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During a dengue-3 outbreak in Paraguay at the beginning of 2007, capillary blood samples absorbed onto filter papers were collected from 44 suspected cases. These samples were subjected to three molecular and serologic tests, and 31 of the 44 samples gave a positive result by at least one of the techniques used. Molecular analyses detected the dengue-3 serotype in 22 patients and additionally the dengue-2 serotype in two patients. Therefore two different serotypes were co-circulating during this outbreak. Overall, this study validates the use of dried-blood samples for field screening investigations. Indeed, all types of laboratory studies of dengue were possible with samples consisting of a few drops of dried blood from finger pricks.

A structural analysis of Cretaceous alkaline dykes swarm associated with the central segment of the Asunción Rift is reported here. Dykes are generally single near-vertical tabular bodies, less than 5m wide, although multiple and composite intrusions also occur. Many of these small bodies have been emplaced into Paleozoic sedimentary rocks and exhibit a regional NW-SE orientation pattern. Petrographical and geochemical data allow recognition of two different lineages of potassic dykes: a silicaundersaturated suite ranging from basanite to phonolite (B-P) and a silica-saturated suite ranging from alkali basalt to trachyte (AB-T). The morphological features, the regional en-échelon distribution, and the NW-SE orientation pattern suggest that the dykes were injected along fractures and faults, under a transtensional tectonic regime with σ1 NW/horizontal, σ2/vertical, and σ3 NE/horizontal.Detailed analysis, combining dyke petrography, orientation pattern, and relative chronology reveals a rotation from WNWtoward NNW during dyke emplacement. In terms of the paleostress field orientation, the evidence indicates that the dykes were diachronically formed under a similar stress condition. Finally, the pattern of orientation documented for the Cretaceous alkaline dykes of the Asunción Rift is consistent, temporally and spatially, with the phases of regional deformation that occurred during the process of the Atlantic Ocean opening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protected areas are a fundamental element for the protection of ecological integrity and, in some cases, the livelihood of local communities worldwide. They are also embedded in socio-ecological systems, and their management is subject to various political, economic, and social influences. Good governance of protected areas is recognized as a decisive aspect of ecological conservation, which is at risk in institutional contexts where there is a weak scope of action alongside issues with misrecognition of key actors and their representation in procedures. In this context, the present study case aims to assess the performance of the Río Negro National Park governance system in terms of effectiveness and justice to enable the identification of strategies to improve this protected area governance system for the achievement of its desired outcomes. Using the social-ecological systems approach, this paper proposes an analytical framework for the performance assessment, including both the effectiveness and justice of the governance of socio-ecological systems, stemming from the socio-ecological justice framework. It uses mixed methods based on semi-structured in-depth interviews supplemented by a focus group discussion, participant observation, and secondary data analysis. Results show that the governance of Río Negro National Park is negatively impacted by low-capacity, a lack of human, financial, and technical resources, as well as the lack of recognition of the indigenous community of the Yshiro and the rural community as key actors, leading to a lack of representation of their interests, values, and knowledge in norm-making and decision-making processes. The findings unveil some windows for improvement through better-designed environmental policies specifically based on collective action and social learning. The results demonstrate that effectiveness and justice influence each other and, therefore, are deeply intertwined. From the assessment conducted, the paper highlights the components of the governance system that should be improved to achieve good governance of the protected area as a socio-ecological system, promoting the ecological integrity and the dignity of life (socio-ecological justice) of the individuals and communities that are part of this system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the global soybean market in a holistic way, analyses the land use and other historical determinants of soybean exports, such as labour and capital endowments, soybean productivity, international prices and demand conditions through an empirical model. In addition, it pays particular attention to the role of leading exporters in the export changes and the nature of the connections between them in an interrelated system. The results suggest that the productivity per hectare and the land used to harvest soybeans are the main factors explaining soybean exports in a global context. The analysis also reveals that Brazil, the current market leader, positively influences the other exporters. On the contrary, minor exporters such as Ukraine, Paraguay, or Canada present competitive relationships with the major exporters. The nature of the relationships between the exporters and the pressure on natural resources highlight the importance of government involvement in developing joint strategies that ensure the growth of this sector and the achievement of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the emergence of a hortative marker in Guaraché, a new mixed language in Paraguay, the result of language mixing of the Indigenous Aché language and Paraguayan Guaraní. After settlement on reservations, the formerly nomadic Aché hunter-gatherers began shifting to the national language Guaraní, resulting in Guaraché, which is currently learned by children as their first language. Guaraché speakers have incorporated parts of the lexicon and morphology from Aché and Guaraní into their verbal repertoires, including parts of the Guaraní inflectional morphology. Thereby, they are modeling their use of the Guaraní 1pl.in marker ja-/ña- on a specific function that it has in Guaraní, hortative mood. Neither Aché nor Guaraní have grammatical hortative markers. Such a reanalysis and transfer of only one function of ja-/ña- suggests that a novel grammatical distinction is emerging between ja-/ña- for the hortative and the free pronoun ñande/nande for all other cases of 1pl.in. This paper analyzes hortative constructions in a corpus of recordings of naturally occurring interactions from children and adults. This case of grammaticalization is a strong indicator of a gradual transformation of Guaraché from language-mixing practices into a new mixed language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper offers a new framework to understand institutional change in human societies. An 'institutional fork' occurs when a society splits into two divergent paths with shared histories. The idea of forking comes from the open-source software community where developers are free to copy of a piece of software, alter it, and release a new version of that software. The parallel between institutional choice and software forking is made clear by the function and politics of forking in blockchain implementations. Blockchains are institutional technologies for the creation of digital economies. When blockchains fork they create two divergent communities with shared transaction ledgers (histories). The paper examines two instances of institutional forks. Australia can be seen as a successful fork of eighteenth-century Britain. The New Australia settlement in Paraguay can be seen as an unsuccessful fork of nineteenth century Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Paraguay River Waterway is a crucial axis for integration in South America, with a course of 3.442 km from Cáceres (Brazil) to Nueva Palmira (Uruguay). To provide the navigation, improve the safety, the reliability and efficiency of the waterway transport, for a minimum period corresponding to 90% of the year, interventions with amelioration works are necessary. Among them, dredging in critical stretches stand out, which currently present some form of obstacle to navigation, either by natural factors (widths, radius of curvature and depths) or by structures, such as bridges, and sand shoals. This paper proposes a reassessment of the current nautical dimensions based on new guidelines, assessing critical sections for depth, width, and radius of curvature. The aim is to increase safety and study the feasibility of expanding the waterway by accommodating larger convoys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new direction on the link between a measure of exchange rate volatility on trade flows is to estimate nonlinear models to determine if trade flows respond to exchange rate volatility in an asymmetric manner. In this paper we consider the U.S. trade flows with 12 South American partners. Estimates of traditional trade models revealed that only U.S. exports to Paraguay and Venezuela and its imports from Peru responds adversely to exchange rate volatility in the long run. However, estimates of nonlinear models predicted that U.S. exports to Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, and Venezuela, and its imports from Argentina, Bolivia, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay, and Venezuela are affected asymmetrically. Clearly, the nonlinear approach yields relatively more significant outcomes than the linear approach and must be the norm for future research on the topic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For International Valuation Standards (IVS) the estimate of the "forced sale" value implies a value judgment with reference to a degeneration of the market value basis, since "a forced sale" is a description of the situation in which the exchange takes place, not a distinct basis of value (IVS 2022, Par. 170.1). The paper illustrates a model that can be used to measure the difference between market value and forced sale value, as an aid to real estate valuations related to real estate executions. The proposed method is aimed at determining the difference between the estimated values and the final sales values obtained through the executive process, on the basis of the Short Table Market Comparison Approach (MCA). This method contributes more appropriately to the estimate of the value obtainable from the outcome of the enforcement process than arbitrary reductions in the market value. An application on a small sample of residential properties undergoing enforcement procedure highlights the possibility of using the Short Table MCA even with a limited number of comparables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of LIAMES: Línguas Indígenas Americanas is the property of Universidade Estadual de Campinas - Portal de Periodicos Eletronicos Cientificos 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 examines in detail the morpho-syntax of the verbal phrase in Paraguayan Guarani, in root and complement clauses, and argues that while the ordering relation between the verb and its associated functional morphemes is congruent with the syntax (cf. the Mirror Principle), the ordering of post-verbal arguments is best understood in terms of phonological linearization. More specifically, it is argued that there are language-particular prosodic requirements that force the post-verbal arguments to be phonologically linearized outside the accentual domain defined by the verb and its associated functional morphemes. [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.)

The paper shows mechanisms and manifestations of the challenges for the security in the South American Tri-Border Area (Paraguay, Brazil and Argentina). It analyses the background of the activity of chosen organized crime and terrorist groups in this region. The article refers to some social and economic conditions for the spread of violence and illegal business in the area. It is focused on the most important dimensions of these problems and on the strategy implemented by South American governments to fight and prevent organized crime. The paper shows how the security forces deal with the threat and evaluate the impact of these efforts. [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]

Eugenia uniflora linnaeus, known as Brazilian cherry, is widely distributed in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay. E. uniflora L. extracts contain phenolic compounds, such as flavonoids, tannins, triterpenes, and sesquiterpenes. The antimicrobial action of essential oils has been attributed to their compositions of bioactive compounds, such as sesquiterpenes. In this paper, the fruit extract of E. uniflora was used to synthesize silver and gold nanoparticles. The nanoparticles were characterized by UV–Vis, transmission electron microscopy, elemental analysis, FTIR, and Zeta potential measurement. The silver and gold nanoparticles prepared with fruit extracts presented sizes of ~32 nm and 11 nm (diameter), respectively, and Zeta potentials of −22 mV and −14 mV. The antimicrobial tests were performed with Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria and Candida albicans. The growth inhibition of EuAgNPs prepared with and without photoreduction showed the important functional groups in the antimicrobial activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Irrational antimicrobial consumption (AMC) became one of the main global health problems in recent decades. Objective: In order to understand AMC in Latin-American Region, we performed the present research in 6 countries. Methods: Antimicrobial consumption (J01, A07A, P01AB groups) was registered in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Paraguay, and Peru. Source of information, AMC type, DDD (Defined Daily Doses), DID (DDD/1000 inhabitants/day), population were variables explored. Data was analyzed using the Global Antimicrobial Resistance and Use Surveillance System (GLASS) tool. Results: Source of information included data from global, public, and private sectors. Total AMC was highly variable (range 1.91-36.26 DID). Penicillin was the most consumed group in all countries except in Paraguay, while macrolides and lincosamides were ranked second. In terms of type of AMC according to the WHO-AWaRe classification, it was found that for certain groups like "Reserve," there are similarities among all countries. Conclusion and Relevance: This paper shows the progress that 6 Latin-American countries made toward AMC surveillance. The study provides a standardized approach for building a national surveillance system for AMC data analysis. These steps will contribute to the inclusion of Latin-America among the regions of the world that have periodic, regular, and quality data of AMC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper contributes to the lack of longitudinal studies concerning online information access to corporate governance (CG) practices in the banking sector of Latin American countries. In particular, this study aims to analyze the factors that influence information transparency, both mandatory and voluntary, related to CG practices of banks that operate in Paraguay via their websites from 2016 to 2019. Findings indicate the need to improve the level of information available on websites, with disclosure of voluntary information on CG practices being more prevalent than the disclosure of mandatory information. Likewise, banks that operate in Paraguay have made scant "progress" regarding online access to their governance information over the years analyzed. Moreover, the factors "Bank size" and "listed status" positively influence the information transparency regarding CG practices of Paraguayan banks. In contrast, "leverage," "liquidity," "size of the audit firm," and "credit risk rating" are factors that have a negative relation with the extent of CG disclosure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The drought resistance mechanism of typical mosses in the karst area was studied, and the water and photosynthetic physiological adaptation of mosses to karst environmental change was analyzed in this paper, which provided the basis for the restoration and control of karst rocky desertification ecological environment. Three superior plants in the rocky desertification area of Guizhou province were selected; they are, respectively, Erythrodontium julaceum (Schwaegr.) Par., Barbula unguiculata Hedw., and Bryum argenteum Hedw. Results show that the three kinds of plant rock mosses of leaf water potential (Ψs), free water content ( V a ), total water content, and relative water content (RWC) decreased; bound water ( V s ), water saturation deficit (WSD), and V s / V a ratio increased; transpiration rate (Tr) fell slightly, under drought stress. The physiological indexes of water have different degrees of recovery after rehydration. The total chlorophyll content shows a trend of first increasing followed by falling and then rising. RWC was negatively related to qN and positively related to F v / F m , yield, ETR, and qP. After rewetting, the fluorescence parameters are returned to average level under mild-to-moderate stress. At the same time, it is hard to get back to the control level under severe pressure. The water use efficiency (WUE) decreased with stress and recovered to different degrees after rehydration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Mapping species distributions is a crucial but challenging requirement of wildlife management. The frequent need to sample vast expanses of potential habitat increases the cost of planned surveys and rewards accumulation of opportunistic observations. In this paper, we integrate planned‐survey data from roost counts with opportunistic samples from eBird, WikiAves and Xeno‐canto citizen‐science platforms to map the geographic range of the endangered Vinaceous‐breasted Parrot. We demonstrate the estimation and mapping of species occurrence based on data integration while accounting for specifics of each dataset, including observation technique and uncertainty about the observations. Location: Argentina, Brazil and Paraguay. Methods: Our analysis illustrates (a) the incorporation of sampling effort, spatial autocorrelation and site covariates in a joint‐likelihood, hierarchical, data integration model; (b) the evaluation of the contribution of each dataset, as well as the contribution of effort covariates, spatial autocorrelation and site covariates to the predictive ability of fitted models using a cross‐validation approach; and (c) how spatial representation of the latent occupancy state (i.e. realized occupancy) helps identify areas with high uncertainty that should be prioritized in future fieldwork. Results: We estimate a Vinaceous‐breasted Parrot geographic range of 434,670 km2, which is three times larger than the "Extant" area previously reported in the IUCN Red List. The exclusion of one dataset at a time from the analyses always resulted in worse predictions by the models of truncated data than by the Full Model, which included all datasets. Likewise, exclusion of spatial autocorrelation, site covariates or sampling effort resulted in worse predictions. Main conclusions: The integration of different datasets into one joint‐likelihood model produced a more reliable representation of the species range than any individual dataset taken on its own, improving the use of citizen‐science data in combination with planned‐survey results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forecasting the dynamics of the number of cases with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in a given population is a challenging task due to behavioural changes which occur over short periods. Planning of hospital resources and containment measures in the near term require a scenario analysis and the use of predictive models to gain insight into possible outcomes for each scenario. In this paper, we present the SEIR-H epidemiological model for the spread dynamics in a given population and the impact of COVID-19 in the local health system. It was developed as an extension of the classic SEIR model to account for required hospital resources and behavioural changes of the population in response to containment measures. Time-varying parameters such as transmissibility are estimated using Bayesian methods, based on the database of reported cases with a moving time-window strategy. The assessment of the model offers reasonable results with estimated parameters and simulations, reflecting the observed dynamics in Paraguay. The proposed model can be used to simulate future scenarios and possible effects of containment strategies, to guide the public institution response based on the available resources in the local health system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Influenza vaccination coverage in countries of Latin America is low among priority risk groups, ranging from 5 to 75% among older people. This paper aims to describe and analyze the determinants of influenza vaccination hesitancy through the lens of the 3C model of confidence, complacency and convenience among middle-class, urban risk group populations in Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, countries in South America with contrasting vaccination coverage. Focus groups were conducted among four risk groups: pregnant women, mothers of children aged <6 years, adults with risk factors, and adults aged ≥60 years in samples of urban residents. Adults with risk factors expressed the most detailed perceptions about confidence in the vaccine. A wide range of perceptions regarding complacency were expressed across risk groups and countries, with pregnant women and mothers showing greater concerns while convenience had a narrower and generally more positive range of perceptions. Participants from Chile and Paraguay expressed the most contrasts regarding confidence and complacency. Information and communication strategies need to be tailored for risk groups while confidence and complacency should be addressed in synergy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With just five species, the Paraguayan primate fauna is less diverse than its neighbours and, perhaps as a result of this, few biologists have chosen the country for their primate studies. Consequently, the ecological data available for three of the five species that occur in the country is scant, and most of what we know about the other two is based on studies carried out in other countries. This paper collates specimen and literature data about this group to serve as a basis to encourage future research and to correct persistent errors and contradictions. Primate specimens in all the major Paraguayan collections and all significant specimens in international collections were examined. Specimen data were collated and supplemented with literature and photographic data. Distribution data is provided according to a hierarchy of record reliability of examined specimens, specimens that we have not examined, literature records, photographic records and reliable sightings in the wild. Five species have been confirmed to be present in Paraguay, with an additional species (Callithrix jacchus) that is feral/introduced, and four species cited in the literature in error. Relevant discussion and distribution maps are provided for each species. The vast majority of primate specimens were collected at least 35 years ago, and the specimen record may no longer represent current distributions given the rapidly changing landscape in the country. We conclude that the available data on the distributions of Paraguayan primates are highly biased towards two species (Alouatta caraya and Sapajus cay), yet even these are poorly known, and despite most primatological studies to date being focused on the Chaco region (where diversity is greatest), we still lack basic occurrence data or an understanding of the ecological requirements and seasonal movements of most species. However, primatological research in Paraguay has experienced a renaissance in the past five years, and a brief rundown of projects that are currently underway is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the authors identify and analyze public policy and the investment and expenditure that the governments of Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay commit to make in the development and procurement of textbooks, books and digital content for primary and secondary education (K-12). The aim is to identify and propose a roadmap for developing policies that advance the principles of the Paris Open Educational Resources Declaration. In the region, digital content coexists with and complements the traditional ones. Paper textbooks continue to have a leading role in the education systems of the region. In this context, the authors assess how the acquisition of traditional and digital materials occurs and offer some recommendations to the governments to adjust their public spending policies on educational resources development and procurement. [This paper was presented at the OpenCourseWare Consortium Global Conference (Ljubljana, Slovenia, April 23-25, 2014).]

Background: The main objective is to examine how the Paraguayan laws, policies and regulations (hereafter referred to as normative guidance) specifically address adolescents and their contraceptive information and service needs using a human rights analytic framework. It must be noted that this paper examines the adolescent content of national laws, policies and regulations on contraception, not how they were applied. Methods: The recommendations on "Ensuring human rights in the provision of contraceptive information and services" from the World Health Organization (WHO) were used as an analytic framework to assess current Paraguayan laws, policies and regulations. Three questions were explored: 1) whether the Paraguayan normative guidance relating to each WHO recommendation was present and specifically addressed adolescents 2) whether the normative guidance for each WHO recommendation was present but did not specifically address adolescents, or 3) whether Paraguayan normative guidance relating to each WHO recommendation was absent. This assessment led to the development of an analytic table which was used by the co-authors to generate conclusions and recommendations. Results: The analysis found specific normative guidance for adolescents relating to six out of nine WHO summary recommendations and nine out of the 24 sub-recommendations. The guidance included strategies to overcome contraceptive service barriers and to improve access for displaced populations. Further, it supported gendersensitive counselling, quality assurance processes, competency-based training, and monitoring and evaluation of programmes. Conclusions: Paraguay's contraception laws and policies are grounded in human rights principles. However, there are a number of aspects that need to be addressed in order to improve the quality of contraceptive provision and access for adolescents. Our recommendations include improving accessibility of contraceptive information and services, ensuring acceptability, quality, and accountability of contraceptive information and services, and promoting community and adolescent participation in contraceptive programmes and service delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Systematize the experience and identify challenges and lessons learned in the implementation of an initiative for integrated serosurveillance of communicable diseases using a multiplex bead assay in countries of the Americas. Methods. Documents produced in the initiative were compiled and reviewed. These included concept notes, internal working papers, regional meetings reports, and survey protocols from the three participating countries (Mexico, Paraguay, and Brazil) and two additional countries (Guyana and Guatemala) where serology for several communicable diseases was included in neglected tropical diseases surveys. Information was extracted and summarized to describe the experience and the most relevant challenges and lessons learned. Results. Implementing integrated serosurveys requires interprogrammatic and interdisciplinary work teams for the design of survey protocols to respond to key programmatic questions aligned to the needs of the countries. Valid laboratory results are critical and rely on the standardized installment and roll-out of laboratory techniques. Field teams require adequate training and supervision to properly implement survey procedures. The analysis and interpretation of serosurveys results should be antigen-specific, contextualizing the responses for each disease, and triangulated with programmatic and epidemiological data for making decisions tailored to specific population socioeconomic and ecologic contexts. Conclusions. Integrated serosurveillance as a complementary tool for functional epidemiological surveillance systems is feasible to use and key components should be considered: political engagement, technical engagement, and integrated planning. Aspects such as designing the protocol, selecting target populations and diseases, laboratory capacities, anticipating the capacities to analyze and interpret complex data, and how to use it are key. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiversity inventories contain important information about species richness, community structure, and composition, and are the first step in developing any conservation and mitigation strategies. The Atlantic Forest of South America is home to around 334 species of small‐, medium‐, and large‐sized mammals, and is currently restricted to less than 12% of its original cover. Here, we present the ATLANTIC MAMMALS, an open data set on information on medium‐ and large‐sized mammal assemblages in the Atlantic Forest of Brazil, Paraguay, and Argentina. A total of 129 studies were compiled, including published and in press peer‐reviewed papers, book chapters, theses and unpublished data. We mapped 244 assemblages, eight orders, 63 genera, and 94 species (24 of which are classified as threatened by the IUCN Red List) distributed in 128 protected and 116 unprotected areas. Species richness of the mammalian assemblages varied from 1 to 39 species (mean 15). The most recorded species in the entire biome was Dasypus novemcinctus, followed by Cerdocyon thous and Procyon cancrivorous. These data can be useful in support of macroecological studies and conservation planning strategies. Please cite this data paper when the data are used in publications. We also request that researchers and teachers inform us of how they are using the data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, the importance of implementing energy efficiency (EE) measures is growing significantly worldwide, based on its potential to reduce energy demands and mitigate climate change effects. Paraguay is a developing country with the highest per capita hydroelectric energy generation in the world, but only 18% of local consumption is hydroelectric and 41% of its energy matrix corresponds to oil products. This paper aims to analyse the importance the Country places on EE as a strategy towards sustainable development and to highlight as EE is an effective pathway to mitigate the climate changes and contrast their effects. The authors initially provide an insight into the climate scenarios for Paraguay and underline the effects of the climate changes on the buildings' comfort. Subsequently, the authors provide, by resourcing a bibliographic review, a description of the Paraguayan sectors of greater energy consumption, its policies and targets set for increasing EE. Besides, the main EE projects developed by other neighbouring South American countries are analysed to show the level of development of each one in the scope of EE and to offer a reference basis of potential virtuous solutions to be adopted in Paraguay. A focus on the building sector is also made to provide a foundation for policy analyses to enhance EE in this sector. As a result of this review, evidence that EE is beginning to take part in Paraguay's public policies was found, with the leaders becoming aware of its importance. Nevertheless, many concrete results could not be achieved as of yet and overcoming these barriers still involve a great challenge. Regarding the building sector, few advances have been noticed regarding the regulations of buildings' thermal performance, a reason for which the National objectives set need to be more specific to achieve greater collective awareness to enforce them. Finally, key actions are recommended for Paraguay aiming to improve EE levels to face the climate change phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Regional Science Policy & Practice is the property of Wiley-Blackwell 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.)

Genetically modified crops (GMCs) and climate change have been two ecological issues intensely debated over the years. The search for global solutions to the effects of climate change on agriculture has led to the proposal of GMCs as a tool to reduce the environmental impact of agricultural practices and to improve their efficiency of production. At least 27 countries, all over the world, have cultivated GMCs. The purpose of the present paper is to provide insights about the possible linkages between the cultivated areas and the CO2 emissions in these countries. In addition, the study intends to establish meaningful relationships between attributes related to the particular socio-economic situations and the environmental impacts of GMCs. Some examples are the connection between acreages of GMCs and the status of each country with respect to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety, as well as their classification according to the mean income per capita and their CO2 emissions. In order to give the mathematical support to these links, the methodology known as Order Theory was employed. The results show that Paraguay, India, Burkina Faso, Brazil and Pakistan could be the best contributors to the mitigation of the climate change by the reduction of their CO2 emission levels through GMCs. [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 contributes data from Paraguayan Guaraní (Tupí-Guaraní) to the discussion of how temporal reference is determined in tenseless languages. The empirical focus of this study is on finite clauses headed by verbs inflected only for person/number information, which are compatible only with non-future temporal reference in most matrix clause contexts. The paper first explores the possibility of accounting for the temporal reference of such clauses with a phonologically empty non-future tense morpheme, along the lines of Matthewson's (Linguist Philos 29:673-713, ) analysis of a similar phenomenon in St'át'imcets (Salish). This analysis is then contrasted with one according to which temporal reference is not constrained by tense in Paraguayan Guaraní, but only by context and temporal adverbials. A comparison of the two analyses, both of which are couched in a dynamic semantic framework, suggests empirical and theoretical advantages of the tenseless analysis over the tensed one. The paper concludes with a discussion of cross-linguistic variation of temporal reference in tensed and tenseless languages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A critical interest of applied anthropology is to educate students to be theoretically grounded and capable of assuming a level of social responsibility that extends beyond academia. In this paper, we reflect on the issue of student preparation for work in the policy arena by focusing on the experiences of a five-year applied research project that examines agricultural cooperatives as situated agents of change and grassroots development. The project has completed three field seasons in Brazil and Paraguay in which student researchers, including anthropology graduate students from the University of Arizona and in-country undergraduate students from partner universities, have been an integral part. The paper focuses on strategies developed in the research process that enhance student learning. Community Based Research, learning to work through research teams, and creating community-university partnerships constitute the bases of a project that emphasises student learning in the process of doing research and forming collaborations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, genetically modified (GM) crops are an important part of world agriculture, offering numerous benefits to farmers. This study investigates the dynamics of the cultivated area with GM crops, especially with genetically modified (GM) soybean, for the period 2014-2018, by country and by transgenic trait, using ISAAA and FAOSTAT databases. In the studied period, the top 5 GM crops countries were USA, Brazil, Argentina, Canada and India which totalled 166.1 million hectares or 89.5% of the global area. Regarding GM soybean, the top 5 countries were USA, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Canada which cultivated 89.9 million hectares or 96.8% of the global area with this crop. The linear regression and the Pearson correlation coefficient have pointed out a general increasing trend for both cultivated areas. The USA and Brazil occupied the leading position in world with 32.93 and 32.55 million hectares of GM soybean, respectively. Herbicide tolerance (HT) has been consistently the dominant transgenic trait for GM soybean in USA, Argentina, Paraguay and Canada. In Brazil, the cultivated areas with stacked HT/IR traits have been larger than the areas cultivated with a single HT trait, in the last 3 years. As a conclusion, the global area of GM soybean will continue to increase due to its important economic role in the agriculture development and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Union (EU) and the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR) have been negotiating a Regional Association Agreement (RAA) since the mid-nineties. This paper aims to identify products at the level of sub-headings of the Harmonized System which would benefit from the signing of the agreement. The methodology used trade indicators combined with trade statistics from 2010 to 2012. A total of 61 subheadings were identified with potential to increase its exports to the EU with the agreement. At first glance they reproduced the traditional pattern of exports from the MERCOSUR countries, a high concentration in agrifood products due to high exported value of one product. When this product was not considered an important number of manufactures were identified as having potential to increase their exports to the EU. This finding showed a potential to decrease the dependence on primary or raw material exports. The paper focused on tariffs; therefore further research on non-tariff measures for market access is a must. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An essential, but often overlooked part of health promotion and development support to achieve self-sufficiency in developing countries is the concomitant need to build and strengthen research capacity. This is even more challenging and critical in the area of sexual and reproductive health because of diverse interplay of socio cultural, religious, economic factors in relation to reproductive health. This paper presents the case study of HRP's efforts to build research capacity in Latin America by studying and analyzing the 5-year history of institutional development support to an institution in Paraguay. In reviewing the efforts, we identify the strengths in the approaches used by HRP, the challenges and outcomes of the process and we present recommendations for future efforts to strengthen research capacity to improve sexual and reproductive health. The authors call for greater support from and collaborative efforts of developmental partners and governments to strengthen research capacity in low and middle-income countries to improve sexual and reproductive health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Committed to achieving carbon neutrality by mid-century, South America faces unique challenges in carbon mitigation due to its distinct socio-economic, technological, and institutional backgrounds compared to developed and other developing economies. Previous research on South America's carbon emissions has limited country and sector coverage and typically adopts a top-down approach that focuses on the overall emissions of an economy, neglecting individual energy sources and emission sectors. Therefore, this paper compiles a comprehensive inventory of CO 2 emissions for South American countries based on a meticulous bottom-up approach and multi-source data integration, followed by a thorough analysis of their temporal evolution patterns and the driving forces behind them. Between 2010 and 2020, South America's overall emissions peaked in 2014 at 1092.3 Mt., led by emissions from oil consumption and from the transport and electricity sectors, and dropped to 865.6 Mt. in 2020, due to the economic fluctuations and COVID-19. Specifically, Brazil was the largest emitter, Chile experienced the most significant increase in emissions, and Paraguay recorded the highest emission growth rate. Generally, expanding population was constant driver of emission growth. High energy intensity led to significant emission increases in Brazil and Ecuador, while elevated carbon intensity was the main driver in Argentina. Energy structure changes played a positive role in most countries to different extents (e.g., much more significant in Brazil than in Chile) but aggrevated emissions in Paraguay and Guyana. Therefore, carbon mitigation strategies should be tailored to each country's unique national circumstances. • During 2010–2020, South America's CO 2 emissions from fossil fuels peaked in 2014. • Transport and electricity sectors comprised over 60% of total emissions. • Brazil was the top emitter, while Chile saw the largest increase in emissions. • Emission patterns and driving factors varied significantly across countries. • Carbon reduction strategies should be tailored to local circumstances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The maned wolf, Chrysocyon brachyurus, is the largest South American canid, with a natural distribution that stretches across Peru, Bolivia, Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. The present study reports the case of a rescued specimen of maned wolf that underwent a rehabilitation process in Paraguay, starting in October 2020 with its rescue, and finalising in May 2021 with the reintroduction. Herein, we document findings regarding the general management, biometrics, feeding and environmental enrichment; chemical immobilisation and monitoring; haematology, blood biochemistry and specific serology‐relevant pathogens; skin examination and bone marrow cytology; orthopaedic, ophthalmological and dental evaluation; abdominal and cardiac ultrasonography; radiology and copro‐parasitology. Main findings include the feeding habits of the individual and enrichment opportunities. The animal weighed 7 kg on arrival, with an estimated age of 5 months, and 18 kg on reintroduction, with an estimated age of 1 year. The animal tested negative to serologic tests for Brucella canis, Dirofilaria, canine distemper, Toxoplasmosis and canine parvovirus. Leptospira testing showed antibodies against L. grippotyphosa on both samplings, L. wolffi and L. ictero on the first sampling, and L. pomona on the second sampling. Abdominal organs were examined and measured through ultrasound evaluation and kidneys showed no alterations. Echocardiography showed preserved mitral, tricuspid and aortic valve flows, but turbulent pulmonary valve flow. Copro‐parasitology reported the presence of Lagochilascaris sp. and Balantidium sp. All the information gathered aided in diagnosing the health status of the individual, and the response to environmental enrichment helped assess the behaviour, which led to the suggestion of reintroducing the animal. These data constitute the first published health check of a maned wolf in Paraguay, which can contribute to the species' conservation in the country. The protocol presented in this study can serve as a basis for developing an action plan for the maned wolf in Paraguay. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer is a global health concern and ranks fourth among the most prevalent cancers in women worldwide. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is a known precursor of cervical cancer and preventive measures include prophylactic vaccines. This study focused on sexually active Paraguayan women aged 18–25 years, exploring the intersection of HPV vaccination and sexual behavior. Among 254 participants, 40.9% received the Gardasil-4 vaccine, with no significant differences in sexual behavior between the vaccinated and unvaccinated sexually active groups. However, a notable decrease in the prevalence of HPV among the vaccinated women highlights the efficacy of this vaccine in reducing infections. The prevalence of any HPV type was 37.5% in vaccinated participants compared to 56.7% in unvaccinated participants (p = 0.0026). High-risk HPV types showed a significant difference, with a prevalence of 26.0% in vaccinated women compared with 52.7% in unvaccinated women (p < 0.001). Although a potential decline in genital warts was observed among the vaccinated individuals, statistical significance (p = 0.0564) was not reached. Despite the challenges in achieving high vaccination coverage, the observed reduction in HPV prevalence underscores the importance of ongoing monitoring, healthcare professional recommendations, and comprehensive risk management. These findings contribute to dispelling concerns about HPV vaccination influencing sexual behavior, advocating further large-scale research to explore the impact of vaccines on various HPV types and potential cross-protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents the argument that, under Annex C of the Treaty of Itaipă, the consequence of the unresolved boundary dispute between Paraguay and Brazil, both parties have an independent obligation to negotiate in good faith without the requirement of further consent. Topics discussed include historical background on the Treaty of Itaipú, structure of the Treaty of Itaipú, and obligation to negotiate in Annex C of the Treaty of Itaipú.

This explorative study examines intonation contours in neutral and non-neutral statements of Paraguayan Spanish, a variety shaped by extensive contact with Guarani, a co-official language of Paraguay. Paraguayan Spanish displays both lexical and syntactic borrowings from Guarani, along with innovative intonation patterns not found in other Spanish varieties. Previous but still limited research on yes/no and wh-questions in this variety suggests the emergence of a unique intonational system, possibly of a hybrid nature, in both Spanish monolinguals and Spanish–Guarani bilinguals. To date, no comprehensive description of intonation patterns in Paraguayan Spanish statements exists. The present study addresses this gap by analyzing data obtained through a Discourse Completion Task, covering broad-focus statements, contrastive focus, exclamatives, and statements of the obvious. Data were collected in 2014 from two monolingual speakers, eleven bilingual Spanish-dominant speakers, and eight bilingual Guarani-dominant speakers. The intonation is formalized using the Autosegmental–Metrical model of intonational phonology and the Spanish Tones and Break Indices labeling system. The findings reveal three main realizations of nuclear accents (L+H*, H+L*, and innovative >H+L*) in neutral and non-neutral declarative sentences, lengthening of syllables, diverse syntactical strategies, and lexical borrowings. The study contributes to the understanding of a lesser-studied Spanish variety and offers insights into theoretical aspects of contact linguistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This article discusses some of the long-term tendencies of the Paraguayan political economy, focusing, in particular, on impacts on indigenous peoples and, because of the ongoing agribusiness expansion in the northeast of the country, on the Paĩ Tavyterã nation. This analysis is warranted because of the growing recognition of the importance of land-related disputes affecting indigenous peoples, particularly in countries such as Paraguay that rely heavily on agribusiness exports and on the exploitation of natural resources. It is based on more than six years of research dedicated to the land struggles of the Paĩ Tavyterã (and members of the same ethnic group in Brazil, called Guarani-Kaiowa). Instead of a comparative study, this is a relational storytelling text that draws insights from various actors, communities and situations that were obtained through a qualitative and participative methodology, involving indigenous communities as co-participants and co-investigators in the study. Empirical results demonstrate that, despite the fact that Paraguay is a major exporter of agribusiness commodities the accumulation of multiple forms of subtraction is a prevailing geographical force. The reaction of indigenous peoples is in the form of anti-subtraction. The main implication of this research is that the process of decolonisation is, first and foremost, an anti-subtraction movement that aims to revert the deficit caused by the systemic subtraction of socio-economic and socio-ecological opportunities. [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]

Objective: To determine the prevalence of menopausal symptoms and factors related to severity in mid-aged women.Methods: Cross-sectional study in which 216 urban-living women from Asunción-Paraguay (40–60 years) were surveyed with the 10 item Cervantes Scale (CS-10) and a general questionnaire (personal and partner data).Results: Median (interquartile range [IQR]) age of the sample was 48 [9] years, 48.1% were postmenopausal, 8.8% used menopausal hormone therapy, 39.4% psychotropic drugs, 43.5% had hypertension, 6.5% diabetes, 51.9% abdominal obesity, and 89.3% had a partner (n = 193). A history of sexual abuse was present in 2.8%. Median total CS-10 score was 8.5 [9.75]. Overall, 93.3% (180/193) of women having a partner were sexually active, with a median coital frequency of 8 times per month. According to the CS-10, the three most prevalent menopausal symptoms were: aching in muscles and/or joints (70.8%), anxiety and nervousness (70.8%) and hot flashes/night sweats (54.2%). Factors associated with higher CS-10 scores were: female age and educational level, marital status, menopausal status, and marital sexual aspects. Partner educational level was inversely correlated (rho Spearman coefficient) with CS-10 total scores. However, multiple linear regression analysis found that higher total CS-10 scores (more severe menopausal symptoms) negatively correlated to coital frequency and positively correlated with peri- and postmenopausal status, parity, sedentary lifestyle and a history of sexual abuse.Conclusion: Menopausal symptoms in this mid-aged urban female Paraguayan sample were related to hormonal, sexual and other female aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Acute lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) is the most common pediatric malignancy. While the survival rate for childhood ALL exceeds 90% in high-income countries, the estimated survival in low-and middle-income countries ranges from 22-79%, depending on the region and local resources. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed demographic, biological, and clinical parameters of children under 18 years of age with newly diagnosed ALL presenting between 2013-2017 across five pediatric centers in 4 countries in South America. Survival analyses were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: Across the five centers, 752 patients were analyzed (Bolivia [N=9], Ecuador [N=221], Paraguay [N=197], Peru [N=325]) and 92.1% (n=690) patients were diagnosed with B-cell and 7.5% (n= 56) with T-cell ALL. The median age was 5.5 years old (IQR 7.29). At diagnosis, 47.8% of patients were categorized as standard and 51.9% as high risk per their institutional regimen. Advanced diagnostics availability varied between modalities. MRD was evaluated in 69.1% of patients; molecular testing was available for ETV6-RUNX, BCR-ABL1, TCF3-PBX1, and KMT2A-rearranged ALL in 75-81% of patients; however, karyotyping and evaluation for iAMP21 were only performed in 42-61% of patients. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement was evaluated at diagnosis in 57.3% (n=429) patients; of these, 93.7% (n=402) were CNS 1, 1.6% (n=7) were CNS 2, 0.7% (n=11) were CNS3, 1.9% (n=8) had cranial nerve palsy, and 2.1% (n=9) results unavailable. Chemotherapy delays >2 weeks were reported in 56.0% (n=421) patients during treatment. Delays were attributed to infection in 63.2% (n=265), drug-related toxicities in 47.3% (n=198), and resource constraints, including lack of bed availability in 23.2% (n=97) of patients. The 3-year Abandonment-sensitive EFS and OS were 61.0±1.9% and 67.2±1.8%, respectively. The 3-year EFS and OS were 71.0±1.8% and 79.6±1.7%, respectively. Discussion: This work reveals opportunities to improve survival, including addressing severe infections, treatment interruptions, and modifications due to drug shortages. In 2018, healthcare professionals across South America established the Pediatric Oncology Latin America (POLA) group in collaboration with St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. POLA collaborators developed an evidence-based, consensus-derived, adapted treatment guideline, informed by preliminary results of this evaluation, to serve as the new standard of care for pediatric ALL in participating institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]