Search

The purpose of this research was to evaluate the scientific production on teacher stress. It is a cross-sectional descriptive study of articles published in journals indexed in the SciELO collection between 2010 and 2018. An estimate of publications per year, journals, institutional affiliations and publication topics was analyzed. It was found that between the aforementioned years, 60 articles on the subject have been published, out of which the years of greatest production fluctuate between 2014 and 2018. The main journals that published articles on this topic are: Research News in Education, Uninorte Health Magazine and the Magazine of Medical Sciences of Pinar del Río in Cuba. In addition, Brazil, Colombia and Cuba have the institutional affiliations with the highest number of published articles. We can conclude that teacher stress as a research variable has been studied gradually in Latin American countries; however, it is necessary to continue strengthening these studies in other databases.

Experiential learning (EL) projects require planning, patience, and commitment on the part of the organizing and facilitating instructors. Language, culture, time zone, and institutional diversity exacerbates the inherent difficulties in conducting virtual, international EL projects. This manuscript discusses an ongoing multi-country project between a prestigious private university in the United States and several Latin American university contributors to execute a joint student experiential learning consulting project. The authors develop an intuitive instructor-focused jobs demands-resources model of involvement in international, virtual, experiential learning projects and triangulate the propositions with extant literature, interview responses in the ongoing case project, and survey data from participants in a similar project.

The forest–savanna transition is the most widespread ecotone in the tropics, with important ecological, climatic, and biogeochemical implications at local to global scales. However, the factors and mechanisms that control this transition vary among continents and regions. Here, we analyzed which factors best explain the transition in northern South America (Llanos ecoregion and northwestern Amazon), where common thresholds on typical environmental factors (for example, mean annual precipitation (MAP), wet season precipitation) fail to predict it. For instance, savannas in the Llanos occur at MAP levels (> 1500 mm) which are typical of forests in other tropical regions. We examined the transition's climate features, soils, and disturbance (fire frequency) spaces using remotely sensed data. We used logistic generalized linear models to assess the effect of seasonal (season length) and intra-seasonal (daily precipitation frequency and intensity) precipitation metrics during the dry season, soil silt content, and fire frequency, on the transition using canopy cover, tree cover, and the maximum Plant Area Volume Density as vegetation structure descriptor variables. Fire frequency and precipitation frequency were the most important variables explaining the transition. Although most fires occur in savannas, we found that a significant percentage of savanna pixels (46%) had no fires. This study indicates that the transition should be characterized regionally in response to biogeographic differences (for example, climatic space) among regions and continents. Our results highlight the importance of fire frequency and intra-seasonal precipitation in determining the transition in northern South America. Furthermore, future studies should consider regional differences in the climatic space of forest and savanna to improve projections of global change impacts on these highly diverse ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Global warming and climate change are threats to the world. Warmer temperatures and changes in precipitation patterns alter water availability and increase the occurrence of extreme weather events. South America and the Andes are vulnerable regions to climate change due to inequity and the uneven distribution of resources. Climate change evaluation often relies on the use of general circulation models (GCMs). However, the spatial resolution is too coarse and does not provide a realistic climate representation at a local level. This is of particular importance in mountain areas such as the Andes range, where the heterogeneous topography requires a finer spatial resolution to represent the local physical processes. To this end, statistical and/or dynamical downscaling methods are required. Several approaches and applications of downscaling procedures have been carried out in the countries of this region, with different purposes and performances. However, the main objective is to improve the representation of meteorological variables such as precipitation and temperature. A systematic review of these downscaling applications will identify the performance of the methods applied in the Andes region for the downscaling of precipitation and temperature. In addition, the meta-analysis could detect factors influencing the performance. The overall goal is to highlight promising methods in terms of fitness for use and identify knowledge gaps in the region. Methods: The review will search and examine published and grey literature on downscaling applications of temperature and precipitation in the Andes region. Predetermined criteria for eligibility will allow the screening of the evidence. Then, the method used in each application will be coded and mapped according to the country, purpose, variable, and type of downscaling. At the same time, quantitative and qualitative data will be extracted. The performance metrics are particularly interesting for this review. A meta-analysis will be conducted for those studies with comparable metrics. A narrative synthesis, maps and heatmaps will show the results. Tables, funnel plots, and meta-regressions will present the meta-analysis. Throughout the review, a critical appraisal step will categorize the validity of the evidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaria is a severe public health problem in several developing tropical and subtropical countries. Anopheles aquasalis is the primary coastal malaria vector in Central and South America and the Caribbean Islands, and it has the peculiar feature of living in water with large changes in salinity. Recent research has recognised An. aquasalis as an important model for studying the interactions of murine and human Plasmodium parasites. This study presents the complete genome of An. aquasalis and offers insights into its evolution and physiology. The genome is similar in size and gene content to other Neotropical anophelines, with 162 Mb and 12,446 protein-coding genes. There are 1387 single-copy orthologs at the Diptera level (eg. An. gambiae, An. darlingi and Drosophila melanogaster). An. aquasalis diverged from An. darlingi, the primary malaria vector in inland South America, nearly 20 million years ago. Proteins related to ion transport and metabolism belong to the most abundant gene families with 660 genes. We identified gene families relevant to osmosis control (e.g., aquaporins, vacuolar-ATPases, Na+/K+-ATPases, and carbonic anhydrases). Evolutionary analysis suggests that all osmotic regulation genes are under strong purifying selection. We also observed low copy number variation in insecticide resistance and immunity-related genes for all known classical pathways. The data provided by this study offers candidate genes for further studies of parasite-vector interactions and for studies on how anophelines of brackish water deal with the high fluctuation in water salinity. We also established data and insights supporting An. aquasalis as an emerging Neotropical malaria vector model for genetic and molecular studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper supplements Gebauer and Wulf's analyses of mimesis as a mechanism for the construction of social reality. After situating archaic musical mimesis in the context of Homeric performance and its critique in Plato, I demonstrate how musical mimesis functions as an assemblage of inscription of social mores and values through two case studies. The first examines how this mimetic mechanism is actualised in the 1589 Medici intermedi as an allegorical apparatus of capture that enables the sovereign to control the space and time of the performance. The second examines how this apparatus is redeployed by seventeenth-century Jesuit missionaries in South America to coerce nomadic Indigenous peoples into settlements known as 'reducciones'. The paper advances an account of the darker role of musical mimesis in the dissymmetrical construction of social reality during the baroque: as a world-making tool of sovereign power and a world-destroying mechanism of epistemic genocide in colonised territories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Multiple abiotic and biotic factors, mainly the amount and seasonality of precipitation, fire regime, soil properties and species adaptation strategies, have been invoked to explain the existence of the tropical savanna–humid forest transition. We explored the rainfall variables that influence the probability of forest or savanna occurring in north‐west South America, specifically monthly precipitation and the mean and maximum duration of wet and dry spells, defined as the number of consecutive wet (dry) days. Location: North‐west South America. Time period: 1980–2017. Major taxa studied: Savanna and humid forest. Methods: We used a set of logistic generalized linear models to assess the effect of multiple variables on the probability of occurrence of forest. Predictor variables included monthly precipitation, mean monthly dry and wet spells and maximum monthly dry and wet spells. Results: The probability of forest (savanna) occurrence depends mostly on the average duration of dry and wet spells and the interaction between these two variables, whereas the effect of total monthly precipitation is marginal. Dry spell duration had the largest effect on the probability of forest occurrence, which decreased by 7.5% for each additional consecutive dry day. For wet spells, the probability of forest occurrence increased by 4.1% for each additional consecutive wet day. Our model shows that the savanna–forest transition takes place under an average combination of dry spells lasting 8–10 days and wet spells lasting 1–3 days during the dry season (December–February). This combination changes to dry spells lasting 1–3 days and wet spells lasting 4–6 days during the wet season (May–July). Main conclusions: This study reveals the importance of using precipitation data with a fine temporal scale to investigate forest–savanna distribution and indicates the limited explanatory power of aggregated precipitation variables (e.g., monthly and annual values). Models that assess the effect of climate change should therefore incorporate precipitation variables acquired at finer temporal resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In tropical regions, particularly in Central and South America (CSA), the projections of climate seasonality under climate change are still uncertain. This is especially true for ecologically‐relevant variables such as precipitation and temperature. However, assessments of model‐based projections of seasonal climate for this region are scarce. We analyzed the simulation of seasonal precipitation and air surface temperature in CSA and six sub‐regions within from 49 models included in the Coupled Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) and 33 models from CMIP6. In general, continental patterns and seasonality of both variables are moderately well resembled, while most models show systematic biases over the oceans, producing unrealistic spatial patterns. To quantify how well CMIP5/CMIP6 models simulate these variables, we used Taylor diagrams with respect to TRMM for precipitation and ERA5 for temperature. Precipitation shows the largest spread among models. Conversely, temperature shows a better simulation. CMIP5/CMIP6 models exhibit a better performance simulating both variables during December–January–February and March–April–May than during the other seasons. This is partly due to the reduced model biases in representing the Intertropical Convergence Zone during these two seasons. In general, biases are reduced in the CMIP6 models with respect to CMIP5. Regarding regional evaluations, precipitation patterns for Mesoamerica, Cerrado and Chaco regions are better reproduced compared to TRMM, while the annual cycles for the Andes hotspot, Central Chile and Guianas are not well simulated, mainly during their wet seasons. However, these biases are reduced in CMIP6 models. In regard to precipitation projections, models only agree over most of the regions with decreasing precipitation. Conversely, temperature exhibits a general consensus on persistent warming even during the historical period, with an average increase of 6°C by the end of the century, according to the CMIP6 models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the relationships between proactive environmental strategy (PES) and internationalization in emerging markets multinationals from Latin America (Multilatinas). Drawing on the resource‐based view and institutional theory and using a sample of 86 listed firms during the period 2013–2017, we find that Multilatinas with higher tiers of PES are associated with higher degrees of geographic international diversification. Because adopting PES is directly conditioned by institutional pressures to comply with stakeholders' regulations and expectations, Multilatinas that implement advanced PES will be able to achieve a higher level of international presence in foreign markets. Our results also reveal that board independence positively moderates the relationship between PES and geographic international diversification. Specifically, board independence provides Multilatinas with the opportunity to integrate valuable knowledge and expertise and thus to take advantage of implementing advanced PES to achieve even greater levels of internationalization. This study expands understanding of how environmental strategies influence internationalization of firms in the Latin American business context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain further insight into geographic distribution of Leishmania species in Peru, a countrywide survey, including central to southern rainforest areas where information on causative parasite species is limited, was performed based on cytochrome b (cyt b) and mannose phosphate isomerase (mpi) gene analyses. A total of 262 clinical samples were collected from patients suspected of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) in 28 provinces of 13 departments, of which 99 samples were impregnated on FTA (Flinders Technology Associates) cards and 163 samples were Giemsa-stained smears. Leishmania species were successfully identified in 83 (83.8%) of FTA-spotted samples and 59 (36.2%) of Giemsa-stained smear samples. Among the 142 samples identified, the most dominant species was Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (47.2%), followed by L. (V.) peruviana (26.1%), and others were L. (V.) guyanensis, L. (V.) lainsoni, L. (V.) shawi, a hybrid of L. (V.) braziliensis and L. (V.) peruviana, and Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. Besides the present epidemiological observations, the current study provided the following findings: 1) A hybrid of L. (V.) braziliensis and L. (V.) peruviana is present outside the Department of Huanuco, the only place reported, 2) Many cases of CL due to L. (V.) lainsoni, an uncommon causative species in Peru, were observed, and 3) L. (V.) shawi is widely circulating in southern Amazonian areas in Peru. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Gestão e Regionalidade is the property of Universidade Municipal de Sao Caetano do Sul 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.)

Vegetation actively affects different components of the water budget in multiple spatial and temporal scales. Changes in vegetation cover and structure—such as those resulting from land use—alter natural ecohydrological dynamics, leading to changes in natural hydrologic regimes. In tropical mountain ecosystems, such as the Colombian Andes, significant areas of native forests have been converted to agro-ecosystems that include pasturelands and croplands, to supply societal demands for other ecosystem services. Yet, services such as water provision and hydropower generation that depend on the regulation of hydrologic fluxes are also demanded from these ecosystems, potentially generating conflicting societal demands. In this study, we assess the effect of vegetation cover type and rainfall seasonality on the dynamics of hydrological partitioning—an indicator of hydrologic regulation—at three temporal scales, in a simulated gradient of human disturbance characterized by seven types of vegetation cover. Overall, vegetation cover effects on hydrologic partitioning are more pronounced in shorter, weekly to seasonal, timescales than in annual timescales. Natural vegetation cover types have a higher potential for maintaining water availability, as evidenced by lower variability of soil moisture storage and hydrological fluxes both within and between seasons. Notably, among all cover types, early stages of natural vegetation recovery appear to be more effective in maintaining higher levels of soil moisture while decreasing potential overland flow and other water losses, therefore more effectively contributing to deep drainage and potentially to groundwater recharge, which relate to hydrologic regulation and, ultimately, water availability. Collectively, our results provide insights for decision-making in land management, particualrly when provisioning and regulatory ecosystem services are demanded from these strategic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South America is experiencing rapid change in forest cover, of both native and planted forest. Forest cover loss is primarily attributable to fire, logging, and conversion of native forest to agriculture, pasture, and forest plantations, and types of change vary within and among the many diverse types of forests in South America. Major changes in forest cover and growing policy concerns underscore an urgent need for research on sustainable forest management and water ecosystem services in South America. Differences in land ownership and management objectives create trade-offs between wood production and water ecosystem services from forests. Work is needed to quantify how forest change and management affect ecosystem services, such as wood production versus water provision. Current scientific understanding of forest management effects on water ecosystem services in South America has important limitations, including a scarcity of long-term records and few long-term integrated watershed studies. Industry, government, universities, and local communities should collaborate on integrated applied studies of forests and water. Data archiving and publically available data are required. The creation of national networks and a multi-country South America network to identify and implement common water research protocols, share results, and explore their implications would promote common and well-supported policies. Hydrologists working in South America are well placed to tackle the challenges and opportunities for collaborative research that will maintain the intrinsic values and water ecosystem services provided by South America's forests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim We analysed in detail a past marine incursion event in north-western Amazonia and measured its effect on the forest composition. We also determined the sediment provenance in the fluvio-estuarine system and reconstructed the overall floral composition of the Amazon lowland forest during the Miocene climatic optimum. Location A 60-m-thick sedimentary succession situated along the Caquetá River in Colombian Amazonia (0.77° S; 71.97° W). Methods Palynological, geochemical and statistical analyses were performed on samples from organic-rich sediments. Results The lower section was formed by fluvial floodplain deposits of Andean provenance rich in pollen of Malvacipolloides maristellae (aff. Abutilon) and Rhoipites guianensis (aff. Vasivaea). The middle section was formed by fluvial channel and estuarine swamp deposits of central Venezuelan provenance dominated by pollen of Mauritiidites franciscoi (Mauritia). Towards the top, the swamp deposits represent an estuarine floodplain with aquatic biomarkers, marine palynomorphs and mangrove pollen. The succession ended with fluvial floodplain deposits of central to southern Venezuelan origin with R. guianensis as dominant pollen type. Palynological diversity was high throughout the section with Andean- and Venezuelan-derived sediments each with their characteristic taxa. Tropical rain forest taxa, such as Arecaceae, Fabaceae, Sapotaceae, Malpighiaceae and Bombacoideae, were common in these sediments, although taxa adapted to drier conditions also occurred. We provide a 'figshare' link to an image library of selected taxa, as well as the raw counts and processed data. Main conclusions The fluvio-estuarine system was of mixed origin with sediments and palynomorphs from the emerging Andes, but also from an area situated in the modern Orinoco Basin. Marine influence was linked to the Venezuelan source area and thus of indisputable Caribbean origin. Overall, a mixed forest with drought-resistant components existed in the drainage system during the Miocene climatic optimum. Our data provide a novel insight into the composition of the tropical lowland forest and the environments in north-western Amazonia prior to the main uplift of the central and northern Andes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the first record in Colombia of Prebaetodes meridinensis Chacón, Pescador & Segnini, 2010 based on nymphs collected in Andean region. This species was previously reported from Venezuela. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study which examined the first record of a South American fur seal, Arctocephalus australis, at Playa La Plataforma in Mexico on May 2, 2013. The specimen was evaluated based on population distribution across South America and other areas, skull measurement, and other species of fur seals in South America. Reports of stranding events of fur seals are mentioned.

The invention and spread of lost-wax casting in South America is not amenable to explanations based on the concepts of practical or prestige technologies. Here we propose an alternative model to explain this phenomenon, based on a combination of technical analyses of Colombian metalwork and ethnographic information. A crucial element of our argument is that we should not focus on the cast objects or the casting process only, but rather we should consider the role of wax in this innovation. We develop the claim that the use of wax may have been culturally just as important as the metals, and that perhaps metals were used in a process of transformation that required the use of wax, as opposed to wax being simply the medium to make gold objects more beautiful. The focus on wax and its symbolic role may help explain both the invention and the adoption of the new technology, thus subsuming these two categories that those studying innovations tend to separate heuristically. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: South America houses a significant proportion of the world''s plant diversity and therefore merits conservation attention. However, ongoing habitat fragmentation, degradation and destruction of natural habitats threaten biodiversity. A set of seven threats to natural ecosystems derived from a previous study (Jarvis et al. 2010), combined with a dataset of occurrences from 16,339 species, and also with the World Database of Protected Areas were used to analyse the patterns of threats to flora in South America and its conservation. Species richness per ∼50km side cell ranged from 1 to 2149 taxa, but with most of the areas presenting between 1 and 58 taxa. Population accessibility, expansion of agriculture and grazing pressure were found to be the key drivers of immediate extinction risk. A considerable (78.4%) number of species presented at least one population under high threat due to the expansion and intensification of these anthropogenic activities. In addition, some 13.8% of the analysed species presented up to 80% of their populations at risk of extinction (high threat index). On the conservation side, 82.3% of the analysed taxa have at least one population occurring within a protected site. However, it is important to note that for a protected area system to be effective and efficient, the conservation of within-taxon genetic diversity is required. The expansion, monitoring and strengthening of 24 existing protected areas holding up to 70% of South American plant diversity is suggested; as is the revision of seven additional sites where up to 200 species not currently conserved are present. Critical areas to monitor, expand and strengthen are mainly located in the Ecuadorian and Colombian Andes, southern Paraguay, the Guyana shield, southern Brazil, and Bolivia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The sugarcane borer, Diatraea saccharalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is the primary pest of sugarcane, Saccharum spp., in much of North and South America. Control of D. saccharalis can be obtained through judicious application of insecticides, but more research is needed to optimize chemical control strategies. A series of field trials evaluated the duration of protection and influence of application water volume on D. saccharalis control in Louisiana sugarcane from 2018 to 2020. Results across trials demonstrated superior control was achieved with chlorantraniliprole over novaluron and tebufenozide. Analysis of insecticide concentrations present in leaf sheath tissue of the target internode suggests chlorantraniliprole and novaluron are achieving systemic activity, but not tebufenozide. Chlorantraniliprole concentrations remained above lethal levels for more than 8 wk after application. The percentage of bored internodes was 1.3- and 1.9-fold greater following applications with a water volume of 18.7 L/ha relative to those made with 46.7 and 186.8 L/ha, respectively, across insecticides. Collectively, results suggest chlorantraniliprole applied early in the season with sufficient water volume can provide nearly season-long protection of sugarcane against D. saccharalis injury. • Chlorantraniliprole and novaluron are systemic in sugarcane. • Chlorantraniliprole provides up to eight weeks of protection from Diatraea saccharalis injury in sugarcane. • Efficacy of insecticide applications in sugarcane is reduced at low water volumes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An. Aquasalis mosquitoes of a 25 year-established colony keep two phenotypes (30BS and 50BS) based on their 2nd hind-tarsomere scaling patterns. • Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) confirm the species status and the phenotypes regardless of gender. • Male-oriented biases in both phenotypic categories were observed among the 28 genotypes. • Evaluating the infection of An. aquasalis to Plasmodium parasites, there was a higher susceptibility of 30BS compared with 50BS. Anopheles aquasalis is an important malaria vector in coastal regions of South America and islands of the Caribbean. In its original description, the species was divided into two varieties, based on the scaling patterns of their hind-tarsomere 2. Specimens from our 25-year established colony, used for Plasmodium experimental infections, still exhibit both scaling tarsomere patterns. This study examined the DNA sequence of the nuclear Internal Transcribed Spacer 2 (ITS2) and susceptibility to Plasmodium , looking for differences among the phenotypes 30BS and 50BS. One hundred mosquitoes, 25 males and 25 females of each sex, and phenotype were analyzed. Twenty-seven novel haplotypes were identified. Three were found in both phenotypes (30BS and 50BS) regardless of gender. Among the other 27 genotypes, we observed a male-oriented bias in both phenotypic categories. Evaluation of Plasmodium yoelii N67 infections, based on oocyst counts, showed a higher susceptibility of 30BS compared with 50BS. Future studies need to be conducted to evaluate if these genotype assortments among the phenotypic groups reflect differences in fitness, mating, and their susceptibility to infection by Plasmodium parasites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In South American countries, the class A extended-spectrum β-lactamases (ESBLs) so far recognised belong to the CTX-M, Pseudomonas Extended Resistance (PER), SHV and TEM families. ESBL rates in South America are among the highest in the world, probably due to multiple factors. SHV- and TEM-type ESBLs have been frequently encountered, but CTX-M is endemic and widely dominant. PER-type ESBLs seem to be restricted to the southern ‘cone’ of South America. Community-acquired ESBLs are starting to appear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1. Piper arieianum, an evergreen, understorey shrub of lowland moist forests of Central and South America, exhibits marked seasonal variation in reproductive activity even though climatic variation is low at the study site. Despite a lack of climatic seasonality, previous experimental leaf removal suggested that carbohydrate accumulation is seasonal, occurring prior to flowering. 2. We first tested the hypothesis that carbohydrates necessary for reproduction are accumulated prior to flowering, rather than during or after. By measuring non-structural carbohydrate production in the form of glucose and starch we found that the concentration of these reserves is greatest 1-3months before flowering, decreasing by 50% during peak fruit maturation. 3. The hypothesis that reproduction was the cause of this decrease in carbohydrate reserves was then tested by comparing reserves in plants that were prevented from flowering with those that flowered and produced fruit naturally. As predicted, reserves declined more in flowering than in non-flowering plants. A smaller decline in reserves of non-flowering plants was accompanied by greater stem and leaf production, suggesting that stored carbohydrates are also required for growth. 4. Because concentrations of non-structural carbohydrates were similar in roots, stems and leaves, and because the greatest amount of plant biomass is in stems for plants of a range of sizes, stems appear to be the main storage site of carbohydrate reserves in this plant species. 5. These results, together with previous studies, demonstrate that the impact of leaf herbivory on seed production in P. arieianum depends on the timing of that herbivory relative to the accumulation and use of non-structural carbohydrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Ceftolozane–tazobactam (C/T) is a combination of an antipseudomonal cephalosporin with a known β-lactamase inhibitor, with a potent in vitro activity against P. aeruginosa (Pae), without activity against carbapenemases. Among the mechanisms of resistance to C/T that have emerged, substitutions in the Pseudomonal-derived cephalosporinase (PDC), in AmpR, and in some ESBLs, are the most commonly described. The aim of this study was to identify the molecular mechanisms responsible for the in vitro non-susceptibility (NS) to C/T in a group of clinical Pae strains from Latin America. Methods Clinical Pae isolates (n = 508) were collected between January 2016 and October 2017 from 20 hospitals located in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. Minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) to C/T were determined by standard broth microdilution and interpreted according to CLSI M100 S28 breakpoints. Production of carbapenemases in Pae isolates displaying NS to C/T was assessed by carbaNP® followed by PCR to detect blaKPC, blaNDM-1, blaVIM and blaIMP. Illumina whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed for isolates in which NS to C/T was not mediated by carbapenemases. The presence of mutations in PDC, AmpR, oprD and dacB as compared with PAO1, was evaluated. Results According to the CLSI breakpoints, 162/508 (32%) Pae isolates demonstrated NS to C/T. Due to the absence of growth, only 151/162 were further processed. Table 1 summarizes the results obtained by carbaNP®, PCR and WGS performed on these isolates. In 53% of the isolates, NS to C/T was explained by the production of at least one carbapenemase, KPC or VIM. WGS revealed that in addition to substitutions in PDC and AmpR, some isolates carried mutations in oprD and dacB (encoding PBP4) genes. The molecular mechanism of resistance in 4/56 isolates is yet to be determined. Conclusion Carbapenemase production is the most common mechanism of resistance to C/T detected in this study. VIM and KPC were detected in equal proportions, while none of the isolates was found to carry IMP or NDM. Further studies are warranted to establish the role of the novel substitutions found in PDC and AmpR, as well as the degree to which the mutations found in oprD and dacB contribute to the NS phenotype in some isolates. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Insects are known to be able to provide valuable nutrients to indigenous populations across the Amazon. However, studies on traditional insect use in the Peruvian Amazon are scarce. This study documents edible insect diversity and characterizes their food and collection patterns in eight Awajún communities in the Peruvian Amazon. Additionally, we reviewed what has been known to date about the nutrient composition of the documented species. Methods: The survey was conducted among the Awajún populations living in the Huampami, Paisa, Achu, and Tseasim communities in the Cenepa district and the Shijap, San Mateo, Kusu, and Listra communities in the Imaza district. Data collection was conducted through a freelisting exercise complemented by a semi-structured inquiry form in the Awajún language. In total, 104 informants (72 men and 32 women) aged between 16 to 73 years were interviewed. Results: The Awajún people use at least 12 insect species, with Rhynchophorus palmarum, Atta cephalotes, and Rhinostomus barbirostris being the most important ones. Beetles of the family Curculionidae represent the culturally most salient taxon. In the more accessible and developed Imaza district, the Awajún tend to eat almost exclusively R. palmarum, while in the more isolated and preserved Cenepa district, the community’s preferences are linked with more species. Although men are the main insect collectors, women cited more edible insects on average. The insects are eaten mainly roasted or raw. Further use patterns and differences between the districts are discussed. Conclusion: Traditional knowledge related to edible insects and the ecosystems they occur in is widespread among the Awajún populations, and insects still represent an important part of the indigenous food system. This ethnobiological survey discovered five species that are newly recorded as edible insects. Chemical composition of insects deemed edible by the Awajún ought to be analyzed in the future and awareness about their nutritional importance should be raised to harness the potential of this underutilized yet nutrient-rich traditional food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We review the factors involved in the virulence of Trypanosoma cruzi strains. • Uniform protocols to study T. cruzi virulence are badly needed. • These protocols will help to understand clinical evolution and management of the disease, as well as an adequate treatment. Trypanosoma cruzi , responsible for Chagas disease, is a serious public health problem in Latin America with eight million people infected in the world. Clinical manifestations observed in humans due to T. cruzi infection are largely associated with the wide biological and genetic heterogeneity of the parasite. This review presents an overview of the parasitological aspects of various strains of T. cruzi isolated mainly in Mexico, as well as an analysis of the methodological processes used to determine their virulence that could be influencing their biological characterization. We emphasize the importance of using uniform protocols to study T. cruzi virulence, taking into account factors related to: strain (i.e. developmental stage, lineage, biological origin, genetic variability), animal model used (i.e. role of hormones, host immune response, age) and methodology (i.e. inoculum size, inoculation route, and laboratory conditions used during strain maintenance). These uniform protocols will then allow proposing elements for understanding clinical evolution and management of the disease, for providing adequate treatment, and for developing tools for future vaccines against Chagas disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current four year study was undertaken to investigate the clinical and epidemiological features of Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis infections in Valle Hermoso, Santo Domingo de Los Tsachilas province, north-central Pacific areas of Ecuador. A total of 155 parasitologically confirmed ( Leishmania- amastigote-positive) clinical cases diagnosed at a rural health center during January 2014-December 2017 were analyzed thoroughly. Molecular characterization of the causative Leishmania parasites from different endemic sites within the study areas was performed by PCR amplification of cytochrome b ( cyt b) sequencing. All the FTA-card and/or smear impregnated materials tested were characterized, and identified as L. (V.) guyanensis , without detecting any other Leishmania species. The following features were described: 1) the majority of patients were suffered from a single ulcer lesion (simple and mild to chronic), followed by multiple lesions, including recidiva cutis-“like” and Chiclero’s ulcer-“like” clinical forms; 2) the majority (65.70%) of lesions were less than 10 mm in size, and distributed mainly on the upper body regions (arm, forearm, face, and neck including ear and head); 3) about 30% (29.68%) of the subjects tested were less than 10 years of age, strongly suggesting the intra- and/or peri-domestic transmission of the disease in the areas. The current clinico-epidemiological feature detected emphasizes the need for further such investigations of the L. (V.) guyanensis infections prevalent at different Pacific ecoregions of Ecuador, including Amazon regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Riedel, synthetic and antithetic type faults, principal displacement zones (PDZ), pull-apart basins (such as lazy-S shaped releasing bend, extensive and rhomboidal shaped and releasing sidestep basins) and minor folds located oblique to the main trace of the Algeciras Fault System (AFS) are interpreted from Landsat TM 5 images and geological mapping. These tectonic features are affecting Quaternary deposits and are related to major historical earthquakes and recent registered seismic events, indicating neotectonic activity of the structure. The AFS is classified as a right lateral wrench complex structure, with an important vertical component in which sedimentary cover and basement rocks are involved. In addition, the system represents a simple shear caused by the oblique convergence between the Nazca Plate and the northern Andes. The transpressive boundary in SW Colombia was previously located along the Eastern Frontal Fault System. However, this paper shows that the AFS constitutes the actual boundary of the current transpressive regime along the Northern Andes, which begins at the Gulf of Guayaquil in Ecuador and continues into Colombia and Venezuela. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]