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Background Waste pickers are considered a vulnerable population at risk for potential health damage. Taking into account the risk of hepatitis B or C infection in this population, the aim of this study was to show the prevalence of these diseases in waste pickers from South America, through a systematic review. Methods The search covered publications until February 2020, accessed through Google Scholar database. Epidemiological studies on hepatitis B or C focused on waste pickers in South America were included. All selected papers were evaluated for quality. Results Six studies composed this systematic review, all conducted in Brazil and using cross-sectional study. The prevalence of all makers (HBsAg or anti-HBc) for hepatitis B varied from 4.3 to 33.4% while for hepatitis C varied from 1.6 to 12.4%. Conclusion The lack of results showed the requirement for more research about hepatitis including this informal workers group. High prevalences of hepatitis B and C in waste pickers highlighted the need of increase preventive health protection as vaccination against hepatitis B; training on working conditions; and the use of individual protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southernmost portion of the Andes in South America hosts Nothofagaceae forests that form ectomycorrhizal (EcM) associations. We compiled all the published reports of EcM taxa from these woodlands, based on fruit-body collections and molecularly identified root tips. This resulted in 87 peer-reviewed research papers dealing with EcM associations from Nothofagaceae forests published over the past 62 years. Based on these papers the EcM richness and its association with Nothofagaceae species was analyzed. Represented by 45 genera (34 Basidiomycetes and 11 Ascomycetes), 479 EcM taxa have been recorded, plus an additional 46 EcM taxa which are potentially EcM. Cortinarius was the most frequent and diverse genus , with 64.9% of total species. Nothofagus dombeyi had the highest number of unique EcM species, followed by N. pumilio , N. antarctica and Lophozonia obliqua. The EcM community associated with Nothofagus species , except N. nitida, showed higher similarities among themselves, than with Lophozonia and Fuscospora species. Beta diversity indexes showed EcM Nothofagus species have 29–42% niche overlap, while Nothofagus — Lophozonia only had 1–16%. The assessment of the accuracy of the EcM diversity, host specificity and community structure deserve further studies combining phylogenetic analysis based on broad ecological surveys. On the basis of pre-selected criteria Austropaxillus statuum, Cortinarius fragilis, Cortinarius xiphidipus and Hallingea purpurea are proposed as candidates for nursery spore inoculations, and should be subject to scientific evaluation to determine costs and benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basic story of global inequality in the last three decades has been an overall decline, but one which is composed of quite intricate patterns. There has been a decline in between-country inequality as China and India have grown relative to the US and other rich countries. This has been accompanied by an increase in within-country inequality, but this is itself composed of rising inequality in some countries such as China, India, and the US, and declining inequality in other countries, including large economies in Latin America. Section II of the paper reviews these patterns, highlighting country diversity to make the central point that policy matters. Section III addresses a normative question—what relative weight should be given to within-country and between-country inequality in making an overall global assessment? This section brings on board recent philosophical discourse, including on inequality of opportunity in a global frame. Section IV returns to the 'policy matters' theme and takes up global constraints on national redistribution policy in a globalized world: for example, a race to the bottom on taxation to attract and keep capital and talent, and possible global institutional responses to alleviate these constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) programs, started in the late 1990s in Latin America, have become the antipoverty program of choice in many developing countries in the region and beyond. This paper reviews the literature on their long-term impacts on human capital and related outcomes observed after children have reached a later stage of their life cycle, focusing on two life-cycle transitions. The first includes children exposed to CCTs in utero or during early childhood who have reached school ages. The second includes children exposed to CCTs during school ages who have reached young adulthood. Most studies find positive long-term effects on schooling, but fewer find positive impacts on cognitive skills, learning, or socio-emotional skills. Impacts on employment and earnings are mixed, possibly because former beneficiaries were often still too young. A number of studies find estimates that are not statistically different from zero, but for which it is often not possible to be confident that this is due to an actual lack of impact rather than to the methodological challenges facing all long-term evaluations. Developing further opportunities for analyses with rigorous identification strategies for the measurement of long-term impacts should be high on the research agenda. As original beneficiaries age, this should also be increasingly possible, and indeed important before concluding whether or not CCTs lead to sustainable poverty reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic phase detection, identification and first-onset picking are basic but essential routines to analyse earthquake data. As both the number of seismic stations, globally and regionally, and the number of experiments greatly increase due to ever greater availability of instrumentation, automated data processing becomes more and more essential. For example for modern seismic experiments involving 100s to even 1000s instruments, conventional human analyst-based identification and picking of seismic phases is becoming unfeasible, and the introduction of automatic algorithms mandatory. In this paper, we introduce DeepPhasePick, an automatic two-stage method that detects and picks P and S seismic phases from local earthquakes. The method is entirely based on highly optimized deep neural networks, consisting of a first stage that detects the phases using a convolutional neural network, and a second stage that uses two recurrent neural networks to pick both phases. Detection is performed on three-component seismograms. P - and S -picking is then conducted on the vertical and the two-horizontal components, respectively. Systematic hyperparameter optimization was applied to select the best model architectures and to define both the filter applied to pre-process the seismic data as well as the characteristics of the window sample used to feed the models. We trained DeepPhasePick using seismic records extracted from two sets of manually picked event waveforms originating from northern Chile (∼39 000 records for detection and ∼36 000 records for picking). In different tectonic regimes, DeepPhasePick demonstrated the ability to both detect P and S phases from local earthquakes with high accuracy, as well as predict P - and S -phase time onsets with an analyst level of precision. DeepPhasePick additionally computes onset uncertainties based on the Monte Carlo Dropout technique as an approximation of Bayesian inference. This information can then further feed an associator algorithm in an earthquake location procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article offers information on a workshop at the 16th World Congress on Public Health 2020 about vaccination challenges in developed and developing countries.

The crust of the South American platform recorded imprints of dynamic processes related with the opening of the Central and South Atlantic but has not been well measured. Crustal structure can be retrieved from teleseismic receiver functions using H – κ stacking, but nearly parallel stripes of high stacking values existing in stacking images for seismic stations in sedimentary area cause difficulties in identifying solutions. We show that some seemingly spurious stripes that do not point to any layer solution are helpful in the identification of the solution position. With the aid of the auxiliary stripes, we retrieved thicknesses and Vp / Vs of sedimentary and crystalline crust for 65 permanent stations of the Brazilian Seismographic Network and six new portable seismic stations in Brazil and Uruguay. The resulted sedimentary thickness and Vp / Vs exhibit a good correlation with the Phanerozoic sediments in the South American basins. The crust of Paraná–Etendeka Large Igneous Province (LIP) had been expected to be more mafic since it had ever been penetrated by mantle magma in the Cretaceous related to the south Atlantic opening. However, we found very low Vp / Vs (1.67) in the crystalline crust beneath the LIP, implying a more felsic crust and that no significant mafic intruding/underplating has occurred in the region. The more felsic crust may be formed in a special evolution early than the magmatic event, or during the magmatic event by releasing crustal volatiles. The resulted sedimentary thickness and Vp / Vs ratios exhibit a good correlation with the Phanerozoic sediments in the South American basins, which implies that Triassic–Jurassic and Cretaceous magmatism did not cause significant metamorphism in sediments formed before the magmatic events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new adaptive algorithm for topographic correction of gravity measurements based on a triangulated polyhedral representation of topographic surfaces. The adaptive grid resampling of topography is driven by the actual gravity effect on the station, which depends on the topographic mass and distance. This is a major improvement for accuracy and computational speed compared to some old algorithms that account only for distance. Today, global availability of gravity data allows the regional investigation (∼100 km anomaly wavelengths) of the lithosphere. The variety of different data sets (from terrestrial and aero surveys to satellite data), the size of possible investigation areas and the availability of high-resolution, digital terrain models ask for new approaches of topographic correction. Specifically, an algorithm for topographic correction should be useable on large-scale investigation areas, that is, correctly model the long wavelength signal of topography, work in spherical domain, be able to handle high-resolution topography data available and accurately represent topography. The new algorithm does consider sphericity of the Earth, calculates gravity gradients, deals with large data sets and uses an adaptive approach for resampling topography to save computation time significantly. The resampling uses an efficient quadtree representation of the topography grid. High resolution of the topography grid is only considered if it has a significant influence on the gravity effect at the station. This leads to an accurate representation of distant terrain and a massive speed up of computation time. The new algorithm is tested in an area of South America and Central Asia. The results are almost identical to calculations with constant grid resolutions, but need only 2 per cent of calculation time. This method enables to correct all gravity data sources (terrestrial, aero, satellite data) with the necessary topographic resolution with huge saving in computation time without presumptions by the user. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Studies examining patterns and processes of speciation in South America are fewer than in North America and Europe. One of the least well documented processes has been progenitor–derivative speciation. A particularly instructive example occurs in the southern Andes in the genus Pozoa (Apiaceae, Azorelloideae), which consists of only two diploid outcrossing species, the widespread P. coriacea and the geographically and ecologically restricted P. volcanica. This paper tests the hypothesis that the latter species originated from the former through local geographical and ecological isolation by progenitor–derivative speciation. Methods DNA sequences were analysed from Pozoa and the related South American genera Asteriscium, Eremocharis and Gymnophyton from non-coding regions of the plastid genome, ndhF-rpl32 and rpl32-trnL, plus incorporation of previously reported rpl16 intron and trnD-trnT intergenic spacer sequences. Amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) data from 105 individuals in 21 populations throughout the entire range of distribution of the genus were used for estimation of genetic diversity, divergence and SplitsTree network analysis. Ecological factors, including habitat and associated species, were also examined. Key Results Pozoa coriacea is more similar genetically to the outgroup genera, Asteriscium and Eremocharis, than is P. volcanica. At the population level, only P. volcanica is monophyletic, whereas P. coriacea is paraphyletic. Analyses of genetic differentiation among populations and genetic divergence and diversity of the species show highest values in P. coriacea and clear reductions in P. volcanica. Pozoa coriacea occurs in several types of high elevation habitats, whereas P. volcanica is found only in newly formed open volcanic ash zones. Conclusions All facts support that Pozoa represents a good example of progenitor–derivative speciation in the Andes of southern South America. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Crustal density models derived from seismic velocity models by means of velocity-density conversions typically reproduce the main features of the observed gravity anomaly over the area but often show significant misfits. Given the uncertainty in the relationship between velocity and density, seismically derived density models should be regarded as an initial estimate of the true subsurface density structure. In this paper, we present a method for estimating the adjustments necessary to a seismically derived density model to improve the fit to gravity data. The method combines the Genetic Algorithm paradigm with linear inversion as a way to approach the non-linear and linear aspects of the problem. The models are divided into three layers representing the sedimentary column, the crystalline crust and the lithospheric mantle; the depths of these layers are determined from the seismic velocity model. Each of the layers is divided into a number of provinces and a density adjustment (Δρ) value is found for each province so that the residual gravity (difference between the observed gravity anomaly and the anomaly calculated for the seismically derived model) is minimized while keeping Δρ between predefined bounds. The preferred position of the province boundaries is found through the artificial evolution of a population of solutions. Given the stochastic nature of the algorithm and the non-uniqueness of the problem, different realizations can yield different solutions. By performing multiple realizations we can analyse a set of solutions by taking their mean and standard deviation, providing not only an estimate of the Δρ distribution in the subsurface but also an estimate of the associated uncertainty. Synthetic tests prove the ability of the algorithm to accurately recover the location of province boundaries and the Δρ values for a known model when using noise-free synthetic data. When noise is added to the data, the algorithm broadly recovers the features that define the known model despite greater standard deviations of the solutions and the occurrence of artefacts in the mean solutions. The algorithm was applied to four profiles across the Caribbean-South America Plate boundary. Some general patterns in the distribution of Δρ were observed consistently in the profiles and are correlated with the interpretations of the velocity models. Positive Δρ values in the sedimentary layer, negative Δρ values for island arc and extended island arc crust with an abrupt change to positive values in South American crust, and positive values in the mantle under the continent and island arc with a transition to negative values under the Caribbean oceanic crust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Mammalogy is the property of Oxford University Press / USA 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.)

Urbanization has dramatic impacts on natural habitats and such changes may potentially drive local adaptation of urban populations. Behavioral change has been specifically shown to facilitate the fast adaptation of birds to changing environments, but few studies have investigated the genetic mechanisms of this process. Such investigations could provide insights into questions about both evolutionary theory and management of urban populations. In this study, we investigated whether local adaptation has occurred in urban populations of a Neotropical bird species, Coereba flaveola , specifically addressing whether observed behavioral adaptations are correlated to genetic signatures of natural selection. To answer this question, we sampled 24 individuals in urban and rural environments, and searched for selected loci through a genome-scan approach based on RADseq genomic data, generated and assembled using a reference genome for the species. We recovered 46 loci as putative selection outliers, and 30 of them were identified as associated with biological processes possibly related to urban adaptation, such as the regulation of energetic metabolism, regulation of genetic expression, and changes in the immunological system. Moreover, genes involved in the development of the nervous system showed signatures of selection, suggesting a link between behavioral and genetic adaptations. Our findings, in conjunction with similar results in previous studies, support the idea that cities provide a similar selective pressure on urban populations and that behavioral plasticity may be enhanced through genetic changes in urban populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Bulnesia retama is a drought-deciduous, xerophytic shrub from arid landscapes of South America. In a survey of carbon isotope ratios (δ13C) in specimens from the field, B. retama exhibited less negative values, indicative of CAM or C4 photosynthesis. Here, we investigate whether B. retama is a C4 or CAM plant. Methods Gas-exchange responses to intercellular CO2, diurnal gas-exchange profiles, δ13C and dawn vs. afternoon titratable acidity were measured on leaves and stems of watered and droughted B. retama plants. Leaf and stem cross-sections were imaged to determine whether the tissues exhibited succulent CAM or C4 Kranz anatomy. Key Results Field-collected stems and fruits of B. retama exhibited δ13C between −16 and −19 ‰. Plants grown in a glasshouse from field-collected seeds had leaf δ13C values near −31 ‰ and stem δ13C values near −28 ‰. The CO2 response of photosynthesis showed that leaves and stems used C3 photosynthesis during the day, while curvature in the nocturnal response of net CO2 assimilation rate (A) in all stems, coupled with slightly positive rates of A at night, indicated modest CAM function. C4 photosynthesis was absent. Succulence was absent in all tissues, although stems exhibited tight packing of the cortical chlorenchyma in a CAM-like manner. Tissue titratable acidity increased at night in droughted stems. Conclusions Bulnesia retama is a weak to modest C3 + CAM plant. This is the first report of CAM in the Zygophyllaceae and the first showing that non-succulent, xerophytic shrubs use CAM. CAM alone in B. retama was too limited to explain less negative δ13C in field-collected plants, but combined with effects of low stomatal and mesophyll conductance it could raise δ13C to observed values between −16 and −19 ‰. Modest CAM activity, particularly during severe drought, could enable B. retama to persist in arid habitats of South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents a study of the amounts and kinds of foreign news carried in outstanding U.S. and South American dailies and a comparative analysis of the press treatment of foreign news. Most people in the U.S. and the other American nations learn about world events through the mass media rather than by direct contact, hence the foreign news coverage of the major newspapers can have a great influence on international relations. It was found that in total amount of foreign news covering seven world areas, the South American papers published about double the daily volume published by the U.S. newspapers. The New York Times published almost twice as much foreign news from the same areas as the South American press. A large part of the daily foreign news report in the average South American paper was devoted to news about and from the U.S. The average U.S. newspaper, on the other hand, was found to devote only about one-twentieth of the amount of space to news of South America that the South American paper devotes to the U.S.

Colonization of a new environment may trigger an evolutionary radiation, defined as an accelerated accumulation of species in a short period of time. However, how often colonization events trigger such radiations is still an open question. We studied the worldwide dispersal of Caninae to investigate whether the invasion of new continents resulted in elevated species diversification. We used a combination of ancestral range estimation and phylogenetic analyses to estimate the ancestral ranges of 56 extant and extinct species of Caninae, as well as variation in speciation and extinction rates through time and across clades. Our findings indicate that canids experienced an evolutionary radiation event when lineages were able to reach Eurasia and South America around 11 million years ago. A large number of species arising in a short period of time suggests that canids experienced ecological opportunity events within the new areas, implying that the differences in the ecological settings between continents, and size variation among Canidae and other carnivores may be responsible for the variation in clade dynamics. We suggest that the increase of grasslands and the new herbivorous fauna that came with it were the major forces responsible for the diversification of wolves in North America, while empty niches and the absence of competitors can explain the success of canids in Africa and South America. Interaction with other carnivores probably also affected the diversification dynamics of canids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large (M w 7.6) megathrust earthquake occurred on 2016 December 25 in Southern Chile, south of the Chiloé Island (74.2°W, 43.3°S) in the South America–Nazca subduction zone. This earthquake was the first large event in this seismotectonic segment since the M w 9.5 1960 Valdivia megathrust earthquake and broke a ~50-km-long segment of the southern part of its rupture zone. Source parameters are inferred from teleseismic broad-bands, strong motions, GPS, cGPS, InSAR and tide gauge data. We show that the joint inversion significantly improves the resolution of the slip distribution, taking advantage of each data set. Our slip models predict a single slip patch of 70 km × 60 km with a maximum slip of 3.2 ± 0.8 m and a moment magnitude of 7.64. The hypothesis from previous studies that the Chiloé earthquake released energy accumulated before the Valdivia earthquake is not supported by the ensemble of geodetic, seismological and tsunami data. Hence, the Chiloé earthquake most likely released all the strain accumulated in the rupture area since the 1960 earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helicoverpa zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is an insect pest of major cultivated crops in North and South America. The species has adapted to different host plants and developed resistance to several insecticidal agents, including Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) insecticidal proteins in transgenic cotton and maize. Helicoverpa zea populations persist year-round in tropical and subtropical regions, but seasonal migrations into temperate zones increase the geographic range of associated crop damage. To better understand the genetic basis of these physiological and ecological characteristics, we generated a high-quality chromosome-level assembly for a single H. zea male from Bt-resistant strain, HzStark_Cry1AcR. Hi-C data were used to scaffold an initial 375.2 Mb contig assembly into 30 autosomes and the Z sex chromosome (scaffold N50 = 12.8 Mb and L50 = 14). The scaffolded assembly was error-corrected with a novel pipeline, polishCLR. The mitochondrial genome was assembled through an improved pipeline and annotated. Assessment of this genome assembly indicated 98.8% of the Lepidopteran Benchmark Universal Single-Copy Ortholog set were complete (98.5% as complete single copy). Repetitive elements comprised approximately 29.5% of the assembly with the plurality (11.2%) classified as retroelements. This chromosome-scale reference assembly for H. zea , ilHelZeax1.1, will facilitate future research to evaluate and enhance sustainable crop production practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface heat flow of southern South America was examined based on an updated database containing 1113 locations. Accordingly, this study presents the most accurate heat flow map of the southern portion of the continent (south of 16°30′S latitude), covering areas that previously presented limited information. The main anomalies show a strong spatial correlation with geothermal zones and with the most up-to-date lithospheric thickness maps. The blanketing effect produced by the sedimentary basins reduce the surface heat flow up to 27 mW m–2 over the thickest basins. The study region was separated into four large areas and their connection to tectonic processes analysed. The Central Andes present high heat flow zones related to a thick radiogenic crust, volcanic activity, and a hot asthenospheric wedge. In the Pampean flat-slab region, the low heat flow coincides mostly with the horizontal projection of the Juan Fernández aseismic ridge and not with a wide region as previously thought. Furthermore, a close relationship between the subduction of the ridges at different angles and a cold upper-plate lithosphere is suggested. Besides active regions of arc magmatism and a thin lithosphere, we propose that a hot upper-plate upwelling beneath the Patagonian Platform is also contributing to the high heat flow in the area. The foreland region exhibits a low heat flow coinciding with a thick cratonic lithosphere, and local high heat flow values in suture zones possibly triggered by ancient delamination beneath these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims In a multinational South American cohort, we examined variations in CVD incidence and mortality rates between subpopulations stratified by country, by sex and by urban or rural location. We also examined the contributions of 12 modifiable risk factors to CVD development and to death. Methods and results This prospective cohort study included 24 718 participants from 51 urban and 49 rural communities in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, and Colombia. The mean follow-up was 10.3 years. The incidence of CVD and mortality rates were calculated for the overall cohort and in subpopulations. Hazard ratios and population attributable fractions (PAFs) for CVD and for death were examined for 12 common modifiable risk factors, grouped as metabolic (hypertension, diabetes, abdominal obesity, and high non-HDL cholesterol), behavioural (tobacco, alcohol, diet quality, and physical activity), and others (education, household air pollution, strength, and depression). Leading causes of death were CVD (31.1%), cancer (30.6%), and respiratory diseases (8.6%). The incidence of CVD (per 1000 person-years) only modestly varied between countries, with the highest incidence in Brazil (3.86) and the lowest in Argentina (3.07). There was a greater variation in mortality rates (per 1000 person-years) between countries, with the highest in Argentina (5.98) and the lowest in Chile (4.07). Men had a higher incidence of CVD (4.48 vs. 2.60 per 1000 person-years) and a higher mortality rate (6.33 vs. 3.96 per 1000 person-years) compared with women. Deaths were higher in rural compared to urban areas. Approximately 72% of the PAF for CVD and 69% of the PAF for deaths were attributable to 12 modifiable risk factors. For CVD, largest PAFs were due to hypertension (18.7%), abdominal obesity (15.4%), tobacco use (13.5%), low strength (5.6%), and diabetes (5.3%). For death, the largest PAFs were from tobacco use (14.4%), hypertension (12.0%), low education (10.5%), abdominal obesity (9.7%), and diabetes (5.5%). Conclusions Cardiovascular disease, cancer, and respiratory diseases account for over two-thirds of deaths in South America. Men have consistently higher CVD and mortality rates than women. A large proportion of CVD and premature deaths could be averted by controlling metabolic risk factors and tobacco use, which are common leading risk factors for both outcomes in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ornithological Applications is the property of Oxford University Press / USA 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 quinoa, Chenopodium quinoa Willd. is cultivated in South America outside of its Andean origin, the heteropterans Liorhyssus hyalinus (Fabricius) and Nysius simulans Stål may emerge as important pests. Here we studied the development and reproduction of both species at different constant temperatures in the laboratory. Egg and nymphal development were investigated at 18, 22, 26, 30, 34, and 36°C. For both species, egg incubation time significantly decreased as the temperature increased. Nymphs did not successfully develop at 18°C and the total nymphal time significantly decreased as the temperature increased from 22 to 36°C. Based on a linear day-degree (DD) model, the lower developmental threshold (LDT) temperatures for eggs and nymphs were estimated to be 16.0 and 17.9°C for L. hyalinus , and 16.1 and 19.7°C for N. simulans , respectively. Thermal requirements for egg and nymphal development were 68.6 and 114.8 DD for L. hyalinus , and 77.7 and 190.3 DD for N. simulans , respectively. Reproduction and adult longevity were studied at 22, 26, 30, and 34°C. For both species preoviposition time decreased as temperature increased, and the oviposition period was longest at 26°C. The highest fecundity and egg viability were observed at 30°C, whereas longevities were higher at 22–26°C than at 30–34°C. As the lowest tested temperatures were not suitable to both heteropterans and 30°C was found to be the optimal temperature for development and reproduction, peak densities are expected in warm areas and seasons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are more than 100 species of American didelphid marsupials (opossums and mouse opossums). Limited genomic resources for didelphids exists, with only two publicly available genome assemblies compared with dozens in the case of their Australasian counterparts. This discrepancy impedes evolutionary and ecological research. To address this gap, we assembled a high-quality chromosome-level genome of the agile gracile mouse opossum (Gracilinanus agilis) using a combination of stLFR sequencing, polishing with mate-pair data, and anchoring onto pseudochromosomes using Hi-C. This species employs a rare life-history strategy, semelparity, and all G. agilis males and most females die at the end of their first breeding season after succumbing to stress and exhaustion. The 3.7-Gb chromosome-level assembly, with 92.6% anchored onto pseudochromosomes, has a scaffold N50 of 683.5 Mb and a contig N50 of 56.9 kb. The genome assembly shows high completeness, with a mammalian BUSCO score of 88.1%. Around 49.7% of the genome contains repetitive elements. Gene annotation yielded 24,425 genes, of which 83.9% were functionally annotated. The G. agilis genome is an important resource for future studies of marsupial biology, evolution, and conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recognized disparities in quality of end‐of‐life care exist. Our aim was to assess the quality of care for patients dying from cancer, as perceived by bereaved relatives, within hospitals in seven European and South American countries. Materials and Methods: A postbereavement survey was conducted by post, interview, or via tablet in Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, U.K., Germany, Norway, and Poland. Next of kin to cancer patients were asked to complete the international version of the Care Of the Dying Evaluation (i‐CODE) questionnaire 6–8 weeks postbereavement. Primary outcomes were (a) how frequently the deceased patient was treated with dignity and respect, and (b) how well the family member was supported in the patient's last days of life. Results: Of 1,683 potential participants, 914 i‐CODE questionnaires were completed (response rate, 54%). Approximately 94% reported the doctors treated their family member with dignity and respect "always" or "most of the time"; similar responses were given about nursing staff (94%). Additionally, 89% of participants reported they were adequately supported; this was more likely if the patient died on a specialist palliative care unit (odds ratio, 6.3; 95% confidence interval, 2.3–17.8). Although 87% of participants were told their relative was likely to die, only 63% were informed about what to expect during the dying phase. Conclusion: This is the first study assessing quality of care for dying cancer patients from the bereaved relatives' perspective across several countries on two continents. Our findings suggest many elements of good care were practiced but improvement in communication with relatives of imminently dying patients is needed. (ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03566732). Implications for Practice: Previous studies have shown that bereaved relatives' views represent a valid way to assess care for dying patients in the last days of their life. The Care Of the Dying Evaluation questionnaire is a suitable tool for quality improvement work to help determine areas where care is perceived well and areas where care is perceived as lacking. Health care professionals need to sustain high quality communication into the last phase of the cancer trajectory. In particular, discussions about what to expect when someone is dying and the provision of hydration in the last days of life represent key areas for improvement. Disparities exist in the quality of end‐of‐life care. This article assesses the quality of care for dying cancer patients, as perceived by bereaved relatives, within hospitals in seven European and South American countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent compilations of the Illawarra Reversals show remarkable differences in the onset age (265 Ma versus 269 Ma) and the magnetic polarity pattern, hampering the establishment of a reference geomagnetic timescale for the Middle–Late Permian. The Parana Basin hosts a 7-km-thick, discontinuous sedimentary succession spanning the Palaeozoic to the Mesozoic, including the Gondwana 1 supersequence which extends from Late Carboniferous to the Triassic or Jurassic. We provide the magnetostratigraphy of the middle and upper Permian part of this sequence of a ca. 300-m-long core, pertaining to the Passa Dois Group and the Piramboia Formation. Sample demagnetization of NRM revealed two magnetic overprints ascribed to the Brunhes chron and to the emplacement of Parana Large Igneous Province in the Early Cretaceous, respectively. Stable, dual polarity characteristic components (ChRM) were isolated at temperatures higher than 450 °C and interpreted as a primary detrital magnetic remanence (DRM), acquired during or soon after sediment deposition. Available U-Pb dating on volcanic zircons from the literature provided independent chronologic constraints for our magnetostratigraphy. A total of 8 reverse polarity intervals were identified, the lowermost of which (up to 110 m thick) correlates to the Kiaman Superchron. The overlying Illawarra is dominated by a reverse polarity magnetization with thin (4–5 m thick) normal polarity intervals. This pattern agrees with the Illawarra sequence from the Karoo Basin and other proposed timescales for the Permian. The onset of the Illawarra reversals is interpolated to ca. 270 Ma, close to the age of 269 Ma from the Karoo Basin. Combined magnetostratigraphy and geochronology yielded sediment accumulation rates of ca. 8 m Myr–1 for the Passa Dois Group in the northeastern (marginal) sector of the Parana Basin, indicating that Serra Alta and Teresina Formations span 279–274 Ma and 274–254 Ma, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Andean Subduction Zone is one of the longest continuous subduction zones on Earth. The relative simplicity of the two-plate system has makes it an ideal natural laboratory to study the dynamics in subduction zones. We measure teleseismic S and SKS traveltime residuals at >1000 seismic stations that have been deployed across South America over the last 30 yr to produce a finite-frequency teleseismic S -wave tomography model of the mantle beneath the Andean Subduction Zone related to the Nazca Plate, spanning from ∼5°N to 45°S and from depths of ∼130 to 1200 km. Within our model, the subducted Nazca slab is imaged as a fast velocity seismic anomaly. The geometry and amplitude of the Nazca slab anomaly varies along the margin while the slab anomaly continues into the lower mantle along the entirety of the subduction margin. Beneath northern Brazil, the Nazca slab appears to stagnate at ∼1000 km depth and extend eastward subhorizontally for >2000 km. South of 25°S the slab anomaly in the lower mantle extends offshore of eastern Argentina, hence we do not image if a similar stagnation occurs. We image several distinct features surrounding the slab including two vertically oriented slow seismic velocity anomalies: one beneath the Peruvian flat slab and the other beneath the Paraná Basin of Brazil. The presence of the latter anomaly directly adjacent to the stagnant Nazca slab suggests that the plume, known as the Paraná Plume, may be a focused upwelling formed in response to slab stagnation in the lower mantle. Additionally, we image a high amplitude fast seismic velocity anomaly beneath the Chile trench at the latitude of the Sierras Pampeanas which extends from ∼400 to ∼1000 km depth. This anomaly may be the remnants of an older, detached slab, however its relationship with the Nazca–South America subduction zone remains enigmatic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The codling moth Cydia pomonella (L.) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) is a destructive pest of apple (Malus domestica (Rosales: Rosaceae)), pear (Pyrus spp. (Rosales: Rosaceae)), and other pome tree fruits; outbreaks cause significant ecological and economic losses. In this study, we used CLIMEX model to predict and evaluate the global risk of C. pomonella based on historical climate data (1989–2018) and simulated future climate data (2071–2100) under the RCP4.5 scenarios. Cydia pomonella exhibited a wide distribution under both historical and future climate conditions. Climate change is predicted to expand the northern boundary of the potential distribution from approximately 60°N to 75°N. Temperature was the most dominant factor in climatic suitability for the pest. Combinations of multiple meteorological factors (relative humidity and precipitation) associated with a failure to break diapause in certain regions also affect suitability, particularly in northern South America and central Africa. Irrigation only had a slight impact on species favorability in some areas. The projections established in our study present insight into the global potential suitability of C. pomonella under climate change scenarios by the end of the 21st century. Farmers should be aware of the risk associated with the pest based on the results, which would provide guidance for quarantine agencies and trade negotiators worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Claviceps has been known for centuries as an economically important fungal genus for pharmacology and agricultural research. Only recently have researchers begun to unravel the evolutionary history of the genus, with origins in South America and classification of four distinct sections through ecological, morphological, and metabolic features (Claviceps sects. Citrinae , Paspalorum , Pusillae , and Claviceps). The first three sections are additionally characterized by narrow host range, whereas section Claviceps is considered evolutionarily more successful and adaptable as it has the largest host range and biogeographical distribution. However, the reasons for this success and adaptability remain unclear. Our study elucidates factors influencing adaptability by sequencing and annotating 50 Claviceps genomes, representing 21 species, for a comprehensive comparison of genome architecture and plasticity in relation to host range potential. Our results show the trajectory from specialized genomes (sects. Citrinae and Paspalorum) toward adaptive genomes (sects. Pusillae and Claviceps) through colocalization of transposable elements around predicted effectors and a putative loss of repeat-induced point mutation resulting in unconstrained tandem gene duplication coinciding with increased host range potential and speciation. Alterations of genomic architecture and plasticity can substantially influence and shape the evolutionary trajectory of fungal pathogens and their adaptability. Furthermore, our study provides a large increase in available genomic resources to propel future studies of Claviceps in pharmacology and agricultural research, as well as, research into deeper understanding of the evolution of adaptable plant pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the impact of unmodelled 3-D structural heterogeneity on inverted W-phase source parameters. We generate a large data set of synthetic seismograms accounting for the Earths 3-D structure for 250 earthquakes globally distributed. The W-phase algorithm is then used to invert for earthquake CMT parameters, assuming a spherical Earth model. The impact of lateral heterogeneity is assessed by comparing inverted source parameters with those used to compute the 3-D synthetics. Results show that the 3-D structure mainly affects centroid location while the effect on the other source parameters remains small. Centroid mislocations present clear geographical patterns. In particular, W-phase solutions for earthquakes in South America are on average biased 17 km to the east of the actual centroid locations. This effect is significantly reduced using an azimuthally well balanced distribution of seismological stations. Source parameters are generally more impacted by mantle heterogeneity while the scalar moment of shallow earthquakes seems to be mainly impacted by the crustal structure. Shallow earthquakes present a variability of M r θ and M r ϕ moment tensor elements, resulting both from the small amplitude and a larger uncertainty of the associated Green's functions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black-headed duck (Heteronetta atricapilla) of South America is the only known avian obligate brood parasite with precocial offspring. In Argentina, it relies on two species of coots as primary hosts, which typically reject 35–65% of duck eggs. We show that environmentally driven increases in host egg rejection behavior lead to substantial reductions in the reproductive success of the brood parasite. Episodes of flooding and vegetation loss caused dramatic shifts in host egg-rejection behavior, resulting in rejection (85–95%) of almost all duck eggs. Coots respond to fluctuating water levels by building up their nest, raising their own eggs but leaving duck eggs behind. Coots can apparently recognize parasitic duck eggs, but large-scale rejection is triggered only when hosts must actively make a choice. We use a simple population model to illustrate the unique demographic challenges that black-headed ducks face with their parasitic lifestyle and to explore the potential impact of environmentally induced escalation of egg rejection. Using the best available estimates for key vital rates, we show that obligate parasitism may provide a demographically precarious existence for black-headed ducks, even under benign environmental conditions. Environmentally mediated increases in egg rejection rates by hosts could impact significantly the viability of this enigmatic species of brood parasitic duck. Our results demonstrate that egg rejection rates are not fixed properties of host populations or individuals but are strongly influenced by social and ecological factors. Shifts in these environmental drivers could have important and unforeseen demographic consequences for brood parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Seed dispersal by endozoochory is an important process in plant regeneration and the establishment of new populations. Seeds with dormancy may especially benefit after disperser gut passage. However, the ways in which gut passage affect the germination of plant species with physiological dormancy remain unclear. Here, we experimentally assessed the mutualistic interaction between the Austral parakeet (Enicognathus ferrugineus) as a disperser of calafate (Berberis microphylla), a thorny bush inhabiting the understory of the Austral temperate forests of South America with seeds that are characterized by deep physiological dormancy. Methods Germination success and viability of calafate seeds obtained from faeces and from intact fruits were tested under four treatments: (i) digested seeds, (ii) digested seeds with faecal extract, (iii) intact seeds from fruit and (iv) intact seeds from fruit with pulp. Important Findings About 65% of the Austral parakeet droppings contained calafate seeds. Viability of seeds did not differ between treatments. However, germination was significantly higher in digested seeds than in intact seeds from fruits, while no difference was found between faecal and pulp extracts. Neither faecal matter nor fruit pulp provided seeds with any ecological advantages derived from enhancing germinability, but did confer some disadvantage in germination time. Faecal matter is expected to be completely lacking around seeds after several months under snow before germinating in the following spring, given intense washing due to persistent rain and the spring thaw in the Patagonian Andes. The higher germinability along with faster germination of digested seeds supports the hypothesis of a legitimate mutualistic interaction between Austral parakeets and calafate. We hypothesized that the passage through the disperser digestive tract might break physiological dormancy as differences in germinability between ingested and non-ingested seeds. Our results highlight the relevant role of endozoochory in plant species with physiological dormancy living in highly seasonal environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subduction zones are the places on the Earth where the greatest earthquakes occur. It is now widely accepted that seismic asperities at the interface of subducting plates play a major role in whether a region of a subduction zone behaves seismically, creating strong earthquakes or exhibits aseismic slip. In the last decades, huge advances have been made to decipher the underlying processes; however, the physical parameters along the subduction zone interfaces are still not very well known due to a sparsity of high-resolution experiments and significant costs associated with amphibious seismic experiments. Therefore, synthetic tests are needed to investigate the potential of currently possible high density seismic deployments and to aid future experiment design. As standard local earthquake traveltime tomography in a subduction zone setting cannot resolve structures on a kilometre scale at depth, we explore the suitability of full-waveform inversion (FWI) to increase resolution by using amplitude and phase information in the recorded earthquake seismograms. We apply 2-D-elastic FWI to synthetic earthquake data, using vertical and horizontal receivers, and utilize a realistic model of the seismic velocities at the Ecuadorian margin. We add perturbations within the subducting plates of 4×4 km and 2×2 km in P - and S -wave velocities, respectively, such that potential crosstalk between the two models can be identified. Our results show that the location and amplitude of the perturbations can be reconstructed in high quality down to approximately 70 km depth. We find that the inversion of the S -wave velocity prior to the inversion of the P -wave velocity is necessary to guarantee a good reconstruction of both models; however, the spatial resolution of the S -wave model is superior to the P -wave model. We also show that frequencies up to 1 Hz are sufficient to achieve high resolution. Further tests demonstrate how results depend on the accuracy of the estimated source orientation. Resulting models do not suffer in quality as artefacts near the source positions compensate for the inaccuracy of source orientation. If sources are located within the subducted plate instead of beneath, resulting models are comparable and the convergence of the inversion scheme is sped up. The accuracy of the source position within the model compared to the true earthquake location is critical and implies that earthquake relocation during the inversion process is necessary, in a similar way as in local earthquake traveltime tomography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rice stalk stink bug, Tibraca limbativentris Stål, damages plant stalks while feeding, making it one of the most important rice pests in South America. Because the feeding behavior of T. limbativentris has not yet been studied in rice, we investigated T. limbativentris stylet penetration (probing) in rice stalks. A waveform library was created using the new AC-DC EPG monitor with different levels of input resistance (Ri). Six different waveforms were recorded and correlated via histological studies and grouped into three phases: non-probing waveforms (Z and Np), pathway waveforms (Tl1), and ingestion waveforms (Tl2 and Tl3). The Z waveform was observed when the stink bug was standing still on the plant surface, Np when the stink bug was walking on plant surface, Tl1 was associated with stylet insertion and deep penetration into the plant tissue, and Tl2 when the stink bug was feeding on xylem vessels. The Tl3 waveform was associated with the rupture of stalk cells and was divided into two subtypes (Tl3a and Tl3b). The Tl3a waveform probably represents cell laceration with combined enzymatic maceration of stalk tissues, while Tl3b represents a short ingestion period of macerated tissues. Tibraca limbativentris uses two strategies to feed on rice stalks: a salivary sheath for feeding on xylem vessels and cell rupture (laceration and maceration) for feeding on parenchyma cells. Our study provides crucial benchmark definitions of waveforms. Future studies can now compare effects of treatments on stink bug feeding, to ultimately improve management of this pest in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Observational analysis shows that there is a predominant global-scale multidecadal variability (GMV) of sea-surface temperature (SST). Its horizontal pattern resembles that of the interdecadal Pacific oscillation (IPO) in the Pacific and the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) in the Atlantic Ocean, which could affect global precipitation and temperature over the globe. Here, we demonstrate that the GMV could be driven by the AMO through atmospheric teleconnections and atmosphere–ocean coupling processes. Observations reveal a strong negative correlation when AMO leads GMV by approximately 4–8 years. Pacemaker experiments using a climate model driven by observed AMO signals reveal that the tropical Atlantic warm SST anomalies of AMO initiate anomalous cooling in the equatorial central-eastern Pacific through atmospheric teleconnections. Anticyclonic anomalies in the North and South Pacific induce equatorward winds along the coasts of North and South America, contributing to further cooling. The upper-ocean dynamics plays a minor role in GMV formation but contributes to a delayed response of the IPO to the AMO forcing. The possible impact of the GMV on AMO was also tested by prescribing only Pacific SST in the model; however, the model could not reproduce the observed phase relationship between the AMO and the GMV. These results support the hypothesis that the Atlantic Ocean plays a key role in the multidecadal variability of global SST. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ayahuasca, a hallucinogenic beverage used in religious rituals in South America, has become a global phenomenon. Its main active components are the β-carbolines alkaloids, harmine (HRM) and harmaline (HRL), as well as the potent hallucinogen N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT). Despite its rising consumption, information regarding possible clinical applications and toxicological effects of ayahuasca is still limited. This study presents the first investigation of the use of sweat for the determination of DMT, HRM and HRL in ayahuasca users during a religious ritual. Sweat is an alternative matrix with advantages over many conventional biological samples, mainly because the collection procedure is non-invasive, easy and simple and samples can be collected without disturbing the religious ritual. In the study, solid-phase extraction was performed under basic conditions. Linearity was observed ranging from 20 to 1500 ng/patch with coefficients of determination (R 2) higher than 0.99 for all analytes. The results indicated high selectivity for all investigated analytes, with extraction efficiency exceeding 70%, accuracy ranging from 87.5 to 102.4%, intra-assay precision of 1.85–9.44% and inter-assay precision between 3.34 and 9.85%. The limits of detection were 15 ng/patch for HRM and HRL and 10 ng/patch for DMT. The sweat proved to be a viable option to monitor ayahuasca use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Demarcating the continental–oceanic boundary (COB) is extremely important as it contributes to an understanding of the tectonic environments of marginal basins through plate reconstructions. In general, the COB is estimated by jointly interpreting the features of the basement geomorphology, bathymetry and geophysical datasets, including gravity, magnetic, seismic and geochemical data. We propose a novel methodology named the tilt-theta angles correlation (TTAC), a second-order filtering approach to estimate the COB using high-resolution satellite gravity data. This method computes the angular difference or correlation angle between the vectors computed from the gradients of the tilt and theta derivative-based first-order filters. Oceanic regions generally exhibit small correlation angles (∼0°), thereby indicating a direct correlation; in contrast, continental regions depict large correlation angles (∼180°) and thus display an inverse correlation. The TTAC method marks the COB at the spatial position where the correlation angles abruptly shift from inverse to direct. Tests using synthetic data and the larger spectral energy content of TTAC for long wavelengths over tilt, theta and minus of the sign of vertical derivative (-SiVD) filters attest the effectiveness of the new methodology over first-order derivative based filters. Additionally, tests utilizing real data over both the West African Transform Margin (WATM) and across the South Atlantic Conjugate Margin (SACM) provide favourable results compared with the previous methodologies used to demarcate the COB. The COB estimates derived using the new methodology are consistent with the COB estimates obtained during recent plate-reconstruction studies. We also compare our results with an earlier interpretation along a conjugate margin encompassing magma-poor and magma-rich regions. In the complex rifted environments of the SACM, in which volcanic rocks are dominant, the TTAC methodology substantially improves the previous COB estimates, thereby establishing it as an efficient edge marker by simultaneously reducing small-scale geological noise and enhancing regional-scale geological contributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Invasive species, which recently expanded, may help understand how climatic niche can shift at the time scale of the current global change. Here, we address the climatic niche shift of an invasive shrub (common gorse, Ulex europaeus) at the world and regional scales to assess how it could contribute to increasing invasibility. Methods Based on a 28 187 occurrences database, we used a combination of 9 species distribution models (SDM) to assess regional climatic niche from both the native range (Western Europe) and the introduced range in different parts of the world (North-West America, South America, North Europe, Australia and New Zealand). Important Findings Despite being restricted to annual mean temperature between 4°C and 22°C, as well as annual precipitation higher than 300 mm/year, the range of bioclimatic conditions suitable for gorse was very large. Based on a native versus introduced SDM comparison, we highlighted a niche expansion in North-West America, South America and to a lesser degree in Australia, while a niche displacement was assessed in North Europe. These niche changes induced an increase in potential occupied areas by gorse by 49, 111, 202 and 283% in Australia, North Europe, North-West America and South America, respectively. On the contrary, we found no evidence of niche change in New Zealand, which presents similar climatic condition to the native environment (Western Europe). This study highlights how niche expansion and displacement of gorse might increase invasibility at regional scale. The change in gorse niche toward new climatic conditions may result from adaptive plasticity or genetic evolution and may explain why it has such a high level of invasibility. Taking into account the possibility of a niche shift is crucial to improve invasive plants management and control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnitude estimation is a central task in seismology needed for a wide spectrum of applications ranging from seismicity analysis to rapid assessment of earthquakes. However, magnitude estimates at individual stations show significant variability, mostly due to propagation effects, radiation pattern and ambient noise. To obtain reliable and precise magnitude estimates, measurements from multiple stations are therefore usually averaged. This strategy requires good data availability, which is not always given, for example for near real time applications or for small events. We developed a method to achieve precise magnitude estimations even in the presence of only few stations. We achieve this by reducing the variability between single station estimates through a combination of optimization and machine learning techniques on a large catalogue. We evaluate our method on the large scale IPOC catalogue with >100 000 events, covering seismicity in the northern Chile subduction zone between 2007 and 2014. Our aim is to create a method that provides low uncertainty magnitude estimates based on physically meaningful features. Therefore we combine physics based correction functions with boosting tree regression. In a first step, we extract 110 features from each waveform, including displacement, velocity, acceleration and cumulative energy features. We correct those features for source, station and path effects by imposing a linear relation between magnitude and the logarithm of the features. For the correction terms, we define a non-parametric correction function dependent on epicentral distance and event depth and a station specific, adaptive 3-D source and path correction function. In a final step, we use boosting tree regression to further reduce interstation variance by combining multiple features. Compared to a standard, non-parametric, 1-D correction function, our method reduces the standard deviation of single station estimates by up to |$57\, {\rm per\, cent}$|⁠ , of which |$17\, {\rm per\, cent}$| can be attributed to the improved correction functions, while boosting tree regression gives a further reduction of |$40\, {\rm per\, cent}$|⁠. We analyse the resulting magnitude estimates regarding their residuals and relation to each other. The definition of a physics-based correction function enables us to inspect the path corrections and compare them to structural features. By analysing feature importance, we show that envelope and P wave derived features are key parameters for reducing uncertainties. Nonetheless the variety of features is essential for the effectiveness of the boosting tree regression. To further elucidate the information extractable from a single station trace, we train another boosting tree on the uncorrected features. This regression yields magnitude estimates with uncertainties similar to the single features after correction, but without using the earthquake location as required for applying the correction terms. Finally, we use our results to provide high precision magnitudes and their uncertainties for the IPOC catalogue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of health policy and systems research (HPSR) has grown rapidly in the past decade. Examining recently aggregated data from the Global Symposia on Health Systems Research, a key global fora for HPSR convened by the largest international society-Health Systems Global (HSG)-provides opportunities to enhance existing research on HPSR capacity using novel analytical techniques. This addresses the demand not only to map the field but also to examine potential predictors of acceptance to, and participation at, these global conferences to inform future work and strategies in promoting HPSR. We examined data from the abstracts submitted for two Global Symposia on Health Systems Research in 2016 and 2018 by type of institution, countries, regional groupings and gender. After mapping hotspot areas for HPSR production, we then examined how the corresponding author's characteristics were associated with being accepted to present at the Global Symposia. Our findings showed that submissions for the Global Symposia increased by 12% from 2016 to 2018. Submissions increased across all participant groups, in particular, the for-profit organizations and research/consultancy firms showing the highest increases, at 58% for both. We also found reduced submissions from high-income countries, whereas submissions from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), Sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America, increased substantially revealing the inclusivity values of Symposium organizers. Submissions increased to a larger extent among women than men. Being a woman, coming from a high-income country and having multiple abstracts submitted were found to be significant predictors for an abstract to be accepted and presented in the Symposia. Findings provide critical baseline information on the extent of interest and engagement in a global forum of various institutions and researchers in HPSR that can be useful for setting future directions of HSG and other similar organizations to support the advancement of HPSR worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 2015 Illapel earthquake (M w 8.3) occurred off central Chile on September 16, and generated a tsunami that propagated across the Pacific Ocean. The tsunami was recorded on tide gauges and Deep-ocean Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART) tsunameters in east Pacific. Near-field and far-field tsunami forecasts were issued based on the estimation of seismic source parameters. In this study, we retroactively evaluate the potentiality of forecasting this tsunami in the far field based solely on tsunami data assimilation from DART tsunameters. Since there are limited number of DART buoys, virtual stations are assumed by interpolation to construct a more complete tsunami wavefront for data assimilation. The comparison between forecasted and observed tsunami waveforms suggests that our method accurately forecasts the tsunami amplitudes and arrival time in the east Pacific. This approach could be a complementary method of current tsunami warning systems based on seismic observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently an ambitious experiment combining deep seismic surveys from near-vertical and wide-angle acquisition methods was carried out in Brazil. The seismic lines are essentially coincident and crossed the Parnaíba Basin from west to east near latitude 5°S. Here, the wide-angle reflection and refraction (WARR) and deep seismic reflection (DSR) results, which were previously interpreted independently, are compared by directly correlating WARR interfaces converted to TWTT with the major reflective horizons identified in the zero-offset image and by considering coincident reflectivity patterns displayed in both data sets. This integrated WARR and DSR analysis allowed a spatial association of the apparently acoustically featureless crust imaged in the DSR profile to the high reflectivity observed in the WARR data. Numerical tests and elastic modelling show that variations of the elastic properties of the crust, particularly as they are characterized by low Vp and Vs contrasts with a possible increase of the Vp / Vs ratio, can only weakly explain the observed reflectivity patterns but that fine-scale lithological heterogeneity within the crust is capable of replicating the observed contrasting seismic responses. The segment of the Parnaíba Basin crust that is characterized by fine-scale lithological heterogeneity lies directly above a mafic crustal underplate defined by the WARR model and was named as the Grajaú domain on the basis of WARR-derived velocity model. The applied methodologies allow added value to be taken from the independent seismic data sets and provide new information about crustal structure that may have important implications for overlying intracontinental basin evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims In many flammable ecosystems, physically dormant seeds show dormancy-break patterns tied to fire, but the link between heat shock and germination in the tropical savannas of Africa and South America remains controversial. Seed heat tolerance is important, preventing seed mortality during fire passage, and is usually predicted by seed traits. This study investigated the role of fire frequency (ecological effects) and seed traits through phylogenetic comparison (historical effects), in determining post-fire germination and seed mortality in legume species of the Cerrado, a tropical savanna–forest mosaic. Methods Seeds of 46 legume species were collected from three vegetation types (grassy savannas, woody savannas and forests) with different fire frequencies. Heat shock experiments (100 °C for 1 min; 100 °C for 3 min; 200 °C for 1 min) were then performed, followed by germination and seed viability tests. Principal component analysis, generalized linear mixed models and phylogenetic comparisons were used in data analyses. Key Results Heat shocks had little effect on germination, but seed mortality was variable across treatments and species. Seed mortality was lowest under the 100 °C 1 min treatment, and significantly higher under 100 °C 3 min and 200 °C 1 min; larger seed mass decreased seed mortality, especially at 200 °C. Tree species in Detarioideae had the largest seeds and were unaffected by heat. Small-seeded species (mostly shrubs from grassy savannas) were relatively sensitive to the hottest treatment. Nevertheless, the presence of physical dormancy helped to avoid seed mortality in small-seeded species under the hottest treatment. Conclusions Physical dormancy-break is not tied to fire in the Cerrado mosaic. Heat tolerance appears in both forest and savanna species and is predicted by seed traits (seed mass and physical dormancy), which might have helped forest lineages to colonize the savannas. The results show seed fire responses are better explained by historical than ecological factors in the Cerrado, contrasting with different fire-prone ecosystems throughout the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From an inversion of ≈7000 crossings of 37 magnetic reversals between chrons C1n (0.78 Ma) and C13 (33.7 Ma) and numerous crossings of 43 transform faults and fracture zones in the central and southern Atlantic basin, we estimate finite rotations and stage angular velocities that describe South America plate motion relative to Africa (Nubia), and via plate circuit closures relative to the Antarctic and North America plates. Our newly estimated Nubia–South America rotations, which are spaced at ≈1-Myr intervals, reveal for the first time a transition from steady motion before 24–22 Ma to continuously slowing motion since 20 Ma, including a previously unknown, sudden spreading rate slowdown at 7–6 Ma, when similar declines in seafloor spreading rates also occurred in the northern Atlantic and Arctic basins and along the Southwest Indian Ridge. Geodetic measurements from Nubia and South America, which record the instantaneous plate motion, corroborate the slowdown and indicate it has continued to the present. Our newly determined North America–South America rotations and angular velocities indicate that the pole for this plate pair was stationary from 20 to 12 Ma, but has migrated steadily southward since ≈12 Ma, causing the plate motion direction to change by up to 90° anticlockwise along parts of the diffuse oceanic plate boundary. Since ≈14 Ma, the plate motion rates have averaged 3±0.5 mm yr−1 of N–S to NW–SE-directed divergence near the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and 1–2 mm yr−1 of obliquely convergent motion near the Lesser Antilles Trench, consistent with geodetic estimates. Our new Antarctic–South America rotations and angular velocities predict that American–Antarctic Ridge seafloor spreading rates and plate slip directions have slowed gradually by 60 per cent and rotated 5–7° clockwise since 20 Ma in response to the post-20 Ma slowdown in Nubia–South America seafloor spreading rates. Fracture zone flow lines that are predicted with the new Antarctic–South America rotations agree well with the trends of fracture zone valleys and ridges that flank the American–Antarctic Ridge, offering independent evidence for the accuracy of our new rotations. The Antarctic–South America rotations for chrons C5n.2 (11.1 Ma) and C6no (19.7 Ma) predict that 15–40 km less seafloor has accreted since these times than is indicated by identifications of these two reversals along the American–Antarctic Ridge. Slow westwards movement of the previously postulated Sur microplate with respect to the South America plate may explain the discrepancy—a strong test of this hypothesis awaits better magnetic anomaly data from this remote seafloor spreading centre. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of the coastal ocean mass variations is important for understanding the ocean climate and sea level change. However, estimates of coastal ocean mass variations have been perplexed due to poor representativeness of previous Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data across the land/ocean boundary. We here use GRACE mascon solutions to investigate the coastal ocean mass variations (within 400 km band) at global and regional scales. GRACE mascon solutions are advanced by spatial constraints and leakage correction. For the global mean, it is found that mascons ocean mass variations are in rough agreement with those inferred from satellite altimeter and an ocean analysis; the agreement is better on seasonal scales (6.4 ± 0.5 mm annual amplitude for the mascons and 7.3 ± 0.7 mm annual amplitude for the inferred); on the other hand, large differences are shown for the linear trend (2.1 ± 0.1 mm yr−1 for the mascons and 3.2 ± 0.1 mm yr−1 for the inferred), indicating that it is far from closing the coastal sea level budget. At regional scales, high consistency between mascons and the inferred is observed over two shallow areas, that is, Europe coast and East China coast, whose annual amplitudes are 24 ± 5 and 42 ± 3 mm, respectively. Ocean mass variations are not well captured by mascons over other regions (e.g. Africa coast, Indian coast and North and South America coast). Possible explanations include (1) the steric component plays a more important role in sea level, consequently resulting in weak mass signal and (2) the performance of mascons varies with locations. We find that mascon solutions show better variability (especially seasonal cycles) than do the traditional spherical harmonic coefficients, suggesting that mascons applied with spatial constraints improve the coastal ocean mass variability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of deformation at plate boundaries has been improved greatly by the development of observational techniques in space geodesy. However, most theoretical and numerical models of coseismic deformation have remained very simple and do not include realistic Earth structure. 3-D material heterogeneity and topography are often neglected because simple models are assumed to be sufficient and available tools cannot easily accommodate complex heterogeneity. In this study, we demonstrate the importance of 3-D heterogeneity using a spectral element method that incorporates topography and 3-D material properties. Using a parabolic hill model and a topographic model of the 2010 Maule earthquake, we show that topographic features can alter the shape of observed surface deformation patterns. We also estimate the coseismic surface deformation due to a model of the slip distribution of the 2015 Gorkha earthquake using realistic topography and 3-D elastic structure, and find that the presence of topography causes changes in the shape of observed surface displacement patterns, while material heterogeneities primarily affect the magnitude of observed displacements. Our results show that the inclusion of topography in particular can affect predictions of coseismic deformation modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Background and Aims Early Palaeocene (Danian) plant fossils from Patagonia provide information on the recovery from the end-Cretaceous extinction and Cenozoic floristic change in South America. Actinomorphic flowers with eight to ten perianth parts are described and evaluated in a phylogenetic framework. The goal of this study is to determine the identity of these fossil flowers and to discuss their evolutionary, palaeoecological and biogeographical significance. • Methods More than 100 fossilized flowers were collected from three localities in the Danian Salamanca and Peñas Coloradas Formations in southern Chubut. They were prepared, photographed and compared with similar extant and fossil flowers using published literature and herbarium specimens. Phylogenetic analysis was performed using morphological and molecular data. • Key results The fossil flowers share some but not all the synapomorphies that characterize the Schizomerieae, a tribe within Cunoniaceae. These features include the shallow floral cup, variable number of perianth parts arranged in two whorls, laciniate petals, anthers with a connective extension, and a superior ovary with free styles. The number of perianth parts is doubled and the in situ pollen is tricolporate, with a surface more like that of other Cunoniaceae outside Schizomerieae, such as Davidsonia or Weinmannia. • Conclusions An extinct genus of crown-group Cunoniaceae is recognized and placed along the stem lineage leading to Schizomerieae. Extant relatives are typical of tropical to southern-temperate rainforests, and these fossils likely indicate a similarly warm and wet temperate palaeoclimate. The oldest reliable occurrences of the family are fossil pollen and wood from the Upper Cretaceous of the Antarctica and Argentina, whereas in Australia the family first occurs in upper Palaeocene deposits. This discovery demonstrates that the family survived the Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary event in Patagonia and that diversification of extant lineages in the family was under way by the earliest Cenozoic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The seismic gap hypothesis assumes that a characteristic earthquake is followed by a long period with a reduced occurrence probability for the next large event on the same fault segment, as a consequence of the induced stress shadow. The gap model is commonly accepted by geologists and is often used for time-dependent seismic hazard estimations. However, systematic and rigorous tests to verify the seismic gap model have often failed so far, which might be partially related to limited data and too tight model assumptions. In this study, we relax the assumption of a characteristic size and location of repeating earthquakes and analyse one of the best available data sets, namely the historical record of major earthquakes along a 3000 km long linear segment of the South American subduction zone. To test whether a stress shadow effect is observable, we compiled a comprehensive catalogue of mega-thrust earthquakes along this plate boundary from 1520 to 2015 containing 174 earthquakes with Mw > 6.5. In our new testing approach, we analyse the time span between an earthquake and the last event that ruptured the epicentre location, where we consider the impact of the uncertainties of epicentres and rupture extensions. Assuming uniform boundary conditions along the trench, we compare the distribution of these recurrence times with simple recurrence models. We find that the distribution is in all cases almost exponentially distributed corresponding to a random (Poissonian) process; despite some tendencies for clustering of the Mw = 7 events and a weak quasi-periodicity of the Mw = 8 earthquakes, respectively. To verify whether the absence of a clear stress shadow signal is related to physical assumptions or data uncertainties, we perform simulations of a physics-based stochastic earthquake model considering rate and state-dependent earthquake nucleation, which are adapted to the observations with regard to the number of events, spatial extend, size distribution and involved uncertainties. Our simulations show that the catalogue uncertainties lead to a significant blurring of the theoretically peaked distribution, but the distribution would be still distinguishable from the observed one forMw = 7 events. However, considering the stress transfer to adjacent fault segments and heterogeneous instead of constant stress drop within the rupture zone can explain the observed recurrence time distribution. We conclude that simplified recurrence models, ignoring the complexity of the underlying physical process, cannot be applied for forecasting the Mw = 7 earthquake occurrence at this plate boundary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comparability of population surveys across countries is key to appraising trends in population health. Achieving this requires deep understanding of the methods used in these surveys to examine the extent to which the measurements are comparable. In this study, we obtained detailed protocols of 8 nationally representative surveys from 2007-2013 from Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, the United Kingdom(England and Scotland), and the United States--countries that that differ in economic and inequity indicators. Data were collected on sampling frame, sample selection procedures, recruitment, data collection methods, content of interview and examination modules, and measurement protocols. We also assessed their adherence to the World Health Organization's "STEPwise Approach to Surveillance" framework for population health surveys. The surveys, which included half a million participants, were highly comparable on sampling methodology, survey questions, and anthropometric measurements. Heterogeneity was found for physical activity questionnaires and biological samples collection. The common age range included by the surveys was adults aged 18--64 years. The methods used in these surveys were similar enough to enable comparative analyses of the data across the 7 countries. This comparability is crucial in assessing and comparing national and subgroup population health, and to assisting the transfer of research and policy knowledge across countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Measurements of seismic anisotropy are commonly used to constrain deformation in the upper mantle. Observations of anisotropy at mid-mantle depths are, however, relatively sparse. In this study we probe the anisotropic structure of the mid-mantle (transition zone and uppermost lower mantle) beneath the Japan, Izu-Bonin, and South America subduction systems. We present source-side shear wave splitting measurements for direct teleseismic S phases from earthquakes deeper than 300 km that have been corrected for the effects of upper mantle anisotropy beneath the receiver. In each region, we observe consistent splitting with delay times as large as 1 s, indicating the presence of anisotropy at mid-mantle depths. Clear splitting of phases originating from depths as great as ~600 km argues for a contribution from anisotropy in the uppermost lower mantle as well as the transition zone. Beneath Japan, fast splitting directions are perpendicular or oblique to the slab strike and do not appear to depend on the propagation direction of the waves. Beneath South America and Izu-Bonin, splitting directions vary from trench-parallel to trench-perpendicular and have an azimuthal dependence, indicating lateral heterogeneity. Our results provide evidence for the presence of laterally variable anisotropy and are indicative of variable deformation and dynamics at mid-mantle depths in the vicinity of subducting slabs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]