors. Annals of Human Genetics published by University College London (UCL) and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)

This paper asks whether the 'leverage effect' -as defined by Black (1976) for stock markets- is also a characteristic of foreign exchange markets. The study focuses on five Latin American emerging markets which have adopted a floating exchange regime, It finds that the response of exchange rates to volatility shocks is characterized by long memory and symmetry in most countries. The response is asymmetric only in Brazil and Peru. A possible explanation for this asymmetry is the 'fear of floating' that induces side-effects on interest rates and inflation, which the market considers 'bad news'. The opposite direction of the asymmetry may be explained by the particular characteristics of each economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The article presents the conference paper on musical nationalism presented by Gerard Béhague in July 1994. The ideology of musical nationalism as applied to case studies of Mexico, Peru and Brazil is discussed in an attempt to analyze the motivation of certain composers for relying on indigenous musical traditions and the resulting national qualities of these traditions. As one of the main concerns of contemporary ethnomusicology, the article raises representation, misrepresentation and appropriation.

Purpose: Prior research provides limited information on the roles that leisure can play among Western international students studying in Eastern countries. Exploring this directional difference can provide its implications for Western international student support. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to explore leisure behaviours and leisure benefits associated with acculturation among Western international students residing in South Korea.Method: Using a purposeful criterion sampling strategy, a total of 18 participants (7 males and 11 females) were recruited. This study employed semi-structured in-depth interviews and a content mapping and content mining question strategy was incorporated.Results: The following core themes were associated with the health benefits of leisure activities experienced by international students living in South Korea: (a) promoting mental health, (b) experiencing dynamics of inter-and intra-group friendships, and (c) facilitating acculturation.Conclusions: The findings showed that participants developed friendships with the host individuals and other international students, became well acculturated into a new culture and experienced benefits to their mental health, indicating that leisure participation can be instrumental in improving social and psychological wellbeing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Christiana mennegae is a phylogenetically enigmatic taxon and represents a case in point of a species whose presence escaped the radar of the Amazon lists and the Brazilian Flora project. Here we expand its distribution by adding new records from Peru and overlooked ones from Brazil. To investigate its phylogenetic placement in the Brownlowioideae, part of the rbcL gene of the plastid and the intergenic ITS2 region were sequenced. Macro- and micro-morphological investigation of features of C. mennegae using SEM of foliar, flower, fruit and seed structures are presented. A lectotype for the name is designated here. The morphology of trichomes revealed five types of trichomes ranging from glandular to branched and unbranched and we also report stomata on the seed surface for the first time in Brownlowioideae. Christiana mennegae and C. africana were recovered as sister species in the phylogenetic analysis, albeit with low to moderate support, and more species of this and closely related genera must be sampled and analyzed in order to obtain a clearer picture of the group’s affinities and relationships. We provide an update of its conservation status from Vulnerable to Least Concern.We also highlight the need for investment in the digitization of biological collections, botanical capacity building at the local level and the importance of the availability of online literature to speed the study of Amazonian plant diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kavayva Zhang, Silvestre & Gates, gen. nov., and two species are described from the Neotropics, Kavayva bodoquenensis Zhang, Silvestre & Gates, sp. nov., and Kavayva davidsmithi, Zhang & Gates, sp. nov. Specimens of the new species were collected independently during separate research efforts in Peru and Brazil, reared from the seeds of Guarea F. Allam ex L. (Meliaceae), which represents a new host plant family for Eurytomidae. A differential diagnosis of the New World seed-feeding eurytomids is also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]