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Latin America (LATAM) plays an important role in the world's production of aquatic animals and is the second most productive region in the world. Chile, Ecuador, Brazil, Mexico, Colombia, and Perú contribute 87% of LATAM aquaculture production. The fish welfare in aquaculture is of increasing public concern globally, and LATAM is no exception, growing in importance for fish farmers, authorities, and scientists. Although the topic is somewhat controversial, the welfare status of farmed fish has direct implications for their production and the sustainability of the industry. Therefore, this study analyses scientific papers on animal welfare in farmed fish, from the six countries in LATAM with the highest aquaculture production. The main objectives were to quantify the number of papers published between 2000 and 2023 on fish welfare by using scientific databases. A total of 285 papers were found for the period analysed. The country with the largest number of publications was Brazil (75.79%), followed by Chile (13.33%), Mexico (7.02%), Peru (1.75%), Ecuador, and Colombia (1.05%). Nile tilapia was the most studied species, appearing in 30.18% of the publications, with most of the studies mainly dealing with nutrition (32.28%). The growth of aquaculture is leading to joint efforts to generate knowledge on welfare issues, especially in poorly studied species with high production, to create policies that help minimize welfare risks. Given this, the insights generated by this review could be a useful addition to approaches investigating the trends and concepts of fish welfare in LATAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Forest landscape restoration (FLR) is the intentional intervention in the forest landscape to recover biological diversity and ecosystem functions, improving human well‐being in altered landscapes. The general objective of the present study was to understand the state of the art of research that potentially contributes to FLR practices in the Amazon. We carried out a comprehensive literature review using the Web of Science platform, considering papers published between 2000 and 2020 to understand the state of knowledge on restoration strategies that support FLR in the nine Amazonian countries and the nine states of the Brazilian Amazon. We selected 362 articles that met our inclusion criteria after analyzing 1,205 articles. We found that Brazil, followed by Peru, Colombia, and Ecuador, has the largest number of published articles on FLR. Agroforestry (37.88%) and natural regeneration (30.35%) were the most common FLR strategies across all countries and Brazilian states. Most studies investigated ecological functioning (33%), vegetation structure (31%), and tree diversity (15.5%). Forest restoration strategies (forest plantation, natural regeneration, or silviculture) are reported in most studies (57.23%), in comparison to restoration strategies of agricultural lands (agroforestry systems or improved fallow; 42.77%). We found an increase in publications describing restoration strategies over time in the Amazon, especially from 2012 onwards, with a peak in 2018. Future studies in the Amazon region should address socioeconomic issues and expand the geographic scope within the Amazon, as well as the FLR strategies and the ecosystem attributes investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies the ex-ante effects of the implementation of a non-contributory pension (NCP) programme in Colombia and Peru. Relying on household survey data, we simulate the transfer's potential impact on poverty, inequality, fiscal cost and the probability of affiliation to contributory pensions. Our results show that an NCP reduces poverty and inequality among the elderly, particularly in rural areas, at an arguably limited fiscal cost. Regarding behavioural effects, there is not a large impact on the probability of affiliation to contributory pensions when the programme is targeted to the poor, with the exception of Peruvian women. Finally, we also compute some potential effects on the recipient's labour supply. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The high-Andean genus Jivarus Giglio-Tos from Ecuador, Colombia and Peru is revised. Morphological cladistic analysis indicated that Jivarus montanus and the new species digiticercus sp.n. and rugosus sp.n. must be treated as a separate genus, Maylasacris gen.n. The remaining species included in the analysis are assigned to the genus Jivarus, for which the following six species groups are identified: americanus group, antisanae group, carbonelli group, cohni group, pictifrons group and jagoi group. Twenty-nine species are recognized for Jivarus, with ten described as new: J. rectus sp.n., J. megacercus sp.n., J. spatulus sp. n., J. auriculus sp.n., J. riveti sp.n., J. sphaericus sp.n., J. discoloris sp. n., J. profundus sp.n., J. ronderosi sp.n. and J. guarandaensis sp.n. The following new synonymies are proposed: Jivarus albolineatus Ronderos with J. antisanae (Bolivar) syn.n., J. cerdai Ronderos and J. osunai Ronderos with J. alienus (Walker) syn.n., and J. rubriventris Ronderos with J. ecuadorica (Hebard) syn.n.; the new combinations Jivarus ecuadorica (Ronderos) comb.n. and Maylasacris montanus (Ronderos) comb.n. are proposed. Keys to the species of the genera and a review of the morphological characters defining the taxa are provided. Patterns of distribution of the clades coincide with the geography of the northern Andes of Colombia and Ecuador. Areas of endemism of the Jivarus species groups and Maylasacris are delimited by both the high-altitude curves, including transverse zones, and the drier climates of the intra-Andean valleys, clearly indicating recent, post-glacial palaeogeography, as shown also in vegetation distributions. This paper has been formatted with many embedded links to images of type and paratype specimens, maps based on geo-referenced specimen data and species keys available on the Orthoptera Species file online ( ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluate the impact of ownership concentration on dividend smoothing for six Latin American economies characterized by both a low level of investor protection and high ownership concentration. Using a panel data set, we find that firms with higher ownership concentration tend to engage more in dividend smoothing, which is more evident for firms with high growth opportunities and greater financial constraints. Our results also show that companies with a mandatory minimum dividend rule (Brazil and Chile) do not engage in dividend smoothing as much as companies without this regulation (Argentina, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru). These results are consistent with the idea that in countries where the legal system does not protect minority shareholders, firms would smooth dividends to build a reputation for moderation in expropriating shareholders. According to our results, this need for reputation would be more important for firms with high ownership concentration, more growth opportunities, and greater financial constraints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tambaqui or cachama (Colossoma macropomum) is one of the most important neotropical freshwater fish used for aquaculture in South America, and its production is concentrated at low latitudes (close to the Equator, 0°), where the water temperature is warm. Therefore, understanding how selection shapes genetic variations and structure in farmed populations is of paramount importance in evolutionary biology. High‐throughput sequencing to generate genome‐wide data for fish species allows for elucidating the genomic basis of adaptation to local or farmed conditions and uncovering genes that control the phenotypes of interest. The present study aimed to detect genomic selection signatures and analyze the genetic variability in farmed populations of tambaqui in South America using single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers obtained with double‐digest restriction site‐associated DNA sequencing. Initially, 199 samples of tambaqui farmed populations from different locations (located in Brazil, Colombia, and Peru), a wild population (Amazon River, Brazil), and the base population of a breeding program (Aquaculture Center, CAUNESP, Jaboticabal, SP, Brazil) were genotyped. Observed and expected heterozygosity was 0.231–0.350 and 0.288–0.360, respectively. Significant genetic differentiation was observed using global FST analyses of SNP loci (FST = 0.064, p < 0.050). Farmed populations from Colombia and Peru that differentiated from the Brazilian populations formed distinct groups. Several regions, particularly those harboring the genes of significance to aquaculture, were identified to be under positive selection, suggesting local adaptation to stress under different farming conditions and management practices. Studies aimed at improving the knowledge of genomics of tambaqui farmed populations are essential for aquaculture to gain deeper insights into the evolutionary history of these fish and provide resources for the establishment of breeding programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Human papillomavirus (HPV)‐driven head/neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC) prevalence varies globally. We evaluated HPV DNA and p16INK4a in formalin fixed paraffin embedded (FFPE) HNSCC from Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru. Methods: HPV was genotyped by PCR‐hybridization. All HPV DNA positive and some HPV DNA negative cases underwent p16INK4a immunohistochemistry. Results: HPV DNA was detected in 32.8%, 11.1%, and 17.8% of oropharyngeal (OPC), oral cavity (OCC) and laryngeal (LC) cancers, respectively. OPC HPV prevalence was higher in Colombia (94.7%), and Argentina (42.6%) compared to Brazil (10.6%) and Peru (0.0%). HPV‐16 was the most detected. Other HPVs were found in LC. Higher rates of p16INK4a positivity were observed among HPV positive OPC/OCC cases compared to LC cases. Conclusions: Our results support a role for HPV‐16 in a subset of HNSCC, corroborate the heterogeneity observed in samples from different countries, and contribute additional etiological and biomarkers information in tumors of significant impact worldwide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Ayahuasca is a hallucinogenic plant preparation, traditionally consumed in sacred ceremonies by indigenous North‐Westerner Amazonian countries like Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and Ecuador. It is fundamental to carefully balance benefits/risks related to the ayahuasca intake, both during ceremonies and experimental settings. The aim is at evaluating and comparing the potential therapeutic benefits versus health risks related to ayahuasca intake (both acutely and chronically), focusing on its application in psychedelic psychiatry. Design A comprehensive mini overview focusing on psychiatric outcomes following ayahuasca intake both in healthy volunteers and in clinical samples. Results: Preclinical, observational, and experimental studies in healthy volunteers as well as in clinical samples suggest that ayahuasca may be beneficial as an antidepressant, emotional regulator, anxiolytic, and antiaddictive drug, by exerting fast‐acting and enduring clinical effects. Ayahuasca appears to be safe and well tolerated, nausea and emesis being the most reported and transient side effects. Some findings suggest not to use ayahuasca in bipolar or psychotic patients because of an increased risk of manic switch and/or psychotic onset. Conclusions: Further research should be carried out in randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled trials, by implementing neuroimaging studies, in order to better evaluate therapeutic potential of ayahuasca in mental disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild populations of the pustulose ark, Anadara tuberculosa (Bivalvia), an emblematic species of the East Pacific mangrove ecosystem declined in South American countries (Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru) mainly due to overharvesting and habitat loss or degradation. Understanding the genetic aspects of geographic variations and population structure of A. tuberculosa, currently unknown, appears as a priority to fishery authorities in order to elaborate integrated and collaborative conservation policies for fishery management, aquaculture, and stock enhancement programs. We used mtDNA sequence data to investigate haplotype diversity, genetic structure, and demography of A. tuberculosa. Results indicate genetic homogeneity of populations distributed north and south of the equator, respectively. However, statistically significant differentiation emerged between northern and southern populations with pairwise фST values ranging between 0.036 and 0.092. The oceanic current system acting in the area (Panama Current and Humboldt Current) might play a role in limiting the larval dispersal of the species, still poorly understood. Demography reconstruction supported recent population expansion, possibly started after last glacial maximum. Our results would suggest separate and independent management of populations north and south of the equator. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. Across Latin America, large numbers of students engage in non-school work during their years of compulsory education, either in the home or in an outside job. Drawing upon newly available data, this article uses OLS and multi-level models to detect associations between different intensities and locations of employment and student achievement in mathematics and reading in the final year of primary school in four Andean countries. Even after controlling for the selection of working students into worse schools, employment is found to have a detrimental impact on achievement, especially when students work four or more hours per day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The amount and spatial distribution of forest biomass in the Amazon basin is a major source of uncertainty in estimating the flux of carbon released from land-cover and land-use change. Direct measurements of aboveground live biomass (AGLB) are limited to small areas of forest inventory plots and site-specific allometric equations that cannot be readily generalized for the entire basin. Furthermore, there is no spaceborne remote sensing instrument that can measure tropical forest biomass directly. To determine the spatial distribution of forest biomass of the Amazon basin, we report a method based on remote sensing metrics representing various forest structural parameters and environmental variables, and more than 500 plot measurements of forest biomass distributed over the basin. A decision tree approach was used to develop the spatial distribution of AGLB for seven distinct biomass classes of lowland old-growth forests with more than 80% accuracy. AGLB for other vegetation types, such as the woody and herbaceous savanna and secondary forests, was directly estimated with a regression based on satellite data. Results show that AGLB is highest in Central Amazonia and in regions to the east and north, including the Guyanas. Biomass is generally above 300 Mg ha−1 here except in areas of intense logging or open floodplains. In Western Amazonia, from the lowlands of Peru, Ecuador, and Colombia to the Andean mountains, biomass ranges from 150 to 300 Mg ha−1. Most transitional and seasonal forests at the southern and northwestern edges of the basin have biomass ranging from 100 to 200 Mg ha−1. The AGLB distribution has a significant correlation with the length of the dry season. We estimate that the total carbon in forest biomass of the Amazon basin, including the dead and belowground biomass, is 86 Pg C with ±20% uncertainty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]