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The out‐of‐sight groundwater and visible but much less extensive surface waters on land constitute a linked terrestrial water system around the planet. Research is crucial for our understanding of these terrestrial water system links and interactions with other geosystems and key challenges of Earth System change. This study uses a scoping review approach to discuss and identify topical, methodological and geographical gaps and priorities for research on these links and interactions of the coupled ground‐ and surface water (GSW) system at scales of whole‐catchments or greater. Results show that the large‐scale GSW system is considered in just a small part (0.4%–0.8%) of all studies (order of 105 for each topic) of either groundwater or surface water flow, storage, or quality at any scale. While relatively many of the large‐scale GSW studies consider links with the atmosphere or climate (8%–43%), considerably fewer address links with: (a) the cryosphere or coastal ocean as additional interacting geosystems (5%–9%); (b) change drivers/pressures of land‐use, water use, or the energy or food nexus (2%–12%); (c) change impacts related to health, biodiversity or ecosystem services (1%–4%). Methodologically, use of remote sensing data and participatory methods is small, while South America and Africa emerge as the least studied geographic regions. The paper discusses why these topical, methodological and geographical findings indicate important research gaps and priorities for the large‐scale coupled terrestrial GSW system and its roles in the future of the Earth System. Plain Language Summary: The water on the land surface (surface water) and that beneath it (groundwater), along with the water that is continuously and increasingly used and managed in human societies, are connected and constitute a coherent natural‐social water system around the world. Many unknowns and open questions remain for how the small‐scale variations add up to large‐scale variability and change of this water system on land, as an integral part of the whole Earth System. Relevant research is crucial for reducing the unknowns and answering the questions, and this study's scoping review aims to assess how they have been addressed in published research so far. The aim is to identify key research gaps and priorities for further research on how the integrated water system on land functions and evolves on large scales, from whole hydrological catchments and in multiple catchments around the world up to global scale. The scoping review results show key research gaps and priorities to be the coupling of surface water and groundwater on land, and the interactions of this coupled water system with other parts and major challenges of the Earth System. Geographically, the gaps and priorities emerge as particularly large and urgent for South America and Africa. Key Points: Coupling of the ground‐surface water system is a key gap in terrestrial water research, particularly at large scalesResearch on terrestrial water interactions with other geospheres and key challenges of Earth System change is rare but impactfulMajor geographic gaps in research on the large‐scale coupled terrestrial water system emerge for South America and Africa [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research assessed waste-based briquettes consumption compared to conventional fuels in the Andes. Laboratory tests were conducted together with on-field analysis in Colquencha (Bolivia). The laboratory study shows that the performances of briquettes are better in terms of PM2.5 (933.4 ± 50.8 mg kg−1) and CO emissions (22.89 ± 2.40 g kg−1) compared to animal dung (6265.7 ± 1273.5 mgPM2.5 kg−1 and 48.10 ± 12.50 gCO kg−1), although the boiling time increased due to the lower fuel consumption rate and firepower compared to shrubs. The social survey organized with 150 Bolivian citizens suggested that low-income households are not able to pay for an alternative fuel: about 40% would pay less than 4 USD per month, while methane use for cooking is positively correlated with the income level (r = 0.244, p < 0.05). On field analysis suggested that local cookstoves are not appropriate for briquettes combustion since indoor air pollution overcomes 30 ppm of CO and 10 mgPM2.5 m-3. On balance, local small manufactures can be the main target for selling waste-based briquettes to reduce shrubs and wood consumption. However, briquettes production costs seem not yet competitive to natural easy-to-obtain fuels (i.e., animal dung). The research encourages the use of cellulosic and biomass waste-based briquettes in the Andean area for cooking, heating, or manufacturing and strongly advises policy-makers to introduce economic incentives for the recovery of secondary raw materials. • Analysis of waste-based briquettes use in Andean areas were conducted. • Laboratory analysis, social surveys, and on field evaluations are the methods. • Briquettes can be employed for reducing about 30% of the conventional fuels. • The research encourages the employment of waste-based briquettes in the Andes. • Incentives to briquettes production and consumption should be introduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bilingual education, usually a community's L1 and English continues spreading geographically and across educational systems worldwide. With this expansion, the development of bilingual education approaches is under constant scrutiny. One recent approach is content and language integrated learning (CLIL). European in origin, CLIL can be viewed as an educational or language teaching approach and it refers to the teaching of curricular content and L2 in an integrated manner. This approach has received international attention, yet, how CLIL unfolds in settings outside Europe appears underrepresented in international publications. The aim of this article is to provide a critical review of CLIL in Latin America between 2008 and 2018. We surveyed 64 items (articles, book chapters, and dissertations) published in regional and international outlets: 41 empirical studies, 19 practice-oriented publications, and four reviews. It begins by summarizing the CLIL continuum with a focus on content- and language-driven CLIL and CLIL frameworks. It then provides a synthesis of empirical studies and practice-oriented publications about CLIL in different Latin American settings. The corpus is analyzed following these unifying themes: pedagogy, perceptions and beliefs, teacher education, global citizenship, and language development. From this review, it transpires that Latin American CLIL is mostly implemented and examined from a language-driven perspective in private primary, secondary and higher education. Suggestions and implications for further research and practice are included.

Disparities continue to pose major challenges in various aspects of science. One such aspect is editorial board composition, which has been shown to exhibit racial and geographical disparities. However, the literature on this subject lacks longitudinal studies quantifying the degree to which the racial composition of editors reflects that of scientists. Other aspects that may exhibit racial disparities include the time spent between the submission and acceptance of a manuscript and the number of citations a paper receives relative to textually similar papers, but these have not been studied to date. To fill this gap, we compile a dataset of 1,000,000 papers published between 2001 and 2020 by six publishers, while identifying the handling editor of each paper. Using this dataset, we show that most countries in Asia, Africa, and South America (where the majority of the population is ethnically non-White) have fewer editors than would be expected based on their share of authorship. Focusing on US-based scientists reveals Black as the most underrepresented race. In terms of acceptance delay, we find, again, that papers from Asia, Africa, and South America spend more time compared to other papers published in the same journal and the same year. Regression analysis of US-based papers reveals that Black authors suffer from the greatest delay. Finally, by analyzing citation rates of US-based papers, we find that Black and Hispanic scientists receive significantly fewer citations compared to White ones doing similar research. Taken together, these findings highlight significant challenges facing non-White scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Go to temples of science and ideas of Europe. Imitate the Tugendbund, 'the Union of Virtue', of which thousands of German youth are the members. Always keep the rule of 'Fit soul is in fit body' in mind" (Petrov, 2013, p. 72). This study aimed to show the similarities, in terms of expression, emphasis, and implication, in the about/mission/vision/goals/objectives of various science centers from around the world and in the basic themes derived from Snellman's statement above, namely, Science for all, Science Centers for all, and Human welfare that he made as a challenge to not only his people but to everyone. Document and content analyses were applied in the study. Within the scope of these analyses, this study investigated the about/mission/vision/goals/objectives sections of websites of science centers from around the world (Asia, Europe, Global, Latin America/The Caribbean, North America, Africa). From this investigation, similar basic themes, derived from Snellman's statement challenging his people/everyone to adopt this devotion to science, were found in the areas of i) expression in ASTC, CIMUSET/CSTM, CASC and SAASTEC; ii) emphasis in ECSITE, ASDC, ASCN and NSCF; and iii) implication in ASPAC, ASTEN, NCSM, ABCMC and Red-POP. These basic themes, as found in the about/mission/vision/goals/objectives of science centers, can, in effect, be narrowed down to the one theme of "cultural institutions will be a big part of human life" (Madsen 2017, p. 68) science centers in the global village (Touraine, 2016, p. 121) of the future.

New roads, agricultural projects, logging, and mining are claiming an ever greater area of once-pristine Amazonian forest. The Millennium Ecosystems Assessment (MA) forecasts the extinction of a large fraction of Amazonian tree species based on projected loss of forest cover over the next several decades. How accurate are these estimates of extinction rates? We use neutral theory to estimate the number, relative abundance, and range size of tree species in the Amazon metacommunity and estimate likely tree-species extinctions under published optimistic and nonoptimistic Amazon scenarios. We estimate that the Brazilian portion of the Amazon Basin has (or had) 11,210 tree species that reach sizes >10 cm DBH (stem diameter at breast height). Of these, 3,248 species have population sizes >1 million individuals, and, ignoring possible climate-change effects, almost all of these common species persist under both optimistic and nonoptimistic scenarios. At the rare end of the abundance spectrum, however, neutral theory predicts the existence of approximately 5,308 species with <10,000 individuals each that are expected to suffer nearly a 50% extinction rate under the nonoptimistic deforestation scenario and an approximately 37% loss rate even under the optimistic scenario. Most of these species have small range sizes and are highly vulnerable to local habitat loss. In ensembles of 100 stochastic simulations, we found mean total extinction rates of 20% and 33% of tree species in the Brazilian Amazon under the optimistic and nonoptimistic scenarios, respectively.

To quantify the latitudinal gradient in species richness in the New World Triatominae and to explore the species-energy and area hypotheses as possible causes. The gradient was studied for North and South America, between 43° N and 32° S. A database was constructed containing the geographical distribution of the 118 New World Triatominae species based on data extracted from several published sources. Species richness was recorded as the number of species present within 5° latitudinal bands. We used univariate and multivariate models to analyse the relationship between area within each latitudinal belt, land surface temperature, and potential evapotranspiration as explanatory variables, and species richness. All variables were georeferenced and data were extracted using a GIS. Species richness of Triatominae increases significantly from the poles towards the Equator, peaking over the 5°−10 ° S latitudinal band. It increases according to a linear model, both north and south of the Equator, although a quadratic model fits better to southern hemisphere data. Richness correlates with habitable geographical area, when it is analysed through a nonlinear multiple regression factoring out latitude, only in the southern hemisphere. Regarding the species-energy hypothesis, a multiple regression analysis controlling the effect of latitude shows a significant relationship between temperature and species richness. This effect is more pronounced in the southern hemisphere. Species richness shows a strong longitudinal trend south of the Equator (increasing to the east), but not north of the Equator. This differential pattern is reflected in significant interactions between longitude and both latitude and temperature in models of the species richness of the New World Triatominae. To our knowledge, this is the first time that a latitudinal gradient in species richness has been shown and analysed for obligate haematophagous organisms, and it shows that the species–energy hypothesis can account for this phenomenon. This relationship is stronger in the southern hemisphere. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To use the method of parsimony analysis of endemism to identify areas of endemism for passerine birds in the Atlantic Forest, South America, and to compare the locations of these areas with areas previously identified for birds as well as other taxa. The Atlantic Forest, eastern South America. We analysed a matrix composed of the presence (1) or absence (0) of 140 endemic species in 24 quadrats of 1 × 1 degree distributed along the Atlantic Forest to find the most parsimonious area cladogram. Fourteen most parsimonious cladograms were found and then summarized in a single consensus tree. Four areas of endemism were identified: Pernambuco, Central Bahia, Coastal Bahia, and Serra do Mar. Avian areas of endemism in the Atlantic Forest have significant generality, as they are highly nonrandom and congruent with those of other groups of organisms. A first hypothesis about the historical relationships among the four areas of avian endemism in the Atlantic Forest is delineated. There is a basal dichotomy among areas of endemism in the Atlantic Forest, with Pernambuco forming a northern cluster and Coastal Bahia, Central Bahia and Serra do Mar comprising a southern cluster. Within the southern cluster, Central Bahia and Serra do Mar are more closely related to each other than to Coastal Bahia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quinoa is a promising crop due to its use in the food industry for the development of functional products. But there are very few recommendations in the world literature and almost no practical experience in the storage and processing of quinoa seeds. The study of quinoa and its properties in Western countries, as well as the development of modern methods of organic production in South America have led to the fact that quinoa is rapidly gaining popularity as a healthy and healthy product rich in vitamins and minerals and gluten-free. This has caused a boom in production and exports in Latin America, which continues to this day. In Ukraine, quinoa has gained popularity in recent years, many Ukrainian cereal producers now include quinoa in their range. But so far, raw materials have been purchased abroad, primarily in Latin America. Grain quality is a set of properties and characteristics (organoleptic, biological, physicochemical, technological, consumer) that determine the suitability of grain for its intended use. The main indicators of quinoa grain quality of different types: white, red and black are determined in the work. The quality of the studied samples was determined by organoleptic, chemical and microbiological indicators. The results of the sensory analysis confirm the high results and the display of the grain of the cinoa by species. The acidity of the grain of kinoa is determined, and it is set according to the indicators of acidity, until the acidity of the grain of kinoa is brought to good grain. The results of microbiological studies show that the highest content of bacteria was found in samples of red quinoa seeds. The analysis of the obtained results showed that the predominant component of the bacterial microflora of quinoa grain is the nonspore-forming bacillus Erwinia herbicola. Molds of the genus Aspergillus and Muccor were found in samples of white quinoa seeds, fungi of the genus Penicillium in samples of red quinoa seeds, and no molds were found in samples of red quinoa seeds. Microbiological study showed that all samples were free of both pathogenic and opportunistic pathogens. Organoleptic, chemical and microbiological indicators confirm the satisfactory quality of the studied quinoa grain samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In urban areas exposed to high-magnitude earthquakes, the drinking water supply would be severely damaged, and domestic services would be disrupted for a large part of the population in the event of an earthquake. The Lima-Callao metropolitan area in Peru, South America, is expected to experience an 8.8 Mw earthquake, and it is estimated that approximately 90% of the population would not have immediate access to emergency water in the case of such an event. The main objective of this paper is to define criteria for a spatial analysis method to guide the design criteria for an Emergency Water Supply System (EWaSS). Methods: This paper combines territorial, urban resilience and participatory approaches and presents the results of an interdisciplinary research with social impact. Thus, it examines the urban territory at macro-, meso- and micro scales; physical-spatial variables indicating risk levels and possible public spaces to implement the system; and socio-spatial variables regarding the population, risk perception and participation in management to strengthen urban resilience. Normative tools and the Geographic Information System are used to spatialize and systematize quantitative and qualitative information. Results and discussion: The EWaSS is an alternative for safe water supply in a post-disaster situation that would provide immediate and autonomous operation during the first 72 h of the emergency. The results show the physical-spatial and social viability of urbanized areas and the system design criteria that guide local actors in making decisions at the three levels of emergency management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While elucidating the evolutionary trajectory of green anacondas, we previously documented the existence of two distinct species, Eunectes akayima sp. nov. and Eunectes murinus (Linnaeus, 1758), that separated approximately 10 million years ago. Our research integrates a novel molecular clock approach, focuses on tectonic plate movements with fossil records as minimal chronological markers, and offers a refined understanding of speciation events in relation to major biogeographical occurrences in South America. Mitochondrial DNA analysis demonstrates a significant genetic divergence between the species, which is supported by a notable difference in sexual size dimorphism (SSD) intensity between the two species, along with other morphological differences. This paper also rectifies earlier oversights in the description of the new species and clarifies taxonomic ambiguities in compliance with the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature (henceforth ICZN). In addition, we designate a neotype for E. murinus to stabilize the group. In an effort to honor Indigenous nations, E. akayima sp. nov. derives its name from the Carib language, advocating for the inclusion of traditional names in scientific discourse. Our paper not only contributes to the taxonomic stability of anacondas but also advocates for the usage of Indigenous names in zoological nomenclature by adopting a more inclusive and flexible approach to the ICZN and eliminating unintended exclusionary practices that we have inherited in science as in other disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many universities have implemented initiatives to drive instructional change, yet their success has often been limited due to a lack of recognition of academia as a complex dynamic system. This paper explores how the interconnected and dynamic nature of academic systems influences faculty motivation to adopt instructional innovations, such as project-based learning (PBL) and small group collaborations (SGCs). We present a Conceptual Systems Dynamics Model (CSDM) that illustrates these interconnections, demonstrating how systemic factors create feedback loops that either reinforce or hinder faculty motivation, as well as other related factors. These loops, represented as Causal Loop Diagrams (CLDs), were derived from literature reviews and qualitative data obtained from interviews and focus groups involving 17 faculty and administrators within an Engineering Department at a research university in South America. The paper identifies thirteen CLDs, comprising seven reinforcing dynamics that positively influence faculty motivation and six balancing dynamics that exert negative pressure. Using empirical evidence and analysis, we describe how the systemic factors influence faculty motivation, and how shifts in motivation reciprocally impact these interconnected factors. By elucidating the complex dynamics at play, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how to promote sustainable instructional change within academic institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The Global Burden of Disease Study in 2016 estimated that the global incident cases of meningitis have increased by 320,000 between 1990 and 2016. Current evidence suggests that diabetes may be a prime risk factor for meningitis among individuals, including older adults. However, 0ndings of prior studies on this topic remain inconsistent, making a general conclusion relatively difficult. This study aimed to quantitatively synthesize the literature on the risk of meningitis associated with diabetes and compare the risk across different global regions. Method. Literature search and study design protocol followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The search was conducted in PubMed, Web of Science, African Journal Online, and Google Scholar using relevant MESH terms. A random e4ect model was used to pull effect sizes. Results. Initial search yielded 772 papers but 756 studies were excluded due to duplicity and not meeting inclusion criteria. In all, 16 papers involving 16847 cases were used. The pulled effect size (ES) of the association between diabetes and meningitis was 2.240 (OR = 2.240, 95% CI = 1.716-2.924). Regional-base analysis showed that diabetes increased the risk of developing meningitis in Europe (OR = 1.737, 95% CI = 1.299-2.323), Asia (OR = 2.192, 95% CI = 1.233-3.898), and North America (OR = 2.819, 95% CI = 1.159-6.855). These associations remained significant in the study design and etiological classe-based subgroup analyses. However, we surprisingly found no studies in Africa or South America. Conclusion. Diabetes is a risk factor for developing meningitis. Given that no research on this topic came from Africa and South America, our 0ndings should be contextually interpreted. We, however, encourage studies on diabetes-meningitis linkages from all parts of the world, particularly in Africa and South America, to confirm the 0ndings of the present study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on a study which aims at comparing differences in aerosol optical depth (AOD) measured by Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO). In the study, AOD levels are evaluated in the dust regions of the Sahara and northwest China and biomass burning regions of South America and South Africa. It reveals higher MODIS AOD over dust regions as compared to CALIPSO AOD.

Oceanic upwelling velocities are too small to be measured directly. The surface disequilibrium of the ³He/4He ratio provides an indirect method to infer vertical velocities at the base of the mixed layer. Samples of helium isotopes were taken from two coastal upwelling regions, off Peru on cruise M91, and off Mauritania on 3 cruises. The helium-3 flux into the mixed layer also depends on the diapycnal mixing. Direct observations of the vertical diffusivity have been performed on all 4 cruises and are also used in this study. The resulting upwelling velocities in the coastal regions vary between 1.1 × 10-5 and 2.8 × 10-5 m s-1 for all cruises. Vertical velocities off the equator can also be inferred from the divergence of the wind driven Ekman transport. In the coastal regimes, the agreement between wind and helium derived upwelling is fairly good at least for the mean values. Further offshore, the helium derived upwelling still reaches 1 × 10-5 m s-1, whereas the wind driven upwelling from Ekman suction is smaller by at least one order of magnitude. One reason for this difference might be eddy induced upwelling. Both advective and diffusive nutrient fluxes into the mixed layer are calculated based on the helium derived vertical velocities and the measured vertical diffusivities. The advective part of these fluxes makes up at least 50 % of the total. The nutrient flux into the mixed layer in the coastal upwelling regimes is equivalent to a net community production (NCP) of 1.3 g C m² d-1 off Peru and 1.6-1.9 g C m² d-1 off Mauritania. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sea surface microlayer (SML) is at the very surface of the ocean, linking the hydrosphere with the atmosphere, and central to a range of global biogeochemical and climate-related processes. The presence and enrichment of organic compounds in the SML have been suggested to influence air-sea gas exchange processes as well as the emission of primary organic aerosols. Among these organic compounds, primarily of plankton origin, are dissolved exopolymers, specifically polysaccharides and proteins, and gel particles, such as Transparent Exopolymer Particles (TEP) and Coomassie Stainable Particles (CSP). These organic substances often accumulate in the surface ocean when plankton productivity is high. Here, we report results obtained in December 2012 during the SOPRAN Meteor 91 cruise to the highly productive, coastal upwelling regime off Peru. Samples were collected from the SML and from ~ 20 cm below, and were analyzed for polysaccharidic and proteinaceous compounds, gel particles, total and dissolved organic carbon, bacterial and phytoplankton abundance. Our study provides insight to the physical and biological control of organic matter enrichment in the SML, and discusses the potential role of organic matter in the SML for air-sea exchange processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noncommunicable diseases and mental health conditions (referred to collectively as NMHs) are the greatest cause of preventable death, illness, and disability in South America and negatively affect countries' economic performance through their detrimental impacts on labor supply and capital investments. Sound, evidence-based policy-making requires a deep understanding of the macroeconomic costs of NMHs and of their distribution across countries and diseases. The paper estimates and projects the macroeconomic burden of NMHs over the period 2020–2050 in 10 South American countries. We estimate the impact of NMHs on gross domestic product (GDP) through a human capital-augmented production function approach, accounting for mortality and morbidity effects of NMHs on labor supply, for the impact of treatment costs on physical capital accumulation, and for variations in human capital by age. Our central estimates suggest that the overall burden of NMHs in these countries amounts to $7.3 trillion (2022 international $, 3% discount rate, 95% confidence interval: $6.8–$7.8 trillion). Overall, the macroeconomic burden of NMHs is around 4% of total GDP over 2020–2050, with little variation across countries (from 3.2% in Peru to 4.5% in Brazil). In other words, without NMHs, annual GDP over 2020–2050 would be about 4% larger. In most countries, the largest macroeconomic burden is associated with cancers. Results from the paper point to a significant macroeconomic burden of NMHs in South America and provide a strong justification for investment in NMH prevention, early detection, treatment, and formal and informal care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of precipitation is one of the most intriguing areas in atmospheric sciences, with significant implications for our daily lives and climate change projections. This paper explores the estimation of rainfall trends in South American regions using convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The study focuses on the application of Cloud-Net, a CNNbased model with a format similar to an autoencoder, to obtain qualitative estimates of precipitation patterns. The employed loss functions, Categorical Cross Entropy and Categorical Focal Loss, address the challenges of classifying minority categories in unbalanced data. Regional analysis was conducted, identifying days with high rainfall intensity and the predominant intensities in 25 regions. The CNN model's performance was compared with the XGBoost algorithm, showing excellent results for extreme rainfall categories and challenging intermediate categories. Furthermore, a comparison was made with Quantitative Precipitation Estimation (QPE) data and ground measurements from rain gauges. While the CNN model provided a valuable qualitative estimate of precipitation trends, achieving precise quantitative estimation would require an extensive data set of in-situ measurements. Overall, this research demonstrates the potential of CNNs for estimating rainfall trends and understanding precipitation patterns in South American regions. The findings offer valuable insights for further applications in meteorology and environmental studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change has been unequivocally linked to human impact. Human actions have affected the environment and its inhabitants in a variety of ways around the globe and the response of various species can provide insight to what the future holds if we do not begin to mitigate the impacts of climate change. Monkeys are especially important as they function as ecosystem engineers, having a significant impact on plants and other animals in their habitats. Despite their importance, primates in South America and Africa remain understudied, yet are especially at risk as these regions have already undergone significant habitat loss. These regions are also Biodiversity Hotspots with the highest numbers of primate species on Earth. This systematic literature review assesses the current state of knowledge on how monkeys have changed their behavior in response to anthropogenic climate change. For this review, we scanned 3,461 titles, and 100 papers were read in full; seven of 100 papers provided relevant data. These studies primarily reported fertility changes and food substitutions when species were exposed to harsh conditions. The paucity of results from this review demonstrates that more research is needed on this topic. The effects of climate change on primates and their habitats must also be studied in conjunction with other anthropogenic stressors. As humans encroach on wildlife habitats, policies must be implemented to protect the habitats that are still viable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gridded precipitation (PRP) data have been largely used in diagnostic studies on the climate variability in several time scales, as well as to validate model results. The three most used gauge-based PRP datasets are from the Global Precipitation Climatology Centre (GPCC), University of Delaware (UDEL), and Climate Research Unit (CRU). This paper evaluates the performance of these datasets in reproducing spatiotemporal PRP climatological features over the entire South America (SA) for the 1901–2015 period, aiming to identify the differences and similarities among the datasets as well as time intervals and areas with potential uncertainties involved with these datasets. Comparisons of the PRP annual means and variances between the 1901–2015 period and the non-overlapping 30-year subperiods of 1901–1930, 1931–1960, 1961–1990, and the 25-year subperiod of 1991–2015 for each dataset show varying means of the annual PRP over SA depending on the subperiod and dataset. Consistent patterns among datasets are found in most of southeastern SA and southeastern Brazil, where they evolved gradually from less to more rainy conditions from 1901–1930 to the 1991–2015 subperiod. All three datasets present limitations and uncertainties in regions with poor coverage of gauge stations, where the differences among datasets are more pronounced. In particular, the GPCC presents reduced PRP variability in an extensive area west of 50° W and north of 20° S during the 1901–1930 subperiod. In monthly time scale, PRP time series in two areas show differences among the datasets for periods before 1941, which are likely due to spurious or missing data: central Bolivia (CBO), and central Brazil (CBR). The GPCC has less monthly variability before 1940 than the other two datasets in these two areas, and UDEL presents reduced monthly variability before 1940 and spurious monthly values from May to September of the years from 1929 to 1941 in CBO. Thus, studies with these three datasets might lead to different results depending on the study domain and period of analysis, in particular for those including years before 1941. The results here might be relevant for future diagnostic and modelling studies on climate variability from interannual to multidecadal time scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Educación XX1 is the property of Editorial UNED and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Spanish Journal of Comparative Education / Revista Española de Educación Comparada is the property of Editorial UNED 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.)

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Copyright of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo is the property of Revista Iberoamericana de Estudios de Desarrollo 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.)

Pereskia aculeata Miller, is an unconventional food plant native to South America. This study aimed to investigate the influence of different ultrasonic extraction times (10, 20, 30, and 40 min) on the phytochemical profile, antioxidant and antibacterial activities of ethanolic extracts obtained from lyophilized Pereskia aculeate Miller (ora-pro-nobis) leaves, an under-researched plant. Morphological structure and chemical group evaluations were also conducted for the lyophilized P. aculeate leaves. The different extraction times resulted in distinct phenolic content and Antioxidant Activity (ATT) values. Different extraction time conditions resulted in phenolic compound contents ranging from 2.07 to 2.60 mg EAG.g−1 of extract and different ATT values. The ATT evaluated by DPPH was significantly higher (from 61.20 to 70.20 μM of TE.g−1 of extract) in extraction times of 30 and 40 min, respectively. For ABTS, it varied between 6.38 and 10.24 μM of TE.g−1 of extract and 24.34 and 32.12 μM ferrous sulp.g−1 of extract. All of the obtained extracts inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, particularly the treatment employing 20 min of extraction at the highest dilution (1.56 mg.mL−1). Although liquid chromatography analyses showed that chlorogenic acid was the primary compound detected for all extracts, Paper Spray Mass Spectrometry (PS-MS) suggested the extracts contained 53 substances, such as organic, fatty, and phenolic acids, sugars, flavonoids, terpenes, phytosterols, and other components. The PS-MS proved to be a valuable technique to obtain the P. aculeate leaves extract chemical profile. It was observed that the freeze-drying process enhanced the conservation of morphological structures of P. aculeate leaves, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) identified carboxyl functional groups and proteins between the 1000 and 1500 cm−1 bands in the P. aculeate leaves, thus favoring water interaction and contributing to gel formation. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate different times (10, 20, 30 and 40 min) for ultrasound extraction of P. aculeate leaves. The polyphenols improved extraction, and high antioxidant activity demonstrates the potential for applying P. aculeate leaves and their extract as functional ingredients or additives in the food and pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terrain significantly influences the physical processes and human activities occurring on the Earth's surface, especially in mountainous areas. The classification and clarification of topographic structures are essential for the quantitative analysis of surface patterns. In this paper, we propose a new method based on the digital elevation model to classify the binary terrain structure. The slope accumulation is constructed to emphasize the accumulated topographic characteristics and is applied to support the segmenting process. The results show that this new method is efficient in increasing the completeness of the segmented results and reducing the classification uncertainty. We verify this method in three areas in South America, North America and Asia to evaluate the method's robustness. Comparison experiments suggest that this new method outperforms the traditional method in areas with different landforms. In addition, quantitative indices are calculated based on the segmented results. The results indicate that the binary terrain structure benefits the understanding of surface patterns from the perspectives of topographic characteristics, category composition, object morphology and landform spatial distribution. We also assess the transferability of the proposed method, and the results suggest that this method is transferable to different digital elevation models. The proposed method can support the quantitative analysis of land resources, especially in mountainous areas and benefit land management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The public face of religion in Latin America is undergoing constant transformation, and its relocation in the public sphere is part of a broader process of cultural and social change. This contemporary religious scene is characterized by a plurality of voices generated not only by traditional ecclesiastical institutions, but also by diverse practices and discourses where mediatization processes play an important role. This paper will examine how urban believers—mainly Catholics and evangelicals—are reconstructing and negotiating their religious identity and belonging, as well as their interactions in everyday life as participants in wider social contexts beyond traditional religious institutions in Lima, Peru, South America. It addresses questions such as how mediatized religious practices shape and re-signify religious identity, and how mediated religion facilitates the creation of new meanings, forms, and approaches of public engagement. I will also discuss how lived religion shapes the communicative practices and strategies of believers who are living out their beliefs in ways that go beyond traditional sacred places and spheres of secularity. This paper is part of a research project called "The Transformation of Lived Religion in Urban Latin America: A Study of Contemporary Latin Americans' Experience of the Transcendent." [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Dating from the 1920s and linked to the increase in mortality among smokers, tobacco has become one of the most studied health risk factors. Tobacco-use series, whether for the general population or for specific groups, are unavailable for most South American countries, something that hinders the characterisation of this risk factor. Objectives To identify and analyse studies that estimate smoking-attributable mortality (SAM) in South America and provide an overview of the impact of smoking habit on mortality in the region. Methods Systematic review using PubMed, Embase, LILACS, Biblioteca Virtual en Salud, Google Scholar and Google, and including all papers published until June 2020 reporting studies in which SAM was estimated. Results The search yielded 140 papers, 17 of which fulfilled the inclusion criteria. There were SAM estimates for all South American countries, with Argentina having the most. The first estimate covered 1981 and the latest, 2013. The method most used was prevalence-based. Regardless of the country and point in time covered by the estimate, the highest figures were recorded for men in all cases. The burden of attributable vs observed mortality varied among countries, reaching a figure of 20.3% in Argentina in 1986. The highest SAM burden was registered for the group of cardiovascular diseases. Conclusions SAM estimates are available for all South American countries but the respective study periods differ and the frequency of the estimates is unclear. For 4 countries, the only estimates available are drawn from reports, something that does not allow for a detailed assessment of the estimates obtained. To help with decision-making targeted at evaluating and enhancing the impact of smoking control policies, further studies are needed in order to update the impact of smoking on all countries across South America. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ants, an ecologically successful and numerically dominant group of animals, play key ecological roles as soil engineers, predators, nutrient recyclers, and regulators of plant growth and reproduction in most terrestrial ecosystems. Further, ants are widely used as bioindicators of the ecological impact of land use. We gathered information of ant species in the Atlantic Forest of South America. The ATLANTIC ANTS data set, which is part of the ATLANTIC SERIES data papers, is a compilation of ant records from collections (18,713 records), unpublished data (29,651 records), and published sources (106,910 records; 1,059 references), including papers, theses, dissertations, and book chapters published from 1886 to 2020. In total, the data set contains 153,818 ant records from 7,636 study locations in the Atlantic Forest, representing 10 subfamilies, 99 genera, 1,114 ant species identified with updated taxonomic certainty, and 2,235 morphospecies codes. Our data set reflects the heterogeneity in ant records, which include ants sampled at the beginning of the taxonomic history of myrmecology (the 19th and 20th centuries) and more recent ant surveys designed to address specific questions in ecology and biology. The data set can be used by researchers to develop strategies to deal with different macroecological and region‐wide questions, focusing on assemblages, species occurrences, and distribution patterns. Furthermore, the data can be used to assess the consequences of changes in land use in the Atlantic Forest on different ecological processes. No copyright restrictions apply to the use of this data set, but we request that authors cite this data paper when using these data in publications or teaching events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) primarily affect the poorest populations, often living in remote, rural areas, urban slums or conflict zones. Arboviruses are a significant NTD category spread by mosquitoes. Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika are three arboviruses that affect a large proportion of the population in Latin and South America. The clinical diagnosis of these arboviral diseases is a difficult task due to the concurrent circulation of several arboviruses which present similar symptoms, inaccurate serologic tests resulting from cross-reaction and co-infection with other arboviruses. Objective: The goal of this paper is to present evidence on the state of the art of studies investigating the automatic classification of arboviral diseases to support clinical diagnosis based on Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) models. Method: We carried out a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) in which Google Scholar was searched to identify key papers on the topic. From an initial 963 records (956 from string-based search and seven from a single backward snowballing procedure), only 15 relevant papers were identified. Results: Results show that current research is focused on the binary classification of Dengue, primarily using tree-based ML algorithms. Only one paper was identified using DL. Five papers presented solutions for multi-class problems, covering Dengue (and its variants) and Chikungunya. No papers were identified that investigated models to differentiate between Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika. Conclusions: The use of an efficient clinical decision support system for arboviral diseases can improve the quality of the entire clinical process, thus increasing the accuracy of the diagnosis and the associated treatment. It should help physicians in their decision-making process and, consequently, improve the use of resources and the patient's quality of life. Author summary: Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) primarily affect the poorest populations, often living in remote, rural areas, urban slums or conflict zones. Arboviruses are a significant NTD category spread by mosquitoes. Dengue, Chikungunya, and Zika are three arboviruses that affect a large proportion of the population in Latin and South America. The clinical diagnosis of these arboviral diseases is a difficult task due to the concurrent circulation of several arboviruses which present similar symptoms and, sometimes, inaccurate test results. In this paper, we present the state of the art of studies investigating the automatic classification of arboviral diseases based on Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) models. Results show that current research is focused on the classification of Dengue, primarily using tree-based ML algorithms. The use of an efficient clinical decision support system for arboviral diseases can improve the quality of the entire clinical process, thus increasing the accuracy of the diagnosis and the associated treatment. It should help physicians in their decision-making process and, consequently, improve the use of resources and the patient's quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality of electricity is one of the most discussed issues in the regulatory context, structured by guidelines that allow the assessment of efficiency in electricity supply. Regarding electricity distribution systems, it is essential to highlight the aspects associated with the definition of continuity indicators to measure the service provided by the utilities. The parameters used to calculate the indicators are set by specific agencies in each country based on studies and their characteristics. With the growth in demand for electricity, debates associated with reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, and the increase in Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) connected to the grid, a new trend related to the energy supply is verified. Given these new scenarios, this paper presents a literature review in the regulatory field of existing distribution systems in South American countries. The research proposes to analyze, compare, and expose the current models to evaluate their methods and indicators, including a complete case study in Brazil. This paper seeks to illustrate and point out perspectives, challenges, and future perspectives through the collected and analyzed data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a jungle environment where jaguars are considered human, systems thinking has evolved in unexpected ways. Although systems thinking is commonly seen as a product of the Western world, other cultures have developed their own versions with unique characteristics. In this article, we explore Amazonian systems thinking, which has similarities to modern Western systems thinking, as well as differences that may inspire the evolution of systems approaches worldwide. We will discuss the contributions of Amazonian systems thinking particularly to find answers to the planet's ecological and sustainability problems, such as climate change and mass extinction of species, among others. We will present the systems thinking that emerged in some Amazonian communities, how it relates to mainstream Western systems thinking, and focus on some unique aspects of Amazonian systems thinking. This paper is based on the ethnographic work of Gerardo Reichel‐Dolmatoff and other anthropologists who have studied Amazonian communities for decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article provides information on the study on the role of plant foods in ancient trade and agriculture in South America conducted by researcher Linda Perry. The methods and process she used in identifying the remains of ground-up corn in soil and tools collected from a house buried in the Andean mountains of Peru was mentioned. She used the microfossils starch grains and silica phytoliths in identifying ancient plant remains.