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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]

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.

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]

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.

This article focuses on the global traffic in images relating to Kadiwéu culture in South America, analysing the extent to which they are entangled in the group’s continuing sense of presence. It begins with Kadiwéu designs as they appeared in the sketchbook of the artist–explorer Guido Boggiani in the late 19th century. It then explores the mapping of Kadiwéu territory and the practices and protocols informing a politics of land rights, cultural property and economic survival, looking in particular at the commissioning of Kadiwéu designs for a housing estate and an associated exhibition in Berlin early in the 21st century. By developing a cross-cultural history of Kadiwéu art that considers the transnational networks across different times and spaces, including the case of a transcultural history of copyright, the article seeks to contribute to the ongoing re-thinking of the colonial visual archive and its afterlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines how international schools negotiate the competing demands set forth by the discourses of ideological 'internationalism' and 'market-driven' multinationalism. This was accomplished through a critical discourse analysis of the mission statements of 46 Association of American Schools in South America (AASSA) member international schools. By identifying the interdiscursive and intertextual elements of the mission statements, we found that the potential tensions emerging from these competing discourses are often obfuscated, thus creating the semblance of congruency. This paper argues that by not acknowledging and disentangling these competing discourses, international schools may be subject to potentially detrimental consequences, which include marginalising their social and political possibilities and perpetuating neoliberal hegemony.

Public finances have been extensively affected by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures enacted to mitigate them. In South America, have these effects been permanent, or were fiscal rules solid enough to allow for flexibility and a later return to normality? The hypothesis in this paper is that Covid had a significant impact on the fiscal institutions of countries with previous difficulties in using norms as stabilization tools for public finance, but had only temporary effects for countries with a stronger tradition of implementing fiscal rules more effectively. The text is structured as follows: in the first part, a general panorama of the creation of fiscal rules in South America is presented to offer comparison patterns with their post-pandemic evolution. Secondly, a description of the possible structures of fiscal rules is analyzed, and these categories will be applied to the South American case. In the third and last part, the types of fiscal rules are classified according to each country, as well as the transformations observed after the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, the paper will offer a consolidated approach to changes in fiscal rules in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The extreme aridity of the northern Chilean Coastal Cordillera enables the complete preservation of permanent deformation related to the coupling between Nazca and South America. The region between Antofagasta and Arica is characterized by four types of Late Cenozoic structures: EW-striking reverse faults; ~NS-striking normal faults; sparse WNW and NNW-striking right-lateral strike–slip faults; and unimodal and bimodal populations of surface cracks. The EW reverse faults occur only between 19° and 21°40'' S latitude and have been active since at least 6 Ma to present. A March 2007 earthquake demonstrates that this deformation can occur during the interseismic phase of the plate boundary seismic cycle. The NS-normal faults are most abundant near Antofagasta and Mejillones and diminish in significance northward. Several of these faults, in both the Antofagasta and the Salar Grande area, have been reactivated as reverse faults causing minor topographic inversion. We suggest that normal faults move during both interseismic and coseismic deformation and are fundamentally very weak. Surface cracks are ubiquitous throughout the region and form by both non-tectonic and tectonic mechanisms. A significant proportion forms during coseismic deformation and thus may be used to identify long-lived rupture segments on the plate boundary. Overall, forearc deformation is very slow, with permanent strain rates of 1–5 nstrain/year and fault slip rates less than 0.5 mm/year. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Earthquakes along the shallow South American subduction zone exhibit heterogeneous rupture characteristics, going back several centuries of the earthquake record in this area. This heterogeneity is manifest in several ways, such as changes in rupture mode from magnitude >8 events during one century followed by smaller ones in other time periods, as well as unusual tsunami events. There is also an apparent interaction between earthquake rupture and subducting plate complexity in this region. Significant complexity exists on the subducting Nazca plate, including fracture zones and ridges such as the large Nazca Ridge. Several large magnitude earthquakes have occurred in the region of ridge subduction, but no earthquake rupture has ruptured through these features into adjacent regions, suggesting that these subducting features act to segment the margin. Other features, such as fracture zones and variable sediment thickness on the Nazca Plate, appear to influence earthquake behavior over a wide range of magnitude scales. Upper plate features such as crustal faults also lead to heterogeneous earthquake behavior. Here I provide an overview of seismicity along the margin since 1850 in the context of the subduction zone structures. This includes great earthquakes such as the 1906 Ecuador and 1960 Chile events. I also present results showing increased rupture complexity in moderate magnitude earthquakes that can also be linked to certain Nazca Plate features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

The authors, through a consultancy with the Caribbean Child Development Centre, the University of the West Indies Open Campus, sought to identify comprehensive parent support programmes and policies in the healthcare sector in non-Spanish-speaking Caribbean countries. As mapping researchers, the authors were contracted to map policies and programmes in the healthcare sector whose aims were to support both family wellbeing and children's healthy development. A review of the existing literature about parenting practices and parenting support programming in the Caribbean was conducted. A catalogue of existing programmes and policies in non-Spanish speaking Caribbean countries was compiled using relevant documents and interviews from primary sources involved in the programmes and the development and implementation of policies. This article outlines the trends identified during the interviews and mapping exercise.

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]

Copyright of ZooKeys is the property of Pensoft Publishers 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.)

In this paper I analyse how the gradual reduction of research funds in Colombia can interrupt a key process in the generation of solutions to global urban problems. I draw on a bibliometric analysis to show that research funding flowing from North to South has created collaborations between researchers from North and South that have led to a better and more comprehensive understanding of the challenges facing cities around the world. To conclude, I propose four options to counteract these trends towards lower research funding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Papers on nanotechnology in the Scientific Electronic Library Online (SciELO) database were studied bibliometrically. The terms 'nanotechnology', 'nanoparticle', 'graphene', 'fullerene', 'nanotube' and 'quantum dot' were used for the search in their singular and plural forms in three languages (English, Portuguese and Spanish), and a total of 1205 papers were selected for the study to assess the frequency rates of the study variables. The results of the study are presented in this article focusing on gender differences. [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]

This paper analyzes vowel shifts in Wichi (Mataguayan, South America) between the 18th and early 20th centuries, some of which contributed to the emergence of the Pilcomayeño and Bermejeño dialects. Based on a historical database and using the comparative method, we date the vowel shift over the period we have named as Middle Wichi. At the early stage of this period, the /e/ > /a/ lowering is analyzed as a sporadic change, spread across the dialects in part of the vocabulary. At a later stage, the chain shift /ɑ/ > /o/ > /u/ > /e, i/, the merger of /u/ with /e/ and /i/, and the sporadic change of /i/>/e/ lowering in some words took place in Bermejeño. The paper explores implications in the implementation of sound change, the regular changes and the lexical diffusion, in particular, in chain shifting. It also explores some connections with other Mataguayan languages in both the lowering e>a and the possible causes of the changes. Thus, the paper contributes to the historical study of the Wichi language and the Mataguayan family in the Gran Chaco area in South America. [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]

This study demonstrates the ways in which discourses in a state-sponsored volunteer program incited transformations of individual subjectivities, focusing on a group of Japanese language teacher volunteers training in Japan to become teachers of Japanese as a heritage language for the country's diaspora (Nikkei) population in South America. As teachers of heritage Japanese at Japanese language schools in these Nikkei communities, their work was central to Japan's diaspora strategies, which reframe the Nikkei population as Japan's "diplomatic assets" connected to Japan through their Nikkei identity. Focusing on these language teachers as important actors in Japan's diaspora strategies, this study illustrates how their encounter with the institutional discourses resulted in the transformations of their subjectivities. Such transformations occurred during the volunteer training sessions hosted by Japan's international cooperation agency to conceptualize their roles as teachers of Japanese as someone's heritage language. By illustrating the ways in which these volunteer individuals' transformations fit within state diaspora strategies, this article underscores the role of state actors in the process of subjectification, which has tended to be overlooked in previous studies of governmentality.

This article focuses on the circulation of specific European and English fashion magazines and fashion plates in Latin America during the early nineteenth century. Images of fashion and clothing have been present at all stages of the development of visual reproduction techniques. Together, paper and print culture have been linked from the beginning to the notion of speed in the transmission of ideas. The relationship between paper, fashion and the circulation of printed materials was consolidated during the long nineteenth century but began much earlier. Fashion images (fashion plates, but also watercolours and drawings) formed perhaps one of the most important and numerous categories within the visual culture of the period. I highlight the role that some of these representations of fashion on paper have had in the history of the circulation of printed materials in South America, with special attention to Pancho Fierro's watercolours in Perú, Rudolf Ackermann's magazines and books in Latin America and César Hipólito Bacle and Adrienne Macaire's fashion plates in Argentina. [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]

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The properties and circulation of water masses are examined using data collected from a hydrographic and Acoustic Doppler Current profiler in the Western Tropical Atlantic during two cruises of the GEOTRACES process study "AMANDES" (AMazon-ANDEans): AMANDES I (October-November 2007) and AMANDES II (January 2008). In the upper layer (from the sea surface to 150 m) means of vertical sections of velocity are showing the structure of the Current (NBC) and North Equatorial Countercurrent. In the lower layer (below 150 m) the subsurface velocity core of the North Brazil UnderCurrent, Western Boundary Undercurrent (WBUC) and northern branch of the South Equatorial Current (nSEC) could be observed. In October the WBUC flows southeastward with a velocity of about 0.3 m s-1. In the studied area during October 2007, the NBUC and nSEC are transporting South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) from the Southern Hemisphere whereas the WBUC transports North Atlantic Central Water (NACW) southeastward. In the deep layers, the North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) is composed of three components: the Upper North Atlantic Deep Water -- UNADW (between 1310 and 1650 m), the Middle North Atlantic Deep Water (between 1930 and 2400 m), the Lower North Atlantic Deep Water (centered around 3430 m). Off Guyana, the Antartic Intermediate Water (AAIW) changes of composition between October 2007 (45.2% ACW, 32.2% AAIWsource and 22.6% UNADW) and January 2008 (62.4% ACW, 23.5% AAIWsource and 14.1% UNADW). These intermediate waters are significantly warmer, less oxygenated and saltier than their southern source, reflecting both oxygen consumption and mixing with the Atlantic Central Water (ACW) and the Upper North Atlantic Deep Water during their northward transit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urges readers of 'Singapore Journal of Tropical Geography,' to submit research papers on natural resources, economic development and political change in South America. Impact of the adoption of neoliberal economic policies on forest exploitation; Link between rural and urban communities in natural resource use.

This paper explores the voices of resistance against the Dakar Rally's decade-long operation in South America. Drawing upon the three-prong framework of environmental justice (EJ), the analysis showcases how the less powerful stakeholders in the hosting countries articulated the deleterious consequences caused by the event to the local communities and ecologies. Moreover, by situating the Dakar Rally's expeditions in South America within the global capitalist economy, the paper explains why the most prestigious car rally is an exemplary manifestation of ecological imperialism, as it is not only a showcase of unsustainable industries (represented by fossil-fuel vehicles) with European colonial hubris but also a newer stage of an ongoing centuries-old process of extracting ecological resources from the Global South to benefit the increasingly mobile, vampire-like transnational capital. [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]

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]

Discusses the adoption of neoliberal economic models by Latin American countries as they emerged from military dictatorships into democracies. South American countries' exploitation of natural resources and its relation to their economy; Occurrence in the shift in economic policies of most South American governments in parallel with the forces of political change.

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]

Purpose: This study aims to explore the relationship between tourism and women's employment in 32 South American and Caribbean countries from 1996 to 2020. Design/methodology/approach: In this paper, both static (fixed effects and random effects) and dynamic panel data models (system and differenced generalized method of moments) are used. In addition to gross domestic product, trade, education and urban population are also considered in this study. Findings: According to the findings, a boost in tourism led to an increase in women's engagement in the economy and service sectors. This paper also explores the efficiency of alternate methods to deal with various models of women labor force (WLF) involvement in various sectors. Women's employment opportunities in the service sector expand as a result of tourism, but in the agricultural and industrial sectors, that employment opportunity is reduced. Research limitations/implications: This study investigated the impact of tourism on WLF participation and found that it had a significant impact. This study, on the other hand, specifically contributed to the tourism sector in some specific study areas, such as tourism and agriculture, service and industry sectors. This study also displays that female participation in South America and the Caribbean countries is increasing and women are shifting away from traditional economic sectors. Originality/value: This is the pioneering study to discover tourism and female participation in employment in South American and Caribbean countries. The findings of this study have important implications for future studies and policy debates examining the consequence of the tourism industry on WLF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Building on the middle-income trap literature where contexts of time and location matter, the articles in this special section adopt a 'political economy of development' approach to the problem of the middle-income trap. The papers employ different analytical approaches and have different entry points into unpacking the complex economic, social, and technical processes that advance productive capabilities. But they share a common set of assumptions undergirding a political economy approach and come to a common understanding that advances the middle-income trap discussion: (1) the development of domestic productive capabilities is critical for upgrading and developing broad-based innovation that may translate into higher productivity growth; (2) the interaction of international with domestic factors changes over time and may exacerbate domestic innovation challenges; and (3) the nature of the inter-workings between the government and actors in the private sector is crucial for understanding the advancement of innovation capabilities or lack thereof. All the papers point to the importance of a systemic and long-term approach to building productive capabilities and the need for strong state action to advance these capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amaranthus crucentus are usually short lived annual crops which probably originated in the Andcan region of South America. An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of water stress on the microbial growth and quality of vegetable Amaranth. Analysis of variance showed that microbial growth was significant at 17.63% as well as moisture stress at 128.1%. However nitrogen composition and water content was not significant at the 5% probability level. A polyethylene bag recorded the highest microbial growth 38.33% in comparison with a paper bag 14.67%, when those exposed had the lowest microbial growth 7.33%. Amaranthus crucentus packaged with polythene bags recorded the highest microbial growth, followed by those packaged with paper bags while those exposed had the lowest. The microbes observed were mainly Aspergillus species. The result of the investigation showed that on the first day, vegetable Amaranth packaged with paper bag had the highest weight loss of 17.02 g in comparison with the exposed sample of 14.08 g, while those packaged with polyethylene bags had the lowest weight loss of 0.33. Similar trends were observed on the third and sixth days respectively. Investigation showed that the exposed samples recorded the highest nitrogen composition of 0.06% followed by paper bag 0.030%, while polythene had the lowest 0.028%. However, vegetables packaged with polythene bags had the highest water content, followed by paper bag 62.25%, while the exposed recorded the lowest water content of 43.96%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of security and computer privacy has become a significant focus in security and privacy research. To reflect a website's, service's, or app's privacy policies, they're frequently used as a beginning step for researchers investigating the reliability of stated data regulations, user comprehension of policy, or user control methods. It's challenging to collect information about privacy practices from Internet resources like websites and mobile applications for analysis because of the wide variations in the structure, presentation, and content. Most computer privacy studies attempt to test new methods for detecting, classifying, and analyzing computer privacy content. However, numerous papers have been published to promote research activities, and no trace of any bibliometric analysis work on computer privacy demonstrates research trends. By conducting a thorough analysis of computer privacy studies, it searches the Scopus database, which contains over 2000 papers published between 1976 and 2020. Using the bibliometric analysis technique, this study examines research activity in Europe, South America, and other continents. This work investigated the number of papers published, citations, research area, keywords, institutions, topics, and researchers in detail. An overview of the research efforts is followed by listing the words into a classification of computer privacy analysis tools, emphasizing the significance of a computer privacy research study. According to the investigation findings, there are numerous significant implications of research efforts in Europe compared to other continents. Finally, we summarize the review findings for each part by highlighting potential future research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The western coast of South America is a territory continually exposed to earthquakes, where architects had to experiment proposals that would allow them to maintain the safety of their buildings. Among the different solutions for earthquake-resistant constructions, planked timber vaults appeared in South American religious architecture during the 17th century. This paper explains how the construction technique of these vaults arose and developed in a context conditioned by earthquakes. For the study, architectural surveys of the different variants of South American vaults were conducted, which were confronted with data from archives and historical texts, to later be expressed graphically through the drawing reading method. This method is important to transfer textual information from historical documents to contemporary graphic language and permit to learn more about the architectural heritage, like the construction characteristics of the planked timber vaults and understand the structural criteria followed by the ancient master builders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

Berbice Dutch was a creole language spoken in the Republic of Guyana in South America, a country first under Dutch, and later under British colonial rule. Owing mainly to Silvia Kouwenberg (A grammar of Berbice Dutch Creole, De Gruyter Mouton, 1994), we were blessed with a detailed synchronic documentation of Berbice Dutch before its demise. However, the formation of the language remains clouded in mystery: its grammar and (basic) lexicon display a seemingly unique mixture of Dutch (Creole) and Eastern Ijo, as a result of which the language is often portrayed as a challenge to existing contact-linguistic theory. In this paper, a scenario is proposed that, rather than challenging the said theory, is fully grounded in it: it will be argued that the language was a case of serial glottogenesis: a first stage of creolisation was later followed by language mixing. The paper furthermore presents hitherto unknown historical data pertaining to the arrival of Ijo speakers in Berbice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a narrative dataset constructed by David and Leigh (A new action-based dataset of fiscal consolidation in latin America and the caribbean, IMF Working paper 18/94, 2018) for annual fiscal consolidation shocks, this paper estimates the dynamic effects of fiscal consolidations on income inequality from Jordá's (Am Econo Rev 95:161–82, (2005)) local projections method for nine South American economies in the 1991–2017 period. By decomposing fiscal shocks, the baseline results suggest that spending-based fiscal consolidations significantly increase the Gini index, while tax-based fiscal consolidations do not show statistically significant effects on income inequality. The Gini index for disposable income rises 2.48% in eight years after a spending-based fiscal adjustment of 1% of GDP. The magnitude of this effect is higher than in most of the previous studies carried out for OECD countries. Our main finding for the impact of spending-based fiscal consolidation on inequality in the medium run is robust when using alternative control variables, lag structures, country samples, and the Cyclically Adjusted Primary Balance strategy for identifying the fiscal shocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]